A/N: The soundtrack for this chapter is 'The Only One' by Yellowcard. Think Caius' POV even though we don't see it actively much in this chapter. You should understand. Enjoy!

Chapter 19

The trip back to the Seeress' complex was torturous and slow. It took them twice as long as it usually would have to get down and even longer to make their way back up the path to the compound. Elle refused to let Laer carry her when he offered, so he was stuck supporting her as they all walked back.

When they finally made it, they walked into chaos. It seemed that every woman in the place was rushing back and forth carrying various things, and there were not nearly as many guards as was usual. All of that stopped when the first one caught sight of Elle and screamed.

All the women froze for several moments before there was an even more frantic rush of activity. Elle looked over at Laer with a sardonic twist to her lips and managed to breathlessly huff out a question. "Do I look that frightening?"

Despite how worried he was about her injuries, Laer still chuckled at her dry humor. "You're terrifying, but not because of how you look. However, right now, you look like you tried to bathe in a dead animal. We should probably pin one of these girls down so we can get you looked at."

Thankfully Ingens was on the same page and grabbed one of the girls as they were rushing past. She stared up at him with wide eyes but managed to dip her head in respect for his new position. He kept his voice calm to ease her obvious distress. "We need to get help for the Emissary. Can you tell me what has happened?"

The girl flicked her eyes over to Elle and gulped before she looked back at Ingens. "A beast came from the sky and attacked the Guardian. I do not know all the details, but many guards were injured while helping to defeat it. We have gathered them all in one of the rooms. I can take you there, and perhaps we can assist the Emissary as well."

Elle's eyes widened, and she shared a shocked look with Laer. Surely, it couldn't be what they were thinking, could it? When Ingens turned back to them with a frown, that thought was all but extinguished. Still, none of them said anything aloud.

To expedite their trip through the compound, Elle agreed to allow Ingens to help support her as well. It was still slower than if she had allowed one of them to carry her, but she refused to be the damsel in distress. Even with the delay, they made it to the large room where the injured were gathered in short order.

There were even more women rushing between about a dozen pallets with men that were sporting various injuries. None of them looked any worse off than what Ingens and Laer were, thankfully. That helped to ease a knot in Elle's middle, but her relief was short-lived when she heard Yeul cry out in shock and Caius cursing before he was right there in front of them.

Elle had time to notice he was already sporting several bandages before he swept her up and away from the two men that had been helping her stand. He glowered down at her before he glared at the other two. It was only then that he noticed the state they were in as well. She could tell that he snapped his jaw shut to keep from saying something and took that opportunity to try and push away. "Put me down. I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own."

He glared down at her once more. "So I could see. That was why they were both holding you up."

She glared up at his flashing eyes, but neither got to continue before Yeul was right there. She had already commandeered one of the women that had been helping. "Caius, set her on the empty pallet in the corner so we can asses what has been done. I have already asked that two more be brought in for Laer and Ingens. Let us tend their injuries, then we can find out what happened."

Caius immediately did what he was told, but Laer didn't wait to spread the news. "I don't mind sharing right now. We kicked ass, that's what happened. Elle's eidolon came out to play, and let me tell you, I don't think a bigger Bahamut ever existed, but between the three of us, we sent him packing."

Caius had not finished standing after he set Elle down on the pallet. When he heard what Laer said, he froze and stared at her for several seconds. "This- you fought your eidolon?"

Elle sat back against the wall with a sigh and gave him a nod. "Yes. And from what I gather, you did too?"

Caius finally finished standing before he looked down with a frown and answered. "Yes. Thankfully there were several guards onhand to assist. I was also attacked by a Bahamut."

There was mumbling behind them both, but neither of them noticed it for several seconds. It was a strange coincidence that they both were attacked by their eidolons at the same time, but that they were the same one was odd in the extreme. Not that Elle didn't already know Caius had Bahamut, but she hadn't thought about how weird it was that she did as well until he was looking down at her with that unreadable expression.

She was almost glad when he turned away without another word, though she wished she hadn't seen the expressions on both Ingens' and Laer's faces. It was clear they both thought it was a coincidence about as much as Elle did. Thankfully, that was not the question that was brought up, though the thing Caius asked next opened up a subject that was nearly as uncomfortable.

"You took down Bahamut with just the three of you? There were no others involved or injured?"

Ingens stepped forward with a salute and somehow managed to not wilt under Caius' growing glare. "Yes, it was just us three. The Emissary was practicing her spellcasting when it happened, and we were the only ones close enough to assist besides Malin. He was needed to get the trainees to a safe distance."

Caius looked like he was ready to yell, but before he could, Yeul stepped up and dipped her chin to the two men. "You have our thanks. If you had not been there, it could have been much worse. Please rest, and we will have your wounds treated as well."

Both men saluted the Seeress before they made their way to the pallets that had just been brought in. By that time, the healer had made her way over to Elle. It took all her willpower not to scream or pass out as the woman started poking around on her ribs. After only a few moments, the woman stood with a frown and turned to Yeul. "Seeress, it would be best if we have the Emissary moved to her room where I can better examine her. Several of her ribs are broken, but I need to verify there is no worse damage. It would not be right to do so in here."

Elle barely heard at least two male voices curse from across the room. She had broken out in a clammy sweat at the woman's ministrations already and was not looking forward to whatever else she had planned. At that point, it had nothing at all to do with the fact that she was going to need to take off her shirt. She could have been stripped naked and not blinked an eye if the woman kept her hands off her ribs.

She wasn't given a chance to object before Caius had lifted her from her place once more. She tried to glare up at him, but the sudden motion on top of the exam had her stomach trying to crawl up her throat. Especially since it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to quit ignoring the way her chest was burning. During the walk, she had something to focus on, but now she had nothing to distract herself with.

Caius must have noticed her issue, and he gently adjusted her in his arms before he whispered down to her. "Be still. It will not be long. The healer has something that will make you sleep as soon as she has determined what has been done to you. I will find out from the others what happened."

For once, Elle was not in any mood to argue with him. She knew she shouldn't have, but she laid her head on his shoulder and let him carry her. It was a weakness that she just didn't have the strength to fight at the moment. She could kick her own ass for it later when it didn't feel like the world was tilting and trying to shake her off.

By the time he laid her down in her bed, she was thankful the healer had been right behind them. She didn't even see the worried look Caius shot her as the healer moved around and had her drink something. It was bitter, and she nearly threw it right back up. She had to clamp her teeth shut and held her hand over her mouth to keep the reflex down. After that, the healer shooed Caius out and had two women help her remove Elle's clothes and cleaned off the worst of the blood.

Elle was grateful to the woman for whatever she had been given by the time they got around to her clothes and cleaning. She had already started to feel disassociated from her body, which was a good thing. She wasn't entirely out of it enough to sleep, so she heard the woman gasp when her side was exposed, but even the mumbles about checking her breath for the smell of blood didn't faze her. It was only a short while later that she finally slipped into blessed sleep.

When Elle finally woke again, she felt like she had a behemoth on her chest. She tried to roll over so she could cough, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She blinked open her eyes and tried to glare at whoever it was, but was shocked to find a girl she didn't know. Still, the girl gave her a respectful nod. "Please, Emissary, you have been gravely injured and could cause complications if you are not careful. The healer has brought in help to ease the worst of the damage, but it would be best to not aggravate your condition."

Elle laid back with a groan. She must have done more than broken a rib or two. If the feeling in her chest was anything to go by, then she might have punctured a lung. She had to suppress a chill at the thought that it could have been a lot worse with how long she had taken to get to help. It must not have been bad if she was still with the living. Hard on the heels of that thought, she almost laughed. It would have sucked to die right after she proved to her eidolon she didn't want to.

She was pulled from her thoughts when her door opened, and the woman she remembered as the healer walked in, followed by Yeul. Both women smiled when they saw she was awake. Yeul was the first to speak. "It is good to see you have finally awoken. We were worried after we heard what happened."

Elle let her head fall back. "I'm sure it was a frightening story after having seen Bahamut firsthand. I'm just glad I had both Ingens and Laer there to help." She then turned her head. "How are they?"

Yeul's smile widened as she took the seat the other girl had just vacated. "Almost recovered. They are both waiting for word that you have as well. Hopefully, we will have good news today."

Elle was shocked to hear that it sounded as though she had been out for more than a matter of hours, but she didn't get to ask how long. The healer had her sit up so she could put her ear to her chest. Elle glanced down uncomfortably and was grateful that it didn't last long. The woman sat back with a nod. "Good, it sounds better. You are lucky it was not worse. The others tell me you were quite stubborn and insisted on walking back yourself. Such pride could have killed you."

Elle looked away uncomfortably but managed to reply. "Thank you for your help."

The healer huffed in irritation, but stood and turned to Yeul. "She should be fine in a few days. Her power will allow her to heal faster than most, plus I was told she has the ability to use healing spells as well. If she is rested, she can expedite things herself." The woman then looked back at Elle. "Though, if you do that, you still cannot expect to be back in peak health before at least two weeks. No more fighting monsters the size of small mountains. Understood?"

It took all Elle had not to laugh, because the woman looked serious. She somehow managed to nod instead. "Yes, ma'am. I will keep that in mind."

The older woman did not look convinced at all, but she only huffed again and mumbled something under her breath. Elle tried not to laugh when she caught the part about stubborn as any male. After that, both the healer and the girl left Yeul alone to visit. It was only after they were gone that Elle realized it was only the women in the room. She wondered why Caius had allowed Yeul out of his sight, but couldn't bring herself to ask. She was already mad at herself for letting him carry her while she was hurt.

She was shocked from her thoughts when Yeul spoke softly. "We were worried. The healers had to keep you sedated while they worked. They did not want to take the chance that you might react poorly. From what I was told, it would have been painful had you been conscious."

Elle turned to see the girl's eyes were more expressive than she usually allowed, even if her words were still veiled. It did not take much for her to guess what Yeul wasn't saying, even if she couldn't believe it. She pushed those thoughts back and tried to give the girl a reassuring look. "I wish it hadn't worried you, but I'm pretty sure I'll be fine in no time. Maybe once I can get up and around, I can show you my new partner. At least I got something good from the whole ordeal."

Yeul's eyes widened slightly, but after a moment, she nodded. "I think I would like that. Though I would suggest that we go outside the city. There was enough of an uproar when- well, Paddra has seen quite enough of eidolons for the time being."

Elle clenched her jaw when she realized what the girl hadn't said. She hadn't forgotten that particular fact either. There was no telling why it had happened like that, but Elle had no doubt there was some reason behind it. Even if it was Etro's sick sense of humor. She chided herself for that thought as soon as it passed her mind and tried to refocus on a different topic. Anything would be better.

It wasn't long until they were sidetracked into the details of the fight that Elle could remember. It still amused her that Yeul was interested in hearing about that kind of thing, but she was happy to oblige. By the time she was done, she was shocked that she was ready to go back to sleep. She apologized, but Yeul waved it off. Though they did agree that as soon as Elle was up and about, they would make a trip out of the city.

It ended up being nearly a week before the healer agreed to let Elle back out to at least light duty. She couldn't go on patrols, but she was allowed to go back up to the training grounds as long as she didn't spar. She wasn't thrilled with the restrictions, but she had heard enough from several people about her stubbornness over the last week that she didn't argue. Anything to get out of the compound was better than being stuck inside.

The day she was released, Yeul came to her and was excited to be able to go out. Elle was glad to get out, but she still had mixed feelings. After she woke up, even though she had been stuck in the compound, she had yet to see Caius. It didn't take much of a detective to know he was avoiding her. It was especially evident because Yeul would visit, but Caius was always in the other room at best. It was infuriating. He went from outright rejecting her to petulantly cold-shouldering her.

She pushed those thoughts aside as they gathered in the outer courtyard, and Yeul grinned at her. "Are you sure you feel up to this?"

Elle returned the grin. "You bet. It looks like it'll be clear today, so it's a perfect day. I'm already tired of being indoors."

She turned when she heard a chuckle come up from behind her. "You say that now, but it's supposed to get colder. You sure about this?"

Elle rolled her eyes as Laer made his way to her side. "You are all such babies with the cold. When I keep telling you it is colder where I come from, I mean that it is regularly well below freezing for several months in a row. I think I can handle a little bit of chilly weather. This isn't even like late autumn for me."

Laer's eyes got wide and shivered. "Just thinking about that makes me want to crawl into a blanket. Below freezing? Really?"

Elle laughed at the face he made, but she wasn't given a chance to tease him. She froze when she heard Caius call out finally. "If we are to leave and return before dark, then we must go now."

She turned to see Ingens had taken up a position next to the Guardian. She gave him a nod. They had come to an understanding after the battle with Bahamut. They were civil with each other at least. At his return nod, she then looked directly at the man that had been avoiding her. His scowl was barely hidden, and Elle wanted to smack it off him. She refrained, and instead managed to just gesture toward the exit. "After you."

That was the last thing said as the small group filed out and toward the plateau. Even though Yeul had suggested leaving the city, Caius had insisted that they not go farther than the farmlands. It would be away from the city proper and still give them room without panicking anyone.

When they finally arrived at a safe enough distance, Caius stopped them and turned to Elle. His scowl dropped into something else for just a moment before he pulled it back in and addressed her. "Please show us your eidolon, so that I may get Yeul back. You may be used to the cold, but she is not."

Elle had to bite back another sharp retort. Thankfully, she didn't have to. Yeul stepped up and put a hand on his arm. She gave him a reprimanding look before she turned to Elle. "I had hoped to see what an eidolon is capable of with a partner, instead of against us."

Elle was thankful for Yeul's directive. It would be nice for a little exercise, even if she couldn't do much. It was even better when Laer spoke up as well. "Actually, since there are now two Bahamuts up here, wouldn't it be interesting to see how different they are? I was always told that they manifest differently depending on the l'cie they are partnered with." He then turned to Caius. "What do you say?"

The Guardian looked as though he were about to flat out refuse, but Yeul gave him a smile. "That does sound interesting."

Caius sighed and nodded. "I will agree, though we cannot stay out long."

With that, both l'cie pulled out their eidoliths and crushed them. It was an interesting sight to see the parallel lights pierce the sky and two black shapes diving back down. However, that was where the similarities ended.

Both beasts were massive beyond compare, but where Elle's was like blackest midnight, with unending black in wings, and onyx claws only relieved by the red in his eyes, Caius' was highlighted with the same shade of purple that tinted his hair and eyes. It was a fascinating mix. Those were far from the only differences either.

Caius' Bahamut was tall and looked like he was built to mostly be bipedal, with claws that were made for rending as well as piercing, intelligent eyes. Elle's was more draconic in nature. He was comfortable on his rear legs, but just as much so on all four. His wings were batlike, and both his neck and body were long and sleek. Seeing them next to each other, it was almost like seeing two different eidolons, though there was no doubt that they were both incarnations of Bahamut. Everyone stood staring at the two eidolons for several moments in shock. Now that they had the chance to see them without having them attacking, they were quite the sight.

The moment was broken when they faced each other. Both Elle and Caius took a step forward. They immediately thought they would need to call them back, but everyone froze when, instead of attacking, they stepped toward each other and started warbling. Everyone looked on in confusion for several moments before the two dragons seemed to nuzzle each other for a moment, and then step back.

Neither Elle nor Caius looked at each other. She had assumed that Bahamut had to be male because that was what he always was, but she was beginning to wonder about that now. Either way, it did not matter. She was just glad that at least Caius wasn't one to put up with that kind of behavior once he was passed his shock. He called out to his Bahamut, and they were both in the air within moments.

When Elle saw them take off, she suddenly realized that was something she could do too. She looked back to Laer with a grin, and he groaned as soon as he saw it. She didn't bother asking before she turned back to her Bahamut. Her partner didn't even need her to give a verbal command before his, or her, neck snaked down for Elle to climb up. She then waved to her escort with a grin before she grabbed the closest ridges and the two of them took off.

A/N: So not a lot of action here, but still interesting. The next chapter will cover a lot of time, so not super action-packed, but we should see some more clues. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading!