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A blog for my Etrian Odyssey fan-story/series âEmpyrean Tale: Overcome the Labyrinthâ. Whether you wanna read the story, talk characters, or just talk EO stuff, itâs fine by me!
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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
sometimes i remember overcome the labyrinth is a story that is ongoing and needs to be written instead of me posting 3000 zandiel imagesâď¸BOOK 2 CHAPTER 9 UP
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Quality
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Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Overcome the Labyrinth Book II: Chapter 7 - Havoc of the Anglers
//The fishing competition begins! The Empyreans (and Leonidas) must prove themselves against competitors new and old in the Waterfall Wood!//
[AO3 LINK]
Thanks to Leonidas having access to a Geomagnetic Pole heâd found near the Giantâs Ruins, the group was able to reach the Waterfall Wood with time to spare. There was a small crowd in the center of the room. In the middle stood an Yggdroid with a red bowtie and small, spherical robots hovering around him.
âYes. There are five teams total.â the Yggdroid said. One of the mini robots hovered closer to him. âGreen, you will observe Group Three: Solo adventurer, Naia. Andâ Oh!â
The Yggdroid waved at the group. Even without a conventional face, it was easy to feel his enthusiasm. âHello! I am H0-5T, the host for the directive: Fishing Competition! Are you here to participate?â
Even his voice had a cheer to it, making Zandiel smile. He opened his mouth to reply.
âYep!â Kor said, raising a hand. âGuild Empyrean, thatâs our name! And weâre gonna win this fishy game!â
Wing, who was tasked with carrying Kor, barked loudly. Multiple eyes were on the guild. Zandiel wasnât sure if he wanted to shrink back or encourage Korâs behavior. He seemed both excited and proud of the guild.
âYes, thatâs us.â Zandiel added.
âThen you may call me 5T, you daring, bold challengers!â the Yggdroid said, pointing to them. Once he did, every mini robot floated their way.
âWhat are thoseââ
Before Zandiel could finish, each robot flashed a bright light on the team. The group shouted and covered their eyes. Wing ducked her head into the ground with a whine, causing Kor to nearly fall off her back.
âFiend!â Leonidas shouted, grabbing the hilt of his sword without a momentâs hesitation. âPrepare yourseââ
âThe spotlight falls on our newest challengers! Guild Name: Empyrean! Tell me your names!â
âZaâ A-Ain! Ain. A warning would do, next time!â Zandiel rubbed his eyes, still rattled by the blinding light.
Leonidas drew his sword. Even with his eyes closed in a narrow passage, he avoided harming anyone with the draw. âLeonidas! Prepare yourseââ
âI did not mean to provoke you! Put away your weapon!â 5T quickly replied. âNext name!â
H0-5T soon had everyoneâs names and left the group, but not before catching them up on the rules.
Kill as many Fanged Fish as you can before the assigned Botâs alarm goes off.
One Bot will accompany each team to keep an accurate, unbiased score.
Participants will be disqualified if caught purposefully attempting to share kills with other teams, as that would confuse the Bots.
Participants will be disqualified if they leave the labyrinth or the first floor.
Any participant that purposefully harms a Bot will receive appropriate punishment.
Zandiel nodded at the rules, as quickly as they were stated. He couldnât bring himself to say much after the last one, though. He just nodded again. Afterwards, the guild was given a bot. It had a purple screen where the score would be displayed.
Kor smiled at the entity that bobbed up and down. âItâs kinda cute! Reminds me of a big eye, though.â
âHey there, Empyrean! Nice seeing you again! I didn't know you guys were famous!â an unfamiliar person approached the team. They were a Therian with white hair, dressed similarly to the dancers of Tharsis. Their long hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and a cat-like tail swayed along with them.
âWell, hey to the wolf! I remember you from last week. Remember me?â they asked with a wink.
Wing walked up to the Therian and flopped down in front of them.
âWuhââ Kor looked down at Wing, then back to the guild. âWhenâd any of you meet this guy?â
They laughed, waving a hand. âIâm⌠not a guy, but! Some of your guildmates were looking for the ruins on this island a few nights ago. The Celestrian with the purple hair and the Earthlain with the red hair. And they were with this wolfâ I mean Wing!â they explained as they ruffled Wingâs head.
âOh.â Zandiel cleared his throat. âI-I see.â
âYeah, I guess they found it alright. Anyway, the nameâs Machias, member of the Havoc Guild!â they stuck out a hand to Zandiel. âNice to meet you.â
Zandiel shook Machiasâ hand. âYes, itâs a pleasure. Though it seems weâll have to compete for a while.â
âThatâs right,â Kor said. âNo hard feelings when we totally stomp you.â
Zandiel glared down at Kor, who was looking up expectantly, nodding at Zandiel with a cocky smile.
Very well, just this once.
âWe wonât hold back, Machias. And⌠Thereâs nothing wrong with getting second place, Havoc Guild.â he added with a smile.
âYeah! Tell âem, Ai!â
âOh thatâs cute.â a new voice said. She was a brown-haired Earthlain wearing the traditional uniform of an Arcanian Herbalist, but she had a giant alchemical gauntlet attached to her left hand. âBig talk, too. Whoâre these people?â
âCâmon, didnât you hear the host? This is the Empyrean Guild. You know, the fishers who found that first set of ruins? Thereâs⌠Ain, Kor, Ruki, Wing, Leonidas.â they pointed to each member, then to the alchemist. âThis is Cadence, Havocâs alchemist.â
âWait, theyâre fishers?!â Cadence looked at Machias with worry before looking back at the guild.
So thatâs what Machias meant by famous. Persephone had also mentioned their accomplishments in the shrine and jungle when requesting they investigate the Southern Shrine. Among the countless explorers, it felt odd to stick out and be known. âŚAnd for their fishing trip to still be one of their exploits.
âBut this isnât gonna be as easy as hooking some fish on a rod!â Cadence said, her confidence returning as if itâd never left. âDo you even know what youâre getting into?â
âOf course. Weâre capable fighters as well.â Zandiel replied. âActually, most of us arenât fishers to begin with.â
âFour minutes and thirteen seconds until the competition begins!â 5T announced. âAny last minute preparations, drop-outs, additions, or advice? Please come to me, in any such case!â
âHm⌠But really,â Machias murmured. âI donât think you guys are the only tough ones around here. That Therian over there seems like a competitive threat.â
âHeâs just one guy.â Cadence said. âQuit stroking his tail, damn!â
âIâm not! Iâm being serious! HeâsâŚâ Machias looked over their shoulder, then looked back. âActually, Ain. You know him, donât you?â
âHm?â
Zandiel also looked over Machiasâ shoulder. He had to narrow his eyes to see that Tenmaar was sitting under a tree, facing away from all the competition.
âYes, I do. Did he tell you about me?â
âNah, I havenât spoken to him. I saw you two walking together one time. I thought, wow, his tail is gorgeous.â
Zandiel laughed.
âI meanâ Iâm not jealous or anything, it really does seem like a huge hassle, but wowâŚâ
âWould you stop drooling over that guyâs tail?!â Cadence hissed, pressing a finger into Machiasâ chest. âIf he ends up distracting you, I swearâŚ!â
âNot to worry, I believe he hides it during battle.â Zandiel said. âNow I know Kor seemed a bit competitive, but heâs only having fun, and I hope to do the same.â He held a hand out to Cadence. âI truly hope there are no hard feelings, come what may.â
Cadence took Zandielâs hand. âAlright, alright.â
With a wave from Cadence and a goodbye from Machias, Zandiel decided to at least say hello to Tenmaar. Who knew if theyâd see each other during the competition? He was still sitting by the tree. His eyes were closed, and his legs were crossed. Was he meditating, orâŚ
âTenmaar?â Zandiel spoke quietly. A part of him didnât want to disturb him, but he honestly couldn't tell if he was asleep.
âYeah?â Tenmaar opened his eyes with a flick of his ear. âHere to tell me no hard feelings?â
âNo, no⌠That was just a bit of friendly competitive encouragement.â
âObviously.â Tenmaar stretched an arm up and sighed. âBut that Korâs a little punk. Try not to make actual enemies with him around.â
âHeâs no punk, but I understand where youâre coming from.â Zandiel leaned against the tree. âI don't mean to sound rude, but are you aiming for the first prize alone?â
Tenmaar shook his head. âIâve been needing to let off some steam lately. I figured clearing out monsters and maybe getting some money out of itâs a good way to do it. What about you?â
âThe prize would be nice.â he admitted. âWe actually came here to defeat some Scylla Crabs for dinner, but we learned about this competition on the way. Hopefully weâll get first place and have some seafood for dinner.â
âIs that why Leeâs with you guys?â
âYes! Alverion wanted some crab legs, and Leonidas wanted to help.â
âSure, but⌠You know this competition lasts for six hours, right? Dinner usually starts at five. Unless you're quitting early.â
âWellâŚâ he looked at Leonidas, who was speaking enthusiastically with a blue-haired Ronin. The two had their swords out, and seemed to be comparing them. âHe likely has a plan.â
Tenmaar glared at the Shogun. âIf I get back to the inn after this and no oneâs cooked anything, Iâm gonna be pissed.â
The more Zandiel thought it out, the less certain he was of tonightâs dinner. âFolze should have something ready by then.â
âOne minute until the competition begins!â 5T said. âGather your teams and prepare to leave through either of the doors!â
Tenmaar stood up, dragging his Drive Blade along with him and causing a quiet chime to come from him. âAlright, guess itâs time.â
âWas that a bell?â
âUh. Yeah.â he looked away and mumbled, â...tail.â
Once he caught on, he looked behind Tenmaar and saw a small silver bell tied on the base of the tail. âOh. You really do like to accessorize! It looks lovely.â
Either Tenmaar didnât respond, or H0-5T starting his countdown drowned out Tenmaarâs voice as he headed to one of the doors. Zandiel hurried off to the opposite. H0-5T took off his bow and held it high once he reached five. He held it up until he counted to one, then swung his hand down with a galvanizing âGO!â
âAlright, letâs do this- hey!â Kor shouted as a group of adventurers ran past. âSheeesh. Alright, competitionâs serious.â
Ruki signed to Kor with a frown, then a roll of her eyes.
âI goaded an appropriate amount.â Kor reasoned, looking away and crossing his arms.
Now that they were in a main area of the labyrinth, Zandiel took a look around. The Waterfall Wood was beautiful. True to its name, there was a small waterfall pouring down a ravine, leaving a pleasant petrichor scent and a refreshing breeze. There were lively, vibrant flowers dotted around too. Like many labyrinths, it would have been relaxing and serene if not for the monsters.
Zandiel took a deep breath. It was a shame⌠he really would have enjoyed a picnic here. Maybe there was still a way to arrange that.
Ruki pat Zandiel on the shoulder and pointed to the Bot that was assigned to them. It hovered around as if it didnât know what to do.
âAh, right. Iâm getting distracted.â
Ruki pointed to Leonidas, who was similarly in awe, but was a bit further back than the Empyrean Guild.
âLeonidas?â he asked. The Shogun was startled, grabbing the hilt of his blade.
âOne must offer his apologies. We were reminiscing!â Leonidas said, taking out his silver, nameless sword. âTo see the Waterfall Wood after all this time, and on an entirely different continent, is odd.â
âYeah, you get it!â Kor said. âThatâs how I felt when we walked into the Lush Woodlands.â
âMhmm.â Ruki agreed before pulling out her weapon. âShh.â
Zandiel took out his shield, standing near Kor and Wing. A green spiky creature and a blue mollusk came skulking out the bushes.
âWell those arenât fish.â Kor scoffed. âShould we run or fight?â
âWhat are they capable of, exactly?â Zandiel asked. Heâd prefer to know something before making their decision, and Leonidas was the perfect person to explain.
âAnalysis:â the Bot said, startling everyone. âDeadly Durian. Origin: Waterfall Wood, Armoroad Yggdrasil. Current Location: Waterfall Wood, Lemuria. Description: A fruit monster with a pungent smell. Its thorns temporarily rob the victim's sight. Weaknesses: Cutting, High Temperatures. Resistances: Electricity.â
âOh. Iââ
The Bot quickly offered its analysis on the other enemy. A Starry Slug, capable of conjuring ice, weak to piercing, and resistant to all magical elements.
âAhem. Thank you very much. Thereâs no use in avoiding them. We should be able to dispatch them quickly.â Zandiel had to wonder what else these Bots could do.
The monsters had turned to them by now, and particles of energy were gathering around the slug.
âWell said! NowâŚâ Leonidas threw an outstretched, commanding hand out. âFight! Let us see how much stronger the Empyrean Guild has become since our last labyrinth cooperation!â
Zandiel started by narrowly blocking the ice the slug had shot towards him.
âWhat?! Dudeâ arenât you gonna help?!â Kor shouted.
âDirectly? Only if necessary, or if there are Scylla Crabs. Otherwise, we will play a more backline, strategic role. This is a challenge for the Empyrean Guild, after all!â
âUuughâŚÂ So much for an easy first placeâŚâ
With three frontline fighters, the enemies werenât much of a challenge. The Durian was killed after Zandiel blocked its blinding attack. Ruki swept in and performed a downward slash, cutting the Durian with a burst of flame.
The Starry Slug was defeated with a shield bash from Zandiel. It flattened the slug against the ground with a loud squelch. Zandiel wished he could tear his eyes away as it squirmed under the shield before going limp.
What an unsettling sight...
Leonidas applauded the guild before they continued on.
Not long in, Rukiâs ear twitched, and she beckoned the guild to follow her. Reaching a new area of the room, the guild found a stream of water.
âYes~!â Kor cheered. âItâs fishing time, right?â
âIndeed.â Leonidas replied. âYou are in pursuit of Fanged Fish, the red ones. Those and the purple Devilfish utilize the elements of surprise and numbers to fell their prey. Proceed with caution.â
Zandiel nearly took a step back from the stream, but stepped forward instead, raising his shield. He was the teamâs main source of defense. To shrink away would be an embarrassment. He looked into the water, seeing gentle ripples forming on the surface.
âThe fish jump out of the water in groups, and show no mercy once theyâve latched onto their prey with their sharp fangs!â Leonidas explained. âThe Devilfish in particularââ
Two red fish shot out from the ripples of water with the speed of a bullet. One smacked into Zandielâs shield with enough force to make him stagger. Ruki gasped after hearing a thud nearby. A fish had barreled right into Korâs body, knocking him off of Wingâs back.
âOwâŚ!â
The fish had landed on the surface, barely dazed as it floated back up, its eyes set on the injured Brouni. Wing snarled at the monster before whipping her knife out and charging at it. Ruki ran through and picked up Kor.
âAin, yours has recovered!â Leonidas shouted. The fish that had struck Zandielâs shield shot back up, aiming directly at his face this time. He swung his shield into its body, sending it into a more open area on the surface.
âRuki! Behind you!â Two fish, one purple and one red, emerged from the water. Ruki turned around, swinging her blade in an arc that distanced the fish. With her other hand, she squeezed Kor closer to her.
âG-Get em, RuâŚ!â he pressed a hand against his body, with light Mana emitting from it.
Zandiel had ended up a bit further away, engaged with the fish that had attacked him. Alone and further from its allies, the fish floated cautiously. It rammed into his shield, but had tilted its body before doing so, making it slide off the side.
He couldn't react in time, and the fish used the momentum to double back and bite into his torso. There was a layer of scale armor, but he could still feel the pressure of its jaws and teeth through it.
Zandiel calmed his panic and backed further away from the body of water. Other fish were bound to gang up on him if he stayed close. Zandiel drove the tip of his sword down. It pierced into the fish while being able to slide across his armor, leaving the fish skewered through the blade.
It hissed and gurgled, thrashing in an attempt to bite deeper into the armor. Zandiel scowled at its persistence before pulling his sword away. Blood seeped down the fishâs body as its wound was pried open further. Its body was being stretched apart as Zandiel pulled, yet it wouldnât let go.
He shut his eyes in disgust with one last pull, feeling his sword freed from the monsterâs body. Squinting an eye open, everything except its head had been split in two, each side of its body limply hanging and dripping with blood.
It was dead, but its bite had been strong enough to keep it hanging onto him. Zandiel pulled the monster from his armor, then tossed it into the water before he could think more about it. He looked to the rest of his teammates.
Ruki thrust her blade into an airborne Fanged Fish, sending a jolt of lightning through it. Once it stopped convulsing, she swung it off and across the stream with a huff.
And thenâŚ
There was silence.
âŚ
âSeven!â With everyone startled, the same number displayed on the botâs monitor for a moment. âGreat work!â
Kor cheered. Zandiel was glad to hear his voice, but now he was confused.
âSeven⌠Fanged Fish?â he asked, looking around. There were a few dead fish scattered, and even a Durian. âWhen?â
âThe Devilfish,â Leonidas said as he walked up to the stream and placed the blade of his nameless sword into it. âHave the ability to summon Fanged Fish with a call. One would have warned you all, but they set upon us before we had the chance.â
Leonidas took a deep breath, removing the sword and swinging it through the air. âOne must apologize. We do not mean to coddle, but⌠we also have no desire to see any of you hurt.â
âWhy would you apologize for that, Leonidas? You saved us from a worse conflict. Thatâs not what I would call coddling.â
âIt⌠is not?â Leonidas whispered, gaze fixed on the now-gentle waves. âBut Iâ one has greater battle experience than you all. How will you learn if you do not experience all sides of combat? Even the sides that invariably end in pain, such as ambushes?â
Confused, Zandiel couldnât stop himself from chuckling. âBut you came here to help us, right? Even if you were strictly here for the crabs, thereâd be little to gain if we were fatally wounded.â
Leonidas didn't answer immediately. He gazed into the water with a faint, apologetic smile.
âOne may have found himself⌠delving too far into his own head. Yes. We came here to help.â
Zandiel lightly tapped a hand against his shoulder. âAnd I thank you for your help, Leonidas. Now let's check on everyone.â
The other three were around the corner, sitting near a wall of foliage in a small alcove.
âIs Kor alright?â Zandiel asked.
âI am now.â he said. âWon't lie, I think some ribs were fractured. But theyâre all better now.â
Zandiel covered his mouth. âA-Are you certain?âÂ
âYep! Câmon, Ai. Don't you know how healing magic works?â
âI⌠may? Somewhat?â
Ruki shrugged at Kor.
âOkay, I guess not.â Kor realized. âBasically, the less time itâs been since the injury or illness, the better chance it has to, like, work without complications. So Iâm mostly fine.â
âI see⌠Healing magic truly is a wonder.â
âAnd don't you forget it!â Kor wagged a finger around. Though he kept the other hand on his ribs as the light continued to glow. The group decided to take a quick break, and Kor pulled a snack out of his bag. Recalling that Kor hadnât had lunch, Zandiel wondered if it was possible to find any regular fish outside of the labyrinth to cook.
âWell first, weâd get disqualified if we left. Second, what about the fish here?â Kor wondered.
Zandiel glared at the body of water the fish had come out of. âWould you really want to eat those?â
âYou need not worry, Leader Ain. One considers himself a gourmand of Waterfall Wood monsters. These fish are as safe as any other.â Leonidas placed a hand under his chin, looking out into the same stream with a wistful smile. âBack in Armoroad, we cooked and ate every animal many times, even the Greedy Lizard.â
âEven, hm?â Zandiel grumbled. âI suppose we should be careful of that monster?â
âCertainly! It spews venom! You must also cook it a certain way to avoid a deadly venom running in your veins.â
âWhat?!â
âSo itâs like those famous pufferfish, right?â Kor asked. When Leonidas nodded, he got giddy. âWooowâŚ! So howâd you not die trying those?
âOne always ventured with a Monk! Sometimes multiple!â he responded proudly. âOne would cook in the sanctioned campsites of the labyrinth, and they would remain on standby, quick to heal at the mildest detection of bodily issues. Their Qi allowed for such feats.â
âHuh. Thatâs smart. Guess Iâll be the one on standby this time?â
âNo need. We have mastered the art of preparing a Greedy Lizard for consumption. Furthermore, no meal at the Baku Inn will include those creatures. One understands how cautious the everyday person may be of such a dish.â
âG-Good.â Zandiel said. âI trust you, but Iâd rather not try a monster like that.â
âHow unfortunate⌠We must work on your adventurous spirit.â Leonidas solemnly shook his head with an exaggerated sigh.
âNo, no, I believe Iâm adventurous. I simply donât like the idea of eating certain monsters. Those are completely different matters.â
âI dunnoâŚâ Kor said, a few crumbs of food falling from his mouth. âI remember the time Ylva told us how scared you were when she talked about that one Cutter quest. You know, with the heart?â
Zandiel gasped, spluttering as he heard Kor and Ruki chuckle. If he focused enough, he would have sworn Wing was doing something similar. âThatâsâ P-Putting up with the disgusting beating heart of a monster and its blood is also completely different! Thatâs absolutely not what you think of when you call someone adventurous!â
âOkay, so what do you think of when you call someone adventurous?â he asked, sticking a finger out towards Zandiel. âHm? Hmm?â
âSomeone who is willing to try new things, of course! I amââ
âNot willing to eat Greedy Lizards. Or grab monster parts.â
Ruki nodded with a smile.
âThose are diffâahemâdifferent!â Zandiel nearly whined before catching himself. âE-Excuse me. Our ideas of adventurous cover completely different grounds, but Iâm not wrong, am I?â
Leonidas gave him a smile that veered on piteous. âYou are not incorrect, but⌠It seems you have been fortunate enough to not witness a sight or event that unsettles you to the point of paralysis. As a frontline fighter, there mayâ no, willâ come a time where you have to handle such a moment. Prior experience in similar situations with less urgency will prepare you better.â
âSo this is not a matter of âadventurousâ, but⌠will, one supposes. The will to protect, or continue fighting, or to simply keep moving. You may not be capable of completely removing your disgust, but you must learn to at least steel your nerves when such times come.â
âOhâŚâ The thought hadnât crossed his mind until now, but wasn't this also what it meant to be one of the guildâs shields? He would need unwavering courage. He had to put away his fears to protect others. Heâd done similar things aboard the expedition, but never in a situation that truly unsettled him.
âWhen you put it like that, I see where youâre coming from.â
Leonidas smiled. âOne would hope so! But that is enough on the matter for now. Let us enjoy the rest of our break before resuming the contest! Shall I cook us some Fanged Fish?â
With a resounding cheer from everyone except Zandiel, their break continuedâŚ
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
/ Zandiel meets Oz, and the two discover some strange things. /
lately something goes wrong with italics & bold when i try to post the text directly so I'm only posting the link for now. BOOK 2 CHAPTER 5'S HERE WOOO đđ also immm hoping to have a better schedule for OtL for a good while, now
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 4: Confidence, Worry
//Zandiel wakes up, talks with Siegril about last night, and we get to see what a certain duo is up to again.//
âAinâŚ? What are you doing here?â
 Alverion tilted his head. He appeared confused. Worried, even through that smile and particular placement of a finger on his chin.
 Zandiel opened his mouth, trying to call for Alverionâs help. He couldnât move on his own.
 âThereâs no reason to go in there again, is there? Especially not alone.âÂ
 His body turned towards the door, but Alverion grabbed him by the arm before he even realized it.
 âOh! I was being cordial, but I guess you didnât like that. HmhmâŚâ His grip got tighter as he leaned closer to his ear.
 âWhat do you plan on doing with Ain?â
 Zandiel wasn't sure what to feel. Glad? Reassured? Scared? Alverion seemed to have caught onto this quickly, but how? And was that going to be enough?
 A translucent barrier was placed in front of the door that led to the Eastern Shrineâs seal.
 âBecause,â his voice was loud and clear. âThis wasn't ordained.â
 ⌠⌠âŚ
 âAlverion!â
 Zandiel woke up with a start. Grasping the sheets below him, fighting to catch his breath. It took him a moment to realize he was looking up at a familiar, mahogany wood ceiling.
 He was in his room.
 âAin.â
 And that was Siegrilâs voice. From the sound of it, this wasn't the first time heâd tried to get his attention.
 It wasn't long before Siegrilâs expressionless face came into view from above.
 No. There was concern in his eyes, even if it was hard to notice.
 âMy⌠apologies, for waking you.â Zandiel was still catching his breath.
 âI wasnât asleep.â
 âWere you⌠about to, then?â He had reason to believe it was still late evening, until he took a glance towards the window. A faint sunbeam did what it could to light up the room. It had to be early morning.
 It was confusing, being able to see such a faint light, but Zandiel put it aside.
 âDid you stay up all night, Siegril?â
 âYeah. I was worried.â
 âAnd now Iâm worried for your health.â he looked back at Siegril, whose expression hadnât changed. âWhat made you stay awake?â
 âYou.â It was only a moment before Siegrilâs answer came, but it felt too long. A switch had been flipped in Zandielâs mind and body. He could feel his legs ache. He recalled running a great distance, but that wasn't right.Â
 That wasn't right.
 âI kept you awake. With my nightmares, no?â there were lingering emotions and pains from the dream that felt too real, but that just wasnât right. âI apologize. The nightmare⌠was quite a ridiculous one! I had run out of my roomâ no, Maginia itself. AndâŚâ
 His legs were burning.
 âI encountered Alverion in the ruins on this island. We spoke for a moment, and then we⌠fought.â
 He swallowed, letting out an uneven breath. He couldnât look at Siegril while he recounted the story. âIâd ran away after that. Later I encountered you, Ylva, and Wing. We were in front of an entirely different set of ruins. And then I started⌠giving you all orders! Such strange orders about these supposed seals! Well, no, it wasnât me, exactly, but, ah, nevermind! Ridiculous, right?â
 He laughed. Heâd rambled every word out, and was waiting for Siegril to cut him off at some point. To say âThatâs a stupid dream.â or âDonât read about weird things before going to sleep.â, or even âOkay.â.
 So why didnât he?
 âThat wasnât a dream.â
 Zandiel didn't move. Instead he closed his eyes and hummed despondently, after a minute.
 Of course it was real. Heâd lost control of his body and went on a rampage. It couldnât even be excused by the actions of a monster inflicting some effect onto his mind. This was something inside of him. The apparition? That dark flame? The voice heâd hear in his mind at times, and even last night? That sand-colored entity he spotted in a dream, once?
 It could have been any number of them. Multiple entities that tugged him around like a puppet without a will or purpose.
 Zandiel felt sick, but how he felt didn't matter to him. Especially not right now.
 He tossed the covers aside. âWhere is Alverion?â
 âHeâs fine. Heâs in his room.â
 âFine? No, I remember. The blood, his face, theâthe way he dropped to the ground, Iââ
 âHeâs fine.â Siegril repeated. âI think you were able to hold that thing back⌠If that helps you feel better.â
 It took Zandiel a moment to register Siegrilâs words. Once he did, his shoulders sagged. He looked down at the covers he was still gripping onto.
 He was able to hold it back? It didnât feel like it, but for Alverion to still be alive, it must have been the case.
 âIt⌠It does.â he admitted, letting go of the sheets. âThank you.â
 âYeah. Heâs hurt, but heâll get over it. Especially with Oz helping him. Youâre more important right now.â
 âDonât say that. My condition is not a prioriââ
 âYes it is.â Siegrilâs narrowed, focused gaze was piercing right through Zandiel. âYouâre the one who got possessed, you probably know what happened the most. We havenât had time to figure things out. I think Folze is still trying to, but I haven't seen or heard him today.â
 â...Oh.â
 Siegrilâs gaze lost most of its edge after that. âWhat else do you remember?â
 Zandiel let his legs hang off the bed. Tentatively, he patted the spot next to him.
 Siegril took a seat.
 âI remember every word that Iâ t-that thing spoke through my mouth.â Zandiel was quick to correct himself, and he almost bit his tongue. That wasnât him. It didnât excuse how he was too weak to resist its control, but that wasnât him. âI donât know the identity of what controlled me, but I have reason to believe it is not entirely human, if at all.â
 âAlright.â Siegril said. âIt called itself a Bringer of Prosperity. And it talked about Lemuria. I dunno what any of that means for its identity, but maybe thereâs something in a library.â
 Lemuria. A sense of dread was beginning to form around that single word.
 Lemuria. Prosperity. Seals. Maginia. Lemurian.
 âHmmâŚâ Zandiel held a hand against his head.
 If anyone had a chance of knowing, it would be the one who issued the expedition. And yet, something was stopping him.
 The name of the archipelago suddenly held more weight when thought alongside Princess Persephone Maginias. But why? Did she have ties to Lemuria? Ones that ran deeper than a desire to chart the uncharted archipelago?
 Why?
 Zandiel placed a hand over his mouth once he recalled Persephoneâs words from yesterday.
 âDo you know about the rumored treasure of Lemuria? The one thatâs said to bring prosperity to whoever wields it?â
 âPersephoneâŚ?â he whispered.
 âOh, yeah. Sheâs leading the expedition. If anyone knows, itâs gonna be her or the people working with her. Guess youâll need to schedule a meeting.â
 He turned to Siegril. âNo.â
 Siegril glared at him, mouth parted like he wanted to say something.
 âForgive me. I meantâŚâ What did he mean? Why was the thought of meeting Persephone again this unnerving to him? As if his very core was being shaken just at the mention. âI-I don't know. Considering the thing controlling me broke the entrance to that Shrine so soon after she went out of her way to unlock it, it just feels⌠strange.â
 âWhy? She probably doesnât know. Even if she does, she shouldnât care. Explorers die in labyrinths. If she gets mad about an old door being broken, and not the dead explorers and soldiers, then...â
 Siegril kicked a foot off the ground. âThatâs her problem, not yours.â
 âYouâŚâ Zandiel lowered his head. âI suppose so. Very well, Iâll meet with her once weâre done with breakfast.â his skin still felt prickly at the thought, knowing that her hypothetical anger wasnât the issue.
 âYou don't have to do it today.â Siegril said. âYou should probably rest more.â
 Should he? He knew he was in pain from the waist down, and his arm had felt offâ much less than he expected after slamming it into two stone wallsâ but he already felt guilty for causing this incident in the first place.
 He closed his eyes. The ticking of the clock, the murmurs of life outside, even the twoâs breathing. He kept his eyes closed and listened to it all, trying to calm himself.
 He couldnât recall hurting anyone else, and Alverion was physically well, according to Siegril. Mentally, though⌠he wouldnât be surprised by any change in attitude. And that was the least he was expecting once they saw each other again.
 Zandiel trembled. As much as he wanted to see Alverion just minutes ago, the thought scared him now.
 âAre you okay?â
 âNoâ dammit, what the hell is happening?â What was the point of hiding how he felt? Especially to someone who knew whatâd happened. âEven if it wasnât me, I justâ What the hell is wrong with me? What is all of this?!â
 He held himself by his arms. âMy blood, the apparition, the voice, my eyes, and now I canât control my own body, anymore?! That thing kept calling me a vessel. Is that all I am, now? A host for some⌠thing?!â
 It was quiet after that. For a while, neither spoke or even moved, save for Siegril tapping his foot on the ground sporadically.
 âI think you are.â
 Zandiel blinked. He looked at Siegril. His mind swarmed with questions, statements, arguments. Did he want to refute him? Didnât he agree? He thought he did, until he heard it from Siegril.
 No, he wasnât.
 Yes, he was.
 No, heâŚ
 âI never told you why you had a bounty on you. Back when I was hired to kill you in Novaras. My client said there was something trapped in the Nameir bloodline, and it had to be extricated⌠They didnât really say much, but they gave me a weapon to kill you with.â
 Zandiel let the words process before he covered his mouth with a slow, shaky hand. This was too much.
 Siegril stood up, walking to his side of the room and crouching under his bed. âThey said it would free the flame inside you if it struck your heart. I thought it was all just a weird metaphor, but nowâŚâ
 A flame.
 It had to be the one that Alverion mentioned. How did unrelated people like Alverion or whoever Siegrilâs client know, but not him? Was this something he was supposed to know? Did his father know? Had he ever planned on telling him, if so? Or was his time cut short before he could?
 âIt was suspicious, but it was a job.â
 Zandiel hadn't realized Siegril had sat next to him until he spoke up. In his lap was a black rectangular box. It was accented with purple lines that faded into red, and converged in the center.
 A large red eye lay there. Protruding, unblinking, and unnervingly realistic.
 Siegril tapped his fingers on the box. âI didn't think Iâd ever need to think about this contract again, but after last night, itâs been on my mind. Youâre a vessel for something.â
 Zandiel tried to nod. All he managed was lowering his head.
 Siegril ran a hand across the box before opening it with a click. The knife had a similar design to the container, except the hilt was a sandy color, and the blade was pitch black with purple veins running through it.
 Embedded in the hilt was a small red eye with a black sclera.
 Familiar, Siegril thought. How did he not recall this the moment he saw Zandielâs eyes?
 Carefully placing the box on the bed, he spun the knife in his hand before catching it and looking at the despondent Zandiel next to him. He was facing the ground, his hands were pressed against the bed, and he was completely lost in thought.
 âDonât move.â Siegril warned. Before he could lean in, Zandiel did just that, slowly turning to Siegril and looking down at the weapon in his hand.
 âAin."
 Something seemed to click in Zandielâs mind as his visible eye opened wider and wider. His body was trembling, and he let out a breath that sounded like heâd been choked.
 Siegril knew that general demeanor quite well. The fear of pain or death had a pretty universal reaction, from what heâd seen.
 Though, why was Zandiel giving him that look?
 âŚ
 Oh.
 âIâm not gonna stab you.â He thought it was obvious enough to not mention in the first place. âI wanna see if the weapon has a reaction to you. Or the other way around.â
 Zandiel swallowed. He nodded stiffly, and kept his eyes on the knife. âI⌠I see. Please⌠Please warn me next time.â
 He was calming down, but there was still a sense of fear in the air and throughout his body. It was still too easy to pick out.
 âOkay. Sorry. Can I test your neck first?â
 âY-Yes. You may.â
 Without any more preamble, Siegril casually pressed the spine of the knife against his neck. Zandielâs body twitched as his breath got caught in his throat.
 Siegril looked at the eye of the weapon. It was the most standout part, yet it didnât do anything. Maybe the weapon needed to 'tasteâ Zandielâs blood to react, and vice-versa. That was possible. Or, maybe it needed to be right near the heart.
 Just as Siegril was about to bring up his theories, Zandielâs body twitched again.
 And again.
 Then it morphed into a full-body shiver as he wrapped his hands around his abdomen. He let out a sound that lacked any breath behind it. Once again, it was caught in his throat, but this one sounded more painful.
 Siegril pulled the knife away in an instant, quietly observing. All Zandiel did after was give one final shudder, curling in on himself slightly and letting out a deep sigh.
 âTh-That was⌠unexpected. And awful.â he explained after a grim, forced laugh. âTruly⌠an awful feeling.â
 And worrying, Siegril added internally, but Zandiel didn't seem to be in any pain, so he was fine carrying on.
 âDid it feel like something was crawling inside you?â To his surprise, Zandiel shook his head, and straightened himself out quickly.
 âNo, fortunately. It was just a deeply unsettling chill. And it almost sounded like someone was⌠breathing, is what Iâll call it.â
 He placed a hand on his chest and forced himself to laugh again. âAhh, I guess you were right. And the amount of complete strangers whoâd known except me, apparently. Something really is in here. I should have known, but I didnât. I hadnât noticed, hadn't realized⌠But itâs apparently so easy to figure out!â Heâd gripped at his shirt, and his voice was fuming with a barely-concealed rage.
 Siegril didnât know what to say. What could he say? Zandiel was right in his confusion and anger. How did the client know, yet the target didnât?
 And, apparently, there were others?
 âWho else knows?â from the sound of it, only this client and Siegril himself knew. Who else could have learned? The hospital, maybe?
 âAlverion.â
 Siegril could feel his eye twitch, especially when Zandiel didnât list anyone else.
 Alverion, Alverion, Alverion.
 Why was that man always up to something? Why did he always seem involved in something? If they werenât guild members, he would have had a confrontation with him by now at the least.
 No, scratch that. Once Alverion was awake and stable, Siegril was getting answers from him. This was the last bit of leeway he was giving that suspicious bastard.
 âHe said the flame inside of me had something to do with a goal of hisâŚâ Zandiel spoke quietly, and without certainty. âIf I recall, the flame was only shown to him in a vision once he boarded Maginia. He believes following it will help him in his journey to become closer to the stars.â
 âDo you actually believe that?â
 âWell, I have no reason not to. Especially not now.â Zandiel replied. âThere seem to be more suspicious people out there who are aware of this flame, such as your client who had a specialized weapon made to⌠contain it. Alverion seeing it in a vision and not knowing what it is is quite tame in comparison.â
 At that, Siegril leaned forward, getting a look at Zandielâs uncertain frown. âWhat do you mean he doesn't know what it is?â
 âHe told me he saw a vision of a dark flame emerge from me during the fight against Cernunnos. Specifically, in the realities he saw where the fight kept going. He doesnât seem to actually know anything about this flame. He just knows itâs the same one he saw in his vision.â
 He shook his head. âThe point is, I trust that Alverion isnât lying about not knowing what this flame is, so please donât become more wary of him than you already have been. After all, Alverion⌠was trying to help me last night.â
 Zandiel remembered how Alverion discovered that something was wrong, without a single word. How he tried to stop the Bringer from taking him back to that room.
 âŚHe had to apologize to him. Even if Alverion hated him for how heâd hurt him, he had to at least apologize.
 Siegril turned away. âStill, what do you think Alverion will do once he finds out?â
 âWhat else could he even find out that would matter? His situation is different from your clientâs. Vague visions versus a thought-out plan involving a specialized weapon. I would ask who this elusive client is, but I assume you donât know who they are or what they look like, given that you havenât mentioned either.â
 Siegril shook his head. âThey were covered and didnât speak. They were⌠a bit taller than me, but not by much. Thatâs all.â
 Zandiel sighed, leaning back into his bed. It took him a while to speak again.
 âThis is⌠so much to take in. Too much.â
 If Siegril himself was already feeling dazed by all this information over the past few days, he couldnât imagine what Zandiel was going through.
 âMaybe you should write this down.â
 Zandiel eyed him with exhaustion and exasperation. âIs this your attempt at humor?â
 âNo. This is a lot of information, and itâs important. Anything from your eyes, to the seals, the blood copy you can summon, and who knows about what. Document what you know, so things don't start distracting you, and especially so things donât start getting mixed up. You donât want to get any facts mixed up.â
 Zandiel didn't answer immediately, giving Siegril the sign to look away and wait.
 âI will.â came the reply, not long after. âApologies for not taking you seriously.â
 âItâs fine.â though he couldn't understand how it sounded like a joke in the first place, he let it go. âWeâll figure everything out.â
 âHah. I⌠wish I had your confidence in the matter.â
 Siegril raised an eyebrow. Was confidence the right label for his thoughts? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that he had a few plans.
 âWe still aren't a hundred percent sure that thereâs something literally in your body. It could be some sort of, I dunno, telepathic link. If the weaponâs able to take an actual, spiritual fire out of your body, weâre gonna need to find a different way to siphon it out without going for your heart.â Siegril dismissively waved a hand. âDonât worry about that part. Iâll figure something out.â
 âYouâve really thought things out, hm? This is all⌠very kind of you, Siegril. Thank you.â
 Kind?
 Siegril looked away again. He wasnât sure of the emotion he felt right now, either. He knew he didnât hate it, but it was a bit overwhelming.
 âYeah. I meanâŚâ
 Zandiel tilted his head, waiting for Siegril to finish his thoughts.
 â...so, you know.â
 Oh. Heâd missed something. âYou mean⌠what? Apologies, I didnât hear you.â
 âI said weâre friends.â
 Zandielâs eyes lit up. Siegril still wasn't looking at him, so he got out of bed and walked to the front, where Siegril just barely tilted his head away.
 Zandiel, if he were to ask himself later, did a very good job at hiding his shock at Siegrilâs expression. His eyes were closed, and there was just a bit of red on his cheeks.
 âWhat?â
 Zandiel hummed, though it turned into a gentle laugh. âIs our friendship something to feel embarrassed over?â
 âNo. I just don't know what to do.â he paused. âWith a friend.â
 âWell Iâm no expert on friendships either, but I don't think much needs to change. I just hope we can grow to be more comfortable around each other.â
 Siegril opened his eyes, and was greeted by a sight he didnât know how to respond to. It was Zandiel. He was smiling. He wasnât standing all that close to him.
 These are things heâd seen from him before. So why did it all feel so different? Siegril felt like he was going to break out into a sweat. He settled on Zandielâs pitch-black sclera and striking red irises as the reason for his internal reaction. He still wasn't used to them.
 âAnd I admire your selflessness for my sake.â he placed a hand on his chest. âIâll repay you for your efforts in solving this mystery involving me one day. I promise.â
 It was an unnecessary declaration that he didnât want Zandiel to try and fulfill, but Siegril nodded anyway.
 âNow, why donât we get breakfast? If I recall correctly, youâve been up all night on my account. Iâd like to hope you ate something during that time, but knowing youâŚâ
 âFine.â Siegril went to open the door. âAlso, the guildâs not doing anything today.â
 Zandiel walked out the room first, and waited for Siegril to close it before walking alongside him. âI see⌠a good day to begin that journal, then.â
 âIf you need help remembering anything, ask me.â
 âHm⌠I think I can recall most of it, but just in case, Iâd appreciate your input.â
 Entering the lobby, the two exchanged a greeting with Leonidas. He smiled and waved enthusiastically, and the two made their way to the dining hall without interruption...
 âW-Wait a second!â
 âŚFor about one step. Leonidas shouted, nearly stumbling over the counter. âWhat in theâ this is no casual reunion! Ain! Leader Ain! Youâre okay!â
 Zandiel tried not to visibly cringe at how Leonidas knew about last night, too. He understood, given that Folze knew, but subtlety wasnât Leonidasâ strong suit most of the time. âY-Yes, I am fine, but I would rather not make others aware of it, soâŚâ
 âOh.â Leonidas lowered his voice and took a quick look around the lobby that no one else was actually in. âUnderstood. One only wished to express his relief and concern, but his handling could have been less crass. Though, one must say, you seem to have become a magnet for⌠odd events, lately. â
 Zandiel laughed, feeling awkward and unsure.
 âIs there any way he can help? Sir Folze is looking into it, though one remains clueless as to what that entails.â
 âNo, no. I appreciate your concern, but it is something Siegril and I have thought of ways to look into. I am interested in what Folze can discover, though.â
 âSir Folze is quite unorthodox, himself.â Leonidas snickered, placing a hand on his hip. âOne holds the utmost confidence in his ability to discern the truth of the matter⌠which is why he has been unavailable if you have attempted to contact him.â
 âI haven't, but thank you. Please, tell him that he doesnât need to exert himself for my sake.â
 Leonidas laughed again, shaking his head slowly. âHis worry seemed to get replaced by intrigue once you were returned safely. One cannot say whether he is engrossed in this new mystery for your sake or his own.â
 âAh. Well⌠either way, Iâd like to extend my thanks to him once he is available. For now, Siegril and I were just about to get breakfast, soâŚâ
 âOh, of course! Donât let me hold you back a second longer! As you may have realized, given Folzeâs absence, todayâs meals have beenâand will beâprepared by none other thanâŚâ
 He stepped back, closing his eyes. He threw one arm out to the side and placed a hand on his chest. âLeonidas himself!â
 Zandiel laughed. âThen weâll be sure to enjoy it. Weâll leave you to your work, Leonidas. Take care!â
 Turning around, Zandiel was prepared to offer a silent apology for holding Siegril up, only to see no one behind him.
 âSiegril?â
 âOne began to speak, and Siegril left for the hall without delay. It was almostâŚâ Leonidas sighed and lowered his head. â...comical.â
 âAh⌠there, there.â Zandiel reached out to pat Leonidasâ shoulder, feeling an odd fondness for his friendâs curt demeanor.
 âŚ
âŚ
âŚ
âŚ
 The ocean waves were calming, this evening. Both in their lack of effect on the ship, and calming on the nerves.
 For a time, they distracted BlĂłt from the pressure of his mission. He also interacted with the others aboard the ship when that didnât work. Chatting, drinking, working, whatever to pass the time.Â
 But as the days came and went, their destination got closer. With that, there were times where he would experience spikes in anxiety. Today was one of those days, and he found himself in his cabin. He laid down on the bedding that had become less and less comfortable over the days. His nerves weren't making it any more comfortable, so he hoped to sleep his worries off for one night.
 Before he could, the ship rocked unevenly. He grumbled, barely holding onto the thin mattress. These âharsherâ waves were inconsistent in timing, but consistently nothing to worry about. No calls to battle from pirates, no sea monster attacks, not even a mild storm had befallen their ship.
 Godlike luck, huh? It was feeling more true by the day. The perilous journey to an uncharted archipelago felt more like a cruise, minus the luxury.
 As the wave passed through the ship, he was glad he didn't get seasick easily, unlikeâŚ
 âDamned⌠rocky vesselâŚ!â
 BlĂłt didnât respond to his less fortunate twin, hunched away in his own bed. In moments like these, he knew that comfort or consolation wasnât what Lejre wanted or needed.
 âHow much longerâŚ?â Lejre groaned into the bedsheets.
 It took BlĂłt a moment to realize what was being asked. âIf we continue without incident, six days is what I was told this morning. Then weâll be off this ship for good.â
 Lejre grumbled before falling silent, clutching his stomach. BlĂłt closed his eyes to try to get some rest. Maybe heâd be up for fun ways to pass the time with Enrica and the Seafarers tomorrow. They were at least good for that.
 âThat boyâŚ!â Lejre hissed through his teeth. âHe had better be worth this struggle.â
 âHm?â BlĂłt turned his head. His brother hadnât moved an inch. âHe will. Even if the initial plan fell through, Iâm sure things will start coming together again, once we meet him in Lemuria.â
 âŚMaybe he shouldnât have brought up the first planâs failure, even if it was neither of their faults. He went for a change in focus, instead. âI have to admit, Iâm a bit curious about him. What is he like?â
 âWhy would that matter?â Lejre said after a shuddering breath.
 âShould I get the healerââ
 âNo.â Lejre wanted to shout, but couldnât manage more than a whisper. âAnswer me.â
 âI...â BlĂłt thought his words out carefully. He refused to admit just how curious he was about someone who had captured his brotherâs attention. Especially to the point where he mentioned this âboyâ offhandedly, even in scorn. He knew why, at the end of the day, but it was still too rare to not notice.
 âIf Iâm going to interact with him at any point, Iâd rather have an idea of how I should act. Seeing as youâve met him, wellâŚâ
 âI hardly know anything about him.â Lejre said. âEven to say Iâve met him is an exaggeration. However...â
 BlĂłt heard a quiet, chilling chuckle from his brother. It was one he knew well enough, so he didn't react, but it usually boded well for Lejreâs mood. BlĂłt wondered if his seasickness was subsiding.
 âAs I see it, he is either woefully naĂŻve or unreasonably confident. Both traits can be easily utilized to great effect.â Lejre said. âSo, do what you will when interacting with him. I trust youâll adapt to his behavior accordingly.â
 I trust.
 TrustâŚ
 It was only a mild confirmation towards his ability, yet Blót felt his heart leap. This was nothing more than plain acknowledgement, yet his traitorous heart had to feel something from it.
 He attempted to calm himself before speaking up. âYes, IââÂ
 âHe already seems to be doing his part. I felt something, a few hours ago. You won't need to goad him, at this rate. Just make sure he doesn't meet a pitiful end in some rancid beastâs maw. If that requires you to guard him, then do it.â
 â...Understood.â
 âAnd leave the princess be.â he said. âIâll be the one to keep an eye on her.â
 With one more confirmation, BlĂłt looked up to the ceiling. He found himself getting lost in different thoughts than the mission in particular.Â
 The âboyâ, or 'princeâ. Lejreâs never directly interacted with him, yet he was able to pick out one of two personality traits from him. NaĂŻve or confident. Maybe both.
 The first wasnât a trait that BlĂłt enjoyed seeing in others. NaĂŻve people were too predictable. Sickeningly innocent. Childish and hopeful. Their kindness was genuine, but it was never something they decided on. They just didnât know anything about the world to change their idealistic view.
 All of that on top of being a prince seemed like an awfully boring person to tolerate until the mission was over.
 A naïve prince who had survived an invasion, though? One that tore his cushy, ideal life apart in less than a day? A man who had to leave his people for dead, including his own father?
 Someone like that had to be interesting, or at least on the brink. How much did the poor little prince change after that? Was he jaded and alone? Did he gather a group of people to use for his own selfish goals? Or had he not reached that point yet? Was he still hanging on to some sort of hope, with just one more push to shatter it?
 He was getting ahead of himself, not even knowing what the man was like, but thinking about him was much less taxing than the mission itself. If BlĂłt was being honest with himself, he couldnât care less about the actual mission.
 To bring the world to a state of peace? If anyone else had said something like that, BlĂłt would have laughed. But Lejreâs methodâŚ
 BlĂłt sighed, closing his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to care for Lejreâs methods, either. He didnât love it or hate it. All he wanted was to reforge the connection they had lost so long ago. If that meant following along with whatever Lejre wanted, then maybe, just maybe, they could feel like family again.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 3: The Day of the Summoner
//Wait, is it the day of the Summoner in the EO calendar already?
Well, no. But...//
Siegril could sense it. Similar to what he felt in the Primitive Jungle, a certain formation of Mana drew his attention. It could only belong to the kind that resided within recently-spilled blood. Still fresh and unaware that it was âfreeâ , so to speak, swimming idly within blood.
This time, he couldn't discern who or what it belonged to, which worried him. The duller presence felt similar to an Earthlain or Therian, but there was something else within it entirely. It was an unpleasant trace that nearly made Siegril stop in his tracks.
But he had to keep going. The second set of ruins were in this direction, and that was their last lead.
âUgh⌠think that Boundinâ Beast lost interest in us by now?â
He looked back at Ylva, who was walking close behind. She held her spear with both hands, her eyes darting this way and that.
Though, from what he understood, she wasnât able to see far ahead. Why was she wasting the energy and focus on looking around?
Nevermind. That wasnât important right now.
âMaybe. Iâm⌠starting to sense someoneâs blood. âŚSomeoneâs Mana.â he corrected. âI donât know whose it is.â
He hesitated, but there was no reason not to tell her. He didnât like being so unsure in the matter of potential life or death, but that was what this entire night had been. One more uncertainty on the pile was hardly worth any secrecy.
âHuh⌠So thatâs how ya do it? Scanninâ Mana, I mean. I thought Celestrians could just sense Mana by itself, but you⌠like ta sense it from blood?â
âI don't like it, itâs the only way I can.â Why was this the topic she had to settle on? âUnless itâs volatile enough inside the body. Or itâs just that strong. Then I can feel it.âÂ
âOh. Gotcha. Uh, sorry if I hit a nerve.â she hesitantly replied. Wing inched closer to Siegril, taking care not to âlead the packâ like she usually would. Even she wasnât able to see as far and vividly in the dark as Siegril.
Once they scaled a small hill, a welcome sight came into view. Dilapidated, gray pillars scattered along a path. Blue veins of energy ran through them, as well as the path of stone that snaked around a few trees. At the end of the path stood a similar building as the first islandâs ruins. Parts of these ruins were also overtaken by vines, but it was comparatively more maintained.
âLookit those lightsâŚâ Ylva said, placing her hand above her eyes. âI can finally see more than a foot ahead! âbout time!â
âWait.âÂ
Siegril warily looked around before closing his eyes.
He could hear the faint sound of stone being struck by a dull object. Whatever it was, it wasnât a blunt weapon like a hammer or mace. He didnât hear the sound again before some wildlife flew out from the direction of the ruins. They were regular birds and owls, not monstrous ones. That was good, butâŚ
âSomethingâs happening at the ruins.â he took out two knives. âFollow me. And be quiet.â
He could hear the dull pound against stone, again. The errant flow of Mana was getting more noticeable as they drew closer. They had to be connected. The noise turned into a crack against the stone. Siegril's ears twitched at the change, but he was otherwise undeterred.
Getting closer, he could make out a figure hunched towards the building. He stopped behind a pillar.
âWhat is it?â Ylva whispered.
âHide.â
He could hear the two huddle up near them. He would have sighed and grumbled, in a less stressful situation. They were all crowded behind the same pillar, which was not at all what he meant, but that wasnât important. The figure ahead was.
lt was unmistakably Zandiel.
âWhaddaya see?â Ylva murmured. Siegril held up a finger in response.
He saw Zandiel, and no other entity. The only thing to note was the disconcerting, bright red glow coming from the spot on the wall in front of Zandiel. He was staring at it.
Had he escaped his captor? Was someone hiding in the shadows? Or chasing after him? Was that someone inside the ruins?
âAin.â he replied.
âWhat?!â Ylva shouted. Siegril covered her mouth without looking away. Zandiel either hadnât heard, or was unaffected by, Ylvaâs voice. He didnât flinch.
âIn front of the ruins.â he spoke quietly on instinct. If Zandiel didnât respond to Ylvaâs yelling, then there was no way heâd respond to him. âHeâsâŚâ
And then, Zandiel moved. He stepped back from the door as if heâd been pushed, nearly falling over.
He felt concern inching its way into his chest, but his instincts told him to keep his distance and watch.
âDonât move yet.â He couldnât tell if that was for Ylva, Wing, or himself.
What was wrong with him? Why couldnât he just calm down and focus?
âYeah, yeah, is he okay?! â she hissed.
âLet me focus.â
Zandiel struggled to raise his arm, slow and labored. A scarlet red liquid emerged from it and swirled around. Siegril looked on with a sense of foreboding. It wasnât blood, but it was too evocative of it to not feel that way.
In the blink of an eye, Zandiel drove his imbued arm into the ruins. It slammed against the stone with a force beyond his capabilities. The red liquid sprayed out, as if the stone had burst open in a shower of blood.
The situation called for even more caution after that, yet Siegril was sprinting into the fray.
He stopped at the bottom stair to the entrance, catching his breath and calming his nerves as the dust settled. Ylva stopped next to him, but Wing ran until she was ahead of the two. She took one of the few steps up and let out muffled barks through the knife sheâd placed in her mouth.
âAin!â Ylva shouted. âWhat the hell happened?! You okay?!â
Bits of rubble and liquid dropped into the pile in front of Zandiel. The stone in front of him had been destroyed, leaving a gaping, unnatural entrance to the shrine. Siegril watched as bits of stone, engraved with carvings that glowed red, lost their luster and color entirely.
Zandielâs arm fell slack. Then, he faced everyone. Siegril took a step back and raised his arms defensively.
âAin?â Ylva asked again.
His visible eye lowered until it met Ylvaâs.
âAinâŚâ Zandiel looked at his arm, attempting to raise it as it tremored. Despite the clear signs of pain, he was utterly expressionless. â That is⌠the moniker of the vessel?â
The voice that came from Zandielâs mouth spoke slowly. The voice was his at its core, but it was deeper, and came with a slight echo that Siegril could barely parse. It spoke slowly, each word holding equal intent.
Siegril glared at the arm thatâd broken into the ruins. The scarlet red was gone, and all that remained was a blackish-red substance that came from his palm.
This was the source of Mana. This had to be connected to whoâor whatâhad taken Zandiel. But what was it? A wraith? A person controlling his mind and body?
âWhatâre you talkinâ about?!â she demanded. She took a step forward after receiving no answer. âHey!â
Zandiel snatched his arm into his clean hand, and took a deep breath.
âYlvaâŚâ Zandiel said, causing her stance to falter. he looked down. âWing.â then, he looked back up. âSiegril.â he concluded, taking a pause as he let his arm fall back down.
Slowly, the arm ceased its writhing.
âThis vessel⌠cries for these three. Who are you, to be so important?â his body did nothing to convey his curiosity. His expression lacked emotion, and his body was still.
âAinât no way yer askinâ who WE are!â Ylva shouted, pointing her spear forward. âYer the one dragginâ Ain around, ainât ya?! So who or what the hell are YOU?! Start answerinâ!â
Siegril remained in his stance. As challenging as staying focused was, he kept his eyes on his potential target. If this was going to lead to a fight, he had to be ready to subdue⌠whoever this was.
âHeed me.â his voice had become louder, more commanding. âI shall bring about prosperity to the suffering, war-torn land of Lemuria.â
âWhaâŚ?â Ylvaâs voice and confidence had fizzled out.
Zandiel closed his eyes and took a single step forward, not leaving the platform he stood on. âThe Seals placed upon Lemuriaâs shrines. Assist this vessel in his task. He must deactivate them. Break them.â
He turned away, and Siegril followed his motion. They landed on the foggy expanse, engulfing the sea that surrounded the island.
âTwo have been broken. Two remain. To bring about prosperity, break the Seals, and slay their Guardians. There is⌠no other choice, should you wish to venture beyond the mist.â
âSo thatâs how you get rid of the mist.â Siegril noted.
Zandiel nodded, not bothering to look back.
This entity was amiable enough to answer questions. That meant that this was the best time to gather information. Siegril told himself as much, stomping down his personal feelings in the process.
âThe entrance to this shrine was a seal.â
âCorrect.â
Then that meant⌠âThat hand in the first set of ruins was a seal, too.â
âHm. Weathered as it was.â
So the first seal was a weak one. Maybe that explained why there was no mist barring the path between the first island and the second one.
âHold on, what hand are yâall talkinâ about?â Ylva asked.
âThe room in the first ruins that we saw,â he replied. âThere was a hand carved into that wall, butâŚâ
He narrowed his eyes on Zandiel, who faced him at last. Siegrilâs blood chilled at the sight.
The pitch-black sclera and piercing red eyes were still new to him, but that didnât explain why Zandielâs eyes looked so devoid . Was he even looking at him? Aware of him? Was anyone truly in that mind, right now?
âSomething⌠happened to Ain and the symbol after he put his hand on it.â Siegril kept his voice as even as he could while pointing a knife and a venomous glare at him. âWhat was it? What did you do? Explain, or IâllâŚâ
Kill you.
Kill. You.
That was all he needed to say. A simple threat to get things going. It was one he used all the time, to the point where threatening lives had no meaning.
âŚSo why couldnât he say it? That lifeless look in the eye that bore a hole into him. That echoing voice. This wasn't Zandiel he was speaking to. And yetâŚ
âWait, so youâŚâ Ylva turned back to Zandiel. âYOU hurt Alverion?!â
Zandiel turned his gaze to Ylva, and Siegril felt a crushing weight lift from his body.
âThis vessel was accosted by one who wished to disrupt us. A vile act, of which the cost was death.â He paused, though nothing changed in his stance or demeanor to suggest he was thinking of anything. âHowever, this vessel⌠reminded me of our priority.â
Ylva took a breath, one that was shaky and uncertain as she held a tighter grip on her spear. âYou⌠you tried ta kill Alverion, ân you expect us ta help you?â
He narrowed his eye and let a visible frown grace his features. âI allow you this chance. Should you prove ill-suited, I will assume control of this vessel once more.â
Ylva grit her teeth.
âMy time grows short.â he exhaled. â The task of guiding this vessel to the remaining Shrines falls to you. Do not let âAinâ come to harm. âAinâ must not perish.â
He paused again before continuing. This time, he placed a hand under his chin and let his brow furrow, seeming to give his next words genuine thought.
âThe day of the Summoner. If you do not complete this goal by the day of the SummonerâŚâ
His eyes snapped open.
â I will. â
He opened his mouth after a pause, holding the daunting look heâd given, but nothing came out. Instead, his body swayed to the side. Ylva reached out, but flinched back when âZandielâ practically snarled at her. He caught himself, looking down at her with an unreadable look.
âWhatâs your goal? Whatâs your name?â Siegril quickly asked. They needed answers, now. If it was telling the truth in not coming back, then this could be the only timeâŚ
Zandielâs face contorted in pain as he gripped his right arm. âI sh-shall⌠bring about Prosperity to Lemuria! I amâŚ!â
With a heavy gasp, he fell forward. Ylva dropped her spear to catch him from below. âAin?!â
âY-YourâŚâ The echo in Zandielâs voice had nearly dissipated.
âMnâŚâ he grumbled something else out, but no one could catch it before he fell silent.
The abnormal Mana had dissipated in an instant. The change was so quick that Siegrilâs body shuddered as it adjusted. It felt wrong to have detected it in the first place, somehow.
With a breath and a shake of his head, he tried to clear his mind. Wing ran up to Ylva, whining and pawing at her leg.
âYourâŚâ Ylva repeated in a whisper. She crouched down to hook an arm behind Zandielâs knees. Wing took the opportunity to get up on her hind legs and shove her snout in Zandielâs face.
âThat's enough, Wing. Heâs⌠fine, I think. I hope.â
She stood back up, with her other arm supporting Zandiel's back. She looked at Siegril. The two shared a moment in bewildered silence before Ylvaâs brow furrowed.
âA-Alright, enough standinâ around. Letâs get back ta⌠base camp. Yeah! Iâunno what weâre gonna do once weâre there, but, uh, letâs start there!â
Being brought out of his own addled state, Siegril looked down at Zandiel. He didnât seem to be in any pain, but he also looked as if he had no life in his body.
He nodded before leading the way back, moving with much greater stealth and alertness than before. They had to avoid attracting any enemyâs attention, now. They wouldnât survive much in this state.
Siegrilâs mind reeled over the conversation as they walked. That entity who spoke through Zandiel, the âBringerâ , as heâs decided to call it⌠Did they really have to follow that thingâs orders?
âThe day of the SummonerâŚâ he murmured, quiet enough that Ylva couldnât hear. Wing still managed to whine in response, though. Siegril sighed.
Last heâd checked, the month of the Stallion was nearly over. That left them with around five months to complete the Bringerâs task.
âStay with Ain at base camp. Iâm gonna see if Oz is still in the ruins.â
âShoot! Oz ân Alv! Theyâd better be okay!â
âOz is good at what they do. We don't need to worry about Alverion.â
Ylva was silent for a moment. Siegril listened to the owls and the breeze of wind that passed by. It actually was a nice early morningâŚ
âLook, before I say what I wanna say next, are ya sure yer gonna be good walkinâ back ta the shrine by yerself?â
He nodded. âItâs easier to stay hidden when Iâm not moving in a group.â
âCan't argue with that.â she said. âYer a real stealthy type, ân all. Now, next thing I was gonna say. You⌠you really don't like Alv fer some reason, don't ya?â
Siegril crossed his arms. âI wouldnât care if he didnât always act so elusive.â
âHm⌠Alright, he ainât the most reliableâ he just comes ân goes whenever he feels like itâ but I don't think thatâs enough ta just⌠act how you do about âim. Heâs a guildmate at the end âa the day.â
âIâm not gonna do anything stupid just âcause I donât trust him, if thatâs what youâre thinking.â She was right, after all. Alverion had proven himself to be a powerful guildmate. Heâd keep an eye on him, but heâd be stupid to deny the help heâd given during battles.
Ylva hummed. âI feel like you ain't ever tried ta talk to him âbout this.â
Siegril didn't react. If he said or did something, then this pointless conversation was just gonna continue. It wasnât like it mattered right now, anyway. Alverion was probably still unconscious, to start.
âMaybe heâll seem less dodgy if we ask âim what heâs always up to by himself, once heâs better. Especially after what just happened.â Her voice had become quiet as she continued. âIf Ain wasnât able ta stop that, uh, Prosperity-whatever, Alv⌠probably wouldâa died. And noneâa us wouldâa known âtil we went in those ruins on our way ta the second island, at the earliest.â
â...Yeah.â It was a worrisome, yet possible reality when he thought it over. If Zandiel wasnât strong enough to resist, what else could have happened? The Bringer relinquished control either because it was weak enough, or because Zandiel was strong enough. If neither were the case, and it was still in control, thenâŚ
Siegril shook his head. He was thinking too far into a reality that didnât happen. Still, he worried for what would happen once Zandiel woke up. How much would he remember? Would they have to explain what they knew to him?
Was the Bringer truly gone from him?
He looked back at the limp body in Ylvaâs arms, then walked with just a bit more urgency.
The rest of their trek to base camp was done in silence. Once they arrived, they found an empty tent and placed Zandiel inside. With a small box of medical equipment already in it, Ylva got to work. Siegril only offered a quick âbyeâ before leaving, and Wing chose to stand guard outside.
With a sigh, Ylva looked around. There wasnât much to see in the tent, but at least she could see. There was a paper lantern hanging in the middle of the tent, with a low light emanating from it.
Looking down at her patient, she found a black-red substance dried up on his hand, hiding a cut underneath. She cleaned there, first.
âYou holdinâ up, Wing?â
A quiet whine made her sigh. Even from here, she knew that Wing was lying down right outside the tent, dejected. âHeâll be fine, Wing. Well, both of âem. Ain ân Alverion. Sieg trusts that doc ta heal Alv, so Iâll trust âem, too.â
Wing whined again, turning her head.
âAnd Ain⌠We just gotta trust heâll be fine!â she noted with a grin. She held it for a moment before dropping it and getting back to work with a forced chuckle.
âŚA bringer of prosperity. Thatâs what they called themself. Some sort of person or entity with the power of mind control or possession.
They said they wouldnât take control of Ain as long as they helped him break these seals in time, and that did nothing but infuriate Ylva. Who were they to boss them all around like that? Especially in the case of Ainâs entire body!
But if they didnât listen, then⌠she wondered what would happen. It took over Ainâs body and ran off with him like it was nothing. They couldnât just be all talk.
Placing the cloth down, she took out the bandage from the kit. Zandiel didnât stir as she applied it, making her wonder if he was too exhausted to even feel pain.
âCanât believe thisâŚâ she murmured. What was the guild even supposed to do from here? Everyone needed to know, right? But then, where would the guild go from there?
Ylvaâs throat felt dry.
The Empyrean Guild. What exactly tied them together? Nothing, right? They didnât have a unified goal.
What would it take to make them break? This guild was friendly, but not the most coordinated or tight-knit. It was difficult to even get everyone in one room.
And with the mission Ain had been given, not just any guild member would stick around for that, right? The point of a guild wasnât to run around and perform tasks for some⌠bringer of bullshit.
Ylva nodded at the title, letting herself feel more assured for a moment, even if it was over something so ridiculous.
A groan from below roused her from her thoughts. She felt a pit grow in her stomach as she held her guild leaderâs half-bandaged hand. His eyes were still closed as he turned his head and moved the arm in Ylvaâs grasp.
To her surprise, he moved it pretty effortlessly. He mumbled a few incoherencies before she could understand.
â...eri⌠onâŚâ
She paused, then reached over to squeeze his left arm slightly.
âAlverionâs alright.â she spoke clearly. âHe ainât dead or anything.â
He groaned, and his right hand started to clench and unclench. Before Ylva could speak again, Wing pawed at the entrance.
âHeâs sleep-talkinâ, Wing.â
With a snort, she turned away.
âMaybe you needa get some sleep yerself, huh?â
Wing didnât respond, leaving Ylva to address Ain again.
âAlverionâs alright, Ain. You ainât gotta worry.â she decided to speak as though she were having a regular conversation. Maybe that would help her settle her thoughts. âThereâs, uh, this doc that Sieg knows whoâs helpinâ âim. Heâll be fine. I dunno much about the doc, but if Sieg trusts âem ta do their thing, then whoâm I ta not trust âem, right?â
She was starting to ramble, she knew, and let out an embarrassed cough when she was done. â...Yep.â
Ainâs hand relaxed, and his breathing was more even. He didnât say anything, and didn't move much more than that.
âŚAlverion, huh?
Would he resent Ain? Did he know whether he was in control or not? Did that even matter to him? She wouldnât be surprised if he left the guild after this. Being attacked by your leader and left in a puddle of blood wasnât something to easily get over. Did he even have the chance to ask questions or fight back?
Ylva gave Ainâs hand a gentle squeeze.
âItâll⌠Itâll work out, boss.â
Alverion, Ain himself, this whole mission they were given, the guild, it all had to work out, right?
She closed her eyes.
She wasnât a leader anymore, but all of this still felt like her responsibility. She didn't want this guild to fall apart, tooâŚ
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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 2: "Become the Hunted"
//Next chapter's here! Well as we learned last chapter but also last year, Zandiel's fucking gone. So it's up to the rest of the Empyreans to find him! But how exactly are they going to do that? And what will they find on the way?//
âSieg!â He could hear Ylva shout behind him, but paid her little mind.
 What did Folze mean, Zandielâs âpresenceâ was missing? And some other, powerful presence was there? Someone had just waltzed into their room and kidnapped him, then? And no one stopped them?
 But the use of the term âpresenceâ made Siegril suspicious. Whatever was happening wasnât normal, was it?
 Siegril flung the door to their room, knife in hand. Inside, it was empty as expected. With a huff, he took a cursory glance. Nothing suspicious was on the floor, nor the beds or drawersâŚ
 The window was wide open, but that made sense. No one would kidnap someone through the front door. All this told him was that the kidnapper was either a klutz, in a rush, or purposefully left the window open for some reason. Possibly as a taunt.
 Siegril grit his teeth, stomping up to the windowsill. Nothing was there. No snagged piece of clothing, no blood, no visible fingerprints, and nothing like a calling card.
 âUgh, âcourse they left through the window!â
 Ylva was at the door, holding her spear in one hand. Wing skittered into the room with her nose to the ground, sniffing around.
 âHow longâs he been gone?â Siegril asked.
 âIâunno. Folze was just tellinâ me when ya walked in. And he probâly told Lee before me.â
 âThenâŚâ Siegril stepped away from the window, taking another quick look around. âUghâŚ!â
 âA-Alright, Sieg! Calm down!â Ylva smiled, but spoke with a bit of panic in her tone. âYa know any clothes Ainâs worn a lot? I can get Wing ta try ân track âim down.â
 âGet whatever you want from his closet. Hurry.â
 âCâmere, Wing!â
 As he heard the two shuffle around, he began to tap his foot. Thinking anymore wasnât going to solve anything. Who kidnapped Zandiel and why didnât matter, they just needed Wing to pick up his scent. If this unknown presence entered and exited as quickly as Folze made it sound, then they could be anywhere on the ship by now, possibly even outside it.
 âSiegeâŚ!â
 âWhat?â he looked up to the door with a glare.
 âWhat?â Oz repeated as if it were a ridiculous statement. âWhat the hellâs going on here? You live in a place where people just get kidnapped like itâs nothing?â
 âThis is the first time thisâs happened.â he noted, looking down. He didnât need this. None of this from Oz, and none of what was happening right now.
 Why was this happening right now? Why did this past week feel like such a whirlwind?
 âDammit, AinâŚ!â
 A blueish blur went past Siegril. Wing was at the window, scrambling up the windowsill and into the outdoors. Once she landed, she turned back and barked.
 âAlright, sheâs got somethinâ!â Ylva shouted, holding onto Zandielâs bright red cape as she leapt out the window. Landing on the ground, she turned around and jabbed her thumb towards the outside. âCâmon!â
 Siegril nodded, hopping out the window. He could hear Oz grumble as they also climbed out. He was silently thankful as everyone followed after Wing. Whatever was going on, it likely wasn't going to end peacefully. Heâd rather go alone in that case, but Wing absolutely had to lead the charge. Stealth wasnât an option with Ylva or Oz either. Strength in numbers was the next best.
 As the group followed Wing, it became more clear that they were heading towards one of the shipâs exits.
 âHellâŚ!â Oz wheezed as they ran. âYou said itâd only been a few minutes rightâŚ?! How fast⌠is this personâŚ?!â
 âDunno.â
 Whoever they were dealing with was either highly efficient, working with others, or simply had some noteworthy speed. With that in mind, it was possible they were chasing down an Yggdroid. They generally fit the criterias of efficiency and speed, plus the fact that Folze seemed to have issues understanding their presence.
 An Yggdroid wasn't going to be an easy target. Knives wouldnât work well against them, and Yggdroids had an innate resistance to bodily effects such as paralysis. Shaking his head, Siegril focused on following Wing off the ship with the others. This wasnât the time to think so far ahead. They just needed to find Zandiel, first.
 Wing slowed to a halt as everyone stepped onto the grassy fields of the first island. Even though she was tired, she immediately got to work trying to track his scent.
 âDamn, itâs dark out hereâŚâ Ylva noted, looking up and holding her hand above her eyes. âThe moonâs pretty bright, though. Think that means somethinâ?â
 âNo.â Siegril quickly responded, looking up as well. It was notably bright. âMaybe. I dunno.â
 âEh, I was just kiddinâŚâ she sighed, waving Zandielâs cape around. âHey, Wing. Come ân smell this again. Iâm thinkinâ yer losinâ track âa him by now. âspecially with stuff like animals ân monsters roaminâ around.â
 âWhile weâre taking a breakâŚâ Oz began, going so far as to lay down on the grass, âAnyone wanna tell me âbout this Ain guy?â
 âThis isnât a break. And heâs our leader. Guild leader.â Siegril answered, narrowing his eyes at Oz. A break was too lenient. They were just recuperating while Wing narrowed down his location.
 He looked away. âAnd heâs⌠one of my friends.â
 âThat explains it. I was trying to remember if you ever acted so energetic.â they said.
 âIâm not being energetic.â
 âWell, guess Iâm motivated again. Can't leave your new friend out to dry.â
 âYeahâŚâ Ylva chimed in. She was crouched down, holding out Zandielâs cape, and her spear was on the ground. âAnd uh, now that yer all caught up on Ain, can ya tell me who you are?â
 âOz.â they replied. âIâm a doctor, anâ Iâve known Siegril for some years. ThatâsâŚâ they scratched their chin. ââbout enough, right?â
 âFer now, sure!â she replied with a nod. âNice ta meet ya, Oz. Thanks fer helpinâ us!â
 âYup.â
 In the meantime, Siegril watched Wing. She had left Ylvaâs side, and kept her nose on the ground as she wandered nearby. Eventually, she raised her head, her tail wagging as she let out a bark.
 Ylva stood up. âAlright, enough layinâ around!â
 The direction Wing was facingâŚ
 Of course it was towards the ruins. Siegril scoffed. That felt so obvious, yet here they were, wasting time. Whoever kidnapped Zandiel already went far enough to leave the ship. They werenât going to stay on this little island. By now, they could have already taken the pole to the second island.
 To make up for it, Siegril began to sprint north.
 âHey, wait up!â Ylva called. âCareful!â
 âIâll be fine! I can see just fine.â
 âThat ainât what I mean!â
 Though he had to admit, he wasn't used to this much activity, or this many obstacles. When he had to run like this in the dark, it was usually to pursue or track someone in town. Relatively empty streets, straight roads or even rooftopsâŚ
 But as he nearly tripped over a tree root, he had to ingrain it in his mind again that this wasnât the same. None of this was. He was exerting himself to rescue someone, not hunting down someone for money. Though, as he began to frame the situation as hunting down a kidnapper, he began to feel more in his element.
 âŚWas that right, though? To discard the thought of helping a friend for the thought of killing someone?
 Was that okay?
 He was nearing the bushes that led to the clearing they saw the first time they found the ruins.
 Donât get hurt. Donât die. Donâtâ
 Siegril felt his foot snag onto something, and it was already too late to react. He fell down, face first, and began to tumble downhill.
 âSieg!â
 Laying down in place, Siegril grumbled before trying to stand back up. He wobbled and nearly fell again, but managed to get back on his feet with a heavy breath.
 Looking up, he found that heâd nearly reached the bottom of the hill. From here, the ruins were already in sight.
 âI told ya to be careful!â Ylva stumbled down the hill with Wing, who galloped down only a bit more gracefully. âJust hang on fer just a second!â she requested, using her spear to keep herself standing. âWhat's gonna happen if ya get caught off guard like that when thereâs monsters around?!â
 Siegril looked away, breathing louder than he was used to. She was right, he knew she was, butâŚ
 âI justâŚâ
 âAinâs gonna be fine, alright?! We justââ
 âYou donât know that.â
 âWell Ain ainât some defenseless piece âa paper, is he?!â she yelled, causing Siegril to simply blink in confusion.
 âDonât gimme that look! Listen, we just gotta trust heâs handlinâ himself! ân itâs like I said; howâs it gonna look if weâre runninâ âround outta breath ân get caught off guard by some monster âer tree root?!â
 Siegril could hear labored gasps and footsteps that nearly slid down the hill.
 âUuuughâŚ!â Oz groaned. âMuhâ MotherfuckerâŚ!â
 Wing whined, running up to them.
 âThatâsâŚ! The place, right?!â they asked, shakily pointing to the distant ruins.
 â...Yeah. Gotta be where he is. Thisâs the only place this way.â Turning around, Ylva raised her hand towards Oz. âYou, uh⌠You needa break?â
 In response, Oz fell to their knees, leaning their head down in exhaustion. âYeah, Iâll⌠catch up.â they said before pulling out a small green orb from their bag. An unrecognizable symbol was etched onto it.
 âJust⌠here.â
 Ylva leaned forward, narrowing an eye at the object.
 âStun Sigil...â Oz said. âYa throw it⌠anâ it stops whatever it hits from movinâ for a while.â
 âGotcha! Thanks!â Ylva eagerly took the sigil off their hands. âWing, stay with Oz til theyâre ready ta go. Sieg? Letâs check the ruins!â
 Siegril nodded. âThanks, Oz. Sorry.â
 They shooed the two away while petting Wing with their other hand. âJusâ hurry it up.â
 With another nod, Siegril ran down the hill with Ylva. As the crunch of grass slowly merged into the clacking of sparse stone tiles, Siegril could feel something strange. His body was detecting a trace amount of flowing Mana up ahead, emerging from spilled blood. It was faint, meaning it belonged to an Earthlain or Therian. There was an unfamiliar, odd flow to it.
 It could be Zandielâs. Unless he had injured whoever held him captive, or someone else was involved. Or it belonged to a simple adventurer who had nothing to do with this. Siegril cursed his inability to detect more precisely.
 Reaching the entrance, he hesitated, then stopped entirely. Up ahead, there was a heap of a person on the ground inside, wearing nothing but shades of dark brown. Their back was turned towards them. Taking out a knife, Siegril turned around and held a hand up towards Ylva. She stopped in her tracks, eyebrow raised, before quietly stepping up to the entrance.
 âWhat theâŚ?â she whispered, peering over Siegril.
 âIt's a person.â the same person this flow of Mana was coming from. If this was Zandielâs captor, then he truly had handled the situation on his own. Still, who could this be? Narrowing his eyes, he found that this person also had long brown hair that blended with their outfit.
 Walking into the ruins, the figure became clearer, and so did their dark brown hat that matched with the rest of their outfit. Siegril could only grit his teeth in realization.
 âAlverion?!â Ylva gasped.
 âWait.â Siegril reached a hand out, but sheâd already pushed past him and was running up to the Zodiac.
 This wasnât right. As suspicious as he was of Alverion, him being Zandielâs captor didnât make sense. But what was he doing here?
 âAlverion?! Hey!â Ylva was sitting in front of him, having tossed Zandielâs cape over her shoulder. She hovered her hands above him with uncertainty.
 âHeâs alive.â Siegril said as he approached. That much was certain, but how much longer heâd be if left alone wasnât.
 His eyes widened once he saw the front of Alverion. There was a large diagonal cut through his jacket, revealing the skin underneath. The jacket had seeped in most of the blood flowing from the cut, but a very small pool had formed on the ground.
 âW-Whadda we do?! Dammit, I didnât pack anything ta heal with!â
 âOzâll be here soon.â Siegril stated, taking a closer look at Alverion. His brows were furrowed in pain, even in a state of unconsciousness.
 The speed and efficiency that Alverion conjured his barriers in battle was admirable. For him to be caught off guard this badly meant that there was somethingâ or someoneâ truly dangerous around.
 He looked at the small trace of blood on the ground, and found that a few drops had fallen north of him. That meant three things. One, Alverion had been pushed or stumbled back before falling. Two, he likely hadn't fallen unconscious instantly. And three, whatever attacked had hit from the north. But there wasnât much room up north. The only thing ahead wasâŚ
 Narrowing his eyes, Siegril marched to the northmost door. He pried his knife into the middle gap, and flung it open.
 Siegril staggered back with a quiet gasp.
 âWhat?!â Ylva said. âWhatâsâ whoa!â
 The section that once had the hand-like shape etched into it had seemingly been blown apart. In its stead was a small, open hole that revealed the other side of the wall. Leading up to it was a light trail of blackish red blood.
 Siegril sprinted over without a word. Fitting his head through the hole, he found the debris of the hand-like carving scattered around the hallway. The pieces weren't glowing red, and they werenât blue like Zandiel said the carving initially was. The color had been completely drained, and looked like any regular carving. The only color on them was the blood thatâd dripped onto a few pieces.
 Siegril looked down both sides of the hallway, but nothing stood out. The clearest thing was that the residual Mana in this blackish blood didn't match the usual Earthlainâs. Not entirely, at least. Truthfully, Siegril had no idea what kind of blood he was registering. Was this Zandielâs? His captorâs? Whoever attacked Alverion, if that was a different person entirely?
 Zandiel had to be involved, given his odd connection with the carving. ButâŚ
 âThe hell happened hereâŚ?!â his thoughts were interrupted by Oz. Wing was also whining. Siegril gave the room one last look over before leaving with a huff.
 âThis Ain?â Oz asked.
 âNo, heâs another guild member! You can help âim, right?!â
 Oz nodded, cracking their knuckles before a pale blue glow started to emit from their hands. âWell, thanks for not moving him. Gonna guess you didnât⌠Outta the way, you two.â
 Ylva and Wing did as instructed. Oz sat down next to Alverion. With a low whistle, they hovered their hands over his chest.
 âDunno how long heâs been out here, but...â they murmured, trailing off.
 âWhatâs goinâ on here?â Ylva muttered, crossing her arms. âAin, Alverion, ân that blood in that room! Is the same person doinâ all this?â
 âAlverion being hereâs weird.â Siegril noted. âDid Folze say anything about him going missing, too?â
 Ylva shook her head. âIâm guessinâ Alverionâs been gone, but you know how he is. Leavinâ ân cominâ back whenever.â
 That didnât explain why he was here of all places.
 âLetâs keep looking for Ain.â Siegril decided.
 âBut⌠I-I mean, yer right, butâŚâ
 âIâll take care of him.â Oz noted. âYou three, get to searching. If someone tries to drop in anâ slash me, Iâve got a few tools, so don't worry âbout that.â
 âIf⌠yer sure.â Ylva murmured.
 âOzâll be fine. Letâs go.â
 The three decided to group together, in case the attacker was still in the ruins. They began by checking the path that looped in on itself. That led them to the other side of the wall, where they could investigate the rubble more closely. To their dismay, it didnât lead to any discoveries, not even when Wing checked around the blood.
 From there, they took one of the shortcuts to search the rest of the ruins. After the three dispatched a few monsters, Ylva opened a door, only to be greeted by a severed half of a purple wolf. The other half was only a few paces ahead.
 âWhat the hell?!â
 Siegril narrowed his eyes at the cleanly-cut beast, only for his features to smooth out in realization.
 âAinâŚâ
 Ylva gave him an incredulous look. âHuh?!â
 âWe found monsters cut up like this in the Misty Ravine. The one who cut them was Ain, I think. Or one of his blood things.â
 âWait, soâ No, that donât make sense!â
 âWhat doesnât?â he asked, stepping over the monster.
 âI was boutta say, uh, what if he⌠hurt Alverion?â she trailed off before raising her voice again. âBut thereâs no way he would! No reason he would, at least!â
 âBut if he summoned his blood, it couldâve attacked someone without him telling it to. âŚMaybe.â he lowered his voice, not wanting to believe heâd already bring it out again if it hurt him. But if he was taken away, unarmed, then he couldnât entirely blame him. The only issue was that, if he did, then he was going to be unconscious somewhere.
 âLetâs keep looking.â he said.
 âGotcha.â
 They were unable to find a trace of him in the ruins, and Wingâs trail seemed to end once they actually entered the place. The only conclusion was that heâd been taken through the pole. Ylva planned to let Oz know they were leaving, but Siegril stopped her. Oz wouldn't want them wasting time running back to them. Plus, they were treating Alverion. No reason to make them lose their focus.
 The three entered the pole, and were sent to the Isle of Solitude. With a deep breath, Ylva took a look around. She had Zandielâs cape slung around her shoulder, and removed it in order to present it to Wing. Taking another sniff at the cape and the ground around them yielded no results. Wing could only whine as she raised her head.
 âAww, âs alright, Wing.â she said, crouching down and scratching behind her ear. âAinât much else ta pick up on if heâs gotten this far.â
 âThereâs ruins somewhere here, too. Maybe heâs in there.â Clearly the ruins had some importance to the situation, given what happened to that room.
 âOh yeah, wasn't Luxes talkinâ about one on here one time?â she asked. âDidnât say where it was, but someone at base campâll probâly know.â
 With a nod, Siegril ran ahead. The three made their way down the hill and through the lightly-paved road.Â
 Reaching the camp, they could only see one campfire lit. Three people were sitting around it, clearly having been on their own excursion, and one of them seemed to be asleep. Ylva provided a quick greeting to the guild before asking about the ruins. One member, a Therian with long white hair, dressed similarly to the dancers of Tharsis, was the first to respond.
 âOhhh, like the ruins on the first island? Yeah, weâve heard! But last we checked, no one could find a way to open it.â
 âThatâs fine! We just wanna see it!â
 âHuh. Well, itâsâŚâ they turned to face the purple-haired Earthlain next to them, who had a scythe propped up to lean forward on. âNorthwest, right?â
 âHm? Ah⌠yes?â he answered, looking down at Wing, whoâd approached him. âIâm not sure either, but northwest sounds right.â
 âAlright, thanks! That helps a lot!â Ylva said. âAnd, uh⌠Yâall got any supplies ya wouldnât mind partinâ with? Like just a medica âer somethinâ? We had ta rush out here without anything.â
 The Earthlain nodded. âWeâve got some extras, actually! Youâre kind of in luck.â He took out three medicas from his bag and handed them to Ylva. âThese were gonna end up sitting in our storage room like the others if we kept them.â
 âUuugh, whyâs Shara such a hoarder?â the Therian quietly lamented.
 âWell, thanks! Seriously, thisâll help!â Ylva stuffed one in her pocket before handing the other two to Siegril.
 âSorry weâre in such a rush! Hope ta see yâall again!â she said as she started to jog towards the exit, with Siegril and Wing following behind.
 âN-No problem! Good luck getting it to open!â the Earthlain said.
 âSee ya~!â the Therian called out, waving to the three in an exaggerated manner. âOh! Wait! You know monsters start appearing on the west side, right? Careful!â
 âGotcha! Thanks!â
 Once the three left the outskirts, Ylva spoke up. âGlad they were willinâ ta help! They were nice.â
 âGuess so. But the monstersâŚâ Siegril murmured. âI didnât think weâd have to run this far. Didnât think weâd even leave Maginia.â
 âYeah, I knowâŚ! I was hopinâ they could tell us more about the ruins, but at least we know about the area, now.â
 âWe should slow down.â Siegril said. âI donât wanna get caught off guard.â
 Ylva did so, and began to look around. âCân only see a few feet in front âa meâŚâ
 They were in a rather open part of the fields, leaving them vulnerable from all sides, while allowing Siegril to see far ahead. It was a double-edged sword that they could do little to weigh in their favor.
 âThinkinâ about it, I ainât ever seen any monsters âround the field. Wonder what theyâre like.â Ylva clumsily tightened the hold on her spear, still holding Zandielâs cape in one hand.
 âHere.â Siegril reached out and took the cape. He put it on himself, and gave it a quick flourish. Itâs already served its purpose to find a trace of Zandiel, so wearing it or getting it dirty didnât mean much in that regard.
 âHuh.â he murmured, lightly tugging on the collar. The thing was built like a neck warmer with a cape attached. It wasn't what he expected at all, but it made sense why it never seemed to fly off Zandielâs body.
 âHeh, lookinâ good.â Ylva commented with a thumbs up.
 â...Not important.â he mumbled, bringing the collar closer to his face. âWe donât know exactly where the ruins are, so running anymoreâs just gonna waste energy. Letâs walk.â
 His legs had been burning in exhaustion for some time, but pushing through something like that was normal. Now that heâd slowed down, it was catching up. Even Wing had plopped down into the grassy dirt.
 Ylva sighed in relief. âYeah. Plus itâs too dark for me ta just run around like you ân Wing.â
 âHmâŚâ Siegril narrowed his eyes at her. Was there some way to help with that? He looked away, placing a hand on his chin.
 âYou good?â Ylva asked.
 âYeah.â
 âUh⌠Ya thinkinâ about somethinâ?â
 âYeah.â he repeated. It took him a moment to realize what was happening; she wanted him to continue the conversation. He didnât see much reason why, since he didnât have a solution, but relented with a sigh.
 âI tried to think of some spell to help your sight. I donât know any, though.â
 âReally? Aw, thatâs sweet!â she laughed. âYanno, I noticed you been usinâ yer magic more often!â
 â...A little more, I guess.â he crossed his arms and tilted his head up. There were a lot of stars out tonight, though they barely helped light the way. And if he was reading the moonâs location right, it was past one in the morningâŚ
 âDamn! âs like, two in the morninâ, âer somethin!â Ylva said, surprising Siegril. She was looking up at the sky, too. âYou said you can read this stuff too, right?â
 He nodded. âYouâre good. At reading the sky.â
 Ylva scratched the back of her head. âYeah, wellâŚ! I ainât done it as much ever since I started joininâ guilds instead âa runninâ around forests all day, butââ
 She was interrupted by Wingâs low, deep growl.
 She faced the southwest. Her ears were raised, and her teeth bared. In that direction, a lone, black and white monster stood. It was clearly looking in their direction, and must have been aware of them before Wing made any noise.
 ââs there somethinâ out there?!â
 âYeah. It sees us.â Siegril whispered, taking out two knives. âSome black and whiteâŚâ
 Narrowing his eyes, he realized that it wasnât just one beast, but two. There was a smaller, similar-looking one inside the large monsterâs front pouch.
 â...Monsters. With big fists.â he said. âThereâs two, but oneâs small.â
 âWait, that kinda sounds likeâŚâ
 Wing snarled at the monster, who raised its oddly large arms and seemed to duck and dodge at nothing in particular. Was it charging up for something? Was it taunting Wing?
 Then, it slammed its fist into the ground.
 âWhoa!â Ylva shouted, holding her spear more defensively.
 Wingâs hackles were fully raised as she barked at the monster, whoâd just leapt forward.
 Crashing down, the monster kicked up dirt and dust. It was still far enough away to plan something, but that one leap closer made its appearance clearer. It was a giant, kangaroo-like beast.
 Siegril squatted down, nearly casting a paralyzing effect onto one of the knives before stopping. He threw a hand to the side instead. âGimme Ozâs sigil!â
 âRight!â she took it out of her pocket and handed it over.
 Siegril ran past Wing and prepared to throw, keeping his eyes locked on the beast. He had no idea how this sigil worked, but he knew itâd be better to wait until it was closer. He was confident in his aim, but not in what the monster could do in retaliation.
 It was approaching, but still too far to be sureâŚ
 Thud.
 One leap closer, and Siegril could make out its beady red eyes and snarl.
 Thud.
 Another leap, and Wingâs growling had quieted down. She was still in a defensive stance, but it had lost some of its vigor. Siegril could understand why, and tried to not let it phase him. The size of these monsters had become incredibly clear, now. The child itself was taller than Siegril or Ylva, to say nothing of the parent.
 Thud.
 Only a few feet distanced the two. Now was the time. He had to treat this with the same confidence of throwing a knife to debilitate a human. Siegril reared his arm back, and with a grunt, threw the orb forward with as much force as he could. The orb soared straight ahead, as if it had honed in on the monsters.
 Making contact, a small burst of energy came from it. A second later, the monster let out a cry. Its body seized and struggled as sparks of light bounced off and around its body.
 âIt worked, right?!â Ylva shouted. âCâmon, letâs get outta here!â
 Before Siegril could even stand up straight, a spark of light appeared in front of him. The orb had returned to him, though the yellow sigil etched onto it had faded out completely.
 He looked back up at the two monsters for a moment before running, leading the way to what was hopefully the ruins they seeked.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 1: "A Visitor"
//GOD DAMN, HERE I GO! It's Book 2 time!
Let's see how the next part of the journey through Lemuria begins...//
Emotions. Desires. FeelingsâŚ
Why did they have to feel like this?
They were distracting. They muddled his head, made him feel sick to his stomach. The feelings he experienced in the past. All the tears shed, the worry, the fear. All the weaknesses, plain to see. He wasnât supposed to let himself feel this way. Nothing was supposed to phase him after Adhara took him in. That was what heâd decided.
But now they were trying to spill out.
Siegril reared his head back and smacked it into his knees.
His head was ringing, and the sounds around him didnât make it any better. Even though heâd found a secluded alleyway, Maginia was never quiet enough. All sorts of noise from the main streets were able to drown him out, but now his mind was filled with white noise.
He needed any thoughts and memories of his parents and brother out of his head. All the unnecessary feelings heâd picked up in his time in Maginia. He couldn't stand feeling soâŚ
Vulnerable.
Siegril raised his head, holding his legs tighter together. He couldnât allow these feelings to keep affecting them like this. He couldnât. He couldnât.
He stood up, wiping his face off with his sleeve. He just needed to focus on something else. That was it.
The expedition itself. That was worth focusing on. He still felt too incompetent in battle. Training could be a good way to regain focus. Money wasnât as much of an issue now, thanks toâŚ
âŚRight, Luxes. He was supposed to be supplying him with Amritas, taking one of the biggest weights off his shoulders. It still seemed too good to be true, even with the caveat of having to help him in his research whenever he wanted.
Siegril quietly stepped out of the alleyway and blended into the crowd, deciding to set his sights on the hospital. Go there, then train. That worked.
Luxes seemed to spend a lot of time at Redray, so he was likely there. The one issue was that he seemed to always be sent off on missions withâŚ
Siegrilâs stomach churned at the thought.
If he was looking for Luxes, heâd likely find Flynn, given the track record. Normally, he wouldnât care much what someoneâs feelings for him were. But what happened between him and Flynn wasnât his doing. He couldnât stand seeing the fear in his eyes from something he couldnât control. Something he didnât want to happen.
Siegril looked up. The sun was nearly gone, but the moon wasnât out⌠meaning itâd been about two hours since heâd left the inn. And he was still thinking like this.
All because he wasnât strong enough to resist the Hollow Queenâs magic like everyone else. He wasnât strong enough to do this or that. Thatâs all it felt like in this expedition. Every single time, something had gone wrong, and someone else had to step in for him.
Iâm not always like this, am I?
Am I really this pitiful?
... ... ...
Siegril yanked the hospital door open. The cooler air inside was a welcome shock to the system.
Standing behind the desk was Uriel, putting a folder away. Her back faced the door, but her head spun around so that it faced Siegril.
âWelcome.â
Taking a quick look around, the waiting room only had one person in it. A medic, by the look of their white coat, who was reading a book. They had brown scruffy hair that covered their left eye, tied into a short, low ponytail. They also had some stubble, and generally seemed unkempt.
Siegril narrowed his eyes. There was something strange about them.
âHello.â
He turned back towards Uriel.
âIs Luxes here?â he asked.
âYes.â she turned the rest of her body towards Siegril. âDo you want me to call him?â
He nodded.
Uriel closed her eyes, and the circlet on her head changed from orange to bright blue. Siegril took a step back and hovered a hand to the inside of his sleeve.
âLuxes. Come to the front.â
She was silent for a few seconds. âQuiet. A visitor has requested you.â
Siegril, bewildered, dropped his stance. What exactly was she doing?
âSiegril. You have worked with him before.â
He heard the medicâs book close quietly.
After another pause, Uriel uttered a quick âGoodbyeâ before her circlet shifted back to its regular orange color.
âLuxes will be here soon.â she said, opening her eyes. âI suggest that you find a spot to wait.â
Siegril looked at the opposite end of the waiting area. There was no reason to entertain whatever odd feeling that medic brought in him. At least, not up close. Maybe if he observed them from a distance, he wouldâ
âSiegril.â
The voice was so quiet that heâd hardly heard it. Yet he whipped around, eyes wide open. Hearing, and looking closer at the medic who gave him a lazy little wave, that odd feeling turned toâŚ
Familiarity.
But Siegril didnât know what to say or do.
In the end, he chose to sit in the chair across from them, and quietly look on. Waiting for them to speak first.
âWellâŚâ they began. âNever thought Iâd see you outside of Etria. Or away from the old manâs hip.â
He wasnât too surprised he had forgotten, butâŚ
Oz. That was this medicâs name. Despite working in the proclaimed slums of Etria, they were a licensed doctor. When Siegril had first moved in with Adhara, Oz was living in the house as well. They were the one who patched him up and got him eating, again.
 Around six months later, however, Oz had left. Siegril hadnât seen them since.
 He didnât pry the subject, especially since Adhara had given enough of an explanation for him. Oz had gone to find new work. That didnât explain how the mood of the house briefly shifted after the fact, but again, he didnât want to pry. It was always just odd. The house had gotten quieter for a time, even though the loudest of the three wasnât the one whoâd left.
âItâs been a while.â If his guess was right, it had been about seven years since heâd last seen Oz.
âMmmh⌠Hey, stand up.â they said.
Siegril did so, despite wondering why.Â
âHuh.â Oz leaned to the side of their chair, propping an elbow up and placing their cheek on their hand.
âYou were⌠âbout this tall last time I saw you.â they noted, raising their hand near the top of their forehead. âReally been a while.â
Siegril nodded, then sat back down. âŚHad he really been that short? He still wasnât considered tall now, but⌠time had flown. Enough for him to not immediately recognize Oz. While he technically hadnât known them for long, they were a constant presence in that short time.
âHowâs life treatinâ you, Siege? Better?â
He had to twitch his ears to hear Oz, but once he did, he looked down. âIâŚâ
Guess so, is what his brain was piloting him to answer. But, was that true? Between then and now, shouldnât he be more sure of how things have been?
He was. He knew. Despite how he was feeling at the momentâŚ
âYeah.â he kept his head lowered to hide the small smile as he admitted it.
âThat so? Glad to hear it, you know? Really am.â
Despite the monotonous tone that some may interpret differently, he knew Ozâs words were genuine.
âKinda wish I couldâve stayed, butâŚâ they sighed. âLife wanted me elsewhere, and your old man...â
They shook their head. âAh, ânough of that. Speaking of âDara⌠You here with him?â
âNo.â he answered plainly, more caught up on whatever Oz was going to say before changing the subject. Back then, it didnât matter. Oz left, and that was that. Now, though? Siegrilâs curiosity was building. It wasnât enough to ask yet, but it was going to remain in the back of his mind.
âSo. Made any friends here?â they asked, reclining into the chair.
Siegril nodded. âWeâre in the same guild.â
At least, two people who plainly said they were friends. As for the others in the guild, he doubted Ylva or Ruki would say they werenât friends. Wing was Wing, and AlverionâŚ
Well, he was an acquaintance, if that. More like a coworker.
âI was joking, you know? But thatâs good.â With a breathy chuckle, they continued. âQuiet lilâ Siegril, going out on his own? Making friends, joining guilds. Grew up fast.â
âYouâre quieter than me.â
Oz snorted, looking up with a crooked smile. âAnd grew with some sass, huh? I meant the amount you speak. Youâve spoken âbout a thousand times as many syllables in this talk alone than youâd done in all the time I was living with you two.â
âHm.â Back then, he could barely bring himself to speak, even when he wanted to. He just couldnât. Oz believed the reason was linked to his experiences with the Wyvern, his brother, and his parents. Siegril never fully understood it, but he wasnât one to doubt Oz.
âWaitâŚâ Oz sat up straighter in their chair. âYouâve gone anâ become an explorer, fighting monsters nâ all? Does that mean your Manaââ
âNo.â Siegril took a quick look around.
No one else was here except for Uriel. He wasnât sure if she was even able to hear the conversation, though. As a member of the staff, her knowing wouldn't be the worst case. Then again, everyone else heâd met here already knew one way or another. She likely had some idea.
Still, even if people knew, most didnât know the extent. Oz was made aware when theyâd first met. They tried what they could to help, but nothing worked.
Siegril couldnât bring himself to look at Oz. He lowered his voice in shame. âI still have to drink it.â
Neither said or did anything, until Siegril heard the leather and slight creak of the chair Oz was in. A moment later, they sat down next to him.
He felt a pat on his shoulder, then another. Siegril was happy to see Oz again, but there was always this underlying melancholy between them. It felt strange to go back to that ânormalâ the two had so quickly.
He hoped something could change about that.
As minutes passed, he wasnât sure if the ticking of the clock in the room was making the otherwise quiet hospital better or worse.
A door had clicked open further within the room.
âGood to see you, Siegril.âÂ
He listened to the clicking of Luxesâ shoes as he got closer. A heel-to-toe walk⌠Expected, from someone like Luxes. He seemed to think highly of himself.
Without warning, he practically fell into the chair across from Siegril with a groan. His head was thrown back, and his arms were reclined over the adjacent chairs. âApologiesâŚ! Iâve just been running ragged this past weekâŚâ
âOne of your friends?â
âHuh?â Luxes grumbled. His head lolled to the side, and he opened his eyes. Oz gave him a similar, halfhearted wave.
Luxesâ visible eye widened as he sat up. He cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair. âItâs nice to meet you, indeed. Are you a new employee?â
âMaybe one day.â Oz replied. âIâve just been scoping out the medical facilities on this ship.â
His ears twitched as Oz spoke. He leaned in with an arched brow. âWhat was that?â
âTheyâre not an employee.â Siegril answered. âTheyâre checking out other hospitals to see if they wanna work at one.â
âAh!â Luxes had stopped adjusting his hair and addressed Oz with a smile. âYou donât have to be so meek around me, you know?â
âMeek?â they droned before yawning.
Luxes laughed. âIf youâd like to know more about the place, feel free to come to me tomorrow.â
âOh. So, you work here?â
âI do not.â he replied. âOr⌠Hm. Perhaps I do. Albeit unofficially. But weâre getting off track. One; I work closely with the owner and his brother. I know more than the average employee. Two; what exactly have you summoned me for, Siegril?â
âItâs about the missions.â
âOh? Well, what is it?â he asked, straightening up. âI already have a different guild to help me with one this week, in case you were hoping for a new request so soon.â
âNo, IâŚâ
He stopped, looking down in realization.
RightâŚ
He had nothing to ask.
He just wanted a distraction. But he couldnât just say that. And of all people to ask for a distraction from, why Luxes? They werenât friends, guildmates, or anything like that. On the contrary, Luxes was basically his boss now.
â...Want you to be more clear about whatâs in the places you ask us to go.â He figured he was a good enough liar for this to work. Besides, this was something heâd like Luxes to do. âNot just monsters. I mean stuff like the thorns in the Giantâs Ruins. And the amount of monsters. Didnât you say you went in there before? Why didnât you tell us?â
âWhatâŚ?!â Luxes nearly whined. âHavenât you already known that the Giantâs Ruins were similar to the jungle? And does the amount of monsters really matter? Thatâs the sort of thing you should expect, strolling into a monsterâs domain! You could say Iâm helping you learn a lesson! Never underestimate the labyrinth, as they say!â
Siegril could only glare at Luxes, who tilted his head and smiled innocently as a response.
âOh, very well, Iâll see what I can do.â he added. âActually, howâs this? Iâve been asked to investigate a labyrinth thatâs been given the name âUntrodden Basinâ. Itâs a place with sticky patches of mud and tricky chameleons that conjure ice. Your guildâs assistance would be appreciated, especially with your ability to paralyze those chameleons in place.â
He pointed at Siegril with a grin. âWas that good enough for you?â
Siegril narrowed his eyes before looking away. âYeah. Thanks. And weâll see if we can help.â
âGood~!â he said, placing a finger on his chin. âNow, Iâm hoping to have this Untrodden Basin cleared out by the end of the month. Thereâs much to learn on these islands, and more still, once the fog surrounding the Isle of Solitude has cleared. I canât just waste my time in these small-scale labyrinths!â
âAlright.â
Coming here wasnât all bad, then. He had a potential new mission, and even got to meet Oz again. He just needed to see if the guild was up to Luxesâ task before confirming.
âŚIt was odd, needing to consult with others before taking on any tasks. He wasnât a fan of having to wait for his decisions, but that was what being in a team meant. He just had to get used to it, for now.
âWell, then. If thatâs all, I should be going.â Luxes stood from his seat. âBiscotti may still need some help.â
Siegril nodded. That was all he needed to do here, then. It was time to get up and leave.
âWait.â
And yetâŚ
âHowâs⌠Flynn?â
â Flynn? â Luxes repeated. He turned to Siegril, crossing his arms and murmuring for a minute. âWell, his injuryâs healing, if thatâs what youâre worried about. I canât say when heâll be back out and about, though. Something else seems to be an issue.â
âWhat is?â Siegril asked.
Luxes shrugged. âIâm not entirely sure. Biscotti seems to know, but heâs not telling me. I figured the Hollow Queenâs magic had some residual effect, but thatâs apparently not the case.â
What exactly did that mean? Flynnâs injury was fine, but something was wrong enough to make him think the Hollow Queen still had some effect on him? Siegril wasnât sure if he wanted to pry further or not.
âI must say, Iâm surprised youâre so concerned.â
Because it wasnât him who did that. He didnât want to. He didnât mean to. And he could barely even think enough to stop himself. How could he possibly feel good about himself after that? And how could he possibly combat a power like that, if something similar happened? The chances werenât low, with the unpredictability of the labyrinthâs monsters.
Luxes cleared his throat after a moment. âWell, if thatâs all you need, Iâll hopefully be visiting the Baku Inn soon.â
âOkay.â He listened to the same heel-toe walk until Luxes left into the deeper section of the clinic before standing up, himself.
âOh. You leaving?â
Siegril quickly looked over, having forgotten Oz was there. He nodded.
âMind if I go with you? We donât need to play anymore catchup, I just wanna talk with you a bit more.â
âOkay.â he murmured, nodding again. âBut Iâm going to the inn I stay at, then Iâm leaving to train.â
âHmmh⌠Got it. I should head home soon, myself.â
While he wasnât too comfortable with chatting, he hated the idea of being left alone with his thoughts more. And so, the two left the hospital.
They walked in relative silence for a few minutes. People were still loitering around, whether they were civilians or explorers on their way to, or from, the islands. Never quiet, never peaceful⌠that just seemed to be how Maginia was. A person was never exactly alone here, for better or worse.
Oz strayed slightly behind. Siegril heard them rifle through their bag before pulling out a sort of wrapper.
They presented a bar, about the size of their entire hand. âHere ya go. Eat.â
Siegril glanced at the bar. Under the street light, he could make out that it was some sort of nutrient bar.
âYou havenât been eating enough, have you?â Despite their unbothered gaze, Ozâs voice was laced with a suspicion that Siegril couldnât argue against.
âBeen tryingâŚâ he hesitantly responded, snatching the bar. âThe inn I stay at has good food.â
âThat so? Guess I should check inside the place.â they said. âThey still serve dinner at this time?â
âThereâs probably something left.â
âGood, good. So you should get yourself some dinner if you havenât already.â
Siegril sighed, turning around and walking ahead. âOkayâŚ!â
Oz chuckled. âAlright, fine. Iâll shut up âbout you needing to eat. Now, about your guildâŚâ
âHey. Why do you want me to talk so much after giving me food?â
Neither spoke for a moment. Siegril used the opportunity to take a bite. It was pretty flavorless and, combined with their talk about the innâs food, just made him want some of Leonidasâ cooking more.
âGuess I couldâa thought that out better.â they admitted, scratching their chin.
The two remained quiet as they walked, even after Siegril finished eating and handed Oz the wrapper to put in their bag.
The inn was beginning to bring him some level of comfort, especially after putting that table into his room. After his evening out, he was relieved to go back. Maybe introducing Oz to the inn, and whoever in the guild was awake and around, wouldn't be too bad of a way to spend time before going off to train.
Plus, there was a chance theyâd be interested in joining the guild. It didnât seem likely, considering Oz was scouting out various hospitals and clinics, but the guild would unquestionably benefit from more healing.
Nearing the building, Siegril could hear something unusual inside. He slowed his steps to listen better.
âWhatâs wrong?â Oz asked.
âPeopleâre being loud in there.â
âHeh⌠Not a fan?â
âI donât really care.â he said, walking towards the entrance. âI just dunno why theyâre being loud.â
âOnly one way to find out, Siege.â they noted, a bit of levity in their tone.
Siegril twisted the handle, pushing the door open.
The sight of Folze in the foyer was already enough to put him on alert. Ylva was speaking with him, and Wing was at her side.
â...thinkâs goinâ on?!â Ylva spoke with undeniable urgency.
âIâŚâ Folze paused, turning to the entrance. âSiegrilâŚâ
âSieg!â Ylva shouted. âYer alright!â
Despite the pit in his stomach, Siegril nodded and started to walk towards the two. He could hear Oz quietly trailing behind.
âYeah. Why?â As much as he didnât want to be bothered, this seemed important. Folze didnât just stand out in the open like this. Not to mention Ylvaâs comment.
âHave ya seen Ain?!â she asked.
Siegrilâs legs suddenly felt heavy. He shook his head. âWhyâŚ?â
âI felt a powerful, unknown presence enter your room.â Folze spoke in a slow, methodical voice. A part of his cloak weaved upward to touch his head. âIt was only for a moment. But after that⌠Ainâs presence became weaker, and the unknownâs became stronger. Now, his presence is nowhere to be felt.â
i finished catching up the on-site version of all chapter's text. [image of spongebob passed out naked in jellyfish fields. i only have the image on my phone and can't find it online.]
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Since ao3 seems to be fully back... suppose nowâs a good time to talk about my Etrian Odyssey Nexus story, [âEmpyrean Tale: Overcome the Labyrinthâ].
Itâs a tale of Zandiel Nameir, a prince forced out of his sheltered life and into the free, hectic life of an explorer. Heâll meet quite a few unpredictable allies and enemies on this journey, and learn what being a leader truly means to him.
The story is split into books. Book 1 is 41 chapters, and covers the Eastern Shrine, Lush Woodlands, Small Orchard, Primitive Jungle, and a certain labyrinth that wasnât in Nexus (plus, technically, the Giantâs Ruins & Alpha Plains). Book 1 was completed nearly 2 months ago, and I plan to start Book 2 either later this year or early 2024.
If youâre in the mood for a long Etrian Odyssey story, Iâd greatly appreciate if you check ET: OtL out! Any feedback or comments would also be greatly appreciated!