She was doing it for them. Midgard deserved better than this, to be toys for the gods to play with. By doing this she will start a new era and he will become a god able to rule fairly. Her love for him burned in her heart and soul and wished it didn't have to come to this but this was the only way. It was only way to stop Lezard and maintain the balance. She just hoped her feelings would transfer at her next regeneration so she would be able to recognize him and love him the way she did now and hoped that he would be able to return her feelings

The three sisters let her have control of their body for a brief moment after hearing him call out to her specifically. She realized she only had a few precious moments before her body gave out from all of them combined as she blinked and looked at her love. She smiled and kissed the ring on her left hand as he looked at her with a look surprise. He seemed to regain himself and rushed towards her and he enveloped her in a hug. Her heart burst in those last moments. He did love her the same way she loved him! She smiled in complete contentment before her body gave out and she and the sisters dissolved into the oblivion…

Alicia woke with a start and clutched her chest.

"What was that?" She whispered fiercely to herself. Those feelings were so intense! She -no- some else had deeply loved someone and sacrificed herself so he and others on Midgard could live and stop being played with by the gods. She held back a sob as the feelings rushed over her again. The girl had loved the man so fiercely! And to realize that he returned her feelings right before she died!

Alicia curled up into a ball and wept into her pillow for the girl who wasn't able to live and love, not fully understanding and knowing she was actually crying for herself for what happened many years ago…

*…*

Rufus did not go immediately back to the Forest of Spirits to get back into Asgard. Instead he went to visit the Dragon Orb and its protector, Arngrim.

Rufus and Arngrim had developed a friendship in the years that the Valkyrie sister's souls hadn't shown up. They worried about what they would do, Valkyrie sisters were needed for just plain order once in a while. Arngrim would inform Rufus about funny incidents about Midgard and whether or not they were tricks left behind by Odin all those years ago.

Mostly the two would talk about non-god related things and try to for a moment to ignore the fact that they held important positions within the workings of the world.

As soon as Rufus entered the room, Arngrim knew something was different. The mercenary raised a questioning eyebrow at the cloak wearing god and discreetly looked him over to see what had changed.

"Lord Rufus." Arngrim stated and he saw Rufus roll his eyes as he took off his cloak to lay it across his arm. Arngrim instantly noticed at piece of jewelry that wasn't there. "You are aware you are missing something important?"

"Yes I am Arngrim. That is what I need to talk about." Both eyebrows were raised now at the young god.

"What is there to talk about? Can't you just like, you know, detect it?" Was the reply and the Rufus repeated the action of rolling his eyes at the Einherjar.

"Arngrim. I talked to her and gave her the ring." Rufus replied and Arngrim gapped openly. "Apparently I needed to grow a pair and talk to her so my faithful valkyrie pushed me into the mirror to where she is. I gave her my ring and then I kissed her. Also promised to return. Isn't that romantic?"

"You are not making this shit up, are you?" Arngrim asked in disbelief.

"Nope. Silmeria demanded that I go see her and pushed me into the Water Mirror."

"So… How is she?" Arngrim prompted providing a way to talk about it with actually having to.

A small smile came to Rufus's face. "Do you want the sappy love stricken god version or straight answer?"

Arngrim gave a pointed look, "You sound know which one by now."

Rufus chuckled, "Okay straight answer it is. She's fine. Just turned eighteen. Is loved by those around her and has all the qualities that made me love her in the first place."

"And the plan is?" Arngrim prompted.

"To make her fall in love me and then take her away. Doesn't that sound like Odin..." Rufus mused as he made a face as he sat down in a chair.

"I don't think Odin would wait for her to fall in love." Arngrim stated and Rufus snorted.

"I suppose so. I just want her to be happy. And if she does decide to fall in love me it makes it all the easier to explain things and what I wish to do. Though I am sure I am breaking ancient laws or something."

"You're a god. You make the rules." Arngrim stated.

"You know, I have heard that statement a couple times in past few hours. And I will respond the same way again: That is not the way I do things. That old way of thinking is what made us who we are." Rufus answered back folding his arms.

"Rufus… I think this can be an exception. I don't think it was in anyone's plan to have Alicia die in Lezard's world. I was under the impression it would happen in ours so the process would be more in our hands and Alicia's soul would simply become another einherjar or a minor goddess. Hel, I expected all of us to make it out of there, even Brahms."

Rufus's bowed his head. "I don't think there is any hope in the realm of Brahms… But Silmeria still does, so that keeps me going."

"I believe she does that for all of us sometimes Rufus."

"I know. I am thankful that the Valkyrie sisters have been returned to us." Rufus looked up at Arngrim and smirked. "Even the one that tried to kill me several times."

That prompted the mercenary to laugh and Rufus joined in, glad that he visited his old friend.

*…*

Alicia gulped a mouth full of water and sat in the shade as she rested from practicing with her sword. Sylphide, the bar keeps wife, joined her and took a drink of water also. The two had finished their spar. Alicia had successfully disarmed Sylphide for the first time.

It had been rather… Thrilling.

Alicia smiled over at her friend/ teacher as she leaned against the tree that provided the shade and wondered what Rufus would think about her sword fighting skills. She grinned amusedly at his supposed reaction.

Strangely enough her parents never looked down on her learning sword fighting. They stated they lived in a rural area, anything could happen so she should be prepared.

"Well Alicia, I need to return to the village. Same time as always?" Sylphide asked and Alicia nodded.

"I'm just going to lie here a moment in the shade. Tell my Mother or Father that I should be home before dark."

"I will Alicia. Now, don't get lost between here and the village. All sorts of spirits walk this path." Sylphide told her seriously. "Don't go running off with one of them."

"I won't Sylphide. Now go on!"Alicia waved goodbye to her friend and resumed her resting against the tree. She idly fiddled with the ring that she had worn on her left hand for the past month.

"When are you going to return?" She muttered as she gazed at the ring. "I have been feeling… Abandoned for some reason. And I have been having these dreams, of someone else's pain and love, but they seem so personal. Some make me cry in joy. Others in pain. I am beginning to lose sleep actually…" Alicia paused. "Why am I talking out loud for Asgard's sake?"

Deciding that she needed to clear her head some more, Alicia stood and pull out her sword began to do repetitions of drills Sylphide taught her. Slowly, her mind cleared and only focused on her the way her body was moving and the way she blocked. Sylphide fought with a shield. She needed to get around it. She would fake to her left then go right to knock the shield aside to be able to 'kill' her.

As she went for the 'kill,' she was jarred out of her focus by a ringing of metal and the solidness of the hit.

"Oh gods! I am so sorry! Are you hurt?" She asked concerned as she lowered her sword. The person who had blocked her movement laughed.

"I have received harder blows, but thanks for the concern." The man stated as he placed his bastard sword back into its holder. "Warrior Maiden, do you happen to know a place I may rest?" Alicia sheathed her sword and nodded.

"Yes there is an inn in town. I will escort you there." Alicia grinned at the giant man as he laughed.

"I would be honored my lady." He responded humbly and Alicia laughed him going along with her little joke .

"I am no proper lady. But I do appreciate the sentiment. My name is Alicia good sir. And you are?"

"I am Dylan, my lady Alicia." He bowed and kissed her hand and Alicia giggled.

"Well Sir Dylan, I will escort you to the village and keep the spirits from taking you away." Alicia stated as she began to walk towards the village.

"Thanks my lady." He responded as he followed.

Alicia just sighed and shook her head at the big man as she smiled. He had an oddly comforting presence like Gulim and Sylphide did, but more intense but not as much as the complete feeling she had felt around Rufus. She was also having a strangle sense of déjà vu. She swore she had seen this man before…

When did my life become full of these meetings of people that seem familiar?

*…*

When Silmeria rushed up to him, he had thought the undead had attacked or Freya had finally snapped. He briefly thought that the undead attacking would be much more easier to handle.

"Silmeria! What's the mat-" Rufus asked concern as Silmeria waved her hands excitedly and interrupted him.

"Dylan! Dylan has found her! How amazing is that? If Dylan is here, that might mean that Brahms-"

Rufus clapped a hand over her mouth quickly before others in hearing distance could hear.

"Silmeria. His name is not well thought of here. Many would like to find his soul and destroy it. It wouldn't help us either if other knew we were looking for him."

The blonde valkyrie impatiently shoved the hand away. "I don't care! It's Dylan! The one Brahms's shared a soul with. Either it is Dylan, the man that I recruited long ago or it's Brahms pretending to be him again. Or Hel it could be a combination of them both." The blonde was glowing with excitement as she expressed herself to Rufus. "You need to go to Midgard now. It has been a month since you've seen her. Now you can see Dylan and see who it is residing in Dylan's body!"

Rufus sighed. There's no reasoning with her sometimes. "I will. Tomorrow. I promise."

"You'd better." Muttered Silmeria, "I really would hate to have to push you through the mirror again."

…

So yeah. So much for staying a one shot. This will be a three shot in total then I will leave it alone (at least this is the vague plan). Hope you enjoy!

Read and Review please?

Dis: I don't own VP2 Silmeria. Square Enix