Unbelievable. It had been three weeks, and already she was at her wits' end with this idiot. He never listened, never sat still, never showed any respect, and never seemed to learn a damn thing. And she was supposed to accompany this brat to boarding school? There was no way she'd be able to teach him anything at this rate. He was going to be the death of her.
"Pandy!" the little gremlin shouted, clamoring up onto her shoulders. "We must away!"
"My name is Pandoria," she replied, trying to extricate him without upsetting him. The only thing worse than having to put up with his antics was having to endure his whining.
"Nonsense!" the Prince continued, clinging onto the back of her head. "I am Addam Origo, prince of Torna! And you are my trusty steed! I shall name you as I see fit!"
She finally managed to get ahold of him and pull him out of her hair—literally. She set him down in front of her, keeping one finger on his forehead to prevent him from climbing back up.
"Addam never had a steed," she said. "The Aegis Warriors travelled everywhere on foot."
"Aha!" The Prince jumped back, pointing at her. "So you have read the Tales of the Aegis, then!"
"Oh please." Pandoria flicked him. "I know that because you never shut up about them."
"Then my plan is working." The Prince smirked. "We'll make a proper Disciple of Addam out of you yet, Pandy!"
Pandoria glanced out the window, watching the sun's glow slowly move against Genbu's hide. Already, it was beginning to dip below the shell-line, which meant it was almost the Prince's bedtime. If she could endure for just a little longer, she'd finally have some time to herself.
"But…" The Prince said, pantomiming a frown. "If you aren't my trusty steed, then you must be a blackguard sent here to deceive me!"
He leapt up on a crate and grabbed a wooden sword, pointing it at her with a flick of his wrist. She sighed, getting to her feet.
"Prince Ozychlyrus," she said. "I think I've—"
He lunged, stepping forward and jabbing her in the cheek with the tip of the sword. She tried to knock the sword away, but he was faster, bringing it around to poke her in the stomach.
Well, if that was how he wanted to play this, then she could oblige him a little. She whipped out one hand, manifesting the handle of her sword. She always thought of it as more of a baton, but there was no denying there was usually a blade attached to one end. It'd be more than enough to deal with a rowdy ten-year-old.
"Prince!" she shouted, sliding one foot back and flourishing the baton at him. "I shall not allow you to leave this room alive!"
"Have at thee, villain!" he shouted in reply. He swung at her, not an ounce of technique in his body, but she played along, blocking and weaving around his strikes. It was all too easy to get sucked into his antics, but every once in a while, it was fun too. For a moment, she allowed herself to forget about the king's expectations.
Then there was a knock on the door, bringing Pandoria back to reality. She was still a Blade in the royal family of Tantal, and she had her duties to take care of. She flicked her wrist again, dissolving her baton into ether as the door opened. Her Majesty stuck her head through.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said, smiling. Her eyes conveyed a great kindness, even as a member of the royal family. It was almost enough to make Pandoria feel at ease. Almost.
"No, Your Majesty," Pandoria said, bowing slightly. "We were just taking a break."
"Pandy was showing me some cool moves!" the Prince shouted, running up to his mother. Had that been why he was bugging her so much? To get her to show off? The kid had a funny way of going about it.
"That's wonderful," Her Majesty said, wrapping the Prince up in a hug. "Maybe someday, you'll be big enough to have some moves of your own."
"You think?" the Prince asked. "Because I've been thinking one up. I call it—" he stepped back from Her Majesty and began twirling his sword around. "'Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash'!"
Pandoria had to resist breaking into a laugh. It was probably one of the silliest displays of juvenile machismo she'd seen from him, and he'd managed to make a fool of himself plenty of times since he woke her up. But Her Majesty didn't laugh. No matter how silly he got, she managed to take it all in stride. Even more than that, she gave the ridiculous declaration a degree of respect. Even for a parent, she had an amazing amount of patience.
"It could use some work," she said, cupping her chin. She reached down and adjusted the position of the Prince's shoulder. "But with practice, I think you might have something on your hands. Dare I say, perhaps even a move to rival Addam's famous Soul Burst?"
"You think!?"
"But you'll have to be diligent," she continued. "Make sure you pay attention to everything Pandoria teaches you, alright?"
"Of course!" he shouted, turning around and flashing Pandoria a thumbs up. She rolled her eyes, but Her Majesty's attitude was more than a little infectious, and she found herself smiling.
"I almost forgot," Her Majesty said, clapping her hands together. "There's something I need to show you."
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's a family secret," she said. "One we've passed down since the days of the Aegis War. I think you're finally old enough to see it for yourself."
"A secret!?" the Prince shouted, jumping up and down. "What kind of secret!?"
"Well, it wouldn't be a very good secret if I told you. But, if you accompany me, I can show you."
She beckoned the Prince out of the room, and he tossed his sword back to Pandoria. She took a moment to put it up before following them. As they walked, the Prince badgered Her Majesty with questions, but Pandoria tuned them out. There was no guarantee she'd even be allowed to see this royal secret. She was only tagging along because she was still technically on the clock.
ENJOYMENT? Genbu asked. Pandoria rolled her eyes. Not that he could see that from in here, but the attitude translated through the ether just fine.
Get me away from here, she said. Please. Do you think you could fake a medical emergency, just this once?
DIVE, he said. It took her a moment to work out what he was offering. Usually, she only got broad strokes from him, so holding a conversation could get difficult.
No, you'd better not. That'd just come down on my head.
ALTERNATIVE?
I was joking, she said. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Her Majesty's come to my rescue, thankfully. What about you? You holding up alright?
CONTENTED. APPREHENSION SUBSIDING.
That's good to hear. Sorry this has taken me so long to wrap my head around. I bet the old me was a lot easier to talk to.
TIME. REPETITION. IMPROVEMENT.
I know, I know.
ASSERTIVE. LESS.
Pardon?
NEWCOMER.
Ah. He must've been talking about her old incarnation. She couldn't tell which of her he was calling the less assertive one, though.
ENJOYMENT. CONTENTED.
Me too, buddy. Me too.
She wouldn't call herself contented, exactly, but she was starting to get used to life in the palace. Her Majesty was kind, and Fortis and the other staff were extremely supportive. She didn't like the idea of rushing off to a new, unfamiliar environment in a few days, though. She doubted it would be nearly as bad as the Prince made it out to be, but spending the next several years as his private tutor was certainly going to be a challenge.
"Here we are," Her Majesty said, stopping in front of the palace's armory. Pandoria thought about speaking up. After all, this was hardly the place to let a child run around. But it wasn't her place to question Her Majesty.
Before the queen could open the doors, however, Pandoria heard footsteps. Urgent ones. She glanced back to see the king marching down the hall. Something had upset him. That enough was cause for concern. Usually, he was always the calmest one in the room.
"Fortomena!" he bellowed, causing Pandoria to instinctively flinch a little bit. "What do you think you're doing!?"
Her Majesty sighed and turned, placing herself between the Prince and the king. "We discussed this already, Eulogemenos. We need to tell him."
"When he's ready," the king stressed. He looked past her, glaring at Pandoria. "Unless my father's old battle companion managed to beat some sense into him in the last three weeks, he is far from ready."
"Kataramenos entrusted me with the Eye, not you. I decide when it is time for him to know. And since you've decided to send him away, there may not be another chance until he's too old. We don't want to repeat your mistakes."
"That is precisely why we should wait another year, when he's learned enough manners to have some respect for what it will mean. If you keep filling his head with nonsense, then—"
"This is my final word on the matter, Eulogemenos." She turned and pressed her hand against the armory doors, sliding them open. "If you wish to join us, you are more than welcome."
The king stared at her, mouth agape for a moment, before finally composing himself. Despite how much authority he commanded, he rarely had the power to say no to his wife.
"I have duties to attend to," he said, turning away. He glanced back at the Prince. "Understand your position well, Ozychlyrus. You are about to partake of a heavy burden."
The Prince mumbled something in reply, and the king looked like he was about to say something else. Before he could, Pandoria stepped forward, placing herself next to Her Majesty.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said, bowing deeply. "Rest assured, I will strive to impart upon the prince the gravity of his position."
"I trust you will."
The king left, and the queen smiled down at her son.
"Don't mind him," she said. "I'm sure daddy's had a rough day."
"Yeah…" the Prince muttered.
"Come on," she continued. "Don't you want to see that secret?"
She led him into the armory, and Pandoria followed, closing the door behind her. She got the feeling she wasn't supposed to be here for this, but Her Majesty didn't do anything to stop her. Instead, she led her son to the very back of the armory, where a golden chest sat on an altar. She opened it, removing a small circle of black metal. There was a cross of blue crystal set in the middle.
"What is it?" the Prince asked.
"This is the Eye of Genbu," Her Majesty said. "An ancient relic that has been passed down through our family since before the time of Addam. Legends say is capable of controlling the very Titans themselves."
"It controls the Titans?"
"Indeed. It can reshape the world into whatever the user's heart desires. In times of war, the king wields it into battle in defense of our homeland."
"Has father ever had to use it?"
"Unfortunately, your father… The Eye is particular about who can wield it. Customarily, its users are bound to it at an early age, but when the time came, your father neglected his duty."
"Really?" the Prince asked. A smile crept onto his face. "I thought he never left his work, not even once."
"He was a different man, back then. Barely older than you are, now. He used to ditch his responsibilities all the time, if you can believe it."
The Prince burst out laughing, and Her Majesty couldn't help but do the same. Pandoria probably would have too, if she knew the king better. She couldn't imagine him ever taking a day off, but it wasn't a subject that seemed fit for humor.
"Before you leave," Her Majesty continued. "You too will be bound to the Eye, so that you may wield it, should the need arise."
"Alright!" the Prince stepped back and struck a pose. "For king and country!"
"Hold still," Her Majesty said. She placed the Eye's crystal against his forehead, and Pandoria could feel the ether around them begin to churn. That relic passed wave after wave of ether over the Prince, like it was examining him. Based on what the queen had said, it probably was.
Eventually, the waves subsided, and the Eye's glow brightened. A thin wire extended from the back, and Her Majesty placed it against the Prince's hand. He winced as it bit into him, and Pandoria had to stop herself from stepping in. Clearly, it was hurting him, but Her Majesty seemed to think this was necessary. So she didn't interfere.
When the wire retracted, Her Majesty smiled, drawing the Prince into a hug.
"Now you are bound to the Eye," she said. "And it to you. May you use its strength wisely."
"Mother…" the Prince started to speak but fell silent.
"Yes?"
"Do you think I'll ever have to use the Eye? You said it was only for times of war, but we've been at peace for so long now."
"I pray you will never use it," she said. "But the world is always changing, my son. The world beyond our kingdom is in the midst of a steep decline, and we will not be able to keep ourselves separate forever. One day, you may have to journey out into the world beyond, fraught with its myriad problems. I hope that, if that day comes, you will be strong enough to change it for the better."
Pandoria didn't know much about kids, but this didn't feel like a talk appropriate for a ten-year-old. From where she stood, the king had been right. This was a heavy burden for a child to bear, and the Prince wasn't ready.
Suddenly, the door to the armory burst open, and Pandoria whirled around. A man she didn't recognize stood in the doorway, and in a flash, she manifested her sword, stepping back to shield Her Majesty and the Prince. He wore black robes, with a silver mask covering his face, and as he approached, he flicked out a pair of knives, green light dancing along their edges. She couldn't feel any resonance from him, but the weapons were ether-powered all the same. She had to be careful.
"Stand back, Your Majesty," she said, stepping forward as the man approached. He lunged, and she swung down for his head, aiming to cleave the assassin in two. Undeterred, he blocked the strike with one of his knives and tried to drive the other into her gut. He was practiced. Measured. He'd come prepared. But, even if she'd never technically been in a fight before, she had lifetimes of combat instinct at her disposal.
One pulse of ether through her muscles shifted her speed up a notch, and she drove a hand into the man's gut. A second pulse of ether traveled down her arm and through her palm, blasting the man back against the wall. She stepped forward, driving the sword into his shoulder and blasting him with another wave of ether.
Somehow, he didn't expire, and as she grabbed his head, preparing to deliver another shock, he drove a knife into her stomach. She staggered back, putting a shield up between them, and he cleaved through that. Whatever weapons he was using were stronger than she'd expected. Core Chip weapons, her memory suddenly reminded her. There were supposed to be very few left, but that hadn't stopped this assassin from breaking in here with them.
As he brought another knife down, she thrust her sword up, aiming for his chest. He leapt back, and she ejected the sword blade. It flew with as much force as she could muster, impaling the man through the chest and leaving him lying on the floor. Blood welled in his throat, and he tried to draw one of his knives up to throw, but she stomped her foot down on his head before he could.
After the man stopped moving, she glanced back at the Prince. He looked terrified, which was only natural. She'd just beaten a man to death. That wasn't a sight fit for a ten-year-old boy. It was probably the first death he'd seen.
"It's alright," she said. "It's—"
Something struck her from behind, burning white-hot. She could feel it eating through her back, and she collapsed, unable to move her limbs. She looked up to see another assassin enter the room, brandishing a glowing rifle. Like an idiot, she hadn't even considered the possibility there could be another assailant. She tried to drag herself forward, but her body was too focused on fighting the ether eating through her back to listen to her.
"Your Majesty," the man said as he approached the queen. She pulled the Prince in close, shielding him from the man.
"Tell him we'll be sending the shipment when we have it," she said. "You have to understand, it's a great strain on the nation."
"No more excuses," the man said. He pressed the gun against Her Majesty's head. "There's a price that needs to be paid."
Before he could pull the trigger, the Prince shoved his mother to the side, moving her out of the way of the shot. A blast of molten ether hit the floor behind her.
"Brat!" the man shouted. He struck the Prince in the side of the head, knocking him back, but he'd bought Pandoria enough time to get a grip on her sword. She lifted it up and fired the blade out, hoping to take the man's head off. But he noticed at the last second and lurched back. Instead, the sword struck the rifle, wrenching it out of his hands.
Rather than go for the rifle, however, he drew a knife and lunged for the queen. The Prince caught the man's hand, trying desperately to keep him from stabbing her, but he was only ten years old. The man overpowered him quickly, forcing him aside, and drove the knife through Her Majesty's gut.
"No!" the Prince shouted, jumping up to punch the man in the face. Pandoria tried so desperately to move, but she still hadn't recovered fully. All she could do was watch as the assassin turned his blade on the Prince next.
"I'm not supposed to kill you," he said. "But you're a real pain in my ass, so I'm going to teach you a lesson."
He pressed the knife against the Prince's eye, eliciting a scream. The Prince howled, and a horrible feeling settled in Pandoria's stomach. This was her Driver, and she was just sitting by as he suffered. Was she going to watch helplessly until he died?
No. With all the effort she could muster, she pushed herself up and grabbed her baton, lunging at the man. A scream tore itself from her throat, louder and harsher than she thought she was capable of. The man looked up just in time for her to slam the baton into his mask, unleashing a blast of electricity. He flew back, and she hit the ground, barely able to move her legs. As he recovered, however, she reached out, grabbing one of his legs and unleashing more electricity.
He screamed, stabbing his knife through her back, but she didn't let go. Instead, she lurched up, grabbing his face with her other hand and slamming him into the wall. Forcing herself to her feet, she hit him with wave after wave of ether until the smell of charred flesh filled her nose. Then she hit him again.
As his lifeless body hit the ground, she turned around to see the Prince huddled over Her Majesty. Despite sustaining a grievous wound, all he could think about was her. It was a quality she'd never seen in him before, but she admired it.
"Mom!" he sobbed. "Mom!"
"It's alright…" she whispered. Pandoria was surprised she was still conscious. "Don't cry, my prince. You have to be strong."
"No!" he shouted. "Not without you!"
"You are our hope," she continued. "You're the only one who can change this rotten country. This rotten world… So you have to be strong. Always be strong."
Pandoria knelt down next to Her Majesty, but a cursory glance told her there was nothing she could do. In about three minutes, she'd bleed to death. The Prince was the only person she could save today.
"Don't go…" he sobbed, collapsing against her chest.
"I love you, my prince…" Her Majesty muttered, placing a hand on his head. Then she looked up at Pandoria, determination in her eyes. She mouthed "take him".
Pandoria didn't hesitate, lifting the Prince up and cradling him in her arms. He kept sobbing as she ran, looking for one of the staff. They needed to get him help immediately.
As he cried, she wished there was more she could do for him. He didn't deserve this. If she'd been paying better attention, none of this would have happened. But she could do one thing. She could make sure it never happened again. From now on, no matter what, she was going to protect him.
They arrived too late. Even going their top speed, there hadn't been anything they could do. They crashed into the clearing, weapons flying, but Elnis was already on the ground. The target stood over her, pulling the ring from her gut. Kora tried to strike him in the side, but an ether shield appeared around him, shaped to his body like armor. There hadn't been anything like that on the wanted poster.
Zeke screamed and slammed into him, forcing Jaggra to take a step back. Behind him, Kora collapsed to her knees.
"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I couldn't…"
"It's alright," Pandoria said, crouching down to assess Elnis's wound. Zeke could handle the target, so long as Pandoria kept him supplied with ether. Right now, she needed to focus on keeping her friend alive.
"Bastard!" Zeke howled. "I'll kill you!"
"You'll try," Jaggra said. Zeke rushed at him, sword swinging wildly, but he couldn't cut through Jaggra's armor. This was supposed to be a simple job, damnit. What had gone wrong?
"Pandoria," Elnis said, getting her attention. The woman's voice was barely above a whisper.
"We're on the job," Pandoria said. "Stick to the codenames, remember?"
"I'm dying, here. Cut me a little slack. It's not like you guys do a very good job hiding who you are anyway."
"I'm sorry," Kora sobbed. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have let this happen I—"
"None of that," Pandoria said, cutting her off. "You're not dying on my watch. Either of you."
She tore a strip off Elnis's coat and used it to wrap the wound, putting as much pressure on it as she could. Where was Vess?
"I want you to find my sister," Elnis continued. "I was planning on getting the money back to her once I had enough, but it looks like that isn't happening anymore. Will you do that for me?"
"I—" She wanted to tell Elnis to do it herself, but… The bandage was bleeding through pretty bad. "Yeah. I can do that."
Electricity crackled everywhere as Zeke drove Jaggra into the dirt, bringing the sword down on him over and over again. Still the shield wouldn't give, and Zeke was screaming now. She hadn't seen him this emotional in years.
"Eureka!" Vess shouted, entering the clearing behind them. "What's—"
She stopped when she noticed Elnis. Without a word, she ran to Pandoria's side, drawing ether out to attempt to heal the wound shut. But Jaggra must've hit something pretty important, because she'd already lost a lot of blood.
Jaggra's Blade threw Zeke back, knocking him into a tree, and Pandoria stood up, running to intercept them before they could follow up. Of course, Zeke was back on his feet by the time she reached him, but she still felt like she had to do something. So she threw out a shield, keeping Jaggra's Blade from leaping into the fray as Zeke collided with the Driver again.
Jaggra leapt into the air, using blasts of wind to move himself around, but before he could get behind Zeke, Mabon struck him from below with his ball. The blast knocked Jaggra into the ground, and he scrambled to the side before Zeke could slam his sword into him again.
With a glance between Zeke and Mabon, Jaggra apparently decided pursuing this wasn't worth it. The moment he and his Blade got clear, they turned tail and ran.
"Coward!" Zeke shouted, running after him. Pandoria reached out and grabbed him before he could get far.
"We should look after Elnis," she said. "I'd like to be here, if she…"
Pandoria didn't have it in her to say "if she dies".
"No point following them," Mabon said. "Any further, and we're going to hit the fungal wastes. And unless you brought a rebreather, you're not making it out of there alive."
"So what, we just sit around?" Zeke asked. "Wipe our eyes while Elnis's killer gets to run free? No. The rest of you can sit around crying, but I'm going after the bastard. And I'll do it alone, if that's what it takes."
"You are not." Mabon put himself in front of Zeke. "That's an order."
"Zeke," Kora said, looking back at them. "Don't get yourself so worked up. This was bound to happen sooner or—"
She started dissolving, and an instant later, she winked out, reverting to an inert core and landing on the ground with a thud.
"No," Vess said. "Elnis! Stay with me! Elnis!"
"Screw this," Zeke muttered. He pushed past Mabon and headed after Jaggra, not even bothering to ask Pandoria if she was coming. She looked around for a moment, unsure of what to do. Mabon and Vess had looked after them for a while, now. She didn't want to leave them here to deal with this alone. But her top priority had to be Zeke. Always. So she headed after him.
Without a word, they went into high gear, Pandoria channeling ether through them to boost their speed. And they caught up with Jaggra rather quickly. He'd stopped beneath some fungal growths and secured a mask over his face, and he barely had time to bring his rings up as Zeke slammed into him.
The presence of the fungus concerned her, but that wasn't the priority right now. They could just get Vess to patch them up later if anything bad happened. Right now, she needed to focus on keeping Zeke from getting run through like Elnis.
Zeke slammed Jaggra into a nearby tree, but the ether shield still kept him from hurting the man. It was tougher than most Pandoria had seen, but it seemed to be his one trick. Being unstoppable let him charge his way through just about anything that came his way. If they wanted to beat him, they needed to break that shield first.
Or, more realistically, separate the Blade from his Driver. If she could manage that, Pandoria knew Zeke would be able to trounce Jaggra. So she switched targets, tackling the large cat-like creature to the ground. It threw out blasts of wind to throw her off, but she was stronger than she let on. Mustering all her might, she dragged the Blade away from the fight, moving as fast as she could to get away.
Jaggra tried to pursue them, but Zeke struck him back, and the shield flickered very briefly as he did. Weaker, now that the Blade couldn't provide so much ether. Zeke struck it again, and a crack formed, prompting Jaggra to take to the air. Zeke didn't let him, extending his sword to swipe at Jaggra from the ground and knock him into a fungal stalk.
Jaggra's Blade bit into her shoulder, and she lifted him up, twisting to wrap her arms around his neck. If she could knock him out, this fight would be over. As they struggled, Zeke drove Jaggra into the ground again, slamming the sword into him several times before the man managed to scramble away.
At that point, his Blade must've had the same idea as Pandoria, because instead of trying to return to his Driver, he started trying to drag her away. With his grip on her shoulder, he managed to turn the tables on her, and for a moment she had no idea how to respond. Should she let him take them further from the battlefield, trusting Zeke to hold his own? Or should she fight him and risk keeping Jaggra's shield supplied?
She decided to trust Zeke, pushing against the Blade and dragging him against the ground as they took off. He tried to push her aside, use his grip on her shoulder to flip her around, but she was still strong enough to use his momentum against him. He'd tried to run, and she was going to make sure he ran as far as possible.
As they got further from the fight, she could hear electricity crackle over and over again as Zeke struck Jaggra. Then all at once it stopped as Zeke left her range. She kept going, dragging the Blade along the ground until she couldn't hear the fighting anymore. Then she went further, running until they slammed themselves into a tree. The Blade thrashed around, and she tried her best to knock him unconscious.
They were at that for what felt like forever, until suddenly he began to dissolve. His cries of protest turned into a howl as he tried to tear into Pandoria. But he didn't last for long. After a few seconds, he returned to his Core Crystal, inert. Which could only mean one thing.
With a sick feeling in her stomach, Pandoria raced back to where she'd left Zeke. She'd thought he would simply knock Jaggra's lights out after their weapons lost power. But she should have known better. Without her around, and without any other weapons on hand, he'd lost control and used the Eye. Blades of stone and ice and metal littered the battlefield, and Zeke sat in front of a large collection he'd driven through Jaggra's stomach.
"Zeke!" she shouted. He looked up at her, sobbing, and she wrapped him in a hug. Idiot. Stupid damn idiot. She should've known better than to leave him alone like this. She should've been more careful.
They sat there for several minutes while Zeke cried. She felt like she had to say something to him, but she didn't know what. He'd just killed a man. What could she say to make that better?
"I'm a monster," he muttered.
"No," she said. "You're not a monster."
"I just killed a man, Pandy. I did the one thing I wasn't supposed to do. The two things I wasn't supposed to do. I took a life, and I used the Eye in anger. I'm… I'm a failure."
"No," Pandoria insisted. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have left you in that position. It wasn't fair of me to expect you'd take him down quietly after what he did."
"Some hero I am," Zeke continued. "Can't even look after my friends. Can't keep the promises I made to myself or to mom. What am I even doing here?"
"You're not in a good place," Pandoria said. "I get that. Listen, we'll go find Mabon and Vess and get you looked at. Once we've had time and things are calmer, we can—"
"No," Zeke said. "I'm not going back there. I don't deserve to."
"Listen to me, Zeke. You aren't thinking straight. The last thing you need to do is run off by yourself. That'll only put you in more danger, do you understand?"
"I can't stay there," he insisted. Slowly, he got to his feet and recalled the clouds. "I can't drag them into my stupid quest. From now on, we're doing this on our own. We'll change the whole damn world on our own if we have to."
"Zeke," Pandoria said. She grabbed his arm. "I am begging you not to do this."
"My mind's made up, Pandy. I can't let this happen again. I have to get stronger. And I can't involve anyone else who might get hurt along the way. I—"
He coughed, spitting up a wad of blood.
"Shit." Pandoria sprang up to her feet. "The fungus. We need to find Vess, or—"
"I said no," Zeke said. He pushed past her and walked further into the forest. "We're not going back. No matter what. If I'm not strong enough to make it through this, then I was never really cut out for this in the first place."
"It isn't a weakness to ask for help," Pandoria said. "Especially after what just happened. You just killed a man. You aren't in your right mind. You need to stop and take a breath before you do anything else you'll regret."
"What I need is to keep people safe. But until I've got the strength to keep my friends safe without resorting to this—" He coughed again as he motioned at Jaggra's body. "Then I can't go back there. So I'm moving forward. Are you coming with?"
Pandoria knew this was a mistake. She knew letting him walk away from this was going to hurt him. But she didn't have it in her to actually stop him. So instead, she nodded, stepping under his shoulder and letting him lean on her as they walked away.
Some protector she'd turned out to be. Couldn't even keep him from hurting himself. She'd let him down, just like she had in the armory. Both failures happened because she'd slipped up. Let her guard down. Assumed, for a moment, that things would work themselves out. She wouldn't make that mistake again. If they made it through this, she was going to stay right next to him as much as possible. She wouldn't let him out of her sight. She wouldn't give herself any opportunity to make mistakes like this again.
The whole plaza shook, knocking the table over and interrupting their lunch. On instinct, Pandoria ducked low, drawing her sword and checking her surroundings. But once the shaking stopped, nothing seemed immediately off. There hadn't been an explosion of any kind. Had Temperantia moved?
"The ribs!" Electra exclaimed, snatching the baskets off the ground. But there wasn't anything she could do. The food was already spattered everywhere.
PAIN, a voice rang out, stopping Pandoria in her tracks before she could console her student. That was Temperantia's voice, echoing through the ether.
You're in pain? She asked, glancing back up at its head.
CORE. PAIN. CEASE.
Shit. Something was hurting Temperantia. They needed to find the others, now.
"Electra," Pandoria said, straightening up and sheathing her sword. "We're heading for the amphitheater."
"But my ribs!" she protested, still trying to salvage what she could.
"You want to see me and Zeke in action, don't you?"
That got her attention. She nodded fervently, and the two took off for the amphitheater. With the number of people clogging the streets, though, it took them some time to make it there. Everyone wanted to know what was going on, and no one had any answers. By the time they arrived at the amphitheater, there was already a crowd gathering.
"Zeke!" she shouted, trying to get her head above the crowd. "Nia! You guys here!?"
"The Caretakers left in a hurry," someone said. She whirled around to see Kora standing behind her and Electra.
"Kora?" Pandoria asked. Seeing her caught Pandoria off guard, and it took her a moment to remember that Kora was dead. She and Elnis had died years ago. Still, seeing her alive again was strange, to say the least. Even though she knew it was something that could happen in theory, this was still the first time she'd met the next incarnation of a Blade she used to know personally. Used to be friends with, even.
"Do I know you?" Kora asked.
"The Caretakers," Pandoria said, dragging herself back to reality. She needed to find Zeke. "Where did you say they went?"
"Something about Temperantia's core. They left about ten minutes ago."
"Was Zeke with them?"
"You mean eyepatch guy? Yeah, he was with the Head Caretaker and a couple others."
"Damnit," Pandoria muttered. How was she supposed to get to Temperantia's core? How were they planning to get there, even? How—no. It didn't matter. What mattered right now was catching up to them. If Azurda was around, he could probably give her a lift.
"Electra," she said, heading for the Caretaker's quarters. "Training's done for the day."
"Aw," Electra said, deflating. "But you promised I'd get to see you guys fight."
"Some other time. Zeke needs backup."
"We can't back him up together?"
"I'm not putting you in harm's way."
"But—"
"No buts, Electra. Go back to the community hall. I'm going to find Azurda."
She moved, trying to press her way through the crowd, but Kora grabbed her shoulder.
"Hey," she said. "I know it's none of my business, but are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Pandoria said.
"You don't look fine."
"Zeke's my Driver," Pandoria insisted. "He's going to need my help."
"Look, why don't we all just take a second, alright? Strix should be back in a moment with some answers. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."
Quickly, Kora nodded toward Electra. Now that she took a second to look, Pandoria noticed the girl was on the verge of panic. Damnit all, she didn't have time for this. But she couldn't abandon Electra either.
"You're right," she said, sighing. "As long as Nia's with them, there's nothing to worry about."
She said that to reassure herself, more than anyone. Already, she was on edge. Usually, when she was separated from Zeke for this long, she at least knew where he was. Now not only did she not know where he was, she didn't know why, either. Or what kind of danger he might be in. But she couldn't let Electra see that. For her student's sake, she needed to be strong.
"I'm Kora," Kora said, offering out her hand. "But you already knew that."
"Pandoria," she said, taking the woman's hand. As she did, a spark passed between them, jolting her for a moment. It didn't hurt, she was too used to her own electricity for that, but it was surprising.
"Sorry," Kora muttered. "Static. You know how it is."
"All too well. This is my student, Electra."
"Nice to meet you ma'am!" Electra said, bowing.
"It's nice to meet you too," Kora said. "Formally, at least. I think I've seen you around town before."
"I…" Electra thought for a moment, realizing that she'd met Kora before. Her cheeks turned bright red, and she drew into herself. At least she didn't run away, though. Progress.
"She's learning," Pandoria said. "Can't fully control her ether yet."
"It's no trouble," Kora replied. "I'm electric too. I can take a spark or two no problem."
"Sorry," Electra muttered.
"Hey, it means your core works, doesn't it? Don't get so down on yourself."
"She'll get there," Pandoria said, putting a hand on Electra's shoulder. "She's made so much progress already."
Electra mumbled something under her breath. It sounded vaguely like "Thanks."
"So…" Kora motioned between herself and Pandoria. "We haven't met before, have we? Because that'd make this whole conversation very awkward."
"Not… Exactly, no. I knew the previous Kora."
"Oh, wow." Kora's eyebrows shot up. "No kidding, huh? Damn, I never thought I'd run into one of my old… Friends? Enemies? What were we?"
"Friends," Pandoria said. "At least, I'd like to think so."
"Cool, cool. I'd love to pick your brain later. I've always wanted to know what I was like before." Kora cracked a smile, and then moments later realized what she'd just said. "Assuming that's cool with you, of course. Sorry, dead friend and all. I should know better."
"It's fine," Pandoria said. "You—or I guess she died a long time ago. If it matters, you're very different from her. She was pretty reserved, and you're a lot more energetic. It's actually a little hard to believe you came from the same core."
"I try," Kora said. "Good to know it's paying off a little. Hey, while we wait, do you want to—"
A scream cut her off, and immediately she whirled around. There was another woman, wearing a cloak and leaning up against the side of a nearby building. Pandoria hadn't noticed her before, but she seemed to be in pain. And now that she was screaming, Pandoria could feel ether waves from her like she could from a Titan. Probably another Blade who could communicate like she could.
"Shit," Kora muttered, running over to the woman. Pandoria went after her.
"It hurts," the woman muttered, crouching down. Kora put a hand on her back and began rubbing it.
"Is she alright?" Pandoria asked.
"She feels the Titan's pain," Kora replied. "It's alright, Nim. I'm here."
"When is it going to stop?" Nim asked, looking up with a pained expression.
"Soon," Kora said. "The Caretakers will fix things up no problem."
"Hey, Nim," Pandoria said, crouching down beside her. "Don't worry about a thing. My Driver's on the case, and he's the best in the business. Whatever's going on, he and the Head Caretaker will have it sorted in no time."
Saying it out loud, she almost believed herself.
"Yeah!" Electra shouted. "Zeke-sensei's the best there ever was!"
"Tell them to hurry up," Nim muttered. "I can feel it getting worse."
"I'll go find Strix," Pandoria offered. "He should know what's going on. Electra, can you stay here and look after Nim?"
"No problem!" Electra said, beaming. "Leave it to me!"
Pandoria smiled to herself. The girl had no shortage of confidence in the right circumstances. She wondered if other people needing her help was the big factor? Something to think about later.
"I'll be back," Pandoria said, heading back for the crowd. She pushed her way through until she reached the amphitheater proper. It was basically empty, save for a handful of stragglers who'd probably still been here when the Titan started to shake. She could see Strix up on the stage, talking furiously into his earpiece.
"Strix!" she shouted, running up to him. He noticed her and gave her a single nod before continuing his conversation.
"I don't think so," he said. "Kalarau's actually being useful for once, so they should be at the core soon… Yeah I'll keep you updated… Listen, I got to go."
He looked up at Pandoria and shrugged.
"Mikhail's on edge," he said. "Not that I can blame him."
"What's happening?" Pandoria asked.
"Some issue with the core. Nia left before I could get the details, but Qadar's with them, so I figure it can't go too horribly wrong."
"Are they in danger?"
"Nah. It's not like we've got intruders or anything. Probably just a clog in the ether veins or something, Nia'll have it sorted in no time."
"Everyone outside's pretty anxious," Pandoria said. "They want to know what's happening."
"I already told them," Strix said. "Temperantia's having a health issue, and the Caretakers have gone to deal with it. It's not my fault if they're paranoid."
"Yeah…" Pandoria sighed. It didn't do anything to relax her, but knowing Zeke wasn't in any immediate danger was good. She'd still feel better if she was with him, though. There was no telling what might happen.
"Can you check on them?" she asked. "Just in case?"
"What do you think I'm doing? The second anything goes wrong, I'll…" He trailed off. She thought she could see his brow furrow beneath his bandages. "Shit. Shit shit shit."
Immediately he turned, putting his hand back up to his earpiece, and Pandoria's heart dropped into her stomach.
"Everyone who can hear me, get your asses to the Titan Weapon right fucking now! All hands on deck, we've got intruders at Temperantia's core!"
He picked up the pace, running out of the amphitheater, and Pandoria took off after him. This couldn't be happening. Zeke was down there, fighting off intruders alone, while she was stuck up here unable to help him. Unable to do anything, just like last time. Like every other time.
As she stumbled out of the amphitheater, her head started to swim, and she lost feeling in her legs. No no no no this wasn't happening it couldn't be happening again she couldn't let it happen again not again. She had to get to the core she had to help Zeke she couldn't let him get hurt like last time.
She could hear Strix shouting nearby, dispersing the crowd as he moved, but she couldn't focus on that. She couldn't focus on anything. There was just the overwhelming pressure closing in around her. The feeling that she was on the verge of losing her Driver again. He'd gone off on his own and left her behind and he was going to get hurt and it was her fault and—
"Hey," a voice said. It was calm and gentle. "Breathe, alright?"
She did, breathing in and out and in and out. And in. And out. Her hands shook, and her head swam, but she kept breathing. Focusing on the person talking to her. Slowly, the pressure began to ease up, and she could feel someone rubbing the small of her back. She looked up to see Kora smiling down at her.
"That's it," she said. "It's alright. Just breathe."
"Thanks," Pandoria muttered. She tried to stand up, but her legs still weren't cooperating, and she fell over. Kora caught her, lowering her back to her knees.
"You need to take a second," she said. "Slow down."
"I can't. Zeke's in danger and I've got to—"
"Zeke's fine. He's got the other Caretakers with him, remember?"
"I can't let anything happen to him. Not again."
"Nothing's going to happen. Just… Breathe, alright? Don't push yourself."
Pandoria wanted to protest, but she still couldn't feel her legs. She could barely even feel her hands, and she felt like throwing up. Kora was right, she needed to slow down.
"Sorry," she muttered.
"It's nothing to apologize for. Happens to the best of us. I used to get them all the time."
"Liar," Pandoria muttered. "You're one of the most badass Blades I've ever met. Since when do you get panic attacks?"
"Are you kidding me? You fought the Dark Aegis. You're way more badass than I am. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."
"I…" Pandoria shook her head. "I let him go off by himself. I promised I wouldn't let that happen again, and I failed."
"You didn't do anything wrong. He's your Driver. You have to trust that he wouldn't leave without you if he couldn't handle himself."
Pandoria shook her head again. Rationally, she knew that Zeke probably wasn't in any real danger. He had Nia with him, and he had the Eye if things got bad. He could handle himself. But she couldn't shake the awful pit in her stomach that something would go wrong regardless. Because she wasn't there to help.
"Kora!" Electra shouted. "Sensei! Nim's getting worse!"
"Shit," Kora muttered. "Sorry, I should—"
"It's alright," Pandoria said, standing up. She felt a little dizzy, but it was better to have something to focus on. Take her mind off what was happening with Zeke. The other Caretakers would handle it. Right now, someone else needed her help.
"Let's get her to the infirmary," she said, walking over to Nim. Slowly, she and Kora helped Nim to her feet, supporting her weight as she walked.
"Thanks," Nim muttered.
"Happy to help," Pandoria replied. It was a little strange to be helping strangers rather than backing up her Driver. But there was something about this new Kora. Maybe it was her voice, or her face, or her attitude. Probably a little of everything. But they'd connected, on some level. On a much deeper and more immediate level than she'd ever connected with the old Kora. And Pandoria realized she wanted to be here. She wanted to be here, rather than just being where Zeke wanted to be. For the first time in a very long time, her priorities weren't immediately obvious. If Zeke wanted to do this by himself, then she'd have to trust him to see it through. Right now, she had people she needed to look after.
Pandoria walked along one of the paths that led to and from the Gardens, meandering through Temperantia's spines. She couldn't remember a time in her life where she ever just went for a walk like this. Ever since she woke up, she'd bounced from one thing to the next with Zeke. And now, for maybe the first time ever, she was alone. It was frightening, but also relieving. Freeing. She'd been avoiding everyone for the last few days just to drink in the sensation.
Which made her feel horrible, on some level. She was Zeke's Blade. She was supposed to protect him. She was supposed to watch his back. So why did she feel so relieved to be away from him, now?
No, that wasn't it. It wasn't that she was away from Zeke. It was that she could leave him alone without worrying, anymore. Even when she hadn't been there to help him, he'd pulled through on his own. He hadn't gotten himself hurt, and he hadn't done anything he'd regret. For years, she'd been terrified that if she ever let him out of her sight, something horrible would happen. But that wasn't true, anymore. He was strong enough now to stand on his own, and he had other people looking out for him who wouldn't let him make those mistakes.
Which meant that for the first time in more than twenty years, she didn't have anything to do. No one to look after, nothing to fret over, no fires to put out. She didn't have to listen to the voice in the back of her head telling her something was about to go horribly wrong. She could just exist.
It probably wasn't very smart to just keep wandering like this, though. She did need to sit down with Zeke and tell him what was going on. Knowing him, he was probably worried sick about her. But he didn't need to do that anymore, either. She knew ever since Elnis died that he'd been trying to protect her, just like she'd been trying to protect him. And it was time to let that go. It wasn't just the two of them anymore. They had a lot more people they could rely on.
She noticed two of those people walking up the path a little ways ahead. Kora and Nim, coming back from a stroll. She waved, and Kora waved back, picking up the pace slightly so they met earlier.
"Hey!" Kora called out. "Didn't think I'd see you out here."
"Thought I'd take a stroll," Pandoria said. "I realized I'd never actually taken the time to appreciate the place we call home before."
"It's beautiful," Nim said. "Many aren't able to appreciate it but…" She reached out and touched one of the nearby spines. "I think even the devastation has its charm."
"Feeling better?" Pandoria asked.
"Yes. Thank you for…" Nim trailed off. "Thank you."
"You were a real help," Kora said. "It's good to have someone to lean on when things get tough, you know?"
"I don't think I did much," Pandoria said. "Really, it was you who helped me get through that."
"Nonsense. I haven't seen Nim talk to someone this much since we got here. She's really opened up thanks to you!"
"Don't embarrass me," Nim muttered.
"What?" Kora protested. "It's the truth."
"Well, I'm glad I could help," Pandoria said.
"Listen, if you ever need anything, you don't hesitate to ask, alright? We've got to look out for each other."
Kora smiled at her, and Pandoria wasn't sure what to do with herself. She suddenly felt very self-conscious, which wasn't normal. She'd abandoned her inhibitions long ago, on account of Zeke's constant antics. But something about Kora made that hard to do.
"Yeah," she managed, smiling to herself. "Sounds nice. G-good. Sounds good."
She stammered like an idiot, but Kora didn't seem to mind.
"How are things with your Driver?" she asked. "Is it… Is it alright if I ask?"
"Sure." Pandoria shrugged. "We're… Figuring some stuff out right now. We both put too many expectations on each other, but I'm not sure how to fix that."
"He seems like a nice guy," Nim said. "I'm sure he'll understand. I wish…"
She trailed off again, drawing into herself. Kora put an arm around her and began rubbing her shoulder.
"Our Driver wasn't the most accommodating," she explained. "Completely the opposite of Zeke. It's nice to know there are some Drivers out there who care, though."
"He tries his best," Pandoria said. "But it's still hard. He gets these ideas in his head, and once he sets his mind to something, he becomes unshakeable. Up until now, I've always been the one watching his back. But…"
"But?" Kora asked.
"I'm thinking maybe I should take a step back from that. Figure out who I am outside that role I've been filling for so long."
"He's a good Driver," Nim insisted. "You should hold onto that. You… You should hold onto that."
"I'm sure she isn't planning on leaving," Kora said. "You aren't planning on leaving, right?"
"No," Pandoria said. "Nothing that dramatic."
"Good. Because it would've been pretty disappointing if you'd left right when we were getting to know each other. Oh!" Kora perked up. "I just remembered! Would now be a good time to ask about what I used to be like?"
"I suppose." Pandoria shrugged. "What would you like to know?"
"You said I was one of the most badass Blades you'd ever met, right? How'd you get that impression?"
"Oh, that." Pandoria laughed to herself a little. "We were a team, for a while. You, me, Zeke, your Driver Elnis, and these two veterans, Mabon and Vess. I guess Herald was there too, but they…" Pandoria made a face. "They weren't really a part of the team, as such. Anyway, the six of us used to hunt down Blade poachers. You and Elnis were especially good at it. Usually, you two took down more in a fight than even Zeke could manage. First ones in, last ones out, as Elnis used to say. By contrast, you were pretty reserved. Cautious to a fault. It's what made you such a good pair. Until it didn't, I guess."
"We died on the job?" Kora asked.
"Yeah. Some two-bit goon named Jaggra started muscling into the territory of some other people we'd taken down, and it seemed like a good opportunity to go two for two. You and Elnis fought him alone, but he had one very nasty trick up his sleeve. We got caught up with Jaggra's underlings, you two went straight for the leader, and… Well, I didn't actually see the fight play out. We got there too late."
"Doesn't sound very badass to me," Kora said. She was being rather casual about this, considering.
"That's not… I guess I used to look up to you, in a way. You were one of the first people I ever met who I could relate to, and you'd been fighting a lot longer than I had. Zeke and I were still pretty rough around the edges back then. And you were pretty hard to approach, so…" Pandoria shrugged. "To me, you were always one of the best."
"Funny how that works," Kora said. "Because I'm sorta in the same boat. You and Zeke are legends, in case you hadn't noticed. You helped the Aegis stop the Cataclysm. You've personally traded blows with the Dark Aegis. You matched the Paragon of Torna's speed, for crying out loud. And you did all that with style. Part of the reason Nim and I came out here, originally, was because we'd heard the Thunderbolt Prince and his dashing Blade were thinking about joining."
"Dashing?" Pandoria asked.
"Hey, I don't make the rumors, I just hear them. Still, the stories don't really do it justice, do they? I mean…" Kora motioned at Pandoria.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Pandoria crossed her arms.
"Ah, forget it. We just met like, three days ago, you don't want to hear all this from me."
Nim poked her in the side, eliciting a yelp.
"Say what's on your mind," she muttered. "You're always getting mad at me for not doing that, so…"
"Fine," Kora conceded. "I… Well…" She sighed. "You're much more beautiful in person, is all."
Pandoria could barely stay on her feet as she processed what she'd just heard. Rarely, if ever, had someone called her beautiful before. And it had certainly never come from someone as good-looking as Kora. Normally, she would've had a response prepared right away. Living with Zeke demanded the flexibility to adapt to any social situation. But right now? She had nothing.
"Ah," was all she could manage. She felt a stupid grin creep onto her face as Kora blushed. She'd never considered dating someone before, but scaling back her responsibilities with Zeke would leave her with much more free time. She could think of worse ways to spend it than in the company of a beautiful woman. A beautiful woman who thought the same of her, even.
"Yeah," Kora admitted. "Sorry, I didn't mean to drop that on you, it's just—"
"Don't apologize," Pandoria said. This probably wasn't something to talk about with Nim present, but this was definitely a conversation she wanted to continue. "Why don't we head back to the Gardens? Grab something to eat, maybe, just the two of us? If that's alright with you, Nim?"
"Don't worry about me," Nim said, giving both of them a wide grin. "I'll be fine."
"She is never going to let me hear the end of this," Kora muttered. "But, yeah, that sounds nice."
"Good. I know a place where a couple of my old friends work. They'd probably want to meet you t—"
The sound of an ether detonation cut her off before she could finish, and immediately she scrambled up the nearest spine to get a better look. Strix seemed to be fighting a group of Ardainian soldiers further down Temperantia's back. Some were getting past him, though, and he was too busy to call for help.
Why was the Coalition attacking them? That didn't make any sense. She needed to get to the bottom of this, now.
"Get back to the Gardens," she said. "Tell them we're in danger."
Before she could leap into battle, however, there was a flash of green light, and something struck her, trapping her against the spine. An ether net. Several soldiers broke away from the fighting and came to a stop at the foot of the spire. As they took off their helmets, she could feel the rage building in her stomach.
"Orion," she spat.
"In the flesh," he said. "Bet you never thought you'd see me again, did you?"
"If I'm being honest, I'd mostly forgotten you ever existed."
"I'm hurt." He pressed a hand to his heart. "How could you forget your oldest friend?"
"It might've had something to do with the jail cell we locked you in."
Orion stepped forward, a grin spreading on his face, and Kora intercepted him.
"Back off!" she shouted. "I'm warning you now, touch her and I will end you, asshole!"
"You again," he muttered. "How is it the same Blades keep getting in my way, even when the Drivers change? Durro?"
"I got it," someone else said, walking forward. "Back off, Kora. You too, Nim. That's an order."
"You bastard!" Kora shouted. "I won't let you get away with this."
"Don't make me tell you again," Durro said. "Back off."
Reluctantly, Kora stepped to the side, practically shaking with anger. That must've been their Driver, then. If he was part of Orion's new crew, then Kora had been way too generous describing him earlier.
"Get her down," Orion said, motioning up at Pandoria. "We're taking her with us."
"Lock her up, Nim," Durro said. Reluctantly, Nim extended a hand and cut the spine off, then reshaped it until it formed a cage. Keeping her prisoner, but also keeping Orion from getting to her. Smart thinking.
"You know this won't end well," Pandoria said. "Zeke is going to raise hell when he finds out about this."
"I'm counting on it," Orion said. "To the Gardens!"
As they marched on the Gardens, Strix getting pushed further and further back next to them, Pandoria felt unreasonably calm. By all rights, she should have been panicking. Once again, she'd let her guard down, and something bad had happened. But she knew better, now. She trusted the others to get them out, especially if this idiot was dumb enough to march right up to Zeke and Nia. But the other, bigger reason she wasn't freaking out was because she couldn't afford to. Kora and Nim were trapped, just like her. She needed to figure out a way to get free so she could help them. Otherwise this was going to be a pretty shitty first date.
Getting rescued by her own student hadn't been quite how she pictured this panning out, but it was better than the alternative. At least everyone was alive and safe. Zeke seemed to be in relatively high spirits, already busy arguing some inane point with Nia as they rounded up the remaining attackers. She hadn't quite broached the subject of stepping back and spending more time apart, but… After this attack, their focus needed to be on keeping people safe. Training Electra. That sort of thing. They were going to be inseparable for the foreseeable future, whether she wanted to be or not.
More important than that, however, was that Kora and Nim were safe. She'd been worried sick about them the whole fight, even more worried than she'd been for Zeke. This must've been a terrifying situation for them. Forced to fight their friends by the person they came here to get away from. She was immensely relieved that the situation had been dealt with. She only wished she could've done it herself.
They were standing off to the side, talking to each other. Mabon had decided to hang out nearby, keeping an eye on Durro until Zeke came to drag him away. Still leaning into that perpetually grumpy old man look that he thought made him intimidating. He didn't press about Kora, though. Given how long he'd been doing this, and how many Blades he'd met, this probably wasn't his first time meeting a second incarnation.
"How are they?" Pandoria asked, motioning at them.
"Doing better," he said. "I think. Though if you really want to know, ask them yourself."
"They look like they need space."
"They could probably also use a friendly face," he noted.
"Yeah." She sighed. "How are you doing, Mabon?"
"Enjoying a much needed break from Vess's cooking," he said. Pandoria frowned at him and crossed her arms.
"Don't make me tell Vess," she said.
"You wouldn't dare," he replied. "You're not a snitch, are you? I don't remember raising a snitch."
"Don't push me," she warned.
"How are you holding up?" he asked. "Must've been weird running into this loser after all these years."
He motioned at Orion, still unconscious on the ground.
"I think anything he could've done to get under my skin, he's already tried by now. It didn't work then, so…" She shrugged. "Honestly, I'm just annoyed he interrupted my walk. Today was going great right up until that point."
"What, you had a hot date lined up or something?"
"Yeah, I did," Pandoria said.
"Oh." He nodded. "Yeah, that's a pretty shitty situation, then. You hear that Orion, you asshole!? You mess with my student's love life again, and I'll kick your teeth in!"
Orion stirred, muttered something under his breath, and gestured rudely at Mabon.
"I should probably go make sure he stays down," Mabon said. "Go have fun on your date."
Pandoria did her best not to turn bright red as Mabon walked away. There were very few things left in the world that could embarrass her, and yet Mabon had somehow managed to find one. She glanced back to see if Kora had heard what he'd shouted. Their eyes met, and Kora smiled at her, waving her over.
"Hey," Pandoria said. "You two doing alright?"
"We're fine," Kora said. "Nim's a little spooked, but—"
"I'm fine," Nim said, cutting her off. "Your student really packs a punch."
"She surprises even me," Pandoria said. Speaking of, she looked around for Electra and found her helping Zeke heft some prisoners up. She seemed in high spirits, now that the fighting was over with. Hopefully this made her a little more confident in herself. It'd be nice if something good came from this mess.
"Things would've turned out a lot worse if she hadn't shown up," Kora said. "But thanks to her, I finally got to punch Durro in his stupid face, so all in all? I can't really complain."
"That's good, I'm…" Pandoria hesitated for a moment, not sure if what she wanted to say was appropriate. "I'm glad you're alright. I wasn't sure what I would've done if you'd gotten hurt."
"Thanks, that's—"
Kora stopped abruptly as tears began to well up in her eyes.
"You alright?" Pandoria asked.
"Yeah," she said, furiously wiping at her eyes. "It's just… You're probably the first person other than Nim who's cared that much about what happens to me. I'm not really used to it. Doesn't feel real to hear it out loud."
"Well, get used to it," Pandoria said. She stepped in closer and took Kora's hand. Nim seemed to take that as her cue to leave, flashing Pandoria a quick thumbs up as she ducked back.
"This just seems absurd," Kora continued. "I mean, we met like three days ago, and—"
"I like you," Pandoria said. "You're fun. You're beautiful. And you make me feel good about myself. Being around you has been the best part of the last few days."
"Well, when you put it like that…" Kora trailed off, and after a moment, she leaned in for a kiss. Not the response Pandoria had been expecting, but… Screw it. If she was going to start living her life, then she needed to start, damnit. She leaned in and kissed Kora.
Electricity sparked between them, and it was exhilarating. Like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She was still unsure about a lot, but this? She wanted more of this.
"Wow," Kora muttered. "That was something else."
"Still don't believe me?" Pandoria asked.
"Do you really have to ask?"
"I should probably manage expectations, now," Pandoria said. "I don't know what kind of commitment you're looking for, but Zeke and I are pretty busy people."
"I figured," she said. "He is a Caretaker. I knew what I was getting myself into."
"We're probably going to be swamped, after this. And I don't know how long that's going to last. So until things calm down, I won't be able to prioritize a relationship."
"I'm not looking to get married," Kora said. "Just promise me you'll try to make some time, yeah?"
"As much as I can," Pandoria said. "We can figure out the rest later."
"Cool." Kora leaned in for another kiss, and Pandoria met her.
"We should probably find somewhere more private," she said. "How about we go grab that food I promised you, before Zeke decides to rope me into something else?"
"Sounds like a date," Kora said.
"I should hope so," Pandoria replied. Kora laughed, and the two of them headed off for the market, hand in hand. It was strange, inviting someone else into her life now. But even if it meant splitting her time, it was definitely worth it.
Pandoria practically collapsed onto her bed. Luckily, the actual quarters part of the Caretakers' quarters had survived the day relatively undamaged. There was no telling how many repairs they still needed to make, or how much work they still needed to get done. And there was the diplomatic mission Nia had tossed at them to worry about. But for right now, none of that mattered. She was going to get some much-needed rest.
Then there was a knock on the door, and before Pandoria could get up, Kora poked her head in.
"Hey," she said, smiling sheepishly. "You awake?"
"Yeah," Pandoria mumbled.
"I can leave if—"
"No." Pandoria sat up, patting the bed next to her. "Come in."
Kora slipped inside and closed the door. As she sat down next to Pandoria, Kora rested her head on her shoulder.
"How's Nim holding up?" Pandoria asked.
"She managed to get to sleep," Kora said. "A minor miracle, after everything that happened today. But I think she'll be alright."
"That's good… How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine," Kora said. "Things were tense for a while there, and for a minute I was afraid you might not make it back, but you're here now. That's what matters."
"I'm sorry we were gone for so long. I didn't…" Pandoria sighed. "If I'd known this was going to happen, I never would have left."
"Liar." Kora poked her in the side. "You'd let that man drag you anywhere."
"Only because he's hopeless without me," she said. "If I'm not around to take care of him, he gets himself into all sorts of trouble."
"Which is completely distinct from all the trouble he gets up to when you're with him."
"At least when I'm around, he's got someone watching his back."
"I envy him, you know," Kora said. "He gets all your attention. He's always the first person on your mind."
"Not always," Pandoria said, tracing a finger down Kora's arm. "He might be my Driver, but you're…" She tried to put a word to it but came up short. What were they, really? Friends? Partners? Those were words she might have applied to the previous Kora, but it wasn't fair to saddle her with them. Lovers didn't feel quite right either. They were still figuring things out on that front.
"You're special," she decided.
"Oh really?" Kora asked. "Why don't you show me?"
Kora pulled her in for a kiss, and for a moment Pandoria just let herself be. She pushed all her constant worries aside and focused on the woman next to her. The two of them, together like this… It was nice. It was something she hadn't realized she'd been missing until she found it. She didn't know if anything would come of their relationship, but for now, she was glad they could be together.
A spark passed between them as their lips parted. One of the little joys of being electric-type Blades was their shocks couldn't hurt each other. It only made things that much more exciting.
"I'm sorry," Pandoria said.
"About what?"
"I…" She pulled back a little. "Zeke and I are leaving for Tantal soon. Nia wants us to smooth things over with the Coalition, and… We'll probably be gone for a while."
"I see…" Kora slumped a little. "I just got you back, and you're leaving again?"
"I'm sorry," was all Pandoria could think to say.
"I haven't seen you in weeks, P. This isn't fair."
"I know, and I don't want to hurt you, but I have to go."
"Why?"
"Zeke's my Driver. He needs me."
"I need you," Kora said. Pandoria could see tears welling up in her eyes. She knew being absent would put a strain on their relationship, but that had been exactly why she'd wanted to keep things casual. Avoid making long-term commitments.
"Kora…" She didn't know what to say.
"Sorry," Kora muttered. "I know this is sudden."
"Don't be," Pandoria said. "I didn't realize… I should have been paying you more attention."
"It's not your fault. I hadn't minded you spending all your time with Zeke until… When Agate trapped us in that warehouse, I thought that was it. We were going to die, and I was never going to see you again. And then you rescued us, and I… I couldn't stand the thought of that happening again. You're too important to me. So I don't want you to leave again. I don't want to worry that you might not come back."
"I'm coming back," Pandoria said. "I promise, I'm coming back."
"I know. I just wish I was important enough to you to make you want to stay."
Pandoria's heart ached. For a long time, Zeke had been her only real family. The one person in her life she cherished most. She didn't know if she had room in her life, in her heart, for someone else. But she wanted to try.
"You are," she said.
"Then stay," Kora said, clinging to Pandoria's chest. "Please."
"I…" Pandoria sighed and put a hand on Kora's head. "I can't. I made a promise a long time ago, and I have to keep it. I have to go with Zeke. But I'm going to make you a promise too. I swear, no matter what happens, this'll be the last time I leave. From now on, you're the first person on my mind."
"Okay," Kora said. She drew up and managed a smile. "I'll be waiting."
"I haven't left yet," Pandoria said. Without meaning to, she felt a mischievous smile creep onto her lips. "I might have to do my job tomorrow, but tonight? I'm all yours."
"Then you'd better give me something to look forward to," Kora said. She draped her hands around Pandoria's shoulders and began running her fingers through her hair. Gently, Pandoria pushed her back onto the bed.
Until now, Pandoria had always lived for Zeke's sake. She protected him, guided him, cared for him. Wherever he went, she followed. His goals had been her goals, and his life had been her life. But now she had someone else in her life. Someone else she wanted to love and care for as much as she loved and cared for Zeke. She cared about him, and she would always be his Blade, but if she wanted to be with Kora, then she needed to figure out how to let him go.
That was a problem for tomorrow, though. Tonight, she was going to focus on what was right in front of her.