Altered Tundra

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

When Nadeline had used the Green Magick spell, Sleepaga, Savayna just gave her the dirty look. Savayna didn’t like others helping her out or at least stealing the glory from her. Regardless, all the guards were put to sleep and now they could all get past themw without being found out. Plus, if Savayna was going to be totally honest with herself, she really didn’t want to face all of those guards. She was just bringing up that option cause she felt that there wasn’t many to choose from.

As they would get past the guards, the five of them would go down the flight of stairs as it winded in three ways: first down, then down again, and down once more. Perhaps it was more like three flight of stairs, but Savayna didn’t really care. Once they would get to the entrance to the Labs. Savayna stood there, just waiting for the right moment to go through. She didn’t know if Grant was in there or not. She also had to take it into account that the guards could still find them out. “Okay, we’re here, but there’s still the matter of sneaking in.” Savayna said thinking about what she wanted to do.

When Savayna kept on thinking about it, she turned to Nadeline. “Hey princess.” she said to Nadeline. “Can you do that sleepy thing again?” She said, not in the most nicest of ways. In fact, It would had come across as a bit rude-sounding.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

The argument could have led to a physical bout, but it seemed that Nadeline chose the high ground and went along with what Savayna was saying and what she was doing in terms of the group’s escape. As Savayna would lead them down more pathways, they would turn into one area of the ship that would have a lot of guards around. They weren’t spotted yet, but Savayna knew that going down the straight way that she had planned for them to go down would be suicide. Instead, she would look around, hoping she would find some way to go that would be a good alternative. As she looked around, she saw one on the left. Motioning the group to follow her, they all would go through it, a door opening as they would walk through it.

“Okay, we should be getting close to the labs. I think just a few more turns and it should just be down a flight of stairs.” Savayna said gluing back to a wall, peeking down the hall to make sure that there isn’t any guards down that way and of course she would be wrong. “Dammit!” She said angrily.

Wesley spoke, “What’s wrong Lady Savayna?”
“Don’t call her that; she ain’t a lady!”
“Oh, I wasn’t aware that she was secretly a dude. My apologies.”
“Oh shut up.”

While Jaakuna and Wesley were lightly throwing insults at each other, Savayna turned back to them. ‘Would you two shut up! I’m trying to sneak past those guards, but I can’t think of a way to do that with you two flapping your gums.” Savayna said barking at Wesley and Jaakuna. The more she would think, she either saw two options. The first one is finding another route, but that could take forever. The second one is going through the guards, but that would risk of them being found out. [/b]“Okay, so we have two options: We go through the guards and risk being found out or find another way, but that might be just ask risky as going through the guards just around the next right turn.”[/b]

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Heading down the halls through the turns and straight walkways, the five of them would try not to trigger any alarms. So far it would seem that they were doing a good job at evading both the red laser lights that trigger the Dreadnought Ark’s security system. When they would be walking, Savayna would hear Nadeline ask her if she truly believed that it was a good idea to betray Grant. That prompted her to stop in her tracks(she was in front of the group leading them), and turn to Nadeline. She didn’t like the little blonde princess all that much and she would like her less and less when she would suggest remaining on the good side of Grant.

Savayna looked angry, and then she spoke. “So, you think it would be a better idea if I took you all back to your cells, let Rozarria take you and little miss prissy here and take dear Jackson back to Archadia?” She asked sarcastically. Savayna didn’t really understand why Nadeline was acting this way. “Listen, if you want to be under that neurotic sociopath Grant’s care, then be my guest.” She said pointing her arm in the opposite direction. “However, if you actually want to remain with your group of ’friends’, then I suggest you shut your fucking mouth and follow me.” She said not even allowing Nadeline to get a word in.

While Savayna chewed into Nadeline, Jaakuna just said nothing as did Wesley. The both of them exchanged looks and let Savayna lead them to freedom.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Jaakuna, Wesley, Nadeline, Emiri, and Savayna all were running down turn after turn until they would come to the Armory, which had a few soldiers there. Savayna knew she could handle them, but she wanted to get past them without setting any alarms off. So, while the others would hang low, she would try to distract them long enough for the others to get their shit and go.

While Savayna distracted the three guards at the post, she would signal the others to move on past them down a turn just the one before the armory. That would take them to another entrance to the armory. Doing as such, Jaakuna, Wesley, and the ladies went through that entrance and they would find themselves in the armory and their weapons and other possessions would be there. As each of them would get their shit, they would go back the way that they came and signal Savayna. She would then leave the guards be as she did what she needed to do.

“Next, we need to go to the labs. We have to get that other piece of Nethicite out of Grant’s hands. Once we do that, we’ll make a break for it right when we land in the Stilshrine.” She said as she pretty much gave the order.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

When Jaakuna saw Emiri and Savayna appear in his cell, he wasn’t sure what to think. The last time that Savayna was here she almost beat Jaakuna to death, but now she was in his cell again and with Emiri no less. Jaakuna was perplexed, confused, and in all honesty, still pissed about what Savayna did to him earlier. However, as Savayna would go on to say, they didn’t have much time. Emiri agreed to this and Jaakuna nodded.

“I’d love to get out of here, but I’m still cuffed.” Jaakuna said lifting his hands.

In the seconds that he had said that, Savayna had sliced vertically, cutting the anti-magick cuffs off of his hands. “Not anymore.” She said with a grin on her face.

Jaakuna’s jaw dropped by this point. He didn’t know what to make of it. “Savayna, what the hell? You almost beat me to death and now you’re saving me!?” He said confused and a bit pissed.

Savayna laughed and turned away. “You want answers? Live through this and I’ll tell all.” She said as she would peek through the bars and no one was coming. So, she opened the door and she would motion Emiri and Jaakuna to follow her.

When Nadeline had said that they had a chance to escape, first he thought it was highly unlikely that they would get rescued, but as he saw out from the bars, Wesley stood corrected. He didn’t know that of all people, Savayna of the Archadian Empire would be the one to save them, but then again, Wesley has been wrong about people before, just look at how Jaakuna was when he first met him.

Next on her list was Wesley and Nadeline. Thankfully they didn’t have cuffs on. So, Savayna just opened the door and the two of them would be there, obviously wary of what was happening. Savayna sighed. “Why is everyone so fucking surprised I’m freeing you all?” She said sighing. “Let’s go!” She commanded, “Or unless you like the feeling of a cold, steel cell; your choice.” She said as she would leave the door open and walk to the direction of the Armory, which is where all their weapons are at and possessions are at.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Hearing every word that Emiri spoke, Savayna listened. She would listen to every letter, and how those letters formed words. She would listen to the tone in which Emiri spoke them in and her actions that followed. Savayna would listen for the emotion that she would put into her words and most importantly, she would listen and look for Emiri’s resolve to protect Jaakuna, as she said she would do that should any harm come to him. Savayna was more than satisfied with her answer.

Even when Emiri would stand up and threaten Savayna, the Ice Queen would smile, then nod her head. “I see.” She said standing up from her chair, and turning away. Obviously by this point, Emiri was probably wondering where Savayna was going. Her limited response to Emiri’s confession of loving Jaakuna was probably less than thrilling. That’s when Savayna drew her Ice Queen sword, and quickly slashed to Emiri.

And then there was dropping steel.

When Savayna had slashed her sword vertically, she did not aim for Emiri herself, but rather her cuffs. She then turned to Emiri. “What you said, and how you said it, I accept that answer. I accept that you’re the one that Jackson---erm I mean Jaakuna loves. Once upon a time, I was on that boat, but that ship has sailed. Don’t throw his love away like I did.” Savayna said as she was starting to cry, but she quickly wiped the tear away. “Oh and by the way, I know you’re the Girl of Time in that rumor. It took me a while, but in Rabanastre, I was able to put it together.” She said admitting that she knew about Emiri’s gift. “Don’t worry, I promise on my life and honor as an Archadian to keep your secret safe. It shall go with me to my grave.” She said promising to keep Emiri’s secret of her power away from Vincent.

As she would motion Emiri to follow her, she would lead her to Jaakuna’s cell to which she would open it.

At the door, Jaakuna saw Savayna, and instantly his gaze was of an angry kind, but then she stepped aside, showing Emiri. “Emiri!” He said getting up from the bench and he was going to run and give her a hug, but he hesitated.

Savayna would step into the room and door closed. “Can you two hurry it up? We don’t got all day.”

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Wesley listened to what Nadeline had to say and everything she said did make sense. Everything from how Archadia didn’t know about Emiri’s special power to how Grant truly was a fool. Everything she said pointed to the fact that Emiri was the one true point of this entire abduction. It was the entire point on why they separated Jaakuna and Emiri and not Nadeline and Wesley, which they both can use to their advantage. “Now that we know this, perhaps we can use it to our advantage, maybe even surprise the enemy with this.” WEsley said as he pondered what to do next. It was good that they knew this, but how to use it effectively was the real question to ask.

---

Savayna wouldn’t blame Emiri for her suspicions. Her face gave it away. She was very suspicious of Savayna. However, everything that Savayna had said was the complete and absolute truth. Savayna leaned back in her chair, looking to the ceiling before asking her question. She had to word this perfectly..

Savayna cleared her throat. “Emiri, do you love Jaakuna?” She simply asked not even wanting to waste time. The truth of the matter was that Savayna believed Jaakuna on what he said about killing his father for her and while she hated him for the longest time, she understands why he left. Killing your father for a woman is just stupid, but Savayna understands.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Wesley’s eyes just widened as Nadeline would go to punch the wall over and over and over again up until the point that her knuckles were near bleeding and what even shocked him more was that she just felt all better after that very violent display. Though, Wesley did think it was a lot better than her punching him. Wesley slightly chuckled at that thought.

When Nadeline would speak, Wesley nodded in agreement. “We have to find some way to get out of here. I don’t like the idea of handing over Jaakuna over to Archadia or Emiri over to Rozarria.” He said, pausing, “And god-forbid you return to Rozarria too..” his face instantly went red.

---

As Savayna sat in the chair, Emiri was obviously not happy to see the Ice queen. She would snap at what Savayna wants to talk to Emiri about. “No need for any of that. I only wish to talk.” She said looking to the other direction, then back to Emiri. “Okay listen here, I know you don’t like me and I don’t like you all that much, but above all else, I fucking hate Grant.” Savayna said, “I have half of a mind to sneak you and your friends out of here, but..” She said pausing, getting up, pulling the chair over, and sitting real close in front of Emiri. She would lean in. “You have to answer one question for me. Depending on your answer, I’ll either let you go to god-knows where or you’ll rot here until you return to your homeland.” She said, telling Emiri that she would have to answer just one question and answer it to her satisfaction.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Crying and crying on his shoulder, Wesley didn’t say anything. He just let her cry it out. After everything that has transpired, Wesley knew that he had to be that shoulder for her to cry on. He knew that whatever pride or mask that she would have, she would abandon it cause her sadness is too much and now she would just let it all out. “it’s okay, just let it all out.” Wesley said as patted Nadeline on the back as she would cry all of her sadness out of her body.

---

Jaakuna just didn’t know what to do at this point. He was cuffed up, he had just given one of the biggest confessions in the world and the worst part of it all is that Emiri most likely heard him. He heard her screams, so of course she would hear him yell. How was he going to even begin explaining this to her? He didn’t even know if he could. Everything he said would sound like as if he still loves Savayna after all that happened between him and Emiri. Perhaps there’s a very small part of him that still loves Savayna, but that small part is slowly being overtaken by his love for Emiri.

Jaakuna just sits on the floor, against the wall that is closest to Emiri’s cell. He just bangs his head on the wall, the thud sound repeating as he repeats his banging.

---

Savayna had been reeling with what Jaakuna had said. She didn’t even know what to believe and what to take as a lie. On one side of things, Jaakuna could be telling the truth, which makes her position all the more complex. On the other side of things, he could have been saying that to get under her skin. If it’s the former, then it’s pretty bad. If it’s the latter, then it was working cause she’s completely bothered by this. Savayna just doesn’t know what to feel about this. She would have to analyze this all, but then Savayna got a bold idea. She knew she was going to regret it later, but she went to a certain person’s cell.

Opening a cell door, Savayna walked in, and to her sight, she saw a crying Emiri. “Okay princess, we need to talk.” She said pulling up a chair and sitting in it, crossing her legs.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

“It’s over. It’s really over.” Jaakuna said under his breath. He didn’t want to believe it to be true, but it was. Archadia and Rozarria had gotten their prizes: Rozarria had gotten Emiri and Archadia had gotten Jaakuna himself. It was the sad truth of it all and at the moment Jaakuna realized this, his hope was swept away. He not only was hopeless at the moment, but he knew he would surely be put to death by his own brother. Everything just sucked and Jaakuna couldn’t do anything about it in his condition.

As Jaakuna wallows in his hopelessness, the soldiers of Rozarria and Archadia as well as Grant, Aloa, Vlyn, and Savayna lead them all out of the Barheim Passage. The monsters that would come to them either by the mist in the area or just the noise that all of the armor would make from walking, they would be cut down to death. All the soldiers can handle a few skeletons and steelings. Everyone would soon make it out of the passage and into the heat of the Dalmasca Estersand. The heat, though incredibly hot, was the least of the worried that the group faced. They were prisoners and nothing could be done about it.

Within minutes, everyone boarded the Dreadnought Ark. None of the captured four were happy to be in the position they found themselves in. When they were in front of Grant and Savayna and the two Viera, Aloa and Vlyn, Grant would order the soldiers to confiscate all the weapons and any other possessions that they had so that all they had were the clothes on their backs. Both Wesley and Jaakuna roared out. ”NO!” This would prompt the soldiers to attack them with a punch to the gut to each of them. Both Jaakuna and Wesley bent over coughing up blood. Of course, Grant was probably wondering why they were speaking up all of a sudden and when he would see the Dusk and Dawn Shards, it made sense. And of course, the scumbag would take both of them, giving the Dusk Shard to Savayna, and telling one of the soldiers to take the Dawn Shard to the lab for study and research. He would then tell whoever the pilot of the Dreadnought Ark was to set a course for the Stilshrine of Miriam

As Nadeline and Grant exchanged words, Wesley just gave Grant the dead look. Meanwhile, Jaakuna had a very emotionless look on his face. He had been broken. Jaakuna really was at a loss for everything. Wesley would look over to Jaakuna for a brief moment and see how vast the events that had transpired affected him. He really had no idea. Right as Wesley was about to say something to Jaakuna, Grant would order the soldiers to separate the group from each other. He would specify that Jaakuna and Emiri were to be put into separate cells while Nadeline and Wesley were to be put into the same cell.

When the soldiers took Jaakuna, Emiri, and Wesley and Nadeline to their cells, Savayna just smirked at the wonderful position that her dear husband finds himself in. Grant then made a comment about how it was a wonderful the reunion was. He would then take his leave as he made a note that he would go speak to one of them. Savayna knew exactly who he was going to speak to. She actually let out a small laugh as he would walk away.

While Savayna stayed in the cockpit of sorts, Jaakuna was in his cell, sitting on the bench. Jaakuna was so out of it that it’s not even funny. He felt so loss, nothing about this was right and he never thought that he would be caught. Maybe that overconfidence is what led to his capture. He felt like a failure in that sense. He felt like he failed Wesley, he felt like he failed Nadeline, and most importantly, he felt like he failed Emiri. That’s when he could clearly hear screams. This somewhat snapped him out of his hopelessness state. He would hear her screams and he would immediately get up from the bench, pounding on the steel walls of his cell, shouting the same word. “EMIRI! EMIRI!” Shouting that over and over again, Jaakuna wasn’t even sure if she heard him

As Jaakuna would just repeat yelling Emiri’s name, his door opened. He turned to look and see who it was and in his gaze was an encounter than he wished he would never have.

“Oh dear Jackson, are you trying to call out to your little tramp?” Said Savayna as she stood there, walking into the room and the steel door closing behind her.

Jaakuna looked at her with disdain, anger, and guilt. “DON’T CALL HER THAT!” He said

As he would try to attack her with a punch of some sorts, but she would kick his arms up with a vertical kick and spin her body and kick him in the stomach with her other leg. This would send Jaakuna to a hard impact with the steel wall behind him and his ass on the bench. Savayna smirked and she would walk over to Jaakuna as she would raise his arms up and freeze them into the wall for the moment. He was stuck there and that’s how exactly she wanted it to be.

“Now that I have you where I want you, you’re going to tell me everything!” She said as her voice volume would increase.

Jaakuna just spat in her face. She slapped him with all that she could. This would continue for a few more rounds and it would lead her to create a blade of ice around her left hand and placing it against Jaakuna’s neck.

‘You’re going to tell me now or you can die here!”
“But what about my brother? I’m sure he won’t like it if you kill me.”
“Fuck your brother! I want answers and I’m getting them now.”

Jaakuna conceded and the look in his eyes would tell Savayna that he would answer any questions that she had.

“Fine, I’ll tell you, but do take that blade away from my neck. It’s cold as ice.” Jaakuna said chuckling, but it hurt cause the blade was still against his skin.

Savayna removed it both from his neck and her arm itself. She pulled a chair in front of the bench that Jaakuna “Now, tell me why did you kill your father?”

Jaakuna’s eyes widened. He knew that she would ask that question eventually, but right off the bat? He wasn’t even ready to answer that, but most importantly, how could he? He just couldn’t give that answer, not without bringing up what led up to it. “I-I-I can’t answer that.” He shamefully admitted.

Savayna’s face lit up with anger. “YOU WILL TELL ME!” She said grabbing Jaakuna’s face and proceeding to knee him in the gut.

As Savayna kneed him in the gut, he coughed out blood. “Fine, I-I-I’ll tell you.” He said coughing more blood.

Savayna still had his chin in grip of her right hand. ‘Now tell me why you killed your father and left without even saying a word to me?!” She said, slightly shouting as she did.

Jaakuna sighed. “Before I tell you the why, you need to know what led up to it.” He said, “You see, my father called me and Vincent to the Emperor’s Office to name his heir to the throne. You might not be surprised at this, but I was expecting it to be me.” Jaakuna said sounding almost nostalgic. “He chose Vincent over me.” He said in a low tone.

Savayna wasn’t satisfied. “So, you killed your own father — your own flesh and blood — cause he bent tradition and chose your younger brother instead of you to succeed him?” Savayna was both confused at Jaakuna’s explanation.

Jaakuna looked away.

“TELL ME!”
“YOU WANT TO KNOW!? FINE! I KILLED HIM FOR YOU OKAY! MY FATHER SAID I COULDN’T BE EMPEROR CAUSE, TO QUOTE HIM, ‘I WAS MARRIED TO A WHORE LIKE YOU!’”

After yelling that, Jaakuna had said it and even worse, he yelled it for everyone to hear it. However, what the more surprising thing was the look on Savayna’s face. It was as if she hadn’t come to terms of what Jaakuna just admitted and eve more so, why he killed his father. Savayna slowly stepped back. She was in such disbelief.

“You’re lying..YOU HAVE TO BE!” She yelled out.

Jaakuna wished he was, but he definitely wasn’t. “You really think I would lie about something like this? This whole thing is why I left when I did, it’s why I’ve been avoiding you all this time. Trust me, if it wasn’t true, I would face my brother in a heartbeat.” Jaakuna admitted.

Savayna just couldn’t believe him. “I don’t believe you. I CAN’T!”

Jaakuna didn’t blame her, but the fact of the matter of it all was that what he just said was the truth. “Savayna, once upon a time, you believed me. You know that I never would lie about something like this — something this serious. I swear on my father’s memory that I’m telling the truth.” He said, “but why should you care? You hate me remember?” Jaakuna said.

Savayna didn’t know what she felt, not right now. “I can’t do this right now.” She said as she would walk out of the room. As soon as she did, the ice that constricted him to the steel wall cracked and he was free.

---

Across the hall, Nadeline and Wesley could hear bits and pieces of what was going on. They heard Emiri’s screams, they heard the loudness of Jaakuna and Savayna and they even heard his admission. Wesley was troubled by this, but confused above all else. He looked to Nadeline and he saw that she was a mess. He would go over to her, sitting next to her on the bench, reach his right arm over her, and would go on to comfort her. “Nadeline, how are you holding up?”