Chapter Text
It ended as it always began with Melody and Zenos, with their clothes all but torn-off, lying half-dead in one another’s arms. Relishing in the afterglow, coming down from the heights of a euphoric clash and union. His muscular body eclipsed hers as they waited for the end at the edges of creation.
As consciousness faded, she vaguely registered the beeping of the Loporrits’ teleportation device. She tightened her weakened grasp around Zenos’ body and soul as she felt the tug returning her to the Ragnarok.
He seemed so cold and still, yet so warm and comfortable. She could only pray the Scions would see fit to tend his wounds alongside hers before her eyes fell closed and left her senseless.
She heard her comrades crying, screaming over her before she found the strength to open her eyes. Everything hurt. Her ribs, shoulders, thighs, breasts, neck. All of it. No doubt bruises still covered every exposed ilm of her skin.
Bruises which told not only of a battle to the death, but the pursuit of release. Of pleasure. Marks as brazen as a scarlet letter, branding her the whore of the vilified viator, for there was no other who could have marked her so intimately at the edges of the universe.
While the rest of the Scions expressed their sincere relief at her return to the realm of the living, Krile gave her a knowing stare. Of course, she’d discovered their little tryst long before anyone else. How could she not, blessed with the Echo as she was?
It took Melody a moment to find her voice, and it scratched at her ears like a bad itch. “Wh-where is he? Where is Zenos?”
Alphinaud, who until that moment had been holding back his tears like the child he was, wore a serious, grave expression. “He is in one of the side rooms, receiving treatment. Difficult though it was to pull any of our attention away from you, Krile insisted that we attempt to revive him as well.”
Alisaie swiped the tears from her eyes, clenching a fist at her side. “He must stand trial for all that he’s done. Still, when the two of you came back looking like that, it took everything in my power not to end him then and there!” She knelt by Melody’s side, taking her hand to comfort her. “Did he- did he hurt you? Not just in the fight, I mean. There were some bruises in places I dare not consider-“
Melody’s cheeks went as deep a burgundy as the markings on her face. Oh, hells, was this how the rest of the Scions were going to find out about her scandalous love affair?
She opened her mouth to respond, only for Krile to interrupt with, “Now, now, our friend has been through quite enough already. Let’s give her some space and time to recover from her injuries before we start haranguing her with questions.”
Though she knew it tipped her hand, Melody couldn’t help but mouth, “Thank you,” at Krile as she steered Alisaie and Alphinaud away from her bedside.
When at last they returned to Etheirys’ atmosphere, Melody insisted that she be given a moment to wander the Ragnarok alone, to recover her strength after a battle so hard-fought. By the significant look Krile gave her, she knew that her lalafellin friend knew her true motivation for walking through the ship: to seek out Zenos where he rested.
And find him, she did. It was a simple task to convince the Loporrits serving as his guards to return to the front of the ship, giving them a moment of privacy. When Zenos looked up to her, his expression turned to something that almost looked chagrined. For the first time since his alliance with Fandaniel, Melody could see the smallest glimmer of light and life that wasn’t born of mania.
“It would seem that, once again, what I thought was an encore was merely an intermission.” Zenos’ momentary smile shrank to a look of grim resignation a moment later. “My key role in your victory at the edges of creation has but earned me a stay of execution. I’ve little reason to believe the savages won’t become hounds baying for my blood the moment we return.”
Melody shook her head, clenching her fist and stamping her heeled boot against the ground with a petulant cry of, “That’s not fair! Without your help, I’d never have been able to reach the Endsinger, much less defeat her. I’ll- I’ll talk to them. Surely, I can convince them. There must be something I can say to-“
Zenos held up a hand to silence her rambling pleas. Despite the severity of his own injuries, he forced himself to stand from his bed, reeling for a moment before laying a hand on her shoulder. His twisted smirk lacked its usual fang-laden bite as he replied, “If you wished to tell them of your chosen mate, you would have dropped all pretense and done so long before now. Spare me your mewling. It ill-suits my beloved beast. My princess.”
Melody entwined her hands in his regalia, worn almost to threads from not only their battle, but moons of neglect beforehand. She shook her head, leaning into Zenos’ large, consuming frame. She wiped her tears against his chest, cursing herself for her weakness. If she could have been honest about their bond sooner, maybe there would be another way. Now, if she tried to speak in his defense, her pleas would fall on deaf ears.
Nor could she blame them. While all she begrudged Zenos for was the lack of actual food and sore body after the fact, her allies would never relinquish their hatred for his theft of her body.
All the same, it wouldn’t be farewell forever. She wouldn’t let this be their final goodbye. Not after dragging him back from the edge of creation. With a firm voice and firmer resolve, Melody looked Zenos in the eye to whisper, “I’ll come for you. As soon as things settle down, I’ll find you again. And then, we can start our hunt anew.”
Zenos cocked a brow at her turn of phrase. “A hunt, my lioness? And what is to be our prey? No beast, nor god could stand before our combined might. All other threats pale in comparison.”
Melody shook her head with a slight giggle. Her deep blue eyes lit up with her good humor as she smacked her hand against his chest. “Why, the most elusive prey of all: A new purpose. For the both of us.”
Zenos took hold of her chin with bruising force, his eyes boring deep into her soul before he claimed her lips with his own. As he pulled back, he murmured, “Very well. When you tire of playing at civility, seek me out. I shall be waiting.”
Upon that word, a portal of darkness swallowed his form, leaving Melody to collapse to the floor of the ship. The Loporrits once standing guard outside Zenos’ chambers now returned, in a tizzy from panic. Though Melody remained taciturn on the subject of their prisoner’s sudden escape, she knew from the piercing gazes she received from Krile, Thancred, and Y’shtola that they knew the real reason for it.
As much as it grieved Melody to know that the Scions were, for all intents and purposes, disbanding, it felt like a hidden boon from the universe itself. Her friends now no longer relied on her talents to keep them safe. They could handle threats for themselves. To say nothing of how Alphinaud and Alisaie had grown over their travels.
Speaking of Alisaie, when Melody went to speak with her about her future plans, she pulled her abruptly to the side and gestured for her to lean in. “I know where you’re really headed. And while I can’t say I approve of your taste, if it keeps him occupied and out of everyone’s hair, I’ve no complaints.” She pulled back and laid a finger to her lips. “And don’t worry, I’m keeping your confidence.”
Melody couldn’t help herself, and swept Alisaie into a sisterly embrace to show her gratitude. “That means more than you could ever know. Thanks.”
Upon that word, she offered her chosen little sister a wave of farewell and rode upon the aether towards a distant, abandoned camp in the Azim Steppe. There, where she would not likely be encountered by those who knew her well, she could pull the crystal of Azem from her pocket and hold it to her breast. In her mind’s eye, she could see him, glowing and resplendent in the light of dying stars against the silent void of space.
“So, you’ve yet the power to draw fellow hunters to your side, I see. How convenient. I had grown impatient waiting for you to track me. So, where are we bound on our hunt for this elusive prey, this purpose?”
When Zenos appeared before her, she couldn’t help the giddy grin that split her face. She took hold of his hands and began to pull forward. “Who knows? That’s the joy of it, isn’t it? Charging headfirst into the unknown.” She turned to her lover with a cheeky grin. “Although, speaking of ‘first’, you never did get to see what beasts occupied my time while I was there, did you? No one knows you there, and it’s a whole new world of creatures you’ve never faced before.”
At the mention of new monsters to face, Zenos’ eyes burned with renewed fire. “Very well. Show me to this First of yours, that I might behold why it so thoroughly captured your attention.”
Though the flow of aether felt distant, shifted, Melody could yet feel her connection to the depths of the Tempest. Yes, the monstrosities of the depths would provide fertile hunting grounds for them both.
She tightened her grip on Zenos’ hands, and closed her eyes.