Return of the Emblem Chapter Fourteen: Fight

[Nanami Touko]

"Maybe... The whole emblem thing is way above me, so I don't think about it often. I just let Joanna and Amon deal with the thing and chime in when I have a thought that isn't entirely stupid. I'm hoping the two of them can figure out how to share the thing, though. If it's necessary that it has to be used."

Eva laughed as Jam yawned, shaking her head some. "Don't force yourself to stay up if you can't manage it. Just strap in and relax."

[Toogee]

"Nah, I'll stay up, I promise," Jam said as she attempted to wipe the weariness from her eyes. What truly woke her up however was the sight of Amon's body being taken out of the wagon. She tapped Eva on the arm and pointed at the scene.

"Eva, is he...?" Jam hoped to get a closer look to either dispel her fears...or confirm them.

[Nanami Touko]

"Alright, alright." Eva chuckled and ruffle the girl's hair, sighing a bit. I guess she has to do her best in her own way. She did look over as Jam pointed it out, but shook her head. "I think he's fine. Malik wouldn't be bringing him out like that if he was gone... Probably. I think they're just putting him somewhere while he's out. He'll be awake soon enough, don't worry." It was a bit worrying to Eva, but it was good to put on a strong face for Jam. She really did think that Amon was fine, but... Just wake up, man.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Melissa

[Mercakete]

Norbert climbed into Rizen's saddle and held his arm out to help Darcey up. He knew she didn't need it, but assisting wasn't going to make the mounting any slower. In response to the women's comments, he replied, "Yeah. With all the trouble the military's been getting, it sounds like they could use all the help they can get." Not to mention those Fallen that plan on coming... Healers'll be in high demand...

Well, that wasn't really a cheery thought, especially what with how many of Norbert's unofficial family served in Ursium's military. Thankfully, there was a segue built into the conversation already. He shrugged at the two and added, "As for me, I've survived this long. I appreciate the help I get, but I'm not going to demand anyone to only heal me, especially when other people need it. Rizen already does that, and she's been a great help on her own. I'll survive, even if it means I bleed out a little longer or whatever." I'll have to make sure of it myself again.

The line of thinking had returned to how poorly things had gone in their last fight. He'd learned to rely on his teammates in Raquel's group. Now, though, it looked like he had to go back to his old ways of being self-sufficient. He did wish that he could rely on the others, though, and he remembered his envy towards Doran. If he could rely on his fellow guardsmen like he claimed, he was in a better position than the mercenaries, who...couldn't even decide on a clear leader, actually...

[Phoenix]

Wilderness

"Are you serious?" Darcey glared at Norbert once she was mounted up behind him, a glare with no real weight to it. "Who needs healing more than the guy who's apparently always on the verge of bleeding to death? If you want to feel less guilty about it, get a girlfriend who's a healer. You'll have priority with her and for good reason ... and you won't have to worry about that ... or about dying. At least not so often ..." Darcey felt her voice getting weaker and weaker. She wasn't sure where she was going with that, but she just felt her lone wolf of a brother wasn't taking his circumstances seriously enough. Raw determination and a reliable steed could only get one so far. She'd found that out the hard way, back when she and Abigail were captured by Carlos and his men. No one seemed interested in taking Norbert alive, so his situation was far worse than her own. If only she could get that across ...

Mountain Road

Haythem and Malik managed to get Amon up onto Isis, and then they both mounted up, as well. Once Malik waved an okay to Glen, the latter got the wagon moving again, and the sorry excuse for a caravan was back on its way, again. Isis didn't start off after them right away. Malik instructed Haythem to hang back for almost a minute. Only once the wagon was just a little too far to be hit by a rock thrown from either of the sancturans, Haythem got Isis airborne. Now it was time to wait, and see if Joanna's theory was correct, or if they would have to try Malik's original theory, instead. Some part of him was hoping Amon wouldn't have to keep such a distance from the emblem, not when failing to do so, even briefly, could cripple him like this.

[Mercakete]

"W-what?!" the suggestion had caught him off-guard and though he probably looked angry, his mood had actually shifted more towards surprise and embarrassment. Initially, anyway. Annoyance quickly entered the mix, though his initial exclamation had occurred near immediately after Darcey had said "girlfriend."

"Why do you all always do this?!" The embarrassment wasn't completely gone. "It's like you sisters always think that my getting a girlfriend will solve all of my problems!" That wasn't quite Darcey's point, but he'd heard the suggestion enough from his other sisters to lump it in with them. "And anyway, I'm not always bleeding out! I think that whatever healers I travel with should prioritize whoever needs the healing the most at any given time, not just tethered to me -- that's what I meant! And if I can fend for myself well enough, then let them help someone who needs it, even if I'm hurt, too! I can usually take it, and not everyone's as hardy as I am!"

Still heavily disgruntled, but less loudly, Norbert added, "Besides, I'm not interested in being a couple with someone just because she's a healer or whatever else. I take intimate relationships like that seriously...or at least the idea of them. Finding someone who's a good fit and who's interested in me, and I in her, isn't likely, but that's the only way it's ever happening."

Too many of his own sisters were a testament to the disaster that could come from rushing into things, whether by their own experience or the experience of their parents. It only resulted in broken hearts and scarred lives, and never just their own.

[Toogee]

Despite Eva's assurances, Jam kept watching as Isis flew into the sky. She wondered why being on a wyvern was better than lying down in the wagon. The dancer was half afraid she was to witness some unknown Sancturian death rite, in which Amon's body would be tossed overboard. Her eyes remained glued on the wyvern, waiting for something to happen.

[Phoenix]

Yourself

"Oh come on," Darcey shot back, "it's not that serious! How long do you expect to last if you won't even put yourself first?" she countered, her tone more insistent this time. "I only suggested a girlfriend because you can't argue with her treating you first. What? Are you suddenly going to have less healers to go around if one of them was looking out for you? Of course not! You just get healed first and then can help guard them while they treat everyone else! That's better than you just bleeding all over the place for ten minutes and you know it!"

"Would you two keep your voices down?" Martha frowned. Raising her own voice to try to rein them in, or getting angry, wouldn't help matters.

"Maybe," Cameron quietly chimed in, "some self healing techniques would be a better option." Norbert seemed serious about the girlfriend thing, so she wanted to steer clear of that suggestion and try one that wouldn't compromise his independence or necessarily annoy the living crap out of him.

[spoiler=Desire]

"Can you hear me?" Amon didn't recognize the voice, not quite, though it was vaguely familiar. "If you can hear me ... then come and find me." Amon opened his eyes. He didn't know where he was but it wasn't Ursium. He was in a cave made completely out of gold. The light the unnatural rocks gave off kept the place well lit, a bit too much, actually. Amon found it hard to make out anything in great detail. Despite how out of place he felt, he picked himself up and gave the area a more thorough sweep. He seemed to be near a dead end, with only one way forward.

"This has ... something to do with the emblem," Amon said. He'd never been sure of anything more in his life.

"Don't keep me waiting, boy," came the older voice, again. Amon glared off down the bright tunnel. What was his rush, anyway? He supposed he'd find out soon enough.

Amon hadn't done a good job of keeping track of time since he'd started down the long path, but when an opening finally presented itself, it wasn't anything like what he was expecting. He found himself in a large room that reminded him of the Sanctuary palace dining hall. There was no furniture, but the place still looked magnificent, especially now that it was all made of solid gold like the cave had been. It was a dream induced by the Fire Emblem. It had to be, Amon concluded.

There, at the center of the room, a tall robed figure appeared like a ghost. He seemed even more out of place here than Amon felt. He wore a mask that covered his entire face. There didn't seem to be anything special about the mask, and save for a few green streaks of color here and there, it was an old, dull looking thing. "There you are," a voice came from behind the mask, the one Amon was starting to get sick of. "Come here, boy. Come meet the face of your enemy."

"Enemy?" Amon winced. "What makes you think we're enemies? I don't even know you." Amon reconsidered. "Have we met?"

The figure shook his head. "No, but we should have ... and we will. At some point you and I will meet face to face in the real world. For now, just know that I am your enemy."

"Who are you?" Amon gritted his teeth. This was getting weirder all the time.

"My people know me as Osiris, the master assassin and head of the Tide organization. I trust my former subordinate Fizza has been a great help to you since her betrayal."

"So you're Fizza's old boss ..." Amon concluded.

"Yes, but I am not just an assassin. Before I joined the Tide ... before I clawed my way to the top, I went by another name. I was once an agent of Queen Aisha, a young but talented man named Amon Zeev." Amon flinched, his face going a little pale. "That's right, the same as you, boy. I'm not sure whether to call you Junior or Impostor, but it doesn't matter. You can never take my place. Compared to me, you are nothing."

"Why have I never heard of you?" Amon's eyes narrowed. This was all a little suspicious. Before Osiris could answer, another figure appeared, one wearing gold, silver, and gray, with hair that seemed to merge with the ground at her feet as she walked. She glided over the floor with perfect steps, bringing herself to Amon's right side, positioned perfectly between the two. "Lady Aisha ..."

"Amon," she frowned at him, "there is something I must tell you." Amon had a feeling he wasn't going to like this one bit. "This man," she gestured toward Osiris, "is my husband. He wasn't the first, and he may not be the last, but he is my husband just the same." His feeling was spot on ... he didn't like hearing that one bit. Why on earth would Aisha's own husband join the Tide? What sort of marital problems could cause such a violent change of heart? "The reason you never heard about him is because I made certain you wouldn't. "

"Why keep that a secret?" Amon asked, his voice more pleading than he intended. "Don't we have the right to know who our king is?"

"There is no king," Aisha shook her head, "my husbands are merely my companions. There was an image I desired to keep. My husbands are not written about or known to their generation. Only I remember them."

"That's right," Osiris said, his voice full of satisfaction, "Aisha is incapable of having true partners. The world she has built for herself prohibits it. Still, a queen, no, a goddess ... won't be denied cardinal pleasures."

Amon bit down hard, it was that or rush Osiris and shut him up that way. Shutting him up would have to wait, though. He still needed to know why. "Why did you betray her?! I can understand why Lady Aisha would ... want a partner ... it ... actually makes sense ... and I was a fool not to realize that about her sooner ... but why? Why would you betray her to join the Tide?"

Osiris took a step closer. "I told you, fool, Aisha can't have any true partners. She's created a system in which she is the sole monarch ... but this system is fundamentally flawed. Our nation must be ruled by a family unit, not a lonely idol condemned to a hopeless existence without happiness and without end."

Aisha took a step toward Amon, as well and said, "Osiris wanted to reform the government, to have himself and I declared the King and Queen of Rex-Avaz. I wouldn't allow it. I understood his reasons, and some of them I agreed with, but it wasn't the time to enact such unprecedented changes ... I couldn't allow something like that to happen while the rebels were still a major threat."

"I wasn't angry," Osiris assured Aisha and Amon both, "I just needed to take another approach to the problem. The Tide was my answer."

"The Tide have killed scores of our people," Amon bit out, righteous fire erupting in his eyes.

"More than you think," Osiris noted casually, "but we have our scars, as well. That's what keeps this 'rebellion' alive and emboldens us to action."

"Amon," Aisha pulled his attention back onto her, "Sanctuary has fallen." She only gave him a second to react to that before she continued. "Obelisk attacked us. So many died, but the rest of our people escaped. That was what you felt today. My power has faded, Sanctuary is in ruins, and I am now being held by the Tide. Osiris, my own husband, is the one thing standing between me and certain death."

There was a long silence; Osiris and Aisha seemed to be giving Amon time to process what they'd told him. Eventually, Amon broke the silence, focusing on Osiris. "You said you were my enemy. Why is that? What are you planning to do?"

"Fear not," Osiris assured him, "I'm not going to kill Aisha. In fact, I will personally put down any man who tries." He began walking toward Amon, passing Aisha along the way. Once he reached the younger man, he reached up to take hold of his mask. The two men were roughly the same height, Amon noticed. As the mask came down, Amon began to suspect why. Although he was older, Osiris had a face strikingly similar to his own. He had no doubt he would look a great deal like this, if not exactly like this in twenty years or so. Where Amon had some stubble and the beginnings of a beard, Osiris had a blond beard that extended up along his jawline and seemed to stop just short of merging with his sideburns. He had a gentle smile and a peaceful aura, a combination Amon didn't feel he could emulate, even on his best day.

"I'm Aisha's husband. That's why I'm your enemy, boy." Osiris glanced over at Aisha, his smile widening, and then he locked eyes with Amon, again. His smile vanished, his expression matching Amon's distrustful scowl. "Today's the first time I've seen Aisha in almost two decades. I get the distinct impression you were being groomed to take my place. Unfortunately for you, boy ... I'm still alive. She's mine."

"I ..." Amon's face twisted into something uncomfortable at the thought, "I didn't even think becoming her husband was possible. I didn't even entertain the idea." He kept his eyes locked with Osiris', so he wouldn't have to look at Aisha after saying that.

Osiris smiled again. "I didn't entertain the idea much, either ... not until I saw the signs she left for me. She waited patiently for me, and I eventually came around."

Amon tried to think back, looking for subtle hints of Aisha's interest in him ... there wasn't much beyond the fact that he, a simple messenger, was invited to work at the palace. There were reasonable explanations for that and every other thing that happened to him. He supposed there would be, since blatant nepotism was discouraged in Sanctuary.

"Maybe she's interested in you ... but you're going to have to wait your turn, boy. Or perhaps," Osiris seemed to be considering something, "if you're feeling confident ... you can kill me and have the queen all for yourself."

"What is wrong with you?" Amon bit out, "I'm not going to kill you just to so I can marry Lady Aisha."

"That's a shame ... I'd kill anyone I had to to be with the one I love," Osiris gave a big shrug, "seems you don't love her nearly as much as I do. Pathetic, but ... understandable. Find another woman to devote yourself to, boy. The idea of some lowly dog wearing my face and panting at her feet disgusts me more than you can ever know."

"She's the queen," Amon said, fighting back the urge to throw the first real punch, "all of us have devoted our lives to serving her."

"You're different," Osiris said, eyeing Amon critically, "you don't just serve Aisha, you are a puppet with personality. You are like her own hand. Her word is your life. Do you honestly believe that in your current state, you could ever have a wife other than Aisha herself? Don't react, think. Is there any way you could have a life beyond her, an existence without her at the center of it all?"

Amon winced. Now he was starting to see what Osiris was getting at. "I'm not sure. I never even-" "considered it," Osiris finished the thought for him. "You didn't have to, before ... but now that you've failed to achieve your goals, Aisha is beyond your reach, and your life can no longer be fulfilled through service to her. Your failure is complete, and now you have to move on."

"Move on to what?" Amon's glare returned, "I'm still a sancturan ... I'm still one of her people ... and I still serve her. How do you expect me to move on from this?!"

"That's your problem, but remember. Aisha is mine. You don't have what it takes to be anything more than her lapdog." Osiris turned away from him and started toward Aisha. Amon was getting furious, but something was starting to gnaw at him. Why wasn't Aisha weighing in more? She wouldn't normally be this quiet, especially not with people talking about her. She seemed far too ... submissive, right now. The word seemed even more appropriate as Osiris reached Aisha and placed his arm around her waist. "Look at us, boy."

Amon cringed, his hands balling into fists.

"Let this image be burned into your mind for all of eternity." Osiris pulled Aisha into a kiss that almost shocked Amon out of his fury. She didn't fight him or resist even slightly. She might have seen it coming for all Amon knew. Then, the fury slowly crept back in. What Amon was witnessing right now, a member of the Tide, locking lips with the Queen of Sanctuary, holding her like his own woman, and drinking her in with all the brazzen confidence the world could contain, was unthinkable. The sancturans would kill over this.

The kiss seemed to last for a minute or so, and Amon's heart began to sink as Osiris pulled Aisha closer to him. His gauntlets gently caressed the queen, and before long, she had draped her arms over his shoulders. Was this ever going to end? "Would you just ... stop it?! Enough already! I GET IT!!!" Amon could feel himself trembling as the echoes from his outburst faded. Finally, they stopped. Osiris gently pulled away from Aisha with a satisfied smirk.

Why? Why had Aisha gone along with that? "I get it," Amon bit out, "like I said, I didn't think you and I would ever ..." he tightened his fists and half turned away from the two of them. "You didn't have to do that, Lady Aisha."

"I'm sorry," came a third voice, one Amon knew all too well. He looked back toward Osiris and Aisha, but they weren't there. Instead, it was Raquel.

"What in the ..."

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Raquel said, on the verge of tears. She took several cautious steps toward Amon as he turned to face her. "I only wanted to help you understand."

"What are you even doing here?" Amon winced, "is this some new ability of yours? Coming into dreams and mimicking people?" That seemed familiar ...

Raquel shook her head. "I am Raquel in a sense, but ... I'm also the Fire Emblem in another. Listen, Amon, something wonderful happened today ... and now I may be able to do more for you and the others than ever before."

"W-what do you mean?" Amon took a reflexive step backward. Free help was attractive, but also a little unsettling, especially coming from someone that was supposed to be somewhere else, and who was now possibly the Fire Emblem itself?

"Raquel, your friend, merged her life with the Fire Emblem. You know what that means, right?"

Amon took a moment to consider it, then it came to him. "It means all the emblem pieces are a part of you and vice versa. That's how you're here right now." The Fire Emblem was just one object. No matter how many pieces there were, time and distance couldn't truly separate one part from another.

"Right," Raquel nodded, "but it's more than that. I can only speak to you like this because Raquel is a part of the Fire Emblem. If she weren't ... I wouldn't have that ability. I wouldn't exist ... not like this," she seemed to frown slightly. "Unless the Fire Emblem is whole, something like this isn't normally possible ... but now that a mind ... a real mind is a part of the Fire Emblem, all of the parts are linked, again, at least in a small way. The Fire Emblem may not be truly whole just yet ... but that can change soon ... and my ability to aid you and the others has never been greater."

That was good news, Amon agreed reluctantly, but he still wasn't sure if he was talking to Raquel or the emblem itself. She wasn't referring to either in the first person. "Slow down for a second. Can you start by telling me who you are, exactly? You talk about Raquel and the emblem like they're different from you. Which one are you?"

"I'm both ... but also neither if I'm being honest," Raquel answered. She seemed to anticipate how unsatisfactory that answer would be, so she came prepared. "I'm not Raquel, because she isn't truly here with you, now, but I'm not the Fire Emblem, either, because I can't exist without Raquel. As long as Raquel is a part of the Fire Emblem, I can now reach farther into the world and aid those who need me. I'm limited by Raquel ... but I can still do more for you than I could before."

"And that man, Osiris?" Amon glanced off to the side, bitterly. "Who was he?"

"He's exactly who he says he is," Raquel frowned, "Leader of the Tide, Osiris ... formerly Amon Zeev ... and Aisha's husband."

"So that was real ... in a sense," Amon exhaled, and felt a great weigh begin to settle on his heart.

"I'm sorry ..."

"Why couldn't you just tell me?" Amon resisted the urge to glare at her. "It's not like I ever expected to be able to marry someone like her in the first place. Why did you have to have them ... urgh ..."

"I told you, I'm limited by Raquel," the woman said, "I'm strong ... but I'm not perfect. I could only show you what it would take to help you move on. If I knew how much it would hurt you, I would have spoken to you directly. I'm truly sorry, Amon."

Amon was silent. The image of Osiris and Aisha, embracing like newly weds ... it was burned into his mind, alright. Try as he did, he couldn't get rid of the image. "You wanted to help me move on, but I don't have anywhere else to go. I grew up doing everything I could for Sanctuary, and trying to serve Lady Aisha the best I could. Now Sanctuary is gone and Aisha's with her husband. What am I supposed to do?"

"I wanted to help you decide," Raquel said, taking Amon's hand.

"If you aren't even sure," Amon scowled, "... and I have to decide for myself, then this can wait. There's got to be better things you could be doing than trying to be my personal therapist."

"You don't understand," Raquel said, tears welling up in her eyes again. The sight of her like that made Amon so uncomfortable he was nearly compelled to do whatever she asked. He had to look away after a moment. "The tool you had before won't work anymore. It's gone."

No love lost, really. "I never used it, whatever it was ... so ..."

"Amon, you're powerless right now," Raquel said suddenly, pulling him close to her. "Failing to protect Aisha and Sanctuary has nearly destroyed you. You just don't feel it, yet. You need to find a new mission. Until you do ... I can't do anything for you. You're going to be suffering soon, and I won't be able to do anything."

"Suffering?"

"I've been shielding you from it. When the weight of what happened hits you, I won't be able to help you, anymore." The first tear finally fell. "Please don't make me watch you tear yourself apart."

Amon supposed he had adapted quite well to the knowledge that his home was gone. Most of the people he knew growing up were ... probably dead. That was when Amon knew she was telling the truth. The thought of Lulu and the other maidens dying. It meant a lot to him ... but he didn't feel the true weight that such a revelation brought with it. Lulu and the others might be dead. They might be dead ... so why didn't he care more? Truth or not, he wasn't that weak. It wouldn't push him over the edge. "That's not going to happen," Amon jerked his hand free. "If you want to help us, why don't you help Joanna with her powers or help Shadrak with whatever he's doing? I can take time to think about a ... new mission ... and I can get back to you, later."

"You and Lilith are the only ones I can speak to like this," Raquel explained, "until the others understand the Fire Emblem as deeply as the two of you do, I can only reach them the usual way ... through their desires."

"I can tell them whatever you need me to tell them," Amon offered easily.

Raquel wiped her eyes. "I'd ask you to tell Joanna that it's okay to use the Fire Emblem to the fullest ... but she won't listen to you. She is a servant of the Goddess Mercy. She couldn't stomach betraying her goddess to the Fire Emblem and relying on its power, instead."

Now that Amon thought about it, that made sense. He'd give her that. "And Shadrak?"

"He doesn't want the Fire Emblem's power," Raquel shook her head. That was a surprise to Amon. "He wants to use the Fire Emblem to become a vasilus and then reach even higher. That's not even his own goal. Nyx gave him that mission and he's just going along with it. He doesn't understand that all vasili answer to the gods ... all of them. Deep down he knows he can't become a god even with the Fire Emblem, so he's aiming as high as possible. I can't even bring him part of the way until he bonds with the Fire Emblem. Anyone else you can think of," she eyed Amon with a hint of bitterness, "either hasn't bonded to the Fire Emblem yet, or doesn't want to. I can't help them until I help you ... and if you don't let me, you're not going to be able to do anything ..."

"You make it sound like Joanna and I are the problem," Amon winced.

"You're the problem and you alone," she corrected him, looking like she'd just been jabbed in the side. "Your life revolves around Aisha, but that life is over. You have to move on or you're going to destroy yourself. Amon, we need each other. Without you, I can't help the others, and without me, your life is going to end, soon."

"Why do you think I can't-" "because you can't handle what just happened," Raquel snapped and pulled Amon close, again, "... not without me." Amon tried to keep his face neutral, but failed miserably, and then Raquel's expression suddenly changed. She looked like she was about to be hit by a speeding carriage. "Oh no ..."

"What?"

She looked him dead in the eyes. "We're too far apart ... Amon, listen!" She reached up and held him by the shoulders, her grip far stronger than he would have expected from someone with Raquel's build. "You have to come back! You'll die when the wrathites show up if you don't! Do you understand?! You've got until then to come back to me!"

She started off both painfully loud and crystal clear, but Amon's hearing seemed to fade as she went on. He felt tired and yet, somehow energized, as if he'd just come up from a good nap. Whatever was happening, it was probably what had Raquel so alarmed. It was probably the dream. It was ending. But why? Didn't she have control?

"I don't want you to die ..."

Maybe she didn't have control, after all.

"Amon!"

Maybe the emblem's power was fading?

"Amon, please!"

No, that was impossible. Maybe ...

"Amon, come back!"

Maybe he was too far away from it, now ...

A Heavy Heart

Amon opened his eyes a second time. He saw Malik glaring at him. <"So she was right,"> Malik bit out in his native tongue, <"we got you away from the emblem and now you're wide awake.">

So that was it. Amon sighed. Now what was he supposed to do? It looked and certainly felt like they were riding Isis, far ahead of the wagon. Only Haythem and Malik were up there with him. It was almost sundown, and things seemed normal for the most part.

<"He's awake?"> Haythem looked over his shoulder. Amon met eyes with him. Haythem smiled. <"Glad to have you back."> Haythem's smile didn't last long. Amon couldn't hide his dread for very long, not with his fellow sancturans there to remind him of the truth. <"Hey, what's wrong?">

<"Sanctuary is gone,"> Amon said, the words oozing out of him like his own blood, <"we failed.">

<"How could that have possibly happened?"> Malik demanded, angry, but not at Amon himself for a change.

<"Obelisk ... he attacked Aisha and defeated her. Her power's gone, so our people are helpless."> That explained it, for the most part, but it was still a wild story in the ears of his fellow sancturans. <"She was taken by the Tide. She's fine for now but I don't know wha-"> <"We have to do something right now!"> Malik shook Amon by the shoulders. <"We can't let them kill her!">

<"If the Tide has her,"> Haythem cringed, <"then it's already too late. We'll never find her in time.">

<"Use the emblem,"> Malik said, shaking Amon again, <"Use it right now and help her! You're the only one who can do it!">

This was painful. How was he supposed to tell them that Aisha was being held by the Tide, but somehow still alright? No, this was more than just painful; their home was gone, and there were bound to be people each of them knew that were dead, possibly even Lulu or any of the other maidens. There was no way each and every last one of them could have escaped unharmed, was there? Then there was Aisha herself ... and her husband, one of many throughout the centuries. That was something Amon had to keep to himself. Just thinking about it made him cringe. Aisha, embracing that arrogant lookalike. It was infuriating. Why would Aisha even marry someone like him?

<"Amon!"> Malik shook Amon out of his thoughts. <"Stop making that face and use the emblem!">

<"He woke up, right?"> Haythem put in, <"so he's probably too far away to use it.">

Malik couldn't argue with that logic. The problem was whether or not Amon would be subjected to the same ailment that had him immobilized before. He couldn't be sure one way or another. Not yet. <"Amon, we have to do someth- ... hey."> Suddenly he noticed the distraught look on his fellow sancturan's face. <"Amon, what's ..."> A wholly stupid question given the news he'd just given them.

Finally, now that he was far enough away from the emblem to be beyond its influence, its protection was gone. The thought of Aisha with Osiris wasn't just infuriating, it was devastating. The thought of losing Lulu and the others had him paralyzed with fear and dread. Knowing that he'd failed to protect Sanctuary, his home, and his people, was the same as knowing his life had no meaning or purpose anymore. This was what she was shielding from him ... and now he was feeling the full weight of his failure, crushing down on him with no way out.

Amon felt tears trickling down his cheeks. <"I'm sorry."> He heard Malik speak to him just before he pulled him into an embrace Amon was too numb to appreciate. <"I should have known this was hurting you, too ... I just can't sit around and do nothing. There's got to be a way to help Lady Aisha and the others.">

<"There isn't,"> Amon said, his voice hollow, <"there's nothing we can do for them, now ... nothing.">

[Mercakete]

It didn't really occur to Norbert that Darcey didn't realize the sort of fights he and those he grouped with got into, where the healers had to triage more or less every time. It probably wouldn't have occurred to him even if he wasn't still stuck on the girlfriend thing, either. He would have appreciated Cameron's suggestion, had he heard it, but right now, he was too focused on his argument with Darcey. "What do you mean 'it's not that serious?!' Half our sisters wouldn't even be orphans if their parents had been more responsible with their relationships!"

Norbert stopped himself there, biting back his response. As frustrated as he was about the topic, he felt bad for involving the pain of their sisters like that. None of them were there -- unless Darcey was one of them; he couldn't remember her story right now -- but it still felt wrong. Much less impassioned, he amended, "Sorry. I shouldn't have involved them... It burns me up, though: people hurting other people just because they're too lazy to do their blasted jobs... Anyway, I don't have the means to hire a personal healer, so it doesn't matter. Even if I could, I'd be terrible at keeping the healer all to myself. I get too worried about other people for that. Anyway, I'll just look out for myself like I've always done." Now you've done it. This didn't turn awkward at all, you big blabbermouth. "So...I'll be fine." I think. There had been quite a few close calls in the past...

[Toogee]

As Jam watched Haythem, Malik, and Amon in the sky, she could barely make out the raised voices occurring above. She definitely didn't know what they were saying or who was saying them. Something was happening though.

"What's going on up there?" Jam asked Eva. "Can you take us up? Maybe they know what's going on with Amon."

[-Cynthia-]

"Seems like an odd time for a flight. I thought we were tryin' to be discreet," Nadya said casually to Greta as she watched Isis fly up into the sky.

Liam examined Joanna carefully- if the emblem could cause Amon to become unconscious, then she could be in even greater danger due to how long she had kept it close to her. Perhaps I was sent along to protect her from the emblem, not just those seeking it...

[Phoenix]

Wilderness

"Yeah, you shouldn't have brought that up," Darcey agreed somberly, "Don't worry about it," she tried to shake off old memories. "I just feel like you're a little too defensive about all this. It's not even really about your love life, I just think that's an easier way to keep you alive, not to mention a less guilty one. Wouldn't you be dead if you hadn't gotten those salves? How far can you get like that?"

Martha was ready to get moving but turned back toward the discussion. "Instead of a personal healer, how about just hiring more healers? Even mercenary companies can fight like a real army with enough healers on the back lines. That's more of a suggestion for your group, though ..."

Sky

She was right. Whatever that girl was, she was right. Amon felt like his heart would fail him well before they reached Urquium. His vision was still clear, but in his mind's eye, everything was dull and indistinct, and burned into his retinas was the image of Osiris and Aisha. A thousand bodies lay behind them, and beyond the massacre that was Sanctuary, a great shadow. Amon only noticed that Malik's embrace had ended roughly ten seconds after the fact.

<"When we get to Urquium, I'm going to have a word with Joanna,"> Malik mused aloud.

<"About what?"> Haythem called back.

<"About the emblem,"> Malik's face hardened, <"what else do she and I have to talk about? I need to find some way for us to help Lady Aisha. There has to be something we can do.">

<"It would be nice to figure out what's going on back there,"> Haythem sighed. <"I can only keep my tough act on for so long. I want to know if my family is alright. There's no way my father got himself killed, but I'm worried about everyone else. The maidens, too. The thought of Lady Aisha being held by the Tide's awful, but I really don't think there's anything we can do about that.">

<"Even if it's impossible to help her,"> Malik's hands balled into fists, <"I'm going to try. She deserves better from us than this.">

Wagon

"Well," Greta shrugged, "we need someone to scout ahead, though Isis ain't exactly the most subtle choice. Let's just hope it gets dark, soon."

[spoiler=Safe Passage]

Jirou glared down at Ryuudou. <"I won't warn you again, whelp, let them go."> Two soldiers placed themselves between Ryuudou and the dragon and leveled their spears at him. <"Cute, but I'm tried of playing games with you people. Let. Them. Go.">

<"Scatter,"> Ryuudou gave the order as fast as his voice would let him. The two soldiers leaped to his left and right just in time to miss the lightning bolt that came down. Ryuudou leaped clear in time but was slightly singed by the intense heat of the attack. <"Mighty Jirou, if you will but answer my question ... I may let them go. Until then, I must assume that you're being controlled by them!">

<"Idiot!"> Ryuudou had to leap out of the path of another bolt, and this one nearly got him. <"Any excuse a puppet gives is worthless! Release them or I'll fry you with the next one!">

<"Ryuudou,"> Prince Shiba called out to him, <"Release them at once! That's an order!">

It was little more than reflex that caused Ryuudou to lose his grip on the six captives. Prince Shiba appeared at his side, and behind them, the garrison stood, weapons at the ready. They were as reluctant to fight as Ryuudou was, but they would lay down their lives before they let Jirou or the demons he brought harm the prince.

Shiba heaved a heavy sigh of relief. Slowly, he turned his gaze upward, toward the thunder dragon towering above him. There was something almost terrifying about seeing a living, breathing version of their many statues, poised to strike beneath a sea of flames. It wasn't an image he would soon forget. <"Now then, are you satisfied, Jirou?">

<"Almost."> Jirou let slip a faint grin. He looked down at Freyya and the others as they began to pick themselves up. Freyya's guards were on her in just a few seconds, making sure they would be between any attacks that came her way, regardless of the direction. Shiba and Ryuudou couldn't even see her or the boy between them, anymore.

Shiba met eyes with Jirou, again. <"You said you wanted to give them safe passage. I would ask why ...">

<"As a thank you ... at least at first,"> Jirou began, <"but now I'm beginning to think you imperials could use a fresh perspective on your enemy. Sit down. Have a talk with them. By all means, kill each other afterward, but don't act like five little fallen ones are going to do any real damage, here.">

<"If we let our guard down,"> Ryuudou took a cautious step forward, <"they could do serious damage. The death of the Prince or the Emperor himself would be a grievous blow to the empire. You may look down on us as overprotective stewards, but we will not take chances with their lives.">

<"Fair enough,"> Jirou smiled ... and then suddenly he was glowering at them. He lowered himself to bring his massive head uncomfortably close to Prince Shiba and the others. <"... but when a legendary dragon tells you to 'back off', whelps, you say 'how far?'">

Shiba nearly laughed but stifled, taken aback by the remark. <"I ... I suppose we can at least agree to that much,"> the prince recovered. It was just as well that neither side was quite itching for another confrontation. They weren't in nearly as advantageous a position as before. The death cloud was dissipating quickly and they wouldn't be able to get up another one on such short notice.

[Nanami Touko]

"I mean... I could," Eva mused looking up at the dragon. "Should I really, though? I'm not sure it'd be best to bother them if there's really something wrong with him." She considered it for a moment, and then sighed. "Alright, I'll take us up just a bit, but if it looks like they're talking, we leave them alone, okay?" Eva snapped the reins lightly, Sasha looking back at her a bit unamused. "<Come on boy, we gotta go up for a bit.>" He growled, but he flapped and started to take off, going up after Isis, slowly. They came into view of the group soon enough, and much to Eva's surprise, Amon was... Well, his eyes were open. "Huh. Look at that."

[Mercakete]

Oh Merz -- she was one of them. Well, his foot was thoroughly in his mouth. That, and sympathy was tugging at his heart. There was a reason the sisterhood had the unwritten rule not to talk about how someone was orphaned in front of them. They all shared that pain, whatever differences in the circumstances had been.

"Yeah, I'm not the one who makes those sorts of decisions," Norbert answered Martha, now that his ears were open to other people again. His tone was a lot less aggressive, too -- even borderline subdued. It wasn't a lie -- that was for sure. Of course, their group didn't really have one leader, unless you were talking about the faction he belonged to, himself. Weyland could send more along, I guess, if he wanted to. But he hadn't, so Bert assumed he wasn't going to, especially once they were out in Kigen, where the man had less influence.

"You're right," Norbert responded to Darcey, "And things like that keep coming up. I get in trouble, something happens so that I live on to the next day. It's hard to tell what the gods are thinking -- it's like Mercy and Wrath are arguing over me or something. I'm not sure how else to explain how my luck can be so bad and so good at the same time."

He paused briefly before going on, "It's not about guilt, though. I wouldn't use that word, anyway... I've looked after myself my whole life, even back home. So, I know I can-- ... Maybe it's more like I'm used to handling things myself, and I've always come out of it alive. After today, I'm not sure I can really trust my group, if I'm being honest...but I don't have much of a choice right now. My employer says to go with them, so I have to go. I just need to watch my back better." No one else will. ... Except maybe Jo, but she can't always be looking out for just me. That wouldn't be fair to anyone else. "In the end, I'm responsible for my own life. If I get in trouble, it's because of my own mistakes, whether that's because I trusted the wrong people, trusted them too much, or was too reckless. And I have to be ready to face whatever consequences come from mistakes like those, so I am."

"It's not that I don't appreciate help -- I do," Norbert clarified, "but I'm not going to ask for special treatment. That would't be fair to anyone else. And if everyone did that, that'd be forcing the healers into a difficult position. The healers're just going to have to do their jobs the best way they know how, just like the rest of us. And if we each do our jobs, everything should be fine."

That last bit did come out a little bitterly. He didn't fault any of their healers for leaving him to bleed out in the stables. No, he pinned that one squarely on Lumi and Eva. The former raced off without helping to defend the stables at all, and even saw the condition he was in, but never brought back anyone. Instead, she just up and left with the rest of them. And he'd been relying on Eva to bring the pegasus knights to the stables so he wouldn't have to guard them anymore. Instead, she never showed up, and so he had to stand his ground -- with Rizen's help -- for the entire battle, and then some. If it hadn't been for Fizza, and for the charity of the pegasus knights, he'd be dead or captured.

"For now," he finished, a bit gustily, "I'm just going to have to buy myself a spare vulnerary" somehow; I still don't have any money, really. All of it goes back to Weyland until I pay off that debt. I guess if I get Greta that wagon, she'll let me have one for free. "and watch my back better. No more taking risky positions in complex operations unless I have a sure way out."

[Toogee]

"I mean... I could," Eva mused looking up at the dragon. "Should I really, though? I'm not sure it'd be best to bother them if there's really something wrong with him." She considered it for a moment, and then sighed. "Alright, I'll take us up just a bit, but if it looks like they're talking, we leave them alone, okay?" Eva snapped the reins lightly, Sasha looking back at her a bit unamused. "<Come on boy, we gotta go up for a bit.>" He growled, but he flapped and started to take off, going up after Isis, slowly. They came into view of the group soon enough, and much to Eva's surprise, Amon was... Well, his eyes were open. "Huh. Look at that."

Jam also saw that Amon was awake. Whatever was going on up there seemed to have worked. Yet...everyone seemed...saddened. Well, Malik looked as pissed off as she usually saw him, but Haythem and Amon looked devastated.

"Something happened," Jam commented to Eva. Thee dancer waited to see if Amon and co. would share the details.

[Phoenix]

Wilderness

"Maybe," Cameron began with a smile that just didn't seem to fit the discourse, "... maybe you should teach Rizen how important vulneraries are. Who knows, maybe she'll break one open and put it on you in an emergency." Now the smile made sense, though an almost serious tone had been mixed in with that bit of humor.

"If you could teach a pegasus how to do that," Martha said, eyeing her own steed as she pushed ahead, "you'd think it would be covered in training. Now, are we done? The idle chatter can wait until we're someplace safer, like on the main road or in the air."

Darcey sent Martha a scowl. "I think we're more than capable of debating safety measures and moving at the same time ..." though admittedly there might still be bandits around. Carlos had more men than anyone had expected.

Sky

She deserved better from us. The words stuck out in Amon's mind, and even though there was no clear meaning, anymore, he felt responsible for Sanctuary and Aisha's abduction by the Tide.

<"Is that Eva?"> Malik said, trying to get a closer look without losing his balance, <"Did something come up?">

<"I doubt it,"> Haythem shrugged, <"we would have seen any trouble coming well before they did; we were flying higher up, remember?">

<"No, I mean with Joanna or something,"> Malik irritably amended. It was better to inquire than speculate, he decided. "What is it?" he called out to them. Suddenly it donned on him; they were probably wondering if Amon was awake. They likely saw that from where they were, already. Whether they planned to relay that to the others was anyone's guess.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Phoenix

[Nanami Touko]

"Maybe." Without further adieu, Malik addressed them. Eva flew Sasha just a bit closer so they wouldn't be shouting. "Jam was worried about Amon, so I flew her up to calm her nerves. He's fine, right? Well, now, at least? He seemed pretty out of it before." Honestly, he still seemed out of it, but in a different sense. Like someone had just told him something horrible. Malik probably wouldn't mention anything, especially if it was severe, and she was fine with that, but Jam... Well, she might pry a bit more.

[Toogee]

"I saw you drag Amon out, he was unconscious," Jam started, looking to Malik, then to Amon. "I thought maybe we should check and see what's going on. It looks like things are OK, but...not really?"

From the looks on their faces, Jam could tell something was upsetting the Sacturians. Her first thought was that something happened in the wagon, but Eva would have mentioned that. She couldn't imagine something so horrible would have happened in the short time that they were in the air. And yet, something did.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Toogee

[Mercakete]

Norbert's first thought to Cameron's suggestion was that Rizen already knew that vulneraries were important. Important enough to guard, anyway, but then again, she'd learned to protect what she was carrying, and that included whatever vulneraries Norbert happened to get. But then, she finished the joke. The image was a little ridiculous, prompting a little, humored smile from the man. Seeing as Equines didn't have fingers, he was picturing her trying to hold and open the bottle with just her teeth. Obviously, that wasn't going very well.

While he was glad that they were moving again, and he agreed that if pegasi could use vulneraries themselves, they would be taught to do that more often, Norbert's annoyance is what prompted what he said next. However, his tone was a lot more peaceable than it usually was when he was annoyed. And, really, he was in agreement with Darcey. To Martha, as he got Rizen following her, he replied, "We're only getting safer as we get closer to Ursaea. If it was safe to talk before, it's probably fine now." And if they were close enough for it to be a problem, then they already know where we are.

Though he was keeping that last bit to himself, he did feel bad about it. He knew that his volume in the argument had been a risk, even if he'd forgotten about the danger during that whole girlfriend talk. Still, he was typically an advocate for keeping quiet in bandit territory. But then again, a large chunk of the bandits' forces had been neutralized. His guess was that, if nothing else, crippling the bandits had bought them -- and the rest of Ursaea -- some time. And who knew that Doran and his fellows were or had been up to? No Neviskotians had found them yet...

Still, he felt compelled to add, "But I guess there's no harm in waiting until we're in the air or on the road, yeah. Even if we have less cover there... And actually, in the woods, sound doesn't travel as far." Maybe it was safer to talk while they were below the boughs after all.

[Phoenix]

Wilderness

"Honestly," Martha said with a frown, "I don't think it's safe to talk anywhere between here and our destination. Just try to keep your voices down, at least. Once we're airborne again, we shouldn't have to worry about the bandits doing anything more than trying to follow us." Not that that would do them any good. It was obvious where the recently freed captives would be going. Home, to Ursaea.

Sky

Malik glanced at Amon. He was still spacing out. How to explain this ... "He's fine but ... but the three of us have a lot of thinking to do."

"Sanctuary's gone," Haythem clarified, "which means we don't really have a reason to be out here, anymore. Our people are in trouble but we don't have a way to reach them or even a way to help once we find them."

"Like I said," Malik felt his hands ball into fists, "we've got a lot of thinking to do ..."

[CobyTheGoober]

Rolo over heard the conversation happening between the other members, and while he couldn't figure out everything that they said, he heard one thing.

"What about scouting?" Rolo said to Greta. "If you're looking for someone to scout the somewhere, I might have be able to help out."

[Toogee]

"...What?"

Jam took a moment to to absorb the news. As a native to Rex Avaz, she had heard stories of its fabled capital. How it was constantly moving across the desert, never in the same place twice. How an impenetrable sandstorm would guard its appearance. It was hard to believe that it was "gone". The dancer was especially concerned about the rest of the country, like her village.

"But what happened? Is the rest of Rex Avaz OK?"

The anxious dancer wanted to know everything that happened. This probably wasn't the best time to be asking a string of questions, but Jam had to know if her own home was safe.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Toogee

[Phoenix]

Sky

That was a good question, Malik winced. "I don't know," he shook his head. "It's a big country, so I doubt Obelisk could have destroyed all of it ..." That wasn't as comforting as he'd hoped it would be.

"We'll let you know if we learn anything new," Haythem assured Jamilla. He wasn't sure how they were going to do that, exactly. Having Amon near the emblem had first crippled him, and then completely incapacitated him. If they tried that and an enemy ambushed them, he would just be dead weight. Then again, he seemed to be exactly that at the moment.

Road

Greta gave Rolo something of a pitying smile. "It's a lot faster to scout from the air and last time I checked, you don't have a pegasus," she said. "Just as well; I don't want ya takin' any pointless risks. I didn't bring ya along to put ya in even more danger." Damn wrathites ...

"Is it just me," Glen spoke up, "or do we have a few too many noncombatants? I mean there's me, then there's you, Greta, Joanna for the time being, since we can't even show her face without getting into trouble, and then this boy you picked up ..."

"We're not helpless," Greta impaled Glen with a glare.

[spoiler=Making History]

<"So will you talk with them or not?"> Jirou asked, tapping a talon against a broken tile repeatedly.

<"That's impossible,"> Ryuudou winced, <"The Emperor would never agree to it. He can never be in the presence of demons."> Jirou rolled his massive eyes. <"Please understand, this is a law, and it is the very reason we attacked you. The demons excel at breaking the minds of their enemies and enslaving them. It simply isn't worth the risk.">

<"Interesting,"> Jirou smirked, settling down on in the midst of the courtyard, <"please tell me more about how worthless your royal guard is.">

Ryuudou bit back a curse. This wasn't going to be easy. Jirou was making some pretty blatant jabs at them. He was far from the majestic, regal , and peaceable old dragon Ryuudou had imagined. He was acting more like a bitter old man who got his kicks from mocking the young. He supposed that might be at least partly their fault. They had attacked him just now, and with overwhelming force, all to stop a few fallen from setting foot in the capital. Ryuudou took a deep, calming breath, let it go, and then locked eyes with the dragon. <"I have no doubt we could stop them before any harm came to the Emperor, but the law is the law.">

<"Is there a law against correspondence?"> Jirou gestured with a talon.

<"That ...,"> Ryuudou winced, <"would be at the Emperor's discretion.">

<"He will refuse,"> Shiba concluded easily. Before either Jirou or Ryuudou could continue, he said, <"It doesn't matter. I'll speak with them.">

<"Prince Shiba?"> Ryuudou looked at him, <"you know he won't approve of this.">

<"Sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission,"> Shiba sighed, <"that fact aside, if we don't compromise, we'll be here all day."> His eyes fell on the pile of brown and black feathers obscuring the Corvian princess. <"Admittedly, I'm curious. What could they want badly enough to stir up so much tension? Either way, it's a historic occasion, and I'm grateful to be at the center of it all."> He looked up at Jirou. <"Bring them to the east wing of the palace. That is my domain. We'll hold this meeting there ... and ... feel free to attend, Jirou. Consider that the beginning of my apology for our utterly grotesque response to your arrival.">

Ryuudou had some choice words for the prince, but held them back. He was right; they had to compromise or they wouldn't get anywhere. At least the Emperor himself would be unharmed ... if not furious ...

Jirou smiled. <"Excellent. Once the smoke clears, we'll meet you there, Prince.">

[CobyTheGoober]

Rolo put his hand behind his neck and put up a half disappointed ,and joke like smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right... I'm sounding pretty stupid aren't I? With what's happened so far It's probably best that I just stay away from the others and keep quiet. I'll probably annoy them if I try to get involved."

[Toogee]

Jam was not brimming with confidence after Malik's assertion that the country's sheer size might have spared her home. Then again, yesterday he was probably a hundred times more confident that Sanctuary would never fall.

"But what's an Obelisk? I get the feeling it's not a random rebel group like the Tide. I promise I'll stop bugging you after this, but I just want to know what's going on."

The dancer was desperate to know more of this development. Whatever this was was powerful enough to take on the queen. If the queen was said to be able to ravage the country at will, who was to say this Obelisk couldn't do the same?