I made a little table today, of things that are different between Sellsword and Ellipsis. Sellsword is...a lot more canonical. With Ellipsis, it's like I've taken the Soren of Radiant Dawn's Endgame and magically transported him back to the start. Sellsword, on the other hand, starts only a little way through Path of Radiance. Anyway. The plots have been sorted out for both, but Ellipsis' one might seem a little slow-moving. Again, I ask that you bear with it, because it IS going somewhere. Honest.

To the story!

"I don't need you to escort me, you know," Soren pointed out. "I can find my way around perfectly well without your interference."

"Yeah, but Ike wanted me to make sure you got there OK. He didn't seem convinced you'd come without a fight." Soren couldn't exactly argue against this point. Had Tormod not been there, he wouldn't have gone at all.

Before long, they were at Ike's door, which Tormod took delight in rapping loudly on. To Soren's surprise, Ike came to the door himself rather than inviting them in. "Thanks, Tormod. You can go now." Tormod was off like a shot, though he did cast a backward glance as he went.

Ike ushered Soren into the room before closing the door. "Listen, Soren...about yesterday, I--"

"I'd rather we didn't ever speak of it again," Soren interrupted.

"No, I want to apologise. I pressed you into saying things that you clearly weren't comfortable talking about." Ike paused and scratched at his neck. "Look, I know you've been avoiding me on purpose, and I...just want you to know that there's no pressure. I don't think anything more or less of you because of what you said. If you want me to act as though nothing ever happened, Soren, then that's fine. But I'll be here if you ever want to talk...Okay?"

Soren frowned slightly. "When I want to talk, it won't..." He trailed off. "Was Greil's death painful for you?"

Ike's eyes widened a little before his face softened. "Yeah... Of course it was. He was my father." There was an awkward silence. "...Did your father die, Soren? Is that what you want to talk about?"

"I don't want to talk about anything!" Soren snapped. Moments of silence lapsed before he spoke again, softer this time. "I just...You've changed a lot. I just wondered if it was because of that."

"...You knew me before?" Ike stared at Soren in confusion. "When?"

Soren smiled sadly. "I didn't expect you to remember, don't worry." He closed his eyes. "I lied, at the gate. It wasn't Greil who saved my life at all. It was..."

"Me? But..." Ike floundered. "I don't remember. I'm so--"

"Don't say you're sorry," Soren cut across. "I already said I didn't expect you to remember. I was lying between the roots of a tree when you found me. Everyone else had passed me by. They knew if they waited long enough, I'd curl up and die of my own accord. But you...You had to try and help, didn't you? You just couldn't watch a child die of hunger when you had food to spare. You didn't know all the vile names that the villagers called him. You didn't understand why the other children threw rocks at him. You just...helped. Saved a life, just like that, without even realising what you'd done."

"So that's why you came here."

"Greil's name was all I had to go on. It took me over ten years to track you down. I...I just wanted to thank the only person who had ever shown me kindness."

Ike looked at him. "You've done that. So why are you still here?"

"Am I not wanted here, either?" The bitterness was re-entering Soren's voice.

"That's not what I said." Ike swallowed. "I don't want you fighting because you feel like you owe me some debt, Soren. I don't even remember ten years ago. I don't remember anything from before my mother died. So if you're just staying because you feel you ought to...don't. Your whole heart needs to be on the battlefield, or you'll just wind up dead. I didn't save your life for it to end like that."

Soren bit his tongue. "I didn't come here because I felt I owed you anything. Not really. My true motives were a lot more selfish than that." He turned away. "I came here because it was the only place that I could think of that I might be treated with some kindness."

Ike looked him in the eye. "Haven't you?"

"More so than I thought."

"Then what's the problem?"

Soren looked down at the floor. "I suppose I thought... It doesn't matter." He glanced back up at Ike. "And just so that you know...on or off the battlefield, so long as you're our commander, my heart will always be in it." He paused. "By your leave, I'll excuse myself now."