Demonstrating the Paladin’s Heal spell…

It’s going well so far! Nothing’s on fire, no one’s yelling, and miraculously… nothing’s broken, despite me and my magic. The room is quiet, almost reverent. I’d say all the pieces are in place, so… Lights… Camera… Action!

“Ready?” I ask Anna with a bright smile. “Hit me with your best Heal.”

“Umm… yes! Hold on…”

Like I said before – the Heal spell that a Paladin like Anna uses is quicker but less potent than a Healer’s Heal. Theirs is designed for the thick of battle – since, well… paladins don’t have the luxury of hanging back. They’re right in the chaos, taking hits as they come.

“Arisa, I…” Anna rasps, her palm trembling slightly as a faint shimmer of silver light appears, barely a flicker. “Umm…”

“You’ve got this,” I say softly, meeting her eyes. “Just take a deep breath and centre yourself on your Mana – focus on me.”

“Ahh…”

Anna takes my advice and breathes in deeply, refocusing herself. With renewed vigour, the silvery light of her Heal flares briefly in her hand… only to fizzle out moments later.

“It’s still not working…”

“Lower your hand, Anna…” I say gently as her shoulders droop. “Take a seat. Let’s have a little break. We’ll try again in a bit.”

“Okay…”

We both plop into our chairs with a quiet sigh. And uh… fuck me. I can’t help but kick myself for hyping this up so much earlier. No audience, no pressure, right? But I’d made it seem like a grand event, and now she’s shouldering all that weight. My bad.

“Feeling better?” I ask Anna, noting her weary expression. “Looked like you were having a bit of stage fright back there, eh?”

She laughs sheepishly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Maybe a little. I just… umm… I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I want to get it right, but my mind freezes every time! I’m sorry, Arisa. I…”

“No need to apologise,” I say with a grin. “Everyone gets nervous. Even me!”

“Really?” Anna asks, her eyes widening in surprise. “Even someone like you?”

“Absolutely!” I reply, leaning back in my chair. “ But you know what? I survived. And I got better. So will you.”

Anna smiles faintly, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. “You make it sound so simple…”

“It’s not simple,” I admit, a warm smile spreading across my face. “But trust me – it does get easier with enough time and practice.”

She’s got the heart and talent for this. I’m sure of it! She just needs a nudge in the right direction. I’ve been there, stumbling through assembly speeches back at St Elicia’s. Some days, I winged it; other times, I prepared like my life depended on it. And uh… now that it comes to mind…

“Umm… Arisa?”

“Hold on!” I answer, springing to my feet as a spark of inspiration hits me. “Wait here – I’ve just thought of something that might help. Be back in a flash!”

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I weave through the library’s maze of shelves, scanning the aisles one after another in quick succession. Monster lore, dungeon records, sappy romance novels… aha! I spot the section for me – Librams for Paladins and Healers.

Each Libram enshrines a divine chronicle, its sacred words of Enochian imbued with the knowledge of a spell – for a Healer, a Paladin, or occasionally… both. In this case, I’ve got my eye on the one that holds the secrets of Heal! It’s gotta be around here somewhere…

And there it is – red and gold like scarlet dawn, warm to the touch! The Libram of Redemption. It’s like holding a steaming cup of cocoa on a cold day. Familiar and comforting.

Back in the previous timeline, I must’ve read this thing a dozen times under Lady Iris’s guidance. The words within and their knowledge of the Heal spell… committed to memory. Now, it’ll be Anna’s turn!

“Umm… is that what I think it is?” Anna asks when I return, her eyes widening at the Libram in my hands. “The Libram of Redemption…”

“Yup! The one and only. Shall we give it a re-read? A bit of revision never hurts!”

“Alright. Let’s do it, Arisa.”

Carefully, Anna opens the Libram of Redemption, her eyes flitting over the sacred words. I follow along, and the story is as vivid as ever. It tells the tale of an elven Mage who, in her lust for power, offered her people – and even her own brother – to the abyss in exchange for lichdom. Her ambition was met with a slow, agonising death at the claws of a Shadowlord, a creature of darkness forged from the evil magics of the Grimoire Eternia, her soul torn apart by the very power she so desperately sought to command.

But redemption came, not from herself… but from her brother. With his final breath as a Healer, he poured every last drop of his mana into healing her, saving her life even as his own slipped away. His love broke through her ambition, forcing her to see the devastation she’d caused. Though she begged to join him in death, he forbade it. His dying wish was for her to live on with the completed ritual, using its power to seek penance for her sins… and, should the gods be merciful even to the wicked, to find happiness and love again one day.

The weight of his sacrifice became her guiding light when she was reborn as a Lich, and she would spend the rest of eternity honouring his wish. This story, etched forevermore into the Libram of Redemption… became a cornerstone for paladins and healers alike – a reminder of the selflessness and love that Heal embodies.

“Feeling any different?” I ask after Anna closes the Libram of Redemption, her expression calmer now. “Ready to try again?”

“Yes. Let’s do it.”

She says those words with soft determination as she stands up, her hand outstretched. This time, there’s a quiet strength in her posture. As she focuses on her Mana… a steady silver light begins to glow, soft but sure… in the palm of her hand. Warmth radiates through the room – a proper Paladin’s Heal if I’ve ever seen one!

“That’s it! You’ve got it!” I exclaim. “Now, hit me with it!”

With a small flourish, the light of Anna’s Heal surges forward, enveloping me in a rush of soothing warmth. It’s care, focus, and love distilled into a spell. The best feeling of all.

“Nicely done!” I say, grinning wide. “Think you can do it again?”

“Of course. Just a moment…”

I watch Anna focus anew, the light in her hand flickering but never fading. Another Heal washes over me, as steady and warm as the first. It feels… amazing. And uh… damn! She’s really getting the hang of this!

“Brilliant! Now, one for yourself,” I tease. “You deserve it!”

“Alright…”

The light of Anna’s Heal shifts inward this time, wrapping around her in a silvery glow of self-care. Her cheeks flush with happiness, her confidence beaming as brightly as her spell.

“Arisa…”

“I knew you could do it!” I cheer, rushing over to pat her head. “Good job!”

“Thank you…” Anna murmurs, her smile shy and her voice barely above a whisper as she leans gently into my touch. “I couldn’t have done it without your help, Arisa.”

Good grief. Her hair is absurdly soft – impossible not to ruffle! But more than that, I’m just glad we get to share this moment together… savouring our happiness, celebrating our successes… basking in our joys. Being here with her, after Arcadia… is truly a blessing.

“Shall we keep going, Arisa?” Anna asks energetically, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “I’ve still got plenty of Mana to spare!”

“Lay it on me!”

Her hands glow silver again, steady and sure. Another Heal envelops me, and I can’t help but marvel at her newfound confidence. Sure, she’s got a long way to go to reach her full potential as a Paladin… but today’s a fantastic start!