Axis Mundi

by TheGuineapig3

When Brave Vesperia is called to investigate the case of a baby left on the Union's doorstep, they assume the child has been abandoned. But as they dig deeper, it seems like everyone wants to get their hands on her- an Imperial research facility, a Krityan cult, and perhaps even an ancient Entelexia living deep within the planet. [Flynn/Yuri, Estelle/Rita, Judith/Raven, Karol/Nan]

9. Pennsylvanian

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

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9- Pennsylvanian

By the time Estelle and Rita made it to Dahngrest, the city's recovery efforts were already underway. Medical and first-aid stations were set up on almost every block, and maps were being distributed with locations of shelters and guild assignments by city area.

"They're really organized," Rita observed, looking over the map. "They must've had some serious disaster-response plans in place before any of this happened. It puts the knights to shame."

"Does it say anything about where we might find Brave Vesperia?" Estelle asked, leaning over Rita's shoulder to get a better view of the map. Bell was uncomfortable with the loud noises and tense atmosphere of the city, so Estelle had to keep her close to prevent her from crying. Rita looked up from the map and shook her head.

"Only the major guilds are listed here. It says that the leaders of smaller guilds should report to their nearest shelter to receive assignments."

"There's a shelter about two blocks from the guild office. Let's go there and ask where they were sent."

It took them a few minutes more than usual to get to that side of the city, with all the rescue crews and supplies moving around the streets. The cobbles underfoot had been upturned in some places and many of the low walls along the side of the streets had crumbled, but the buildings were generally in good condition. Far better condition, at least, than the buildings in Heliord.

The shelter near the guild office was under the jurisdiction of Fortune's Market, so it was busy with people running supplies back and forth. The young Fortune's Market member at the desk searched her record book for Brave Vesperia at Estelle's request but found nothing in that district of the city. She suggested that perhaps they'd been assigned to a different area, but couldn't give them any ideas as to where that might be. Estelle and Rita thanked her, but retreated back to the street disappointed at the prospect of having to search the rest of the city-

"Hey! Is that Ristelle I spy? What are a couple'a lasses like yourselves doing here?"

"Patty?" Estelle spun around with a smile. After the disappointment at the shelter, it was a relief to see a familiar face. Patty might know better than the girl at the desk where Brave Vesperia had gone. Rita's response, however, was less enthusiastic.

"Don't call us that."

"Now, now, don't get your rigging all tangled. I'm just trying to lighten the mood," Patty chided with a grin. She glanced over the two of them, her eyes lighting up as they settled on Bell. "But who do we have here? Why wasn't Great-Aunt Patty invited to the shower for Ristelle Junior?"

"Wha-?" Estelle began with a slight blush. It was one thing for strangers to see them and think they were a family, but hearing it from someone they knew made it more real. "Oh, no, she isn't-"

"We don't have time to explain ourselves to you," Rita interrupted. "Where's Brave Vesperia?"

"Toward the north end of the city, at the children's home. Part of it started to collapse, so Harry asked them to help evacuate the rest of the kids," Patty explained, pointing down the street. "I just sent Raven and Judith in that direction too. Let me see if there's anything I need to take that way; I'll lead you."

Patty spoke to some of the other workers at the station, and soon she had several boxes of medical supplies stacked in her arms to carry to the North Street shelter.

"Siren's Fang isn't big enough right now to have its own section of the city," Patty explained as they walked, "so my crew and I are under Fortune's Market, helping with supply distribution. People never realize how much water they use in their everyday lives until the pipes burst."

"That makes sense," Estelle murmured, glancing at her surroundings with new eyes. "I was surprised at how good the buildings looked compared to Heliord, but I suppose there's lots of damaged infrastructure that we can't see."

"Heliord was hit hard, eh?" Patty asked.

"When it comes to earthquakes, buildings need to be flexible," Rita replied. "Wooden structures can move a little, but brick-and-mortar just crumbles. All the research facilities, all the equipment…" Her voice hitched and she turned her face away from the others. "I talked to a couple of the researchers, and they all say this is going to set them back months, possibly years."

"More importantly, people were hurt," Estelle added. "When we left, there were still people trapped under rubble and debris, and-"

Estelle was cut off as Bell let out a sharp cry. The ground beneath them began to sway, and screams filled the street around them. Rita half lunged and half stumbled against Estelle, leaning over Bell as though to protect her from any form of falling debris. The aftershock passed quickly, but there was a commotion to the north with prolonged screams that lasted even after the shaking stopped. Rita stayed pressed against Estelle's side, but Estelle leaned over, trying to see what was happening. With Rita not moving, Estelle handed Bell over and ran on down the street.

"E-Estelle! Hey! Wait up!" Rita called, though she was too preoccupied with trying to calm Bell to actually chase after her. Bell was screaming and wriggling, and Rita could feel the back of her head through the blanket. "Those stupid antennae are bothering you again, aren't they? What's going on-?"

"Rita? I know Junior isn't very happy, but we should go check on Estelle," Patty called.

"Her name is Bell-" Rita began, but thought better of it and followed after Patty. As they got closer to the children's home, they could hear the screams getting louder and the sound of a dog barking. That was Repede, Rita could tell even from this distance, and her stomach churned as she wondered what might have upset him so much. Bell's screams intensified as Rita and Patty turned the corner to face the children's home, and Rita stopped in her tracks.

The entire eastern wing of the building had collapsed, bricks piled along the sides and remnants of the roof slung against the gaping hole in the side of the building that remained upright. A few people were already sifting through the rubble, and Rita recognized Yuri among them. Repede had his nose to the debris, searching for a particular scent somewhere underneath- the scent of people, Rita guessed.

Bell was still screaming and crying, echoing a girl among the crowd who was calling out something that Rita couldn't hear. The voice didn't strike Rita as familiar, but when she looked over, she recognized the girl as the Krityan from the previous morning. Raven was standing on one side of her, holding her arm to keep her in place, and on the other side stood a human girl that Rita genuinely didn't recognize.

"What's going on?" Rita demanded. "What's with all the screaming?"

Raven didn't let go of Kida's arm, but glanced over and forced a laugh. "Says the gal with the screamin' child."

Before Rita could argue, Kida turned around to look. Her eyes and cheeks were red with tears, but the sight of Rita and Bell brought a smile to her face. "Bell! Oh, thank goodness-!"

"Rita! Patty!" Karol called, approaching from the other side of the crowd with Estelle and Judith behind him. "I-it's awful… that last aftershock collapsed the eastern wing, and… and…"

"Harry and several of the children were still inside," Judith finished, giving Karol a supportive pat on the shoulder. The girl standing beside Kida let go of her arm now that she was no longer struggling and looked to Judith and Karol instead.

"What'd they say?" she asked.

"They don't want anyone else putting themselves in danger. Yuri and the crew from Altosk have it under control," Judith replied.

"But they haven't found anyone?" Kida demanded. "They don't even know whether they're still-"

"Our buddy Repede is doin' his best," Raven interrupted, pulling Kida back a few steps. "He'll find Harry and the kids, don't worry."

"But-"

"Kida," Judith interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder, "listen to Bell. She's reacting poorly to the emotions you're putting out. You should try to calm down, at least for her sake."

"Oh… r-right…" Kida relaxed and Raven let go of her arm, allowing her to approach Rita. "May I-?"

"No way." Rita jerked Bell back, moving to stand next to Estelle again and handing Bell over to her outstretched arms. "If it's your 'bad vibes' or whatever, then she's better off keeping her distance."

"Oh… uh… right…"

"Don't talk to her like that!" The unfamiliar girl broke in, stepping in front of Rita. "Maybe it's your awful attitude that's upsetting her."

"My-!" Rita bristled. "Who do you think you are?"

"Who do I-?" The girl stepped back, her expression genuinely puzzled. "Are you serious?"

Raven stepped in, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Don't hold it against her, Molly darlin'. Rita ain't from around here."

"Isn't she an associate of Brave Vesperia? She should know Union officials-"

Another commotion started in the direction of the eastern wing debris, and Kida was the first to scramble in that direction.

"Don't crowd them," one of the Altosk members was yelling. "Give them some space! Where's… where's…" She stopped and looked back to Yuri, who was helping a group of children clamber out from beneath the debris. He turned to the crowd and waved.

"Estelle! We need your help!"

There had been four kids trapped by the collapse of the eastern wing, and while all of them had minor wounds, they were able to climb up out of the opening made by the rescue crew to be tended to by Estelle. Once they were patched up, they ran back down to where Karol and the other kids were waiting.

"Is everyone okay?" Karol asked, holding out his arms. One little girl ran to hug him while the others embraced their friends. All four were speaking at once, talking over one another, but the general message was clear.

"-I thought the earthquake was over; how come there was a whole 'nother earthquake-" "-entire building started shaking and Harry shoved us under the table-" "-Harry's gonna be alright, isn't he? Everything went dark and I heard him scream-" "-Harry's in trouble! You gotta save him, Karol-!"

Kida made another run toward the building, and Raven had to grab her again. He whispered something to her and left to join Yuri's group. They managed to clear some debris based on Repede's directions and the sound of Harry's voice further in, and eventually, they managed to expose more of the building's interior. Harry waved up at the group.

"You alright?" Yuri called. Harry forced a laugh, but there was pain in his voice and he could barely articulate his response.

"I've been worse, but… I've certainly been better too."

"Here," Yuri said, bending down to extend his arms. "I'll lift you up-"

"No, don't," Harry interrupted. "My leg is caught. I-I think it might be broken. I can't move it."

Yuri cringed and waved back over to the others who'd been helping. "Hey, guys! Help us out here. We need to get this stuff off of him."

"Don't try ta move until we see what state yer leg is in," Raven instructed, kneeling down beside Harry and looking over the debris. "Once we know what we're workin' with, Estelle can help ya out."

Harry's face was pale, but he nodded and replied through gritted teeth. "Thanks."

Even with the help of Brave Vesperia and several Altosk members, it took almost an hour to clear away the debris enough that Harry's lower body could be exposed and examined. With Bell back in Rita's care, Raven helped Estelle and Kida across the rubble and over to where Harry was waiting. Estelle was already frowning by the time she knelt down next to him, and she carefully rolled up the ripped and bloodied leg of his trousers to confirm her fears.

"That's definitely broken. We'll have to set it before I can use my magic, or it won't heal properly."

Raven looked to Harry. "Ya hear that? This ain't gonna be comfortable."

"It's not comfortable now," Harry hissed. "Please, just do something."

Kida took his hand and nodded at Estelle. "Don't worry. It'll be alright."

Estelle needed Raven and Yuri's help, but she was able to set the bone properly in order to use her magic. With Kida by his side, Harry was surprisingly calm through the whole thing. She held his hand squeezed tightly in hers with practiced confidence, and kept her eyes locked on his to make sure he could see her reassuring smile. There were some whispers at the sight of the two of them together, especially among the kids, but the Altosk members didn't seem surprised at all.

"There. That's about as much as I can do," Estelle finally said, letting out a sigh. "There will still be some pain and you'll have to keep from putting weight on it for a little while to let it heal, but you should be able to move now and walk with some assistance."

Raven took Harry's arm from Kida and slung it over his shoulder, helping Harry to his feet. "I'm disappointed in ya, kid," he said with a laugh. "You've been workin' so hard lately on trainin' yer muscles, you've let yer bones get all brittle."

Harry laughed back, albeit weakly. "I'm sorry. If my bones can't stand up to the weight of a building, what are they good for?"

With all the children accounted for, the senior members of Altosk began the process of relocating them to a shelter. Karol stayed behind to help, but the rest of the group was asked to help care for Harry. The walls of Union headquarters had partially collapsed in some places, so they had evacuated it completely. Some other members of Altosk were in the midst of stabilizing what was left, but in the meantime, Raven carried Harry back to Brave Vesperia's guild office so that he could rest in the downstairs bedroom.

The others sat around while Harry settled in, and Yuri leaned against the foot of the bed, looking back and forth between Harry and Kida.

"Raven said Kida's boyfriend was powerful, but I had no idea he meant politically. How did the two of you even meet?"

"They met at an Altosk party- one that I invited Kida to." Molly answered before anyone else could, tapping her chest with a proud smile. "You could say I was like their matchmaker."

"You were not," Harry scoffed, and Raven laughed.

"Molly darlin', ya sound awfully proud of yerself fer somebody who set up her fiancé with another woman."

"W-well-!" Molly blushed and stomped one foot. "I didn't feel right trying to find a man if Harry didn't have somebody! And I wanted to be happy, so… y'know! When Kida said she liked him, I might've encouraged her. Just a little."

Kida was sitting next to Harry at the head of the bed, and she looked away from the curious stares. "I-I don't like big parties, but I was new in Dahngrest and Molly was so kind to invite me… I just brought a book with me and sat in a corner."

"She took my favorite corner too," Harry muttered, giving her a nudge. "When I showed up with my own book, I told her to move. It was pretty rude of me, to be honest. And over what? A reading nook?"

Molly gave a dramatic shrug. "They were made for each other. It'd be heartwarming if it wasn't so boring- no offense, Kida."

"How long ago was this?" Estelle asked.

"Since the party?" Harry asked. "It'll be two years come next month."

"That's pretty serious. And you…" Estelle looked back and forth between Harry and Molly. "...you haven't called off the engagement?"

Molly jerked a finger in Harry's direction. "My father would roll over in his grave if I didn't marry old Whitehorse's grandson. You think I'm going to bring a curse down on us?"

"A curse worse than being bound to someone you don't love?" Judith asked, and that shut Molly up. She crossed her arms and walked back over to the doorway, leaning against the doorframe.

"Well, I guess Harry's in good hands here. I'm gonna go see if Spiritsong needs any help with the generators-"

Rita perked up. "That's the mage guild, right? I want to go too! I might be able to help."

Bell had been sleeping soundly in Rita's arms, but woke up at the sound of her outburst. Estelle stepped in to help, and Rita handed Bell over before heading to the door.

"I'll drop by to make sure everything's alright with Karol and the kids. I'm sure they'll want to know that Harry is safe."

"Aye, I'd better be off as well," Patty agreed. "Siren's Fang is still in charge of moving supplies around. You guys call if you need anything."

As they left, Estelle began comforting Bell back to sleep. It seemed to jog her memory of the previous night's events, and she approached the bed to speak with Kida.

"I met your brother last night… Jakob, right?"

Kida looked up. "Jakob? Where?"

"In my bedroom. He and Enki came after Bell. They said you'd kidnapped her, and demanded that we return her to them."

"What?!" Kida jumped to her feet, and Harry shifted to sit up straighter. "Wh-what happened?" she continued. "How did you escape?"

"I'll bet Rita blew 'em sky high," Yuri laughed, and Repede agreed with a bark. Estelle shook her head.

"Actually, our friend Flynn saved us."

"Oh. Of course he got to play the hero," Yuri sighed. "Why did I assume differently?"

"Your brother wasn't hurt, though!" Estelle broke in, noticing Kida's distress. "At least, I don't think he was. He jumped out the second-floor window, but there's a big tree there. Enki must have known-"

"That isn't what I'm worried about." Kida began to pace, covering the small distance between the bed and the wall over and over as she continued. "They have Utnapishtim's blessing. I'm sure they'll be alright. But Bell… I can't let Axis Mundi have her, I just can't! What's so wrong about her living here in Dahngrest? Couldn't she do so much more for the world if she was raised by the Don-?"

"Wait a minute," Yuri broke in. "Is that why Harry was so eager to take her in? He was in on the whole thing?"

"I was," Harry answered with a nod. "I suggested the plan to begin with. Kida would bring her to Dahngrest after Axis Mundi's dedication ceremony and leave her with the Union for me. We just got our dates a little mixed up, is all- which is why you ended up with her first."

"Axis Mundi says their goal is to connect Kritya and humans," Kida continued, hugging her arms against her chest, "but they don't respect humans at all. They see them as lesser, something to be pitied and rescued from their lowly existence. If we let them influence Bell, they'd teach her to hate part of who she is. Of course she'd be an exception, but hearing them talk so horribly about others like you, who wouldn't grow insecure about their own identity?"

There was a pause as each person considered what she was saying. Harry was the first to speak, muttering under his breath "I wouldn't let that happen. I'll never let that happen."

"Kida," Raven broke in, watching her pace. "After what Duke said, do ya really still believe that Bell is part of some kinda prophecy? We're positive Enki is a fraud."

"I know that," she replied. "But they still want her. I'm trying to think like they are. Trying to find some way to get them to let her go. If we can just speak their language-"

"I'm tired of speaking their language!" Harry interrupted. "We let them do their bullshit ceremony thinking it would satisfy them, and it didn't! They put that tag on her like she's some sort of animal. There's no hiding anymore- they won't stop until we force them. And if I have to fight them myself, I will."

"Not in this state," Yuri pointed out, and Harry blushed.

"Th-that's not…"

"There's always some other way." Yuri stood up, giving Repede a pat on the head. "If the damage at Heliord is as great as Rita and Estelle say, then I doubt we'll be getting the tag off Bell any time soon. But maybe that's a good thing. Fighting them will be easier if we can get them on our turf."

"Kritya usually aren't interested in fighting," Judith pointed out. "But, then again, this extreme prejudice against humans isn't characteristic of them either."

"Enki seemed perfectly willing to fight Rita when she stood between him and Bell," Estelle murmured, looking down at the child in her arms. "He wouldn't listen to reason, dismissing everything as human selfishness and foolishness. I don't get it; if Axis Mundi is supposed to be a group that's bridging Kritya and humanity, how can they be so dismissive of humans?"

"Cults and hate groups will often put up these fancy fronts ta lure people in," Raven explained, leaning back against the wall. "Once they've got ya hooked, they can indoctrinate ya inta their beliefs. That's what happened ta yer brother, right Kida?"

"Yes. Jakob wasn't like this before we joined. He didn't fully understand humanity, but he was willing to learn more. Until Enki got to him."

Judith stepped over and placed a hand on Kida's shoulder. "Groups like this often attract a certain type of people. When I knew Jakob as a child, he was persistent to a fault. He never took 'no' for an answer, and didn't seem to care what other people wanted or felt. I don't mean to insult your brother- such characteristics can usually be overcome with a little effort. But if Axis Mundi appealed to his need for control and superiority, he might have been particularly susceptible to their influence. That may be why he fell so easily for their propaganda while a shy, considerate person like yourself remained unaffected."

"Judith…" Kida bit her lip, looking up at Judith with tears in her eyes. Judith held out her arms, and Kida jumped to embrace her. "...oh, Judith, I'm scared! Even if Enki is a fraud and there's no all-powerful Entelexia, I don't want to fight my brother! I just want him back to normal!"

Judith squeezed Kida into a tight hug while the others looked on. Harry closed his eyes and sighed.

"I… I'm sorry for saying I'd fight. If it hurts you, then I won't do it. Yuri is right, there must be another way. I promise we'll make sure Bell can live a normal life here with us." He turned and looked over to the others. "I'm sorry, Brave Vesperia, but it seems I'll have to continue to rely on your help."

Raven laughed. "It ain't like Brave Vesperia can back out now, right? 'Sides, you're needed here ta oversee the recovery efforts. Our guild'll be at yer command."

Repede wagged his tail in agreement, and Yuri nodded. "We're emotionally invested at this point, so even if you told us to stop, we might not be able to."

Harry forced a laugh. "Right now, I'd prefer you helping with recovery here in Dahngrest. We need all available hands on reconstruction and aid distribution, plus if there are more building collapses, we'd like Repede's help with search and rescue."

Repede sat up straighter, giving a short bark of affirmation. "He says yes," Yuri interpreted, "if that wasn't obvious."

"In the meantime, I want Kida and two of Brave Vesperia's members to stay with Bell at all times. We won't engage Axis Mundi until they show up again, but I want to have a non-violent approach ready for when they do."

"Yes, sir!" Estelle chimed. "Though, I… have a question about Bell."

"What is it?"

"Well, you're planning to adopt her once she's fully separated from Axis Mundi, right? That's great, but- what if, after Enki is exposed as a fraud, her birth parents decide they want her back? What would you do?"

The room fell silent. Kida, who was now standing beside Judith, turned a shade paler and shuffled a few steps back. Judith sent a glance to Raven, the two of them exchanging an unspoken question with one another that they both seemed to answer with a shrug. Harry was deliberately not making eye contact with anyone, while Repede sensed the tension in the air and whined, echoing Bell's uncomfortable cries. Yuri observed everyone's reactions before finally speaking up, reaching to nudge Estelle's shoulder.

"Estelle, I get the feeling that you and I have been missing a very crucial piece of information this whole time." He looked over at Raven with a glare. "The way you talked about Bell that first day… you knew she was Harry's daughter from the very beginning, didn't you, old man?"

"She's-?" Estelle gasped, looking back and forth between Harry and Kida. "...she's… oh… oh!"

Meanwhile, Raven held up his hands. "I mean, I figured it out pretty quick, but like hell I was gonna say anything! Harry had told me 'bout his little situation in confidence, and I wasn't 'bout ta blab that ta anybody before I knew the full extent'a what was goin' on. I had no idea 'bout all this Axis Mundi crap- I didn't even know his girlfriend was Krityan 'til we met Bell."

Yuri shifted his glare. "Judith?" he asked. "How long have you known?"

"I figured it out when we met Kida yesterday," Judith answered. "Krityan parents and children have a very specific connection with one another. Seeing the way Bell's antennae reacted to Kida's, it was obvious they were mother and child. However, I didn't know Harry was the father until last night when Kida mentioned him at Duke's house."

"How many others know?" Yuri demanded.

"Molly and the other senior members of Altosk," Harry answered, still avoiding eye contact. "At least, the ones who were involved with my training. They all got to know Kida very well and were there with us when Bell was born. Rodanthe from the Blood Alliance helped too, so she knows. But not anyone else that I know of."

"Axis Mundi doesn't know who Bell's father is," Kida finally spoke up, her voice barely audible. "Only that he's a human I met in Dahngrest."

"Geez, you should've told us." Yuri groaned, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "We can keep a secret, you know."

Harry nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. I just… I was scared. I didn't want you to think of me as irresponsible. It was my fault we weren't more careful. I really believed that a human and a Krityan couldn't… couldn't…"

"I believed it too!" Kida broke in. "It's what everyone in Myorzo said, that humans were a completely different species from us! I'd never learned much about hybrid animals, so I assumed species divides were absolute."

Yuri sat down on the edge of the bed. "Ouch. Steep learning curve there, huh?"

Harry managed to crack a smile. "We couldn't argue with the evidence… not that we wanted to, of course." Kida nodded in agreement, looking over at Bell with an adoring smile.

"She was unplanned, yes, but still very, very loved."

"Is that why you went to Aurnion for six months?" Yuri continued. "So the two of you could prepare for the baby without anyone finding out?"

"I-I was training, I swear!" Harry defended, and Kida gave another nod.

"They worked Harry hard. I was really worried about him."

Raven laughed. "That's how Altosk does it, Kida darlin'. But Yuri's right, the training wasn't s'posed ta take place until after Harry's birthday. We moved it up ta help him and his girlfriend out, with the excuse that we needed Harry ta take the official position of Don as soon as possible. I wasn't really involved in that."

"You dropped everything as soon as other members were involved," Harry muttered, crossing his arms and looking away. "That hurt, you know. There was a reason you were the first person I went to for help."

"Aw, kid!" Raven sat down next to Harry and leaned against his shoulder. "The others in Altosk care about'cha just as much as I do. I'm not a full member anymore. You've gotta learn ta depend on those who'll be by your side once ya become the Don fer real."

Harry sighed, still unwilling to look at Raven. "I know that, and I do depend on them. But you're different…"

Raven threw his arms around Harry's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. "That's 'bout the sweetest thing ya ever said ta me! You know if you're lookin' fer a godfather fer little Bell, you can always come ta me."

"Bell…" Yuri spoke up, thinking it over. "That's the name we gave her. What's her real name?"

"Oh, that's right!" Estelle gasped. "Jakob called her something that started with an A… Atrahasis, I thi-?"

"That's not a name!" Harry interrupted, shoving Raven aside. Kida flinched at his tone.

"Th-that's a title that Axis Mundi gave her. It means 'bearer of great wisdom," so we'd rather not, um…" She blushed and began to fidget with her hands, so Harry began again.

"Rubina," His voice was calmer now, almost reverent. "Ruby for short. That's what we named her."

Raven regained his balance, steadying himself on the edge of the bed. "Sorry I couldn't set 'em right to start with. I tried ta discreetly suggest it, but they weren't willing ta let me name a human being. Rightfully so, but still…"

"It was my grandmother's name," Harry continued. "She was one of Altosk's finest warriors and was Grandpa's most trusted advisor until the day she died. I wanted to honor her, but after all that's happened… is it wrong to say the nickname 'Bell' has grown on me?"

"Not at all." Raven patted him on the shoulder. "But there's no need ta change little Ruby's name fer our sake."

Harry shook his head. "We wouldn't be changing it- not really. Besides, Belius was also someone important to my grandfather. And there's a fascinating irony to the idea that a child I helped give life would carry on the name of someone I helped kill. I like that."

"Raven's right. You shouldn't-" Estelle began, but Judith cut her off with a wave of her hand and she went quiet again to let Kida speak.

"I like the name Ruby," Kida said, "but I like Bell too. It suits her just as well."

"You guys would just change what you call her?" Yuri asked.

"Why not?" Judith replied. "She's the same person. It's not like she's old enough to recognize her own name anyway."

"Names are a funny thing," Raven added with a nod. "There's no guarantee that the name ya give her now will stick with her over her whole life. But that's alright. People change and names change too. What matters is that ya give her the love she needs ta grow inta her own person. At that point, she'll be able ta decide fer herself what name is right fer her."

Yuri just shrugged, and Estelle approached Kida. Bell had fallen asleep, so Estelle was gentle in passing her across.

"Here. She'll be more comfortable with you."

"She… she's taken a liking to you and your friend Rita…" Kida protested, but she accepted Bell anyway and sat back down on the bed next to Harry so that he could join in. Bell began to stir and squirm, so Kida rocked her back and forth, whispering reassurances. "It's okay, Bell. We're here. You're alright."

Yuri sighed, standing up again and motioning for Repede to follow him. "I'd better go see if Altosk still needs my help. Is there anything else you want to discuss before I head back out?"

"No. I've given you my orders," Harry replied, pulling his gaze away from Bell just long enough to finish speaking. "And I'm sorry again, Yuri. I do trust you, you know."

"Yeah, well, that's something you've gotta show, not say." Yuri paused by the door to look back. "Start by taking care of yourself, alright? If our Don heals, I'm sure it'll give Dahngrest the confidence it needs to heal too."

Harry smiled, a genuine smile this time.

"I'll do my best to give it that confidence."

---

A number of the mages displaced from Aspio four years prior had found their way to Dahngrest and set up a guild of their own rather than joining in the reconstruction efforts or being assigned to the Imperial projects in Zaphias and Heliord. Spiritsong had grown into a well-respected guild in that time, consulting with the Union on restructuring Dahngrest's electrical grid to accommodate spirit magic as a replacement for blastia power, and had been the first ones called in after the earthquake. They knew Rita well, having tried to recruit her to the guild multiple times, and while she'd always refused them in favor of Brave Vesperia and the Empire's New Energy Initiative, she was happy to work with them when the situation required it.

They had made great progress that afternoon, managing to restore power to several of the city's districts, including the area where Union Headquarters was situated. Altosk was happy about that, and praise always made Rita feel better in the midst of a difficult situation. Their encouragement still echoed in her mind as she walked back to Brave Vesperia's guild office, and she was lost in it until she heard a pair of familiar voices further down the street.

"-the hell would give you that idea?"

"Well, you said that you admired his tactical knowledge, so I thought maybe-"

"That's just it, though. Knowledge alone doesn't make a warrior. If it did, you'd never have gotten kicked out of the Hunting Blades."

"Aw, Nan! Is that a compliment?"

"I-I didn't mean for it to be, but you can take it however you want-"

Rita stepped in beside Karol, leaning over to address Nan too. "What are you two idiots arguing about?"

Nan bristled and jumped back. "Hey! Don't sneak up on people like that! You're… Rita, right?"

"And you're supposed to be a member of a monster-hunting guild. You can't even hear someone walking up behind you?"

Karol grabbed Rita's arm. "Don't be mean. We were just joking around."

"I hope you were joking," Nan huffed. "Honestly, a guy like Will? I'm insulted."

"You haven't exactly given me much to work with," Karol answered with a pout. "You've eliminated the Hunting Blades, so I'm grasping at straws here."

Rita stepped ahead of them and spun around on her heels to face the two. She pointed a finger at Nan, scrutinizing her with a glare.

"If you don't want him guessing, then just tell him who you like. It's not that difficult."

Nan went stiff. "Karol! You told her?"

"W-well… uh…" Karol blushed and took a step back. "Hey, it's getting late! You're on patrol tonight, right? Rita and I had better get back to the guild office and see how Harry's doing. Catch you later!"

"Karol, you little-!" Nan lunged toward him with a fist, but he had already run down the street ahead of them. Rita sighed, watching him go before turning back to look at Nan again.

"This guy you like," she muttered, "he'd better be all that."

"What do you care?"

"I don't. But Karol does. And if you really consider him your friend, you'd better care too."

Nan crossed her arms. "What are you, his mom?"

"N-n-no! Of course not! Sh-shut up!" Rita turned around and stormed off, following Karol back toward the guild office. She almost expected Nan to follow, but that didn't happen, and it didn't take long to catch back up to Karol. He looked up to her and frowned.

"You didn't have to insult her like that," he spat. "What's wrong with you?"

Rita smacked him on the back of the head. "She's the girl who made you cry, isn't she? I can't just let that go."

"Ow!" Karol rubbed his head. "You've made me cry plenty of times before. Why should it matter to you?"

"Because I'm the only one who's supposed to be making you cry. Get it?"

"That makes no sense."

The two made it to the alleyway that led to the guild office and turned the corner. Rita let out a sigh and opened the door for Karol, motioning him in ahead of her.

"What really makes no sense," she continued, "is why the empire is keeping quiet on this earthquake issue. They need to take responsibility for their part in all of this."

"Their part?" Karol frowned. "What does that mean?"

"I need to talk to Estelle and the others about it," Rita answered, waving him aside. "Heeey! Anybody here?"

There was a bark from upstairs, and Repede poked his head down from the staircase. He made eye contact with Rita and Karol, and then turned and ran back up the stairs. Karol glanced over at Rita, shrugged, and ran upstairs too.

When Rita made it to the kitchen, she found Yuri making dinner and Estelle sitting on the sofa with a book in her hands and Bell's bassinet by her side. Estelle looked up and smiled, waving over at Rita and Karol.

"Welcome back! The lights came back on, so I assume that means you were successful?"

"Yeah, but…" Rita glanced back and forth between Yuri and Estelle. "Where'd Harry go? Don't you guys have anything better to do than sit around here like this?"

Repede whined and Yuri shook his head. "We're not sitting around. I'm making dinner, and Estelle and Repede are on guard duty."

"Guard duty?" Karol repeated.

"After what happened at the capital last night, Harry wants at least two members of Brave Vesperia with Bell at all times. Kida is going to bunk with us too, she's just helping Raven get Harry back to headquarters now that it's safe."

Karol sat down at the table, and Rita found herself a spot on the floor next to the sofa, one where she could look over the side of the bassinet to where Bell was playing with one of the toys that Estelle and Rita had bought her. "Why do we need Kida-? No, scratch that. She's our informant about Axis Mundi, right?"

"Kida said she didn't want to fight her brother," Estelle answered, "so we're trying to come up with a non-violent way to face them if they show up again."

"And where's Judith?" Karol asked.

"Helping out Siren's Fang," Yuri answered. "Harry said that whoever isn't on guard duty should do what they can to help with reconstruction and aid distribution, like the two of you were doing." He paused and ladled some of the soup into a small bowl, passing it across the table. "Here, Boss. See if the cream stew is to your liking."

Rita watched the exchange and let out a frustrated sigh. "This is great and all, but I have a more important job for you guys."

Yuri raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you're in a position to be overruling the acting-Don's orders-"

"I need you to go to Heliord and talk to Flynn for me."

Yuri stopped, paused for a moment to think, and then set the spoon down next to the stovetop.

"I'm listening."

Rita stood up and approached the table, resting her hands on the tabletop between Karol and Yuri. "The Empire is sitting on a secret that, if the Union finds it out, could lead to serious political turmoil. They have to come clean before the Union figures it out for themselves. Flynn knows this, but it's obvious that his attempts to convince the magistrate haven't been successful."

"Flynn only arrived in Heliord this morning!" Estelle protested. "I'm sure there's been so much to do, he hasn't had time to-"

"Are you going to tell us the secret?" Yuri interrupted. "Or just order us around while leaving us in the dark?"

Rita glared up at him. "The Empire caused the earthquake."

"What?" Karol gasped, sitting up straighter. "That's impossible! Besides, why would they do that? It damaged Heliord too, didn't it?"

"It wasn't on purpose," Estelle defended. "The mining operation was-"

"They knew the risks," Rita broke in. "The council knew that the mining operation ran a risk of reactivating some of the dormant faults in the area. But they ordered the knights and engineers to carry it out as planned, regardless of those risks. With all the damage that was done to Dahngrest, the Empire needs to publicly take responsibility and discuss the potential for reparations to the Union. If they don't, and the Union finds out they had a hand in it, the still-fragile peace between them could suffer."

The room went silent. Yuri put a lid on the pot and moved to sit down at the table across from Karol. "That's… a lot to take in. I asked Flynn the other day about the risks associated with the mining operation, and he assured me it was safe." He paused. "Though, to be fair, all I asked about was whether they might accidentally open a giant fracture and swallow the whole town. I guess I should've been more realistic."

"The earthquake isn't actually related to the mining itself," Estelle offered, "but the technique they use to dispose of the waste products. When they're finished with the fracturing liquid, they pump it back into disposal wells to get rid of it safely. But if the water from those wells gets into a fault that's under stress, it can loosen the fault and cause it to slip. Movement of these faults is what generates earthquakes."

Yuri leaned against the table, resting his chin in one hand. "Flynn's gotta be devastated. This mining operation was the knights' pet project, and he was so proud of everyone involved. To know it was at the root of a disaster like this- that has to sting."

"That's why I want you two to go to Heliord," Rita replied with a nod. "Flynn promised that he'd talk to the magistrate about taking responsibility, but he clearly had mixed feelings about it. If you go, maybe it'll give him the push he needs to convince the magistrate."

"Why ask us?" Karol asked. "You could go yourself."

"I need to stay here with Bell," Rita replied. "I'm still the only one who could help if something goes wrong with the aer tag."

Yuri looked over to her with a grin. "That's been your excuse this whole time, but you've never told us what exactly might go wrong. How could a malfunction in something so small hurt Bell?"

Rita's face flashed red. "W-well, it… I mean… it could… um…" She finally stood up and turned away. "I-It's complicated and I don't have time to explain it to you!"

"Right. Of course." Yuri leaned back in his chair, his smile fading. "I suppose we could go. It'll take us a little longer to get there in the dark, but if we eat dinner and leave right away, we could definitely be back by morning."

"W-we'd go now?" Karol asked. "I'm not really that good with all-nighters."

"Don't worry so much, Boss. If you fall asleep on the road, I'll carry you."

"You haven't been able to carry me for two years-"

Yuri stood up and approached the stove, fishing a set of bowls from the cabinets above them. "Dinner's about ready, so we can go ahead and dig in. If you leave the pot on the stove, it should still be warm for Judith and the old man when they get back."

"I think Repede wants to go with you," Estelle observed, watching the way Repede's ears were flicking back and forth impatiently. "The roads are dangerous at night, even with the Hunting Blades patrol. You might need backup."

Repede sat up and let out a low bark in agreement. Yuri nodded as he poured a bowl of soup.

"I wouldn't want to go without him."

The autumn nights were growing longer and longer, but Yuri, Karol, and Repede managed to get on the road before Dahngrest's usual twilight had faded from the sky. The main road was probably the safest way to go, but they were more concerned about time, so they took a shortcut through a little game trail that led along the cliff sides. Repede stayed on alert, but besides a few small plant monsters, they met no difficulties along the way. The only thing that really slowed them down was the rain, which began to fall in sheets as they grew closer to Heliord. Undeterred, they pressed on, knowing they'd be able to warm up while talking to Flynn.

Approaching the city, it was clear that the electricity was still off. The buildings were dark, with only a few lanterns and struggling fires set up where people were gathered. The knights standing guard stopped them on their way in, but when Karol introduced himself as the boss of Brave Vesperia, the knights quickly conceded. They were probably new recruits, Yuri assumed, who knew little to nothing about the guilds. It was hard to see through the rain and darkness, so hearing that they were face to face with a guild boss- even one with an unsteady, pubescent voice- probably scared them. Saying "we're here to speak with the Commandant on behalf of Rita Mordio" didn't hurt either.

The knights on guard didn't know where Flynn was, but Yuri assured them that they'd locate him and set Repede to that task. As he and Karol followed Repede through the city, he observed as much as he could in the dim light. It was awful; entire walls had collapsed, and in some cases half of the building had been reduced to rubble, leaving the rooftops sagging under the weight of the rain. Buildings that were still standing had large cracks running through them, and everywhere Yuri looked, there were no-trespassing signs warning people of the danger that the buildings posed. The shelters that were set up around the city, meanwhile, were laid out without a clear pattern and haphazardly constructed. It seemed to Yuri that there was a distinct lack of planning involved in the empire's disaster response, and the citizens were suffering because of it. Part of him wanted to grab up all the civilians and take them back with him to Dahngrest- but he knew that wasn't feasible, and that Flynn was doing everything he could to help the people here.

Repede led them to the knights' headquarters, most of which was still standing and had been reinforced with wooden supports to keep it safe for temporary use. Flynn was on his way down the main hall to the door, but he stopped short once he came face to face with Repede.

"R-Repede? What are you-?" Flynn gasped and looked up. "Yuri? Karol? What in the world are you doing here?"

There didn't seem to be anyone else around, so before Karol could answer, Yuri closed the gap between himself and Flynn, throwing his arms around him.

"Oh, Flynn, I'm so sorry."

"Y-Yuri! Hey! You're soaking wet!" Flynn stammered. "What are you sorry for?"

Yuri pulled away. "For all this. You and the knights have been working so hard, and you were so proud of everyone. So, to have it literally come crashing down around you- I'm sorry. You didn't deserve it."

Flynn relaxed a little, but he was still eyeing Yuri with confusion. "Surely you didn't leave Dahngrest in the state it's in just to come give me a hug. What's going on?"

"You think I wouldn't be willing to walk three hours each way in the pouring rain just to hug you? I'm hurt." Yuri put a hand against his chest, feigning offense. It didn't do anything to lighten the mood, however, and when Karol hissed his name, he shook his head and gave a proper answer. "Rita sent us. She had something she wanted us to discuss with you- and I'll bet you already know what it is."

Flynn looked away. "Yuri, this… this isn't a good time. The magistrate was late returning from council duties in the capital, so I'm only just now delivering the reports to him-"

"Then we'll go with you. He's the one who should be issuing the statement, so he's the one we need to convince."

"Please, I know you came all this way, but Heliord is in a bad position right now, and-"

"You think Dahngrest isn't?!" Yuri demanded, taking a step closer. "The Union is suffering too, and they deserve answers!"

Flynn took a deep breath and pushed past him. "If the Union finds out that the Empire had a hand in the disaster, it may further destabilize relations. Is that really what you want?"

"What do you think's gonna happen if you don't? That the Union will just stay blissfully unaware?" Yuri followed after him and fell into step at his side. "Don't forget, the mages in Spiritsong used to work for the Empire. They know about aer mining techniques, and it won't be long before they start asking questions about the role of your disposal wells in triggering the earthquake."

Karol and Repede caught up to them, and Karol broke in once he'd caught his breath. "Flynn, please. You know that I'd never ask you to do something that would hurt the Union's relationship with the Empire. Some people may be angry, but I'm sure the Union would respect the Empire that much more if they came forward and took responsibility for their mistakes. The principle of responsibility is important to us; our last Don died to uphold it. That's how I know this is the right thing for both of us."

Yuri nodded, stepping in front of Flynn. "There've been a lot of injuries, but no one in Dahngrest has died as a direct result of the earthquake. The Union isn't out for blood. They just need honesty."

Flynn lowered his face, letting out a tired sigh. "I'm… sorry for my reluctance. I know it isn't right for us to conceal our involvement in what happened, and it isn't right for me to underestimate the Union's ability to understand our situation. I'm just being selfish, not wanting to admit it to myself." He paused and then looked back toward the door. "We should go speak to the magistrate at once. I will make certain that this situation between the Union and the Empire is solved in the most diplomatic way possible."

Yuri slapped Flynn on the shoulder, grinning at him. "Now there's the commandant I know and love!"

Magistrate York's quarters had been relocated to one of the smaller buildings in town that had suffered little damage and had been deemed safe for occupancy. As Flynn led the way inside, Yuri couldn't help but notice how nice it looked; the fallen decorations had been cleaned and put away, the furniture had been replaced or repaired, and a series of oil lamps along with the fireplace kept the place well-lit and warm. While the knights and citizens huddled around drowning campfires in the makeshift shelters outside, the magistrate was warm and dry in relative comfort. Yuri knew it wasn't in his best interest to criticize, but he had to bite his tongue to keep from even commenting on it.

"Magistrate, I have the inventory reports you requested this afternoon," Flynn said, knocking on the doorframe as he entered through the open door. York was seated in one of the chairs by the fireplace, absorbed in a book. He didn't even glance up, just waving Flynn over with one hand.

"You're late, Commandant. I do not enjoy being made to wait."

"My apologies, sir." York wasn't looking at him, but Flynn made a bow anyway. "I was delayed slightly. You have guests, here to speak with you on behalf of Rita Mordio."

York looked up. "Is that what smells like a wet dog?"

"Yeah, that would be the wet dog," Yuri shot back, pointing in Repede's direction. Repede growled, but Karol stepped in front of them, holding up a hand.

"Mister- um, Magistrate, sir-" he began, stumbling over his words, "we're here to speak with you on behalf of our associate, Rita Mordio. My name is Karol Capel, and I'm the leader of the guild Brave Vesperia."

York narrowed his eyes, examining Karol. "They let a teenager run a guild? Aren't there age requirements for that sort of thing?"

"Hey now. I don't think your star scientist would take kindly to you insulting her boss," Yuri warned, and Repede barked in agreement. York just shook his head.

"The Empire is Miss Mordio's boss. Her dalliance with the guilds is merely an eccentricity we must indulge. Pray tell, what is so important to Miss Mordio that she would send others to do her bidding instead of coming herself?"

"They're here to talk about the role of our disposal wells in last night's earthquake," Flynn explained. "I believe that we should-"

"What role?" York asked, setting his book aside and standing up. "You know that our mining operation did not contribute in any way to the earthquake. Anyone who says otherwise is trying to pick a baseless fight with the Empire, and I will not stand for that."

"But-!" Karol gasped. His voice cracked as he spoke, and he stopped to clear his threat. "I-I mean, Rita said that the council acknowledged the risks of the disposal wells. One of those was the risk of increased earthquake activity, wasn't it?"

"Magistrate, there are records of the council meetings' minutes that will prove the council did, indeed, acknowledge the risks and order the use of the disposal wells anyway," Flynn pointed out. "This is a situation in which the Empire must take preemptive action. Before the Union begins to question the contribution of our mining operation to the earthquake, we must publicly take responsibility and enter into negotiations about potential reparations."

"Reparations?" York scoffed. "That's absurd! Our operation had nothing to do with this event, and even if it did, all risks involved were calculated and accepted by the council!"

"But not by the Union," Yuri pointed out. "The Union had no say in this mining operation whatsoever. They couldn't accept the risks because they weren't given a choice."

"This is all foolish." York turned away, approaching the window. "You would gain nothing by provoking a fight with the Empire."

"We're not trying to provoke a fight," Karol insisted. "We're trying to avoid a fight. Please, just consider what would happen if the Union found ou-"

There was a crackle of static that came simultaneously from a device on a nearby table and Flynn's handheld radio. Flynn removed the radio from his belt and turned the volume knob, trying to make out what was being said. However, the static suddenly turned into a clear voice, calling out from somewhere behind the speaker.

"Citizens of Heliord, I address you in the midst of great strife. You are facing a disaster unlike any you have ever experienced, and you are suffering because of it. My heart goes out to you, for the sake of all the innocents involved. However, it must be acknowledged that your society as a whole is responsible for this disastrous occurrence-"

York snatched the radio out of Flynn's hand, yelling into the transceiver. "Who the hell is this?! What are you doing, broadcasting on this frequency? This is reserved for communications between the Imperial Knights!"

"No frequency is beyond my command, Magistrate," the voice answered. "My name is Enki, and I represent the brotherhood of Axis Mundi. We speak for the Kritya of the surface world, and we shall no longer be silenced by human arrogance."

"Wh-what?" Yuri gasped, and Flynn reached for the transceiver again.

"Is this the same Enki that trespassed on the grounds of the Imperial Palace last night and attacked Lady Es-"

"The earthquake that struck Tolbyccia early this morning was but a small demonstration provided by the Ancient One, an Entelexia whose power we wield. For too long, humanity has spurned the wisdom of the Kritya and suffered because of it. We of Axis Mundi, with the help of the Ancient One, seek to right this wrong and bring humanity into a new age alongside us-"

"C-Commandant!" A voice from the doorway caught the group's attention, and they turned to see Sodia accompanied by a few other knights, all holding their personal transceivers. "There's an unauthorized broadcast coming through on our communications frequency; we can't figure out where it's coming from or how to stop it!"

In the meantime, Enki was still speaking over the radio, his voice echoing loud and clear. "However, humanity must make its own decision. You may choose to follow us into the light or to remain in darkness. But rest assured, if you remain complacent in your ignorance, this disaster is but the first of many yet to come. For the sake of humanity, I implore you to make your decision wisely."

There was a pause, the radio going silent for a moment before a short click sounded and the message began to play again.

"My name is Enki, and I represent the brotherhood of Axis Mundi-"

"It's exactly the same… it sounds like a pre-recorded message," Flynn murmured, examining the transceiver that York was holding. York snatched it away, holding it against his cloak to muffle the sound.

"Then how in the hell did it respond to my question earlier?"

"I don't know." Flynn looked over to Sodia. "If this is on our communications frequency, does that mean it's playing in the capital too?"

"The capital, Aurnion, everywhere we have knight outposts…" Sodia murmured. "This is going to cause mass panic. We have to figure out some way to turn it off."

"But if we don't know the message's origin, how can we-"

"No," York interrupted, handing the transceiver back to Flynn. "Let it play."

"What? But Magistrate-"

"You want to give an explanation to the Guild Union, don't you?" York pointed to Yuri and Karol. "Just now you were arguing that the Union needed an explanation, that we should do everything we can to preserve the peace between the Union and the Empire. Here is your answer to both. The Union doesn't need apologies or reparations to get them on our side. What they need-" He reached out and placed his hand over the transceiver again. "-is a common enemy."

"M-Magistrate, this is wrong!" Flynn gasped. "This is clearly a bluff, a ploy for power and fear by an enemy of the state. You can't give in to that!"

"Flynn's right," Yuri agreed. "You can't blame your own mistakes on some crackpot cult leader and expect your problems to go away. That won't solve anything!"

"On the contrary," York answered, turning away and crossing his hands behind his back. "From where I stand, it will solve everything."