Chapter Text
Nia stood there dazed, her head spinning. This couldn’t be happening. She could hear Rex screaming but her eyes refused to leave where Vandham laid on the ground. What was she to do? She couldn’t reveal herself to her friends. Never. They would never accept her if she did and she was tired of being alone… But someone's life was fading before her very eyes and she knew she could prevent it. This is what left her hesitant, unsure what to do.
Without warning, a brilliant burst of light snapped her out of her stupor. It was Pyra? Nia shook her head and immediately started running towards Vandham. Everyone else seemed distracted with not Pyra at the moment and that made her next decision much easier. “Dromarch!” He had seen her running towards the body and was already charging to join her. The pair dragged Vandham away from the battle before Nia dropped to her knees and began to glow a stunning blue light. “Give me some cover will ya? Don’t think anyone’s lookin but if they do I need you to be here” The blade immediately took up a defensive posture in front of his driver, a valiant effort considering his injuries from the battle they just took part in. With that, Nia transformed and began to try and revive the valiant merc.
Vandham floated in the darkness. He went out how he always thought he would, fighting. He hoped Rex got away. Boy had a good heart but not nearly enough sense to go with it. Couldn’t really blame the kid though, he could be the same way at times. Well, was the same way that is. Vandham closed his eyes and began to drift off. Hopefully wherever he ended up he’d get to see his family and all the friend’s he left behind. He stayed like that for what felt like hours before the calm of the darkness was chaotically interrupted. Light, sound, and warmth began to surround Vandam. His eyes shot open but his vision was blurry and his mind a buzz with sensation once more. He blinked several times and tried to focus on what was in front of him. It was a person.. no a girl. With long ears atop her head and even longer gray hair. She was saying something and he could swear she was crying, but his ears were ringing far too much and his sight refused to return at the moment. Suddenly in a stunning flash of blue the girl changed. Vandham shut his eyes out of reflex only to open them to a recognizable face of a young gormotti girl. “Nia?” He croaked out, throat scratchy and lips dried with blood. “Aye, you gave us a right scare there you big lug.” Her eyes were misty and her lips quivered with the smile of her face. Vandham was snapped from his daze immediately as the ground began to shake violently and a powerful dust cloud appeared.
As the dust began to settle Vandham tried to lean up but his body refused to listen. His muscles were screaming at him and his body felt as if it was made of stone. “Rex!” He croaked out inaudibly, trying to check on the kid. Nia would look up from Vandham just in time to catch Pyra collapsing onto the ground in a heap. She would quickly glance down, tell Vandham not to push himself and then run off to go check on Pyra. Dromarch would then settle down next to the man looking fairly worse for wear himself. “Master Rex is quite alright Vandham, the enemy has retreated for now. I suggest you do as my lady asks and rest.” A weight lifted from Vandham in the immediate moment as the man licked his lips and closed his eyes for a bit. That’s when the crying started and he heard the weighted steps of a dive suit take a few steps before hearing Rex collapse on the ground and begin bawling his eyes out. “Master Rex -” Dromarch tried to catch the boy's attention but could not be heard through the anguish and the tears.
Vandham had been there before, more times then he would like to admit. He knew words wouldn’t reach the boy, so he did the only thing he could do. Rolling onto his shoulder was difficult and bloody painful. With Dromarchs help he was able to drag himself over to the crying boy and took a knee beside him before firmly gripping the boy by the shoulder with one hand and giving him a good shake “I’m right here Rex, so chin up” The boy looked up and hell his forehead was covered in scrapes and cuts from the stone floor and his eyes barely visible through the tears. The disbelief on his face lasted only mere moments before he lunged into an embrace and somehow began to cry even harder. All Vandham could do was sit back and pat the boy on his back as he got it all out. Nia was able, with Poppi’s help, to bring Pyra over to where they were sitting. As Rex began to wind down, Tora took a seat and began to repair Poppi. “Biggy Pon is even tougher than he look to still be standing after all that.” Rex began to pull back, wiping his eyes clear and glanced off into the distance as he settled back. “Especially with Roc disappearing, I thought you were done for.” That caught Vandham’s attention as he turned his head to where Rex was looking. Sure enough there sat a dim core crystal. So he really had died, but then how did he… He turned to Nia with a look of concerned understanding. Powers like that were beyond normal blades, and while Dromarch was indeed very capable, he doubted the tiger had that much power. When he met her eyes though all he could see was a pleading face. The girl had done something damn near impossible and yet he could tell she was afraid to be found out.
Vandham would give her a slight nod before letting out a sigh and turning towards Rex. “You don’t make it this long in the mercenary biz without taking the occasional life-ender or two.” The half joke seemed to help the boy calm down that last little bit as his hands had stopped shaking. “Though you should really be thanking Nia for the save, not many healers would have been able to heal a cut that deep that quickly and precisely” He nodded towards the girl, whose shoulders seemed to relax a bit. That is until Rex immediately turned around, clasped her hand, bowed, and then began to thank her profusely. She immediately pulled her hand away, her face a shade of peach, before rubbing the back of her head. “Quit your blubbering, it wasn’t that bad.” She said, unable to look directly at Rex.
Vandham couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. His eye’s settled on Roc’s core crystal in the distance and a small well of concern began to fill his stomach. His partner was out of commission for the time being and he himself was not in a much better condition. “Guess I really do need to learn some new techniques ey Roc?” He said in a low rumble. The man began to roll his heavy feeling shoulders and tried to fully stand to no avail. Nia began to fuss about him needing more rest with Vandham pushing back that he’d get better rest once back in Garfont. With the arguments made everyone else started to get up. Poppi made her way over to help him up onto his feet while Rex insisted on grabbing Roc for him. After standing warrily and taking a few testing steps Vandham gave Poppi an assured nod before she left his side to grab Prya. Poor girl was still out cold and covered in injuries. Though insisting that he could walk fine on his own both Rex and Nia got under his arms. “Just don’t want you falling down the stairs you old geezer” Nia jibed. This produced a solid chuckle from said ‘old geezer’ as the group left the ruins to lick their wounds and recover from a nearly devastating battle.