Chapter Text
King Regis left them, he realized as the MTs closed in around Lunafreya.
King Regis left them, and didn't even look back.
A retched, angry sob tore it's way out of him as he curled over his mother's body. As if the would shield her from the Niflheim forces closing in around him, too, now. He couldn't bring himself to move as his sister was shepherded over to him, General Glauca standing off to the side and calling someone.
This was it. Tenebrae had fallen. He and Lunafreya were all that was left.
A soft crackling sounded. Not the flames.
He wasn't the only one who heard it, the MTs surrounding the two of them all turning towards the noise.
“Luna—”
That was all he managed to say before everything exploded in arcs of vibrant white lightning. The MTs juddered and crumpled against each other, only a few left standing afterwards. For a moment, Ravus almost thought that King Regis had come back for them.
But the person who lunged from the shadows beyond the flames was not King Regis. King Regis didn't wear white, certainly hadn't been today.
The remaining MTs clattered to the ground as the stranger's sword cleaved through them. Ravus scrabbled to his feet, pulling Lunafreya close as General Glauca retaliated. The stranger locked blades with him— not effortlessly, but not yielding an inch. As the general pressed relentlessly forward, not saying anything, lightning crackled over one of the stranger's arms, purple designs on the sleek armor glowing brighter.
There was a bright, blinding flash, accompanied by a heavy thud. As Ravus blinked away the spots in his vision, he felt himself scooped up and held tight under warm metal, against studded leather.
“Hold on, both of you!” a rough voice ordered. As Ravus hurried to obey, he felt Lunafreya brush against him.
He didn't know who this was, or if they were a good person. But for now, Ravus decided he wouldn't question it. They couldn't possibly be worse than Niflheim. If nothing else, they were already a far cry better than King Regis.
For what felt to be the next eternity, Ravus and his sister clung to their mysterious savior. The man dashed and wove through the invasion forces, occasionally unleashing waves of lightning that tingled against Ravus's skin, or shifting how he held them to avoid getting shot. Glauca's roars, distorted through his unnatural armor, would sound now and then, each time growing more and more distant. Several times, Lunafreya would gasp or whimper. Ravus was fairly certain he was doing the same, but he was trying to focus more on keeping his grip on their savior despite the growing ache in his arms and hands.
The sky had turned dark by the time the man stopped running. For a while, he didn't do anything, just held them. He was breathing heavily— Ravus didn't delude himself into thinking any of what the man had just done was easy. He had carried two older children through a... through an active war zone, essentially, dodging persistent enemy fire all while keeping the two of them unharmed.
But then he knelt down, releasing the two of them. Ravus first turned to Lunafreya— she was a bit on the grimy side, but it looked like she had escaped otherwise unscathed.
“Your arm...” his sister murmured worriedly, reaching out to touch his bicep.
“I-it's fine.” he tried to dismiss. He suspected his smile came as more of a grimace.
“If it's left alone, it'll get infected. Let me see it.” the man ordered.
After a moment, Ravus turned back towards the stranger, trying to position himself between Lunafreya and the unknown. For the first time, he was able to take in the man's appearance.
Well. Sort of.
The man wore a long coat that was originally white with black trim and purple accents. The design and cut of the garments was somewhere between Tenebraen and Niflheimr. A sword hung from his hip, and his left arm was armored from shoulder to fingertip. He wore a hood, pulled up and designed to hide his face, though a few locks of silvery-blonde hair were still visible framing his jaw.
As the man knelt down, gingerly taking Ravus's arm, Lunafreya asked, “Who are you?”
The man paused, fingers an inch away from brushing the injury on Ravus's arm. “... A friend.” he said in a somewhat stilted voice. As if he was restraining himself from saying more.
Blinking, Ravus realized something about the armored hand gently gripping his bicep.
“... That's magitech.” he breathed.
“... Unfortunately, yes.” their savior said grimly. “I'm not healer, but I can clean the wound and dress it. Do either of you have any other injuries?”
Ravus shook his head, doing his best to roll up his sleeve as the man reached into his coat.
“Are you... from Niflheim?” Lunafreya asked, resting her hands timidly on Ravus's shoulders. He reached up to touch her hand.
“Not by choice.” the man bit out, mouth tugged into a grimace.
For a while after that, silence fell. The stranger carefully dressed Ravus's injury, warning him that it would likely scar. After that, he reached into a different pocket and pulled out small water bottles and packets of dried fruit.
“It's going to be a long trek. Rest now, while Niflheim regroups.” the man advised as he handed them the items.
“Where are you taking us?” Ravus asked warily as Lunafreya opened up her water and drank.
“For now, there's an abandoned safehouse in Altissa. Once we reach it, the choice of where to go and what to do shall be up to the two of you.”
... That wasn't just a trek, that was a whole country away.
Ravus exchanged a look with his sister and resolved to rest as instructed.