The Fisher and The Fighter

The Cold Decision

One cold night aside from the Knights of Ardonia, Achillean settles 154 years in the future and attempts to make sense of everything that has happened and tries to determine what he should do next. But with Ingressus still out there, he cannot rest until he saves him... or kills him – whichever comes first

Author's note: For the love of god DO NOT read any further if you didn't read SoW script for S2 and S3 because I have taken one of the greatest character arcs/relationships and thrown it into an internal monologue like, heck, these two have a connection that I can't get over

This contains references to stuff we don't learn until the very end of S3... so... read at your own peril XD

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Ingressus always had a thing for sunsets. It was something that I never truly understood, but I respected it, as I respected him. He would often sit at the shore and watch as the sun went down, and it would be the most relaxed I'd see him, mesmerised by the colours in the sky. In seeing this, I started enjoying the simple things, myself. I like the moon at night. It's a reminder that even during the darkest hours, there's always something to light the way, however pale, however dim...

These are dark hours, but we cannot rely on the moon at night to light our way. We have only ourselves and that will be enough. I will make sure of it.

I suppose, in a sense, I was Ingressus' moon at night. During his darkest hours, I did what I could for him. At least, I tried to.

It wasn't enough...

Heck... I'm sat 154 years away from where we were only days ago because of him... For him, even. Listen to yourself, Achillean; you aren't making sense...

I suppose things won't make sense for a while... As if they've been making sense this entire time...

I can look at the moon even now and know that one day, it'll be in better circumstances and I'll feel less alone when I see its glow.

What the heck. Now isn't the time for this.

I keep chasing after Ingressus, but I'm yet to decide what I am to do with him when I catch up to him. Master Aegus is not here to help me, Thalleous Sendaris is...gone, and I am alone with my memories of this innocent Voltaris that washed up on the shores of Nestoria all those years ago. I believe in him but how do I tell the others that this Ardoni that has been terrorising the clans all this time... How do I tell them-

Get it together, Achillean.

How do I tell them that he's not guilty? How do I tell them that Ingressus Voltaris is not to blame for all this? How do I tell them that...it's me? I'm to blame...

...I am to blame...

Can you imagine the look they'd give me?

It couldn't be worse than our names. 'Deathsinger.' His name is Ingressus Voltaris and he is the best of us brought down by something so simple – a testament to any single one of us. He was just the one who wasn't afraid to go down fighting. They gave him that name to disconnect him from us – to degrade him. Shower him in disgrace. Isolate him, and I will never forgive them for that. That's not a name I make use of. I know him better than that. The Deathsinger and Ingressus Voltaris are two different people, and I intend to divide Ingressus from his corrupted counterpart.

'Tidesinger.' No, I am Achillean Nestoris and I want no part in this war. I wanted no part in the last, but it all comes back down to those days just before the First Great War, when words were said, and those words set in motion the path on which we find ourselves now:

"Do you remember who it was who suggested I enter the tournament in the first place?"

Of course I do... I have never forgotten... I could never...

Every time I look at him, I still see that little Voltaris inside. Even holding Voltar, I still see the innocence inside, robbed of a life he so rightfully deserved – as did we all.

I don't know why I torment myself with this. It is almost as though I'm trying to convince myself that my reasons for the way I feel are just. I know they are. But the others won't see it that way.

I feel the weight of the Ardoni morale crushing me. They expect me to kill the Deathsinger to rid him from this world once and for all. To kill Ingressus...

I know that when the time comes, I will do what I must and put an end to this nightmare – our nightmare. But for now, I cannot imagine committing such an act – and what would it accomplish? The Voltaris would only resent the other Ardoni clans more so and then what? We wait for the next Deathsinger – one who doesn't have the safety net of another to believe in them?

I can't imagine seeing the day. I'd rather not...

I can bring him back – I can bring him home. I just need the opportunity to do so and I worry that I will not be given such opportunity. He has created such enemies – ones such that have much more desire than I to put an end to his reign of terror the wrong way.

But how do I do it? How does one find someone who doesn't want to be found? How does one save someone who doesn't want to be saved?

It's not like I can confide in anyone for answers. We're long past the stage of redemption as far as the other Ardoni are concerned, and for all his wisdom and open-mindedness on the matter, after everything that has transpired, I doubt very much that Galleous would be willing to listen to such concerns. He made his stance very clear when he said I should use the Primes against Ingressus.

How would that solve anything? Prime Songs got us into this mess. It is unlikely that they would be what gets us out of it. I would have thought that after everything that happened with Thalleous and hence, why Galleous does not wield Songs, he'd be more understanding of my position against such a strategy.

But desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess. Anyone would be willing to take a shot at him if they thought it'd be enough.

I can't even fathom the detriment we find ourselves in. I am with the Knights and we have a plan, yet I feel alone and lost, without a path forward. No moon to light the dark... Their expectations are not my intentions, but I can offer no alternate solution.

So, this is what it means to be the legendary 'Tidesinger,' huh... Lost and powerless against the odds.

It's funny; if Ingressus were here, he'd tell me what to do. He'd give me a path forward, as he had done before. As he had always done before.

I guess, after all this time, he was my moon at night...

Perhaps I can step up and be the sunset that calms him into standing down. I hope I can.

It's not just you, Achillean; everyone hopes you can...

The weight of the world is on my shoulders and I need my brother now, more than ever, and he isn't here. Not until I get him back, and I will not rest until I do. I either kill him or I bring him home – whichever comes first. It's a cold decision.

I do hope it's the latter...

I trust he will help me. I trust he won't force my hand. I know him. I know Ingressus Voltaris.

I trust him with my life.

I only hope that he can see that before it's too late.