Mob Mentality, thank you for leaving reviews! I've been reading them over the past week and they've been darling to see. Hopefully, you see this in time to just pick up where you last left off instead of having to reread a third time. My goal is to finish the fanfic before the end of the year and then release the bits of the story set in the BSEL timeline that I already have written.
Luna Lillyth: It's nice to have them meet their counterparts. Unfortunately, Tiz is definitely dead in most of the worlds we go to, and Agnes is... somewhere, but aside from the couple of worlds where it was obvious, Edea should be alive and well in at least a couple of them, so I decided she's alive in this one. Thanks for the review!
Their first order of business was to settle back into their room in the Grandship inn.
Edea opened up the windows to let air circulate through, for just a few moments, while Ringabel tucked Braev into a sling against his chest so that he could unpack with both hands.
Days ago, they had taken a trip to Grandship while Mahzer Lee watched the baby in the tower, so that they could clean up the bulk of the clothing that had been lying around on the floor. Ringabel had gained some weight, sympathy weight, he called it, and so he had donated a few piles of shirts that were just a bit too small, on top of being out of style, and Edea had done the same to clothes she now deemed a bit childish, as well as too tight around her chest. This meant that the spare bed, which had once been buried under piles of clothing when not used, was now free… to be buried under piles of Braev's clothing. He had a lot of little outfits, from smocks to onesies to thick sweaters for the Eternian snow. For Edea, it was a lot easier to have them lying out like this, so she could see what she needed, and to decide what would look cutest on him that day.
She added some toys to the mix on the spare bed, then threw herself down onto theirs. The bedding was clean; they had changed it in anticipation of moving back in. Ringabel had complained about Alternis sleeping in it.
Ringabel smiled at her. "How are you feeling?"
It had been her first long trip through the snow with Braev attached. He had fussed under her coat, but had otherwise been well-behaved. It helped that they'd driven the carriage the majority of the way, keeping the walking down, and the exposure at a minimum. This whole parenting thing wasn't so bad, yet.
"I missed this room," Edea replied, staring up at the ceiling. "It's so… quiet."
Outside, the wind and snow blew. Grandship shifted with the force of nature, the wood creaking. It was a far cry from the constant hum of machines and conversations in the healing tower, muffled as it had been in her room. The past couple of weeks, her nurses had stopped checking on her throughout each day, and she had been glad for it. Here, she would have even more privacy.
Braev was beginning to fuss again, his little feet kicking out of the wrap against his father's chest. Ringabel glanced down, then reached behind himself to unknot the wrap with one hand, supporting Bee with the other. "I think he's hungry."
He probably was; he hadn't eaten in a couple of hours. Edea felt a familiar, tight sensation in her chest that occurred whenever her son cried. She sat up, and took the baby from Ringabel, holding him close. "I'm getting hungry. I'll feed him and we'll go get lunch." They'd only had a small breakfast that morning, after all, and she was desperately looking forward to one of the Proprietress's meals. Her friends had brought her snacks now and then, but nothing could compare to a full, hot meal straight from the Grandship oven. The hospital food had been too bland for her liking. Never again!
As she settled against the headboard, Bee in her lap, Ringabel continued to unpack, rolling their clothes up and sticking them in the dresser drawers. "We'll be seeing Father tomorrow, right? He wanted to speak with us before Everlast Tower."
"Right." Today, they were going to get settled back into Grandship, get some food in their stomachs, and Edea had a mind to spend an hour or two out on the fields, battling creatures to make sure that she hadn't lost all her skills. She'd gotten into only a couple of fights since being cleared, and they just weren't enough for her. Then, a good night's sleep and they could moor Grandship in the huge open field to the west of Central Command, and spend a full day inside the fortress with her Father before going to awaken the Earth Crystal the day after.
Braev had told her, multiple times by now, that he wanted to speak with her and Agnès about the crystals and their journey, though he'd insisted they hold off until after her son's birth, to ensure that she didn't become too anxious or stressed in a way that could affect her health. Agnès had mentioned the same, but now that that particular obstacle was out of the way, there was nothing standing in their way.
Well, nothing except unpacking, eating some delicious food, and settling into bed with her family to catch some sleep before the long-awaited day. That night, Ringabel cradled her from behind, his chest warm against her bare back and his hand resting against her belly. After several months of therapy, his night terrors had mostly settled down, though he did occasionally toss and turn throughout the night, which was why he was still reluctant to let Bee sleep next to him, for fear he might get hurt. Bee was sprawled out in her arms, his head nestled against her breast and his limbs heavy with sleep. He only occasionally slept through the night, but like this, it was very easy for Edea to wake so that she could nurse him once he started fussing for food.
She stretched out, pointing her toes toward the end of the mattress, then rubbed her foot up the length of Ringabel's leg. "I missed this bed." It was old, and there were some springs that were a little uncomfortable to lie on, and a disconcerting stain on the other side they tried to ignore, but… it was theirs.
"I thought you would prefer the hospital bed. It's newer. More firm," Ringabel replied, his voice quiet.
"It's too firm," she complained. It was made to support the invalid, after all. "This one is just right."
"We broke it in."
"Ringabel!" she hissed, and felt heat bloom across her cheeks. They hadn't broken anything.
His laugh tickled the back of her neck, his hand flexed against her stomach. "I kid, I kid, of course. It was already broken in when we got here."
"Ugh, be quiet. You'll wake the baby." It was a bad excuse. By this point, Bee was fairly used to sleeping through the sounds of his parents' voices when they spoke, so long as they were quiet. He'd grown used to it over the weeks that the couple had set aside time to speak with each other, every night. It was an exercise that Edea's therapist had suggested to them in one of the few sessions Ringabel had joined her for, a way for the two of them to strengthen their communication and bond without sex, given that Edea at the time had still been healing from giving birth. They were to spend a dedicated fifteen minutes or more talking to each other about anything and everything, but mostly about their day and their feelings, so that they were comfortable talking to each other even when they might not have been up to it otherwise.
So far, they'd done well to keep to that exercise, keeping their voices low and quiet so as to not wake the baby, and Edea felt better for it. Ringabel dutifully listened to her complain about all the aches and pains, the excessive bleeding, the engorgement, and he, in turn, filled her ears with ideas he had for art, discussions of his odd dreams, and the current projects he was working on to keep himself busy as well, just occasionally, his feelings. It was a start.
She could hear his smirk. "Will I?"
They'd already had their talk for today, mostly about their earlier visitor, while Edea was nursing Bee right before bed, and so it was with finality that Edea replied. "Yes, he needs his beauty rest. As do you."
Ringabel kissed the top of her head. "I can take a hint."
"The sooner we sleep, the sooner we wake up to see my father," she reminded him. The very idea made her giddy. She had been waiting for this for so long. "Goodnight."
She had planned to get up early so that they could prepare for their day, pack a big diaper bag, a bag full of potions (just in case), and head off to Central Command. However, that night Bee fussed more than usual, waking up twice to be fed, and waking both his parents in the process. Then, his diaper desperately needed changing, and Ringabel had dragged himself out of bed to do the dirty work so that Edea might be able to sleep some more. By the time he returned, however, the baby did not seem to want to settle down, fussing and kicking against Edea's stomach as she tried to soothe him.
Dawn was peeking over the horizon, casting gray light into their room, when Ringabel finally announced, "I'm going to go to the bridge to move us closer to the tower." He sat up, slouching over onto his knees.
Edea yawned. Bee yawned as well, his blue eyes trained on her face. "Can you make some coffee in the lobby before you go?"
"I will." He leaned over to kiss her head, then leaned down even further to kiss the top of Bee's. "Will you bring me up some breakfast if I'm not down by then? It shouldn't take more than an hour or so to move us."
The Proprietress was probably only now waking up, Edea thought. She would need at least an hour to have breakfast ready for them. "Sure," she replied. Rolling over onto her back and bringing Bee with so that he could rest on her stomach, she watched Ringabel wearily get dressed, the man pulling on his clothes and a good jacket. The bridge would be shielded from most of the snow, but it was drafty in there. She didn't envy him.
He would still likely stop into the bathroom to style his hair, because he never went very far without styling his hair, but she doubted that even concealer would do much for the dark circles under his eyes. A year ago, seeing those would have had her concerned, questioning his well-being and if he needed help sleeping. Now, she recognized the exhaustion as inevitable for new parents. Her own under-eye circles were probably just as bad.
Looking down at Braev, who was gumming at one fist and drooling all over her stomach, she reminded herself that it would be worth it in the end. She was already planning her revenge, besides. In about 18 years, he would suffer.
"You're up early," Tiz said as Edea stumbled into the pub for breakfast, a cup of tepid coffee in one hand and a baby in a sling. Grandship was moving, which did not make the cold wind any better, but the walk was short enough for her to get away with throwing a blanket over the two of them. Agnès took it from her shoulders now so that Edea could begin to untie the sling.
"I've been awake for hours," she complained. "Please tell me that we have something sweet and sugary for breakfast."
"I made donuts!" The Proprietress called from where she was behind the counter. "Just like they make 'em in Eternia, Edea. Extra sugar and a little bit of cinnamon."
"Oh, those are my favorite!" Her favorite, along with savory breakfast wraps and good old bacon and eggs. "Thanks!"
"Long night?"
Edea threw herself down into a chair, plopping her cup on the table. "You have no idea. Here, take him."
Tiz took the baby without argument. By now, both he and Agnès were well used to holding him when Edea or Ringabel needed a break. "We can watch him for a couple of hours, if you want."
"We certainly don't mind," Agnès ageed. They both liked babies. Edea was hoping this bode well for their future.
"Not for too long!" Airy said quickly from where she was resting on the table. "He's so loud."
The offer was oh-so-very tempting, but Edea shook her head, standing back up so that she could get food. "There's no need. We'll be in Central Command soon, and I'm sure my father will want to see him." Besides, there was no telling how long they would be in Central Command to begin with, so he had to go with them anyway. Edea was determined to be at least a semi-responsible parent! Braev had told his soldiers he was expecting them, so they wouldn't be stopped for fights on their way up to the council of six room. Hopefully.
Grandship stopped moving, the ship settling down with a quiet groan.
She grabbed two plates then, one for herself and one for Ringabel.
Agnès was playing with the baby, tickling him slightly as Tiz held him. Edea set her plates down, enjoying the few moments of relative peace and her donuts at the same time. Mmm, sugar. The pastries were light and fluffy, and still warm from the oven. Perfection.
Ringabel joined them, got a cup of black coffee, and took his place at the table. By now, Airy had gone to the bar, closer to where she could beg the Proprietress for snacks and further away from the noisy baby.
"We're at Central Command?" Edea asked him, pushing his mostly untouched plate over to him. She'd taken only one of his donuts.
He nodded, hiding a yawn behind his hand. "Yes. We're so close to the Western entrance that I doubt we'll run into any sort of beasts, unless you wanted to."
Edea eyed the baby, who was making bubbles and kicking his feet as Agnès played with his hands. "You think he can join in? What would fit him best?"
"We've been over this, Edea." Agnès looked up now, her face firm. "It is unacceptable to give an Asterisk to an infant."
"Right, right. We're going to wait until he's at least… what, ten?"
"I had the Dark Knight Asterisk from when I was about eight," Ringabel said, thinking. "I wouldn't recommend it, especially not that one, but it hardly stunted my growth or anything."
Edea had known how old - how young - Alternis was when he had first 'found' the Dark Knight Asterisk, having heard about it both as a child and just a few weeks ago when he'd been talking about relearning some long-lost skills, and so this came as no surprise to her. Tiz and Agnès merely gaped at him.
"I have a lot of questions about that," Tiz finally said.
"As do I."
Ringabel flapped a hand. "That was years ago! Obviously, times have changed. You don't give Asterisks to children anymore!"
"Artemia Venus is an exception," Edea chimed in helpfully.
"Artemia is an exception to many things."
The two brunettes just shook their heads. "Sometimes, before I realize that you're joking, I really worry about you two," Tiz said.
"We were joking?!"
"Edea!"
Mid-morning they found themselves at the western entrance to Central Command. To her great relief, they were waved in by a few of the guards without confrontation, either because Braev had warned them that they were expected, or because as they approached the relative shelter of the tower, Ringabel had unbuttoned some of his outer coat so that Bee could get some fresh, winter-summer air. The guards smiled as they saw him.
"Hello Edea," one of them said to her. She vaguely recognized him as someone from the military academy. A class above hers, perhaps.
"Hello," she replied, turning to Ringabel to brush snow off of Bee's head. "You got stationed here?"
"It's so quiet! Nothing ever happens," the guard complained. His companion was nodding to the rest of the group, glancing over their weapons for only a moment. She wondered what Braev had said to the guards.
"It's better than things being too interesting." Now she had to wonder… what happened to him in the world she'd come from? Had he survived to guard the western entrance like this, or had he been one of the helmed soldiers they had fought against on their way up to the top? She would need to check when - if - she returned to that world.
"That's for sure. Now, the Grand Marshal said he was expecting you… you know where the elevator is?"
"There's only one!" Something she had still wondered about, even after all of her years living in the tower. Why was there only one?
There were other soldiers wandering the halls, going back and forth between their posts. It was, overall, a much more relaxed environment than the last time they had gone into Central Command. There, they had been enemies and the troops had been on alert. Monsters had roamed the halls, ready to strike them down if they met. Now, she was sure the monsters were in their cages and several of the guards they passed merely waved at her.
She stopped outside her room.
"Do you want to go inside?" Ringabel asked her.
"I'm not so sure." Where was the other Edea staying? Was she in her room, going over military manuals as Edea herself once had? Or was she down in Eternia, visiting Mahzer? In previous worlds, they had stopped in her room to rest between fights. Now, there seemed little reason for it. "There's nothing I need…"
"I think you got that cute dress out of your closet the first time we were here," Ringabel said, smiling to himself.
"Perhaps we can stop by on the way back down?" Agnès suggested. Edea had told her and Tiz about meeting her counterpart. "If you'd like."
"Yeah, I'd like that!" That way, if Edea didn't want to see her again… the girl would hopefully have enough warning to go somewhere else. Ugh. Edea hated that idea. She'd riot if someone tried to kick her out of her own room.
They made it to the top of Central Command, the elevator closing noisily behind them.
"At least it's just Father in the council room," Edea said, leading the pack down the short hallway - it was bad security to have the elevator go directly to the council room. "Victor's got Victoria in treatment, and you all know where Alternis is." The other two members of the council and their locations went unsaid. Edea hadn't ever met Sage Yulyana before starting her journey, and the Duke only once before in her life. She doubted they would be nearby.
Braev was by himself in the council room, reading from a stack of papers in a desk shoved unceremoniously in the corner. He looked up at they enter, a small smile spreading across his face when he saw them. He smiled often at his grandson, a gesture Edea was still unused to. She wasn't jealous, really!
"There you are. I was wondering if perhaps you had changed your mind." Rising from his desk, he crossed the room, his hands held out.
Ringabel untied the sling from his lower back so that the baby could be removed from it and placed in his grandfather's arms. "We got a bit of a late start, that's all."
"I couldn't decide what to bring," Edea confessed. They were used to packing for fights! Not packing for fights and packing for a baby along with everything that he might need as well. She and Ringabel had ended up seeking Tiz's help in organizing their diaper bag to make sure that nothing was left out. Bee now had diapers for days. "I'm sorry, Father. I know you've waited long for us to talk."
"Not as long as you have," Braev said, cradling Bee expertly in one arm. He waved them over to the chairs in the middle of the room with his other hand.
They took their seats, Braev continuing to hold the baby close to his shoulder. Bee gurgled, stuffing his fist in his mouth to chew on. Braev seemed to pay it no mind, though he did accept a small cloth - one of the many Edea had taken to carrying around - to place over his shoulder.
Airy was hiding in Agnès's hair, as she often did when they were out in public, but Edea could see Braev glance toward the barely visible glow as though he knew she was there. Perhaps he did. Clearly, her father knew much more than he had previously let on. Why hadn't he thought to tell them this before?
"The Crystals govern the natural forces of this world," Braev started." They influence the wind, water, fire, and earth. Even the most staunch of anti-crystalists can't argue that fact. Rather, we objected to who was controlling the crystals. They shouldn't be under any one party's control."
"The vestals?" Agnès asked.
"And who controls the Vestals?" Braev asked her in turn.
Agnès brought a hand to her mouth as she thought. "The Mother Vestal trained me, and she was trained in kind by her predecessor. We rely on the scriptures for guidance, however…" she trailed off, biting her lip.
"Many years ago, before you became a Vestal or perhaps even before you were born, the Crystal Orthodoxy in Gathelatio would send instructions to each of the Vestals on a regular basis," Braev filled in for her, his voice calm. He had still been with the Orthodoxy as a cleric at this time. "While most of the temples - the Earth Temple excluded - were able to live independently most of the time, they still took direction from the head of the Orthodoxy. The Grand Patriarch, also known as the Pope."
"Yes, I do recall the Mother Vestal mentioning him." Agnès looked uncomfortable at the reminder. "However, she said he had passed away from the plague and had never been replaced."
"That's more or less true," Braev replied. "The Pope had been killed in the plague, and had not been officially replaced, though there were a few men who were vying for the position. One of them was working with the Earth Vestal to conduct the Grand Ritual on the Earth Crystal. He died in the coup."
The seriousness of his words were lessened as he hoisted the baby up on his shoulder again, picking up the cloth between two fingers to wipe away tiny bits of drool.
"After the coup, the Headquarters of the Orthodoxy lost power. We allowed Gathelatio to continue to exist, however they were ordered to cease communicating with the temples and could no longer interfere."
"You left them unable to protect us against the rise of anti-crystalism!" Agnès said, frowning at the older man with pointed eyes.
"You did send the Black Blades to kill the Fire Vestal," Edea reminded her father.
Braev's brow furrowed, but he kept the rest of his expression even."I received the report from Kamiizumi himself on what truly happened. The girl's death was unfortunate, but she wasn't pushed into the fire by any of our forces."
Agnès flushed, though Edea couldn't say if it was out of anger or otherwise. "Regardless of who directly caused her death, she shouldn't have died!"
"She shouldn't have," Braev agreed. "We never meant to kill her. We only meant to … speak with her."
"Father, the way you've worded that doesn't help your case any," Edea groused.
Ringabel was quiet. He was aware of some of the finer details that Braev had yet to mention, if he would mention them at all. As the Dark Knight, he had been one of the ones responsible for relaying the missions to the forces on the ground. He had by now forgotten many of the details or perhaps he had never known, Braev had sometimes made the information so confidential that even Alternis hadn't been privy to it. Still, he knew that the Grand Marshall had wanted to bring the vestals into custody temporarily, to…
"To put her under our protection," Braev said. "The Crystals do need to be looked after by the Vestals. We've never wanted to take them - you - from the temples permanently. I wanted to keep you safe from those who would do you harm. There would be, we knew, a great danger to any Vestal by herself."
"Be that as it may," Agnès continued. "Eternia put all of us in great danger. Could you say that it was worth it?"
Braev let out a deep sigh, and pulled his grandson away from his shoulder. The boy's blue eyes blinked sleepily, but he let out only the tiniest of noises as Braev passed him into Ringabel's arms. Ringabel immediately cradled his son and stroked his chubby cheeks, watching him yawn. "Eternia did place the Vestals in danger, perhaps. Just as the world was placed in danger by your journey. This very world came under attack by the Vestal and her actions."
"That-"
Edea bristled. Her father knew her too well, not to hand her a baby when she was going to get annoyed. "We didn't do anything! All we've done is try to cleanse the crystals of darkness." And move from world to world. Why that was happening, she still didn't know.
Tiz had been quiet this whole time, but now he spoke up. "We know that for some reason it hasn't been affecting the Chasm, even though we've summoned the Holy Pillar before. We know that…"
Braev's eyes once more glanced toward Agnès - no, at the fairy with her. "How many times have you summoned that Holy Pillar?"
Tiz was the first to answer. "Three times. This will be our fourth."
"Ringabel?" Braev asked him.
Ringabel forced a smile. "I recall the Holy Pillar only once more, Father. I can't remember all the details, even now." He looked down at the baby in his arms. Airy was so close. Ringabel still wasn't sure how much she knew, even now, but if she suspected that he had regained most of the memories from the world of his birth, including of that horrible monster…
His stomach twisted.
Agnès seemed to hesitate, her hands clenching tightly in her lap. "We've spoken to Sage Yulyana. We know of your concerns. Still, we must move on until it is all resolved."
Edea and Ringabel glanced at each other, and then at Agnès.
Braev raised an eyebrow. "Have you, now?" He mumbled something to himself, something that Ringabel wouldn't quite make out. "Then, you know what I will say to you next."
The group waited.
"I shall test your resolve," Braev said, and he stood. His sword, much too large to be strapped to his waist, was nearby, and he reached for it now, pulling it from its scabbard and holding it up, the surface shining in the light.
"Father!" Edea shouted even as she stood as well, pushing her chair aside. "We're not here for a fight. I - the baby!"
"It's not a fight," a voice said from the doorway, and they looked up to see Kamiizumi enter, his back straight and his eyes calm. "It is a test, as Braev said. We only wish to test the strength of your resolve, and of your skills. You'll never everything in order to see this through to the end."
"The baby…" Ringabel protested. "We can't fight with him." Even if they used the Asterisk barrier, they couldn't just leave Bee alone by himself on the floor or on a chair. He could be hurt.
"No need to worry. I'll watch him." Behind Kamiizumi was another man, one they had not spoken to in some time.
"Lord DeRosso?" Edea asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
"You've no reason to come to my castle," DeRosso replied, the slightest hint of a smile on his face. Ringabel couldn't be sure what he was thinking. "The Grand Marshal asked if I might come to observe, as well as to see his grandchild."
"Father, that's the Archduke. Did you seriously ask him to babysit?"
Braev nodded at Kamiizumi, not paying attention to Edea. "Nobutsuna. Are you here to join us?"
"Of course, Braev. I would enjoy nothing more than to fight at your side."
DeRosso seemed more amused than anything, though Ringabel supposed that anything could be amusing to one so long lived. Being asked to babysit when one was the technical ruler of a country and immortal? Probably hilarious. He barely spoke to DeRosso, and had no idea how to handle the man's strange sense of humor. "It's been quite a long time since I've handled a child, but I'm sure I can figure it out."
Ringabel passed the dozing child into the Archduke's arms. For his part, the Archduke was careful in his handling, tucking the baby in close and supporting his head. "I was never able to have children, though I do like them," he reassured Ringabel, the lightness of his voice just barely masking the bitterness beneath.
Edea seemed resigned, glancing between her father and teacher as they stretched before the battle. "Here," she said, pulling a blanket out of the bag at her feet to hand to the Vampire. "In case he gets cold."
"I don't intend to change any diapers," DeRosso warned. "You'll want to make it quick."
"Are you sure about this?" Agnès asked her, the group moving into the center of the room where there was more space. The Asterisk barrier would remove all obstacles from their way, but it would be no good if they bumped into something after.
"I want to show my father my strength," Edea replied. "And we all need to show him that we know what we're doing!" She reached into her pocket for the Asterisks she'd put there earlier in the day. Tiz and Agnès were already changed.
"You'll show me as well."
They all looked up as Alternis Dim entered the chamber, clad fully in black armor. "Alternis!" Ringabel and Edea exclaimed as one.
"When did you return?"
"Just a few moments ago," Alternis replied. His dark sword was already in hand. "I had heard Edea had come up to speak to the Grand Marshall and hurried. Let me fight by your side, sir!"
Braev seemed hesitant. "My son, you need not join us for this battle."
Alternis crossed the room anyway, back straight. "I understand, however, your ideals are mine. I want nothing more than to stand and test their resolve with you. Please, allow me to offer my blade in your service.
"Not in my service," Braev said. He clapped a hand on Alternis's shoulder as the Dark Knight stood beside him. "As my son. Very well. You may join me... Edea, Wind Vestal. Prove to us that you have the strength needed to see this journey through to the end!"
There was no more talking after that. The Asterisk barrier went up. DeRosso and Bee were left outside of it, as promised, leaving the four heroes with the three Asterisk masters.
"We did prepare for this," Ringabel reminded his wife as she stood beside him. He had planned to use Ninja as his main Asterisk, but Dark Knight underneath. He hadn't been expecting to encounter Alternis, though… hopefully, two Dark Knights could counter one another.
"I know, I know," Edea acknowledged with a grumble. "I didn't think he'd actually want to fight, though!"
Given that the Grand Marshal was one of the few Asterisk masters they had not fought in this world, the group had thought it a possibility that he might challenge them now, especially once they made it clear that they did not intend to stop their journey. They had talked amongst themselves which Asterisks to use on their end, and Ringabel was now glad they'd made the preparations.
They had fought multiple people in the past, but this battle was against two members of the Council of Six, along with a person who had more experience on the battlefield than everyone else combined. The three greatest blades of Eternia. It would truly be a test of everything they had to offer.
Edea had intended to use more offensive Asterisks, given how inactive she had been in the past few months, and how she had covered herself with armor before that. Ringabel had tried to convince her to use Spell Fencer, but she'd ignored him. Instead, she was using Pirate, and holding an axe that was nearly as big as she was. Axes weren't the best weapon to use with the Valkyrie's skillset that she was also intending to use, but he supposed they weren't the worst.
Agnès was favoring magic today, dressed as a Black Mage, and Tiz would be their support with Salve-Maker, one of his secret favorites.
"Hah," Braev said, observing them all. "So you've practiced well with many different Jobs."
Ringabel struck with the two daggers in his hands, focusing on Braev. They did have the advantage in that they'd fought all three of these men before, albeit separately. From his past experience, Alternis might be best kept for last. If he began to strike out when his health was low, then that could fell one of them in an instant, making it all the more harder to fight.
Despite this being a fight between family - Kamiizumi included - none of their foes pulled any punches. Ringabel was very glad they had gotten rest before the battle, because his mana and health stores were sorely tested about halfway through the battle. While Kamiizumi seemed content to wait for them to make the first move, as he often did, Alternis went through each of them in turn, striking them with Dark Magic or with his sword. Ringabel couldn't see his face through the helmet, but he imagined that the man was smirking each time Ringabel was hit. Ringabel struck him in return, just out of a bit of spite. If Alternis was going to use Dark Magic, then they needed to take him out before he could begin to hit them with some of his stronger spells.
Braev fell first, dropping to his knees after Edea came down from a Jump. He was smiling, even as he left the battle. Alternis soon followed after Ringabel took a chance and Braved four times, striking him with his daggers before the Dark Knight could get a hit in otherwise. The Dark Knight crouched, clutching his side.
"Of course," Ringabel heard him mutter.
Kamiizumi had been countering their moves so far, but hadn't yet attacked them outright. Now alone, the older man watched them carefully. They watched him as well, using the lull in the battle to heal themselves.
"Your skills have grown well," the Sword Master said to his pupil. "All of you, I can tell you've weathered many battles. You should be proud."
"We won't let you down," Edea reassured him. "We know what we're doing."
"Sort of," Ringabel clarified. Kamiizumi's guard was going to come down any moment. "We can't back down now!"
Tiz struck with a compounded item and the older man flinched. There! An opening. Agnès followed up quickly with a bit of Firaga, sweeping him up in the flames.
Within just a few more moments they had taken Kamiizumi out of the fight as well, and with him, the Asterisk barrier fell.
Braev and Alternis were waiting for them. DeRosso too, though he was standing a more reasonable distance away with the infant in his arms.
"Well done," Braev said. He seemed to be favoring his left side, but aside from some minor scrapes, did not seem any worse for wear. "Nothing less than I would expect from my children and the Vestal of Wind who has carved her path through the worlds."
Alternis had already put his sword away, and so his hands were free for him to reach up and unlatch his helmet, pulling it off. Once removed, they could see his face, flushed and sweaty with exertion.
"Good fight," he said to them, sweeping some of his bangs away from his forehead. Ringabel realized it was starting to get long again; he was growing it out. "Even you, Ringabel."
"We just beat your butt," Edea reminded him, coming to her husband's defense. Still, there was a wide, happy smile on her face. Her cheeks were flushed with real joy, and she snuggled into Ringabel's side, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "You know you liked it."
Alternis flapped a hand at them.
"You had an interesting strategy," Kamiizumi said aloud, thinking. "I think that speaks to the experience you've had in battle."
"I tried to convince her to use Spell Fencer," Ringabel said, sighing loudly. "Wouldn't that have been fun?"
"The point is to convince them that we're serious," Agnès scolded him. "Not to have such fun!"
"We could do both."
Now that the battle was over, the atmosphere was much lighter.
Edea retrieved her infant from the arms of the Archduke. The baby looked very peaceful in his nap, completely unaware of the battle that had just taken place. For his part, the Archduke decided to stay a bit longer, dusting off what she supposed was his usual seat and making himself comfortable in it.
"The boy is going to grow up to be big and strong," Braev said as he hovered over her shoulder while she checked for a dirty diaper. It had been a couple of hours since he had been changed. "Have you already given thought to what Asterisk he'll take?"
"We've talked about it," Ringabel replied.
"It's too early for that," Edea added, shifting her weight so that she could hold Bee in one arm and dig out a diaper from their bag with another. "... I want him to get started on the Monk Asterisk."
"The boy will take after his father," Lord DeRosso said, looking between Ringabel and the helmet-less Alternis. "Certainly, he'll be a strong one to pass the Lee name down to."
Was this a guess or something that the Archduke had seen? Edea couldn't be sure. The man was an enigma, even more so than most of the other things they had encountered on their journey. For now, diaper and baby were both passed to Ringabel for changing.
"Wind Vestal," Braev said to Agnès, once Bee had been removed from the room for a change. "I may not always see eye-to-eye with the Crysalists, but you've proven to me, though your actions, that you have full confidence in what you are doing."
Agnès nodded, her back straight. "We know what we're doing. We'll awaken the crystals, and… save the world."
With that, he granted them access to Everlast tower, sending directions that the door on the bottom floor was to be unlocked. It would be slightly faster than trying to fly Grandship over to the other side of the Central Command landing, he assured them, and he wouldn't mind watching over his grandson while they took their time exploring.
"That's just because you want to spoil him," Edea complained, though with a slight smile on her lips. "We appreciate it, Father."
With Braev watching Bee in Central Command, that meant that they would be free to fight their way to the Crystal Chamber, deep within the labyrinth of Everlast Tower. Giga Lich would be waiting for them at the end, and given how each of the Crystal Beasts had been growing steadily stronger, they wanted to be prepared for the fight.
Edea took some time to nurse Bee, and while they waited for her to finish, Agnès started a conversation with Braev and Kamiizumi on the Crystals and their journey, with Tiz standing nearby for supervison. DeRosso watched them, and -
Ringabel pulled Alternis aside.
"How is Florem?" he asked.
Alternis gave him a flat look. "You, of all people, are well aware that I need to report my findings to the Grand Marshal first, and that I will not divulge information to outsiders."
"Which could take forever, given how he's busy doting over Braev. Are you going to stay and watch him, too? He misses his uncle."
"He's an infant. He hardly realizes I exist," Alternis said in reply, but Ringabel saw him glance back to where Edea was sitting at Braev's desk from earlier, her back to the room and the baby in her arms. "In any case, I trust the child to keep classified military secrets more than I trust you. I can debrief the Grand Marshal after you leave."
There was barely any bite to Alternis's words. In fact, Ringabel could see the hints of a smile. "You know as well as I do that we have the same knowledge on Eternia's forces," Ringabel complained. "The only difference is that you've just returned from a mission I never had to go on."
Alternis opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and instead went quiet, his brow furrowing.
Ringabel's stomach swooped. The minute the words had been out of his mouth, he had thought of an answer to himself. He didn't want to hear it. Didn't want anyone point out that the reason he hadn't gone on the mission in his own world was that everyone had died before he could save them. "In any case," he plowed on uncomfortably. "At least tell me about Eyvel. Did she return with you?"
The other man could not resist rolling his eyes. "Yes, she's decided to come to Eternia. She'll be moving into an apartment with Major Cossette."
"... the quartermaster?"
"Yes. Cossette escorted her through Florem several times, and they became quite close. I'm happy for her. For them both."
"But you - "
"Have a woman that is already in my heart," Alternis reminded him, lowering his voice so that the others couldn't hear. "That's it. You know how strong those feelings are. The next time I see Edea, I intend to speak with her about them. I want her to know how I really feel."
Ringabel stared at him. "She's here, you know."
"What?"
"Edea. The one you grew up with. She snuck onboard Kamiizumi's ship to Eternia. She's probably in her room right now, just a few floors below us. You could go talk to her at any time."
Alternis's face flooded with a deep crimson color. At the same time, Edea finished up with the baby and turned around even as she patted the infant's back to get out all the air.
"Ringabel, what are you doing to him?" she asked, coming over.
"Nothing. Why do you always think I'm up to no good?" Ringabel whined. Alternis still looked panicked, his eyes darting back and forth. It had been a long time since he'd had an anxiety attack, but still… Ringabel watched his other self carefully for any signs he might need help.
"Hm." Edea watched Alternis closely, noting how his eyes widened when he saw her. "You told him about the Edea who's here, didn't you?"
Alternis coughed.
"It came up," Ringabel replied carefully. He leaned over to kiss the top of Bee's head, noting that the baby was wide-awake. Hm. Hopefully, he would stay awake a bit longer, to help him sleep better that night. Ringabel would appreciate the break.
Edea was quiet for a moment as she looked Alternis over, seemingly concerned. "We should go," she finally said. "You'll stay and watch Bee with Father, won't you?"
"I…" Alternis found his voice. "I need to tell him what transpired in Florem."
Edea nodded. "Will you tell us later? We got your messages, but I think Agnès would like more detail on Olivia."
The messages had been brief, and coded, for obvious reasons, but they knew that the Water Vestal had been removed from the region to a safer location and that the Eternian forces were sweeping through the forest. Last she'd heard, there had been no casualties, and no additional bodies found, but that painted a minimal picture.
"If the Grand Marshall deems it appropriate."
With his armor on, Edea didn't feel comfortable handing the baby to him - too many sharp edges. Instead, she wiped the spit-up from her shoulder, made sure Bee's face was clean, and crossed the room so that she could give him to her father. "Father, let's talk more when we return."
Braev nodded. "Of course."
The four heroes left after that, making their way back downstairs to the ground floor and out the back door to the short, winding path that led to Everlast Tower.
Airy came out from her hiding place.
"What was that about?" she asked, hovering around them. In the path, they were sheltered from the harshest of the wind, though it was still cold enough for them to be wearing jackets.
"What was what about?" Ringabel asked her in return. "The battle? Surely you weren't surprised. We've been battling the Duchy's forces for months, now."
"You don't believe what he said, do you?" Airy asked Agnès. "They can't have had good intentions. That has to be a trick! Look at what they did to Olivia…"
Agnès' eyes slipped shut at the reminder. "I know, Airy. They have long acted against us, hurting those we care for."
"My father never told Victor and Victoria to kill Olivia," Edea argued, though it was a weak one. Her father had never told them not to kill Olivia, either. They'd had this discussion before. Still, he had sent people in this world to save her life! Surely that meant something.
"You're not going to betray us now and join him, are you?" Airy asked the blonde woman, circling around both her and Ringabel. "We've gone too far! Agnès's journey means so much to the world."
"Of course we won't," Ringabel replied, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. It was very tempting to throw his journal into the fairy's face. "However, the more information we have from Eternia, the easier it is for us to counter them. This is the fourth time we'll have awakened the Earth Crystal and summoned the Holy Pillar. If this doesn't work, and we once more travel to another world, we'll need everything we can get."
Eyeing the fairy's wings as best as he could given her movement, he could see what appeared to be the number "2" hidden in the pattern. Would it drop down to a 1?
"We're so behind," Airy said.
"Well, sorry," Edea bit. Yes, it was now the middle of July, nearly August. Her birthday would be soon. "We'll make up for lost time, promise!"
"How will you do that?" Airy asked her.
"We'll travel to the Holy Pillar as soon as we can," Tiz supplied for Edea. "We've no need for any stops, right?"
It seemed that no one wanted to admit out loud that they suspected they would once more travel into another world.
"Right," Edea said. She wasn't so sure.
"Hopefully we can erase the Great Chasm this time," Airy said. "Don't you think the mountains are larger than the last world? The Earth Crystal can't be allowed to be dark any longer!"
Everlast Tower was free of guards, and of monsters, courtesy of Tiz's sheer willpower. However, it was still a long and winding path. They made their way to the Crystal Chamber as quickly as they could, observing the thick, waxy Darkness that covered it once more.
"It's the same as ever, isn't it?" Tiz said. They had just begun to advance when the room shook as Gigas Lich started to climb up from below.
"Here it comes!"
"Everyone ready?" Ringabel shouted, summoning a shield. The same techniques that had worked on three Asterisk masters wouldn't work against the undead monster.
Wait…
Undead?
"Wait!" he shouted. "It's undead!"
Edea furrowed her brow at him. "Yeah, and?" She had changed from Pirate into the Valkyrie gear, holding a spear primly in her hands, ready to Jump.
Agnès, however, understood exactly what he meant.
"Of course!" She threw a Curaga at it, and the team watched as the beast roared in pain. It seemed more effective than any of their traditional attacks ever had.
"That… actually worked?" Edea asked, lowering her spear - then raising it to shield as its gigantic fist came crashing down in front of her.
"It's undead," Ringabel repeated, bracing himself behind his shield. He wanted to protect her, but before he could, Edea had Jumped out his range.
Tiz had Defaulted while they had been arguing, and seemed no more the worse for wear from the strike. "Yeah, yeah. Why didn't we think of this before?" Rummaging around his pack, he pulled out the Hourglass that Ringabel had seen him carry for the past four worlds.
It had been a gift, Tiz had once explained, from the Adventurer that they saw often on their journey. The man had given it to him when he'd first travelled to see Norende's ruins, and implored him to carry it with him always. They had used it rarely, not finding it necessary to, but it was an artifact of great power. Even now, Ringabel wasn't sure where it had come from, and how it worked, but Tiz held it aloft in his hands and turned it over - "Bravely Second!"
Time stopped around them, as did the enemy in front of them. Ringabel couldn't move. None of them could, except -
Tiz threw a precious, rare Elixer through the air, where it burst upon contact with Gigas Lich's gray skin. The liquid burst into flames, lighting the beast on fire as it spread. It screams were piercing.
"Tiz!" Ringabel hissed when he could. There was no point to it, however. The fire continued to spread, and they could see the beast dying in front of them, its undead nature at the mercy of the most powerful healing potion in the world.
"We defeated it, didn't we?" Tiz asked, tucking the Hourglass back into his bag. Edea landed on the ground, and together they watched Gigas Lich as it melted away into nothingness. "Without anyone getting hurt, either."
"Huh," Edea said. She backed up a bit from the spreading black puddle. "I guess that's one way to do it."
"Wow, that was so quick," Airy observed, flitting closer. "You really knew what to do there, Tiz."
"It was that White Mage training with… well, when we were in Eternia," Tiz replied, glancing toward Agnès. They'd never told Airy about the training with the White Mages. "They kept talking about how White Magic is effective against undead creatures, and potions, too. Ways a White Mage can be helpful in battle outside of healing."
"At least Gigas Lich is no longer in our way!" the fairy cheered. "We can awaken the Crystal with no problem, Agnès!"
The men waited in the Crystal chamber as Agnès and Edea left so that Agnès could change. Airy stayed with them, sitting on Ringabel's shoulder to rest.
"You don't doubt that we'll sweep away the darkness, do you?" Airy asked him.
It would be rude to shrug while she was sitting on him. He shook his head instead. "Of course, I'd like to think that we'll be successful. However… we haven't had the best of luck, have we? It would be nice if we finished it all this time, but perhaps we should plan for the worst."
"Do you remember anything before we met?"
His throat felt tight. "How could I remember anything before meeting such a beautiful fairy such as yourself?"
"Are you sure?"
He forced himself to smile, though his head was beginning to throb in pain. A tension headache was rising. The edges of his vision were going dark. "I remember bits and pieces here. Not very much, I'm afraid. I barely recall my name, and other things are quite fuzzy. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. You look an awful lot like that Dark Knight, you know that? I saw him without his helmet, earlier."
"... I'm aware. I've wondered why that is."
Luckily, Edea and Agnès returned before any more could be said, and Airy flew over to Agnès, urging the Vestal over to the altar.
"You look like you have a headache," Edea commented to her husband as he joined her and Tiz at the edge of the chamber.
"I do," Ringabel replied. He leaned over to kiss her cheek, offering her a smile. "We'll talk tonight, once we're back to the Grandship." He wasn't sure it would be safe to talk around Airy. He had suspected for months that the fairy knew his true identity. With their little talk, was obvious that she did, but did she know how much he truly remembered?
He wasn't sure how much he remembered. Thinking too much on his past, even after all these months, made him feel sick. No, this wasn't the fourth time they had summoned the Holy Pillar. Wasn't it the fifth? Or, no - it would be the fifth time he had been in the Holy Pillar. It had been a different Vestal before, hadn't it? Thinking about his last moments in his world, on being on the Grandship in the middle of the Pillar...
Bile rose in his throat.
"Ringabel." His wife's voice was soothing, even through the pounding of his heart. He felt like he was going to choke even as he tried not to open his mouth. The light from the Crystal burned through his clenched eyes. When had he closed them? Why was he kneeling? A cloth was thrust into his hand and he vomited into it, shuddering. "We'll be out of here in just a few moments. Can you hang on?"
It couldn't come soon enough. The harsh light of the Crystal awakening swept through him, twisting his stomach and causing goosebumps to rise up his arms. He swallowed bitterly, his throat feeling sour. He had hoped he had stopped fainting during the Rite of Awakening in the last world, but his legs still felt weak as Tiz and Edea dragged him to his feet.
"Forgive me," he breathed out. Agnès and Airy were making their way back to the group, and he had an irrational urge to ensure the fairy didn't know he wasn't feeling well. The soiled cloth - it was one of the thick ones Edea used for Bee's spit-up - was shoved into a pocket, so that he could give them his brightest smile. "I think I needed more rest after that fight with the Eternians."
"You all ready to go to the Holy Pillar?" Airy asked them, clapping her hands with glee. "Can we leave tonight?"
"We'll leave when we can," Edea replied, her hand on Ringabel's elbow to keep him steady. She did not like how pale he looked, his hazel eyes slightly unfocused. Sweat was beading on his forehead. Even without enemies in the tower, perhaps it would be best to use a Teleport stone. "We need to say goodbye to my family."
"And, I would like to visit Olivia one last time, to ensure that she is well," Agnès added. She had promised, after all.
"Soon, though," the fairy implored them. "Soon."