55 - The Blade of Pure Love (Patreon)

Phoenix had been a nervous wreck as she tried to be helpful while also paying attention to the battle her mentor was fighting in the distance. Keeping her portal available to those who were still retreating from the hastily constructed camp they were in was the best she could do while listening to Dazien give a verbal play-by-play over the mental communication ability while their party was split in two.

“I think the vessel is fighting the dragon now,” he reported with a hint of disbelief.

“Seriously?” Rayna piped up, “You’re actually telling me that Phoenix’s crazy stunt is actually helping Paul fight a Ruby Caste monster?”

“Why would you have to say it like that?” the Defender complained, “Now she’s going to keep doing them.”

“Pretty sure we’ve already established that is her Role,” the pugilist retorted.

“You’re sure Paul got out of it when he got swallowed?” Phoenix double-checked nervously, wishing now that she had stayed on the hill to watch.

“I saw the explosion and hole ripped through its side but I told you the Casters are moving too fast for me to be completely sure,” the gemite reiterated and she gave an annoyed huff.

“I don’t like having to just wait here while he’s fighting like this,” she complained, crossing her arms in a self-hug that was further reinforced by Saiya coming up from behind to wrap furred forearms and tails around her as well. The Healer and Mage had been the ones to accompany her back down to the staging area that was attempting to get clear of any potential Ruby Caste threat.

“We’ll just have to trust in his strength,” Saiya replied softly.

“We would just be a liability in a fight like that,” Uriel quietly pointed out, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, “While I understand wanting to help, Lord Wayland made it quite clear that he would get distracted by our presence. He’s already fighting on the back foot.”

As the last of the remaining Adventurers in the camp retreated through her portal, she opened her next one to rejoin Dazien and Rayna who were still perched on the nearby hill to watch the battle while wrapped in the shadows of her aura. She pulled out her own [Crystal Spyglass] to try and see if she could spot anything but it wasn’t a match for Dazien’s [Eagle Eye] passive when it came to readjusting and scanning the wreckage for signs of Paul.

Phoenix caught a glimpse of a small crystal hovering in the air and she asked the group incredulously, “Was that a Sense Stone? Is someone over there actually trying to record everything?”

“I thought it would be useful for the historians and the AOA reports I know that Director woman is going to make me fill out,” Everin’s voice replied over the network, “I’m staying well away and controlling them remotely so no need to worry about my safety or distracting Paul.”

“Are you at least helping him?!”

“I gave him Boons and plan to move in once the battle is over– oh nice! That dragon is very dead now.”

The Wayfarer moved her spyglass again and, sure enough, it looked like a giant pile of sashimi had been poured over the ship. Then Dazien gasped from beside her as a flash of lightning pulled her attention and she saw Paul frozen in mid-air for a split second before getting pinned to a nearby wall. 

She whispered, “No,” right as the Paladin vanished in a series of flashing lights that appeared like glitter through the lens of her spyglass.

“Is that the ability you mentioned seeing him use the first time you reunited, Uriel?” the Defender asked the Mage standing behind them.

“I can’t tell from this distance,” Uriel replied, “But how many abilities would he have that produce a bunch of flashes as he annihilates a swarm?”

“I think he just killed the ship,” Everin noted from his closer position that she didn’t even bother trying to find. “Now it’s just the Caster that he’ll need to– oh sh–”

“What happened? Where is he?” Phoenix asked in a panicked rush, trying to find her mentor once more in her limited sight.

“On the very top level. He just cut the enemy in half and the Caster didn’t grow a new pair of legs! That’s not usually what happens at Ruby before the killing blow that burns through the remaining magic keeping them alive. These recordings are going to be amazing to watch when we–”

“Help him!” Phoenix yelled, interrupting the voxen as she watched Paul stumble and fall to his knees, the black wings vanishing as his golden Familiar appeared to stop him from landing on his face. Then she flung herself down the hill, sprinting to get her aura in range to portal to her mentor.

This One does not like being manifested outside of the summoner. Wayland is safe and soothing. Wayland’s thoughts and perspective help This One see the world around them differently and, when manifested in my own form, This One loses the filters and additional information Wayland’s mind grants.

Now, however, Wayland was falling.

This One caught him. It would not do for Wayland to take even more damage from a fall, even a short one. This One was careful to lay Wayland down on his side. Wayland was still awake but weak. Much too weak for a Ruby Caster.

“Wayland must stay awake to see the young ones again,” This One logically pointed out to the summoner’s previously spoken desire.

“I… I don’t think I can anymore, Bela,” Wayland replied aloud, coughing slightly at the action and This One noticed the dark blood that now covered Wayland’s lips. That was not good. Then Wayland’s magically constructed armor and sword vanished, leaving him in only the Emerald Caste under armor. Not good at all.

This One reached into the pouch always held at Wayland’s hip and pulled out the [Maniac’s Sorrow] salve again, moving Wayland slightly forward to get at his back. This One continued talking to keep Wayland awake, just like This One had been doing for the last five days to keep the summoner going, “Little Miss will be upset if Wayland does not stay awake for her right now.”

Wayland chuckled, though This One did not understand why. Little Miss being upset was not funny and Wayland falling asleep now would have a 98% probability of him not waking again. None of this situation was funny but humans were odd creatures that would often laugh instead of cry.

“Do you think she’ll yell at me?”

“Wayland would deserve it for not listening to This One.”

“Will… Do you think Phoenix and Dazien will hate me?”

This One did not understand why Wayland would ask that. From This One’s observations, the Little Miss was very forgiving of the stubborn human. It was obvious to everyone that the Little Miss did not hate Wayland and seemed to be blind to many of the summoner’s flaws. The Little King was much the same, always looking to Wayland for guidance and affirmation.

“This One does not predict Little Miss or Little King will ever hate Wayland. Why does Wayland think they might?”

Wayland chuckled again, obviously losing control of what little mental faculties remained, “Because the Blade of Pure Wrath broke his promises and went off to die?”

An odd sensation occurred in This One’s core, like all the pieces of This One’s being tightening around it in an effort to shield it from damage. This One will need to run a diagnostic ritual later to analyze if anything may be broken.

“This One does not like when Wayland tries to make predictions. They are always terrible,” This One pointed out pragmatically. 

This One noticed the Rebel Fox arrive then, holding a handful of Sense Stones that the voxen was putting in a bag, and This One gave Wayland a different prediction, “This One thinks after today, the people of Tulim will call Wayland the Blade of Pure Love instead. It will fit much better.”

A coughing laugh this time. More blood that was turning black pooled near Wayland’s head and This One rubbed more of the salve on. Making sure the Blood Banes were all gone. Then This One searched for another [Healing Potion] in the bag as Wayland asked, “Why would they call me that?”

“Because everyone will know what you did to save them all,” the Rebel Fox stated but the vulpine smile did not look normal. It looked forced. “I’ll make sure of it. Now stay still and don’t argue about me healing you.”

“Rebel Fox can cleanse Void Banes?” This One asked, needing to add the knowledge to my mental databases.

The Healer laughed. This One did not understand what was funny about the inquiry.

“Does your Familiar always call me that?” the Rebel Fox asked Wayland, placing a furry white hand on the summoner’s shoulder and whispering healing incantations.

“Yes,” Wayland confirmed with a groan, “She calls people exactly how she sees them.”

“I see,” the voxen said, then turned to look at This One and added with a frown, “No, I can’t. I can only buy time.”

Then Little Miss’ portal appeared nearby. This One was pleased that Wayland would get his desire at least. This One hoped it would not be the last time Wayland’s desire was granted and that a solution to the current problem would present itself soon.

This One wanted to reach Obsidian and be able to stay with Wayland forever.

Phoenix was startled by the sight of Paul lying halfway between his side and on his stomach, with Everin kneeling in front of him and Orebela leaning over his back. By the time she had finally arrived, the wild weather infused with magic had shifted in this area, turning the rain into snow and becoming softer. The lightening effect caused a somber feeling as it washed out any color and she didn’t care for that one bit.

The blank face was slightly disconcerting but Phoenix could tell from body language alone that the android-like Familiar was fretting over her downed summoner. Rubbing the ointment on nasty blackened wounds where wings once were.

“Wayland is very injured and has Banes from the enemy that are not stopping despite the Caster’s death,” Orebela explained in her mind.

Tendrils of black veins seemed to trail from the twin cuts, though the gashes were slowly closing. Phoenix knew the crow wings were only missing because Orebela wasn’t merged to conjure them but it looked as if they had been savagely torn from the Paladin’s back. A Fallen angel never to soar again.

No.

She couldn’t let that happen.

Phoenix moved towards Everin’s side, placing herself near the Paladin’s head as she checked to make sure he was still awake. She could feel his aura still, which let her know that he was at least still alive, but it was completely unrestrained, flooding the area with its purifying powers of fire and light.

“Paul? Are you still awake? Everin’s going to fix you up and then we’re gonna go home for you to sleep in a bed, okay?” she said hopefully, glancing up at the Cleric who didn’t smile.

“I’m sorry, young one,” Paul replied, sounding weaker than she had ever heard him before.

“Don’t be,” she murmured, “It’s okay that you got hurt but you still won and now we’re gonna heal you up and–”

“I’m sorry I can’t go on our adventure,” he said in a rush, as though trying to get out his words before he passed out from exhaustion, “I’m sorry I won’t be there to shield you anymore.”

“Stop it.”

“I’m sorry I hid things from you.”

“Stop talking like this.”

“I’m sorry I can’t–”

“STOP IT!” she yelled, ignoring the sensation of Dazien, Uriel, and Saiya walking through her portal and shouted, “Stop talking like you’re dying! You can’t die! It’s not allowed!”

Her vision blurred and she hoped the gently falling snow would hide her tears as she continued berating the foolish Paladin who seemed to just be giving up on her, “Everin is here. Saiya is here now. She can cleanse. There are potions in your satchel. I have an [Elixir of Divine Cleansing]!”

“You do?” the Cleric asked, suddenly perking up.

“Yes. I had…” she trailed off, realizing it was missing from her collection, then glanced at Uriel as she remembered who she had used it on, “I… I had one but…”

The cinderen’s eyes went wide in realization before turning into the most pained expression she had ever seen on his face then suddenly going completely blank. She recognized it now; when the earrings he still wore during combat would activate and make him numb.

“She used it to save another life that was equally worth saving,” Dazien said firmly and she wouldn’t disagree. Both men were important to her and she wouldn’t bring herself to try to choose between them.

“I did,” she reaffirmed, turning back to Everin, “You’re Emerald Caste. Don’t you have a powerful cleanse that can take care of whatever is happening?”

“Being able to cleanse Divine Banes is insanely rare, Phoenix,” the Cleric said, still having that stupid frown that made everything seem so much worse, “And even if I could, I’m still not Ruby myself. The Banes would resist anything I attempt… it’s… there’s nothing I or Saiya can do.”

“There must be something!” she yelled, “He can’t die!”

Then she felt a hand on her cheek, clearing her vision with a thumb as she heard Paul say soothingly, the way he sounded when she woke from a nightmare, “Hey, everything will be okay.”

“No, it won’t be,” she sobbed, hoping this current nightmare would end already.

“You’ll be okay, Phoenix.”

“No, I won’t.”

“You will shine, young one…” Paul coughed again and she focused on his face as he looked at her with those bright blue eyes that she rarely got to see as he softly spoke while wiping her tears, “You are the stars and moon enlightening the night, the sun that banishes the monsters, my strength, my hope… my daughter.”

“You can’t die… you’re my dad… you promised.”

Paul gave a pained smile, “I’m sorry, love,” he whispered and closed his eyes.

She caught his hand as it slipped from her cheek and didn’t break down into sobs right then only because she could still feel his aura embracing her own. He was only sleeping then.

Dazien knelt down next to her and spoke over her towards Everin, “Please, Cleric Starlark, isn’t there something you can do? Surely your goddess wouldn’t leave her Chosen without her Mentor,” the gemite said, then wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders as he added, “Please… save our dad.”

“I–” the voxen paused as she looked up at him, begging with her eyes and soul, “I can try…” he stated slowly before adding, “Just don’t hate me if this doesn’t work.”

Author’s Note: This is basically what I listened to on repeat for this chapter: https://open.spotify.com/track/0iZhV1g7Bew4gqT0bAJOFf?si=k1VLaZqATKGPRweq601c4Q 

For extra heart-wrenching, I 100% picture Paul singing it to Phoenix.
Have a wonderful weekend 😁

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