As the Night Falls...

Her facade falls apart too… Renne, assuming the role of a leader is in conflict with herself. Her mind, still in disarray after what had happened earlier. But she tried to keep up her appearance as their leader, and composed herself. Through Anemone’s presence, she felt safe and confident as her emotions got bottled up. When Anemone is gone, she just….

snap

**

Renne finally reached the barracks, and found her way to her room. As she opens the door to her dark room. She reached over for the light switch and flipped it, which illuminated the dark room. Before the mission, she shared her room with Rosaline, and after seeing her belongings in her room, tears streaked through her face. “Rosaline…” she breathed, unable to muster enough strength to speak out her name.

She walks towards the desk in the room, picking up a picture of the squad when they were younger. She reached for a drawer under the desk and looked for something. And finally, her hand grabbed something. She pulls out her hand, revealing a medallion which is a gift that she had received from Wilhelm.

Renne clutches the medallion to her chest, as more tears wells from her eyes. She fell to her knees, and hit the ground. Her memories with the squad floods her brain…

Wilhelm walks into Renne’s office and sees her ducking on the desk. “Hey Renne, how have you been recently? We’ve been getting quite a lot of missions lately. And you’ve been taking part of them all.” Wilhelm asked. “Yeah, just a bit tired…” she responded. “Take a break for the next mission, I’ll handle your part.” He added. “Thanks…” Renne utters as she falls asleep on her table. He leaves a medallion on her table, signifying recovery then walks out of the room.

Her eyes drifted across the room, to an outfit in the closet. It reminded her of her times with Rosaline.

Rosaline bursts into their room and says “Renne, it’s time for lunch…” but upon entering the room, her eyes laid upon Renne trying out a dress. “My, my, aren’t you looking beautiful in that dress.” she teases Renne and she puts a finger on her lips. Renne, flustered, turns away and hides in the closet.

She slowly falls into the ground, as her cheeks pressed against the cold, glassy surface of the marble floor. Her eyelids feel too heavy and she closes her eyes as she slowly falls asleep. Her hand loses grip on the medallion, letting it rest on the floor. Her breath slowed down, as the room got dimmer…

Until she heard a voice from behind her.

“Renne!”

She turned around, seeing Wilhem and Rosaline behind her. She stood up and rushed towards them, as tears fell from her eyes. She opens her arms, preparing for an embrace, as her surroundings slowly shift into the surface. She ran past a broken medallion, and a torn dress. The area slowly got darker and darker, as a silhouette appeared behind the two.

As she gets closer, time seems to move slower as she reveals the silhouette. Until finally, she got close enough. Just to see Vladimir Noctis, preparing to launch an attack. Renne runs faster, her blue flames exploding, reaching out to them.

But before he could do anything, time stopped for everyone.

A creature had emerged from nowhere between Renne and the three. Enveloped with a red flaming aura, which slowly turned down. Revealing a young man, holding a sword.

“Do you wish to save them?” the creature spoke, while looking deep into Renne’s eyes. She can hear, and see everything, but she can't move nor respond. “I know you do.” he said, “But you faltered, didn’t you.” he added. After hearing that, Renne’s aura grew smaller, slowly, after each word.

He walked around Renne while talking. “You, Renne, faltered when they needed you the most. When they needed your help, you stood there. Unable to do anything, until that thing showed up. If it wasn’t for that thing, you, and the rest of your soldiers would be dead by now.”

Renne reflected on his words. But upon thinking about it more, the more her heart aches. The more painful the memory becomes for her. Until he spoke again. “I know…” he walked over Wilhelm and Rosaline, then added “I was hurt by their death as well.”

He walked closer to Renne, stopping when his face was right next to her’s. “But if I was in your situation, I would’ve fought for their life.” She wants to move, deny his accusations, and prove him wrong. But deep down, she knows he’s right. As Vladimir closed in on her, she felt as if another world that’s infinitely bigger than her is crashing with the world. She was unable to do anything.

He looks down and says “Fear drags you down. Doubt makes your sword heavier. If you wish to save them - If you want to lead them…” he stared at her eyes again, with unfulfilled desires. “Cast those emotions away.” He stepped back a little bit as he held the sword resembling an executioner’s blade, coated with white flames with both of his hands.

“And if you’re ready to do that… I will be your sword.” he said, as his flame slowly matched the blade’s. “I will cut a path, in this path full of thorns for you.” he adds, as his flame matches the sword’s aura, with Renne’s blue flames, also shifting to a blue-white hue.

“But… If you ever… ever doubt yourself…” he utters as his aura grows bigger. “If you ever falter again…” he points the sword, along with his aura pointing daggers at Renne.

“You will be the last thing this sword will cut.”

Renne felt the flames, but it wasn’t there to burn her. It was there to comfort her, as she was finally able to move. “Who are you…?” Renne asked. “My name is… Requiem.” He answered, as his flames dispersed and he disappeared, leaving the sword behind floating in the air.

Renne picked up the sword, as chains grew from the bottom of the hilt that snaked around her wrist, glowing faintly, and sealing its place on her arm. While an inscription was embedded into the blades, highlighted by the white-blue flames which she couldn’t understand.

Time started to move, as she rushed in between Vladimir and Rosaline. Her sword, cutting clean through his arm, melting the crystalline arm as they meet the sword’s edge. Vladimir jumps back, and hides into the shadow.

She turned behind her to see Rosaline and Wilhelm, and called their names. “Rosaline! Wilhelm! Are you oka-” But the moment her eyes laid upon them, they were already starting to disappear. As white flames burned up their body, flying high into the sky, they looked at Renne and gave her a warm smile.

Renne embraces the two, one last time. Holding them as tight as she could, as tears wells from her eyes. Rosaline rubs Renne’s back, while Wilhelm patted her head. “Sorry, Renne.” Rosaline whispered. “We caused you lots of trouble.” Wilhelm added.

“We won’t leave you. We’ll continue watching you from afar.” they both said. “It’s time for us to go, Renne. We’ll see you soon.” they uttered, as the flames engulfed their body and got carried by the winds. Renne fell to her knees, as more tears fell from her eyes.

As the last embers of the white flame vanished into the sky, Renne stayed on her knees, clutching the broken medallion, and torn clothes. “I’ll carry your legacy with me…” she whispered into the air as tears streamed down her face. “For everything you’ve given me… I won’t break again.”

Her white-blue flames envelop her body, as if it were trying to comfort Renne. The flames amalgamated into Requiem’s shape, embracing Renne. “I’m no saint, Renne.” Requiem said with his voice steady, but comforting. “I am a blade, a tool for those who wield me with conviction. Doubt me, and I will fail you. Doubt yourself, and I will end you. Remember that, for their sake, and yours. Renne.”

The warmth of Requiem’s flames faded, replaced by the cold touch of marble beneath her cheek. Adrienne’s hands gripped her shoulders, her voice breaking through the haze. “Renne! Wake up!” Slowly, the room came into focus, as a faint trace of her newly awakened aura lingered in the room.

“Renne! You finally woke up!” Adrienne exclaimed as Renne got up on the floor. Markus, watching over outside the room, instantly noticed the shift in her aura. “What the hell? Her aura is so strong, I can feel the pressure from this far, even though she’s keeping it down.”

Isaac walked outside the room the moment Renne woke up, but upon exiting the room, Markus stopped him. He leaned over Isaac’s ears and whispered. “Did you feel that as well?” Markus asked. “Yeah, it was some monstrous aura.”

“Adrienne, gather everyone for a meeting, we need to discuss something.” Renne ordered, as she followed it quickly. Adrienne gathered everyone at the table. Renne filled everyone in for what happened last night with her report and Anemone. Everyone was surprised, especially Isaac, who was more bitter by the end of it.

After the meeting, Renne rushed back to the HQ for Anemone, leaving the squad in the barracks. She tried to enter the building but was blocked by the guards. “Why are you blocking my way?” she asked, then suddenly, one of the guards grabbed her hands and pinned her to the ground. “What? Get off me! I need to go inside quickly!”

“I’m sorry, Miss Valérie, but we can’t let a criminal inside this place.” A familiar voice echoes from the inside. “A criminal? And what can I possibly do to be labeled as a criminal?” she inquired.

The man reveals himself, someone who considered himself as her rival. “Why yes, for the crime of bringing a Fragment into the bunker!” Renne recognized him with his grin, reaching ear to ear. “What do you mean, Alexander!”

Alexander’s grin faded, with an empty gaze casted at Renne. He turned around and walked back inside and utters, “Boys, take her to that thing.” As the two guards drag her to where they kept Anemone. Renne wanted to resist, but she noticed the bystanders. She didn’t want to hurt innocent people, so she just let them bring her to the room.

~Chapter 2 End~

Author's Note: Welp, sorry this took longer than expected. I was really exhausted this week, so I wasn't really able to do much. I apologize for that, I'll make it up for the next one! (As my break had started.)