[A/N] This is the single longest chapter I've ever written, wow. Like, by a lot. It also kind of flirts with the M-rating boundary, but nothing serious. It'll stay T, I'm sure.
As a side note, this story also seems to be turning into a hospital drama. Somehow. No clue how that happened, and it wasn't my intention, but I'm gonna try and stay away from that because I really don't want to be the guy responsible for what's basically Grey's Anatomy set in the Fire Emblem universe.
"You can do it, Kiran!"
Kiran grunted with discomfort and effort, gripping Eirika's hand tightly. He slowly dragged himself to a standing position. His legs wobbled and threatened to buckle, but he straightened.
He grinned, and started laughing. Kiran laughed so hard, he expected to fall, but managed to stay on his feet.
It was infectious enough that Eirika started giggling as well. Lucius and Genny, who had taken care of him during the entirety of his stay in the infirmary, looked on with gentle smiles.
"You guys have no idea how good this feels," Kiran told them. "I feel like I could fly!"
It had been a little more than a week since the battle with Arvis, and Kiran was going insane, having to stay in his cramped little bed. He was happy he could walk – as much as that was possible, anyway. He imagined he'd need someone else to support him if he tried to stay on his feet for any period of time.
But if that person was Eirika, he didn't mind too much.
He had no idea how long it would take for him to heal completely, but even then, the scars would still be there. At least he would have a good story to tell.
"Alright," Kiran said. He took a few steps toward the door. "Let's get to the mess hall. I'm starving."
"Kiran," Genny said as he was leaving. He glanced back at her.
She hesitated, clearly not looking forward to what she was about to say. "You should stay out of battle for a while."
He stared. "I can't do that!" he protested. "I can't stay here. Gods, I'd go insane! I have to be out there just as much as any of you!"
Genny looked back to Lucius for help, and he stepped forward. "Summoner," he began. Lucius had a very soothing voice, but Kiran was having none of it. The monk continued anyway. "I know how you feel, but the fact remains that you're still very much injured. I would at least advise that you wait until you can walk on your own. Maybe someone else could handle your duties. I could ask Robin, or Lute, perhaps…"
Kiran gritted his teeth and tried to stop his temper from getting the better of him. Of all the people he'd ever want to yell at, the three that were in the infirmary were near the bottom of his list. "I understand your sentiment, but… gods, Lucius, I need to be doing something. I need to help. It wouldn't feel right to send anyone out into the battlefield without being there myself."
Lucius looked pained. "Summoner, I didn't want to take it to this point, but you may have left me no choice. If it's necessary, I will keep you here. It can be done by force if it must."
"You'd imprison me?"
"If that's what it would take for you to recover."
He could feel his anger hitting a breaking point. Kiran was about to give Lucius a piece of his mind, and damn the consequences, when a soft voice from next to him spoke his name. He looked over at Eirika, quelling his gaze.
"You're smarter than this," she told him firmly. "Please. Lucius is right. You're acting like a stubborn child, Kiran. Whether you like it or not, you still need rest."
Kiran huffed. She was right – all of them were, but he didn't like it. "Fine," he muttered. "I understand. I'll give it time." He looked back over at Lucius. "How long do you think it'll take for all this to get healed up?"
Lucius thought for a moment and looked away. "Three weeks. Perhaps longer. The fire was quite powerful."
The tactician's nostrils flared, but he forced his temper down, and took a deep breath. Don't shoot the messenger. "Thank you. I'll keep it in mind. And how long do you think it would take for me to walk on my own?"
"Perhaps two weeks."
Kiran couldn't stop himself from groaning. Two weeks, he thought. Two weeks cooped up within the Order. Not that he hated the place, far from it. But not being able to go out into the battlefield for two full weeks would be hell.
"I'm sorry, Summoner," Lucius said. There was a hint of guilt in his voice. "But none of us can afford for you to push yourself."
"And there's no way the process can be sped up? Not with your staves?"
The monk shook his head gently. "There's little that can be done but wait at this point. Our magic is powerful, but extensive damage like this is outside of its reach."
Kiran nodded. "Thanks for being honest, Lucius. You're a good friend." He took a deep breath, and turned to Eirika. "Shall we?"
She watched him warily, but nodded. "It'll be good for you to get moving."
As they walked, Kiran was clearly deep in thought. The princess noticed, and studied him. "Something on your mind?"
"Mm," Kiran hummed. "A bit…"
He didn't continue at first. "Watch your step here," Eirika reminded as they entered the mess hall. The room was empty but for Hector, who seemed to be having himself a snack. He looked at the door, and his eyes lit up when the two came in.
"How are you two lovebirds?!" he asked enthusiastically. Kiran grinned and waved. Eirika helped him get himself a little meal, and led him over across from Hector.
His grin was wide. "Good to see you up and about, Kiran! I made a bet that you'd start walkin' today, and now it looks like I'm gonna collect!"
"Who was it with?"
"Innes," Hector replied. "He might be stuffy, but that fella knows how to gamble."
Eirika couldn't stifle a giggle. That sounded like Innes, for sure.
"So you're gonna be back out there now, right?" the Ostian prince asked, taking another bite of his food.
Kiran frowned, and shook his head. "Not yet." He repeated what Lucius had told him, and Hector shared his frown.
"Damn," he grunted. "That blows. Well, nothing to worry about, bud. You can count on us."
He smiled. "I trust you, Hector. I know you'll help take care of things."
Hector grinned, and moved to clap Kiran on the shoulder, but stopped at the last second with a guilty look on his face. "I'll, uh, leave you to it, then. It'll fly by, Kiran, promise."
He left the room, leaving Kiran and Eirika alone. He munched on his food.
"You never finished what you were saying, Kiran," she said. "What's on your mind?"
He glanced over at her. "I've been thinking lately. I need to learn how to stop this from happening again."
"How do you want to do that?"
"Training, I hope," Kiran said. "I have the best teachers around, after all. If I can learn how to use a weapon, I can defend myself. I don't want to have to rely on all of you."
Eirika pondered that. "Isn't that what we're here for, though? To defend you and the kingdom?"
He struggled for the right words. "Yeah, and I appreciate that, but… well, it's not set in stone. Just a thought."
They were silent for some time, with the only noise in the mess hall being Kiran's chewing.
Out of nowhere, Matthew burst into the room. "Summoner!" he cried.
Kiran looked up in surprise. "What's going on?"
"It's the recon team. They just came back. Someone's out there."
Kiran groaned. Why now? He shoveled the last of his food into his mouth and Eirika helped him to his feet. Together, they followed Matthew toward the main hall of the building.
The sight that was waiting for them was a shocking one. Kagero, Jaffar, Gaius, and Sothe were there, but they were quite injured. A small group of healers was helping them as Kiran, Eirika, and Matthew entered the room. The team looked up when they did.
"What happened?!" Kiran asked, surprised.
"The latest target," Kagero said bitterly. "She noticed us."
Kiran looked at each one in turn. "Did you see who it was?"
The other three looked at Jaffar, who wore an uncharacteristic scowl. Unlike his usual facial expressions, this had genuine anger behind it.
"Jaffar?" Kiran asked warily.
He took a moment to speak. "Ursula," he spat finally. "The Blue Crow."
That made sense, he supposed. Of all those who may recognize a stealth-based team, an assassin with experience – and one who had previously worked with Jaffar, to boot – would be the most likely to do so. Kiran took another step forward and examined their wounds. He recognized what he saw instantly, from previous experience – poison-coated daggers. A weak poison, but poison nonetheless. Something to prepare for, that was for sure.
"Better suit up," he said.
Everyone in the room stared at him in shock, and he looked around at them. "What? This is the perfect time to strike! She wouldn't be expecting us to try again so soon. The faster we get back, the better."
"Kiran-" Eirika started, before she was cut off.
"Don't start. There's no time to argue. We need to move now."
"I am not letting you risk your life out there again!" she argued. "You're not ready to be out there!"
"Eirika, please," he replied, frustrated. "There's no time for this. I'm going whether or not you, or Lucius, or anyone else tries to stop me."
She watched him helplessly. "Fine. But I'm coming."
He started to protest, but she held up one hand. "If I can't stop you from going, I'll at least protect you from harm. You said so yourself, right? No time to convince you, and no time to convince me."
He considered that. "Alright, I guess I don't have a choice."
Jaffar started forward again once they were done with their argument. "Summoner."
Kiran looked back at him, urging him to continue.
"I'm going as well."
Kiran nodded. In a way, it was good to see Jaffar feel something, even if it was a desire for revenge. "I know. Let's do this."
{asterisks}
Kiran quickly got his last two team members together – Cecilia and Amelia – and the group of five started making their way toward the northwestern reaches of Askr. No matter how hard they tried, however, Cecilia's steed wouldn't allow Kiran on her back, so he walked.
A building came into view this time. It seemed unassuming, but Jaffar stopped the group. They had arrived.
"There's only one entrance?" Kiran asked. The assassin nodded. The five crowded around the walls near the entrance, and after a moment, Jaffar stepped in front of the opening.
Almost immediately, he ducked to the ground. Something whizzed past Kiran's ear and embedded itself in a nearby tree; a dagger. Even from this distance, Kiran could see the venom that it was coated with. He chanced a quick look inside; all was dark. The summoner couldn't see two feet in front of his face.
Out of nowhere, a voice echoed from the blackness. It was a haughty female voice, augmented somehow to make it sound even more sinister than it already would. It laughed.
"Tell me…" Ursula said. "Are you afraid to die?"
Kiran couldn't stop a shudder from running through him, and quickly got himself together. He signaled Amelia to enter next and she did, holding her axe partly in front of her face.
She looked a little silly like that, but it was a good idea; it left her enough room to see (what little she could, anyway, through the blackness), and her armor would protect her from the attacks. The only way she would be in any trouble would be if the dagger went through her eye.
Kiran shuddered again. If their aim was that good, his warriors wouldn't stand a chance anyway.
As he watched her walk, the whistling sound came again. The moment after felt like it lasted for an eternity, and Kiran held his breath, silently praying to whatever deity might be able to hear him. A moment later…
Plink.
Kiran could've jumped for joy right then, but he restrained himself. They still had a fighting chance. Jaffar stealthily fell into step behind Amelia, and after another plink, leapt above her and threw several daggers forward into the darkness. Kiran heard a muffled grunt, then the sound of something hitting the floor. One down.
Jaffar quickly jumped back through the entrance, and Amelia took a few steps backward. That was the strategy; lure the enemy forward. Hopefully, it would work as well as Kiran wanted it to.
However, they waited for some time afterward, and nobody else appeared. At the ten-minute mark, Kiran's heart stopped pounding, and he looked at Cecilia. The mage lifted one hand, and a little ball of light appeared in it. She flicked it forward, and the sphere floated ahead lazily.
It lit up the dim surroundings, allowing for Kiran to see what was on the inside. He caught a glimpse of an armored knight, but as soon as it happened, the shadows seemed to meld and bend around the sphere of light. Soon, it was swallowed by the darkness. Kiran gulped, but he had seen enough. He ordered Cecilia to attack, and a group of spectral blades appeared behind her. They shot forward into the darkness without a sound. An echoed sound of pain was heard, followed by a heavy metallic clang.
That was two.
Kiran gulped. With any luck, they were evenly matched now.
They started walking further into the building now. Amelia continued to lead the group, her steps uncertain but steady. Jaffar and Cecilia followed, and Eirika helped Kiran to take the rear.
His eyes began to adjust to the darkness around him, and he noticed the walls around him. The building seemed to be in a bit of disarray, and a few walls to his right were on the verge of crumbling. He could see – and feel – a few holes, and considered how he might take advantage of the terrain like this.
Kiran told the group to stop, and peered through one of the holes, just enough for him to see. He thought for a moment, and then pushed Eirika away from him. Without her support, he fell roughly to the ground.
A second later, the dagger embedded itself in the wall opposite to him. Without hesitation, Eirika thrusted her sword into the gap, and when she pulled it out, another muffled thump was heard.
She took a breath and helped him back up. "Are you alright?" she whispered.
"Fine," he replied. "But they'll be on their guard now. We need to be careful."
The group continued, their steps echoing eerily through the building. Kiran found himself jumping at just about every flicker of movement in his field of vision. They soon entered what seemed to be a larger room.
The darkness was working well; Kiran was more than a little rattled. In fact, he was so distracted, he almost didn't notice the sound of galloping hooves coming in his direction.
A split second later, the swordfighter launched his attack. He came in at a breakneck pace, aiming right for Cecilia, but Jaffar leapt in front of her and caught the strike on a pair of daggers. In response, the valkyrie quickly conjured another set of magical blades. Due to the haste in which she cast the spell, the blades were launched haphazardly, but she still managed to hit the horse, which let out a pained whinny and fell to the ground.
The rider expertly used the momentum caused by the falling horse to launch an aerial attack at the mage, but Amelia held her axe up in his way, and he crashed right into it. The soldier hit the ground in a crumpled heap, and Jaffar rushed in to finish the job before he could regain his senses.
Kiran watched with narrowed eyes, and was silent for a long time.
"What is it?" Eirika asked.
"This seems too easy," he answered, loud enough for the others to hear. "I think she's toying with us."
Jaffar nodded gravely in response.
"How… perceptive of you." Ursula's voice echoed all around them, as if there were three of her speaking at once. Kiran jumped.
"Leave me here," he told Eirika. "I can still command everybody, and you might have to fight.
She bit her lip, whispered her assent, and eased him down so he was sitting against the wall. The four warriors formed a circle around him, ready for what might come.
A moment later, the darkness lifted. Sunlight streamed through the cracks and holes in the building's walls, and Kiran could see more clearly. He probably should've been thankful for this, but what he saw frightened him even more.
There were two figures standing in front of the warriors, on the other side of the room. Even from this distance, in the dim light, he could see that one was the Blue Crow herself. She walked forward with a bit of a sway to her generous hips, and Kiran coughed quietly and looked away, suddenly feeling very thankful for his baggy robe. Libido will out, he thought, even in a situation like this.
A rich laugh rolled from Ursula's throat and she held up both hands. "The time for games is over," she said, and two flickers of flame appeared in her palms. The other figure standing behind her mimicked her stance, and the room was a bit brighter.
Jaffar threw one dagger at her, quick as a whip, but she batted it out of the air without a second thought.
Cecilia raised one arm in response, gathering energy in the air, and Jaffar took another pair of daggers in his hands. Eirika and Amelia took defensive stances, preparing for whatever might be thrown at them.
A moment later, a sadistic smile stretched across Ursula's face, and the fire in her hands arced through the air to form in front of her, aided by the other mage standing behind her. The three balls of flame hit the ground at the same time, and quickly grew into a trio of ferocious-looking spectral wolves.
Ursula's expression changed to one of deep concentration, and she took a few steps back, eyes never wavering from the scene as the great beasts charged.
They bounded across the floor toward the group. Jaffar quickly leapt in front and threw the daggers in his hands at the beasts, and it was a great shot. One went through an eye and another drove itself against one leg, but they shot through the wolves harmlessly and bounced against the ground.
Kiran swore loudly. "Cecilia, I'm counting on you!"
She loosed the energy she had gathered, spectral swords launching toward the approaching wolves. A few hit, but they were glancing blows, and the rest were dodged easily. The great beasts were barely slowed.
The first two jumped at Eirika and Jaffar, who were quick enough to dodge, but Amelia wasn't so lucky. The wolf ripped through her leg, and the young knight cried out in pain.
This was new. Kiran's mind was racing. His only option was to take out the two mages controlling the beasts, but this was looking less and less likely, considering the offensive prowess of the wolves.
His orders were quick; Cecilia would use her magic to try and take care of the beasts, Eirika would distract them, and Amelia and Jaffar would go for the mages directly. The young assassin darted forward first, going right for Ursula without a sound. Amelia hesitated for a moment, and moved forward. Kiran could see her stumble a bit; the attack she had taken must've caused some unseen damage. He had to end this battle as fast as he could.
Luckily, Jaffar was doing an excellent job of that. As he rushed toward Ursula, the other mage stepped in his path, and one of the spectral beasts rushed toward Jaffar.
It didn't make it. The assassin cut the mage's throat with a single swift movement, and the wolf shimmered and disappeared. The Blue Crow herself was the only one left.
She didn't take her eyes off the battlefield. Rather, she moved her hands, and one of the beasts reversed and bounded at Jaffar. He chanced a look behind him, and in that moment, Ursula dodged out of the way, forcing him to turn.
The wolf was upon him, and Jaffar was too focused on dodging out of the way of it to try and attack Ursula. Kiran watched in frustration. Amelia had made it to the Blue Crow by now, but despite her strength, Ursula was fast enough to dodge her strikes.
In that moment, Kiran noticed something; the two remaining wolves were slowing down. The beasts' fighting prowess must've been tied to Ursula's concentration. Cecilia took the chance, launching her spectral blades in Ursula's direction. The Blue Crow noticed and tried to dodge, but between Amelia's axe and the fast-approaching blades, she was unable to avoid a hit. One of Cecilia's projectiles clipped her shoulder, and her expression twisted in pain.
Eirika took the chance now, sprinting forward with her sword aimed directly at Ursula. The mage leapt backward, and the strike caught her shoulder. Ursula faltered again, and one of the wolves vanished. Eirika stepped back a bit, and Jaffar rushed ahead this time, expertly throwing a dagger into the Blue Crow's stomach.
It wasn't particularly deep, and the dagger fell out after a few moments, but Ursula clutched the wound and fell to the ground. Her face twisted in surprise and pain, as well as another emotion Kiran didn't expect – resignation. Jaffar stepped forward again, grabbing the fallen dagger, and stood over Ursula.
"Jaffar," Kiran warned.
Before he could say another word, Ursula's eyes snapped forward, and the one remaining wolf bounded toward Kiran.
The summoner watched with wide eyes as a figure sprinted in between them. Eirika shielded Kiran from the wolf's attack, and as he watched, it sunk its fangs into Eirika's stomach. She screamed horribly and fell as the wolf finally dissipated.
Kiran stared, unable to comprehend what he saw, before he crawled over to her. She still breathed, which was a good sign. He looked up at Ursula; Amelia had taken the tome out of her hands. He kneeled in front of the princess and placed her head in his lap, ignoring the dull pain in his legs.
"Eirika," he said in a choked whisper. "Eirika, please…"
Her eyes fluttered open, half-lidded, and she lifted one hand to caress his cheek. Her face was deathly pale. "Are you safe…?"
Tears dripped from Kiran's eyes, and he nodded. "I'm fine… I-I can't…"
Eirika smiled. "I'll live… Y-You won't have to worry about me…"
Kiran leaned down and gently laid a kiss to her lips. She sighed quietly, and closed her eyes. Her breath was shallow.
Kiran called Cecilia over, and after a short conversation, Eirika was bathed in a soft dim light. Without a staff, her healing magic wasn't as potent as it could've been, but Eirika would be fine for a while. He hoped.
Kiran took a deep breath, and Amelia walked over to offer him a shoulder. He stalked toward Ursula, taking the tome along the way.
Jaffar was already standing over her, the fallen dagger in his hand. There was rage in his eyes.
"Jaffar," Kiran said quietly, putting one hand on his shoulder. "Don't kill her."
Both Jaffar and Ursula looked at Kiran in surprise. "She hurt Nino," Jaffar whispered.
"I know," Kiran said.
"She hurt Nino," Jaffar repeated, a little louder. His voice was a bit angrier. "I saw it."
It took him a moment to realize that Jaffar was talking about his own world. "She hurt Eirika too," Kiran said. "But don't kill her."
Ursula let out a harsh laugh, and a cough. "Fool," she said.
"Not so," Kiran replied. "If I weren't here right now, you'd be dead."
"So would your soldiers."
"Perhaps. But I'm not talking about them right now. I'm talking about you."
Ursula raised one eyebrow, and said nothing.
"You owe me your life."
She snarled and looked away.
"Just now, Ursula, I spoke three words and saved your life. Would you leave a debt unpaid?"
She was silent for some time. As she mulled it over, Cecilia bathed her body in the same dim light as she did Eirika.
"Now it's twofold," Kiran said.
Ursula's eyes narrowed. "What would you offer me?"
"You'll join our army and aid us in the war," he said. "And I'll send you home afterwards."
Ursula stared into his eyes. He suddenly got the feeling that she was looking through his eyes, staring into his very soul. The feeling made him quite uncomfortable, but he didn't look away.
"Fine," she said finally. Her voice lowered into a seductive-sounding purr. "There is a certain aura about you… I may have joined you in any case."
He stood, satisfied, and Amelia helped him back over to Eirika. The knight picked her up as though she weighed nothing, helped her onto Cecilia's steed, and the group of six returned to the Order of Heroes.
{asterisks}
After that was done, the trip back seemed like a blur. Kiran didn't pay much attention to what happened as they returned, but when they entered the Order again, he saw Nino. She ran up to him with a smile.
"Hi, Kiran!" she said happily. "Jaffar's with you, right? I've been looking for him."
Kiran looked over. "Yeah, he's here," he replied with a forced grin.
Before Jaffar could step forward, another voice sounded. "Is that… Nino?"
Ursula stepped out in front, and looked down at Nino. Kiran shot her a glare, and the look of disdain she was going to give the young girl quickly morphed into an extremely forced smile.
Nino, in response, stared back up at Ursula's face with wide eyes. Kiran could tell she was struggling for a response, and he elbowed Ursula, hoping that she would say something.
"O-Oh, Nino!" she said. Her smile was a bit too wide. "It's so… good to see you!" There was a moment of hesitation before she added "Darling."
She reached one hand down, and Nino flinched. Kiran felt a pang of sadness in that movement, but Ursula laid her palm on the young mage's head and tousled her hair. It wasn't a particularly good act, Kiran could see, but Nino was eating it up. Her eyes sparkled, and she gaped up at the Blue Crow. The summoner was certain that Nino had never seen her act like this before.
"Miss Ursula…?" she asked. "I thought you…"
"Oh, Nino…" Ursula said, with an extremely uncharacteristic giggle. "You're such a s-sweet little thing. Jaffar is right here, you see? I need to talk to some people right now."
Nino nodded with a bright smile. "Okay! Come on, Jaffar! See you later, Miss Ursula!"
The young mage grabbed his hand, and dragged him off in another direction. Ursula glared at Kiran, who had a wide grin on his face. It was much more genuine than the last one.
"Excellent," he said. "Your act needs a bit of work, but I'm sure you'll figure it out in time."
The Blue Crow scoffed. "I almost wish you killed me. It would've been easier."
"Anyway," Kiran continued, as if she hadn't spoken. "Someone will be around to find accommodations for you. In the meantime…"
"Kiran!"
He looked up. Ephraim was coming toward him. Wow, what a coincidence.
"You wanted to see me?"
Kiran nodded gravely, and Ephraim offered him a shoulder. He filled the prince in on the situation while they walked to the infirmary.
Ephraim's jaw was set. "Do you know if she'll be alright?"
Kiran hesitated. "I'm not sure. I don't know exactly what Ursula did to her. I wanna see if Lucius might have an idea."
Ephraim nodded. "And… you brought this woman here because…?"
Kiran sighed. This was the part he was dreading. "Ephraim-"
"No, Kiran, you listen to me," Ephraim said. He kept one hand on the summoner's shoulder as they stopped walking. "I've trusted you with my life and more so far, and I've kept quiet when you started bringing these people into our ranks. Even Valter. But this Ursula… she may have been a damned saint in her world. I don't know, and I don't care either. This woman nearly killed my sister. For all I know right now, she did kill her. She could be lying in some bed, having her life sucked away." He paused. "I know how you feel about Eirika, so how can you bring this woman here?"
Kiran started to protest, but Ephraim stopped him again. "And don't hand me another line about how it's for the good of the army. You know as well as I do that the war has been going just fine right now. You know that we're working on Surtr's weakness. Tell. Me. Why."
In that moment, the prince scared him. Kiran supposed that he himself probably would've felt the same way, if their roles were switched. He struggled to find the right words.
"Take your time, Kiran," Ephraim said. His voice had a deadly calm tone to it. "I'm a patient man. Do you plan to turn your back on my sister? I saw the way you were looking at Ursula back there."
His eyes widened. "No! No, no, no, gods, no. The thought didn't even cross my mind." Which was true. It had crossed somewhere else. "I'm happy with Eirika. I wouldn't dream of it."
"Then why?"
Kiran clutched at his hair. "Gods… would you believe me if I said I was still thinking of the army?"
The prince scoffed and shook his head. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Kiran. You'll need something better than that."
Kiran was about to protest when a thought struck him. "Hang on. What about you?"
Ephraim raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"In your world," Kiran clarified. "What did you and your army do after you saved Magvel?"
Ephraim knitted his brow. "What does-"
"Answer me."
Ephraim thought. "We… went back to our lives. Every once in a while, though, there would be reports of another outbreak of monsters, somehow. When it happened, a few of us banded together and protected the townspeople from them."
Kiran nodded. "Uh-huh. What about the tower?"
"The tower where Frelia housed its Sacred Stone? We went through there as well. Monsters had infested the place, and we tried to turn it back into something that Frelia could salvage."
"And didn't you meet some people there? People who you thought had died? And didn't you add those people to your own army?"
Ephraim's expression turned dark.
"And wasn't one of them Valter?"
"That was different," the prince replied quietly.
"Was it? You heard what happened when he first came here, right? Eirika broke right down just by looking at the guy. Did it happen in your world?"
"He was a shade!" Ephraim protested. "It wasn't Valter, it was a restless spirit who offered to fight for us! Valter was dead! In my world, he still is!"
"A restless spirit that looked, fought, and sounded exactly like him? You're acting like a complete hypocrite, Ephraim. You have no room to talk about how I run things."
Ephraim was visibly furious, and for a moment, Kiran thought he would strike him.
Then the look disappeared, and Ephraim laughed. It wasn't a particularly loud or boisterous laugh, but he laughed all the same. Kiran stared.
"Gods…" Ephraim said. "Look at us. My sister's in a bed in the infirmary right now. She could be dying for all we know, but we're arguing like an old married couple."
At that, Kiran cracked a smile too. He couldn't help it. "Truce?" he asked.
"Consider it done," Ephraim said.
They finished the walk to the infirmary in silence. By the time they got there, the laughing mood was gone, and was replaced with a pit in their stomachs.
Lucius was waiting for them. To Kiran's surprise, Amelia was in the room as well; he had forgotten that she had taken a hit too.
Before they could even ask, Lucius said "She'll live."
They let out the breath that they had both been holding. "Gods… thanks, Lucius," Kiran said. He felt a quick pang of guilt. "I'm sorry about this morning…"
Lucius shook his head. "I've already forgiven you, Summoner. But we have more pressing matters at hand."
Kiran nodded gravely, and followed Lucius into the room. Amelia was out of her armor – the summoner was amazed that such a small, frail-looking girl as her was able to walk around in that heavy armor, but looks could be deceiving – and was lying on one bed. She was pale, and had a jagged scar across one leg, but otherwise seemed fine.
Eirika was a different story. Where Amelia was pale, Eirika was white as a ghost, and her breathing was still shallow. A cold sweat had broken out across her body, but her temperature was still normal, and there were no visible wounds on her body. Kiran and Ephraim watched her frame on the bed worriedly.
"Amelia explained what happened, but I'm not certain what she's afflicted with," Lucius explained. "Neither is Genny. I called-"
"Yes?"
Their heads whipped toward the door, where Robin was standing. He stepped into the room with a look of concern. "So what happened to her?"
Kiran brought him up to speed. "I'd never seen the spell before," he said, shuddering. "It seemed brutal."
Robin had a look of deep thought on this face. "I've read about this. They're called the wolf hexes…" He paused. "What colours were they?"
Kiran furrowed his brow.
"Just work with me," Robin continued before he could ask. "It's important."
"Green and blue, then. The blue one was what hit Eirika."
Robin bit his lip. "That'd do it, then."
"They're different?"
Robin pulled up another chair. "Basically, the different colours have different effects. All of them are able to deal damage to a person, no matter any armor. Rauðrwolf is the most basic one, and does mostly physical damage to a person. It's the equivalent of an actual wolf attacking you. Gronnwolf is the next one, and it balances the three. It doesn't just hurt the user's body, it also causes damage to the soul."
Kiran's eyes widened. "The soul?"
Robin nodded. "That seems to be the one that Amelia got hit with."
Ephraim leaned back, crossing his arms. "And the last one?"
Robin looked at Eirika gravely. "Blárwolf. I'd argue that Gronnwolf is the most devastating overall, but… where did she get hit?"
Kiran closed his eyes and thought back to that moment. "It bit her stomach…"
The tactician bit his lip. "Blárwolf inflicts damage exclusively to the soul. It leaves no obvious physical marks. With enough time, the spell would tear up the target from the inside without spilling a single drop of blood. A weapon that targets your soul is more akin to the pain you feel when you lose a loved one, but amplified because it's happening all at once."
Lucius walked over now. "A soul-targeting spell?"
Robin nodded. "That's what I've read."
The monk turned to Kiran and Ephraim. "This is trickier. A physical symptom is something that can be treated with time and medicine, but a mark on the soul is much more difficult."
Kiran frowned. "You sound like you have experience."
Lucius got a pained look on his face, and glanced in another direction. "I do. A fair amount of personal experience."
Kiran fidgeted in his chair, feeling uncomfortable now, as Ephraim asked "Can you help her?"
"To date… there is no definite way to quickly treat a wounded soul. But there are some known facts. Given enough time, a person's soul will heal on its own, and I have some… theories."
"Shoot," Kiran said. "Whatever would help."
Lucius closed his eyes for a moment, clearly deep in thought. "I believe that her soul would rejuvenate more easily if she were to experience joy. Little things that bring her happiness, I believe, would speed up the healing process. Even then, though, it could take quite a bit of time…"
Ephraim waved his hand impatiently. "We have time. That's nothing to worry about."
"The amount of time also varies between people. Now, I didn't interact with her much, so I must ask the two of you… do you believe that Princess Eirika is happy?"
The prince nodded without a second thought. Kiran took a moment to think and found that he agreed.
"In that case, her recovery should be swifter than most, but she should stay in the bed. Although she's not dying, her body will be weak due to the current state her soul is in."
Kiran nodded. "I wouldn't dream of sending her into the battlefield in a condition like this."
"I hoped you would say that," Lucius said with a light smile. "I've told you all there is to tell, but for now, I think she needs rest."
Ephraim got up and started toward the door. Kiran stayed in his chair.
"You go on," he said. "I wanna stay with her for a little while."
Ephraim nodded. "I'll wait outside."
They left the room, and Kiran was alone with her. He took her hand in his, gently massaging it. She was a bit colder than usual, but otherwise, it was hard to tell that something was wrong.
"Gods, Eirika…" he whispered. "I'm so sorry this happened…"
After a moment, her eyes slowly opened. She seemed a bit dazed, and he had to lean down close to her face to hear what she said. "It's not your fault…" she murmured. She watched him, her eyes glassy.
Tears formed at the corners of his eyes. "If I hadn't insisted on going…"
She shook her head gently. "Don't blame yourself, Kiran… I made my choice… and I don't regret it…"
There was another short sentence, four simple words, that he knew was on her tongue, and in his mind, he begged for her not to say it.
He didn't know whether or not she would've, but he spoke before she had a chance to. "I'm just happy you're alive…"
She didn't reply at first. Then he took her hand in both of his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. He leaned down again and pressed another to her lips, and quietly murmured "I love you" as he pulled away.
Eirika looked back up at him and smiled. There was another sentence of four words, different from the last, that he knew was on her mind now. He kept his face close to hers so he could hear the words when they finally came out.
"I love you too."