Chapter Text
“Have you all gone utterly mad!?” Her voice echoed in the hall of the Convocation. “Has this disaster completely melted your minds!? How do you expect me to agree to this!?”
“Azem, please, it is not–”
“I am not going to watch you feed half of our friends, our loved ones, our brothers and sisters to summon some…. Some God ! I refuse to stand by while you go through with this.” Never had she raised her voice in the chamber before. Never had she raised her voice at her coworkers before.
“Azem, please, my friend. I accept my fate. So that Etheirys may continue to thrive” Elidibus was calm about the situation. It made her turn on her heel and narrowed her eyes behind her mask.
“I cannot believe what I am hearing! From any of you!” She trembled from… anger? Sadness? Fury? She stormed over to the Emissary and gripped his arms, shaking him. “NO! No! I refuse to let my colleague, my brother – my friend sacrifice himself!” She almost screamed.
“Azem, get a hold of yourself” Lahabrea’s voice came as a warning. She stepped back and tore off her mask.
“You no longer have an Azem. Consider this my resignation.” Amethyst stormed out of the chamber, slamming the door on her way.
Amethyst made her way toward the exit of the building, hearing all the whispers and gasps of her uncovered face. “Wait!” Elidibus called after the angered woman. She stopped and turned to face him. “Come, let us talk in here away from prying ears” he said softly. She relented and followed him into an empty room. “You really oppose to this plan?”
“Of course I do, Elidibus! You are my friend! My confidant. You are willing to die for a plan we don’t even know will succeed!?”
“I am” he answered confidently.
“Why?!” The tears that had formed had finally begun to fall.
“Because I love Etheirys. I am determined to see it live on, determined to see our loved one live on. If I can be the saviour to mankind, then I would give my life again, and again, and again. I know that you love this star just as much, if not more than anyone. Emet-Selch can see it, as does Lahabrea whether he admits it or not. Please, Amethyst. I pray that you trust in us. To make the start survive. For the future.” A muffled sob broke free as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. He placed her mask in front of her, only it was no longer a read one. She had a beautiful silver one instead, “I cannot convince you to rejoin the Convocation. You have your feelings very clear.” She stood and hugged him tightly. “Oh, my dear Amethyst.” He hugged her back just as hard.
“If… If you are determined to see this through, then I will not try and convince you otherwise. Just know that, should I survive, I will miss you deeply. You are a dear friend, Themis, an I will miss you deeply.” Her voice broke slightly. He wiped away a stray tear with that warm smile that told her everything would be okay.
But it wouldn’t. Several days after the Convocation made the call to summon Zodiark, the Final Days came to Amaurot. Amethyst had gotten word that another friend was willing to give himself over for the star. That day, Amethyst and Hades said their goodbyes to Hythlodaeus. Like Elidibus, he was just as willing for the star to continue. Hades and Amethyst watched from a distance as those willing to summon Zodiark gathered with Elidibus leading them. She couldn’t watch any longer and walked away. That would be the last time she saw her friends…
…Until she faced them once more in the First. The first time she saw a shade of Hythlodaeus, even if she didn’t recognise him, then it had been Hades and finally, Elidibus. Her time in Pandaemonium had enlightened the miqo’te bearing a fragment of the soul of Amethyst, of Azem, to the true relationships that the miqo’te had before the Final Days. As she stood in the Aitiacope with Themis, he had one last thing to say before taking his final leave. “The people of your age call this the aetherial sea ─ a name I quite enjoy. For it teems with life, each star a soul on its journey. And among these uncountable stars, it was yours that crossed my path. For that I shall be forever grateful. I wish you well on your journey. A journey as long as your star is bright ─ a journey not bound by the confines of this world, or any other.”
“Themis, I’ve seen some of Azem’s memories. The crystal showed me some, but my Echo showed me more. However, I understand why you chose to give your life for the star. I did the same thing when facing Meteion and when I faced Zenos for the final time. It is not an easy choice to make, but, as you have said to me before — it is a burden we both must bear for our loved one and for Etheirys itself. Despite everything, it has been a pleasure getting to know you once more.” Leeja gave him a sad smile.
“And you, Az– Leeja.” She watched as he began to fade through tear blurred eyes. The third time she said goodbye to her friend.
But most likely, not the last.