FEHeroes: Realm Guardian

Chapter 7: A final request

Alfonse called us for a meeting, with Bruno's secret out, he's gonna run from us restlessly to get away.

"Zacharias... Where do you think he is now?" Sharena starts. Alfonse had a sorry look on his face as he spoke. "I have no idea. All I know is that he vanished without a word. He was our friend. Why did he hide his identity from us? And why has he chosen to side with Embla? I need to understand what's going on. We need to find him."

"Get ready, then! We have fresh information on Prince Bruno-no, Zacharias. Now's your chance to find out the answers you're looking for. he's in the World of Radiance. Let's go!"

Sharena opened a portal to the World of Radiance again. Before I jumped, Alfonse grabs my hand.

"A-Aqua!" He said.
"Hmm? Something wrong?" I looked at him as he looked down.

"I... want to apologize for my behavior earlier. When one even tries the vile taste of revenge, nothing can stop you."
"You're talking about the events of Zacharias? Alfonse, it's ok. You weren't yourself, "
"Yes. I'm just... disgusted with myself. The way I spoke..." I placed my hands on both of his shoulders.
"Hey! It's fine. I forgive you."
He smiles, then lightly chuckles."Hah. What did I do to deserve your kindness?"

I smile as we both jump to the portal to find Zacharias, and figure out what's going on once and for all.

In the World of Radiance...

"Another...dead end. I search, and I search...but nothing. I learn...nothing. My time...is running out." Bruno panted. He looked just as weary and defeated the more I looked at him.
"Zacharias!"
"Urg... Alfonse..." He glanced our way. Tension filled the air in the gap between the Order of Heroes and Bruno.
"Please... Tell me. What's happened to you. I can't understand what you're doing!" Alfonse pleated, Bruno sighed.

"In the end, all of Embla's royalty...are devoured by the dark god. We become puppets... I can't fight the blood flowing through my veins."
"God? What god is this? Tell me!"
"As a prince, I carry the cursed blood of Embla. Yet in Embla...I was despised by the royal family. Both my mother and I were... They claimed she shared imperial secrets with Askr... and they imprisoned her for it. She died in isolation... Thanks to their cruelty."

My eyes were filled with sorrow and pain. Such hardships he endured. My lips slightly tight together. Sharena held my shoulders to comfort me, but I sensed she needed comfort.

"And me? I was cast out-sent to the border. Assuming a new identity, I entered Askr. I became your friend... Those were necessary steps toward destroying Embla, my homeland."

"Zacharias..." Alfonse was just as speechless.

"But the Emblian blood pulses within me. Whatever I do, I live knowing one thing: its curse will consume me. Had I stayed at your side, I would have killed you and your sister. So I left. And I sought a way...to fight it. Urgh... Ghk!" He took steps back with his hand covering one of his eyes in pain.
"Zacharias? What's going on?"
"Time's up. Run. Run now! Before I kill you!"

He started to scream and fight whatever it is that's controling him. His hands held his head and grips his hair as he knelt looking at the ground. Slowly, Embla's curse took over his mind.

"Rrrgh... No, not yet... Not...yet! Urgh... Ha-ha... Hee-hee-heee. Oh, children of Askr....it's time to die. Die in agony!"

"Zacharias! Snap out of it! Please!"

"Urgh... Hahh... Hahh..." He heaved as his mind was consumed by Embla's blood.

"Zacharias..." Alfonse tried and tried. Zacharias still tells us more about what happened.
"I never know when the blood will take me... And when it does... I cannot resist. Not I. Not Veronica. Not our father, the emperor. Not anyone... This dark god... seeks death. And it cries for the destruction of Askr. You can't have realized this, but once...as we traveled together...I tried to kill you."