Draco: Title comes from Bentley Jones' Devil's Cry (Shall Never Surrender). If my friend with a tongue in the language of mystics is correct, it means "I will never forget you".

Bravely Default and all related properties © Square Enix.

Afterlude: Kimi Wa Koto Wasurenai Yo

Edea was the first one to emerge from the Dark Aurora - and she was quite bothered at what she found there.

"Oh, for the love of-!"

Ringabel emerged behind her, but the sight nearly caused him to stumble back in.

"Good Susano-o..."

The Arrior brothers were right behind him; the dark knight was in the way of Til's vision long enough for Tiz to cover his brother's eyes with his hands.

"Hey- Tiz!"

"Trust me, you don't want to see this."

Agnès and Olivia were last to emerge, the Dark Aurora and the magic circle granting entry vanishing behind them; when the two vestals found the view, wind nearly cried out, while water only chuckled; both of them were blushing like mad.

Floating above the Norende Ravine was an airship - a very old-fashioned airship that would possibly qualify as a 'zeppelin' - and adorning its surface was some very... attention-grabbing artwork. On one side was a girl with vibrant red hair in a tail; on the other was a similar girl who could possibly qualify as her sister, but with hair of bright blonde. Both of them were absolutely skyclad, and all that maintained their modesty was their pose and the limits of the canvas.

After a moment, those who could see it tore their eyes away - and found two very powerful figures before them.

"What... Lord DeRosso?" Tiz exclaimed. "Sage Yulyana? What are you guys doing here?"

"Is that your airship?!" Edea shouted, aiming one hand at the zeppelin.

Til's stance shifted as he understood the words - though not enough to loose his brother's hands. "The Sage? An airship...? Are you talking about the Tokitowa?"

"How in the world do you know the name of his vessel?" Ringabel inquired.

"Lord DeRosso bid us take an airship from the duchy's Central Command when we chose to follow you," Olivia explained. "The Council's ships were listed."

Agnès shook her head. Addressing the two immortals; "What has brought you two here?"

The Sage tapped his staff against the ground, and the ship began to move in the air, flying away so that they would not see it. Once it was out of sight, he stepped forward - and everyone was surprised to see the otherworlder Dark Knight approach from outside the ravine. Tiz quickly released his brother's eyes.

"Agnès, Tiz, Edea, Ringabel, Til, Olivia..." Yulyana looked over the six of them, locking gazes with each, before bowing his head thankfully. "You have done well."

"Eighteen hundred years have passed since we were told of this threat," Lord DeRosso explained. "And now, at last, this evil has been severed at its roots." He shook his head, an envious smile rising on his face. "I marvel at the power of youth. I doubt yours is a feat we could have managed."

The conjurer nodded. "Now, leave the rest to these two old men."

The vampire set a hand upon his head. "Indeed, for you four have obligations elsewhere."

Edea was confused at that. "We do...?"

At this point, the black airship lowered itself above the edge of the cliff - which seemed further than it had been before.

"The Great Chasm links all the worlds through which you have journeyed," the archduke explained.

"Now that the Evil One is defeated," the sage continued, "it will begin to close. You must each return to the worlds you wish ere it shuts for good."

Agnès fell quiet. "The worlds... we wish...?"

"This world is a mirror of the one you were born it," Lord DeRosso explained, "but only that. A reflection. You are free to remain nonetheless, or to return to the worlds whence you came."

"The choice is yours," Yulyana insisted, "but it would seem there's little time to deliberate."

The giant hole behind them howled lightly, and everyone turned to see that the cliff's edge was decidedly further than it had been before. The bay doors of the Dark Knight were open, and the vessel was low enough that they could leap on.

The vampire closed his eyes. "The chasm has begun to close sooner than I had anticipated."

"Now, quickly, children!" the conjurer insisted. "If you would return, make haste! There's no time!"

Til turned to his brother. "Tiz... Are you...?"

Tiz bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Til," he insisted. "But I've gotta head back. I have a Norende to take care of." He glanced across the edges of the chasm - buildings were littered about, some complete, some half-finished. Doubtless the workers had fled when the Dark Aurora had formed. "And you have one here."

"But..." Til fell to his knees. "I can't..."

Olivia turned to her sister. "And you, Agnès?" she asked, her voice saddened. "Will you be leaving as well?"

Agnès nodded. "The crystals as they are must be tended to," she confirmed. "I will do what I can to right this wrong that I have wrought."

"I see..." Olivia winced, fighting to hold back tears. "Then... I shall do the same. Restore the crystals I have driven to madness."

Not wanting to part without it, Agnès drew her sister into a tight embrace. The vestals remained there, in one another's arms, just briefly; then Agnès pulled away, and she, Ringabel, and Edea leapt onto the Dark Knight.

Tiz started to go after them, but Til grabbed his hand. "Wait, Tiz, please!" he insisted. "Don't go!"

The warrior hesitated, briefly; then he knelt before his brother, reaching into his pocket.

"Here."

To Til, he held out an hourglass, empty.

"Keep this with you always."

Olivia was confused at the sight. Til was no better, looking at it warily. "What... what is it?"

Tiz only smiled - for he had figured out the sands' nuance, from the sparse words with which he had been given the glass they lay in.

"This is hope, you see. It's from those who care about you."

The water vestal set a hand on her mouth; then she stepped forward, kneeling at Til's side as he looked at the hourglass. "Take it," she encouraged.

Warily, Til reached out, grasping it by the join between the glasses and holding it upright.

And from that join, sands of shining blue began to fall to the lower glass - and Til's eyes went wide.

"Tiz, hurry!" Edea's shout from the Dark Knight caused Tiz to get to his feet. "We've gotta go!"

"Right!"

The warrior turned, racing towards the chasm's edge and leaping into the airship. As the hourglass filled, Til rushed to the chasm's edge, and for a brief moment Olivia feared he would leap after his brother, but he only raised a hand in farewell.

"Tiz!"

The bay doors were closed, and the black airship had light gathering upon it; but Tiz was at the deck already, and he raised his hand to return the farewell.

Then the ship became an arrow of light, vanishing into the abyss below, and leaving vestal, child, sage, and archduke standing there as the chasm began to close.