Stella crouched behind a formation of rocks as she waited for her mana to replenish. She had burns on her hand from using her pistols but that had only been twice during this fight against the horde of goblins that had ambushed her and Ardyn. She summoned the Dagger of the Mother, taking a deep breath as she took her rest.
Once feeling her mana was back, she got back up and threw her dagger at one of the goblins. After taking it down, she got out the Axe of the Vagabond. With a final swing, she cleared the rest of the horde, gasping as she dismissed the heavy axe.
Ardyn dismissed his weapon, grabbing Stella’s arm to keep her steady as she swooned.
“There now,” he said as Stella leaned on him to keep her balance. “I believe we’re here.”
Stella looked up and recognised the doors to the tomb. She straightened herself up and walked towards then, heaving them open and approaching the coffin before her. She held her hand out to it.
A set of metal knuckles lifted from the coffin and went into her chest. Stella gasped a little, grabbing the front of her shirt as her growing armiger surrounded her before disappearing. She held her hands out and summoned the Knuckles of the Monk.
Oh yes. Now she can punch things. Good way to release some stress.
And Ardyn is just outside…
“Dearest, are you alright in there?”
Dismissing the knuckles, Stella wandered back out of the tomb, hands on her hips. “Got ‘em, let’s go.”
“So eager to end our time together?”
“The more I’m around you, the harder it gets not to punch that smug look on your face.”
Ardyn sighed as she strode past him.
“You wound me, my star. I am your biggest fan after all.”
“You’re not the first one to say that and you won’t be the last.”
Ardyn followed her with a jovial hum.
After about fifteen minutes, he suddenly grabbed her arm. Stella turned and raised a fist, summoning a set of knuckles. Ardyn hummed, eyeing the new weapon before beaming down at her.
“If we take this next left, we’ll find our way out.”
Stella frowned as she looked to where he was pointing then back at him. “But we didn’t take that route…”
“I know, but there are two entrances to this tomb. Oh, did I neglect to mention that?”
Stella’s jaw dropped. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and sighing slowly. “…Chancellor. Are you telling me that we didn’t have to dive into the Vesperpool and I didn’t need to nearly drown and Iris and I could have found a safer way to this place without your help?”
“You were already diving into the lake whilst chasing the rumours you heard. And well, my star, I wanted an excuse to…have an enjoyable time with you.”
“Star? I’ll show you stars!”
When Iris crawled out of the tent the next morning, she was not expecting Stella to come storming back to the campsite, dripping wet and very irate.
“I don’t want to talk about it, I need a change of clothes, a long soak and thirty years of therapy.”
Iris jumped to the side as the princess crawled into the tent and zipped it up sharply, nearly breaking it.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the lake, Aranea was met with Ardyn returning to the ruins, clicking his nose into place. She raised an eyebrow at him.
“You were gone for some time.”
“I am a busy man, Miss Highwind. How was your excursion?”
“Successful. The prince and his lot have gone off with the mithril.”
Ardyn looked towards where the girls’ campsite was, still holding his nose, and smirked a little.
“I daresay my…date was equally impactful.”
