Echoes of War, Ch 25: Ayala's Determination (Patreon)

One by one, the arcs of astral energy infused with Shatter Aura cut through the air, separating out the damage done to Helimar’s aura. At several points in the process, Sam paused and asked the bishop to heal him, since his body was too damaged by the changes to endure, even with his high Constitution as a Paladin.

As the process continued, Helimar’s body began to change, losing the scales and the excess size that had come from his changes. The curses infusing his aura and magnifying it were cut away and destroyed, and as the healing spells landed on him, they helped to weave his original aura back together. It was fortunate that the man had a strong history of healing in his past. Once the interference was removed, his body knew what it was supposed to be.

As best he could, Sam analyzed the pattern of the man’s meridians and class structure, making sure not to damage anything in his original aura that made him who he was. It was arduous and time-consuming, but it was proceeding.

Eventually, Sam let out a breath of turbid air as he finished and stepped back, looking at Ayala’s father. Helimar stood alone at the center of the cell, although he was barely able to stay on his feet. The white chains around him were all that held him up, their position held steady by the wards around the room.

He was no longer half Nespati. His muscles were thin and almost emaciated. Bony ribs were visible beneath the shredded shirt he was wearing, and his shoulders looked too large for his arms, but he was human again. His eyes were unfocused, staring at the far wall, and it wasn’t clear if he was aware of anything.

“Slower healing will be needed,” Sam said quietly as he studied him, “and exercise and good food to bring him back to health.”

“The church will definitely care for him,” the bishop replied in a whisper as he studied Helimar. He could see the changes in the Paladin’s body, but his voice was still doubtful. “Is he truly healed?”

“He is physically,” Sam said slowly as he scanned Helimar again for confirmation. There was no longer any trace of an Outsider aura in him. His body and spirit were fully human again, although weak. There was one strange thing as he Analyzed him, however.

Helimar Lirian. World Knight-Sun Blade. Level 243.

Condition: Emaciated.

Race: Human

Pending Class Change: Fallen Templar.

There were a number of other details listed as part of the Heroic-tier ability’s information, but those were the relevant ones. The most important things were his level and the strange class change option.

It looked like he had returned to the level he was before the experiment. All of the experience he’d gained had been tied into the new aura, and when Sam tore it away, that energy went with it. It probably had to happen, since experience strengthened what was there. It had been strengthening his new form, not his original one.

As for the pending class change, Sam had never seen anything like it. It felt like something the World Core hadn’t completely decided on, or perhaps something that Helimar would need to accept or reject on his own. It looked like the World Core was offering him a path that let him leave the church, if he wanted to take it.

“He has two paths in front of him,” Sam said with a frown. “He’ll have to decide which one to follow once he’s feeling up to it.” His words were a little mysterious to those around him, but he didn’t explain.

Classes were linked to a person’s energy meridians and their inner spirit. Helimar’s experiences must have significantly altered him, at least enough that a second option had opened. His road diverged here, and it was up to him which path to take.

“My main concern is for his mind,” he added as he studied the man. “His thoughts may not be stable after undergoing such an intense change. It wouldn’t be a surprise if his personality is different.”

He wasn’t sure if Helimar would remember everything he’d done, but he had a feeling he would. Those thoughts might be enough for him to want to punish himself. Perhaps that was what the Fallen Templar class was all about.

“We can only pray that such a difficult trial will lead him to wisdom and compassion,” the bishop said earnestly. “Many saints have undergone trials and come out stronger for them, and many have also failed. I hope that he will succeed.”

“It will be up to him,” Sam said, remaining noncommittal. He felt like Helimar deserved a break after all of this, even if it meant the church lost a strong warrior. If the man wanted to go back to what he was doing though, and keep his current classes, that was up to him. “Just make sure not to rush him into a decision until he’s recovered.”

“We’ll take him to a guest room now,” the bishop agreed as he stepped forward and raised his hand. Words of a prayer left his lips and, a moment later, the chains around Helimar lost their luster as they fell to the floor with a booming clang.

Helimar staggered as the weight left him and began to fall over, but before anyone else could intervene, Ayala was there, holding her father up as she stood under his shoulder. The man’s dazed eyes turned to her as he leaned on her.

“Little Ayala...” he whispered faintly, his eyes never leaving her face. He let out a faint sigh before his eyes closed and he slumped forward, falling unconscious on her shoulder.

Ayala drew in a sharp breath as she held onto him fiercely, even tighter and then she turned to look at the others who were watching.

“No,” she said adamantly as she stared around the room. Her voice was fierce and her eyes were blazing suddenly. It was a sharp change from the rigidity she’d displayed while watching Sam work. “He’s my father. I’ll take care of him. The church has done enough.”

Her words were as sharp as a blade, making it clear that she placed a great deal of blame at the church’s door for what had happened. She only glanced at the bishop and the attendants for a moment before she went back to studying her father. Her eyes were fixed on his face, and there was a spark of hope in her expression that hadn’t been there before, like a tiny blossom that had just appeared.

“Our house should still be here,” she added faintly. “I’ll take him home, where he can rest.”

“Lass, you...” the bishop began, his expression changing to slight displeasure, but given that she was Helimar’s daughter, he restrained himself and changed what he was about to say to something calmer. “Let us take care of him here. He might still be in danger. Do you think you can do a better job than the healers of the Ivory Fortress?”

“I won’t let you fill his life with nothing but work!” Ayala said, her expression turning fierce as she looked over her shoulder. “He deserves to rest! What more do you want from him? Hasn’t he paid enough?!”

Her father had barely been around throughout her life and now years of pent-up frustration were pouring out at once. Her words sent a sudden silence throughout the room, followed by frowns as the attendants prepared to argue, but a sharp word from the bishop made them fall silent.

“What if he is not healed, and suddenly lashes out at you?!” the bishop asked. His words were even, but his tone was forced. His temper was rising as Ayala’s words pricked at his pride and authority. “What then? He’s your father, but he is also my old friend! Here, he will have healing and guards to watch him, and everything he needs to return to his old state. Do you really think you can compete with that?”

“Enough,” Sam said quietly, but his voice rang through the area and brought a sudden silence to the argument that was just starting. “He’s lucky to have survived at all and he’s in no condition for this. He will go with Ayala. If she wishes to stay here, I will support her. She may also return to the Moonlight Relic, where there are plenty of people to keep an eye on him and to help him recover. The choice is hers. When he is recovered, he will have his own choices to make about what to do in the future.”

Even as he spoke, he reached out and wrapped Helimar and Ayala both in a wave of astral energy. It supported Helimar’s weight and pulled them both over to his side. The power signature was so intense that it made it feel like the stone of the cell was translucent. When it faded, no one moved until Krana suddenly ducked under Helimar’s other arm, supporting him on the far side.

“I’ll help too,” the dwarf said as she broke the silence. Helimar was tall and gangly compared to the dwarf, but it didn’t stop her from helping. She was twice as broad across the shoulder as he was in his current state and if she’d wanted to, she probably could have hoisted him over her head with one hand.

“This is foolish,” the bishop muttered as he recovered and looked at the young women. “He’s a World Knight, not some retired villager who’s supposed to eat soup and sit in bed. He needs exercise and training, and support from the church to recover.”

His words were a complaint, but they lacked force after Sam’s decision. When he turned to Sam to plead his case, he couldn’t help but jerk back, unable to hold his gaze at all.

“My forces at the relic are strong enough to heal him and to support his recovery,” Sam said confidently. “If she wants to take him there, it will be fine.”

He’d analyzed what he could of the Outsider changes in Helimar and he understood them well enough. He wasn’t concerned that Helimar would revert to a monstrous form. The change was the result of a curse linked to Nespati blood he’d consumed, which must have been in the potion that the Cabal alchemist gave him.

It had spread throughout his entire body, but there was no longer any sign of it. Now that it was destroyed, there was no longer any catalyst to change him again. He just needed to recover from the effect of the healing. Separating his aura had cost him a lot of strength, even if most of it was paid by the experience he’d gained and lost again.

“We’ll go to the relic then,” Ayala said as she glanced at her father and then at Sam. Her words were decisive. It was clear that staying in Osera would only cause trouble with the church, even if their old home was here. “I apologize for any burden that we might be.”

“It’s no burden.” Sam waved away the words immediately. “It will be good for him to rest there. A new place and a new beginning, whatever he chooses.”

He’d been afraid of Helimar once, but many things had changed since then. For all that he’d worried about the World Knight and what he would do if he saw a “demon” near his daughter, Helimar had never actually harmed him, so there was no reason to treat him badly. He was just a man in a bad situation in need of help.

His interference might leave the bishop feeling insulted, but at the same time, it wouldn’t matter that much. He was the one who had helped restore Helimar, and the man did need healing. Keeping him away from the church was probably for the best, since it would give him time to make his own decision about what to do in the future. As for what that was, it didn’t matter much to Sam.

One more or one less Second Evolution fighter wouldn’t make a difference in the long run.

As for Ayala, he approved her sudden determination to help her father. Hopefully, it would be a chance for the two of them to grow closer.

“Thank you for the hospitality,” he said to the bishop. “The Church of the World Law is a strong force for good in the world. I look forward to working with you in the future. If Helimar recovers, I know that he will find you again in his own time. For now, you are always welcome to visit the Moonlight Relic.”

“You honor us with your presence and your words,” the bishop said formally. He was frowning slightly as he held back his frustration, but he couldn’t complain too much. Sam had fixed a large problem for them and if he was insisting that Helimar recover under his daughter’s care, it wasn’t that much of a stretch.

“I hope the World Knight is well taken care of,” he added, “but with your assurance, I’m sure that there will be no problem at all. I will come to visit him myself in a couple of months to check on his health. I hope that he recovers swiftly.” He paused then, as a thought occurred to him.

“I am sure that the church will send a contingent to hear about the World Limit. I will notify my superiors. This kingdom doesn’t have many saints, but some might come from other lands. If you were not so favored by the World Law, I would worry about what this means for the world. Aster Fall needs her strongest to defend her.”

“Yes, she does,” Sam agreed, but he didn’t continue the topic for long. “I invite you and any others interested to come to the Moonlight Relic in three months for the Conclave of the Moons. Rest assured that the price for leaving will be enough to make it a worthwhile trade. For now, farewell. It’s time to take Helimar back to rest.”

He felt like the meeting he’d made up needed a more formal name, and Conclave of the Moons sounded official enough. It represented the history of the Moonlight Relic and the promise of escape from Aster Fall, since the moons were out of reach for people here. It would do well enough. Without waiting for the bishop to interject again, he looked toward the door.

With a wave of his hand, he surrounded Helimar, Ayala, and Krana in a wave of silver light and all of them disappeared. The wards here had blocked his sight coming in, but now that he’d seen their structure and was inside, teleporting out wasn’t difficult at all. They reappeared on the deck of the Ice Drake.

Ayala and Krana were still holding Helimar up, but within moments, the nagas helped to get the man settled. He was taken below deck and given a cabin to rest in, while Ayala and Krana stayed by his side. Sam followed them down, scanning the man one last time now that he was outside of the church’s wards, but his aura was free of Outsider influence.

“He should be fine now, once he rests,” he said to Ayala as he turned to head back upstairs. “Your healing abilities should guide you in what he needs. I’ll have the Ice Drake head back to the relic and you can set him up at your house. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you,” Ayala said seriously as she looked over at him. “I’ll remember what you’ve done for him, and for me. Ever since my mother left the first time, he’s never been happy. Even when she returned, he didn't forgive himself, but he also didn't change. I hope this is a new beginning for him.”

Her voice was firmer than usual, as if she’d taken on a new responsibility. Her shoulders were straight now and her posture was confident. She no longer seemed like the lost young priestess. Seeing her father had changed her.

Krana had told Sam about the story she was referring to. Ayala's mother had apparently taken her away for a year when she was four and only returned reluctantly. It was a defining moment in Ayala's life, but this was the first time he'd heard about the impact on Helimar.

“He deserves to have the world help him for once,” he said as he looked at her and then her father. “I hope you both find what you’re looking for.”

Perhaps it would also be a new beginning for the two of them as well, if they took advantage of this time to talk. With her increasing level and her connections at the relic, Ayala didn’t need to fear her father pressuring her like he had in the past. She had the space she needed to be herself. With Krana’s help, he was sure she would find out what that was. The seer had always been perceptive. Even now, the dwarf was watching her friend carefully.

With a nod, Sam left the room and headed back up to the deck. With the speed of the Ice Drake, it wouldn’t take that long to drop Ayala and Helimar off at the relic. Saving Helimar was important, but this trip had turned into far more than that.

He had no doubt that the Boundless Alliance and the church would come out in force for the Conclave of the Moons, along with any other Level 399s who heard about it. Word should spread quickly, especially if he sent messages across the kingdom to key powers. Then, he would really see what strength was hiding in this kingdom.

Over the next few months, he’d have to come to an arrangement with the World Core to make sure it worked, but he wasn’t too concerned. It would agree to a deal that helped it, and he already had the bargaining chips he needed. Repairing the relic and an experience trade would be enough.

A notification was lingering on the edge of his mind, and as the Ice Drake lifted off from the Ivory Fortress, he let it come. A shining silver trumpet sang a series of bright notes in his mind.

High Artificer of Aster Fall, your effort to repair the natural auras of Aster Fall aligns with the purpose of the World Core. Your work is Acknowledged.

You are awarded one Class and General Level. You are now Level 336.

You gain 2 Marks.

You gain the Trait: Aura Weaver.

[Wisdom +10. This Trait has a supplementary effect on your Aura Forger ability. You will find it easier in the future to hold complex auras stable as you work on them, and to merge and divide the flows of energy.]

The flood of energy from the World Core gathered around him, making the prow of the Ice Drake shine like a second sun as it fused into him. Crackling strength sizzled along his limbs and jumped from bone to bone. He felt his mind sharpen in a strange way as the trait settled in, like his perception was being enhanced, and it felt like something was stretching.

Then it was gone.

He looked down at his hands as he flexed his fingers, testing out the new feeling that was already fading away. He still hadn’t gotten used to the World Core’s rewards again. It was so different from the rest of the galaxy. After a moment, however, he pushed the thought away and turned his attention to the Aura Weaver trait, studying it with interest.

It enhanced Wisdom rather than Intelligence or Aura, and it enhanced his perception in some way that he didn’t quite understand. It felt like the auras of the world had become a little more colorful, almost, as if their hues were saturated.

He could tell that the trait wasn’t a change in his basic ability, which would have been difficult even for the World Core to accomplish. Instead, it was somehow helping him to see what was already there in a better way, like it had added a new focus to his vision.

Theories on auras ran through his mind as he compared the change to his ancestral memories and studied the difference. This trait had to be something the Titans or Asenya had come up with in later years that was recorded in the World Core. It felt like an advanced theory to some of the ideas in his memories. Eventually, a grin appeared on his lips.

He didn’t know if the World Core had intended it, but a series of runes was shimmering in his mind’s eye now, ones related to vision and attention. It probably wasn’t what the core had intended, but it would be very useful to him in the future with a handful of related concepts, including enhancing his awareness and focusing abilities.

The Path of Stars undoubtedly had similar abilities recorded in it, but it was different from the World Core. It took a hands-off approach. It saw him as an inheritor with status equal to those who had come before, so it was more interested in letting him find his own path rather than borrowing from others. It would teach him, but it would rather pass on foundational theories. If he wanted something more specific, he had to know what to ask for.

The World Core took shortcuts.

“An unexpected gain,” he said quietly as he studied the result. His grin was still there. “This might be useful in searching for Asenya’s workshops if any traces of them remain.”

Eventually, however, his thoughts turned to the dimensional gate on the central plains and the newly activated ruins. As soon as he dropped off Ayala, that’s where he was heading next.