Chapter 19: Heroic Dreams
How was it that no matter where he turned, Elidibus was somehow always there. There was a chance that, had the Ascian been wearing any other skin than Ardbert's, he would have felt the drag of exhaustion less frequently. An insignificant chance, truly, for the Ascians always played the same. Still, they were talkative beings when given the chance and, despite them both appearing at the top of the watchtower under who knew what power, Elidibus seemed inclined to humor him with chatter at the very least. Talk steered this way and that and he got absolutely nowhere in understanding the other but it seemed well enough for a voice added itself to the conversation at the end of Elidibus's words.
"Ah, I wasn't aware you already had a guest." The Exarch's voice threw adrenaline into his bloodstream. As much as he trusted the Exarch to hold his own, he didn't trust Elidibus to not harm one of his friends. He sought out the Exarch's gaze and found it on him, a soft smile on that kind face. His heart sank. The Exarch's arms were glowing. "If the conversation is constructive, I shall not intrude." The Exarch's gaze settled on Elidibus, hard despite the pleasant expression that remained. "But if you seek to stir up trouble, Elidibus, then I must insist you leave at once."
It seemed Elidibus was done with their conversation, not that he knew what else they could have talked themselves around for much longer. He let Elidibus get a few paces in before he followed the Ascian.
He shouldn't have given the Ascian that lead.
It happened far too quickly. Even if he had been a step behind or a step ahead, he knew he wouldn't have been able to stop Elidibus but that didn't stop the fear and the panic and the remorse. Elidibus met the Exarch's gaze as the Ascian started to pass the man before thrusting a bolt of energy through the Exarch's gut.
"No!" tore itself from his throat - the sound of renting metal, chain mail glittering as if made of crystals, brilliant aether darkening the world - as he broke out into a run.
But instead of falling, the Exarch merely stumbled back a few steps, hand on the point of contact and bewilderment on his face. He couldn't make out Elidibus's face but he did hear the man as he said, "Though you lack Her blessing, your soul is surprisingly dense."
He was nearly on top of them when Elidibus walked away, disappearing in that all too familiar fashion. Running full till made it hard to not collide with the Exarch. "G'raha," was a strangled sound off his tongue as he slid his hand under the Exarch's and pressed against the point of impact, already pulling aether for the only healing spell he knew as Summoner.
Why had he not swapped back to White Mage? Why had he stayed in his Summoner gear after humoring the kids and after watching Alisaie waver-
The Exarch's hand covered his and he lost hold of the spell, his entire body trembling like a leaf, his right shoulder throbbing with echoes of old pain. Gods, he couldn't do this again. "Worry not," the Exarch softly encouraged, free hand finding his upper arm as if to stabilize or comfort, "I seem to be unharmed."
"From Elidibus's assault, sure," he conceded, the words sharper over his tongue than he had intended. He pulled his hand from the Exarch's abdomen and out from under the Exarch's hand to take a firm hold of the Exarch's forearm. "But this is certainly not nothing." His ears flattened as the Exarch yanked his arm away and tucked it out of sight. The touch on Echo'a's arm lingered still. "G'raha." The name sounded like a plea to his ears. "What did you do?"
"Oh, this…" the Exarch said, the tone airy, as if it wasn't a big deal. "This is my own doing─the consequence of my recent exertions. It is the tower's way of compensating me for the demands I have placed on it." He reached around the Exarch and pulled the arm back into view by the bicep. He didn't miss the shift in the Exarch's stance, could practically feel the embarrassment that raged with the denial and righteousness, as words tumbled over the Exarch's lips. "Rest assured, it is no great inconvenience at present. Indeed, I told Beq Lugg as much...but they would not be persuaded, and sent me away to rest. No need to make a fuss."
He dragged his hand down the Exarch's arm until he was holding the other's hand, shaking his head as if it would do either of them any good. "You're not supposed to be harming yourself in the process of getting them home," he muttered into the space between them. The Exarch tugged free of his grip only to grab hold in turn, thumb rubbing against his knuckles. "You have to live with these consequences."
The Exarch tentatively pressed their temples together. "Strange as it may sound, I consider it something of a badge of honor."
He pressed back, almost nuzzling into the touch until the base of their ears nearly touched. "That doesn't make it any better," he said, the words coming out flat and washing over the Exarch's shoulder. "We want you to be able to enjoy the years after sending them home, not suffer through these badges of honor."
The Exarch's crystal arm wrapped around him and he pressed his face into the man's neck, the Exarch's staff bumping against his knuckles as he clung to the fabric at the Exarch's shoulder blade, his other hand still clinging to the Exarch's.
The silence between them did not last as before long the Exarch was talking again. "One of the brave souls who saw me delivered unto the First once said that the world shall ever have a place for tales of heroism, so long as we have need of inspiration in our lives. Though he and his fellows had no way of knowing whether their mad scheme would amount to anything, they knew that the attempt alone would inspire hope. Or so they hoped. A more optimistic lot, one would be hard-pressed to find." The Exarch drew back, hand briefly lingering in the hair at the base of his skull before slipping away. "They said they would find a means to save our godsforsaken world─just as soon as they had sent me on my way. Said it with such confidence that, for a fleeting moment, I half-believed them. Such faith, such courage in the face of unrelenting despair. For a long time, it was more than I could bear to remember them."
The Exarch made to put distance between them but he refused to let go of the man's hand. The Exarch humored him, giving his hand a squeeze in response. "But having come this far─having sent full many on their way myself─I see things more clearly. To take action is to hope. To believe─to choose to believe is to take the first step towards a brighter future. And why do I tell you this? Because I want you to indulge me in a little recklessness."
He huffed a laugh but it sounded more tired than amused. "Like you haven't already been?"
The Exarch rolled his eyes but the amusement was plain on his face. "Needless to say, I have a plan." The sound of running footsteps on the stairs started to reach them and he let the Exarch's hand go. His heart ached from the effort and he was certain the flicker of the same on the Exarch's face was a trick of the light. "And...when all is said and done, I will ask yet another favor of you."