Chapter XXXVI: Aftermath
"This weather's not looking that great," Ragna thought to himself as he held a mug of hot coffee in his hands. He was standing in the same drawing room he'd spent with Olivia the day prior, looking out the window and watching the dark storm clouds as they rolled in, starting to coat the kingdom in a late summer storm. "If there was any day that I could stay inside and just take it easy, today would be a good one… but of course-" He winced harshly before glancing at his right arm which give a terrible shake and filled his body up with a burning pain. "...There's this again."
The Reaper didn't like it one bit; the last time that his arm had acted up to this degree he'd ended up dying the next day. Sure this didn't feel quite as intense, but there was something in the back of his mind that was bothering him… he'd only gotten this feeling a few times before and he'd been fine most of the time… but what was setting this off?
"Maybe I should head outside today and check around the capital… just to see if my arm does something or there turns out to be Risen snooping around," he thinks aloud to himself before he took a long sip of his coffee. He continued to stare out the window for a long moment, maybe hoping that he'll get struck with either a thought of that would connect the events together or that he'd see something to provoke an odd thought that would set off a chain of connections, the one piece missing from the puzzle… yet nothing came to him.
"All of the mystery books Robin's been telling me about are full of it," he muttered before downing the last of the coffee in his mug. Satisfied he won't get any answers by standing around, he was about to go for his coat and head out, but that was when he heard a knock on the door. "...Or not." Heading down the steps and opening the front door, he greeted by the familiar face that wasn't alone.
"Maribelle?" he asked as the lady he'd addressed smiled and gave him a polite curtsy despite not having the proper type of dress to do a full one. There was an older man standing behind her; he too was dressed in noble grab and had blonde hair along with a well-kept blonde beard, almost giving him a lion's appearance. Though he looked a bit different, something about him stuck Ragna as similar to his friend.
"A fine day to you Lord Ragna, how do you fare in this abysmal weather?" the young blonde told him with a welcoming if somewhat cocky smirk on her face as she emphasized the importance of his new position.
"Please don't call me 'Lord'; it feels so wrong, especially coming from a friend," Ragna told her, though Maribelle mostly seemed pleased that she's been addressed as a friend instead of anything else. Ragna then turns his attention to the man with her. "And you are?"
"The Duke of Themis, perhaps better to be known as her father," the man says holding his right hand out for a shake. Ragna was about to accept, but that was when his arm gives another painful throb. "Is something that matter?"
"Sorry, but… I'm sort of a lefty," he lies, swearing in his mind for his damn BlazBlue to get under control as he offers his left hand instead with a sort of pained smile.
"My daughter was indeed right; you are an odd one," the Duke tells him and earns a harsh glare from his daughter, though he does shake Ragna's hand albeit how awkward it is. "Though I don't think that matters in hindsight; you did manage to rescue her some time ago after my town was attacked, did you not? That is more than enough to earn my respect"
"Maybe, but that's ancient history…" Ragna told him as he scratched the back of his head. 'Seriously, it feels like that happened so long ago I'd practically forgotten about it.' "So, uh… what brings you here?"
"I was just hoping to extend an invitation for a small gathering for the presently gathered nobility," Maribelle's father explained as he handed Ragna a letter with his family's noble insignia on it. "It will be held only a few days from now, two nights before the royal ball in fact."
"Two… two nights before? Are you sure that's good timing, it sounds… Is busy the right word?" Ragna asked.
"I think so too, but it's a necessity," the Duke explained. "With so many nobles visiting I'm hoping that spending some personal time amongst one another before the ball would… shall we say, stifle some of the old rivalries before the main event… even if it's just a little. It's not the most formal of gatherings, just a bit of tea and conversation."
"...Right," Ragna said as he looked at the invitation, knowing this was exactly the wrong thing for him to be going to.
"Not bring any offense to you, but I had considered leaving you out of these particular festivities to keep attention from yourself along with the rumors of your… ah, standoffish nature among the nobility." That was putting it mildly, Ragna knew. "But my daughter insisted that you would love to come and officially introduce yourself to the nobility."
If looks could kill, the Reaper would have taken a life with his glare right then and there (knowing Ragna, he might actually be able to if he wanted). Maribelle only seemed to allow her smile to be just the slightest bit smug.
"I… I'll be waiting in the carriage," the Duke of Themis told his daughter somewhat nervously as he headed towards the gate, leaving the two friends to hash it out.
"...I hate you so much right now," Ragna said harshly to the noble he'd thought was his friend.
"Whatever is so wrong? You realize that you don't have to accept the offer?" Maribelle asks him, trying to seem innocent.
"If you knew I was going to do that then why bother? This is just going to cause problems for me if the other nobles find out which I'm pretty damn sure that they will," he tried to tell her, knowing how far the gossip would spread.
"My dear friend, I assure you that now such thing will happen. Should you choose to decline, the only ones that will know of this is my father and myself," she promised him.
'...Might mean that she doesn't have a mother,' Ragna thought to himself, realizing what little he knew about her family life. "Still there's more to it than what you're telling me… why do you really want me there?"
"...Do you remember how long ago I told you of my family's rite of passage, the one which I would have to create a new brew of tea to prove my own worth?" Ragna gave her a nod, considering the times they'd gathered and simply made small talk (ergo, outside of support conversation) and most of their conversation still went to the discussion of teas, no matter how little Ragna could contribute. "Well I'm hoping to unveil a new tea I've created at the gathering, you'll be there to support me, won't you?"
"If by support you mean give my fair and honest opinion I can do that, otherwise I don't know what good I can be," the Reaper admitted. "...Fine I'll think about going, but that's all you're getting from me."
"I'll take such a promise from you as a victory," Maribelle assured him. "Although…"
"...I ain't wearing anything besides what I got on now," Ragna promised harshly.
"As you wish… I hope that you decide to join us," Maribelle said before turning to follow her father. "Until next time."
'Tch, another thing to worry about,' Ragna thought to himself with a sigh. 'Guess I don't have to go and I can trust Maribelle's word not to tell anyone if I don't decide to come… but is this really just running away from a problem? Might as well go and cheer her on… if I'm feeling up to it.'
Sighing to himself, the Reaper headed back inside and grabbed his signature sword. While he knew that even if there was a threat he'd likely manage without it, Ragna couldn't help but feel cautious today… whatever good that could bring him.
-In Town-
'Not a lot of people out with today's weather, but that's not a huge loss,' Ragna thought to himself as he walked through the vacant streets of the capital, only to hear a thunderbolt go off in the distance. That sound only seemed to make it all the more apparent that he'd be in for a rainstorm… the only question was for when said weather would occur. Giving a sigh he continued moving forward, only stopping once he saw a little girl staring up a tree trying and call her cat down.
Scars
"Need some help kiddo?" he asked nonchalantly.
The girl seemed to turn with some surprise towards him, leaving Ragna to realize he'd approached more quietly than he'd met to. She was shivering slightly under his gaze leaving him to wonder whether it was his own intimidating disposition or that she'd heard about his authority figure. It was likely the first… but he'd feel a little better if it was the latter. Giving her a small smirk, he made it up the tree in two quick bounds. Calling the kitty to him with a basic call, he then leapt from the branch and landed to the ground with the feline in his arms.
"Keep it safe, alright? I don't think a cat would want to get stuck in this kind of a storm," he told the girl as he handed her the cat. She gave him a big smile as she took her pet.
"Thanks mister!" the girl thanked him in a cute voice before she ran off, the cat itself giving small meow as a goodbye. Ragna chuckled lightly at the display, feeling that he could afford to feel pretty good about himself at the moment.
"Nice to find a noble supporting the common folk," Ragna heard a voice come from behind him. It sounded slightly familiar, but he wasn't familiar enough with it to recognize it with those few words. Turning behind him, he saw the silver haired and eyepatch wearing Phila standing behind him with a small cloak around her shoulders, complete with a hood for protection once it finally started raining. He noticed instead of a spear, she carried a sword at her side.
"Phila… It's been awhile," Ragna said to her as he crossed his arms. "What brings you outside in this weather?"
"I'm out on patrol Se… Ragna," she said, oddly preventing herself from calling Ragna something that would reflect on his rank.
"Patrol duty, someone like you?" the Reaper asks.
"I'm afraid I'm no longer the head of the Pegasus Knights, and even if I was we all have a duty to guard the kingdom and keep it safe no matter the circumstance," Phila informed him with a tone of dignity and responsibility in her voice that she obviously hadn't rid herself of. "Pardon my saying, but I can't help but feel that you're trying to accomplish something similar… if your blade wasn't indication enough."
"Heh heh," Ragna chuckled, surprising her slightly with his continued lax attitude. "Nothing gets by you, does it?"
"Even after I've lost an eye, I can't afford to be sloppy," she tells him seriously.
"...Right, there's that," Ragna says with a sigh. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to it, but now that Phila's brought attention to it he knows that it's the best chance he'll get. "Sorry I wasn't fast enough back in Plegia… That whole damn thing's on me there."
"I know I can't order you to do anything, least of all now that you outrank me," Phila began, leaving Ragna to struggle not to roll his eyes, even during this weighty conversation. "But I do think that you should stop blaming yourself for what's happened. All of my fallen sisters knew the risks and dangers they'd face when they took their oath… and I did as well."
"Still…" Ragna tried to say, but Phila raised his hand, motioning for him to stop.
"Even if I could blame you for what had happened, you've more than paid your penance in your own crusade… Sir Knight." Ragna wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or surprised that she'd said that with a smirk that actually showed that she had a somewhat snarky side that she kept hidden.
"...At least it wasn't time wasted," Ragna muttered.
"Also…" Phila looked like she wanted to say something else, but she was hesitating.
"Just say it… you'll feel better about it and I can keep a secret," the Reaper promises her.
"I… Even without my injuries… or losing my Pegasus… I'd have likely stepped down as head of the Pegasus knights," she informed him. Ragna didn't say anything, simply waiting for if she decided to elaborate further. "Sumia and Cordelia… I'd already started to feel that either one of them would be an excellent replacement should I choose to move on… but the matter was practically sealed after news of Gangrel's slaughter of my other sisters… that place holds too many painful memories for me to stay there."
"If it makes you feel any better, I'd say there's no one better for you to leave the job to," the Reaper tried to assure her, which seemed to do part of the job. "Trust me, I understand where you're coming from… though I think it might be worth it to head back occasionally and check in on the new recruits, just to put your mind at ease."
"You may be correct," she said to him, right before a strong breeze swept through the area with enough force that it nearly caused the nearby tree to bend from its force. "...Though I don't think we'll be seeing any flying today."
"Probably not with that strong of a breeze… and we?" Ragna asked Phila, curious if his inclusion had been intended.
"A man in your position should take the time to visit the troops every now and again, make sure that their training is up to speed," she tells him. "Perhaps if we went together, our combined presence could give them some proper motivation."
"That or scare them shitless," Ragna muttered, thinking how Phila's stern gaze combined with his natural intimidation would likely cause some anxiety in the new knights.
"Have some faith in them; Pegasus Knights don't scare easily," Phila informed him proudly. "And if they've been looked after by Cordelia and Sumia they'll live up to your expectations, I assure you."
"...Glad to hear it," Ragna tells her with a bit of a smirk.
Support Rank C Obtained with Phila
Meanwhile -The Shepherds Barracks-
"Tch… Damnable vases," Lon'qu swore to himself as he looked at his most recent failure.
Despite dueling Ragna yesterday and showing what he was capable of along with improving himself even while he fought in his desperate battle, the swordsman felt like he needed to continue to grow his sword skills. As a form of practice, he'd taken up one of Basilio's greater tasks of slashing a vase cleanly in two without spilling a single drop of water. He'd required some assistance from Olivia, but he'd eventually uncovered said secret… but in striving to outdo the Khan he now made it a point to cut through five vases in one swing. It was a difficult task, but he knew himself to be capable of it.
"Again," he commanded himself after resetting the objects and making a second swing. He'd managed to slice through one of them masterfully, but after making it halfway through the second the remaining vases then shattered at his sword's force. Lon'qu narrowed his eyes at the failure, but tried to allow his body to relax as he heard steps approaching him from behind. "Panne."
"How did you know it was me?" the dark haired Taguel asked with curiosity.
"The way you walk; you step differently than the rest of us," the swordsman told her.
"You're observant, aren't you? Perhaps the Taguel aren't the only ones with gifted ears," she said to her friend, a small smile starting to form. "I'm sorry to interrupt your training, but I was hoping to ask you something."
"I'll answer as best I can," Lon'qu promised her calmly. Lately the swordsman had been making progress in keeping his poise and calm when speaking to the women of the Shepherds. It would only work with those in the group and hadn't become second nature just yet… but it was something.
"The other day I received a strange note," Panne informed him showing and small piece of parchment which Lon'qu took and looked over. "I do not know who wrote this, but they asked for a supply of that special herb that you and I had started drinking; the one to suppress our dreams. I'm afraid there's no telling who had written this, but I'd assume it would be someone within the Shepherds."
"...I see," Lon'qu said as he read and reread the note before sighing and handing it back. "Did you think I was the one that had written this?"
"The… the thought had crossed my mind I'm afraid, but I'd like to believe if you'd had such a problem you'd come to me personally," Panne admitted with something of a cringe.
"Then keep your belief, I would certainly have made a point to talk to you first," the swordsman promised with a small friendly smile forming on his face as he went to set up the vases. "However, I'm afraid that I too have little idea of who may have sent this… I've been rather secretive about our use of the medicine, only informing Ragna such a thing existed yesterday."
"Ragna? Odd, that doesn't match the timing at all. That and he certainly doesn't seem like the type of person that would need this… or want it for that matter."
"Heh, not without swearing his mouth off about the taste at the very least. Loud enough for all of Ylisse to hear," Lon'qu said, thinking back to his friend before turning serious. "So? Did you deliver the herbs then?"
"I did, yet I was unable to uncover anything about the individual nor was I able to track them," Panne admitted. "I only gave them enough supplies to last them a week at best… though it might be possible for them to find additional herbs if they have a sample."
"Meaning our trail could go cold," Lon'qu decided. "This may not be as large a problem as we are making it; there are some things like this that an individual should have to face themselves."
"Like we had tried to do?" the Taguel asked with suspicious eyes. "You know that the herbs only offer a temporary solution to said problem; our talks and admittance to the others have provided a more permanent means of recovery."
"I am aware, but this isn't our business to interfere in; the choice whomever is requesting the herbs," Lon'qu told her before positioning his blade and swinging once more. This time he managed to cut up to halfway through the third vase before his blade caused the rest to shatter. "There are some things that you can only discover on your own, no matter how much you're advised."
The Forests Outside the City Walls
"All of this and still nothing," Ragna muttered aloud as his arm gave yet another painful pulse. This one felt stronger than the rest and he winced harshly, yet again the pain subsided. "Seriously, what the hell do you want? I'm all the way out here and there's not even a sign of a single damn Risen." The arm (thankfully) didn't answer him, but Ragna was liking this less and less. "Why the hell do I even bother?"
Proceeding through the deeper woods and heading back to the town, Ragna decided it might be for the best if he called it quits there. He'd just about made it to the edge when he heard something off in the distance; the dull thwack of an axe making contact with wood. Knowing that someone was out in this weather annoyed him slightly. He knew it wasn't any of his business, but they shouldn't have been out here in the first place.
Faded Sides
As the Reaper followed the sounds, he eventually came to the source. The guy holding the axe was a large man with dark skin, not unlike Basilio except that his skin seemed to be a few shades paler. He seemed to be able to wield his woodcutting axe with just one arm, but was using both of them in an attempt to have more striking power and control with his swing. He didn't pause in his chops, even if it was clear that he was aware of Ragna's presence behind him.
"You should probably just gather up what you've got and head back; there's no telling when the storm's about to start," Ragna tried to tell the man. He didn't even pause in his swinging.
"There's no telling how long this storm might last either; I'd rather my family and neighbors have enough firewood should it last longer than expected," the man said to him. Ragna gave a sigh before taking out his massive sword and giving it its first use in a long while; chopping the downed trees into much smaller and easier to carry logs. "...Impressive, you seem to know your way around a blade."
"Well enough," Ragna told him simply as he put his blade back on his belt, not in the mood for veiling any threats. He then grabbed a pile of logs in his arms. "C'mon, any more and I'd doubt you'd have a place to put 'em all."
"...Fair enough then," the man said in turn as he too grabbed a large pile. "I have to say… I wasn't expecting this sort of behavior from Ylisse's Grim Reaper… it's not a wonder that the Prince hold you in such high regard."
"You know Chrom then?" Ragna asked as the two made their way back to the capital, or at the very least the small homes surrounding it.
"I might not look it, but I did serve as a General during the war," the man told him. "...On Plegia's side."
"...Guess that makes you Mustafa then," the Reaper responded calmly. "Chrom told me a bit about you… Doesn't sound like you've got a bone to pick with me at least."
"Quite the opposite, if you hadn't given the Prince the lessons that you had, I might not have been spared in our encounter… or he may not have been strong enough to stand before me," the former General told him.
"What about your men, do they see it that way?" Ragna asked him.
"...Hard to say, but only a few are currently in the capital anyways," Mustafa told him. "Most of them are staying to the north in Regna Ferox, some have even taken a post within its armies… Even if they were all here I doubt you'd have much to worry about… everyone in my force knew Gangrel was to blame for that pointless war… Many of my men had seen the Exalt's sacrifice and your… slaughter."
"...Must have been a bit of a kick to the face when you realized we were both alive," Ragna muttered.
"Not at all, I'm glad that this peace wasn't bought at the cost of further lives…" the former General told him, right before his mood made him slightly dour. "Even still, I did lose a few of my closest friends in the conflict, and there are many more that I don't know what happened to them… I just see no point in rekindling an old hatred for it."
"...I'm glad the name Pacifist General isn't for nothing," Ragna told him honestly. "I can't apologize for the lives I took, but-"
"We can learn to move on at least," Mustafa said in agreement. "For a start, that's enough."
Support Rank C Obtained with Mustafa
After dropping off the logs at Mustafa's house and leaving the ex-General to distribute said logs to his neighbors, Ragna started heading back to his place as he felt that there was nothing left for him to do… Nothing that could let him get his arm under control at the very least. As a bolt of lightning flashed off in the distance, Ragna gave a powerful grimace as his arm flared up with an even worse pain than before, this one seemed to come at him in a sharp spike. Fighting through the strain, he continued moving forward, hoping that such a feeling wouldn't weigh him down.
'This thing has been screwing with me a lot lately,' Ragna muttered as he stared at his arm. 'At least it's not at the point where it's going to start killing me… yet.' The Reaper gave a sigh, at least content that he'd managed to get the dangerous object under his control… though that just made times like these all the more vexing.
Faith
"I've seen that face a number of times before; that of a man searching for an answer he knows may not even be there," a voice said behind the Reaper, this one not familiar in the slightest. When he turned though, he couldn't quite put his finger on it but something about the androgynous looking figure in front of him did strike him as failure. "Apologies if I've interrupted your thoughts, you just looked like you might need someone to talk to."
"That's what you got from looking at me?" Ragna asked with a brow raised. "Sorry, but I can't say that you even came close."
"I see…" Libra said as he continued to simply analyze the Reaper with his eyes. "You seem… different than the last few times I'd seen you."
"So we do know each other…" the Red-Coated man muttered, starting to feel pretty stupid that he'd forgotten.
"I'd only go as far to point out that we've met," Libra told him. "My name is Libra. You and Chrom helped to save me back during Lady Emmeryn's execution."
"The execution…" Ragna muttered to himself, thinking back to an event he'd rather not remember yet another time. He knew that this was before the… event had happened so he tried to piece the muddled memories back together and come up with concrete answer. "You mean where Chrom thought you were a woman?"
"I...I'd prefer that what you just said wasn't the only thing you remember about me," Libra told him. His face was so serious that Ragna imagined that he was pretty pissed, especially for a priest. "But yes, that is in fact out first meeting… and I only gained a glimpse of you in your return. I praise Naga that you were able to return to your friends."
"Right… well thank Naga… I guess," the Reaper tried to say to get him out of an awkward situation, but it was obvious his acting wasn't up to par.
"Do you not believe in Naga?" Libra asked him, though it did not seem unkindly. "Or…"
"Or?" Ragna repeated, wondering where this was going.
"Are you simply unfamiliar with the sermons and our other forms of worship? Even with Naga's benevolent presence in this world, I'm sure there are a fair few that have yet to even hear her word."
"The second… I guess?" Ragna told him. 'Eh, I can believe something like Naga could exist given the gods from my home world… Only question would be if she turns out to be one of those vengeful old god types and I need to off her… let's hope not, but it could be fun at least.'
"That would explain it, clearly you've led such a chaotic lifestyle that you haven't the time to step inside a church," Libra said before giving a warm smile. "If you'd like, I can help you to rectify such a thing."
"Uh… maybe," Ragna told him; even if the offer was a genuine one, Ragna couldn't help but feel he was being a little pressured into this. "Truth is though… I've kinda already been to a church… grew up inside one in fact."
"Is that so… And they did not teach of Naga's divine miracles and her scriptures?" the priest asked him.
"Uh… Naga wasn't really… known back in my world," the Grim Reaper had to admitted, scratching the back of his head nervously. Libra was silent for a long moment as he stayed still…
"I see… well I suppose that does make some degree of sense," Libra admitted calmly. "Even in this realm there have been nations that hadn't even discovered Naga's worship until a century or two ago, in some cases even less."
"Oh phew, I was worried that you were about to have some sort of freak out," Ragna admitted aloud as he finally allowed his shoulders to relax.
"Although… this does present an interesting opportunity," the priest told him with a renewed smile.
'Shit.'
"Though you may hail from a different world, I have no doubt in my mind or soul that her deepest blessing will extend even to you… once you begin to accept her into your heart of course," Libra told him. "I won't ask that you make any long term commitments to the priesthood, but perhaps you could attend a sermon or two with me, or even simply come to the church and pray to her with me."
"I'm… kind of busy…" Ragna tried to turn down the priest easily, though Libra's stone faced complexion was making it difficult. "...Okay, I can at least try to see you every now and again."
"Excellent, I think you for indulging my own curiosity, but perhaps you'll be thanking yourself for discovering our faith in the not-so-far future."
"...Possibly, but do you really think there's anything there for someone like me?" Ragna had to ask.
"I don't blame your asking; I too was doubtful when I first joined the priesthood, but I was gifted with my purpose and my salvation," Libra said before turning serious. "In fact… I'd hazard to say I owe the church everything."
'What's his story?' Ragna thought to himself. 'Might be that he's more than just your regular priest. All the same, it be best if I don't piss him off; he HEALS people.'
Support Rank C Obtained with Libra
"Well today's been next to pointless," Ragna muttered to himself as he walked through the nobility district, so nearly home and so very ready just to take a long seat by the fire with a good meal (that he'd have to make himself, but that didn't bother him). "I mean talking to people's fine and all, but why is it that whenever I try to get some actually answers I've got twenty people that are trying to talk to me all at once?" The Reaper sighed to himself. "At least I'm… home."
Premonitions
"I'm sorry, have I caught you at a bad time?" Tiki asked as she awaited Ragna outside the gate to his estate. "Did you just come back for a morning run perhaps?"
"Morning?" Ragna asked as he tilted his head. "It's already late day."
"Is that correct?" Tiki asked as she stared up at the sky. "It's so difficult to tell when you can't see the sun as easily."
"Seriously, how late do you sleep in?" the Reaper asked with a groan. "Can this wait, I've been out all day and I've just gotten back so I'm feeling kinda tired."
"I'll allow you to rest; I can understand its benefits." Ragna hoped he wasn't bleeding in his mouth from how hard he'd had to bite his tongue. "But I have something that I need to discuss with you, something that I've been meaning to talk to you about for a while now."
"Can it wait a bit, please? I've been having a hell of a day just pointlessly wandering around and I haven't found anything of actual use," he begged, hoping Tiki would be reasonable.
"All least answer me this… how have you been feeling lately… today in particular?"
"Today in-?" Ragna burst out before he could stop himself.
"So I'm right… there is something different about you," Tiki said, seeming that Ragna had just confirmed her suspicions. "I… I've been feeling something off today myself… almost like there's a form of darkness is rising across the lands."
"That's what it is?" Ragna asked as he looked at his arm. "Honestly, I've just been dealing with this thing 'cause it's been giving me crap all day… Painful pulses and such..."
"If you'd give me a chance to explain what I know, then maybe the two of us could come to a reasonable conclusion," Tiki told him. "You did say that you'd spent your day wandering around, perhaps I might have the answers you're looking for?"
"...It's always the last person I come across," Ragna muttered to himself before digging out the key. "Come on inside, before it starts raining."
"Certainly," she agreed following him into the estate. Though she didn't know it, Ragna was leading the two of them to his mansion's library should they need to use its many books as resources. "If I recall what you've told me, your arm has a unique ability of feasting off the Risen as a source of power."
"That or dark magic…" Ragna told her as they ascended to the second floor. "I've had to use a lot of the latter lately since I've been finding less and less Risen around lately. I should be happy about that… but it's been a little off putting, like I'm expecting an entire hoard of these things to show up."
"Is that what you think this might be; a large hoard of Risen drawing ever closer to our capital?" Tiki asked with a bit of worry.
"I'm starting to wish it was, then I could just head out there, wipe the floor with 'em, and that would be the end of it…" Ragna said before shaking his head. "But normally my arm can pick up on those monsters when they're close and I haven't found a sign of them anywhere so I doubt it's anything that simple." Opening the door to his library, the two headed inside and took a seat at one of the tables. "Quit beating around the bush, what's this really about?"
"...The resurrection of the Fell Dragon: Grima," Tiki told him, leaving Ragna to raise an eyebrow. "Pardon my saying, but I've been suspicious of you ever since our first meeting. Back then I got a single glimpse of your eyes through that helmet you wear…" She shook her head. "And all I saw was an unending darkness and a monstrous head that I took to resemble the Fell Dragon."
Ragna said nothing… he knew what she'd seen, and that she hadn't interpreted it correctly, but said nothing.
"Then during our journey together I've started seeing more and more of the power that you wield and it's become apparent that you have a rather… close relationship with darkness, even stretching all the way to your core." She shakes her head. "It pains me to think this, but Grima's resurrection needs a catalyst and-"
"Then don't."
"I… What?" Tiki asked, her confusion growing as Ragna looked as serious as ever.
"Don't even consider that I'm Grima's catalyst, it's as simple as that," Ragna told her. "Believe it or not, this wasn't the first time something like this has ever happened. I stopped it then and I'm stopping it now, plain as that."
"You… you speak is if it's an easy thing to do," the Manakete told him with disapproval in her eyes. "This could be larger than you think."
"Easy no; I just know it's simple," Ragna told her, again not breaking down. "I don't care what anyone else has to say about what I really am; I'M ME, simple as that." Tiki didn't look like she could comment at Ragna's declaration. "A long time ago I made a promise to myself; I'd fight as a human being until the bitter end, so that's what I'm going to do. If you want to keep an eye on me, then go ahead..."
"...Ragna," Tiki could only say. Guilt started to leak into her tone; she felt as if she'd delivered a blow against her friend that she hadn't meant to… one that could strain a friendship.
"...Just remember to watch my back while you're doing that, 'kay?" Ragna told her. Tiki only stared at the Reaper at his sudden change of tone, leaving him to chuckle. "It's called trust Tiki; I would've thought you'd have head of it after being alive for hundreds of years."
"M-My age has nothing to do with this! This could alter the very fate of this world!" Tiki scolded him, a harsh blush appearing on her face as Ragna only continued to laugh at her expense, challenge be damned. "...I swear, in all of the countless wars and nations I've seen, I've never come across someone quite as impossible as you."
"Well of course," Ragna told her through his continued chuckle as he grew even cockier. "I always knew I was one of a kind."
"...That… goes without saying," Tiki said, giving a small smile at her friend. 'Perhaps I was wrong to worry after all…'
Support Rank B Obtained with Tiki
Tiki doesn't stay much longer, though she did insist that Ragna use some of his free time going into Grima's history… just to be on the safe side. The Reaper had reluctantly agreed, even if it was only to put her mind at ease.
Looking outside, he noticed that the rain had finally started. It was quite the downpour already, the drops hitting the grounds in a harsh shower with powerful intensity. Ragna grit his teeth as his arm's pain only seemed to intensify… before he forced the discomfort to the side of his mind as he remembered his promise to Tiki. Maybe this was a catalyst for something on the horizon… this just meant he had another fight to be ready for.
"Always something," Ragna muttered before he head into the kitchen to finally prepare a meal. "Whatever… no rest for the wicked or however that damn saying goes."
-That Night-
"...Ugh… Guh… No…" a voice groans. Its tone is both pained and scared. "Don't stop… G… G-Get up… You can't… I… I… I…" A head shoots up in the darkness. "I NEED YOU!"
A bolt of lightning strikes off in the distance, soon followed by its boom of thunder. The owner of the voice is gasping for air; long labored breath as beads of sweat slowly drop from their forehead. They then turn to their nightstand, looking a mug barely full of water mixed with a vile herb. Sitting beside that is a sack full of said herbs, something they'd had to work hard to obtain. Gritting their teeth at the injustice, hands shoot out and grab both items before throwing them harshly into the wall, spilling the contents of both over the floor. The figure grabs their head and holds it shakily, trying to forget what they'd just seen but to no avail.
"I… I… I can't do this anymore…"
Ragna had been asleep when he'd heard the knocking on his door. Though the sound wasn't exactly soft, it did have an entire mansion to travel through to reach his ears. Even with his enhanced hearing, he'd though it was a branch and tried to get himself back to sleep. When the noise persisted however, he groaned and quickly dressed himself before heading down.
"Who the hell thought it was a good idea to come see me at this time of night?" he grumbled as he was slowly noticing a pattern with his life. Checking a window as he passed by, he realized that the weather outside was worse than ever. "And this weather!? The hell-!?" Despite his anger at the situation, he knew enough to realize that his rage likely wouldn't get him anywhere. The knocking on the door was not ceasing… in fact it seemed to be growing desperate. "All right! I'm coming damn-! … It…"
Ragna stood frozen at the figure before him, even if that meant that he was keeping them out in the harsh torrent of rain longer than he'd meant to. Not that it would matter in the first place since it already looked that they were thoroughly soaked to the bone. Their hair while usually neat now laid in mess locks around their head. Their outfit was different than normal, now consisting of water ruined nightclothes… but the most haunting thing about the figure were their dead dark eyes in the storm.
Aftermath
"A...Aversa…?" Ragna asked as he finally managed to find his voice. Another bolt of lightning flashed off in the distance, faintly showing Aversa's features before the light source faded and the following thunder sounded over her dark cover. "W-What are you doing here?"
For a moment, nothing; no response, no words, no movement, just the rain continuing to drench her… Then she took a slow step forward towards the Reaper, then the second put her indoors and right up to him. Ragna wouldn't have shouted a word in protest, but was surprised as she slumped her soaked head onto his shoulder.
"...You idiot…" she cried; her voice slightly muffled by his clothing. "You… you damn idiot…" Even through his clothing she was soaking wet and cold as ice. Ragna let out a sad sigh before bringing his arm up and placing his hand upon her rain soaked head, holding her close in an attempt to comfort her, yet it showed no clear signs of working.
"…C'mon, let's get you dried off. Then... we can talk…"
"...Idiot…" she says to him yet again, her voice sounding dead as a cemetery.
Not long later the two are in the manor's study, Aversa now having dried off had a blanket wrapped around her as well as a mug of warm tea set on the table before her. Though Ragna had lit a few candles to give the two light to see each other, the main source of light was the log fire that he had started to give the two warmth, a light glow showing around the two.
"So…" Ragna said finally deciding to initiate the conversation. "...What's wrong?"
"I've… I've been dreaming about you lately… In fact I've been dreaming about you a lot…" Normally such words would have at least alit a blush on the Reaper's face, but with Aversa missing any of her previous sultry and flirty tones he was more worried about her than anything else. "...No, I should probably say that I've been having Nightmares about you as of late."
"Nightmares?" the Reaper asked. Surely he would've been able to come up with a snarky quip, albeit at his slight expense, but again he knew that now was not the time for such things. "What happens in them to make it a nightmare?"
"...Every night I find myself in the gritty desert lands of Plegia, I feel so coarse as there's sand covering my entire body… It's night and the sky is a pitch black, the wind is silent but with frequent gusts that send a chill to the bone. Every night I wander through the sands, I try and find a different direction to walk… but I always find my way to the same place; the execution grounds and…" She was starting to tremble, already Ragna could see tears forming in her eyes. "I watch as the Risen attack you, tearing you to shreds and…" She can't continue as her trembling becomes too great. "A-And this night… I-I saw you clearer than ever…"
"Aversa…" Ragna says, his voice strained with worry. "Hey, you don't need to worry about that anymore. I made it back, right?"
"But that doesn't change what I saw; I watched you die!" she yells at him. "Back before you returned, before we thought that you could have possibly been alive, I was plagued by these same nightmare night after night after night… And it took you months to return Ragna, months! I'm not nearly as strong as I try to act! I was about to go mad! And even when you got back-!" The former dark mage didn't finish, nor did she have to. Her scathing eyes at Ragna said everything it needed to.
"You've been keeping this to yourself then?" he asks before sighing. "And here I thought I was your person to come to for things like this."
"...If that were still true I would've had you by my side to support me and these nightmares would have never started," she told him, the words twisting inside of Ragna's heart like a knife.
"Even still I can't say I'd still do it any differently," the Reaper told her. "I'm sorry, but that's just who I am as a person."
"And I know that I can't hold that against you… But still I… I need you; I need you alive, just to keep me sane…" she admitted weakly. "If you think about it… it's not that much different than with Validar."
"That old bastard? What about him?" Ragna asked, distaste forming in his mouth as he remembered the Sorcerer that he'd killed what felt like long ago, the same one that had tried to assassinate Emmeryn and that had tried killing Aversa to silence her after revealing that he'd fabricated her own life, trying only to crush her spirit even further before he took his time savagely and cruelly ending her life.
"When you killed Validar, even after he'd revealed himself it felt like my entire world had been shattered to pieces; I wasn't sure what to believe in." Aversa then managed to smile, though Ragna could tell it was a forced effort. "You though, you started to give me something to fight for, a place to call my home… someone to follow."
"So what? Now I'm a second Validar to you?" Ragna asked with a scowl. "I don't appreciate the comparison."
"Ragna, you're as far from that bastard of a monster as one can be: you've given me my life back and asked for nothing in return. I… I can't stress how important I find you," she told to him, this time she was the one to blush, even though she was the one speaking the words. "All the same I feel I've become… dependent on you. I need to make sure I can keep you alive and where I can see you."
"So you what? What is it you're asking for?" the Reaper asked, having a few ideas of what she would want… some were better than others.
"I am asking for… a chance to serve you, this is the only life I know. The one where I have someone to pledge my undying loyalty to," the former dark mage told him and noticed that Ragna wasn't liking it. "There… there are worse people to have their lives pledged to you, you do realize?"
"That's not the point… but fine, I think I can get where you're coming from," he relented, even though he didn't understand it nearly as well as he claimed. "You just have to promise me one thing; never put my life ahead of yours. You do that once and I'm calling the whole thing off."
"...I suppose I can promise you that much," Aversa softly told him before standing and making her way over to Ragna. Before he could protest she place her right hand upon his chest looking him deep in his eyes as she spoke the following:
"By the sight of Gri- of whatever gods look over us from above... I, Aversa of Plegia, do thereforth swear my life to Ragna the Bloodedge of the Ylisse Halidom. Until my last days, I shall serve his will and his alone. I will protect his life with my own, guard his home and all of his belongs as if they were mine and… and safeguard his children, so that they may one day take up their father's honor for themselves. This I swear."
"...And… And I accept," Ragna told her in kind, though his mind was plagued with uncertainty. 'Good lord this is awkward; it feels like I'm getting married or something… Although-' Before Ragna could finish this thought, Aversa eventually took her hand from his chest and brought him back to reality. This allowed him to stand so he could look at her eye to eye and they could (he figured) talk a tad more normally. "Feeling better now?"
"...You have no idea," Aversa told him honestly right as a crash of thunder sounded from outside. "Seems that there's still a storm though."
"Yeah, and it sounds like it ain't going to be letting up anytime soon," the Reaper agreed with a sigh. "Dammit, I can't just send you back to the barracks like this, especially after you just went through the trouble of drying off… Alright, you can spend the night here, we'll just have to hope that the storm's passed by morning."
"So I'm spending the night over at your estate?" Aversa asked.
"Uh… that's what I just said," Ranga told, notice that the woman of darkness wasn't saying anything or moving as she though it over. "Aver-"
… right before giving her familiar sultry smile that sent a shiver down Ragna's spine.
'Oh god.'
"I wonder what the rest of the Shepherds will think if they ever hear this news," she said with her familiar tone beginning to return. "Oh, the stories they can come up with."
"Th-they'll believe whatever I tell them," Ragna told her as a light blush a lit his face, his confidence that the Shepherds would keep such ideas to themselves slowly fading as he thought back to all of the teasing he got; Chrom himself would waste no time in starting outlandish stories to get back at Ragna for all of his recent ribbing. The look on his face was too much for Aversa as she gave a small giggle which then slowly began to grow into a full laugh. "Laughing at my expense again? Yare yare...."
"Some things will never change my dear fri-" This time Ragna was the one to interrupt as he wrapped his arms around Aversa, holding her close to him in a mutual comfort. Aversa paused for a long moment didn't do anything. When she did move it was only to rest her head on his shoulder and returning the warm embrace.
"I'm glad to have you back." They were basic words, a small and somewhat corny in saying… but all that was important to Aversa were that they were heartfelt and his. She continued to rest on Ragna's shoulder, looking at the light of the burning fire as it shrouded herself and the target of her undying loyalty in a dull orange glow.
Support Rank A Obtained With Aversa
Not long after the two had held their conversation, Aversa had fallen readily asleep in one of the estates many guest rooms. Ragna was in his own bedroom about ready to fall asleep for the night himself, but was kept up as he stared up at the ceiling, examining his right arm as the pain he'd been feeling in it the entire day slowly began to subside.
"Now it finally decides to stop," Ragna thought to himself aloud as he listens to the rain. Almost in accordance with his arms, the rain seems to have lightened and the thunder has seemed to cease entirely. Giving a groan, the Reaper crosses his arms and try to coax himself to sleep, unable to help but feel that he'd wasted quite a bit of the day trying to figure out the source for nothing.
Elsewhere
A dark hooded figure walks through the hallway of a dusty and eerie castle. He's followed by six guards dressed from head to toe in red ceremonial armor complete with black trims and black capes. The two in the back are equipped with axe's made of a silver-like steel that's edge and quality is only matched by their cost. The two in the middle held silver lances of similar power while the other two held red banners; one of knight's helm which represented the kingdom of Plegia, and the second was an arcane symbol containing six eyes that was dedicated to the cultist Grimleal.
As the group made their ways through the hall a loud and constant roar became apparent, only seeming to grow louder the further they proceeded. The dark hooded figure said nothing, the details face were so darkened by his hood so that not a soul could make a single detail from beneath it.
"With his astounding victories in safeguarding the people against the mercenary force that was foolish left empowered by out last king, he has not only been successful in safeguarding the people, but in building our nation stronger and more unified than it has ever been before!" a voice declared as the guard halted in their place. The hood man doesn't stop heading through the doorway as the noise became almost overwhelming.
The source of the noise were the masses that stood before him as he stood atop a high balcony overlooking the people. Unlike the weather in Ylisse, the skies above his castle were clear and the stars above burned bright. The figure said nothing as he placed his hand on the balcony railing, standing still as the masses below cheered for him.
"His Coronation is official and his leadership has been approved unanimously by the council!" the announcer shouted, trying to voice over the roar of the masses. "May his reign bring us further prosperity in these darkened times! PLEDGE YOUR LOYALTY TO YOUR NEW KING!"
"LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING"
At the crowd's united call, the hooded figure finally throws his hood back and finally reveals himself… Showing only a gold and ebony mask that covers his entire head. The design is similar to something from ancient Egypt, completed designed headpiece similar to that of a Pharaoh's crown atop the mask. The only holes in the mask are those in the nostrils to breathe and the ones around his two eyes to reveal glowing purple irises. Below the eye holes are two ebony eye symbols on each side, reflecting the sign of the Grimleal. A set of golden horns juts out from the sides of the mask, further confirming this figure's dedication to the dark cult.
The enigmatic and arcane appearance doesn't stop the people as they continue their chant of reverence and devotion to their new leader. As stated earlier, this was a man who managed to band together a group of warriors and drive out the threat of mercenaries as the sellswords threatened the safety of people and came dangerously close to tearing Plegia even further apart. The masked man had earned their respect, they knew… as did the new ruler as he overlooked his new subjects. A cocky smile formed beneath the mask, though only he knew it was there.
"Long live the King indeed…"
Author's Note
Whoo boy, this one came a little too close to comfort to finishing. I knew that Ragna and Aversa's A Rank along with his and Olivia's (covered last chapters) are both important A Ranks for the fans so I had to make sure I really nailed it. Everyone seemed to enjoy the pure fluff that I showed our favorite pink head last chapter, so I'm hoping that you all enjoy this interaction here along with the three C ranks and B rank I also wrote into this. Five support Ranks total is a new record for this story.
Alright, review response time (thanks for pointing out any errors, but PM me about those from now on please)
Guest (1): Perfect, that's what I was going for.
BloodedgetheReaper2113: Here it is, even if it's a bit later in the day.
MechaDragon99: I'd approve of that.
Wlyman2009: I think I read a comment about that somewhere else… it is sad…
EpicLinkSam: I… get back to you on that idea.
PersonaQeminod1: Thanks, I try to keep it relevent at the very least.
Warrior of six blades: Thanks again for a lengthy review.
Touhoufanatic: Well I gave you your Aversa.
Harem Master123: Picked up on that did you? All will be explained in time…
Vanitas50: I have a chapter for that in the works, but for now I have to focus on this.
The Unplanner: Perfect, two lengthy review ah ha ha.
Guest (2): ...What about her?
Kalakauai: Fixed the problem, and that's an interesting idea.
Guest (3): Eh?
Vossoch: Heh, got what you wanted?
Medblare: I can keep going, I'll just have to be ready for a burnout if it hits.
Thunder Dragon: Flavia eh? I'll keep her in mind.
Fernandonogura99: I… kind of was working on a Ragna in Tales of Berseria story for a bit, but I can't finish with everything else going on.
Until Next Time Guys! Ciao~!