|| Eye of the Tempest ||
|| Eastern Sanbreque ||

Gaia flew toward the vortex and managed to infiltrate the swirling winds. Because of the dust and dirt stirred up by the winds, it was difficult to find Garuda. She dodged large pieces of debris that were flying around before searching for the Eikon. She doubted she could speak to Garuda knowing she was hellbent on destroying everything in her path.

Searching the winds Garuda was using to conceal herself, Gaia was taken by surprise when the Eikon appeared seemingly out of nowhere and was knocked from the sky. The goddess' body slammed into the ground as Garuda snickered and flew off again.

Lifting her body off the structure she fell on, Gaia got off the ground. The lower half of her body, which was only composed of white feathers and green leaves in the shape of a skirt, blew in the heavy winds. She wasn't injured from Garuda's attack, knowing she was simply being toyed with.

Instead of looking for Garuda, Gaia remained where she was to lure the Eikon out of hiding. If she wanted to play then she'd join in. She waited and waited until she noticed a disturbance in the winds and turned just in time to see Garuda flying straight for her with her talons at the ready.

With a wave of Gaia's hand, massive vines shot out of the ground and wrapped around Garuda. The Eikon screeched as she was slammed against the ground. The vines tightened around her body and caused her immense pain. The thorns along the vines pierced her body. Using her sharp talons, Garuda sliced through the vines and freed herself.

Gaia knew the vines wouldn't hold her for long, but she was hoping it would have been more of a struggle for the Eikon. The goddess dodged Garuda when she attempted to grab her in her talons. She used more vines and managed to create a barrier from her flurry of attacks.

Garuda sliced through the vines protecting Gaia and was able to grab her by the throat. She snickered and used her wings to force the goddess against the ground. Her sharp talons wrapped tightly around her neck and pierced the skin. She used her other hand to try and claw out the goddess' eyes, but more vines erupted from the ground and knocked her away.

Gaia flew up into the sky. She held out her hand and summoned a large fireball. Throwing it at Garuda, the fireball hit its mark. The Eikon screeched as flames burned her feathers and the vines restraining her. She flew back into the vortex and disappeared.

She wondered where she had gone until she sensed the presence of not one but two fire Dominants. Her eyes widen in shock, knowing one had to be Clive. She sighed heavily, already knowing Cid wasn't able to keep him away. Wondering if Garuda would target Clive, she set out to find him.

Luckily, Gaia found him just before the Eikon struck. She batted Garuda away with a powerful blast of water. Once the Eikon was out of sight, she glanced down at Clive.

"Thank you, Lyra," Clive told her.

"I should have known you wouldn't listen," she confessed.

"I couldn't let you do this alone, and that fire Dominant...he's here."

She couldn't tell him the truth. Not yet, at least. "I shall do all in my power to keep Garuda away from you while you deal with the fire Dominant."

Clive nodded. "Understood. Thank you, my goddess."

Hearing him say that made Gaia smile in amusement. It usually was only Cid who referred to her in such a manner, but she didn't mind. Without another word, she flew above to keep a lookout for Garuda.

It wasn't long before Garuda attempted to attack Clive.

Gaia ensured his safety as he made his way to the top of the path. She kept Garuda away from him as he pursued the fire Dominant. She thought she had injured the Eikon with her magic earlier, but it seemed she was still going strong.

Suddenly, Garuda vanished from sight.

Gaia looked around and saw the Eikon flying straight for the cliff Clive was. She flew after Garuda just as she shattered the rock and the path. She saw Clive being swept upward by the wind with Garuda heading straight for him.

Using a powerful lightning spell, she knocked the Eikon back just far enough for her to soar toward Clive and grab him gently in her palm. She ensured he wouldn't fall from her hand as she flew around to avoid Garuda. She used her magic to keep her away, but she could feel herself drawing closer to her limit.

Suddenly, Gaia was taken by surprise when Garuda swooped downward at high speed. The goddess saw the Eikon was trying to slice the hand that held Clive. Using her body to protect him, Garuda's sharp talons sliced deeply into her back.

Gaia cried out in pain at the top of her lungs. It only hurt more when Garuda continued to dig her talons into her back. The combination of the pain and being at her limit was enough to knock her from the sky. As her body plummeted downward, she made sure to protect Clive. She could barely make out him shouting her name before she slammed into the ground and everything went dark.

|| The Hideaway ||
|| Central Storm Deadlands ||

Slowly, Lyra opened her eyes. A faint groan slipped from her lips as she sat up. She looked around and realized she was in her room at the hideaway.

"Ah, you're finally awake."

Lyra looked over to see Cid sitting in a chair not far from the bed. Lying next to him was Torgal, who was fast asleep.

"What happened?" She asked, confused as to what occurred after she lost consciousness. The last thing she did remember was the excruciating pain of Garuda's talons being lodged into her back.

"Well..." Cid told her about how Clive was able to defeat Garuda, but he had transformed into Ifrit and lost control. Using Ramuh to subdue him, Cid was able to carry both Clive and herself back to the hideaway with Torgal's helps. While she was placed in her room so she could recover, Clive was chained up in a cell. Seeing the lack of reaction when he told her about Clive's transformation, Cid leaned forward in the chair. "You already knew, didn't you?"

Lyra hung her head. "Yes. I was with Clive when he transformed into Ifrit for the first time thirteen years ago. It was his awakening that triggered my own memories. That was the night I remembered who I truly was. I couldn't say anything because..."

"You wanted to spare him the sorrow," Cid finished her sentence with a low, melancholic tone of voice.

She nodded. "But I believe I have made a grave mistake."

"If I were you, I wouldn't visit him just yet," he said. "I'm afraid he remembers that night all too clearly now, and he knows you were there."

She covers her face with her hands. "Oh, heavens..." A few tears escaped her eyes. "He must abhor me for not telling him..."

Cid wanted to deny her claim, but he couldn't when someone knocked on the door. He stood up and answered it to find Tarja on the other side. She nudged past the man and entered the room.

"Well, come right in," Cid sarcastically said.

Tarja approached the bed. "How are you feeling, Lyra?"

The golden-haired woman lowered her hands to reveal her tear-stricken face. "Physically, I'm fine."

The physician frowned. "What's gotten you all teary-eyed? Did Cid say something?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm afraid I've made a mistake and may not be able to recover from it."

Tarja wiped away one of the woman's tear with a smile. "I'm sure you can, my lady. If you need help, don't hesitate to call upon me. You are a dear friend of mine, after all."

Lyra managed a small smile. "Thank you, Tarja."

"If you're physically fine, I won't force you to stay in this bed. I'm heading back to the clinic."

"Before you go... How is Jill?"

"She's doing fine and should regain consciousness soon."

She sighed in relief. "That's good..."

Tarja departed and returned to the clinic.

"So..." Cid closed the door behind the physician. "Are you up for a small trip to Kingsfall? I heard it's lovely this time of year."

"What requires our attention at Kingsfall?" Lyra inquired.

"We're meeting Gav. Apparently, he's picked up the scent of that Dominant your sweetheart is after."

She looked away. "Perhaps this search should end. Clive has learned the truth. There is no need to search for this other Dominant..." She slid off the bed, which alerted Torgal. He woke up and she smiled at him. "It's good to see you're all right, Torgal."

The canine stood up. He walked over and placed his head in her lap. She petted the top of his head. "But, we should go to meet Gav. He has been working hard lately. The poor man will need a break after this."

"Glad you agreed because Clive's coming along...after he finishes groveling in his cell," Cid said. "Perhaps you can mend bridges along the way."

She sighed heavily. "I...don't think it will be that easy."

"Oh, come off it," he remarked. "There's no way that lad could ever hate you."

"Still..." Lyra stood up once Torgal backed away. "I shall head to Kingsfall and meet you both there."

Cid exhaled. "All right, fine. At least take the dog with you."

Torgal barked in response.

"Then Torgal and I will meet you and Clive at Kingsfall." She smiled at the canine. "Let's go, Torgal."

Cid watched the woman leave with the dog next to her. "This is going to be interesting..."

|| The Kingsfall ||
|| Northwestern Sanbreque ||

When Lyra and Torgal arrived at their destination, they waited for Clive and Cid. To pass the time, she played with the canine. Her time with him made her dampened mood lift, but that joy didn't last very long when she saw Cid and Clive had arrived.

She tried to smile, but she couldn't force herself. "Good. You both made it safely."

"We know it's rude to keep a lady waiting, but we hope we didn't make you wait too long," Cid playfully said.

"Not at all." Lyra stroked the top of Torgal's head. "I had wonderful company."

She thought about saying something to Clive when she felt the heavy atmosphere surrounding him. Her eyes met his for a brief second before he looked away. Overcome with melancholy, she didn't dare say anything and decided to speak only to Cid. "We shouldn't keep Gav waiting."

Cid glanced between the two before being the one person who tried to fight off the suffocating silence. "Not so long ago, this here was a thriving trade route," he explained as they continued down the path. "Then the Blight came, the people left, and just like that, it was deserted. Making it the perfect little shortcut."

"Your "shortcuts" aren't exactly my ideal traveling method," Lyra spoke up. "Last time I took one of your lovely shortcuts, I was ambushed by goblins."

Smirking, he patted her on the shoulder. "Shorter traveling times come with a price, y'know." He then noticed where they were and said, "Gav's waiting for us up ahead. Come on."

Lyra walked ahead with Cid and Torgal, but Clive was lagging behind. The woman said nothing, knowing he didn't want to talk to her.

"Still feeling sorry for yourself?" Cid asked, turning around to face Clive.

"Don't. Please..." Clive mumbled.

Lyra turned her back to the men, hugging herself in an attempt to make herself smaller to avoid being drawn into the conversation.

"Think about it, Clive. The rumors all point to—" Cid fell silent at the sound of whistling. He looked around when he recognized the sound. "That was an imperial signal. They shouldn't be here. The old fort's been abandoned for years..."

"We best find Gav, and quickly," Lyra said.

Cid turned back to Clive and the golden-haired woman. "Our little chat can wait. I need to see what the bastards are up to. You two go on ahead and meet up with Gav."

"But we both know that—" Clive tried to argue, but Cid interrupted him.

"No buts about it."

Cid took off.

Lyra watched the man leave before looking toward Clive. She felt the awkwardness returning now that Cid was gone and she couldn't bring herself to look at him for long. Turning her back to him, she walked ahead. She could feel his eyes on her back as they walked down the path toward the waterfall. She tried to dismiss his gaze, but it was becoming overwhelming.

When they arrived at a cliff that they would be jumping down, Lyra finally broke the silence without looking at Clive. "If you hate me, please do so in silence. I...wouldn't be able to bear hearing you say it..." She jumped off the ledge to the area below.

Unbeknownst to her, Clive reached out to touch her but his hand froze mid-air because she had jumped down. He retracted his hand, clenching his fist tightly. He wasn't sure how he felt toward her now that he knows she had kept the truth from him. Pushing his thoughts aside, he jumped down with Torgal and followed after her.

They fought through some spiders before crossing the river. Further down the side path, they ducked under a downed tree and heard a strange sound. Suddenly, they were ambushed by a minotaur. It was a tough opponent, but they came out on top and continued to the meeting point in silence.

Soon, they reached a wooden bridge.

Halfway across, Clive called out to the woman. "Lyra." Because of the silence and the recent battles, he was able to think a little.

Hearing her name, Lyra stopped but didn't turn to face him. Her long ponytail swayed in the breeze as the sound of the rushing water below filled the silence. She wanted to know what he wanted to say, but she was also afraid. She didn't realize she tensed up until she felt Torgal nudge her hand with his snout. She glanced down at the canine to see him looking up at her. When he whined, she knew what he wanted her to do.

Lyra turned to face Clive. She mentally prepared herself for what he wanted to tell her. She would accept whatever his decision was.

Clive felt his heart ache when he saw how dull her emerald eyes were. He knew it was because of him the usual brightness was gone. Though he had wished she would have told him the truth, he understood why and still appreciated her help. He also needed to thank her for the battle with Garuda. She had taken a powerful blow from the Eikon to protect him. "Lyra, I—"

All of a sudden, Torgal started growling. Clive and Lyra glanced at the canine to see he was looking in the distance. They followed his gaze and found Gav being chased by imperial soldiers.

"Oh, no," Lyra gasped.

"Gav!" Clive shouted.

Without hesitating, Lyra transformed into a hawk and flew after Gav in hopes of being able to help him. She flew as fast as she could and eventually caught up to him. He was near the edge of the waterfall and surrounded by imperial soldiers. She could see his injured left arm. He was heavily wounded to the point he couldn't use his left arm.

Reverting, Lyra landed between Gav and the imperial soldiers. She had her talismans at the ready and used her magic to knock them back. To her dismay, one of the soldiers recognized her.

"The miracle healer! She's here!" One of the imperial soldiers shouted.

"Capture her and kill the rat!" Another hollered.

Lyra glared at the men as some of them surrounded her and the others tried to attack Gav. There were many soldiers and she tried to keep them away from him by using her magic, but there were too many. A few managed to slip past her and rush toward the scout. She tried to get to him, but the soldiers made sure to block her way.

Growing tired of them, she blew the soldiers around her with wind magic and was able get them away from her. She ran to Gav to help him, but she watched in horror as he slipped off the edge of the waterfall. She blew a few of the imperial soldiers over the waterfall before falling to her knees at the edge. In a panic, she peered down to see the scout hanging from a branch. "Gav!"

Gav looked up at the woman. Because of his injured arm, he couldn't pull himself up. He was about to accept her help when she reached down, but his eyes widen at spotting an imperial soldier behind her. "Behind you!"

Just before Lyra could turn around, a blade pierced her shoulder. She screamed in pain as the sword was yanked out of her body. Blinded by the pain, she didn't realize she slipped from the edge until it was too late. However, her fall was halted when Gav caught her with his injured arm. He winced in pain but gripped her wrist tightly to keep her from falling.

Lyra, finally realizing the situation she was in, looked up at the scout. "Gav..."

"I've gotcha!" Gav shouted.

"Gav! Lyra!" Clive shouted as he and Cid witnessed what happened. They cut down the remaining imperial soldiers before coming to their aid.

When Clive appeared from the ledge, Lyra heard the faint splintering of wood. She noticed the branch Gav was holding onto was beginning to break. She knew what she had to do. "Gav, let me go!"

"Wha—Are ya crazy?!" Gav shouted.

"At this rate, the branch will break and both of us will fall! I cannot protect us both!"

The scout was troubled. He saw the branch was about to give way because of the excess weight.

Clive reached down toward them. "No! I won't let that happen!"

Lyra gazed up at Clive. She smiled at him. "It'll be all right, Clive. So, please..."

The splintering noise was increasing.

When she felt Gav tighten his hand around her wrist, she knew she had to take matters into her own hands. "Forgive me, Gav." She sent an electric shock through his arm, forcing him to let go of her.

Clive's eyes widen in horror as she fell. "Lyra!"

As her body plummeted through the air, Lyra used her talismans to protect her from the rocks and the water. Even when her body collided with a few stones, she could barely feel the impact. It wasn't until her body plunged into the river below did her bleeding shoulder ache as if she had been stabbed again in the same spot.

Once her talismans dispersed, she swam to the surface and broke through with a sharp gasp. Her body ached and her shoulder bled as she feebly swam over to a nearby bank. She pulled herself out of the water and flopped down on her back with a heavy sigh. She regretted it immediately when the gravel pressed against her wounded shoulder. At a time like this, she wished she could use her magic to heal herself.

Feeling exhausted, she closed her eyes and thought of happier times.

*****

"You're more stubborn than your mother..." Rodney sighed.

A ten-year-old Lyra had just returned to Eastpool to see Hanna, her adoptive mother, alongside her father for a few days before returning to Rosalith. They had gone out to buy goods for her mother so they could have a proper feast tonight, and she had been insistent on carrying one of the small boxes.

"It isn't even that heavy!" Lyra protested. "I can handle it, Father. It's only vegetables, after all."

"All right," he sighed in defeat. "But if it gets too heavy—"

"It'll be fine. We're almost home."

Rodney and Lyra returned home and found Hanna already working on dinner. They gave her the items they bought and offered to help her.

"Rodney, you go and rest. Leave dinner to us, darling," Hanna told her husband.

He didn't argue and stepped out of the kitchen.

Lyra giggled. "He still hasn't improved his cooking."

Hanna smiled in amusement. "I figured as much." She then leaned down and whispered to her daughter. "That is why I insisted he rest. Your father has a tendency to burn what I thought was impossible to burn. He's an excellent Shield, but a terrible cook. It's a good thing he has you in the capital with him. I'd be worrying to death about him if you weren't there."

Lyra stopped cutting the potato, her cheerful smile vanishing. "Are you truly all right staying in Eastpool while we're gone?"

Hanna smiled at her. "Of course, darling. Though, I do wish you both would return home more often."

"Is there no way for you to come with us?"

Hanna lowered the knife she was using to chop up the meat. "I'm sorry, my little starlight. I must stay here."

"In that case, I'll be doubly sure we make more time to visit you!" Lyra announced.

Hanna smiled. "I know you will work everything out."

They got back to preparing dinner. It took an hour for all the dishes to be completed. They placed the dishes on the table and called for Rodney. The three gathered around the table and ate the delicious meal.

Rodney sighed in contentment. "My, what a delicious meal! The founder himself has blessed me with Valisthea's finest chefs."

Hanna smiled at her husband. "Most of it was prepared from the recipes Lyra created. I believe she has a secret talent for cooking."

"A recipe is only as good as the cook who prepares it," Lyra replied. "I couldn't have made it all tasty without your help, Mother."

"You are too kind, darling."

"Speaking of help, I've heard from Sir Wade and Sir Tyler," Rodney said, smiling at his daughter. "You're doing fine working on mastering your magic. Even His Grace commemorates your skills."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Hanna replied joyfully. "You truly are working hard. What about your friends?"

"They are doing well," Lyra said. "Clive has been working hard for Joshua's sake, and Jill has her hands full with her duties. Regardless, we all find time to spend with each other."

"And your healing magic?"

The girl's smile widened. "I have been able to ease Joshua's pain, but I also help with any injured men among the army. At times, they get carried away with their training and injure themselves."

"You're just a busy bee," Hanna laughed. However, her joy seemed to vanish when she recalled what Rodney said in his previous letter. "And...how fares the duchess?"

Rodney sighed heavily. "I'm afraid she still attempts to have our daughter branded, but His Grace has been graciously preventing her from doing so."

The woman frowned sorrowfully. "I am grateful for his intervention. I would prefer Lyra to stay with me, but...she has friends who care about her just as much as we do. I could never take that from her."

"Everything will be all right," Rodney reassured her. "The duchess will not get her way, I assure you, darling."

Lyra felt the slight tension in the air from the topic and stood up. She grabbed her parents' plate with a gentle smile. "All this gloom calls for dessert, don't you think?"

Rodney and Hanna smiled.

"Dessert sounds wonderful," Rodney said.

"Truly, it does," Hanna replied.

Lyra was happy to feel the tension was gone. She returned to the kitchen and grabbed the dessert. She served her parents before sitting down and enjoying the dessert. They all had smiles on their faces and she couldn't have been any happier.