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31_days2020-05-14 09:00 pm
gershom_onyx) wrote in 31_days2020-05-14 09:00 pm
Entry tags:
[05 / 14 / 20] [Fire Emblem Heroes] Deep Arcadia
Title: Deep Arcadia
Day / Prompt: 14 / Searching For A Hero
Fandom: Fire Emblem Heroes
Character(s) / Pairing(s): Alfonse, Celica, Fae, Idunn
Rating / Warning(s): All Ages
Word Count: 1,020
Notes: One more day to halfway!
The passage of time varies from one world to the next. Maps have been made of the gates, but no one in the World of Zenith has been able to determine the shape of time as it relates to the worlds and their gates.
For Alfonse and Celica, the journey from Lycia to Arcadia in the deserts of Nabata covers a span of months, though Alfonse is confident, due to the age of the former Hero Roy at their meeting in Pherae, that they will be able to return to the Kingdom of Askr from their long journey with little time lost.
* * * *
"I've read about this place many times," Alfonse said, removing his hood as he passed through beneath the arch that separated Arcadia from the open desert outside its walls, "but this is my first time being here in person." He smiled in spite of the tiredness that was clear in his face. "You'll have to forgive me for being a little excited by this. Arcadia's a very special place."
"After all the effort it's taken us to get here, I hope you're excited about it." Celica spoke to him with a familiarity that had not been present at their first meeting, but the time they had spent abroad in the World of Binding had helped soften the barriers between them. "If this Idunn is as powerful as you say she is, she'll be exactly what you need to win your wars."
It's your war, too, Celica, Alfonse thought to himself, though he did not voice it, since he and Celica had debated the notion more than once during their journey. Instead, he nodded to her as they walked through the dust-covered streets of the village, beginning to attract attention.
"Alfonse?" A voice that he recognized, young and female. "Alf-Alf?"
The smile came back to his face. "Hello, Fae." He dropped to one knee to be at her level. "One hundred years, and you're still exactly as I remember."
The small Dragon made a face at him, puffing up her cheeks with indignation. "That's exactly what I don't want you to say! I'm taller!" He patted her on the head, and she still managed to look angry, but only for a second. After that, she sighed and asked, "You're here to see Idunn, aren't you?"
Alfonse nodded, rising back to his feet. "I promise I'll make time to play, don't worry. Does she still live at the shrine? Can you take me to her?"
"Yeah." She paused to look at Celica, sniffing the air. "This one's got a little Dragon blood in her, too, but it goes back a long, long way." She grinned. "Not enough for a Dragon Stone, but it's still in there."
"Mother Mila's blood," Celica murmured as Fae led the way, pulling Alfonse by the hand and making good time despite her short legs. "The blood of Zofia." She followed the two of them at a discreet distance. "I learn more about myself by accident while I'm with you than I would ever have learned at home."
What she said did not escape Alfonse. "I know it means a great deal to you, but you'd be surprised just how many royal families have the blood of Dragons in them. Mine does, too, but it's even more diluted than yours. Fae can't even smell it." That made Fae grin broadly, and he patted her on the head again.
It did not take long to reach the shrine that Alfonse had mentioned, and Fae stopped there, saying, "It's better if you go and talk to her yourselves. We can play after you get back." Despite her youth, her face seemed serious.
"All right." As he and Celica crossed the threshold of the shrine, the air itself seemed to change, becoming heavy in a way that was difficult to describe, and the interior seemed so still that nothing could move it.
Idunn sat at the altar, her back to her visitors, wrapped from head to toe in a long, purple cloak. She did not speak until they came close, and her voice was very soft: "You've come to me to finish your war, Prince of Askr."
"Not the war that you know, Idunn," Alfonse said. "Askr and Embla are one."
"Then your enemy is the Summoner." That made Alfonse blink. "Power corrupts. This, I know. And no one has greater power than the Summoner. In strong and sure hands, that power can save the world, but that is not what has happened." She turned to face him, the depths of her two-colored eyes making him feel like he had no secrets. "With the help of Roy, I regained the light of my soul. I am no longer a tool of destruction. You would have me turn my back on that for the sake of defeating a mere man who is unequal to his power."
"Your power is so great that no number of summoned Heroes can stop you, Idunn. That's why I'm here. I'm not asking you to kill. I'm only asking you to clear a way." He bowed his head. "I will deal with the Summoner myself."
"I refuse." She stood and faced him. "Strength is not the answer. You already have the means to triumph." She took him by the hands, and he again felt that she could see into his very soul. "You have bravery, but what you need is compassion, the very quality your Summoner lacks. That is your answer."
"Idunn, I –" He rethought what he was going to say. "I'll ... keep searching."
"Stay the night," she replied, nodding. "When humans dream in Nabata, it often shows them what they need to see." She returned to her seat, though she added, "Don't forget to play with Fae. She's been in need of a familiar face."
Outside, Celica turned to him and said, "I think I know what she means. We'll talk about it before we leave this place. For now, though –" Fae ran up to the two of them, smiling from ear to pointed ear. "– let's just play."
END.
Day / Prompt: 14 / Searching For A Hero
Fandom: Fire Emblem Heroes
Character(s) / Pairing(s): Alfonse, Celica, Fae, Idunn
Rating / Warning(s): All Ages
Word Count: 1,020
Notes: One more day to halfway!
For Alfonse and Celica, the journey from Lycia to Arcadia in the deserts of Nabata covers a span of months, though Alfonse is confident, due to the age of the former Hero Roy at their meeting in Pherae, that they will be able to return to the Kingdom of Askr from their long journey with little time lost.
* * * *
"I've read about this place many times," Alfonse said, removing his hood as he passed through beneath the arch that separated Arcadia from the open desert outside its walls, "but this is my first time being here in person." He smiled in spite of the tiredness that was clear in his face. "You'll have to forgive me for being a little excited by this. Arcadia's a very special place."
"After all the effort it's taken us to get here, I hope you're excited about it." Celica spoke to him with a familiarity that had not been present at their first meeting, but the time they had spent abroad in the World of Binding had helped soften the barriers between them. "If this Idunn is as powerful as you say she is, she'll be exactly what you need to win your wars."
It's your war, too, Celica, Alfonse thought to himself, though he did not voice it, since he and Celica had debated the notion more than once during their journey. Instead, he nodded to her as they walked through the dust-covered streets of the village, beginning to attract attention.
"Alfonse?" A voice that he recognized, young and female. "Alf-Alf?"
The smile came back to his face. "Hello, Fae." He dropped to one knee to be at her level. "One hundred years, and you're still exactly as I remember."
The small Dragon made a face at him, puffing up her cheeks with indignation. "That's exactly what I don't want you to say! I'm taller!" He patted her on the head, and she still managed to look angry, but only for a second. After that, she sighed and asked, "You're here to see Idunn, aren't you?"
Alfonse nodded, rising back to his feet. "I promise I'll make time to play, don't worry. Does she still live at the shrine? Can you take me to her?"
"Yeah." She paused to look at Celica, sniffing the air. "This one's got a little Dragon blood in her, too, but it goes back a long, long way." She grinned. "Not enough for a Dragon Stone, but it's still in there."
"Mother Mila's blood," Celica murmured as Fae led the way, pulling Alfonse by the hand and making good time despite her short legs. "The blood of Zofia." She followed the two of them at a discreet distance. "I learn more about myself by accident while I'm with you than I would ever have learned at home."
What she said did not escape Alfonse. "I know it means a great deal to you, but you'd be surprised just how many royal families have the blood of Dragons in them. Mine does, too, but it's even more diluted than yours. Fae can't even smell it." That made Fae grin broadly, and he patted her on the head again.
It did not take long to reach the shrine that Alfonse had mentioned, and Fae stopped there, saying, "It's better if you go and talk to her yourselves. We can play after you get back." Despite her youth, her face seemed serious.
"All right." As he and Celica crossed the threshold of the shrine, the air itself seemed to change, becoming heavy in a way that was difficult to describe, and the interior seemed so still that nothing could move it.
Idunn sat at the altar, her back to her visitors, wrapped from head to toe in a long, purple cloak. She did not speak until they came close, and her voice was very soft: "You've come to me to finish your war, Prince of Askr."
"Not the war that you know, Idunn," Alfonse said. "Askr and Embla are one."
"Then your enemy is the Summoner." That made Alfonse blink. "Power corrupts. This, I know. And no one has greater power than the Summoner. In strong and sure hands, that power can save the world, but that is not what has happened." She turned to face him, the depths of her two-colored eyes making him feel like he had no secrets. "With the help of Roy, I regained the light of my soul. I am no longer a tool of destruction. You would have me turn my back on that for the sake of defeating a mere man who is unequal to his power."
"Your power is so great that no number of summoned Heroes can stop you, Idunn. That's why I'm here. I'm not asking you to kill. I'm only asking you to clear a way." He bowed his head. "I will deal with the Summoner myself."
"I refuse." She stood and faced him. "Strength is not the answer. You already have the means to triumph." She took him by the hands, and he again felt that she could see into his very soul. "You have bravery, but what you need is compassion, the very quality your Summoner lacks. That is your answer."
"Idunn, I –" He rethought what he was going to say. "I'll ... keep searching."
"Stay the night," she replied, nodding. "When humans dream in Nabata, it often shows them what they need to see." She returned to her seat, though she added, "Don't forget to play with Fae. She's been in need of a familiar face."
Outside, Celica turned to him and said, "I think I know what she means. We'll talk about it before we leave this place. For now, though –" Fae ran up to the two of them, smiling from ear to pointed ear. "– let's just play."
END.