16.
Pandy awoke, as she normally did, curled up in Zeke's arms.
Zeke, though he had been raised in luxury, in the seat of Tantalese power in his youth, did not normally care that much about where he slept. Long years as a wandering mercenary had seen to that. He was currently stretched out, hands behind his head, laying with his back on a patch of soft grass. Pandy herself was a bit more picky about where she slept, but Zeke always made a fairly good mattress. She smiled to herself, a bit ruefully. Her insistence that he serve as her mattress, when they had no comfortable place to sleep, was probably half of what had led to their...current relationship. Zeke had been...somewhat oblivious to her advances, at first. He was a genius when it came to swordsmanship, and many other things besides, despite his eccentricities – there had been battles, wars they had fought in, and there were few men alive who could organize a strategy as well as Zeke – Amalthus, who was peerless, and perhaps the more clever of the Ardainian supreme command. But when it came to social graces, and being able to tell when a girl was interested in him, Zeke was...well, as much as she might love him, he was an idiot. But it was difficult even for Zeke to ignore a pretty girl pressing her body up against his in the night.
Of course, as amazing as Zeke might be in battle, he was not invincible. Her hand traced a line down Zeke's chest, lingering halfway down. She glanced around, furtively, then drew back his coat. There, in the midst of a brutal mass of scars on his chest, just barely covered by his coat, was the other half of her core crystal.
It had been a dark day indeed that had seen her core be split in two, one half implanted into Zeke to keep him alive. Hired by Ardainians to track down a shipment of core crystals that had gone missing – which she had now realized was probably part of the Brionac effort to amass core crystals before the war – their investigations had led them to the wilderness of Indol.
The bandits had to have been desperate, or stupid, to hide in Indol itself with a stolen shipment of core crystals. The Praetorium had extremely strict rules about the registration and distribution of blade cores, which it oversaw, and defiance was...well. The Praetor did not publicize the punishments. But the whispered rumors was that death was preferable to what the Praetorium would do to you.
As it had turned out, it was desperation that had driven the bandits to Indol's forests. They had a makeshift Titan craft that they had been hoping to pilot to safety – damaged by some storm, they had been forced to land on the Indoline Titan. Assuming that Pandy and Zeke had been there to round them up for the Praetorium, they had fought like cornered animals. Zeke, with his refusal to kill unless he thought it absolutely necessary, had first tried to talk with them, to try to get them to hand over the core crystal shipment in exchange for being let free. They had obviously thought that his assurances were nothing but lies, and had attacked him while in the middle of the negotiation. Bloodied, with arrows and blades sticking out from him, more wounded than Pandy had ever thought a human could be and still live, Zeke had fought his way out from their encampment, though he had collapsed not long after they had fallen out of sight.
Pandy still remembered the dread she had felt that day. The sick horror in the pit of her stomach when Zeke had collapsed, and she had finally had the time to examine his wounds, and she had realized he was most likely going to die. How her heart had twisted as she felt their ether bond fading as Zeke slowly slipped closer and closer to death.
She had had barely any time to dress his wounds at all before the shouts of pursuers echoed out through the forest. Sobbing, cursing Zeke for his foolishness, alternatively pleading with him not to die and cursing him for being so reckless, she had desperately dragged his body, futile as it was, away from the source of the shouting.
So intent had she been on rescuing Zeke, so distraught had she been at the thought of losing him, that she had not noticed when the shouts of her pursuers changed from those of coordination and aggression, to shouts of surprise, and then blood-curdling screams of horror. She had dragged Zeke's body to a stream, weeping as she tried to wash his wounds, whispering what she had been sure would be her final goodbye to her Prince in his ear. She had noticed, however, when the agonized screams died, giving way to eerie, complete silence.
She had looked up then, just on the edge of consciousness, her life fading along with that of her Driver's.
And there, standing at the edge of the forest, looking down at them with some interest, had been the Praetor, flanked by two of his white-robed warrior-monks. He had carried a long, thin sword that dripped with bright red blood, with fluid grace, he had wiped the blood clean with a white cloth as he approached them.
Though he looked much as any other Indoline man might – tall, lithe, with pointed ears and a mouth full of small fangs, skin a glittering greenish-blue, with subtle scales patterning across it at certain points of his face, and the back of his arms, Pandy had known, without even needing the introduction, that this man must have been Amalthus. There was...something about him, even more than the way his warrior-monks deferred to him. Almost as if you could feel history itself twisting and folding around him. Like looking at him was looking up at someone a thousand feet tall. Even though he wore none of the symbols of his office in the field, merely wearing long, loose, flowing white robes, and a black leather headband to hold back his white hair, he radiated authority and command, as surely as any king did. More so. And his eyes, Architect, his eyes – those intense, weighing eyes had been what had chased Pandy into unconsciousness, as she collapsed beside Zeke.
And those eyes had been the first thing she had seen when she had woken up, certain that she never would have. Awoken, in a sterile room, full of light, the Praetor staring down at her, now with his full priestly vestments, those eyes still sharp, weighing.
The Praetorium had access to core crystal technology that none else did – methods of manipulating and modifying core crystals in ways no other nation in the world could reproduce. Some said it was a legacy of their lineage being traceable back to Judicium, ancient nation whose experiments were spoken of with part wonder, part horror. Some said it was a result purely of Amalthus' personal brilliance. Regardless of where the methods came from, Indol had them – and they had carved Pandy's core crystal in two, implanting it into Zeke to save his life.
Pandy had been shocked, at first. She was more than willing to give up part of her core crystal to save Zeke, of course. But for it to have happened so suddenly...and what sort of effects did carving up her core crystal have on her…? It seemed like it had left all her powers intact, and she felt the same, and none of her memories were missing. To this day, she was still unsure what the effects of having half of her core crystal carved out of her were.
But she knew how it made her feel, to see her crystal embedded in Zeke's chest. It made her feel...like they were two halves of the same whole. As silly as it might sound, it made her heart flutter to think there was a part of her that was helping keep Zeke alive. And there were certain things she could feel through her core crystal, now…she could feel when Zeke was in pain, feel the pain as surely as if she had received the blow herself.
Still, she remembered the way the Praetor had looked at her as she awoke, when Zeke was still unconscious. Pandy was light-hearted and silly by nature, but the almost supernatural weight of his gaze had held her, pinned and still, as he regarded her, and then Zeke, all jokes, thanks, all words at all drying up and dying in her mouth. Finally, driven to anxiety by the long, silent stare of the Praetor, she had stammered out a half-hearted thanks for his saving of them.
The Praetor had merely continued regarding her quietly, until she thought she might crack under the probing intensity of that gaze. And then, remarkably, an expression of deep anguish had crossed his features, and he had wiped away an errant tear that had begun rolling down his cheek. When he spoke, he seemed less intense, less probing – in fact, he seemed very much simply a kindly, wise old monarch, dignified, judging, but benevolent.
He had offered them jobs as envoys of Indol, and Zeke, feeling indebted, had accepted. Indebted though he may have felt, he wasn't completely clueless – he knew the Praetor likely saw some political advantage in having saved him, though long nights discussing it had not given them any idea of what it was the Praetor thought he might be gaining.
But Pandy always remembered that long, calculating stare, and often wondered what it was the Praetor had been thinking of as he looked upon them in the hospice.
For, after all, the punishment of the Praetorium for unregistered blades was harsh, harsher than death. And Pandoria herself was an unregistered blade.
Pandy was stirred out of her reverie as Zeke stretched beneath her, his one eye blinking against the sunlight. "Ugh, morning already?" he muttered, then smiled as he glanced down at Pandy, still curled up against his chest, her hand idly tracing across it. "You know, most blankets don't play with my chest while I sleep."
Pandy leaned forward to give him a quick kiss, then whispered in his ear, "I can play with more than that-"
Zeke cut her off, glancing around furtively. "Please. Not where Poppi can hear. I'm still mortified."
17.
The others rose from their sleep slowly, until the beating tropical sun became uncomfortable in its heat. Leftheria was a lackadaisical, slow-paced land, and already the relaxed nature of the islands had begun seeping its way into their bones.
Rex was slowly packing up his belongings for the journey to Fonsett village, watching Tora and Poppi with some amusement. While Tora packed up his things, Poppi was staring curiously at a fat Tirkin that had come across their camp, a somewhat ragged old thing, dressed in what looked like the tattered remains of an old military uniform. The Tirkin was muttering to itself, approaching Tora to try to steal some of his things; every time he got close, Poppi would give him a little poke, and the old Tirkin would reel backward, falling over himself as if she had given him a solid shove. "Ah, that's just Captain Jack," Rex yelled, laughing, after the third time this happened. "He's harmless, really. How are things, Captain?"
The Tirkin turned towards Rex, eyeing him with one cloudy, beady eye. "Rex. M'boy." The Tirkin's voice was shrill, reedy, a croak that cracked with age. "Need provisions. For the war, y'see. Pirates, yes. I'm afraid I'm going to have to commandeer your supplies. Nothing personal. War effort business." This was the Captain's standard story, he was somewhat renowned for approaching strangers on the island and attempting to steal from them with this line. He had been bothering visitors for as long as Rex could remember, but never really got violent with them.
"Well, I'm sorry, but that's not happening," Rex said, then rummaged in his pack to produce a small sandwich, which he offered to the Tirkin. "But here you go. For the war effort, and all that."
"Hmmph. Hardly acceptable. But better than nothing." The Tirkin grabbed the sandwich, immediately popping it into his beak and beginning to chew. "I suppose I'll have to petition some of the more patriotic citizens around here for true supplies."
As he waddled off, Tora turned to Rex, a puzzled expression on his face. "Why Rex-Rex do that? He only going to keep bothering you for food now."
"Ah, it's no big deal, really. He's just a harmless old Tirkin who wants some food, yeah? Why not share some if I have it?"
Tora harrumphed, narrowing his eyes at the retreating form of the Tirkin. "But he so rude. Could at least ask nicely."
Rex shrugged, smiling. "Well, you know, he's clearly not all there. Maybe just doesn't want to feel like he's begging. Even if someone's a bit rude about it, might as well help them if they need it. Sometimes people have odd reasons for not asking for help, even if they really need it."
The journey to Fonsett was a few days, though they could have accomplished it faster if they had marched harder. But the idyllic island climate found them taking long lunch breaks, and stopping their marching long before sunset so they could have some time to relax on the beach. No one really objected to this; even Morag, with her usual soldierly impatience, had been taken in by the island's charms, which had a way of melting the worries from her mind after the harrowing experience in Mor Ardain. Though her concern never completely disappeared, after seeing so much blood and death, admiring a few simple sunsets surrounded by friends was something she appreciated.
It was during one of these evening breaks that Nia approached Malos and Rex with a particular intent. Rex and Malos were doing one of their meditation sessions, in the dying light of the day. These were a far cry, nowadays, from Rex's first meditations with Malos, when each one seemed likely to tear him apart. Whatever else the Dark Aegis was doing, he was truly training Rex to wield his power. Nia watched from a distance as Rex raised a hand, a globe of dark flame appearing in it, and it expanded, from the size of a small bird's egg to the size of his head, as he concentrated, until, with a flash, it zipped across the sand to crash into the Cloud Sea, leaving a perfect hole torn open in the mist as it devoured what it touched.
Rex opened his eyes and grinned at Malos, who nodded at him approvingly, and Nia tried her best to stifle her anger. Rex trusted Malos, and Brighid had said that Morag saw some good in the Dark Aegis too. And...it wasn't like Malos had been a complete bastard to her, in the time that she had known him. She was even...a bit fond of him, herself, in her own way.
I mean, it will pay to be, right? After all, he's bonded to Rex, so when you-
Blushing furiously, Nia silenced that voice. It wasn't the normal voice in her, the one that tormented her and haunted her dreams. This was a new voice, and not really a voice – she recognized it as her own desires. It had begun speaking to her more frequently after her dance with Rex in Mor Ardain. It was a voice that whispered furiously at her to kiss him, when she looked at him for some time, to kiss him and do...much more, besides. And to...have an ether bond with him.
She had to admit that the idea was...alluring. Not just the kissing, and all that. But when she had accidentally slipped into an ether bond with Rex...it had felt so incredibly right. Like being embraced in a warm hug after going years without physical contact.
Of course, she normally kept this voice small and faint. Letting it...fantasize...too much was likely to bring up the other voice, the sharp voice that stabbed through her soul like a knife, with a million reasons why everything she might want was a fool's request. And besides, right now was no time to be thinking of such things. There was something that...Malos should know, if he didn't already.
She watched, waiting, as Rex and Malos chatted after having rose from their meditation, sniffing at the happy grin on Rex's face as Malos patted him on the back. Finally, Rex left, going off to wash off the sweat of exertion from controlling the dark flame. Taking a deep breath, she stomped forward, resolutely, calling out to Malos before he had the chance to vanish, himself. "Hey!"
Malos turned to face her, one eyebrow raised questioningly, and for a moment, Nia paused. The Dark Aegis looked almost...haggard, dark circles beneath his eyes, which had none of their usual sharpness, the smile that usually barely constrained mocking laughter merely a thin, grim line. Regardless, she plunged forward. "Alright, Malos," she said, drawing in a deep breath, and pinning him with what she hoped was coming across as her sharpest glare. "We need to talk."
"Oh, I doubt we need to," Malos said dryly. "But I get the feeling you're going to do it anyway." Regardless of how grim his expression might be, it seemed he kept some of his humor about him.
"No, we definitely need to," Nia said, her arms reaching out to pet Dromarch instinctively, and then crossing across her chest when she remembered he wasn't there. Dromarch had offered to come with her for this talk, but this was something she felt like she had to do one on one. "You know how your power hurts Rex, right?"
"This again?" Malos rolled his eyes with exasperation. "I told you, I only give Rex what he requests, and he knows the dangers-"
Nia shook her head, cutting off Malos before he could continue. "I...know that. I don't like it, but I know that. But...did you know, it's doing more than something physical to him?" Malos was silent, furrowing his brow, as Nia continued. "I can feel it. When he uses a lot of your power, it's like...even when I heal his wounds, there's a big one inside him that I can't heal myself. It slowly patches itself up….I don't know what it is, exactly..."
Malos was silent for a long moment as Nia trailed off. "I suspected something like this," he said quietly, after a while. "Fan...back when she was Haze….said she could sense something like that in Addam, shortly before the last battle. I don't know what it is, or how it hurts my drivers, either. But I did tell Rex there may be long-term consequences."
Nia felt her temper rising. "But does he even know? Does he even know how hurt he is right now? It feels to me like he's recovering from being beaten half to death. What are you even doing to him? What is it, if it's not physical?" Malos shrugged, and his lackadaisical apathy infuriated Nia even further. "Okay. Well, it's got to stop then. Until we figure it out, he has to stop using your power."
"No," Malos said simply.
Nia finally snapped, her voice raising to a shout. "Yes. Yes, it is going to stop. Maybe you don't care, but I told Vandham I would watch after him, and I intend to."
"This really doesn't have anything to do with Vandham, does it?" Malos' eyes bored into her. "Did you think I couldn't tell?"
Nia's face grew red, and she clenched and unclenched her fists as she stared up at the dark blade. "Fine," she whispered finally. "You want the truth? I can admit it. I love him." She blinked, surprised at herself for the willingness with which she was saying this in front of Malos. "And even if I can't have him, I won't ever stand by and watch you hurt him like that."
Malos rolled his eyes once more, and the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smile. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about you bonding with him. I'm bonded, too. Did you think I wouldn't be able to tell when another blade linked with him? That I wouldn't be able to figure out who it was?"
Nia's face burned even hotter for some reason. Malos knowing about that seemed like he knew about something even more intimate than the simple fact of Nia's love.
Malos continued, and now his voice was surprisingly gentle. "I know you love him. I get how that must make you feel, when you sense that injury in him."
"Do you," Nia said, laughing softly to herself. "Do you have any damn idea?"
Malos considered for a moment. "Maybe not, then. But know this." His eyes bored into her once more, cold, immovable, unforgiving, uncompromising. "Rex swore an oath. He made a promise. He accepted his duty, and he knows the risks. He will take me to Elysium. He will use my power, if necessary. Rex belongs to me. Not you."
Nia stared up at Malos, and his words stabbed through her. Her breathing became shallow, and there was a slight buzzing in her head. Part of her was whispering that of course this was the way things were, and what a fool she had been, for falling for a boy so bound up in something that would get him killed. And part of her was saying how Rex needed to be protected from Malos, that she had to protect him because she loved him. And part of her was...a deep, aching jealousy.
Malos seemed taken aback by the look of misery on her face. His gaze softened. "Once he's fulfilled his duty to me, then you-"
"It doesn't matter," Nia murmured to herself quietly. "I...know I don't deserve that, anyway. I would just hurt him, surely as you are. I just...want to see him live." She clutched a hand to her chest. If she lost another person she loved, she thought she might really go mad. She wanted to scream, to curse Malos from one end of creation to another, but she knew nothing she said or did was going to move him or change his mind. She was already failing Rex. Already failing him. But, damn it, she was going to fight. Not getting her way here didn't mean she had to completely surrender. "Alright. If you won't stop using your power, will you at least listen to me when I say to take it easy on him? Since it seems neither the two of you dolts can actually tell how bad it is at any given moment."
"Oh. That's actually a good idea." Malos pondered for a moment. "No lying to me about it, though. I'll be able to tell."
"Yeah, yeah," Nia muttered.
"I'm not kidding, Nia. You lie to me, and I'll tell Rex to keep his shirt on during training."
Nia looked up in surprise, at Malos grinning down at her. Despite it all, she gave a small smile herself. "Oh, shut up," she laughed.
18.
Rex's path led them across many small floating island-titans, connected by wide, winding paths of sandstone, all of them their own little paradises. Occasionally, they glimpsed traveling strangers, some of them alone, some traveling in small groups, some friendly and open, stopping to chat a bit, others strapped all about with weapons and staring at them suspiciously, giving them a wide berth. One of the islands was full of Tirkin, though Rex strolled by them with no fear. The Tirkin themselves seemed fat and happy, eating sweet island fruits, dancing around a small bonfire ringed about with their totems. Nia found herself wishing that she had made her way to Leftheria during her time running from Indol. No one here would have asked what she was, perhaps they would not have even cared if they knew. She could have hid here peacefully for a very, very long time.
As they continued along the islands, they drew closer and closer to the monumental wall of clouds. At first it had merely loomed in the distance, now it filled up the entire horizon. And suddenly, they were on an island that bordered it, where the massive mountain of clouds crept across the land in whirling, evaporating tendrils, and the group stood gasping in awe at the sight before them.
Rex grinned as they looked on in wonder. Their path led them straight into the mountain of clouds, through a tunnel that seemed carved into the Cloud Sea itself. They could enter it, and look above themselves and see an astounding array of sea life drifting by above their heads. Nia looked on in awe as a shark, large as a small fishing craft, drifted idly overhead.
"I have to say, I never saw anything like this," Morag murmured, her eyes wide, drinking it all in.
"Pretty impressive, eh?" Rex folded his arms, looking a bit satisfied with himself.
Malos, by his side, was looking around appreciatively. "So," he asked, suddenly, "How do you do it? Get the Cloud Sea to part for you like this, I mean. I didn't think anyone in Alrest would have the knowledge to do something like this."
"Oh. Um." Suddenly, Rex seemed a bit sheepish. "Actually, nobody really knows how this works. We have stories on Leftheria, from long ago...how there used to be folk called CloudSingers, who could shape the Cloud Sea the way they wanted. But, however that worked….if it was ever true, and not just a legend...well, it was lost, and nobody's known how to do it for a very long time."
Malos considered this silently, his face betraying no emotion.
"It's as the Praetor says," Fan la Norne said quietly, looking about her, sad wonder in her eyes. "We've lost more and forgotten more than we could ever dream of."
"Well," Morag replied, "Who's to say we couldn't figure out how to do it again?"
Fan graced her with a small smile. "That's the Ardainian spirit in you talking. Maybe you are right." But then she glanced around, and the sadness in her grew deeper. "But perhaps we just never will again be capable of wonders such as these."
They continued on through the long tunnel beneath the Cloud Sea. It was brisk, almost cold, within the tunnel, and Nia felt goosebumps rising on her flesh and suddenly wished that she had bought her jumpsuit along, instead of changing into the swimsuit. She clung on to Brighid, who raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing; Brighid radiated heat, just as a true fire would.
Finally, the tunnel opened up onto a large island, this one dominated by a small, craggy mountain. Rex led them around the side, again sticking close to the shoreline, until suddenly, the curving path revealed to them a small cluster of buildings in the distance, small, wooden buildings, some painted cheerfully garish colors, surrounded by a few farms guarded by stone walls just a few feet high.
Rex's face broke into a broad grin at the sight of it, even his normally sunny disposition grew brighter. "Fonsett Village," he said, . "No place like home."
As they walked up the main path to the village, the cries of laughing children greeted them. There, in the village square, looking like a slab of the mountain, lay Gramps, curled tightly between the wooden buildings. Small children leaped and laughed as they played on his back, and the Titan looked as if he was sleeping.
"Hey, Gramps!" Rex called, laughing. "You having fun there?"
Gramps opened one large, yellow eye, raising his head, which towered over the buildings surrounding him, giving a large, toothy grin. "Ah, Rex," he rumbled. "You took long enough." He cast an eye at the group following Rex, staring curiously at Poppi's new form, and Zeke, Pandy and Fan. "And you've made new friends, I see."
"Auntie Corinne! Rex is here! REX IS HEEEEEERRRE!"
And with that cry, Rex was sent hurtling backwards as numerous small forms slammed into him with a blur, as dozens of small children came running towards them all, crowding around them, bombarding them with questions.
"Rex! Gramps says you're going to Elysium. I said no way, Rex is stupid, but not THAT stupid-"
"Hey lady, that's an Ardainian uniform, isn't it? Are you Ardainian? Is the Empire gonna invade our village? Is this an invasion? Are we part of the Empire now? Will I get a cool uniform too? Where's my uniform?"
"Hey mister, how'd you lose your eye? Were you running with scissors? Auntie Corinne tells me that's what happens when you run with scissors. You shouldn't have run with scissors."
"Are any of you Rex's girlfriend? Does he have a girlfriend now?"
"I bet it's the robot. A robot girlfriend would be so cool."
"Children, children!" A woman's voice cried. The party looked up. An older, stout woman, with dark skin and silver hair, was laughing, her hands on her hips, as she watched the children mob the group of strangers. "What have I told you, now? Don't go swarming the guests! Even if they are Rex's friends."
"Yes, Auntie Corinne," the children said in unison, some of them a bit sullen.
The children parted before her, allowing her closer to look at the group. Though her voice had been kind, Corinne had hard stares for the weapons among the group, and a particularly hard one for Morag and her Imperial armor. And a sad stare for the sword Rex carried on his back. Malos, though, drew the hardest stare of all, and Nia understood why: Corinne was evaluating Rex's new friends, and none radiated danger and violence like Malos did. Suddenly, Corinne's eyes slid over her, then flicked over to Rex, back to her, and a small, almost imperceptible smile rose on her lips. Nia realized that she had been standing next to Rex, and her eyes widened with the thought of what the eagle-eyed woman might be suspecting now. Corinne seemed to pick up on that too, and her smile grew even wider; finally she turned her gaze to Rex. "Rex, sweetheart, it is so good to see you. And with so many friends! Gramps has been telling the wildest tales about you. I figured he was playing tricks with me, but you certainly do have some unusual friends with you. Come on, come on, you will have to tell me all about it. Bring your friends to my place, you know I always have plenty of beds, and if not at least couches or mattresses to sleep on, and plenty of hot dinner...oh, Rex, welcome home."
19.
Corinne shepherded them all to her home, which was easily the largest house in the village, larger than many inns would be, the children streaming in after her. The kitchen she quickly bustled into was also immense, multiple ovens baking an enormous feast, though with this many children it must be that every meal she served was a feast. Some of the older children helped her in the kitchen as Corinne bustled her guests into a large living room, decorated with nearly half a dozen couches – though she had to split her attention between watching the mischief of the children, and monitoring the cooking, she made it look easy, never once seeming exasperated or overwhelmed. The children seemed playful, and cheerful enough, but a sharp word from Corinne, or even just a meaningful glance, and they would quickly cease any mischief they might be up to.
The children quickly began bombarding them with questions again, once Corinne had them all settled down in the room; there was a rumbling from outside, and Nia glanced out a window to see, with some surprise, one of Gramp's humongous eyes peering in. When he spoke, the room rumbled, and they could hear him clear through from the outside – he had questions as well, wanting to know what they had been up to in Mor Ardain. Rex kept laughing, telling them that he'd tell everyone what he had been up to once dinner was served.
A crowd of young boys was surrounding Zeke and Pandy, all of them gaping in awe at his eyepatch, they seemed to find him incredibly cool, although all of them got attention from some of the children, Poppi probably the second most, seemingly unperturbed by the little hands reaching out inquisitively to poke and prod, standing still as some of the children climbed over her looking for latches and hatches to open as Tora whipped them into a frenzy describing some of their capabilities.
Nia found herself and Dromarch surrounded by some cautious children, most of them interested in the big cat, who allowed them to pet him even if his tail did twitch from time to time. One little girl, however, who could be no more than six, plopped herself right into Nia's lap with no trace of shyness, holding a sheaf of papers.
"Um, hello," Nia said, looking down at the little girl, who had long, wild dirty blond hair shooting out unkempt in all directions, with many multi-colored ribbons tied haphazardly into it.
The girl looked up at her with an expression so severe that it was almost funny to see it on such a young face. "Rex says...yer an artist, like me," she said, waving the sheaf of papers under Nia's nose. "I'm gonna show you my drawings."
Nia glanced up at Rex, catching his eye, he shrugged apologetically, mobbed as he was by a crowd of children.
"Hey! My drawings are down here, not across the room," snapped the little girl. "Look here. This one is a drawing of me beating up Johnny because he says he can run faster than me but I ran faster than him but he says he won just because I tripped at the end but I ran faster so now I'm beating him up."
"You didn't trip, Lisa!" cried one of the children who was petting Dromarch, glaring at her. "I beat you fair and square-"
"This one is a drawing of me as a dinosaur, eating Johnny because he tells lies," Lisa continued casually, as if she couldn't hear anything.
Finally, Corinne and a few of the older orphans bought in the food, great steaming baskets of buns, platters of cooked vegetables, multiple plates piled high with meat. The children fell upon them eagerly, and the food disappeared pretty rapidly. Every meal, Nia realized, must cost a fortune, taking care of this many children.
After dinner, relaxing, Rex told them all of his journey so far, starting with the day he had met Nia and accepted the job to find Malos. He stopped short of explaining that Malos was anything other than a particularly powerful blade – no need to cause the children to worry about entire Titans being destroyed. The children oohed and ahhed at the fact that Rex was a driver now, and Nia was intensely aware of Corinne giving her a very thorough, appraising look when Rex described how she had healed him.
It had grown late by the time Rex had described his time with the Urayan mercenaries, and Corinne declared that some of the younger children ought to be getting to bed. It was just as well, for the tale quickly grew darker from there – it was probably best that the children did not hear about a bloody, murderous coup in Mor Ardain, or the impending, disastrous war it heralded. Gramps growled, a savage, feral sound, when he heard of the death wrought by Brionac. "Perhaps I should have stayed with you," he muttered. "Perhaps I could have scared them into keeping their guns pointed away, at least."
Corinne listened to the tale intently – if she disapproved of anything Rex was doing, or the path he had chosen, she did not let it show, though she always had cold, hard eyes for Malos, who stood in the shadows of the room, leaning against a wall, arms crossed, listening to Rex speak. "Well, that's quite a story," she said, in a low, soft voice, after Rex had finished. Night had settled, and even among the older orphans who had stayed up to listen to the story, many of them were nodding off. "It sounds like you've been traveling hard for quite some time, Rex. I don't know how you still managed to send us money. You're an angel."
Corinne insisted that they stay a while in Fonsett, to rest up and shake some of the travel out of their bones, and insisted further that they allow her to restock their supplies with fresh food, fresh clothes, and to wash the travel out of the ones they wore.
The house was suddenly a busy, quiet chaos of orphans shuffling off to bed as Corinne pulled out spare blankets and clothes and busied herself in setting up bedding for the night. Nia found some clothes thrust into her hands, as Corinne quickly directed her to a bathroom to change, telling her to throw the swimsuit she wore into a giant pile of laundry she was collecting.
The clothes Corinne had given her were an old, gray, faded t-shirt, a bit long for her, a bit baggy, but otherwise a surprisingly good fit, and a pair of old shorts. They felt extremely comfortable as she pulled them on – for some reason, they were soothing to wear. Perhaps it was whatever soap Corinne washed them in – she bunched up the shirt and took a deep breath of it, and calm and comfort washed over her.
As Nia stepped out of the bathroom, she noticed that somehow the hallway had emptied of people. Emptied, that is, except for Corinne, who stood casually folding towels next to the bathroom closet, and placing them in there. Nia got the sudden suspicion that it was not a mistake that they had wound up alone together.
"Ah," Corinne said, glancing over at her. "Nia, that was your name, right? Those clothes fit well?"
"Yeah, they do, actually. Thanks." Nia stretched out, one hand above her head.
Corinne had a small twinkle in her eyes. "I thought they might. Those are some of Rex's old clothes, he's not that much bigger than you."
Nia was a bit surprised, but didn't think much of it. Wearing some old clothes of Rex's wasn't any big deal...until she remembered how just moments ago, she had been thinking of how good they smelled, and how she had breathed in their scent. That sent her cheeks burning, and she immediately regretted it, because she was absolutely certain Corinne noticed. The woman was watching her like a hawk, eyes twinkling in the dim light of the hallway.
"I have to thank you, for helping out my Rex so much," Corinne said, as Nia's ears twitched nervously. She paused, meaningfully. "He seems very fond of you." Nia could almost hear the implication behind that statement. And you of him?
"Yeah, well," Nia muttered, trying not to let panic rise into her voice as she desperately looked for an escape. "Someone has to watch after the reckless idiot."
If Corinne was offended by Nia's insults of Rex, she showed no signs of it, if anything, she seemed even more approving than before. She put the last of the towels in the closet, and took at step toward Nia, who couldn't help but feel a bit like she was a mouse being toyed with by a cat. "Now, you are a very pretty one," Corinne murmured to herself. "I think you and I ought to have a talk sometime, while you're here."
"Wh-what about," Nia found herself stammering, and Corinne's raised eyebrow in return perfectly communicated you know very well what about without the older woman having to say a single word.
Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps on the stairs behind them, and Rex appeared at the top of them. "Auntie Corinne," he said, once he spotted her, "D'you need any help with-" and then he noticed Nia, standing beyond her, and immediately stopped, staring, blushing a deep crimson.
"I don't need help with anything," Corinne said softly, and Nia just knew she was drinking in that blush on Rex's face. "Don't you worry about anything, Rex. Just find a place to bed down." She walked towards the stairwell, looking back at the both of them, her eyes lingering on Nia's, silently saying Oh yes, we'll talk very soon. Then she disappeared down the stairs, leaving Rex and Nia alone.
"Well," Nia said softly, after a few moments. "What is it? What's that blush for?"
"It's nothing," Rex said quietly. "I...just..." he trailed off, mumbling something about seeing her dressed in his shirt.
Nia felt the fire rising in her blood, almost the same as she had felt in Mor Ardain, the night she had drank the wine, the only difference now that there was no wine in her blood to explain the fire. She drew closer to Rex, her eyes twinkling in the dim light of the hallway. "You are a strange one," she said, her voice still low. "My swimsuit didn't impress you at all, but just seeing me in your t-shirt..."
"It's….about context," Rex snapped. "You...expect to see some skin with a swimsuit, but..." He gulped, looking away. "Besides, who says your swimsuit didn't impress me?"
Nia approached Rex, until she was standing only inches from him. She closed her eyes. There was no doubt about it now, it was the lingering scent of Rex on the t-shirt she wore that had made it so comfortable. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the effect she was having on Rex. Lying, if she said it didn't set her on fire as well.
Suddenly he looked at her, and the expression on his face...it made Nia glad they were in a house occupied with many people, because with the fire coursing through her veins, and that expression, if they were in a place they could have gotten some privacy...Nia wasn't sure what she might have done. You could always run off with him into the forest, a quick thought flitted across her mind, and she decided she had to go to bed quickly before that thought became more insistent. "Good...good night, Rex," she murmured, squeezing past him to go find a couch to sleep on downstairs.
20.
They ended up staying in Fonsett for some time. Rex was apprehensive, at first, not wanting to take up too much of Corinne's resources for taking care of the children – and Fonsett, while comfortable, was small, and clearly poor. But the farmers surrounding the village had bought in a rich harvest this past year, and fishing from the Cloud Sea had been plentiful. Ironically, where many other richer, more powerful nations worried about supplying enough food, Fonsett, small and poor, had more than enough to spare. It was enough to make Morag worry that they might attract the….wrong kind of attention, eventually from more powerful nations, but in the end it was not as if Leftheria had an abundance of farmland. It was merely that not many people lived there.
Still, despite Corinne's insistence that they were not a burden, the party felt obligated to find ways to pay for their stay there. Tora, after a few days examining some pile of scrap metal dredged up by salvagers with his quick, clever eyes, set about setting up an automated sprinkler system for the farmers, Poppi's massive strength bending and shaping the metal into pipes used to carry the water. Morag found herself giving history lessons at the local schoolhouse to some of the older children, along with Brighid, supplementing the lessons with documentary from her journal. The children seemed particularly interested in the subject of the Aegis war, though the two were wary of teaching it. After all, Rex had hidden Malos' true identity, and they were not sure how the children would react to the idea of the Aegis walking among them. Fan la Norne taught the children as well, but the younger children, reading them stories of myth and legend, as they sat around her, in rapt attention. Fan seemed particularly popular with the young children, perhaps for her kind and gentle ways, and she seemed...happier, with them. Some of the subtle sadness drained out of her as she read to them, and her smiles seemed radiant.
Nia, for her part, found herself healing the many scraped knees and minor cuts that a group of rowdy children inevitably accumulated, not to mention the colds and fevers. She was a bit surprised at how happy it made her. Children tended to get on her nerves even at the best of times, but being able to soothe their wounds...it was nice. It wasn't long before word spread of a healer, and soon not just the children, but the farmers were coming to her as well, aching muscles here, a wheezing cough there, a broken toe, a nasty cut from mishandling farm equipment. She healed them all, always with a sharp tongue berating them to not be such clumsy fools and to be more careful, but secretly she felt more content than she could ever remember being. She had been a wanderer for a long time, and she had grown to like it, to never staying in one place long enough to form attachments, but she found herself idly wondering what it would be like to live a life like this, a life of healing, and she found the thought….very attractive. Occasionally, as she tended to people, she would glance up to see Corinne watching her, an approving smile on her face beneath those weighing, appraising eyes. Corinne was a good woman, but she made Nia nervous. She couldn't help but feel like Rex's 'Auntie' was sizing her up like a piece of meat.
Malos, for his part, was true to his word. At Nia's insistence, he gave Rex a break from training him in the ways of his power. But that did not mean that Rex's training stopped completely. He still dueled with Malos, and Zeke, as well, stepped in to train him.
"We wield similar weapons," Zeke said, standing in a sand pit by the edge of town. Pandy stood behind him, tail flicking curiously, and Malos stood behind Rex, his arms crossed.
Rex unsheathed Vandham's claymore, then looked at Zeke's weapon. Zeke's humongous, two-handed sword was bigger than Rex himself was. Hell, it might be heavier than Rex himself was. He had tried lifting it once, and nearly tore his arm out of its socket. Zeke, he had realized, must be incredibly strong to not just lift it, but to swing it around in battle like he did. "I dunno how similar they can be, really..."
Zeke tsked. "Mine's bigger, it's true-" he gave Pandy a sharp glance as she snickered behind him, but she remained silent - "but the principle is the same. Heavy, two-handed blades...any heavy, two-handed weapons, really. Other types of weapons, they train people to consider them a part of their body." He nodded off in the distance, where Morag was watching, leaning against a tree. "Take Morag, there. Those small blades of hers, she wields them like they're a part of herself. But that's simply not possible with large weapons." He hefted his blade into the air, lifting it above his head, then, letting gravity simply carry it, it slammed down, just the mere force of its own weight driving it a few feet into the ground. "Something like this, it's never going to feel like part of my body. There's simply too much to it."
Rex glanced back at Malos. "Ah...Malos, when he fights...it seems like his sword is a part of his body, and it's big like my claymore."
Zeke glanced at the Dark Aegis, who was still watching the training session impassively, not saying a word. "Malos wields what is called a bastard sword, or a hand-and-a-half sword. It's meant to switch between being wielded in one hand and wielded in both. And he has the strength to carry it lightly, in one hand. I know you carry it in battle sometimes, but, ah...I doubt you have the strength to wield it effectively one-handed."
Rex bristled at that, but Malos spoke up. "In a way, my sword is a part of me." He nodded towards Zeke, approvingly. "Listen to what he's saying, Rex. He knows what he's on about."
"These weapons," Zeke continued, lifting his sword out of the sand, "Think of them more like...a dance partner. With you in the lead. You direct them, you decide where they spin...but you have to take into consideration their weight, their momentum, how far they might carry you when they swing. Now come on, show me how you dance."
Zeke and Rex practiced quite often in the sand pits by the edge of town, sometimes with Malos watching, sometimes now. The Dark Aegis spent much of his time on the edge of town, staring up at the mountain that dominated the center of the island, a curious look on his face. Though it was widely known he was Rex's blade, the people of Fonsett seemed to avoid him instinctively. It was curious, in a way, how far they went out of their way to avoid conversation with him, even going so far as to walk in the opposite direction when they saw him coming. Malos did nothing to cause this behavior – he did not act particularly threatening, inasmuch as Malos always carried a slight aura of threat.
No more visions of Addam came to him after that first night. But he didn't need visions to be constantly reminded of Addam, here. The people of Fonsett – many of them, they had echoes of Addam within them, his sense of humor, his lackadaisical attitude that nevertheless had a fierce loyalty and sense of duty buried not far beneath it, his eyes...there was no need for a ghost to be haunted by Addam here.
Not that he believed in ghosts. Malos knew, better than most, that the dead stayed dead. What he believed in was his own malfunctioning brain. The damage done by Mythra's final blows on him in the Aegis war, the crumbling ruins of large swathes of his mind. Something was certainly...interacting strangely, in these damaged parts. First the vision of Mythra during the Aegis war, and now a vision of Addam. Malos redoubled his efforts in draining the core crystals, not just the core crystal of the nameless monster they had fought in Uraya, but the core crystals of Roc and Aegaeon, as well, in an attempt to repair himself.
He didn't enjoy the skulking about that he had to do. But he knew enough about humans and blades to know that they'd react badly to the draining of core crystals, particularly those of blades that they had known previously. To him, he didn't see why – the reasoning was simple. Their primary concern was Mythra. Having him, Malos, at full strength, and full capacity, when they fought Mythra, would be far more of an advantage than having a few more blades at their side. And the blades themselves were not being consumed – the only effect that it was having was to delay their awakening. Malos was careful to never drain so much that the crystal cores themselves would drain out and die. Just a leeching of a bit of energy, and then giving them time to regenerate and heal.
But he knew they wouldn't accept this reasoning. Oh, maybe some of them would. Rex, perhaps, and maybe even Nia, he could convince. For all her passions, Nia was a realistic girl – he thought she'd be able to see his reasoning. The others, though...Brighid, in particular. She had struck up a friendship with Roc, and he knew she was particularly close with Aegaeon. No, Brighid would not approve at all. Well, it didn't matter. He would do what needed to be done.
21.
It was another relaxed, sunny day in Fonsett that found Nia hiding out in the woods, practicing her carving on a small hunk of wood she had scavenged from the forest floor.
She was not hiding for any particular reason. It was just, with the farmers all mended for the day, and the children's bruises and scrapes seen to, it was nice to get away for some alone time. It was definitely not because she was avoiding talking to Corinne, who had been trying to connive ways to corner her alone while taking care of the children. "Bless their rotten little hearts for keeping her so busy," Nia muttered to herself.
Her ears flicked upward suddenly, as she caught some sound of someone approaching. Gormotti ears were better for hearing than most. She narrowed her eyes, glancing around for the source of the noise, then grinned mischievously and ducked behind a tree.
It was Rex, out taking a stroll through the woods by himself. Smiling to herself, she began gathering some pinecones from the forest floor. She bet she could nail him right in the head with one without being seen. Maybe even spook him out, get him back for all those damn ghost stories he had told. Oh, the look on his face would be priceless.
She gathered her ammunition, then trailed Rex, ducking from tree to tree. She still wore one of his old t-shirts, tied around her midriff, and a pair of his old shorts that she had cut shorter, to show off her legs. He liked her legs, she could tell – at least she caught him looking often enough. The look on his face when she walked around wearing his clothes was simultaneously hilarious and thrilling. She wore no shoes, but then again it wasn't unusual for Gormotti to go without them, even when walking around outside, and it made it that much easier for her to stalk him.
She followed, drawing closer and closer when she dared, though Rex seemed deep in thought, and did not seem like he noticed anything around him whatsoever. Suddenly though, he veered, exiting the forest, where it led to a tall cliff overlooking the Cloud Sea. Nia cursed beneath her breath, standing at the edge of the forest, watching Rex curiously. She couldn't leave the woods, there was no place for her to hide.
Rex trotted placidly, up to the top of the cliff, and knelt down in the grass. With a start, Nia realized that there were two tombstones there. "Hey, Mom. Dad." Rex's voice was heavy with sadness, as he began speaking to the graves, telling them much the same story he had told in Corinne's house, the story of all his journeys so far, though there was much more emphasis now on how dearly he wished to meet Elysium.
And, Nia realized quickly, more emphasis on...her. She blushed furiously as Rex described her as amazing, kind, beautiful. True, he also called her sharp-tongued and stubborn, but well….she could admit she was a bit sharp-tongued. 'Stubborn' rankled at her, though. Rex was the damn stubborn one, not her.
"I just know you guys would love her," Rex said, quietly, and there was a hitch in his voice as he spoke, as if he was holding back tears.
Suddenly, Nia glanced around, ashamed. Regardless of what Rex was saying about her, he should be given his privacy. It wasn't right to eavesdrop on his visit to his parent's grave like this. She backed up, but suddenly her foot trod on an old, dry branch, which cracked in two with a loud snap.
Rex's head shot up, and he looked back to the woods suspiciously, wiping a tear from his cheek. "Who's there?" he called out, narrowing his eyes.
Nia hissed, considering running. But Rex was already getting to his feet, and she knew with his boundless energy that he could outrun her, that there was no way she'd be able to keep herself out of his sight if she decided to run. Reluctantly, she stepped out from behind the tree. Rex's eyes widened to see her, and he began to blush. "Hey, Rex. I, uh, I just stumbled on you," she lied. She motioned down to her hands, still full of pinecones. "I was gonna...toss these at you, but then I noticed you were...um...talking to your, you know...so I was gonna leave you alone..."
The blush dimmed from Rex's face somewhat. "Oh," he said, and he gave a small grin. "I was just telling mom and dad about you." As Nia lingered, uncertain, by the fringes of the forest, he extended a hand out toward her. "You...wanna come keep me company?"
Nia followed Rex, with some trepidation. He didn't return to his parent's graves, though. Apparently, he had said all he needed to say. Instead he walked beyond them, towards the edge of the cliff, where he laid down in the grass, looking up at the sky. Nia paused, for a moment, then laid down next to him. "Did you...know them very much?" she asked, quietly.
"Nah." Rex continued looking up at the sky, not looking over at her. He still seemed...somewhat somber. Even considering he had been visiting his parent's graves. "I don't even remember them at all, really. They died when I was just a baby. And nobody from around the village even knew them at all, they were strangers who stumbled in, half-dead. I never even knew anyone who knew who they were. Never had any idea who they were at all."
Nia didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure what was worse. Knowing your family, and loving them, only to lose them, or to never have them at all. She simply wormed her hand into Rex's. After a moment, Rex squeezed it.
"You said your dad is a lord, right?" Rex said, after they had spent some time watching the sky. "Maybe we can visit him sometime. Maybe after Indol."
"Was a lord," Nia murmured. "He….passed away some time back."
"Oh. I'm sorry." Rex did not press any further, and suddenly, Nia was ashamed of herself once again. She had been a member of Torna, a member of the organization that had nearly killed Gramps, that had killed Vandham, that was planning Architect knew what else, and yet...Rex never pressed her on her past. He accepted her for who she showed herself to be. No...more than that. He more than accepted her. He…
"I had a sister," Nia said, very quietly. "She...got very sick. Dad bankrupted himself trying to save her. And after she died, the collectors came calling. We had to move….live rough, on the run...it wasn't long before dad died, too. I've been...on my own, since then."
Rex didn't say anything, either. He simply squeezed her hand in turn. They lay there, watching the clouds race across the sky, watching the sun grow lower and lower. Nia had just about nodded off to sleep when Rex said, suddenly, from her side, "You know, there's no fancy restaurants here. You want to just do a picnic on the beach?"
Nia rose, stretching. "Eh? I mean...yeah, sure, I could go for a bite to eat right now."
Together, they both walked back through the forest, stopping by Corinne's house to pick up some food for a picnic. Mercifully, the woman herself wasn't around to spot them, or else Nia was certain she'd have enough stares and smiles to drive her half out of her mind.
Rex himself...continued to seem somber. As if something was dimming his light. He had no cheerful jabs for her. Instead, the normally light-hearted and joking Rex seemed unusually serious. He kept on giving Nia long glances as he led her down to the beach, as if he was considering something.
They sat on a blanket, looking over the Cloud Sea, and as they ate, Rex was mostly silent. He didn't have answers for her jabs, didn't seem very interested in the food, either, eating only a couple of bites. Nia began to feel a bit tense as the sun set, casting the Cloud Sea in a reddish-orange haze. "Alright," she snapped, finally, "What's up with you? You've been staring out at the clouds like they're talking to you this whole time."
Rex glanced over at her, again with that considering, contemplating look. "I'm sorry, I haven't been very good company, have I," he said, giving her a weak smile. "It's just...look, can you keep something quiet?"
"Of...of course," Nia replied, suddenly serious herself. "What is it?"
Rex was quiet for a few moments. "Auntie Corinne is sick," he said, suddenly.
"Sick?" Nia furrowed her eyebrows. "Well...she seems healthy enough to me..."
"She's good at hiding it." Rex drew his knees up to his chest. "And it's not the kind of sick that...strikes you down, right away. It comes and goes. She's….already been to the Praetorium, to the healers there. They say..." he looked down, drawing a shuddering breath. "They say she's got a year or two left. Less, now. She's known for a while, but...she didn't want to worry me. She only bought it up now because she wanted to make plans for...who would run the orphanage...when she was...when she was gone."
"Well," Nia said, crossing her arms. "Let me take a crack at her, yeah? Sickness is a bit different from injury, but I can heal that, too."
"I knew you'd say that." Rex smiled at her, deep and genuine, in a way that made her heart race. "You can look, if you'd like. But she's already had entire teams of healers examine her. I know you're good, but...I can't...get my hopes up."
"I mean, I can't promise anything," Nia said quietly. "But...I can try."
Rex took her hands in his, suddenly. Nia's heart pounded faster in her chest. His eyes lifted from the ground to meet hers, and they seemed to fill her entire vision. "I wanted to tell you something," he said, quietly. "Auntie being sick...it...made me think about things a bit. Made me think that...I ought to tell people how much I appreciate them while they're here to hear it."
Nia's heart was a hammer in her chest, and her mouth dried. She couldn't seem to work any words out of it. She felt a deep tug, at the core of her being, and she realized that it was the beginnings of an ether bond, but unlike before, where her accidental bondings with Rex had been subtle, so subtle that she had not even noticed they were happening, this one was strong, a tug so strong that she could not have stopped it even if she tried. "Rex," she gasped, but it was all she could manage to force out.
"You were...the first one to believe in me trying to make it to Elysium," Rex said, quietly. "When everyone else we met thought I was a fool. And through all the pain Malos' power put me in...you were always there to take it away." A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "And tell me what an idiot I was...when I needed to hear it. And...to be fair...sometimes when I didn't."
Nia couldn't speak. She could feel Rex's emotions, through the ether bond, shining clear as day, as bright as the sun, clarion as a trumpet call. She knew where this was going, and oh, how sweet it felt. And how terribly, terribly bitter.
"I...feel like I can trust you, more than anyone," Rex was saying, and a knife stabbed through Nia's heart.
Hear that, Nia? He trusts you. He trusts you, when you know how he shouldn't.
It was her sister's face, her sister from the dream, her sister with blood running down her dress, her sister with the cruel smile, filling her mind. Look what you've gone and done. I told you, if you truly loved the boy, you would leave him alone.
HE BELONGS TO ME, Malos' voice thundered in her head. DUTY. DEATH. HE BELONGS TO ME.
Rex put his hand against Nia's face, and this time she couldn't resist it, couldn't resist nuzzling against it. Rex's soul, his feelings, still shone through the ether bond like warm, golden light, and Nia cursed him for how beautiful it was, cursed herself for how right it felt, still completely unable to undo the bond. If this went on, she realized, she wasn't going to be able to resist, no matter how much she knew she should.
"Nia," Rex said, "I..."
"Rex, wait," Nia gasped, still holding on to some tiny scrap of self-control. "Please."
His eyes filled with a bit of alarm. "I'm...I'm sorry...was I..." He tried removing his hand, but Nia caught it and held it in place. It felt too right, where it was.
Go ahead, and break his heart, Nia's sister taunted in her mind. You have to, now. It's the only responsible thing. But then again, it's the right thing to do, so you won't do it, will you?
Nia forced that voice down. Still, it was right, after a fashion. She didn't want to hurt Rex. But she didn't….deserve this, from him. She didn't deserve that trust, definitely didn't deserve the feelings he had for her. She could never deserve something so beautiful. No matter how it ached to feel it through the ether bond, no matter how right it felt. "I...don't deserve this," she muttered.
Rex arched an eyebrow. "I...what do you mean?"
"You...deserve someone better..." Nia's head was in a fog, barely able to think.
Rex gave her a quizzical look, and none of the heartbreak Nia was worried would appear showed in his eyes. Instead, he looked mildly amused. "Look, trust me, I don't know what you're on about, but you're more than good enough. It's not a matter of 'deserving', or anything like that-"
Nia almost laughed a bitter laugh. "If you knew how I really was, you wouldn't say that."
"I do know how you really are," Rex shot back. "We've known each other for some time now. I've never seen you be anything other than wonderful. A little sharp, sometimes, sure. Well, more than a little," he said wryly. "But...I like that about you too."
"How could you possibly think I'm wonderful?" Nia asked. This time she did laugh. It was just like Rex. Here she was, roiling with emotions, and Rex was just being as stubborn as a mule, like always. "You really are an idiot."
Rex rolled his eyes. "How, she asks. When you've healed me more times than I can count. Everyone I know adores you. My whole village is wild about you. How could you possibly think you're not?" Suddenly, some sadness did enter his eyes. "Look...if you don't...feel the same way...you can tell me, alright? I won't...ah...make it weird, or anything, I promise. I'll still be your friend-"
Nia grabbed Rex by his shirt and pulled him in, kissing him.
It was like a bolt of electricity shot through her body, when her lips touched his. Idiot, her sister's voice rang inside her head. Greedy, stupid, selfish monster. But that was nothing compared to what she felt when he began kissing her back. Her mind went blank, and even her sister's voice disappeared into nothingness. She didn't know how long it lasted. She just knew when it was over, and her forehead was resting against Rex's, and they were both slightly out of breath, staring into each other's eyes.
"I think," Rex said, finally recovering, "I may be becoming a bit confused."
Nia could feel his emotions, still, through the ether bond. Roaring like an inferno, shining like a star. In her stupid greed, she had done exactly what she shouldn't have. She just couldn't stand that sadness in his eyes. "I'm so awful to you," she murmured. Damn him, he just had to be a good kisser.
"If that was awful, I'd like some more bad treatment, please," Rex replied.
Nia closed her eyes. Everything he said was like sweet music that rang through her heart like a bell. It was the ether bond, she knew. She couldn't think clearly with that radiant beauty shining on to her through the bond. She threw all her strength into retracting the connection. For a moment, she didn't think it would be enough. But finally, she managed to sever it. What would have happened, she wondered, if she hadn't been able to? Rex would have noticed eventually, surely. Gently, she moved away from him, away from the embrace they had become entangled in when they kissed. She didn't look him in the face. She knew if she did, she might feel tempted to reach out and bond again, and she didn't know if she'd be able to sever it a second time. And if she saw the hurt there, in those eyes, she'd kiss him again, and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop. "It's...not you, at all, in the slightest. Okay? Can you trust me? About that?"
She felt Rex's hand on her shoulder, and she shivered, almost reaching out to bond again, but steeled herself. It was just Rex, she admonished herself. Just Rex. She couldn't let just his touch have that effect on her. Architect, she was going to have to see him every day, she couldn't let him get to her that much. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Look, like I said, I can handle-"
"Yes I'm sure, you stubborn bastard!" she cried, not turning around to look at him, interrupting him before sadness could creep into his voice. She couldn't stand to hear it, she knew, she just knew if she heard it she'd turn around and kiss him and never stop.
"Alright, okay, I trust you," he said, and mercifully there was no sadness in his voice. He sounded confused, and a bit happy, if anything. "But look, can you trust me about something…? You really are amazing, alright? I don't...I can't tell why you think you aren't. But you are."
Will he still think that, when he finds out you're a Flesh Eater? Will he still trust you, when he finds out you've been hiding that from him this whole time?
"You are such an idiot, Rex," Nia murmured. "Such a blasted, wonderful, beautiful idiot."
Rex watched after Nia as she walked away, rubbing the back of his head. The sight of her in his clothes still dried his mouth. But, Titan's foot, was he confused. "I need some advice about women," he muttered to himself. "Maybe Zeke…?"
22.
Nia walked back to the village in the dying light of day, her heart roiling, her sister's voice in her head berating her. "I've probably done it, now," Nia murmured to herself, sadly. Rex hadn't seemed angry when she left him, but after being so damn confused by her – and honestly, who could blame him – would...he still look at her the same? Would they still be able to be in each other's company, without things being awkward? Damn it, why had she gone and kissed him? And damn it, why had it felt so good? Despite her sister's voice in her head, the memory of the kiss lingering on her lips bought a smile to her face.
"Nia, girl, are you alright? You look like you don't know if you want to laugh or cry."
Nia looked up, and her heart dropped into her stomach. She had wandered into the village, at a time when most of the farmers and citizens were in their houses, either having a late dinner or getting ready for bed, wandered close to a small fountain by the central square of the village, and who should be there but Corinne? Corinne, and Corinne alone, the exact situation Nia had been trying to avoid. Corinne, looking concerned, but also looking like she had finally cornered her prey. "Come here, girl, take a breather on this bench," Corinne said, patting the bench on which she sat, looking into the fountain. "What's happened?"
There was no running from it, no matter how much she wanted to. Nia had neither the presence of mind nor energy to think up of a plausible excuse to escape the situation. Sighing, she sat down next to Corinne, staring into the fountain. "Nothing's happened," she said quietly. "Nothing other than you've raised a stubborn idiot of a boy."
Corinne glanced at her sharply. "Did Rex do something…?"
"He did nothing other than be so damn beautiful I had to kiss him." Nia didn't know why she was being so open. She was so tired, so emotionally exhausted, she just needed someone to talk to. Someone who she wouldn't be embarrassed to see every day, to know just how badly she was mooning over Rex.
Corinne looked relieved, then surprised. "Oh. You mean, you hadn't done that already?"
Nia glanced at her. "What, you thought we had?"
Corinne chuckled dryly. "Nia, the way you and Rex look at each other sometimes, I thought I was going to have to give him a talk about being careful, and how much responsibility bringing a baby into the world could be."
Nia felt herself blushing furiously in the dark, thankful for the shadows hiding her face. She was quiet for a few moments. "Corinne, I don't deserve him."
She could feel the older woman considering her in the dark. Corinne, at the least, was taking her more seriously. It was her job, after all, Nia supposed. To make sure Rex didn't run off with any bad sorts. If Nia said she wasn't a good person, Corinne might just take her word for it. "What makes you say that, girl?" Corinne said, carefully.
You can't tell her, and so you'll never convince her. You'll go on letting people think you're wonderful, while deep down you know what dirt you are.
But Nia was tired. So tired, of having kept everything hidden. And so tired of people thinking she was a good person, when she knew she wasn't. So tired of feeling her heart lanced with guilt whenever Rex looked at her with those kind eyes. So, why not tell Corinne? She could tell Corinne, and then Corinne could let Rex down gently, let him know what a monster Nia was. Just rip off the bandage. She had not the courage to do it to Rex herself, but she could do him the courtesy of letting him know the truth secondhand. She couldn't bear to see his heart broken face to face, but she could stop this before it went on any further. And even if Rex never looked at her the same way again, she wouldn't have to have the guilt, and maybe, if she was lucky, she could still travel with him.
No, wait, the voice inside her protested. Don't-
But it was too late. The truth poured out of her like a flood. Everything. The fact that she was a blade. Trying, and failing, to heal her sister. Her father. The fact that she was a Flesh Eater. Joining Torna. The fact that she could have saved Vandham, but didn't. Corinne's eyes widened, at first, but soon she had drawn Nia into an embrace, Nia not even noticing that she had done so.
"...And Rex doesn't even know," she finished, a wretched smile crossing her face. "He trusts me so much, and I haven't even told him. Trusts me so much, and he doesn't even know what a sick...you can tell him for me, please? I know I'm awful, but I just can't take the guilt anymore, but I can't bear to do it myself-"
"Hush," Corinne admonished, her hand patting Nia's hair soothingly. "Girl, I didn't hear a bad person in that tale. I heard someone who had a hard life and did the best she could. Whatever you think you are, you aren't. Rex may be a stubborn hardhead, but he is right about one thing. You are wonderful."
Nia paused. She had spilled her entire story to Corinne. And the woman still didn't see what a loathsome, wretched thing she was.
Maybe….could she be wrong about herself?
You know you aren't, the voice inside her insisted, but it seemed weaker than usual. You are vile.
"Rex, ah, he told me you were sick," Nia said, suddenly, feeling a need to change the subject. "I can...probably help."
"That fool boy, running his mouth again," Corinne snapped, a steely glint appearing in her eyes, but Nia took her by the hand and led her to the edge of the forest, away from prying eyes. It felt strange, changing into her Flesh Eater form out in the open, especially in front of someone she had just met. But Corinne...she had such an innate kindness about her, and well, she knew everything already...Nia was still a bit shocked with herself, that she had been so open. Well, she had done it in the hopes that Corinne would break Rex's heart for her.
Corinne looked Nia up and down, after she had changed in a flash of light, raising an eyebrow at her Flesh Eater clothes, particularly at how much thigh and leg they revealed. "Oho," she chuckled, "I think Rex might be more happy to find out about this than you think."
Nia blushed yet again. "You mean...you aren't going to tell him?"
"If I thought you were a danger, or as awful as you seem to think you are, I'd tell him, girl. But no. That's up to you."
Nia was quiet for a few moments. Then she raised her hand, stretching it out toward Corinne. She would have to be quick about this. It wouldn't take as much energy as returning someone from death, like Niall, but it would still be detectable if she wasn't careful. And she still remembered Pandy's words, after she had healed Niall. It seemed Zeke's blade had a bit of a talent for detecting bursts of Flesh Eater energy.
She reached out through the ether, touching Corinne with her power. Sickness wasn't like a wound, it felt different, and each type of difference felt different from the last. Corinne's sickness felt like a tangled knot, running from her throat to her lungs. The Praetorium was right, this was a sickness that would be deadly in a few years time. But there was nothing that was beyond Nia to heal.
She poured energy into Corinne, and the knots began to loosen, as if the gentle lapping waves of water were slowly untangling them. A few moments, and what the Praetorium had declared impossible to heal was gone. As soon as it was, Nia changed back into her driver form. No need to remain suspicious out in the open longer than was needed.
"Was that it…?" Corinne asked, raising an eyebrow. "I sure don't feel much different. Then again, I hardly knew I was sick to begin with, aside from some fits."
"I'm starting to see where Rex gets some of his stubborn disregard for his health from," Nia muttered. "Yes, that was it. You were sick. It's gone now." She glanced up at the older woman. "I...look, I'll tell Rex some day, alright? But just don't tell him it was me that healed you until then…? I...it's still going to...Architect, his eyes, when he looks at me with that smile, I just can't...I need time to recover-"
"Don't you worry," Corinne laughed, her eyes twinkling. "I don't like worrying my Rex, but I'll tell him I took another visit to another healer or something if you need some time to clear your head. And look here, I wouldn't worry too much about things getting awkward between you and Rex. You know, when he was little, he had a crush on one of the neighbor girls, and she rejected him, and less than a week later they were playing together like nothing happened..."
The two walked away from the edge of the forest, deep in conversation with each other, laughing.
After a moment, the forest rustled. A shadow slipped out from its depths, stepping into the light.
It was Fan la Norne. She had gone to read in the forest, and fallen asleep beneath the trees, only to awaken in time to witness everything Nia had said and done with Corinne.
Holding her staff, she gazed serenely at the two figures, retreating back to the orphanage.
"How interesting," she murmured.
Note:
Hey, sorry for the late update, I was on vacation for the holiday
As always, please comment if you can