"Heal!"
This was my first attempt at an advanced water healing spell, impossible without assuming my blue-winged form.
Thankfully, my efforts proved fruitful. Upon successfully channeling and releasing this magic, Eleanora's grotesquely twisted neck rapidly reverted to normal before my very eyes. Her pallid, asphyxiated complexion also gradually regained color.
"She's really revived?"
Brennan reached out hesitantly to check her breathing before finally relaxing. The battered Alfreed rushed over, disregarding everything else to verify.
Awesome, it worked amazingly well! An injury this severe would be fatal anywhere else. But in this magical realm, I pulled her back from the brink using water magic - undisputedly the most potent healing discipline!
While Eleanora's sixth-tier vitality allowed her to cling on longer, reviving her from the dead remained an incredible feat.
Capitalizing on this experience, I swiftly rejuvenated Alfreed too, his myriad wounds instantly mending.
Suddenly I realized...did I even need Eleanora anymore? With she still unconscious, I could single-handedly supersede her role without incantation delays, drastically increasing efficiency!
If only I fully mastered reverting from this blue form, I'd be unstoppable!
"No matter your wings' nature, I won't let you evade the same fate as her!"
The revived healer, doubling the "bliss"? Though still baffled how an angel could use water spells, Mirium refused allowing that situation again. Replicating her previous tactic, she lunged straight at me.
Clearly her urgency exceeded when assailing Eleanora, her strikes far more vicious. But my own prowess exceeded Eleanora's - I welcomed this opportunity!
"You think I only know healing, like Eleanora?"
Grabbing the preemptively summoned Water Abyss Sword, I retaliated unflinchingly. As the blade neared her skull, Mirium finally sensed its abnormality, barely twisting aside as it transfixed her arm instead...
Not an instant kill? I felt some disappointment. But no hide could withstand the potent dehydrating effect. Within seconds, her bulging bicep visibly shriveled.
For the first time, this dragonkin suffered severe damage before us. Clutching her wounded arm, she cried out agonizingly.
Yet again I underestimated her fortitude. A dragon remained a dragon! Mirium's might exceeded mere brute force - she also possessed an innate command over the elements! Pain only enraged her jaw unhinged, spewing a torrent of flame directly at me.
The legendary dragon's breath! Unlike regular fire, studies confirmed it burned hotter and deadlier than even a phoenix's blazing exhalations!
In my normal state, an elemental assault would merely tickle. But my blue form drastically weakened that resistance. Though water boasted fire-affinity, I could not withstand such point-blank dragonfire!
"Aaargh!!"
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I felt my very skin charring, agonies no ordinary angel could ever endure, let alone focus to heal. Worst of all, Mirium's vengeful torrent persisted relentlessly while my allies lacked the means to intervene effectively. All I could do was desperately shield my wings from igniting.
Just as I neared my limits, the inferno miraculously ceased! Not due to Mirium's volition, but rather an arrow embedded in her shoulder.
This utterly mundane projectile bore no special markings. Yet its presence signaled its owner could no longer remain idle - Adrian had arisen, sternly aiming a bow at Mirium.
"She is my queen - dare harm another feather and face my wrath!"
He swiftly approached with concern. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine..."
My feelings conflicted. When Alfreed suffered grievously, when Eleanora neared death, he could calmly spectate. Yet he ultimately intervened to protect me, which deeply touched me.
But I also felt puzzled...
From what I knew of Adrian, he would never willingly strike old friends! Yet accounting for his complex relations here, it was clear his prior aloofness aimed to avoid conflict...but entrusting Mirium with slaying us all? I could scarcely believe he'd sanction such cruelty.
Or did he know from the start my blue form could turn the tide? But why?
I lacked full confidence in this supposed capability. Mirium proved overwhelmingly formidable! For Adrian to risk antagonizing her just to save me seemed unfathomable.
"Hmph..."
The puny arrow inflicted little harm. Mirium plucked it out nonchalantly, restraining her fury at the last moment.
The situation turned delicate - the ruling king personally interceding for the enemy, while his ally held back instead of retaliating, as if anticipated by Adrian.
"Didn't you always claim never harming allies?"
Likely accounting for Lantine's fate hinging on Adrian, the proud dragon merely scoffed a dismissive retort, swallowing her rage.
Fernando beside the throne also reacted unnaturally, seemingly unconcerned by Adrian's actions. Even if Mirium took a severe beating, his demeanor remained largely unchanged. Aside from overtly guarding Adrian, his focus seemed more fixated on the skies overhead...
This felt even stranger. Could he be so invested in the aerial battle between the Empire and Republic's airships? Or the intense clash between Arick and Cysper in the distance? But to only notice these now seemed tardy.
"Fine, fine...as long as Feliciana remains unharmed!"
Still, we underestimated Mirium's furious retaliation once wounded. Perhaps maddened by the pain, she coldly laughed before disengaging from my Water Abyss Sword's range, redirecting her ire elsewhere.
Unlike her previously honorable conduct, Mirium no longer wasted effort tangling with the unkillable Mike and Alfreed. Her first target was the downed, mana-depleted Pope.
"Feliciana, save me!"
Of course, Mirium didn't realize it was Cyra that currently possessed Pope's body. Receiving her frantic plea, I could only watch helplessly - still recovering from Mirium's dragonfire, I lacked the strength to rush that distance.
Adrian too seemed stunned, evidently not foreseeing Mirium's vicious outburst. By the time he tried intervening, it was too late.
Fortunately, Mike tackled Cyra at the last second, shielding her from Mirium's furious punch that sent them both flying - yet again halted by the railings from plummeting.
The throne room's railings, eternal saviors!
Though the defensive enchantments persisted, Mike coughed blood but remained standing. However, Cyra fared worse, merely slipping into unconsciousness rather than perishing.
Her fainting boded ill, especially in these perilous circumstances. As I foresaw, seconds later she reawakened - but possibly no longer as "Cyra".
"Where is this...?"
Surveying his surroundings, Cysper shook his head groggily before realizing he had swapped back. He then urgently craned towards the aerial battle's location.
"Oh no, Cyra's in danger!"
In the distant skies, Cyra's true form battling Arick jolted, her distraction allowing the demon's fist to graze her. She screamed, blasted away before barely stabilizing herself.
"Huh, you shouldn't fall for such feint attacks so easily...before you..."
Arick eyed his fist quizzically before lunging at Cyra again in another probing strike.
"Oh no, stay away!"
Seeing this, Cyra immediately fled while shouting frantically.
"Hahaha, finally exhausting you! I admit underestimating your tricks initially. But nowhere to run now!"
Uncaring about Cyra's state, the vengeance-driven Arick excitedly gave chase.
"No, quickly flee!"
I cried out anxiously. Having just escaped one peril into another, even with high-speed flight, Cyra's two wings could never outpace Arick's pursuit!
Watching her nearing capture while too far to intervene...