Chapter Text
Citrinne made quick work of returning the people back to their village once the criminals were rounded up. There weren't as many members that were attacking this time again and that was because Griss and Marni made up for in quality. Quality didn't matter when both were easily subdued.
Peace returned by the evening. If the villagers weren't thanking the Brodian soldiers, they were sending their thanks to the royal family. They were fortunate that no permanent damage was done to their village. They were even more fortunate no harm was brought upon the priest.
As soldiers, they were expected to leave immediately, but the village chief insisted that they (including the royal family) stayed to rest for the night to celebrate their achievements. Catching two of the three remaining hounds was an accomplishment in itself and Diamant couldn't deny that. Although, he insists his younger brother get the credit for at least one of them but the villagers seemed to insist on showering him with all the praise. It only served to annoy the both of them and justify Alcryst's rough attitude toward them.
Even though Diamant agrees to stay the night in the village, he also decides to send a small group of soldiers back to the castle immediately. The sooner they report their success to the queen, the better prepared she'll be when they return. Citrinne has already done so much and deserves a rest more than anyone here, but he knows how efficient she is with reporting to the queen.
Topaz will also be part of the first group. Her blunder wasn't the reason she was being sent back, but it made the older retainer feel like she was being punished. If anything, Diamant would hate it if something happened to her while on his watch. She may be the butt of all jokes, but his mother adored her happy personality.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay without me?" Citrinne asks her older cousin. "I know we just subdued two major enemies, but anything could happen when you least expect it."
"Citrinne, it will be fine. We'll be right behind you tomorrow morning," Diamant reassures her. "There isn't much they can do. Your spell disables Griss' magic and Topaz has made sure that Marni can't break free from her binds."
"But anything could happen without me here…"
"Nothing will happen. Alcryst and I have our emblems in the scenario that something does happen."
"Right…"
She was the only member of the royal family that failed to obtain an emblem. It made sense. She's not in line for the throne due to being Diamant's cousin, but she still had royal blood. Was that not enough? It made her feel inadequate and pushed her to train. Even when she lost Lapis, she insisted on needing to get stronger…
"You worry too much, Citrinne."
"I'm sorry Diamant, but if something were to happen to either of you…I'd…"
"Trust us Citrinne. We'll be fine."
The Tragedy of Brodia was difficult for all of them. If they let their guard down again, they might lose someone again. Losing King Morion was a heavy blow for them after the Divine Dragon had all but abandoned them. Losing the next in line would break the Kingdom of Brodia. Diamant wasn't like his father. He was strong and cautious. If he told her she shouldn't worry, Citrinne should believe him. Alcryst was a different story…
"We can do something together when we get back," Diamant reassures her. "We also have to prepare the escort for the priest."
"I know…"
They can't afford to screw this up. If Pandreo can truly fix the issue Elyos is having, Citrinne will put more than 100% effort into this.
Eventually, Citrinne ran out of excuses to stick around. The few soldiers meant to escort her were ready. Topaz still had a saddened countenance due to her screw up, but no one was going to punish her for it.
"...Then I guess I will see you tomorrow…" Citrinne mutters.
Diamant smiles kindly toward his younger cousin. "Have a safe trip back."
"You too."
No longer able to delay sticking around, Citrinne excuses herself from the tent. Diamant waits to see if she will return with something else. She does not. Diamant is alone in his tent and he is allowed to relax his shoulders. He can now focus on his next task at hand…
"You're such a hypocrite, Brother."
Diamant flinches hearing his younger brother's voice behind him shortly after Citrinne leaves. When he uses that tone, he always feels on edge even though he's the older brother.
"Everyone enjoys the festivities. Citrinne and Topaz are protected from potential danger by leaving early, but you're going to sacrifice the village's goodwill to interrogate those scumbags?"
The redhead grumbles at Alcryst's comment. "Someone has to."
"Let me do it. I'm good at getting answers out of criminals."
"We need them alive. You'll kill them before we get a chance to charge them with their crimes."
Alcryst had never stepped foot in the interrogation room until after The Tragedy of Brodia. Then, he quickly picked up tips from his mother before he laid to waste criminals who were better off just dying in battle. The former archer went straight for what was the most painful way of getting someone to talk. It was a Brodian custom to be harsh to criminals and spies alike. Diamant preferred stern words and negotiation first before resorting to violence. He would be labeled soft by the nobles and his brother, but he refused to follow Brodia's customs.
"And you think pretty words are going to open up their mouths?" Alcryst asks. "You're better off talking to the flowers."
"Alcryst…one of them is still a child…"
"A child soldier who enjoys murdering people," Alcryst corrects. He has no sympathy for Marni. He regrets not being able to fight her in battle. Whatever Pandreo did made her loss lenient. "There will be no sympathy for our enemies."
Diamant knows that, but it still feels wrong to turn his blade against a child. He believes she's misguided. One of her many bad influencers is dead. If they can get her away from Griss, surely, they could redeem her…
"Even if that is true, I insist that you take a break for the evening."
It's better to admit that his brother is right than argue with him about mortality. Alcryst doesn't like this, but he can't go against his brother's orders.
"Time waits for no one Brother…"
"But you still need to save your strength."
The decision was final and Alcryst knows he's wasting his time at this point. He might as well humor his brother with the idea of enjoying the tiny festivities before he inevitably helps their mother with the interrogation and execution tomorrow.
After exchanging a few more words, Diamant successfully kicks Alcryst out. It's his turn to look around the village to see if there was anything out of the ordinary anyways. The Brodian soldiers already did their job, so there was no reason that there would be any more problems.
The first thing he sees once he leaves the current tent that Diamant resided in is a line of people lining up toward the priest. The priest had no problem offering his healing service for free. Normally, you would have to pay a fee to even get looked at, but Pandreo offered his charity to everyone. It was almost sad that these very people had no problem selling the priest out to the Hounds if they could live to see another day. He shouldn't blame the mayor or anyone for turning the other cheek, but perhaps his cynicism has completely taken over.
A few Brodian soldiers were also in line to get a free heal. There were healers in the castle such as the Queen of Brodia who can heal on a grander scale. Citrinne also learned how to treat injuries before a doctor would take over. If Alcryst had any say over these soldiers, he would tell them to suck it up and stop taking time away from the villagers who needed the priest more…but that would be hypocritical given his low opinion of these people.
"There. That should do it," Pandreo hums as he finishes attending to a soldier's wound. "Make sure to not strain yourself. You will be marching again soon, so you need to rest up."
"Thank you so much Father Pandreo," the soldier thanked. "I didn't think a healing spell could be so efficient."
"Please, I'm no Father. I'm fine with just Pandreo."
"No need to be humble. I'm sure you will follow in the footsteps of Father Angel."
It's easy to miss but Pandreo freezes at the mention of the previous Father. Alcryst wonders why he's the only one who can pick up such subtleties. He barely knows the priest, but it's obvious that something happened to this Angel person.
The person took Pandreo's silence as acknowledgement of his statement. The next person would walk up to Pandreo and he would check for any injuries and heal them for free. The priest would not half-ass his checkups either. Alcryst expected Pandreo to move the line along quickly, but not only was he efficient with his job, but he made sure to check for even the smallest of injuries. Something about how even the tiniest of issues could lead to horrible things in the future…
"Prince Alcryst, do you need me to check up on your injury?"
Crap! He caught him staring! Instead of responding with a firm nom, Alcryst chooses the better option of ignoring the priest. The problem with this is that he doesn't even get to act high and mighty with his retreat. He ends up stumbling into the darkness like a drunkard and it's nothing short of embarrassing. If Diamant saw him, he would laugh. None of the other soldiers will because they don't want to be at the end of his sword. They're all probably thinking he's strange for rejecting a free healing session.
It's a trick. Alcryst tries to convince himself as he tries to ignore the stares his way. No one heals for free. Even if this guy is a sickening good person, I won't take the offer!
He just can't believe it. Holy people do exist. Solm having an exceptional healer and then sending him off alone to do his pilgrimage is borderline suicidal and insane. If Pandreo stopped by every village like this to take care of all who needed help, so many tragedies could have been prevented. (But is it fair to expect one kind healer in an occupation of bad, corrupt healers to fix everything?)
Pandreo wants to follow after the former archer after seeing him stumble upon being caught staring. There might have been no visible injuries, but he's certain that Alcryst needed assistance. He just needed to take care of everyone in the village first on top of the Brodian soldiers.
Alcryst scurried to the opposite end of the village. The line for a healer was on the left side, so the right side was used for the Brodian soldiers who set up camp in a less populated area. He expects soldiers patrolling the area or speaking quietly to themselves. What he gets is laughter followed by some drunkard hollering that makes his head spin.
It was one thing when there were simple soldiers slacking off. When a retainer was goofing off, it was a clear sign of weakness. Alcryst's blood boils hearing the sound of Amber's laughter. Not only is that doofus getting a taste of the wine being passed around but he was also playing cards with some of the soldiers. These guys were usually serious individuals, but Amber had the power to get them to loosen up. Diamant loves that in his retainer. Alcryst loathes it.
It should be Lapis in your spot. Alcryst thinks darkly to himself. If only you died instead of her…
The former archer blinks before realizing that his anger almost got the best of him. The last thing he wants is to make a scene in front of everyone. No one needs to know what is going on through his head. Diamant teases him how he's still easy to read even if he has been scowling more.
"Hey, did you guys cheat?! There's no way I already lost!"
"Sorry Amber! You're just really bad at this game."
"No way! We are playing again, and I will win!"
Amber was shit at card games. He's incapable of having a poker face when the cards are being passed around and he needs to find the card he needs to complete a set. He plays cards with Diamant and Jade and always loses. His brother made sure Amber didn't gamble anything important because he was certain to lose the bet.
"At this rate, we're going to play all night…"
"We need another player to make this interesting…"
"Or at least someone who knows how to pick their cards."
"I heard that!" Amber shouts. He looks past the soldiers and makes eye contact with Alcryst. The former archer curses to himself as he tries to pretend he didn't see him, but Amber is too loud for his own good. "Hey! Prince Alcryst! Come play with us!"
That was not going to happen. Alcryst knows for a fact that these soldiers did not like the idea of a downer like him raining down on their parade. It's better if he walks away and pretends Amber doesn't exist.
"Hey guys, what do you think?"
"It wouldn't hurt to have one game with the little prince."
"Yeah. We can let him play."
They're drunk. That's the only reason that they would even consider the idea. Alcryst sighs as he finally approaches them. He folds his arms in disappointment.
"I thought I made it clear that we were not to pop the champagne until we return to the castle," Alcryst lectures. Granted, he wouldn't want them to drink at the castle either, but they cannot afford to let their guard down when they have two of the Hounds in their captivity.
"It's just a little sip!" Amber argues. His pink cheeks betrays how much he already drank.
"Hey, you could have a drink with us," one of the soldiers suggested.
"Nah, kid's still too young for that. It's too bitter. Heh heh."
Alcryst would love to take that cup and shatter it in his face. He could handle alcohol if he wanted to, but not now.
"It's a carefree attitude like this that will only cause problems for my brother," the Brodian Prince continues to chide.
"Hey, it's okay to let loose for what was accomplished today!" Amber continues to insist. The alcohol in his system allows him to be bold with his comments that he would normally keep to himself around the prince that hates him. "Come on Prince Alcryst! One game wouldn't hurt."
"Unless he's chicken."
"Yeah, that's probably it. His downer persona will make it harder for us to enjoy this night."
Oh, Alcryst doesn't appreciate them taunting him like this. This might be one of those times where he could summon Chrom and get them to shut up, but it's just one card game. How hard could it be to put them in their place especially when their brains aren't functioning.
"Fine, I can stick around for one lousy card game," Alcryst grumbles as he reluctantly takes a seat next to the soldiers but away from Amber.
It's fine. He can waste a few minutes with these drunk fools and then go back to patrolling the area. Little did he know, it was not going to be one game…
A few games later and Alcryst was admittingly enjoying himself playing cards with the soldiers.
"And this is my win," Alcryst hums as he was the first to complete a pair of cards again.
The soldiers remain dumbstruck that the young prince was good at a game of cards. Amber whined as the other soldiers would throw their pairs down leaving him as the only one who couldn't finish.
"No fair! This is not fair!" Amber shouts. "Why are you good at cards?!"
"It requires a brain and a poker face," Alcryst casually snarks. "You have neither."
The other soldiers snickered at the comment. They were telling the retainer the same thing, but now the words are finally getting to him.
"This isn't a game of brains! It's a game of luck!"
"You don't have luck either," one of the soldiers comments.
"I do too! Well…maybe sometimes!"
Luck is the only reason Amber is alive now. Lady Luck will not grace him in any other scenario. Oh does Alcryst hate how luck functions in this unfair world.
"This just goes to show you that even if my vision isn't as it used to be that I can still read you," Alcryst continues taunting Amber even as the insults go over his head.
The alcohol is the only reason Amber doesn't notice the passive-aggressive comments from the Brodian Prince. He's ready to go another round, but the soldiers aren't as dumb as he is. Alcryst wouldn't mind one more round to put Amber in his place, but the soldiers want to have fun with someone who doesn't look down on them. (If Amber wasn't there, he would be belittling them next.)
But Alcryst is fine with dipping out after his multiple wins. He can be smug about the fact this is just another thing Alcryst is better at than Amber.
"Remember to turn in soon. We are marching back to the castle tomorrow," Alcryst tells the soldiers smugly as he casually dismisses himself.
If they weren't drunk, the soldiers might have been cursing at his attitude problem. There were more entertaining things to do than mock the younger prince such as making Amber lose even more.
"Hey, don't forget, you got something to do later," one of the soldiers jokes as Amber shuffles the deck again.
"I haven't forgotten! One more game! Or two even! I need one win at least!"
Diamant would understand if he was late to check up on him later.
After that one distraction, Alcryst continued making his rounds around the village. He hates how relaxed everyone is. He's always on edge in contrast. Even though there is no hope for the hounds to escape, he still feels the need to make sure everything is secured. One small mistake would repeat the same tragedy of the past. It's why he still finds himself yelling at some of the soldiers who were supposed to be standing guard. If they end up drinking, their reflexes will dimmer and their judgment diminished.
Alcryst knows he's unpopular with the soldiers of Brodia. He's fine with that. In the past, he was already mocked behind his back. Now that he openly used his position to put them in his place, they make sure to say spiteful things out of hearing range if they don't want to find themselves on the end of his sword. The former archer had long since decided that until the Fell Cult was wiped off the face of the world, he would continue pushing everyone to their limits whether they liked it or not.
He enjoys being alone. He is never lonely. He has Chrom with him. For the longest time, Alcryst thought he wasn't good enough to obtain a Spirit of Elyos. Those legendary heroes that had protected the world more than 1000 years ago have only responded to the calls of the royal family. Certain emblems always appeared to the heir to the throne. Whether or not any other sibling obtained one was completely up to chance. Alcryst recalled how the prince and princess of Firene were the odd ones out. It was the younger princess who obtained her emblem first while it was speculated that the older brother was doomed to not having one. He got a hold of a spirit a few years later. To Alcryst, that was a sign of weakness if the hero of Firene chose the younger, more responsible sibling to take over.
Diamant was exceptional. He obtained his emblem before Alcryst was even born. It was why the nobles placed huge expectations on him. Whe he didn't get an emblem at the tender age of seven, he was deemed a failure by everyone. His family insisted that his emblem would come to him eventually and it wasn't a requirement if Diamant was meant to rule. Hell, Citrinne didn't have an emblem either even though she's related to the royal family. Alcryst wished he could ignore everyone's opinion about his lack of an emblem.
The best thing to ever come from the Tragedy of Brodia was that an emblem came to him while he was unconscious. That emblem had to have saved his life since the healer failed to do so. Alcryst demonstrated his mighty prowess after being released from the infirmary. His balance was ruined due to his injury and his aim with the bow will never be straight again, but because of his emblem, Alcryst was able to pick up the sword and swing it as effortlessly as his brother. Emblem Chrom promised that he would get his revenge on the people who killed his father and his beloved retainer.
Alcryst just wished his family was as happy for him, but seeing as they just lost King Morion, it was expected. Still, Citrinne showed concern about the mental state of the emblem. Emblems weren't supposed to be vengeful beings. They always responded to honest, sincere souls with pure hearts. Alcryst was none of those and he honestly doubted that anyone from Elusia matched this criteria either.
Emblems were also supposed to be talkative to the companion they made a pact with for life (at least until the main person dies). Chrom was the opposite of Diamant's emblem. He only showed up during battle declaring his need for blood and retribution. Then when the battle is over, it's like he never existed in the first place. A few times Alcryst wanted to speak to him to get to know his emblem he's stuck with for life, but Chrom wanted nothing to do with him…and Alcryst expected as much. He's the scummy prince who happened to align with his needs. Alcryst can rely on him as a companion for battle…never as a friend.
With all that happened today, he wishes that he could talk to Chrom. For as bloodthirsty as he was, he still responded positively in Pandreo's presence. If anything, Pandreo's presence came off as therapeutic for his emblem. If only that could make his headache go away. He believes that because of the injury, his mood has deteriorated within the past year. Quiet places give him some relief, but the pain is still random. That pain is why he can't rely on using his archery skills. He might hit the wrong target. The last thing Alcryst needed was to hit someone he cared about, be it Diamant or Citrinne.
"Prince Alcryst!"
Speak of the devil. Alcryst lost his chance to walk away because the priest was coming his way. He must have finished taking care of everyone that wanted to see him, so now he's going to heal people who didn't walk up to him.
Upon catching up to the former archer, Pandreo has to stop to catch his breath. He really doesn't have the stamina to be running around especially after healing a large group of people.
"What is it?" Alcryst asks dismissively. "Aren't you supposed to be retiring for the night?"
Pandreo doesn't answer immediately. Alcryst isn't pleased with the nonresponse at first before Pandreo does respond.
"I may not look like it, but I used to be a party animal," Pandreo states. "I mean…that was before Queen Lumera…"
Alcryst found it hard to believe that someone who tired himself out easily would have the energy to party all night. Plus, he's a priest representing the highest virtue in Elyos. There was no way the church would let him indulge in hedonism.
"I'm also not done with healing everyone here," the priest continues. "I heard that you engaged in combat with a member of the Four Hounds."
"You could hardly call it a battle."
Alcryst still can't believe how easy it was to subdue Griss when he decided to throw away any sense of honor Brodia is known for. Not being able to battle Marni also irritated him.
"You could be hiding an injury."
"Now, why would I do that?"
He had a very good reason to hide any sort of injury. The last healer who tried to save him failed at their job miserably. Pandreo examines the younger prince expecting him to be honest with him. Alcryst leers at him in response. He can't help but cross his arms in annoyance.
"They say you were one of Brodia's greatest archers…" Pandreo speaks cautiously. His tone lowers and his voice a bit more serious. "When the Tragedy of Brodia happened, you could no longer wield a bow because of your injury. You took up the sword to compensate for it even though you'll never be as good as Prince Diamant."
That last part wasn't needed but that's how everyone felt about Alcryst's choice. It did ignore the fact that he picked a weapon that worked well with his emblem. Granted, he would still shoot arrows if his injury allowed it.
"If you know that much, then you'll know why my injury wasn't treated correctly."
Pandreo nods his head slowly. He struggles to look directly at the young prince.
"An inexperienced healer attempted to heal you, but ended up making it worse."
It's such a flimsy excuse. Alcryst knows deep down that the inexperienced healer was the only one willing to help him as he was bleeding out, but that healer should have saved his retainer instead. Either he was treated by the powerful healer that was there or he died because that healer was willing to let him die. It still tainted his view on the clerics who were supposed to heal those in need.
"Even now, you're still suffering from your head injury."
He tries his best to pretend that the migraines aren't affecting him.
"I'm fine."
He's not. Pandreo sees right through him and starts approaching him. Alcryst gets into a defensive stance almost instantly.
"Don't. Touch me."
"Let me see your injury."
"No!"
"Don't be stubborn. An untreated injury will only result in bigger problems down the line."
"I already have problems because of that useless healer! Leave me!"
Pandreo had no intention of leaving him. He was adamant about using his holy magic on him.
"Then allow this healer to fix that healer's mistake."
"Phah! There is no one capable of doing that. You think because you're on a pilgrimage that you are suddenly better than the other healers? Please."
That shut the priest up. For a moment, Alcryst thinks he won the argument and Pandreo will leave him alone. That's until Pandreo raised his hand in the air. Alcryst blinked and found a red mark on his face.
"Please take your health seriously," Pandreo says. His expression becomes rather dark. "It's a miracle by the Divine Dragon that you survived a fatal injury, but you can't expect luck to carry you forever. Even if you dislike the idea of someone checking on you, it's a necessity." Alcryst doesn't even get a chance to speak because the priest continues to lecture him like he's a little kid. "Any injury, even minor injuries, can be fatal if left untreated. Your mother is a great healer too. I am certain she has looked over her son's injury."
"She…hasn't…" Alcryst mutters. He looks away ashamed. As much as he loves his mother, she shouldn't be wasting her time looking after an injury that failed to heal itself completely.
"Then let me take a look. I will never be as great as the Queen of Brodia, but I will do my best to make sure that you will feel no pain."
Alcryst stares at the priest in disbelief. No one had actually tried to sit down with him and force him to go to a healer. It took a lot of guts for a healer to talk him down like this. The valor Solm's priest was demonstrating soon evaporated once he realizes what he's done and immediately panics.
"Oh my goodness…I just slapped the second prince of Brodia…" Pandreo mutters to himself. His horrified expression is laughable for Alcryst. "Divine One, have mercy on me."
Alcryst should be upset that a hand was raised against him, especially from a healer. However, Alcryst learns he's not upset at all. In fact, he's impressed that Pandreo continues to subvert his expectations. He's not just a goodie-two shoe priest that will heal for free, but he's also adamant about his job.
He can relent from punishing the priest…just this once.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood," Alcryst tells him sheepishly. He didn't want to sound threatening, but Pandreo still mistook his dry sense of humor as a threat. "If I wanted to chop your hand off, I would have done it before you even touched me."
"Ahhh…I'm so sorry! I still overstepped the boundaries here!"
"It's fine. Just prove that your healing is as good as they claim."
Really, there is no downside to letting Pandreo reach over and attempt to subdue his migraine. He waits for the priest to calm down from his bold action.
"I'm not going to lose a hand?"
"Only if you're as bad as that healer that failed me."
Pandreo doesn't need to know that the healer most likely got away with his bad job. If he had the time and energy, he would hunt that loser down and personally deal with him. Pandreo chuckles nervously as he prepares his staff. He approaches the prince again. This time, Alcryst doesn't jerk away from him. Pandreo draws power from his staff as it goes toward his hand. Gently, he places a hand on the back of Alcryst's head where the injury currently resides. Alcryst wants to jump away, but he's amazed that he didn't feel any pain. The healing spell was already working its magic the moment his hand touched him.
Pandreo's healing light is different from anything he has experienced. His mother's healing was heavenly but there was always a nagging feeling in the back of his head that screamed that if he made one wrong move, the queen would use healing in ways that it's not meant for. With Pandreo, Alcryst finds himself naturally leaning into the touch.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh…so warm…
Alcryst lets out a tiny gasp hearing Chrom's voice ringing in his head. If his positive reaction this afternoon pointed to him trusting the priest, this is just more proof that he was in good hands. Alcryst lets his eyes close. The healing light is as warm as his emblem claims.
"Just like that. Relax…" Pandreo hums. His healing spell seemed to be getting stronger by the minute.
Alcryst wants to question him if he's overexerting himself, but when he opens his eyes, he's no longer in the Brodian village. Hell, Pandreo is nowhere to be found. He's standing in an unfamiliar church that looks nothing like the one in Brodia.
Chrom, are you seeing this? Alcryst calls for his emblem immediately. His emblem doesn't respond. Chrom?
The sound of a door slowly creaking open causes Alcryst to freeze up. He has a feeling he's not supposed to be here and he has no way of explaining to anyone why he's here. To his confusion, he sees a young man with medium length hair. Immediately, Alcryst registers that he is seeing a younger Pandreo. He looks the same as he does in the current time, but there were noticeable differences. First, his hair is straighter. He could easily be mistaken as a woman like this. Second, he isn't donning the robes of the Solm church. Rather, he seems to be wearing worn down clothes that look like hand-me-downs. He was to be more on edge in the past than he was currently.
"Okay…the Father isn't here…now where is that book?"
The younger Pandreo walked towards Alcryst slowly. Alcryst opens his mouth to say something but the younger version of the priest went right through him. Alcryst quickly turns around wondering if the priest even noticed something was off.
"I think it was the second book on the top right shelf…" The young priest tells himself. "I wonder if I can reach it…"
Alcryst finally decides to look around the room. It seems to be an office of sorts for the head priest of Solm. Pandreo isn't the tallest person at the moment, and would need to stand on his tippy-toes to even get his fingers to reach the middle shelf. He needs a chair to gain height, but that would mean making a mess in the office. Judging by his shifty nature, this Pandreo was clearly not allowed in the room.
Instead of doing the smart thing, Pandreo leaps to grab the book. It takes a few attempts for his fingertips to touch the spine of the book and a bit more to shift the movement a bit. The priest had to stop for a few minutes to catch his breath.
"...You have no endurance," Alcryst states the obvious. Pandreo can't hear him but he still thinks he deserves to hear that. "How you're even able to travel across Elyos is beyond me…"
The younger Pandreo obviously didn't hear the mockery. Upon regaining his breath, he tries again. This time, he's more successful due to the slight movement of the book before his mini break. Once he has a hand on the book, he's able to knock it off the shelf leaving an empty space between the two other books.
"Finally. That took longer than I wanted…" the apprentice healer grumbles.
Alcryst is able to see the title of the book. It reads along the lines of "Scouring Saint Elimine and the Master Tips for Healers". Alcryst tried to recall who Saint Elimine was. She was an important figure for one of the emblems, but it wasn't registering in his mind at the moment. Pandreo obviously knew who the person was on the cover, but his attention was toward the information in the book. He flipped through half the pages without bothering to check the table of contents.
"I know Father said I needed to master the basics, but I feel like I'm not getting anywhere with such little information…" Pandreo complains to himself. "I'll just take notes of a few advanced but easy to understand spells and put the book back before Father notices."
That didn't sound like the greatest of ideas. Alcryst isn't a healer, so he doesn't understand how that would work. He always assumed that the power level of a healer determined how effective the spell was. If numbers and formulas were involved, he would understand why it was difficult to become a healer, much less a doctor.
"Pandreo, why are you here?"
The young priest jumps, hearing the soft but stern voice of the father behind him. Alcryst questions how he expected not to get caught when he left the door open for anyone to just take a peek into the room and see him taking something from the top shelf.
"F-Father Angel?! Y-You're back early!"
The Father in question was the spitting image of Pandreo. Alcryst almost believed that the head priest was in fact Pandreo's father, but something told him that isn't the case. Perhaps it's the way he held himself or perhaps it's the cockiness in his smile or the way said smile doesn't reach his eyes.
"I left early. I cannot stand the royal family bickering," Angel says with a groan. He shrugs his shoulders as he's not one of the most important people in Solm's Palace. "Honestly, if the queen just told her daughter that getting rid of the idiot king required more than screaming at him, we would have a quieter life."
Pandreo tries to hide the book underneath his robe while the man known as Angel rambled on about the flaws of Solm's royal family.
"Seriously, the king is such an asshole, I don't blame his daughter for hating him, but he needs to understand that I don't want to watch the falling out between him and his wife."
Pandreo opens his mouth to say something but chooses not to. Angel catches his apprentice about to bad mouth him and scowls.
"Don't even think of calling me a home wrecker. The King made his bed."
"I-I wasn't Father! I would never…"
"You're thinking about it."
Pandreo pouts. "Father, that's not a fair thing to say. You are His Majesty's retainer. Why would anyone else think otherwise?"
"Because I'm a priest who devoted his life to the Divine Dragon," Angel replied sarcastically. "I just happen to be the idiot's retainer who has to rush to his side whenever he gets himself hurt. He deserves the bruises caused by not solving this problem peacefully."
"But…you could make it easier…"
"Did you say something?"
"No!" Pandreo shrieks. He thinks he found an opening to escape, but Angel isn't done complaining.
"Besides, you'll end up following in my footsteps someday. You're already the retainer of the King's son, and that boy already has his eyes on you."
Pandreo rolls his eyes as a response. "Father, please. Prince Fogado and I are just friends."
"That's what I said about the king, and look what happened."
Pandreo wants to argue that Angel should have tried harder to keep his vows and chastity. Pandreo tried his best to follow in his teacher's footsteps, but having personal relationships with the royal family while also being in charge of Solm's Church was a difficult feat. Plus, they also serve as medical doctors to avoid getting outside help.
"At least Prince Fogado is easier to deal with," Angel comments. "He understands having a bad relationship like his stupid father will only result in heartbreak down the line."
The younger priest chuckles nervously as a response. He clearly didn't want to talk about his relationship with the Prince of Solm. Compared to Angel, he wants to keep his relationship as professional as possible to avoid scandals like the current one now.
"And to avoid ending up like you, I need to return to studying…" Pandreo mutters. This was his way of trying to dismiss himself while still trying to come off as having the high ground despite stealing a book from his teacher. "Please excuse me Father…"
Angel watches as Pandreo awkwardly pushes past him. While it's obvious he doesn't want to gossip about the royal family anymore, anyone can see something sticking out of Pandreo's robe. It's Angel's turn to roll his eyes in disbelief.
"At least do a better job with hiding what you're taking from me," Angel grumbles. "Something tells me that he's going to learn the hard way. You can't start with the difficult subjects without mastering the basics. Uhhh…why did I get a stubborn apprentice that is like me?"
Alcryst wanted to follow Pandreo to see what sort of book he took from the shelf. He wouldn't be able to view anything else because the moment Angel finished lamenting over his young apprentice, the scene faded to black.
Alcryst returns to reality after the vision finally decides to cut off. He stares at Pandreo who is still healing his wound.
What was that? Alcryst asks himself. He wants to question Pandreo about it, but it looks like the priest isn't aware of anything. Taking a small breath, Alcryst decides to relent on the question. It's not all that important.
"How do you feel?" Pandreo asks, breaking the silence between them.
"...I…feel great?! Better than I have ever felt for an entire year!"
Alcryst wasn't being sarcastic. The throbbing headache he suffered from had all but vanished. Obviously, it was a temporary thing, but he could think clearly for the first time since the tragedy. No other healer has been able to effectively help him like the priest before him. (To be fair, he wouldn't let anyone near him after that one healer messed everything up and made him give up archery.)
"Thank you…" Alcryst whispers. He almost forgot how to show gratitude to people who deserved it. A clear mind means positive thinking!
Pandreo simply smiles. "I was only returning the favor. You and your brother saved me from the Fell Cult."
It was Pandreo who dealt with Marni by himself, but their appearance did ruin the cult's formation. They have good news to deliver to their mother tomorrow morning. She'll have people to torture for information as well as having the priest pray to their Divine Dragon statue. It might be a useless gesture, but Pandreo deserved to be escorted to the castle safely.
"You shouldn't count yourself out. Marni has a reputation of being a powerful fighter, but you still took her down," Alcryst reminds him. "It's honestly impressive."
"I just hit her in the head…she's still a child so…"
He'll downplay his achievements no matter what he says. It's funny how Alcryst used to be that type of person a year prior. Not anymore. He knew what he was worth and how strong he was. The strong protected the weak and even if Pandreo didn't see it, he was strong in his own right.
But he still needed to be escorted because of the persistence of the Fell cult. Making up his mind, Alcryst begins to offer his assistance and escort the priest back to the hut he would be staying in for the night.
His offer never came up because his eyes caught red hair in the darkness along with blond hair. The intrusive thoughts returned in full force as he leered past Pandreo.
"Prince Alcryst?"
"Sorry…I was going to ask if you wanted me to escort you back to your resting place, but I realized I have something to do. You'll be fine on your own."
He can't stop himself from being dismissive toward someone who had just helped him feel better. How could he ever hope to heal when he sees that stupid idiot dragging his brother away by the hand?! How come no one noticed?!
"But…"
Alcryst doesn't bother to pay heed to Pandreo anymore. He's going to follow his brother and protect him from whatever Amber had planned for tonight!
In reality, Alcryst feels like a creep for stalking his older brother. Diamant can take care of himself. He may be next in line, but there wasn't a soul in Elyos that could ambush him. Even if he was with an idiot like Amber, Diamant would be the one swinging his sword and dealing with whomever thought to trail him.
But it's precisely because Diamant is going alone with Amber that he has to follow them. He'll never trust that failure knight again after the tragedy.
"Amber, I really hope we're not going to be too far away from the village."
"Nah, this area is really nice, especially at night."
Diamant wouldn't believe him until they reached a small clearing. There was a single tree that had moonlight reflected onto it creating a sparkly image. The night bugs were also out flickering on and off into the night.
"How did you find such a place?"
"It was an accident. A few weeks ago, Horsey didn't want to listen to me so we ended up stopping here. The breeze is really nice too. I was so excited that we would end up near this area that I couldn't wait to bring you here!"
"Couldn't that wait? We still have to deliver the cult to my Mother."
"We can't wait. We're getting less time together the longer these battles rage on. There's finally light at the end of the tunnel now that we got a priest on his pilgrimage to talk to the Divine Dragon."
"And that's why I think we can wait a bit longer…the situation is turning for the better…"
Amber isn't listening to Diamant when he talks about delaying their time together. He knows his prince will always find an excuse to do something that will benefit his kingdom and his people. It's noble, but he's forgetting something important when he's not focusing on himself.
"Diamant, it's really been a year since we hooked up," Amber casually comments, causing Diamant to drop whatever conversation he had pertaining to the mission. "I still can't believe you returned my feelings."
How could I not? Diamant thinks to himself. He wished to say it out loud, but he believes that Amber is being sentimental to force the conversation.
"I think about how horrible the timing of my confession was," Amber continues to reminisce. "We just lost our king and we didn't know if Alcryst was going to live from his injury…"
This was a reason Diamant didn't want to think about the past. It was too painful.
"I thought I was going to die, but King Morion told me to live. I swore to him before he died that I would protect you until my last breath. But I no longer have any intention of dying unless I know you are safe."
"Amber…"
"But…it's funny. Your father's words made me realize too that I can't be a coward anymore. Even if I ruined everything between us, I wanted you to know how I felt."
"So you told me first even when I wasn't in the best emotional state," Diamant quietly snarks. "I could only register what you told me once I knew Alcryst was going to live…but you really threw my life into a mini-spiral."
"Yeah…sorry about that…I just didn't want anyone to claim you once it became clear that you're going to become our future king."
He wasn't the king yet though and there were too many reasons for that. Diamant's personal life had only gotten worse after his father's death. The nobles were vultures waiting for their next meal. They demanded that he take the throne, get married and produce an heir immediately if he wants to keep their support. Diamant isn't ready for any of that. He's twenty-six years old, but he still feels like a child expected to fill in for his deceased father.
He will become king, but only when the Divine Dragon returns to them. He swore on that…but he never agreed to marrying anyone…especially the daughters of the stuck up nobles. The idea of producing an heir with someone he doesn't love made him feel sick to his stomach. Then again, maybe he felt that way because of his preference toward men.
While his family most likely wouldn't care about his preference, Diamant still felt he needed to hide this information when he was a teenager. He watched the soldiers work out in the training room, admired his father's retainer before he was forced to resign due to a controversy that wasn't his fault and had regrettable thoughts concerning Citrinne's eldest brother at one time. It's only when he met Amber did he finally accept that he was never going to have an heir without there being some sort of scandal.
Amber was the guy everyone underestimated. He lost to his other retainer in the arena. Jade was a strong, powerful woman that made for a great retainer. However, Diamant also wanted Amber to be by his side after witnessing the man save a child from falling down the stairs of the arena. He twisted his ankle and still fought his way to the final round. Diamant could not let a man like that escape him. He was kind, humble and wore his emotions on his sleeves. Diamant could trust him with anything, and despite all the nobles protesting about his second retainer, he went with it.
His affection only grew as he got older. He had to keep his feelings to himself. Brodia's Prince needed an heir and the one thing Diamant wasn't going to do was force that responsibility on his little brother. Still, his love started to distract him. Every small thing Amber did resonated inside him. His tall tales, his laugh, his kindness…he adored everything Amber had to offer. He didn't mind if Amber only saw him as a friend and retainer…he just wanted the man to stay by his side.
When the Tragedy of Brodia happened, Diamant's thoughts were spiraling. His father had died, his little brother was on his deathbed, but he was scared for Amber. The swordsman was such a failure of a son and an older brother if his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of his retainer.
That's why he was taken off guard when Amber confessed first. It felt like a sick joke with everything that had just happened and he didn't react well at first. As an older brother, he needed to be by Alcryst's side even if his heart ached for Amber's embrace. Only when Alcryst miraculously survived could he take this information in and return his retainer's feelings. The nobles weren't stupid. They knew something was going on between him and Amber and were more vocal about his relationship with his male retainer. Had he been courting Jade, they probably wouldn't be as adamant about breaking the two up in favor of their own daughters.
The nobles didn't care about Alcryst even when he survived. They were only annoyed that the "little pest" managed to crawl back from the depths of hell. What surprised Diamant was how Alcryst barked back at the nobles and successfully scared them. The tragedy changed him, but the nobles were never going to nag his little brother to produce heirs for the kingdom if he was going to be crude to them. (He's not upset that his brother didn't perish with his father.)
"I don't regret saving your brother over the king, but I wish I was able to save as many people as possible," Amber confesses. "It's a poor excuse to use that jerk of a healer as the reason I didn't leave when they finally decided to treat Alcryst. If I had pushed for them to save Lapis too, she would still be alive today."
Diamant heard about that particular healer. He doesn't know why someone like that chose that profession, but that healer was the reason why Alcryst ended up the way he did. He would have preferred if his mother was the one to treat Alcryst if this is how things turned out.
"You can't save everyone," Diamant reminds his lover. "It's hypocritical of me to say that. As king, I want to help the lives of my citizens. I want to make sure that everyone lives a decent life. But…I also know that casualties are inevitable. Besides…" Diamant shyly glances at Amber before looking away. "You came back to me that day. That mattered to me more than anything else…"
It was incredibly selfish to admit that. His brother barely surviving relieved him but also took years away from his life. His father is gone and he's forced into a position he's not ready for. Alcryst is without a retainer, so Citrinne has to pick up the slack. His cousin also lost someone that could be considered her first love. It wasn't fair how both his brother and cousin lost Lapis, but here he is right now, happy that Amber came back in one piece.
A king should never do this. Diamant thinks darkly to himself. I'm setting myself up for failure.
Amber was surprised to hear the words from his prince's mouth. While Diamant is already beating himself over the head about what he just confessed, Amber sees the opposite. Diamant was the most selfless person he knew. Someone with a kind heart like him as king of Brodia would lead to an amazing age for the country. Brodia needed to stop being war hungry and focus on diplomacy and using their weapons to protect their allies instead of threatening their enemies on a daily basis. The nobles and the people would fight for Diamant to remain steadfast in his approach, but Amber would make sure that Diamant followed his heart at the end of the day. That's the man he fell in love with.
And they are alone, far away from the opinions of the citizens and nobles alike. There is no need to hold back. Amber tells himself this as he approaches his prince. Diamant is surprised that his retainer is going to take the lead again. Amber's hand touches his cheek. Diamant lets himself lean into the touch. He closes his eyes as Amber closes the gap between their lips. When they touch, the Brodian Prince lets him in.
Amber's movement has evolved over the course of a year. When their first few kisses were filled with fumbling and bumping each other's teeth, the ones now were filled with a burning passion Diamant didn't know Amber had. At first, he wanted to take the lead if Amber wasn't up to it, but his retainer has proven constantly that he was capable of leading. He's still the taller one of the two, so he still has to lean into the kiss. Amber is the one that inserts his tongue inside his mouth as he explores as many places as his prince lets him. His arms wrap around Amber's waist as his body fully leans into the embrace. The prince allows his guard to drop and gives Amber everything in that moment. Amber is quick to accept.
But kisses don't last forever. They need to breathe eventually. Diamant can't stop himself from whining as Amber pulls away. He frowns weakly.
"...I never expected you to get good at kissing…"
Amber smirks. "Of course I got to get better for my prince. I'm not going to be a failure forever."
And Diamant laughs. Amber's heart soars when the softness hits him.
"H-Hey! Don't laugh at me! You're the one who picked me as your retainer despite my failures."
"Ha-ha…I did. But I enjoy your presence Amber. You always know what to say to cheer me up."
"I didn't say anything. I just did it," Amber corrects him. "If we weren't out here, I would be doing more than just kissing."
Diamant stops laughing. Amber knows what buttons to get him flustered now. Taking the lead and being blunt about his wants makes even an honest man fumble.
"P-Please don't joke about that…"
"But I'm not Diamant. I love you with all of my heart, and I want to make you feel good. When this mission is over, I want to show you how much you mean to me."
It's not fair that Amber can say these words so easily. In the past, Diamant truly thought he was going to be the one to say these words with confidence. In the face of reality, he's not as brave as his retainer. He finds himself pulling away from his friend.
"Amber…that's really nice…I don't think I deserve such words though…"
In an effort to change the subject, Diamant tries to downplay his own worth. It's something that seems to run from the queen's side of the family. Amber wonders how King Morion is the only person in the family who had no self-confidence issues.
"Oh, but you do. I mean every word."
Diamant isn't allowed to argue. The moment he sees Amber getting on his knees, his brain shuts down.
"Diamant, I admit that I still have a long way to go until I can be the best person for you. Not only as your retainer but as your partner. I will repeat myself. When this mission is over, I want everyone to know how much you mean to me…and I'm willing to fight them all. As long as you'll have me…"
Diamant was listening, but he felt so far away. He pretends his vision isn't getting blurry when he sees Amber take out a tiny box hidden in his pocket and opens it. Inside was a beautiful ring with a red diamond in the center.
"A-A-A-Amber…this is…"
"Diamant, will you marry me?"
He wants to say yes. He needs to say yes. He needs to show some sort of reaction to Amber who was putting his whole heart into this proposal. Diamant just didn't expect it so soon. His heart is trying to escape his chest, his eyes feel wet and the gears in his brain still aren't working.
There's a voice in his head that is telling him to snap out of it. It's not his own voice, but it's still a calming one at that. If only the voice could stop squealing at the proposal.
"Amber…I…"
"I object to this engagement!"
And that same voice curses at the poor timing. Diamant's heart freezes hearing the voice of his enraged little brother.
Alcryst was never going to allow Amber a moment of peace and happiness if he could help it. Even a proposal like this would be stopped. It doesn't matter how distressed his older brother appeared when the anger on Amber's countenance was priceless.
"Alcryst…I thought you were enjoying the festivities…" Diamant speaks. He tries to remain calm, but it's clear on his red face that he is anything but calm.
The former archer won't say how pathetic his older brother looks right now. He firmly believed he was alone with his retainer and anyone seeing him like this was a treat. Alcryst wouldn't blame him. The root of the problem was the stupid retainer trying to become his brother's consort.
"You!" Alcryst shouts as he points to Amber. "You have the audacity to propose to my brother when you failed to save our Father! What gives you the right to propose and make promises you can't keep?!"
Amber is used to this verbal abuse, but to do it when he worked up the courage to propose visibly shakes him. Alcryst relishes in his horrified expression.
"Not only did you fail to save Father, but you couldn't find a decent healer to heal my head injury! I can no longer shoot a straight arrow because of your neglectance!"
"Prince Alcryst, I-"
"I don't want to hear it! You're also the reason Lapis is dead! You don't have the right to be happy when you killed her and left her family mourning!"
It is easier to blame someone else for Lapis' death than to accept that there was nothing he could have done. Had he not taken the fatal injury during the ambush, he could have done something for her. For his Father…for anyone…
"You're not even thinking of Brodia's future! You're only thinking of yourself! People like you can fuck all the way off!"
God, it felt good to express how he felt about the failure knight before him. Amber wasn't going to argue how worthless he was. Maybe he'll think twice about trying to seduce his brother during an important mission. Hell, he should resign for his insubordination!
But speaking the truth about Amber when Diamant was nearby would only lead to more trouble.
"Alcryst, I need you to leave."
He's desperately trying to hold back his anger. The future king can't afford to lose his temper over something like this.
"Why? So you can throw away Brodia's future?!"
"This is anything but!"
"Oh, I think it is!"
It's impossible when his younger brother is acting like this…
"Alcryst, I've been patient with you for over a year now. I understand that you have issues with Amber, but I will not let you decide on what I can do as your future king."
If looks could kill, Diamant would have been dead. His brother wasn't going to stand down even if he used his authoritative voice.
"You're not even deciding what you want to do. You're just getting stringed along by this dumbass!"
"Alcryst, Amber saved your life! At least show some sort of respect!"
Alcryst laughs bitterly as a response. He should be thankful to the man that got his father and retainer killed? Hilarious!
"I would have rather died as a soldier than live and be forced to hang up my bow!"
Diamant hates the toxic mentality Brodia has installed into his brother. Living a tragedy can only make you stronger, but the Brodia motto is it's better to die a proud soldier than to live with injuries that stop you from being useful on the battlefield. Alcryst is so much more than just a soldier. He's intelligent, cunning and has way more to say to the nobles that he cannot when all is said and done. Alcryst can't see his potential beyond the bloodshed.
"Father would hate to see you like this…" Diamant laments.
That was the wrong thing to say and the older brother realized that too late.
"Excuse me?!"
His brother was crazy. Brainwashed by the idea that happiness is obtainable as the crowned prince. There was no such thing as a happily ever after!
"How dare you assume what father would think about me!" Alcryst snaps. "Father cares about Brodia's future. Even in death, his soul will live on as the Pride of Brodia! But what are you doing besides running away from your responsibility?! You're keeping the throne cold because you have cold feet! The other royals will ascend soon even if their parents are still alive. We are in a more dire situation than them, but you're more interested in chasing after a fairytale romance!"
"It is not a fairytale romance!" Diamant argues. He doesn't know why his voice is failing him. He should be able to get Alcryst to step down. Why is he faltering?
"Who benefits from this marriage?!" Alcryst asks. "If you marry a commoner, not only will the nobles decide that you're not worth listening to, but you won't be able to give
Brodia an heir! That would fall to me, and you already know how they see me."
Right. Because of his injury that should have killed him, the nobles already labeled Alcryst as a liability. He's only good for killing until he succumbs to his wounds. Diamant cannot afford to be doing this.
"Alcryst…I wasn't…"
Diamant doesn't know what to tell his brother now. It only crossed his mind on a few occasions that loving Amber would put more pressure on his younger brother. While it would be best to wait for what the future holds, they are still very much in the present…
"If you want to pretend to care about Father, then give me that ring!"
Diamant didn't realize he had accepted the ring when Alcryst ambushed them. He simply didn't give Amber an answer. When Diamant takes too long to respond, Alcryst stomps over to his older brother and snatches the diamond ring out of his hands. He shouldn't have been able to, but Diamant fumbled at the sudden aggressiveness.
"Our country is more important than your personal happiness," Alcryst warns his brother. "You are our future king. Act like it."
Silence followed after that comment. Alcryst expected Diamant to argue some more with him or talk down to him, yet…nothing escapes Diamant's lips.
"Maybe you should act like a supportive brother."
It's not Diamant calling him out. Alcryst almost forgot that Amber was standing there and keeping his head down…until now.
"What."
Normally, Amber never had anything intelligent to say. Alcryst always ignored him because of that. When he speaks to him with an authoritative tone though…the younger prince is forced to listen.
"I know more than anyone I have no right to get in between you two. I also can't tell you how to feel about me. But, don't you ever talk to your older brother like that. You want people to feel sorry for you? Go right ahead, but you will not take it out on the person who has been worried sick for you ever since that incident!"
The younger prince wants to scream at Amber that he needs to butt out. But, the ex-archer notices that Diamant stopped arguing with him. He finally gets a good look at his older brother. His expression is unreadable…no…Alcryst knows that expression. Diamant isn't allowed to show weakness to everyone, but after enough verbal diarrhea, even he will show signs of a defeated man. Diamant won't cry. He's not the type to do so, but he is visibly exhausted. If Diamant made eye contact with him, he would also show how disappointed he is in his little brother.
Alcryst hates it. He's the villain in this scenario despite Amber actively trying to sabotage Brodia's royal bloodline. Why can't he be a good little brother and be happy for his brother? He knows the answer. If it was anyone else, he would be nicer to Diamant. It just had to be the person who failed him. Failed Lapis. Failed their Father. Failed everyone! And his brother…is still madly in love with this loser.
But he doesn't want Diamant to be so sad. He doesn't want Diamant to believe he's at fault for the Tragedy of Brodia. He's just as much of a victim as he is and deserves the world. It just can't be with the man standing next to him…
"Brother…" Alcryst calls out without realizing it. His expression softens, his desire to inflict harm with his words all but vanishes. He's the one that is being horrible…and he needs to apologize and fix this before they see their mother tomorrow.
As he opens his mouth to apologize, the ground suddenly trembles beneath their feet. Earthquakes are so uncommon in Brodia that it takes the three of them by surprise. They have nothing to hold onto but Amber still manages to get Diamant to hold onto his arm to maintain his balance.
The tremors only last for a few seconds before the sound of an explosion is heard not too far from where they are standing.
"Prince Diamant, Prince Alcryst!"
Alcryst jolts hearing Pandreo's voice from behind the bushes. He was supposed to have returned to the small hut that he was assigned. If he's ignoring his order, that means the earthquake was a bad omen.
"The Corrupted! They're…They're back…" Pandreo declares. When he reaches the trio, he is forced to stop to catch his breath.
"THE CORRUPTED?!"
"That's impossible! They died when Sombron died!" Amber exclaims.
That part was well known throughout Lythos. When Lumera slayed Sombron with her own blade, the Corrupted disappeared with him. Only a few stragglers remained, but they were easily cleaned up within the first month of the Fell Dragon's defeat. Sombron's death also meant the other Fell Dragons wouldn't be able to replicate his powers…or so they thought. Perhaps the few remaining dragons who were alive finally managed to copy their dead leader. In which case, they need to invade Elusia.
"I'm not lying…" Pandreo mutters. "There were small tremors before the big one hit. Every tremor caused a Corrupted to appear. I didn't know who else to turn to, so I decided to search for you…"
He was referring to Alcryst. If the younger prince wasn't distracted by his older brother, he might have noticed a small flicker of magic was still on him after being healed. Pandreo could use that to track him down even if it was difficult to navigate through the woods.
"The village will soon be overrun by Corrupted so I…"
Pandreo doesn't get to finish his sentence as a low growl sneaks up behind him. Amber and Alcryst notice the monster with red eyes ready to pounce on the unsuspecting priest.
"Get out of the way!" Alcryst shouts.
"E-Eh?"
He notices too late that he was being stalked by a Corrupted. It was probably one that had spawned after one of the tinier quakes. Pandreo wasn't quick enough to put up his magic barrier.
Dammit, Chrom! I need you! Alcryst yells.
Diamant was quicker with his engagement. Alcryst stares in awe as Diamant quickly closes the gap between Pandreo and the Corrupted. A flaming sword is held in his hand. His hair has now become a lighter shade of crimson to match the flames on his new sword.
The Corrupted incinerated upon Diamant slicing through it. Pandreo gasps seeing the monstrous thing being cut down with relative ease.
"Wow…that's Brodia's Emblem…"
"It's dangerous for you to be here," Diamant says, ignoring Pandreo's awestruck words. "You need to find a safe place to hide. I can have Alcryst escort you."
"Brother, you're better off sending me to kill the Corrupted," Alcryst argues. "I still haven't made my emblem satisfied yet."
He really shouldn't be making demands after his outburst a few minutes earlier but the situation had changed. He does not want to play escort while there are monsters to slay. Diamant knows that his brother is better at destroying the target than protecting a person. Amber should be the one on the job.
"Is this really the time to fulfill your need for blood?" Amber asks darkly. "Prince Diamant gave you an order. Not a suggestion."
"I don't remember talking to you," Alcryst snaps.
"Silence, both of you!" Diamant shouts causing them to stop fighting. "Evacuating the villagers is the top priority!"
"And we can't do that if we don't clear out the Corrupted! The people will be slaughtered before we can even get a chance to save them!"
Diamant regrets sending Citrinne and Topaz off. He didn't expect there to be a sudden resurgence of Corrupted after dealing with the Hounds. Perhaps, this is what happens when there was still one more left that might as well be able to summon them. Either that, or they're just unlucky.
"...Fine," Diamant relents. "Alcryst, defeat the Corrupted that stand in your way. Save anyone you can and make sure to take out whoever is the cause of this attack."
Amber frowns seeing his prince allowing Alcryst to have his way. Did their argument not mean anything?!
Alcryst would agree with Amber's assessment. He didn't deserve to push Diamant around after what he just said. When they finished getting rid of the Corrupted, he would properly apologize to his brother…away from Amber.
"You don't need to ask me twice."
"Alcryst…" Diamant starts causing his little brother to flinch. "Please be careful."
He was bloodthirsty, not reckless. Alcryst slowly nods as he turns and rushes back toward the village. There was one thing Alcryst should have done before doing so. In his hand, he still had the engagement ring meant for his brother. That too will be given to him after his apology. Mentally cursing himself, he tucks the ring into his pocket and hopes that there won't be any dire consequences holding onto the ring.