Tanith and Volke stood next to each other, watching Ike, Micaiah, and Sanaki speaking to the nearly lifeless body of Sephiran. The Duke's face would have been completely white had it not been for the blood that had run down his forehead. His long black hair, normally a solid sheet of black, was sticking to his face and clothes in a disorderly array, his torn clothes faring no better. Out of Ike and his army, none had escaped the battle free from any blemishes. Even Micaiah, who preferred to keep her distance and had high resistance to magic, sported a burn mark on her arm where a fire spirit had managed to counter one of her attacks. Many of the others wore harsh scars from Sephiran's powerful light magic that seemed to hit anybody within range, even the nimble Volke and Tanith, who had both acquired burn marks throughout their bodies as a result of the Duke and the spirits he had summoned. Volke was beginning to tire of listening to the dialogue between Ike and Sephiran when the assassin looked over at Tanith. She wore her usual cold, professional face, but Volke noticed something else.
"Hey, Tanith, look over here," Volke spoke in a low voice. The woman turned her head, "What is it?"
With the better angle, Volke could now clearly see that Tanith was straining hard to maintain her stony demeanor.
"Do you want to go over there?" Volke asked, motioning towards a secluded set of stairs that would give the two privacy. Tanith nodded, then made an about face and started walking towards the stairs as if she were on official business. Volke walked beside her, trying to emulate her gait. Nonetheless, as she walked out of view of the others, Tanith's face metamorphosed into a look of agony, and tears began sliding down her face, collecting on her soft chin like morning dew on grass. When the two reached the stairs and sat down, Tanith leaned into Volke, hugging him from the side. Volke was at a loss. Feeling her warm tears soaking through his shirt, the assassin decided the best course of action would be to wrap his arm around her, as he had seen others do. Hearing her quiet sniffling, Volke began to wonder about Tanith's transformation.
From his first interaction with her, he had been exposed to Tanith's less serious, at times playful, side. The only thing that had drawn Tanith back to the stern deputy commander her comrades knew was her loyalty to Sanaki. Just before the preceding battle, Volke had observed Tanith's devotion to the Empress to be at an all-time high. For a brief period, the assassin felt as if he had finally figured this woman out, but his assumption collapsed when he saw Tanith's reaction when she realized she would be fighting Sephiran. When he had seen Sephiran, Volke had felt no emotion save a tincture of shame that he, the world's most infamous assassin, had not found out about Sephiran's plan earlier. Tanith, on the other hand, seemed weakened by the discovery. To Volke, Tanith seemed to be acting like she had been forced to face Sanaki, at times charging recklessly into the midst of battle, at other times seeming to have almost given up, a stark contrast from the deputy commander's usual emotionless, calculated method of fighting. And now, the woman he was holding seemed to have nothing in common with the Tanith he knew. Not knowing how what else to do, Volke kept his arm around Tanith. Presently, her tears subsided and she began to speak. Her words came out in short, unconnected bursts, yet her voice was softer than Volke had ever heard from her before.
"I just can't believe it, Volke. Sephiran was the one person we trusted. Everything is so confusing now. Even if we make it out of here, I don't know what Sanaki's going to do."
Volke continued to hold Tanith as she spoke in her uncharacteristic way. He leaned his head down into her shoulder, feeling her hair run across his face. He had always thought her short hair would feel prickly to reflect her usual mannerism, but instead the assassin found Tanith's hair to be silky and sweet-smelling. He continued to listen to her, not being able to understand half her words.
"…Sephiran was like our guardian, how could he..."
Volke was speechless. Although a master at manipulating emotions, he had never learned how to deal with someone grieving. Tanith continued.
"I don't even know who I can trust anymore. If Sephiran and Zelgius can betray us, if the Goddess herself can betray us, I don't know how we can continue to protect our country or our Empress."
"Do you trust me?" Volke asked hesitantly. Tanith kept silent, slowly reaching her hand up and removing Volke's hand from her shoulder. The assassin stood up and continued.
"When we defeat Ashera, what will become of Begnion? Will you let it crumble as its very foundations are shattered? Or will you help Her Majesty build a new one?"
Perhaps, Volke thought, motivation might work.
"We have one final challenge ahead of us. If you can trust nobody else trust the Empress. She has faith in humanity, you should too."
"Those are bold words for a spy."
The words cut deep, but Volke persisted.
"We all have loyalties, Tanith. I am often chained to the coffers of my clients, but I would not have come this far if there were not something I thought worth dying for. Sephiran and Zelgius had their allegiances. They fought for what they thought was right, nothing more. And we here, all of us, are here because we believe in something beyond ourselves. Ike, Micaiah, and Sanaki all believe in the good of humanity. If you cannot believe in that, I don't blame you. But please, at least believe in Sanaki."
"And what do you believe in?"
"I used to believe in Gawain's son. But now I believe in the greatest warrior to have ever graced Tellius. And also,"
Volke knelt down.
"I believe in you."
Tanith smiled. Without a word she got on her feet and examined her blade. Walking past Volke she wiped her face clear and joined Sigrun watching over Sanaki as she discussed the upcoming battle with Ike and Micaiah.
"That blade suits you well, lieutenant," Sigrun said to her second in command. Tanith replied, "It's a gift from Her Majesty. Surely any gift from her would fit the recipient. After all," Tanith looked at Volke, "I believe in her."
By then the battle meeting had ended. Ike stood up and addressed the men and women in the room with a simple command.
"Ashera is waiting just beyond those doors. Let's go."
"Are you ready, Tanith?" Volke asked the pegasus knight as he followed Ike into the final room.
"As ready as I have ever been," Tanith replied. "Begnion has already lost too many of its finest today. She shall not lose any more."