Chapter 8
The moment Velcia realized she was once again standing in the Station of Awakening, she dropped to her knees and began to cry. She'd never felt so exhausted in her life. She still had no ideas on what to do to help the Star or properly deal with the darkness in this place, and she greatly dreaded the rest of the journey back to New Crestholm.
To her, it felt as though these visits of the Station of Awakening only served to weaken her, and the prospect of imminent failure seemed too big to simply ignore. This flood of worry and emotions once again brought with it memories from the loss of her family. This was too much for her, and she sat down and heaved with sorrow. It was too much to bear now, she thought, and being stuck here once more she knew the worst was still yet to come.
She opened her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying her best to calm down and prepare for whatever horror would come to her tonight; and it seemed to be not a moment too soon as she realized she could begin to hear a wet, heavy-footed plodding approaching slowly from behind her.
Velcia stood up slowly, drawing her Keyblade to bear in one hand as she wiped her tears away with the other. The strange, gloppy form of Darkness that the little Star had taken last time was back once more, approaching her slowly but surely.
Velcia looked back across the Station platform, seeing that it was empty. She could only back away from this confusing creature so far before running out of space, and so instead she cast a barrier of light around herself and took a firm stance.
The dark beast continued towards her ceaselessly, and as it approached she called out to it.
"Last time, you asked me for help," she said. "I… I do not know how to do that. Can you tell me what you need?"
The dark form did not respond, still plodding towards her wordlessly.
Velcia held her Keyblade in front of herself, taking her defensive stance. "What do you want?" she demanded.
At this point the creature reached the barrier, and fell flat against it, arms up beside its head. The Darkness that made up the form ignited into flames upon contact with the shield, and Velcia stood in wide-eyed horror as the beast burned and groaned.
Velcia took a step back, mouth agape at the sight, too horrified to watch but too frightened to look away.
As the light burned away the darkness that made up the foul form, the face once again started to become visible and the groans slowly began to sound more like words. She took a step closer, entirely without thought, and as she did the face's two turquoise eyes shot open, and it screamed out "Help her!"
Velcia shot up awake in her tent once more, screaming at first; and then crying and trying her best to calm down so as not to wake her companions. Her throat was dry and her eyes burned, her head throbbed and her limbs were numb. She wasn't sure how long she cried, but it felt like ages.
Finally, once the tears had subsided into sniffles and she could feel her feet once more, she wrapped herself up in her blanket and stepped outside into the cool night. Like last night, the cool air seemed to help her significantly. She cleared her eyes and looked towards the campfire, seeing now that Ignis was sitting in one of the seats nearby it. Though his back was turned to her and he hadn't seemed to have noticed her, she felt her face flushing wildly with shame and embarrassment. She considered turning back to her tent, but her lonely heart ached and so she continued towards the fire.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked nervously.
"Not at all," Ignis said, motioning towards another seat. "I've got some water boiling, and in a few minutes we can have some tea."
Velcia sat down and adjusted her blanket, bundling in and making herself quite cozy. She stared out into the distance with a blank expression, focused on nothing in particular.
Ignis spoke up slowly. "Are you alright, Miss Velcia?"
Velcia swallowed and nodded uneasily. "Yes, I think I will be."
"If you need to discuss-"
"I'm not ready for that yet," Velcia interjected, shaking her head. She sighed. "I'm sorry, I… I really do appreciate the offer. It's just…"
Ignis nodded graciously. "I understand. Just know that I, and the others, are here for you."
Velcia pursed her lips. "You've all got so much to deal with already."
"And the only reason we've made it this far is because we understand that we can depend on one another," Ignis said, folding his hands. "The decision is, of course, yours and yours alone. I just want to make sure you understand that you are not alone. Just as you have come to assist us, so too are we happy to help support you in return."
The tension in Velcia's face broke, her flat expression turning somewhat more bittersweet. "Thank you… I… I'm not even entirely sure I know how to begin to explain it."
Ignis nodded, smiling softly. He was glad to have helped make some progress. "All in your own time. For now, I believe the water has finished boiling."
Velcia smiled now, turning towards Ignis for the first time since she'd sat down. Though he was far too polite to stare, her red complexion and tear-stained cheeks did not escape his notice. He began to pour the water from the teapot into a pair of mugs.
Once the water was poured, Ignis brought out a small wooden box of his own that seemed to be filled with meticulously organized packets. "I have several different options for tea, though there is one in particular that I find to be quite soothing that I would recommend. It always seems to be just the thing for difficult, late nights such as this," Ignis told her.
"That sounds perfect, thank you," she replied with a respectful bow.
Ignis took a pair of the bags out from the box and put one in each cup, then handed a mug to Velcia. She wrapped her cold hands around the hot ceramic and took in a deep whiff of the steam - it didn't smell of much other than hot water yet, but it was nice all the same. She looked over at Ignis, noting his rather calm demeanor.
"I must say… I do find it a bit surprising how naturally you seem to be taking this whole situation," Velcia said, looking back to her cup as another tinge of embarrassment came over her. "I really am sorry for waking you up like that…"
"No need to apologize, Miss Velcia, I am not bothered in the slightest. If it helps to ease your conscience, it is well within my professional duties as both an advisor and retainer for the Crown to be available at all hours for those who may need me," Ignis told her.
"O-oh, I see…" Velcia peered down into her cup, and swished her tea bag around a little bit. "I suppose that does help some."
Ignis bowed his head softly, then took a small taste of his tea. He bobbed his head to the side, a flash of disappointment on his face as the tea was not yet to his liking, and set the mug aside to continue steeping.
Velcia, for her part, was content with the strength of her tea where it was. The hot drink was soothing enough that she wasn't overly fussed about the precision of its flavor, and so she began to sip at it slowly. "It does seem to me that you have many more roles than I at first realized. You cook, you drive, you strategize, you advise, and I can only guess what else… Why, I'm not sure how you could have found time to learn it all."
"The benefit of a lifetime of focus and dedication, I suppose," Ignis said thoughtfully. "Having access to the finest teachers Lucis had to offer certainly helped."
"A lifetime…?" Velcia asked thoughtfully, looking over towards Ignis. "Why, I wouldn't think you're much older than I am."
Ignis hummed thoughtfully. "It is true, I am just shy of twenty-four now. However, my responsibilities and teachings began when I was six years old. Perhaps a bit of a late entry for House Scientia, but it was all according to King Regis' timing."
Velcia's face flashed in shock several times during this explanation, and she quite deliberately closed her mouth for a moment to keep herself from blabbering. "Six years old?!" she finally asked.
"Indeed. Of course, there wasn't anything complex in my schooling at that age, but that was when my discipline and skills of servitude first came into the sharpest focus of my upbringing. I was raised beside Noctis from that point, and have served him since," Ignis told her.
"I can't imagine," Velcia said, shaking her head. "Is the same true for Gladiolus and Prompto?"
"Gladio's path was different from mine, but yes, he too was brought up to serve the Lucian Royal Family from a young age. On the other hand, Noctis and Prompto met for the first time in the latter years of Noctis' schooling. While we all respect and appreciate him as a dear friend, he is not technically a member of the Royal Court," Ignis explained.
Velcia cracked a small smile. "I suppose that does explain the difference in demeanor."
Ignis grinned warmly. "Indeed. I greatly appreciate the unique skills and viewpoints he brings to our party. It is hard to say where we would be now without his sense of levity."
There was a momentary pause, Velcia smiling warmly as she thought back to her time spent with them since arriving. "I really admire the relationship you all share. The support, encouragement, openness... Even the blunt way Gladiolus confronts us when he disagrees," she said, staring into her nearly-empty cup. She swished the remainder of the cooling tea around, watching it swirl around the bottom of the mug. "It… it gives me a lot to think about and reconsider."
"It is a dynamic that I am rather grateful for, myself," Ignis admitted. "It is always reassuring that, no matter what may pass, we can rely on one another to help us walk tall."
Velcia smiled, though it seemed perhaps bittersweet. She set her empty mug down on the rock by the fire, declining Ignis' offer for a refill with a kind shake of her head.
She looked up at the sky, watching the stars twinkling faintly behind the thin mist that seemed to envelop the planet. After a few moments of consideration, she spoke up softly. "If I may, Ignis… I have been struggling with something since I've arrived that I'm not at all sure how to handle. Would you mind if perhaps I were to ask for your thoughts on the matter?"
Ignis grinned, a twinkle in his eye as if he'd been waiting patiently for just such a question. "Not at all. How may I help?"
Velcia took a deep breath, interlacing her fingers uneasily as she began. She explained to Ignis about the Station of Awakening, the little Star inside her Heart, and the Darkness she'd found inside plaguing them both. Ignis was quite attentive, and though he was not familiar with any of these matters he would regularly have her pause and rigorously define and explain each new word and concept.
Such was Ignis' thirst for detail that Velcia found herself feeling she was beginning to understand and come to terms with these events a bit better, and the more she explained the more she found herself eager to hear his thoughts on the matter.
Finally, her recounting of events came to her most recent nightmare. "...and then, just as it did last night, the Star cried out for help as the Darkness burned and melted from it," she said, shivering uncomfortably at the memories.
Ignis' hairs stood on end, and he shivered as well. "I admit, it does create a rather haunting image."
Velcia blushed and turned her head away in shame. "I… am sorry if I have disturbed you."
Ignis shook his head. "Don't be."
Velcia smiled thankfully. "It really means a lot to me," she said, then sighed thoughtfully. "Only, I don't know what to do. These experiences in the Station only get worse each night, and I'm not able to rest at all because of them. I dread going to sleep now, Ignis… I must figure out something to do, or else I worry I won't be able to be of any help to you at all."
Ignis nodded thoughtfully. "Let us review a few facts. The first point is that this Star is asking for help with something?"
"Yes. The first night it asked me to help it, but tonight it was different… it said 'help her' instead. Only, I haven't any idea who 'she' could be," Velcia told him.
"Noted," Ignis said, rubbing his fingers on his chin. "Likely information we will need to learn later. Now, before the Star took the dark form, did it seem to be a creature of Darkness?"
Velcia shook her head. "No, it felt like a heart of pure light. That's why its attraction to the Darkness confuses and worries me so."
Ignis hummed thoughtfully. "Could it perhaps be that this Star is merely using the darkness to create a form with which to communicate more effectively?"
Velcia's eyes grew wide. "It very well may. When it is only a Star, the only sound it can make is like a chime. Perhaps it doesn't know how else to make a body?"
"Perhaps," repeated Ignis thoughtfully.
Velcia's mind raced for a moment. "If I could purge the Darkness from the little Star, perhaps I could use a powerful healing spell to help it find a new form."
Ignis nodded. "It seems worth a try."
Velcia nodded excitedly, drawing Love's Inheritance to hand. She held it tightly as she thought. "If I can learn to combine an Esuna spell with a Holy spell, I may be able to purge the Darkness and replace it with Light all at once. It will probably take some practice, but I think… I think those spells should be compatible."
Ignis yawned, and eyed his empty tea cup. "That does seem the best course of action for the time being. Unfortunately, I am afraid I will not be able to provide any assistance in constructing your spell."
"That's just fine, it is something I don't expect should be too difficult," Velcia assured him. "I only hope it's enough."
"It's a start, anyways," Ignis said. "Is there anything else you would like to discuss tonight?"
Velcia looked up into the night sky at the moon, which was quite advanced in its progression towards the next horizon. She stood up, taking care to wrap her blanket around her shoulders carefully so as to keep it off the ground and away from the flames. "No, I believe… that is more than enough. Thank you, Ignis. For the tea… for the talk. I really needed this," she said.
Ignis smiled warmly. "Of course. Let me know any time you need to talk again."
Velcia bowed slightly. "I will. Please, go get some rest and I shall try to do the same. I have a lot to think about now, and would hate to rob you of any more sleep."
"Please do get some rest, yourself. Goodnight, Miss Velcia," he told her.
Velcia watched as he returned to his tent, and sighed contentedly. She was still exhausted, but at least now she had both a plan and a good friend.
Sleep had come to Velcia much easier that night after her talk with Ignis, and though she still felt weary in the morning her spirits were much higher. Upon reflection, Velcia thought that it was the best sleep she'd gotten since she arrived; a realization that was both deeply relieving and yet also a sharp indication of just how poorly she'd rested the past several nights. She eagerly prepared for the day, feeling greatly encouraged that the next leg of the journey would be rather more manageable.
Unfortunately, upon opening the tent flap the strength of her demeanor was immediately put to the test. The horizon was dominated from end-to-end by the swirling grit of the Adamantoise's sandstorm which, though it was not immediately upon them, was certainly near enough that it wouldn't take long to reach them once their journey began.
The boys were standing at the edge of the stone platform, arms crossed as they looked out at today's challenge with no small amount of consternation. Velcia walked up beside them quietly, also wondering what they were going to do.
"Has it seemed to be moving further away?" she asked hopefully.
"No, it's just… sitting out there," Noctis said. "The storm hasn't moved since Gladiolus woke up this morning."
Prompto shivered. "It's kinda like it's waiting for us. It doesn't know we're in this haven, right?"
Ignis shook his head. "I do not believe so. Neither Daemon nor Heartless have ever seemed able to sense someone in a Haven before. However, if it knows where we disappeared last…"
Gladiolus growled. "It's definitely waiting for us."
Velcia's face scrunched up. "Has it tracked you like this before?"
"No, usually it feels like it's just wandering around randomly, or chasing after Imperials," Noctis told her. "I don't know what's got it locked onto us like this."
Eyes wide, Velcia slowly held up her hand, looking at her open palm. "If I remember correctly… I believe Master Yen Sid once told me that Heartless can sense Keyblades. If that is the case, it may be me specifically that it is tracking. I… I don't know why I didn't think of that before, I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault, Miss Velcia," Ignis said as he pushed up his glasses. "Without the Keyblade, we wouldn't be equipped to battle it in the first place."
Gladiolus huffed. "Can't blame it for being interested in the only weapon that can damage the damn thing."
Velcia looked out into the distance, part of her wondering if perhaps she'd be able to see the beast through the storm. "Could we perhaps stay here in this haven until it loses interest?" she asked.
Ignis motioned back to their camp. "While the monsters may not be able to sense us here, the Imperial Army patrols would spot us very easily. The longer we stay here, the greater risk we run of them sending forces of their own, and they would likely draw the Heartless here themselves."
"Guess we're going to have to just make a run for it then, huh?" Gladiolus said. "Think we could make it, Iggy?"
"We certainly cannot outrun the storm and will no doubt have to battle our way through it, but as far as I can see it is our only option," Ignis told him.
The group thought for a moment, then Noctis snapped his fingers and turned towards Velcia. "Maybe not. Hey Velcia, are you able to sense your Keyblade the same way that the Heartless can?"
Velcia nodded, summoning it to her hand and holding it out. "Yes, even when not holding it I can feel it quite strongly. Are you able to sense it?"
Noctis reached his hand towards the blade slowly, glancing up at her as if asking permission. She nodded, and he rested his hand flat against it. "Woah, yeah, I've been sensing that alright," he said, drawing back and shaking his head with something of a smirk. "Mind if I try something?"
"Would you like to hold it?" she asked.
"No, I just had a crazy idea… what if I stow it away?" Noctis asked.
Velcia pondered this for a moment with her fingers on her chin. "I'm not sure. When I stow it, its presence is still unmistakeable."
Noctis crossed his arms. "Right, but it's connected to your Heart in some way, right? If I stow it away-"
"Noct, if we're wrong about this it could jeopardize the entire mission," Ignis interrupted. "If the Keyblade is what gives us the power to defeat the Heartless, going without it-"
"I know, Iggy," Noctis cut him off in return. "But look, it's not like we've ever lost any of the stuff we've stowed for summoning. It might be worth a shot."
Velcia stepped forward, holding her Keyblade out with both hands. "I agree that we should at least try it."
Ignis shook his head, working to hide his disapproval. "If this Keyblade is so deeply connected to your Heart, it is a risk worth taking seriously."
"I… I understand that," Velcia said softly. "But if this does work, it may prove to be invaluable in the future as well. It's a risk I'm willing to take."
Ignis nodded reluctantly, more out of respect than agreement, and Velcia once more offered her Keyblade to Noctis. He reached out for the Keyblade gingerly, a look of surprise coming to his face as he picked it up from her hands.
"It weighs almost nothing," he said with an amused grin.
"No wonder a skinny thing like her can swing it around so easily," Gladiolus chuckled.
"Alright guys, stand back a bit and I'll give it a shot," Noctis said, closing his eyes. A blue glow surrounded the Keyblade, growing slowly in brightness. Noctis grit his teeth. "It feels like the Keyblade is fighting against me."
Velcia stepped forward, resting her hand against the blade and reinforcing Noctis' efforts with her own magic. "It's ok, it's not for long," she whispered.
The magic began to whistle under the strain and with a sudden pop and a burst of mist, Love's Inheritance disappeared. Velcia staggered back, holding her hand to her dizzy head.
"I can't sense it at all anymore…" she said with a gasp.
Ignis came up beside her, hand gently on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Miss Velcia?"
She stood up straighter, licking her lips and nodding slowly. "I think so. The moment it disappeared, my senses were overwhelmed… and now, they feel dull. It's as if a part of me is missing." She took a deep breath. "But, it is a part of me that I lived without for most of my life. I am sure I can manage for a while."
Noctis looked out towards the Adamantoise. "If you can't sense it, then I would be surprised if they can."
"And what if we're attacked by Heartless en route regardless?" Ignis asked pointedly. "How quickly can it be returned to her?"
"Let's find out," Noctis said, holding out his hand. There was a flash of light and a burst of magic as the Keyblade flashed back into the air above Noctis' hand, but almost immediately Velcia found it had instantly warped itself back into her grasp. She gasped suddenly as the magic of the Keyblade washed over her like a flood.
"Oh, my," she panted, "That is a bit overwhelming." She chuckled softly, gripping her Keyblade tightly. "It's certainly an unusual plan, but… it may just work."
Ignis stepped back slowly, and looked back out into the distance.
Noctis came up beside him. "How about it, Ignis? If you're uncomfortable with it…"
The spectacled man shook his head. "If Velcia does not object to the handicap, then it does appear to be our best option. However, we must remain vigilant to monitor both the presence of Heartless as well as Miss Velcia's health."
Velcia nodded. "Thank you, Ignis. I don't like being without it, but it does seem like the best choice if it means we can avoid another incident like the one with the Invisible. I will be careful."
Ignis pondered slowly, then turned to Noctis and gave a firm but wordless nod.
Noctis placed a hand on Ignis' shoulder. "We'll all be careful."
Their plans laid, the group began stowing camp to prepare for their journey while Ignis and Velcia worked together to make breakfast. Velcia had wondered if Ignis may further object to their plan, but he seemed to have moved past the subject entirely and was completely focused on the task at hand. At Velcia's request, today's breakfast was the Omelette Frittata once more. She watched him like a hawk and each time he added anything to the mix she would ask what it was and make note of it in her small journal.
As the first batch went into the pans, Ignis sat back slowly. "Did you sleep better after our conversation?" he asked.
Velcia nodded. "Yes, I did. I've thought a lot about what you said… and the fact that you would take the time to come out and help me like that at all. I really appreciate it."
"Of course. Did you have any further issues with your… Star?" he inquired further, mixing the second batch.
"No, I didn't. So far, it only seems to come once a night… I'm not sure why. If our journey today is uneventful, I suspect I will spend most of the trip trying to think through how to combine those spells to help it," Velcia told him with a chuckle.
"Mm. Road trips can be a good opportunity to think things through. If you have trouble coming up with a workable solution, I suggest you talk to Noctis about it," Ignis recommended.
"Is that so?" Velcia asked in surprise, glancing over towards Noctis, who was putting away the last of the bags.
"Indeed. Though he hides it, Noct is quite talented with magic and has a natural knack for learning new spells. Furthermore, it comes to mind that the Lady Lunafreya's magic specializes in purging darkness from those afflicted by the Star Scourge. She, too, may be able to provide valuable insights into your endeavors; though it may take time to get a response from her," Ignis explained, flipping the first batch of Frittata out of the cups.
Velcia looked back over at Noctis again. "He hides a lot of himself, doesn't he?"
Ignis gave no reply at first, and instead poured the second batch into the cups. "Noct has always valued keeping his cards close to his chest," he said simply.
Gladiolus and Noctis were lured over by the irresistible scents of breakfast and in just a few short minutes everyone was eating happily. The storm still loomed in the distance, but with their plan in mind the group's spirits were sturdy. They finished their breakfast and made their way down to the Chocobo, where Noctis turned to Velcia.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Velcia brought out her Keyblade, and once more held it out for Noctis. He took it slowly, and the magic began to envelop it once more. The Keyblade shook and shuddered, and Noctis grit his teeth. "It's really fighting it this time," he groaned.
Velcia reached out, one hand flat against the blade and with the other she gently grabbed Noctis' arm, closing her eyes and reinforcing his magic efforts. There was a pop and crackle, and once more the precious Keyblade disappeared.
Velcia gasped softly, but held up a hand. "I'm alright, it's just a very sudden effect," she explained.
Noctis, Gladiolus, and Prompto climbed aboard the Chocobo, but Ignis stood by Velcia as she mounted hers. "Are you feeling well enough to travel, Miss Velcia?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes, thank you. I'm ready to go."
Ignis climbed aboard his bird quickly, and came up beside Noctis. "We are all ready to go."
"Alright then, let's see how it goes," Noctis said, spurring his Chocobo onwards.
The flock sprang into action, sprinting quickly out from the haven and across the desert landscape in a feathery train. They were fleet-footed and attentive, eyeing the distant storm cautiously. The swirling dust loomed ominously, but as they traveled all were relieved to see that it did not seem to be approaching at all.
On many occasions they would either pass directly by Heartless or see groups of them roaming in the distance, and the travelers would ready themselves for battle; but the Heartless seemed much less interested in attacking them than usual and those that did try made little effort to pursue.
Velcia rode up beside Noctis. "Is this how the Heartless were before I arrived?"
"Yeah, more or less. They were more aggressive at night time, but during the day it was always more like this," he told her. "They must really hate that Keyblade."
Prompto, who was nearby listening in, called out. "That makes sense to me, if it's the only thing that can kill them why wouldn't they want it gone?"
Velcia nodded. "It's more than that. Keyblades and Hearts are intrinsically connected, and the magic a Keyblade possesses that lets the Wielder seal the Heart of the World safely away could also be used to gain access to it. I was told that Heartless do not merely wish to destroy a Keyblade or its Wielder, they seek to possess the Keyblade itself."
Prompto waved a free hand, shaking his head. "Wait wait wait, so there's DARK Keyblade Wielders too?!"
"Yes, unfortunately, there have been many. I do not know of any active right now, but it was only recently that a very powerful Wielder named Xehanort was defeated after decades of war…" Velcia said sadly.
"Guess we better make sure nothing happens to your Keyblade then," Gladiolus called out.
Velcia felt a lump form in her throat, remembering the Darkness looming in her heart, the troubling little Star, and the strange magic that she'd felt begin to overcome her in the heat of battle. She took a deep breath, and tried to put on a smile once more. "Yes, of course! I will be very careful!"
As they continued on, a strange sound could slowly be heard coming from behind them. Prompto was the first to hear it, and after a quick glance shouted out to the others. "Imperials above us!"
All heads turned to the skies as an Imperial dropship, much larger than the usual troop transports, flew by overhead. As it passed, the deep resonant booming of its engines rumbled down across them, punctuating the immense size of the craft.
"Oh great, now we have to fight these guys!" Gladiolus bellowed, but much to their surprise the ship did not so much as slow down and kept to its Southward course.
"What are they running from?" Prompto asked, looking over his shoulder nervously, wondering if anything was tailing them.
"They seem to be on course for Viewbliss," Ignis said. "We should expect to be dealing with reinforcements when we arrive."
"You think they're going to try something?" Noctis asked.
"To be fair, Noct, we have been acting provocatively," Ignis said.
"Fair enough. Wonder what they'll have waiting for us," he mused.
The group carried on, marching ever Southward. Without the pressure of the Adamantoise, Velcia found the trip to be quite enjoyable. The air, though still a bit dusty, was cool and even refreshing. The Chocobo ran at a comfortable pace, calling happily as they too grew to let go of their anxiety. Velcia's spirits and mood lifted, she began to let her wandering mind ponder about how to craft the spell she would need to help the little Star.
Velcia had found that when using her Keyblade, combining spells felt like a much simpler process. Master Aqua had explained to her that different forms of Keyblades often augmented their wielder's abilities or senses in varying ways, and from what the two of them had determined this form, Love's Inheritance, seemed to specialize in dual-casting. If she were to take advantage of this, Velcia was certain that combining the spells would be quite simple indeed.
However, Velcia also knew from experience that casting a spell in this way would not necessarily provide her with the intricate knowledge of how those spells were actually combined, and she felt it unwise to rely purely on this augmentation to her abilities when she was confident that she would be able to learn how to perform the spell the traditional way.
The Esuna and Holy spells were two sets of magic she was quite familiar with; she had spent much time studying their structures and learning to cast them more effectively. She sorted through these aspects of the spells mentally, making note of both commonalities that may make it easier as well as potential conflicts that may complicate the process.
These trouble spots became the next primary focus of her mental exercise, and Velcia found she greatly enjoyed trying to think of ways to work around or resolve these potential issues. At times she found herself so focused that she nearly forgot about Ginger underneath her, and would find herself startling to attention whenever the attentive Chocobo felt she was perhaps a bit too distracted.
Ultimately, Velcia knew that she was going to need to wait until their journey had concluded before she could attempt to put any of these theories into practice, but she was confident that when that time did come she would have an abundance of ideas to test.
After a slightly more demanding "Kweh!" from Ginger, Velcia's attention returned to the journey at hand. Everyone was quiet as the Chocobo bounded along, all of them exhausted from the long journey and wary of what still lay ahead. She turned slightly to look behind them at the great dust storm, which was no longer in her peripheral vision when looking straight ahead. It was incredibly difficult to judge whether it may be moving, but the distance between it and her traveling party was the greatest it had been all day. With any luck, they would not need to worry about Heartless for the rest of their journey.
She found that she missed her Keyblade greatly, the now-unfamiliar absence of its presence felt like a hole inside of her. Still, the benefits and realizations that had come with letting Noctis stow it away had left her feeling conflicted.
The Keyblade was indeed instrumental to the success of their endeavors, but it riled up the Heartless and seemed to draw the Adamantoise towards them like a beacon. In addition, there was the new-found concern that the Darkness hiding inside her Station of Awakening could potentially overtake her and, in doing so, steal her Keyblade. This could very well spell doom for Eos.
Velcia sighed, looking up to the sky with a sad frustration, wishing she could communicate with Aqua and seek guidance. It all seemed so much more complicated now, and she wasn't sure what to do. Despite this, the more she thought about the situation the more she found a new conviction in her heart: once they arrived back at New Crestholm, Velcia would speak to Noctis on the matter.
When at long last they could see the walls of Viewbliss Outpost ahead, the group came to a halt behind Noctis, who turned his Chocobo around towards the others. "Alright, almost there. Just have to fight through whatever the Nifs at Viewbliss have waiting for us."
"Ready as I'll ever be," Gladiolus said confidently, staring out into the distance.
"What do you think is waiting for us?" Prompto asked, double-checking his guns.
Ignis shook his head. "Could be anything, but with a dropship that large my money's on a Magitek Mech."
Gladiolus nodded. "We can deal with a Mech or two."
Noctis motioned towards Velcia. "You ready for your Keyblade back?"
Velcia took a deep breath before responding. "Not yet, I have a few concerns on the subject. The biggest of these, at the moment, is that I'm not sure drawing the attention of the Adamantoise this soon is a good idea."
Ignis held his hand to his chin ponderously. "A very wise point. We do not know how long we will be held up at Viewbliss, and if the Imperials have truly adapted their Mechs to work properly in the sand storms then the arrival of the Adamantoise would give them an extra advantage."
Velcia tipped her head in a quick nod. "Yes, exactly. Even without my Keyblade, I do still have my magic spells to fall back on, so I will be able to assist either way… just not with as much power or stamina."
"Alright then," Noctis said, turning back South with a hint of a smirk. "Let's go spring the trap."
They pressed on a little further, until finally they could see the road in front of the outpost quite clearly. Indeed, several Imperial Mechs were waiting for them; four of the usual-sized machines as well as a large four-legged one that was armed much more heavily than was standard. These stood across the road in waiting, blocking their path. The group pulled to a halt at this point, still well outside of range.
Noctis scowled. "I don't think we're going to be able to just run past those guys, and I'm worried about the Chocobo."
Prompto shook his head, patting Noodle on the back. "Yeah, these poor guys aren't really built for dealing with gunfire."
"Think we could sneak past 'em, Noct?" Gladiolus asked, eying the tall mountains.
"Not if we want to be back home before nightfall," Noctis said.
Velcia gave Ginger a sweet hug. "And don't forget, we do need to make sure the Chocobo get back to their forest safely."
Ignis nodded surely. "Right. We dismount here, deal with the mechs ourselves, and once the pathway is cleared we call the Chocobo and press on."
"All the more reason to keep my Keyblade stowed away for the time being," Velcia said with a nod. "I certainly do not want to attract the Heartless' attention and leave the Chocobo stranded between two dangers."
The group dismounted from their rides, and Prompto patted Noodle gently. "Did you get that? Find a safe place to hang around back here until we call," he said sadly. "Don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."
The Chocobo bid their farewells with a flurry of encouraging "Ka-weeh!", and after Velcia gave Ginger one last hug the birds scampered off towards a nearby alcove in the mountainside.
Velcia and the boys continued on foot now, and the guards atop the outpost saw them coming. Additional soldiers came up and lined the walls to watch and taunt them, and the Mechs were hunkered down in anticipation along the road.
As they came up to the machines, a bitter and mocking voice bellowed out from a speaker of the largest Mech. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the King of the Rats! You've pushed your luck too far this time!"
Noctis and the others drew their weapons, and Noctis called out to them. "You guys really want to fight with the Adamantoise and all these monsters out?"
"We can deal with these beasts easily, they don't bother us!" The voice snapped. "But you, petty failure of a king, stooping to sabotage those who tend to your neglected lands, have become a pain my superiors will no longer stand for!"
"You waiting to give them the first shot, Noct?" Gladiolus asked gruffly.
"No, just thought I'd give 'em the chance to back out," Noctis said. "Let's do it."
At his word, the group sprang into action. Noctis warped to the legs of one of the machines and began striking at the joints, eliciting a shout of surprise from the occupants as the mechs began spinning up their machine guns.
Velcia held her arms out low and wide then raised them quickly, raising thick walls of ice from the ground in a semi-circle pattern ahead of them, which intercepted the opening salvo of machine gun fire.
Ignis and Gladiolus advanced slowly, using the sprouting walls of ice as cover from the bullets until they got close enough to strike the machines directly. Prompto stayed back a ways behind one of the rearmost ice walls, firing at the Mechs with special ammunition.
The lead mech lifted one of its four legs high, smashing one of the ice walls and spraying the ground with a hail of bullets. "Your weak ice can't protect you forever!" the pilot screamed.
Ignis jumped sideways to avoid a stream of lead from a mech that had locked on to him, and threw an electrical potion at the machine; a burst of lightning exploding from the bottle. Sparks jumped around the shell of the machine but it continued on apparently unscathed, firing again.
Velcia ran over to Ignis' side, holding out her arms and creating a barrier. The bullets crashed against this barrier heavily, and she groaned under the pressure.
"Gladio!" Ignis called out.
Gladiolus ran up to the mech, striking his sword underneath the cockpit with a powerful uppercut swing. The mech rocked back, shooting wildly in the air until it regained its balance; at which point Velcia and Ignis had already begun to move elsewhere.
Velcia found that most of her offensive spells seemed to have little if any effect on the large machines, and instead turned her focus towards supporting the others defensively, erecting ice walls for cover and sending scathing waves of flames towards the cockpits to try to obscure their vision.
There was a loud cracking sound, and Gladio called out. "Iggy, fire, now!"
Ignis, who was currently jamming his lance between some armor plating, yelled back over his shoulder. "I'm out of Elemancy potions, Velcia, ignite the oil!"
She turned towards Gladiolus and saw one of the mech's legs had been cracked open and it was spraying oil all over both the ground and itself. She ran over quickly, leaping into the air with a burst of wind magic to propel herself over a stream of gunfire, and sent a salvo of fireballs into the oil below. The oil ignited and quickly enveloped the mech in flames; and it wasn't long until the fire reached the main hydraulic line. This began a catastrophic chain reaction, which exploded the mech from the inside.
"One down, Noct!" Gladiolus shouted.
The largest mech stamped the ground angrily, then opened a series of ports on the underside of the chassis. These ports began to spray a foul-smelling mist, and as they did Ignis immediately shouted out in alarm. "Find cover everyone, quickly!"
A spark of electricity zapped out across the legs of the mech, igniting the fuel and sending an enormous wave of fire rolling out from the powerful machine. Velcia cast her barrier spell just in time, closing her eyes against the blinding light. The fire was heavy and powerful, and even through the shield she could feel the intensity of the heat.
Before anyone could even see again, the ground rumbled from a series of explosions as one of the other mechs began to fire a missile salvo at the group. Prompto, whose cover of choice was an ice wall that had now melted almost entirely, yelped as he jumped away from the blasts.
"These guys mean business!" he called out, returning fire.
"So do we!" Gladiolus growled, taking a heavy swing at the leg joint of another of the smaller mechs. His strike hit true, and once again ruptured an oil line.
Velcia immediately sprang to action, sending a fireball towards the oil once more. This mech, too, caught fire and began to shoot wildly before it exploded; the stray and aimless salvo impacting one of its comrades and tearing a hole in the armor on the back of the body.
Noctis noticed this, and warped atop the mech, jamming his blade into the hole and wrenching it hard. There was a shrieking snap and the armor plates cracked open wider, exposing the Magitek circuitry within.
"No, no, no!" the lead mech shouted. "You get your filthy hands off of that!" Ports along the top of the mech's body opened and a spray of small, agile missiles launched towards Noctis, who used his Warp Strike to evade them.
The missiles turned, still locked on to Noctis, and he quickly began a series of warp strikes around the legs of the remaining mechs. The missiles, agile though they were, could not properly track this erratic movement and either crashed into the ground or the legs of the machines.
"Velcia, can you hit that weak point with lighting?" Ignis called out, pointing to the breach in the Mech's armor.
Velcia began to run towards the mech but was quickly stopped short by a series of explosions that blocked her path, the lead mech now focused on and clambering towards her. Velcia quickly raised a defensive wall of ice between them, but it bought her only seconds before the powerful Magitek machine smashed through with a swipe of its leg.
"Gladio, knock it off balance!" Ignis shouted out.
Gladiolus ran up beside the mech, hitting it with another sturdy upswing. The machine tilted and swayed as it grasped at the ground for balance, and with a powerful leap Gladiolus hit it again knocking it further to the side. "Velcia, knock it with your ice!"
Velcia nodded, grasping at all the water magic she could and swinging it upward, a pillar of ice erupting from the ground underneath the teetering mech and flipping it up-side down. She turned her attention back to the cracked mech to see that it was already sparking, Prompto twirling his gun proudly.
"Aw yeah, Elemental Ammunition!" he cheered as the machine's circuits fried from the inside out.
"Good job, Prompto!" she called out, then turned to prepare for the next attack. Noctis and Ignis were tag teaming the last of the small mechs, and between Noctis' Warp Strikes and Ignis' precision attacks they seemed to have mostly disarmed it. Gladiolus stood atop the body of the larger flipped mech, hacking at the legs that were scrambling to try to right it.
She ran over to Gladiolus quickly. "What do we need to do with this one?"
"Exhaust for the machine is that grate there, I don't know what kind of spells you've got but why don't you hit it with something powerful," he said, directing her attention with his finger.
Velcia nodded and turned towards the port, twirling her hand slowly in the air. Sparks of electricity began to crackle around her, and when she reached out a great burst of lightning shot forth in through the exhaust grate. The mech began to whir with a high-pitched drone, and Gladiolus and Velcia quickly jumped down off it and ran away. After a short distance, Velcia turned around and held up a magic shield for protection; which served her well as only moments later the Magitek Mech exploded.
As the dust settled and the smoke began to clear, angry shouts could be heard from the walls of Viewbliss, the guns firing ineffectually towards them. Prompto began to fumble for the Chocobo Whistle, but the clever birds had been watching the battle with great interest and anticipation and started to run towards their companions the moment the last of the machines had been incapacitated.
The Chocobo pickup was so quick and efficient that by time any of the guards of Viewbliss had shaken off their shock and made it out the gate, the birds and their riders were well out of range and sprinting south towards New Crestholm. Angry, but ultimately impotent, shouts broke out when the soldiers realized there was no point in pursuing them.
Velcia looked back over her shoulder at the soldiers of Viewbliss, and sighed with relief. She was quite done with fighting for the day.
The group's arrival at the battered bridge near New Crestholm brought a palpable sense of relief to the weary travelers, both human and Chocobo alike. The brave birds slowed of their own accord as they neared the concrete structures, cawing and kweh-ing to each other as they did.
"What's up with the Chocobo?" Gladiolus asked, rubbing his mount's feathered neck.
Prompto watched them for a moment, a small smirk coming to his face in a moment of realization. "I think they wanna go back home, big guy. They keep looking up at the forest."
"That's fair," Noctis said, dropping down from his bird's back. "You guys have done more than enough to help us already, I think we can take it from here."
The Chocobo let out a chorus of gentle "ka-weh!" as their riders disembarked, nuzzling their friends gently.
Velcia gave Ginger a great, loving hug good-bye and then pulled back. "Thank you so much for helping us… and for helping me, too," she said, folding her hands together with a bittersweet smile. "I don't want to think what would have happened to me if it hadn't been for your care…"
Ginger's head bobbed, then she stepped forward and brushed the top of her head affectionately against Velcia's shoulder. Velcia giggled and hugged her once more, closing her eyes and sighing wistfully. "I hope that I can visit you again someday."
"Kweh!" Ginger chirped in reply, standing up straight now.
The other Chocobo, who had already said their own goodbyes, were quite eager to return to the forest and were beginning to head that way. Ginger bobbed her head towards Velcia one last time, and Velcia found she couldn't help but curtsey in return, flaring the sides of her tunic to mirror Ginger's gentle wing flap. A beckoning call from the other Chocobo broke out from the other end of the road, and with an attentive hop Ginger quickly turned and chased after the others.
Prompto rubbed a finger under his eye, but he did so with such affectation that it was difficult to discern whether he was genuinely wiping away a tear or simply playing up his emotions. "I'm going to miss those guys."
Velcia nodded in agreement. "I am, as well. I'm very glad they were willing to help us on our journey."
"I dare say they were instrumental to our endeavors," Ignis said. "We are very fortunate to have had their support."
Noctis began walking now, heading across the bridge. "With any luck, we won't have to put them in any more danger now."
"I think we'll all be safer once that Airship is built," Gladiolus said as he followed along.
It wasn't long until they made it to the magical haven barrier surrounding New Crestholm, and very nearly the moment they passed through it a loud gurgling grumble could be heard.
Without missing a beat, Prompto patted his stomach. "Boy, I can't wait to eat something! We didn't even stop for lunch or anything!"
Gladiolus' stomach growled. "Yeah, I could go for a bite too."
Noctis stopped, and turned towards Velcia. "Alright, first thing's first - let's get you your Keyblade back before I forget."
He started to raise his hand, but Velcia stopped it gently with her own hand. "Um, if I may, I'd like to discuss something with you before you do."
Noctis paused in surprise, looking at her inquisitively. "Uh, sure, what's up?"
Velcia shook her head softly. "Would you mind if we speak in private?"
Ignis and Gladiolus exchanged glances, though Ignis's understanding expression seemed to put Gladiolus' mind quickly to rest. "We'll go on ahead and order while you two chat, Noct."
Prompto jumped with delight. "Man, I can almost taste it already!"
As they left, Noctis returned his attention to Velcia. "Something wrong?"
"Well, in a way. I feel like I've made a mistake. I've been having a… difficult time with something since I've arrived, and as I've considered it during our travels today I find I'm worried it may be a liability," she admitted, doing her best to keep eye contact with him as she did.
Noctis crossed his arms. She'd expected he may seem worried or upset, but his countenance was seemingly unaffected. "Alright, go on. I'm all ears."
Velcia swallowed, and looked to the ground. "Since I've arrived, I've been having trouble sleeping at night. It's sort of complicated to explain, but each night I have been visiting a physical manifestation of my Heart known as a Station of Awakening."
She glanced up to Noctis, who was listening intently but seemed unsure what to make of what he was hearing.
Velcia continued. "From what I understand, it is not unheard of for Keyblade Wielders to experience this to some degree or another, especially in circumstances like these; though it is a first for me. The reason I bring this up, and feel that I should have done so sooner, is that in these visits I've come to learn that there seems to be another heart connected to mine in some way… and this heart is plagued with Darkness."
A frown tinged the edge of Noctis' mouth. "So… uh, what's this mean, exactly?"
"I… I don't know yet," Velcia said with a defeated sigh. "It doesn't feel as though the Darkness is affecting me, not yet, but there's this little Star that I believe represents this connected heart. It does seem to be a heart of light, but whenever it appears it brings the Darkness with it and has been using it to take form."
"And this happens when you've been trying to sleep?" Noctis asked, holding his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "No wonder you've been so out of it."
"Yes, that's correct. I talked with Ignis about it a little bit last night…" she said shyly. "I hope I didn't wake the rest of you as well."
Noctis shook his head. "Don't worry about it, I think Ignis was the only one who really noticed anything. So why bring this up to me today?"
Velcia found herself surprised at this question, and looked aside while she searched for words. "The problem is that I'm not sure what this Darkness is, or what it could be capable of. I'm trying to figure it out, and Ignis has helped me devise a plan, but… if there's any chance that I could be compromised, you need to know. I'm supposed to be here to help assist you and your friends in freeing Eos from the Heartless, and if I were to struggle and fall to the Darkness without ever letting you know, I just… I couldn't even…" she took a deep sigh, returning her attention to Noctis himself now.
Noctis nodded slowly. "I get it. There's a lot going on right now that none of us understands. This stuff about Hearts and Stations… it's all new to me. So is this why you don't want your Keyblade back yet?"
"I do miss it, but, I feel as though I've come to realize the risks that I've brought and I wanted to make sure you were aware of them. Until earlier, I hadn't realized or even thought that simply traveling the lands as a Keyblade Wielder would draw the Heartless to us, or that this Darkness that's been haunting me could potentially lead to my Keyblade being used as a tool of Darkness if I should fall. I just… it seemed like I should give you the choice on the matter," she told him, feeling relieved to get it out in the air.
"I see," Noctis said, reaching his open hand out to his side. There was a flash of light and Love's Inheritance reappeared in an instant, warping itself quickly into a quite startled Velcia's hands.
Noctis nodded, crossing his arms once more. "From the sound of it, Eos was probably doomed anyway once the Heartless got involved. Between them and the Daemons… If either of us fail then this whole thing is probably over. It means a lot that you'd talk with me about this, but I'm not worried about it; especially if Ignis is already helping you."
Velcia's hand gripped tightly around the handle of her Key, and she lowered her arm to her side. "I… thank you, Noctis. For understanding. You're really not worried?"
"Yeah. You might not know what to do yet, but it sounds like you understand what's going on to some extent. At least, it seems like you understand enough to be able to tell if it gets to a point where you're going to be in danger. I guess it's sort of a different thing, but Luna says that people who suffer from the Star Scourge are pretty aware of how sick they are. Just let me know if this Darkness in your… Station seems to be getting out of hand. Maybe Luna will be able to help," Noctis told her.
"Oh!" Velcia exclaimed. "Ignis mentioned Lady Lunafreya when we talked and told me she may be able to help even now. I can understand now why he would think that, it sounds like the work she does is amazing."
"She's something special," Noctis said, a hint of admiration slipping through his usually reserved tone. "What's Iggy think she should help with?"
Velcia noticed Noctis' crack in demeanor and smiled. "It's to help with that little Star I mentioned. It seems to be taking this form of Darkness in an attempt to ask for help, and Ignis and I have wondered whether it's doing so out of desperation. We're hoping that I can find a way to purge the Darkness from it entirely, and see if I can't find another way to help it take form. I do have some spells I would like to try, but Ignis thought Lady Lunafreya may be able to provide some extra insight or advice into helping purge the Darkness."
"That… huh." Noctis looked to the ground as he parsed Velcia's explanation. "Yeah, let's ask Luna about that. Write down everything you know and I'll send it along to her the next time Umbra comes to visit. It could take a while, though," he told her.
Velcia bowed. "Thank you. It means a lot to me."
Noctis nodded. "That everything?"
"Yes, I believe so," Velcia said with a relieved smile.
"Good. I've got to find a bathroom."
