An early update! The next update though will be on time, though.
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Part Eight
The sun in the sky had been obstructed by dark storm clouds, but no rain had come. It was early afternoon, but the darkness made it look like it was almost the middle of the night. That, combined with the unnatural and deafening silence, added to the ominous and horrifying atmosphere of Winter Hill.
Corpses from both the Holy and Liberation Armies covered the ground and stretched outwards for meters. There were so many dead bodies that it was impossible to see the ground even to the horizon. The few who survived the battle on both sides wandered the battlefield aimlessly, or simply stood in place with expressions frozen in horror. No one made a sound. When an enemy was spotted, no one made a move to attack.
The desire to fight was long dead.
Oboro had hurried to the battlefield with the rest of the Liberation Army when Sanji had retreated to HQ, telling Chinmaya that the Holy Army had "become mad" and had been attacking the Liberation Army like rabid monsters. Chinmaya quickly utilized the forces that had remained at HQ to hurry to Winter Hill to assist their allies. Anyone who had a family or loved one who had marched with the main Army was ordered to stay put at HQ. Oboro had been told to stay behind, but he insisted to Chinmaya on coming and he ultimately won her over.
They had moved as fast as they could…but they had arrived too late.
"Oboro."
Oboro gasped out a sigh of relief when he saw Shou approaching Oboro and the other detectives approach him. The younger man looked heavily disheveled but he was otherwise uninjured. "I am so happy to see you," Oboro said quietly. "I would never be able to face your parents if you had died…"
He saw that Shou was alone though, and that Masaru and Umeko were not around. He didn't ask where they were, nor did he ask if Shou was all right. He could see from Shou's expression that he was in no mood to talk.
Oboro noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He frowned as he knelt down beside the bodies of two soldiers—one Liberation Army and one Holy Army. The Holy Army soldier was covered in blood and the Liberation Army soldier's throat had been ripped out. Judging by the blood around the Holy Army soldier's mouth, Oboro knew that he'd caused the other soldier's fatal injury. Then Oboro saw the deep scratch marks in the Holy Army soldier's neck. He'd clawed at his own throat before he'd died.
But he focused on what had grabbed his attention; a small vial lying next to the Holy Army soldier. Oboro picked up the vial and sniffed it. The familiar scent swept a chill straight down his body, and he shuddered violently.
"I'm guessing whatever was in that vial caused the…manic behavior in the Holy Army soldiers?" Shou asked. Despite the horrors he had undoubtedly witnessed firsthand, his tone was calm.
"Raging Nostrum," Oboro said. He raised the vial as he stood up. "As you are aware, it's a Nether Gate specialty. The gift of inhuman strength and stamina, but also the curse of uncontrolled, homicidal rage."
"That explains why the Holy Army soldiers attacked so viciously," another detective spoke up in a soft voice. "It looks like they even attacked each other."
"But we know ingesting Raging Nostrum is fatal," Oboro said grimly. "Doctors in Falena have created an antidote to it, but obviously the…Holy Army did not seem fit to give it to their own soldiers."
"So those Nether Gate bastards had their entire army take Raging Nostrum?!" Shou exclaimed. His calm was broken, and he looked at Oboro in shock. "They gave Raging Nostrum to 200,000 soldiers?! Why?! Why would they do that?! They destroyed us, but they also destroyed their own damned army! They have no army left!"
"The reason is very simple, Shou, and something I've known for a long time. The people we are dealing with see everyone around them as disposable fodder they can use and kill as they deem fit. They will do anything, and kill anyone, in order to achieve their goals. That is what they do. That is what they've always done."
Oboro's voice was still low and calm, but he snapped his teeth as he spat out the words. Then he abruptly crushed the vial in his fist. He squeezed it so tightly that it cut into his palm, and blood dripped onto the ground.
Damn you. Damn you, Takefute!
Azul, Zǐsè, Kuro, and Lāla flew high above the battlefield, each roaring in their own unique way. Below them they spotted Sharon sitting on the grass, and the four dragons swooped down to join their mistress. Sharon however didn't notice their approach. Her head was ducked forward, and in her arms…
Azul and Zǐsè landed on each of her shoulders, and Kuro and Lāla landed on each of her knees. Each dragon saw what she held in her arms, and after a brief moment they each arched their heads back and cried mournfully towards the dark sky.
Sharon didn't acknowledge them at first. Her eyes were on her companion in her arms, one hand caressing a golden cheek. "Suna…do you remember? This place…this green plain is where we met Lord Daunte. D…Do you remember how confused I was that this place was called Winter Hill? Who would name a luscious green landscape Winter Hill?" she chuckled softly, but tears slipped down her dirty cheeks and she hugged Suna tight. "Oh, Suna…"
"Sharon." Futch flew back to the ground with Bright, settling down carefully. There was almost no where to land without stepping on corpses. His face was stricken as he looked at his fellow Dragon Knight. "Sharon, I'm so sorry…"
"Suna jumped in front of me," Sharon said, looking up at him through her tears. "T…That soldier almost stabbed me in the back, but Suna put herself between us and was stabbed instead. S-She sacrificed herself for me. I just…why…I don't—"
"That is how our dragons are," Futch said softly, settling a hand on the back of Bright's neck. "They understand the bond between us and they love us unconditionally. The lightning strike that took Black's life…it knocked us out of the sky. I was so sure that I was going to die, but Black, he—he curled around my body, surrounding me completely. When we crashed into the ground he took the full impact. H…" tears stung his eyes and he looked away.
"Black. That was your dragon before Bright?"
Futch nodded wordlessly.
"And it was because of Black that you refused to take off again and let Suna die."
Futch flinched. There was no accusatory nature to her tone. Only weary grief. Even Sharon's glare was weary. Futch swallowed hard and raised his hands. "Sharon…I—"
"You took off to check the rearguard, but not to do an aerial attack," Sharon said with sharp quietness. "Why? Why was it okay for you to check the rearguard but not okay to fly during combat?"
Futch shook his head. Her words cut him deeply. "I was—not thinking. I took off when I heard the screaming, but immediately came back because I didn't want to leave us open for another strike."
"There was no other strike. The Wingers were doing aerial attacks and weren't struck down by lightning. But even at that you refused to take off and get off the ground, and because of that you and I almost died. You cared more about your dragon than you did about me, and because of that I lost my dragon."
Sharon's voice was rising higher as her anger rose. The four baby dragons began hissing at Futch in response to her negative emotions. Futch understood her grief. She witnessed the death of her dragon, and having experienced that himself he knew that it would probably be the most traumatic experience she would ever experience in her life.
She was angry and she was grieving…and she blamed him for what happened.
"Sharon." Futch kept his voice calm and gentle, even as he continued to blink back tears. "I—There is nothing that I can possibly say or do that will make this situation better. If you want to be angry with me, I accept it. If you want to blame me, I accept it. What happened to Suna is my fault, and I know that there is nothing I can do to make it right. Just please, I…" he sighed heavily. "Know that I am sorry, and if I could go back and change things then I would."
Sharon's glare darkened. "How does that help me now?" She jumped to her feet and stormed away with Suna, the four other dragons flying after her.
Futch scrubbed a hand over his face and choked on a sob. Bright pressed his nose against the side of his face and Futch embraced him tight. "…Damn it all…"
"Yell!" Clara called out, raising a hand over Virgil's body. The Resurrection Rune rose into the air briefly, but quickly dissipated. Clara let out a painful gasp as she looked down at Virgil. "Damn!" she gasped softly. "It didn't work again…"
"That is the hazard of war battles," Dr. Yulin said solemnly as he tended to a wounded Liberation Army soldier. "Death in war battles are rarely easy deaths. More often than not they are traumatic deaths, and when a soul is traumatized by the death it suffered it may not be called back to the body no matter the person's willpower to live."
"I-I have tried Yell on twenty people!" Clara said mournfully, tears stinging her eyes. "And none of them have come back! This man—Virgil—he has a son waiting for him at HQ! B-But not even knowing that will allow him to come back?!"
Dr. Yulin looked at their surroundings. "This was undoubtedly a brutal battle. I can see the brutality inflicted upon our allies with the wounds that killed them. You must be prepared for the possibility that none of them can be called back."
Clara didn't want to accept that. She knew these people, loved these people. As a doctor and an empathic human she didn't want to accept that there was nothing that could be done for the allies that had fallen that day. "…I—"
"Dr. Yulin." A Liberation Army infantry soldier raced over to them, his complexion pale. "Dr. Yulin…please come with me. This is bad. This is awful. This…" his voice trailed off painfully.
"Worse than all of this?" Dr. Yulin asked, gesturing to the corpses that surrounded them.
The soldier nodded meekly, swallowing thickly before he spoke. "W—We need help. You'll know when you see this. Could you come with me, please?"
Dr. Yulin nodded wearily before looking at Clara, who was still sitting beside Virgil's body. "Will you be all right by yourself, Dr. Clara?"
Clara nodded stiffly. "Go with them and help them. I'll…try my best here."
Dr. Yulin left with the soldier. Clara raised her hand again. "YELL!" She shrieked.
The symbol of the Resurrection Rune rose briefly again, before it dissipated. Virgil didn't yield to the spell that would raise him from the dead. Clara slammed her hands against her eyes as she began to cry.
"You held onto her body?" Chinmaya asked quietly. Her face was ashen and she was visibly trembling in horror from the sights around them.
"We had no choice," Jeane said, carefully laying Allise on the ground. "Once she fell Holy Army soldiers came upon us to steal her body. I knew they sought the Pale Gate Rune on her forehead, so I spirited her away so they couldn't get to her."
Chinmaya nodded. "Thank you, Jeane."
"Eresh is surprised that the Holy Army killed their own soldiers to destroy us," Eresh said, though her voice was still calm. "This is the third-most worst battle Eresh has ever experienced."
Third-most?! Chinmaya gaped at her and then gaped at her surroundings. She couldn't possibly think of any battle that could compare to the dual-slaughter of both Armies by the Theocracy. If this is only the third-most worst battle…how bad is the FIRST-most worst battle she's ever experienced?!
Rafe had held his fingers pressed against the side of Oisin's neck for the last five minutes. The other Winger was lying on his right side, his arms and body curled around Dahlia, who lay facing him. It were as though his mind would not accept the truth of what was underneath his fingers. Or rather, what was not underneath his fingertips.
"Oh, you damned fool," He sighed sadly, finally pulling his fingers away. Both Wingers were covered in arrows and slashes from swords. Tears stung his eyes but the treasure hunter quickly blinked them away. "…Thank the spirits our chief isn't awake for this…"
Mihr stood facing the west, his body stiff. He paid no attention to his surroundings. Nariek was out of its sheath and the blade pointed vertical towards the sky. He gripped the hilt so tightly that his knuckles had turned white and his palms were numb. Mihr had cleaned the blade and it was beautiful once again. His eyes were fixed on Nariek's name branded onto the surface of the blade. He lifted his right hand from the hilt and slowly traced the name backwards down his blade until his reached the 'N'. His knees weakened but he remained steady on his feet. …What do I do now?
"Mihr, sir." Lanny's voice was quiet and hoarse from the screaming crying he'd done earlier. Mihr glanced at him then; the boy's eyes were darkly bloodshot from his tears. "T…They found him, sir. They found all of the lieutenants and they are bring…" he voice broke off as fresh tears stung his swollen eyes.
Mihr sheathed Nariek and put a hand on his shoulder. "Find Viki and have her take you back to headquarters," he told Lanny. "You need to get away from here and rest."
Lanny quickly shook his head. "I-I can't. Every time I close my eyes I see…" he hunched forward and hugged himself, once again unable to stop his tears. Mihr reached for him and pulled him into a hug and Lanny clung to him for dear life, fingers digging hard into Mihr's back. His sobs muffled by Mihr's shirt.
Mihr held back his own tears, maintaining a facade of calm and strength for Lanny as he looked towards the sky. However he could not stop the horrible question from resurfacing in his mind. What do I do now?
Silvano reached out and pressed a hand to Israfil's forehead. Despite the horrendous damage done to his body, the Falenan General had an expression of peace on his face. "Thank you for being a good friend to me," he said, his tone quiet. If only— but he squashed that thought before it finished and looked up. Surya was seated beside Soturi's body, his gaze on Freyr's fallen bodyguard. It was painful to look at the Prince because of how…broken he looked. "I will…break the news to Freyr," Silvano said quietly.
Surya shook his head and quickly stood up. "No. I'll tell my cousin myself."
Silvano swallowed hard and slowly stood up himself. "Surya—"
"Silvano?" Surya said suddenly, looking at him.
"W…What?" Silvano knew that Surya was angry with him. He had forced Surya to abandon Mokuren's body on the battlefield to flee. She had died in his arms, and Silvano knew how much they meant to one another. Surya was angry, and he was expecting scorn.
"Thank you for saving my life."
But Silvano wasn't expecting that.
"If you hadn't taken me away, I would've fallen in that battle," Surya said solemnly. "I…owe you my life and I thank you."
Silvano shook his head, his chest feeling tight. "You owe me nothing. We're family, and family looks out for each other."
Surya nodded stiffly and turned. "I'm…going to go look for her."
"I'll help you," Silvano said. Surya glanced at him over his shoulder. "Thank you."
Yuber loved the battlefield. He loved the chaos, the violent destruction of lives. He stood alone, heterochromatic eyes scanning his surroundings of the piles of corpses that seemed to stretch for eons. It not be too long before the flies came. And with the flies the smell of rot would follow.
He should have been pleased…but he wasn't. There was a peculiar feeling deep in his core that made him uncomfortable. He couldn't describe it, which made him more irritated.
Seeing Windy for the first time in years had filled him with an unnatural, paralyzing fear. He had been unable to move from where he sat on the ground while she chastised him. He didn't move when she teleported away. When the High Clerics that he had been told to kill rode away. He knew he should have followed after and kill them as he was commanded, but he hadn't been able to move. Not until the Clerics were a line on the horizon.
Not until he was certain that Windy would not come back.
"So," he said to the still air. He spoke aloud to dispel the feelings and memories. "My side has lost. My contract is null and void."
"Then why are you still here?"
Yuber bristled when he heard this voice and swiftly turned to face Pesmerga. "What?" he asked codlly.
If your contract is done then why are you still here?" Pesmerga said. He had his sword out. "Running away with your tail between your legs when you're on the losing side is customary for you at this point."
Yuber brandished his two swords, his mouth pulling back in a snarl. "Maybe I'm not done," he hissed at Pesmerga. "Maybe I want an opportunity to take your head off your neck."
Pesmerga raised his blade. "I'll be happy to disappoint you."
The two Black Knights stood poised with their weapons drawn, watching each other carefully for a moment to attack—
HWACK! HWACK!
A staff swung through the air and struck Yuber on his head, knocking his helmet off. The staff then swung and struck Pesmerga on the head as well, similarly knocking his helmet off.
"Stop it! Both of you just stop it!"
Yuber looked to his left and Pesmerga looked his right. Viki was standing there clutching her staff, trembling with anger and on the verge of tears. "How can either of you think to fight at a time like this?! Look around us!" she gestured wildly with her hand at the pile of corpses around them stretching out for kilometers. "Look at what happened here today! Do any of these lost lives matter to you?! You both are just so fixated on your stupid rivalry that you don't even understand the tragedy that occurred! Just stop with this nonsense and stop fighting! If you don't stop fighting, I'll…!" She ducked her head briefly before looking up to glare at them both. "I'll use my Blinking Rune to teleport the both of you to opposite sides of the world so you can't fight!"
The Black Knights stared at her in silence for several long moments. After a moment, Pesmerga turned away without another word and knelt down to pick up his helmet.
Yuber, however, kept his heterochromatic gaze on Viki. Suddenly he advanced upon her. Viki jumped back in alarm, but Yuber grabbed her right wrist—the hand that held the Blinking Rune—and pulled her close. "Do you think I would allow that?"
Viki was about to speak but Yuber cut her off. "Do you think you can simply spirit me away again without consequence?"
Viki gasped and her eyes widened, as though realizing her current predicament. Yuber raised his right hand and showed her the back of it. "Do you know what this is?"
Viki stared at the True Rune on the back of his hand before turning her gaze back to his. She opened her mouth to speak, but again no sound came out.
"This is the Eightfold Rune," Yuber supplied for her. "This is an embodiment of the chaos of the World of Emptiness. Have you ever been to the World of Emptiness? That's the place where all the monsters in the world come from. That's the place where I came from." He lowered his hand and raised hers so that they could both see her Blinking Rune. "So I dare you to use this…cute little Blinking Rune on me again. But I must warn you that the minute your spell completes I will not be away for a month this time. I will use my Eightfold Rune to immediately find you. And when I find you, I will send you to the World of Emptiness. I will send you to that dark, chaotic world where everything of your nightmares is very much alive and real."
He leaned in even closer, so close that their noses were almost touching. "Then what will you do, Teleportation Witch?"
Viki trembled. His eyes were locked on hers; she couldn't look away. But, she forced herself to calm down and return his unfeeling gaze with a glare. "T-Then I will use my Blinking Rune to teleport myself out," she said defiantly. "Then I'll use my Rune to find you, and when I do I will send you to a world filled with nothing but DoReMi Elves!"
Yuber blinked once, and then twice. He stared at her blankly while she continued to glare at him. Behind him, Pesmerga snorted as he put his helmet back on. "I think she has you beat there."
"I…believe this is Varnaz," Caesar said, his tone a little shaky as he looked the body over that was resting in the wagon. The person's head had been crushed but he still recognized the armor worn on the body. "And that's Jantu," he confirmed the body laying beside Varnaz's. He scrubbed a hand over his face. "T…Thank you for bringing them to me," Caesar said quietly, waving them away. Stay strong, Caesar. You need to stay strong right now.
He looked up when he heard a painful sob. Gusoku walked past him slowly, hugging himself while he openly wept. His face was twisted in raw agony. Caesar was briefly stunned to see the Armorer so emotional. "Gusoku—" he began.
Gusoku shook his head at him and waved him off, unpausing in his steps as he walked away still crying. Caesar watched him go, briefly at a loss for words. The suffering we feel now is insurmountable. I must be strong but…I truly don't know what to do. Apple and the classes at the university never prepared me for what to do in this situation…
"Caesar." Chinmaya hurried over to him. Her voice was quiet but she appeared composed. "Caesar, where is Lord Daunte?"
"I sent him on a break," Caesar responded, his tone quiet. "He had just identified Sloan Faakhir and Adalgiso's bodies. After that, I felt a break was needed."
"But where did he go off to?"
"I—" Caesar looked around and went still and pointed. "There."
Rust red hair. Golden eyes dull and unseeing. Lines of tears could be seen on his cheeks. The blow that had killed him was a long diagonal cut down the front of his body, through his Holy Army uniform from his left shoulder to his right hip.
I…know him, don't I? He seems familiar to me but I don't remember his name.
Daunte sat very still beside the body of the Holy Army soldier, his expression blank. His eyes blank. His mind otherwise blank. His body felt numb. He wasn't sure why he stopped to sit beside this person. Perhaps because they had seemed like the same age. The boy had been frigthened and sad when he died; Daunte saw it in his frozen expression.
He thought he knew suffering. Losing his parents. Forced to work in an unsafe mine for three years. Watching his hands and fingers be broken over and over until they had become so weakened that he could barely hold a sword. Watching his little brother grow so sick that he didn't have the energy to wake up in the morning. Watching his friends die, bodies handled without dignity or respect.
But sitting there surrounded by hundreds of thousands of corpses of his friends and enemies…new feelings settled inside of Daunte had never felt in his life. Feelings he had never allowed him to feel during the darkest moment of his life. Hopelessness. Resignation. Death of the soul.
He was alive, but it felt painful to breathe. Pain erupted in his chest with each intake of breath, as though his body were punishing him for surviving the battle when so many other people died.
"YOU BASTARD!"
Bright flashes filled Daunte's vision as a fist connected with the side of his head. Daunte swayed where he sat but he otherwise didn't react to the blow. Hands seized his collar and he was yanked to his feet. He was suddenly nose-to-nose with River; the elf's eyes and face were red from crying but he glared at Daunte with pure hatred. He whipped his arm back, ready to punch Daunte again, but Daunte did nothing to stop him.
"River, STOP!" Caesar grabbed River from behind and dragged him off of Daunte. Daunte swayed then on his feet briefly before he fell to the side, but someone caught him in their arms. "I got you."
Surya…? Daunte looked up at his friend. Surya's eyes were red from weeping but his face was dry. His expression was hard but it wasn't directed at Daunte. He held Daunte with one arm and whipped out his tri-nunchaku with his other. "You do that again and I'll make you regret it," he said to River threateningly.
"You killed my wife!" River shrieked. "Clover is dead! My friends are dead! MY PEOPLE ARE DEAD! I AM THE ONLY ELF LEFT!"
Gertrude nudged Caesar aside and locked River in a full nelson. The elf struggled violently in her arms but he could not break free. "YOU KILLED THEM!" River continued to scream at Daunte. "You said you would take care of us! You said you would not let us die! BUT YOU DID! YOU LET US ALL DIE! YOU LIED TO ME! LIAR! USER! SELFISH SCUM HUMAN! YOU CARE ABOUT NO ONE BUT YOURSELF!"
"Stop it!" Chinmaya hollered as she raced over, putting herself between River and Daunte. "You do not speak to our Commander that way!"
"Then KILL ME!" River screamed. "KILL ME! IT'S THE ONLY THING YOU HUMANS DO RIGHT! I HAVE NOTHING LEFT! HE ROBBED IT FROM ME!"
River's screaming had drawn the attention of the surviving Liberation Army, and they slowly wandered over to watch the spectacle. No one seem to know what to do.
Daunte didn't look around himself. He stared at River, his ear still ringing from the punch. He stared at the rage and grief in River's face. It burned into his mind like a brand, and he soaked the misery up. The recriminations River screamed hurt him deep in his soul but he accepted it without protest.
It was what he deserved.
Daunte noticed movement behind Gertrude and River, and his heart lifted very slightly when he saw Dr. Yulin. The doctor's face was pale, and he had also looked like he'd been crying. He leaned in to Caesar's ear and spoke quickly, but Daunte couldn't hear him because of River's screaming. Whatever Dr. Yulin said to Caesar made the Strategist's head snap up and his lazy eyes go wide. He looked at Daunte then, his expression full of shock and horror, and then he hurried after Dr. Yulin when the doctor walked away.
What?
River's screams started to ebb off, suddenly taking in his surroundings. Daunte then saw Liberation Army soldiers approaching, two at the front and two at the rear carrying a large blanket. Dr. Yulin and Caesar raced towards them and walked alongside the soldiers. Caesar looked at what the soldiers were carrying and slapped a hand hard over his mouth.
Daunte felt dread swell up inside him. He pulled away from Surya, not hearing when Surya said his name, and stumbled almost blindly towards the soldiers. Caesar looked up and saw him coming, and raced towards him. They met two meters away from the soldiers and Caesar seized his shoulders from the front and stopped him. "Lord Daunte—"
"No." Daunte said the word quietly, but he didn't hear himself say it. He tried to move towards the soldiers again but Caesar held him back. "Lord Daunte, please—"
They struggled briefly but Daunte was able to break away from him and finish running over to the soldiers. Dr. Yulin saw his approach but instead of trying to stop Daunte he turned to the soldiers and said three words.
"Put them down."
Daunte's vision splintered red, a horrible wheezing gasp wheezing from his throat as the soldiers stopped and carefully laid the blanket down. Daunte reached their side and saw what they carried between them. His vision rattled and the world fell away.
It was Roen and Felicity.
His best friends. His blood brother and sister. They lay side by side on the blanket unmoving, their eyes closed. Their bodies were filthy, armor missing. Their weapons were gone.
Daunte dropped to his knees so hard that the pain shook his body, but he didn't notice. He crawled over to them, partially laying between them as his fingers rubbed one of Roen's cheeks and one of Felicity's cheek. They were both cold to the touch.
Daunte stared at Roen closely first. His hand dropped away from Roen's cheek to cup his shoulder and he shook him. Roen? Roen? He didn't say the name out loud; he didn't have the energy to. Nor did he have the energy to shake him too hard. But he knew the truth deep down. He looked Roen over and saw two wounds in his torso; one in his right side and one in his diaphragm. Daunte pressed his hand over this wound. The cut felt too wide and the wound too deep.
Then he looked at Felicity. Felicity…He shook her shoulder gently as well but she likewise didn't respond. It didn't take him long to find the fateful wound. A jagged cut ran horizontal along her throat, blood soaked into her collar. He saw no veil attached to her red hair; a quick glance at Roen and he saw the veil wrapped around Roen's left hand. The veil was soaked in blood.
Felicity…she was wounded first. Roen tried to stop her bleeding with her veil, didn't he? He did his best, while I…
Daunte sat up, sliding his arms under Roen and Felicity's shoulders and heaving them up. They were so heavy in his arms. He crushed them both against him, nestling his head between theirs, and hung onto them for dear life. He didn't scream. He didn't cry. He didn't make a sound. He sat there for a long time, his eyes wide looking forward as he held his dearest friends in the world to him.
And they did not return his embrace.
Gone…gone. Everything is gone.
A hand touched the center of his back. "Lord Daunte."
Daunte heard Chinmaya but he didn't turn around. Didn't let Roen or Felicity go. Chinmaya said his name again but he didn't respond. After a few moments Caesar suddenly knelt in front of him. The Strategist looked more composed now. "Lord Daunte," he said quietly. "Viki is going to take you back to headquarters. Go to the onsen first, and then go and see Arin. Then I want you to sleep. We'll take care of everything here."
Take care of everything? Take care of what? They had lost their entire army. And headquarters? Could that place really be called a headquarters after everything that had happened? Daunte couldn't say these things out loud, or form the words in his mind. But he felt them deep in his heart.
"He's right, Daunte." Surya knelt beside him and began to gently extract Felicity from his arms. His friend was crying silently and did nothing to wipe his own tears away. "Go now. W…Please leave this to us."
Daunte stared at him, but allowed him to take Felicity away from him. Surya laid her down on the ground, taking a moment to stroke her cheek. "Oh, Felicity…" the sound was so painful that Daunte wanted to scream himself. After a moment he moved across and carefully pulled Roen away from Daunte and laid him down beside Felicity. He ruffled Roen's blonde hair briefly before he met Daunte's gaze. "It's okay. Go." his tone was low.
Daunte stared at him stunned, realizing that Mokuren was not with him. He did not look for her and didn't ask where she was. He opened and closed his mouth soundlessly for a few moments before he shook his head. He couldn't leave.
But before he could say the words out loud someone hugged him from behind, and he heard Viki say, "I'm sorry, Lord Daunte."
Daunte blinked. One moment he was sitting in front of the corpses of his best friends, and the next he was sitting on the landing of the first floor of the main building. The hall was deserted.
"I-I'm sorry," Viki said shakily, letting him go. "But I had to get you out of there. Please, go and see your brother. Please go and rest."
Daunte stood up and turned to face her. "…Take me back," he said quietly.
Viki shook her head. "I won't do that, Lord Daunte. Not until you rest."
"I'm leader," Daunte said numbly. "I can't just—walk away from my people like that. I'm not the only one who lost—"
"Please, Lord Daunte," Viki interrupted mournfully, tears filling her eyes. "Please rest for a little while. Go to the onsen like Lord Caesar said. Please sleep. I'll take you back after you rest, I promise."
Daunte didn't have the energy to argue with her further. He looked down the stairs towards the doors leading outside. If I go to the onsen, I may run into one of my allies. I…I would have to tell them—
"I'll go to bed," he said finally, turning to face Viki. "I'll see you later."
Viki nodded. "Thank you, Lord Daunte."
Daunte headed up the stairs towards the elevator. As he pressed the button he heard the doors opened. "Viki?" He lurched when he heard Tidur's voice. "You're back?! What's the news?"
"I-I don't know," Viki lied lamely.
"Please, you can tell me!" Daunte hit the button for the elevator repeatedly as he heard Tidur run up the stairs. "Arin is waiting at the gates for Lord Daunte, so you don't have to worry about him hearing any unpleasant news!"
Arin isn't here. Daunte didn't know if he should feel relieved or disappointed. The elevator 'dinged' and he quickly entered and hit the button to close it. He heard Tidur say, "Who's at the elevator?" Before it closed.
Daunte stared at the panel for a long moment, his eyes on the '5' button. Then he heard Tidur's voice draw closer and he looked at the panel again. He impulsively pressed a button and said the floor out loud. "Basement."
Leknaat was standing in front of the Tablet of Stars instead of beside it when Daunte came to her floor. "Lord Daunte." Her tone was shaky and she trembled where she stood. She seemed afraid, but not of him. "Lord Daunte, please forgive me. I sensed the danger from the battle but I was unable to intervene—"
"Don't blame yourself, Lady Leknaat." Daunte's voice was also soft as he approached her. "Someone is at fault today and it wasn't you."
'My sister," Leknaat said quickly, almost blurting it out. "It was her."
"…Your sister?" Daunte thought about it for a moment. "Yuber called her Lady Windy."
Leknaat nodded. "She was the catalyst for the Gate Rune War. She has done…many horrible things." Leknaat ducked her head forward. "I have been unable to stop her all this time. We share two halves of the same rune. Our power is linked, it—I believe that this is why my powers have been weak here. She must have found a way to utilize her power to…"
"…To torment you," Daunte finished. "And you used that torment to ground you here."
Leknaat nodded. "I am so sorry…"
"It's not your fault," Daunte said again. He shook his head and his eyes caught the Tablet. He shifted slightly, and Leknaat shifted at the same time. Daunte stepped to the left, but Leknaat followed him just a moment later. Daunte realized that she was blocking his path. Denying him access to the Tablet.
"However, be aware that the 108 Stars of Destiny are not interchangeable this time. If any of the Stars die, their name will be crossed off on the Tablet. They cannot be replaced."
"Lady Leknaat," Daunte said. "Please step aside."
Leknaat shook her head. "It would be best if I did not."
"I must see."
"It would be better if you—"
"Please." Daunte cut her off painfully. "I must know. Please let me see the Tablet of Stars. I n-need to know…how many we lost today."
Leknaat fell silent again. After a long moment she sighed and nodded. "All right, Lord Daunte." she moved to stand at her usual spot beside the Tablet.
Daunte's breathing quickened as he moved closer to the Tablet. He wasn't prepared. He knew he wasn't. He knew that it would be bad. But he still forced himself to look.
—
The Stars of Heaven
1. Tenkai Star
Daunte
2. Tengou Star
S̶l̶o̶a̶n̶
3. Tenki Star
Caesar
4. Tenkan Star
Leknaat
5. Tenyu Star
V̶i̶o̶l̶a̶
6. Tenyu Star
Yuber
7. Tenmou Star
̶E̶a̶m̶o̶n̶
8. Teni Star
Pesmerga
9. Tenei Star
Sierra
10. Tenki Star
̶A̶l̶l̶i̶s̶e̶
11. Tenfu Star
Surya
12. Tenman Star
I̶s̶r̶a̶f̶i̶l̶
13. Tenko Star
G̶u̶n̶t̶h̶e̶r̶
14. Tensyo Star
—
15. Tenritsu Star
S̶o̶t̶u̶r̶i̶
16. Tensyo Star
B̶a̶r̶ō̶
17. Tenan Star
R̶o̶e̶n̶
18. Tenyu Star
Freyr
19. Tenku Star
̶L̶o̶r̶i̶k̶
20. Tensoku Star
Nash
21. Teni Star
G̶e̶o̶r̶g̶
22. Tensatsu Star
J̶a̶n̶t̶u̶
23. Tenbi Star
Silvano
24. Tenkyu Star
Dylan
25. Tentai Star
L̶y̶s̶a̶n̶d̶e̶r̶
26. Tenjyu Star
V̶a̶r̶n̶a̶z̶
27. Tenken Star
Sanji
28. Tenhei Star
—
29. Tenzai Star
Gertrude
30. Tenson Star
—
31. Tenpai Star
Bax
32. Tenrou Star
Sásta
33. Tensui Star
Á̶t̶h̶a̶s̶
34. Tenbou Star
N̶i̶g̶e̶l̶
35. Tenkoku Star
T̶h̶e̶a̶
36. Tenkou Star
A̶d̶a̶l̶g̶i̶s̶o̶
The Stars of Earth
37. Chikai Star
—
38. Chisatsu Star
V̶i̶r̶g̶i̶l̶
39. Chiyu Star
Kin
40. Chiketsu Star
Jeane
41. Chiyu Star
O̶i̶s̶i̶n̶
42. Chii Star
F̶r̶e̶d̶
43. Chiei Star
R̶i̶c̶o̶
44. Chiki Star
K̶e̶i̶r̶a̶n̶
45. Chimou Star
Mihr
46. Chibun Star
Mooney
47. Chisei Star
Gizli
48. Chikatsu Star
—
49. Chitou Star
May
50. Chikyou Star
Bright
51. Chian Star
Lanny
52. Chiziku Star
F̶a̶r̶z̶i̶n̶
53. Chikai Star
M̶o̶k̶u̶r̶e̶n̶
54. Chisa Star
L̶i̶r̶o̶n̶
55. Chiyu Star
Gusoku
56. Chirei Star
Yulin
57. Chijyu Star
Clara
58. Chibi Star
Futch
59. Chikyu Star
F̶e̶l̶i̶c̶i̶t̶y̶
60. Chibaku Star
River
61. Chizen Star
Eresh
62. Chikou Star
M̶a̶s̶a̶r̶u̶
63. Chikyou Star
Shou
64. Chihi Star
Tidur
65. Chisou Star
H̶e̶r̶o̶
66. Chikou Star
Eliasen
67. Chimei Star
P̶r̶i̶s̶c̶i̶l̶l̶a̶
68. Chisin Star
—
69. Chitai Star
—
70. Chiman Star
—
71. Chisui Star
B̶l̶a̶i̶s̶e̶
72. Chisyu Star
Zander
73. Chiin Star
Desiree
74. Chii Star
Sharon
75. Chiri Star
Esther
76. Chisyun Star
J̶a̶m̶e̶s̶
77. Chiraku Star
Kakyoku
78. Chitatsu Star
Viki
79. Chisoku Star
R̶e̶i̶s̶
80. Chichin Star
L̶u̶c̶i̶a̶n̶o̶
81. Chikei Star
X̶i̶ ̶A̶n̶
82. Chima Star
S̶u̶n̶a̶
83. Chiyou Star
Q̶u̶a̶s̶i̶m̶
84. Chiyu Star
Oboro
85. Chifuku Star
Chinmaya
86. Chihi Star
L̶a̶'̶A̶h̶a̶d̶
87. Chiku Star
Z̶u̶z̶a̶n̶n̶a̶
88. Chiko Star
Baldemar
89. Chizen Star
U̶m̶e̶k̶o̶
90. Chitan Star
—
91. Chikaku Star
—
92. Chisyu Star
Arin
93. Chizou Star
Y̶a̶s̶a̶k̶a̶
94. Chihei Star
̶T̶a̶m̶a̶r̶a̶
95. Chison Star
Ichirou
96. Chido Star
Ö̶t̶
97. Chisatsu Star
D̶a̶h̶l̶i̶a̶
98. Chiaku Star
T̶a̶l̶a̶
99. Chisyu Star
Y̶a̶m̶a̶n̶
100. Chisu Star
Nāṭaka
101. Chiin Star
—
102. Chikei Star
Bohai
103. Chisou Star
C̶l̶o̶v̶e̶r̶
104. Chiretsu Star
Pamukkale
105. Chiken Star
Ciana
106. Chimou Star
Templeton
107. Chizoku Star
Rafe
108. Chikou Star
Cairoh
—
Words failed Daunte. His mouth hung open in horror as he saw all the crossed off names on the Tablet of Stars. He traced the outline of each name, every single one of them burning onto his heart. Roen…Felicity…and everyone else. Forty-seven members of the 108 Stars of Destiny died today. And thousands of my soldiers died today. Men and women who swore themselves to my cause, and I repaid their hard work and loyalty by letting them die.
Daunte choked, and slammed his right fist against his closed mouth, but the tears gushed out of his eyes. He took two steps back away from the Tablet, shaking his head back and forth, but he couldn't deny what he was seeing.
He was defeated. He had lost, and most of his Army was dead. He had lost everything.
"My Lord, I'm so sorry." Leknaat's voice was full of sorrow and her expression was twisted up in pain. "I am so sorry that this happened…"
Daunte's body shook violently, and he leaned forward slightly and held his breath, desperate to keep it in. He had no right to cry! He had no right to grieve! Every single person who had died that day was dead because of HIM! He was their leader and he let them die!
Daunte threw his head back and suddenly screamed loudly. The sound made Leknaat flinch, and it echoed off the dark walls. He screamed and he screamed, a long and inhuman-sounding wail. He grabbed his bangs in both fists and hunched his body forward again, but the sobs and the screams kept coming. He couldn't form words with his mind or his mouth. The magnitude of the tragedy that had befallen him today was too much. All he could do was wheeze and sob and scream out his grief, his self-loathing, and his rage at the horrible way his Army—his friends —had met their end.
After a few moments words started to form in his mind, but it was a jumble mess. How could this happen how could I let this happen everyone is dead because of me! This is all my fault I'm a failure I should've died instead of them! Oh no oh Nagar I can't handle this this can't be happening help me SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!
The Rune of Restoration began to glow, and a sharp ring filled the air. It startled Daunte out of his crying stupor, and he lowered his hands. He stared dumbfounded at the True Rune branded onto his hand, and the beautiful glow that emulated from it.
The Rune of Restoration…that's it! This is the parent rune of the Resurrection Rune! The Resurrection Rune restores life! That means I can…
"The Rune is calling to you," Leknaat said calmly. "I sense what you intend Lord Daunte, but I must warn you that if you follow through with this then the Rune will take from your own life force. It may cause your dea—"
"I DON'T CARE!" Daunte shouted, gripping his right wrist with his left hand. "I have to do something! I'll do anything to make this right! Even if it kills me!"
"…I understand," Leknaat said softly. "Then Lord Daunte, raise your right hand and speak to the True Rune."
Daunte raised his right hand towards the ceiling. "Rune of Restoration!" he shouted, his voice still surprisingly strong despite his screaming and sobbing. He squeezed his swollen eyes shut. "Rune of Restoration, PLEASE HELP ME! I don't care what happens to me—I don't care if this kills me! Please help me right the wrong done against my people today! Please help me get my friends back! Please—Rune of Restoration, bring everyone who died at Winter Hill back to life!"
The ringing got louder, but through it all he heard the familiar whisper over his mind. "Wail."
Daunte's eyes snapped open, and he strained his right hand towards the ceiling. "WAIL!"
The Rune of Restoration's symbol rose above Daunte, and a bright light exploded from Daunte's hand. A warm whoosh of energy swept up Daunte's body and a massive light shot straight through the ceiling. Daunte had never seen anything like this before—a golden-green wave filling the room with light…it was so beautiful, and there was so much of it…
The light burst through the first floor, startling Viki, and straight up through the main building, up into the rotunda, and through the roof straight towards the heavens. The light did not damage the building, but it frightened the allies who had stayed behind. Arin had been waiting at the gate with Kibbeh, and he jumped to his feet screaming when he saw the light, hugging Kibbeh tight. "W-What is that?!"
The light was magnetizing—Daunte wanted to reach out and touch it. The light had consumed his right hand, but his left hand—no, that wouldn't work. His left hand felt so heavy…
The light was still spilling out of the room, but Daunte's vision swam. He closed his eyes because he felt dizzy, and then suddenly he was falling…falling…
The light was still rushing out of the Rune of Restoration when Daunte's lifeless body collapsed to the floor.
Mlkwt Alsmwat
"You goddamned fool!" Takefute roared, grabbing Yuuto by his collar and shaking him violently. "You had one major task to do; sever the boy's arm and bring back the Rune of Restoration! How could you fail at so simple of a job?!"
"I-It wasn't my fault!" Yuuto protested, his voice turning meek under the fury of his leader. "The battlefield was more chaotic than I thou—"
"You were too busy prioritizing killing Keiran Umed to focus on your real goal," Kayanu said dully. "Your thirst for vengeance for your wounded ego at Umed's hand has cost us the True Rune yet again!"
"I-I'm sorry! I—"
"You're hardly worth killing," Takefute said harshly, shoving him away. "The beast Yuber killed Hitogoroshi and Kuzu. We cannot afford to lose more of us, but we must be diligent in our goal!"
"It will be no problem getting the True Rune now though," Ziya said confidently. "We utterly destroyed the Liberation Army. We won the war. All we need do now is send our best assassins under the cloak of darkness and kill Daunte."
"I have already done that," Takefute responded. He looked over his shoulder. "My Lady—"
But Windy was gone. She had left the moment Yuuto reported that he had failed to get the Rune of Restoration. She retreated to her chambers and slammed the door shut, her frustration having mounted to insurmountable heights. When she exhaled, it was a sharp and painful breath. She spoke the words out loud that she knew deep down in her heart.
"We just lost this war."
She felt weary, far wearier than she had ever felt in her long life. She pressed her left hand over the back of her right hand and closed her eyes. "They think they know power. They think they know suffering. They know nothing of the sort."
She walked towards the back of her bedchambers. There was a beautiful glow of blue light right beside her bed. It was a casing of blue ice, akin to a coffin. Windy reached out and pressed her hand over the top of the casing. Over the face of the dead man who rested frozen in time inside.
"I am nearly there," she said, caressing the surface. "I know now how to take two True Runes onto my body. I did not succeed with the Soul Eater Rune, but when the Rune of Restoration comes to know me then it will come to me. Then I will have greater power over life and death beyond what the Front Gate Rune can deliver. I will bring the Southern Continent to its knees. Then…I will finally bring Harmonia to its knees."
Windy smiled. "I cannot wait for you to see it…Barbarossa."
End of Chapter Nine
Rune of Restoration
Level 1: Howl – Restores Half HP/1 MP Spell
Level 2: Berate – 200 DMG across all enemies
Level 3: Wail - Restores all Health/Revives all Allies
I can't copy/paste words that have a strikethrough in it on this website, so I used the Cross Out Generator at sanjogeorge to create the effect.