Nick Main Story: Chapter 8

## Episode 1

Nick is standing atop the tendril, gazing straight down at me.

**Nick**: "Thank you for everything."

Then he gives me a fleeting, ephemeral smile.

(Not like this...!)

I run desperately, ignoring how close I am to falling off the top of the tower.

**Nick**: "Isabella...!"

The tendril snags my feet, but I desperately rush up to Nick and throw my arms around him, clinging.

**Nick**: "Isabella, why...?!"

Nick gasps, his eyes widening.

**Nick**: "Now you're going to get swallowed too!"

**Isabella**: "I don't like those choices!"

**Isabella**: "I don't want it engulfing you OR engulfing everything!"

**Isabella**: "I don't want you to be gone!"

I say in tears, like a child throwing a tantrum. Nick sighs awkwardly.

**Nick**: "Those are the only options."

**Nick**: "And out of those two, I want to pick the one where you're safe."

**Nick**: "I'll feel a little better about myself if I can protect you."

The tendril starts to cover Nick's feet as he smiles.

I squeeze his hand tightly.

**Isabella**: "What does it matter, if you get swallowed by that thing?!"

**Nick**: "...I still want to protect you. Everyone wants to look cool around the one they love."

**Nick**: "And in my case, I've acted nothing but pathetic around you..."

**Isabella**: "If you love me... If you truly love me... Don't think like that!"

**Isabella**: "If you love me, don't go into that thing. Stay and protect me!"

**Nick**: "Isabella..."

Nick's eyes widen.

But just then, the slowly moving tendril suddenly snaps around Nick's legs.

**Isabella**: "Nick!"

**Nick**: "I love you."

The tendril rocks violently when he says it.

I fall to my feet, unable to keep my footing.

(What?! What's happening?!)

I look at Nick, not comprehending what's going on.

The tendril at his feet writhes violently before abruptly vanishing.

## Episode 2

The tendril shakes and rocks.

I'm stunned and confused.

**Isabella**: "Nick, are you all right?!"

**Nick**: "Yes, I'm okay... Ah!"

It rocks again.

Nick loses his balance and topples into me.

I catch him in my arms, and he draws back awkwardly.

The tendril hasn't stopped moving. It looks like it's in pain.

**Nick**: "What's happening...?"

**Isabella**: "I'm lost..."

Nick and I look around in confusion from the top of the undulating tendril.

**King**: "You won't take my kingdom OR my brother!"

**King**: "Begone, monster!"

His Majesty's voice rings out from the ground below.

I hear the sound of something piercing in.

**Isabella**: "Nick! Arrows!"

There are three arrows sticking out of the base of the tendril.

When a fourth arrow strikes it, it rocks again...

And then it slowly starts to vanish.

**Nick**: "We're going to fall!"

Nick sweeps me into his arms and races back to the tower roof.

**Nick**: "What's going on? Why are there arrows...?"

Nick mutters, staring at the writhing black vortex.

**Nick**: "The black vortex is me... Objects of Niflheim shouldn't be able to affect it at all..."

**Nick**: "But arrows pierced it...?"

**Isabella**: "I'm curious about what His Majesty was saying, too."

**Nick**: "Yes..."

The words His Majesty spoke before losing those arrows.

(What does he mean, brother?)

**Isabella**: "Are you... the king's brother?"

**Nick**: "I-impossible! Me, brother to a king?!"

Nick is quick to deny it, but...

**King**: "...Hmm. Knowing you, I imagine you're forgetting something."

(Is being his brother what he meant?)

(That would be quite a thing to forget.)

## Episode 3

I hardly have time to wonder before I hear the king's voice from the ground below.

**King**: "Nick, Isabella, I'm coming up! Wait right there!"

He makes his way up a bridge on the side of the tower.

Nick and I stare in astonishment.

The sheer amount of mysteries facing us is mind-boggling.

Arrows that pierced a vortex unaffected by objects of Niflheim.

The king's words.

I glanced at the black vortex. It's staying in place with the arrows still sticking out of it.

**King**: "You two okay there?"

The king makes his way over to the roof and walks up to us.

But...

Nick and I are so floored, the best we can manage is a simple nod.

**King**: "Isabella, are you injured? What about you, Nick?"

**Isabella**: "I'm all right... Your Majesty."

**Nick**: "So am I..."

**Isabella**: "But, ah... What did you mean by what you just said?"

**King**: "What? Oh, the brother thing?"

**Isabella**: "Yes, that."

**King**: "How about we save that for after we get to safety?"

His Majesty sweeps me up in his arms.

**Isabella**: "Your Majesty?!"

**King**: "Yeesh, you just can't build guard rails high enough these days!"

**King**: "Come along, Nick, before you slip and fall."

His Majesty hops the railing smoothly, then beckons to Nick.

Nick reluctantly heads back within the railing.

**King**: "Ooh, what's this? Is someone jelly?"

**King**: "Jelly of me carrying Isabella like a princess?"

**Nick**: "Th-that's not..."

Nick looks away awkwardly.

**Isabella**: "Um, Your Majesty... Would you mind putting me down, please?"

**King**: "Aww, a little longer wouldn't kill anybody."

**Isabella**: "This is making it very awkward to talk..."

The king puffs out his cheeks and puts me down with a huff.

## Episode 4

We head back into the tower.

After a breather, His Majesty explains things to us.

**King**: "I remembered. This guy and I used to be one being."

**King**: "Just like Niflheim and Helheim used to be one place."

**Isabella**: "What...?"

**Nick**: "You and I were one?"

**King**: "Yeah. When I lost my life and floated in the empty void..."

**King**: "I thought I might really die."

**King**: "Niflheim was created from that."

**King**: "We used to be one being... But when that happened, we split."

**King**: "Basically, Nick is my other half. We're like twins."

**Isabella**: "Twins..."

I look between them.

(I guess now that he points it out, I can see the similarities?)

**Isabella**: "Oh, does that explain why you can hear Nick?"

**King**: "Prolly."

**Nick**: "I'm half of the king...?"

**King**: "That's right. We used to be one body."

**Nick**: "The king and I..."

Nick's body is bathed in brilliant light.

So brilliant, I have to squeeze my eyes shut.

(What is this light?!)

When it finally dies down, I open my eyes and see...

(What...?)

Nick's transparent form is looking visible.

**King**: "...Nick?!"

**Nick**: "Huh...?"

**King**: "Is that you standing there?!"

His Majesty is clearly look at Nick and addressing him.

**Isabella**: "Wait... You can see him now?"

**King**: "Yeah. Looks pretty hot. Still inferior to me, obvs."

## Episode 5

**Nick**: "...If the one you're looking at is hot, it's probably not me."

**Nick**: "Is there someone else here? I don't see them..."

(He's always the very picture of negativity...)

**Isabella**: "Nick, he means you. His Majesty can see you."

**Nick**: "Huh? He can...?"

**King**: "Why else would I be looking at you?"

**Nick**: "Um... Can you see this?"

Nick holds up three fingers.

**King**: "Yeah, three fingers. Are you tryin' to mock me?"

**Nick**: "N-no! I'm just amazed that you can really see me..."

Nick smiles hesitantly.

Then Orlando makes his way up to the top of the tower.

**Orlando**: "Are you all safe?"

**Isabella**: "Oh, Orlando. Yes, I'd say so..."

I answer him, but Orlando is looking at Nick.

**Orlando**: "That ribbon... Are you Nick?"

**Nick**: "Huh? You can see me too, Orlando?"

**Orlando**: "Yes... And hear you, for that matter. What is this?"

**King**: "I remembered Nick."

**King**: "I guess when Nick accepted it, it made him more real."

**Orlando**: "I see... That explains those thing[s] you were spouting."

**Orlando**: "About how you used to be one body."

**Orlando**: "This works out perfectly. You can both strike this thing down."

He looked pointedly at the writhing black vortex.

**King**: "Yeah, it's hardly needed in Niflheim anyway."

**King**: "You up to it, Nick?"

**Nick**: "Huh?"

His Majesty turns and asks Nick.

But Nick doesn't nod. He looks hesitant.

## Episode 6

Nick is hesitant at the idea of striking the black vortex down.

**King**: "What's wrong? Let's smite it."

**Nick**: "Why is it still here? Why hasn't it disappeared?"

**Nick**: "Is it that it won't disappear as long as I don't?"

**King**: "What do you mean?"

**Nick**: "That vortex is me. You can eliminate it by eliminating me..."

I touch a hand to his arm when he speaks sadly.

**Nick**: "Isabella...?"

**Isabella**: "Stop making that face. There must be another way to get rid of it."

**Nick**: "But how...?"

**Isabella**: "That's what we have to figure out. The vortex is getting smaller, and it's stopped moving."

**King**: "...Yeah, and I wouldn't much care for Nick vanishing if we get rid of the vortex, either."

**King**: "We just remembered that fragment of our memories. Yes, can't we just let sleeping vortices lie?"

**Orlando**: "What?"

**Nick**: "What?"

**Isabella**: "What?"

His Majesty blurts out a casual remark, completely cutting through the prior atmosphere.

We stare at him dumbly.

**King**: "Isabella's right, it's getting smaller and it's stopped moving."

**King**: "And even if we did wanna strike it down, how would we do it? I don't know."

**King**: "Thinking about this stuff gives me a headache."

**Orlando**: "\*Sigh\* And here I raised my opinion of you when you were firing those arrows..."

**Orlando**: "But you're the same king as ever."

**Orlando**: "Very well, I shall get right to work on a way to deal with the vortex."

**Orlando**: "I'll gather the others. Do try to join us soon, Your Majesty."

Orlando sighs, turns on his heels, and heads downstairs.

(I said that on the spur of the moment...)

(How do we actually get rid of the black vortex?)

(Is there truly no way to eliminate it that doesn't also involve Nick disappearing?)

## Episode 7

Orlando leaves the top of the tower.

A strong breeze snaps me back to reality. I look at Nick and find him biting his lip in anguish.

**Isabella**: "Nick, stop making that face."

**Isabella**: "Your family is standing right here in front of you."

**Isabella**: "Let's leave the matter of the vortex to Orlando for a little while."

When I talk to him, his eyes move to meet the king's.

**Nick**: "Family...?"

**King**: "That's right."

The king grins smugly.

Nick smiles shyly.

**King**: "We're family, and we're totally tight. I ain't about to let you disappear."

**Nick**: "But..."

**King**: "Who do you think I am? I'm the freaking king of Niflheim!"

**King**: "Don't worry."

The king snorts and heads for the stairs.

**King**: "We're gonna come up with a way to just be rid of that black vortex, mark my words."

The king heads downstairs.

(If only he acted like that normally... His Majesty would be so much more dreamy to me.)

**Nick**: "That incredible man is my other half..."

Nick still seems dazed in disbelief.

**Isabella**: "His Majesty is your family and your other half."

**Isabella**: "Isn't your new visibility proof enough of that?"

**Nick**: "They truly see me... My body... My form...!"

Nick hugs himself as if checking his own figure.

**Nick**: "That means others can touch me now, right?"

**Isabella**: "Hehe, I suppose so."

**Nick**: "...I'm afraid, but happy too."

**Isabella**: "Why afraid?"

**Nick**: "What will people think of me now that they can see me?"

**Nick**: "It's frightful. I could make things unpleasant for everyone around me."

(\*Sigh\* Even when discovering his family, Nick is still Nick.)

I feel bad for him in his insecurity, but...

I find myself smiling wryly.

## Episode 8

We hear something different in our surroundings than the fearful cries we've been hearing.

**Isabella**: "What could that be?"

**Nick**: "I hear noise..."

We look at each other, then look down over the railing.

We see people holding hands and smiling.

**People**: "The king's brother, he says!"

That's what they're saying.

**Nick**: "Why would they do that?"
**Isabella**: "Because the king of their land has a brother."
**Isabella**: "Isn't that a joyous thing?"
**Nick**: "Joyous? Is it, truly?"
Nick smiles, somewhat embarrassed.
The voices of the people below grow louder.
**Isabella**: "All of these smiles show how much they love their king."
**Nick**: "Of course they do. He looks cool and acts cool."
**Nick**: "Don't you think so, Isabella?"
**Isabella**: "He did seem a bit that way today."
**Nick**: "You see? There you go."
**Isabella**: "But you're more wonderful than he is, Nick."
**Nick**: "Huh...?"
Isabella: "The way you said you wanted to protect me... That was wonderful."

## Episode 9

We descend from the tower.

As we pass by other people, they nod to me. And to Nick.

The sight of it moves me to tears of joy.

**Nick**: "They really see me... I can hardly believe it..."

**Isabella**: "Well, believe it. Those people we just passed nodded to you."

**Nick**: "I'm really..."

His shoulders are shaking in excitement.

Just then, Skeletiano comes walking up to us.

**Skeletiano**: "Oh, there you are, Princess. I was hoping to talk to you about what comes next... Oh, my! Who is this fellow?"

**Isabella**: "Hehe. You see? Even Skeletiano can see you."

**Nick**: "R-really? You can see me?"

**Skeletiano**: "Perhaps. Who might this man be?"

**Isabella**: "It's Nick."

**Skeletiano**: "Nick?! I say! Nick?!"

The look of shock on Skeletiano's face seems to drive the point home for Nick.

**Skeletiano**: "Goodness gracious! I thought I was looking in a mirror!"

**Skeletiano**: "You'll hardly find a man so good looking other than me, of course!"

Nick looks around in confusion.

(If only he could accept his own good looks...)

**Isabella**: "So, ah, what can I do for you?"

**Skeletiano**: "Oh, yes! We're going to be holding a ball!"

**Isabella**: "A ball?"

**Skeletiano**: "We know now that Nick is His Majesty's brother!"

**Skeletiano**: "And the black vortex stopped moving!"

**Skeletiano**: "As such, I'll be stopping by your room close to time."

Skeletiano bows and quickly hurries back off to work.