It was during a brief respite on the long march toward Brodia that Jack finally spoke up again.

Since Anna dropped the bomb on him that getting back to his world, at least for the foreseeable future, was impossible, he'd been quiet. Lost in his own thoughts, he'd say if anyone asked. Those that knew of his circumstances - which included most in Alear's army by that point - decided to leave him alone and sort it out, which he was grateful for; he didn't want to be pitied. And a bit of time to himself was really all he needed, it felt like.

Of course, even as he was parsing his own feelings about the bad news he had been told, something else had been gnawing at Jack. Something that was a bit harder to wrap his head around.

Somehow, in the short amount of time he had spent in Elyos, the thought of killing people didn't make him feel sick, or giddy. Instead, he felt nothing - just sheer numbness at both the thought of and the act of taking a life. Granted, he reflected, the bandits they had killed at the abandoned fortress and near the west coast of Firene and the burned town before that probably deserved a spear to the face, but whenever he thought of the Elusian soldiers he had murdered at Firene Castle, no doubt conscripted from villages and the like, he felt nothing.

Jack wasn't sure if that was better or worse than feeling glee at doing it, but it was certainly disconcerting.

In the end, during the quick break, he found someone - a royal knight of Firene - to ask about it and to give him advice. He found the man sitting on a stone, a book in his hands as a thoughtful look on his face.

"There you are, Boucheron," Jack said, "I wanted to ask you something."

Boucheron jumped up, nearly dropping his book to the ground, and it was only then that Jack realized there were tears streaming down his face. "Wh-what? Oh, it's just you, Jack. You startled me!"

"I can see that," Jack observed, crossing his arms. "Are you alright? You're crying."

"Huh? Oh, y-yeah, I guess I am," Boucheron said, wiping his face as he placed his book down beside him. "I think I must've gotten carried away, huh? This book's really good."

Jack had half a mind to ask him what book it was, but he had more pressing matters to attend to, so he went ahead and asked what was on his mind.

"Sorry about startling you, but I wanted to ask you a question," Jack began, letting out a deep breath. "How do you deal with killing people?"

The awkward smile that had spread across Boucheron's round face quickly faded away at that, as the same thoughtful expression Jack saw before returned, only it was aimed at him.

"That's… a bit of a loaded question," Boucheron stated, "Everyone deals with it differently. And it's a fact of life, y'know?"

Jack raised a brow. "Even in Firene?"

Boucheron nodded, his expression hardening. "Even in Firene. It may be a nation of plenty, but that means that some awful types might try and take what they can't get otherwise. Bandits have been a problem for as long as I can remember. We may not be as battle-hardened as Brodia or Elusia, but that doesn't mean we haven't seen some bad things."

Bowing his head, Jack said, "I didn't mean to imply you guys were soft or anything like that. I've seen you swing that axe around enough to know you're a master at using it. I could've asked Yunaka about it but something tells me she wouldn't give me a straight answer. Especially since we just met."

Shrugging, Boucheron replied, "I understand. I really do. Well, like I said, it's different for everyone. Me? I just try not to think about it - at the end of the day, there's a guy at the other end of my axe, and if it wasn't him, it would've been me. Simple as that. I can't blame him for his circumstance, and he can't blame me for mine. It's just the way things have to be."

Jack nodded, looking up to the bright blue sky for a moment before he began pacing. "What about if you feel nothing at all about it?"

Boucheron raised a brow. "Huh?"

"How else do I explain it?" Jack asked himself quietly, before coughing into his fist. "It was a bit cold at first - freezing, really. I killed another human being for the first time in Firene Castle, and since then, I've felt… nothing. Not when I killed those bandits in the village, or in the abandoned fort. Absolutely nothing. And I don't know how to deal with it."

Boucheron nodded, running a hand through his orange hair as he spoke. "Then what's the problem?"

Jack's lips thinned. "The fact I feel nothing is concerning, you know. Everything I've read about taking another life prepared me for feeling nauseous, or to have a panic attack, but I don't feel anything when I do it. I'm not supposed to feel nothing, Boucheron."

"Who says what you're supposed to feel?" Boucheron asked, holding his arms out as if the person who asked was nearby and only needed to show themself. "I already told you everyone's different. Yeah, a lot of stories make it out to be this big, traumatic experience, but sometimes those're just stories, y'know? And trust me, I've read a lot of them. You're an individual, Jack, and maybe you're just blessed by the Divine Dragon to not be troubled by this kinda stuff."

Jack turned in the direction of camp. "Alear blessed me? Without my permission? I should go complain to HR."

Boucheron's eyes narrowed in bemusement. "What's HR?"

"Something useless," Jack replied, "not worth explaining, really. Maybe you're right, though. Certainly doesn't feel like a blessing."

"It's the only way I can think of that makes sense for you," Boucheron said, "you never killed anyone before you got here, right? You didn't know it wouldn't affect you the same it does others. Since you're fighting alongside us, maybe consider it a good thing if it lasts."

"It just doesn't feel like it should be a good thing, I guess," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I dunno. Sorry for just unloading this stuff on you, but I just thought, you know, being a royal knight and all…"

Boucheron nodded. "Yeah, I think I understand. Maybe try asking some of the others about it later? Then again, this feels like something that won't just go away. And like I said, maybe that's a good thing."

"Maybe," Jack said, before stopping in place. "You know what? Maybe we should talk about something, er, different. We've still got time to kill, after all. What book are you reading?"

Boucheron's eyes lit up, like he was a dog and Jack had just brought out some lamb bones.

"Oh, it's actually really good! Thirty volume epic that has everything you can think of!" Boucheron gushed. "I think this might be my second time going through the whole series. Have you heard of it yet? I know you only got here a little while ago, but this series is very popular in a lot of Firene."

Jack smiled, sitting beside Boucheron. "I think I might've heard a little bit about it, yeah."

The closer the army got to the Brodian border, the more mountainous and rugged the landscape became. The verdant forests and fields gave way to hilly shrublands, with trees becoming an ever rarer sight. As the sun set over the horizon, Jack knew the time was drawing near for Alcryst and his retainers to make their move. To that end, he moved toward the front of the group, where Alfred and Alear were leading the way. Céline and Yunaka weren't far behind them, their Embling Rings glittering in the last light of the coming dusk.

"Just wanted to let you guys know," Jack began, catching up to them. "We're about to meet another member of our motley band. Another royal. Prince Alcryst's his name."

"Prince Alcryst? Huh, I thought we would've been meeting Diamant next," Alfred remarked. "Though I guess it makes sense; even though Elusia and Brodia aren't actively fighting each other, things aren't gonna calm down any time soon. Better to split up the princes, although I wonder why they'd put him as a border guard."

"I have no idea who Alcryst and Diamant are, but if they join us, then they can't be that bad. Even if Brodia sounds… brutal, sometimes," Alear said.

"Oh, they're brutal," Jack said, placing the butt of his spear on the ground. "Alcryst and Diamant are good eggs, though. And that's the Jack Guarantee."

"Well, you haven't led us astray thus far, so of course I'll trust you," Alear said, a small smile on his face. "But what's this about a 'Jack Guarantee'? It sounds like you're trying to sell me something."

"It has been a while since I've personally met the Brodian royal family," Alfred said, scratching his chin. "But from what I remember, Jack's right. If we're going to be meeting Prince Alcryst, we probably don't have much to worry about."

"I should also mention, he's not guarding the border," Jack quickly added.

Alfred raised a brow. "Then what is he doing out here? Oh, wait- my mother penned a letter to Brodia after we left Kering. He's out here to meet us, right?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, but there's a bit more to it than that. He's gonna assume we're enemies-"

An arrow whizzed by Alear's face - Jack only noticed because he had been looking at him, and felt the wind that followed it, along with the brown blur it caused. Alear blinked, before his face hardened and he turned toward the direction the arrow came from.

Jack followed Alear's gaze, and saw Prince Alcryst, alongside his two retainers Lapis and Citrinne. Alcryst himself already had another arrow nocked, ready to send it flying into Alear's face. As for the man himself, Jack found it difficult to imagine him as the timid, over-apologizing younger prince of Brodia at that moment. His red eyes were narrowed and focused, his dark blue hair shadowing them as well, giving him the appearance of a predator about to pounce.

Lapis and Citrinne were less threatening than him, but by no means did they seem weak by comparison, especially Lapis; true, her fair hair and short stature made her seem cute at first glance, the fact she was hefting a giant slab of a greatsword made Jack's spine shiver. As for Citrinne, she looked every bit like a noble, complete with an ornate dress, and jewelry adorning her head and in her short blonde hair. Nonetheless, the lightning that danced between her fingers showed she was not to be trifled with.

Alear stepped forward, his hand on Libération's pommel.

"Stay right where you are, and identify yourselves. Now," Alcryst ordered.

"Your name is Prince Alcryst of Brodia, correct?" Alear asked.

"So, you know my name," Alcryst said, his voice barely above a monotone drone. "That doesn't answer my question. Answer it, or this time, I won't miss."

"Very well," Alear said, staring the Brodian noble down. "My name is Alear, the… Divine Dragon."

"And I'm Prince Alfred of Firene," Alfred said, stepping forward as well. "I'm surprised you didn't recognize us, Prince Alcryst. It hasn't been that long since we last saw each other, right?"

Jack watched Alcryst's eyes widen marginally, as he lowered his bow. "You're… the Divine Dragon and the Crown Prince of Firene?"

"I understand that Queen Ève sent a messenger ahead of us," Alear said, relaxing his stance. "Is this how greetings in Brodia usually go?"

"Don't go too hard on the guy," Jack whispered, "give him too much shit and he's liable to collapse into a sobbing mess."

Alear furrowed his brow at that, turning to Jack even as Alcryst's running footsteps echoed through the dark shrubland. "Really? He doesn't seem that-"

Stopping as Alcryst slammed into the ground before him, his forehead on the ground in an act of complete submission as he began blubbering.

"I can't believe I just shot at the Divine Dragon!" He exclaimed, "please, Divine One! Forgive my impudence! I seriously had no idea! I-I thought that there'd be a more extravagant host following you! I-I really meant nothing by it! I'm sorry!"

Jack looked at Alear with half-lidded eyes. "Told you."

Alear frowned, holding up his hands as he looked down at Alcryst. "You, uh, don't need to apologize. It was a simple mistake."

Alcryst looked up, his eyes watery. "But I've seen you! I've been to the Somniel! I should've-!"

Raising a hand, Alfred said, "Seriously, it's alright, Prince Alcryst. If nothing else, the Divine One is forgiving."

"Forgiving, hmm," Lapis said, her eyes narrow. "This wouldn't have happened if you'd brought a fitting host with you. All I see is a ragtag bunch of weary soldiers. Almost like an invasion force."

"L-Lapis! Please, don't say that!" Alcryst begged, getting to his feet. "Please, Divine One, pay her no mind! We're just a bit… jumpy. Elusia has been acting strangely lately - as if they're preparing something. Everyone in Brodia is on edge."

"Let's all just calm down," Alear stated, "I would have brought a proper welcoming party with me, be assured, but we're on borrowed time right now. Sombron has returned, and Lythos is preparing for war."

"Sombron, the Fell Dragon?" Alcryst said, his stutter fading away.

"So, it really was an invasion they were preparing. Those Elusians…" Citrinne sighed, "If that is the case - Alcryst, you know what we must do."

"It's a shame we won't be able to test them," Lapis mumbled.

"Much as I could go for another workout, yeah, I think I agree with your retainer, Alcryst," Alfred stated, "so long as she's suggesting what I think she's suggesting."

"You'll be collecting the Emblem Ring entrusted to Brodia, right?" Alcryst asked. "I wish it could have been someone more dignified escorting you, but if you're looking for safe passage to the castle, I can take you there."

"Thank you, Prince Alcryst," Alear said, bowing his head. "The sooner we collect the Emblem Rings, the better. Before we go, though, is there anything you can tell me about yours?"

"I believe it's called the Ring of the Young Lion," Alcryst said, "it has its own hall in the castle. Very hard to miss."

"The Young Lion…" Alear whispered, "I see. Alright, then. Lead the way, Prince Alcryst. Hopefully we can make some headway before it gets too late."

Jack, who had slowly stepped away, nodded before returning to the bulk of the army.

It wasn't until the next morning that they would make it to the bridge that connected Firene and Brodia. Fittingly, the area that surrounded the bridge was covered in ruins, from towns that had popped up during times of much trade between the nations, only to have been razed when relations collapsed. The cragginess of Brodia was obvious even from their distance, with tall peaks surrounding a single path deeper into the mountains.

It was around that time, probably less than an hour away from the Brodia Bridge, that Jack met with Alear, Alfred, Alcryst, Veyle, and Céline. Since they were still far enough away to not see any Elusian troops occupying the bridge, Jack thought it'd be a good time to get the whole Brodian part of their campaign out of the way.

Jack placed his hands on the table, taking a deep breath. "Alright, for everyone who isn't Alcryst, let me just say, this'll be the first time we will be fighting against people who eventually join our side."

Alcryst looked around at the other four, as if searching their facial expressions would somehow conjure up an answer as to why he was singled out. "How does he know that? W-What's going on here?"

"Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows of your peculiar circumstances, Jack," Céline noted, before turning to Alcryst. "Prince Alcryst, Jack here is… well, for lack of a better term, an augur. A prophet, if you are feeling sanctimonious It was he who saved Queen Lumera from certain death."

Veyle looked down at that, guilt evident in her expression.

"Let's not give me any undue accolades, here, Princess Céline," Jack pleaded. "Please. Maybe I did that, but I made myself look like a fool doing so."

"A fool who saved the day," Céline replied.

Alear sighed. "You will not get anywhere saying that, Céline, it is like talking to a brick wall. Anyway, Prince Alcryst, what she says is true. Jack has seen our future, and it was because of him that my sister stands beside me now, and my… mother, is still in Lythos preparing for war."

Alcryst's eyes were so wide, Jack thought they would pop out of his head. He looked from Alear, to the black-and-white haired girl beside him, and then finally at Jack.

"I-I'm probably not smart enough to understand what's really going on here, huh? That's why you guys are telling me this," Alcryst finally said, nodding his head. "I see. I get it, really. When I'm inevitably captured by the enemy, they'll only get nonsense out of me. A cunning strategy. Better than anything I could come up with."

"They aren't lying," Jack said, his expression like that of a stone statue. "I really have seen the future. As an example, The Brodia Bridge, right now, is under occupation by Elusian forces trying to steal the Emblem Rings."

Alcryst went white as a sheet. "H-how? How did they get by the border guards?"

Jack shrugged. "There's a pretty large force there, and it's not the only one. If communication isn't instantaneous, then they either passed by or smashed through your border guard. That's not all, though. The person leading the Elusian soldiers at the bridge is Princess Hortensia."

Alcryst's lips trembled as he placed his face in his hands. "This day just keeps getting worse and worse."

"There's another force heading toward Brodia Castle, but that shouldn't happen until we're done with these idiots," Jack continued, "I'll… tell you more about it once we're there. Don't go easy on Hortensia, though. She may be young, but she'll have an Emblem Ring and she's a powerful, pegasus-mounted mage. Her two retainers will be there, too - one rides a wyvern, and another knows her way around sword and spears. They don't have Emblem Rings, but be careful."

"Would it be possible to get the Emblem Ring off of her?" Alear asked.

Jack looked up to the ceiling of the tent, watching the wind ruffle the fabric as he thought before looking down again. "You're welcome to try, but I doubt it. The ring she'll have is of the Princess Exalt, by the way. Lucina's her name. If you want to try and capture her while you're at it, be my guest."

"She was one of the Emblems stolen from Lythos, right?" Veyle asked, her voice low.

Tilting his head, Jack replied, "Yeah. Unless the enemy suddenly discovered the locations of the other Emblem Rings. Which doesn't seem likely, but considering Jean…"

"It's a possibility we should take into account," Céline stated. "Although the fact that you find Jean's involvement with Anna - my apologies, Lady Anna - so disquieting, you likely already know that."

Jack's face formed into a deep frown as he nodded. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I don't know why you all didn't capture her in the timeline I saw. As far as I could see, you just let her go. Maybe, let's not have that happen here?"

"I assure you, I have no intention of letting her or the Emblem Ring go," Alear said, placing a hand against his chest. "With what you've told us, though, perhaps we could set up archers along the side of the bridge, and shoot her down?"

"Let me stress this: she's not a bad person," Jack said, his lips pressed into a thin line. "And aiming for her like that could kill her - the body of her pegasus could crush her, or she could fall off the bridge, with the Emblem Ring, too. The royals of Elusia are as much victims in this as Brodia or Firene. The only real bastard in that kingdom is King Hyacinth, and he's - well, he's not himself."

Alrcyst's eyes narrowed as he looked up. "Is he… under Sombron's control? I-I mean if I'm wrong I-"

Jack shrugged. "As far as I can tell? Probably. You can ask Princess Ivy or Princess Hortensia when they join up. That's not my story to tell."

Alfred rubbed his chin. "I could always put her in a headlock until she stops moving. I've been getting some really good arm exercises in so maybe-"

Céline gasped. "I had you down as a barbarian, Alfred, but that is absurd! A princess demands far more dignity than to be held up by a brute such as you."

"Use it as a last resort, then?" Alfred said, laughing a little into his sleeve. "If she's a mage, then she's probably not physically strong - oh, wait, she's got an Emblem. Er, Sigurd?"

Sigurd showed himself in a brief flash of blue light, hovering beside Alfred.

"I do not find myself relishing the idea of manhandling a woman, but… these are dark times, and often we will find ourselves forced to do things we once thought unthinkable," he stated.

"Manhandling one woman, versus letting the world drown in blood and hellfire?" Jack asked, "Seems like a good deal to me."

"And that is a bad faith argument if ever I heard one," Céline sighed. "Prince Alcryst, you have been very quiet. Perhaps you might offer up your opinion?"

Alcryst ran a hand down his face. "Princess Hortensia is an enemy, but I don't like the idea of restraining her like that. But, if we have no other choice…"

"Perhaps… other options will show themselves?" Veyle asked, turning to Alear. "We might not have to do anything like that. We won't know until the battle starts."

"I'm inclined to agree. This arguing won't get us anywhere. I'll still have archers on the sides, but I won't have them target Princess Hortensia. If she is going to be a future ally, I will not kill her," Alear said, and Jack could see him tapping his fingers on the table - nervousness, perhaps.

"Whatever happens on that bridge, we can't wait for long," Alcryst said, suddenly resolute as he headed toward the tent flap. "If Elusia is going to attack Brodia Castle, then Diamant and father will be in trouble. We must help them."

"Now, that's an idea I can get behind," Jack whispered.

Alear nodded, pushing himself away from the table. "Let's go, then. Alfred? Let's get the troops moving."

The army reached the Brodia Bridge just before noon, and the sun hung in the sky - reflecting off the sweat on his brow, Jack noted bitterly. The Elusian soldiers crawled on the bridge like ants, and he could see pegasi in the sky, scouting, probably. The mountains of Brodia stood sentinel on the other side of the bridge, but even on the other side, he felt parched just looking at the ground.

Their plan was simple: Alear, Alfred, Céline, and Veyle would approach the bridge, acting surprised. Hortensia would, presumably, go to meet them and demand the surrender of their Emblem Rings. The archers on the other side of the bridge, Alcryst and Etie, would then begin sending volleys of arrows, as the others, Jack included, would charge the bridge in a show of overwhelming force. With Micaiah and Celica granting Yunaka and Céline magical prowess, Jack felt confident that the battle would be over within an hour.

There was enough shrubbery on their side of the bridge that allowed the troops to take cover. It was an agonizing few minutes - Jack had always heard that the worst part of fighting for one's life was the waiting for said battle to begin rather than the battle itself. He was certainly feeling that way in the moments before Alear and his entourage stopped at the entrance to the bridge. And when he thought about it, he had felt that way before every battle that had happened before.

It was more welcome than feeling nothing as he drove a spear through someone's heart, at least.

Jack saw the Elusian soldiers mobilize, forming a line as Hortensia flew overhead. He couldn't hear anything that was said; he had a good idea on what they were all saying based on body language, but beyond that, he could only guess. Lucina appeared by Hortensia's side - the first time Jack had seen a Dark Emblem.

Besides the obvious differences, such as the red coloring, there was also the eyes. They were clouded, somehow, as if Lucina wasn't actually seeing through them. Hortensia flaunted the Emblem Ring on her finger as if it was an engagement ring or something like that, before Alear shouted something, Marth appearing by his side.

The others began moving after that, and Jack followed suit. He saw magic and arrows flying through the sky, striking the pegasus knights on the side of the bridge and sending their bodies falling into the dark ravine below. He saw Lapis and Boucheron beside him, and he was very much glad that Lapis' giant greatsword was on their side as she cleaved through an Elusian soldier's guard and nearly bisected the poor bastard. Not to be outdone, Boucheron, the mountain of muscle that he was, kicked a soldier down and slammed his axe into his shield again and again until the soldier's only defense was nothing but twisted metal and timber.

Jack, for his part, charged forward and did what he always did: take out stragglers and those surprised by the sudden appearance of more than a dozen angry Firenese and Lythosians. He rammed his spear into the chest of an unsuspecting sword fighter, watched as blood flew out of the soldier's mouth before he went limp upon the battered stone of the bridge. Jack didn't waste time; doing so had nearly cost him his life before, so he immediately went for the next Elusian soldier he saw, and kept on fighting.

At some point, Jack knew that he would meet his match. There would come a time where he could no longer coast by and feel good about himself during battle, as if he was actually contributing anything meaningful. Under the hot sun of the Firene-Brodian border, he felt like he should've expected something to go wrong - for him, anyway.

As soon as he was done with another Elusian soldier, planting his spear into the dazed fool's heart before roughly tearing it out, he was bashed in the side by a shield, ending him sputtering and cursing to the ground. Rolling to his side and getting to his feet, he saw who his next opponent was to be.

…Oh no.

With her golden brown hair tied in a ponytail and flipped over her shoulder, white flowers adorning the sides of her head, and a large pauldron on her left, there was only one person who that could've been.

"Did you have fun killing our soldiers?" Goldmary asked. Her voice was low, but the tone was barely above conversational, as if she was asking what Jack thought of current events. "Unfortunately for you, playtime is over. Now, hurry up and die."

Goldmary came at Jack like a bat out of hell, showing just how complacent he had become. Going up against conscripted soldiers and bandits could never have prepared him for a real combat master's onslaught.

To Jack's credit, he was able to last a long time. Goldmary's attacks were fast and precise, but with Jack on the defensive with a longer weapon, he was able to successfully keep her from completely overwhelming him. Even so, he was constantly losing ground, and there was nothing taking Goldmary's focus off of him. All the while, the battle raged around them, a constant maelstrom of sound that only served as white noise in the background.

Eventually, however, Jack couldn't keep up. Whether it was a slip up in his stance - something that Alfred had taught him - or the fact that he just plain didn't have enough stamina, he took a slash across the chest. It didn't cut through his breastplate, but he could feel the blow nonetheless, and doubtlessly he broke a rib or two. It was enough to catch him off balance, and Goldmary rushed forward and slammed her shield into his face.

Jack heard the sickening 'crunch' of his nose breaking as blood flowed down the bottom of his face. He could taste the iron in his mouth as he fell backward. It felt as if his head had exploded, but he kept himself from writhing on the ground in agony as Goldmary readied to finish him off.

Jack kicked his leg out, catching Goldmary in the knee and causing her blade to swing to the side, allowing him to move slightly so that it harmlessly stabbed the stone of the bridge.

"Fucking-!" Jack snarled, his voice sounding watery to his own ears as he backed up.

Goldmary was lining up for another stab, and Jack couldn't reach his spear in time.

Well, shit.

He stared at her the entire time, waiting for the blow to arrive - he didn't want to die with his eyes closed. The stab, however, never arrived.

Goldmary was grabbed from behind, and thrown to the ground, her sword clattering to the ground as Jack looked past where she once stood. Boucheron stood there, his armor battered and dirty, but certainly in better shape than Jack was.

Wordlessly, Alfred's retainer grabbed Goldmary's arm, as Etie, having abandoned her position to help in the thick of the battle, went for the other. Goldmary struggled and kicked, but she could not break their holds.

Jack nursed his nose, his nasal passages blocked by blood. He had to breathe through his mouth as he saw someone come up from his side.

"You were beaten pretty hard, huh?" Alfred asked, holding out his hand.

Looking from Alfred's hand to his face, Jack let out a sigh, and took it with his free hand. "You could say that, yeah."

"Well, it worked out in the end! Not for your nose or your chest, I suppose," Alfred commented, crossing his arms as he looked forward. "I think we might be getting another Emblem Ring."

Jack furrowed his brow at Alfred before looking forward as well, seeing the standoff that was occurring nearby.

The Elusian soldiers that remained were ragged and battered, but Princess Hortensia mostly looked just a bit dirty. Her white and pink hair had come undone, leaving it to flow with the wind. A person on an exhausted wyvern was by her side, and Jack mistook him for a woman at first - Rosado. He looked far more rough than Hortensia; he'd likely been protecting her from the worst of the battle.

Alear, Veyle, and Céline on the other hand, while a bit scuffed up, mostly seemed to be alright, as Goldmary was brought to their side, still held in place by Etie and Boucheron. She refused to look forward, at Hortensia or Rosado or any of the other soldiers.

"You've lost," Alear stated. "Give me your Emblem Ring, and you can leave with your retainer. If not, then we will be taking her as a prisoner."

"This isn't fair!" Hortensia cried. "You were supposed to be surprised! How? How did you know we were here!? Don't you have any honor!?"

"What is honorable about using an Emblem Ring against its will?" Veyle asked.

"S-Stop talking!" Hortensia said, gritting her teeth so hard that even Jack could tell she was doing it from his distance. "A-and my Emblem Ring…? B-but if I return without it, father will…"

"Don't give it up, Princess Hortensia," Goldmary said, looking up. "I'm- er…"

"Goldmary, as your liege, I order you to stop talking!" Hortensia shouted, "I… we can always get the Emblem Ring back, but I can't get you back if I do something wrong, Goldmary. I… Fine! Take the stupid Ring!"

Hortensia practically ripped the ring off her finger and threw it. It clinked to the ground at Alear's feet, who picked it up. He turned to Etie and Boucheron, and nodded his head. Goldmary fell forward slightly, before running forward as fast as her legs could carry her, and disappeared into the crowd of Elusian soldiers in front of her, refusing to allow any of them to see her.

Jack looked at Alfred. "What did she think we were gonna do to Goldmary?"

He winced at the nasally sound of his own voice, even as the bleeding stopped. He could feel every heartbeat on his face, and it had begun swelling.

Alfred shrugged. "I dunno, but she doesn't need to know we aren't gonna do that. What matters is that we got the Emblem Ring. Ah, and they're retreating. Good!"

Jack looked back to see Hortensia mount her pegasus and fly off into the sky, Rosado following close behind as the remaining Elusians began marching north. The sound of their footsteps sounded like thunder in his ears, and he could feel a headache coming on as he groaned.

"Ah, maybe we should get that looked at?" Alfred said.

Jack nodded. "Yes, please."

"Reignite us, Emblem of Awakening!"

A thrum spread from Alear's position to Jack's on one of the collapsed pillars that lined the stone bridge, a momentary distraction from what Yunaka was doing. Jack winced as Yunaka placed her fingers on his nose.

"Will it hurt?" Jack asked, his voice sounding so small he nearly winced again.

"For a second. Just don't move around so much, alright?" Yunaka replied, her expression like stone even as she spoke. "Now, on the count of three. Ready?"

"No," Jack said, "but do it anyway."

"One."

Jack closed his eyes.

"Two."

He braced himself-

"Three."

There was a small 'crunch' as Jack kept the steam that threatened to boil from his throat from leaving his mouth. A moment later, and the light from Yunaka's Mend staff washed over him, and the pain began to subside.

"I've nursed a few broken noses too, don't worry about it!" Yunaka said, her voice becoming its usual chipper tone.

Micaiah appeared by Yunaka's side, bowing her head and smiling. "And with my help, too. Somehow, displaced limbs make me shiver even more than a broken nose, however. If I had a spine that could shiver…"

"A spine that could shiver? Why? Did someone take it out- Oh, right, ghost," Yunaka nodded. "Yeah, I've had to deal with those, too. Those're always so nasty sounding, too! Like if someone started crushing a pinecone with their bare hands."

Jack looked back to Alear, noticing Lucina's blue, ethereal form beside him and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, yeah, and another Emblem Ring!" Yunaka said, "Zappy! Things are going well!"

"It didn't happen this way in the timeline I saw," Jack muttered, "I wonder what waits for Hortensia now. Knowing what happens to her sister when she loses an Emblem Ring…"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, er," Yunaka scratched her scalp. "King Hyacinth probably isn't gonna take it very well, huh? And… she's supposed to be an ally later, right?"

Jack nodded. "I'll give a bit more of an explanation later. I'm feeling… very, very tired right now."

"That would be the residual effect of the healing magic," Micaiah said, "The sun shall be setting soon, so you will have ample time to rest."

"God, I hope so…" Jack muttered, before noticing that Alear was walking toward them. "How's it going, chief?"

"Better than expected, thanks to you," Alear said, nodding with a smile on his face. "I just wanted to ask you a question. I noticed you were struggling in that battle. I'm just glad Boucheron and Etie made it in time."

Jack shrugged. "And also the fact that Yunaka and Micaiah are top-notch healers. It's nice to breathe out of my nose again."

Yunaka posed. "You got it! Yunaka the mysterious traveling troubadour at your service!"

"I'm glad to be of service, truly," Micaiah said, placing a hand against her chest. "As strange as it sounds, healing wounds brings back many memories."

Alear chuckled. "Of course, nothing would be possible without you too, Yunaka. I can't count how many times we've been saved by you and Micaiah. Ah, but back to my question."

Holding out a hand, Alear held the Ring of the Princess Exalt. Jack looked up, confusion etching his face.

"Jack, will you join with Lucina?" Alear asked.

Jack blinked once, then twice, then muttered out only one thing.

"Huh?"

Well, would you look at that cliffhanger! Even with it, this chapter was very long lol.

Anyway, I really like writing for this fic. Strange, that. I haven't felt that for so long I'd forgotten what it feels like. I actually feel excited to sit down and write!

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See you guys next time!