In the nascent hours, Ebonmere shimmered under the benevolent caress of the sun, the idyllic village a paragon of bucolic tranquility. Birdsong filled the air, while a gentle zephyr stirred the leaves, offering a refreshing reprieve.
Within Miller’s inn, the sunbeams, like golden lances, pierced the windows, bathing the interior in a warm, ethereal glow. The chamber where Jaxith and Irene slumbered was now suffused with light, a stark contrast to the harrowing events of the preceding night. Irene remained ensconced in the same position, her body entwined with Jaxith’s, her head resting upon his lap. Jaxith himself remained motionless, his left arm a steadfast anchor behind Irene’s back, securing her against any inadvertent shift. His right hand rested lightly upon her head, a silent guardian. Despite the precarious, upright position, he had somehow managed to succumb to slumber, his eyes closed, a picture of serene repose.
The chamber door creaked open with a sepulchral sigh, admitting an unseen presence. The intruder’s footsteps, muffled by the wooden floorboards, were nearly imperceptible. The figure advanced with deliberate stealth, approaching Jaxith and Irene. Jaxith, oblivious, remained in the same precarious position, his back turned to the entrance, leaving him entirely vulnerable. The intruder drew closer, their gaze fixed upon the slumbering pair. Finally, they halted, a mere breath away.
A sinuous arm snaked out, reaching for Irene, who lay nestled upon Jaxith’s lap. In a swift, instinctive movement, Jaxith, though his eyes remained closed, reacted. His right hand, hitherto resting lightly upon Irene’s head, shot out, seizing the wrist of the would-be interloper in an iron grip. He held fast, his eyes snapping open, a steely glint in their depths. His gaze, icy and unwavering, swept upwards, meeting the intruder’s.
“Calm yourself, it is me, Jaxith,” a voice, melodious yet firm, broke the tense silence. A woman of exquisite beauty, clad in a sapphire gown, stood before them. Her raven hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing eyes as dark as midnight, punctuated by a constellation of freckles. A grimace contorted her features as she struggled against the vise-like grip of Jaxith’s hand, her bones protesting under the immense pressure.
“Emelia?” Jaxith murmured, recognition dawning in his eyes. He maintained his hold, his gaze unwavering as he regarded her.
“Yeah, that’s me,” Emelia said, her voice laced with worry. “Can you please leave my hand? You’re really hurting it.”
Jaxith released his grip and turned to Irene. “Sorry about that,” he apologized, gently touching her face to assess her burns. Irene remained calm, though the pain was still evident.
“I’m the one who should be apologizing,” Emelia said, a smile gracing her lips. “But at least now I know how you wield that sword. I remember not being able to lift it myself, but with a grip like that, it’s no wonder you swing it so easily.”
She embarked on a perilous journey to procure specific herbs crucial for her alchemical pursuits, oblivious to the recent depredations of a feral beast in the vicinity. Fate, however, proved unkind. As she traversed the verdant expanse, a cacophony of guttural roars shattered the tranquility. A behemoth of a bear, emerging from the emerald canopy, sent her steed into a frenzied gallop. The creature, with a prodigious leap, brought the horse crashing to the ground, inverting the carriage and hurling Emelia with violent force. The impact, though cushioned somewhat by her desperate attempt at a graceful landing, resulted in a debilitating sprain to her ankle.
Witnessing the bear’s savage grip constricting the horse’s jugular vein, extinguishing its life with chilling efficiency, Emelia struggled to rise. The agonizing pain in her ankle, exacerbated by a constellation of bruises and lacerations sustained in the fall, rendered her helpless. The bear, its eyes blazing with malevolent fury, abandoned its fallen prey and fixated its attention upon her.
Terror and agony conspired to immobilize the alchemist as she recoiled against the rough bark of a nearby tree. The specter of imminent demise loomed large as the monstrous creature inexorably closed the distance between them. Yet, at the precipice of oblivion, a subtle movement, originating from the branches above her, offered a sliver of hope.
At precisely this juncture, an individual executed a forceful dropkick upon the bear’s cranium, inducing a staggering retreat. The savior, with alacrity, extracted his black blade from its sheathe over his back and charged towards the enraged beast. The bear, in a frenzy, attempted to rake the savior with its lethal claws, but the latter, with an agile sidestep, evaded the assault. In a swift and decisive motion, a single, precise strike from his right hand severed the bear’s head.
Emelia, speechless with astonishment, remained motionless. Moments prior, she had resigned herself to an inevitable demise, but now, miraculously, she still breathed. This deliverance was attributed solely to the enigmatic figure before her.
“Are you safe?” inquired the enigmatic man, turning his gaze towards her. The man’s name was Jaxith, and this was the auspicious moment of their fateful encounter, followed by their introduction to Miller.
A wistful smile graced Emelia’s lips as she reminisced about that fateful day. Her gaze lingered upon the dark blade resting beside Jaxith.
“Nothing had changed about it,” Emelia mused, “he clearly takes care of that sword. And this empty cup… he must have been using something for fever.”
“I decided to check on her after Father explained what happened,” Emelia said politely, “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“That’s fine,” Jaxith said, worry etched on his face, “I really need your help with her burns. Even the slightest touch causes her pain.”
“Actually, I made a little potion for her,” Emelia said, “Father told me everything, so I made this. It really helps against those light burns.” She produced a small glass bottle containing a purple liquid. “Here, take it. You need to gently rub her burns with it."
“Why can’t you do it?” Jaxith asked.
“I think you’ll do a better job than me,” Emelia replied. “Don’t you see how strongly she’s hugging you? If anyone tried applying that potion besides you, she will get worried and wake up. And after what happened here yesterday, I don’t think it’s right to upset her.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Jaxith looked at Irene for a moment, then sighed and gently moved the hair away from her cheeks to apply the potion.
“Let me open it for you,” Emelia said, uncorking the bottle for Jaxith and gently pouring a few drops onto his right fingers.
Jaxith began applying the drops to Irene’s cheeks with the utmost care, his movements slow and deliberate to avoid waking her. Despite his gentleness, she flinched slightly from the sting of the burns.
“Just like that, Jaxith,” Emelia whispered. Jaxith’s hand moved smoothly across Irene’s face, then gradually slowed and came to a stop.
“Wait and see,” Emelia exclaimed, her eyes fixed on Irene. Jaxith remained intently focused on her.
Gradually, the burn marks began to fade from Irene’s face, revealing her pale skin once more. Only faint traces remained visible upon close inspection.
“See? Brilliant, isn’t it?” Emelia asked excitedly. Irene slept soundly, her breathing even and peaceful. Jaxith noticed this was the first time she had slept so deeply, without a single movement.
“Those were light burns, I thought your potion would be able to treat them completely without any marks left,” Jaxith observed.
“Those marks will fade, Jaxith,” Emelia assured him, “they’re not permanent. The reason they didn’t disappear completely is likely because she must have used dark energy to create that fire. Given her demonic blood, it’s unlikely she used divine pyromancy.”
“What do you mean by that?” Jaxith inquired, his gaze intense.
“I mean, this potion effectively heals burns from ordinary fire or from pyromancy fueled by divine energy,” Emelia explained, “but dark energy is a completely different entity. I don’t have much knowledge about it.”
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Jaxith clarified, his eyes searching hers. “You said she must have used dark energy.”
“Indeed,” Emelia confirmed.
“What makes you think that? Why didn’t you consider the possibility of normal pyromancy?” Jaxith pressed.
“It’s complex, Jaxith,” Emelia began, “but to summarize: divine energy is far more difficult to wield than dark energy. However, divine energy requires years of rigorous training before it can be harnessed, especially for something as dangerous as pyromancy.
Conversely, dark energy is unpredictable and irrational. Without proper training and at a young age, even a small amount can be overwhelming, as we saw with Irene. With divine energy, such a loss of control is highly unlikely in someone as young as her, as it demands years of dedicated cultivation to even begin developing.
Dark energy, however, can manifest early in hybrids like Irene or even in dark casters who perform forbidden rituals to extract it from sealed scarlet demons. In such cases, the risk of self-harm is significant. But once mastered, it can be a terrifyingly potent force.”
Jaxith pondered Emelia’s words, his gaze fixed on Irene.
“For Irene, it’s obvious, Jaxith,” Emelia stated, “she’s a hybrid and still young. This indicates she lost control of her demonic power. Which begs the question: if she can unleash this much energy at this age, what will she be capable of when she’s older?”
“So you believe she can’t utilize divine energy due to her age?” Jaxith inquired.
“Exactly,” Emelia confirmed. “Furthermore, it’s exceedingly rare to wield both types of energy. Typically, individuals who can use both were originally divine energy practitioners who renounced their faith and made a pact with demons in exchange for the power of darkness.
“In Irene’s case, there’s no evidence she’s trained in divine energy. Moreover, it would require one of her human ancestors to be a divine energy user, which is highly improbable. A devout believer in the gods would never willingly consort with a demon.”
“What if she can use divine energy?” Jaxith asked.
“What?” Emelia exclaimed, “Of course not! Do you mean this wasn’t dark energy?”
“No, it was dark energy, pure and potent. She’s incredibly strong,” Jaxith clarified, “but that’s not what I meant.” He fixed his gaze intently on Emelia.
“Then what did you mean? Oh, you don’t mean she ca-“ Emelia began, her voice trailing off in astonishment.
“I saw her use it before,” Jaxith confirmed gravely.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Jaxith! She can use divine energy too?” Emelia exclaimed, her surprise evident. Jaxith shushed her with a nod.
“It’s… unusual,” Emelia conceded, “I don’t know much about it, but it’s certainly strange, Jaxith.”
“How strange?” Jaxith inquired, his voice low.
“She might be really dangerous like that,” Emelia admitted, her voice tinged with concern.
“She’s special, not dangerous,” Jaxith declared, his gaze piercing Emilia.
“Okay, okay, sorry,” Emelia quickly apologized. Jaxith’s red eyes were even unsettling under normal circumstances, but when he looked at her with such intensity, it sent a shiver down her spine.
“I didn’t realize you cared so much about her,” Emelia observed as Jaxith resumed gently stroking Irene’s hair. “Father told me you might have gotten yourself killed while helping her last night.”
Jaxith considered her words. “I thought you were different,” he murmured, recalling the terrifying image of Irene’s fear and pain in his nightmare, a chilling echo of the previous night. Was that the reason for his concern? Or perhaps something deeper, a faint memory of a time when he had a family, a normal life, a life he had long since forgotten.
“Even I don’t know why,” Jaxith confessed, “but I’m sure helping her was the right thing to do.”
“I see,” Emelia mused. “Have you considered taking her to experts in divine energy? Perhaps in Yarnat?”
“Do you want me to take her to the high elves?” Jaxith asked, his voice serious. “This race already has enough problems with humans. Imagine their reaction to a hybrid who can wield both divine and dark energy. They’d probably kill her, Emelia.”
“Oh, I think you’re right,” Emelia agreed. “Perhaps Reldret, the second strongest kingdom in terms of divine energy, would be a better option.”
“That’s something for the future,” Jaxith acknowledged.
“I was just suggesting it,” Emelia explained. “It’s obvious she wouldn’t thrive in a kingdom like Legnica or Kozelesk, where the economy revolves around metalworking and agriculture, respectively. And Volgast certainly isn’t the place to learn to control divine energy.”
“I know, you can’t expect a dwarf to wield divine magic, but give them a hammer and some good metal, and wait for a masterpiece.” Jaxith chuckled, glancing at his sword.
“Anyway,” Jaxith continued, “the first priority is to determine who’s after her and why. I can’t help her further with her abilities until the threat is eliminated.”
He noticed Irene's arms tightening around him, signaling her awakening.
“You know,” Emelia remarked, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “you two look quite cute like that. Like a father and his daughter, although the age difference might make ‘elder brother’ a more accurate description.”
Jaxith looked at her, startled. “What? Don’t you think you both look cute?”
Jaxith sighed and returned his attention to Irene. “Cute” certainly wasn’t the word he would have chosen.
Gradually, Irene opened her eyes and looked up to find Jaxith gazing at her, Emelia just above his shoulder. Surprise flickered across her face as she realized her position.
“Oh, look who woke up,” Emelia exclaimed cheerfully.
Irene abruptly pushed herself away from Jaxith. “What the fuck? How did I sleep on the lap of that old man?” she exclaimed, her voice laced with a shyness that surprised Emelia.
“Now that’s not very polite,” Emelia chided, glancing at Jaxith, who was inexplicably smiling. “Didn’t you help her? How can she speak like that?”
“Nothing,” Jaxith replied, his smile widening. “She’s simply declaring her return.”
“What?” Emelia questioned, then noticed Irene smiling and erupting in laughter. Emelia was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor.
“You two are a really odd pair,” Emelia remarked with a faint smile. “I’ll leave you two alone for now. We can continue our conversation later, Jaxith.” With that, she exited the room, leaving Irene, who had already ceased laughing, alone with Jaxith.
“So, did you manage to sleep comfortably like that?” Irene asked, a warm smile gracing her lips.