AN: sorry this took so long. The second scene was eluding me, so I just skipped it to write more interesting things and eventually got back to this chapter.
Chapter 19
Ratatosk stared down at Marta with a slight frown, then released his hold on their shared body, allowing Emil to take possession once more.
Emil closed his eyes and sighed. "Of course you turn it over to me after you've made a mess."
"You're one to talk. You used to leave all the fighting to me."
Gaius hardly looked amused. "Perhaps Lady Marta is right," he said, "Allow me to entertain you, Lord Ratatosk."
After considering correcting him, Emil decided to leave that discussion for when they got out of the cold and instead nodded. "That would be appreciated."
The king turned away and started up the slope, pausing briefly as he looked down at Ivar, who was still face-down in the snow.
Emil approached and knelt beside the man. He knew Ivar was still alive but drained of mana and likely wouldn't recover for at least a few hours. "Marta, could you heal him?" he asked. Reaching out, he touched Judith's nose and absorbed her mana, though he was sure he needed to let all his current group of monsters free somewhere so they could have some time to stretch.
"Right," she said, casting her arte to revive the fallen swordsman.
Ivar groaned. Reaching beneath him, Emil gently helped him up and pulled an arm over his shoulder, steadying Ivar as they followed Gaius through the streets.
"Why am I not surprised to find you involved in this, Alvin?" Gaius asked without turning his head.
The brunet sighed gustily. "Believe me, I tried not to be."
"What is your part in this?" Gaius asked.
"No idea." Alvin lifted both hands with a shrug. "It involves Summon Spirits, Spyrix and other things of that nature. I'm just trying to stay alive."
"As always."
Emil glanced from Alvin to Gaius and caught the brunet looking at him. Alvin cringed and looked away quickly.
Thankfully they didn't have to walk up the entire slope to get to their destination, though Emil was a little sorry that Marta was forced to ride in a tight box suspended from a rope, swaying in the stiff mountain breeze. At least the ride wasn't long and she was the first out. Ivar had revived enough to walk on his own once they got out and stumbled along behind in a daze as they entered the palace. People were lined up at the palace gates with guards ensuring order, but as soon as Gaius appeared, they all turned and bowed as he passed.
Feeling overwhelmed, Emil tried to maintain a calm expression, wondering if maybe just letting Ratatosk do all the talking might not be such a bad idea after all. He could already feel Ratatosk's disapproval at that notion. Marta's fingers laced with his.
Gaius led them to a throne room, mounted the stairs and took a seat, back stiff and gaze cold. "Welcome to my palace, Lord Ratatosk."
Emil could feel Ratatosk's ire rising once more at being treated like someone's subject rather than respectfully as he thought he deserved. He forced himself to keep his chin up, grip on Marta's hand tightening. "You mentioned resources," he said, deciding to skip past the parts he knew would make Ratatosk irritated again.
"As king of Rieze Maxia, I can command anything I require," Gaius said.
"Except..." Emil said, "Not me."
"You are strong, and thus I don't require to command you. The weak, however, need leaders who know their path and can lead others. What is your path, Lord Ratatosk?"
Emil shook his head. "Not to... start an argument with you, but I don't agree with that." He could tell Gaius was beginning to get puzzled as he caught on that perhaps he wasn't talking to the same person as before. Clearing his throat, Emil said, "I am Emil. Ratatosk and I are the same, but different parts of his personality with different opinions. He decided to let me speak with you since... he's not very tactful." He shifted uneasily. "Um. My path... We aren't in Rieze Maxia by choice. Someone from Elympios broke through the barriers of the worlds and entered our domain with a Spyrix weapon. He has traveled Aselia, I would assume for the purpose of finding the source of our mana in order to revive something called the Otherworld Reactor Plan. This resulted in him attacking Ratatosk, nearly killing him and... I had to destroy something very important and powerful to keep that man from taking it. Unfortunately, that seems to have destabilized the barrier between the Demon realm and your world. Let alone what it probably did to Aselia."
The man on the throne shifted to lean forward slightly. "Thus your mission is to end this Otherworld Reactor Plan."
"Um. Not really. That's not much our concern," Emil said. "Ratatosk is Lord of Monsters, overseer of the Mana Flow and the dimensional borders. What the people and governments of each world do is their business. We merely need to seal the tears in reality and return to Aselia in order to repair the Gate of Nifelheim and end a couple problems there..."
Gaius stared down at him.
"In short," Alvin said, "You don't plan on staying long enough to get involved in our petty squabbles."
Emil flushed as he looked at Alvin. "That would be a very blunt way to put it..."
Alvin flicked a hand.
"What does my servant Ivar have to do with your plans, then?" Gaius asked.
"As I said, Ratatosk was nearly killed by the man with the spyrix sword. I made a pact with Ivar, since he was the only source of mana available at the time in order to keep us alive. We'll release him as soon as he fulfills his promise or breaks it somehow," Emil said. "I have no command over him or what he does and have no intention of taking him with me when I leave this world."
"What of your Lady Marta?" Gaius asked.
"She's going with me?" Emil said, mildly confused. "She's from Aselia as well."
Gaius tipped his chin upwards slightly.
Biting his lips together, Emil fell silent.
"Your Highness," Alvin said. "What Emil is too polite to say is that it would do nothing for you made things difficult for him, since he just wants to close those demon tears, or whatever they are," Alvin glanced at Emil and Marta and continued when they both nodded. "Helping them would be even more beneficial since it decreases the casualties caused by these demons and might actually help our problems with mana in the long run." He looked at Emil again with a lifted brow.
"I can't make any promises on that last one, but if I saw an opportunity to help, I would do so," Emil said.
"What might you require to make mending these tears easier?" Gaius asked.
Emil flushed slightly. "Where they are, freedom to travel."
"Money," Alvin added.
"What would a Summon Spirit need money for?" Gaius gave Alvin a deadpan look.
"The usual things you use money for; food, rooms at inns, equipment," Alvin said and lifted his hands and shrugged again. "A Summon Spirit might not need much, but Lady Marta is human."
When Gaius looked at Marta, Emil suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed.
"We have not been keeping her very well," Ratatosk said. "This man is correct."
"I don't think that means we need to go overboard on giving her gifts," Emil cautioned. "But we should get her something."
"Then I shall grant you these things in return for ending this infestation of demons," Gaius said. "Take Ivar and go to Fennmont to settle his revenge against Jude Mathis. However, I request that you do not kill him. I find Jude Mathis particularly useful."
Emil glanced back to find Ivar still spaced out and sitting on the floor where he had been left. "Uhm. Well. I really don't approve of the pact promise he made in the first place, but I had no choice but to accept at the time. I'd hoped to maybe... talk him out of it..."
Alvin burst out laughing. "Not going to happen, kid." He shook his head. "Though Ivar defeating Jude isn't likely either."
Groaning in protest, Ivar managed to focus his eyes on them, but that was the extent of the energy he had available.
"As it is, we're going to have to give Ivar a little time to recover. Ratatosk was a bit heavy handed earlier." Emil scratched the back of his neck.
Gaius stood. "Alvin, take them to guest rooms for now." The king turned away and strode off, exiting through a side door.
Sighing, the brunet turned to look at them. "This way," he said and pulled Ivar up to guide him back down the hall towards the large circular room they had passed through before. Leading the way down another overly large hallway, Alvin stopped at a room, opened the door and gestured for Marta and Emil to enter. Stepping in, Emil glanced around the lushly decorated room; stark contrast to the hard cold lines of the rest of the palace as it was covered in pillows. The color pallet was skewed more towards brighter colors as well, a welcome break from the black and crimson that made the rest of the throne room feel like a cave.
Alvin unceremoniously dropped Ivar face down in a pile of pillows and turned towards them. "I'll see about getting some lunch for you," he said.
"So," Marta said, hands on her hips. "How is it that you know the king?"
"I used to work for him," Alvin admitted with a shrug. "I don't anymore, but there's no point in telling him that. What was once his will always be his. He's kind of possessive like that." Shrugging, he turned and pointed. "There's a bath that way if you want one. Bedroom that way if you want a nap or something. I doubt Ivar's going to be up for flying anytime soon."
Emil winced. "Probably not," he agreed. "Thank you, Alvin. Sorry Ratatosk was so mean to you earlier."
"No problem," Alvin shook his head and turned, leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.
Marta squeezed Emil's hand and he belatedly realized he was still holding it. Looking down at her, he smiled slightly.
...
He knew his fingers were probably pinching Genis's sides, but Tiger could not get his grip to loosen. The half-elf had only squirmed once when they took off on the rheaird, but otherwise, hadn't said a word. 'He's the best friend I've ever had,' Tiger realized, staring at the back of Genis's head to keep from looking down at the ground moving by far below.
His gaze strayed.
Ocean.
"Oh, come now, Tiger," Tenebrae said as he floated beside them, not even bothering to pretend he had wings or something, just, floating at the same speed as their magitech craft. "Genis would never let you fall off. Besides, I would catch you."
"I'm not scared!" Tiger shouted. He hadn't meant to shout but that's how it ended up coming out.
"We're almost to Flanoir," Genis said and turned to look at Tenebrae. "You know, for someone as old as you are, you sure are insensitive."
Tenebrae bowed his head slightly. "Ah, my apologies. I was attempting to be reassuring. The pair of you remind me quite a bit of young Mithos. Shame he came to such a bad end."
"The world twisted him," Genis said. "I don't agree with his actions, but I still consider him a friend."
"Mithos?" Tiger asked. "Like... the hero Mithos?"
"The same," Tenebrae said.
"Wait... So you both met him? How is that possible?" He pulled his gaze back to Genis's hair and swallowed, fighting the natural tendency to look at the person he was talking to.
Tenebrae laughed softly. "He was a half-elf for one. Second, he turned himself into something more than human or half-elf."
"All that's in the past," Genis said. "He's gone now, finally at rest." He shifted. "Tiger, can you maybe grab my belt next time?"
"Sorry," the blond shifted his hands down slightly and gripped Genis's belt tightly.
"Thanks." He looked back over his shoulder. "I'm not mad or anything."
Not that he had been worried about the half-elf being mad.
Turning to look where they were going again, Genis slowed the rheaird. Tiger dared to glance down, finding that they were drawing close to a city and lowering in altitude. Coming to a full stop, they hovered over a wide balcony and sank down into the fluffy snow. People were staring as Tiger released Genis's belt and tumbled off the vehicle. Genis stepped off and held out his hand to use the shrinking technology he had used to store their ride in the first place. Tiger had no idea how that worked. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, for that matter. Shaking his head, he shivered in the cold.
"I forgot how cold it was here," Genis said. "Should have gotten some pants before we came."
"All the stores were destroyed in Palmacosta," Tiger said, flexing his fingers to ease the ache. "We're better off finding some jackets here or something."
Genis nodded and turned, heading for a building. "This way. I can probably get a discount with these people. The good news is, this place looks like it hasn't even been hit by Decus and Alice."
"Where did Tenebrae go?"
"I'm still here," the Centurion's disembodied voice said from behind Tiger's shoulder.
Opening the shop door, Genis slipped in and Tiger pushed it closed, shivering and rubbing his arms.
"What're you two boys outside wearing shorts for?" the old man near the fireplace said as he looked at the door. He sat forward. "Come in before you freeze to death."
Glad to do as told for once, Tiger hurried to the fire and shivered near the hearth.
"Hey old man," Genis greeted. "We just came from Palmacosta and forgot to pack pants. Do you have anything we can buy?"
"Of course!" The old man hoisted to his feet with a wheezing grunt and shuffled to the other side of the room. "Let me see... My grandson just outgrew these." He shuffled back with a couple pairs of pants and two thick jackets.
Tiger tried on a jacket first. It was a little small but for their purposes, it would work. "It's good enough," he said. "We're not going to be here long anyway."
Genis nodded and pulled the too-loose pants up on over his shorts and belted them. Tiger had to take his shoes off before he could get the pants on, but they were just a little too tight as well. It was better than nothing, though. The half-elf shelled out some gald for their purchases and a couple other things from the shop after he had put his shoes back on and tucked the pants into them. "One of these days I swear I'm gonna get taller," Genis said as he led the way back out to the street, their supplies bag pulled over his shoulder.
Once they got out of town, Tenebrae reappeared, actually walking beside Tiger. "There are monsters about," the Centurion said. "I highly suggest being careful."
"Aren't you a monster-boss king thing?" Tiger asked. "Can't you make them leave us alone?"
Tenebrae shook his head. "Lord Ratatosk can. The best I can do is help you create pacts with the monsters you defeat and call them back to assist you in battles later."
"How useless," Tiger linked his cold fingers behind his head and kicked a clod of snow.
"Don't be like that," Genis said. "It's more practice for you."
"What about you?" He tipped his head to look at the shorter boy.
Genis grinned. "I think it's actually kind of fun."
Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he shuffled it closer around him and kicked another snow drift. "Why didn't we just take the rheaird all the way to the temple?"
"I wanted to check on Flanoir. And it's a bit hard to miss from the air sometimes."
Squinting at the overcast sky, Tiger shook his head. "Looks like a storm is blowing in. You sure we won't miss it from the ground too?"
"I can always bring the rheaird out and go back to Flanoir if we get lost. Trust me, Tiger. I know where we're going! Actually," he pointed a little to the right. "There it is."
Tiger bit his lower lip and shrugged. "I guess you're right. Is it out of the wind in there at least?"
The other boy nodded. "Though Tenebrae will need to help us across part of it since we don't have the ability to freeze the water solid."
"Water? Can't we just swim?"
"Heck no! You realize how cold that water is?" Genis turned to look at him in shock. "You'd die before you even got halfway!" He picked up the pace and started jogging through the snow down a short slope and towards evenly spaced icy stumps, as if columns had once lined an avenue leading to a frozen facade built into the side of the mountain.
Tiger kept his eyes peeled for any monsters in the area as he ran after Genis and panted for air as they got to the entrance, his lungs burning. Leaning against the wall, he started coughing, his throat feeling dry.
"Oh no! Tiger I'm sorry, I completely forgot!"
Waving his hand, Tiger shook his head. "Air's cold, that's all," he said and looked at his friend. "I'm not sick again." He grinned to set Genis at ease and pushed off the wall. "Let's get finished here quickly though."
"We'll go to Triet next, how's that sound? It'll be lots warmer there." Genis hesitated before turning away and heading down the slick icy path, often simply skidding all the way down a slope.
Tiger, completely new to the concept of skating slid and fell on his butt five times before they got to an ice bridge that overlooked a circle of standing stones. "Martel blast it," Tiger cussed as he stood up again. "I swear that wasn't even ice! How're you just running along like it's not even slippery?"
"You just gotta learn to go with your forward momentum," Genis said. "Like this." He hit the ice bridge and slid across, hands behind his back and one foot raised behind.
"Now you're just showing off," Tiger said and cautiously made his way forward.
Genis skated back across and slid to a stop in the middle of the bridge. "Well, if Tenebrae will help us down there," the boy said, "We can skip skating across that lake." He pointed to his left.
The black dog appeared, fading in from the shadows with a sigh. "Everyone is using me as a ride it seems."
Putting his fists on his hips, Genis said, "It's because we're just expecting you to... pull your weight."
Tenebrae paused, then started laughing. "All right. That was a good one." His size shifted and he set down on the icy bridge next to Genis, allowing him to climb onto his back. Padding over, he stood next to Tiger and let him climb on as well. Trotting across the icy bridge again, the Centurion leaped down into the center of the standing stones. Tiger slid off and was joined by Genis. Tenebrae shook himself and returned to his former size. "I can sense Glacies ahead. That is at least an improvement from the last time." He started forward, tail-hand swaying behind him as he walked. Tiger jogged ahead into a wide dome-like cavern, a strange platform in the center of it.
"What's that?" Tiger asked.
"That's where Celsius was imprisoned," Genis said. "During the time the world was split." He walked around the side of the platform, heading towards a dark tunnel opening beyond. They came into another large cavern, this time with multiple tunnels leading off it, though some weren't reachable by the path he and Genis were currently on.
Tenebrae gasped. "The door is already open. We need to hurry."
Charging in with his fists ready, Tiger yelped and dived for the floor as a whip swept over his head. Genis wasn't quick enough and got caught in the stomach and thrown straight back out the door.
"Genis!" a woman with large breasts called. In her distraction, the redheaded man with her had to step in and block a strike for her.
They both were swept from their feet and sent rolling into the wall near the door. The white, ice-frosted demon flailed with multiple vine-like tentacles, lashing the walls and ceiling. A stalactite broke loose.
Tiger's hands and feet slid out from under him as he tried to scramble away from where he had fallen. Stubbornly finding purchase on the slick floor, he launched and rolled forward just as the large rock crashed to the floor, blocking view of the door and two fighters who had been battling the frozen demon.
Another stalactite crashed onto the demon's head, stunning it momentarily.
"Tiger!" he heard Genis shout, "Tiger are you all right?"
"Yeah." Getting to his feet, he clenched his fists. "Check those other guys. I'll hold the demon off."
"You're an idiot!" Genis shouted.
Tenebrae faded in beside him. "I'll summon a monster to help you, but I'm afraid I can't do much beyond that."
"I'll be fine!"
He was out of time. The demon shook its head and looked around the room, focusing on Tiger with gleaming crimson eyes. It looked almost like an icy octopus with a wolf muzzle.
Pointing one finger at it, Tiger grinned. "You're goin down. Let's rumble!"
Lifting one of its tentacles, the frosty demon slapped at him, then followed with another tentacle as Tiger dodge rolled one attack then another, steadily drawing nearer the ghastly horror. Once he was in range, Tiger wound up and shouted, "Demon fist!" and sent an arc of energy at the demon.
The demon winced away from his attack, lifting onto four of its back tentacles.
He dived in, attacking the demon's underside with a sharp left-right kick combination into its soft underside. "Demon Fist!" he shouted again, ending his attack and dodging out from beneath the demon as it slammed itself down on the icy floor to squish him.
Curling its tentacles in to protect its underside, the demon whipped its head around towards him, mouth opening. A blast of cold, frost laden air washed across him. The amulet tucked under his shirt warmed, turning the frost to cool steam around him. Powering through it, Tiger leapt onto one of the demon's tentacles and charged up its side to punch it in the nose.
"Quit breathing on me!" Tiger shouted, knocking the demon's mouth shut.
He landed and slid on the icy floor when he tried to dodge again. The demon caught him in the gut with a tentacle, sending him flying into a wall.
Green light welled up around him almost instantly and Tiger blinked stars from his eyes to find a strange monster that looked like a jellyfish bounding on the floor near him. It waved fronds and cast a healing spell again, confirming that it was indeed the creature Tenebrae had summoned to help him. "Thanks bud," Tiger got to his feet and sprinted across the floor. He hit an icy patch and slid with both feet until he hit solid ground again.
Throwing himself into a roll, he dodged a tentacle that swept past at head height and came up beneath the demon again. Slamming his fists into its underside, he shouted his arte again and got out just as the demon was about to crush him. Tiger sprinted up the demon again in several leaping bounds. Coming on level with its face, he threw himself into a turn and triple kicked the demon in the face.
He landed on the floor and automatically went into a roll this time. A blade of ice shot up from the floor, catching him in the gut and face and knocked him backwards. The monster cast a healing spell again, though his head was still ringing as he saw the glyph of another ice spell forming.
Automatically dropping into his stance, Tiger slung his fist out with a shout, intercepting the ice spell with his fist just as it thrust from the floor. The ice spell shattered and he charged through its remains, springing atop the demon's tentacle as it tried to swat at him.
"You're really starting to annoy me!" he shouted and landed his fist in the demon's nose again, knocking its gelatinous head back into the wall behind it.
While it was stunned, Tiger slid underneath again to left-right-kick then surged upward with a punch that started near the ground. The demon was knocked off balance again and he rolled out from beneath it. A small rock hit his head, shaken loose from the ceiling and he looked up at the hanging stalactites.
Inspiration hit him as he looked up and changing directions, he ran to leap and spring up the cracking wall, then launched across the gap between the wall and his target.
"TIGER SMASH!" he shouted, slinging his foot out with a streak of crimson light. His heel contacted the stalactite.
Dust blew out of the crack in a wave as the rock formation broke free of the ceiling.
Flipping backwards, Tiger followed the stalactite down and had the pleasure of getting to see the look in the demon's eyes as it's doom speared it right through the forehead. He landed on the rubble and sprang downwards as more stalactites broke free of the ceiling, disturbed by his attack on the first. A wave of frosty dust choked the air as he hit the floor rolling.
Getting his feet under him, Tiger straightened.
The woman and redhead from before as well as Genis appeared out of the fog as the dust settled.
Smirking as he shifted his weight to one hip, the redhead folded his arms. "Looks like he didn't need our help after all."