"Thank you for the meal, Mia. It was very delicious." Isaac said, putting
down his knife and fork. "I don't think I've eaten that much at one
sitting in my whole life." He sighed, rubbing his stomach. He had been
right; never before had he consumed that much. For Isaac, it was a
combination of several things why he decided to gorge himself. First, he
hadn't had anything decent to eat since he left Vale days before. Second,
his body was tired from doing so much fighting. Finally, and likely the
primary reason why he ate so much, was that Mia was an excellent cook.
"I'm glad you enjoyed that, Isaac. How are you feeling other than that? And please, don't give me one of your polite Paladin answers. Tell me how you really feel." Mia said, not barbing her words in any way.
"If anything, I'm just a little fatigued." Isaac said. "It's nothing."
"Muscles aching?" Sheba asked.
"Yeah, a little." Isaac replied, turning to her. "Like I said, it's nothing. It just feels like I finished a session of training with my master, Felix."
"Ah, I've heard of Lord Felix's training sessions from a couple of passing Paladins months ago." Sheba stated. "They said Felix was the toughest taskmaster in the entire Paladin corps. They said he had his moments of compassion, but he always forced his squires to their maximum."
"It's all true." Isaac returned. "However, Felix is a great man. Probably the greatest I'll ever know. Speaking of which. . . I'd best begin to return to Vale soon. A two hundred mile walk sounds like it could take a long time."
"It would." Mia replied. "When do you wish to depart?"
"As soon as possible, preferably."
"Well, judging by how fatigued you are, you should stay here for about two days and then begin your journey home. The terrain on foot around here can get treacherous, so you might want to be at full strength for your return trip." Mia stated. "I'd heal you with Ply, but that's not as good as getting natural rest."
"I couldn't ask that of you, Mia." Isaac returned. A knock sounded on Mia's door at the end of Isaac's statement. Sheba stood and walked over to the large wooden door and opened it. The inky darkness of night loomed into the room and a medium sized male stood at the door, his face frantic.
"Mia, monsters have appeared at the south side of town. Undead, Mia!"
"Undead? Again?!" Mia shouted back. "I thought Sheba and I took care of them last week!"
"Well, they're back, and madder than ever! We need your help!"
"Okay. I'll help." Mia said, approaching the door.
"And so shall I." Isaac stood, reaching for his sword and scabbard.
"You're supposed to be resting!" Mia pointed out.
"Rest comes second to my duty! I'm going out there and halt those abominations in their tracks!" He replied pushing past her lightly. Isaac drew his sword and turned to the messenger. "Which way to the south gate?" Isaac asked.
"That way." The man pointed out.
"Thank you, sir." Isaac stated, charging off in the direction the man had pointed. Mia sighed, and began following him a few yards behind, with Sheba closing in from the rear. Isaac ripped through the streets and quickly reached the south edge of the town. "Where are they?" He whispered to himself quietly, checking his surroundings carefully. He could hear the monsters ahead of him and around a corner, but he was unsure of their number. He pushed his back against the wooden house and shuffled slowly over to the corner of the building. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mia and Sheba dashing up to join him, but he put his hand toward them, signaling them to stop. Isaac quickly put a finger to his lips, ordering them to keep quiet. They both nodded in agreement, and pressed against the wall with Isaac closest to the corner. Sweat beaded on Isaac's forehead lightly, and he began to make a move for the corner. He could hear the shuffling of feet, groaning, and cracking of bones. It sounded like he was dealing with Skeletons and some kind of zombie. It was nothing he couldn't take care of, but being unsure of number forced Isaac to play cautious. He finally jumped around the corner, sword in attack position.
He quickly identified half a dozen Skeletons and at least a dozen Zombies. He was glad he was cautious. Most of the zombies were too stupid to realize he had just appeared, but the skeletons took quick notice and charged directly for him. He leapt backwards, preparing to fight multiple opponents, when suddenly a blast of Plasma struck three of the aggressor skeletons. The Plasma bolts sent the creatures reeling, and two of the three skeletons fell into a pile of bones onto the ground. Mia was quick to dash out and destroy the injured one with her Angelic Ankh, shattering its body into fragments on the ground.
Isaac threw his palm out at the direction of the incoming skeletons, and three large stone spikes sudden jutted up from the ground and impaled one of the skeletons and shattered the other two. His Clay Spire had worked perfectly. Now it was on to the zombies, which would be easy pickings. Zombies in general had little intelligence whatsoever and were regarded as the lowest class of danger in the genus of Undead. Isaac charged forward and quickly relieved one of the abominations of its head, then he quickly spun and swiped another's legs clean off. He turned for his next target, seeing three of the creatures being torn apart by large shards of ice from an Ice Missile attack. Five more were quickly engulfed by a jolt of Shine Plasma, courtesy of Sheba. Isaac, not wanting to go overboard with Psynergy, decided to stick to using his sword. Now that ten of the creatures were finished, it only left a few more. He charged at the remaining cluster of five and stabbed one clean through with his sword. He quickly kicked the zombie from his blade, and as he finished, he spun around and let another catch glimpse of his fist head on. The abomination's neck snapped from the force of Isaac's punch, although he hadn't put much force into it. The remaining three were quickly dispatched by Isaac's blade, and he sheathed it after he made sure everything was clear.
"I think that was the last of them, Mia." Isaac stated, looking around. "It's a good thing no one was around when this happened."
"Thankfully, people know better now to come to us instead of trying to fight these things off with pitchforks and spades." Mia replied. "Of course, that method of fighting was okay against the zombies, but the skeletons required a little more finesse to deal with."
"Mia, you've said the undead have plagued your village before. When did this start happening?"
"About three months ago. Zombies started roaming the countryside and eventually came to Imil. Most of the men in the town could defeat the zombies by themselves, but the next month, skeletons started coming too. While tending to the wounded, a couple of them jumped me and I used my power against them. It turned out to be the best thing to use against them. So, whenever they came along, the townspeople fetched myself and Sheba to defeat them. Strange. . . the undead are becoming in greater number as of recently. Tonight they were quite few."
"Vault's having a similar problem. Except that they also had the Storm Lizard on top of it. What foul plague has taken to Angara?" Isaac puzzled.
"I'm not sure. . ." Mia said, quietly.
"Neither am I." Sheba stated, looking around. She thought she caught a shadow moving in from behind Isaac, but at first she pegged it on her imagination. Then she saw it again, and then a bright purple light. "Isaac! Look out!"
"What?. . . AAAAAGH!" He shouted, being plastered by a powerful Destruct Ray. Isaac slipped to his knees, smoke curling from his tunic. He struggled to get back to his feet as what attacked him came into view.
"Phantom Mage!" Sheba shouted. Mia quickly ran out and casted Ice Horn on the creature, stunning it momentarily. She instantly moved toward Isaac and quickly gave him a Ply treatment. The Paladin squire stood wearily and sheathed his sword. A metal weapon wasn't going to do anything to the incorporeal being. Isaac studied the phantom carefully. Its body was translucent purple, and its body snaked into a small tail beginning at the waist. Above that, the figure was shrouded in a cloak and was carrying a staff and a spellbook. Two glowing purple eyes emanated from the cloak and gazed at the Adepts.
"By Mercury's light. . . I'd never thought I'd ever see one of these. . ." Mia whispered softly to herself. "Few have survived an encounter with one of these creatures. . ."
"Stay strong, Mia." Isaac said, his strength now returning thanks to Mia's Ply. "Keep your cool and we'll get through this."
"What's it waiting for?" Mia asked, curious of the ghost's hesitancy to make another move. The Adepts stood staring at the apparition for several silent moments and the winds stood still. Finally, a light gust from the west blew through the battlefield and the apparition raised its staff.
"Dodge!" Isaac shouted, dashing away to the side, Mia the opposite way, and Sheba jinking in a different direction. The resulting Whirlwind missed the Adepts, but the wind kicked up several small stones into the air, kicking them in different directions. Thankfully, none of the rocks struck anyone, so they went out for their attack. Sheba casted Storm Ray on the phantom after making sure she had a clear shot. The lightning bolts did little to the phantom but annoy it, as it was obviously Jupiter aligned. Mia went next, letting the icy death of Glacier do her talking. The ghost was quickly surrounded in a sheet of ice, of which it broke free in moments. The spirit was now visibly angry and as it prepared to strike, its deterrent was a blast of Clay Spire from the ground. The ghost shrieked in anger and pain, and spun to face Isaac.
The Venus Adept had to go. The ghost pointed his staff toward Isaac and let a Plasma blast fry the squire. Mia retaliated by letting her icy shards of freezing death upon the creature again, causing it to shriek at her too. Sheba decided to try her Shine Plasma against the monster, and as the bolts of Psynergy struck again and again, the ghost simply shrugged them off. Isaac, who was still on his feet, didn't want his new friends getting hurt, so he decided to play one of his three trump cards. The earth below the phantom split open, and a gush of Mother Gaia's fury slashed at the monster, causing it great pain.
Enough was enough for the specter. He turned to the tired and injured Venus Adept and played its own trump: Spark Plasma. Isaac's screams of pain echoed throughout Imil as the powerful bolts surged through his body. He fell to the ground limp and moaning, unable to move.
"Isaac!" Mia and Sheba called out, seeing the squire fall from the blast of lightning. Mia tried to reach the fallen Venus Adept, but the specter cut off her route. Sheba tried to clear a path with a Tornado attack, but the ghost wasn't affected by it in the least. Instead, it countered with its own Tornado and threw Sheba for a loop. The Jupiter Adept was thrown several yards away into a field, where the sound of her body colliding was a sickening thump. Only Mia stood face to face against the monster. She was scared, but she was willing to fight on. The bold Mercury Adept attacked with Ice Horn and then immediately with Tundra, but the phantom showed no signs of wear. The ghost approached her carefully, and Mia took several steps backward until her back pressed against the wall of a house. There was not an escape route in sight. The creature moved closer and when it was about twenty feet away from her, Mia readied her staff into defense position. The weapon wasn't going to do her any good, but she wanted to show the phantom that she had no fear of it. Finally, the creature approached to fifteen feet. Mia shivered as she prepared to send a final Ice Missile attack at it. As her palms started glowing blue, the spirit suddenly glowed with a golden light. The ghost too was confused, and it looked skyward. . . straight into an incoming sword made of pure Psynergy. The sword exploded into a flash of golden light, dispelling the Phantom for good. As the light cleared, Mia saw Isaac standing up, his right arm forward with his left supporting it. Isaac's body was wounded all over, and his face and hair looked burned, but she could swear she could hear the Venus Adept chuckling.
"He left his guard down. . ." Isaac laughed lightly, before falling onto his back on the ground. Mia immediately rushed over to Isaac, whose eyes were full of exhaustion and his face full of fatigue. His body and clothes were covered with burn marks from the Spark Plasma attack that paralyzed him temporarily.
"Isaac, please hold on. . ."
"Go find Sheba. . . I'll be okay. Make sure she's okay."
"Isaac. . ."
"Do it, Mia." Isaac smiled through the obvious pain he was experiencing. "Make sure she's okay, got it?! Don't worry about me." Isaac ordered. Mia quietly nodded and rushed over to where Sheba had landed. She was groaning in pain while laying on the ground.
"Ow. . . Mia. . . I broke my arm on landing. . . can you help me?" Sheba asked, though tears of pain.
"Okay, hold on, Sheba." Mia stated, setting Sheba's broken arm back into place. Sheba screamed out in pain at the movement, but she knew Mia could do nothing if she didn't align the bone properly. Then Mia's hands began glowing with the light of Ply, and Sheba's wounds began closing up, and Sheba herself could feel the bone mending, good as new. She stood after she was sure Mia was finished and turned to her.
"Thank you, Mia. Wait! What about Isaac?!"
"He's hurt pretty badly, but he demanded that I tend to you first."
"Did he defeat that. . . thing?"
"Yes. He saved us both. Maybe he can help us stop them. . ." She paused. "Excuse me, but he needs to be looked after. Run home and get the stretcher. We may need to carry him back. . . I don't know if I have enough energy to fix him up here and now." Sheba nodded in agreement and sprinted back to their house. Mia quickly returned to Isaac, who was gazing up at the stars. "Isaac?"
"Is Sheba okay?" He asked immediately.
"She's fine."
"Good." Isaac smiled.
"Hold still, Isaac." She said, placing her hands on his chest and using what remained of her power to heal him. She had been correct in knowing her power wouldn't hold out in healing him completely but he had improved considerably. "You know Isaac. . . you must be my guardian angel."
"What?" He asked. "No, I'm no angel. Just a squire." Isaac replied, smiling. "I could say the same about you; guardian angel."
"I'm not an angel either." Mia replied. "Just a healer." Isaac's eyes closed in fatigue and he sighed with relief. Mia smiled inwardly that he was okay. She glanced back to the town and waited for Sheba to return with the stretcher. She looked back down to Isaac. "Are you okay, Isaac?"
"I'm fine." Isaac replied, obviously lying. He was still wounded and he looked like he had been put through the fires of Hell itself. "I'd be a lot worse right now if you hadn't been here, Mia. I owe you my life; thank you." Mia's expression changed at this comment. No one had ever said that before to her, despite the thanks that had always been given to her. Perhaps it wasn't what he said, but it was the way he said it. Isaac's voice had been serene and full of truth. However, his voice was matter-of- fact and level. Isaac was a strange person. . . there was just something different about him. Mia looked down at the warrior's calm face; his eyes were still closed, and he was smiling. Smiling through his injuries, as if he enjoyed just laying in the grass with someone watching over him. Mia glanced back to the town, to see her friend charging back, stretcher under her arm. She ran up and set it on the ground next to Isaac.
"Do we roll him on or pick him up and put him on that way?"
"I don't care." Isaac said. "It doesn't matter to me."
"Well, you're the injured one! Do you think you'd hurt more on your stomach or back?" Mia replied. Isaac's smile didn't fade; he simply pushed himself over onto the stretcher with his arms and legs. Mia saw him wince once as he did it, but the smile on his continence continued to show. She grabbed the end where Isaac's head lay and Sheba grabbed the end with his feet. "Ready Sheba? One, two, three, lift!" She said, lifting together with Sheba. Between the two of them, Isaac's weight wasn't too bad, and they headed back toward their house.
"He's a lot lighter than he looks." Sheba remarked, marching forward.
"I'm not sure how." Isaac said, eyes closed.
"Isaac, don't speak. You should be resting." Mia consoled.
"Have it your way, Mia. You're the healer, after all." Isaac smiled.
"I can't tell if you mean that or if you're being sarcastic!"
"I don't know if you'll ever know the answer to that one, Mia." Sheba laughed. In a matter of moments, they returned to their house, where they transferred Isaac onto the guest room bed. Mia began applying various herbs and ointments to Isaac's wounds, while Sheba went to bed for the night.
"Well, you certainly got yourself dinged up pretty good. I want you to stay in this bed for a couple of days to make sure you fully get your strength back. If you try to do anything for the next few days, I'm going to make your life a living nightmare, Isaac." Mia told him.
"You're not doing that already?" Isaac joked, laughing softly.
"That's not a very nice thing to say to the person who is patching you up, Isaac."
"I was only kidding. Relax. To be honest, Mia, I can't thank you enough for the care you've been giving me."
"I should be thanking you, Isaac. You've done so much while you've been here. For me, and the townspeople. I think you really are our guardian angel. . . Thank you, Isaac. If it wasn't for you, it's likely this entire town would be dead now thanks to that Phantom Mage."
"You're underestimating your strength and overestimating mine." Isaac replied.
"Why are you always so modest? You saved us all, so why not take credit?"
"The credit is not mine to take. As a Paladin, one never takes credit for his deeds; he merely does what's best for the common good. I've done no less than my duty."
"Isaac. . . you've done so much. Much more than most would ever try to do."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. I cannot make that judgment, Mia."
"Again with your modesty." Mia sighed. "I guess it would be folly to try to change that."
"It would." Isaac replied with a smile. Mia continued to apply healing items and bandages to the injured Isaac without a word. "Tell me, Mia. . . what's it like living the life of a healer?"
"There's not a lot to it, Isaac. You help the injured, treat the sick, and help those who are in need of it."
"Do you like it, Mia?"
"I don't think I'd want to live my life any other way. . . but, I have always wanted to see the world and travel. But, I'm needed here, so. . . I can't really leave. What's it like leading the life of a Paladin?"
"I won't lie. It isn't easy. One must always keep a constant vigil and always do what's right. We must always help the common good when we are able and we must not let our emotions cloud our judgment. It truly is a difficult job, but I love what I do. I think helping people is what we were both meant to do, Mia."
"But, isn't the code really restrictive?"
"The code IS very rigid, but once you know how to live by it, it's not that bad."
"I once heard Paladins are forbidden to fall in love. Isn't that a little harsh? I mean, haven't you ever wondered what it was like?"
"Maybe once or twice, but the thought was fleeting. I do not believe the code is too harsh, as love can affect someone's judgment."
"But, can't love actually improve someone's judgment?"
"Having never been in love, I couldn't answer that accurately. It is possible, perhaps. Though it's a risk we cannot afford to take." Isaac said, pausing a moment before continuing. "However, if there is one thing that is hotly debated about the code, it is that. Many of even the high- ranking Paladins believe that the code should be amended. However, most of the other Paladins remain conservative on the code, believing that love relationships can only cause mayhem and disorder in the Paladin corps. I think even King Picard sympathizes with the ones wishing to amend the code, but he can't change it for political and traditional reasons."
"So, where do you stand on that issue, Isaac?"
"I don't know. Both sides have their merits. . . however, my opinion matters little as I am only a squire right now. Why? What do you believe, Mia?"
"I'm not a Paladin, nor am I one who knows much about them, but judging for what they stand for, I'd side with the ones who want to amend. Love for something makes you fight longer and harder then if you thought it was 'just there.' Love makes you fight for people harder too." They both paused, and Mia soon stood up. "Well, it's getting late, Isaac. I think I will go to bed now; you better get some sleep too."
"I will." Isaac replied, watching Mia leave the room. His eyes closed and he quickly dozed off.
Mia, on the other hand, lay awake in her bed, deep in thought. Did she love Isaac? He was likely the kindest boy she had ever met, and he certainly cared more about others than himself. He had fought both alongside her and in her defense, and he never let his skill in fighting go to his head. She toyed with the idea that he was just doing his duty, but his actions seemed deeper than that to her. Isaac also had incredible depth for a person of his age; definitely someone who had his own wisdom and life. To top it all of, Sheba was correct; he was remarkably good looking. Even with all of these merits and no noticeable defects, Mia still couldn't gather her feelings about him. She struggled with trying to collect if she was in love with him for a few moments before stopping. She only knew one thing: she didn't really know how she felt about him. Deciding to leave it at that, Mia rolled onto her side and let sleep consume her.
"I'm glad you enjoyed that, Isaac. How are you feeling other than that? And please, don't give me one of your polite Paladin answers. Tell me how you really feel." Mia said, not barbing her words in any way.
"If anything, I'm just a little fatigued." Isaac said. "It's nothing."
"Muscles aching?" Sheba asked.
"Yeah, a little." Isaac replied, turning to her. "Like I said, it's nothing. It just feels like I finished a session of training with my master, Felix."
"Ah, I've heard of Lord Felix's training sessions from a couple of passing Paladins months ago." Sheba stated. "They said Felix was the toughest taskmaster in the entire Paladin corps. They said he had his moments of compassion, but he always forced his squires to their maximum."
"It's all true." Isaac returned. "However, Felix is a great man. Probably the greatest I'll ever know. Speaking of which. . . I'd best begin to return to Vale soon. A two hundred mile walk sounds like it could take a long time."
"It would." Mia replied. "When do you wish to depart?"
"As soon as possible, preferably."
"Well, judging by how fatigued you are, you should stay here for about two days and then begin your journey home. The terrain on foot around here can get treacherous, so you might want to be at full strength for your return trip." Mia stated. "I'd heal you with Ply, but that's not as good as getting natural rest."
"I couldn't ask that of you, Mia." Isaac returned. A knock sounded on Mia's door at the end of Isaac's statement. Sheba stood and walked over to the large wooden door and opened it. The inky darkness of night loomed into the room and a medium sized male stood at the door, his face frantic.
"Mia, monsters have appeared at the south side of town. Undead, Mia!"
"Undead? Again?!" Mia shouted back. "I thought Sheba and I took care of them last week!"
"Well, they're back, and madder than ever! We need your help!"
"Okay. I'll help." Mia said, approaching the door.
"And so shall I." Isaac stood, reaching for his sword and scabbard.
"You're supposed to be resting!" Mia pointed out.
"Rest comes second to my duty! I'm going out there and halt those abominations in their tracks!" He replied pushing past her lightly. Isaac drew his sword and turned to the messenger. "Which way to the south gate?" Isaac asked.
"That way." The man pointed out.
"Thank you, sir." Isaac stated, charging off in the direction the man had pointed. Mia sighed, and began following him a few yards behind, with Sheba closing in from the rear. Isaac ripped through the streets and quickly reached the south edge of the town. "Where are they?" He whispered to himself quietly, checking his surroundings carefully. He could hear the monsters ahead of him and around a corner, but he was unsure of their number. He pushed his back against the wooden house and shuffled slowly over to the corner of the building. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mia and Sheba dashing up to join him, but he put his hand toward them, signaling them to stop. Isaac quickly put a finger to his lips, ordering them to keep quiet. They both nodded in agreement, and pressed against the wall with Isaac closest to the corner. Sweat beaded on Isaac's forehead lightly, and he began to make a move for the corner. He could hear the shuffling of feet, groaning, and cracking of bones. It sounded like he was dealing with Skeletons and some kind of zombie. It was nothing he couldn't take care of, but being unsure of number forced Isaac to play cautious. He finally jumped around the corner, sword in attack position.
He quickly identified half a dozen Skeletons and at least a dozen Zombies. He was glad he was cautious. Most of the zombies were too stupid to realize he had just appeared, but the skeletons took quick notice and charged directly for him. He leapt backwards, preparing to fight multiple opponents, when suddenly a blast of Plasma struck three of the aggressor skeletons. The Plasma bolts sent the creatures reeling, and two of the three skeletons fell into a pile of bones onto the ground. Mia was quick to dash out and destroy the injured one with her Angelic Ankh, shattering its body into fragments on the ground.
Isaac threw his palm out at the direction of the incoming skeletons, and three large stone spikes sudden jutted up from the ground and impaled one of the skeletons and shattered the other two. His Clay Spire had worked perfectly. Now it was on to the zombies, which would be easy pickings. Zombies in general had little intelligence whatsoever and were regarded as the lowest class of danger in the genus of Undead. Isaac charged forward and quickly relieved one of the abominations of its head, then he quickly spun and swiped another's legs clean off. He turned for his next target, seeing three of the creatures being torn apart by large shards of ice from an Ice Missile attack. Five more were quickly engulfed by a jolt of Shine Plasma, courtesy of Sheba. Isaac, not wanting to go overboard with Psynergy, decided to stick to using his sword. Now that ten of the creatures were finished, it only left a few more. He charged at the remaining cluster of five and stabbed one clean through with his sword. He quickly kicked the zombie from his blade, and as he finished, he spun around and let another catch glimpse of his fist head on. The abomination's neck snapped from the force of Isaac's punch, although he hadn't put much force into it. The remaining three were quickly dispatched by Isaac's blade, and he sheathed it after he made sure everything was clear.
"I think that was the last of them, Mia." Isaac stated, looking around. "It's a good thing no one was around when this happened."
"Thankfully, people know better now to come to us instead of trying to fight these things off with pitchforks and spades." Mia replied. "Of course, that method of fighting was okay against the zombies, but the skeletons required a little more finesse to deal with."
"Mia, you've said the undead have plagued your village before. When did this start happening?"
"About three months ago. Zombies started roaming the countryside and eventually came to Imil. Most of the men in the town could defeat the zombies by themselves, but the next month, skeletons started coming too. While tending to the wounded, a couple of them jumped me and I used my power against them. It turned out to be the best thing to use against them. So, whenever they came along, the townspeople fetched myself and Sheba to defeat them. Strange. . . the undead are becoming in greater number as of recently. Tonight they were quite few."
"Vault's having a similar problem. Except that they also had the Storm Lizard on top of it. What foul plague has taken to Angara?" Isaac puzzled.
"I'm not sure. . ." Mia said, quietly.
"Neither am I." Sheba stated, looking around. She thought she caught a shadow moving in from behind Isaac, but at first she pegged it on her imagination. Then she saw it again, and then a bright purple light. "Isaac! Look out!"
"What?. . . AAAAAGH!" He shouted, being plastered by a powerful Destruct Ray. Isaac slipped to his knees, smoke curling from his tunic. He struggled to get back to his feet as what attacked him came into view.
"Phantom Mage!" Sheba shouted. Mia quickly ran out and casted Ice Horn on the creature, stunning it momentarily. She instantly moved toward Isaac and quickly gave him a Ply treatment. The Paladin squire stood wearily and sheathed his sword. A metal weapon wasn't going to do anything to the incorporeal being. Isaac studied the phantom carefully. Its body was translucent purple, and its body snaked into a small tail beginning at the waist. Above that, the figure was shrouded in a cloak and was carrying a staff and a spellbook. Two glowing purple eyes emanated from the cloak and gazed at the Adepts.
"By Mercury's light. . . I'd never thought I'd ever see one of these. . ." Mia whispered softly to herself. "Few have survived an encounter with one of these creatures. . ."
"Stay strong, Mia." Isaac said, his strength now returning thanks to Mia's Ply. "Keep your cool and we'll get through this."
"What's it waiting for?" Mia asked, curious of the ghost's hesitancy to make another move. The Adepts stood staring at the apparition for several silent moments and the winds stood still. Finally, a light gust from the west blew through the battlefield and the apparition raised its staff.
"Dodge!" Isaac shouted, dashing away to the side, Mia the opposite way, and Sheba jinking in a different direction. The resulting Whirlwind missed the Adepts, but the wind kicked up several small stones into the air, kicking them in different directions. Thankfully, none of the rocks struck anyone, so they went out for their attack. Sheba casted Storm Ray on the phantom after making sure she had a clear shot. The lightning bolts did little to the phantom but annoy it, as it was obviously Jupiter aligned. Mia went next, letting the icy death of Glacier do her talking. The ghost was quickly surrounded in a sheet of ice, of which it broke free in moments. The spirit was now visibly angry and as it prepared to strike, its deterrent was a blast of Clay Spire from the ground. The ghost shrieked in anger and pain, and spun to face Isaac.
The Venus Adept had to go. The ghost pointed his staff toward Isaac and let a Plasma blast fry the squire. Mia retaliated by letting her icy shards of freezing death upon the creature again, causing it to shriek at her too. Sheba decided to try her Shine Plasma against the monster, and as the bolts of Psynergy struck again and again, the ghost simply shrugged them off. Isaac, who was still on his feet, didn't want his new friends getting hurt, so he decided to play one of his three trump cards. The earth below the phantom split open, and a gush of Mother Gaia's fury slashed at the monster, causing it great pain.
Enough was enough for the specter. He turned to the tired and injured Venus Adept and played its own trump: Spark Plasma. Isaac's screams of pain echoed throughout Imil as the powerful bolts surged through his body. He fell to the ground limp and moaning, unable to move.
"Isaac!" Mia and Sheba called out, seeing the squire fall from the blast of lightning. Mia tried to reach the fallen Venus Adept, but the specter cut off her route. Sheba tried to clear a path with a Tornado attack, but the ghost wasn't affected by it in the least. Instead, it countered with its own Tornado and threw Sheba for a loop. The Jupiter Adept was thrown several yards away into a field, where the sound of her body colliding was a sickening thump. Only Mia stood face to face against the monster. She was scared, but she was willing to fight on. The bold Mercury Adept attacked with Ice Horn and then immediately with Tundra, but the phantom showed no signs of wear. The ghost approached her carefully, and Mia took several steps backward until her back pressed against the wall of a house. There was not an escape route in sight. The creature moved closer and when it was about twenty feet away from her, Mia readied her staff into defense position. The weapon wasn't going to do her any good, but she wanted to show the phantom that she had no fear of it. Finally, the creature approached to fifteen feet. Mia shivered as she prepared to send a final Ice Missile attack at it. As her palms started glowing blue, the spirit suddenly glowed with a golden light. The ghost too was confused, and it looked skyward. . . straight into an incoming sword made of pure Psynergy. The sword exploded into a flash of golden light, dispelling the Phantom for good. As the light cleared, Mia saw Isaac standing up, his right arm forward with his left supporting it. Isaac's body was wounded all over, and his face and hair looked burned, but she could swear she could hear the Venus Adept chuckling.
"He left his guard down. . ." Isaac laughed lightly, before falling onto his back on the ground. Mia immediately rushed over to Isaac, whose eyes were full of exhaustion and his face full of fatigue. His body and clothes were covered with burn marks from the Spark Plasma attack that paralyzed him temporarily.
"Isaac, please hold on. . ."
"Go find Sheba. . . I'll be okay. Make sure she's okay."
"Isaac. . ."
"Do it, Mia." Isaac smiled through the obvious pain he was experiencing. "Make sure she's okay, got it?! Don't worry about me." Isaac ordered. Mia quietly nodded and rushed over to where Sheba had landed. She was groaning in pain while laying on the ground.
"Ow. . . Mia. . . I broke my arm on landing. . . can you help me?" Sheba asked, though tears of pain.
"Okay, hold on, Sheba." Mia stated, setting Sheba's broken arm back into place. Sheba screamed out in pain at the movement, but she knew Mia could do nothing if she didn't align the bone properly. Then Mia's hands began glowing with the light of Ply, and Sheba's wounds began closing up, and Sheba herself could feel the bone mending, good as new. She stood after she was sure Mia was finished and turned to her.
"Thank you, Mia. Wait! What about Isaac?!"
"He's hurt pretty badly, but he demanded that I tend to you first."
"Did he defeat that. . . thing?"
"Yes. He saved us both. Maybe he can help us stop them. . ." She paused. "Excuse me, but he needs to be looked after. Run home and get the stretcher. We may need to carry him back. . . I don't know if I have enough energy to fix him up here and now." Sheba nodded in agreement and sprinted back to their house. Mia quickly returned to Isaac, who was gazing up at the stars. "Isaac?"
"Is Sheba okay?" He asked immediately.
"She's fine."
"Good." Isaac smiled.
"Hold still, Isaac." She said, placing her hands on his chest and using what remained of her power to heal him. She had been correct in knowing her power wouldn't hold out in healing him completely but he had improved considerably. "You know Isaac. . . you must be my guardian angel."
"What?" He asked. "No, I'm no angel. Just a squire." Isaac replied, smiling. "I could say the same about you; guardian angel."
"I'm not an angel either." Mia replied. "Just a healer." Isaac's eyes closed in fatigue and he sighed with relief. Mia smiled inwardly that he was okay. She glanced back to the town and waited for Sheba to return with the stretcher. She looked back down to Isaac. "Are you okay, Isaac?"
"I'm fine." Isaac replied, obviously lying. He was still wounded and he looked like he had been put through the fires of Hell itself. "I'd be a lot worse right now if you hadn't been here, Mia. I owe you my life; thank you." Mia's expression changed at this comment. No one had ever said that before to her, despite the thanks that had always been given to her. Perhaps it wasn't what he said, but it was the way he said it. Isaac's voice had been serene and full of truth. However, his voice was matter-of- fact and level. Isaac was a strange person. . . there was just something different about him. Mia looked down at the warrior's calm face; his eyes were still closed, and he was smiling. Smiling through his injuries, as if he enjoyed just laying in the grass with someone watching over him. Mia glanced back to the town, to see her friend charging back, stretcher under her arm. She ran up and set it on the ground next to Isaac.
"Do we roll him on or pick him up and put him on that way?"
"I don't care." Isaac said. "It doesn't matter to me."
"Well, you're the injured one! Do you think you'd hurt more on your stomach or back?" Mia replied. Isaac's smile didn't fade; he simply pushed himself over onto the stretcher with his arms and legs. Mia saw him wince once as he did it, but the smile on his continence continued to show. She grabbed the end where Isaac's head lay and Sheba grabbed the end with his feet. "Ready Sheba? One, two, three, lift!" She said, lifting together with Sheba. Between the two of them, Isaac's weight wasn't too bad, and they headed back toward their house.
"He's a lot lighter than he looks." Sheba remarked, marching forward.
"I'm not sure how." Isaac said, eyes closed.
"Isaac, don't speak. You should be resting." Mia consoled.
"Have it your way, Mia. You're the healer, after all." Isaac smiled.
"I can't tell if you mean that or if you're being sarcastic!"
"I don't know if you'll ever know the answer to that one, Mia." Sheba laughed. In a matter of moments, they returned to their house, where they transferred Isaac onto the guest room bed. Mia began applying various herbs and ointments to Isaac's wounds, while Sheba went to bed for the night.
"Well, you certainly got yourself dinged up pretty good. I want you to stay in this bed for a couple of days to make sure you fully get your strength back. If you try to do anything for the next few days, I'm going to make your life a living nightmare, Isaac." Mia told him.
"You're not doing that already?" Isaac joked, laughing softly.
"That's not a very nice thing to say to the person who is patching you up, Isaac."
"I was only kidding. Relax. To be honest, Mia, I can't thank you enough for the care you've been giving me."
"I should be thanking you, Isaac. You've done so much while you've been here. For me, and the townspeople. I think you really are our guardian angel. . . Thank you, Isaac. If it wasn't for you, it's likely this entire town would be dead now thanks to that Phantom Mage."
"You're underestimating your strength and overestimating mine." Isaac replied.
"Why are you always so modest? You saved us all, so why not take credit?"
"The credit is not mine to take. As a Paladin, one never takes credit for his deeds; he merely does what's best for the common good. I've done no less than my duty."
"Isaac. . . you've done so much. Much more than most would ever try to do."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. I cannot make that judgment, Mia."
"Again with your modesty." Mia sighed. "I guess it would be folly to try to change that."
"It would." Isaac replied with a smile. Mia continued to apply healing items and bandages to the injured Isaac without a word. "Tell me, Mia. . . what's it like living the life of a healer?"
"There's not a lot to it, Isaac. You help the injured, treat the sick, and help those who are in need of it."
"Do you like it, Mia?"
"I don't think I'd want to live my life any other way. . . but, I have always wanted to see the world and travel. But, I'm needed here, so. . . I can't really leave. What's it like leading the life of a Paladin?"
"I won't lie. It isn't easy. One must always keep a constant vigil and always do what's right. We must always help the common good when we are able and we must not let our emotions cloud our judgment. It truly is a difficult job, but I love what I do. I think helping people is what we were both meant to do, Mia."
"But, isn't the code really restrictive?"
"The code IS very rigid, but once you know how to live by it, it's not that bad."
"I once heard Paladins are forbidden to fall in love. Isn't that a little harsh? I mean, haven't you ever wondered what it was like?"
"Maybe once or twice, but the thought was fleeting. I do not believe the code is too harsh, as love can affect someone's judgment."
"But, can't love actually improve someone's judgment?"
"Having never been in love, I couldn't answer that accurately. It is possible, perhaps. Though it's a risk we cannot afford to take." Isaac said, pausing a moment before continuing. "However, if there is one thing that is hotly debated about the code, it is that. Many of even the high- ranking Paladins believe that the code should be amended. However, most of the other Paladins remain conservative on the code, believing that love relationships can only cause mayhem and disorder in the Paladin corps. I think even King Picard sympathizes with the ones wishing to amend the code, but he can't change it for political and traditional reasons."
"So, where do you stand on that issue, Isaac?"
"I don't know. Both sides have their merits. . . however, my opinion matters little as I am only a squire right now. Why? What do you believe, Mia?"
"I'm not a Paladin, nor am I one who knows much about them, but judging for what they stand for, I'd side with the ones who want to amend. Love for something makes you fight longer and harder then if you thought it was 'just there.' Love makes you fight for people harder too." They both paused, and Mia soon stood up. "Well, it's getting late, Isaac. I think I will go to bed now; you better get some sleep too."
"I will." Isaac replied, watching Mia leave the room. His eyes closed and he quickly dozed off.
Mia, on the other hand, lay awake in her bed, deep in thought. Did she love Isaac? He was likely the kindest boy she had ever met, and he certainly cared more about others than himself. He had fought both alongside her and in her defense, and he never let his skill in fighting go to his head. She toyed with the idea that he was just doing his duty, but his actions seemed deeper than that to her. Isaac also had incredible depth for a person of his age; definitely someone who had his own wisdom and life. To top it all of, Sheba was correct; he was remarkably good looking. Even with all of these merits and no noticeable defects, Mia still couldn't gather her feelings about him. She struggled with trying to collect if she was in love with him for a few moments before stopping. She only knew one thing: she didn't really know how she felt about him. Deciding to leave it at that, Mia rolled onto her side and let sleep consume her.
