Chapter 9 – Night
In the waters between Lythos and Firene a fleet of ships were currently southwest-bound, towards the latter's shores. Their sails proudly displayed the crest of Elusia. Mages worked around the clock, conjuring the gales propelling the ships forward. Soon their shift would end, to be relieved to give them time to rest, before returning to the job.
Inside her cabin, Zephia enjoyed a cup of tea. A knock was then heard on her door.
"Come on in," she said without glancing at the door, as she simply lifted the cup to her lips.
The door opened up and a man entered the room.
"Lady Zephia," the man bowed. "I hope you're having a pleasant evening."
"Get to the point, Nelucce," Zephia said with a frown, a bit irritated.
"Ah, Milady, I came to inform you that the shore is finally in view," the man, Nelucce, said.
At this Zephia smiled.
"That's good to hear."
At the speed we're moving, we'll get there by nightfall, she thought.
"Is that all?" She then asked, actually glancing over to the man.
"Oh, no, Milady, I have more," he replied. "We intercepted a pegasus."
At this the mage dragon frowned again, though now intrigued.
"A pegasus, you say? Where was it heading?"
"Westwards towards Firene, just like us."
Zephia's frown deepened.
That means it must be coming from Lythos, she realized.
"Anything worthwhile you found?" She asked.
"Yes, she carried a message on her person," Nelucce said. "It bore the seal of Queen Lumera."
At this Zephia's eyes widened, actually surprised.
"A message from the queen?"
She went pensive for a moment, the nodded.
"I must see this message. Take me to her," she ordered.
"At once, Milady," Nelucce bowed.
With that, the two left the cabin, soon reaching the deck. A small crowd of soldiers had gathered, some with their weapons drawn. At the very center was the pegasus knight. She was kneeling, with her hands tied behind her back. She had been stripped of her armor, and looked drenched. Her mount was nowhere to be seen. All signs pointed it had been shot out of the sky, then she was retrieved from the water. She defiantly glared at her captors, as they looked down at her with condescending and leering stares.
At the approaching Zephia, the crowd parted. A man approached her.
"Here, Lady Zephia," he said as he presented a rolled up scroll.
It still had its seal intact. Zephia tore it open, unrolled the scroll, and began to read. She first frowned, then her expression quickly turned to actual shock.
What is the meaning of this!?
Her eyes quickly went back to the kneeling prisoner.
"You! How did Queen Lumera came to know this!?" She demanded.
"As if I would tell you if I knew, Elusian dog!" The knight spat.
Zephia frowned again, but said nothing. It was probably true she was simply the messenger.
"I'll be back at my cabin, do not disturb me until we've touched land," she simply said to the soldiers around her.
"What shall we do with the prisoner, Lady Zephia?" Nelucce asked.
"Do as you wish."
With that, she turned around and went back inside. Once in her cabin she sat back down, ignoring the long cooled down remnants of her tea. Instead, she was in deep in thought, as anger boiled inside of her.
How did that wretched Lumera learned we brought back Lord Sombron already!? Did she sensed it, somehow, or-
Zephia scowled.
We have a traitor in our midst.
Night had fallen over Lythos. After a hearty supper, everyone retreated to their assigned bedchambers. Lumera and Alear currently stood in the latter's.
"It must be strange to think you won't be sleeping at the Somniel anymore," Lumera mused.
"I guess," Alear said. "About that, Mother, what is going to happen to the visits of the royal families?"
"I suppose we'll have to replace it with something else," Lumera said. "Unless you want them to still visit you while you sleep."
She then giggled, though Alear did not seem to share the sentiment.
"That would be a bit awkward," he said. "It's already strange to think they worship me."
"Well, you did saved all of Elyos, Alear," Lumera pointed out. "Considering how close to ruin we were, even now the people will be grateful for that."
"I understand that," Alear said.
He then frowned.
"But right now it feels like I'm praised for something someone else did. I wouldn't know how to act the part of a deity, either."
He then sighed, looking dejected.
"Surely I'll end up disappointing a lot of people."
"Oh, Alear," Lumera placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's true people will have expectations about you, but you don't need to change who you are to fulfill them. In a way, it is a boon you are so revered, since it means they have to accommodate to you instead."
Alear pensive.
"I didn't thought of it that way," he admitted.
"Regardless, it is nice to see you care about others," Lumera added. "Just, don't forget to also care about yourself."
"Yes, Mother, I won't forget that," Alear said.
"Good," Lumera nodded. "Now then, I'll let you rest now. Goodnight, Alear."
"Goodnight, Mother."
With that, Lumera left the bedchamber, leaving Alear alone with his thoughts.
Over at her own bedchamber, Ivy sat before the vanity, brushing her hair. She had already changed into a pink nightgown, which she had brought with her in her belongings. Thoughts filled the princess' mind, mostly of the course of today's events. She had done it. She warned the Divine Monarch Monarch, saw and met the Divine One.
Now what?
I've come this far, Ivy thought. I pledged to support the Divine One on his mission. I know the Fell Dragon must be stopped. And yet-
She paused her brushing, merely staring at her own reflection.
Am I really going to do this? Oppose Elusia? Oppose my father?
Ivy was no fool. She knew that the Divine One will encounter opposition from Elusia, as it would become a race on who gathers the rings first. If it came down to it, would she join the fight against her countrymen, or even family?
She sighed.
I need some fresh air.
Standing up, she made for the door.
Atop the north wall of the castle, overlooking the sea, were the two lookouts of the current shift. Both observed the water with their spyglass, directed in different directions. This went on for a while, until-
"Ship!" The one gazing northwest cried out.
His comrade was quick to shift his gaze to match. Indeed, in the distance there was a ship, sailing eastwards.
"Is it Firenese?" The second man asked.
"It's too dark to see properly," the first man reported.
The second man frowned. The ship had no flag, and even their sails seemed blank. They watched the ship as it continued its course, until-
"It stopped," the first man noted, surprised.
Indeed, the ship slowed down until it moved no more, ending almost straight ahead from their position.
"Must be anchoring for the night," the second man guessed.
"They're so close, why didn't they come here instead?" The first man wondered.
"That is strange," the second man's gaze narrowed.
No activity seemed to come from the ship. That they could see, anyway. Both men finally turned away, lowering their spyglasses.
"They can't be from Firene or Brodia, else they would've come here," the second man continued.
"Pirates?" The first man asked.
"They're still too close," the second man shook his head. "They should know we can see them from this distance."
He went pensive.
"Unless they're trying to shorten their distance towards Solm, or even Elusia, they had to have approached on purpose."
"Then what do we do?"
The second man gazed back towards the ship for a moment.
"I'll go report on this, you keep watching. In case something else arises."
"Yes, sir!" The first man saluted.
With that, the second man walked away, as the first brought back up his spyglass. So fixated he was on the ship, he failed to notice a group of figures, hovering just over the water, that were fast approaching also from the northwest. These ones, unlike the ship, were heading straight towards the castle.
Queen Lumera walked through the castle hallways. She had not retired to her own bedchamber after leaving Alear's. Instead, she had a different destination in mind. Deeper and deeper she went into the bowels of the building. Soon she reached a hallway with a large door at the end. The door itself bore Lythos' crest, emblazoned in gold. Upon reaching it, Lumera placed a hand over the door. The crest began to glow, afterwards the door opened on its own. Thus, she proceeded inside.
Inside was a large chamber filled with artifacts of all kinds, most of them being weapons; all placed atop racks, shelves, or pedestals. The chamber had no torches, but it was still well illuminated. The reason being at the very center. A large obelisk-shaped crystal stood, glowing a bright light blue, yet not blinding to anyone looking at it directly. Lumera walked over towards the crystal, where a pedestal stood just before it. A sword was held atop, adorned in black and gold, with a triangular blade.
Lumera took the blade, and held it close as she eyed it. She frowned.
To think I would hold this sword again…
There was a flash of light, and Emblem Sigurd materialized.
"Lumera, are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked. "Your condition-"
"It's fine, Sigurd," Lumera interrupted him, still looking at the sword. "I may be weaker, but I can still transform and use the sword just fine."
There was another flash, and the sword disappeared. She then turned to face Sigurd.
"I can still help my dear Alear, even in this state."
Sigurd frowned, not fully convinced.
"That is a big risk you're taking, Lumera," he said.
He then sighed.
"But I suppose nothing can be done for now. Especially since it would mean Alear learning the truth."
Lumera's expression saddened.
"I will admit it pains me to do this to him," she glanced away slightly. "Even more so that part of me hopes his memories may never return. But-"
Her face hardened again as she glanced back.
"He doesn't need to carry that burden once again. As his mother, I won't allow for that. This is a way for him to begin anew; free from the shackles of the past. I would not dare shatter that new life he will forge."
"I understand, but he should still know the truth," Sigurd said.
"When the time comes, I will tell him," Lumera replied. "But not now. Not when we still need to vanquish Sombron. Afterwards, perhaps."
"And should he recover his memories on his own before then?" Sigurd pointed out.
Lumera's expression faltered, but quickly recovered.
"Then we shall deal accordingly. Now then, we must move the rings to the Somniel."
With a nod, Sigurd disappeared in a flash of light, as Lumera made her way out of the chamber.
Ivy walked through the hallways. Being so late already, they were devoid of any fellow soul. Not even that of guards.
I suppose it really must not be necessary, the princess thought.
Lythos was so peaceful; it only needed to keep watch of its own shores it seems. Though the appearance of the Corrupted was a concern now.
If they keep showing up, they could draw the soldiers away from their posts, Ivy realized.
She suddenly stopped.
Was this their plan all along? Let the Corrupted distract and weaken the other countries enough, before striking?
It certainly made sense in her mind. Queen Lumera would probably already deduce something like that too, but telling her first thing in the morning would not hurt, just in case. She then resumed her walk, trying to reach the garden again, or at least a balcony or terrace. Just when she was rounding up a corner-
"Oh!"
Ivy found herself almost face to face with a girl; both stopping in time before a collision happened. The girl was clad in clerical garb, with a staff clutched in her hands.
Was there some late Mass I was not aware of? Ivy wondered.
"Oh, um, e-excuse me, Milady," the girl said with unease in her voice.
With a quick bow, she hurried past Ivy. The princess watched her leave for a moment, and frowned.
Is she just shy, or does she-
Ivy shook her head, and then simply resumed walking. It wasn't long before she found someone else at an intersection, and of all people, had to be-
"Oh, Princess Ivy," Alear said, surprised.
The Divine One himself. Ivy blushed slightly. Now she regretted not having changed to something more proper for her night stroll. On the other hand, a quick glance told her that he too was dressed in nightclothes.
"Divine One," she nodded in acknowledgement.
"You couldn't sleep, either?" Alear asked.
"Something like that," she replied. "A lot transpired today, after all."
"Yeah, I can understand that."
A small pause ensued.
"So, uh, where you heading somewhere in specific?" He then asked.
"Not really, as long it was outside," Ivy replied.
"I think I actually passed by a balcony," Alear glanced briefly at the hallway he emerged from. "We could go there."
"We?" Ivy was surprised.
"Only if you wish," Alear was quick to say. "But it would be better than just wandering aimlessly."
"N-no, I don't mind," Ivy shook her head, though a light blush appeared on her face. "It would be an honor to have your company, Divine One."
"An honor, yes…"
Alear looked pensive for a moment, before shaking his head and smiling.
"Well, let's go, then."
With that, the two resumed their walk, now together heading in the same direction.
The group of figures soon reached the cliffs of Lythos' northern shoreline. They were pegasi, carrying both riders and passengers. They hugged the cliffs as they continued east, before finally finding a gap leading inland. They followed this canyon until finally ascending once the castle was right above them. There was no outer wall in this part, nor windows or other places overlooking the area. They landed between the castle wall and the edge of the canyon.
One of the passengers dismounted, before reaching for the saddlebag of the mount, extracting what looked to be a stone slab from within. It had a symbol carved onto it, which glowed faintly red. The man looked nervous holding it, and so did just about everyone around him.
"Careful now, don't let that thing drop!" One of them called out, a woman clad in armor.
"Y-yes, ma'am," the soldier said.
Carefully, he walked over towards the wall itself, before gently placing the slab to rest against it. He would quickly scurried back and mount back.
"There, it's in place," the woman said, giving a satisfied nod. "Now we wait for Lady Veyle's signal."
Lumera reached the bridge leading to the Ring Vault. Calmly walking across, the Divine Dragon Monarch went inside.
She suddenly stopped. There was someone already inside. They had their back to her and wore a hooded cloak. Lumera quickly assumed a fighting posture, as the sword she took from the other vault materialized in her hand.
"Who are you!?" She demanded of the figure.
The figure turned around. Their face was still partially obscured, but it was clear now that they were a girl. Lumera frowned.
What is this feeling? She thought.
There was a sudden sense of… unease, suddenly permeating the room. The girl, for her part, suddenly smiled. An eerie looking smile, it actually send a small sense of dread on Lumera.
I hadn't felt this since-
She gasped.
"You're a Fell Dragon!" Lumera cried out. "You're Veyle, aren't you?"
"So, word has reached you," the girl, Veyle, said. "Seems you're not as closed off to the world as I was told. Then you must know why I am here too."
It was then that Lumera finally noticed that none of the pedestal sigils were glowing, indicating the rings had been removed.
"You won't take away the Emblem Rings!" Lumera declared.
"Am I not?" Veyle extracted a magic tome from within her cloak. "We'll see about that."
Alear and Ivy were at the balcony the former had mentioned. A cool breeze and starry night greeted them. Despite so, Ivy found herself far from relaxing. If anything, it only made her even more anxious.
I'm alone, with the Divine One, Ivy was thinking.
It was hard to ignore that he had more or less invited her here. She shook her head, as her face tinted red.
Don't misinterpret things. This is no midnight tryst.
Which only served to make her face even redder.
What am I even thinking!?
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Alear suddenly said. "The stars."
Snapped back to attention, Ivy glanced at him. Alear had his hands resting on the guardrail as he glanced upwards, making the princess do the same.
"They… certainly are," Ivy agreed, face still a bit red.
"I bet this was also how the night sky looked a thousand years ago," Alear then said.
Ivy went pensive, thankful the conversation was going somewhere else.
"Well, I'm no astronomer, but I'm sure that's the case."
"If it is, then I'm glad," Alear smiled.
"Huh?" Ivy looked back down at him, tilting her head in confusion.
"Since it means it's something that would still be familiar to me," Alear replied as he returned the gaze. "Or at least, it would if I had my memories."
"I see," Ivy spared a brief glance back up.
Alear's smile faltered as he too glanced back up.
"But even if I did, so many things would have changed regardless," Alear continued. "Even a thousand years must be long for a dragon, I think."
Ivy frowned. That was true. She knew her own country was proof of that.
"I suppose for some things change is indeed inevitable," she said.
"Surely I have changed, too," Alear said. "I can't possibly be acting as I did back then."
A small silence ensued.
"Well, even if you have, that doesn't mean it's bad," Ivy said at last. "And to tell the truth, from how you were described to be, it doesn't look that you have changed too much."
"Oh? Is that true?" Alear glanced back down, surprised.
"Well, one day might not be enough time to say for sure," Ivy returned the gaze. "But at least so far that's what I think."
"I see," Alear smiled. "That is reassuring to hear."
He nodded.
"Thank you, Princess."
"Ah, it's nothing," Ivy shifted her gaze away, unable to contain another blush.
The pegasi group continued waiting. They did so mostly in silence, though the armor-clad woman was focused in the sky overhead. As if waiting for something to happen. Which, eventually, it did. A sudden streak of light suddenly appeared, emerging from behind the castle and around the corner. It was black and purplish in color, and it glowed enough to be seen clearly against the night sky. The light headed in an upwards direction and it did not last long, barely more than a second. Few from the group managed to catch a glimpse of it, but it did not mattered. The woman did, and that was enough.
"The signal!" She called out.
This got everyone at attention, turning towards her.
"Alright, everyone, we act now!"
A few cheers followed. The pegasi took off, and they retreated into the canyon. Save for one, which remained hovering barely above the rim. The passenger, an archer, prepared his bow and arrow. Taking aim, he fired. As soon as the arrow released, the rider quickly had the pegasi join the rest below. The arrow swiftly hit its target, which was the slab. The force was enough to crack the stone. The sigil began to glow brighter, as the cracks expanded, with the glow also seeping into them.
Then it exploded.