EXEUNT

Oh my Goddess, are we there yet?

By the time I'd explained everything, including the incident with Lann, we'd arrived at Ainle. Fiona had given me an intense look, but we agreed to continue the talk later when there was time.

All she said in comment before we exited the boat with Lann was "I want to be angry with you, but I know it's not your fault..." Anger? I feel stupid for not understanding, but I don't really understand what part of what I said is making her angry. I glance down at Fiona's hand, and see her knuckles are white over her sword. I didn't expect such a scary reaction from Fiona...

Now it's time to stop this ritual. My mind inevitably crosses over Brynn again, and I bite my lip as I try to stem the embarrassment as well as guilt that swells to the surface.

°.°.°
(Today before Ainle)

Whenever I returned to Brynn's, it seemed my everything became a little more confusing. The space between us through the familiar noise, looks, and movements felt so hot it was certainly going to become scathing if he came any closer. For this reason, I demurely stepped behind a table and let it discretely separate us. My little barricade against this intense... whatever was going on between us. Though it's not like it mattered anyway, for he was always moving. Not willing to give my discomfort away by moving as well, I leant against the table, pretending to examine the floating sword he always had floating there.

"What do you think about this ritual? What is it for?" I asked him.

He was busy at the moment, but he seemed to give the question some thought as he went. Watching him shuffle vials of potions around and humming in thought surprisingly gave such a familiar, casual atmosphere that I could feel myself unwittingly relaxing. When he started giving his theories on the situation in Ainle, I listened intently, nodding in places as I found my memories congruent with his thoughts.

In short, Brynn felt that all the evidence up til now might've been in preparation for something big, such as a summon. If it was a summon, there was no telling what kind it would be. It could be an army of undead, or it could be an unfathomable monster. There was no way to tell and there was no time to investigate. It had to be stopped!

At the end of the explanation I sighed, eyes clouding over grimly, "I thought so..." I shivered, realizing the implications. Since the Royal Army had forbidden anyone from entering Ainle, we the rulebreakers three would be fighting alone... Oh, this was going to suck. All my past visits to Ainle had ended in injury. Broken bones; a concussion and unconsciousness lasting for days. What was going to happen this time? Death? I grimaced at seeing the pattern developing.

Preoccupied with my pessimism, I hadn't realized Brynn had paused in moving past me. So I startled as an arm suddenly wrapped around me and a warmth pressed against my back. My cheeks coloured as Brynn hugged me, or, as well as one can hug with one free arm...

He murmured in embarrassment, "I'm sure you're aware I'm not very skilled at... cheering people up." I'm sure this was a reference to the awkward tea party we had when we first met, thanks to Tieve. "However, you are a competent mage, and you are the only one who understands how magic circles work. Your companions need you."

Yeah... that didn't really help my grim outlook on life right now, but hugs from the stoic Brynn are nice! My shoulders shook with giggles, and before I knew it, I was crying. I don't know how. I'm sure this was a terrifying experience for the socially inept Brynn. It was probably even more appalling that I started crying after he attempted to cheer me up.

However, the arm tightened around me, and I brought a hand to clutch his sleeve, feeling grateful for him being there (even if he is stoic and awkward at times). I willed the crying to stop. I didn't need to be such a pussy about this, I told myself firmly. Like he said, I was a competent mage, and I could protect myself. I didn't die yet so far, and I would do my best to keep myself—and all of us—alive.

His other arm swung around and hung two bottles of stamina potions in front of my face. The green liquid shimmered with flecks of brown, which I could see clearly from this close. I blinked, and could feel my shaking slowly cease. Were these normal stamina potions? I curiously, gingerly, took them from him, and he loosened his hold on me. I took this opportunity to turn around.

Before I could ask him, however, he explained, hesitantly, "I thought on what could help you. I've given Lann and Fiona plenty of fine HP and Energy potions already, but then realized you would be less likely to use those... Instead, I've prepared some Stamina potions for you."

"They look different." I commented, glancing up at him.

He coughed, his eyes flickering away from mine. "Yes, well... Cinnamon."

"Cinnamon?"

"I thought you would prefer it to the usual taste."

You mean these can taste good? If these can taste good, why do Health potions usually taste like crap?

Brynn caught me gawking at the potions and coughed to get my attention. I flushed, packing away the bottles in a bag. It is wise to not offend your potion supplier. "Thank you."

"Always, Evie."

°.°.°

We've reached a wide area with an altar and 3 clear pathways branching from it. I recognize this for what it is and mention it to the others.

"So this is where it will happen..." Fiona says with a frown.

Lann scowls and in a fierce growl he corrects, "Not if we stop it! How do we do this, Evie?"

I bite back a 'The name is Crow to you, mister' and instead explain, "There are three pillars and three passagesways. It's not a coincidence; three is a strong number in magic. Judging by how they are slowly rising, we should hurry and kill whatever is supporting this ritual at the end of these halls."

Fiona sighs. "I know this isn't going to be easy, but it seems like we're going to have to split up. There's no time."

After voicing our agreements, we each take a path.

My path ends up being the Ashen. How nostalgic... At least I am equipped for a battle of magic. I can counter his fireballs with ice, and having fought him once before, I know how to defeat him this time. The trick will be finding the opportunity to use ice spear... There may be no time for that. I'll have to stay light on my toes and just constantly attack it with my normal attack and ice blast.

I dodge under a fireball, feeling a thrill rip through my body at the smooth move and feeling like a boss. Sweeping my staff under his feet, icy spikes erupt from the ground as it passes by, gunning for his crotch. It's not like there's anything there. No matter how I look at Ashen, he's still a skeleton instead of the vampires I've read in books. Unfortunately, my enemy is pretty boss himself for a reason, and flames explode all around him, throwing me back violently and destroying my ice.

I groan, not having put up mana shield because of being caught off guard. I can feel the burns on my skin sting painfully. I raise my hand and the comforting green sparkles of the Healing Corona do their job, soothing the pain along the way. I throw myself to the side and propel myself further out of the line of fire (literally) with a magic arrow. Landing in a crouch somewhere off to Ashen's side, I immediately fire off a stream of arrows at the opening before dodging again.

This pattern goes on for a while before I see the skeleton preparing a fireball. I hold my staff out and focus as well, preparing an ice spear. I really need to strew this together before he fires. I don't quite manage it to its full potential, but I fire what I've got anyway. It's about the size of a barrel, but at least it's sharp.

It flies as I dodge to the side, using flying sparrow to get extra distance. My eyes are riveted to my half-hearted ice spear, urging it to overcome the fire. I wince as the fire melts away at it, but cheer as it comes through on the other side of the fire as a decent enough chunk to knock Ashen's skull off its shoulders.

Panting, I fall to my knees. Fighting by myself takes a lot more stamina since I need to keep running away from the enemy that is trained solely on me. I grunt unwomanly before hauling myself back up with my legs unsteady. I reach into the pouch at my hip and pull out a stamina potion. After downing it all in one go, I sigh happily at the delicious and invigorating taste.

"Alright. Please let me make it in time!" I plead, running back through the passageway to the ritual's centre.

A/N: Hey, you know, maybe I'll actually finish this story. This is the longest story I've ever published, lol. I've been writing oneshots of possible scenes between Brynn and Evie between writing the last chapter and this one, though I don't think they're good enough to post... One of them involves Brynn having a magical accident that causes him to float to the ceiling of his shop, and another is him trying to tell Evie he's the boy she once knew (same universe as this one)... Oh, also started writing a scene of Brynn going on his own adventure through the dungeons of Argeld's manor to save Evie. That one has a naughty ending and is fun to think about, though I think it's unlikely to happen. :c