Chapter 6
By the time Velcia made it back to her trailer she was struggling to overcome the weariness that had begun to overtake her. Several days of strenuous activity coupled with her poor sleep were finally catching up to her and now she felt nearly sick with exhaustion. Her face felt cold, her hands felt clammy, and her head throbbed with a sharp pain.
She closed the door behind her and leaned back against it, breathing deeply as she looked around the sparse but comfortable accommodations. Once she felt she'd caught her breath, she stepped forward slowly and began to take off her armor. As she did, she noticed a cup of water she'd left out for herself earlier that morning, and drank it happily.
Feeling a little rejuvenated, she made her way to the bedroom but stopped in the doorway. Every night she'd tried to sleep here on Eos, in that bed, she'd ended up in a world that she suspected was her heart and feared was a nightmare. She didn't understand why it was happening, only that it was taking a heavy toll.
The bed, of course, had nothing to do with causing these problems, this she knew well. Still, it was hard to remove these memories and expectations from her subconscious and just looking at the entirely blameless bit of furniture before her brought a deep anxiety to Velcia.
The bed may have lost its luster, but she was nonetheless determined to find a way to get past this anxiety and get some sleep. She looked back out to the main room and spotted the couch. With some extra pillows and blankets, she thought, it may be rather snug and cozy.
Thus decided she gathered the various accouterments of slumber and brought them to the couch, laid them just so, and snuggled up tight. She was right, it was comfortable, and she hoped she'd finally be able to get a good night's rest. Ignis had told her that they needed to leave just after sunrise the next morning if they were to make it to the haven between Crestholm and Formouth, and she didn't want to try to ride Ginger feeling stretched as thin as she did.
She lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling as she tried to sleep. It was difficult, but she was doing her best to keep a calm mind. Slowly, she started to doze.
Her head jerked with a start and she looked around the room, then out the window - it was still dark. "Oh good, I still have time," she murmured, closing her eyes again and snuggling deeper against the ridged fabric of the cushions.
Velcia awoke again with a gasp, then huffed sadly. "Oh, why can't I stay asleep?" she groaned. She turned and looked for the window, but saw nothing - no window, wall, or couch, for that matter.. Her muscles tensed and she bit her lip, feeling the hard surface of the Station of Awakening underneath her.
"Not again…" she sighed, rolling on her back and looking straight up into the inky black sky once more. "Perhaps if I just go back to sleep here, I'll wake up back in my real world."
The hard floor of the platform was certainly not comfortable but she closed her eyes all the same, determined to get some sleep. She wasn't sure if she was truly feeling sleepy, but she told herself that she was and focused on the only sound she could hear - that of her own heartbeat.
Until, eventually… a small twinkling chime could be heard above her, presumably not far from her face.
Velcia kept her eyes shut, little creases appearing at the ends as she tried to restrain a grimace. "No, please leave me be. I don't want any part in whatever this is."
The sound subsided and floated away into the distance. Was it really so easy? Velcia opened one eye, just barely, and peeked out with some hope that perhaps she would be back in the trailer once more. The little Star was gone but she, unfortunately, was still stuck in the Station. With a bit of a resigned huff, Velcia closed her eye again and lay still, wondering what she could possibly do to get out of this situation when she felt… something.
The Station floor was cold, but her back was beginning to feel as though it were growing colder. There was a chilling sensation that seemed to be running up her arms and her sides, as if something were slowly creeping up to envelop her. Velcia's eyes shot open and she sprang to her feet, flailing to try to shake off the dark sludge that was oozing all around her. She brought Love's Inheritance to hand with a disgusted shout, and blasted away the Darkness around her with a powerful beam of light.
The next thing she knew her face was sore, and as she fluttered her weary green eyes open she found herself face-down on the ground beside the couch drenched in a cold sweat. She sat up with heaving breaths, clenching her fists tightly as she fought back against tears of frustration. "Can't I just sleep?!" she yelled angrily.
After a few moments of recovery, Velcia stood up and rubbed her arms. The sun was still not up, but she feared it was not far off. So, tired and frustrated, Velcia began to clean her clothes and armor once more. At first this was just meant to be something productive she could do to clear her head, but a sense of bitter resignation overcame her and, once done, she packed the armor in a bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left the trailer.
The sharp chill of the midnight air shocked her senses at first, but she found that this helped to break through her mental funk and her anxieties began to fall away. She took a deep breath, feeling much better now. She was starting to yawn, and her eyes felt heavy once more, but she knew that if she fell asleep again now she would likely be late for their excursion in the morning.
Velcia looked around the sleepy town. She hadn't had any particular destination in mind when she stormed out of the trailer, and now that she was out here observing New Crestholm there really wasn't anywhere she felt she should go. She pondered this for a moment, briefly considering going back inside but quickly dismissing this. Inspiration struck, and she made up her mind. She adjusted the bag over her shoulder to be more comfortable, and calmly made the short hike along the edge of the ruined buildings, her path lit by moonlight. She made her way up and over a small grassy hill, and there she could see the tree under which the Chocobo were left to sleep in their piles of straw.
As she approached the fenced area, one of the Chocobo stirred softly, giving her a gentle "Kaweh" in greeting.
Velcia's gentle, calm voice spoke in a near-whisper. "Hello, friend. I know I'm early. I'm just here to rest with you, it's not time to leave yet."
The Chocobo, satisfied with her demeanor, laid its head back down to rest. Velcia climbed up and over the wooden fence and made her way over to an empty straw pile at the base of the tree and sat down in it, leaning back against the sturdy trunk.
She sat there, looking towards the horizon, wondering what the next day would bring. She brought out her Gummi Phone again, poking uselessly at the buttons - still no connection to the Gummi Ship. She set the phone down in her lap and leaned her head back once more. "If only I could call Aqua, or Hinata, or… or anybody. I don't know what to do."
There was a rustling sound from nearby in the pen, and she looked over to see Ginger had stood up and was walking slowly towards her.
"Ka…weh…?" she cooed sleepily.
"I'm sorry, Ginger. I didn't mean to wake you. I'm just having a hard time sleeping tonight," Velcia whispered.
Ginger laid down beside Velcia, resting her plush, feathered head in Velcia's lap and falling back asleep. Velcia smiled and closed her eyes, stroking the soft feathers. The warmth of the great avian beside her was soothing, and without even realizing it Velcia finally fell back asleep in this placid paradise.
Prompto, bright and chipper, was the first to arrive several hours later. From the gate he could not tell that she was sleeping, and it was his cheerful salutations that awoke her. "Hey Velcia, you're up bright and early! Taking a nap while you wait for us, huh?"
Velcia shook her head as she came to, squinting in the morning sunlight. Ginger's eye flicked open briefly and she pressed down gently on Velcia's lap, letting her know in no uncertain terms that it was not yet time for Ginger to get up.
"Good morning, Prompto." Velcia managed groggily, wondering where her time had gone. "I have my armor in my bag and it won't take too long to get ready to go."
Prompto had opened the gate and had made it over to the tree now. "No worries, the guys are still getting ready. I'm just so excited to ride these guys, you know?" Prompto said, sitting down in the straw next to Velcia and taking his camera out of his bag.
Velcia eyed the camera, wondering if this was the start of another impromptu photoshoot, but breathed a subtle sigh of relief when he instead brought out a cloth and began cleaning the lens. She yawned and laid her head back once more against the tree. "Chocobo are rather cozy, I've found," she told him.
"They're great, aren't they? Sometimes, when we're riding them after a real long day, I feel like I could just fall asleep on them, you know? But I'd fall off for sure if I did that," he told her as he continued working on his camera.
"I'll have to take care to avoid that, then," Velcia said with a chuckle.
Prompto cracked a grin. "So what's got you out here so early? Couldn't wait to see these guys again?" he asked, patting Ginger's back with a sort of baby-like coo of affection.
Velcia opened her eyes and looked down at Ginger, who did seem to be warming up to the idea of wakefulness now. "I woke up a bit early and didn't want to be late, so I thought I'd come to wait with the Chocobo," she explained. It wasn't entirely accurate, but she wasn't sure how to explain it properly.
Prompto sat his camera down. "Yeah, I know how that goes. It's hard to learn to sleep on the road, in new places all the time. For me and Noct, anyway, Gladio and Iggy don't seem to mind very much."
Velcia nodded. "Yes, they're very disciplined," she said. She pat Ginger on the head a couple times, clicking with her tongue. "I believe it's time for us to get ready, Ginger."
Ginger gave an indigent chirp, but raised her head regardless. Her eyes blinked slowly and her beak opened wide with a yawn.
As she waited for her feathered friend to allow her to move, Velcia turned back to Prompto. "So, will there be any places to stop between here and the Haven?" She opened her bag and began strapping on her armor.
"I don't know if we will be able to. Iggy didn't seem to think there were going to be any other havens along the way, and pretty much any town or building the Adamantoise could get to have been crushed flat," Prompto said sadly, remembering all of his favorite places in Leide that were now gone. "It's a real shame… I feel bad for Cindy and Cid losing their shop at Hammerhead."
Velcia pulled the strap for her gauntlet tight, then locked it into the brass buckle. "Um, well, I don't know if it's still there, but when I first arrived at least it seemed as though their garage wasn't knocked down entirely yet. A note inside the building was how I knew to come South to New Crestholm."
Prompto's eyes flickered with excitement. "No kidding? Man, I wonder if we'll pass by close enough to see it on our way to Formouth. We'll definitely have to check it out again someday… if we can beat that Adamantoise before it gets destroyed, just imagine how happy Cindy will be!"
"I certainly hope we can," Velcia said, standing up. Her back ached, and she stretched slowly to try to loosen her knotted muscles.
Shortly after, Noctis and the others arrived. Gladiolus was carrying a heavy sack over his shoulder. He brought it over somewhere near the middle of the strewn Chocobo and cut the bag open, pouring out a mix of large nuts and fruits that seemed to catch each of the great birds' attention.
Gladiolus watched them with a smile of satisfaction. "Eat up guys, we've got a long trip ahead of us." The Chocobo were delighted with the spread, each one rolling the various nuts and fruits with their beaks as they searched for ones that struck their personal tastes.
While this was going on, Noctis came up to Velcia. "Hey Vel, glad to see you. You look ready to go."
"Yes, I am!" Velcia reported, nodding happily.
Ignis had walked up as well. "We'll depart right after a quick breakfast of our own," Ignis said, to the high approval of his companions. He knelt down and began to unpack a gas cooking set and some cookware.
Velcia sat down beside him curiously. "Is there anything I can do to assist?"
"Not necessary, but thank you for the offer. We mustn't eat too heavily before we spend a day bounding around on the backs of the Chocobo, so we'll stick to Omelette Frittata. Exceedingly simple meal, but it should be just what we need," Ignis told her.
Once he got the burner going, he set a rack over the top of it and then lay down a tray with several little cups; then got out a small mixing bowl and eggs and began whisking the first set together.
Ignis glanced over at her as he added in a variety of spices and ingredients. "I know how Noct and the others prefer theirs - what would you like?"
Velcia watched as he poured the first batch of eggs into the center row of cups. This set seemed to have some sort of cured meat in it, with a few green leaves and red and yellow bits of some sort of pepper, and it smelled wonderful. The next batch he was whisking had much more meat and next to no veggies in it.
She rubbed her grumbling stomach and sighed happily. "Well, I'm not sure. I suppose I'll just try mine however you prefer them."
"Ah, my personal preferences may be a bit much. I'll make a slightly more subdued batch for you and let you have a try of one of mine," Ignis said, quickly grabbing the tin with a glove and popping the first batch of eggs out of the cups. "Gladio! Breakfast is served."
Gladiolus and the others came over quickly and sat around the small cooker, each of them taking their miniature omelettes the moment they were plated up. Velcia could hardly wait for her own, and was quite excited when Ignis turned hers out onto the plate and handed it to her.
Velcia picked up the hot Omelette Fritatta tenderly, and took a small bite. It seemed to explode with flavor, the herbs and spices blending beautifully with the egg in a way she could never have begun to fathom otherwise. Her eyes widened and she hungrily took another bite, forgetting for a moment just how hot they still were.
Noctis chuckled knowingly as he watched her struggle between the urge to eat more and the involuntary physical reactions one has when putting something far too hot in their mouth. "They're pretty good, huh?"
Velcia, mouth full, could only giggle softly in embarrassment as she nodded her head.
Prompto, who'd already finished his, licked his lips. "Iggy, I don't know what we'd do without you!"
"If it was up to you, we'd eat a lot more Kenny's," Gladiolus remarked as he took his last bite.
Ignis flipped his set out of the pan, and gave a humble bow. "You'd manage something, I'm sure, but I'm glad you appreciate the food nonetheless. Miss Velcia, would you still care to try one of these?" he asked, holding out his plate of Omelettes.
Velcia looked down at her plate, and luckily she did still have one left. She'd been so excited to eat them that she'd entirely forgotten that she'd wanted to try one of Ignis'. "Yes, I'll trade this one with you," she said, holding the plate out for him.
Ignis nodded, and the two swapped. "There will be no offense taken if you don't care for it, I assure you," he told her.
She brought the plate back and looked at it. She'd been so caught up with her own that she hadn't watched to see if Ignis had done differently for his own batch, but the ones she'd had already were so good that she couldn't imagine this would be anything short of amazing. She picked it up and took a small bite.
At first, her face scrunched up in confusion. The mix of flavors was similar to the others, but with a heightened intensity and complexity that was a little overwhelming at first. After just a few seconds her mouth started to make sense of it, the flavors finding a strong but refreshing balance. It would indeed take some getting used to, but she suspected that if she had it again she would grow to like it very much.
Ignis looked over curiously. "The others say it's a bit much for them."
Velcia nodded. "You were right, at first it was… very complicated, but it is actually quite good." She took another bite, and couldn't help but smile.
"Well there ya go, Iggy, you just needed someone with a more refined and delicate pallet to appreciate it," Gladiolus said with a chuckle.
"Either way, I'm glad we've all had a satisfying meal," Ignis said, gathering everyone's plates.
Noctis stood up. "Alright, while you clean up here we'll go get the Chocobo ready. Looks like they're about done with their breakfast, too."
Ignis nodded.
"Ah, I can help with this!" Velcia said excitedly, reaching over for the dishes. "I can clean these while you put away the cooker."
"Much appreciated," Ignis said, handing her a small bottle of soap.
Velcia quickly got to work, using the soap with her water magic to scrub the dishes clean. The two finished quickly, and soon the others came back with the Chocobo.
Ignis stood up and ran his hand along his Chocobo's back. "We're making good time so far."
Noctis's golden Chocobo strode over, with Noctis himself on its back. "Yeah, I'll say. Hopefully we won't run into too much trouble."
"Don't tempt fate, Noct," Gladiolus said.
Once the group were all astride their avian allies, Noctis swung his Chocobo North and began to lead the way. The Chocobo were in fine spirits and quite happy with the feast they'd had, and their long legs made great bounds across the sandy terrain.
It felt like only minutes until the tall walls of Viewbliss came into sight. Noctis turned and called back to the others. "Keep as close to the East end of the valley as you can!"
They left the road and began to skirt along the base of the steep mountainside on the opposite end of the valley from Viewbliss. The rocky ground was much more difficult terrain, but the feathered train of birds pranced across it with relative ease.
The guards atop the walls of Viewbliss saw them coming from a distance and manned their turrets and tried taking potshots as they passed, but seeing that their guns were woefully inaccurate and ineffective at this range they quickly gave up and resorted to shouting insults and obscenities. Though perhaps sharper than the bullets, these also did not have enough range to give any trouble to the traveling party.
Once they had made it past the wall, Velcia looked back at the outpost gate and saw it opening; mechs were coming out and into the road. "Excuse me, should we be concerned about those?" she called out.
"No, they can't catch us," Gladiolus called out in response. "Chocobo are much faster."
"They just don't want us littering about," Prompto called over to her.
"Loitering, Prompt," Noctis replied.
"No I'm not!"
"Nevermind," Noctis laughed.
As the valley opened up wider into the plains of Leide, the group came to a slow stop behind Noctis as he surveyed the enormous dust storm ahead of them.
"Rats, it's coming this way. Can't that thing go somewhere else in Leide?" Noctis groused.
"We can't let it stop us," Gladiolus told him, cracking his knuckles. "Who knows how long it's going to hang around here. We've just got to press on."
"If we continue to stay along the mountains to the East, we may be able to find some caves or alcoves along the mountain we can use for temporary shelter if it comes too near to us," Ignis said, resituating his glasses, "But I agree with Gladio - I don't believe we have much choice but to proceed."
Noctis looked back at the intense oncoming storm with a grimace. "Right. Let's hurry up, then."
With that, he kicked his heels gently into the sides of the Chocobo, and with a motivated "KA-WEEEEH!" it dashed off, the others quickly following behind it.
The sure-footed Chocobo dashed at great speed along the uneven terrain, hopping up onto rocks in their path and bounding over the gaps and crevices they came across. The birds understood well the sight of the approaching storm and what it represented, and were just as determined to make good time as their riders. As they ran, the wind picked up around them and dust and dirt began to blow in, but they pressed on through the morning as the weather progressively worsened around them.
The sky began to darken as the storm finally reached the travelers, and the thick dust cloud was quickly becoming too much to handle. The Chocobo, no longer able to see the ground ahead of them, slowed down significantly whilst cawing in agitation.
"How much further?" Noctis yelled back to Ignis.
"We've a ways to go yet!" Ignis called out through the storm, holding his shirt over his mouth to avoid an unpleasant snack of debris.
Velcia reached out her hand and called her Keyblade to bear. She focused her magic energies into the Keyblade and, holding it aloft, a powerful spiral of wind erupted from it; whirling around and out to create a swirling dome like she'd made back in front of the outpost just days before.
The Chocobo huddled close together in this newly formed bubble of clarity and accelerated to a steady trot. Though much slower than the speed with which they'd run before, it was still enough to make consistent progress.
Velcia lowered her arm but kept a tight grip on her Keyblade, which still shimmered with magic as it sustained the field.
"How long will you be able to keep that up?" Gladiolus asked as he brought his Chocobo up beside hers.
Velcia shook her head. "I'm not sure. This storm is worse than the one at Viewbliss and this barrier is larger… I'll do what I can."
Gladiolus nodded. "Right. Focus on that and we'll do our best to protect you."
"Protect me from what?"
"Daemons, Heartless. They're not here yet, but they will be," Gladiolus said surely, spurring his Chocobo ahead to meet with Noctis at the front of the formation.
Prompto looked around at the opaque sea of dirt swirling around the shield. "Man, how do the Chocobo even know where to go in a storm like this?"
Noctis looked down at the birds, who kept their steady stride unflinchingly. "I don't know, but they don't seem too concerned about it. I guess all we can do is trust them."
They continued like this for nearly an hour. The ferocity of the wind outside the bubble grew ever stronger, which was concerning to see but thankfully not something they had to worry about. Eventually, however, the ground began to shake underneath them - and this caught everyone's attention.
It wasn't a continuous rumble, but intermittent and heavy - the tremors of an approaching Adamantoise's footsteps. The weary riders looked to each other with concern, and the Chocobo began to squawk nervously amongst themselves before suddenly breaking into a sprint.
Velcia was feeling extremely tired by this point. The increasing power of the howling dust storm meant that her wind barrier was taking ever more effort and concentration from her, and she felt herself finding it more and more difficult to draw the magic energy needed. She looked around towards her companions and saw Ignis was closest to her.
"Ignis, may I ask for your assistance?" she called out wearily.
Ignis pulled over beside her. "Certainly."
With her free hand, Velcia grabbed a satchel from her waist and carefully handed it over to Ignis as they bobbed along the terrain. "I have some blue potions in there that will help restore my magic reserves. Could you please help take one out for me?"
Ignis nodded, clenching his legs tighter to the Chocobo and opening the pouch. He found the blue potion quickly and handed it over to her. Velcia grabbed it carefully and pulled the cork off the top with her teeth, then did her best to try to drink the potion; which she found no simple feat while at speed on the back of a Chocobo. She handed the empty vial back to Ignis and he placed it into the pouch before returning it to her.
"Thank you, Ignis!" she said. The potion was quite powerful and she was starting to feel rejuvenated.
"Absolutely. At some point, I will have to show you the bottles that we use. I think you'll find them quite helpful!" Ignis called out, getting a very intrigued nod in return.
"Hey, Velcia!" Gladiolus called back to her. "Does this shield of yours stop monsters from coming through?"
"No, it's just wind! Anything that can move around in the storm outside won't have any trouble coming through the barrier!" she shouted back.
"That's what I thought!" Gladiolus shouted, bringing his sword to bear. "Defensive formation, everybody!"
The group quickly moved into an arrow shape, with Gladiolus at the head. Outside the barrier, Velcia could just barely hear the screams and howls of the Daemons and Heartless that were prowling around in the thick of the storm. The Chocobo's feathers stood on end, their eyes narrowing and their heads darting left and right in vigilant watch.
"Make sure to keep moving, Velcia!" Gladiolus yelled back. "Only stop when Noct does. Don't lose him!"
Velcia took a deep breath, chills running through her as the anticipation grew ever higher.
The first Daemon to break through the barrier seemed confused at first, as if they'd snuck up on it, but it had only the time to muster a rather startled and angry shriek before Prompto blasted it away with a quick barrage from his guns. This shriek led to many others, as a furious cacophony broke out in the dust.
"Here they come!" Gladiolus shouted.
Just as he said, Heartless and Daemons alike began leaping in from ahead of them. The transition through the barrier seemed to disorient them a bit, which the boys took advantage of as they did their best to fend off the beasts from atop their mounts. The Chocobos picked up speed, running now as quickly as they could keep their footing. Any monsters in their path that the Chocobo could not run around were trampled underfoot.
A large Daemon leaped in from above on a direct course for Gladiolus, but was run through and knocked off-course by Noctis' well-thrown blade. The beast crumpled and fell to the ground, rolling between the Chocobo as they ran past. Noctis flicked his wrist to summon the weapon back to hand and quickly threw it again towards a much sturdier Large Body Heartless that Prompto's shots weren't doing enough to dissuade.
A loud set of shrieks broke out to their right, and Gladiolus veered over towards the sound with his sword held low behind him. He patted his Chocobo on the back, prompting it to lower its head, and as the monsters broke through the barrier he swept through them with a wide, mighty blow.
A vile cackle broke out from somewhere outside the barrier, and Velcia jumped in surprise. It was a familiar sound, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it. "Watch out!" she called to the others, "Something even worse is near!"
"Like what?" Gladiolus shouted back as he swung at another set of intruders.
"I don't know, but-!" Velcia was cut off by the sight of a black blur rushing in through the barrier, just missing them as it swept past in a chilling streak. "One of those!"
"That's so fast, how do we fight that thing?" Prompto shouted out.
"We don't! Keep low and keep running!" Ignis called out.
The dark beast swooped through again, the foul cackle rumbling through their bodies.
"What the heck is that thing?" Noctis called out to Velcia.
"I believe it's an Invisible! They're very powerful Heartless!" Velcia replied.
"I don't think we can afford to ignore it, Iggy!" Gladiolus called out. "How do we slow it down?"
"I believe I have just the thing!" Ignis responded. "Prompto, on my mark!"
Prompto slowed down and came beside Ignis, holding his gun at the ready as Ignis grabbed an Elemancy potion from his belt. The cackle came again from outside the barrier, and as soon as it did Ignis threw the potion into the air. "Now, Prompto!"
Prompto reacted the moment the vial left Ignis' hand, and with a quick shot he burst the ice potion open in the air as the Invisible swept through. The beast snarled as it hit the frigid trap, large ice crystals sticking to and growing on it, and the Invisible tumbled out the other end of the barrier into the dust.
"How many more times can you do that, Iggy?" Prompto asked.
"Not enough, I fear," Ignis responded. "How are you holding up, Miss Velcia?"
Velcia's knuckles were white with tension around her Keyblade, but she nodded. "I'm doing alright. If I didn't have to keep this barrier up-" With a crash and a yelp, Velcia was cut off as something slammed into her and sent her flying off Ginger's back and into the dust storm.
With her Keyblade knocked from her grasp, the protective barrier had dissipated and everyone suddenly found themselves blinded and pummeled by the storm's full force. The boys began to call out for each other, and the Chocobo's confused cries could be heard faintly as well.
It was impossible for Velcia to know how far away she'd been sent from the others, but her momentum was stopped abruptly when she slammed into a rock. She scrambled onto her hands and knees, reflexively gasping for air but finding very little else but sand coming into her mouth. She choked and sputtered, holding the fabric of her tunic sleeve over her mouth to serve as a filter.
The sounds of the Heartless were fast approaching and Velcia held her hand out to summon her fallen Keyblade, but before she could a large, black shadow landed directly in front of her with a sickening thud. She looked up at the towering figure, just barely registering the pointed yellow eyes of the Invisible before it kicked her flat to the ground.
She gasped and coughed again as she hit the ground, but above her she could see the dark beast raising its blade for the kill. She rolled to the side as the blade pierced the earth, then began to send a flurry of flames from her hands to try to disorient it. The Invisible was undeterred and quickly pinned her down with its foot, cackling again.
Suddenly, a loud "KA-WEH!" broke through the howling wind, and Ginger jumped through the storm talons-first onto the Invisble's back, grappling tightly onto the beast with its sharp claws. The Invisible howled and shook as it tried to break free, but the mighty Chocobo was determined to protect Velcia and began to furiously rip the Heartless to pieces with its beak and claws.
Velcia quickly scrambled back to her feet, holding her sleeve to her mouth once more to avoid heaving in mouthfuls of dust as she tried to catch her breath. Her Keyblade came to hand and she called out for Ginger to move aside, and as soon as the Chocobo was clear she incinerated what little was left of the furious Invisible with a pillar of holy light.
Once this was dispatched, she began to stumble to ground but was propped up by the helpful support of Ginger; who cooed at her gently. Velcia's hand patted around her waist as she searched for her pack, and once she found it she retrieved another magic restoration potion with shaking hands and drank it with haste.
She held her Keyblade aloft once more and restored the wind barrier, finding that both Ignis and Noctis were surprisingly close by. They jumped in relieved surprise at the sudden return of the shield, and quickly called out for Gladiolus and Prompto as they continued to fight the beasts. Velcia stumbled her way over to them.
Noctis helped hoist her back up onto Ginger. "Good to have you back."
"Thanks," she wheezed, coughing out dust. "Where are the others?"
"Not far," Ignis responded.
Indeed, Prompto and Gladiolus soon found their way back into the circle with the aid of Noctis and Ignis' calls. Now that the group wasn't moving, the Heartless and Daemons had begun to circle around the group and slowly close in through the edges of the circle.
Velcia looked down to the others, who had dismounted their Chocobo and stood at the ready.
Gladiolus saw her watching, and spoke in a commanding tone. "Keep that barrier up at all costs!"
Velcia nodded, and watched as the group sprung into action to fight the beasts. Swords, daggers, and pistols let loose into the encroaching horde; Ignis's Elemancy potions lighting up the perimeter of their safe zone to try to slow the tide.
The Chocobo, now free of their riders, cried out with furious squawks and began an assault of their own. Beaks and talons ripped the beasts of the night to shreds in feathered fury, but no matter how many monsters the group destroyed there seemed to be no end to it.
"I don't think we can fight our way out of this!" Prompto called out.
"Agreed!" Ignis responded. "Let's see if we can stun the lot and make a break for it!"
Gladiolus whistled, grabbing the Chocobo's attention, and they ran over to the group. Everyone began to clamber back up onto their birds except Noctis, who stood with a steely determination. A blue aura began to glow around him, and he eyed the battleground carefully as he awaited the perfect opportunity.
Ignis leaned over to Velcia. "Hold tight, and be ready to run as soon as Noctis is back on his Chocobo and running again."
Velcia nodded, grasping both Ginger and her Keyblade more tightly.
The circle of monsters shrunk in around them and when it seemed as though it was nearly too late, a flash of ghostly weapons began to swirl around Noctis, who then proceeded to warp strike through the group with a speed and intensity Velcia had never seen before. Noctis's ethereal armament whisked through the air after him, striking the beasts down in brilliant flashes of light.
The screams and shrieks of the monsters around completely drowned out the terrible storm outside as Noctis swept his wave of destruction through their ranks. At last, he warped back beside his white Chocobo and jumped on its back with haste. "Ride, now!" he ordered frantically.
The group wasted no time, once again dashing off at full speed. The tremors in the ground picked up speed, and a low rumbling growl swept along the surface of the earth, momentarily blowing away the dust and the plants that had so far remained; but mercifully Velcia's shield kept this from affecting the Chocobo's stride.
They ran and ran as fast as the Chocobo could muster, each of the riders shouting encouragement and support for the frenzied beasts of burden beneath them. It was impossible to say just how long this desperate dash for safety went on, but the Chocobo were not keen to have a repeat of this last battle and even less interested in meeting the Adamantoise face-to-face, and so they pressed on despite their exhaustion and kept the best pace they were able to afford.
They ran into surprisingly few Heartless after this, and nobody had seen a single Daemon. Gradually, the quakes of the Adamantoise' gait began to peter out and the density of the blustery sand wall outside Velcia's barrier began to thin.
When finally the storm broke and the dirt in the air around them cleared, they could see in the distance the faint glow of the haven in the warm light of the setting sun. A sigh of relief broke out among the travelers and the Chocobo's tension calmed; though they kept an eager pace.
At last the group reached the beautiful protective magic of the haven, all but collapsing into a pile on the ground as they did. There was much panting and gasping, and several excited outbursts as they processed the events they'd just survived.
Finally, Velcia sat up and looked herself over. Her armor was scratched and gouged badly, and she could see several parts of her tunic were stained with blood. She felt sore, and suspected both her adrenaline and the numbness of exhaustion were hiding the true extent of her injuries from her.
The others stood up slowly and looked around. "Everyone okay?" Noctis asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Gladiolus responded.
"I can't believe we're still alive!" Prompto gasped.
Ignis shivered, and brushed the dust from his sleeves. "We seem to be all in one piece, more or less."
Velcia stood up slowly, legs shaking. "The Invisible got me a bit, but… I think my magic can handle it."
Ignis came to her and looked her over, eyeing the gouges in the armor. "Are you certain your wounds are not severe?"
"Well," Velcia sighed, "I'm able to stand and walk, at least. I'll be careful until we get settled in."
Ignis nodded softly. "Let us know if we can be of any assistance."
Gladiolus walked up the short hill to the flat stone circle in the center of the haven. "Let's set up camp while we've still got some sunlight."
Right beside him was Noctis, who stretched with a tired yawn. "Yeah, the sooner we can rest, the better."
Turning back to Velcia, Ignis held out a hand. "Do you need assistance walking the rest of the way?"
"Oh, no, thank you," Velcia told him with a small bow. "I ought to be able to manage."
"Very well. If it's all the same to you, I'll stay beside you until we're there just in case."
Velcia gave an appreciative smile, and the two made their way over. Ignis seemed deep in thought, rubbing his fingers together as he surveyed their surroundings.
"Ah!" he exclaimed suddenly. "I know just what to make. How does a Robust Bean Soup strike you for dinner, Miss Velcia?"
Velcia chuckled. "To be honest, any food would be a blessing right now… but that does sound very good. I'll be happy to help with it if you'd like."
"It's another dish that is quite simple to prepare, but you are welcome to assist if you would like," Ignis told her.
The weary travelers made camp; Noctis, Gladiolus, and Prompto setting up the tents and attending to the still-frazzled Chocobo while Velcia and Ignis began on the soup. Velcia took care of the bulk of the soup, but watched with keen interest as Ignis would taste it and add other ingredients from his inventory until finally he was nodding with satisfaction.
"Yes, that should do," he said, placing a lid on top of the pot. "Now to let it simmer a while."
"How do you know what to add?" Velcia asked curiously.
"What do you mean?"
Velcia held her finger to her cheek thoughtfully. "Hm. Most of the ingredients in your dishes make sense to me, and even though I'm not particularly familiar with some of them, like this one-" she picked up one of the herbs "-I can get a general sense of what it would be good for. I'm sure that, with these alone, the food would be quite good, but you always seem to be adding more things that somehow add so much more complexity to everything you make."
"Ah, I see. It may seem discourteous to simply say that it is the result of nearly two decades of practice and training, but I would be remiss not to emphasize that as the starting point," Ignis told her, thinking quietly for a second. "Experience takes care of a bulk of the work, learning which sorts of flavors or ingredients provide balance or intensity. There is also a strong aspect of chemistry that assists with some of the more powerful or unique flavors."
"It's truly amazing how you are able to do something so complicated so reliably," Velcia said, taking a deep smell of the soup.
Ignis chuckled. "I'll be the first to admit that many of my experiments do not work out on the first try. There is still much to learn - but I have an expansive array of tried and true basics under my belt now, after so long."
"Well, I am quite happy to be able to enjoy it while I am here," Velcia said, her stomach rumbling impatiently. "I very much doubt I'll ever be able to cook half as well as you can."
"You do yourself a disservice with that mindset," Ignis said, adjusting his glasses. "I don't imagine it's any more complex than your work with magic. In fact, I dare say the same sorts of skills would make learning the subject much easier for you."
Velcia smiled bashfully, and gave a small bow. "Well, thank you. I suppose the two are rather similar in many ways, taking a variety of different smaller components and combining them together into something greater. Potion making in particular has always felt very similar to cooking, I've found, but… well, I find I have a hard time doing anything new or adventuresome with food."
"I'm afraid we'll have very little time for it, but perhaps, if given the opportunity, I can someday assist you in learning a solution to that problem," Ignis offered.
"I would quite appreciate that," Velcia said. "In the meantime, I would be quite keen to help you to cook and see if I can't learn anything from that. Of course, I would be happy to teach you anything I know about magic in return!"
"A very generous offer, to be sure, but… I am not entirely sure if it is one I could accept," Ignis said, shaking his head regretfully.
Velcia tilted her head curiously. "Oh, why is that? From our time spent together the last time I was here, when you were helping me learn how to replicate Noctis' powers, I wouldn't think it would be difficult for you."
Ignis rubbed his fingers along his chin thoughtfully. "It would seem that way, I am sure, but very few of us on Eos are truly able to use magic of our own accord, especially in the way that you do. The Royal bloodline of Lucis is among the exceedingly few families gifted with the use of Magic, and the rest of us in Lucis who can use magic merely have that power shared with us."
"Oh, I believe I remember you saying something to that effect before," Velcia said, shaking her finger. "I suppose it's similar to the way the Keyblade shares the power to vanquish the Heartless with my allies?"
"Perhaps. It is hard to know for sure," Ignis said softly. "However, every magic power I, Gladio, or Prompto have access to first had to be learned by Noctis and shared with us. These we can use at our discretion, however, we have never had any success with performing magic outside of this selection."
Velcia held her hand to her chin. "I wonder why that would be."
"As I said, it is a blessing the Astrals reserve for only a select few. It was quite a surprise to all of us to see you able to wield magic so freely when you arrived here; up until that point we were all of the belief that it simply wasn't possible," Ignis told her.
"I wonder if the Astrals have done something to you all to limit your ability to connect with magic freely, or if… if perhaps you could actually learn to use magic on your own, if only you had the basics taught to you properly," Velcia mused, an excited gleam in her eyes.
This inspired sense of curiosity did not escape Ignis' attention, and he shook his head softly. "An interesting question to be sure, however, given the current state of Eos and the… heightened scrutiny that may be upon our actions I am not sure it would be wise to try."
All of Velcia's excitement was dashed in an instant, and her smile scrunched into a disappointed frown. "Of course… it might damage Eos' World Order," she said sadly, shaking her head. "It's a shame, if not for that and my inability to return to my Gummi Ship I would have had just the book to give to you on the subject."
Ignis raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "What's preventing your return?"
Velcia huffed in annoyance. "I don't know," she said, taking her Gummi Phone from the satchel. "I'm supposed to be able to return by pressing this button here, but when I try to use this for… well, anything, it only does this."
She pressed the return button, and on the screen a window with red text appeared and flashed the message "Connection to Gummi Ship unstable."
Ignis shook his head with a scowl. "Ah, you can thank the Imperial Army for that. They've set up a network of powerful jamming stations across the kingdom as they've advanced their invasion. All wireless communication, outside of their own, is shut down entirely."
Velcia's heart sank, and her hand lowered slowly. "I… I see. I suppose we will have to address that after we've taken care of the Heartless."
Ignis's mouth twisted into a disappointed frown. "Unfortunately, I do not think we will be able to. This network of theirs is incredibly robust and quite redundant, you'd have to knock out several stations without notice to break a hole through the effect. Their Magitek devices can be redeployed or repaired faster than we'd be able to travel between them."
Velcia's eyes locked into the distance in a blank stare. "Then… how am I to leave…?"
"I'm not sure. Once we've finished here, we intend to head to Cape Caem in the far Southwest. I do not know if the Imperial Army has progressed as far as that, but there is little there to interest them. With any luck, we may find ourselves outside of the range of their jamming network there," Ignis told her reassuringly.
Velcia nodded slowly. "I… I hope so. Well… I won't know until later, I suppose."
Ignis took the lid off the pot and peered inside, waving some of the steam towards himself as he inhaled deeply through his nose. "Ah, and I believe that's dinner ready." He looked back to Velcia, noting a soft expression of concern on her face. "Worry not. We'll find a way for you to return."
"Yes, I'm sure of it," Velcia said with a nod.
Ignis nodded, and stood up. "For now, it is dinner time. I will go inform the others."
"I'll start plating!" Velcia said happily, taking the lid off the pot and smiling at the smell. She couldn't wait to try a bite.