Chapter 22: Defying Gravity

Sergei left the museum to regroup with the rest of the group staring at the sky to see the drake flying around.

"So … got your stuff done?" Rose asked not turning to him.

"Yeah." Said Sergei.

"Anyone got any ideas?" Rose asked.

"We could shoot it." Said Mikleo.

"Or we could steal that dagger and fly up there." Dezel suggested.

"I don't think that would be such a good idea with a seraph that turned into a hellion when art got taken." Said Mikleo. "Plus we don't know if you could actually fly with that armatus."

"Hold on." Said Edna. She went back into the museum.

"So … it's nice to feel less malevolence here." Said Rose. They waited for a while before Edna came back with the knife and Atakk.

"I'm back." She said. "I think you might need this." She tossed the knife to Dezel.

"And I'm here too!" Said the Normin. "I heard that you folks could use an extra jolt of power."

"Actually … we just might." Said Rose with a smirk.

"With the power boost can we fly up to the Drake?" Dezel asked.

"I don't see why not. Let's do it!" Said Rose.

"You guys just want to see if you can fly with the wind armatus don't you?" Said Mikleo.

"No!" Dezel denied.

"Well kind of." Said Rose simultaneously.

"You know Edna told me that you guys were trying really hard to fix things up!" Said Atakk. Edna stomped her foot as if to signal to the normin to not give up some information, namely secrets like her being nicer than how she treats Rose. "If this town gets back on its feet then I think people will start appreciating the arts again, and maybe, just maybe fix the museum we busted up."

"What's this Edna trying to be indirectly nice to me instead of giving me snark?" Said Rose.

"Consider this a very, very early Winter's Passing gift." Said Edna covering her face with her umbrella. They heard the wing flaps of the drake getting closer. "Oh and look right on cue."

"Dammit it's so dark." Said Sergei.

"Well you'd probably want it to be dark if you don't want prying eyes." Said Mikleo. "So any ideas on how to take it down?"

"You know it feels like it might be a clear night tonight." Said Dezel. "Meaning that Rose might get helped by the moonlight."

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Said Rose.

"So how does armatizing work?" Dezel asked.

"Lukeim Yurlin!" Rose shouted the armatus this time had green accents and knife wings. "Nice." She said looking at the wings. "Now, let's get to some higher ground." They found a house nearby and Rose leapt onto the roof with Atakk.

"Well that's promising." Said Rose.

"Let's get to the Drake." Said Dezel.

"All righty one power boost that should launch you sky high commin' up!" Said Atakk. "Normin power!" Rose felt a surge of energy go through them. She then jumped blowing up a large gust knocking the Normin back but Mikleo caught him. Rose felt weightless with the wind beneath her and zooming straight for the Drake. She started to laugh, at first with small giggles then a regular laugh and finally a big bellowing laugh before doing a flip in the air.

"What is it?" Dezel asked sounding breathless from trying to hold in any laughter.

"We're flying!" She exclaimed. "It worked and we're flying!"

"I know!" Exclaimed Dezel most likely absolutely beaming in Rose's head. "It works! It works!"

"Holy shit this is amazing! How do we work this thing?" Rose shouted.

"Dibs on flying!" Dezel shouted.

"Dammit!" Rose snapped. "Fine I'll focus on the attacks … but we're flying!"

"We're flying!"

"We're flying!"

"It looks like they're high on the euphoria of flying." Said Edna on the ground looking up.

"Is she singing up there?" Mikleo question judging from the grand gestures not unlike performers in a musical.

"No Meebo. She is trying to seduce the drake by making herself look delicious." Said Edna sarcastically Mikleo glared at her.

"If that's the case then it's working." Said Sergei.

"She's not seducing it she's singing and the Drake got curious." Said Mikleo. "Aaaaand it's not working."

"… We're doomed." Sighed Sergei.

"IIIIIIIIIIIIII'm through accept-" Rose sang while Dezel protested to get her to stop and then spotted the drake flying away. "Hey get back here!"

"Oh thank god." Dezel muttered as Rose flew forward to the drake and head-butted it. The drake reared its head and flew towards her to return the head-butt. However stuck out her hand and the knives got infront of her and blocked the drake's attack.

"Virulent shards!" She and Dezel shouted and the knives flew forward piercing the drake's wings and causing it to fall out of the sky. It crashed right next to the rest of the party who went from just standing around dumbfounded to pulling out their weapons with Sergei charging at the fallen drake in seconds. Rose flew down to assist the group with Mikleo and Edna staying to the back casting seraphic artes and the occasional healing arte. Rose, like Sergei, charged in using the wings and her body as a whole weapon. With every movement the wings reacted as an extension of herself carving into the drake. The drake unleashed a fire breath at the group with Rose being the only one flying out of the way while everyone else got burned and their injuies came in a wide spectrum between not that bad … kind of to you were right next to the dragon's mouth you're gonna die if no one heals you. "Soul Resonance!" Rose and Dezel shouted healing the rest of the group a little bit.

"Oh boy." Edna sighed as she casted a healing arte. "Barrier!" she said healing everyone else who got burned a lot more. The drake started to fly up again.

"Oh no you don't!" Rose shouted. "Dragon blitz!" She made a tossing motion summoning a small cyclone knocking the dragon on its back. "Quick go for its wings!" She shouted.

"On it! Dragon Swarm!" Sergei shouted unleashing a flurry of slashes that disabled a wing the drake roared in pain then clenched its jaw and rolled over to get back up. He clawed at Sergei but he ducked and ran out of the way. Rose and Dezel unleashed another Dragon Blitz on it doing more serious harm and the drake breathed fire at them in retaliation. They flew up and around the fire breath stream up close to the Drake's face having them land a quick wind blade. It turned and tried to bite them but they flew away and the drake unleased another fire breath at it again and they dodged it again. While the Drake was preoccupied with breathing fire at Rose and Dezel hoping that one of these times it would hit the rest of the group were unleashing hell the Drake's body. Edna was whacking it with her umbrella and incorporating several spins with each attack. Sergei while using his Dragon Swarm arte consistently followed it up with Sonic thrust, Sword rain, Hell Pyre, and many other artes before looping back to Dragon Swarm. Mikleo was in the back casting Freeze Lancer and Ice Reaver then healing Sergei or Edna if they got hurt by the drake naturally moving around trying to get Rose and Dezel or by the drake's fire trying to fry the two flying by them.

"It's time to finish this!" Rose shouted. They flew right under the drake's jaw. "Dragon blitz!" they shouted launching the attack up at the drake causing its head to snap back and knocking it out. Rose redirected the malevolence into the earth and the drake reverted back into an unconscious blond seraph in brown robes. Mikleo went over to the seraph and started healing him. Rose landed and then separated from Dezel.

"Oh my god." Said Rose.

"Yeah." Said Dezel.

"Oh my god." Rose repeated.

"Yeah." Said Dezel. The two then burst out laughing causing Edna and Sergei to jump back from the shock of Dezel of all people being able to genuinely laugh.

"We flew and we kicked ass!" Rose cheered.

"Yeah! Ya did it!" Atakk cheered. The two hugged each other and Rose managed to pick up Dezel about an inch off the ground.

"Oh god heavy!" She said before putting him back down.

"Shut up." He said in an oddly jolly tone.

"We beat a dragon!" Rose cheered.

"It's a drake." Mikleo corrected.

"So what? We purified it!" Dezel cheered.

"I think … I think I'm scared." Commented Sergei on Dezel being very cheery.

"I'm right with you." Said Edna. "I hope someone makes him stop." The group heard a groan from the seraph and Dezel went back to his default stoicism. Mikleo stopped healing and backed off as the seraph got up.

"Hm … managed to be purified." He muttered to himself. He then looked over to Rose. "Are you the Shepherd?"

"Yeah. And are you Marlind's…?" Rose started.

"Guardian Seraph, Rohan." He introduced himself. He then lowered his head. "Rather … I was … I almost became a dragon so I don't have a right to call myself a guardian."

"Hey now …" Said Rose, Sergei went up to the seraph then got on one knee.

"Seraph Rohan, my name is Sergei Strelka I'm a resident here." He said. "I along with many, many, other residents of Marlind are grateful that you had protected us for years. However we started committing atrocities in the name of Hyland and taking you for granted. I can't speak for everyone here but I am sorry for having a part in turning you into a hellion. And I ask you that, if you want to, you continue to be Marlind's guardian seraph. If you don't that is fine and we will find another seraph to go into this role."

"You sure are passionate about this town." Said Rohan.

"It is my home." Sergei stated.

"Also you can see me?" He questioned.

"I have pledged myself to be Rose's squire." Said Sergei.

"Have you now?" He then looks to Rose. "…and you're okay with this?" The other seraphim looked at him confused.

"Yeah." Said Rose. Dezel then eyed her as if to say 'you're lying.'

"I see." Said Rohan. "Well the malevolence has lowered significantly. Were you the one who caused this?"

"Well partly, it was a group effort!" Said Rose with a smile on her face and her hands behind her head.

"Very well, then I'll extend my blessing." Said Rohan.

"I'll help too!" Said Atakk.

"Hey thanks!" Said Rose.

"Thank you." Said Sergei simultaneously. Rohan walked up to the great tree and examined it.

"Hm … the corruption has yet to spread here. I'll use this as a vessel to extend my blessing." He said.

"Okey dokey! Normin power!" Said Atakk. Rohan touched the tree however the malevolence didn't disappear completely.

"What's this?" He said.

"What?" Said Rose.

"There's still a hellion wandering around near here." Said Rohan. "It's domain is powerful enough that I can't protect this town from any minor hellions."

"Where is it?" Rose asked.

"The southwest, not that far." Said Rohan.

"Well let's go take care of it." Said Rose.

"Right now in the middle of the night where most soldiers would be sleeping?" Sergei asked.

"Sure let's just-…" Said Rose as she stumbled forward.

"Rose!" Cried Dezel. She regained her composure.

"Just blanked out for a second." She said.

"You need to rest." Said Edna. "Inn. Now."

"How about you stay at my place? It'll be cheaper." Said Sergei.

"Sweet let's go." Said Rose and the party left for the direction of Sergei's house.

"So the Shepherd is deteriorating." Said Rohan. "May you find someone with high resonance soon." Dezel heard this and gritted his teeth. At Sergei's house a couple of soldiers and a priest were walking out of it carrying a body wrapped in a sheet. The priest walks up to Sergei.

"We're taking care of the body just like you ordered your father will be cremated soon. And I've exorcized the place so the demons of illness won't affect the place." He said.

"Thank you." Said Sergei solemnly. "Did the letter to Boris get sent?"

"Yes. It's on its way." Said the priest. Sergei gave a slight bow and the priest left.

"Sergei …" Rose started.

"It's fine." Said Sergei. "I bet you guys are hungry."

"Well …" Said Rose.

"I'm going to make some mabo curry." He said and they entered the house. He went into the kitchen and started preparing the rice and then went to gathering the ingredients. Dezel then tapped Rose on her shoulder.

"I need to talk to you." Said Dezel, "Alone."

"Sergei, is there anywhere here that is relatively private?" Rose asked.

"Go upstairs." He replied his voice wobbling a bit. Rose looked back then walked upstairs and went into one of the rooms. The room had two beds and a very old toy sword hung up on the wall, making Rose guess that this is Sergei's and Boris's room that barely changed from when they were children.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Is there anything wrong with you?" He asked.

"Why are you asking?" Rose asked.

"I heard Rohan say that you were deteriorating and you need to find someone with high resonance soon." Said Dezel.

"Well I guess I have to come clean don't I? Since you've become a living lie detector and all." Said Rose. "Recently I've been losing vision in my right eye. Though it's primarily if I'm close to Sergei. Like there was a week where Sergei was away from me for that week and my vision cleared up."

"How's your eye now?" Dezel asked.

"I can make out colors but I can't see any shapes." Said Rose. She then closes her left eye all she could see were splotches of color washed out and blurry to the point that some colors would just blend together. "It's just fuzz in this eye."

"What are you gonna do?" He asked.

"I don't know …" She replied. "Well since we're soon gonna end up taking care of most of the malevolence in Hyland I might have to cut off the pact when we take care of the hellion."

"All right. You plan to tell Sergei this?" Dezel asked.

"No." Said Rose. Meanwhile Mikleo and Edna awkwardly stood in the kitchen with a sobbing Sergei muttering things about his father as he prepared the curry. They didn't move or say anything in fear that it would ruin the moment.

Yeah Rose singing is honestly mostly a nod to Rose's English voice actress, Caitlin Glass. Mostly from an off hand comment made by Taliesin Jaffe on a Critical Role Q&A about her covering Hamilton or something like that.