Adventures in Askr (Ft. Erandia and Friends)
Various drabble collections that are too short to stand on its own but still long enough to be read in pieces. Features various headcanons, event-special vignettes, and summoners of others.
Author's Notes
Spoilers and based on Book II, Chapter 7. Features ruri's OC once again. Sparrow is, in her Zenith, married to Gunnthrá btw.
Probably my only sad drabble in the compilation series. RIP Gunnthrá, you will live on.
Snow and Ashes
Snow and ashes drifted gently downwards, as smoke rises from the pillars of lava spewing in the background. Among the hoard of dead Emblian soldiers stood Surtr menacingly, laughing madly at the feast of death and destruction surrounding him. Normally, such an act would have Sparrow ignoring the stance, opting to head straight into battle instead. However, her ever calm golden eyes were replaced with unabashed fury and terror, heartbeat erratic and her mind numbly blank. Her boots crunched the ash and gravel forming on the ground as her lips whisper the name of the person her heart reaches out for.
“N-No… What have… G-Gunnthrá!”
She wailed and screamed at the Muspellian ruler, as he threw the limped body of Gunnthrá towards the charred stone and gravel. The enraged summoner spared no time at all, despair threatening to swallow her heart whole, as she outright screams at her units to get going. Jaffar springs into action in no time, dagger poised and ready after Nino’s magic settles. Ursula and Lloyd cleared up the latter half of the area, as Lloyd hacked and slash at enemy units with ease, letting Ursula finish them off with her tome. The quietly panicking summoner knelt down and placed the head of her beloved on her kneeling lap.
Sparrow tries to calm herself, as she mutters over and over towards the half-dazed princess that she’ll be alright and how they need to get home and please don’t leave me Gunnthrá I need you please—
“D-Dear…”
Tears freely falling from the side of her eyes, Sparrow hiccupped as she tries to wipe them away only to be stopped by Gunnthrá’s burnt hand cupping her cheek and caressing them with her nimble fingers.
“My d-dear S-Sparrow…” Obviously in pain and at the brink of her life, Gunnthrá’s eyes formed droplets of crystalline tears as well, as she musters her strength to benign a gentle and beautiful smile towards her wife. The action caused more heartache and sorrow towards the pitiful summoner, as she clenches the shivering hand still on top of her cheek.
“T-take care now, love… Heed not… my p-passing… for I shall—“ She coughed, cutting herself off. Sparrow lifts her body a bit higher, sorrowful golden eyes reflecting content teal eyes. With her last breath, the lady of dreams muttered her last words to her wife.
“I S-Shall w-wait for you… protect… you… b-be…w-with… y-you..” A smile formed on her charred face, life slowly seeping out of her mortal form. Something inside Sparrow broke, her other half empty and numb at her wife’s passing. No longer holding back her tears, she cries loudly at the utter unfairness of everything. Sparrow places her forehead on top of Gunnthrá’s, muttering promises of reunion and apologies, as she rocks her body back and forth.
Behind her stood the four solemn units, awaiting further command. Nino’s blue eyes seemed to be filled with the same sympathetic sorrow and tears as Jaffar’s free hand pat her green hair in an attempt to calm her. Ursula mounted off her horse, partly due to respect and partly to awkwardly try and offer her steed to carry the body. Lloyd’s eyes gazed downward, regret and presumably guilt gnawing on the back of his head.
At the first drop of clear snow, only then did Sparrow gaze up and stood silently, carrying her dead wife’s body with her. Through the muddy ashes, everyone marched on in silence, as the skies weep with snow and rain.