XIII: Elma

Enderi 4, 707

The world was nothing more than an endless sea, cloaked in a boundless sky, reaching as far as could possibly be imagined. Or, so it seemed, from the vantage points on the ship. Quinn stood toward the stern, watching the waters roll in the ship's wake. The vanguard had been at sea for just over a week now, sailing north, the temperature steadily climbing as they sailed further and further from Bannon. As for their destination…

"Coea…" Valerian's voice said. "A peculiar choice."

Quinn looked back, to see the gaunt man approaching, and lean against the railing next to him. "Mister Valerian," he replied.

Valerian shook his head. "I told you, call me 'Van.' You never know where Imperium spies may be hiding, after all."

"R-Right, sorry," Quinn stammered.

Valerian- … Van looked out over the water. "I'm not criticizing your decision. The Coeans are fierce warriors, and gaining their allegiance would benefit our cause. But with so many options, why go to them first?"

"Well…" Quinn began.

Lithe 26, 707

Quinn sighed as he leaned against a wall in the hallway. It was late, he was tired, and he'd had quite enough of listening to stodgy politicians argue.

The vanguard had returned from Hessen the day prior. Uther wasted no time approaching Parliament to report Graf Alibert's betrayal- from there, an emergency summit was called to discuss the news and what actions, if any, were to be taken. When the announcement of the summit came, everyone who could chose to make themselves scarce, but Quinn had not been so fortunate- Mother Agnes decided that, as a full-fledged Archon, it was time for Quinn to get a taste of politics. So he, along with Ingrid, listened in on Parliament's meeting.

At first, things moved quickly, thanks to both the firm evidence of Alibert's betrayal, and Uther's rhetoric. Unfortunately , the discussion finally stalled at two major questions: whether or not to hire a ship from the Vanderijck Trade Guild to ferry Bannon's envoys, and, what nation should be approached first. The sun had set hours prior, but Parliament seemed no closer to coming to an agreement than when the question had first been raised.

Quinn had excused himself from the meeting, and was now waiting in one of the House of Parliament's many hallways. It was a building at the heart of Tristan, the decadence within at odds with the austere castle overlooking the sea- its walls were decorated with vibrant paintings and intricate wood carvings, its floors draped with rich rugs. Though Quinn never had much need for beautiful things in his life, he would admit, looking at the decor helped to ease his mind and soothe his frustrations.

Still, Quinn couldn't understand why the others were having so much difficulty coming to a decision. He understood that hiring the Guild was not a small expense, but what did it matter where they went first? In all likelihood, they would have to visit each nation eventually. Uther had recommended approaching the Confederation of Ulrich first, but no one else would stand behind him, fearing that Kherson would interpret Bannon's presence in the Confederation as an attempt to flank them, and launch a counterattack. Mother Agnes was in attendance, but was oddly quiet. Perhaps Parliament would follow her recommendation… but how would he convince her?

Quinn pondered, before turning his gaze to his hands. To the ring on his finger.

…Norn.

Perhaps… his Ring could help. He'd never consciously viewed the future before, but if he could manage to have a vision, perhaps it would grant him some inkling of where they should go first.

So, Quinn closed his eyes and focused. He concentrated on the ring around his finger, trying to… awaken it. To see beyond what was around him.

And then, there was a flash.

Quinn looked around. He found himself in a city built of gleaming white marble. Women dressed in heavy bronze armor, carrying spears and massive bronze shields, patrolled the streets. Quinn himself was standing at the foot of a staircase leading to a massive building surrounded by white stone columns, capped by an enormous golden dome. He ascended the steps, pushed open the wooden doors at their peak, and entered the building.

The interior was… empty, save for one thing: a figure, seated on the floor, wrapped in a red cloak. Though he couldn't see their face, a long braid of white hair trailed out from beneath their hood, touching the floor, and spreading out around them in a large spiral. Quinn approached the figure, cautiously.

As he did, the figure looked up. It was a woman, possibly the oldest woman Quinn had ever seen. But though her face sagged, lined by countless wrinkles, her eyes held a clarity he'd never seen before. She regarded Quinn for a moment, before speaking, in a powerful voice that stood at complete odds with her frail form:

"I've been waiting for you."

Another flash returned Quinn to the real world. The light shining from Norn faded. He reflected on what he had seen, before turning to the door that led into the meeting chamber, and entering.

He ignored the clamor of arguing politicians, and searched the crowd. In the sea of emotion, Mother Agnes's serene expression stood out. Seated to her right was Evangelyne, grinning as she watched the arguments in the chamber; to her left sat Ingrid, stoic as always. He climbed the steps at the side of the chamber, up to where they were seated, and laid a hand on Ingrid's shoulder.

"Miss Ingrid," he said. "I just had a vision."

Things moved swiftly after that. Once Quinn shared his vision, Mother Agnes stood up, announcing her personal recommendation that they send an envoy to Doria. Uther quickly assented, and with the two most powerful figures in Bannon in agreement, Parliament moved to support them. It was decided a naval scout ship would ferry the vanguard to its destination, and after several days of preparing supplies and charting the best route, they set sail from Tristan on the long voyage north.

Van looked at Quinn, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. Quinn recognized that expression- it was the same skepticism he'd seen when he'd had the vision of Coteau Bridge collapsing. "So, we stake our lives, the freedom of my homeland… on a vision?" he asked.

But Quinn wouldn't need to argue his decision, as someone approached the stern. "I understand your skepticism, Mister Van," Uther replied. "But, I wouldn't be alive today if not for Quinn and his visions."

Quinn and Van turned toward Uther. "Your majesty," the older man said.

"And it isn't just me," the captain continued. "My entire unit owes Quinn their lives. Whether or not you choose to trust in his visions is up to you. But if he believes traveling to Coea first is our best course of action… then I will trust his judgement."

"I've only been able to get as far as I have thanks to the visions from my Ring," Quinn added. "I can see what the enemy will do, before it happens. And my visions haven't been wrong yet."

"As a bearer of a Ring of Power yourself, I would think you would have more faith in their abilities, Master Van," an unfamiliar voice added.

Quinn looked to see a young man with short blue hair approaching the three. He was short, and very young- if Quinn had to guess, the young man was no older than he had been when he and Ingrid first met. He wore the simple clothes and light armor of a mercenary, but from the way he spoke, the way he carried himself, it was clear there was more to him than a first glance suggested. Ingrid guessed he was some type of nobility from how he carried himself, though from where and of what rank, she couldn't say. Valerian had introduced the young man as his "apprentice," Kay, but would say no more about him.

"I'm sure that before seeing them for himself, the power of Gyges and Armiger were just as unbelievable to Quinn as his Ring's powers are to us, " Kay said. "But unlike invisibility, predicting the future isn't so easily demonstrated. Though, I must confess…" He turned to Quinn. "I am curious about what you saw that led you to make your decision."

Quinn looked down at Norn. "In my vision, I saw an old woman. She said that she was waiting for me."

"An old woman?" Van asked, still somewhat skeptical.

But Quinn wasn't daunted this time. "I've seen her in my visions before, a long time ago. For her to show up twice now… it means she's important. I don't know how or why, but she is. That's why I have to meet her." He turned, and looked out over the ocean. "Miss Ingrid and Mother Agnes said that based on the details in my vision, that woman most likely lives somewhere in Doria- Coea, specifically. And that's why we're going there- to find this woman."

Uther and Van were quiet. But Kay replied, "The woman in your vision said she was waiting for you, yes? Perhaps she's some manner of seer- someone who can glimpse the future as you can."

"Do you believe this woman is meant to be some sort of mentor to Quinn, Kay?" Van asked.

Kay crossed his arms over his chest, looking down in thought. "It's certainly a possibility…"

Quinn looked down to his ring again. "I'll admit, I don't have as much control over Norn's power as I'd like. If this woman can teach me to use my powers… I think all of us would benefit."

Enderi 5, 707

The vanguard continued to sail north. The ship's progress slowed as they neared Doria, having to navigate around numerous shoals which could easily leave them stranded. In his free time (of which he had a great deal), Quinn had taken to wandering the ship. From its top deck to the lowest holds, there likely wasn't a single spot where he hadn't tread upon by now.

But as he wandered, he came across something unexpected- a blonde woman in a white dress, sweeping one of the corridors below deck. The woman quickly noticed Quinn as he approached. "Oh, could you hold on for just a moment, Quinn?" she asked. "I'll be done in just a moment."

Quinn looked at the woman, confused. She was pretty, but not especially familiar- she didn't look like a member of the ship's crew, and was definitely not part of the vanguard. "Uh, I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The woman looked back to him, confused. "Huh?" She blinked in a sudden realization. "Oh! Just a moment." The woman pointed at her hair- after mumbling something, it turned from gold to black in an instant. "Do you recognize me now?"

Even with the change, it still took a moment for Quinn to identify the woman. "You're… Evangelyne's retainer. Zara , right?"

Zara nodded, smiling. "That's right. I'm glad you remember."

The only thing Quinn could think to say at the moment was, "Your hair isn't black?"

Zara's smile vanished. "You can thank Evangelyne for that. In her own words, 'Sorry, but there's only enough room for one blonde around here. If you have a problem with that, well… I can always find a new retainer. '"

Quinn blinked in surprise, before replying, "That… does sound like something she'd say…" recalling some of the… off-color comments Evangelyne had made in the past. He then asked, "But, what are you doing here by yourself?"

Zara looked down at the broom in her hands. "Sweeping. I know it's not a priority, but it gets so dirty around here. I don't know how everyone else puts up with it."

"But, why? " Quinn asked.

"I've always liked housekeeping. It helps me take my mind off my troubles." Zara looked up at Quinn. "You must have seen me working at the Abbey, haven't you?"

Quinn turned his gaze away. "I haven't spent much time at the Abbey, so I wouldn't know."

"Ah, that's right. You've been away at the College." She then stepped aside. "Well, I'm just about finished here, so I'll get out of your way. Oh, and… thank you."

Quinn looked at Zara, confused. "For what?"

"For talking to me." Zara lowered her gaze. "Evangelyne… doesn't like it when we associate with others. Even with each other. So, it was a nice change of pace."

Quinn didn't move on right away. He wasn't sure what to say, but it didn't feel right to just walk away after what she had told him. So, after a moment of pondering, he asked, "Do you… know how to sew?"

Zara nodded. "Yes. Why?"

Quinn shifted. "I… have some things that need mending, but I'm no good with a needle. Could you fix them? We could talk more then, too."

Zara's eyes lit up, in a way he'd never seen before, and she scurried up to him. "Oh that would be wonderful! We…" She trailed off, and quickly regained her composure. "Thank you, for the offer. Come see me whenever you have the time. I'll be looking forward to your visit." Though her tone was calm and measured, she still had a gleam in her eye.

But at that moment, there was a loud thump, followed by cheers from the deck.

"You hear that?" Quinn asked.

Zara frowned. "Oh, I hope it isn't another fight…"

"I'm gonna go check," Quinn said, and hurried down the passage, and up the narrow steps to the deck.

Up on the deck, there was a crowd of both sailors and vanguard members surrounding… something. Quinn pushed himself to the front, ignoring protests, to see the cause of the commotion. Finally past the crowd, he saw the source of the commotion- Uther in a solid fighting stance, sword ready. Across from him was a black beast- Noel. Noel snarled, and leapt at the captain, swinging her claws. But Uther sidestepped her attack, and turned to face her. Noel whipped around, driving her claws into the deck to stop herself, before throwing herself at the captain again. But again, Uther dodged. Strangely, despite having his sword ready, he never countered Noel's attacks, but merely avoided them.

Soon, Noel's attacks slowed. And as she drew back her claw for another swing, Uther rushed towards her, turning his sword in his hands and striking her in the stomach with the hilt. With a gasp, the beast sank to her knees. And before she could rise, Uther swung his sword, striking the side of Noel's head with the flat of the blade. Noel staggered to the side, claws on her head, before collapsing, and shifting back to her human form. " Aaow… " she moaned.

Calmly, Uther sheathed his sword. Then, he glanced to the crowd, as though noticing them for the first time. "Alright, that's enough," he said. "We all have jobs to do. Let's get back to work."

Grumbles of disappointment rippled through the crowd as they dispersed. "That's it?" one of the sailors asked. "Guess all those muscles were just for show…" another said.

Eventually, once the crowd cleared, Noel pushed herself up from the deck. "…strong…" she huffed.

Uther looked to the girl, and helped her to her feet. "You're strong as well, Noel. Much stronger than I am, in fact."

Noel looked away in embarrassment. "But, Noel lost…"

Uther nodded. "Despite your strength, you lack restraint," he replied. "You put all your might into every attack. Most enemies would be easily overwhelmed, but for an enemy who can read your movements, and evade your strikes… They would only have to wait until you tire yourself out. Then you'd be at their mercy." He rested a hand on her shoulder. "If you can learn to control your strength, you could be a powerful force on the battlefield."

Noel tilted her head. "Noel… can be strong, too?" She then leapt up. "Noel wants to be a good fighter!"

Uther nodded, smiling. "Then come to me first thing tomorrow morning, and I'll teach you everything I know."

Noel's eyes lit up. "Waoh! Thanks old guy!"

Noel meandered away as Uther blanched. "Wh- old!? " he stuttered, before resting a hand on his chin. "Thirty-two isn't old… is it?"

Enderi 6, 707

"…Now, do you see that group of stars in the north, shaped like a rectangle?" Malcolm asked.

Quinn tilted his head as he scanned the sky. "I… think so?"

"That's Brighid's anvil." Malcolm pointed to a cluster of stars. "That group of stars above it is Brighid herself, while the two lines of stars underneath are Brionac and Caladbolg."

"That's a lot for one constellation," Quinn replied. "What's their story?"

"In the faith of the Guiding Hand, Brighid is the goddess of war and smithing," Malcolm explained. "She taught mankind how to make weapons, and how to use them. Brionac and Caladbolg are her personal weapons, and were the first spear, and the first sword ever made…"

After another uneventful day, the ship had dropped anchor for the night. Since he and Quinn had both been assigned the night watch, and the skies were clear, Malcolm decided to share the stories behind as many constellations as he could.

"Now, that story comes from my homeland, Morley. Around the White Sea, that same constellation is known as the Coiled Serpent, an aspect of Orkey, one of the so-called 'testing gods.' According to legend, mankind once lived as long as the gods themselves, until the Serpent tricked them into having the length of their lives cut down to just six years."

"What happened then?" Quinn asked.

Malcolm pointed. "See the constellation just east of the Serpent? That's Wylfarth. He was a hero who came to the Serpent and challenged him to a wrestling contest, to win back mankind's lifespan. Wylfarth won, but found out that the Serpent had eaten most of the years belonging to humans. It's supposed to explain why humans don't live as long now as they did in the old stories, and how snakes are able to shed their skin to renew themselves."

Quinn was silent as he dwelled on what Malcolm had said. "You sure know a lot of stories, Malcolm."

"I suppose I do," he replied. "I've loved all kinds of stories ever since I was a kid. But mythology was always the most fascinating to me."

"Why is that?" Quinn asked.

"Why do I like stories? I…" Malcolm trailed off. "I'm… not sure how to answer that."

"There must be some reason," Quinn said.

Malcolm scratched his head. "I mean, I suppose there might be, but… you don't really think about why you like things. You either do, or you don't. "

"Yeah… I guess you're right." Quinn stepped away from the railing. "Well, my shift should be just about done, so I'm gonna send up the next person and turn in for the night. See you in the morning, Malcolm."

Malcolm nodded. "Alright then. See you later." Quinn walked away, leaving Malcolm alone on the deck.

When Quinn was gone, Malcom turned his gaze up to the stars. "Why I like stories…" he said. "Well that's easy. But I can't just say it's because I don't have any stories of my own…"

Enderi 7, 707

The ship sailed on. Despite the vanguard's extensive preparations, supplies were beginning to dwindle. Most were gathered in the galley below deck for breakfast, but in spite of all the people, everyone was quiet- even the ship's crew, rowdy and boisterous in a way only sailors could be, had fallen into an unnatural silence.

Isaac rubbed his chin as he sat at one of the galley's benches, looking over a piece of parchment, with a large, complex figure drawn on it. "Hmm… perhaps… no, the nodes are correctly positioned," he muttered. "Are the steps in the correct order? Calcination, dissolution…"

Yonah approached the professor's table. "Good morning, Inigo. Are you ready for our game?"

Isaac looked up. "Oh. Yonah. I'm terribly sorry, but I think I'll have to pass on that for now. I'm in the midst of a dilemma I can't seem to resolve."

Yonah took a seat next to the professor. "What's wrong?"

"I've been attempting to alter the magic array of my spells to give them a longer range," he replied, "but I haven't been having much success. In fact… all the arrays I've constructed so far have immediately failed. I'm most puzzled by my most recent attempt. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with its construction, yet it completely fails to activate…"

Yonah looked over the parchment for a moment. She then pointed to a specific part of the diagram. "Here. You have two mana flows converging on this node."

"Hmm?" Isaac suddenly leaned in. "Ah! Of course. I can't believe I made such a fundamental mistake…" He picked up a quill, and began to sketch a new diagram.

"Why are you trying to make a new magic array, Iago?" Yonah asked. "I read that the arrays we use now were perfected hundreds of years ago."

Isaac's hands stopped as he looked up. "Widely adopted, perhaps, but hardly 'perfected.' I believe the wisdom of the ancients may be further improved upon." He then stood. "Now, I should be off to test this array. Thank you for your assistance, Yonah. If I create any more arrays, I'll be sure to have you look them over before testing them."

All of a sudden, the sound of a bell ringing frantically echoed throughout the ship. Everyone knew what it meant- hostiles had been sighted. Within moments, the vanguard rushed to the upper deck, scanning the horizons for any approaching enemies.

Uther looked up to the crow's nest on the highest mast, and called, "Where are they?"

The lookout pointed west. "There! On the shore!"

Everyone gathered on the port side of the ship. Just as the lookout had said, a group of people were standing on the beach. Soldiers, wearing bronze armor, armed with spears and massive bronze shields. They stood at attention, still and silent, as if waiting for something.

"They don't appear hostile…" Isaac said. He then glanced to Juno expectantly.

"Don't look at me," the mercenary replied. "This is new to me, too."

"Perhaps… it's an envoy," Kay suggested.

"You think so?" Quinn asked.

"I doubt their presence here is a coincidence," Ingrid replied, and turned her gaze to Quinn. "Shall we go meet them?"

The ship dropped anchor, and the vanguard rowed the rest of the way to shore. They approached the waiting group cautiously- there was no telling how the Coeans would respond to their presence. But the soldiers simply stood at attention, watching them. There were ten in all- all women, a red letter "K" painted on their shields.

But someone stepped out from amongst the group, a person very much unlike the soldiers around them. For one, it was a man, with short, dark hair, and a greying beard. Second, he was both unarmed and unarmored, wearing only simple grey robes. The man gave a small bow, and said in a strong voice, "Greetings, travelers. I bid you welcome to Coea. I am Lycurgus. I speak on behalf of our Elder, Elma."

Uther stepped forward. "Well met, Lycurgus. I-"

Lycurgus interrupted, saying, "We know who you are, King Uther." The man turned his gaze to Quinn. "And we know why you have come here, Quinn."

So Kay was right. The woman was a seer, and foresaw his arrival. But even so, he was taken aback. "How… do you know who I am?"

"Even in these lands, the Archons and the Order they serve are well-known. But even if they were not, Lady Elma foresaw your coming, long before you- before any of us were born." Lycurgus folded his arms over his chest. "But that isn't important now. You came all this way to meet Lady Elma, yes?"

Elma… so that was her name. From how old she appeared in his vision, Quinn could certainly believe she'd foreseen meeting him long before he was born. He nodded. "That's right."

"I see," Lycurgus replied. Then his expression hardened. "However, there is a small matter that must be addressed."

The soldiers around Lycurgus stepped forward, raising their shields.

Uther reaches back, gripping his lance. "What is this?"

"You are foreigners in our domain," Lycurgus replied. "We would test your steel before allowing you to set foot further into our lands."

Quinn could only stand frozen in shock. He asked, in disbelief, "If your elder knew I was coming, then why do we have to fight?"

Lycurgus looked at Quinn, with sadness. "We bear no grudges against you. It is simply our way." But all at once his expression hardened again. "If you need time to prepare yourselves, we will grant it to you. But know this: if you wish to meet Lady Elma, you will do so after defeating us in battle, or not at all." The soldiers surrounded Lycurgus, their shields and spears still raised. The group marched in formation across the rocky plain beyond the shore for some two hundred peds , before they stopped, and waited. Not once did the Coeans' formation falter, nor did they take their eyes off the vanguard.

Quinn looked to the others. "What should we do?"

"It doesn't look like there's a way around this," Kay replied. "We have to fight."

"We need to approach this carefully," Van said. "Even a small force of Coeans are a considerable threat."

"So that was a Dorian phalanx…," Uther said. "It's the Dorians' preferred defensive formation- its front is strong, but weak at the sides and rear. It doesn't appear the Coeans brought any support units, so if we use cavalry, we can divide their attention, before pushing down their middle."

"I think mages would be more useful here," Ingrid replied. "Armored soldiers often have poor resistance to magic. And their low mobility means we can effectively maintain a safe distance…"

After some debate, the vanguard's chosen men advanced across the field. Their numbers evenly matched the Coeans- eleven to eleven. Ingrid said they should bring the entire vanguard to bear, but Uther was adamant about meeting Lycurgus's force in an even fight.

As the smaller force advanced, Uther asked, "Everyone understands their role in the plan?"

"Yeah, because I have such an awful memory," Raquel snapped.

The plan was a combination of both Uther and Ingrid's strategies- trap the phalanx on two sides with magic, before pushing down their center. So, the vanguard divided themselves into three teams- Gwin, Malcolm, and Anya would attack the Coeans' left flank; Fiona, Gail, and Elizabeth would attack the right flank. The cavalry and fliers would harass the enemy, giving time for the mages to position themselves. Once the mages began their attack, the third team- Uther, Raquel, Rune, Kay, and Quinn- would rush the Coeans once their formation was compromised.

"In fact…" Raquel continued, "why bother with strategy? I can blast a hole in their line just like this!" Raquel held out her hands, sending an enormous fireball hurtling over the fields. It struck one of the warriors' shields, sending out a massive explosion that shook the ground and sent a wave of heat rushing over the field. But when the smoke cleared, to the vanguard's shock, the wall of shields remained standing. The paint on the shields had been burned away, and the bronze underneath glowed red-hot, but they remained standing all the same.

"What!?" Raquel shouted. She prepared another fireball.

"Save yer strength," Elizabeth said. "Yer ways may work on simple barbarians, but these are soldiers, trained fer war. Their nerve will not be so easily shaken."

Raquel opened her mouth, but Uther interrupted: "Enough. Both of you. You have your assignments. Now prepare to move out." Elizabeth turned to face the Coeans. Raquel gritted her teeth, and did the same.

From atop her wyvern, Anya looked down at Quinn. "Don't worry, darling. I'll kill them before they can even stain your clothes." The assassin snapped her reins- her wyvern took flight, and rushed toward the enemy phalanx. Gwin, Fiona, and Elizabeth raced after her. They circled the phalanx, held at bay by the Coeans' spears. But their goal wasn't to break the enemy formation- as the mounted units circled, Malcolm and Gail moved to their positions at the sides of the phalanx a safe distance away.

Quinn watched, tense, as the mages crossed the battlefield. He couldn't help but he frustrated as he waited. But rushing in would only needlessly put himself and the others at risk; he had to trust that his comrades would give him and his team the opening they needed.

It took several minutes, but Gail and Malcolm reached their respective positions. Gail didn't wait- she attacked as soon as she was in place, sending whirling blades of wind over the plain towards the phalanx. Terrible scraping sounds filled the air as the blades of wind struck the Coeans' shields, but again, they stood firm. Malcolm began his attack, sending bolts of lightning at the Coeans' left side.

But, the soldiers didn't turn as Ingrid and Uther predicted. Instead, they had withdrawn, tightening their formation, their shields overlapping to form an impenetrable wall of bronze.

"Tightening their formation to maximize defense…" Uther muttered. "Perhaps I've underestimated the prowess of the Coeans." His gaze suddenly jerked upwards. "Wait, what is-"

Quinn looked up, to see Elizabeth hanging high in the air. There was a deafening crack, and the sky darkened as two beams of red light shot from her eyes. The beams snaked through the air, before finally striking one of the Coeans. The phalanx finally faltered from the blast, but as for the soldier who was hit… her body was consumed by a red light, like a flame, burning her away so completely that nothing remained, not even ash.

But the advantage was short-lived. The Coeans tightened their formation again, swiftly closing the new gap. And from within the phalanx, a bolt of lightning arced across the sky, striking Elizabeth and her pegasus. A distant cry rang out, and the two began to fall from the sky. The pegasus quickly caught itself, but Elizabeth sat limp in her saddle, and without her to guide the reins, the pegasus's descent was wild and uncontrolled, and it came down hard in the grass between the Coeans and Gail.

Before he could stop himself, Quinn was sprinting across the plain toward his fallen comrade. He could hear Uther shouting at him, but the captain's words were faint, drowned out by the sound of his own breaths. He glanced at the phalanx as he ran, but they did not break formation, nor advance toward him or Elizabeth. His lungs burned by the time he reached the pegasus; it was on its feet, walking with a small limp, but Elizabeth was still slumped in her saddle.

Quinn approached, but the pegasus snorted and pulled away from him. "Whoa, hang on!" he said. "I'm trying to help her!" He didn't know if the pegasus understood him, but it seemed to calm enough for him to approach. Quinn looked at the nest of belts and clasps held Elizabeth onto her saddle, and began undoing as many as he could. He must have eventually found the right one, because Elizabeth pitched sideways. He rushed to catch her, but she was heavier than he expected, and he was dragged to the ground.

Quinn sat up, pulling Elizabeth up to a seated position. "Hey! Are you okay?" No response. He shook her. "Hey!" Nothing. "Oh, no no no…" There was no time for propriety- he pressed his ear against her chest, and listened. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a steady thump in her chest, and a rush of air as she inhaled.

The sound of approaching hooves came to Quinn's other ear. He turned, axe raised, still holding Elizabeth, to see Fiona. He lowered his axe, and said, "Elizabeth's alright. She's just unconscious."

Fiona dismounted and hurried over. "Here, help me put her on my horse. I'll take her back to Captain Uther."

As they loaded up the unconscious woman, Uther and the rest of the third team gathered. "Quinn!" the captain snapped. "Do you realize what could have happened? The Coeans could have broken ranks to pursue you! Both of you could have been killed!"

Quinn flinched. Not helping matters was when Kay added, "Your heart is in the right place, but you need to think about the bigger picture, Quinn. You didn't just put yourself at risk. We all could have been endangered." But then, he said, "But maybe some recklessness is exactly what we need right now." The mercenary looked to Uther. "Captain, pull back your soldiers. I'm going to break the Coeans' line."

"By yourself?" Uther asked, incredulous. "That's impossible."

Kay shook his head with a small smile. "Not for me it isn't. This is exactly what I've been training my whole life for." He held out his hand, and a glittering, crystalline lance formed in his grasp.

Quinn's eyes widened. "Wait, that's-"

Kay charged. The soldiers in the phalanx raised their spears, but before reaching them, Kay drove his lance into the ground, and vaulted into the air above them. He turned, the lance disappearing, replaced by a crystalline bow. He seemed to hang in the air as he took aim, drew back his bow, and fired. Arrows of light struck several soldiers, staggering them and forcing them to their knees, before Kay disappeared behind the phalanx.

For a moment, the vanguard could only stare, stunned by what they had seen. But, Quinn stumbles, and began running toward the Coeans, stammering out, "G… go, go go, everyone move in before they can regroup!" Others began to follow Quinn, and close in on the Coeans.

Quinn slotted his first target- a soldier who had dropped her spear, down on one knee. As he rushed toward her, there was a flash- he saw the soldier pull back, before ramming him with her shield. When the world moved forward, Quinn leapt to the side when he saw the soldier rear back, and rushed in, striking at her unarmored side. But, the soldier dodged, pulled her arm back, and slammed the edge of her shield into the side of Quinn's head.

Quinn stumbled back, vision blurry. But suddenly, the soldier doubled over, as if hit in the stomach. Then her head whipped back, as if she'd been struck in the face, and she fell. Quinn shook his head, unsure if what he saw had been real, until a man in black appeared, slipping a gold ring off his finger. "You should be more careful," Van said, before slipping the ring back on his finger and vanishing.

Quinn glanced around, before there was another flash. He looked around the frozen world before seeing it- Rune, and another soldier. The masked woman rushed forward, swinging her spear, but the soldier partied with her shield, knocking her off-balance; without skipping a beat, the soldier turned her spirit and her hand and threw it at Rune. The spear hit its mark, and sank into her stomach… before the world moved forward again.

Quinn began racing towards the masked woman. One casualty was already too many in his own opinion- he refused to allow another. He weave through the soldiers and his comrades, until he found Rune- she was drawing back her arm to strike. As the soldier parried her blow, he charged her back, swinging wildly. He struck the soldier again and again; even as he fell, he cut into her mercilessly. It wasn't until a female voice said his name that he finally stopped. He looked up, to see Rune looking down at him in shock.

It took a few breaths for Quinn to collect himself. "Sorry," he said. "I had a vision. You-"

"I think I can guess," Rune replied. Then she tended up. "Quinn look-"

Pain surged through Quinn's body. His muscles locked up at once, and he fell to his knees, struggling to breathe. Rune snapped her reins, but a bolt of lightning from somewhere behind Quinn struck her as well, grounding her. "You are well-trained," Lycurgus said. "But your gift has made you reckless."

The here was no flash. No way to see what was coming… but Quinn wasn't going to let himself fall here. He concentrated on his surroundings, trying to feel any changes. Then, he felt it- a strange tingling on his skin, a buzz in his ears.

He sprang up, leaping to the side as a crack filled his ears, and turned. He was showered by dirt as Lycurgus's lightning struck the ground where he had been. The older man looked on, stunned. Quinn charged- Lycurgus mumbled something, boots of electricity arcing over his hands, but it was too late. Quinn swing his axe, striking the man in the chest.

Lycurgus stumbled back and sank to his knees, choking, clutching his chest. But, there was no blood. Quinn had turned his axe in his hand, striking with the flat side of the head rather than the blade. He pointed his axe at the man, who was still gasping for breath. "Are you satisfied yet?"

"Hah… hah… a nonlethal blow…" Lycurgus said. "…why?"

"You can't take me to Lady Elma if you die," Quinn replied, still holding his axe ready.

Lycurgus finally took in a deep breath. "…I suppose that is a fair reason." He held up his arm. "Páfsi!"

At the older man's word, the remaining soldiers suddenly stopped, leaving their aggressive stances and standing at attention. "What's going on?" Gwin asked.

"I… think we won," Malcolm replied.

Lycurgus slowly rose to his feet. "Indeed. You have proven your worth as warriors, and may come and go from our lands as you wish."

The other members of the vanguard chattered excitedly, but quieted when Uther dismounted and approached Lycurgus. "We have healers who can tend to your wounded," he said. "And we will pay any recompense you desire for the soldiers you've lost."

"Ah, there will be no need for that," Lycurgus replied. "Adeia." He snapped his fingers- all at once, the soldiers, both living and dead, began to… flake away, as if made of ash, before disintegrating entirely.

The vanguard looked on, stunned. "Illusions?" Uther asked.

"Not illusions, but golems," Lycurgus replied. "Crafted by me on Lady Elma's behalf, for this very day."

In the chaos of battle, he hadn't noticed, but after a moment of reflection, Quinn realized that the soldiers didn't bleed when they were struck. But further musings were halted when Lycurgus turned to Quinn and said, "I must say, I'm quite surprised by you, Quinn."

"Why's that?" Quinn asked.

"I believed the strength of your Order's Archons stemmed solely from their Rings of Power," Lycurgus replied. "You lean heavily on your gift as well, but even so, you have a certain strength that goes beyond your ring- a strength that is entirely your own. I see now why Lady Elma chose you."

Quinn tilted his head, confused. "Chose?"

Lycurgus blinked, as if realizing he had said too much. "Ah. That is a matter between you and the elder." He then turned, away from the beach. "Come. It's a long way to Coea from here. We'd best get going now if we're to arrive before sunset."

The vanguard's journey was a long one, taking them through over plains, through woods, and finally, between the mountains at the heart of Cora's territory. But eventually, as the sun began to dip toward the western horizon, they found it.

It was just as Quinn had seen in his vision- a city built of white stone. But, something seemed strange about the city. It wasn't until Malcolm spoke that he realized what it was: "The stories are true. Coea really doesn't have walls." Malcolm was right- unlike all the other cities he had visited, there were no walls or gates surrounding Coea.

"Indeed," Lycurgus replied. "'The shields of our warriors are the walls that will protect our city.' Coea, the mother of our people, spoke those very words when she founded our nation. Now, the elder resides in-"

Quinn pointed. "That building with the dome, right?" At the heart of the city, rising above all the other structures, was a building capped with a golden dome.

Lycurgus blinked, taken aback. "Er, y-yes. How did…" he began, before stopping himself. "Ah, of course. Let us continue on."

But the vanguard was quickly stopped. At the edge of the city, the guards demanded that the men, and only the men, surrender their weapons. "It is simply our way," Lycurgus said again. "Foreign men may not bear arms within the city. Men of Coean blood are forbidden from bearing arms entirely within our territory."

Once the men were disarmed, the vanguard was allowed to enter the city. The others marveled at their surroundings- even Ingrid and Julius's normally stoic expressions cracked. And it seemed that the vanguard was equally fascinating to the Coeans, as they drew countless stares and curious glances as they journeyed through the city. But Quinn was much less enthralled. He had seen all of it already. Only Malcolm approached his lack of excitement, simply saying, "It's a lot more ordinary than I thought it would be."

In time, the group came to the domed building, surrounded by stone pillars, standing at the peak of a great stone staircase. Lycurgus turned to the group and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid this is where we must part ways. Only Quinn may proceed further."

"Why?" Ingrid asked, an edge to her voice.

"Lady Elma wishes to discuss a matter concerning herself and Quinn- I cannot say anymore beyond that. I assure you, Lady Elma bears no ill intentions toward him." Lycurgus vowed to Ingrid. "And please, don't feel you have to wait here on our account. You are guests under the auspices of Lady Elma herself, and we of Coea take hospitality very seriously."

The others dispersed- some right away, others more reluctantly. After a few minutes only Ingrid remained behind. She laid a hand on Quinn's shoulder, with a worried expression. "Be on your guard," she said, before she too left, leaving Quinn alone with Lycurgus.

The two ascended the steps, and entered the domed building. To Quinn's surprise, the door led to some kind of antechamber, filled with bookshelves, with a desk in the center.

"Excuse me for just a moment," Lycurgus said, as he retrieved a strip of black cloth from the desk, and tied it over his eyes.

Quinn looked on in confusion. "What's that for?" he asked.

"Men of Coean blood are forbidden from laying eyes on the elder," Lycurgus replied, making his way around the room with more deftness than Quinn expected from a person in a blindfold. "As Lady Elma's appointed aide, it makes my duties considerably more difficult."

Quinn continues to look on. "Uh… do I…?"

"Outsiders, both men and women, are normally forbidden from looking upon the elder. But as Lady Elma's expected guest, you are not beholden to this rule." Lycurgus pushed open a door leading deeper into the building. "The Elder is waiting for you in the main chamber."

"You're not coming?" Quinn asked.

Lycurgus shook his head. "This first meeting is for your ears alone."

Hesitantly, Quinn crossed the threshold, Lycurgus closing the door behind him. Quinn was now in a wide, but empty round room. The ceiling was high overhead, arcing into the dome he'd seen outside. At the center of the dome was an opening where he could see the sky, now a brilliant orange. And directly beneath the opening, as Quinn had expected, was a figure, wrapped in a dark red cloak. He couldn't see the figure's face, but he could see a long braid of white hair emerging from her hood and hanging down over her shoulder, where it touched the floor, and spread out around her in a large spiral.

As Quinn approached, the figure lifted her head to look at him. He already knew what he would see- a the face of an old woman, lined with wrinkles beyond number, her skin darkened with age. But what the visions didn't, or perhaps couldn't capture was the intensity in her eyes, the vibrant blue that almost seemed to glow in the darkness under her hood. The woman regarded him in silence for a moment, before saying the words that he knew she would say:

"I've been waiting for you."

The woman's voice was… strange. It didn't have any unusual qualities- it didn't echo oddly, nor was it underlaid by strange, sinister tones. In fact, it was the voice of an ordinary, healthy young woman. A voice that was at complete odds with the elderly body it emerged from.

"Are you… Elma?" Quinn asked.

"I am," the woman replied. "And you must be Quinn. I've been waiting to meet you for a very long time."

Quinn crossed the chamber, taking great care to step over Elma's braid, before seating himself in front of her. "Who… are you?"

"I am the Elder of Coea, she replied. "Surely, Lycurgus told you that much, at least."

"He did," Quinn replied. "But there's more to you than that, isn't there?"

Elma smiled for a moment, and then asked, "Why have you come here?"

Quinn was surprised. If this woman was a seer, then she must have known not only who he was, but why he had come as well. But, he kept his misgivings to himself, and replied, "I've seen you in my visions before. So, you must be important somehow. Someone thought that you were a seer, that you were meant to teach me how to use my Ring."

"I take it that you refer to a Ring of Power," Elma said. "Tell me, what do you know of them?"

"The Rings?" Quinn searched his memory, all the way back to when he had first been brought to the Abbey. "They… give people incredible power. And, they were made by a race that we called 'the archons.'"

Elma nodded. "Indeed. It is true that the Rings grant humans the power of the Archons. And it is true that we made the Rings. But, do you know why the Rings were made?"

We? Quinn thought. But before he could question this, Elma continued, "It was not a decision we made lightly. We sacrificed parts of our own bodies in their creation, so that we might share our power with you. With humans."

The confusion finally bubbled over in Quinn. "What do you mean, 'We?'" he asked. "And what do you mean by 'share your power with humans?'" He looked Elma up and down. " You're human, too."

Wordlessly, Elma held up her hand. Then, Quinn's hand jerked up, as if something was pulling on it. He lurched forward, trying to pull back from the invisible force. Then…

Norn flew from Quinn's finger, and landed on Elma's.

Quinn gasped. He could only look down at his hand in shock, at the pale patch of skin at the base of his finger where the ring had been. "How did you-"

Elma stood up, looking down at her hand- at Norn. "This Ring is part of me. Just as much as your arms and legs are a part of you . And now that I am whole once again…"

Norn began to glow a brilliant blue. Elma's eyes, too, began to shine the same blue light. And then, there was a flash.

Quinn shielded his eyes. When he could see once again, he was met with the most horrible sight he could have imagined.

Elma was nowhere to be seen. In her place, stood a dragon. It was a hulking, terrifying beast of jagged black scales and spines that looked as though they could tear through armor and flesh alike with ease. Its feet were tipped with razor-sharp talons, and it had no forelegs, merely a pair of massive black wings that it rested upon. It had two long curved horns that pointed forward, and on its forehead, between its eyes, was a third, even larger eye, all glowing with the same light that shone from Norn.

Quinn couldn't do anything. He couldn't move. He couldn't scream. All he could do was look at the beast before him, taking in every last, terrifying detail.

The dragon drew itself up, and loomed over Quinn. "I believe a reintroduction is in order," it said, with Elma's voice. "My name- my true name- is Tiamat. And I am what the humans of this land called… an 'Archon.'"

Notes:

Kay: The game's Hidden Noble archetype. Initially, he was planned to be much older than in the final story, though I decided to scale back is age. His final appearance is inspired primarily by Hugo from Torna: The Golden Country, as well as Niall to a lesser extent from the Xenoblade 2 main game. More details will be revealed as the story progresses. If he were to have a voice actor, it would be Kyle McCarley.

Valerian: Valerian was inspired, at least in name, by Valerian Mengsk of StarCraft II, and in appearance by the Commissars of Warhammer 40,000. In terms of archetypes, he doesn't fit into any of them neatly. The closest would be the Lorenz, but as he shows no loyalty to his "home" nation, it isn't a perfect fit. If he were to have a voice actor, it would be Paul Eiding.
Valerian's Ring of Power, Gyges, is named after the Ring of Gyges, a ring that grants invisibility to its wearer. Its description as a simple gold band is taken from the Lord of the Rings' One Ring, which grants similar powers of invisibility.

Lycurgus: Lycurgus stands out as being one of very few characters who does not knowingly take inspiration from any other fictional character- the only aspect which is borrowed is his name, taken from the mythical founder of Sparta. In terms of archetypes, he would be a Wendell, though his ability to create golems would make him a Summoner rather than a Sage or similar class. If he had a voice actor, it would be Travis Willingham.

Doria: The analogue of ancient Greece. I actually derived the name "Doria" from the Doric style of column, though by sheer happenstance, it also refers to a dialect of the ancient Greek language. Like ancient Greece, and unlike the other nations of Aurea, Doria has no centralized government- rather, it's broken up into largely independent city-states. Tharros and Coea, Doria's most prominent city-states, are based on two of the most powerful cities of Greece, Athens and Sparta, respectively.

Coea: Coea was inspired by the Amazons of ancient Greek mythology. The name "Coea" specifically is the name of an Amazon as attested in Greek myth.