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It was not the smell of food that woke him, but a painful ache to his head that did it. He felt weak, sickened, and… observed. He opened his eyes to see Fandaniel prancing around, delighted to see his honored guest awake.
"Where am I, you bastard?!" Said a voice… His voice? No, this was not… "What have you done to me?!" Roared the soul of Hanyo from deep within this foreign body.
"Ahhh… So I DID spy the shade of my dear old friend Mitron. My, my… How diluted you have become. Hydalyn also seems to have gotten her claws on you… A shame… But, wouldn't this be a wonderful learning experience? We ascians are so familiar with the transfer of our soul into a different body. Would be a shame to leave you out of it Mitron." Replied the Ascian, delighted at this discovery. "Alas, I had hoped to snatch away my Lord's dear old friend, but I believe you will also suffice for tonight. Wouldn't you agree so my Lord?"
Faster than a blink, Hanyo looked to the other end of the table.
"Zenos…"
The Garlean prince looked unbothered and continued to eat peacefully, not even looking at his old enemy. He looked bored…
"You see, I thought of bringing you or one of your little friends to this table tonight. The fates deemed it that you be our honored guest tonight. So Mitron, will you be a dear and be a playmate for my lord? Daddy would be so delighted to see his little boy happy and giggling." Monologued Fandaniel as a roar echoed around them. The sound seemed louder inside his head. "Would you hear that! Daddy IS quite happy!!" Beamed the jester, pouring wine to Zenos. While keeping an attentive ear to what Fandaniel was saying, everything about Varis, Anima, the Towers, Hanyo kept 'his' eyes on the man across from him. He felt nauseous, his thoughts colliding with one another. He hoped the Scions were okay. He was worried about Jullus, the tempering process taking a hold of the boy's soul in a violent way. But above all else, he thought of Stehanivien. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Was he looking for him?
The questions abruptly stopped as Zenos stood up. Hanyo kept watching him and listened.
That's when he realized what was going to happen. He saw his body, motionless, sitting on a throne of jagged thorns and Zenos looking back at him, a smile on his face.
"I wonder how your friends would react if I were to see them bearing your skin." He said his eyes red with the artificial Echo. Hanyo rushed towards Zenos, hoping to stop him from transferring his soul. But as the prince's body fell and HIS head rose, his own eyes looking back to him, a devilish grin on his own face, he knew he was too late. "I wonder how your lover would react if I plunge your sword into his heart," he said before teleporting away. Hanyo stayed stunned, the situation finally sinking in as Fandaniel laughed beside him.
"Now, now, don't make that face. It wouldn't be fun if we didn't give you a chance to hunt my lord to stop him, oh Warrior of Light." Like that both of them were teleported away, back into the bitter cold of Garlemald's ruins.
Hanyo could hear Fandaniel explain their wicked game, but the only thing Hanyo could think of was Stephanivien. Worry made it hard to breathe, especially in this body that wasn't his. The moment he felt the ground beneath his feet, he tried to run, getting winded easily. Fandaniel would laugh around him.
"Come now Mitron. That soul is not a fragment of Loghrif. Surely, he is not worth all that effort."
His old training kicked in. He was an experienced killer, but after fighting one of the tempered soldiers, Hanyo realized he couldn't force his way through the ruins. He had to hide, avoid and survive. It felt like an eternity, waving through the various ruins, looting dead bodies, searching for an edge he's missing, for a way to keep moving forward. His wounds wouldn't close, hurting him as he kept moving forward. But he had to keep moving. He found more survivors and hoped that it would be the end of this game.
They were ambushed, fear taking a hold of him as he hid behind that magitek armor. He couldn't die here. Not now. He had to-
Darkness took him with the blast. Hanyo could hear a heartbeat loudly in his ears. His heart.
"No… I have to… I made… a promise…" he whispered to himself, feeling himself slip away. He had to keep moving. Despite the pain, despite the blood loss. He had to stop Zenos. The thought of Zenos being anywhere near his friends enraged him. The thought of Zenos near Stephanivien…
He crawled, forgetting the pain, the cold and everything around him. Nothing mattered more than this. Every breath he took burned his lungs. His body was screaming for rest, but Hanyo's soul was burning bright with determination and rage, and refused.
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The chaos of the camp was finally under control and while Stephanivien needed to turn his attention back on the heating situation, he couldn't as he rushed by the Scion's side, worried sick.
"Have you found him yet?"
The Elezen turned to this band of heroes, seeing the worry in all of their faces.
"No one saw him leave and we have no traces to follow." Said Thancred as he looked to his colleagues, unable to look at Stephanivien.
"Let us split up and search for him. We can cover more grounds. Lord de Haillenarte, I think it would be best that you stayed back at the camp until-" said Alphinaud before stopping short as he saw the cold fury in the Elezen's eyes.
"You expect me to sit quietly in camp while my husband is possibly in danger?! I beg your pardon Master Alphinaud, but I am coming with you all." He could feel tears burn at the corner of his eyes. Stephanivien felt a hand land on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. The shock of his revelation took a few of the Scions by surprise.
"Then let us be about it." said Estinien glaring at the few Scions who didn't know about the noble and their dark knight, silencing the questions for now.
"The real question is, where could he be? If he didn't leave by choice, where was he taken?" Said Alisaie, sighing. Silence fell once more for a moment before G'raha Tia spoke up, his ears perked up.
"Well, speak of the devil…"
Relief washed over all of them as Hanyo slowly made his way up the hill.
"I guess we can call off the search party now."
Stephanivien didn't hear the rest. Beside him were the red Miqo'te and Mistress Alisaie, running towards Hanyo.
"There you are!" She said, happy to see the white Miqo'te back safe and sound.
"Gave us quite a fright my friend." Said G'raha.
Something was off. As Stephanivien walked closer, something felt off. Every time they had been reunited in the past, Stephanivien noticed how Hanyo's eyes sparkled and how his ears would perk up. Something was off about him. There was no spark in his eyes. The closer they got, the more clearly he could see a glint Hanyo's aether corrupt eyes. Something was wrong.
"… Are you alright?" Asked Stephanivien, stopping the two Scions from coming any closer. The devilish smile Hanyo gave them confirmed his suspicions, but before he could reach for his sidearm, the twisted figure of a voidsent rose out of his lover's body, its claws ready to kill.
"Hanyo!!!" Screamed Stephanivien hoping to shake some sense into his lover. But the creature still came at them.
A glint of metal flashed, colliding with the creature's attack.
"Get the fuck away from them Zenos!!" Yelled a man in Garlean armor before tackling the Miqo'te to the ground. A nasty punch landed across Hanyo's face, knocking the creature back into the void it once came. The unknown Garlean kept punching, blooding the Miqo'te's face before getting knocked back. He cried out in pain as he held his head between his hands.
"Get… Get the fuck… out of my body!!" He yelled once more before laying motionless, his consciousness slipping. Hanyo rose to his feet, looking back to a man in purple-red robes as he spoke to the Scions. Stephanivien's eyes were only focused on the unknown man and his lover. They exchanged words before Hanyo's body crashed in the snow.
"Hanyo!!!!" Nothing could have stopped Stephanivien from running towards the two men lying in the snow. He didn't know if he had to help the unknown man or his lover. As panic rose in him, the Garlean man softly spoke up with the last of his life.
"I wasn't… too… late…"
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Familiar darkness took him. One he used to yearn for. One he was denied five times over. This time, he felt like he was standing over the edge of it, closer than he's ever been. No… not like this. He wasn't ready…
A hand reached out of the darkness, stopping him from going further. A familiar armor and yellow piercing eyes appeared before Hanyo.
"What a fine mess you got us into." chuckled Fray. Hanyo couldn't help but smile bitterly at his remark.
"I don't want to go…" he said a tear rolling on his cheek. He finally found his reason to live, to see life's joy again. He was not ready to lose it all again. Fray came closer, pressing their foreheads together.
"We won't. They still need you and this would be a terrible conclusion to your story. Beside…" said Fray, looking deep within Hanyo's eyes as a voice echoed around them. "I don't think he would let you." The shade took a step back, his hand on the Miqo'te's chest. With a gentle push, he said "You'd better go. Wouldn't want to keep him waiting."
Hanyo couldn't help but smile as he felt the all too familiar sensation of being pulled back kick in. The echoes rang louder in his ears.
And he slowly opened his eyes, reaching for the Elezen next to him.
"Hanyo!!" Cried out Stephanivien, hugging him close, knocking the air out of the Dark Knight's lungs. He noticed the Scion and his friends all around him. He smiled lightly only to be met with pain.
"I think it best you try not to smile too much, my friend." Smiled Alphinaud as he kneeled down beside them, using his healing magics to close some of the wounds.
"Is everyone okay?" Asked Hanyo, his eyes half-closed.
"Worry about yourself for once you idiot!" Said Alisaie, furious that he would think of others before himself. She was right, of course, but he still feared the worst.
"I just… I was afraid I'd be too late. I don't think I would have forgiven myself had he…" Said Hanyo, unable to finish this train of thought. He pulled Stephanivien closer, kissing the other's cheek, his eyes soft and at peace. He whispered a few words to his husband, hugging him closer. As he looked back at to the Scions, Hanyo's aether corrupt eyes were shining bright in the low light of the evening, his expression grave and his anger boiling. "This charade has gone on long enough. It's time we take the fight to the palace and put an end to Anima. And when I find Zenos, he's gonna wish he-"
"Calm yourself Hanyo. Your anger will only cloud your judgment and I would never forgive you if you'd lose your life because of it." Said Stephanivien, gently knocking some sense into Hanyo, ultimately calming him.
"… Right, sorry love. Anima first, then we deal with the two lunatics."
All were in agreement and a little amazed at how quickly the Elezen calmed down the Dark Knight's anger. Alisaie couldn't help but nudge Urianger who was gently smiling at the Miqo'te and the Elezen before them.
"Wait… You knew?!"
"He… was the officiant at our wedding. Rather by accident, might I add." Said Stephanivien as he helped Hanyo back on his feet. The Miqo'te's eyes were slowly turning back to their old normal selves as the others spoke.
"A blessing I say. If I had to suffer anymore teasing from the Moogles, I might have committed a murder right there and then." Said Hanyo, shuttering at the thought, before seeing the stunned faces of about half of the Scions. "What? I wouldn't have done it, but-"
"And you didn't think of inviting us?! Really?!" Yelled Alisaie, causing Alphinaud to laugh. "You knew too didn't you? Hanyo, you bastard!"
"I've known since Pagaltan. Lord de Haillenarte made quite a display at the infirmary that day. Estinien has asked me to keep it quiet." Replied the other twin, looking at Estinien. Alisaie turned toward the Ishgardian Dragoon, fury in her eyes.
"Did everyone know but me?!"
"I did not, but this would explain your recent behavior since the council in Ala Mhigo and around camp." Said Y'shtola.
"Once this is all over, we've got to celebrate this in a more official matter." Said G'raha, grinning.
"We would be delighted to have you all. Pray return safely with my husband." Said Stephanivien, much to Hanyo's surprise. He sighed as his last excuse to say no had just invited everyone. He could feel his cheeks burning as he noticed his fellow Warriors of Light smile at him.
"Just… Just leave us be for a moment for gods' sake." Said Hanyo, his ears low with embarrassment, looking away from his group. Stephanivien nodded in agreement, smiling.
"If you wish to discuss this, I ask that you do so far away from Lord Emmanelain. He tends… to talk more than he should, and while our secret is… well no longer a secret, I would hate for my family to hear this from anyone else but me."
The Scions and the other Warriors of Light nodded in agreement, leaving the two men alone for a bit. Hanyo tried wiping the blood off his face, wincing as some of those wounds remained painful despite Alphinaud's healing.
"Are you okay?" Asked Stephanivien his tone worried.
"I am now… I… I was terrified. It was Oly all over again…" Said Hanyo as he laid his head on the Elezen's chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was the most comforting melody in the world. "What happened to that body?"
"They buried it…" replied the Elezen looking over to the Tower of Babil, it's ominous aura sending a shiver up his spine. He hugged the Miqo'te closer, kissing his brow. "You could have shown some restraint. Look at your handsome face now… This one might leave a mark… Though, knowing you, you'll proudly show it off."
Hanyo chuckled at the thought. He fell silent as they began to hear the camp come alive around them.
"If you were afraid people would talk before… Now they definitely will." Said Hanyo, looking up at his husband. "Will you tell your family?"
"My sister knows. Aurvael suspects something and I know Francel loves you like a brother, so I'm not really afraid of their reactions. Father, on the other hand…" Stephanivien replied, getting lost in the Miqo'te's eyes for a moment. "I have to find my own courage and do this alone. I promise you."
"I know you will." Hanyo kissed him gently, making Stephanivien blush. His gaze soon fell towards the Tower of Babil, thinking. "I'll have to go soon. You stay safe."
"I should be saying this to you and your friends." The Elezen's eyes drifted once more toward the Tower. Hanyo took a step back, looking at his husband once more, finding his courage once more.
"Well, my dear Stephanivien, what does your prospectometer has to say about our odds of success?" Teased Hanyo, knowing it will make the Machinist smile. Right on cue, Stephanivien also took a step back, smiling and knowing full well it was time.
"According to my prospectometer, this operation is guaranteed to succeed." He pause, before quickly closing the distance between them and giving the Miqo'te another kiss. "Pray give them what for, Hanyo, while we finish up preparations here!"
Hanyo nodded in agreement, fired up by his lover's encouragement. They embarrassed one last time, before going their separate way, ready for the fight ahead.
"I'll see you on the other side then."