'Everyone prepares for Aegir's trial.'

Chapter Thirty-Six: Final Preparations

It was a nice morning, really. The day was sunny and warm, and people were out already, checking out some of the decorations and stalls for the upcoming festival. More were rapidly going up around the Clock Tower; that and the Founder's Fountain, Kvasir knew, would likely be the centerpieces of the festivities, though there would be activities everywhere. He wondered if they'd have time to explore again today; maybe he'd suggest it to the others, when he got back, because it would help take everyone's minds' off everything.

His, too.

"Would you be willing to speak at your uncle's trial?"

It hadn't been Frigga who'd asked; she had, apparently, been left out of preparations to avoid bias. Leid had been the one to approach him, surprisingly gentle. "I know you're close with the Union Leaders," she'd said. "I've seen you. And I heard you got caught up with Aegir's assassination attempt. If you'd like to give your side…"

"…Can I think about it?"

"Of course."

The truth was, he didn't want to think about it. Thinking about it made it feel much more…real. It's going to be real, anyways, some part of him whispered. In just a few days.

It was hard to grapple with, that all of this had happened so quickly. And after the trial's the festival, Kvasir thought, running his hands over his face. Which would be nice, if—

If he didn't know what was coming then, too.

He sighed, tilting his head toward the sky. "I really…really would like this to just be over."

"Kvasir! Kvasir!"

That was a voice Kvasir hadn't entirely expected to hear, and he turned, blinking owlishly, as Eir hurried toward him. It took him a moment to remember why Eir looking for him would be important, and he jolted into action, hurrying toward her. "Ah—yes! Yes, hello! Do you—did you hear anything else?"

"I've been trying to find you for days," she said, words almost overlapping his. "Me and Kris—we heard something—"

"I was on a mission with the Union Leaders—what did you—"

"—we—Kvasir, stop, this is important." Eir grabbed his shoulders, and he blinked, focusing. "Kris and I—and this other guy who said he was working with you? Sigurd?—followed my parents the other night. They—they went to Aegir's estate." Eir had gone pale, eyes wide and nervous, and it reminded Kvasir a little of himself, when he'd first found out. "Kvasir, there's this whole—this whole thing, where parts of our family—there were a lot of them, I saw Halle and Dagr and—they're planning to go after the Union Leaders. During the festival."

Oh. When he'd talked to Eir, he hadn't expected her to actually go out after her parents. But— "We know."

"What do you mean you know?"

"Skuld's Spirit pet followed them. But—" But she hadn't been able to identify any of them. Kvasir could've, but he hadn't seen. But Eir—

"What. Is a Spirit pet?"

"You saw who was there?" Kvasir asked, and he could hear the rising excitement in his voice.

"I—yeah? Kvasir, what is—"

"This is—Eir, you need to come with me. We can tell Aunty Frigga—she's helping us—maybe we can head this off before it starts—"

"Head this—wait. Wait, Kvasir, what is going on?"

Kvasir slowed to a stop. He looked back at his cousin, and it finally, fully registered that she was…scared. She was staring at him with wide eyes, hands curled close and shaking, and—

And it made him slow down a little. Because he knew what she was going through—how terrifying it was to realize suddenly that your family might not be who you thought they were, and they might be putting people you cared about in danger. It made something in him gentle, something bitter and hot in the back of his throat.

"This is like—like what you hear about in, I don't know, stories. Stuff that happened ages ago or that the storykeepers made up, and not—not this. I didn't think…" Eir trailed off, looking at Kvasir helplessly.

"I…know," Kvasir murmured. "It's…a lot."

"…How long have you known?"

Kvasir winced a little. "I've…known since Uncle Aegir was arrested."

"So just—just about him. You found out about him with the rest of us—"

"I should've known earlier," Kvasir cut in, quiet. "He…sent an assassin after Skuld. They fought me and Mimir, too. Skuld and Brain tried to warn me, but—I didn't want to believe it. I ended up making things worse." It still stung—that maybe they could've avoided some of this, if he hadn't been so careless. "Eir—I know it's scary, but we need to get this information to Master Frigga. We're trying to keep anything worse from happening."

Eir stared at him like she wasn't really seeing her cousin anymore. It was a strange feeling. "It's…going to be okay. It's going to be okay, right?"

Kvasir winced, because he didn't know. "We're…trying to make it okay. Or as okay as it can be."

Eir's lips flattened, but she nodded, and followed as Kvasir led her back to Frigga's office.

-Frigga stared at the student in front of her, watching as she nervously scribbled down names, eyes flicking between Frigga and her list. Eir. Daughter of Ashe and Haines. Training as a Keyblade wielder, but otherwise not particularly notable.

Or, I suppose, she wasn't.

She was…certainly getting used to having her expectations subverted.

The rest of the occupants of the room seemed equally curious about what she was writing. Skuld craned her neck, trying to see. Brain seemed to be pretending not to be looking, but had his attention turned to Mimir, who was glancing at the paper and signing things, semi-hidden. Meili had apparently noticed, and while they looked exasperated, there was a curious light in their eyes. Kvasir sat near Eir, offering her support and a gentle smile, but his eyes kept flicking to the list, and his face was pale.

Finally, Eir put down her pen. "I…think that's all of them."

Frigga inclined her head and extended a hand.

Eir clutched the paper to her chest. "What's going to happen to them?"

Frigga eyed her coolly, rolling over how she wanted to answer that.

The paper crumpled a little. "I don't—are they going to be arrested, too? Like Uncle Aegir?"

"Eir—" Kvasir started, then faltered, looking like he didn't know what to say.

"They might be," Frigga said, deciding honesty was probably better, and tried to keep her voice gentle. "They will need to be detained, at least, to prevent the risk of potential harm. But you must understand—they're planning treason." Quieter, she added, "They're my family, too. I'm not any happier about this—but we need to put the safety of Scala ad Caelum first."

It wasn't even really a lie; it did make a pit form in her stomach, when she thought of having to imprison more of her family. She couldn't help but wonder if this would make the situation with the rest of her family better or worse, or if it would lead to more fighting—

But there isn't much to be done. If they want to play this sort of game, we will simply have to step up and play.

"Ideally," she added, "we will be able to speak with them and convince them to renounce Aegir. The prospect of an arrest will likely sway many of them."

It seemed to put Eir at ease, a little. She glanced at the Union Leaders, and even if she still looked like she wanted to be sick, her expression steeled a little. She passed the list over the Frigga, hands trembling.

It was…a decently sized list. Some names she wasn't particularly surprised by; others caught her more off-guard than she'd like. "Fafnir. Two council members, then."

Meili made a disgruntled noise. "At least there aren't too many others to worry about. Bryn and Njord aren't bluebloods, and Osmin's probably going to stick close to you."

"I'm uncertain where Leid's loyalties lie," Frigga murmured. "It could be a problem, if she agrees with Aegir—even if she hasn't made any obvious attempts to align herself with him."

"She and Bryn are running the trial." Meili ran a hand over their face. "Shit. Yeah, that could be an issue."

"So what are we going to do?" Skuld asked. There was fire in her voice, expression tense. "We have names. Are we going to act on them?"

Frigga raised an eyebrow. "It certainly sounds like you want to."

Brain flashed a sharp grin. "What gave you that impression?"

"If we detain them now," Skuld pressed, "we could stop this whole thing from escalating. Maybe we won't need to fight at all."

Eir looked nervous at the statement; Kvasir wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a half hug, murmuring something to her.

"We would need to make sure we target all of them at once," Frigga murmured. "Or at least, all of them in quick succession."

"We could probably work out a route easy enough," Meili pointed out. "Get some Keyblade wielders arranged."

Frigga raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like you've thought this out."

"Discussed it briefly," Brain said, "on the way over."

Skuld rolled her eyes, so Frigga suspected that they might've discussed it a little more than that—but then, she wasn't going to pry. "Then I assume you have a time in mind?"

"Sure. They're going to try and take advantage of the festival, right? Turn it back on them—but move it up a little."

It clicked, after a moment. "The trial."

"That's in a few days," Eir said, sounding vaguely shell-shocked.

"And the festival's not long after," Brain pointed out. "We're not going to get a much better distraction."

"And it would take some of Aegir's strongest supporters off the playing field," Frigga surmised.

Brain grinned. "Added benefit."

"We have some allies," Skuld added, looking at Frigga. "Don't we?"

Ah. "We do," Frigga agreed. "I can make sure to have them on standby, during the trial." She turned the idea over carefully. It was…a reasonable plan, all things considered. If they struck fast and decisively, they could prevent the problem entirely. But— "There's the very real likelihood that some of them will escape and regroup. We should assume that the festival plan will still go forward and plan accordingly."

Brain's expression shuttered. "Guessing that means we'll need to be ready for—" He cut a glance toward Eir. "Well."

Eir looked at him, then turned to her cousin, questioning.

"It's—it's a lot," Kvasir said. "You don't need to be involved any more than you already are, I promise." Quieter—low enough that Frigga almost didn't catch it—he added, "And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you in this much."

"It's okay," Eir whispered back, even if she made it sound like it wasn't. "I was the one who decided to follow my parents."

Frigga raised her voice, sweeping a look over them. "When the festival comes, stick together. All of you. Don't let anyone get separated, just in case someone tries to make another attempt on your lives."

"Well," Brain said, "I might be able to help with the assassin problem."

Frigga raised an eyebrow.

Skuld shot him a look; Frigga suspected that wasn't something they'd talked about. Interesting.

"Might not be much," Brain said, "but I snuck into his estate when looking for Mimir."

"Brain—" Skuld hissed.

Mimir blinked, looking slightly taken aback.

"I saw a bill," Brain pressed, "'Payment rendered for favors to our lineage,' addressed to someone named 'Tyr.'"

The name didn't particularly ring a bell, but… "I'll see if I can have someone look into it. But my point still stands: don't wander far from each other. You'll need to watch each others' backs if you want to stay safe."

Skuld looked grim, but nodded. Brain inclined his head a little. Mimir stared down at their hands, expression pinched. Kvasir…just looked troubled.

Meili sighed, shifting and folding their arms. "I'll see if I can't get the wielders from the Exploration Department to help out—both at the trial and the festival. Hopefully they won't mind providing a little extra security."

Frigga's eyes swept over the small group. "Are we in agreement, then?"

A round of nods, from everyone save Eir—but then, Frigga suspected she knew that, whatever she had to say, it probably wasn't going to change any of their minds'.

"Very well. Meili and I will handle the details, for now." She nodded toward them. "We'll meet again every morning until the trial to keep each other updated." She glanced toward Eir and tried to soften her expression. "And thank you for your assistance."

Eir gave her a look like she was on the edge of bolting, but nodded, anyways.

Frigga nodded back. Well. I suppose it's time to get to work.

-"You're back."

Mimir could feel the eyes of the guards on their back, but theirs were centered solely on Aegir. He seemed…much smaller in this cell, than he had when he had captured them. It made him seem much less…threatening. It almost made it possible to forget what he'd ended up doing.

Almost.

(New Dawn itched against the back of their chest. The abandoned agreement sat, folded, in their pocket, but it felt like it was burning, anyways. There were memories of two lives bubbling underneath their skin—less overwhelming, now, settled after the initial storm, but still very, very present.)

"Come to see me one last time before the trial?" Aegir asked. He tilted his head, but there was a smug expression on his face, and Mimir wanted desperately to wipe it off.

They took a moment to breathe. In, and out. "You're not as powerful as you think you are," they signed, careful.

He raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"The Foretellers were more frightening than you."

His eyes narrowed in vague confusion. Mimir wasn't sure they wanted to explain; let him wonder what, exactly, he'd done when he'd turned their magic back on them.

(They could feel the strain—the way trying to reach for their magic made them shiver, their throat tighten, a silent warning of, No, no, no, don't do it, don't get hurt again—

But they'd come down here for a reason. There was—there was nothing else Aegir could do to them. Not like that. It'd be okay.

…It had to be okay.)

"They asked us to speak at your trial," Mimir continued, tugging at their magic.

(I can't I can't I can'tIcan'tIcan't—)

They let it go, releasing a slow, shaky breath.

Aegir seemed to notice, but they guessed that he thought that they were nervous simply because of him.

…Then again, it wasn't entirely wrong.

"I'm sure that will be quite the story," he said, "if you tell it all the way."

(Do it. Do it, do it, you only need a brief moment—)

"I think you should be a little more worried," Mimir signed before they could think better of it, "if you remember how it ended."

A flicker of uncertainty, dashing across Aegir's face. Mimir barely took a moment to notice it; with a sharp intake of breath, they dug deep, grasping onto their magic and stretching a hand to touch Aegir's, just barely in reach.

They thought they could hear the guards, shouting in alarm. Aegir flinched back, apparently noticing what they were doing, albeit too late. And Mimir—

They couldn't hold it very long. They stumbled away, shaking, magic fading and hand burning. It was hard to breath, their chest and throat too tight. But in that brief moment—

("…Tyr…stay near…market place…")

They'd gotten enough.

"Hey." Mimir started, jerking away as one of the guards nudged them. "Alright, that's enough. No touching the prisoner; you've got to go."

Mimir swallowed, glancing at Aegir.

He had his eyes narrowed. "Very…bold," he said, slowly.

Mimir narrowed their eyes. I'm not going to be intimidated by you. "You hurt Kvasir," they signed. "He might have to speak at your trial, too. I thought you cared about him?"

They thought they saw something flicker in Aegir's expression; they didn't stay long enough to see what it was.

-Frigga,

Thank you for reach out. Of course, I planned to be at Aegir's trial anyways—it would be in bad taste not to be. I was a little surprised when you asked me to bring along my armor—but I suppose it's always possible that Aegir could cause more trouble. If you think a show of power would help quell concerns, I will acquiesce, though forgive me if I'm…skeptical. Still, I am willing to spread the word.

Yours,

Ivar

Frigga breathed out a long sigh, folding the letter up. It'd be a haphazard thing, sending out as many as she could, once she and the Union Leaders had settled on a plan—but she didn't want to take any chances.

Two days. Two days until Aegir's trial. Two days to see what his punishment would be—before she would see how her family would react to it.

…Two days before both of them would become a spectacle for most of Scala to see.

("I know you're already familiar with the procedures," Bryn had said to her, giving her a sympathetic smile. "But I still—"

"I know. It's standard protocol."

Bryn had nodded, then, glancing briefly down at her papers. Frigga didn't think she'd ever had to handle a trial before; if she was nervous, she hid it well. "As one of the individuals with grievances, you'll be required to state your case in front of the council. You will likely be the first to speak, as both the Head of the Council and the one who initiated the arrest. You may bring with you any evidence you like, provided it has been pre-approved by the council.

"After you speak, anyone else who has grievances against Aegir will be allowed to say their pieces. Master Aegir will be given the opportunity to defend himself once all grievances have been aired.

"Both parties are allowed to call on others to request they speak on their behalf. Is there anyone who you would like to request that has not been included in the current list?"

"No."

"Okay. Once the speakers have finished, an open floor will be allowed, giving watchers the opportunity to say their pieces, if they so choose. Once all evidence is presented, the council will deliberate to determine a suitable way to settle the issue." Bryn paused, giving her a wry smile. "Most of the council."

Frigga managed a smile, even if it didn't feel quite right on her face.)

It was a little strange, being on the other side of the process. She had overseen trials before, but had never been a speaker at one. She knew that the bigger ones could sometimes be…lengthy affairs. And I imagine all of Scala ad Caelum will be out to watch, she thought with a humorless laugh. Which will certainly make things…difficult, if something goes wrong.

…She hoped it wouldn't. She hoped that if they acted quickly enough, they could hide what they were doing—and hopefully stop Aegir's plan without too much drama.

A flash of black caught Frigga's eye, and she paused.

She hadn't particularly expected to see one of the Union Leaders hanging around—but then, perhaps she shouldn't be surprised. They would have to speak at the trial, after all, even if they weren't the ones who originally brought the grievances forward. Still, it caught her off-guard to see Brain hunched in the shadows near her office, leaning over a book.

…A surprisingly familiar book, now that she was looking closer. "…Of course you were the one they gave it to."

Brain barely reacted; his eyes flicked up to her, then back down to the Book of Prophecies. "Just seeing if there's anything in here about how the trial goes." He snapped the Book shut. "Nothing, unsurprisingly."

"There is much of this time that seems…unwritten," Frigga admitted, and studied him curiously. It felt like he wasn't being entirely honest about why he was looking in the Book—but she wasn't sure she'd actually get a straight answer if she asked him.

Brain huffed a sardonic laugh. "Doesn't make it much good, huh?" One hand ran over the cover. "…It says Scala falls, eventually."

"I'm aware."

"You really think getting rid of Darkness will stop that?"

It felt like a strange conversation, for someone who'd been so determined to help fight Darkness, and she said, careful, "It will help, at least. Perhaps Scala will still fade, one day—but I will not let it fall to something that's preventable."

"Mm." Brain stood, careful. "Guess it's good we have a solution, huh?" He extended the Book of Prophecies toward her.

She blinked, thrown. "You're returning it?"

"Sure. Not like it's much use, right? Already got what I needed from it. Figure it's better locked away than left out where anyone can get it." He flashed a sharp smile. "Might want a better hiding place, though."

Frigga shook her head, but found she was dryly amused, rather than annoyed. "You are…certainly an interesting one, Master Brain." She took the Book; there was something in her that eased, just a little, having it back in her hands, and she tucked it away, intending to put it somewhere safe later. "I suppose Leid or Bryn talked to you already about what to expect?"

He grimaced, which was answer enough. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised we'd need to speak. Not sure I'm the best one to speak on Aegir, though; Skuld, Mimir, and Kvasir were all affected more directly."

"You're still a Union Leader. He wasn't particularly concerned in limiting his actions to…certain individuals."

"Mm." There was something thoughtful in his expression, but he didn't say whatever was on his mind; instead, he moved past her, saying, "Well. Guess I should check in with the others—see what they're up to."

"Of course." Frigga paused, then called after him, "The box—"

"Will be in a safe place on the day of. Don't worry; I've got things covered."

There was something in his voice that made Frigga skeptical—but then, she didn't know him particularly well. Maybe she was imagining it.

…She had her own problems to worry about. If Brain said the box would be there—she had to trust him.

-We're really cutting things close, Skuld couldn't help thinking, nervous, as she cut toward the Market Place.

The city was buzzing with energy; there was still excitement, people anxious to set up stalls for the festival or prepare decorations, but there was unease, too. She could see it in the way some smiles seemed a little more forced and the streets grew hushed, the closer they got to the trial date.

She'd heard murmurs about it, too, and they buzzed in her ears, catching snippets as she hurried away.

"…think it'll turn out?"

"Should we be ready to move? In case something happens?"

"Go where? They have the asshole contained; it should be fine."

"It wasn't fine before…"

It needs to be fine, Skuld thought. That's the whole reason I'm out here, doing this.

When Mimir had told them about what they'd managed to get from Aegir—and that had been a conversation, both relieved and exasperated—she'd…had an idea of what to do with the information. Because they might know that his contacts were in the Market Place somewhere, but not where.

And she knew where she might be able to find some answers. If he was willing to give them.

But he might not know anything, Skuld thought, nervous. Or he might not want to talk about it—I don't know him that well. Or it might not matter, because it's so close to the trial—

But I have to try.

The docks were in sight much quicker than she anticipated, and she tried to steel herself against her nerves, searching for a familiar face among the workers. "Sven!"

A head popped up—curious, then turning into a baffled smile. "Hey, Union Leader. I wasn't sure if you'd actually show up again."

Skuld gave him a tentative smile. "I said I'd be back."

"Well, if you want to help—there are some crates that need unloading over there."

It wasn't what she was here for, but she was grateful for the distraction, anyways, and—and it was probably better to help a little before she asked someone for a favor, right?

(She ignored the part of her that said she was putting this off.)

She worked for a while in silence, turning over her thoughts. She picked at them carefully, trying to decide how to pose her question. Rumors, probably. He might've heard something—but how do I ask? Do I just come out and say what it's for? She set a crate down, trying to ignore the vague, stinging frustration. I'm just going to have to say it; I don't have a lot of time to waste.

"So," Sven said, setting a crate beside hers with a thud! and making her jump, "what's got you so distracted?"

Skuld hesitated. "It's—" she broke off, then sighed. "I just…have something I needed to ask you."

"Ah. So you came down here for that, huh?" He waved her off good-naturedly. "Don't worry; I figure, at least you're helping out a little. Not a bad thing to chat."

You might not like what I have to ask you. "Sven," Skuld started, "you…probably hear a lot of rumors around the docks, right?"

"Enough," he agreed. "Why?"

"A friend of mine…heard something." Skuld paused, searching for a way to explain.

"…Is this some blueblood shit."

She flashed him a sheepish, wavering smile. "…Kind of? But it's also…something that could have a pretty big effect on everyone." She paused, then added, "It's related to the trial."

Sven's expression turned grim. "Great."

"We're…trying to get ahead of things," Skuld said, hurried. "Stop anything bad before it gets out of hand."

"If you ask me, the bluebloods should stop dragging all of us into their problems," Sven grumbled, lifting a box.

Skuld winced, worried that that might be the end of the conversation, but Sven glanced back at her and sighed, inclining his head in a gesture that suggested she follow. Weak with relief, Skuld hurried after him.

"What sort of thing did they hear?" Sven asked, setting the box down and waving another worker over.

"They heard there were…people still using some of the older buildings around the Market Place." She paused, then added, hesitant, "Assassins."

"Assassins?" Sven asked, incredulous. "Now you're messing with me." He looked toward her, and something must've shown on her face, because his expression fell slowly. "…You're not."

"Aegir was arrested partially for sending them after us," Skuld reminded him quietly.

"Yeah, but—hell, actual political assassins, huh?" Sven sighed, running a hand over his head.

"…Does that mean you don't know anything?"

Sven paused, tilting his head in consideration. "…No," he said finally. "I might have an idea." He gestured for Skuld to follow, and she scurried after him as he left behind the docks, shouting a quick, "I'll be back!" to the people behind him.

The organized chaos of the docks faded behind them, steadily changing to the bustling Market Place. Sven seemed to have a specific destination in mind, frowning at the buildings, and Skuld followed his eyes to try and figure out what, exactly, he was searching for. "There are all sorts of things," he said, "going on beneath the bluebloods' eyes. I've heard rumors of people who will…do all sorts of favors. Help dispose of a body after a fight gone wrong. Get money out of someone. Even hunt down monsters off-world. They're disgraced bluebloods, supposedly—left over after the fall of one of the outer islands. They're a dwindling group, but are apparently competent enough at getting their work done." He paused, eyes tracking up what looked like a rundown, if relatively nondescript, apartment building.

"…Here?" Skuld asked skeptically.

"They move around a lot," Sven said. "But this is one of the places they're said to be at. I'd guess if there's anyone around the Market Place that would fit the bill—it'd be them."

Skuld pursed her lips, staring up at the building. "…The rumors make it sound like they'll work with anyone."

"Yeah, as far as I'm aware."

"How would I get a meeting?"

-"You're joking," Brain said, giving her an exasperated look that said he knew she wasn't.

Meili's apartment was quiet—mostly just Skuld, Brain, Mimir, and Kvasir, everyone else out for the moment—and all of the other members of the room were giving her incredulous looks.

"I'm not," Skuld said, and tried not to sound defensive. "If Sven's right, then they aren't necessarily loyal to Aegir—just whoever can pay the right price. We might be able to convince them not to help the bluebloods."

"Alright," Brain said, leaning forward, "but what sort of price would they be looking for?"

"If they're disgraced bluebloods—power, maybe," Skuld said, glancing at Kvasir.

He started. "Maybe?" he agreed, but he sounded skeptical. "To regain their positions with the family, maybe—but I don't know why they're disgraced in the first place."

"We'll probably need to talk with them to learn more," Skuld said, and tried to ignore the way it made her heartrate spike.

"Alright. But if we're going in there to have a meeting with them, we need to come with a bargaining chip," Brain pointed out. "Can't just let them set the terms of the deal."

Skuld tapped a finger against her leg, thinking. She wished she'd had more time, to learn about this—making deals and forging connections with powerful allies. Frigga would—

"Frigga," she said, struck with realization.

Brain snorted. "Doubt she'd be willing to be offered up to a group of assassins."

"No, it's—Frigga would have the power to grant them…a lot of things. And with Aegir on trial right now—working with him's not going to be in their favor."

"So we try and sway them by convincing them our side's the winning one," Brain said, thoughtful. He braced his chin on his palm, humming. "Could work, I guess. Might reduce the fighting, if it works." He cast her a sideways glance. "It'd probably be safer to just give Frigga the heads up about where they're located—especially if your friend's able to get you that meeting."

"But there's a good chance they'd get away," she pointed out. "And then we'd have to worry about them appearing somewhere else." Quieter, she added, "We'll still let her know—just to be safe."

Brain hummed, inclining his head in acknowledgement.

A quiet tapping drew her attention to Mimir. "It needs to be soon," they pointed out. "Or we can't do anything at all."

Skuld exchanged glances with the others. "I'll make sure Sven knows," she said. Hopefully this works, she added to herself. Hopefully we can get this sorted out, and avoid any more problems.

…Hopefully.

-The morning was dawning bright. Frigga stared out over Scala ad Caelum, watching as the city woke. The trial wouldn't be for another few hours, but she could already seem people trickling toward the Clock Tower. She pressed her lips together, fingers tapping uneasily against her arms. In just a few hours, everything gets set into motion.

She cocked her head at the sound of footsteps—but then, she was pretty sure she already knew who'd be up here. "Is everyone ready, Osmin?"

"We have keybearers set to head off the targets in question, focusing on the most influential. I haven't told them much—simply that we need to detain certain individuals for security reasons."

"Good." She paused, then added, quiet, "Be prepared to fight, if something goes awry."

"I will." He stepped up beside her, glancing out over Scala. "How are you doing?"

She laughed, quiet. "I am about to challenge the man who called my leadership into question—and there are, undoubtedly, people who agree with him. The actions I'm about to take are likely going to fracture my family further, even in a best case scenario. How do you suppose I'm doing?"

Osmin didn't respond, simply staring out at Scala ad Caelum with a quiet hum.

"…Perhaps they have the right of it," Frigga murmured, quiet. "The Union Leaders."

Osmin tilted his head toward her, eyes furrowed in a silent question.

"About us—Master Ephemer's descendants. There is so much…senseless politicking. Would we even be in this position, if we had stopped being so concerned with our own power?" She glanced out further—to the abandoned towns, just visible on the horizon. "Would our world be in such dire straits at all?"

"There's no guarantee it'll fall."

"There's not," Frigga agreed, quiet. She took a breath, then glanced at her friend. "Well. We should get going. I would prefer to have time to prepare, before the trial actually starts."

-Skuld bounced back and forth on her toes, craning her neck to try and get a better glimpse of the courtroom. It was a large, open area, seats ringing around a single podium. The council—sans Frigga—all sat in a collection of seats near the front, set apart from the rest. She tried to catch Meili's eye, but she guessed they were too far away to see her. "There are a lot of people," she whispered, glancing at the rows.

Brain hummed a quiet acknowledgement. "Guessing it's going to be a pretty big spectacle."

"Do you see…?" Kvasir started, then broke off.

Aegir, Skuld guessed, and she scanned the room. "There," she said finally, catching sight of him on the other side of the room. Keyblade wielders stood around him, holding him tight. He looked infuriatingly calm, all things considered.

Kvasir looked past her, his breath shuddering a little when he caught sight of his uncle.

"Are you okay?" Skuld whispered.

He flashed her a shaky smile. "It's just—a lot." He turned back to the courtroom, eyes pinched. "You didn't hear anything from Sven?"

She could taste something bitter when she admitted, "No."

"Heard Frigga's got wielders posted outside their hiding spot," Brain murmured. "So hopefully it'll be alright."

Skuld wasn't entirely convinced, but she nodded anyways. "Right."

Mimir snapped to attention. The room quieted at almost the same instant, and Skuld followed their eyes to look at Bryn, standing now, in the place where the Head of the Council would likely be.

Skuld's breath hissed between her teeth. "It's starting."

"Citizens of Scala ad Caelum," Bryn said, her voice carrying across the room, "we convene today to discuss the charges brought against Master Aegir Caelum. He stands accused of plotting to kill the Union Leaders; the charges were brought forth by Master Frigga, the Head of the Council, during his challenge for her position. Today, we will allow both the accused and the accusers to present their cases. The council will deliberate and come to a decision on the accuracy of the claims and on what sort of penalty or resolution should follow."

The room was deathly silent.

Bryn inclined her head. "Let the trial begin."

Alright! Now that the final preparations are set up, we're heading into the end game! Most of the remaining chapters are going to be, uh…relatively long, aha. I'll try to get them out within two weeks of each other, but if one seems to be taking a while…that's why.