Chapter Text
This all started when Lady Camilla decided to join Corrin. Imagining what life would be like had Lady Camilla succeeded and killed Corrin doesn't do any good, but Beruka finds herself thinking about it now.
Maybe that's what they people mean when they say you see your life flash before your eyes as you're dying.
She thinks she's dying, anyway. Between the gaping wound in her stomach and the searing heat of the flames, she's dipping into unconsciousness. It's not a pleasant feeling at all, but the pain is beginning to fade. That's not a good sign.
There's some pressure on her stomach and she thinks someone is holding something there to keep her from bleeding out, but it's hard to tell.
"How disappointing..." It seems pointless for her life to end like this. Selena will have to protect Lady Camilla in her stead. Selena's capable, but she's emotional. Hopefully she'll focus on her duties instead of getting riled up about a death that doesn't matter much.
"You'd better not be giving up."
The gruff voice above her gets Beruka to try to focus. A flash of red is the first thing she sees before her vision starts to adjust a bit. The roaring flames nearby make it a bit hard to make him out, but she already knows who he is.
"Saizo."
"Don't give me your last words. I'm not relaying them to anyone." The ninja's scarf is gone. Beruka doesn't have to look down to know that he's using that to stop her bleeding.
"Okay." She doesn't move. With an injury like this, moving is the last thing she wants to do. "Where's...?"
Before she can even finish her question, a loud roar from somewhere behind her catches her attention. If she could feel anything, she'd probably be relieved. Her wyvern doesn't sound like she's in pain.
Saizo glances over as well, his one eye narrowed. "She took a hit, but she's fine."
"Take Minerva back. She'll let you ride her."
Minerva isn't a name Beruka would have thought of. She hadn't named her wyvern at all, actually. Selena had been appalled when she found out that Beruka was flying on an unnamed mount.
"She needs a name! She's not just a mount, you know! She's your friend and if you won't name her, I will!"
Selena had decided on "Minerva" less than a minute later. Beruka never asked why or how Selena came up with that name so quickly. Maybe she should have. It wouldn't have mattered.
"Stop talking like you're dying." Saizo's voice is tense. Beruka thinks he might be mad, but it's hard for her to read him. She's spent a lot of time studying the ninja because he's an unknown, but she's never been able to get a read on his emotions. He always seems mad. "I don't know how to ride a wyvern. You're flying her back."
"You can't get back until the flames die down. You have to take her."
"Then you're coming with me."
If she had emotions, Beruka thinks she would have been touched. It's not often people are that nice to someone like her.
A particularly close burst of flame gets Saizo to start and Beruka tries to assess the situation from where she's lying. The flames have been changing patterns since they got here, but she couldn't determine exactly when they'd change or where they would come up from. They're far too close to the fire as it stands. If she doesn't die from bleeding out, she'll die from the heat. The armor she's wearing is stifling. It's uncomfortable, but given the injury she sustained, she's lucky she can call it "uncomfortable" instead of "unbearable".
"You need to go."
Saizo looks at her again. She can't tell what he's thinking. Maybe if he didn't wear a mask that covers half his face she could get a better read on him. "Princess Sakura and the others aren't far away. We should be able to make it there." He tips his head in the direction. Beruka can't see anything from where she's lying.
She can't trust him even if they are on the same side, but it's not like she has a choice in the matter. Minerva is directly behind her. Moving is a terrible idea, but Princess Sakura won't be able to reach them in time. She finally nods once. "Help me up."
Saizo's stronger than she'd expected. He lifts her onto Minerva and as she settles in place he sits behind her, arms tight around her waist. He's keeping that scarf pressed to her middle to hold back as much of the bleeding as possible. "You got this?"
"Yes." Minerva takes off at Beruka's urging and even though she feels like she's going to black out at any moment, the wyvern knows exactly what to do and where to go.
They touch down near the Princess and her group. It could have only been a few minutes at most, but it feels like it's been hours. Beruka still doesn't feel any pain, but her vision is quickly fading and she's convinced she really is dying. "Hey! We need a healer—"
They're the last words she hears before everything goes dark and she starts to fall from Minerva's back.