Chapter Text
It was the flames that awoke him. His body felt as if every bone inside had broken; and at first he struggled to lift his head - but when he did, all he saw were the flaming, destroyed remnants of the airship and multiple vehicles around him. Everything, ruined.
After what seemed like an eternity, he was on his feet. It took a moment to register that he was alive. Looking round frantically, he remembered that he had not been alone. "Axis!!" He shouted. Nothing. "Sonitus!!" Again, nothing. No, not alone. He was nothing without them.
After all they'd been through, together - as friends, as brothers. He'd believed what they'd done, was the only right thing to do. None of them really wanted this. To cause divisions, to turn on one another. However...this is what they had been driven to. Their world had fallen apart.
He called again and again, until at last he heard something. It was a moan, and a soldier moved and not just "any" soldier. 'Sonitus!!' he raced to the man, who was on his knees. Surprisingly cool, Sonitus nodded to him and sat back against the wreckage. With no magic in them, energy depleted, he could heal noone. They were all helpless. Luckily, Sonitus didn't seem to be too injured. '..Tredd' Sonitus said in a whisper. The red haired man watched him. '...Axis.' was all Sonitus answered.
He didn't wait any longer. Tredd couldn't run, but he moved as fast as he could. He looked everywhere; Axis had to be found. Out of the three of them, Axis had struggled the most with the betrayal of his comrades. He didn't speak much, but the look on his face said it all;it killed him on the inside. The infighting, the conflict, taking the lives of others. He was a sensitive person, and Tredd was so close to telling him to basically flee Lucis when everything kicked off, but...Axis remained. Tredd and Sonitus were the closest people in his life, and he wanted to stay with them until the very end.
'Axis!! Don't you dare...be dead on me. You're too good to die.. if anyone should be dead, it should be me!' He shouted into the darkening sky. Stopping for a moment to catch his breath, a dry sob escaping his lips. There, on the floor, lay the body of Axis - no sign of life coming from him. 'Oh no you don't..don't you do this to me!' Forcing himself to his knees, he rolled Axis onto his back, blood coming from his mouth.
Then with an out of the blue cough and splutter, Axis started seizing up, into what seemed like a fit. 'Stay with me Arra, ride it out, look at me!' Tredd made Axis look at him, holding his face still, but at the same time helping him to breathe. Without realising he'd moved, Sonitus appeared behind Tredd, panic flickering across his eyes. 'Hey, we're altogether now right? Me, you, Sonitus. You're made of strong stuff buddy. Just take deep breaths, okay?' He used to be able to give them such a confident, wry smile at the best, and even worst of times. Not now when times like this just messed everything up. Axis' gaze never left him, it remained solely focused on Tredd.
Soon, his fitting had stopped, and Axis closed his eyes to rest. 'I'm glad...that we're all still here." The low quiet voice spoke. His injuries the most severe out of all of them, it was a miracle Axis could talk. For once in his life, Tredd was lost for words.
'Always together too, right? Doesn't matter what goes on, we can't function properly without one another' Sonitus tried to joke, but the state of his friend was really getting to him.
'It does not look good for me, does it?' Axis showed no fear, he showed more acceptance then anything, as if he knew his body was failing him. He couldn't move his arms, legs; the pain must have been unbearable - they could provide him with no relief. '.....Leave me.'
Tredd and Sonitus both looked at him with disbelief. 'Quit joking around like that. I am not leaving you behind!' Tredd cried out, placing a firm grip on the other's shoulder. 'He's right. We wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves if..' Sonitus began but looked away. 'Crying?' Axis watched him curiously.
Denying it, Sonitus looked around trying to divert his focus somewhere else. 'We've got to move you. I would offer a piggyback...' 'Hm. You're too small. Tredd? That is if you can do it. Otherwise..' Axis gave out a visibly pained sigh. Squeezing his hand, both Tredd and Sonitus lifted Axis up so carefully. Tredd was in no condition to lift his friend, but he didn't complain.
Using what strength he had, he began to carry him albeit, slowly. With Sonitus on guard, keeping an eye on Tredd, and anything else that might pop out at them, they manoeuvred their way through the wreckage. They'd turned a corner, when they all just froze. Puzzled, Axis lifted up his head, and looked; eyes widening.
In front of them, was the man that had been shooting at them. One of the crownsguard; he lay on his front, still. "Go check him." Commanded Tredd in a low voice. Sonitus walked slowly up to him, and knelt down, slowly turning the man onto his back only to see he had his eyes wide open, staring into space. Sensing the inevitable, Sonitus still checked for a pulse. "...Dead." He whispered softly.
Sonitus gave himself a moment to take this in. The guard's name was Petra. He was a proud man, doing only his duty. He had given his life for his King, and wasn't afraid to die.
Forever would he remembered for dying an honour able death.
Tredd called Sonitus back, not long after. The sooner, they left..the better. Axis was very ill, and finding a medic for him was extremely tough; but they would not give up. Slowly moving away from the crash scene, they left Petra to rest.
********
After what seemed like an eternity, they came to a clearing. Judging by the tyre tracks, large vehicles had recently come through; carrying citizens out? Who knows.
His body even in more agony, but keeping his face free from showing it, Tredd along with Sonitus helped to put Axis down in the most comfortable position they could manage. Axis watched curiously, as Tredd staggered up and down the wide open space, clearly trying to see if anyone else would pass through.
Sonitus, ever the guard, stood right next to Axis.
About twenty minutes later, Tredd came jogging slowly back to Sonitus, an excited look on his face.
"Sonitus, try and get Axis stood up -- there's trucks coming! Three, four -- but they're full of refugees from what I can see. I'm gonna go wave them down!" Tredd went off again, and made he was sure in an appropriate location to be seen, and not to be run over. Lights started to shine more and more, then there was a screeching sound. Trucks skidded to a halt, and both Axis and Sonitus could see Tredd in discussion with a man who had just jumped out of the first truck.
Axis felt his head swirl, and his knees started to buckle - but Sonitus caught him...and held him close.
"Stay with me Axis, we got this..." Sonitus murmured, waiting for the outcome of Tredd's conversation.
Moments later, the man who had jumped out of the truck motioned for another two people to join him. Sonitus squinted as they all came over, Tredd leading the way.
The one who had been driving the truck introduced himself as Morgan; they were on their way to dispatch those who they could save from the worst of the city, and transport them to safer locations like Altissia, Lestallum. Many had already offered to help out with local hunters in protecting others.
The other people with Morgan were medics. Tredd ignored his own injuries and made them inspect Axis and Sonitus.
"You do need looking at Tredd, you're not injury free..." Axis' concerned gaze bore into his friend, and Tredd scowled and agreed to be soon to.
"Hey, Tredd. We're gonna give you guys a quick once over, then we will have to move out okay?" Morgan seemed a little on edge, but he was a good guy, and they all understood that he had so much to do. Tredd nodded, and approached his friends, arms folded across his chest.
"We'll move onto Lestallum. I'm gonna make sure you guys heal up and I'll organise something else after that...I just don't know what at this stage. Alright?"
He would show them that fine leadership spirit they saw in him, he would keep them safe. All the while thoughts ran through his head - did any Glaives survive who knew them as traitors? Or did any of those that turned traitor still live to seek them out? To regroup?
Tredd would be the one to worry about all of that. Not Sonitus and Axis.
His eyes roamed over how the medics saw to Axis. They were quick off the mark, and he was forever greatful for that.
They soon turned their attention to Sonitus. He didn't really seem to worry himself too much, he just sat back and let them to see him. Soon, the medics collared Tredd; he explained he was having headaches. "Head Trauma" potentially, or concussion. He struggled to remember what they were telling him. All of today had got to him at long last, both mentally and physically. The medics kept saying they had to treat him at a hospital once they got to a safe location, and it was obvious from this information Tredd was not happy.
After doing what they could, they were escorted to the last truck. There wasn't a lot of people on that one, just a few soldiers, several crates of equipment of some sort.
Axis was laid on the best excuse for a bed they had, and it didn't take him long until he felt comfortable enough to rest.
Sonitus sat near the top half of Axis, and made no conversation with those that were there. They weren't crowns guard, they weren't glaive. Possibly rebels against the king?
Tredd sat opposite Sonitus, more near Axis' feet. He was slouched forward, arms on his legs the tiredness hitting him like he never experienced before. Tredd couldn't sleep, he couldn't shut out what was plaguing him.
Obviously concerned by their behaviour, an older man on their truck gave them all water. Nodding in thanks, Tredd sipped it.
Turning slightly from where he sat, he looked upon the burning wreckage of their home. Fighting still rages on, between beings he could not see, could not comprehend.
He wondered if Nyx was alive. He wondered...over and over...just who /was/ left, as they drove further and further away...