The eyes of Maeve and her mother turned to Soleil.

What had happened up there in the sky between her and Calamity went unasked. But they were no doubt curious too.

Soleil looked at the frigid and broken plants they had left in their wake. Remorse found its way into her voice as she averted her eyes. "My name is Soleil. And I made a promise." She forced in a deep breath of the sickly sweet air. "One I intend to keep."

"A promise to Calamity? How delightful!" Something changed. She could feel as the air became less oppressive. It was both easier to breathe and a weight off her shoulders that she had not realized was there until it was gone.

"I think I like this one already." The wood carved entity twisted about on her vines to cast her gaze upon the others. "You on the other hand remain meddlesome intruders in my eyes."

Maeve expressed her blatant distrust as she settled into a ready stance with her sword. "Soleil fought to save me. That's all I care about right now."

"How touching. But a lone Knight is of no consequence to me." A gnarled finger wagged at Maeve before turning to point at Veilura. "What of you? Demon. Why do you feel familiar?"

"Because I and my mana have deep roots all throughout these woods." Velura said with a chuckle. "Fret not tainted sapling. This forest cares not for me and I am its keeper no longer. My time is devoted to my daughter, Soleil."

"A cart and a mana engine seems a bit much for a mother daughter pair on an innocent ride through my domain."

Her domain? On the border between the Western Mountains that the Demons called home and Eastern Groves, this entity had practically claimed the center of uncorrected territory. Which made some amount of sense now that she thought about it. Most active defenses were focused on the constant conflict along the borders.

"She and I have been tasked with shepherding a cart full of food and curatives to a village far to the east of here."

"I suppose that is answer enough. I suspect I will regret letting a Demon Lord go lightly. But I shall let you leave my garden. If you do no further harm to my children, I will not threaten you and yours on your way out."

Maeve refused to lower her sword. "Unacceptable. Your presence alone is a blight upon the lands we rely on for food and medicine."

Malady feigned shock. Her voice did little to sell the idea that she felt threatened or offended. "Is it not the fate of all living things to die and feed what comes after? I am merely laying claim to what has already died and rotted away."

Maeve turned to Soleil, then Veilura. "Surely we are not just leaving her alone."

The vines extended, binding Maeve's sword and pulling the distance between the two of them to a space resembling intimate closeness. Gnarled fingers seized at Maeve's chin. "Is that a threat? It would be a pitty to waste such a cute young thing.”

Maeve growled before tearing free from Malady's grip. Even the sword slid effortlessly from the vine's embrace. "We did not set the flames. Veilura and I only came to retrieve Soleil. If you have a problem, take it up with Calamity."

"Oh? There is a fire to this one too. Don't you worry your pretty little head. I know full well that Soleil descending upon [Calamitous Wings] is what prompted my ire. I thought my sister under attack is all." Malady cast Soleil a knowing smile. Even her mouth dripped with bright corruption. "Clearly it is I who was in the wrong."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Soleil said hesitantly.

Maeve flashed her a confused look. But Veilura nodded in agreement.

Malady for her part caused the entire forest around them to shift as a path towards the east opened up to them. "How sweet of you to say so. I could just eat you up. Do come back once you have fulfilled your obligation to Calamity."

Maeve groaned. "Don't encourage her."

Malady's laugh was a wet and sickly thing. "And you should not be in a hurry to wet my garden with your blood, young Maeve. Do you not think the youth have better things to offer the world?"

"Girls." Veilura made it a command. "I think we have all had enough excitement for one day. Save your energy for our journey please."

Maeve looked visibly frustrated. But she did sheathe Soleil's sword.

Soleil gave her mother a puzzled look. Were they not riding the wagon east and only fighting because they had to?

The feeling of wrongness had never left her. Was there something going on she did not yet understand?

Soleil inclined her head. "I'm sorry I set your garden on fire."

"It is quite alright. I suppose I earned it for not cueing my sister dearest into the scope of what I asked of her. My recommendation to you, younglings, is to respect the promises you make."

The words hit Soleil like a physical blow. This is who she had to stop. Calamity really had dropped her intentionally.

Soleil felt herself shaking. "I will come back to visit you soon, Malady."

“Oh I am counting on it.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

***

"You'll come back to visit her soon?” Maeve’s words were in response to Soleil’s actions, but she was projecting them out into the woods as if she had no intended listener. “Is surviving two of them in one day not enough for you?”

Soleil sat silently, eyes still downcast at her still shaking hands.

Her mother gently leaned against her shoulder, letting her know she was there.

But Soleil did not feel much like speaking. Not right now.

Thankfully, Maeve did not seem to have anything more to say.

Soleil felt… weak, sore, and exhausted all at once. But that didn't feel like it fully covered it. Her thoughts floated back towards Maeve's status screen.

Soleil herself almost felt lessened in some way she could not describe.

"I promised Calamity I would stop the food from being ruined." Soleil started. And soon found she could not stop. "I need to stop her sister. And I can feel it in my very soul when I am around that woman. Malady is the one I need to stop. But I feel so weak. I need to rest. I need to get stronger. I need to protect the forest even though I have been told it is beyond me and I just… I just…" Before Soleil could even begin to sob, she felt a wetness against her cheeks.

Maeve was hugging her. She was crying too. Had she been crying and sputtering everything on her mind earlier too? "I'm just glad you're okay." She said, “The rest of that can wait. So long as you’re alive, you can keep at it.”

Yeah. Soleil was glad she was okay too.

***

Soleil let the magitech lens fall from her hands, realizing just now that she was very much not okay.

Name: Soleil

Presentation: Ash Demon

Covenant: Calamitous Herald

Soul Level 4/10 [Level Drain]

Skill Points available: 3

~Soul Attributes

Vitality: 5/5 [15]

Endurance: 6/10 [15]

Focus: 9/20

Intensity: 3/10 [20]

Sensitivity: 3/15

Adaptability: 1/5 [10]

~Soul Skills~

Fire Affinity - Rank 1

Mana Manipulation - Rank 1

Mana Shaping - Rank 1

Mana Detonation - Rank 1

Defense - Rank 1

Sword Proficiency - Rank 1

Calamitous Wings - Rank 1

Soleil really had been lessened. What frightened her was that she was not entirely sure where she had gone wrong. Was it the fall? Breathing in the likely corrupted miasma? Pushing her soul too hard?

Fumbling for the lens, Soleil turned her attention to her limited skill options. She still had Focus to spare, if little else.

Analyze - Rank 0: Rank Up Available

Pierce - Rank 0: Rank Up Available

Fire Making - Rank 0: Rank Up Available.

Analyze - Rank 1: +5 Focus. Can maintain access to information on the target of skill for a short time after skill is deactivated.

Pierce - Rank 1: +5 Intensity. Intensity Multiplier of attack by 150%. (Currently 125%)

Fire making - Rank 1: +5 Endurance. Increases duration of magically made flames. Increases attribute restoration rate when resting in the presence of this skill.

She wanted to maintain a skill point for immediately raising one of her magical skills. But Soul Levels seemed to be a lot easier to gain than ranks in skills. If anything, Soleil wished she would stop gaining skills that forced her to immediately take ranks in them. Not wanting her current points to go to waste, Soleil willed the skills into her soul by paying the point cost.

Cooking, First Aid, Herblore, Craft Magitech, Lightning Mastery and Knife Proficiency all remained Rank 0.

Somewhat unsatisfied, Soleil turned to ask Maeve a simple question. “Did you gain any Soul Levels from that?”

Maeve gave her a look as if she were speaking another language. “What? Why would I want to do that?”

Her mother hummed innocently, drawing both of the girls’ attention. “Would you like a serious answer to that? Or were you just hoping to make a point?”

Maeve shook her head. “My thing wasn’t really important. Go ahead.”

Veilura smoothed out her tails before setting aside the brush she had been using to get dead twigs and leaves out of her fur. “I know you have qualms with mana. While I want to respect that, you are limiting yourself. Your Knight Commander recently celebrated hitting Soul Level 300.”

“Well. Yeah. But Irellia has wings. She can do things that we have no skill books or magitech armor for.”

Soleil actually had an answer for this, much to her mild annoyance. “Um. I think I have wings now. [Calamitous Wings,] but wings nonetheless. I have not tried to willingly conjure them yet.”

Maeve sighed as her eyes turned back to the road where a pair of rotted trees began to over dramatically fall into their path. Branched limbs began to raise, threatening to crash down in their direction if they moved any closer. “That demon lied to us.”

“Oh no.” Veilura said with a sad chuckle. “We are clear of her garden. As such, we are now again fair game to attack and harass.”

The Knight hopped off the cart, making for the axe attachment that could be affixed to Hope’s mana powered limb. “Fine. I’ll uh, try and keep an open mind I guess. If I see an opportunity to bargain with the mana, I will.”

Soleil let out a deep and tired sigh. "Adapt or die."

Veilura's head snapped in her direction. "I thought I thoroughly convinced Brigid never to say that in front of you!"

"Didn’t learn it from mom." Soleil shrugged off her exhaustion by downing another drought. Intensity burned like fire down her throat. “I learned it from Calamity.”