42 - Flurry of Fury (Patreon)

Uriel reconsidered that perhaps inviting Phoenix to spar to release some of that anger had been a poor choice at this point in their Adventuring careers as she held nothing back and laid her emotions bare before him. Frustration was the most obvious as he fell to the mat once again in their flurry of fury.

Phoenix slammed the magically reinforced wooden sword against Uriel’s and as she pulled it back to strike again he called out with an exasperated chuckle, “I yield! Gods within, I yield!”

The Wayfarer was breathing heavily as she stood over the downed cinderen, poised to strike him again, as he looked up at her from the flat of his back with his own practice sword the only barrier between him and her pent-up rage. She gave a huff of annoyance and pushed her braid back behind her shoulder, tucking the green curl behind her ear, before lowering her sword and helping him to stand up.

As Uriel regained his feet and brushed himself off, he asked between his own deep breaths, “At the risk of getting thrashed again, what exactly did Lord Wayland say to you?”

She growled in frustration but not at him, “He made it quite clear that he thinks I belong on the wall. That I’m too weak and useless to join the fight.”

Ember eyes narrowed in confusion, “That doesn’t sound like him at all. He’s usually the first to dote on how much talent and potential you have.”

“Well it’s what he said,” she retorted as she angrily swung the sword through the air, obviously wanting to hit something again, “I guess I’m not living up to that potential well enough.”

Earlier, when the Astromancer had returned back to where she had left him and the rest of their party near the AOA building, she had discovered that only Uriel remained since he didn’t have anything specific to do and wanted to make sure she was alright.

At the sight of her tears and obvious frustration, he had led her to one of the training rooms nearby that they had sparred in with Bliss a handful of times. He figured that letting her vent her anger in the practice arena would be similar to the cathartic experience they had in the past at Warrior’s temple and it seemed to remain true now as they had fallen into an ever-increasing rhythm of trading blows.

“Want to go again?” she asked him after a moment of recovery.

He gave her a smirk, “Maybe that sword dance that Dazien likes so much would be better to help calm your mind?”

She raised an eyebrow at him, “That Dazien likes?”

“Well, I like it too,” he amended and tried to choose his words carefully, “I think he just has a larger appreciation for it due to his dedication to the sword.”

Phoenix tilted her head, “I see. I guess I could try that,” she said and moved into position, pausing before she began as she added, “Thanks for doing this for me. You don’t deserve to be the punching bag for my anger.”

He shook his head and smiled, “That’s what friends are for right? We protect each other, body and mind. To keep each other from breaking, remember?”

She returned his smile, “Thanks, Uriel,” she reiterated, then took a steadying breath, conjured her [Caustic Floe] sword into her other hand, and began the fluid movements of the meditative dual sword dance of the Weapon Wielding Warrior.

Uriel moved to the edge of the mat to watch for a bit, sitting against the wall, as he continued speaking, steering the topic away from the subject of her ire and the one he was more concerned about, “So, you’re really okay with Dazien becoming your brother and us moving in down the hall?”

Phoenix laughed, “You ask that like we don’t already sleep across from each other when camping in your fortress.”

He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but this is different. Home is where you go to be alone with your family. To get away from co-workers or party members. You won’t be able to just run home when Daze gets on your nerves and you need alone time.”

“I’ll still have my room,” she pointed out, “Maybe I’ll get a ‘do not disturb’ sign or something to keep him from knocking all the time.”

Uriel chuckled at the idea and fell silent at the mental image of his partner scratching at his friend’s door like a begging kitten-chimera, seeking conversation instead of snacks. He wondered if Dazien would spend less time with him now, being so close to others who shared similar interests and beliefs in his goal. Had he become selfish in all their years away from the temple and only relying on each other?

Phoenix distracted him as she sat down on the edge of the mat in front of him, apparently forgoing the dance, and asked, “Are you okay with Dazien becoming my brother and Paul’s son?”

“It doesn’t matter how I feel about it,” he stated firmly with a grimace, “It doesn’t actually involve me.”

“Sure it does,” she protested, “You’re being forced to move in with us instead.”

“I could have stayed at our home,” he countered and promptly added as she scoffed, “I’m not the one being forced to do anything. Daze might be my partner but he can’t force me to do anything I don’t want to do.”

The Wayfarer rolled her eyes at him, “Semantics. We both know you’ll follow him anywhere he asks you to.”

The corners of his mouth twitched as he tried not to smile at that but relented, “You’re probably right. That’s why I agreed. I can see how much this means to him. How much you and Lord Wayland matter in his life.”

“I’m sure you still come first, though,” she said with a grin.

He gave a half-hearted laugh, “That’s basically what he told me. Which, I’ll admit, was both a comfort and a fear.”

Phoenix’s grin fell as she asked, “Did you really doubt him about that?” he hesitated and she added, “He’s shown me nothing but utter devotion to you since day one. Now that Jennica basically slapped me with the nature of your relationship, I’m honestly starting to realize how oblivious I must have been to it. I know I’m not really… in tune with my own feelings like that but I’ve still read books and should have connected the dots myself.”

He shrugged, “I don’t expect you to recognize something you don’t seem to have any interest in learning about.”

“I’m interested in my friends, though,” she pointed out, scrunching her nose, “I should know what they care about most.”

“You knew he cared about me.”

“Fair and he did shoo me away from prying,” her grin returned at whatever memory she was looking through him at, and said, “I wonder if he’s going to act even more like an annoying brother that doesn’t want me prodding at his relationships. If anything, I’m totally planning to play up this little sister gig.”

He smiled gently and voiced his observation, “You seem excited more than I thought you’d be.”

“I never had an actual sibling before,” she admitted, “I grew up around lots of kids, I guess like both of you in a way, but they all had their own families. They weren’t my family. We didn’t have the same parents caring for us or share the same home and see each other all the time. Or be able to tattle on one another,” her grin grew wider, “Or plan revenge on overbearing dads!”

Uriel laughed at that, “I don’t think Daze is going to help you there,” he regretfully dashed her hopes, “He’s actually trying to stay on Lord Wayland’s good side right now but no promises after the adoption goes through.”

Phoenix gave a heavy sigh as her smile vanished and he almost wanted to return the hug she had tackled him with before when he had awoken to find himself half-naked and subjected to her interrogation of his scars and bracer. Her next words helped solidify that idea, however, “I just… I wish Paul understood that I’m trying my best… even if it’s not always good enough.”

He leaned forward and pulled her into his chest, currently covered in a long-sleeved silvery training top, and held her tight as he said firmly, “You are more than good enough, Phoenix. Don’t let anyone, even him, ever convince you otherwise.”

She gave a laugh tinged with tears and relaxed a moment later, just letting him shield her like before as she rubbed furiously at her eyes, “Thanks but I think you might be a bit biased now.”

“Biased how?” he asked curiously.

“Well, you’re Dazien’s partner, and with him becoming my brother, doesn’t that basically make you like my brother-in-law? It’s like I’m your little sister too.”

His heart twisted at that and he had to be very careful to reign in his emotions at the idea of having another younger sister, afraid the earrings magic might steal the little happiness he was feeling with his friend. Aside from that, however, something about the idea of Phoenix being his sister just felt weird. He remembered how he and Eirlys were as siblings and he felt nothing like that towards Phoenix. “I’m not your brother,” he stated firmly.

She glanced up at him, “I, um… you don’t like that?”

He realized he had gone tense and forced his muscles to relax as he gave a half-smile and said, “I’d rather be a close friend… or we can figure out something else… I just– I don’t have the best track record with family,” he admitted with a grimace before a thought came to him and he smirked as he added, “Plus, you can come to me to complain about your other family members this way.”

Phoenix laughed and relaxed against him again, still taking comfort in the hug, as she said, “Well, thanks for making me feel better when I feel like utter garbage.”

He chuckled, “Any time, Princess.”

Uriel wondered for the hundredth time within the last hour if he had completely lost his mind finally as he waited for Lord Wayland to call him into his study. He had made his way back to the estate after Phoenix had calmed down and said she was going to stop by Mother’s Cupboard to see if there was some good enchanting paper for making scrolls after learning how to recently; hoping the new activity might get her mind off her failures as an Adventurer that he tried to refute.

He didn’t think he could be nearly as convincing as Dazien, but he had watched the gemite talk circles around people for years and had come to learn one of the best tricks the man had: blatant overwhelming honesty.

There was no way that what Phoenix had told him matched the reality that he had observed from the Paladin during the last half a year they’d been training under him. The stoic man looked at Phoenix exactly like his father had looked at him and his sister. He saw the love and pride there constantly and he knew Saiya would confirm it. His hastily made plan now was to try and call the man out on the obvious lies and apologize to Phoenix.

When he was finally called in, he found the lord sitting at the usual desk, hands folded atop an open journal, and watching him with a blank expression as the Paladin asked, “What brings the shadow to come see me alone?”

Uriel shut the door behind him, instantly regretting cutting off his only escape, but resolved himself to approach the Emerald Caster as he said, “I don’t think Daze would agree with me being here.”

A golden eyebrow raised and a smirk pulled at Paul's lips as he asked, “Yet you came anyways? I admit I’m intrigued. What makes you go behind your King’s back? Here to ask me to rescind the adoption offer?”

The Mage’s features twisted at the idea and he retorted, “I would never ask that. You honestly think I’d hurt Daze like that?”

Paul spread his arms to either side, “I wouldn’t know because you’ve never asked me for anything before. So what is it you’ve finally come to ask for if not that?”

Uriel hesitated but the memory of Phoenix’s tears and self-deprecation pushed him forward, “You lied to Phoenix about her being useless and weak. I want you to apologize and let us join the upcoming battle.”

The Paladin’s expression went blank, “You’re calling me a liar?”

He rubbed his earrings as his constant reminder to stay calm. Then he sensed the Emerald aura press past the Crystal Caste Silencer he wore to prod at his being and he resolutely responded, “Assuming you’re not calling Phoenix one, then yes. She’s not weak or useless in the slightest and nobody should get to make her feel that way; not even you.”

The terrifying lord surprised him by grimacing and admitting, “You’re right. I only told her that to get her to stop pushing and actually listen to my orders.”

Uriel blinked, “Wait, so you made her question her own value just to keep her from fighting?”

“You’re not the first person to reprimand me for it, alright?”

“No, it’s not alright!” he said, throwing his hands into the air in a rare display of frustration that he quickly pushed down as his jaw clenched, “You haven’t told her that. You need to tell her and let us fight.”

Lord Wayland’s eyes narrowed at him, “No.”

“No?!”

“No,” the Paladin repeated, folding large arms over a cream tunic, “I’m not letting you all fight without an Emerald there to intervene so, for now, you’ll remain on the wall.”

Uriel shook his head, “That’ll just make Phoenix believe your lie more!”

Lord Wayland’s face darkened and taunted him, “Take those earrings and collar off, and then tell me that you honestly believe you’re all ready to face what’s out there without causing my Protégé’s Corruption or Dazien’s death. Let me see what your resolve actually looks like.”

He felt his heart sink into his stomach for a moment before he unclenched his fists and began removing the golden cuffs on his ears.

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