A/N: I really was not expecting to take the story this far and really the main reason for that was because of the Tower battles. Don't get me wrong, I love typing this whole scenario, I could probably do it in every story if I wanted to. So I just wasn't sure if I wanted to do them again. I didn't want to become that person who just types the same thing over and over again- although I have already done that a few times with other scenarios.
The Tower was absolutely silent as they made their way into it.
It only made the feeling of uncertainty and fear feel heightened as their footsteps echoed back at them. They were supposed to be the ones going in; they were supposed to be the only ones having to deal with this mayhem. But since when had anything gone their way? Everything had gone desperately wrong the very moment this war started.
"Will they be alright?" Elincia whispered, hands twisting almost painfully in her reigns. The color had escaped from her face and she seemed more numb than anything else. Her steps seemed uncoordinated as she made haste to keep up with the others.
It would seem as soon as they approached the city, all hell broke loose behind them. Without warning, a whole new army of those Golden soldiers appeared all around; surrounding the camp they were leaving behind. He remembered the panic as a unit of Wyvern and Pegasus Knights rushed by; their resurrected riders ready to kill. But they couldn't turn back, they couldn't keep delaying the fight… they had to run ahead. They had to leave everyone else behind to defend themselves.
Mist. Boyd. Oscar. Rolf. Gatrie. Shinon. Mia.
He knew they could defend themselves; they had proven it again and again countless times. But with those times, he had always been there on the field. If something went wrong at the last minute, at the very least he could provide enough coverage for them to get back on their feet. But he wouldn't be there now… Anything could happen and he could miss the chance to protect them. Not to mention, he had Titania and Rhys with him. What if Mist needed Titania or what if they needed a healer? Were there any other healers out there? He couldn't recall seeing any others…
And Elincia… she left behind the only family she had left.
And while they all held a sense of confidence in their teams, family and friends alike, there was always that sense of doubt following them. The sudden arrival paired with their immediate departure, the impending ambush they all were caught in the midst of… there was plenty of room for mistakes. There was plenty of time for something to go horribly wrong.
At this point, it could happen to anyone.
"This is it… we're approaching the first room." Yune spoke, her voice low and almost hesitant. Whether it was because of her own fear or the fears of Micaiah… they didn't know. It could be one or the other, or maybe both combined and rolled into one, hesitant tone.
"We've made it this far." Ike nodded as he moved to look to the Crimean Queen once more. "We've all done our part and fought our way here. That battle out there will be no different from the ones we've encountered so far. We know those people best… they'll survive."
"There's a difference between surviving and being okay." she whispered, maybe more so to herself than anyone else.
And something about those words made him question what she could've meant.
Now was not the time to discuss it though.
"Worry not, I'm sure our brethren outside are handling themselves well." Tibarn spoke, perhaps as a last minute comment to keep everyone together. "At least they are still outside and not cramped in this tower; the air is stiff and there's no room to stretch my wings."
"There is no need to overcompensate yourself." Nailah retorted sharply as she brushed past him and moved ahead. Her dislike for the ongoing conversation clearly evident and her desire for the upcoming fight easily seen.
He supposed she had the right mindset though. They should focus on looking ahead and worrying about handling the challenges ahead of them instead. After all, they had a lot more to worry for… if they didn't fix this now, then everyone would suffer for it. They were all making their sacrifices. They could do this.
"Let's go." he nodded. "We're at the bottom floor now, we still have a long ways to go from here. And I think we can all assume it's just going to get more difficult as we go on."
Pushing their way through the first set of doors that resided before them, he felt an eerie coldness stir a shiver down his spine. The long platform that extended before them split into small platforms on either sides, which gave way to different paths. Right in front of him, the straightest shot to the other end of the platform, was armed heavily with different Sages and Marshals- no doubt set in place to slow them down as best they could. He could already spot the remaining Begnion Senators left for them to finally pick off. He was getting sick and tired of their antics at this point… but he held no above-average grudge towards them. There were others here who would feel far more satisfied with their defeat and he was willing to let them have it.
He would just pave a path for them if they needed it.
Halfway through the chaos of swords and twisted spirals of fire, he stepped back to avoid another mess of what a Marshal could have made of him and took the brief moment to catch his breath. While these soldiers were not as terribly powered as he thought they would be, they were stronger than what he had previously encountered. Every successful hit seemed to pain him just as much and he felt the back of his shoulder already starting to throb. In a flash of red, the soldier before him disappeared beneath the heavy form of King Caineghis, who wasted no time in crushing the figure beneath his weight. He had always been adamant about challenging the Gallian King himself but… seeing him in action like this, he was beginning to reconsider his views on that.
The Laguz Royalty were ahead of him and seemed to have no struggles in taking down the soldiers in their way. Queen Nailah was strong and agile; she could strike once and somehow twist herself to the other side of the target and get in that final hit within seconds. King Tibarn was quick and slayed enemies with one hit of his talons. King Naesala used various twists and turns to dive bomb his targets, knocking them flat on their backs in one hit and then killing them in the next. And King Caineghis, paired with Prince Skrimir and his right hand shadow, Giffca, was… without exaggeration, unstoppable.
And yet, the fact that Titania was fighting just the same in the midst of all of them made him laugh to himself.
Here was the closest mother figure most of the Mercenaries had, himself included, and she was keeping up with the best of the best without breaking a sweat.
But there was someone else that caught his attention as well.
On a separate platform to his left, the Crimean Queen was holding her own against her golden opponents. She struck one guard and moved onto the next in a quick succession; her blade moving faster than her Pegasus could. When her first opponent began to recover, she dug her knees into the side of her mount and with a well-aimed kick, the winged animal sent the guard flying over the edge of the platform.
While she still considered herself a novice and still learning to the true art of the blade, he couldn't help but to be taken in by her swiftness; the different arcs her sword created and the graceful way her body followed afterwards. He could only imagine how difficult the sword could be on horseback, although Lady Tanith made it seem easy, but with every struggle, she was perfecting it just the same.
It occurred to him then that he had never truly witnessed her fight before.
The end of the first battle was greeted with a sense of accomplishment, but carried the constant reminder that they were still on the bottom floor; there was plenty more ahead of them. The deaths of the remaining Begnion senators came as a relief to the Daein soldiers who followed them inside. Despite the lingering hesitation between Crimea and Daein… she still felt happy for them. This would hopefully solve the last of their problems that were linked to Begnion causes; she hoped from here on out that they could get back on their feet and help their country once more.
She thought she heard Lady Tanith mutter an explicit about the Senators and watched as the Apostle scolded her lightly but did little else. There was no doubt the younger woman was feeling the same. It was hard to believe three years ago, Begnion was the reigning power of Tellius and now… now it was crumbling just as quickly as Crimea had. But its downward spiral had torn the country in two, separated their house of power and put most of their reigning leaders in prison. They had essentially suffocated what was left of Daein and now they were feeling that same sense of pressure bearing down on them as well. It would take years for them to recover, but it wasn't like they would be alone in that effort. It would seem as though the only country that remained strong and intact was Gallia. And to think people had once, or still did, consider the Laguz to be sub-human and yet, here they were standing more united than anyone else.
If- or rather when- they succeeded in this war against the Goddess and things could go back to normal… she would make a note to restore diplomatic relationships. Goddess knows they could use one another right now.
She had walked away from that first battle easier than she first imagined. She only managed a few minor cuts, nothing worth complaining over, and had gained a mild compliment from Lady Tanith. And while this was still just the first battle, she held a better sense of confidence in herself; it felt as though she could take on anything now.
The second battle was quick to prove her wrong though.
Fighting wasn't the issue; it was the waiting that killed her.
The battle was split with them fighting possibly the only remaining Begnion Commander there was, someone Lady Tanith seemed adamant about speaking to first. And while they were fighting their way through countless golden drones… he was having one final showdown against the Black Knight himself.
They couldn't reach him and were forced to fight their own battle while he fought his. And while she understood that he needed to do this battle on his own, the fact that she couldn't reach him in the case that something went wrong… that was what troubled her most.
When the battle was said and done for, she helped with healing the wounded- hoping to take some of the stress off of Rhys who was handling the more grotesque injuries.
"You look like you're flying a little low there."
Elincia glanced up at the words and tried to manage a smile for the Hawk King. He bore a few cuts down one forearm and while she was certain the wounds didn't bother him in the least bit, she still wanted to heal them; they still had a long way to go from here and they all needed to be in the best conditions they could get. "I'm fine, don't worry."
"I don't need Janaff's eyes to see through that one." he remarked.
She frowned slightly and moved to place her healing staff next to his arm; feeling the warmth of its energy radiating in her fingertips as she sealed the small cuts. "I just can't imagine what he's going through right now. He thought he had this all behind him… but then it just comes right back to him and it's like nothing's changed."
His wings shifted briefly, shaking out at his sides before they folded themselves against his back once more. "He deserved that battle more than anyone here- I'm just glad he succeeded; I told him he better win in my place."
She nodded with his words and moved to strap the healing staff to her lower back. "I just… I hope he's able to deal with it."
"It's been three years."
"Three years ago, you wouldn't even look nor speak with any of us; you absolutely refused to offer any sense of assistance even when we needed it. And now, you're one of my greatest allies…" she started. "I would have figured for someone like yourself, three years would seem like yesterday. I can't even imagine not having you at my side but I still remember the first impression I had of you. If I can remember something like that and still think back on it from time to time… how do you think those three years have been for him? That man in the black armor killed his father, King Tibarn; he didn't have time to grieve, he had Mist to take care of, he had to take care of the Mercenaries, he had to fight in a war he had no control in. I don't think he ever found acceptance in it… not until he took on the Black Knight himself and thought he won. At that point, I think he let himself grieve and tried to put the matter behind him. But halfway through this war, that armor came back and it opened those wounds again. He's going through the same process all over again, right at the height of another war coming to an end. He can't just… push it aside for later; he may think he can but he is not invincible to emotions. No one is, not even you, Tibarn. So please just… don't say it's been three years like it's supposed to solve something…"
The Hawk King remained quiet for the few moments following; if any part of her speech had offended him, he didn't make note of it.
"Sounds like you've got a few unresolved emotions yourself." the man offered.
She offered what could be best described as a bitter chuckle as she moved to brush aside a loose lock of hair, nervously tucking it behind one ear. "Three years ago, I lost both of my parents and for the longest time, I wasn't sure if I could mourn or not. I could count the times I had seen them on one hand. I think I might've cried more when Sir Delbray died… For the longest time, between the stress of trying to run a country I was hidden from, I hated myself for acting like that. I thought, what kind of person does that make me? Even now, even after three years, I'm not sure if I can grieve for them. And then… and then there was the ordeal with Uncle Renning, who had always made it a priority to visit whenever he wasn't practicing with the Royal Knights; he used to joke around and say he saw me as his own daughter. When I lost him, I just… I couldn't react; I was so lost in every piece of emotion, I just shut down. But now he's here. He's actually alive; he's waiting for me out there. And I don't even know what to tell him…"
Pushing his way into the next room, he actually found the embrace of silence to be comforting. He had left the others behind him but right now, he needed this kind of solitude. He just… he needed a few minutes at best to recompose himself. Ragnell was strapped to his back while Alondite weighed heavily in his hand. He was almost certain the impression of its hilt had broken the flesh of his palm; his fingers were so tightly wrapped around the sword, he swore he cut off the circulation to them. Its blade was a mess of previous battles that left scars down its spine.
His own blood was still on it.
His side still throbbing from where the man had managed a lucky hit and he had been stupid enough to leave himself open for it. It was a heavy hit, one that shot pain straight to his ribs and shook them in their places from the force. He was lucky to not have been knocked off his feet… if he had, that would've been the end of the battle right there. Blood was spilling down his hip and leg, dripping over the white tiles underneath him. And while the pain was a constant reminder with every step he took, with every movement, he barely paid much attention to it.
Alondite… Ragnell's counterpart. Both of which were considered to be pieces of Begnion's most precious treasures.
How could he have not known?
Ranulf had told him the identity of the Black Knight before and he had braced himself for this moment- knowing that it would come eventually. And when it did… it felt like he just completely lost everything. He remembered fighting alongside Commander Zelgius during the Mad King's War; he remembered fighting against him in this one. But this… the black armor, Alondite, all of it…
His grip tightened further before he felt himself draw the sword back and throw it as far as he could.
Its deemed title of being priceless and irreplaceable shrieked as its blade scraped across the tiles; its hilt tumbling and spinning with the momentum before it came to a final rest. The very tip of its blade tittered on the edge of the platform, hovering over a sightless drop. And for those few seconds, he wished it did fall. He wished it snapped in half, shattered into as many uncountable pieces as humanly possible and scattered like ashes on the bottom floor. A timeless piece reduced to nothing more than a heartless offer to an equally heartless Goddess.
The emptiness of weight in his hand seemed to hit him hardest though- harder than he could've imagined.
Here they were in the Tower of Guidance working their way up to the Goddess herself, fighting every wave of enemies the celestial being could produce for them. They were fighting for all of Tellius here, for every sign of life in this lifeless world. Those left behind were fighting for their lives outside, hoping to live to see the end of this chaos; hoping to see them walk out of this tower victoriously. There were still challenges that remained before them, challenges they needed to handle.
And he was losing himself.
His fingers were aching from the strenuous grip before they moved to press themselves against his side; feeling the warm flush of blood push its way around them. It was deeper than he thought… not life threatening, but he'd probably pass out from the blood loss if he let himself.
"Ike."
He glanced back at the voice and watched as Titania slowly made her way onto the platform- although she seemed careful to keep her distance for now. That strong front, that warrior poise and expression she carried with her was tucked away; she no longer seemed like the woman who could keep up with the likes of King Caineghis and Queen Nailah. Instead, she just… she was that backbone for the mercenaries. Not that powerhouse backbone, but the motherly, strong parental kind of one. For now, she wasn't the one who could swing a poleax with unimaginable speed and power; for now, she was just the one who took Mist out shopping and gradually grew out to include Mia and Nephenee as well. She wasn't the first one out of the field, racing to strike first just to spare someone else from fighting; she was the one who made sure everyone was in good health and if someone fell ill, she did whatever she had to to get them back on their feet again.
"I'm fine." he answered; his voice sounding weak compared to hers. Fingers pulled away and he briefly glanced down at the blood that stained them. "I'm okay… right?"
She seemed to bide her time before she drew herself closer; tucking aside previous caution to tend to whatever she needed to.
He felt the weight of her hand against his shoulder and felt the brief squeeze of her fingers.
She didn't have to say anything; she said everything that needed to be just in that motion.
He nodded briefly, maybe more so to himself than to her, before he moved to rest his hand on top of her own. "Let's not tell Apostle Sanaki that I almost destroyed one of her country's treasures."
