Epilogue - Regina

Imperial Year 1021
Aerlotte opened her eyes from a long nap. The cart shuddered and shook as it traveled the bumpy road, but in her exhaustion, she had managed to fall asleep. Two years into the war. Aerlotte was now 20. A handsome young man in plate armor sat by to the side, a faded imperial brooch of House Au Atrean on his cloak. A long golden glaive sat to his side, stretching the length of the cart. It emanated a soft glow, from blade to shaft. She checked her own sword, the Blade of Hresvelgr. It had a softer, silvery glow.

"Aerlotte?" Elyon had awoken from his little nap. "Can't sleep either?"

"Yeah." Aerlotte was silent as the two awkwardly looked around dark forest, no doubt full of deadly beasts and what other monstrosities the fiends were capable of throwing at them. "I don't do well with rough rides."

"Heh, so even Aerlotte the Icy has her sensitive sides. Not being able to sleep and all." Elyon said, a teasing tone in his voice. Aerlotte blushed, seeing Elyon's obvious attempts at flirtation.

"Shut up." Aerlotte crossed her arms. "I'll hit you."

"I'd like to see you try." Elyon said with a smirk. "Maybe I wouldn't mind if it's you."

"What?" Aerlotte suppressed a laugh. "Alright then...Elyon."

"Uh, well..." Elyon tried to shake it off with a relaxed stance, but it was evidently clear he was running out of things to say. "So uh...the moon is lovely tonight, isn't it? Nice, bright, and scares the daemons away."

"So it is." Aerlotte gazed up at the full moon, which shined onto them. The recent weeks had been nothing but one battle after the next, and Aerlotte took the time to relax a little. Valor Company had come far from its beginnings as a band of conscripted beggars and vagrants, being better than most regulars. At this point, they were pretty darn close to the elite units of the Empire in terms of raw skill. She looked at the small unicorn emblem, a little something she had drawn up for Valor Company a year ago. It reminded her of something, something she felt like was important that she had forgotten.

A small smile crept across Aerlotte's face. "I just hope we can enjoy this moon a little longer. It's actually quite nice like this." Elyon nodded as he watched her stare at her sword. Aerlotte didn't normally talk this much, but something about being alone with Elyon made her comfortable being more talkative.

"Aerlotte, do you - do you ever wonder about your old life?" After a long silence, Elyon finally spoke up again. "I find it rather curious that you're actually...much older than I am, in terms of how long you've lived, even though we're supposed to be the same age."

"Sometimes." Aerlotte pulled the sword to her chest. "I remember little when I passed away in my old world. Even now I'm not really sure of all the details, because I knew so little when I was that age." She looked back at the unicorn emblem. 

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I suppose there's a reason for secrecy."

"It's okay. I don't need secrets with you." Aerlotte stared off into the sky, listening to the snoring of their fellow comrades. Elyon looked down and back at his sacred glaive as Aerlotte continued. "I had a really cool older brother when I was little. The only thing I remember was him holding my hand till the very end." Elyon looked to the side, trying to imagine what she possibly meant.

"I see. I presume you don't know much beyond that."

"Pretty much." The two rested the weary bodies against the seats of the carts as they proceeded to the next battlefield. For a moment, the moonlight almost seemed to make the duo glow, their armor glistening in the light.

"So I don't forget, tell me, because I might have forgotten. What was your old name again?"

"Forgot already?" Aerlotte asked. "Well, make sure not to forget this time." Elyon chuckled.

"Dyeus above, strike me down if I forget. I won't." Aerlotte laughed, pushing a few strands of her scarlet red hair over her ear.

"My name is Sylbia."