Chapter 81: A Bittersweet Farewell (Part 1!)

All good things must come to an end, and all evils will die.

But good things can come back, and all evils can return and arise.

Vega could feel it. The rhythm that surrounds tense situations, not of battles and arguments, but of friends getting ready. Getting ready for what, Vega did not yet know.

“Vega! You’re okay!” Valiato was the first to go up to Vega, lifting her up in a hug. Even though it had only been a week, Vega noticed a number of changes on the girl, like her eyes being tired like Amir’s and her looking ever so taller.

“Face-face.” A cawing from across the room, Kaliba flew on top of Vega’s head and pecked her face.

“Bruh.” Krimm said, a pit of embarrassment forming in her soul.

“Kaliba! Valiato! How’s it going my home slice bread slice dawg?” The scarecrow proceeded to dap up the crow and kid. It was pretty tight.

“Good.” Kaliba croaked, landing on top of Vega’s head.

“Not too bad. The nightmares are gone now!” Valiato exclaimed

“Good to hear. I had a nightmare once. It, uhh, had a shad-shadow in it or something.” Vega tapped her chin and carried Kaliba off her head.

Even in the middle of the day, everyone else seemed to be in a state of grogginess, like they just woke up not too long ago.

“Vega. You’re here.” Florato said with a mild amount of surprise. She rose up from the bags Amir was packing and gave her a quick hug.

“Indeed. Is the leg okay?” Squatting, she stared at the many bandages around her calf. The actress shrugged, happy to have received help regardless.

“Ehh, could be better. I could actually be feeling my leg right now but-”

“I can feel it.” Vega patted her calf.

“Funny. Was the hospital okay?” Pulling Vega up to her level, Florato asked with a little worry.

“Ehh, could be-be better. They only gave me a blanket.” Vega shrugged, happy to have received a blanket regardless.

“Speaking of, are you okay with you… face?” Florato laid one hand on Vega’s cheek (which one, I’ll let you decide).

“Yeah, Skaldi and Florato helped to fix it while you were asleep.” Valiato added, pointing to the dresses right next to the cart.

Sprawled out, there were a random assortment of dresses and outfits Florato and Skaldi had. Two red ones in particular had square patches cut out, those same ones now on Vega’s face.

“Yeah, I love-love it! I look like I’m bleeding from my eyes!” Bouncing around with joy, she eventually fell atop Amir as he was packing up.

“~...can you not?~” Throwing her up like ball, Amir sent her flying into the arms of Florato.

“Well, I’m glad you like it. Skaldi and I were pretty worried. First time your head was split open and all.” Tracing the patches, Florato breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Can I get one of those when I get older?” Valiato tugged on Florato’s arm as she pleaded.

“Ask your father.” Florato shook her head.

“No worries. I really do like it. I look cool-cool! By the way…” Breaking out of Florato’s grip, she noticed a couple people were gone. Although most of their stuff was already packed or being packed up, Skaldi and Bolato were not there, along with Sorbet.

A strange emptiness filled Vega.

“Hmm? Oh, those guys are talking with the Oligarchs.” Krimm rolled her hand around, not very clear with the details.

“Oligarchs? Yeah, ya are right! I forgot about them-them. They still alive? I liked the spider dude.” Walking up to Krimm, Vega smiled as she reminisced about meeting them.

“Everyone is set. Glatrix, that asshole is alive.” Krimm opened the door outside, and everyone except Amir followed. The street was alive, more or less, as this part of the city had been hurt so hard in the fires. Seeing a small force at the top of a hill, Vega could faintly see the figure of Oligarch Glatrix

“Goody. Bet he has already stolen shit from the Second Tower. An-any good news?” Turning her head to Krimm, Vega asked hopefully.

“Uh that Ruto guy is the head of repairs right now. Along with food and stuff.” Krimm squinted at the army up the hill, not sure of how correct her answers were.

“No, that’s the spider guy, Roka. Roka is the head of repairs and interrogation, and Ruto is the head of food.” Valiato corrected, like a total fucking nerd.

“There’s also one more?” Lifting a finger, Krimm gestured to everyone who didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. It struck them as odd because Krimm seemed very sure about it. Vega got to thinking about who else could be in the city.

“Oligarch Tibato? He’s creepy and all, but him? Is he out-out of Jantok Sky or something?”

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“I wish!” A familiar voice shot from around the corner of the tower. Vega slowly bent forward to see who it was.

Carrying wooden boxes and crates, Sorbet and Skaldi dropped what they were holding and glowed when they saw Vega. Bolato however lagged a little behind having to carry all of the shit.

“Vega! You’re awake! Never knew you could go to sleep like that.” Skaldi hoisted Vega up by her hips and placed her back down. Upon which Sorbet leapt at Vega and crashed her back into the ground.

“Sorbet! I’m so glad I don’t have a sense of pain anymore!” Hugging her back, she could hardly be sad at her friend’s appearance.

“Sorry, I’m still getting used to normal interactions. Is jumping at a friend when you miss them normal?” Sorbet helped her up and dusted Vega off.

“Depends. Is your friend a weirdo?” Krimm laughed out cruelly, of which Florato flicked the back of her head. “Ouch.”

“We’re all kinda of weirdos.” Skaldi crossed his arms and smiled, and then Florato flicked him on the forehead. “Ouch!”

The two then got into a light flicking match, with everyone around laughing and even Kaliba and Valiato joining in until they were sore. Vega stood back the furthest, allowing herself to take in the mundane event.

Even if in good spirits, Vega could tell without a doubt, they were planning to leave her.

Their eyelids were purple with stress, their limbs bandaged and moved as if they were heavy. Bruises and wrinkles all over.

All of them, except Vega, were tired beyond belief.

As they finished their match, Skaldi wandered over with a limb to Vega. He smiled weakly, but it wasn’t false or fake. He seemed to be admiring her, at least to everyone else.

Instead, Skaldi was thinking about how different she looked. And how much of their battles and memories were written and woven into her body. How they had made their marks on her and Vega did the same for them.

Of course, he didn’t want to give all the credit to Vega. Afterall, they were a team. But he couldn’t deny Vega got the ball rolling.

“I think I did good on you.” Skaldi held his head with a hand and tilted, seeing the stitches he and Florato made to repair her.

“I think ya did great. Red looks good-good on me.”

“I clearly wear red better.” Spinning on his heel, Skaldi threw his long hair over his shoulder. Vega attempted to do the same, but didn’t have the tremendous amount of hair Skaldi had.

“Ladies, you’re both pretty. Alright?” Bolato placed down all the crates beside the door, shaking his head.

“I think I wear it the best.” Strangely, they heard Skaldi speak again. When they turned to his direction, his eyes were wide and staring at what had been Krimm.

Where Krimm had been standing, was now another Skaldi with smoke all around.

“Oh shit, that’s weird dude! That’s weird!” Bolato backed up, creeped out by Krimm’s shapeshifting.

“I don’t know sweetie, I got to say, I look nice. A mirror doesn’t do me justice.” Skaldi snapped his fingers at Krimm, of which she snapped back and returned to her normal form.

“Enough with us complimenting each other.” Vega groaned, wanting to know what happened.

“Never!” Skaldi shot his arms up suddenly.

“Ya were talking with the Oligarchs, right?” Vega tilted her body to see Sorbet and Bolato.

“Yeah. Won’t stop talking about the Second Tower.” Bolato’s voice let on that the talks went on for a while.

“They wanted to start investigating and adding it to their estates. But we listened to you before ya went asleep.” Sorbet pointed at Vega.

“Huh? Did I say something?” Vega was a little surprised, not remembering most of what happened before she slept.

“A hospital. For the people who defended this place.” Saying it proudly, Sorbet seemed a little less tired and a bit more proud.

“Huh…. I’m glad I said that.” Vega looked back at the tower, with it growing faint in the clouds. She shivered slightly, glad that it was being used for good.

“That’s not all we talked about however.” Skaldi scratched the back of his head and turned away from Vega. Not looking at her, he appeared a bit uneasy about it.

“...what was it?” Knowing that it was going to be hard for him to say, Vega put on brave and accepting face. She knew it was going to hit her hard, so she braced for emotional impact.

However, Skaldi didn’t open his mouth. Instead, handing her a slip of paper. Not just any paper, a fine indigo black paper, with a wax gold stamp on it.

It was a letter. A letter from an Oligarch. It read…

“To the Heros of Jantok,

I along with my forces have recently landed on the Isle of Blight Elves. It fucking sucks here.

But that is not what I am writing this letter for. It is about what we have discovered here. Recently the merfolk have been returning the people that live on this island. One of them, a royal boy, has been speaking about a Vega and her friends. Of how they fought to liberate this island and their peoples despite the Tripolians.

Thusly, I wish to make an offer for you. An offer I won’t let you refuse.

I am hereby ordering you to return to the region of Suncatch, and back to Core Civitus. Soon, you will be escorted by ship and be briefed on the finer details.

But what I can tell you now is this. Oligarch Tibato has got to go, and Ani Arma is going to meet his end.

If. And only if.

If you heed my offer.

I hope this letter finds you well. And I hope you heed it.

From,

Oligarch Gaius Marian Graham.”

The letter felt heavy in Vega’s hands. Like tenfold steel.

Lifting her eyes back up, it was very clear that everyone had read this a lot earlier. This letter was reminding them of something.

The phrase, the one Ani Arma had made. It was present in their minds, like a perpetual howling of a wolf.

One year. One short year. That’s all they got.

Staying silent until they returned back inside, Vega thought about what the letter meant.

Vega was being recognized for her efforts not only by her friends, but by the most powerful people in Iozia and Tripolia. Oligarch and Patriarch. Marian Graham and Ani Arma.

As everyone settled in, they waited for Vega to speak. Having been so used to her insatiable curiosity, this silence was aching on their hearts. The room was slowly becoming smaller as their gear was being packed up. All that remained was Florato’s instruments and outfits, Sorbet’s pouches that held the Soul Gems, and finally Vega’s random items and trinkets she had collected along the way.

Taking a seat next to Skaldi, Vega looked at the letter with mild anxiety. The only bits of light left were three candles, around their feet.

“When… when did this letter arrive?” Vega handed the letter back to Skaldi, who put it back into his back of handing.

“Five days ago. A bunch of Oligarch ships came in and well, asked for you.” Skaldi tapped her on the shoulder, smiling sadly.

“Then… why didn’t ya guys leave?”

“You kidding me? We’d wouldn’t do that! Not to you.” Valiato exclaimed, amazed that Vega had been thinking that it was a possibility.

“Ha. Leaving without saying a word. After what we’ve been through?” Bolato hunched over in his seat, snickering at vega.

“~She thinks too lowly of herself.~” Amir calmly stated, which made Florato and Valiato shush him.

Feeling ever so slightly better, the scarecrow came to the understanding of what had happened. They had been preparing to leave, but not before saying goodbye.

They had been waiting for Vega to wake up.