"Oh my gods he's handsome!"
"Y-Yuria!"
"H-he's just so—! I-I didn't expect him to—I-I'm going to shut up now!"
"Oh my, looks like you have competition, Noah."
Clamor beamed as the kids' faces turned beet red at his comment. Maybe kid wasn't the most accurate term to describe Yuria and Noah anymore, but 18 was minuscule to elves like himself.
"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" Noah was looking at absolutely anything other than his longtime crush.
Clamor was going to have a field day with this later.
"It's been a while since we last saw you." Clamor decided to be merciful and changed subjects. "I'm sure Noah is curious to know what you've been up to."
"R-right! Umm, come on in! Everyone is out exploring some ruins right now so the camp will be a bit quiet!"
Clamor followed her through the messy campsite. It was still jarring to be able to move according to his own free will. He didn't mind staying in his weapon form with Noah, and it wasn't like he was completely incapable of moving in his weapon form, but it wasn't the same as having his own body back.
"You look…different." Yuria glanced back at Noah with a very visible blush on her face. "G-good different! Did you hit a major growth spurt over the last couple of months?"
"Thanks, umm…it's a bit of a long story. You uh…look pretty as always."
"Right. That's enough awkward talk for one day." Clamor cut them off curtly. "Yuria, are there any old tombs I could keep myself occupied with while the two of you catch up alone?"
"Clamor!" Noah looked up at him in pure horror. Clamor hasn't seen him this frightened since they faced Titania's illusions.
Oh the joys of young love.
"Relax, I'll be within earshot so if anything bad happens just yell." Clamor waved him off. "I'd only make it worse by looming over your shoulder the whole time."
"Y-you don't have to phrase it like that!"
That's how Clamor found himself hiding out in one of the nearby tents while the two friends caught up over the campfire. He idly listened to Noah recapping all the work and training he'd done in Elranoid, only stopping to take an occasional sip of tea provided by Yuria.
"Wow, that's a lot," Yuria said once he caught up to the present. "So what's next?"
"Dunno. I guess finding the El Search party to help them fight the Order."
"I was going to say Aisha would make for a great mentor for you in terms of magic, but I don't think you need her help. I'm really surprised by how much you've grown."
"What can I say? Clamor's a great teacher."
"But still, the amount you've improved is insane!"
Clamor couldn't agree more with Yuria. He'd sensed it right away when he awakened in the second reset.
Noah was calmer, more confident with his spellwork. He was able to read and draw upon the stars' power like it was second nature to him. Though he still needed some guidance, he was handling his powers like he never had before.
It wasn't just his magic that was different, his whole personality took a major shift. At first, Clamor wasn't sure if Noah was actually Noah. While he still had a fixation on getting revenge, there was a spark in his eyes that wasn't present the last time he saw him—it truly looked like he had a reason to live again. He was happy that Noah was finally able to move on from his grief, but the sudden shift was still very jarring.
Noah felt like a completely different person.
Clamor wasn't sure what caused such a major shift in character, but Noah basically told him his involvement with the Gate of Time when he revealed his knowledge of Clamor's bloodline.
His theory was solidified when Noah spontaneously aged two years after he finally found a way to free him from the sickle.
Clamor had tried to ask him about what exactly he did or saw in his past, but Noah never elaborated. He wasn't sure whether that was a good sign or not.
"You must've had such a big headache trying to free Clamor," Yuria noted in awe.
"Yeah, I didn't think it was possible at the time."
Clamor didn't think so either, not that he minded his prison sentence. He was completely fine with living the rest of his afterlife stuck in Noah's sickle, but Noah was having none of it.
"I don't care if it takes me 10 years or 20 years! I'm going to find a way to get your body back one way or another!" Noah had said when he pleaded with him to give up.
"Kid, I appreciate the sentiment but really it's fine. Besides, I'm more useful as a weapon anyway." He didn't mention the real reason behind his reluctance to obtain a body, it didn't feel right to unload his demons to a kid.
"You're not just a weapon, you're my bro—best friend. I'm not going to stand back and let you stay imprisoned by the Order."
"Noah…"
"You're more than just a tool, Clamor! You're worth every second of research!"
He didn't have the heart to counter that argument.
In hindsight, he really should've tried to stop Noah, but he didn't think he'd actually succeed. Yet, in a couple of month's time, the kid managed to crack the code and gave him a spiritual body.
He only wished he wasn't feeling so guilty to enjoy his newfound freedom.
Clamor tuned the kids out when they moved onto more light-hearted topics.
He remained in the tent for hours, engrossed in the records of the past. It was fascinating to see how much the world changed since his own time. He was particularly interested in the sections detailing the history of the old El Masters, especially that of the Fire Master.
Though the books never mentioned his experiment, he caught hints of its devastating effects on history.
Mysterious, disfigured bodies of potential El Master candidates, mass graves of mutated humans—a ruined lab filled with unspeakable experiments. It was all a mark of his sins, yet here he was, getting a second chance at life and occupying a new body.
He owed it to his victims to stay imprisoned, but he also didn't want to undo Noah's great accomplishment.
There was a part of him that selfishly enjoyed his newfound freedom and chance at life. It was wrong of him to feel that way, but he couldn't help it. It was great to have his autonomy again.
It's a shame he couldn't give his victims the same taste of freedom.
"Clamor?" Noah's voice jolted him out of his musing.
"Hmm? Oh, I didn't hear you come in." He promptly closed the dusty old book. "If you're here for girl advice I'm afraid—"
"N-no, it's not that!" Noah dropped his gaze to the ground. "I-I just came in to check on you. You've been in here for a while now and I'm a bit worried."
"A while now? How long have I been in here?"
"Well Yuria and I just had dinner and it's starting to get late," Noah explained. "It's just…you've never left me alone for that long without saying anything. I was scared something happened."
"Ah, my bad. I was just so interested in some of the books here I lost track of time."
That seemed to make Noah visibly relax," what were you reading anyway?" He tried to peek at the history book still in his hand, but Clamor returned it to the bookshelf before Noah had the chance to properly read the title.
"Just some old magic textbooks and geography books. Nothing too interesting."
"You do realize I primarily use magic now, right? Magic-related books would be interesting to me."
"To be fair your sudden proficiency at magic is still something I'm getting used to." He teased lightly. Noah didn't seem too convinced with his answer.
While Clamor admired his newfound intuition, it was nearly impossible to hide anything from Noah now. It was like the kid could read him as well as the stars.
"Hey, do you think you have a minute?" Noah's request caught Clamor off guard. He was sure he'd try to interrogate him further on what he was reading specifically, so this new approach had him a bit worried.
"If the lady asks you into her tent, safety should always—"
"I-it's n-not about Yuria! A-and I'm not a kid anymore, I don't need to have the talk." Despite his fiery blush, Noah did his best to put on a serious expression. "L-let's go take a walk. It's a beautiful night and it'd be a shame to spend it inside."
'There's really no getting out of this one.'
He followed Noah out without protest. After exchanging a few words with Yuria, and yet another painfully awkward exchange from the young lovebirds, the two of them ventured into the quiet outskirts with only the cicadas to fill in the silence.
Noah was right, it truly was a beautiful night. With not a cloud in the sky, he could make out just about every star. It brought him back to his childhood memories of stargazing with his parents, of days without a single care in the world.
He wondered if the elves in this era still used the stars as an anchor for their familial ties.
"They're lovely, aren't they?" Noah sat down on the cool grass. Clamor rested just beside him.
"I'm surprised you're not bored of looking at them after all your intense studying." Clamor often observed Noah consulting the cosmos just before sleeping. There was not a day that passed where he didn't speak to the heavens.
"What can I say, they're good company." He looked over at Clamor with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "They really put things into perspective, huh?"
Clamor simply nodded. It was a phrase his father used to tell him when he faced hardship from blood puritans. He wasn't sure if Noah knew just how familiar his words sounded.
"Hey, Clamor?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you…mad at me?"
"Where did you get that idea from?" Now it was his turn to be worried. Aside from giving him some space in the camp, Clamor couldn't think of doing anything out of the ordinary.
"You seem kinda distant ever since you became a free spirit." Noah elaborated sheepishly.
"No, I'm not upset with you. It's quite the opposite, I'm very grateful for what you've done."
"Then why do you seem so upset now? I thought finally letting you free would make you happy."
"I am." Though he knew it was wrong of him to enjoy his freedom. "I'm being honest, Noah, I never would've thought I'd be able to move freely again."
"But?" Noah urged him to continue.
"It's not anything you need to worry about." He put on his brightest smile but that only seemed to dampen Noah's mood.
"Please talk to me about it, Clamor! Even if you don't want to explain everything, maybe just summarize some of it. It'll make you feel better...trust me."
"There's no hiding stuff from you anymore, is there?" He finally caved under Noah's persistence.
"So you do admit something's wrong!"
"Only because you've got me cornered, kid." He joked half-heartedly. "It's funny...when I first woke up I wanted nothing more than to find a way out of that sickle." It also didn't help that he was under the impression no one could hear him.
"What changed?"
"My research."
Noah didn't say anything after that. Clamor was still surprised Noah forgave him so easily after learning about his past sins. It only made him all the more curious about what exactly he saw in the Gate of Time
"Innocent lives were taken because of my oversight, that's not something I can ever take back." Clamor sighed and fixed his eyes back on the cosmos. He wondered just how many of his victims looked upon the same galaxy and wished for a better future.
"It's a fitting punishment for me to stay trapped in my own creation." Clamor confessed.
It would've been even more fitting for him to "break", but he wasn't going to burden Noah with that information. He was lucky to even be conscious and able to communicate with such a kindhearted kid like Noah.
He didn't expect to have Noah tackle him in a tight bear hug. Clamor looked down at him curiously. Despite aging into adulthood, Noah still looked like that lost young boy he met at the Temple.
"I'm sorry." Noah breathed.
"There's no need to pity me."
"This isn't about pity. I'm sorry I never noticed what you were going through." Noah reluctantly broke the hug. "I just…I was just so focused on getting you out I never really stopped to listen to what you were going through. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm forever grateful for what you did."
"But, Clamor, I don't think it's wrong for you to be free from your prison. You were an innocent victim of the Order as well."
"I think innocent is far from what I am—"
"They tricked you! They lied to your face when all you wanted to do was advance accessibility technology! They took advantage of your kindness and ended your future just when it was getting started! You never even got to visit your home because of those bastards!"
"Ah. So you knew about that as well."
Noah blushed and turned to stare at the grass. Clamor wasn't sure if he should be horrified at the insight Noah had about his past.
"Noah, I'm not sure what you saw in the Gates, but I'm sure you must be aware of the amount of work and research I did for the Order. It doesn't matter if I knew what my client's true intentions were, I helped them regardless."
"What I saw was a brilliant researcher with a heart of gold." Noah turned to face him once more. "You gave me a chance when no one else did, you gave me a place to call home—you taught me how to actually live again! I-I know it technically wasn't real, but it was real to me. The Clamor I befriended in the past is the same Clamor that I see in the present, and I know you would never, ever hurt anyone on purpose."
That was the most Clamor ever heard about Noah's secret adventure into his past. Noah seemed to realize the same thing as his fiery determination vanished into meekness within a split second.
"I-I agree you made a mistake, but that doesn't make you an evil person, you just fell victim to a heinous cult. It's not like you could've predicted the future, and you didn't start the project intending for any of this to happen. You could've changed millions of lives with your project, but they took advantage of you…You're just another number in their body count."
Clamor wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. It was easy to dismiss Noah's comments when he didn't know his backstory, but now it was obvious he spent more than a couple of weeks in his past. Yet, despite knowing so much he was adamantly defending him.
"You're more than just your mistakes…and you of all people deserve a second chance at life." Noah leaned against his arm. Clamor wondered if he was this affectionate while in the Gates. "I'm glad I got to meet you, Clamor. Without you, I think I'd be really lost right now."
Clamor couldn't remember the last time someone was grateful to have him around. Even with his own parents, as they grew older and realized his perception of time and reality was never going to align with them, seemed to regret raising a half-blood like him.
"I didn't realize you held me in such high regards." That was the only thing he managed to say.
"You're…like a brother to me. A-and I don't want you living in guilt for something you didn't do...I want you to be happy."
He always wanted a younger sibling like Noah. Ironic how he now had one in his second chance at life—a chance he shouldn't have gotten.
But for him, maybe he could try to live once more.
"Well then, what kind of brother would I be if I turned down a request like that?"
He could feel Noah relaxing at his response," good. I'll beat you up if you turn back on your words."
"I'd like to see you try, you little brat."
Noah punched him on the arm before wordlessly leaning against it again.
"I still want to avenge their victims, though." Clamor spoke after a short pause. "It's the least I can do to make up for my oversight."
"I'll help you, I can't sit back and let them get away with tearing families apart either." Noah responded instantly. "Just promise me you'll stop beating yourself up for someone else's actions. I want you to be able to embrace this new life and really live for yourself."
Clamor found himself smiling at the sentimental mush. He returned his eyes up to the endless sea of stars once more. With just the two of them beneath heaven's watch, it truly felt like they could take on the entire world together.
"Well, how could I say no after that wonderful speech?" He ruffled Noah's hair—Noah seemed to lean further into him in response.
"Promise you'll talk to me if you're feeling guilty again?"
"Of course, and I extend the same sentiment to you as well. Just don't come to me for girl advice, human and elf relationship dynamics are worlds apart.
"C-Clamor!" Noah looked at him in utter embarrassment.
"What? It's not hard to figure out your little crush on Yuria, I'm surprised you haven't made a move yet."
"Ugh. Can we please stop talking about my love life?" Noah buried his face in his hands.
Clamor laughed and playfully patted him on the back," don't worry, bud, I think you've got a decent chance with her if you show off that lovely Celestial Magic."
"Nope. Not listening!"
'You'll remember when Yuria inevitably asks to spend some alone time with you.'
Clamor shook his head and rose to his feet," we should head back for the night, but the night's still young. It'd be a shame to sleep so soon with such a clear sky overhead."
"H-Huh?" Noah perked his head up at him.
"Didn't you say the best way to admire the stars is to fly amongst them?" Clamor called upon the magical linking binding the two of them together.
Noah's eyes lit up like fireflies the moment he saw their signature magic circle appear behind the two of them.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" He jumped to his feet and grabbed Clamor's hand.
"Luminary!"
In a split second Clamor found himself seeing out of Noah's eyes. He was acutely aware of Noah's emotions, the power flowing between them, and the soft humming of the galaxy just above.
Tonight the stars sang of a new life, new heroes, and new legends being born. It made him wonder if they were attuned to Noah's emotional state just as he was.
"Ready?" Noah asked.
"Whenever you are."
With a burst of golden light, they shot up into the sky, flying higher and higher until they could only see a blanket of rolling clouds beneath their feet.
Noah stopped their ascension just before they could enter the stars' domain, suspending them in the empty skies.
Though the air was cold and the winds were strong, Clamor felt completely free. He could tell Noah shared the exact same sentiment.
And that's all she wrote!
Might upload this to Ao3 for fun later but idk.
I had two ideas for this fic, one involving his third class (honestly I think it's a much stronger concept) but I went with this idea because it was easiest lol. If I'm ever in a fanfic mood I might write it for fun and upload it, but I'm not making any promises. If that story ever comes think of it as a bonus love letter to the game.
So for now I'll assume this is my last Els fic.
Thank you to anyone who actually made it this far! I'll be signing out for the last time now!
Bye bye~
