Chapter 5

Apologies for taking rather long with this next chapter.

He sighed, sitting at the edge of a lake. An arm rested on his leg, a strong, cold breeze rushing outwards. Dark clouds gathered overhead.

Morgan's eyes were closed as the thoughts flooded his mind.

I killed him, he thought, looking at his hand. "Great."

If what Nah said was true... when did I go back? wondered the tactician. Did I try and sneak in? Was I brought back by someone?

He let out a long breath, rubbing his eyes as the sun started to shine across the lake. His eyes settled on a small caterpillar inching its way across a tree, following it as his thoughts continued.

Probably best to just ask someone on that too. Morgan tore his eyes off the caterpillar and lay down on the damp, cold ground with a groan.

And Nah... she loved Laurent... no, that's wrong. She still loves him, even now.

He grunted and shook his head. Guess... guess all that time... it was all a waste in the end.

"Man," groaned Morgan. "Heh... ha haha..." A smile was on his face, and despite the gravity of the new knowledge, he couldn't wipe it from his face. He looked up at the sky, still dark.

"Gods. I really did kill Laurent."

That feeling... was it...

It... almost... kinda sounded like...

"Mother..."

He blinked as he whispered the word aloud.

"Wait... what am I talking about?" Morgan laughed again. "Mother... she-she wouldn't say something like that to me. Th-that's crazy talk... heh..." He swallowed, looking down at the ground, both cold and wet.

He groaned, letting himself fall to the ground.

"It... it must've... been someone sounding a lot like her..." Morgan let his tired eyes close.

Right?

There was a rustle in the bushes to his right.

He pulled out the old Thunder tome, flipping to a random page and aiming, noting his inability to get up fast enough.

"Morgan... it's me." Nah walked out of the bushes, hands up.

He allowed his outstretched hand to fall to the ground, and he closed the tome with a sigh. "Hello, Nah."

She paused, standing beside him. "Um..."

"What do you want?" spoke Morgan, placing the Thunder tome back in his pocket.

Nah froze, hands held to her chest, hurt eyes glancing at him before looking towards the nearby lake. "Yes," she spoke, swallowing. "But..."

"But what." Morgan stood. "After all... I killed the man you loved." He looked towards the lake before looking at her. "The man you love still."

Nah took a half step back from him at his words. "Morgan..." An unhappy sigh came out of her. "I... I don't know anymore."

He clutched his head with a sudden gasp of pain bursting through it. "ARGH!" The spike driving into the back of his head was dizzying, and he saw the world start to turn sideways.

Do it... kill that accursed Naga spawn... The voice was different to when he killed Laurent. More... masculine?

No! I... she's my friend, I can't!

Despite his best attempt, his hand was moving into his cloak again, fingers starting to touch the rough cover of this tome.

"Morgan...?" The girl before him started to step forward. "Are you alright...?"

"Ugh," groaned Morgan. "Damnit..." His hand brought the Thunder tome out, shaky as he resisted the limb, which flipped open the tome to a random page.

I... I can't...

YOU CAN, AND YOU WILL!

Morgan screamed.

"MORGAN!" gasped Nah, moving forward to catch him as he fell. "You're..." Holding his now limp body, her breath caught. "Your eyes..."

He took in the power from the magic tome, concentrating a lightning bolt in his grasp. The bolt had several, smaller bolts around it.

Get away, he needed to tell her, but no words formed as he opened his mouth. Get away, Nah, leave me!

His hand shook forward, and he was unable to stop it, her eyes were going to be just like Laurent's, lifeless and-

And gone.

NO!

The sharp word cleared his consciousness for a second. A long enough frame of time to slam the bolt of lightning somewhere into himself.

A howl rushed out of him, and he fell to the side, the impact causing his hand to drive the bolt deeper into him.

"MORGAN?!" cried out a distant voice, which faded as pain filled all his senses.

The bolt dissipated, the electricity flowing throughout his entire being.

Darkness engulfed him.

His eyes opened to see the ceiling of a pitch-black tent.

What next registered was the dull pain in his hand and abdomen.

"Ugh..." With a gasp, he managed to sit upright just enough to peer at his abdomen, covered in bandages, pink with slight drops of blood.

Morgan looked at his hand next, which felt hot, hotter then the rest of his body. It too was bandaged. The skin around his entire limb, though the hand in particular, felt weak and... different from his left arm.

He felt a light gaze on him, and looked towards the medical tent's entrance to see his mother there.

"Hello, Mother," he spoke, coughing afterwards. He didn't think his throat and mouth were quite that dry.

"Hello, Morgan." Robin stepped inside. "May I ask what occurred to get you to stab yourself with your Thunder magic?" She frowned. "Though... with your Resistance in comparison to your magic ability, I don't know how you managed to do so much damage to yourself."

"Wha... huh?" He rubbed his eyes. "What happened...?"

"Nah says she found you, then you stabbed yourself with a powerful lightning magic," spoke Robin. "And you appeared you were in pain before that." She crossed her arms. "Care to explain, Morgan?"

"You would never believe me, Mother," he spoke, looking away from the tactician.

"Oh?" Robin sat at his bed. "Well, tell me first before you decide that, hm?"

"Well... alright," spoke Morgan. "There was this voice inside my head... kinda... deep and stuff. It was like... I obeyed him. I couldn't resist."

Her eyes flickered with his words, though she blinked and any emotion inside of them faded away. "I see."

"So... I was going to stab Nah, but... I controlled myself for a second and I directed it into me instead," he spoke.

Robin nodded. "Alright... thank you for telling me, Morgan."

"Anything for you, mother!" smiled Morgan.

Robin nodded, smiling back at him. "I should leave you to get some rest." She ruffled his hair. "Sleep tight, Morgan."

"Thank you, mother." He lay down, a yawn slipping out of him. "That... ugh... sounds good..."

He heard the quiet footsteps of the Grandmaster leaving the tent, and settled nice and snug underneath the thick sheets.

Nah... gods, thought Morgan, allowing his eyes to close. It's never gonna be the same between us, is it.

A sigh rose. "Well... I hope we can at least be friends," he spoke.

"I... hope so too, Morgan."

"Whoa?!" he gasped, flinching back as the person on the bed next to him moved over. "Oh... hi, Nah." He breathed out. "Geez, I didn't see ya there!"

"I was asleep until Robin left," she replied, shifting to look at him. "The last battle was a tough one."

"Wait... you guys got in a fight?!" Morgan sat upright, a sharp wince breaking out of him as he did so. "Ow... that hurt."

"Yesterday," spoke Nah. "We found Gerome in Wyvern Valley, and recruited him."

"Huh..." Morgan let himself lie down again. "Gerome... I... don't remember him."

"He's Cheche's son," spoke the young Manakete. "Rides Minvera into battle, usually hiding behind a mask. He's a good person though."

"I bet he is," muttered Morgan. "Nah... um... listen, I... I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Uh... well... I haven't gotten that far yet," he spoke. "But... for what I said to you at that lake, I guess. It wasn't very... nice."

"Oh... if that's all, then it's alright," she replied. "Don't worry about it, Morgan."

"I can't just not worry," he spoke. "I... used your feelings for Laurent against you, and..." He groaned, rubbing his eyes, searching for any words that might just convey what he desired to say. "I apologize about what I said."

She didn't say anything, though he heard the noise of Nah getting up. "Morgan..." Her eyes focused on him for a moment before moving away.

"Just because someone dies doesn't mean you stop loving them," he ground out, a hot and sickening feeling developing inside him.

Doesn't make it hurt any less though.

Nah let a sigh escape. "There's... nothing..." He saw her swallow, before bringing her gaze back to look at him. "To apologize for."

"Thanks," he murmured. "But... if nothing else, my peace of mind, then."

"Alright... thank you for being sorry," she spoke. "It... means a lot to me."

Morgan nodded. "Mm." He tried to smile at her, though it fell quickly. "Yeah..."

A very small giggle rose from Nah.

A stifling silence came between the two of them, at least it felt so at first.

The awkwardness lessened, their eyes met, and...

The bud of smiles appeared on both of their faces.

Maybe... he thought. Even if Nah still loves Laurent and stuff...

It'll all be alright in the end.

"Hey, Morgan, Nah!" A chirpy voice came from the entrance. "Ooh, the both of you are awake, huh?" Cynthia entered the tent with a wide smile on her face. "Good, because I have breakfast for the two of you!"

"Hi, Cynthia," spoke Morgan, feeling himself grin. "Thanks for breakfast." The delicious warm smell drifted over to him from the plates she held, though he doubted he would even get to enjoy the food.

Nah rose from her bed."I'd better help you with those before you trip," she spoke. The Manakete took the two plates, and just in time, as Cynthia started to wobble.

"WAH!" she gasped, falling over.

"Hey, watch out!" Acting out of instinct, Morgan reached out for the Pegasus Knight and caught her in his arms, a slight wince coming out as he stretched out to support the fellow time traveller. "Man... you should be more careful!" he spoke, good-natured laughter coming out as he helped to steady her upright. "Or, er... try to be, anyway."

"Thanks, Morgan!" grinned Cynthia, dusting herself off. "Anyways, I wanted to talk with Gerome, so I'll see you guys later!"

Morgan smiled after the daughter of Sumia as she left. "Heh... just as klutzy," he mused.

"You make it sound like you've been asleep for a long while," spoke Nah, holding a plate out to him.

"Well... eh... I dunno," he replied, taking the plate. "It..." After those two voices and regaining some of my memories...

Gods, it feels like an eternity.

Before he could think more deeply about it, his stomach let out a loud, gurgling sound, and he was reminded of the sudden emptiness that had suddenly become present.

"Well, at the very least, it's been a long while since I last ate!" laughed Morgan, trying at a joke as he started to take big mouthfuls of the amazing meal.

A laugh and a smile came from his companion. "Seems about right," spoke Nah, starting to dig into her own meal.

Whilst eating, Morgan felt his thoughts turn to somewhere darker, and he felt his smile fade, though hid that fact by eating some more.

At this rate... I'm going to kill Nah.