A/N: I just want to apologize for cutting out a lot of the Barnabas/Odin fight. I didn't like it because it felt like it was lacking compared to the other Eikon battles. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Lyra, after reverting back, landed at the northern exit of Eistla. She gazed at the barrier created by Odin's spears and examined it before holding her palm out over it. She could feel the darkness pulsating and knew just how to break through.

Just as she was about to break through the barrier, she caught sight of Clive, Gav, and Torgal standing in the plaza of the village. All three of them were safe. "Clive! Gav!"

Both men heard her shouting. They looked around until they found her outside of the barrier. They ran over to her, both visibly relieved to see she was safe.

"You're all right," Clive sighed in relief.

"What 'bout that other god?" Gav asked.

"Gone," she replied. "For now, at least. His behavior is strange and unsettling, but I am just relieved he has departed. Odin's appearance seemed to have been the cause of his withdrawal."

"And now there's this fuckin' barrier..." the scout groaned. "How're we—let alone you—s'posed to get through?"

"Stand back," she warned them. When both men stepped back, she placed her hand a few inches from the barrier. Using her own dark magic, she was able to counteract Odin's by applying a much more powerful spell that caused a small rupture in the barrier. She stepped through and it immediately closed behind her.

"Oh, using that fancy magic o' yours," Gav remarked. "But wouldn't it be better if we got out of the barrier instead of you comin' in?"

"Odin resides within the barrier, does he not?" she remarked, placing a hand on her hip.

"Well..."

"That twisted man has Crius, and I must get him back. I can't do that if I'm outside the barrier, can I?"

The scout sighed. "Even the nicest of gods is insane..."

Lyra glanced at Clive. "We should search the village. Perhaps we could find a place to rest for a short while to regain our bearings and deliberate our next move."

"Agreed," Clive said. "Let's go."

They searched the village of Eistla. Clive and Gav pushed on doors and jiggled handles to find any house that was unlocked. They were unsuccessful until they located a house near the main plaza where the doors were unlocked. Clive pushed open the doors, Gav following him into the house to check and make sure it was empty. Lyra and Torgal remained outside.

"Anybody here?!" Gav shouted, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

When Lyra heard faint sniffling, she entered the house. She silently walked behind Clive and Gav as they too heard the sniffling. They walked deeper into the house and found a poor woman hiding behind a barrel, weeping.

"Please... Please..." The woman begged. "Please no..."

Clive and Gav removed their hands from their swords as they slowly approached the woman. Lyra peered past them to examine her. She was shocked to discover she was pregnant.

"Er...miss—?" Gav asked. When the woman was startled by his voice and turned to him, he lifted his hands in the air to show he wouldn't harm her. "Whoa! Easy! Easy! We're not turned, all right?"

The woman glanced at him. "Who...?"

Lyra made her presence known. She smiled gently as she kneeled in front of the woman. "I hope you'll forgive us for startling you, my lady. Let me help you." She held out her hand.

The woman was hesitant, but she accepted the goddess' help. "Thank you, milady."

"What is your name?"

"Edda."

"Edda," Lyra reiterated her name, squeezing her hand lightly. "Let's make you a little more comfortable."

Lyra gingerly pulled Edda to her feet before escorting her over to one of the chairs. Gav handed her a blanket and she placed it around the mother and her plump belly to keep her warm. She then stepped aside so the scout could offer her the waterskin.

The mother kindly accepted the waterskin and drank the water. Once she was finished, she expressed her gratitude. "My thanks, kind travelers."

Clive opened a few windows to let in some fresh air and light.

Gav took the waterskin back when the mother handed it to him. "Edda. Forgive me for asking but—What went on here?"

Lyra noticed the way Edda rubbed her swollen belly with a sorrowful expression. She was quick to speak up. "If it is too painful, there is no need to push yourself."

"Thank you, but I will be fine." Edda then started to explain what happened as Clive walked over. "It all started when the skies changed. The elders said it was the Arche. One by one, people went mad—minds taken by the aether—till only I remained. By then, I was too far along to run...and then the knights came and...I didn't know what to do."

Gav glanced at Lyra and Clive before asking the mother, "And this, er..."Arche" is...?"

"Just a story," she explained. "Something our grandparents told us when we misbehaved. About how the heavens would grow dark before the land took her last breath."

"The end of the world," Clive said. "You said the others went mad. But where did they go?"

"They... They all left," Edda said, her voice shaking with sorrow as she spoke. "Drawn east to the tower. To Reverie. The elders, the healer, the blacksmith... My husband..."

Lyra took Gav's spot when he went to speak to Clive. She placed a hand over one of Edda's as it rested against her belly bump.

Gav glanced back at the women before asking, "You thinking he did this?"

"Of course. Who else could it be? You were in Kanver. You saw what he did to the people," Clive remarked.

The scout looked back again. This time, his gaze was solely focused on Edda. "But then what about her? How come her nut hasn't cracked?"

Clive also turned around to look at the expecting mother. "...The baby, perhaps? Could be protecting her from the aether. I can't think of any other explanation."

Surprised, Gav met the man's gaze. "You mean it's a Bearer?"

"It won't matter what it is once Ultima's magic takes hold. Time's running out." Clive turned to gaze out the window and at the large structure that loomed in the distance. "This tower... That's where we'll find the king."

Lyra had overheard the men's conversation, but her attention was still on Edda. As she provided her with some small healing to soothe her body and the baby, she was shocked by what Clive said next.

"I'm going alone."

Gav was also taken by surprise at the man's declaration. He stared at his back as he was about to leave. "So that's how it's going to be then?"

Clive spun around to face the scout. "I'm not asking, Gav. I need you to stay with Edda and Lyra."

"At least take Lyra," Gav argued. "Ya can't leave her behind."

"No," Clive snapped back. "I will not deliver her to the king so he may offer her to Ultima."

The scout glanced back at Lyra before falling silent.

Clive's eyes never left Gav. "I must do this alone. If I don't return, you're to find Joshua and make for the Enterprise. Understood?"

Gav couldn't argue. "Aye." He then spoke up again just as Clive opened the door. "Just don't you go dying on us. Cid's name suits your miserable mug better than mine."

Clive froze. He faintly smirked at the scout's words. "Don't worry. I haven't finished with it yet."

Lyra stood up and watched Clive leave. She walked over to the window just in time to see him and Torgal vanish from sight. Once he was gone, her gaze drifted to the tower. She didn't think much of following her beloved until what sounded like an echo in her mind grew louder and louder with each passing second. Her eyes widened in horror as she could hear Crius' painful cries in her head.

Closing her eyes, she leaned against the windowsill and tuned out Crius' cry. "Forgive me for leaving you in his clutches. I shall come for you soon, Crius..."

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Lyra turned around to see Gav's worried expression. "You all right?" he asked.

She nodded and turned away from the window. "Yes."

He stared into her emerald eyes and could tell what she was thinking. "You're goin' after him, aren't ye?"

She huffed out an airy chuckle. "I am, but I'll give him a head start. Clive believes he must do this alone when in truth he does not. He has been like this ever since we were children. It seems I have yet to break through that stubbornness of his."

Gav sighed in relief. "I trust him, but I would feel better if you were with him."

She smiled at the scout. "I will ensure of his safe return as will he see to my own. But first, let's see to Edda. I shall scour the village for any goods. She is an expecting mother, meaning she has not one but two mouths to feed. I will also clear out any enemies if some still wander the village."

"All right," Gav replied. "I'll keep Edda company."

Lyra left the house and searched Eistla. The first place she checked was the stalls she remembered seeing after she passed through Odin's barrier. She found one stall that had vegetables, fruit, and bread on display. Some of the crates were knocked over, their contents spread across the ground. She stepped over the spoiled produce and focused on searching the goods that were in the crates atop the table. She managed to find some fruit and bread that weren't spoiled and quickly returned to the house.

With the food in hand, she entered the house with a smile. She located a small plate that was clean and still intact and put the food on it. She then served it to Edda. "Please, eat. The stress and fear of the situation has taken a toll on your body. You must eat to replenish your strength, for your sake and the baby's."

Edda smiled gratefully. "Thank you, milady."

"Please, call me Lyra. If you need anything, do not hesitate to speak with me or Gav."

After a few minutes, Lyra found herself by the window again. She gazed up at the tower and inhaled deeply before exhaling. She could sense the darkness growing thick and knew it was time to pursue Clive. She turned to Gav, who was keeping a watchful eye over Edda. "Gav."

The scout met her gaze and knew she was ready to leave. "Be careful, eh?"

"I will. I'll be back with Clive and my missing beast before you know it. Take care of Edda."

He laughed. "Ya think I wouldn't?"

In the blink of an eye, Lyra transformed into a hawk and flew out of the window. She soared toward the tower that seemed to loom over all of Ash. As she broke through the clouds and flew toward the top of the tall structure, she could feel cold droplets smashing against her body. It was raining. Not only was the rain hitting her body, but she could also sense the darkness thickening even more. She knew this darkness was caused by only one person—Barnabas.

Reaching the top of the tower where the statue of Ultima was, she came to a stop and hovered in the air. Her piercing emerald eyes searched around and found Clive on a single knee with an armor-cladded Barnabas standing across the way. She saw that Torgal couldn't reach the platform both men were on.

Seeing the darkness swirling around Barnabas, Lyra reverted and her body began falling. She summoned her spear and used her weight to soar downward with the sharp tip aimed at the king. To her surprise, he had sensed her attack and blocked her spear with gungnir. She released her spear and leapt backward, her weapon reappearing in her hand.

Clive, shocked at her sudden appearance, got to his feet. "Lyra..."

Barnabas turned to the woman. "You may be a god, but you are not Him. Indra shall ensure your obedience to our true god!"

The woman rolled her eyes with a groan. "What a blind, demented man you are. Do you truly believe Ultima will see to your desires after he fulfills his own?"

Barnabas cackled insanely as he aimed his sword at her. "I shall walk in paradise alongside Him!"

"Clearly, you are too far gone for any redemption." Lyra released her spear and it floated in front of her. Using light magic, she was able to create copies of her spear. "No paradise awaits a man as tainted as you. You will never know Elysium or the Asphodel Meadows. You shall walk along the souls of the damned and know eternal suffering once your life has been extinguished. The burning halls of Taratus await you, Barnabas."

Her words resulted in Barnabas' rage igniting. "Heresy! You know naught of what lies in the wake of the Lord's paradise!"

The spears surged forward.

Barnabas was able to deflect all of them, except for one. It pierced his shoulder and knocked him back. Clive came up from behind him and swung his blade, catching the king off guard. He staggered, but he quickly recovered and put some distance between himself and the couple. The true battle began.

Clive and Lyra faced off against Barnabas.

Although the king was strong, the couple's strength combined was much stronger. With Clive's Eikonic abilities and Lyra's magic, they were able to gain the upper hand in the battle and keep it in their favor. Even when Barnabas used dark magic to strengthen himself, he didn't stand a chance against them.

Desperate for power, Barnabas primed and turned into Odin. Without his steed, his large form loomed over the battlefield.

"My heart! It soars!" Odin cried out as he swung his sword in an attempt to strike down Clive and Lyra. They both dodged and waited for a moment to strike while listening to the mad king's rambling. "As it did the day I won Ash. Since then, many have sought my crown, Mythos, Gaia! But none could wrest it from my head!"

"What a self-centered man," Lyra scoffed as she and Clive dodged Odin's blade once again. "A shame Waloed has such a man sitting on the throne."

"His reign ends here," Clive proclaimed.

She smirked. "Dethroning the higher-ups seems to be our specialty. We'll add one more name to that seemingly growing list."

Once Odin drew closer and was within attacking range, Clive and Lyra didn't hold back. They delivered blow after blow until the Eikon was no longer able to maintain his form. Forcefully being drawn back from Odin, Barnabas reverted and landed on his feet. His body still remained gleaming with aether as the battle dragged on.

The king continued his mad rambling as he used whatever power he could to strike. It was clear he was desperate as his attacks were becoming more and more reckless.

Lyra backed away from the battle to provide healing for Clive. The green light coalesced around the man and healed his wounds, allowing him to continue to fight. She decided to keep her distance and use magic until she heard Crius' voice again. Her eyes widened when she saw the familiar glow of a crystal come from underneath Barnabas' armor near his chest.

Feeling more determined than ever, she called out to her beloved. "Clive! His armor!"

Clive saw the glow and understood what he needed to do. "Leave it to me."

He attacked Barnabas with all his strength and soon knocked the man to a single knee. Using his blade, he sliced through the king's chest plate. From the large gash in the metal plating fell the crystal that imprisoned Crius. He picked it up while aiming his blade at Barnabas' throat. "This does not belong to you."

The aether encasing Barnabas' body vanished. Gripping Odin's sword, he was quick to get back to his feet. He tried to steal the crystal back, but Clive was much quicker than him.

With a powerful swing of his blade, Clive knocked the helmet off the king's head. He stumbled backward and fell to a single knee. He hung his head as he felt how weak he was. "Well... The day is at an end..."

Clive gazed down at the king. "And we all know the truth. It is we who stand victorious—our wills that prevailed."

Barnabas found amusement in Clive's words. "Your wills...? No." He stood up and gazed at the darkened sky. "It was His."

Lyra glared at the king as she remained where she stood. She was ready to use her magic to defend her and Clive if he tried anything.

Barnabas looked away from the sky. His eyes locked onto Clive. "You follow a weak god, Clive Rosfield!" With quick movements, he charged forward with Odin's sword. He swung it at the man, only for him to miss when he dodged.

Clive swung his sword at the king and slashed at his armor. The powerful swing caused the already existing gash in the metal to grow larger and the man's body to be flung backward. Barnabas' body fell off the side and plummeted to where the throne under Ultima's statue lay.

Clive walked to the edge with his sword still drawn. He watched the king's body slam against the ground before turning to Lyra. He held out the crystal to her. "I believe this is yours."

Lyra took the crystal. "Indeed..." She placed both hands on the crystal and absorbed Crius into her body. The crystal shattered and vanished. She sighed in relief when she heard his voice thanking her inside her head. "You are home, my guardian..."

"Let's finish this," Clive said.

"Agreed," she replied. Transforming into a griffin, she flew Clive down to where the barely-conscious Barnabas was. She reverted and Torgal rejoined them as they stalked over to the king.

The weak Barnabas managed to push himself onto his knees after coughing up blood. "Perhaps there is strength in will. Would that I had not relinquished my own..." A feeble chuckle fell from his bloodied lips, only for it to turn into another cough.

"You relinquished nothing," Clive hissed, glaring down at the man. "What was it, if not will, that made you strive for a new world? Strive to win your master's approval?"

"I..." Barnabas' consciousness faded as he fell to the wet ground.

"You were shown a fantasy. And you chose to believe it. But you were wrong. There is no world but the one we live in. And that world... That world is worth saving. Even if it means killing a god." Clive cast his glare toward the statue of Ultima. He then sheathed his blade and turned his back to the king. He took a few steps toward Lyra and Torgal until he was stopped when a hand gripped his ankle. Looking down, he saw the man was still alive.

"Bold words...from one who has served the Lord so well," Barnabas said.

"This is pointless—!" Clive hissed.

The king feebly lifted his head. "Ahh...but I almost forgot..." He chuckled, tightening his hold on the man's ankle. "I promised...that I would make you... presentable, did I not?" Channeling the darkness of the Eikon within him, he began willingly passing his power to Clive. "We shall fulfill our destinies... Just as the Lord's Mothercrystals have fulfilled theirs... Come, Clive Rosfield! Take what is rightfully yours! Become one with God!"

"No!" Clive shouted as he desperately tried to break free from Barnabas' grip.

However, it was too late.

The strands of darkness coalesced into Clive's body. He screamed out in pain and gripped at his chest as his body absorbed Odin's essence.

Suddenly, Lyra's spear appeared above the king and pierced him in the back. He grunted and coughed as the weapon was yanked out of his body before disappearing and his grip around Clive's ankle slackened.

Taking the chance, Clive kicked the king away from him and fell to the ground when he couldn't stand the pain.

Lyra rushed to Clive. She kneeled next to him and placed a gentle hand on his back. She looked over at the king when she heard his last words.

"At long last...salvation..." Barnabas' body was beginning to turn ashen as he lay on his back, gazing at the statue of Ultima. "I'm coming home...Mother..."

With those final words, Barnabas was dead. His body crumbled into ash before disappearing.

Lyra used what healing she could to provide Clive with some ease. Once he was okay, she helped him up. Before she could say anything, Ultima's voice echoed around them.

"Tell me. How does it feel?" Ultima asked.

Clive looked around for the entity. "Show yourself! Face us!"

"How does it feel to consume your rivals' strength? To gorge yourself on their being? To edge, step by trembling step, ever closer to the divine. With or without a will, you are still but a vessel. Our vessel. Behold... How your body shudders in anticipation of its fate."

The flames of darkness erupted from Clive's body. Lyra had been caught up in the blast, but she wasn't hurt. She could feel the darkness that the flames carried.

Taking control of his power, Clive calmed the darkness and the flames died down. "Oh... It's not yours yet."

"No," Ultima said. Then, the other-worldly being addressed the goddess. "Goddess of life, Gaia. Creation is within your grasp and yet you stave your hand. Come, open your mind so we may see what you do. Chosen by the stars, our unification would be most beneficial."

"My mind...?" Lyra muttered. She then recalled what happened at the shelves. "I..."

Clive glared at the statue of Ultima. "How many times do I have to say it—you will not have her!"

"Come then, O wayward child. We shall await you and the goddess upon the back of the first wyrm," Ultima's lifeless tone echoed one last time. "There, all shall end, and begin again."

When his voice faded, all that could be heard was the faint sound of the raindrops hitting the ground.

Clive gazed down at his palm as his body was still burning with darkness. Just as he was about to clench his fist and scream out in frustration, he was taken aback when Lyra grabbed his hands with both of hers.

She squeezed his hands and stared into his sapphire eyes. "Let's return to Eistla. Gav and Joshua are waiting for us."

He nodded. "All right."

Deciding to walk back to clear their heads, they traveled down the tower. The couple was silent all the way down. Not even Torgal barked or whined to break the silence.

It wasn't until they entered Halfcombe did Clive come to a sudden stop and break the silence. "Why did you come?"

Lyra was shocked at his question and his tone that hinted he was angry. She turned to him, her eyes narrowed in a glare. "Was my help truly so undesirable?"

"I told you to stay in Eistla," he snapped back.

"And I told you that you aren't alone yet you wander head-first into danger by yourself!" she yelled at him. "I gave you my blessing not so you may fight alone, but in hopes you would use your new strength to stand with me and the others! Instead, you chase after Barnabas by yourself! I know you are strong and I trust in your prowess, but stop going off by yourself! Stop leaving me—leaving us—behind!"

Clive felt his heart ache when he heard her tone shift from anger to sorrow. "Lyra..."

She took a deep breath, but she couldn't keep her voice from shaking. "I have lost so many dear to me... The gods, my parents, friends... And I know you have suffered just as much as I have." She felt tears beginning to form in her eyes as her vision turned glassy. She cupped her hands over her heart, just below where the necklace he gave her hung. "I cannot bear to lose anyone else, especially not the man I love. So please...don't leave me behind."

Lyra couldn't hold back her tears. She lowered her head as they poured from her eyes. Her body shook and she shrunk away from the world around her. Just before she could turn her back to him, two toned arms wrapped around her petite frame. She was pressed firmly against a broad chest.

"Forgive me..." Clive whispered to her as he held her tightly. "I only want to protect you."

"Is it not easier to protect others if they are by your side?" she asked barely just above a whisper.

Her words made him smile in amusement. "Perhaps so." He nuzzled his nose against her hair. He closed his eyes and held her as close as possible, inhaling her gentle floral scent. "I promise to never leave you behind again."

She sighed in relief. "That is all I ask."

Clive opened his eyes and pulled away from her. He placed one hand on her cheek and wiped away the few remaining tears. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you, Lyra."

She smiled gently at him. "And I love you, Clive."