"Pneuma! It's Pneuma- I knew it!"
"Frankie! What on earth-"
"Could you scream ANY louder?! I'm sure even Kaito and Miko heard you!"
"Pyra, Mythra… this is important… I spoke with Pneuma…!"
"…"
"…"
"Pneuma…?"
"The one and only…"
"…"
"…"
"We need to go home. Now."
—————————————————————————
Pyra opened her eyes once again. The wind was warm and fresh, the grass at her legs tickled ever so delicately, and the sound of humming plants and animals filled her ears with rapturous delight. She smiled so very widely as she let all of nature envelop her in its loving embrace, looking up at the sky sweetly as she watched the clouds, reaching upwards every so often to see if she could touch them… she couldn't, but it didn't matter to her, everything was so… wonderful. Was there more to see, she wondered? Or was this all there was? Either way, a place like this would be perfect to call home.
But…
"Pyra… c'mon… we gotta get a move on." A tall and muscular fair skinned man with silvery white hair said drearily, his normally loud and excitable yellow eyes hushed in a sad manner.
The sound of his voice, however, caught Pyra's attention, pulling her from her little trance instantly. But she didn't feel very happy to 'get a move on,' she wanted to stay just a bit longer… she looked at the clouds dreamily but with a much more somber attitude on her face, taking them all in one last time. The man, whose name was Addam, sighed heavily and turned to face her fully.
"Listen, kiddo, there'll be plenty o' time to sightsee where we're goin', alright?" Pyra's head whipped toward him in surprise. Sightseeing? Perfect! So new to the world and an adventure already awaited her! "So… if you'll just follow me, we can- OH!"
Pyra zipped past Addam quickly, taking the lead and pointing excitedly to where she wanted to go. The man sighed again and walked up to her, repositioning her arm to point in the correct direction, the pathway leading to the nearby port town.
"That way, Pyra… that way." Addam took his leave in front immediately. Pyra nodded once excitedly before stepping forward cheerfully… blissfully unaware of his own intentions.
It really hurt Addam's heart to see… mentally, he had already felt he'd lost Mythra, a person he had considered his own child to the treachery of the Aegis known as Malos and the fall of Torna as a whole… really playing up the father figure role yet again for this… "new version" of her was something he was very much not looking forward to… especially since it would hardly last at all.
He had kept a strong front for Lora when they parted ways, as the last thing he wanted was to burden that girl either. Even now he was wondering how that one was doing, with Jin and Haze…Addam silently dreaded if being a father would truly bring along this much stress and anxiety.
Pyra spun around happily still, really trying to take in all the sights she was seeing, even if they were hardly farther apart from the last landmark, it was all so very exciting for her. Palling around with whom she assumed was a seasoned explorer felt great! Why Mythra seemed so downtrodden about the whole thing, she had no idea, but chose not to think about it too much, as she had a job to do. What was it again?
"Just… make things easier… for everyone…"
Those were Mythra's words. She didn't really understand what they meant, but they certainly sounded important. Which was why she cleared her mind of any doubts for the time being. Nice and friendly people were easy to get along with, right? Though her getting so easily distracted might prove to be a bit testy… oh well. She could figure that out later.
Addam on the other hand was rather befuddled at how cheery this girl was being given all that had just transpired. Initially he'd assumed this "Pyra" was just an alternate form Mythra had taken on for some reason, but anyone with even the slightest familiarity with Mythra could tell this girl was…different. Very different.
It seemed as though she was seeing this world for the first time, a child at a festival, more than anything. And while Mythra had her child-like tendencies from time to time, this was…something else.
Addam scratched the back of his head. Too much to think about, at least for right now. Instead he tried to focus on their travel path. They had started from about midway through Gormott and were approaching a port to make way for the Cloud Sea, with a final destination of the Letherian Archipelago.
That said, long-distance travel between titans was likely to be very iffy given recent events, even for a man of his reputation. It would actually behoove them to slowly make their way to the closest titan over until they eventually made it to their final destination, as it would take less time riding a small ship than waiting Architect knows how long for a larger one to be ready for a longer voyage straight to the end.
Looking back over at Pyra, Addam watched as she kept stopping and looking at the various plants and wildlife around her, quite literally stopping to smell the roses.
…something told Addam she wouldn't mind the hassle of traveling to other titans before Leftheria.
After a half-day's worth of travel, the pair finally made it to the Torigoth and made way for its port. Addam threw on a brown overcoat with a hood to disguise himself. Normally he'd never feel the need to hide his identity, but considering the recent circumstances… it'd be best to lay low, being so broken down and weary as he had been was not the behavior of the heir to the Tantal throne and renowned warrior of the people.
It was a rather crowded town with people also on their way off the titan, and amongst them was a wash of frightened murmurs.
"What'll happen now?"
"If Torna is gone…will we be next?"
"How much longer until this suffering will end?"
Addam, definitely not in the mood to hear these sorts of comments and even more so not in the mood to have Pyra hear them, rushed the both of them to one of the smaller boats. He held his hands over Pyra's ears just to be safe.
As Pyra looked up at him in some worry, Addam gave his best smile, slightly raised one of his hands and said "Don't you worry, everything's just fine."
Pyra, listening as best she could, simply looked ahead.
Once they arrived at the landing dock for the boat, the captain held them up, which Addam figured would happen.
"Sorry lad, even if yew got the gold, yew and yer Blade are gonna need a security check before you can enter-"
He stopped as Addam subtly showed off his royal crest so that only the captain's eyes could see it. Instantly the captain understood who he was and was seemingly about to ask a load of questions larger than the boat he manned.
Addam placed his hand on his shoulder however, and simply shook his head. The captain looked into Addam's gaze for a moment…before nodding with understanding and backing off.
"...yew can take the 4th cabin. Make yerselves comfortable, we'll be casting off in a few hours."
Addam nodded, as did Pyra, although she did so with a more blissfully ignorant smile on her face. The two then walked into the ship and settled in.
…
Addam laid down his supplies and rightfully took a load off onto the nearest piece of furniture, sighing heavily and tightly shutting his eyes as his breathing steadied.
"Been pretty rough for the both of us, hasn't it, Mythra?" He asked.
Pyra was busy eyeing the decor of the place- she had been ever since they first boarded the vessel. It was so nice and cozy that she almost caught herself falling asleep a few times as she tested out her surroundings. Addam sighed once again.
"Right… sorry, not really used to this whole… switcheroo stuff or whatever it is ye call it." He explained.
Pyra just looked over at him and smiled, reassuring Addam that she understood. He smiled warmly in response.
"Right then…get yourself comfortable, we've a few days of walking and camping once we eventually get to Leftheria, so best get as much rest as we can." Addam got back up and walked over to their bags as Pyra lay down.
Addam unpacked a few things to check their supplies. Provisions, plenty of water, spare camping equipment, matches-
He stopped when he felt something else, something he'd almost forgotten that he'd packed but was likely the most valuable possession on him in this journey. Pyra noticed his hushed movement as Addam slowly walked over to sit on his bed across from Pyra's, staring at what seemed to be a picture frame.
Looking closer at his face, Pyra could see Addam held a wistful, almost longing expression as he stared. More genuine happiness in his eyes than she had ever seen up to now. This really drew her attention as she gently walked over to see what the picture was.
Addam noticed her approaching and subtly shifted to make it easier for her to see.
The picture was a portrait drawing of a beautiful woman, long and flowing brown hair with ocean-blue eyes that gave off a very soothing, relaxed presence.
"This is my wife…it's been too long since I last saw her. Once this voyage is done, I…should really think about settling down and taking care of her…"
Pyra, listening to Addam's words but still transfixed with the photo, drew her attention lower to the woman's large stomach, pointing her finger at it.
"Heh…yes, she's pregnant. Child's on their way…soon…very soon…and…it's been a bit frightening, if I can be honest with you."
Pyra looked at Addam curiously.
"It's just…something like this gives a person a lot of direction and purpose in life…I've lived much of my days as a free spirit, but…as a father, my sole duty, at least for a spell, will be protecting this child."
He glanced up at Pyra who seemed to be really processing what he was telling her.
"Ah, sorry Pyra, this old man's been chatting your poor head off with his own worries. Sorry about that. All of this'll be fine, just go get some rest, alrighty?"
Pyra, still pondering, nodded and walked back over to her bed, lying down properly and getting into a comfortable sleeping position. Addam, in turn, placed the photo on the stand next to his bed and laid down faced away from Pyra.
As she dozed, Pyra felt herself in a very unfamiliar place. It wasn't outright alien or anything of the sort- it still had all the sights and sounds she expected of what little of the world she actually knew, but it most certainly wasn't the vessel or cabin she was sleeping in.
To say she felt odd would be a massive understatement, in fact, she was a little frightened. Whatever this world she was in was, she couldn't even fathom to decipher. It wasn't there but… it felt real, she was moving around but she couldn't feel herself either. She even took notice that her core crystal was completely missing. First a far too dashing change in scenery, and now she was being taken apart? Her mind raced nervously as she tried to search for an answer frantically, breathing quickly as the nonsensical nature of everything going on currently made less and less sense by the second, urging her to try and fail to catch her breath even harder and-
"Pyra." A deep, silky voice suddenly called. It wasn't Addam, that was easy enough to tell. But who it could be was yet another mystery.
Even so, the smooth resonance of the call reached her quickly, capturing her attention and slowing her heartbeat down considerably. Turning to face the voice proved fruitless as no one was to be found. She looked down at her chest once again to feel for her seemingly missing core crystal. Nope. Still nothing. She didn't have time to mull over that, however, as the cries and shrieks of the creatures near and far echoed over the plains, bringing her attention back to the yellowy-green fields that lay before her. Beasts on four, bigger than houses roamed about peacefully, bird and ophidian glided gracefully- and in some cases, savagely- across the horizon, peppering the Cloud Sea of mystic darks and vibrant reds and oranges and all sorts of iridescence.
Pyra was transfixed. She smiled lightly as she continued observing… just glad to be in a world with endless possibilities beyond her wildest reckoning, countless things to see and interact with… all that was missing was someone to share it with… and a place to call home.
As if right on schedule, a cozy looking log cabin suddenly appeared right behind her. She jumped in shock at the apparitious abode, pondering over it intently as she looked back behind her. Everything seemed to be the same… just a new place to wander into, she supposed. Cautiously, she stepped foot in, leaving the wild behind for the time being.
The lights were dim and the interior was quiet. Decor was very simple and humble, chairs that weren't fancy at all but had bits and pieces of blue etched into their designs to make them pop against the earthy colors of the cabin itself. There was also a cozy looking couch. The material was unknown to Pyra, but it hardly mattered to her, everything was just so adorable! She could hardly contain her excitement as she ventured further in, looking at the pictures of tranquil scenes of nature hung up on the walls, the clip-clop of the wood beneath her feet, plenty of room to do… whatever in! As far as she was concerned, this was perfect… well, almost perfect. She was still feeling a bit lonely, so she sat on the couch to ponder some more. Silently, she pouted her lips as she continued to observe and learn about what her new surroundings had given her… but then.
"Tea?" The same voice from earlier asked. She jolted slightly as the teacup and plate were suddenly nearly shoved in her face… held up by some kind of smoky substance. She slowly fixed her gaze toward the figure handing her the drink. All that stood before her was an amorphous black wisp. She backed away in surprise, unsure of what this being was even doing here in the first place. As she thought about what to do in this situation, the being spoke again.
"Pyra? Are you okay…?" She had a clearer listen to its voice now. Still as deep as ever, but there was also a feminine touch to it… like two different voices at two different pitches were fighting over the other to put a person to the figure they belonged to. The specifics didn't matter much to Pyra, rather, she remained curious about the whole thing… it looked a bit frightening but… it was behaving rather nicely.
"Oh dearest me… I hope I haven't done anything to make you uncomfortable… goodness gracious I apologize, please accept my apology, the very last thing I would ever want is for you to feel unwelcome and in a constant state of fear within your own home! …please say something…"
Home?
Pyra sat up now, hanging on to every last word the figure had said to her… causing her to chuckle a fair bit. All of a sudden, any fear that may have flooded her mind at the time was washed away with an odd sense of comradery from… whatever the thing was. She couldn't help but find the polite, silly, and wanting nature of the thing charming in an odd way. It made her feel right at home herself, it wasn't like she was any better in those regards, after all, especially now of all times.
She responded by patting the thing on its… head? It seemed like its head. It responded back by lifting it up all the same. At the sight of her smile, the thing calmed down and reformed itself up straight.
"I… do hope you haven't lessened your opinion on I… you've been out there for some time and I only wish to… allow you to decompress… so I ask again… tea…?"
The thing held out the cup and plate again. This time, Pyra reciprocated the request and indulged daintily.
"Is it to your liking? This was the last bit of Generossi Tea they had at shop… I thought it would be a pleasant surprise for you."
Pyra continued drinking silently, bringing the cup down in delight as she reveled in its hot, refreshing slight sweetness. She bowed politely as a form of thanks, getting the thing to light up considerably, it's form becoming less scratchy and more wispy.
"O-oh, really now, it really is nothing… just wishing to be of service… that's all…"
Pyra silently giggled again, before swaying around in wonder as she continued to marvel at the cabin, despite its simplicity. The thing chuckled itself as it brought itself closer to Pyra.
"Oh, Pyra, really, you're a riot. You see this every day, it's nothing to get so worked up over."
Pyra turned to the thing curiously. It was a blatant lie. But what reason did it have to lie? It was far from malicious… at least what she could tell. The thing seemed to notice her confusion and lent out an appendage towards her.
"Come along, I think a bit of fresh air will do you good… perhaps pick up some fresh herbs and garlic from the garden! I could sure use a helping hand…!"
Pyra looked at the thing and its extended appendage nervously before slowly taking it up on its offer. What was odd was that when she clasped her hand around it… it felt like something was really there, a soft but firm Human hand. It shocked her a bit… yet at the same time… put her heart at ease… being at a seemingly equal footing with someone. No doubt that specific sense of longing was related to Mythra's own feelings, she thought. With a smile, she confirmed she was ready.
"Very well… then let's… go…!"
And with that, Pyra and the thing exited out of the cozy cabin and back out into the warm, welcoming, friendly light of the garden.
…
"...Pyra…Pyra are you there…"
Pyra stirred in her sleep.
"Pyra! We're here, lass!"
The Blade opened her eyes to the dim light of morning spilling into the cabin room. Addam was standing above her, gently shaking her awake.
"Sorry about this my dear, but they seem to be clearing out the ship so they may shove off again, we need to get a move on-"
Pyra took a moment to process that she was now awake, meaning what she just saw was a dream of some kind. She slowly nodded and got out of the bed, ready to set foot on Uraya.
As they exited the ship, Pyra couldn't help but keep thinking of her dream and what on earth it meant…she was so lost in thought that she wasn't observing the sights as much as she was on Gormott, which Addam took notice of.
"Heh…you really slept like a log last night, didn't ya?"
Pyra snapped back to attention and looked over at her once-again cloaked Driver. She seemed a little embarrassed, but relaxed and fell back into her sense of wonder and excitement when he gestured to the beautiful Titan they had landed on.
A wispy purple hue flowed through the titan's landmass, soothing blues contrasted by bright and warm pinkish trees adorning the landscape. The leaves of those trees carried their glow through the air making for a near unspeakably beautiful sight, all right from the city they had landed in.
Pyra was astonished and looked upon the place, wide-eyed. Addam saw this and smiled with great relief.
"We have about a day before the next ship leaves, so we should find an inn until then." He placed his big hand on her shoulder, nodding in a reassuring fashion. Pyra, understanding quickly, nodded back enthusiastically as she proceeded to run through the city.
After yesterday and realizing just how much this "Pyra" seemed to enjoy the sightseeing, Addam had thought a lot about what this trip meant for her, not just himself. And so he figured the best way to spend the rest of his days guiding this mysterious red-head would be to help her enjoy this trip as much as they could allow for.
Even if he couldn't bring himself to separate the two in his mind, this girl shared a lot of herself with Mythra, and he was far from wanting to see her in distress. It would be like seeing Mythra herself upset-
Seeing Mythra upset…
"...ahh, no…stop thinking about that day, you dunce…" Addam pressed his fist to his forehead, trying to forget the thought that just crossed his mind. He'd been trying his best to push those frightening moments as Torna fell behind him, but it was wearing on his mind regardless.
"...pfft, the mighty Addam, heir to the throne of Tantal…quivering like an infant…if only Minoth and the lads could see me now…" He chuckled at his self-mockery, lightening his own mood before looking to see where Pyra had gone.
"Pyra?" Addam paradoxically tried to make his voice loud enough to be heard but soft enough so that the locals wouldn't recognize his thickly accented voice. Not that it seemed like it would matter, most of the residents were scurrying about and not paying him any mind.
Now that he considered it, Addam felt it was peculiar how bustling Fonsa Myma was at this point in time. While there was still the air of concern and hushed whispers amongst the cityfolk, it seemed as though most of the working-class denizens were more occupied with their jobs that still needed to be done. Addam certainly couldn't blame them, it was just a rather odd feeling, watching just how little the fall of Torna directly impacted their lives in comparison to his own.
"Suppose the books we read as children never did divulge the immediate aftermath of such earth-shattering events, did they? Shame really, untapped storytelling potential-"
Right as he said that to himself, he felt someone grab him by the wrist and pull him off to the side. The strong grasp and pull strength contrasted the gentle, feminine hands that owned them so much that it threw the Tantal heir for a loop.
"W-what the…?" It took Addam a moment to realize it was Pyra pulling him. "Titan's foot, dear, what on earth are you-"
His question was answered when he saw a poster for a play to be performed at the local theater. Pyra let go of Addam's arm and pointed at it passionately, hopping up and down with excitement at the prospect of…whatever this was!
"A play, huh? You want to go see it?" Addam took the poster and looked at it further. Pyra responded by nodding so violently it seemed as if her head would fall off.
"Well we should have more than enough time to…oh dear…" Addam frowned when he noticed a detail on the poster's date. "I'm…sorry, Pyra but…the last performance happened yesterday, before we arrived."
Pyra stopped nodding and simply looked at Addam in confusion.
"And it says here it…won't be back for another few weeks, bloody shame that is…" Addam looked over Pyra, who seemed just about ready to well up in tears despite her best efforts not to worry him.
"Oh Mythr…I mean…Pyra, dear-" He placed his hand on her shoulder again as she began to sniffle. Seeing this, Addam quickly pulled out a handkerchief for her to blow her nose.
Pyra took it gratefully and politely did so, hoping she wasn't being a nuisance.
Addam couldn't help but chuckle. Even when disappointed, she tried her best not to be too bothered for the sake of others.
He hunched down slightly so that he was eye level with the Blade. Pyra couldn't tell why, but he seemed as though to be struggling to tell her something. That is, until… he let it out.
"You know, Pyra…Mythra…whichever name you prefer…I've…always wanted to tell you this. I hope that…my child will grow into being a strong, caring, loving person like yourself."
As he said that, Pyra was taken aback. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that statement, but for some reason more tears were pouring from her eyes, almost out of her control. Was she more moved by this than she thought or…
…were these…Mythra's tears?
Regardless, they were streaming from her face at a rate she couldn't control, so she used the clean part of the handkerchief to wipe them away as best she could. Whoever was responsible for these tears, they were bawling their eyes out, clearly.
Addam once again chuckled and patted her on the head.
Later, the two walked towards the nearest inn. Pyra, still somewhat bummed about not seeing the play, walked around in a slightly hobbled manner, almost like a child. Addam tried to think of a way to lift her spirit once again…
"Oh!"
Pyra turned her head to Addam's sudden exclamation.
"Well, you remember Minoth, lass?" He leaned over at the Blade, speaking low as to not draw attention.
To his slight dismay, Pyra shook her head.
"Ah…well, you remember the other Blade companion of mine who left shortly after you…appeared? I suppose you never…got his name…"
To that, Pyra nodded.
"I see…well in any case, that gruff fellow went off to join a band of mercenaries to help folks in need after all of this mess, but I'll let you in on a little secret about him. One he'd never tell a soul other than myself!"
Pyra, still a little confused, listened on curiously.
"Well, that tough and gruff Minoth is… secretly aspiring to be a playwright! Yes!"
Pyra's eyes widened.
"Indeed, and maybe someday in the future, you'll be able to see one of his plays here! Who knows, it might even be about me!" Addam postured, laughing at the prospect. "Ahh, who am I kidding, that wouldn't happen…but the thought is sure a riot, eh?"
That finally got a bit of a chuckle out of Pyra, to which Addam smiled happily.
"...Pyra." Addam spoke in a more serious, yet still warm tone.
Pyra stopped laughing and turned to him once again.
"One day…I do hope you'll find someone who takes you to as many plays as you'd like to see. Promise me you'll find someone who loves them, right?"
Pyra pondered that.
She pondered it quite a bit.
She nodded.
…
After staying the night in Fonsa Myma, the Driver and his Blade shipped off to the great Titan of Mor Ardain. Unfortunately, all traveling across the Titan itself was completely blocked off, so they simply camped out by the landing dock until their next ship arrived. At this point Pyra was becoming a bit restless, so Addam told her stories of the Leftherian Archipelago, their final destination.
"It's a beaut, I tell ya, lass. You're never closer to the cloud sea on foot than when you're trudging about on the shores of Leftheria…"
Pyra imagined in her head what it must look like as Addam described it. Silky sandy little isles dotted around the clouds…it sounded wonderful. She was jittering around excitedly as the thoughts of such a lovely isle flooded her mind. She felt like dancing, but was quickly calmed down by Addam, albeit in a jovial manner. Either way, she was ready to go even farther out and swayed side to side, kicking her legs excitedly as she continued to let her mind run wild.
Eventually, their ship finally arrived and was ready to take off, and before long, the two had finally taken their first steps on the last Titan they would be traveling on together.
And as they walked onto those silky sands…that thought finally started to really set in for Addam.
…
Hours of traveling on foot -as well as keeping Pyra inconspicuously safe- had worn Addam out for the night… he almost considered it a blessing in disguise, considering he knew their time was coming to a close very VERY soon. He couldn't even really look at Pyra now- radical differences or not, she was still somewhat a part of Mythra, someone he took great pride, albeit perhaps with a bit too much diligence, in guarding like a child of his own, that same child having lost herself nearly completely and hiding herself away for 'the greater good'.
'Yeah… greater good… that's what all o' this is about… that's what all o' this is for…'
They were so close to their destination, in fact, that it was in both walking and seeing distance. The prince sighed heavily as he mustered all he could to look over to Pyra, who was dragging along a fair distance away from him, slumped over, and eyes almost completely shut. She let out a yawn as she cupped her mouth, continuing to trudge forward with a slight smile on her face. No doubt that in the coming future, he'd see a similar sight to this yet again, that thought, once again, filled his mind with thoughts about what this whole trio meant in the first place… one more night couldn't hurt, could it.
"Whassa matter? Tired over there, Pyra?" He asked. She nodded lightly as she suddenly stopped walking. Addam smiled a bit before going to her side and moving her further away from any would-be eyes out in the open. "Awright kid, I got yer message, let's set up camp here and settle down for the night… we got a big day tomorrow, so we gotta get our rest, okay?"
The minute he had settled Pyra into a suitable resting spot, she was out cold, lightly snoring and breathing slightly. Addam nodded his head in approval and got to work to quickly set up his sleeping materials in turn… he'd try his best to sleep for her sake at the very least.
Even with so many thoughts running through his head, the long journey alone has knocked Addam out within half an hour not too far away from Pyra, who had settled into an even deeper slumber than before.
…at least that was what she wanted him to think.
Pyra's eyes shot open as she looked over suspiciously to Addam. With a careful tiptoe, she made her way to his front and waved a hand in front of his face… dead tired as could be. A mischievous grin formed on her face as she got up and looked around carefully to make sure they weren't being followed. She was curious and excited, but far from stupid. When the coast was clear, she took one last look at Addam and went off to explore this brand new Titan on her own for the very first time.
Pyra was absolutely enamored by all the sights and sounds that littered the landscape in the near pitch-black of night, illuminated only by the stars and moon in the sky. Some creatures were as fast asleep as Addam was back at camp, while others were only now just waking up to begin their own little adventures. A few rodent-like ones Pyra had stopped to observe in particular as they foraged hurriedly under the guise of darkness, looking here or there for any predators that may pounce, then skittering off back to the safety of their den to feast or share with their family.
Thinking of that, Pyra was immediately brought back to the dream she had not too long ago… while she still didn't quite understand what her dream meant, she did know that the kind of life presented in it was exactly what she wanted. She was a little jealous of the critters, in fact. As helpful as Addam was, it was difficult to get a read on him. Mythra described him as a very decent fellow with a fine head on his shoulders, but Pyra wasn't picking up on that at all. Mythra refused to elaborate, so she was completely stumped. Either way, Pyra just accepted things as they were, Addam had his own family to worry about after all. She figured they must really miss him… that in turn left her wondering if there was some way she could help him out.
As she did so, she heard mischievous giggling coming from not too far away. A potential threat? Pyra could eliminate the problem and become a hero! By proxy, keeping Addam safe in his slumber the process! …Of course she would have to tell him she snuck off in the middle of the night to go exploring some more, but maybe her own heroics would lessen his frustration with her… it was worth a shot. She got up quickly and approached the noise closer with caution.
The further she ventured into the woods, the warmer it became… as well as more illuminated. It was strange and Pyra most certainly couldn't guess why any of this was the case- but a bit more walking would eventually reveal the answer for her. It was a campfire. No one was in sight but the fire smelled fresh and new, so whoever had created it in the first place was either nearby or had just left for a quick moment.
"Oi! Miss!" A high voice whispered loudly her way. Pyra was quick to cover her core crystal as she jumped away from whoever was speaking to her. It was a rather cross-looking young Gormotti lady. "My bluds are Lookin' for me! Ya better get outta here now before ye give away my spot!"
Pyra backed off worriedly. She didn't know what a 'Blud' was, but it sounded serious. She bowed in apology profusely as she scurried off quickly. Perhaps there was danger afoot. Putting an end to it quickly was her top priority now. She still didn't really have a grasp on her powers, but that needed to change immediately if trouble was on the horizon, and she was determined to dig it out right from the roots. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she had no time to notice that she was about to bump right into another Gormotti child. The sheer size difference alone caused her to bowl him over as she ran right past him. The sound of the wind getting knocked out of him was enough to get her to stop and turn back in horror. She quickly rushed to the young boy's aid to help him up.
"Owowowwww…" He moaned as Pyra got him back on his feet. His pained expression quickly turned to one of anger as he swatted her hand away from him. "Get yer hands offa me!" He shouted. Pyra stood up straight in alarm, there was no call for this young boy to be so rude, it almost broke her heart to hear, not like the little boy would notice in his own negative state. "I only got like five minutes to find mah sister 'n mah brothers in this whole forest and sittin' here talkin' to you after ya ran me over isn't helping!"
Pyra furrowed her brow guiltily as she looked down at the angry child. She thought back earlier to the other Gormotti kid she encountered not too long ago, the 'Bluds' were after her and there were even more kids out there needing to be found. Her sadness quickly melted away into determination as she pounded a fist over her core crystal dutifully, getting the child's attention.
"W-Wha? What's goin' on? What're you tryin' to say?" The kid asked.
Pyra responded by walking a short distance from him and scanning the area quickly, every last movement having some kind of meaning to it. The child caught on quickly and joined her side again.
"Ya mean yer gonna help me find 'em?" He asked. She nodded sharply. The child smiled brightly. "Perfect! My name's Miyu, keep an eye out for my brothers, Perr and Chatter, and my sister Trill. I'll look over there, and you look back where ya came! We got five minutes! Go!"
In an instant, Pyra took off to save these poor unsuspecting children, the 'Bluds' would not prevail! And she knew exactly who to start with.
"Hey! Put me down! Put me down! I'm telling on you! This isn't funny!" The Gormotti girl cried as Pyra tried her best to calm her down, to convince her she meant no harm… with how wildly she was struggling, that was easier said than done. She had hoped this girl was the 'Trill' Miyu was talking about… if so, she would not be ready for the talk Addam would have waiting for her back at camp.
"Miss! Miss! O'er here!" Miyu's voice suddenly called out. Pyra was ecstatic. Did he rescue his brothers?
"W-Wha? 'Eyyyy… what's goin' on, 'ere?" Trill asked.
"Whoa! You work fast miss, thanks a ton!" Miyu hollered excitedly as two Gormotti boys identical in appearance to him stood huffily at his side.
"What?! Miyu?! You put her up to this?! That's cheating!" Trill hollered.
"Yeah! Cheater! Wait til Ma and Da hear about this!" The other two boys cried simultaneously.
"H-hey now guys, c'mon… let's not get too crazy 'ere…"
"Ooooohhhh… you boys are seriously good for nothing! Bluds are nothing but trouble, Ma and Da shoulda given me sisters!"
Pyra was shocked. These boys were the Bluds? …They were a lot shorter than she thought. But now tensions seemed to be rising again. Thinking quickly, Pyra placed herself in the middle in an effort to put a stop to all of this.
"Miyu? What's yer friend doin' now?!" Trill asked.
"I-I dunno! Butthankthearchitectshesdoinsomethinatall…" Miyu said, keeping the last part just under breath.
With all the kids attention on her, Pyra suddenly took off into the forest, leaving the four of them utterly confused.
"Wha-? Where's she gettin' off to?" The boy called Chatter asked.
"She probably had to use the latrine really bad or somethin'." The boy called Perr asked.
"Oh! That's it! She wants the lot of us to go lookin' for her!" Miyu cried suddenly.
"Eh? How D'ya figure?" Trill asked.
"Call it a hunch! Her and I, we're like this!" Miyu crossed his fingers in emphasis, placing a hand on his hip proudly.
"Well… Awright… but if this is just somethin' yer doin' to get yerself outta trouble, yer gonna get it!" Trill cried.
"Yeah! Grounded for life!" Chatter and Perr shrieked. Miyu chuckled nervously with a smile quickly shifting to a frown before all three kids closed their eyes and started counting.
"Found you!" They called not three minutes after they had finished. It was very easy to find Pyra, as they had seen the direction she ran off to, she was a lot bigger than any of them… and the green glow from her armor gave her away the second they had turned around to find her.
She puffed her cheeks out in faux anger as the kids all laughed heartily.
"That was too easy, Miyu! Yer a big ol' dunderhead is what ya are!" Trill cried.
"Alright fine! The four of us can all hide and she can find us instead!" Miyu suggested.
"Yeah!" The other three kids cried. Pyra smiled brightly, enjoying the surprisingly welcome company of the kids.
"Okay, Miss! Turn around and count to twenty, then ya gotta find us! And no peeking!" Miyu cried.
"Good on ya, Blud!" Chatter exclaimed.
"Yeah, you can't use your new girlfriend to cheat like that!" Perr added. At that moment all four kids turned face, giving Pyra to cue to cover her eyes and start the count. She hardly picked up on one of the laughing kids' comment, but Miyu sure did.
"H-hey! No! She's not my girlfriend! Come back here before I pound ya!"
Pyra chuckled to herself as she counted. As silly as it was, she was enjoying herself. The youthful energy of all these kids was a bit much for her, but it was nice to see all the same… perhaps she'd need one as well in her ideal life. But she quickly shot it down as thinking too far ahead in the future at this time, there was business to attend to!
A good half hour had passed of Pyra and the kids playing together. Pyra was often the seeker, usually quickly finding each kid due to one trying their absolute best not to laugh as she passed them by, only to completely fail. They eventually brought new challenge to the game with Pyra needing to chase them down as she found them, and using the tagged kids to help her with doing the same to the other hidden ones. In that half hour, the kids were still raring to go, but Pyra grew tired.
"Hey, c'mon Miss! We got at least another three hours of go left in us!" Miyu hollered.
"Yeah! C'mon Miss! We gotta get a move on before-!" Trill began, but was quickly cut off by none other than their parents.
"Miyu! Chatter! Perr! Trill! Where the bloody 'ell are you lot?! You gonna watch yer old man make dinner or wot?!" The loud and thick accented voice of the father suddenly called into the night.
"Uh oh- that's Da…" Chatter said aloud.
"We better get movin' before he really lays it on us!" Perr cried.
"C'mon Bluds, I'll race ya! Ready set go!" Trill cried, taking off like a bullet while the boys followed after. Miyu tripped suddenly but got back up just in time to say bye to Pyra and catch up with his siblings.
"Bye miss! See ya real soon!"
Pyra waved goodbye politely as she watched the kids run back happily to their parents. Now that she was alone with her own thoughts, she could further observe what was going on.
The dad and mom picked up the kids quickly and gave them each a big hug. After they greeted each other, the mom reached into her sack and pulled out a freshly slain Bunnit. The kids jumped for joy as the mom laid it down on the ground and got ready to butcher it. She proved to be a little too excited in preparing the thing that when she chopped off its head, the sheer momentum from the cleaver sent it flying far into the distance. Miyu stood up to try and go after it, but the dad suddenly got up and prevented him from going any further, something bigger and scarier may have picked it up already when it landed in the bush.
Bigger was right, scarier, not so much. Pyra jumped a small bit as the Bunnit head lay before her. It was shocking to be sure, but she wasn't too terribly freaked out by it. It may have been a touch freaky, but she knew it wouldn't go to waste… in fact… she would see to it that it wouldn't. Only one problem, it was raw. Pyra knew already that some meats could be eaten raw but she had a gut feeling that Bunnit wasn't on that list… but what could she do? The answer was right in front of her.
She watched intently as the mother plucked away all the fur from the creature, which she followed silently in the shadows. The creature-or rather, its head- was completely naked now. Next came fileting. The mom brought out a knife and proceeded to make clean cuts along what Pyra could just barely see was the body. Pyra was a Blade and had access to her sword, but getting it contaminated with blood and brain juices like that wouldn't be a good look, so she had to improvise. She grabbed a sharp rock nearby and used it as an impromptu knife as she split the head open, removing the brain and skull from the little but tender meat of the head, leaving only the muscle and eyeballs in tact. Pyra was proud of herself for picking up on things so quickly.
When the mom had finished fileting the creature, she handed it to the husband, who stuck it on a rotating stick contraption through the cavities over the open campfire. Now Pyra was stuck. She wasn't used to her powers and wasn't even sure what they were. Mythra's were light based, that was obvious, but Pyra herself certainly didn't fit that aesthetic one bit… she looked at her palms in wonder, wonder of what they could possibly possess. With the sudden flick of her finger, she was given her answer. A small flame ignited suddenly and vanished quickly. She perked up considerably before flexing her hand now. A small flame appeared once again as it burned in her palm. It didn't hurt her one bit, and she was even rolling it over her hand and arms. She was beyond excited now. Things were looking up!
She quickly grabbed some sticks and made a small lasting fire with her own powers before skewering both sides of the head on another and letting it roast over the fire… but something was missing. Above her was a rather fresh smelling tree, with branches hanging down just above her if she were standing. She did just that and plucked a few of the fresh minty leaves and rubbed them over the meat before sitting down and roasting them over the fire again. Now the aroma was sweet and savory at once. Pyra sighed dreamily as she drooled ever so slightly, just waiting for the moment she could dig in and enjoy the fruits of her labor.
…that was the plan at least…
"Pyra!" Addam's voice suddenly called, causing her to jump back up to full height. She was now staring directly at him and he did not look happy. "I tell you what I tell you for a reason, missy! Do you know how scared I was when I found out you'd just up and left the campsite?! You damn near gave me a heart attack! I was worrying myself over if ya got kidnapped or even eaten alive by some ravenous beast and I find you here all on your own! A roaring fire giving your location! Food with such a distinct smell people would be able to… track you down… so easily… and… without anyone there to… keep an eye on… things…"
Addam's speech slowly drew to a crawl as he realized what he was describing. Pyra was cooking, really genuinely cooking all on her own. He looked in intrigue at the roasted Bunnit head on the stick she held, he wasn't sure what to make of it. Mythra was far from the best cook… very far from the best cook but… not only did it look surprisingly appetizing, it also smelled… good.
In an effort to lessen his anger, Pyra took another stick and split the head completely in half, sticking it on the other stick and handing it sheepishly to Addam.
"Mm? Is that for me?" He asked. Pyra nodded. Addam cocked an eyebrow at her before reaching for the food cautiously, still thinking about Mythra's less than subpar cooking skills. But, even guiltily, Pyra still looked excited to eat the food she has made by herself, so to not disappoint her, he took a deep breath as Pyra smiled, bringing her own skewer close to her as both leaned forward to take a bit.
Dripping with its own natural and flavorful fats, just a touch minty, complemented by the savory juices of the eyeball leaking into the rest of the meat… this roasted Bunnit head was incredible! Addam could hardly believe his taste buds as he chewed in surprise. He looked up to Pyra, who was now happily eating her own meal, taking as big bites as she could to really get a good flavor profile for herself. She was in absolute bliss as she wolfed down her food giddily, even more proud of herself than she was before.
"Pyra… Mythra, oh- whoever! This is incredible! Yer a real surprise, ya know that, lass?"
Pyra beamed brightly as she absorbed Addam's complements while he continued to eat heartily.
"Ah yeah, that's the ticket…" he sighed as he finished. "Ya know what kid? Yer gonna do alright… I just know it."
Pyra tilted her head curiously, and Addam caught himself immediately, but it was too late… it was time for it to come out.
"Pyra… look… I…" He looked at her once again, just staring at him curiously her big, red saucer-like eyes… she looked even more like a younger version of Mythra than she ever did before… now even he couldn't take it… it was time for a slight change of plans. Morning couldn't wait anymore.
"…Come with me… there's something I need to show you."
Pyra followed innocently as Addam turned and walked away, silently grieving to himself, just after watching Mythra grow and change before his very eyes.
Could he still do this? No…no this wasn't the time to doubt it. He needed to do this, for her sake more than anything. He just…needed to tell her.
The two of them walked silently, Addam leading, Pyra following. Addam didn't say a word.
Eventually, they approached what appeared to be a large, elaborate vessel perched on the shore.
They entered.
The interior was cold, and damp. Pyra could hardly make out what the inside looked like. They walked on a grating that seemed to line the walls and led further down into the ship.
Still silent.
At a few points, Addam seemed to activate a security system of some kind. It was difficult to make out the buttons he was pressing, but he did so with unemotional precision, which was unlike him. Hall after hall, they proceeded.
Still silent.
Eventually, they came across a massive door, lined with architecture not dissimilar from the buildings currently residing in Leftheria. In its center lay a circular crest, identical to the one Addam presented to the ship captain all the way back in Torigoth. Addam stood in front of the door, not moving a muscle, for a good long while.
Still silent.
As Pyra started to consider tapping the man's shoulder, he suddenly broke the silence with a very underplayed tone of voice.
"This place…can only be entered by a Leftherian."
He raised his hand to the crest, causing the lining of it to glow a bright blue. Pyra stepped back in alarm. The sight of sudden light was pleasant to see, but the somber mood of everything prevented her from being too happy. She just stared on in confusion… perhaps even a little scared.
"...that was a release toggle." Addam explained.
Between the gloomy ship, the strange vibe of the situation, and Addam's sudden, almost robotic attitude, Pyra was becoming more and more concerned by the moment.
Addam continued forward, and Pyra, not wanting to be left behind, followed. As they walked into the hall, soft sparks of green electricity emitted from their feet with each step, likely an ether reaction.
They reached the end of the hall, where an identical door stood, though much smaller than the one just opened. Addam raised his hand to the crest in the same way, and the same blue light shone, before the door opened.
Pyra peered into this room.
It was circular, with a large pool of what seemed to be a bright light in the center. There was a platform jutting across the pool, with two devices of note on it.
One was a pedestal of some kind with a thin hole across it, almost certainly meant for a sword of some kind.
The other, sitting behind it, was a massive chamber of some kind. Two walls of text adorned the sides of it, with one large space in the middle. That space was filled by a glass pod of sorts, and Pyra noted that it was vaguely shaped like her core crystal.
"Pyra…"
Finally hearing Addam's voice again, Pyra turned to him for an explanation.
Though…at this point she was starting to pick up on what was happening.
"You…need to be laid to rest, dear. Mythra…needs to rest."
They both stood facing each other silently for a moment. This was it. This was the reason for their quest. The resting place of the Aegis, to be hidden away, far from the reach of those who would want to abuse the great power within. It had all been leading up to this.
Addam knew this. And he knew how difficult it would be. He had been cursing himself for not emotionally preparing better. He was heir to the Tantal throne, warrior of the people…how pathetic was he to become so mentally negligent? Pitiful, that's what it was. Pitiful.
And now he had to ask this poor girl, one that he now saw as his own daughter, to go to sleep for Architect knows how long…
"I'm…so sorry…I wish I could have told you about this sooner…since I figured Mythra knew but…how would she…I just-"
Addam was cut off by Pyra hugging him. She pressed her head against him and held him tight, like a daughter would do when saying goodbye to her father for what may be the last time.
Addam, completely taken aback for a moment…returned her embrace.
"...thank you...Pyra." Pyra let herself go from her embrace and looked down sadly at the floor. Addam responded by lifting her chin up to look at him. "Hey… you're my big strong girl, yeah…? Always have been… always will be… all I ask is that you keep your chin up and grow up even bigger and stronger for whoever needs you… just like I gotta do myself… you're every bit an Origo as I am, Mythra… don't forget…"
Pyra stayed silent as Addam removed his finger from her chin, causing her to look down once again. She could feel those tears welling up again, but for Addam's sake, she held them back as best she could and immediately turned away and walked closer to the vessel… she walked forward as told and placed herself right where she needed to be. As she did so, Addam summoned her Blade…for the final time…and inserted it into the pedestal. He took a deep breath…and let go.
…
And then… she sailed away. Addam looked on somberly from outside the ship, until she was completely out of view, sunken down into the Cloud Sea. When she was, he brought out his family picture again and stared at it longingly.
"Evve, my darling, my love… put down the storybooks… I got plenty of stories to tell… about the little one's big sister… right here."
As Pyra sat in her vessel, alone… she couldn't bear it anymore… she let fall her strongest set of tears thus yet. She cupped her hands to her face as hundreds upon hundreds of thoughts raced through her mind… was her dream of living a comfortable life with someone she could trust and understand nothing more than just a fantasy? A sick and twisted fantasy someone like her- someone like Mythra couldn't ever hope to achieve? Was it all because she was the Aegis? Because Mythra was the Aegis? Because of the role they played in the fall of Torna? It didn't matter what Addam said or what he meant, Pyra's own thoughts blocked out his own words and sent her spiraling down a great brink of hopelessness. She couldn't even do anything… she'd be trapped for centuries on end with hardly a say in the matter… the exact opposite of what she wanted…
But that was the life of a Blade… the life of the Aegis… it was for the good of the people that she'd just be… away… she had to come to terms with that… no matter how much it hurt… but how could she? To be born into the world with a title that invites danger at every corner no matter how hard she tried… that was her life… it was all coming together… hiding… rushing… everything… she realized that now… and when she did, she cried some more… and some more… and some more…
When her tears finally subsided, she fell into a deep, heavy slumber… thinking… waiting… remembering… never forgetting… knowing…
Dreaming…
