#Eirwen Lupus

[fortheloveofeos]

The Vanguard - Chapter 7

Happy Holiday Season, y’all. I’ve been doing some writing that I’ve forgotten to post. I’ve got a few things up my sleeve I hope to have up over the season. Hopefully, the girls will be back in full force along with a new story that I intended to be one chapter per Chocobro but probably will be longer because my brain takes off sometimes. 

Get ready for angst and backstory.

XXX

Eirwen had been silent since the incident several hours before. Gladio had steered her away from the training area of the Citadel and into the back garden in hopes the quiet and seclusion would give her some peace. For hours he had watched her pace, absently trailing fingers over the stone walls and leaving a trail of ice behind her. Finally unable to watch her self loath any longer, Gladio had dared to speak and ask her where she wanted to go. Her answer had been a vague “anywhere that’s not here” before he had handed her his extra helmet and they sped off through the busy streets of Insomnia. She had followed him almost blindly until she heard him rattle his keys as he opened the door to his apartment - conveniently across the street from the building Prince Noctis had recently taken up residence. 

The apartment was entirely decorated in dark leathers, navy blue, and dark wood. Photos of scenic mountain views and pictures of his family were scattered along the walls. “This is...impressive,” Eirwen paused as she caught sight of the floor to ceiling custom shelves that housed an incredible number of books - most bound in hardbacks with titles covering subjects ranging from history to culture to largest number of war and strategy books she had ever seen outside of that section in the Citadel library. She also noted the fair number of fiction books scattered throughout and couldn’t help but see that more than one seemed to be romance novels. Trailing her finger over their spines, she was shocked to see how immaculate the collection was - no creases or signs or weather and absolutely not dust to be seen. 

Keys clattered somewhere behind her as Gladio deposited them into the bowl by the door and removed his heavy boots. “Bit of a hoarder when it comes to books. Coffee or tea?” 

Pulling an old leather-bound tomb from the shelf, Eirwen scanned the pages of a guerilla warfare strategy written in Ancient Lucien. “Milk?” 

“Coconut.” 

Nodding, Eirwen carefully thumbed through the yellowing pages. “Coffee, then.” Various sounds of cabinets opening and shutting and then of a brewing coffee pot filtered around her as she scanned the old runes advising on the importance of partners and scouting teams. 

Minutes late, Gladio handed her a steaming cup of fresh coffee that was just the right shade of dark caramel. He took up residence on the couch beside her, careful not to touch her but remaining close enough that she might know he meant to offer her comfort if she needed it.

Looking at her now, Eirwen looked nothing like the ice goddess she had appeared to be earlier in the day. Currently, her skin was flushed pink from worry and the heat of the coffee, her blue eyes bright with something akin to anger but without such force. She had tucked her legs under herself and curled into the corner of the couch as if trying to take up a strategic position to protect herself. Gladio had never witnessed such power before today - not even when King Regis had renewed the power that held up the wall protecting the city of Insomnia. It was incredible to think that any mortal could wield such power.

Exhaling, Eirwen closed the book with a sense of finality and caught the slight jump from Gladio out of the corner of her eye. Rubbing at her forehead, she forced herself to speak evenly. “You’re scared of me now?” She hoped she hadn’t sounded angry when Gladio was the only person who seemed willing and eager to listen to things from her perspective without jumping in and trying to give her advice. He was her partner in battle. 

“Scared of you?” Gladio readjusted himself so that he more easily faced her but did his best to appear relaxed as he reclined his arms across the back and sipped his cooling coffee. “I’m not afraid of you, snowflake. I’m worried for you. There’s a big difference.”

A humorless laugh escaped her. Leaning forward, she twisted the length of her pale locks between her fingers and focused on controlling her emotions so as not to turn the Shield-in-Training’s apartment into a meat locker. “Don’t worry about me. I’m always ready for battle.” In fact, punching something sounded like a wonderful idea at the moment. 

Finishing his coffee, Gladio deposited the cup onto the coffee table before making a show of giving her his full attention. “I’m not doubting your training and abilities - a few rounds with you on the training mats has proven you’re more than capable in that department. What happened earlier between you and Amira has me worried. I felt...whatever that was that you pushed out at her. I watched her freeze over. I saw your expression when you pulled yourself back out.” He didn’t ask her to explain, nor did he demand answers or promises that she wouldn’t do the same to him. 

“I don’t know what to tell you, Gladio. I can’t explain it. It happened once, years ago. Amira…” trailing off, Eirwen raked her hands through her hair in frustration as if hoping to pull the words from her head. “It was like she 

 me when I was completely broken - or at least patched me back together. I wanted to try to do the same for her but I couldn’t find it, I couldn’t find what hurt her.” Tears of frustration threatened to spill from her eyes and she angrily wiped at them. “I couldn’t do the same for her. What good is this power if I can’t even protect the people I care about.” Forcing herself up from the couch, she marched over to the large window looking down on the busy streets below and pressed her forehead against the cool glass hoping to calm herself down. “She’s the only family I have.”

Silence rang out through the apartment. Distant sirens and the sounds of city life filtered between the two warriors to break up the deafening quiet. Gladio, for all his reading and knowledge in how to handle emotional trauma when related to combat, loss, and injury, was at a complete loss. Another not so well kept secret of the Twins: bad family relations. To his knowledge, Eirwen had none to speak of. In the file Cor had given him in preparation for his first mission with her, she was listed as a ward of the Citadel until she had become of legal age. Gladio, on the other hand, was fortunate enough to have an actual family. 

“You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. I’ve got your back now, Eirwen - on and off the battlefield.” Gladio walked past her to the kitchen to put away the dirty dishes as he spoke, hoping not to make her feel pressured or closed in. “People care about you.” He had seen the way Crowe, Libertus, Pelna, and Nyx were with her and it was clear they had forged a bond that was deeper than camaraderie or friendship.

Across town and shaking from over exertion and residual tingles of forced magic, Amira leaned against the window from her perch. Purple lightning cracked in the distance each time her fingers twitched. It had been hours since the incident and she could still feel the sorrow in her heart left by Eirwen just before their connection snapped. The bone deep chill had left her almost as soon as it had arrived but now she felt oddly warm in a way that reminded her of post fever.

Nyx had been kind enough to make her a pot of gunpowder tea, piping hot and slightly bitter. She also vaguely noticed that he had switched on the radio to a low jazz to fill the ringing silence of her mind. He moved with familiarity and confidence in her home and she couldn’t help feeling both grateful and annoyed at the same time. 

“You don’t need to stay.” She hated how quiet and weak her voice sounded but she felt the need to at least offer him a way out of the current situation. Other than Eirwen, she wasn’t really accustomed to anyone trying to take care of her even after her injury.

“And you don’t need to catch the flu pressed against the window, princess.” Nyx chuckled at the obscene hand motion Amira quickly shot his way and was relieved to see she seemed to be clawing her way back out of herself. “I’m not going anywhere until we figure this out.” When Amira opened her mouth to argue, he was quick to stop her and refocus her attention on the larger goal in hopes of getting her to face the current issue. “We’ll be called back into the field any day now and since you’ve been cleared, I need to know you’re in the right headspace.” If he couldn’t get her to consider the issue as a work-related problem, he would have no hope of getting her to open up about personal issues.

Nodding, Amira worried the warm mug between her fingers. “I told you, I felt something snap. I’ve never felt her so far away - not when we’re separated by thousands of miles.” Assuring her that the connection could be fixed, Nyx urged her to continue. “Whatever she was looking for...something seemed to break her heart.”

“I’m sure she’s just worried about you. The two of you have always had each other -” Nyx stopped short as his phone vibrated in his pocket. The only people that had his number were Glaives and other work associates and the only time it rang was due to some work related issue. Fishing it out from the pocket of his jeans, he was surprised to see Pelna’s name lighting up the screen. “Report,” he offered by way of greeting.

Amira watched and Nyx’s eyes narrowed slightly and his stubbled jaw clenched. Though Pelna couldn’t see him, he nodded several times and made agreeable noises to urge him to continue. After a few moments, Nyx ended the call and ran a hand over his suddenly weary face. This time, it was Amira who was concerned by the sudden quiet. “Seems we have a bit of work to do.”

“Pelna cracked the firewall and found some sort of list he immediately sent to Cor - who informed him that several emissaries from the Empire are planning a visit to attend the Foreign Relations Gala in a few days.” A crease had taken up residence on Nyx’s forehead as he repeatedly ran the conversation through his mind. 

Shocked, Amira was silent for a moment as she processed the information. “They’re not planning a confrontation in front of a room of international dignitaries. Could they have realized that I copied that file?” 

“There’s no way they’re that stupid. They’re up to something, though. Pelna also reported increased military activity at the northern border - encampments, patrol, the works.” Sighing, he leaned back against the counter and studied Amira closely. “Looks like the vacation is over.” He paused momentarily hoping to choose his next words correctly. “You’re not going to...like what I have in mind.” 

Sighing, Amira pulled herself up from the window and stood to face her partner. “I rarely do,” she reassured him.

XXX

Unlike her Twin, Amira had grown up in what anyone on the outside looking in would consider a perfect home. Malcolm and Nadia Everet were the storybook couple - Malcolm hailed from one of the richest, self-made families in all Lucis while Nadia, coming from old Lucian nobility, had been raised as if she herself were next in line to the throne. When the two had married nearly three decades earlier, neither bride or groom had ever laid eyes on the other prior to meeting at the altar and both had approached the scenario as if it were a business transaction to further themselves and their families. When Amira had been born, she had instantly become the new bargaining chip for her parents and had been ushered through years of etiquette classes, ballroom dance lessons, advanced tutoring, fashion and beauty seminars, and all the formal parties her parents could drag her to. Amira had grinned and curtsied through it all, praying to the Six for a way out.

Things had remained tortuously the same until her fifteenth birthday. For years, she had begged her parents to allow her to train with her paternal uncle and member of the Royal Kingsguard, Declan - her justification being that she should know how to defend herself should her pedigree ever put her in harm’s way. Finally, after much pressure from her uncle, her parents had relented and allowed her to train two days a week for a few hours in place of the cardio workout her personal trainer had devised for her. Immediately, she had fallen in love with the raw violence and unstructured chaos that came from physical combat and had shown real promise for someone so young. Her uncle worked with her continuously had been able to nearly ensure her a position within the guard after her college graduation, even going so far as to go against her parent’s wishes for her by involving King Regis himself. She couldn’t have found anything more removed from her original life if she had tried - or at least she had thought until her training accident had sealed her fate. 

Uncomfortable falling back into bad memories, Amira kept fidgeting in her seat and pulling at the garment she had hoped she would never wear. The couture gown had been stashed away in its original box since her parents had sent it to her over a year ago in hopes of enticing her back into the spotlight her family thrived in. The saving grace was that the dress was at least mostly black. Made of the highest quality black satin and an overlay of organza, the floor length gown possessed a custom fitted corset with an off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline that dipped between her breasts exposing a bit more skin than she felt entirely comfortable with. The draped split sleeves fell beyond her wrists, perfectly displaying the tattoo of delicate roses twisting and blooming down her arm, and a careful slit ran up the long skirt to her mid thigh on one side. Hand embroidered gold applique leaves and vines decorated the bodice and skirts while the sleeves and trims were encrusted with shimmering gold glass beads. She had paired the dress with a pair of black designer pumps with a scarlet bottom adorned with a criss-crossing straps that buckled just above the ankle and glittering gold and diamond drop earrings. She’d had to buy new makeup as she had avoided wearing it as much as possible in recent years and had opted for a heavy-handed winged eyeliner and a dark plum lipstick. 

“If you pull continue to pull at the dress, you’re going to end up ripping it before we get to the gala.”

Sighing, Amira arched a perfectly filled in brow at her uncle Declan who was comfortably dressed in his usual Guard uniform of black slacks and dress shirt. He’d only added a jacket and patent leather shoes to his daily ensemble. “You know how much I hate this. I thought by becoming a Glaive I could wipe my hands of all this.” Contempt leaked into her words as she studied her black and gold manicure. 

Chuckling, Declan straightened his jacket and offered his niece a knowing grin. His salt and pepper hair mixed with the warm gold of his eyes had always made him so much more inviting than her father. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how to walk in heels already? I thought we raised you better than that.”

Immediately, Amira flipped him off with her glittering gold-tipped finger and flipped her half pinned up hair over one shoulder. “Please. We both know I came out of the womb wearing a pair of six inch pumps.” Thankfully, the sleek black vehicle came to a stop and the back door was opened by a smirking hero. “Don’t start with me tonight,” Amira warned Nyx as she slid across the leather seats and carefully out onto the sidewalk before the Citadel. 

Flashing lights erupted from either side of her. As if flipping a switch, Amira smiled for the photographers pushed back her shoulders until she felt the familiar ache beginning in her spine. Declan was quick to take up her elbow as he too paused to allow the paparazzi a moment to capture his image. As the two moved forward towards the grand entrance, Nyx moved to her other side as if to shield her from the cameras. Speaking quickly, Nyx spoke just loud enough for the two Everets to hear him. “Many of the foreign dignitaries have already arrived but no one has spotted anyone from the Empire yet. The others are posted up inside and I will be positioned to see the entire ballroom.” Holding out a gloved hand to Amira, Nyx offered her nearly perfectly clear earpiece. “Pelna just finished these this morning. Don’t worry about it not picking up your voice if you speak quietly, it’s been calibrated to your voice specifically.”

Declan ushered Amira through the glass door before heading to the elevator and pressing the correct floor. “I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but your parents are here and they would like to speak with you. Try not to get blood on the dress.”

Groaning, Amira thumped her head back against the onyx wall of the elevator during her brief moment of normalcy. Tonight, she was once again Amira Everet, heir to the Everet fortune and darling daughter of Malcolm and Nadia. Of course, they had not been briefed on the plan the Vanguard and the Kingsguard were to execute. To them, their daughter was finally coming to her senses. “Six, I am going to need an entire bottle of champagne.” She could already feel the headache beginning to bloom in her temple. 

[sarcastic-heroine]

The Vanguard | Eirwen Lupus | Instagram

A look at the Instagram account of our youngest glaive (@fortheloveofeos).

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@eluvian-touched - Eitan Mahariel - Semi-Selective 

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@bloodlotusmagic - Nedra Surana - Semi-Selective

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Abelas 

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B

Bethany

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@aclassikrem - Semi-Selective

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@ebonyhellebore -  Selective/Mutual * 

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D

Dorian 

@inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective * 

E

F

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@maniacollision - Selective/Non-Exclusive *

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G

H

I

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@implementofdestruction - Semi-Selective

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@trivialsinsrps - Semi-Selective *

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Josephine 

K

L

Leandra

Leliana 

@ebonyhellebore -  Selective/Mutual * 

M

Maric Theirin

@ebonyhellebore - Selective/Mutual * 

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O

Orana

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Q

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U

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Varric

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X

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Ainsley Allban

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Alan Ar Zara O Bearhold 

 @inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective  * 

Alexander Primus

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@orlesianvirtuoso - Antivian Human Businessman - NonSelective  * 

Arlette Moreau 

@orlesianvirtuoso - Orlesian Noble Human - NonSelective  * 

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B

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@inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective  * 

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Bittie

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Camille O’Connell  

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D

Diana Prince 

@ebonyhellebore​ - Queen of Rivain - Selective/Mutual */**

Dwyron Jarva

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E

Edda Pureheart 

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@lysandi - Tevinter Blood Mage Companion - Selective/Private

Enour Cadash

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F

Fayli Deakat 

@stars-and-satina - Adult Toymaker - Semi-Selective * 

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@finn-ghilain - Dalish Elf - Semi-Selective

G

Giovenco Grimani 

@orlesianvirtuoso - Circus Performer Human - NonSelective  * 

H

Hampus Luck

@oneluckyshot - Semi-Selective 

I

Icarus

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J

Jaques De Calco 

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Kona of Briarthorne

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L

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Litriel Lavellan 

 @ulavellan - Companion - Selective  * 

Livia Primus 

@orlesianvirtuoso - Tevinter Human Venatori - NonSelective  * 

M

Maleficent Draconis IV 

@antiiihero -Teviter Mage - Selective/Private **

Marcus of House Lupus 

 @inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective  * 

Maretus Varovelo

@molioanimatra - Tevinter Soporati - Selective

Mercer Renault 

 @thricefools - Companion - Selective/Private  * 

Meris

@trivialsinsrps -  Rogue - Selective  *

Merlyn Lavellan 

 @ulavellan - Companion - Selective  * 

N

Narcissa Bla​ck

@fleurfoncee - Human Mage - Semi-Selective **

O

P

Paien Lassalle 

 @orlesianvirtuoso - Orlesian Mage Virtuoso Human - NonSelective * 

Pride 

@maniacollision - Demon - Selective/Nonexclusive */** 

Q

Quin LaTur

@vivalafromage - Selective

R

Remio Moretti 

 @thricefools - Companion - Selective/Private  * 

Reyna Le Bail 

 @inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective     * 

Rin

@maniacollision - Mage disguised as rogue - Selective/Nonexclusive */**

Rozalia Addario 

@orlesianvirtuoso - Antivian Human Alchemist - NonSelective  * 

Rufus Trevelyan 

 @inquisitionteam - Inquisition Companion - Semi-Selective  * 

S

Sara Lance 

@canariism​ Human Templar - Semi-Selective **

Saramus Aravendas 

@theredconqueror - NonSelective ** 

 Sherbourne Le Guyader 

@inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective  * 

Sigriss Mitheleneil 

@isene​ - Dalish - Selective 

T

Talan-ash

@talan-ash  - Tal-Vashoth  - Semi-Selective

Thomas 

@trivialsinsrps -  Warrior - Selective  * 

Tristan Wulff 

@stars-and-satina -  Noble/Scholar - Semi-Selective  * 

U

V

Valerie An Zara O Bearhold 

@inquisitionteam - Semi-Selective  * 

Valkoinen 

@orlesianvirtuoso - Tevinter Elf - NonSelective  * 

Varian Falaval 

 @orlesianvirtuoso - Ex-Dalish Mage - NonSelective *  

Vivianne 

@ebonyhellebore​ - Dalish Slave - Selective/Mutual * 

W

Wren Fowler 

 @thricefools - Companion - Selective/Private *

X

Y

Z

[fortheloveofeos]

The Vanguard - Chapter 5

That awkward moment when you’ve written something months ago and realize it was never posted...

Any who, here’s my first upload of today. @sarcastic-heroine

XXX

Despite the evening hour, the streets near the Citadel were quiet as Eirwen leaned back against the lamppost. The cool metal was comforting against her abnormally warm skin. The workout with Gladio had been rougher on her muscles than she had anticipated, and her entire body had pushed harder than it had in a while. Her legs had especially been put to the test as she had not allowed herself to use magic, other than warping, and had fought Gladio hand-to-hand. The cool shower had done her body a world of good, but her healing muscles were warmer than she was used to, and she had been forced to don a black tank top and jeans without a jacket or over shirt. As her mind went back over the training session for the millionth time while she tried very hard not to direct her focus to the memory of the shirtless Shield and his rippling muscles, she played with the small flame she managed to create and maintain at the tips of her fingers.

A rumble tore through the night, breaking her concentration and killing the magical flame. The motorcycle turned the corner, racing down the backstreet just behind the Citadel before coming to a sudden stop in front of Eirwen. “You look a little lonely,” the rider chuckled before sliding forward in his seat and pulling an extra helmet from the rack on the back. Holding out the helmet, the hulking rider pressed the button to raise the darkened screen. “It’s dangerous for a girl out her alone,” Gladio smiled.

“Dangerous for them, maybe,” Eirwen smirked and accepted the helmet before sliding it into place and fixing the chin strap. “When I said you could give me a ride, I wasn’t expecting this.”

Gladio barked out a laugh before helping her to slide onto the seat behind him, her arms instantly wrapping around his middle. “I don’t get to ride her much, considering I’m usually with Noctis or Ignis when I’m traveling around the city. Thought you could handle something a little more wild than the Regalia.”

Eirwen snorted before Gladio turned the bike on, the engine roaring to life as they sped down the street. For all his talk, he was a careful driver other than his speed and the two had arrived at the usual dive bar in no time at all. Gladio got off first before offering his hand to Eirwen and taking her helmet. He carried them both in one arm while his other slipped around her waist to guide her inside. She raised an eyebrow at him, but his only response was a wink before he opened the door and ushered her inside.

The scent of cigars, spilled beers, and the sweetness of the fruit behind the bar mingled with old leather as the two took their seats in the booth towards the back where Pelna was already seated, pouring over his tablet with a half empty beer in his hand. He didn’t seem to notice their arrival.

“Pelna?” Eirwen leaned forward and waved a hand in front of his face. “Don’t tell me you’re working right now,” she sighed and tapped the screen once for emphasis. This seemed to be enough to get his attention as his head snapped up and he pulled his tablet towards himself.

His brown eyes were wide for a moment as he looked from her to Gladio before realization dawned on him and he relaxed. “Don’t do that. And yes, I’m going back through the data I managed to get from the mainframe on the dropship before Amira was attacked. Oddly enough, there was some coding that wasn’t encoded at all. But after some digging through what I would call decoy information, I’ve found a hidden firewall of sorts. Something I don’t think is supposed to be on here.”

“So they did want us to find the information, then,” Nyx nodded as he slid in beside Pelna and taking a swig of his beer. “Have you reported this yet?”

Sighing, Pelna tucked the tablet away into his jacket and shook his head. “Nothing other than my preliminary report to Drautos. I want to be the first one on the other side of the firewall. Something important is in there. I know it.”

The squeak of leather on leather stopped Pelna from continuing as Crowe claimed her spot beside Nyx and Libertus pulled up a couple of chairs for himself and Amira. “We are not discussing work right now. We are getting drunk,” Crowe insisted and passed around the fresh round of beers she must have picked up on her way in.

“I know I need a drink,” Amira sighed as she took a long swig from her bottle. “It’s been a long few days with braids for brains over here. Who knew such a skilled warrior would have a penchant for sci-fi movies.

.” Eirwen visibly cringed as Nyx pouted and crossed his arms. The entire group burst into laughter at their “leader’s” expense.

Anytime the Vanguard gathered together for drinks and preferably cheap beer, laughter and good-natured jests were the usual. Amira seemed to be in good spirits despite having to have assistance walking and being unable to carry practically anything. The fresh air and company of her friends seemed to be doing her a world of good. Gladio seemed to easily fit into the group, making more than one joke at Eirwen’s expense during the night, always softening it with a wink or a smile.

“Guessing you’re going to be with us for now,” Libertus pointed in Gladio’s direction with his amber bottle, careful not to spill its contents on the weathered table. Though it wasn’t a question, he waited for Gladio’s responding nod before continuing. “Guess Sparky and Frostbite have been re-assigned for the time being,” he laughed to himself.

Both Amira and Eirwen cocked an eyebrow and crossed their arms over their chests. It was one of those times were if they had actually looked similar, it would’ve been impossible to tell them apart. An easy moment to understand why they were The Twins. “Last time I looked at my personnel file, Lib, you weren’t listed as Captain Obvious,” Amira fixed him with a look,  “and we all heard the orders go over the comm. Shield’s with us until we figure out this new issue with the Nifs.”

“Safety of the Crown and all,” Gladio nodded. “Speaking of, I have a few questions about dynamics and past battle strategies used by the Vanguard and the Kingsglaive.” He leaned forward in his seat, his eyes sparkling despite the alcohol in his veins.

Using that as her queue, Eirwen slipped over the back of the cracked booth and pulled a chair up beside Amira so the two could have their own conversation. Amira looked like she always did dressed in all dark colors with her dark hair braided out of her face. To know anything was wrong, a person would have to know what to look for in her eyes. A sort of fire seemed to be almost snuffed out.

Eirwen opened her mouth but was cut off when Amira gave her an odd look, sliding forward in her chair before she placed a hand to the blonde’s forehead. “You feeling okay? You’re actually a little warm, snowflake.”

Hiding her smile, Eirwen batted her hand away carefully so as not to jostle her too much. “I’m fine. I guess I am warm, but I blame that on Mister Greatsword over there. He wanted to go a couple rounds today.” Amira raised both her eyebrows in a teasing manner, a smirk pulling at her dark colored lips. “He’s faster than anyone that size should be, okay?” Shaking her head and willing the blood away from her cheeks, she pointed at her Twin. “What about you? You’ve been holed up with the damn Hero of Lucis for

. I want details.”

A heavy sigh left Amira before she could even pretend to stop it. The sound was something of disappointment and resignation. “The past day or so he hasn’t said much. Libertus and Crowe have been around some. Whenever anyone not you is around he always...withdraws?” Eirwen nodded as she already knew what Amira meant - which she probably did. “I caught him playing piano the other morning.”

Gasping, Eirwen scooted forward in her seat comically. “Do tell me more. I’ve missed everything.”

The first couple of days had been rough. Amira had been given the maximum amount of healing potions any one person could legally, and maybe not-so-legally, consume at any one time to ensure that she came out of this alive. The injury to her abdomen had been deep enough that the bloodloss alone was a major concern for the field medics the moment they had gotten to her. Consuming so much magical medicine was hard on a healthy body. Do the same to anyone with an injury and there was a price to be paid.

Though her body worked in overdrive to create new cells and knit the gash back together, pain seemed to fill her veins at first and she only seemed to notice it at night when the pain was all there was. With Eirwen on double shifts between regular training and learning new weapons, Nyx had been given a special leave to attend to Ramuh’s daughter so that no non-magic wielding nurse would be exposed to her in the event she lost control again.

After she had been allowed to return home and Nyx had refused to leave, the two had settled into a sort of routine. She had only been out around two days when the two had ordered Altissan take-out from a diner up the street. After they ate, Nyx had helped Amira to sit up, and he picked out a movie he thought she might like: a rom-com centered around a woman who was overworked and quite laughably looking for love at some kind of festival. The two ended up laughing their way through most of it before their dessert had cooled down.

As the credits has rolled, Amira couldn’t help thinking back to the ship. They had followed the plans perfectly. In fact, it was the first mission she could remember where they had actually stuck to the original plan. She should’ve died on that ship and she knew it. Judging by the way Nyx shifted during her silence, he knew it too.

He left soon after that for the couch where he would be sleeping during his stay. Eirwen had made up the guest room for him, but because it was on the other side of the apartment from Amira’s room, he had insisted the couch was better. It was from the couch that he had heard her whimpering in her sleep. When he rushed to her bedroom door he found her carefully curled up with her hands clawing at the sheet from the pain.

Healing magic was dangerous, incredibly so when administered in large amounts. He’d been on the receiving end of less than the amount of magic Amira had been given and he knew the pain he had felt then. Her soft whimpers and groans of pain had nearly shattered his heart. Without thinking, he had silently padded his way over to her bed and slipped beneath the fluffy covers so that he could lightly place his hand over her injury. Heat radiated from his palm as she burrowed into him, seeking out more of his warmth to stave off the pain. Her whimpers stopped and soon she was breathing heavily enough for a deep sleep.

Nyx stayed like that most of the night - his large hand pouring carefully restrained fire magic against her wound while she cuddled against his chest. He’d been too afraid to do anything more than sort of doze off in case he hurt her. Once the sun began to rise, he had carefully untangled himself from her and left her to rest. Although he hadn’t slept much, he felt engized from having her near him and felt more than ready for the day.

He would later blame his worry for the large pot of tea, cinnamon rolls, and large bowl of fruit he made for the two of them for breakfast. While he waited for her to join him, he had taken a seat on the bench of the old piano tucked into the corner of the apartment. He remembered Eirwen mentioning Amira’s love for music but judging by the layer of dust gathering on its surface, it hadn’t been played in some time. A light press of the keys told him that the instrument was still in fine condition and without thought he abandoned his teacup to the floor and lightly slid his fingers over the keys enough to stir up dust.

It had been ages since he’d even seen an actual piano outside of the Citadel’s galas. His mother had owned an ancient thing that she had kept in their sun room. She had liked to play as she looked out over the morning waves glittering in the sunrise. Now, Nyx looked out over the Insomnian skyline. The glass of the skyscrapers glittered like diamonds and he couldn’t help smiling at the irony of it all.

He could almost hear his mother’s playing, see her fingers ghosting over the keys and before long his fingers followed suit. The tune was an old Galahdian ballad of love. A story about a warrior and his sweet lover. It was a heartbreaking story of loss and of love and of commitment and as his fingers played out the notes, he found himself humming the words in the all but forgotten language of his homeland.

“That’s beautiful.”

Nyx jumped at the sound of her voice, his fingers missing a key. “It’s...from my homeland.” He turned to find her leaning against the wall. “You should be in bed. You’re not supposed to do much physical activity.”

“I refuse to get bed sores,” she winced as she shifted her weight. “What’re the lyrics? I heard you humming.”

“Another time,” he promised as he rose from the bench seat. “I made breakfast. Let me help you,” he sighed when she stepped away from the wall holding her side. Shaking her head, Amira opened her mouth to say she could do it when she felt her knees being knocked out from under her and the world tipping. “Don’t try to struggle, you’ll only hurt yourself.”

How exactly Nyx had managed to get her into his arms without hurting her injury she would never understand but Amira knew he told the truth when he warned her not to move. “I dislike you, Islander.”

“Lying isn’t becoming of a lady,” he laughed.

[fortheloveofeos]

@sarcastic-heroine merry Christmas! I couldn’t keep this a secret because I know you love these girls as much as I do. Meet Amira Everet and Eirwen Lupus of my story, The Vanguard. These kick ass glaives would never have come to be without Ellie and letting me scream, rant, giggle, and vent about the work of ffxv and some of the best characters ever created. This perfect piece was created by @kimkun16 and I couldn’t be happier with it!

[fortheloveofeos]

Vanguard - Chapter 2

Tagging: @opalandowl

Things are heating up and I’m so excited :)

XXX

It was comical, really, how the Empire had landed their dropships below the ridgeline. As if the natural landscape would somehow hide the several of the metal monstrosities along the border of Duscae and Leide formed by the rocky cliffs. Amira stood tall, her long hair pulled back into a braid under her hood while Eirwen crouched beside her. The Vanguard had arrived ahead of the Crownsguard scouts previously deployed to gather information of the layout to ensure the mission would end in success.

Pelna fiddled with the handheld device he usually kept tucked away during missions. His brow creased for a moment before glancing towards Nyx. “I’ve got the comms channel setup. We should have our own private channel. One that’s separate from the one the Marshall assigned.” The designated technophile of the group pressed a few more buttons before nodding again and stashing the device inside his coat. “Use the channel button to toggle between the channels. I’ve set it so that there will be a small beep when the other channel is being used.”

Nyx nodded and experimented with his own device. He turned toward Libertus and pointed towards the ship closest to the group’s position. “Amira and I will start there. Once we have a location, think you can get those two inside?” He nodded in the direction of Crowe, who casually leaned back against her hands while her legs dangled carelessly over the Cliffside.

Libertus laughed off his friend’s question. “Not a problem. You just keep the lighting rod away from the metal ships.”

Amira laughed wryly and shot Libertus the finger before taking a stance by Nyx. The two of them would be moving in first in order to locate which of the five deployed ships carried the information they needed. They would need to get in and out without being seen in order for the mission to work. “Don’t worry,” she teased, “I’m not going to short out the entire ship.” Doing so would alert Niflheim to their presence and ruin the mission.

Crowe stood and stretched, patting Pelna on the back. The two of them were tasked with extracting the information they needed. Pelna flipped the small chip between his fingers with a wicked grin on his tanned face before tipping his chin. The few Guards deployed had finally arrived at the rendezvous point.

Eirwen rose to her full height, taking up a position among her comrades as they greeted the Guards. Monica and Dustin were well known even among the Kingsglaive. What was surprising was the huge young man standing just behind both of them with a massive greatsword. “Amicitia,” Nyx nodded in surprise before greeting the others.

Monica stepped forward, the usually pleasant smile on her face appeared troubled. Her black uniform was sleek and simple compared to the heavy coats and hoods utilized by the Glaives. “An entire MT unit is deployed just below the ridge. It’s difficult to know what their orders are.” She sighed and smoothed some of her blond hair from her face. The hard look in her eyes mirrored the expression on Dustin’s impassive face.

Stepping forward, he placed a hand on his fellow Guard’s shoulder. “We’ve kept an eye on them since they were originally seen landing. They’ve made no move to leave the area but they have taken up defensive positions around the ships.”

“Understood.” Nyx looked at his fellow Glaives and each of them dropped their hoods in unison. Without word, they split up into their groups and moved to stand along the ridgeline. “We’ll be on the comms,” He nodded once before throwing his Kukri forward, the blade spinning and and landing yards beneath their position over halfway down the mountain. Amira’s body crackled as she warped just behind him. Crowe and Pelna were next, their aim taking them further behind the dropships. Libertus grumbled about wasting a perfectly good lunch before launching himself off the mountain just behind his blade and joining his partners. Eirwen stepped forward looking for the perfect position for herself when a large hand gripped her shoulder.

“Lupus,” Cor’s voice filtered through her comm unit in perfect unison as she turned to see the young Amicitia, the Shield-in-training, standing just behind her. “Amicitia is with you. He’s green, but he’s got the skills to back to you up. Don’t go throwing him or yourself into unnecessary danger, got it?”

Gritting her teeth together, the youngest member of the Vanguard nodded but shook off the grip on her shoulder. “Sir,” she conceded before switching her comm over to the private channel. She shot one look over her shoulder to size up her apparent partner. He was taller than her by nearly a foot. While Eirwen knew that the Guard were able to pick their own uniforms as long as they were entirely black, she was stunned to see that he wore a black shirt unbuttoned to reveal his toned chest. Delicate ink work disappeared beneath the material and stretched down over his sculpted arms. Feathers, maybe? His leather pants hugged his thighs nicely and thick boots shielded his shins. She noticed the metal chain over his hip, but she didn’t pick up any rattling when he shifted somewhat nervously beneath her gaze. Finally, she locked her frozen eyes onto his warm amber irises and was unable to stop her eyebrow from lifting. The scar over his left eye somehow seemed to accentuate the ruggedness of his face; the light stubble and his square jaw working nicely together. His hair was a bit long and unbraided, and she couldn’t help wondering how he expected his hair to stay out of his face. “We’re wasting time,” she finally muttered and turned her back on him again. “I’m guessing you can’t warp.”

“Not if you want me to remain to in one piece. But I’m faster than I look. I’ll follow you down,” his gruff voice was surprisingly earnest and devoid of any sort of bragging she had anticipated.

Nodding, Eirwen threw her frosted over Kukri and allowed the magic of the crystal to pull her through subspace. She landed in a crouching position, swaying only slightly once before she regained herself. She carefully dropped the rest of the way down the ridge, Gladio caught up to her just behind the first dropship. Eirwen caught him before he could lean around her. “Our job is to cover the others. Silently.”

Gladiolus sighed but hung back just behind her. It was obvious he was out of his element with the entire situation. She imagined him ploughing headfirst into battle with his greatsword, taking out hordes of enemies with a single swing. She didn’t imagine slinking along in the background had been on his plan. Cor had seemed adamant that she see he made it home, though, and Eirwen had no plans to disappoint the Immortal. She was young and still making a name for herself and she refused to be known as the one that got the future Shield killed.

A small beep pulled her out of her thoughts and she clicked on her comm. Noticing that Gladiolus didn’t seem fazed, she knew it was another of the Vanguard. “Hey, ice princess. Think you could help get the heat off of Crowe and Pelna? We’ve got some units moving in while Pelna tries to work through the firewall. They’re too far for me to get a good shot,” Libertus sounded tense and she could picture him sweating beneath his uniform. Once she had let him know she was on her way, Eirwen motioned for her partner to follow her.

They moved silently onto the next ship. Slipping inside the opened hatch, Eirwen slunk low and kept close to the wall. She was surprised again by the light footfalls of the man behind her. When she came up to the open doorway, her careful eyes caught where Pelna was perched among the wiring of the ship in the ceiling. He motioned further down the hall. A breath later, an MT circled back on his guard path. Gladio had posted up on the opposite side of the doorway, he sword held tightly in his hand. She held up a hand to stop him as she leaned back against the cool metal, focusing on the cool energy that pooled in her hand. Slipping her glove off, she fisted her hand and shut her eyes. Counting the seconds, Eirwen lunged around the corner and placed her bare hand against the metalwork of the Magitek soldier’s face.

Immediately, the metal beneath her touch frosted over, the thick coating of ice radiating out to cover the surface of the machine-turned-soldier.The circuitry flashed, sparks escaping it’s neck. With one twitch, the unit locked up but before it could crash to the floor, the young Amicitia caught it and carefully lowered it.

Eirwen nodded to Pelna before sliding her glove back onto her hand. Around the next corner, Libertus and Crowe were posted up, one MT slumped against the wall behind Libertus with its head hanging loosely by a few cords. “That’s not going to look like a malfunction,” Eirwen sighed.

Laughing into her palm, Crowe pointed at the islander. Libertus opened his mouth but Pelna landed between them with the computer chip in his hand and motioned for them to exit the ship. The group of five stalked forward slowly, careful to check doorways and listen for disturbances. A sudden groan rang out in the otherwise silent ship and a door swung open, two units charging forward.

Before Eirwen could pull off her gloves or draw her blades, Gladio had run one of the units through and Libertus had thrust his blade into what should have been it’s neck until the hilt tinged against the metal shoulder. Both units were lowered to the ground slowly before everyone made a beeline for the exit.

“Not bad, Amicitia,” Eirwen nodded and pulled back her hood in order to get a better look at him. His eyes reminded her of burning embers in the sunlight. Everything about this towering man reminded her of warmth and fire.

Chuckling, he ran his fingers through his own hair and pushing the loose strands from his face. “It’s Gladiolus,” his smile was warm enough to melt the snows of Gralea “You can call me Gladio.”

“Like the flower?” She stifled her giggle behind her hand. “Nice to meet you, Gladio. Eirwen,” she offered her hand for him to shake. His hand engulfed hers and his calloused fingers traced over her knuckles before she pulled her hand back.

Another beep caused everyone other than the Guard to turn on their comms. “Pelna, you got the info?” Nyx’s voice was accompanied by the ting of metal as his footsteps echoed off the metal flooring of a dropship.

“Got it. As soon as Amira fired up the circuits, I was in.” Pelna pulled out the small device he had played with earlier and slipped the chip into it. “I still need the password. It’s probably on some documents in the commanding officer’s things.”

Another comm unit switched on, its feed carrying the metallic echo of gunshot pinging in the enclosed space. “Got the password,” Amira panted. Her voice sounded breathy and panicked.

Eirwen clicked on her own comm, her eyes wide in worry. “Amira? What’s happening?” She was hurt. There was no way that the platinum blonde should have known that given their physical separation but somehow, deep in her soul, she felt it. She clutched the only means of communication to her ear, desperate to hear her answer. She was so focused that she didn’t realize Gladio had stepped closer, the heat radiating from his body permeated her typically frozen aura. Though he was unable to hear the conversation, the worry on everyone’s face was enough to clue him in. “Amira!”

“I got her,” Nyx grunted through the unit. “Get your asses back to the overlook. We’ll meet you there.” The comms switched off.

Shaking from a mixture of fear and rage, Eirwen checked the position of the MT units posted outside. They all remained in their original places as if awaiting orders. Whatever they waited on, they didn’t know about the shootout apparently happening in another of the ships. The thick metal structures were at least strong enough to contain the sound of gunfire, it seemed.

[fortheloveofeos]

The Vanguard - Chapter 3

Whew. I’ve been sitting on this for days because I still don’t have internet. Sigh. I promise I’ve got some reader inserts I’m working on but I’ve been a bit under the weather recently and my focus is basically non existant. 

Tagging: @opalandowl​ because Amira. :)

XXX

One minute, everything was silent as Amira traced her fingers over the walls of the dropship following the electric lines through the ship, their power pulsing beneath her fingers. The next, the world was on fire and a searing pain radiated out from somewhere near her right hip.

She had located the main circuit board inside the commanding officer’s ship in the wall behind the desk. She pressed her fingers to the wall and gave the lines just enough of a jolt to fire up for Pelna to get the information and then the world went up in flames.

Opening her eyes against her body’s protests, Amira pulled herself to her feet even as her vision swam. She needed the security password for the system or the entire mission would have been a waste. “It has to be here,” she panted and shuffled through the papers. Snatching one stamped “CLASSIFIED”, She ducked behind the desk as gunshots ricocheted off the wall behind her. Fumbling for the button on her comm, Amira panted into the speaker, “got the password.”

Another loud crash bounced off the metallic walls, amplifying the sound before a strong grip pulled Amira from the ground. “I got her,” Nyx grunted into his comm. He gave the order for the others to retreat back to the overlook before killing the feed. “You good?” He wrapped an arm around Amira’s waist in order to keep her on her feet.

Although she couldn’t see the wound, the slight panic reflected in Nyx’s stormy blue eyes were enough for Amira to realize she was hurt. Badly. A hot, sticky substance leaked into her pants and she knew she was bleeding. Thankfully her arms still held enough strength for her to grasp onto her Kukri. “Never better,” she gasped through her teeth. Once step forward and her knees were crumpling.

Nyx tightened his grip and pulled her against his side to keep her steady. “Come on, Sparky, don’t give up on me now. We’re getting out of here.”

“Shut up,” Amira grumped as she returned her blade to her sheath. She was too weak for warping and they both knew it. If Nyx was going to keep her upright, he wasn’t going to be able to warp either. Instead, she opened the small compartment on her jacket where her throwing knives were stored. Out of reflex, she placed three between her fingers, ready for a target. “I’ll cover us if you can get us out of here,” she panted slightly.

Knitting his brows together in worry, Nyx nodded. “You got it. Tell me if we need to slow down.” He studied her face closely, looking for any sign that would tell him she was worse off than she was letting on.

Nodding, Amira tightened her grip around Nyx. “Let’s do this.”

Nyx was careful not to jostle Amira more than necessary as he navigated them through the ship. As they neared the exit, a group of Magitek Troopers blocked the exit with their guns raised. “Mir,” Nyx warned lowly.

With a single flip of her wrist, Amira let the blades between her fingers fly. Before the thin metal weapons left her, she charged them with a jolt of the electricity that had continuously flowed through her being for years. Imbued with her magic, the blades found their homes in the necks of the MTs to short out their circuits. Nyx managed to get them out of the ship before they had even hit the floor.

Ignoring her protests, the Galahdian Glaive cradled her in his arms as he stalked behind the ships towards the ridgeline where the others waited. Pulling his Kukri free, he loosed Amira’s as well. “Do you trust me?” Clutching onto him, Amira nodded knowing exactly the risk he was about to take. She could feel herself growing weaker, probably from the blood loss, and her head began to fill with fog. Nyx wrapped her hand around the hilt of her own blade. If he could time it just right…Both Glaives were snapped into the void of the crystal’s light with crack. Nyx had just enough time to land atop the ridge before Amira crashed into his arms, a small whimper leaving her lips.

“Amira,” Eirwen gasped as she ran to her best friend’s side. One look at Amira’s pale face and the way she had nearly crumpled into Nyx’s chest had tears filling her eyes. Blood dripped slowly from her side and soaked into Nyx’s uniform. “We have to stop the bleeding,” Eirwen swallowed the lump in her throat, doing her best to remember the emergency medical training she had been through again and again. “Someone hold her down.”

Carefully positioning her so that the brunette's head rested in his lap, Nyx cradled Amira’s head and did his best to keep her awake by calling her name and asking her meaningless questions. Large hands carefully gripped her shoulders as Gladio leaned down beside her. Shaking, Eirwen leaned forward to examine the wound. The gash in her side was deep and it was difficult to tell exactly what had caused it. Based on its position in her side, her internal organs weren’t damaged. The best course of action would be to cauterize the wound with a blast of fire magic but in her current state, Eirwen knew she wouldn’t be able to channel her opposite element.

“I got her,” Crowe kneeled beside Amira and rubbed her hands together as if to warm them. “Call for the extraction. We need to get out of here.” She waited for Pelna to start the call before she placed her hands against Amira’s side. It was probably for the best that she had slipped into unconsciousness before the magic flames burned against her injured skin.

Waking up was harder than she remembered. While she had never been a morning person, Amira could usually open her eyes once, as if to try to fight off the morning sun and pretend it wasn’t real. This time, she couldn’t even lift her heavy eyelids. Her mouth had that strange metallic aftertaste she only got from medicine. Opening her mouth to speak, she sucked in a breath of cold air before erupting in coughing fit.

“Shit,” the familiar voice of her Twin was somewhere close by, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I just couldn’t help it.” Amira finally forced her eyes open in time to see Eirwen waving her hands in front of herself in a panic and blushing a bright red. The contrast was almost comical against her pale skin.

Shaking her head, Amira pulled herself up. “The temperature is fine,” she cleared her throat as she tried to get her bearings. Her room was a bit cooler than usual due to her Twin’s panic, but she didn’t mind. She noticed another chair that had been brought in from the kitchen but was currently vacant. He had stayed. She was helpless to stop the small smile that ghosted over her dry lips.

As if on cue, a small movement from the doorway drew her attention. There, Nyx leaned against the doorway holding a steaming cup of what smelled like one of Amira’s expensive teas while he held himself up with his opposite forearm. He was dressed casually in a pair of sweats and a faded band shirt of a group she had drug him along to see ages ago. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve said he looked like he hadn’t been sleeping. “Good morning, princess,” he smirked before sipping on his tea.

She shot him a look for swiping some of her tea but didn’t voice her agitation. “How long was I out?”

Nyx and Eirwen shared a look before the blonde handed Amira a glass with small ice particles blossoming where her fingers had been. “Two days,” she spoke softly and offered her a thin smile. “We used all the healing magic we could, but the doctors said it was too deep for the magic to take care of it all. You’re going to have to heal yourself.”

Heaving a sigh, Amira sat the water back down. “How long?” She looked between her two comrades.

Eirwen looked at Nyx, a silent warning on her face before she slipped out of the room. That was Amira’s first clue that something was wrong. “A while,” Nyx spoke vaguely around his mug.

“How long,” Amira clenched her jaw and spoke through her teeth. Twisting her abdomen slightly, she stifled the involuntary gasp at the pain in her side. It was nothing compared to how she had felt on the dropship, but she didn’t need to see it to know the wound was still fairly deep.

The bed dipped slightly as Nyx situated himself by her feet, apparently having decided the chair was no longer good enough. “Minimum? Two weeks. It really depends on you, princess.” He furrowed his brow as he stared into his cup as if it held all the answers. His knuckles were noticeably white where he gripped the ceramic mug, and Amira was momentarily worried he would break it. “We almost lost you out there. You lost a lot of blood.”

She couldn’t deny his words. She had felt herself slipping away as Nyx had forced her warp. She couldn’t even remember the landing, but she was certain he had caught her. He was The Hero, after all. “Thanks,” she nearly whispered. She hated to admit that without Nyx there, she probably wouldn’t have made it out. She had a lot of questions about the what exactly had happened in that metal deathtrap, but all she wanted at that moment was the soothing blend of spices Nyx had mixed in his cup. Wordlessly, she held her hand out.

She half expected Nyx to ask her to repeat herself, but he inclined his head slightly and handed her his cup. The warm liquid was soothing as it poured down her throat, and she was surprised that it was exactly how she liked it: a bit bitter with only a small amount of soy milk.

“Shouldn’t you be on duty today?” Amira pulled the cup away from her lips as she realized it was typically the day she and Nyx would supervise the newest recruits during their warp training. “You don’t have to stay.”

His laugh was breathy and Nyx rubbed at the back of his neck as if he were embarrassed. If she hadn’t known his features so well, she would have missed the light dusting of pink that colored his cheeks. “Pelna is nearly finished cracking through the coding we retrieved from the ship and we’re on standby until he does. Cor was…concerned when we got you back to the citadel,” he paused and chewed on his lip for a moment, his eyes focusing on something she couldn’t see. “We’re training a bit more, but our other duties have been suspended for now. I think they want us ready to mobilize at any moment.”

Amira looked into her now empty mug as if it had offended her, her normally bright blue eyes taking on the orangey-purple sheen that always reminded him of the sky before a summer thunderstorm. If he looked closely he could’ve sworn he saw a few bolts strike the skies of her irises. “Except for me,” she sighed. “I can’t imagine they’ll be thrilled with me when I’m cleared.”

Calloused fingers ghosted over her chin, lifting her face so that she was forced to look into Nyx’s eyes. She hadn’t realized he had gotten so close and her breath hitched in her throat at the realization. “This is not your fault. It’s a miracle we got you out of there. Thank the Six you’re a fighter.” He looked at her a moment longer before leaning back so that his back was resting against the wall again. “Something was different about those MTs we took down. It was like…like they knew we were there.”

“Like they were playing with us,” Amira agreed. The large unit had stood unmoving in front of the ships like a decoy – almost like the Nifs had wanted to reassure them that their metal monstrosities were preoccupied. The one that had blasted into the room had to have been given orders to do so and had waited for the perfect moment to strike. “Those units didn’t behave like normal.” Even the ones she had taken out with her throwing knives had been odd. Now that she thought about it, their movements were jerky and slower than usual with aiming their rifles. It had been incredibly easy for her to take them out even with the substantial blood loss. The realization left a funny taste, much like ash, on her tongue.

Nyx nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. “Pelna thinks there might be something about their programming in the code he lifted from their server but it’s got some kind of encryption he hasn’t been able to crack yet. In comparison to what he’s already gone through, the other information was a cake walk.”

Shaking his head slightly, Nyx slid off the bed and raised his muscled arms over his head to stretch. The simple action lifted his shirt slightly above his pants to reveal his lower stomach to Amira.  The two of them had gone rounds on the training mats in hand to hand combat more times than she could count – many of those had been done with both of them without their shirts, but seeing him so casual and comfortable in her apartment sent chills racing through her weakened body. Snapping her eyes away from him and trying to focus on anything else, she felt her cheeks burn slightly.

“Eirwen’s gone to training, and I don’t really cook,” Nyx shrugged and ran a hand through his own hair. “How’s takeout sound for dinner?” He was already fishing his phone out from his sweatpants pocket. He clearly wasn’t waiting for her answer.

“Fine. Make it Altissan, and I want extra bread,” Amira sighed and leaned back against her pillows. Even with her arm over her eyes, she could feel his smirk before he easily breezed through their order. It was going to be a long few weeks.

[fortheloveofeos]

The Vanguard - Chapter 1

Whelp, here is the project that started off as a joke and has really taken on a life of it’s own. This story is going to be as much about my two new OC’s (I can really only claim Eirwen. Amira belongs to @opalandowl but she has allowed me to use her) and about giving the Glaives a happier story. THEY ALL DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER.

This story has made me excited to write again and I hope anyone that reads OC stories will stick around through this fun. I”m working on several things at the moment, but I’m so happy about this. 

And a huge thank you to El for screaming/crying with me through all the rants and our ridiculous twinning despite the geographic separation. You’ve made tumblr a fun place to hang out. 

XXX

The musty scent of old cigarette smoke and soured alcohol filled the room. The overhead lighting was effectively useless in the rickety old building. Rather, a handful of antique tiffany lamps and a few strands of string lights provided the dim illumination. The seats were cracked from both age and wear and the tables were carved from an ancient wood, nearly covered over now with marker and hastily scribbled words.

“No way,” Crowe leaned back against the booth with her arms crossed over her chest. Her brown eyes glimmered in the warm glow of the overhead lamp with excitement. “You hit that target, and the next round is on me.”

Nyx laughed and toyed with the knife in his hand. The pocketknife was much smaller and lighter than the Kukris he was so known for wielding. Still, the alcohol was only adding to his self confidence, and he had determined he could hit the bullseye with the small knife. “Get ready to pay up then,” he chuckled and slid from the booth beside Crowe. Libertus shook his head and sipped on his beer, knowing there was no stopping the Hero when had made his mind up. Focusing on the red dot at the center of the dartboard, he pulled his arm back before flipping his hand forward so that the knife spun towards the target.

“Not quite.”

Nyx groaned just as the hilt of the knife connected with the board rather than the blade and it clattered onto the chipped cement floor. Before he could retrieve it, another knife whipped through the air missing his ear only by a fraction. His eyes widened as the blade of this knife struck true and dead center. “What the f-”

“Bullseye,” someone giggled before the sound of two hands connected in a solid high-five. “That was even better than I expected.” He knew that The Twins would be standing behind him, both with a smirk and a matching set of popped out hips.

Nyx turned once he had retrieved both his knife and the newcomer’s. “Amira,” he sighed with a smile on his face. There was no use fighting the happiness that always managed to creep onto his face whenever she was around. Noticeably, she was without her usual partner in crime. Still, Amira stood with her arms crossed and one hip stuck out, her trademark smirk lighting up her sky blue eyes. Clear and cloudless compared to his storm blue.

Waving away her victory, Amira snatched her blade and closed it before returning it to the pocket of her form-fitting jeans. Though she was out of uniform, she was still dressed in all black and her long, dark hair was tossed up in a messy bun. Despite Nyx towering over her by a couple inches short of a foot, she didn’t lose a step as she shot him a wink. “Better luck next time,” she laughed and slid her petite form into the booth beside Libertus.

Crowe and Libertus laughed at the defeated look on the Hero’s face, and Crowe offered a playful pat on the back. “So, I’ll buy Amira a drink. Looks like you’re stuck with paying for your own.”

Just as Libertus opened his mouth to speak, a tray of ice cold beers clinked onto the table. “You can all thank me later.”

“Girl after my own heart,” Libertus laughed and pulled Eirwen in for a hug. Her silver-blonde hair seemed to sparkle as she brushed it over her shoulder almost as if it were covered in a layer of ice. Her pale skin contrasted nicely against the dark tan of the native islander before she pulled back enough to perch on the booth so that he was sandwiched between the two younger Glaives. “Was wondering where my little sister had gone.” He ruffled the young woman’s hair despite her protests. “Knew you couldn’t be too far behind this one,” he elbowed Amira at his other side.

Though the two weren’t blood relatives, Libertus had become especially protective of Eirwen since her initiation as a member of the Kingsglaive. He was also quick to jump to the defense of both Amira and Crowe, but being the youngest of the Glaives by a couple years, Eirwen had managed to tug at his heart in ways no one else could. Luckily, she didn’t seem too bothered by his brotherly worry and his apparent wish to keep her near his side so that he could keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble.

Amira took a sip of her drink and nodded once towards the platinum blonde on the other side of the teddy beary Glaive. “Perfect,” she sighed in content and closed her eyes for a moment. After a long day of training and a refresher course on emergency protocols, the ice cold liquid was more than soothing as it flowed down her throat. “And she’s my twin, Libertus. Get your own.”

The group of Glaives shared a laugh before their phones rang out in unison. “So much for the night off,” Nyx sighed as he scanned the alert. “Looks like they’re calling in the Vanguard.” The peaceful look that he’d worn since they had arrived at the bar faded and was replaced with one of determination and focus, mirrored in the eyes of each of those gathered around him.

Each member of the Kingsglaive downed their beer quickly, leaving money enough for a tip on the table before grabbing their jackets and rushing out of the small bar. Crowe immediately hopped onto her bike, pulling her helmet on before speeding towards the citadel. Amira led the rest of them towards her car parked nearby. She tossed the keys to Eirwen, who eagerly hopped into the driver’s seat before peeling away from the curb. Nyx had taken up the passenger seat and was dialing Pelna, the last member of the front line defense, confirming that he was on his way.

Crowe had only made it a few feet from her bike when Eirwen parked the car and the entire group rushed inside. They found Pelna already changing once they entered the locker room. The last pair of boots had only just been buckled when the door swung open and Captain  Titus Drautos entered, followed by Cor Leonis, the Marshal of the Crownsguard.

Drautos was as harsh and to the point as ever, wasting no time in handing out his orders. Niflheim was drawing their forces closer to Insomnia than was comfortable under the guise of sending in a messenger. It wasn’t unusual for the Empire to use covert means in order to accomplish their true goal. The king would receive the messenger, but he wasn’t willing to do so without some information on what the Magitek Infantry that they had brought along was up to. Though his demeanor was the same, something about the Captain’s eyes seemed off and all six of the Glaives standing before him saw it.

However, before Captain Drautos could finish, Cor stepped forward and silenced him with a steel blue gaze. “The king has asked for the six of you, specifically, to be a part of the dispatched soldiers. This mission falls under the Crownsguard, therefore I am the one you answer to. You are not to engage the enemy unless I have given the orders for you to do so. Though you are all one unit, you may each receive specific orders. Is that clear?”

Six nods confirmed that the message was clear. It wasn’t unheard of for the Glaives and the Guards to work together. It was, however, unusual for one group to fall under the command of the other. Drautos stiffened visibly at the Marshal’s words but didn’t comment. Nyx, however, didn’t seem to share that control.

“We handle reconnaissance missions all the time without command from the higher ups.” He looked between the two commanding officers before him as he stepped forward. Nyx usually functioned as the unofficial leader of the Vanguard - so named as the group of Glaives currently gathered were the ones thrown onto the front lines and into the pit of battle before calling in the others. If it could be done without deploying an entire unit, the Vanguard were the ones called to battle. Nyx had been a member of the Kingsglaive nearly since its formation a decade ago. It was both his experience and his drive that had put him as the natural leader of the group. “What makes this one so different?” He asked the very same question that the others behind him were wondering.

Drautos scowled deeply before opening his mouth, probably to reprimand Nyx for speaking out of turn, but Cor was faster. Rather than mirroring the angry look Drautos seemed to always possess, a certain type of interest seemed to sparkle in his eyes for a moment. “This mission is different because the six of you won’t be going in alone. This is a relatively low-risk mission, so long as you all follow my orders, and we will be sending in a few members of the Guard to be of assistance.”

Each of the Glaives bore their own shocked expression for a moment but no one spoke. Nyx clenched his jaw but only nodded in acceptance. Captain Drautos stepped forward, looking at each of his Glaives. “You leave immediately. Gather your weapons and any other necessary items. If you need something, just say the word.” With a final nod, he turned and exited the room leaving the Vanguard with Cor.

Silence hung over the group for a moment, each processing the information and what they would soon face. This mission was have been especially important for King Regis to have called in both his Glaives and his Guards, ordering them to work together. Without saying so aloud, each member of the Vanguard knew the others with a sort of intimacy that could only be achieved by working so closely with another person. They trusted each other with their lives. Working so closely with another group of soldiers would not be easy when much of the Vanguard’s success came from their innate ability to work together - words not always needed.

Eirwen strapped her Kukris - lighter than most with slightly longer blades than were typical standard issue - onto her back. The frost that spread over the metal blades nothing more than a reflex as she readied herself for battle. Amira sat beside her, playing with her earpiece to be sure this one wouldn’t short circuit if she weren’t too careful. Pelna had assured her that these were special and had been insulated against electrical currents. Eirwen watched her Twin for a moment in silence, chewing on her lip in silence.

“So. I guess this is going to be one for the books.” The worried look on the young girl did not escape the others as they turned to her.

Suddenly, a large arm wrapped around her neck and she was crushed against a large body. Libertus laughed as he ruffled her hair affectionately once again despite her protests. Amira rolled her eyes but smiled at the sight. “Guess those guards are about to get a first hand look at the Vanguard. Can’t wait to see the surprise on Cor’s face. Been awhile since I’ve had the pleasure of shocking him.”

Nyx flipped his blade in his hand idly, nodding with a confident smirk that set everyone at ease.  Amira’s comment earned a breathy chuckle from him but he only shook his head in amusement. “They’re not the only ones in for a surprise. Guess we’re going to be going ghost with the Guard.”

“If they can keep up,” Crowe smiled.

[sarcastic-heroine]

The Vanguard | Eirwen

A little present conjured up for the wonderful @fortheloveofeos 

[sarcastic-heroine]

The Vanguard | Amira

Another aesthetic post inspired by an upcoming project by @fortheloveofeos 

[fortheloveofeos]

Masterlist

I’ll try and keep this up to date with any material. NSFW is marked beside the piece/part that it corresponds to. Send in your requests and I’ll get to work on them as soon as possible. 

Happy reading! 

Prompto Argentum 

Batteries - sfw (F! o/c)

Tombs and Letters - sfw

Savior - sfw 

Blackout - Part 2 - Part 3 (*NSFW*) - (F! o/c)

A chance - sfw

Best Friends - *NSFW*

Change of Plans - *NSFW*

s/o jealous of Aranea - sfw

reader suffers from hanahaki disease - sfw

Incubus - sfw

Gladiolus Amicitia 

Meeting Him - Part 2 (*NFSW*) 

Birthday Surprise - *NSFW*

A Little Surprise - *NSFW*

A Little Lie - sfw

Dead Flowers - sfw

Tease - *NSFW*

Shy Reader Confesses - sfw

Reader survives the fall of Insomnia - sfw

Ignis Scientia 

Birthday Cake - sfw

First Time - *NSFW*

Inspiration - sfw

A little Surprise - *NSFW*

The More the Merrier - slight NSFW (also some ignoct and noctis x reader)

Vampire Ignis - sfw

Noctis Lucis Caelum

Friends - (Fem!reader) sfw

King and Queen - (Older! Noctis) *NSFW*

Secret Lovers AU - *NSFW*

Nightmare - (Older! Noctis) sfw

Accidental Love - *NSFW*

Before the final showdown - headcanon, sfw

shy reader - sfw

Noctis Confesses to the Reader - sfw

Nyx Ulric 

Finally - *NSFW*

Instincts  - Part 2 (*NSFW*)

Home - sfw

Anxiety - sfw

Tattoos - sfw

PCOS Cramps Headcanon - sfw

Headcanons/ Drables

First Date - chocobros, sfw

Handling Your Anxiety - chocobros, sfw

Moving in Together - chocorbos and Nyx, sfw

College Graduation - chocobros, sfw

A Little Request - chocobros, *NSFW*

Finally - chocobros, sfw

First Time Cooking - chocobros, stw

Argument Between Friends - Prompto x Noctis, sfw

Masks - chocobros, sfw

Ardyn kidnaps the reader - chocobros, sfw

Tortured Reader - platonic chocobros, sfw

Ships

Bruises - Gladio x Prompto, sfw

Cake - Prompto x Ignis, sfw

Stress - Gladio x Ignis, sfw

Angsty Ignoct - request 

The Vanguard - OC X Nyx and OC X Gladio

Chapter 1 - sfw

Chapter 2 - sfw

Chapter 3 - sfw

Chapter 4 - sfw

Chapter 5 - sfw

Chapter 6 - sfw

Chapter 7 - sfw

Artwork (Not by me) 

Eirwen Lupus Aesthetic by @sarcastic-heroine

Eirwen Lupus Instagram Aesthetic by @sarcastic-heroine

Amira Everet Aesthetic by @sarcastic-heroine

Amira Everet Instagram Aesthetic by @sarcastic-heroine

Amira and Eirwen by @kimkun16

[fortheloveofeos]

The Vanguard - Chapter 6

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! I know I’ve been using the time to try to get my head on straight and plan out some things I hope to do for you all in the near future. 

As far the my story, The Vanguard, is concerned, I’ve been working with @sarcastic-heroine to come up with the outline for the a major part of the story. Hopefully anyone who reads the story will fall even more in love with the Glaives like how Elle and I have. 

Training had become a slow and necessary part of Amira’s recovery. Her body was mostly healed now, save the superficial red mark on her side that was only sensitive to pressure. The skin over the wound had knitted back together tightly in a thick, unsightly scar that resembled more of a burn mark than a puncture wound. She had been careful to keep bandages over it even now to avoid the pitying glances and inevitable questions that would follow. No, her problem was time and a lot had passed since the thunderstorm of a Glaive had been injured. Her body felt heavy and her reactions were slow. Her timing was off. Eirwen and Crowe had spent the better parts of their mornings for days going over combat basics with Amira.

Crowe had been the one sparring with her for the last half hour or so, feinting one way and then the next. Easily defending her attacks and staying just out of reach of Amira’s blades. Crowe gripped her own blades in her fingers, but had yet to use them at all. She danced easily out of Amira’s reach adding to the anger bubbling inside the smaller woman.

Eirwen had been silent for the last twenty minutes as Amira attacked. She leaned against a pillar that lined the training grounds from the open hall and worried her already raw lower lip between her unforgiving teeth. She trained her glacial gaze on her Twin as she lashed out again and again at Crowe with increasing ferocity. Her movements were jerky and filled with blind rage, devoid of the careful calculation and determination they usually held. Her body was clearly growing tired, unused to such strain after the time that had elapsed, but still she pushed herself forward.

Nyx, Libertus, Pelna, and Gladio were all gathered together not too far from

Where Eirwen observed, but none had made a move. Nyx had kept himself quiet, worry clear on his face.

“Damn it,” Amira breathed. Stopping, she allowed her weapons to disappear in a crackle of blue light before placing her hands on her knees and forcing herself to breath in through her mouth and out through her nose. She hadn’t physically gained any weight from her time off, but it was as if her body had forgotten everything that she had worked so hard to perfect over the last several years. She had hoped the training would bring her back up to speed quickly and instead she felt as if she stood in quicksand as attack after attack found nothing but air.

From her position, Eirwen spared a glance at Crowe who looked as upset at Amira’s outburst as she felt inside and made a decision.“You’re holding something back,” she finally spoke her thoughts aloud as they echoed across the otherwise silent training yard.     

“Excuse me? I’ve been working my ass off for days and you think I’m holding something back? Why the actual fuck would I do that?” Amira responded with a rare display of emotion, static dancing through the air and causing the hair on Eirwen’s arms to stand on end.

Eirwen’s only reaction was a raised eyebrow, her arms calmly crossed over chest. She saw the panic hidden behind the cloudy skies even from her distance as she dropped the few feet to the training ground and slowly approached her heaving Twin. Eirwen’s feet halted a few yards from her twin, her teeth releasing her now bleeding lip as she fixed Amira with a hard stare.

The two hadn’t had a large amount of free time lately other than the bar and Eirwen could sense something was wrong. That’s how it had always been with the two of them – some invisible link connecting them so deeply that nothing had ever been able to block it out. Back when everything was new, the two had learned just how deep their connection could stretch, an unspoken promise between the two of them.

Shakily, Eirwen exhaled and snowflakes bloomed in the still air around them. Frost bloomed on her skin, clouding over her already icy gaze like frost on a morning windshield and freezing her slightly parted lips. With the power of an arctic ice storm, Eirwen closed off her mind and pushed outward sending her power in a shockwave aimed at Amira.

The moment the power of snow and ice reached her, Amira gasped and straightened her spine. Her own vision clouded over, her lips coated in frost and her chest stilling with a frostbitten exhale.

Neither of the two daughters of the Six had tried to reach the other this way since it had all started.

Gasping, Gladio started to rise intent on reaching the two Glaives when a strong hand on his shoulder forced him to remain seated against the wall. Libertus offered a not unkind smile and a shake of his head.

“She’s alright, Shield. She knows what she’s doing.” Nyx spoke beside him. He kept his own stormy gaze on Amira, giving Gladiolus a side glance. “Ever seen the result of two gods clashing?” A smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes ghosted across his lips before he turned back to the girls.

A shockwave of power radiated out from the Twins in what could only be described as an invisible wall pushing through the arena. Each of the spectating Glaives gasped as they got their own taste of whatever it was that Eirwen was forcing on Amira.

Swallowing the growing form in his throat, Gladio ran his calloused hand over his face. Looking at each of the members of the Vanguard for explanation, he finally found some understanding in the group’s technophile.

“They don’t talk about these two in the Guard?” Gladio’s uncertain expression gave Pelna a clear enough answer, earning a heavy sigh in return. “It was years ago now - not too long after Crowe showed up.”

“Small thing that she was then,” Libertus nodded. “She was still bigger than either of those girls when I first saw them. Especially Frostbite.” Heaving a heavy sigh, the largest of the Glaives sank down the wall to a position beside Gladio.

Nodding, Pelna leaned back, softly closing his eyes as if his memories were playing out before his eyes once more. As he explained how the Twins had come to be part of their group, part of the Vanguard, he remembered details he had thought they had all since forgotten.

Summer had been hot, a neverending heatwave without any sign of relief. Kingsglaive and Crownsguard alike had taken to early morning practices over the scorching afternoon heat. Drautos had been observing warping practice as usual, Glaives disappearing and reappearing into the crackle of blue light across the training grounds. Most Glaives could only handle one warp at a time, stopping to lose their breakfast along the way, before being able to cover the entire grounds. Nyx had been poised to throw his Kukri when a purple vein of lightning exploded overhead with all the fury of Ramuh, freezing him in position.

A moment later, yells erupted from the one of the halls adjoining the training yard. Guards dressing in practice uniforms spilling out calling for a healer and a medic. Pelna had been there, closest to the door leading into the training room. He’d also been the first one through the door with Nyx hot on his heels.

The smell of singed flesh and ozone burned through the air. In one corner of the room, a new recruit, looking fresh from university, pressed herself against the cold stone wall as if she had pushed herself away from the man lying sprawled on the other side of the room. She breathed quickly through her nose, gaze locked on the prone man who must have been her sparring partner.

While Nyx had immediately gone over to the girl, Pelna had gone to examine the unconscious recruit, a mark similar to a lightning strike evident on his shoulder where it disappeared beneath his shirt. They had all seen the crack of lightning, but there were no windows into the room and until recently, the door had been shut. Electricity could not flow through stone, suggesting the current had originated in the room but a quick survey revealed no electrical outlets or other power sources in the room other than the cage lights hanging far overhead - both of which appeared to be functioning normally.

The girl’s face had carefully been schooled into a mask of calm, something that would have taken years to master. Leaning forward, Nyx had caught the fear and pure panic hidden in her eyes, just barely visible to him. Meaning to offer comfort, Nyx had reached out to steady her with a hand on her shoulder. Before he could touch her, she whipped her steely gaze to him, the warning clear on her face.

Across town, Libertus and Crowe were making their way back to the Citadel after making a delivery just outside the Wall. The two had been waiting for a crosswalk to change when something cold had smacked into Crowe’s forehead, soothing in the unbearable heat. Confused, she had reached for Libertus, stopping him before he could cross the busy street.

“Snow?” The question had seemed outrageous - completely impossible, especially in the middle of an Insomnian summer. “The hell?” The Islander had looked up, watching as heavy snow clouds began to drop their load in beautiful, freezing designs that survived the heat.

Yelling and sounds of panic erupted from the building nearest them, sirens beginning to sound not too far off. Sharing a look, the two raced forward using their uniforms as an excuse to push their way into the grounds of the high school - the same high school Prince Noctis attended. Crowe, being smaller and faster, was first to elbow her way through the crowd and into the school yard where a crowd had already formed.

At the center, two students faced one another - one with her hands clutched to her chest as if she had been burned while the other stood completely frozen and encased in a layer of ice. The girl, dressed in the school uniform, panted as her breath came out in freezing puffs. Her horror filled eyes looked to her frostbitten hand and back to the frozen student as the sirens drew closer. Switching on her radio, Crowe had called for a car the moment Libertus had reached the girl.

From there, the two had been carefully escorted to the inner portion of the Citadel by a number of Kingsglaive. Cor, the leader of the Crownsguard, and Drautos, captain of the Kingsglaive, had audibly disagreed about what to do with the two young women with extraordinary powers. The King had insisted neither of them had drawn on power linked to the Crystal that gave the Kingsglaive and the royal family their abilities. The source of these new powers were unknown and admittedly stronger than any mortal had wielded in Eos.

“I saw them that day, in the hallway outside the King’s office when Frostbite looked like she had turned into Shiva - all frozen and unseeing. Amira’s eyes glowed this electric purple, like the neon lights downtown. I don’t know what started it or how it happened.” Libertus shrugged, a small breath of a chuckle leaving him as he closed his eyes.

“One moment they were fine, the next...it was like looking at the Glacian and the Fulgurian in person. A moment later, they were back to normal and the Twins were born.” Crowe had taken up Eirwen’s previous place against the pillar. “As suddenly as it was there, it was gone.”

Pulling himself to his feet, Nyx looked over his shoulder at Gladio. “Haven’t seen them do this since that day. It’s like they...link together. But this is different. Eirwen is in control right now.”

Gladio stood as well, stretching himself to his full height as he moved to get a clearer view of the two girls. Storm clouds began to roll overhead. “She’s looking for something.” He wasn’t sure how he knew, only that he was certain that was her reasoning. Something seriously wrong was happening for her to summon her power against Amira in such a commanding way.

For the Twins, time had stopped. The moment the frost had overtaken Amira, she had been dropped into the frozen wasteland that made up Eirwen’s mental plane. For all her inner conflict, the snow that bit into her skin was sharpening and pulled her focus. Her mind felt foggy and conflicted by something she couldn’t put her finger on. Something dark and ominous seemed to be looming just out of her focus before a strong wall of something Amira could only think to describe as strength nearly knocked her to her knees and the wailing windstorm that kicked up the snow around her stopped. For the first time in weeks, her mind was calm and clear.

“You can’t lie to me here. I can feel it. You shouldn’t hold back.”

There, amongst the frozen snows, Eirwen looked as if she had become the Astral she was so often compared to. Frost seemed to cover her entire body and her eyes glowed a frozen pale blue. Amira knew what it was like to be lost in the power like that - to be the god that had somehow given them their abilities. That fact that her Twin had brought her here and used her power against her meant that she felt she had no other option. Eirwen was desperate to reach her sister. Although she had tried to keep her voice steady, Amira caught how it wavered at the end.

Still, Amira felt the anger simmering beneath the surface waiting for the moment it would eventually bubble over. “Why would I do that? I need to get back to where I was - to being me. I’m tired of being looked after!” Thunder cracked over the snowy field as Eirwen’s hold on their surroundings faltered for a moment. Amira clenched her fists at her side in an attempt to control her raging emotions.

“You almost died, Mira. It’s okay to be afraid. Let me help you - don’t hold back. If not me, then anyone. Please,” she begged as she motioned around them. “I’m just trying to help you like you’ve always helped me. I can feel the wall you’ve put up. I don’t understand but I want to.” Eirwen clenched her fists at her side hard enough for her fingernails to bite into her palms mirroring her Twin’s posture. “I know I can’t make you let me in. But I can beg you to let someone help you. Don’t put this all on yourself.” Even in the freezing setting, it easy to see the ice spreading over her already pale skin.

Another crack of lightning glittered above the snow. Amira opened her mouth to speak, but before she could respond, Eirwen opened one of her palms and the snow at their feet blew upwards toward the darkening sky. And just like that, both girls blinked and they were once again standing in the center of the training yard. Amira stumbled once before strong arms steadied her, Nyx holding her up until her vision completely cleared and the ice melted completely. Eirwen’s knees immediately gave out and Gladio reached her as she caught herself on her hands. Wiping tears from her eyes, she accepted Gladio’s offered hand before turning her back on it all. Gladio fell into step beside her, silent as the two exited the training grounds.

The silence left in her wake was deafening. Amira shook her head, rubbing at her forehead as if she had brain freeze, eyes following her Twin until she disappeared into the Citadel. Nudging her, Nyx raised his brow in question but Amira shook her head before extracting herself from him to stand on her own. She had felt something snap just before Eirwen had broken their connection. Something deep in her heart that caused her chest to ache with an icy chill she didn’t think she would ever properly warm.