Soleil tugged at Aster’s arm. “Do you think we can head back to the House of healing?”

Aster came to a stop at Soleil’s touch. “Oh? Are you done shopping already?”

“No. It’s not that.” Soleil found herself mumbling aloud. “I’ve just been giving what Wisteria said some thought is all.”

Soleil received a sympathetic look from Aster. “I know you’re still new to this. Please don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“It’s okay.” Soleil shook her head. “I think I have accepted that it is too early to expect myself to be able to handle everything. If my role is to heal, I should commit to it. It is better you all know that I can cover the healing than hold back resources you might be able to use to resolve a threat."

“So, you want to maximize how much healing you can do.” Aster finished the thought for her.

“Yeah. But I’m not willing to get rid of the corruption yet. So the next best thing I can do is see what other options are available.”

“If you’re sure.” Aster said with hesitation. “I’m sure the House of Healing would be happy to help, but they are going to want to make a case for curing your corruption. They might seem nice at first, but they can be overbearing under certain circumstances.”

Soleil wondered what consuming Rot mana infused Blast Berries was filed under their mountain of paperwork. Consuming rotten mana should have cost her a level or inflicted any number of unpleasant ailments. Instead it had been delicious. The berry had tasted almost exactly how she had expected it to.

She could always inflict corruption on herself or others later with the use of her skills. Why was she so resistant to the idea of curing her corruption?

Aster seemed to grow more concerned as Soleil withdrew inside her thoughts. “This might be an assumption on my part.” She almost seemed like she regretted speaking.

But she had Soleil’s attention now.

“Yes Aster?” Soleil prompted.

“The way you cling to your corruption reminds me of Sprouts interested in Transformation skills.”

Soleil’s eyes widened. “Veilura told me it was best I write to hear what my other mothers, Nadir and Brigid would have to say on the subject.” But she didn’t want to wait. The feeling of wrongness was beginning to gnaw at her. How long could she shove it aside?

Aster stiffened. “Forgive me. I was about to meddle in your relationship with your family like my wife. Um, forget I said anything.”

She tugged at the Blossom Knight’s arm once more. “You were trying to help. Can I at least know why?”

The Blossom Knight shook her head with a sigh. “I don’t see the harm in coming clean. We tell every Sprout that the process is permanent. This is not always true, but channeling mana is traumatizing for most in the best of circumstances.” Aster took a deep breath before continuing. “Transformations alter your body and soul’s ideal form. It’s what makes us Demi-Humans and Demons. Almost no one goes back once we’ve taken that step." She turned to pull Soleil aside. “Transformations alter who you are on some level. Even if you want to turn back, the new you has to find the old you again.”

Something within Soleil smoldered at Aster’s explanation. The warning fed a need that felt like it had been quietly building up inside her for a while now. Soleil glowered up at Aster. “Then give me the instructions like every other skill book and let me make the decision myself. No more registration forms.”

Aster met Soleil’s eyes with a sad smile. "First off. I don't have the power to grant you what you are asking for. It is part of why I hesitated to even bring it up. But I’m willing to hear you out. Whatever is on your mind looks like it has been eating at you for a while.”

“I just don’t like the idea of this information being kept from me. I’ve already gotten myself entangled with Calamity and Malady both. How long before they make a change for me?”

She couldn’t help but think about the weight of expectations that drove Caesar to be an insufferable knight. No amount of discipline would change Calamity’s mind if she could extinguish the power he was relying on or transform him into someone else entirely on a whim.

Soleil found herself sinking to a seated position on the ground.

“Soleil. Are you okay?”

“No.” But Soleil was not too overwhelmed to focus. Aster was willing to hear her out. She thought back to the decisions she had been quietly making. “I turned away more armor because I already got a good look at their stock. They had nothing that would accommodate a sudden need to sprout [Calamitous Wings] of fire and red feathers.”

The look that Aster gave was thoughtful. “That certainly sounds like a Transformation skill. Is it alright if I ask for details?”

Soleil could only shrug. “It seems resistant to [Analyze] and only wanting to inform me that it will drain my levels. It could be a potential cause of my current corruption, but I’m not sure. The last time I used it, it knocked Maeve and a corrupted tree away from me. I also suspect Calamity used it to come to a sudden and complete stop mid-flight.”

Soleil earned herself an impressed whistle from Aster. “You are really throwing yourself into this like a Demon would. Um, I’m actually not sure how to help you with this. But magical implements to supplement your healing sounds like a good start.”

Aster offered a hand that Soleil was slow to accept.

“I can say this.” Aster cracked a smile. “I think what you said to Wisteria was ultimately right. Keep carefully gaining Soul Levels and this problem of this transformation skill that won’t stick might sort itself out. Let’s just make sure you survive that long, yeah?”

“Okay.” Soleil said, making an effort to choke back tears.

***

The pink haired healer from before exclaimed from behind the counter. "Oh! We would be happy to provide you with some casting implements. We mostly just keep Life Mana on hand, but the skills used to produce containers for Life Mana are the same as any others. Did you have a particular flavor you prefer?"

Fire was the obvious pick here, being what she had an affinity for. But Soleil also displayed a capacity for Lightning. Life mana on the other hand was what she had come here for. "Before I decide, what benefit will a casting implement give me?" Soleil said, attempting to temper her expectations.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Well. We only sell simple ones. The only benefit we can offer is that a casting implement will hold the skill’s effects for you. So if someone breaks your concentration, you won't lose control of the mana. Course, having the implement broken will break your skill in the same way losing your concentration will, so you’ll still have to be careful."

What mana did she want to handle safely?

Almost instinctively, Soleil reached for her Focus. She could feel the warmth in the air, living energies blanketing each living entity, and even magnetized forces in the room. There were others, but without any related skills, they had a weak pull.

But that did not mean no pull at all. Soleil reached out with [Mana Manipulation] until the Rot in her bag of Blast Berries burst from their fragile containers.

Feeding them Focus should have canceled out the corrupted mana and broke concentration on the skill. Instead she was now successfully manipulating corrupted mana.

The healer froze. It took Aster a moment to follow the healer's attention and identify what Soleil was doing.

"Is that what I think that is?" Aster's voice was almost a whisper. She seemed almost in disbelief.

"This is way above my rank." The healer squeaked. "Um. I am going to have to ask you to stay here. And don't do anything with that."

Soleil swallowed nervously. Was this bad? It was just mana. Right? Obviously it would negate any purified mana she maneuvered it into.

But she was filled with corrupted mana. Was that important? Shouldn't the purified mana pouring out her soul be canceling it out? Was her soul more corrupt than pure?

Soleil couldn't just hold it. She had to keep feeding it Focus in order to maintain the skill.

Soleil could feel herself edging towards panic. "Aster. I'm scared."

The Blossom Knight reached for Soleil's hand to give it a squeeze. "It's okay. We can fix this."

As if listening in on their conversation, the mote of Rot began to grow in size and intensity.

Soleil gained knowledge of a new skill. [Rot Affinity]

Across the room, she saw the pink haired healer point in their direction. Out from a room behind them stepped a number of people. A sagely sort placed an assuring hand on the younger healer’s shoulder. Staff in hand, the old healer began to make his way toward Soleil.

Behind him, six heavily armored individuals in gold trimmed armor filed out of the room.

The younger healer locked eyes with Soleil. They were desperately mouthing out words.

Run. I’m sorry. Please run.

Soleil willed the rot mana upwards. She shoved the sickly yellow mote of mana into her mouth to the horror of everyone around her.

[Soleil’s Soul gained a level.]

[Soleil’s Soul gained a level.]

[Soleil’s Soul gained a level.]

Soleil turned and ran as fast as she could.

Aster’s cries were drowned by a half dozen others all competing to be heard over the pressing weight of a feeling of wrongness growing near impossible to ignore. Soleil half expected this feeling to grow a voice any moment now.

If it came to it, she would run away from that too. She would just have to figure out how.

***

A gentle knock sounded against a wooden door, startling Soleil to her feet.

“Hey.” Maeve’s voice somehow managed to be more delicate than the knock had been.

“Oh. Hey.” Soleil stepped out from hiding behind the Magitech armored leg of Hope.

Maeve offered her a small smile. “I thought I’d find you here.”

“Sorry.” Soleil averted her gaze. “I know we were supposed to meet for dinner. But I don’t think I can go back to the House of Healing.”

“Aster filled me in on what happened.” Maeve closed the door to the storage building behind her. “It’s okay.”

“Is it?” Soleil finally looked up at her knight.

Maeve stood dressed in a short blue dress underneath a thick brown leather coat. “I thought the least I could do was bring our dinner to you.” She carried a pair of nondescript bags in each hand. After a few moments, Maeve approached close enough to deposit one into Soleil’s lap.

“Oh.” Soleil looked into the bag to find what smelled like freshly baked bread and a glass jar filled with jam. “I don’t know what to say.”

Maeve hopped onto one of Hope’s legs and began to kick her new leather hiking boots. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”

Soleil wasn’t sure what to say to that. After a moment of thought, Soleil climbed up to join Maeve and sit in companionable silence as they shared a single knife needed to cut the bread and spread the jam.

“I’m sorry…” Soleil started, feeling like she owed Maeve some sort of apology or explanation. “I haven’t felt like myself for a while now.”

Maeve shrugged. “You’re allowed to change if you want.”

Soleil looked down at Maeve’s bread. Hers was darker and toasted to nearly the point of being burnt. “Can I try a piece of yours?”

Her knight offered her a slice without another word.

“Thank you.” Soleil accepted the slice. The texture and taste was just right. Without thinking, Soleil conjured up motes of fire mana to cook her own bread.

Maeve paused to sit and watch as the flames danced in her eyes’ reflection.

“You’re not scared of me?” Soleil finally built up the nerve to ask.

“Change is… scary for a lot of people.”

Soleil pulled away. “So you are scared of me.”

“Here’s the thing.” Maeve set her food aside, giving Soleil her undivided attention. “The things happening in your life scare me like nothing else ever has. But that doesn’t change the fact that I want to be here. With you.”

Soleil found herself narrowing her eyes. “That makes no sense.”

“Yeah, well. People are allowed to be complicated and confusing.” Maeve spoke now with such an easy and relaxed confidence.

Soleil bit back laughter. “You’re ridiculous.” Hadn’t Caesar claimed she lacked confidence in herself? Or was he a poor judge of character?

“And you’re scary. But as your Knight, I came prepared to face scary things every day. Besides, I promised you hugs and to help save this valley’s food supply.” Maeve stopped to make a dismissive gesture towards the door. “Whether they want to be saved isn’t important. Not to me at least.”

“How can that not matter?”

“Please don’t forget that this all started with you agreeing to save everyone’s future food supply.” As if to accentuate her point, Maeve reached for the last of her own bread and pressed it into Soleil’s hands. “You matter. You’re the girl who looked Calamity in the eye and made a promise to protect the people she has been terrorizing for centuries. Whether you are rewarded or not is secondary to how important this promise is for you to fulfill. It’s the right thing to do, and I think you’re the right person to do it.”

Against all odds, Maeve successfully coaxed a blush and laugh from Soleil. “You make me sound like I should have been reduced to a pile of ash already.” But she found herself scooting back to where she sat earlier. “Thanks for this though. For believing in me, I mean.”

Her knight shrugged her shoulders. “It seemed worth making the effort to meet you where you were.”

Soleil met Maeve’s smile with one of her own. “Can I redeem one of those hugs now?”

“Of course.” Maeve wrapped her arms around Soleil and drew her close. They sat huddled together atop Hope until all their worries slipped away.