"How do you know my name?" She asked, tilting her head innocently.
"You're looking for your family, aren't you?" Alear asked gently.
Veyle's eyes widened as she understood what he was getting at. Her face lit up with childlike glee as she ran forward, jumping into his arms, embracing him tightly as if he could disappear at any moment.
"Brother! I… I didn't think I'd find you so soon! I've been searching for so long!" She said, her voice shaky as tears threatened to spill.
"It's good to see you, Veyle. It's not just me here, you know," he told her.
Veyle let go of him, hopping into Aleah's arms as well, hugging her tight. "I wasn't sure I'd ever find you two… I've missed you both so much!"
"So you don't remember, huh? Just me, the Emblems, and anyone from the other world?" Alear observed.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Aleah and I aren't really from this world. Well, I suppose we are now, but we both came from different futures. She and I are the same. She was the divine dragon of her world, whereas I was the divine dragon of mine. She fought against Sombron, losing her own life while also felling him. I fought against Sombron too, but your big sister is a lot stronger than me. I saved what remained of her world after she passed, but my own world lost our battle against Sombron. Now, it seems we've both come to the same crossroads of fate."
The gleam in her eyes seemed to dim as she understood what he meant. "So you couldn't do it?"
"No," Alear shook his head. "The person I was back then couldn't. But now? With everyone by our sides, I feel like we'll be alright. I was still learning when I woke up so long ago. This time, we'll do it right."
"What will you do now?" Veyle asked.
"Whatever it takes to not make the same mistakes again. The turning point was when we went to confront King Hyacinth in Elusia. We lost half of the rings that day. And…" he hesitated. He had to tell her about what she did. As her older brother though, he didn't want to see her hurt. But he knew it had to be done.
"Alear?" Veyle's concern was clear in her voice. Something was bothering him.
"Veyle, do you know about the personality that Zephia tried to force on you?" he asked.
The girl shook her head.
"The reason that you sometimes find yourself in strange places with no memory of how you got there is because of her. Zephia… she forced you to become something that you aren't. She tapped into your fell dragon heritage and created someone who was the opposite of who you are," he said calmly.
Veyle's eyes widened in shock. The woman that treated her like a daughter would do such a thing to her?
"No… then… when I woke up near the castle…"
Alear pulled her close, hugging her as the young girl began to panic.
"It's alright now. You're safe with us. Would you like to come to the Somniel? It's a place that my mother, Queen Lumera, made to keep us safe," Alear offered.
"But I- Queen Lumera…" Veyle let her words hang in the air, not wanting to admit her guilt.
"Yes, father's biggest enemy. She took me—or I guess us—in when I nearly died 1000 years ago. She treated us as one of her own, and because of her, we became the divine dragons. She'll forgive you. She's kind and understanding," Alear comforted her, stroking her back as she held him close.
"Okay… I'll go with you. I don't want anybody messing with my head anymore. Please, I don't want to go back home if that's what they're doing to me," she looked up to him with teary eyes.
"Of course. Let's go then. You can stay with us tonight if it makes you feel safer. We'll introduce you to everyone tomorrow. They'll understand."
Veyle nodded, and the trio of siblings returned to the Somniel. Upon their arrival, Veyle looked around in awe. She had never seen such a beautiful and elegant place. While Elusia was regal in its own right, the Kingdom of Knowledge didn't care much in regards to the beauty of the land. They were a land of pragmatism. They didn't have time for such trivial things as decor.
As the moon shined on the Somniel, Veyle walked around, hand in hand with her two older siblings as they showed her around the floating castle. As they relaxed in the garden, the shadow of a figure told them they weren't alone.
Looking up, they were surprised to see Lumera looking down towards them with a soft smile on her face.
"Mother, you're awake?" Aleah called out to her.
"A mother always knows when her children are out and about," she said before stepping away from the railing. She made her way down to them, stopping beside Veyle.
"Queen Lumera?" Veyle said nervously.
"It's alright dear. Your brother and sister told me everything. It's not your fault," she said as she crouched down.
"Then… Can I…?"
"You can stay here as long as you would like. I would never turn away my own child," she held out a hand to the girl. "You are the sister of my children, are you not? Does that not make you my child?"
"T-thank you, m-mother!" Veyle jumped into Lumera's arms, surprising the woman.
"You've been alone for quite some time, haven't you? Though I suspect not completely. No one to truly call family?" Lumera asked.
"Mmhm," Veyle confirmed as she rested her head on Lumera's shoulder. "Mauvier… the Four Hounds. I- I don't think they're bad. But I think dad made them bad. If… if he wasn't there, I think they would be good."
"We'll do what we can to save them too," Alear told her. "Don't worry about them. Zephia isn't truly evil. All she wanted was a family to call her own. To that end, she's still waiting for Sombron, but he won't give her what she wants. Her family is right beside her. Just like the Four Winds, deep down, they all care for each other."
"Please make them come back," Veyle pleaded. "I know Zephia might be the reason I acted like that, but…"
Alear shook his head. "It's okay to feel that way. When she was on death's door back in my time, she made a crystal that was capable of turning back time to help us stop Sombron. She isn't as blindly loyal to him as she might seem."
"I hope she's okay…" Veyle said dejectedly.
"Don't worry about her. She'll be alright. Zephia's real strong so we'll see her again in the future. Will the hounds be worried about you being gone for a long time?" He asked.
"I don't know… I'm not sure how long I'm normally gone…" she admitted.
Aleah crouched down by her side, patting her on the head. "No matter what comes our way, we'll protect you."
Veyle yawned but offered a bright smile, nodding before moving out of Lumera's arms.
"Ready for bed?" Aleah asked, offering her hand. "You can sleep with me tonight."
"Mmhm," Veyle nodded again as she held onto Aleah.
Aleah and Veyle left, leaving Alear and Lumera alone. The woman looked at her son with a soft smile.
"So that's her?" Lumera asked. "She seems like a good girl. I'm glad you were able to find her so soon."
"Yeah, she is a good girl. She only wants to be with her family. I can only do my best to help her. She knows that Sombron is bad, but she just wants him to find peace because he's still family."
"And that's understandable. There's nothing wrong with a daughter wanting her father to find peace. Sombron may be our world's greatest threat, but to her, he's just her father," Lumera acknowledged.
"She won't turn on us. She fought against him when we lost. It's still strange though. Only myself, the Emblems, and anyone from the other world seem to remember what happened."
"I suppose it doesn't matter now, does it?" She asked. "What's done is done. And while you can't go back to the future you're from, you still have a home."
"Yeah… Not like there's anything to go back to anyway. I'm glad I was able to come here though. To have a chance to fix everything that I did wrong. I think I've grown a lot since then. At least, in the coming battles, I'm sure we can do it right."
She grabbed his hand gently, looking him in the eyes. "You're going to do amazing things, Alear. You're my son after all," she giggled. "I'm sure whatever mistakes you've made in the past have helped you grow. I will always be happy to be both you and Aleah's mother. And Veyle too now."
"Thank you for accepting her so readily," Alear sighed. "She needs family in her life. When she was forced to come to terms with having been your killer in my world, she tried to confront you alone when Sombron raised you as one of the corrupted. She went ahead of us, not wanting me to be the one to have to fight against you."
"I'll be the best I can then. If there's anything I've learned in taking both you and Aleah in, it's that blood isn't all that makes someone family. I hope to make some memories with her that she can cherish."
"Thank you, mother…"
"Get some sleep," Lumera told him. "You two have been so busy ever since you woke up."
"Right… Goodnight, mother," he said as he hugged her.
"Goodnight, dear. Sleep well," Lumera replied, rubbing his back.
-A-
Aleah woke up feeling much warmer than usual. While it was true that she wasn't exactly too familiar with the feeling of waking up as of a few days ago, it didn't change the fact that something was different. Her observation quickly reminded her of the girl that slept beside her.
Veyle had cuddled up to her, sleeping soundly. The girl hadn't ever felt as tranquil as she did sleeping beside her sister. Words could not describe the emotions that Veyle felt upon her brother telling her just who he was. To think she would find her family after searching for so long. She never gave up despite how hopeless it may have seemed.
It was an unfamiliar feeling. While Aleah had known of Veyle's existence in her own world, she had passed before the two ever met. The only thing she knew about her was that Mauvier had been the one who protected her before he formed the Four Winds. After Veyle's death, they had shifted their focus to her. And after her death, they had moved on to Nel and Rafal.
No matter the familiarity, she was happy to be able to call herself an older sister. From the limited time she had spent with Veyle, the girl seemed incredibly sweet. The girl had a childlike innocence even though she knew that the young fell dragon had been through a lot. All of Sombron's children had.
Aleah gently stroked the girl's hair out of her eyes as she let her sleep. She must have been exhausted and overwhelmed. She looked around the room and saw that even their brother was asleep. Alear was a busy person. Having been the one that ended up losing to Sombron, Aleah understood that there must have been a lot weighing on his mind.
So she too decided to go back to sleep. It was still early in the day, so it wasn't like they were in a hurry. While their companions may have been awake, they would understand if they spent a bit longer sleeping.
It wasn't until a couple hours later when a knock could be heard on their door. And to their surprise, it was Lumera. "Hello? Are you three up yet?"
"You can come in if you'd like, mother," Alear called out from bed as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning," Lumera said as she stepped in, closing the door gently behind her. "Did you sleep alright?"
"Yeah. There's still a lot on my mind, but I'm glad that Veyle's here with us now. It takes a bit of the stress off my shoulders," Alear admitted.
"That's good to hear. Ready to head out today?" She asked.
"Yeah. It'll be good to see everyone again. It's honestly a little strange not seeing them every day. Can't wait to see them even if they don't remember us…"
Veyle's yawn interrupted their talking as the girl began to wake up. She sat up and looked around, looking a bit lost as she remembered where she was.
"Oh, Veyle dear, how are you feeling?" Lumera asked as she approached her.
"Mm… morning," she said, rubbing her eyes.
The girl hugged Lumera even while she was half awake. She closed her eyes, her drowsiness threatening to take her once more.
"Veyle, we've gotta get going soon so try to wake up, okay?" Aleah spoke even as she herself remained under the covers.
"Okay…" the girl replied while still holding on to Lumera.
Alear looked on in amusement as both of his sisters struggled to get out of bed. Eventually, they mustered the strength to wake up, starting their day.
When they came downstairs, their allies were surprised to see Veyle.
"Um… who…?" Céline asked.
"I apologize for not mentioning her earlier… This is Veyle, our younger sister."
"L-lady Veyle!?" Zelestia spoke out.
"Zeph- no… you aren't her. Are you related to Zephia? No wait, are you from big sis' world?"
"Correct, I am Zelestia, a mage dragon of the Four Winds. It was Mauvier who took us in while he was protecting you," she explained.
Veyle looked on in awe. "Mauvier always has been so kind to me. I hope you can meet him soon! I'm sure he'd be happy to hear about you."
"Perhaps so. Thank you for the praise," Zelestia bowed.
"I gotta ask, how come her hair is so different from yours?" Alfred asked.
"Ah… we'll… have to explain that when we've gathered everyone. I believe it would be easier," Alear admitted. He knew they wouldn't care, but a part of him was still ashamed that he could be related to the one who ended their world. Even if his allies were some of the best people he had ever met, it was his own shortcomings that stopped him from revealing his heritage right away.
"Right, speaking of, we should probably get going soon, yeah?" Aleah changed the subject. "I'm sure Brodia may be having their own issues as we speak. Best to help them before it's too late.
"Yes. Don't forget, we have to make a stop to meet Lady Micaiah and another friend," Alear added.
Everyone nodded in agreement. It was about time they set out.
By the time they approached the ruins that housed Micaiah's emblem ring, the sun had once again fallen. It didn't take long for them to hear the sound of combat, signaling that a certain red haired thief was already in the midst of battle.
"Let's go!" Alear called out as he drew his sword.
His eyes fell upon the girl that held Micaiah's ring. Yunaka was locked in battle with three bandits, all approaching from different sides. He rushed forth, cutting one down before anyone had even realized, quickly shifting the tides of battle in favor of the girl.
"Three against one doesn't seem very fair," he said as he stood at Yunaka's side. "How about I even it out a bit?"
Yunaka, confused by the sudden assistance, didn't show it. She simply nodded, thanking him for the assist.
Vander's voice however, quickly introduced her to just who had come to help.
"I am the 32nd steward of the Divine Dragons!" He roared as he led the charge against the forces in the other half of the ruins.
The bandits that Alear and Yunaka were facing, cursed. "Just our luck. The damn Divine Dragons are awake? The hell are they doing here? Wait… he's one of them!" The bandit yelled as he got a good look at Alear amidst the moonlight.
Before he had a chance to back away however, a knife had already pierced his chest, courtesy of one Yunaka. The bandit next to him fell shortly after as Alear hadn't even given him a chance to retaliate.
"We heard a voice coming from around here," Alear told her. "Glad we made it in time to help out."
"Hiya! So you're one of the Divine Dragons?" She asked. "I-" she hesitated. She knew she wasn't a good person. Her past told her as much. But she also knew that she wanted to change. "I have one of the Emblem Rings with me. It called out to me and wanted me to return it to one of you. Before I knew it, I had been attacked by bandits and managed to get the ring back before you all showed up."
"I see. I can awaken the Emblem inside if you could hand it over," he said.
"Of course," she nodded.
As Alear held the ring, he called out for the Dawn Maiden. "Heal us, Emblem of Dawn!"
As usual, the ethereal form of the emblem began to take shape, and Micaiah was awoken once more.
"I am Emblem Micaiah…" she spoke. Looking over at Alear, she immediately understood what was happening. "I sense the future shifting. Now, victory lies ahead. Right Alear?"
"Right," he smiled. "Yunaka, could you hold onto this?" He asked the red haired girl. The mention of her name made her tense up, but she hid her shock. "It seems she's already taken a liking to you, so I suppose it would only make sense, right?"
"Right," she answered as she grabbed the ring. Micaiah appeared beside her and the three turned. They had to keep moving and meet back up with the others.
"Don't worry," Micaiah assured the former assassin. "Although I'm not entirely sure what's going on, he's a good person. You can trust him."
Yunaka nodded. "He is one of the Divine Dragons after all. I'm just… how does he know my name?"
"I'm sure he'll explain everything," Micaiah spoke gently. "Now then, let's get back to the others.
Yunaka and Alear fought their way through whatever bandit came their way. Even if Micaiah mainly dealt with healing, her aptitude for light magic was still a great help.
The fight was short, the overwhelming forces of both Firene royals and the Stewards completely dominating anything in their path. The leader of the bandits was no match at all for the combined forces. It didn't take long until the ruins were cleared out.
It was then when Yunaka pulled Alear aside.
"So you know who I am, huh?" She asked.
He nodded. "I do."
"Then… you also know what I've done?"
"It's in the past. I understand the guilt you still carry, but you aren't the same person that you were all those years ago." He comforted her. "I know it probably sounds demeaning, but… I'm proud of how far you've come. I truly am."
"If… if you'll accept me even with my flaws… I couldn't ask for anything more. I would like to travel with you all. To do something to atone for my past," Yunaka said, guilt still evident in her voice.
"I understand that it may seem outlandish to hear, but you've already made up for your past. In the future that I am from, you were relentless. Always working your hardest to ensure we all stay safe. We spoke often, you and I. I accepted you with all your flaws back then, and that won't change," he smiled at her.
"You're strange, you know that?" She raised an eyebrow. "You know everything about me then. And you still choose to bring me along," she cracked a smile back at him. "I can't thank you enough then."
"Don't worry. As far as I'm aware, only myself, my sister, and the Emblems know about your past. I'll let you open up whenever you're ready."
She smiled. A genuine smile. "Thank you. Now then," she said, slapping her own cheeks. "Let's get back to others, shall we? Can't let 'em know just yet, so…"
The two made their way back to the main group.
"Right then. Great work, everyone. We were able to help this young lady over here and awaken Emblem Micaiah. If you would," he gestured to Yunaka.
"Hiya, name's Yunaka! I'd like to thank you all for coming to my aid. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to join you all in reclaiming the Emblems. It's the least I could do to repay you," she bowed.
"Ah come on, there's no need to repay us," Alfred spoke up. "Even so, if you'd like to, I'm sure we'd be glad to have you!"
"My brother didn't put you up to this, did he?" Aleah teased. "Just say the word and I'll put him back in his place!"
"No, nothing like that," Yunaka laughed. "Thank you though."
Much to her surprise, Aleah hugged her. "It's been such a long time," she whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you all those years ago."
Yunaka's surprise peaked at that point. She had died? It was strange enough to hear Alear talking about it, but her too? It seemed her fate was different in either divine dragon's world.
"Don't worry, I'm here to stay. I'm strong, you know," she reminded her.
"I know…" Aleah said before separating herself from the girl. "Now then! Let's get going to Brodia, yeah? We've gotta go see Veronica!" She spoke excitedly.
"Oh, that's right!" Alfred exclaimed as he fumbled with his pockets. "Mom- er, Queen Ève gave this to me before we left the castle! I- er, suppose it would be a lot more useful after you've summoned the Emblem rather than just sitting around in my pocket, huh?" He said sheepishly.
Aleah laughed it off, telling the boy not to worry.
"Embolden us, Emblem of Strength!" Aleah chanted. Just as the Emblems before him, Hector's appearance was the same as usual.
"Oh-ho! Awake again, I see. And this time, not in the wrong hands," The man said confidently.
"Yep. We've got a job to do yet again," Aleah informed him. "This time though, we'll do things right."
"Understood. Leave it to me!"
With two additional emblems in the pocket, the group continued their journey North toward Brodia. It was only a matter of time before the tell tale arrow would remind them of a certain Prince's presence.
"Identify yourselves!" His voice rang out as he approached, an arrow drawn.
"Relax, we're-"
Before Alear could finish his sentence, the royal had thrown his bow to the ground, his retainers scrambling to pick it up as the young prince himself nearly tumbled over as he prostrated himself in front of them.
"Th- the Divine Dragons! I- I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to threaten you like that I just- I didn't know-" the boy continued to ramble, apologizing profusely for having threatened such a figure.
"It's alright," Alear waved him off. "You're just doing your job protecting the border. Especially when it's as dangerous as it's been with the corrupted attacking innocent people."
Alcryst got up even as he continued to apologize. "I mean still, I shouldn't have-"
"Alcryst, give it a rest. The Divine Dragon has already forgiven you. Please just accept what he's saying," Citrinne tried to tell him.
"Sorry… I just can't believe I raised a hand against the Divine Dragons. It's just been so long since I saw them, it took a second to recognize them…" he admitted.
"So how has the situation with the corrupted been for Brodia?" Aleah asked.
"Ah, is that what they're called? We've been having a few reports of them on the Southern border, but the real sightings have been on the Eastern border. Are they also in Firene?" The prince asked.
"Yeah. We went to Lythos Castle to ask Queen Lumera for her help when we found that they had been attacked by some Elusian forces alongside a whole swathe of corrupted," Alfred answered. "That's when we learned that the Divine Dragons had awoken."
"So it is Elusia. Father- er, King Morion had suspicions that Elusia was the cause, but we didn't have any solid evidence," Alcryst crossed his arms.
"Well, yes and no. They're coming from Elusia, but the corrupted aren't their doing. It's Sombron, the fell dragon. We believe he's been awoken," Alear clarified. "The Elusian royals… they're good people. Well, at least Princess Ivy and Princess Hortensia are. Their father may be under Sombron's influence though."
"You know the two Princesses?" Alcryst asked.
Alear sighed. He didn't want to explain anything just yet. It would be far quicker to explain everything in the presence of the other Brodians.
"I'll explain everything to your father. But we're traveling through the kingdoms to retrieve the Emblem rings and bracelets, so we were hoping to talk about Brodia's Emblems," Alear told him.
"Oh, sure. I don't think he'd have a problem with that. I'll show you the way then," Alcryst said as he turned toward the path behind him.
"Thank you. I will warn you now though that the path forward won't be an easy one. We'll have some company, unfortunately."
"What do you mean by that?" The prince asked, turning around.
"I know I just said the Elusian Princesses are good people, but they're still just following their father's will… Princess Hortensia will be trying to stop us soon enough."
"Wait, what?! How do you know these things? Just what is your relationship to Elusia?"
"Alcryst, they're the divine dragons. They're opposed to the fell dragon, so whatever the case, I'm sure they have their reasons for not telling us."
"Sorry, yeah, I should've figured…"
The group walked on, making small talk as they continued on their path to the Brodian Kingdom. And sure enough, just as Alear had told them, Elusian soldiers lined the bridge, awaiting their arrival. At the helm, Hortensia and her retainers stood against them.
"Finally, just as father told us," Hortensia spoke. "It took you long enough. Very rude to keep a Princess waiting."
"Hortensia," Alear greeted, crossing his arms.
"Ooo, the Divine Dragons? And you already know my name? Aw, I'm honored," she said with a smirk. "I always thought there was only one divine dragon. To hear that there were two more though?"
"I don't suppose we could talk this one out, could we?" Alear sighed. "But, if you're after our Emblems, then I'm afraid we'll have to deal with you at some point."
"Whaaat? No, who told you that?" She said sarcastically. "If you already know what we're here for, why don't we just handle things the way these Brodians always do."
Alear steeled himself for a battle. He truly didn't want to do this. Hortensia and Ivy were the only royals they had been forced to fight. Knowing their circumstances made battling them once more much harder than it should have been.
Drawing his sword, Alear shook his head. "I'm afraid we can't let Sombron walk this world once again. I apologize for what I must do, so please, Hortensia. Forgive us."
Hortensia turned back, commanding her forces to move forward. The battle on the Brodian bridge had begun.
As arrows flew, the duo of Divine Dragons were quick to act, commanding their allies in battle. They rushed for the barricades on the bridge, moving from cover to cover as Elusian foot soldiers advanced under the cover of the rain of arrows.
The arrows stopped as they arrived and individual battles began to break out as the Elusians did what they could to retrieve the Emblems.
Alear was forced to cut down any soldier that approached. And given his prior battle experience, it wasn't even close. Even when he did receive any cuts, it was quickly healed, courtesy of Framme and Micaiah.
He was a storm in the chaos of the battlefield, calm in mind, yet ferocious against whatever was in his path. His tenacity was impressive even to the Brodian royal and his retainers. The group continued their advance on the bridge. Any fliers were quickly dealt with by both Etie and Alcryst. The enemy armor didn't stand a chance against Clanne and Céline's magic. All the while, Louis and Vander stood by the front, ready for whatever approached.
It didn't take long before they were face to face with Hortensia and her retainers once more.
"Hmph, you sure got here fast. Couldn't wait to see little ol' me again? Well, lucky for you, I've brought a friend," Hortensia said as Lucina appeared by her side. "Turns out that Emblems aren't just a you thing! Lord Sombron made sure I was able to have a little bit of fun! Hey, Rosado?"
"I'm on it," he said, as another wyvern rider appeared beside him.
"Camilla?" Aleah gasped.
"Lucina," Alear nodded. "I know you can hear me in there. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I know it must feel disgusting being controlled by a Fell Dragon after what you went through, but we'll bring you back. I promise."
"Oh, familiar with their names, huh? Well isn't that-" Hortensia's speech was cut off when the clang of two blades interrupted her.
Goldmary and Alear had their blades locked. "Capable as ever, huh Goldmary?" Alear smiled.
The girl grit her teeth as she pushed back against him. "A cheap shot," she said. "Trying to strike down Princess Hortensia while she's speaking to you?"
"No," he shook his head. "I could never. I wouldn't dare wish harm on her. If I truly did, not even my sister would be able to stop me."
Alear showed a side of him that the Firene and Brodian royals hadn't seen. His past as a fell dragon. As a drone for Sombron. Even if his past was behind him, he knew what he could do to scare people just a little.
His words were accompanied by a swift deflection of her blade, nearly pressing the tip of his blade to her neck. Just before she could say anything, he spoke first.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, looking Goldmary in her eyes. "Call off your retainers, Hortensia. Unless you want them getting hurt," Alear threatened.
"Princess don't-!" Goldmary shouted before being cut off.
"Back away, Goldmary. If that's what he's saying when you're in a position like that, then I'll do anything to keep you two safe. Just retreat," Hortensia said, hiding her fear. "Rosado, you too. Take Camilla's bracelet and get out of here before we lose it all."
Her retainers hesitated, but ultimately followed Hortensia's wishes. The Elusian forces were retreating.
As Hortensia turned to join them, she let out a shaky breath that she didn't know she was holding.
"Wait a second, Hortensia."
Those words instilled a fear in her that she hadn't felt before. With wide eyes, she slowly turned to face her enemies once more.
"Y-yes?"
"Could you pass a note to Ivy for me? Don't worry, I'm not gonna make you give us the emblem ring. I understand what might happen if you were to lose something as precious as that."
A part of her wanted to just run away. She had never faced a foe that had given her as much trouble as the Divine Dragons and their party. Yet her curiosity was overtaking everything else. Just who were the Divine Dragons? And why did they seem to care so much for her? Not only did they spare her retainers, they also didn't force her to give up the ring? And to top it off, a note for Ivy…
'Sister…' she thought to herself. 'What would you do here?'
"Hortensia!" She was startled from her thoughts as Rosado's voice called out, seemingly to warn her about something. For a split second, all of the fear came back full force as she flinched, bracing herself for whatever attack was headed her way.
A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. She looked up and was met with the heterochrome eyes of the man that could have easily killed her.
"Relax a little," he said. "I already told you I don't wish any harm on you. Please."
Hortensia got her breathing under control. It wasn't often that she felt this way. The normally teasing, playful girl was subdued. But as she looked into his eyes, she could see that he meant every word.
He handed her some papers, folded neatly. "It's not much, but… could you please hand these to Ivy?"
"S-sure. I-is that all? Can I go now?" She asked.
He nodded at her and the remaining Elusians made their retreat.
When they had disappeared from sight, the party was made aware of another face. "Zelestia?"
As they turned, they were met by a welcome face.
"Gregory! Oh, thank the Divine One you're okay!" She quickly threw her arms around him.
"S-sorry for not helping out during that fight… I just- you guys seemed to have had it handled and all, so I uh…" the man said, embarrassed.
"It's alright. We understand your aversion to fighting," Aleah told him.
"Um, who is…" Alcryst asked.
"A friend. There's a man that serves under Sombron that looks almost identical. I promise I'll explain everything when we're able to talk with your father," Alear assured him.
"When I came to, I was in the Brodian mountains. I wasn't sure where to go or what to do so I stayed here hoping to see you all. But… I think I get what's going on right now," Gregory explained.
"Good. Then let's get going. King Morion awaits."
And as the group set out, Aleah spoke with her brother.
"It's really odd seeing them this way," she told him.
Alear raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
"It's just… their personalities in my world were a bit… flipped? Hortensia seemed so confident in herself. The poor girl was so meek and self deprecating back in my world. I'm happy to see them like this, don't get me wrong, but it's so strange to see. Even Alfred and Céline."
Alear recalled his encounters with the corrupted royals. Although parts of their personality were altered by being reanimated as corrupted, it seemed there was some truth that still shined through.
-H-
As the Elusians fled, Hortensia's curiosity remained. What could he have possibly wanted to give to Ivy? She couldn't take it any longer and opened up the folded papers. To her surprise, it seemed as though he was expecting this.
Hello, Princess Hortensia
I apologize for the run in we had. I'm writing this in advance just in case you decide not to trust us just yet. I promise you, the note I want you to hand to Ivy is for her sake. It pertains to upcoming battles that will occur. I also want you to know that if she ever doesn't return from battle, she will be safe with us. I promise that none of us wish any harm on the Elusians. However, the harsh reality of war engaged by a man hellbent on bringing the harbinger of the end times will result in hundreds if not thousands of deaths. I implore you to do whatever you can to stop your father from raising Sombron. But I fear it's already too late.
Kind regards,
Alear
And if Hortensia didn't read this, please ignore this page. Otherwise, Hortensia, if you're reading this, you can remove this page and keep it for yourself.
She was surprised at what she read. Just how much did he know? Did they have a mole in the Elusian army? Dread filled her as she remembered who the letter was actually meant for. There was no way… right? She peeked at the letter addressed to her sister.
Relief filled her as she read the contents of the paper. Her sister wasn't plotting against them. She knew she needed to hand it over to her sister though.
-I-
Ivy was a busy person. With the war against Brodia ramping up, it was rare to see her unoccupied. As she trained her magic, she was surprised to see her sister back so soon.
"Hortensia? How did your battle-"
"Bad… I just- we can talk about it later, okay? I got something for you though," the girl interrupted her sister, handing the letter to her.
"What is this?" She asked.
"Just read it. I'm sure you'll understand," Hortensia crossed her arms as she watched her sister intently.
Princess Ivy,
I hope you're doing well. I understand that the stress of war can take a toll on the mind. I know nothing of how much you may trust me, but I must ask that you tread carefully in your battles in Brodian territory. Know that I only wish to see you healthy and happy, but the reality of war may force us to cross paths. I will do all I can to ensure the safety of you and your retainers, but please understand that I can only do so much. Your father may be too far gone. I'm sure you may already see how devoted he is to seeing Sombron's return, but I promise, that path only leads to our destruction. Please, for the sake of Elusia's future. For the sake of everyone's future. If you can, please try and stop your father from reviving Sombron if it hasn't already happened. Above all else though, please just stay safe. I am praying for your safety.
Until we meet,
Alear
Ivy turned to her sister. "Where did you get this?" She asked.
"We fought the Divine Dragons on the bridge at Brodia. That's why we're back so soon. He's a warrior, that Divine Dragon. And his sister is incredible too," Hortensia laughed. "We didn't have a chance."
"You fought the Divine Dragons?" The older sister asked in pure disbelief.
Hortensia nodded. "Yup. And wouldn't have come back if he didn't go easy on us."
"Are you hurt?" Ivy asked panickedly.
"No. Goldmary and Rosado aren't hurt either. He said he didn't want to hurt us," Hortensia admitted.
"Oh thank goodness," Ivy hugged her sister. "I'm so glad you're all safe…"
Hortensia was taken aback. Sure, the two sisters got along well, but seeing her older sister like this was rare.
"Ivy?"
The girl in question quickly released her. "Ah, my apologies. I'm just a bit overwhelmed is all. But… I appreciate the warning. I'm glad the Divine Dragon is looking out for us," but still she sighed. "Unfortunately, it seems the worst outcome has already happened. It may be too late for father…"
Sombron had already returned. He was the reason for the amount of corrupted that roamed the land. Although the Four Hounds remained by his side, it seemed as though something was off. There seemed to be some levels of discomfort in their ranks. As if they were arguing over something.
But truthfully, that was none of her business. Ivy shook her head, bringing her thoughts back to the letter. It seemed he knew that she would be seeing them on the battlefield soon. And she was eternally grateful that her deity was looking upon her, praying for her safety.
Ivy once again hugged her sister, holding her close.
"I'll always protect you," she said softly. "Even if something happens to Elusia, just know that we will always be family."
"Sis? Wh-what's wrong?"
Ivy shook her head. "It's nothing. Just promise me. Promise that you'll always come back home to me. I… fear for Elusia's future. So when it comes down to it, don't leave me alone. I couldn't bear it."
"Of course I won't, ya dummy. We're sisters, through and through."
"Thank you, Hortensia," Ivy held her sister. She couldn't bear to lose anyone else. If the contents of that letter truly told her anything, it was that something was looming over Elusia's future. And if the Divine Dragon was pleading for her to stay safe for the sake of Elusia, it could only mean one thing.
Thank you for reading.