Chapter 47
Notes: Titled "Clarity". The final part from G'raha Tia's perspective.

Thancred roughly shook his shoulder to wake him nearly two bells later, not that he could remember passing out on the couch, but as soon as he was starting to wake up, Thancred said, "Nightmare," and any grogginess slowing him down vanished.

He was up off the couch and at the edge of the bed without a second thought. Alphinaud had sat up facing the head of the bed, his expression tight with worry when they shared a glance, while Alisaie was still dead to the world. Whether or not it was a good thing, Echo'a was still asleep but it was clear it was not a peaceful rest. G'raha buried his hand into Echo'a's hair, realizing the braids he normally wore had been undone at some point. He hoped the beads hadn't gotten lost.

"His hands are cold," Alphinaud quietly informed him. G'raha caught Alphinaud's gaze briefly before looking down where Alphinaud had Echo'a's hand caught between both of his.

Thancred sucked in air through his teeth in agitation and G'raha noted that the man had taken up Echo'a's other hand. "Of course they are," Thancred all but sighed. With his palm against Echo'a's cheek, Thancred gently tapped the side of Echo'a's head. "Hey, time to wake up, kid. No time for dreaming now."

There was a low groan as Echo'a shifted before a hiss of pain escaped him, his entire body seeming to seize with it. Alphinaud quickly slipped from the bed giving G'raha a better view of Echo'a's legs. The miqo'te had moved to adjust his legs, unconsciously or otherwise, and the motion had clearly agitated his injured hip. Blessedly, it seemed to be a short lived burst of pain as Echo'a sagged back into the mattress releasing the breath he had been holding in a long sigh. G'raha took hold of Echo'a's hand and felt the other turn into his palm still resting against the side of Echo'a's head.

It was a long moment before Echo'a got his eyes open.

"Apologies for waking you," G'raha said, a soft smile coming to his lips. "You seemed to be having a nightmare and we wanted to make sure you came out of it without too much fuss."

"Don't apologize for that," Echo'a said, the words a touch slower and thick with his exhaustion. He shifted and flinched in pain. "It certainly hadn't been a pleasant dream," came out tight because of it.

"How's the pain?" Thancred asked, running a hand over Echo'a's head.

"Manageable. Better than when I had first woken up, at least."

"Do you want to go back to sleep or stay up for a bit?"

A haunted look crossed Echo'a's face. "Stay up for a bit."

Thancred nodded. "Then I'll go let the others know they can come in and see you." Thancred sent Echo'a a massive grin. It was rather believable, if not for the tension still lingering around the man's eyes. "You've got quite the eager audience waiting to see you."

Echo'a snorted. "I'm sure."

Thancred crossed to the door as G'raha ran his hand through Echo'a's hair before pulling his hand away. "Are you sure you are up for company?"

Echo'a hummed in confirmation. "The distraction would be appreciated. Besides, I'm sure everyone's still worried."

"Thought I told you not to worry about others," Alisaie muttered. G'raha wondered when exactly she had woken up as she had been unmoving for the entire ordeal. Now, though, she shifted closer to Echo'a, a hand settling against Echo'a's chest to hold onto the blankets resting there.

There was a flicker of pain, the faintest show on Echo'a's face, as he moved his arm to put his hand on her head. The lack of movement upon its placement spoke loudly, though be it of exhaustion or pain G'raha could only guess at. He did catch the flicker of sadness in Alisaie's expression before she quickly buried her face into Echo'a's ribs, nuzzling as if it would make up for Echo'a's inability to run his hand over her hair like he would have normally done. "You did," Echo'a confirmed, half-lidded gaze immediately falling onto Estinien as the Dragoon entered the room. "Does not negate my statement, though; everyone fretting will be a good distraction."

G'raha flexed his hand around Echo'a's. The repeated notion of needing a distraction was not comforting.

The tight set to Estinien's expression spoke of how he was not the only one not comforted by the statement. Estinien placed a hand on Echo'a's shoulder, holding Echo'a's gaze. "Talking about it may serve you better than a distraction."

Echo'a shrugged the shoulder Estinien wasn't touching, a half hearted gesture at best as he dismissed Estinien's words. "It's hardly anything new and it's not like you all haven't already heard enough about them."

Estinien's frown deepened as Urianger and Y'shtola entered the room. "So this was born of Garlemald and not Ultima Thule."

The flicker of surprise was faint in that half-lidded gaze before Echo'a sent Estinien a confused frown. "You expected it to be about Ultima Thule?"

"Had you not suffered there as you had Garlemald or the First?" Estinien asked, removing his hand from Echo'a's shoulder. Echo'a's gaze fell away to Estinien's left, his lack of answer answer enough. Estinien crossed his arms, offering, "When Thancred spoke of fetching some warmed blankets, it seemed that the conclusion had been your dreams were of Garlemald, yet I find myself wondering if it is not that which we had just lived through that plagues your mind at present."

Resignation settled over Echo'a's expression before he sighed heavily, still not meeting anyone's gaze. "The one I woke from after surgery had been of Ultima Thule. This one had been of Garlemald. The distraction is wanted because my hands hurt and I can't get my thoughts to focus on anything but Garlemald."

G'raha looked down at the hand he was holding. Despite the cool temperature, there were no visible injuries. The thought of degradation slipped away as he wrapped both hands around Echo'a's, offering what warmth he could. Urianger took a step forward but halted in his progress as Estinien took up Echo'a's other hand. There was a flicker of pain but Echo'a did not stop Estinien from carefully raising that hand cupped between both his own and breathing on it. Amusement dusted Echo'a's tired expression.

"Did we miss anything?" Thancred asked as he entered with arms ladened with a folded blanket stacked with what looked like food containers, followed by Fourchenault who was also ladened with food and drink containers. Thancred's gaze immediately fell to Estinien warming Echo'a's hand. A cheeky grin filled Thancred's face as he paused, letting Alphinaud and Y'shtola take the food containers. "Ah, a bonding moment. Estinien, never knew you cared so much."

Estinien either did not care or pretended that he was unbothered by the attention as he replied evenly, "Lending another warmth is hardly bonding."

Thancred nodded his head, stepping around Urianger to join Estinien. "Coming from a land now encased in ice and snow, that would be your perspective." Thancred grinned at the taller man. "Doesn't make it any less of a bonding moment." Estinien's only response was raising his eyebrows in both mild disbelief and amusement. Thancred seemed quite content with the response because he turned to the bed, specifically to Alisaie. "Alright. I need you up and out of the way so that I can warm up our injured friend."

Alisaie curled more into Echo'a in a brief fit of defiance before she uncurled and slipped from the bed with an unhappy expression. The moment she was out of the way, Thancred was moving the blankets covering Echo'a. Urianger appeared at G'raha's side, taking the blankets from Thancred and holding them aloft, allowing Thancred to drape the blanket he held over Echo'a. G'raha and Estinien tucked the hand they each held in underneath the very warm blanket.

They all saw the relief sap tension from Echo'a's body as the miqo'te's eyes fluttered closed. Those eyes did not open again until the original blankets were returned overtop and even then the exhaustion was prominent in that half-lidded gaze that sought out Thancred as Thancred took Estinien's spot; Estinien, for his part, was making his way over to Fourchenault and the others sorting through the food containers. "Thank you."

Thancred ran a hand through Echo'a's hair. "You're more than welcome. Think you would be up to some food?" Echo'a's expression tightened and a fond smile pulled at Thancred's lips. "You don't even need to lift a finger."

That tight expression twisted with discomfort. "That's not any better," Echo'a ground out, his voice cadenced lower than Thancred's soft words as Estinien returned, a small food container in one hand.

Estinien clasped Thancred's shoulder. "Go get some food."

Thancred straightened with a raised eyebrow. "I hate to break it to you, Estinien, but I don't-"

"I will help him eat," Estinien cut in with surprisingly gentle words, raising the small food container slightly to emphasize both his point and what he held. G'raha was mildly surprised when he noticed the Dragoon had removed his gloves. "That way you, G'raha, and the others can keep him well and distracted from what has to be an uncomfortable situation for him."

Thancred half turned to Echo'a. "That work for you, kid?"

Echo'a moved his gaze from Estinien to Thancred, the emotion that had settled in that exhausted gaze indecipherable to G'raha. He wondered if Thancred or Estinien had a better understanding of it. Echo'a offered a soft, "Yeah, that works."

There was quite a bit of shuffling until everyone settled with something to consume as chatter filled the room. The twins, settled on the foot of the bed, were the primary conversation holders with Echo'a while Estinien sat perched at Echo'a's hip patiently feeding the miqo'te. Thancred took the closer of the two chairs and happily involved himself in the conversation. Echo'a certainly didn't seem to mind and the twins were quick to involve the man in turn. G'raha had taken the second chair but found he had nothing to contribute to the conversation as most of it was focused on before he had ever met Echo'a - had he and the twins truly arrived in Limsa Lominsa together? - so he just listened and ate, content to learn more about all of them until the conversation on the couch inevitably drew his attention.

Y'shtola and Urianger had taken the couch before he had taken his own chair so he had been rather surprised when Fourchenault, the last to sit down, joined the pair. Y'shtola had scooted right up against Urianger to give Fourchenault space but G'raha had a rather sneaking suspicion it had been as much to give herself more space to turn and face him as it was seeking comfort they were all in need of since Urianger was forced to rest his arm across her stomach in order to remain comfortable himself. Y'shtola had been quick to snag Fourchenault's attention and work the Forum member's mind. Fourchenault not only humored her but seemed to match her needling as the pair got into a good natured mental sparring match that was more of who could share the least amount of information while also getting the most out of the conversation. It was certainly quite the spectacle to witness but of course the topic ended up venturing into things G'raha found himself unintentionally commenting on. The duo seemed unbothered by his interjections and even went as far as to bring him into the conversation for a short while before going back to their mental sparring match.

Thancred stood, though that alone wouldn't have garnered more than a glance had the movement not been so abrupt. G'raha frowned in confusion at Thancred's back, watching as the man crossed to the table holding the remaining food and drink containers.

"Alisaie." Estinien's low, stern voice cut through the room. G'raha's gaze snapped to the Dragoon and he understood immediately why Thancred had risen so abruptly.

Estinien wasn't looking at the two young elezen as Alisaie took the offered container of food. All of Estinien's attention was on Echo'a, a hand pushing back the miqo'te's bangs as whatever else Estinien was saying was too soft for G'raha to hear. Echo'a had his eyes clamped shut with his head back against the pillow and jaw set, color gone from his face. Thancred abruptly cut off G'raha's view. "Here, Echo'a," the man said, his words carrying in the now quiet room. "Do you want- Estinien…" G'raha got to his feet, tentatively looking around Thancred's shoulder in time to catch Estinien sitting Echo'a up, though from Thancred's words, G'raha suspected that Echo'a had moved to sit himself up. "Easy, kid. Best not to fight it."

Echo'a leaned heavily on the waste bin Thancred had snatched from under the table, ears pressed flat against his skull. Movement at the end of the bed drew G'raha's attention long enough to note both twins were getting off. Alisaie appeared more upset than her brother but G'raha knew that meant little when it came to the pair; Alphinaud was far more practiced in keeping his emotions out of his expression - and oftentimes suppressed but G'raha knew he was in no place to judge. Thancred started rubbing circles into Echo'a's back while Estinien carefully, meticulously pulled back the long strands of hair out of Echo'a's face. An idea occurred to him. With quick fingers, G'raha freed a few barrettes from his own hair and offered them to Estinien. "Here, Estinien."

There was a half second of Estinien seeming to process what was being offered to him before he shook his head. "There is an injury under his hair. Best not."

"Is it bleeding?" Thancred interjected, voice oddly tight.

The entire room stilled. Estinien met the other's gaze steadily and though he said nothing, even those that couldn't see Estinien's fingers when the Dragoon rotated his hand enough to show red smudged fingertips knew what that silence meant.

Fourchenault rushed out the door before anyone else could. The twins were quick to follow their father out but Y'shtola and Urianger paused just before they reached the door. G'raha had a split second to be confused before three personnel darted through. All three had severe expressions but it was the one that approached Estinien first who spoke. "Where is he bleeding at?"

G'raha stepped back to the couch as one of the remaining two came down the opposite side, slipping in to take Thancred's place.

"His head on his left, somewhere where my fingers are resting," Estinien answered evenly.

"His back is bleeding as well," Thancred interjected, even as it seemed the nurse that G'raha had moved for caught sight of whatever Thancred had seen. "Not horribly but it's bled through enough."

The one that took Thancred's place brushed at Estinien's fingers in the same motion of checking the bleeding injury. "Remove your hand for me, Ser."

Estinien's expression only tightened as Echo'a finally lost the fight with the nausea. The nurse standing at Estinien's side slipped her hands under his, assuring him, "I have his hair. Go ahead and wash your hand." Estinien nodded and stepped around the two personnel to the sink. The nurse now holding Echo'a's hair looked to the one on G'raha and Thancred's side. "Bastion?"

The nurse shook his head. "A minor split from what I can tell. Shallow, no more than two ilms wide, separation smaller than an eighth of an ilm. May need a stitch or two if it doesn't close on its own."

"Make a note of its current size and the time," Olivier's curt voice cut in, barely preceding the man's entrance into the room. Olivier didn't slow his brisk walk as he cut around the bed to Bastion, stepping around the nurse to get eyes on Echo'a's back. Dorean and two other personnel followed in his wake. "I want that to be heavily monitored for the next quarter bell." Olivier placed a hand on Echo'a's shoulder, directing his words to the miqo'te. "We are going to remove your bandages. Are you able to sit up?"

There was a pause as Echo'a spat into the bin. "No," came out gruff, tight, pained. "I…" Echo'a swallowed. "My head is killing me. It feels like the world is moving without me but trying to see anything makes it worse. Moving in any way hurts. My back feels like it's burning, my hip feels like it's on literal fire," the strength of Echo'a's words vanished, replaced by a choked sob, "and I feel so sick."

Dorean traded places with the nurse holding back Echo'a's hair, though her touch remained. Olivier withdrew, going to the two personnel at the foot of Echo'a's bed and muttering instructions as Dorean took over the interaction. Dorean placed a hand on Echo'a's back, gently offering, "I am going to support your weight, ok? And don't you worry about being sick; S'rayan has the bin and Eve will keep your hair back. Even should you miss, I'm as washable as the sheets."

That gained a weak chuckle from Echo'a.

"We have you, Echo'a," Eve assured him. The nurse at her side nodded even if Echo'a couldn't see it. "You'll be feeling better in no time."

"Sir," Bastion spoke up, looking to Olivier as the man returned to his place. "It's getting worse."

Olivier leaned in, a heavy frown marring his face as he carefully pushed Echo'a's hair about. "Let me know should you start seeing bone." Olivier pulled away, removing his gloves. "When Norton and Velryun return with supplies, clean up what you can."

Olivier turned his gaze to Dorean and nodded. Dorean muttered soft words to Echo'a as Olivier turned to Thancred and G'raha. "Join your fellows outside and keep the doorway clear. My hope is that this is mild degradation but time will only tell."

Both Thancred and G'raha nodded.

The others were clustered in the little sitting area not far from Echo'a's room when G'raha stepped out first. It did not pass his attention that Estinien was the last to leave. The three of them joined the others but when the expected questions came, not even G'raha had anything to offer, so they waited.

Personnel came and went from Echo'a's room but never Echo'a. Be it a blessing or a curse, they never wheeled Echo'a from the room and he was certain that fact alone was the only reason why he was managing to remain still where he stood. Thancred had been forced into a chair by Y'shtola rather quickly once the three of them had joined the group and Thancred's knee was bouncing a malm a minute. He was certain the only reason Thancred had remained seated was because Y'shtola was sitting on the arm of the chair with a hand resting solidly on his shoulder as she spoke with Urianger who occupied the chair beside it. Fourchenault sat on the couch with both his children, one tucked under either arm, and G'raha wondered at the soft words the father was speaking to his daughter. Alisaie had buried herself as best she could into Fourchenault's chest, shoulders shaking from sobs none of them could hear. Alphinaud looked exhausted and haunted in equal measures under the mask of calm he had on his face. He was leaning into his father but the young elezen's unwavering gaze was on Echo'a's room.

And waited.

Estinien took a solid step towards Echo'a's room drawing everyone's attention around. G'raha coaxed some of the tension to leave his back at the sight of Olivier standing just outside of Echo'a's room talking with a nurse as Dorean stepped around him, heading in their direction. The hrothgar gave them all a soft smile. "He's fine," were the first words off Dorean's tongue, much to the relief of the group. "With Echo'a still coherent and attentive, Oli is going to talk Echo'a through everything if you all wish to be present for the discussion."

"Please," G'raha said even as Thancred was already walking towards the room, Alisaie right on his heels.

The rest of them followed at a bit more sedated pace.

Olivier watched them all pass without a word before bringing up the rear.

G'raha was unsurprised Alisaie was on the bed again curled up against Echo'a's right side. Thancred had returned to standing at Echo'a's left, a hand resting on Echo'a's shoulder. Echo'a looked far more at ease than he had since waking up even the second time despite the now visible reminders of just how much damage the poor miqo'te had suffered through.

When they had first seen Echo'a after his surgery, Echo'a had been relatively bandage free. Now there was a bandage around Echo'a's left forearm and another peeking out from under the collar of the hospital gown. The most prominent one, however, was the bandage holding a dressing in place against the left side of Echo'a's head.

G'raha came to a stop, eyes wide as he took in Echo'a,

said miqo'te none the wiser responding to something Thancred had said with a soft, albeit tired smile in place.

There was a dressing covering Echo'a's left eye.

It took a moment for him to realize it was a second dressing, as the one on the side of his head overlapped the eye dressing before disappearing around the back of his head, perfectly level with Echo'a's eyes.

A hand slipped into the crook of his elbow, startling him, and his gaze snapped to Alphinaud as the young elezen tugged him along without a word until he was placed at Thancred's side. Thancred took half a step back to look at G'raha but it was Echo'a whose gaze he met. Echo'a smiled at him, a small, tired little thing, before sending an equally soft, "Thank you," to Alphinaud.

Alphinaud nodded. "Of course, my friend," the young elezen said before stepping around Y'shtola and Urianger who were joining G'raha and Thancred on Echo'a's left. Alphinaud joined Estinien and Fourchenault on Echo'a's other side. Estinien had settled at Echo'a's right shoulder, arms crossed, while Fourchenault had a hand resting on Alisaie's back. Fourchenault opened his other arm to his son upon Alphinaud's approach and Alphinaud didn't hesitate to take the invite.

Olivier took a step closer to the foot of Echo'a's bed drawing everyone's attention. Dorean settled off between Olivier's left and the door as Olivier set his gaze on Echo'a. "How do you feel?"

"Surprisingly better," Echo'a replied readily, lifting his left arm a few ilms in emphasis, "even with what's been bandaged."

"We believe this should be the last occurrence of degradation you'll experience as your body has finally rid itself of any remaining foreign aether." As Olivier pulled in a breath to continue, G'raha caught Echo'a's shudder out of the corner of his eye and understood immediately where Echo'a's thoughts had gone. G'raha was not the only one to reach out and place a hand on Echo'a either. Echo'a sent them all an appreciative smile even as Olivier inquired cautiously, "May I ask after your reaction?"

Echo'a returned his attention to Olivier. "A while ago, I had taken on foreign aether that had done me incredible harm to the point that receiving familiar aether - healing magicks or otherwise - caused me pain. While this is not the same, the similarities are simply a bit off putting."

Olivier frowned. "Were you ever examined afterwards?"

"For that specifically? No. As with a lot of my life lately, the situation with the foreign aether was handled in between instances of combat so when I was checked over, that had not been at the forefront of anyone's mind and even the cursory observation of my aether afterwards had shown no lasting effects at the time."

Olivier's frown deepened. "I will be making an appointment for you to be checked over once you've sufficiently healed. While I do not believe what you have gone through has done anything to warrant any concern on the matter, aether is not my area of expertise and after having overtaxed your body, I would prefer to remain cautious with such things." Echo'a nodded his agreement. "Now, as for your current injuries, the one you sustained to the pelvis has remained the most severe, though it has shown no signs of worsening nor has what work to stabilize the damage been undone." Olivier shifted his weight back, crossing his arms as a shallow frown tugged at the corners of his lips. "The one on your head we briefly dealt with in the operating room but as a far smaller injury. The injury on your back and forearm are both new to us as well. While any more degradation may not be expected, it is still a possibility. Should we anticipate any others?"

Echo'a shook his head even as he said, "All the injuries that have presented themselves so far occurred during my fight with Zenos." Everyone except the two chirurgeons tensed at the name, though G'raha was more inclined to use the term 'bristle' when it came to Thancred and Estinien's reactions. Echo'a kept talking, though whether for their benefit or to simply finish before he was interrupted was anyone's guess. "Those particular injuries were healed not by a person but by the space we had fought in." A portion of Echo'a's expression closed off, settling into something more akin to what he wore among political parties. "That probably makes little sense but the truth of the matter is, the severe wounds I suffered in that fight are the three you've already tended to."

Urianger's hand ghosted over the bandage on Echo'a's forearm. "Four," he corrected, the slight furrow of his brow the giveaway that he was not confident in his remark.

Echo'a offered Urianger a fleeting, appreciative smile. "Four if we are being technical about it, yes. Though in truth, that came from the same attack that shattered my hip. He caught me unaware while I was in the middle of trying to put distance back between us and grazed my arm with the blow." Alisaie curled tighter against Echo'a but, beyond a few expressions tightening or falling, hers was the biggest reaction. Echo'a set his gaze back onto Olivier. "The only other injuries I sustained had occurred a good while prior to that fight and only consisted of scrapes and bruises from being shoved and dragged across the ground."

"And the aether burn," Estinien spoke up.

It took G'raha far too long to recall what Estinien was alluding to. "The attack from the Ra-la," he clarified, though it came out as a statement. Thancred went rigid beside him even as Estinien nodded.

"I had nearly forgotten about that blasted thing," Thancred ground out, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I thought my heart was going to stop when you got yourself caught in that blast."

"Trust me, had G'raha not been as quick to heal as he had been, I would have been more panicked about it myself," Echo'a put in as if it would alleviate Thancred's sudden stress.

The flat look Thancred sent Echo'a made it obvious it had not. "Yet the fact remains that you hadn't even been phased by it when it did happen."

"I trusted G'raha to heal me hardly meant I was unphased by it," Echo'a was quick to counter, words nonchalant yet wavering at the edges as the embarrassment or shame of it flickered across his face. "I certainly wasn't about to end up in it again."

Thancred crossed his arms, shifting his weight back enough to seem taller. "No, instead you saw fit to make sure we couldn't take the hits for you."

G'raha's wide-eyed gaze snapped to Thancred, his entire body suddenly on edge at the remark, and he wasn't alone in his reaction. He heard muffled sounds of Y'shtola muttering something behind him and Urianger's hand moved, though whether it was a full retreat or simply moving to rest elsewhere G'raha didn't take the moment to learn. "Thancred," he bit out, though the word sounded more like a shocked exclamation than the reprimand he had intended.

Estinien seemed to have no qualms with placing himself verbally between Thancred and Echo'a. "Now is hardly time to air out any grievances on the matter."

G'raha glanced at Echo'a unsure as to what he expected to find but the quiet, mostly tired resolve hadn't quite been it.

Despite how muffled it was, Alisaie's voice cut sharply through whatever Thancred had ready in retort. "But there's never a good time with him- with any of this!" She rubbed her face against the blanket before bringing her head up enough to glare at him, eyes filled to the brim with tears. "You said yourself before we even went in how you were done with the heroic sacrifices. Even if it wasn't those words, you still said it and then you went and sent us all away in some heroic sacrifice all your own!"

There wasn't the twist of pain G'raha expected to cross Echo'a's face when Echo'a carefully moved his arm to place his hand on her head. There was some pain, a flicker of it at the edges, but it was minimal compared to previous times he'd gone to move in such a manner. A fond smile settled in his expression instead. She ducked slightly at the contact but her glare only hardened, resolved and determined to hold his gaze even though he was clearly unbothered by it.

"Is it really a heroic sacrifice if I did it for selfish reasons?" he gently asked, the soft words carrying through the room with ease. What agitation had filled it was quickly subdued as something haunted settled in Echo'a's expression. It was not enough to change the soft expression he wore nor dampen the smile that grew when all he got in response was a confused blink from her but it did shorten that smile's stay and something more akin to remorse filled his expression in its wake. "I sent you all away not because I lacked faith in your abilities or because I believed I could do it on my own or the like. I sent you all away because I knew if she actually managed to take you all out with that single attack, I would have succumbed to the despair that sat thickly in my chest." The silence that filled the air as he filled his lungs to continue was absolute. When he spoke, his voice was cadenced lower, taking on an odd hollow quality to it. "When I made the decision to send you all away, it had been one born out of the selfish desire to not face despair like that again. I couldn't…" His voice suddenly wavered, quaking with a breath that seemed to lose strength as it escaped him and when he desperately sucked it back in, they all saw the sheen of tears before he managed to blink them away. "I couldn't face losing all of you - actually losing you - after I'd just gotten you all back. So I sent you away, to someplace safe, trusting that you'd find a way to defeat her if I couldn't." A shudder shot through Echo'a and his arm tightened against Alisaie. "Even if for some miracle you all had survived and stayed through to the end, Zenos showed up wanting my attention. I could only guess at what lengths he would have gone to to face me one-on-one after we dealt with Meteion."

G'raha was certain one of those 'lengths' Echo'a did not voice was Zenos knocking them all out if he didn't just outright kill them. The shudder that shot down his spine was pure fear and he was grateful when the only thing he saw in Echo'a's gaze as it settled on him was understanding. Thancred threw a rough arm around his shoulders and G'raha pretended he wasn't huddling into the man's side, his ears pinned against his skull.

Estinien's voice was curt as the Dragoon asked, "Is he truly so powerful that our eight would have fallen against his one?"

G'raha found a wounded look on Estinien's face, painting those words not as the disbelief he had heard them as but the need for an answer that wasn't wanted.

Echo'a gave a weak chuckle as a rueful smile pulled itself across his face before he met Estinien's gaze. His words, though, were gentle, sad. "I should be dead thrice over, Estinien. The only reason I'm not is because the dynamis fed off of Zenos's fervor, bringing me back each time." He shook his head, though be it from denial or dismissal or something else was anyone's guess. "When I took the damage to my hip, I hadn't even realized he had swung at me. The one to my head had been my first attempt to dodge when that attack was sent my way a second time. The one on my back was tell enough that I simply wasn't fast enough to dodge it even as I tried to a second time. Even when I managed to keep distance between us, I still struggled to hold my own against him. I know how strong we are united but I would be hard pressed to say it would have been enough to tip the scales in our favor, especially if the dynamis followed his will and not ours." Echo'a pulled his hand from Alisaie's head, his expression twisting with pain before he ran his hand over his face, the pain quickly replaced by exhaustion. "I still don't know how I managed to outlast him. When he finally stayed down, I was not far behind him in being reacquainted with the floor."

Echo'a returned his hand to Alisaie's hair as Estinien and Thancred touched Echo'a's shoulders but it was Thancred who spoke up, grinning even as he gave G'raha a squeeze, "That's because he didn't have people waiting for him, praying for his safe return."

Echo'a's neutral gaze remained unchanged at Thancred's words but G'raha would not be surprised if the man's words hadn't quite done what Thancred had intended. Still, an amused smile pulled at Echo'a's lips before he offered, "Gods only know how I ended up so lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Estinien stated adamantly, slipping his arm around Echo'a's shoulders. With care and leaning forward to close most of the distance himself, Estinien tucked Echo'a against his chest in a tight hug. Echo'a pressed his face into the Dragoon's chest, mindful of the bandages. Estinien pressed his face into Echo'a's hair but his words still rang clearly through the room. "After everything you have done and been through, this is the least you deserve." G'raha covered Echo'a's bicep, catching Y'shtola and Urianger reaching out as well out of the corner of his eye. Alphinaud placed a hand on Echo'a's right arm still resting on Alisaie's back, Alisaie curling closer to Echo'a under it. "After everything, we will not walk away. We will remain at your side, always ready to help when you need us no matter they be minor things or against world damning threats."

"Can't scare us off now," Thancred put in, grinning.

Alisaie scoffed. "He could certainly try. I, for one, don't find him remotely scary."

Echo'a chuckled at that, ruffling her bangs as Alphinaud voiced in a tone that came across genuine as the expression on his face gave away his intent to tease. "I distinctly recall there being one instance where-"

Alisaie batted blindly at Alphinaud with a hissed, "Don't you dare."

Fourchenault was quick to slip his hand under Echo'a's arm and carefully raise it off of Alisaie's back. Echo'a turned his head against Estinien's chest and shot the man an appreciative look. Estinien took Echo'a's arm from Fourchenault allowing the man to tug his daughter from the bed as the twins were - good naturely if the lack of tension in either of them was anything to go by - still bickering.

Y'shtola's chuckle drifted past G'raha's shoulder. "Though I may not agree with the phrasing, I do agree with the sentiment." Y'shtola patted Echo'a's forearm above the bandages. "It would be quite the waste of effort to try and rid yourself of us."

"Verily," Urianger agreed. "Thy companions are bound to thee for the multitudinous years ahead."

G'raha grinned, adding, "Adventures are always better when they are shared with others, after all, and what grander adventure is there than life itself."

Echo'a chuckled again, a smile pulling itself across his face. Tears half realized danced in that orange eye. With a shake of his head, he pulled back enough out of Estinien's embrace to set his gaze on Olivier once more. "I apologize. Did that answer your question?"

Olivier brushed off his apology. "Yes, among others of mine own and theirs so the apology is unnecessary. If you are amicable, I would like to go over what your hopefully short recovery will entail; after which you are more than welcome to enjoy the company of your companions, within the rules of the ward mind you."

"Of course."

G'raha slipped from under Thancred's arm as Olivier started speaking and sagged into a chair. Y'shtola and Urianger seemed to follow his lead and took up the couch. After some time, the twins wandered to the couch and joined the pair. It was a rather snug fit but that appeared to be the whole point. At being abandoned by his children, Fourchenault drifted to stand with Dorean and the pair shared a hushed conversation. Thancred and Estinien both remained at Echo'a's side, the latter having moved enough to be sitting on the bed rather than awkwardly leaning over. Echo'a appeared quite content to stay against the Dragoon's chest with his right hand caught in Estinien's free hand on the Dragoon's knee and his left held by Thancred resting on the mattress. After who knew how long, the stress of everything finally slipped away and did not return.

No matter what would come next, no matter what trials they would inevitably face, Echo'a would be fine and that was all G'raha could ask for.