After the storm and into the eye

Life has a funny way of working out, you are reawakened by an older driver specifically looking for healing blades to help his sick daughter, you try your best but, in the end, it was no use. Yet the old driver didn't send you away instead he took you in as part of his family, a noble family at that, though you don't remember how your driver...your father got his riches from, and you hope it was from someplace good...it had to be since it ran out.

Disgraced and on the road your sister couldn't take it too well you and dromarch tried to keep her hanging on but...she couldn't... Yet Da didn't wince, didn't cry, he only asked that I...do something that should never have been done. I didn't want to do it I begged and pleaded for him to stop yet he forced me to eat every last part of her so that she may live on through me he said, "I figured it out blades and humans are the same", yeah right. I still feel the sensation to puke when I think about it and shiver when I remember the way "father" was so calm during the whole process, he never got angry or forceful that is until I tried to do it on my own and I got somewhat far (maybe about half-way) but I couldn't continue, so with dromarch's help he tied me down and force fed the rest of my sister even as I tried to resist.

Everything became a blur after that, we tried to live like a real family, but he too passed away leaving me alone in this cruel world that hunted me down because of something that was forced on me (yet I don't know how indol found out about me). My only friend dromarch was my father's blade and reminded me of him quite bit which honestly made me nervous around him even though he had no memory of our time together, I don't think I hate my father despite everything he's done but I don't think my love for him runs deep either.

Yet my life eventually turned for the better when I my beloved...or is it beloved's when it comes to the sisters? Came into my life and made me feel like I was worth something. It's a story most children know by now "when a young boy soon man found the aegis and gathered a party of friends from different nations, races, and blades (which all apply to me ironically) to defeat the evil end bringer Malos" that's the storybook version of Morag's report for the kids in New Lytheria

Now I am a Queen...Somehow, apparently Zef found out my nobility and reinstated it since I am effectively its sole heiress and to make sure New Gormott has a leader from there (last thing we need is another Dughal, where even is that guy?). My friends were really happy for me even the pompous arsehole Dagas was...surprisingly happy saying it "proved" a blade can be a king, sure buddy maybe someday. And finally, I have something I never thought I would have, even after some...horrific complications, me, Pyra, and Mythra were able to have our own children. My beautiful Mio, Pyra's shining Glimmer, and Mythra's-

Zeke: YO FURBALL THE MEETING IS ABOUT TO START!

Huhg!? Have I've been daydreaming this entire time? Shit.

Nia: I-I'll be right there

Zeke: geez haven't you got this queen thing down yet? Yer embarrassing yourself

Nia: hey shut it shellhead! You try being a queen with 3 kids, 2 wives and a Husband

Zeke: tsk still can't believe you and that little bugger still tied the knots, I mean there have been polyamorous unions before, buuut most of them ended in tragedy hence why they are taboo

Nia: The reason that happens is because everyone involved either didn't like each other or didn't want to be in that situation in the first place. I don't want to say we're different, but I would never do anything to hurt my family and I know they feel the same way.

Zeke: *sigh* I guess but none of that matters now, we have a lot to talk about our "universal situation"

Zeke and I make our way through the hallway towards the debate room, In there we find The Queen of Uraya Raqura, Emperor Niall with his sister the special inquisitor Morag Ladir with her 2 gems Brighid and Ageon, Pandoria sititng in Zeke's chair, Jozef who represents the blooming new Torna, and finally my seat representing New Gormott, Indol, and Lytheria...it's complicated

Zef: Finally, now that we are all in attendance let us discuss our two pressing developments, first: Project Origin how is it progressing?

Oh no they're all looking me; Damn you Rex it's one thing to know about multiple universe, another thing to "Accidentally" travel to a nearby universe which is actually the other half of ours, and the last straw is to SOMEHOW ESTABLISH A LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH SAID UNIVERSE

Morag: Nia! Take it slow, Breath in and out

Oh my was I breathing to much

Zef: Take your time Nia we're only dealing with universal annihilation here. No rush

Rrrgghh Jozef, when we first met, you congratulated everyone for saving Alrest BUT Rex seeing him as nothing more than a child that got lucky using the title "the hero of Alrest" in a mocking tone and only got away with it because he didn't notice. Then The Storm happened and somehow the 2 of you became friends after that

(For clarification The Storm is an event I teased in the last chapter, it's a near-end of the world scenario everyone has to deal with and it may or may not be Rex's fault. Why? Still working on that but here's a hint: Hallows Eve)

Nia: *ahem* W-well as for progress our side of the sphere is nearing completion thanks to our furry friend Tora, his father and grandfather (most dlc is cannon) and according to Melia their side is experiencing the same progress thanks to a fellow named Shulk and these "machine people" one of them called Vanea

Uuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggghhhhhhhhhh! They're staring at me again; I don't know what to say that was the best way Melia could describe them to me because they were working on their side OF THE FUCKING SPHERE

Zef: well different universe, different races; how are we doing on the artificial core crystals Zeke

Zeke: I'm going to be honest; I think we have to much off this stuff (holds up a small square artificial core)

Zef: well, we need to make as much as we can for our world and theirs

Zeke: I know, still though this was bold of you kid (pointing at Niahil) using the remains of our old homes to make these was a stroke of genius

Morag: watch your tongue prince! you will complement the emperor with respect, you one-eyed-

Zeke: OI I THOUGHT WE WERE OVER THAT!?

Pandoria: so much for respect (smiling a mischievous smile)

Niall: *laughs* calm down you two and anyway I can't take all the credit for that, even before I became emperor research to make artificial cores had been going on for generations and only recently did we crack the code both literally and metaphorically thanks to the help of Adenine with all the information and tech she brought back from the world tree.

Raqura: If you're all done playing about, I'd like to ask something

Queen Raqura, probably the only old monarch here. I've heard many things about her, how she can stern but fair, demanding yet patient, has a bit of a temper and does well to control it (Mythra should defiently take notes), overall, not a perfect leader but one that cares deeply about her people and those around the world.

Raqura: why are we keeping this a secret?

Pandoria: what? you just pop the lid and cause mass hysteria?

Raqura: that may happen at first, but we will also tell them of our solution, it chances of success and let them decide what to do, either help us or be with their loved one until the end. I have read the reports and research notes, mainly in how the core crystals store data yet-

Honestly not a bad suggestion but-

Nia: I understand how you feel my queen I truly do-

Staring; just say what needs to be done

Nia: but right now, we are working with too many unknowns to tell anyone anything, right now Origin has 2 functions with the first taking priority that being rebooting our worlds too their previous states keeping the worlds separate, an impermanent solution but the only one we have time for.

Raqura: Impermanent what do you mean by-

Zef: I don't understand much myself, but our 2 separated worlds are like magnets that attract each other, one positive and one negative. They yearn to be together and whole again, but it will result in our destruction thus we must keep separated

Raqura: but it will happen again, won't it? You said our worlds yearn to be together thus our efforts are for nothing even if we do succeed

Zeke: not yet they aren't that's why we have the second function

Niall: correct if the first function is done right both sides will begin working on the second function which is to bring back the two separate worlds into one without destruction.

Nia: I know it sounds ridiculous Raqura but trust me when I say this WILL work and no one not even yourself will know that it did (a grin appears on her face)

Shoot! Was that too smug? Doesn't matter Raqura is floored right now thinking about all of the information we...kind of bombarded her with.

Raqura: well then, I hope...I sincerely, truly hope project origin is a success and that you WILL TELL ME if it is

Nia: T-t-that's a promise

Raqura: good

The room is filled with laughter, I deserve this

Raqura: now let's move on to the next topic my head is starting to hurt

Zef: yeah, we've said all that needs to be said about Origin; but these ground people might be just as complicated

WAIT THERE'S MORE?!

(Yes, that we'll talked about more in a different chapter: The Ground Beneath Our Feet;

For now, let's skip to the end of the meeting)

UGH! I don 't think I'm cut out for this...Queen stuff and to think Morag was going to do this, granted in a very different kind of messed up way but still.

Brighid: you did wonderful Nia

Crap! Was I thinking out loud?

Nia: Y-yeah, I guess, by the way not that I'm not glad you're here-

Brighid: Yet why are we here? Well with the added benefit of seeing our friends again, especially you Nia (Nia: M-me?) Morag likes to be in the know when it comes to potential problems facing our nation and the world and these "earthlings" are no exception.

Pandoria: Yeah, but we're pushing for the peaceful option right now there's no reason to disturb them; definitely not right now.

Ageon: But if they pose a problem, we must defend ourselves even if that means their destructions

Nia: That's... going a little too far but a likely outcome if things go wrong

So much has changed and yet here they are my friends...my family. We risk so much every day and yet...

Nia: hey we'll always be there for each other, right?

They seemed surprised but then-

Brighid: of course Nia so long as there is fire in my soul, I will always protect you

Pandoria: And I'll always be there to light your way (maybe with mythra)

Nia: heh thanks

I need to leave and so do they, but as we do I hear them talking

Pandoria: Ageon! You should've joined in for the elemental encouragement

Ageon: S-sorry I don't know what to say for water

Brighid: well water can mean many things good and bad; Still/Pond water can represent calmness and serenity along with stagnation and decay hence why you don't drink from pond water; Flowing/River water can represent graceful swiftness and with a destructive torrent; Water itself can represent the flow of fate and time and its many cycles of (starts fading out)

…

The flow of fate

The Flow

I wonder