The next day, morning in the Chantry courtyard…
The grass glistens with a fine sheen of dew, soft underfoot. The sun’s warmth seeps into my skin while birds fill the air with melodies from the trees above. What a day… what a day.
Last night slipped away too damn quickly, hours melting into moments as I showed off my smartphone and helped Anna practise Sanctuary. I think the damn thing was hovering above 50% before I turned it off again – something to save for another day, I reckon.
I barely got any sleep, though. Morning prayers found me drifting off more times than I care to admit. One moment, my eyes were open… the next, they were closed… and then closed again while thinking they were open… as I dreamt of attending prayers. Somehow, Anna stayed awake throughout the session – though not without repeatedly nudging me.
Oh well. Now, we’re lounging beneath the great ancient tree in the courtyard, letting the breakfast in us settle. Soon, it’ll be time for our exercises, then lunch… and after that, spell practice and study in the library.
Hmm. We should get going in a bit. I glance at Anna beside me. She’s...
“Zzzzz…”
Oh… really now! After chastising me for dozing off earlier? Oh, the irony! Differences in context aside, of course!
I should wake her up, maybe tease her a little… but the serenity of this moment tempts me to let it linger just a bit longer. Besides, I…
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Thirty minutes later…
The soft rustling of trees and the vibrant springtime blooms of the Chantry courtyard greet me as I stir. The morning sun’s warmth filters through the shade, unchanged. Beside me, Anna stirs as I gently shake her awake.
“Arisa...?”
She murmurs my name groggily, one eye blinking open as she places a hand on her cheek. And uh… it doesn’t seem like she’s noticed that I might’ve dozed off right there with her!
“Good morning, sleepyhead!” I say with a grin. “And yes, you dozed off. That makes us even!”
She smiles sleepily in the face of my declaration. “I’m pretty sure nodding off during morning prayers is more serious…”
“Maybe, but my point still stands!” I retort, folding my arms with a playful pout. “Anyway… are you feeling better now?”
She nods, sitting up slowly. “I was so tired earlier, Arisa. Honestly, I could barely stay awake… even while you were out cold beside me.”
“Hey, we stayed up pretty late,” I say defensively. “And I swear I did my best just now! It’s just that… y’know… the Order’s prayers have this uncanny ability to lull people to sleep!”
“Hmph…”
Anna rolls her eyes as I grin at her like a fool, but I catch the faintest twitch of her lips as she fights to hide a smile. Heh. Her poker face still needs some work, I’ll say!
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“But I don’t regret what we did,” Anna adds softly, no longer hiding that smile of hers, its warmth lighting up her face. “We got so much done together. It was worth it.”
“Hell yeah!” I exclaim, jumping to my feet. “And now… it’s time to ensure all that effort wasn’t for nothing!”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“What else besides Sanctuary? This time, you’re going solo – no Divine Blessing from me!”
“Oh my… A test!?” Anna squeaks, worry flashing across her face. “Umm…”
“Relax, you’ve got this easily!” I reassure her, holding out a hand. “Now, up you go!”
With newfound determination, Anna takes my hand, and we square off against the great tree as if it were a mighty Treant from the Celestial Arbour. She steadies herself, takes a deep breath and begins casting… bringing forth the silver ring of light beneath her feet that is her Sanctuary, enveloping us both in its protective glow.
Good grief. My chest… it’s swelling with pride! Watching her succeed feels incredible! It must be how a teacher feels seeing their students ace a test.
“Nicely done!” I cheer as she turns to me, beaming from ear to ear even as she maintains the presence of her Sanctuary. “All those reps really paid off!”
“Yes, they did!”
“Now, let’s see you end the spell! Remember – take a deep breath, and let go slowly…”
With a deep breath, Anna’s light fades gracefully, her movements poised as she cups her hand into a fist. And I gotta say… damn! She’s a natural Paladin, through and through.
“Anna…”
“I did it, Arisa!” Anna cries, rushing over to hug me. “I did it all by myself!”
“Yup, and that was fucking amazing!” I exclaim, hugging her back tightly. “Now we just need to work on you casting Sanctuary under pressure.”
“Okay! What do you have in mind for that? A mission from the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Not yet!” I reply with a mock-serious tone. “First, we focus on consistency. Practice makes perfect, y’know! So… ready to give it another go, Anna?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Brimming with confidence, she snaps into position to cast Sanctuary anew. She’ll master this spell in no time, I’m sure of it! With her strength and my guidance, we’ll face whatever comes our way. And for that… I’m grateful.
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Two hours later…
We’ve made some solid progress! Now, Anna can effortlessly activate and deactivate the protection of her Sanctuary with just a thought, even while swinging Ascalon!
But we’re not quite finished yet. Like I said earlier – to truly master Sanctuary in its intended environment… she’ll need practical combat experience. That’s the next hurdle!
For now, though, we’re taking a well-earned break, lounging beneath the shade of the great tree while we wait for the dining hall to be ready with lunch. It’s been a very productive morning, and…
“Umm… Arisa?” Anna asks, her soft voice pulling me from my thoughts as I stretch out lazily. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you…”
“I’m listening. What is it?”
She approaches with her ever-sweet and demure smile, holding her diary in both hands. The cover is soft and leathery, a little pencil tied to it with a neat red ribbon.
“Would you write something in it for me? Anything at all!”
“Anna, I…”
For a moment, I’m stunned. I stare down at her diary, then up at her face. Her gentle gaze meets mine as she places that little book in my trembling hands.
“You’ve been so patient and kind with me, Arisa…” Anna says softly. “With your help, I’ve grown so much as a Paladin. I’m truly grateful... from the bottom of my heart.”
“Anna…”
Well, shit. Guess it’s my turn to falter! The irony isn’t lost on me, and I can’t help but feel a bit sheepish. But hey, it’s all good.
“I’d love to write something for ya,” I say with a warm smile, a little swagger slipping into my words. “And I know just what to write!”
As I take her diary, an old memory resurfaces. Writing in this diary feels like déjà vu – a relic of a time long gone. Time travel really does make life complicated, huh? But none of that matters now. This is for Anna… and that makes it worth everything.
I’ll write what I wrote before. The words come to me so clearly, as if I’d penned them yesterday. They’re perfect, just like they were back then. And as my pencil moves across the page… a bittersweet feeling washes over me.
“Here you go!” I declare sweetly, handing the diary back with a teasing grin. “Go on, have a look. Or better yet… read it out loud if you dare!”
Anna’s curious eyes scan the page as she reads my words out loud. “If one glass of sunsweet milk is a perfect ten out of ten… then Anna’s as sweet as ten glasses! Oh, really now! Arisa…”
“It’s true!” I reply with a playful laugh, grinning as she places a hand on her cheek, flushed red like roses. “You’re the sweetest Paladin in all of Nisha!”