4-88 A new friend

4-88 A new friend

“The dome… it’s disappearing,” Amyra pointed out, figuratively and literally.

“Yes, I noticed,” Erin said. “Now please, stop moving. I can treat your wounds like these.” She was tending to Amyra’s injuries, which she incurred from her battle against a Demoid and also Ruyo’s undiscriminating assault.

“But just what is that dome?” Nivia asked while tending to Aera’s injuries. The latter was still unconscious as her wounds were much heavier than the others. It took a lot out of Nivia to finally get Aera out of her dire state.

“I don’t know,” Erin answered offhandedly. “But… it feels familiar.”

“Familiar how?”

“It feels like when I used my Lust skill.”

Nivia’s eyes widened. “You’re saying that dome could be the doing of a Divine Apostle?”

Erin nodded. After mending the heavy injuries and stopping the bleeding, she began bandaging Amyra’s wounds.

“But who could it be? Aedan?”

“His Grace’s powers are sealed,” Amyra said. “And if it was him, we would have been crushed under the weight of his aura. He is the successor to the Dragon God throne.”

Nivia frowned, casting a sidelong glance at Amyra. “Surely you are exaggerating, Amyra. Have you felt that kind of pressure before?”

Amyra shrugged but she groaned immediately afterwards. “Not in its entirety but I had felt a sliver of it. And that was enough to make me kneel. I still remember it clearly. I wanted to just cry and beg for mercy. Fortunately, His Grace holds grudges but only major grudges. Mine was, thankfully, only a small slight.”

“And what exactly did you do for him to unleash his wrath upon you?” Nivia asked.

Amyra chuckled. “It happened during my first encounter with His Grace. He looked like a child, so I treated him like one. He did not like that.”

“...I can sort of see that happening,” Nivia mused and resumed her concentration on treating Aera.

“How is she, Nivia?” Erin asked after finishing Amyra’s treatment.

“She’s doing fine for now,” Nivia answered. “She’s no longer in a dire state but she’s still in a terrible form. I did what I could with Spirit Mend but that’s meant to soothe the mind and mend minor injuries. I’m afraid I’m in no shape for combat after this.”

“What about you, Amyra?”

“Depends on who I’ll be fighting.”

“Such as the one who made that dome.”

Amyra tittered but not without spreading the pain all over her body. “You kid, Erin, if you genuinely think I stood a chance against whoever is responsible for that. Even at my best, I doubt I would be much of an opponent.”

“Then all the more reason that we need to move now before—”

“Before I arrive?” the voice of a stranger finished Erin’s sentence.

In an instant, Erin moved in front of her companions and brandished her sword against their unexpected company. She didn’t even smell or hear the stranger approaching.

Amyra tried to get up but she too was spent. She fell to her knees as soon as she stood up. As for Nivia, she could only look up from where she was kneeling.

“Azaela,” Erin chewed the name.

“Lady Erynthea. We meet again.” Azaela was no longer donning her armour, not even her cloak. She was simply in her bare-clothed form. Her garment was that of one would wear during practices and exercises. The fabric was thin and stuck closely to her skin, accentuating her shapely figure.

Erin had to admit, even if now was not the right time, place, and occasion, she was impressed by Azaela’s body figure. Only after she gazed directly at Azaela, she realised the Venerer Commander had a body hoisted over her shoulder. It was Aedan.

Azaela casually tossed Aedan in front of Erin without any care for her strength. Aedan groaned upon hitting the ground. He was conscious but he was not in good shape.

“Your Grace!” Amyra cried out but there was all she could do. She strained herself and all she managed was a slight nudge forward. Her wounds weren’t severe but she had exhausted nearly all of her strength.

“Aedan!” Erin exclaimed as she knelt down to check on Aedan’s condition. He was not in a state as dire as Aera was but he was badly battered and bruised, and that was putting it lightly. With only a single glance, Erin could tell there were at least a few broken bones. Although, she became relieved when she saw the light grin dangling on Aedan’s lips.

“You’re well… I’m so glad…”

“Can’t say the same to you. What happened to you? Did she—”

“No, Erin. It’s not her.”

“Then who?”

Aedan smiled weakly. “Someone you need not worry about any longer.”

“You’re honestly telling me that? Someone who’s able to put you into this state and you’re telling me to not worry about them?”

“Yes, because he’s dead.”

“Oh… Good riddance, then, I suppose. Anyway, how did you manage?”

“I didn’t. Our new friend here did.”

“Friend?” Erin furrowed her brows and stared at Azaela. “Her?”

“Yes, her. As unbelievable as it sounds, she saved me, Erin. If it wasn’t her, things would have ended very differently and very badly.”

Erin narrowed her eyes as her gaze stayed on Azaela. “Thank you,” Erin said.

“You are welcome, Lady Erynthea.”

“Are you truly a friend now?”

Azaela shrugged. “Depends. I meant none of you any harm. Does that qualify me as a friend?” Azaela asked.

“After how our last encounter ended, I’m sure you can understand how high I have set the standards for you to be qualified as a friend.”

“I will admit that our last encounter got off on the wrong foot and I was… under a misguided notion. And I don’t believe our last encounter ended so terribly that it warrants your caution now.”

Erin frowned. “Are you being serious?”

“I am… but I suppose it is difficult to see it that way. I did stay my blade then because of your friend.” Azaela gestured at Aedan with a nudge of her head. “Speaking of, just what is he? He’s no Dwarrow, that much is obvious. What is he?”

“Why do you presume that I would tell you?”

“...I suppose you won't, Lady Erynthea. If you won't tell me, I won't pursue it.”

“What are you playing now?”

“I know you are wary of me and I can understand why, but please believe me when I say I bear no ill will, not if you harbour any ill will.”

“What’s with the sudden change of heart?”

“You’re not with the Demoids; from what I can gather, you were defending this city. My suspicions of you were wrong and my perception was distorted. I realised that now. For that, I sincerely apologise.”

“If that’s so… then why are you here?”

“I have been hearing many things about you, Lady Erynthea.”

“Good things or bad things.”

“Both and I have doubts about both.”

“Is this why you’re here? To confirm the rumours?”

“That and to fulfil my obligations.”

“And that is?”

“How may I be of assistance? You seem like you could use some help.”

Though Erin was still wary of her, she truly didn’t feel any malignant intent from Azaela. She loosened her shoulders and stood up. “Your offer is appreciated but unneeded. We can manage on our own. It’s the common folks that need aid.”

“Ah, yes. I saw a large gathering in the plaza on my way here. May I assume that’s the common folks gathered?”

“If you had passed the plaza, how are you still not sure?”

Azaela smiled faintly. “I flew here, Lady Erynthea, on a flying mount. I witnessed the state of the entire city.”

“Then you should know that dawdling here would not be of much help if that’s truly your will.”

“That is true. Then I shall depart immediately,” Azaela said and bowed. “I hope we will speak again in the near future.” And she departed with those words, scaling to the roofs of the ruined buildings.

“What the fuck was that?” Amyra blurted out. “A Ruvan acting so nice… It’s so off-putting.”

Erin’s gaze fell on Aedan. “What did you do?”

“Nothing?” Aedan blinked.

“What did you say?”

“A few things. Enough to clear up any misunderstanding she has, I hope.”

“And she believed your words.”

“I won’t say I fully convinced her but I certainly changed her perspective. And I found out an interesting piece of information.”

“That is?”

“The Ancient Guardians have put a bounty on your head, to put it simply.”

“Figures.” Erin shrugged.

“What!?” Nivia exclaimed and scurried over to Aedan. “What do you mean by that?”

“You already know how some of them are distrustful of Otherworlders, right?”

“Yes.”

“Quite a number of them had come to the consensus that you must be quelled before you grew into the chaos they so feared.”

“Quell?” Nivia questioned.

“It means kill,” Amyra answered.

“I know what it means,” Nivia retorted. “That’s absolute bollocks!”

Contrary to Nivia’s outburst, Erin remained calm. There was no hint of surprise or despair in her eyes or anywhere on her face.

“You knew?” Nivia asked when she noticed Erin’s passive expression.

“Sort of.  I was… warned by those few who didn’t want me dead.”

“Then you should know that once you leave this valley, you will be… hunted down by various Apostles.”

“Live by the blade, die by the blade,” Erin muttered. “The wrongdoers should be prepared to suffer the same fate as their victims.”

“Now this is new,” Aedan chuckled. “You forewent the talking part.”

“If they are someone who can be reason with just words, they would not be hunting me down just because some ancient relics told them so.”

“Point made,” Aedan said, followed by a groan.

Erin knelt beside Aedan. “Don’t move.” She hovered her hands above his body and gleaming cyan light drops fell from her open palms. The cyan glitters fell onto Aedan’s body, reducing the severity of every part that was touched.

“You have gotten better at this.”

“Not any better than Nivia. Now, be quiet, With wounds like these, surely it hurts to even make a sound.”

Aedan tittered. “I’m so fortunate to have such a beautiful woman worrying so much about me.”

“He’s annoying,” Nivia remarked.

Erin shrugged. “Nothing new.”

Though Erin couldn’t do much, she did what she could, enough to rid Aedan of the stinging sensation whenever he moved any parts of his body. It was enough for him to sit up without wincing.

“What’s next,” Aedan asked as he leaned against the wall.

“Return to the camp once we rest enough.”

“We can move now,” Amyra said. She tried to stand up but her legs and instincts failed her.

“Rest, for now, Amyra. You’ll only make it worse if you force yourself.”

“That’s right,” Nivia chimed in. “Just be at ease, will you? I don’t sense any Dregs or Demoids in the vicinity.”

“They’re not the only ones we should be worried about, Niv. People can be just as terrible as Demons.”

“If it’s people, we can handle them. They’re frail and mortal.”

“True, but they tend to strike when we least expect it. I learned that the hard way while raiding Labyrinths.”

“Then we just have to keep expecting it,” Erin said. “Get some rest, all of you. I will stay awake and keep watch.”

“Nonsense,” Amyra baulked but there was not much strength in her voice. “Allow me, milady. You have healed me and His Grace. The least I could do is to keep watch until we’re all well-rested enough to move.”

“You can barely sit properly, Amyra. What’s the point of you keeping watch if you can’t even respond properly should someone attack us? Besides, my nose and ears are sufficient even if I have my eyes closed. I won’t need to keep my eyes open to keep vigilance of our surroundings. I can keep watch and rest. So, just rest.”

“...Of course, Lady Erin.” Those words left Amyra's lips with great reluctance.

“You shouldn’t strain yourself either, Erin,” Aedan said.

“Oh, be quiet, you,” Erin retorted and sat herself down in front of the group, staring at the entryway of the alley they were resting in. She was quite exhausted herself. She couldn’t fight it any longer and let her eyelids lay shut.