Author's Note: RECAP FROM LAST CHAPTER! So, five years fast forward from Lars' becoming brokenhearted at the hands of Shadar! He's lost all sense of self-worth, becoming a hermit that only leaves his room once a week to do a bounty. He enters Swift Solutions and meets Oliver, Esther, and Drippy. Before leaving, Lars notices the photo of the Emperor of Hamelin and nervously inquires about it. However, after hearing that they want to learn magic, he mocks them, cruelly stating how the Emperor despises magic! This is because Lars has lost his belief in his brother due to Shadar's machinations! However, he leaves immediately afterwards out of embarrassment. The Taskmaster then tells the group about Lars' situation, they realize he's brokenhearted, and learn from a hesitant Taskmaster where Lars is. They fight Lars' nightmare and restore his belief. Lars is fine. He and Esther recognize each other, which then leads them to bring Lars back up to speed with recent events. Basically, Gascon is overtaxing, enacting and then repealing ridiculous degrees, etc. Oh, he also declared war on Al Mamoon because of the babana trade. Anyways, after hearing that, Lars offers to use the Travel spell to take the group to Hamelin and guide them. Group accepts and Lars promptly teleports them! Chapter ends and here we are!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ni no Kuni! That honour solely belongs to Level-5 Studios! If I did, I wouldn't change anything except add a more dramatic conversation between grown Marcassin and Swaine!
—
Chapter 3
Home, Sweet, Home
"Travel!" Lars had cast, engulfing the group with a blinding, white light. The others released sounds of shock and even panic. However, when the light faded, the casual atmosphere of Castaway Cove was gone. And in its place was the mechanical ambience of Hamelin. Beach sand was replaced by dark grey soil. Light blue skies darkened to a deep, royal shade. Salty ocean air turned into the smell of factory smoke.
Lars' breath hitched as he digested the familiar empire.
It's been fifteen years since Marcassin ran away…
"Woah!" Oliver gasped as he stumbled backwards, nearly knocking into travellers coming and going into Hamelin's entrance. However, the group shuffled towards the side of the pathway leading inside. "This is Hamelin?" The boy asked, staring with wide eyes at the pig-shaped dome before them.
"Sure is… As you can see, it's not your average city." Lars quietly nodded, twirling his wand.
"That was… odd." Esther discerned, her face a faint green.
"The world's spinning, it is!" Drippy added as he fell to the ground with a plop.
"I'm sure you'll all get used to it." The bounty hunter nonchalantly assured. "Now, come on! Let's go find that Emperor!" Lars urged, helping the fairy to his feet as they began walking towards the entrance. While setting his wand aside, Lars' hands brushed against the pig mask that was clasped against his hip. He hadn't had the chance to dispose of it since he'd started thinking clearly. And though the young man would've relished being able to be rid of the reminder of his torment, Lars wondered if he should don it a day more in order to disguise himself.
"Risk being recognized… or put the blasted thing on again?" He inwardly debated, glaring at the offending mask. "I mean… fifteen years… I'll probably be fine." Lars shrugged. There were multiple guards stationed in front of the city's entrance, processing different travellers entering Hamelin. Immediately, Lars was wary as they approached.
"Purpose of visit?" One of the guards brusquely prompted, their face hidden by a pig-shaped visor.
"We want to see the-" Esther started.
"-Factories!" Lars hastily interrupted before the blonde could finish. He belatedly realized that it wasn't the wisest decision for 'travellers' to tell an empire at war that they wanted to see their Emperor. "I grew up in Hamelin, you see. It's been some years since I've visited and I wanted to show my friends here where I grew up!" The young man lied through his teeth. Though, he flashed a friendly grin at the guard.
It didn't work.
"Hamelin is not permitting travellers in at this time. You'll have to come again later." The guard tonelessly denied.
"But, we need to-" Oliver protested.
"I see! Thank you, sir. We'll get going then!" Lars cut in once more, steering the group by their shoulders in the opposite direction. "Sorry, guys. Maybe next year!" He loudly apologized. Though, the moment they were out of the guards' sight they stopped.
"Lars!" Esther complained.
"Sorry!" The bounty hunter apologized, waving his hands. "But, I realized that it's kind of suspicious to blurt out that we want to see the Emperor of an empire at war." He explained good-heartedly.
"Oh." The younger members of their group blinked, comprehension dawning.
"He's right, he is! People are ruddy scared right now, they are! Can't trust anybody with their Emperor!" Drippy exclaimed, shaking his head from side to side. Though, a cloud of disappointment soon settled over the group.
"How will we get inside then? Is that the only entrance?" Esther pondered, holding her chin.
"It is." A grinning Lars confirmed.
"Oi, you seem ruddy nonplussed about this, mun!" Drippy observed as Lars turned to analyze the line of travellers marching pass them.
"That's because I am." The young man calmly nodded. "Not to worry, just need to find the right person… There we are!" Lars' eyes lit up as he straightened his attire. "I'll be right back!" He stated and left without an explanation, to the surprise of his companions. Fortunately, they didn't follow him. Instead, the group watched as a carefree Lars jaunted towards a singular merchant with a sizeable caravan behind him. "Good day, sir! There's something I must ask of you!" Lars brightly greeted with an equally broad smile.
—
Later in the evening, the group was safely inside the depths of Hamelin's steel walls. They watched as the still smiling Lars stealthily deposited a hefty sum of guilders into the merchant's hands before walking back.
"You bribed that man, Lars?!" Esther hissed in shock as they began traversing the streets.
"I did!" The bounty hunter chuckled. It'd only took a few minutes of bartering before the merchant agreed to smuggle them inside Hamelin in exchange for some guilders. Gascon had been proven right over the years. Being diplomatic and polite really did come in handy sometimes! It made people much more agreeable. Though, Lars preferred not to take advantage of that fact if he could help it… usually.
"What if we got caught by the guards?!" Esther vehemently questioned, balling her fists together.
"Let's not focus on what could've happened, and on what did. We're inside Hamelin now!" Lars sheepishly pointed out. "The other option would've been using Travel, but I don't know how much the interior has changed to find a good spot to land. Or, well, force." He noted. The bounty hunter decided not to mention how the thought of a covert operation seemed thrilling. Luckily, the blonde decided to let the matter go as they passed the Hootique.
"I need to buy more supplies. We used a lot defeating Lars' nightmare." Oliver casually noted. Burning guilt stabbed into Lars' gut at the reveal, and he averted his eyes.
"Remind me to pay you back later." Lars gravely responded. He still had the reward for the pink rat bounty in Castaway Cove. However, half of the small sum had gone to bribing the merchant. And the young man didn't want to spend the remaining amount so soon after entering Hamelin. So, with a disappointed sigh he watched Oliver and the fairy enter the shop. "You're not going with them, Esther?" Lars noticed.
"No, I don't need anything for myself as of now. Besides, Oliver always ends up purchasing more than we need anyways so I'll just borrow some of his supplies to save money." The blonde calmly explained with a shrug.
"I see." Lars brought his head up to stare at the metallic sky. Hazy, yellow spotlights shone down like tiny stars. "Do you want to talk while we wait then?" The bounty hunter asked as he studied the streets.
"I'd be happy to." Esther smiled. "You mentioned you grew up here. What was it like living in Hamelin?" She piqued.
"My childhood, eh? Well… I guess I can finally talk about myself after all these years." Lars smirked. Previously, the bounty hunter had gone to great lengths to avoid describing his childhood to the Great Sage and his family. Though, with a decade gone, he had more freedom to retell his life. "It was a little like Al Mamoon, the warmth. We didn't see the sun too often. But, Hamelin's factories created enough heat for us. But, it's much hotter than what I remember…" Lars started, wiping sweat off his brow. "Anyways, my family and I lived near the Imperial Palace." An exaggeration of the truth.
"The Imperial Palace?! Did you know the Emperor then?" Esther eagerly asked, causing him to smirk.
"Not exactly. But, the young princes had a small habit of sneaking out back then. Sometimes I would spot them running off. Never said anything though, it wasn't my business." Some truths and some lies. "It was… tough growing up for me. My Mother died when I was young, and my Father expected my older brother and I to meet high expectations. Way too high for a kid… I'll never forget the day I left…" Lars grimaced. It wasn't a lie, just a truth without the particular context.
"You ran away?" Esther gasped, her eyes wide as saucers.
"You bet… I couldn't handle the pressure anymore. Haven't been back since… until now." The bounty hunter affirmed, his vision swimming with nostalgia.
"I'm sorry…" The blonde mumbled, shame colouring her cheeks red. But, Lars waved it off.
"Don't apologize, Esther. I'm the one who decided to bring it up." He grinned. Hesitantly, she exhaled and nodded her head. "Okay, your turn to talk! How was Old Smokey? Oliver told me a little about it and fighting… him. But, there's plenty more to be excited about." Lars cheerfully questioned. As Esther rattled on about the group's adventures on the volcano, Lars' thoughts began to wander.
"There's no harm telling Esther a bit about my life. I was vague enough that no dots should connect if Gascon talks about me for some reason. Besides, the moment they help Gascon I'll be gone before he sees my face." He assured. "Hey, Esther…" Lars started while Oliver and Drippy exited the Hootique.
"Yes, Lars?" She went, tilting her head.
"Please don't tell anyone about… my life before. I told you because of our history. And while I trust your judgement and that of Rashaad's…" The young man trailed off, twirling his wand.
"I would never betray your trust in me, Lars. I won't tell anyone, not even Father!" Esther earnestly promised, bringing her hands together.
"Thank you." Lars beamed as Oliver and Drippy caught up with them.
"Is something wrong, Oliver? You look like someone stole your babana split!" Esther questioned after observing the downcast aura of her friend.
"It's nothing-" The boy initially protested.
"What's wrong is that the Hootique's ruddy supply here is overpriced, it is!" Drippy exclaimed. "A single Phoenix Feather costs fifteen-hundred guilders! Fifteen-hundred! Highway robbery! That's three times the normal price, they are!" The fairy ranted as Oliver meekly nodded along.
"That is expensive…" Lars muttered. "Why would they charge so much?" He pondered while pacing.
"Ruddy taxes!" Drippy shouted, attracting a few curious looks from the streets. After a beat, the fairy quieted down before resuming. "Taxes, it is! Lady in charge herself confirmed it, she did. Says the Emperor is taxing and taxing and taxing all the shops selling provisions and such so Hamelin can benefit from adventurers more… rubbish." Drippy explained in a whisper.
"Taxes…?" Lars repeated in a disbelieving voice.
"The people look so unhappy…" Esther sombrely noticed as she stared at the crowds. It had been something Lars had noted earlier. But, he'd tried to wave it off as an unrelated issue entirely.
"We need to find him-the Emperor. Now." Lars stated with surprising conviction and little humour. However, before the group could answer the streets began to shake while alarms blared.
"What's going on?" Oliver questioned as he struggled to maintain his balance.
"Make way for the royal procession! Hurry! Clear the way, I say!" A voice rang out against the shifting of the city. Revelation flashed through Lars' eyes as he realized what was to happen. Thinking fast, the young man quickly ushered the group towards the edge of the street.
"Hamelin can reorientate their streets to create larger spaces. Normally, these are used for parades so the good people can see their Emperor. Now, is one of those times!" Lars speedily summarized as other citizens pushed against them. Fortunately, the group was positioned near the front of the crowd so they could clearly view the incoming grand vehicle.
"So… is that…?" Oliver asked while pulling his picture out.
"I think he is, Ollie-boy. That would be the Emperor of Hamelin." Drippy finished for him as the vehicle came closer. Hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers marched down the street in perfect formations. The thunk of their soles against metal reverberated throughout the city like thunder. The vehicle itself was massive, larger than some of the buildings in the city. It was coated in dark greens, purples, and black with the Hamelin crest resting atop.
However, the most striking aspect of the procession was the man who sat atop the vehicle, surrounded by a dozen soldiers on a golden throne.
"Gascon…" Lars thought. His brother's form was tall and unrelenting. His royal attire matched that seen in Oliver's photo. Yet, something was… different. Lars remembered certain things about Gascon. He remembered those dark eyes with a stubborn glare that was always trying to prove something. Whether it be to himself or their family. The former prince stared at his brother's face.
And shock entrenched itself inside his heart.
For the only thing he saw in this Emperor of Hamelin's eyes were pure greed and temptation.
—
Lars was in a daze throughout the entire procession. His stunned eyes wouldn't leave Gascon's face as the vehicle passed in front of their group. Distantly, he heard the others say words and noises. However, the bounty hunter's mind could only focus on his brother. In turn, the Emperor had widely smiled at his loyal citizens, waving some kind of device in the air as he spoke of greatness and glory. Yet, it was clear to Lars how cold Gascon's eyes were. How he seemed to pull apart people in the crowd with his gaze. How he could use them. And that revelation made Lars feel sick to his bones.
He didn't know how long it had been until his brother was out of shot. But, Lars realized it when suddenly the buildings and streets were moving back to their original positions. In turn, snapping Lars back to his senses and the surprised cries of his companions.
"So, that was the Emperor, huh?" Oliver stated once they'd settled down.
"Indeed it was, Ollie-boy." Drippy agreed, though he was also rapidly shaking his head. "Not all is well though, not all is well! I got a flipping bad feeling about him, mun!" The fairy expressed.
"Do you think he's brokenhearted, Mister Drippy?" Esther quietly asked.
"I can't say for sure, mun! Need to see the man up close to confirm, I do!" Drippy explained. "Oi, Lars! You've been flipping quiet haven't you, mun?" The fairy questioned. In response, Lars shook his head to clear his mind of his spiralling thoughts.
"I'm sorry. I'm just… surprised. That man wasn't Emperor when I lived here. A lot of things are different from when I lived here." The bounty hunter muttered with a regretful tone. "If only they knew…" He thought.
"That's alright, Lars! We understand how hard it must be to see the place you grew up change so much… and maybe not in all the best ways." Esther encouraged as the others nodded behind her. However, before Lars could answer them, a horrible, static screech filled the air. They all grabbed their ears in pain as the static morphed into a crackling voice.
"The Ministry of Conduct announces a new emergency decree from the Emperor!" The monotone voice stated.
"Another one?" Lars incredulously shouted while massaging his ears. He'd forgotten how jarring the city-wide announcements could be.
"Let it be known that article 2905 of the constitution gives the Imperial Army permission to search all travellers and foreign citizens at their own discretion! All travellers and foreign citizens are required to carry their papers proving their status as legal visitors or residents of Hamelin at all time! Anyone violating this law will be liable to ten years' imprisonment and the full force of the Hamelin justice system! All hail the Emperor!" The announcement ended to a shuffling in the crowd as people rushed to their residences to retrieve their papers. A few stray 'All Hail the Emperor' also echoed out in the metallic dome.
Lars looked down to Oliver, Esther, and Drippy with a wince.
"That's going to be a problem." He murmured.
"Flipping obvious, that is!" Drippy hissed, stamping his feet on the ground. "We don't have any papers! If we get searched we're goners, we are!" The fairy fretted. As Oliver and Esther began debating what their next steps would be, Lars went over recent events.
"If I stayed… could I have stopped Gascon from becoming… this?" He wondered with a mournful expression. "Or, would Shadar have targeted him too because of his relation to me? As he had done to me for my relation to him…" The bounty hunter thought, tightly clenching his fists together. "I'm so, sorry, brother… I'll make this right… It's my turn to look out for you." Lars decided, closing his eyes for a brief recess from the chaos around him. He felt his heart beat before releasing his gaze to the group.
"Lars?" Esther asked, tilting her head as she watched his resolve steel itself.
"I'll take them to you, and help them help you." Lars thought with a cough. "We don't have much time. Follow me, and I'll show you where the palace is. I doubt they've somehow moved it at least." The young man implored with determination pulsing through his body.
—
The speed walk to the palace was spent in curt silence. The four of them constantly looking over their shoulders for Hamelin soldiers. However, though they did receive the occasional suspicious look that sent shivers down Lars' spine, they arrived at the palace successfully. Unfortunately, dozens of soldiers strictly guarded the palace's entrance, as if daring anyone to approach.
"I don't think they're accepting visitors." Esther glumly noted.
"We can't be completely sure. They could also just be extra security for the Emperor since Hamelin's going to war." Lars hesitantly debated, twirling his wand. He'd erratically twirled it more and more as they came closer to his former home. "It's a shame we can't ask any of the soldiers without looking suspicious or getting searched…" The young man grumbled.
"Well, we could just ask someone whose not a soldier." Oliver brightly pointed out, moving to stop a random woman nearby. "Excuse me, ma'am?" The boy happily went.
"What do you want, kid?" The woman brusquely snapped, her eyes furrowed with hostility.
"Yes! Do you know why there are so many soldiers in front of the palace?" Oliver kindly asked.
"Really?" The woman scoffed. "They're there to make sure no one enters the palace that the Emperor hasn't personally invited." She mocked. "More like imprison if you ask me. Damn tyrant. What's it to you anyways, kid? Haven't you been listening to the news lately?" The woman bitterly pushed.
"Oh, I-" Oliver suddenly stammered.
"Actually, shut it! I couldn't care less what a snot-nosed brat like you wants to kill time doing. Now, scram!" She rudely cut off, flashing her middle finger before walking away.
"Well, she wasn't very nice." Esther huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Flipping mad, she was. But, she did tell us what we needed to know, she did!" Drippy dryly pointed out.
"That, she did, Drippy. That, she did." Lars nodded. "Let's get out of their sight before one comes over, yeah?" He suggested to his companions who nodded and followed him into a corner away from the palace's entrance. "What to do…?" The young man whistled, leaning against a brick wall. "If we had the soldiers' uniforms, we might have been able to infiltrate the good, old-fashioned way. But, I have no idea where we'd even get those. Gascon was always better at this kind of stuff…" Lars bemoaned.
He watched as a puff of factory smoke descended onto the soldiers. "I can't teleport either since Gascon could have renovated while I was gone… And I'd have to explain how I'd been in the palace before." Lars shot down. The smoke settled onto the guards, who coughed and wheezed before it dissipated.
Like it had never been there before.
A spark of inspiration ignited inside Lars' mind.
"Okay… I think I know how we could get in without needing to fight hundreds of well-trained soldiers." He quietly announced to the group, who promptly turned to him. "Oliver, do you know how to cast Veil?" The bounty hunter asked.
"I do, why?" The boy blinked.
"Oi, are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, mun?" Drippy questioned with dawning realization.
"That's good. I want you to cast it with me. If all goes well, we should be able to walk straight inside without all those guards being none the wiser." Lars explained.
"Oh… I see!" Oliver brightly grinned at the plan. "Okay, are we casting it now?" He avidly asked.
"Let's do it." The bounty hunter nodded. "On three. One, two, three… Veil!" Both wizards chanted as a small fog enwrapped the four. When the fog lifted, the group looked themselves over.
"We don't seem any different." Esther questioning, squinting her eyes.
"To everyone here, yes. But, those soldiers won't see a thing… as long as no one makes contact with them." Lars explained while walking into the open. He frenetically waved his arms and shouted to the heavens. But, none of the bystanders or soldiers gave any indication of noticing him. "We're good. Come on." The bounty hunter urged the startled group.
They navigated through the cluster of soldiers, careful not to step on a single foot or bump into any hard elbows. However, strolling down the long metallic corridors of the palace was fairly easy once they were inside. Though, neither Oliver or Lars brought their spell down just in case.
"This place is huge…" Esther whispered in awe as they snuck through the palace. "Do you know where the Emperor might be, Lars?" She asked.
"Sorry to disappoint, but no. I don't." The young man denied, purposefully turning away. Thus, Oliver led them across a large atrium-like room before approaching an intimidating set of ornate doors. "This looks like somewhere the Emperor would stay." Lars casually noted, trying to disguise his racing heartbeat. "This is where Father used to stay most of the time… Gascon must be here… Gascon is right there…" His thoughts echoed. The face of his brother past and present flashed across his mind.
Apprehension fought through his facade as Oliver slowly pried the doors open. Lars' arm wildly shook.
"No one's there?" The boy questioned, drinking in the room with a long look before gently sealing the doors shut. Unprovoked relief settled over Lars' body while the others deliberated over the matter. "I guess we just have to keep looking?" Oliver sighed.
—
Unfortunately, the group had to take refuge in several empty rooms as their resident wizards began to tire. However, as Oliver led them down another hallway that looked no different than the one before, they startled as the floor shuddered. Though, the commotion only lasted a moment before settling down.
"What's with this city and flipping moving around?!" Drippy exclaimed as they reoriented themselves. But, a single shout from down the hall quelled any response to the fairy's words.
"Oh! Damn it all!" A familiar voice screamed antecedent to the shuddering resuming.
"Was that…?" Esther started.
"The Emperor!" Oliver finished, already tumbling down the quaking corridor. The rest of their group followed behind, with Lars only slightly hesitating. The walls gradually expanded into a large chamber, filled with porcine tanks and billowing smoke. Carts piled high with charcoal and ores wheeled in oscillated motions. Through machine rumble, the faint sound of shouting was heard. The group cautiously approached, hiding behind the bulky body of a tank.
"No, no, NO! This won't work at all!" Gascon's gaunt figure howled as he hurled a gadget away. It struck the wall with such force that its components shattered across the floor. "I need more! More!" The Emperor ranted to his gathered advisors, who nervously shared glances as their leader paced. "Is this really the best Hamelin's engineers can offer? How can I scare the cow's forces so severely that they flee with their tails between their legs with pathetic toys?" Gascon viciously scowled.
"Our factories are doing their best to supply-" One advisor tried to defend.
"Well their best is clearly not enough!" The Emperor glared, silencing them. Gascon pointed at the gadget's remains. "Now, take that piece of rubbish back to the sad fool who made it and tell him to get me an actual weapon! Unless he wants to serve his Empire in other ways…" He strongly exhorted.
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty! It will be done!" The advisor stuttered.
"And you!" Gascon turned to another advisor. "I just got the most brilliant idea! Begin sending patrols through Autumnia's coasts! Not a single ship may dock here for as long as this war lasts!" He proclaimed with a manic grin.
"B-But, your majesty! To control the entire coastline? We don't have enough men!" The advisor pleaded with a rapidly paling face.
"Do not question me, I am your Emperor!" Gascon roared while slashing his hand through the air before him. "If we don't have enough men, then lower the age of enlistment by two years! Controlling the coasts will greatly expand Hamelin's reach! We shall assert our dominance throughout the entire continent, not confined to the small borders of our one city! Am I clear?" He trumpeted.
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty! I understand!" The pale advisor nodded.
"Good. Now get of my sight." The Emperor sharply ordered. The advisors didn't move. "What? Do you need me to repeat myself? MOVE!" Gascon screamed as the advisors scattered like mice in a cage. "There's got to be better help around here…" The Emperor grumbled upon returning to his work at a small bench.
"That was… intense…" Oliver gulped.
"That's one way to put it, Ollie-boy…" Drippy whispered. "But I see it, clear as day, I do! Our Emperor over there is brokenhearted, he is! He's missing his restraint! Man can't think or anything but growing Hamelin, no matter the blinking costs to his people…" The fairy described in a grave voice.
"I don't have any restraint on me, right now..." Oliver groaned, lightly banging his head against his palm.
"T-Then let's go find some." Lars beseeched, snapping himself out of a horror-struck daze. "I'll teleport us back once we find that restraint. But, let's not confront him while he's… like that." The bounty hunter advised with a shiver.
"He's right. We should hurry." Esther nodded as they all creeped towards the hallway. However, Gascon impulsively shouted once more, flinging another piece of metal towards them. Before any of them could blink, it smacked Oliver's arm. The boy yelped, clutching the wounded limb to his chest. Fortunately, it wasn't a serious injury, at worst a small bruise would form. Unfortunately, the sudden impact caused the young wizard's spell to vanish.
"Uh, oh." Esther gasped as the group began visible.
"This isn't flipping good!" Drippy cursed.
"Shoot!" Lars hissed, pressing himself against the corridor's wall, out of sight.
"What the-Who are you people? How did you arrive without my knowing? Why are you here?!" Gascon bellowed, his face flooding with unbridled rage. He fumbled back to the desk, where a small rifle rested. "Guards! Guards!" The Emperor loudly alerted as he armed himself.
"W-Wait!" Oliver tried to mollify.
"Hold on…" Gascon stated in a low tone… and aimed his gun at them. "I recognize your face, somehow." He realized, narrowing his eyes before they inexplicably widened. "Oliver-" Before the boy had a chance to respond, Lars grappled his wrist and began sprinting down the corridor.
"Run!" He yelled.
"Lars!" Oliver cried as the group fled from bullets smashing against the walls. In that moment, the bounty hunter's mind was focused on running until he had enough mana to use Travel. However, the former prince was able to hear a single line before static swarmed his ears.
"Those names… those faces… I know them… but how?" Lars heard the Emperor ask the wind.
—
"What?!" Lars' mind fervently questioned. He felt his mouth move, telling the others his plan. But, his brain was occupied trying to make sense of the Emperor's words. "He might have recognized my face despite the years. But, how would he know Lars? Let alone Oliver?!" He pondered even while Oliver, Esther, and Drippy shouted in panic as guards pounded after them.
"Burden!" Oliver cast.
"We've been slowed? They're getting away!" He heard their pursuers faintly cry out as they gained distance.
"When would Gascon even meet Oliver? He hasn't been in this world for long? And they've never been to Hamelin before today…" Lars asked, a sweat beginning to form on his brow. They stumbled into the atrium. "Could it have been from before I ran away? But… wait…" The former prince froze as he racked his memories for answers.
"Lars?!"
Lars… that name. He'd called himself Lars because of the bounty hunter who let him leave all those years ago. It'd been so long he nearly forgot. Marcassin had styled his life after that man. That man, that other Lars. He'd had a group with them, hadn't he? There had been another wizard, or was it two?
"Why are you stopping? Can you use Travel now?"
It didn't matter. There had been a blonde girl… and a fairy. Yes, now he was remembering. The only adult had been the other Lars. The rest were children. Their names… their names had been…
"What's flipping wrong with you, mun?!"
Drippy… Esther… Oliver… and… Lars.
"Oh no…" Marcassin mumbled as fog encircled their group. He heard the others' shouts of confusion but couldn't bring himself to worry in comparison to this new revelation. "That other Lars… was me?! And the group of adventures… the others? But… how? The only way that's possible is if…" The young man's breath hitched as the fog receded.
Guards replaced fog.
"We're surrounded!" Drippy called out.
"But if that's the case then-" Lars heard slow, heavy, footsteps approach the group from behind. "No, no, no, no…" His mind raced. "Please don't be him. Please don't be happening." The former prince begged even as his hands instinctively reached for the pig mask. Previous feelings for the cursed headwater forgotten as fear took over.
Lars turned to see-
"Just who in blazes do you think you are?" A deep, authoritative voice commanded.
-his Father. His alive and very, not dead, Father.
"Dammit." Lars softly cursed.
—
Author's Notes: This chapter took forever to write! Also, the "Oh no" being said by Marcassin, was not a mistake! Anyways, I'm really happy with how the end of this chapter went! But, dude, you guys have no idea how annoying it was trying to fit the revelation of the past adventure to Lars before the actual time travel occurred. Originally, it was going to be in Castaway Cove, but it didn't flow well. Then, it was going to be while Esther and Lars were talking earlier. But, that also didn't flow. Eventually, I landed on putting it as is currently, which worked!
I hope you liked this chapter! Please tell me your thoughts below and have a fantastic day! Until next time!