Fandom Final Fantasy: The Age of Ophiuchus [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

Didymus felt another pang of sympathy for Kikiti as she asked about Ucantis. He didn’t know what would happen, but he knew the potentials. ‘Zariel doesn’t know who you are.’ He hoped. Zariel had seen her, but they hadn’t been introduced. That couldn’t be enough information, could it? ‘What if Jagger tells her?’ He swallowed.

Lixue was smart, too, from all he heard. If Zariel mentioned an unusually tall Lalafell, would it be enough to discern Kikiti’s parents? Maybe.

His mind was running far ahead as they followed Reva further into the forest, but he had awareness enough to ask, “How long…do you think we need to keep moving for?” They should have an idea of when they might get to rest.

Reva didn’t pause, but did seem to tense and sniff the air. Her ears shifted in a way that, to Didymus, made no sense for the sounds he heard. “Three hours, to be certain,” the swamplands weren’t that far, but they ought to be deep into them before pausing. That way Zariel, the dogs, and no one else would be able to find them easily.

Although, Reva did sense something…strange.

Every forest sounded different, it was true, but there was a new melody in the sound that was very unfamiliar to Reva. She would not mention that until she had a better sense of what it was, and whether or not it was dangerous.

For now, they continued on.



Hector stole back a few steps, and reached out to Sesario, to pull him back with him. He’d started to take in this information about marks, and saw where Elcid looked on Cleon. He could see the mark. He saw some specks on Didymus, too. He’d never really considered much about his own weird speckling, but seeing the gold on the Empress, well, now he had some thoughts.

And no one else really needed to hear it.

“Hey, uh.” The viera’s ears didn’t seem to twitch his way, so he assumed he was speaking quietly enough. “This mark stuff. It’s always…gold freckles or whatever, right?” He assumed Sesario knew a little more. “I…think I have one,” he pulled his shirt down and aside a bit, enough to show the top of the Virgo constellation.

“I never thought much about it, just some weird thing, but….” He glanced ahead, letting his hand drop, hoping he hadn’t drawn any attention as his shirt naturally shifted upwards and back into place. “You know more, don’t you? From when you talked with her?”

He’d learned something talking to Zariel, something he’d wanted to talk to Hector about. He was sure of that much before they’d started on this mad plan.

Didymus probably knew more.

And maybe it had to wait until they settled somewhere, but Hector wanted some sort of reassurance that someone understood things…better. Like why she was hunting them down.

 

[Arcanist]

“Three hours...” Kikiti groaned. And through swamplands no less. At least everyone would be able to wade, not swim through it. And her clothes, and everyone else’s clothes too, would be filthy. She lifted Yarrow pre-emptively, who gave a bit of a groan in response. He was most likely to swim out of all of them.

There was little conversation, bar questions that were thrown at Reva from Didymus about length of their journey. They’d know when they’d reach swampland territory. The ground would get marshier, the plant life would get even more strangely exotic and bright, and those spores would start to act almost like a guiding light.

Cid glanced back to Cleon, wondering what he would even make conversation with him about, when he noticed him pulling up singed sleeves. “Did you get those in the explosion?” He nodded to the burns underneath.

Cleon looked at him, then back down to his forearms. They had been reddening for quite some time now, no doubt growing worse. “Oh. No, I got them before I charged at...” He didn’t finish, though, Cid needed no further clarification. “I’m still okay to keep going, They don’t hurt that much right now.”

Cid doubted that. “Yeah, right now. They’re gonna hurt like a bitch sooner than later,” he told him bluntly, knowing the effects of a comedown. “Think you can suffer three hours of that?”

Cleon wouldn’t be lying if he didn’t think Cid’s manner was intimidating. He was blunter than Didymus, he was quickly learning. “No, I...it’ll be fine. We’ll get into the swamplands first at least, Elcid.”

“Cid,” he corrected him, his nose wrinkling. “I never really went by Elcid.” It was never a big deal until he visited Ucantis. Always Elcid. He stopped correcting people there after awhile.

Kikiti did turn and begin walking backwards, hoisting Yarrow onto her shoulder, rubbing her hands together. It wasn’t terribly hard to hear their conversation, and so she allowed them to catch up with her. “I can cure and walk at the same time, you know. Let me have a look,” she indicated to the arms, already having a look before Cleon had hesitantly put his arms out.

Sesario noticed Hector backing off and eventually taking him back with him. He slowed naturally, so not to draw too much attention, before he listened to what Hector had to say. He expected him to ask what Sesario’s plan was for weaselling their way out of this mess.

Only, Hector had revealed what he had kept close to his heart. That quick glance at those freckles said it all, trying to recognise the shape of the constellation.

“You’re shittin’ me,” Sesario murmured, rubbing his face. “Looks like a mark, alright…” Hector was involved in this no matter what, but him having a mark meant he was in even deeper. “Zariel went on about the Twelve being thrown from the sky and latching onto people across the continent. Can’t go back upstairs without our help.” His eyes and his head motioned up, for reference.

“I have a mark too. That ‘tattoo’ on my right shoulder. Sagittarius, Bahamut,” Sesario admitted quietly. He cautioned a look to Cleon some distance in front of him, before he murmured, “There’s more to it all, and I’ll explain it properly, but Cleon wouldn’t be happy to hear me repeating the same things Zariel’s already said right now.” Best for him not to think he was in bed with the Empire.

Which, ironically, he nearly was.s they started to cross the border from forest to the marshy and swampy terrain, only Reva would notice the subtle changes in the air. The slightest tinkle of bells. A hushed whisper - or maybe that was just a change in the wind?

 

[Lucyfer]

Hector frowned a bit as Sesario admitted his own freckles – what Hector thought was a tattoo for so long – was, in fact, a mark. How did they end up hiding this from each other for so long? Likely because they had no real idea they were significant. Now they knew, and now they had greater concerns, since Zariel was looking for them, and since the Twelve were knocked out of the sky.

He wanted to ask more immediately, but bit his tongue as Sesario mentioned saving it for later. He didn’t want to echo things that Zariel had already said to Cleon, just yet. ‘Do you believe her?’ That was what Hector wanted to ask, but he supposed that was a dangerous question, in a way.

He got the sense that Sesario must have, to have arranged this in the…wrong way, as a negotiation rather than a kidnapping and ransom scenario. With the strings of negotiation attached.

‘Are we the bad guys?’ Hard to imagine compared to the Empire. Well, they weren’t really the bad or good guys either way. They were just…wrapped up in it, and on this side of things, because Cleon attacked the Empress, and there was a mess when Zariel came back to life. “Fine, I’ll wait,” Hector sighed, and let his attention turn back ahead.

There wasn’t much that was said amongst them.

Not even Cid and Cleon.

The environment shifted. The ground became far less firm, though Reva did her best to keep everyone on firm ground, sometimes it just wasn’t possible for crossing through the swamplands. She heard that strange tinkling melody, and the whispers – whispers that became confusing, overlapping what she knew with sounds she couldn’t be certain of.

Spores did indeed seem to take on a light of their own, and Reva found herself trying to resist following them. Even in her village, she had been warned against following will-o-wisps and the like. She’d never come upon any before to know they had an allure beyond being a light, but now she understood.

‘We are in dangerous territory.’

And she still was not certain how to indicate that, or even what to say.

She paused as she heard a terrible gurgling howl in the direction they were heading, ears twitching. Was it a trick? Was it sincere?

“That doesn’t sound friendlier,” Didymus stated the obvious.

“You know, there are these real nice lights over that way,” Hector pointed.

“And that does not strike you as suspicious?” Reva asked him, though she had to admit, she was no longer so certain, and her doubt was obvious.

Not what Didymus expected. “Is something wrong? Besides the obvious.”

“When we crossed into the swamps, I lost the sense of the forest,” she said, “even in swamps, they have their voice. Yet it is gone,” she said, “there is a tangle of sounds and sights that seem…artificially layered,” yet even that did not seem quite right. They were real in their way, just nothing that Reva was familiar with. “You have not been here before?”

“Uh, no. I try to avoid swamps.” Hector said. “They aren’t good for my clothes.” Oh god, all of his clothes. They were lost with the Valkyrie. He could cry as he realized he was going to be stuck in this.

Didymus probably had it worse being still dressed as an Imperial guard, but Hector didn’t care about Didymus.

 

[Arcanist]

Sesario knew it wasn’t the time and place, as much as he wanted to bring Hector up to speed on everything. They wouldn’t have had time to anyway, not with them starting to cross into the swamplands. Sesario hadn’t thought much of the spores and their light - other than them being natural phenomena.

Reva seemed to think otherwise. And naturally so, what with the howl that came soon after. They were all on edge, paranoid with the knowledge they truly were a band of wanted fugitives, and conspirators of murder.

“I’ve heard things about these swamps,” Sesario added. “Always about people trying to travel through here. Going to sleep in one part to wake up in another or struggling to find an exit despite staying on the same path.”

“And that’s what they probably all are,” Cid insisted, before anyone could find more of an excuse to be paranoid, “stories to keep kids from wandering into places they shouldn’t be.” He’d heard plenty of stories of deep swamps and dark forests. Didn’t mean to say all of them were true.

“Then maybe it’s a place we shouldn’t be in?” Kikiti suggested, clutching Yarrow.

Cleon frowned. He trusted Reva’s intuition, but did they have a choice in finding a way around? “It’s not as if we can turn back now.” Not unless they wanted to give themselves up to the Imperials. “We just have to cross it and be on our guard, just like we would anywhere else.”

Sesario scratched his jaw. “I miss her already...” He murmured. The Valkyrie would have eliminated any need to walk like a wayfarer through swamps like these. And he would have been sitting with his usual stash of rum. It was a depressing thought.

Yarrow had little to contribute to these conversations and little to take from them. He paused, his ears sticking when he saw a spec of light. It was similar to the golden spores, though, had more of a brighter yellow hue. It jittered on the path ahead, almost teasing Yarrow. He couldn’t resist, and so scrambled out of Kikiti’s arms and hopped after it.

“Y-Yarrow, no! Wait!” Kikiti called, kicking up some swamp water as she started to follow. Her first thought hadn’t been to be wary of danger itself, but to catch Yarrow before he got himself into any danger.

Yarrow, eagerly curious, did not stop. He followed that erratic flicker of light further into the swamplands, where the plantlife seemed to grow brighter and larger in exoticism. He ran - and barked - for perhaps a minute before he saw the light disappear into one of several bouquets of orange coral-like tubes. He didn’t hesitate in running straight over to it, barking frantically as he tried to paw up into the strange-looking plant.

“Yarrow! Leave that thing alone!” Kikiti shouted, running after him before scooping him into his arms. Though, before she could step away with him, the plant caught them with a mist orange pollen sprayed into their faces.

“PHW-PHWAH!” The Lalafell sputtered as Yarrow yelped, both trying to rub the pollen from their eyes and noses. Her nose wrinkled as she attempted a sneeze, but grumbled every time the sneeze never came.

Cleon, one of those who had followed, stopped a bit away. He watched the two stumble from the plant while rubbing at their faces. “Kikiti! Are you okay?”

Kikiti rubbed her nose, looking up at Cleon. “I’m okay...” She swayed on her feet, slowly blinking. She felt her limbs grow heavy as she put him down. He seemed to weakly protest at it, giving a low groan as he struggled to keep his head up. “Mm...I feel a lil...” She slurred, until her eyes grew heavy, and she fell forward.

One shrill laugh echoed in each of their ears after before a chorus of them seemed to join in with the first. Cid backed off at the sound, Cleon spun around to look for the source, and Sesario’s hand was already looking for his weapon. No one could be so sure of the source, though, the light that had lured Yarrow away moved up and out of the plant, and no doubt was the initiator.

“The hell is that?!” Sesario growled at the light that fluttered in the air, never once staying in the same place as his eyes struggled to keep up with the speed of it.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva eyed Elcid for his comment about such things being lies made up to scare people away from forests. She was tempted to let him get lost in the viera illusions when they reached her own forest, but for the sake of Cleon, she wouldn’t. Though, perhaps she would let him have an idea of what the viera did to get people turned around.

It was not quite this method, but nonetheless…it was effective.

Reva didn’t believe they were just stories. She knew better than to consider that, but she would not say as much and spoil the mood further. They did need to keep their wits about them. Unfortunately, Yarrow did not understand, and soon darted off. Kikiti ran after, of course, and Didymus and Cleon close behind.

The others weren’t long in following, Reva the last, glancing over her shoulder a moment and considering holding her position, before deciding she was likely to lose everyone that way.

Only, when she looked forward again, they were gone.

She could not hear their steps.

She could not hear their voices.

The will-o-wisps seemed gone.

Her ears twitched for sounds, lowered a bit, “Hello,” she called, stepping in the direction her companions had run off in, but already knowing it was too late to catch up with them. “We mean you no harm. We are moving through with no intention of harming you, your forest, nor telling others of it.”

A slight twitch, as she swore she heard laughter of a sort. “I know what it is to keep others out of sacred places. If we have trespassed, we will leave, only show us the way.” No direct response, of course.

Just a path, that continued to widen, and ground that seemed firmer.

Well, she couldn’t stop, so continue forward, Reva did.

~***~

Didymus was able to see the pollen whoosh out and into Kikiti’s face. Given his bombs, he had some idea of what was going to happen when he got a whiff of it. ‘If only I had those….’ But no, he didn’t have his bombs anymore. He really needed to make new ones. For now, he was able to step forward, and not think too much on that, catching Kikiti before she fell, and then picking her up.

He didn’t think a little shaking would work with that much thrown into her face.

Hector caught up, and seemed to scowl at him, but Didymus just gave him an impassive look as something began to laugh, and then the light showed up again. “No clue,” he said to Sesario, as Hector glared at it, and his own hand began to reach for his gun.

At least he still had that.

“We should get back to the path, Reva…,” he thought Reva wouldn’t be too far behind them, but then he realized, “Where’s Reva?” Didymus asked, glancing around at who was there.

Elcid, Cleon, Kikiti, Hector, Sesario, Yarrow – who Hector moved to pick up – but no Reva.

Hector looked around, “I thought she’d follow….” He didn’t like the thought that the viera was missing.

More titterings of laughter arose from all around, and the light came closer, first to Didymus’s face, “You should know the rules of traveling in an enchanted forest.” And then zipped over to Cleon, “Never, never separate,” to Elcid, “Never drink or eat anything!” buzzing over to Hector, who swatted at it, “Never fall asleep,” and around to Sesario’s head, “And never trust a ball of light!”

The ball of light burst into a brilliant flash.

“Well we knew not to trust a—…huh?” Hector didn’t see Sesario near him.

He only saw Cleon.

 

[Arcanist]

She hadn’t seen so many humans try to pass through at once. Of course, all the faeries were excited about it. Bigger groups meant more fun for them, more time for them to be naughty. Normally, Oma let them have their fun, and if people were really stubborn, only ever appeared to scare them off. But she saw the one with the long ears and the bushy tail was different, not as stupid as the other ones.



Oma, and one of her faerie friends, watched from the safety of the trees ahead. Oma had listened intently to Reva’s attempt to reach out to them, while the faerie simply laughed. She trapped her in her hand.



“Oma, lemme go!” The winged creature wriggled in Oma’s hand, until the girl shushed her. She stopped, and huffed, pouting as she watched the viera pass through. “She’s just a viera, you know. Nothing special about her!”



But Oma had never seen one before. She wasn’t meant to leave here after all. Tatiana told her it was safe here. When it used to be safe here. She grew sad at the thought of all that had changed.



Oma stayed in the trees, content in observing Reva move forward – until she heard that familiar gurgling moan. She stiffened, to which the faerie let out a squeak at her tightened grip. She only loosened to let her go, who frantically zipped around Oma’s head.



“Oh, no, it’s him again,” the faerie despaired, kicking her feet in frustration. “Oh, he always ruins the forest, always ruins our fun!”



Oma looked down, traced the gash that was beginning to scar under her ribs. She would have to stop the fun earlier than she thought. “No naughty,” she ordered the faerie, who groaned, before she began to move alongside Reva in the trees above. It wasn’t long before she found a vine to jump onto and descend, landing feet first with a heavy thump.



She could have just lunged for her. But she held back. She carried something long and sharp, and Oma was smarter than to run straight at her when she had that. Instead, she stood straight on two legs, puffed out her chest, and growled, “You! Go away!”



Apparently even Reva’s height refused to intimidate her.



~***~



Cleon would have agreed with Didymus for once about returning to the path. Though, Reva’s disappearance had more cause for concern. “She would. She always does,” he echoed Hector’s worry about her being missing. She had never ever been truly far from him, or those she travelled with.



The flash of light no longer seemed to stay silent, whipping around each of them, speaking of the ‘rules’ of travelling around parts like these. Cleon was too taken aback to do anything, Elcid squinted at it, and Sesario’s attempts to catch it were in vain. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, not with the brilliant flash of light that came after, and soon faded.



Sesario groaned, rubbing at his eyes. “Shit, did it have to be so bright?!” He did eventually pull his hands back, asking, “Everyone good?” He expected Hector to quip at that. He always did, and yet, there was nothing but silence. When Sesario looked over his shoulder, expecting Hector to be standing there, he just found empty space. He moved forward. “Hector? Hector?!” Anyone, anyone but him!



Hector’s lack of presence wasn’t the only thing felt either. Cid stiffened as he looked for Cleon, finding no trace of him either. “Damn it, Cleon too,” two of them gone, right under their noses. To think he lost another Cleon again, only, to fancy talking lights.



“Hey!” Sesario shouted up into the air. “You better tell me where you took Hector, or it’s gonna be lights out for you, you hear me?!”



“Hey, don’t piss off lights.” He looked between him and Didymus, and the softly snoring Kikiti in his arms. “If the two of them have any sense, they’ll try and make their way back to the path we were on.” Wherever that was, and however that looked.



~***~



Cleon lifted his arm to shield his eyes before the light faded. He blinked away the remnants of the flash before he heard Hector pique up first.


And when he looked around at Hector, he found he was the only one there with him. The rest of them had vanished. Or they were the ones who had vanished. Either way, the others were nowhere to be seen.

Cleon backed up closer to Hector. “Those things are purposefully trying to separate all of us,” he pointed out the obvious. Though, would staying close to each other really stop them from being separated? It was apparent they were at the whims of a magical forest they knew little of.

Cleon’s eyes moved around him. There was less light around them than he would have liked and liked it even less without knowing what else was in the dark with them.

Though, the darkness hadn’t been the only thing he noticed. The trees around them stood bare and lifeless. The ground and the water around them were discoloured, dead. The air, that carried a pungent smell of rotting flesh, was enough to make them choke.

“…no, we find the path again,” Cleon coughed a little, bringing his arm up to his nose, “the others might naturally work their way back to it.” He remembered Didymus had suggested it, before they discovered Reva had disappeared.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva heard something moving in the trees, but kept it in her periphery, while pursuing the gurgling sound with more interest. That had been her intended direction. The others knew that as well, calling it unsafe. Perhaps it was, but it must be worlds safer than the wisps. Or what was in the trees, perhaps.

Reva was rather surprised when the thing in the trees did present itself, and it was only a human. Although, a rather dirty human, with hair that was in sore need of care. It almost made Reva’s head hurt in sympathy. The human straightened up, and bellowed a command that did little to faze Reva.

Not that much was going to faze her when she needed to find Cleon.

“We are trying to go away, but now you have separated me from my friends,” Reva said in a patient, but accusatory, tone. “If you want us gone, reunite us, and point us the way north.” Reva stated bluntly, not at all intimidated by the ferocious appearance of the woman, nor her tone. Not that she intended to underestimate someone who had a hand in separating them.

However, she needed to be clear that it wasn’t her idea to get lost and wander around aimlessly.

~***~

“Yeah, the path towards the gurgling, growling monster,” Didymus said, and as if on cue, it made noise again. He groaned. “I don’t suppose we can stay here and wait for them to return, can we?” That was probably a vain hope, really.

He didn’t want to go towards the sound.

He adjusted Kikiti a bit in his arms, “Also, uh – hate to suggest it, but we should probably hang on to each other. Literally.” He didn’t know if they could separate them by touch, but it seemed unlikely. “I don’t really have hands available right now, though, but…while we’re not fighting anything, it’s probably a good idea.”

And at least they hadn’t found anything to fight.

With any luck that was going to last.

~***~

Despite being empty of leaves, the trees above seemed to let no light through. That, or perhaps it was already fully night. Yet it had seemed brighter where they had been. Still, the stench, and the darkness, didn’t make Hector feel any better. He thought of adjusting the carbuncle so he could cover his own nose, but chose to suffer through it to not disturb the sleeping beast.

“What path?” Hector muttered, glancing at the ground in vain.

He hadn’t truly understood what the viera was doing, except avoiding the will-o-wisp, and apparently going towards some sound, which he didn’t hear at all right now. “Ugh. This place is disgusting.”

Cleon no doubt agreed.

He was a prince, after all – quite unlike Sesario.

Not that Sesario really cared to get this dirty, either.

Well, now he had to stay with him. And hope they could get through. Considering Cleon had killed Zariel, he supposed that was feasible. That didn’t seem like a small task. “So. Humor me. I mean I understand. But did you really have to kill the Empress on my ship? What was she saying?”

It was another way to try and figure out what Sesario was keeping from him, too.

What else did they have to talk about – his ridiculously long hair?

 

[Arcanist]

The long-eared woman hadn’t budged. There were a few instances of resistance in the past, where travellers, even those with sharp weaponry, were stubborn. The young woman would have been lying if she indicated she felt a little intimidated with any human or beast encounter. Though, Oma was fierce competition when it came to stubbornness, and far too used to getting her own way in the end. That was obvious in the way she continued to stand tall.

Oma felt the scar underneath her ribs itch as if in anticipation of that creature arriving. “North bad,” she warned, clenching her fists. “You all stay away.”

That faerie who had accompanied Oma appeared in a flash of light in front of her, hands on her hips. “I say we let that fugly thing go after her and her friends! If they’re stupid enough not to turn around, that’s their own fault!” Though, she did zip above Oma when she bared her teeth and grunted at her, clearly dissatisfied by the suggestion.

Something putrid hung in the air. Oma felt her toes dig into the damp soil, sniffing for a moment, before growling again. Close, dangerously close. He was getting closer. She had no other choice but to be forceful.

“No,” she snarled, lifting her arms and moving towards Reva. “Turn. Now. No north.” If she had to shove her back south herself, she would do it.

~***~

Sesario shook his head and gave an answer Didymus already knew. “Not if you want the owner of that sound to find us first,” Sesario said. He couldn’t make out what the hell it was. A constipated wolf? He’d heard plenty of beasts and monsters before, but he hadn’t been able to pin this one down quite as easily.

Cid didn’t fancy finding out about the sounds either, nor allowing those pesky things separating even more of them. “I’ll keep a hand on your shoulder. Sesario keeps touch with me, and we’ll all keep contact that way,” he reassured Didymus. He put a hand on Didymus’ shoulder, and as Sesario approached behind him, he warned, “just be careful where you put yours.”

Sesario almost looked regrettably at Cid. “Sorry, Cid. I just don’t see the two of us working out like that.” He smirked before clasping his arm.

“Since when has that ever stopped you before?” Cid grumbled, beginning to move with Sesario, Didymus, and the girl getting a free ride in his arms. She let out something of a sleepy mumble, though, she hadn’t roused.

As they moved, Sesario kept glancing behind him. A pair of eyes at the back was always useful, after all. Though, he kept hearing this incessant croaking. One minute, it seemed to be behind him. Then, it seemed to sound to his far right. Now that he knew there were strange creatures trying to separate them, he couldn’t be sure to trust much else in these swamps.

Sesario had been half-tempted to stick his finger in his ear and wiggle it around. “Ya’ll hear that croaking too, right?”

~***~

Cleon wrinkled his nose, kicking at some of the dirty swamp water around his ankles as he moved forward. “Yeah, definitely.” He already faced discomfort lying on forest floors, but walking through these swamp-infested waters, especially with the smell, made him prefer the former by a mile.

Cleon was silent. His cheeks flushed with the growing shame of what he had done, what that had meant for everyone else when he did it. He had so much to say on the matter, so much to feel about it. But he wanted nothing more than to retreat from it.

‘I wish she had stayed dead.’ Some malice still lingered among the shame and dread he felt growing in his chest.

“I’m…sorry. I didn’t plan for it to happen.” Only it did, and he couldn’t change that now. He had been standing seething one moment, and the next, he had run her through with his sword. His gaze moved to the freckles dotted on his hand. They had been careful so far about their identities, even hiding their marks…but he owed Hector this. For bringing chaos onto his and the Rozarian prince’s ship.

“She weaved this tale around an entity named Ophiuchus, and how he cast the Twelve out of the sky so he can destroy this world. Each of them marked someone to manifest with so they could stop him,” Cleon held up his hand. “The Empress was…is one of them. She says we’re why the Empire started conquering Ivocia, to look for the marked.”

He believed the Twelve had marked people, of course. Leviathan was proof enough of that. Phoenix was further proof. But her methods in searching for them all…

“I couldn’t be sure she was telling the truth. Not with the Empire being responsible for both of my parents’ deaths.” He felt malice creep up again. “The way she spoke about my mother’s death was as if she was just some obstacle, and that she’d do anything to find all of the Twelve…I thought, in that moment, maybe I could stop her. I didn’t really think, I just...” Killed her. Like it would be that easy. Cleon had realised he had spilled over with all of those thoughts, that his fist had clenched. He loosened it.

It couldn't be true. Leviathan would have told Reva if he knew anything. Bahamut would have told Sesario too. Yet, neither made little mention of it. If only Asura could speak to him as the others did. Maybe she too would have denied the claims Zariel attempted to make.

 

[Lucyfer]

So it seemed it was not just to protect a location, but also to protect the unwary travelers through the forest. Reva could appreciate that, and the look in her face softened, even if her resolve did not. That remained hard, especially as she saw the fae creature fly into the scene and suggest leaving them to their fate. Not unexpected from the fae; they were notoriously known for cruelty and pranks, even among the viera.

Rumor had it they had once vied for territory.

The forests usually chose who won. Or so Reva was, once more, led to believe.

As the stranger stood her ground and began to approach, Reva twirled her naginata and put it back on her back, but would not turn back. She merely disarmed herself in recognition of the good intent of the stranger, to show she meant no harm to her. “No. I will go forward.” Reva said, “I am not afraid of what is ahead. I will help.”

The offer was made as she lifted her hand and water began to pull itself up from the murky ground, as clear and translucent as if it were purified. In a way, it was, for Reva was calling forth Leviathan. She needed a long conversation with him, regardless, but the sight of him might also convince this strange woman that she had the power to help, where her obvious combat stance and preparedness did not.

Leviathan appeared as water drew up to form him, and he curled almost protectively around Reva, staying low to the ground, so as not to draw attention from what could be above. From Phoenix. Far though they were, Phoenix had eyes sharper than any hawk or eagle in the sky, and if Phoenix was still out there, still flying, Leviathan could be seen.

Leviathan wasn’t ready for a confrontation with the dead.

His head rested over Reva’s shoulder, deep eyes gazing still with a mournful look at the fae and human ahead.

“Please let us pass, and take me back to my companions, before I have to force my way.”

~***~

At least Didymus didn’t have to worry about any strange touchings with Cid. He snorted at the brief banter between the pirate and the…whatever El Cid actually was. He had a lot of questions about that, and realized he shouldn’t be asking any of them if he wanted to continue with everyone forgetting what Hector blurted out. The less curious he was, the less likely others were to remember to be curious about him.

He still didn’t like it, as he led the way with these strangers, and Kikiti. But he had to protect Kikiti, and that meant dealing with these two, so he led the way, trying to avoid the sound, and getting closer to a choir of…something. Frogs? Toads?

“Yeah, I hear it,” though it was tempting to deny it and have Sesario think he was going mad. Well, madder than inviting an Empress to a discussion with Cleon. “Could be a giant horned toad or something.” Something he’d prefer to avoid, in any case, though that was probably difficult, especially as a step forward suddenly sunk him almost waist deep in the water.

He cursed under his breath and tried to hold Kikiti up higher. “Um, I think we need to find another way….” He stepped back slowly so he wouldn’t run into Cid and did his best to climb out of the murk without disrupting his hold on Kikiti.

“No, come play!” A small frog, thankfully, croaked. Though the fact a frog was talking at all was probably not a good sign.

“It’s only a little water.”

“A little mud.”

“A little sticky.”

The ground sunk under them. And gripped. Hard.

~***~

Hector listened to what Cleon had to say, unable to hide his irritation with the explanation that it wasn’t planned and he just acted in a rage. Hector couldn’t fathom doing much without thinking it through, of course. Even stealing away in Sesario’s ship had involved some thought, though that was probably his first, truly, reckless decision.

But he had to get out of Escander.

‘And he had to kill Zariel.’

Hector tried to find empathy. A little. His mother was dead – Hector didn’t know what that was like, but mothers were usually pretty important to people. Sesario’s mother was important to him. If she died, Sesario might do some pretty stupid things. Stupider. ‘I hope she’s still okay….’ And thinking of her, and what Cleon had done that would impact her, boiled all that rage back up again.

“You know, if you’re going to be a king someday, you really should learn to think more before you act. If you go into every negotiation and just kill people, you’re no better than the Empire,” he was worse, actually, considering the Empire didn’t, actually, have that reputation.

Hector couldn’t help the criticism from spilling over. “You’ve endangered my friend’s mother. Lots of other mothers, probably, but his most of all. We don’t have to face the Empress, but she does….”

Cleon probably didn’t need the guilt trip…but maybe he did.

Hector wanted to dig in more, but they had to survive together – and apparently Cleon had a temper, and Hector didn’t want to be killed. He wouldn’t come back to life.

Yarrow let out a whimper, his feet twitching. “Augh. Hells. I guess it’s no use right now, but seriously, don’t forget that.” Another grumble, “We should try to find…mmm…fuck. I’m not sure what Sesario would or wouldn’t investigate. What about your friend Reva? She seemed smart.” Attentive, at any rate, “We should find a place to lay low for a bit. If we all keep wandering we’re probably not gonna cross paths since we don’t know where to go.”

They might cross paths if someone stayed put. Hector could do that. He knew Sesario couldn’t. He was pretty sure it was somewhere in their unspoken (or spoken and unheard) rules that Hector would, in fact, stay put. Somewhere. Since Sesario couldn’t if his life depended on it. Literally.

 

[Arcanist]

The viera had put the sharp weapon on her back, something that made Oma thought she had relented. Though, she made no move to turn away and back off, something that Oma was about to snarl at once again. What didn’t she understand about not moving forward? Could she not sense the danger that even she couldn’t face alone?

Oma was at the end of her tether, though, before she could display such a temper, she paused as Reva made the water rise. Magic wasn’t foreign to her - she lived among fae after all. Though, she couldn’t have been sure what she was going to do with that water.

That was, until something rose and manifested from the water. Something akin to a serpent, Oma noted, but much larger, like that fiery bird in the sky, and much more menacing. That was something that Oma couldn’t take on her own, even with a helping hand from the fae.

Oma had no words for such a sight. The faerie, however, had plenty to say, and nothing immediately about letting them pass.

“Leviathan!” Her tone shifted dramatically, no longer hostile towards the intruder - or rather, who should have been considered honoured guests now. “If you have one of the Twelve, then you too are marked!”

Marked. Oma knew the word. Many of the faeries had claimed Oma was marked and blessed by Fenrir, the Bound Wolf. She never really understood what they meant. Oma had never been able to find him, despite the claims of him ‘always being with her’.

She had little time to consider it as she turned at the sound of heavy footsteps halting. What stood ahead was a gluttonous figure with strange markings and lines etched into its bulging stomach, and arms adorned with gauntlets and rings. With sunken holes for ‘eyes’, its wide smile revealed rotting, broken teeth, and a weapon that had lodged itself through its head right down out of its chin. Without warning, it lunged forward with a raised fist.

~***~

“Great.” Sesario tutted. Looks like they would be fighting something after all. But he was no stranger to a fight. He wasn’t going to let a few mystical creatures and a supposedly scary swamp get him scared.

The ground dropped beneath Didymus, the water almost sucking him in. Cid had almost fallen in with him. It was a miracle that Didymus didn’t fall in further with the Lalafell. The most she seemed to do was groan and shift slightly, but she was still pretty deep under. How strong was that pollen?

“No shit,” Cid murmured, though, held his arms to Didymus, “give her to me, I’ll--”

A Kikiti handover never happened so soon. Before any of them could become accustomed to the appearance of talking frogs, the ground gave way, and all three of them found themselves submerged in a mixture of water and mud. Even as Sesario and Cid struggled, the mud only seemed to grip harder.

“Shit,” Cid cursed, grimacing as he paused, glancing between Sesario and Didymus. “Don’t move so quickly. It’s just gonna bring us in further.” What a fine mess this was.

One frog leaped onto Cid’s head, croaking, “But how else are you supposed to get out?”

“You wriggle!”

“You struggle!”

“You swim!”

There was very little in reaching distance for any of them to use to pull themselves out. Though, there was a vine dangling nearby Sesario that he was sure he could reach. He reached out towards it with both hands, barely managing to grab it with one. He huffed. “Shit, okay...” That alone was enough of an effort. “I just got to get more of a grip...maybe I can pull us out.”

At the very least Sesario could start to pull himself out, Cid too, if he got far enough. Didymus and Kikiti though...

Cid turned his head to Didymus, frog still puffing out his chest and softly croaking as he oversaw this whole affair, “How you doin’, kid? How much longer do you think you can hold out with her?” Moving was enough of a struggle without trying to keep a conked out Lalafell above water.

~***~

Worse than the Empire. Cleon scowled at such a criticism. He could be nothing like them or Zariel, so certainly not worse than them. “You make it sound like I go into every negotiation ready to kill someone,” Cleon muttered, embittered and insulted. How was he supposed to know his companions would come back with a ship and an Empress? He wasn’t prepared to face her. He wasn’t prepared to be a king in that moment.

But he listened, he tried. But she lied. She had to have lied. He needed to believe she lied to push down the guilt of what could have been the biggest mistake he made.

Hector kept unearthing it, sticking his thumb in an already painful wound. Maybe not intentionally, but it didn’t matter to Cleon. He understood just how many people he affected. Rozari’s queen, Kikiti’s parents, Didymus’s sister and family too...he could apologise, but what good did that do any of them now? What could Cleon do to change any of this? He could have wept at the mess he had gotten them all in.

But he did not and he would not. He resorted to a silent pout instead, unsure of what to say, maybe because he knew deep down that Hector was right.

Hector grumbled something about remembering what his title meant, and Yarrow twitched in his sleep, something Cleon seemed to grow jealous of. At least the topic was being put to rest, for now at least. They had bigger priorities, which was actually surviving and getting out of this forest alive. He wasn’t really the person to be asking, considering how he had gotten lost in a forest as a teenager.

“Reva’s senses are keener than ours, so she’ll hear things that we can’t pick up,” Cleon told Hector. He knew her hearing wasn’t as keen before she left her home, but still picked up plenty more than he ever would have. “We might be lucky enough that she hears us before she sees us. As for what else she would do...maybe she’ll try and speak to the things that separated all of us.” But who knew how good talking would do?

They were starting to reach firmer land again, where the air was fresher and the way in front of them that little clearer than before. Even the trees seemed more vibrant than the dead ones they had been passing. He spotted a thicker tree up ahead, its roots spreading out behind it on slightly higher ground. “We might be able to stop there. There should be enough to keep us sheltered for a little bit,” Cleon suggested.

As he walked over to it, he couldn’t help bringing up another topic of conversation that had him curious.

“So...what’s the story with you and the prince--uh, Sesario?” He knew next to nothing about the pair after all, and how exactly they knew each other. As far as he was aware, they weren’t related, not with the way Hector had been addressing him.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Then you too are marked.’

Apparently, there had been more than one marked here in Rozari, then. Reva could count herself, considering her origins. Sesario was among them, and now there was a third that the fae knew. It was a question for later, as the immediate concern was that which approached, a terrible entity that the stranger had been trying to warn her against, and for good reason, if the fae couldn’t handle it on their own.

That they had tried was obvious in the weapon lodged within the fiend.

Reva’s red eyes narrowed upon it as Leviathan began to unwind himself, though still stayed low to the ground.

When it lunged, Leviathan dove into the swampy ground, as if it were entirely liquid and not mostly solid. Reva rushed forward as well, and as the fist came at her, she jumped, landed on the arm, and rushed up along it, letting out a cry as she put the end of her naginata into what passed for an eye.

If it felt the pain, it didn’t express it.

The grin remained plastered on its face, and it lifted a hand up to grab Reva, and hurl her away, just as Leviathan rose up behind it. It turned, that dumb look still on its face, as Leviathan clamped its jaws around one arm, and attempted to sever it from the body with a violent shaking…which, strangely, did not lift the fiend from the ground.

~***~

Didymus was very displeased with this entire situation. He couldn’t struggle much, which was probably a good thing, given Kikiti. He was going down into the murk, but slowly, mostly struggling to keep Kikiti above.

Something was going to have to change.

Sesario was getting to a vine. Cid would be in line to be saved by that immediately. Cid, with the frog on his chest, very much in reach. “I’ll be okay,” he managed, though his voice indicated the clear struggle.

‘Sorry, Kikiti.’

He let go of her with one arm, while the other held tighter, pinning her mostly up against him, and unfortunately letting her lower half sink a bit into the water, as with his other hand he reached out and grabbed the frog on Cid’s chest. “Even better when we get out of here, and can have some nice frog legs.”

“Hey! Let! Me! Go!”

“No. Struggle. Wriggle. Get out on your own, or I will eat you. I know lots of good frog recipes.” Or it could free them, though Didymus would wait until it dawned on the frog to do that itself, even if he felt a little ridiculous to be threatening a frog.

A frog that was no doubt, not really a frog. He’d seen Kikiti turn enough things into frogs to reconsider ever eating frog again, honestly. But the frog didn’t need to know that.

~***~

‘I don’t know that you don’t.’ Hector thought, and supposed if word got out of what had happened, neither would the rest of the world. Everyone could easily assume that Cleon was murderous. But, would it spread? Would Zariel even suggestion she’d ever been killed? Well, that was another thing they’d find out.

His mood cleared a little as they reached firmer land, and cleaner air. He happily stepped up into it, and took a seat, keeping Yarrow in his lap. “Okay. We’ll wait here.” He suggested, before moving to take a look at his gun and make sure it wasn’t waterlogged or ruined. It didn’t look like it.

“She might scent the cleaner air, at any rate,” even if Reva didn’t hear him and Cleon talking, “worst case scenario is we meet whoever’s doing this to our groups first. I’ll handle negotiations,” he looked up briefly, giving Cleon a look, before he returned his gun to its place. Cleon wouldn’t be handling negotiations with anyone, anytime soon, while Hector was nearby.

Then he went back to the question, “I met Sesario in Escander. Hitched a ride with him, and then just stayed with him. I just wanted out of Escander, but it seemed pretty clear from the get-go that he needed help, too. His ship was a mess of trash parts, and he didn’t know to manage himself, let alone finances, so I pitched in and got to travel with him.”

Amazing he was royalty, really.

Hector’s opinion on the capabilities of royalty continued to deteriorate.

Zariel had to have a flaw in there somewhere, too.

“What’s the story with you and the turncoat?” Hector probably should have let that drop, but really, he had no reason to forget, or not bring it back up.

 

[Arcanist]

The fiend barrelled forwards and threw a fist, with Oma leaping back and the faerie squeaking and disappearing with a pop, before reappearing beside Oma. The viera, on the other hand, ran forward, while the serpent - Leviathan - disappeared into the ground. Oma hadn’t expected Reva to back down from a fight, but she was afraid of the consequences of doing so.

The fiend’s attention was still firmly on that of Reva, and most importantly, on Leviathan. Though it pulled and shook with its might, the satisfaction in ripping the grinning monster’s arm clean off would be a slow one.

Oma watched the fight further develop, too cautious to join the viera and Leviathan in the fight. She knew too well the dangers of fighting him. As powerful as the serpent may have been, she wouldn’t see Leviathan or the woman brought down like she nearly was.

“Moss,” the ragged haired woman turned to the faerie, “we go, take them too. Find friends.” She would follow through on her request to reunite them, if it meant that it could keep them safe. Though, perhaps they would help them with the state of her home.

Moss grumbled something, as if seriously considering Oma’s request. “He always ruins the fun,” she huffed once again. “Okay. We’ll save her, I suppose. But only because she has Leviathan! And because her friends might know something of the Twelve too!” Hopeful speculation, but it was enough of a reason for her to fly above the action.

The creature grew tired of this game as it lifted a hand. It oozed a vile, dark substance from its hands, intending to send it hurtling Leviathan’s way. As it did so, it missed its intended target during a quick burst of light, punching the air. The creature paused, searching for its foes, only to find a tree’s trunk melting, the substance burning through it. It was bound to be dissatisfied, yet, the grin never disappeared.




The four found themselves in a separate area once again, far enough from the danger of the creature. Oma still found herself playing the vigilant dweller, wanting to make sure as she peer past several trees.

“Phew! Too close...” Moss sighed, rubbing her brow as she looked to Reva. “I couldn’t have you and Leviathan getting yourself killed with that thing. Not with your friends still missing, of course!” It was imperative that they find them, of course. Though, she hunched over, blowing out a breath, “Just gimme a minute...I’ve never teleported something as big as Leviathan before...n-no offence!”

~***~

Sesario grunted as he had managed to free one foot, fully and unfortunately continuing to participate in these frogs’ silly little games. Among croaks of, “You can do it!” and, “Nearly there!”, he was sure he heard Didymus threatening one of them.

He smirked at the thought of thieves employed by Imperials threatening even frogs.

The frog let out a quick and terrified croak at Didymus’s threat. “N-no, anything but that! L-look, just hang on a second!”

The feeling of someone gripping their ankles and pulling them deep down was suddenly released. Cid cautiously moved a foot and was pleasantly surprised. “About time.”

Sesario had managed to get out and up onto his feet, groaning at the mess of the bottom half of his clothes. “Come on.” Ruined. Perfectly good, expensive clothing, ruined. He was about to hand over the vine to Cid, though, found Cid moving rather freely and easily. “Really?”

“Okay! I let you go!” The frog squirmed in Didymus’s hand. “So, you let me go! Fair is fair and square! We all just got off on the wrong foot! I know what it’s like to be in a sticky situation like you guys!”

~***~

Cleon joined Hector on drier land, relieved, at least, he wouldn’t have to wade through the water for some time. Though, at the same time, even as he sat down, he wanted to simply stand up again. It would be the first time he had physically stopped since what happened with the airship, and he didn’t want to think about it.

Cleon watched Hector pull out something. When he looked at it, he was sure it was a ranged weapon, but unlike any he had seen before. He wondered if he was that sheltered, Ucantis that far behind, that he had never heard or seen one of these things before. Then again, he was sure the Empire would have had something similar, and yet, never witnessed one in their possession.

He nodded to Hector’s statement, knowing Reva would find them both regardless. Cleon did caution a look back at Hector, tempted to argue, though, murmured, “Fine.” Protesting would do no good now.

“Escander, huh?” Cleon was surprised at that. He supposed other nobles could travel far, though assumed he would have met Sesario in Rozari. And apparently, had the ship for a long time. In fact, Hector’s whole explanation surprised Cleon. He thought he seemed...capable. Terribly self-assured.

Maybe that was the point.

“It sounds like you were both pretty lucky then,” Cleon said. He would have asked more details, though, Hector had his own question in turn.

“Reva and I found Didymus when we were fleeing from Ucantis,” Cleon explained. “Kikiti too. They both made things a easier for us to get out, keeping some guards distracted before we got out through the sewers of all things...” He sighed. Didymus had always wanted to come with them out of Ucantis. Kikiti only attended to help and be on her way. Even with the help, it still didn’t feel right getting them involved with all of this.

 

[Lucyfer]

Leviathan was, perhaps, the most startled to have been teleported anywhere, especially while holding onto another creature that did not come with him. Leviathan twisted around and quickly spotted Reva, so he moved around her once more, a withering gaze placed upon the two new ones, especially the fairy as she began to take the blame for the teleportation.

Reva was a bit off balanced by it as well, but she put a steadying hand on those familiar scales and listened.

She still didn’t quite understand why she and Leviathan couldn’t handle it, naturally. She thought they were doing fairly well, but she would learn soon enough, and she preferred to be reunited with the others, sooner than later, anyways.

Leviathan grumbled a “None taken.” voice kept low, but still booming and trembling the trees in the area, before Reva gave him a little wave. She could still feel his trepidation with being out. There would come a time when he would need to explain things, but right now, she’d let him slip away again.

He vanished into droplets of water, that fell gently upon the ground. “We will stay here and await your return with my friends.”

~***~

Didymus let out a huff as he was relieved of that, and adjusted things again, with the grip on the frog and Kikiti, hefting her up bridal style once more without relinquishing the frog. He was able to slog his way to the dry land, and then set Kikiti down as the frog cried out for freedom, since it had granted him freedom.

“Well…okay, I suppose fair’s fair, but if you try this again, or anything else that hinders or harms us, I will eat you,” Didymus threatened. “Breaded and fried up, with a bit of a mustard tang.” He wanted the frog to feel fear, and understanding, that Didymus knew what he was doing, and would enjoy doing it, too.

With that, he let the frog go, and it immediately hopped away to join its companions, only looking back when it was safely in their midst. “We won’t play with you anymore. Promise!” The frog said, though Didymus was sure he sensed some resentment and desire to be malicious.

He wouldn’t count on that promise at any rate.

Didymus turned back to the others, “So, any bright ideas about where to go now?” No one had bright ideas, he knew this.

~***~

Staying put was going to work out. Hopefully. Hector listened to what Cleon had to say, glad he recognized who was meant by ‘turncoat’. At least he’d heard and retained that much information. It seemed Didymus was there from the start – in Ucantis, no doubt sent to find the Prince himself and bring him back.

And Didymus had…but he hadn’t fulfilled his end of the job when it would be easiest to do so. ‘Why?’ That was the million gil question, wasn’t it? In fact, it sounded like Didymus had helped, rather than hindered.

Hector shook his head. There must be some reason.

And maybe Didymus was just in a similarly bad situation as he’d been, once upon a time. Trapped. And he’d seen Cleon as a way out…only the question still remained as to what it was a way out from. He’d seemed willing enough to help Zariel back in Rozari, after all.

“Well, at least you found some help and got out. Though that’s clearly not the end of things.” Too obviously not the end, now. It was evident that this was going to be a long slog, and so Hector sighed. “You ought to know, I’m marked, too.” He didn’t go revealing his mark right then, “So I’m in this mess. Whatever it is.”

They weren’t getting rid of each other that easily, it seemed. “I’m guessing everyone with you is marked, too?” Kikiti, Didymus, Reva…now him and Sesario.

Back in the Empire, Zariel, Oleander, and Lixue.

He found that he didn’t doubt much what Zariel said, to Sesario and Cleon. Her methods might be terrible…but he found he didn’t doubt it, right then, when the numbers were in front of him.

 

[Arcanist]

Moss clapped her hands at Leviathan's forgiveness, glad he hadn't been offended. Or so she thought. As Leviathan disappeared as quick as rain hit the ground, she nodded to Reva on her suggestion she wait until the faerie found and returned her friends.

"Great idea! Anything for one of the marked!" Moss had fairly changed her tune upon the discovery of Reva's mark, though, she wouldn't want to risk Leviathan's anger. She turned to Oma. "Make sure our new viera friend doesn't wander off and get lost again!" She giggled before she vanished in a quick burst of light.

Oma would make sure of such a thing, though, she was sure Reva wouldn’t be wandering off any time soon. The two would wait. Oma knew Moss would make quick work of teleporting if there were a smaller number of people, or if they weren’t as huge and grandiose as the serpent.

~***~

Sesario watched the frog scamper off to its friends, far less eager to ‘play’ with them now given Didymus’ culinary threats. He would have joked that he took those threats too far, though, considering his employment status with the Empire, he wasn’t surprised by the nature of them. ‘Who knew threats could sound so tasty?’

Yet, he took great care where the girl was involved. Whether that was out of kindness or a malicious intent, he couldn’t tell. His motives were clouded to him, and he couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t give up his apparent ‘comrades’ in Rozari when he had the chance.

Sesario intended to answer Didymus, perhaps even stir the pot when it came to his employment, until a familiar light poofed in front of him. He threw an arm out to grab the faerie, who yelped and flew out of his reach. “Hey, come here, you–!”

“So rude!” Moss shook her head, though, smirked as she looked around at those gathered. “Looks like you’ve all been in a sticky situation.” Her rather distasteful pun was met with a chorus of croaks - a strange kind of laugh - and a few unamused expressions.

“No thanks to you,” Cid pointed out the obvious. “Where did you put the people we were with?”

“Don’t worry, I’m gathering up everyone per the viera’s request. Playtime is over, I’m afraid.”

“And what if this is just another trick?” Sesario asked, incredibly sceptical.

“Things are different now that I know the viera has one of the Twelve. I can’t harm a hair on her head!” Her gaze moved to the still unconscious Lalafell on the ground, and sighed, “Still sleeping? Ah, no matter, I’ll wake her once I get everyone back safely. Get ready!”

~***~

“Yeah…it isn’t,” Cleon murmured, almost ruefully when he thought of their current predicament. He had plenty of options to give in and end things, though he was stubborn, because none of them had been the options he wanted. Yet, he longed for home again. The longer and the further away he was from it, the heavier the despair at not being there.

What he hadn’t expected was Hector admitting he had a mark too. His eyes moved, expecting him to prove his words at least be able to find it himself. “You too?” He counted six of them, altogether in the one place. “Odd coincidence then…” Had it been just that though, really?

Cleon had wondered whether he should have spoken of the others, given Hector hadn’t proved his mark. But it was common knowledge among them all now. He nodded. “Libra, Gemini, and Pisces. All four of us, except Cid.” Obviously. He seemed like he didn’t believe any of that sort of thing, not until Phoenix appeared.

He turned his attention back to Hector’s mark. “Where is your mark?”

”Mark? Another marked one?!”

Another ball of light and Moss appeared in front of Hector’s face with an eager squeal. Cleon’s hand rushed to his sword, though, hadn’t unsheathed it. He remembered Hector’s words, letting go of the hilt. Hector wanted to be the negotiator, so he’d let him go right ahead.

Negotiating with faeries was entirely different from trying to negotiate with anyone else.

“Two marked ones!” Moss squealed again. “No wonder the viera was so eager to find her friends! Don’t worry,” the faerie caught Cleon’s further alertness, and turned to Hector too, “your friends are all together and waiting for you!”

~***~

Eventually, all of those who had gone missing were safely returned to the area where both Reva and Oma had waited in. As more people began to appear, Oma felt herself crouching, almost as if ready to go on the defensive. There were many of them, and it wasn’t as if Oma hadn’t seen bigger packs before, though, being among them unsettled her, and it was clear.

Sesario looked among those present, and his eyes landed on Hector. He felt himself settle at the sight at him, especially that he seemed unhurt. He worried about the kid, even if he didn’t show it.

Cleon locked eyes with Cid and Reva, who were both accounted for and safe. His eyes scanned over the rest of the group before they moved to Kikiti, still sleeping on the ground.

“Don’t worry about her and the pet,” Moss reassured Cleon, moving to Kikiti first, gathering up what seemed to be glittering dust in her hands. “I’ll wake them both up in no time at all!” She blew the dust into Kikiti’s face, who began to stir, and coughed. She then moved to Hector with the sleeping Yarrow in his arms, doing the same, before he spluttered awake too.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva waited, not outwardly impatient, for all of her friends to be returned. And the others. She also took note of how Oma acted, clearly not prepared for this kind of situation, nor all of these people. She felt a pang of heartache for Oma; she understood what it was to be in a strange world among strange people, though at least Oma was still on familiar ground.

‘Marked.’

If only the fairy knew just how many of them were marked.

Bit by bit the others appeared, Hector and Cleon being among the last. That was when Reva moved, of course, needing to rejoin her ward and check on him. At a glance, he appeared unharmed, and her attention shifted to Kikiti and Hector as they were woken.

Didymus immediately at Kikiti’s side, while Hector held onto Yarrow, who sneezed and sniffed with the awakening. “Sorry you’re a bit dirty, Kikiti,” Didymus apologized as he set a hand on her back, “It’s okay now.”

“Not so much,” Reva corrected.

Hector groaned, “What kind of deal did you cut with them to get us all together?” He bent down to let Yarrow go, and the carbuncle immediately went to Kikiti to lick her face.

“No deal,” though she intended to assist regardless, “they are helping because most of us are marked.”

“Most?!” Another fairy popped into existence, seeming to spill out of a hanging flower. “Most?!” Bluebell repeated at a higher squeal, “That’s almost all of the twelve! There’s no way! Prove it!”

Reva gave the fairy a bit of a withering stare, before ignoring him and speaking once more to what she had said, “There is a fiend here. They were trying to redirect us from it. I think we should deal with it.”

“We don’t owe them anything,” Didymus stated flatly, not wanting to get involved in helping a bunch of people who sunk them in the mud earlier.

“We do not, but it is likely in our way, too.”

“We could go another way. Outside of the forest.”

“And deal with Empire? Pass.” Didymus stated, aware that the entire open space of Rozari was likely going to be a nightmare to traverse soon. Especially anywhere near the capital. “Fine, let’s gather info and get going.” He gave a pointed look at one of the fairies, “You’ll tell us how to help you all, right?”

Bluebell glance at Moss, then spoke, “Well, first we must introduce you to our Queen. And we must know more about you marked!” The Queen would insist on it! “Then…maybe…we’ll tell you about Cucu.” The term of endearment was not, in fact, full of endearment. There was an anger in it not even Bluebell could conceal.

 

[Arcanist]

After Kikiti’s brief spluttering fit, she blinked at a hazy Didymus, trying to make sense of his words. “Dirty…why…?” The wet skirt started to make a little more sense in Kikiti’s mind, though the jump to a different area, and with a few extra people, did not. She listened as Yarrow licked her face, trying to at least regain some clarity on their current situation.

Sesario wasn’t keen on helping mischievous woodland creatures with something that was clearly a them problem, but as it had been since he got back to his ship, it seemed they had no other option. Not unless they liked being fried by Zariel. “I’m assuming Cucu was the one making those noises we heard earlier?”

Moss nodded, a similar vexation as Bluebell’s now playing in her tone. “He’s so troublesome! Nothing but a bother to all of us!” She puffed out her cheeks, though, seemed to brighten soon after, “but we have more marked with us now! You all could take him out no problem!”

“Yeah,” Cleon shuffled slightly. Reva had Leviathan, at least. But he was sure she was the only one here to have harnessed the full power of one of the Twelve. But…they didn’t need to know that right away, surely? They could barely escape from here on their own, and not with a fiend patrolling the swamps. They didn’t need to make their chances here any worse.

Elcid’s gaze moved to Oma, who despite that clear hesitance in her to approach, kept vigilant of every one of them. “You’re not going to tell us who she is?” He directed a thumb in her direction.

“We’ll have plenty of time for introductions when we meet the Queen!” Moss insisted, before flying above them once again, raising her hands once again. “Hold on tight!”

After yet another teleport, they arrived in an entirely different area from what they had traversed in previously. Dusk affected even here, but the ever-present rays of moonlight gave a more welcoming, if not mysterious air, to the faeries’ home. Clusters of mushrooms acted as home to these fae creatures, while flowers, vines, trees, and even other glowing plant-life grew in abundance.

As they started to proceed through this fae village, presumably to meet their Queen, they caught a flurry of attention. Faeries swarmed the group on arrival, surrounding them on all sides as they conversed among themselves.

“Visitors!”

“Did Oma bring us people to play with?”

“We should keep them! And they can play with us forever!”

“No thanks,” Cid mumbled. He just wanted to lay low in Rozari with a bar and his regrets. Not even the Twelve would allow him that, it seemed.

They eventually arrived in an open area, lush with flowers and rivers, fireflies rising and falling above their heads as one of the few sources of light here. Not so far was a throne, intricately rafted by small hands, nestled rather nicely atop of a small mound of flowers. The one who rose from it was a few heads taller than the rest of the faeries with long white hair, decked out in flowing robes with intricate swirls. A trail of white dust seemed to flow out from her wings, even with the little movement she made.

Moss approached, and she moved her head delicately to listen to what she whispered to her. She raised her brow in surprise, but smiled, rather pleased, before she approached the group herself. “You poor dears. If I had known you were all marked, I would have made your welcome much less...troublesome.” There was a source of amusement in her voice, and a chorus of giggles followed thereafter. “I am Queen Titania, Ruler of the Fae who dwell here. If you would be so kind as to tell me which of you are marked?”

“Queen Titania,” Cleon greeted, unable to help but give a slight bow out of habit - which he felt oddly silly for doing to a faerie of all things. “I am one of the marked,” he held out his hand to prove so as Titania, and a flock of faeries swarmed to confirm it. “Cancer.” He’d let the others reveal theirs at their own discretion.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva understood Cleon’s tone all too well, but wouldn’t out any of them as not being able to bring forth the Twelve. That wasn’t something that needed discussed right then, though Reva knew it was a conversation for later, seeing as they were witness to one of the Twelve manifesting in front of their eyes, for the first time.

Reva knew it didn’t always involve dying.

She was willing to bet it almost never did.

She glanced towards the woman from before as Cid pointed her out, but there was little time to consider an answer – and none was given anyways – before they were all teleported once more. Didymus let out a groan as they appeared in the new place, putting his hands over his eyes as he adjusted.

The area was beautiful, but Reva still felt off about it. It also felt strangely unnatural to her – cultivated magically. Perhaps this was why viera and fae sometimes had issues and didn’t tend to live in the same woods. She couldn’t say, but the discomfort was there all the same as she followed along with the walk, arms crossing over her chest in a hug as she glanced around, taking it all in, and trying to be vigilant.

The others proceeded a bit more easily, up to meeting the Queen, who may have been Queen due to her height. Reva canted her head, wondering then how fae hierarchy worked, before they were addressed, and asked to indicate who they were, in relation to all of this.

She was not amused with Titania’s comment of ‘troublesome’, in either case, and it showed in her dead expression.

At least Cleon handled it well, introducing himself first and providing proof.

“Didymus, Gemini,” Didymus said, pulling at his sleeves and bracelet to make it clear. He sounded annoyed with all of this, as they cooed over it.

“You can call me Isme,” Hector said, earning a bizarre look from Didymus. Hector knew you didn’t give fae your name. Or he was told that. He wasn’t risking it, either way. “I have Virgo,” he pulled a bit at his tunic to show it, but not all of it, and he batted a fairy away who got close enough to try and pull the rest to reveal it. He held his hand flat against the tunic then to keep it from happening when he wasn’t being vigilant.

“Reva,” she answered at last, “of Pisces. I was the one who brought Leviathan into your territory,” she said, not moving to show her mark, though she said, “My mark is here,” gesturing to the back of her shoulder, which was well-covered, and would be a bit too awkward to show. “but if you need proof I can bring Leviathan again.” Or Moss or the woman could vouch for her.

She didn’t think bringing forth Leviathan would really be necessary.

 

[Arcanist]

Each of them started to introduce themselves and their marks, which many of the faeries confirmed the part of Titania. The fae queen seemed to delight more and more with each confirmed marked.

Moss shook her head at the mention of summoning Leviathan, nervously insisting, “Oh, no need!” She turned to Titania and explained, “Oma and I saw Leviathan. No doubt about it!” They looked to Oma for confirmation.

“Big,” she confirmed with a nod. She didn’t have more to add to that, and Titania simply smiled.

Kikiti put Yarrow down before pulling her boot off. She noticed Hector hadn’t given his real name, so opted not to give on as she admitted, “I have one too,” she lifted her foot up, surprisingly well-balanced, “Libra.” She too, was accosted by faeries, poking and prodding and making comments about why the foot of all places.

“Guess it’s my turn,” Sesario murmured, stepping forward. “You can call me Ses. I got Bahamut, or well, the mark of Sagittarius.” And just like the others, pulled what he could of his own attire aside to reveal his mark. Though, he had to put up a hand to approaching faeries. “Easy, not all once! Plenty of me to go around.”

Cid stiffened at hearing both Hector and Sesario possessing one of these marks. ‘So, you too...’ His gaze moving to the mark of Sagittarius dotted along the front of his shoulder.

“Only the luckiest are born under Sagittarius and blessed by the King of the Skies, Cid.”

Even now, he could still hear that confident tone years on. A strange man with even stranger philosophies. He couldn’t help but wonder...

“And you?”

Cid returned to the present, narrowing his eyes at all the expectant looks of the faeries towards him. When he realised what they were wanting to hear from him, he scoffed and shook his head. “As if. The Twelve wouldn’t want me as their blessed marked one.”

The faeries all groaned and moaned.

“Phooey,” one sighed.

“How disappointing...”

Regardless, Titania seemed rather delighted with the situation. “What a development. To think seven of the Twelve would be reunited, all in the one place!”

Cleon looked to Titania, confused. “Seven?” Cid had already discounted himself as one of the marked after all. The only ones who could be marked here that he could think of were one of the faeries, or...

Titania moved her gaze to Oma, and simultaneously, so did all of the faeries’ gazes. Oma, on unspoken command, started gathering hair on her left and lifted it. Behind her ear, nestled near her hairline, was a mark, almost similar to a prong. “Taw-russ.”

Taurus. Taurus. “You gotta be shittin’ me...” Sesario murmured, glancing to Hector. He remembered the name first over the symbol from the gods-damned temple they tried climbing to. And, well, from what the priestess had spoken to them about. To think they’d find her hanging around here, with fae.

Sesario’s realisation was taken as simply surprise by Kikiti and Cleon, who were equally as shocked to hear of this development.

Titania didn’t expect any less of such a reaction. A human running around their lands was rare, extremely rare. But none were quite so rare as Oma herself. “Oma has been in our care from a very young age. Her poor mama...” She tutted, her wings lowered, as did others faeries’ wings. She looked over to Oma, who had then sat cross-legged among a bed of flowers, seemingly indifferent. “It seemed only natural that we ensured and prioritised her safety, no matter what, when we discovered she was marked by Fenrir.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Hector approved of Kikiti and Sesario both not giving away their full names to the faeries. Whether they knew or not, they followed his lead, and he appreciated that. If the others got messed up by faeries, so be it. Cid, of course, didn’t have a mark, but seven were counted. Hector had yet to really do the math in his head, the seventh coming as a surprise, but that put them over half.

‘With Zariel and those she’s found….’

His thoughts were distracted by the look he caught from Sesario, after his comment. His brows lifted, before he recalled, and mouthed ‘oh’. Yes. Taurus. The temple they had been to. He wondered what would happen if they took Oma there, and canted his head, before hearing Didymus.

“Actually, um,” he said, hesitance in his tone, “we’re not all here, but we know of eleven Marked.”

Some of the faeries gasped, and there were the demands for information. “Leo, um, Zariel, she’s just brought Phoenix down.”

Hector added, “Zariel Arkidos.” Fuck the Empress.

Didymus just gave him a weird look, before continuing, “There’s her brother, Oleander, Scorpio. And her, uh, scientist? Lixue. And…,” he realized he hadn’t said it before. Told them. ‘Sorry.’ “My sister, Jagger.” Yet he still introduced her as his sister without hesitance, though he pulled at the pink bracelet when he did so. “Aries.”

“You did not mention that.”

“It wasn’t my place,” Didymus muttered, “sorry.”

“So that would leave Capricorn.” Reva surmised.

Hector again looked to Ses. ‘Wasn’t that priestess…?’ There was no way any of this could be coincidence anymore, but he wouldn’t say, silently urging Sesario to get the hint as he lifted his brows up a few times insistently, but otherwise, stayed silent.

Didymus went on to add, ignoring them, “Why are you fae concerned with keeping the Marked safe?”

“You’re chosen ones by the gods!” Bluebell said, “even we know to honor and respect the divine!”

“Okay, stupid question. Do you know why we’re chosen, some prophecy, maybe something involving a snake?” Didymus pried. He needed to know how right, or wrong, Zariel was. He needed to know how badly they had all really fucked up in killing her, besides the obvious bad fuck-up.

Bluebell blinked, squinted, “You don’t know? Are you sure you’re Marked?” Bluebell flew closer again and rubbed at the mark, but of course, it didn’t come off. Didymus at least resisted the urge to bat him off.

 

[Arcanist]

Of course, Didymus ran through the list of names of those marked, the most obvious having been the Empress and her cohorts. Kikiti cocked her head at the mention of his sister among the list of those with marks. “Jagger?” She repeated, though, needed no confirmation. She couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t mention that - not if they were all in the same sinking boat, and if they all trusted each other.

Cleon had thought the same thing Reva had said. It would have been nice to know that Jagger was marked as well. No wonder Didymus had been so eager to get back to Escander. He suspected the trouble Jagger was facing was down to her mark. At least they knew of eleven now.

And the twelfth marked. Well, judging the way in which Hector looked at him, that look of silent communication the two had mastered over their years together, had something to do with that priestess. Sesario raised his brows in return. Perhaps Bahamut had a way of steering him towards leads.

Or bullshitted it all.

Conversation instead turned to why the Marked were kept safe, then, a rephrasing, of why the gods had needed to choose anyone for some higher purpose in the first place. “Oh, if only they could be more clearer...” Titania sighed, shaking her head, almost disappointed that those marked hadn’t even known of their purpose in this world.

“I’m sure Ophiuchus, the Serpent, has come up in your human tales of the Twelve,” Titania said. “A World-Eating Serpent, malevolent and determined to bring destruction world-to-world. If the Twelve settled with twelve mortals, then it was because they were forced to. The most obvious threat would have to be Ophiuchus, casting them down from the sky.”

Cleon stiffened at Titania’s words. Not all of it might have been clear cut, but the mention of the serpent Ophiuchus was enough to bring that tide of nausea rushing back. That shame in acting too rashly, too quickly. And now, knowing this, he didn’t know how to fix it, if he could fix it at all.

Fae were mischievous creatures though, right? There was nothing to say that they were telling the truth about Ophiuchus either. But Cleon knew better than to call a faerie a liar.

“Fenrir,” Cleon looked to Oma, who was taken aback by the sudden address to her instead of her fae caretakers, “has he spoken to you about any of this?” He wanted to seem disbelieving of the entire affair, but underlying the quietness in his question held the desperateness of wanting it all to be a lie.

“Oma hears nothing from Him,” Titania answered for Oma, “she wouldn’t know, because she hasn’t awakened him yet.” Even after Titania spoke for her, Oma nodded in agreement, signalling that really, she knew as much as the rest of the group did.

Proving or disproving it did not make Cleon feel any better.

Titania looked upon Cleon, and some others, and noticed how solemn things had become. "I'm sure you're all quite exhausted. You're free to rest here before we deal with the matter of Cucu, if you wish. It's quite safe, Oma can attest to that."

 

[Lucyfer]

Diddy still nodded when Kikiti repeated the name, clarifying that he had indeed meant her. His face was warm with shame, for several reasons, and his gaze dropped. ‘Sorry, Jagger.’ But they were going to find out eventually. Everyone was going to find out, eventually. Twelve only knew what Zariel was going to do next, after all.

Then Ophiuchus was brought up.

Hector couldn’t help but glare daggers into Cleon’s head, at least for a moment, as the fae also indicated what Zariel said. ‘We’re so fucked.’ Hector would have to pull Sesario aside. They had to figure this out. What to do about this group. What to do about the rest of this situation. Everything. So much was reeling in his head.

As it was for many of the others, although Reva remained calm. Even hearing this confirmed again did not surprise her, although like Cleon, she wanted to doubt it. Bahamut said nothing to Sesario. Fenrir was not in touch with Oma. ‘And Leviathan knew nothing….’ But Leviathan was surprised to see Phoenix dead…and see Phoenix return.

The Twelve did not know everything.

What would they do if Zariel had been telling the truth? ‘Zariel will reconcile, but….’ There would be consequences. They might save the world, but what happened after that? Zariel had started this with conquests, not conversations, no matter what she claimed. It was likely the end would still involve conflict with her, no matter how this turned.

For now, she was willing to take the time offered by the fae. “Thank you,” she said, glancing down at her attire – and everyone else. “A day of rest would be most appreciated, with a place to cleanse ourselves. Our journey here was not quite by choice; there is much we are still unraveling.”

Many, they did not know, too. Her eyes shifted towards Sesario and Hector.

Hector was the one to chime in, “Yeah – I could really use some clean clothes.”

“And food.” Didymus was naturally thinking of that.

“We can see to all of your needs!” Bluebell said, “Oma, you can show them to places they can rest – you understand their size better!” Most of the fae were small, but they had some areas of hospitability for the larger among them, and for those like Oma. The few honored guests that could stay in their swamp. “Maybe not for – oh – Libra.” Bluebell realized he didn’t have a name as he said it, but disregarded it entirely.

Not important.

“We will talk about this Cucu in the morning?” Reva suggested, looking to Titania for confirmation that such was a good plan, and to ensure that they wouldn’t rest long, either. They would handle this fiend, and go on their way back to her home, that was no longer her home.

 

[Arcanist]

Things were fucked. Really fucked. Zariel had been right all along, even if Sesario hadn’t fully trusted her on what she tried to explain to them. That’s what he got for trying to help people, for trying to do some right in some politics. It just put him in danger. It put Hector in danger. Hell, now everyone else in Rozari was caught up in it too.

How difficult would it be for him and Hector to drop everything and run off again?

“What I wouldn’t give for some rum...” Sesario mumbled, rubbing an eye. Wine, whiskey, anything that would loosen him up. He figured they could have all gone for a bottle or two.

“Think these things got a bar goin’?” Cid folded his arms over his chest. Even though he wasn’t one of these marked ones, and the situation sent his own head spinning. A day. A day of rest wasn’t enough to stop the shitstorm coming their way. Only to prepare for it.

Kikiti turned to Bluebell in a huff, hands on her hips. “I can sleep in the same kind of areas regardless of my size, you know,” she felt inclined to point out. She still liked the extra legroom those taller than her were afforded.

“Lots of space,” Oma reassured Kikiti, “even for small girl.”

“I’m taller than most Lalafell my age!” Kikiti stamped her foot, not helping to make her seem less like a small child.

On Reva’s suggestion, Titania smiled and nodded. “Of course!” She chirped, rather pleased at the arrangement Reva proposed. “As Bluebell said, whatever your needs, we’ll see to them.”

Cleon nodded, following Reva’s example by expressing his own thanks. “We appreciate it.” Though, it was deflated. Exhausted, almost.



Oma would eventually lead the others areas where they could rest, while Moss had taken the notion to start bossing other faeries around to help make their new guests comfortable with any food or clothing they needed. She was wary of strangers being in spaces she felt at ease in, but tried to settle with the idea that it was temporary. They would be gone tomorrow. She neglected to think of her fate intertwined with these strangers.

Oma knew plenty of nooks and crannies near the main fae hub - abandoned dens, large hollowed-out tree trunks, and even some vine hammocks that she had tried and tested plenty of time. She had a few pelts and foliage that could also be used as bedding, and would begrudgingly share them if needed. They could at least all try to get a full rest with the comfort that no monsters or beasts would approach here due to faerie wards and protections placed nearby.

And then, they were free to do as they pleased.



Cleon was the first to retreat from the group. Any excuse to get away from the glares he was sure he was getting and the overwhelming shame of it all. He had gotten it wrong. Completely wrong. And not only had he damned himself, but he damned the lives of some he hadn’t known for long, and one he had known all his life. Retreating from the others was the only thing he could do to try and figure everything out in his head.

But even submerging himself in a body of water, which he always found to be a comfort to him, hadn’t been enough this time. The blood still remained on his hands, no matter if he washed it all off. Things would still be the same. Cleon came out of the water no wiser than he went in, no surer about what to do.

He thought back to Hector's words and doubted his suitability to rule further.

When Cleon returned to one hollowed out tree Oma had shown them, Cid had been waiting around for him. He knew Reva would be around, never far where Cleon would be concerned. As much as Cleon needed time to take everything in, like they all did, he also needed to speak with him and Reva. He had to know more about what happened in Ucantis, why they searched for him above anyone else. He approached the young man.

"We need to talk, Cleon."

Cleon swallowed back. He didn't want to, but he knew they didn't have the luxury of time or distance to avoid speaking. "Yes. We haven't spoken properly at all yet."

That much was obvious. Cid walked over to a nearby stump on the ground, expecting Cleon and Reva to follow and come over in their own time. That's when he started them off.

"So, one minute, I'm pulling pints, and the next, I'm lifted by Imperials and thrown in a cell for...what was the word they used…conspiring with you in letters. Unless I'm going senile, we've never exchanged letters, and I certainly haven't…" He saw Cleon bristle and he amended, "...hadn't spoken to your mother for years." Cid hadn't meant to sound so accusatory, but like always, he couldn't help the coarseness in his words. "So, how'd they come up with that?" He had his own idea. He was there at the mention of Didymus's association with the Empress. And if Hector knew, Sesario knew too. He could only imagine how volatile Cleon could be when he found out.

It would come out from one of them, if not from him.

Cleon was quiet. The only connection he could make was that he knew his father, but would the Empire really note something like that? Perhaps, with how they seemed to be a step ahead of everything. He finally spoke. "I didn't think they would find you. I...I can't be sure how they found you first."

~***~

Cleaner clothes had been left as requested for Hector, and for Sesario after his own insistence. Sesario’s clothing was at least quite similar to what he had been wearing, though, nothing would quite compare to the pelts and fabrics that had been ruined by the swamp waters. You could never replicate something like those, truly.

Sesario had grabbed Hector after the lot of them were cleaned up, taking them away from prying eyes and open ears. He knew what Hector was like, and if anything, Sesario was much the same. He wondered how easy it would be for fae to hear them conspire like this, for them to turn around and snitch on them to the others. The Marked couldn’t be separated if they were just reunited in their eyes probably.

“This is a problem,” Sesario gestured vaguely, signalling that everything was a problem. “Huge problem. I try to do something useful, once.” He sighed, already pacing back and forth among the trees. He was already trying to formulate some kind of escape route. “Rozari’s a no-go now. Shit. The whole continent is an Imperial playground now. We don’t even have our ship now either, thanks to Cleon, and Zariel, and that damn bird.”

He sighed. “Damn it, Hector. I wish you weren’t caught up in this mess. Zariel's going to give my parents and Rozari hell...” What a shitstorm.

~***~

Kikiti’s impromptu nap had set her up for a good feed if her grumbling stomach was anything to go by. When she returned to the area where they were all introduced, the faeries had a spread of everything one could think of - meat, poultry, vegetables, sweets. Kikiti’s stomach was in even more of an uproar at the selection.

She knew Didymus had to be nearby. He was the one who had asked for food, after all. As she started perusing her options, she thought more about what Diddy had said about Jagger. It bothered her how he didn’t even mention she had a mark, even if it wasn’t his secret to reveal. They would have kept it among the four of them. They would have even kept her safe - or rather, Jagger would have kept them safe.

She wouldn’t mind having the woman as a bodyguard.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reva did indeed stick near Cleon. She did not follow him all the way to where he washed, but she was near enough to hear when he left the water. She had dressed down a bit and washed herself off – and did what she could for her clothing, although she inevitably accepted the generosity of the fae and garbed herself in the gown they laid out.

It wasn’t exactly her style, it definitely didn't take into account her tail, but it was clean.

Hopefully, her clothing would be clean in the morning.

She was a bit behind Cleon in his return to the tree, and took a few seconds more before she walked out to it as Cid began to speak, stating that he and Cleon needed to talk. Perhaps it wasn’t her place to linger, but she approached regardless. She had been close to Inara, and knew about Cid’s old friendship.

She had a place here.

And in hearing what happened with Cid, who apparently was picked up for writing letters to them, which did seem odd. Reva canted her head. “I am not certain where this idea came from, unless Queen Inara attempted to send you a letter but was unable to send it,” Reva suggested, “She had always told us if anything should happen, to go to you. It is possible she tried to write ahead, but it never got to you. I would not put it past the Empire to intercept Moogles.”

If not that, perhaps there was something else left behind by Inara that hinted at it. Perhaps an old letter between them, that the Empire used to justify its arrest of Elcid. “I do not know what help Inara expected of you. I assumed there had been talk,” it seemed like that may not have happened, from what he divulged about the last time he spoke to the royal family.

Which certainly complicated things.

Did Inara simply want Cleon to be hidden? Certainly not – right?

~***~

Hector wasn’t happy with the new clothing, but it was clean, and that was important. He scrubbed at his skin for far longer than necessary, irritated with the situation, with the strange muck on him, and also trying to think, but nothing came to him. His frustration manifested in just scrubbing away, as if the problem would go away, too.

It didn’t.

Nor did Sesario have any brilliant ideas when he went off with him, arms folded over his chest, scowl present. “You did the right thing – you couldn’t have predicted what that prince did,” that prince apparently didn’t need to be named right now. He did fault Sesario a little, but honestly? He hadn’t fucked things up.

He listened to Zariel.

He tried to bring them together.

And…well…. “Though that’s probably not how things are seen out there.” He moved a hand into his hair. Would there be a bounty for an assassination attempt? “There’s probably some reward for bringing you in alive now. All of us she saw.” Did she see everyone? Did she know everyone? “We can’t go anywhere.”

Escander would be bad. “If she’s right, though – we gotta find a way to fix this,” he gestured out vaguely, too, “And we gotta…we gotta contact the priestess. I have a feeling…that wasn’t a coincidence. I mean, Priestess of Capricorn, and that’s the only one we don’t know, looking into some old temples? She’s trying to figure out why the Empire is looking for the Marked, too. Bet you a thousand gil she thinks the answer’s somewhere in those ruins.”

Would it be? Zariel didn’t seem to need that kind of access. Or she already had it.

~***~

Didymus shed the Imperial armor and traded it for his regular clothing, which thankfully, hadn’t gotten any dirtier than usual. He was able to change quick, after a quick dip in some water, and mentally trying to compose a letter to Jagger to explain what happened.

She’d be getting the Imperial story soon – and he didn’t think that would be the full truth.

What he knew was that Rozari was done for. There was no kingdom safe. No land safe. ‘And it’s all because of our marks.’ He tugged his bracelet over it once again, as if he could hide it, but the wind gusted and blew it almost off his arm.

He huffed and shoved it back down, pulling his sleeve up and under it, so the bracelet could act a bit like a wrap, as he went to go get food. Kikiti was the first there, with Yarrow sniffing at everything, of course.

He approached the food, eying much of it with suspicion. The fae may not intend them harm, but how well did they know what humans ate? ‘There’s that Oma….’ Didymus still wouldn’t pick at anything that looked too strange. “How are you feeling, Kikiti?” He asked, “you were asleep for a bit there…not feeling any side-effects?”

He didn’t expect it, the powder didn’t usually cause anything too bad – but it was worth asking.

 

[Arcanist]

Reva joined, as Cid thought she would. One thing he always remembered was that Reva was never too far away. Perhaps that was wise where the prince was concerned.

Shame that hadn’t been enough to stop him from killing the Empress.

And of course, neither of them had arrived at the same thought as what Cid had. Then again, he had been witness to that discovery along with Hector and Sesario. If it had been brought up on the ship, it hadn’t registered as a thought in anyone’s mind. Didymus having one of those marks only further complicated matters too.

Complicated seemed to be on all the cards, especially when he was asked about why Inara had sent them his way.

Cid sighed, rubbing his forehead. “The only talk I had with your mother was telling her the promise that your father told me to make to her when he was dying. That she would keep you safe, and not to trust anyone who started getting too interested in that mark of yours. Any serious talk about it stayed between you, her, and Reva, and to everyone else, it was a birthmark, nothing more. Maybe your mother really did want me to smuggle you off the continent, or she couldn't trust another nation after Prumoor, so she trusted me instead."

"Even after you haven't spoken to her since he died?" Cleon asked, a little too hotly. His frustration was beginning to build at the rise of questions over answers. "If you were so close to him then why haven't you spoken to his own family?"

Cid was quiet for a moment, letting that frustration simmer in the air for a moment. "Because I wanted to find who killed your father. I'm surprised he never killed me. Said it wasn't part of his contract and moved on, so I assumed he was some hired foreign merc. Believe me, Cleon, I wanted to kill him," he scowled, "but your father insisted I hear that last request instead." He looked between Cleon and Reva. "I never found him. And I guess I could never go back to look any of you in the eye knowing I never fucking killed that merc."

Cleon sat down to sit against the tree, trying to take it all in. He was quiet, unsure of what to say to all of it.

Cid sighed, composing himself, letting that anger ooze out of him. "Look. We're stuck in this shitstorm together. So regardless, we're stuck trying to help each other regardless."

~***~

Sesario appreciated Hector’s reassurance, even if he knew things hadn’t been pulled off as smoothly as he would have liked them to. He was graced with luck, which usually helped to get him out of most situations. Perhaps now would be the time that luck was starting to dry out.

He knew the Empire would twist this to their own agenda. Which was probably to find all of them. “Yeah,” Sesario pursed his lips, “can’t even go underground if we tried. Any kind of bounty is going to reach far.” Sky pirates included no doubt. Of all the sky pirates he crossed paths with over the years that he trusted, really trusted, he counted a few on one hand. Favours might not have even cut it this time if the bounty reward was high enough.

The priestess came up again. Sesario scratched at his chin. “She said something about wanting to go to Capricorn’s temple to open it herself. If we find it, then we’ll find her there. Else, she’ll come running when we tell her we’ve found it.” The problem was getting there, and most importantly, finding it. Contact, especially in an Imperial dominated continent, could have also been difficult.

They’d figure out the details as they went along.

That triggered another thought. “There’s a temple for Taurus, a temple for Capricorn...there has to be a temple for the rest of the Twelve.” Even if she hadn’t mentioned that, surely the rest of them wouldn’t get their own fancy temple.

~***~

Kikiti, just as she lifted a plate of steak pie she didn’t find too suspicious, turned to Didymus. “Yeah, I’m okay now,” she insisted. “I felt a little woozy earlier, but only like it is after you’ve had a long nap. Yarrow seems to be doing okay too.” Which was surprising to her, given he was smaller.

“Thanks for taking care of me, by the way,” Kikiti smiled. “The faeries said something about all of us being in a sticky situation, and that you carried me through most of it.” She realised she hadn’t thanked him for doing that, in among the revelations and the whirlwind of events they had been going through.

Yarrow grabbed what seemed to be a piece of fowl from the faeries’ spread, and dropped it on the ground as it started to pick at it. Kikiti picked around her food before she decided to take a bite. She thought about how it tasted suspiciously like the steak pie her papa always made for her. That, in itself, left an odd taste lingering in her mouth.

Her thoughts turned to Jagger instead. She knew she’d have to start asking the questions, else, Didymus wouldn’t bring it up again.

“So,” Kikiti started, “Jagger’s mark. Do you think that’s why she might be in trouble?” She remembered how desperate Diddy was to get to Escander. Maybe Reva would have been more eager to go to Escander if they had all known about her mark.

 

[Lucyfer]

Of course, Reva was aware of the mark. She was aware that it could mean something. She heard rumors, and knew what her own mark had provided to her. It was not a secret she kept, because fear of Leviathan played into an advantage. That Cleon might some day have a connection to Asura had been considered, and now was perhaps known – if they could figure out how to unlock that connection.

Cleon’s anger was justified, where Elcid’s shame was not. Reva had the knowledge of time on her side. Despite that, she knew that shame. She felt it deep in her bones with the thought of having to return to the forest, for a modicum of safety the fae couldn’t provide, and for the hope of more information since the day she left.

“And now you never can go back,” words that didn’t need to be said, but Reva said them anyways. A pointed reminder for Cid’s future, now that he was looking Cleon in the face. Now that he knew Inara was dead, and he could never express himself to her, ever again. That kind of guilt might overcome the shame, down the line.

Might prevent such stupidity again.

Reva remained standing, composed, “We are in this together,” she agreed, “and you have a promise to maintain, that I will hold you to,” even where Cleon might not, in his own anger. Reva knew the bonds of honor too well, along with that shame. “There’s little reason to talk now of what ifs. We must consider what to do going forward. Leaving Hyune behind is not an option.” If it ever, truly, was.

“We have to consider that what the Empress said is correct, as well as consider that it may be a lie, or distortion. We need to pursue awakening the Marks.” Although she doubted it, she looked to Cid, “Cleon Senior knew there was more to it. So did I, and Inara. Even then, the Empire was looking for the marked. Did he know more, or share more, with you? Something he learned that never returned to us?”

~***~

No, there were few options open to them. The Empire had money, and bringing Rozari under their wing was only going to further enrich them. They had been prepared for a war; now they wouldn’t need to bother with that. Hector knew in his bones that Sesario’s parents would given in. Mercenaries and pirates would be out for them, only too quickly.

Hector kept his arms folded as Sesario considered the priestess, seeming to think about only what would draw her to them, or vice versa.

“We have moogles,” Hector reminded, “You’re not seriously thinking of leaving her out there without any information about all of this, are you?” He supposed she might be with the Imperials, but that didn’t seem right. “That turncoat didn’t know about Capricorn, which means if she is Capricorn, the Empire doesn’t know, either. She ought to hear our side first, before she gets a wild hair to go turn herself in with everything going on out there.”

Hector didn’t know what was going on out there, or if it would change much, but it felt like it would. Amarum rose with Phoenix, and Phoenix was back. “Maybe we could tell her we found Taurus, and go back there with, uh…I forgot her name.” But he assumed she would be coming, like it or not.

She was part of them, now.

“That might be enough to lure her back without saying too much until we can see her.” Letters could be intercepted, rare as that was. “We just have to convince the others it’s a good idea,” since, as he realized that, it meant all the others were coming around, too. “And…get there…without a ship….” He could have cried. The beginnings of a whimper were there, barely held back.

“Since we don’t know where any other temples are….”

~***~

Didymus was relieved to hear Kikiti was okay, and Yarrow was certainly acting well enough. He nodded, but when he took a bite of his food and noted how it tasted – spiced the way Juno liked – he sat it down and decided he’d just see what rations were still available in their bags. They had to have something, since Kikiti had still had his clothes.

“Yeaaah, sticky is a mild way of putting it,” Didymus said, but smiled, “it’s all good though. You’re not that heavy,” he noted, though he’d still felt bad when he’d inadvertently gotten her a little dirtier in his effort to grab a frog.

At least that had worked.

Maybe he just wanted to go eat some frogs….

That, of course, seemed to lead right into Jagger. He swallowed air, sighed, “I know that’s why she’s in trouble,” he muttered, “Escander’s never a good place, but it’s worse if you have a bounty, and all the marked have bounties if they’re genuine marks,” he twisted the bracelet, “It’s too late now,” he said. “We wouldn’t make it in time now.”

He knew that. He knew their path wasn’t changing just for Jagger.

And he knew she was with the Empire. There wasn’t really going to be a good way to head back for her, now that they had gotten all the information Jagger would have told them. Peacefully, if they went to her, except, of course, they didn’t. “At least I know she’s not going to be killed.” He still was tempted to find a way out himself and get back to her. “She’ll probably do the right thing.” Which he wasn’t sure he knew what that was, anymore.