A/N: In which my plans for the Nal drama gets dramatically sunk by Ereli deciding to explode without my say-so.

Side Morey isn't over, the next chapter is of major plot importance.

Morey watched the scrubland in the depression where the last holdouts of Old Illastein stood. The victorious revolutionaries had fought hard to win but their cause had paid off. Once the rebellion was sparked, uprisings seemed to come out of the woodwork everywhere.

And while some rebel factions had rather unsavoury practices, they had all eventually agreed to fold their causes into Morey's ISL. More like, the Hero's ISL. Only that title, that Morey still felt he was faking, was the reason they listened to him that much. His pleas to stop the suicide bombings went on deaf ears, no matter how militarily useless those actions were, the impact on morale on both sides was too significant for even the Hero to stop them. Suicidal attacks only ceased when the ISL captured a region.

Morey did manage to stop the ex-slaves from burning down the businesses and plantations they used to work at, often by promising them the slaves would now own the property if the owners were abusive, or by negotiating paid employment with their previous owners and settling new villages if no other solution could be found. It took all his "Hero" political capital to transition peacefully but he managed it.

For a while, the shape of the new government was still in flux but Morey managed to hammer through something that looked like a republic. The few aristocrats that had survived and some promises of lordships to faction leaders meant there was still an aristocratic court, but they could only stop laws from passing, not push new ones. Public Representatives elected from each region formed the primary governing body, controlling laws, the national budget and confirming international treaties.

Queen Amarante's aides had worked day and night for months to create a functioning government, cheerfully abusing Morey's Hero status to persuade the disorganized ISL into working together. They formed the ISL into a peacekeeping force, broke down unneeded militia into Knight parties, heard and settled disputes while learning alongside Illastein natives as they worked out the issues behind Morey's insistence to have a universal rule of law.

Two coastal city states broke away and reformed old Principalities. They had previously been conquered by Illastein before the formation of the Federation, and the ISL had no mandate nor ability to push them to stay within the country.

So, while the new government was still shaky and learning to stand on its own, things were looking good. The Old Illastein was the name for the remnants, and they were now cornered in this last fort built on top of an old Tsarian bunker whose bottom levels had been flooded by leaks from the aquifer.

The King, or Rawi as they called it here, might have food to last for a year, water and a defensive position that would be punishing to attack, but he had made a crucial mistake.

The ISL forces that had stayed for the final clean up were all arrayed around the depression that the bunker sat in. The siege was on to its third month now and they were getting nothing but insults to their demands for surrender.

Still, Morey had a new card to play now.

"Forwards," he called and the negotiating party, bearing flags of the ISL and Inath and the Federation, moved into shouting range. Queen Amarante's aides had to be within the party or any ISL negotiators risked getting shot at despite truce signals.

"Rawi Yudiah! I, Morey, have come to negotiate your surrender once more!" he shouted. A conical roll of paper helped, Morey didn't quite have the lung power to send his voice so far. He could see a matching roll on the low wall of the fort too.

There was some movement and indistinct yells before someone better dressed showed up and shouted back, "the Rawi does not wish to hear you! I am Allawi Uras and I speak for him! And I say to you to leave from my sight! There will be no negotiation with rebels!"

Morey pointed at The Project, a busy area at the edge of the area that could not have gone unnoticed by the Rawi's defenders. "See that! That's a canal to Tari river! I can order it open at any time and flood your little fortress! Let's see how you defend with nothing but walls!"

The mistake, of course, was that the bunker was situated in a gentle depression. It was this very fact that made the aquifer here much easier to reach and the reason why the bunker acted like a well. If Morey diverted the river Tari here, it would flood the whole area to halfway up the walls of the fort. Needless to say, defending a submerged fort with nowhere to stand but a wall and the roof of the keep was significantly harder.

If that didn't work, Morey could also deploy fireshell artillery from riverboats, courtesy of Cato's final shipment of weapons. But he was reserving that if the Rawi still refused to see reason.

The issue of course, was that Morey really really wanted to get into that bunker. After hearing his problem, Cato had shipped Morey a steam engine and mining pumps, at great expense. Who knew what was in there? Clearly no one since previous expeditions had not been able to drain the water. If he flooded the entire area with the river, then the bunker would become permanently out of reach except to divers.

"Negotiations have failed," Morey declared to the four girls of the Hero's Party and the ISL leaders of the siege, "the Rawi has refused all surrender demands despite the threat of the river. I don't want to have to open the canal, but I'll rather do that than risk more lives in an assault. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Bolt battery, massed," Locoss said, "extra power, destroy walls. "

"We have spellcannons," Etani pointed out, "and Ereli to power them. If we bombard them day and night, eventually their morale will break. They have no one who can match us, not since the summoner clans withdrew from the civil war when we took the capital. "

Ereli had her predictable response, "I still think we should continue the siege. They will eventually run out of food and have to surrender. That way no one has to die. "

An ISL army commander shot that down immediately, "the ISL can't afford to station a garrison here semi-permanently. We'll rather storm the fort and accept the losses than support a prolonged siege. "

"All ideas we have heard and discussed before," Morey said, "we need new ones. "

The command tent was silent.

"If only we had flechettes and the new guns," he mused, "we could snipe their spotters and patrols from outside their range. But asking Cato for weapons for a war already won is the last resort. "

The Rawi had been cornered for some time now, isolated in his defenses as Morey simply refused to attack as he seized the rest of the country.

Hm.

Morey looked up as the door to the command room opened.

"Can we talk?" Nal asked timidly.

Ever since that moment those months ago, Nal had been withdrawn and seemingly devastated. Each time Nal looked at Morey, she would look guilty and resigned all at the same time, like a cat left out in the rain by its owner. Ereli fussed over her daily and had some of her hero worship rubbed off. Funny how it took a romantic spat for him to lose some of that Hero shine when no amount of blood in war could.

It got bad enough that Morey was feeling guilty too. It wasn't his fault that Nal clearly did have orders from the queen to seduce him and that she probably had a crush on him to complicate matters. No matter how Morey told himself that Nal's problems were not his doing and he was right to be suspicious, every time their eyes met, Nal's dull and guilt-ridden orbs was like a stab in the chest.

He looked at Nal now and saw the same thing, but months of this awkward circling had turned the feeling into something familiar, if unpleasant. Her eyes were downcast, skin pale and clothes less than her usual pristine state. Morey nodded.

"I... I want to prove myself," Nal said before frowning, "no, I meant, let me show you that I'm not just following the queen's orders. Not any more. "

All Morey could do was look at her curiously. He had no idea what she was planning to do.

"Allow me to lead the ISL to take that fort. "

What. Morey stared at her then drew a hand across his face. How did she even get to that?

He must have said that out loud because Nal started to explain herself, "despite what Ereli wants, you cannot siege the fort forever. Each day the Rawi remains alive runs the risk that some aristocrat might use him, they are not at all happy at your insistence that the law applies to them equally. Also, the ISL does not have infinite supplies and money to support this encirclement. Frankly, given that we overpower them ten to one in magic, and three to one in soldiers, the losses the ISL would suffer would be cheaper than a year long siege. I know the bunker may contain clues to understanding the First, which could lead to your eventual return, so give me the order and I will take this fort for you. "

Morey must have missed something in her explanation, "and how does this help prove yourself?"

Nal blinked and stammered, "I... I thought perhaps you didn't want to kill in the battle. Not when there's no need. So I could do it for you... if you want. "

"That doesn't show anything," Morey sighed, "or did you forget that I've killed many people in battles to free this country?"

"Then... what can I even do?"

Her whisper was probably not meant to be heard. Morey scowled and wondered if postponing the problem wasn't as bad an idea as he thought. Sure, procrastinating wouldn't solve anything but it would at least take the expression off this girl's face for now.

"Fine, your points about the cost to the ISL for further delays makes sense. I'll let the ISL attack fort tomorrow and you can lead them. " Morey paused. He wanted to tell her not to go overboard but given the topic, she was going to take it the wrong way. Eh, whatever. "Just... try not to get killed, alright?"

Predictably, she perked up and gave him a wavering smile, fragile and lacking in confidence.

Morey just sighed and wondered why his life seemed to be filled with so much drama. He did not want to make decisions about matters of state on the basis of how guilty one girl made him feel.

The next day found all the ISL soldiers gearing up for an attack against the fort. They were not taking pains to conceal it, there was no way the Rawi's forces would not see the activity.

"The ISL thanks you for the opportunity," the army leader bowed to Morey, "we will do you proud. "

"I still think I should be coming along," Morey muttered to himself. Though since he was out of his armour, it was already too late to start.

"Nonsense," Etani cut him off, checking her equipment and armour for the last time. Fireshells, guns, her famous crysteel door. Etani was going to lead the charge with that, her door and Em reinforcement made her the sturdiest fighter in the army by far. "We cannot risk the Hero in a battle already won. Especially one that is as risky as storming a fort filled with enemies. Frankly, I would have preferred if you had left this to the local ISL commanders. Victory is assured and the Hero's presence is really just sentimental. "

Nal stood near her reki, saying nothing. When Morey glanced into her eyes, he gulped instinctively. They were blank and hard as steel. She gave him a single nod, "I will do this for you. I will show you my proof. "

Etani and even Ereli blinked at her in surprise then back at Morey. All he could do was give an awkward smile and a shrug. Truth was, he hadn't really thought about Etani and Ereli's reactions to Nal's sudden bout of determination. Locoss just ignored all the byplay, opting to check on her spell cannon wagons and steel staffs.

"We had a little talk last night?" Morey offered weakly.

Etani just sighed and covered her face with her gauntlet.

"Gah!" Ereli threw up her hands and shouted in wordless frustration. "You... you... both of you! Just... why can't- it's been months! She's miserable, you're miserable and now we're too!"

With that she marched over to Locoss's wagons and grabbed onto the pile of steel blocks. A torrent of magical power flooded through her and straight into her summoning stone.

Morey choked as Ereli's figure disappeared in the glow of magic. "Wait, Ereli! What if they have a disruption stockpile! You can't just-"

In just a few seconds, Ereli had pulled in the entire stockpile of power meant for the attack and channeled it upwards into an insanely huge Grand Cross. Morey's leap towards her was just in time then, as she collapsed immediately afterwards from the backlash of moving too much magic too fast.

Overhead, the Grand Cross slammed downwards towards the enemy fort. Instead of the expected hail of disruption bolts tearing the ritual summon apart, there was only a pitiful panicked resistance that the cross brushed aside like just so many insects.

It slammed into the fort like a hand of a giant and tore through the enchanted stone wall without slowing even the slightest bit. Then the Grand Cross hit the Rawi's magic power stockpile and exploded. Inside the fort. The shockwave arrived a second later and the ground vibrated beneath Morey's feet.

With a sigh, the fort collapsed like a house of cards.

Well then.

Trust Ereli to use her power like a sledgehammer when she was frustrated. Morey looked down to the sheltered girl in his arms to find that Nal was beside her as well. Their eyes met again and Nal tore them away before he could read anything.

Wait, Ereli! She was burning up like a fire! And her body was still glowing with magic! This was hotter than any fever Morey had ever seen.

Etani rushed to her side as well, also glowing with magic, "Nal, cool her down! Magical overload causes the body to overheat if you channel too much external magic at once. We have to do it now or she'll die!"

Together, they worked over her body, the three of them trying to shove cooling spells through Ereli's flickering lifeforce. It was made more complicated by the fact that cooling spells could easily overshoot and freeze her flesh anyway. Etani punching holes in her lifeforce to shove cooling spells straight into her lungs was definitely not healthy either.

Minutes later, Etani had tapped out from a lack of power and Ereli was still undergoing magical overload. Morey, stronger in total power than Etani, worked with Nal under Etani's instructions. Locoss also contributed, drawing excess power off Ereli's lifeforce and expelling it; power that Ereli had drawn into herself but didn't get to spend due to her premature fainting. Then the camp soldiers arrived with buckets of cold water and doused them all.

More and more soldiers arrived, some of them Pastora members and they took over the operation with quick efficiency.

Morey and Nal stepped back, while Locoss continued to weave a small circle to set up an automatic drain. Then, almost as if she was copying his thoughts, they looked at each other, as if just realizing they had managed to work together after all despite the damaged trust between them.

Eventually, all of Ereli's excess power was bled off without too much damage to her lifeforce and Ereli was carted off to the medical tents to recover. She would live, despite her absolute recklessness.

Morey sighed as she disappeared into the tent and looked back at the collapsed fort. "I should ask Cato to make a circle to control a summoning stone. There's no way this attack should have worked but Ereli creating it so fast must have taken them by surprise. I wouldn't recommend we do this again though. "

If powerful summoners could push out a ritual summon in a few seconds by themselves, there wouldn't be any time to defend against it. Disruption bolts were good enough at the task but even they took concentrated fire.

But if it need a stockpile of magic and the life of a summoner each time, then that was no trade.

"I hope the bunker didn't collapse," Etani commented.

Morey replied, "we'll have to dig it out from under the fort anyway. "

"Shall I get the ISL forces to go accept the Rawi's surrender? I suspect they won't keep fighting any more, or they're all dead under the rubble. "

Morey nodded and Etani trotted off to find her reki, it had run off somewhere in the chaos.

And just like that, there were only the two of them left. Nal seemed to be conflicted, part happy at not having to charge into battle, part worried about Ereli, part wondering about Morey. She glanced up at him then away, avoiding his gaze.

Morey was reminded of how just a few minutes ago, they had worked together seamlessly to save a friend's life.

"I think just because we have a little tension, doesn't mean we don't work well together," Morey smiled as the small spellstorm looked up at him, "we did save Ereli's life after all. "

She smiled back, nervously at first but eventually dissolved into relieved giggles.

"So Ereli got her wish by throwing a tantrum," Nal sighed after calming down, "if not quite the way she intended. "

"I don't think she intends anything. Our Iris princess is far too honest to scheme beyond just stating her opinion and hoping for the best," Morey joined her.

He took a breath and continued, "Nal. I value your character and perspective and I don't want you to throw away everything just because I can't trust you otherwise. Please don't feel like you need to prove yourself to me. I wouldn't want you to betray what is important to you. "

Nal held his gaze for many heartbeats before nodding and grabbing him around the stomach in one of her rare hugs. They were a little lopsided in height, her being two heads shorter, but that was fine-

Locoss's boots crunched on a loose rock behind them. Nal sprang away from him faster than Etani on Ems, face burning a bright red.

The alchemist just tilted her head curiously before walking away. Morey had completely forgotten about her, Locoss's silence made her fade into the background a little too well.

Nal caught his eye again and they broke out laughing. Nal was the older one in their pair but she looked and behaved like a lovestruck schoolgirl. Morey grinned and gestured for her to lead the way to the fort. Etani must have gathered the ISL soldiers by now.

The increasingly desperate tension between Nal and him was not quite gone.

But perhaps, there was hope for the future.