Chapter 5 I Need No Shield.

Lenna felt almost weightless. Her shoulders and neck were sore for some reason. She felt a little cold as well but not overly so. A soft groan escaped her as she cracked open her eyes and took in the room. She was forced to squint under the glowing stone light. “Where-” She cut her own question off once she heard how hoarse her voice was. “I need water.” She said and turned her head to look around. The first thing she noticed was the stone tub that she was in. The second thing was a familiar arm looped under her armpit to keep her from sinking. The third, and most important in her opinion, was a pair of familiar, handsome, silver eyes. The eyes were framed in tiredness, relief, and love.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He said to her and kissed her forehead. “How’d you sleep?”

“Water.” Lenna replied in a croak. Isaac chuckled and withdrew his arm from hers and rose into a stretch.

“Okay.” He told her. “I’ll go get you some water.” He nodded towards her other side. “That’s Harry by the way. He helped a lot.” Isaac finished and headed out the door. Lenna thought the lack of an actual door in the doorway was odd but that thought was gone almost immediately as she realized her one side still had an arm looped through it.

Lenna slowly turned her head the other direction to see who was still holding her. An enchanted steel form met her. The person was entirely wrapped in protection that still had blood on it in places but seemed to shine regardless of the grime. Lenna leaned back harder against the back wall of the tub to try and get a better view of the person but their helmeted head was lying on the edge of the tub facing away from her. She heard deep, rhythmic breathing coming from them and quickly realized that they were sound asleep. Lenna sighed and moved to get up.

She slowly pried her arm out of the stranger’s and rose to her feet while still in the tub. Water poured and poured off of her. Her clothes were entirely soaked. Lenna sighed as she staggered out of the stone tub and quickly had to sit on its edge. She still felt lightheaded and weak but she also felt something different. Lenna focused on the odd feeling and seemed to hear a string of words. She felt a sigil of magic. She knew the path mana would take and what it would do. She couldn’t help but smile as she spoke the incantation in a whisper: “The darkest depths of my rage are both sword and armor, for I need no shield.”

Isaac walked in and stared with wide eyes as Lenna finished her chant. Shadows seeped out of her skin and tendrils of shadow seemed to float upwards and behind her as if they were lighter than air. Under the shadows a dull orange glow of hidden ancient embers burned. Lenna looked at him and smiled as she focused on her aura and coated herself in it. She used the increased strength from her aura to help her stand and she turned to squarely face Isaac. “Hellfire.” He whispered.

Lenna tilted her head in confusion. “Is that really what it looks like?” She asked and then brought her hand up towards her face so she could get a good look. Sure enough, the flames of her aura were interposed with the shadows of her new spell. The look was ethereal and angry. The orange flames were full of blackness that promised ill and the shadows were filled with an ember of violence. “Woah.” She added in a whisper of her own.

“How long can you keep it up?” Isaac asked as he reached out a cup full of water towards her.

Lenna gladly took the extended drink and gulped it down before she handed it back to him. “A while if this is all I’m doing.” She replied. “The spell is designed for efficiency it seems.”

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Isaac reached out and grabbed her arm. Lenna moved to flinch back so he wouldn’t get hurt but stopped herself before she got very far. Isaac gave her a questioning look but didn’t stop reaching for her. His hand was already on her bicep before she had enough time to shrug. Isaac’s brows furrowed as he let the spell and her aura work on his hand for a moment. “Ouch.” He said casually as he pulled his hand back and peered down at his palm. “That is strange.”

“Oh?” Lenna asked.

“The shadows, they aren’t really shadows. They are some abomination of death, shadow, and a few other trace things. Something is definitely weird with the death aspect to it because it tried to kill my skin.” He explained. “It shouldn’t even be able to try to do that.” He shook his head. “Your aura is hot as always though.” His eyes then narrowed on her. “Should you be messing around already? I almost lost you, you know.” He added quietly and the sternness of his face relaxed into weary relief.

“Almost lost me?” Lenna questioned. “What happened?” She asked and looked around. “Where are we? Why are we here? Who is that?”

Isaac chuckled and pulled her into a hug. She quickly cut the power to her new spell so it wouldn’t attack him and returned the hug. “You are starting to sound like me.” He commented and squeezed a bit harder.

“Isaac, what happened?” Lenna asked again with a bit of concern in her voice. “I only remember… Jallen’s corpse was real.” She whispered. “He’s really dead.”

The sound of metal on stone drew their attention and the third person in the room groaned as he sat upright. After a short moment his head snapped to the side where Lenna had been and he found the tub empty. He visibly relaxed and sighed. His gaze drifted up and he saw Lenna wrapped in Isaac’s arms. “Hello.” He greeted Lenna. “Don’t mind me.”

Lenna nodded slowly. “Isaac,” Lenna began in a whisper. “you still didn’t tell me who that is.”

“I’d leave you two lovebirds alone but I think I’m going to need help getting up.” Harry said and wrinkled his face in pain as he shifted into a slightly less uncomfortable position.

“He helped me bring you here. He was also the one with the idea to keep you covered in holy water.” Isaac explained without letting go of her. The affection was starting to make her feel embarrassed with another person in the room.

“I see.” She replied and loosened her grip on him enough that he should have gotten the message to let her go. He did not. “Thank you.” She said to Harry before she turned her full attention back to Isaac. “Isaac, I’m fine. You’re embarrassing me in front of my benefactor.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Isaac replied but didn’t deign to let go.

Lenna sighed into him and relaxed. “Thank you… Harry.” Lenna said to the cleric.

“Glad to help.” Harry replied. “Speaking of help, Isaac, could I get a hand?”

Isaac finally let go of Lenna and she gave Harry an appreciative look. The cleric just chuckled and held out his hand so Isaac could drag him to his feet. Once on his feet Harry groaned in pain again. “Getting old?” Isaac teased the cleric who grinned in reply.

“Like my father before me.” Harry said and blinked sleepily a few times. “Thanks.” He told Isaac. “I’m going to find a bed, I know they have empty ones here somewhere.” He told Isaac and moved to leave. “Lady V’Nova,” He bid adieu to the paladin. “thank you for everything you did last night.”

Lenna didn’t get a chance to properly reply before Harry was already gone. “So… who was that exactly?” Lenna questioned Isaac again.

“Just a cleric who was born in Safeharbor and is happy that your uncle is dead.” Isaac explained. “Nice guy.”

Lenna just looked at her mate and shook her head. “Does everyone either love or hate you?” She questioned even though she already knew the answer.

“I don’t think it’s a love or hate thing that you are noticing. Everyone has a natural fear of others. For most it is a one out of a hundred on the fear scale.” Isaac explained. “Some people just express their fear as anger.”

Lenna hummed in thought and nodded her head slowly. “Then why doesn’t my aura make some people just lash out at me?” She questioned.

“Your aura isn’t just a fear effect, my love, it is a suppression effect as well. It makes people feel like they are prey and then makes them afraid.” He explained. “Like a dragon’s presence, according to the books anyway, Kahtesh is too small for me to know for sure.”

Lenna leaned into Isaac and yawned. “Let’s go home, so I can sleep.” She told him. “I am too exhausted for this right now.” Isaac chuckled and scooped her off of her feet much to Lenna’s surprise. She barely held back a yelp. “Isaac! Put me down!” She exclaimed in a whisper only for shadows to cover them both.

Isaac grinned and started walking towards the exit. “No.”