Chapter 2: The Champion's Final Miracle
"I'm going to kill her for this!" Alisaie shouted out as she banged her fists against the floor of the Ragnarok. "How could she? What was she thinking?!"
"Alisaie, calm down!" Y'shtola scolded as she winced at the deep cut was being healed across her face by Urianger, though she privately felt that he was the one who needed to be healed first with those burns on his arms?
"Calm down?!" Alisaie repeated incredulously. She was gripping her hair, terror racing through her at the thought of what could be happening right now. Terror, not for herself, but for her friend… their friend. This was not a moment to be calm! "How can you expect me to calm down now?!"
After fighting their way through the images of these dead and dying worlds, they were forced to confront Meteion in a monstrous form. And they were little more than insects being crushed beneath her heel with how easily they were knocked aside.
They were swept up in the Endsinger's final attack… an attack where she could see her life flashing before her eyes. Yet, when she was being tossed around, she realized someone was missing from the bodies flying about her. She twisted around, in midair, and happened to see her still on the ground, kneeling as if in prayer. Their blade in the dark then stood up and held something up that caused Alisaie's heart to nearly stop.
It was the device that they were given by Moenbryda's parents before leaving… a way to instantly teleport all of them back to the Ragnarok.
Alisaie realized what she was planning to do and reached out, trying to beg her not to do so. But she just glanced up so that their eyes meet—those familiar eyes that Alisaie took so much comfort and inspiration—that were still so warm and kind—and she spoke. The noise of the whirlwind was so loud that Alisaie could never hope to hear it but she didn't need to for she knew exactly what was said:
"Everything will be alright…"
And then she pressed the button before letting it go, sweeping up into the storm with the rest of them. Alisaie just stared down as tears came to her eyes as she tried to reach out, to force herself to stay with her…?
But just as Meteion's final attack clouded her vision… they were gone.
And now they were here, safe and somewhat sound, on board the Ragnarok.
Leaving them all hurting and desperate to get back while the healers of the group went straight into action.
Alisaie was forced to sit tight as Alphinaud finished helping her pain fade, but her heart was what ached more than anything else as she explained what happened to the others—who had awoken completely baffled to how they escaped.
"So she saved us… once again…" Alphinaud whispered as the words seemed to take a while to register.
"She's going to get herself killed," Thancred hissed. "All eight of us were just tossed about like dolls and she's on her own?"
"To be fair," Estinien pointed out, wincing in pain from a broken arm that G'raha was helping to set. "If we had been hit by that attack we most likely would have died and she would still be fighting alone."
"You aren't helping!" Alisaie retorted angrily. "You mean to tell me you aren't livid at this?!"
"Of course I am!" he snapped back, "I'm going to kill her when I get my hands on her!"
"When you both are finished discussing murder, might I suggest that we figure out what we're going to do?!" Thancred demanded as he managed to rally himself to his feet. "We need to get back there!"
"I completely agree, but how?" G'raha asked anxiously, who had countless cuts over his face and arms and some tears in his clothes from the violent winds. "Even if we left right now, there is no way that we can catch up to Meteion's Nest without everyone going through that long trail? And then fight our way back through those dead worlds…?"
"There has to be a way!" Alisaie gasped out, feeling more frustrated with every minute. "Can we not fly Ragnarok right into the very heart?"
"Who knows where we'd end up though?!" Alphinaud reminded her. "If we get lost in there, we may never be able to find our way back out."
"We can't just leave her to face that—thing on her own!" Estinien barked back.
"Enough, this is just arguing in circles!" Y'shtola called as she also got up and banged her staff on the floor. It made a loud, ringing sound that got their attention as she commanded, "Before we allow our emotions too completely cloud our judgement, we need to decide what we can even do."
"They're still trapped in another reality, for lack of a better term," Thancred stated. "There is no way that Meteion will allow us to make it to her again!"
"If there is nothing we can do then…?" Alphinaud panted, feeling light-headed and sick. Were they truly so helpless?
It was the most unexpected answer that was spoken next.
"Let us then pray," Urianger stated softly and they all turned to stare at him as he raised his head, showing his deadly serious expression. "Dynamis still ruleth here. Though we cannot hope to catch up to her in time… mayhaps the emotion in our prayers will be able to offer her some manner of protection?"
"You are suggesting that we just pray?! What, like every other time that we asked her to fight in our stead?!" Alisaie demanded furiously, tears forming in her eyes once more. "Is that all that we are good for? All our training and hard work amount to nothing and we are just too weak to be able to stand with her with it counts the most? Once more we are forced to have her bear it all on her own?"
This seemed so ridiculous that some attempted to argue—but Urianger's stance was firm in this and insisted that they try. In the end, what other choice could they come up with?
So they gathered in a circle and began to pray. For the safety and return of their friend… that she have the courage and strength to be able to weather this storm and that she knew that they were with her in spirit.
Alphinaud thought of who he was before and the person he had become now. He almost didn't recognize the two of them to be one and the same…? He owed who he became to many people, to all whose lives he touched and who touched his as well, but there is one to whom he owed more than any other. Thanks to her shining example of standing strong in the face of failure and hardship he was able to get back up from his greatest shame and continue on forward. He was not giving up, not now, not after coming so far. She never once gave up on him and he would be a poor friend if he could not do at least this much for her. He will stand his ground and keep moving forward until they saw her safely home.
Alisaie was pouring her heart out into her silent prayer, glad that none could hear what she was thinking. She remembered when they first met, how little attention she paid to her… how could she have ever known that this random Adventurer would become as important to her as she was now? That she would do anything, give anything, to be able to stand at her side as a friend and equal? This dear friend whom had stood at her side again and again; not just through the mysteries of the Binding Coils, but through countless trials that came afterwards. Thanks to her, Alisaie had seen the unlimited heights that mankind could reach. Hydaelyn stated that she had faith in mankind potential and Alisaie understood that sentiment completely. She may never be able to measure up to their champion, but she wasn't going to allow that to o stop her from supporting her no matter what! And when they did get her back, she was going to get the scolding of a lifetime!
G'raha gripped his staff tightly in his hands as he remembered the time that he spent in that dark, hopeless future. He worked too hard to see an even worse one for them at the end of this journey… one where there was no future for anyone. The only thing that kept the people going was the tiny flame of inspiration that kept their hopes alive from the tales of the Warrior of Light. He had read the stories… had them all memorized as he vowed that he would not see his friend's story end as tragically as it did then. He would see a brighter future for them all and he wanted to see it with her by their side. She didn't let him go and he wasn't going to let her go without a fight.
Estinien was never one for prayers, but never now did it feel better to get into the habit. To think that he was crazy enough to pick a fight with her? And to lose it by falling victim to Nidhogg's influence…? He was grateful that she was able to snap him out of it. Otherwise he wouldn't have had the joys of fighting with so many others and let go of his painful past once and for all. He owed her his life when she stood against him for the sake of saving him. Only to deliver, not just him, but all of Ishgard from the fear and despair of the Dragonsong War? Estinien vowed that he would one day repay her for all that and this seemed like a good start. How many times had she saved the world now? Come on… she had worked too long and too hard to let all that be for nothing!
Urianger bit his lip as his hands shook, grasp together in solemn entreaty. He would always carry that guilt inside him for his part in plotting against her. But though she did not blame him for it, Urianger knew better. He knew that he had now twice planned behind her back and put her in harm's way. He was used to secrets and lies—to sit back and allow events to play out as they were planned. He could not ever be sure if it was because he truly believed in these events or if his upbringing of not interfering had something to do with it. Yet, despite all this, he didn't wish to stand on the sidelines any longer. He could bear the thought no longer of not trying to fight and change how fate seemed determined to play out. He would stand his ground and offer his support to the one whom proved that no future, however obvious, was written in stone. He prayed his heart out to keep her safe and prove to them once more that the candles of their lives were not so easily burnt out.
Thancred gritted his teeth as he forced himself to pray as if his life depending on it. Which, in actuality, it did. He thought of all that he stood to lose should they fail. He thought of all their friends back home on that big, blue rock drifting amongst the stars and of the reflections. He thought of Ryne and vowed that he wouldn't let all that they and Minfilia dreamt of be taken away by this thing. He was done blaming himself for what he could or couldn't do. He now chose to focus on those who need him now and whom he could still do something for them. He reached out with all his heart and soul and prayed for the chance to repay their friend for all she had done for them.
It seemed so difficult to believe that something as simple as prayer could bring salvation. But Y'shtola knew better than to disregard it. With her intense focus she thought of the warm voices and simmering aether of those around her as she laid her heart to bear before the gods and fates, determined to find a way to bring the light of the dawn to everyone back home. She thought of those she called friends and family, her sister, master Matoya, the Night's Blessed back on the First… and so many others. She had never given up on anything in the past and she wasn't going to start now. To think that this all began with that young adventurer wandering about Summerford Farms…? She smiled at the memory.
"Light the way!" they all cried out together.
And suddenly, to their utter amazement, they felt her presence as if she were standing right next to them. There was a sharp intact of breath around their circle but not a one stopped as they focused their prayers in defending their champion, their dear friend from the battle of her life.
"What is this defiance?" Endsinger's voice cried out from the back of their minds. "No! The hatred, the pain, the loss…" They could feel her pushing back against their hopes and wishes for a brighter future. "We cannot suffer it again."
No… not again. Never again.
"We will stand against fate," Alphinaud vowed, his hope rising in his heart like someone had set it flame and offering his strength to their friend.
"No matter the cost!" Alisaie added proudly, her refusing to give in and give Meteion an ilm blazed forward and giving her all to lend aid.
"We've been here before…" Thancred stated, smiling as he relinquished his own strength in the hopes that it would be of use.
"Many a time…" spoke up Urianger in agreement, nodding as he willingly surrendered whatever strength he had left.
"Thus do we know…" Y'shtola declared with determination, and was able to watch the aether flow from her and to the source of their hopes.
"To never give up," Estinien finished for her as he gripped his lance a little tighter and knew that if she couldn't lose now with his strength lending its aid.
"For hope will shine again!" G'raha said with a smile in his voice.
Their light in the dark had been blazing the path for them all this time. And now, especially with their own hopes joining with hers, it was blinding in its radiance. One would swear that you could see it all the way from Etheriys. It pushed against the darkness of despair that was trying to swallow them up. But they had become as if a sun and the shadows fled at the touch of it.
"What we saw… what I saw… this can only end in misery and desolation!" Endsinger's voice spoke up. "No life, no star, nor the universe itself… none should hope for better!"
They pushed back, still refusing to let go and gave their all to their Warrior of Light… their embodiment of hope… as the battle continued. They still could not see what was happening, could not see the battle, but they somehow knew that the tides had turned. Endsinger was losing control and despite how she seemed to lash out desperately to drag her foe down with her, it was not enough.
The light became brighter and brighter as their hopes grew until it was so bright around them that it was becoming painful to look at.
And then they felt something strike at the very heart of the despair and a shriek that seemed to echo about their minds: "If this… was not the answer… then what is it? Where lies… happiness…?"
They followed it, wondering what happened… but the darkness seemed to be falling away from them—yet so did the light. They felt it sinking deeper and deeper away from them…? And then it was gone.
They gasped as their eyes opened, staring around, trying to make sense of what just happened.
"What… what was that?" Alphinaud gasped, his eyes wide. "I… I could have sworn that…?"
"I felt it too," Y'shtola stated, breathing hard as if out of breath. "That… what an experience, to say the least."
"But how…?" Thancred began, sounding lost. "I could have sworn that I was there. Or mayhaps she was here with us? Either way, I know that she was fighting and now… she's not? Did… did she do it? Did she win?"
But no one could answer.
They were trying to grasp just what happened, discussing things and looking to the screen to get a good look outside of Ultima Thule. Nothing seemed to have changed in this fast expanse, yet for some reason, everything felt lighter. There was something in the air that seemed to be blazing about them in a way that no one could explain. But it was like their spirits somehow knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it was over.
After several tense moments onboard the Ragnarok… they had their answer in an unexpected way. Estinien was the first to feel it… as if eyes were watching him once more. But though these eyes didn't feel dangerous at all—the presence was strong. Soon though, he realized that the eyes were focused from behind them and he turned around.
"YOU!" he cried out and everyone turned at once.
Meteion was standing there before them.
"Meteion!" Thancred cried, his hand back upon his weapon, ready to strike again. But to his surprise, Urianger held up his hand to stop him.
"Hold," he said as he looked at her with a perceiving eye. "This… is not the same Meteion as before…?"
As they blinked and looked on, they realized he was right. Before, the dark that seemed to hang around Meteion was as if a veil of sorrow, seemed to be lifted. Instead, she had rosy cheeks and her feathers and hair had turned into the brightest shade of Azure blue. She looked up, her hands folded over her heart as she looked at each one of them in turn.
"Please, don't be afraid," Meteion said in a much more innocent and child-like voice than she had before. "I mean you no harm. Not now, not anymore."
They stared at her, taken aback by the drastic change of this girl. Alisaie was the first to recover as she took a step forward and demanded, "Where is she?! What did you do to her?!"
Meteion only smiled tiredly at her.
"Do not fear," she said softly, no trace of fight left in her. "She is right behind me and shall surely find her way back to the friends she so dearly wishes to see again. I have looked into her heart… her memories of a long, long journey. And I know this to be true."
G'raha blinked at that and repeated, "Her memories?"
Meteion nodded once.
"Our battle has drained me," she said. "Yet, she still showed me the answer that Hermes was so desperate to find. To so this, she opened her heart and mind to mine… and I now see. You need not fear. I no longer have the strength to go on. Yet, Etheriys will continue and soon, I will be no more." She shut her eyes, but she was still smiling as she added, "My final song will be one to reflect the hope I now feel. While I may not be able to make up for all that my sisters and I have done… please know that once I am gone, all trace of my existence will fade and that life will be allowed to be reborn in the universe once more."
She turned her head towards the screen and opened her eyes again to see the vast expanse in front of them.
"I know that nothing I do will make up for the harm that I have done," she said as her body slowly began to disappear. "But know that… I finally understand. I finally see what that light was… that hope is truly everlasting…"
Tears formed in her eyes as she looked back at them with that smile shining a little brighter and finished, "Take care of her for me? And should I be lucky enough to be reborn again in this life… I hope… we may be… friends?"
The others stared at her as she shut her eyes once more… and faded away. Forming the image of a starbird… one of the brightest blue feathers… before melting away into the aether.
The others stared at the spot where Meteion vanished.
There was a stunned silence all around them so strong that you could hear a pin drop from the other side of the ship.
"I don't know how our friend does it… but damn, she's good," Estinien stated, rather numbly.
At that, G'raha couldn't help it but start laughing as relief took hold. "Oh, thank the gods… she's ok!"
"Yeah," Alisaie smiled, hope filling her heart once more, as if they were lost in a cold, dark sea and there was a beacon waiting for them. It was all over. They did it… all they needed to do was collect their friend, scream at her for staying behind to fight, beg for answers to what happen… and then go home.
At least, that was what they all hoped for.
But they waited… and waited… and waited…?
It slowly began to dawn on them that something was wrong. Why was she taking so long? Meteion made it sound like she would be here soon? Was she travelling back by foot across Ultima Thule? Should they go out to look for her?
Alisaie was the first to offer that they do just that, but Thancred cut that off, saying that they couldn't risk getting separated now. But the worry was clearly there in all their faces as they tried to figure out what they should, or shouldn't do.
It was several bells later and their anxiety was reaching max. Alphinaud was now pacing around the deck, unable to sit still. Thancred was polishing his gunblade for the second time, looking up at Ragnarok's screen every minute or so. Y'shtola and Urianger were both in a quiet discussion about being ready to treat any injuries should she return to them. Estinien remained leaning up against the wall, an odd growl coming from his throat whenever someone looked at him and it was obvious that he was fighting the urge to go out and search. G'raha just stood there, wringing his hands and his tail flicking about in a way that clearly showed his concern but didn't seem brave enough to voice his fears. And Alisaie was repeatedly pulling out her blade and then returning it to her side—jumping at all manner of small noises in fear of something happening.
Several minutes, with the same sounds that usually accompanied teleportation magicks, she appeared.
It happened without warning so they didn't realize what happened until they saw her laying there on the deck with them. At the sight of their friend, they let out cries of happiness—which quickly turned to horror when they saw the condition that she was in.
She was lying in a pool of her own blood—with a vicious slash across her chest that sliced through the armor as if it were tin. Half her face was covered with blood and blacked and blue as if a building collapsed on top of her and she didn't seem to be drawing any breath.
"NO!" Alisaie screamed and she was the first to rush to their hero's side as they gathered around her.
"No, no, no, no…?" G'raha gasped, as if unable to believe what he was seeing. "She can't…?"
"Hey? Can you hear me?!" Thancred yelled, wanting to shake her awake but as he reached out to touch her shoulder, he immediately withdrew it in shock when his hand was instantly coated in blood. He backed away as Estinien reaching over to grab her wrist and felt around for a pulse.
"It's still there," he whispered, sounding much calmer than how he felt. "A heartbeat. But it's growing faint with every passing second. She's hanging on by a thread."
"We must tend to her wounds!" Urianger cried as Thancred moved to gather her up and take her to the Ragnarok's infirmary.
"There's no time!" Y'shtola shouted out, taking control. "We can't risking moving her too much either! Treat her here first! Once she's stable then we can talk about moving her!"
All the healers gathered around as Y'shtola; being the most experienced healer here, gave instructions.
She first ordered G'raha to take Thancred and Urianger to the infirmary and to bring out all the medical supplies that they could carry. In the meantime she had Estinien bring out a stretcher so that they could get her off the floor and do what they could to treat her from here. They did what they were told while she remained with Urianger and the twins as they focused on trying to stop her bleeding. G'raha and Thancred came back with at least half the medical bay with them and Estinien had just helped to support their friend and laid her out upon the stretcher.
Afterwards, Estinien had barked at Livingway and the other Loporrits—who had heard the commotion and came to see what was going on—to get moving and head back to Etheriys as quickly as possible. She squeaked at the command and immediately left with the others to get going. They were back in the air and moving in a matter of moments with the gentle hum of the engine ringing beneath them and the air full of the smell of blood and medicine.
The problem was that they were still a ways away from arriving back on Etheriys and they were fighting for every second on keeping their friend breathing. If they could just keep her alive until they touched down, they would have no shortage of healers waiting for them…? Assuming she could make it that long?
The twins were putting their all into trying to heal the wound in her chest and were successful in stopping the worst of the bleeding. Y'shtola entrusted the broken bones to G'raha while she worked on the extensive internal damage by mending the muscles point by point… and Urianger worked on trying to give her all the aether he could to give her strength while also focusing his efforts on her head and face which was half covered in so much blood that it was as black as tar.
G'raha, who had been holding onto their friend's hand after he finished watching the shattered bones in both of her fists mend themselves—could not help but voice what they were all thinking.
"Did Meteion do all this?" he croaked.
"Who else could it have been?!" Alisaie snapped back, sweat pouring down her face in effort. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted her!"
"But she didn't make it sound like she knew that she was this badly hurt?" Thancred muttered quietly.
"So what? You think that someone else did all this?" Estinien asked him incredulously. "Who?"
But Thancred could not answer and shook his head in a helpless way. He was not a healer; he barely even bothered to learn the very basics as a child. Even if he was skilled in healing, he was useless without being able to use any magicks any longer anyway. But rather than stand here and be useless, he went off to speak with their furry pilots on how much longer it would be before they arrived back home.
Livingway promised that they were doing all they could to get them home as quickly as they could but they had used up most of the aether to get here and so getting back was going to take even longer than the bells it took to get to Meteion's nest. He gritted his teeth in helplessness as he offered to help out in any way he could to make their trip as fast as possible. She reassured him that they had everything in hand and they were doing it as fast as they could get it all done, but that this was out of their hands right now.
Thancred then tried to get in contact with Sharlayan with his linkpearl, wanting to have medics on hand the moment that they landed, but all he met with was static.
"That's not a surprise," Livingway said sadly. "It took all our technology to be able to reach out to them from just the Moon. Those little dinky linkpearls just aren't cut out for anything even halfway from Etheriys. We won't be able to get in contact with them until we get close enough!"
There really wasn't much more they could do until they were nearing their home star. He was able to hold back the frustrated yelling, knowing it wasn't the Loporrits fault, but wanting to scream out in pain right now. He stayed with them, still determined to make himself useful in whatever way he could and was more than happy to serve as their grunt and did much of the heavy lifting that they needed done.
He was with them for a short time—joined in by Estinien—who was shooed out of the room so that the others could work. Together they followed the Loporrits's orders and they used up most of the remaining aether to send them flying back through the stars.
"Good, good!" Livingway chirped up happily after a time. "We should be reaching Etheriys soon enough!" She looked back to them and added, "You both have done so much to help, and we thank you. But please allow us to continue on from here. We should be seeing the star soon and we'll let you know when you can reach out to everyone!"
They thanked them as they returned to the main deck where the others were still hard at work.
Both men paused outside the room for a moment, terrified of what they would find on the other side, and took a few deep breaths to steady themselves and prepare for the worse.
When they entered, the first thing they saw was the anxious crowd still gathered around their friend—who was still out like a light.
"How is she?" Estinien asked gravely as Y'shtola looked up to see them enter.
"She is still alive… but she's so weak now," she whispered sadly, shaking her head with a bitterness that was hard to watch. Y'shtola then felt her forehead and Thancred saw how the Miqo'te's ears flattened—a clear sign of anxiety. "She's so cold too. Thancred come here and make yourself useful!"
Only too happy to be of aid, Y'shtola used some conjurey to summon up some water in a nearby bowl and instantly heated it with a fire spell. Thancred had the task of trying to help warm their friend up as well as see if the heat could stimulate some kind of reaction. He took a cloth and began to clean up the wound around her face as Urianger finished letting go of her head—having just finished healing the cracks in her skull.
"There," Y'shtola said as she wiped her brow, "I repaired her punctured lung as best as I could. That, at least, will take several days to heal completely. But I don't know… she lost so much blood and this trauma… the pain alone would have been enough to kill a normal person, I imagine. I don't know… what else to do…? I don't know if what we did was enough to save her or if we just postponed the…?"
She couldn't bring herself to say 'inevitable'.
But they all knew just what she was struggling to say. Urianger bit his lower lip and his eyes began to water up as G'raha's hands were shaking so badly that he almost ended up dropping the potion bottles he just opened.
"Open your eyes… please!" G'raha choked out, begging to see her eyelids flicker and show them some sign of life was still there. Rather than risk losing the valuable liquid inside those bottles, Y'shtola snatched them out of his hands and began to pour the healing contents over some nasty gashes in the woman's side. She watched as they slowly began to close but still not fast enough.
"Someone hand me the potions Nidhana gave us!" she ordered and Urianger did without complaint as she forced their friend's mouth open to try and get her to swallow the potent Thavnair elixirs.
The twins were close to breaking point. Alphinaud was doing his best to stay strong for the sake of everyone around them; but her breathing had slowed to such a point that he couldn't even be sure that she was still breathing anymore. Tears were forming in his eyes as he began to plea to every god out there to just save her life. That he would do anything if they could grant them just this small mercy.
'Please…' he then added in his mind. 'I have seen you perform miracle after miracle since we met. Please, give us just one more. Don't let this be the one that you cannot grant?'
"Please…" he begged again, not realizing that he had spoken out loud. His resolve was quickly crumbling down as his voice broke.
As for his sister, her composure had long since dissolved and she was sobbing openly. Just like that night they received the letter from Urianger informing them that their grandsire had been lost to them stopping the 7th Umbral Calamity; she wept as loudly now as she did then and she didn't care who saw her.
"You can't leave us! Not like this!" she wailed, grabbing hold of their fallen hero's hand and gripping it tightly. "If you do, I'll never forgive you! So come on! Open your eyes and get up!"
She lowered her head, still crying but not stopping in her healing magicks as she also began to pray once more. Pray that after having lost so much that they would get one thing back from this. When she and Alphinaud made their heroic stand against Meteion, the only reason she agreed to it was because of the hope that they could pave her a path where she found happiness at journey's end. This was not the happiness that she wished for and was not going to accept it no matter what.
But it seemed that either the gods heard their prayers for once or their friend actually took the threat seriously… for finally, at long last… her eyes slowly flickered open.
Alphinaud was the first to notice and, honestly didn't believe it at first, where his heart nearly stopped in shock. The others around him had also noticed that this was the first sign of life that they had since and waited with baited breath, vaguely aware that their mouths had fallen open in surprise. But they weren't imagining it when her eyes slowly opened and she blinked on wearily. Alisaie, who seemed to sense that something was happening, had raised her head and gasped when she saw that she was stirring at long last.
Their friend… blinked in confusion, as if she didn't recognize where she was. Her mouth even opened slightly in bewilderment as she tried to focus on them.
"Are you…" Alphinaud croaked, his blood-shot eyes wide, lowering his the hand to halt the healing process, "Are you with us?"
He was so used to the gods biting sting that when faced with good news, he wasn't sure if he could believe it without fear of reprisal.
She slowly turned her head to look at him. She seemed dazed, as if she had trouble focusing upon him too. But after she blinked again and her vision seemed to clear, she recognized who he was and smiled. She didn't say a single word but that smile was all he needed to feel as a full relief that he had never known before washed over him as if he had just been pushed into the ocean.
His face screwed up as the tears fell openly now.
"Oh, thank the heavens!" he sobbed openly, grabbing hold of her newly healed hand and squeezed it tightly. "For a moment we thought…"
'You're here… you're alive… oh, thank you… thank you…'
The tears came so easily now. Where once he would have thought them a sign of weakness, he felt his stress leaving him all at once as if it just disappeared into a puff of smoke. He just wanted to hold onto her and never let go again.
"Is everyone all right?" she asked, her voice very hoarse and faint so one may have to strain their ears to be able to make it out.
"After what you've done," G'raha gasped, as he seemed too weak to stand any longer and collapsed right next to them, half-blinded by his own tears. "You're the last person… to be asking that."
He couldn't hold it together another second longer either, unable to speak in a full sentence without breaking down, but he still gave her a watery smile as he added with a hint of a scolding tone to it, "You… How can you keep your promise if you aren't here?"
She just looked on kindly and her eyes shut, as if she wanted to drift back off to sleep. But Estinien came forward, a smile on his own face as he complimented, "Another fine show you've put on, my friend."
And from him, that was the highest praise one could ever hope to receive.
"A fine show indeed…" Y'shtola spoke up, exhausted from their efforts, and their friend slowly turned her head to look, her eyes still half-closed. Y'shtola seemed torn between happiness and anger as she stood up and half shouted, "What were you thinking, fighting alone? Never do that again." She then smiled as her true warmth shone through as she added in a confession, "My poor heart couldn't bear it."
She sounded so motherly right now that everyone was kinda blown away at the tone. And it was only made a little more surreal as Thancred stepped up, and for a moment, sounded like a father who had caught his daughter sneaking back into the house late at night, "Put yourself in our place. If you hadn't returned, how do you think we would feel? And if that sounds harsh…" his smile replaced his anger as well, "…It's because we care."
"You mean it wasn't just some gods awful nightmare?" their champion asked tiredly, as if trying to make a joke. "That's a pity."
Oh, how they all wish it had been a bad dream. But the worst was behind them now. They had done it… Meteion was defeated and they were all alive… they averted the Final Days. That was more than they could ever hope for.
"We tended to thy wounds as best we could, but how is the pain?" Urianger asked worriedly, getting their attention.
Their friend seemed surprised by the question as she slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position. Urianger was instantly at her side, ready to offer any kind of succor should the pain still be bad. But she smiled again and gave him a single nod, showing that while still bad, the pain didn't seem to be something she couldn't bear.
"That is gladdening," he sighed in relief and giving her a fond look. "Grievous as thine injuries were, however, I would counsel repose for a time."
This was something they could all agree with. They were going to insist that she take a good, long rest. No adventures, no fighting, no travelling—none of those fun things they know she loves to do… until she was completely healed. Though they didn't discuss it, they were also fully prepared to sedate her if she dared to try and leave before they were satisfied that she would make a full recovery.
"Gladdening?!"
Everyone turned back to Alisaie, who had kept her head down the moment she saw their champion wake up. It seemed that she had been collecting herself for the screaming fit of a lifetime. And now that she knew that she was alive and on the mend, she was ready to unleash it all.
"There's nothing gladdening about this!" she yelled as she pounded her fists on the ground with tears continued to fall. It seemed that Alisaiejust couldn't bring herself to look at her for a long moment. "When Meteion appeared in here and told us that you were right behind her, we all got our hopes up. But you never came! And when you finally deign to appear, you're within an ilm of your life!"
With what looked like a lot of effort, the younger girl looked up as tears streamed down her face, leaving tracks across her cheeks as she shouted at her, "Damn you! Damn you for making us worry!"
No one dared say a word as they looked from one to the other. Their friend just stared at the girl before answering weakly, "I just can't win with you."
At the sound of her voice, Alisaie suddenly launched herself at her and threw her arms around their hero's neck as she broke down crying. Their friend winced in pain, but she used her good arm to return the hug.
"I'm sorry," she whispered back. "Believe me, it wasn't what I was planning."
"Then how…?" Alphinaud began before another voice spoke up.
"Ah, those were cries of celebration," Livingway said in understanding, causing Alisaie to let go as they all looked to see their furry captain marching into the room with Mappingway. As the others all wiped their own tears of happiness, Livingway went on, "Anyway, what the important thing is that you're all alive and in reasonably good health, and we mean to get you back that way."
She then looked to Thancred and added, "As for your earlier request, I'm quite certain we're in range to make contact now."
"Ah, excellent," Thancred said happily. "Let us announce our return at once." His hand went up to his ear but he took one knowing look at their friend and chuckled, "I hope you're ready."
He even threw in a wink as she looked on in confusion. She tilted her head in such an innocently familiar way that the others all smiled fondly. Even Alphinaud found himself unable to stop chuckling as she glanced at him. He stood up and explained, "While you were unconscious, we set out from Ultima Thule, you see."
He held out his hand for her, like the gentleman he was, and asked, beaming with happiness, "Can you stand? If so, you may wish to see what's outside."
She gazed up at him with wide eyes as it slowly dawned on her what he was talking about. She winced slightly as she moved, but she was able to throw out an arm and grab hold of his hand as he pulled her up. She staggered, almost falling over until Thancred and G'raha both were at her side and helped to support her.
She waved their hand down in thanks but insisted on stepping forward on her own two feet as they approached the screen and when it lit up she could see a vast blue sky that one could drown in.
"We're home, my friend. We're home!" Alphinaud said as she stared on.
She suddenly seemed to be overcome with emotion and almost ended up falling straight over once more. Thankfully, she had more than a few helping hands to support her and keep her on her feet.
"I didn't think… I'd see that blue sky again…?" she croaked out breathlessly. It broke their hearts to hear her say that, but they held on tightly, silently reassuring her that they were all alive and well. They were home and survived. And best of all that blue sky wasn't going to be going anywhere any time soon.
After that, it was just the slow decline from the air as they soared over familiar lands… with joy in their hearts as they passed over such places such as Garlemald and Thavnair with skies having returned to normal. Confirming that the coming of the Final Days was truly over.
When Sharlayan had come into view at last, the ship was nearly out of aether and was slowly coming in the land upon the waters at the harbor. They would figure out what to do with it later as they could already see a crowd of people racing down the steps to greet them.
"Well," Estinien said as he stood on their friend's one said and G'raha on the either, helping to support their returning champion. "If there was a soul that hadn't heard of your name anywhere, they are sure to hear of it now."
"You helped," she pointed out as they helped her to walk along the corridor to the exit, the others all grinning like made fools around her.
"Aye, a little," Thancred agreed. "But we're just… the footnote. It was by your hand that the Final Days were halted. So… if you thought you were famous before, that will be nothing now."
"Great…" she grumbled and they laughed as the hatch opened up and they breathed in the fresh air once more.
And as they helped her step down from the ship, Tataru and Krile were the first among many to greet them.
"Welcome home!" Tataru waved with tears of joy falling from her eyes.
(I'm not gonna lie. I couldn't stop smiling when I watched that ending scene. It looked like it was curtains for the WOL and yet our friends bring us back. I love that it wasn't until they heard Alisaie crying did that spark of light flash and we could hear the heart beating again. I will not be doing another long story like I have done for previous expansion since it was just too much work for me, but I will be doing shorter stories like this one. Maybe even commissions if anyone has any particular scene they want to see. Either way, I do hope that you enjoyed it! My gift to you all and have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Starlight!)