Edelgard
Outside the Citadel of Magic, Outskirts
Nexus Time, 12:30 AM
Edelgard took her time looking for a place where she wouldn't be disturbed. Outside of the Citadel's sorcerously secured walls, surveillance still extended like a prideful net. Instead of seeking privacy in the city proper, she turned the other way from the crater, walking off into where the population receded, and amid the trees and ridges. She stopped at the edge of a dusty and worn gate. All traces of magic and vision spells had been left behind, where the Forsaken's sight could no longer perceive them.
The rest in those new, annoyingly enchanted, soft, fully realized living quarters had been more than adequate. Later she would ask Sakura if she had a way to secure them from the makers. It was time to speak with Othinus. It was quite possible she had been keeping an eye on events all along, but it was only appropriate to report directly.
The nameless spear unwrapped from the cover that was strung around Edelgard's back. She twirled it in her hand and swung decisively through the air, prepared for the drop into nothing before being welcome into the witch's hall.
Nothing happened.
She stared at the glimmering tip and squinted. And did it again, towards the other side. The force of her swing displaced dust and dirt from the innocent ground, but still nothing opened and nothing appeared. Why? Had she gotten it wrong? She couldn't, the instructions she'd received were actually this simple, for once. Maybe someting had happened. And the former commander stared at the weapon as though it would give her an answer.
A crack appeared on the shaft. The noise echoed like a taunt in Edelgard's ears. She shook her head, but when she looked again, it had only lengthened. Her other hand moved to hold the spear as well, as if that could stop it, but -
The spiderweb reached the tip, and the weapon softly snapped into pieces like porcelain, falling out of her grasp.
Edelgard's pupils dilated, and she grabbed at them, snapping into motion forthe shards, like trying to stop jewels from falling. They crumbled into small pieces with each touch, even as she held them to her chest, and grains of nameless metal rolled down her skin. What was this? Why did the invincible weapon break, like its power had never been there? Had Edelgard done something wrong? Had she offended Othinus? Her knee hit grass and dirt, as she gathered up the scattered bits, looking around for the punchline of a terrible joke.
Should she not have shared even as little as she did? It couldn't be. No, it couldn't. Othinus wouldn't disregard her so easily without even a warning, she said she needed Edelgard.
So why! Had their only means of communication! Obliterated itself like this?!
She started running. She didn't look back, and her body crashed through trees and even rocks without stopping. She must have done something wrong. Even with her eyes, she wasn't a sorcerer. She could have messed something up. Or maybe the Citadel itself did.
If not, WHY? Why was she abandoned? In what way had she disappointed? Why did it always - why did it end up like this again?!
What was the point of her vow! Why did she try to deceive herself about the future? How come NO ONE returned the same trust she put in them?!
"Sakura! Sakura!!"
She heard herself scream for her only other friend, rushing past every checkpoint in the Citadel. Bowling over more than one guard, she zoomed past the streets, ignored the blinding flare hitting her eyes, as she burst into the domain of Spatial Studies. She ignored anyone else who was trying to stop her.
"SAKURAAA!!"
