Chapter 101: Coronation
Pain, was all he could feel, a sharp, stabbing pain wracking his body, the myriad of spectral daggers like glass shards spiking through his veins. How many bones were broken? How much blood had he shed?
He drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely registering the sounds of movement around him. Sometime between his escape from Aeros and the King's Passage, Nova's consciousness had completely blacked out.
He awoke with a jolt, sunlight bleeding through his eyes sending bullets of shock that ignited the world's worst migraine, "Unh…" he peeled open his eyes to find Ruby kneeling by his bedside, clutching onto his hand tightly while Nitro was already sitting up on his bed, looking rather bright.
"How long was I out?" he asked, hesitantly shaking her awake as he did, trying to tap into their soul bond to rouse her.
She startled awake instantly, reaching up to clutch his face, her eyes riddled with concern, "About sixteen hours, thankfully you weren't in that much of a bad state. Elain was able to heal you up most of the way."
Nova cast his gaze past her to Nitro who waved at him, smiling brightly. The redheaded boy's body was laden with bruises and bandages that covered most of him, "Hey bro! You've managed to wake up."
"Please, it'll take more than that to kill us," Nova snorted as he tried to stand, Ruby held onto him for support, "How are you holding up?"
Nitro uncovered the sheets to reveal a completely broken leg in a full cast and his entire left side in a bandage wrap, "Not so good, but I'll live," he smirked.
The prince gave him a light fist bump, "Good, recover soon, thanks to Gauge we bought some time to adjust ourselves…" he grit his teeth.
Ruby could sense his inner turmoil as she gripped his arm, "Don't… don't blame yourself for what happened back there. It was unexpected, and he was stronger than before."
"But so were we," Nova grimaced as he touched the broken Agniseki on his arm, "Even after sacrificing everything… it wasn't enough…"
Ruby shook her head, "Not everything. We saved the people, maybe not the city, but the people survived… and you got this…" She reached into her pocket and handed him the medallion.
"Instead of dwelling on the past… as much as it hurts… we need to focus on the future."
Nova stared at the medallion, "I feel unworthy." his voice was even and firm. "How can I be a king when I've failed to protect them? When I failed to..." he looked at the broken Agniseki, guilt claiming his soul.
"You didn't fail, we saved them, even if the city was lost, the people survived and that's what matters the most."
He gripped the cold steel in his hands and contemplated the meaning of this. To make everyone united, in harmony, he would need to ascend to the throne, and now he had all he needed.
The plan was unfurling despite the setbacks.
He could no longer feel Agni and Fall's presence, his confidence was at its lowest… but he was tired of feeling sorry for himself, and he was also tired of telling himself to move on.
It was about time they took a few steps back… after moving one leap forward. They needed to get stronger, all of them.
"Alright…" he pocketed the item and began marching toward his royal quarters. On the way they passed Elain who was heading to the infirmary room in the castle.
"Mom?" Nova asked as he caught her, Luna and Oscar trailing not too far behind.
Elain's eyes shot wide as she wrapped him in a tight hug, "You're okay…" she whispered, "Thank the gods…"
"The gods have nothing to do with this," Nova said with distaste.
Luna smiled as she joined the embrace, "We've all been waiting on you to get up."
Nova tilted his head curiously, "What do you mean?"
Luna giggled as she shared a look with Oscar, "Aurelios is waiting in the King's Passage. He said to meet him at the entrance near the 3 doors when you woke up."
Nova blinked rapidly, "How did he know I'd be awake by now?"
She shrugged, "Not sure, but he asked Ruby to come along with you."
Upon leaving the royal quarters, Corvus was waiting outside the door, he stood guard with a halberd in hand, his right wing in a sling. As soon as Nova stepped out of the door he stood at attention, "Your Highness!" he saluted stiffly.
Nova looked at him amused, it wasn't but a few days ago this man was treating them like upstarts. Still… it felt hollow given what he had to sacrifice.
"At ease, Corvus. I'd like a full report on the casualties and injuries later, if that's alright with you." Nova said, fully expecting dozens of dead.
Corvus smiled and bowed, "Thanks to his highness and the royal retainers, there were no casualties."
Nova's eyes widened, "Seriously?! Not even one?!"
Corvus smirked, "Your Highness, thanks to your team's actions and skill, no civilian was harmed and none of my soldiers died. A proper thanks is in order… but I'd rather not delay you nay further. The head butler wishes to see you in the tombs."
The prince blinked, "Wait… tombs? I thought he said the passage?"
"Tombs, King's Passage, it's all the same," Corvus responded before shooing the young prince and his consort out.
-King's Passage with Nova, Ruby and Luna-
Aurelios stood in a white and gray suit, his antlers standing pristine over his head. Even the floors of the once dusty passageway had been scrubbed clean, not a speck of dust was left remaining.
Standing with him was none other than the old forest witch.
As the trio approached, Aurelios bowed but not the witch, "Your Highness, it's good to see you well."
The Witch smacked Aurelios on the back, "We don't have time for pleasantries brat, we need to act now. Before this gets worse."
Nova and Ruby paused, looking at each other in silent conversation before Ruby looked at the witch, "You're the old woman who was with Gauge right? Who are you?"
"My name's not important, what is important is that you show me the state of the rock," The old woman who Nova decided to silently nickname Baba Yaga, said as she reached for his dragon arm.
Upon inspecting the cracked Agniseki she hummed and made a 'tch' sound, "This is bad but… you're lucky the spirits of fire love you."
Nova's stoic facade dropped as he tried to hold back his well of depression, "A-Are they… gone?" he asked, trying not to choke up as Ruby reached out and grabbed his free hand, squeezing it firmly.
"They're not dead… call it the power of love or whatever but they're still in there, just barely alive, but…" she knocked on the gem and eyed the cracks, "They're dying quickly."
Nova recoiled as she knocked on the gem, holding his arm protectively, "How do I save them?"
She huffed and tapped him on the head, "You don't!" she reached up and grabbed him by the horns, "This is your goddamn fault! Granted… I understand why but still! Bad br-...prince!" she hissed violently before smacking him on the head.
"OW! OW! OW! What the hell lady?!" Nova complained as she grappled him by the horns in a rather comical state of affairs.
Luna and Ruby watched the whole interaction with a mixture of surprise and confusion, "Wait so why are we here again?" Luna asked, raising her hand.
Aurelios clapped and Baba Yaga stopped yanking Nova's horns and jumped off, "Right, it's the first stage of the crowning ceremony. You must retrieve the family's sword from the tomb of the old kings."
Nova faltered as he looked at Aurelios, "What…?"
Aurelios pointed to the one door they never opened, "I was doing some digging in the butler's handbook…" pulled a large black book from thin air and tapped the cover as he read from it, "To ascend the next King, he must enter the family tomb, and seek judgment from his ancestors."
Nova blanked as he stared at the intricate door with the different Aspect Runes engraved on it, "Aurelios… couldn't this have been done earlier…?"
"Nope," the butler said with a grin, "According to the procedure, I must hold on to the three symbols of approval, this is one last trial of sorts… but it's supposed to be more of a formality than anything I guess."
The prince rolled his eyes, "What am I going to do? Speak with the dead?"
Aurelios shrugged, "I don't know, but your spouse and future queen is supposed to go with you."
"Me?!" Ruby asked in alarm, "Not Luna?!"
"Yes you, and as for her royal highness…" Aurelios looked at the old woman, "This crone wants to meet with her."
The trio shared a look, a silent conversation between the three pillars of power amongst the team.
After handing over the 3 medallions to Aurelios, Nova and Ruby approached the door. The butler pressed the three items to the door as his antlers began to glow a starry blue before the ground began to shake. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling as the stone doors grated against the floor before it opened up to reveal a dark passage that spanned deep into the floors below the castle.
Grabbing Ruby by the hand he headed toward the depths of the underground.
Once they were gone, Baba Yaga hobbled over to Luna, her fox tail swishing against the floor as she grabbed the young girl by the hand, "Come along dear."
Luna faltered as the woman was taking her toward the same passage, "Wait we're following them in?"
"Not exactly…" she responded as they too disappeared into the tomb.
-With Nova and Ruby-
The tomb doors closed behind them as the darkness was suddenly illuminated by the pale glow from a series of ghostly blue torches that sprung alive along the cavernous walls. The air within the passage was stale and cold, and the walls echoed the frigid cold of the dead that hid behind them, for every corner they passed was littered with bones of the dead and deceased. It seemed that not only were the former royal family members buried here, but their closest allies, retainers and consorts as well.
The stony passage broke through to an eventual marble floor, like a sudden shift in the environment the new area split the tomb in half, for going past the halfway mark was a large and expansive stretch of golden marble and white halls, grand pillars etched in the same material climbed high into the air amidst a white chandelier-lit room.
Standing at the very back of the room was a massive staircase in black marble, with gold and silver railings. Behind it, along the edges of the staircase at periodic intervals were portraits of the previous kings and queens. Every monarch from the last to the first, and under their portraits were their caskets, tucked neatly into the wall.
"Wow… this place is incredible…" Nova mouthed as his voice echoed amidst the silence of the dead.
Ruby felt her eyes begin to tingle, like a burning sensation dragging her latent powers to the surface as her True Silver State activated instantly, her horns growing out and her eyes turning draconic.
"Woah… this place is just radiating with power," Ruby said as she gazed at her cloak turning silver.
"It must be coming from up there," Nova said as he looked at the staircase. He instinctively reached for Helios but came up empty as he was reminded of his lack of weaponry. "Right…" he cursed.
Ruby reached out and grabbed his hand, offering a comforting smile as the two walked up the staircase they took in the incredible artistry that adorned the walls.
As the two crested the peak of the staircase they were met with an awe-inspiring sight. The platform at the top was adorned with silver and plated in different types of steel, stabbed into the ground under the watchful gaze of the first king's portrait was a mass grave of swords, spears and different weaponry. The first Flareheart's portrait oversaw it all, his casket sitting as a large black steel grave.
Sitting at the very center of it all, stabbed into a black glass pedestal was a massive Greatsword, adorned in silver steel and its blade was curved like flames, it was almost twice the size of the young prince as it stood imposingly towering over the other weapons. The massive blade was akin to a buster sword used to hunt kaiju.
"Your ancestors were giants," Ruby mused as she admired the grave of swords.
Nova shook his head and shrugged, "Still… what are we even doing here?"
As he spoke, the lights in the room dimmed, and the flames began to flicker at lower intensities until only the white chandelier above their heads beamed down a spotlight onto the buster sword.
The silver light began to shimmer until it manifested as a fog, similar to the ones that appeared whenever a relic spirit was summoned except instead of blue smoke, it apparated a spirit of pure silver mist.
The creature manifested, tall and covered in a long, white kimono as it looked almost a mirror image of Nova without the scars. It also had many more dragon scales, along the forehead and around the eyes of which were mismatched, one purple and one gold. It was the first king, the original dragon spirit of the Flarehearts.
He gazed upon the two with an even and cold stare.
Ruby and Nova could only look on in astonishment as he fully manifested.
"So…" he began, his voice a deep reverberation with the echoing wisps of an intangible phantom, "You are the next in line to ascend, my kin."
Nova swallowed, the man boasted an intense pressure from just being a spirit, and he bowed as Ruby did as well. "That is correct, Your Highness…"
The spirit raised an eyebrow, "Please… My time has long since passed. Just call me grandfather or something… I was never one to endure 'Your Highness, and Your Majesty' much. My real name is Kaiser Flareheart"
Nova blinked and Ruby snickered, "He's just like you," she mentally whispered.
"Right, grandfather… Pandora is in a dire state, just like the rest of the world. Salem, she is gathering an ever-increasing army… and she has much stronger allies…"
The spirit whipped around Nova, encircling the duo as he rubbed his chin, "I see… I gather much from your memory…"
"Can you read my mind?" Nova asked in alarm.
"I can simply draw on your experiences thus far, a trait of our bloodline. I see your father, and his father before him, passed on before they could teach you…" he frowned, "Much has changed, I see… you have been through much…" he glanced at the broken Agniseki.
Nova held up his arm, "I'm not sure why I'm here… or what this is about… but can I ask how to fix them?"
The spirit smiled, "You refer to the stone as 'them'. It speaks to you, then."
"Yes… is that not normal for our family?" Nova asked tilting his head.
"No, it is not, the stone's spirit never showed itself to anyone aside from me before, and even then it only spoke to me once. It means you, my grandson, are more in tune with the aspect than even I was." He touched Nova's arm, "As for fixing it… that I cannot do. Only the waters of the Shrine of Creation may heal this."
Nova grappled with his thoughts as he gazed at Ruby and then back at Kaiser, "Then… where do we go from here?"
Kaiser hummed, "My spirit manifests only for those that need to be tested, and… I have read all of what you are and what you've done, both you and your spouse pass…"
He shifts to Ruby and stares at her, "Please… look after this one. Dragons of Destiny like him are bound to be neck-deep in struggle, even after the war is over. We have a tendency to prioritize others over our own well-being…"
Ruby shuffles nervously and wraps an arm around Nova protectively, "I don't intend to leave his side."
He smiles, "Good…" the spirit summoned another silver coin, and presented it to Nova, "The last of the rites of passage. You have earned the right to be King… and…"
As Nova accepted the coin, the spirit reached into the grave of swords and pulled out the buster sword, "This… is yours. Use it as you see fit, for you are worthy of my blade… new King."
Nova struggled for a second as he heaved the massive blade onto his back, "T-Thanks…?! OOF!" he struggled as the weight threatened to crush him.
Kaiser smirked, "You'll grow into it. Our interaction is not yet over, however. You may return here once the Agniseki is healed. I have much to teach you about unlocking your full potential."
"What like some sort of training?" he asked, now frowning, unsure if he had time to even consider that.
"Sort of…"
-Luna and Baba Yaga-
The princess and the old forest witch had made their way through the tomb passageway until eventually, they deviated from the standard path. Following down a separate path from Nova and Ruby, theirs was a path of black marble, littered with blue stars.
Eventually, they would find themselves at the foot of a door made entirely of an obsidian-like material that glittered like black glass.
"We're here…" Baba Yaga said as she ushered Luna inside.
The dragon princess stepped forward hesitantly into the dark room, all at once the door slammed shut behind her, stone grating mercilessly against the cavern walls until the room was sealed off and bathed in a void of darkness.
"What's going on…?" Luna asked hesitantly as even with her night vision, her eyes struggled to see even five feet in front of her.
Baba Yaga stamped her staff onto the ground, "Now we can begin your training…" she said reaching into her cloak and pulling out a book that was ever so familiar to Luna. As she did, the ground became illuminated in a dim blue glow that gave just enough to see themselves.s
Once Luna spotted the book she stared in shock, "That's… the journal of the first Sapphire Flareheart. How do you have that…?!"
Baba Yaga chuckled, "Listen girl there's a lot to explain and not enough time so I'll start with this," she opened the book to about the middle. "You read through this I take it?"
Luna nodded, "I understand that our powers are similar… but her manipulation is… it breaches the laws of what I understand telekinesis is about."
Baba Yaga snorted, "You think your powers are just Telekinesis?" she threw the book at Luna, "Then you are dumber than you look!"
Luna caught it and growled at her, "Hey! There's no description of this power so… how the hell am I supposed to know?! No other Aspect has had our powers…"
Baba Yaga stared at her, as she reached forward, her hands glowing blue as she grabbed Luna with an invisible force, yanking her forward and catching her, "Then it's about time you learned…"
Luna faltered, "W-Who are you?!"
Baba Yaga's fox-tail began to disappear into thin air, like an illusion shattering, her ears also disappeared, "Illusion Semblance, kind of like your mute friend." she said as the illusion disappeared to reveal the old woman was standing as a young lady, with bright platinum hair and blue eyes, like an older version of Luna.
"My real name is Sapphire Flareheart the first, I'm your ancestor."
-Back outside in the infirmary-
Nitro sat on the bed as Elain was changing his bandages. She looked solemnly at the redheaded boy, "Are you going to tell them?"
Nitro glanced at his wounds, the gashes had healed but the skin and veins leading up from the massive cuts on his lower abdomen were purple. He let out a heavy sigh and looked at her with lidded eyes, "Aunty, I don't even know what I would say… I should continue to pretend like I'm normal, until… it can't be ignored."
"They deserve to know, Nitro…" she held back a silent tear.
"Yes, but they've also been through enough… if I told them now, it would break them and destroy everything we've worked toward up until now. I just… need to hold out a little longer."
She sat on the bed and pat his shoulder, "Fine, I will keep your secret, patient's confidentiality and all that."
He sat on the edge of the bed as Elain undid his bandages and winced. The gash in his side was deep, the flesh turning purple and black as bits crumbled like rot as the bandage was removed. "It... it's not looking any better," she wrinkled her nose and dared not touch the wound. "I can't... my semblance can't heal this... but I'll still give it a try."
Elain placed her hands over the wound and called on her semblance, at once the Miasma shot out of the wound and ate away at her Aura, shattering it instantly and causing the woman to drop to her knees in pain, "ARGH!" she yelled out, a bit of blood leaking from her mouth.
There was no change on the wound.
Nitro simply walked over and helped her up, his face grave as he said, "It's alright Elain... you tried your best."
It took roughly a few hours before Nova and Ruby returned, and so did Luna, nought but a few minutes later.
Luna and the old woman exited and the former had a dark look on her face. She cast a glance at Nova and when he noticed her face, before he could question it, her face brightened.
The prince had to admit… his sister looked… older. If that makes sense? She was gone the same time as he was so… why did she look like she grew an inch in height?
"It's probably your imagination," Ruby mused through their soul bond as she read his thoughts.4
Aurelios was awaiting him outside, "Your Highness, it would appear you were successful," he stated, glancing at the silver medallion in his hands.
Nova smirked and gazed at it, "I met the first Flareheart… it seems I have some training to do but first I need to heal the Agniseki.."
Baba Yaga perked up, "Did he say how?"
"He said to take it to the Shrine of Creation… that its waters would heal it…"
At that, a dark look washed over her gaze as she grumbled, "I was afraid of that…"
Luna looked like she was about to cry, but… Nova couldn't fathom as to why. Was it because she felt disheartened about the situation?
"Do you know where it is?" he asked, looking toward her. "Is it bad?"
She sighed, "Yes, it is… but to get there it'll be trouble. There are 2 routes, one is to brave the storm on the sea and sail around the Oceanis peninsula, or… cross the mountain range and head southeast."
"And considering our boat is trashed, and we haven't had time to repair it…" Nova grimaced, "It seems we'll be revisiting the mountains sooner than later."
Aurelios clapped, eyeing the giant Buster Sword on Nova's shoulders, "Well that's all well and good… but we do have pressing matters to attend to…" he handed the 3 remaining sigils to Nova, "Your coronation, sire."
"Can it wait? The Agniseki needs to be healed…"
Baba Yaga tapped the crystal and looked at him seriously, "As much as I agree with you, the coronation takes priority… and the spirit is still alive, it's neither dead nor dying right now… but it'll hold for a while."
"But… Agni and Fall…!" Nova tried to plead but Luna quickly reached out and hugged him.
She looked at him with a teary smile, "Don't put it off anymore, big brother… just get it over and done with now, before it's too late."
He glanced at Ruby while returning Luna's hug, silently asking if she too agreed.
Ruby nodded with a smile, silently sending him waves of support. This was the biggest benchmark on their journey, a sign that soon… whether it be for better or for worse, their journey was coming to an end.
"Alright, Aurelios, what do we need to do to prepare for the coronation?" he asked, looking at the head butler.
"It will be a two-part ceremony, sire, since you have a betrothed it would be customary to host the wedding as well…"
Both Ruby and Nova held firm and said, "No, we agreed to have the wedding after Salem is dead."
"We want it to be a special day… of celebration," he began.
"Not a day to be thrown under obligatory customs and tradition," she finished for him.
Aurelios relented with a sigh, "I knew it…" he gazed at them, "Then it will be a superficial service for now… we can host the official wedding at some other point… another problem however… according to law, since the crown no longer exists, someone needs to reforge it."
Ruby stepped forward, "I'll do it," she gazed at the ring Nova gave her and then back at him, "I… want to do this."
Aurelios nodded, "As you wish, my lady."
"Then, Aurelios, how long do we need to set up a coronation?" Nova asked.
"At least a week sire," he said, "If we use the King's Passage and only invite nobles then we can expedite it to about four days…"
Nova grimaced, "But then we'd dilute the effect of uniting the people… alright, take the week then, gather the nobles and leaders first, but do not exclude the rest of the people. We do have practically an entire Kingdom out there in tents on our front lawn, so…"
"Worry not, Your Highness, we have the means…" Aurelios smirked, "There is a reason the castle staff is put through a highly competitive process of hiring."
-Nitro and Sami in the castle foregrounds-
The gardens of Castle Firestone were littered with tents as far as the eye can see. The citizens of Aeros Kingdom were spread out in these communities while the guards maintained protection and order, it was like a mass refugee encampment.
Despite losing their homeland, not a citizen held the face of despair. They were all happy, handling it. Words echoed across the encampment from the mingling of people, "We'll take back our home soon." A father told his child.
"The heroes who saved us will surely reclaim our land, have faith in the prince," a young man would tell his wife.
It seemed that, amidst the loss of their home, they had found a new hope, a bubbling golden feeling that seemed to drive away the darkness that loomed over their heads.
This was their handiwork, the culmination of their efforts had inspired faith in the people to the point that even in loss, they still held hope.
This was what they had hoped to achieve.
Nitro smiled warmly as he sat on the steps of Castle Firestone, the bandages wrapped around his torso while he and Sami enjoyed their time together.
"Sami," Nitro said in a hushed voice as he leaned against his boyfriend's shoulder, "Our time is coming to an end soon." His voice was even, almost content as he held a sad smile on his face.
Sami, suddenly shocked, felt his throat dry up. A sick feeling coursing through his stomach, "What do you mean?"
Nitro slipped his fingers into Sami's hand, entwining them as he gazed into his eyes, "I'm dying, Sami."
The merman Faunus looked at him wide-eyed, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, "No… no come on my love… please…"
Nitro gazed across the field of people then at the sky, "Onyx's miasma has seeped into my body to the point of no return… in the past it was curable but… I guess with his newfound power it amplified."
"I-I heard… Onyx is the guy that defeated the prince right?"
Nitro squeezed his hand, "Come on… inside, I'll tell you everything from start to finish."
Together they got up and moved to their room in the castle, bypassing everyone as Sami felt almost lucid. This couldn't be real, he had just found the man he'd love for the rest of his life and…
Fate was cruel.
Now behind closed doors, Nitro regaled Sami with the entire tale of his adventures, from start to finish.
Sami's tears were flowing, "You've fought so much to just have it end now?! There has to be something we can do!"
Nitro ran his hands through Sami's hair and kissed him lightly, "I'm not giving up, but… in the event, this takes me before we can find a cure I need you to know first."
Sami clutched his boyfriend's face, as if trying to memorize his features. He couldn't bring himself to speak.
"The miasma is devouring my body, cell by cell like an unstoppable plague. If Elain couldn't fix me I doubt that anything short of a miracle would.
"That being said," Nitro traced his fingers across Sami's lips, "I don't want to leave any regrets."
Sami nodded slowly, shuddering under his touch, "Then shall we make the most of our time?"
And so the curtains would close on the windows of their room, the door shut and the outside world would blur into nothingness as the two lovers cemented their relationship, savouring every passionate moment.
-1 Week later-
Letters had been sent to every Kingdom on Pandora, as carriages arrived from every kingdom, citizens were moved through the King's Passage. At first, the team was confused as to how they would fit everyone, but the castle staff had taken this into account. Nobles were seated in the main throne room while the soldiers were spread out amongst the floors of the castle balconies, overlooking the throne room. The citizens were spread out across the gardens and entryway. The ceremony itself was to take place throughout the entryway and into the throne room, a long red carpet was laid out on the hallway, stretching from one end of the throne room to the castle gardens, through the halls.
It was a grand display, and it needed to be, for the crowning of the king would have to be of the most extravagant nature.
Banners of the Flareheart household hung from the rafters, foyer and across the throne room, the old gold and red banners were replaced by a black banner with a silver symbol of the Flarehearts, embroidered in red.
Nova fidgeted in his royal quarters, he was donned in a red double-breasted military dress tunic with epaulets and aiguillettes in silver. Across his heart was pinned the symbol of the Flarehearts, the dragon flame. Over his shoulders was draped a long white coat that stretched to his knees and a pair of white dress pants. His hair was in its naturally wavy-spiky state and his horns were polished. He wore a pair of tall, shin-high white boots with many silver straps. On his back was the first Flareheart's Buster Sword, it was only fitting that he carried it with him.
Ruby stood in a long black dress with rose patterns across it that stretched and pooled at her feet. The middle of her dress was a bright crimson that spilled from her midsection down to the front of the frontal area of her body. Her hair had grown out a little, it was no longer as short as it was before, and instead of cutting it she decided to tie it into a bun at the top of her head.
"I really hate outfits like these…" Nova grumbled, fidgeting with the high collar.
Ruby beamed him a smile and adjusted it for him, fixing his clothes as she passed her hand over his hair, smoothening it out a little, "You look good, like a real royal for once."
He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, "And you look like one too. These outfits are way too gaudy, you seem uncomfortable."
Ruby chuckled and leaned against his embrace "Yeah well, dresses aren't my thing but it is for the ceremony. Maybe on our wedding day I get to wear the suit and you wear the dress?"
Nova pondered, "Maybe, I might like that," he leaned in close to kiss her.
She smiled against his lips as they shared a deep, passionate kiss when the door to the royal quarters opened up, one of the maids walked in and instantly squeaked and hid behind the door after seeing the display, "Y-Your highness… e-everyone is waiting downstairs to begin the coronation."
Nova and Ruby groaned simultaneously as they broke apart, "Well… here we go, no turning back now." he said, slipping his hand into hers.
The throne room was extravagantly decorated in the colours of Flareheart. The black stone walls were draped in banners as natural light flowed in through the stained glass behind, bathing the room in a bright glow. The black throne sat in the center of the room, the dust and dirt cleaned off of it until it looked brand new, such that every detail could be seen from the carved dragons to the intricate markings on the spikes and armrest. The red carpet sprawled out from the base of the throne as the duo caught a glimpse of it while they were descending the stairs.
Guards from every kingdom were standing along the edges of the balconies, as they watched Nova and Ruby exit the royal quarters they stood at attention, their gazes never wavering as they descended the staircase to the front of the castle, where the grand doors to the castle were.
At the entrance, the team was already there. Luna was dressed in a dark blue ball gown adorned with starry-like patterns that scattered across the bell of the dress. It was a sleeveless fit accompanied by light blue gloves that stretched to her elbows. Her hair was pinned up in a braid.
Weiss was wearing a similar dress but white and adorned with shards of ice and snowflakes, as she stood hand in hand with Neo who was wearing a pink, white and brown coloured short dress and skirt accompanied by black and white mismatched stockings.
Yang was standing with her arm resting around Hex, both of them wearing matching outfits. Yang wore a yellow Chinese dress adorned with black swirls stretching from the slit on her thigh to her upper right shoulder. Hex was wearing a black suit with a purple shirt and a yellow bow tie.
Blake was wearing a black dress similar to Ruby's but hers was entirely black and had laced shadowy patterns that covered her arms and upper chest.
Nitro, Sun and Oscar wore matching tuxedoes to their partners, Nitro had a sea-green shirt, Sun wore a black tuxedo with a yellow undershirt and Oscar had a blue undershirt and green tie.
Even Elain had swapped her lab coat for a blue and orange dress, her normally wild hair was combed out neatly and tied into a high ponytail above her head.
Beyond the foyer was a mass of people as far as the eye could see, the gleaming sunlight bearing down while they stood under the shade of the tents, trees and parasols they brought with them. Every citizen was wearing their best clothes, all staring at the team with bated breaths.
"My King," Aurelios said as he showed up in a white tuxedo, "My lady," he nodded to Ruby, "You look incredible."
Nova nodded at him with a slight smile, "Thanks, I'm a little nervous…"
Ruby squeezed his hand, "You got this, it's been a long time coming."
"We're with you every step of the way man," Nitro nudged his shoulder with his fist. Yang roped an arm around his shoulder as Weiss and Oscar stood beside him.
"We're not going to have to call you, Your Majesty after this right?" Yang taunted.
"Please… catch me calling him anything but my dipshit cousin and I'll put myself in the slammer," Weiss folded her arms.
Luna approached hesitantly and hugged him, burying her face against his chest she spoke nervously, "No matter what happens going forward, promise me you'll still be the brother who raised me."
Nova pet her hair, "I promise… nothing's going to change."
Aurelios clapped as he stepped forward, Hex handed him a microphone as she had set up a sound system around the area. Hex's resourcefulness new no bounds.
He tapped the mic, testing it as Hex said, "Just talk into it, your voice will be loud enough."
He nodded and turned to the people, "Now announcing his highness, Prince Nova Flareheart, Princess Luna Flareheart and the royal retainers! Ruby Rose, betrothed of the Prince, Weiss Schnee, Blake Nightshade-Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Nitro Zephyr, Hex Zephyr, Sun Wukong, Neopolitan and Oscar Pine."
Aurelios voiced their named letting everyone know who they were, specifically gesturing to the individuals.
"Today, is the most esteemed and momentous occasion to have graced our humble country in 150 years." he paused, "The coronation of the High King of Pandora, by now all of you would have heard the tale… the legend of a team of heroes that fought their way to protect the world… and the legend of a man who was lost to us, but in our darkest times, returned to unify us. It hasn't been more than a month since they got here, but the impact they have left on our kingdom cannot be denied."
Aurelios scanned the crowd, "Ladies, Gentlemen and others, please welcome one of the royal retainers who will now give their account of their experiences with the Prince."
Nova blinked in surprise as he looked at the team, "Wait what?"
Ntro smirked, walking up and grabbing the microphone from Aurelios, turning to Nova, "What did you think we'd miss the chance to give a speech? You and Ruby aren't the only ones who can do that."
Nova looked at Ruby, "Did you know?"
She stuck her tongue out at him.
The redhead stood at the forefront of the garden, overlooking everyone as he began, "Hey everyone, my name is Nitro and I'll be talking on behalf of the retainers," he cleared his throat.
"I… met Nova when I was about seventeen… that was five years ago. At first, I didn't trust him… he was a new guy, super suspicious at school, and always hid his face… but as time went on, and a few life-or-death missions later… I realized that he wasn't just some kid. He was different… I think it was the time he fought to the brink of near death, in the forests of Mistral to protect us from the Grimm. He lost his eye that day and you can still see some of the scars to prove it. At that point, I knew he was special, he was… something more than a person, that he was shrouded in destiny."
Nitro cast a glance at Nova and shot him a smile, "That day he became my brother, and I swore that I'd follow him to the ends of the earth, and to this day he has never steered me wrong. Sure… our battles and trials weren't always a success… but not once has he disappointed me… and he never will. Nova isn't a god, and… I think we know that more than anyone that he has his limits… but… I can say with no shred of doubt that he was born to be king. Above all else, he is my friend, my brother and my leader… I don't think there's anyone else more suited to carry your banners, to lead you to victory, other than him and Ruby. That's… another thing, see, I thought that Nova couldn't get any better… but then came along Ruby and she just made him ten times the man he was before. They build each other up… make up for their faults and…" Tears started to trickle down his face
Nova felt his heart sting and swell at the same time. Why… Why did it sound like Nitro was saying goodbye…? These sorts of words… he'd rather have heard them on his wedding day so why…?
"To be completely honest, I could stand here all day and gush about them to you, but… at the end of the day, it's all just words. You'll have the perfect chance to see for yourself how incredible they are going forward. With pride… with all the confidence in my heart, I can say, you're in good hands. Thank you…" he ended his speech and handed the mic back to Aurelios.
As he appeared at Nova's side the dragon looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "Thanks man… I… don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything," Nitro shot him a grin, "It was the truth after all."
Aurelios nodded to Nitro then turned back to the crowd, "We will now commence the presenting of the Marks of the Kingdoms, the sigils of the rites of passage."
One of the maids came down the stairs, carrying a black pillow with the four medallions on it, she bowed and presented them to Nova.
-Play Heavy is The Crown by Daughtry-
"Now the prince will take the walk through the hall of Kings and Queens," Aurelios announced as Nova took the medallions from the pillow. Glancing at Ruby and his team, he nodded.
It was the first step, the hardest move he's ever made was taking that first step through the threshold. Greeted by the gazes of his people, and followed the friends he trusted with his life. This was it, destiny… it felt surreal. The torrent of emotions, fear, anxiety, pride and hope all swelled in his chest at the same time as Ruby took his hand, his silent guide through the ordeal as they all walked down the carpet to the throne room.
As they entered the grand room, he caught the eyes of all the notable figures he'd met on his journey through Pandora. The King, Queen and Princess of Luxalia were seated in the front row. Opposite to them was The Queen of Oceanis and Sami, and next to them was General Corvus who stood at attention at the foot of the throne.
The team followed him through every painstaking step, the weight of what was happening threatened to crush him, but his team sensed his pressure. As he was about to take the last step to the throne, he hesitated.
Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Blake, Nitro, Hex, Luna, Oscar, Neo and Sun, all reached out at once, giving him a slight nudge as they pressed their hands to his back as if to say, "Become who you were meant to be. We're with you."
The team took up positions on the sides of the throne, Team RWBY on one of the left half, Team ASHN on the right, as Sun, Neo and Oscar stood at the front.
Nova's feet touched the black staircase of the throne, his hands trembling for a moment before he clenched his fists, stealing his resolve.
"This… this is it…" he whispered to himself.
Gingerly, he reached out to the slots in the throne, placing the sigils into their sockets in order of the way he acquired them. First the sigil of Luxalia, then Oceanis then Aeros… and as he placed the three, the throne echoed a resounding click.
Something heavy slammed under the throne from beneath the floor and the entire room shook for a second. The sounds of something clicking against metal, like gears, whirled beneath the floor as a final slot opened up in the very center of the throne, on the dragon's head at the top.
He cautiously slotted in the final sigil, as the throne made another click, then a moment of silence washed over the entire castle.
Then… all at once the roof of the castle above the throne room began to click, and whirl. The people watched in awe as the roof began to separate, opening out to the sky above as daylight beamed down.
"What's happening…?" Nova mouthed in awe as the sky grew darker, the throne suddenly clicked again as it was enveloped in a bright orange glow, energy and particles of Dust, swirled around the base of the chair before a beam of bright silver light shot into the sky, like a beacon.
Aurelios dropped to his knees, "I… never thought I'd see this…" he mouthed.
"What's happening Aurelios?" Luna asked in confusion. Baba Yaga hobbled in from the sidelines.
"Pandora is reclaiming itself…" she said ominously, "The King has taken the throne, the legend of the king's return…"
As the beam continued to fire off into the sky, the clouds began to gather as the sky darkened. Looming gray clouds that bordered on black, rain poured down in a torrent as thunder crashed and lightning struck the sky, scorching it in hues of yellow amidst the blackened atmosphere.
The clouds swirled as the rain belted down, converging against the beam like a liquid in a blender. It lasted only a few seconds, but those seconds felt like hours as the endless sea of clouds suddenly began to evaporate like magic, the silver light dissipating every last cloud until none remained… leaving behind the bright blue sky above.
"What the fuck just happened…?!" Sun sputtered.
Hex suddenly had a flash of an idea as she pulled out her scroll and checked it, "No way…"
"Huh?!"
"The Magnetic Storm… it's gone!" she exclaimed, seeing suddenly a flood of messages from everywhere, particularly hundreds from Shade Academy. "We… we're back online!"
"YES!" Cheers erupted amongst the retained and the crowd followed suit, though they didn't particularly know why.
As the crowd settled, Aurelios took the microphone again, "And now… presenting the crown we have Ruby Rose."
Ruby let go of Nova's hand as she met one of the maids who was bringing out the item, covered in a black case, embroidered with silver and shrouded in velvet she approached Nova and stood before him at the center of the room, just at the steps of the throne she looked into his eyes. Aurelios handed her the mic.
She silently uncovered the box to reveal a black crown that spiked like a head of horns, coiling around the piece of metal, it spiked and arched with significant spaces between an interconnecting network of horns, all lined with silver outlining and dotted around the base of the crown were gems of different colours. Blood Red, Fiery Orange, Shining Silver, Bright White, Cyan Blue, Forest Green, Sun Yellow, Metal Grey, Deep Violet, glimmering gold and even one in two colours of white and pastel pink.
Nova instantly realized what they meant. Each colour was a representation of the team, his friends, all unified under the crown, because they were his pillars of strength. The Silver represented both him and Ruby. It was… gorgeous.
"Ruby… you made this?! It's… incredible." he gasped, hesitating to even touch the item.
She blushed and reached up, leaning into him in front of the crowd, "The silver comes from my old Rose Symbol pin. The one that my mother gave to me."
Nova gasped and looked at her in awe, "Ruby, that was….!"
She shushed him with a finger on his lips, "The ring you gave me was made from the weapon you forged, that served as your partner for most of your life. I figured it was only poetically fitting that I do the same for your crown."
"I don't know what to say… I…" she silenced him with a kiss as she simultaneously placed the crown on his head. It fits perfectly.
"Take your throne, my king," she said softly, breaking the kiss and giving him a slight push.
Nova swallowed hard, filled with pride he stood at the throne, the audience waiting with held breaths as he eased himself onto the throne. The symbol of power that had been unoccupied for 150 years was finally filled.
"ALL HAIL NOVA FLAREHEART!" Aurelios announced loudly, "KING OF PANDORA!"
"HAIL!" They all said simultaneously, a chorus of "Hail!" echoed across the castle, their voices shaking the very foundation of the castle as every noble, every man, woman, child or otherwise, knelt to the ground in fealty. The retainers also gave a low bow, but they did not kneel for they knew in their hearts that even if he was King, they didn't need to kneel. They were his friends, his partners, not his subjects. Nova wouldn't want them to kneel.
As the audience rose, and took their seats, Nova took the mic and stood up from the throne, instead of addressing them on the majestic throne, the new king took to the stairs and he sat on it, lowering himself to a level below them.
"My people," he began, looking as many of them in the eye as he could, "I accept your pledges, your loyalty and your expectations… but I need to speak to you, not as your King, but as Nova Flareheart."
The audience suddenly hushed as they watched him curiously.
"Right now, I sit before you not as your new king, but as this world's greatest failure."
The sentence shocked everyone as they all stared at him wide-eyed.
"You see, I started off with everything, two loving parents, a happy family… but that all disappeared in the blink of an eye. I did not grow up like a prince, or like a king… I knew the dirt of the street better than the warmth of a bed. I knew the pain of suffering more than the warmth of love… but all that changed the minute I met them." Nova stood up and gestured to the team.
"They are the reason I am the person I am today. They are the reason that I can stand before you and be your King. Together we fought adversity, and overcame it many times… yet when it counted, when it came down to me to win… I lost, almost every time." he said self-depreciatingly. "I guess that doesn't inspire much confidence huh?"
He looked at the crowd and a few murmurs were going around.
"Let me be clear about a few things. I am not going to be the perfect saviour you all hope to me to be. I'm not going to fix all of the problems, nor am I going to delude you with false promises. The reality is that the largest hurdle is left to be crossed. Salem, the demon queen you know, sits in her castle on the far North West of this continent with her army building. She's been preparing for a long time now, and the precipice of the longest war in history is upon us…"
He got up and began walking down the corridor, stopping at the garden entrance overlooking the citizens, "It's going to be rough, going forward. I cannot guarantee your safety, and I cannot guarantee that we will win… but I can guarantee one thing."
He looked back to his team across the hall, "Those individuals up there with me, are the strongest, most loyal, most resilient people I know… and if there's one thing I myself have learned from all of my failures, it's that we never make the same mistake twice. I failed, hundreds of times so that we can make the one move that counts… succeed."
Nova walked back to the throne and stared at his team, "So place not your faith in me alone, but place your faith in us as a whole… for we are one team, and we will win this time, and we will destroy the evil that threatens us once and for all!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, Nova's speech was realistic, it held no flowery words or embellishments, he spoke his heart, his truth. It was the mark of a King that they knew they could follow.
"HAIL TO THE KING! HAIL KING NOVA!" the soldiers above stamped their weapons on the ground in a symphony, "WE WILL FOLLOW YOU!"
Nova looked at his team again, putting down the mic, "Well… it's done. We've unified the continent of Pandora… the first phase of the plan is over… now we finish it off, right?"
They all nodded and shot him a smile.
Hex grinned as she spun her laptop around, there was a live broadcast of what was happening being shown to Shade Academy, as Nova saw the entire courtyard filled with students on the screen and Citrine, Raven, Winter and Qrow all standing there looking at him with pride.
"H-How…?!" Nova blinked rapidly.
Hex folded her arms, "The magnetic storm died, it took less than a few seconds to connect to Shade. While you were having your moment, I hooked us up. Cool right?"
Citrine on the screen gave Nova a shit-eating grin, "We need to talk."
-30 minutes earlier, Shade Academy-
Citrine sat in her office with Winter as they mulled over their current status. Since the war, they had mostly finished repairs on the academy thanks to the efforts of the Atlas Academy and Raven's tribe.
"Let's see… the remaining potential soldiers from the students are all that remained. Those that wanted nothing more to do with war have already left so we're down to about two hundred Huntsmen and Huntresses from Shade, including the professors…" Citrine scrolled through her lists.
Winter nodded and pulled up her list, "As for me, I brought over about two hundred soldiers, 12 battleships, one of which is a carrier loaded with Atlesian Paladins. Combined with Raven's forces we have a grand total of about five hundred troops. That's not a lot given the scope of our plans."
She ran through the overall plan that Citrine had cooked up based on Team ASHNRWBY's plan, "What's our guarantee that the prince will be able to gather more troops?"
Citrine shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine but…" All of a sudden Citrine's screen flashed with an incoming call.
"Incoming call? From who?!" Winter asked, confusion plastered across her face.
Citrine checked the caller ID: "I-It's Hex?! I'm putting her through."
What popped up as she answered the call was Hex with a finger to her lips saying "Shhh, how quickly can you get everyone assembled?"
Citrine blinked rapidly, she had so many questions, "Uh… maybe like 10 minutes and whoever shows up shows up…?"
Hex shrugged, "Fine but broadcast this call throughout the Academy, everyone needs to see this."
"See what?! Where are you?!" Winter asked in alarm.
"Oh hi Winter, we'll catch up in a few, just… look!" she turned the computer screen around to see Nova and Ruby standing at the throne of Castle Firestone.
Citrine gasped as she noticed the audience and their royal attire, "I-Is this what I think it is…?"
"Yes, now hurry!"
Citrine scrambled, casting the video feed across the academy while issuing a call to anyone available to assemble in the courtyard. Within ten minutes at least half the Atlas soldiers and students had assembled in the courtyard, the video feed playing on the giant screen they had in the central field.
Team GRVE was in the first row, next to team JNPR.
Regis elbowed Gawain and cast a glance at Jaune and the others, "Hey guys… what am I looking at here…?"
It took a minute for everyone to register what was happening, "I uh… not sure? I think that's Nova and Ruby… I can hear alot of cheering going on…."
As Ruby took the crown out from its case they all held a collective gasp.
"No way… this… this is really happening…?" Jaune's words were soft as he covered his mouth. Pyrrha, Ren and Nora were watching in awe, breaths caught in their throat.
Gawain, Regis, Violet and Ether were all shaking in excitement, "I can't believe it…" Gawain gripped the hilt of his sword.
As the crown was placed on Nova's head, and the prince took his seat on the throne, they all heard Aurelios' voice, "ALL HAIL NOVA FLAREHEART! HIGH KING OF PANDORA!"
Instantly everyone in the courtyard knelt to their knees, soldiers, students, everyone watched in awe as the prince took his rightful place. Two birds flew in and Tai was scrambling to the podium next to Citrine and Winter, "Did we make it in time?"
Citrine nodded, "Just about, they just crowned our boy… well he's not a boy anymore I guess. He now quite literally outranks everyone here." she looked at the screen.
The two birds transformed into Raven and Qrow as they watched the ordeal, "I… can't believe it. The kid did it…" Qrow mused as he watched with pride in his heart.
Tai beamed with pride, "That's my son-in-law and my daughter!"
"Easy there old man, you'll give yourself a heart attack," Raven smirked as she punched his shoulder.
Tai blushed as he met her eyes, "Hey Raven… it's… been a while."
"You still look good, Tai," she said with a genuine smile. It was a rare occurrence but it could be chalked up to the atmosphere.
Nova had a huge impact on everyone present. To Winter, he was the strange weirdo new family member she'd acquired, he was reliable and the saviour of Atlas. For Citrine he was the beacon of hope.
He was Tai's pseudo-adoptive son.
He was Qrow's adopted nephew.
He was team JNPR's leader.
He was Team GRVE's mentor.
Even to Raven, she'd grown fond of him, he'd shown her the light.
In the infirmary, Randolph watched with tears rolling down his face, Olwen smirking as she too knelt to the ground while watching the screen.
The Calavera sisters in the garden were watching with pride, "Looks like the brat did it," Raisa said to Maria as she clapped her stick, "Our protege looks like she's doing well too."
Maria watched Ruby, the girl almost unrecognizable. In a month, such a stark contrast to the girl she'd watch leave the shores of Vacuo, "She's grown a lot…"
"They all have," Raisa mused as the camera panned to all of them, "They've lost that tiny bit of childishness they had before. Every one of them looks mature now."
"We can't call them brats anymore, can we?" Maria asked absently.
"Nah… they'll always be brats to us."
Back in the courtyard, now that they had risen from kneeling, Team JNPR was abuzz with talk.
Nora was bouncing off the walls, "WOW! I can't believe that's them! They look so different!"
Ren nodded, "Indeed, they've grown.. I wonder what they've seen to turn them so…"
"Dark?" Pyrrha asked while looking concerned, "It seems we weren't the only ones fighting… still they look good, especially Ruby."
Jaune folded his arms, watching intently as Nova began his speech.
Winter was staring at Weiss, "You're not a little girl anymore… are you? Dear sister."
Raven was watching Yang in the background, a feeling of pride in her chest, "You've… long since surpassed me… haven't you?"
Tai's gaze now focused on Ruby, he realized in that moment that his little girl was no longer a little girl anymore. He let out a hollow chuckle as he wiped a tear from his eye, "In one month… how the hell did you grow up so fast?"
As Nova's speech finished even the soldiers and students at Shade were feeling inspired, the way the troops of Pandora were echoing his praise was infectious. A spirit of hope that possessed everyone all at once.
"We need to talk," Citrine said with a smirk, as she responded to Nova.
Nova on the screen nodded in understanding as he gazed at the crowd, "Hey everyone! I don't know if you can hear me but… we look forward to seeing you guys soon!" he waved at them through the screen, squinting as he spotted JNPR and GRVE, "Hey guys! Hope you're well. We'll catch up later okay?"
As the call concluded, Citrine grinned from ear to ear as she turned back to the soldiers, "You all saw that for yourselves. The new King of Pandora has been crowned, our very own Nova Flareheart. The end of this war is upon us, troops, PREPARE FOR WAR!"
"HURRAH!" a chorus erupted from the people.
-Later in the castle common room-
Hex set up a larger monitor with Citrine, Winter, Raven, Qrow and Tai all in the call. At once the team noticed their battle scars.
Ruby and Yang were the first to speak, Yang first, "Dad! What happened?!"
"Uncle Qrow! You look… well you look like you've seen better days…" she said apologetically.
Qrow touched his bandaged left face and sighed, "Yeah… a lot has happened on our end."
Tai showed his arm in a cast, "I'll be healed up in no time girls, no need to worry."
Nova folded his arms, "Damn pops, what beat you?"
"Devourer," Tai said shrugging, "Damn thing has a hide of steel."
Citrine clapped her hands, "We can save the reunions for later… we need to know the state of affairs right now. Has… the plan succeeded?"
The team all shared a knowing look and smirked collectively, Nova answered for them, "Yup! The three Kingdoms of Pandora are now united under the banner of the Flarehearts. I'm having a war council with the representatives tomorrow to secure our troops, but their support is guaranteed."
Citrine breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good… because we're lacking in soldiers."
Ruby frowned, joining his side, "What happened?"
Citrine's eyes grew dark as she began to recall the tale of the Battle for Shade Academy and the atrocities that followed.
The team held a collective shock as Weiss even looked sick to her stomach.
"That's… horrible…" Ruby covered her mouth.
Citrine rubbed her arm, "Well… at least we won. And well… we have good news and bad news."
Nova arched his brow, "What's the good news?"
"Most of the students stayed behind to continue the efforts, Penny has more mechs to use and Raven joined the fight. Oh! Belle is pregnant!" she added with a sad smile.
Nova felt something sink in his heart, "What's the bad news…?"
"Randolph is out of commission indefinitely, he's hospitalized until further notice… and…" she swallowed hard, "We… we lost Adam."
Nova faltered, "W-What…?!" The rest of the room went deathly quiet as Blake scrambled to the screen.
"No… you're… you're not serious are you?!"
Citrine nodded, "He… saved all of our lives. If not for him, the Academy would be a pile of rubble and we'd all be dead. He… died a hero, with a smile on his face. He went out on his terms… apparently, he was already dying from a form of cancer…"
Blake felt weak at the knees and Ruby held her up for support as Sun held her from behind.
Nova swallowed hard, fighting back the tears as he clenched his fists, knuckles turning white, "Adam was… like an older brother to me. I… will miss him dearly."
Citrine gave him an understanding smile, "Well… that being said he wouldn't want us to dwell on it. On his dying wish he still had faith in you to finish this once and for all."
Nova was trembling but held firm, "R-Right…" his voice was cracking, "We can mourn the dead later. We need to focus on the future." he wiped his eyes and glanced at everyone, "The magnetic storm surrounding the continent is gone, how fast can you get here by airship?"
Winter pondered, then spoke, "I don't have enough airships for everyone so we'll have to move a few troops via ferry. If we use military vessels we should get there within two weeks."
Nova nodded, "Alright… in the meantime we'll keep an eye on Salem's movements and secure a starting point. It'll also give me some time to focus on other tasks at hand." he glanced at the broken Agniseki and the buster sword leaning against the wall. "We'll send you to the rendezvous point after the war council tomorrow."
The details of what happened between Luna and Sapphire Flareheart the First in the chamber will be revealed at a later date, though it might be obvious.