Story
Chapter 18: Chromatic Crescendo
As Nyx and the others try to drive Vocivus back to the Void, Ozzy does his best to set things right.
Iridesia
We... we did it!
Tavi
Is everyone okay?
Nyx
Ozzy? Ozzy, are you safe? Where’s Juni?
Juni
Yip yip!
Ozzy
I’m okay too… I think. Styx? Oh no, Styx, are you there?
Styx
Arf arf!
Tavi
Thank goodness! Lux, you good over there?
Luxinia
Yes, I... I think so! It’s hard to tell with how happy everyone is right now, but I’m pretty sure I’m okay too!
Tavi
So that means...
Iridesia
It’s over.
Luxinia
I can’t believe it...
Luxinia
All that sadness and destruction... It’s finally over.
Tavi
Not quite yet, Lux...
Nyx
There’s still a lot of rebuilding to do.
Ozzy
I’m sorry...
Nyx
It’s not your fault, Ozzy.
Juni
Yip, yip-yip yip...
Tavi
He has a point, Nyx. Ozzy did... um, cause some of this.
Nyx
Maybe. But it’s not all his fault. A lot of it was my fault, too. If I never left, then none of this would have happened at all.
Nyx
But that’s beside the point. I didn’t just mean Altador or Neopia when I said we have to rebuild.
Nyx
I meant us.
Juni
Yip yip?
Nyx
Yeah, I’m okay. Or... I will be.
Nyx
I messed up in leaving you alone for so long, Ozzy. I mean, I didn’t know I would get sucked into a void rift and end up missing out on twenty years of your life...
Nyx
But that doesn’t change the fact that I wasn’t there when you needed me.
Nyx
No more excuses. No more justifications.
Nyx
I’m sorry, Ozzy. I’m truly, truly sorry.
Ozzy
...
Ozzy
Thank you for saying that, Nyxie.
Ozzy
I know now that things weren’t easy for you either. I couldn’t see it at the time, because everything was so dark… but after everything that’s happened, I can see past the dark clouds a little better now.
Ozzy
I don’t know where we go from here, but...
Ozzy
I want to try to make things better, too. And not just between us—with everyone.
Juni
Yip yip! Yip!!!
Styx
Arf arf!
Tavi
That’s the spirit!
Tavi
And you two aren’t the only ones who’ve got some personal rebuilding to do. I’ve also got some mountains I still need to climb. This whole adventure has taught me a lot.
Tavi
I can’t just keep my bridges burned. I want to repair them. So I’m going to reach out to my old climbing friends and apologise for my part in everyone splitting up.
Tavi
I don’t expect them to forgive me... and they don’t have to. But I do want them to know that the way I treated them wasn’t fair. Though... I guess they already knew that. But if they didn’t know, then...
Tavi
Aw, never mind! I’m apologising, and that’s that!
Iridesia
Heehee! That’s the Tavi I know.
Tavi
What about you, B? Or, wait, I guess I can’t call you that anymore, huh?
Iridesia
You can call me whatever you like, Tavi. I may not be Baelia anymore, but that nickname—and all you have done for me—will always have a special place in my heart.
Iridesia
As for what comes next... I’m not entirely sure. I know I want to help rebuild...
Luxinia
That’ll be no problem for an expert artificer like you!
Iridesia
Thank you, Luxinia.
Iridesia
But... I’m not entirely certain that’s who I am anymore. Or rather, that that’s all I am...
Iridesia
I still have so much to learn about myself! Finding my name was only a part of that. For the first time, I feel like there’s a whole world of possibilities and opportunities before me. Like the fog over my life has been lifted, and the sun can shine through again.
Iridesia
Er... I hope that wasn’t too sentimental.
(...)
Not at all. In fact, I think you might be on to something.