"Come on over, kids! I want to show you something amazing!"
"Oh, ok, we're coming! Oh, Lucy..! Stop stuffing your face! He's calling us over!"
"Mff..! What do yho whant? I hwash hungrhy!"
"And stop talking with your mouth full! It's gross!"
"Pfftt! You're gross! Fine, I'm coming over."
"I wasn't expecting the extra big lunchbox I brought today to be emptied so fast!"
"You'll have to excuse my sister, sir. We haven't eaten in days. We if we hadn't found you..."
"Hey, hey, it's all good, Mr. Hero! A brimming face like hers quiets my empty stomach."
"But, still, she didn't need to eat your share, mister..."
"Just stop talking, you! So, so, what did you want to show us?"
"Well, look over there! It's still in construction, but I'm still glad I was able to find people who'd be willing to build a tower in these times of war."
"Wow!!! It goes so high! When will it be done?"
"Meh, it should be done in about a month. Until then, the other kids and I have been living in a nearby town. Luckily, the mercenary guild over there accepted me, so the jobs I do bring us enough money to eat decently. It's a good life but when we finally move in to our base, it'll get even better!"
"You said that you've taken in other kids before you found us yesterday sir. Are they really little like us?"
"Quite so, Mister Hero. We're just four over at my place: me, this little girl from Soula and two other siblings from the southeastern area near it."
"Wow, other siblings?! When can we meet them?!"
"Ahaha, I'm glad to see that you're so enthusiastic, Miss Lucy!"
"Well, everybody we've met is so angry and sad all the time. Even Mister Zero here is been grumpy lately!"
"I-I...w-well, we have been walking for a week ever since we ditched that other group. It's normal that I'd be grumpy when I have take care of you all the time, you little crybaby!"
"I'm not a crybaby!"
"Oh, yes you are!"
"Grrr..!"
"Don't growl at me..! I---Oh, why are you laughing, mister?"
"Oh, it's nothing special. Miss Lucy is right: everyone's so grim lately that I've forgotten how funny sibling squabbling is."
"Hehe~ See? You have to lighten up more, Brother!"
"Ah...I dunno...it still seems a little weird that someone so nice would take us in after finding us on the road without a second thought."
"Well if you keep talking like that, he's going to change his mind! Don't be so stingy!"
"O-oh..! Y-you're right! I'm sorry, mister!"
"Please, you don't need to keep calling me 'mister'.
Please, call me Attilla."
*
"Awww, what's the matter, Mister Zero? Giving up already?"
"Owch..! You don't need to rub it in!"
"When you lose for the tenth time in this week alone, I think it automatically gives me bragging rights."
"Tch, you just got lucky!"
"Again, TEN times. You just suck at this whole fighting thing. Maybe you should become a desk worker?"
"Grr...Sometimes I really miss the crybaby version of you."
"Please, that was so long ago! Can't you recognize that your adorable sister has evolved into something greater that you could have ever imagined? Looks like a butterfly, strikes like a hawk~"
"Too bad that 8 years into this whole shtick hasn't given you some humility...Aren't you supposed to be the angel of this group?"
"Yeah, right. I'm not going to be some rinky-dink, goody-two-shoes angel! I'm a powerful woman who'll strike fear into the hearts of her enemies and admiration into the hearts of her followers! You men are so focused on cutie princesses like Salacia that you miss the best of the batch, even if they are right in front of you!"
"Are you done? I'm hungry. Or have you 10 more pages of high and mighty speeches left over?"
"Welp, I'll spare you today. Come on, gimme your hand. Let me help you up."
"Tch...I still don't get it..."
"Get what?"
"What Attilla saw in me. You're obviously way better at everything than me. And we need all the skill we can get our hands on if we want to stop this war."
"Aww, don't say that. I'm sure Attilla saw something. You're not THAT bad at fighting. I'm sure you'll make a great...bullfighter, at least!"
"Aw, c'mon! You were THIS close to a compliment!"
"What? It's not my fault you're still rocking a cape even after all these years! Oof, I just cut myself because you're so edgy~"
"I...I like the cape he made me! At least it keeps me warm! Unlike you girls..."
"It's called freedom of movement!"
"Well, I think it's showboating. Sera doesn't need to wear anything like that! And at least in Salacia's case, it make sense, since it fits her background, but you. Allie and Terri? And then you get mad at Sobek for staring."
"He was looking up my skirt!"
"That's because you had knocked him flat on the floor and were standing over him on your Valkyrie diatribe. It's not his fault you wear such a short skirt. What do you expect, when you dress up like that? Seriously, you do realize that you can see right through your top during summer, right?"
"You were staring?!"
"It's pretty hard to miss it when you wear a tight, white,sleeveless top---What are you doing? Don't take off your shoe---OWCH! You do know that's an high heel, right?! You could have hit my eye!"
"You deserve it, pervert."
"I'm not..! *sigh* Gods, my life sucks. Not only am I on dead last in the Order tier list, I still have to deal with you everyday..."
"It's not my fault that I'm naturally talented. Power AND looks? What a total package~"
"Gah..! You're so annoying..! Changing the subject, did you know that Attilla is returning tomorrow with a new recruit? I heard that he's from out of Karash..."
"Out of Karash? Like Sera? Wow, I can't wait to meet him. I hope he's not a creep like the rest of you lot."
"A...creep?"
"You know. Sobek's always jumping around like he's had a ton of caffeine, Hanzo's so cold that it hurts, Gibson is so grumpy and you..."
"And me..?"
"You're you~ That's all."
"Way to kick it where it hurts, Lucy. Well, I just hope that we can work well together. And for my sanity, I hope that he's a bit worse than me. I'm sick..."
...of always playing catch-up with you lot.
*
"W-what...are you...two doing..?"
"Oh, it seems our show has been interrupted. This is quite embarrassing."
"I-Is that...blood?! Oh gods...w-what did you do to him?!"
"It's simple, dearest Angel. I needed something from him and got it. I wish that it wasn't so messy, but I needed a big chunk of 'it'. And there was only one way of attaining it."
"Oh gods...oh gods...oh g-gods..!"
"You can't help him, Lucy. The deed is done. Attilla is gone, so no one can stop me. But don't worry. I will continue his legacy. I will accomplish what he didn't."
"B-Brother...N-no...! Please stop..!"
"It's too late, Lucy. To reach that place, I needed someone with the Potential. The trigger...the key. I already got what I needed from you, anyways. So, if you want to make yourself useful..."
"Run!"
*
Run.
Run.
Run!
That word still haunted Lucy's dreams, even if it had been nearly 8 years since she heard them. The whole deal with Noah and the riposting towards the Order's advances had made her forget, made her find some inner peace (or, at least, make her stressed out about something else) but ever since that boy Tal had appeared, her night terrors had returned. The blood...those eyes...her hero...
Was he...really dead? Whenever she'd ask Terri or Sobek about him, they wouldn't answer, no matter how much she insisted. She had never gotten news from him ever again, even with the Order's growth, so...maybe...
No! He couldn't be! Her hero would never die! That's why she had lashed out at Tal like that. It was her bottled up fears and frustrations talking and that turned her into a savage. And she had just talked to Noah about not being consumed by anger...What an hypocrite...
And then Hanzo appeared before them. He taunted Lucy, just like Tal did. Could he be wanting to tug at her emotions again, in order to get her mad? No. She wouldn't give him that pleasure. She would be the bigger person.
Even if her cover had been blown. Only Eldus knew about it. But the others...how would they react if they knew that the enemy was so close all along?
No. She wasn't the enemy. At least not anymore.
She bit her lip and clenched her fist, glaring up at Hanzo. But she felt calm...er than before. Hanzo wasn't the type to taunt anyways. He was cool and collected. He wouldn't resort to low blows.
-Fine, Hanzo.- she said- You found me out. I'm sooo angry. Is that what you wanted me to say?
The Diamond shrugged.
-Actually, I was expecting it to go both ways. I've lived alongside you for 8 years at the Order's Tower. I know that you learn from your mistakes...somewhat. But my words weren't directed so much to you...as they were intended towards everyone else.
Lucy looked around her. The academics had heard the buzz outside of the dorm and had gotten out to check what was happening. And her mercenaries had gathered to support her. Alongside them, the Masters, the twins, Axel, Guy, Zeke and Noah seemed...well, "shocked" was an euphemism. Their faces had gotten pale, their eyes wide and they were completely silent, just staring at Lucy. On the other hand, Terri, Sobek and Eldus seemed very disheartened at the reveal.
"It's OK, Lucy. The deed is done. What matters is what you do from now forward. Don't...r-run away from this."
She took a deep breath and stared back at Hanzo.
-I won't deny my past. Yes, I was once the 1st echelon Order Elite. I was once known as the "Angel of the Order" and had joined Attila's cause at the age of 8. But after devoting many years to the cause, I left the Order. Never to return again. And you know that fully well, Hanzo. Now, tell me what you want. If you went through that much trouble to set up your doves inside Soula, why pick a fight with us now, if you're not even here?
Hanzo sat down on the roof's edge, looking down at them.
-That was part of a...side-job Balthazar gave me. Like Terri and Sobek, I was given the task of guarding the Northern Base. But, unlike the other two, I was not given soldiers to send in order to whittle down your forces. I was given spies.
-Spies? What need does Balthazar need spies in Soula for?- Lucy asked.
-Not only for Soula. For the whole kingdom. "Investigators" is a more suitable word. I was to dispatch them and have them gather information about a certain object. After that, I was to take action and confirm the existence of said object in its location and retrieve it, if possible.
"Have you never wondered how the Order didn't just make a full-force attack on Soula? Even if you're the Grim Reaper, the Order's full force would be more than enough to take you and your soldiers out. But Balthazar couldn't risk the object getting destroyed in the ensuing chaos. That's why he set up the three bases: two to distract your forces, and the final base, mine, to be able to infiltrate the city once your defenses were lowered enough. And, I'm happy to say that Balthazar was right: the object is right here."
Eldus stepped forward.
-What object are you talking about? Soula is a city of scholars, there's no manner of weapons or artifacts here for the Order to take! And, by what you're telling us, it seems that you haven't retrieved that object yet! Why reveal everything now, even before your mission, the Order's grand mission, is done?
Hanzo shook his head.
-I'm afraid I can't tell you lot. If I did, you would immediately take measures to get rid of it or conceal it. I'm not there, after all. This is just the power of my Projection. I can't stop you. But believe me, Eldus Egas: the object might be fragile, but the power it contains could greatly upset the balance of, not only Karash, but all of Gaia.
-You still haven't answered why you've chosen to reveal everything to us, Hanzo.- Lucy said.
Hanzo looked over at Lucy.
-Obviously, because I hate Balthazar. He has turned the Order into his own little war game. He's sullying Attila's cause and I want to stop him so bad. So, I wanted to join your forces post-haste, Lucy. Will you take me?
Lucy didn't answer him. She just kept glaring him.
-You won't fall for this one, huh?- he sighed.
-You're not the type to ask for help, Hanzo.
-That's right. Call me a prideful fool, but not even dead would I ask for help from a traitor like you, Lucy. It's true that I loathe Balthazar. Even when he sent me to this mission, I was already planing to leave the Order. But seeing how much of an hypocrite you are, Lucy, hiding your past from your comrades, acting like you're some kind of saint...It honestly makes me sick. But still, I can't beat Balthazar alone. And my comrades Terri and Sobek did join you of their free will, so joining you would truly be beneficial. But...
-...there's something you want in return, isn't it, Hanzo?- Lucy finished.
-So smart. Yes. Let's call it a "test". Come to my base, Lucy. Alone or with whatever forces you might want to bring alongside, for I am not exactly all alone either. To be honest, your soldiers do seem a bit challenging. If you, or whoever has the necessary skill to do so, beat me, I'll reveal what I know about the object and join your forces with no fuss nor muss.
-Why not skip a bunch of steps there and just come here? We can settle our differences after this war, Hanzo.- she spat, gritting her teeth.
-I would love nothing more than that. But it's not about me and you, Lucy. It's about you and Soula. I would have not issued this challenge if you hadn't hidden like a coward from your past, Lucy. So, the only way to ensure that I will follow someone with a shred of pride on them is for you to come to me and return as Soula's guardian.
-Well, that'll be easy! I've been protecting this town for years!
-Oh really? Like my doves, Lucy, the enemy might be always away from sight, but terribly close. It might have been someone whom you trusted greatly, but then stabs you in the back. You may speak one thing, as the Grim Reaper. But does the Angel agree?
-I know full well what I think!
-But do the rest of them?
And, with that, the image of Hanzo quickly melted and turned into a puddle of water. He was gone.
Lucy grunted and looked back at the group.
-What a wacko. Can you believe what he was saying? Me? A traitor? There's...no...way..?
Lucy stopped talking upon seeing the grim faces everyone, not only the Brigade, but her mercenaries and townspeople, were giving her.
-I...c'mon, everybody! Are we really going down that road where I'm suddenly evil just because I was once the enemy? Do my actions here in Soula not count for anything?!
-You don't understand, Lucy.
Mercedes spoke, her face twisted by sadness. She couldn't even look at the woman.
-We don't care if you were part of the Order. Looking back at it, you did raise some flags, what with your knowledge of them and your familiarity with Terri, Sobek and even Hanzo. But...even so, why didn't you tell us?! What were you afraid of?! That we'd turn our backs at you?! Are you...that much of a coward?!
-Cidy, I'm not---
-No, I get it. You're the fearless Grim Reaper. The problem never lied with you, I see. It lied with us. It's not about what you did for us to trust you...
It's what we didn't do for you to trust us...
*
Lucy opened her eyes. The beige ceiling of her room greeted her. At first, she didn't move, trapped inside that milky world. After Hanzo disappeared and Mercedes' outcry, the group had scattered without a word. But the distrust the girl had shown could be seen in everyone else. They say trust takes years to build, but a second to shatter. And now, for the second time, it seemed Lucy had stomped on it.
Eldus, Terri and Sobek excused themselves, the first to look for the object Hanzo was looking for, and the duo to plan out the trip to the Northern Base. Lucy, on her hand, had dragged herself back to the dorm, not even daring to look at the academics or her mercenaries. She had slumped into her room, which was about the same size as Noah's but much more filled out, with a huge closet, a vanity with make-up items scattered all around, shelves filled with some books, but mostly magazines, her television, with a small, cyan-colored Enchant Stone installed on the top in order to capture transmissions and her bunk-bed, which she and Terri had prepared upon the Titan 's arrival at Soula. Terri wasn't a very tidy woman either, so the room's mess only doubled when she arrived, various items of clothing belonging to the two scattered on the floor.
She had begun to pick up the clothes and putting them inside the closet. She organized her shelf and vanity too. She needed to do something to occupy her body, fearing that otherwise, she'd start smashing stuff. Her mind seemed mostly empty, Mercedes' and Hanzo's words echoing without mercy inside of her head.
She looked at the vanity's mirror. The face that greeted her was foreign. She looked like she had put on thirty years, her face pale, dark circles around her eyes, her platinum hair seeming ash-gray and messy. The energy she had shown while shopping with Noah was completely gone and it had just been a few hours...
When she was done, she climbed into her bed on the top bunk and now just lied there. She tried to close her eyes and sleep, but the words just rang inside of her head.
You may speak one thing, as the "Grim Reaper". But does the "Angel" agree?
It's what we didn't do for you to trust us.
...
...
...
Run.
Run.
R U N
After giving up on sleeping, she got out of bed. She was afraid of talking to anybody, but she needed something to block out the sound of the voices.
An idea suddenly popped out inside her head. With newfound determination, she walked out of her room. She descended the stairs onto the ground floor, her eyes locked in facing forward. Like she was in a trance, she left the dorms and went over to the Academy. She entered the building and walked around the halls, wanting to reach her destination as soon as possible.
Soon, she was faced with a double set of doors. She reached out her hands forward and stepped forward, pushing the doors open like she was some sort of ghost. Her fingers trembled in anticipation. She needed it.
Lucy was now in the Academy's assembly hall. Various rows of chairs extended from the entrance of the room all the way to closer to the big stage where the teachers and principal would make announcement on the small podium with a microphone on it. Sometimes the students would make plays or debates on there. But that was not was Lucy was looking for. What she wanted was behind the stage. She quickly walked over to the stage, climbed onto it and walked behind the curtains.
A huge sound of something being dragged filled the hall. Soon, Lucy appeared again, dragging something with her until she reached the right side of the stage. The light coming through the windows lined up on the hall's side shone on her delectable object: a jet black grand piano. She opened the cover and pressed one of the keys. The sound seemed right, so the piano was properly tuned. She went backstage again and returned with a small chair. She placed it in front of the piano and sat on it. She gently placed the tips of her fingers on the keys. A tiny smile peeked on her lips and she pressed the keys. Swiftly, her fingers glazed across the keys, a soothing melody leaving the instrument.
Looking back on it, why did the 8 year old Lucy even want to join the Order? Because she was an hungry kid. Attila offered food and shelter and even taught her how to protect herself. But why did the 14 year old Lucy even want to fight in the War? Because...that's what everyone else in the Order Tower wanted to do. They wanted to make Gaia peaceful, clinging onto Attila's desires.
But did Lucy really want to do that? There was a piano in the Tower and Attila had taught her how to play it. And her talent at playing was equal to her talent at cutting people open. She could have easily pursued a life at playing the piano instead of hurting people. But again... the people around her all wanted to make the world peaceful. And she still had that going for her. The thing that made Attila ask her to fight by his side. So, she'd follow them. And then they'd compliment her. She was always looking for approval. To not be yelled at again, like those groups did to her and to her brother while they wandered Karash.
Upon leaving the Order, why did she keep fighting? Why did she even build that damned guild? Why didn't she escape from her life of killing? She had every means to. Because...the people of Soula were suffering due to the Order's pressure. And there she saw a chance to be...useful again. To be complimented again. She'd defeat the Order. She'd see her brother again. And then, both Soula and him would compliment her. Because she had done good. She had stabbed people good. She had been useful. She had fulfilled her purpose. If she played the piano...would people see her as useful?
She was too afraid to try and find out. She had always been afraid. She had always...
Ran.
Run.
Run.
R U N
Her fingers kept pressing the piano keys, but the shooting melody had picked up the pace. It was wild, savage and desperate. Like it was trying to run away from something.
Like the coward it was.
Like the coward she was.
Like the traitor she was.
Run.
RUN.
R U N
She slammed her fists on the keys, the song ending abruptly. Her vision was blurry and tears soon fell on the keys.
-I...don't want...to run...I just wanted...to be useful...to pay you back...
-Do you think you aren't?
Lucy's head jolted upwards and looked towards the source of the voice.
-No...ah?
The boy stood at the entrance of the hall. His scarlet eyes looking at Lucy. Was he judging her? Was he there to kick her while she was down?
No. Noah wasn't someone to do that...Right?
He walked over to the stage and climbed onto it.
-Everybody was looking for you. We're ready to go to the Northern Base. I was in charge of looking through the Academy and heard you playing the...pi-a-no, right? I didn't know that you were so good. The song was so calm, but then you turned her into something so fast and wild. It's much like how you fight. Graceful but deadly.- he smiled at her. But she saw it as condescending.
-You mean how I kill.
-So? This war won't stop with sparring alone.
-Don't be like that. You're not cold, Noah. I haven't taught you on how to kill.
-And were you taught that?
-I...
-I've talked about it with Terri and Sobek. And from what I've learned about the Order in the Academy, it wasn't supposed to promote war, right? You were just trying to stop violence.
-Acting as a deterrent doesn't change the fact that I was taught on how to wield a Blade and my Element. I was taught on how to become a BladeMaster. And a BladeMaster's destiny is always tied with violence and death. That's how we humans are.
-That may be. I'm not trying to say that you're bad because you're a BladeMaster and because you fight. Eventually, I'll have to kill someone too. But...I've chosen that fate.
-That's right, Noah: you chose. I was pretty much forced into it. In order to survive. I didn't want to go back to being a lonely orphan, scavenging for food. Fighting alongside the Order was my best choice.
-But you left the Order, right? And you still chose to continue fighting. Even in Soula, a neutral, peaceful territory, you still chose to fight. There must be another reason for it. Lucy...what happened in the Order that made you want to leave? And please, don't lie to my face like you did in Terri's base and in the Arena.- he gave her a serious look.
Lucy sighed.
-Yes...I did lie to you. I told you that my brother had disappeared. But the truth is that both him and I joined the Order when we were little. We didn't fight in the War for the first years. Attila gave as sort of "test" to gauge our potential and both me and my brother passed. From there, we were taught on how to fight and use our Elements, alongside a basic scholarly education. Only when we turned 14, did we actually go on missions with Attila.
"Most of them were going to certain territories and trying to stop the conflict between them. We promoted peaceful reunions, we studied their reasons to fight, we proposed deals to exchange lands, funds or resources. But to get those territories to cooperate, we had to show that we were a stronger power than all of them. We acted as deterrents. If one of them stepped out of line and tried to pursue violence, we'd have to take measures to stop them.
As we kept doing this, our fame kept getting bigger across Karash and even the world. We'd get more funds, upgrade our equipment, gather men to ensure peace in the territories as Order emissaries. But some territories did challenge us. And for that we had to fight. And we did kill. I was 14 when I killed my first person, some king or whatever. They say the first is the hardest, but that's just something to keep your mind busy from the smell of the blood that still dirties your hands, even after you've cleaned them countless times.
But thanks to our efforts, we did manage to reach peace for many territories. We made alliances against bigger powers and, that way, we managed to make them negotiate. And, eventually, the War was over. By then, we considered following our own paths. Attila was also a researcher of sorts and a certain subject fascinated him. I don't remember what it was, we were too little to understand. Nevertheless, once the War was over, he started to focus on his studies more. I, for one, wanted to become a pianist, and my brother, a knight in the Karash royal guard. We were pretty happy.
But then it all stopped when Attila went on a journey and we never heard from him again. Without our leader, we were lost and scared. Many territories still needed the Order's protection to survive and we couldn't handle it all on our own. But then, he stepped up.
Balthazar."
-Balthazar? He was already involved with the Order?- Noah asked.
Lucy nodded.
-Yes. Balthazar had joined when I was around 16 and the War was reaching its more heated phase. He was...incredibly powerful. It seemed out of this world. It was thanks to him that we managed to convince the bigger territories to step down for negotiations. He alone could ravage entire armies...as a kid! When Attila disappeared, he took command, and began handling the negotiations until everything was stable again. Back then, I admired him alot.
"Like Attila, he was also very studious. We'd find him cooked up in his room reading and taking notes after notes. He seemed very passionate---no, desperate, to find something. And that something made him commit an atrocity.
One night, I was walking around the Order Tower's halls when I heard a blood-curling scream. I recognized the voice: it was my brother's. I followed it and found the door to his room open. I looked inside and the sight still appears in my nightmares.
I saw blood. A lot of blood.
My brother, on the floor, his entire face bloodied. Moaning in pain.
And Balthazar. Standing over him with some sort of luminous knife on his hand. He turned to me and said that I was interrupting something. Something that would continue Attila's legacy and accomplish what he hadn't.
And then, he told me to run.
And I did.
I ran away from the Tower. I ran as far as I could. I was scared stiff. That boy was no longer human. He was the material nightmares are made of. I ran and ran without stopping, until my legs couldn't take it anymore.
And even so, I ran some more. Somewhere along the way, my mind went blank. When I regained consciousness, I had reached Soula. I met a man named Eldus Egas, a Sage. I also met a man and a kid around my age that were opening up a dojo. You know them now as Master Rye and Gee. I took shelter with them after I told my situation to Eldus. I founded Angel's Crow. I gathered my forces.
And I swore I'd go back to the Tower and defeat Balthazar."
-How about your brother? Was he dead?
-I...don't know. Of all the intel we've been gathering on the Order, we haven't found anything about his movements. It's like he's a ghost. And Terri and Sobek won't tell me anything. The rest of the Elites were pretty sore about me leaving, but I have a feeling that they were threatened. By Balthazar. If I don't know what happened to my brother, I'll only want to reach him faster. That's what he wants.
Noah thought for a second.
-But isn't that it?
Lucy looked over at him, puzzled.
-What is?
-Your reason to fight. Your brother and your grudge against Balthazar. They are your reason to fight. And are also your courage. Lucy, I don't think you are a coward. But you are definitely a human being. It's OK to be scared. And by what you've told me, that sounds like a pretty terrifying scenario. But isn't what you do after you ran what makes you a coward or not?
-What...do you mean?
Noah scratched the back of his head.
-It's...tricky to explain. You ran from the Order, but now you're fighting to set everything right. Doesn't that make you brave?
-Tch, those are just excuses to pull me along, Noah. I rely on the gratitude of the people and the peace of this country to hide my cowardice. I want to be appreciated and useful. Without that, I'd be scared. Deep down...I'm afraid to go back and face my past. That's why I hid it from all of you. That would just make you look at me like the enemy. From what I was trying to run away from.
-But do you even need to run away, Lucy? Does the fact that you were in the Order make you any less different?
Lucy got up from her chair and faced Noah.
-I'm a killer, Noah! A child-soldier! How can people follow a ruthless killer?!
-But you're also the one that gave hope to those countless people! You're also the one that gave an empty kid like me a life! A purpose! You're already useful to everyone! The fact that we stand beside you shows you our gratefulness. From Mercedes and Merceny, to Axel, Guy and Zeke, to Terri, to Sobek, to the Masters, to Eldus and to me, you've given everyone a purpose. You gave us courage! And in turn, you have to accept that we can give it back to you when you feel like running! You're not a coward! You brought us together! And now we all will stand together until the bitter end! Running away now, after uniting us all, Lucy...that would be real cowardice. Because you'd be running from your second chance at making things right! Alongside us! This isn't your fight. It never was! It was our fight! Our tears, our sweat, our blood! Our courage! A courage that we share among us. And that includes you. We may never escape from this cycle of violence. But we may as well face it together, not turning our backs and running from it!
Lucy didn't answer him. She just stared at him.
-A-ah...s-sorry...I ended up ranting---
His words were interrupted by Lucy wrapping his arms around his neck and bringing him close to her, his face landing on the taller woman's shoulder. She held him tight, tears rolling down her face in cascades.
-I-I'm sorry, Noah..! Gods, I'm such an hypocrite! I bring you into this life and you're the one that has to set me straight! I'm such a proud, stupid, dumb...bimbo! And a scaredy-cat, to boot!- she blurted out between sobs.
Noah's face was splashed with surprise. His hands were in the air, around her, not really sure on what to do. Eventually they wrapped around them around her waist and let her cry it all out.
The angel's tears feel onto the earth, stripping her of her fragile winds but giving her feet to walk on her own.
*
A few minutes later, Lucy sat back on the chair, wiping her eyes.
-Feeling better?- Noah asked, with a small smile.
She nodded, grinning.
-Much better. You're a lifesaver, Noah. I wouldn't gotten out of that stump if you hadn't come here and talked some sense into me.
-Heh, I just talked what seemed natural, Lucy. I'll always be by your side.
"I'll always be by your side, Lucy."
-Everyone else is waiting outside. I think Mercedes wants to apologize for yelling at you---um, Lucy?
She seemed lost, just staring up at Noah, her emerald eyes coated with a childish fascination. She suddenly shook her head, blushing lightly.
-Ah, sorry. I was just overcome with a sudden wave of...nostalgia?
-What's a "nos-tal-gi-a" ? Are you sick?
She sighed.
-Oh, you're really tactless, kiddo.
He laughed.
-I guess I still have much to learn, then.- He extended his hand to her. -Ok then, we don't want to keep everyone waiting, right? So...
She grabbed his hand, a firm clapping sound filling the hall.
-Let's go, Lucy.
"Let's go, Lucy."