Diary
See disclaimer in Entry #1
:Heart:
That so much could happen in a matter of minutes doesn't feel quite real.
As I'd feared, Ledah would not listen to reason—actually told me that the Accursed weren't the reason for the Retribution at all, and explained that the genocide of the Arcs had all been part of Asgard's plan. I knew I couldn't let him continue, and he knew I'd just catch up to him again if he turned and left… so we fought.
I didn't let the girls get involved—I told them to run if it looked like things were going to get bad. And I fought Ledah on my own.
I was a little surprised at how evenly matched we were… I must really have gotten stronger here in Riviera, although I didn't realize it until that moment. But I was able to get in enough good strikes that Ledah wound up too exhausted and too battered to continue.
He asked me to finish him off…
I couldn't. I just couldn't. Even if he truly wanted it, I could never do that to someone I cared for so deeply. Maybe it is as illogical as Ledah said, but I can't help but still feel attached to him.
And that's when the woman who murdered Serene's people appeared.
I recognized her. Gods help me, this time I had my memories and I recognized her. It was Malice—my old friend Malice, who I hadn't seen in gods only knew how long. Malice… a Grim Angel now, sworn to Hector, and claiming that any soldier who lost to me didn't deserve life.
She tried to kill Ledah.
This isn't about the demons at all—they were just an excuse, or at least that's what Ledah was trying to tell me. Hector just wants the powers that the gods sealed in Riviera before their bodies were destroyed by the strain of the Grim Angels' creation and the end of Ragnarok. With that, or at least according to Malice, he will become the new absolute god, reshaping the world to suit his own visions, creating a "utopia" in which his angel soldiers will live in eternal bliss.
She's gone off to destroy the last of Ursula's defenses.
But Ledah is still alive. Badly injured, but living.
And as I held him in my arms, he ordered me after her, seeing as she no longer follows the will of the gods and has betrayed the only true law of the Grim Angels.
I didn't want to leave him, but he didn't quite give me much choice. He still seemed confused that I considered him my friend, and told me that the both of us knew he wasn't one to die like this. And he continued to order me onward.
It hurt my heart to see him so weak but still acting so selflessly.
And yet, I felt my chest swell with pride in the man I've always loved as my brother.
It's all I can do to try to be half so brave, so noble.
So I'll stop Malice. I'll protect Ursula and I'll save Riviera. I'm not just doing it for the Sprites anymore, but for Ledah as well.
I know that it's become the goal of his heart as well…
And I'll come back for him when it's over, to care for his wounds, and for both of us to follow the true will of the gods—to save this land, and to destroy Hector for betraying us this deeply.
Although I still worry about him there, I trust Ledah's words. I know he can hold on for as long as it takes for us to stop Malice.
This is what my heart tells me.
I have no choice but to believe.