Chapter Text
I’m Fine | Bloody Smile | Selfish | “Me? I feel like a million bucks.”
“My apologies again, Erianne – there is no other to whom I could display such weakness,” Minfilia admitted softly. “You are my pillar of strength, and I fear I shall have need of your steadfast presence in the days to come.”
Erianne did not respond. How could she?
How could she admit that she was crumbling too? How could she, when Minfilia was leaning on her so? When Urianger was suffering so much more deeply than she? She hadn’t even known Moenbryda very well; she was little more than an acquaintance. The guilt of failure tore at her, yes, but her friends were grieving, and Erianne couldn’t even say as much herself. What right had she to admit that she wasn’t as resilient as they thought – especially when it was her fault they were hurting so?
If she had just been a little stronger, Moenbryda would not have had to sacrifice herself. Erianne had poured everything she had into the beam, into striking down Nabriales as she had Lahabrea. But it just wasn’t enough. All her determination, all her righteous fury, all her willpower, all her desperation as she realized what Moenbryda was about to do, and it still wasn’t enough.
She wasn’t enough.
It had always been the Blessing of Light that had made the difference. Never Erianne herself.
Shorn of Light, as Nabriales had put it, she was nothing.
The other Scions were relying on strength she didn’t have. But she could not tell them that. And nobody, save perhaps Thancred, would ask.
She was the Warrior of Light; why wouldn’t she be alright?