Work Text:
“Heartbreak...”
When Elvis was cleaning up Lady Emma’s belongings, he came across a book that he found completely unreadable. That is to say, until he accidentally nudged Emma’s prized stone closer. Unfortunately, the only word he could make out was the one, and that didn’t sate his curiosity a wee bit! So he packed his things and left Wiswald for a grand adventure to figure out what the book’s deal was.
Luckily, it didn’t take long for Elvis to find proper travelling companions, and a few more of these stones to boot. Asterisks, they’re called. At least that’s what Roddy called the one Lady Emma had. So he sits down one night, when they have some time to rest up in Savalon, and begins reading the book further.
“...the house of snakes who betrayed Father… seeing my brother stiffen upon his coronation… I feared what lies beyond death…”
Was this what the heartbreak was about? Elvis had a sinking feeling that there’s more to the story. He needed to know more, and for that, he needed more Asterisks. At least he could infer that the author is some sort of noble. That alone was progress.
Elvis didn’t expect to be back home so early, but then again, he doesn’t sweat the details about that. What did worry him, however, was the state of Wiswald upon his return. At least he and his new friends were able to bring his old ones back to their senses. That said, the fact that so much damage was done in so little time with just a few Asterisks was hard to swallow. And so, Elvis decided to consult the book once again.
“...a man attacked me the other night… I remembered his garish purple outfit from the ball… offended because I refused to marry him…”
Two thoughts crossed Elvis’s mind. First, the author’s gender, which was likely female. More importantly, the book seemed to offer insight based on the Asterisks presented to it. He’d already witnessed the book’s visions, but maybe he could prevent a calamity by presenting an Asterisk related to his current predicament?
An opportunity to test his theory arose when Elvis and the group reached Enderno. The local mayor happened to have an Asterisk, and he was kind enough to part with it.
“...she commanded the attention of everyone in the crowd… such a fascinating object… the woman called it the Bishop Asterisk…”
During his stay in Rimedahl, Elvis kept that thought in the back of his mind. However, no such Asterisk was found. The woman in the book was likely a fairy, given the information he had gathered. Speaking of which, he did ask Adelle if the Bishop is one of the Asterisks they were looking for and she just gave him a confused look. Ach, it was just so frustrating! It feels like no progress was being made!
Once they got the Hellblade Asterisk from Adam, Elvis went back to the damned book. It was then that something clicked. With different combinations of Asterisks, he could figure out some of the missing pieces. Finally, a breakthrough!
“...I saw him on the beach while I was out for a walk. The poor man had shipwrecked, so I dragged him over to the local inn. Brother was concerned, as usual, but he was kind enough to help him recover.
“Once he awoke, and after introductions, he asked about the book I was reading. It was a psychological horror novel recommended to me during my teenage years. I reread it every so often, as it is quite dear to me…”
Well, it’s some progress, at least.
Needless to say, it took a few more sessions for Elvis to decipher… most of the book. There seems to be a piece missing, though Adelle insists they had gotten all of the Asterisks she’s aware of. That said, it was in Musa that another important piece of information was found.
“...we had been courting for about a year at this point. When the time came to propose, he did so with a pocketwatch. He said it was to remember the time we had spent together. What a desperately intriguing man.
“Of course, I accepted. He had been hesitant to do so due to his common upbringing, but Musa already had an heir apparent, so the nobles could frankly sod off. Regardless, Brother was quite fond of him as well…”
Was the author an ancestor of Gloria’s? He would have to talk to her in private when he had the chance.
Unfortunately, Elvis never found a good enough time to ask Gloria properly until they reached Mag Mell. Between the pressure of the Night’s Nexus ending the world and the whole sacrificial lamb thing she almost committed to, it never seemed like a good moment. When he did ask, however, Gloria simply warned him against the pursuit of knowledge, in a more rehearsed tone than not. That didn’t deter Elvis a wee bit, though!
“...it grated me more than it grated him, hearing the nobles call him a ladybird. They thought of him as an insect, and yet they did not realize that they were the true insects in this disgusting world. The joke’s on them, for the ladybird is a natural pesticide. But I digress.”
Maybe he needed a drink after this one.
Finally, the whole book was legible. After piecing together the Bravebearer Asterisk, the Heroes of Light finally discovered who the author of the book was. It was none other than the Night’s Nexus itself. Before setting out to the Isle of Nothingness, Elvis decided to scour the book for any last clues he may have missed.
“Heartbreak...”
Right. The first word he had read. The one that started it all.
“He dared not follow the path I chose. I expected as such. I could not avoid it. Perhaps it was fate. Heartbreak was the first thing I felt. I was alone, as always. And yet I know everything. I see everything. There is still greatness to be found in him. So I consumed him, and sent him to the void. But not without sending him a final message.”
Elvis blinked.
“Do you really want to know what I told him?”
“Wh…?” Elvis was used to magic books, but this was the first time this one engaged in conversation with him. He blinked a few more times. The sentence remained. Curiosity lingered for a moment. He swallowed. “...Aye. I’ve not gone all the way here for nothing.”
“I love you, Seth.”
“...what a filthy thing.” Elvis closed the book, and resigned himself to sleep.