(During Issue 12: WITCH battles Cedric)
"You alright?"
Grantaire walks up to Martin who tucks his head in between his knees and sits behind the shadow of the large walls. "Does it look like it?" he whimpers.
After a desperate full-on attack by Nigel to knockout Thenard and the large gates, Lamarcus' rebels quickly enter the battle and easily defeated the remains of Thenard's Corps. The First Corps' was then divided to two to support Lyndon ad Jolras Corps at the hill and Vathek at the south. The Calluna men who were left at the gates guard the arrested Thenard and the soldiers and rest after an endearing fight, especially Nigel who now sleeps and recharges his mana after a bitter battle.
"I never knew it would cause you too much of a fright." Grantaire inspects the improvised shooting weapon of Martin. "But this weapon of yours saved our lives and the battle as well. So I think I should thank you on my behalf."
"I never knew what happened. I just did what my instinct told me. I even forgot how I build that 'thing' out of scrap." Martin depressingly sniffs again. "I just want to go home."
"Well you will be, together with Nigel over there. He needs a lot of rest after what's happened." Grantaire says as he looks to the rebels' flag that flies above the hill.
Martin then looks to Nigel in a series of wounded men lying on blankets on the stone floors, who sleeps and hesitantly breathes as his body lies down on a pile of cloth since temporary shelters were not available to accommodate the wounded. "Is he going to be okay?" Martin asks.
"Relax, he's fine." Grantaire replies as he too hides beneath the shadows. "He's a blood mage after all. Most of his magical energy, what we call 'mana' is used up. He just needs to rest to recharge himself up."
"I see." Martin says as he glances at Nigel's beaten and bruised body. "Will I ever be like that? Even I couldn't stand a punch from what he's gotten through." Martin says to himself from the fear he'll take when he agrees to be a legionate.
"I rarely told this to anyone but that's the same thing I said to myself when I had the tattoo imprinted on me." Grantaire says.
Martin quickly bobs his head out to look at Grantaire. "Y-you too?"
"I never wanted to be a legionate up until now." Grantaire shows his Legionate Sigil under his upper right arm. "At that time I wanted to find out and wanted to answer the questions in my head. 'Of all the beings in the universe, why was I also chosen? Was it fate? Was I destined to become a legionate? Why me?' All these questions keep bothering me until at that moment as well, I found the answer."
"And what was it?"
"I found purpose." Grantaire says. "There must be some sort of reason why I was chosen. I don't believe that these tattoos are given in random across the universe. I believe that I was special and hoped that I could do amazing things as a legionate that what others can do."
"And did you found that purpose you're looking for?" Martin asks.
"Someday I'll find it." Grantaire scratches his head and Martin ducks his head back to his knees in disappointment. "Hey, I'm not trying to convince you or anything since Atlas gave you the choice to join or not, but if you're to find something beyond what you are right now, then this might be it." He hisses as he removes his hood to breathe.
"Do you think—Wait! You're—" Martin then looks back to Grantaire with puzzlement and confusion, not because he saw his lizard-face for the first time because of his hood, but quickly remembers the first time he actually met him.
"You're that lizard back at the museum!" Martin points to him.
"Huh?"
(During Issue 12: WITCH battles Cedric)
"What did you say Jehan?" Eric asks. "Sorry, I got lost in the moment."
"I said 'then there goes the grand clock…'" Jehan says as he limps toward Eric who now silently sits and rests among the hills as he watches the surrendered soldiers marching down the hill, guarded by Lamarcus' rebels.
"The grand clock?" Eric turns around and sees Jehan approaching him.
"There…" Jehan points to the crumbling clock tower in the far part of the city. The burning tower coincidentally collapses to itself and leaves a huge puff of smoke and ashes. "It has been the center of time here in Merdian, and according to legend once time has stopped, a drastic change will happen, like an apocalypse they say."
"Well, today was an apocalypse alright." Eric then gazes the silent and foggy city. "Yet I also agree that a hopeful and drastic change will happen soon, if the Guardians and Elyon would successfully win over Cedric and Phobos." He turns back to Jehan and remembers that he came back just now. "So how's Vathek?"
"Vathek's men continue with the retreat back to the south, after Caleb's men reinforce the Calluna." Jehan replies and leans on the crooked flagpole with Ferroris' flag flying above the hill. "But before I left, the legionates of Lamarcus' Corps from the north directly aid Vathek and encircle the Annihilators. I heard that the rebels who were in charge here were the rebels under General Oswyn."
"Really? And with only a hundred rebels, they threatened and defeated the three corps of the Meridian Army!" Eric rethinks and rubs his chin. "But I think I should consider the loss of Zagan which was truly a big blow to the Meridian soldiers—"
"And how much was a 'big blow' was it? Was I cool?" Someone cuts from behind. Eric and Jehan turn around to see a smirking Ray who limps and zigzags his way to get to them with a walking bark to support his body.
"I thought you would pass out until the next day." Eric teases as Ray slumps his body on the grassy knoll and rests. "But surprisingly you rested for an hour or less."
"Since you have company, Atlas, I must be on my way now. I need to check on the casualties and the cooking. " Jehan salutes as Eric and Ray does too and he walks away.
"The thought of being in a middle of a battle woke me up." Ray explains. "But when I woke up in the medical tent, I was told that the battle was over. So I came here to ask you myself what happened."
"Well to sum up," Eric scratches his hood. "After you pulled of a deus ex machina moment and defeated Zagan, the soldiers were demoralized and in disarray. They soon begin to retreat but minutes later, Lamarcus' Corps trapped them on the bottom of the hill just in time. With nowhere to run, the generals of all three corps decided to pull out the white flag."
"Big word to describe it as a deus ex machina." Ray points out annoyed by Eric's comment. "But you're right, I was like some anime protagonist with the flashback in my head to enlighten and motivate me during that dire moment. When I somehow took control of the situation you could actually hear the boss music ringing in your ear—"
"Yeah yeah I got that!" Eric bumps Ray's shoulder annoyed by the not-so- serious conversation. "But really, was it really that clichéd?"
"It really was…" Ray assures. "It's like the past flashes right before me. I remembered the day I took my first shots when I was with my uncle. I never knew why it was in my head that time but he told me something to win the fight. I think that's the reason why I pulled off an advanced technique that neither my uncle hasn't used yet. Heck! The thirteenth technique that he theorized was actually impossible to pull off! But for some reason whatsoever I actually 'did it!' To tell you the truth, I think my uncle really saved me that moment."
"So clichéd!" Eric jokingly gestures and mocks Ray's cheesiness dialogue.
"You're just jealous, human!" Ray smirks and mocks him back. "I may be powerful and stronger than you now!"
"Am not!" Eric humiliatingly crosses his arms. "Yet without a bow you can't do anything!"
Ray slaps his forehead in frustration and quickly remembers how his bow is disintegrated caused by the great energy of the thirteenth technique. "Oh no! Looks like I need to create another bow—Off!" He is then surprised when Eric tosses to his abdomen a large weighted object covered with a cloak. He sits upright and looks frustrated at the smirking Eric.
"You don't have to forge yourself another one you know." Eric reminds.
He then uncovers the large item and founds a well-designed, magnificent and striking bow, it was Oswyn's bow. He then snickers in amusement. "You don't have to toss this to me while I lay down my back you know." He says as he tries the bow himself and extends his arm with the bow on his hand. "But don't you think I'm still unworthy to be like my uncle and even hold unto this—"
"Nah." Eric cuts him off and smiles. "I think it suits you perfectly."
Surprised by Eric's comment, he smiles back at him and absorbs Oswyn's bow—now his into his magic. "Thanks."
