Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“This land is lost,” William stares out his father’s bedroom window at the stars, face in shadow. “Lambs in need of a shepherd.”

His father grunts, the only noise he seems to make these days. Even when they are alone, he does not speak to him anymore. The man he had thought would lead their world into greatness is now a husk of himself. Broken down by those Sanctists.

“You tried to lead them, Father,” he walks away from the window, towards the bed. “Thank you for your hard work, but you can rest now.”

The knife glints in the moonlight as he raises it. Father does not react. He never reacts anymore. Just allows Forden to do as he wants in the name of a false god. Allows him to move them further from the light of true salvation.

“I will save our people, you can rest in peace,” he whispers as the blade strikes true, right into the heart. “You will smile down from heaven at the utopia I will create in our name.”

He gurgles and William watches as the life leaves his eyes. What little there was left, that is. Most had been eeked out over the years already, William forced to watch his father become a husk of himself.

This was a salvation of its own, he tells himself. No longer would his father be shackled to those who see him as nothing more than a stepping stone. No longer would he have to lead his people astray.

He could simply watch as a new dawn came to Euchronia!

Louis checks his pack for about the third time that night. Some money for the road (that would finally be useful unlike in this infernal Sanctum), a change of clothes, and three books. Utopia as gifted to him by the King of Euchronia himself, a book his mother used to read him when he was trying to sleep, and a book on the dark arts barely saved from the fire that burned their library. 

He thinks of the library and grimaces, closing the pack and readjusting his brown gloves once, twice, three times. One arm burned in that fire, when he tried to reach out to his mother who simply pushed the book into his hands. A leg followed suit when a beam of the library fell and burned through the leg of his pants.

And yet the face everyone called oh-so-angelic was fine. He catches himself in the mirror, eyes sunken and yet still called beautiful. Hair long enough it’s becoming a bother, but the Charadrius family never cut their hair so he just puts it back in a ponytail.

The Charadrius family also doesn’t leave the Eldan Sanctum, but he supposes he has to break some traditions. Especially when said tradition came from when they lived in a beautiful forest rather than in the ground. Hiding from the fire and the monks who would happily slaughter them all given the chance. Women, children, anyone they could find…

He shakes the thought away. He is stronger than that, and those who would be at risk will stay here. They will notice he is missing, but they will not come looking for him. Because that would put everyone in danger.

Only Louis would be able to slip away and into the throes of Euchronia’s people without anyone realizing where he had come from. Because he didn’t belong here, among those who were happy to hold the secrets of the world close to their chests.

How would they avoid the end of the world if no one speaks up? If no one tells the people where they came from, what they risk becoming by ignoring their anxiety every day? The elda can hide, but it won’t stop the world from marching towards oblivion.

And Sanctism thought by keeping the people ignorant they would be safe. Ha! All they were doing was smothering their people in their cribs. Not allowing them to grow enough to learn how to protect themselves.

They wanted people weak, but they had to be strong. Strong enough to face their thoughts and feelings. Strong enough to drag others up with them, or be rid of them if they were a lost cause.

He looks over his room one more time and slips out. Down the hallway and up the stairs. Out the doors and he can see the stars in the distance. He sees them so rarely now, but soon that will change. Soon he can see them every night if he so chooses.

The stars will never be taken from him again.

He walks out of the caves and into the fresh air, breathing it in. All that’s left is walking out of this forest, and he’s not about to look back.

Not even as the flutter of wings follows after him and only stops at his pack. Even as a little fairy sneaks into his bag.

His journey’s first step is taken, and maybe, just maybe, it was already too late to go back.

Chapter Text

It takes some time, but Louis slips into the people of Euchronia easily enough. Currently, he sits in a carriage with others on the way to the capital of Grand Trad, keeping his head down for the time being. The men next to him speak of current events, including the recent passing of their king.

He frowns every time he hears of it and sees signs that said king did nothing to make his utopia a reality. He thinks of the book in his pack and wonders what happened to the dreamer who gifted it to him. How the world still stomps on people like Louis without even the slightest hint of change.

And his death puts a damper on his plans. He had wanted to appeal to him, tell him why he believed it so important to share the truth. Make a plan to reveal it to the people along with a plan to ensure the worst does not come to pass.

Louis is smart -- he’ll find a way around this eventually. But for now? It truly is a damper on his plans.

The men continue to talk and he looks instead at the paripus sitting across from him. Short in stature, he still commands enough of a presence for Louis to mentally note him as strong. His ears are folded over in a way he’s not seen on other paripus and half his bangs are slicked back out of his eyes, while the other part of the fringe sits just below his left eyebrow. He seems serious, gold eyes staring at the road and not leaving it until he catches Louis staring.

Their eyes meet for a moment before Louis looks down, not out of a need to break eye contact but because of a pesky voice.

“Hey!” Gallica pokes her head out, frowning. “Remind me what your plan even is right now?”

He frowns, wondering how he didn’t notice her sneaking in here before. But sometime between slipping out of his room and slipping out of the forest, Gallica had found her way into his bag. He’d tried to convince her to go back to the Sanctum without him, but she’d refused.

It was either both of them or neither of them, she’d said. So Louis picked neither.

“I’ll go where the wind takes me,” Louis whispers back to her. “For now.”

Gallica makes a face for a moment, opening her mouth to speak once again when the carriage shakes. She lets out a little yelp, though thankfully it’s drowned by the panic of the others within it. When she tries to question what’s happening, he shoves her back into the safety of the bag.

Some sort of bandits, barking about the prince and the salvation he’ll bring. Calling themselves a militia in the meantime and asking them for a donation. Or more threatening them for their money, given the igniter one of them has.

To think those things actually work, or that people think they need them for magic. Louis would laugh, if not for a better plan in his head. He follows the others out, gold in hand, and lined up to be gone through one by one.

He positions himself as second to last and watches as each person is robbed blind. Listens to the insults slung at each one, no matter their tribe or standing. At least these brigands attack all equally, he supposes.

“Look at what we’ve got here,” the clemar gathering the coin jeers as he makes it to Louis. “No horns or knife-ears… I think we’ve got ourselves an elda, boys!”

The roussainte with the igniter whistles. “And here I thought they might be a myth.”

“What’ve you got waiting for you in the capital, hm?” The clemar asks, reaching for the gold pouch.

Louis reaches for his sword.

Louis is faster, the blade connecting with the man’s side before he has time to react. Louis clicks his tongue -- he should have aimed higher, at something more vital. He pulls his blade free and the clemar grasps at his side with one arm, the other grabbing Louis by the collar.

The man with the igniter raises it to no doubt singe Louis and for a split second panic grasps Louis enough to overcome reason as he struggles in the grasp of the other man. Then, a lance pierces through the back of the igniter user and he chokes out blood.

“Well if he’s gonna put up a fight,” the paripus from before speaks as he pulls his lance free and the man falls. “Might as well join in and make it more fair, yeah?”

The clemar curses and turns his attention from Louis, which is good. What isn’t as good is the free fall Louis enters as he’s pushed backward towards the nearby cliff face, losing balance and tumbling over the side.

He hears the clashing of metal and further shouting for only a split second, followed by Gallica’s screaming, before everything goes dark.

“Wake up! Come on, Louis, you can’t go dying on me here!”

Louis groans and sits up, waving Gallica away from his face. “I’m offended you think I would die so easily, Gallica.”

“W… well you can’t blame me for worrying!” She shouts. “That was risky back there, attacking the guy like that. We should’ve just given him our money and been on our way.”

“And allowed them to continue terrorizing travelers?” Louis scoffs as he pulls himself from the ground. “I think not.”

“I mean, good to stop them, I guess,” she says. “But what if that other guy hadn’t been there? You’d have ended up a lightly toasted Louis!”

He flinches a bit at that and she flinches in turn, but before she can say sorry and draw this out, he starts walking again. She follows after, no doubt having an easier time than Louis as he trudges through the sand.

“Ugh,” he mumbles. “I do not like sand.”

“Well, I can’t help with that, but I can at least do this!” Gallica points towards him and blue swirling magic comes from her tiny fingertips.

“Ah,” he says as the music starts in his mind. “Really? That’s it?”

“Hey! Music is the first kind of magic, y’know? It’ll make the journey a little easier,” Gallica puts her hands on her hips. “Now c’mon! Grand Trad and the wind awaits.”

Louis would argue, but she does have a point and he would like to get to the city before the sun sets. So he shrugs and begins moving once again, avoiding the less-than-pleasant wild life as he goes.

As much as he’d love to take on a sand worm, after earlier? He thinks it may be best to instead just… Avoid it for the time being. They’d no doubt be tougher than those bandits, after all. And there was no strength in taking on something that could easily kill you, just foolishness.

One does nearly get him and Gallica as they come up on the trail, the two have to run for their lives, but they make it. Somehow. The winds are bitter and the sand still bites at his feet on the trail, but at least Grand Trad is within walking distance and nothing is trying to rob or eat him.

And what a sight the city is when it’s finally their turn to pass through the gates. He’d only dreamed of seeing something like this back in the Sanctum. Large and bustling, with people of all tribes milling about and speaking to one another. There’s a beauty to it that he’d never seen underground…

Had he been missing out on all this for all this time? His teeth grind together and he has to fight the urge to be too bitter towards Gruidae. She didn’t have to take him in after he lost his parents, after all…

But maybe being an orphan would have been better. No connections to keep him from leaving and seeing this world sooner.

Gallica squeals in excitement and pulls him from his thoughts. “Oh man, there’s… there’s just so much! Where do we even start?”

Louis shrugs and begins walking. “We’ll find something to do with time, I’m sure.”

“Guess so,” Gallica shrugs and follows after him. “Must be happy to get out of the sand, huh?”

“Was it that obvious?” He walks down what seems to be a main street of sorts, ignoring the whispers and glares sent his way. “...Could do without that, though.”

“Just keep your head held high,” Gallica says. “People… they aren’t great to elda, but if anyone can make do, it’s you.”

He sniffs. “I’ll change this one day.”

“I know you will,” Gallica pats his cheek. “But for now, keep that chin up!”

He continues on with a nod, making note of a few places and people of note. It would be hard not to notice the roussainte in the gaudy purple leopard print, after all… But it’s the igniter shop that ends up catching his interest the most.

“Look at those,” he says. “Do they truly make life that much easier for the people of this country?”

“I dunno,” Gallica says. “I can’t imagine needing something like that to cast magic, really. They are pretty, though.”

“Hm, pretty?” Louis muses. “You find them to be beautiful?”

“Well, of course, they’re beautiful,” an ishkia man approaches, hand on his hips. “I only want the best and brightest for my customers. Like this one here.”

He gestures to a large staff in the window display and Louis looks it over. The center of it almost reminds him of a heart and it sets him on edge. His skin crawls and he looks back at the man.

“And what about this is beautiful?”

“Why, it’s a perfect replica of the Royal Scepter,” he says, almost sounding offended. “The one our dearly departed king could use to control the Royal Magic. Though I suppose I shouldn’t expect an elda and a fairy to know about that.”

“Hey!”

“You’re right, we have better things to worry about,” Louis says. “And magic without an igniter is simple enough.”

“For an elda like you, maybe, but the rest of us have to make do,” the ishkia points out and, while wrong, that is the truth he’s been told so Louis supposes he can’t give him too much trouble for that. “Though that just makes it all the more curious you’re here.”

“Elda are people, too,” Gallica says. “He just wanted to visit.”

“A bad time for that,” he clicks his tongue. “But if you realize you need a little extra protection that my igniters can provide… Don’t be a stranger. Milo Adriano Narcissus Maurizio welcomes all to buy his wares!”

And with that, he walks away. Louis looks at Gallica, who looks back at him.

“So,” he begins.

“So,” she repeats.

“Let’s see if he’s bluffing.”

“Louis?! Oh, come on…!”

As it turns out, despite Milo saying he welcomes all, elda are not welcome at the igniter emporium. It's about what Louis expected so as he and Gallica leave the store he's not too upset, at least. Just all the more reason for change. 

He stops to gain his bearings outside the shop when he notices quite the strange pair. And, well, what's the harm in watching?

The first of the pair is a paripus man, quite tall and muscular. His dark brown hair is done in a messy braid, held in a patchwork bow. His outfit is nothing to write home about, a simple green shirt and a black coat too big for him (impressive given his size) and black pants torn at the bottom. A scar sits over one of his eyes and he's grinning from ear to ear at his companion. 

Said companion seems to be a girl of mixed heritage. Ishkia and… rhoag, perhaps? She wears a dress similarly patchwork to the paripus's bow and puffy white shorts. Flowers are in her short blonde hair and she stares up at the man. 

“Promise you'll be safe, Bas?” The girl chirps at him. “Just like Del and Mama Fabienne!”

“Of course!” He pats her head. “I'll be a tough soldier, they won't know what hit ‘em when I'm out there keeping Euchronia safe for little girls like you, like.”

She grabs onto his leg, a hug Louis supposes. “You're so cool, Bas!”

“Only because I've got a sister like you waiting at home!” He reaches down and picks her up, tossing her in the air a few times before catching her. “You take care of Miss Brigitta while we're all gone, alright?”

“Mhm!” She nods as he puts her back on the ground. “I'll do my best!”

“Atta girl!”

They part from each other with an excessive amount of waving and Louis watches the paripus head for what must be the military recruitment office. Well if he wants to die for this country, that's his problem. 

Louis adjusts his pack and starts down the road again, only to realize the little girl is staring at him. Unlike most reactions so far she seems genuinely curious rather than revolted… so he pauses and stares back. 

“Um, excuse me, Mister!” She says after a moment. “Are you signing up for the army too?”

“Maybe,” he says, mostly curious to see where this is going. “Why do you ask?”

She points towards the office with one hand, gripping her skirt with the other. “My brother Basilio is going to find Mama Fabienne because Mama Brigitta said he needed to and, um…”

“Is your brother the man you were with? He seems strong,” Louis prompts after a moment of silence. 

“He is! He's really really strong!” She nods, though her expression remains quite grim for a child. “But… Mama Fabienne and Del are already in the army and don't have anyone looking out for them. So Bas going too is really scary…”

“Because no one is looking out for him?”

Another nod and he thinks she's close to tears at this point. “So I thought if you were signing up for the army… I would ask you to please look out for him, please!”

The girl reminds him of someone, and it stings a bit when he realizes that someone is his younger self. Full of life and energy and happiness, with a family who cares and shows that care so deeply… A child afraid of losing it all.

Shivering in front of a fire as that family burns away, their smiles turning to ash and leaving the child broken and alone. Never quite the same again, even if someone else takes them under their wing. Even if they try to pretend.

“Well,” he says after a moment. “I suppose I can keep an eye out for him.”

“Really?” She jumps up and down. “Oh, thank you so much, Mister!”

“Yes, well do get home safely now,” he ruffles her hair as he walks past her.

“I will! Bye, then!” She waves him off and he walks on.

Gallica flutters next to him, hands on her hips. “You’re not really joining the army, are you? Doing something because a little girl asks doesn’t seem like you.”

“I’m doing it for myself, as well,” Louis says. “It should allow me to see more of Euchronia and give me a better idea of how to get my plan going with the King gone.”

“You’re joking!” Gallica waits a moment, but Louis keeps walking. “You’re not joking?!”

“Trust me,” Louis says. “It will work out in the end.”

Louis has been waiting for a while to get through enlistment, though at least now he has a seat. One that just so happens to be in the perfect position for some eavesdropping, at that. Most of the people signing up are of little interest to him…

But now Basilio is up, and so. He listens.

“Another paripus looking to die in a blaze of glory, is it?” The arrogant voice of the captain filters into Louis’s ears. “Or perhaps looking for some easy money to keep your family off the streets?”

It takes only a moment for Basilio to speak. “Don’t matter much why I’m here so long as I’m willing to swing my sword at the right guys, yeah? Doubt a clemar like you has much interest in it, anyway.”

“Hmph, if you know that then just do as you’re told and keep your head down.”

“I’ll do my best, never been too good at it, though.”

“Enough! Go on, get out of my sight!” The captain snaps and Louis wants to snap his neck. “Next!”

He slides into the chair waiting for him and waits as the captain gives him a once-over. “Huh. An elda… I thought your kind was long gone.”

“People like you think many incorrect things,” Louis replies with a shrug. 

“People like me?”

“Racists,” Louis leans back in his chair, ignoring the panicking Gallica trying to whisper from his bag. “Though you’re in enough need of help that that won’t be a problem, I assume?”

“Why you…” The captain goes red in the face, looking back at his application. “Age twenty-six, an orphan from a line of doctors… What, do you think your mummy and daddy’s medicine will help the troops?”

He feels annoyance and anger lick at him like angry flames and pushes them down. “Actually, I’m here because I was bored amongst my own.”

“And so now you want to slaughter people different from you,” he says. “Yet you call me the racist.”

“Will I not be fighting arm-in-arm with others, like the paripus you browbeat just before me,” Louis says. “Besides, my magical talents will be of use to all of you, whether you realize it or not.”

“Bold words from a welp of a pup.”

“I could likely cast a spell more destructive than whatever that pathetic igniter you’re wearing could do with a snap of my fingers,” Louis gestures, though does not actually cast much of anything for now. “Why, if I put my mind to it I could have your job in a month’s time.”

Gallica shifts in his bag. “Louis, what is wrong with you…?!”

“Why you…!” He nearly leaps across the table before the other man with him holds out a hand.

“Don’t,” he says. “The healer’s have enough on their plates already.”

“Fine, then,” he huffs. “I suggest you get out my sight and get your damned kit at reception before I change my mind. I’ll be sure your corpse gets dragged through the mud a bit before it’s picked up, too.”

“Oh hey,” Basilio notices Louis the minute he walks into reception. “You were the guy right behind me. How’d it go with that jerk?”

Louis sniffs. “Well enough, though he does seem to hate being put in his place.”

“Putting the captain in his place, even though you’ll probably be stuck working for him?” Basilio raises an eyebrow, but he’s smiling. “I like your style!”

“I would say your words had some bite to them as well,” he settles into line behind him. “Not too good at keeping your head down, I heard?”

“Oh, you really heard that?” Basilio laughs a bit, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, I was just telling the truth!”

“Someone who speaks the truth no matter what they face, I can respect it.”

The two continue to chat up until it’s Basilio’s turn for his kit. Behind him, he hears whispers of monsters killing guards left and right. Maybe even Humans, the way they’re describing them…

If only those poor fools knew what those Humans really were.

“Next!” Basilio steps to the side and Louis focuses in again, stepping forward. Of course, the quartermaster can’t help but loudly blab about Louis’s tribe. Because at this point the only one not to point it out is…

Well, the no doubt adoptive family duo of that little girl and Basilio, he thinks. Ironic how that works.

“Move it,” he turns and sees a roussainte man staring him down. “There’s a priority around here. Arming any pretty boy who walks in here, now? Waste of good gear. It’s better off in my hands, give it here.”

Louis scowls, trying to think of just the words to throw back at the man when Basilio steps back towards them.

“Think you can just strong-arm your way to everything you want, pal?” He begins. “You think that’ll get you places?”

“Wanna say that again, boy?” The man asks.

“There’s plenty of gear for everyone, and it’s not like he’s here for no reason,” Basilio replies. “So just wait your turn.”

“A paripus thinking he can tell me what to do, huh?” He stands a little taller and Basilio barely even blinks. “Maybe some roussainte strength will show you your place?”

“If we’re talking strength not even your tribe’ll help you here,” Basilio says, proving his point when after dodging a thrown punch he lands his own, knocking the man on his ass. “Tribe don’t matter out there on the field. We’re all supposed to be helping each other out, making sure we don’t die, like. So try and learn to play nice, yeah?”

Louis ends up turning back to the quartermaster, listening to the rest of his spiel about the igniters and blah blah blah… The map is a nice bonus, though, he will admit.

When he glances towards Basilio it’s pretty clear no one’s going to give him trouble now. Good. He was right to put that man in his place.

“Listen up, striplings!” The haughty captain’s voice pulls his attention away from the paripus again. “My name is Captain Klinger, and as of this moment, you miserable lot are under my command! I’m sure you’ve all heard about our forces being tied up with the funeral proceedings for His Majesty. But if you think you’re on cushy security detail, think again.”

Louis rolls his eyes, shooting a glance towards Basilio who holds in a snort. Anyone expecting that likely wouldn’t have made it through the interview process with someone as much of an arse as this man was.

“First, you will be deployed to a fortress at the northern border, where you will be trained into true guards!”

He goes on after that, but Louis can’t help but notice the way Basilio stands a little straighter at that, his expression a little more serious. He thinks of the little girl and what she had said, about him going to find this Mama Fabienne…

Was she stationed there, then? How curious.

“Look at all the other recruits,” Gallica says as she floats near Louis’s bed for the night. “Looks like they really are desperate for new blood.”

“Indeed,” Louis nods, grimacing. “I can also see why that girl asked me to look after her brother rather than any of them.”

Gallica gives him a look. “Don’t toot your own horn too much, now.”

“Someone has to with the way everyone else looks at me,” Louis shoots back.

“Oh, yeah…” She sits on the crate next to his bed and he lays down, one of his books in hand -- the one his mother used to read him. “I’d heard what it was like in the capital, but still. When you hear and see all this prejudice out in the open… it’s a lot. You okay?”

“Fine,” Louis replies. “It just gives me all the reason to try and change the world.”

“So things like your village burning don’t happen again?” Gallica asks.

He sits up and nods. “So they can be more like this book if all things go well.”

“That’s your favorite of the three books you lug around, isn’t it?” Gallica says. “You always seem to be reading and rereading it.”

“It was my mother’s favorite,” Louis traces a finger across the cover. “And I suppose I took after her in that regard.”

Gallica’s eyes soften and she flutters to sit on his shoulder. “Mind if I read some with you?”

Louis opens to where he last left off on the current read of things and hums. “I suppose I can spare a moment.”

He doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep soon, anyway.

Chapter Text

The travel to the Northern Fortress isn’t very exciting, though Louis supposes getting a chance to get more reading in is fine by him. He keeps his nose buried in his book for most of the time, only occasionally taking a chance to glance at Basilio. Basilio, who seems as if he’s raring up for more than a simple bout of training.

Maria had said Basilio’d been told to find a Fabienne if Louis remembers correctly. Was she stationed here? If she was, what did Basilio need to find her for? It had sounded as if the two were family of some sort…

Hm, this could prove more interesting than he first thought it would be.

Finally, the carriage comes to a stop and they file out of it one by one. Basilio stops next to Louis and stretches out with a yawn. Sharp teeth glint in the light before Basilio’s tongue runs over them and he looks at Louis with a grin.

“Finally, felt my legs might stop workin’ if it took any longer.”

“Listen well, you lackwits!” Klinger’s booming voice draws attention before Louis can respond. “The battlefield is no place to sit on your arses, and the border front is always a battlefield! The call to arms could sound at any time!”

He goes on after that, tooting his own horn to the point even someone as proud as oneself as Louis can’t help but tune him out. He looks at Basilio and rolls his eyes, the paripus snorting and nodding in agreement.

“Utter drivel,” Louis mumbles.

Basilio nods. “That book of yours seems more interestin’ than anything he’s saying. Seen you readin’ it the entire way here, somethin’ real interesting about it?”

“It’s a bit hard to explain,” Louis admits. “It’s… a world of fantasy, an old book my mother used to read to me.”

“Describin’ some sort of better world, then?” Basilio asks, eyebrow quirked. “Like a utopia, maybe? I’ve had some books read to me and I’m learnin’ myself, but never really read a book like that…”

“The late king didn’t push for books like this on the shelves, then?” Louis asks, already losing more respect for the dead man than he thought possible.

Basilio shrugs. “When he took the throne he sure was spoutin’ off nice ideals about unifying everyone under his rule. Never really did much but give fancy speeches, though. When it came to puttin’ his money where his mouth is he never did much, fancy royal like him probably didn’t realize it actually took work t’ make a change . ”

“Listen to you,” a roussainte soldier (why was it always roussaintes a piece of Louis asks) approaches with a sneer on his face. “A babe with his first sword, thinking he knows better than a king. Keep your mouth shut -- no one cares what you think.”

Basilio just blinks. “Wasn’t even talkin’ to you, mate…”

“Something to say?” The soldier sneers as he leans in. “Go on, I’m listening.”

“If you wish to choke on the boots of a dead man who said much but changed nothing feel free,” Louis steps between them. “But leave us out of it.”

“That’s some guts you’ve got, elda, I almost respect it…” He looks from Louis to Basilio. “Well, paripus. I’ll let it go this time, but only because I like your friend. Next time keep your complaining to yourself.”

“That sure was somethin’, wasn’t it? You think a guy could complain with a friend…” Basilio scratches his cheek and looks over at Louis. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

Louis shrugs. “I see no reason you should hold your tongue to spare his feelings, and besides… You helped me before. It was only right I do the same for you.”

“The kinda guy who pays others back, eh? I like that,” he smiles and then blinks. “Wait, have I even introduced myself? Ma would kick my arse for bein’ so rude… The name’s Basilio Magnus, just your average paripus street urchin save the great adoptive Mas. You?”

“Louis Charadrius of the elda,” Louis replies, deciding to pretend he hadn’t already learned Basilio’s name. “...Pleasure to meet you.”

“Louis,” Basilio whistles. “I like that, real pretty sound to it.”

“Pretty?” Louis asks. “Ah… thank you.”

“No problem,” he grins at him. “Hope you don’t mind me calling it that. Maybe you’d like it if I called it handsome more…?”

“No, no you’re fine…” He smiles at him. “Just rare to hear anything about my name, I suppose.”

“Heh, fair enough!”

“Right--” Klinger seems to be done with whatever ramble he’d been on and Louis turns back to look at him again. “As for you fresh meat…”

“Someone… help…”

An injured man, barely alive, stumbles into view and chaos breaks loose.

Without much choice when the rest ran off to deal with whatever was waiting for them, Louis and Basilio follow suit. Basilio seems like he’s on a mission -- no doubt worried about that mother of his stationed here. Louis feels bile in his throat and swallows it down, trying not to think of the woman burning with the library in the back of his mind.

He lags for just a moment and it’s enough for Gallica to feel safe enough to pop out, looking at him with worried eyes.

“Hey, I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” she begins as Louis slows and raises an eyebrow. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s like there’s… a stench in the air? And it’s getting stronger?”

“Fairies can smell Humans, can’t they?” Louis furrows his brow. “This is going to be messy, Gallica. Steel yourself.”

“How can you be so calm?” She groans. “We both know how dangerous a mutated Human can be, Louis! We should--”

“Oi! Everything alright?” Basilio comes running back and Gallica jumps from where she perches on Louis’s shoulder. “Wh-- Did you go and catch a fairy in the middle of all this?!”

“She’s been with me,” Louis replies.

“Yes, and I have a name, by the way,” she gives Basilio a look. “It’s Gallica.”

“You guys are travellin’ together, then?” Basilio hums. “You’re good at keepin’ yourself hidden, Gallica. Didn’t even have a reason to think Louis had a travel buddy until now.”

“Well, I didn’t want anyone making a fuss.” She shakes her head. “But we’ve got bigger problems right now… I can’t shake this feeling. We’ve gotta be careful.”

“You got it,” he nods. “We gotta help people, not follow some orders from some jerk who won’t even get on the field himself. Lemme know when you’re ready and we’ll head in, alright?”

Louis nods. “Try not to be too scared by what we find, alright?”

Basilio quirks an eyebrow but then nods. “Alright, whatever you say.”

There was, in fact, a Human waiting for them. Basilio takes it better than Louis expects, all things considered, so he takes that as a plus. A very small one given the dead and dying men and women around them but a plus nonetheless.

“Ma, don’t go getting yourself killed,” Basilio’s mumbling to mostly himself as he grinds his teeth. “C’mon! We might be able to find some people still alive if we hurry!”

“You’re worried about them right now?” Louis’s eyebrows shoot up a bit more than he wants them to. “There’s a human and you’re concerned with finding the injured?”

“Can’t just do nothing, ” Basilio shoots back. “If we can save even one life with what we’re doin’ that’ll make this all worth it, yeah?”

“And if we don’t?” Louis asks.

“Then we don’t, but we can’t just not try,” Basilio says. “No point in bashing our way through here without offerin’ a helping hand, too. That’s no way to live.”

“Even though they chose to fight the Human and end up this way?”

“Not really a choice when it’s that or just let it eat ya or somethin’ like that,” Basilio shoots back. “Come on, let’s go.”

“He has a point,” Gallica says. “It’s… what your parents would want, anyway.”

“Don’t speak of them,” Louis hisses, mostly because he knows she’s right. They would do the same thing Basilio is doing right now. They would risk their lives, did risk their lives, and lose them if it meant saving even one other.

Had lost them, the damn fools. Fools just like Basilio was being right now.

And that was why he couldn’t just leave him alone. He couldn’t lose another who chose to use their strength to support others. Couldn’t let it all come crashing down when it gets too much and there’s no one there to help carry the weight.

He couldn’t be that scared little boy anymore. He had to keep Basilio alive. Had to look out for him.

He had told Maria he would, after all.

They continue forward and Basilio is pushing through every pile, looking at every face. Each person they find dead seems to deflate his spirits a little more. Each barely breathing person that fades in front of them stabbing him in the heart once again. Each face that isn’t his mother’s driving him further and further into desperation.

Louis finally has enough when they come to an outdoor part of the fort, a point between the two towers they were focused on scaling.

“Basilio.”

“Hm?” The paripus jumps, stopping and turning to look at him. “Need somethin’, Louis?”

“You’re looking for someone, aren’t you?” Louis asks.

He flinches. “What gave you that idea?”

“You mentioned a Ma earlier,” Louis says.

“And, uh,” Gallica speaks up. “We kind of spoke to your little sister, before we signed up for the army I mean. She mentioned you were looking for a Mama Fabienne…”

“You talked to Maria?” Basilio asks. “And she told you that?”

Louis nods. “She also asked us to take care of you, though given how little you’ve mentioned your mission here I suppose you would rather we not?”

Basilio looks away. “Not somethin’ I can talk about with just anyone. Not even good people like you lot.”

“Well, I guess we did hide the whole… talking to Maria and me existing thing at first for the same reason…” Gallica says. “So I can’t really blame you.”

Louis frowns. “That doesn’t mean I like it.”

“I’ll tell you more once we find my ma, alright?” Basilio looks Louis in the eye and Louis finds the tension in his shoulders loosening, just a bit. “I just can’t risk waitin’ around to explain when she could die. Please.”

“Let’s go find her,” Louis looks towards the other tower. “The Human had wings. No doubt it will seek a higher vantage. Come on, then.”

“Thanks,” Basilio says it so quietly Louis almost doesn’t hear it. “Means a lot.”

Louis looks back at him and smiles, a strained sort of smile. “No point in focusing on it now, yes? Come on, then.”

When they find the Human again, it’s a horrid scene. Bodies strewn about, Basilio frantically looking at each one. Louis wishes he could say he did the same, but his eyes go directly to the Human. Not that it takes Basilio long to look that way as well.

It spins about horribly, screeching as it notices them. There’s no doubt about it. Despite what the Human once was, it was now nothing more than an animal. One that saw the three of them as prey.

“Shite,” Basilio flinches backward. “That thing’s real strong, ain’t it?”

“No doubt about it,” Louis grimaces.

“It’s horrible…” Gallica hides behind his shoulder. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

Basilio pulls his sword from his back again and approaches the beast. “We gotta do something about it, hold it off until reinforcements arrive or something!”

Louis follows suit, but he knows the truth. They were going to die facing off against this thing, as the others had. But he won’t run away, not this time. He will remain with Basilio until the end, if that was how things were to be.

They attack the beast, and Louis watches Basilio’s blade bounce right off it. His own magic, even not restricted by what the igniter can do, fares only slightly better. The beast strikes out with its sharp legs and tears into Louis’s side. All he can do is yell out and stumble back.

“Louis…!” Basilio glances at him before charging forward once again. His blade strikes against the beast’s and he’s flung backwards before a gust of wind knocks him off his feet.

But he stands yet again and he rushes forward as it attacks Louis again, barely blocking the attack. Louis stumbles backwards and he sees an elda for a moment. Taking an attack meant to kill the child in one strike.

Go find your mother, Louis. You’ll both be fine, go…!

“You two get out of here, I’ll distract it,” Basilio barks. “You’ll both be fine, so get goin’...!”

Gallica gasps. “But…!”

“I grew up with a lot of orphans, yeah?” Basilio stands tall. “We all looked out for each other, like I’m lookin’ out for you here. I’m real tough, anyway! So I’ll just catch up later, alright?”

I’ll catch up, so don’t cry.

“No!” Louis grabs Basilio by the shirt collar and throws him to the side. The other man can only blink, staring up at him with wide eyes. “I won’t let someone else die so I can run away, Basilio, I…”

Something pounds through his head, flashes of flames and pain. Gruidae frowning at him as he still yearns for the outside, a man giving him a book only to live up to none of his ideals, smiling faces and warm hugs.

And then the voice.

O fate-saddled child, O anguished traveler.

He’s not at the fort, anymore. He recognizes this place where he floats as the voice tickles at a memory long since forgotten. This is the Sanctum, perhaps a vision of what he had forsaken only to die so easily? His heart rushes.

Thy fate is crown-twined, thy soul bound to rebel against the throne. The future yet unknown dawns in this moment. 

The voice is so familiar, but so faded in his mind. Who is it? He grasps for the name on the tip of his tongue as the words flow into him.

Thy path may fork, but only one may be chosen. Confront the threat before thee, or die here as they did. Now choose.

“I won’t die like them, I…” He swallows hard. “I must live, for Basilio. For them. For a future for this country… I choose…!”

He raises his hand to his heart as if on instinct. 

So be it. Heroism lies in the soul that stands firm against its fears…

His eyes open, and the fort surrounds him once again. Basilio and the beast seem almost frozen in time.

Power awaits thy command. The time is come to awaken the hero within!

He reaches out and his fingers dig into his own chest.

Engrave thy very heart!

Power seeps into him and his hand dives deeper and deeper. His own heart is pulled free and he yells into it. Yells his want to live and to fight on into it. Until something forms around him, an armour of the soul. A way to fight.

The monster doesn’t seem so terrifying now. He glides against it, the wind barely grazing him. He feels free, feels stronger than he ever has before. Even Gallica can assist in bringing the beast down.

The Human finally falls and the power within him fades, if only a bit. Basilio comes running up to him, holding him to his chest for a moment. Babbling and yelling, confused by whatever is happening.

But the voice is back and that’s all he can hear in the moment. Speaking of what is to come, of that power. He’s in a daze, and now Gallica is yelling at him about it, too. At least she seems privy to the voice in a way Basilio doesn’t seem to be.

He opens his mouth, but no words come out. He closes it again.

“Well, I’ll be. There are survivors,” he glances towards the woman approaching them. “Basilio. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Ma!” Basilio pulls away from Louis and bounds over to her, hugging her close. “Oh thank God you’re alive. If we’d lost you… I don’t know what we’d do!”

She hugs him back, glancing around to shoot a smile towards Louis. “You must be the reason he made it out of this alive. I thank you.”

He shrugs his heart somewhere between warmth and jealousy. “He’s helped me. The least I can do is do the same for him.”

“I have a lot to talk to you about,” Basilio says, pulling himself back to about an arm’s length from the woman who must be Fabienne. “But let’s get out of here for now, beasties are probably on their way ‘cause of the blood.”

Louis and Fabienne nod in unison and they make their way to safety.

“So,” Louis leans against a tree. “Is this where you finally tell me what’s going on, Basilio?”

He looks over at Fabienne and studies her. She wears the uniform as expected, complete with the coat of arms on a yellow background. Her hair is long but kept up in a tight bun save the hair over one of her eyes. As she shifts he sees it doesn’t do much to lessen her ability to see as the eye is covered in scar tissue.

She wears her age well, he supposes. She’s clearly a woman who has seen much and hasn’t been stopped by any of it. She studies him back and they both seem to wait for Basilio to speak.

“Well, uh,” he looks at Fabienne. “Ma, this is Louis. I can trust him, so you can too. Like you saw, he even saved my bacon!”

“I did see that,” she smiles softly at him. “And I suppose if you trust him, I can trust him as well.”

She then looks at him, crossing her arms and standing a bit straighter. Her softer expression vanishes for something a bit sterner. Her eye is sharp, a fire burning behind it. He matches the expression the best he can.

“I’ve been working undercover in the military for a while now,” Fabienne begins. “To ensure the royal family is…”

“Safe?” Louis asks.

“Not a risk to the people,” Fabienne says. “Specifically the crown prince, Prince William. If Basilio came all this way to find me, though…”

“The others on the inside have all agreed,” Basilio says. “We’ve gotta kill him. And soon. They think you’re the one for the job, Ma.”

“I see,” Fabienne hums, closing her eye. “I suppose it was only a matter of time.”

Louis hums in turn. “Tell me more about this Prince William, then?”

“Despite what I’ll say, you should know the boy’s been through quite a bit in his short life,” Fabienne begins. “Assassination and kidnapping attempts galore, no doubt thanks to his status as a bastard. It’s… hardened him to the world.”

Louis just nods. He’s familiar with being hardened to the world.

“He’s a bit of a military genius, I’ve heard,” Basilio says. “But not the good kind. The type who can crush a rebellion before breakfast and not even blink. An archmage, too, better than most folks around.”

“Though your power might give him a run for his money,” Fabienne laughs, though it’s more of a short bitter thing than anything happy. “...If he gets on the throne, though, there’s no telling what may happen.”

“And with the king dead,” Louis frowns. “There’s nothing standing in his way.”

She nods.

“He killed his own pops to get on the throne, too,” Basilio scoffs. “Can’t imagine what he’s plannin’ if he’s being so direct about it.”

“And by doing that he gave us the perfect chance to strike,” Fabienne says. “The Royal Funeral. He’ll no doubt appear to give his father’s eulogy -- to the people he’ll want to appear like a mourning son.”

“A liar,” Louis grimaces. “The worst kind of person.”

“We’re gonna kill him in broad daylight?” Basilio’s eyes widen. “But Ma--”

“It’s the only time he’ll be out and about, until the coronation,” Fabienne says. “It’s the only chance we have, Basilio.”

“But…” His ears flatten against his head.

“I know,” Fabienne says, her voice softening. “I promise, I’ll be safe. And so will you two.”

“Alright,” Louis says, nodding. “I will help, then. I doubt it would be simple enough for you to do alone.”

“You aren’t wrong,” Fabienne nods at him. “We can discuss it more when we get to Grand Trad, for now we have to make sure we get there in time.”

Basilio nods and opens his mouth to speak, only to yawn instead. His face goes a bit red at that and Louis has to hold back a laugh that would no doubt just make it worse. Fabienne walks over to him and pats his shoulder.

“We can talk about our plan of travel after we get some rest, how about that?” She suggests.

Basilio nods. “Uh, yeah, that’d be nice… Thanks, Ma.”

Fabienne is sleeping sitting up and Basilio is sprawled out like a cat, but Louis can’t sleep. He grunts, tossing and turning for a bit before finally sitting up. He’s frustrated, but it’s not like he gets much good sleep these days, anyway.

Gallica is sitting up as well and gives him a sympathetic look. “Can’t sleep? I’m not surprised, after what we just went through.”

“I suppose so,” he mumbles.

“You’ve got to keep yourself rested to be at your best,” Gallica chides, but she knows that’s not going to change anything.

“I know, but I can’t help it,” he mumbles, looking away.

“Louis… We’ve really gotta work on this,” Gallica sighs, shaking her head. “Anyway… I wanted to tell you -- when the human attacked, I heard a strange voice. It told me it was my duty to guide you. What do you think it meant?”

He shrugs. “What do you think it meant?”

She sticks out her tongue at the way he just turns the question around before speaking again. “I mean, I haven’t been much of a guide so far… All I’ve done is try to keep you from getting yourself killed. And I guess I’ve done that much, but…”

“There’s only so much you can do,” Louis replies. “Even as a guide, you have to have faith I will make the right choices based on said guidance, no?”

“I guess that’s one way to look at it,” Gallica’s wings flutter a bit. “Thanks, Louis. You can be a bit off a butt sometimes, but you come through when I need it.”

“You’re-- hey!” Louis frowns. “Fine, be like that. I’m going to read.”

“I’ll read with you!” Gallica flutters over to his shoulder. “Can’t get rid of me!”

“Do what you please,” he huffs as he opens the book and…

Seems to almost sink right into it.

Louis closes his eyes, only to open them in a familiar place. The library of the eldan village, standing as if it hadn’t burned. The books stretch out before him, the levels of the library the same as they had been in his youth. He stares out at the wooden beauty and nearly finds himself coming to tears.

He’d never thought he would see it again.

“Well hello,” his eyes snap when a voice hits his ears and he sees a strange cat, one unlike any of Euchronia, being pet by a woman. A familiar woman. “Nice to meet you.”

“You…”

“You’ve acquired quite an interesting power,” the woman continues on. “You truly are an intriguing one.”

The woman has long hair, longer than even his, though in the same color. It travels down loosely to her legs, curls untamed and wild. Her eyes are a flaxen color and there’s a warmth in them as she looks over Louis. The only thing unfamiliar is what she wears, some sort of scholar’s uniform with glasses hanging loosely around her neck.

“How… Did I get here?” What sort of dream was this?

“Fascinating,” she seems giddy. “In the moments your heart is most gripped by that novel, I can reach out to you. I’ve not been able to do that before now…”

“Who are you?” Louis chokes out, though he thinks he knows the answer.

“My name is Lilith,” she says and his heart drops. “I am the one who wrote that novel you always seem to be reading, you see.”

“And this is…”

“The library where I spend my days,” she gestures outwards. “Full of knowledge of the world of before and the world of now, including the powers that lie within.”

“The power I awoke to,” Louis says.

“Yes, the Archetype,” she frowns. “I do wish I could leave this place, see it more closely… But I’ve been locked away here.”

Locked away in a place that is nothing more than ash. Louis tries to voice the impossibility of it, but the words catch in his throat. Lilith, for her part, doesn’t even seem to notice that reaction and continues on.

“I can’t remember where this place lies, no matter how I try… In general, my memory is a bit… hazy,” Lilith says as she stands and walks to him, hair swaying from side to side. “I had thought I would remain alone, but then… you came to me. Able to speak directly to you, project this all to you.”

“Project it all?”

“Yes,” she nods. “You are not here physically, but spiritually it’s as if I could touch you. And that power of yours, well…”

“Well?”

“How about an alliance?” She holds out a hand to him with a smile. “I can help you understand your power, Louis. And you in turn can help me understand why it is I’m stuck here, where exactly here is…”

Louis tries again to say what he knows, but his throat tightens again. He settles for a question. “How can I do that?”

“I have a feeling the more you understand this power of heroes long past, the more I will understand my own,” Lilith says with a smile. “You wield it so freely, you may master them in ways not thought possible. And if you can do that, surely…”

“I can help you remember,” Louis swallows hard, trying to tell himself this is all nothing but a piece of him knows that isn’t the truth. Knows that this means more than he could ever hope to dream of.

“Yes,” she nods. “So what say you? Shall we unlock th truth of the matter together? Maybe we can even lead this world into a brighter future with what we find.”

“...Fine.”

He takes her hand and a tear finally escapes. He hopes Lilith does not notice.

“I look forward to working with you, Louis.”

Then, the voice comes back.

The scholar in search of her lost utopia, Lilith… Within her dwells the virtue of the Seeker. Nurture thy bond with her, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

“We’ll meet again, I’m sure,” she smiles at him. “Here’s to our joined path, oh and Louis?”

“What, Lilith?” He asks, voice strained.

“I don’t like the way you look when you cry,” she says. “Try and smile the next time we see each other, alright?”

He opens his mouth to speak, eyes screwed shut.

When he opens them next, he’s lying on the ground yet again.

Chapter Text

The plan is to head to the Nord Mines, a supposed-to-be abandoned set of tunnels and caves that will get them back to the road on time to return for the Royal Funeral. Of course, as Fabienne reveals things often aren’t that simple, though. Even if ordered to pull back, the miners had no reason to truly do that if it was the only way to survive. It simply became a case of working under the table.

Louis wonders how much is done under the table here in Euchronia. He supposes he’ll be learning soon enough, if he’s pushed himself into the middle of a conspiracy to kill the only remaining royal family member.

The trip towards the mines is mostly quiet, Basilio filling most of the silence with chatter at Fabienne, who replies when she can. Though at times, when Maria or a Del (sometimes referred to as Fidelio, perhaps?) come up, she gets quiet. Doesn’t trust Louis enough to talk about personal matters around him. Fair enough, though a bit amusing given what she is trusting him with.

Then Basilio stops, sniffs the air, and frowns. Louis stops as well, raising an eyebrow.

“Something the matter?” He asks.

“There is, you smell it too, Ma?” Basilio asks.

“Hear it as well,” Fabienne narrows her eye and looks behind her. “We’re being followed.”

Louis frowns. If he was being honest, he’d felt there was something off with all this for a while. He’d mentioned it in passing, but they’d all decided to simply press forward and assume it to be nothing but the birds about. They’d slain plenty to make him think that had been all it was.

“We’re surrounded,” Fabienne says as she fully turns. “Looks like the monsters aren’t the real worry even out here, boys, Gallica. Are you ready?”

“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Basilio says, rolling his shoulder. Louis nods in agreement.

“Come out, then!” Fabienne calls out. “We’ll find you easily instead, if you don’t.”

“Damn, should’ve known the paripus could sniff us out!” One of the soldiers that come into view snaps out as they ready themselves.

“Don’t matter how well they can smell if we kill ‘em, so get to is!” Another pulls his sword free and rushes towards Louis.

“No choice then,” Fabienne clicks her tongue as Louis deflects the attack.

“This won’t take long,” Louis replies with a shrug before summoning the power of Archetype to himself.

The Seeker’s power swells in him and he blows one of the soldiers back right before his sword connects with Basilio’s side. He stumbles to his feet, eyes wide as his helmet is knocked out of place. His fellow helps pull him up, though his legs shake in terror.

“What is that?!” The first crows out. “Never seen anything like it!”

“That’s not an igniter!” The other croaks, the truth of the matter unspoken. Not an igniter and thus illegal -- all the more reason to kill Louis.

And so they both turn their attention to him. The largest threat and the one with the most reason to be done with. One lunges at him and he blocks it, but the other casts a spell with his igniter. A basic fire spell.

It wouldn’t have hurt as badly if not for the Seeker, a piece of him whispers. It wouldn’t have brought the fear back to the front of his mind and driven him to anxiety. Overwhelmed, unable to bring himself to move. Frozen in space, in time.

The first aims again and Basilio slams his entire body into him, pulling Louis backwards a moment later. He doesn’t ask, doesn’t assume anything. Instead he turns his attention to the one using the igniter and drives his blade forward, going to break it.

Fabienne does the same with the other as Louis regains himself. Gallica flutters nearby, concern painting her features. Louis ignores her.

With their igniters broken, they stand little chance. Louis, perhaps still a bit frazzled, uses another gust of wind when he should really save his mental strength. They fall easily enough, alive but unconscious. Fabienne stares down at them with a frown.

“They can’t be from the fort, can they?” She says what they’re all thinking. 

“Deserters wouldn’t have a reason to attack us,” Basilio says. “Ain’t a reason to pick a fight with other deserters.”

“Not deserters,” Fabienne nods in agreement. “But also too quick to catch up to realistically be an organized pursuit. So… how?”

“I have a bad feelin’ it might be…” Basilio glances at Louis, who nods.

Klinger. He did stay back to tend to the dying man despite his earlier boasting. It would usually be easy to write it off as him being a hypocrite, but given the devastation… Louis has a bad feeling about this.

And he long ago learned how important it was to listen to such feelings. Ignore them too long and everything might just go up in flames. Literally.

“In any case, we should probably keep moving!” Gallica finally speaks up, pulling him from his thoughts. “Let’s go.”

Louis shares a look with her. Looks like she’s on the same page, too. Good. The more ready they are for what’s coming, the better.

They push to the mines without too much trouble, and even into the mines without much. The soldiers following them aren’t nearly as troublesome as Louis had thought they would be -- the group can cut them down with ease. He supposes it helps that Fabienne’s been doing this for years, Basilio has absurd strength, and he… Well, he has quite the knowledge of the typical Euchronian body.

Not hard to fell someone when you know just the right spot to hit them.

Unluckily for the miner they find though, the soldiers don’t know that. He sits there, bleeding out. Talking about the soldiers calling this salvation in its own right, and how they’ll do it to the others if Louis and Basilio don’t come quietly.

Basilio’s shaken by it, teeth grinding together. Fabienne puts a hand on his shoulder and tries to comfort him, but all Louis can do is watch. Nothing he could say right now would do any good, only make things worse.

All he knows is he really hates religion.

They continue, Basilio mumbling to himself and Fabienne noting how many soldiers there are. Louis is even more sure that Basilio’s earlier musings were right. Klinger is behind this, and he supposes they’ll find out if he’s actually got the guts to face them head on or not soon.

Sooner than he thought, even.

“Ugh,” Gallica’s the first to spot him and stop. “Looks like it really was him!”

“Right on the money, huh?” Basilio scowls, eyes narrowing. “Even waitin’ for us, how nice of him.”

“Shall we repay the kindness?” Louis asks.

Basilio nods. “We’ll repay it tenfold, like.”

And so they approach, Klinger barking orders at the men with him as well as at the terrified miners whose only crime was being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Royal Theocracy’s orders be damned. Louis wants to rip the bastard’s throat out just listening to him, but he holds back. For now.

“Well if it isn’t the captain,” Basilio catches his attention with his words. “Waitin’ just for us, just like you waited for the Human to tear through us all, yeah?”

“Who would have thought three sorry stragglers would make it past not just that Human, but a whole unit of assassins?” Klinger shakes his head and even has the gall to chuckle, but not the gall to actually face them.

“You knew the Human’d be there, yeah? That’s why you played up the coward act and stayed back like ya did,” Basilio puts his hands on his hips, but the rage comes off him like flames. “Make sure everyone else gets slaughtered up and then head back to, what? Act the sole survivor? The hero?”

“You sent those soldiers to their deaths, tried to kill my son,” Fabienne steps forward. “Why?”

Klinger finally faces them, shaking his head. “Because the kingdom’s guard, your son included, is powerless before the Humans, and only a pile of bodies will prove that to the public!”

“And what good does that do? Cause the public to panic?” Louis asks. “Make room for a saviour to rise and offer them salvation?”

“Prince William,” Basilio says. “You’re tryin’ to make him look better so his bastard status doesn’t have the people rioting, don’t you?”

“A pitiful flock needs a shepherd,” Klinger responds. “If a little blood is what it takes to show them Prince William can lead each and every soul to salvation, then it is a price easily paid.”

“What? Gettin’ torn apart by that monster supposed to give all those folks salvation, too?!” Basilio finally snaps, ears pressed against his head and tail slamming from side to side. 

“Hmph, they aren’t the first,” Klinger waves a dismissive hand in the air. “Soldiers call for reinforcements, villagers plead to be spared, even a little orphanage in the countryside thought it could be saved, but I know better than to confront a Human. Better than to think salvation could come at my hand.”

“A-- An orphanage?” Basilio stands straight, eyes going wide. “You left an orphanage to burn all because…? You were…”

“Basilio…!” Fabienne rushes forward and Louis has to hold her back, eyes glued to Basilio’s back.

“I was real little then, you know. When the orphanage burned and us kids who survived got carted off to the city…” Basilio swallows hard. “Lots of kids died, all the staff did, too. Only five or six made it out.”

“Hm?” Klinger sniffs. “Oh yes, I did hear a few survivors remained, though I’m sure most died in the gutter by now.”

“That’d work out real nice for you, wouldn’t it?” Basilio snaps and presses forward. “Too bad for you one of those survivors is standin’ right here!”

“Stay back!” A soldier behind them grabs a nearby miner, pressing his blade against his throat.

“Help me!” The miner whimpers out, Basilio and the others whipping around to see the fear in his eyes.

Klinger just grins. “You played right into our hands, you know.”

He pushes Basilio to the ground and Louis continues to hold onto Fabienne, keeping the woman from no doubt shredding Klinger to pieces with her claws. As much as he’d love to see it, maybe even join in given the opportunity, a piece of him is screaming to wait. This is something Basilio needs to do, it says.

It sounds a bit like that voice from the fort, and so he listens.

“This was the only road without any checkpoints,” Klinger rubs his chin as he grins down at Basilio. “A simple deduction.”

“You’re a joke, and you’re supposed to be the guy in charge of helpin’ people?” Basilio scoffs as he stands. “Maybe I’m not makin’ it out of here, but you sure as hell aren’t leavin’ with that bravado in tact!”

His eyes flash with an orange flame and Louis hears the Seeker sing out in his heart.

The markings that adorn Louis’s own body, though in their own pattern, appear. Basilio stares at his hands for a moment and Fabienne goes limp in Louis’s grasp as confusion takes over the rage.

Klinger yells out as he stumbles backwards. Says there’s still too much to be done, that he must prove himself worthy of what Prince William will bring about. But none of it deters Basilio even a bit.

Magla forms around him as he points his blade at Basilio. “This is the way of the real world, you street urchin!”

“You call this real?” Basilio sneers. “Cuttin’ others throats and actin’ like there’s nothin’ you can do? If you think that’s real…”

He reaches for his chest and pulls his heart out in a fluid motion. Mechanical as it had been when Louis had done it the day before. The Seeker sings out ever harder.

“The name’s Basilio Lupus Magnus,” he shouts into his heart. “All those kids, those people. We looked out for each other! That’s what the real world is, and if you can’t see that I’ll just have to make you!”

The air shifts once again and standing where Basilio had been was another being like the Seeker. Large and powerful, a shield and sword in its hands. 

“Basilio…?!” Fabienne finally speaks again. “H-he has that power, too?”

“Uh, new to us, too!” Gallica chirps. “But it’s go time, look alive, people!”

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing,” Klinger snaps, readying his weapon. “But I’ll not cave to an empty threat like that!”

He then retreats to have the soldiers with him cover him. Coward, Louis clicks his tongue. 

“Talks a big game about not being scared off and still hiding behind others,” Basilio’s voice booms in the air. A song joining with the Seeker’s. “Let’s show ‘em how much of a hypocrite he really is, eh?”

“Let’s,” Louis nods and rushes the guard closest to him, their blades clashing against one another.

Fabienne isn’t too far behind, taking another two guards by surprise as Klinger readies his igniter. The fire rushes forth towards Basilio and the paripus shrugs it off like it’s nothing, calling upon his own Archetype to fell one of the soldiers Fabienne is keeping busy.

Louis knocks his own to the ground and he and Basilio move in tandem towards Klinger, who does his best to fend them off with fire shot Louis’s way. He freezes for but a moment before Basilio throws himself in front of it.

Calling his power, Louis feels the least he can do is heal him in return.

“Thanks!”

“Just keep focused if you want to thank me,” he calls back, glancing back to Fabienne and nodding as she approaches from the left. “Come on, then. Let’s finish this!”

Klinger tries in vain to escape, but three swords hitting him one after the other would be hard for an honest man to take. So a pathetic lying welp like this? Well, Louis supposes it’s even worse.

“Impossible…!” He falls to the ground, eyes rolling back into his head. Alive, but no longer an issue given the miner feels safe to run off now.

“To think a commissioned officer would sound no different from a Sanctist zealot,” Fabienne clicks her tongue. “A shame.”

Louis nods, though Basilio’s mind is… elsewhere.

“Didn’t think your magic stuff could be done by others, Louis,” he says, staring at his hands. “I knew elda could do magic without igniters, but I’m pretty sure I’m not an elda.”

“That’s a lie of the church,” Louis replies. “One of many… We’ll have to get into it some time.”

“We will,” he nods and looks at him. “Especially if the orphanage…”

“Basilio,” Fabienne speaks, voice kind and soft. “You don’t have to speak on it now if you don’t want to.”

Basilio shakes his head. “Louis deserves to know, he’s stickin’ his neck out for us and all, yeah?”

“Mm,” she nods. “Very well, whatever you decide, I support you.”

“That orphanage he mentioned, I used to live there when I was real little,” he says. “Me and a bunch of other paripus and the like. Some nidia and eugief kiddos too, the works. But then… A Human showed up.

“We sent for help and no one came, apparently because Klinger was already thinkin’ the only way forward was putting blind faith in some prince or whatever saviour he probably thought existed before that. One of the ladies there, real nice Sanctist lady, can’t even remember her name anymore. Maybe something that started with an M…? I guess it don’t matter what she was called, just that she…

“She hid me and a few other kids, includin’ my brother Del. We survived, but when we got out of our hidey hole… It was utter destruction. No one else was around… Soldiers finally came, but by then the Human was long gone.”

“And you were left to pick up the pieces,” Louis says, voice straining. “I am… familiar with that. All you love and know burning before you.”

“There’s more to it, but long story short me an’ Del had to scrape by until Ma found us,” Basilio says. “Knowin’ that it was all because of false promises fillin’ one guy’s head… Don’t sit right. That’s why I’m giving you an out.”

“Excuse me?” Louis’s eyebrows shoot up.

Gallica flutters between the two and looks desperately at Fabienne, whose eye is wide with similar shock. “Huh?!”

“I don’t want you comin’ along based on just what we know unless you really wanna,” Basilio says. “We’re killin’ the prince, but that doesn’t mean you have to help. You wanna wash your hands of this? No hard feelings and I’ll hope to see ya around when all’s said and done. That’s all.”

“That’s well and good,” Louis frowns at him. “But I’ve no plans of stepping back. I told you I would assist and I mean it. I’ve no reason to think your promises are false, Basilio. You’ve more than proven yourself.”

“Really?” He grins at him upon hearing that, cheeks going maybe just a little red. “Heh, I mean I try but…”

“You heard the boy, Basilio,” Fabienne chides. “He’s coming with, no point in trying to convince him otherwise.”

“Alright,” Basilio holds out a fist. “Partners, then?”

Louis bumps his own against Basilio’s, a bit more awkwardly than he’d like to admit. “Partners.”

The honest orphan, Basilio… Within him dwells the virtue of the Warrior. Nurture thy bond with him, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

That voice again… Louis frowns as he pulls his fist back and then Gallica jumps, eyes wide as she once again looks around.

“Did you feel that just now?!” She asks him. “What’s going on? Does it have something to do with that old magic?”

“The Archetypes, you mean?”

She nods. “Now that I think about it, once you awakened, isn’t it weird that Basilio followed not long after? What does this mean?”

Louis opens his mouth to speak when light blinds him and, for a moment, all falls away.

“...Hey, where are we?!” Gallica’s voice comes to as he realizes Akademia stands before him again. “What just happened? T-the elda library? But it--”

“Surprising, isn’t it?” Lilith speaks, cutting the fairy off. “Somehow, you find yourself here once more… And with a fairy, no less. Do they still play in the Eldan Sanctum, then?”

“You know of the Sanctum?” Louis asks, chest tightening with nerves.

“Vaguely, I’ve no direct memories but I feel as if I know more than the common man,” she says, waving a hand in the air. “Either way, we meet again. Though sooner than I was expecting! And another awakened, that partner of yours, I believe it was? Another Archetype awakened from the depths of the heart…”

“A power of old, you called it?” Louis asks. “Or something of the sort.”

She nods. “A power so old it may in fact be the original form of magic itself,” she says. “We are elda, Louis. The most hated kind, with a fate we cannot escape. One that burdens us with anxiety few ever experience.

“And despite that, you find strength and freedom in that anxiety. You embrace it, even if at times it chokes you. And you turn it into power. Like the heroes of old, who find virtue in their suffering and become tales.”

“And Basilio as a paripus no doubt suffered his own fair share of hardship,” Louis says. “Grasped his anxiety and tapped into that same power.”

“Exactly!” She claps, smiling. “He awakened to the archetype that protects you.”

“Hey wait a second! Who even are you?” Gallica speaks up again and Louis almost feels bad for ignoring her. Almost. “Why do you look like her? I’m warning you, if you’re trying to mess with him you have to go through me first!”

“Ah… another you share a deep connection with, then?” Lilith asks, eyeing Gallica.

“Well, I was more his babysitter than anything mostly… But now I guess you could say it is pretty deep! If Basilio’s his partner, so am I! To the end, linked down to the depths of our hearts! Right, Louis?”

Louis hums, thinking. “I suppose so…?”

“Oh come on!” She hops in the air, hands on her hips. “I thought we were a team! I had your back so you could at least have mine!”

The mystical fairy, Gallica… Within her dwells the virtue of the Mage. Nurture thy bond with her, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

That voice again, at least Gallica should be happy it was backing her up…

“I see, the more you connect the more options open to you in battle,” Lilith says. “Your Archetypes are not limited to only you, but any in your circle who awakens. Even that woman with you, the one with but one eye… If you so chose, she could see the true power within.”

“What?” Gallica gasps. “You mean Fabienne could use this power too?!”

“The nature of the Seeker, or perhaps it is you yourself Louis… You are quite remarkable, aren’t you? If you seek answers, then go and claim them!”

She puts a journal in front of him, on the page basic facts about Fabienne written out. She hands him a quill and gestures to a blank space next to the word Archetype.

“All you must do is focus on the bonds and what powers you have unlocked. Choose which you think would befit her and write it in the space. Then it will manifest. You can even do that for yourself and Basilio, if you so choose.”

Louis hums, strumming his fingers against the desk in front of him as Gallica hovers. Perhaps… Like mother like son would be fine? And fitting, given the current company.

Warrior.

He flips to the page that contains his name. Something tells him the amount of fire they’ve been seeing makes Seeker a little… less than viable here. A shame, given it was what he awoke to in the first place.

Mage.

With that done, he supposes all there’s left to do is return to reality… He pulls back from Lilith and turns towards the door.

“Next time you come here,” she says as he approaches it. “It will be of your own volition. Read the book so dear to you and I have no doubt we’ll be able to meet again.”

Louis nods, looking back at her for only a moment. “I… look forward to it.”

Lilith only smiles once more before he leaves.

“Wha…” Louis is still regaining his bearings as Gallica speaks. “Where are we?”

“You alright you lot?” Basilio quirks a brow at them. “Looked all spaced out, like you were in a trance or something, like.”

“A trance?” Gallica asks.

“I suppose we were simply standing here as we spoke to Lilith,” he mumbles to her. “How odd.”

“It was very odd,” Fabienne says as light embraces her. “I could almost feel something in the air. My senses sharpening, power I didn’t know I could have coming to me…”

“What?! So we weren’t just in a trance!” Gallica gasps. “Fabienne, please don’t freak out but that’s probably the weird power Louis and Basilio have at work.”

It takes a bit of explaining to get her on board and not freaking out, but giving her the same Archetype as her son does seem to help a bit.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, eh?” Basilio jokes, a grin on his face.

“I suppose, though it might be the other way around seeing as you awoke to it first,” Fabienne smiles at him. “I suppose you’re growing up, it almost makes me want to cry.”

“Aw, c’mon Ma! No need for that!” Basilio shakes his head. “I’ll always be your lil’ pup. Besides, Maria’s still real little so it’s not like you’re hurtin’ for kiddos.”

“Maria…” Something flashes in her eye and Louis doesn’t much care for it. “She is still quite young, you’re right.”

“Well,” Louis clears his throat. “With that settled, shall we carry on? Only five days remain and we’ve still not made it out of the mines.”

“Yeah, but first we should--” Basilio turns and curses. “Where’d that bloke go?!”

Louis follows his gaze. “...Klinger ran while we were distracted, I see.”

“Dammit…” Basilio rubs the back of his head. “Least if he’s smart he’ll know to keep low unless he wants his dirty laundry all aired out.”

“That’s true,” Louis nods. “Though if we see him I’ve no issue snuffing him out like the pathetic light he is.”

“A bit extreme there,” Fabienne says before nodding. “But I agree. No reason to let a man like that live.”

Basilio nods. “We’ll keep an eye out then, yeah?”

Louis nods. “Onwards and forwards, I suppose.”

All things considered, the rest of the mines are more of a breeze than before. It likely helps to have the extra Archetype users and all that… But no Klinger or assassins also help. Monsters are much easier -- there’s no need to worry about the intent behind their attacks.

He learns quite a bit. Magla Hollows seem like they could be useful in the future, for one. He even lets Basilio catch a few moments of sleep before they set off again -- the Archetype awakening could be quite taxing, after all. Though Fabienne seemed less phased.

Melancholia crystals spelled trouble to him (as did the bird-like Human with a man’s face they had to face to destroy it), but he supposes it could be worse. One of the many things he’s adding to his plan to reveal the truth to everyone when the chance arises. Even with the goal of killing the prince… Well, he can’t give up so easily.

The people deserved to know so they could face the future with certainty, rather than waste away unknowing of what could come. Anything was better than being taken by surprise when you thought yourself safe. Anything.

The king had given up before his dream had become a reality, but Louis wouldn’t be like that. Once he could be sure things were relatively safe, that this prince couldn’t threaten his plans even further than he already had by killing his father… Then he would act again. Make sure everything worked out.

Then there had been the dragon. Fabienne suggested going around it, noting that that was likely even enough to make Sanctists want to avoid the place… But it was a creature of destruction, of Magla. He wasn’t going to just let it run free.

At least not without trying to kill it. It had gone well until it fled, but the treasures it was hiding were a decent enough consolation prize. Basilio certainly swung the sword they found around with ease. How he wielded two-handed swords with one hand, like that he didn’t know…

But it’s impressive. He likes what he sees.

Now they sat outside, camping for the night before finding a carriage to make it into town in time. They’d spoken for a bit before trying to get to bed. Fabienne predicted they would make it a day before the event. Just enough time to get everything ready, she had said.

He wonders if that really will be enough time, but he’s never assassinated a public figure let alone royalty, so he supposes he has to take her word for it. Basilio’d given him a chance to back out, after all, and he’d not taken it. If he was to make his bed, he was going to lie in it.

Speaking of his bed, or at least what was passing for one at the moment…

He’s trying to sleep, but the nightmares make it hard. They always make it hard. The smell of burning flesh always travels into his nose even when there is none by the time he wakes.

So he sits, trying to read by the campfire’s light. That’s when he hears grunts of pain and looks to see Basilio tossing and turning. The lack of napping earlier on Fabienne’s part that had seemed to be just her not being as phased was catching up, given she didn’t react a bit from where she lay on her back. Louis waits to see if she stirs, but she doesn’t. Gallica remains unmoving other than her wings fluttering with her breathing as well.

The grunting continues and then a whimper. Louis, despite wanting to stay his hand, can’t take it anymore. He crawls over to where his companion lies and shakes him awake. Basilio jumps, reaching for a sword not currently on his back. He places a hand on his chest.

“Easy, it’s me,” he says. “Are you alright?”

He can see tears pricking in Basilio’s eyes as the paripus nods. “Yeah. Just… some of that long story I made short actin’ up is all.”

“A nightmare?” Louis asks.

He shakes his head. “I got some real bad pain from… after the orphanage burned and me and Del were lookin’ for ways to survive.”

He furrows his brow, expecting he won’t like what comes next. “How did you survive?” 

“Experiments,” Basilio says. “Church was doin’ ‘em on Igniters. Wasn’t the best pay, but it was a place to lay your head and food to eat so we did it. Never felt quite right since.”

Louis frowns. “The church did that to you…”

“Yeah,” he nods. “A lady from a church helped too, though. Not the one that died to save us, of course, but another. She was around my age, maybe a little older. Healed me right up when…”

“When?”

“...I almost died, Louis. Only made it out because Del got fed up and dragged me to that lady,” he laughs, a short and almost bitter thing. “I’d have just sat there and kept going until I really did die if he didn’t do that. Can you imagine?”

“I can’t,” Louis says. “It would… be a shame to not be able to meet you.”

Basilio grins at him, though the pain is still present in his eyes. “Right? That’d be a damn shame, never gettin’ to meet you or Lady Rella.”

“The lady who helped you was named Rella, then?” He asks, brow quirked.

Basilio goes red, which answers his question well enough. “Well, uh… You know… I… I think we’ve talked enough. Sorry for wakin’ you! Go ahead and get some shut-eye, we got a long few days ahead of us, yeah?”

“Don’t worry,” Louis replies. “I wasn’t sleeping to begin with. Then I heard you and… just had to check up.”

“I appreciate it, but…” Basilio tilts his head to the side. “Why were you up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he shrugs helplessly. “...Nightmares. Feel free to ask Gallica, they tend to plague me.”

Basilio hums, nodding. “Those can be a real bugger to deal with, huh?”

“They can.”

“Well,” Basilio shuffles and drags Louis’s sleeping mat to lay right next to his. “When I used to have ‘em or when Maria still does one thing that’d help us was sleepin’ next to someone. Del or Ma, sometimes Miss Brigitta for Maria.”

Louis frowns. “I’m not a child, Basilio.”

“Don’t mean some company might not help,” Basilio pats the mat next to him. “And… ‘sides, might help me ignore the pain if we can talk ‘til we both pass out.”

“I’ve stayed up all night before,” Louis says, though he crawls into the spot next to him. “I can do it again.”

“I dunno, I’m a real warm and cuddly type,” Basilio says. “If I knock out first you might end up so cozy you fall asleep.”

“That implies we’d be cuddling,” Louis says. “Which I never agreed to.”

“And as long as I’m awake I won’t touch ya, but can’t promise anything once I’m asleep,” Basilio yawns. “I tend to just sorta grab whatever’s closest to me once I’m out cold, like.”

Louis considers for a moment that maybe lying with Basilio isn’t the best idea, then. But then that would be ignoring the fact he’s been starved for any contact like that for years. What he wouldn’t do to lay in someone’s arms and have the nightmares chased away for him one more time. What he wouldn’t do to have company that wasn’t ash…

God, he can feel tears pricking at his eyes again. He forces them down, along with the face that looks so much like Lilith’s in his mind’s eye.

“You’ll be the one to explain to your mother why we’re cuddling if it comes to that, then,” Louis says.

“Aw, she won’t ask,” Basilio replies. “Unless I nearly smother you in my sleep. Near done that a few times in the past…”

He gives him a look. “You don’t inspire much confidence in sleeping next to you.”

“You’re always free to move,” Basilio points out.

“Yes, but--”

“Hey!” Gallica’s whisper-yell travels far, Louis notes. “Stop chit-chatting and go to bed! Some of us are actually trying to sleep here!”

Basilio just laughs out an apology as Louis settles into place. This was going to be an interesting night.

Chapter Text

The rest of the travel towards Grand Trad is nothing to write home about, Fabienne saying she’s worked out the details already and will explain after they have a real meal. The carriage is a bit uncomfortable, Basilio glancing over his shoulder as he tries to read through it, being somehow the least of his discomforts, but he makes due. The stares from Fabienne, however? He could do without.

At least when they return to the city, they split up with her going ahead. It gives him a chance to breathe, for one, and a chance to reorient himself, for two. Basilio follows him, claiming he’d lead him to the right place when they were done.

The Hushed Honeybee Inn. The name’s nice; it sounds… comfortable. He supposes they’ll need comfort, given what tomorrow is going to bring.

He thinks about the fact he will never see the king again, only a casket, and can’t help but frown. The man has let him down, but he was his only lead to changing things. Without him he feels a bit… lost.

Louis does not often entertain optimistic thoughts, but as he glances back at Basilio he wonders for just a moment. Given what he’s about to help with, would he and his mother be willing to assist him in achieving his goal? It would be hard with no royal backing, even harder with the prince’s blood on their hands…

But maybe with others it would be possible.

Silly as it may be, he decides to push it to the side rather than fully out of his mind. It was for later, when he had more time to play around with how exactly to break the news to them and where they could go from here.

He runs across a few interesting folks on his way to the Hushed Honeybee, the most notable being a very drunk paripus making a rabble. When Basilio tugs him away, though, he knows better than to get involved. The guards that soon appeared made that even more clear.

When they finally come to the inn he’s glad they’ll be away from prying eyes, if only for a while. Basilio stops to catch up with someone for a moment, so he lets himself in first. Just in time to see Fabienne kissing Maria on the forehead before standing to kiss another woman on the lips.

The woman must be Brigitta, at least he assumes as such. She’s a beautiful woman, a Rhoag judging by the markings on her face. Her hair is long and stark white, tied into a long ponytail that rests over one of her shoulders. She wears a sweater dress that goes down to her knees and white leggings. 

“Hello,” Brigitta nods at him. “The boy Fabienne mentioned?”

“Yes,” he replies. “Though I’m curious, what did she say?”

“Mister Louis!” Maria chirps and waves at him. “Mama Fabienne said you were taking care of Bas like I asked. Thank you so much!”

“Taking care of him, yes,” Brigitta narrows her eyes at him. “He trusts you, as does Fabienne. So welcome to the inn, my business and home.”

“This is Brigitta,” Fabienne says, gesturing towards her. “My wife and Maria’s other mother.”

“A pleasure,” he nods. “I hope to earn your trust as well.”

Brigitta opens her mouth to speak again, but Maria is bolting across the floor before she can.

“Bas!”

She runs right at her brother, kneeling with his arms out. He lifts her right up and twirls her around, making her giggle. 

“Look at you!” He chirps. “Did you get bigger while I was gone?”

“You were only gone for a few days!” Maria replies with a giggle. “I didn’t get bigger.”

“I dunno, Miss Brigitta keeps you well fed,” Basilio says. “So you mighta grown a centimeter or two in a few days!”

“Bas, you’re so silly!”

Fabienne smiles at them, a sad sort of smile that makes Louis’s stomach drop. One that felt like a smile of someone who expected to see none of this again soon. He swallows hard as he stares at her, as he tries to see anything else.

Brigitta looks at him and frowns. He shakes his head and forces his gaze back to the siblings. Back to what they’re saying.

“Del’s in town, too!” Maria is saying. “He said he’ll stop by after the funeral tomorrow and we can have a big meal together! Oh Basilio, I’m so excited! Will Mister Louis come too?”

Basilio glances at Louis with a quirked eyebrow. Louis swallows down bile and nods. “Sure, then! I’m sure he and Del’ll get along, huh?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, speaking of big meals,” Fabienne speaks up. “Maria, Basilio. Do you want to lead our guest to the dining room and get started? Brigitta and I need to talk a bit alone, but then we’ll join you.”

Basilio puts Maria down, who runs right up to Louis to grab him by the hand. “Okay!”

“See you in a bit, then,” Basilio says, kissing his other mother on the cheek as they walk by. “Good to see ya, Miss Brigitta.”

“Mm,” she gives him a small side hug. “Try not to make a mess, alright?”

Maria drags Louis away and he stares at the women as they lean into one another and begin talking. He hates it.

After they eat, Basilio leads him to the room he shares with Fidelio when he’s around. Fabienne follows after them, closing the door and locking it after a moment.

“That was a lovely meal,” Louis says, deciding to start with niceties. “Thank you.”

“Brigitta and my kids alike know how to cook,” Fabienne chuckles. “...And they all risk a lot for me, given the work we do. The work we’re going to do.”

Louis nods. “Killing Prince William, you mean?”

“Yes,” Fabienne says.

“Not gonna be easy… So…” Basilio rubs the back of his neck. “What’ve you got for us, Ma?”

“I tried to see if anyone else could help us, but no one was available,” she sighs, closing her eye for a moment. “It will just be the three of us. Is that alright with you?”

Louis and Basilio share a look and then nod in tandem.

“Then the plan is simple,” she gestures to their tattered uniforms nearby. “Brigitta will patch these up for you tonight and you will wear them tomorrow, blend in with the guard.”

Louis hums. “And you?”

“I will also blend in, but closer to the front of the funeral, with no doubt a better aim at the prince,” she says and his heart skips a beat. “You two will provide a distraction so I have an opening to strike.”

“We’re really killin’ him in broad daylight, then,” Basilio rubs the back of his head. “Just… slitting his throat like a pig in front of all those people?”

“I’ll be sure to hide my face,” Fabienne assures. “And you two will keep the distraction going so I can escape.”

“Will that work?” Louis asks.

“Excuse me?” Fabienne raises a brow.

“Will that actually work?” Louis frowns at her, arms crossing. “Do you truly believe you’ll make it out alive?”

Fabienne frowns in turn. “I do, but can I have a word with you? Outside the room.”

Basilio lets out a small whimper and his ears press against his head. Louis feels a pang of guilt, squeezing his arm to try and give some comfort before leaving. A promise things will be okay, even if they might not be.

He exits with Fabienne, who makes sure to close the door and walk away to ensure Basilio won’t be able to listen in. She looks at Louis with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

“You expect me to trust you, but you don’t trust me or my plan?” She asks, tapping her foot against the floor.

“I want to trust you, but you have an aura of a woman who is prepared to die,” he says. “You’re going to hurt Maria and Basilio.”

“I…” She flinches away. “I’ll do what I can to make sure I survive, Louis. But I have to be prepared for the worst to potentially come.”

“And you don’t warn your children of it?” Louis feels bile raising in his throat. “You’ll let them risk watching you be ripped away right in front of them?”

“If I die,” Fabienne stands tall again. “It will be somewhere quiet and out of the way. They’ll never see my body, Louis. I’m not that horrible of a mother.”

“You, I-- I didn’t meant to imply--”

“I know,” she puts a hand on his shoulder. “I know. But still… Please just trust me. And… If you don’t think you can, then be there for them, Louis. Maria already seems to like you and… she doesn’t have many friends. So…”

Louis looks at his shoes. “You want me to be there for her when you can’t, then.”

“Not forever, but I will need to go into hiding to survive,” she says. “Until things blow over. So if you can keep her company until I can return… I would appreciate it.”

She walks away from him then, back to the room to visit with Basilio and assure him, he supposes. He wants to say that’s good, but… He closes his eyes and tries to fight off the bad feeling that remains in his chest.

His anxiety will not control him.

Maybe he’ll go see Maria.

Gallica joins up with him on his way downstairs and Maria agrees to spend time with him, mostly to hear about the book Fabienne apparently told her about at some point. He’s a bit hesitant at first, trying to distract her by asking her about her own reading… But it only works for a while.

She’s now looking up at him from the workbook Brigitta had bought her, smiling wide as she finishes reading an entire page from it to him. “Okay! Now it’s your turn, Mister Louis.”

“Well you might find it a bit boring, I know I did when I was a boy,” Louis flips through the pages. “But maybe if I just tell you what it’s about you’ll enjoy that?”

“Okay!” Maria nods. “I’m okay with that.”

Gallica raises an eyebrow at him and he clears his throat, trying to figure out just where to start.

“Well, it’s about a world quite different from ours. It only has one tribe, for starters,” he glances at her and her eyes sparkle so he continues. “Little girls like you and men like me don’t have to worry about people hating us quite as much, but when there is hate plenty of others step in to help. Friends.”

“So there’s still hate?” Maria frowns a bit. “But there’s also… friends. I wouldn’t be lonely in that world?”

“Never lonely,” Louis nods. “But you don’t have to be lonely here, either. That’s why your brother and I are here, aren’t we?”

She jumps a bit. “Ah, yeah…! But… it would still be nice to have friends my age… Sorry, I’m being really selfish.”

“Not selfish,” he pats the top of her head gently. “I thought the same thing as a child, Maria. It’s okay to want friends your age.”

“Really?” She asks.

He nods. “Really.”

“Thank you!” She smiles at him again and he smiles back. “But, uh, I still want to be your friend, Mister Louis! Which means…”

She sticks out her pinky towards him, eyes shining.

“Please be careful, okay? I know you’re helping Mama Fabienne with work and that can be really dangerous,” she begins. “So be careful when you’re watching out for her and Bas. Please.”

“Of course,” he says, linking his pinky with hers. “I’ll be careful and come back tomorrow after everything is done. I promise.”

The pure-hearted maiden, Maria… Within her dwells the virtue of the Healer. Nurture thy bond with her, and a new power may yet slumbering within thee may yet awaken.

“I hope Mama Fabienne can stay for longer this time, too,” she says after a moment. “She doesn’t get to stay often and I always miss her so much… Maybe Del can stay, too, since he’s in town.”

“That would be nice,” Louis says, heart aching for the girl but unable to outright state what he knows and watch her own little heart break. “I… hope we can all be here for a while longer, too.”

She leans against him and smiles. “Tell me more about your book before I go to bed, Mister Louis?”

“Well…”

“Oh jeez,” Gallica speaks up. “I don’t think we’ll be getting much sleep tonight.”

“Maybe not,” Louis agrees. “But I think I’m fine with that.”

The next day Louis and Basilio head out after Fabienne’s already went and prepared. True to her word, Brigitta ended up patching up the soiled uniforms and made them look brand new. He doesn’t want to think about how long she spent last night working on them, but he does make sure to thank her.

On his way to the Cathedral where the funeral is to be held, he takes a moment to speak with Lilith when he once again sees her phantom. She has a request for him and, given the bad feeling still in his gut, he supposes it’s best to prepare to fufill it.

He goes back to the Seeker and gives Basilio the Healer and hopes she didn’t want him specifically to use it. Despite it all he’s… Unsure if he would wield it the best, at least at the given moment.

The flames still lick at wounds raw, despite the years. He isn’t ready.

He runs across the paripus from the night before, as well as the man dressed in the ugly purple leopard print jacket before making it to the right spot. He nods at Basilio as they find a dark corner to change into the uniforms and melt into the crowd as needed.

Then all there’s left to do is wait.

The casket is lowered among the flowers and Louis flinches at the sight, reminded of the Sanctum. Basilio, likely thinking it was something else, places a hand on his arm to try and calm him. He does his best to give him a nod to ensure him he’s fine before looking forward again.

“Lots of lords and nobles…” Gallica begins as she scans the crowd. “Some generals too. All the big names are here.”

“Can you see Ma?” Basilio asks, his own nerves coming to the forefront as Louis mimics his earlier action to try and calm him.

She floats up for a moment before coming back down. “I can pick her out. No sign of the Prince yet, though…”

“Look there!” As if on cue a woman yells out and they all turn to see what has to be a floating gauntlet runner descending towards the funeral.

It’s carrying… something. Something large. Louis’s eyes narrow and his teeth grit together. The bad feeling from before only grows and he wants to kick himself for not saying something to his hosts before heading out. Telling them to be extra careful, for something horrible may come to be.

His grip on Basilio’s arm tightens.

From the runner a man, no a boy, descends. The flowers around him in stark contrast to the all black he wears. If it was anywhere else, anyone else, Louis would think it a sign of mourning. But he knows better, knows that the boy had killed his own father and now simply played a part.

He has no shame, and it makes Louis sick. But what’s even worse is the fact he knows this boy.

The silvery hair that falls in waves around his face and shoulders, the light blue eyes that look out over the crowd, the brown skin. He looks like a spitting image of his mother, save one thing he knows had not been there before.

The horns of a clemar decorate his head, twisting backwards and upwards in a strange imitation of a halo. Those had not been there the last time Louis had seen him as a mere babe, the night the flames had come to consume it all.

“His horns are wrong,” he croaks out.

“They’re strange in shape, yeah,” Basilio nods. “But everyone assumes he got ‘em from his Ma, the lady the King had an affair with.”

“His mother was not a clemar,” Louis says.

“What?”

“The horns are fake.”

“My people!” The boy, no Prince William, begins to speak. “My father, the poor fool we called king, is dead! His noble heart and goals withered away by vain nobles and clergy to falsely claim to speak for our divine. He died under the pain he could not carry!”

People murmur, shock and horror at the words William speaks of his own father. But also voices of those who agree -- that the nobles and the clergy wore him down and broke the man who promised so much. That his son speaks true.

“I will show you the truth, the reality the church and nobles wish to hide from you!” He pulls his sword free and points towards whatever it is the gauntlet runner is carrying and, as if on cue, it begins to fall.

A Human.

“You’ve all been blinded, hidden away behind walls of stone,” Prince William’s voice carries almost a sad tone, but Louis can hear the falseness of it all. “They are no mere rumor! Humans truly do lurk and nest across the land, and the church would have you blind to it! Would shepherd you to your doom!

“A fortress at the border was razed by a Human mere days ago. How long until we are overrun? We can only blame this on the blindness inflicted on us by our dead King at behest of those around him!

“But the church sees me as nothing but a problem, the young prince who will speak the truth and lead you all to a better future! The rightful heir who will do what his father could not! See your future king stand before you!”

Louis grits his teeth as the boy finishes his grandiose speech, bile in his throat. And then, a pulse of pain through his heart. His hand falls from Basilio’s sleeve and he doubles over, gasping for air.

Basilio turns to him. “Louis! Are you--”

The world shakes and Louis forces himself to look up, to see what’s happening. A power blasts out into the sky… The royal Palace no longer planted within the ground but instead moving towards them, a face under it. A face of the king…?

Was this the royal magic, then?

“I am Hythlodaeus V…” A voice booms out of the rock as people panic. “The people of my land desire a new king… and I shall provide.”

Everyone panics, confusion overtaking the area. But it’s not enough, Louis can tell that much. Prince William is not suitably distracted, not yet. They have to do more, but what can they do?

“Be silent!” An old man, no doubt a prince of one of the territories, speaks with a hand out. “Let him say his piece!”

The voices dull to a murmur.

“Heed me, O kingless,” the voice begins to speak again. “Time is finite before my soul departs this benighted world… In four moons of life past death, there shall be a reckoning -- a Day of the Hero.

“Upon that day, whoever hath truly earned the greatest faith of the citizenry… shall ascend to the throne and crown by right of kings.”

Louis frowns. “...Truly?” Even with an heir that still breathes?

“From the lofty heavens shall my undulating soul look down upon thee, and from the whispered hopes of thine anxious hearts…” as he speaks again strange eyes appear upon the foreheads of the people, panic once again setting in. Louis and Basilio merely look at each other to confirm that it’s truly there. “Shall those to whom thine allegiances lie be laid bare!”

The king continues on even as people panic and faces begin to appear in his eye. Those with the most faith and truth from the people, apparently. The Sanctifex appears first, but the prince is not far behind.

It feels like choosing between two poisons.

“What spectacle from my father!” Prince William’s voice still cuts through the confusion clear. “The mantle of king is mine by right and providence!”

“That’s clearly not the case anymore!” The Sanctifex snaps out. “We gather to mourn His Majesty, your father, and you make it nothing more than a spectacle for your own claim to the throne? A claim he had no faith in, given his magic!”

“Shall we test that?”

The prince approaches the crowd with arms outstretched. Louis stares, still looking for an opening. There has to be one and soon, before the people become swayed by his words. Though the Sanctifex as king would not be much better.

“My people, do we truly believe the words of men who believe only a select few deserve the grace of His divine light?” He calls out. “My world is one of salvation for all, no matter class or tribe! A world in which we can all know the light of the divine!

“I will protect all who believe in my truth, who join my flock! You all have the potential to be saved! And those who forsake that, who choose to fall to the depths of hell… We shall walk over your corpses into our new world!”

The people begin to chatter and the favor of Prince William grows. They’re blind to the truth, that he’s simply changing who is forsaken, rather than saving all of them. It disgusts Louis.

“Damn you, William!” Basilio shouts out in the middle of it all. “You expect us to really believe that? That you’ll lead us to anything but ruin?!”

“Who is to say even those whose ideals are the same will be safe?!” Louis joins in. “You slay your own father in his bed despite the gentleness you speak of him with! What of a pauper who crosses you? How do we know they will not meet the same fate?”

Others join into their yelling, agreeing with them and beginning to riot. Pushing against the guards who try to hold them back as chaos begins to spread. Good, just what they needed! Louis and Basilio look at each other and Gallica begins to scout once again.

“Where’s Fabienne?” She asks, though she needn’t wait long for an answer.

She rushes forward, blade in hand, right towards the prince. He’s too distracted to even notice until she’s nearly upon him, turning just in time to watch his throat be slit like that of a pig. But then the chains appear.

“I shall not suffer a defiance of my people’s will,” the king’s voice booms. “In my name, thou art punished.”

“Punished,” Prince William echoes. “It seems even in death my father’s faith is within me and on my side! I am afraid that for you, however, that means your fate is sealed. You have chosen to forsake my salvation, and so there is only one choice.

He pulls his blade free and slits Fabienne’s throat in one fluid motion.

The King speaks again but all Louis hears is the scream that rips out of Basilio’s throat as he lunges forward and Louis has no choice but to try and hold him back.

“Ma!” Basilio’s voice is shrill with fear and pain. “Ma, no! You can’t do this! I won’t let you!”

“Basilio, calm down!” He tries to hold him in place as Gallica sobs against his shoulder. “We can’t do anything too hasty, or we’ll end up just like her!”

“But Ma! I can’t just let him do that to her! I can’t--!”

“Calm down!” He holds him tighter in his grip. “We can’t let her death be in vain, either. Basilio, please just wait!”

“I…” He sobs, going limp in his arms. “Ma, you were supposed to come back…”

All Louis can do is continue to hold him, at least until that gauntlet runner attacks the cathedral and all hell breaks loose again.

Evacuation begins, Prince William vanishing in the chaos. Basilio runs right for his mother and all Louis can do is follow him and watch the paripus drop to his knees.

“Ma! This isn’t funny, get up!” He shakes her body, but it remains limp. “C’mon, Ma! You can’t do this to me and Maria and Del, so wake up already…! Louis gave me a real neat new power so I can heal you up like it’s nothing…! So please…!”

She still doesn’t move and Louis can only watch on, his mouth dry. He should have done more, should have forced Fabienne to change the plan. If he had known the king would appear, maybe then things would be different. Maybe--

“Ma? Bas?” Louis turns and sees a familiar face from his run-in with bandits standing there, eyes wide. Was this…?

The thought is broken when a bolt of lightning shoots out and the casket in front of them is destroyed. Louis’s head swerves again and without thinking he rushes towards Basilio, the other paripus joining him.

“The sun sets on the poor fool king,” a clemar says as he approaches, his own grey hair cut short to his head and his suit belying that of a nobleman. “And a new dawn approaches with Prince William to be our king.”

He stops before them as more soldiers approach, but Louis keeps his eyes glued to the man.

“Stand down!” One of the soldiers yell.

“You want to meddle in my affairs, then?” The clemar clicks his tongue. “If you wish to die so badly, I suppose I can give you some friends to play with!”

He touches the ground and soon the undead rise.

“I was sent here on an important errand, however,” the man speaks again. “And I’ll need time to accumulate enough Magla. So please, have fun with my friends while I make use of your Cathedral, yes? When the mourning period ends and the Day of Calamity begins… Any who survive this will see me again.”

And with that, he walks away.

“Stand strong, you lot!” The paripus who has to be Fidelio speaks up. “Those bodies aren’t anythin’ but puppets -- their souls are long gone! Don’t hold back because of his sick little magic trick!”

Louis deflects the first blow sent towards him as the soldiers all enter the fray, but he’s worried. Basilio’s hands shake and he’s not in control of himself. Anxiety is eating away at him, the way it had done to Louis on their way back to Grand Trad.

“Basilio!” He throws himself in the way of an attack meant for him and grunts. “Pull yourself together!”

“I… I…” Basilio summons the power of the Healer to himself and the attack lands true, knocking one of the skeletons back to death. “I don’t know what to do…!”

“Fight, we’ll figure out the rest later!”

They continue to fight and with time, Basilio regains control of his emotions. Though the pain behind his eyes remains, he’s able to better deflect and take attacks meant for him, Louis able to keep them both on their feet as holy magic burns away the bodies in front of them.

They eventually finish off the last of them and Basilio’s found rage to replace the pain.

“Where’d that bastard go?!” He snarls out. “Into the cathedral? We’ve gotta go after him!”

“What you’ve gotta do is wait right there,” Fidelio approaches before dropping to a knee next to the body. “...You lot, take her to the mausoleum, will you? The least she deserves is a proper burial…”

“Del…” Basilio approaches him as the soldiers move Fabienne’s body with a gentleness Louis didn’t think possible. “You’re here.”

“I am,” he nods and pulls his weapon free again, pointing it at Louis. “And I want to know what the hell you, Ma, and this joker were doing trying to kill royalty.”

Louis swallows hard, but does not flinch back. “He killed his own father, so we were simply returning the favor, no?”

He narrows his eyes. “Seems too petty for Ma. And what was that power, anyway? Never seen that in my time in the army.”

“It’s a long story, Del,” Basilio speaks up again. “But you can stop pointing that lance of yours at Louis. We can trust him. Ma… trusted him.”

Fidelio narrows his eyes, but lets the lance drop to his side after a moment. “Alright, but I’ve got my eye on you. Just because Bas trusts you doesn’t mean I do.”

“Understood,” he nods. “But for now, we’ve bigger issues to worry about, don’t you agree?”

“We do,” Fidelio looks towards the cathedral and begins walking towards it. “There’s no doubt still people inside, trapped like rats. I’ve gotta do something about it.”

“You mean we,” Basilio says. “We’re coming with.”

Fidelio turns around, fire in his eyes. “And risk losing you too? No bloody way! Go back home to Miss Fabienne and Maria, Bas.”

“Del--”

“I’m not arguin’ about this!” Fidelio shakes his head. “Stay back, I mean it.”

And with that, he walks off. Louis and Basilio share a look.

“Well,” Gallica speaks. “I… have a feeling you aren’t gonna listen to him.”

“He’s my big brother,” Basilio says. “So I can’t just leave him on his own, now can I?”

“True enough,” Louis waits for Fidelio to be out of view before stepping forward. “Let’s go, then.”

After some yelling from Fidelio when he notices them following, there’s not much choice but to let them tag along. The only problem? They end up cut off, without much choice but to go around through the mausoleum if they want to really break into the cathedral. A detour, and not one Louis is exactly a fan of. 

They make their ways down the steps in the front and chaos is still running rampant, but Louis supposes that could be good for them. A better disguise for as they make their way to where the dead rest.

“This is all too much…” Fidelio groans, shaking his head. “Why the hell is this even happenin’?”

“I’ll explain what I can later,” Basilio promises. “But for now--”

“You’re back!” Brigitta’s voice breaks through Basilio’s and before he knows it, both the men are being pulled into a hug by her. “Thank God you’re alright, boys. If I lost you too…”

“Miss Brigitta,” Fidelio begins. “Where’s Maria?”

“I can’t find her,” her voice cracks as she pulls away. “She heard the commotion and ran off. I tried to follow her, but the chaos was too much. She can’t be far, but…”

Louis takes back whatever he said about this chaos being good for them as they begin the search. Finally finding the girl unconscious on the ground, Brigitta and the paripus men running right to her side and kneeling down.

“Maria!”

“Don’t move her, Ma,” Fidelio speaks up. “She hit her head.”

“Must’ve been caught in the wave of people,” a regular of the Hushed Honeybee standing nearby speaks up. “Poor girl…”

“She’s out cold, but she’ll be alright, I’m pretty sure,” Fidelio says after a moment. “But Ma…”

Brigitta stands, eyes closed. “We talked about this, about the chance she might not come back. But she was so sure she would find a way out of this that I…”

She turns away from them and her shoulders shake. Louis tries to look away and give her some privacy, but then all he sees is three children who lost a mother huddled together. Fidelio and Basilio kneeling next to a little girl who doesn’t even know what she’s just lost.

“I won’t let it be in vain,” he says after a moment. “Her death will mean something. I promise you that.”

When they make it to the mausoleum, Louis and Basilio weren’t the only ones to discard their soldier uniforms for this. Fidelio’s also changed into what Louis assumes is a more comfortable outfit for him to fight through countless undead in potentially.

He wears a white turtleneck sweater along with cream colored overalls, a scrap of fabric similar to Basilio’s bow and Maria’s dress tied around his right arm. On top is a simple black capelet, held in place with a gold button inscribed with a flower. If Louis didn’t know better, he’d almost think he looks harmless.

They don’t get very far into the place before coming across one of those damned Melancholia Crystals Louis still isn’t a fan of. The door won’t open either because of it, and Louis doesn’t even have a chance to try and break it before a soldier under the charge of the strange clemar stops them.

He wishes he could say that soldier was what was standing in the way, but he’s gone as soon as he arrives and is replaced with a familiar face. One he didn’t want to ever see again, especially not under these circumstances.

“Wha…” Gallica gasps. “It can’t be!”

Basilio swallows hard. “No way…”

Fidelio’s hands shake as he steps forward. “Ma…?”

Before they can so much as react, she strikes. Basilio and Louis fall to the ground with yells and she approaches Fidelio. All Louis can do is try to struggle up, Basilio letting out a whimper as he does the same.

“Ma, stop it!” Fidelio holds out his spear as if trying to keep her at length without hurting her. “Don’t!”

She strikes him down and he goes sliding across the floor. He grunts and looks up at her, tears in his eyes. Unlike the stoic soldier that had so easily pointed a spear at Louis’s throat not long before this.

“Why? Why’d you go and die like that?!” Fidelio yells out right before being kicked in the gut and thrown backwards by it. “Ma, why were you so stupid?! Why didn’t you tell me? With you gone…!”

He turns his head to look as Basilio and Louis and something hardens within them. Louis knows that sort of look, the look of a man prepared to die if it means the ones he cares about most get out of this alive. He feels sick.

“Del… Ma was doing what she had to!” Basilio speaks up. “The prince can’t be allowed to take the throne, you can see it too, can’t you? He killed his own dad!”

“Then you’ve gotta finish what she started. Get out of here,” Fidelio replies, standing up. “I’ll hold her off.”

Fabienne moves to strike him again and Louis’s legs move on their own. He throws himself on top of the paripus, throwing them both out of the reach of the blade that nearly ended things then and there.

“What are you doing…?!” Fidelio hisses out as he sits up. “Get out of here, keep Bas safe!”

“Doing just as your mother did, then?” He asks, clicking his tongue. “Leaving those you love behind for someone else to pick up the pieces?”

“You…!”

“She wouldn’t want you to die like this, Fidelio!” His voice is louder than he means it to be.

“He’s right, Del!” Basilio speaks up. “She’d want you to live, I know she’d want that!”

“But I can’t let you die!” Fidelio yells back. “You’ve gotta live more than anyone, Bas. I--”

“Then both of you will live,” Louis shakes him. “You have to live, Fidelio. Don’t leave Maria and Basilio behind!”

“I…”

“If you want them to live, you have to be there to protect them!” He says. “So live on, be their shield if you must. But live!”

Something sparks in Fidelio’s eyes as he pulls away from Louis and stands. Stands and the Seeker once again sings in Louis’s heart. The song that he last heard when Basilio had found his own strength.

The orange aura around him is familiar as the corpse once again attacks him, only for her attack to bounce right off. An awakening.

“My name’s Fidelio Aureus Magnus!” Fidelio’s voice is firm again, strong. “Even if you aren’t here for them anymore, Ma… I will be! I’ll keep them safe!”

He pulls his heart from his chest in one fluid motion, the red blood dripping from the mechanical organ in his hand. He puts it to his lips and speaks once more.

“I’ll be there shield, so you can rest now!”

Where Fidelio once stood is now another strange armour-like appearance. A knight on horseback, lance gripped in one hand and a shield larger than even the Warrior’s in the other. He raises the lance into the air and the horse whinnies. All attention is on him.

“Basilio, now!” Louis sees the opening and takes it.

Basilio nods, summoning the power of the Healer to himself and using holy magic to sear the skin of the corpse. She howls in pain as Basilio then takes the chance to imbue the Seeker’s sword with the same holy light and Louis strikes her.

But her attention is squarely on Fidelio, who brushes off her attack as if it’s nothing. 

“I’ll keep her attention,” Fidelio shouts. “So please… Make sure Ma can rest in peace!”

They continue to fight, blades and magic flying through the air. Fidelio continues to fight, continues to draw her attention. But he wants to live now, and so Louis does what he can to ensure that will happen.

The final strike is the lance driving into Fabienne’s gut, forcing her to stumble back with a groan.

“Maria and… the boys…” She wheezes out actual words for the last time. “I leave them… to you…”

Louis swallows hard and nods. “I will keep them safe. I swear it.”

“Rest well, Ma,” Fidelio says as he takes a small memento from her body. “We’ll make sure you didn’t die for nothin’.”

Gallica whimpers a bit, wiping tears from her eyes as she flies to the crystal. “W-well, isn’t this crystal just like the one we saw in the abandoned mine? It gives me the same nasty feeling.”

“It seems to be, I’ll deal with it,” Louis strikes it and watches it fall to pieces.

“First he raises the dead, callin’ them his friends and the like and then he makes this weird crystal?” Fidelio grunts, rubbing the back of his head. “We gotta stop him.”

“Sure do,” Basilio nods. “But only when I’m sure you aren’t gonna run in there and get yourself killed.”

Fidelio’s eyebrows shoot up. “What?”

“Well you were pretty willing to die until Louis yelled some sense into you,” Gallica says. “You wanted us to run off and leave you to die!”

“W-well it’s different now!” Fidelio says. “Blondie was right, I need to live. Can’t do much for my baby siblings if I’m buried in the ground, now can I?”

“Hmmm…” Gallica looks at Louis. “What do you think?”

“I think he can come… but for now we should retreat,” he looks at Basilio. “You remember how tired you were after your own awakening, no?”

“Sure do,” he nods and looks at Fidelio. “C’mon, Del. Let’s get you some rest.”

“I’m fine, I just--” he stumbles as he steps forward. “Shite…”

“Back to the Honeybee it is,” Basilio chirps, grabbing his brother by the arm and marching towards the exit. “C’mon!”

Louis just snorts and follows behind.

“You’re just in time,” Brigitta is quick to greet the group when they appear. “Maria’s awake. She’s going to be alright physically, but… She won’t leave her room.”

Fidelio grunts. “Me and Bas’ll go check on her in a bit, Miss Brigitta.”

“She… knows, then?” Basilio asks. “About Ma?”

Brigitta nods. “I should have waited. You’ve always been better with breaking bad news than me…”

“No, it’s better she knows now,” Basilio says. “The sooner she knows, the sooner she can start feelin’ better.”

“I suppose you’re right…” Brigitta closes her eyes for a moment and sighs. “Here, a note from Fabienne, from before she…”

She doesn’t have to finish the statement. Louis takes it and reads it, frowning.

“She said we’re welcome to any of her supplies from her room, should we decide to take any,” he says. “...Thank you, Brigitta.”

She nods once more. “I’ll go check on Maria one more time, you lot rest and I’ll be with you shortly.”

They all watch Brigitta head up the stairs before Fidelio finally looks at Louis, eyes narrowed once again. Despite earlier, it seems he’s still not fully earned his trust. At least not yet.

“So, how’d you get mixed up with Ma and Bas, anyway?” He asks.

“Maria,” Louis replies. “She asked me to keep an eye on Basilio when he was signing up for the military to find your mother… And I decided I would.”

“Wow, didn’t realize you were a softie, Blondie,” Fidelio whistles. “No wonder Bas likes ya.”

“I’m not soft,” Louis frowns at him. “...I just see myself in Maria and thought it best to keep her from going down my path, that’s all.”

Fidelio hums. “Well, I’ve got a feelin’ that means you aren’t gonna be leaving us be anytime soon, then.”

“That is correct,” Louis glances at Basilio, who smiles at him. “We’re partners now.”

“Partners, huh?” Fidelio steps towards him and… holds out a hand. “Well, you better get in good with the older brother then, yeah?”

“I look forward to working with you,” Louis replies as he takes his hand.

The steadfast brother, Fidelio… Within him dwells the virtue of the Knight. Nurture thy bond with him, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

“Well, with that done, wanna go help Miss Brigitta?” Basilio asks as the men let go of each other’s hands.

“Yeah, let’s.” Fidelio nods and follows after him.

“I guess…” Gallica crosses her arms and thinks for a moment. “We should just go wait in the room?”

“I suppose so, let’s go.”

Louis sits on the bed, staring at his hands. Gallica hovers nearby and he tries to ignore her. Ignore the feelings in his chest that feel like a stab every time he remembers Fabienne, Maria, or really anyone he met here in the Hushed Honeybee.

“Do you…” Gallica speaks up and makes ignoring her impossible. “Feel responsible for what happened with Fabienne?”

“I should have stopped her when I realized what she was up to,” Louis replies, voice rawer than he was expecting it to be. “When I realized she was planning to die.”

“You had no way to stop her, this was the only plan we had,” Gallica says. “Maybe if I was a better guide I could have…”

“Don’t,” Louis looks at her. “You did more than enough, Gallica. Without you I don’t know if it would only be Fabienne who passed.”

“You think so? I didn’t realize you thought that…” Gallica flutters over and sits on his shoulder. “I guess my grief is just… getting the better of me. I’m thinking like you are, if only I did one little thing different…”

“It’s hard not to think like that,” Louis says. “I know I’ve spent many nights wondering just that.”

“Well, you don’t have to anymore, okay? At least not alone,” she pats the side of his face. “We’re a team, so we’ll figure it out together! I’ll do my best, so you do your best, too!’

“I’ll see what I can do,” he replies, a small smile coming to his face. “Thank you.”

Chapter Text

Louis wakes up the next day in the arms of Basilio (as Fidelio made it very clear he wasn’t very interested in sharing his bed with Louis), and he supposes he might have to admit that this helps with the nightmares. Gallica flutters around him as he gets up for the day, shrugging on his coat with about as much energy as one could muster after watching a woman die.

When he makes it downstairs, he notes that Brigitta, Basilio, and Fidelio are all there but not Maria. She must still be recovering from the events… His stomach twists and he does his best to ignore it. At least for now.

“So, I’m sure we’re all on the same page,” he says to the group. “Once we’re ready, we’ll be going back into the mausoleum.”

“Damn right,” Fidelio nods. “Gonna give that necromancer exactly what he deserves.”

“So long as you’re careful,” Brigitta speaks up. “I can’t go losing you too, Fidelio. Not so soon.”

“Don’t worry,” Basilio chirps. “I’ll keep him safe and help get some payback against that bastard. He’ll have two new holes to breathe through by the time we’re done with him.”

Louis shares a look with Brigitta. “And I’ll make sure we pace ourselves. I was planning to prepare today, rather than head right in.”

“That’s fine,” Basilio nods. “If you need any help gatherin’ goodies just lemme know. Sure me an’ Del could help out.”

“Thank you,” he gives him a small smile and a nod. “First I’d like to speak to the two of you. Alone.”

He glances at Brigitta, who nods in understanding.

“Do whatever you need to, my support is behind you.”

Fidelio and Basilio follow him back up the stairs and into the room they’re all sharing. Louis tries not to listen too closely when he hears the muffled sobs from Maria’s room. Tries not to let it affect him too much -- not with what he has to tell Basilio and Fidelio now.

After seeing that Human dropped in front of everyone at the funeral, hearing the prince speak of the one at the fort not too long ago… They need to know, he’s decided. What the Prince has to do with them he knows not, but if he’s the little boy from the Sanctum all those years ago he no doubt knows the truth.

Basilio and Fidelio needed to know the truth if they were to face what was to come next.

Fidelio leans against the wall and Basilio takes a seat as Louis prepares himself. Gallica flutters nearby, no doubt planning on providing support, be it through helping explain or simply being there for him. He doesn’t say it, but he really does appreciate it. It makes the anxiety… easier to handle.

Funny that, huh?

“So,” Fidelio speaks first. “What’s it you want to talk about?”

“Fabienne died trying to stop Prince William from taking the throne,” Louis says. “I plan to finish what she began.”

“Here’s to that,” Basilio nods. “I’ll be right there with ya.”

“Me too, but that necromancer is first,” Fidelio says. “This something we need to know now?”

“I believe so,” Louis sits next to Basilio and grips his hands together. “So you can choose if you truly wish to follow after your mother once the necromancer is dealt with. You remember that Human he brought to the funeral?”

Basilio nods. “Mentioned the one that attacked the fort, too.”

“He no doubt grew up around elda like me,” Louis says. “And thus knows the truth of Humans, yet he does not reveal this to the people. If we are to work together… I believe the least I can do is tell you two that truth, rather than be like him.”

“Alright,” Fidelio shifts where he stands. “The truth about those monsters. Let’s here it.”

“They’re a common ancestor of all people in Euchronia, with elda such as myself being the least mutated form,” he watches as both brothers' eyebrows shoot up, but does not pause for long. “The Humans we see today are remnants of those ancestors and… those who have been overtaken by their own anxiety, their own magla.”

“You’re… jokin’ right?” Basilio asks, voice shaking a little. “People like you an’ me couldn’t just become those monsters.”

“People like you and me, yes,” Louis says. “These… Archetypes. I think there’s something about them that makes us less likely to fall to magla as an average person would. At the very least a large amount would have to be directed at us to cause any change.”

“You sure about that?” Fidelio asks, eyes narrowing.

“No one is truly immune to anxiety, but there are ways to treat it,” Louis replies. “Think of Archetypes as one such way. When one confronts their anxiety and tames it. Of course, it’s not the only way, but it is one of them.”

“What are the other ways?”

“That’s something I’m still working on,” he says. “Which is why I didn’t want Brigitta here for this conversation. I didn’t want to…”

“Risk our other ma,” Basilio mumbles. Louis just nods.

“How do we know you’re even working on that?” Fidelio asks. “Why would you?”

“Del, calm down--”

“No,” Louis holds up a hand to stop Basilio. “I should explain if I want you to trust me.”

“Louis…” Gallica flutters to his bag. “Should we show them the book?”

He nods and pulls the least fantastical book from his bag. “This is a book my mother gave me. Shortly before she burned to death.”

“She…” Basilio swallows hard and reaches out, placing a hand on his thigh.

“A Human?” Fidelio asks, voice softening.

He shakes his head. “Sanctist Monks. They marched on our village, burned it to the ground. Slaughtered everyone they could, my parents included. This is one of the books that survived, because my mother entrusted it to me.”

He flips it open and lets his fingers glide across the words. Gallica lands next to him and looks on with him. Silence fills the room and he wants to urge them to say something, anything. But he supposes it’s hard to find something to say in a moment like this.

“After everything that happened I wanted to understand, to see if there was a reason we elda were so hated. I pored myself over all the research my parents had done, trying to find an answer,” he fills the silence himself. “All I found was more that made us the same. Less reason to do what they had done. And maybe a hope for the future.”

“What kinda hope?” Basilio asks, squeezing his thigh in a show of support.

“For a future where people know the truth. What we are, where we came from… A future where they don’t have to worry their anxiety can rule them,” Louis swallows hard. “My parents were doctors. They treated many ailments… I think that can go for anxiety, too.”

“How far do you think it can go?” Fidelio asks, moving to kneel in front of him. “You can stop Humans from poppin’ up?”

He nods. “In time I might even be able to reverse the effects of Humanization.”

Fidelio whistles. “Well… That’s sure a lot to take in.”

“Take your time,” Louis says. “I’ve no plans to go after the necromancer today, so you have time to decide.”

Basilio squeezes again. “But you’re goin’ tomorrow, yeah?”

He nods. “And you’ve no need to come with me if all of this is too much.”

Fidelio and Basilio look at each other, a silent conversation passing as Louis sits and stares at the book, fingers still tracing the words. Gallica’s wings are the only sound in the room. A comforting sound, so Louis focuses on it.

“We’ll think about it,” Fidelio stands up. “...Thanks, for sharin’. Not sure what I’d’ve done if you waited to drop that on us.”

“I know what I’d do,” Basilio says. “Probably punch ya right in the face and then brush ya off after picking you back up.”

Louis tries to match the smile he’s given, though he’s sure it’s a bit more pathetic than Basilio’s bright one.

The brothers leave the room after a moment and Louis lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. That had gone… less badly than he had expected. Though he might be a bit of a pessimist to begin with.

“You okay?” Gallica asks as he closes the book and slides it back into his bag. “That was a lot to have to share…”

“They deserve to know if I plan to have them trust me,” Louis says. “I won’t be like that apparent Prince, hiding his very self behind those fake horns.”

“...We probably need to explain he’s royalty on his mom’s side sometime too, huh?” Gallica makes a face. “Basilio already knows the horns are fake and they both know he lived there before, so at least we have a start for that?”

Louis nods. “But another time. They’ve plenty to talk about as is.”

“Definitely,” Gallica sighs, sitting on his shoulder. “You know, I remember when he was a cute little kid. What happened?”

Louis gestures vaguely. “The world is not kind to people like him, Gallica. Not that it excuses what he’s become.”

She nods. “Especially doesn’t excuse what he did to Fabienne.”

“We’ll make things right for her,” Louis says. “I promise.”

“Yeah…” Gallica hums. “We will.”

“Maria?” Louis knocks on the door and flinches when the sobbing gets louder. “Please come out, we should talk.”

“Go away!” Is the wailed response. He flinches.

“Maria, I understand why you’re upset,” he calls through the door. “So please, let me in. Talk to me.”

The sobbing continues for a moment before stopping. He hears the pitter patter of feet on the floor and he prays she’s going to let him in, not barricade herself in there further. The sliding of a lock and the door opens.

Maria’s eyes are still red as she looks up at him, sniffling. He tries to think of what to say next, not expecting to get this far, when she grabs him and hugs him as tight as she can. She’s shaking again, crying.

He pulls himself free long enough to kneel and give her a proper hug. She clings to him, her hands getting tangled in his hair and pulling from time to time, but he doesn’t care. If this is what she needs in the moment, he’ll give it to her.

If any of his family had survived, he wonders if he could have borne to see them so soon after losing his parents or if he’d need someone like this. If Gruidae would have been the best choice no matter the way things had turned out.

He doesn’t like thinking about it, and so he focuses on the little hiccups as Maria begins to calm just a bit. No words pass between them and it only takes a moment for him to realize she’s fallen asleep hugging him. He lifts her gently into his arms and carries her back into her room.

Good, he thinks. She needs her sleep after all she’s been through.

After tucking her in and making sure the door closes quietly, he finds himself being watched. Brigitta standing nearby with a look that’s hard to parse in her eyes. He glances away and wonders if she’ll just walk by… But then she speaks.

“Come help me in the kitchen, Louis, will you?”

He just nods and follows after her.

“I’m not the best mother,” she says after a moment of leading him about and getting him started on kneading some dough. “Not the best proprietress, either. If you had told me I’d be doing this years ago I would have laughed.”

“Oh?” Louis glances at Gallica. “...Was the Inn Fabienne’s idea?”

“It was,” Brigitta’s voice is tight, but she continues on. “She’d always wanted to open one and when we fell in love, well… I didn’t have much in the way of dreams for myself, so I followed her. Followed her right into adopting some teenage boys off the street, too.”

“Basilio and Fidelio,” Gallica says more than asks, but Brigitta nods nonetheless.

“She said there was a little of each of us in those boys. Street rats like I had been, and dealt the same sorry hand she had as a paripus. I’m not that much older than them, but… How could I have said no?”

Louis nods. “It’s… kind of you to take them in.”

“I suppose it is,” Brigitta laughs, a short bitter thing. “And then she runs off to the army to help with some bloody conspiracy. Not to mention dropping Maria into my hands. She was close to her mother and father, you know. So when the former died and the latter couldn’t safely take care of her she just… had to.”

“She had a large heart,” Louis says. “One with room for many.”

“She did,” Brigitta said. “Plenty of room, too, given I never felt unloved. That or I started going crazy.”

“Maybe a bit of both?” Louis suggests.

Brigitta’s laugh this time is less bitter. “Maybe, but you know? I don’t think I mind.”

“When you’re in love it’s hard to mind…” Louis turns to look at her. “I’m sorry.”

“I am, too…” Brigitta’s laugh peeters off into tears and all Louis can do is watch.

Once properly snuggled into bed with Basilio not even waiting for the excuse of sleep to be curled up on him, Louis wonders if he’s really ready for tomorrow. He’s going to go after the necromancer one way or another… But he might be doing it alone. And if he was, how long would he last?

He thinks of the bonds, of Akademia. What would Lilith think?

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, he decides that’s for tomorrow. Even if they do not assist him in his goal of changing Euchronia… Well, having a warm bed to sleep in and companions to surround him was better than before.

Even if only by a margin, he would take it. Maybe that’s why Louis curls in a little closer to Basilio than he usually does. Why he doesn’t try and ignore the way Fidelio is staring at him with as much nervousness as expected.

“We decided, by the way,” Fidelio says after Louis has time to settle in. “We’ll talk about it in the morning, yeah?”

“That sounds fine to me,” Louis replies, head resting against Basilio’s shoulder. “Whatever you decided… I will not hold it against you.”

“Of course not,” Basilio squeezes Louis as if trying to force the stress out of his body. “Because you’re a good bloke.”

“I wouldn’t say that…”

“Oh, just take the compliment, would you?” Gallica kicks him in the head, not that he really feels it. “Oh, and try not to keep me up this time with your talking you two!”

“You two like to chat in the middle of the night, huh?” Fidelio quirks an eyebrow. “Try and save that for the wakin’ hours instead, or at least get your own room.”

He turns onto his back without another word and Louis just sighs. “I’m much too tired to talk tonight, anyway.”

“Yeah,” Basilio yawns. “Me too… Night, Louis.”

“Goodnight, Basilio.”

Chapter Text

Louis rises with the birds the next morning, untangling himself from Basilio as gently as possible. Gallica stirs, and he shushes her before she can speak. She nods in turn. They exit the room as quietly as they can, Louis carrying his shoes until they’re down the stairs and he’s sure there won’t be any creaks.

The Hushed Honeybee isn’t open yet, Brigitta is likely still getting some much needed sleep just as her children are. He hadn’t heard Maria crying on his way down -- good. She needed the rest more than anyone else.

He steps out into the fresh air of the morning and breathes it in. A last moment of peace before he begins what must be done. Gallica lands on his shoulder, a worried look on her face.

“Louis,” she says quietly. “We should wait for the brothers, see what their answer is.”

“I know,” he replies. “But…”

“You’re afraid, aren’t you?” She asks. “Of what they might say.”

Louis swallows down the lump in his throat and nods. “If they wish to come they’ll no doubt find me.”

He begins walking towards the exit of the little alleyway they’re nestled in, Gallica following after. He’s about to start up the steps when he hears hurried footsteps behind him and Basilio calling out.

He turns just in time to stumble as the taller brother slings an arm around his shoulders.

“Where d’you think you’re off to without us, huh?” Fidelio asks as he comes to a stop next to him. “Said we were gonna talk this morning, didn’t I?”

“You… did,” he says. “I was simply getting some fresh air before then.”

“Uh huh,” Basilio shakes him around a bit. “Sure you weren’t trying to ditch us?”

Louis decides not to answer that and just looks away when Gallica starts snickering. He can’t even blame her, at least not fully. He must look like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar right now…

“Don’t go ditchin’ us,” Basilio says. “We’re in this together, yeah? Takin’ down that necromancer and then the Prince so we can get your Human stuff in motion!”

“I-- huh?”

“You got cotton in your ears?” Fidelio asks, quirking an eyebrow. “He said we’re comin’ with you. We talked it out and decided that you seem like a good enough bloke, might as well throw our lot in with you.”

“But you barely know me,” Louis argues, not sure why.

“Sure,” Fidelio shrugs. “But when our choices right now are you, the guy who killed Ma, or the bloody Sanctifex I think the choice is pretty clear.”

“I’d take you over those two any day,” Basilio adds with a smile. “Besides, you decided to help me and Ma after hearing everything. Wouldn’t be right of me not to repay the favor, yeah?”

“You’ve already repaid it more than you can know…” Louis mumbles. “But if you two wish to come with me, then I will not spurn the help.”

“Good, because you weren’t gonna get a choice at this point,” Fidelio kicks his ankle and grins. “You’re stuck with us, we Magnus brothers are the loyal type.”

“Well, I for one am glad to have you aboard!” Gallica chirps as she flutters next to Fidelio. “Louis is too, he’s just bad at showing it.”

“Gallica…!” He swats at her to no avail. “Must you say things like that?”

“Hmm, yup!” She grins at him. “Your reactions are just too good not to.”

“They are sorta cute,” Basilio pinches his cheek as he begins walking them up the steps. “Maybe I’ll join in on the teasin’ since you tried to abandon us, eh?”

“I wasn’t trying to abandon you -- like I said it was just a walk,” Louis feels his cheeks heating up. “And please do not encourage Gallica, she’s bad enough as is.”

“Hey!”

Basilio and Fidelio both just laugh.

When they make it back to the mausoleum, Louis is surprised to find they aren’t the only ones there. A man he’s seen once or twice, the roussainte that dresses in gaudy leopard print, is standing there looking quite worn down. He grasps his sword tightly and seems to be cursing.

“Uh, you okay there?” Basilio asks after a moment.

The man swings around, pointing his sword towards the trio. “The hell are you doing here? This is no place for a walk!”

“We could say the same to you,” Fidelio shoots back, hands on his hips. “You’re lookin’ real banged up there.”

“That’s because of the undead wandering around, in case you somehow missed that,” the man sniffs. “And there’s still so many of them.”

“Yeah, probably even worse in the Cathedral if you’re thinkin’ of heading in there,” Basilio says. “Wouldn’t recommend it in your current shape, though.”

“You know it connects, then?” The man blinks before sputtering and putting on that bravado farce from a moment ago. “And who do you think you’re talking to?!”

“Some bloke on his way to an ass kickin’ at best,” Basilio replies. “You’re about to keel over, mate.”

“He’s right,” Louis says. “You should get your wounds treated before trying to push in further, at the very least.”

“I don’t have time for that,” the man clicks his tongue and looks towards the door forward. “Not while Hector is in danger.”

“Hector?” Louis asks, raising an eyebrow.

“My partner and best friend,” he says. “He got trapped in the cathedral in the commotion and I’ve been trying to get to him since. That’s why I’ll be going.”

“Or,” Louis says. “We can find Hector for you.”

The man pauses, brow furrowed. “And why would you do that?”

“You’re struggling quite a bit,” Louis shrugs. “Sounds like a bit of a fun challenge on our way through. Or maybe it’ll be easy.”

Gallica groans, hiding herself behind Fidelio’s shoulder. “Don’t antagonize the people you want to help…!”

Too late, the man is narrowing his eyes now. “You think I can’t save Hector on my own?”

“Maybe you can,” Louis shrugs. “But we can do it faster, seeing as we’re not running in half-dead.”

Basilio nods. “Betcha half the reeve you have on ya we’ll find Hector before you do.”

“Bas,” Fidelio sighs. “Great now Blondie’s got him doin’ it too…”

Gallica shakes her head. “What are we gonna do with these two…?”

“And I bet otherwise!” The man puffs out his chest. “I’ll go get healed up and head right in, no doubt find Hector before you! And when we meet again, well you’ll be the one who owes me! ”

“Sounds like an official bet, then,” Louis says. “How about you even the playing field a bit if you’re so certain and tell us what Hector looks like.”

“You won’t be able to miss him, Hector is the type to stand out, you know,” he points to his choker. “But if you must know, we do wear a matching set of these. You won’t be able to miss it.”

“Then we’ll find your companion in no time,” Louis says. “Do try to give up only valuables you aren’t too attached to when you lose, hm?”

“And I say that right back at you!” He spits at Louis’s feet before storming off.

When he’s gone, Louis adjusts his gloves and looks over everyone. “Well, shall we find this friend of his, then?”

“So you really were serious, huh?” Fidelio sighs, shaking his head. “Well, should give us reason to keep goin’ for a while if things get tough, eh?”

“Fidelio, please,” Gallica groans. “Don’t start getting caught up in it too. Louis and Basilio are bad enough.”

“I won’t,” Fidelio waves a hand in the air. “One of us has to be the mature one here.”

“Aw come on, Del,” Basilio sticks out his tongue. “Never hurts to have a bit of fun while savin’ lives, yeah?”

“Well…” He hums, thinking, and Gallica wails.

“Why is it up to the fairy to keep everyone focused?!”

“Calm down,” Louis rolls his eyes. “We’ll be saving a life in the process of winning this bet, won’t we? That should make you feel better.”

“I…” Gallica sighs. “I guess you’ve got a point. Alright, fine. We can find this Hector while we clear this place out and head towards that necromancer!”

Basilio snorts. “Thanks, Ma.”

“Yeah,” Fidelio pokes her. “You fairies can live a long time, yeah? You probably are way older than us…”

“I’m not that old!” Gallica shoots back. “And even if I was it’d give me the right to nag you guys in the right direction, wouldn’t it?”

“If you want to sound like Gruidae, sure,” Louis turns and pushes through the door. “Now let’s get going.”

“Ohhh, you guys suck…!”

Louis has nearly forgotten about Hector and the little bet when they overhear some of Prince William’s men talking about a key and the blackcoats. According to Fidelio that’s a sign of honor and strength to the people under William’s command. A bit ironic, given he’s always been told ‘blackguard’ was an insult of the highest degree…

Maybe that was on purpose. He’d almost have to applaud the prince for the choice if that was the case. Almost. He was still a conniving little liar he wanted nothing more than to slit the throat of in Fabienne’s place overall.

But that would have to wait until they found a way around the King’s magic (and the necromancer before that). So he focuses in on that bet for now, trying to think of the good. He and the brothers will be comfortable as far as reeve and goods go for a while by the time they’re done with this, at least.

They find the key without much issue and the door where the hostages are isn’t hard to find, either. A man greets them, his eyes red from crying and his throat scratchy from yelling. They lead the people out, one by one, until only the man and a dog is left. That… and a corpse.

Louis grimaces. “Tell me, is your name Hector?”

“No, sir,” the man shakes his head. “Are you looking for a man by that name?”

“I am,” he nods and looks towards the dead body, swallowing down a lump. “...Do you know his name?”

“I wish I could say I did, but I do not,” he shakes his head. “Though I fear…”

“Hector!” The roussainte has finally caught up judging by that yell. “Oh thank God you’re alive!”

He comes to a stop next to Louis and Louis furrows his brow, about to ask what he meant when he noticed the glint of the dog’s collar. The collar that looks just like the stupid necklace the man was wearing.

“It was your dog that was lost?” Louis all but hisses out. “You were panicked over a dog?!”

“The best animal companion a man could ask for, thank you,” he sniffs, crossing his arms. “Hector is key to my bounty hunting, I’ll have you know. He’s an expert at sniffing out just the beastie or criminal we’re looking for. Does his fair share of the damage, too.”

Louis looks at Hector, who stares up at him and wags his tail. At least the dog seemed grateful for the rescue.

“I’m sure he does more than you,” he leans down and pets Hector. “Don’t you, Hector?”

Hector barks and Louis smiles, taking that as affirmation.

“Hector, don’t covet with the enemy,” the man hisses. “Though… I suppose he did save you. Meaning…”

“You lost,” Louis says. “I’ll be taking half of what you have on you now.”

“Fine,” he shuffles through his pockets and shoves a hefty sack at him. “But you haven’t seen the last of Idaeus Glodell and Hector! Next time we meet I’ll be the winner.”

“I look forward to it,” he says. “Try and keep Hector safe so the next challenge isn’t hunting him down for you like a bad pet owner, hm?”

“You…!”

The prideful hunter, Glodell… Within him dwells the virtue of the Brawler. Nurture thy bond with him, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

Louis makes a face. A bond with this guy? Really? He’s starting to wonder how much he can actually trust this mysterious voice as Glodell and Hector make their exit. Basilio and Fidelio come to a stop next to him, both with quirked brows.

“Well, plenty of coin and another Archetype for us,” Louis says. “That almost makes this worth it.”

Almost.

The steps upwards are annoying and Louis decides that’s another reason for him to hate Sanctism and all it stands for. He’s not sure how long they’ve been walking, but he knows it’s entirely too long for how little they’ve seen. The necromancer must have decided there was no point in guarding the stairs -- who would want to climb them?

Three stubborn fools and a fairy who could just fly alongside them, that’s who. He supposes it’s a bit of a blessing they can save their energy outside of the climbing. Still, he wanted to have a strong word with whoever designed this bloody place.

“Damn, how far does this go up?” Basilio groans. “I ain’t the type to complain about stairs usually but this is overkill!”

“I know,” Louis grunts. “But we’re surely getting close to the top.”

“Hope so,” Fidelio says. “Wanna set my eyes on that necromancer again. Somethin’ about him’s real familiar…”

Basilio lets out a breathy laugh. “What, you gonna tell us you know that wacko, Del?”

“Not sure yet,” Fidelio replies. “That’s why I gotta see a little more to be sure. Not anyone I’m close to if I do know him, though.”

“Good, because if you were his buddy before this, uh,” Gallica shakes her head. “That friendship sure would be over.”

“A thousand times,” Fidelio nods. “Might actually be worse for the bloke if I do know him.”

“Dunno if I’m rooting for or against that right now,” Basilio hums. “Maybe for?”

“Definitely for with all the trouble he’s put us through,” Louis says.

“Yeah,” Basilio nods. “I think for is right.”

The necromancer is letting men die just to raise them from the dead. Letting that dead kill the prince’s own men. Louis watches in disgust, but can’t help but be almost… impressed by it, horribly enough. Troops could defect, but corpses couldn’t.

Basilio is recovering from getting sick at the sight, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. “Sick bastard behind all this, I’ll tell you that.”

“But efficient,” Louis says. “If I was already wretched enough to raise the dead, I could see the use in this.”

“Can’t talk back, at least,” Fidelio grimaces. “Don’t make it any better, though.”

“Makes it worse, doesn’t it?” Louis shakes his head. “That there’s a logic to it.”

“It’s a real fucked up logic,” Basilio grinds his teeth. “Makes me wanna knock some sense into him. Actual sense, not whatever this is.”

“We’ll do just that,” Louis promises. “For now do what you can to stop the dead. Maybe the survivors will make the right choice if we help them.”

“Good plan,” Gallica nods. “Worst that can happen is we have to fight them too, right?”

“Better people who can think for themselves than shamblin’ puppets, I say,” Fidelio starts forward, lance at the ready. “C’mon, let’s get this done and dusted.”

Louis and Basilio follow his lead.

The group makes it to an elevator, only to be cut off by a similar aura to that from before. A Melancholia Crystal, of course, being the culprit behind that. The make short work of that, thankfully, so all that’s left is to go up…

But Louis isn’t sure they’re ready for that. He’s been keeping an eye on the others and they’re starting to get tired. Breathing more heavily, eyelids drooping, reacting more slowly to enemy attacks…

He hates to say it, but he thinks it may be best for them to retreat for now. With Gallica’s guidance they could make it back here in no time tomorrow if they so chose, anyway… He glances at Gallica, who nods.

“Alright,” he says. “We continue this later. I think we should head back, it will no doubt be dark soon.”

Fidelio stretches, holding back a yawn. “Already that late?”

Louis nods.

“Well, don’t wanna be fighting a necromancer in the dark,” Basilio doesn’t hold back a yawn of his own. “Don’t think it’d make him any stronger, but sure would be creepy.”

“Real creepy,” Fidelio shivers. “Alright, I’m in. Let’s head out for the night. Get some grub and some sleep.”

Louis’s stomach grumbles as if on cue. “I could go for some food, yes. Perhaps I’ll pay with that fool’s money.”

“That Glodell bloke’s?” Basilio laughs. “Let’s make sure it’s real before we do that. Don’t wanna get kicked out of the pub, like.”

“Fair enough,” Louis snorts as he turns to Gallica. “You can lead us out of here, right?”

“Yep,” she nods. “Leave it to me! Oh, and make sure you get something tasty to eat, alright? I’ll be picking off your plate.”

“Why not pick off Basilio or Fidelio’s?”

“Because, well,” she shrugs. “Why not? We’re best buddies, right?”

“Hm,” Louis sniffs. “That’ll depend on how much of my food you steal tonight.”

“You are such a jerk!”

After a filling meal and going over what they’d done that day, Louis is ready for sleep. He curls into Basilio’s arms and barely notices when Gallica goes to rest next to Fidelio instead. Probably because he’d flicked her (very gently mind you) when she got too greedy at dinner. 

Ah well, she’d be over it by the morning, he was sure. And if not? Well, he could swallow his pride long enough to apologize for it. But for now? All he could think about was sleep.

His eyes drift shut as Basilio pulls him closer and he drifts into a happy sort of daze. No flames lick at his consciousness tonight and he sleeps well.

Chapter Text

The plan to head back to the cathedral is paused when Milo stops Louis on the way to the entrance. The ishkia holds up a hand and beckons for him and, well, Louis just can’t resist stopping for a moment to see what’s said. Even if the chances of him regretting this are high.

“For a man who apparently just wanted to visit, I sure have heard quite the rumors,” Milo says upon his approach. “My sources are telling me you might have been working with the paripus woman who tried to kill the Prince, hm?”

“Huh?” Gallica blinks, flitting around nervously. “How did you know that?”

“I’m a business owner, my dear,” he sticks out his chest with pride. “I know how to get information all over this city.”

“Bribery or extortion?” Louis asks.

He scoffs. “Neither. And before you assume again , I’m not planning on turning you in. So long as you’re willing to do a job for me, of course.”

“...What job?” Gallica asks, glancing at Louis.

“A dangerous one, of course. Someone helping plot the downfall of a monarch’s son no doubt has the skill and discretion I need here. So long as you can answer a few questions for me.”

Louis crosses his arms. “Ask away, then.”

“When we first met, you made it clear you have no interest in igniters,” Milo begins. “But do you truly see no use for them?”

“Mm,” he sniffs, thinking back to the fort. “For some, it may make some things easier, I suppose. I’ve not found myself in need, though.”

“Situationally easier, but not broadly useful,” Milo chuckles. “You’ve got more sense about things than most of my customers!”

“You likely turn away anyone with too nuanced an opinion, given what happened when I last tried to peruse your wares,” Louis says. “So much for welcoming all to buy your wares.”

Milo sputters for a moment. “Well with how you talked I didn’t expect you to actually check. ”

“It was still false advertising,” Louis says. “I suggest you be more careful with that.”

“I… that’s not the point!” He shakes his head. “How good are you at keeping secrets, then?”

He shrugs. “You had to find sources to find my link to Fabienne, did you not?”

“Oho, an indirect answer, then…” Milo flips a lock of his hair back. “But one that still gives me what I need. I like your style.”

Louis frowns. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

Milo just rolls his eyes at that, but Louis can tell the man is more offended than he lets on. “Final question, then. What does ‘beauty’ mean to you?”

“Beauty…” Louis furrows his brow. “It means… Something hard to grasp, but worth reaching for, I suppose?”

“Always worth reaching for beauty, though I wonder what you consider beautiful…” Milo hums. “Oh well, that’s plenty for me. I’ll be having you handle an extermination mission for me then, simple no?”

“Oh? A monster you need to have slayed, then?” Louis quirks a brow.

“The igniter trade route is currently… compromised, we’ll say,” Milo grimaces. “A local monster making it its feeding ground. While personally scouting the area, I came close to its nest. I want you to go to said nest and… deal with it.”

“Wait -- hold on just a moment,” Gallica flutters up next to Louis’s shoulder. “You’re asking us to handle something so important? Is that even okay?”

“I’m asking you because it’s important,” Milo rolls his eyes. “Let’s just say I have my own reason to keep this off the grid rather than just placing a bounty with the guard, hm? The more discretion the better, I’m sure your friend Fabienne would have agreed.”

“We’ll do it then, on one condition,” Louis closes his eyes for a moment. “Keep Fabienne’s name out of your mouth.”

When Louis tells Fidelio and Basilio the plans for the day, Fidelio asks if he heard that right. Louis confirms. Basilio then asks if he remembers what they talked about after the mines. He once again confirms, with a pang of guilt going through his chest. There’s silence for a long moment before they agree to get into the carriage.

Louis stares out one of the windows, unable to look directly at the brothers. When he catches sight of Basilio frowning at him in the reflection, he has to close his eyes.

“What? Tryin’ to sleep on the way there?” Fidelio asks. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised with how nonchalant you are about this all.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” Louis replies. Thoughts of what could happen if he had said no float in his mind and he pushes them down. “Be as mad as you’d like, but that’s the truth.”

“Don’t you feel even a little bad?” Basilio asks, the usual chipper tone replaced with something sharper. 

“It doesn’t matter how I feel,” Louis keeps his eyes closed despite how badly he wants to open them. “It doesn’t matter how any of us feel. We have a job to do, don’t forget that.”

“Louis…” Gallica’s tone allows him to imagine the way her brow is furrowed. “You--”

He cracks an eye open and shakes his head at her. He’d rather keep the brothers focused right now. He could tell them about Milo knowing about his links to their mother later when the worry might not cloud their minds.

Better mad than anxious, he tells himself.

They could channel their anger into their blows, but anxiety would make the Archetypes go haywire. He thinks back to the anxiety that ate at Basilio when Fabienne died and his heart squeezes. He wouldn’t let him get like that again, wouldn’t let Fidelio have to live through that, either.

He would protect them, even if it meant them hating him in turn.

“So no staves or maces, huh? Fidelio rubs the back of his head. “Well, we’re still countin’ on you to decide things like the Archetypes we use, Blondie. So make sure you choose well.”

“I’m sure he will,” Basilio says, though he doesn’t sound as sure as Louis would like. “Right?”

“I will do my best, yes,” Louis nods. “No Mage or Healer, but we have other options. Mmm…”

The brothers are staring at him again, his skin crawls. Gallica touches his cheek and he finds the touch to burn. Everything burns in the moment and he tries to ignore the flames that lick at him in his memories.

Now isn’t the time for that so he pushes it back to the best of his ability. He needs them to at least trust his judgment for the battles to come. The sooner they could get out of here the better.

The Guptauros falls easier than Louis was expecting and harvesting the horn as proof is simple enough. What isn’t is the way the Magnus brothers once again stare at him. He hates it, the distrust in their eyes. But just a little longer, he tells himself. Just until he can get this to Milo.

“Not only killin’ the thing for an igniter merchant, but gettin’ him a little trophy too?” Fidelio asks. “Wanna offer him our heads while you’re at it?”

“Del,” Basilio’s voice is shaking, hoarse. “Not here. We should head back to the city.”

Then they’ll tear into Louis, he supposes. Fine by him.

“We are pretty wiped,” Gallica says, trying to to ease the growing tension. “Ready to head back to the entrance, Louis? I can get us there really easily!”

He glances at the brothers. Basilio’s shoulders are slumped and Fidelio’s tail is lashing in annoyance. Louis is quite sure they found any and all treasure worth finding, so there really wasn’t any reason to stay. They looked… tired.

He was tired, too.

“Let’s go,” Louis says after a moment. “There’s no reason to stay here any longer.”

When they exit the carriage in Grand Trad, Fidelio is quick to stop Louis from walking off too quickly. His hands are on his hips and his tail is still thrashing. He glances towards Basilio, who stands with crossed arms. Supporting Fidelio, no doubt.

“So,” Fidelio begins. “You at least gonna pretend to feel bad and apologize for helpin’ with the igniter shite?”

“I have nothing to apologize for,” Louis replies with a frown. “I only do what I must.”

“Puttin’ money in the pocket of a church’s dog is what you must do?” Fidelio snorts. “Here I thought you had more morals than that.”

He hears his father shouting at him to run, sees his mother pushing a book into his hands before burning. His eye twitches and his hands flex into fists before relaxing at his side again. Louis forces himself not to scowl.

“You speak as if you have the full picture.”

“Full enough, Louis,” Basilio speaks up, shaking his head. “After everything you went through…”

“Thought you’d get it,” Fidelio takes over. “Thought you’d keep the big guys from getting bigger. Maybe we thought too highly of you, Blondie.”

Louis scoffs, bile and anger rising into his throat. “As if you can say anything about keeping the ‘big guys’ from getting bigger!”

Basilio narrows his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean.”

“Your mother was happy to kill Prince William and leave a power vaccum ripe for the taking by the man who ordered my people slaughtered!” Louis’s voice raises as he speaks. “Likely the man who was happy to put you through those experiments in the first place! And still you--”

Fidelio’s fist connects with his chin before he can finish. The world spins around him as he stumbles back and Gallica yells out, but Louis doesn’t register what she’s saying. His own fist flies into the side of Fidelio’s face in turn.

The anger bubbling in both of them has reached the surface. Fist meets face, knee meets stomach. Louis doesn’t even seen Fidelio in front of him anymore, just a faceless nothing to get it all out on. To make it stop hurting, if only for a minute.

It’s not until the sharp sting of claws dragging against his cheek that he remembers where he is. Who he’s hitting. Fidelio is breathing heavily, now barely held back by his brother (the brother with blood on his hand -- from where he struck Louis).

“That’s enough, you too!” Basilio sounds on the verge of tears as he looks at Louis. “Seperate, we’re goin’ to the Hushed Honeybee. Louis, you…”

He looks away as Gallica flutters to his shoulder and places a hand on the unscathed cheek. He swallows hard, trying to find the words for Basilio, but none come. None ever come when he most needs them.

“Keep yourself busy, go get a bite or somethin’, I don’t really care,” Basilio fills the silence instead. “I’ll deal with you later.”

Basilio drags Fidelio off and Gallica’s hands and the stinging of his cheek become the only thing keeping Louis in the moment.

“Hey,” she says, voice gentle. “You didn’t… mean that, right? The stuff with Fabienne?”

“I didn’t,” Louis replies. “But it’s not something I can take back.”

Gallica whimpers and silence wins for a moment before she speaks. “...Guess all we can do is wait for Basilio to find us. In the meantime he had the right idea, let’s get you something to eat.”

He’s not feeling particularly hungry in that moment, but he’s not feeling much of anything so he supposes that’s to be expected. Instead, he just nods and lets her lead the way.

As it turns out, being an elda alone means it’s much harder to find a place that will let you eat inside. Louis sits on the curb, mindlessly chewing at whatever Gallica had decided would be a good meal for him, and realizes just how much he relied on those brothers to get anywhere in this city.

He wonders what will happen now. The necromancer still waits, so maybe until that’s dealt with things will be passable. But what comes after that? Will they go their separate ways?

Louis is so tired of being the only one left walking on a path. Oh so very tired.

“Hey,” he looks up and sees Basilio looking down at him, hands in his pockets. “Mind if I sit next to ya?”

“Feel free, if you can stomach my company,” Louis replies.

“Truth be told I’m still real mad at ya,” Basilio flops down next to him. “But doesn’t do anyone any good to keep yellin’ and fightin’ about it.”

“Even after what I said about your mother?”

“Don’t think you really meant that,” Basilio looks him in the eye, a frown on his face. “If I had you’d probably be walkin’ with a limp right now instead of just havin’ a scratch on that pretty face of yours.”

“But it was still…”

“Nasty for you to bring her into it?” Basilio snorts. “Tell me about it! Del was seethin’ over it for a while, it’s why it took me so long to come find you.”

Louis thinks for a moment. “You should have stayed with him.”

“Maybe, but even if I’m mad at you I gotta admit that…” He flinches. “Some of what we said? Wasn’t right of us, either. Tellin’ someone who lost his folks to Sanctists he was making their dogs get bigger? Not right.”

“So we’re all in the wrong is what you’re saying,” Louis says more than asks.

“Yep,” Basilio nods. “So… Sorry. Doubly so for that scratch, you mighta deserved a good beatin’ but not somethin’ that’ll leave a mark for a few days.”

Louis flinches more than he’d like to admit when fingers trace one of the scratches. “It’s fine, I’ll bandage it later. And… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about Fabienne, even if in the heat of the moment I just…”

“You wanted us to hurt, ‘cause we hurt you, yeah?” Basilio grins. “Miss Brigitta and Ma had to get on me and Del for doin’ that a few times when we were younger, like.”

“Not as sweet as I imagined you to be as a boy, I see,” Louis allows Basilio to pull him to his feet. “...Off to see Fidelio, then?”

Basilio nods. “You two still gotta apologize to each other. Just me an’ you doing it ain’t enough.”

“I…” A frustrated sigh escapes his lips. “I suppose you aren’t wrong.”

“And maybe, if you’re up to it,” Basilio gently pokes his chest. “You can explain why you’d work with this guy? You probly hate Sanctists more than us, so there’s gotta be more going on.”

“I…”

“Louis, if you try and hide it any longer,” Gallica speaks up. “ I’ll tell them what’s going on myself!”

He sends her a look, but doesn’t have the energy to really glare at her right now. “...Fine, since you leave me no choice.”

“Atta boy, Lou!”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “Lou?”

“Just a little nickname for ya,” Basilio tilts his head to the side. “You don’t like it?”

“It’s…” Louis swallows down tears that threaten to spill for some stupid reason. “It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

The first thing done when Louis gets back to the Hushed Honeybee is Brigitta and Basilio cleaning and dressing the scratch on his cheek. He hates to admit that he flinched, or that Basilio held his hand and talked to him like a child through it, but ah well. Today was already bad, so he supposes it’s not a big deal if it gets worse.

And worse it gets (at least as far as he’s concerned). When he makes it to the brothers room he sees Fidelio sitting on his bed, arms crossed and tail still lashing around in anger. He would have turned back if Basilio didn’t give him a small push into his room.

“So Bas actually found ya,” Fidelio says. “Got somethin’ to say to me?”

“I’m sorry,” Louis says. “...Which I should have said before.”

“That’s an understatement,” Fidelio huffs. 

“Del,” Basilio clears his throat. “Remember what we talked about?”

Fidelio opens his mouth, then closes it. “Still not sure about that, Bas.”

“Del!”

“Fine!” Fidelio looks away. “Sorry, for what I said. Just can’t see any other reason for what you did.”

“Lou said he’d explain it,” Basilio says.

“And if he doesn’t, I will,” Gallica pokes Louis’s cheek. “Right?”

Louis grumbles. “Right…”

“Lou?” Fidelio raises an eyebrow as he looks back to Louis.

“Nickname, only Basilio can use it,” Louis clears his throat. “For now.”

“Uh huh,” Fidelio sits back, his tail finally calming a bit. “Anyway, get on with it. Better be good.”

Louis glances back at Gallica and Basilio, who both nod in encouragement. “...He said he knew I was working with Fabienne, to assassinate Prince William.”

“What?!” Basilio’s eyes go wide.

Fidelio bounces up off the bed. “Why didn’t you tell us, you idiot?!”

“I didn’t want you to be anxious as we did what we had to,” Louis says. “I’ve seen and felt what it can do to you and your Archetypes. It’s…”

“It’s not fun,” Basilio breathes out. “...But still, you should’ve told us.”

“Bas is right, idiot!” Fidelio kicks his leg, albeit much more gently than he was kicking earlier. “Tell us next time!”

“You gotta trust us, Lou,” Basilio puts an arm around his shoulders. “Just like we trust you.”

“I…” He swallows.

“Don’t worry, he will,” Gallica speaks up. “I’ll make sure of it. Just be gentle with him, he’s not used to having friends.”

“Gallica…!”

“Still…” Fidelio clears his throat. “You think he would do somethin’ with that info if you didn’t help him out?”

“I couldn’t be sure, but…” He plays with his gloves. “If he did, the prince’s supporters would no doubt come for me. It wouldn’t be hard to link you two to me from there. And then what? You two, Brigitta… Maria…”

“...You really gotta talk to us about this kinda stuff, man,” Basilio squeezes him closer. “Sounds like anxiety’s eatin’ at you, not us!”

Fidelio nods in agreement. “Work with us, Blondie. Doesn’t do any of us any good when you keep this shite to yourself.”

“Well…” Louis looks away. “Like Gallica said, I’m not used to having friends.”

“Gotta get used to it,” Basilio shakes him about gently. “No gettin’ rid of us now!”

The brothers laugh as things finally calm down and for the first time since they left the city earlier Louis feels truly calm.

And when he drifts off that night he’s squished between two paripus, rather than simply laying next to one.

Chapter Text

As it turns out, taking a day to do things other than work towards the necromancer gives said necromancer time to prepare a trap. Thankfully, the three blackcoats waiting for them went down fairly easily. Now all that was left was to go up the lift and, hopefully, into the final part of all of this.

Fidelio is deep in thought, no doubt trying to trace any connection to the man again. Ever since Gallica led them back to where they had left off he had been stewing on that, directing his anger at the source. Louis supposes it’s better than him potentially stewing in the anger he had caused.

Then again, his mistake was fixed with an apology and an explanation. He doubts it would be so simple for their necromancer foe.

The portrait hall they come to is in disarray. Most of the portraits (no doubt of past kings) are strewn across the floor, riddled with rips and holes. Hythlodaeus V’s is faring better, albeit still removed from where it no doubt once hung.

“Lookit that,” Basilio makes a face as he points to the painting replacing what once sat there. “This necromancer really likes the prince, huh?”

A portrait of Prince William sits in the middle of the wall, making him out to almost be angelic. He sits on the throne, crown on his head and sceptre in his left hand. His other is reaching out, as if offering that salvation he speaks of to the viewer. It makes Louis feel sick.

“Ugh, I was really hopin’ it wasn’t that bastard…” Fidelio rubs the back of his head. “But it’s gotta be. The hell are you doin’, Strohl…?”

“So you do know ‘im, ‘ey Del?” Basilio crosses his arms. “Strohl his name, then?”

“Leon Strohl da Haliaetus,” Fidelio says. “Joined the army about seven or so years ago, when his town burned.”

Louis furrows his brow. “Did it fall to a…”

“Human, yeah,” Fidelio nods. “Considered takin’ him under my wing when I heard that. Similar to the shite me an’ Bas went through and all. But he was pretty set in his ways by the time I got to him.”

“Set in his ways?” Gallica asks.

Fidelio nods. “He was the only one to make it out of Halia alive, and it didn’t take long to see how that messed with him. Rumors came out real quick that he was tryin’ to figure out how to raise the dead so he could see his family again. Was enough to turn most folks away from him, but apparently not Prince William.”

“Looks like he succeeded and William saw use for it, then,” Louis grumbles to himself for a moment. “Not a bad idea, if you see potential. Reach out a hand to someone lost…”

“Offer ‘em a bit of salvation and they’ll fall for it hook, line, and sinker, yeah?” Basilio shakes his head. “Poor bloke probably sees Prince William as a near god if he did that, like.”

“Doesn’t change what he did to Ma or what he’s doing to Grand Trad in general,” Fidelio grinds his teeth. “If he wants to worship a monster, he can die like one.”

“Fidelio’s right,” Louis says. “As tragic as it may be, Strohl has made his choice and we’ve made ours.”

Basilio nods. “No point waitin’ around, then. Let’s go.”

They find Strohl soon enough, but as it turns out, a nercomancer isn’t afraid to use bone as more than just something to raise. It’s not as if he gives much in the way of answers at the time, anyway. Even when Fidelio shouts at him, he barely shows any recognition.

Not a thing they said phased him. Nothing stopped him from his goal. Nothing stopped him from his worship of the prince.

They pull back to the portrait room, trying to think of a way through when Louis’s eyes land on the portrait of William again. He smiles, which Gallica makes sure to tell him is a little creepy given their current situation, but he pays it little mind. After all, Strohl had provided them with the perfect shield.

It’s like music to his ears when they return with the portrait in front of them and Strohl stares at them in rage.

“You degenerates!” He grinds out, eyes wide. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

“You dropped some trash in the portrait hall, yeah?” Basilio calls from behind the safety of the portrait. “Thought we’d return it to ya, make sure you get rid of it the right way. No good to go around litterin’, like.”

“Of course, we could take care of it for ya,” Fidelio says. “Not that important, either way.”

“Trash?! Not important?!” Strohl sounds as if a blood vessel is about to burst. “I’ll make you regret ever coming here!”

“You can certainly do that,” Louis speaks up. “So long as you don’t mind destroying your beloved prince’s face to get to us, hm?”

“Underhanded demons, the lot of you!”

Basilio sighs, shaking his head. “You’re callin’ us the demons, mate?!”

“Quiet!” He shakes his head, muttering to himself for a moment. “I’ve no more time to play with you lot, but if you believe you can treat Prince William and his likeness in this way… When my judgment comes down upon you, I promise I will make it hurt. ”

He rushes off and, sadly, Louis and the others know all they can do is wait. When he’s finally gone, Basilio wastes no time chucking the portrait to the side and stretching out. Louis has half a mind to slash through William’s face himself in the moment, but holds back. At least for now.

“He’s real far gone,” Basilio says after a moment. “Worse than I thought it’d be.”

“Tell me about it,” Fidelio grimaces. “It’ll almost be doin’ him a favor to cut ‘im down at this point.”

“Then let’s do just that,” Louis says after a moment. “No need to keep him waiting.”

They nod and soon enough, it’s back to the chase.

The Royal Sceptre is gone, no doubt taken by Strohl. Louis can’t help but think William isn’t much of a prince if he felt the need to steal what he claimed to be his by birthright. And not even by himself, instead sending a man driven mad by devotion?

Shows Louis he was wrong to ever put his faith in any sort of royalty, he supposes.

“So he’s gotta be on the roof,” Fidelio settles on after they look for any exit other than the one they came in. “But what for?”

“Think it has to do with that Day of Calamity he mentioned?” Basilio suggests. “He said he was waitin’ til the mourning was over, but with us on his tail…”

“He might be acting sooner than planned,” Louis grimaces. “We should go, then. Be prepared for the worst.”

They all nod and rush onwards, towards the top. Whatever Strohl was planning… they had to stop him, no matter the cost.

Louis thinks of the dead Human lying out in the open. He tries not to let it get to him.

They find Strohl in the middle of ranting about Prince William and his salvation to come, no sceptre in hand.

“Oi! The hell’d you do with the sceptre?” Basilio barks out the moment they come to a stop. Strohl turns to face them.

“The fool king protects it, even in death,” he says. “It is out of our reach, at least for now. Are we done here? I’ve important things to do, and even I have some sympathy for fools such as you.”

“Ha!” Fidelio barks out a laugh. “You’re the lapdog of a boy willin’ to kill his own father, and you think we’re the fools?”

“Silence!” Strohl hisses out. “You know nothing of what I am to him. I love him, with all my heart. His desires are my own, his wants are my own! I will see them through to the end, no matter the cost!”

“Pathetic,” Fidelio shakes his head. “You coulda been somethin’, Strohl. But this is what you ended up as?”

“You know,” Strohl turns his attention to Fidelio. “I thought I recognized you. You spoke to me once, when I was new to the army, to the guard. I had thought maybe you could help me -- help me see a future worth living in… But you left me, like everyone else. The rumors too much for you, were they?”

“Playin’ with the dead ain’t right,” Fidelio replies. “No one in their right mind would support that! That prince of yours is playin’ you like a fiddle!”

“You know nothing of my relationship with Prince William!” He sneers at Fidelio. “But maybe as I rip your heart from your chest, you’ll feel even an iota of the peace he brings me.”

“You’re insane,” Basilio shakes his head. “For a guy who lost his family like you did, you sure don’t care about tearing others apart!”

“Silence!” Strohl summons more undead to him as he yells. “You and whatever pathetic excuse of a family you have can join each other in the afterlife, along with that idiot assassin!”

That’s enough for the brothers, it seems. They rush into battle, and Louis isn’t far behind. Gallica takes a chance, using her size and speed to distract some of the corpses and allow them an opening. 

The power of the Mage surges in Louis, flames crackling at his fingertips as the corpses burn and fall one by one. Basilio bashes another’s face in with the gauntlets on his hands as Fidelio aims right for Strohl.

It takes all of a split moment for his lance to pierce the necromancer’s stomach. Strohl opens his mouth and chokes on the blood that surges forward as Fidelio pulls back. The corpses around them fall to the ground, no longer animated by their puppetmaster.

“Impossible… I…” Strohl falls to one knee and Louis approaches, staff at his neck.”Prince William, I…!”

“Prince William ain’t here to save you now,” Fidelio shakes his head. “But you’re still callin’ out to him, like he’ll even notice you dyin’. What’s it like? Living like that?”

“I’m only one of many,” Strohl grins at him, bloody teeth shining in the light. “Even with me gone, Prince William and his supporters will stand strong.”

“Then we’ll have to cut through them one by one,” Louis says. “Or offer them a hand, if they’re less foolish than you.”

“Even an elda like you stands against him?” Strohl chuckles, shaking his head. “The outcasted black sheep of this world, someone Prince William would welcome into his flock without a second thought… And you reject him? You would rather those who see you as lesser gain the upper hand?!”

“I’ll deal with them in turn,” Louis says, tilting his head to the side. “After we’re done with a false saviour who pretends he is any better than them.”

Strohl stands, staggering backwards towards the edge of the roof. “Tell me, elda. What do you know of Magla?”

“It is born of pain and negative emotions,” Louis says without missing a beat. “Something you no doubt have quite enough of.”

“I wanted to build more…!” A surge of energy shakes the ground, and Louis barely stays standing. “But if this is to be how it ends, then so be it! For a future where we are led by Prince William, I will give my everything! A bit premature, but the Day of Calamity is upon us!”

Fidelio rushes forward, a hand outstretched, but Strohl is stepping off the edge before he can. Falling to where the Human corpse waits. Only it’s not a corpse anymore.

“This is really bad,” Basilio swallows hard. “Feels just like…”

“A Human,” Louis grips his staff. “Prepare yourselves. This will be the fight of a lifetime.”

They rush towards the fight as people scream, and Louis can only hope it’s not too late.

The Human is felled, for what that’s worth. Louis feels like his body is on fire as they drag themselves back to the Hushed Honeybee. Brigitta is waiting for them with a hot meal, at the very least. It was a small victory, but one Louis would take in the moment as he collapsed into a seat.

“Welcome back,” Brigitta says with a smile on her face, however small. “The dastards that had set up camp in the Cathedral have been dealt with, then?”

“One of them, though, from the sounds of it, there are more,” Louis shakes his head. “You’ve already heard, though?’

“Word travels fast in Grand Trad,” Brigitta says as the Magnus brothers sit next to him. “Did a soldier really salute you?”

“Sure did,” Fidelio nods. “Least they can do is show some respect.”

Brigitta nods. “I just hope that… Now she can rest in peace.”

“I’m sure she’s smilin’ down at us right now,” Basilio says with a soft smile. “...How’s the pup holdin’ up?”

“She’ll come out of her room to eat if I really force it, but that’s all I can manage,” Brigitta closes her eyes and grimaces. “If Fabienne was here…”

“Don’t talk like that Miss Brigitta,” Basilio frowns now. “You’re doin’ your best, that’s all Ma would want.”

“I suppose you’re right, Basilio,” she turns away for a moment to wipe tears from her eyes. “...But eat, the talks of the town deserve a good meal after all that.”

“Sure do, even if we’re not the only talks,” Fidelio takes a bite before speaking up again, and Louis sees no reason not to follow suit. “Everyone’s wonderin’ who our next king’s gonna be, all sorts of folks poppin’ up and trying for the crown.”

“Speaking of which…” Brigitta leans towards them, her voice lowering. “The people are talking, Sanctifex Forden is planning some grand announcement. No doubt connected to the King’s face in the sky -- enough to bring Prince William out of hiding.”

“Really?!” Gallica clasps her hands together. “That’d be great if it’s true…”

“You can expect the announcement on the 22nd,” Brigitta says. “If the date is already set, there’s no doubt truth to the whispers I’ve been hearing.”

“Guess it’s time to wait, then,” Basilio takes another big bite before talking. “Not like we can do much until then, anyway. No leads on Prince William, yeah?”

“True enough,” Louis hums. “I suppose all we can do is keep ourselves occupied in the meantime, then.”

“Guess so,” Fidelio nods. “Just let us know if you need anything, yeah? Sure we’ll be plenty ready to spring back into action by tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Basilio grins, poking Louis in the side. “Think Lou might need at least one more day than us, though.”

“Wh-- I’ll be fine,” Louis huffs. “If you two are ready to bounce back after one night’s rest, I’ll be ready in turn.”

“Sure,” Basilio grins at him. “I’ll make sure you can sleep in tomorrow, yeah?”

Louis doesn’t even have it in him to argue, so he turns back to his meal and huffs.

The family around him just laughs.

Chapter Text

The morning after things are settled with Strohl feels unreal. He stares at the ceiling and lets Basilio cuddle up to him a little longer than usual. Today he has time to sleep in, after all. No pressing matters breathing down their necks for now. 

He does wish they had a lead on William, or a plan to keep Forden from taking the throne after they killed the prince… but he supposes all good things come in due time. His own journey hadn't started until he was well into adulthood, after all. 

The rustling of sheets and the squeak of a bed make him turn his head. Fidelio gives him a look as he sits up and stretches.

“Meet me after you’re done here and get some breakfast,” he says, pausing for Basilio’s snore and tightening of arms. “...No rush.”

Louis nods as the smaller paripus glides out of the room without another sound. Gallica mumbles something from where she lies curled up by one of Basilio’s hands, but doesn’t stir otherwise. Basilio himself just rubs his face against Louis’s in his sleep when the elda turns his head back towards staring at the ceiling.

No rest for the wicked, eh? He lies there in the warmth and comfort of a morning with nothing to do for another five minutes or so before detangling himself from the mess of limbs and blankets and making his way downstairs.

Brigitta supplies him with breakfast without much fanfare, only supplying him with the information that Fidelio would be waiting out in the alley. He supposes it’s a good sign, at the very least, that he was willing to let his mother know.

Not that Fidelio was the type to take him to some back alley and stab him, anyway. At least not after their last fight. He likes to think they’d both come to trust and respect each other too much for something like that to happen.

Doesn’t mean there aren’t some leftover nerves from it all dancing around in his stomach, though.

Fidelio is, as promised, waiting in the alley. He sees him and waves him over, and Louis adjusts his bag before walking over to him.

“You wanted to speak with me?”

“Sure did,” Fidelio nods. “I was thinkin’, even Strohl gave us some real trouble and he’s just a mook for the prince, yeah?”

“Hm, good point,” Louis frowns. “Should we try taking on bounties in the meantime to sharpen our skills more?”

“Maybe some other day,” Fidelio sniffs. “Want Bas to get some rest first, don’t need both my baby siblings all sorts of exhausted.”

“Fair enough, he has been pushed for longer now,” Louis glances back towards the Hushed Honeybee and frowns, trying not to think too hard about Maria. “Then what do you suggest for sharpening our skills?”

“Got us some practice swords,” he pulls them from his back and tosses one to Louis. “Won’t hurt much to get hit with one of these, at least no bleedin’ or the like. Let’s go find a place and hit each other for a bit.”

Louis adjusts the sword in his grip and hums. “Alright then, lead the way.”

Fidelio guides him to another quieter part of Sunshade Row, passing mostly regulars to the area as well as a poor mustari girl who was clearly lost, her blonde hair swaying too and fro as she tried to gain her bearings. Had the rumors of the church planning something made it all the way to the Virga Isles, then? Or maybe she was just from a small town, he supposes he has no way to know.

It doesn’t matter much, anyway, as soon enough the two of them are alone. Trading blow after blow, a few that Louis is pretty sure will leave him aching and bruised the next morning, but definitely no blood, just as Fidelio promised. Louis is just starting to get into it when Fidelio pauses at the sound of an argument.

“What’s with you guards these days?!” A gruff voice shouts. “Since when was loitering a real crime?”

Fidelio starts towards the voice, and Louis follows.

“Has been for a while,” a rhoag guard sneers at the paripus that was no doubt the other voice. “I suggest you leave before I make you.”

“First I heard about someone standin’ about being that big of a deal,” Fidelio steps forward, hand on his hip. “Things that different here in Grand Trad?”

The paripus, who Basilio is realizing is somehow bigger than even Basilio, looks him over with his mouth agape. “No way… Del, is that you?!”

The guard scoffs. “Of course you paripus would look out for each other, and with an elda tailing you to boot.”

“Paripus or not, I sure have been in the guard for a while,” Fidelio says. “And I still don’t remember there being anything about yellin’ at some chump about loitering.”

“Hm,” Louis sniffs. “I suppose the guards here must have it quite easy if that’s all they deal with, then. Not like they did much at the cathedral…”

“You think you have the right to talk about that, elda?” The guard snaps.

“Given me an’ him helped clear it out while you were botherin’ nobodies about where they stand around I’d say he does, yeah,” Fidelio narrows his eyes. “We can do this all day, buddy.”

The guard grumbles something about not being so lenient next time and stomps off. Louis relaxes his shoulders a bit and looks to the large paripus, who’s still staring at Fidelio as if he has two heads.

“Del!” He says, arms outstretched. “It really is you!”

“Vinca,” Fidelio turns and has that same big brother air to him he has around Basilio suddenly. “You sure got big.”

“And you sure didn’t,” Vinca shoots back with a grin. “Thanks for helpin’ me out there. Always seem to get in trouble these days.”

“So you got bigger but didn’t change,” Fidelio teases, shaking his head. “How do you manage without me around, huh?”

“Oh, I find a way,” he shrugs. “How’s Bas doing these days?”

“Fine enough, big lug’s sleepin’ in today,” Fidelio gestures towards Louis. “Probably needs it after Louis here worked ‘im to the bone.”

Vinca looks at him, and Louis stands straighter again, more to try and impress his friend’s friend than anything this time. He can already hear Gallica teasing him for it later, but she’s not here right now, so he ignores it.

Vinca hums after a minute. “You not givin’ Bas too much trouble, are ya?”

“Nothing he can’t give me back,” Louis replies, earning himself a laugh. A good sign. “He keeps me on my toes.”

“Sure does, Lou ,” Fidelio grins when Louis bristles. “Oops, that’s his thing, ain’t it?”

Vinca laughs even louder at that. “Man, we’ll have to catch up some time, Del. You two can give me all the details.”

“Sounds good, but in the meantime, try and stay out of trouble, alright?” Fidelio’s expression becomes more grim. “Can’t catch up if you go getting yourself thrown in a dungeon.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Vinca rubs the back of his head. “Look, I gotta go for now. See ya around, yeah?”

“Yeah…” Fidelio waves him off and then sighs. “Shite.”

“An old friend of yours?” Louis asks.

He nods. “Basically another brother to me and Bas, from the experiments.”

Louis flinches. “...At least he seems to be doing physically well?”

“Sure looks like he’s eatin’ enough at least,” Fidelio snorts, shaking his head. “...I’ll talk to Bas about meetin’ up with him later. Enough of that. We should get some lunch.”

Louis considers asking more, pressing for details, but… He thinks Fidelio will tell him in his own time. So instead he adjusts his bag and nods.

“Your treat?”

“Ha!” Fidelio shakes his head. “Don’t test your luck, Blondie!”

They set off for the Hushed Honeybee, and Louis leaves it at that for now.

That night, Louis finds himself taking the horn of the guptauros to Milo, hoping to avoid any sort of blackmail becoming a real threat. Maybe it’s thanks to meeting Vinca earlier and hearing there were more paripus that were experimented on walking around… But he’s willing to leave Milo bloody and dead if it comes to it. His hand twitches towards his sword when the ishkia invites him inside.

No witnesses if they’re in his office. There are windows he can climb out of if things get messy. Milo doesn’t even lock the door, so it wouldn’t be hard to lie that someone else snuck in and he had to escape.

Whatever comes next, he’ll be prepared for it. But first, he supposes he’ll give the merchant a chance to earn a stay of execution.

“You did well,” Milo sounds almost impressed as he turns to look at Louis. “I think this could be the start of a long partnership.”

“You mean blackmailing me into doing more dirty work for you,” Louis replies. 

“I was hoping we could leave that messy start behind us,” Milo says. “After all, it’s quite ugly business… And I’m not a fan of such things.”

“Even though ugliness is how your igniters can be so advanced?” Louis narrows his eyes. “Experiments with paripus orphans to make them work, with no care for how they backfire. That’s not ugly to you?”

Milo’s eyes widen for a moment, his mouth opening and closing. Louis stares him down until the ishkia is finally the first to look away. His grip on his rose-shaped igniter tightens, and his knuckles turn white.

“I found out about the experiments only when I took over this shop,” Milo says after a moment. “And they disgusted me. Such ugliness, such cruelty… staining something I had thought to be a beautiful art form.”

“And yet you still work with them,” Louis’s hand twitches towards his sword again. “Have you no shame?”

“I don’t work with them,” Milo sniffs as he looks at Louis again. “Ask any church member, and they’ll tell you what a thorn in their side I am. I wouldn’t just allow something so hideous to continue under my watch!”

He pauses. “Then what did you do?”

He flips his hair. “It wasn’t too hard to get just the right eyes on it -- they had no choice but to stop with the project. A little money in the hands of each of the remaining subjects and viola! No more experiments.”

“So you…” Louis feels tension leaving his body, replaced with confusion. He had to make sure… “Have you heard of the name Vinca?”

“Vinca…?” Milo narrows his eyes and hums, thinking. “...Oh, that was a big boy, right? I wonder if he grew anymore from when we met…?”

“He’s quite large,” Louis said. “And struggling. How much money did you really give these paripus.”

Milo rolls his eyes. “Plenty. Vinca , however, didn’t trust me and wouldn’t take any. If he’s struggling, that’s all on him.”

A hand twitches towards Louis’s sword again. “Speak of him like that again and I’ll cut you down where you stand.”

Milo frowns, looking him in the eye. “Go ahead, get yourself thrown in a dungeon.”

“The Sanctists don’t like you, you’ve made that clear,” Louis shoots back. “And we saved Grand Trad just yesterday, no doubt you heard of it. Surely the guards could look away for one small transgression.”

Milo closes his eyes and grunts. “...Fine, I take it back. If he decides he wants the money now, I can see what I can do.”

Louis nods. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“But,” he holds up one finger. “I still want you to work with me in exchange. It’s rare to find someone so capable that doesn’t have links to the church, after all.”

Louis frowns, thinks for a moment. “...You did stop those experiments.”

“I did,” he nods.

“Fine,” Louis says after a moment. “Fidelio and Basilio may kill me for this, but… It’s good to have connections.”

“I’m sure they’ll understand if you just explain,” Milo chuckles. “After all, it’s easy to fall in line behind a man like me.”

He holds out a hand, and Louis pauses for only a moment before taking it. 

The trader and iconoclast, Milo… Within him dwells the virtue of the Merchant. Nurture thy bond with him, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

The voice again. Louis really hopes Basilio and Fidelio will be willing to hear him out on all of this if Milo is supposed to be a bond of his. As long as he’s open about he learned, surely things would be alright…?

He hopes so, at least.

“Well,” Milo pulls his hand away and wipes it on his coat without any attempt to hide his distaste for the handshake he had offered. “Come by when you can, hm? I’ll have quite the job for you next time we meet.”

Louis nods. “I’ll see when I have time.”

“Good, good,” Milo waves towards the door. “You can do now, then.”

Louis frowns, but decides against saying anything else before making his exit. This was going to be tiring.

“Well,” Basilio says after Louis finishes explaining where he was that night and what he had been up to. “If he helped out Vinca and the others, I guess he can’t be all bad.”

“Just annoying as hell,” Fidelio says. “But not my arse who has to interact with him, so whatever.”

Louis lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “I’m glad that’s settled, then. Do speak to Vinca about that money when you see him again, hm?”

Fidelio thinks for a moment. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Still can’t believe you two went and found Vinca without me,” Basilio groans. “That’s what I get for sleepin’ in!”

“You snooze, you lose,” Gallica teases.

“That’s why I’m stakin’ my claim now!” He throws an arm around Louis’s shoulders. “You’re all mine tomorrow, Lou. Got that?”

Louis blinks a few times. “Well, that might mean waking you up earlier tomorrow, do you mind that?”

Basilio shakes his head. “Not at all. Got plenty of sleep today, yeah? Wake me up when you get up and we’ll do somethin’ together, alright?”

“Alright,” he nods.

“Hey, Fidelio,” Gallica speaks up again. “Do you think we could get Miss Brigitta to get these two their own room so we don’t have to deal with their flirting?”

“Hm…” Fidelio strokes his chin. “Might be possible.”

Louis feels his face heating up, and he scowls at them. “It’s not flirting, you two. Don’t make things up to entertain yourself.”

Gallica sticks her tongue out at him. “Don’t blame me for pointing it out!”

“You…!”

The Magnus brothers both just laugh, though Louis swears Basilio’s cheeks are a bit redder than usual…

He decides not to think about it too hard.

That night, curling up to Basilio, Louis has his first nightmare in a long time.

The monk who killed his father haunts his dreams. He stares down at him like always, before Louis runs as fast as his little legs can carry him. Runs through the flames. Runs and runs, but never truly escapes.

What had he heard the monk be called again? When another had pulled him away and scarcely saved his life. Allowed him to find his mother and feel parts of his body burn with her?

It was…

Chapter Text

Louis wakes up to birds chirping and turns to curl up to Basilio’s side a bit more. He wants to sleep for just a few moments more before getting up. The nightmare last night had shaken him to the bone, the name of that monster still on his lips.

Gideaux.

Is he shaking? How annoying. He needs to calm down before someone wakes up and sees him like this. Breathing in deeply, he closes his eyes tightly. Tries to see anything else in his mind’s eye for just a moment. Just--

“Mm, Lou?” His eyes snap open at Basilio’s voice. “Didn’t know you’d be up this early.”

“Basilio,” Louis can force his voice to be steady long enough to reply. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you sleep a bit longer before we go out.”

“Nah,” Basilio sits up, bringing Louis with him. “If you're already up, we might as well get to it, yeah? Lots I wanna talk about.”

“I suppose so,” he smiles even though he’s not really feeling it. “Breakfast first, then?”

Basilio nods, but frowns at the elda. “You okay? We can save this for another time if you’re not--”

“I’m fine,” Louis replies, perhaps a bit too quickly to be believable. “Breakfast, then we talk about what you want to talk about. Come on, then.”

He stands and rushes out the door before Basilio has time to push any further. Breakfast passes with little conversation and many a glance from both Basilio and Brigitta in his direction. He pretends not to notice.

The first real dent in his facade is when they’re already quite a ways from the Hushed Honeybee. He’d forgotten his hairtie, and the blonde mess he called his hair was always so troublesome. Truthfully, he’d be happy to return and get it…

If it wasn’t for the fact that Basilio held his hand, warm and strong (and tugging him along). Doesn’t stop him from letting out some sort of pathetic sound between a grunt and a whine.

“You alright, Lou?” Basilio asks, looking back at him. “Don’t go dodgin’ the question this time!”

“Well,” Louis sighs. “It’s just my hair. I prefer to have it up.”

Basilio hums, stopping for a moment before nodding and tugging Louis to a bench, sitting him down. He plops down next to him, and his hands are in Louis’s hair before he can even fully register what’s going on.

“A braid’ll keep it out of your way, yeah?” Basilio says as he deftly works the messy curls into something shapely. “I’m pretty good with hair, ya learn to be when you’ve got a little sister.”

“I…” Louis feels his shoulders relaxing for the first time that day. “Thank you, Basilio.”

Basilio chuckles. “No problem. Least I can do when you’re gonna listen to my woes today, eh?”

“I suppose,” Louis hums. “Would you like to talk about that now, then?”

“Sure,” Basilio continues to braid the hair in front of him. “...I was thinkin’ about all the guys from the orphanage, the ones that survived and all that.”

“Mmm…” Louis closes his eyes for a moment. “Everything recently making you reflect?”

“You could say that,” Basilio pulls away. “There!”

Louis tilts his head from side to side, feeling the weight against his back. He didn’t prefer it to his ponytail, but he definitely didn’t mind it. Better than letting it flow free, at the very least. He would take it.

“Thank you,” he turns to look at Basilio, frowning at the way his brow is furrowed. “What’s bothering you?”

“I really fell off the wagon, let myself get too comfortable,” Basilio says after a long moment of silence. “We used to all help each other out, A Sanctoress gave her bloody life to save some of us! But who have I looked out for recently, other than my own?”

“Me?” Louis offers.

Basilio looks at him, eyebrow quirked. “You think I don’t already consider you one of my own?”

Louis’s stomach does a flip. “What?”

“D’you not like that? I can not say it if you don’t!” Basilio’s tail thumps nervously. “But, I dunno. You’ve done so much for me, too. Hard not to see you as someone special--”

“It’s fine,” Louis is quick to say, but nervous to let it go on too long. “...But you feel you aren’t doing enough for the community, then?”

“The community, the people that were like my family for so long…” Basilio’s ears press against his head. “...Not all of us were lucky enough to get adopted, y’know. It feels… I just wonder how they’re doin’, if there’s anything I can do to help them out.”

Louis thinks for a moment. “...Why not look for them, then?”

“I thought about that, but it’d be hard to do on my own, so…” Basilio rubs the back of his head. “I, uh, wanted to see if you’d help me with that?”

He nods. “It’s the least I can do if I uh… I am one of your own, as you put it.”

Basilio snorts, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Someone’s embarrassed!”

“Don’t push your luck too much,” Louis says, though his voice is lighter than his words would imply. “I could always take my offer back.”

“You could,” Basilio pulls him a bit closer. “But would you?”

They’re nearly nose to nose now, and Louis can feel Basilio’s breath on his skin. It’s warm, nice… Smells of something earthy and sweet all at once. His own breath hitches in his throat, and time seems to stand still.

Basilio pulled his arm away at some point and is now just staring at him. At his lips. Louis finds himself looking at Basilio’s in turn. A bit chapped, but still soft-looking. A piece of him urges the rest to lean in.

“Basilio! Is that you?” A voice ringing through the streets breaks the spell, and he pulls back first.

If Basilio feels as awkward as Louis does, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he’s hopping up and meeting the brown-haired nidia approaching them with wide eyes. Louis considers joining him, but decides to wait a moment.

“Bellamy?!” Basilio barks out. “Lookit you! You look great!”

“I could say the same to you,” the nidia, Bellamy, replies as he grasps Basilio by the arms. “What have you and Fidelio been up to since we parted ways?”

“Oh, you know, this and that,” Basilio grins. “Got a family to call our own now. A ma and a little sister… Well, two mas but… It’s a long story.”

“You’ll have to tell me sometime,” Bellamy replies, pausing when Basilio flinches. “Only if you want to! Uh…”

Bellamy and Louis’s eyes meet for a moment, and Louis jumps. He stands and makes his way over to Basilio and offers a hand.

“Louis Charadrius,” he says. “A pleasure.”

“Bellamy Radiata,” he gives a sheepish smile. “Sorry for interrupting your date.”

“Oh, it wasn’t--”

“It’s alright!” Basilio chirps, breezing right past what Louis was trying to say. “We were just talkin’ about the orphanage, actually. Wantin’ to get back in touch with you lot…”

“Talk about perfect timing!” Bellamy laughs. “We should all meet up sometime, if we can, then. I’m sure Mimi’ll be ecstatic to see you two again.”

“And I’ll be excited to see her!” Basilio laughs. “No doubt tower over her now, eh?”

“Not everyone can be giants, Bas!”

“Mimi is… another friend from the orphanage?” Louis asks.

Basilio nods, expression becoming more grim than before. “One of the five kiddos to survive, along with me, Del, and Bellamy here. Only one missin’ is Patrice, right?”

Bellamy flinches. “Patrice’s been… distant recently. She’s never been the same after losing Lady Michelle, but…”

Basilio frowns, glancing at Louis. Louis nods.

“She still around, though? Maybe I’ll pay her a visit anyway, see what I can do,” he chirps. “You know how good I am at cheerin’ people up.”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Bellamy nods. “That would be good for her… I’ll get you her address and then get out of your hair, let you get back to your date.”

“It’s not a--”

“Thanks!”

After Bellamy departs, Louis finds himself spending the rest of the daylight hours with Basilio. They even sit on the bench outside the igniter emporium to watch the sun set together and, well… Given Bellamy called their outing a date twice, he supposes he was bound to find it a bit romantic without meaning to.

He’s staring more at Basilio than the skyline by the time things are dark and the magla-fueled lights are turning on. He wouldn’t mind staying here like this for a little longer, his hand slowly moving towards Basilio’s…

But yelling outside the emporium tells him Milo isn’t done giving him headaches, and so he sighs.

“Wait here,” he tells Basilio. “I’ll be right back.”

Basilio waves him off, and he marches over to the entrance. A few members of the guard and Milo stand, having some sort of argument about fees to be paid to the church. A Sanctist stands nearby, looking like a smug snake about all of it. Louis braces himself and steps in.

“Milo,” he says. “You called for me, yes?”

Milo looks at him with a raised brow, before putting that smug smile of his back on his face. “Took you a bit longer than I would have liked, Louis, but yes, I did.”

“Can’t you see we’re in the middle of something, elda?” One of the guards speaks up.

“I can see that, but last I heard, donations are meant to be just that, not compulsory,” Louis stares past the guards and at the Sanctist in the back. “Has something changed in the last few hours?”

“He has a point, does he not?” Milo chuckles. “You call it a donation, but it’s more like a fee the way you talk about it…”

“Your business would be nothing without the church,” the other guard says, though he refuses to look either of them in the eye. “T… the least you can do is give a donation in thanks.”

“The church, last I checked, is nothing but a thorn in my side,” Milo sniffs. “Ask that friend of yours who brought you, he can tell you exactly how well things usually go. When he doesn’t have his hired muscle with him.”

The Sanctist scoffs. “Enough! He clearly won’t give a donation out of the kindness of his heart, if it has any. Let us see if Lord Maurizio and the little Lady Maurizio will be more charitable.”

Milo frowns, his foot tapping against the ground. “Fine. I’ll pay out. Leave my father and sister out of this.”

Louis frowns. “Milo--”

Milo holds up a hand to silence Louis. He doesn’t speak again until the Sanctist and guards leave with the money they were after.

“You fold quickly when it comes to matters of family, I see,” Louis sniffs. “Even you have a redeeming quality or two.”

Milo shoots him a glare. “If all you wanted to do was insult me, you can go.”

“I came to help you, you fool,” Louis shoots back. “But then you caved to their wants, anyway.”

“...I suppose I did.”

“I did not take you for the type to do so,” Louis says. “At least not without good cause.”

Milo hums. “My father is old, and with his age, he’s become easy to confuse. They could no doubt take double what they extorted from me without trying. And my younger sister, well… She’s a feral little thing. The last thing I need to worry about is having to pay triple to get her out of the dungeons.”

“So she’s a real pain in the neck,” Louis says.

Milo glares at him. “Never say that again. She is perfect as she is. Even if it gets me into trouble from time to time.”

Louis whistles. “Calling someone perfect, and it’s not yourself? Unexpected, given our past conversations.”

“Oh, save it,” Milo rolls his eyes. “...But I suppose I should thank you for trying to help, even if it was fruitless in the end.”

“And here I was thinking I’d let them extort you next time,” Louis glances over to Basilio, who peeks at him from the bench he’s still sitting on. “I’ll stop by for a job sometime soon. Try not to get into too much trouble before then.”

“Yes, yes,” Milo waves a dismissive hand in the air. “Be seeing you, Louis.”

Louis nods. “Be seeing you.”

He makes his way back over to Basilio, who tries to act a little too casual. As if Louis and he hadn’t met eyes just a moment ago. He decides, for now, though, that he will play dumb about it. But only because he’s his friend.

“Well, that’s settled,” he says. “Shall we go back to the Hushed Honeybee for dinner?”

“Yeah,” Basilio stands and starts off, Louis following after. “Everything okay with that… friend of yours?”

“Not my friend,” Louis says. “But… yes, I think things are fine for now.”

He hopes they’re fine, at least.

“Any plans for tomorrow?” Gallica asks as Louis settles down to do some reading for the night.

“Nothing too major,” Louis admits as he begins to read. “But…”

“But?” She asks.

He stares at the door, or more specifically, past it. To where Brigitta, Basilio, and Fidelio once again work on coaxing Maria out of her room. He’s heard that Brigitta’s at least been able to get her to eat a bit since she hugged him the other day… But he wishes he could do more.

And maybe he can do more, even if it’s only something small.

“I think I have an idea of something,” he says after a moment. “So long as you don’t mind potentially being bored out of your mind tomorrow.”

“Boring and you don’t really go together,” Gallica teases. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it an entertaining mess before lunch.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended,” Louis gives her a look, one eyebrow quirked.

“A little of both?” She shrugs. “You should be used to it, anyway.”

“I am,” Louis replies. “That’s what I don’t like about it.”

“Well, you better start getting really okay with being used to it!” Gallica puts her hands on her hips. “Because you’re stuck with me, you know!”

“I knew that back before we knew the king was dead, remember?”

“Don’t start with me, Louis…!”

Louis just laughs.

Chapter Text

The next day, Louis wakes up in a less-than-stellar mood. For one, he had a nightmare again the previous day despite his best efforts to snuggle them away. And for two, his most important book was missing. Not just any of his books, but the one his mother used to read to him. Truth be told, he was on the verge of panic when he realized this… But he knows a calmer mind needs to prevail.

Breakfast first, he tells himself as they sit down to eat. They should all eat before he begins his search. And all of them includes Maria.

“I’ll take her breakfast to her,” he tells Brigitta when he sees her preparing to head for the stairs. “I was meaning to, anyway.”

Of course, he was planning on sticking around after giving her her breakfast, but the least he can do is try and speak to her for a moment. Brigitta hands off the plate with a thank you and he ascends.

He knocks and waits for a moment. No reaction, other than a pause in the sniffling and crying. Okay, he can work with that.

“Maria,” he says. “I brought you some breakfast. You’ll eat, won’t you?”

Another pause in the crying and sniffles, this one longer. It’s followed by the sound of little feet against the floor and the door creaking open. He looks down and sees her pushing a book out of the crack. His book.

“Uh,” she sniffles as Louis gently takes it and offers her the food. “I’m sorry. I-I thought reading might cheer me up, and your book always seems so interesting. Please don’t be mad, Mister Louis.”

“I’m not mad,” he promises. “I’m just glad the book was with someone I could trust… But let me know next time you want to borrow it.”

“Okay,” she nods. “Thank you for the breakfast.”

The door closes, and Louis supposes he’ll take it as a victory that he got her out of her room for even that long. With his book no longer missing and back in his hand, he settles down next to Maria’s door and opens it.

If she likes it enough to snatch it while he’s sleeping, well… He’s sure she’ll enjoy him casually reading aloud from it outside her room. Maybe not directly to her, as he doubts she’s in the state to allow herself to ask for that at the moment… But close enough that she can still enjoy.

He wonders if this is how his mother used to feel reading to him. Pushing through his less-than-stellar moods by sitting nearby and reading the words he’s sure he had memorized by then to him again.

He wishes someone had been there to read them to him when she was gone. No one could replace her, but it would have been better than being alone. Better than trying to read the words through his tears.

At least he can give Maria better than he got. At least she doesn’t have to be alone.

Louis is absorbed into the book when Basilio suddenly plops down on his right, and Fidelio next to him. He jumps more than he’d like to admit, though he’s sure Gallica will be talking about it for weeks based on her snicker.

“Calm down,” Fidelio says. “We ain’t gonna bite ya or anything.”

“Just wanted to see what you were up to, Lou,” Basilio grins at him. “You seem happier than the last couple mornings. Good.”

“I’ve been just fine in the mornings,” Louis says, though he doesn’t even believe himself, no matter how much he wants to. “...But I suppose I am in a better mood right now.”

“We'll take that as a good sign,” Fidelio teases. “It's a damn sight better than when you mope.”

“I… will keep that in mind,” Louis frowns, but decides against starting any sort of argument in front of Maria’s room. That’s the last thing the girl needs right now. “Though to spend time with me is to expect me to mope from time to time.”

“Well, Bas’ll have to find a way to get you to stop doin’ that, then,” Fidelio shrugs.

“Why him?”

“Because he’s clearly your favorite,” he gestures between the two of them. “And he’s pretty soft on you, too.”

“Del,” Basilio hisses, tail slapping against Louis’s back. “Anyone ever tell you you talk to much?”

Fidelio grins at them both. “Only you, Bas. And only when you’re real embarrassed about somethin’.”

“That’s enough outta you…!” Basilio reaches out and ruffles his brother’s hair, earning a yell from the older Magnus.

Louis just laughs.

He has nightmares again that night, finding himself awake and staring at the ceiling. This was bad -- he had told the brothers they would deal with a bounty tomorrow. Keep their skills sharp and stave off any boredom or anxiety that may come their way. But how much use would he be if he couldn’t even sleep?

He’s staring at the ceiling when he hears the door open, and in a panic, he closes his eyes. He almost expects his mother to walk in and pretend, for only a moment, he’s actually asleep. Then, Louis would be picked up right out of bed and twirled around until he shrieks with laughter and…

And that hasn’t happened in a very long time. It would never happen again.

Instead of dwelling for too long, he focuses on the sound of the feet on the floor. Gentle, a pitter-patter sort of step, though there’s a certain clumsiness to it. A child -- Maria, then? He supposes that would make more sense than a random guest or Brigitta coming in here.

The weight on the bed shifts as she clambers up next to Louis and Basilio. Ah. The poor thing must have been lonely enough that even sleeping alone was becoming too much to bear. He keeps his eyes closed as Maria settles in next to him.

Even if his nightmares have returned and he can’t have pleasant dreams… If lying here, pretending to sleep, or even suffering through more of his own mind’s worst, helps Maria… Then he supposes he can make due.

He lets his head press a little closer to the crook between Basilio’s head and shoulder, though. He’ll bear it for Maria’s sake… But it wouldn’t hurt to have a little more comfort of his own in the moment, either.

Louis drifts off to flames licking at his mind once again.

Maybe it’s all the nightmares he’s having that leads Louis to sit down and open the novel to see Lilith once more before setting out on the bounty he had planned for today. Or maybe it was just because he felt he’d left things alone for too long. He’s not sure about either, but he’s sure he’s at least completed the first task given to him.

The Healer. An Archetype from Maria and one that reminds him of his own long-dead family. Lilith had a horrible sense of humor if she thought this was funny, he decides as he steps into Akademia, Gallica at his side.

But with how little she remembers, maybe it’s not humor. Maybe it’s reaching for what little string there was tying the two of them together. The little bit of familiarity he can only hope she has for him.

“Louis,” Lilith smiles as she looks up from her desk. “I knew you would be coming soon! You’ve been doing excellent work with your Archetypes… I can feel the way you’ve fostered the power of the Healer within you.”

“Lilith,” he nods at her and swallows a lump in his throat. “Did it… help at all?”

“It did,” she nods. “As I thought, it seems as if memories are breaking through to me. Like light through a crack in a dark cave…”

He swallows down excitement before he can get ahead of himself. “What did you remember?”

“I’ve studied magic for longer than I can remember,” she says after a moment. “Magic like that of the Archetypes and even things darker than that. But all to serve a better purpose, to make a world more like the one of the novel…”

His throat constricts. So close, yet so far. “The original magic, yes?”

She nods, her smile bright as she looks up at him. “Yes. And with it in your grasp… I truly believe you will be able to change the world, Louis. If only we keep pushing forward.”

“I…”

“We’ll do our best!” Gallica chirps, saving Louis from having to say much more. “With that Prince William still out there, we need to get some revenge, right? For Fabienne.”

“Of course,” Lilith chuckles as she nods. “And the Sanctists must be stopped as well.”

“You know about the Sanctist Church?” Gallica asks, an eyebrow raised.

Lilith opens her mouth, brow furrowing, and she thinks for a long moment. “I… suppose I do. I don’t know why, but… I know they’ve hurt you, Louis. Don’t let them hurt anyone else. Please.”

“Lilith…” He closes his eyes and forces his breathing to even out. “I cannot promise you that, but… I will do what I can. I will lead Euchronia to a brighter future, even if it costs me everything.”

Lilith’s shoulders slump as his eyes open. “I… Yes, of course. But enough of that for now. Not like you can do much until we have you further both our understandings of the Archetypes!”

Avoidant of the tension between them, just like he is. Louis supposes that suits him just fine. “Yes. What would you have me do next, then?”

“First, I want to give you a gift,” she shuffles through the desk. “It’s a special kind of igniter, it will allow us Seekers to stay connected even when you are not here.”

Louis takes it and decides to let Lilith have this moment. It might sound a bit weird if he said that he feels they were already more connected than she knew, anyway. The last thing he needs to do is scare the woman running Akademia for him.

Besides, a piece of him says with hope, maybe she feels it too, and just wants to make the connection better represented with something physical.

As it turns out, the bounty hunting had been a good distraction from everything going on in his life. But that didn’t stop Louis from feeling the ache in his bones and the exhaustion dragging him down by the time they make it back to town and get something to eat. It’s not just him, either.

Basilio and Fidelio put on a better act of having more energy to spare, but the hidden yawns from the latter and the former leaning on him tell him enough. That was fine by him, they still had to wait a while for the Sanctist Church to act, after all.

He thinks of Lilith’s words earlier and frowns as they make it back to the Hushed Honeybee. He hates having to play their game, hates the way he can’t do much of anything until he knows what kind of gameboard they’ve made. After all, move your pieces too soon and you’ve all but surrendered.

“Ugh, Del,” Basilio lets out a yawn that’s much more obvious than his brother’s earlier ones. “He’s doin’ it again.”

“I can see that,” Fidelio gives Louis a look. “So? Spit it out. What’s got you all upset?”

“Just thinking about the church,” Louis says. Not a lie, but easier to explain than everything to do with Lilith. “They do love taking their time with such important things, don’t they?”

“Sure do…” Basilio rubs the back of his head. “But that’s not all it is, yeah?”

Louis blinks. “What do you mean?”

“We sleep in the same bed, Lou,” Basilio puts a hand on his hip. “Ya think I wasn’t gonna notice the way you’re tossin’ and turning in your sleep?”

“It…” He can feel the slight breeze created when Gallica flutters near his face. “It’s just nightmares.”

“You did say you have those a lot,” Basilio scratches his cheek. “Though ever since we started cuddlin’ up I haven’t noticed anything like that…”

“They stopped for a while, but they’re back,” Louis shrugs. “It happens. Nothing to concern yourself with.”

“Too bad,” Gallica sighs. “I really thought Basilio being like a giant cuddly teddy bear was helping!”

“I did too,” Louis glances at Basilio, noticing his ears pressing downwards. “Not that it didn’t help for a time, Basilio. I… appreciate it.”

“Just don’t like not being able to do more for you, like,” Basilio hums, tapping his foot against the ground. “...Maybe if one paripus isn’t workin’ we gotta push it up to two for a bit, yeah?”

“What are you suggesting?” Louis raises an eyebrow.

“Wait here,” Basilio winks, and he and his brother disappear upstairs.

Louis stays where he stands, though his eyes meet with Brigitta. He raises an eyebrow, a silent question of whether or not he should be concerned about what’s coming next. She gives a small smile and shrugs. Hopefully, the stern Brigitta being amused was a good sign.

“How nice…” Gallica mumbles, catching his attention.

“What’s nice?” He asks.

“Nothing,” she smiles, shaking her head. “Just thinking about… things!”

Louis raises an eyebrow. “What kind of things?” 

“Things you’d get annoyed at me for thinking about, so,” she sticks her tongue out at him. “I’m not telling!”

“Gallica…”

“Nope, my lips are sealed!”

He reaches out for her, and she zips right up the stairs. Louis only weighs the pros and cons of not waiting for a second before chasing after her. What’s a little argument with your fairy companion as an excuse for peeking early anyway, right?

Gallica’s the focus, anyway. It’s not his fault that she goes right into the room where the Magnus brothers are just finishing pushing the two beds together. He blinks a few times as things click. That’s what Basilio meant by two paripus.

They’d all squeezed into one bed before, but he supposes this would be more comfortable and spacious, so he doesn’t mind too much.

“You ruined the surprise,” Fidelio huffs. “Way to go, Blondie.”

“That’s Gallica’s fault,” he points at the fairy, who yells out indignantly. “If she just told me what she was musing about, we’d still be downstairs.”

“You are not putting this on me!” Gallica huffs, arms crossed. “Can’t a girl have thoughts she wants to keep to herself?”

“Not if she goes mumbling about them out loud.”

“Why you…!’

“C’mon,” Basilio grabs Louis by the wrist and pulls him down onto the bed with him. “No harm, no foul, we were just about done anyway, yeah?”

Fidelio shrugs and lies down on the other side of Louis. “Guess so. Too tired to listen to the two of you bicker, anyway.”

“Well,” Gallica huffs as she lands next to Fidelio’s shoulder. “I’m too tired for Louis to be a brat, so I guess we’re even.”

Louis rolls his eyes, but Basilio’s iron grasp on him keeps him from saying much in response. He’ll take the badgering and secrecy from Gallica if this works out and he has a good night’s sleep again. He’ll take a lot if it means a good night’s sleep -- call him spoiled, but it was nice to have that again after so long.

He rests his head against Basilio’s shoulder and lets out one last huff before starting to drift off, surrounded by warmth that didn’t burn.

Chapter Text

The next morning is nice, Louis thinks. And not just because he didn’t have a nightmare thanks to the brothers’ idea. Though, of course, that was a plus as well. It certainly seemed to make the food taste better than morning, for example.

Besides, they were getting closer to being able to make a move. When the church made their announcement, they would deal with Prince William and… go from there to stop Forden. Until then, he just had to wait a little longer.

Basilio makes that wait easier when he suddenly pulls him out of the Hushed Honeybee and through the streets of Grand Trad.

“Where are we going?” Louis asks as they continue through the busy streets. 

He takes note of the people around him. The mustari girl he’d seen the other day seems to be settling in better with the populace, and there’s a roussainte guard captain of some sort. He doesn’t know where the colors come from, but surely from a town outside of this one.

People were showing up more and more these days. Word was travelling, and people were making it here. Though the roussainte seemed to be focused on heading to the recruitment center for one reason or another. A bounty, then? Too bad it hadn’t been earlier -- Louis and company might have been able to do something about it.

“Goin’ to go see Patrice,” Basilio replies, pulling him from his people watching. “You remember Bellamy and me mentionin’ her, yeah?”

He nods. “A friend from the orphanage, one of the few survivors. And not one that’s been doing well.”

“Yep,” he can hear Basilio grinding his teeth. “Wanna see if there’s anything I can do for her, though I’d bring you along for… Moral support, like.”

“I’d be happy to,” Louis says. “But wouldn’t Fidelio be better suited for this? He knows her, after all.”

“Thinkin’ too many people from the orphanage might set her off if that’s where things went downhill for her,” Basilio replies. “A stranger like you might be better, yeah?”

“I suppose I can see the logic, yes,” Louis hums. “Next time, tell me before you start leading me somewhere, though.”

“Heh, sorry ‘bout that…”

They walk in silence from there, through the winding roads, to a place even more rundown than Sunshade looks at times. The middle of the slums, as far as Louis can tell. Basilio’s tense, and he squeezes his hand without thinking.

“Thanks,” Basilio mumbles. “Almost there.”

They come to a ratty door, and Basilio knocks as he lets Louis’s hand go. He steps back and waits.

The paripus that opens the door has green hair, with an undertone to her skin that makes her look a bit sick. Her hair is shaggy, hanging over her shoulders and looking as if it hasn’t been washed in a few months. One of her ears, Louis notes, looks clipped. The full ear flicks in annoyance as she looks at the two of them.

“Basilio,” she says, her voice scratchy. “Long time no see.”

“Patrice,” he nods at her. “You’ve looked better. Hangin’ in there?”

“I was, before you showed your ugly mug,” she sneers, clearly not a jesting insult. “Do you want somethin’ or are you just here to make my life harder?”

“I ran into Bellamy the other day,” Basilio says. “Gave me your address when I asked--”

“And I’ll punch ‘im for that later,” Patrice spits. “Don’t need any of you hoverin’ over me, SBasilio. We aren’t kids anymore, but gettin’ two mums like you did probably means you never had to grow up, eh?”

“He’s grown plenty,” Louis speaks up without thinking. “He cares about you, wants to check in on you.”

Patrice looks at him, golden eyes narrowing. “You bring this elda to speak for you, Bas?”

“No, just moral support,” Basilio glances at Louis, and he flinches. “But he’s tellin’ the truth. I’m just worried about you, Pat. All of you.”

She scoffs, arms crossing as she leans against the doorframe. “What about your igniter experiment buddies?”

“Del’s run into one of ‘em, so he’s got that sorted,” Basilio replies. “So--”

“Knew it! Still relyin’ on Del like before,” she shakes her head. “You wanna help me out? Buzz off.”

She steps back into the rickety house and slams the door shut. Basilio flinches away and turns to look at Louis. Without thinking, he offers the paripus a hand. Basilio takes it without a word and starts leading him out of the slums.

“Basilio,” Louis says. “I… apologize, I likely made that worse.”

“Nah, Pat wasn’t gonna listen no matter who I brought this time ‘round,” Basilio shakes his head. “I’ll just have to find some other way to help her out, after she has time to cool off from all this, yeah?”

“Alright,” Louis pauses, thinking for a moment as they travel through the streets. They’re in an empty one when Basilio stops, and he speaks again. “If you want me to come along again, I will.”

“Thanks, Lou,” he lets go of his hand and turns to him. “One more thing? So today isn’t a total bust.”

Louis nods. “Of course. Anything you need.”

Basilio is leaning down, and their lips are meeting before Louis can really think of what it means to say he’ll do anything. But he doesn’t find himself complaining that this was what Basilio was after.

His heart flutters and his stomach flips as he reaches out, trying to grasp at Basilio’s arms and find balance. Basilio’s arms wrap around his back and pull him closer, he presses his lips against his harder.

It feels needy, desperate for anything good to come out of dragging Louis out here. Desperate for anything good to come out of dragging Louis into all of this in the first place. Teeth graze against his bottom lip, and he gasps.

Basilio’s tongue presses inside his mouth for only a moment before he seems to regain composure and pulls away. He’s breathing heavily, and Louis is too. They stare at each other for a long moment…

Then Basilio straightens his back and rubs the back of his neck. “Maybe too soon? Sorry ‘bout that, but… Thanks.”

Louis tries to find words, but finds nothing coming to mind. Of all the ways things could go today, this hadn’t been on the top of his list. It hadn’t been on the list of possibilities at all, in fact. And so, Basilio bids him farewell and leaves him standing there.

He raises his hand to his lips as things fully register, and he goes bright red.

Louis stumbles back onto the main street of Grand Trad, and the sun is already setting. He looks up at the sky and sighs, emotions still frazzled. His lips still feel warm after the moment with Basilio earlier… And there went his stomach, doing flips again.

He walks down the street, trying to clear his mind at least enough to go back to the Hushed Honeybee and act like he usually does. Basilio had seemed ready to push right past it, so Louis needs to do the same. He can only imagine how Gallica or Fidelio would react if they found out about this because he was acting off…

He’s so caught up on not making a fool of himself later, however, that he makes a fool of himself in the now. He doesn’t know where the ishkia girl comes from, but he does know that it can’t be a pleasant experience to slam right into his leg and fall over.

“Ow…” She whines out as he kneels down to help her to her feet. “Hey, Mister! Watch where you’re going next time.”

“I think I should say the same to you,” he chides as he looks her over. “How do you see with your hair in your face?”

Her hair reminds him of a baby chick from some of the extremely old books his mother used to share from time to time. Fluffy and almost… fuzzy in texture, it fell in waves around her face -- bangs long enough he could only barely see her purple eye peeking out from behind them.

Speaking of, her hair was a shade of purple, too. A familiar shade, at that. Her dress was dirty from playing in the street, and she had all sorts of scrapes and bruises… But as her little wings flap, he realizes just who he’s dealing with.

“Milo’s little sister, then,” he mumbles.

She nods. “My name is Dracia Anatidae Maurizio, are you the silly little elda my brother talked about?”

“Silly little--” He splutters. “Say, Miss Dracia. Can you lead me to where your brother is?”

“Sure, we can make it tag,” she shifts on her heels before taking off. “Catch me if you can!”

She’s no older than Maria, so she’s not that fast… But Louis decides to humor her and takes off at a leisurely pace after her. Into the Igniter Emporium and up the stairs to Milo’s office (with a few glares and stares from the workers, but he can handle that), he soon catches her, lifting her off the ground as she squeals.

Milo turns from where he’s staring out the window, eyes wide. He looks from Louis, who regards him with a raised brow, and Dracia, who continues to giggle. 

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here today,” he says. “Loui--”

“Silly little elda,” Louis says, cutting him off. “That is what you called me, yes?”

Milo looks at his sister, speeding over to pull her out of Louis’s arms. “Dracia, dear. You didn’t tell him about that, did you?”

“I asked if that’s who he is!” She shouts, and Louis notices her missing front tooth. 

The fact that these two were siblings… If he hadn’t known about her existence before this? He’s not sure he’d be able to guess that. Dracia certainly didn’t seem to care about silly things like beauty half as much, after all.

“Dracia…” Milo sighs. “The last thing I need is for him to give me more trouble.”

“I won’t give you trouble,” Louis says. “So long as you swear not to call me that again.”

“And how will you know if I do or don’t?”

Louis thinks for a moment. “Dracia, would you like to make a friend your age?”

“Yes!” Dracia nods.

Milo narrows his eyes. “What are you--”

“If you make sure your brother calls me by my name rather than elda or anything else like that,” he begins. “I can introduce you to a girl around your age in exchange.”

“Really?!”

He nods. “Really. Consider it a playdate, hm?”

Milo looks him in the eye and frowns, but doesn’t argue the point. “Fine, I suppose you win this time. But only because I’m sure Dracia could use some more friends, understand?”

“Yes, of course,” Louis nods. “You would never give in to the demands of a silly little elda otherwise, right?”

Milo rolls his eyes. “You’re lucky you’re useful.”

“And you’re lucky that your little sister is endearing.”

Dracia just claps her hands and laughs.

“Hey, Lou,” Basilio waves the moment Louis walks into the bedroom. He glances around, no Fidelio or Gallica in sight. He’s unsure if that makes it better or worse, but he supposes he can work with it.

“Basilio,” he sits next to him on the bed without a second thought. “...Should we talk about earlier?”

“Like I said, prolly too soon for me to go kissin’ you like that,” Basilio laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Won’t do it again, promise! Del’s always tellin’ me I fall too fast, like…”

“Fall too…” Louis decides, instead of focusing on what that means for their relationship, to focus on the fact that this was a repeat problem. “Have you fallen for that many people, Basilio?”

“Most are just little crushes, fade in no time, and all that,” Basilio’s tail thrashes with nerves. “Only one ever really stuck around before now, uh…”

“The Sanctist, Rella,” Louis says. “You still clearly have feelings for her.”

“And now for you, too,” Basilio presses his forehead against Louis’s, and he feels his stomach flip again. “Hope that don’t make it too weird to work with me.”

“I don’t think so,” Louis looks to the side, unable to look into Basilio’s eyes any longer, lest he break. “But if you want to do things such as kiss me in the future, please communicate that directly before doing so.”

“Sorry ‘bout that,” Basilio laughs awkwardly. “Just needed somethin’ to make pullin’ you around with me feel worthwhile in the end. Won’t do it again!”

“...You can do it again,” Louis mumbles without thinking. “Just give more warning in advance.”

There’s a long moment of silence before Basilio speaks again. “Lou?”

“Yes, Basilio?”

“I wanna kiss you again,” he confesses. “That alright with you?”

He looks back at Basilio, at his red eyes that stare into him. Their foreheads are still pressed together, but he nods and lets his eyes flutter close.

Their lips have barely met when the door slams open, and Fidelio ruins the moment.

Louis wakes up early the next morning and slips out of the cuddle pile he finds himself in with decent ease. Fidelio, the night before, had made it clear he was going to eek out any and all information he could from both Basilio and himself today… So if he can get a moment to think and be alone before that, he will.

“Good morning, Louis,” Brigitta nods at him as he comes down the stairs. “Would you like some breakfast?”

“Hello, Miss Brigitta,” he nods in turn. “I’m fine for the moment, thank you. I think I just want to go clear my head, maybe do some people watching.”

“Of course,” she walks back into the kitchen and comes out with a satchel. “But you should take some food, in case you get hungry while you’re out. We wouldn’t want you starving out there, would we?”

He takes it, if only because the look she’s giving him is one that any man would break under. “Of course, thank you.”

She waves him off, and he tucks the sack into his bag as he wanders the streets. More and more people are appearing in Grand Trad these days for whatever announcement is coming. He hears a few even talking about what they’d do if they were to become king, and well… He can’t help but listen in.

Maybe one of them would be worth throwing his weight in with after they deal with Prince William and Forden.

He finds out very quickly that it will not be the case, based on the various things he’s hearing.

There’s a eugief who speaks of breaking down barriers between the tribes, which would be nice if he didn’t seem to be regarding paripus with disdain. Then there was the ishkia speaking of technology being the focus of the people, leading to better things… without any thought on how to help in the now. 

There was a nidia who had a silver tongue, promising nothing and everything at the same time -- no doubt getting those less keen on actually thinking about things on his side easily. Then there was a roussainte speaking of keeping everyone safe… though a nanny state that would drive anyone mad quickly enough.

Did anyone have any idea what this country needed? Louis was starting to fear Euchornia may be more doomed than he thought. 

“Why the long face, love?” A voice pulls him from his thoughts, and he turns to see another nidia standing next to him, hands behind her back.

Her hair is short, framing her soft face with grace. She wears a white headband of sorts and pearl earrings, as well as a long dress in a deep red color. Her collar is high, and gloves cover most of her arms. 

Louis can’t help but feel like the way she dresses doesn’t fit her. Doesn’t fit the teasing tone in her voice when she spoke to him a moment ago. The cheeky grin on her face belied something freer than her restrictive clothes.

Did she choose to dress like this, or did someone else dress her? The thought niggles at the back of his mind.

“Not a fan of these plans for Euchronia,” he finally says. “That’s all.”

“I understand that,” she sticks out her tongue. “All these ideas, but no real plans.”

“Exactly,” Louis nods. “It’s shameful.”

“Well, you can always throw your lot in with the Sanctifex,” she winks at him, and he realizes just what he’s dealing with. “I know I have, and he’ll bring about a Euchronia we can all enjoy.”

“Saying that to an elda, you must have no shame,” Louis clicks his tongue and watches the woman barely react.

“Sanctifex Forden’s a moderate,” she says (or more so parrots, Louis thinks). “And he has a plan like you’d want. Isn’t that better than all of this?”

“A lesser poison is still a poison,” Louis replies as he begins scanning the crowd again.

An ishkia woman stands nearby, seemingly waiting for someone, and he decides to focus on her. 

She wears a shorter dress than the nidia standing next to him, though it’s in the colors of Sanctism. Black and white plaid, with large black sleeves. Her pink hair is around the same length as the nidia’s as well, falling in waves around her face. Two silver hair clips in the shape of angel wings sit within them.

His eyes travel downwards towards her (incredibly long) legs. Sheer purple tights cover them, with black heels that must be a pain to walk in covering her feet. 

“Hey!” The nidia slaps him on the back of the head. “No staring at my sister like she’s a piece of meat, mister.”

Sisters, adoptive, he supposes? He rubs the back of his head where he’d just been slapped. 

“My apologies, she just caught my eye.”

“She catches a lot of blokes eyes,” she puts a hand on her hip. “At least introduce yourself before you oggle her in the future, alright love?”

Before he can even reply, she’s gliding off through the people over to the woman. She hugs her, and he watches as they chat for a moment. The ishkia woman looks towards him and smiles, waves a bit.

He awkwardly waves back before the nidia glances his way and gives him another wink. The women vanish into the crowd, and Louis is left standing there with his hand in the air. He frowns.

These last few days have really been testing him. He can’t wait to have something else to focus on.

Chapter Text

The bright side of the news Fidelio brings the next day is that Forden isn’t being rushed into power. That meant more time to find anyone besides him to throw their weight behind. The bad? Both he and Prince William were untouchable thanks to that fool king’s magic.

Fabienne’s death will have to wait to be avenged, then. Louis imagines wrapping his hands around the neck of that runt and squeezing the life out of him -- the second-best thing he has to actually being able to do it.

Better that the prince and Forden couldn’t simply use assassination to ensure only the two of them were left standing, he supposes. They were both as stuck with one another as Louis and company were. They had time.

Time that was now being spent looking for Maria. Brigitta had barged into the room, asking if they’d seen the girl. Vanished from her room and without a word to anyone… Louis can’t blame the woman for panicking.

She’s crying when they set out to search for her across Grand Trad. Basilio and Fidelio’s tails both flick with nervousness, and he feels some of that anxiety himself. 

Grand Trad was the closest thing Euchronia had to a melting pot of cultures, but a mixed-tribe girl like Maria? There was no doubt that danger was lurking at every corner for her. It unsettles Louis just to think about it.

He feels even sicker when he finds out she’s in the Cathedral, praying like she apparently often does. Praying to a God that hates her, that hates him. Looking for relief from the pain given by the very religion she seeks safe harbor from.

She deserves better, he thinks as he and the brothers enter and find her standing before the ruins. She deserves more from this world.

“Maria!” Louis calls out her name as he rushes up to her. “Are you alright?”

She turns to look at him, tears in her eyes. “Huh? Why…?”

“Everyone was worried, Maria,” Basilio walks over and kneels next to her, planting a kiss on the side of her head. “Miss Brigitta’s in a tizzy wonderin’ where you are!”

“Sorry…” She mumbles. “It’s just… Mama Fabienne hasn’t come home. And I always come here whenever I’m feeling lonely.”

“You sure do,” Fidelio sighs. “Remember the time Ma came lookin’ for you herself?”

Maria nods as she stares upwards. “I remember because she called my name. But… I pray, and she still doesn’t come back… Maybe because the Cathedral’s broken?”

Basilio frowns as he stands. “Maria…”

“Mama Brigitta says Mama Fabienne can’t come home anymore,” Maria looks at Louis, the tears in her eyes now falling. “But I know… Mama Fabienne’s gone away. She’s gone somewhere I’ll never see her again, hasn’t she.”

Fidelio swallows hard, Basilio looks away. Louis keeps his eyes trained on Maria and ignores the ache in his heart. The way he knows what this is like -- to hear his parents will never hold him in their arms again. Will never laugh and play with him. Will never call his name when he runs off and hides.

“It’s… it’s going to be so lonely,” Maria’s voice is meek, and Louis sees himself. “The loneliest it’s ever been. But… I have to be strong, don’t I? But if it gets any lonelier… I… I don’t know if I can do it…”

“I’m sorry,” Louis hears his own voice breaking. “I should have made sure your mother returned with us, I should have…”

“Lou,” Basilio’s voice is soft. “Don’t do that, none of us could’ve known it’d turn out this way.”

“Why does everyone always leave?” Maria sobs out as Louis falls to a knee in front of her. “Mum was sick… Papa left me… The king is gone… and now Mama Fabienne? Why does everyone always leave?”

Everyone always leaves. He sees not only a little girl standing there in tears, but a little boy. Asking Gruidae why everyone leaves. The man who loved the Queen, the Queen and her son, his parents. One right after the other.

“Is it my fault?” Maria asks, and his heart breaks further, if that’s even possible. “I really did my best to be a good girl, but…”

“It’s not your fault,” Louis shakes his head. “It’s my fault, Maria.”

“Wha…” She blinks tears from her eyes. “How…?”

“Louis,” Gallica’s voice shakes. “You can’t go blaming yourself, like Basilio said. You…”

“Listen, Maria,” Basilio says, kneeling next to her again. “Ma was fighting a real bad man. We were with her, but we couldn’t save her. Even though we wanted to, Maria. More than anything. I’m so sorry, kiddo.”

She wipes the tears from her eyes, calming only a little. “...I remember Mama Fabienne saying something like that. She said… a really bad man might be our king. Is that part of it?”

“Don’t worry,” Louis runs a hand through her hair and does his best to smile at her. “We’ll make sure everything works out, alright?”

If not for his sake, then for hers. Maria deserves better than all of this.

Maria nods. “I hope the next king is as nice as you, Mister Louis. Then maybe things won’t always be so sad…”

Louis stands as the words ring in his head. A king as nice as him? Nice isn’t a word he would use to describe himself, but he supposes he understands why that would be the word a little girl uses. Someone who cares, who sees the division of tribes and the loneliness they bring as something to break down.

Someone who wants a world where girls like Maria can smile.

“Then I’ll become king,” he says, the tether holding him back in his mind finally snapping. “And I’ll make sure things aren’t so sad anymore, Maria. I promise.”

Her eyes go wide as she stares up at him. “Really?”

He nods. “Really. If anyone can become king, well… Why not me? It’s the least I can do to begin making it up to you, no?”

“King Louis, eh?” Fidelio speaks. “Don’t sound half bad.”

“Solves the issue of not knowing who to throw our weight behind, too,” Basilio says, grinning. “Might be nice to cozy up with future royalty.”

Maria nods. “Yeah… King Louis…!”

“Well, we’ll talk about it more later,” Louis holds out a hand to Maria. “For now, we should get you home.”

She sniffles and takes his hand, but he can see a little more light in her eyes than before. Good.

That would make all of this worth it.

As soon as they walk into the Hushed Honeybee, Brigitta rushes across the inn to Maria. She falls to her knees and pulls her into a hug, holding the girl close for a long moment. Louis sees the pinprick of tears in her eyes, but chooses to say nothing.

“Oh Maria, thank the Almighty you’re alright…” Brigitta says after composing herself. “I was worried sick.”

“Sorry for leaving on my own…” Maria says, her voice once again shaking with more emotions than a child like her should have to handle.

“It’s alright,” Brigitta pulls out of the hug, but keeps her hands on Maria’s shoulders. “So long as you’re here, that’s what matters.”

“Mama Brigitta, I…” Maria looks at her mother for a long moment. “I’m hungry.”

Brigitta chuckles. “Oh Maria… Well, it’s been a while. We should sit down for supper together, don’t you think?”

She nods, and they all head to do just that.

They decide that night to wait and see what the announcement brings tomorrow, but Louis is still dead set on trying to become king. It hadn’t just been some words to ease a little girl’s heart, after all. He meant every word of it.

Euchronia may seem doomed from the outside, but he wants to see it bloom. Wants to do what the king could not, if at all possible. Whatever Forden had planned, Louis would meet it with conviction.

Fidelio’s spending time with Maria, making up for all the months away he had said. Basilio sits next to Louis on the beds, eyeing his book. Apparently, curiosity about it ran in the family, given Maria’d wanted to see it before.

“Want to read it?” He asks, giving Basilio a small smile.

“Maybe a little,” Basilio says. “You love the thing, so I bet the kinda king you’re gonna be is based on it at least a little, yeah?”

“I… suppose so,” Louis nods and opens it, curling a bit closer to Basilio to allow him to look. “This part stands out to me more and more as the days go on. A world in which vying for the hearts of the people was how many leaders were decided.”

Basilio whistles. “Isn’t that a kick in the pants? If you told me people did this before, I’d have laughed. A paripus like me making anythin’ out of my life past the Hushed Honeybee felt like a pipedream…”

“But now?” Louis asks.

“Now it feels like I can do anything,” Basilio replies. “Maybe even become the prince consort to an elda king, eh?”

“A bit early to be considering marriage, no?” Louis teases. “Though I’m sure Maria would be ecstatic, Fidelio… Not so much.”

“He’s comin’ around on you,” Basilio promises. “Just real stubborn about showin’ it, like. Always been like that.”

“I certainly hope so if we’re to continue working together,” Louis hums as he turns the page in the book. “We all have to be at our best in the coming days, and it’s hard to do that if we don’t at least trust each other.”

“We’ve got plenty of trust to go around,” Basilio reaches an arm around Louis and squeezes him in a half-hug of sorts. “Everything’ll work out, Lou. I know it.”

It’s funny, ask Louis just a few weeks ago if he thought things would work out, and he’d be uncertain. Perhaps he’s still uncertain, but the anxiety that would have eaten away at him before was… muted. It felt like a brighter future was possible, within their grasp, even.

“You’re right, Basilio,” he leans his head against his shoulder. “It is.”

The next morning, Fidelio drops a flyer in front of them. A Tournament for the Throne was the church’s plan, then? A showing of fairness when it couldn’t be further from the truth. Just like those Sanctists, if you ask Louis.

But this could work in their favor. Armed with the flyer and Fabienne’s journal, Louis thinks he sees a path forward. Get the attention of those standing the highest in the rankings and raise his own in one fell swoop.

Forden and William wouldn’t be able to ignore him, and with the potential weaknesses of the latter written in this journal… Well, it was easier to eventually assassinate someone when you were close to them. 

If that took playing as if he believed in the salvation Prince William claimed he would bring, so be it. They could bide their time until they found a way to break the king’s magic, or perhaps even covertly tank his rankings from right underneath his nose.

Louis would be fine with either, really. What he’s not fine with is knowing he’s making Maria lonelier for a time to make it come true. First, she lost one of her mothers, and now he was taking both of her brothers with him for this race to the various capitals of Euchronia.

At least she says she’ll cheer for him with all she has. That does make this bitter feeling in his chest a little sweeter.

He just hopes Fidelio has luck finding them a carriage like he set out to do, as he and Basilio enter the recruitment center to find a monster to headhunt. At least they’re able to register without too much issue over Louis’s tribe and almost being recognized as deserters…

He wonders if it would have been worse should Klinger have tried to come back. He counts his lucky stars that that didn’t happen.

“Looks like everyone else had the same idea,” Gallica groans as they walk up to the board of postings.

When it’s clear most of the impressive monsters have been snatched up, Basilio speaks up.

“What about non-monsters, eh?” He asks. “You know, bounties on criminals and the like.”

“Mm?” The bounty hunter thinks for a moment. “I suppose I’ve got one of those, yeah…”

“Hmm,” Gallica flutters to the board. “Let’s see… Ugh, he’s horrible. Cirsium Zorba, a villianous kidnapper… Looks like the army’s been trying to catch him for a while now.”

“...That might be just what we need!” Basilio exclaims, grinning from ear to ear.

“Are you kidding me, fella?” They turn at the voice and see a paripus woman with pink hair and skin standing there, hand on her hip. “You never heard of Cirsium Zorba before? He’s a real dangerous type, can animate the inanimate -- kinda like that necromancer causing problems earlier this month. Doubt you lot could stand up to something like that.”

Like the necromancer. Louis frowns, but waits to say anything. He has a feeling he and Basilio are thinking the same thing, anyway. All the more reason to go after him if he was using such dark arts.

“Besides, did you have cotton in your ear when they explained the Exhibition?” The woman goes on.

“We heard loud and clear!” Gallica sticks out her tongue. “It’s about whoever can bring the biggest monster head, right?”

“The little lady got it in one, but it looks like you gents forgot,” she shrugs. “Don’t think people are looking for a king who can’t even remember the task just put in front of him.”

And with that, she walks away. Basilio rolls his eyes when he’s sure she won’t be able to see or even hear about it, crossing his arms as he looks over at Louis.

“That’s our competition?” He asks. “Can’t even think outside the box, and she thinks you’d be a bad king?”

“She was right about the rules, though,” Gallica says. “There’s thinking outside the box, and then there’s total disregard of them. What are you thinking?”

“C’mon, you should trust me more than that by now!” Basilio grins. “I know what I’m doin’, just trust ol’ Bas.”

“I trust you,” Louis nods. “It’s not as if we have to win this tournament, right?”

Basilio nods. “Bingo!”

So long as they stand out, that would be enough. Louis likes the way he thinks. Even if it seems like Gallica is still a bit lost.

“As long as Fidelio will go along with it, I guess…” She finally settles on with a sigh.

They move to leave when a voice rings out, and they turn.

“Hold!” The roussainte that approaches them is quite… short for one of his tribe. “You mean to tell me you plan to take the bounty against Zorba?”

“Yes,” Louis nods. “Is there a problem with that?”

He scoffs, grinding his teeth together for a moment. “You think you can truly do it? Allow me to tell you what you truly stand against so you can see how unworthy you are of it!”

Basilio and Louis share a look. They were just meeting all the colorful types today, weren’t they?

They step to the side with him, and Louis crosses his arms, waiting for him to speak.

“I am Rudolf Humulus Krause, the guard captain of Martira and the one who put out the bounty,” he says after a moment. “A bounty you are not fit to tackle.”

“Says the guy who couldn’t even catch him himself,” Basilio shoots back, an eyebrow raised. “Why not just deal with him yourself if we’re that unworthy?”

“We haven’t the men or power we need to, and we haven’t the time to wait to gain it,” Krause clicks his tongue. “He’s stealing our children now, no doubt selling them off. Strangling our town and its life slowly but surely.”

“Then why not accept our attempt, even if you fear we may not succeed?” Louis asks. 

“You’ll be eaten alive by the giant worms that surround his hideaway,” Krause shakes his head. “And scare off those who truly can do something.”

Basilio looks at Louis, rolling his eyes. “If you got someone specific in mind to help ya out, why not just go ask ‘em directly?”

“There’s no one specific,” Krause says. “So long as it’s a roussainte, I know this dirty half-breed will fall--”

“Oh, I get it,” Basilio says. “You’re a big racist.”

“Excuse me?” Krause snaps.

“A big racist, who cares more about your tribe showin’ how good they are than actually helpin’ those kids,” Basilio says. “So you’re trying to scare us off of doin’ it.”

“But it won’t work,” Louis says. “We’ll find the mixed-tribe individual behind it, yes, but we’ll do so with some dignity that you clearly lack.”

“How dare you…!”

“Sorry, mate,” Basilio shrugs. “Shoulda made it clear you weren’t lookin’ for us dirty lesser tribes while you had a chance.”

They walk away, sure in their choice even as Krause shouts after them.

When Fidelio is the first back into their shared room, Louis is a bit on edge. After earlier, with the brothers arguing a bit over who had messed up more, he wasn’t sure what would happen. A person rather than a monster on one side, and a vessel they should get tomorrow, but with no sure promise that that was the case on the other… 

Louis, stuck in the middle of all of that, had felt uncertain. He trusts them both, but as an only child and orphan, he’s not really sure how he’s supposed to react to a family argument. They’d mostly kept him out of it after that, but now he’s worried he won’t avoid it much longer.

“Bas mentioned your book,” Fidelio says after a moment, sitting down next to him. “Got curious, mind if I take a look?”

Louis shrugs and hands it over to him. “You two are no longer fighting, I take it?”

“Wasn’t really a fight to begin with, just some bickerin,” Fidelio replies as he flips to a random page. “You know how it can be with brothers.”

“Not… really.”

“Ah, right,” Fidelio sniffs. “You’re the only one, sorry ‘bout that, Blondie.”

“It’s fine,” he shrugs. “I know I’m quite the spanner in the works for your little family.”

“Eh, not annoyin’ enough to be that…” Fidelio looks up from the book and frowns at the look Louis is giving him. “What?”

“Basilio was right,” he says. “You are starting to warm up to me.”

Fidelio punches him in the arm, though not hard enough to actually hurt. “Don’t go pushin’ your luck!”

“My apologies,” Louis chuckles. “I just thought it was nice, potentially getting closer to not just Basilio, but you as well.”

Fidelio blinks, opening his mouth and closing it a few times before looking back at the book with a huff. “Yeah, well. Still, no pushin’ your luck, got it?”

Louis nods, holding in another laugh. “Understood.”

They would have plenty of time to work on this, anyway. After all, there was a long road ahead of them.

Chapter Text

The opening ceremony begins with a song from a woman named Junah, who happens to be the nidia that recommended Louis throw in his lot behind Forden. He tries not to frown too obviously when he realizes that -- though her voice is nice, he’ll admit. He can understand the applause that erupts for her.

He gives his own small clap out of politeness and to avoid standing out too much too soon into this all. A rude elda was not a good impression to give off. Any elda wasn’t a good impression to give off, but save fake horns like those of Prince William, there was no avoiding that.

The crier that comes next is only a little better, if only because he didn’t do anything like Junah had. But still, he is Sanctist, and so still Louis is on edge as he explains everything. Just a crier, he tells himself. Nothing to be worried about.

Basilio takes his hand in his and gives it a light squeeze. He glances at him, shoulders relaxing as he smiles at him. Basilio smiles back, and they both turn their attention back to the stage in front of them.

Introductions, though likely only those the church has noted as most interesting for the race. And so they may be the most interesting for him as well. He narrows his eyes and listens to the names.

Forden, of course. He tries not to scoff too obviously as people begin to cheer for him. He even gets to speak, something Louis is sure will not be afforded to everyone being listed off.

He and Fidelio share a glance, both rolling their eyes in tandem.

Gideaux. He’s older than when Louis last saw him, but Louis feels like a shivering child nonetheless. His vision becomes hazy, and he feels like he’s about to throw up as he speaks to the crowd.

Basilio’s grip becomes tighter, pulling him back to reality. He squeezes it in turn, hard enough he’s sure his knuckles are turning white underneath his gloves. He tries to focus on the names that come next.

“Lots of Sanctist chumps,” Fidelio speaks, shaking his head. “Not like the Prince’ll just let that blow past, though. Plenty of folks’ll still be clamberin’ no matter how many threats.”

“Doesn’t stop ‘em from tryin’ the ol’ intimidation tactics,” Basilio adds, shaking his head.

The crowd erupts then, demanding to know where said prince is. Surely, he supposes they all think Prince William would be here. Would once again use his honeyed words to try and sway the people to his side.

It makes Louis sick again. This was all such a fraud.

But then the crier says he has not registered to compete. Louis supposes the prince sees it for what it is, but has the support already behind him to not need to enter it just to get eyes on himself.

“That okay?” Basilio mumbles. “Bloke’s only in second place…”

“He can see this is just a game,” Louis replies. “No doubt he’s planning on ruining it in some way eventually, but for now? No reason not to let the church have its fun. The more they do, the better it will be for him when they fall.”

“Sneaky little bastard…” Fidelio mumbles.

“Ugh,” Gallica shakes her head. “This all just… sucks.”

The next introduced is one under Prince William, and a familiar face at that. The pink paripus from yesterday -- Catherina Grann is apparently her name. She waves to the crowd, with less applause than those before her, but still quite a few.

“Shoulda known someone as unpleasant as that would be workin’ for that bastard,” Basilio mumbles.

Surprisingly enough, she’s given a chance to speak. He supposes the church had to at least pretend to play fair by giving a William supporter the floor for a moment. Not that anything she says about those worthy and unworthy for redemption settles well in his stomach.

Things pick up after that, so he supposes he was right; it was all for show. Fine by him, he’ll take note but… lesser note of those that come next.

Roger Ward, Elphas Maxim Bardon (the nanny state roussainte, Louis notes mentally), Neueirus Corvus Corax (the ishkia obsessed with technology), Alonzo Crotalus (the smooth-talking nidia from the other day), Heismay Noctule (the paripus hating eugief)...

“Wow, uh…” Gallica speaks up. “If we lose this, I think the country has some even bigger problems.”

“You mean it’s doomed, yes?” Louis nods. “I figured that much out myself.”

Gallica opens her mouth to speak when the crier finds just the right time to interrupt her, somehow.

“Do we have an eldan man present?” He asks. “Come on, let’s see a face!”

Louis swallows and braces for what he knows will come, and steps forward with a hand raised. The murmurs of the crowd are already starting, but he needs to be strong. He will be strong.

“People of Euchronia!” He calls out, watching the crier fumble at him suddenly speaking out of turn. “You all no doubt look at me with disgust, with contempt. But I swear to you, I will lead this country to a future where we no longer live in fear of tomorrow! Where your neighbor is not a cause for anxiety, but an ally you can join hands with!”

As expected, the people do not take it well. Shouting, cursing him. His eyes scan the crowd, and only a few seem keen on keeping their thoughts to themselves. The ishkia woman from the other day is the only one trying to actually quell any of it.

Ironic, given she’s dressed in Sanctist robes today.

The crier clears his throat, and Louis turns to look at him instead. “By the way, the ride you applied with still hasn’t arrived. And if it doesn’t show by the time the noon bell rings, you’re disqualified. All right?”

Louis frowns and resists the urge to look at Fidelio and ask him what the bloody hell kind of ride he’d actually found. “All right.”

Gallica, however, seems to already be tearing into Fidelio about it.

“She’s just a little young, probably slept in…!” Fidelio hisses out. “She’ll be here, dammit!”

The crier once again goes into, well, crier mode, and Louis is forgotten. He stares at the bell, anxiety gnawing at his stomach. He just has to trust the carriage will be here shortly, he tells himself. It will be here, and all will be fine.

The crier speaks of blessings being available to the contestants after this is all through -- from a beloved Saint Rella. If you asked him, he would rather avoid something like that, but… He glances at Basilio.

Maybe they could go take a peek. If they weren’t already licking their wounds by noon, that is.

The ground begins to shake, and Louis pauses, furrowing his brow. It couldn’t be another Human, could it? Others begin to look and whisper in turn. Louis is about to draw steel when the source is found.

A strange gauntlet runner, a fast one at that, is approaching the Cathedral. Was this the apparent carriage they would be riding in?! It would have been nice if Fidelio had at least said that much.

It comes to a perfect stop right next to the stage, not that that spared the poor crier a near heart attack.

“Sorry for the wait!” A voice echoes from the speakers of the runner. “I didn’t realize the time and had to rush to get ready!”

“Be more careful next time, Lina!” Fidelio hollers up towards the runner. “Your da said you could be punctual, so you better show it! Can’t be riskin’ bein’ late to the exhibitions, you know!”

“Real sorry, Mister Magnus!”

All Louis can do is stare, even when the official go is given, and the candidates race off -- some to their next destinations and others to the church where Saint Rella waits.

“So, where to first?” Fidelio asks.

Louis closes his eyes, sighing. “...To the church, then. I want to meet this Rella.”

The way Basilio’s tail wags almost makes this worth it.

“So,” Louis finally says when they’ve been waiting for at least three hours to try and see Rella. “Tell me about yourself, Lina.”

“Oh! Well, I’m the youngest daughter of Kayden Workshop,” Lina, the eugief that would be their pilot chirps. “And the student of Neuras, of course!”

“Neuras…” Louis thinks for a moment. “That ishkia running for the throne?”

She nods. “Teacher is the best, he gave me this runner, you know! Rumor has it it was for the prince, but… Well, he wanted something bigger and fancier, I guess. I don’t know why, though!”

Louis frowns, not sure how he feels about that. “Well, I suppose his can fly.”

Lina shakes her head. “Teacher wouldn’t like hearing you say that! It’s not real flying, anyway. It’s more like suspension in the air.”

“Isn’t that basically the same thing?” Basilio asks.

“Not at all!” Lina shakes her head. “Teacher and I both know one of these days we can make them fly -- actually fly, like a bird! Well… At least that’s what Teacher used to think…”

“He gave up, then?” Fidelio asks.

Lina nods sadly. “But… I won’t give up! I’ll make everyone see he’s not a madman and that a girl like me can engineer just as good as the boys!”

 Louis chuckles. “Well, we’ll support you in exchange for this help, Lina.”

She beams up at him. “Thanks, Mister Louis!”

He opens his mouth to reply when a Sanctist priest’s shouts of everyone needing to move on, the Saint was tired, rang through the line. He groans along with the others, less out of being disappointed he doesn’t get to see Rella and more that they’d wasted their time for nothing.

 “Looks like we should get heading back, then,” he says. “Sorry, Basilio.”

“He’ll be fine,” Fidelio says. “He can stare at your ugly mug to feel better.”

“Del, be nice,” Basilio chides. “But he’s right, it’s alright if I can’t see Lady Rella! ‘Sides, probably better if we don’t, yeah? You don’t exactly like Sanctists…”

Louis shrugs. “If you trust her, she surely can’t be that bad.”

“Well, come on! Time to show you what the old girl can do!” Lina chirps, and Louis feels like she probably got that nickname for the runner from Neuras…

She takes off, only to fall flat on her face fairly quickly. Louis jumps and rushes forward, reaching down to help her up. His hands aren’t the first to get under her arms; rather, a woman beats him to it and pulls her up.

It’s the ishkia woman again. She smiles at Louis before looking down at Lina, concern in her eyes.

“Are you alright, dear?” She asks. “You should be more careful, with this crowd, you could get trampled.”

“Thank you, ma’am!” Lina dusts herself off as she turns to look at her. “I’ll be more careful, then!”

Basilio and Fidelio approach, and Louis glances at them. Basilio’s tail is wagging in excitement. He tries not to think about what exactly that might mean in a moment like this.

“Lady Rella!” Basilio says. “It’s been a while!”

“Basilio and Fidelio Magnus,” she nods towards both brothers. “You’ve grown since I last saw you.”

“One of us more than the other,” Basilio snickers, even when Fidelio kicks him in the shin. “Oh, this here’s Louis! We were stoppin’ by to get him a blessin’, but sounds like you’re all tuckered out.”

“Were you?” Rella hums and looks at Louis. He looks away. “Well, for a friend of the two of you, I think I could manage one more blessing.”

She holds out her hands to Louis, and he pauses for a moment before taking them. Her hands are icy cold, he can’t help but note the way they bite at him even through his gloves. She holds his own gently despite that, raising them towards her face.

Closing her eyes, she lets his hands rest against her forehead. The air shifts, and something feels strange as his heart begins pumping. It’s not the kind of anxiety Gideaux inspired in him, but he wasn’t sure it was pleasant either.

She lowers his hands, but does not let them go, even as her eyes flutter open. The way Rella looks at him sends another wave of that strange emotion he can’t identify through him, and it’s as if her cold hands had frozen him in place. They stare at each other for a long moment.

Strong, warm hands on his shoulders finally make him move again, pulling his hands away of his own accord. Basilio squeezes his shoulders with a little too much strength, but he certainly doesn’t mind it.

“Thank you, Saint Rella,” he says, bowing his head slightly. “For the blessing. I do apologize for any… trouble it may cause you.”

“Because you’re an elda, correct?” She shakes her head. “People know I welcome all, no matter their tribe, Louis. In fact, I’m excited to see what you do in this race. I have my own candidate to support, but as far as this competition goes…”

She leans closer to him, smiling. Louis steps back as best he can, but he just presses against Basilio’s chest.

“You’re the one I’m rooting for, just don’t tell the Sanctifex, alright?” She whispers, winking at him. “I hope we get to see each other again sometime soon. Pleasure seeing you too, Basilio, Fidelio!”

As she walks away, Louis can’t help but watch her go. Catherina is nearby, he notes as Rella walks up to her and begins speaking. Rella… is in the pocket of the prince, then? It makes him regret coming here even more.

Catherina shoots him a glare from where she stands, and he frowns. What had he done to deserve that? Plenty of people had come for blessings today, not just him. He considers glaring back, but decides better of it and just looks away.

“We should get on the road, then,” he says. “We’ve already lost valuable hours.”

“Right!” Lina chirps. “On the runner, then! Let’s go, hup hup!”

At least Basilio seems chipper after all of this. That improves this, even if only a little.

Louis is getting used to the runner now, even the tight sleeping quarters being better than expected… Even if he’s been tempted already to climb down and sleep in the pile of sheets and pillows Basilio’s claimed as his bed.

For now, though, he sits with him there. They’d just had a short stop at quite the wonder, with Basilio even taking the chance to sketch it. They’d have stayed longer, Lina said, but they had too many hours to make up for thanks to the excursion the day before.

His fingers twitch when he thinks of Rella’s cold hands. The way she held them for a bit too long and stared at him afterwards. What kind of blessing was that even supposed to be? Did Sanctists actually enjoy things like that?

He chases the thoughts away as he looks at the drawing Basilio had handed him. It was well done, a nice way to remember the stop… And now he has an idea. He leans his head against Basilio’s shoulder and hums.

“Perhaps I’ll give this to Maria next time we’re in Grand Trad,” he says. “She seems like she’s itching for adventure.”

“Sure is, but Miss Brigitta’ll keep her from wanderin’ before she’s too old,” Basilio snorts. “Maybe the picture’ll help keep her in place?”

“Or it will make her wanderlust worse,” Louis replies. “Though if that happens, your mother has permission to knock me around for it.”

“I’d say she wouldn’t do that, but with you stealin’ away her two boys…” Basilio grins at him. “Who knows? You’ll have to get her likin’ you again if it comes to that, though, you hear?”

“Well, no promises,” he says. “I can be quite unpleasant to be around, but for you? I suppose I can do my best. Especially now that I see what I’m up against.”

“You…” Basilio’s cheeks brighten after he thinks for a moment. “You… mean Lady Rella, huh? I-it’s not a competition, Lou! I’m happy with you.”

“I know, I was teasing,” Louis laces his hands with Basilio’s. Warm, welcoming. “But you were quite excited to see her again. I don’t mind it, you know.”

“Me still bein’ in love with her?” Basilio asks.

Louis nods. “I… can’t say I know how I feel about her, but I would never fault you for your feelings.”

“Thanks, Lou,” Basilio pulls him a little bit closer. “Say, do me a favor tonight?”

He can feel Basilio’s breath on his lips again. “Mm, anything.”

“Sleep here with me tonight?” Basilio asks. “Feelin’ real cuddly all of a sudden.”

“I suppose I can do that,” Louis says as if he wasn’t already thinking about it. “I do sleep better when you’re at my side, after all.”

They kiss, and he tries not to think about the phantom of Lilith lurking nearby, because that would just make things awkward.

Chapter Text

“Finally, we’re out of the desert!” Gallica’s cheer is nice and all, Louis thinks, but if she could get out of the way so he could see the greenery better, that would be nice.

“It’s nice to see green again,” Louis says, pushing her to the side. “When I can actually see it, that is.”

“Oh, don’t be a grump!” Gallica sticks her tongue out at him.

“I won’t be if you don’t get in my way--”

“Bumpy, but real nice change of pace!” Basilio chirps as he steps out onto deck. “Was smoother before, though…”

“That would be the suspensions needing to get used to the change in terrain!” Lina’s voice filters onto the deck. “Give it a few moments, and it should get better.”

“Wish we could just fly right over it,” Fidelio mumbles as he leans against the railing. “Would be a helluva lot nicer.”

“Well, Lina’s working on it, no?” Louis says. “We’ll be flying in no time, surel--”

The runner comes to a sudden halt, shaking as an explosive thrashes into the side of it. A cannonade, then? Louis grunts as he looks out in the direction it had come from. Two other Gauntler Runners sit nearby, locked in battle.

The first is of Sanctist make and design, the white and black colors overwhelming against the greenery of the nature surrounding them. It makes Louis feel sick. The other’s bright pink and stands out in a different sort of way -- he recognizes it, too. The one that Catherina uses, if he remembers correctly.

“They were in the opening ceremony, right?” Basilio muses. “Gideaux works for that old goat Forden and… Catherina, the only one of William’s folks who got to talk?”

Louis swallows a lump in his throat and nods numbly. 

“Both are big enough to make it on that damned rock, yeah?” Fidelio frowns. “But the magic sure ain’t doin’ anything.”

“Maybe if they wanted to kill one another,” Louis points. “They’re aiming for the legs, aren’t they?”

“Ah, I get it,” Basilio nods. “Keep ‘em from makin’ it to the exhibition and that’s one less problem for either to worry about.”

“Sure would be a problem to not have a working runner in the middle of nowhere!” Lina chirps. “Even if someone found them in time to save them, there wouldn’t be any monster hunting to be had.”

“Bloody smart,” Fidelio pauses. “For a Sanctist and William’s lackey, that is.”

“Is that…” Basilio squints, leaning over the railing. “That bloody crier is standin’ there watchin’! Is he insane?”

“Sees it as a good show,” Fidelio says. “Not that Catherina’s gonna make it out of this in one piece, those Sanctists really souped up Gideaux’s runner with the cannonades.”

“Well, I guess we can just… go?” Gallica suggests. “Before Gideaux sets his sights on us.”

Run. Like he did when he was young and Gideaux pierced his father through the chest. When he only survived by the sheer luck of someone calling for the monk before he could strike Louis down in turn.

“We should help her,” he says without thinking.

“Are you crazy?!” Fidelio snaps. “Why would we do that?”

“Lesser of two evils,” Louis mumbles. “Rella was with Catherina, doubt you’d want her hurt.”

He can smell smoke where he stands, and not from the runners.

“What? You all gaga over Lady Rella, too?” Fidelio makes a face. “Now’s not the time for crushes--”

“We’re helping Catherina, and that’s final!” Louis snaps without thinking. “Lina, if it gets dicey, you can pull us out, but take us in for now. We’ll take care of Gideaux.”

Not kill him, that would be too hard to do with the magic in place. But stop him. Stop him from hurting anyone else. Fidelio stares at him with wide eyes, Gallica joining him. Lina is steering the runner towards the Sanctist’s and Basilo is hopping on the intercom.

“Oi, Catherina! Pull back, yeah? We’re here to save yer butt!”

“Who goes there?”! Gideaux’s voice is as sickening as the day before. “Why do you stand for William’s forces?!”

“Don’t matter, you eggheaded bastard!” Basilio snaps. “Just get ready for us!”

“Wait a minute,” Gideaux makes Louis’s fingers twitch towards his blade and the sod doesn’t even realize it. “That gauntlet runner… You’re that commoner candidate who destroyed the Grand Cathedral! Was that not enough?! You would profane the sacred a second time?”

Louis rips the device from Basilio’s hand, fire blazing around his heart. The flames climb into his throat and white hot flame threatens to spill as he sucks in a breath and bellows out the next words. A challenge, a scream for justice that would never be served so long as someone like this man stood in the running. As long as Forden stood in the running.

“Profaning what is divine to others is what you monks love to do!” His voice comes out laced with the flames. “Only right we share in your favorite pastime!”

Gideaux’s runner comes rushing at them, and Louis braces himself. This time, his hand finds the pommel of his blade, and he grips it tightly, a lifeline of sorts in the moment.

“So be it,” Gideaux glowers down at them, but Louis isn’t a little boy anymore. “In God’s name, be thou punished!”

Gideaux and the other monks are on the deck before they have much time to prepare, but that’s fine by him. Let them fight on his home turf again. Things will turn out differently this time. He won’t be the one fleeing.

“Can’t strike the egghead directly,” Fidelio reminds Louis. “But we sure can give his little bodyguards the what for!”

“We’re with ya, Lou,” Basilio adds. “You’re not goin’ this alone.”

He moves to strike the monk on the left, making note of the distance from Gideaux before striking out with any sort of magic. He’s not sure if splash back will activate the chains of the king, but he would rather not find out.

His sword connects, and the monk barely staggers back. He grits his teeth as he moves out of the way, and Basilio sends a volley of ice their way. It hits the target dead on, and the monk falters before their spear can pierce Louis’s flesh.

Fidelio summons the Knight to him, drawing the ire and attention of all three of their opponents. Not that Gideaux is currently all that interested in showing his own power, instead hanging back and smirking at them all. As if this is just a game.

He supposes anything would be a game to someone you can’t touch like him. Makes Louis feel sick as he lets loose a gale of wind towards one of the monks. Basilio follows up the action with a swing of his greatsword, knocking one of them clean unconscious.

The other charges Fidelio, who all but brushes off the strike. He conjures flames that lick at the monk’s coat. Louis can handle flames or he can handle the monks, but both at once leave him reeling.

“Lou!” Basilio pushes him to the side, Gideaux having taken his distraction as a chance to attack, the damned rat.

Basilio staggers, blood dripping from his side. Fidelio calls out to just hold on and he hears another body thump against the deck. Gideaux looks at him as if he's nothing. 

He puts his sword against the neck of the unconscious monk near him. “Another move and I'll bleed him like a pig. If you care for your comrade you will retreat.”

“You would not dare,” Gideaux sneers. “You kill my men and there's no magic to protect you from holy retribution.”

“And I'll break the chains of the king himself to see you cower in front of me,” Louis replies, barely registering the Magnus brothers and Gallica’s cries. “We elda are more adept with magic than any you've seen before, after all.”

A bluff, but anger burns too hot to stop now. The monk buys it, anyway. Dropping his spear with a grunt as he raises his arms.

“Allow me to gather my men and we shall leave, then,” Gideaux says. “But know God sees all, and this will not go unpunished.”

Louis watches him gather his men and fall back, almost wanting to laugh. If there was a God, they clearly did not care to punish those who deserve it. His arms feel heavy as the runner pulls away. His sword drops to his side.

Fidelio’s the one to break him out of his stupor, marching right up to him. “The hell were you thinking?!”

“You do know if he attacked you you'd be dead, right?” Gallica adds. “You can't actually do anything about those chains?”

“He bought it, that's enough,” Louis looks towards Basilio. “Are you alright?”

“Right as rain! Already patched myself up, like,” Basilio frowns after a moment. “You doin’ alright?”

“He didn't touch me, I'm fine.”

Fidelio shakes his head. “You and I both know he don't mean physically, Blondie.”

“All that will have to wait!” Lina chirps. “Looks like Catherina is on her way over, probably wants to talk!”

He thanks whatever might actually be up there for the distraction. 

At least she doesn't run her runner right into them, Louis thinks as they park their own and all file off it. Even Lina joins the group, hopping up and down at the sight of the thing. He wonders how much of her agreeing to help was to see things like this rather than wanting any change…

Which is fine, he supposes. She seems young, and being of a lower tribe, she deserves a chance just to have fun. Or as much fun as one can have in the middle of a political race like this. 

Catherina finally approaches, Rella at her side. So he was right about her being on the runner, then. Which means he’s likely right about her being in the pocket of Prince William as well. Great, just what he needed right now. More threats.

“So what was that all about?!” Catherina snaps. “You know I can handle myself, right? I don’t need you lot swooping in like that.”

“We could have not swooped in,” Louis says. “If you wanted to be stranded with a broken runner before the race truly even begins.”

“Don’t talk down to me, you creep!” Catherina drops into a fighting stance. “I can show you just how little you were needed right here, right now!”

“Lady Catherina,” Rella speaks up, voice light and airy. “Surely you can hold off on any aggression when this crew just saved our lives? It’s as Louis says, we could have ended up stranded or worse.”

Catherina suddenly straightens at her chiding. “Lady Rella, I--”

“Well, well, well, do my eyes deceive me?” The crier from before, Batlin or something, cuts her off as he runs up to the little group meeting. “Saint Rella Cygnus, in the flesh! What brings you all the way out here? Looking to bless some more folks on the road, is it?”

“I suppose you could say that,” Rella says. “Lady Catherina really is just my chauffeur, though.”

Catherina flinches at the words, and Louis hums to himself. So that was why she’d been glaring up a storm at Louis back in Grand Trad and why she was so hostile now, eh…?

“I’m afraid we’re a bit busy, and a bit of privacy would be preferred,” Rella continues, none the wiser. “If you could?”

“Of course, of course! Can’t say no to a saint, after all,” he turns his head, smiling at Louis. “Besides, I might have found another angle here that’s just as promising…”

Before Louis can tell him to sod off, he saunters away on his own. He lets out a sigh of relief, but given the current company, he might have actually been the least evil of the options. Not much he can do about that now, though.

“I wanted to thank you three for the help out there,” Rella says. “To go against a Sanctist Monk is no small feat, especially not when…”

“I’m an elda, and these two are paripus?” Louis asks.

Rella flinches, but nods. “Master Gideaux is not… subtle in his feelings about tribes such as yours, so it can no doubt be intimidating to put yourself on his radar. If any of you are injured, I would be happy to treat the wounds as thanks.”

Louis decides to ignore the way it seems like Catherina curls in more on herself, grumbling and even growling as she does so, and instead looks at Basilio with a quirked brow. “Anything she can make feel better, Basilio?”

“Lou?!”

Fidelio snickers. “You heard ‘im, Bas. Anything Lady Rella can help ya with?”

“I don’t need healing!” Lina raises her hand. “But Mister Louis, is it alright if I go look at that other Gauntlet Runner? It’s so… so…!”

He nods. “Go ahead, Lina.”

She rushes off, stumbling a bit on her way, but at least not falling this time. She’s rambling to herself in no time, and so he turns his attention back to Basilio. Basilio, whose tail is wagging all over the place.

“So,” Louis says. “Anything ailing you, Basilio?”

“N-no, I think I’m all good, but thank you, Lady Rella!” He then pushes Louis forward with a surge of strength enough to nearly knock him into the woman. “Lou hasn’t checked himself for any injuries, though!”

Her hands hover over his arms and she raises an eyebrow. “Would you like me to check for you?”

“I’m not injured,” he replies, pulling back as quickly as he can without looking rude. “Thank you, though.”

She nods. “If you’re sure--”

As they stand there speaking, a shadow comes over them. He looks upwards and frowns, it was the runner from the funeral. The one that no doubt housed Prince William at this very moment. And he was here now?

Catherina was under his flag, he supposes.

“It really is airborne, huh…?” Lina muses as she stares up. “I guess that’s why Teacher gave up on an actual flying runner, huh…?”

A giant one at that, Louis thinks to himself. How many people were needed to keep that thing manned? He supposes it doesn’t matter, because when it lands only three people step off the damned thing and approach.

Prince William is dressed as he was at the funeral, not too surprising. It wasn’t as if the man had chosen the color for mourning, but rather as a statement. One could not betray him, for he would betray first. Makes Louis sick.

The other two aren’t people he’s seen before. 

The first is a roussainte woman, her bright red hair cut short and framing her face. Her eyes were, admittedly, a striking sort of blue that pierced through. Different from the calming aqua that came to mind when he looked at Rella’s eyes or his own reflection…

She wears a white pantsuit, fitting well enough there’s no tattered edges like Basilio has on his own pants, but loose enough it hides just how much muscles she’s hiding underneath. Smart, he hates to admit. Keep your enemy guessing. Underneath it is a black dress shirt, her boots a similar color. Even the ascot around her neck is monochrome, a nice grey sort of color. It makes her hair and eyes stand out even more.

The other was a rhoag man, no doubt decently into his twilight years and all the wiser for it. Over his left eye is a simple eyepatch and he wears the makeup his tribe is known for, no doubt applied with care just this morning.

His suit is the inverse of the woman’s, black over white. Despite the color of his boots, it almost looks as if not a speck of dirt has touched them -- impressive, if he’s at the side of the Human-hunting prince all the time. He forgoes any sort of scarf or ascot, his neck more… open to attack.

Louis notes that in case they need it.

“Prince William!” Rella makes her way to his side before they can get too close. “Have you come to ensure everything is alright, your Highness?”

“She’s… workin’ with Prince William, huh?” Basilio mumbles, shoulders slumping. “Guess I shoulda seen that coming, but…”

“Rella’s a Sanctist saint,” Gallica says. “No one can blame you for not picking up on that, especially when they had her handing out blessings for Forden’s competition.”

Louis squeezes Basilio’s arm gently -- maybe he should have broken this to him when he noticed before… But then he might have just sounded insanely jealous or some such, wouldn’t he? This might actually have been the best way for this to go down.

“Your Highness!” Catherina bows to William, her ears pressing down in shame as she gains their attention again. “I’m so sorry for what happened here, even after you gave me the privilege of guiding Lady Rella through Euchronia…”

“Well,” the man speaks up. “The lass is safe, at the very least.”

The woman huffs, rolling her eyes at Catherina.

“I could have won that fight with the monk easily!” Catherina says. “Show him what true salvation is, if that lot hadn’t--”

“Calm yourself, Catherina,” the man speaks up again, holding up a hand. “Salvation takes time, you should know that.”

Prince William nods serenely at that, and it takes more than Louis wants to admit not to try and wipe the look he has on his face clean off. Instead, he stands stock still as the prince turns to look at them, eyes scanning up and down.

“I thank you for assisting my associate,” he says. “Though I must ask… do I know you?”

He’s studying Louis’s face. There’s only one place he could have met him, and that was years ago, when he was still so young. He supposes there’s a chance he remembers seeing him, but the chances were so slim… Louis just needs to play this off, and everything will be fine.

“Unless you secretly had an eye on the opening ceremony, I’m afraid not,” he says. “An elda such as I haven’t met much in the way of nobility, much less the crown prince himself. It’s truly an honor.”

“The opening ceremony… So you’re a candidate, then,” William hums, hand coming to his chin. “Commoners, but with quite the impressive Gauntlet Runner. One I had no use for, but impressive nonetheless.”

“One you had no use for?” Basilio echoes, brow furrowing.

He nods. “It was commissioned for me by my late fool of a father, may he rest in peace. But with The Salvator, I had no use for it. I’m glad to see it in good hands, even if Lord Corax also chose to dispose of it.”

“Teacher didn’t dispose of it,” Lina mumbles. “He just… said he had bigger things to focus on…”

“Is that so?” William’s gaze returns to Louis -- sharp and studying him still. “Is that why you joined this competition, then? To do bigger things?”

“If by bigger things you mean assist you,” Louis begins, the lie rolling off his tongue a little too easily. “Then yes. I am a candidate of no name at the moment, but any calling for your salvation is sure to make an impact.”

“So you stepped in to help to show those Sanctists we’re not the only ones fighting for that, lad,” the rhoag who had seemed steeped in thought a moment ago speaks again. “Or perhaps you were looking to improve your own ranks by joining us as soon as possible?”

“Showin’ any folks we can the salvation waitin’ for them is all we’re aiming for,” Basilio says, catching on quickly enough. “That’s all.”

“Is that so…?” William gives a smile, but his words are anything but kind. “I’m afraid I don’t see a need for more followers at the moment, however.”

“Come now, Prince William,” Rella chides, almost like a mother. “You are the one who said any are welcome into your flock, yes? Besides, I do believe the magic they hold is one that does not need Igniters…”

“Please, Prince William,” Fidelio finally joins in. “Your salvation is the way forward, yeah? Let us help you pave that way!”

“So long as you understand those who reject it have no place in the world to come,” William pauses a moment. “In fact, I want you to show the people what becomes of those who reject me. Like that wretched assassin at my father’s funeral. Find another and remind the people what rejecting true salvation brings, yes?”

And with that, he’s turning to walk away. Basilio’s tense at Louis’s side, fingers seeking Louis’s as Rella bids them a polite farewell and Catherina stomps off. But the rhoag remains behind for a moment, looking them all up and down.

“Thought I recognized you two,” he glances around, as if he only has but a moment to spare. “Tell me, how’s Fabienne been?”

“Dead,” Fidelio spits at him. “No thanks to you.”

“I…” He flinches. “I see… And Maria?”

“None of your damned business,” Basilio’s grip on Louis’s hand grows stronger. “Don’t you got a prince to be carin’ about over family, anyway?”

The rhoag says not another word before slinking away.

“I… certainly hope that didn’t just ruin the in I tried to create us with the prince,” Louis says as the Salvator takes off, Gallica and Lina staring up at it and chattering at one another. “...He knew Fabienne? Knows Maria?”

“Her sorry excuse for a pa,” Fidelio rubs under his nose as his tail flicks in annoyance. “Left her behind because his job was dangerous or some shite, only to find out he’s followin’ the guy who killed Ma around like a lapdog?!”

“Pisses me off,” Basilio grunts in agreement. “You tellin’ me he didn’t even recognize Ma when she got killed? If he comes anywhere near Maria, I swear I’ll…”

He squeezes Basilio’s hand in turn. “Alright, I understand. You two needn’t say anything else. He seemed ashamed enough he might keep this little interaction to himself, anyway…”

“Let’s get back on the road,” Fidelio turns on his heel, gesturing Lina along. “We wasted enough time here.”

Louis just lets Basilio drag him back to the runner without another word.

That night, Louis leaves the Magnus brothers at the fire alone. He’d thought about sticking around, but when sharing a look with Gallica he’d known it was best to leave them be. They were still upset about the earlier meeting with Maria’s father and needed some time to work through that. Just the two of them.

And so he walks through the Gauntlet Runner, Gallica at his side, unsure of just how he’ll spend his night. At least unsure until he hears a familiar voice from the lower levels.

“Ugh…. Darn it! Darn it all!”

“Uh…” Gallica raises an eyebrow. “Did you hear that?”

Louis nods.

“It’s a dead end!” Lina wails from below. “I’m sorry, Teacher, it seems this is the end for your only student!”

“Let’s say we go check on her,” Gallica suggests.

“Good idea,” Louis says. “She’s… young, I worry what she does when we leave her unattended, anyway.”

Louis climbs down the ladder and soon enough finds Lina by the engine, fretting to and fro. She doesn’t even notice the two of them at first, mumbling to herself and crying out in anguish again.

“Hey, Lina,” Gallica begins, voice as light as she can manage. “You alright?”

“Oh!” She jumps as she turns to look at them. “I’m fine, it’s fine, really!”

“It doesn’t seem like it’s fine,” Louis replies, crossing his arms. “You can talk to us about your worries, you know. We’re all a team here.”

“It’s just… the runner,” Lina admits after a moment. “Teacher once wanted to make it the best runner anyone’s ever seen, you know? Before Prince William rejected it and left him feeling like he had to move on… And even if he has, I haven’t. I need to prove I can do this, for Teacher and for my family. But I feel like I’m missing the… I don’t know what you’d call it? A spark that’d let me figure out where to go next!”

Gallica tilts her head to the side. “A spark?”

“A spark of inspiration! A… what did he call it again… A moment of epiphany! Like the one he had when he saw that old lost relic!”

Louis decides not to comment on the fact old and relic in the same sentence felt a bit like repeating the same word. “Lost relic? Have you heard of anything like that, Gallica?”

She shakes her head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Oh, something Teacher told me about! From a really, really ancient civilization. One more advanced than even we were!” Lina chirps as Louis flinches. “Lots of machinery, no need to work. Comforts and convenience as far as you can see!”

He holds his tongue when all he can think of are the bits those stories left out. The ones that make it clear just how that society fell and how the elda came to be the only ones with that knowledge. Knowledge he should share, even with someone this young.

But she wasn’t an Archetype user, not even a bond, thus far. Would it be safe to put that on the eugief’s shoulders like that? Even as Gallica calls it far-fetched, and Lina goes on about the fact that some people unearth these relics from time to time, he finds himself torn. Maybe not yet, maybe now wasn’t the time.

“So your teacher told you about these relics?” Louis finally settles on.

She nods. “Teacher had a teacher once upon a time, an old inventor who showed him one! He said it was like it lit a fire under him, invention after invention came to him, and he just couldn’t stop! Said he wished he could show me, but… You know.”

“Couldn’t he have asked his old teacher to show you?” Gallica asks.

Lina shakes her head. “He went back to his hometown, Teacher said. Never heard from him again, even though he was promised the relic in his will…”

“Okay so,” Gallica glances at Louis, who feels a bit more uncomfortable with this than she seems to be. “Where’s the guy’s hometown? Maybe we can go pick it up on your teacher’s behalf?”

“I think he said it was called Komero?” Lina taps her chin with a claw. “It’s a small place outside of Martira.”

“Well, we are headed that way as is,” Louis finally settles on. “But if we do this, you have to promise me you’ll be careful with whatever we find.”

“Of course!” Lina nods. “I’ll only use any inspiration it gives me for the good of improving the runner, you have my word!”

“Good enough, I suppose,” Louis mumbles, crossing his arms again. “Just one more question before we go, then?”

“Sure!” Lina chirps. “Ask away!”

“How old are you, again?”

“Sixteen, turned that just recently!” Lina hops in place a bit. “It’s great, isn’t it? Getting to go out and see so much while I’m still so young.”

“Mm, yes, wonderful,” Louis heads for the ladder without a second spared. “So great, I’ll be sure to tell Fidelio just how wonderful it is that he hired a child to drive us around the country without even telling us that was the case…”

“Oh boy…” Gallica sighs as she flutters after him. “Sleep is gonna be hard to come by tonight…”

Chapter Text

The next evening, they arrive in Martira. The sun is setting, reflecting off Lina’s fur and Gallica’s golden hair quite nicely. Based on how Basilio keeps peeking at him, he supposes his hair is doing the same. He supposes he might have to ask him about that later, then.

For now, he scans the town with a frown. Almost no one is about -- and this used to be the country's capital?

“Real dead,” Fidelio muses.

“Not many people out at all,” Gallica agrees. “Afraid of the kidnapper, you think?”

“Probably,” Basilio hums, hand on his hip. “...Guess all we can do is try and find that Rudolf ass, yeah? He’s probably waitin’ to try and scare us off.”

Louis nods. “Let’s show him we have no plans of backing down. We’ll find this Zorba and bring him to justice, no matter our tribes.”

“So you really came,” Rudolf clicks his tongue, and the clemar behind him rolls his eyes. “Here I thought paripus and elda were supposed to be flaky.”

“Too bad for you, mate, we’re here and we’re gonna find Zorba,” Basilio replies. “Even if you’re not happy ‘bout that, sure lots of folks hidin’ away indoors are.”

“Lady Joanna will at least be happy…” Rudolf grumbles, not seeming to be very excited about that.

“Lady Joanna?” Louis asks.

“She is the ruler of this city,” Rudolf snaps. “Though she’s a mere rhoag, she is a holy sanctoress and I expect you to treat her as such. Especially should you meet her in Kriegante Castle.”

“Sanctoress, eh?” Fidelio muses. “So you’re all rootin’ for Forden, then?”

“Better him than that damned prince,” Rudolf sneers. “There was even a fight on the road here, one where Forden’s ally was bested by William’s.”

“Well, just as William makes enemies, so do the Sanctists,” Louis shrugs, eyeing Rudolf. “Racism isn’t popular among those who are most affected by it, after all.”

“You…!”

“Captain, are ye sure we can’t do anything to scare off these strangers?” The clemar behind Rudolf finally speaks up. “These bounty boarders are clearly only in it for the money, not looking to help us or Lady Joanna from the goodness of their heart.”

“I don’t like it any more than you do, Morris,” Rudolf huffs, glaring at Louis. “But I cannot control who takes the bounty. They’re free to try, and we’ll just have to clean up whatever mess is left.”

“Feelin’ real welcome,” Fidelio rolls his eyes. “Next you’re gonna tell me we get to nap on spikes at the inn.”

“I’m gonna guess they’re a tad nicer there than these two are,” Basilio says. “But before we go find out how ‘bout you at least fill us in on the kidnappings. Make sure we got the full picture so we leave you less of a mess, yeah?”

Rudolf sniffs, considering what Basilio said. Seems like he’d said just the right thing, given he opens his mouth and speaks again. “Our children have been going missing for six months now. Before the job was handed off to me recently, we were looking at fifteen unaccounted for.”

“You weren’t the captain when this began?” Louis asks.

“Bardon was,” Rudolf huffs. “And now he’s off trying to become king -- I wish him luck, truly, but if he had still been here, perhaps the two of us could have solved this…”

Because they were both from the same tribe, no doubt. Louis keeps that observation to himself for now. “And you believe Zorba is behind this?”

“I know it’s him!” Rudolf snaps. “He came here, tried to live among us. When he was rejected for what he was, he decided to hurt us by taking our children.”

“And your proof for this?” Fidelio asks.

“Proof? He ran here after his own parents were killed for his cursed existence,” he snaps. “Why would he not take our children? A blood price in his twisted mind for the family he himself lost.”

Fidelio and Basilio share a look. “Uh huh… And he’s hidin’ out in the middle of sandworm territory, yeah?”

Louis pulls out the map, and Rudolf makes a mark of where the hideout is meant to be. Louis frowns as they look it over, Gallica hovering near his shoulder.

“So Zorba’s hideout is all the way out here?” She mumbles. “Looks pretty far from Martira.”

A multiple-day journey, Louis notes that down.

“We’ve been chasing every lead that comes to us, but none have borne fruit,” Rudolf grits his teeth together hard enough that Louis can hear it. “If this keeps going on…”

“We’ll find Zorba and put a stop to the kidnappings,” Louis replies. “Whether you like it or not.”

Rudolf turns his head away in disgust. “I’ll arrange a meeting for you with Lady Joanna, so your crash is all the more satisfying for the rest of us. The inn is that way. Begone with you.”

He marches off, Morris following behind. Louis starts towards the inn, only for Lina to tug on his sleeve and bring him to a halt.

“I think I’m gonna go sleep on the runner, if that’s okay!” Lina chirps. “I can always get a little more work in that way, and I’d feel better making sure no one can slip on and steal it that way!”

Louis hums. “Will you be alright by yourself?”

She nods. “Yup! I’ll lock the doors and everything, so no one’ll be able to get on and kidnap me!”

“Well, if you’re sure…” Gallica glances at Louis. “Just be careful, alright?”

She nods. “You got it! Have a good night, then!”

And off she goes, tripping at one point before righting herself and continuing at it. Louis shrugs after he’s sure enough she’ll make it back without an issue and starts for the inn again. They were meeting a sanctoress tomorrow… He should be rested for that.

The less sleep he had, the more likely he was to snap, after all.

The next morning, Louis finds his way to the castle easily enough. He’s on pins and needles as Rudolf silently leads them through the halls to the room where Joanna awaits them. She’s a small, frail-looking thing, but that’s not enough to make him let his guard down.

One could argue Forden’s a frail thing at his age, too, after all. Her clothing more resembles that of a flower than his, of course, plucked from a garden and presented to them. That just makes him even more wary.

“May I present Lady Joanna, sanctoress and ruler of this city,” Rudolf says, masking his racism for a moment as much as Louis and his companions give small bows. “These are the ones who have undertaken the request to subjugate Zorba.”

“I am Joanna, presiding lady of this city,” she smiles at them, hand on her chest. “On its behalf, you have my gratitude for travelling all the way from the Royal Capital.”

“You’ll find Lady Joanna refused to use any taxes to fund this,” Rudolf says. “And so she’s sold her own heirlooms and possessions to fund this bounty.”

Aha, so that’s why he couldn’t just turn them away for their tribes, then. It takes his all not to smugly grin at Rudolf upon learning that. But he withholds himself, at least for now.

“You care about your people a lot to do that,” Basilio speaks up instead. “We’ll do everything we can to make sure they can rest easy again soon.”

“I cannot claim any nobility above yours,” Joanna is quick to push back against the praise. “Even as other aspirants to the throne quarrel and bicker, you’ve chosen to instead help the kingdom’s people…”

Basilio shrugs. “Not like we’re doin’ it for free, yeah? We’re still getting paid and all, so…”

“Even so,” Joanna shakes her head. “Please put an end to this tragedy.”

“I’m simply fulfilling my duty as a candidate,” Louis speaks up. “We will see to it that your people are safe, Lady Joanna.”

“Thank you,” she beams at him. “In truth… I thought it foolish to decide a monarch by a simple vote of popularity. But… perhaps there is something to it. Here is my offer. If you get rid of the culprit, I will appeal to the people of this town to support you.”

Louis’s eyes widen, and he glances at Rudolf, who sneers at the idea. Morris seems equally upset by it, looking away with his teeth grinding together a tad more quietly than Rudolf’s had the day before. He supposes he can understand the upset and shock, though. A sanctoress, putting her support behind an elda?

He’s having trouble believing it himself.

“Real kind of you… But can ya really do that?” Fidelio asks. “You’re a sanctoress, for cryin’ out loud! Forden prob’ly expects your support out the gate.”

“Indeed,” she nods before once again looking at Louis. “However, I would rather have a king who truly cares for his subjects.”

“Well, I’ll be…” FIdelio mumbles.

“Now, I must return to my duties,” she says as she stands and bows to them in turn. “I shall await our next meeting.”

After departing from Joanna and the guards, Louis and company split up to try and find any information they can on Zorba and the sandworm den. After all, there had to be a way the man was sneaking into Martira to steal the children and getting out undetected. And without being eaten by the sandworms, to boot!

But, as it was turning out, finding actual information on all of this was a lot harder than it looked. He and Gallica have come up empty-handed, and as they stand outside the inn with the Magnus brothers? Prospects aren’t looking very high.

“Not a lick of useful info,” Basilio groans. “Guess we shoulda expected they wouldn’t know anythin’ since they still haven’t caught the guy, yeah?”

“Can’t give up, though,” Fidelio replies. “There’s gotta be info somewhere, we just gotta figure out where to look…”

“Guess so,” Basilio crosses his arms. “But…”

“We can’t just fruitlessly go looking until we find where to look,” Louis nods in agreement without the paripus even needing to speak. “So what do we do…?”

They stand in silence for a moment, all grumbling and mumbling to themselves, when yet another paripus wanders by. Blue skin and long blue hair, Louis thinks he remembers seeing him a few times back in Grand Trad.

No, he knows he remembers seeing him a few times. The first when he was drunk and causing all sorts of a rabble, and then the day of the funeral itself being a bit more well-behaved. He wonders when he started off this way, then.

“Hey, ‘scuse me,” Fidelio waves him down. “Got a second to answer a question?”

“Sorry, but don’t think I can help you lot,” the man puts his hands behind his head. “I’m here on vacation. You’re better off gettin’ answers from the locals, eh?”

And with that, he walks off.

“What a weirdo…” Basilio mumbles.

Louis nods in agreement, about to say something, when Morris approaches. Well, this was unexpected. Given the day before and earlier, he’d expected him to avoid them like they were carrying a plague. The same as Rudolf was currently doing.

“Hey, you lot…” he begins as he gets within earshot. “Ye seriously going to hunt down Zorba?”

“We are,” Louis says, even as Gallica huffs about his attitude. “Did Rudolf send you to scare us away?”

“No, came here on my own,” he shakes his head. “Not sure I should even tell you this, but here I am… There’s actually a way to avoid the giant sandworms. You’ve just got to wait for the sandflash.”

“Sandflash?” Louis asks.

“It’s a local event, a kind of storm,” Morris gestures about with his leg thanks to his hand holding a spear at the moment. “When the wind kicks up sand peppered with magic crystals. Not too uncommon a sight ‘round here. Our diviners say we’ll have a sandflash in ‘bout five days. Seems to put most wild beasts to sleep.”

“Does it now?” Gallica asks, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Might be some magic effect,” Morris shrugs. “Or might just be waitin’ out the storm. And that includes sandworms, eh? They’ll nod off, and with proper timing, you’ll sneak right past ‘em. Zorba might well be usin’ the same trick himself.”

“Thanks for the info, but…” Basilio’s narrowing his eyes now. “If you knew this, why didn’t you guards head out and deal with ‘im yourself?”

“A guard unit stomping around would wake up the whole den,” Morris shakes his head. “Dinnae much like saying it, but us local lads wouldn’t be much use against Zorba, anyway. You heard from Rudolf about his weird ability to make things come to life, right?”

Louis nods. “Like the necromancer we dealt with in Grand Trad, yes?”

“Exactly, that’s part of why ye think you can handle him, aye?” Morris nods. “Wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Louis isn’t sure how much he trusts this… But a lead of any sort is better than none. And so he nods. “I suppose with this information we can at least get to him, yes.”

“Good luck out there,” Morris grins at them, cocking his hip. “And dinnae worry, no charge for the advice, eh?”

“Sure, sure,” Fidelio waves a hand in the air. “Not like your Lady Joanna ain’t linin’ our pockets when we’re done here.”

“And, er, one more thing,” he glances around. “Ye didn’t get this info from me. Aye? Don’t want Rudolf tannin’ my hide for helping you lot out.”

“Fair enough,” Basilio nods. “He’s a real character, that captain of yours.”

“Tell me about it,” Morris makes a face. “Anyway, I’m counting on ye.”

He walks away, and they all share looks with one another. None of them seem fully sold on this, but…

“Better than nothin’, I suppose,” Basilio groans, rubbing the back of his head. “Five days ‘til we can at least try to catch Zorba, yeah?”

“It’s far enough out, we’ll have to head out a day early,” Fidelio says. “Should probably let Lina know if that’s the case.”

Louis nods. “I’m not sure I trust Morris completely, but…”

“Still better than nothing, I guess,” Gallica sighs. “Well, we’ll just have to be extra careful! C’mon, let’s go talk to Lina.”

Lina’s about to go back to working on tune-ups so they can make it to the den without any problems in five days, and Louis is heading out when something strange happens. As if a piece of the gauntlet runner is trying to interact with him. A teleporter of some sort, Lina says. Made to work with the prince, though she’s been… messing around with the frequency, whatever that means.

It’s too late to worry about it now, though, so he leaves the lower floor and heads to sleep. He’ll check it in the morning to make sure it won’t affect travels, but… Better to do it with a head cleared after a good night's rest, right?

That’s when his eyes open to Akademia.

“Louis,” Lilith smiles at him. “Your journey is going well, it seems.”

“Is it now?” He asks. “Do you have something you wish to talk about?”

“That eugief girl, Lina was it?” Lilith muses. “I believe the tuning of the frequency is awakening more than she knows…”

“You mean that piece of equipment that… reacted to me,” Louis says.

She nods. “A piece of equipment from a time long past, one that contains a power most could only dream of.”

“And what kind of power would that be?”

“The power of teleportation,” she says as if that’s the most normal thing to drop on his lap. “Of course, it is limited in its reach… But the limit should not harm you, but rather aid you. After all, it will allow you to connect to your bonds that would otherwise be far out of reach.”

“Limited?” He raises a brow.

“You’ll come to understand it soon enough,” she promises. “For now, simply close your eyes, my dear. Imagine a place dear to you, where you have walked the streets. When you open your eyes again… Who knows what you’ll see, hm?”

Louis nods, still not fully understanding… But he supposes he just has to put his trust in Lilith. He’s done that so far, so why not do it again now? And so he closes his eyes and he dreams. Dreams of the streets of Grand Trad.

Waking up to Lina and the others in a panic when they’re all in fact in Grand Trad again? Well, maybe he’ll be more careful about trusting Lilith from here on.

Chapter Text

After settling things down, Louis theorizing the whole teleportation thing was possible because he and the prince both had eldan blood flowing through them, he finds himself off to sharpen his skills. They’d be setting out to find Zorba in five days time, after all. No point in letting their skills get rusty before then.

Given they were already back in Martira, he supposes it is best to check for any bounties they have there. Other than the obvious one they were trying to deal with, of course.

He’s on his way there when a paripus bumps into him as he rushes past in quite a hurry. “Oh, my apologies! You alright there?”

“Fine,” Louis nods. “Are you alright?”

“That’s a relief, a-and of course, I’m fine!” He glances to the side. “W-Well, I’ll be off now!”

And with that, he rushes off. Louis frowns. What had that been about? He’s about to ask Gallica her thoughts when the blue paripus from the day before makes himself known, throwing himself onto a nearby crate as a makeshift seat of sorts.

“You really just gonna let him run off like that?” He asks, brow quirked. “Even though he snatched somethin’ of yerrs when you bumped into each other?”

Louis grimaces, pulling his bag around to look through it, Gallica looking with him. Shit.

“Fabienne’s dagger is missing!” She gasps. “L-let’s chase after him!”

Louis does just that, following the direction he’d gone. He and Gallica do a circle of the entire bloody town before ending up back where they started, still without Fabienne’s dagger. If Fidelio heard about this, Louis was dead.

“I didn’t see a hair of him,” he grumbles.

“Geez,” Gallica groans. “How’d he disappear so fast?!”

Louis grunts, looking at the man who’d even pointed out the theft. “You noticed it happening, any idea where he might be now?”

He looks at them through half-lidded eyes. “Might know a thing or two about it, but what’s in it for me?”

“In it for you?” Gallica stumbles over her words for a moment. “Well, er, if you help us, you get… To make sure we get something really important to us back!”

He shrugs. “That’s nice and all, but there’s more important things to help with, eh?”

“Oh, come on…” Gallica groans. “Not even a hint?”

Louis thinks for a moment, arms crossed against his chest. “Consider it… a kingly investment of sorts. Having the future king owe you a debt is quite the reward in its own right, no?”

“Future king?” He barks out a laugh. “Dunno if you think I’ll actually fall for that or if you’re real crazy! But hey, maybe it’ll be fun enough to have you in debt to me, anyway…”

“Then you’ll give us information?” Louis asks.

“I’ll do ya one better,” he holds up a finger before either he or Gallica can speak. “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yers, get the item back to you no problem.”

“And what would you have us do?” Louis asks, deciding not to point out that this would totally ruin the entire point of having a favour sitting in wait from the future king.

He gestures them closer and, after sharing a look with Gallica, Louis does just that.

“You ever heard of Malveno’s ring?” He asks, grinning. “Rumor has it if ya put it on it’ll kill ya.”

“I can’t say I have,” Louis shakes his head.

“Well, I know a noble type that wants to get his hands on it,” he says. “And it’d be real good for me to get a favour from him, too.”

“...So you want us to get it for you?” Gallica shakes her head. “That’s more of a hassle than getting the dagger back ourselves!”

“Then get it back,” he waves a hand in the air. “If you’re so sure it’ll be that easy to chase down the bloke who vanished, no need to even talk to me, eh?”

“The way you talk…” Gallica looks over at Louis.

“Are you in on this?” He asks, hand on his hip and brow raised.

He barks out a laugh. “Nothin’ like that! We’re just in the same predicament, so like I said. You scratch my back, I scratch yours.”

“Scratching backs has never sounded so unappealing,” Gallica mumbles.

“You’re in the tournament if you’re talkin’ about kingly investments and the like,” the man leans forward, resting his chin against his hand. “Info’s a powerful thing for the likes of you. Get me that ring before the dagger’s sold off, and you’ll see that for yourself. Or you can just risk tryin’ to track it down after…”

“Well…” Gallica bites her lower lip. “What do you think, Louis?”

“Where would we find the ring?” Louis asks.

“Nearby grave, an abandoned tomb” he gestures for Louis to hand over his map, and so he does. He watches as he marks down the place. “Shouldn’t take more than a day to get here in that fancy runner of yers.”

“Well, they do say some soldiers who died in the annex war were buried with their equipment, but…” Gallica groans, shaking her head. “Whatever, this is giving me a headache. You finish up here, Louis!”

And with that, she flutters away. He silently curses her before turning back to the paripus.

“She don’t like me much, huh?” He chuckles, turning his eyes back to Louis. “Whaddya say, though?”

“I don’t think we have much of a choice here,” he huffs. “So, I suppose we’ll be working together.”

“Good!” He stands up. “Name’s Loveless, by the way. I’ll be here when you get back with that ring, eh? Don’t let me down now!”

He slaps Louis on the back, and Louis decides against punching or kicking him. At least for now. Maybe something they can work on before going after Zorba, or maybe after… He supposes he’ll just have to wait and see.

Ugh, his head hurts.

Louis initially considers the Abandoned Tomb, but decides that starting with a den of Goborns is a better idea. Something they’re used to, with a little more in the way of options for dealing with them. He was going to avoid any sort of club or staff, still… But Merchant could be useful here.

He’s considering his options when he notices Fidelio out on deck, staring at the passing scenery as his tail flicks to and fro. Louis realizes he’s not checked in on the Vinca situation in a while, maybe he can spare a moment while they travel to talk to him?

He comes to a stop next to him, leaning against the railing in turn. “So.”

“So,” Fidelio echoes. “Need somethin’?”

“Wanted to check in with you,” Louis replies. “Were you and Basilio able to chat with Vinca before we left Grand Trad?”

Fidelio nods, still not turning to look at Louis. “We chatted, offered him that money from that Milo character. He got real mad at that, him and Bas got into a shouting match.”

Louis grimaces. “So it didn’t go well.”

“Eh,” he shrugs. “Think it worked out for the best. Told me my gut feelin’ was right, at least.”

“And what was your gut feeling?” Louis raises a brow.

“That he’s hidin’ something from us,” Fidelio finally looks at him. “You don’t really know ‘im, so I wasn’t expectin’ you to pick up on it, but Vinca’s definitely trying to keep something from me an’ Bas. Let enough slip for me to let me know that much.”

“What kind of things do you think he’s hiding from you?”

“That’s the hard part,” Fidelio rubs the back of his head, huffing. “There’s all sorts of things it could be. Involved in some sorta crime, owes money to the wrong types, under the thumb of the church again somehow…”

“Did his words leave you with any clues?” Louis asks. “Maybe something Basilio picked up on that you didn’t?”

Fidelio hums, tapping his foot against the ground. “...Be right back.”

He pushes away from the side of the deck and heads back towards the inside of the runner. A few moments later, he returns, Basilio following right after him. Basilio smiles at him, and Louis tries to give one back.

“Talkin’ about Vinca, yeah?” Basilio says as he comes to a stop next to Fidelio. “If you ask me, I think he’s workin’ for the wrong crowd.”

“Y’think so?” Fidelio hums, rubbing his chin. “Think it’s his own choice?”

“Dunno about that,” Basilio frowns. “Feel like if it was he might offer to get us in on it, like. But it was more like…”

“He wanted to keep you away, either because he thinks you’d step in or because he’s afraid you’d be hurt as well,” Louis suggests.

Basilio nods, Fidelio hums.

“That idiot’s real stubborn, ain’t he?” Fidelio mumbles. “If he thought it’d get us hurt there’s no way he’d just spill…”

“So,” Louis says. “You think he might be in trouble.”

“Sure do,” Fidelio sighs. “But I’ll have to look into it more, try and find more info to go off.”

“Gotta corner Vinca,” Basilio explains. “But not so much that he feels the need to lash out, yeah?”

“He’s quite big,” Louis says. “And Fidelio is quite small. If he lashed out, things might get messy.”

Fidelio glares at him. “Might be small, but I can still kick your ass, Blondie!”

Louis looks at the scenery. They still have a bit of a ways to go before they make it to the Imp’s Den… So why not have some more fun with this? It could be good practice, after all. 

“I’d like to see you try,” he says, standing up straight. “Go ahead, do your worst.”

Fidelio drops into a fighting stance. “Those are fightin’ words!”

“I…” Basilio takes a step back. “Think I’m gonna go grab Gallica.”

The rest of that day goes by in a blur, and the start of the next isn’t much better. When Louis finally realizes he’d indeed decided to help two separate people with issues in the mausoleum, he wonders if he’d been sleepwalking through the day. Maybe the missing dagger was still on his mind, and that’s why they were here.

“Ugh,” Gallica speaks and pulls him from his thoughts. “It’s no better the second time around, that’s for sure.”

“Probly worse,” Basilio sniffs the air and makes a face. “Not like we’re dashin’ right into the cathedral this time. Gotta stick around all the ghosts and ghoulies this time.”

“Least Ma’s resting in peace this time,” Fidelio says, and Louis holds back the flinch he feels coming on. “C’mon, let’s just get this all over with and get back to the inn. If we’re gonna be in Grand Trad today, might as well spend some time with Maria.”

“Del’s got the right idea!” Basilio grins, looking at Louis. “Lead the way, Lou.”

“Right,” he nods. “We’ll start this way…”

Healer and Seeker should be useful here, he thinks. Maybe Mage as well, to help spread the effects of the Healer’s Hama… He supposes that will work, and with the new Archetype potential, the conversation and semi-fight with Fidelio had given…

Yes, Mage would be a good fit for Fidelio right now. He decides to go with that and tries to put the dead woman out of his mind, if only for a moment.

“I really hate this place,” Gallica sighs as they make it back to the entrance. “Way too creepy, and it just keeps making me think about how we lost Fabienne’s--”

“Gallica,” Louis hisses out. “Don’t.”

“You lost what ?” Fidelio asks, eyes narrowing as he looks between them.

“Uh…” Gallica swallows hard. “You know, the, uh…”

“The what?” Basilio asks, hands on his hip, a frown on his face. “Go on, out with it!”

“Nothing! Nothing was lost!” Gallica laughs nervously. “Don’t mind me, just rambling to myself, you know!”

“Yeah, sure,” Fidelio turns his gaze to Louis. “Since she’s a bad liar, I’m expectin’ you to spill to save at least a little face.”

Louis looks away from Fidelio and towards Basilio, but that feels even worse. His gaze turns upwards instead, towards the ceiling. Still not a pretty sight, but better than having to look either of the brothers in the eyes when he tells them what happened.

“A man stole Fabienne’s dagger when we were distracted,” he says, pausing for a gasp and a sharp inhale of breath. Basilio and Fidelio in that order, he thinks. “We might not have noticed until it was too late if that strange blue man hadn’t said something.”

“The one who wouldn’t help us with the sandworm shite?” Fidelio snaps. “Was he in on it or something?”

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Gallica says. “He… offered to help us get it back, if we, uh…”

“Scratch his back first,” Louis rolls his eyes just thinking about it. “I’m not a fan of the idea, but… We couldn’t find the man ourselves, so he’s our best bet to get it back.”

“You want us to look for him, too?” Basilio offers.

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind it,” Louis shrugs. “But I would rather ensure we get it back. It’s…”

“Important,” Fidelio says. “...You were gonna make us help you help him, though, weren’t you?”

Louis finally looks at the brothers, Fidelio staring at him unimpressed, and Basilio frowning at him. He already regrets pulling his eyes away from the ceiling, but he has to own it now.

“We would all travel via the gauntlet runner,” he says. “But I would go in alone, if you two would prefer.”

“Lou,” Basilio shakes his head. “You think we’re that heartless, ya ass?!”

“Wh--”

“We’re in this together!” Basilio huffs, stomping over to him. “We trust you, you say you trust us… So just tell us so we can help you.”

“He said it best,” Fidelio walks over, kicking him gently in the shin. “Thought you knew to talk to us, but guess habits are hard to break, yeah?”

“Very,” Louis says, breaking his gaze from the brothers again.

Basilio nuzzles his cheek, and he thinks he’s about to be kissed on it when teeth dig into his skin for just a moment. It doesn’t hurt much , but it sure does shock him out of any spiral he might have been about to go on. His hand flies up to cover his cheek, and he jumps.

“What was that for?” He huffs.

“Just remindin’ you that shite hurts when you don’t talk to us,” Basilio pokes him in the chest. “So talk, Lou.”

“Fine,” Louis sighs. “...We have to hunt down a ring for the man, Loveless he said his name is.”

“Easy enough,” Fidelio nods. “We gonna do that soon, then?”

“After Zorba, I think,” Louis says. “From what I’ve gathered, there’s a good chance the dangers there are worse than the sandworms, sleeping or not.”

“So we go deal with a kidnapper to get a little stronger, then deal with whatever nasties are waitin’ for us,” Basilio rolls his shoulders. “Works for me. But for now, let’s get some grub, yeah?”

“That…” Louis’s stomach grumbles. “Sounds nice, yes.”

Basilio laughs, Fidelio punches him playfully in the shoulder, and Gallica sighs. Louis finds himself smiling a little as they exit into a lovely evening in the capital.

Chapter Text

The next day, Louis doesn’t want to move from the pile of siblings he finds himself in. Basilio to the left, Fidelio to the right, and Maria curled up on his chest… he feels like he could stay like this forever. And hey, who’s to say a day of rest before setting out to find Zorba was a bad idea?

He lets his head hit against the pillow again and closes his eyes. Staying like that until the bed creaks and he can’t help but peek. Fidelio is leaving first -- he does always seem to be the first one up.

Carefully moving Maria to lay in his spot, he stands and follows after him. The conversation about Vinca and the potential danger he was in on his mind. Now that they were back in Grand Trad, there was no doubt in his mind about what Fidelio would focus on next.

If Louis could offer him even a little bit of support… Well, he would. That was part of being trusted and putting his trust in others, after all. And he really would rather not be bitten by Basilio again.

At least not because Basilio was mad at him, but that was a thought for another time.

He nods at Brigitta as he passes and she nods in return. No words pass, but he supposes that’s for the best when the sun is just peeking over the horizon. The Hushed Honeybee isn’t even open and they both have their own things to do, after all.

…He’ll check in on her when guilt over losing her wife’s dagger isn’t gnawing at his stomach. Loveless will just have to come through on his end of the deal so that’s even possible, he supposes.

Ugh. It was easier to have faith in the Magnus brothers than a stranger whose first impression on him had been that of a drunkard. But beggars can’t be choosers, at least not in situations like this, can they?

No time for that, anyway. He focuses back on Fidelio, following him through the streets of Grand Trad. Speaking to every person he can, the shady and the upstanding, no doubt looking for any answers. Louis follows after, listening to the murmurs of onlookers as he goes.

He hopes Fidelio’s having better luck than he is, because so far? Not a useful thing to be found. Maybe that’s what he got for only picking up on the scraps that came from Fidelio’s investigation.

He’s trying to listen to about three nearby conversations of onlookers at once when his following becomes a more active bit of participation. Fidelio’s somehow found a way to stop the songstress Junah herself and is talking to her when the nidia notices and recognizes him.

“Oh, Mister Elda!” She calls, waving at him. “Is there a reason you’re eavesdropping on us?”

He flinches as Fidelio looks at him and rolls his eyes. “I wasn’t eavesdropping on you… ”

“But you were listenin’ in and following me around,” Fidelio says as he approaches properly. “What’s with that?”

“You noticed that?” Louis asks, frowning. “And didn’t say anything?”

He shrugs. “Wanted to see how long it took you to notice that I noticed.”

“Well, I was just looking for information you might miss while you were in conversation,” Louis glances at Junah, trying to figure out how much he can say. “I’m afraid it’s been a bit of a bust, though.”

“Oh, about his friend and what he’s involved in, right, love?” Junah asks. “I’m afraid I don’t have much to add there, either. Other than keeping an eye on some of the shadier nobles around town…”

“Shady nobles doing shady shite,” Fidelio mumbles. “Who’d have guessed it?”

“What can I say?” Junah shrugs. “A lady like me can only find out so much, boys. Besides, do you really have time to be focusing on this?”

“Whaddya mean?” Fidelio asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Your friend here is in the running for the throne,” Junah points out. “Do you have time to be worrying about the little things?”

“If Blondie couldn’t make time for the little things, I wouldn’t be followin’ him,” Fidelio replies. “Not my style to throw my lot in behind someone who talks big but doesn’t actually do anythin’ to make it happen.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Junah looks at Louis, and his skin crawls. “Only other real choice there is the Sanctifex, and I don’t think either of you seems the type to support him.”

“If he fell over dead tomorrow I’d be pissed it took this long,” Fidelio glances at Louis and he swears there’s a hint of pity behind them. “Should’ve bitten it years ago.”

“Oh my!” Junah gasps in faux-shock. “Quite strong words, don’t you think?”

“Just words,” Fidelio says. “Not like we can do anything to your fancy little Sanctifex, anyway.”

“He’s right,” Louis says, and he hates that that’s true. “If you have no more information for us and only wish to push your religion on us, then…”

“I’ll be going, I can tell when I’m not wanted,” she winks at them. “See you around, handsomes.”

Louis makes a face and looks at Fidelio, who’s a bit red in the face. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Not a word,” Fidelio snaps. “A guy can find a lady pretty even if she’s a Sanctist.”

“At least Rella saved Basilio’s life,” Louis shoots back.

“Don’t start with me, Blondie…!”

That night, Louis finds himself reading a children’s book to Maria, and it’s actually kind of nice. What’s not as nice is Brigitta being nearby and watching him, likely with something to say to him. He still finds himself rather wanting to avoid her until the guilt can subside, but… When you’re staying in a woman’s inn, if she wants to talk to you, you talk.

“Thanks for reading, Mister Louis!” Maria chirps as he finishes the book. “I hope you can read more to me when everything’s done…”

“Hopefully,” Louis smiles. “I’m sure I can find a time between my kingly duties and other important things to do so.”

Maria nods seriously. “Like planning your wedding with Bas.”

He blinks repeatedly, and Brigitta snickers as he tries to find the words for this. “E… Excuse me?”

“I heard him saying he’s going to be the, uh, future prince-consort,” Maria says. “I asked Mama Brigitta, and she says that would mean he’s your husband! So… you’re getting married, right?”

“I, well,” he splutters and decides he needs to talk to Basilio about being careful with his jokes in the future. “I’m not against it per se, but it’s a bit early to be considering marriage, I mean, we’ve known each other for less than a month, and…”

Maria frowns at him, her eyes wide and wet. “...So you don’t wanna marry Bas and become part of the family…?”

“No!” Louis shakes his head. “That… isn’t what I meant, I would love to marry Basilio one day--”

He looks at Brigitta, who raises an eyebrow at him. He feels himself flushing, Maria staring at him and waiting for him to finish his thought. Swallowing hard, he looks away from Basilio’s mother to give himself the strength to say what he needs to.

“I am unsure of how it works in most of Euchronia, but where I grew up, it was common courtesy to ask for the blessing of your partner’s parents if you wanted to marry them, so I… Uh. Would have to make sure it is alright with your mother first.”

Brigitta laughs, shaking her head. “Basilio’s his own man, Louis. If he wants to marry you and you want to marry him, then by all means.”

“It’s just a courtesy,” Louis replies. “Even if you didn’t approve, I’m sure one day I would propose. I just… Care about your opinion, I suppose.”

“Well, if Mama Brigitta doesn’t approve, I do!” Maria chirps. “So please marry Bas and become my big brother too, Mister Louis!”

“You heard her,” Brigitta says. “Maria’s approval is what matters most here, so help give her a big family, alright?”

“I…” Louis flushes, likely a bright shade of red. “I’ll do my best.”

When they set out the next day, Louis is hoping to spend most of the time preparing to face Zorba. When a Gauntlet Runner comes rushing up next to them and challenges them to a duel, however? Well, that sure puts a damper on things. Especially when the voice is familiar.

Louis heads for the deck, the others following him, and he tells himself it was only a matter of time. After all, the Brawler bond couldn’t sit untouched forever, now could it?

“I knew it was your runner!” Glodell snaps the moment they make it on deck.

“Glodell?!” Gallica gasps. “Why are you in a runner?!”

“The same reason you lot are,” Glodell scoffs. “I’m in the running for the throne. And I’ll have to take you all down here and now, there’s no way I can let myself lose here!”

“Very well, then,” Louis readies his blade. “Don’t think we’ll go easy on you just because we helped you find Hector last time, hm?”

“You better fight like your life depends on it!” Glodell snaps in response. “Now come, Hector! Let’s show them what we’re made of!”

“Dammit!” Glodell falls to his knees on the deck of Louis’s runner. “How did I lose?! How did you do that?!”

He shrugs. “I just train, as you surely do. You weren’t a slouch yourself, Glodell.”

Glodell stands, eyes lighting up a bit at that. “You truly mean that?”

“Hector was especially formidable,” he decides on to keep him from getting too cocky. “...I didn’t realize you were interested in the throne.”

“Of course I am,” Glodell says. “What disgraced noble wouldn’t be?”

“You’re a noble, then?” He raises an eyebrow.

“A disowned one, but yes,” Glodell nods. “My family is much too happy to rest on their laurels and money, rather than use their strength. But I’m sure you’ve seen it. Without strength, you get nowhere in this world.”

“And you plan to prove that by becoming king?” Louis asks.

“There’s no better way to prove your ambition,” Glodell replies. “Surely that’s why you’re in the running as well, to show the world just what an elda can actually do when he holds power.”

“Not exactly,” Louis says. “Though giving off the impression of strength isn’t a bad thing… Makes people less likely to underestimate you.”

“You get it, at least somewhat, then,” Glodell rubs his chin in thought. “I suppose that means you’ll be the real competition here, Louis. Forget Sanctifex Forden and Prince William! I’ll be sure to defeat you in glorious combat one of these days.”

“Certainly,” Louis crouches to pet Hector. “Make sure he doesn’t die so he can actually attempt that, won’t you, Hector?”

The dog barks in response.

“Good boy.”

“Hey!” Glodell stomps his foot. “It’s me you’re talking to here, not Hector! Focus up!”

Louis sighs and stands up straight again. “Fine, fine. Well, I look forward to seeing you grow, Glodell. May the best man win, hm?”

“Yes, of course I will!” Glodell flips his bangs, and Louis frowns.

“You know what, I take it back.”

“Wh…!”

“Say, Lou,” Basilio leans his head against Louis’s shoulder as they settle down for the night. “I’ve never seen you without your gloves on. There a reason for that?”

Louis flinches. He should have expected this to come up eventually, should have expected the strange choice to never be without them to be noticed. He’d just hoped it wouldn’t be so soon. Then again, with the topic of trust so recently on everyone’s mind…

“There is a reason,” he finally replies. “One that I am… not yet ready to share. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Basilio shrugs. “Just curious, is all. Figured you’d tell me when you were ready, but…”

“Just couldn’t help but get curious enough to ask, hm?” Louis teases, running a finger underneath his chin. “It’s alright. I promise you’ll know as soon as I’m ready, it’s just…”

“I get it,” Basilio nods. “We all have stuff we hide, yeah? Just… Hope I can help you trust me enough to show me sooner rather than later, like.”

“And I will,” Louis replies. “I already trust you more than I trust most. I just hope this doesn’t make you trust me less.”

“Not at all,” Basilio wraps his arms around Louis’s waist, pulling him closer. “So long as you stop hidin’ things that involve me and Del from us, there’s no question about trust. This is just a Lou thing for now, and that’s okay.”

“Eventually it will be a Lou and Bas thing,” Louis mumbles, hands resting on either side of Basilio’s face. “I promise you that.”

He presses his forehead against Louis’s. “Yeah. That sounds nice, whenever you’re ready. I look forward to it, to seein’ all of you.”

Louis shudders at the words a bit, nerves and excitement both running through his veins. To show all of him… That’s something he never thought would come. That no one would ever see past the veil that covers him.

But when he’s with Basilio, he feels that maybe, just maybe, someone will see all of him one day. Will see and accept every part of him. Will love every scar and every ugly, hidden thought sitting against his heart.

He pulls Basilio closer, all the while hoping that day will come soon.

Chapter Text

“This weather should have all the sandworms conked out,” Gallica chirps as they come to a stop in front of the den.

“Y’know, never seen a sandworm before,” Basilio rubs the back of his head. “I think some folks at the inn were eating the larvae, but…”

“Well, I assume they’re tubes like any worm,” Louis replies.

“Heard they grow real consistently,” Fidelio says. “Can get real big and be a real pain to deal with. Kinda like you.”

“Oi…!”

“Ugh,” Gallica shudders. “I don’t even wanna think about it… What kind of man would want to live in a den of those things?”

“A strange one, no doubt,” Louis frowns as they stare at the mouth of the cave. “One quite sure of his ability, or perhaps--”

A rumble, Louis pauses as they all look around. 

“Knew that Morris was probably bullshittin’ us, but this sounds like a lot of beasties,” Fidelio says.

“Gotta stay on our toes, I s’pose,” Basilio reaches for the sword on his back. “If we just--”

From the sand comes a hulking beast of a worm, no… Louis grimaces as Gallica lets out a yelp of surprise. The face that bursts from the front of the creature makes it clear what they’re dealing with here.

“A Human,” Louis hisses. “On your guard!”

“We’re not getting away without a fight…” Gallica flutters about. “Get ready, you guys…!”

Fidelio is the first to surge forward, shooting shards of ice from the hands of the Mage. A good move, as the monster rears back with a screech. Louis wastes no time moving in himself, blade striking against the monster as it howls.

Basilio calls upon the Knight as he does so, drawing the ire of the beast with a yell, as Fidelio lands yet another blow. Dust is kicked up as the monster rages, and it becomes harder to see, Gallica doing what she could to diminish the effects of that.

They should have come earlier if this was all the sandflash earned them. A normal set of worms would be preferable to this, Louis thinks as his sword digs into its side. He’s slammed backwards as the being shakes itself.

And then, it burrows under the ground.

“I think we managed to drive it back!” Gallica cheers. 

Louis considers celebrating when it rises again, and they’re all swallowed whole.

Louis never wants to think about arses or feces again. Not that he wanted to think about the latter much to begin with, but now? Now, even the former would be enough to make his skin crawl.

He makes a face as he shakes more of the… gunk from the Human’s bowels from his body. Fidelio sniffs himself and makes a face, and Basilio begins shaking himself off as if he were a dog.

“Eugh! Stop that!” Fidelio hisses. “We don’t want that crap all over us, either.”

“Not actually crap,” Basilio replies. “More just… weird slime.”

“I’d rather we not think about what it really is,” Louis speaks up. “...Perhaps the smell will at least cover our tracks?”

“...So no more trips into a Human’s stomach?” Gallica shudders. “...Maybe I’ll take it.”

“Morris’ll pay for tricking us like this,” Fidelio grumbles. “If I could slather him in this shite, I would.”

“Think Rudolf was in on it?” Basilio asks. “Both of ‘em seemed to want us gone, even though we were just tryin’ to help, like.”

“Nah,” Fidelio shakes his head. “He wouldn’t have acted so scared about Rudolf hearin’ about it if that were the case. That one’s just an idiot racist.”

“While Morris is an actual threat,” Louis says. “One we’ll have to deal with when we get back.”

And get a good bath in, if he could find the time. His stomach flips at the idea of Basilio or Fidelio seeing him… His scarred arm aches at the thought, and his leg would probably do the same if they both weren’t burning from their dangerous escape moments ago.

Basilio nods. “For now… Gotta find Zorba. He’s gotta be somewhere in the den here, yeah?”

“Let’s hope that wasn’t a lie, too,” Fidelio mumbles.

“Like you said, Del, Rudolf probably wasn’t in on it, so he’d have no reason to lie,” Basilio says. “...Or at least the Sanctoress lady had no reason to lie, I s’pose.”

“I hate to say it, but Joanna is likely the most trustworthy here, and she didn’t give us any information that pointed to a different location,” Louis says after a moment of thought. “We can always investigate and return with one less area to search if it does end up a dead end, come on.”

The inside of the den was large, though Louis supposes that makes enough sense for the home of giant sandworms. The lake in the center is quite beautiful, too… The hut, however, surely stands out.

So Zorba really was here, then. Though that left the question of where he was keeping his victims. Despite how spacious it was, it wasn’t lacking for monsters. Many of which would surely have killed the children long before Zorba could make a single reeve from them.

It was a headache, but what could they do but push onwards? Zorba could surely answer any question they had when they found and stopped him, after all.

They’re nearly to the hut when the Human attacks again. Louis sees it coming right for him when suddenly someone strikes it, pushing it back. He stumbles, Basilio barely catching him with a shout of shock.

“Don’t just stand there slack-jawed,” an unfamiliar voice barks. “Keep your guard up if you wanna stay alive!”

“Who’s that…?!” Gallica gasps out, clinging to a lock of Louis’s hair.

They back away, coming in close together -- a sad attempt at safety in numbers. The ground rumbles again and Basilio braces himself.

“Here it comes for another round!”

The figure lashes out in the dark and knocks the creature back again.

“How the hell are you findin’ it so easily?!” Fidelio snaps as it pulls away, giving up on its attempt at an easy hunt for now.

“You the guy we’re looking for?” Basilio asks in turn, as the half-tribe man they’re expecting comes from the shadows.

His hair is long, a deep purple in color, and covers one of his eyes. One of his three eyes, a mustari third-eye on his forehead, and permanently shut. The one Louis can see is a cool blue in color, and one horn sits upon his head.

A mustari and clemar parent, then. Huh, ironic that Louis’s enemies seemed to trend towards having a clemar parent.

He wears a pair of baggy pants, with a dressing over it that gives the appearance of a skirt instead. His chest is bare, though lace that resembles thorns covers his arms, and similar stitching is used on the choker around his neck.

“You lot are looking for me?” He asks, tilting his head to the side as he narrows his eyes. “You have a death wish, then? Coming all the way out here in search of a cursed man.”

“Came searchin’ for you, and you saved our arses,” Basilio says after a moment. “So… thanks for that, I s’pose.”

“Thanking me before dragging me off to cut my head from my body, right?” He narrows his eyes. “Since I doubt a group like you would have heard of me from anything but a wanted poster.”

“Don’t want us chasin’ you down for that, don’t go around kidnappin’ kids,” Fidelio pulls his lance from his back.

“Kids are going missing now, too?” Zorba grinds his teeth together. “Of course they wouldn’t just settle for the adults…”

He bites his thumb, and Louis frowns. Basilio grumbles something under his breath that he can’t quite catch. But Zorba is preparing to attack, pulling the sword of his own from his side and approaching, wooden beings that somewhat resemble him, coming to his side.

“Whoa!” Gallica gasps. “What the heck are those?”

“These decoys are more for the worms than people,” Zorba begins. “But they should keep you lot busy enough that you can’t take me down!”

“Well, looks like we have no choice,” Louis readies himself. “Let’s clear these away and show Zorba just what he’s dealing with, hm?”

Fidelio readies himself and, with the help of his brother, fires burn away at all the automatons and Zorba in turn. It’s, of course, more effective against the wooden apparitions, but the singed ends of hair are at least something with Zorba. While he’s distracted putting the fires out, Louis lunges forward.

His sword and Zorba’s clash, and he grinds his teeth as the brothers continue to dispatch the inanimate turned animate around them. Better than the corpses, Louis thinks. He’ll at least give Zorba that.

Zorba strikes out in turn, but Louis swears the swing is meant to miss him. More to scare the untrained man away with a false attempt than something actually meant to hurt. He frowns as he readies himself to attack again.

Fidelio soon joins him, the final puppet’s head flying thanks to Basilio’s blade. Zorba backs away, grimacing at the destruction around the group.

“...You lot are stronger than I thought,” he grumbles out. “Maybe…”

“No tryin’ to get out of this, you stupid bloke!” Fidelio snaps. “Get over here and give up!”

Fire lights behind his eyes again, and he takes another step back. “You…! If that’s how you’re going to talk to me, then get eaten by that Human! See if I care!”

And in a flash of smoke, he’s gone.

“Great going, Fidelio!” Gallica is quick to fly over to him. “He was about to give up, and then you went and upset him!”

“He that mad about bein’ called stupid?” Fidelio asks, scratching the side of his face. “He’s kidnappin’ children and that’s what bothers him?”

Louis glances at Basilio, who rubs his chin.

“Don’t think that was the word that to to ‘em, Del,” he says after a moment. “Don’t matter right now, anyway. Gotta find a way to lure Zorba out again.”

“Sounded to me like he didn’t want to see us again,” Gallica grumbles. “Though… he did protect us from the worm before Fidelio pissed him off.”

“He wasn’t striking to kill us, either,” Louis points out. “...We should go to his hut, see what we can find.”

“Yeah,” Basilio nods. “...I think I have some ideas already, but it might have some clues about the kidnapping victims, if nothin’ else.”

“Fine,” Fidelio nods. “Lead the way.”

They find nothing that points to the kidnappings or the results in the hut. Really, the only thing of note is a necklace that seems to contain the ashes of someone. A custom of the mustari, maybe, since none of them recognized the practice? Not something Louis is interested in judging him for, either way.

“Alright,” Basilio puts his hands on his hips. “I know what we’re gonna do.”

“Oh?” Louis turns to look at him, a brow quirked. “And what is that?”

“We’re gonna find Zorba and hear ‘em out,” he says. “But with a rule.”

“What’s that?” Fidelio asks.

Basilio points accusingly at his chest. “You aren’t gonna insult ‘em or call ‘em anything like bloke again. Got it?”

“What?” Fidelio furrows his brow. “You want me to play nice with him?”

“I do,” Basilio nods. “In fact, you’re gonna say sorry for calling Zorba a bloke in the first place, got it, Del?”

“I…” Fidelio grumbles, rubbing the back of his head. “Fine! But I can’t really do that while he’s still hidin’.”

“I think I figured that out, too,” Basilio pokes the walls of the hut. “Gallica, you said it was hard to read the magla through this, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Gallica nods. “I think he put some sort of fabric that… dampens the flow? I know full-blooded mustari can see magla, but…”

“He might still have a heightened sense for it,” Louis suggests. “Enough so that he uses it to track the worm.”

Basilio nods. “Bingo. So, Lou… We need all the igniters you’ve gotten from that merchant friend of yours, alright?”

“Enough!” Zorba finally appears, after the group of five (poor Lina pulled along to help) set off enough igniters at once to alert an entire town. “Do you want that damned worm to find us without me being able to protect you?!”

“Though you said we could go and get eaten by the Human,” Fidelio pauses his retort when Basilio clears his throat. “...I mean, uh…”

Zorba looks over at him, eye narrowing. “What?”

“Sorry for callin’ you a stupid bloke,” Fidelio rubs the back of his head. “Won’t do it again. Not like you had an interest in killin’ us or the like, and there’s no signs you’re actually doin’ any sort of kidnapping, so… Not right for me to talk to you like that.”

Basilio nods in a way that Louis is sure he learned from Fabienne or Brigitta as Zorba scoffs.

“But you’re still going to drag me back there like I did it, right?” He asks after a moment, arms crossing over his chest. “Like all the Sanctists do. Judge and judge based on what you see, what’s easiest to throw under the executioner’s blade.”

“Actually,” Louis speaks, studying Zorba. “...We wanted to hear you out?”

He, or perhaps they, hug themself closer. “Hear me out?”

“None of us are the type to judge based on what you think when you first see someone,” Basilio shrugs. “Hell, we’re all followin’ an elda, and the rest of us aren’t exactly popular with Sanctists, either.”

Fidelio nods. “Might not seem it, but Blondie’s got a lot worth listenin’ to, sure you do, too. If it’s not you takin’ those kids…”

“You want to find who is,” they bite their lower lip. “But that would still involve leading me right back to Martira.”

“Probably!” Lina chirps. “But if they trust you, it might not be all that bad! If that Rudolf tries to blame you, there’s no doubt they’ll step in.”

“Rudolf…” Zorba looks away. “I can’t decide if I want to help those kids or avoid him more.”

“He says anything about your tribe and I’ll punch him square in the mouth,” Fidelio says. “To make up for the shite earlier. How’s that sound?”

“And I’ll give him a second punch in case it’s not about your tribe,” Basilio chirps, though only Louis and Lina seem to pick up on what that means. “We’ll have your back, so long as you trust us enough to.”

Zorba snorts. “I’d love to see him take a few blows to that stupid face of his…”

“So you’ll come?” Gallica asks.

“I suppose I will,” Zorba finally stops hugging themself, rubbing the side of their neck instead. “Though you’ll probably want to make me look like a captive to really sell it.”

“We can worry about that tomorrow,” Louis says. “For now, welcome aboard, Zorba. We’ll be out of your hair as soon as those kids are safe.”

“You better be.”

They get back to Martira easily enough, but Louis is starting to wish just a little bit that Zorba had shown more resistance to coming with them. Not much, but enough that Fidelio at least insisted they tied them up for the night and maybe even kept watch over them.

Because instead, it’s just him, Gallica, and Fidelio back at the inn. Basilio and Lina both insisting on staying behind for nebulous reasons they wouldn’t explain.

“Stop poutin’, Blondie,” Fidelio says. “Makin’ my skin crawl.”

“I am not pouting,” Louis shoots back, then pauses. “...Though, if I were, could you blame me?”

“Your teddy bear isn’t here for one night,” Fidelio rolls his eyes. “You’ll be fine.”

“And that,” Louis begins. “Is why I am not pouting.”

Fidelio rolls his eyes and throws himself onto the bed next to Louis. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“Maybe,” he shrugs. “But what are you doing?”

“If you need cuddlin’ to get to sleep, I guess I have to stand in for Bas tonight,” Fidelio replies. “Just don’t get used to it. I don’t like doing it nearly as much as he does.”

Louis snorts, though he’s admittedly a bit happy to see Fidelio cares enough to do this. “Alright, we’ll consider it a one-night special, so long as Basilio or Maria aren’t also involved.”

“Damn right,” Fidelio huffs, getting comfortable next to Louis. “Now shuddup and get some sleep.”

“Goodnight to you, too, Fidelio.”

He drifts off into a slightly less restful than usual sleep.

Chapter Text

When Louis and Fidelio make it to the Gauntlet Runner the next morning, Zorba looks… different. Not in a bad way, mind, but definitely different. A crop top in a similar gray to the shirt Lina wears, albeit the various cuts of the shirt more closely match the vine and thorn-like texture on their sleeves.

He notices they’re covering their throat with the shirt now. It could mean something, it could mean nothing. For now, he decides against commenting on that specifically.

“That’s a nice shirt,” Louis says instead. “Where did you find it?”

“It was one of mine,” Lina chirps. “It’s gotten a bit stretched out to me, so I thought I’d give it to Zorba.”

“Know a little bit about sewin’,” Basilio adds. “So help ‘em with making it look just right, like.”

“Looks good on you,” Fidelio says, and Louis nods in agreement.

“You really think so?” Zorba perks up for one moment before shaking their head. “...Let’s go over what your plan is again.”

“Of course,” Louis shares a look with Fidelio before clearing his throat. “We’ll bind you, albeit it should be loose enough that you can easily break free if need be, and take you to Lady Joanna.”

“From there we see if she’ll hear us out when we say we ain’t sure you actually did the kidnappings,” Fidelio takes over. “If Rudolf tries anythin’ funny, you get the hell outta there and I punch him in his stupid face.”

“Let’s try to find the culprit before punching the guard captain in the face, please,” Louis sighs. “We need him to owe us so he can’t chase us out of Martira.”

“We need to heckle Morris some then, yeah?” Basilio speaks up, hand on his hip. “He fed us that false tip, so he might have somethin’ to do with it all.”

“It’d be good to make sure that snake answers your questions, and fast,” Zorba grimaces. “While Basilio was sewing, I… heard something.”

Lina nods. “And I saw it! Something mighty big in the woods! Not a worm, but something massive still.”

“I went out after we knew it passed us by,” Basilio says. “Found a boot.”

“A child’s boot,” Zorba bites their thumb. “More kids are going missing. We need to find them, and fast.”

Louis nods. “We’ll do what we can.”

“Smart not to promise too much, oh future king,” Zorba pauses when Louis jumps. “...Your friends talk a lot.”

“Well, I don't plan on stopping until some answers are found,” Louis replies. “You'll find I believe in action, unlike the late king.”

“We’ll see about that,” Zorba rolls their shoulder. “Well? Get to binding me up and let’s get this on with.”

All Louis can do is nod.

“You actually caught him,” Rudolf says with only mild amazement as Morris stares at them wide-eyed. “Quite quickly, too…”

“Somethin’ wrong, Morris?” Basilio asks, smiling as if nothing’s wrong. “You look sick, almost like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“No, it’s nothing,” he shakes his head quickly. “Just surprised ye caught him.”

“I hate to say it, but you did complete the bounty as Lady Joanna requested,” Rudolf sniffs. “You will be getting your payment in full.”

“Can’t hand him over that quickly,” Fidelio shakes his head. “Think we could see Lady Joanna?”

“She’s busy,” Morris says, perhaps a bit too quickly.

“Alright,” Basilio nods. “Then can ya explain why Zorba’s the only suspect you seem to have?”

“One of the guards witnessed him firsthand,” Rudolf replies. “Go ahead, Morris. God only knows why Bardon trusted you so, but…”

“On the night of the kidnappings, I spotted a half-mustari pagan bastard bolting into the wilderness several times,” Morris says. “No mistaking the glow of three eyes in the dark. No other mustari walks around without a mask, and he’s got plenty of reason to feud with the guard, so what are the chances it’s not him doing it?”

“Hm?” Rudolf narrows his eyes. “Three eyes…?”

“I dunno about you,” Fidelio says. “But I don’t think I’ve seen Zorba open that third eye even once.”

“That’s because he cannot,” Rudolf says. “Morris…”

Morris slams his staff against the ground with a grunt. “He’s obviously our culprit!”

“You say that, but were there not more kidnappings last night?” Louis asks, watching Morris flinch and Rudolf jump. “We already had Zorba in our custody by then. Must be some other half-mustari that miraculously opened their third eye, then.”

“Is this true?!” Rudolf snaps.

“Captain! I was one of Bardon’s best, wasn’t I?” Morris is quick to turn to Rudolf. “Even if you don’t like us non-roussainte folk, surely you trust me over these lower tribe bastards!”

“Weird,” Basilio sniffs. “Can’t see a time Zorba’d be able to get the kiddos out of the city, given the worms…”

“Indeed,” Louis nods. “Especially seeing as the friendly little lead we were given about the sandflash seemed more like an attempt to get us killed.”

“Ye…” Morris flusters, face going red in rage. “Ye scabby bounty hunters think ye can mock the guard corps like this?! Just take your damned blood money and get the hell out of here!”

“Calm your tits, man,” Fidelio makes a face. “If you don’t wanna talk, that’s fine, we’ll figure it out with or without you, yeah?”

“Is there a problem here?” Joanna’s voice floats through the door, making the earlier excuse of her being busy null and void. “Rudolf, may I interrupt?”

“Er…” Rudolf swallows hard. “You are allowed to do as you please, as always, ma’am…”

Joanna exits the room behind the door and comes to stand before them all. As Rudolf begins to explain what’s going on, Zorba’s lip twitches into a frown. Louis can’t help but want to frown in turn.

Despite Joanna doing nothing but coming across as perfectly pleasant before this, a piece of him is screaming. He’d let his guard down with that saint before because Basilio fancied her, and she was in the pocket of William. Could he really risk letting his guard down with Joanna? What if--

Zorba kicks Louis’s ankle, pulling him from his thoughts. He looks at them, and they return his gaze. They lean towards Louis, keeping their voice low.

“Find me in a bit,” they say. “I see what’s going on here.”

Louis nods as subtly as he can.

“You lot think you’re smarter than you are,” they say louder. “It’s pathetic.”

And within a moment, they’ve slipped their bonds and vanished. Rudolf exclaims in shock, working to secure and block any potential exit. For their part, Louis and company play the role of confused bounty hunters, not expecting to lose their bounty well enough. At the very least, it seems Rudolf believes them.

Louis isn’t sure if that’s an accomplishment given his racism, or nothing too impressive given his idiocy.

Once the search is clearly bringing up nothing, Louis and the brothers regroup. At the very least, Zorba had snuck away as planned. They were also able to agree that Rudolf was just an idiot being played for a fool, Morris acting right under his nose…

And still, the concern about Joanna eats at Louis. Only growing worse when Lina recounts the events of last night to them with more detail. The large being she’d seen going towards the castle…

They’re just discussing how to break in when Rudolf calls them over. And he’s not alone.

“Huh,” Basilio blinks. “Zorba? It okay for you to be around this guy when the guards are tryin’ to hunt you down?”

“If you try anything with him, I’ll knock you out cold,” Fidelio steps forward, eyes narrowing. “I swear I will--”

“Calm yourself,” Zorba rolls their eyes. “...He’s agreed to help, at least for now.”

“If there’s one thing I hate most in this world,” Rudolf says. “It’s the wool being pulled over my eyes. If that’s what Morris has been doing in order to steal our young, well…”

“Then he’s even willing to work with a cursed mixed-tribe child like me,” Zorba pauses. “Helps that I can read the magla in that place. The minute Joanna opened that door, I could sense it.”

“Sense what?” Louis asks.

“Something large, dangerous,” Zorba hugs themself, hands once again over the chest as if to keep safe. “There’s something in that castle, and if I’m right… The longer we take, the less likely we are to find any of those kids.”

“I’ve no idea what Lady Joanna could be hiding,” Rudolf grinds his teeth together. “But she’s a frail woman, no doubt being held hostage the same as the others.”

Louis frowns, not quite buying that. “You believe she’s fully innocent in this, then? That it’s all Morris?”

“I’ve not a clue, but that’s what you’ll be finding out, isn’t it?” Rudolf pauses for a long moment. “...I leave it to you. There’s a hidden entrance to the castle just down this road here. Put an end to the suffering of Martira.”

“Huh, maybe you do have a heart,” Fidelio says to Rudolf before looking at Zorba. “You comin’ with?”

“Of course I am,” Zorba nods. “I’m clearing my damn name and saving the kids. Let’s go.”

As they walk down the road, Rudolf splits from them, and Louis feels bile in his throat. He has a very bad feeling about all of this.

“Oi! Stop right there!” Basilio calls out as they come upon carts full of children being dragged through the sewers beneath Martira.

A clemar child in Sanctist robes seems to hear him, stirring from unconsciousness and looking up at them. His eyes are wide, full of tears, the poor thing no doubt scared to death. He reaches out, voice weak.

“Please… help…”

He passes out again, and Fidelio straightens. “The kid’s alive, we gotta move fast!”

Louis nods, sword drawn. Morris is happy to step up to the plate, if only for a moment.

“Out of your jurisdiction now, aren’t you?” He sneers. “You’re trespassers down here. That means anything that happens to you is your own damn fault!”

“What?” Basilio scoffs. “Not even gonna pretend to feel bad about all this? Not even a little guilt about stealin’ babies from their mums?!”

“That magla again!” Zorba calls out. “Be careful, don’t focus too much on this snake.”

Distorted dogs step forward, no doubt too small to be the monster Lina had seen and described, but still dangerous. 

“Those the magla source?” Fidelio asks, lance pointed at one.

“No, something further out,” Zorba grinds their teeth. “Bigger, more dangerous. Out of sight.”

“The bigger that beast back there grew, the more its watchdogs started changing with it,” Morris steps behind the dogs. “One of them’s gonna make a meal of ye.”

“The hell’s goin’ on here?!” Fidelio growls out. “What’s makin’ you kidnap your own people like this?”

“What’s makin’ me?” Morris laughs. “I’m doing it because this premium bait’s worth a fortune! I couldnae live on the wages of a guardsman forever!”

“You do this all for money?” Zorba’s voice breaks in anger. “You’re less than trash!”

“This, from a cursed little mixed-tribe whelp?!” He looks at Zorba and scoffs. “Look at your own sins, boy! Your mummy and daddy ran so far away to be together, and then you came along and ruined it! Came here to ruin everything all over again! You’re a cursed coward who’s been living in the hole ye deserve. Dinnae pretend ye can play at ‘justice’ now!”

Basilio growls. “Piece of--”

“He’s not wrong,” Zorba cuts him off. “At least not fully.”

“Zorba…” Louis frowns. “What do you--”

“I’m only standing here because I kept running away,” Zorba closes their eyes. “I thought if I ran, I’d stop cursing the people around me to suffer. That I’d stop hurting if I ran out of people to hurt.”

They step forward, the only sound their boots on the floor.

“You’re the one kidnapping kids, hurting more families than I can count… You’ll pay for this, Morris. All your sins will catch up to you,” they train their gaze on him. “But it’s not for me to condemn just you for it, can I? Not when I just sat back and let it happen, because I thought getting too close would mean hurting others again.”

They pull their sword free and freeze. Louis feels the Seeker sing within his heart. A similar melody to the ones from before, when Basilio and Fidelio stood for their truth in their own right. 

Veins and patterns of orange begin to glow from their body as their eyes shoot open yet again, hand against their chest. Against it, and then pressing into it, pulling the metallic heart that sits at the center free with a scream.

“I am Wisteria Zorba!” They yell into the heart. “My birth, anyone’s birth… It doesn’t matter! Cursed or blessed, I’ll fight to the end!”

Thief is the name sung within his chest as the armour of an Archetype overcomes their form. Louis’s grip on his own blade tightens, and the brothers prepare at his side as Zorba. No, as Wisteria looks back at them.

“As much as I hate to admit it,” their voice echoes. “I can’t do this alone.”

“We’re with you, Wisteria,” Louis steps forward. “You’ll never have to be alone again.”

Morris shudders as he flees backwards, eyes wide. “Go! Rip them apart!”

The mutated dogs lunge, and Wisteria meets them in turn.

As the final dog falls, a gate rises between them, and Morris and his cohorts escape. Louis curses under his breath as Basilio and Fidelio check on the children. Alive, breathing, safe. Better than nothing.

Wisteria rushes at the gate and punches it. “Dammit! Morris, you bastard, get back here--”

They stumble back, no doubt dizzy and drained from the awakening not long before. Louis catches them before they can fall, holding them up as they steady themself.

“Easy now,” Basilio says. “You already saved the kiddos, yeah? We can take the rest of this one step at a time now.”

“He’s right, Wisteria,” Louis says. “We should take you back to the runner for rest. Take the children to their families, as well.”

“Wait, wait,” Gallica speaks up. “Now that I think about it… Your name is Wisteria? I thought it was Cirsium…”

“That…” Wisteria flinches. “Well--”

“Don’t matter,” Fidelio speaks up suddenly, a glint in his eyes. “Wisteria fits you better, anyway. So we’ll call ya that.”

Louis nods. “I agree. It’s a lovely name.”

Wisteria’s cheeks dust pink. “You really think so?”

He nods. “It’s nice, and as Fidelio said, it suits you.”

“Careful, Blondie,” Fidelio says. “You’re treadin’ towards dangerous territory there.”

“And you aren’t?” He asks, brow raised. “We’re both simply complimenting their name.”

“Sure,” Fidelio moves and picks up two of the children carefully. “But they didn’t blush when I did.”

Louis frowns as Wisteria shifts in his arms and pulls away a moment later. What did the blushing have to do with anything?

Things are settled with Rudolf well enough, Morris and Joanna both missing. Louis thinks of the bad feeling that eats away at him and does his best to ignore it. At least for now.

Wisteria chooses to stay at the runner again, recruiting Fidelio to do the same upon hearing he’s good at cutting hair. Louis plans to head back to the inn himself in a bit, but for now?

He sits up on deck and tries to get some reading in. Footsteps tell him he’s not alone, and he looks up.

Wisteria stands there, arms crossed and hair uncut. He raises a brow as they take a seat next to him.

“Getting second thoughts about the haircut?” Louis asks.

“Some of it’s coming off no matter what,” Wisteria responds. “I need the singed ends gone if nothing else. Just… have to decide how much of it.”

“Well, you’re stepping into a new chapter of life,” Louis replies as he shuts his book. “Maybe a large change is in order.”

Wisteria hums, playing with a lock of hair. “...Do you think I’d look good with shorter hair?”

He shrugs. “Fidelio likely has more of an eye for that, given he used to cut Maria’s and Basilio’s hair both, right?”

They frown at him. “...I guess, but I wouldn’t mind your opinion, too.”

“I think you would look nice, then,” he nods. “So long as you like it, though, I’m sure anything would look nice.”

“Is that so…?” Their cheeks dust pink again. “...Thanks.”

“It’s nothing,” Louis smiles at them. “I am sorry about the singeing of your hair, though.”

“Eh,” they shrug. “Only kept it long because my mum used to.”

“Your mum,” Louis says. “...The one who ran away with your father?”

They flinch. “...Morris did mention that, didn’t he? Yes, she did. She was a minor noble, though her house isn’t one you’d hear about these days. Fell in love with a mustari pagan… When her parents forbade their love, she did what you’d expect of a young and sheltered noble and ran away with him.”

“That’s…”

“Romantic?” Wisteria laughs, a short and bitter sound. “That’s what she and Dad always said it was. Like out of a fairytale… Only that fairytale ended the day I was born.”

“Because of the struggles you face?” He asks, voice soft.

“Because I got them killed,” Wisteria responds without missing a beat. “...But it doesn’t matter now. Better not to dwell on the past, like Mum used to say.”

He nods. “Besides, you have comrades that won’t die on you so easily now, hm?”

“I guess I do,” Wisteria holds out a hand to him. “Hope you can keep up with me.”

He takes it. “I’m sure I can.”

The aloof hermit, Wisteria… Within dwells the virtue of the Thief. Nurture thy bond, and a new power may yet slumbering within thee may yet awaken.

Louis blinks and wonders for a moment why he hadn’t expected this before. Wisteria smiles as they pull their hand away, and he sits next to them for a moment longer in silence. A new bond, a new step forward.

He hopes it’s a good one.

Chapter Text

When Louis and Basilio make it to the Gauntlet Runner the next day, Wisteria is waiting for them. Their arms are crossed against their chest again as they look between the entire group, biting their lower lip. Louis nods and smiles with encouragement, earning him pink cheeks yet again.

Their hair is short, so Louis supposes Fidelio must have supported the option as well. Louis notes that one eye is still covered, so not out of any shyness but preference. It comes to just below their chin in the front, though it was cut a bit shorter in the back, their neck showing.

The golden ornaments they once wore straight down were now refashioned into a circlet, likely Lina’s handiwork, if he had to guess. It looks nice, quite feminine.

It suits them.

“If I’m going to be with you all from here on out,” Wisteria begins, pulling Louis from his thoughts. “I suppose I should be direct with you.”

Basilio nods. “No need to rush if you aren’t ready, though.”

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Wisteria sighs. “In case it’s not obvious, I’m a woman. So if you could all make sure not to call me things like stupid bloke-- ”

“I already apologized, woman!” Fidelio is quick to jump in. “Twice at this point!”

“Maybe you should apologize again!”

“Fine! I will if it gets you to bloody drop it--”

Louis clears his throat. “Thank you for telling us, Wisteria. Truth be told, I had a feeling… But it’s good to hear it directly.”

“Yeah,” Basilio nods. “And don’t worry, Del’s a bit grumpy, but before you know it, he’ll be helpin’ you out! He was the one who got his hands on them creams for that kinda stuff for me. I’m sure he can track you down some for feminizin’...”

“It was pretty obvious, but that’s okay!” Lina winks at her. “Girls like us have to stick together.”

Huh, now that Lina said that… Louis notices her ears are sharper like the more masculine eugief he sees around, rather than the rounder shape of the more feminine… Well, good for her.

“Hold on,” Gallica speaks up, shaking her head. “Are you telling me I was the only one who didn’t notice Wisteria is a girl? I mean, yay! More girls are always good! But… Seriously?!”

“Took a bit, but the minute she said she was Wisteria, it kinda clicked, like,” Del sniffs, rubbing under his nose. “Though that seemed to fly right over your head.”

“I noticed when she got mad about being called a bloke,” Basilio chirps.

“Lina and I both noticed when she showed discomfort with her chest,” Louis adds. “So, yes, it was only you that didn’t notice, Gallica.”

“Oh, come on,” she groans, running her hands down her face. “That’s no fair! How did you even catch on so fast?! I get Basilio and Lina because of the, you know, same boat thing! But you?”

Louis shrugs. “You don’t know everything about me.”

“Louis…!”

“When you’re the son of a doctor and you don’t fit into any of the baselines they teach you, you learn things quickly,” Louis says. “Does that clarify enough for you?”

Gallica huffs, arms crossed. “I guess…”

“You know,” Wisteria says after a moment. “I thought this would be more focused on me than it was. I don’t know if I like that or not…”

“Sorry, Wisteria!” Gallica jumps, fluttering over to her. “I’m really glad you felt you could tell us, if it helps! I’m excited to have another girl on the team. On the field directly, I mean.”

“Yeah…” Wisteria smiles at Gallica. “...It’s nice to be around other girls. Haven’t been since my mum passed.”

Lina hugs her leg. “Well, we’re here now! I can’t wait to get to know you better!”

Louis and Basilio share a look, smiling at each other. Not a bad way to start the day. Not bad at all.

When Louis decides to tackle another bounty before going after Morris, he doesn’t want them to struggle while under the city, after all, it’s a pleasant surprise to see they’ll run into Komero on the way. He just hopes the people will give over the items promised to Neuras without too many issues.

Lina’s excited, too. She’s standing next to Louis, bouncing on her feet as Gallica asks the shopkeeper they find if they know of the inventor they’re looking for. Louis wishes they had a name to give, but… Well, what could you do? 

As it turns out, the man had passed as is. So there was that part, now for the will…

“You knew him, did you?” The shopkeeper finally says. “If that’s the case… here. He told us to give this to anyone who came asking. Just didn’t think it’d be a young eugief girl doing so.”

“Wow…!” Lina takes it and holds it up to the light. It’s red and sparkles a bit. 

Louis doesn’t like it.

“So what is it?” Wisteria asks. “Some sort of igniter?”

“Don’t look like any igniter I’ve seen,” Fidelio supplies. “Those are usually more of a blue color.”

“Lina seems happy, though,” Basilio says as the shopkeeper passes a journal to him and he flips it open. “...Now, I know I don’t read the best, but is this just gibberish?”

Louis peeks over his shoulder and frowns. “...That’s not written in any language I know. Perhaps Lina learned how to read it from her teacher.”

Wisteria shrugs. “Who cares? We have other things to focus on right now.”

“I suppose so,” Louis takes Lina’s hand as she continues to stare at the item and seemingly forgets the people she’s around. “Come on then, let’s get back to the runner.”

“She’s been like that for a while now…” Gallica muses as she and Louis stare at Lina on the lower deck (where she’d darted the moment they stepped back onto the runner). “Wonder if she’s alright.”

“Lina,” Louis says. “Do you have anything to say?”

“I’m sure of it!” Lina nods seriously. “This is the real deal! A lost relic! It has an energy to it, so unlike magla, but what is it? How do I harness it…?”

Louis grimaces. Is it that nuclear power thing he’d read about in a book once? Uh oh.

“Lina, maybe you should let me keep hold of that,” he says after a moment. “It could be dangerous.”

“Sorry, Mister Louis, but no can do!” She turns to look at him, frowning. “You’re… not gonna be like my father and brothers, are you?”

He blinks, tilting his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“Always pushing me to the side. Telling me if I’m a girl now, that I should leave all this to the men in the family. Be more like my big sister and find a smart man to marry so he can help in the workshop…”

“Of course not,” he says. “The fact they’d do that is… disgraceful. My mother would have laughed in their faces had they said something like that to her, and I would have done the same.”

“Then you’ll let me keep the relic, right?” Lina looks up at him, eyes wide. “And you’ll help me find more, right?”

“Find… You believe there’s more?”

“That has to be what the journal is for, right?” She takes it from his hand and sets it down on the table, flipping it open. “I’ve seen coded text like this before, thanks to Teacher. So if I have enough time… I might be able to find out where more are!”

“I get you’re excited, Lina,” Gallica speaks up now, voice gentle. “But we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves, right?”

She looks at the two of them, frowning. “...So you won’t help me?”

“I didn’t say that,” Louis says. “I just… want you to promise me something in exchange for my help.”

Lina nods, expression serious. “Anything!”

“Be careful with the relics when I bring them to you and you study them,” he leans down towards her, hands on his knees. “If you’re unsure what a test might do, find me and talk me through it first before you do anything. Alright?”

“I can do that! I would love to have an assistant like you!” She looks at Gallica. “And Gallica too, of course!”

“Well,” Gallica rubs under her nose. “I guess I would be able to sense the relics from the start of a dungeon, so Louis would need my help, unless he wants to run around all day…”

“I could do that,” Louis frowns. “But knowing there’s something to find could be nice.”

“Then I guess I have no choice but to help,” Gallica chuckles. “For Lina’s sake, of course.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you so much!” Lina hops up and down again. “I promise I won’t let you down! We’ll make this Gauntlet Runner the best anyone’s ever seen! Together!”

“Yes,” he nods as she takes his hand. “It’s a promise.”

The free-hearted engineer, Lina… Within her dwells the virtue of the Gunner. Nurture thy bond with her, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

“A promise!” Lina giggles. “I like that sound of that. We’ll show everyone just what a little eugief girl can do, won’t we?”

“Sure will!” Gallica nods. “I bet--”

“Oi!” Wisteria’s voice travels down the ladder. “Are we going to get a move on or not? We haven’t got all day!”

“Oh! Almost forgot!” Lina ran for the ladder, tripping over her feet. “Let’s get going! We can talk more about this later, alright?”

“That sounds wonderful,” Louis calls after her, heart warmed with another bond.

The bounty had gone well, and another relic had even been found. Louis feels the weight of the strange casing it’s in in his bag before tossing it to the side and sitting on his bed next to Basilio, leaning against him. Wisteria raises a brow from where she sits.

“There’s plenty of beds for everyone,” she says. “Why are you two sharing one?”

“Blondie here uses my brother like a giant teddy bear,” Fidelio says before Louis can even try to explain. “You’ll get used to how cuddly those two are, probably.”

She furrows her brow, frowning. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry too much about it,” Gallica flutters and lands on her shoulder. “Unless you get really unlucky, they probably won’t drag you into a giant cuddle pile.”

“What’s wrong with a giant cuddle pile?” Basilio asks. “Sounds kinda nice, all five of us curled up together, like.”

Gallica gives him a look. “Wisteria was living in a cave until recently. Do you really think she’s ready for something like that?”

“Doesn’t have to be right away, we can start small,” he says, looking at his brother. “Like Del, he’s small. Or you, Gallica.”

“I’m not that bloody small!” Fidelio snaps back. “Not enough to be compared to a damn fairy, at least…”

“I’ll skip out on your brother,” Wisteria makes a face. “But if Gallica wants to share my bed, I suppose I don’t mind. She’s small enough, I won’t even notice.”

“Just make sure you don’t roll over on top of me,” Gallica replies. “I don’t wanna become a fairy pancake!”

Louis chuckles as she pokes Wisteria’s cheek. “...Well, while the mood is high I think it’s time we talk about tomorrow.”

Fidelio turns to look at him, eyes sharp. “We’re goin’ after Morris, yeah?”

“Morris, and potentially Joanna,” Louis replies. “I hate to say it, but… I can’t shake the feeling she’s not an innocent victim in all this.”

“Because whatever’s lurkin’ is in her castle, right?” Basilio frowns. “...Guess so, but she seemed real nice.”

“Seemed nice, maybe, but to be a Sanctist you have to be everything but,” the words escape Louis before he can think about it. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

He furrows his brow. “What happened to your family…?”

He nods. “They acted as if they came for peace before attacking, and then…”

“And then?” Wisteria prompts as Louis feels his stomach do a flip.

He glances towards Basilio, who tilts his head in confusion. He doesn’t know what he’s saying, Louis supposes. A betrayal building in his gut, in his heart, for a good while at this point. One that was bound to spill over.

He grips his knees and swallows hard.

“The saint, Rella,” he tries to ignore the way Basilio deflates at that, looking instead at his shoes. 

“A saint?” Wisteria asks.

Louis nods, eyes glued to the ground. “She’s clearly in the pocket of the prince.”

“I thought you said she couldn’t be that bad if I trusted her,” Basilio mumbles.

Louis pauses for a moment, all eyes on the two of them. He wants to crawl under the blankets, pretend he’s not here. Pretend this inevitable lovers' conflict could be done in privacy, rather than out in the open. But it was too late for that now, wasn’t it? He’d already brought it up, after all.

Maybe he shouldn’t have, maybe the disgusting words should have remained in his throat. Only come up with bile, rather than with the sound of his voice. His heart beats in his ears, the Seeker wails.

“That was before I realized who she allied herself with,” he says after a long moment. “And I’m afraid to say… I don’t think I should have given myself any false hope to begin with. Sanctists have caused me nothing but pain.”

“I…” Basilio deflates more as Louis forces himself to look at the paripus again, but does not argue. “Okay. So we’re expectin’ Joanna to be involved. I’ll be on high alert if we see her.”

“Basilio,” Wisteria frowns. “...Are you alright?”

“Fine, fine,” he gives a false smile that makes Louis’s heart sting. “Just… Eh, nothin’ to worry about! We got a kidnapper to focus on, yeah?”

Wisteria nods and glances at Louis, a frown on her face. He looks away.

“I think I’ll be going to bed first, you all feel free to talk some more if you need to,” he says. “Just try and turn off the light before it’s too late.”

He curls up on one side of the bed, facing the wall. The others talk in hushed tones for a while, words he tunes out. By the time Basilio lies down and wraps his arms around Louis’s center, he’s much too tired to push him off.

Much too tired to argue that he doesn’t deserve that right now.

Chapter Text

The Waterway under Martira is dark, dingy, and rotting. Fitting for a town slowly being strangled by kidnappings and a horrible guard captain, Louis supposes. It makes the creature with glowing eyes and steps that shake the floor no easier to deal with, however. The fact that the little light there was vanished when it was near? That certainly didn’t help matters any.

When there’s actual natural light, it’s even worse, though. The way this monster no doubt got in and out of this place. How Lina was able to spot it at all. Louis considers what would have happened had she been outside.

He forces himself not to think about it.

The damn thing liked its cover of the night, that much was certain. Easier to hide from all but fairies and mustari with their keen ether abilities or eugief with their night vision. But that implies a thought process by this being.

A thought process that Louis was starting to think likely didn’t exist. No, it was all pure instinct. That’s why Morris had to cover its tracks with the story about Wisteria, rather than cleaning up after itself.

It doesn’t bode well.

Now isn’t the time for that, though. They’ve found Morris, finally, across the way. He sneers at them from where he stands, though he doesn’t move to run again. At least not yet.

“So you’ve come,” he grumbles. “Irritating lot you are.”

“You say that like we aren’t gonna kick your arse!” Fidelio snaps across the way. “If you wanna make it out of here in one piece, you better start beggin’ for forgiveness now!”

“Not like you’d have much luck tryin’ to run instead, anyway!” Basilio adds. “That Rudolf’s a real ass, but he’s waitin’ at the exit to kick your arse if we don’t!”

“Hah,” he barks out the laugh, shaking his head. “And what of it? You think those useless guards can do anything about us?”

Louis hates to admit it, but he doesn’t think they can. Morris had been doing this under their noses for who knows how long, and likely had the backing of Joanna if his gut feeling was to be trusted. Given the monster lurking down here that they were apparently feeding… Well, short someone with an Archetype, things could get very bloody very quickly. And not for Morris’s side of things.

“Whether or not they can, we will,” he finally settles on saying. “You can try to run, but we will find you, Morris!”

“Really, do you think now is to be running your mouths?” Morris grins, a twisted sort of smile that makes Louis’s skin crawl. “He’s hungry, you know!”

He whistles, and the lights begin to flicker out. The sounds of a baby cooing and heavy footsteps mix in an unholy harmony as Morris makes his escape. Leaving them as bait to be eaten.

Louis can do nothing but curse under his breath as they run for cover.

Morris sics the damn thing on them one more time, and pass through an annoying bit of water… But they make it, with the monster only spotting them once. A bit of running and rushing, and they make it past it without a problem, though.

Now all that was left, it seems, was to confront the monster with a mind.

Up a lift and into the castle proper, Louis can feel anxiety beating in his chest. The chances they’ll only see Morris here are slim. The chance that everything is only Morris acting, even more so.

They come up to a set of stairs, no doubt ones that lead into the castle proper. There stands Morris… and Joanna.

“Shite!” Basilio is the first to speak. “Mighta been onto somethin’, Lou.”

“Kidnappin’ for a pretty penny ain’t enough for ya?” Fidelio hisses. “Gotta impress your lady liege with it too? Tryin’ to get in cushy to be the captain next, I take it.”

“Disgusting,” Wisteria clicks her tongue.

“You lot like to jump to conclusions, don’t ye?” Morris shakes his head. “At least it makes sense how you made it this far, if you picked up on that.”

Louis stares at Joanna, willing a hole to burn through her head as he does. He grits his teeth, hands clasping into fists and releasing over and over. She looks at him with no real emotion in her eyes.

He should have known. You can never trust a Sanctist. You don’t become someone powerful in a church like this without skeletons in your closet.

The baby’s wail from before echoes through the hall, and his blood runs cold.

“The monster,” Wisteria says. “I can sense its Magla getting closer.”

“You’re long past due for being eaten,” Morris stares down at them with the same cold detachedness Joanna has. “I had to lure ye here to see it done.”

“You won’t get away with this,” Louis hisses out, anger in his lungs. “You won’t--”

“No time for that!” Morris grins again. “Dinner is nearly served!”

The floor drops out from underneath them, and Louis screams in rage as he falls.

“Touch ironic, don’t you think?” Basilio says once they’re all together again and out of their damned cells. “...Didn’t think that bastard would go out like that.”

Louis nods, meeting the gazes and quirked brows of Fidelio and Wisteria head-on. “That man we… just heard being dragged away and eaten, we knew him.”

“Klinger,” Basilio says. “Our Captain back when we signed up with the military. Sent us to die to a Human.”

“And now,” Louis stares forward. “It seems one ate him.”

“You think the monster is a Human, then? Wisteria asks.

Louis nods. “The anxiety, the pain of this place… It’s perfect to allow a Human to flourish.”

“That explains the large amount of Magla, too, right?” Fidelio glances over at Wisteria. “...Magla is what… makes Humans. So if it’s really that much like you said…”

“I get it,” Wisteria grimaces. “...And they’re feeding that bloody thing?”

“Sure are,” Fidelio grunts, rubbing the back of his head. “Can’t let this go on, gotta stop Morris and Joanna both.”

Wisteria and Louis nod, but Basilio just frowns and puts a hand on his chin. Gallica flutters over to him, sitting on his shoulder with her head tilted to the side.

“Hey, Basilio,” she says. “You okay?”

“Just wonderin’ why Joanna’s doing this,” Basilio says after a moment. “We know Morris is in it for the money, but what about her? Why’s she killin’ her own people to feed a Human?”

“Does it matter?” Louis asks, his voice more snappy than he meant it to be. “She’s a monster, just like the Human is.”

“Not arguin’ that she’s not, Lou,” Basilio says, trying to keep his voice light. “Just think it could be good to know why she got to this point, like.”

‘I…” Louis swallows down words. “...Let’s go.”

Basilio’s ears flatten against his head and he whimpers, but Louis pushes on.

When they walk into a room of the castle proper, Louis is met with the stench of death and the remains of a life. A broken bassinet to hold a child, blood-covered rocking horses, teddy bears left to rot. He swallows hard as he looks it over, barely registering the choked sob from Basilio.

“A children’s toys and…” Wisteria shakes her head.

“I thought Joanna was childless?” Gallica says. “No one ever said anything about her having a kid, at least…”

“And it’s all locked away,” Basilio says. “Where only Joanna and the people doin’ her dirty work could find it…”

Fidelio tilts his head to the side as he looks up at the portrait that sits behind the children’s toys. Scratched and shredded as if done in a moment of despair. An image of a beaming mother-to-be, hand across her pregnant belly.

“Never seen a portrait like this,” Fidelio muses. “Most nobles I’ve seen have ones with their kiddos after they’re born. Or at least have their spouse with ‘em in the picture.”

“It’d be a shame to most noble houses,” Wisteria says. “A pregnant mother alone probably means…”

She walks to a fallen journal and picks it up, reading over the contents. Louis turns his gaze to her, as do the brothers and Gallica. Waiting to see what it revealed. Waiting for the obvious to come.

“It’s a diary of the nurse that raised Joanna’s son,” Wisteria says. “...And there it is. She wasn’t formally married, can’t exactly be when you’re a mixed-tribe couple.”

“All the makings of the kinda affair you wanna keep quiet,” Fidelio says. “At least in a place as religious as this.”

Wisteria nods, hands shaking as she reads on. “He was from another tribe, wasn’t even from Martira. I wonder if…”

Basilio steps forward, placing a hand on her shoulder and steadying the book with the other. “Hey now, don’t force yourself. Doesn’t do us any good to think too hard about what tribe the dad was, does it?”

She nods, steeling herself. “Right. All that matters is to the people here, to anyone like that… People like me are abominations. Terrible omens and curses brought onto families.”

“And outside of a city, I can only imagine how much worse that stigma is,” Louis says. “Less people to meet, less chances to see lives other than your own.”

“Joanna didn’t agree with that, looks like,” Wisteria says. “Said it was irrational, ridiculous. God, she sounds just like Mum did…”

Fidelio steps forward, then, gently taking the book from her. She continues to shake, and Louis joins Basilio, hand on her other shoulder. She shakes with silent tears as the older paripus continues reading.

“...She was gonna announce the kiddo’s birth, but the nanny her family hired…” He shakes his head in disgust. “The old bag killed the poor thing. Right here in this crib.”

“What…?!” Gallica gasps out.

“Human sightings were gettin’ common around this time,” Fidelio continues, teeth grinding together. “Blamed the kiddo, all because he was mixed. Easier to do that than think about what could really be causin’ it. Shit…!”

“Let me guess,” Wisteria wheezes out. “The family was happy that she took care of the ‘abomination’ for them. Didn’t do a thing to punish her for it.”

Fidelio nods. “And to rub salt in the wound, they banished her lover. Took everything from her in one fell swoop.”

Louis glances at Basilio, his throat constricting. He’d been so willing to brush off any chance of tragedy being behind Joanna’s actions. So willing to see her as a faceless monster who would see people like him and Wisteria dead…

But here they were, learning she was driven to madness by her love for a child much like Wisteria herself. For her own child, ripped away from her because of Sanctist superstition and a zealot of a nanny.

He had been so willing to write her off as the same as Forden, Gideaux. All Sanctists painted with the same brush, but now? Now he feels sick just standing here, his hand falls from Wisteria’s shoulder, and he feels numb.

Words are muffled as it becomes too much for Wisteria, and she falls to her knees, sobbing. Fidelio and Basilio kneel at her side and comfort her, but all Louis does is stare. Stare at the portrait of a woman he doesn’t understand.

Wisteria is given time to recover, and the rest of the party investigates the room. There’s no doubt in Louis’s mind now. A Human had formed because of the grief of Joanna and the anxiety of the people around her. A Human that she had deluded herself into believing was her child returned from the dead.

He pities the woman now, more than hates her. What she’s done… It’s unforgivable… But it feels less like righteously striking down a woman now and more like putting down a pathetic beast. A mercy, rather than an act of justice.

Pushing his way into the next room, they all approach where Morris and Joanna stand. Only the former turns to register their arrival, a sneer on his face.

“What?!” He snaps. “Here already?”

The laugh of a baby sounds, no doubt the human. Louis is steeling himself as Gallica flutters nervously by his side. It matters little, as they all flinch when the beast lets out a blood-curdling screech.

“Shh,” Joanna finally speaks, her voice soft and soothing. “Are you hungry? Oh, so fussy today…”

Finally, they have a chance to see the beast they’ve been chasing and been chased by. A large head that resembles that of a baby’s, though slits in the side of its face hint at something dark behind the golden pacifier in its mouth. Brown curls sit atop its head, its purple eyes staring out at nothing. 

And besides that, nothing but two large legs. Still resembling that of an infant, though with better control than any young child would have of motor functions. Blood stains the feet, as it does the bib around what would be its neck.

It’s horrifying, but to Joanna? It was everything.

“Really is a Human,” Fidelio hisses. “Shite.”

“This is your ‘child’, then?” Wisteria sneers. “You kidnapped kids to feed them to this thing?!”

“My darling has a hearty appetite,” Joanna says cheerfully. “I had Morris deliver us food.”

She looks over at him, still smiling. Morris looks away, flinching as if disgusted by this. As if he hadn’t been feeding into this delusion this entire time.

“Were you able to secure a meal?” She asks.

“Well, erm…” He glances to the other side, refusing to look at Joanna still.

“Useless,” the kindness from a moment ago vanishes from Joanna. “You have failed to eliminate the bounty hunters, and now you’ve led Zorba himself here… But no matter.” She smiles. “You look tender enough for my darling’s liking.”

“What?”

Before anyone can move, the beast strikes. The pacifier gone, Louis can see the horrible, ragged rows of teeth in its large maw. It bites into Morris, the man screaming in pain as it slowly chews him into nothing. Blood splatters the floor, bones crunch, and Louis can’t look away.

“Your ‘child’ just ate a man!” Basilio’s voice shakes as he yells. “All I see is a mindless monster!”

Joanna flinches, turning to face them. Eyes wide and filled with a rage that would not soon be extinguished. “And a monster is what I see… when I look upon the world! People are beasts of fear and superstition. Murderers without remorse.”

Wisteria takes a single step forward. The rest of them stay in place.

“I’ve done nothing they’ve not done to me!” Joanna declares, eyes burrowing into Louis. “Abominations… They are the unnatural… They deserve to die.”

She drops to her knees as the Human comes to her side, leaning into the gentle touch of her hand. Wisteria takes another step forward.

“They should be so glad to nourish my child,” Joanna continues on. “My dear… sweet… child.”

“Wisteria!” Fidelio snaps. “The hell are you doin’?! Don’t get too close!”

“The hell are you thinking?!” Basilio joins him. “That thing’ll eat you--”

“...You’re like my Mum was,” Wisteria speaks to Joanna, rather than answering the brothers. “Willing to turn against the world, all for the sake of a child. A child that everyone else thought was a curse to you. But… that’s not the case, is it?”

She takes another step forward, and Louis holds out a hand to keep Fidelio from rushing to pull her back. Wisteria continues to stand strong against the woman who would have seen her killed in her stead.

“She died for me, you know?” Wisteria says, her voice breaking. “Said as long as her child could live in this world, find the beauty in it… That was enough for her. And that’s what you’re doing here, isn’t it? Even if you have to forsake everyone, you have to become a monster yourself… You just want your son to live.”

“You understand?” Joanna asks, hopeful as she comes to her feet again. “You--”

“But that’s not your child,” Wisteria cuts her off. “And you can’t hide from the pain of losing him, just like I can’t hide from my pain! From the way I felt like a curse on every person I’ve met. You have to look, really look. You have to see that’s not really your child!”

Joanna’s shoulders shake and slump as she realizes Wisteria isn’t here to absolve her, to allow this to go on. 

“Be silent…” She all but growls out. “You know nothing of it! Your sermons better suit a preacher, but that is not your place here. You are here to be eaten!”

“That’s a start, I suppose!” Wisteria readies herself, pulling her blade free. “Be angry, scream, and yell. Shout and fight. But live, dammit! Actually bloody live!”

“Darling!” Joanna turns her rage-filled eyes to the creature, voice once again taking on a sing-song quality. “Are you still hungry? Mother wants you to play with your food!”

The Human lets out a squeal of delight, and a fight is upon them.

Joanna gives it her all to try and keep the Human alive, but it’s not enough. Louis wipes sweat from his face as it finally falls, and the illusion around the woman finally breaks. As she falls to the side of the fallen monster and screams.

Wisteria once again approaches her, hugging herself as she does. “You know, if it had been me who died… I know she would be tempted to do the same as you. But then if I did it, she’d have had my head…”

She shakes her head. Louis frowns as she looks back at them, but nods. Wills her to carry on.

“When she and my Dad… When they sacrificed themselves to make sure I could live… They told me that it didn’t matter what others saw me as. They could see me as nothing more than a curse, an abomination, an ill omen… But that wasn’t what I was. Because they loved me, they would love me, even after their deaths.”

She gets closer, coming to kneel next to Joanna, a hand on her shoulder. Joanna freezes up, but does not push her away. Does not get violent.

“You loved him,” Wisteria says. “He would want you to live, not suffer in an image of what he could be. He would want you to live for what he was.”

Joanna turns to Wisteria and throws herself into the woman’s arms. Wisteria holds her as she sobs. Louis turns towards the door.

“Come on,” he lightly grabs at Basilio’s sleeve. “We should give them some space. Fidelio, can you keep an eye on them?”

He nods. “I’ll wait right outside the door, you go get the guards.”

Louis, Basilio, and Gallica head back towards the light of day. This time, Louis thinks it might sting a bit.

The road is blocked off for the time being, some sort of landslide. Lina tells Louis and Basilio as much as they wait for Fidelio and Wisteria outside the castle. From there, Basilio and Lina go to find Rudolf and make arrangements.

When Wisteria and Fidelio return, it seems they’ve done some arranging of their own. Joanna would be the head they offer at the exhibition. He supposes that makes sense. It would garner attention as wanted, but without having to try and bring the Human with them…

Besides, it was the least they could do to allow the beast she’d seen as her child to rest with some dignity. For the actual boy who had lost his life.

“I’m not sure about letting her meet us there,” Louis admits to Gallica as they walk behind the two. “...But I suppose Rudolf will no doubt ensure she comes to face justice.”

“Probably,” Gallica nods. “She just… needs some more time, you know?”

“I suppose,” Louis says. “It is not an easy thing to face the executioner’s block with grace.”

“Somehow, though, I think she’ll do it,” Gallica says. “...But are you okay?”

“Hm?” He looks up at her. “Shouldn’t you be asking Wisteria that?”

She glances towards her, where she leans against Fidelio. “I think Fidelio’s got that covered. Besides, she’s not the one I’m guiding, now is she?”

“I…” He huffs. “I suppose not.”

“So… talk to me,” Gallica says. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

“...I need to trust Basilio more,” he says after a moment. “He’s not as… blinded by his past as I am. He can see the depths of people when I…”

“Write them off because they’re Sanctists?” Gallica supplies. He just nods. “Louis…”

“I know, I know,” he says before she can speak again. “I need to talk to him, not just tell you. And I will. I just… need a bit more time.”

“So… you want me to keep quiet?” She asks.

He nods again. “...Please.”

“Alright, I’ll keep quiet, for now at least,” she says. “...But want some friendly advice?”

“If you have any, I suppose,” Louis replies. “You don’t tend to be all that friendly, though.”

“Hey!” She sticks her tongue out at him. “I was gonna tell you to have him talk to you more about Rella. Find out why he likes her so much, outside of saving his life. Maybe… it’ll help you be less worried about her?”

“Maybe,” he frowns. “...But she still works for William.”

“Yeah,” Gallica flinches. “That’s kinda the one flaw… But maybe it’ll still be the start of you and Basilio finding a middle ground on all this!”

“Maybe,” Louis hums. “...Thank you, Gallica.”

“Any time, Louis.”

Chapter Text

“So,” Wisteria sits at the table with the men. “We’re going to some forgotten tomb far enough away that it’ll take days to get there right after settling the kidnapping case… Why?”

Louis nods. “We’re doing this as a… favor to a gentleman you might have seen in Martira, the one that frequents the bar at the inn.”

“And why are we doing a favor for a drunk?” She asks, eyebrow raised.

“Another bloke stole somethin’ important to us from Blondie,” Fidelio says. “And he’s gonna help us get it back.”

“Our Ma’s dagger,” Basilio explains. “She’s… not with us anymore, so it’s important we get it back.”

Wisteria’s eyes soften, arms crossed against her chest. “...Alright. I suppose we can rest up on the way there, anyway.”

Louis smiles at her. “Thank you for understanding, Wisteria.”

Wisteria blinks, cheeks going red. “Uh, well. It’s the least I can do after what you all have done for me…”

Fidelio sighs. “You two…”

“Both of them are hopeless,” Gallica nods. “In different ways, but both hopeless.”

Wisteria splutters and Louis frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t worry too much about it,” Basilio puts his hand over Louis’s, the latter’s heart skipping a beat. “You’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Well, if you say so,” Louis sighs. “Let’s get a move on, before Wisteria crushes Gallica and Fidelio like a pair of bugs.”

“I’ve been thinkin’ about Patrice,” Basilio says as they’re well on their way for the day. “About what to do to help her.”

Louis thinks back to the last meeting, trying to brush away what came shortly after for the moment. This was serious -- not the time to be thinking about their relationship. That could come later.

“She seemed quite upset, said you didn’t grow up and relied too much on Fidelio still, yes?” He says after a moment.

Basilio nods. “But I can’t help but think there’s somethin’ more going on, Bellamy and Mimi were able to give me a little more info, but… I dunno.”

Louis sits next to him, putting a hand on his knee. “Oh? Pray tell.”

“She apparently went to where the orphanage used to be, on her own,” he frowns. “But she wouldn’t say what she saw. I was thinkin’ of heading back there, but I dunno what we’d even be looking for if we did.”

“So we’d need to speak to her at least once more,” Louis muses. “Though then we risk her being even angrier with you.”

“Yeah,” his ears press against his head. “But I guess it’d be better for her to be mad, but I help her, than to sit here and do nothing.”

“You think so?” Louis asks.

Basilio nods. “Yeah. If I ignore it and she just holds it in, we’re not gonna get anywhere. If anything, things will just get worse. That’s how resentment builds, like.”

“I see,” Louis frowns. “Talking things out does seem to have its advantages.”

Basilio nods. “That’s why it’s your turn.”

He blinks. “Excuse me?”

“I’m not stupid, Lou,” Basilio gives him a look. “I can tell something’s bothering you, and Gallica’s been avoidin’ me like she knows she’ll let whatever it is spill if we hang around each other too much.”

Even when she avoids being loose-lipped, Gallica finds a way to push Louis into situations he’s not a fan of. He should keep that in mind and tell her less when things get awkward for him in the future. He trusts her, truly he does. But for matters of the heart?

It might be better to play that a bit closer to his chest.

“I don’t understand you,” he finally says, despite his musings. “And it frustrates me.”

“What don’t you understand?” Basilio asks, voice soft. “I’ll try and fix it.”

“You’re so willing to look at people that you have every right to hate and still wonder what… what makes them tick. Wonder if there is still good in them,” he grasps his hands together in front of him and stares at them. His knuckles are no doubt going white underneath his gloves. “And not just you. Wisteria, Fidelio… All of you are able to look at people like Rella and Joanna and find things that don’t…”

“That don’t?” Basilio urges, his hand now on Louis’s knee.

“That don’t terrify you,” Louis forces out. “That don’t leave you wondering if your past is catching up to you, that you’ll be joining your parents soon. You can see them as people, while to me they’re just… monsters.”

“I guess it’s just the things we’ve been through,” Basilio says. “You don’t got anything connectin’ you to people like Lady Rella or Joanna, yeah? No good memories of them savin’ you or bad memories that you see yourself in…”

“Only bad memories of people like them wanting me dead,” Louis agrees.

Basilio nods. “...That’s gonna take a while to work through, Lou. An’ that’s fine by me. I can work with that.”

He looks at him. “Even if I hate the woman you love?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love if you’re wrong about her,” Basilio replies. “But that’s because I love you, too. And I want the people I love to like each other.”

“No promises there,” Louis says. “She’s still in the pocket of our enemy.”

“I know,” Basilio says. “But hey, someone’s gotta be an optimist here, and it’s not gonna be the rest of you.”

“Hurtful, but not wrong,” Louis puts a hand against Basilio’s cheek and leans in closer. “If we didn’t have you, I’m afraid we’d get nowhere with all the doom and gloom we have.”

Basilio’s hand snakes around the back of Louis’s neck. “Maybe not. You’d also be missin’ out on this…”

He leans in, but Lina’s calling out for a Gauntlet Runner heading their way before their lips can meet.

Goddard was an easy enough opponent to face, though harder than Glodell had been Louis will admit. Then again, that might have just been the annoyance at being interrupted that led to him being a little more distracted this time around in battle… But, eh, as night falls, he supposes it doesn’t matter much.

He stands next to Wisteria on the deck, the campfire crackling nearby. It’s a nice enough night, he feels it would be a shame not to spend some time up here. Seemed Wisteria had the same thought.

She runs a hand through her hair, looking out at the shadowed trees and shapes in the distance. “You’re a strange lot, you know.”

“Hm?” He looks towards her rather than the wilderness for a moment, brow quirked. “What brought that on?”

“Just thinking,” she says. “I’d been prepared to die in that den of monsters, but then you stubborn fools made your way there and… didn’t let me.”

“I would apologize,” Louis begins. “But I rather prefer you alive, Wisteria.”

She glances at him, a shy and nervous sort of look, before looking back out. “W…well, I think I prefer it, too. I can do more this way. You lot saved me, the least I can do is help you out in return.”

“Do it because you wanna, not because you think you hafta,” Fidelio’s voice makes them both jump. “Do it because we’re your friends, not because we’re your saviors or some shite.”

Wisteria turns to look at Fidelio, scowling at him. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

“Yeah, but you two talk in circles around each other if someone doesn’t babysit,” Fidelio gestures with a finger, drawing a circle in the air for emphasis. “You both need to accept that sometimes you can just have friends for the sake of it, too. You put me on a pedestal or act like you need to protect me from shite that affects me, I’ll kick your asses.”

“You’ve made as much clear in the past, yes,” Louis nods. “Though I suppose Wisteria was due for a warning of her own.”

“You can’t kick my arse,” she scoffs. “If you even try it, I’ll put you in the dirt.”

“Oh yeah?” Fidelio steps forward, scowling.

“Yeah!” She steps forward in turn. “Let me show you just what you’re up against!”

He considers stepping in for a moment, but when he sees Basilio peeking out and gesturing for him to give them some space? Well, he’s not going to argue with someone better at these interactions than him. He slides away quietly as Wisteria and Fidelio continue to bicker.

“They’ll tire themselves out in no time,” Basilio whispers to him. “Let’s go.”

Louis lets him take his hand and follows Basilio back into the runner.

Fidelio’s more awake the next morning than Louis is expecting. He’s quite sure he and Wisteria hadn’t come back in until close to midnight, after all. Maybe all the years as a soldier had just gotten him used to less sleep? Not that it matters all that much, he supposes.

He nods at him and joins him in polishing his own blade. They stay on the deck in silence, the scenery passing them by, for a while. It’s Fidelio who stops first, placing his lance to the ground and standing up with a stretch.

“I think I found who’s usin’ Vinca,” he says, perhaps a bit too casually. “That songstress’s tip to look into shady nobles was a good one.”

“Oh yes, the one that you fluttered your eyes at after she tried to get us to convert,” Louis says. “I remember her.”

Fidelio kicks him in the knee. “Tease me later, asshole! I wanna talk about Vinca right now.”

“Of course,” Louis nods, only flinching a bit at the attack on his knee. “You think you know what noble is using him, yes?”

Fidelio nods. “Count Guiabern.”

“I can’t say I’ve heard of him,” Louis rests his chin against a fist. “Tell me more.”

“A lesser noble, and one losin’ power by the day,” Fidelio begins, leaning against the railing. “Never had a kiddo, so he’s without an heir. Getting up there in age every day, too. Old clemar bastard must be wantin’ to leave a mark before he bites it.”

“And he’s using your friend to do just that,” Louis frowns. “Do you know exactly what he has Vinca doing?”

“Not yet, but…” Fidelio grimaces. “Rumors are pointin’ towards some sort of slavery and kidnappin’.”

“Kidnapping that actually ends in people being sold off,” Louis grunts. “...Wisteria would be just thrilled. ”

“There’s a reason I waited ‘til it was just us to tell you this,” Fidelio says. “I don’t think Vinca’s involved in the real dirty stuff, more the money changin’ hands part. Damn fool probably doesn’t even realize what he’s doing.”

“Then we have to save him from himself,” Louis says. “By paying this Count a visit.”

“Oh?” Fidelio raises a brow. “You got a plan in mind, Blondie?”

“If Vinca’s as stubborn as you say he is,” Louis begins. “I doubt we’ll be able to convince him to walk away on his own. Confront the count and get him to let Vinca go, with a hearty supply of reeve for the trouble it puts Vinca in, of course, and then…”

“Then he’ll have no reason to stick around, might get his head out of his arse enough to hear me out on gettin’ that money from Milo, too,” Fidelio hums. “Not bad. So long as we can avoid gettin’ arrested for it.”

“Given what Guiabern is up to,” Louis says, “I’m sure he’ll want to keep the guard away as much as possible. We use that to our advantage.”

“And if it goes wrong?” Fidelio asks.

Louis shrugs. “I’m sure Basilio and Wisteria will find a way to get us out of the dungeon quickly enough.”

Fidelio barks out a laugh. “Can’t tell if you’re trying to lighten the mood or dead serious, but I guess that works for me, too. Bas and Wisty can just yell at us about it later.”

“Wisty?” He raises a brow.

Fidelio goes a bit red at that. “Just a nickname, like how Bas calls you Lou.”

“Like the nickname Basilio gave me? ” His brow raises further.

“We are not havin’ this conversation,” Fidelio says, grinding his teeth together.

“Oh, but we are,” Louis replies. “Don’t worry, maybe it just runs in the family. Having a paramour opposed to the church and a crush on a member of said church in the same breath.”

“It’s nothin’ like that!” Fidelio snaps, kicking him in the shin. “Besides, it’s pretty damn obvious who Wisty’s got eyes for. And it ain’t me.”

Louis considers pointing out how down that seems to make Fidelio, but decides against it for the time being. Instead, he’ll focus on the other bit there. “She’s soft on someone, then?”

“You…” Fidelio sighs, shaking his head. “You’re more hopeless than I thought.”

The older Magnus walks away before Louis can ask anything to find out just what that means.

Malveno’s ring sits in Louis’s pocket -- a bit closer than something in his pack, to ensure it doesn’t get stolen as easily as the dagger had. If he lost his one way to get that dagger back, too? Well, then he’d be quite certain Loveless was in on it and beat him for it, but it would also be quite discouraging.

And the last thing he needs right now is to be discouraged any further. The treasure demons taking the form of chests had been enough. Even with Gallica’s warnings and the Merchant being used by Fidelio to distract them, it had been rough.

Most of the group had gone right to bed after they ate that night. All save Louis himself and Basilio, who likely would have been asleep had the elda not dragged him out to the Gauntlet Runner for some privacy.

If anyone else were to be here, were to walk in on this… Louis isn’t sure he would be able to follow through. Trust is hard to come by, and even if he trusts the entire team at least a bit…

Well, it was to be expected that the man he loved was chief among them. Enough for Louis to finally show an aching wound that he’s hidden for so long. A wound that Basilio’s only begun to see the surface of.

He sits on the pile of bedding Basilio’d claimed as his own bed and waits. Gloves off to the side with his boots and socks. Skin that he’s kept hidden for as long as he can remember showing.

Angry scars on an arm and a leg that tell his story more clearly than words could. A story much too horrifying for most to stomach. But Basilio was different, wasn’t he? So willing and able to see all of Louis, no matter how dark.

So willing to hold his hand through that darkness, no matter how long it took to escape. Willing to meet him halfway, even when it no doubt would be easier to simply leave him behind.

Basilio clambers down the ladder, alerting Louis to the fact that his ten minutes of preparation he asked for are up. The paripus comes around the corner, a smile on his face. His eyes travel to Louis’s bare skin, and it falls.

“Lou,” he doesn’t look away, pull away in disgust, for even a moment. “What happened?”

“I told you of what happened to my people,” Louis says as Basilio comes closer, falling to his knees in front of him. “This is the physical proof of it. Our library burned, and my mother with it. My limbs followed suit.”

“This is why you always wear your gloves?” Basilio asks, hand hovering over Louis’s burnt wrist.

Louis nods. “To show this to others is… hard for me, Basilio. But what good does hiding anything from you bring me?”

Basilio wraps his hand gently around the wrist and pulls Louis’s hand to his face, kissing the palm gently. “Guess not much good, yeah?”

“Nothing good,” Louis nods. “Often only bad. And so, I’ll show you all of me.”

Basilio peppers kisses down the length of the arm slowly. “Then I’ll love all of you in return, how does that sound?”

“It sounds…” air catches in his throat, and his stomach flips, but not from anxiety. Not from anything negative at all. “It sounds wonderful.”

Chapter Text

When Louis sees Rudolf standing in the center of the marketplace, he almost feels the need to pinch himself. Someone like this man? Actually being among the common folk, many of whom aren’t roussainte? He never thought he’d see the day.

“You,” Rudolf notices him in turn. “I was looking for you.”

“Hopefully not to try and get me into any trouble,” Louis replies. “After I just saved the children of your town.”

He grits his teeth, scoffs. “It’s because you did that that I find myself in this… position. I wish to speak to you. Alone.”

That sounded like Louis would just be asking to get stabbed if he agreed. He looks around, eyes landing on Gallica. She nods and is off to find help, no doubt. So long as one of them comes with Healer on their heart, things should be fine.

“Very well,” Louis says. “Lead the way.”

If he’d realized alone meant in the corner of the inn, well… He might not have wasted his or Gallica’s time with setting up a safety net. Plenty of people are still here, just avoiding being close enough to have to listen to a word of what Rudolf had to say.

How he wishes he could be like them.

“So,” Louis says, tapping his fingers against the table. “What do you want from me?”

“Lady Joanna has announced her intent to step down as leader of this town,” Rudolf begins. “While she has kept the reason for it hidden thus far, the people are still in a panic. Looking for who will lead them next.”

“Mmm,” Louis hums. “A smaller scale incident to what’s happening to the country on large, then?”

Rudolf nods. “I made my intentions clear, that I would ensure Martira grows and prospers.”

Louis makes a face. “Oh.”

“I thought the people would be rejoiced, after all I was chosen as the replacement captain for a reason!” Rudolf slams his hand against the table. “But the people nearly rioted at the suggestion! One clemar even said he’d rather die than listen to me.”

“Can you blame them?” Louis asks. “You’re xenophobic, putting your own tribe above all else, and would run this place like a military boot camp. People simply looking to survive and protect their children don’t want to trade one monster for another.”

“So you agree with them?” Rudolf asks, scowling.

“Very much so,” Louis nods. “The people are scared, what they need is someone who will care for all of them. From the clemar noblemen to the mustari pagans. Do you really think they’d see you as someone who can provide that?”

“You say that is what they need, but is that anymore than a fanciful want?” Rudolf snaps back. “What they need is protection.”

“And that protection needs to be actual protection, not a stranglehold on them,” Louis rolls his eyes. “Tell me, Rudolf. Do you truly care for this town? Or simply your own standing?”

“The town, of course.”

“If that’s true,” Louis says, not really buying a word of it. “Then you need to prove it to the people.”

“And how do I do that?” He asks.

“First, you stop aiming to control the town yourself,” Louis holds up a finger and rolls his eyes when Rudolf bristles at the idea. “Then, you find someone whom the people actually trust to assist. If you want to prove yourself to me, you’ll choose someone from another tribe.”

“You ask for more than I can provide,” Rudolf says.

Louis shrugs. “Then it’s clear to me all you care about is your own standing. Very well. I believe this conversation is--”

“Wait!” Rudolf grinds his teeth together as Louis pauses. “Fine. I’ll do what you want, if only to show you that this town is my top priority, elda.”

“Very well,” Louis nods. “But one more suggestion?”

“What?”

“Don’t call me elda, call me my name,” Louis says. “The least you could do if you want the people to trust you is pretend not to be a roussainte supermacist.”

“I…” He grinds his teeth together again. “Will try, Charadrius.”

The stubborn captain, Rudolf… Within him dwells the virtue of the Commander. Nurture thy bond with him, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

Louis nearly screams a curse to the sky as the voice fades from his mind.

“What’s got you looking so upset?” Rudolf huffs. “Did you not hear me just say I will try and do what you’ve asked of me?”

“Oh, I did,” Louis says through gritted teeth. “I just realized that means we will likely be seeing more of each other.”

“It’s no more pleasant for me,” Rudolf scoffs. “We can always call this off, if you would--”

“Oh, no,” Louis shakes his head. “You aren’t getting out of it this easily.”

The way Rudolf fumes almost makes up for the fact that Louis is now bonded to him. Almost.

Louis throws himself into bed with a groan that night, having finished a debate with that Roger fellow. The way that man spoke about taxes and the like… Louis might take him more seriously if he claimed to have visions of the future that he could use to change said future. That would at least be out there enough; it could be fun.

“Hey, chin up,” Gallica chirps. “At least the people were on your side in the end! All that money could be helpful after we used so much in the Abandoned Tomb.”

“I suppose,” he grumbles as Basilio squeezes into bed next to him. “I just believe I am fed up with dealing with such headaches.”

“We’ll just have to give ya a break from that,” Basilio says. “Maybe you an’ me can have a little date tomorrow, yeah?”

“Mm,” Louis rests his head against his chest. “I wouldn’t mind that, so long as the others are fine with it.”

“Don’t got plans with Bas myself, so go for it,” Fidelio looks over at Wisteria. “You alright with that?”

“I…” Wisteria bristles. “I’d be fine with it. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Just checkin’,” Fidelio looks away, shaking his head. “Never gonna get to hang out with him if you don’t ask.”

“Shut it,” Wisteria hisses, face going red.

“Look at you two,” Basilio teases, a lopsided grin on his face. “Maybe you should go on a date while me and Lou are on ours., yeah?”

“No chance in hell!”

“No way!”

He shrugs. “Eh, worth a shot.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Give them some time, Basilio. I’m sure they’ll get there, eventually.”

“Like you’re one to talk!” Fidelio barks. “You didn’t even realize how into you Bas was until he kissed you.”

“No one asked, Fidelio…!” Louis sits up, frowning.

“No one asked you about me an’ Wisty, either!” Fidelio shoots back.

“You…!”

Basilio increases his grip on Louis, pulling him down onto his chest. “Enough of that! We should all get some shut-eye instead of bickerin’ all night, yeah?”

“Ugh,” Fidelio grunts. “Fine.”

“Fine by me,” Wisteria’s shrug can be heard in her words. “Last thing I needed interrupting my beauty sleep was two idiots bickering.”

“Tell me about it!” Gallica exclaims.

Louis grumbles out a muffled fine and lets his eyes drift shut.

“I know I called it a date,” Basilio says as they maneuver through the slums of Grand Trad. “But I mostly didn’t want Del catchin’ on to what I’m doing before I’m ready to tell him about it, like. Hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s fine,” Louis puts a hand under Basilio’s chin, turning his head to face him. “But you owe me a real date later, alright?”

Basilio grins at him, the goofy sort of grin that warms Louis’s heart. “Happily!”

He follows Basilio through the streets in relative silence after that. Once again, they find themselves at Patrice’s door. Louis glances around, noting the way most seem to avoid it. Strange. Is she that isolated from others?

Basilio knocks, rocking back and forth on his feet as he waits. Louis places a hand on his arm, giving a squeeze of support. The door opens after a long moment of nothing.

Patrice’s good ear once again flicks in annoyance when she sees them, a scowl coming to her face. “Are you serious right now, Bas?”

“Sure am,” he nods. “I’m not the type to give up that easy, always been real stubborn, like.”

“And you brought your elda friend again,” she looks at Louis and frowns. “You alright with him dragging you around like this?”

“I’m usually the one dragging him around,” Louis shrugs. “The least I can do is follow him from time to time.”

She snorts. “That sounds like him. Always needs someone to follow after.”

“Pat,” Basilio says, voice straining. “Don’t.”

“Did you know he used to do that with Mother Michelle?” Patrice asks him. “Then Del, then those Mums of his. Now you -- poor little Bas, always needing someone to follow. Can’t stand up for himself.”

“Pat, I’m serious,” Basilio says. “Stop.”

“You’re just the newest crutch,” she laughs. “How long until he picks someone else? When will you get tired of propping him up--”

“I understand whatever you saw at the remnants of your old orphanage left you quite upset,” Louis speaks without thinking. “But if you could take it out on the people who deserve it, rather than Basilio, I’ll be more willing to hear you out.”

“Lou--”

“You little…!” She grabs him by the front of his shirt, teeth bared. “Who told you I was there?”

“What? So you can take it out on them?” Louis scoffs. “I think not.”

“What I saw is none of your business,” she snarls. “The little favorite over there even less so!”

“And what makes you say he’s the favorite?” Louis raises a brow.

“You--”

“Louis!” Basilio’s voice cuts through them both. “That’s enough. We’re going.”

Patrice drops Louis, and Basilio grasps his upper arm, pulling him away. Bile rises in his throat, and he tries to find words, but none come to him. How could they, when he’d all but attacked someone precious to Basilio?

They walk until coming to the same empty street where Basilio had first kissed him. Basilio presses him against the wall, Louis’s lungs emptying as his back hits stone. Basilio stares down at him, pain in his eyes.

“Don’t go fightin’ people for me, Lou,” Basilio says. “Especially not when they’re right.”

“She wasn’t right,” Louis responds. “You stand on your own more than anyone else I know, Basilio. You--”

“Still rely a hell of a lot more on you and Del than I should,” Basilio cuts him off. “She’s right, Lou.”

Louis reaches up, cupping Basilio’s face between his hands. “You were the one who chose to come here, to seek Patrice out and help her. You were the one to choose to be my partner, in more ways than one. Basilio, you stand more on your own than you know.”

“Louis…” A hand comes up to rest on his. “You can’t be doing this to a bloke.”

“Can’t I?” Louis asks, voice low. “Besides, I think we’ve found what we’re looking for.”

“Yeah, but that can wait until we get there,” Basilio mumbles. “Right now, all I wanna do is…”

He leans in and their lips meet. Louis groans against his lips as Basilio pushes him further against the wall, trapping him there. His hands travel from the sides of the paripus’s face and wrap around the back of his neck, supporting himself.

Teeth bite at his lower lip until he parts them and allows Basilio’s tongue to slide in. He wriggles under Basilio’s grasp as he explores every corner of his mouth. Melts into the strong hands holding him up.

Basilio pulls away after a moment, breathing heavily.

“One of these days I might just have to eat you up,” Basilio husks out.

“So long as it’s not as uncomfortable as when the Human did just that,” Louis mumbles. “I think I might be fine with that.”

Basilio blinks at the very unsexy mention of their earlier adventure before laughing. Louis smiles as he does. Things like this made it worth it, he thinks.

Loveless inspects the ring and whistles. “Damn, you actually got your hands on it!”

“Sure did,” Gallica replies, hands on her hips. “So now it’s on you to fulfill your end of the bargain and get that dagger back for us!”

“Of course!” Loveless nods and gestures towards the inn with his head. “Go in there, get drinkin’ with your buds, and watch me work.”

Louis shrugs, seeing no point in trying to argue. The inn was lively tonight, anyway. Taking a seat next to Basilio and watching not only Loveless move into and through the crowd, but Wisteria starting to loosen up a bit? Well, if it all ends well…

“That’s the guy, yeah?” Basilio whispers as he nods towards Loveless. “The one gettin’ Ma’s dagger back?”

“He is, so long as he pulls through,” Louis mumbles back. “For now, we just have to watch.”

“Oi!” Loveless pulls the attention of the room to him at that point, raising a pint in the air. “Drinks are on me tonight!”

“Oh yeah? What’s the occasion this time, Loveless?!” One of the regulars belts out a laugh. “We all know you only do this if you want something!”

“Isn’t it enough to want to have fun with you lot?” Loveless grins and points his pint towards Wisteria. “Besides, a lovely lady like this isn’t gonna take a drink from me unless you all do!”

“There it is!”

“What a flirt!”

“Poor girl’s going bright red thanks to that, Loveless! You'd better take responsibility.”

Basilio snickers and raises his nearly empty drink up. “Well, I’m not gonna say no to a free drink!”

“That’s the spirit!” Loveless chirps. “Come on! Let’s drink until the sun’s up!”

“And here’s that dagger o’ yers,” Loveless drops it in Louis’s palm with a grin. “Real simple, eh?”

“How did you get it back?” Gallica gasps. “It looked like you were just drinking your head off all night!”

“I hold my alcohol real well,” Loveless replies. “The fella who stole that from you? Not so much. Get him drunk enough and it’s real easy to slip stuff off ‘im.”

“So you’re a pickpocket,” Louis says.

“Only if I’m gettin’ something the person shouldn’t have off of ‘em,” Loveless puffs out his chest. “Should you even be judgin’ when I just helped you out?”

“You have a point, I suppose,” Louis tucks the dagger back into his bag. “Thank you for the help.”

“No problem,” Loveless puts his hands behind his head and grins. “Might have to do this again sometime, your boytoy was real helpful to gettin’ that party going.”

“As was my friend Wisteria,” he looks towards where the poor girl has her head buried at the bar. “Do try not to mess with her heart like that in the future, hm?”

“Oh that?” Loveless’s left ear flicks. “That was only a half-excuse to get things going. She really is quite the looker. I’d take her out for drinks without havin’ another reason to. All the more reason we need to meet up again, eh?”

Louis thinks of poor Fidelio, but nods nonetheless. “I suppose so.”

“I’ll be headin’ out to Brilehaven here soon, so we probably won’t see each other until you get there,” Loveless says. “For that tournament and all. So see ya around.”

“Yes, see you.”

He holds out a hand, and Louis takes it, a firm sort of handshake. Not exactly what he’d been expecting from a man like Loveless, but then again, what kind of handshake would he have expected? 

The freewheeling traveller, Loveless… Within him dwells the virtue of the Faker. Nurture thy bond with him, and a new power yet slumbering within thee may awaken.

Huh. Better than Rudolf, Louis supposes. So he’ll take it.

“Just look for a Loveless O’Shea when you get there,” Loveless speaks again. “I think I like you enough, you get to know all the info needed to track me down.”

He winks as he pulls his hand away and saunters right back to Wisteria. He sits next to her and orders… another drink. Louis grimaces and makes his way over. Just because Loveless could handle it didn’t mean Wisteria could.

As he and Basilio drag their friend to bed for the night, he feels the warmth of bonds once again soothing his weary soul.

Chapter Text

Louis feels much less awkward approaching Brigitta now that Fabienne’s dagger is safely in his pack. He nods to her as he walks into the Hushed Honeybee, waiting as she finds a moment to slip away from the guests.

“Louis,” she says. “How goes the hunt?”

“We've claimed our head,” he nods. “Is Maria around?”

“Wanting to see her?” Brigitta asks. “She’ll be happy to hear that.”

“I have a friend I’d like her to meet,” Louis explains. “She helped us claim our head, and…”

Brigitta raises an eyebrow. “And?”

“She’s like Maria,” Louis leans in, lowering his voice. “Mixed tribe. I thought it might help her to see someone like that with friends.”

“Might encourage her to make more friends of her own,” Brigitta hums. “Alright, if you trust her, then I trust her, too. I’ll get Maria for you.”

He nods and watches the counter while Brigitta makes her way upstairs. Soon enough, she returns with Maria at her heel. She’s bouncing on her feet when they stop next to him. She’s smiling from ear to ear.

“I brought you some pictures,” Louis says, kneeling next to her, holding out the drawings from Basilio. “Places we saw on our journey so far. I thought you might like them.”

Maria’s eyes sparkle as she looks at them. “So places like this exist outside of Grand Trad…? Wow!”

“And that’s not all,” Louis stands, offering her his hand. “I want you to meet a friend of mine.”

She nods, handing the drawings off to Brigitta before taking his hand. He leads her outside and glances around, soon seeing Wisteria. She’s come as he asked, leaning against a nearby wall and trying to blend in. She looks uncomfortable… He’ll have to apologize and thank her for this later.

“Wisteria,” he approaches, Maria skipping along. “This is Maria, Basilio and Fidelio’s sister we’ve mentioned.”

She looks at Maria, swallowing. “...Good to meet you.”

“You…” Maria bounces on her feet again. “You’re like me!”

“I…” Wisteria glances at Louis, who nods. “I guess I am. You live in a city and haven’t seen others?”

She shakes her head. “Not up close. I, um, I’m not supposed to talk to strangers… But you’re Mister Louis’s friend, so I can talk to you!”

“That so?” Wisteria crouches down. “Well, now you’ve met someone like you. How does it feel?”

“Really good,” Maria chirps. “Your horn is really pretty, Miss Wisteria!”

“You…” She blinks, going a bit red in the face. “...You really think so?”

Maria nods. “Um… Can I touch it?”

“Touch it?” Wisteria blinks.

“Sorry!” Maria hops back a step. “Was that rude? I-I just thought it was neat. How you only have one horn, like I only have one pair of wings.”

Wisteria holds out a finger, spins it around. Maria catches on and spins for her, letting her see her back for a moment. 

“Huh, so you do only have one pair,” Wisteria mumbles. “Cute.”

“You think so?” Maria asks. “They’re not… weird or too small?”

“They are cute,” Louis pats her head. “Wisteria is right.”

Maria flushes when Wisteria nods. “Um, thank you! Both of you…!”

“Don’t thank me for being honest, kid,” Wisteria shakes her head. “Anyone that’s been rude to you about it is a right c-- crappy person.”

“Thank you, Miss Wisteria,” she kicks at the ground, shy. “...Um, your hair is very nice, too! Who cut it?”

“Your brother, Fidelio,” she replies. “He cut your hair, too?”

She nods. “Him or Mama Brigitta! Do you like your new hair?”

“I…” Wisteria plays with the ends of her hair. “I do like it, yeah.”

Maria giggles. Louis raises an eyebrow, but decides against questioning it right now. He’s quite sure the girl is thinking about weddings again, no doubt this time able to imagine a big, beautiful dress. He wouldn’t ruin that for Maria or make things awkward for Wisteria.

At least not yet, in the case of the latter.

“So, Maria,” he says instead as he crouches down to her level as well. “What do you think? Wisteria is quite wonderful, isn’t she?”

“She is!” Maria nods. “And you and my brothers are her friends, right?”

“Right,” he nods. “She might even have a few other friends. Like Gallica and Lina.”

And maybe Loveless, though that interest might be a little more than platonic on the paripus’s end. Maria didn’t need to know about the ins and outs of a drunkard’s idea of courtship, though. That could wait until she was older.

“Then maybe one day I can have a lot of friends like that?” She wonders aloud. “Would you help me with that, Mister Louis?”

“I would be delighted to,” he says. Dracia comes to mind. There’s a good first friend, right? So long as he can make sure Milo’s not fed her too much poison about mixed tribe children… “Next time we play, we can do that, okay?”

“Okay!” She nods, a bright smile on her face. “Thank you so much! And, uh, it was very nice meeting you Miss Wisteria!”

She hugs Wisteria, who blinks a few times before patting her on the back. Louis smiles at her, tilting his head to the side when she huffs and looks away. He still doesn’t quite get that woman, as loath as he is to admit it…

Oh well, there would be plenty of time to get to know her. And get to know Maria even better, too. 

If he was going to have these bonds, he might as well, right? Better than being alone like before.

Better than being lost.

There’s a crowd at the little stage for speeches that night. Louis supposes it’s because of the nidia standing up on stage. Alonzo Crotalus, no doubt stuck in town the same as the rest of them, was taking the chance to smooth-talk the crowd.

“He’s good at this, isn’t he?” Gallica mumbles. “But what is he really promising?”

“Not much,” Louis says. “He spins a pretty word, but he has no actual policy to speak of.”

“Maybe you should get up there, then,” Gallica suggests. “Show the people how bogus he is, and we might get some more positive attention on us. Maybe even a little extra reeve for the road!”

Louis nods. “You stay here and watch.”

Gallica cheers him on as he steps onto the stage. Alonzo turns to look at him, a grin on his face. He removes his hat from his head and bows with quite a flourish. Louis waits until he straightens.

“It seems another running for the throne would like to try his luck against me,” Alonzo chirps. “Well, I do welcome a friendly debate!”

“We’ll see how friendly it remains,” Louis mumbles before gesturing towards the crowd. “Do go first.”

Alonzo steps up to the plate, arms outstretched. “This is a chance for all of us! To step into the future and change for the better! A change I am willing to bring, if only you’ll give me your support!”

Louis can use that. He shifts his stance, arms crossing. “And what changes are you planning?”

“Hm?” Alonzo raises an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“What changes are you planning to make this better future possible?” Louis says, louder this time. “You speak of bringing it about, but you’ve not once said how you will. Could it be you want people to fill that in themselves, rather than say anything concrete?”

The crowd starts mumbling, speaking among themselves. Most still aren’t impressed with Louis’s platform, but he at least has actual ideas for how to make the world better. Alonzo is just speaking a whole lot of nothing, they say.

He grins as Alonzo flusters and loses control of the tide with the people. Good enough for him. The debate was in his hands now.

“You did great!” Gallica chirps. “The people were eating your words up there by the end, good job, Louis.”

“I agree with your fairy friend,” Louis turns as Alonzo approaches, once again pulling his hat from his head. “I suppose I’ll have to try harder with people like you vying for the throne.”

Louis shrugs. “The people are smarter than you think, Crotalus. You can’t rely on pretty words to earn you a crown.”

“I suppose I learned that tonight, yes,” Alonzo nods. “Here I thought Prince William had it all figured out…”

“That man is more action than words than you might believe,” Louis frowns at the thought. “That’s why he’s dangerous.”

“And why you threw your lot in with him,” Alonzo nods. “Don’t worry, I understand. Well. I’ll be seeing you when this headhunt is over, then, no doubt!”

And with that, he walks away. Louis let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. He never knows how to talk to those shady sorts. But he supposes for now he wouldn’t have to worry about it all that much.

“Well,” Gallica shrugs. “At least he learned something from your debate?”

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t come back to bite us in the arse later,” Louis says. “Come on, I’m tired. Let’s get to bed.”

When Louis sits down and opens the book again, he’s ready to see Lilith. In more than passing, too, when he changes Archetypes and prepares for battles. She’s waiting for him, beaming up at him from where she sits at her desk.

“The Gunner,” she muses. “You taught it to your newest companion, Wisteria… Perfect! Two new bonds, now connected through your power.”

Louis shrugs as he takes a seat across from her. “I thought she could use the distant attacks the most, that’s all.”

“You think of what she needs, of what all your bonds need.” Lilith pulls the journal out, opens it to the drawing that houses them all. 

It’s filled in quite a bit -- some Archetypes more developed than before, and others opened up where they once sat empty. He looks it over. Three spots left to start filling in, he notes. He wonders if he’ll make it happen.

“I do what is expected of me,” he finally settles on saying. “Nothing more, nothing less. If I had it my way, I know there are a few bonds I would be happy to ignore…”

“But you won’t,” Lilith chirps. “Because you understand the power they hold.”

“Because I want to help you,” Louis confesses. “You are… important to me, Lilith.”

“I had a feeling you might say that,” Lilith closes her eyes. “As I remember more, I remember a boy important to me. One that reminds me of you.”

“You…” His heart squeezes in his chest. “Do you remember the name of the boy?”

“I do not,” she shakes her head, solemn. “But I know everything I did, I did for him. For his future.”

“He…” Louis swallows down pain. “He would be happy to hear that.”

“You think so?” She smiles at him again. “I think he would be happy to see what you’re doing, too. Helping me with my studies and pushing us closer to a bright future with every step you take.”

“Do you think so?” Louis asks. “I’m not so sure. That boy has surely lost so much, it may be hard to see change as possible.”

“You have lost so much as well,” Lilith replies. “You struggle, but you still try. Change may seem impossible, but you still push forward.”

“It is because of my companions that I can,” Louis confesses. “Without them, I…”

“I know,” Lilith places a hand over his. “But you have those companions, so don’t give up, Louis. Keep going. For me and for that boy in my memories.”

“I…” He swallows one more time. “I will do my best.”

“Good,” Lilith smiles at him. “We’ll talk again in the future, alright?”

Louis can only nod.

“So…” Gallica lands on Louis’s shoulder as he stares out at the sky. “When are you gonna tell her? That she looks like your mom.”

“Why would I tell her that?” Louis asks. “She doesn’t remember me, and her name is not the same, so…”

“But she does remember you!” Gallica stomps her foot against his shoulder. “The boy she was talking about, it had to be you!”

“We can’t be sure!” Louis snaps.

“Louis, are you just afraid of--”

“We aren’t having this conversation,” Louis looks around, looking around for any way out of this. “There’s no reason to make things more confusing and tell her she looks like a dead woman.”

“She clearly already knows she’s dead,” Gallica argues. “It might be exciting for her to know you recognize her.”

“Or it will confuse her further and make things harder,” Louis stands, knocking Gallica from his shoulder. “This conversation is over.”

“Hi, Mister Louis!” Lina waves him over to the stage that night, after he’s wandered for hours trying to avoid Gallica. “Teacher is here today, giving a speech! Isn’t that just amazing!”

“It is,” Louis looks up to where Neuras stands, shouting about technology and the next steps for it. He hums, rubbing his chin. “Do you think he would be up for a friendly debate, Lina?”

“Hm…” She taps her chin with a claw. “I don’t see why not! He’s always said he likes a good brain exercise, and I’m sure a debate would be just that!”

“Then I’ll see what I can do,” he pats her head. “I know he’s your teacher, but try and wish me luck, alright?”

“Good luck!” She chirps as he makes his way onto the stage.

Neuras doesn’t notice him at first, still going on and on about technology and what it can provide. It’s not until the crowd starts heckling him about ignoring Louis that he pauses and looks over at him.

“Well, I’ll say, the elda in the competition is looking for a debate with me, what?” Neruas rubs his chin. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Lina speaks highly of you,” Louis replies. “I want to see if you can back up your words and prove yourself worthy of her respect.”

“That so?” Neruas grins. “Well, I can’t let her down, now, can I?”

He steps forward, and Louis watches. He doesn’t have the stage presence of Alonzo from the night before, but he certainly has enough passion to make up for it. Probably helps that he at least has some sort of platform, even if it was inherently a flawed one.

“People, listen up, won’t you?” He begins. “Euchronia’s been in a slump for a while now, we can all agree on that. What do we need to fix is the question. I’ll tell you what we need!”

The crowd is mumbling, excited. Huh, apparently you didn’t even need stage presence to work a crowd. That or Lina’s excited, bouncing around what doing the heavy lifting for him.

“What we need is a technological revolution!” He belts out. “When we’re all living life, finding new ways to improve it, there’ll be no time for petty things like tribal or class divide, what!”

“You say that,” Louis speaks up. “But do you have safeguards in mind to ensure people don’t use this technology to further the divides you speak of?”

“Hm?” Neuras blinks. “What now?”

“How will you ensure the noble class doesn’t hoard this technology for their own gain?” Louis asks. “That clemar and roussainte won’t use it to keep paripus and eugief under them? Ensure paripus have the education that even allows them to explore this technology?”

The crowd alights with murmurs. Shortsightedness on Neuras’s part is coming through as an issue. Good. Louis will attack that, make it work in his favor. It shouldn’t be too hard, seeing as the old man is already fumbling.

“I can’t believe it!” Lina breathes out. “You totally one-upped Teacher there!”

Louis likes to think Lina doesn’t think so poorly of him, so he assumes this means she just thinks very highly of Neuras. He smiles at her, patting her head as he does so. “Well, I’ll take that as a vote of confidence.”

“You should,” Neuras speaks as he approaches. “Good to see Lina is in good hands, I’ll tell you what!”

“Yes, we try to take good care of her,” Louis says. “And of your runner. I’m thankful you allowed her to use it, and by extension, allowed us to travel.”

“It’s the least I can do, when there’s no point in polishing it up anymore,” his shoulders slump. “So long as you take care of the old girl and Lina’s leg, I’m happy to leave my technology with you, what.”

“Her leg?”

“Teacher!” Lina hisses out. “Keep that to yourself! To yourself!”

“You haven’t told them?” Neuras frowns. “Lina, that piece of work is highly delicate. They need to know, in case any need for emergency repairs--

“Enough!” Lina shakes her head. “I don’t want them to know, so they don’t know! Teacher, please respect that!”

Neuras straightens up, suddenly more serious than before. “...Alright, I’ll trust you, my star pupil. But make sure you have a line to me in that case, alright? If anything happened to you--”

“I’ll be careful, Teacher, I promise,” Lina shakes her head. “I can take care of myself!”

“Lina…” Louis frowns. “What’s this about your leg?”

“I’ll… tell you later,” Lina says. “When I’m more ready to! So, please just hang on a bit longer, okay?”

Louis and Neuras share a look before Louis nods.

“Okay, I trust you, but…” Louis crosses his arms. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye on where you are in your travels, Neueirus. Just in case.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he nods. “Be safe, you lot. I’ll see you at the exhibition.”

He waves them off, and Lina excuses herself in a hurry. Louis watches her go, a frown on his face. Just what was going on with her leg that Neuras would compare it to a Gauntlet Runner like that…?

He supposes he’ll have to find out when Lina’s ready to talk.

Chapter Text

Louis finds Maria the next day crying, and his heart squeezes at the sight. He rushes to where she sits on the ground, a clemar boy standing over her. Nearby, a paripus orphan also watches. He frowns.

“What’s going on here?” He asks, perhaps a bit too harshly for a bunch of children, as he drops to a knee and helps Maria up. “Maria, are you alright?”

“T… they were bullying him,” Maria sniffles, pointing to the paripus boy. “A… and I thought about you, Mister Louis, and what you would do. So I asked them to stop and…”

“They pushed her,” the orphan rasps out. “For trying to help me.”

He looks at the clemar boy, his friends no doubt having scattered shortly before Louis approached the group. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“S… she shouldn’t have gotten involved!” The boy cries out. “He’s a paripus and she’s cursed, so…!”

“So that makes it okay?” Louis frowns. “Where are your parents?”

“Doesn’t matter, elda!” The boy sticks out his tongue. “They’ll side with me!”

“Then maybe you should run off to them, now,” he waves a hand at him, the other hand on Maria’s back. “Go now, shoo.”

He runs off without much more pressure, and Louis turns to look at Maria and the paripus boy. The boy is frowning, looking between Maria and Louis, and thinking. Louis waits, rubbing a calming circle on Maria’s back as she sniffles.

“You shouldn’t have tried to help me,” he finally says to Maria. “It just got you hurt.”

“B… but…” Maria wipes at her eyes. “It wasn’t fair, how they were treating you!”

“I’m used to it,” the boy shakes his head. “You should be used to it, too.”

Maria opens her mouth to argue, but the boy is already leaving. She grips the front of her skirt after her hand reaching out for the boy falls. Louis keeps his hand on her back, rubbing another calming circle into it.

“I don’t get it,” she says weakly. “What am I doing wrong?”

“You aren’t doing anything wrong,” Louis replies, voice gentle. “Change just takes time, Maria. It was very brave of you to stand up for that boy, even if he doesn’t realize it.”

“But he was upset,” Maria looks at Louis. “Should I not have helped him?”

“Sometimes people who need help don’t like that they do,” Louis replies. “But it doesn’t make helping them wrong. Just keep doing things like that, Maria, and I’m sure things will work out.”