So...most of the reviews I got were about expressing joy about the fic being 'alive'. Flattering and I'm happy that readers are still, you know, reading, but I do hope that we get more comments and criticisms :)
Anyway, this chapter sets up some more concrete plot points compared to the last one. Some of them you guys might like, others maybe not, but we'll see. Like I said before I'm trying to move the plot faster so we can actually finish this before I die of old age. So yeah, for those who are hoping for some actual plot and resolutions finally, this is good news for you.
Here he was again, wasting more time with lost causes. Raziel wondered if he was foolish or simply craved death.
"The patrols are thinning," Daphne said ahead of him. Raziel looked past her towards the two yawning guards and adjusted Derflinger's place across his back. Killing the men would've been simple - two slices and their necks would be severed clean - but he hardly relished the idea of killing innocent men. For all he knew they were just like the innkeeper's son; young men forced to carry swords in their hands lest they be stabbed in the back for treason.
In the end the ones who sat on thrones still trampled over those below them, whether they be gods or humans.
"Eh...I've got a bad feeling about this, partner," Derflinger clicked behind him, "You get spotted and it's a chase through the border. Trust me, I've been owned by a couple bandits in my time and it ain't pleasant."
"Shush." He tapped his friend's hilt gently, the chain clinking softly on his wrist. Even Derflinger had little clue on why it remain attached to him like an unwanted limb, "If you wish to complain then talk to the Vampire, else keep quiet. I would rather not be placed into another mortuary."
"Yeah, you and me both. That old guy was a real creep, huh?"
"Please keep quiet," Daphne looked back briefly and gave him a stern look before her focus shifted back to their route. Raziel rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to bite something back. She was the one who insisted they continue on this mad quest for information. He would've stayed in the camp had she not pleaded for him to join her. In case persuasion doesn't work, she'd said. What she truly meant was that she required a brute to do the things she was incapable of.
The guards were soon engrossed in a conversation. Daphne placed a finger against her lips before she rushed to the next low wall, all but dragging Raziel with her. Ever since the new 'Revered Queen's' - a self-given title, if the rumors had any grain of truth - ascension there'd been a curfew in effect. Anyone spotted after a certain hour would either be forced to pay an exorbitant fine or taken to the garrison for thirty lashes. He couldn't say he was fond of either option.
Their plan, if one could even call it that, was to make their way to the garrison to have Daphne charm the captain in charge and gather any documents they could. He doubted it would work, but from what he'd seen that demented magic of hers turned grown men into quivering pups. He could only thank small mercies that he seemed to be immune to the effects. He couldn't imagine tripping over himself to please someone as monstrous as he.
The garrison station was a large building - far larger than the other houses and structures that made up the rest of the village. Daphne looked around and shadowed her way inside while he followed after her, "Steps, silent as the night wind." She pressed a palm against his chest and he felt a brief chill rush over him, "Your steps should be muffled now, as is your presence."
"...We could have used this earlier." He tapped his foot against the stone experimentally. No sound returned.
"It lasts only briefly, Sir Raziel. Now please, keep quiet."
The garrison was crowded, fresh with bodies to add to the slaughter. Raziel looked out the back and frowned at the sight of barely grown men - boys - forced to stand in a rigid line, their hands shaking and nearly dropping the polearms they held. How many of them would die if they ever tasted war, he wondered. In Lordran men fully matured died by the dozens. Children fared no better; being sacrificed was at least a quick end.
But of course, why should he let the thought linger on his mind? Nations rose and fell, as did the people within them. He was one corpse barely clinging to life - it was ill fit for him to play the role of the martyr.
The captain sat with his back towards them, facing away from his desk and into the darkness outside his window. Daphne closed the door behind her silently and muttered another spell under her breath. Something to enhance her Charm magic, or so she claimed. For all he knew she was twisting his mind to her will. Personally he would've preferred a straightforward interrogation. People tended to be honest with a blade to their throat or their nethers.
"Excuse me."
The captain of the garrison was a portly man whose thick mustache was already laced with white. Briefly his eyes flashed with alarm before they almost glazed over and he looked at Daphne's shy smile with a pleased beam of his own. He knew that her magics were impressive, but seeing how easily she twisted a man's will was still disconcerting. Though, he supposed others would say the same of his own abilities.
"Ah...my lady." He bowed, "You, er...who are you and what are you doing here, if you do not mind me asking?" It was a bizarre. By all accounts she was the intruder and yet he acted as if he was the one who might cause offense.
"My name is Lysandra." Daphne giggled. It was soft and melodic, even to him, "This is my servant Rodrick. Pardon me for intruding, but I asked to see the captain and the soldiers led me here. I simply had a few questions that need answered."
"Oh...of course." Just for a second, Raziel could've sworn he saw a hint of hesitation pass the man's features, but as soon as Daphne fluttered her eyelashes he was the obedient dog once more, "Wh-What is that you wish to know, my lady?"
Just like that she weaved the tale. How she was a noble from a nearby village who'd been out of touch with recent events, how she was merely curious on what would happen to her subjects and how she would appreciate very much if the captain enlightened her on the new policies. Anyone with half a mind could see through the story, but the man was so addled he was all too willing to divulge his secrets.
The man didn't even notice his presence. Raziel listened as he ranted on and on about how the 'Revered Queen' established new policies for the sake of strengthening her country and other such meaningless platitudes. As far as he was aware there was no official war declaration towards any of the other nations, but that was hardly surprising. If this so-called benevolent ruler was anything her like her mad father then secrets were part and parcel.
And then then it was over. Daphne had promised to return the favor one day and the captain was all too willing to pretend that the conversation never happened. She'd smiled, fluttered her lashes again and brushed a hand up the shoulder of his right arm in a way that promised more. Every word practiced, every touch and gesture measured. It was more than just her magics at work.
A quarter of an hour later they found themselves in a makeshift camp. Raziel sat in front of the fading fire and watched the weak flames dance across the wood. It was only a few hours till morning, which they'd both agreed would be a good time to make their way across the border. She preferred the comfort of night, but after his experiences in this damned country he didn't like the idea of being away from light and civilization during the darkness.
On the log on the other side of the fire sat Daphne, her gaze focused on the paper she held in her hands. She'd convinced the thrall to give her documents - anything that might explain things, she'd said. There wasn't much he could give - the man was hardly in a position of real power in this twisted hierarchy - but she still seemed certain there would be knowledge to be gained from the scattered parchment.
"What's wrong, partner?" Derflinger clicked, rising up from his sheath once more. He'd placed the sword a short distance away to his right, letting the scabbard lean against the wood, "Thought you'd be happy. We're nearing the border now; just a few more days till you see Pinky and her sister."
Raziel looked down at his left hand in lieu of answering. The chain felt heavy on his wrist, like a shackle dragging him down into the earth itself, "...Answer me something, Derflinger," he said softly, "You sealed the shards of Manus inside, kept me from being driven insane." Though many would say his state wasn't much improvement..."How long could you maintain the seals?"
"...Why are ya asking?" The sword's tone was uncharacteristically clipped, "I mean it's old and forbidden magics, you know? Hard to say-"
"Am I dying?"
Silence was the only thing to greet him, broken only by the soft crackling of the fire. Derflinger retreated back into his sheath while Daphne looked up from the papers, eyes narrowed in worry. He ignored her; the last thing he needed was pity.
"It is a simple question, Derflinger." He unfurled the chain and let it drag across the dirt. The end of the interlocked metal remained bound to his wrist, resistant to his attempts to remove it, "Ever since we returned from Albion it has become...harder. In that village, I could not stop myself from using Manus' abilities. When we arrived in the castle your voice was impossible to hear. And now this..." He scratched at the blackened flesh in frustration, "The seals...they are not working, are they?"
"And whose fault do you think that is?" Derflinger asked back, voice harsh, "I warned you to be careful. The seals are there for a reason, and that's to keep that monster from getting out. I talked with that sister of yours. You put yourself at risk every day, letting the injuries pile up without a care. Are you dying? Well, what do you think happens when you let people just stab you through the gut and you drag your carcass to the next battle without stopping?"
"It is not as if I chose this, Derflinger." Raziel growled. He would have - should have - died in Albion, and in many ways he did. The naive boy that thought he could live happily with Tiffania and the children wasn't him, and now Robin was dead and he was 'alive' once more.
"Yeah, yeah. You complain, you say you don't want to do this, but actions speak louder than words, partner. You really wanna stop? When we get back to Tristain you don't jump into another sword now that king areshole's dead. I've lived thousands of years and I've never seen this cycle or whatever you call it happen, so maybe just leave that to be someone else's problem? Ain't like you're gonna live forever."
"...How long do I have?"
"Tch...a year, maybe an extra month or two."
Raziel mimicked a deep breath and looked up at the brightening sky, holding his gaze to the twin moons that loomed far above them. It was...expected. Despite the immortality supposedly achieved by the Undead, they were nothing more than corpses whose bodies remained despite the rot; and eventually the decay took them all. Even back then he did not fear death, more the thought of leaving those he cared about behind and losing his mind.
"Sir Raziel-"
"Do not tell Louise." He threw her a (weak) glare, "I will tell her myself."
"But..."
"Mind your business, Vampire." He stood and tossed another log into the fire he felt it: a biting chill. He let out a soft exhale and frowned when he saw his breath in the air, "We have company." He kicked some dirt into the fire. A pointless gesture - the chill had long since extinguished it. Raziel wrapped the chain around his wrist once more and sighed, "...Hello, 'sister'."
Alsanna manifested behind him, quiet and practically unseen as always. Daphne's eyes widened at the sudden intruder and she stood, looking at the other abyssal creature with a surprising amount of fear, "You..." She placed a hand against her forehead and groaned softly, "Is...something's wrong. It feels as if my body is-"
"The Humanity in those you've consumed wish to be reunited." She waved a hand through the air and twisted her fingers in some unknown gesture. Soon after Daphne slumped back in on the log, her breaths coming out in strangled gasps, "I...apologize. I've never made contact with those of your kind beforehand, especially not those with such enchantments on their mind."
"How do you-"
"Stop prying into her mind, Alsanna." He walked past her and sat down on the log again. He wasn't surprised to see her; her capabilities were far different from their progenitor, "...What are you doing here? I expected you to be at Henrietta's side."
"I heard you were left behind." She knelt in front of him and touched the chain gently with her fingertips. The cold was oddly comforting; like that of a swift wind on a hot day, "The seals have been weakened once more."
"I do not suppose you have any idea how to be rid of it?"
"No more than you could be rid of your own hand." He resisted the urge to bite back that he'd sliced off his own fingers to make a bonfire just a few months prior, "You use his abilities more by the day. The chain is a catalyst, but the risk of these powers..." She didn't have to say anything. Alsanna looked up him, her expression halfway hidden through her long bangs, and held his hand gently. He had to resist the urge to push her off.
"...What are you doing here?" he asked again.
"I was worried about you." She squeezed his hand and stood, "When Henrietta told me that you might have perished in your previous battle I searched. Your Humanity is...difficult to find in this land. The deaths in this place are not normal. The very essence of the victims have been twisted, corrupted, in a way that matches what the scholar Aldia did to the giants under Nashandra's influence."
"...I have seen what you mean." The amalgamation of flesh that begged for mercy of death, How many more of those monsters - victims - were there in this twisted land? He doubted that old noble was the first or last of his kind, "It has been weeks since we were put into the mortuary, Alsanna. Have you searched all this time?" Searching for a stranger she thought was her brother? Was she truly so devoted?
"Yes." A brief feeling of guilt bubbled in his chest before he squashed it down. He hadn't asked her to do that, "But there is something else here, brother. Something...I believe will prove beneficial to us."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nashandra is here." Something inside his chest pulsed. Anger, fear, hunger, all in equal measure, "You know of the cycle, brother. I understand that you must wish to return to your partner, but this is something we must pursue."
"...Another distraction." He let out a frustrated growl, "How far is it?" He no longer saw the point in arguing. He was already doubting that he would see Louise by the end of the year.
"A day's journey." She turned back to Daphne, "Apologies, but you must stay here. The Humanity you've consumed would ravage you from the inside if you enter the temple. We will return."
"...What do you mean by that?" Daphne asked softly, "I...do you mean because I've drank blood?"
"Yes. Your kind consumes Humanity, much like my brother and myself. Your kind call themselves Vampires, but you share similarities to the Undead of cycles past. You breathe, you birth, you live, and yet you consume Humanity all the same. I can help you with the hunger for a time, if you wish. I understand what it is like you live with temptation with every waking moment of one's life."
"I..." She looked grateful at that, "Thank you. It's...always been something I wish I could control better."
"You can explain more next time, Alsanna." Raziel stood and slung Derflinger across his back, "Come. The sooner we can finish this the sooner we can return home."
The journey, if one could even call it that, was spent in utter silence. Derflinger was annoyed and didn't talk, which left only the two 'siblings' for company. Raziel didn't say anything, and apart from her frequent glances back Alsanna hadn't said a single word either. He was used to silence. Back in Lordran conversation was sparse, and when you met someone it was a coinflip to determine whether they would shake your hand, stab you in the back or both.
...Still, he couldn't deny that being with Louise and the others suddenly made it more difficult. They always talked, always tried to fill the silence with mindless conversation as if the quiet would drive them insane. He'd found it curious and irritating at first, but eventually he grew to appreciate the distractions. It helped keep his mind from wandering to darker thoughts, which steadily grew more frequent in recent days.
The sun was fading over the horizon when she finally spoke, "You are angry."
"Had to read my mind to understand that, 'sister'?" He bit back.
"I cannot read minds, at least not in the way you think." He rolled his eyes. Semantics, an odd habit that he never had much liking to ever since Kaathe described burning in the Kiln as being Gwyn's heir, "We are connected to Humanity, brother, and in this way so too are we tied to those who possess them. Nashandra and the others used it to hurt, to dominate, to drive kings insane to devotion."
"And you did not?"
"I attempted to." There was clear regret in her voice, "My beloved king...fear drove me to attempt to corrupt him as well, all for the sake of selfish want. But in the end I truly loved him. He knew what I was, and yet he still cared for me, still treated me as the woman he loved. Men like him, they are those who exist only once in many lifetimes. I still miss, even now."
"Hm..." He looked down at the ground. Love was something he never considered. In Lordran relationships were disjointed and oftentimes ended in tragedy. Even when he'd arrived in this land he now called home it was never a priority. It wasn't as if he could live like the people did - marriage, children, a home, a life; he could never have that. Not with Siesta, not with Tiffania, and definitely not with Cattleya.
"You lack the compulsion," Alsanna said, "We sought out monarchs to fulfill our goals, all of us. You do not share this."
"Yes, and I also have a member, despite these damned shard's best efforts." He scoffed. For being a demented ape, Manus apparently had more in common with those of the feminine persuasion than the legends indicated, "I woke up in a time when the world around me was decaying. I could not hide behind some King or Queen, even if I wished to. Besides, I did not have your beauty. Undead are hardly pleasant to look at." And neither was his current form. The young adolescent looked almost childlike, which irritated him more than he wished to admit.
"A child of the Dark becomes the savior of the Light. You are the first and last of your kind, brother." He could've sworn she was amused by that, though he could've been imagining things, "Despite everything it seems you have found love as well. I am glad."
"...What are you talking about?"
"The one who saved you from the fires." He stopped and glared at her back. She stopped as well and turned her head halfway to meet his gaze, "Your attachment is clear to see. You care for her, and she feels the same for you. When I saw her in the academy she was in grief, her mind filled with thoughts of you. She does not know if you live, though she remains hopeful."
"I see..." At least she was safe. Grief could be moved past, especially since she'd have to bury him in a year's time. It was not something he looked forward to.
"You love her." Raziel didn't bother to say anything back. He never denied that he cared for Louise, "Yet, I know not what kind it is. A friend, family, a lover. Sometimes it blurs together and becomes difficult to separate."
He felt a distinct probing in his mind and he scowled, "Out of my head, Alsanna." He grabbed the hand that tried to touch his cheek and pulled it back harshly, "Maybe the queen does not mind you reading her like a book, but I do not feel the same way. Stay out of my thoughts." He let go of her hand.
"I apologize, brother. I did not mean to cause offense," she said softly, "Come, we are close to it."
The 'it' in question ended up being a large swathe of ruins that were clear for all to see. As soon as they were close enough Raziel felt a familiar probing in his mind and Alsanna grabbed hold of his hand, "The magics of the building have protection. Those with Humanity are compelled to turn away, if they can even see it in the first place. It took days before I realized its presence."
"...What is in here?" The stones were broken and decrepit, but it was easy enough to tell that the structure was once something great. A reminder of a bygone age, if one wanted to be poetic.
She didn't have to answer. Raziel froze and stared, wide-eyed, at the fog gate that made up the wrecked entrance. It'd been so long since he'd seen one that he almost forgot about their very existence, "A barrier. Lordran had many of these, I believe." Alsanna let go of his hand and traced her fingers through surface of the mist, "Come, an old friend awaits within."
She stepped through the barrier before he could say another word. Raziel hesitated only briefly before he followed. The chill that ran down his body was all too familiar and a sense of dread rushed through him. More often than not there was a monster on the other side - the damned demon and his dogs came to mind - but now all that greeted him was a large, circular room with a slab of stone in the center in the shape of a makeshift throne.
Sitting on the throne was a sleeping woman, every inch of her body covered in heavy plate mail with a mix of fur and cloth at her shoulders and waist. Instead of a helmet she wore a decorated crown made of what appeared to be ivory, which wrapped itself around her forehead. She was beautiful - her short red hair showed little flaws and her lightly tanned skin was free of wounds.
An Undead. He knew the mask when he saw it.
"It is truly her." Alsanna walked up the few steps to the throne and smiled fondly at the still body, "Ages past and yet she remains the same."
"Who is this..?" His attention was drawn to the crown once more. It seemed to call to him.
"Every cycle must be renewed. Light, Dark and the pawns that followed their will. You were the Chosen Undead of your time, the one who sacrificed everything to ensure the wheel continued to turn. Perhaps you were the first, brother, but you were not the last." She brushed a strand of crimson hair from the woman's forehead, "Others bore the burden in the past, gave their lives for the cycle to be renewed."
"You are saying she is..."
"The Chosen Undead of her time, and a dear old friend. Perhaps she can help us save this world from repeating the mistakes of the old."
Something was wrong.
Tabitha finished the last incantation and aimed the wind blade at the farthest trunk. The blade cut through the thick wood before she collapsed on her knees, holding onto her staff to keep from falling completely. She was exhausted. Every bone in her body ached for rest and her stomach gurgled hungrily for the dinner that awaited back in the dining hall. But food and rest were the last things on her mind right now.
Hands shaking, she forced herself up into an unsteady stand and tried to cast another spell. She was only halfway into the incantation for windy icicle before her legs finally gave and she collapsed face first into the ground, her staff clattering next to her with a dull thump. It wasn't the first time she'd overextended her willpower, but this wasn't the same as before.
"Mmgh..." She waited a minute for feeling to return to her arms. Groaning, she pushed herself up and grabbed her staff to use it as a crutch. It took days of spellcasting for her to lose her willpower, and yet in recent days that time dwindled. It was subtle at first, just a bit more effort to cast a spell or cantrip, but now she could do no more than a handful of spells before she found herself too exhausted to continue.
Sighing, she forced her legs to move and all but hobbled back to the academy (Sylphid was still out hunting). Two windy icicles and three wind blade spells - half of what she could achieve just a week prior. Ever since they'd returned from Gallia almost a month prior her magic had been slowly but steadily failing her, which was more than a little frustrating given that she would have to rescue her mother on her own if Queen Henrietta betrayed her word.
And why wouldn't she? It wasn't as if Tabitha herself wasn't a traitor all on her own.
She'd barely made it past campus before she heard her, "Hey, Tabi." She turned to the source of the voice and found Kirche greeting her with a lazy smile. In her lap sat a pack that smelled vaguely of food, "Dining hall's closed. Figured you'd be hungry, so..." She shook the bag tantalizingly, "How about a picnic under the stars?"
Tabitha nodded and sat next to her friend on the bench. She hadn't talked to her much in recent days - a consequence of having to keep the events of a few weeks past a secret - but Kirche didn't take offense. Tabitha was glad. Ever since the most recent attacks more and more students left and she thought Kirche would be one of them eventually. Kirche stated her parents didn't care that much about her, which Tabitha took to mean that she would stay for a while.
She dug into the sandwich and listened to Kirche ramble on about meaningless things. Lessons, the new woman - one of her dead uncle's former prisoners - who acted as Professor Colbert's teaching aide, plans for the next summer vacation. She didn't talk much, but Kirche knew she listened. Tabitha wished she could tell her about everything that had happened, but the last thing she wanted was for one of the few friends she had left to be put in danger.
"And of course Louise is still in a slump." Kirche huffed. She was worried, even if she wouldn't admit it, "It's kind of creepy, actually. She still attends classes and all that stuff, but she doesn't talk and the few times she does she just mumbles. You'd think she lost her lover or something. I wonder what happened."
"She's in grief." She didn't have the same luxury. Her uncle and Isabella didn't even wait two days before they swooped in and gave her their ultimatum. Whatever crying she did it had to be done sparsely.
"Yeah, I know that. It's just..." Kirche let out a frustrated breath, "Everyone's acting so weird. The war's over and, yeah, we lost people and friends, but why does it feel like the place is a church at a funeral?"
"Most of them have never experienced war in their lives, Kirche." Kirche had come from Germania. Territorial disputes, wars for the crown, attempted coups, or even just two nobles going to battle for some perceived slight were commonplace. Gallia was much the same, with its assassinations and 'games'. Tristain was ill-equipped to deal with such harsh realities in such a short time. The attempted coup by that noble Eustace a generation prior was still talked about in taverns here; in Germania and Gallia it would barely be considered a footnote.
" I guess..." she said, "Still, this really wasn't how I thought the last year of schooling would go. I thought being taken to Tristain meant there'd be less war and conflict, not more. I wonder if mom and dad knew when they sent me here."
"...How is Louise?" Aside from depression and anger, though she left that unsaid.
"Still sour, like I said, but that's been the case since she lost Razi in Albion." Kirche frowned. She hadn't known him long, but Tabitha could tell that there was some fondness there. What Tabitha felt was more akin to a sense of gratitude and no small amount of guilt. He had no reason to aid her with her mother's condition and yet he did so despite not asking for anything back.
And in return she attempted to kidnap one of his friends and almost murdered him...
Tabitha's tongue darted across her re-grown teeth and she frowned. Almost a month and yet here she was, forced to wait for information on her mother's whereabouts while her cousin played the Mad Queen of Gallia. News was sparse, but what little she heard made it clear that Joseph's death did little to stabilize the country. Isabella styled herself the new monarch while those under her fought each other for the scraps that remained.
Her thoughts were cut off when she saw Louise walking listlessly back to the dormitory tower. Apart from Montmorency, who seemed to have a fondness for her ever since the love potion debacle, she talked to no one. Despite her best efforts Tabitha couldn't stop herself from feeling guilty. She wasn't the reason he and that Vampire were left behind - she and that assassin fulfilled their task to the letter - but the Ball of Sleipnir was still fresh in her mind.
"Thank you for the food." She stood and followed Louise up the steps of the tower. Tabitha had no idea what she wanted to do. Talk to her? There was nothing to talk about. See her safe back to her room? On the off chance she did get attacked again there was little a mage with no willpower could do. And it wasn't as if they were friends - she could count on one hand the amount of times they'd exchanged conversation that wasn't one-sided.
Still, she followed.
Louise was in front of her room door before she finally noticed the extra pair of footsteps. She turned back and met Tabitha's passive gaze, "..Oh, didn't see you there." She stopped and leaned against the doorframe, holding a small book to her chest like one would an infant, "You were part of what happened a month ago, right?"
"...Yes." Tabitha nodded.
"Huh...well, that's something." She looked back up briefly before she asked, "...Wanna come in? I'm not really doing anything and I guess it'd be a waste to leave the wine unfinished."
Five minutes later they were sitting across one another, each of them nursing a cup of Gallian red. Tabitha always had a distaste of alcohol - it made it harder to keep focus - and from what she knew of Louise she always diluted hers with no small amount of fruit juice. Now the wine was pure and Tabitha cringed at the taste on her tongue. It reminded her far too much of that damned party from years back.
There was a companionable silence that lasted for minutes. Tabitha swirled the last of her wine and made to stand before Louise suddenly spoke, "So, I heard you tried to kidnap Tiffania?" Tabitha's head snapped up. Louise still looked down at her glass of wine and her expression was the same passive stare she'd had for the past few weeks, "That man was your uncle, right?"
"...Yes."
"To which question?"
"Both."
"Hm..." She finished off the last of her wine with a quick gulp and set the cup down. Her fingers twitched, "So...what would you say if I told you I poisoned the wine?" She met Tabitha's gaze and quirked her lips up in a sardonic smile. A few months ago Tabitha would've said it didn't belong on her, but now it matched all too well that it was almost unnerving.
"Would be expected." Tabitha actually smiled back at that. This reminded her far too much of home.
The silence returned, briefly, before Louise laughed, soft and obviously forcing herself to keep from crying, "Yeah, it would." She licked her lips and looked away, "...Things are fucked, aren't they?"
"Yes."
Louise poured herself another helping of wine and raised the glass up clumsily, "To things being fucked!" She swallowed the remaining alcohol in one gulp and sniffed through her nose, "You know, I thought surviving that doomed last stand in Albion would be the end of it. Reconquista beaten, my ex-Familiar back and a return to school where one of my big sisters still thinks I'm going to end up killing myself if they take my eyes off me for a second."
"Grief is expected," Tabitha murmured, "Kirche said it was like you lost a lover."
"Hah, of course that Germanian cow would think that." She sneered down at the table, "I just lost one of my sisters - even if they're not my blood they're still family. And for Raziel..." She took a slow, shuddering breath, "He's more than a lover. We've been through everything together. He's seen me at my best and my worst and he's the only one I never keep secrets to. He's...He's my partner. I love him."
"I'm sorry..."
"It wasn't your fault. Queen Henrietta told me about your mother. If it's worth anything, you have my sympathies." She pushed the glass further away from the edge of the table and groaned, "...Listen, could you take off? I need to get some sleep."
Tabitha nodded and waited for Louise to stand. The older girl grabbed the girl from the table and managed only two steps before the book fell and she tripped. Tabitha's first instinct was to help her up, but she suddenly felt her gaze being drawn to the opened book. The word that took up the middle of the page was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
"Teleport."
She couldn't explain what happened next. One second she stood a few feet away from Louise and the next she found herself being hurled forward sickeningly. She just barely had the time to register that she was headed for the open window before she found herself tumbling over the edge.
The impact never came. Instead she found two hands holding onto her left foot, "Brimir damn it, what hel?!" She looked up(down?) and found Louise struggling to hold her up, her face quickly going pink from the effort, "Damn it, damn it, damn it! Hold on!" Louise pushed her feet against the wall and tried to pull her back, but her grip was slipping. Tabitha looked down at the ground and then at the staff she barely managed to keep a hold of.
"Teleport."
The rush came again. This time she found herself hurtling back towards the room, this time taking Louise with her. The two of them flew through the air briefly before they crashed against the wall with a painful thud. Tabitha managed to keep herself from crying out, but Louise moaned and cried out in pain as soon as they landed in the ground.
"Ow, fuck..." Louise shut her eyes tightly and moaned again. Tabitha had taken enough impacts to avoid it bothering her, "That was...not pleasant."
"Agreed..." Tabitha pulled herself up into a clumsy sitting position and glared down at the small book, "That spellbook is dangerous."
"Wait...what?" Louise got up on her hands and knees and gave Tabitha a strained look, "Did...Did your read it? As in you saw the words and read the spell out loud from that?"
"...Yes?" Why did Louise suddenly look so afraid.
"Tabitha, uh..." She sat up and coughed, rubbing at her side gingerly, "I, um...I don't know how to say this delicately, so I'll just say it: the only ones who can even see the words in the Founder's Prayer Book are Void Mages. That you read it and the spell was used means..." Louise didn't finish. She didn't have to; Tabitha knew exactly what she meant, "I guess we'll have to tell Queen Henrietta, huh?"
Oh...damn it.
This was insane.
Karina looked down at her hands, mostly to avoid looking at the people sitting across from her, "So...let me get this straight." She licked her lips nervously, still stubbornly refusing to meet their gaze, "You're Centurion, the blonde woman over there is your daughter and you..." She finally looked up and cringed at the unblinking gaze of the older noblewoman, "You're...me."
It was insane. Amethyst explained the situation as best she could, but she couldn't believe this...insanity! Just a couple of months ago she'd become a chevalier and helped save the crown from Eustace's attempted coup d'état! Was she honestly supposed to believe that in-between getting taken to that barbarian country and now 34 years had passed and someone else had lived her life?
Amethyst was the first to speak, "Karin-"
"This is insane!" Karin interrupted loudly, "Th-This is, do you realize how crazy this all sounds?! I'm still here! Still me! How the hel could I have lived my life if I got taken three decades into the future?!"
"We don't know," Amethyst said, voice clipped, "Look, I know this is insane, and I know that more than anyone, but how else do we explain this? I tested your blood myself and it's the same. That sword, your clothes, your memories...all of it aligns with the Karin I knew from the past, the Karin that grew up here and became the Duchess la Valliere. I'd know if you were a golem or a copy and you're not that."
"Then what is she?" The blonde woman - Eleanor, they called her- asked, "This...I agree with her, this is insane. Do you expect us to believe that she's truly mother...displaced in some way? There's never been any records of time travel or-"
"Calm yourself, Eleanor." The duchess - Karin - said. Despite the absurdity of the situation she never once let the stoic facade drop, which Karin(gah!) found both impressive and unnerving, "Amethyst asked you questions on the way here, and your equipment does corroborate the tale." She gestured to the runed rapier that lay at the table between them, "I wish to ask a question of my own that should put to rest my own uncertainties."
"Yeah...what?"
"Before you left the house to travel to the capital, you had one last conversation with your sister. What did she say?"
"She said..." Karina licked her lips again. It was an unpleasant memory, "She said that some bastardized sword lessons and an old rapier wouldn't take me far. That I'd come crying back home begging for scraps before I even made it halfway to the city." She clenched her shaking hands tightly, "...I thought she'd be supportive in saying goodbye, at least. I was wrong, and I swore to myself that I'd never talk to her again."
The duchess - she wasn't going to call her Karin - shut her eyes and took a slow breath, "...Correct."
"So you agree with this?" The Duke - she wasn't going to call him Centurion, either - asked, "Karin, you understand how this looks."
"Yes, Pierre, but how else would you explain it?" Amethyst answered for her, "With everything that's happened with Cattleya and Louise and everything else, I'm willing to accept the illogical." She looked to Karin again, "Tell me the last thing you remember. Maybe we can piece together something."
"It's...ugh, I was going on a mission to hunt some goblins that were making things difficult for the village in Ordonne." The duchess' stoic demeanor twitched. She remembered, "I finished up, and then I met this guy weird guy with a grinning mask. Thought he was a bandit at first, but he said he was an Earl and that he was making his way to the capital. My horse ran away in the fighting so I took him up on his offer of camping near the river. I was wary, but after a day of travel with no town nearby I was desperate."
"A man with a smiling mask?" Estelle said next to her. She hadn't said a word since they'd arrived and none of the others paid any attention to her. It was creepy.
"Yeah..." Karin nodded, "So I make camp and some enchantments to ensure he doesn't slit my throat while I'm sleeping and then..." She shook her head, "Then I woke up in that clearing and met you." She was never sure if that noble had anything to do with it.
"And then you made your way here, where you ran into Amethyst," Eleanor said, "This...mother, assuming I believe any of this, do you remember this?"
"No. I killed those goblins and returned to the capital without incident." She pursed her lips, "This nobleman, did you run into him again?"
"I haven't really talked to anyone outside of Estelle and a mercenary named Solas who helped us out." Karin sighed, "I-I thought things were weird: a war with Albion, a different princess, Germania supposedly having a treaty with Tristan, but this..." She laughed, though it was obviously forced, "How does this make any sense? You don't remember this and I'm damn sure that traveling through time should be impossible!"
"Karin-"
"And you...you married Centurion?" She looked at the Duchess incredulously, "If you're really me then you know the guy's a drunken pervert!"
"Hey, that was-"
"Hey, you kissed me in your sleep and you groped my chest! I'm not gonna pretend that didn't happen, especially since you still thought I was a guy!" Estelle coughed at that, though Karin was too busy to glare at her. The fact that she was even accepting this absurd situation was more than she thought, "And...kids? When did you have time to have kids when we were being knights? I'd think people would notice if a woman pretending to be a man was pregnant!"
"They would've noticed before then..." Estelle muttered. This time she did glare at her.
"That's...an interesting tale, Karin." Amethyst coughed, "If you must know, it wasn't...planned out exactly. The marriage had to be rushed before it became too noticeable-"
"Is this really a tale you wish to tell my so-called displaced mother?" Eleanor interrupted, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, "I...and I thought tiny Louise becoming an heir to Allfather Brimir and Cattleya being that fire tender would be the most absurd thing we'd have to deal with."
"Yeah, well, this isn't exactly a barrel full of unicorns for me either." Karin groaned, "Oh, Brimir, three kids? The one wasn't enough? When did we have time to be knights? Or did we just forget that even though that was our dream for a decade?"
"Could please stop talking about this?" The duke sighed, "Apologies, but the last thing I expected of this day was to see a younger incarnation of my wife."
"Yeah, well, last thing I expected was for you to grow that stupid mustache." She knew she was being petty, but to hel with it. This wasn't exactly how she saw her future going. So what if she had a teeny, infinitesimal, practically non-existent crush on Centurion? It didn't mean she'd put him before her career, "Oh, and I liked the gray hair better. Least you kept the monocle."
"Enough." The duchess threw her a subtle glare, "It has been a long day and we are all weary. You and your...companion will stay here for now. You'll find the guest rooms should be appropriate." Karin frowned. Would she have a stick up her derriere in 34 years like she did? "Speaking of, would you mind terribly removing your hood and scarf? It's hardly proper decorum to wear such things indoors."
Estelle froze, "I-"
"She has scars and she's sensitive about them." Karin interrupted. The other girl gave her a grateful look, "Look, we're alone and we've got nothing to lose by making a scene. So just leave it be."
"...Fine." The duchess picked up the sword and eyed it almost somberly, "We will keep your weapons elsewhere for the duration of your stay."
"What? No way. That's-"
"My father's blade. The last thing he gave me." Her mouth twitched, "You'll get it back soon. You have my word."
Her protests fell on deaf ears and soon enough they were forced into the guest rooms at the western wing. Karin was barely into the room before the door clicked shut behind her, "God damn, are you fucking..." She jiggled the doorknob and scowled. The bastards had locked her in, " Fuck..." She banged on the door with her fist and looked around the room. The amenities were far above the shop one room apartment she shared with Centurion, but right now all it did was remind her of a gilded cage.
She pushed open the door to the terrace, looking up at the twin moons in frustration. The drop from the terrace was too sweep and she'd get a broken leg at best, so she really was trapped. Karin sighed and let her head sag, her long, pink hair falling around her in droves. Traveling into the future, ending up as some cushy noblewoman...this was the last thing she needed.
The terrace door next to her opened and Estelle stepped out, her scarf lowered, "The room's fancy..." she said.
"Don't let it fool you. We're prisoners here." She smiled wryly, "God, can you even believe this? Time travel? Meeting another incarnation of yourself? Sounds like one of those cheap books bored noblewomen would read."
"It does explain some things," Estelle shrugged, "I told you before about the Corrupted, about how they made towns and cities impossible to be lived in. Being taken through time would explain why...among other things." She leaned across the balcony's edge, "...What do you want to do?"
"I wanna leave. I mean, I have a lot of questions, but I get the feeling that I'm not going to get answers here - they're as clueless as I am about all this insanity. Besides, saw how they looked at me: on one hand they don't want believe that I'm Karin and on the other they don't trust me. The way they took my blade...I'm not getting it back as long as we stay here."
"Say we do leave, what then?"
"I...I dunno, we go to the capital, maybe? A part of me is still hoping this is a dream and I can get some explanations there. Better than staying here, I think..." She bit her lower lip, "...I know it's a longshot, but-"
"Let's do it." Karin's head snapped up and she found Estelle smiling at her, "I can pick the lock and get our weapons back; give me thirty minutes. I just want to make sure you're certain of this."
"Yeah...Yeah, I am." Karin nodded, "But, what about you? You said you were looking for that Vent guy."
"If we're really back in time then...I don't think I'm going to see him again." She looked away, "I'd rather be with you than out there alone again."
"Estelle-"
"Just wait here."
Thirty minutes later Estelle opened the door to her room, her bow slung across her back and the enchanted rapier in her hands, "We must be quick. I doubt anyone saw me but I had to pick a lot of locks. We'd best leave this place before they realize." She handed her a small pouch, "The money we saved up. It might not be enough to get to the capital without our horses, but I didn't feel comfortable stealing more."
"It's fine. You did the right thing." She clipped the bag to her belt and walked to the terrace, "I can levitate us past the drawbridge and then we gotta run."
She had to admit, levitating past a moat while the stars and moons shone above them reminded her of a scene from her childhood fairytales. Estelle held onto her right hand in a tight grip and even past the layers of cloth and Karin could tell she was scared. Karin held her hand in turn and focused. If she messed up they'd fall, and she really didn't like the idea of cracking her egg open.
Both of them stumbled slightly at the landing before they broke out in a full run, unaware of the Duchess watching them from the balcony of her room.
So, to recap: Raziel and Alsanna found the Bearer of the Curse/Cursed Undead, Tabitha is the new Void Mage, and Karin and Estelle are...still just kinda dicking around. I promise these two will have payoff soon, but hopefully the first two segments keep people satisfied. I originally planned to show the Cursed Undead later, but the plot changes made she was recovered faster. Likewise Isabella was supposed to be the Void Mage, but Tabitha being the new Void heir does have its own plot potential for the upcoming Gallia arc.
The Karin segment was supposed to end with Past and Present Karin getting into a fight, but as epic as that sounded I couldn't find an in-character reason for either of the two to risk it considering that, you know, they're not sure how the time travel works. Maybe later.
Review Answers:
Raftel17 - Re-reading? That's flattering :)
Roku - Uh...alright. I don't follow the God-Emperor's doctrine, though.
Fate - I very much enjoy rambling reviews, actually :D Just...space the words out a bit more. Anyway, Raziel is hard to describe as being a proper heroic individual even pre-Kiln. As indicated by himself and various characters his cheerful demeanor prior to burning was a facade and he still held a lot of his post-burning characterization; just hidden unerneath.
Though, we do see from the Sappy BS chapters that without the trauma and horror he's experienced he does have the capacity to be...well, innocent, I guess. When he got his memories back he instantly snapped back to his old characterization. Raziel's first memories are waking up in an asylum and killing his way out, so he was screwed from the word go.
With Louise it's hard to tell. We know in canon that she's a very depressed and clingy individual; one thing the anime omitted is that she actually tried to commit suicide after she assumed Saito died (Siesta stopped her), which helps explain her depressive demeanor here. Raziel is, as she said here, also the only person she never had to keep secrets from, so there's a certain trust there that's not present to anyone else; even her beloved older sister.
Aline1 - Agreed. I think it's more Agape - Unconditional Love. One will give up everything for the other, and as Saxe-Gotha proves they're willing to die side by side with no one but the other for company. One could also interpret it as one living for another, which their dialogue here corroborates.
Daeon Mortanius - Then giggle! I demand it :D Still, how would you describe their love?
BloodTrinity - Sociopath? Those can't form emotional connections. Maybe Psychopath? Anyway, Raziel isn't truly lacking in empathy; just lacking in shit to give about doing anything about it.
Remvis - Why Cattleya? Because they fucked? One would think Tiffania would be considered the better option.
G119 - Why Tabitha? They're two traumatized people who worked together for a mutual goal; it's hardly relationship material.
Metal Vile - Yeah, sorry; got a guy on skype I'm beta-ing with. Wouldn't replace him for the world. Anyway, for the romance...eh. Given my dislike of writing pairings I either tried to downplay or outright remove the harem elements, so the pairings are deconstructed: Siesta's ended badly due to the stain of Raziel's life, Tiffania's was broken up since Raziel doesn't feel the love is mutual, and in Cattleya's case they're very likely just fuck buddies who started due to mutual grief.
If that's what Guiche wants then I question his sanity.
As for Dusk...doesn't Tiffania already fit that role? Also, Estelle has never shown magical capabilities...unless one counts her Hawkeye level archery, but that's not uncommon among fantasy archers.