The Flames Within Us
By: V-Dawg
Chapter 8: Hints
3 Month Later (A pretty long timespan I know)
Micaiah was unsure how she was doing it. She was sure she would have been caught by laguz patrols eventually during her three-month venture.
However, much to her surprise, they actually didn't seem to care. She could have sworn that the laguz knew of her presence, however they for some reason hadn't interrogated her.
Instead, they simply moved around with a blank face, which further confused Micaiah.
But she didn't ponder too much. Her biggest threat was that strange doctor, Izuka, Mist had told her.
Mist had warned that he was ordering the laguz around to do his bidding, sort of like slaves, she had spoken.
This was worrying for Micaiah. Didn't Tellius abolish laguz slavery? She was now intrigued, but not to a degree in which she would risk her freedom to check.
Regardless, she had visited Mist over the past months. Because Begnion had been cracking down on Daein resistances, Micaiah and her brigade had to lay low and away from the public eye as much as possible.
So much until the oppressors was done their course.
Regardless, Micaiah found herself getting along with Mist. It reminded her of a young Sothe. But she couldn't remember where he was for all she knew.
She couldn't bare the discovery of her mark to him, as their friendship was never meant to last, due to her slowed aging.
Sighing, there was something strange with Mist, that Micaiah would feel. But nonetheless she didn't ponder further.
"You know? I remember a time, during the war against the Mad King." Mist started, which took Micaiah off her mind.
She herself was a bit hesitant to talk about that war, as Micaiah blamed that for Daein's current crisis.
"What happened?" She asked, which let Mist continue.
"Remember how Ashnard had supposedly gone berserk before he was slain?"
This caught Micaiah off guard. What did she mean, berserk?
"What?" Micaiah asked Mist, who just shrugged.
"He took something from our family, that we swore to protect from that very being. My parents, who lived in Daien fled after they essentially became fugitives." Mist continued, which intrigued Micaiah. Their parents were from Daien?
"What, so your-" But Mist interrupted her.
"No, we were born in Gallia, after our parents had fled. But I don't remember why or how, but I was handed a necklace down from my mother, who had passed when I was very young."
Micaiah was going to ask what she meant, but her question was answered when Mist picked something under her neck. Micaiah's eyes widened at the sight of the object.
"Is that-" She couldn't believe it.
"Yes, it's Lehran's Medallion. My mother wore the possession as a necklace, until it was brought down to me."
It was then doing Micaiah realized what she had meant by berserk. Ashnard must have gotten his hands on it, and the chaotic power must've been too much for even him.
But then, a new question arises for Micaiah. "So how are you able to wear it without going berserk?" She asked.
Mist shrugged, "I don't know honestly. My mother was a beorc who had an unusual order force in her. So, she was resilient to the chaotic forces the medallion. It must've been hereditary, because I inherited myself. As for Ike, we don't know, but it's better safe than sorry."
It was then did Micaiah's eyes widened a bit more. "What about your father?"
"What do you mean?"
"Was he a laguz?"
Mist's eyebrows raised in confusion, "What? No! Our families beorc? What?"
It was then Micaiah truly was confused, but now she knew she had to tell Mist.
Sighing, she raised the clothing to expose her hand, which Mist could easily see was a brand mark.
"You're a branded?" Mist asked, which made Micaiah gulp. "I guess that makes you close to order as well?" She simply asked, not caring, which made Micaiah sigh.
"Yeah, those who are close to the forces of order have at least some heron laguz in them. So, it's kind of weird hearing of a beorc gaining that as well."
"Understandable, though from what my father told me my mom did spend some time looking out for some herons, so maybe she developed it there as well? I mean I just found out one of her nighttime lullabies she would sing to Ike and I was the Galdr of Release."
It was then did Micaiah truly understood Mist much more. She knew from the start from meeting Mist did she give off a different vibe than most. Now, Micaiah had a better understanding.
This was not only a beorc, but a beorc who clearly had some influence of balance between order and chaos. Almost unheard of.
As Micaiah began to ponder, she heard Mist sigh.
"Though, there may be another reason." Mist said, a bit more ominously, which freaked Micaiah out at how suddenly she could switch tones.
"And what is that?" She asked after a bit, which only made Mist sigh.
Pulling down her sleeve, Mist revealed to Micaiah something she had just discovered on herself. A strange black mark that resembled that of Micaiah's own.
Micaiah's eyes widened, what was happening? Didn't Mist just say she's a beorc? Well why did she have a brand mark on her.
"W-what? Did you lie to me?" She asked, which Mist shook her head slowly.
Silence filled the area around them, before Mist spoke up.
"I just found this on my arm, because I never had it until like, three days ago."
This was strange to Micaiah, a strange brand mark just popping up on a beorc. Micaiah trusted Mist, she had no reason to lie, both of them didn't. They had spent 3 months' worth of time getting to know each other, so why would Mist hide it? Because she didn't have it originally.
"I believe it." She said, which made Mist smile before continuing.
"I didn't know what was happening to me for a while I was in here, but now, after seeing this, alongside some other weird sensations, I think I know what he's been doing to me." Mist continued, which made Micaiah curious.
While she had asked Mist countless times why she was in a jailcell, and whenever she would offer to break her out, Mist refused, citing her desire to find her brother, Ike, who was somewhere, alive in this building, Mist said she knew.
Even if it meant putting up with whatever form of torture she was subjected to, she would deal with it just to see her brother.
And with Micaiah learning of the fact that her brother was her only family left, Micaiah felt sympathy towards her. The pain of losing your parents is irreversible. While Micaiah's parents weren't dead, she, like the rest of the branded were usually shunned by them. However, Micaiah herself couldn't remember anything about them.
But Mist continued, "He's infecting me with laguz blood, he's slowly turning me into a laguz." Mist trembled, which made Micaiah's eyes widened. Of all the weirdest things she could have stated, this was up there.
But she did have proof, with a literal brand mark on her hand, she couldn't outright deny Mist's claims.
"I can understand that, but how can that happen?" Micaiah asked.
Mist shrugged, putting her arm out, "He injects me with a weird yellow serum, before putting laguz blood in me, before cutting me, as if he's trying to rid the beorc in me..." Mist trembled slightly, reliving what she had dealt with for the past 3 months, twice per day!
Again, Micaiah couldn't really say anything. But then again, she could believe it.
She knew very well, through explanations through Mist, who Izuka was. How he was responsible for making the laguz turn feral, for his work alongside Ashnard.
Whatever, these trials were, Micaiah knew it was just him experimenting with his potential in magic.
Whatever he was doing, she could believe Mist's claims.
The cutting, clearly him trying to get rid of her blood without outright killing her, especially after injecting laguz blood in her. The yellow serum, described by Mist as a paralyzing agent, may have been an immune suppressant, preventing the body from attacking the foreign agent.
At this Micaiah sighed, the mark on Mist meant that she was effectively a branded, just like her.
But whereas Micaiah was born a branded, Mist was effectively made on through dark and cruel means.
"But that's not the worse part." Mist said.
"What?" Micaiah couldn't believe that was the worst part. "What do you mean not the worst part?"
"My brother, he went missing like 2-3 months before I did, and Izuka said he was doing to me the same thing to my brother."
Micaiah again, couldn't believe it, "Then that means -"
"My brother, may be far too late from the beorc he once was."
There was no doubt, if Mist continued to be tortured through Izuka's trials, she would become a laguz. There was no doubt that's what Izuka was doing, and while there were some questions, like how the body creates new blood, but Micaiah knew that a crazy scientist/wizard like Izuka probably had a way.
Even if Micaiah partially blamed Ike for Daein's state, even she couldn't imagine what Ike was going through.
"I just hope he's doing okay." Was all Mist said.
Over the past three months, poor Ike's senses were changing. Ranulf could only watch in concern, as Ike clearly was going through another stage in whatever sick thing Izuka had put him through.
While he had tried to help Ike adapt to it, the poor mercenary was struggling, and he didn't blame him.
He grew up with rather poor senses, if we compared them to a laguz. Now, his senses were no doubt changing, and the change will hurt.
It's like spending your entire day in the dark, only to exit suddenly with the sun shining straight in your eyes. It'll take a while to adapt.
Ike, himself, with the mark had an idea what was happening with him, but he didn't care as he just wanted the pain to stop.
The trials still continued, and Ike couldn't put his hands to his ears, as they were chained during them.
Leanne, meanwhile was constantly getting her blood sucked out by Izuka, presumably for his other victim. Luckily, she had been the most spared in terms of physical injury, due to either Ike or Ranulf ensuring she was alright. With her healing ability, they found it vital for her to be in the best shape she could possibly be in this environment.
Compared to the three, Ranulf had it the best. But it was the best in the worst situation. They were all starved, dehydrated and tortured. Ranulf struggled the most with food, as he required a lot of energy.
Ike, not only was struggling from the torture the laguz would give him, as they seemed to unexpectedly attach him unprovokedly, but also with the trials Izuka had been subjecting him to. I mean, the dude's literally being injected with laguz properties, to essentially create a laguz, or weed out the beorc in him.
It was frightening, Ranulf thought. To be turned into a different person than you were entirely was a slap in the face of identity. No doubt would Ike not only struggle with literally being transformed into a different species due to whatever crazy magic Izuka had given him, but with the changes in his body no doubt.
Ranulf sighed, as he could simply watch as Ike was fetched by the laguz to be subject to another of Izuka's trials.
The mercenary clearly had accepted his fate. Where he was originally confused, as his mental health was plummeting, he had given up.
He still had the personality, but his mental state was shot, and he stopped struggling against Izuka, just accepting his fate, with no end in sight.
His katana, a symbol of hope for Ike, was guarded by him furiously, as any time Ranulf or Leanne would touch it, Ike would freak out, even with their assurance that nothing would happen to it.
Izuka had torn Ike apart, literally, and he was letting it happen, his hope for escaping dwindling.
Ranulf sighed, as he watched the entire ordeal. The difference this time was that there were no shouts, or struggles. It was just quick injections, before the cutting phase. Even as Izuka slashed Ike up, with his knife, clearly trying to make Ike bleed, Ike was still. Not moving or struggling, just enduring it with a straight face.
And that concerned them the most.
Then, the laguz would throw Ike back in the cell, give them their daily food, and then Ike would use his katana and swing it back and forth.
That was the schedule Ike had officially followed, and he followed it like a machine. No personality.
It was clear this was taking its toll on Ike, and Ranulf didn't like it. He wanted his best friend back, and even though he understood why he was changing, he needed help, and this fact only made Ranulf more determined to get him back.
Even if, on the outside, he would change, Ike would still be his friend, and a beorc to him.
Ike, himself didn't know what to do at this point.
He didn't know if he would even get out anymore.
He just accepted his fate. Despite the pleas from Leanne and Ranulf, he could tell, he had to focus, and keep a perfect eye on any slight slipups that could give him and the others a chance to escape.
Ike knew, if he were to escape, he wouldn't be the only one to. In fact, far from it.
Over the course of months, Ike had found countless small nails, metal scraps, that Ike had found. When he was led out by the laguz, he would slide them past to the other captives, enabling them to bask the jailcell with them.
The laguz patrols were only meant and ordered by Izuka to take away anything that would aid in the captive's escape when he ordered so during this time, so many were able to keep them to this day.
Sitting down, he ensured Ranulf and Leanne that he was fine. Even though his sights and hearing were still hurting them, and he still had his eyes very close to being completely closed, he was getting better, and despite the pain, he still felt insisted to swinging his katana, the closest thing to a sword he had.
Even through all of this, Ike had still managed to maintain some of his muscle mass. While he did lose a lot in the first couple of months, he had managed to bring them back.
He also concluded it also must have been an affect from the other tan serum Izuka had injected in Ike a few months back.
Regardless, Ike was still trying to train himself, in the event that we, no, they would escape.
Everyone in this god forsaken building.
Ike would kill Izuka if it meant it. But he knew he didn't have the guts anymore.
Izuka had done far too much damage to Ike, for him to kill him.
No matter how Ike put it, he any time he locked eyes with Izuka, his body would stop, his heart rate would rise, and he would get dizzy.
It was almost as if Izuka had a debilitating effect on Ike, just by his presence.
Sighing, Ike decided to lie down. He didn't have any more stuff to do.
He would have another trial soon, his next day, and the day after that for who knows how long.
He saw Ranulf look at him one last time before lying down to sleep. Leanne had made sure Ike was fine, and after proceeding he was, she went to her place to sleep. The top of the metal bunkbed, whereas Ranulf took the bottom.
Despite their pleas, Ike insisted he took the floor, it may not have been comfy, compared to a metal bed, but it was warmer, and Ike liked that better.
Before Ike, himself could sleep, he looked out to the other laguz, whom he could now see, and some of them met his eyes, with equal determination, with a shared goal of getting out.
Making his way towards his bed, Ike knew, he would eventually get out. When he would, he didn't know. He just hoped he wouldn't have to put up with Izuka anymore.
He didn't even want to kill him, just stay away from him as long as he could. As far as he could.
Regardless, Ike decided to lie down, hoping to get as much sleep as he could.
But before he could, he felt a strange sensation on his ear, that was tickling him.
"What?" Ike whispered, before reaching his hand behind him, where his ear was.
And with that, Ike felt something very soft on him.
Pulling it back, Ike was shocked, to find a single strand of feather which was behind his ear.
Where did that come from?
A.N / What's happening with Ike and Mist? Why is Micaiah interested by Mist? And why is Ranulf and Leanne worried about Ike? Find out next chapter! But anyways, that's the eighth chapter. Next chapter will take another relatively big-time jump, so beware with that. As for the outside world, remember they had given up, assuming they were dead.