|| Inner Sanctum ||
|| Drake's Breath ||

The bridge leading to the inner sanctum was littered with the Ironblood. However, that didn't stop Clive, Jill, Lyra, and Torgal. They cut through the men and didn't waste any time infiltrating the inner sanctum. As they walked through the gate, they could hear the sound of men chanting. Up the stairwell, they saw a group of men on their knees surrounded by guards. They were worshipping the Mothercrystal.

Jill's eyes scanned the men until she found the Patriarch standing before the bloodied altar. She glared at him and shouted his name. "Imreann!"

The high priest, along with all the other Ironblood, turned to the group. He met the woman's hateful gaze. "Shiva's Dominant. Come to beg forgiveness for your failure?"

Jill's eyes only reflected with more rage. "For years, I followed your orders. Fought your wars. All to protect the children you took, just as you took me. And what did you do in return? You put them in chains, and you slit their throats!"

"Fiend," Clive growled.

"A demon indeed," Lyra commented, her gaze remaining calm as she eyed the high priest.

Imreann was quick to defend his actions. "Their souls were sullied with the stain of aether! I merely cleansed them of their corruption! A penance paid. Just as the Holy Mother wills it." His eyes narrowed, his gaze never leaving the silver-haired woman. "Repent, abomination! For a monster like you to set foot in the holy Comraich is in itself a crime deserving of death!"

Jill lowered her head and gazed at her hand. "You're right. I am a monster. And my soul is stained black... Though not by aether." She lifted her gaze and glared at the man. "But by the evil of men like you, who made me close my heart and drown in darkness, when I should have raged against it!"

Jill turned to her childhood friends. "This is my penance."

Lyra nodded. "We're with you, always."

Jill smiled gratefully at her before she cast a glare at the high priest. "I will be your monster no more nor will I suffer you to create another." She drew her blade, ready to kill the man.

"Does the beast bare its teeth at its master?" Imreann spat. "Come then, Dominant-rage! Be as you have ever been... A monster!"

"And what are you, Imreann?!" Jill shouted angrily, swinging her blade down. "I was forced to kill—you do it by choice! But never again. I bowed to you once. Now it is you who shall bow to me!"

"Kill them," the high priest commanded.

As the Ironblood attacked, Jill semi-primed and jumped behind them to strike a few down. Clive swung his sword and pushed back the enemies while Lyra used her talismans to blow the men away.

In the middle of the fight, Jill and Lyra were distracting the enemies to draw their attention so Clive could destroy the Mothercrystal. Using the power of nature, Lyra created roots using aether that batted away the Ironblood to clear a way for him. He charged forward, only to come to a stop when lava spewed and blocked his path. Some of the Ironblood were caught in the lava and killed instantly. Lyra's roots were also burned to a crisp.

"What?!" Imreann shouted as his men fell victim to the lava.

Lyra was surprised by the strange activity of the lava until she noticed the being that formed from the molten rock. Her eyes narrowed when she sensed a familiar presence for a split second before it disappeared.

With the Ironblood dead, Jill set her sights on the liquid flame. She lunged at it with her sword and attacked. A burst of mist was created when she and the enemy collided. Lyra and Clive covered their faces as she transformed into Shiva. The Eikon hovered above and used her ice to target the liquid flame.

However, the enemy was tougher than she had thought.

Shiva dodged a fireball that nearly struck her and was forced to evade more attacks.

"Jill!" Clive shouted. He saw the Eikon struggling against the liquid flame. "I need Ifrit! Come on. Remember how it felt."

Lyra's attention was drawn to Clive when she felt him gathering aether. His body was encased in flames as he attempted to call upon Ifrit. She could feel the Eikon's presence, but it refused to be called upon.

As quickly as the flames appeared, they vanished. She rushed over and kneeled beside him, the ambers slowly fading. "Clive," she called to him worriedly.

"Why? Why can't I do it?!" Clive yelled in frustration.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do not force it, or you will harm yourself."

"But Jill..."

"Ifrit will come with time." Lyra got to her feet and stared at the liquid flame. "I shall help Shiva and distract the enemy. You and Torgal focus on a ground assault."

Clive was still upset he couldn't call upon Ifrit, but he knew they needed to slay the liquid flame. "All right."

With a blinding light, Gaia appeared. As she flew above, she noticed the lava rising. It was creeping closer to Torgal and Clive. From the corner of her eye, she saw Shiva activate her powers to create an ice barrier to prevent the canine and the man from being engulfed by the lava.

Gaia looked over at Shiva, who told her, "I will handle this."

The goddess nodded. "Understood."

With her larger form, Gaia outsized the liquid flame. Knowing water would be the most effective, she decided it would be her element of choice for this battle. Because she was a larger target, the enemy set its sights on her and attacked.

Gaia dodged the flames hurled her way and used water magic to counter a few attacks. She extinguished the flames and knocked the enemy back. She saw Clive and Torgal at its feet, delivering blow after blow.

When the liquid flame recovered, it leapt up at her and caught her off guard. It used its entire body to bat her out of the air and she fell to the ground. Before it could attack again, she threw out her hands and tendrils of water wrapped around its body. Its flaming body cooled and parts turned into stone due to the water. She got off the ground and rejoined the fight.

Eventually, the liquid flame broke free and jumped back. Channeling the lava flowing through its body, it ignited with flames and the heat grew more intense. The ice holding the lava at bay melted.

Clive saw the lava drawing closer to him and Torgal, but Gaia was quick to cool the edges of the flow with water before Shiva created a stronger ice barrier to protect the man and the canine. With the area secured again, Clive and Torgal were back to fighting against the enemy.

When the liquid flame began to shapeshift into different forms, Gaia used what water magic she could to trip up its attacks and allow Clive and Torgal to attack.

Finally, Clive was able to deliver the final strike. The liquid flame was defeated and it vanished. With the enemy defeated, Shiva changed back. Jill landed near the altar, kneeling as she was wracked with a coughing fit.

"Jill!" Clive shouted as he ran up the stairs to her.

She refused his help and weakly stood up. "I'm going to finish this, Clive." Using just a little more of her power, she offered it to him. "Here—use this." She infused his sword with Shiva's power.

Clive took his sword and approached the core of the Mothercrystal. With a single swing, he was able to destroy it. "Are you watching, Cid?" He murmured. "We're one step closer to freedom."

The shards of the Mothercrystal floated upward before surging toward Gaia. The goddess held out her arms as her body absorbed the shards. She felt a wave of relief wash over her when a portion of her memories and her powers were restored. Satisfied, the goddess vanished and Lyra returned. It was then she noticed the high priest was still alive.

"The crystal... What did you do to it?!" Imreann shouted, slumped over the altar.

Jill turned to the man. "Oh...we destroyed it."

"What?! But..." He stumbled toward her. "M-monster... Monster! Do you have any idea what you have done?!" He grabbed her arms with a searing glare.

"I do, Father. I have killed the monster..." Jill thrust her sword through the high priest, "and become an outlaw." She yanked her blade from his body and turned her back to him as he choked on his own blood. "May the Blessing of the Crystals go with you."

Imreann collapsed to the floor. He was dead.

Clive walked back to Jill. "It's over."

"It is," she replied, sheathing her sword.

"And Shiva exacted her price."

"She did."

Clive lowered his head slightly. "Again the burden fell to you and Lyra..."

Jill turned to gaze at the golden-haired woman waiting for them. "And we bore it willingly, but Imreann was my demon. This was a sin for which I had to atone." She looked back at the man. "Now, I can continue at your sides with my head held high."

When Clive and Jill turned to face Lyra, they were immediately horrified when they saw the white-haired man standing behind her. Both of them felt like they were reliving what happened at Drake's Head.

"Lyra!" Clive shouted. He and Jill were about to run down the stairs but froze the moment the woman turned around and jammed a spear through the god's chest. They were shocked to see the weapon materialize out of nowhere.

The goddess wrenched the spear from Indra's chest. "Consider it payback for what you did to me at Drake's Head."

Indra stumbled back, gripping at his bleeding chest. He was grinning sinisterly as he coughed up a glob of blood. "The weapon I gifted you those many centuries ago... You have reclaimed it. A fitting piece, indeed... Well played, Gaia." A weak chuckle fell from his bloodied lips before he vanished.

Lyra was more than satisfied with what she had done to the corrupt god. Gripping the spear tightly, she turned back to her friends just as the ground shook. She stumbled slightly but was able to remain standing upward. A portion of the ground crumbled to reveal what was hidden underneath it.

"By the heavens..." Lyra muttered in shock when she walked over to the edge to see the once-hidden mural down below.

Jill gasped in surprise. "Clive, look."

Clive was just as flabbergasted as the women. "It's just like the one at Phoenix Gate."

Another violent rumble shook the ground.

"We must leave!" Lyra shouted.

"Agreed," Jill replied.

Clive, Jill, Lyra, and Torgal made a quick escape from the Comraich. They didn't stop until they reached the ship waiting for them. Courtesy of Lyra, she had transformed the moment they were outside and flew all of them back to the ship.

She changed back, smiling sweetly at the crew she had startled. "I do hope you gentlemen will be fine with a missing rowboat."

"O-Of course, my lady!" the man responded with a bow before running off to help turn the ship around.

Lyra was quick to regroup with Clive, Jill, and Torgal. She noticed how weak and pale Jill was and grabbed her. "You need to sit." She escorted her over to a crate, where her friend sat down. The goddess provided her with a little healing since she wasn't fully aware of just how deep Jill's ailment went.

"Thank you, Lyra," Jill sighed.

Now that they had time to talk, Clive turned his attention to the blonde. "The spear. I have never seen you use a weapon outside of your talismans. Where did it come from?"

Lyra held out her hand and summoned the spear. "Truth be told, I've had it with me all along but I was not strong enough to summon it until absorbing a portion of Drake's Breath. It...was a gift from Indra millennia ago."

"You've recovered some memories?" Jill asked.

She nodded. "Yes. Indra was one of my closest friends in the heavens. Being a god of war, he forged many weapons with aid from Brokkr, god of the forge. This was what he gifted me after we created this world."

Clive crossed his arms. "I must confess, seeing you stab him through the chest was more than satisfying."

Lyra huffed out a chuckle. "It was pleasant to give him a taste of his own medicine."

"What of your talismans?" Jill wondered.

"I will keep them as they can be used in more ways than one. Perhaps I will even find a way to combine them with the spear."

Clive gazed at the spear. "A weapon of the gods..."

Lyra dispelled the spear. She was becoming overwhelmed with her memories of Indra before the heavens were attacked. She shook her head and lowered her gaze.

He gently grabbed her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she replied. "The memories are...unbearable at the moment. Seeing an old, dear friend turn to such darkness... It is hard to comprehend. But I must do what must be done. I am the only one who can see to his demise..."

She turned away from Clive and Jill. She tried to push the memories aside, but it was proving to be more difficult than she thought. She closed her eyes and placed her arms around herself. She took a few deep breaths before opening her eyes and turning back to them. "I'm sorry, Clive, Jill... But I would like some time to myself to cope with these memories."

Leaving Clive and Jill, Lyra headed to the bow of the ship. She gazed at the horizon as the sun began to rise. The sea breeze blew through her golden locks while she mentally battled with her recovered memories. A single tear trailed down her cheek. "Not even the gods are spared from sorrow..."

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

It had been a couple of days since they arrived back at the hideaway. Lyra noticed Jill had yet to feel better and urged her to see Tarja. Luckily, she listened. The two women headed to the infirmary where the physician gave her a thorough examination.

After an hour, Tarja was done with Jill's examination. She was worried about her findings. "I've done what I can, but the rest is up to you. You need to start taking better care of yourself. Not even our resident goddess can aid you if you push yourself too far."

Jill was frustrated but not surprised at the news of the curse spreading. "Understood. And thank you." She put her clothes back on.

When Tarja walked away, Lyra approached her friend. She sat next to her on the bed with a sorrowful sigh. "Forgive me, Jill... Even after Drake's Breath, I still cannot reverse the crystal's curse..."

The silver-haired woman was surprised at her sudden apology. "You have nothing to apologize for. I knew the risks and accepted the consequences."

"If it hurts, you can tell us, you know," Clive said, making himself known. He stood at the foot of the bed. "We'll understand."

Jill looked at him. "I can bear it."

"But you shouldn't have to—not anymore..."

"This isn't just your struggle, Clive—it's ours," she said. "And when we see how hard you fight, it inspires us to do the same. Or...would you rather we left you to save the world all on your own?"

"Saving the world should not be one man's burden," Lyra added.

Clive glanced between women. "No, that's not..." He sighed when he couldn't find the right words. "Ignore me."

Lyra stood up and Jill followed her. The goddess gazed at the younger woman. "You should get some rest. Whether it be a few minutes or a few hours, you need any you can get."

"You're right. If anything comes up, please come find me."

"We will."

Jill left the infirmary, leaving only Lyra and Clive. The goddess walked over to the items Tarja left out from Jill's examination and started to put them away. "You ask nothing of us, only that we remain at your side. However, you do not wish for us to carry the burden. How close am I?"

"On the mark, I'm afraid," Clive sighed.

"Standing by your side means we share the burden so the entirety of the weight is not on your shoulders alone." She continued to put the items away. "If I have learned anything from my past, it's carrying a burden that is too heavy for one's shoulders will crush you under its weight. I believed I was doing the correct thing when I isolated myself from humanity in many of my past lives. The moment I was killed, I would bleed out in silence with no one at my side. I was utterly alone because I chose to carry a burden that was too heavy for me to carry alone."

Lyra stopped putting items away. She turned to Clive with a pleading expression. "I beg of you, do not make the same mistake I did." She looked away, feeling slightly bashful at what she was going to say next. "This life... Though I have lost much, I have gained much more. Jill, Tarja, Gav... All of them are irreplaceable and have given me absolute joy. And you... I don't even know where to begin. You have made me the happiest. Never did I imagine finding love."

Before she knew it, she was turned around and lifted on top of the counter with Clive situated between her legs. She was shocked at suddenly finding herself in such a position and blinked owlishly. She had nowhere to go in their current position and found herself staring into his eyes. "Clive, I—"

He silenced her with a deep, passionate kiss. His hands, which were placed on the counter by her thighs, moved to her hips and pulled her body closer to the edge of the counter without breaking the kiss. His hands squeezed her hips as her arms wrapped around his neck.

The kiss ended and they slowly pulled away.

Clive rested his forehead against her, their lips mere inches apart. "I have never been able to put my feelings perfectly into words, but I know for certain you have made me the happiest man in all of Valisthea. I do hope you will remain at my side forever."

Lyra's hands moved from the back of his neck to his face. She caressed her thumbs across his cheeks and gazed into his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Just as she was about to lean in for another kiss, the sound of the infirmary door flying open alerted her. She froze when she heard Gav shout, "Clive! Where are you?!" To the couple's dismay, the scout caught them. "Eh..."

Embarrassed to have been caught, Lyra released Clive and shied away from him.

Clive cleared his throat and questioned the scout as he stepped away from her. "What seems to be the problem, Gav?"

His grave expression returned. "Rosaria's under attack!"

Clive couldn't believe the news. "What?!"

Lyra was just as surprised. She hopped off the counter. "I'll go find Jill."

He nodded. "All right. Meet us in our room."

She quickly left the infirmary and searched for Jill. She found the woman at the pier and told her the urgent news. They rushed to the chamber she shared with Clive, where he and Gav were waiting for them.

The scout was quick to inform them of what he knew. "This isn't the Dhalmekian army we're talking about—it's the Men of the Rock, from Drake's Fang. Hugo Kupka's private guard." He placed his hands on the desk and leaned down. "They're raising hell in Rosalith, trying to batter down the castle gates."

"Looking for me..." Clive muttered, meeting the scout's gaze.

"Seems that way. Reckon old Hugo has finally worked out who "Cid" really is."

"Then this is just another trap?!" Jill shouted angrily.

Gav looked over at the silver-haired woman. "Oh, it's a trap all right. The daddy of all fucking traps."

"I'm going to Rosalith," Clive proclaimed.

Jill couldn't believe what he said. "You're not serious! That's exactly what he wants you to do, Clive!"

"Look. I don't know why Kupka harbors such a grudge against Cid. But as long as it's left to fester, our world will never know peace. He has dragged the rest of Storm into this pointless war just to find me. Besides which, I'm not about to stand and watch while my home gets ground into the dirt." Clive stood up from his seat. "Hugo Kupka must die."

Gav crossed his arms. "I've lost enough friends to that man already. I don't want to lose any more. So let's go and kill the bastard!"

"I'm coming too," Jill announced. "After all, we're in this together."

Clive nodded. "All right."

Gav looked over at Lyra after noticing her strange silence. "You're awfully quiet, eh. But I can tell there's somethin' going on in that head of yours."

Lyra met his gaze with an innocent smile. "Who? Little old me? Nonsense, Gav."

He called her out. "Liar."

Dismissing his accusation, she spoke to Clive. "We should speak to Otto before departing. Perhaps he could give us a little more information."

"Agreed," Clive replied. "Let's go, Lyra."

She nodded and followed him out of their room. She walked beside him as they headed to the mess to speak to Otto. They found him in his usual place.

"Hello, Otto," Lyra greeted the man.

"Greetings, my lady." Otto glanced between Clive and Lyra. "From your expressions, Gav gave you the news."

"We're leaving for Rosalith but not before we know exactly what's going on. What have we heard?" Clive asked.

"All sorts. Nobody was expecting the Dhalmeks to open up a new front against the empire, least of all our friends in the provinces. Reports have been rolling in from all over the place, with no two saying the same thing. I've been passing them on to Vivian, in the hope she can make sense of them. If you both are set on going, you'll want to talk to her."

"Understood."

Clive and Lyra moved to the map room where Vivian was. The woman noticed their presence and was surprised. "Ah, if it isn't my favorite pupil and his lovely sweetheart. Let's see now, where did we leave—" Her attention was drawn to Jill and Gav when they walked into the room. "Well, this is a surprise. My lectures are rarely so well attended."

"You know what they say. A little knowledge, er...can't hurt?" Gav unsurely replied.

"We're going to Rosalith to deal with Kupka," Clive clarified. "What's the situation there?"

"Whoa there, Lord Rosfield," Vivian said. "I'm sure you're champing at the bit to return to your roost, but to fully understand the present situation, one must first understand how it came to be." She informed them of Hugo Kupka and how his forces came to invade Rosalith using her vast amount of knowledge.

After Vivian's explanation, Jill asked, "You said Kupka's forces sailed up the coast. What of Port Isolde, then? Is the city safe?"

"Quite, according to the Guardians of the Flame. The Dhalmekian fleet floated by without incident. But not without remark. When they learned Kupka's forces were making for Rosalith, our friends were quick to begin arranging the exodus of her citizens. And so the stage will soon be set for your heroic homecoming. Alas, it will be a more trying task to enter the capital than it was to leave it. Hugo's men hold Bewit Bridge, despite the imperials repeated attempts to wrest it back from their grasp. And they were careful not to repeat the empire's mistake in neglecting their coastal defenses. The seas around Rosalith are firmly under Dhalmekian control." Vivian met Clive's gaze. "So tell me, pupil mine, what do you believe to be the best route to Rosalith?"

Clive crossed his arms and answered. "The north. We cross the northern border near Phoenix Gate. Then take the road through Stillwind down to the capital. Hardly the quickest route, but at least we won't be spotted."

"A little local knowledge goes a long way. And so must you."

"We'd best get a move on, then!" Gav chimed in.

"Oh?" Vivian was surprised, glancing at the scout. "Will you be going too?"

"Aye. I've been waiting a long time to give that fucker a taste of his own medicine. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, Vivian," Lyra said.

"Of course," Vivian responded.

"All right. We should be on our way," Clive spoke up.

"Lead on!" Gav enthusiastically replied.

With everything they needed, they left the hideaway.