Chapter Text
[You have accomplished yet another stunning achievement tonight]
[All of your past achievements an accomplishments have satisfied a hidden condition. A new system has been made available as a result.]
[Compliment System has been activated]
[…]
[The Compliment System allows you to return from the Endings, and learn from the failed timelines.]
Lloyd only has so much time in the moment to wonder what the hell that means, before he's promptly distracted by the many titles the system gives him. And then of course there's the tense situation that was currently surrounding them at said moment.
He does note that the titles come with skills, but with no way of leveling any of them up, no new fancy points to speak of, like he'd maybe hoped.
But he's not going to complain, when it comes down to it. The titles seem like they'll be useful.
It slips from his mind— the cryptic message about the Endings— as the night continues and goes as they help the Queen with her investigations.
Lloyd will admit he tries a little harder than he maybe would normally, but what exactly the grand scheme is around the assassination is deeply interesting to him. Something he'd been wanting to find out from even before he got to the world of Lorasia.
Alicia seems not terribly perturbed or insulted by he and Javier's denial of her offers. But she honestly had much more to worry about at the time, so Lloyd will give her grace.
Despite his best efforts, and some personal investigation, there is no quick solution to the great mystery. Sir Kyle seems to have been brainwashed— or something of the manner, and has no recollection of why he would do what he did, but still has a vitriol for the Queen that gets him executed anyway.
Really quite boring, if you ask Lloyd. And annoyingly open-ended. Just like the novel really.
Although if they were going by the novel, this would have taken place years in the future…
As the days pass, clean-up is finished and investigations hit dead ends. Lloyd feels something stir in his stomach and settle there like a pit.
This was… unprecedented. Sure he'd run into things that hadn't quite fit with the world of The Knight of Blood and Iron, the ants in the mines hadn't even been mentioned, and the whole summons to the capital was unexpected, and probably threw off so much, but—
Events were happening too quickly.
Lloyd was starting to feel very unprepared. He could only hope this was a one time thing, and none of the other horrible events that were supposed to happen in the novel would be trying to catch up to them.
He's able to tamp the feeling down, as they finally leave the capital, days after the attempted assassination. They say their goodbyes to Julian for the time being.
There wasn't anything he could do about it right now, anyway. He had his skills, and a newly christened swordmaster at his side, what more could he really ask for?
They would just deal with whatever hit them, Lloyd could keep an eye out, noting anything concerning, like he had with Sir Kyle's proclamation earlier.
Simple.
~
The buzzing is incessant, even as they try and strike down as many of the damned bugs as possible.
Lloyd's head buzzes right along with them— trying and failing to find some way out of this.
To say things were speeding up, was a goddamn understatement.
The Monster Domino? Already? That was—
Why was it even happening in the first place?
Lloyd had no clue, and didn't have any brain power to spare to really consider it, as they fought their way through the sea of bugs.
He can't consider the bodies strewn about the Barony, he can only think about how he can save the ones that are still breathing, still upright.
Javier had been by his side, for most of it, but Lloyd can't feel his comforting heat right now, as he looks around.
There has to be something— anything he can do—
He can't consider the bodies— he can't.
He needs to not get hung up on the details, he has things he needs to do—
What can he do?
"I should have come back sooner." He mutters to himself, looking around frantically, his shovel is held tightly in his hands, as the buzzing has yet to fade and he knows the bugs are close behind. "I could have stopped this, given enough time—"
There's so much blood.
These are his people.
He may be imagining the buzzing, actually. He really can't tell, as the sounds meld together in his brain.
He needs to ignore—
Javier's familiar silhouette makes it's way back into his vision, and Lloyd note's how it swims.
Maybe because of his quick breathing.
He needs to—
He can't have failed already—
"Master Lloyd, we should go. Now." Javier calls out to him, desperation underlying his tone.
He can't leave.
He needs to—
The buzzing gets louder. And, yeah that might be in his head, but it may also be from the bugs. They're getting closer, he thinks.
Lloyd stumbles, maybe trying to follow Javier's all but command, maybe trying to figure something else out— he needs to—
A flash of light and a burst of pain follows.
He doesn't know what happened.
All he knows is his head stops ringing. And the world goes blank.
Not black.
Black is— something.
This is nothing.
[Attention!]
[You have unlocked an Ending.]
[Now initializing new timeline…]