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Chapter Text

They were greeted by yet another ancient behind a massive counter upon entering the Capitol building. Rain quickly handed over her large scroll. 

"...Your documents appear to be in order. You may proceed into the Capitol - but any guests you may choose to bring with you must remain in your vicinity at all times."

"Neat," she said flatly, then looked to the others. "Shall we?"

They passed through the massive double doors and began slowly crossing through an enormous room.

Halfway into the room, a dark swirl of aether suddenly appeared before them, and Emet-Selch stepped out of it. 

"This really is unacceptable," he sneered. "I gave you very specific instructions."

Rain puffed up furiously, but Alphinaud shouted before she could. "Emet-Selch!"

"My invitation was for an abomination, ripe with the power to bring about the world's annihilation." Emet drawled.

Did he just fucking rhyme? Again!?

"Not this half-broken… thing," he continued, gesturing at her. "Whatever am I to do with you?" She snarled. "And I see you insist on keeping the same familiar company. Are you so lost without them?" He asked.

"It is not she who is lost without the familiar," Y'shtola snapped. "Not content with remaking an entire city, you aim to fill it with the reconstituted souls of the dead."

Emet looked indifferent. "I may have gotten a little carried away, in my attention to detail. Added a few… unnecessary flourishes..." 

He gestured, strolling about slowly. He suddenly turned to them. "Weeell, there's no point trying to hide it. Yes. Once the rejoining of worlds is complete, Zodiark will regain His full strength and shatter His prison. Then we shall offer up the Source's remaining inhabitants in sacrifice, that we might resurrect our brethren who died to bring Zodiark into existence." They all tensed. "But what was it that you came here to do, exactly?" He asked, looking at Rain.

She bared her teeth in fury. "I came here to rescue the Exarch."

Emet-Selch crossed his arms. "Well, you can't have him," he said simply, as if discussing toys, and her eyes grew wide. "The wisdom that man guards may open up new worlds of possibilities. He has unlocked the secrets of travel across the rift - and through time as well, it would seem. Quite an accomplishment for one of his 'incomplete' nature. I must explore the limits of his capabilities, and harness that power for the Ardor."

She snarled, shaking with the bizarreness and incredulity of it all.

The Ascian was fully convinced that he could just do whatever he wanted with all of them. With Raha. Wasn’t he? He fully intended to take all that Raha had worked for - and use it against them.

No.

      No, no.

               No, she wouldn’t let that happen.

                             …something inside her snapped.

She closed her eyes, a raging storm of emotions she could not name overtaking her. "...heh." 

Emet-Selch turned to her in surprise, only to see her throw her head back and laugh. 

"...heh heh heh... ha... ha ha ha... AH HAH HAH HAH HAH!"  

It echoed loudly throughout the massive chamber, and she lowered her chin, giving the Ascian a mad grin. " Ohh ..." she purred gleefully. "I will kill you." 

"After what you've done to us? To him?” She asked softly. “I will kill you." 

She saw the Scions shift and glance at her from her periphery, and a flash of something flickered through the Ascian’s eyes. He blinked, shaking it off, and snarled. "Even now, after everything, you refuse to see reason... You think it unfair that you are subject to suffering? That your lives will be sacrificed for the ancients?" He didn't give her a chance to respond. "Look at me!" He roared. "I have lived a thousand thousand of your lives!" 

He advanced upon them slowly. "I have broken bread with you, fought with you, grown ill, grown old! Sired children and yes, welcomed death's sweet embrace," he raged. "For eons have I measured your worth and found you wanting! Too weak and feeble-minded to serve as stewards of any star!"

"Have your recent spats with Vauthry and his sin eaters taught you nothing? Have you not learned that your ignorance and frailty beget only endless misery? How long do you mean to perpetuate this farce? How much more must I endure your bumbling interference?" He asked angrily. "Let us imagine that the laws of reality are again undone, and the world faces true annihilation. Do you honestly believe that half your number would sacrifice themselves to save the other?"

Rain didn't take her eyes off of him, but she heard her companions again shift slightly behind her. 

"Of course they wouldn't!" he roared. "And if you had witnessed history unfold as I have, you would reach the same conclusion!" His face contorted in fury, and he pointed a gloved finger at them. "You cannot be entrusted with our legacy." He spat. "I will bring back our brethren. Our friends. Our loved ones. The world belongs to us and us alone!"

With that, he spun on his heel, making to walk away from them, but Alphinaud called out to him before he could take more than a few steps. "Emet-Selch!" He shouted, and the Ascian paused. "We understand. Truly. But it makes no difference," he said softly. "The ones you love are in the past. While ours are here in the present. One day, we too will be ashes and dust, but not today. Our time is not yet finished."

My work is not yet done!

"We share your conviction..." Alphinaud continued sincerely. "And that is why we will not abandon our course."

Emet looked back at them, baring his teeth in rage, a mad glint in his eye to match her own. 

"You think us the same? You think your tattered soul of equal worth to those I lost?" The madness in his eyes seemed to intensify, and with a wave of his hand, the doors behind him swung open, revealing a raging inferno.

Hot air blew viciously from the flames, knocking the breath from them, whipping their hair and clothes about.

"Then come..." Emet said, his teeth still bared, his robes lashing about wildly from the wind off of the flames. " Earn your place! Prove yourselves worthy to inherit this star..." He turned to face the inferno. "Behold, the coming oblivion. 'Twas the end of our era, and the beginning of our great work... A fitting backdrop…”

“...for your final judgment."

"Do you truly think they would forgive you!?" Rain called out over the roar of the flames, taking a step forward and clenching her fists. 

He turned to look back at them over his shoulder. He and the Warrior locked gazes, her chest heaving from the white-hot rage that suddenly threatened to overcome her. “How do you expect to look them in the eyes, Emet-Selch!?” She spat. “They would never forgive you. They would never conscience the bloodbath you created to bring them back!!”

She saw the muscle of his jaw flex as he clenched his teeth. She saw him shake. He turned back towards the flames.

"I shall wait within..." he said with a false calm, but she could see how his own breathing had picked up, how his fists clenched. "...but do not spend too much time on your preparations. There's no telling how much longer the guest of honor will last..." He gave the Warrior one last mad grin, before turning around to slowly stride into the flames.

Her vision went white, her fury overtaking her. She felt it surge up through the shattered remnants of her soul.

It only fueled her.

She roared, dashing across the room in a fraction of a beat, and she dove through the flames without a second thought, vanishing from sight.

"Rain-!"

"After her!"

They caught up to the Warrior quickly, finding her where he stood gazing up at what appeared to be the gates to the city. 

A city in flames.

The voice of Emet-Selch suddenly echoed around them, from everywhere and nowhere. 

"Welcome to the final days of Amaurot..."

Meteors rained from the sky. Buildings crashed down before their eyes. Countless hooded ancients ran past them, radiating fear and terror as they attempted to sheild their heads from the falling debris..

"So much destruction..." Alisaie breathed.

Rain grit her teeth. "Come on, he must be through all this!"

"You four head on, we will stay back a bit and ensure you're not ambushed from behind," Y'shtola comanded. 

The Warrior nodded, and Y’shtola, Urianger, and Ryne fell back while Rain, Thancred, and the twins advanced into the burning city.

"The fabric of our star began to fray… and the unchecked energies of creation begat malformed beasts."

"Gah!" Rain shouted as a dozen beasts suddenly appeared before them, and they all took up arms.

"Leaving naught in their wake but blood and ash..."

She jumped when… something - something other than Emet-Selch? Another voice? A memory? Echoed through her mind. “Did you guys hear that!?” She asked as she dodged a vicious swipe from a nearby creature.

“Him prattling on about beasts?” Alisaie asked, running the creature through with her blade.

“No, I-” she cut off when Thancred cried out, and she hissed, diving after the group piling onto him.

"Just as prayer gives rise to primals, our dread made manifest our deepest fears." 

They fought horde after horde of these malformed creatures as the city fell around them.

"Watch where you step!" Alphinaud called out. "Ware the falling flames!"

No kidding! Rain thought, leaping back and just missing being burned to a crisp. They rounded a corner, and spotted a particularly massive beast in the center of a large courtyard. 

"The first beast was striking in its unsightliness..." 

She snarled as Emet-Selch’s voice continued to boom through the air around them. The beast in the courtyard, a massive worm-like creature covered in mouths with teeth, roared and suddenly launched at them. 

Fire and meteors continued to rain from the sky as they fought the unrelenting beast.

"As if to scour away all life, it called down a cataclysmic deluge."

They had to dodge falling buildings and hide behind rubble as the beast called forth explosions to rival King Behemoth, but somehow, they brought it down. They stood there, gasping for breath, as Emet's voice continued to echo around them.

"Yet even its defeat did not halt the march of oblivion..."

"Everyone all right?" Thancred asked, breathless.

"As can be..." Rain panted. 

"It would not prove, however, the last..."

Rain shook her head, noting that still no one else reacted to the second line. They carried on.

"The buildings are coming down!" Alisaie suddenly cried out, and they dodged to their left as a massive amount of debris crashed around them. They ran through fire and falling rubble as they fought through more swarms of enemies, and Rain's limbs and lungs burned as hot as the fire around them.

She was nearing her limit, and they were nowhere near done. 

They rounded a building, only to see about twenty beasts between them and the path forward. "There's so many!" She gasped. "Thancred! Stay back! One group at a time!"

"Of course!" He answered, diving into the nearest group and pulling them away from the others, and she desperately hoped they could finish off the first swarm before the second noticed them. 

As they felled creature after creature, a strange sprite of darkness suddenly appeared, tethering itself to Alphinaud. She cried out furiously. "Get that thing off Alphy!"

Thancred was being swarmed. "Seven hells! These beasts lurk behind every stone!" She heard him shout.

"I'll help Thancred, you kill that thing!" Alisaie said, as Alphinaud tried to fight off the sprout draining his magicks whilst keeping healing up on Thancred.

"On it!" The Warrior responded, already gathering up a massive amount of aether, releasing it in a fiery blast into the heart of the dark sprite. It dissipated in a burst, much to Alphinaud’s relief, and he breathed out a choked ‘thank you’ as Rain placed a hand on his back momentarily. After making sure he was all right, she turned to help Alisaie pick all the beasts off Thancred.

"The land buckled; the cities burned; the waters ran red with blood…”

"For soon did the sun bend low, scorching the earth and boiling the seas..."

“Bloody hells,” she hissed. They passed through an archway, seeing naught but more destruction. Rain spotted a massive beast with wings in the distance, seemingly razing the unseen ground below with a massive beam of light from its gaping maw. "Gods, do you see that thing flying over there??"

Just as the others turned to look, the beast flew past the platform they stood upon, shooting another enormous beam at something below.

"Hells!!" the Warrior cried as they were all nearly knocked off their feet from its wingblast, feeling the heat from its attack even from yalms away. Fortunately it seemed distracted with whatever was below them, giving them ample time to fight through the many creatures - blocking their path to where she hoped Emet-Selch waited.

She heard Alisaie cry out, and spun to see that a strange, bomb-like creature had tethered itself to her. She dove after it. "I've got you, Alisaie!" She shouted,, and the girls worked on bringing it down as Alphinaud and Thancred kept the other beasts at bay. 

With that group fallen, and once they'd finally cleared the path to yet another massive courtyard, they found their way once again blocked by a disturbing creature of unusual size.

"A man's face on a bird's body..." Thancred murmured. "How... unsettling..."

"Thus did the second doom break us..."

She ignored the voice. They attacked the beast from all sides, and she quickly noticed it seemed fairly weak compared to the others. She should have known better - because suddenly it gave a frightful cry, flying up from the arena and out of reach.

"The beast bellows, and gives birth to terror… A terror which, in turn, gives birth to new beasts..."

Suddenly, dozens and dozens of creatures appeared around them. "Gods!" Rain screamed in alarm, frantically glancing around as they were swarmed, seeing her panic reflected in their soot-covered faces.

"On me!" Thancred yelled, shooting through the masses to get their attention, and suddenly she couldn't even see him through the bodies as they all turned on him.

"Thancred-!!" 

She dove into the center of the beasts, releasing spiraling blasts of aether that would go above Thancred's head, wherever he was, while the twins picked off beats on the outside of the mass. Once they'd brought down a good half of the beasts, Emet spoke again.

"Its gaze turns skyward, and fiery rain falls from the heavens..."

Rain looked up in alarm. "Make ready!" she shouted. The creature was looking up at the sky, and it let out an ear-splitting screech, calling down countless balls of fire from the sky. "Scatter-!!"

They dodged fiery blast after fiery blast - at the same time felling the rest of the creatures.

"Once the fear has taken root, it cannot be expunged..."

"To hells with you-!!" the Warrior screamed, bringing down the entire next group by herself in a fury.

"Rain! Pace yourself!" Alphinaud called out, but then the first beast rejoined the fray. They pounced on it from all sides.

"As if feeding upon the horror, the beast bloats… then shivers… then ruptures..."

As Emet-Selch spoke, the creature began to swell, and they could sense it gathering a massive amount of aetherical energy.

"Kill it!" She cried in a panic. "Kill it, quickly! We have to kill it, now–!!"

They were running out of time.

The creature grew and grew as flame-like aether swirled under its skin. The Warrior knew they would be done for if it was allowed to finish its cast. 

"Hah!" Alisaie shouted. "Let's give them a show!"

"Fall back!" Rain ordered the boys, and they all leapt backwards.

"I'll fight fire with fire!" Alisaie yelled, and with a wave of her sword and focus, she called down a massive rain of meteors. The beast did rupture, but destroyed by magicks not its own, the party barely felt the blast.

They all quickly gathered to one edge of the courtyard, exhausted and gasping.

"Yet this was far from the worst of it. Come, and I will show you..."

As Emet spoke, a blue and black portal appeared near their feet.

"Is it... over...?" Alphinaud gasped through heaving breaths as they stared at the swirling aether warily.

"Looks like it's only just begun," the Warrior panted. She felt ready to drop. "I see little choice. I'll go first." The others seemed too tired to argue immediately, and she stepped into the portal before they got the chance. 

At first, she was pulled quickly through darkness, and suddenly her feet hit hard upon purple stone. She soon heard the others land beside her, and they looked up... 

….to see the impossible.

They were on a massive platform, one that appeared to be so high up, they could see the curve of the very star they stood upon not moments prior. The night sky surrounded them in a way she had only ever seen when fighting Omega.

Meteors fell from the darkness above them, careening towards the star below, where all the landmasses appeared to be burning.

"Just a little further… and you will see the end of a world."

"Gods!" Alisaie gasped. "This place defies understanding!"

"No time! Go!" Thancred shouted, and they ran across the platform, diving into the first group of enemies.

"Yet it was neither claw nor flame, but our very sins..."

"The star was fading. We saw we had to weave its laws anew..."

"Stacked to the heavens, where they took root, corrupting its halls..."

...what?

"But between us and our goal loomed a final misbegotten fiend..."

She ignored the voice and fought on. After what seemed like an age, they reached the end of the platform, dogging meteors, beams of light, and fell beast along the way. They looked up to see flying beast with lasers from earlier soar past them.

"Thus did the third doom undo us..."

She cursed in pain, grabbing at her head, but she pressed onward quickly before any could question her. As soon as they approached the edge, a magical seal appeared, launching them to the final platform when they stood upon it, where the final beast now waited.

"The final doom..." Alphinaud breathed. "The largest was saved for last, it seems."

She fought the urge to groan.

"From the depths of despair, the last harbinger arose..."

"I see little choice," Rain said. With a final nod to each other, they ran straight for the beast.

It roared, clawed at the air, and flapped its massive wings, and its many faces with jaws open wide on silent screams stared blankly forward.

"Its voice was fulgent destruction, and none could stand in its path." 

As Emet spoke, the creature opened its massive jaws, and a bright light began swelling in its throat.

"Shite! To the sides! Quickly-!" Rain shouted, and they all dove to the edge of the platform, crowding onto a small outcropping. Nervous as being near the edge made her, she knew they'd made the right choice when the beast released the built up energy with a horrific sound, rattling the very air around them. She spun to put her back to it, throwing her arms around the twins and shielding them further from the blast.

The surge of energy was incomprehensible, and she felt the heat singe her skin, burning her even through her leather armor. She grit her teeth and held the twins more firmly, glancing to her left at Thancred through squinted eyes, barely able to make him out through the bright light - but able to tell he was okay.

The creature eventually seemed to exhaust its energy, and they quickly moved back onto the main platform, just in time for it to suddenly lower its chest, and she saw the muscles in its haunches coiling. 

"Oh Gods-" she choked. "Run! Run-!!" the Warrior shouted, waving her arm to urge them ahead of her. They ran from the massive creature just as it leapt forward, destroying much of the platform in its path. They regrouped quickly and began attacking it again, dodging smaller beams from its many faces - and the duplicate masks it summoned alongside the edges of the platform.

This repeated two more times. 

They had run out of platform and their desperation increased.

"And as it edged inexorably closer, we knew… Without decisive sacrifice, our star would surely perish..."

"One last push!" Thancred rallied them.

"Almost there! I can feel its aether destabilizing!" Alphinaud shouted.

We can't fall here.

                   I can't lose them.

                                  I have to save-

Ruby eyes and a beautiful, sunshine smile. Golden doors sliding closed, cutting off the sight of a retreating back and flicking tail, just as he turned, just as she saw his lips moving.

Moenbryda and a burst of light.

Haurchefant and the blinding sight of so much blood against freshly fallen snow.

Papalymo and Lyse's screams.

Ysale and her last stand.

”One life for one world.”

.

.

.

No.

.

.

.

No more. 

             No more.

No more sacrifices--!!!

NononoNONO NONO--!!

"Haaaaaaaahh!"  

The Warrior roared, forcing herself impossibly harder, ignoring how badly it hurt--

She would push on - past all limits-!

Just as the Warrior of Light was always meant to.

The next sound of shattering glass felt like it cleaved clear down her spine, but miraculously, the beast fell at the same time, dissipating into nothingness.

She stumbled, and struggled to remain upright. The others joined her, and soon, so did Urianger, Y'shtola, and Ryne.

Before any of them could speak - before they could check wounds or offer support - Emet-Selch abruptly appeared before them from a burst of black aether, and they tensed.

She straightened - and leveled a steady gaze at him.

"Well, well," he drawled, "you prevailed..."

"Nevertheless!" With a casual wave of his hand, he sent them all flying backwards. The Warrior only barely managed to remain on her feet, skidding backwards on hand and knee. 

If she fell now she wouldn't get back up. She could not fall here.

"Your performance was underwhelming," Emet-Selch sneered, "and I remain unconvinced of your worthiness."

Rain bared her teeth.

"Oh, you tower over your misbegotten ilk, no doubt. But should I bring my full strength to bear, well...you would be as leaves in the wind," he said, shrugging.

She clenched her fists.

Say that again when I'm not already half-dead, you cowardly bastard-!

"The gulf between us is a reflection of the disparity between the world as it was… and what it has become," he continued. 

That seemed to set Alisaie off. Enraged, she suddenly launched at him with a shout, striking furiously with her blade. 

He blocked her attacks with a magical barrier - not even bothering to raise a hand.

"Our worlds may not live up to your lofty standards..." Alisaie yelled, her strikes coming faster. "But they are our worlds! Our homes! Full of life and love and hope! And we won't stand by and let you destroy them!"

The Ascian sneered, and with another casual hand-wave, he sent her flying backwards - where she landed roughly on the stone. 

"Alisaie!" Rain and Alphinaud shouted, and he ran to his sister, gathering her into his arms. 

"You are a mistake," Emet spat. "For we who have known perfection, the shattered Source and these shards are ghastly mockeries of the true world. The ephemeral lives you exalt are pale imitations, utterly devoid of meaning."

Alphinaud, shaking with anger, carefully pulled his sister into his lap, wrapping his arms around her protectively. 

"Belittle us all you like," Alphinaud said lowly, "but we will rise again and again, and give the lie to your insults through word and deed... We define our worth, not the circumstances of our creation!"

"Hmph, more prattle," Emet sniffed. 

With another wave of his hand, numerous black spears appeared above the twins.

"No--!!" Rain screamed, but it was too late.

Alphinaud had time to gasp and look up-

-and the spears rained down on them, so many that it blocked them entirely from her view.

The weapons then exploded, and as the aether cleared, Rain saw Alphinaud slumped unconscious over Alisaie. Both of them motionless.

It looked too similar to her nightmare. She grit her teeth, bowing her head and steeling herself.

With an enraged scream, Rain shoved up off the ground. She took one step towards the Ascian, then another. 

"Fool! Who are you?" He demanded. "No one. Nothing. Once I have reclaimed my heritage, my first act will be to expunge your stain from history's weave... My world will have no need for heroes."

Gritting her teeth, she pushed on, one step after another.

Her gate was unstable - she could hardly stand at all, let alone move - and yet she pressed on. The white at the edges of her vision had long since encroached terribly far towards the center - but damn it all, she didn't need to see to slay him!

Every breath was agony. Every step reminded her of the shards of her shattered soul - grinding together like broken glass. She stumbled, but righted herself, marching steadily on.

"You fight for nothing!" she roared. "They would never forgive you!"

Rage flashed in the Ascian's eyes.

"Still fighting the good fight..." Emet growled through bared teeth. He sent another attack her way, but Urianger blocked it.

The Warrior kept moving forward. 

Y'shtola cast an unbelievably powerful spell, a massive meteor crashing down onto where Emet stood. 

The smoke cleared, but he remained standing, his red mask now glowing like an ember through the haze.

"It is true that all we hold dear is fated to fade away," Y'shtola called out to him. "But that is no reason for us to forsake it!"

"To take what steps we may, and thus mark the road for those who would follow," Urianger added. "To strive for the best of all futures... Be this not also thy purpose!?"

Rain continued on, refusing, simply refusing to fall, despite each next step feeling entirely impossible.

In a rage, Emet-Selch struck down Y'shtola and Urianger.

"NO-!!" she cried, trying desperately to remain upright as she stumbled again, glancing back at her fallen loved ones. 

"Do not presume to speak of my future!" Emet bellowed, drawing a clawed hand over his face, causing his mask to glow brighter before it dissipated. "And you!" He yelled at the Warrior. "Why waste your final moments in futile defiance?"

"You..." she snarled. "You hurt those I love... threaten my home...!" she took one slow step after another, heaving for breath. "I will fight... until my last breath...! Again and again!" she bellowed back. "Through eons and lifetimes, I will fight you! I will have your blood for what you've done, Emet-Selch--!!"

"Weary wanderer - you've no fight left to fight! No life left to live!" he roared, just as the sound of shattering glass suddenly echoed through the darkness, and he smirked in triumph. 

She cried out, unbearable pain lancing through her entire body. The sounds grew louder - her body twisting unnaturally. She screamed, then collapsed, her body jerking and writhing on the cold stone in agony.

Emet threw his head back, laughing. "Hah hah hah hah hah! You see!" He yelled gleefully. "The Light will not be denied! Surrender to your fate, and let the transformation take you!" 

He began approaching the helpless Warrior. "Rise up in madness and fury!" He shouted. "Devour the vermin infesting the land which is rightfully ours!"

Her eyes widened, and she choked, spitting white, molten aether onto the purple stone below her. Her face contorted into rage.

...ours!?

She could hardly see, hardly think, her body racked with tremors as her soul fractured further, the white flame-like aether swirling around her almost entirely blocking out what little of her sight remained.

Yet, she sensed Thancred leap past her.

She looked up to see Thancred attacking with his gunblade, and Emet-Selch seemed to be struggling to hold him back with a magical shield.

"Now, Ryne! Now!" Thancred shouted.

Rain heard rapid footsteps, and turned to see Ryne running towards her.

The Ascian yelled, throwing Thancred back. He landed hard on the stone, and Emet-Selch took aim at Ryne.

"N-no!" Rain choked, her throat filled with molten aether.

In her horror, she felt as if she saw it unfold in slowed time. A bolt of black aether shot from the Ascian’s fingertips, striking Ryne through the center and stopping her in her tracks.

“NO--!!”

Ryne struggled to lift herself up, reaching towards Rain. 

"Fight it..." she whispered, her eyes wide. "You have to hold on!"

She collapsed.

The Warrior screamed.

Her family once again lay around her, unmoving, on cold, hard stone.

She screamed, and screamed, and screamed. From fury and rage, sorrow and agony. 

Molten aether poured from her mouth, her vision completely gone. She felt as if her body was riddled with countless blades.

              …she collapsed.

…but as her horn hit painfully on the stone… 

                   …she thought she saw...

                                  ...a familiar pair of boots...

.

.

.

She lost consciousness.

.

.

.

She slowly opened her eyes. Everything was white. For a horrible moment, she thought she was blinded, now only able to see the corrupted Light. As she panicked, however, she realized she lay on the ground on her stomach. 

Pushing slightly up onto her elbows, she realized with relief that she could see her body. She looked around, spotting Ardbert to her right.

He stood facing forward. "If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it?" He asked softly. "Could you save our worlds?"

Rain bowed her head, and she laughed.

"Hah! ...what ....all by myself?" She asked, looking back up with a grin.

He huffed a laugh of his own, and held his bloody axe out to her. "Take it," he said. "We fight as one!"

She smiled, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. “Together, then,” she said softly, and she reached out, grabbing the neck of the weapon.

An explosion of light and aether erupted around them. She was back in the waking world, an enormous amount of energy suddenly coursing through her - flooding her veins with relief and strength.

She rose effortlessly, slowly looking up to glare at Emet-Selch

He took a step back, his eyes wide with recognition and horror, holding up a hand to shield his face from the light.

"No…” he choked in disbelief. “It can't be...!"  

"This world is not yours to end." She felt her mouth move, felt her throat work, but heard Ardbert's voice - felt the energy welling within her at each word. "This is our future. Our story!"

"Bah, a trick of the light!" Emet yelled, sounding unhinged. "You are a broken husk, nothing more! How can you hope to stand against me alone?"

"We stand together!!" A voice called out from behind Emet-Selch. He spun around in alarm-

-to see the Crystal Exarch, leaning heavily upon his staff, his face bloodied and bruised, his robes tattered.

"Raha–!!"

"How did-!?" Emet gasped. "...I'm surprised you can stand at all..."

Raha smiled. "I could not well leave matters half-finished." 

Rain smiled - the strength and energy within her reaching a fever pitch, near to bursting. Raha lifted his staff before him. "Let expanse contract," he chanted, "Eon become instant!"

Her eyes went wide, realizing what he was doing when seven sigils suddenly appeared around her feet.

"Champions from beyond the rift,” he called, lifting his staff high in the air as it surged with power.

”-heed my call--!!" 

She felt a surge of aether swirl around him as he completed his cast, his voice laced with nigh-inconceivable magicks, slamming his staff into the ground and sending a shockwave out around them, and the seven sigils around her suddenly exploded with energy.

Massive pillars of light burst forth from the sigils, shaking the ground under her feet and disappearing into the endless night sky above them.

She laughed, exhilarated, wiping at her mouth - her gaze fixed on him.

There was no stopping them now.

Her heart threatened to pound through her chest, and from her periphery, she saw the silhouettes of other warriors begin to appear in the pillars of light. She looked between them wildly, then back at Raha, his victorious smile enough to make her heart fit to burst all over again.

She ran her tongue across sharp teeth.

She would need to lecture him about being so devastatingly irresistible on the battlefield.

She grinned, her blood running hot, energy and strength and power coursing through her veins.

"Damn you!" Emet-Selch roared. "Damn you all!"

Her attention snapped to him. She drew up to her full height, taking one step forward and staring down her enemy. She would wipe her foe from existence, then she would give one G'raha Tia everything he never knew he wanted.

"Emet-Selch!" she roared. "I challenge you! This ends now!"

He bared his teeth. "Very well. Let us proceed, then… to your final judgment."

"With all haste, Ascian!" she spat, lowering into an offensive stance. 

"The victor shall write the tale, and the vanquished become its villain!" Emet yelled madly. "But come! Let us cast aside titles and pretense, and reveal our true faces to one another!"

Their battle had just begun.

A storm of black aether erupted around them, blocking out the sky, and the very ground beneath her feet changed. Emet-Selch’s form suddenly shifted, and he began to grow in size, towering above them all.

She cursed under her breath. “I’m gonna need a little room!" she called out to the others, her eyes huge as she watched the figure grow. "Get everyone back!"

She hoped they listened, as she didn't dare take her eyes off the monstrous form before her, but she hoped they heeded her request. In her peripheral vision, she saw the figures in the pillars of light begin to take more familiar shapes. 

"I... am... Hades!" the creature bellowed. His voice reverberated like a thousand beasts crying out at once. "He who shall awaken our brethren from their dark slumber!"

The seven pillars of light around her burst, revealing seven armed advenventurers that she recognized, and she laughed in disbelief.

Raha had summoned her godsdamned Free Company.

They looked around at each other, and at her, then to the terrifying demon she was glaring up at, and all drew their weapons.

“You could have given us a ping, first!” a Keeper bard from her left complained, knocking his first arrow.

“No time, Capitan!” she called back with a slight grin.

“It’s not Capitan, anymore!” he shouted back, and she laughed, ignoring him.

“If you plan to make a habit of this, I want another airship as payment!” a voice called from behind her, and she recognized the Viera gunbreaker’s voice without turning her head.

“Bring me the materials, and I will!” she snipped back at him. “But help me kill this hells-sent beast first, or we won’t have a home to go back to!”

"How do you find this shite?" asked a Viera mechanist to her right, loading her weapon with a flick of her wrist.

"I do believe these things find her," a Lalafellin lass replied, summoning Eos in a flourish of aether.

They all tensed when Emet-Selch, no, Hades, stretched up to his max height and roared. "Show me your 'vaunted' strength, and I shall expose the lie of your fragmented existence!" He bellowed, his voice echoing unnaturally. She stepped forward and snarled.

"Together!" Rain cried, not taking her eyes from him.

Without need for further instruction, she and the seven other heros launched after their target.

His power was incomprehensible. 

…but their desire to save their worlds was more so. 

The battle was long and arduous, but finally, miraculously, their enemy fell.

Hades dissolved into darkness.

The seven adventures vanished in bursts of light - their job finished and the magicks holding them there spent.

They're used to my antics now, though I'll likely still owe them an explanation later...

Rain, breathless and exhausted, stood in the center of the strange platform, still surrounded by impenetrable shadows.

"You… you have no power over me!" Hades roared, and the darkness around her trembled. 

She looked around wildly, feeling a great swelling of aetherical power.

"I...will... not...yield!!" he screamed.

"Hells," she breathed, lowering into a defensive stance, realizing all too keenly that she was now alone.

"Should I surrender this fight, what will become of it all...!?" Hades asked desperately. Countless masks began to appear around her in the dark abyss surrounding the platform.

"What will become of our triumphs? Our hopes? Our... our despair?" Hades' voice grew, like countless entities wailing at once.

"What of this anguish which yet burns in my breast even after the passing of eons!??"

"No, no, no!!! I will not let it all be for naught!!!"

Hades suddenly reappeared before her in a massive surge of black aether, still in his monstrous form in all its glory.

She snarled furiously. She didn't think she could take him on a second time, not alone.

"You would give up eternity for this!?"

Rage bloomed in her blood. "Bastard! I'd give up everything for them! And you've always known it!"

Dark aether surged - mad fury echoing in the surrounding darkness. She braced for a strike.

"Then join me!" he roared. "Restore what was lost!"

"No!" she screamed. "It's over, Hades! Let it go!"

His rage and despair became beyond words, then, the very essence of the world around them shuddering with it.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass drew her attention - but wasn't coming from inside her this time. No, it came from high up - and to her right.

"Enough, damn you!!"

She looked up to see Thancred, having jumped through what appeared to be illusion magic, shattering it. He narrowly missed one of Hades’ swiping claws, landing on one of his wings and running across it with a furious yell. 

He leapt into the air, tossing a massive chunk of white auracite before him. With a series of strikes faster than one could blink, he broke the auracite into numerous shards, sending them flying towards Hades. 

They sunk deep into his flesh, and he let out a furious scream.

She sensed the others behind her. Turning to look, she saw them all reaching out, channeling aether into the auracite embedded in their enemy’s chest. 

"Such... infernal... strength!" Y'shtola cried.

She was thrown back to Mor Dhona, on the floor of the Solar. When Moenbryda had spent all that she was.

Not again. 

Never. Again.

The Warrior had an idea.

Hades grabbed the spear in his chest, struggling with it.

Urianger called out to her. "Now! Strike with all thy might!!"

The problem always had been they didn’t have enough aether.

And where did an overabundance of a certain type of aether happen to be?

With a breathless laugh, the Warrior raised her hand.

With an ear-splitting roar, Hades shattered the white auracite in his chest, and the Warrior slowly reared back.

The Warrior summoned all the Light from within her, channeling it into a massive weapon.

We fight as one!

The others channeled their strength to her, realizing her plan and helping her to stabilize the aetherical weapon.

With a furious roar, she threw it. 

It struck Hades at his core with a blinding explosion of Light, an incomprehensibly massive beam of energy resonating out from the contact point.

.

.

.

Everything went white.

.

.

.

Slowly, her vision returned. They all stood upon the original platform, but now in the middle of a ruined city. She slowly relaxed, blinking in what now appeared to be sunlight.

Strangely, the first thing she noticed was Ardbert’s axe of Light, embedded into the stone several yalms away.

Then she blinked again, and fully comprehended the sight before her. There stood Emet-Sech, Hades, back to his normal form and now bearing the wounds of their battle. 

He wore a black hooded robe, and slowly, slowly , he raised a hand, pulling the hood back to look at her.

They stared silently at each other for a beat, before he finally spoke.

"...Remember…” he breathed. “Remember us. Remember... that we once lived..."

A storm of emotion threatened to consume her. She clenched fists and set her jaw-

-and nodded once.

He gave her one last smile,

Before he slowly faded into glittering motes of light.

.

.

.

She stood, frozen, disbelieving, for several beats, pulled from her stupor only when she heard footsteps behind her.

"It's over... Emet-Selch is no more!" she heard Alphinaud say, and she turned back to face them. "...More importantly, how do you fare?" he asked her.

She was silent for a moment, then huffed a breathless laugh. "Quite like I've been through the ringer, but otherwise, excellent." She grinned, hoping she didn’t look as mad as she felt.

Y'shtola stepped forward, and Rain finally realized the woman was gaping at her. Urianger noticed, too.

"...What dost thou see?" he asked Y'shtola softly.

Stunned, Y'shtola slowly brought her hand up to her face, temporarily shielding her eyes, before bringing her hand back down, her mouth falling open in shock. "Her aether... It is...it is as it used to be..." she said, her voice weak with disbelief. She shook her head. "As a disciple of Zodiark… the Ascian was the Darkness to your Light..." Her voice began to rise in excitement, understanding dawning on her. "I can but assume that when you set your strength against his, the Light within you was spent."

"No," Ryne said suddenly, and they all turned to her. "It's more than that... Under the strain of that incredible flood of aether, your soul had begun to break apart. Yet now it seems somehow… restored," she murmured, her eyes were wide in shock and confusion. "I tried to help you before the battle, but Emet-Selch stopped me. So, h-how did you- exactly what did you... Can you tell us what happened?"

Rain blinked, turning to look at the axe of Light still stuck in the stone some distance away. As she gazed upon it, its form shivered, and then it, too, slowly dissolved into wisps of glittering white aether.

She turned back to them. "...I had some help from a hero of this world," she said honestly - with a bright smile.

"I… see..." Ryne said, looking more confused.

Suddenly, Rain's attention snapped to something behind them, and her smile grew impossibly brighter.

They all turned to see the Crystal Exarch, his head low, battle worn and weary, slowly approaching them.

He nervously adjusted his tattered leather ringbands and looked up with a small, embarrassed smile. He spoke before anyone else could.

"Where to start...?" He asked quietly. "I... believe I owe you all an apology. And... you most especially..."

Though he addressed the Warrior, he cast his gaze down and to the side, his ears pinning almost flat, closing his eyes as if bracing for a storm.

She was quiet for a beat.

"...'Tis good to see you awake... G'raha Tia," she said, her voice trembling, emphasizing his name to prove a point.

He gasped, his ears shooting straight up, his head jerking up to look at her. 

He took in her bright smile and teary eyes, his own going wide, his eyebrows climbing in shock and his lips parting for a moment.

Then it sunk in. His jaw trembled, his brows drew down, and tears spilled down his face. He wiped desperately at them with his crystal hand, looking down to hiccup and try and catch his breath.

He then looked up at her, and gave her the most stunning, teary smile she had ever been blessed to witness in her life.

"Well..." he laughed. "'Tis good to be awake!"

The Warrior let out a noise, half-laugh and half-sob, taking a step forward and placing her hands gently on each of the twins shoulders. They quickly stepped aside for her, and she crossed the distance between them in two long strides. She took him gently into her arms, and he immediately wrapped his arms tightly around her, crushing her to his chest.

He buried his face in her neck, trembling like a leaf with the effort to restrain his sobs. She clenched the back of his bloodied robes in one fist, resting a hand gently in his hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm s-sorry, I'm so, so s-sorry..." he cried quietly against her skin.

"Shh, shh, you've nothing to apologize for," she soothed him, smiling widely even as she screwed her eyes shut tightly, hot tears spilling heedlessly down her cheeks. "It's okay. It's okay . You did it. We did it. It's okay." She shook as she whispered into his hair, giggling through tears as his ear flicked against her face. "I've got you," she murmured. "I've got you."

"You s-should be s-so angry with m-me..." he choked, muffled into her scales.

"No," she said, pulling him away to look at him and shaking her head. "Not at all." His eyes flicked about her face, his brows still drawn tightly down. She leaned up to press a kiss to his forehead, healing and soothing the cut there, then pouring more aether over his body, healing all his minor injuries that she could. "Not in the slightest."  

She wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a gentle thumb, then kissed away a few lingering tears from his cheeks, and he trembled even harder beneath her hands. She pulled back again and smiled, her own tears still falling fast. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again, you know?" She asked, her voice trembling with tears and joy. He laughed, and she pulled him into another hug. "Also, we are both in big trouble," she said, burying her face in his shoulder.

"O-oh?" he asked, voice still shaky.

"Mm-hm. We have a lot of explaining to do," she mumbled in a sigh.

"You certainly do," Y'shtola added sharply, making him jump in her arms and reminding her they had an audience.  

Rain laughed, pulling away to look at him again to give him a cheeky grin. "So, let's save the crying till after we get home, 'kay? We need to save our energy." His eyes widened at the word 'home', and she smiled wider, pulling him back to her and pressing a kiss to his temple. "Let's go home," she whispered softly against his skin. 

He let out another choked sob, then nodded.

She gently pulled his crystal arm over her shoulders, wrapping her left around his waist, and they all began their slow trek back through the massive, ruined city of Amaurot.

The Scions decided to give the odd pair their privacy. After everything the two had gone through, they figured the two deserved this. The more mischievous among them decided to save the bulk of their harassment for later, though they did spend the majority of the walk thinking up some good quips.

They knew the pair had to be about ready to drop, what with all the horrible things they'd been through, but the Warrior looked happier than they'd ever seen her.

Not to mention, Thancred's offer to support the Exarch as they walked had been greeted with bared teeth and a hiss from the Warrior, before she regained control of her senses, quickly stammering over a hasty apology.

Her and the Exarch's bright red faces as Thancred and Alisaie roared with laughter would be a sight none would soon forget.

The Warrior was grinning like a kid at Starlight, frequently whispering into the Exarch's flicking ear, her eyes sparkling. The Exarch, for his part, looked absolutely exhausted, but was smiling shyly nonetheless, often blushing at whatever his Warrior was murmuring to him. His ears were quite animated for one so drained, and they assumed it had a lot to do with him having spent so long without needing to monitor such body language.

Tired of craning their necks, they eventually took to talking quietly amongst themselves. Exhausted as they all were, the trip had led to some fascinating discoveries, and they had plenty to mull over while the two newly revealed lovebirds whispered to each other behind them.

Thus, they were completely surprised when the Warrior's frantic cry suddenly cut through the gloom of the caves.

"Raha--!!"

They all spun to see the Exarch had collapsed in her arms. She slowly sank to the ground, wrestling with the staff on his back, holding him to her with one arm while her other hand frantically checked him all over for injury, checked his pulse, his breathing, everything.

They frantically ran back to them to see his eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell terribly slowly.

"What happened!?" Ryne asked, sounding terrified.

"Too far from the Tower too long," came the Warrior's clipped reply.

"His aether..." Y'shtola began quietly.

"I know," Rain replied tersely. "He was far too drained before we even climbed Mount Gulg, then... augh - well…” She bowed her head and grit her teeth, then suddenly cradled his jaw carefully, bending down to bring her face close to his. She rest her forehead against his, closing her eyes, then took a slow, deep breath. 

A powerful ripple of energy suddenly ruffled all their clothes and hair, and the Exarch inhaled deeply, crimson eyes snapping open to look up at the Warrior.

"Rain!" Y'shtola yelled, sounding both furious and frightened, and everyone looked between them in panic and concern.

Rain ignored her, smiling gently at the Exarch. She stroked the crystal on his cheek with her thumb. "Hi," she said softly. He gave her a small smile, and slowly raised a shaky spoken hand to rest it on hers, against his cheek, looking at her wide-eyed - like naught else existed in the world.

"Rain!" Y'shtola yelled again, and one of the Exarch's ears flicked. "What in the hells did you just do?"

The pair still didn't look away from each other, and Rain continued to ignore the angry sorceress. 

"Can you do me a favor?" She asked the Exarch quietly, still smiling, her eyes shining with warmth. He nodded minutely. "Can you stay awake till we get home?" She asked, turning her hand to clasp his, slowly drawing it to her lips and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. He gave her another small nod, blushing and looking terribly like a star-struck kit in his hero's arms.

"Oh, yack," Alisaie said, and Rain chuckled, revealing she could, indeed, hear them, before carefully hauling herself and the Exarch back to their feet with a grunt of effort.

"Rain!" Y'shtola demanded again.

"Yes?" the Warrior asked innocently. 

"That was dangerous!"

The Warrior simply grinned.

"What? What is it? What did she do?" Ryne asked quietly.

"It appeareth to have been... Mana Shift," Urianger answered.

"Mana... shift?" Ryne repeated.

"A foolhardy skill from the Source," Y'shtola explained, her voice sharp. "There were talks of banning it, ere we departed."

"Aye," Rain agreed cheerily, walking past them and forcing them to follow. "And they did ban it, but not before I learned it."

"Wh-why did they ban it? Why is it so dangerous?" Ryne asked, eyes wide and darting between Rain and Y'shtola.

"Because you could easily give too much and die," Alisaie answered.

The Exarch, now appearing a bit more aware of his surroundings, looked terribly stressed.

Alisaie seemed to have a realization. "You didn’t yell at her for doing it earlier, after putting her to sleep,” she pointed out, turning to Y’shtola.

The Exarch looked to the Warrior with raised brows. The fact that he didn't know what Alisaie was talking about raised even more questions.

"Aye," she said unashamedly.

"Rain..." he said softly, frowning lightly. If the Scions didn't know better, they may have thought it a whine.

“I was a touch preoccupied with the fact her throat was crushed,” Y’shtola snapped, and the Exarch’s jaw dropped.

Rain continued to grin as they walked. "Aye, aye, I used Mana Shift then as well. And I'll do it again, too, if you fall asleep again."

Not wanting Rain to be reprimanded for something that was his fault, the Exarch opened his mouth to reply, but Y'shtola interrupted. "You'll do no such thing!"

"It's fine, Y'shtola, do you not see I've already regenerated a decent bit of it?" Rain asked, and Y'shtola's eyes widened. "There it is." She grinned.

"This... this is unnatural," Y'shtola said quietly.

"Oh, come now. It's the Echo," Rain dismissed.

"No, I've seen you regenerate your mana before," Y'shtola countered. "It is much faster than a normal person's, due to the Echo's influence, but this... this is even faster... not by much, but..."

Rain shrugged as best she could without jostling the Exarch too much. "We can experiment later, let's focus on getting the hells out of here first."

"It's..." Ryne began, but cut off with a blush when everyone looked at her. "N-no, nevermind. Let's just get back to the Crystarium..."

Getting back to the Crystarium sounded fantastic to the Exarch, even if he still couldn’t believe they were all still alive. Each step was agony, and each passing minute saw what non-existent energy he had left taxed impossibly past his limits.

"That's not the point, anyway," Y'shtola continued. "It's the process of giving that is most dangerous, and you gave enough for it to be a risk to your life."

"Ah, hells, everything is a risk to my life nowadays," Rain again dismissed casually. "Let's debate more when we aren't all exhausted."

"Yes, please," Thancred finally spoke. "Your arguing is making me even more tired. ...by the way, Urianger, did you ask your fey friend to... come pick us up?"

Urianger and Rain both froze, their eyes going wide, and the Exarch stumbled slightly at her abrupt stop.

"Urianger..." Alphinaud said, sounded mildly panicked.

Rain and Urianger looked to each other, then back at the others. 

"...you rode on Bismark?" the Exarch asked Rain quietly, looking at her in astonishment.

"Mm," she hummed an affirmative, not turning to him. "Had to get Feo to get him to agree though... and..." she closed one eye, her brows drawing down in stress. "In our haste, the topic of our return didn't come up..."

"Oh my gods," Alisaie said.

"To be fair, I'm accustomed to teleporting everywhere," Rain defended herself.

"Yeah? And you've the aether to do that now? Far as we are?" Alisaie asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"...not anymore, no," Rain admitted sheepishly.

"Rain!" The Exarch admonished weakly. He couldn't believe she'd given him so much of her aether again.

"I don't think any of us have that kind of energy to spare..." Ryne observed quietly.

"Hmm. Fuck," Rain said bluntly. 

"Let's... let's just see how far Bismark's breath goes, and we can figure things out from there," Alphinaud tried, sounding uncertain. After a moment's hesitation more, they started walking again. 

The Exarch tried to keep his breathing steady - to hide how his legs were surely about to give out. Each step he made was a new wonder, and he was unhappy to realize he began leaning harder and harder on Rain, after everything she had been through. Her grip around his waist held firm, however, and he knew she wouldn't stand for them being separated. 

And as embarrassed as he would be to admit it, he didn't want her to let him go, either.

"...how did you know the 'fey friend' was Bismark?" Alisaie asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

"I told him when Y'shtola put me to sleep," Rain answered for him absently.

Alisaie frowned thoughtfully, but didn’t ask any more questions.

They traveled the rest of the way in silence, climbing painfully slowly through twisting caves. He was glad his crystal arm couldn't feel strain, supporting as much of his weight on Rain's shoulders as it was. When they stepped out into the open gloom of the Tempest, the Exarch gasped softly, looking around in amazement. 

"The Breath of Bismark," Rain explained with a smile. "Gave the poor Ondo quite the fright. Part of what took us so long was setting things right with them, before they'd agree to show us the way..."

"This is... astonishing," he said quietly. "Do you see such wonders on all your adventures?"

"Hmm..." she mused, giving his crystal hand a squeeze. "While it is true I have seen plenty of amazing things, I must say, everything that has occurred since my arrival on Norvrandt has turned all my past experiences rather pale in comparison…” She turned to smile at him, and his heart leapt in his chest. “I am glad to witness such things with you,” she said softly, stunning him further into silence. “You know, you and I have adventures together on three shards now. Not many can say that!"

He blinked at her, the words echoing in his head. It was true, and it boggled the mind to think about.

As he tried both to stay conscious and to fruitlessly grapple with reality, they eventually came upon the edge of the dome.

Rain stopped, looking directly up at the wall of water. "Well... that's not good."

"At least we can… kind of see the surface?" Ryne asked.

"We are the worst rescue party ever," Rain complained, carefully adjusting her grip on the Exarch.

He realized her lighthearted quips were likely the only thing keeping everyone from dwelling on the truth of the matter. He had to assume that they'd not planned for a way home - because they'd not truly believed they'd need it.

Such thoughts were not for their victory march, however.

"I hate to say it, guys, but I think we will have to swim," said Thancred. 

"What!?" Alphinaud, the Exarch, and Urianger yelped in unison, Alphinaud leaping back in shock and the Exarch flattening his ears, his gaze flicking back up at the distant surface.

"That's all well and good for Alisaie and I," Rain said. "Oh, and I suppose you, of course," she added, looking to Thancred with a knowing smirk, then laughing loudly when he had the class to look embarrassed. Though it may have had something to do with the way the Exarch looked between him and the Warrior, with an expression that likely could be described as 'alarmed'. "Mister I-can-hold-my-breath-for- gods, what did you say in Gyr Abania? Ten minutes?" Rain asked, then laughed again.

"...really?" Ryne asked him, looking surprised, and Rain snorted so hard she jostled the Exarch. Thancred looked like he wanted to be anywhere else, and even Y'shtola had trouble holding back a smirk.

"Ya'know, you gotta give him credit though, because he did. I thought he was gonna drown," Alisaie laughed.

"I did too." Rain laughed. "That's why I intended to stop him, but I was so taken aback when he said that, and then he dove right into the salt lake, I didn't get a chance to."

The Exarch sagged a little bit in the Warrior's arms. "Rain," he chided quietly, embarrassed, and she laughed again, giving him a wink. He turned red and pinned his ears again.

"Well now that we're all done making fun of my exceptional lung capacity," Thancred started, and Rain snorted again, "can anyone with a better idea pipe up?"

They all looked back up at the surface. "I can tell you now that Feo and Bismark aren't likely to help us, Bismark won't want to be bothered, and Feo will think it's too funny," Rain said.

"We... we could rest with the Ondo until our aether has regenerated?" Alphinaud suggested. 

"No, we need to get back as soon as possible. I'm in worse shape than I look, and I doubt the Ondo have the proper medical supplies for shorewalkers," Rain said, and they all turned to her in surprise.

The Exarch felt a pang of guilt. "R-Rain... you don't have to lie for my sake..." he said quietly, his ears low.

"Oh, I'm not," she said casually. "I got clipped by one of those lasers. It didn't destroy my clothes, but I'm afraid to look at my back."

"What!?" came several voices. 

"You should have said something! Let me heal you!" Alphinaud scolded, pulling out his grimoire. 

Rain shook her head. "Healing magic doesn't touch it - or the Scholar that fought with me would have healed it." She frowned up at the ocean above them once again. "Getting salt water in it is going to be a joy..." she groused.

Alphinaud reluctantly placed his grimoire back on his hip. 

"Plus I want a proper bed. And a bath," Rain continued, and several murmurs of agreement followed.

"Well, who thinks they can't make it?" Thancred asked. 

Alphinaud, Urianger, and the Exarch looked stressed.

"I've got you," Rain reassured him, shifting her hold on to tug him over to her back, wrapping his arms around her neck. He now stood behind her, looking like he was giving her an odd hug. 

He felt alarmed and embarrassed. "R-Rain, what-!?"

"You hang on to me while I swim," she said simply.

"I can't ask you to-" he started, but she interrupted. 

"You didn't ask, and I'm not either. I'm not giving you a choice." She tilted her head back to grin at him as best she could. "The Warrior of Darkness will happily be her Lord Exarch’s noble steed."

He hid his face against her neck, trying not to be thrown off by her joke. "B-but what about your back? Doesn't this hurt?"

"Says the man who got shot," Rain said quietly, gently. He frowned, and his ears remained pinned. "It's fine for now," she continued at a normal speaking volume.

"I'll make sure Alphinaud doesn't fall behind," Alisaie said with a smirk, clapping a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"That settles it, then." Y'shtola smiled, ignoring Urianger's panicked expression. She suddenly took two long strides, then pushed off the ground with surprising force, diving gracefully into the wall of water before them and vanishing from sight.

Those that remained all looked at each other, equal parts surprised and impressed.

"Naught else to it then, come on, dear brother," Alisaie said, grabbing Alphinaud by the back of his shirt collar and running towards the water.

"W-wait! Alisaie!!" Alphinaud cried, and he took a deep, frantic breath before being tugged unceremoniously into the water. The twins quickly disappeared from sight as well.

Thancred looked to Rain and the Exarch, smiling and giving them an 'after you' gesture. The Exarch heart was pounding in his ears as he looked wildly between Thancred and the wall of water before them.

This- this is impossible! And they're all acting so casually about it!

Rain suddenly bent slightly at the knees, adjusting her grip on his arms around her shoulders.

"R-Rain, wait, I- Ah!" He cut off with a yelp as she straightened, lifting his feet off the ground. He felt like an absolute fool hanging off her back like this. She began walking towards the wall of water, and his panic rose. "Rain I don't think that I..." he trailed off, already feeling light headed.

"Don't worry about it, I have a plan," she said confidently. He worried about it. "Take a few deep, slow breaths, okay?" She instructed, and he did his best. "Okay, one big one, then hold it. While we’re under, tap on me if you think you won't make it."

Beginning to shake, he nodded, taking another slow, deep breath. He had no idea what her plan was if he ran out of stamina halfway, but he was too exhausted to do naught but trust in his Warrior, terrified as he was.

"All right, ready?" she asked, and he tightened his arms around her, nodding and trying not to whimper. She crouched slightly, and he took a final deep breath and held it, screwing his eyes shut. 

She leapt, and the rush of ice-cold, high pressure water was enough to nearly steal his breath away. Not to mention, Rain had been right about the salt water stinging their wounds. He felt as if a spear of fire was driving between his shoulder blades. He reflexively held her tighter as the pain lanced through him.

Her strokes as she cut through the water were incredibly powerful - gliding so quickly, despite her extra burden, that the water rushing past pressed his ears flat. 

But it wasn’t fast enough. He quickly needed air. His body was much too exhausted, his heart pounding too fast, and the effort of clinging to her was using too much energy. His lungs soon burned unbearably, and he fought the mad urge to inhale, his body demanding that he take a breath. His heart beat faster as his panic spiraled.

He knew he couldn't make it. He tapped her collarbone, thinking to at least alert her before he lost consciousness, his last hope as his breath escaped in a burst of bubbles being that they could revive him once on the surface.

She quickly spun in his arms, and just before his body forced him to take the sea into his lungs, she gently but firmly grabbed his nose, sealing her lips over his, exhaling sharply at the exact moment he took that desperate breath.

He thrashed in her arms instinctively, more bubbles escaping his mouth as he cried out in surprise, releasing (wasting!) the breath she had given him. 

She didn't let go, keeping a careful grip on his nose and cradling the back of his head, pinning him to her. She placed her lips back over his, and he locked up, trying to process what was happening.

She gives me her mana, and now she gives me the very breath from her lungs!? He asked himself in wild disbelief. I- I can't let her, we will both drown!

"Mm- mmm!" He made a panicked noise in his throat, closing his mouth and eyes tightly and clenching his fists in the collar of her coat.

She let out a low, amused rumble from deep in her chest, and he felt her inhale slowly through her nose, the realization gleaned from feeling the water tickling his cheek as it flowed past, her chest expanding impossibly against him.

And then he finally remembered. 

She could breathe.

In his instinctive panic, he had completely forgotten. 

She held that deep breath for a moment, then tapped the back of his head with a finger. He didn't respond. 

She rumbled again, and pressed the tip of her tongue between his closed lips, pressing him firmer to her mouth with the hand in his hair. His lips parted instinctively, and despite his lungs already burning for more air, he embarrassed himself with a low moan, and he honestly had no idea if it was from fear or something else.

He figured she was laughing by how she shook. She tilted her head to get a better seal with her lips against his. She exhaled slowly, and this time, he obediently inhaled.

She rumbled once again, sounding deeply pleased, and rewarded him with a gentle brush of her tongue against his.

"Mm!" he said in surprise, his face and body heating, but he relaxed in her grip. She gently tapped her thumb on the tip of his nose, loosening her grip on him - apparently alerting him that she was going to let go - giving him time to adjust. She lowered her arm, cradling his jaw instead.

He exhaled slowly through his nose, a stream of bubbles rushing between them. She took another careful, impossible breath through her nose, tapping his jaw again. He slowly breathed in as she breathed out, struggling to comprehend how bizarrely intimate this was. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, humming happily.

She released his jaw, and grabbed his spoken hand, bringing it up to her face and encouraging him to grab the base of her horn. He did so somewhat reluctantly, feeling his face heat again.

This is...

She wrapped his crystal arm around her waist, tapping on him to tell him to hold on tight. He did. She released him fully, and once again, the only thing holding him to her was his own grip.

She took another breath as she began to swim again - in a slow, elegant back stroke - despite having locked him to her in an intimate embrace. He exhaled slowly through his nose again, and he let out a soft, involuntary whine as he greedily took yet another breath from her lungs, clinging to her desperately and pressing his mouth more firmly to hers.

She was the Warrior of Light and Darkness, godslayer, liberator of nations, savior of worlds, and she was breathing for him. 

And she seemed to be pleased about it.

It was incomprehensible.

He wasn't sure how long they were like that. Her strokes had grown languid, seemingly enjoying herself. Or, perhaps she didn't want him to have to cling so hard, as he would if she had swam fast. Even so, the strain was getting to him. Even their careful breathing was becoming taxing. He needed to breathe quickly, to gasp fresh air. 

He was beginning to feel lightheaded, his grip starting to weaken, when they finally broke the surface. They parted slightly, taking large, heaving, desperate lungfuls of air. She rest her forehead against his and laughed.

Exhausted and disoriented, he nearly slipped back beneath the surface. She grabbed him by his waist and pulled him back to her chest, coaxing his arms back around her neck while she tread water for them both. 

"Rain..." he gasped, his tone clearly conveying his duress, and she laughed again.

"I didn't think you'd agree to it, if had I tried it from the start," she panted, leaning back and pulling him partway onto her chest. She began a lazy backstroke towards the shore.

She was probably right. 

He knew his face was red.

When they reached the beach, she wrapped an arm around his lower back again, hauling them both backwards onto the sand with her elbows, doing a strange reverse army crawl on her back.

"Rain, let me get off you..." he pleaded, breathless. 

Having drug them mostly out of the water, she laughed, collapsing backwards, laying flat on her back in the sand with him on top of her. "If you've the energy, I won't stop you," she said, her head thrown back on the wet sand, mirth clear in her voice despite how winded she sounded.

He huffed, and tried to lift at least his upper body off of her. He felt like his body was made of lead, and his muscles made of jelly. His heavy robes soaked through with sea water weren't helping, either. His arms gave out, and he collapsed roughly back onto her chest, forcing a startled "Oof!" from both of them. 

She laughed again, louder, delighted, and rest warm hands gently on his waist, her elbows propped in the sand. 

He dropped his head to her shoulder, defeated, panting, feeling himself rise and fall with her heaving breaths. At least her breathing was beginning to steady.

"I'm... heavy... I'm... squishing you..." he managed, his own breath still ragged.

She laughed again up to the blue (blue!) sky. "I've never been so happy to be squished in my entire life," she said, her voice ringing with pure joy. His ears pinned weakly, almost too exhausted to feel embarrassed. She reached up to gently cup the side of his face. "Gods," she whispered, her chuckling beginning to sound like soft sobs. "I'm so happy..."

"There! There! Look, over there! Over at the beach!" They heard shouting from a distance. 

He managed to turn his head, and saw a small group of people he unfortunately recognized, pointing at them and cheering. He had stand corrected. He apparently did still have the energy to feel embarrassed.

He groaned.

"Oh, lovely. We have an audience." Rain giggled quietly.

He struggled to get up again, exceedingly embarrassed. It didn't work. He dropped again with a huff. She wrapped her arms around his lower back, laughing. "Rest a minute. To hells with who sees."

"Rain!" he tried, but was interrupted yet again by splashing nearby. He turned to see a weary Alphinaud dragging himself onto the beach.

"I didn't think… we'd be swimming… the whole way back..." Alphinaud gasped, completely out of breath. "Heavens..." He stumbled. "Heavens... Take me..."

With that, the poor lad promptly fell flat on his face. 

The Exarch jumped slightly, startled and concerned. "Alphy, noo..." Rain whined weakly, reaching an arm out towards him, dropping her hand uselessly in the sand, her friend lying several ilms too far away.

"Alphinaud!?" they heard Alisaie call, splashing onto the shore. "Oh, hells ..." she cursed, dropping to her knees beside her brother and shaking him. 

"And you two could get a room!" she added, looking up at them with narrowed eyes.

His ears flattened and he tried yet again to right himself, feeling like the saltwater yet soaking his robes would turn to steam at any moment. His Warrior simply laughed.

While he struggled, Rain looked around, completely unbothered and simply observing the others. Y'shtola was already standing on the beach, a picture of grace despite being drenched, and Thancred and Ryne were just now walking up from the waves.

"Wait! Where's Urianger!?" Ryne asked, looking around. 

"He must have fallen behind..." Thancred said, suddenly approaching them and hoisting the struggling Exarch onto his feet with one hand under his arm. 

He grit his teeth and hissed in pain, the movement straining the burning bullet wound between his shoulder blades.

"Thancred, don't-!" Rain argued, struggling to sit up, cutting off as she doubled over in a coughing fit. "Gods damn it-!"

He couldn't decide if lying on the Warrior in full view of everyone , or being lifted one-handed like a kit was more embarrassing. 

He decided he was too tired to care.

"But… shouldn't we look for him!?" Ryne asked.

"He'll wash up sooner or later," Y'shtola dismissed the young girl's concern with a smirk.

"Y'shtola! He could drown!" Rain complained, trying to struggle to her feet, pausing to cough up more sea water, then frowning sharply.

Thancred slowly let the gasping Exarch down to sit in the sand, releasing him with a gruff, "Sorry." The Exarch dismissed his concern with a weak wave of his hand.

Rain gave up on standing herself, settling for simply sitting up. "Damn it, Thancred, you oaf," she groused, then gave the Exarch a smile.

He laughed weakly and shook his head at her, giving her contented slow blink - enjoying the feeling of sun and wind on his skin, through his hair.

Feelings he never thought he'd get to experience again.

With a tired groan, Rain slumped backwards onto the sand beside him, startling him, and closing her eyes tiredly. But just as she did, an excited voice suddenly cheered from the sky. "Welcome back, dear ones!" They both jumped, Rain's eyes snapping open, and they looked up to see Feo Ul flying about wildly, leaving sparks in their wake.

"Of course they show up once we've surfaced," Rain panted quietly.

He laughed again. "I've a feeling they have something to do with our eloquent friend's absence."

"Gods I hope so," she said, throwing a hand over her eyes. "I shoulda had us go last so I could keep an eye on everyone."

"I'm sure he's fine," the Exarch tried to reassure her. He wanted to reach out and pat her shoulder, but feared he might fall over.

In fact, he was so exhausted, it was only now that he realized he'd not truely processed anything that had happened since he fell on Mount Gulg.

He decided it could wait, his brain much too sluggish to even attempt at the moment.

Alisaie was dragging Alphinaud up off the sand, and Rain finally sat up with a groan, staggering to her feet. She knelt, taking his wrist and putting his crystal arm over her shoulders again. She wrapped her arm around his waist, pausing to let him get his feet under him before slowly rising. 

"Almost there!" Thancred laughed with a grin, clapping Alphinaud on the back and nearly knocking him out of his sister's hold.

"When I lie down proper, I'm not getting back up for days," Rain grumbled.

The Exarch shared the sentiment. 

While everyone was gathering their energies to set off on the final leg of their journey, he began to panic. He wasn't sure how he was going to make it. He leaned heavily against Rain, trying desperately to get his feet to move, but they simply were not responding.

"Guys," Rain called. "Could you carry on ahead a few paces, and keep the attention of the onlookers?" She took his staff from his back as she spoke, placing it in his left hand. He frowned at her in confusion.

"Of course," Thancred acquiesced. "But why?"

Rain knelt suddenly, sweeping the Exarch's feet out from under him. He yelped indignantly, trying not to flail about as she lifted him easily in a prince carry, carefully avoiding the wound between his shoulder blades.

"R-Rain!" He yelled in surprise, struggling. "P-put me down!"

"No." She grinned. 

Thancred stepped forward, reaching for the Exarch's arm. "Rain, come on, I can help support him if you-"

She cut him off with a quiet, but extremely animalistic snarl, tensing and not even looking up at the man.

Thancred put his hands up, taking a step back. "Ohh-kaay," he said slowly.

The Exarch rather thought the man would have given up after the first time. He would blush again, if he wasn't already blushing as bright as the sun. He attempted to squirm in her grasp. "I- I can walk!" he protested, the lie sounding obvious even to his own pinned flat ears. He gripped his staff tighter with both hands, trying to ignore his flaming face.

"Not happening." She grinned like she hadn't just growled at one of her dearest friends. Again. "I wanted to do this earlier, but I figured you would protest. I also hadn't expected us to swim back, so..." She heaved a breath, then shrugged and grinned.

"W-why...?" he asked, glancing around at the Scions and regretting it immediately when he saw their grins.

"Why?" Rain echoed. "Well... I would have you return to your people on your own two feet, my infallible Lord Exarch." She beamed at him, her eyes sparkling.

He frowned at her, not catching her meaning.

"I'll give you one of the Warrior’s trade secrets to appearing so strong," she said in a jokingly-serious manner, tilting her head closer to him and looking conspiratorially off to the side. "Rest when no one is looking," she mock-whispered, obviously aware that all the Scions still lingered, listening. She straightened and winked at him. "Today, until we reach line of sight with the gates, you rest in your Warrior's arms," she concluded, beaming at him and looking extremely proud of herself.

He still frowned. "Rain, really. You must be exhausted. Put me down."

He heard a huff, and he glanced to the side. Alphinaud, hanging somewhat limply from his sister's shoulders, was looking at him, shaking his head minutely.

He suddenly remembered what Alphinaud had said - about the Warrior playfully embarrassing him if he rejected her attempts to fret over him. He looked back at her, his eyes widening and ears pinning in trepidation when he saw her grin.

"What?" She asked innocently. "Okay, okay, look at it this way." She gave him a charming, confident smile. "Your Warrior has fought an impossible battle, and, thanks to her loved ones, she has come out triumphant. Does she not get to carry away her prize?"

His eyes went slightly wider, his ears standing. He glanced around in confusion. "W-what prize?"

He heard a few chuckles from the Scions, and realized he must have fallen directly into her trap. The Warrior smiled even brighter. 

"Why, the most precious and beautiful treasure in all of Norvrandt, of course," she said, hoisting him slightly to get a better hold of him in her arms.

He looked at her blankly. 

"You," she said, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose.

He made a noise that was shamefully close to a squeak, hiding his face against her shoulder. "Rain!" he complained, and she laughed.

"The Lord Exarch is quite a catch, if I do say so myself," she said cheerily, tightening her grip slightly, hugging him as best she could. "I fear I may have some competition to face when we return, but you know I'm not one to back down from a fight." 

"Stop, stop, stop, okay, okay, just stop talking before I actually expire," he begged, muffled into her shoulder.

She laughed again and began walking, her tail waving behind her proudly.

"I told you," Alphinaud breathed weakly as they passed the twins, and the Exarch hid a frown in the Warrior's fluffy collar.

"Also, sorry guys, I know you helped me fight, but I'm the one who nearly got laser-beamed to death and my soul ripped apart, so, I'm not sharing," she said conversationally, and he whined.

He couldn't wrap his mind around her not hating him for lying to her and using her, let alone her wanting to carry him, and considering him a treasure, no less.

He pressed his face more firmly against her.

Symbolically, they reached the Crystarium shortly after nightfall. Under the cover of night, the Warrior had decided to carry him right up to the gates before finally setting him down, pleased to see he was now much steadier on his feet.

Reluctantly, after making sure he was all right, she stood back from him. She would have happily walked into the city hand-in-hand, or on his arm, or even carrying him, but she wanted what he wanted.

This was his city. These were his people. He deserved to stand on his own two feet and walk amongst them triumphant. She would not stand in the way of his radiance.

Despite what he may think, in the end, he was the hero of this story. He saved her, gave her the strength to fight, summoned allies to her side for her…

He was her hero.

Many, many people waited to greet them at the entry to the city. At their lead, a tearfully smiling Lyna.

As they closed the distance to the crowd down the long walkway, he slowed, then he stopped.

She stopped as well, turning to him curiously. He stared down at the ground, his ears lowering slightly and his brows drawing down.

Her heart twisted in her chest.

I cannot imagine how hard this must be for him...

A century without showing one's face... and now...

"My Lord," she whispered, and one ear flicked, but he didn't look up at her. "My Raha," she tried instead, and his ears shot up. He looked up at her, a mix of surprise and stress on his beautiful face.

"They will adore you," she promised, smiling.

He swallowed, his gaze lowering slightly again.

"Hey," she called again. He looked back up at her face.

"Together," she said softly.

His eyes widened, then he smiled, nodding once.

They continued. 

Her predictions had been correct. The Crystarium adored the sight of his unhidden face, rejoicing in the return of their beloved Lord Exarch.

They managed to work their way nearer to the foot of the Tower, despite people immediately swarming around the Scions and the Exarch - asking questions, trying to get a better look at his young and beautiful face, and thanking the Warrior profusely for returning him safely. 

She spotted a furious-looking Chessamile in the distance, and it seemed she was trying to get close enough to get her hands on Raha.

That could be a problem for later. She turned back to the crowd. "I didn't work alone!" she insisted. "He fought too! Oh, you should have seen him. We would not have made it without him." She turned to give him an adoring smile. "He saved me."

It would be a massive understatement to say, but they really loved that. 

Poor Raha looked so embarrassed.

She quietly extracted herself from the crowd, not wanting to steal any of his spotlight. She observed from nearby, ready to spring to action should he collapse again.

She chuckled to herself at the sight of the citizens all in a tizzy. They'd all obviously had their suspicions that he looked young and handsome, but it was another matter entirely to see it for themselves. She stood back and enjoyed the star-struck looks they were giving him. She understood well how they felt. Who could gaze upon such a beautiful soul, and not immediately fall in love? 

"Excuse me!" a young voice suddenly called out from behind her. She blinked in surprise, looking around, then finally looked down to see a young, wide-eyed boy gazed up at her in wonder. 

"You're the Warrior of Darkness… aren't you?" He asked. "Where are you from, really? And... how did you get to be so strong!?"

She blinked in surprise, glancing up to see Raha still surrounded by admirers.

She looked back at the boy, and smiled warmly. Slowly, she brought a finger up to her lips, mirroring her Crystal Exarch from suns prior. 

She silently gave the youth a conspiratorial wink, and he looked absolutely thrilled. She grinned at him, before giving him a small wave, then turning to move quickly back through the crowd.

She drew up to the Lord Exarch’s side, smiling at all the people vying for his attention. "A-ah, Warrior," he greeted, smiling and looking embarrassed. It honestly made him appear even younger than he had in Mor Dhona. "Everyone was just asking after your health." 

"Ah," she said, grinning. "Well, other than exhausted and beat to near-smithereens, I feel fantastic!" 

He gave her a mildly exasperated look, but all the citizens around them loved it, laughing and cheering in delight. 

"However!" the Warrior continued, looping an arm around the Exarch's waist, causing him to startle slightly and the crowd to become even more delighted. "My companions and I are covered in salt water, and I don't know about them, but I'm about five minutes from going berserk because of it," she explained in a cheery tone. "I'm sure you all understand."

She received many nods of agreement and a few murmured assents. "Wonderful!" She beamed. "Well! On that note, we must bid you all a most restful night," she said, giving them a bow, then straightening and beginning to pull the slightly swaying Exarch away.

"But- Warrior! What of the celebration?" someone asked.

She paused, turning back to look at them in surprise. Well. That was certainly a good question. "Hah, you are most correct, my friend!" She agreed, giving them a gleeful smile. "This deserves the largest celebration Norvrandt has ever known!"

That, the crowd agreed with. Loudly. She laughed. "But, I am terribly weary from battle, as I assume my comrades are." She waved a hand. "So!" she continued louder, holding out an arm. "What say you all, in... three days' time, we have a true celebration, to ring in the permanent return of the night! I believe that should give us ample time to recover," she concluded with a grin, and she received a very boisterous agreement from the crowd.

If she were a betting man, she would bet the citizens would eagerly use that time to plan a most impressive celebration. 

Rain turned to her companions. "Alisaie, can you make sure everyone takes care of their ears?" She asked quietly. "The sea can't be good for them."

Alisaie made a face, and Alphinaud gave his sister a knowing look.

"It was one time!" Alisaie protested - still embarrassed about the ear infection she'd gotten from the Ruby Sea. Rain had taken care of her, which only stoked the girl's ire more, as Rain didn't even  have ears.

The Warrior actually felt rather guilty. She didn't have ears, and as such, hadn't known such a thing was possible - and hadn't thought to take preventative action. Ever since, she fret over the others any time they swam, prompting Alisaie to believe she simply 'wasn't letting it go'.

"Yes, and it looked terribly painful," the Warrior rebuffed. "I certainly don't want to learn how grouchy any one of them could be in that much discomfort."

Alisaie groaned theatrically before finally agreeing, likely knowing Rain was right.

Having successfully distracted her friends, she quickly drug her Lord Exarch the rest of the short distance to the Tower, slowly ascending the stairs with much good-natured complaining to keep him distracted yet alert.

They both ignored the guard's knowing smile as they passed through the doors. 

Once inside the Tower, the doors closed behind them, and they paused for a moment.

She had a million things she wanted to say, to ask, to apologize for, but first and foremost, she wanted a shower and a nap.

Before she could voice her desires, Raha spoke.

"Oh no," was all he said, his voice flat and barely audible.

She jumped. " 'Oh no' ?" she asked, tightening her grip on his arm. "What do you mean, 'oh no' !?"

He suddenly sagged hard against her, dropping his staff, and it clattered loudly to the floor.

"Raha-!" she yelled in a panic, scooping him up into a prince carry again as he further collapsed. 

"Ah..." he said, his voice frighteningly weak. "The Tower... it readies to heal my ailments... and restore... my aether..." 

Already, he sounded like he was fighting desperately to stay awake. He was almost entirely limp in her arms. She carefully adjusted her hold so his head rest against her neck and shoulder, trying not to press too hard between his shoulders.

"And... this... is bad...?" she asked slowly, her heart in her horns making it difficult to hear him.

"No…" he said softly, "but... it seeks to do so... whilst I am... in a dormant state..." he barely managed.

"Dormant!? F-for how long!?" she asked, flinching when she heard the doors make a terribly loud, grinding sound behind her. She turned to face them slowly, trying not to jostle him too much.

"Half... a day... I think..." 

The doors made a booming noise that echoed through the massive hall, and she flinched, reflexively taking a step back from them, her breath rapid.

"Ah... The Tower... seals itself... to protect me..."

"Th-That's fine-" she said quickly, "But can't it give us like, half a bell to prepare!?"

"No..." he breathed, his eyes falling shut. "You have... less than... five minutes."

"Shite," she cursed. "Okay, okay fine, but where's your bed!?"

His lips twitched into a weak smile.

"Yes I know, not very smooth, but I'm a little desperate here!" she hissed at him, her tail tucking low and the spiny end lashing. She sank to one knee, holding him in her lap while she grabbed his staff from the floor. She lay it over him, and he took it in a weak grip. 

She rose, and quickly followed his increasingly quiet instructions through the Tower, eventually entering what seemed like living quarters. She carefully shouldered through the doors he indicted, entering into a large bed chamber that was somehow both ornate and rather barren at the same time. 

It had a lovely, massive four poster bed, with crisp, white sheets and large, fluffy pillows. It seemed made for people far larger than them. Under the bed was a plush carpet - likely to keep bare feet off the cold crystal floor. She quickly noted a door to what she hoped was a bathroom, a linen hamper, and a modest desk and dresser. Books and parchments lay scattered about every flat surface.

If she had to guess, the ornateness was something unavoidable due to the nature of the Tower. Everything else was as utilitarian as possible - which struck her as very Raha. It looked like he rarely used the room, and appeared he denied himself as much luxury and creature comforts as he possibly could.

He was in for a lecture when he was healed.

"Hey, we made it, but we need to get cleaned up before we sleep..." she said, looking down at him. 

"Mm..." he agreed, not opening his eyes. "Do... what you please... with me..." he sighed, smiling softly. "I am... yours..."

And with that, he was out cold. 

She gaped at him, then made a series of faces as she struggled to process.

She made a choked sound. "Raha!!" She scolded when it finally sank in, feeling completely scandalized. "Nooo, no no no, you did not just-! ...Raha!!"

No response. She groaned. "Did... did he... did he really just say that to me...?" She wailed quietly to no one, her face on fire. She glanced about again. "...Fuck."

Her brows furrowed in distress and she frowned sharply. She knelt again to take his staff from him, setting it on the floor and replacing her arm under his legs. She picked it back up and stood, walking to the bed and propping it against the wall.

She grit her teeth, looking down at him sleeping peacefully in her arms, his lips slightly curved into a soft smile.

Naught else to it... I'll get him as clean and comfortable as I can... perhaps aid the Tower in healing him...

Her face continued to radiate heat.

"Man…" she complained once more. Then she huffed. "Surely this isn't the most bizarre situation I've been in, eh?" She looked around again, then back down to the unconscious, maddening man in her arms. She groaned, closing her eyes and turning her face up to the ceiling. "But it certainly comes close..."

She sighed.

All right... let's get to it, then.

She set to work.