Chapter 9: Secrets Unveiled
Alira
Galarian adventurer!
- Location
- Galar, Slumbering Weald
- Pronouns
- She/her
Chapter 9: Secrets unveiled
TW: Vaguely mentioned gore, Heather not being in a good mental state in flashbacks(She just lost the man she loved do you really think she'll be in a good place? ;w; ), blood magic, just darker than other chapters thus far, but this is a dark as I plan it to get. I don't know if this violates any rules, so please let me know D:
Alira didn’t even think when she threw Hop to safety, she just acted and got him out of harm’s way, also throwing her pokemon to him in the brief seconds she had before the ground collapsed under her feet.
Her scream only lasted a few moments before she felt a stray piece of rock crash into her head, pain exploding all over her skull and she gripped at it.
Blood, she felt blood and she felt her breath quickening in panic. That wasn’t good, she could now hardly see but she knew she was still falling very fast.
And she had a really bad feeling this wasn’t going to be a short fall that would just leave her with bruises.
In her head, she heard a voice she was quite familiar with by this point, one of a certain queen-
Rest, rest my child, you will be safe I swear. I am, so, so very sorry for what you will see, but this is the only way to ensure your mind survives this. Forgive this old soul for this….
Before she could hardly register the voice, she felt herself falling unconscious, vision blackening, and her body moving to face the ground with her hands facing down.
The spiral patterns lighting up on her hands she knew far too well before she saw no more of the present, being shot back to memories in the distant past.
She was back when Acaeus died, still holding his dead body in her arms. She was no longer screaming, but she was still crying. Acaeus was dead, he was DEAD and he probably didn’t hear her confession before he passed but her best friend was dead.
She could feel Zacia’s sorrow through their link, and gods she couldn’t image how Zen was feeling-
As she realized that it definitely looked like that cult member was from Kanto, her BASTARD FATHER’S KINGDOM, she felt like everything froze.
Sorrow and anguish were soon buried by utterly blinding and deep hatred and rage. She wasn’t thinking straight, how could she? She just lost the most important person in her life-
And she knew exactly who to blame.
She carefully set Acaeus’ body down, and now silent, stood up, sword in hand. She could hear Zacia through the link, asking what was going on why did she suddenly feel so cold and distant now.
But Heather didn’t respond. Claude was the only one who looked up in time to see her binding marks flash and she teleported out of the circle of soldiers protecting her and Claude.
Slash! Thud.
She hardly registered that she decapitated a Kantonian soldier with ease even through his armor as she came out of the teleport, eyes blank and unfeeling as her heart was now. Several soldiers, even ones of her own forces and Claude’s froze at the action as she stood there, sword still held in the air and dripping with blood from the motion.
“Out of the way.” Her voice was flat, monotone but also filled with utter hatred at the enemy forces in front of her.
Some smart ones did as she said, but most didn’t, bearing their swords at her. That’s when the screaming and blood flying about with no restraint began.
She moved as quick as lightning thanks to her magic aiding her, cutting down the forces before her with no mercy, icy-cold eyes casting judgment on those who sided and fought for the vile man she was related to by blood. Hardly any of them had time to run, much less defend themselves, and men by the dozens fell to her blade.
She left a trail of blood and bodies in her wake as if she was like death itself, cutting down soldier after soldier with not a shred of remorse or regret, only a blur of red-coated silver and steel.
She didn’t hear Zacian screaming through the link, she didn’t hear her forces or Claude’s shouting for her to stop, she barely noticed anyone shouting for her and any magic attempting to restrain her she broke through in an instant. She was purely focused on one, singular goal.
Kill. Her. Father.
He was the one who caused her to be born, HE was the reason she was ALWAYS moving from place to place growing up, HE was the reason her mother never loved her, and-
HE WAS THE REASON ACAEUS WAS DEAD!
She barely managed to hear the sounds of two horns, clearly the reinforcements for her and Claude’s side, she could recognize those sounds, but she didn’t stop. She refused to, NOT UNTIL HER FATHER WAS DEAD AND ON HIS WAY TO HELL.
She didn’t notice how the forces from Kanto and Johto were retreating, but she did see the figure of her father, on a kanto rapidash with armor to ward against its flame mane, atop the hill.
“ULRIC!” She all but roared, voice hardly sounding like her own and she tasted even more copper in her throat but hardly registered it as it was no different from the blood coating her form.
It didn’t even seem like he heard her or if he did he deliberately ignored her as his mount turned to leave, prompting an absolute flash of pure anger to course through her system. No, she REFUSED TO LET HIM RUN AWAY-
A hand on her shoulder yanked her back and she turned, sword already swinging to kill-
She stopped just before her sword could hit the arm Claude brought up to shield his face.
“E-Easy there Heather.” His voice stuttered noticeably, eyes still red from his tears, but he didn’t let go of the arm he now had ahold of, so she couldn’t rush off. “Calm, well, you can’t after what happened, can you? Just, stop. They’re retreating.”
“My father doesn’t deserve to walk away from this with his life.” She snarled, but her sword was shaking ever so slightly. Her voice was rough and sounded damaged, unfamiliar. “He’s done nothing but made my life a living HELL until I came to Galar, and even now he torments and ruins my life. I will kill him for what he’s wrought on this day. He’s made an enemy of Galar and I will not rest until his head departs from his shoulders. He is now an enemy of Galar and I declare war on him.”
“And I’ll help you, I’m just as furious as you, and I want him dead. But we can’t go after him today, we need to let our forces recoup and count our losses. Figure out a plan.” He had to get through to her, she couldn’t just rush after the king of Kanto like this, she looked ready to collapse and he doubted her magic would last forever. “Please… For Acaeus’ sake, don’t do this.”
She stilled, face completely blank and eyes devoid of thought or emotion. For a moment, he thought she would strike him down and continue.
But she didn’t.
Her magic let go, binding marks no longer glowing, and her entire form slumped. Her sword dropped to the ground and she lurched forward to latch onto Claude.
She buried her face in his chest and began to shake as he wrapped his arms around her securely and tightly.
Her shoulders hitched, beginning to sob into the Kalos king’s chest without restraint and he petted her hair, mentally thanking he was able to snap her out of that… Bloodlust. He wasn’t sure if anyone would’ve been able to stop her, but he did.
Especially as if it seemed her rampage had completely rendered Zacian unable to move and do much other than shout through their link. Zamazenta… He was in a similar state though he was able to move enough to where he could remain at a safe distance from things.
So it had been up to Claude to stop her, quickly getting on his flygon Flyby and rushing to her, and now that he could properly think he realized it was only because, he was going through exactly what she was.
With that thought in mind, he raised his head, eyes harsh and cold, and looked back to the forces he and Heather controlled, as well as the newly arrived forces of Sinnoh and Seteth’s mixed forces from Hoenn, Unova, and wherever else he could get them.
“Listen everyone!” His voice resounded throughout the dead silent air, everyone looking at him and Seteth he could notably see was shocked at how cold and harsh his eyes were. “We have suffered many losses here, but the greatest losses we have suffered are the death of my wife, Byleth,” He saw Flayn by Seteth cover her mouth in horror and sorrow, the girl looking ready to cry but he pressed on. “And the loss of my dear friend and Galar’s king, Acaeus. And as such due to the nature of who killed them fleeing back to Kanto after the fact,”
His voice turned deadly, and if Heather had the energy to cease crying or even look up, she’d see his pupils turn into dragon slits like his wife’s once did. “I and Heather, as rulers of our respective kingdoms, declare war on Kanto and ANYONE WHO SIDES WITH THEM! We will not rest until their vile king is dethroned or dead! He will pay for his actions, no, his crimes today in blood when we had done nothing to provoke this sort of attack and he’s taken that which can NEVER BE REPLACED!”
All was silent, then the forces from Galar and Kalos began to cheer and shout in agreement, he could see the outright confusion and dare he say shock from the forces Dimitri and Seteth brought. Claude was never quick to declare war, he always tried to talk things out with other kingdoms.
But this was different. His wife and best friend had directly been targeted in the chaos, that was clear to see, and you don’t kill his wife or best friend unless you want war on your hands which he was ready to give them and he knew Heather felt the same way.
Hop about collapsed ontop of Corviknight when as they were reaching the end of the tunnel which opened up into some sort of cave lit by holes with moonlight filtering in, he saw Alira seemed to be alright, she was standing and wasn’t under any rubble that was littered around her thank god.
But something was off, were parts of her face and hands glowing?
“Alira!” She looked up at his shout, tilting her head and skittering back when he had Corviknight land near her and not on any rubble. “Mate, you bloody daft girl, what’re you thinking!? Just tossing me out of the way-”
“Halt.” She spoke in a manner unfamiliar to Hop, authoritative and commanding and her eyes were so much darker than they were before, like the night prior. Hop shut his mouth and got a better look at her as he got off Corviknight and she adjusted her jacket and slipped it off her shoulders but kept it on, markings he was used to seeing on a certain girl from their dreams were now on her and glowing.
“I am not Alira, you’ve already deduced that I assume.” Her voice, while still being Alira’s in some respects, wasn’t her, too mature and older sounding.
“Yeah.” He narrowed his eyes at her, scrutinizing her and how she held herself. Her jacket was half off her shoulders, resting on her arms and the sleeves covered her hands. “Heather, right?”
“Yes.” She nodded, sighing she crossed her arms with a large huff of her shoulders. “What a damn mess you two are in… I hope you’re listening, the both of you if Ace is within you. Cause I frankly don’t have a lot of time if I wish to spare Alira from seeing some painful memories or risk us permanently being switched like this. I may not have wished to die when I did, but I don’t want to steal another’s life from them.”
Heather was in a meeting with Claude, Seteth, aand Dimitri. She was seated by Claude but she wasn’t listening to much if anything.
“Claude have you lost your damn mind?! Declaring war on such a large kingdom-”
“Please. It’s no different than it was when we went after Adrestia and Edelgard now is it Dimitri? I don’t see the difference.”
“But we had ample reason to go after them! Edelgard was trying to uproot the entire country on it’s head and erase the other kingdoms, this-”
“Kanto’s king killed Acaeus, and Byleth.” Heather hardly registered she spoke, interrupting Dimitri, voice blank and monotone. “He had to have known Byleth hadn’t yet given birth to a heir, much like with me and Acaeus-” Anyone who knew her and Acaeus well knew that they had no plans to acquire heirs as they were not romantically involved which was a weakness she knew but the words fell from her mouth all the same. “Even knowing that he had his people directly targeting them, I don’t think Claude saw anyone else, even our healers, attacked so viciously much like they were.”
“She’s right, and I had an eagle's eye of the battlefield as you know thanks to Flyby and that is the truth.” Claude huffed, crossing his arms and remaining close to her as he glared over at Dimitri. “King Ulric is a danger to us all like Edelgard was, and perhaps even more so because at least Edelgard knew when to stop and surrender for her own sake so she could live. Ulric has clearly shown he’s more than willing to kill kings and queens to get whatever he wants, whatever it is he cannot be allowed to live. What if he wants to just burn our kingdoms to the ground?”
“Like you plan to do with his?” Seteth piped up from his stance at the end of the battlemap table.
“You wound me Seteth.” Though his words were a clear jest, it lacked the normal energy they had. “I don’t plan to do much other than make sure his heart is no longer beating, what an irony considering myself now, what his people do after that is their own choice.”
“I still don’t like this plan of yours, it’s reckless.” The older blond man shook his head, narrowing his remaining eye at Claude. “But you and Heather are set on it, and I can’t say I blame you. I would do the same if anything happened to my wife.”
“I do agree, if this was what happened with my wife, I would have much the same thoughts.” Seteth sighed, crossing his arms.
“Will you aid us, or will we be forced to continue on without you?” Claude asked, looking at the two pointedly as Heather tilted her head ever so slightly as her gaze finally slid up from the map to look at the king and dragon mage. Would they aid them? She wondered. They surely must know that the likelihood of them succeeding in this plan without them was small, wouldn’t stop her or Claude but even so.
Seteth eventually sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he breathed in deeply. “Since it’s clear you two are going to do this regardless, I may as well aid you so you both don’t die.”
“I agree, and after all you did for me and my kingdom against Edelgard, Claude, I will aid you as well.” Dimitri nodded, giving Claude a look which the kalosian man nodded at.
Heather looked about the three men with her eyes before standing up, she had nothing to add so she was going to go check on Zen. Gods knew he was in a state since the battle two weeks and three days ago.
She only responded with a “Zen.” when Claude asked where she was going, leaving the tent swiftly. She weaved around the backs of the camp tents, having no desire to run into anyone wanting to talk to her if she were to walk the main paths.
She didn’t talk much, even before, and had no desire to now so she was going to avoid situations that would force her to. What was the point when most only saw her as a lowly woman even with her status and as such didn’t care what she had to say?
She made it to the tent he was in with no one stopping her, slipping into the large blue tent quietly and studied how the one occupant in it was.
Zen still looked weak and haggard, and she was certain it wasn’t just the loss of Acaeus affecting him mentally.
“How are you holding up Zen?” She asked softly, walking over and kneeling beside the large dog pokemon who opened an eye to peer at her.
“Tired.” He responded, inhaling and letting the air out in a puff. “Really tired, and, mourning.”
She patted his head as he closed his eyes, continuing. “I will do my best to be ready for the battle against the murderers, but I make no promises despite my desire to end them. Markus was not lying when he said if one of you died it could leave me or Zacia very weak if it didn’t kill us. My mana levels are apparently extremely low and the healers who told me that don’t know what to do.”
“Yeah, I’m still looking for some way to help you.” Heather sighed, tilting her head to peer at the shield Zen was resting his head on. “Would it be alright if I tried to send some mana to you through the shield? Markus did say it was a buffer between your mana pool and Ace’s, so it may still be connected to you.”
“Sure. I’m not sure what else to do so go ahead.” He lifted his head enough to let her carefully pull the shield out from under his head.
She felt her heart clench in pain looking at Acaeus’s shield, it was long since cleaned of the blood that coated it that day, but it was still painful.
Inhaling, she removed her gloves and placed her palms flat on the surface of the shield, the binding marks on them lit up as she carefully began to channel her mana into the shield.
Hours later, she trudged into Claude’s tent, sighing as she entered and hardly paying attention to the owner of the tent turning around in his seat at his desk.
“You’ve got to stop coming here you know. People will get the wrong idea.” He quipped with light amusement, and she leveled a tired grin at him. The only light in the tent was coming from the candle on the desk.
“You’ve the only decent bed in camp, and until you catch the good dreams lunar pokemon, you and I can’t sleep alone.” She was of course referring to the endless nightmares she had been having since that day, which often made her rush to Claude’s tent in the middle of the night in only her nightgown before she started coming to his tent regularly. He wasn’t going to do anything, he never did, and he knew exactly what she was going through, his dreams haunted him as well.
“Not going to refute that one.” he chuckled softly, turning back to the piece of parchment he was writing on while she ambled over to the bed, sitting down with a tired sigh.
“Zen should be good for when we confront Ulric.” His eyebrows raised at that and he tilted his head to look over at her as she began removing her armored boots.
“You found a way to replenish his mana?” Claude asked, and she nodded, moving to take her shoulder-length gloves off.
“Gave him some of mine.” Her gloves came off with ease, revealing her binding markings. Their steel blue color was the same as always, but the skin around the edges of the markings was red and irritated. “Never did it before, but it surprisingly wasn’t difficult.”
“I wouldn’t be able to tell, with how your skin looks.” Claude scoffed, putting his quill in the inkpot and taking his own gloves off before getting up and walking over to the bed to sit beside her. “Here, let me help you get the rest of your armor off.”
She nodded, and his nimble and quick fingers made short work of the straps on her chest plate, lifting it up and over her head to place on the bed, then helping her out of the chainmail beneath it, leaving her in just the sleeveless shirt she wore beneath all that armor. She had refrained from wearing any leg armor aside from her boots today, opting for simple pants.
“You shouldn’t be exhausting yourself, princess.” He gently touched her arm, watching as she sighed and her entire form slumped. “Aha, so quick to relax around me, hm?” He was jesting, he always did with remarks like that, slightly unexpected but that was fine.
“Hm.” She refused to meet his eyes even as she let him tend her hair. She knew he’d see the lack of life in her gaze, how even now with a goal in mind, killing Ulric, she was but a corpse walking. Feeling as hollow as an empty armor set.
And, frankly speaking, she didn’t have any plans to survive the battle against her father after he fell to her blade. It’d be better if she fell with him, her tainted bloodline stemming from him ending with her.
She never saw the knowing look Claude had as he placed his chin atop her head and held her close, never knowing he was planning, scheming. To make sure she survived to see another day, no matter what he had to do.
One losing the will to go on in the wake of her beloved’s death, and the other resolving to never ever lose those he held dear again. What a pair they were.
Sonia sighed as she went down into the basement, her assistant called in sick today so she had to take inventory herself of how many wishing stars she had to put in dynamax bands to give to new trainers if any came knocking before she opened the lab.
Yamper followed at her heels, literally hopping down the steps due to his small size which made Sonia giggle a little.
Sighing once more, she went over to one of the boxes labeled “wishing stars” and grabbed it, preparing to have to haul it up the stairs before almost losing her grip on it.
What the hell-it was way more lighter than she remembered!
She was quick to throw it open, gaping as she saw it was completely empty when she KNEW only the day prior it was full of wishing stars.
She quickly began checking the other boxes, soon finding that they too were completely empty and devoid of any of the many wishing stars she had collected over the past year.
The only thing she found, was a small piece of paper in one of the boxes. It only had a symbol on it.
The symbol was of a lightning strike breaking a sword and shield into pieces.
Footsteps marched all around, Heather in the thick of it atop Zacia’s back as the joined army marched further into the land of Kanto, Johto having submitted to their onslaught very quickly and the rulers revealed where Ulric was hiding. In the mountains was where he was hiding now, and that’s where they were and headed deeper into the mountains.
The walls of the mountains rose high above the marching soldiers, stretching and clawing up at the murky skies above while rain fell in a cascade upon the people and the land. What a dreary day Heather thought as her gaze continued to drift.
Claude, she spotted when she tilted her head up, was atop his flygon Flyby with his bow at the ready, although... He strangely had a sword on his belt, she could see the shape of it from where she was, but the movements of his mount didn’t offer her a stable view.
Regardless, her gaze continued to roam as the army marched forward, eventually drifting up to the cliffs to either side of them.
Where she saw dark figures skittering around, trying so hard to avoid being seen, but she could see them and sense the vile, dark magic dripping off them clear from there.
“ARCHERS AND MAGES ABOVE US!” She all but screamed, standing up on Zacia and flinging her arm upward towards the figures, the link she shared with Zacian sparking with her magic as several ethereal swords, copies of her own, appeared before launching towards the figures at a high speed.
Everyone scattered, archers and mages taking aim at where her spirit swords were flying towards while healers and ground troops took cover and hid behind shields.
“There’s more on the opposite side!” Claude’s voice rang out and the flyers took up defensive positions in the air, spellcasters and archers alike aiming for the figures Claude spotted.
Spells and arrows soared through the air like deadly hail from a storm, a flurry of magic and wood, and stone sailing as one.
She saw and felt several of the enemies drop dead, but saw several begin to rapidly retreat. Heather didn’t hesitate and lept off Zacia’s back, magic flaring as she began to chase the escaping figures.
Her feet skimmed the veil between magic and reality as she ran, magic encompassing her form as she fade stepped and appeared as a flickering, misty form as she ran beyond her army and further into the valley.
She could vaguely hear Zacia yelling for her through the link and someone shouting for her to stop, but she ignored it.
Her footsteps rang in her hearing amidst the sounds of the rain as she darted at full speed, the narrow pathway soon widening into a large area surrounded by sheer and sharp cliffs that were numerous and rose and sharply dropped off at seeming random.
It looked like an old abandoned shrine of sorts, broken structures around the giant tree that had a large rope tied around it. Water pooled around the slightly raised platform the tree rested on in a loose lake, the ash-grey colored ground around it dipping enough for rain to gather and large rocks of random sizes were scattered around. Even the smallest dwarfed Heather.
In the center, near the tree and seemingly alone, was Ulric. His blazing red armor was easy to spot amongst the dreary coloring of the area.
She felt a scowl pull at her face, a gauntleted hand coming up and dragging her visor down over her face before she readied her sword and began briskly walking up to the faraway figure. All the while, her magic sparked and flared as countless spirit swords formed in the air around her in response to her emotions.
When she got close enough, the water reaching her ankles as she strode through the rain, Ulric spoke up. “I was wondering when you’d show, dearest daughter.”
At once, the swords all shifted in the air and pointed directly at the man as he turned to her, and his own helmet visor was up.
“Don’t you dare call me that, you despicable creature.” Heather snarled, eyes cold shards of unfeeling ice.
“You are my daughter, no matter what your mother would say on the matter.” His words sent her temper flaring and all at once the spirit swords shot towards him, every single one.
Some sort of blood-red barrier sprung up as the swords almost pierced his armor, sending them clanging away in a shower of sparks and Heather’s eyes narrowed.
“Blood magic. You truly are despicable, for a barrier to be that strong you’ve killed someone for their blood. Poor thing died for your own gain.” She narrowed her eyes at him, readying her sword. “I guess I’ll be doing this the old fashion way.”
“You don’t have to do this you know.” His tone was still insufferably calm and it sent her rage skyrocketing. “You can just lay down your sword and we can be a family, your mother is the only reason you didn’t grow up as the princess you deserve to be. You could stand at my side, we could take over the other kingdoms and you can still keep your own and I’d make sure none dare touch your dearest Galar.”
Were it any other man telling her this, she might have briefly considered it. But her mind flashed to that battlefield, to Acaeus, his light being snuffed out in an instant-
“NO MATTER WHAT YOU OFFER ME I WILL NEVER ACCEPT!” She shrieked, lunging forward and Ulric’s sword met her own as she began to rapidly strike at him without pause or delay. “YOU TOOK THE ONLY THING THAT EVER MATTERED TO ME AND I WILL SEE YOU DEAD BEFORE I EVER CONSIDER SIDING WITH YOU!”
“Claude, the cult’s on the move, they’re going to do something.”
“I know that, why do you think I sent Ignatz and Marianne to follow those ridiculous twins? Utterly braindead they are, the cult’s taking advantage of them and that let their actions slip under the radar.”
“We need to do something, they have already stolen all the wishing stars in most places in galar, and we have no idea what they are planning to do on a large scale.”
“Shieon, you are correct as always, Flyby and I have spotted several members in the wild areas and gyms doing something, we haven’t ever been able to get close enough to see what they’re doing before they scatter to the winds. Any updates on Sylvain’s end?”
“None, last I knew he was in Kalos dealing with the cult members there, and had barely managed to save a girl by the name of Yunala from being killed not long ago, as it were, the poor girl had a binding ritual done on her before he got to her.”
“Sothis damn it!”
“If it helps any, the girl who was involved with the events in Unova and is the tamer of Zekrom is in Galar right now, as is the hybrid champion of Alola.”
“The mute girl, Lumi Shylie, and Megan Lucarina?”
“Yes.”
“Then gods help us if what the cult is going to do happens soon, we’re stretched thin as it is, but they might be able to help if they’re in the region.”
“So, what you’re telling me, is that the reason me and Alira have been having wacko dreams is that the Eternal Ones cult you dealt with back in your time is up to no good now?” Hop asked, feeling like his head was hurting from all the information Heather told him and even gripped at his head.
“Yes, the hatching of Enternatus was enough to stir my partial awakening within Alira.” She nodded. “And since you both tamed it, they are very likely unhappy with you two.” She frowned. “The energy of Galar has recently been disrupted, enough that my sword and Acaeus’ shield began calling you two here I think. I’m not sure as I’m very limited in what I can feel and observe within Alira when I’m not, like this.” She sighed as she motioned to herself. “My magical pathways are overriding her own, it’s the only way I’m able to talk like this and use my magic.”
She cringed. “However, this is not something I like doing, as I could easily suppress her indefinitely even on accident, and she…” Heather swallowed, a covered hand coming up to lightly press against her mouth, eyes watering. “She could see, and experience me at my darkest moments, my grief, my… attempts at joining Acaeus prior to my actual death.” She averted her eyes from Hop and quietly pleaded. “Please don’t make me say it.”
Rocks smashed and crumbled beneath the force and power of the strikes Ulric and Heather were trading, magic of both pure and vile alight in the air and spinning wildly to their masters’ wishes and they darted around and clashed against each other again and again.
Heather fought in a blinding rage, sword clashing and clanging against Ulric’s with reckless abandon, and to his credit he was able to trade blows equally as powerful back that rattled her skull and reverberated through her arms.
Her chest was screaming for air, heart pounding so hard it was rattling against her ribs and her whole body was in pain but she kept up the ferociousness of her strikes regardless. She was going to make sure he was not breathing by the end of this, no matter what it cost her.
However, she slipped up, her foot caught on a muddy patch of ground and the woman found herself slipping, before Ulric’s boot collided with her breastplate and sent her flying back.
She crashed into the surrounding stone wall with a crack that were it not for her magic and armor she’d likely be dead now, leaving an indent in the rock as she struggled to get to her feet, he was approaching she HAD TO GET UP-
A sudden shout from a third party snapped her gaze up and she saw Claude now trading blows with Ulric, his sword a blur that even split into pieces and lashed out like a whip, forcing Ulric back as she saw a big blue blur skid to a stop in front of her, accompanied by a sandy orange and blue dragon.
Zacian was quick to pull her bond partner out of the rubble, grasping her by the back of her armor and lifting her out effortlessly as Flyby trilled with worry once the human was set down, Heather could feel Zacian’s anger at her rushing off on her own, but they had no time to linger on anything, they had to rejoin the battle and take this son of a bitch down.
In a flash of light two became one once again and she rushed to join Claude, Flyby right on her heels as she all but slammed into Ulric, sending he himself flying back and skidding on the ground, fighting to remain standing.
Claude merely nodded at her and they rushed the Kanto king, she striking rapidly and quickly and he struck with his sword-his wife’s sword Heather would later note- whenever she pulled back from a strike.
Eventually, it seemed they were overwhelming him and about to win when in a blink of blood-red he teleported away, making her let out an animalistic growl as she searched the area for wherever he had gone off to and soon spotted him up on a cliff above-
With a girl in his grasp. Though her hair was golden like the sun, she shared the same eyes Heather had from that man, and she looked terrified.
“Outsiders really shouldn’t meddle in family affairs.” Ulric stated flatly, giving Claude a look he scoffed at. “Especially when we are trying to reunite lost siblings together.”
“The hell are you going on about?” She asked, voices overlapping but harsh with anger and hatred. “Let the girl go. She has nothing to do with this.”
“She’s your sister, daughter. Youngest, though we are missing your elder.” He returned his gaze to her and she snarled. “After all, she was killed so long ago, but now that we’re all here she can come back.”
“You are an insane man.” Claude growled, eyes lit up in pale green and pupils slits. “You cannot bring someone back from the dead, not after so long. Unless-”
“He uses blood magic.” She replied, tail lashing and ears pinning back. “He used it earlier.”
“That’s even worse, with blood magic you know not what forces you are invoking!” He shouted, voice filled to the brim with anger and fury.
“If it brings her back and helps me take control of the nations that lead her to her demise what does it matter?” Ulric dismissed Claude with a snort. Then he began chanting in some sort of vile language and before the Kalos leader and Galar guardian could react-
He stabbed the girl he was holding onto through the heart, her blood beginning to float as the light faded from her eyes and she slumped to the ground, no longer needed as a vile spell took hold and began to spin around the Kanto king.
Celeste hummed to herself, checking her instruments set up on the rocks around her campsite, Knight settling down near the fire despite the corviknight’s size.
Daenerys trailed behind her, the snow-white ninetails’ fur glittering with ice as she followed her trainer as the woman checked her screens before frowning.
“This isn’t good. Dynamax energy in Galar is spiking randomly throughout the wild areas.” The golden-haired woman frowned, tucking her hair behind her ear as her amber eyes narrowed and she shoved her glasses back up her nose. “This is different from the normal readings, it’s getting to become dangerous, there will be random pokemon dynamaxing if this keeps up.”
Caspian trilled worriedly, the brown alolan raichu rubbing against her arm in concern and she idly reached over and rubbed him between his ears.
“Guess my research will become useful if this keeps up.” Celeste mused, concerned as she looked over at the box that held the fruits of her efforts and months of tinkering. “I haven’t even tested these yet, but if this gets worse I’ll soon need to field test them.”
Her dusknoir, Victor, picked one of the disruptors in his hand before handing it to her. Her frown remained as she turned it over in her hand, picking up a screwdriver with the other and began fiddling with it.
“I had hoped these wouldn’t be needed.” She sighed.
After Ulric used the girl’s blood and life force for his blood magic, it was all the kalos leader and Galar guardian could do to keep up with his strikes, Flyby long having been thrown against the cliff walls and knocked unconscious when she shielded her partner from a strike.
Claude was largely being shielded by the guardian as she blocked strikes and used magic to shield the both of them, the guardian living up to the title but the king didn’t forget to shield her as well, her right ear being a casualty of shielding each other as it was sliced in half so now blood flowed down the side of her head.
The two didn’t know how much longer they could hold out against this ruthless onslaught, against this man crazed by blood magic, and whatever demon had taken hold of him.
As she and Claude managed to block a strike, Ulric pausing only for a fraction of a second, a blue, gold, and red blur SLAMMED into the Kanto king, sending him flying as the figure growled viciously in his direction as it slid to a stop.
“Zen!” She cried out, it was Zamazenta, he was in his royal form somehow, and he looked furious but the most startling thing was he had blood pouring down the side of his head, his left ear sliced in half and fur stained dark red as a result.
“We have to take him down quickly!” Zamazenta shouted, the guardian nodding at his words as she readied her sword, eyes narrowing.
She lunged for Ulric, sword clashing against his once more but Zamazenta rushed him again, slamming into the king and sending him flying.
Claude’s sword whipped out, wrapping around the middle of the man before slamming him into the ground. She felt her magic pool into her sword, and rushed forward as the man tried to stagger to his feet.
Her slash split his chest plate open, not hurting him somehow, and he was flung back, only Claude’s sword wrapped around his middle yanking him from going flying.
Zamazenta slid to a stop by Her, form glowing as he shouted. “This is it you two! Take him down!” She felt some sort of energy transfer from him to her, her sword glowing brightly in response.
She didn’t register the implications of his actions, she was still blinded by rage how could she have KNOWN-
She only paused enough to nod to Zamazenta, before leaping into the air, sword glowing brightly and seemingly becoming larger before she slashed down, the blade of light sailing right for the king of Kanto.
He was not breathing by the time she landed, him laying in a pool of his own blood and very much dead. She felt a huge weight leave her shoulders, almost staggering in place as she leaned on her sword.
“Z-Zen! We did it!” Her mixed voice was a breathless laugh of relief as she shouted excitedly. “He’s dead! The kind of Kanto is dead!”
Silence answered her, a dreadful feeling taking hold of her heart, and she turned as Claude yelled. “Hey, you two get over here!”
She rushed over to where Claude was kneeling, and, Zamazenta was lying on the ground, back in his normal form, breathing shallow and bleeding from numerous slashes and wounds, his ear being a notable one.
“Good job, you two...” His voice, even not being vocal, sounded so… frail and weak, even as he gave a weak grin. “You finally killed the one who had taken one of our dearest friends away, and perhaps saved the many other kingdoms as well.”
Why did the beating of her chest feel almost painful now? Why did it feel like... he was saying goodbye?
“H-Hold on Zen, we, we can fix this.” The guardian’s hands shook as she dropped to her knees, sword falling with a clatter, resting her hands on his matted fur. The combined being dug into her energy, trying to summon forth enough to save her brother-
“Zacia.” Claude rested his hand on her shoulder. “Feel his energy, he gave all of it to help us kill Ulric, I don’t think there’s much we can do.”
“I-WE can do something!” Her ears flattened against her head, tail lashing as tears pooled in her eyes. “I-We lost Acaeus, we, we can’t lose you too!”
“Not without sacrificing yourselves in return.” Zamazenta gently reminded her, eyes lidded as she felt his energy slipping away. “You needn’t worry, I’ll just sleep for a long while, then I’ll be back before you know it.”
“But I need you! I-I don’t know what I’d do without you!” Zacian’s voice was more prominent than Heather’s as she cried out. “I-I don’t want to be alone, please, Zen, please…!” She began sobbing, tears flowing down behind her visor and dropping to mix with the rain below.
“You’ll be just fine, both of you. You’re both stronger and so much more than anyone who’d dare harm you.” His voice was so much weaker now and he let his head rest on the ground. “Remember the place all four of us chose to be not only our resting place?”
She shakily nodded, and he continued. “That is also where we will reunite, all of us, all four of us. I promise.” He then closed his eyes, and she could feel what energy he still had grow… Cold. Stasis, Markus said that would happen if they were close to death, it would save them, but in return-
She reared her head back and let out a loud howl of pain and sorrow, soon sobbing into Claude’s chest as he was quick to pull her close.
...In return, they would likely need to sleep for hundreds of years to heal the damage done to not only their bodies, but their souls.
Lumi found herself sighing as she left the airport, backpack thumping against her back as she walked out of the building into what she knew was Motostoke of Galar.
The mute young lady shifted her backpack before beginning to head for the hotel she had booked a room at. Her surperior slithered alongside her, Visi almost silent as she faithfully followed her trainer.
She could feel Visi’s nervousness at being in a new region, one she herself shared, but Lumi needed a change of pace. Wandering looking for N could only take her so far on the mainland. Perhaps with Reshiram he was exploring one of the island regions?
She could still remember the last time she saw him years ago. Grey eyes so sad and downcast, voice asking What should I do? His soul was hurting so deeply and she could feel it through the connection, a final embrace before he flew away on the white dragon of fire, and the connection snapped. She… She had to find him, even if it had been so long since that day, she wanted to see him again.
She sighed and shook her head, shaking thoughts of him out of her head, later, later, she had to find the inn before planning her next move. Lumi felt Visi chastising her through the bond and leveled a good-natured dry look at the snake pokemon.
Visi grumbled audibly, tone distinctly teasingly and Lumi let out a noiseless puff of amused air.
“HEATHER!” Arms wrapped around the woman’s middle, yanking her back from her seated position on the railing of the balcony. To Heather’s credit, she hardly made a sound as she was pulled into a standing position, only a puff of air escaping her.
Her gaze sluggishly trailed to peer over her shoulder, seeing the panicked expression on Claude’s features. Faintly she wanted to assure him she was fine, she always was fine as she tended to say, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She hadn’t been able to do so for months now…
“Sothis damn it, Heather, you could’ve fallen!” He scolded her, but there was an underlying note of panic and fright in his tone.
She still couldn’t speak, instead sliding her gaze back to gaze upon the stars like she had been before he showed up as she managed a shrug.
It was her and Acaeus’ favorite pastime during the nights there were no clouds, they’d sneak out of their rooms and go to the highest balcony they knew off to stargaze, Zacian and Zamazenta often joining them.
Now, with him and Zen gone, and the war over, she still kept doing that, even if Zacian didn’t often join her, the sword pokemon off tending to the parts of Galar damaged during the conflict as best she could, and Heather… Tended to have questionable choices in where she sat now.
Claude held her tighter to himself as she remained silent, thankful he had his boltund follow her and then come to him when she had climbed onto the railing to stargaze.
Ever since the war ended, Heather was hardly seen, a recluse and seemingly unable to speak now, and was often sleeping the days away, while Zacian seemed to throw herself headfirst into working to repair the damage to Galar to not give herself any time to grieve.
He had to do something, he wasn’t going to let Heather get herself killed because she didn’t care anymore. He already let two of the closest people he had down by letting them die, he was not going to do the same to the last friend he had.
“That’s quite alright, my good sir!” She shouted back, grasping a pokeball from her belt. “You’ve done your job, I’ll take it from here!”
“What do you-HOLY SHIT!” The pilot shouted as she simply stepped out of the helicopter and fell into a free fall.
For a few moments, she let herself fall, savoring the feeling of air rushing past her and just falling, before she threw the pokeball, calling out into the air rushing past her. “SUVI!”
Her flygon popped out of her pokeball, quickly flying down and angling herself so her trainer could grasp onto her, as soon as Yunala made sure she had a firm hold on Suvi’s neck, the pokemon pulled up.
Suvi leveled out, letting her trainer adjust how she was sat on her back, waiting for the okay before roaring and flying forward into the storms ahead. Yunala quickly released Noire from her ball as well, the dragonair quickly falling into line beside the flygon.
Never hurt to be careful and have a backup in case she got knocked off by a gust of wind or something.
Zacian was curled up to the left, listening as she rested. Claude’s boltund sat near her, along with several of the other palace pokemon clustered around her.
Claude was watching her from the entrance to the room, thinking to himself with a heavily troubled expression. Flyby hung by his side, trilling softly at Claude to try to help calm him down.
Heather didn’t seem to hear or realize he was there, as she began to hum, then sing.
“I will never leave you to face the world alone, this I swear, to you, I shall always be by your side, forever more.” Her voice was not loud at all, it was almost inaudible with how soft it was, and her fingers played without pause. “I shall never abandon you, I will always be by your side~”
She stopped playing all of a sudden, slamming her hands onto the keys, the piano making harsh sounds as her shoulders shook. “But I couldn’t even keep that vow and promise, could I?”
Claude stepped out from the entrance, approaching her as she shook, a sob escaping her.
“Three months.” She hissed out between sobs and gritted teeth and turned slightly to Claude as he approached. “Three months, that’s all I have left. Until my advisors will force a marriage on me.”
“Indeed, and I only two.” Claude sighed, sitting down next to her. “It’s rather, hm, cruel to force us in mourning to marry when we are still grieving.”
“It’s HEARTLESS.” She spat, still shaking even as he put an arm around her. “I don't care if I’m a ruler, I shouldn’t be forced to move on when I’m still grieving. Neither should you.”
“Indeed, but we have no choice in the matter, not if we are to act in the best interests of our kingdoms.” He sighed again, then fell silent as she leaned against him. “Heather…”
“I don’t know what to do.” Her voice was a weak whisper.
Claude stayed silent for a few moments, before grasping her left hand and slipping something onto her ring finger.
She looked down, seeing a silver ring on her ring finger. Before she could question his actions, he spoke.
“Neither of us have much of a choice, we must remarry.” His voice was soft. “The only thing we can do beside accept it, is this. There are no laws preventing us from marrying each other, and we know better than anyone how we currently both feel.”
He finally met her gaze, gaze mournful and full of regret. “This is the only we can do, only thing, I can do… Heather, will you marry me?”
She stared for a moment, then hugged him tightly and nodded against his chest.
Just, so they could mourn as long as they needed, it was the only way they could avoid from being forced to marrying complete strangers who only cared for their status and power.
At least, that was how it started anyway...
Just as Hop was going to ask Heather another question, she suddenly stood ramrod straight, an unsettled look on her expression.
“...Rekezfa!” She swore, making Hop jump at the unfamiliar swear and dare he say she looked a bit panicked. “Alira, she,” Heather grimaced. “I can tell generally what memories of mine she seems to be seeing, and,”
Heather looked like she was going to be sick and Hop stepped forward in alarm. “I’m not going to linger anymore, I can’t, she’ll, see when I threw myself into the, the-” she shook her head. “I’m not going to let her see that. I won’t.” Her voice hardened at that. “Goodbye Hop Cadeyrn.”
“Heather-” Hop had to rush forward when she suddenly collapsed, catching Alira as the magic markings were quick to fade away as if they’d never been.
She seemed to be just coming to now, eyes blinking open blearily. “Hop…?”
“Is everything in place?”
“Yes, with those two acting in our stead, no one knows or suspects us. By the time anyone wises up, it’ll be too late.”
“Hehehe… After all this time, so many years, and those vile rulers taking our god, we will make them pay. They will rue the day they crossed us.”
(AN: FINALLY THIS IS DONE! :D I'm so happy this is finally out of the way, I'm gonna get right to work on the next chapter right away! ^W^ )
TW: Vaguely mentioned gore, Heather not being in a good mental state in flashbacks(She just lost the man she loved do you really think she'll be in a good place? ;w; ), blood magic, just darker than other chapters thus far, but this is a dark as I plan it to get. I don't know if this violates any rules, so please let me know D:
Alira didn’t even think when she threw Hop to safety, she just acted and got him out of harm’s way, also throwing her pokemon to him in the brief seconds she had before the ground collapsed under her feet.
Her scream only lasted a few moments before she felt a stray piece of rock crash into her head, pain exploding all over her skull and she gripped at it.
Blood, she felt blood and she felt her breath quickening in panic. That wasn’t good, she could now hardly see but she knew she was still falling very fast.
And she had a really bad feeling this wasn’t going to be a short fall that would just leave her with bruises.
In her head, she heard a voice she was quite familiar with by this point, one of a certain queen-
Rest, rest my child, you will be safe I swear. I am, so, so very sorry for what you will see, but this is the only way to ensure your mind survives this. Forgive this old soul for this….
Before she could hardly register the voice, she felt herself falling unconscious, vision blackening, and her body moving to face the ground with her hands facing down.
The spiral patterns lighting up on her hands she knew far too well before she saw no more of the present, being shot back to memories in the distant past.
She was back when Acaeus died, still holding his dead body in her arms. She was no longer screaming, but she was still crying. Acaeus was dead, he was DEAD and he probably didn’t hear her confession before he passed but her best friend was dead.
She could feel Zacia’s sorrow through their link, and gods she couldn’t image how Zen was feeling-
As she realized that it definitely looked like that cult member was from Kanto, her BASTARD FATHER’S KINGDOM, she felt like everything froze.
Sorrow and anguish were soon buried by utterly blinding and deep hatred and rage. She wasn’t thinking straight, how could she? She just lost the most important person in her life-
And she knew exactly who to blame.
She carefully set Acaeus’ body down, and now silent, stood up, sword in hand. She could hear Zacia through the link, asking what was going on why did she suddenly feel so cold and distant now.
But Heather didn’t respond. Claude was the only one who looked up in time to see her binding marks flash and she teleported out of the circle of soldiers protecting her and Claude.
Slash! Thud.
She hardly registered that she decapitated a Kantonian soldier with ease even through his armor as she came out of the teleport, eyes blank and unfeeling as her heart was now. Several soldiers, even ones of her own forces and Claude’s froze at the action as she stood there, sword still held in the air and dripping with blood from the motion.
“Out of the way.” Her voice was flat, monotone but also filled with utter hatred at the enemy forces in front of her.
Some smart ones did as she said, but most didn’t, bearing their swords at her. That’s when the screaming and blood flying about with no restraint began.
She moved as quick as lightning thanks to her magic aiding her, cutting down the forces before her with no mercy, icy-cold eyes casting judgment on those who sided and fought for the vile man she was related to by blood. Hardly any of them had time to run, much less defend themselves, and men by the dozens fell to her blade.
She left a trail of blood and bodies in her wake as if she was like death itself, cutting down soldier after soldier with not a shred of remorse or regret, only a blur of red-coated silver and steel.
She didn’t hear Zacian screaming through the link, she didn’t hear her forces or Claude’s shouting for her to stop, she barely noticed anyone shouting for her and any magic attempting to restrain her she broke through in an instant. She was purely focused on one, singular goal.
Kill. Her. Father.
He was the one who caused her to be born, HE was the reason she was ALWAYS moving from place to place growing up, HE was the reason her mother never loved her, and-
HE WAS THE REASON ACAEUS WAS DEAD!
She barely managed to hear the sounds of two horns, clearly the reinforcements for her and Claude’s side, she could recognize those sounds, but she didn’t stop. She refused to, NOT UNTIL HER FATHER WAS DEAD AND ON HIS WAY TO HELL.
She didn’t notice how the forces from Kanto and Johto were retreating, but she did see the figure of her father, on a kanto rapidash with armor to ward against its flame mane, atop the hill.
“ULRIC!” She all but roared, voice hardly sounding like her own and she tasted even more copper in her throat but hardly registered it as it was no different from the blood coating her form.
It didn’t even seem like he heard her or if he did he deliberately ignored her as his mount turned to leave, prompting an absolute flash of pure anger to course through her system. No, she REFUSED TO LET HIM RUN AWAY-
A hand on her shoulder yanked her back and she turned, sword already swinging to kill-
She stopped just before her sword could hit the arm Claude brought up to shield his face.
“E-Easy there Heather.” His voice stuttered noticeably, eyes still red from his tears, but he didn’t let go of the arm he now had ahold of, so she couldn’t rush off. “Calm, well, you can’t after what happened, can you? Just, stop. They’re retreating.”
“My father doesn’t deserve to walk away from this with his life.” She snarled, but her sword was shaking ever so slightly. Her voice was rough and sounded damaged, unfamiliar. “He’s done nothing but made my life a living HELL until I came to Galar, and even now he torments and ruins my life. I will kill him for what he’s wrought on this day. He’s made an enemy of Galar and I will not rest until his head departs from his shoulders. He is now an enemy of Galar and I declare war on him.”
“And I’ll help you, I’m just as furious as you, and I want him dead. But we can’t go after him today, we need to let our forces recoup and count our losses. Figure out a plan.” He had to get through to her, she couldn’t just rush after the king of Kanto like this, she looked ready to collapse and he doubted her magic would last forever. “Please… For Acaeus’ sake, don’t do this.”
She stilled, face completely blank and eyes devoid of thought or emotion. For a moment, he thought she would strike him down and continue.
But she didn’t.
Her magic let go, binding marks no longer glowing, and her entire form slumped. Her sword dropped to the ground and she lurched forward to latch onto Claude.
She buried her face in his chest and began to shake as he wrapped his arms around her securely and tightly.
Her shoulders hitched, beginning to sob into the Kalos king’s chest without restraint and he petted her hair, mentally thanking he was able to snap her out of that… Bloodlust. He wasn’t sure if anyone would’ve been able to stop her, but he did.
Especially as if it seemed her rampage had completely rendered Zacian unable to move and do much other than shout through their link. Zamazenta… He was in a similar state though he was able to move enough to where he could remain at a safe distance from things.
So it had been up to Claude to stop her, quickly getting on his flygon Flyby and rushing to her, and now that he could properly think he realized it was only because, he was going through exactly what she was.
With that thought in mind, he raised his head, eyes harsh and cold, and looked back to the forces he and Heather controlled, as well as the newly arrived forces of Sinnoh and Seteth’s mixed forces from Hoenn, Unova, and wherever else he could get them.
“Listen everyone!” His voice resounded throughout the dead silent air, everyone looking at him and Seteth he could notably see was shocked at how cold and harsh his eyes were. “We have suffered many losses here, but the greatest losses we have suffered are the death of my wife, Byleth,” He saw Flayn by Seteth cover her mouth in horror and sorrow, the girl looking ready to cry but he pressed on. “And the loss of my dear friend and Galar’s king, Acaeus. And as such due to the nature of who killed them fleeing back to Kanto after the fact,”
His voice turned deadly, and if Heather had the energy to cease crying or even look up, she’d see his pupils turn into dragon slits like his wife’s once did. “I and Heather, as rulers of our respective kingdoms, declare war on Kanto and ANYONE WHO SIDES WITH THEM! We will not rest until their vile king is dethroned or dead! He will pay for his actions, no, his crimes today in blood when we had done nothing to provoke this sort of attack and he’s taken that which can NEVER BE REPLACED!”
All was silent, then the forces from Galar and Kalos began to cheer and shout in agreement, he could see the outright confusion and dare he say shock from the forces Dimitri and Seteth brought. Claude was never quick to declare war, he always tried to talk things out with other kingdoms.
But this was different. His wife and best friend had directly been targeted in the chaos, that was clear to see, and you don’t kill his wife or best friend unless you want war on your hands which he was ready to give them and he knew Heather felt the same way.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Hop about collapsed ontop of Corviknight when as they were reaching the end of the tunnel which opened up into some sort of cave lit by holes with moonlight filtering in, he saw Alira seemed to be alright, she was standing and wasn’t under any rubble that was littered around her thank god.
But something was off, were parts of her face and hands glowing?
“Alira!” She looked up at his shout, tilting her head and skittering back when he had Corviknight land near her and not on any rubble. “Mate, you bloody daft girl, what’re you thinking!? Just tossing me out of the way-”
“Halt.” She spoke in a manner unfamiliar to Hop, authoritative and commanding and her eyes were so much darker than they were before, like the night prior. Hop shut his mouth and got a better look at her as he got off Corviknight and she adjusted her jacket and slipped it off her shoulders but kept it on, markings he was used to seeing on a certain girl from their dreams were now on her and glowing.
“I am not Alira, you’ve already deduced that I assume.” Her voice, while still being Alira’s in some respects, wasn’t her, too mature and older sounding.
“Yeah.” He narrowed his eyes at her, scrutinizing her and how she held herself. Her jacket was half off her shoulders, resting on her arms and the sleeves covered her hands. “Heather, right?”
“Yes.” She nodded, sighing she crossed her arms with a large huff of her shoulders. “What a damn mess you two are in… I hope you’re listening, the both of you if Ace is within you. Cause I frankly don’t have a lot of time if I wish to spare Alira from seeing some painful memories or risk us permanently being switched like this. I may not have wished to die when I did, but I don’t want to steal another’s life from them.”
_____________________________________________________________________________
Heather was in a meeting with Claude, Seteth, aand Dimitri. She was seated by Claude but she wasn’t listening to much if anything.
“Claude have you lost your damn mind?! Declaring war on such a large kingdom-”
“Please. It’s no different than it was when we went after Adrestia and Edelgard now is it Dimitri? I don’t see the difference.”
“But we had ample reason to go after them! Edelgard was trying to uproot the entire country on it’s head and erase the other kingdoms, this-”
“Kanto’s king killed Acaeus, and Byleth.” Heather hardly registered she spoke, interrupting Dimitri, voice blank and monotone. “He had to have known Byleth hadn’t yet given birth to a heir, much like with me and Acaeus-” Anyone who knew her and Acaeus well knew that they had no plans to acquire heirs as they were not romantically involved which was a weakness she knew but the words fell from her mouth all the same. “Even knowing that he had his people directly targeting them, I don’t think Claude saw anyone else, even our healers, attacked so viciously much like they were.”
“She’s right, and I had an eagle's eye of the battlefield as you know thanks to Flyby and that is the truth.” Claude huffed, crossing his arms and remaining close to her as he glared over at Dimitri. “King Ulric is a danger to us all like Edelgard was, and perhaps even more so because at least Edelgard knew when to stop and surrender for her own sake so she could live. Ulric has clearly shown he’s more than willing to kill kings and queens to get whatever he wants, whatever it is he cannot be allowed to live. What if he wants to just burn our kingdoms to the ground?”
“Like you plan to do with his?” Seteth piped up from his stance at the end of the battlemap table.
“You wound me Seteth.” Though his words were a clear jest, it lacked the normal energy they had. “I don’t plan to do much other than make sure his heart is no longer beating, what an irony considering myself now, what his people do after that is their own choice.”
“I still don’t like this plan of yours, it’s reckless.” The older blond man shook his head, narrowing his remaining eye at Claude. “But you and Heather are set on it, and I can’t say I blame you. I would do the same if anything happened to my wife.”
“I do agree, if this was what happened with my wife, I would have much the same thoughts.” Seteth sighed, crossing his arms.
“Will you aid us, or will we be forced to continue on without you?” Claude asked, looking at the two pointedly as Heather tilted her head ever so slightly as her gaze finally slid up from the map to look at the king and dragon mage. Would they aid them? She wondered. They surely must know that the likelihood of them succeeding in this plan without them was small, wouldn’t stop her or Claude but even so.
Seteth eventually sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he breathed in deeply. “Since it’s clear you two are going to do this regardless, I may as well aid you so you both don’t die.”
“I agree, and after all you did for me and my kingdom against Edelgard, Claude, I will aid you as well.” Dimitri nodded, giving Claude a look which the kalosian man nodded at.
Heather looked about the three men with her eyes before standing up, she had nothing to add so she was going to go check on Zen. Gods knew he was in a state since the battle two weeks and three days ago.
She only responded with a “Zen.” when Claude asked where she was going, leaving the tent swiftly. She weaved around the backs of the camp tents, having no desire to run into anyone wanting to talk to her if she were to walk the main paths.
She didn’t talk much, even before, and had no desire to now so she was going to avoid situations that would force her to. What was the point when most only saw her as a lowly woman even with her status and as such didn’t care what she had to say?
She made it to the tent he was in with no one stopping her, slipping into the large blue tent quietly and studied how the one occupant in it was.
Zen still looked weak and haggard, and she was certain it wasn’t just the loss of Acaeus affecting him mentally.
“How are you holding up Zen?” She asked softly, walking over and kneeling beside the large dog pokemon who opened an eye to peer at her.
“Tired.” He responded, inhaling and letting the air out in a puff. “Really tired, and, mourning.”
She patted his head as he closed his eyes, continuing. “I will do my best to be ready for the battle against the murderers, but I make no promises despite my desire to end them. Markus was not lying when he said if one of you died it could leave me or Zacia very weak if it didn’t kill us. My mana levels are apparently extremely low and the healers who told me that don’t know what to do.”
“Yeah, I’m still looking for some way to help you.” Heather sighed, tilting her head to peer at the shield Zen was resting his head on. “Would it be alright if I tried to send some mana to you through the shield? Markus did say it was a buffer between your mana pool and Ace’s, so it may still be connected to you.”
“Sure. I’m not sure what else to do so go ahead.” He lifted his head enough to let her carefully pull the shield out from under his head.
She felt her heart clench in pain looking at Acaeus’s shield, it was long since cleaned of the blood that coated it that day, but it was still painful.
Inhaling, she removed her gloves and placed her palms flat on the surface of the shield, the binding marks on them lit up as she carefully began to channel her mana into the shield.
Hours later, she trudged into Claude’s tent, sighing as she entered and hardly paying attention to the owner of the tent turning around in his seat at his desk.
“You’ve got to stop coming here you know. People will get the wrong idea.” He quipped with light amusement, and she leveled a tired grin at him. The only light in the tent was coming from the candle on the desk.
“You’ve the only decent bed in camp, and until you catch the good dreams lunar pokemon, you and I can’t sleep alone.” She was of course referring to the endless nightmares she had been having since that day, which often made her rush to Claude’s tent in the middle of the night in only her nightgown before she started coming to his tent regularly. He wasn’t going to do anything, he never did, and he knew exactly what she was going through, his dreams haunted him as well.
“Not going to refute that one.” he chuckled softly, turning back to the piece of parchment he was writing on while she ambled over to the bed, sitting down with a tired sigh.
“Zen should be good for when we confront Ulric.” His eyebrows raised at that and he tilted his head to look over at her as she began removing her armored boots.
“You found a way to replenish his mana?” Claude asked, and she nodded, moving to take her shoulder-length gloves off.
“Gave him some of mine.” Her gloves came off with ease, revealing her binding markings. Their steel blue color was the same as always, but the skin around the edges of the markings was red and irritated. “Never did it before, but it surprisingly wasn’t difficult.”
“I wouldn’t be able to tell, with how your skin looks.” Claude scoffed, putting his quill in the inkpot and taking his own gloves off before getting up and walking over to the bed to sit beside her. “Here, let me help you get the rest of your armor off.”
She nodded, and his nimble and quick fingers made short work of the straps on her chest plate, lifting it up and over her head to place on the bed, then helping her out of the chainmail beneath it, leaving her in just the sleeveless shirt she wore beneath all that armor. She had refrained from wearing any leg armor aside from her boots today, opting for simple pants.
“You shouldn’t be exhausting yourself, princess.” He gently touched her arm, watching as she sighed and her entire form slumped. “Aha, so quick to relax around me, hm?” He was jesting, he always did with remarks like that, slightly unexpected but that was fine.
“Hm.” She refused to meet his eyes even as she let him tend her hair. She knew he’d see the lack of life in her gaze, how even now with a goal in mind, killing Ulric, she was but a corpse walking. Feeling as hollow as an empty armor set.
And, frankly speaking, she didn’t have any plans to survive the battle against her father after he fell to her blade. It’d be better if she fell with him, her tainted bloodline stemming from him ending with her.
She never saw the knowing look Claude had as he placed his chin atop her head and held her close, never knowing he was planning, scheming. To make sure she survived to see another day, no matter what he had to do.
One losing the will to go on in the wake of her beloved’s death, and the other resolving to never ever lose those he held dear again. What a pair they were.
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Sonia sighed as she went down into the basement, her assistant called in sick today so she had to take inventory herself of how many wishing stars she had to put in dynamax bands to give to new trainers if any came knocking before she opened the lab.
Yamper followed at her heels, literally hopping down the steps due to his small size which made Sonia giggle a little.
Sighing once more, she went over to one of the boxes labeled “wishing stars” and grabbed it, preparing to have to haul it up the stairs before almost losing her grip on it.
What the hell-it was way more lighter than she remembered!
She was quick to throw it open, gaping as she saw it was completely empty when she KNEW only the day prior it was full of wishing stars.
She quickly began checking the other boxes, soon finding that they too were completely empty and devoid of any of the many wishing stars she had collected over the past year.
The only thing she found, was a small piece of paper in one of the boxes. It only had a symbol on it.
The symbol was of a lightning strike breaking a sword and shield into pieces.
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Footsteps marched all around, Heather in the thick of it atop Zacia’s back as the joined army marched further into the land of Kanto, Johto having submitted to their onslaught very quickly and the rulers revealed where Ulric was hiding. In the mountains was where he was hiding now, and that’s where they were and headed deeper into the mountains.
The walls of the mountains rose high above the marching soldiers, stretching and clawing up at the murky skies above while rain fell in a cascade upon the people and the land. What a dreary day Heather thought as her gaze continued to drift.
Claude, she spotted when she tilted her head up, was atop his flygon Flyby with his bow at the ready, although... He strangely had a sword on his belt, she could see the shape of it from where she was, but the movements of his mount didn’t offer her a stable view.
Regardless, her gaze continued to roam as the army marched forward, eventually drifting up to the cliffs to either side of them.
Where she saw dark figures skittering around, trying so hard to avoid being seen, but she could see them and sense the vile, dark magic dripping off them clear from there.
“ARCHERS AND MAGES ABOVE US!” She all but screamed, standing up on Zacia and flinging her arm upward towards the figures, the link she shared with Zacian sparking with her magic as several ethereal swords, copies of her own, appeared before launching towards the figures at a high speed.
Everyone scattered, archers and mages taking aim at where her spirit swords were flying towards while healers and ground troops took cover and hid behind shields.
“There’s more on the opposite side!” Claude’s voice rang out and the flyers took up defensive positions in the air, spellcasters and archers alike aiming for the figures Claude spotted.
Spells and arrows soared through the air like deadly hail from a storm, a flurry of magic and wood, and stone sailing as one.
She saw and felt several of the enemies drop dead, but saw several begin to rapidly retreat. Heather didn’t hesitate and lept off Zacia’s back, magic flaring as she began to chase the escaping figures.
Her feet skimmed the veil between magic and reality as she ran, magic encompassing her form as she fade stepped and appeared as a flickering, misty form as she ran beyond her army and further into the valley.
She could vaguely hear Zacia yelling for her through the link and someone shouting for her to stop, but she ignored it.
Her footsteps rang in her hearing amidst the sounds of the rain as she darted at full speed, the narrow pathway soon widening into a large area surrounded by sheer and sharp cliffs that were numerous and rose and sharply dropped off at seeming random.
It looked like an old abandoned shrine of sorts, broken structures around the giant tree that had a large rope tied around it. Water pooled around the slightly raised platform the tree rested on in a loose lake, the ash-grey colored ground around it dipping enough for rain to gather and large rocks of random sizes were scattered around. Even the smallest dwarfed Heather.
In the center, near the tree and seemingly alone, was Ulric. His blazing red armor was easy to spot amongst the dreary coloring of the area.
She felt a scowl pull at her face, a gauntleted hand coming up and dragging her visor down over her face before she readied her sword and began briskly walking up to the faraway figure. All the while, her magic sparked and flared as countless spirit swords formed in the air around her in response to her emotions.
When she got close enough, the water reaching her ankles as she strode through the rain, Ulric spoke up. “I was wondering when you’d show, dearest daughter.”
At once, the swords all shifted in the air and pointed directly at the man as he turned to her, and his own helmet visor was up.
“Don’t you dare call me that, you despicable creature.” Heather snarled, eyes cold shards of unfeeling ice.
“You are my daughter, no matter what your mother would say on the matter.” His words sent her temper flaring and all at once the spirit swords shot towards him, every single one.
Some sort of blood-red barrier sprung up as the swords almost pierced his armor, sending them clanging away in a shower of sparks and Heather’s eyes narrowed.
“Blood magic. You truly are despicable, for a barrier to be that strong you’ve killed someone for their blood. Poor thing died for your own gain.” She narrowed her eyes at him, readying her sword. “I guess I’ll be doing this the old fashion way.”
“You don’t have to do this you know.” His tone was still insufferably calm and it sent her rage skyrocketing. “You can just lay down your sword and we can be a family, your mother is the only reason you didn’t grow up as the princess you deserve to be. You could stand at my side, we could take over the other kingdoms and you can still keep your own and I’d make sure none dare touch your dearest Galar.”
Were it any other man telling her this, she might have briefly considered it. But her mind flashed to that battlefield, to Acaeus, his light being snuffed out in an instant-
“NO MATTER WHAT YOU OFFER ME I WILL NEVER ACCEPT!” She shrieked, lunging forward and Ulric’s sword met her own as she began to rapidly strike at him without pause or delay. “YOU TOOK THE ONLY THING THAT EVER MATTERED TO ME AND I WILL SEE YOU DEAD BEFORE I EVER CONSIDER SIDING WITH YOU!”
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“Claude, the cult’s on the move, they’re going to do something.”
“I know that, why do you think I sent Ignatz and Marianne to follow those ridiculous twins? Utterly braindead they are, the cult’s taking advantage of them and that let their actions slip under the radar.”
“We need to do something, they have already stolen all the wishing stars in most places in galar, and we have no idea what they are planning to do on a large scale.”
“Shieon, you are correct as always, Flyby and I have spotted several members in the wild areas and gyms doing something, we haven’t ever been able to get close enough to see what they’re doing before they scatter to the winds. Any updates on Sylvain’s end?”
“None, last I knew he was in Kalos dealing with the cult members there, and had barely managed to save a girl by the name of Yunala from being killed not long ago, as it were, the poor girl had a binding ritual done on her before he got to her.”
“Sothis damn it!”
“If it helps any, the girl who was involved with the events in Unova and is the tamer of Zekrom is in Galar right now, as is the hybrid champion of Alola.”
“The mute girl, Lumi Shylie, and Megan Lucarina?”
“Yes.”
“Then gods help us if what the cult is going to do happens soon, we’re stretched thin as it is, but they might be able to help if they’re in the region.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“So, what you’re telling me, is that the reason me and Alira have been having wacko dreams is that the Eternal Ones cult you dealt with back in your time is up to no good now?” Hop asked, feeling like his head was hurting from all the information Heather told him and even gripped at his head.
“Yes, the hatching of Enternatus was enough to stir my partial awakening within Alira.” She nodded. “And since you both tamed it, they are very likely unhappy with you two.” She frowned. “The energy of Galar has recently been disrupted, enough that my sword and Acaeus’ shield began calling you two here I think. I’m not sure as I’m very limited in what I can feel and observe within Alira when I’m not, like this.” She sighed as she motioned to herself. “My magical pathways are overriding her own, it’s the only way I’m able to talk like this and use my magic.”
She cringed. “However, this is not something I like doing, as I could easily suppress her indefinitely even on accident, and she…” Heather swallowed, a covered hand coming up to lightly press against her mouth, eyes watering. “She could see, and experience me at my darkest moments, my grief, my… attempts at joining Acaeus prior to my actual death.” She averted her eyes from Hop and quietly pleaded. “Please don’t make me say it.”
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Rocks smashed and crumbled beneath the force and power of the strikes Ulric and Heather were trading, magic of both pure and vile alight in the air and spinning wildly to their masters’ wishes and they darted around and clashed against each other again and again.
Heather fought in a blinding rage, sword clashing and clanging against Ulric’s with reckless abandon, and to his credit he was able to trade blows equally as powerful back that rattled her skull and reverberated through her arms.
Her chest was screaming for air, heart pounding so hard it was rattling against her ribs and her whole body was in pain but she kept up the ferociousness of her strikes regardless. She was going to make sure he was not breathing by the end of this, no matter what it cost her.
However, she slipped up, her foot caught on a muddy patch of ground and the woman found herself slipping, before Ulric’s boot collided with her breastplate and sent her flying back.
She crashed into the surrounding stone wall with a crack that were it not for her magic and armor she’d likely be dead now, leaving an indent in the rock as she struggled to get to her feet, he was approaching she HAD TO GET UP-
A sudden shout from a third party snapped her gaze up and she saw Claude now trading blows with Ulric, his sword a blur that even split into pieces and lashed out like a whip, forcing Ulric back as she saw a big blue blur skid to a stop in front of her, accompanied by a sandy orange and blue dragon.
Zacian was quick to pull her bond partner out of the rubble, grasping her by the back of her armor and lifting her out effortlessly as Flyby trilled with worry once the human was set down, Heather could feel Zacian’s anger at her rushing off on her own, but they had no time to linger on anything, they had to rejoin the battle and take this son of a bitch down.
In a flash of light two became one once again and she rushed to join Claude, Flyby right on her heels as she all but slammed into Ulric, sending he himself flying back and skidding on the ground, fighting to remain standing.
Claude merely nodded at her and they rushed the Kanto king, she striking rapidly and quickly and he struck with his sword-his wife’s sword Heather would later note- whenever she pulled back from a strike.
Eventually, it seemed they were overwhelming him and about to win when in a blink of blood-red he teleported away, making her let out an animalistic growl as she searched the area for wherever he had gone off to and soon spotted him up on a cliff above-
With a girl in his grasp. Though her hair was golden like the sun, she shared the same eyes Heather had from that man, and she looked terrified.
“Outsiders really shouldn’t meddle in family affairs.” Ulric stated flatly, giving Claude a look he scoffed at. “Especially when we are trying to reunite lost siblings together.”
“The hell are you going on about?” She asked, voices overlapping but harsh with anger and hatred. “Let the girl go. She has nothing to do with this.”
“She’s your sister, daughter. Youngest, though we are missing your elder.” He returned his gaze to her and she snarled. “After all, she was killed so long ago, but now that we’re all here she can come back.”
“You are an insane man.” Claude growled, eyes lit up in pale green and pupils slits. “You cannot bring someone back from the dead, not after so long. Unless-”
“He uses blood magic.” She replied, tail lashing and ears pinning back. “He used it earlier.”
“That’s even worse, with blood magic you know not what forces you are invoking!” He shouted, voice filled to the brim with anger and fury.
“If it brings her back and helps me take control of the nations that lead her to her demise what does it matter?” Ulric dismissed Claude with a snort. Then he began chanting in some sort of vile language and before the Kalos leader and Galar guardian could react-
He stabbed the girl he was holding onto through the heart, her blood beginning to float as the light faded from her eyes and she slumped to the ground, no longer needed as a vile spell took hold and began to spin around the Kanto king.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Celeste hummed to herself, checking her instruments set up on the rocks around her campsite, Knight settling down near the fire despite the corviknight’s size.
Daenerys trailed behind her, the snow-white ninetails’ fur glittering with ice as she followed her trainer as the woman checked her screens before frowning.
“This isn’t good. Dynamax energy in Galar is spiking randomly throughout the wild areas.” The golden-haired woman frowned, tucking her hair behind her ear as her amber eyes narrowed and she shoved her glasses back up her nose. “This is different from the normal readings, it’s getting to become dangerous, there will be random pokemon dynamaxing if this keeps up.”
Caspian trilled worriedly, the brown alolan raichu rubbing against her arm in concern and she idly reached over and rubbed him between his ears.
“Guess my research will become useful if this keeps up.” Celeste mused, concerned as she looked over at the box that held the fruits of her efforts and months of tinkering. “I haven’t even tested these yet, but if this gets worse I’ll soon need to field test them.”
Her dusknoir, Victor, picked one of the disruptors in his hand before handing it to her. Her frown remained as she turned it over in her hand, picking up a screwdriver with the other and began fiddling with it.
“I had hoped these wouldn’t be needed.” She sighed.
_____________________________________________________________________________
After Ulric used the girl’s blood and life force for his blood magic, it was all the kalos leader and Galar guardian could do to keep up with his strikes, Flyby long having been thrown against the cliff walls and knocked unconscious when she shielded her partner from a strike.
Claude was largely being shielded by the guardian as she blocked strikes and used magic to shield the both of them, the guardian living up to the title but the king didn’t forget to shield her as well, her right ear being a casualty of shielding each other as it was sliced in half so now blood flowed down the side of her head.
The two didn’t know how much longer they could hold out against this ruthless onslaught, against this man crazed by blood magic, and whatever demon had taken hold of him.
As she and Claude managed to block a strike, Ulric pausing only for a fraction of a second, a blue, gold, and red blur SLAMMED into the Kanto king, sending him flying as the figure growled viciously in his direction as it slid to a stop.
“Zen!” She cried out, it was Zamazenta, he was in his royal form somehow, and he looked furious but the most startling thing was he had blood pouring down the side of his head, his left ear sliced in half and fur stained dark red as a result.
“We have to take him down quickly!” Zamazenta shouted, the guardian nodding at his words as she readied her sword, eyes narrowing.
She lunged for Ulric, sword clashing against his once more but Zamazenta rushed him again, slamming into the king and sending him flying.
Claude’s sword whipped out, wrapping around the middle of the man before slamming him into the ground. She felt her magic pool into her sword, and rushed forward as the man tried to stagger to his feet.
Her slash split his chest plate open, not hurting him somehow, and he was flung back, only Claude’s sword wrapped around his middle yanking him from going flying.
Zamazenta slid to a stop by Her, form glowing as he shouted. “This is it you two! Take him down!” She felt some sort of energy transfer from him to her, her sword glowing brightly in response.
She didn’t register the implications of his actions, she was still blinded by rage how could she have KNOWN-
She only paused enough to nod to Zamazenta, before leaping into the air, sword glowing brightly and seemingly becoming larger before she slashed down, the blade of light sailing right for the king of Kanto.
He was not breathing by the time she landed, him laying in a pool of his own blood and very much dead. She felt a huge weight leave her shoulders, almost staggering in place as she leaned on her sword.
“Z-Zen! We did it!” Her mixed voice was a breathless laugh of relief as she shouted excitedly. “He’s dead! The kind of Kanto is dead!”
Silence answered her, a dreadful feeling taking hold of her heart, and she turned as Claude yelled. “Hey, you two get over here!”
She rushed over to where Claude was kneeling, and, Zamazenta was lying on the ground, back in his normal form, breathing shallow and bleeding from numerous slashes and wounds, his ear being a notable one.
“Good job, you two...” His voice, even not being vocal, sounded so… frail and weak, even as he gave a weak grin. “You finally killed the one who had taken one of our dearest friends away, and perhaps saved the many other kingdoms as well.”
Why did the beating of her chest feel almost painful now? Why did it feel like... he was saying goodbye?
“H-Hold on Zen, we, we can fix this.” The guardian’s hands shook as she dropped to her knees, sword falling with a clatter, resting her hands on his matted fur. The combined being dug into her energy, trying to summon forth enough to save her brother-
“Zacia.” Claude rested his hand on her shoulder. “Feel his energy, he gave all of it to help us kill Ulric, I don’t think there’s much we can do.”
“I-WE can do something!” Her ears flattened against her head, tail lashing as tears pooled in her eyes. “I-We lost Acaeus, we, we can’t lose you too!”
“Not without sacrificing yourselves in return.” Zamazenta gently reminded her, eyes lidded as she felt his energy slipping away. “You needn’t worry, I’ll just sleep for a long while, then I’ll be back before you know it.”
“But I need you! I-I don’t know what I’d do without you!” Zacian’s voice was more prominent than Heather’s as she cried out. “I-I don’t want to be alone, please, Zen, please…!” She began sobbing, tears flowing down behind her visor and dropping to mix with the rain below.
“You’ll be just fine, both of you. You’re both stronger and so much more than anyone who’d dare harm you.” His voice was so much weaker now and he let his head rest on the ground. “Remember the place all four of us chose to be not only our resting place?”
She shakily nodded, and he continued. “That is also where we will reunite, all of us, all four of us. I promise.” He then closed his eyes, and she could feel what energy he still had grow… Cold. Stasis, Markus said that would happen if they were close to death, it would save them, but in return-
She reared her head back and let out a loud howl of pain and sorrow, soon sobbing into Claude’s chest as he was quick to pull her close.
...In return, they would likely need to sleep for hundreds of years to heal the damage done to not only their bodies, but their souls.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Lumi found herself sighing as she left the airport, backpack thumping against her back as she walked out of the building into what she knew was Motostoke of Galar.
The mute young lady shifted her backpack before beginning to head for the hotel she had booked a room at. Her surperior slithered alongside her, Visi almost silent as she faithfully followed her trainer.
She could feel Visi’s nervousness at being in a new region, one she herself shared, but Lumi needed a change of pace. Wandering looking for N could only take her so far on the mainland. Perhaps with Reshiram he was exploring one of the island regions?
She could still remember the last time she saw him years ago. Grey eyes so sad and downcast, voice asking What should I do? His soul was hurting so deeply and she could feel it through the connection, a final embrace before he flew away on the white dragon of fire, and the connection snapped. She… She had to find him, even if it had been so long since that day, she wanted to see him again.
She sighed and shook her head, shaking thoughts of him out of her head, later, later, she had to find the inn before planning her next move. Lumi felt Visi chastising her through the bond and leveled a good-natured dry look at the snake pokemon.
Visi grumbled audibly, tone distinctly teasingly and Lumi let out a noiseless puff of amused air.
_____________________________________________________________________________
“HEATHER!” Arms wrapped around the woman’s middle, yanking her back from her seated position on the railing of the balcony. To Heather’s credit, she hardly made a sound as she was pulled into a standing position, only a puff of air escaping her.
Her gaze sluggishly trailed to peer over her shoulder, seeing the panicked expression on Claude’s features. Faintly she wanted to assure him she was fine, she always was fine as she tended to say, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She hadn’t been able to do so for months now…
“Sothis damn it, Heather, you could’ve fallen!” He scolded her, but there was an underlying note of panic and fright in his tone.
She still couldn’t speak, instead sliding her gaze back to gaze upon the stars like she had been before he showed up as she managed a shrug.
It was her and Acaeus’ favorite pastime during the nights there were no clouds, they’d sneak out of their rooms and go to the highest balcony they knew off to stargaze, Zacian and Zamazenta often joining them.
Now, with him and Zen gone, and the war over, she still kept doing that, even if Zacian didn’t often join her, the sword pokemon off tending to the parts of Galar damaged during the conflict as best she could, and Heather… Tended to have questionable choices in where she sat now.
Claude held her tighter to himself as she remained silent, thankful he had his boltund follow her and then come to him when she had climbed onto the railing to stargaze.
Ever since the war ended, Heather was hardly seen, a recluse and seemingly unable to speak now, and was often sleeping the days away, while Zacian seemed to throw herself headfirst into working to repair the damage to Galar to not give herself any time to grieve.
He had to do something, he wasn’t going to let Heather get herself killed because she didn’t care anymore. He already let two of the closest people he had down by letting them die, he was not going to do the same to the last friend he had.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Yunala peered out of the helicopter as she saw the wall of harsh weather surrounding Galar approach, hearing the pilot shout back to her. “Hey lady, this is as far as I can take you! My ‘copter can’t take the weather in there!”“That’s quite alright, my good sir!” She shouted back, grasping a pokeball from her belt. “You’ve done your job, I’ll take it from here!”
“What do you-HOLY SHIT!” The pilot shouted as she simply stepped out of the helicopter and fell into a free fall.
For a few moments, she let herself fall, savoring the feeling of air rushing past her and just falling, before she threw the pokeball, calling out into the air rushing past her. “SUVI!”
Her flygon popped out of her pokeball, quickly flying down and angling herself so her trainer could grasp onto her, as soon as Yunala made sure she had a firm hold on Suvi’s neck, the pokemon pulled up.
Suvi leveled out, letting her trainer adjust how she was sat on her back, waiting for the okay before roaring and flying forward into the storms ahead. Yunala quickly released Noire from her ball as well, the dragonair quickly falling into line beside the flygon.
Never hurt to be careful and have a backup in case she got knocked off by a gust of wind or something.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Heather’s fingers glided across the piano keys with ease, a mournful tune playing out in the silent evening air.Zacian was curled up to the left, listening as she rested. Claude’s boltund sat near her, along with several of the other palace pokemon clustered around her.
Claude was watching her from the entrance to the room, thinking to himself with a heavily troubled expression. Flyby hung by his side, trilling softly at Claude to try to help calm him down.
Heather didn’t seem to hear or realize he was there, as she began to hum, then sing.
“I will never leave you to face the world alone, this I swear, to you, I shall always be by your side, forever more.” Her voice was not loud at all, it was almost inaudible with how soft it was, and her fingers played without pause. “I shall never abandon you, I will always be by your side~”
She stopped playing all of a sudden, slamming her hands onto the keys, the piano making harsh sounds as her shoulders shook. “But I couldn’t even keep that vow and promise, could I?”
Claude stepped out from the entrance, approaching her as she shook, a sob escaping her.
“Three months.” She hissed out between sobs and gritted teeth and turned slightly to Claude as he approached. “Three months, that’s all I have left. Until my advisors will force a marriage on me.”
“Indeed, and I only two.” Claude sighed, sitting down next to her. “It’s rather, hm, cruel to force us in mourning to marry when we are still grieving.”
“It’s HEARTLESS.” She spat, still shaking even as he put an arm around her. “I don't care if I’m a ruler, I shouldn’t be forced to move on when I’m still grieving. Neither should you.”
“Indeed, but we have no choice in the matter, not if we are to act in the best interests of our kingdoms.” He sighed again, then fell silent as she leaned against him. “Heather…”
“I don’t know what to do.” Her voice was a weak whisper.
Claude stayed silent for a few moments, before grasping her left hand and slipping something onto her ring finger.
She looked down, seeing a silver ring on her ring finger. Before she could question his actions, he spoke.
“Neither of us have much of a choice, we must remarry.” His voice was soft. “The only thing we can do beside accept it, is this. There are no laws preventing us from marrying each other, and we know better than anyone how we currently both feel.”
He finally met her gaze, gaze mournful and full of regret. “This is the only we can do, only thing, I can do… Heather, will you marry me?”
She stared for a moment, then hugged him tightly and nodded against his chest.
Just, so they could mourn as long as they needed, it was the only way they could avoid from being forced to marrying complete strangers who only cared for their status and power.
At least, that was how it started anyway...
_____________________________________________________________________________
Just as Hop was going to ask Heather another question, she suddenly stood ramrod straight, an unsettled look on her expression.
“...Rekezfa!” She swore, making Hop jump at the unfamiliar swear and dare he say she looked a bit panicked. “Alira, she,” Heather grimaced. “I can tell generally what memories of mine she seems to be seeing, and,”
Heather looked like she was going to be sick and Hop stepped forward in alarm. “I’m not going to linger anymore, I can’t, she’ll, see when I threw myself into the, the-” she shook her head. “I’m not going to let her see that. I won’t.” Her voice hardened at that. “Goodbye Hop Cadeyrn.”
“Heather-” Hop had to rush forward when she suddenly collapsed, catching Alira as the magic markings were quick to fade away as if they’d never been.
She seemed to be just coming to now, eyes blinking open blearily. “Hop…?”
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“Is everything in place?”
“Yes, with those two acting in our stead, no one knows or suspects us. By the time anyone wises up, it’ll be too late.”
“Hehehe… After all this time, so many years, and those vile rulers taking our god, we will make them pay. They will rue the day they crossed us.”
(AN: FINALLY THIS IS DONE! :D I'm so happy this is finally out of the way, I'm gonna get right to work on the next chapter right away! ^W^ )
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