Gwendolyn was in bed. She and Oswald survived Armageddon, which made her happy. But Gwendolyn still felt ill. She hoped there were still more survivors, although they had not had such luck yet. They lost people. Important people. Myris…
Oswald moved in bed. "Is he having a nightmare?" She thought, then moved closer, since, after sleeping in the same bed for some time, They found out the closer the both physically are, the better they both sleep.
Gwendolyn looked at his face. He also lost someone important: Brom. The only one in Ringford that didn't see him as a tool or a monster, but as a person. He had calmed down the moment I moved closer. I also fell asleep shortly after.
After the nightmare, Oswald suddenly had began sleeping peacefully for some time, then, he woke up, but, to his own surprise, he found 'twas not the crude chamber he and Gwendolyn built to sleep in after Armageddon. So he looked around, especially when he realized Gwendolyn wasn't around.
-Gwendolyn! 'Tis a trap of some sort?!
He snarled, but no answer came, until he heard three, female elderly voices talk in unison:
-'Tis no trap, Shadow knight, there's no need for alarm.
-Then tell me, o' unknown voices, where is Gwendolyn? Why have you abducted me, why have I woken up in an unknown chamber?
-Unknown chamber? Look around, and you will recognize it! And fret not over Gwendolyn. She's safe.
So he looked around, and felt his eyes widen when he finally recognized it:
-'Tis the chamber I slept in while I was in Ringford! What kind of…?
-Wait, and listen to our words! We sent your soul into your past body to prevent Armageddon!
That made Oswald hold still. "Prevent Armageddon?!"
-'Tis possible?
-'Tis possible.
Oswald turned his back from the direction from which the voices came, then, turning only his head, he asked:
-Why are you doing this?
-Armageddon must happen, but not provoked.
At that Oswald turned around with such speed, that 'twas nearly imperceptible.
-It was provoked?!
-Hold your fury, Shadow knight. And listen to our explanation.
Oswald said nothing, still thinking about this new information.
-Armageddon was provoked, besides other things, by our brother, the late king Valentine, in the form of a ghost.
Oswald had no trouble believing that. After all, if living people could get inside the Underworld, why shouldn't dead ones be able to get out?
-King Valentine will provoke Armageddon?
-Yes, he has gone mad after the Valentian Cataclysm. He will be the one to hatch Leventhan and awaken the Cauldron.
-So you need me to fix your messes.
-In a way, but, we also offer a gift as an apology.
-A gift?
-The opportunity to do and undo the things you regretted.
Oswald once again turned his back, before saying:
-I have no such thing.
It was a lie, but Oswald didn't trust them, so he preferred to keep his regrets to himself.
-Oh? And yet, you once told Gwendolyn that you regret killing Hindel.
Oswald turned his head, shocked:
-How…?
But the voices paid no heed to his words, as they continued to talk:
-After Armageddon, you regretted not being able to save Brom and Myris.
Oswald couldn't believe his ears. How did they…?
-And at last, your regret is to not know about your parents, whose lives you wanted to know since Gallon revealed to you the truth of their fate.
Oswald remained speechless for some time, until he asked:
-How did you…?
The voices chuckled.
-We are sisters of Valentine. If he has great powers, why shouldn't we?
Oswald remained silent and looked down. Then, he asked, looking suspicious:
-I can correct my mistakes, if I prevent Armageddon? Both of those things favor me. What do you gain from this?
-We would like to say 'tis but a gift, an apology, but 'tis true we worry for our brother. We do not wish for his hands to be covered in more blood.
Oswald stayed silent once again, thinking:
"Preventing Armageddon… I'm not still sure 'tis possible. I was content with staying alone with Gwendolyn, truly. Yet, 'tis true I regret the things they listed…"
-Your terms…I accept.- He said finally.
Gwendolyn still couldn't believe it, not only her soul turned back in time, but now three voices told her she could prevent Armageddon! Not only that, she could save Myris, Brom, and Griselda this time! And maybe, she thought, also her father. Because she still cared for him as a daughter, even though she won't put her happiness and feelings on the line for him anymore.
Then her thoughts went to Oswald. Although the voices assured her he was safe, she hoped that he also came back like her. Then, the sound of the door opened, as Myris entered.
Gwendolyn rushed to hug the pooka with tears in her eyes.
-P-princess Gwendolyn! Is anything wrong? You have tears in the corner of your eyes!
Gwendolyn left the concerned pooka go, while wiping off the tears from her eyes.
-Nothing Myris, it's just that it seemed… years ago that I saw you last.
The pooka looked perplexed. Gwendolyn, not knowing how to explain it, changed the subject:
-Anyways, let's lose no more time. Can you prepare my armor?
That made the pooka react .
-Oh! Certainly, princess! Forgive me!
The pooka rushed to the armor stand where the princess's armor was placed, and began to make preparations.
Gwendolyn giggled. But then her joyful expression changed into a determinated one.
"Yes. I am gonna save you, this time. All of you." She thought.
After the preparations, Gwendolyn exited her chambers, fully armored up, even though she had only a normal spear. In the corridors, thoughts ran through her head like the wind. She was trying to find a plan to save her sister, Griselda. One of the things they had in common was that they were not cowards. They would never submit to anyone, and they would never run from a fight, so convincing her to be more cautious would be futile. And, even though Gwendolyn was the princess, and someone who was known to all Erion as Odin's witch, she didn't have the military authority to question her father's strategy. Only the general and the Valkyries' commander could do that.
Gwendolyn was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she didn't notice she was nearly crashing on the very same person she was thinking of.
-Gwendolyn! What are you doing?
Gwendolyn would have cried if she hadn't known that would only repeat the prior scene with Myris.
-N-nothing sister, just thinking about the tension between us and Ringford.
-A valkyrie should always be on alert. You should know that.
-Yes, sister.
A glimmer caught Gwendolyn attention. 'Twas Gugnir, the Psypher which she used to defeat many foes: Brigan, Queen Mercedes, Queen Odette, Leventhan…
The spear was in the hands of Griselda, since Gwendolyn only obtained it from the dying hands of her sister, in that battlefield. Even with that, Something in her felt wrong, seeing it in another's hands.
"Though, I can't just ask for it, can I? I should win it in battle…"
Then an idea came to her mind.
Maybe there was a way for Gwendolyn to get it without Griselda dying, while also having the opportunity to save her.
A plan formed in the head of the valkyrie.
If she didn't have the authority of a commander, then she would earn it. She just hoped Griselda wouldn't take it to badly.
When Oswald first laid eyes on Brom, he nearly hugged the old blacksmith. Then, a paladin called to him, telling him that Melvin wished to see him. Oswald followed the paladin, who treated him with contempt. Ah, he forgot how it felt. As soon as everything necessary was done, Oswald would go away from here. He would probably go to Titania. Titania was after all, a neutral kingdom in the war, and he knew Brom didn't like siding with one side, preferring to forge weapons neutrally, under commission, and if Oswald wants to bring Brom with him, (And he shall succeed in convincing the dwarf!) He must care about his preference.
"Besides", Oswald thought, "It's not like I don't have any business in Titania…"
Then, Melvin's long hair appeared in front of him. Oswald approached him.
-You wished to see me, Melvin?- Oswald asked while kneeling.
"Kneeling to him… how I hate it" he thought.
-Oswald, rise.
So he did. Melvin continued:
-I wish to show to Queen Elfaria the power of the Belderiver. You shall kill Hindel, the Seer dragon that lives on Winterhorn Ridge Mountain. And bring proof of it.
"I have no intention to do so, but let's play along." Oswald thought.
-Yes Melvin, I will go immediately.