The first thing that came to Andromeda's mind when she woke was that Niflheim now controlled the whole world. There was nowhere in the world she could truly escape from them.
She hadn't woken on her own. Layla was next to her, shaking her.
"Something terrible has happened." She was insistent. "We have to go to Insomnia."
Andromeda sat up and rubbed her face. Dawn hadn't yet started. "We can't go there. The Empire is there. It's over."
Layla had been in a quiet reverie for much of the past month. Her sudden adamant behavior came as a surprise. "I had a dream. There was so much fighting. Daemons were in the streets. We have to go."
She got out of bed—there was only one in the apartment, and they were both comfortable with sharing—and began to get ready. Andromeda continued sitting there, thinking it over.
"Are you sure of what you saw?" She asked.
Her first reaction was to brush off the dream, but she of all people knew better than to do that. Layla had been obsessed with the headlines ever since the peace treaty was announced. She could have just concocted the dream with her imagination. On the other hand, Andromeda knew firsthand how ruthless the Empire was. Insomnia had lasted so long against them. Devastation was likely.
"Yes." Layla was annoyed. Andromeda then got out of bed and began preparing as well.
As soon as the first bit of sun was over the horizon, they left the apartment. Much of the outpost was already awake and congregated at the diner. With a few minutes left before the bus bound for Hammerhead would arrive, Andromeda convinced Layla to squeeze inside.
The little portable radio, placed on the corner of the long counter, had never received so much attention before. Its volume dial was turned as far as it would go, though its normal volume setting would have been fine for how silent the diner was.
Andromeda found it difficult to listen to, but everyone else hung onto every word the reporter said. Niflheim had set up a trap. The king's wall had fallen. The Crystal had been stolen. Regis had just been declared dead, along with his son and the Oracle.
And like that, Bahamut's prophecy was fulfilled and Niflheim got the bloody victory they always sought. It was over. Could there really have been a way to stop it from happening?
The prophecy had nothing to do with Andromeda. She could imagine what anguish it caused Etro, but the world went on. There was someone more important to Andromeda to worry about.
Linda.
Between the daemons and widespread destruction of the city, it wasn't likely she had survived the night. The reporter stated that the number of confirmed deaths and missing persons increased by the hour.
But she also noted that many people had already escaped the city while Niflheim was still setting up a blockade. Hadn't Linda survived Tenebrae's fall? This wasn't new to her. If she had survived the night, she most likely had stayed in the city, under Niflheim's control once again. They could easily take her...
Andromeda stormed out of the diner. Layla followed, her vigor gone.
"We have to go to Insomnia." Andromeda agreed with her now.
They took the next bus to Hammerhead. Somehow, the outpost was already swarming with ragged people from Insomnia. Andromeda tried to quickly look them over, but none of them were her aunt, or anyone she knew. No buses were going into the city; plenty were being prepared to go to other parts of Lucis.
She stood among them for awhile, contemplating how she would get into the city now that the barricade was up. Eventually, she did spot someone she knew in the crowd.
Harper looked just as straggled as the civilians. She walked among them in her dark spy outfit, not caring who saw. There didn't seem to be any Crownsguard among the people. If there were, they had better things to do.
Andromeda approached her where she had sat against a wall. Harper only noticed her when she and Layla crouched in front of her.
"Where's Hank?" Andromeda asked. There was no need to ask what happened. Everyone already knew.
"Dead." Harper ran a hand through her short hair—as short as Linda had always kept hers. "Daemons snatched him."
It took a moment for that to sink in. Andromeda hadn't thought he would actually die in the combat. He had always been so confident. It was difficult to believe, but Harper wouldn't lie about that.
"Do you know a way in?" Andromeda asked.
Harper shook her head tiredly. "There's no point. Niflheim controls Insomnia. It'd be suicide for you to go there now."
"I have family in there."
"And they're probably gone." She snapped. "Even if they somehow aren't, they're probably being corralled by Nifs as we speak. You can't risk going in there."
"I'll go with her." Layla spoke up.
Harper rolled her eyes, then looked over at the crowd. She thought over their pleas. After fighting so hard over the years, could she really just give up like that?
She then looked out to the arid plains behind Hammerhead. "There's a haven that way. Why don't you put your dreaming to good use? See if your family is still alive before you run blindly into an empty trap."
Sleep was practically impossible in broad daylight and with emotions running high. It was because of that that Andromeda could focus so well. Her attention immediately went into the city.
Before she could find her aunt, though, her vision went completely dark. Then Etro appeared, her whole being emanating a white light in the empty space.
She gave a strained smile. "You've come so far. The days of the prophecy are here."
"It's over. Lunafreya and the prince are dead." Andromeda frowned. The goddess should have already known that.
"They are not." Etro announced. "Regis has joined his predecessors, but Noctis and Lunafreya remain alive. The prophecy has yet to be fulfilled."
"You're always talking about this prophecy, even though you said I don't have to do anything about it." Andromeda pointed out. She was getting the impression that Etro very much wanted her to do something. However, she didn't want to push the issue, changing the subject since her dreamwalking had been interrupted. "Is my aunt with you?"
Etro shook her head. "She still lives. You will find her in Insomnia, as you have already figured out."
She gave a coy smile at that. Andromeda was just relieved to know Linda had survived. Of course she would have. She had lived through it before.
"You've helped Layla a great deal with her powers and her past, but much of it she has to learn on her own." Etro commended. "Another with my Blessing has returned to life. Rescue your family, then find her. She will not be far."
"What does she look like?" Andromeda asked, not looking forward to having to find yet another woman, with no clues on where to begin. There was too much to do. Etro's light was dimming.
"She will be looking for you as well." She assured before fading away completely.
Andromeda was not unconscious for more than an hour, and not much had changed in the physical world except for some omnimous clouds overhead. It hardly ever rained in Leide, but when it did, it showered for at least two hours straight.
Layla had joined her, although she had stayed awake. They left the haven as soon as Andromeda woke. The persistent pack of sabretusks were taken care of by Layla's Ultima spell. There was too much going on at the outpost for anyone to notice.
Harper had remained where she was. She had fallen asleep waiting for them, and took some time to be roused. She was still too exhausted, but she would go back into the city with them. She made a phone call, then led them towards the city on foot as it began to rain. A short while later, they found a cargo truck waiting for them. All three crammed themselves into the cab.
The road showed more and more signs of the Empire as they got closer to the city. Harper drove until the first gate came into sight. Imperial troops and mechs stood guard. She stopped just before entering their range of sight.
She swore. "There weren't so many when I came out last night."
"Let me try to clear them." Layla offered.
Before Harper could ask what she meant, Layla rolled down the passenger window, a dark green orb already growing in her hand. She stuck herself halfway out the window, took aim, and lobbed the orb at the center of the blockade. It was too far for a person to logically throw, but the orb struck right where she intended, expanding much faster with something to feed on.
The three women watched from the truck as the Imperial forces were sucked into the large orb, struggling against it in vain. The orb seemed to absorb light as well, darkening its surroundings. Once the troopers and mechs were gone, it quickly shrunk until it disappeared completely. The area became a little brighter again.
Once it was clear, Harper drove up to the closed gate, then got out. She entered the toll booth and pressed a button. She returned to the truck as the gate opened for them. Then she slammed the gas pedal to the floor, speeding across the long bridge to the city.
"What was that?" She demanded.
"Etro's Blessing." Layla answered. "The version she gave to me, at least."
It was quiet until the reached the second gate, just before the city. Another barricade of Magitek infantry blocked their path. There was a lot of movement among them as reinforcements were being prepared for the first gate. They were bolstering the defense of the second gate as well.
Layla again stuck herself halfway out of the window and threw another orb at them. It stuck in place again, absorbing everything that moved. Even the few troopers that charged at the truck were suddenly pulled back into its maw.
Just as before, Harper left the truck and opened the gate. This time, though, people suddenly appeared and hurried past. They saw the big menacing truck and stayed out of its way.
There was another bridge to cross, and as they took in the mass amount of destruction, it was a surprise the bridge had remained untouched. Buildings were blown to pieces or razed completely. Metal frameworks were bent and twisted from the use of bombs and daemons. Even from a distance, it could be seen that the Citadel had taken some damage as well. Yet it continued to stand tall in the center of the city.
About a year ago, Andromeda had left the city with no intentions of ever returning. Its fall was inevitable, but she had always thought it was far off. She hadn't thought it would happen so soon. She recalled all of those she had met, and realized they were all most likely dead. Guilt nagged at her as she thought of the king. He really had only wanted to help, but she had been difficult. She had told him she would not help him with the prophecy, and that was still somewhat true, although she had no idea what exactly Etro had planned. Clearly she was up to something.
As the truck reached land again, the road became too uneven and littered with remains of cars and buildings. Harper pulled off to the side and stopped.
"Do you know where you're going?" She turned to Andromeda.
She shook her head. "I couldn't find my aunt exactly. But I know she's alive."
The older spy gave her a dubious look. "Well, we should start where the people are. The survivors will have been rounded up by now."
"Do you know where they could be?"
Layla spoke up, having gone somber since her victory at the second gate. "We should go to the Citadel."
Harper frowned. "That's where it started. The roads are too broken up. It'll take too long on foot, unless you also know how to fly."
The other woman continued looking ahead, where they could see one of the spires of the Citadel. "I need to see it."
"This isn't a day trip! We need to get in and out before the Empire knows we're here! We're all wanted on some level. This is the last place we should be. We can't just walk out into the open."
Andromeda thought it over. "We have to risk it. We've come this far. Once we find my aunt, Layla and I can use our powers to break out. The Imperials aren't prepared for us here."
The other two frowned at her. It was futile, if they weren't smart about it. As they thought it over, they came around.
"You have a point." Layla agreed. "Sitting here won't get anything done."
Harper pulled the sun visor down and retrieved two small ear pieces. "You two can wander around all you want, but I'm not coming with you. I've had enough. If it fails, I'm not coming for any of you. I'll try to hack into their radio communications here. Try to be quick about it. They'll catch on eventually. You don't want to spend the night in the city."
With that, she handed one of the pieces to Andromeda, who put it in her ear. She and Layla got out of the truck as Harper began to fiddle with the radio.
There was no sign of anyone in the area—anyone alive, that is. Plenty of bodies still laid where they had died; no one had come for them yet. Layla took the lead, walking straight towards the Citadel. It was heavy on her mind. Andromeda remembered how often it showed up in her dreams—at least, the ones she saw. They hadn't shared dreams since before the treaty was announced, over a month ago. She suspected Layla had had a lot of dreams since then, but kept quiet about them.
It would have been easier to follow the road; on their return, they could find the truck again quickly and leave. But as they moved closer to the center, the destruction became more severe, severing the raised road completely. They had to backtrack a little for an alternate path.
"The Citadel must be really important to you." Andromeda mentioned as they came upon a building that was leaning precariously close enough to the expressway that they could climb through the window.
"It is." Layla mumbled. They had entered an office building. "We both lived here for at least some time, haven't we?"
"Yeah." Andromeda watched her step. "It's hard to believe this is the same city I remember."
They fell silent again as they found the staircase and carefully made their way down at an angle. It was quite a ways to the ground floor.
The streets down at this level were even more unrecognizable as streets. They tried to follow them the best they could despite the debris and missing signs. Soon the two of them spotted a group of people being escorted by four Magitek troopers. They trailed behind them.
The people were taken on a somewhat beaten path to an encampment that was already overcrowded with people. Much of the debris had been cleared from the area, and some people were assigned with clearing the rest out to make even more room. Large lights, like the ones at the outposts, were being erected to keep the daemons away when night came.
The perimeter was guarded by troopers to keep people from wandering off, or entering without first being registered by an Imperial official. Andromeda and Layla took cover behind a fallen segment of road as they observed the area.
"How do we get in without alerting them?" Andromeda looked around. Her powers were useless in this situation. One small attempt would lead to a bloodbath. Ultima would be just as deadly.
"I have an idea, but we need to be closer. Let's go around the back." The older woman took the lead once more. She might not have gone through the training Andromeda had, but she seemed to know what she was doing.
They had to stumble over a lot of rubble as they crept along around the camp. Layla found a hidden spot behind more broken road and moved closer. Andromeda followed behind, wondering what she had planned.
Once safely hidden but close to a Magitek trooper, Layla picked up a rock and threw it at a nearby building, shattering one of its few remaining windows. She and Andromeda then huddled together and waited until they heard the trooper pass their hiding spot. They scrambled into the camp.
Countless tents had been set up for people to rest and to be tended to by medics. They were all crowded—as were the paths in between as people sought loved ones as Andromeda did. She and Layla blended in perfectly.
"What if she's not in this one? This can't be the only camp in the city." Layla asked over the myriad of conversations around them.
Andromeda knew what she was implying. It could take too long to search through every single camp, however many there were. They would be caught long before they finished. Linda would be caught as well.
"We'll keep looking." Andromeda didn't have a better idea than that. Her aunt had to be here somewhere. The more she looked around, the more she dreaded finding her.
They were pushed around several times as everyone tried to move in seemingly different directions. There were rumors that an additional area was being cleared for another camp. The officials had too many people to corral here. Andromeda dreaded that even more.
And then she was just there. Linda sat in a chair just outside of a tent. Her clothes were slightly tattered and covered in dirt. Her hair, still as short as Andromeda remembered, was tousled. She was exhausted, but she continued to play with the dark-haired toddler on her lap while exchanging a few words with the man sitting beside her.
Andromeda stumbled out of the crowd and stood before the three of them. Linda noticed her immediately, the playfulness leaving her face. She handed the toddler over to the man without looking away from her.
They were suddenly holding each other, sobbing into each other's shoulders. Andromeda couldn't hold it back, and it didn't sound as though Linda could either. She once more regretted those years that she spent hating her aunt, refusing to answer the phone whenever she had tried reaching out. She had been so stupid to leave Insomnia without saying goodbye. She had run away again. In truth, Andromeda had missed Linda. She had never expected to see her again. She now understood just how afraid of that possibility she had been.
"I'm sorry." Linda was the first to say it, although her first couple of tries hadn't been coherent. "I'm so, so sorry."
"Me too." Andromeda took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, too."
Time was running out, but it took awhile for them to both calm down. Linda was the first to let go, taking Andromeda's face in her hands.
"I thought you were gone forever." She brushed the tears away with a smile. She looked back to the man and child, who, like many around them, had watched the scene with some curiosity. He stood and stepped closer, towering over both women. "Um, this is my husband, Travis, and our son, Kai."
"You're Andromeda, then?" The man asked, offering a free hand. Andromeda awkwardly took it, looking him over. His shirt and khakis suggested that he was an office worker. It was preferable to the last boyfriend. "Linda told me a lot about you."
"Good things, I hope." She smiled back weakly. Somehow, she had never expected there to be a husband and child. Linda had kept living life.
Kai watched Andromeda, giggled, then hid his face against his father. She had seen enough to know that he had his father's blue eyes, but he also had the thick black hair that marked him as one of the Bramblewood clan.
"You shouldn't be here." Linda sighed. "The Empire is everywhere."
"Neither should you." Andromeda frowned. "They'll come after you because of me."
"They won't let us just leave."
"It'll be just like Tenebrae." She assured. "Let's go."
There was no more argument to that. Linda seemed to already understand the risks. She grabbed a bag of belongings and they all followed Layla's lead through the camp.
The trooper had returned to its position by the time they reached it again. Just as the first time, Layla picked up another rock to distract it. Andromeda grabbed her wrist before she could through it.
"Wait." She looked back into the camp. "There's more."
Her first thought when it came to Insomnia was Linda, but she had spent just as much time with Hira's family. She couldn't leave them behind to live under the martial law of Imperials.
Layla frowned. "We don't have the time. Rescuing one person is dangerous enough."
"Who is it?" Linda asked.
"The Galahdians I used to spend so much time with," Andromeda admitted, unsure of how she would feel about them. She had never hidden the fact that she preferred to be with them than her own aunt.
Linda winced. "That district was destroyed during the night. Even if they managed to escape, they aren't in this camp."
"We don't have the time," Layla repeated. "We can't save everyone today. Trust that they can take care of themselves."
Andromeda submitted and let go of her wrist then. Layla threw the rock past the MT and into the nearby building. Once the automaton left to investigate, they hurried out of the camp and into the difficult rubble.
Despite there being three people instead of one, they seemed to be getting away without a problem. Layla and Andromeda led the way to the building they had climbed down before, this time going up. It was even more precarious that way, so they moved even slower. Andromeda couldn't believe how well the shoddy plan was working.
It stopped working once they reached the right floor. Magitek troopers were surveying the road outside of the open window.
Andromeda pressed the ear piece. "Harper?" She had been silent the whole time.
A man answered. "She's right here. Come out where I can see you. Try any of your tricks and she dies."
Layla took a closer look at the window. "They have Harper."
Andromeda already knew, but joined her at the window. An Imperial officer stood waiting. Two Magitek troopers held Harper. She was on her knees. An airship was grounded nearby on the road.
"Ultima could kill Harper." Layla turned to her with a frown.
"Mine could kill all of us." Andromeda countered. "And it takes too long to wear itself out. Reinforcements would come by then."
They were at a loss for ideas. Surrender seemed to be the only option that didn't get everyone killed. She took the ear piece from her ear, considering an attempt at negotiation. The Nifs had never been open to negotiating things with her before.
"We could do it together." Layla offered. "I can protect Harper."
"What are we doing?" Linda approached the window as well now.
Andromeda began to understand what was being suggested. "I'll go first. Let them see me first, then bubble her."
With that, she crawled out of the window. Immediately the troopers raised their guns and approached. She held up her hands.
Linda began to call her, but was quickly hushed. Andromeda walked slowly towards the officer, whose face looked as though he had already received his promotion.
"Of all the places to hide," He began.
On cue, Harper was suddenly encased in a purplish dome, the MTs knocked away from her. Andromeda took it as her sign to summon her chaotic power. There was plenty of debris for the shadows to pick up. She made sure a large chunk of concrete hit the officer in the head, knocking him unconscious and possibly breaking his jaw.
The troopers screeched together, charging at the one standing human they could touch. Some clawed at the dome protecting Harper, but it had no effect.
Andromeda drew out her kukri and stabbed at the first trooper that reached her. She tore its core out and shoved it back towards a couple others. She fled as it exploded, taking at least two others with it.
A few others jumped at her, but they were battered and beaten by the shadows and the flying debris. Andromeda dodged here and there, slashing at the troopers when they got too close. Her power made quick work of the whole troop.
The bubble around Harper disappeared once all of the troopers had been dealt with. Layla led Linda and her family through the window of the leaning building. The chaos was still storming, and they all were made jumpy by it.
"Reinforcements are coming." Harper announced over the din. She had enough experiences with Imperial forces to know that. "Shut it down."
"I can't." Andromeda shook her head. "Take the ship and go. They won't chase you if they have me."
"No!" Linda argued.
She pulled the shoulder strap of her bag from around her neck, handing her bag of crystals along with her kukri over to her.
"Don't let the Nifs get these. They're too important to me." Andromeda pushed them into her aunt's arms. She gave a smile. "This isn't goodbye."
Linda gave a sob. They hugged again. Andromeda regretted not hugging her like this at the bus station all those years ago, and again when they had reunited a year ago.
Harper cleared her throat. "We don't have time. Let's go."
"I'll stay with her." Layla decided. "Our powers work well together."
"Fine." The spy beckoned for the refugees to follow her on board.
Linda looked back before disappearing into the ship. Its hull door promptly shut. Surprisingly, the maelstrom did not hinder its ability to take off. As the ship shrank into the distance, the storm finally passed. Andromeda hadn't given it much to feed off of.
As they predicted, though, another ship arrived with reinforcements. Andromeda and Layla continued to stand in plain sight as it landed not far off. Troopers filed out, led by yet another officer.
"My turn?" Layla asked as the troopers charged.
"Can you fly an airship?" Andromeda asked, genuinely curious. Layla might not have conscious memories, but perhaps she had muscle memories.
"No. I don't believe I've ever been close to one before."
"Then let's just give up. I don't think they'll keep us in Insomnia for long." Andromeda just hoped they got away before reaching Verstael's lab again.
They were soon surrounded by the Magitek troopers. Rifles were pointed at them from all around. They held up their hands together, then were forced down onto their knees by two troopers. They handcuffed both women as the officer finished examining his comrade's body. He looked down at the two, then signaled for the troop to return to the ship. Andromeda and Layla were pulled up and pushed along.
The flight in the airship was short, as expected. However, Andromeda hadn't expected to be taken to the Citadel. The Imperials were quickly turning it into a command center, their machinery cluttering up the square in front of the giant stairs.
They were marched up the stairs and through the massive doors. She had never been through the grand entrance before. She glanced over at Layla. The older woman had wanted to come to the Citadel. It meant something to her. She was silent as they were led through the dark halls.
The officer led them into an elevator. Some of the troopers stayed behind, not fitting inside. Though the Citadel had taken some damage, the elevator worked perfectly fine as it descended to the lower levels.
It was a quick trip. Andromeda and Layla were led down a very long hallway, this one illuminated only by incandescent lights above. Both sides had cells. All were empty. The officer quickly picked two, pushing each woman into one. The Magitek troopers stood guard as he locked both doors.
"Try something, and they will gun you both down." The officer warned, then promptly left.
"He's not as talkative as the others." Andromeda noted, eyeing the four Magitek troopers that stood outside of their cells. She had a feeling the slightest thing would set them all off. "How convenient that these prison cells are here."
"They were only meant for political prisoners—spies, mostly." Layla explained. A thick concrete wall kept them from seeing and reaching each other, but they could easily hear each other through the bars. "They haven't been used much in a long time."
"How do you know?"
Layla didn't answer. Why would she know such a small detail about this place?
"Well, we made it to the Citadel. Does anything ring a bell?" Andromeda asked, leaning against the bars, her back turned towards the troopers. She hadn't thought she'd ever come back here, especially in a situation like this. She noticed the oppressive feeling that had been there previously wasn't as strong as before.
"I don't know. We haven't really seen anything." Layla then gave a hiss.
"What's wrong?"
"Migraine." She muttered.
There was no comfort to be found here. There was an uncomfortable-looking cot in each cell. There was no way of turning the lights off, which would help Layla more. Andromeda thought about her time in Niflheim again. She hadn't even known about this part of the Citadel for how nicely the Lucians had treated her. At the time, she had been certain that kindness would end and they would turn cruel. Guilt chewed at her again to think that those Lucians were probably dead.
"Try to sleep it off. We aren't going anywhere for awhile." She urged, though it seemed as though Layla was way ahead of her. She wouldn't be able to put up a fight later if the migraine persisted.
She jerked awake at the sound of the elevator door opening. Andromeda had meant to stay awake the whole time, but must have dozed off as well. As always, her psychokinesis had exhausted her, too.
She stood as an officer unlocked the cell door and two troopers entered to take hold of her. They all waited in the hall as another officer had entered Layla's cell. He was taking longer than he should have, and the first officer entered as well.
"She's not waking up." The second officer explained.
"Call for a medic. I'll take the other one." The first ordered. He then left the cell, walking past Andromeda and taking the lead. The troopers pushed her along.
They went up several floors in the elevator and through a hall. They passed some windows, where orange light was cast over the city's remains. Night was approaching. Andromeda had to smile briefly to herself, knowing that Linda and her family had made it out of the city before the daemons could enact a second onslaught. But she and Layla were not so lucky. Perhaps the older woman should have fought to stay awake.
The officer took Andromeda into a large room where a few Imperial officers milled about, speaking to each other in hushed tones as they stood before piles of art—no doubt negotiating who would take what home. It seemed like all of the artwork in the Citadel had been gathered into this room during the past day.
Their superior paid no heed to the quiet conversations. He had his back turned as he examined a large painting of Bahamut, picking the largest prize for himself. It loomed over the viewer, as all depictions of Bahamut seemed to do. Verstael was not at all bothered by it as he turned to Andromeda with a smirk.
"Quite bold of you to come here." He noted, taking a few steps closer. "You've led us on quite a chase all over Lucis. And now you willingly surrender."
Like many times before, Andromeda chose not to respond. He didn't have any sort of gadget in his hands to force onto her and block her powers. Regardless, she waited for a better moment before using her "psychokinesis", as he called it.
Verstael glanced over at the officer with a frown. "Where is the other one?"
"Incapacitated, sir." The officer reported. "A medic is with her now."
"Prepare her for the journey. I can wait to speak with her." Verstael turned his attention back to Andromeda.
Before he could speak, though, a bright light emanated from behind her, flooding the entire room. It caught everyone by surprise. She covered her eyes to block it out. A dull thrumming steadily built up until it seemed to be shaking the whole Citadel.
"I will not be erased!" Came the sinister hiss from behind Andromeda.
With a final pulse, the light slowly dimmed itself to a slightly tolerable level. She carefully uncovered her eyes and looked behind her. A towering woman shone all in white. Etro glowered down at Verstael.
The madman laughed in victory. "At last, the great goddess reveals herself again to save her chosen one!"
Etro sneered, then pushed all of the men and robots back with another pulse of light. They did not rise from where they had fallen.
"Such a small, pathetic man." She commented with some disgust. "I'll spare their lives for now."
Andromeda then took notice of the paintings again. Many of them had changed. What had been depictions of the Six and the Cosmogony minutes ago were now ruined by large gashes having been erased, revealing other paintings underneath. They were all mostly in white and light colors. The large painting of Bahamut now showed Etro's head where the war god's had been.
"They just covered you up." Andromeda realized what Etro had meant.
"You had stayed here long enough to recognize that there was no sign of me here." The goddess agreed.
"Why didn't they just burn the old paintings?" She didn't realize until too late how offensive the question was.
Etro only smiled. "Indeed. Why didn't they?"
The door at the end of the room opened again. Andromeda and Etro both turned to see Layla and a familiar woman garbed in black enter. The scene caused the two to slow their pace and take it all in. They were wary to approach the goddess.
Etro turned to Layla and the Glaive, beckoning them closer. "And now your cohort is three. You all found what you were looking for here. You must leave before these men wake. The Chosen King and the Oracle still live. Watch for them."
With that, Etro was suddenly gone. The room became much darker. The sun was setting outside.
Andromeda turned to Layla. "Are you okay?"
The older woman gave a nod. "The migraine is mostly gone now. This is Crowe. She found me."
"Didn't expect to see you here again," The Glaive gave a fleeting smile. She looked just as Andromeda remembered.
"You're the new one with Etro's Blessing." She realized. Etro hadn't said it would be someone she already knew. That meant that Crowe had died—probably in the previous night during the attack. Finding her had been much easier than Andromeda had anticipated.
Crowe gave a small shrug. "I guess so. You'll have to explain all this later. Let's get out of here before anyone wakes up. I know a way. Keep close—I heard the daemons are particularly nasty in the city."
They hurried out of the room, the Glaive taking the lead. She avoided the elevator, taking them to a staircase. Andromeda lost count of how many floors they descended, but there were less and less signs of Imperial activity along the way. They hadn't reached this part of the Citadel yet.
As before, all of the halls looked the same to Andromeda. Crowe knew the difference, though. She led them through a hall once they reached the right floor. She took them into a large room that Andromeda recalled as being the Kingsglaive quarters, and from there out onto a pavilion of some sort. The barren ground used to be enclosed by tall walls, but the attack had razed them. The shadows cast by the rest of the city were long, but the sun hadn't completely set yet. They had some time before they would encounter daemons.
Crowe led the two other women down another flight of stairs and across the grounds. They simply climbed over the fallen wall, out into the broken remains of the city. The area was surprisingly void of Magitek troopers. It made it easier to get away while the rubble made it difficult to walk.
"Does this way involve shortcuts anywhere?" Andromeda asked carefully. Even if daemons left them alone all night, they wouldn't even make it to the city's wall before midday the next day. The Imperials would be able to find them long before then.
"Sort of. The Nifs are rebuilding some of the roads. It's not to far from here. We can get a ride from there somehow." Crowe explained.
It fell quiet again. She moved quickly. Andromeda kept up with her, but constantly looked back to make sure Layla was still with them. She seemed lost in thought. Their visit to the Citadel had done something. Perhaps the migraine was more bothersome than she had said it was.
It wasn't the time to ask about it. Andromeda became aware of loud industrial sounds; they had come within sight of roadwork. Crowe slowed their pace as they approached. Once they had gotten within fifty meters of the site, lights suddenly turned on overhead. They collectively dashed behind a piece of broken wall.
The sun had officially set for the day. The large lights overhead kept the daemons away while the Imperials continued to work on the road. Magitek soldiers patrolled the area; the women found another dark spot around a corner to hide in as one approached their position.
Crowe observed the site. Their hiding spot had them crouched close together. Andromeda took one of Layla's hands and gave it a squeeze, getting the older woman's attention. Layla stirred a little more than necessary at the small touch.
"Still with us?" Andromeda slightly teased her. Layla's mind seemed to be somewhere else.
She gave a nod, looking out at the construction site as well. "What's the plan?"
"We'll take one of those." Crowe gestured a ways up the road, where many cargo trucks were parked.
"I don't suppose any of them have a false bottom." Layla smiled grimly.
"We'll steal it." The Glaive said, scanning their surroundings. "C'mon."
They moved from their hiding place but remained in the shadows of the destroyed buildings. The patrolling Magitek soldier was some ways away and with its back turned. Avoiding the stray beam of light, the women moved away from the workers and to their trucks.
The trucks were parked on the other side of the lit road. They hide behind another broken wall before crossing. More soldiers stood guard on the road before the work zone, for some reason that Andromeda couldn't fathom.
Crowe led the way further up the road, finding a dark spot that the lights did not hit. She ran across first, and when the soldiers hadn't taken notice of her, signaled the other two over. Thankfully, the trucks appeared unguarded.
She checked the beds of the four trucks that were there. Andromeda followed along, thankfully not finding anything nasty waiting for them behind the covers. Crowe climbed into the bed of the fourth one and quickly returned with a box. She thrust it in Andromeda's arms, since she was right there.
"What's this for?" Andromeda tried to read the label in the dark.
"In case we run into any trouble on the way out. Niflheim has a way of blocking magic." Crowe went to the driver's side door. "Get in."
Andromeda and Layla squeezed into the cab with Crowe as she snapped her fingers at the ignition. A flicker of lightning sparked from her fingers and into the keyhole. The engine roared to life. Crowe put it in gear and slammed on the gas. They sped off on the newly-repaired road.
The lights kept the daemons away from the road, and for ten minutes, they were completely alone. Then an airship flew overhead, stopping to deploy a mech and a troop of soldiers. Crowe hit the brakes hard. Despite the jarring, Layla lobbed a sphere of Ultima from her window. The Glaive had likewise stuck her hand out of the window to cast a lightning bolt at the assembled blockade, but it was really Ultima that cleared the road for them.
Once the dark sphere had bloated itself with soldiers and then disappeared, Crowe started driving again. She glanced over at Layla. "What was that?"
"Ultima." The older woman explained with a slight smirk. "Don't forget that we've been Blessed by Etro as well."
Crowe kept her eyes on the road. "What can you do?"
"I can summon chaos and heal Starscourge." Andromeda shrugged innocently. "The first one attracts daemons and will get us killed. There's not a lot I can do right now."
The Glaive raised a brow as she followed the road. "So that's why the king had you brought in."
"He didn't know what I could do. I didn't really explain anything to him."
They were quiet and unbothered for quite some time after that. Andromeda realized how hungry and exhausted she was. The short nap in the Citadel had only helped her recover from using her power. It was difficult to believe she had started the day in Leide. It seemed so far away now.
The new road was mostly clear and well-lit, allowing Crowe to drive as fast as she pleased. Under different circumstances, the speed would have bothered Andromeda. The faster they got away from the Citadel, the better.
As they approached the wall, though, the road got rougher and darker. The truck slowed, but never truly got stuck anywhere for long. Whenever it was dark enough for a daemon to appear, Layla cast Ultima its way and Crowe drove around when it was safe. Andromeda sat between them with the box of explosives on her lap, feeling useless.
They never passed Harper's truck, taking a different road to get to the long bridge leading to the wall. In some spots, it couldn't be called a road anymore, but the truck managed to drive through. The barricade waiting for them at the gate was easy to see from the other end of the bridge. Crowe slowed down again as they approached, allowing Layla time to aim and throw her spell.
Just as before, they drove through once it was clear and cross the long bridge to the mainland of Lucis.
It was very late in the night when the gate leading to the continent came into sight. Both sides were guarded; the city-side had a strange glowing pillar erected, and the troopers stood around it protectively.
Crowe stopped the truck some distance before them. The metal soldiers didn't move at all.
She took the box from Andromeda and opened the lid, finding a remote on top of the stacks of dynamite. She frowned as she looked between the remote and the box, as if she didn't quite know how this would work.
"Wait here." Crowe opened her door to step out.
"They won't let you get close." Andromeda pointed out.
"Why not just let me take care of them?" Layla offered.
The Glaive nodded her head towards the barricade. "That tower's blocking my magic. Doesn't it do the same for you?"
Andromeda nodded in return.
"I'll take care of it." Crowe assured, stepping out and rushing towards the barricade with the box in hand.
Layla didn't wait long after that before opening her own door. "She's going to get herself killed."
Both women abandoned the truck as well, hurrying after Crowe. Most of the Magitek soldiers charged at them, leaving a few behind to guard the tower. The gunmen took aim, the laser on their guns showing where the bullet would go. It made it all the easier to dodge them.
The older woman was the first to clash with one of them, surprising Andromeda and the soldier by snatching the gun from its arms and smashing the head with it. She finished the soldier off with a shot of the gun, then moved on to others.
Crowe had since dropped the box in order to fight off three soldiers with her kukri. She hadn't made it close enough to the tower yet. She was barely holding the soldiers off.
Andromeda felt helpless, having given away her kukri earlier. If she wasn't dodging bullets, it was axes or large saw-toothed swords. She wasn't good with either large weapon. The other two women were managing against the troop, but reinforcements would come before they eliminated every last soldier. Their magic could make quick work of the barricade.
As Layla and Crowe had the Magitek soldiers mostly occupied, Andromeda snatched up the box and ran for the tower. She heard Crowe start to say something, but was too focused on getting their magic back.
The few troopers left defending the tower lunged at Andromeda, but she evaded them. Their movements weren't quite a fluid as a human's, although they came close. She managed to reach the gate, right where the tower stood. She moreso threw the box down, running back to the other two. Crowe still had the remote.
"Now, Cr-" Andromeda began to shout, then was picked up roughly by a soldier and slammed into the pavement. She gasped for air as she was held down.
Layla appeared and gunned down the soldier on top of Andromeda. At the same time, a deafening boom sounded at the gate, followed by the screeching of collapsing metal. The soldiers stationed close to the explosion gave their dying shrieks as they fell.
Abandoning the gun, Layla helped Andromeda to her feet. Crowe had just killed the last of the three soldiers before her. The older woman frowned at the remainder of the troop.
"Get back to the truck." She ordered.
Andromeda and Crowe backed off as told to, but they stayed close as Layla stood against the troop alone. She didn't need them to as she summoned a dark orb in her hand and threw it at the approaching soldiers. It stuck on one, expanding to engulf it and the whole area in front of the gate, bits and pieces of it in flames.
All three were back in the truck before Ultima wore off. It had left plenty of debris from the battle. Thanks to the explosion, the gate was now wide open. Crowe cast some magic to extinguish the fires with ice. Then she carefully drove the truck through. Finally, they were out of Insomnia.
Layla nudged Andromeda shortly after they got through the gate. "You should see where Harper has taken your family."
The younger woman was tired—perhaps too tired to successfully dreamwalk. She also noted the sleepiness in Layla's voice. "How's the migraine?"
"Not as bad as before."
"Are we supposed to be meeting with someone else?" Crowe asked.
"I had family in Insomnia. We sent them ahead before we were captured." Andromeda explained.
"We should ditch the truck first. The Empire will be looking for it."
"We should stop in Longwythe Peak. We still have Hank's apartment there." Layla suggested. "We can give you other clothes. The Empire will be looking for Glaives too."
"If the truck makes it that far." Crowe mumbled.
She took the left turn before Hammerhead at Layla's instruction. They drove on in silence for awhile, but Andromeda did not go to sleep as she was told. It was very early in the morning when Crowe pulled off the side of the road and into the Weaverwilds. The outpost was not yet in sight.
They all got out and walked towards the outpost, keeping an eye out for prowling daemons. Once they were far enough away, Crowe threw a fireball back at the truck. It erupted louder than the explosion in Insomnia. They had hoped to keep from alerting the outpost.
There were faint hints of a sunrise on the horizon when they entered the lit street. Layla stumbled along as Andromeda led the way to the apartment. Despite the loud explosion, nothing stirred in the outpost. They slipped into the building without being noticed. Andromeda made it to the bed and immediately fell unconscious.