"...and that's basically the gist of it," Liz finished, leaning back in her chair.
They decided to settle in one of the few rooms within Garreg Mach that wasn't completely ruined, although the room itself had seen better days. What was important was that there were four chairs still in good condition, and thus the newly-formed group found themselves parallel to each other.
Ashton's face was set in a deep frown, his eyes focused behind Liz at something that wasn't really there. Seiros was the one to speak for him.
"If this had been at any other time, I would have dismissed your ramblings as nonsense. But considering what we have just experienced, and the circumstances that led my dear Ashton to me, I am willing to entertain that you are, in fact, telling the truth," Seiros said, her hands neatly folded in her lap.
"Trust me, explaining this whole convoluted shitshow wasn't my first choice. Really, what I wanted to do was bag and tag you both and then haul you off to Ylisse-"
"What my crass lover here is trying to say is that we are in a bit of a hurry," Corrin said, with the grace befitting a former princess, if her story was to be believed. "Now that we all know what is at stake, I trust that you will see the wisdom in accompanying us?"
Seiros did not respond, simply turning to Ashton. The former knight still was unresponsive, but only for a few moments before he finally replied.
"I do not really see a choice," Ashton said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Here I was, thinking that we'd have time before we were called to fight again. A moon, at least, before something would happen and we'd be whisked away from our idyllic life."
"I mean, you still will. You have… Good Lord, why did we all get with women who know how to kick ass?" Liz mused loudly.
Seiros' brows furrowed as she turned to Liz. "Excuse me?"
"You have a sword, you're tall, and you - I saw your pointed ears. Are you a dragon?" Liz asked.
"She's a Nabatean," Ashton replied.
"Is that code for 'dragon' around here?" Liz asked back, her arms crossed as she turned to Ashton with a smug grin. "Are you sure you're not actually my brother?"
Seiros looked back to Ashton. "I have changed my mind. Must we go? They could certainly live without us."
Ashton waved a hand. "We can always ignore her if it comes down to it."
"I have turned off my brain more times than you could fathom," Corrin said, sighing as she rubbed her temples. "She does not mean anything by it, I assure you. She oftentimes just gets into a mood, you could say."
"And now everyone's talking as if I'm some kinda science experiment rather than a person. It hurts," Liz said, placing a hand against her chest. "I'm hurt, well and truly."
"How terrible. Perhaps we should show you mercy," Seiros replied succinctly, a hand on the grip of her sword.
Ashton placed a hand on Seiros' shoulder. "Let's calm down, yes?"
Seiros pouted. "I was merely playing along. I would not murder your cousin in cold blood, unless she did something worth murdering her for."
"Yeah, we all have the same tastes. It's confirmed now," Liz continued. "But, if I'm done derailing my own conversation, let's get back to the matter at hand. Basically, we're fucked. Prometheus isn't just gonna let this slide, and honestly, I think it's expecting us. And the only way we're getting home is by destroying it."
"The massive loss of life here, the dozens I saw cut down by its minions alone," Ashton whispered, "what hope do we have of destroying such a monster? It didn't call itself a god, but it's power is…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, gods 'n stuff," Liz replied unrepentantly. "I helped kill a god, or at least something that considered itself a god. Alex did too, and now so have you. We've all done it, so let's give it one last good show, yeah? Is it not worth the chance to see everyone again?"
Ashton let out a breath. "Perhaps. Can you… can you give us some time? I need to think about it."
Liz stood up. "We can't wait around for long, but we can give you till the end of the day, at least. So… a couple hours. We'll be by the entrance to the monastery if you decide to follow through."
Corrin bowed her head. "Thank you for hosting us, for however brief it was."
The two left the room, leaving Ashton and Seiros alone. Ashton covered his face with his hands, leaning forward as he gently massaged his face. Seiros rubbed his back.
"I think we should do it," Seiros said quietly, "It will get us away from the world while it rebalances itself. They do not need us anymore."
"You're right, of course," Ashton said, looking forward at nothing for a moment. "What other choice do we have now, huh? Regardless of our circumstances, what my cousin's planning, it could have severe ramifications if she fails. And with us there, she could… I dunno, maybe she could actually succeed?"
"I am certainly hoping you were not planning on leaving without informing us?"
A different voice came from the doorway, and Ashton watched as four people filed in. Seteth was the one who spoke, and he entered first, followed by Flayn, Arawn, and Shez. Ashton looked sheepishly to Seiros, who was blushing with embarrassment.
"I guess we just felt like we needed to get out of here as fast as possible, so as to avoid your wrath," Ashton replied.
"Then I am sorry to disappoint you," Seteth said, crossing his arms.
"Were you going to leave me behind, as well?" Arawn asked, "I am surprised. My own parents were about to leave me in Garreg Mach, surrounded by people I hardly know."
"We were not going to leave you behind, my son," Seiros exclaimed, "I would never leave you behind again. However, we were… waylaid."
"By that flighty woman and her strange companion, yes, I saw," Arawn confirmed.
"Who was she? Both of them?" Flayn asked, "I have never seen either of them before."
Ashton stared ahead. "The blonde one is my cousin."
Flayn looked perplexed for a moment before realization dawned on her. "She is one of them, then? Your cousins who you said you attended the funeral of in your own world? She is alive?"
"For now," Ashton replied, standing up. "And I think I'll take her up on her offer. We'll be back, but this world… it has moved past us now. There is little reason for us to stay here."
"Yeah, well, this lug kinda wanted to go with you, and wherever he goes, I go," Shez stated, crossing her arms. "Besides, I have my own score to settle with this machine dastard now. And I never leave promises unfulfilled."
Seiros raised a brow. "Was it not true that you swore revenge on Byleth?"
"That wasn't a promise, technically," Shez replied, "And don't sweat the unimportant details, ya know?"
"I will help the former house leaders outline terms for the near future. While the war will no doubt continue one day, perhaps something will happen in the interim that will keep all of the continent from descending into madness again," Seteth said, "you have my word on this. I wish you luck on your quest, and look forward to your safe return."
"As do I," Flayn said, lightly bowing. "Father and I will make sure that there is a world to go back to, I promise."
Ashton took a deep breath. "When we return, well… Seiros and I know what we're going to do. What will you do, once this is all over?"
"I will have to give it some thought, but perhaps Zanado has been standing as a lonely ruin for too long. Our people will never return as they once were, but maybe they do not have to disappear with us," Seteth said quietly.
Seiros nodded. "My sentiments, exactly."
"I'm surprised to hear you say as such, mother," Arawn said, "it was not so long ago that the Church forbid anyone from setting foot in that canyon. Has that changed?"
Seiros smiled. "Times change."
When Ashton and Seiros found Liz and Corrin mulling about the entrance to Garreg Mach, they could see the surprise etched in the former's face as two more people than they were expecting followed behind them.
"Alright, alright, who's this?" Liz asked. "I don't remember seeing him anywhere. What is he, your son?"
"Yes," Arawn replied succinctly.
"Oh," Liz said, "well, why didn't you say anything about him? That's another otherworldly cousin to add to the list of nobody else."
"It didn't seem as important as the dimensional journey we shall be going on," Ashton said. "You know, considering where we're going, skilled help such as him will be hard, if not impossible, to come by."
"Damn you for being right. This makes things a bit more complicated, but not by much I guess," Liz said, "It'll be a long journey, but after what happened here, probably an uneventful one. Which is definitely what your four need after all this shit."
"How nice that we have saddled up to a woman with a great talent for understatement," Arawn remarked.
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, you know," Liz replied.
"Yes, you would know all about the 'lowest form' would you not?" Arawn replied.
Liz stumbled back as if she had been stuck with an arrow. "Why's everyone ganging up on me today? I didn't sign up for this! I'm trying to help you all, you know! Hell, I saved all of you when I struck Promethe-whatsit with my bow!"
Ashton clapped his hands. "Alright, that is enough. If my cousin is right, we have a long way to go to… wherever it is we are going. Where are we going?"
Corrin spoke up. "To a gate that we constructed deep in the forest here. It is crude and piecemeal, but it will suffice for our purposes. It will be a long while until you can return here, though."
"I don't have much tying me here anyway," Shez muttered, "and besides, world-hopping sounds kinda interesting, now."
"And here I thought you decided to come with because you liked me," Arawn said.
"Can't it be both? I can like traveling and like you, can't I?" Shez said, crossing her arms.
As the four others descended into a small, light-hearted argument, Ashton caught Seiros looking back into Garreg Mach mournfully. Her green eyes reflected the broken buildings and the crumbling monastery farther in.
Moving forward, Ashton wrapped his hands around her waist, and quickly enough her hands grasped his desperately.
"We'll be back," Ashton whispered into her pointed ear. "You gave me the courage to keep going, despite everything that happened. Now I'll give you the strength to return when all is said and done."
Seiros let out a shuddering breath as she turned around, Ashton's hands now on her hips as she pressed her hands against his chest. "It's not just that, my dear Ashton. When I think of everything that led us to this point, when I think of the machinations that brought you to this world - to me - I cannot help but feel selfish and thankful that it all turned out this way. Somehow, without you, I feel as if my fate would have been far more dire…"
Ashton smiled. "It's alright."
Seiros returned it. "I know, and for that, I will be more grateful than you will ever know."
Despite their journey not being over, despite the problems of the world they were leaving behind, and despite everything the two had gone through over a thousand years of absence and neglect, Ashton and Seiros embraced tenderly as the last part of the journey unfolded itself before them.
Whatever Prometheus would throw at them, they would endure. They believed in themselves.
I didn't get enough questions to really justify having an entire chapter dedicated to an ending AN, and I don't have enough to say to really put it as it's own chapter either, so you'll need to be content with this much lol.
Anyway, uh, that's that. I really don't have a lot to say for this. I kinda lost passion for this as time went on and that probably didn't help the story, but it's done now. All the plotlines have been shut, and since the story was never really about the Fodlan War, well, that'll definitely get some closure in the last fic of this saga. And as for the questions I got, there was only one by Sushion, or as I know her, Bunni:
How does it feel finishing it at least?
Better than you could possibly know. I dug this grave, now I gotta lay in it lol.
Anyway, I'll see you guys in a few months, hopefully. And then we can put an end to this ride.
See ya next time!