Fɪɢʜᴛ Fᴏʀ Aʟʟ || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Oɴᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ || ᴀɴ ᴏʟᴅ ʏᴇᴛ ɴᴇᴡ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ

Navia

I leaned against the railing. Sunset Tower, true to its name, had an excellent view as the sun sank slowly below the horizon. The waning light seemed to drag the energy for my body as it went, my shoulders slumping as the sky stained red and gold. But I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to.

The Copper Falcon was in the hands of the Conquerors, meaning they were one step closer to the Staff of Cycles and ruling Erdas.

Cerco butted his head against my leg, uttering a comforting rumble.

I sighed. "I know. I'm glad that we made it out. But still, it feels like..." I gestured helplessly. "Like we failed?"

Like she won.

Disgust twisted my lip. Lizzie, she'd said her name was. The hatred in her gaze had left me reeling, the fierceness of the battle no match for the fire in her eyes.

"She's supposed to be one of us." I whispered. A beat started up under my temples, insistent and achy. "How can she fight with them?"

"Maybe she doesn't know better."

I whirled around, instinctively reaching over my shoulder. But my spear wasn't there. I'd left it in my room. I cursed my carelessness.

The girl who'd spoken raised her palms as a gesture of surrender. "My apologies. I did not mean to scare you."

The flash of green draped off her shoulders was enough the make me relax again. "That's alright." I half-smiled. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be up here, is all."

She shrugged, black waves of hair bouncing on her shoulders. "I wasn't, either. You seemed deep in thought."

I could've laughed at that. "Yeah. Just... a lot of things have been happening really fast lately." I turned back to the railing.

The girl– who I realized then hadn't introduced herself– stepped up beside me. She leaned on the railing as well, her pale arms contrasting starkly against the dark iron. "I hear you."

"I'm Navia, by the way," I quickly introduced myself. "And this is Cerco."

She glanced down, a smile warming her eyes as she saw the wolverine. "Cana."

"Oh, you're Sabien's friend!" I knew I recognized her from somewhere! "He talks about you all the time. Does he know you're here?"

The smile slid halfway off her lips before she caught and recomposed herself. "No, I just got here a few hours ago. I haven't had the chance to find him."

"Well, maybe you should." I rolled back my shoulders. "I bet he'd really like to see you."

Again, she paused before answering. "You think so?"

"Of course! He–"

The door to the tower terrace burst open then, cutting into my words. Both Cana and I spun toward the noise.

Niko

"Navia!"

I rushed through the door in Tazi's wake, Sabien on my heels. The three of us spilled into the small space, startling Navia and the strange girl she spoke to.

"Guys?" Navia said, her brows furrowing with confusion.

"Cana!" Sabien's cry of surprise made Tazi wince. He bounded forward, throwing his arms around the significantly taller girl. "It's you!" He babbled excitedly, pulling back again. "I didn't know you were here! How are you?"