Resolved

Ami frowned and shook her head as I finished telling my tale. "So he waited until you were able to stand on your own before succumbing to his desire for vengeance."

"Yeah, after that, the gravity of it all along with that of what happened years ago finally sunk in. I saw his scowl for many nights, heard his occasional outbursts about Ova Sfongia, but I never realized he was holding it all back for my sake. Then you pretty much know everything after as the year between then and our meeting was pretty much me continuing my training to join the knights," I smiled as I turned towards the grave I had made for my father. "When my father fell into the sea, we weren't able to recover his body, so all I could really do was make a little stone for him. That, and I just couldn't shake the feeling he wasn't truly dead, even though I saw what I saw. Seems my instincts were right."

"About that... You said he was stabbed with a gold dagger. It sounds like-"

"-A dybbuk blade? Yeah, I had a suspicion as soon as I saw that slime ball fake baron pull his out. But still, even if he became a dybbuk, I doubt he'd be able to overpower Mariamne by possessing someone else."

"Dybbuks are capable of pushing a body past its limits, but when they do, it's always the capabilities of THAT body, not their own since they're now just a spirit. However, it's said that if a one killed by a dybbuk blade manages to find their old body in good condition, they can merge their soul back into it and become an evolved, more powerful undead monster. What I don't get is why he'd trek all the way to Keftes just to get a warship."

"That's because thanks to him, the navy can't house any Dunner classes here out of fear of someone else doing what he did. I always wondered why, but if the admiral realized at the time that my father was stabbed with a dybbuk blade, everything makes sense..."

I took a deep breath before taking a look out at sea. No sign of a warship, meaning my father still had yet to reach us.

"Ami, think I could ask you for help on some last-minute training before we head to the guild?" I smiled.

"Sure, but first..."

My eyes widened as Ami merged one of her gemstones into my mother's grave. "There, now her body will never be at risk to be exhumed or reanimated."

"Thanks, Ami," I smiled as I wiped away the tears in my eyes.

"The least I could do to pay my respects to the mother of an amazing partner. Now what exactly do you want some help with?" Ami smiled as she pulled out her wand. 

"So I was thinking..."

...

Standing before the guild, I took a deep breath before pushing open the doors. "Hey... I'm back," I sang as I was faced with a full house.

"See! I knew it was Ayay!" Dorrit grinned.

"I'm not giving you any money!" Miss Gertrude the tailor scoffed.

"Oh! It is Aya indeed," a woman with long blond curly hair in a regal uniform smiled.

"Well hello, "baroness". How goes the domain?" I smirked.

"All is quiet as it should be," Mary huffed as she put her hands on her hips.

"Now then, care to tell everyone how things went?" the admiral scowled.

"Oh, yeah... I failed," I nervously chuckled.

"We've known that for weeks thanks to the admiral," the old doctor sighed.

"But did he tell you I'm now in a party with Ami, the great witch of the amethyst herself?"

Everyone's eyes, aside from the admiral's, bulged. "WHAAAT!?"

"Wait! Is that girl the real deal!?" Dorrit gasped as she rushed over.

Ami warmly smiled as she did a curtsy. "A pleasure to be in this serene town. I am Ami, great witch of the amethyst."

Everyone erupted in cheers.

"WE'VE BEEN GRACED BY THE WITCH! THE FISH WILL BE PLENTIFUL!" Mr. Ignatz cheered.

"I'll finally become a baroness!" Mary shouted.

"So do you like to gamble? I just got some money-"

Everyone slammed Dorrit face-first to the floor.

"Pay no heed to her offenses," the old doctor scowled.

"No need, I took no offense," Ami smiled.

And with the lack of bursting veins, it sure looked like she meant it. Guess despite her flaws, at least Dorrit isn't a pervert.

"So what brings you both here?" the admiral asked.

I let out a sigh. "My father has stolen a warship, and is en route to Vecilia. We're here to stop him."

Everyone blinked.

"Uh, they serving weird food in Traditsye? He clearly died a year ago," Dorrit frowned.

"No, he was stabbed with a dybbuk blade that day, not killed," the admiral declared.

The room went silent.

"Did you know this from the start?" the old doctor glared.

"Yes, but it was classified information."

"So that's the real reason you forbid Dunners from being anchored here," Mr. Bulemos scowled.

"Yes, my apologies, but I couldn't take the risk. Sadly, it seems Samuel figured they'd be in Keftes and made his way over. Aya, are you sure you can do this?"

"Yeah, with Ami aiding me, we'll beat him," I nodded as I turned to Ami.

"I came here with Aya to see if she was up to the task. She was shaken at first, but after a talk with her mother, and wishing you all a greeting, I can now say she's ready for this," Ami smiled.

And the moment she finished saying that, a navy sailor ran in to inform us all a Dunner had been spotted. My heart thumped, but I narrowed my gaze and nodded before heading out without saying a word. Ami followed after, and though I didn't look back, I could hear the footsteps of everyone else coming too.

"Guess they wanna see the battle," Ami smiled.

"Yeah. Can't disappoint them now, can I?" I smiled back.

However, as we reached Kandelika Cove Point, we found Mariamne, Perl, Penina, and the headmaster from the academy all waiting for us. 

"Oh! There's Ami!" Mariamne waved as the headmaster turned around.

"Fievel Bendet!? What are you doing here!?" the admiral gasped.

"I was informed of Samuel's return and that if Aya was unable to face him, I would have to," the headmaster scowled as he turned to me. "So, Aya, will I have to risk my mind and bones, or are you resolved to face your father and exorcise him with your own hand?" the headmaster glared.

"I'm resolved," I nodded.

The headmaster stared at me for a good few seconds before stepping aside. "Then the first bout goes to you."

I stepped forward and caught sight of the large warship sailing off towards Vecilia. Faintly, I could hear the sound of an concertina playing from the ship. It truly was my father.

"Ready?" Ami asked as she handed me a badge. 

"Yeah, fly me over," I nodded as I put the badge on my armor.

Ami nodded back and engulfed me in wind magic before sending me flying towards the warship. Once I was there, I gently landed on the deck and turned up to the ship's wheel. There stood my father playing his concertina. His skin was now greener, his eyes more sunken, and his clothes slightly tattered, but otherwise identical to how I had last seen him months ago.

"Aya... You didn't throw up this time," my father sighed as he continued to play.

"Yeah. I've improved," I grinned.

"You're wearing gloves now."

"Stylish, right? They were my first gift from Ami. Now, think you could stop the boat?"

"So... you're here to stop me."

"Yes... Because I'm the only one that can."

My father stopped playing and sheathed his concertina in his trench coat before descending towards the deck. "Did they blame you for my actions?" my father asked as he took a combative stance.

"Some did, most didn't," I replied as I readied myself.

"Are you a knight now?"

"Nope, just an adventurer in a party with the great witch of the amethyst herself, my good friend, Ami."

"Then you're choosing to stand before me. Very well, then as adults, we'll settle this with our fists," my father growled before charging towards me.