A/N: This was a special request for Taee who had helped me with a few other projects in the past. Hope you enjoy it!
"How barbaric," the priest commented, his nose wrinkling in disgust as the last of the hellspawned beasts collapsed in a pool of its own innards.
"What is?" a red-headed female asked as she wiped a diluted mix of blood and sweat from her forehead.
"The methods of which you slay these vermin: primitive, extremely distasteful, and lacking of any restraint on your part."
"Oh, shut up, Ain," Elesis replied with a roll of her eyes.
"Sorry we can't shoot sparkles out of our hands like you, Ain," an equally red-headed male responded, getting a high-five from his sister and sending an burst of red and pink guts splattering everywhere in their immediate area.
The priest flinched and slowly ran a gloved thumb over his lips, wiping a pink glob of mush away all the while looking as if he were a pin drop away from losing his composure.
"It's quite messy, yeah. But you'll get used to it," an armor-clad Hamelian said in an attempt to empathize with Ain. The fact his normally white Freiturnier was covered from boots to shoulderplates in blood did little more than reinforce Ain's revulsion.
"First of all," Ain began, "they are not 'sparkles'. They are the pure incarnation of Ishmael's will coursing through my fingers."
"Sparkles," Elsword stated once more.
"And secondly," Ain continued, ignoring the leader of the El Search Party, "When I volunteered to assist you all, I did so under the pretense that my ward would no longer be forced to put himself in danger like this!"
"No one's forcing me," Elsword shrugged, "I'm doing it because I want to help others."
"And that is where your logic fails to make sense to me," Ain responded, looking as if an age old migraine had returned, "Ishmael wills it that you live. I am here to make sure her will is carried out. You're only brushing my assistance aside for… for-"
"All the innocent people that can't help themselves," the knight nodded, "I appreciate that you're watching my back and all, but Ishmael's will or not, that's not going to stop me from protecting others."
"But She needs you alive and well. Ishmael has commanded that-"
The older sister stepped in this time, pressing a bloody finger against the priest's pristine white robe, "Lay off him. It's always 'Ishamael this' and 'Ishmael that' with you, and honestly it's starting to get annoying hearing you tell my brother off for doing his job."
"His job is to follow the word of the Goddess."
"Seriously," Elesis sighed, "He's just doing what he feels is right. Isn't that good enough?" Her eyes caught Elsword waving at her behind Ain as he quietly shuffled out of the room with the rest of the party in tow. Elesis simply nodded, mouthing the words "Get out of here" before returning her attention to the priest.
"His feelings?" the priest scoffed, "The Goddess's will is absolute. And if he doesn't abide by her command, the consequences would be catastrophic! Everything Ishmael has planned for us - our very existence - hinges on Elsword's survival. I cannot allow him to put his life on the line every time someone is in danger!"
The priest went on a passionate rant in front of Elesis, all the while the rest of the El Search Party slowly shuffled away to make themself scarce from the scene.
"This is really going to happen every single time Elsword decides to do something to help others, isn't it?" Elesis sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she muttered under her breath. She let him continue, sheathing her bloody blade as he continued his tirade. As the minutes passed she became acutely aware of how his attention was resting squarely on her. He was scolding her now. Something about her fueling her brother's recklessness. She wasn't sure since she had tuned him out long ago. The others were gone and she felt now was a good time to bring Ain back down from his high perch.
"Ain?" pyro knight said after hearing the fourth or fifth point of his presentation. Still, he continued, "Ain!"
"What?"
"I get it."
"Get what?"
"The… thing with the uh... Elsword."
"Oh. Well finally someone is actually listening to me."
Elesis nodded half-heartedly, "Uh-huh."
The priest looked around and found himself alone with the woman.
"Where'd everyone go?"
"Back to camp, most likely," the sister replied, retracing her steps out of the corridor that lead back to the ancient temple's entrance.
"Finally. Some respite."
"Right."
"And you'll talk to your brother about all this, correct?"
"Uh," Elesis honestly had no idea what he was talking about, "Why don't you tell him yourself? Your so much better at preaching Ishmael's will than I am."
"You have a fair point," Ain replied, rubbing his chin in thought. He caught up with the woman, keeping a fair distance away from her as she reeked of blood and burnt demon flesh.
Elesis didn't mind. She preferred it this way around that man, anyways. His arrival shortly after they reached Feita's temple was a godsend with his knowledge of the otherworldly and his solid fighting ability. But she had much rather have all of that without the constant spewing of Ishmael's plans. A month's worth of Rena's vegetarian diet was a more merciful option than the ideals Ain forced down everyone's throat.
The entire time they walked down the dark, dreary halls, Elesis couldn't help but feel she was being watched. It wasn't malicious, in nature but rather…
Elesis looked over her shoulder and found the celestial priest staring at her, that lofty smile plastered on his face.
"What?"
"I'm curious," the priest replied.
"About what?"
"About you."
"Me?" Elesis snorted.
"There's no one else around for me to address is there?"
That was rich. Thus far, Elesis knew Ain was only interested in two things: Ishmael and Elsword, the latter of which she speculated to be a bit more than simply being his guardian angel.
He had her attention now and she spun around, walking backwards in time with him.
"What about me?"
"How you'd go about addressing the points I've mentioned earlier."
And just like that her interest in the conversation dissolved.
"Ah," She responded hallowly as she spun back around, "Which points, exactly?"
"Regarding your use of El."
"What's wrong with how I my fire magic?"
"Ishmael's fire magic," Ain corrected, "They are a gift from her to you and you should practice some restraint on it rather than letting your feelings guide your hand."
"That's how I learned to use it. The fire burns hotter when I'm angry and stuff."
"But you can hurt Elsword if you aren't careful. Instead of letting your feelings govern your actions, let Ishmael's will carry you."
Elesis chuckled, noting how he specifically said 'Elsword' instead of 'others'.
"That's not going to work with me," Elesis shook her head, "My father used to tell me if I wanted something done right, I have to do it myself. If I'm going to save lives, I'm doing it by rules. Not by anyone else's. Like I said: my flames burn hotter when I put feeling into it. That makes it my strength. Not Hers."
"But… Ishmael's strength can guide you if-"
Elesis stopped in her tracks, spinning around and nearly causing the priest to accidentally ruin his white robe. "You should try it sometime," the pyro knight interjected.
"Try what?"
Elesis shrugged, "Instead of doing what the Goddess wills, why not do what you want, instead."
Ain laughed, searching Elesis' face for that underlying smirk he had learned to identify when she was joking. He found none.
"You're telling me to disregard Her command?"
"You'd be surprised how much strength you have when you're the one in control."
"Ishmael is the only strength I need."
"And what if that strength isn't enough? What then? When you've expended all of her power and you have nothing left but yourself to fulfill your duty, what would you do then?"
Ain scoffed at such a suggestion, "I am Her emissary in this mortal plane. Nothing more. You do realize I am only able to draw from her power because I follow her plan? My powers manifest only for Elsword's benefit. I am not allowed to intervene with matters that concern other mortals."
"So you don't help others. Just my brother?"
"He is my charge; my obligation. To interfere with the matters of mortals using the Goddess's powers would be a great sin and I would rather die than commit such atrocities against Her."
"Well that certainly explains why you don't bother helping us when we're in trouble."
"Without her strength guiding me, my existence is null."
"You know, we're all in this together, Ain," Elesis said with a roll of her eyes, "If you're not going to intervene when we need help, I could just not intervene with my homemade meat pies the next time you're hungry."
Ain didn't respond. At least not verbally. Elesis could have swore he heard the priest's stomach rumble.
"I can't… act without her guidance, Elesis," Ain explained with a heavy sigh.
"Don't sell yourself short, Ain," Elesis said, her red eyes glowing with a distinct fire in them, "You're here to protect my brother, right? You're willing to give your all to ensure his safety."
There was hesitation in Ain's response he searched her once more for any sign that she was joking. She was serious.
"Ishmael's power is absolute."
"And yet here we are fighting a fight she can't participate in," Elesis muttered, wiping a bloodied glove against her uniform, "You may be her emissary but that doesn't make you a slave to her every beck and call. Down here in Elrios, we don't have time to wait for the gods to tell us what to do. We act. We fight. We survive. You can do the same… for Elsword's sake."
"What you ask of me is simply impossible."
"You can't say it's impossible if you haven't tried." She watched him search her face, again. Not for signs of her joking. He was searching for an explanation.
"And how am I supposed to do that?" Ain asked.
Elesis smiled, turning away, "I think that's something you have to figure out yourself."
"Elsword! Move!" Raven shouted over the thundering footsteps. The massive demon advanced with the momentum of a freight train yet the redhead stood his ground, defiantly as Aisha's unconscious body rested at his feet. Dozens of magically conjured blades circling rapidly around him in a protective cone. The demon juggernaut known as Berthe towered over the magic knight, baring its fangs as it enclosed its large claws around the him.
"I got this!" Elsword replied through the grating sound of conjured steel against impenetrable hide, "Don't you dare hurt her!" Elsword screamed as the blades connected with the beast's flesh. Doubt couldn't be more apparent in the rest of the party's eyes as he disappeared within the monster's grips. The blades did little more than slow the monster as its scales seemed to absorb and power the magical runes that covered the beast's body.
Rena joined the fray, landing a rock-shattering blow to the back of Berthe's knee, causing the beast to fall over, and giving Elsword enough time to slip out of the way with the mage in tow before they were crushed under the monster's grip.
"Elsword! Get Aisha to safety! We'll take it from here!" Rena ordered.
"Don't have to tell me twice!" the young man replied, making a quick exit down the stairs. She followed through, leaping upward and catching the demon by the chin with a backflip that sent Berthe stumbling back. The wind gathered around the elf, sending herself into a rapid spin as she dove down to finish the beast off.
Berthe rolled on all fours, turning his eyes upward at the elf as the runes on its body flashed a bright blue. It unleashed an ear-splitting roar directed at the assailant, blowing away the magical winds and dispersing the El energy into a dazzle of sparks as it left her body. Rena could do nothing but cover her ears from the sheer volume of the voice as the noise threatened to shatter her bones. After falling victim to the same howling assault that befell Chung, Eve, and Aisha, Rena could do nothing but plummet helplessly to the ground.
"Raven!" Elesis called as the blade in her hands began to glow a fiery red.
"On it!" the mercenary was already on the move, activating the jet propulsion in his arm to launch him rapidly across the temple plateau. Amidst his flight he wound up his fist, driving reinforced Nasod steel right into the beast's temple. The strike drew blood as his fist visibly sunk into the flesh with enough force to fracture Berthe's skull. Raven rolled on the floor, scrambling to his feet just in time to catch Rena in a sideways leap before she hit the ground.
A shadow was cast over Raven and to his surprise, the demon was largely unaffected by his strike; angrier if anything. Holding the Elf in one hand and powering up the engines in his other, Raven met Berthe's fist with his own with such incredible force that the long-thought indestructible arm buckled under the impact. The repercussions of the blow was felt in his entire body as the sentient arm sent a ripple of insurmountable pain through Raven's body. Berthe, however, was unfazed.
It brought its fist down on the vulnerable human but roared in pain as searing pain shot up its arm. Elesis stood in its path, burning blade raised to intercept the blow, its edge digging a deep groove into its burning flesh.
"Ain?" Elesis grunted as she tried to keep her own legs from failing under the weight, "A little help here?"
The priest turned to see Elsword disappear into the lower levels. His ward was safe. His job was done here for today. He could just leave and be done with this moment. The priest hesitated, turning his attention back to the sister who was locked in a losing battle against a significantly more powerful foe.
"Ain?!" Elesis called, her voice more frantic than it was a second ago.
He had to make sure Elsword made it down safely. For all he knew, the demons could have been rallying to catch them in their retreat. He couldn't just leave Elsword be.
In that moment Elesis caught the priest turning his back to them. He was leaving them.
"Ain! Please!" Elesis screamed.
He heard her cries, but he knew his purpose was elsewhere. His magic wasn't for Elesis, Raven, Rena, or anyone else. It was only for the young man with red hair. Without Elsword, this world was doomed. The lives of a few others meant little in the larger scope of Ishmael's plans… and yet-
Berthe reared back, pulling its arm away and plucking the blade out of Elesis's hands. It tossed the burning weapon aside, leaving the three unarmed and helpless under the demon's shadow.
A large, diamond-like lance connected with the demon's flank, its magical essence bled with unnatural holy light. Three more lances found their mark, each climbing upwards along the demon's flank.
Berthe let out a low screech, turning his attention to the new threat standing at the top of the large stairwell.
Blinding green and blue light surrounded the priest as ripples of energy coalesced around him. The source came not from the heavens above but from the the area surrounding him. Any source of El, be it the shattered rune blades from Elsword, the wisps of wind from Rena's assault, and plumes of flame that burned on Elesis's blade, all came to him to form bright crystals at his side.
Within each crystal Ain felt an incredible amount of raw courage, purity, and fury. This was the culmination of mortal emotions in El form. This was the mortals' will incarnate… and dare he say it was far more potent than that of his Goddess's. He could use this.
The floor rumbled as Berthe threw his entire being in a headlong charge at the priest. The diamond-hard lances that were once buried in the beast's flank had dissipated, leaving large bloody wounds that slowed the Berthe's advance.
Ain tapped into the strength of one of the crystals hovering beside him, one that was drawn from Elsword's magical blades. The floor immediately in front of Ain light up in a bright flash as a circle, lined with holy runes and large enough to house the demon charging at him, appeared before the priest. Berthe stepped through the circle's outer barrier, unaware that he would be unable to step out.
Like a train running full speed into a brick wall, Berthe's momentum came to a crashing halt as he slammed into the invisible barrier. Dazed and confused, the demon reared back to strike at the wall only to find there was hardly any room behind him to properly wind up a swing. The circle was shrinking.
The crystal at Ain's side twinkled lightly, causing the holy spell to mimic it's strength a thousand fold in a blinding flash. Berthe howled as the pillar of light that erupted beneath his feet seemed to peel away at his flesh.
"Fascinating," Ain muttered as he curiously tapped the crystal that housed magic from Elesis's flames.
Its color shifted into a bright red as the full fury of her flames altered the circle's property, condensing around the demon to the point where Berthe's body began to levitate off the ground as the constricting barrier slowly molded itself into an orb. The entire time Berthe struggled under the tightening walls where even his strength failed him.
The orb burned red and through the rips and tears on the demon's flesh, his own blood began to boil. All struggling ceased at this point as the orb made it impossible for the beast to move. The condensing El energies finally came to a breaking point as a crack formed in the barrier from the sheer pressure built from within. In a space half the size of Berth's original form, there was no way the demon could have survived being crushed and cooked like so. When the orb finally burst, nothing but ash and flecks of twinkling El dust was left as it harmlessly fell in a messy pile on the stone floor.
"Ain…" Elesis mumbled under her breath as she struggled to rise to a sitting position. The strain on the woman's back after taking such a monstrosity head-on proved to weigh in on the poor redhead and as she could do little more than lay on the ground doing her best not to move.
"What… happened," she whispered. Rena stirred from her sleep as trickles of blood dripped from her ears and Raven's arm had begun to calm. Ain approached them but paused as the combination of pain from all three of them slammed into the priest's senses.
He tapped into the power of the last remaining crystal at his side. It thrummed with energy and released a calming wind that surrounded all of them. The pain in Ain's mind lifted and he visibly saw the other's bodies relax under the healing magic of Rena's wind manipulation.
"Berthe is gone," Ain whispered back.
"Gone…?" the pyro knight strained to lift her head and the priest knelt down gesturing her to keep still while her bones healed.
Elesis chuckled, "And this was your doing?"
Ain nodded.
"Didn't think… Ishmael would go out of her way to help us," Elesis muttered.
Ain shook his head, "She didn't."
Elesis looked up at the priest who was looking back at her with a genuine smile she had never seen cross his lips.
"I did."
"Why…?"
The priest sighed, as he sorted through the multiple reasons in his head. He could tell her that he was ultimately acting on Ishmael's will; that he did so to further bolster his chances of protecting Elsword by protecting the others. He could have explained that he was inspired by Elsword's courage and being around him so much had brought on a sense of duty that exceeded beyond his initial goals. He could simply tell her that he wished for them not to suffer, and that he was moved by her words from before enough to commit the sin of self indulgence. But he settled for none of that.
Instead his answer was simple and to the point: the kind of response someone as barbaric and unrestrained as Elesis would appreciate.
"I'd miss your cooking."
Elesis's brow furrowed. Ain watched as the knight's eyes widened in realization and an amused grin crept onto her lips as she turned her head away in an attempt not to laugh.
"Shut up," she whispered.