Halo (Etrian Odyssey Fanfiction)

Chapter 50

Halo's were normally defined as circles of light glowing above the head of a saint or holy person to represent their holiness, and with that consideration, the name Sage gave to the guild who saved his life felt a bit like giving expectations to the children of an honored war hero, but in Sage's opinion, it was a fitting title. In the three months he'd been with them, he'd watched them grow, watched them accept new members with somewhat open arms, and watched all of them bond into a family.

It wasn't the first time Sage had witnessed something like that, witnessed a guild being formed. He'd been part of it before, with Historia. That guild started just with himself and his older brother, eventually Na'axri joined as a puppy, followed by Lesai. Then they met Flandr in the Labyrinth, and finally Naylin.

Sage remembered he'd been standing at the side of a well travelled road wearing worn clothing, a frayed cloak, and boots with the soles warn thin. His hair was a mess and he wouldn't let anyone near the bag he had hanging over his shoulder, as if he was hiding something no one else was allowed to look at. The staff he carried was the same he had now, and he was covered in a layer of dust and dirt.

Naylin didn't say much to them at first, but when he was asked to join them on a quest, the war magus agreed, and after that first Labyrinth jaunt with him, he settled down and just never left. Sage actually didn't know much about him, in fact really thinking about it, Naylin was probably the most mysterious out of every explorer in Historia, but none of them had ever really lost their thoughts to how odd that was before.

They knew his name, they knew he was a war magus, they knew he was a good man, and that was really all they cared to know. Anything else he didn't have to explain unless he felt comfortable, though after five years you'd think he'd be okay talking about his past a little. Evidently not.

Historia had been Sage's first family, he would always remember them and the time he spent with them, the trips into the Labyrinth they took together, and all the lessons he learned while training; but he wasn't a member of Historia any longer. He was part of Halo, Iliad and Arcan's mentor and tutor, and Dyria's lover.

Sage made a new home, found a new family, and couldn't be happier. Even though what lead him to this moment was a tragedy that physically scarred him, as well as the others of Historia, he couldn't find himself wishing it had never happened. Sure, he was saddened by the fact Historia was injured, but he was also so happy he was able to meet Halo.

Besides, everyone was still alive. This wasn't a bad thing, and sure people had been injured, Eliath would never enter the Labyrinth again, Flandr had scars all along his arm to remind him of his time as a captive, Lesai refused to leave Eliath's side even for a second, as if he was afraid his leader would disappear again, and Naylin could still feel the sting of Aerlorn's torture on his skin, but they were alive.

It proved even more definitively that everything was alright when Sage woke up the same way he'd fallen asleep, pressed against Dyria's chest with his arms wrapped around the protector's waist, a smile pulling at his lips as he pressed his face against his lover's chest. Dyria seemed to already be awake, because he tightened his hold on Sage, one arm around his shoulders and the other hand in his hair.

"Are you awake?" Sage asked, and Dyria hummed.

"Have been for a while," he answered, raking his fingers through Sage's hair and pulling it away from his face to place his lips against the scar there along his head, "Just enjoying the feeling of you in my arms."

Sage laughed, his arms wrapping tighter around Dyria, curling up over his shoulders with his fingers brushing the scars on his left side, "Has anyone come in to bother us?"

"I imagine they're all too exhausted to bother annoying us," Dyria admitted with a low chuckle, pulling back just enough to see Sage, taking his chin in his hand, "After yesterday's battle, it seems like the right idea to just laze around for a few days, to recover."