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Once the visions of Vauthry’s past subside, Lehkah doubled over in pain as the Light began to overwhelm him. He gripped at his chest and head, fighting to even stay on his feet. Sweat sticking once dark hair to his head with the effort of just remaining upright, the effects already beginning to show.
He could feel his soul begin to crack, and the light began to seep from any and all of him, he grabbed at his jacket to try and steady himself. Looking to the concerned scions with an attempt at a smile, but what came instead was a grotesque grin like someone had stretched his mouth too far... like that of Tesleen so long ago. Broken. Even this gesture was somehow showing the suffusion of his aether with the overwhelming Light burrowed deeper and deeper into his soul, his mind... His very being.
Alisaie had gone pale, he must have looked as bad he felt, long fluffy ears falling flat back against his head, he grabbed at the mask that covered his blinded right eye the pain burning at this his weakest point. The Elezen reached out to him but he staggered back, he couldn’t risk hurting her
“Are you alright?” she asked but receives no response, every breath Lehkah drew was heavy as though trying to breath through tar, but every ragged breath felt like dragging glass through his throat, he could only look up at her.
“Say Something!” She begged and he coughed, attempting to smile
“I’m... o-“ A flash of light erupted from him then, as if bursting straight out of his soul, Alphinaud began to run over but stop upon seeing Alisaie’s terrified expression, when he looked to Lehkah his expression matched.
“Twelve Forfend... he cannot contain the Light. He’s beginning to turn!” Shtola exclaimed, a hand to her chest.
Lehkahs body was being suffused by the light inside his soul, as it forced its way outward it left physical marks, his hair turning white, his scars looking like marble against dark skin.
The sorceress looked to Urianger who was unusually quiet for the situation, she sensed there was something he was not saying... Next to this the knowing look he and Lehkah had shared ere the ascent of Mt Gulg, how the Viera man had grinned, nodded and said “I won’t hold it against ya, and Im countin on you mate”
“Urianger! If you have aught up your sleeve now is the time!” She finally demanded of him, and the other assembled scions looked to him as well, even while Alphinaud blinked back tears, even while Alisaie looked like she was in shock.
Light continued to pulse out of Lehkah but it didn’t spread, oh no it clung to him like the effect of a poison, the night sky above him warping as Ryne stared
“The... sky it’s changing back!”
Suddenly everyone’s eyes were fixed heavensward. The night sky they and Lehkah had fought so hard to return was corrupting, the light taking over once more, if the Warrior of Light couldn’t focus the whole sky across all of Norvrandt would soon suffer this fate.
Lehkah meanwhile, continues to struggle against the all consuming corruption of his aether, his very soul drowning, he collapsed down on to one knee. And the twins rush forward, only to be held back by Thancred
“You can’t, it’s too dangerous” the man attempted but Alisaie was indignant
“Thancred he’s dying! Gah let go of me I want to be at his side!” Lehkah heard those words take inside his skull, he was dying... He turned to Thancred, he couldn’t say he’d ever liked his fellow gunbreaker before he watched him hold the twins back, Alisaie who was fighting, Alphinaud who only needed a hand on his shoulder from Urianger to tell him not to. It was odd, in this moment Lehkah was sure the only two people that would understand his reasoning and his inherent dying need to protect the twins with what little strength he had. Thancred and Urianger… The accidental adopted fathers to young Ryne. Maybe just this one time, they would be on the same page… For the sake of their children…
“Keep... Them back, I can’t” he staggered back, forcing his blade into the ground to steady them
“I can’t see them hurt...” another crack ripped from him, and he could feel the tears of light rolling down his cheeks under the bandage he wore.
“You.” He looked at Thancred, determined to get his words out. His eyes shifted to Urianger, the unspoken agreement the two had.
***
“Urianger mate, can I… Speak to you a moment?” Lehkah and his scions stood at the base of Mt. Gulg which they had hoped would be their final fight.
One last lightwarden.
Alisaie took Alphinaud’s arm and dragged him away from where they had been stood, beside Lehkah.
“Of course, ist thou quite alright? Or wouldst thou haveth me with you”
The Viera half scowled to cover the fact he choked back tears in front of them. The two walked some way from the group, where the smoke and daggers routine dropped and the Gunbreaker looked Urianger dead in the eyes, even through his visor the intensity of his gaze was burning. Lehkah was perhaps the only other Scion even close to Urianger’s lofty height, not quite meeting it but with his long ears atop his head they balanced out.
“Lehkah, is aught amiss my friend”
“Listen. We really don’t have much time here.”
“I am aware”
“We both know that The Exarch told you all about his lofty schemes for how this story ends. I’m not asking you to tell me, if ‘e wouldn’t then I won’t ask you. But instead.”
To the Elezen’s surprise Lehkah, pushed the visor or mask that covered his eyes up his forehead. His blinded eye already glowing with light, and there were white streaks of tears across his face. He grabbed Urianger’s hands in his. It might have been seen as some sort of romantic advance if it weren’t for the knowledge Lehkah was crazy over the Exarch, and that Urianger was beholden only to Thancred, the intense almost glower the Viera had also didn’t lend itself to that sort of assumption.
“It’s got to be you. If… If the Light. If. If… Wicked White… Urianger if I can’t handle it… And I threaten the fate of this star by living. I…”
He swallowed, and dropped Urianger’s hands, staring at the ground as a wave of pain washed over him, the light shining from the left side of his face like a lantern.
“I need you to kill me.”
“Me? Lehkah art thou-“ Any point Urianger was about to make was silenced by Lehkah holding up a gloved hand.
“You’re the only one I can trust with this. And the only one I know will stay to their word no matter what… After what you did to try and stop Ardbert. I know you you know it might come to that. Shtola… Wouldn’t, knowing all too well a trip to the lifestream is usually the end. And I. You can’t expect me to trust yer ‘usband with this. Cuz I won’t. Just… Don’t let the kids see. Alphy… ‘Lisae and Ryne too. Urianger they’re all I ‘ave left that aint been taken from me. If I can’t ‘andle this… Please”
Urianger stood, for once at a total loss for words, Y’shtola was heading over to investigate what was so important a conversation. The Elezen nodded once and put a hand to Lehkah’s shoulder.
“If thou willest. Then thou haveth my word. It shall be done.”
With this they headed back towards the group.
“I wouldn’t hold it against ya… An’ I’m countin’ on ya mate. For those we can yet save…”
***
Pain veritably dripped from his voice as he forced the words out through gritted teeth, back on Thancred now
“Look after them. They’re all I ‘ad in this world that ever meant a damn. Be… Good to Ryne, she don’t deserve your spiteful words. An’ Rhalgr only knows… I love you two so much, you know that don’t ya?” he choked out looking to his beloved twins, the hardest part about knowing the next step of his tale would be theirs and to not see them almost made him want to fight. But he had so little left.
“Lehkah don’t say that! We’ll... We’ll fix this” Alphinaud tried to assure, his usual calmness giving rise to panic, finally wresting from Thancred and Urianger’s vice like grips the twins ran over to him, the Light despite his fears did not corrupt the twins by being close to him, he wanted nothing more than to hold them, but he couldn’t even stand.
They crouched beside him, Alphinaud desperate to try and heal at least the pain. But nothing worked.
“You two, are the best kids a man could ‘ave you know that?” he coughed again, looking up at them with a broken smile.
“I’ve always had yer backs, my luck was gonna run out some time... Just know I love you both so so much ok? I was so proud to be in your lives, an I only hope you know ‘ow beloved you both are. I only hope I was the father you two deserved… Truly I’m so proud.“
Another burst of light erupted from him then and in the same instant Urianger cast rescue, a golden lasso of magic pulling the twins away from Lehkah, despite their shrieking protests. Alisaie was in tears as Thancred had to lift her off the ground to stop her running over to his side again, Light be damned. All they could do was watch Lehkah.
Who had a defeated look on his features. It was too much to watch the light tear him apart whilst he couldn’t even fight it now. In fact, he had already accepted this fate, hadn’t he just said his goodbyes?
Alphinaud was crying, and Alisaie too had tears in her eyes, she opened her mouth to say something when they were cut short by an all too familiar voice.
“The combined power of every light warden is too much for one soul to bear...” Sure enough, walking towards Lehkah was the Exarch.
As if this couldn’t have gotten worse. The Exarch who brought him over to this world, assured that the great hero would triumph here as well as he had in taking down the Black Wolf, and taking on the Crystal Tower.
The man with whom they had shared many a happy time, picnics, and dances, contented just to be in the company of the other. Near on inseparable as they were like they’d known each other for years... The Exarch who he’d tried so hard... Not to fall for, because Lehkah’s love would be paired always with death. But it hadn’t stopped him this time. Couldn’t. He had always been drawn to the Exarch, and knew he felt the same way... The voice registered to Lehkah, who grabbed for the small crystal flower charm the Exarch had gifted him on his nameday, pulling it from the chain he wore, holding it tight in his closed fist, the pain it gave grounded him just a little
“And so, I shall relieve you of it” he announced and as he did, a barrier appeared around himself and Lehkah, the Light began to pulse away from the Viera and towards the Exarch and was contained by that barrier. Lehkah shook his head gripping the handle of his weapon for support, it might have been the only reason he was still on one knee and not on the floor.
The noise of his soul fracturing and the Light shining between them made it hard to see or hear outside the bubble.
“Exarch!? What are you doing?!” Alisaie shrieked, having been let down only a moment before she was once again being stopped from rushing forward by Thancred, who’s eyes were on Urianger and the pained expression he wore. Y’shtola raised her weapon, Urianger barred her with his forearm, he didn't say a word but didn't need to, Alphinaud sensing something was amiss tried to calm Alisaie with little success, he held her shoulder with tears falling from his eyes, a small shake of his head.
He wouldn’t want them to get hurt here. For his sake.
The Exarch got hit by a jolt of the Light, and grunted in pain, Lehkah watched and tried to say something before the Exarch continued.
“Nngh! I will channel this profusion of power to the Crystal Tower and use it to travel to other worlds.” He announced and Lehkah watched him carefully, it was a significant effort to keep his gaze on the Exarch, and his head dropped several times, but it didn't deter him from trying. Light dripping from every pore, his hands, his tears.
He was crying now too.
The Exarch pointed his staff out at Lehkah, Light surrounding them both, the man continued.
“As I have dreamed of doing ever since I first learned of their existence!” But he faltered when Lehkah tore the mask from his face to look at the Exarch properly. The side of his face glowing along the scars there, his eye a marbled white, with a ring of gold like some sin eaters had. The usual deep almost black appearance of his non blinded eye had vanished, replaced too by a blinding white. He didn’t say anything, but the Exarch recognised the expression all too well and his conviction faltered.
Liar.
“Who… Who would choose to remain here, in this dying realm? When they might go elsewhere and start anew? Not I… And thus… Thus, did I use you!”
And to his and everyone’s surprise Lehkah’s pained grunts and gasps gave way to what could have almost been a laugh.
“You’re-“ He took another deep breath as another wave of light forced its way from him
“A shit liar... Exarch”
Unable to hear the mumblings of their hero Ryne cried out to the Exarch herself
“No… No, I don’t believe you! It doesn’t make sense! You wouldn’t hurt him!”
Alisaie joined her “Damn you! We won’t let you do with him as you please! You loved him... Didn’t you?” and she wrested from Thancred’s grip, weapon raised to cast a spell when Urianger bellowed.
“Do not interfere!”
He watched as the Exarch stepped closer to the Warrior of Light, how the Viera had tried to take his hand but instead unbalanced himself, he only just regained his balance. Crystal charm in his fist.
“Exarch... Please... You can’t die for me... I. Won’t let you!” Lehkah shouted. His voice shaking as his body convulsed, the tears that fell then were light and gold. Like the ichor of the old gods.
Urianger balled his hands into fists as he pleaded with the other Scions
“Please! I beseech you all! Let him go!” Whether he meant Lehkah or The Exarch they didn’t know, but they could only stand dumbfounded as the light to started to break apart the crystal arm of the Exarch.
Light was flowing between the Exarch and Lehkah snagging against the magiked barrier, Lehkah still couldn't even stand, too great was the Light that broke away the Exarch’s fragile vessel at a rate only moderately faster than it was tearing apart his own. Shtola was talking to Urianger, mayhap it wouldn’t be Urianger then that would kill him... instead it would be the man he’d come to love. Or... They would both die here...
“I won’t let you martyr yourself for me” Lehkah said again, and under the hooded robe he swore he saw that pained expression he’d seen before
“Please... Exarch... I can’t. Watch someone else I love die! Kill me instead! Kill me throw my corpse into the void and be done with it. Exarch... I beg you” Lehkah reached out to him, but the man didn’t falter, Lehkah pleaded with him, his voice dying in his throat, he managed to choke out.
“Please... don’t die for me Exarch... I love... You”
“The Exarch will never live to see another world – as he knows only too well.” Y’shtola realised
“Then… what does he mean to do?” Alphinaud asked, furiously wiping the tears from his eyes as he watched Lehkah, the broken form of the man who had looked out for him, and watched over him for years. Who’d been there with him, through every fight, every loss, they’d had each other, and now. He was powerless.
Y’shtola closed her eyes, and her head pointed down
“He means to take the Light with him into the rift… where he will die... From the beginning, he intended to sacrifice himself to save our friend and Norvrandt...”
Lehkah struggled, looking up at the exarch, an expression of grief all over his face, and finally. Finally he took Lehkah’s hand, crouching in front of him and smiling sadly.
“At journey’s end, an opportunistic thief makes off with the hero’s prize.” He stands again taking a step back, the light continuing to break them both apart. The crystals on his arm turning white.
“A paltry way to end a chapter, I concede... Yet your tale will continue, and my role in it will scarcely be remembered...”
“Dont say that... Please stop saying that”
Light clouded Lehkah’s vision, he reached a hand out towards the hazy vision of the Exarch, an attempt perhaps to stop him, or reach him, he cried out light staining his leather coat, his hands, his weapon. The sight was heartrending and the Exarch looked away, fearing to look at the hero he so adored any longer would be enough for him to lose his resolve. He could not. For Lehkahs sake.
“Worry not. Whatever should become of me, I will be happy and free, safe in the knowledge I have played my part.” With this he forced the barrier out wider, the effort blowing back the hood revealing his identity. Even through the haze of Light, those bright red eyes like his Allagan ancestors, bright red hair... Granted it was tinted a palest of blues at the tips of his hair, and there were crystals across his face but there was no mistake. And Lehkah cried out, standing on shaking legs reaching out the hand that wasn’t leaning on his blade to balance him.
“G’raha Tia!” He yelled to the miqo’te in front of him, who’s ears flicked at the use of his name, the betrayal somehow worsened now. After all. They came from the same place, the last of their tribe and now it came to this... He was crying too.
“Thank you for fighting for this world... for believing”
“Raha! Raha don’t you dare!”
His stern expression faltered to a soft saddened smile
“Fare you well my inspiration, my friend my... Love”
“Raha!” Lehkah reached out, and he almost reached the Miqo’te’s outstretched hand when a gunshot rang out.
For a second there is nothing, and Lehkah expects to feel the burning end of his pitiful attempt at survival, only to watch helplessly as the magic fails and the Exarch falls in front of him, hand outstretched trying to reach Lehkah one last time.
The hero collapses, unable to keep himself up on one knee he falls to the ground making no attempt to struggle up again, an uncontrollable racking of sobs washing over him, words and pain and everything else faded away.
He’d lost Raha Tia.
Again.
At the end of the barrel stood Emet Selch, who smirked over at the scions, the gun vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared.
“Only those who possess the Royal Eye of the Allagan imperial line are capable of controlling the Crystal Tower. Such individuals do not exist in the First... Therefore, in all likelihood the Exarch arrived here with the Tower. This much I had surmised, yet I could not discern his grand scheme”
He approached the fallen Exarch, looking down at him.
“To think he went through all this trouble for the sake of a single hero. Its almost admirable in its absurdity” he threw a look over at Lehkah, who was trying to stand, to do something, hell even if shooting at Emet did nothing it would have felt like doing something more than breaking apart here in pain. But he hadn’t the strength
“Alas, it is not your grand scheme that will succeed but ours.”
Thancred took a step forward, a dark glare on his face.
“You bastard!”
“Stay put. Your friend is still alive, but whether he remains so depends on you.”
Thancred snarled but does as he is bade.
The ascian nodded, turning to Lehkah, his eyes streaming light to the point you couldn’t see his irises at all so suffused they were.
He was convulsing, reaching a hand towards the Exarch only to fall back this time he made no attempt to get up again.
“What a disappointment you turned out to be...” he sneered, looking over at the Viera.
“I placed my faith in you. Let myself believe that you could contain the light... Look at you now, halfway to becoming a monster. You are unworthy of my patronage.”
Lehkah struggled to look up at the ascian, but he just managed, the Light pouring down his arms, leaving streaks of marble, even his gunblade looked like it was transforming, he felt sick. And truly scared, like being 6 years old and running for his life from the ashes of his adopted tribe. Desperation and fear in equal parts.
“Why... Damn you bastard! Tell me why!”
Emet Selch looked taken aback by the sudden words of the hero, he simply gave a signature bored shrug.
“I am an Ascian. My hearts sole desire is to usher in the Great Rejoining... A hundred years ago, I entrusted my comrade Loghrif with the task of increasing Light’s sway over this world. This we sought to do by manipulating heroes.”
Lehkah could have sworn he saw Ardbert beside him but in a flash he was gone.
“When that failed to achieve the desired result, I created Vauthry... But thanks to your meddling, that too has ended in failure.” He sighed but Lehkah looked like he was about to say something when Alphinaud interjected.
“What was your true purpose in approaching us then?”
“By your Twelve, boy, have I not told you before that everything I said was the truth? You were specimens by which I might gauge man’s potential as it stands. I genuinely had an interest in you. Genuinely considered taking you on as allies.”
Emet looked back over at Lehkah “Provided he could contain and control the Light... If not then he- and by extension you- would be of no use to me. ‘Twas as simple as that.”
Thancred rather sarcastically sighed.
“So... we’ve been found wanting. How disheartening. But even had we fulfilled your conditions, there was no guarantee that we would cooperate. What then?”
The ascian blinked as if it were obvious.
“Then I simply kill you all. At the very least, it would restore the world to the way it was before you went about trouncing Lightwardens willy-nilly. Suffice it to say it would be most inconvenient to have all that Light taken away – and I would be lying if I were to claim his actions didn’t have me worried...”
Lehkah choked, light pouring from his mouth, Emet smirks, crouching in front of him
“Hm, you still retain your form and your senses… but you have all but become a sin eater.” He smiled at the notion.
“Whether you will it or no, your mere existence will serve to engulf the world in Light. Those in your company will likewise turn into sin eaters, and in time you will succumb to your base instincts and hunt innocents to feast on their sweet, sweet aether!”
Lehkah could barely see as he continued.
“Those few with the will left to fight may rise up against you. But before your absolute might, they will quickly know despair “There is no hope! We are finished! Mankind is finished!” Ahhh, the irony. What Vauthry achieved through bliss, you will achieve through despair.”
The Viera man growled, light dripping from the corner of his mouth, he looked feral.
“I don’t care about your damn imaginin of my villain origin story you ascian piece of” he choked again “Twelvesdamned shite! Tell me why you hurt the Exarch!”
He chuckled, wiping the Light from the corner of his mouth with a gloved hand, tutting as he stood, beginning to laugh.
“Ah but I have overstayed my welcome.” His voice mocking and barely containing his enjoyment of this situation.
“I shall look forward to seeing you bring the world to its knees, hero.”
“Don’t you ignore me... when you’re done gettin your rocks off to my misery... Tell me why you shot Raha, ‘aven’t you done enough? Haven’t ya-“ Lehkah started, but cut himself off with a round of choking up Light.
Emet Selch chuckled, and snapped his fingers Lehkah heard the familiar sound of teleportation magiks, but could no longer see what was happening, the only thing he could make out was the ground in front of him.
“Exarch!” Alphinaud had yelled, so Lehkah assumed the ascian had transported Raha away.
“To answer your question, hero. I have naught to show for all the time and effort I invested in you. He is a small token for my troubles... I did not expect that I could learn aught from man, much less from you and yours, but I may yet learn something from all the knowledge he had hoarded for his precious hero.”
He floats up, staring the scions down.
“I pity you; I do... Your friends are now your foes. If you do not kill them, they will kill you.”
Lehkah was staring at the Light in front of him, barely registering the damn monologuing the ascian was insisting on subjecting him to.
“When it all becomes too much to bear, seek me out at my abode, in the dark depths of the Tempest. There you may complete your descent into madness with some dignity, far from prying eyes.”
The Viera could only grab at his chest as another round of expelling light knocked the fight out of him, hearing only the blurred words of Emet’s passing remark.
“Till then, I bid you farewell… eater.”
The Tempest... He took Raha to the Tempest...
He then collapsed face hitting the floor, vision whiting out entirely, the last thing he saw was the floor of Vauthry’s palace and heard the rush as someone came over to him, feeling a hand on his shoulder, he vaguely wondered who it was before he lost consciousness.
“Raha! Raha, there’s got to be another way.”
“Lehkah... You know there’s not, I’m the only one with Allagan blood, even if there had been more before... There certainly aren’t now. Doga and Unei trusted their blood to me, that I might do this.”
“I... God’s I know that! I know that! I just... I don’t want to be alone again.”
He remembered the tears rolling down the miqo’te’s face, as he walked beyond the tower doors, still holding the Viera’s hand at the time.
“Take heart Lehkah, when I wake I am sure to tell those who wake me of the great hero Lehkah!”
“Raha...”
As the door to the Crystal Tower began to close, Raha dropped his hand, and Lehkah tried to run to him but the doors close shut. Sealing him away.
“Raha Tia... I will miss you my friend... I will never... forget you” he whispered, resting his head against the door. Hand up by his face, he never did tell him how much the miqo’te meant to him.
G’raha was part of the Gryphon Tribe, but they moved to Sharlayan even when Lehkah was young, the young Viera was found wandering the sands of Gyr Abania, fearing his capture by the Empire G’zhornoh, the Nunh of the tribe at the time had taken him in and raised him as their own.
When the empire destroyed his village... Lehkah was certain he was alone, until a chance encounter with NOAH when he was around 15, Rammbroes saved his life, and he met G’raha again properly once he got involved with the Crystal Tower some years later.
Lehkah didn’t expect to ever wake up after what happened. For a while, he lay there, eyes closed. Trying to assess what damage remained. His soul didn’t currently feel like it was tearing a hole right out of his chest, so that was a start. His eyes burned for no reason he could rightly discern, and all the muscles in his body protested at the slightest movement. So not great.
His memory was hazy at best, all he could remember was the gunshot that shot Raha. G’raha Tia! The Crystal Exarch had been Raha Tia this whole time. Then came the pang in his chest, an all too familiar feeling of loss. One that had followed him his whole life, anyone he loved he would lose.
He tried to open his eyes, he was sure that he had, but all he saw was white. Not the darkness one might expect from closed eyes. Like the Light had overwhelmed his vision completely. This had, however, happened before, he dared not sit up until his eyes adjusted.
They didn’t.
“Lehkah? You’re awake?” he heard Ardbert’s voice but couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see anything! He had adjusted to a lack of depth perception and poorer eyesight from the explosion when he was young. But this? This was different and scary. Praying he just thought he’d awoken and was still asleep, he sat up, carefully reaching his hands to his face.
Baulking at the feeling, the side of his face more covered in scars felt like alabaster, while the other side felt normal, he traced the scar up to his eyes and forced himself to blink.
So, they were open.
“Try not to freak out...” came the quiet voice of Ardbert.
“Try not to freak out?! Ardbert! Ardbert I...” tears fell without his permission.
“I can’t see! What the hell am I meant to do now! Some warrior of light I’ll be if I can’t fucking see. How can I save Raha Tia like this?!”
Ardbert blinked, trying to reach out to Lehkah, even in this phantasmal form he’d succeeded a few times in doing so, he rested a hand on the Viera’s shoulder, he could feel the presence there if not the physical touch. He crouched in front of Lehkah, whose face was more alarming than some sin eaters.
White marbling spiderwebbed out from his right eye, which was whited out with a ring of gold. It crept along and cross his face, scars looking more like cracks in marble, specks of white danced across his face like freckles of white. And the eye that once worked was also the same whited out as the other but this side wasn’t ringed with gold. White tracks of tears streaked down his face
“I... You’re starin’ Ardbert, commission a portrait it will last longer”
“Lehkah...” he said softly
“What now I’m ‘alf Lightwarden an’ basically dead I ain’t allowed to joke?”
“The fact you’re even joking is something... You... Shouldn’t you be more concerned?”
“The only way I’m getting my vision back is fighting Emet-Selch, and hopefully by defeating him the light will drown with him...”
“it’s a plan hero.”
There had been something else, and it wasn’t something Ardbert was sure how to express without being able to just show Lehkah, but the man couldn’t see, for however long he wasn’t sure.
“Lehkah?”
“Ardbert”
“About the sky”
“Don’t. Gods don’t”
“Look you can’t see it now… But you need to know”
“Ardbert I know you don’t have to say it”
“The Light, has returned, everywhere, all over Norvrandt.”
“I said I know! I know… He… Should have let me die in his wake. It should have been me!” he bellowed, instantly regretting it, he sighed rubbing at his face, dropping his hands to his lap, noticing the way his whole body still shook even without the outpouring Light.
“I’m sorry. I just… I’m scared Ardbert, I caused all of this… If I’d just died then the Light would have gone with me”
“Hey now… It’s quite alright, I know how you feel. Granted I never lost anything like my vision, but the Light still claimed all my friends… And Lamitt too, I couldn’t do a thing to stop her sacrificing herself for me. But you. You can still get The Exarch-”
“His name is G’raha”
“Sorry… I just meant. You still have a chance hero. Vision or no. You’re the strongest Hero I’ve ever known… If anyone can fix this, I, well my gil would only be on you”
The Viera sat, head in his hands, despite not seeing whether his eyes were open or closed, unable to feel the nerves in his eyelids either, thanks to the overwhelming Light. His hair was still a snow white, and one ear sat flat against his head, stuck there like a statue. For a mercy he could, at least for now, still hear as well as usual.
***
There was a knock at the door and Ardbert vanished away with an apology.
“What do you want” he said voice losing all enthusiasm again, closing his eyes. He heard the door open, but made no attempt to look over at them, hearing a pair of footsteps, one ear flicked up and around to the source of the noise. His nose twitching picking up a scent he knew, and relief washed over him before realising what that would mean.
“Alisaie? Alphinaud?” he attempted, but they said nothing. Instead, he felt the weight of the bed shift on either side of him, and soon after two heads rested on his shoulders. Lehkah sighed, wrapping his arms round them both. He would recognise the twins anywhere with or without the sight he seemed to have lost.
“I’m ok” he said into the silence and Alisaie scoffed, lightly flicking him
“We... Thought you were gone… You all the things you said… Then Urianger carried you down and and no one said we could even see you until now and now you’re here and you look so… Broken Lehkah” Alphinaud said all in a rush, taking one of Lehkah’s hands.
“Ah takes more than overwhelmin’ light to kill me... Ya know probably”
“Lehkah” Alphinaud whispered, his voice broken like he was trying not to cry again, the hitch at the end suggesting he might well have already lost that particular fight.
Which was when Alisaie finally spoke, she sounded exhausted, like she hadn’t slept a wink in several days
“Don’t. Don’t you go making jokes about this! You thought you were going to die too! You said goodbye to us. You you promised me Lehkah you said you wouldn’t leave me. You promised!” she sounded hurt, and he could hear the pain in her voice, he rested his head atop hers, rubbing circles into her shoulder
“I’m so sorry Alisaie. Truly. Both of you. I can’t imagine ‘ow scary this was for you two. I never intended to ‘urt ya… But yer right, I really thought that was it and I wasn’t going to just say nothing, I meant everything I said, I’m so proud of ‘ow strong you both are. And as long as ‘er glowy rockedness still ‘as use of me I will stay with you. As long as I can. Now I can’t say if that’s another bell, another day, month or years. But I will be by your side until I physically cannot be again. I’m so sorry”
His head dropped as he began to cry, he wasn’t one for showing weakness in front of those he’d sworn to protect but given his current state he didn’t have a choice.
He looked and felt awful.
Alphinaud spoke up again after a beat of silence, slowly and carefully choosing his words, seeing the state the man was in frightened him more than having a Brave’s sword at his throat. It reminded him of when Alisaie first came back to him after so long apart, and how close she had been to succumbing to poison, but he had not the words to ask carefully and gave in to the bluntness of asking.
“... How... How are you feeling?”
“Heh...” Lehkah chuckled, sniffing and attempting to smile, his skin feeling odd, and the scars that usually pulled at his skin suddenly weren’t as if there was no real movement on one side of his face at all
“…Never better... But I do ‘ave a question” he finally answered, a blatant lie, but the question was a genuine one that occurred to him the moment he became aware of the lack of his vision at least for the present.
“Of course”
“Anything”
“Did either of you... Pick up my visor...? When they carried me down Mt. Gulg...” there was a rustling and Alphinaud placed the leather visor in his hand
“It helps you right? Because of the depth problems from having one eye?” Alisaie asked, unsure of how it was the mask he wore actually worked but it seemed to aid this weakness of his
“Well...Sort of yeah, accounted for the depth issues and such, ‘elped me shoot straighter by adjustin my aim with a screen over me good eye” he explained, not that he understood it any better, an android had gifted him it after he asked after it, but that was a whole other story. He unwound his arms from the twins, and set the mask back over his eyes with some difficulty. The hi tech screen inside blipped and whirred and began analysing the area, he could hear it working even if he couldn’t see the effects. He should ask Cid or Nero to see if it could account for this latest ailment. Of course that would mean returning to the Source which he had no intention of doing any time until he had gotten Raha back at least. By then he hoped it wouldn’t be needed.
This was just an exposure issue, if he could dispel the light he would see again. He had to hope.
Lehkah sighed and went back to holding the twins for a moment before pushing off their shoulders to stand up, his body protested and he staggered, it was Alisaie that counterbalanced him.
“You should be careful... In your condition...” that was Alphinaud’s over worrying tone again.
“Alphinaud... I’m dying, you don’t have to pretend like I can be saved... I’m gonna take out Emet-Selch an’ with any luck we’ll kill each other and that will be it. Its not a good plan, but I ain’t a tactician. An right now all I wanna do is figure out a way to hide this sin eater face of mine and go see the Scions. An’ ‘ave a drink” He smiled, pulling a bandage from his pocket, holding it out in front of him.
“Lehkah we’re over here...” Alphinaud said softly from behind him, he spun round.
“... I knew that”
He felt the flick to his forehead and recoiled slightly from Alisaie, at least he assumed it was her as it was usually when he was getting flicked.
“You can’t see yet... Can you?”
Panic coursed through his veins, should he lie? Tell the truth? He owed them the truth.
“...No. I can’t. The light got to my eyes... Everything is white. I... If I just keep tryin’ then it'll sort itself out I'm sure... It weren't like this before so I ‘ope it ain't stayin...” he answered finally, grabbing the back of his neck unsure.
Alisaie nodded, realising he couldn’t see this, she took the bandages from his hand, fixing them around his face to cover the worst of the Lights affects, trying to work under Lehkah's visor, he pushed it up off his head. And withour a word she gently wiped the tears from his eyes as she finished with the bandages, replacing his visor carefully. A gentle gesture Lehkah might expect from Alphinaud.
“Those too tight?” she asked, taking a step back to look over it, almost all the marks of the Light were covered, a few scars on his neck shone white and there was nothing to do about his hair and ears losing all colour too. But it was a damn sight better than it had been.
Lehkah smiled, catching Alisaie’s hand as she adjusted one of the bandages with a frown.
“Thank you, ‘Lisaie” he said softly, she pulled her hand away and huffed
“Don’t use that dopey tone with me, I’m not as soft headed as my brother”
He chuckled at this, a genuine happiness welling in his chest.
“She red again Alphy?”
“Shut it-“
“As a Dalamud popoto”
“Alphinaud shut up!”
The following scuffle worried the Viera, who reached a hand out trying to stop them
“Now now, you know I only say that to embarrass ya, I mean no harm, no stop beatin the shite out of Alphy an ‘elp me get outta here”
“There was one other thing” Alphinaud said relieved to have been spared from his sister’s raging once more, he placed some small crystal in Lehkah’s hand as they turned to leave the room. He rolled it around in his hand, recognising the shape instantly, it was the small charm of crystal. A flower from the fields of Lakeland, set in crystal like the Exarch’s arm, or the Crystal Tower. Based on the flowers Lehkah had once fashioned into a crown of flowers for the Exarch to wear on a picnic not so long ago… The viera closed his fist around it and smiled
“You dropped it when you passed out, I figured… you’d want that back”
“Alphy” Lehkah choked up, almost crying again
“Thank you” he whispered, fumbling to attach it to the buckle of his jacket collar, having given up the original necklace for lost. With that the trio walked out with the twins leading him more than he had hoped they would need to.
Out into the glaring Light of the Crystarium.
They didn’t think about it again, how Lehkah knew he was dying, and now was, hopefully only temporarily, blinded by the Light too, and yet he wasn’t willing to show that defeat. Not yet.
He was met with a barrage of people happy to see him standing, the bandages passed off as additional wounds from a brutal battle that confounded the darkness and returned the Light. Lehkah wanted to scream from the heavens that it was his failings that caused this, but every time he tried someone was there to tell them how glad they were to see him up and about. How terrified they’d been when they heard the Exarch was taken, how when the Light returned they were sure he had died, and now he was here, a symbol of hope still despite it all. How could he not believe just a touch.
He was the Warrior of Darkness, sighted or no, he was this star’s only hope for salvation.