What Might Have Been (A Songs of War Fanfiction)

Part Five, Promises. Chapter Three.

Things might get kind of hectic in this chapter. You will obviously see more of Niican because that ship is just the best :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucan stands on the deck and watches Mahoa fade into the mist. Nerves spring up inside of him, but he forces them away. Tulisa, at his left, whines and paws his shoe. He scratches her head fondly and turns to walk to the stern of the ship. He leans his forearms on the rail and looks forwards, knowing that, after today, everything will change. Either they beat the Necromancers at their base, or... Lucan doesn't want to think about it.

"H- hey, Lucan." Niika walks to his side, but he can tell something is wrong. Her face is paler than usual and she leans on the railings like they're some kind of life support. She glances over the edge of the ship for a second and gulps. Lucan puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly. Niika nods uncertainly.

"Y- yeah..." He knows that's not the truth, but he stays silent, knowing she'll tell him. The Felina grips the railings so hard that her claws dig into the wood. "I really hate water..." she mutters. Lucan rolls his eyes, inwardly kind of confused.

"Well, if you get seasick, why are you standing so close to the edge?" he points out. Niika sighs and tries to walk away but stumbles as the boat crests a wave. Lucan catches her before she can fall and she presses her head to his chest for a second. Lucan is shocked by how she's accepting his touch, and a painful memory flickers inside of him, but he's not going to waste the moment. He pulls her close and finds she's tense with fear.

"Hey, we're gonna get out of this," he murmurs into her hair. "Both of us, together." Niika sniffs.

"Thanks," she whispers. "I needed that." Lucan helps her to a comfortable place, out of sight of the water, and they lean against the wall in silence. The wind whips around them but it's not really cold. Lucan figures this is because they're getting closer to Mount Tempus – the largest volcano in Felden. It would make sense for the Necromancers to have their base near there. No miner would ever venture near it due to the fumes and heat.

After a while lost in thought, Lucan realizes that Niika's head has fallen to his shoulder, her eyes are closed and she's asleep. He smiles slightly and puts an arm around her shoulders, studying her face. A pang of nostalgia shoots through him as he remembers another Felina whom he knew, but that seems so long ago, back when he was Luke. It's almost as if that lifetime belongs to another person...

But he has to focus on the here and now. No use thinking about the past, about her. In this moment, in this lifetime, Niika is real. She's alive, unlike her. Lucan winces. Stop it, he thinks. Stop hurting yourself with memories of her.

Lucan pulls the Felina a little closer.

"I'm here for you, Neeks."

******************

As soon as they dock at Mount Tempus, Lucan gets a bad feeling. It's quiet by the volcano – too quiet. He whispers his concerns to Niika, who bites her lip and says that Kiyoshi knows what he's doing. Lucan doubts that, due to personal experience, mind you, but he doesn't reply, just shrugs.

The battalion of about three hundred armed soldiers disembark the ships and creep inside the mountain by the obscure path in the west side. Lucan grips his sword tighter and glances at Tulisa, who growling menacingly. Lucan knows his dog never gets aggravated for no reason, so he's sure that his suspicions are right. His dog has never steered him wrong before.