It was amazing how one's expectations went down according to their circumstances. Once, the thought of sharing a dwelling place with Lucians would have made Loqi feel disgusted. Now he was already wary of this journey and missed the illusion of safety that Crestholm's walls provided.

Crestholm was nothing in the eyes of someone from the days of light, but it was everything to those living in this area now.

They'd only left a short while ago, and Loqi was already missing Petra's daily harassment. Hell, he was missing the folded-up towel he used for a pillow at the moment.

Loqi rose from his position by the dying fire. The Oracle was still asleep, it appeared, but he didn't hear the daemons lurking as close.

It was possible that now was a good time for them to leave, but he'd only wake her once he was sure.

Shrugging on his quiver and grabbing his bow, Loqi quietly moved over and dropped off the edge of the haven to scout around.

Though the daemons were almost always audible to some extent when outside these days, none seemed to be in the immediate vicinity.

…Except the human-shaped one that was staggering about up ahead.

Loqi took a breath, notching an arrow but keeping his bow lowered as he advanced. What the person was doing out here, he didn't know, but it deemed investigating. Normally, that investigation would include putting the poor soul out of their misery, but given Loqi's current company, perhaps that wouldn't be necessary.

…Why did he feel like he knew this silhouette?

The figure hadn't noticed him yet. It seemed focused on reaching something, but Loqi couldn't see what–

He did know that silhouette.

"Chancellor?" he called, keeping his voice hopefully low enough not to attract daemons, but high enough for Izunia to hear. "Is that you?"

The Chancellor had always been tall, but Loqi had never quite realized how tall until he swiveled around and was staring Loqi down with yellow eyes and Scourge dripping down his face.

And then he grinned. "Well, hello there! I'm terribly sorry, but I seem to have forgotten your name."

There was a time when Loqi would have been insulted at that, but even if the old him was standing here, he had a feeling he'd have had other things on his mind. Like suppressing the shudder that was working its way up his spine. The Chancellor's strange brand of saturated and patronizing sounding politeness had been unnerving before, but now it was just a special brand of terrifying.

"…Tummelt," Loqi supplied, his grip on his bow tight. "Chancellor, your Scourge seems to be rather advanced, but I may be able to assist you if you come with me."

Laughter bubbled out past the Scourge on the Chancellor's lips. "Oh? Have you found a cure?" His tone was mocking. Not that Loqi blamed him for that one.

"No," Loqi said firmly. "But I am traveling alongside the Oracle at the moment."

The grin died. "Are you now?"

"Yes. I swear to you in the name of my family's house." A lot of good that was these days… "This is no trick. I only wish to help you."

The Chancellor cocked his head. "By all means, then… Lead the way."

Loqi did so but gave his former superior officer a wide birth. He signaled for the Chancellor to wait as he climbed up onto the haven. "Lunafreya, I found someone in need of healing–"

The Chancellor's boot hitting rock made Loqi snap his head around, and he stepped back.

What in the hell… the havens usually repelled those with the Scourge, but the Chancellor was marching up to them with little more than a wince.

…His skin was foaming with a cloud Scourge that was hovering around him.

"Chancellor–"

The Oracle gasped sharply, shooting upright. "Ardyn!"

…Well. Loqi had been unaware that they were acquainted enough to be on a first name basis.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" the Chancellor said, is voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's the second like it that I've spent in search of you."

…For someone infected with the Scourge, he was acting awfully jovial. More so then even the usual eccentric behavior that Loqi remembered.

"Well, I was hardly going to stay in the Citadel to be murdered by the psychotic illusion of your bother that you conjured up." The Oracle shoved to her feet.

…What?

The Chancellor's face was blank. "…Oh dear. Did that happen?"

The Oracle's eyebrows shot up. "You don't recall?"

"…Not with any clarity." He gestured to his still oozing face. "I am still adjusting."

Adjusting? Loqi scowled. "Pardon me, but would one of you be so kind as to tell me what in the name of the fallen and no longer existent Empire is going on here?"

"Oh, do be silent." The Chancellor raise his hand, flicking his wrist.

"Ardyn!"

Loqi jerked back as a golden barrier smashed down in front of him just in time to keep… some purple energy from slamming into him.

"Stop it," the Oracle snapped, almost as though she were scolding a misbehaving child. "He was trying to help you!"

…Had the Chancellor just tried to murder him?

The Chancellor gave an irritated sigh. "Fine, I'll leave the shrimp be."

"Excuse me?" Loqi snarled.

"Ardyn," the Oracle scolded again.

The Chancellor let out a huff. "Fine. So, my lady, what do you intend to do with your newfound health? Return to Lestallum?"

"Of course."

He made an amused sound. "It's a long way."

"I'd noticed."

"You'll likely be eaten."

"Well, unless you're offering to help, I don't see much of an alternative."

The Chancellor pursed his lips, clearly irritated. "My good lady, I did not just spend the last two days writhing on a stone floor so you could get yourself killed immediately after."

His hand shot into the air again, but there was no blast this time. Just a purple haze overtaking his line of sight, and Loqi staggered, overcome with vertigo for the shortest of moments before the air cleared.

Some woman that wasn't the Oracle screeched in surprise, and Loqi whipped around to find Ravus Nox Fleuret and some redheaded woman, who he had a protective embrace around.

"Ahh, and here we are!" The Chancellor gestured grandly. "As though you'd never left – with exception of you no longer jumping off of a cliff, that is!"

"You again?" the redhead demanded.

"Lunafreya?" the elder Fleuret had lost what little color his skin usually had.

"Ravus!" The Oracle smiled broadly at him before her gaze flitted over to the redhead, who Ravus still had an arm around. "And… hello."

They were in Lestallum. They were somehow across the continent from where they had been seconds ago.

"Well now, don't you two look cozy," the Chancellor leered at the pair. "Awwww, did my grandson finally get his first date? I'm so proud."

"What?" Ravus said, looking just as confused as Loqi felt.

Even the Oracle – who seemed to be taking all of this is stride – gave him a look at that. "What is the matter with you today? You're behaving even more strangely than usual."

Well, at least Loqi wasn't the only one to notice that.

"I'm merely having a good time!" He grinned, and Loqi almost gagged at how many teeth he could see with part of the Chancellor's cheek being eaten away by Scourge.

"No," the Oracle said flatly. "You're overloaded out of your mind with Scourge. Might I recommend you go… sleep somewhere or something until this passes?"

The Chancellor pouted. "As you wish." He made a flourishing bow – apparently forgetting that he wasn't wearing his hat at the moment because he made a grab for it like it was – and then teetered precariously off balance when he tried to stand up straight again.

And then he vanished in his hazy… magic.

How did the Chancellor have magic?

The four of them remained silent for a moment.

The redhead cleared her throat, finally drawing Ravus' attention from his sister. "Um… I'm not going to be offended if you want to reschedule…"

Ravus slowly removed his arm from her. "That would… probably be wise."

She smiled, stepping back. "Congratulations."

"Thank you…"

And then there were three.

Loqi chose to remain silent and Ravus walked up to his sister.

"Lunafreya…"

She brought a hand up to touch his cheek. "I'm sorry for worrying yo–"

He cut her off by pulling her to him in a tight hug and burying his face in her shoulder. "You're alive."

Loqi felt like perhaps he should make himself absent, but wandering off into the city on his own wasn't the best idea.

Ravus pulled back just as quickly as he'd yanked her in. "You look well. What–"

"It is a long story…"

Yes, Loqi was getting that impression. A very long story indeed…

What the hell had he walked into?

"I need to speak with the Marshal," the Oracle said.

Ah, yes. Now that was why he was here.

Cor the Immortal. Immortal indeed, it seemed. Battle after battle… the Fall of Insomnia… and now not even this darkness had dampened his fame.

Still surviving and leading.

Bastard probably didn't even have a scratch on him.

—