Suikoden VII

Chapter One: Part Thirteen

Note: Sorry this is up late. I had to rewrite a portion of this chapter on the fanfiction.net app because my browser crashed while I was writing and I hadn't saved for a while, thus losing a lot of work.

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Chapter One: Part Thirteen

The sudden jolt of power that shook his body snapped him out of a deep slumber. He shouted as he sat up, panting harshly. He was sweating; his nightshirt clung to his skin. For a moment he didn't know where he was. But as he blinked and the room came in to focus, he remembered. He was on a ship, sailing north to return to the Northern Continent.

He noticed then the yellow glow coming from his right hand. He looked down, staring at the power in silence, before he remembered the power that had awoken him. The familiarity of the power...and he realized what it meant.

"He's alive...?"

He kicked the covers off him and fled his cabin, running for the stairs to the deck. He thought he heard shouts behind him but he ignored it for the moment. The night air was crisp and he saw nothing but darkness on all sides, but he hurried to the western side of the ship and stood at the rail. He couldn't see anything but he could—feel it. He knew that power, and it had come from the west.

"The True Wind Rune," he whispered, his hazel eyes wide. "That was the True Wind Rune. I just know it." He raised his right hand and looked down at it. It was no longer glowing. "Then that means...he survived?"

"Are you all right, Bishop Sasarai?"

He dropped his hand and straightened his posture. Internally his emotions were chaotic but he kept the outward appearance of calm as he turned around. A man and a woman stood before him, wearing expressions of worry. The man was tall with a broad nose, dark eyes, and short dark blonde hair that was always under a black cap. The woman had brown eyes which always held a degree of melancholy, and her shoulder-length brown hair was disheveled. Sasarai found himself relaxing when he saw them. They were the only two people he could really trust.

I need to report back. But that power...

Sasarai looked over his shoulder back at the darkness of the open sea. "That is the west, isn't it?"

"It is," the woman spoke, her voice serene. "The Western Continent, Bishop."

Sasarai turned back to look at them. In that moment he made a decision. He looked to the man. "Dios."

Dios straightened his posture. Then he looked to the woman. "Pilika."

Pilika straightened as well. "Awake the Captain," Sasarai said. "Before we go home, we're heading west."

Neither Dios nor Pilika questioned his order. They both nodded and hurried off. Sasarai looked towards the west once more. "I'm coming...Brother," he said quietly.

—

Astraea opened her eyes, and then blinked rapidly. She was surrounded by darkness but it felt like she was lying down. It felt like she was laying in a bed. ...Wh...What's going on? Did I dream all of that? Elation filled her body and she laughed breathlessly. I...Yes! It was all just a bad dream!

"The fire's still going."

Astraea blinked again, and she realized that she was in a small bedroom. She sat up, but then immediately became dizzy and nearly toppled out of bed. Hands caught her shoulders and held her steady. "Easy, Astraea."

Astraea blinked, and she recognized Sigrun's face. Her eldest sister had a look of worry. "Are you all right?" she asked, her tone low and gentle. "You don't look injured, but how do you feel?"