Disclaimers # 1: Star Ocean names, characters, and all of its related articles are the rightful properties of Square-Enix. They are not mine, and I make no profit off from writing this.

Disclaimers # 2: This is a fanfiction based on another fanfiction titled Two Soldiers: Fire and Ice authored by Artemis' Bow. Some of the plots are mine, yes, but some are Artemis'. Her excellent piece of work, support, and approval contribute greatly to this fic.

Author's Note: This chapter took longer to get uploaded, because many things came and went when I wrote this. Lack of reviews also contributes to the lame update, so please, readers, help me. I need your reviews and suggestions.

Okay, as I said in disclaimers # 2, some of the plots here are mine, and some of the plots are Artemis'. So, don't be surprised if this chapter has (lots of) things taken from Two Soldiers. If you are new to this and haven't read Two Soldiers yet, I suggest you to read it to get a better grasp to this story, since this story takes place within the bound of its plot. If you like this story, then part of the credit shall go to Artemis' Bow. Not only because she approves this—she has also helped me a lot in shaping the story, and even more.

Last but not least, please read, and enjoy. Happy reading

The Third Soldier: Another Heart

Chapter 2: The Day When It All Began

The morning felt like an augur to a day of delight to Yvikka eté Yrsenlaf, the Chain Legion commander tasked with strengthening the defense of Arias. Just the day before, Nel Zelpher had returned to the town, bringing with her a hunk of intelligence reports on various events of various places. The copies of the papers were neatly arranged on the dark haired commander's desk, piled into a mountain of paper that could discourage any ordinary soldier coming to see her just by the look of it. Yet, Yvikka was a commander, and she was more than accustomed to facing a mountain of reports. In fact, she was humming all the time while reading them. A small smile was playing gleefully on her face, which made everyone think that she wasn't reading reports at all.

But it wasn't the reports that made her happy.

Nel had returned, thus ending the tense days of Clair Lasbard.

Upon the redhead's return, Clair had seemed to be very pleased. She looked very relaxed, and had been smiling the whole day. Her eyes had been bright with unfathomable joy, very different from the eyes Yvikka had seen in that one night. The sight of Clair Lasbard standing erect and proud was enough to encourage and strengthen anyone who was on her side, but the sight of Clair so spirited like that…

would make even a mortally wounded soldier fight tooth and nail just to see her smile…

Yvikka chuckled at the thought, knowing that she was exaggerating a bit, but she also knew herself well enough to know that it applied to her.

The same seemed to apply to the redheaded spy. The usually cold, stoic, and impenetrable Nel Zelpher became a bit warmer whenever Clair was around. It was a rare chance to see the spy smile, but on that day, Nel had seemed to have a small smile glued to her face. Also on that very day, Yvikka had caught a glimpse of Nel showing an 'uncharacteristically' tender face to Clair, which vanished in a split-second as the green orbs found the dark ones locked on them.

In all honesty, Yvikka couldn't help but join in the lively joy her fellow commanders had shared in that day. Just seeing the two commanders together had given her such amazing strength that she'd felt that she could take on the world.

And today, she hoped that it would still be just like the day before...

…Until a knock on the door of her room broke her out of contemplation of the day before.

"Yvikka, it's Clair. May I come in?"

The Chain Legion commander rose to her feet at the call of the soft voice. Instead of just answering, she walked to the door and opened it for the caller. Behind the door she saw Clair and Nel, seemingly prepared for a trip.

"Lady Clair, Lady Nel," smiling broadly, she greeted and saluted the two commanders, "What can I do for you?"

Clair returned the salute, and answered, "Nel and I have something to take care of on the road towards Kirlsa, and I'm here to notify you that you'll be in charge here during my absence."

Yvikka tilted her head in slight confusion, dark brow furrowing, "Sure, Lady Clair, but… what errands would take you there? The reports don't mention anything strange but colonies of fiends and a small brigade of robbers. Also, I have already scheduled a patrol in that area for this afternoon, so…"

Clair smiled at Yvikka's question, lifting up her voice to answer it, "No, Yvikka, it's not about that. It's something… else."

something… else…

Not a patrol; having both the Secret and Shield Legion commanders exterminate the fiends there is just too much.

Not a recon, for what else needs to be investigated there? And Kirlsa already has Master Astor there.

Yvikka was speechless for a moment. Her face bore hints of bewilderment. She tried to figure out what that 'something else' could be, and failed to see any work-related reasons in there.

"Very well, then," Yvikka finally managed with a soft sigh. Nevertheless, the image of the two soldiers leaving made a slight feeling of dread roll into her chest. That feeling, more than any standard procedure or formality, or anything else, made the next question come up.

"When will you two return?"

The two friends looked at each other at Yvikka's question. It was obvious some speechless communication was passing between the intertwined brown and green depths. A brief moment of silence came and went before Nel's voice came.

"We won't be for long. We should have returned before dark."

"I see. Is there anything else I can help you with before you go? An escort or something?"

Clair, apparently aware of Yvikka's worried tone in her inquiries, stepped closer and rested one hand on Yvikka's shoulder, trying to reassure her fellow commander.

"No, Yvikka, and don't worry about it. We're pretty well prepared. Besides, it's only as far as Kirlsa," the silver haired commander assured, her voice gentle, "We'll be alright, and we shall return here shortly."

The dark haired commander gave up her worries with a smile. She paused before giving an answer, allowing herself the comfort of diving into the reassuring brown and green orbs belonging to the persons she cherished most in her present life.

"Yes… I'll see to that," she then brought up her right hand, saluting, "Please have a safe journey."

"Thank you, Yvikka," Clair returned the salute, then turned to her beloved friend, "Let us go, Nel."

As Yvikka watched the two commanders walking slowly away from her, she felt as if time had frozen. The dread came again, this time stronger. The feeling coursed through her whole body, lifting one hand and tearing one word out of her lips without her control or command.

"Wait!"

The exclamation caused the two friends to stop and look back, only to find the dark haired commander frozen.

Yvikka was stunned, unable to determine the reason why she'd voiced that one word in the first place. Her mind then decided on giving the two a short prayer. It was all she could do.

"May the divine guidance of Apris light your path…"

---

Sisera fri Aivanér, first captain of the Chain Legion, and Yvikka's aide in Arias, could not help but wonder.

She had served under Yvikka for almost three years, and it was quite often that they work closely.

Yet, only once or twice had she seen her commander be so…

restless…

One of the most apparent, she recalled, had been the time when the news of the celestial ship coming and decimating the frontline reached the commander. That, she could understand, but today…

She knew that her superior was temporarily charged with Arias, and she'd expected herself to be very busy with the delegated tasks as well, but the reality was otherwise.

She was idle.

Aside from her regular duty of leading a patrol group and sorting reports intended directly for her commander, she had practically nothing else to do. Even in the most uneventful of days of service in Peterny or Arias, the dark haired commander usually had one or two tasks to delegate. However today, it seemed as if her superior was trying to work herself to death—literally, leaving the brunette captain with nothing to do but have time to wonder about it.

What in the world is her concern right now?

The captain could not hold her curiosity any longer as she saw her commander was preparing for another trip of the day. She made up her mind to ask what was going on directly.

"Commander Yvikka?"

"Yes, Sisera?" the commander responded rather absently. Her eyes were still fixed on the strap of her gauntlet that she was fixing.

"You're going… again?"

"… Yes."

Before her captain could ask any more, Yvikka, knowing full well what the next inquiry would be, went on, still not facing the person whom she was speaking to.

"It can't be helped, Sisera. This missive is required to be sent immediately to Kirlsa. Moreover, the order was that this should be delivered personally to Count Woltar; anyone else won't do."

Yvikka sighed; she knew that the missive was not at all urgent. She was tired, yes, but she was also… desperate.

Desperate because the trepidation she had gotten from seeing the two commanders leave refused to leave. She was desperate to find anything that she could work on rather than deal with her worries.

Yvikka then gave her brunette captain a fleeting look from the corner of her eye, "Don't worry, I'm not going alone. I'll go along with my patrol group; they're scheduled to be around there, anyway."

Sisera, very much annoyed by now, cut through almost instantly, "Commander Yrsenlaf! 'Immediately' does not mean today!"

The remark was very nearly a yell. Sisera was at her wit's end. Her commander's unusual restlessness, as well as her inattentive disposition had hit the last nerve of the young captain, threatening to break her frustration out of control.

"… You're not working, commander… rather, you're killing yourself," Sisera managed with a voice constrained by emotion. Inside, her heart was now the sight of a clash between respect and selfish concern for her commander, and she struggled to keep both of them in proper balance.

The dark haired finally turned to face her captain, only to find a pair of amber eyes that were visibly tense with fears and worries, similar to everything she had in her heart at the moment. She froze, speechless.

She looks worried… about me?

She was then reminded of one thing she had said herself, her own words to Clair.

Apris… forgive me for being such a fool.

I told Lady Clair to stop worrying too much and take better care of herself, for if she doesn't, she'll make others worried. That suits me as well…

I've made her worried, haven't I?

Yvikka then strode closer to her concerned captain, resting both hands on her captain's shoulders, eyes downcast, "I'm sorry… Sisera," she inhaled deeply, and then reached for the letter she'd put into her tunic, taking it out, "You're right… I'm… I'll just end up exhausted this way… I'm so sorry… I just…"

Sisera sighed at her commander's slowly softening face. She could now see trouble so visible in the dark haired woman's face, but respect took over, and she decided to not ask about it for the moment.

"I'm sorry too, commander. I shouldn't yell at you like that."

"It's okay," the dark haired woman said gently, slowly bringing up her head to meet the still worried amber orbs, then sighed, "Nobody has ever had the nerve to yell at me like that since I became a commander."

Sisera smiled at the commander. "So, you'll take a rest then?" Sisera asked, hoping that Yvikka would respond positively to this one question.

Yvikka grinned in response, and answered, "Unfortunately, no, not yet."

Sisera's shoulders sank visibly at the answer, eloquently expressing her disappointment, "Why?"

"I still have my patrol to do," was the prompt reply, and then another came, "But you can come along with me if you wish. If you do, you can take the lead, and I'll be staying behind."

A broad smile found its way to the captain's face at the offer, "I'll do that. I need to make sure that you don't work yourself any harder than you need to out there, commander."

---

Meanwhile, the silver haired Clair Lasbard had just passed through the gates of Kirlsa, making her way back to Arias.

She was alone.

Her heart was in pieces.

Her spirit was all but gone.

Clair absently walked through Kirlsa hills, and then the Aire hills, guided only by mere instinct with no conscious thought involved.

Her mind, having shut itself down from her surroundings, swam in and out at the thought of her beloved. The time they first met, their childhood when they had played, laughed, and cried together, times when they had been training, times of fighting together, and then, the time when her worst fear had become a reality.

The sight of Nel lying there, practically bathing in her own blood in the Arena was all she could take for the day. Clair could still hear her friend's cry of pain in her mind, and all she could see was the image of those green orbs, slowly sinking and finally closing.

forever…

ever…

never again…

A blow to her back broke the darkness on her mind, and then another, and another. Pain slowly registered itself into her mind as more blows landed on the frail runologist's body.

A solid hit managed itself to Clair's head, bringing her down. She was still conscious, and by that time, her mind became aware once again. Her body ached, her head spun. She looked around, finding that she was surrounded by Bogle fiends. As she tried to get up, one of the beasts stepped on her chest, pushing her back to the ground. With a growl, the beast lifted up its mace, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

Clair, despite the fact that she was actually able to fight, only stared. Her will to live had died along with her beloved.

Nel…

A tiny part of her mind still wanted a miracle, wanted to find that Nel would come to her rescue, but it vanished almost as soon as it came. The painful truth she had perceived from the pool of blood in the Arena, and now from the dried blood on her hands consumed it, leaving her with only one thought.

I'll see you soon… my love.

Metal arc flashed. Blood flew.

The finishing strike had been delivered, and the beast over Clair fell to its back, lifeless. A solid figure clad in Aquarian soldier attire stood beside the fallen beast, holding a long sword soaked with the beast's blood. The rest of the fiends howled angrily, demanding revenge for their dead brethren. The beasts then moved to surround both Clair, who was still lying on the ground, and the soldier. The soldier, however, was not alone. Fellow soldiers rushed to give their aid, one of them calling out the soldier's name.

"Commander Yvikka!"

Yvikka lashed out with her sword, cutting one beast reckless enough to attack head on, and turned to her companions.

"Protect Lady Clair!"

With the command, the dark haired woman charged at a nearby fiend, her fellow soldiers followed rapidly behind her with drawn weapons. The battle was fought. Seven Aquarian soldiers went up against a horde of Bogle fiends nearly twice their number. The outnumbered Aquarians, though from different branches—some of them were 'Shields', and others were 'Chains'—shared the same emotion of protecting their dear commanders, especially the battered silver haired woman lying in the middle of the battle. They fought fiercely and bravely, cutting through every single beast standing in their way, and eventually, won. Almost as soon as the last of the beasts was down, Yvikka rushed to Clair's side, hoping that it wasn't too late.

"Lady Clair! Lady Clair!"

Pale brown eyes focused slowly on jet black ones. Her physical wounds were not at all grave, but the condition of her heart and her spirit was, which had nearly led her to her death. Her hope rose slightly as she saw the backlit figure above her.

"Nel…"

The one word struck the dark haired, as well as anyone who heard that.

"Lady Nel? Where's Lady Nel! What happe—"

The sentence was abruptly halted as Clair lifted one hand, cupped Yvikka's cheek, and muttered weakly.

"Nel… you're alive…"

Yvikka's eyes widened in surprise. Her jet-black orbs reflected a clear state of confusion at the gesture, the remark and the gaze from the brown depths directed at her.

Lady Nel…? Me…? Does she think that I'm Lady Nel?

Unbeknownst to the Chain Legion commander, her hair was partly covered with blood from the beasts she'd cut, creating an image of a red haired woman to the battered runologist. In her present state, her mind was filled with only the image of her red haired friend, which made even Yvikka look like Nel to Clair's desperate eyes.

All of a sudden, Clair grasped the dark haired commander's shoulder with such strength that Yvikka felt as if her fingers had torn through the tunic, and then the armor, right into the skin and bone. Her voice was desperate for reassurance.

"Tell me, Nel… you're alive, right! I'm just dreaming, right!"

This desperation…

Did she just say that Lady Nel… 'alive'? It can't mean…

Yvikka bit her lips tight. Her chest was in agony as if cut by a sword. Pain coursed through her whole body and mind due to her realization. Her superior's desperation clearly suggested something truly had happened to the two friends, and she struggled with all of her might to hold back the building tears and to restrain the cry rising from her throat.

By Apris…Gods, tell me it's not true. It can't be true. It just… can't possibly happen…

It can't mean that the… that other possibility… had just happened, right?

Right…?

Answer me!

There was neither answer nor reassurance in response to her prayer, and Yvikka gritted her teeth, closing her eyes tightly, unwilling to see her esteemed superior in such a state. A faint trickle of tears came down her cheek. Her heart cried.

No… no… no…

NO!

The soldiers surrounding them, able to see and hear clearly whatever their silver haired commander was saying, were shocked. Some sighed deeply. Some unwittingly dropped their weapons. Some cried silently. And some burst into tears rather openly. A Shield Legion runologist accompanying them fell to her knees, her face holding a great deal of disbelief, and put into words the one thing that was on everyone's mind at the moment.

"Lady Nel… can't be… dead?"

Silence came after it was said, for nobody dared to either agree or disagree. The sight before them had spoken of everything but something good.

A cracked voice tore open the silence. A voice that had once been pleasant to hear now bore an agony that was unbearable to its audience.

"Why don't you answer me, Nel! Answer me, please… tell me that you're alive and well."

Yvikka winced at the question, wishing that she didn't have to say the truth, but she did have to. Jet black eyes slowly opened. Their determination pierced the pale brown ones.

"… I'm not Nel, Lady Clair… I'm Yvikka…" the dark haired managed, her voice just as cracked as Clair's.

Clair's once hopeful expression vanished in an instant, replaced by a doubtful one, and then sad.

"You're… not…?"

"Look at my eyes, Lady Clair. I'm Yvikka… not Nel…"

Pale brown eyes searched the face in front of them, hoping to find the ever-fascinating, welcoming green orbs of her friend, but they weren't there.

"You're not Nel…"

Nel is dead…

Once again, the painful reality crashed into Clair's mind. Abruptly, she shook herself from Yvikka's arms, her heart and mind crying for comfort of Nel's presence, Nel's arms. Her eyes then fixed on the direction of Arias. She remembered Arias, the mansion, and the room where they'd slept together the night before.

Nel might be there…

She was going to go to her room in Arias, not by her mind, but more by instinct. Ignoring her wounds, she got to her feet and started running.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Not even the ring of soldiers which guarded her all the way to Arias.

Not even the gate guards.

Not even the calling from her subordinates.

Not a thing.

All she wanted was comfort.

All she wanted was Nel.

---

The conference room was silent. Aside from faint but painful sobs from some of the disheartened captains, nobody had the will to say a word. The two unoccupied chairs in the room were painful to see, because everyone in the room knew whom those chairs belonged to.

Upon her return from the last patrol, Yvikka had ordered Sisera, Tynave, and Farleen to take a steed and go to Astor Wolchrift, a Secret Legion operative in Kirlsa, in order to find out the last whereabouts of Nel and Clair before Clair returned alone to Kirlsa. Reports had it that the two commanders had been seen in the vicinity of Kirlsa training facility. The party then searched all the way to the top floor of the facility, and found nothing but pools of dried blood in the Arena. One of which bore strong resemblance to Nel Zelpher's runological signature. These findings, though clearly disheartening, had been brought into the meeting.

"What can a pool of blood say?"

All pairs of eyes then fixed on to the Chain Legion commander. Yvikka, knowing that she'd gotten their attention, went on.

"We can't quickly surmise that Lady Nel is dead. She's probably just wounded. Whether the assailants have got her or not, we do not know. For the time being, it is best to assume that she's missing."

"If that is the case… we should conduct a search and rescue operation right away, but… I doubt that we have enough manpower to do that," a Shield Legion captain lifted his voice, trying to sound normal, but failing.

"I will leave for Aquios tomorrow. Aside from informing Her Majesty about our situation, I will also request reinforcements and supplies," Yvikka answered firmly.

Though she had been able to hide behind her commander's mask, she was almost at her limit. Her already sunken heart sank even deeper as she saw how discouraged the soldiers were. She wanted to encourage them, but she didn't know what to say, for they were not her own soldiers but Clair's.

If only Lady Clair were here…

She knows what to say, because they are her soldiers.

Yvikka staggered upon realizing how true it was…

They are Lady Clair's soldiers…

The dark haired then brought herself up to her feet. She had to encourage them, because she knew well enough what would become of the soldiers if she didn't.

"A few days ago, right in this room… we made a promise to Lady Clair that we were going to fulfill our duty to the end. For me… though the situation has changed into one of the most unfavorable possible… my order—my promise to her still remains."

Yvikka paused. She inhaled a long deep breath in an effort to hold back the stinging pain in her heart, and swallowed the lump in her throat that was threatening to break her voice.

Her mask still held, but wouldn't for much longer.

"…As a commander, on Lady Clair's behalf, I will ensure that Arias and its citizens are safe and well. I have promised her that, and… I'll see to it to the end. I won't be able to do it alone, however… I need your strength… so I implore you… please do not be fainthearted, and let us continue what we've done together so far… to the end. If you can't do it for me, then do it for Lady Clair's sake."

Her voice had almost cracked rather openly by the end of her speech. She dared not bring her head up, as she was afraid that the Shield Legion soldiers would react negatively to her request. More than that, the building tears in her eyes were becoming more apparent by the second. She couldn't keep the act up any longer.

The Shield Legion soldier who sat closest to Yvikka solemnly rose from his chair. He then took the hand of the desperate, pleading commander.

"For Lady Clair… and Lady Nel."

A female captain who sat farther away paced closer to the dark haired commander, then took her hand as well.

"For Lady Clair and Lady Nel… I'm with you, commander," she said firmly with not a sign of doubt.

"Lady Clair has begged us for this… we can't just break our word. I'm with you, commander."

One by one, the soldiers in the conference room moved closer to Yvikka, encircling her. Their hands joined at the center of the circle. Every single one of them.

"Thank you…"

A trickle of tears fell. Her mask started to crumble, but not completely. Slowly, Yvikka raised her head, and then looked around, finding that every pair of eyes was once again filled with determination to keep on going, and went on.

"Everything I've heard of you all was not wrong… all of you… are truly, Lady Clair's soldiers…"

The dark haired commander then gave them some orders about things to be told to the other soldiers, and things to be kept secret. The conclusions of the meeting were that Nel Zelpher was assumed missing, Clair Lasbard was judged incapable of leading the Legions for the time being, and Yvikka eté Yrsenlaf was to take over her charge of Arias and the Legions stationed there until the true commander, Clair Lasbard, recovers.

---

The meeting had been concluded, and all the captains had returned to their squads.

The commander, however, stayed in the conference room, all by herself.

Her mask had slipped away and all of her emotions were laid bare. She needed some time alone, and she realized that the conference room was not the best place for it, but she was too proud to accept the idea of just running to her room and crying like the little girl she had once been.

Just to hear that Nel and Clair are wounded in battle was like a stab to her heart.

But today, one was assumed missing with only a faint hope of return, and one was shattered all the way to her spirit with no certainty of healing.

It was very much like hearing that they were both dead.

She cried there silently, alone in the conference room, praying that she could just go back to the days before…

… Or at the least, go back to the morning of the day.

She had been happy at that morning.

Happy and blissful with the knowing presence of the two women.