Draco: Mizu, I do not know nearly enough flowers to let Florem take too long. I could write a whole fanfic and name every chapter after a jewel (well... maybe... if I planned it ahead of time and made all the chapters 9000+ words with no song involved...), but when it comes to flowers my knowledge is less than vast.
No, this chapter's title has nothing to do with my explosives. I know half of you won't understand what that means, but I figured I should let the ones that do relax their nerves.
Working my way through Ancheim happened with something akin to pseudo-literation. No such luck here; I'm gonna have to run through most of Florem and then work off the theatre mode in D's Journal and some notes on a plain-text file if I want to get any further than this chapter.
Bravely Default and all related properties © Square Enix.
Florem Region: Cut Lily
The inn in Florem was homey enough - there were flowers everywhere to provide a calming scent, and a few aromatherapy candles in the bathroom were quickly relocated to the main room and lit by Olivia - but neon lights are not a consistent glow, and their flickering had Til and Olivia making their way to the inn's café in quite the state.
As the two of them sat down, Olivia could hear a girl at a table not far from her looking snickering at the sight of them. She quickly turned; though it wasn't the girl who had confronted her yesterday, her hair was dyed the same colour - petalhue, if the vestal recalled correctly - and she had a curious clip in her hair that looked like a pair of fairy wings. She was also dressed in some very... courageous clothing - a very short skirt, no sleeves, low cut, and heels longer than Jackal's knife.
"Look at you two," she taunted. "First thing in the morning, and you look ready to pass right back out."
A waitress stepped up to them. "Ignore her," she insisted, stepping forward. "What can I get for you two?"
Olivia turned to her. "Any tea will be alright, please."
"Light coffee, milk and two sugars," Til mused.
"Will that be everything?" the waitress asked upon marking it down.
Til turned to Olivia and saw her about to pass out in her chair. A moment's pause; then he turned to the waitress and added, "And... one Ancheim style coffee."
The waitress gave him a confused look.
"Light, extra sugar, extra sugar, and then some, and then some, and then some," the Norende boy elaborated.
"That's not even a drink," the girl at the next table criticized, "that's a grainy slush."
"Ancheim style," the waitress mused. "I'll have to make note of that. We used to get a lot of those."
Olivia angled her head to one side. "Where did you hear that?" she asked. "I don't recall getting drinks at Ancheim."
Til leaned forward. "That's how Edea liked her drink, when she stopped by Norende," he said quietly. "She's right, it's hardly even liquid anymore."
"And yet you intend to drink that?" she asked. "With your own?"
A chuckle from Til as he leaned back. "Let's just say... it has its use."
"Your orders, sir and madam," the waitress mused. "One herbal tea, one Ancheim style coffee, one order of milk-and-two-sugars."
Olivia raised her gaze. "That was quick," she admitted as the drinks were set down as they were named.
Til drew the milk-and-two-sugars close to him and slid the Ancheim-style to Olivia. "Here you go," he mused.
"I... no," Olivia protested. "I can't drink coffee. It makes my head go all fuzzy."
"One sip," Til insisted. "It'll get you moving."
Hesitantly, the vestal accepted the drink, raising it to her lips. Nearly the moment the sugary coffee connected with her tongue, she set the drink back on the table and rushed towards the washrooms, drawing a derisive laugh from the girl nearby. "Little coward!" she taunted.
Til drew the cup close to himself. "And you've done better?" he asked, raising the drink to his own lips. He took the smallest sip and fought down the urge to spit it back out, instead forcing himself to swallow it.
"Oh, please," the girl snapped, getting to her feet and grabbing the cup. "Give me that."
To Til's amusement, she raised it to her lips and drained it all in one go - impressive, considering it hadn't cooled all that much. When the cup was empty, she lashed her head down, dropping the cup and throwing her hands into the table to support herself. Til only grinned, picking up his proper drink in case she threatened to upturn the table.
The girl's face changed colour, and she quickly chased into the washrooms. Olivia emerged from that direction, looking displeased, amused, and somewhat more awake. "What did you do?" she asked, having seen the girl arrive before she had left.
"I asked her if she could handle it," Til replied, a smart grin on his face.
"That seems mean..."
+x+x+x+
The two of them made their way through the city. Til was in a very nervous state, what with all the neon and the advertising and the less-than-modest female inhabitants, but he followed Olivia until she arrived at a rose-patterned red building in the upper district.
The woman inside heard them come in. "Hello?" she asked, turning towards them. Then, upon seeing the vestal in Black Mage robes; "Ah, Olivia!"
"Lady Matriarch," Olivia greeted, bowing politely. "I am sorry if I have worried you."
The Matriarch, shook her head. "I did not think you would be to Ancheim and back in a day," she assured the vestal. "I am glad to see you return. Oh, and who's this?" she added, seeing Til.
The Norende boy bowed politely. "Til Arrior, of Norende," he introduced.
"Norende... in Caldis?" The Matriarch turned to Olivia. "You did not go straight to Harena?"
Olivia shook her head. "The only vessel I could flag down was a merchant on his way to Caldisla," she explained. "The oceans rotted, and I was fortunate to arrive in Caldisla before the ship sunk. Til here helped me arrive at Harena. We found the Crystal of Wind in a similar state to the Crystal of Water. From what the Sage of Yulyana Woods told us, this... darkness, that has imprisoned the crystals, has consumed all four. I have freed the Wind Crystal of the shadow's grip, and I intend to do the same to the Water Crystal."
"That... may prove difficult," the Matriarch admitted.
"How?" Til asked, curiously. "We've got the ritual clothes for Olivia, we know how to get the darkness off, and we can handle anything stuck to it. Unless the temple entrance is covered in thorns, I don't..."
The Matriarch looked up in surprise.
Til slumped over. "The temple entrance is covered in thorns, isn't it?"
"It might as well be," the Matriarch admitted. "The Legion of the Bloody Rose has taken position to guard the temple. They must know you intend to visit there again."
"The hidden Crystalist village within Witherwood was occupied by their forces when first I tried to hide there," Olivia observed. "The last refuge we found was beyond the Twilight Ruins, and the ill witch Victoria found us there when Agnès arrived. What's more, a member of the Eternian Forces approached us in Harena, and I have no doubt he will have seen the Wind Crystal before he departed. They know I intend to awaken the Water Crystal, and I have nowhere else to hide in this region."
Til set a hand on his chin. "I take it running at them full-throttle and yelling 'Chesto' is out of the question."
A moment's pause.
Then Olivia and the Matriarch both broke into a fit of giggles at the mental image of Til attempting to frontal-assault a Bloodrose brigade. "No," Olivia insisted through her laughter, "I... I don't think that would end very well."
"Well, we've got to do something," Til insisted. "Find some way to chase them out of there. Hmm..." He tapped his helm, thinking. "What can we do..."
"Let's set aside planning, for now," Olivia mused. "We should get some new equipment. I fear our current gear is beginning to wear."
+x+x+x+
After a bout of "Flaunt or flight?" shopping, Til and Olivia were armed with some new, stronger gear. Til had been pleased to find a sharp, narrow scimitar amongst the weapons - it was light enough that he would have no trouble with it - and the rest of the arms within were simply stronger than what they already had. They didn't quite have enough to purchase armour and weapons, but blades, knuckles, and casting tools were plenty for now.
"Alright," Til mused as they left the city. "What do we do now?"
"We needn't worry about the Legion doing anything to the crystal," Olivia insisted. "I placed a barrier upon it before I departed for Harena. Only I can remove it."
Airy popped out next to her head. "There's still the problem of them guarding the temple," she murmured. "Is there maybe an alternate entrance we could use?"
Olivia blinked. "I don't... Why would there be...?"
"A lot of normal houses have a back door," Til pointed out. "Sometimes it's just useful to be able to enter from either side."
The vestal shook her head. "No, there is no such entrance," she replied. "Our only option is to find a way to divert the Bloodrose Legion."
"And how are we going to do that?" Airy demanded.
A long pause.
"What if they heard you were captured?" Til mused. "Then they'd let their guard down, right?"
"I suppose so," Olivia admitted, "but how would we trick them into thinking that?"
Airy interrupted. "Don't even say 'let them capture her and then break out'," she warned.
Til turned to her. "I wasn't going to," he insisted. "That went badly last time." Turning to Olivia; "That Venus woman we saw in the woods - the one from the Legion - she said that guy in the red jacket had her sisters doing something she didn't want them to, right?"
Olivia nodded. "Yes."
"If we get her sisters away from their jobs," Til mused, "she'll owe us. I don't think getting her soldiers a break will be too serious."
Airy smiled. "That sounds like a grand idea!"
"I don't know that she'll honour that favour," Olivia murmured.
Both of them turned to her, confused. "What?"
"The Knights of the Eternian Sky," the wind vestal mused. "You mentioned that Edea girl who visited Norende was one of them, right? And she said their orders were to not harm the townspeople of Caldisla."
Til lowered his gaze. "And they attacked the castle..."
Olivia nodded. "Even if we should aid her, I can't guarantee Einheria will not capture us regardless. At best, I imagine she would ensure my prison is more comfortable than the one on the Eschalot."
"Or that the airship is flown better," Airy muttered. "That knight Heinkel sucked at piloting."
"I think he just didn't want to be followed," Til mused. "Now, what do we do...?"
There was a long moment of quiet.
"As we're at an impasse..."
Olivia's observation caused Til to turn. "Is there something you wanted to do?" he asked.
The vestal fell quiet for a long moment. "I... I'd like to... visit Agnès."
Her words caused the Norende boy to bow his head. "Ah," he murmured. "So you... you gave her a proper burial?"
"Yes," Olivia confirmed. "Her grave is in the Crystalist refuge, beyond the Twilight Ruins."
Airy was appalled. "You said the Eternian Forces knew you had been there!" she protested. "If you-"
"Alright."
Til's agreement to Olivia's request caused Airy to turn to him, confused. Til simply nodded. "Let's go visit Agnès."
"What are you doing?" Airy demanded. "You can't just walk into-"
She was silenced when the Norende boy turned - the glare on this face was dark, far darker than his age should allow him to give.
"We're going to visit Agnès," he insisted. "You can come with, or you can wait here."
Airy bit her lip, turning away. "Just make sure you don't let your guard down," she insisted.
Olivia said she had to deal with Victoria before she came to Caldisla. If that witch shows up again, this is all going to go wrong...
+x+x+x+
The Twilight Ruins that Olivia spoke of were a fair distance west of the city. It was a rather unassuming cave from the exterior; upon stepping inside, however, it became quite apparent that there was more to it than appearances would indicate.
"What have we got to worry about in here?" Til asked.
"Nothing I couldn't run from in my vestal garb," Olivia insisted. "When you took me to the ravine where Norende had been, most of the monsters were familiar to me. Knowing how to fight properly, now, I should be fine."
Til turned back to the darkness of the cave. "It feels a little worse than the Norende Ravine," he mused.
Airy popped out of the air next to Olivia's head, causing them to turn. "Til's right," she agreed. "This place is creeping with a lot more monster power than the area around Caldisla."
Olivia lowered her gaze. "It... it could be that the witch, Victoria, left... some type of magic that would draw monsters here, last time she came," she guessed. "In any case, I'm certain we can handle it. What we need to concern ourselves with is the Bloodrose Legion." To Til; "Keep your eyes out for any other human presence."
"You're not worried some acolytes would be here?" Til asked.
"The ill witch slew them when she came to kill Agnès and I," she insisted. "If there are any humans here, they will be of the Eternian forces."
Airy shook her head. "I still think we shouldn't have come here," she murmured.
"You can come with, or you can wait here," Til repeated.
"I'm coming," Airy insisted. "Stop trying to leave me behind."
Olivia raised a hand to dissuade them. "Do you mind if I take the lead, for now?" she asked. "I'll need to handle the crystal-switch maze."
Til blinked. "A maze?"
"It's a simple puzzle we would use to dissuade outsiders," Olivia insisted. "The path is blocked with stone slabs that move at the touch of the corresponding crystal switch. When I was hiding here with the acolytes of my temple, we would have two guards at the entrance. The maze can only be opened on the way in, and closed on the way out." Her gaze fell. "The acolytes were... distracted, when Agnès arrived. We didn't think to send another shift to close the maze behind them."
"The Eternians didn't look for you before then?" Til asked.
"This cave is not well-known as a place of Crystalist faith," Olivia explained. "We were vigilant, making sure we were not followed, before we came here. I closed the maze when I left, after the ill witch's visit. If the stones are still in place, it's possible the Bloodrose Legion has not been stationed here, yet... but it's also possible that they are simply of the same mind we were."
+x+x+x+
The stones were in place as they made their way through the ruins; though Til, observing, figured he could have sorted out the maze himself, he decided it probably did Olivia's nerves good to follow the path she remembered. In the meantime, he kept his attention on the shadows that surrounded them; he didn't want an Eternian jumping them out of nowhere, and Olivia seemed preoccupied.
The Crystalist refuge was nothing extravagant - and Agnès' grave rested there.
Til was almost surprised that it was a grave. There was no headstone, nor a great pile of memorabilia. The floor of the refuge was stone, but not solid brickwork; the floor seemed to have been cracked, at some point. The result was an assortment of flat stones that looked haphazard, but fit together nicely in a manner remniscient of puzzle pieces. They weren't particularly firm in the ground, either - Til would later find he could easily upturn them if the gap allowed his fingers in.
The only point where they were firmly in the earth was at the far end. The stones had already been pried out, and when they had been set back in, they were set much firmer into the earth. They were also slightly tighter to each other, which meant they were further from the surrounding ones. Upon them laid a decent-sized bag that Til reasoned was for travel - and above them, words were carved into the wall.
Here lies Agnès Oblige
Priestess and bride to the Crystal of Wind
Beloved by the Harena acolytes
And like a sister
To me
No sooner Til taken in the writings than Olivia bowed her head, and set her hands against each other; and Til respectfully bowed his own head as well.
There was a long moment of quiet as they stood there, praying to the fallen vestal.
"It's undisturbed," Olivia murmured when at last she lowered her hands. "I thought perhaps the words would be scarred, maybe even the stones upturned, but... everything is as I left it. Not just the grave, either - the path here was untouched."
Til glanced around. "Maybe the Legion hasn't been through here," he mused.
Olivia paused for a moment; then she reached for her staff and shield, drawing them from her back - and without a word between them, Til pulled out Heinkel's asterisk.
"Or perhaps they simply have the decency to respect the dead," she observed, "and to not interrupt those mourning them."
They both turned here, Olivia raising her staff as Til was wrapped in armour.
"Isn't that right, you who serve the Legion of the Bloody Rose?"
A light giggle from behind the pillars nearby. "The valkyrie was right, that does have a nice ring."
Three girls in uniforms of red, black, and white emerged - one of them with a spear in hand, another armed with bow and arrows, and a third bearing a casting staff. Til quickly drew his scimitar, swinging his shield before him.
"How long have you been stationed here?" Olivia demanded.
"You showed up just after the Captain got word from the Council of Six," the archer mused. "We were stationed here as soon as he heard you were coming to Florem."
Captain...? Must be the guy in red, Til observed. He dared not speak - Einheria had asked them to keep quiet about their overhearing.
Olivia's mind was running. "So," she mused, "the Venus sisters couldn't come capture me themselves? They send foot soldiers instead?"
"You've gotta be kidding," the mage sneered. "Artemia's gone feral, and Mephilia's more cracked than these stones. Neither of them are in any state to capture. They'd kill you the second they saw you."
"Is that threat in your voice," Olivia inquired, "or displeasure? From my encounter with the ill witch, I thought the Eternian forces wanted me dead."
"Not in the slightest," the impaler protested. "The valkyrie told us if we saw you in those zones, we had to capture you before her sisters got to you."
Til shook his head. "What is the Legion doing that the soldiers are crazy?"
The impaler shook her head. "Enough questions. You're coming with us! Maybe you can ask her when we get there."
Olivia and Til met their gazes in the corners of their eyes.
Magic ringed Olivia, and Til quickly moved to raise his shield before her as the archer fired. The arrow bounced off the cross-plate, and when the impaler moved to thrust, Til beat the attack aside with his shield before snapping the blade off the shaft with his scimitar. The mage was halfway through a spell when wind wrapped her casting rod, throwing it out of her hands, and Til quickly hurled his shield towards her, striking her in the chest and knocking her to the floor.
The vestal handed Til her own shield as the impaler grabbed the head of her spear - which still had enough handle to make do as a impromptu knife. He quickly beat the spearhead out of her hands with his scimitar before striking her in the staff with his shield. The archer fired again, but Til managed to intercept it as well while Olivia cast another Aero spell to throw her bow away.
Til lashed his sword down, Bravery flaring up crimson around him as he shot forward. His scimitar was sheathed, and he quickly lashed the shield at the archer's legs, rushed up to grab his own, landed the plate on the archer's head to knock her out before she could rise, and returned to Olivia to hand her one of the plates before drawing his scimitar again and holding it forward.
"If you could get your shield to come back to you," Olivia mused, "maybe throwing it would be a little more effective."
"Yeah," Til agreed, "remind me to stop doing that."
Olivia knelt down before the impaler, who seemed to be the leader. "Tell the valkyrie Einheria that I have no intention of letting myself be captured, nor slain. So her concern about an encounter between her sisters and I is unwarranted."
The Bloodrose soldiers managed to get to their feet. "You'll be down before long, vestal," the impaler muttered. "Let's get out of here!"
The three of them quickly retreated, leaving Olivia and Til in the Crystalist refuge.
"Einheria's sisters..." The vestal lowered her gaze. "Mephilia and Artemia. If their minds are in such conditions, we can't risk confronting them or they'll snap. And you... will have broken your promise."
Til nodded. "So... what do you think we should do?" he asked. "I still figure getting a favour is our best bet, but if we can't get close to them, we can't get her sisters to stop what they're doing."
Olivia shook her head. "I don't know..." She glanced around. "They'll send more soldiers soon enough. We should be going."
"Hold on," Til insisted. "Do you... Did you have anything kept here, before..." He hesitated. "Before... the witch visited?"
The vestal was slightly confused at that. "I... yes," she murmured. "Why do you ask?"
Til glanced around. "Any... photos?" he asked.
"Why do you ask?" Olivia insisted.
A sigh from Til; then he reached into his pocket and drew out curious locket. "I found this in the woods with the poison fog," he explained. "When I asked about it at the armoury, the lady said it was a 'Rebuff Locket'. She said if you put a picture of someone you care about inside - someone from you family, or a boyfriend or girlfriend - then it would stop monsters or magic from charming you. Apparently there's some tree monsters who can do that in the region."
His gaze fell. "But... Any pictures of my family got destroyed with Norende. I was gonna throw it out. Then... you said you wanted to visit Agnès."
"And you thought I might have a photo that would work?" Olivia inquired.
Til beckoned to the words carved on Agnès' gave.
And like a sister
To me
Olivia fell quiet. "I... you have a point," she admitted.
A long pause.
Then the vestal knelt down and opened the bag she had set underneath the writings. Carefully, she looked through its contents until she found what she was looking for - a simple photograph, in a simple wooden frame. Slowly, she closed the bag again and turned to Til, showing it to him.
It was Olivia, standing next to another girl in vestal garb; her hair was soft brown, and though her smile was not as broad as Olivia's, Til could see the kindness on her expression, even as a still image.
"So... this is Agnès?" Til asked, raising his gaze to Olivia.
"Do you think this will fit in the locket?" she asked.
Til held up the charm. "Not the whole thing," he mused, "but you should be able to fit her in there."
He handed her the locket, and she set it and the photograph into pockets in her robes; then she bowed her head once more to Agnès' grave before the two of them departed.
Draco: Taking a few liberties with the location of the early Rebuff Locket to compensate for the alterations of the story proceedings. You usually find it in the Temple of Water. Alright, you're probably not going to see me until I get through most of Florem and I have all the cutscenes I need to work the rest of this.
