"Do you think we should even keep this going, Jack?"
The question sounded weird to Jack's ears, as if it came from a great distance or from underwater. He looked up from his phone to see Brianna with her feet propped up on the table, doing the same thing - at least, until she turned to look at him. Her brows furrowed.
"Don't give me that look, please," she asked, "and don't try and act like you don't know what I'm talking about."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jack responded
"You're a real piece of work, huh," Brianna said, sighing as she placed her phone on the table and massaged her temples. "I mean 'us', Jack. I mean, I can't be the only one who thinks that we're just not working out. I've known you since we've both been in diapers; it just feels… weird, to be together."
"I'm that bad, then?" Jack asked, pseudo-fragility entering his tone as he looked out the window of their shared room. "Way to hit me where it hurts, Brianna."
"That's actually the one thing I kinda like, but I'm not talking about that," Brianna said with a sigh.
"Then, well, maybe you should come out and say what's wrong rather than dancing around the issue like a ballerina?" Jack suggested, also placing his phone on the table and crossing his arms.
"I haven't done baller-whatever since I was ten, shut your face," Brianna groaned. "Alright, fine - all this couple shit? It feels weird and I don't think I like it. And I think we should break up."
Jack blinked before tilting his head to the side. "Maybe you're right. I always wondered what it'd be like to be in a relationship, but this- yeah, it doesn't feel all that great, huh?"
"Well, we both waited until we were outta high school. Maybe that's the problem? How's your sister doing? She find any boys or girls?"
"We're talking about 'us', not my sister's love life," Jack snorted. "Though, no, she hasn't. Anyway, if you wanna break this off, I don't see a reason why we shouldn't. Can't help but feel like we didn't try hard enough, though."
"Trust me, Jack, if some of the shit I've read online and talked to my friends about is true, then we're dodging a bullet here," Brianna whistled. "I mean, think about it. How many things in life do we blame ourselves for because we think we 'didn't try hard enough'? It's like a Greek tragedy or something."
"Or something? It ain't hubris and it ain't wrath, so it ain't a Greek tragedy," Jack replied.
"Shakespearean, then?"
Jack thought for a moment before nodding. "Sounds like something that guy would write. If he wasn't a couple centuries dead, of course."
"I mean, Jack, with the way AI is looking right now-"
"I don't wanna talk about AI," Jack snarled. "At all. Fuck that. That crap's gonna steal my shiny job at some point, all 'cause some asshole wants to skimp out on actually paying someone to do work."
Brianna shrugged. "Could do a lotta good. For something. Just because I can't think of anything right now doesn't mean it can't, so before you even start, shut up!"
Jack held up his hands in surrender. "Don't shoot me."
"I don't have a gun!"
"Oh, I see. My mistake," Jack said, standing up. "I think I'll take a walk. Did you wanna move out, too?"
Brianna shrugged. "There some law that says we can't still be roommates? Or do you think we'll be all awkward or something?"
"Don't feel very awkward right now."
"Unless you want me to move out, I'm not going anywhere," Brianna responded, picking up her phone again. "I need to, uh, check something anyway. Say high to Nat when you get to your college, whatever it's called again."
"It's called-"
Brianna waved her hand. "Goodbye now!"
"Am I being rushed out of my own apartment?" Jack questioned loudly. "Maybe I should kick you out, just for that."
"Oh, woe is me, my cruel landlord is threatening to throw me on the street. Whatever shall I do?" Brianna said, placing the back of her hand against her forehead and leaning against her seat. "Nah, but seriously, I need to… do something private, let's say. So, uh, please?"
Jack gave a mock-salute. "Alright. See ya later."
Brianna waved her hand. "See ya 'round, Jack."
He turned away, not realizing that would be the last time he would see her-
Jack woke up slowly, groggily. He groaned as he lifted himself out of his cot, looking out to see the beautiful scenery of the Somniel, complete with its chirping birds and the sound of flowing water - picturesque, and always a welcome sight. It was the only reason his day didn't start miserably.
Taking a deep breath, Jack stood up.
"Why did I have a dream like that?" he murmured to himself, tracing the outline of the scar across his left cheek as he moved out of the tent. "Why that?"
Rubbing his forehead, Jack shook his head.
"Pull yourself together, Jack," he said to himself. "You've got a big day ahead of you. An interrogation, maybe a proper thank you to Princess Ivy, the whole nine yards. No- no more dreams like that, either, hopefully."
With that out of the way, Jack prepared himself for the day.
Before them, knelt Mauvier.
Jack looked to his side to see what would essentially be the royal knight's tribunal. Alear, Veyle, Lumera - and then there was Jack, standing to the far right awkwardly as he looked around. They were at the very edge of the Somniel, right where what looked like a mausoleum sat precariously at the end. Jack wondered, if they decided that Mauvier should die for his 'crimes', that they would simply shove him off the Somniel and straight onto some poor Lythosian's back yard.
It would have been a brutally effective and efficient means of execution, granted. Still, the three dragons beside him seemed to be the merciful type. Thankfully, of course.
"We're not going to execute you, Mauvier," Alear said, crossing his arms and turning to Veyle. "I'm told that you're her knight. A retainer, right?"
"That would be correct," Mauvier said, nodding his head. "Had I known she was being controlled rather than acting of her own free will, I would never have joined the Hounds."
Jack snorted. "The violent mood swings weren't enough to clue you in?"
"It was never my job to question what my superiors wished of me," Mauvier mumbled, looking down. "And hindsight is a tricky thing. I allowed myself to be captured, so that I might be here to further assist Lady Veyle. That has always been my purpose."
That explains a lot.
Lumera spoke up. "Vander is not much different, my son. He and his charges would follow you even if you turned against all of Elyos."
Alear's lips thinned. "Not… not really helping, mother."
Closing her eyes, Lumera said. "Ah, yes. Of course, my apologies. I should not speak of such things. Following orders unquestionably should never be something that is excused. Nonetheless, the atrocities Jack has spoken of - they have not happened here, have they?"
Alear shook his head. "I suppose not."
"I think we should let him join us," Veyle said suddenly. "I've… I've missed him. I miss talking to him, sharing meals- please, show him mercy. He could probably tell us more about the Hounds and Sombron's plans."
"I appreciate you standing up for me, Lady Veyle," Mauvier said, continuing to bow his head down. "But I'm afraid whatever information I could have offered was already given to you by your Augur."
"Oh dear Lord, he's calling me that, too?" Jack said, running a hand down his face and wincing when it went over his scar. "If Sombron calls me that, I'm gonna lose it."
"Is it not a fitting description?" Lumera asked, brow raised.
"I mean… perhaps it is, but still. It gives me undue importance."
Lumera hummed. "I believe I recall telling you about that 'humble' nature of yours, Jack."
Jack waved a hand. "Let's not get into that here. Sorry. I mean it, too - no backhanded sarcasm here. Old habits die hard. And, before any of you ask for my opinion, I think you should spare him, too. Let him join our forces; he's a skilled knight. I mean, so long as he doesn't have issues raising his lance against his former comrades."
Mauvier shook his head. "It will be… difficult, but if Lady Veyle finds it necessary, then I shall do it."
"You don't have to fight them if you don't want to, Mauvier," Veyle said, bouncing on her heels. "I just want to talk to you again, like we used to."
Alear licked his lips and took a deep breath before continuing. "Alright, then. I see no reason not to allow you to join us, considering two people are willing to vouch for you. There is one thing I'm curious about, though. Diamant and Alcryst are probably wanting to know it, too."
Jack's eyes widened.
"Who was that Crossbowman?" Alear asked. "We still have no idea."
Mauvier's gaze suddenly turned to Jack, who looked away. Such a motion didn't go unnoticed by Alear and Lumera in particular.
"Jack… do you know something?" Alear asked.
"I am surprised he has not told you," Mauvier said quietly. "Though, then again, perhaps it should be expected."
"Wasn't enough that you're one-fourth the reason I was captured, now you're just gonna oust me in front of everyone?" Jack said quickly, rolling his shoulders. "Fine, then. Guess there's no way out of it. I know who she is, yeah."
Alear blinked. "She?"
Jack let out a sigh and nodded. "Yeah, she. She's the reason they found the Emblem Bracelets, she's the reason King Morion and King Hyacinth are taking dirt naps right now - and she's my sister."
Alear stood stock still for a few moments, as Lumera closed her eyes and nodded her head.
"So, you are not alone," Lumera stated, "Jack, you have my condolences and my sympathy. You saved us from fighting our friends and family, only to have to fight your own. I am sad to say that I still have not found by what means you were taken to Lythos, or your sister to where she ended up."
"Is she…?" Veyle began, trailing off as she looked up to Jack with wide violet eyes.
"She's…" Jack said, wiping at his eyes. "I don't think she's there of her own free will. They did something to her. Something worse than what they did to you. You had an entirely different personality shoved into you. Natalie, she's… changed, somehow. Altered. I don't think she's a Corrupted but-"
"Jack, you don't need to go on. It's okay," Alear said, holding up a hand. "I can see why you'd keep something like that a secret, at least."
"My apologies for exposing such raw wounds," Mauvier said, raising his head up to look Jack in the eye. "If you would ask something of me, I will grant it."
"Damnit, this was supposed to be a tribunal! Not my soap opera episode," Jack said. "Just… let me keep your fancy Flame Lance and we're even, alright?"
"My… fancy Flame Lance?" Mauvier said, raising a brow. "You have a peculiar way of speaking."
"You get used to it. I used to think he was a little weird, but I think I actually like it now," Veyle admitted.
"I am so glad that I seem to be growing on you all," Jack deadpanned.
"He provides a… unique viewpoint, I shall grant him that," Lumera noted, tilting her head back to look Jack in the eye. There was a sly grin on her face as Jack's expression slightly soured. "I am only teasing, Jack. There is no need to glare at me so rudely! Hehe."
"Alear, your mom is bullying me," Jack complained.
"I… don't know what you want me to do about that, Jack," Alear replied, rubbing the back of his neck.
Jack waved his hands in front of himself wildly. "I dunno, uh- tell her to stop?"
Alear turned to Lumera. "Mother, could you stop bullying Jack?"
Lumera paused for a moment before answering. "No."
"I'm sorry, Jack, but I have done the best I can," Alear said, rolling his shoulders.
"This is just payback for me keeping personal secrets, isn't it?" Jack asked aloud, mostly to himself. "I was better off in the Elusian dungeons."
"If I may speak?" Mauvier said.
"Something wrong?" Alear replied.
Mauvier moved slightly, his shoulders pushed forward as he looked up at the four people before him. "As I have pledged myself to your service, would you see fit to release me from my bonds? They are… uncomfortable."
"...Ah, yes, that would be prudent. Veyle? Do you want to do the honors?" Alear asked.
Veyle nodded, moving forward with Misericorde in hand. "Welcome back, Mauvier."
After a few seconds, Mauvier stood up, dusting himself off and moving his tattered clothes around a bit. "As I said, I pledge myself to your service, Divine One. Until a time comes where you no longer need me, I am your man."
"A leader is only as good as the allies he keeps, my child," Lumera noted. "And I believe you have shown yourself to be a capable leader. "I shall return to Lythos for the time being, but - ah, if it would not be too much trouble, might we share dinner, this one time?"
Jack watched Alear stammer with his words for a moment before agreeing profusely. If nothing else, Jack thought, he was glad he was able to save Lumera, even if he made himself look like an idiot doing so.
At least he was able to keep one family together.
There were two things Jack wanted to do before Alear's army left the Somniel: talk to Princess Ivy, and train with either Chrom and Robin, or somebody else with an Emblem. Considering he wasn't quite in the mood for a thrashing - at least, a physical one - he decided to do the former first. It wasn't difficult to find Ivy in the first place; even though she wasn't wearing her provocative battle dress, she was probably the gloomiest-looking person on the Somniel otherwise.
Jack found her in the cafe terrace, with an odd, peaceful expression on her face as she sipped tea from a delicate teacup. She wore a demure blue-ish purple dress that went down to her ankles, and a black veil covering her head, but not her face - an odd inversion of her usual attire. She was all alone; nobody was around, not even anyone at the counter. Jack had a moment of hesitation. He had no idea who Princess Ivy really was, and for some reason, he felt a clawing nervousness in his chest.
Nonetheless, after a few moments where he gathered his courage, he walked forward.
Somehow, the sunlight reaching into the cafe terrace felt hotter than usual as he stood before Ivy's table, and she looked up at him with a brow raised.
"Is this seat taken?" Jack asked, placing a hand on the chair in front of him.
Ivy looked down at where Jack's hand was planted before looking back up at him. "I do not believe it is, no."
"Do you… mind if I sit here? I'd like to say something," Jack said quickly, wiping his forehead.
Should've brought my hood or a facemask or something. The scar's probably making this more awkward than it needs to be.
"Is this something that absolutely cannot be said while standing up?" Ivy replied, and Jack couldn't tell if she was mocking him or if it was a genuine question, and her face betrayed no emotion one way or the other.
Jack took in a deep breath. "Well, no, but this'd be even more awkward if I stood here and talked down to you, wouldn't it?"
Ivy gestured to the seat Jack had his hand on. "Then by all means, take a seat."
Letting out a deep breath, Jack sat down, clasping his hands together as Ivy eyed him warily.
"I just… wanted to thank you," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck after a few moments. "Thank you for getting me outta that hellhole. Even if Alear forced you into doing it, I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate it."
"I volunteered myself. I had to pay back my debt somehow," Ivy said, placing her teacup down.
Jack blinked. "You did it willingly? Huh."
"Do I seem such a cold person to you?" Ivy asked pointedly.
Shrugging, Jack said, "Well, you're the princess of a kingdom that's very, very cold."
"That is… hardly the point," Ivy said slowly. "My point is, there is no need to thank me, as there is no need for me to thank you. We have both helped each other in some way, and so our debts are paid."
"Right, the people of Elusia. Queen Lumera talked about it," Jack said, nodding, as he tapped his fingers against the table. "Saved a lotta lives doing that, you know. At some point in the future, we would've come upon a town that had been entirely twisted into those creatures."
"Mm. And you feel the need to remind me," Ivy replied.
Jack blinked before, nodding and standing up. "Yeah, that was my bad. I- look, I'm sorry. I'll just go now. Don't blame you for not thinking too much of me. You looked really peaceful before I ruined it. Erm, see you later."
Jack turned to walk away, but stopped when Ivy spoke up again.
"...Wait. My apologies, it is not you that I do not like," Ivy said quickly. "And if I gave you that impression, then I apologize again."
Jack turned. "Then what's the issue?"
"Your foreknowledge," Ivy answered, closing her eyes. "It… unnerves me. The fact our lives may have been predetermined to be like this - at times, such a revelation feels as if it might sunder me. I can barely stand it when Kagetsu predicts what we shall have for dinner the following day, or what the weather will be a week from now. And here you are, an augur, telling us of what may come to pass."
Jack stood still for a moment before turning around and nodding. "I guess that makes sense, yeah. Any way I can help with that? I don't know a lot about you."
"What would have happened to Hortensia, had the Divine Dragon not taken her ring from her?" Ivy asked instantly. "It seemed such a strange thing back then, but now I know that would not have happened without your intervention."
Jack frowned deeply. "You don't wanna know, Princess Ivy."
"I beg to differ," Ivy said, leaning forward. "Please, have a seat once more and tell me about it. I would hear from the mouth of someone who lived it rather than second-hand from the others."
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose as he sat back down, his hand dragging against the surface of the table as he did. "Are you sure you wanna know? It's not going to happen here - that much is certain."
"Even so, I would know," Ivy said, her brows ever so slightly furrowed in concentration as her hands crossed her lap. "Please, tell me."
Letting out a sigh, Jack relented. "Alright, fine. Where do I even begin? Well, guess it starts at the Brodian bridge we crossed…"
Ivy was a master at hiding her expression, Jack noted. Even as he got to the worst parts of his story, the elder princess of Elusia barely changed her placid and cold expression. A small twitch of her brow was all that came from Jack recounting how Hortensia was briefly brainwashed, for instance.
"And that's about where we stand," Jack said, "After that, you and Hortensia sort of… fade into the background, so to speak. Once Elusia is liberated from Sombron's forces, and Sombron himself is dead, you go back and become a fine Queen. You're remembered for centuries."
"...At least this tale had a happy ending," Ivy said, placing her hands on the table once again. "Even if circumstances appear better now, I wonder what you and your sister's interference have done to this, er, 'timeline'."
Jack shrugged. "No way to know for certain unless we gathered all the info in my noggin and compared it to where we are now. The game, or story, didn't really give a lot of solid dates for anything. All I know is that the journey takes months, maybe even over a year."
"Indeed. Even now, there is a long road ahead of us," Ivy said, looking into her teacup before placing it back where it sat. "Me, Queen of Elusia and long remembered? Even now, with proof of what you have foreseen, I find it hard to believe."
Jack tilted his head. "How do you figure?"
"I… no, I shall not burden you with my own insecurities," Ivy said, closing her eyes.
"Look, if you don't trust me, that's fine, but even without me being able to see another timeline, I think you'd make for an excellent queen," Jack admitted.
"And with what evidence do you present this claim?" Ivy asked, brow raised.
Jack shrugged. "You can call it intuition. Or I could point out how you skipped out on a chance to act selfishly to try and save your father, and instead went and saved as much of Elusia's population as you possibly could. Listen, my people - we didn't have a king or queen. But I know a good leader and a good person when I see one."
"Y-you…" Ivy shook her head. "I think you place too much faith in me. Any monarch should put their people first. I should not be praised for such a pittance."
"...I think I've heard that somewhere before," Jack mumbled. "It's not a pittance. Really, it's not. Do you really think just any old monarch - king, queen, whatever, you think they'd all do what you did? I can tell you right now, based on my terrible knowledge of them back home, that you're basically a paragon just for this alone."
Ivy stood up, placing her hands on the table and jostling her teacup slightly, though she didn't notice. "This has been an… enlightening conversation, Au- Jack. But, for now, I believe we have precious little time before we must begin moving through Solm. Let us continue this conversation at another time. Farewell."
Jack watched her begin to leave, before looking down at the table, and at the teacup Ivy left behind.
"Princess Ivy!" Jack called, and she turned quickly, such that Jack was even able to see the red on her face. "You forgot your teacup."
Her face was oddly contorted, with her lips thinned and her eyes wide as she marched back, grabbed her teacup, and hastily went back to walking away.
"You're welcome," Jack said.
"T-Thank you," Ivy replied, before she went out of sight.
Jack sat there for several seconds before scratching the left side of his face.
"That was weird," he concluded.
Jack held his new Flame Lance before him, the molten lava-like pattern along its blade shining brightly as he stared Chrom down from across the water. The Ylissean held Falchion in both hands, eyes trained on Jack as he circled around him.
Nearby, Robin looked on with crossed arms and brows raised, his gaze switching from Chrom to Jack and vice versa every so often.
The seconds ticked by in Jack's head, so much so he almost felt like he could hear a clock ticking somewhere in the astral plane that the Somniel somehow contained. After a few more seconds, Jack sprung into action.
He hadn't had time to really use the Flame Lance much; he couldn't figure out how Mauvier was able to shoot fireballs out of it. Nonetheless, hitting someone with the blade would hurt no matter what, and so he charged Chrom with all his strength. Chrom watched Jack with barely a change in his expression, Falchion's blade parallel with where Jack's Flame Lance would hit.
At the last possible moment, Jack switched where his lance would hit, hoping to catch Chrom off guard. The Exalt anticipated this, blocking the blow. It had the intended effect, however; instead of a parry, Chrom had to guard, allowing Jack another chance at striking a real blow. Jack struck again and again against Chrom, trying to break past his guard, only to eventually tire himself out - not that Chrom got out unscathed, although Jack couldn't see it well due to the blue aura that surrounded the Emblem.
"Your spearwork is decent, and you know how to try and keep an enemy off balance," Robin commented. "It is clear, however, that you still have a long way to go."
Jack took in several deep breaths to get his heart under control as he placed a free hand against his chest. "I think I get that, yeah."
"It's been too long since I've had a good sparring session!" Chrom laughed, sheathing Falchion. "Reminds me of the days before King Gangrel invaded. Do you remember too, Robin?"
Robin snorted. "How could I forget? Those were the first days of my life as I knew it."
Jack put his Flame Lance away, rolling his shoulders and wiping the sweat from his brow.
"You two act like an old married couple, you know that?" Jack said, letting out a small chuckle.
Robin clicked his tongue. "I don't think the Queen-Regent of Ylisse would like the sound of that too much."
Chrom shrugged. "Good thing she's not here then, eh, Robin? Gods, if she was- perhaps you're right. Right now, let's focus on what you can improve on, shall we?"
Jack nodded. "Something's… different about me. I can feel it."
"Different? Could you be more specific? Perhaps we could help with that," Robin said, floating forward until he was beside Chrom.
Jack regarded the two Emblems with trepidation, feeling his heart slowly beating in his chest before he sighed. He would have to talk about Lucina again - something he obviously didn't like to do, especially in front of them. Even though they clearly didn't blame him for not being able to reunite them, Jack felt terrible regardless.
"Lucina uses bows and swords," Jack began, crossing his arms and scratching his temple. "And… I dunno, something about this lance feels awkward. Hang on, do you mind if I grab a sword really quick?"
Chrom nodded. "Go on. We'll be here."
Jack left quickly, and was back within a few moments, a hand-and-a-half sword propped against his shoulder. He had the urge to scratch the left side of his face again - only to suppress that urge and keep his hands on the sword. Before long, he stood before Chrom and Robin again, and they both looked on curiously as Jack adopted a stance he felt as if he'd known all his life.
"...That's Lucina's stance," Chrom noted. "Not a perfect imitation, but I can definitely see it."
Jack slashed forward, and the motion felt so fluid and natural that he could scarcely believe he was the one doing it. Another slash, a stab, and a small flourish later, and he looked up at Chrom and Robin with bewildered eyes.
"C-can someone explain that to me?" he asked, his voice small and quiet. "I-I don't like the idea of my body changing against my will. Last time that happened, well-" Jack traced his fingers along the jagged scar across the left side of his face. "So, um, anyone?"
"I suppose Lucina imparted some of her knowledge of fighting with a sword to you," Robin suggested. "That's what seems most probable to me. Did you not know Emblems could do that?"
Jack shrugged, looking out at the jagged rocks that jutted out from the endless, solid ocean around them. "I knew I could use a sword when I was Engaged with her, but afterward I'd always be just as clueless with one as before. So you're saying I just- I just inherited some of her knowledge with a sword?"
"Emblems can impart knowledge of the weapons they wielded in life to anyone they have a good bond with," Chrom explained. "I can't remember it very clearly, but I do remember doing it a long, long time ago. It seems Lucina trusted you enough to give some of her skill with a blade even after being separated from you."
"Though not enough to tell me that she did," Jack mumbled.
"It could be that she never had the chance," Robin said, "I wouldn't be so quick to judge, if I were you. Nonetheless, you now have good proficiency with two weapon types, which makes you a more able combatant even without an Emblem. Something like that should be celebrated, no matter where it came from."
Jack nodded, his frown fading. "You're right. I'm sorry - I didn't wanna sound ungrateful. It just… wasn't expecting it, is all."
"Shall we train with that sword next?" Chrom asked, left hand on Falchion's pommel. "You already have a good start, but proper training will always have a place."
Jack snorted, before adopting Lucina's stance again. "Yeah, I think I've got a little more in me. Let's go."
When it came to the Solmic deserts, Jack felt he had little in the way to prepare himself while also having protective armor. Plate armor would cook him alive, and wearing nothing but clothing meant to keep him cool would mean he'd be a stuck pig within seconds of a battle against the Corrupted. And so, he went with what seemed to suit him best.
Chainmail, with some amount of plate on his left arm, and simple cloth everywhere else where possible. It was about the best of both worlds as Jack - and the Somniel's resident blacksmith and armorsmith - could do given the circumstances. Everyone else seemed to follow suit, trying to hit a middle ground before they had even left the Somniel.
When the time came, however, Jack felt as if he had to put on his hood not just to avoid people looking at the left side of his face, but also to ensure his brain wasn't cooked inside his head like a piece of meat inside of a pressure cooker.
When they returned to the northern desert of Solm, however, even though most of Alear's army was equipped to handle it, they were clueless as to how to navigate it.
"I am certain we have passed that boulder before," Ivy commented, fanning herself as she walked beside Alear. "And… it shames me to admit this, but I fear I may melt into a puddle if we do not find shade soon."
"I would offer directions… but Alcryst and I traveled from the western coast toward the capital, not the north," Diamant said, wiping his brow.
"And we came in from the southwest, across the land bridge," Alfred added. "I can only imagine how Céline's feeling right now, if we're out here dying. Jack, do you have any idea how to get to the capital from here?"
Jack's face twitched as he turned to Alfred with a scowl. "Of course, all you need to do is pass by the Stone Forest of Eternal Damnation, cross the Deep Chasm of Flaming Death, and then ford the River of Ravenous Fish, and then the Solmic Capital will be just beyond the bend. You know, once you get past the Human-Crusher Colossi, but they're only awake on Thursday, I think."
Alfred nodded. "You don't know, then."
"Nope."
"Well, we're, erm, we're lost. Very lost," Alear finally admitted, stopping in place and holding his arms out to his sides. "We haven't seen any sign of this Fogado you spoke about, and I don't think we're anywhere near civilization. If this continues, we might have to return to the Somniel."
"He's supposed to show up. I don't- No, I do get it," Jack said, letting out a breath. "Timeline's changed, so he's probably somewhere else right now, watching out for us, not knowing we went somewhere stupid."
"Somewhere stupid?" Ivy repeated. "A better name than I would have given for all this sand."
"Let me say, though, this would be brilliant jogging weather," Alfred remarked. "So long as you could find some shade, at least. Dry heat is good for that."
"I will be sure to keep that in mind for the next session, Alfred. Thank you," Diamant replied, bowing his head slightly.
Jack looked between Alfred and Diamant. "That wasn't sarcasm, was it?"
Diamant raised a brow. "No, why would it be?"
"I… nevermind."
"Alright, I will call it here. I'm not going to risk our army's lives again," Alear said suddenly, turning around. "Gather everyone up, we'll try again at-"
Alear was interrupted as a distant and deep rumbling was felt through the ground. Jack looked down sternly, as if telling the earth itself to be quiet, only for another rumble, closer than before, to strike.
"...Are earthquakes common in Solm?" Alfred asked, looking up with wide eyes.
"Not to my knowledge, no," Ivy replied, but Jack could distinguish a slight tremble in her voice.
"They can happen in Brodia depending on where you are," Diamant stated, hand on his sword pommel. "But to happen here, it doesn't-"
Another rumbling - this one more like a quake than the other two as it shook the very ground beneath them and caused the sand to shift along its path. Jack took out his Flame Lance, while the others unsheathed and brought out their weapons as well. Alear was still at the front, Libération raised and shining bright white against the sun such that Jack felt he'd go blind if he stared for too long.
At last, one final quake split the earth entirely. A massive fissure opened just in front of them, with sand and rock falling into the sudden gaping hole. Jack only caught a glance, but there was nothing below; the fissure plunged into the depths of forever, it felt like. The group all skittered to one side, trying to avoid becoming separated by both the quakes and the ground itself. Jack's breath hitched in his throat, however, when he saw something crawl out of the fissure.
They looked like knights, at least, from Jack's distance. Their armored bodies were a dull gray, and sterile, as if they hadn't just come up from the ground. They held spears, swords, axes, halberds - and yet, not a single ranged weapon among them, not at a glance. They barely even made a sword as they moved forward other than the clanking of their metal plates. Their visors curved inward, giving the impression that they were both angry and murderous.
Jack was proven right for the latter when one approached him and tried to run him through with its sword.
Magical fire surged forward and burned several that got close, and Jack turned briefly to see Ivy making short work of a few of the husk-like knights. It appeared so, at least at first, until Jack saw them get right back up again, little more than singed and inconvenienced. Jack grit his teeth as he fought against the one that had come up to him.
Its movements were robotic; not a shred of life or style remained, as if it had been programmed. This had the beneficial effect of making them easily predictable, as Jack blocked it blow for blow, before eventually parrying a strike aimed for his head and stabbing the knight through the chest, the fire of the Flame Lance burning through its metal and coming out the other end.
As if in response, the knight's helmet retracted, the plates moving away as if they had a mind of their own. Jack recoiled from the sight: only a bleached skull was contained within, eye sockets nothing but black voids with a gaping rictus grin, and it promptly fell out of its cavity and hit the sand below.
Jack was snapped out of his horror-induced stupor by the creature reaching its hand forward and grasping his shoulder, keeping Jack firmly in place while it aimed its sword for a precise killing blow. Fortunately, Chrom appeared right behind the creature, and stabbed it in the back with Falchion. Jack took the cue and forced his Flame Lance out of the side of the creature while Chrom did the same on the other side, effectively bisecting the knight. Bones rattled out of the empty armor, just as the skull did, but the armor no longer moved.
Another husk sprung up behind him, and Jack readied himself to stab it with his Flame Lance until it stopped moving. At the last possible moment, however, arrows rained from the sky around it, striking it in the weak spots between its armored plates and causing it to stop moving just long enough for Jack to stab it directly in the face. The helmet shattered on contact, and a broken skull fell to the ground as Chrom performed a similar action. It fell to the ground in a heap of metal and bones a few moments later.
Briefly, Jack looked to see where the arrows had come from, only to catch a brief glimpse of what appeared to be Fogado before the prince of Solm disappeared from sight in the chaos.
Jack took a few deep breaths before looking up at Chrom.
"Are such creatures common around here?" he asked.
Jack shook his head vigorously. "I've never… seen them before."
He gasped out a few curses before looking around him, noticing the crumpled and melted bits of armor near Ivy, and the slashed and burst-open shells that surrounded Alear.
"No time to talk," Jack said, readying his lance. "Gotta kill these bastards!"
Jack stabbed his lance into a husk, again and again, until it stopped moving. His breath came out in shuddering gasps, and the others didn't seem to be much better - the heat of the desert was getting to them, particularly those from Elusia. Ivy looked just about ready to faint, even though she had barely a scratch on her, while Hortensia was limping across the sand. Jack looked to Alear, who wiped sweat from his brow as he looked around.
"Was that all of them?" he rasped out.
"I… I think so," Alfred reported, keeping himself up with his spear. "What were those things? They didn't look like Corrupted."
"Forget them," Jack said, turning his head to look where the fissure was, only to have his eyes bulge out of his head when he saw that only a faint crack in the earth remained of it. He walked forward and stomped his foot against it, but it was solid ground - not even a slight change happened.
Jack looked up. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"I'd hope not, friend. That'd mean that this is more than a Solm problem."
Jack looked beyond Alear to see three people approaching from a nearby sand dune - around the same place he thought he saw Fogado earlier. Everyone was immediately on edge; Ivy reached for her tome again, Diamant had his hand on the grip of his sword, and Alfred immediately dropped back into a battle-ready stance. Fogado took a step back, a friendly smile on his face as he held his hands up placatingly.
"Woah, woah! No need for steel! I helped you all out, didn't I? Those things have been terrorizing the countryside for months now, so it's good to know we got here on time," Fogado said.
Alear nodded his head, before turning to his army. "Everyone, lower your weapons. Are you- What is your name? Sorry for the icy welcome, but, well, those creatures aren't like anything we've ever seen before. We'd expected to come upon Corrupted, not… whatever those things were."
"Mhm. Yeah, I gotcha," Fogado said. "The Corrupted were a problem at first, you know. Mean guys with the one-eyed masks, right? That was, 'til these new things started popping up outta the ground like they own the place. My Sentinels have taken to calling them 'husks'. We thought it fits, considering the, you know, obvious."
"I see…" Alear said, turning to Jack who merely shrugged.
"Ah, but I didn't introduce us, did I? Man, I'm getting sloppy. Name's Fogado, and these two wonderful gentlemen behind me are Pandreo and Bunet, my pals in the Sentinels."
"I'd say it's nice to meet you, but today isn't looking to be a particularly good day," Pandreo said, bowing his head with his right hand against his chest. His left was clutching a book.
"Not entirely accurate, my friend - the husks here were far more tasteful-looking than the ones we first fought. Do you remember?" Bunet asked, running his fingers through his hair. "I would say the creatures we fought at the beginning were close to folk food, but at least folk food is cooked with the intention to be eaten; these creatures seemed to be burnt as a way to harden them so they could be thrown."
"Erm, it's nice to meet you all," Alear said, an awkward smile crossing his face. "My name is Alear, the Divine Dragon, and these are my allies. I want to thank you again for lending us your aid before; without it, I don't know if we would have all pulled through."
"Ah, the Divine Dragon," Pandreo said, nodding his head with a smile. "Well, it's a pleasure to- the Divine Dragon!?"
Jack approached the conversation looking from Fogado's band back to the fissure, and giving Alear a vacant stare.
"Uh, yes, I am the Divine Dragon, as I said. I didn't… offend him, did I?" Alear asked.
"Hm? Oh, no, don't worry about Pandreo. He's a very pious man is all. He can recite every verse of the holy book about you by heart!" Fogado said, letting out a chuckle. "Trust me, I know from experience."
"T-this is unprecedented! You're awake, at long last! I can't believe it!" Pandreo said.
Jack was finally able to get a good look at them. Fogado was exactly as Jack remembered him: dark skin, black hair, and oddly lively eyes, complete with a colorful assortment of clothing that made him stand out amidst the desert sand. Bunet and Pandreo, on the other hand, were far more tanned than he remembered, though Jack could still recognize them. Pandreo with his messy orange-red hair, and Bunet with his blonde hair, they were pretty colorful.
It was a welcome sight from the endless desert they had been subject to.
"I… am honored, truly," Alear said, his awkward smile somehow becoming even more awkward by the second. "But, erm, back to what we were talking about. You said these creatures, these 'husks', they- they, pushed out the Corrupted?"
Fogado nodded, his expression turning serious. "Yeah, they did. Just a few months ago now. I can't tell if things have stayed exactly the same or if they got worse, honestly."
Alear turned to Jack again, who gave another shrug.
"Sorry if this seems like I'm putting him on the spot, but who's your friend here? The one with the hood," Fogado asked, turning to Jack.
"Name's Jack," he replied, "I… don't have anything to do with these creatures, but, well, maybe I…"
"We'll talk about what we know later," Alear interrupted. "For now, is there anything else you can tell us about these husks?"
Fogado wiped at his forehead. "Well, for one, they're hard to kill, but you probably already knew that. They come outta the ground at random, with only tremors being a tell on when they'll appear. And, well, they drag anyone they can get their hands on back into the ground. Have no idea what happens to them, but it can't be pretty. No one's seen or heard from anyone who gets dragged down again."
Jack felt a shiver up his spine. He already had an idea of what was behind the Husks, but the thought that someone could do something like that from his own world - it wasn't unthinkable, but they must have been a real piece of work before even coming to Elyos.
Tetchie and Totchie brought the man up the stone steps. He was dropped unceremoniously at the foot of a large pool that nearly overflowed its boundaries and threatened to spill out onto the dark temple. The man shivered and coughed, blood visible on his colorful clothes as the bandit twins awaited for their master.
"Another one? I had thought all of them had been gathered already," the woman said, appearing out of the shadows and standing before them at the opposite side of the pool. "Have you been holding out on me? Or did Nelucce suddenly get worse at counting?"
"Think he followed some of the others through the fissure, boss," Tetchie said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "He's got them sword marks on him, like he tried fightin' the soldiers off."
"How sad," the woman stated, and she circled around the pool and before long, stood before them. She was almost tiny compared to them, yet even so they backed away at her approach. "His poor little family's already been sacrificed, I wager. Still, I'll require a lot more if I wanna punch a hole. Let me take care of this."
Tetchie and Totchie saluted, before disappearing into the dark of the temple. The man on the floor stirred and looked up, recoiling as she knelt. "B-back away from me! Monster!"
"Monster? C'mon, you can do better," the woman said, smiling coyly. "This monster has a name, you know. Brianna. Though it won't matter that you know it for long."
"W-what-"
"Do you want to be with your family?" Brianna asked, tilting her head. "I could take you to them. It wouldn't take long. Just a small 'shove' and off you go! You'll be helping me and mine get home."
"Home? I don't-"
"No, you don't, because you're not real. But you have your uses. Now…" Brianna said, reaching her hands forward. "Come now, don't shy away from me. You look like you could use a woman's touch…"
The man had nowhere else to go, but when Brianna's cold and clammy hands clasped against his cheeks, he prayed to the Divine Dragon for penance and safety.
He started to scream when Brianna grabbed his face and forced him to look into the dark pool. Deep in that abyss, he could see shapes - skulls and bones and rotting flesh in equal measure, fading away into the black. He screamed and screamed until Brianna planted him face first into the ooze, and all at once, he stopped moving. A deep, wet squelching reverberated around the dark temple as the man's body was slowly devoured by the ooze.
"Not much more," Brianna said, looking at the man's slowly sinking body. "Not much more, Brianna, not much more, and this'll all seem like a bad dream…"
There was a scream within the dark, like a baby's cry, and Brianna moved forward. A pale light floated above her shoulder as an unnatural shine came from her ring finger.
"Not much more, not much more…"
Longest chapter of this fic so far, and steadily setting up what comes for the rest of Act 2. Fun times ahead!
Also, this Chapter was posted on Fire Emblem's 33rd birthday! Huzzah! Here's to another 33.
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