Chapter Text
Euphausia Etoreika was finding it rather difficult to sleep.
Most certainly, her insomnia was due to this new, cramped, environment. It was only a few days ago that she had stepped on this metallic, mystical contraption called a gauntlet runner – and now, fully part of its crew, she was spending her night inside a cold, claustrophobic bunk she could only describe as a tube. Of course, she had been prepared for such conditions: she had resolved to take every inconvenience with stride when she decided she wanted to travel alongside Will and the others, after all. However, what she had not anticipated were the sounds.
When the gauntlet runner was travelling, all other noises were drowned out in the roar of the engines and the craft’s booming steps. Now, though – all sorts of sounds swirled about in her metallic resting place and made their way into her ears. Somewhere beneath her, the eerie, magla-fuelled igniter of the runner beat (apparently, the engine could not be turned off with the rest of the machine) an insistent rhythm that reverberated throughout the whole of the craft and oddly seemed to sync up with her own heartbeats. The hallways were filled with a perpetual, monotonous buzzing noise that came from the number of lamps that lit the corridors. And around her were the steady breaths of her crewmates, which she took to mean that she alone was struggling to rest.
Eupha’s attention turned back to the rhythmic thump-thump-thumps of the engine-igniter. It really did look (and sound) quite a bit like a beating heart, did it not? And the legs, too: it resembled those of an animal - in fact the entire craft did. She felt that she would be hardly be surprised if the entire gauntlet runner turned out to be some majestic two-legged beast, all disemboweled then outfitted with metal and machinery: an imagery which felt slightly sacrilegious. She would have to ask Sir Neuras about it next time, if- Oh no, I was supposed to be sleeping!
She sighed and opened her eyes. Not like it made much of a difference – she could hardly see even the bunk’s ceiling an arm’s length above her. As if trying to check, she raised her right arm and touched the cool metal. Her hand hit a round protrusion. It was likely something used to hold the metal sheets together. She absentmindedly traced the circular shape with her index finger. Above her, someone – perhaps Sir Strohl? – turned in their sleep: she could tell from the minute increase in magla surrounding him that his dream was not entirely pleasant.
...At least Sir Strohl manages to sleep…
Her thoughts drifted again – and almost instinctively, her mind’s eye found itself in a scene that had been constantly replaying in her head for the past few days. She, with the help of her newfound comrades, had triumphed over the monster in the Land of Ceremony. It was certainly a most harrowing trial, and her victory was all the more meaningful for it. She felt that she had discovered a new purpose within herself: not as an offering simply whittling away her days until she would be sacrificed, but as Euphausia Etoreika – island priestess, protector of her people.
That was not really why she was thinking about it so much, however. Rather…
“What’s this!? A-A handshake?”
Eupha had occasionally seen other people exchange those kinds of handshakes. Once, deep in the woods, she had stumbled upon a young couple – likely around her age – holding hands while she was on her way to the sacred spring. They were evidently hiding out from unwanted attention, and the moment they saw her they sprinted away, red-faced. Her guards had shaken their heads, grumbling about children disrespecting hallowed grounds, and apologized to her. She had assured the guards back then, saying she was unbothered – and it was true, she felt no irritation nor merriment nor envy in the moment.
Eupha had always held that her duty as the Dragon God’s sacrifice left her no room for friendship, let alone intimacy. Perhaps she even held an abstinent sort of pride about it. Edeni was always worried about her lack of friends, but she had always believed that they were irrelevant in the face of her ultimate destiny. And so she stayed alone and aloof. She loved her people, yes – she loved them with all her being. Yet the fact was that she had never sought a personal connection with any one person.
When she had awakened to her powers in the Dragon Temple, and discovered new purpose in the Land of Ceremony- she found that she could hide no longer behind those justifications. Only she could know what she could bring to bear… that meant that shying away from new experiences and friendships in the name of ‘duty’ was little more than making excuses. That was part of the reason why she had resolved to join Will’s crew: she wanted to experience the world, create new bonds, seek a deeper faith in herself.
The moment Will held out his hand to her, however… Eupha had been hit with the realization that intimacy, too, was a path now open to her. She was wholly unprepared for it. She had lived her entire life feeling above such emotions, had she not? And now the man who had rescued her was offering her his hand… Is this not too quick? Does he… truly think of me in that way? Could I have implied this by saying I wanted him by my side? The thoughts blazed through her mind. Her heart was aflutter in a sensation that she had never felt before. She was so flustered that it took a few seconds for her to remember that outsiders only had the other, far more innocuous interpretation for handshakes.
At least she had recovered reasonably well from that potentially humiliating moment. She did not think Will had noticed her blushing. She was relieved to not have made a fool of herself so quickly after she had just joined him in his travels.
Yet… why was it that some tiny, minuscule part of her felt… disappointed at the outcome? What else could she have done in that situation? And now she could not stop thinking about it, so much so that she was having trouble sleeping.
Eupha sighed once more. Her mind felt as alert as the sharpest hunter, so many thoughts whirling through and about. In this condition, sleep would be altogether impossible. Perhaps it was time to try a different approach.
After momentarily fumbling with the cloth, Eupha raised her arm upwards and slightly opened the curtain of her bunk. Through the thin crack in the darkness seeped in a dim light, and a wave of cool air that gave her a slight shiver but was yet a pleasant reprieve against her rather heated face. She raised the curtain further upwards, squinting at the influx of light, and poked her head out into the corridor.
It was truly striking how different the gauntlet runner was at night. There was no shaking, no boisterous clanking of machinery – only the faint, steady beats of the igniter pierced the viscous stillness that filled the hallways, which seemed to set and solidify around her. The lights were on, of course – but still, she could not help but feel a small sense of foreboding. It was much like the runner itself was bating its breath.
Trying not to disturb the silence pervading the air, Eupha carefully crawled out of the bunk. She took a moment to observe the four occupied bunks besides hers. If she concentrated with her third eye, she could sense the magla flow of the people inside: responding to their dreams and restless thoughts, it clung to their hair, skin, garments. If she focused harder, she could see that the magla surrounding each person was really as unique as the person themselves: each had a different glint – a color, perhaps. Lady Hulkenberg, for instance – her thoughts were attracting magla that she could only describe as a shiny red. And Gallica – the magla surrounding the sleeping fairy glowed with a decidedly golden hue.
This was no place to be standing around, however. Eupha wanted to feel the sea breeze blow on her face. She tiptoed across the hallway into the strategy room, feeling painfully aware of her surroundings. The floorboards creaked underneath her wary footsteps. The rungs on the ladder leading up onto the deck squeaked reproachingly every time she put her weight on them, and the hatch itself swung open with an elongated metallic groan that sounded frightfully loud in the heavy silence. But still, she had made it outside.
After closing the hatch, Eupha stretched out her arms, basking in the pleasant ocean air. She could hear the gentle laps of the salty waves breaking across the beach, and the faraway chirps of the insects that called this island their home. The wind smelled fresh and briny, as if salt was flung out straight from the waves, and cleaned out the musk of dry dust and stagnant air stuck deep within her nasal cavity. She immediately felt much more at ease. Now unworried about the sound she was making, she trotted over across the side of the gauntlet runner and to the very front of the deck.
Eupha rested her elbows on the guardrails and stared out into the dark, shifting water stretching out underneath. Her loose white shirt rustled and billowed like a banner in the wind. It was a hot, tropical night, but the breeze against her skin felt wonderfully cool. She felt a sudden urge to sing: those nights where the mustari gathered on the beaches, around the dancing flames of bonfires, and sang to their hearts’ content – they happened in the embrace of warm air and cool wind, just like now. If only Will was here on the deck with her, she could sing to him a tune that she was particularly fond of, and-
Huh??!
Eupha felt her face burn up once more, and clapped her palms over her face. What was wrong with her? Every passing thought, every idle musing – it all invariably led itself, whether she wanted it or not, to the same endpoint. Had she been stricken by some strange and insidious curse of the mind? Perhaps this was the Dragon God’s divine punishment, for not having freed them from their possession sooner? She knew not what to think. And what if these thoughts came to distract her in the field of battle?
Eupha drew a deep breath. She must concentrate. She would not permit her petty emotions to hinder her allies in their grand mission.
Resting her chin in her hands, she stared out into the black tides. The moon was rising up from behind an island that jutted out from the horizon, casting a ray of gentle silver that jumped and surfed along the lapping waves all the way across the ocean, to just beneath where Eupha stood on the deck. She looked down at the rippling water. It glittered innocently underfeet.
The faint murmur of the bugs in the bush suddenly swelled to an orchestral roar. A strong gust of wind broke against her and scattered her loose hair. Amidst the sharp sea brine, Eupha also sensed the presence of home – the smell of the wide palm fronds, saturated with morning dew; the tantalizing nectar of wildflowers; the purifying smoke of ritual incense. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation.
“I… I love that island. I love the smell of its verdant flora. But what I love more than anything… is its people. Their words may be coarse, but their hearts are true…”
Eupha reopened her eyes and set them squarely on the distant horizon. Beyond, further beyond that distant line where the heavens met the earth… was a world, far larger than hers, so different and alien in custom and culture. There existed hate and danger beyond the wildest dreams of her people. People for whom the existence of the mustari itself was a bad omen. Monsters that, like the human that had invaded Eht Ria, would stop at nothing to sow chaos and tragedy among the innocent.
It was a fact of reality, and Eupha could not bring about change to that on her own. Perhaps someday, a sun would rise to a dawn where people, of all race and difference, could come together as one, free from harm and division: but until then - if Eht Ria, her beloved people, would come under danger, Eupha would be there to protect them with her life. It was not simply her duty as Priestess, Etoreika – it was her mission as Euphausia, a purpose she had sworn to of her own free will, in the fires of fear and insecurity.
…And if he was there by her side, supporting her… she felt that not even the Dragon God could pierce through that ironclad resolve.
~
A few minutes elapsed, yet Eupha still leaned by the helm of the gauntlet runner. She was in that curiously singular state of mind, where one is vaguely aware of their reverie and yet is powerless to break themselves out of it. She idly watched the waves breaking into pieces on the beach while her mind flooded with thousands of transient fantasies.
His eyes…
Eupha had never seen such a pair of eyes as the Captain’s. Blue on one side, yellow on the other… If a child with a like set of eyes had been born in Eht Ria, they would surely have been considered mystical in nature. An omen from the gods, at the very least. Were all elda endowed with such features? elda were said to possess an uncanny magical ability: might their eyes have any connection to it? For the mustari, the third eye was the physical body’s connection to the esoteric realm of magla. Perhaps some similar principle applied for brilliant elda eyes.
Yes… brilliant was the correct term to describe his eyes. They shone like sapphire and topaz, and when the sunlight hit his face, light fractured into a million iridescent pieces against his irises. Even in the perpetual gloom of a dungeon, she could swear that they gleamed in the darkness with a defiant fervour. Indeed, even as she pictured them now, Will’s gaze seemed to pierce through her. She felt a shiver going down a spine, captivated by curiosity. She wanted to behold his eyes closer, observe all of the million hues shining within… drowning in them, hypnotized…
“Can’t sleep, lass?”
With a start, Eupha yelped and whirled around. As reality came crashing back in, she noticed that her fingers had been digging painfully into her cheek, and her elbow into the guardrail. Her heart hammered from the surprise, but eased slightly when she recognized the small figure before her. In front of her, looking at her curiously, was the eugief knight, Sir Heismay.
“Worry not, Miss Eupha. ‘Tis only an old man.” The eugief raised his arms in an amicable gesture. “Did I surprise you?”
“Oh- Sir Heismay.” She desperately attempted to compose herself. “I was, um, m-meditating…”
Eupha knew not why she was being untruthful. She was doing nothing illicit, after all. Yet for some reason, she could not help but feel as a child caught stealing sips of fruit cordial from the jar. The ocean breeze suddenly felt icy on her cheeks: she hoped her face did not look as flushed as it felt.
“Meditation, eh?” Sir Heismay nodded. “I suppose there is no better way to sort through troubled thoughts. Ah- but perhaps I’ve interrupted you?”
Eupha was not sure she even could meditate right now, even if she wanted to. “Oh, not at all! It was nothing of importance- Er, that is to say, I was almost finished.” she stumbled over her words. She still felt slightly flustered.
“Is that so? Well, I am glad to hear it.” His large red eyes looked rather askance, but Sir Heismay continued. “I myself, am on the night watch. Monsters rest not in the night, you see. But they shall not get past me.”
“I see…” Eupha had read that the eugief were a nocturnal tribe. Perhaps that was the reason why the knight slept far away from the others, where the various noises of their daytime activities would not interrupt his slumber. That, and the sounds that occurred within the runner at night, like the igniter’s – if they were enough to disturb Eupha, they would surely cause great distress to a eugief’s heightened sense of hearing. “Well… I truly appreciate your efforts, Sir Heismay. I am sure everyone does.”
The eugief shrugged, shaking his head. “Only second nature, to a knight such as I. But… compliment accepted.” He chuckled. “And with that, I must return to my post. Although, perhaps you’d like to join me for a while? If you’re still feeling alert, that is.”
Eupha was not feeling particularly tired, no. She had only been up on the deck for a short while. More importantly, this seemed like a good chance to get to know the man better. Sir Heismay was the first eugief that she had ever met, though of course she had read much about them in travelogues and such. In truth, she was quite fascinated with the knight, whose height only came up to about Eupha’s chin. Yet she had been hesitant to pursue her curiosities in any appreciable way, for fear of misstepping boundaries. “Yes, of course – It would be an honor.”
Sir Heismay nodded. “Indeed? Glad to hear it. Watch duty is always more pleasant with someone to talk to.” He turned around, and with a sudden heave shot up into the air. Making a graceful arc, his boots barely grazed the curved glass top of the cockpit before jumping up again in a blur. With a final midair turn, the eugief landed on the watchtower upright with a flourish. The whole of it had taken mere seconds. Eupha stared up at him in awe.
“Now then, shall we continue our conversation from here?” Sir Heismay called out from above. “This watchtower is quite ideal for watch duty.” With that, he turned and walked back to where she could no longer see him.
Eupha sighed. There was no possibility she would be able to jump up to the watchtower like that. She would have to take the long way around. Perhaps if she somehow balanced on the ropes… but no, it would be much too dangerous.
Well, if I am to be on the watch for enemies, I may as well go retrieve my crosier…
~
Eupha ruefully rubbed her cheek with her right fist. It still ached with a dull throb where her fingers had dug into skin for too long. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the watchtower, leaning her back on Sir Heismay’s tent. Her crosier sat idle by her left hand, whose index finger touched the staff gently. The night had gotten deeper, and the sea winds stronger, but Eupha had put on her cloak, which helped to mitigate the chills. The moon, now hanging higher in the sky, illuminated the metallic floor a muted grey. It was rather brighter than she expected.
With a rustle, Sir Heismay walked out of his tent to her right. In his hands were two small cups, and a bottle that Eupha suspected held, or at least used to hold, some manner of alcohol. “Apologies for the wait. I was looking for a suitable drink for the occasion, but it seems that all I have at the moment is tea.” He met her eyes and seemed to ascertain her thoughts. “Yes, it is but tea.” He smiled. “To drink while on duty would be both the grossest negligence and a waste of fine spirits.” The eugief sat down next to her and poured each of them a cup of clear red liquid.
Eupha took the cup in both hands and took a cautious sip, still not entirely convinced of the nature of the drink. The moment her tongue gingerly lapped up the liquid, a curious sensation filled her mouth. The tea was… sour? Yet had no taste at the same time: it was as though everything in her mouth but the tongue was coated in a sharp, citrus-y nectar. Whatever the case, the tea was certainly not unpleasant. And definitely not alcohol… she thought. She took another, more confident sip of the tea and swirled it around her mouth, savoring it.
“Quite a pleasant aroma, isn’t it?” Sir Heismay took a sip of his own. “It’s a shame I couldn’t serve it to you hot. It really is quite divine.”
Eupha nodded. “I do not believe I have tasted a tea such as this…” she mused. “Could this be a tea from your hometown, Sir Heismay?”
“Hm, I suppose it is. Although the flower itself grows all over the greater Martira region. It’s decently common in those parts.” Eupha made a mental note. She would have to seek it out later, when she had stepped foot on mainland.
Her first cup depleted rather quickly, she was in the process of accepting another cup from Sir Heismay when the eugief cleared his throat. “Ah, and Miss Eupha… I wished to express my gratitude once more.”
Blinking, Eupha looked at the knight. He was fidgeting with something at the center of his torso. Oh, of course – the necklace. The teardrop-shaped amulet had been hanging from the eugief’s neck so naturally she had not even noticed its presence. Sir Heismay cupped the vessel in his hands and held it up gently. It gleamed quietly golden underneath the moon and the stars.
“It is quite beautiful. I… I believe my boy would be happy to rest here. I cannot thank you enough.”
Eupha had been told of the story by Sir Heismay himself, a few days ago when he had requested of her to make the necklace. She had poured her all into it, gathering precious materials and whittling away at it whenever she had time to spare. She felt that that was the only way to work on the necklace with the deference it deserved. After she had finished constructing it, she had blessed it as well: a spell that embodied her wish that the amulet never break, nor crack, nor be lost in any way – a plea to the gods that father and son may never again be separated.
Eupha felt a pang in her heart, and shook her head. “I am only honored that you deemed me worthy of such a sacred task, Sir Heismay. I truly am glad you find it acceptable.”
The eugief chuckled, staring off into the distant stars. The amulet at his heart jiggled around slightly from his laughs and shook off tiny, brilliant flashes of light. “I owe you a great deal, Miss Eupha. I may not have much to offer you in thanks, other than my sword… But if whenever you’re in need of anything, I shall always be at your service.”
Eupha said nothing, but gently placed her hand on his shoulder and looked over at the night sky.
~
“By the way… I hope you have had no issues travelling with us as of yet?” Sir Heismay put down his glass. The tea had long since dried up in the bottle: they were now soothing their tea-spoiled tastebuds with simple water. “I cannot imagine this transition has been easy for you. None could fault you if you had trouble adjusting.”
Eupha considered the question. True, the difference in lifestyle was drastic. She had gone from a priestess, whose every need was taken care of by numbers of dedicated guards, to fighting for her life at every turn and sleeping in a cramped bunk. And yet… it was only after she had embarked on this journey that she felt that a huge, invisible load had been lifted from the very deepest crevice in her heart.
“I... believe it would be dishonest to state that there were no difficulties,” she began carefully. “But still… I prefer this to the past. I have a clear purpose now, to protect my people. Whatever hardships that purpose may bring, I am resolved to endure.” She added, almost as an afterthought: “It is strange. In the past, I wandered with no real aim to life, save only a vague notion of being sacrificed. Yet now that I desire to protect instead of being protected, my soul burns with a sureness I knew not I possessed.”
Sir Heismay grinned. “An active sort, eh? I can respect that.” He nodded. “Protect, instead of being protected… Now those are words to live by." The eugief turned to Eupha, and offered her his cup with a mock grace. "Shall we toast to that creed then, with our cups of delicious water?"
Eupha giggled, and clinked her cup against his. "Cheers!" exclaimed the old knight, who downed the cup with a well-practiced swig. Eupha took a polite sip as well. It was water, of course - it tasted like nothing - but just like the tea, there was a pleasant sensation to it regardless.
~
A shooting star shot through the air. Barely grazing the top of a faraway mountain's crest, it seemed to minutely curve and twist - dodging other stars suspended in midnight - before crashing down into the horizon and disappearing. Eupha watched the ball of flame crash in silence. She had run out of topics to talk about with the eugief, yet she did not mind too greatly. Her eyes traced the countless constellations twinkling away. There was an appreciation she held for the constance of the night sky. No matter what happened on this human realm, the stars would still burn and the moon would still rise.
Hearing a rustle next to her, Eupha glanced at Sir Heismay to her right. He had stood up, ears prickling upwards. Had he heard the sound of an enemy? Eupha scanned the surrounding waters, squinting at the darkness: but she could see nothing. Just in case, she stood as well - crosier in hand - ready to defend.
Eupha was most certainly anticipating a fight, but she was to be disappointed. After a long moment of tension, Sir Heismay finally relaxed and shook his head. "No... It appears to be nothing after all." He walked over to the edge of the watchtower, and peered down below. "I did hear something brushing against the gauntlet runner, but the footsteps are those of a small beast. Most likely a curious squirrel, or one of its ilk." Eupha had heard neither brush nor step. The hearing of a eugief truly was incredible.
"Well, all is quiet out there, and much of the night has passed. I believe we are safe now." the knight walked back to her, his arms behind his back. "Another successful mission for the night watch, it seems. Shall we call it a night?"
Eupha nodded, yawning. She suddenly realized how tired she felt. After hours, drowsiness had finally reached her. "Thank you for your hospitality tonight, Sir Heismay. I truly... " - she yawned once more - "...enjoyed the tea."
"The pleasure was all mine, lass. My thanks for keeping this old man company."
~
The interior of the gauntlet runner was the same as how she had left it: filled to the brim with an altogether liminal aura. However, Eupha was now too tired to give it any too much thought. Caring considerably less about the noise she was making compared to before, she shuffled her way back to the narrow hallway where her bunk was located. She put away her crosier and cloak – those few moments that came between her and slumber were torture – and crawled into her bunk. Metallic as it was, it felt perfectly warm and snug in the moment. She closed the curtain of her bunk, and blissfully closed her eyes.
It did not take very long at all for Eupha to fall asleep from that point, but one thought did pass through her half-conscious mind as she navigated herself to the realm of dreams. While she was busy talking with Heismay, she had not thought about Will even once.