Act 4: The Rescue - The road to Feuilledor

6:15 AM, 15th of April, 422
Virginie's house, Villevieille

May, Nick and Samantha wake up in unfamiliar beds, still reeling from the last memory they've just experienced. Outside their windows, they can see the first rays of sunlight appearing on the horizon, and they immediately remember where they are and why they're here. Not only that, but they also sense the presence of Steve, Mihai and Konrad in their minds, and they're not asleep either.

That is when the three former mercenaries relive the memories of Jasmine's last goodbye, as well as everything that followed at the Dome.

"Hmm..."

May looks to her left and finds Zelk lying next to her—no, next to him. 

Samantha finds herself in a similar situation, but with Femke. 

Sadly, Nick is alone in his room.

In that instant however, they all realize that they don't have to share their bodies anymore. They can forcefully put the minds of their vessels to sleep if they wish for it. From now on, the ones who have to ask permission are Steve, Konrad and Mihai.

Samantha stirs and sits up. As the Imperial agent cradles her head in her hands, she and Konrad take a minute to cope with and process the transfer of dominance.

I suppose that, this means I'm committed to keeping my promise to you after all.

Seems so.

What do you expect to hear from him, Sam? That he's still the Edward that you fell in love with? Would that comfort you? Remember Goodman's devotion? If you had lived in the present and married him, what would you say to him?

I DON'T KNOW. But I WILL hear it from him, and I WILL learn where to find Triston. I... I won't botch your rescue when we fight him. Eddy's orb will remain. Once we have it, Kieran will decide what to do with it. He is Emperor.

You mean, if you haven't changed your mind, you will plea on Edward's behalf.

Yes. But no matter what, I want to find Triston.

If you are still "you" after we separate.

I can't speak for the woman who has lived for over 200 years. But without Triston or Edward, I have nothing tying me to the Medial I know. They are what keep me going.

Very well.

She then shares Jasmine's words with Konrad. We are out of time. You're tagging along with me from now on, and we can't rest until we've rescued Jacob. Do you understand?

Konrad processes that as well. Yes. Damn it all. Damn it all by Dux, Deremonda, and the bells.

Yep.

May was running towards the elemental, prepared to engage it directly if it would mean taking attention away from her friends, when she bolts awake in an unknown room. Breathing heavily, she holds her fist up looking around for danger.

Calm, May, peace, says Steve, trying to reassure his friend, There's no Mimic here, only beautiful Zelks. See?

May looks over to the surprised woman lying next to her and calms down when she sees the worry there on her pretty face.

Mind if I tell Zelk what is happening right now? I'd rather she hear it from me.

The sadness in Steve's voice hits May like a slap in the face and she quickly agrees, handing over the keys as it were, even as she remains lucidly awake.

Steve gently places a hand on Zelk's cheek and smiles, saying, "Good morning, Beautiful. Sorry, I woke you up, had a scary dream."

Samantha and Konrad

Femke stirs in her sleep, and opens her eyes to look at Konrad, and unbeknownst to her, Samantha as well. She doesn't say a word, but they both can see a question in her eyes.
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May and Zelk

The instant she hears Steve's voice, Zelk's expression softens. "What about?" she asks with a smile of relief.
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Mihai and Smirk

After a minute or two of sitting in silence on the roof, Mihai hears the door behind him open, and when he turns to look at who it is, he sees Amber, a worried look on her face.

I had better tell her. We don't want her to think you've decided to take control and walk away with my body. A short pause later, he adds, Right?

No, of course, that makes perfect sense.

Sam sits up straight. One moment later, a transferal is complete. Konrad rolls his shoulders and clicks his tongue, them smiles down at Femke.

"Good morning beautiful," he answers. "I see you're back. Where did you go last night?"

"Well you see, May and her friends went to confront the Emperor on Medial, on the day the Dome activated. They had set up a secret base on one of the small islands off the coast of Lorinth..."

And he explains what happened, including waking up just now, ending with, "The Jasmine in our orbs is no more, she gave her life trying to buy us time. I'm sorry Zelk, but that means May is now in the driver's seat and I'm the one riding shotgun now. She was kind enough to let me tell you myself but she is still here, awake and watching."

Samantha and Konrad

Femke lets out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. Then she says, "I went to check on a few things. How are you feeling?"
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May and Zelk

Zelk's expression falls when Steve tells her about his current predicament. With some hesitation, she then asks him, "How-How much time do you have?"
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Mihai and Smirk

At hearing these revelations, Amber appears lost for words. For several long seconds, she can do nothing but look at the rising sun, until finally, she manages to say, "There's someone waiting for you all downstairs. Nick and Smirk too."

"Me? I'm feeling kind of grim, actually. I'll explain that in a minute. I'm relieved to see you, but you didn't leave behind anything that would explain your absence, so I was worried."

"I can't fall asleep again until the orb is removed. Which also means whatever mana I have now is it until then. They teach you any good tricks for staying awake during your military training?"

Konrad

Femke slightly tilts her head to the side. "I informed Virginie that I would be out for a while. Did you not speak with her?"

Konrad realizes that he in fact did not think to ask her.
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Steve

Zelk frowns and thinks for a moment. Knowing how much time they have left appears to give her a new sense of purpose. "Yeah. Don't cast spells unless you have to. Which means you'll have to rely on the rest of us until we find Breeze and Jacob. No heroics. Got it?"
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Mihai and Smirk

The two of them follow Amber downstairs and into the kitchen where Mihai used to eat breakfast. There, he finds Marcus Riddle—more commonly known as Tom Blackcliff in this time period—sitting at the table with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits.

Opposite him is Gab, the fairy who May, Samantha and Nick saved from the Dome two hundred years ago. With a big smile on her face, she stands up from her sitting position and says, "Smirk! You're really here!"

She then flies towards him to give him a big hug.

Femke's question causes some hesitation in the Red Mage. "No... I didn't think to do that. We had to make plans for leaving the city. This was my first time breaking a siege, too. Things are ramping up. We have to reach the capital, quickly. The war is forcing our hand. And that's not all."

May can't make that promise.

Yeah, I know. But I'll make it anyway. Please at least try to keep it.

The 200 year old monk sighs and says, May will try.

"I get to let you guys do all the hard stuff? Score!" he says out loud, laughing at the idea. "Does that mean I get to order you around too?"

Konrad

"What else is there?" Femke asks, very seriously.
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Steve

The hint of a smile appears at the corner of Zelk's mouth. "Keep dreaming. I'll be the one to keep an eye on you." She gets up from the bed and starts to change in her travel outfit. "Come on. Let's get going. We can spend the day in bed after we've removed that orb from your head."
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Mihai and Smirk

Once she has glomped him for an appropriate amount of time, which for Gab lasts between fifteen and twenty seconds, she lets go of him and says, "So good to see you! And where's Nick? Marcus has told me what happened. Is he all right?"

Now he's taken a closer look at her, Smirk notices that she's older than in his memories. Instead of the teenage girl with unkempt, black hair, she now looks like a woman in her early twenties with long hair that's held together by a cute, blue ribbon. And her clothes, while casual, are fancier than what most fairies wear.

"Deal!" Steve says with much enthusiasm, before putting on his own clothes so they can join the others for breakfast.

"Jasmine... is spent. She used up all that she had to get us this far. I don't know whether that means she can come back if we manage to solve our problem, but currently, she's as good as dead."

He lingers on that, letting it sink in for him. No one had ever made that kind of sacrifice for him. "We got to know her quite well before she left us for good. She carried a heavy burden on her conscience, and she finally laid it bare before the end because of us. She can't protect us anymore. Worse, Sam, May, and Nick, are in control, not us. We are the ones in the backseat, and the next time we wake up, we will no longer be ourselves. So now, we cannot afford to rest until we get help from Jacob."

Konrad

Femke listens attentively to what Konrad has to say, after which she nods at him and responds with, "This means we have to get you to Feuilledor as fast as possible. Do you feel well enough to travel?"
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Steve

He and Zelk leave their room and go downstairs.
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Mihai and Smirk

"Nick!" Gab lunges forward and glumps Mihai's neck. After another fifteen seconds, she lets go of him and says, "It's so good to see you! I heard that Edward has been acting rashly—more so than usual—and that he's imprisoned Jacob and another fairy named Breeze. But don't you worry; if there's anything I can do to help, I will. Now, what's this about—"

But before she has time to finish her sentence, Steve and Zelk walk in. Steve immediately recognizes Gab despite her older appearance.

"Gab! You're still alive!"

May and Steve move quickly over to the old fairy to give her a hug. "May is happy to see you, old friend."

He looks into her eyes and smiles again. "I think so. But if I can get a cup of coffee, and a kiss, I'll be ready for anything."

Konrad

"I don't have coffee," Femke responds stoically. Then, after a few seconds of awkward silence, she leans in to give Konrad a kiss.
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Steve, May, Mihai and Smirk

"Oh, May! Wait, you're a man again?!" The fairy welcomes the hug and gives May one of her own. "I don't know if the young man whose body you inhabit would approve, but I brought you a little something."

She then points at wine skin lying on the table, which Marcus picks up and hands over to May. It's worn and discolored by the years, but there's no doubt that it's hers.