Day 2 of the Guardian Moon

Lysithea grunted as she lifted an angry Ordelian into her room, the cat hissing until it was back to it's old stomping grounds.

It happily curled back up next to the window, bathing in the sunlight. "Well at least you're happy again…" She lifted her suitcase into the room and then on top of the bed, unlatching and then flipping it over.

"Once I reorganize my room, it's back to studying and battle tactics!"

"But we just got here Lysithea!"

Her former classmate and pinkette Hilda exclaimed, pulling her outside with her, as usual, with surprising strength. "We have to help clean up. The knights paid us a visit after all and they promised to help out, so let's get them moving while we can."

The mage grunted and agreed, "Fine. What do you need me to do?" Hilda gleamed and smiled, "Perfect. I need you to reorganize the library and then the shadow library down in Abyss. When you're done come and see me or Claude, we'll get you started on something else."

"Who will I be working with?"

"Hephaestus." Lysithea nodded and walked to her task, she had several questions to ask him about Santaniel and one of them was why the hell he didn't visit her. 'There better be a good reason…'

She hopped up the stairs to the dining hall and passed through the crowded area, filled with Ignatz and Leonie's voice directing people on what to do and getting everything mended and or fixed. As she passed by she waved to the bunch, "Your shoe is untied Ignatz."

He looked down and thanked her, getting right on it as she left, entering the Entrance Hall and found Raphael with Balthus and Santaniel, the three of them moving rubble together and out to the courtyard. She held in her need to talk to Santaniel and interrogate him about where he was all this time and ascended the stairs to the Library and Hephaestus

...Where she'd have to organize books. All day.

When she arrived she smelt the familiar scent of old books, polished wood, and dust. She didn't miss the last one though. She sneezed and from a back corner bookshelf Hephaestus spoke, "Bless you."

He didn't tower over her much anymore but he was still quite tall, "Hello Hephaestus." Hephaestus nodded in acknowledgment and already knew her next question, "Other than helping me out here, I'm assuming you want to know why Santaniel or I didn't visit you."

She nodded hesitantly, "Yes. I do." Hephaestus sighed and handed her a stack of books, "Well. Let's work and talk shall we?"

She started reading through the books he handed her, most of them Crestology or Love stories, "Why are these so close together?" Hephaestus cracked a smile, "Because Santaniel tends to set books he hasn't finished reading in a similar place."

She scrunched her brow and looked at him pryingly, "Kid's a hopeless romantic. Same as me, guess it rubbed off." She nodded and flipped open the first page, already boring her. Lysithea just couldn't read for pleasure.

"Anyways. The reason why we didn't visit is because of two reasons," he walked towards another corner and rearranged the books quickly in alphabetical/topical order, moving to the next shelf at an efficient pace. "One, after the Battle of Garegg Mach his leg was really messed up, nearly all the tendons were shredded due to a really nasty strike from Lightning. The second reason is, if the person doesn't have a good understanding of an area, or if they haven't seen a mirror there in a year, they can't travel there via the mirrors. So while he was recovering, it took so long that he forgot what the place looked like or he just never could remember seeing a mirror."

By the time he was done speaking he was done with reorganizing the library, his perfectionism bleeding through heavily.

"You also seem to forget, you can visit us too. We never left the island." Lysithea's mouth and vocal cords moved fruitlessly, not able to refute his claim, "Well, then again you have Orderlia business. I apologize for the insensitive statement."

She shook her head, "You're right. If I expected him to visit then I should've made the effort as well." Hephaestus grinned and nodded, "See you've matured over the years." He leaned back in his chair and read from a book of Crests.

"Santaniel is working on a cure by the way. He recently found a lead to Macuil, Indech, and Seiros being the ones to perform such a Crest surgery. If his leads are correct, you could see a cure within the next year."

His words died off in his throat and his eyes glazed over as he remembered something, shaking himself out of the stupor. "Anyways. You should go and talk to him, he missed you a lot." She blushed and curtseyed, "I will. Thank you Hephaestus."

He smiled and nodded back, "I suppose you should know my full name huh? It's Hephaestus Von Trinity."

Lysithea took the information and smiled, "And don't worry. I didn't forget your name Mrs. Von Orderlia." She stifled a groan and decided to save it for another time. She made her way down the stairs to the Entrance Hall.

————

Santaniel hefted the large boulder over to the courtyard, his chest burning. He tossed it aside and went to the next, repeating the action. 'I'd transform, but that's ill advised right now.'

He crouched down and took up a giant piece of rubble, staggering a bit under its weight as he moved it, "Santaniel what the hell are you doing?!" Santaniel set the piece of rubble down and turned around, "My job?"

He met Hilda's exasperated gaze and she started chewing him out, "I told you, you're not supposed to be heavy-" Santaniel shut it down with a glare and she closed her mouth, "That's between you, and me Hilds. Thank you for worrying, but that's not a pressing issue right now. I'll get on something else if that makes you happy."

She sighed, "Yes. It would. Go to Claude and help him with our next strategy, I'll have Alois or Catherine take over here." He nodded and walked past her, she caught his arm and looked at him with a death glare, "Don't push yourself."

He rolled his eyes and passed, "Sure."

He went up the stairs to the second level and ran into Lysithea literally, "Sorry Lys. Distracted today. Wanna join me with Claude? We're discussing what we're doing-"

She nodded and turned on her heel upstairs, 'Ok. Guess I'm getting silent treatment for right now.' He followed her to the Cardinal Rooms, waving at Claude and Byleth, "Hey." Claude smiled at him and Santaniel already knew he was cooking something up, "Lemme guess. You wanna go to Brigid and then attack the Empire from that side don't you?"

Claude nodded and let Byleth explain, "We'd be going from your home island, and we have support from the Almyran navy, we'd just have to take the Great Bridge of Myrdin, then we'd head from the island to Brigid with Petra and liberate it, followed by coming back to restock on weapons, rest, and to just not leave the Monastery defenseless. Seteth will contact us if he needs any help, or if he finds anything worth investigating." Santaniel nodded but Lysithea asked a question that was burning on her mind.

"How do we have the Almyran Navy backing us up?!" Santaniel rolled his eyes and pointed at Claude, "It's fairly obvious he's Almyran, and if he has those kinds of roots, he has connections, his connection is that he's the heir to the throne I'm assuming?" Claude applauded the deduction, "Very good Santaniel. We'll be attacking the Great Bridge of Myrdin first, then get reinforcements from the lords as we sail for Brigid."

"What of the Kingdom?" Claude shook his head, "Dimitri was imprisoned and he hasn't been seen in two years. Ingrid, Sylvain, Ashe, and Dedue are doing their best to keep the Kingdom alive." Santaniel frowned and Lysithea voiced what he was thinking, "Maybe we could get them to meet us at Ailell?"

Byleth nodded, "It's a possibility. Hopefully they won't attack us." Santaniel rubbed the back of his head, eyeing Claude and they shared a conversation via Scry and Lysithea grumbled a curse in frustration, 'What the hell is he hiding from me?!'

"I think we should start making preparations. Claude I'm assuming you have a play for Myrdin?" He flashed his gleaming smile, "You know it. I have the house retainer engaging with the Gloucester house since they're Imperial aligned as opposed to us. It'll make a big ruckus and we can sneak on past."

Santaniel nodded and smiled, "I'll spread the news via Scry real quick. You guys go ahead and keep talking about it, the more you run the brush through the hair the less tangles there'll be."

Claude laughed at his analogy and Santaniel left the room. "Alright. What is he hiding from me?" Claude laughed uncomfortably, "He'll tell you when he's ready Lys." She rolled her eyes and pouted, Byleth looked at Claude with worry in his eyes.

She started to wander within her mind as to what could be so wrong.

———

Day 11 of the Guardian Moon

"So. We're heading to Kingdom territory because Annette and Gilbert got caught up in something with Lord Dominic?"

Santaniel snapped the reins of the horses drawing the cart, keeping pace with Felix. "Yes. The boar prince-'' Santaniel gave him a glare and he rescinded his statement, "Dimitri hasn't been seen in the last year, so it's up to us to get her out of there."

Santaniel nodded and sighed, the chilling air of Faerghus biting his skin and keeping him awake. "When we get there, I'll try and transform to take care of anything unruly that happens but I can't make many promises, alright?" Felix already knew why and he spoke again, "That's fine. We shouldn't have many issues if we're just asking Annette to come back with us."

"Isn't he known as the 'Weather Vane' though? I thought he was an Imperial loyalist anyways." Felix groaned in exasperation, "I know. Hopefully he'll see reason and just be easy to convince."

"When has anything been easy for us?"

"Shut up."

--

Santaniel and Felix hopped down to the gate and knocked loudly, the former bringing out his loudest yell yet, "Oi! Let us in!"

A soldier peered over the ramparts and his eyes gleamed at him, "What do ya want?" Felix took over for Santaniel, "We're here for Annette." The gatekeeper laughed, "I'll let you two in when Dragon's exist."

Santaniel unfurled his wings in a flash of light and stared up at him with violet and emerald eyes, "They do. Now let us in numb nuts." The man gawked at the sight and let them in, Santaniel tucking his wings away while his chest burned, "Thank you. We'd like to request an audience with Lord Dominic now."

He nodded and ran off to get them; meanwhile, Santaniel used Scry to see how many souls were around. "We got about thirty soldiers. It looks like just on the ramparts, about seventy inside and I found Annette's and Gilbert's, they're in a room with another strong soul I assume to be Dominic."

Felix nodded and kept watch in the physical world, eyes landing on a mirror. "Open that one up over there and we can drag Byleth or whoever we need in to back us up, if an axe comes through that's the signal."

"Hopefully we won't need to but yeah, I agree, can never have enough back up plans now can ya?" Santaniel flicked some blood on the surface of the mirror and conjured the image of the Monastery, hopping through and leaving it open. "Oi. Byleth, Lysithea, Claude, Hilda, aaaand Flayn. Be ready, we're getting Annette and Gilbert."

He pulled back through and gave the 'ok' sign to Felix. They both turned as they heard horns sounding in the distance, Lord Dominic was approaching.

"Ah. The young Fraldarius heir." Felix nodded in recognition and the lord turned his head towards Santaniel, "And you are..?" Santaniel shook his head, "Just a friend of his. Think of me as a personal bodyguard." He eyed him suspiciously and addressed Felix.

Santaniel noticed the bone white hammer on his back, intrigued he didn't notice the discussion heating up and into an argument about the Empire vs the Kingdom.

"If you side with an enemy, that makes you an enemy!" He pulled the Relic off his back and attempted to attack him. In response, Santaniel wrapped an axe and chain around it, pulling it free and he ripped the Crest from the weapon. Rolling it in his hands, "Huh… So this is the Crusher dragon's heart…"

He placed it in his right hand, rolling the orange stone in the light. Felix made ruby blood flow as Santaniel gathered the empty husk of a weapon. He turned and tossed it through the mirror, drawing his Holy Twins.

"Ready?"

"Yep."

"Let's make it a massacre then." Both men launched into action, crimson life flew through the air as his Holy Twins met skin, but darker blood started to mix in. Agarthan reinforcements may be coming…

That's bad.

"Felix, go get Annette, I'll handle things out here. I got this." Santaniels wings unfurled and he launched at the upper parts of the wall, blades meeting flesh. Santaniel grit his teeth as pain started building in his chest.

His heart was burning.

Whether that was literal, he didn't know.

He took a deep breath and gave the soldiers on top a taste of his pain, charbroiling them. Fighting was starting below him, their own reinforcements were here.

'Save strength, take on the rest with magic.' He lobbed Fire at the guards pulling out bows, knocking them down to the stone cold floor below. At one point, soldiers tried rolling down explosive barrels, meeting their own fiery end.

"Santaniel! We have Annette and Felix, let's go!" He nodded, he knew they could leave… But this would notify the Empire.

"Let me send a message first, Hephaestus, help me out here." Santaniel summoned Meteor, summoning fourth Macuil's Crest. It grew in size, taking on physical properties, and as it reached its largest size, he shot it down in a steep slope.

It crashed through the doors and Hephaestus followed suit, and it tore through the back of the manor. "Annette, I apologize about your uncle."

"It's fine Santaniel, really, I wasn't planning on inheriting the estate anyways." She planted a kiss on Felix's cheek, "I have other stuff to look forward to. Besides, I want to be a teacher at the School of Sorcery instead. This place can burn for all I care, my mom is in Fhirdiad with Ingrid."

With a gleaming smile, Santaniel nodded, "Good. Now, let's get the hell out of here."

———

Day 18 of the Guardian Moon

Santaniel grunted as he pushed the boulder out of the entrance hall, "Someone's gotta get it done…"

He pushed it down the hill and blasted it with Fire to make sure it didn't hit anything, small chunks landing harmlessly in the grass. "All done."

"What have you been hiding from me?" Santaniel tried to craft a lie together but Lysithea was difficult to hoodwink. "My leg is just having trouble, it's been locking up recently. They've just been over protective."

Lysithea glared through him and he did the same to her, he didn't want to worry her. He can't be overly honest with her if they want to win, he didn't have that much time left. He'd be lucky to see the end of the war anyways. "It's nothing to worry about, I'm fighting fit."

"You know you can't lie to me." Santaniel smiled and nodded, "Why do you think I'm telling the truth then shortstack? Let's go eat." She rolled her eyes and took his left hand, and he squeezed it in an act of reassurance. "I'm fine. Let's enjoy today, alright?"

She nodded and returned the smile, "You're right. Let's have some relaxation while we still can." They walked up the steps and through the entrance to the dining hall, the place packed. "Wanna go to the island? I can cook something up there."

She cocked her head and thought for a moment, "Sure. It's been awhile since I've been. Is it still in good shape?"

"Even better now." He had spent the last couple of months renovating the place, it once had just been a small cottage but he finally got some designing in, and made it work for once!

The house had about doubled in size and had an upgraded kitchen and bedrooms, the beds now more similar to the physician office's. "Well. Just go ahead and sit down, I'll get started on making the food."

He kissed her on the top of the head and walked over to the kitchen counter, pulling out spices and opened an ice box for the meat, setting it down on the grill and lighting the flame almost immediately, having it been pre-seasoned.

He took out one that was only salted and prepped it, laying it on the open flames after flipping the other piece. "How's the Orderlia estate doing?" He plucked a couple apples from a basket and tossed one to her which she caught easier than he expected.

Typically she was clumsier with her athletic abilities. "It's doing well. Thankfully we haven't been attacked."

"I'm surprised the island hasn't been attacked honestly. Edelgard knows I'm here, why would she let me be alive if she knows I'll fight her?" He took a chunk out of the apple before plating the chicken breasts, plucking a loaf of bread from the basket he bought recently.

"That's… a good question actually. I think she's avoiding as much bloodshed as possible right now. I know it's an active fight against the Kingdom, but in the Alliance things are at a stalemate as to what we'll do."

Santaniel rocked his head to the side and looked at her glumly, "Well. Fight obviously. She isn't going to stay away forever and Claude is adamant on fighting her, along with getting Rhea out alive to question her. Hell I have a few for her myself."

Now it was Lysithea's turn to be confused apparently, "What do you need to ask her." Santaniel pointed at his hair that had taken on a very light shade of green, bordering on white. "Something's up with me and I have no idea what it is, my hair started turning and my ears started pointing out like Flayn and Seteth's-"

"You've seen their ears?"

"Not important. But yeah. My mother was apparently a Nabatean, I did some digging through books that were left untouched in Abyss and low and behold, stumbled across it. Basically, that green blood is from a different race, I'm technically a half breed, but that means that if, let's say Flayn or Seteth were cut: They'd have green blood. So I'm assuming that Rhea, who shares a similar hair color to them, were to be cut, she'd have green blood as well. Seeing as they're more than likely full breeds."

He took a breath and chewed into his bread, thinking for a couple moments before continuing. "What I'm expecting is, at least Rhea, is a Saint. Dragons were said to live for thousands of years after all, and if Rhea is one, that could mean she's Seiros." Lysithea was taken aback at his analysis, she could see a lot fitting together, but what about Byleth?

"As for Byleth, he had teal hair beforehand, I'm assuming as a result of his mom because Jeralt had the beige hair. Though his hair only turned color after his 'fusing with the Goddess' as Rhea would call it. That leaves a couple questions though, right?"

She nodded to him and he assumed she was keeping up, otherwise she'd be asking questions. "Remember that book we read after the Battle of Eagle and Lion? The one that mentioned how the Saints gave their Crests to the Ancestors of the Empire nobles?" She voiced it this time, "Well yes but-" Santaniel cocked his head and listened, but her words died in her throat seemingly and she said, "I apologize. Continue."

"I'm almost done Lys. I promise." He squeezed her hand and smiled, "After we finish eating you want to take a walk around the island?" She smiled and nodded.

"Yes. Thank you. Now carry on."

"This is actually related to a cure, or at least a surgery to fix it. If it can be done to implant a Crest…"

"It can be reverse engineered to reverse it!" Santaniel smiled and his eyes shined bright, "Exactly. Since the Saints were most likely related to Seiros, that means they'll be alive too, had nothing awful happened to them. I suggest we be careful approaching any leads though, as anything in Empire territory is off limits."

She put her palm under her chin and leaned forward, eyes closed in thought, "Maybe Linhardt would know something about it. I'd say Hanneman but for all we know he could be dead or joined with the Empire." Santaniel grimaced and squeezed her hand tighter, "Lys. We have a lead though. We might be able to save ourselves and see the future we craft. Y'know?"

He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, "Now let's eat. We wanna reach the cliff sides by sunset at this time of year!"

"What's so special about it?"

"You'll see." Santaniel cut into the chicken breast and ate the thing in three bites while Lysithea took smaller ones. "I'll grab a couple water skins and we can start our little hike."

"Couldn't you just fly us?" Santaniel shook his head, "Here I am thinking you wanted to spend more time with me…" She pouted and he laughed, "Besides, by the time we hike there it'll be sunset. We can walk and talk anyways, let's go."

He took her by the arm and they walked through the island, just talking and chatting about stuff at the monastery until Santaniel stumbled, "Ugh. Damn leg…"

The true reason he had stumbled though, was the pain in his chest. He grunted as he stood and shook the pain off, wrapping his hand in Lysithea.

They carried on.

Eventually the sky started turning a deep shade of blue and he pulled her, "C'mon! This is gonna be amazing. I used to come here with Arti all the time at this time of year and I want to make sure you see it."

He climbed up a steep incline and pulled Lysithea up after him, covering her eyes when she got up there. The sky was now a blend of pink and orange, darkening into blue and black as the sun descended, "Are you ready?"

She sighed and answered, "Yes." He smiled widely and uncovered her eyes, revealing the bioluminescent blue algae in the water with the glowing greens, yellows, reds, and oranges of the coral, the sun half way below the horizon, a perfect blood red semi circle.

"Well? How does it look?"

———

Day 25 of the Guardian Moon

Santaniel rolled his shoulders and looked up at the beast, "Ok. So this is Maurice, huh. OI! Fuck nut! Answer me a couple questions real quick!"

The thing looked down at him and hissed, poison oozing out of its mouth. Marianne had already been rescued, so this was his time to communicate if he could, only problem? Since Maurice had the Crest of Beasts, he could control him when he transformed.

"Who are you?" He gazed down at him with paralyzing red eyes and Santaniel stared back with his luminous split eyes. "I'm the one who's going to massacre you if you don't start answering the questions I ask."

The beast seemed to laugh at his threat and he unstrapped the Holy Twins from his back, sending a gash through his armored leg and drew a howl, "I said start answering questions damn it! How the hell did you get your Crest?"

The Beast cackled in a distorted low-toned voice, and Santaniel could tell he was too far gone. He sent a Holy Twin into his throat, followed by a burning hunk of Fire that crashed into him like a cannonball, blasting through his armored hide.

He flashed in that similar light that signaled a transformation and he was laying on the ground, a deceased man and the sword Blutgang. He shook his head in disappointment, "Poor soul."

He picked up the sword and watched it, it's appearance looking more like one of Gizmo's fangs. The poor dog passed away after getting caught by the Empire, just another life to notch on Edelgard's belt huh? He touched the Crest stone and it hummed to life after being exposed to the Crest of the Beast's dragon stone, the color of the gem being a stormy grey.

He knew what pain it caused Arti and by that extent Marianne, 'I miss that idiot.'

———

Day 31 of the Guardian Moon

"Huh. So that was certainly a distraction." The Golden Deer had only recently gotten past Gloucester territory, and were only just now hitting the stone steps to the bridge, it's tallest spires surrounded by fog.

"It worked didn't it? Now. Let's go and take the bridge, they won't be expecting an attack from us right now." Lorenz spoke next, "We'll have to hurry so my father doesn't catch on either. Our worst threat from behind after him is Acheron, but that isn't saying much."

They all nodded and he breathed deep, summoning his wings and he took off towards the ballista, Ignatz and Petra in his grasp as he flew over and he dropped them off at the weapon.

"I'll go and take on whoever is over down this path. Petra, keep Ignatz safe, ok?" She nodded, "I will be… No. I will do my best." Santaniel cracked a smile at her somewhat broken Fódlan tongue, and he flew over the ramparts to the Northern entrance, spying familiar orange hair.

"Ferdinand?" He called, landing on a spire deftly.

"Santaniel?!" He cocked his head to the side and replied, "Yes? Did you think I was dead?" The noble blinked and Santaniel saw Dorothea next, his smile widening, "Dorothea!" He jumped down and landed, jogging towards them, "Guys! It's so-"

He paused mid sentence and step, Thoron scorching its way over his shoulder, "D-Dorothea?" She frowned and looked at him apologetically, already making another glyph for Thoron and Ferdinand readied his lance. "I see. I guess Edelgard told you I'm just some sick freak, a monster. Guess I'll have to beat her unfounded accusations out and some common sense in."

———

Lorenz and Hephaestus pushed on the strong hold, cutting through anyone who really stood in the way with magic or lance.

A loud, boisterous, and frankly familiar voice rang out from behind them and they turned to see Acheron, attempting to give a speech. "-I the Great Acher-OOF." He was cut short figuratively and literally by a stab in the back from Felix, blood soaking his shirt.

"Let's move on."

———

"How the hell-'' He ducked a sword swipe from a random unit who interrupted him, impaling him with claws, "Do you idiots think Edelgard is-."

He growled in frustration and let loose a jet of fire on a group of archers, toasting them. "Telling the truth?!" He caught Ferdinand's lance and sent bolts of lightning coursing through. "We were friends damn it! She's attacked me without provocation for years on end, took my arm," He deflected and parried Dorothea's Levin Sword with Leistrung, jabbing her with the hilt.

"She took Arti, Xavien, Mercedes, Jeralt… And she started this damn war!" His chest was burning and he had to end this quickly. 'Just another week it looks like…'

His eyes grew luminous and he was a blur across the battlefield, slamming into Ferdinand and knocking him to the floor again, and he tossed Dorothea onto him when she tried to grapple with him.

"You can still join us. I don't want to hurt you guys. You're still my friends." His eyes lost their glow and he folded his wings away, stumbling a bit, "Please. I've taken enough life. I don't want to take those who I know too."

"She… She told us about Rhea. She told us that Nemesis wasn't-" Santaniel cut her off, "She doesn't know Jack shit! My mother fought in that war, he slaughtered an entire race because their enemies hated them. She's just another misguided soul who believes she's doing what she can to save Fódlan. She's weakening it for the Agarthans. People like Kronya and Solon will come to take us down and wipe us out when one of us wins. We aren't going to accomplish anything if we keep fighting. Just come with us. Please."

His eyes were pleading and he heard the clanking of chains rising as the gate opened and another swarm of enemies filtered through, "The choice is now. Make it."

He flashed and roared, tearing through the battalions and Thoron bathed the reinforcements in blue light, Ferdinand yelling beside him as they took the enemy by storm. Santaniel flashed again and stumbled, dropping to his knee and he grimaced, pushing up again. "Let's go, we gotta help out."

Ferdinand nodded and he led the way on his horse with Dorothea behind Santaniel, Heal and Physic at the ready. Santaniel brought up Meteor and dropped it on a beast that had cornered Bernadetta and Linhardt, crushing it's spine.

"Ferdinand, you go help them out, Dorothea, use Scry and check up on Petra and Ignatz by the ballista." They both took their orders and Santaniel unsheathed Leistrung, bolting across the battlefield and through the front line that was struggling to hold, much to the satisfaction of Claude,

"Nice of you to bring reinforcements Santaniel." He smiled and nodded, deflecting a wild axe swipe from a woman riding a wyvern, Ladislava. "If I take either of you down… The resistance might as well be over." Santaniel rolled his eyes and smiled, "Sure thing sweetheart. Too bad you won't get the chance huh?"

"Wha-" She fell to the ground dead, the Sword of the Creator retracting from her broken skull. "She certainly tried."

"Everyone! This is a victory for the Alliance! Let your cheers echo through the night in victory!" Santaniel let out a whoop and Lysithea nudged into him, her Gremory robes noticeably bloody.

"Yeesh." He caster Heal on her to perk her up and she did the same to him, "Thanks Shortstack."

————

Santaniel sighed as he retired for the night, pulling his tunic off and he glanced at his chest in the mirror. A large ring of purple energy flowed through a spider web of veins through his body. He grimaced and stared at his reflection.

He didn't have much time left.

Much less than he originally counted.

Fifty Weeks Remained.

Progress on Cure(s): 15%