Shadows of Alrest

by kiben007

It had taken unthinkable sacrifice, but with Malos dead and a new Elysium to call home, it seemed like the world had been given a second chance. But old habits die hard, and not everyone is willing to see the world change for the better. Even with the Aegis gone, the work of her companions is far from over. Sequel to my previous work, "Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Atonement"

30. Elysian Garden, Part 14

Nia had told Zeke that physical intimacy was easy. And part of that was because of how new this all was, for her. She hadn't ever had time for anything like this before, so everything they did was exhilarating. It was a whole world of new experiences and sensations. Good ones at that, which had been a rarity for her for much of her life.

But that was really just an added bonus. The real reason she was so eager to throw herself into this was because it was the only thing that seemed capable of quieting her mind. So long as she was in Zeke's arms, the rest of the world seemed to disappear. She hadn't been this at peace in months. Years, maybe. And she never, ever wanted this to end.

For a while, even, it seemed like it wouldn't. Thanks to his Core Crystal, Zeke had seemingly endless stamina, and Nia could use her ether to keep herself going for as long as she needed. It almost felt like cheating, in a way. They didn't have to stop to rest or take their time with anything. They just moved seamlessly from one position to the next.

Unfortunately, they couldn't escape the outside world forever. As Nia came down from the high of her latest orgasm, she noticed that their communicators' emergency lights were both blinking, which meant someone was trying to get their attention.

"Damnit," she muttered, reaching over to grab hers.

"What's going on?" Zeke asked.

"I don't know," she said, switching the device on and worming it into her ear. "What's the situation?"

"Nia," Patroka said, a little surprised. "Where have you guys been? I've been trying to raise you for twenty minutes. Akhos was just about ready to send out a search party."

"Taking a break," Nia said, refusing to elaborate further. "You need us for something?"

"Some Coalition guys arrived earlier with news about Leftheria. Apparently the military's starting to mobilize, and we're supposed to be sending our troops their way in the next couple of days. Mikhail made up some crap to get them to leave, but it looks like it's starting. We've got an official time for the attack, so the Flamebringer's crew is heading back to their base to start preparations on their end. I figured you two would want to see them off."

"Yeah," Nia said, deflating a little. True, she didn't want to miss saying goodbye to Mòrag and the others, but… She really didn't want to stop what they were currently doing, either.

"Great," Patroka said. "I'll let them know to stick around until you get back."

"What's going on?" Zeke asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

"The Coalition's mobilizing," Nia said, sliding off him and standing up. "Mòrag and the others are heading back to start preparing countermeasures. We should hurry if we want to see them off."

"Ah." Zeke smiled a little and shook his head. "Shame. We were just getting to the good part, too."

"Really? Because I had assumed we were already at the good part."

"I'm sure I could've come up with something to top that last round," Zeke said. Slowly, he sat up and started groping around for his clothes.

Nia unleashed a wave of water from her hands, taking a moment to clean herself off.

"Fancy," Zeke muttered.

"You want me to get you, too?" she asked.

"Might as well." Zeke straightened up, and Nia did the same for him. Then, after taking a moment to get their clothes back on, the two of them headed back for the Gardens.

"So how'd I do?" Zeke asked as they started up the hill.

"What do you mean?" Nia asked.

"What we just did. Was that good for you? Did you enjoy it?"

"I didn't expect I'd be getting a survey, after all that." Nia pushed against his arm playfully. "What, do you want me to rate you on a scale from one to five, Shellhead?"

"I'm being serious," Zeke said. "There's not much point if we don't both enjoy it, so if I did something wrong or—"

"It was good," Nia said, cutting him off. "Best sex of my life. Not that I have much to compare it to, but still. You were fantastic."

"Good," Zeke said. "Honestly, we've gone a little fast with all this, so I was worried you were pushing yourself into things."

"Maybe a little," Nia admitted. "It seemed like the only way to prove to myself that you were telling the truth. But I'm glad I did it."

"So long as you're comfortable with it, then that's what matters." Zeke shrugged. "And hopefully now you believe me when I say you deserve the world."

"Doing my best," Nia said. "It might take a bit longer, though."

"Well, like I said, I'll do whatever it takes."

"I'm hoping so." Nia smiled to herself a bit. "Still, we probably shouldn't make a habit of knocking off work for hours at a time just for this. We still do have responsibilities."

"Yeah," Zeke said, sighing. "Those darn things."

"But we're still on for tonight, right?" Nia asked.

"Of course."

"Good." She nodded to herself. Zeke was right that they were probably moving things a little fast. It helped her feel less anxious and guilty about the whole thing, but it hardly felt normal. Nia wanted to do something for Zeke to let him know she appreciated how considerate he was being while they figured this out.

Except she didn't really have any idea what he would actually like. Sex was great, but they'd just done that, and it had really been more for her benefit than anything else. She needed to figure out something else. Something that felt less… Rushed. More considered. Like a date, maybe.

She'd probably have to go back to Pandoria for more advice.

"Oh shoot," Zeke muttered. He stopped for a moment and smacked himself in the forehead.

"What?" Nia asked.

"We didn't use protection!" he said. "I was so caught up in things that it never even crossed my mind!"

"Is that a problem?" Nia asked.

"That…" Zeke thought about it for a moment. "I guess that depends on if we can have kids or not. I don't really know how being a Blade or a Flesh Eater impacts things in that department."

"Y'know, I've never really thought about it before. I don't actually know. I've heard stories before, but I'd always assumed that's all they were. I guess that's something to ask Adenine about."

"Well, in the meantime, I think it's better safe than sorry. I wonder if I can even get protection out here, or if I'll have to make a run to the Capital."

"Don't want kids?" Nia asked.

"I'm not opposed to the idea. I just don't think we need any more surprises right now. And I don't think I'm really ready for that kind of responsibility either."

"Fair enough." Nia shrugged. "Though, I can probably manage a solution myself."

"I…" Zeke thought some more. "Yeah, maybe. Something to experiment with, I guess."

"Speaking of which," Nia said. "What do we want to do about our rooming situation?"

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" Zeke asked.

"I mean, we just had sex. It seems like the next logical step, to me."

"Normally, there'd be one or two steps in between," Zeke said. "But we're not exactly normal, so I guess that's to be expected. Still, are you sure that's what you want? It'll be pretty hard to keep this under wraps if we start sharing a bed every night."

"Yeah, well, Strix basically sunk us on that front already," Nia said. "And besides, I don't really care if the others know or not. I'm not about to go giving out all the sordid details, but there's no harm in letting our friends know we're dating. The only reason I wanted to avoid it before was because I was afraid of committing, and…" She motioned between the two of them. "I think it's safe to say we're committed, at this point."

"True," Zeke said. "I guess I'll clear my room out tonight. Should go quick, since I don't really own much in the first place."

"Maybe save the actual moving for tomorrow," Nia said. "Like you said, we should do something to celebrate tonight. And you've been good to me, so I thought I'd take the chance to do something nice for you in exchange."

Zeke seemed like he was going to protest that. Which Nia had sort of expected. His first instinct was always to turn down help, even when he talked so much about wanting to offer it. But before he did, he managed to catch himself, and instead, he just smiled.

"Sounds delightful," he said. "Did you have something specific in mind?"

"That would be telling," Nia said, to cover for the fact that she didn't. Still, she'd figure something out.

"Oh, mysterious." Zeke's grin widened. "I can hardly wait."

"Well, you'll have to wait a little longer," Nia said as they came within sight of the gates. "We've still got to see the others off first. And it'll take some time to prepare everything."

"I'll be waiting with bated breath," he said. Silently, Nia hoped that whatever she managed to come up with would meet his expectations. She hadn't really meant to play it up like that, but it was very hard to be around Zeke and not pick up a little of his flair for the dramatic. Hopefully, Pandoria would be able to help her pull out something passable.

"There you two are," Rex said, eyeing them up as they approached. "Been off having fun on your own all day?"

"Basically," Zeke said. "You should've seen the size of the machine we took down earlier. It was a real monster."

"We saw," Mòrag said. "They brought the wreckage by a few hours ago. It was certainly large, but I can't imagine an Artifice would have given you all that much trouble."

"It wasn't an Artifice," Zeke said.

"What else could it have been?" Brighid asked.

"Tornan, maybe?" Rex offered.

"I don't think so," Zeke said. "I'm no expert, but it didn't look like any kind of technology from Alrest or Morytha."

"That's not possible," Mòrag said.

"Certainly, it seems unlikely," Esrafil said. "But it's definitely not an Artifice, I can tell you that much. There's no Slave Generator."

"Machinery unlike anything Tora seen before," Tora said. "Definitely not Tornan or Judician, and too complex to be modern either. Would love to study in greater detail. Could give many insights for building Esra's new body."

"I'm sure we can arrange something," Nia said. "If you two want to stick around a couple more days and study the wreckage, I'm sure Adenine wouldn't mind the help."

"Tora has prior commitments back home," Esra said. "And I really should get back to the Watchers. Things are a little tense right now between them and the Coalition authorities, and it helps to have me and Poppi there to mediate things."

"Will definitely come back another time," Tora said. "Excited to dig into problem when there less going on."

"Wait, alright, back this up a second," Rex said. "That thing came in before lunch. And you two are just now getting back? What have you been doing since then?"

"We missed lunch?" Zeke asked. "Damn. I was so preoccupied I didn't even notice."

"Preoccupied doing what, exactly?" Rex asked.

"Just passing the time," Nia said. "Enjoying each other's company. That sort of thing."

"Nia could've picked a more romantic spot," Zeke said. "But really, it's the company that matters, right?"

"So you two are together," Brighid said, as if that was some sort of victory on her part.

"Of course," Nia said. "I mean, Strix already told you that much, right? It's not like we ever denied it."

"Alright, then what was with the whole song and dance this morning?" Rex asked.

"No idea what you're talking about," Zeke said. "Nia, you have any idea what he's talking about?"

"None at all," Nia said.

"Are you two for real?" Rex asked. "Is this payback for something? Am I being punked? What's going on?"

"It is as I feared," Mòrag said, shaking her head. "He's starting to rub off on her already."

"You don't get to complain," Nia said. "Not after all the lengths you went to to make this happen in the first place."

"A pyrrhic victory, I now realize."

"All jokes aside, we're happy for you," Brighid said. "I'm a little surprised it happened this soon, but I suppose that just means it's a good thing we intervened when we did."

"That was a joke?" Zeke asked, staring at Mòrag. "You do jokes, now?"

"When the mood strikes me," Mòrag said. "And I might as well get them out now. There won't be much cause for libations in the coming days."

"Right," Zeke said. "War's about to start, huh?"

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Rex said.

"You're really sure about going back to Leftheria with the Praetorians still there?" Roc asked. "That feels like a big risk."

"Would you rather leave Auntie Corinne and the kids to fend for themselves?"

"No," Roc said. "But that doesn't mean I have to like this plan either."

"It'll be fine," Brighid said. "We'll have the whole Department backing us up, along with Mikhail's volunteers. If the Praetorians want to get at Rex, then they'll have to work for it."

"Don't forget about me," Azurda said, lumbering his way through the gate. "I am still the village guardian, after all. I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't show up to defend it."

"Gramps!" Rex shouted, running over and wrapping his leg in a hug. "Where have you been!? I haven't seen you since we got here!"

"I've been trying to liaise with the other Titans," he said. "They decided to stay after the uprising was quelled, but a lot of them still have reservations. Tenax especially. I don't think she's taken very kindly to being outvoted, so I've been doing what I can to patch things up. As much as any of them will listen to me, anyway."

"Why wouldn't they?" Rex asked.

"It's a long story," Azurda said. "Perhaps I'll tell you on our way back."

"I suppose it's time to head out, then," Mòrag said.

"What about Pandy?" Zeke asked. "I think she'd like to say goodbye."

"She had a prior engagement with her girlfriend," Brighid said. "She gave us her farewells earlier."

Shoot. Nia didn't really want to interrupt Pandoria if she was in the middle of something with Kora, but she really needed some help with planning something nice for Zeke. Who else could she talk to?

Vess, maybe? The woman had apparently taken care of Zeke for years when he was younger. She might at least have some ideas. Something to get Nia started.

"Well, it's a shame you have to leave already," Nia said. "Good luck in Leftheria."

"There wouldn't be any need for luck if you two joined us," Mòrag said. Then Brighid shot her a glare, and she sighed. "But we'll manage it ourselves. You two deserve some time to yourselves, after everything that's happened to the Gardens in the last few months. The rest of us can pick up the slack on this one."

"Good to know we have the Mòrag seal of approval," Zeke said. "Now we just have to break the news to my dad."

"I can't imagine he'll have any problems with me," Nia said.

"I sure hope not. Though I suppose you are sort of royalty, in a sense, so he might be getting his wish after all."

"The Banshee Queen and the Thunderbolt Prince," Rex said. "Y'know, it kinda has a ring to it."

"Wouldn't that make me the Thunderbolt King?" Zeke asked.

"Sorry to break it to you, Shellhead," Nia said, "But I'm Gormotti, so we'd have to follow the old Gormotti convention. You'd be a prince consort at best."

"Are you kidding me?" Zeke asked. "I feel like I'm getting ripped off, here."

"I thought you hated the monarchy?"

"Well, yeah, sure. But I know how to appreciate a cool title when I see one, and Thunderbolt King is some top-class stuff."

"Zeke already Bringer of Chaos," Tora said. "That coolest title of all. Why need others?"

"I'm shopping around for something new," Zeke said. "I've got all these responsibilities now, so it seems a tad irresponsible to still be calling myself the 'Bringer of Chaos', y'know? Haven't quite settled on a new one yet, though."

"I think Thunderbolt King might not be appropriate either," Nia said. "Considering the Gardens are trying to break away from stuff like monarchies."

"True enough." Zeke shrugged. "Back to the drawing board, I suppose."

"We should probably get going," Brighid noted. "As much as I'd like to stay and converse more, there are preparations to make."

"Right." Zeke nodded. "All the best, then. Don't go dying on us."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Mòrag said. Briefly, the group exchanged hugs, and then they all loaded up on Azurda.

"Good luck," Nia said again. "Fly safe."

"Same to you," Brighid said. "And congratulations on the new relationship."

"Alright, that's enough chatter," Azurda said. "We're off. I'll see you two when I get back."

Nia and Zeke waved as Azurda took to the air, slowly disappearing against the horizon.

"Feels weird not to be going with them," Zeke said. "I've gotten so used to doing these away missions lately."

"There's no way I'm letting you go off on your own again," Nia said. "You're staying right here where I can keep an eye on you."

"Why just one?" Zeke asked. "If you see something you like, I'll let you look as long as you want."

"I appreciate the thought, but I'm being serious."

"What do you mean?"

"The Spessians are after you for some reason, remember? I don't want you running off to battle and giving them another shot at you."

"Well, if they want me, then they'll have to come and get me," Zeke said. "Like I said, I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," Nia muttered.

"So what now?" Zeke asked. "We going after Strix, or did you have something else in mind?"

"Strix?" Nia asked. "What about him?"

"We were going to pay him back for gossiping about us at the meeting, remember?"

"Oh. Yeah." Truth be told, Nia had forgotten. More important things had happened in the meantime. But she was curious what his eyes looked like under his bandages. And if this was something Zeke wanted to do, then all the better.

"Did you have a strategy in mind?" she asked. "I can't imagine we'll be able to take him by surprise very easily."

"I'm putting one together. Though if it's alright with you, I'd like to bring Electra on board to help."

"Think it'll be good practice?" Nia asked.

"It depends on how things play out, but I'm hoping so. And I should really touch base with her anyway. I haven't talked to her since yesterday, and she's probably anxious to know what the next phase of her training looks like."

"What happened to patience?" Nia asked. "I thought that was the next thing she was supposed to learn?"

"I'll work it into the lesson somehow," Zeke said.

"Alright. She's your student. It's your call. And it'll give me a chance to run some errands anyway."

"Preparations for later tonight?" Zeke asked.

"Maybe," Nia said, giving him a wink. He smiled at that.

"Take all the time you need, then," Zeke said.

The two of them headed back inside the Gardens, and for a moment, Nia was worried that Zeke would be going to the same place she was. Vess and Mabon were usually still in the market at this time of day, and there was a decent chance that Electra was either with them or somewhere nearby. But instead of heading for the market, Zeke gave her a wave and ducked into a back alley, heading down to the field. Not really where she'd been expecting him to head, but it did mean that, for the moment, she was in the clear.

Vess's stand was busy, as usual, and it took a moment before Nia could get her attention.

"I'll be right with you, dear," she said, giving Nia a wave as she turned back to the stove.

"I'm not here to order anything, Vess," Nia said.

"Nonsense," Vess said. "It's been days since you last came by, and I'm not letting you leave without a getting a good meal in you."

"I need your help, Vess."

The woman stopped cooking for a moment and turned to stare at Nia.

"You need my help?" Vess asked. "What could the Caretakers possibly need my help with?"

"Not the Caretakers. Me, personally. It's…" Nia glanced around, trying to figure out a way to phrase things. "It's not something I'd like to talk about in public."

"Alright, well…" Vess motioned around her. "I've got a batch of dumplings to finish, then I'll be free to talk. Mabon? Can you help the customers?"

Mabon grumbled something as he stood up from his stool and walked around behind the counter, casting a mean glare over the crowd of patrons. It took another minute or two before Vess finished with her current batch, then she handed them off to Mabon and stepped out of the kitchen. Nia led her a few steps away, just in case, so they'd have a chance to talk privately.

"What's this about?" Vess asked, looking a little concerned. "Did something happen to Zeke?"

"No," Nia said. "But it is about Zeke. I—" Nia stopped for a moment, hesitating to say the words aloud. "You know him pretty well, right? You know what he likes, what his interests are, that sort of thing?"

"It's probably more accurate to say I knew him," Vess said. "He was a lot younger, back then. Rash, impulsive, headstrong. I'm still a little surprised at how much he's grown since we parted ways."

"I don't know, that still sounds like him."

"Trust me, Nia. Even if he still has a knack for throwing himself into situations headfirst, he's much, much more mature than he was when we fought together."

"Still, I bet you can at least give me something to work with. I'll take whatever I can get."

"What is this about?" Vess asked.

"Well…" Nia sighed. "I suppose Zeke and I are… Dating, now. And—"

"Mabon," Vess said, glancing over her shoulder. "Get your butt over here. It's important."

"Really?" Mabon asked. He took a moment to flip around a sign on the counter before walking over to them. "More important than watching the customers?"

"Zeke has a girlfriend," Vess said, motioning at Nia.

"Huh?" Mabon asked. Then he stared at Nia for a moment, and the thoughts connected in his brain. "Oh. Ooooooh. I see."

"I don't know if girlfriend is the right word," Nia said. "It feels a little bit… I don't know. Trivial, maybe? I've been to the top of the World Tree. I've fought the Dark Aegis face-to-face. It feels weird to do all that and then go and get a boyfriend, like I'm a history major at university working part-time as a waitress for the local pub."

"That is an oddly specific image," Mabon noted.

"Sorry, that was…" Nia shook her head. She had been thinking of someone in particular when she said that. A woman she'd met once in Alba Cavanich while travelling with her old Driver. She was one of the very few "normal" people Nia had ever met before becoming a Flesh Eater. They'd ended up in a conversation, somehow, and the woman had talked a lot about her boyfriend. The two of them had been saving up money so they could move to a better apartment.

For a long time, that woman and her problems had seemed almost amusingly straightforward. Uncomplicated to the point of absurdity. Certainly nothing worth worrying about, when compared to the weight of everything Nia found herself dealing with after she became a Flesh Eater.

In the face of war and death and the Dark Aegis and the end of the world, that woman and her life had seemed unimportant. But it wasn't unimportant. It couldn't be unimportant. In a way, people like that woman were the most important because without them, there was no point to anything Nia was trying to do. After all, what good were the Gardens without the normal, everyday people who lived in them?

Still, knowing that didn't make Nia feel any more "normal" herself. Normal people had boyfriends. Nia was a Flesh Eater who'd spoken to the Architect, crossed swords with the world-destroying Aion, and helped bring down the World Tree. She wasn't the kind of person who had a boyfriend.

But maybe… Maybe it would be better if she was. It'd certainly make what she was currently trying to do easier. It'd probably make a lot of things easier.

"I'm just not used to this," Nia said. "I've never been in a relationship before. I've never been on a date before. I want to take Zeke out tonight. Show him a good time, y'know? But I have no idea how to do that."

"Alright, yeah, this is an emergency," Mabon decided. "And you've gotta be desperate if you're coming to two old farts like us for advice."

"Alright, be nice," Vess said. "She's Zeke's… Partner? What are you two going with, if not boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Jury's still out on that one," Nia admitted.

"Well, whatever the case, you're together, which means you have our full support. Whatever you need, just say the word, and we'll make it happen."

"What I really need is advice," Nia said. "If I want to take Zeke out on a date tonight, what should I do? What would be fun? What would he like?"

"It's really not that complicated," Mabon said. "If he likes you, then I think just spending time together will be enough."

"Alright, but we've been doing that already, and I promised Zeke I'd prepare something special tonight. I don't want to mess this up."

"Okay… It's a bit crass, but you could always take the easy option and get in his pants. That usually does the trick for me."

"Mabon!" Vess shouted, smacking him on the back of the head. "Have a little tact, for crying out loud!"

"We did that already, too," Nia muttered, a little embarrassed to be saying that aloud.

"Oh." Mabon paused for a moment as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well in that case, I'm out of ideas."

"Is sex really your only idea?" Vess asked.

"Hey, I'm just thinking out loud!" Mabon protested. "And besides, I don't know why you're so fucking surprised. You should know by now that I'm not a terribly complicated guy."

"You're hopeless," Vess muttered, shaking her head. "Anyway, Nia, there is one immediate option that jumps to mind. How good a cook are you?"

"I can smoke meat," she said. "Make stew, maybe. I don't really have much experience outside of that."

"Well, that makes you better than Mabon, so this could still work."

"Bite me," Mabon muttered.

"If you want this to be special, then it needs to be sincere. There needs to be some effort put in. And nothing fits the bill better than a home-cooked meal. And if you want to make it feel more like a date than just a night in, a romantic picnic is always a safe bet."

"Would Zeke like that?" Nia asked.

"He's a romantic," Mabon said. "If you can find a nice, secluded spot with a good view, he'll be all over it. Bonus points if you do it at night with a good view of the stars."

"Now, I can't guarantee anything," Vess said, "Because it's been a long time since I cooked anything for him. But I do have all my old recipes on hand, and I still remember which ones were Zeke's favorites. I can recommend some of the easier ones, if you'd like."

"Please," Nia said. "I'll take anything you can give me."

"Excellent. I'll have to head back to our apartment and grab them, though."

"Alright. Then in that case, could you meet me in the kitchen in, say, half an hour?"

"Absolutely. I can help you get started and walk you through what you need to do, but the most important thing is you make it yourself."

"I'll do my best," Nia said. "And thanks. This is the first solid idea I've had so far."

"Don't do much dating?" Mabon asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you this was my first time?"

"Really?" Mabon asked. Then he let out a whistle. "Damn, you chose a hell of a guy to start with, huh?"

"Tell me about it," Nia muttered. "I'm terrible at figuring out what I want, let alone someone like Zeke. But that's something I should be better at, so I'm hoping this is exactly what I need. Something more personal to focus on, to keep me grounded. Less aloof."

"Aloof?" Vess asked.

"It's been a common complaint among those who sided with Corvin during the uprising. They feel that the Caretakers have become detached from the wider community. Me especially. And I can't say they're wrong. But when I'm with Zeke, I feel less far away than usual, so that's something I want to hold on to."

"You should be dating Zeke because you want to," Vess said. "Not because you feel you have to."

"Believe me, I want to. Zeke is amazing. I want to hold onto that with everything I have. But sometimes I get this feeling that doing things for myself is wrong or bad, somehow. So it helps to have something I can use to counteract that feeling with."

"Nia—" Vess started to say something, but Nia put up a hand.

"Believe me, I'm well aware that isn't healthy. I'm trying my best to work on it. It's just… Hard. And for right now, I'll take what I can get. Which, at the moment, is some scheme Zeke's cooked up to get back at Strix for gossiping behind our backs. I'll meet you at the kitchen once we finish up with that."

"Alright," Vess said, still looking a little concerned. "I'll try to get everything prepared. Just make sure to keep in mind what's most important here, alright? You're trying to have fun, and you're trying to show Zeke a good time. Don't lose sight of that amidst all the… Whatever else it is you've got going on."

"I won't," Nia said. "And really, thanks for the help. Both of you."

"Don't mention it," Mabon said. "Just remember that if you break that kid's heart, we're going to have a problem. Y'hear?"

"I hear," Nia said. "Believe me, if I somehow manage to hurt Zeke, I'll be plenty upset for the both of us."

"Good." Mabon huffed. "Then go out there and knock him dead."

"Will do." Nia gave a wave to the two of them as she headed off toward the field, going to catch up with Zeke. Before anything else, they still had to settle the score with Strix.

It was pretty stupid, all things considered. Definitely not the kind of thing they should've been up to during work hours. But it also seemed fun, and if Zeke wanted to do it, then far be it for Nia to say no. It'd also be a good chance to do something that felt normal, in as much as that word could apply to the two of them. Something dumb and fun and inconsequential. Nia needed more of that in her life right now.

---

It didn't take long for Zeke to find Electra. She was in one of the parks at the edge of town, running around a big open field with Nim and her weird fox-bird things. Playing some game Zeke didn't know the rules of. Pandoria and Kora were nearby too, lounging on a blanket atop a hill overlooking the park.

"Electra!" Zeke called out, immediately getting her attention. She said something to Nim and then took off running, crossing the distance in a matter of seconds.

"Sensei!" Electra shouted. "I thought you were busy with work today."

"We managed to knock off early," Zeke said.

"Do you want to join us, then?" Electra asked. "We can probably squeeze in another player."

"Some other time, maybe," Zeke said. "Right now, we're on a mission."

"A mission?" Immediately, Electra's brow furrowed, and she adopted a very serious stance. "What's going on?"

"We're out to answer one of the most pressing questions of our age," Zeke said, nodding solemnly. "What do Strix's eyes look like?"

"Huh?" Electra asked, clearly unimpressed. "That's a thing people wonder about?"

"Among the Caretakers, it's a hotly debated topic. There's a lot riding on it, and I think you and Nim might be the only ones who can help us find out."

"Alright," Electra glanced back and Nim and beckoned her over. "I guess we can help out. But I thought I was supposed to be learning patience."

"It's good of you to keep that in the forefront of your mind," Zeke said. "But as it happens, I've planned this mission to start you on that path. You and Nim will be lying in wait to help us ambush Strix, and you'll need to do it stealthily. Hide yourselves underground and wait for my signal to pounce. You won't know when the signal will arrive, so you'll have to remain vigilant."

"I see." Electra nodded. "Makes sense."

"What makes sense?" Nim asked. As she approached, the two fox-things ran up her leg and scampered into the depths of her coat.

"We're going on a mission," Electra said.

"Part of your training?" Nim asked. Electra nodded. "Then I guess I can help."

"Excellent," Zeke said. "Nia and I will—"

"Oh!" Electra exclaimed, her face suddenly lighting up. "You should've led with that, sensei. We've got your back."

"Pardon?" Zeke asked.

"Well, you're trying to romance the Head Caretaker, right? Pandoria-sensei already told me everything, so if that's what this is about, then we'll do everything we can to help."

Zeke looked over and glared at Pandoria. Judging by the patronizing wave she responded with, she could somehow tell what this was about just from that glare alone. How long ago had she roped Electra into her scheming, exactly?

"Alright, first of all," Zeke said, slowly turning back to Electra, "Nia isn't Head Caretaker anymore, that's Mikhail. Second, I've already 'romanced' her, thank you very much. I'm not so inept at courtship that I need my own student for a wingman."

"Really?" Electra asked, eyes wide with anticipation. "You two are already dating? When did that happen?"

"That's not the point," Zeke insisted. "Listen, just get in position beneath the Caretakers' quarters and let Nia and I draw Strix out. All you need to focus on is binding him in place on my signal. Do you think you can do that?"

"Absolutely," Electra said. "He'll never see us coming."

He would. He was too good at his job to get jumped by a pair of kids like them. But that's what Zeke was counting on, right now. So long as Strix thought the two of them were the surprise, then he wouldn't see the real plan coming.

"Excellent," Zeke said. "You two go on ahead. I have to talk to Pandy about something first."

"Whatever you say, sensei!" Electra gave him a salute, and the two of them took off toward the Caretakers' quarters.

With that out of the way, Zeke started up the hill toward Pandoria and Kora. He had half a mind to chastise her for meddling in his love life to the point of getting Electra involved, but he also knew that if she hadn't intervened, he probably wouldn't have made any progress at all. So as annoying as it was, he elected to bite his tongue on the subject.

"Pandy," he said, giving them a wave as he trudged toward them. "Kora. Enjoying the quiet life?"

"You know it," Kora said, raising what looked like a glass of wine at him. "Though with Electra around, I wouldn't exactly call it quiet."

"If you need me to take her off your hands, just let me know."

"Nah, it's good. She's the first real friend Nim's ever had. It's great having her around."

"Besides, Electra's a big girl," Pandoria said. "If Kora and I need our space, she'll understand."

"That's good." Zeke nodded.

"Just checking up on us?" Pandoria asked. "Or are you really that lost without me that you can't even last a day?"

"I'm doing just fine, thank you very much," Zeke huffed.

"That's good to hear. I would hate to see you fall apart the second I take a step back. But I know you better than to think you're just here to make small talk."

"What are you talking about?" Zeke asked, immediately defensive. Which was stupid. He had come here specifically to get her advice. He just didn't want to give her the satisfaction of predicting him.

"Zeke, I spent years as your partner. I know when something's bothering you. So instead of beating your way around the bush, this'll go faster if you just come out with it."

"Alright," Zeke sighed. "Fine. I'm sure you've heard that Nia and I are together, now."

"Wait, really?" Kora asked. "I could tell there was something going on between the two of you during the party, but I didn't figure it'd develop that fast."

"Neither did I," Pandoria said, a smile creeping onto her lips that told Zeke she absolutely anticipated this. "Who made the first move?"

"Me, I think?" Zeke asked. "Nia was definitely laying it on pretty thick before I worked up the courage to kiss her, but I'm not sure it counts if I was too oblivious to take notice."

"Yeah, that's about what I expected," Pandoria said. "So what's up, then? Trouble in paradise?"

"Not exactly…" Zeke sighed and sat down on the grass opposite her. "Sorry about interrupting your date for this, it's just… I didn't really know who else to talk to. I know we're stepping back from the whole partnership deal, but I figured since you're family, I could still ask for a favor."

"Don't sweat it," Pandoria said.

"I'm not exactly sure I'd call this a date, either," Kora said. "What with Electra and Nim hanging around. I like them, but a date would be a little more private."

"The date starts later," Pandoria said, wrapping an arm around Kora and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I've got big plans."

"Looking forward to it," Kora said.

"So what exactly is the problem?" Pandoria asked.

"I'm worried about Nia," Zeke said.

"Not exactly a new phenomenon there."

"I know, but this…" Zeke sighed. "I'm telling you this in confidence, yeah?"

"Of course."

"My lips are sealed," Kora said.

"Good." Zeke nodded, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "I'm worried that Nia's only rushing into this relationship with me to take her mind off Dromarch."

"Alright…" Pandoria nodded. "That's… Huh."

"It feels unfair of me, but I'm not really sure what else I'm supposed to make of it. Nia's been feeling like she doesn't deserve to have a relationship, on account of what happened to Dromarch. Like it'd be unfair to him for her to be happy. I did my best to reassure her that wasn't true, but… It feels like she's leaning as hard as she can into me because she's trying to avoid that impulse to push everything away, and even if it's better than the alternative, I still feel like it won't end well."

"You want my help with this?" Pandoria asked.

"I was hoping for advice, but I guess I'll take help too. I'll take whatever you've got, at this point."

"Well, I wish I had something to offer. But honestly?" Pandoria shrugged. "I'm not really sure what to do about this. I would say you should talk to Nia about it, but it seems like you've already done that."

"Yeah," Zeke said.

"Then what else can you do? This sounds like something Nia has to work through on her own, so the best you can do right now is support her and try to be open about your feelings and worries."

"Yeah…" Zeke sighed. He already knew that much, but still, he was hoping for some kind of magic bullet solution. Something he hadn't thought of that would help him find a way through this. "I just hate feeling like Nia's hurting and I can't help her. Even worse, I hate feeling like I might be part of the problem."

"You aren't," Kora said. "Even if you're right, and she's trying to cope with her feelings about Dromarch this way, that doesn't make you the problem. At worst, you need to keep an eye out and be prepared to tell her you think the two of you should take a step back from things. But I don't think being there to support her is going to make things any worse than if you weren't there at all."

"I hope so," Zeke said. "And I want to trust her to find her way through this situation with Dromarch. I'm just worried I might be too eager to offer easy solutions when all it's going to do is kick the can down the road."

"She's an adult," Pandoria said. "She can decide for herself how far she wants to take things. But if you're not comfortable with something, you have every right to say no. I don't think Nia would want to coerce you into anything."

"Yeah." Zeke sighed again. "You're right. I guess I was just hoping I'd overlooked something."

"I doubt it," Pandoria said. "But it's not like I'm really the expert here anyway. If you want advice like this, then I think you're better off talking to dad."

"Absolutely not," Zeke said. "This is the last thing I want to talk to my old man about."

"Well, like it or not, he's got a mountain of experience navigating tough relationships. At the very least, he should be able to gauge whether your fears have any basis in reality or not."

"Really?" Zeke asked. "He never really struck me as the relationship-savvy type."

"He wasn't," Pandoria said. "In fact, he was kind of a disaster. But that's what makes him useful. From what I've heard, he and your mother went through a lot of rough spots. Most of them his fault. But they managed to make it work despite all that. So if anyone's going to be able to tell you what to do about this, it'll be the guy with first-hand experience."

Zeke did not like the prospect of taking relationship advice from his dad, of all people. Hopefully, Zeke was just being overly protective, and that in reality all his fears and worries were overblown. But on the off chance he was right and Nia was forcing herself into this to avoid her problems, then he needed a game plan. And Pandoria was right. His old man was the person they knew with the most experience navigating these turbulent waters.

"Maybe you're right," Zeke admitted. "In any case, thanks for lending an ear."

"Whatever you need," Pandoria said. "Now, don't you have some kind of scheme to go enact?"

"Yes, as it happens, I do." Zeke stood up and took a moment to brush himself off.

"Well, I'm sure Electra will tell me all about it later," Pandoria said.

It was strange to hear her say that. Normally she was the one telling stories of their exploits. This would be the first one she'd be hearing about from someone else. Even if he'd already accepted the end of their partnership, this was still going to take some getting used to.

"I'll try to make it entertaining, then," Zeke said. Then he gave the two of them a wave and headed down the hill. "You two have fun."

As he headed back into town, he saw Nia coming down the path and picked up the pace, running to meet her near the edge of the greenhouse district.

"Hey," she said. "I was just coming to find you."

"Finished with your errands already?" Zeke asked.

"For now," Nia said. "Everything ready on your end?"

"Prettymuch," Zeke said. The two of them started heading for the Caretakers' quarters. "Electra and Nim went ahead to get in position. They're supposed to ambush Strix on my signal and bind him in place."

"I doubt that'll work," Nia said. "He'll see them coming."

"I'm sure he will. Which is why he won't see the real ploy coming until it's too late."

Zeke took a moment to explain his plan to Nia, and she seemed to think it could work. So, armed with a plan, the two of them headed off to find Strix.

When they found him, he was coming out of one of the meeting rooms alongside a rather motley assortment of the Gardens' citizens. Krogane and his Driver, Sheba, Vale, T-elos, another few Blades and a Driver that Zeke didn't recognize, and…

Corvin. Somehow, he was up and about and not in prison. Zeke almost socked him one on sight, just because, but given that nobody else was reacting to his presence, he decided to wait for an explanation.

"What's happening?" Nia asked as the two of them walked up. Though most of the crowd seemed to be dispersing already, so there probably wasn't much for them to help out with.

"Ah, Nia," Corvin said. "Good to see you."

"Wish I could say the same," Zeke said, glaring at him. "Somebody want to clue me on what's happening here?"

"Am I really going to be accosted every time I leave my room?" Corvin asked.

"You tried to kill everyone and take over the place," Vale said. "So yeah, prettymuch."

"Let's keep things civil," Nia said. Then she turned to Zeke. "Corvin's agreed to help out in exchange for his freedom. And we can't really keep him in the prison anyway, considering his condition. Being stuck in an ether net is liable to kill him."

"It has its uses," Corvin said, tapping his misshapen Core Crystal.

"Alright, but that doesn't explain what's going on here," Zeke motioned around.

"We're preparing contingencies," Strix said. "If the situation in Leftheria deteriorates, then we're facing the possibility of war. With Spessia or the Coalition or someone. After the uprising, I figured we need to be doing more to prepare for future attacks, so I decided to ask around and see who might be willing to lend a hand. Help brainstorm some strategies."

"Vantya and I have done a lot of mercenary work," Krogane said. "We're pretty familiar with the ins and outs of the Coalition military, so if they turn on us, we know what tactics they're liable to hit us with."

"And I led the most recent attack on the Gardens," Corvin said. "I think I'm probably the most knowledgeable on where our weaknesses are."

"You hardly led anything," Sheba said with a huff. "Without my support, your little farce would have barely made it past your first hearing."

"Kind of a weird thing to be bragging about," Zeke noted.

"Like I care what you think, you boor." Sheba turned her nose up at him. "At least Strix was willing to listen, so if you have any more need of my expertise, you'll know where to find me."

With that, she left.

"She's a brat at the best of times," Strix muttered. "But she knows a frankly disturbing amount about breaking into places. There are a few suggestions of hers I'd like to start implementing as soon as possible."

"One of the many reasons I picked her to help spur on the uprising," Corvin said. "Now if you'll excuse me, T-elos and I should be getting back to the infirmary. I think if we're gone any longer, Adenine is likely to have an aneurism."

"Yes, unfortunate that I have to share lodging with this brute," T-elos said, leaning off Vale and shuffling forward to lean on Corvin for support. "But I've been told my condition shouldn't last too much longer. Soon, I'll be back in fighting shape."

"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," Nia said. "But if it does, we'll be glad to have you on our side."

"Of course." T-elos gave a small bow. Then the two of them started for the infirmary. "Good day, Banshee Queen."

"Please tell her to stop calling me that," Nia said, turning to Vale.

"You still owe me a blanket," Vale noted.

"Right," Nia muttered. "That's still in my room. Mind if I keep it for a few more days?"

"So long as it sees some use, I suppose" Vale said. "And so long as you get it back to me, I'll see what I can do about T-elos."

She gave them a wave and left as well, and then Krogane and his Driver headed out a moment later. Leaving just Strix. But before he could slip off to start on his work, Zeke reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," Zeke said. "Got a minute?"

"You want me to get started on the defenses or not?" Strix asked.

"Spessia isn't going to attack today," Zeke said. "And we won't be able to run an effective defense if we don't know each other's strengths."

"This better not be going where I think this is going," Strix muttered.

"I know how Nia operates in battle. The two of us work pretty well together. But I'm realizing that, for most of the other Caretakers, that isn't really the case. Nal and I got in each other's way a lot in Spessia, and if things get bad enough that we have to make use of these defenses you're planning, I'm worried the same thing might happen across the board. We're all solo operators by nature, with the exception of Nia and myself. Teamwork isn't our strong suit. So I think it'd be wise to get to know each other a little better before things start getting bad."

That was sort of true. Zeke did have some doubts about how effectively the Caretakers would be able to function as a team, but because they were all so powerful individually, that was really a secondary concern. Mostly, he just wanted to keep Strix occupied and make Electra and Nim wait for a few more minutes.

"I am not taking time out of my day to play twenty questions," Strix said.

"I was really thinking more like live fire exercises," Zeke said. "Maybe get Nal to conjure up some pretend enemy forces so we can work through different strategies for how we'd work together."

"Pass," Strix muttered. "I work best on my own anyway."

"Do you?" Nia asked. "I don't mean any offense, but you've been overwhelmed or outnumbered on more than one occasion. I know you're strong, but none of us are strong enough to guard this place by ourselves. Inevitably, we're going to need to work together."

"I was taken by surprise before," Strix protested. "But if Spessia or the Coalition come armed and ready for an invasion, I'll see them coming the moment they set foot on the Titan. They won't have the chance to catch me by surprise."

"It's still a good idea to train together," Nia said. "Preparing better defenses also means preparing better tactics."

"Alright, seriously, where is this coming from?" Strix asked. "Earlier today, you two were pretty cross with me, and now, what? You want to start drilling team combos together? I don't buy it."

"We volunteered to stay behind and defend the place while Mikhail's team is away," Zeke said. "We should at least make sure we defend it properly, don't you think?"

Strix sat there for a moment, performatively staring at them.

"Nah," he decided. "Well, I mean yes, that's probably important, but that ain't why you're here. You're up to something. I can smell it."

Zeke tapped his foot against the ground twice to signal Electra and Nim, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible about it. If Strix was starting to catch on, then there was no point in waiting.

"Listen, mate," Zeke said. "I know I have a reputation for shenanigans, but I'm serious about defending this place. If workshopping a few scenarios is what it takes, then I'm—"

Before Zeke could finish, Strix plunged his hand into the wall. Abruptly, a large pillar of stone erupted behind him, dragging Nim and Electra out from their hiding place beneath the floor. Then, with a flick of his free wrist, several tendrils of stone erupted from the wall and wrapped themselves around Electra, binding her in place.

As Nim got to her feet, the pillar split itself into several more tendrils, each of which shot out at her. She managed to put up defenses, but they kept her too preoccupied to free Electra. Which meant Zeke would have to step in. But as he rushed forward, reaching up for Strix's bandages, the man whirled around and caught his wrist. Immediately, two smaller tendrils of stone erupted from the ground, encasing Zeke's hands.

"Subpar," Strix said, a smile creeping onto his face. "Next time, you might want to try being more subtle. And not rely on an earth Blade who leaves such an obvious signature in her wake."

"Hey!" Nim protested, still having trouble fighting off Strix's tendrils.

"Marvelous," Nia said. "I told you it wouldn't work, Zeke."

"I had to try," Zeke said, doing his best to shrug, considering the circumstances. "You going to let me out of here now?"

"Not until you call the kids off," Strix said.

"Not happening," Zeke said. "I've given them a mission, and they're going to see it through."

As if on cue, Electra started discharging electricity in a bid to free herself from her prison. She wasn't making much progress, but still, it was another distraction. Hopefully it would be enough.

"I don't have time for this," Strix muttered. "Nia, could you tell your boyfriend to—"

Before he could finish, Nia reached up and grabbed the bandages around his eyes. Then, before he could realize what was happening, she pulled them away, revealing the face underneath.

Abruptly, everything came to a stop. Electra and Nim stopped fighting back, and after a moment, Strix released all his ether. He just stared at Nia, dumbfounded and mouth agape.

Well, "stare" was the wrong word, because like Zeke had suspected all along, he didn't actually have eyes in there. Unfortunately, they weren't empty. Instead, the sockets were filled to the brim with that goopy liquid that was always soaking through the bandages. Though it didn't start spilling out from the sockets without the bandages, either. Something—probably Strix—was keeping all the goo fixed in place.

Immediately, Nia and Zeke burst out laughing.

"You should see your face!" she cried, doing her best to talk through the laughter. "I can't believe that worked!"

"You mother—" Strix stopped himself just short of cursing in front of the kids, but the tone of his voice and the furrow in his brow was enough to convey his anger regardless. "Are you serious!? He roped you in on this too!?"

"Yup!" Zeke beamed. "Worked like a charm, too."

Strix sat there, fuming, while the two of them laughed themselves silly. After a moment, Akhos's image appeared in the hallway behind them.

"What's with all the ether—" he stopped as he noticed what had transpired, then after a moment, he called out for his sister, who manifested alongside him.

"You guys think this is funny?" Strix asked, motioning around at everyone. "Well think again! You're all sat here laughing while I'm the only one trying to get any work done!"

Despite himself, he was starting to smile now, too.

"I can't believe Qadar got it," Patroka muttered, shaking her head at Strix.

"Tell me about it," Akhos groaned. "I was so confident in my guess, too!"

"Wait…" Nia turned around and looked at everyone else. "You all let Qadar make a bet?"

"I mean, sure, why not?" Zeke asked. "She wanted in, and it seemed like harmless fun."

"She's the Oracle, you morons!" Nia shouted, her laughter returning with renewed strength. "Of course she'd win!"

"Well, I didn't think she'd use her powers to rig a friendly game," Zeke protested. "It's so unsportsmanlike!"

"Ha!" Strix said, pointing a finger at all of them. "I guess that means I get the last laugh, huh? None of you were right!"

"I was pretty close," Zeke said. "I mean, there's no eyes in there. I called that. I just didn't figure it'd be filled with something else."

"Liquid shadow," Qadar muttered. Zeke almost jumped out of his skin as she appeared behind him, too. He hadn't seen her arrive.

"Don't do that," he muttered. "And what's that supposed to mean, anyway?"

"His eyes are filled with liquid shadow," Qadar explained. "He told you as much on your first day. You should have reasonably expected this."

Zeke stared at her for a moment before he remembered what she was referring to. Then he whirled around back at Strix.

"Are you serious?" Zeke asked. "You call that gunk of yours liquid shadow!? Even I'm not that full of it!"

"That's debatable," Akhos muttered.

"Never said I didn't give you any hints," Strix said, snatching the bandages back away from Nia, who was still busy laughing at everyone. "You all failed despite my best efforts, so you don't get to complain."

"Who's complaining?" Nia asked. "That was great!"

"Well, I'm glad someone had fun," Strix said. "Now, was that all you came here to do? Am I free to go?"

"I suppose," Zeke said, sighing. "You too, Electra. Nim. Valiant effort, but it appears we've been outmaneuvered."

"Darn!" Electra shouted, stomping her foot in frustration. "What… Exactly was this about again?"

"Not important," Zeke said. "What is important is that you continue your training. Today, you've gotten a taste of what it means to wait, and you've also seen the consequences of what happens when you act too hastily. Think on what you could do to avoid an outcome like this in the future."

"Right away!" Electra shouted, flashing him a thumbs up.

"Well, that was a fun waste of time," Strix said. "But I've got work to do. I'll see you guys around."

He took a moment to retie the bandages around his head, then he flicked his hands out and fixed all the damage they'd done to the hallway. With that out of the way, he headed for the gate. Just as he left, Mikhail came jogging down the hallway to replace him.

"I heard a commotion," he said, a little out of breath. "What's happened?"

"We finally found out what's under Strix's bandages," Nia said, still smiling to herself.

"Wait, shit, really?" Mikhail's eyes lit up for a moment.

"Yup. And Qadar takes the pot."

"Oh, come on!" Mikhail shouted. "That's ridiculous! Who uses their all-seeing oracle powers to fix a friendly bet!?"

"You all knew the dangers of letting me participate," Qadar said. "You have no one to blame but yourselves."

"You ever heard of good sportsmanship?" Mikhail asked. "What do you even get out of it anyway, it's not like any of us actually have the gold to—"

Suddenly, he started coughing, and it quickly turned violent. He had to lean against the wall to keep himself propped up.

After a moment, the jovial atmosphere came to an abrupt stop, and Zeke rushed forward to keep him from falling to the ground.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Fine," Mikhail muttered. He tried to stand up, but he couldn't keep his balance, and his hand on Zeke's shoulder was just about the only thing that kept him from falling over again.

"Let's get you to the infirmary," Zeke decided.

"I'm fine," Mikhail insisted. But his face told a different story, and he didn't protest as Zeke wrapped an arm around his shoulder and started marching him down the hallway.

"I'm going to go make sure our fearless leader doesn't work himself to death," Zeke said, giving Patroka his best reassuring grin. He wasn't exactly sure where things stood between her and Mikhail, but even if she was trying to hide it, he could tell that seeing him like this was upsetting her.

"It's just a cough," Mikhail said. "I'll be back on my feet in no time, trust me."

"You'd better," Patroka muttered. "I'm going to kick your ass if you don't."

"I'll hold you to that," Mikhail said, doing his best to smile at her. That seemed to put her at ease, a little, and she returned the smile.

As Zeke started walking off with Mikhail, Nia ran forward to join them, and the three of them headed for the infirmary.

"Guess I've had enough fun for one day," Mikhail muttered. "Man, it's going to be embarrassing if this happens in Leftheria."

"You're one of the most stubborn guys I know," Zeke said. "You're not going to let something as small as losing a lung stop you."

"Are you sure you want to go on the mission, then?" Nia asked. "If you're not healthy enough, then—"

"I'm going," Mikhail insisted. "I've got to at least try to make things right with Jibril before I go out."

Nia looked ready to protest, but after a moment, she just shook her head and stepped back.

"I suppose I'm in no position to argue," she said. "Zeke, you'll make sure he gets to Adenine in one piece?"

"Absolutely," Zeke said.

"Good. Then I've got some preparations to take care of. See you tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Zeke said. He flashed her a smile and trudged on ahead with Mikhail while Nia peeled off and headed to another part of the complex.

"Got a hot date tonight?" Mikhail asked.

"Prettymuch," Zeke said.

"Well then. Sorry you have to spend your time lugging my sorry ass around."

"It's fine," Zeke said. "Nia's keeping the details a secret anyway, so I'm really just killing time until she's ready with whatever she's got planned."

"Lucky me," Mikhail muttered.

After a moment, they reached the infirmary, and Zeke nearly made Adenine jump out of her skin as he threw the door open.

"Coming through!" he announced, guiding Mikhail over to a nearby cot.

"Titan's reach!" Adenine shouted, emerging from behind one of the privacy curtains. "Would it kill you to knock!?"

"At this point?" Mikhail asked. "I think it's better we don't take any chances." After a moment, Adenine floated over and started looking him over.

"I take it this means we're done for the day?" Zeke's dad asked, poking his head out of the curtain.

"Dad?" Zeke asked. "What're you doing here?"

"It's been a while since I've been to the doctor," he said. "And from what I hear, Adenine is one of the best. I thought I'd avail myself of her services while I was here."

"Yeah, you can go," Adenine said, floating over to one of the tables and grabbing a few bits of gear. "This takes priority, and I'll probably be at it a while."

"Need me to stay for anything?" Zeke asked.

"No, I'll be fine. You'd really just get in the way."

"Have fun on your date," Mikhail said, flashing Zeke a thumbs up. Zeke rolled his eyes at him and stepped out of the room, holding the door open for his old man, and together the two of them started walking back to his room.

"What kind of man goes to the doctor while he's on vacation?" Zeke asked. "You're supposed to be relaxing, remember?"

"My age is starting to catch up with me," his dad admitted. "Mostly I wanted to know if your doctor had any advice for me. Perhaps something she could prescribe for my back."

"That out of sorts, are you?" Zeke asked. "Maybe… Maybe you could move to the Gardens permanently? Stay closer to the rest of the family, so we can help out in case you need anything."

"I appreciate the thought," he said. "But I'm not that old yet. I've still got a few good years left in me, I should think."

"Just think about it, alright?" Zeke asked. "I know Pandoria would love to have you around."

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing," his dad said. "Try as you might, I haven't forgotten what I heard just now. You have a date tonight. And here I was under the impression you didn't have time for that sort of thing."

"What can I say?" Zeke asked. "Life comes at you fast."

"With whom, if I may ask?"

"Nia," Zeke said. "We were hanging out after the tournament last night and things just sorta… Happened. As it happens, I was hoping you might give me some advise."

"Oh?" the man asked. "You're coming to me for advice? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Neither did I," Zeke admitted. "But you're good at navigating… Complicated relationships. And I find myself in a bit of a bind, at the moment."

They stopped outside his dad's room, and the man crossed his arms.

"I'm getting rather mixed messages here," the man said. "Are things not working out as you expected?"

"Nah, it's not…" Zeke shook his head. "Nia's the best. I love her, I just… I'm worried about her."

His old man nodded, then after a moment, he opened the door and ushered Zeke in. The two of them sat down on the bed, and Zeke let out some of the tension he'd been holding in since Mikhail collapsed.

"What's bothering you?" his dad asked.

"She's too hard on herself," Zeke said. "Dromarch's in a coma, and she blames herself, and I get the feeling she's trying to rush our relationship to distract herself from that. I want to help her, I want to be there for her, but I'm worried that I might just be making the problem worse."

"Has she expressed this sentiment to you?" his dad asked. "That your budding relationship is just some sort of coping mechanism?"

"That's not how I would describe it," Zeke said. "I'd like to think she's genuine when she says she loves me. I just worry that by being there for her, I might be making things worse somehow."

"I very much doubt that. If she really is looking for something to distract her from how she feels about Dromarch, then I think she'd be much worse off without your support. I'm sure she's dealing with some heavy emotions regarding her Blade, but this strikes me like you're taking the worst possible interpretation of the situation. Which isn't like you."

"No, it's not," Zeke said. "But when it comes to Nia, I can't help but conjure up all kinds of worst-case scenarios. We went out to check in on Agate's group earlier today, and when she headed back to the Gardens ahead of me, I started worrying she'd run into trouble. Which is nonsense, right? I mean, she's way stronger than I am. She can take care of herself."

"Clearly you care for her," his dad said. "But I think this excessive worrying is doing you more harm than good. Have you expressed your concerns to her about this?"

"We talked about it already, yeah. I felt pretty good about things after we did, but the moment we split up again, all my worries crept right back in. I just wish there was something more I could do to… I don't know. I just don't want to keep feeling this anxious."

"Perhaps tackling the source of the anxiety would help," his dad said. "Is there nothing that can be done about Dromarch's coma? I think, if his condition were to improve, it would take a great deal of pressure off both of you."

"Nia's just about the only person who can fix Dromarch," Zeke said. "So until she's feeling up to it, all we can do is wait."

"If that's really the case, then I think the best thing you can do is try to support one another. And if your anxieties persist, then perhaps it would be best to express them to Nia directly."

"Maybe," Zeke said.

"But still, I don't think those are your only options," his dad continued. "I don't believe that Nia is the only person who can fix Dromarch."

"The damage is pretty thorough. And there aren't a lot of experts out there on how to heal Blades. It's not like they're even supposed to get wounded in the first place."

"Even so. It's foolish to place a duty such as this on the shoulders of one person. The anxiety you're feeling, and the guilt that Nia is carrying, are both symptoms of trying to accomplish everything on your own. If you really want to make things better, then you need to reach out to some others for help."

"That's what I'm doing here, isn't it?" Zeke asked.

"I suppose so. But in that case, what's stopping you from extending that logic to Dromarch's situation?"

"Listen, Adenine's the expert here, and if she says it can't be done without Nia, then I believe her."

"Perhaps. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for others to help ease the burden. You were the one who taught me not to rely only on myself, but it appears you're reluctant to take your own advice."

"I am so tired of hearing that," Zeke muttered. "I know I can't do everything by myself. But that's not a reason not to give a hundred percent. I—"

His old man wrapped him in a hug, startling him so much that he completely lost his train of thought.

"We pushed so much onto you," the man said, wrapping Zeke as tightly as he could. "And rather than support you when you needed it, I pushed you away. Only now do I realize what a monumental mistake I made. I should never have left you to face the world alone."

"Pandy and I managed alright," Zeke muttered.

"But you shouldn't have had to," his dad insisted. "You don't have to keep holding yourself up to your mother's expectations."

Zeke's breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, he could feel the room closing in around him.

"Yes, I do," Zeke said. He stood up and broke the hug as fast as he could. "If I don't, then what kind of person does that make me?"

"Nobody is capable of living up to the expectations she placed on you," his dad said. "Not even she would have been up to the task, as headstrong of a person as she was. And I don't think this problem is going to go away until you put down that burden she gave you."

"I don't think I'm capable of that," Zeke admitted.

"At the very least, you have to realize that you're not in this alone."

"I know that," Zeke said. "I've known that for a while. It doesn't really change that I have a responsibility to fulfill."

"I…" His dad sighed. "Perhaps I have no right to lecture you. This is partially my fault, after all. But you came here for my advice, so I'm going to give it regardless. You have to let go of Fortomena's ghost, Zeke. Until you do, you're just going to keep making things worse for yourself. And I dread to think how this outlook on life is going to affect Nia."

"She's worse about it than I am," Zeke muttered.

"What more proof do you need, then?"

He didn't need proof. He knew all this already. He just… He couldn't bring himself to let go.

"I need some time to think," he said.

"I know it might not mean much, coming from me," his dad said. "But if you ever need to talk to someone, I'll be here."

"It means everything to me," Zeke said. "Thanks for the advice. Sorry I… I'll think about it. Maybe something will come to me."

"You aren't in this alone," his dad insisted.

"I know."

Zeke stepped outside and closed the door behind him before things could continue.

He knew his dad was right. Clinging to the mission his mom had given him was only going to make things worse. But every time he thought about her, the walls felt ready to swallow him up. He couldn't stop pushing himself, or else he was going to find himself right back in that room, a helpless ten-year-old kid whose world had just been shattered.

It seemed like the only thing that really got him to slow down lately was Nia.

…

And suddenly everything his dad had been telling him clicked. He was worried Nia might be using their relationship to come with Dromarch's coma because, on a level, he was sort of doing the same thing. Being with Nia was one of the things that quieted the specter that always loomed whenever he felt like he wasn't doing enough.

For her sake, he'd need to find a way to quiet that specter for good. Even if it seemed like an impossible task, even if it made him feel more scared and vulnerable than he ever wanted to feel again, he needed to find it in himself to let this go.

Easier said than done. But if it was for Nia's sake, then he'd just have to grit his teeth and find a way.

---

Vess was already in the kitchen when Nia arrived, finishing up the prep work.

"Ready to get started?" she asked, tossing an apron to Nia.

"No," Nia admitted. "I'm really not much of a chef. But this is the best idea I've got, so I've got to go through with it regardless."

"Don't be so worried," Vess said. "I'll be here to help with the hard parts."

"Thanks," Nia muttered, stepping up to the counter to take a look at what they were working with.

The recipe Vess had chosen was pan-seared redfish. Luckily, that was something Nia could probably manage. She'd cooked a lot of fish in her time. Usually it was over an open fire with barely anything for seasoning, but still, it didn't seem like there was much here she could screw up. So she got to work, with Vess giving advice and assistance.

"What about dessert?" Nia asked. "Feels like we can't do a romantic picnic without dessert."

"You tell me," Vess said, a smile creeping onto her face. "What do you think Zeke would like for dessert?"

"How should I know?" Nia protested. "That's the whole reason I came to you in the first place, remember?"

"I think you know him better than you give yourself credit for," Vess said. "Now come on. At least try."

"Alright, well…" Nia thought back to all the times they'd shared a meal together. "I remember this one time, right after Jin had kidnapped Pyra, where Zeke managed to scarf down a dozen or so embercakes in a single sitting. I'm pretty sure he was stress eating, but it makes sense that he'd go to one of his comfort foods at a time like that, right?"

"Is that your final answer?" Vess asked.

"It's the only one I've got, so yeah."

"We have a winner!" Vess exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Embercakes are his favorite. I'll start searing the fish while you start getting them in the oven."

Vess pulled out another recipe, and the two of them switched places. It took Nia a while to mix all the ingredients together, and she wasn't confident she was doing it correctly, but Vess's positive attitude and constant reassurances kept her on track. She got the cakes in the oven with minimal difficulty and took fish duties back from Vess.

"This isn't so bad," Nia admitted, taking a moment to flip the fish over in the pan. "It almost feels like I'm back in the kitchen with Pyra again."

"Putting me on the same level as the Aegis?" Vess asked. "That's quite a standard to live up to, you know."

"Sorry," Nia said. "Sometimes I forget that not everyone knew her the way we did. To me, she was just… Just Pyra, y'know?"

"I don't," Vess admitted. "I can't imagine travelling in the company of the Aegis. I have a hard enough time wrapping my head around the fact that you all did it."

"It was intimidating at first," Nia admitted. "But we all got used to it pretty quickly, I think. She was very approachable. Mythra less so, but even she opened up to us eventually."

"I'll have to take your word for it," Vess said. "Though I suppose I can understand where you're coming from when you say that some of this feels trivial. It's hard to imagine the Aegis's companions worrying about things like romance."

"It does feel a little silly getting anxious about a date," Nia admitted. "After everything I've done, I should be beyond that sort of thing, y'know? But I guess it's good that I'm not. It's a nice reminder that I'm not above it all. I'm just a normal person, like everyone else."

"Well, not quite like everyone else," Vess said. "You're special. Zeke wouldn't have fallen for you this hard if you weren't."

"Thanks," Nia said, blushing a little despite herself. "But I—"

She was interrupted by the sound of the door handle turning, and she whirled around to see Zeke push his way through the door with his back. For the moment, he couldn't see them, but that would only last a moment.

Fortunately, a moment was all Vess needed. With a burst of electric speed, she darted out of sight before Zeke could see her, and quietly she made her way toward the other exit, doing her best to stay out of sight. As she did, she gave Nia a thumbs up.

From here on out, Nia was on her own.

"Nia," Zeke said, turning around to see her in front of one of the stoves. After a moment, he turned around to leave.

"It's alright," Nia said.

"This was supposed to be a surprise," Zeke said, bowing his head sheepishly as he closed the door behind him. "Sorry. I guess my stomach got the better of me."

"Looking for a bite?" Nia asked.

"I realized I hadn't eaten all day, so I came by to grab something quick. I should've figured this is what you had planned, though."

"Well, nothing for it now." Nia shrugged. "Grab one of the baskets, won't you? They're in the shelf over there."

Nia pointed them out, and Zeke retrieved it dutifully.

"Planning a picnic?" he asked.

"A romantic outing under the stars," Nia replied.

"Sounds perfect." Zeke set the basket down and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Is that redfish you're cooking?"

"Sure is," Nia said. "One of my favorites."

Technically that was even true. But she felt that way about basically all fish.

"No kidding," Zeke said. "I love redfish. Vess used to make it all the time, back when we traveled together. Mabon and I would do the fishing, and Vess and Elnis would handle the cooking."

"Elnis?" Nia asked. "You've never mentioned them before."

"She was Kora's old Driver," Zeke said. "We all kinda went our separate ways after she died. It's how I got this, actually."

Zeke tapped his Core Crystal through his jacket.

"Oh. Sorry, I—"

"Nah, don't be," Zeke said. "I brought it up, it's fair game to ask. And it's only natural you'd be curious. I've probably been too cagey about my past."

"That I can agree with," Nia said. "Maybe you can tell me some stories over dinner? The good ones, anyway."

"I've got plenty of those," Zeke said. "What else are you making? I smell something in the oven."

"Embercakes," Nia said.

"You know me so well," Zeke muttered, kissing the top of her head idly. Nia didn't think she really deserved the compliment, but she'd take it regardless.

"They should be done in about fifteen minutes, then I think we'll be good to go."

"Fifteen minutes?" Zeke asked. "That doesn't sound right. What are you cooking it at?"

"Three seventy-five," Nia said, glancing back at the recipe.

"Why would you do that?"

"It's what the recipe said."

"Emberwheat germinates in fire, you literally can't burn it. Let me see…" Zeke leaned over the oven's controls and, after a moment, he doubled the temperature.

"Is that safe?" Nia asked.

"Pretty sure," he said. "It's how my mom used to make 'em, anyway."

"Your mom used to bake these?"

"Mountains of them," he said. "I was a big fan of the stories about Addam growing up, and they were apparently his favorite food, so of course I insisted on having them. And she always obliged." He shook his head a smiled a little. "I was such a spoiled brat back then."

"I can imagine," Nia said, returning his smile.

"Of course, that was before…" Zeke paused. "Sorry. I don't mean to keep bringing up old memories like this. I guess I'm just…"

He trailed off.

"Zeke…" Nia reached up and put a hand on his arm. He looked like he was about to cry, and after a moment, she pulled him in for a hug. He returned it, and the two of them just stood there for a moment.

"It's alright," she muttered.

"I'm alright," he said. "I've just been thinking about her recently. Every time I think about her, it's hard not to…"

He shook his head, and Nia reached up to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye.

"It's alright," she repeated. "I'm here."

He smiled at that, then pulled her in closer. They held each other for a while longer until the smell of burning flour crept into Nia's nose.

"The embercakes!" she exclaimed, rushing over to the oven and wrenching it open. She pulled them out as fast as she could, but they were already burned beyond recovery. She set the tray down on the stovetop, and the two of them stared at it for a moment.

"She lied to me," Zeke muttered. "You can burn emberwheat."

"She was probably just exaggerating," Nia offered. "Playing into your imagination."

"Yeah…" Zeke said. Then he did the last thing Nia had expected. He cracked a smile, and the tension seemed to leave his shoulders all at once. "Twenty years later and she's still getting one over on me, huh? That's just like her."

"I can bake another one," Nia offered.

"If we wait any longer my stomach is going to eat itself." Zeke straightened up and began loading plates and silverware into the picnic backset. "And we wouldn't want to let that fish of yours go cold."

"Right." Nia set the cake aside and began transferring the fish into a box. It smelled delicious, at least. She'd have to thank Vess for the recipe later. Delicately, she placed the box into the basket.

"Shall we be off?" Zeke asked.

"We've got to grab the blanket from my room first," Nia said. "Then we should be good to go."

"Have anywhere in particular in mind?" Zeke asked.

"I've already picked out a spot. But I think I can at least keep that a surprise until we get there."

"So long as it isn't overlooking the Titan weapon," Zeke said, poking her in the side playfully.

"Trust me," Nia said, taking the basket under one arm. "It'll be way better than that."

As the two of them headed out, Nia couldn't help but feel nervous. The hard part was over already, but she still wanted this to go well. Still, this felt more like the good kind of nerves. Anticipation for what was going to happen next. Whatever it was, she was looking forward to it.

And then all of that came crashing down the moment she heard the voice.

"My Lady," Dromarch said.

Immediately, Nia felt sick. She'd nearly forgotten. She'd spent so much time trying to convince herself this was going to work out that she'd almost forgotten what she'd done.

"Dromarch," she managed, turning around to look at him. Though she almost wished she hadn't. His fur was still discolored, and his Core Crystal was still sickly. He shouldn't have even been up and moving. "I didn't think you'd be up so soon."

"I woke up feeling rather refreshed," he said. "I thought I'd take a stroll of the Gardens, see how many of the new Blades are getting settled in. We're already short-staffed as it is, and I wouldn't want to burden you much longer."

"You're not a burden," Nia said. She could barely keep her voice steady. This shouldn't have been happening. He was standing here, talking to her like she hadn't almost torn him in half. Had she made things that much worse that he didn't even remember the surgery had happened?

"You really should get your rest," Zeke said. "You want to be back to full strength as soon as possible, don't you? It's great that you're up, but you shouldn't push yourself."

"I'm feeling fine, really," Dromarch insisted. "I was just about to stop in on Mikhail, see if he needed anything."

"We shouldn't bother Mikhail right now," Zeke said, stepping forward to stroke Dromarch's fur. "He's in a very important meeting."

"I'd still like to stretch my legs. And you two look like you have somewhere to be, so I won't keep you."

He started walking off, and Nia reached out to stop him. She couldn't bring herself to actually touch him, though, so instead she just stood there as he walked off, humming a tune to himself.

She wanted to do something. To help him, somehow. But she'd caused this mess. There wasn't anything she could do to help.

Even so, she still felt horrible. And that feeling only worsened as she watched him walk away. After a few steps, he became unsteady, and Zeke rushed forward to catch him and he collapsed to the ground.

"Dromarch!" she shouted, rushing over to him. He was breathing, but his eyes looked unfocused. Something was wrong. She reached out, but even now she couldn't bring herself to touch him.

"I've got him," Zeke said, lifting up his body.

"Be careful," she muttered. "We need to get him to Adenine."

"Right." Zeke laid Dromarch over his shoulders and took off running. Nia ran after him, hoping his condition wouldn't get any worse.

With every passing second, the pit in her stomach grew and grew until it felt like it was the only thing left.

---

She felt so powerless watching Adenine work. But she couldn't bring herself to help, either. She wanted to. She wanted to reach out and help Dromarch so badly it hurt. But she couldn't risk making things even worse. So she just watched, numb, as Adenine did her best to keep the situation from deteriorating.

"He's going to be fine," Adenine said. Nia nodded. She registered the words, but she couldn't bring herself to believe them. How was Dromarch ever supposed to be fine?

"But I need room to work," Adenine continued. "I hate to do this, but if you're not going to help, then you need to wait outside."

"Alright," Nia muttered. She dragged herself outside the lab and sank down against the wall.

"How is he?" Zeke asked. He'd been waiting outside since they brought him. He still had the picnic basket under one arm. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye, so she stared at the basket instead.

"Adenine says he'll be fine."

"That's good," he muttered. He didn't say anything else. There was nothing else to say, really. Nia certainly didn't feel like talking. So instead, she crawled over to him and nestled her head in his lap. He didn't say anything either, and for a while, the two of them just sat there, staring at the door to Adenine's lab. It felt like hours until it opened again.

When Adenine finally came out, she looked exhausted.

"He's asleep now," she said. "The binding around his Core Crystal had started to come loose, and I think that's what woke him up. He must've snuck past me while I was working on T-elos. Thankfully, it's all bound back in place now, and I've sedated him to keep this from happening again. He won't suffer any permanent damage from it."

"Thank you," Nia said, sitting up. She could barely keep the tears from welling up in her eyes.

"I know we said some harsh things to each other last time we spoke, but from now on, I'm going to make this my priority. We're going to figure this out somehow."

"Thank you," Nia said again. She couldn't think of anything else to say. Adenine nodded and floated back into the infirmary, leaving her alone with Zeke again.

The moment Adenine was gone, Nia started to cry. Zeke wrapped her in a hug, and she leaned into him, crying into his chest.

"It's alright," he said. "Everything's going to be fine."

"No, it's not!" she shouted. "It's my fault Dromarch's like this! How is that fine!?"

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is." She pushed him away. "I pushed him into this, and I practically cracked his core in half."

"It's not your fault," he said. As if repeating it would make it true.

"He's my best friend, Zeke. He's always been there for me when I needed him. He's always given up so much of himself for my sake. But the second I try to help him in return, this happens. This was my fault."

"No, it wasn't." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You're an amazing healer, but everyone makes mistakes. Even you. Dromarch knew there'd be risks. He doesn't blame you for what happened."

"He can't blame me for what happened because he doesn't remember anything. Because I broke him!"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"There's nothing I can do about it."

"That's not true. You're the world's best healing Blade. There's nothing you can't fix."

"It's that kind of thinking that got us here in the first place," she said. She brushed his hands aside and turned her back to him. "What guarantee is there that I won't screw it up again?"

"There isn't," he said. He wrapped his hands around her chest, hugging her close. "But you're not going to solve anything by blaming yourself. As long as you do, you're letting your guilt keep you trapped."

"Good," she scoffed. "Maybe it's what I deserve."

"You don't mean that," Zeke said.

"Don't I? When I was trying to heal Dromarch, things felt right. Just before I cracked my best friend in half, I felt good. I can cope with being miserable. I've been doing it for years. But if I'm in a good place? That's when I'm dangerous."

"I don't believe that," Zeke said. "Unless you were lying when you said you loved me, then I'd like to believe the last few days have been good. And nothing bad's happened just because you stopped punishing yourself."

"This happened!" Nia shouted. "I knew something like this was coming, but I was stupid enough to think that I could avoid it! I should've known better."

"Do you love me?" Zeke asked.

"Of course I do, but I…" Nia shook her head. "I was the only person Dromarch could count on, and I let him down. I don't deserve you. Not after everything I've done."

"That's not true," Zeke said. "You are not a monster, Nia. And…" He paused for a moment. Then he stood up. "I'm going to prove it."

"What?"

"I'll be back in just a second."

She tried to grab onto him, but he took off running before she could even call out. She didn't want him to leave her here. Even if she didn't deserve to be with him, she still wanted to keep him here so, so badly. She needed him here or else… Or else she didn't know what she'd do.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, he returned. With a few other people in tow. Kalarau, Dahlia, and Vess.

"You messed up with Dromarch," Zeke said. "Sure. But you were trying to take the world on your shoulders. Most people would've cracked long before you did, given the pressure you were under. So of course you made a mistake. But that doesn't mean it's your fault."

"Even if it is," Dahlia said. "It's as much our fault as yours. We kept putting more and more pressure on you. More and more responsibility. And every time you slipped up, we used that as an excuse to double down. We told ourselves that was just the standard we should hold our leaders to, but… Really, all we accomplished was making things worse. We should've stepped up and put our ideas into practice, but instead we expected you to change everything on your own."

"I still say you have a responsibility to fix Dromarch," Kalarau said. "But if that's the case, then so do I. So does everyone. Because we're a community and we're supposed to take care of each other. I guess I kinda lost sight of that, somewhere along the line."

"Maybe you can't fix Dromarch on your own," Zeke said. "But you aren't alone. You have a whole community behind you. Let us help you."

Slowly, Nia got to her feet.

"What can you all even do?" she asked.

"His core's deteriorated, right?" Dahlia asked. "I can freeze it. Keep the ether from deteriorating things further while you do the surgery."

"That'll kill him," Nia said. "Without his ether moving, his core will stop functioning entirely."

"I'll keep it stimulated," Vess said. "Keep the ether active in the critical systems."

Nia wanted to say it wouldn't work. If it was really that simple, Adenine would've found a way to fix this by now. Even just the thought of going in there and touching Dromarch again made her sick to her stomach.

But…

Zeke was right. Punishing herself for this wouldn't fix the problem. It wouldn't make Dromarch better. Even if she hated the idea of trying to heal him again, at least it stood a chance at making things better. And with other people here to back her up, she didn't have to do it alone.

"Alright," she muttered. She walked over to Zeke and slipped her hand into his. Zeke was the one thing keeping her going right now, so she held onto him as tightly as she could. Then she stepped into the infirmary.

"I can't keep running away," she said, speaking it aloud to make it true. "I have to fix this."

Adenine took a moment to process what was happening, but once she did, she scrambled to get things into place. They needed all the equipment they'd used for the first surgery, plus they had to make room for Vess and Dahlia. And Zeke, though he wasn't really a participant. Just moral support.

Still, they crammed everyone in somehow, and Nia got to work. Slowly massaging her ether into Dromarch's core while Kalarau kept her supplied. Dahlia used her ice to freeze Dromarch's Core Crystal until it barely even pulsed with ether anymore, and Vess danced her fingers across it, using very precise bursts to keep that pulse alive.

Nia proceeded as delicately as she could, slowly peeling her way through the coagulant until she reached the section that had caused all the problems last time. And with everything frozen, tearing her way through this was only going to create more fractures. But so long as Dahlia's ether was active, they wouldn't be able to spread to the rest of his core. So she had to hope that the self-repair region could do its job with his core in this state.

Still, thanks to everyone's combined efforts, she was able to reach the target and start putting it back together, piece by piece. It took effort, with everything frozen like this, but that was better than the alternative.

After what felt like hours, Adenine finally gave her the signal. The self-repair region was back in one piece. Now they just needed to power it.

"We do have one problem," Adenine noted. "The moment Dahlia lets up on her ice, this is all going to fall apart. We'll need to deliver a massive shock to Dromarch's entire system the moment she pulls him out, otherwise he might just get worse."

"We don't have any other choice," Nia said. "I'm not going to fail him again."

"You need a shock?" Zeke asked. "I can deliver a shock. Vess?"

"Ready whenever you are," Vess said. The two of them clasped hands, building up as much charge as possible, and Kalarau started pumping ether into them to help take things even further. After a minute, Zeke nodded, and Dahlia took her hands off. Nia could feel all the cracks beginning to spread through his core again, and she did her best to hold things together. Then, a moment later, Zeke pressed his hand against Dromarch's Core Crystal and unleashed a massive wave of power.

Everything in the core lit up at once, ether surging from one corner to the other. And with a flicker, the self-repair region came to life.

Instantly, Nia could feel it go to work, weaving small tendrils of ether through the rest of the core and mending the cracks. It was a lot like how her own restoration worked, only on a much smaller scale, and with precise knowledge of what needed to go where.

As the core began to put itself back together, returning to its normal blue glow, Dromarch's fur began to return to its normal color. His breathing stabilized, and his body slowly started to return to its normal shape.

She'd done it.

She had no idea if his memories would return, but she didn't care about that right now. All that mattered was that he was alive. He was better.

And she'd done it.

Or… No. They'd done it. She couldn't have managed this alone, but with everyone's help, she'd been able to fix her mistake.

She was crying again, but this time from all the sheer joy welling up inside her. Since Dromarch's first surgery, there'd been a weight on her chest she hadn't been able to completely shake. No matter how hard she tried or how much she ignored it, it had never really gone away. But it was gone now. She felt lighter than she had in months. Years, maybe. Maybe even since he'd first sacrificed himself for her at the World Tree.

Unable to contain her happiness, she wrapped Zeke in a hug and kissed him. He lifted her up and spun her around, and the two of them started laughing. Everyone else seemed to be celebrating too.

"I told you," Zeke said. "You don't have to do everything by yourself. None of us do."

They'd said that to each other a dozen times or more. But each time, they'd been trying to get the other one to ask for help. Help that, before now, neither of them had really been willing to take. Because as much as they both knew better, rationally, they still couldn't help but try to carry the world on their shoulders.

But for the first time, Zeke seemed to believe the words as he said them. And Nia believed them too.

And there was something else she believed. He was right that she deserved to be happy. Trying to make herself miserable had only made things worse. But from now on, she was going to do better. From now on, she was going to do her best to live life with her new boyfriend on her own terms.

No more punishing herself. No more trying to take everything on her shoulders alone. No more treating herself like she was some sort of savior responsible for fixing the world. From now on, she was going to live life as regular old Nia. A normal woman with her normal boyfriend.

It was the least that she deserved, after everything she'd been through.