Well an overwhelming amount of reviewers preferred the first bit, so I guess I know what I'm writing :) While it will be somewhat difficult transitioning to more lightearted tones I'll take comfort in the fact that shit can still get pretty freaking dark at times. Just because Raziel is nicer on average doesn't mean he can't be nasty to people who aren't as friendly as Louise or Tiffania.
More varied emotions mean more 'human' mistakes, after all ;)
Oh and lets get this out of the way - Ciaran's not gonna talk in old English dialogue. Apart from the fact that it's a colossal pain in the ass to write consistently you can simply handwave it with her living in Halk for years now so she acclimated to the way they talk. Hope you guys aren't too disappointed; I'll do my best to have her dialogue sound formal like Raziel's but beyond that there's nothing else.
Warning: The first part 's going to be pretty dark still, but that's to be expected. I promise it will get better afterwards; Trust me, if we went with the second segment things would be infinitely worse. Please bear with me since we're still in the transition period and we have a lot of drama to sift through.
Seeing Ciaran again did little to calm his nerves. She was unarmed (and lacking her wolf), just as Tiffania told, but it didn't stop the burst of anger he felt upon seeing her again: Regardless of her reasoning he couldn't simply shrug off her attack. The wounds her tracers had embedded in him still remained in addition to the new scar from the amulet melting his skin. Even now he could feel his shirt rubbing against the ornamental scar.
"Princess Tiffania." The assassin nodded at the girl's arrival, her stance lightening by the barest amount at her unharmed appearance, "I am glad to see you are safe."
The look she gave him was noticeably less warm; even from beneath her cracked porcelain mask he could feel the chill in her gaze. He reciprocated in kind, teeth baring slightly in a low snarl. Fighting her would have been difficult without Derflinger but without her tracers and that wolf of hers they would be on more even ground. Demigod or not he could break her spine.
"Please don't fight." Tiffania's plea snapped them from their impromptu staring contest. The half-elf appeared torn, looking between the two of them desperately, "I...I don't know what happened between the two of you before, but killing each other won't solve anything."
"Princess, I understand that you have a...fondness for it, but please do not be naive." Ciaran's voice grew softer, "It is dangerous, more than you know. The dangers it put your mother through and the people that died because of its corruption...our world's downfall bears on its shoulders. The curse of Undeath is its creation and even now we suffer the consequences."
"Judgement from an assassin? I suppose only you and your ilk are allowed to kill with impunity." Raziel's glare worsened, the scar in his chest flaring, "It may not be truly my memories but I still remember the purges, the innocents burning at the stake. People chosen at random based on nothing more than fear and superstition and burned alive in front of the screaming masses. I saw their smiles as people begged for mercy."
"You drove us to such desperation," Ciaran hissed, "If you had not spread your corruption the Dark would never have gotten its foothold and the world would still be under its proper guidance."
"Guidance? Is that how you refer to it? Tell me, what part of this 'guidance' included Seath taking innocents to be used in his experiments? How were the citizens of New Londo 'guided' when Gwyn drowned them all without a hint of mercy? The Dark Soul may not be the salvation that Kaathe preached it to be but your 'guidance' is akin to sheep being led to the slaughter."
"It was your corruption that put them all at risk. It might not have been you that tempted the four kings, but it was your influence that drove them to madness and their desire to feed on their fellow humans: They were all doomed as soon as the Darkwraiths began to turn them. Drowning the city was the only choice Lord Gwyn could have taken; better one city fall than all of Lordran."
"Tell yourself that while looking at the sea of bodies." The memory caused him to grimace. He'd seen horrible sights, but being forced to climb the stacked corpses as if they were a mountain was something he would never forget, "It is so easy to claim that the end justifies the means when you never have to face the consequences." The image of Tarbes filtered into his mind before he disregarded it. Louise accepted the consequences of her actions while the Gods always hid behind their justifications.
"And how many did you kill in the battle a month prior? Thousands turned into monsters, many more still killed themselves due to the insanity you wrought upon their minds. If you had not stopped your corruption would have spread even further and you would have doomed this entire land." Golden eyes narrowed, her stare practically dripping venom, "You should have died in that field-"
"That's enough!"
Both heads snapped to the meek young woman. Despite her reluctance she stood tall, glaring at them both in equal measure. The Assassin and the Undead took another moment to stare at one another before looking away. Even without their weapons they couldn't resist inciting conflict.
Tiffania looked to the demigod, "Ms. Ciaran, you promised not to fight any more. That's the only reason I'm allowing you to see her. If you can't keep your promise then we have nothing more to talk about," She turned to look at him now, "And Raziel, I understand that you have many reasons to pick a fight but please try to understand. All of this was just due to a misunderstanding and she only meant well."
He wanted to argue more, but when he saw the look in Tiffania's face he reluctantly conceded with a small nod. Across from him Ciaran did the same, muttering something unintelligible under her breath. Hah...a monster and a professional killer and they were brought to their knees because a young girl pleaded for them to get along. If only things were always this simple.
Thankfully she didn't make them shake hands and make up, and after a moment of painful silence Tiffania finally decided it was time to meet their 'mutual acquaintance'. Ciaran stayed close to her, head snapping at every sound that echoed to the forest. Much as he disliked her he could see her reasoning - They'd already been attacked once by the Witch and given that they were unarmed it would be harder to defend themselves.
...Looking back on it, perhaps he should have insisted that they keep their weapons...though he couldn't guarantee they wouldn't have stabbed each other by this point.
The rest of the walk was spent in relative silence. Tiffania tried to drum up conversation, make them engage one another in civil conversation, but no amount of puppy-dog eyes would convince them of that. Really he was more curious on who exactly they were going to meet - Tiffania had mentioned earlier that 'she' had only wanted to talk to him after 'she'd told him about him', but he'd already been here a month. Why now?
Or...was it because she'd just found out he was an Undead?
"We're here..." Tiffania's soft announcement caused them both to stop. Their refusal to get along clearly dampened her mood.
Raziel looked at the entrance to the small cave. Apart from the various foliage decorating the hole making it look distinctly like an empty doorway there was nothing that unique he could discern from it. Was this a shelter of some kind?
As he stepped closer he could hear voices echoing through the hall...both of them familiar. It was faint, but his hearing was better than most. His hands went for his back before remembering that Derflinger wasn't present, "There is-"
"Someone came here before us," Ciaran interrupted, pulling Tiffania closer protectively, "Did you tell anyone else about this place?"
"N-No one."
"I recognize the voices." Raziel muttered. Taking a deep breath he pushed past the foliage and grasped at the stone blindly. He could see almost perfectly in the dark now, but knowing the source of said ability left him feeling little gratitude. He could sill remember Manus hunting the knights in the dark, picking them off one by one and letting their screams echo through the halls. He wanted them to know fear before death.
From behind him he heard Ciaran give a muffled curse. No doubt the assassin could see in the dark relatively well given her profession but it was nothing compared to the primal's human senses. He could only hope that if she tripped she wouldn't take Tiffania down with her.
"Sorry I usually come here in the mornings," Tiffania said softly.
Turning a corner, he saw a faint light at the end of the path, "The light of the moons..." That meant wherever they were meeting must have been open. Picking up his pace, he ducked under the low stone and emerged into the brightly lit grove. This was...eerily similar to the darkroot basin. Even the plants looked like they belonged elsewhere, certainly not something that would naturally grow in a damp cave.
Of course they weren't alone.
His suspicions proved true when he caught sight of Julio sitting on the grassy floor, legs crossed and giving him an easy smile and light wave. Across from him was a rather large mushroom attached to the cavewall. The mushroom turned towards them, her wrinkled eyes moving past him entirely and widening as she caught sight of the masked woman. It would have been amusing had it been anyone else.
"Elizabeth..." He couldn't even make himself muster up any surprise. At this rate he wouldn't have found it too incredible if Guiche was secretly Solaire's bastard son.
"Sir. Ciaran...is that truly you? Age has not caused me to start seeing things just yet, has it?" The mushroom stood up straighter. He winced; he always found something odd about the mushroom woman, not the least of which was the way she moved. There was something unnatural about it...and considering he was a reanimated corpse using a soul that wasn't his that was saying something.
"No, Lady Elizabeth, it truly is me." She stepped closer and got onto one knee, her head bowed reverently, "I...when Princess Tiffania mentioned your name I dared not hope but...it is a sign of good tidings that you are alive and well. I thought you perished in Oolacile..." Her hands clenched, "I am afraid that I could not protect Princess Dusk. When the King found out about her existence, he...when I'd arrived at the cottage it was already burning inside. I thought she perished."
"I am aware. It is...a shame, but she would have taken comfort in Tiffania being safe."
"Ms. Elizabeth-"
"What is going on here?" Raziel interrupted, cutting off Tiffania (he would have to apologize later, "How is it that you are here? How do you know Tiffania? Why are there...Why are there so many from Lordran that appeared here?...And why is here?" He gave a pointed glance at Julio. The priest stood up and dusted himself off, his smile never faltering, "How did you know about this place?"
"The animals can be rather chatty." He raised his right hand, showing them all the runes lining the skin, "Lady Tiffania has apparently been making her way here for a time now. Curiosity got the better of me and...well, I suppose here we stand." He shrugged half-heartedly, "Lady Elizabeth is an old friend, after all. I thought it only prudent to announce my presence to her."
"It was difficult to recognize you at first, my lord." Elizabeth supplied, "You had the stench of a human, but your soul...it still retains its great radiance."
"Lady Elizabeth, he spoke of memories that only Lord Gwyn would know. Does this mean-"
"Yes. He is Lord Gwyn's reincarnation." A strangled noise came from the Lordsblade, but little else. Seeing her beloved Lord as a 'lowly human' must have been distressing, "I had been surprised as well when he appeared to be a human, but his soul does not lie."
"Thank you, my lady, but please call me Julio." Julio said, "I may retain my predecessor's soul, but I like to believe that my soul does not make me who I am. Do not treat me as a Lord or any other such title; I am nothing more than a humble priest of Allfather Brimir. No more, no less."
"I had heard that souls of great of power are reborn, but..." She let out a soft breath, "...No, you are not Lord Gwyn. Lord Gwyn was powerful and wise and...and ready to make the ultimate sacrifice even if it meant unbinding himself from the wheel of death and rebirth." She looked at Julio, her fingers twitching, "That you are here now...it means he has failed."
"On the contrary, he had found a worthy successor. His death was a mercy," Julio countered, "I don't expect you to defer to me as your Lord, but I do hope we can make friends with one another. One's past does not define all that they are after all."
"You are not the only one who has been reborn." Elizabeth turned to look at Raziel now. He suddenly felt self-conscious, "But you...you are fragmented. Tiffania had told me that she had found a significant other. When she'd told me he was an Undead I did not expect it to be you of all people."
"...Significant other?" The edge in Ciaran's voice didn't speak of good things.
"Ciaran, calm yourself." Elizabeth chided, a soft laugh escaping from...oh right, she didn't have a mouth. Bizarre, "They have been spending time with one another for a month now. If he had wished her harm we would not be having this conversation now." She gave him a meaningful look, "You...You are not Manus. You have the smell of the beast on you, but it is not so pervasive. But you are not like Sir. Julio...there is something different about you."
"Little surprise you do not recognize me," He scoffed, "You, Ciaran and Dusk...I have met you all before...and not as Manus."
That caused them pause. Ciaran stared at him, her expression unreadable under the mask. Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, likely trying to recall him. He sighed.
"...In Oolacile, the knight that saved Princess Dusk." It felt odd reminding them of this. No one was supposed to know of him; it would always be credited to the heroic knight Artorias, "You told me that my deeds would never be known. Artorias could not afford to die in disgrace, so legends foretold that he was the one that saved Princess Dusk and slayed Manus."
"How do you..." He could practically feel the chill that coursed through Ciaran's body as she connected the dots, "That night in Oolacile...the one I had given Artorias' soul to..."
"After I went to the trouble of giving it to you, yes." He crossed his arms and sighed. He would have preferred to keep his identity hidden; it brought up far too many uncomfortable memories, "I was dragged through time like Chester; I had to pass that damned chimera; I had to kill Artorias when he attacked me and Manus joined him soon after. Does that make it clear?"
"That is...not possible." She answered slowly, hands groping for the silver accessory, "The amulet senses Manus' soul inside you...you used this very same amulet with no repercussions."
"What remained of Manus had not fully awakened...truth be told, I do not understand it myself." He frowned, "Manus' soul split into four pieces. Where they are now I have no idea, but whatever remained eventually made its way to the asylum. It created me as a mask, a temporary identity to protect it from any threats...I expect that it did not expect me to gain a will of my own."
"So you are responsible for your own demise?" Julio gave an incredulous laugh. He knew that his circumstances were odd, but this was another thing entirely, "Fate works in mysterious ways, Sir. Raziel, perhaps it was no mere coincidence that you were the one that had slayed your progenitor."
"Fate or chance, this...unexpected," Elizabeth opined, "Things are set in stone. Light and Dark emerge, one fights for dominance. So it has been so it shall always be. Dark always achieves victory before Light. Years of suffering and torment, but eventually Light prevails once more. Seeing no end in sight the Souls erase everything and begin anew...and it all happens again once more. Humans are always the one to facilitate the turnabout, but giving themselves to the Flames in order to stave of the Darkness. But to have a fragment of Manus responsible for turning the tide...there must be a reason."
"Very perceptive for a mushroom trapped in a forest," Raziel muttered, "You talk like Chester, speaking of cycles and recurrence. You never answered my question." Tiffania touched his shoulder, likely an attempt to calm him, but he ignored her. He needed answers, "You, Ciaran, Chester, Dusk, Sieglinde...how is it that you all appeared here? What is..What is this world that we have been taken to?"
"A question I am sure none of us truly know the answer to," Elizabeth replied, "Decades now I spent searching for answers, but for every piece of the puzzle I find it only grows larger." She hummed quietly before turning to all three of them, "How long have you all been here?"
"Seventeen years. I was born here, after all." Julio answered easily.
"...Fifty years." Ciaran's answer came as a surprise.
She'd been summoned here for that long? He knew Sieglinde had lived long enough to die of old age and Chester was wizened enough to sire a few generations, but...what in the abyss was going on here? Louise couldn't have been responsible for all this, could she? No, that wasn't right; she couldn't have been born yet. Was it her magic then? Or was the land itself pulling at them?
All of them were looking at him now. He looked away to avoid their gaze, "...Nearly a year now. I was...summoned by Louise to be her Familiar. I trust that neither of you were summoned for a specific reason?"
"No. Ghough and I...we were to leave Oolacile, report news of our success in New Londo. But then..." She let out a throaty growl, "A bright light consumed us and we felt ourselves falling. When we had woken up we were in a strange forest, which we would later find out belonged to a land called Gallia. We made our way to the nearest village and then...the humans looked at Ghough as if they had seen a monster."
"The archer would appear to be so, yes." Julio sighed, "In this land he would most resemble an Ogre, a creature well known for its appetites on human flesh."
"We ran. Killing them would have been simplicity itself, but Ghough had insisted that we leave them be. That fear would eventually pass," Her clenched hands shook, "We made camp at the forest, away from the village. We had no idea where we were, but the twin moons made it clear that something was very wrong. Days we spent trying to survive but then..." Her eyes closed, "Then the mercenaries came."
"Mercenaries? In Gwyn's memories you both were very formidable."
"They used a magic we did not understand!" Tiffania jumped back at the sudden yell, "They came at us in the middle of the night. Those villagers cried to their lord about armored beasts roaming the forests and he sent them there to kill us...kill Ghough. They were content to ignore me at first, assuming I was nothing more than a woman he had captured to have his way with."
"Ms. Ciaran..."
"Ghough tried to explain himself, but they would not listen. We were forced defend ourselves, but there were far too many of them. Casting fire, making the wind tear at our skin...we could not fight them openly. We separated, luring as many of them as I could with me. I had managed to kill those that followed me but when I came back..." Her breath grew shallower, "Ghough was gone. There were two of the mercenaries left. I killed the first and demanded answers from the second. He...He told me that the giant had been chased away and that he was likely dead now."
"I searched for him, months I combed over the forests...but I never saw any sign of him again. I can only assume he perished...all because of those human's unfounded fears."
"I am sorry for your loss, Sir. Ciaran, but please do not blame all of humanity on the actions of a few," Elizabeth said, "Humans were the ones responsible for the death of Princess Dusk, but it was another human that had saved Lady Tiffania's life and treated her as her own sister. This is correct, yes?"
"Oh..yes." Tiffania nodded. Maybe she should have left; she had no idea what they were talking about, "Um...you were talking about how long we were here. My mother was here for sixteen years...if that helps."
"Myself I have been here nearing a hundred years now. Whoever or whatever saw fit to summon us either partially or fully evidently decided it did not matter when we arrived so long as we appeared in this world specifically." She looked at each of them in turn, "This cannot be all a coincidence. Our time has passed, and yet only Sir. Julio has been properly reborn in this cycle."
"That is if these cycles even exist. Perhaps you are seeing signs where none exist," Raziel dismissed, ignoring the harsh stare Ciaran gave him, "One year or one hundred, none of this makes any sense."
"Perhaps something is different about this cycle in particular?" Julio broached, "The memories I have inherited are wide: Those of Gwyn, and those of a greedy king that had sought to create an eternal empire. In both cases I was nothing more than an obstacle, a soul that had to be taken in order to open the way to the kiln, but now..." He stifled a giggle, "It would only be my guess, but each Void Familiar is a representative - Myself for Gwyn, Sir. Raziel for Manus, and Lady Sheffield for Quela. Whoever our mysterious fourth Familiar will be he or she will most likely take after Nito in either soul or role."
"So we were enslaved in order to stop these 'cycles' from continuing?" Raziel scoffed, "That...That makes no sense. Even if you are correct how does that explain Ciaran or Elizabeth? They have no Lordsouls and yet they were summoned."
"Ah, for that I will have to venture another guess: Nothing more than simple mistakes." His smile disappeared, "For all rumors of its omnipotence, even Void Magic is prone to its mistakes. It tried to summon all the souls, and yet the tears it left behind...I suppose certain individuals simply fell through. Given that this land isn't brimming with refugees from Lordran and Drangleic I can only assume it to be a rare occurrence."
"...This is far too much to understand all at once." A frustrated sigh came from the Demigod, "Assuming your guesswork to be true, what does this mean? That these...'cycles' are still in motion?"
"That's what we can assume, yes," Julio replied, "The war for dominance between Light and Dark will never cease, even if the methods differ. In the previous cycles it was through the spread of the curse of Undeath and the sacrifice at the kiln, but now...well, simply look at the number of dead in this year alone. The war with Reconquista isn't the first war of its kind nor will it be the last."
"The world is doomed then. Why does this come as no surprise?" Raziel smiled wryly, "Assuming all of this is true, of course."
"You may not have manifested in the previous cycle, but the shards of your progenitor certainly had. Nashandra and Elana...both pulling the strings to try and spread their corruption. I know not what happened to the others two, but perhaps that is for the best." He clapped his shoulder, "But now you're here, and you can do what your 'sisters' never thought of - Save this world."
"You believe this...this creature to be capable of protecting this world?" Ciaran asked disbelievingly, "Even if he is responsible for his progenitor's death you cannot trust it. When the mask crumbles all that will remain is the beast."
"This 'creature' nearly killed you earlier, if you recall," He snarled, "I gave my life to prolong Gwyndolin's pathetic rule, I burned my soul in the kiln believing it was the only way to save the world." He laughed bitterly, "And yet you claim that you 'cannot trust me'? Ha...fine, when the world next stands on the precipice of destruction you can be the one to offer up your soul to the fires. Perhaps your 'faith' will protect you from the torments."
"You gave yourself to the kiln...? Impossible."
"I would have said the same about a shard of Manus being responsible for his death, but that also transpired." He looked back to Elizabeth, "Assuming these 'cycles' exist, what is it the purpose of your long search? You have made it quite clear that it could not be stopped."
"Perhaps before, yes, but now...now there is chance. Here four of you stand, each destined to play a crucial role...perhaps one that would lead to this world's salvation."
"If destiny exists then it is nothing more than a cruel child ripping the wings of an insect. If you think we are pre-destined to save the world then you are deluding yourself. The key to stopping these 'cycles' will not fall onto our lap."
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try, however," Julio cut in, "While you may be ambivalent to the idea of destiny, what else could you call our meeting here if not providence? A shard of Manus that had gained free will, the reincarnated soul of Gwyn, the last remaining Lordsblade and a half-Elven Void Mage. I cannot see all this as a coincidence, could you?"
"...What do you mean Void Mage?" He stared at Tiffania. She fidgeted in place, looking down at the ground awkwardly, "Tiffania...what does he mean?"
"Hmm? Oh...I thought you knew." Julio appeared genuinely sheepish, "Ah, yes...I had seen her cast a spell earlier. Memory erasure magic, the clear sign of a Void Mage...the last one we need." He laughed softly, "Tiffania, meaning 'Manifestation of God'. Either Princess Dusk was more knowledgeable than we gave her credit for or it was, as you say, nothing more than coincidence." He shrugged, "Regardless it is a stroke of good fortune for us."
"I will not allow you to manipulate her like a weapon," Ciaran hissed, glaring daggers at the handsome priest, "Regardless of what this 'Void Magic' may be she has suffered enough without being used as a pawn."
"We may not have a choice..." Elizabeth murmured, voice growing weaker. Was it guilt or fatigue? "Much as it pains me to admit this, she cannot deny her nature." Her eyes lolled over to the young Void Mage, "Tiffania...could you please leave us for now? I...need to discuss something with Sir. Raziel and Sir. Ciaran."
"But-"
"I will escort you, my lady." Julio bowed and gave her a charming smile. Raziel and Ciaran looked at one another before eventually nodding - They may not have trusted Julio fully but they trusted each other far less. So long as he kept her safe until their discussion ended.
Elizabeth waited for their footsteps to fade before continuing, "You both...I have a request." Immediately Ciaran nodded. Raziel rolled his eyes, "Take care of Tiffania...the coming days will be difficult for her, and she will need you both to be there for her."
"She already has a guardian," Raziel mumbled, again ignoring Ciaran's scornful gaze. Her guardian, Fouquet...Gods it felt like a lifetime ago when they had met. She was also with...
Oh damn it.
Wardes. How had he forgotten about him? Could he have...no, he was sure that he had killed him. He'd shoved the gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger, he had thrown him off the ship. Was...no, he could worry about that later. He needed to focus.
"Lady Mathilda, yes?" Elizabeth asked, "I am aware of her role. However..." She paused, trying to consider her words, "She is distant. She clearly cares for her and yet she is rarely present. Sir. Julio told me of the dangers you all faced. Tiffania is a 'Void Mage', her blood descended from the Mage the humans here worship. If this Witch of Chaos comes back for her I...cannot protect her. But with you both...she will require all the help she can in the coming days."
"Of course, Lady Elizabeth." She went on one knee again and bowed, "I swear on my life that I will not fail her again."
"...We are not her parents." He crossed his arms, "I...care for her, so I will protect her, but if you wish for me to act as her guardian then I cannot agree."
"Lady Elizabeth, I do not need-"
"Hush, Ciaran...set aside your hatred. Whatever conflict you have with one another, it is clear that you both care for her. Is that not enough?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. Was she attempting a smile without a mouth? "Now, Raziel...Tiffania has told me of the relationship you both share." He could see Ciaran's fingers twitching. Clearly she didn't enjoy her mark and her ward bonding with one another, "I was happy for her, but now..."
"What...?" It didn't take a scholar to understand she was going to say something negative.
"How much control does Manus exhibit over you?" Well, he was expecting that. His expression lowered into a sneer at her implications, "Manus...his obsession with Princess Dusk caused her much suffering. Could it be, even if you are not aware of it, that this twisted affection has transferred to-"
"Do not finish that sentence." Raziel's snarl was enough to make the mushroom woman uneasy, "You of all of people have no right to claim that I would only hurt her. You knew...You knew about the depravities that happened right under your feet. You visited the dungeons, and yet you did nothing. You could have told Dusk, but because you wanted to keep her innocence you let them continue unabated."
"Princess Dusk would have been unable to stop them, not truly. Temptation will always exist, and the next ones to be tempted would have killed her as a precaution. She...She was not ready for such responsibility. Not yet."
"Of course you had to protect your image of utopia, what was one more body among the foundations?" He laughed humorlessly, "Except that last body turned into a monster, rotted your foundations and showed you for the monsters you really were. And now you accuse me of..what? Being with Tiffania due to my progenitor's obsession?"
"Do not attempt to defend your actions," Ciaran cut in, "You committed the corruption and murder of countless innocents all for the sake revenge."
"Sound familiar, assassin? Perhaps he should have proclaimed to kill for Light instead of Dark then you would not be able to tell the difference-"
"Enough...please." The mushroom woman coughed, drawing their attention once more, "I merely ask that you think of consequences. If you cannot be certain...I do not wish for Tiffania to become a victim of obsession. Not again." Her coughs continued, softer this time, "...My time here grows shorter. I persevered only to continue watching over her, but with you here perhaps I could finally rest."
"My lady-"
"Sir. Ciaran...I wish for you to swear to me. Not as a Lordsblade and not as a Knight of Gwyn, but as yourself...please promise me that you will protect her."
Her next action shocked him. Her hands grabbed the cracked mask before pulling it off her face. Pale blond hair and even paler skin were exposed to the chilly night air; he could see a hint of faint scars and bruises marring the sides of her face, but it did little to diminish from her graceful appearance.
She...appeared human.
He didn't know what he was expecting, but she thought her features would be more alien. Apart from her golden eyes she appeared no different from any other human woman, though the fatigue on her face marked her as one who had been through far more than her appearance would indicate.
"I promise, until I draw my last breath, to protect Princess Tiffania from harm." She took a moment to give him a sideways glance. He ignored her, "I...I am glad to have had a chance to talk with you once more."
"And I you, Ciaran." Elizabeth looked up at him, "Could I count on you as well?"
"...Show me your true face." The woman was silent, so he pressed harder, "If you wish for me to place even a modicum of trust in you then stop hiding behind the mask of that mushroom. I want you to ask me with your true face."
"...Very well."
Oolacilians were the masters of 'peaceful sorcery', and one of those was the spell referred to as 'Chameleon'. Looking back as the transformation faded, he was met with an old woman lying on the floor. A quick glance of her features confirmed her claims - Like Chester her face appeared wizened, eyes milky white cataracts and the dress she wore lying in dusty tatters. He'd heard tales of the Oolacilian's beauty, of their long lifespans which lasted to hundreds of years. The only thing he could say with certainty was that she fully appeared her hundreds of years old.
She was right: It appeared as if she was ready to go to her eternal rest.
"Surprised?" She let out a soft laugh, "There is a reason I prefer to keep myself disguised." She brushed away stringy gray hair, "Again, I ask of you - Please protect Tiffania. I cannot protect her, I never could, but you both can."
"My Lady-"
"Fine, yes, I will do my utmost to protect Tiffania. I promise on my unlife that nothing will ever happen to her."
"Good, that is good..." A satisfied smile made its way to her face. She was fading; he would give her a few days, a week if she was lucky, "...Do not let her live in a world controlled by the whims of uncaring Souls." She looked between them, "Light and Dark have always been in conflict...but perhaps if you work together you could finally succeed where we once failed."
Cooperation? It only took one glance between the two of them before they scoffed. They wouldn't argue against her in her condition, but at best they could tolerate one another. She couldn't expect more than that.
The way back was spent in painful silence. Ciaran looked torn about leaving the old Oolacilian, but there was little she could do for her. He...He knew what it was like to live only for the sake of someone else. When he thought he was still Hollowing he had forced himself to survive only until Louise was safe. Now that she'd found new guardians for her beloved Dusk's daughter she could rest easy.
Though whether her choice on who to trust was wise was something else entirely.
"...You are truly the knight from before?"
Raziel gave her a sideways glance. She still kept her head pointed forward, eyes never wandering. He had to admit that it was odd seeing her without her mask, "I have no reason to lie to you." He placed his hands in his pockets. Despite his dulled senses he could still feel some of the chill from the night winds, "You already hate me and the feeling is mutual. That belies a certain a honesty."
"I suppose it does..."
The silence returned. It was difficult to see but the assassin seemed to be in thought, but of what he had no idea. It didn't matter. They knew exactly where they stood - The only reason they weren't killing one another was because of Tiffania, and even that was extremely fragile. He would always be a monster in her eyes and she would always be a blind zealot in his.
It was simple, and that at least he could appreciate.
They found Tiffania sitting in front of the house. Her head snapped up as soon as she heard the soft footsteps, "Oh, you're both back..." Her smile was that of relief. Perhaps she had taken their lack of injuries as a sign that they were getting along? "What did...What did Miss. Elizabeth want to talk you two about?"
Neither answered. Tiffania looked worriedly between the pair before Ciaran finally managed to find her voice, "Princess Tiffania...Lady Elizabeth wishes to tell you that she..will be unable to see you any more. She-"
"She's dead, isn't she?" Her voice sounded tired, but unsurprised, "Please just tell me honestly. I've experienced it before."
"She has perhaps days left," Raziel answered for her, "She...asked us to look over you."
"But what about-"
"She knows about Fo- Ms. Mathilda." No, wrong. He couldn't tell her that her beloved older sister was a thief with blood on her hands. She'd already lost far too much today, "She cares for you, but her absence is...troubling." He took a deep breath; he needed to phrase this properly, "That witch from earlier...you might be at risk. Even if she does not know you are a Void Mage she has proven dangerous and willing to attack anyone."
"She was no ordinary Witch of Chaos. Her magic is nothing I have ever seen in my time in Lordran," Ciaran opined, "If she attacks once more we will need to focus her attention on her. The Golems she summons are tied to her will."
"Um...yes." Tiffania looked decidedly uncomfortable at the discussion. Taking a deep breath she focused her attention on him, "Raziel, could we please talk? Alone?"
The impromptu 'partners' shared a look. He could see Ciaran's lips curling into a frown as she took a deep breath, "...Fine, but do not stray far."
He could see Tiffania visibly sag in relief as she all but dragged him to a thin cluster of trees a short distance away from the house. Ciaran's eyes were trained on them always and he had the distinct feeling this conversation wouldn't be as private as she'd hoped. It was only when they arrived at the lake where he (used to) fish that she finally allowed herself to stop.
"...Something on your mind?" Despite the situation he found himself being able to smile just from being alone with her. Granted Ciaran was probably up in a tree branch somewhere spying on them, but he would take what he could get.
"No, it's just...today has been so hectic." She did her best to reciprocate his smile, "I...just wanted a moment to be alone. We didn't get the chance to properly talk to one another earlier...there was a lot of shouting." She sat by the riverside and pulled away her sandals, dipping her legs into the cold water.
Ah, yes, he remembered that clearly. Screaming and shouting, barely being able to stop from throttling one another because Tiffania begged them not to fight. Vaan screamed when he'd first seen Ciaran and even up to now he still refused to place any trust in her the same way Tiffania had...though it didn't surprise him considering his poor first impression.
"I...I am sorry about Elizabeth." He still felt a distinct sense of resentment for that old mushroom, but now it had been replaced by a burgeoning rise of apathy. She was due to pass on soon, there was no point in him worrying about her.
"It's alright. I...I knew she was old already, so it doesn't surprise me anymore." She wrung her hands together, "I met her only a few years ago. It was by chance; I was exploring to see if I could find some better fruits for the others when I stumbled upon the cave. She...looked surprised when she saw me." She hugged her legs closer to her, "She told me she knew my mother and that she would help me. She...She claimed to see a resemblance when I asked her how she knew."
"I see it..." His smile faded. Manus' obsession with her still lasted even after the eons passed. Even now he could recall her name popping into his mind when he'd gotten his first clear look at the young Void Mage.
"She made me promise not to tell big sis about her, and then she gave me some mushrooms to help me feed the others." Her expression lightened at the memory.
He felt a light wave of guilt at the mushrooms he had picked off the cave's walls and stuffed into his pockets. His feelings towards her aside, they were extremely useful and he would have been a fool not to take any..
"She...She was always there when I needed someone to talk to. I love big sis, but she's almost never around because of her jobs." She took a deep breath. "I'll miss her, but she'll be with mother and father wherever they may be."
They said nothing else, finding comfort in each other's presence. Reluctantly he sat to her right, making sure to keep a small distance between them. He had no idea where things stood between them now; they couldn't exactly find the time to discuss their relationship earlier. She...She had fallen in love with Robin, the stupid boy who was naive to the ways of the world. And in turn he had fallen for her, the kind young woman that saved him from certain death.
It was storybook in every sense of the word, and that was exactly the problem - Reality had a harsh way of reminding them that life didn't work that way.
Robin was gone. A part of him remained, however small, but he wasn't who she had fallen in love with. He had fallen in love with her at his most vulnerable, latching onto the one who had given him the most affection. Could they still continue as they did after everything that had happened...after Robin died and he found out the truth about her?
"Raziel, is something wrong?" She looked at him worriedly, right hand touching his left. He shivered slightly, "Is...Is there anything I can do?"
"It is...nothing." He let out a soft breath, "Tiffania...what do we do now? About our...relationship?"
That got her attention. She chewed her lower lip and tightened her grip on his hand, "I...do we have to change anything?" She was asking him? He didn't know any more than her... "You recovered your memories, but it doesn't change our feelings for one another. I still love you."
"How much control does Manus exhibit over you?"
...He wasn't sure.
He wanted to tell himself that he held no sway over him, that the seals kept him in place, but he didn't have that certainty. He had rushed into the relationship with Tiffania, but was that due to childish naivete or Manus projecting his desires? The happiness was real, he couldn't deny that, but would their relationship continue to work? Would it be the best thing for them both?
...He wasn't sure.
No...he knew one thing for certain - He cared about Tiffania, romantic or otherwise...and he could never be with her until he was sure it was nothing more than primal instinct guiding his desires.
"Tiffa-"
His words were drowned as the girl leaned forward and gave him a fervent kiss. He closed his eyes and leaned into her caress, his hands sliding up her waist and holding her gently. Even after days of open affection their movements were clumsy, hands fumbling against each other's bodies as they deepened their kiss. He wished it would never end, that he could hold onto her forever.
It was...addicting.
...No, not until he was sure. Fighting against every instinct pushing for him to keep her close, he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away.
"...What's wrong?" The hurt in her eyes tore at him. His hands shook and he found it difficult to look at her. Taking a deep breath, he stood up grimaced. Gods damn it, he could already feel his regrets bubbling over, "Raziel, please tell me what's wrong." She stood up hastily, hand reaching out for him again, "If there's anything I can do-"
"We cannot be together...I am sorry."
Tiffania's mouth parted, trying to form words that never came. She made a valiant effort to hide it but the devastation was clear, "Raziel...I love you..." She reached a hand to him, silently begging for him to take her hand in his.
He pushed away her hand softly.
It wasn't long before tears fell and she turned away, trying to hide her sadness. He stood there, unable to do anything. Better she live hating him than die loving him...Wales had said those words once, and right now he felt the true weight of them.
"Tiffania-"
"Just...Just tell me why..." Her voice came out in a choked whisper, "Do you...not love me any more?"
"Manus, he...was obsessed with your mother." It was hard, forcing himself to speak, "His soul resides in me...I do not know if he still influences my actions." His excuse sounded weak even to him, but he forced himself to continue, "What if these compulsions still affect me? Dusk suffered due to his madness...I do not want you to share the same fate. Hate me if you must..."
"I wish I could..." She shook her head, wiping away the torrent of tears, "...You won't stay with me, even if I want you to?"
"...Would you kill me if I asked you to?" He asked back, "Once I am certain I can be with you I would do so without hesitation...but it is not fair to make you wait for me. I...I am sorry...but I cannot allow you to be hurt-"
"You're hurting me now." Her words cut deep. She gasped and turned back to face him, her tear-stained face torn, "I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that..." She closed her eyes and took a moment to compose herself, "...Please answer me honestly...if you never recovered your memory...would your feelings have changed?"
"...I cannot say. I am sorry."
"Right..." She looked down and her arms close to herself. She felt cold, "I...suppose there's nothing else to talk about." She picked up her sandals and put them on clumsily, "I'll...I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Of course..."
He waited until she was out of sight before he finally allowed himself to fall. He knelt, hands grabbing for the water and splashing his face desperately. Okay...it was okay. This was...damn it, he felt horrible.
"I am surprised you made that choice."
He looked up and glared at Ciaran. So she really was watching? Hah...she probably would have thrown a knife at the back of his head if he let their display of affection continue, "...What do you want?" He splashed his face one more time before forcing himself to stand, wiping the water on his shirt, "...If you came to mock me then go ahead. I see no reason to fight you now."
"I saw what you had done." Her voice grew softer, "..She will wait for you, you know this. Her innocence will allow her no other course of action."
"She deserves someone else...someone who can make her happy with no uncertainty." He closed his eyes briefly, "...Why do you care, anyway? I thought you would be happy for our relationship to have ended in such a way."
"...Even I am not so blinded by hatred that I would be be unaware of what your relationship meant..." She paused, deliberating her words. It was clear to see that she couldn't believe what she was doing, "If you were truly Manus then you would never have been able to push her away. ...Perhaps Lady Elizabeth was correct in placing her faith in you."
"A quick change of heart..." He commented.
"Do not mistake my tolerance for acceptance." Her eyes narrowed. Ah, that was much more in line with his expectations, "I cannot trust you...but I am capable of setting aside our differences for a common goal." She looked to the cottage's direction, "Even if Princess Dusk has passed from this world, her legacy will continue. So long as you keep the beast in control we shall not find ourselves in conflict."
"Trust me, I have a vested interest in not losing myself..." He muttered, "If I lost myself to the fragment...I might as well be dead..."
"I can make your death quick; I can promise nothing more."
"How comforting..." He smiled wryly, picking up a pebble and throwing it against the stream. Sometimes he wished he could simply be selfish, but the consequences were too severe for him to indulge in temptations, "...Tell me, do you believe in Elizabeth's words? That all this...has happened before?"
"An eternal recurrence, you mean," She replied, "I am uncertain, but Lady Elizabeth is not one to place her belief in superstition. It must be more than faith that drove her to this conclusion." She rubbed her arm. It was the one he'd injured earlier, "The priest that had been blessed with Lord Gwyn's soul...I cannot place it as mere coincidence." She turned to him, eyes half-lidded, "She wishes for us to cooperate, both to protect Princess Tiffania and to stop this 'cycle' from dooming this world. Whether it is true or not my word is my bond."
"We shall keep our opinion to ourselves, then." Her only response was a muted nod. It was for the best; if they had any hope of cooperation they could simply think of the other as a mute sentry, "...We might be forced to leave this place. The Witch knows where her home is now."
"Where would she go? The humans look at any different than them as if they were monsters." Memories of being run out of town for fear of her being a Vampire ran through her mind. She bit back a growl; it at least taught her to spend no more than five years in the same village. After two decades the superstitious lot grew to fear her lack of aging, "She would be forced to hide her identity, ever fearful of being discovered."
"We cannot protect her on our own. Without Louise we would have been overwhelmed," He winced, tracing a hand through the circle burned into his neck. The pain from her magic was worse than any sword or spell, "Like it or not, we need help."
"Perhaps..." The biting wind intensified. She shivered slightly, "Princess Tiffania will be reluctant to leave. This place has been her home for years."
"We will burn that bridge when we come to it." His thoughts drifted back to Louise. Could he still be with her and protect Tiffania? Perhaps...Perhaps this truly was to be their final goodbye. He doubted Tiffania could go back to the academy with her.
Until the Witch and her master perished, they would never be safe.
This chapter had to be split since it ended up larger than expected. I'm going to try to post chapters at a more manageable size; 14k chapters are a bit overmuch and discourage readers from going through it in one sitting. For now I'll do my best to limit it to the 8-10k mark so it's large but not to the point that it becomes a drag.
Anyway, this chapter still ended up pretty depressing despite my attempts at levity. Don't worry, the next chapter is going to be less fatalistic. I know people are going to dislike cutting off the relationship, but he does have a reason; do remember that when he first saw her in the forest and he woke up from his wounds he defaulted to calling her Dusk despite not remembering anyone else from his past life. This is more blatant in the segment 2 scenario where Manus' influence is more powerful.
That and he does comment that she fell in love with 'Robin', and while traces of him still remain he's still by-and-by a different person now. They can't exactly continue where they left off after everything that's happened. He can still be happy with or without Tiffania, so please no accusations that I'm shitting on any chance of happiness he can have.
And before anyone rags on Elizabeth - She had decent reason to be worried. His origin is unbelievable enough as it is, and she didn't want a repeat of Oolacile. Whether she has any right to make that call is another thing entirely. but her point is valid. And yes, Ciaran's role in bringing back his memories will factor in later, in case anyone thinks I missed it.
Just a heads up - After this chapter or the next one I'm going to attempt writing a fanfic for Miraculous Ladybug. Writing for a romcom should help me write more lighthearted segments. I'm afraid I'm a bit out of touch with those.
Reviews:
Diamondfiend - He's friendly in the last chapter because you only see him talking to people he cares about like Louise, Tiffania and Derflinger. As this chapter shows he can still be plenty nasty if the situation calls for it.
Andy132 - The portrayal in the beginning is, in my opinion, the most lacking because of Raziel's total lack of personality. The first hint that we even get that he has his own opinion on things is when he refused to bow to Henrietta; every other time he just goes along with it like a programmed robot. This is because he was still uncertain and naive to the way Halk worked and how it seems like paradise compared to Lordran.
Fouquet's bandit attack, the depravity in Mott's estate, the assault on Newcastle and the invasion at Tarbes chip away at whatever naivete he had and by the later points he acknowledges that Halkeginia's prettiness is only skin deep. Think of it like a child growing up and understanding the world isn't as nice as they think it is.
I do, however, agree with you on the DS lore bit. At this point I acknowledge that I've gone too far, but it opens up the most plot potential while still keeping the ZNT characters and elements.
Kishinokurobi - Why does it even matter if he can have an erection? Considering I can barely write fight scenes I doubt I'll ever write sex scenes so it doesn't factor in. Also, even if you want to expose it all I'll thank you not to put it out on the reviews for my story. I know I don't own but I do have limitations on what people can post on the reviews.
Also, the story doesn't exactly stop being melancholic. It just has happier moments overall.
Mingyu - I don't think she's falling over herself, she's simply giving him a choice. She's not trying to bribe him to come back with her or anything, just asking what he wants and respecting his decision either way. It's just common human decency :)
Remvis - Woot, long review! You know I love me these things :D Anyway, as to the romance: I do agree on Siesta and Tiffania falling prey to the 'Shallow Love Interest' trope, though Tiffania has more potential due to her role as a Void Mage. Likewise I would argue that apart from being a Firekeeper Cattleya has little impact on the overarching story so she could fall prey to this as well.
Self-stockholm syndrome doesn't really apply here because again neither of his love interests abuse him in any way nor does he want to leave them/has to force himself to stay. That makes the most sense in his relation with Louise, but that's not romantic. Although I suppose you could argue that Robin has Dependent Personality Disorder and latches onto people due to a need for acceptance.
I will also disagree on Louise being one of the better characters. Louise is a walking Tsundere archetype dialed up to eleven and her backstory of inferiority in no way excuses her actions. You spoke of Tabitha's backstory and I have to agree that she's the only character I liked on my initial viewing - Her backstory is the most traumatic and yet she still finds it in her to help her friends, constantly putting herself at risk to aid them with no reward. If Louise allowed herself to move past her backstory she would have been a better character but as it stands it just feels like an excuse for us to allow her rampant abuse of her boyfriend.
I'm not sure if I ever had Kirche flat out seduce him, unless you count the really early chapters. When they're back from Albion she loses all interest and they settle into an easy friendship. Ditto Tabitha who never expressed interest until the Humanity debacle, and even then they tend to be cold to one another. This might change given his personality shift.
Really though the only one who can 'control' Manus are Ciaran, Tiffania and Louise. Ciaran because she can possibly beat him to submission, Tiffania because his fixation on her allows some influence (like a kidnapper who allows their hostage some leeway) and Louise because the runes allow her to exert control. Julio, Henrietta and others with a Light Soul might repulse his nature, but I'm not sure if that counts. Derflinger can seal him, but he's into into romance :p
Also, I doubt Raziel and Ciaran can end up together. Too much history there, and it's made very clear they can tolerate each other so long as they share a common goal.
HUNK of Chernobyl - What do you mean both? I can't write two versions of the same story.