Alicization: Steel and Lycoris

Field of Lycoris

Once we returned to Centoria, we immediately reported to Bercouli. Hersyrian became public enemy number one. And despite the vast progression of his plans, Medina reports that Hersyrian is still missing one piece, and Fanatio deduces Eastavarieth is the next location to be brimming with Clamps. And like clockwork, news from Eastavarieth comes.

“First, there have been reports of numerous gards and sentries disappearing lately. The second report is still unconfirmed.”

“That’s fine,” Bercouli tells the masked Lesser Integrity Knight. “Let me hear it.”

“There have supposedly been sightings of a knight in jet-black armor in Eastavarieth.”

Black armored knights? Eastavarieth...where the Eastern Gate lies. No, that can’t be. Not right now, right? Yet Bercouli confirms exactly what I’m thinking. “A Dark Knight.”

“But Commander, the Dark Knights were…”

“The Clamps already resurrected giants. It’s within the realm of possibility they brought back other denizens of darkness.”

I sigh in relief. “That’s better than the alternative. It confirms what Fanatio says about Hersyrian.”

“Commander,” Eydis says, “we’ll take on this mission. As guardian of some ruins in the east, I know the area well. The last thing we need is a quasi-invasion of the Dark Territory right now.”

“Very well. Medina, can you enlist the help of the wayfarers?”

Medina nods. “That’s certainly possible. However, I cannot do so as I did before. Alice was right. I forced them to act against their will, disguised as ‘asking’. But I lost the right to stand above them when I gave into Hersyrian’s temptations. For now on, I shall truly respect their will and not give them orders. It’s up to them if they choose to fight with me.”

Medina

“This is all of them,” Medina nervously says as she gazes to the sea of wayfarers gathered beneath the stage. “What am I supposed to say?”

Alice takes hold of her shoulder and smiles warmly. “Just say what’s in your heart.”

Sortiliena nods. “But don’t be like a boy we know. Jaymes is not the type to speak well in this situation, which is probably why he isn’t here. Or Eydis, for that matter.”

Medina sighs. “Well, now we just have to trust Cardinal’s part in this works.” Medina steps out and walks to the center of the stage and looks down to her soldiers. Say what’s in her heart, huh? Easier said than done...but the only way to do this. “Friends… I’ve done something. I’ve been… I… I need to apologize to everyone here. I have a power that I’ve been keeping secret from you. By touching someone, I can make them unconsciously idolize me, and as such, I am not truly your ‘savior’. I’ve taken advantage of this power to make you act for me against your will. But I realize how wrong that was. That I had no right to ignore your wishes. And for that, I sincerely apologize. I have no right to act as your commander.”

“Is this true,” a wayfarer asks.

“Every word of it.”

“So you’re saying we’ve all been under your control, our savior?”

“Correct.”

“I don’t feel manipulated, though. From the day I woke up in this world, I had no idea what my purpose was. I knew I must fight, but there was no answer to WHY in my listful of memories. And I hurt people in the process, not knowing if what I was doing was right. And that was when I met you, my savior. You gave a REASON to my fighting, whether that was against my will. You gave us all a purpose in this world!”