"GRAAAAAAAAAA!"
Emile and Novem whip around to see a giant, slobbering wolf-like creature with thick dark purple liquid dripping from its bared teeth. Its gray fur is matted with blood and its eyes are yellow, pupil-less orbs.
"I think we found what kind of 'evil' happened to the harpy." Emile says with a gulp. "Or, well, it found us." he says, taking a fighting stance.
Novem runs and cowers behind Emile. "No duh, Captain Obvious! Kill it!"
Episode 43: A Tale of Two Sisters
"No duh, Captain Obvious! Kill it!" Novem urges, his voice trembling with a mixture of dread and desperation.
Emile nods, his jaw set in determination as he focuses his concentration, causing his hands to glow gold with Elysian Magic.
The creature charges forward and Emile swiftly brings his arm down, creating a jagged line of light energy in the air in front of him. "Elysian Bomb!" he casts, blasting the creature with energy and throwing it back against the opposing wall. It struggles to get to its feet, disoriented.
"How quickly do you think you can pull the harpy out of harm's way if I keep it distracted long enough?" Emile asks, keeping his eyes on the creature as he flourishes his hand, a blade of pure energy materializing in it when he opens his palm. "Elysian Saber."
Novem looks at his partner incredulously. "Is that a joke?! I'm barely ten pounds, man!" he cries.
Novem doesn't get an answer because as soon as the wolf-like creature is back on its feet, it's charging at Emile again and Emile is sprinting to meet it in the middle. With practiced precision, Emile meets the creature's attacks with swift parries, the clash of his blade and the creature's claws and teeth echoing through the cavern.
The creature's claws swipe through the air with ferocious speed, but Emile is ready, meeting each attack with a parry of his otherworldly saber. He moves with grace and precision, his movements a dance of defense and offense as he seeks to keep the creature at bay.
Novem lets out a frightened yelp when Emile almost fails a parry and despite the creature's lack of pupils, Emile senses the monster's attention shift to the kitsune. Using it as an opening, Emile strikes back with another Elysian Bomb, a burst of concentrated energy erupting from his palm and hurtling towards the creature with explosive force. The blast staggers the creature, momentarily throwing it off balance and creating an opportunity for Emile to press his advantage.
"Shit!" Emile swears when the creature regains its footing quicker than it did before. With a guttural growl, it lunges forward once more, teeth bared and claws slashing. Emile grits his teeth, his muscles straining as he deflects the creature's relentless onslaught, his mind racing as he searches for a way to overpower the creature several times his size.
He spends a second too long thinking, however, because the wolf-like creature manages to shove Emile onto his back and nearly sink its jaw into his neck; Emile manages to shove the blade of his sword vertically between the monsters jaws - saving his neck but unfortunately keeping the creature's mouth propped open and leaving him vulnerable to the thick purple liquid slobbering from its mouth.
Emile hisses in pain as the acidic liquid dribbles from its mouth and onto his bare chest. He grits his teeth as he changes his grip so one hand is holding the sword in place and another is gripping the side of the creature's neck. "El-" Emile coughs. "Elysian Shot!"
Emile's palm lights up with Elysian energy and a concentrated beam fires from his palm, shooting through the creature's neck. The creature roars in agony as the celestial beam burns through its flesh and singes its fur.
Emile cringes as blood seeps from its wound and spatters onto him, mixing with the acidic saliva on his chest.
The wolf-like creature wobbles off of Emile, dazed as it starts bleeding out.
Seizing the opportunity, Emile presses his attack, his movements fueled by a mixture of adrenaline and determination. Despite the searing pain from the acidic saliva on his chest, he jumps back onto his feet and pushes through, his focus unwavering as he delivers a flurry of strikes with his Elysian Saber.
The creature staggers under the onslaught, its strength waning with each passing moment. His saber blazes with radiant light as runs and slides under the creature and delivers the fatal blow - the blade slicing through the creature's thick fur and sinking deep into its heart. There's a blinding flash of light as Emile's magic makes contact, and then, silence.
Emile discards his magical saber, the sword disappearing into particles of light, and shimmies out from under the wolf-like creature before it collapses to the ground, its massive form unmoving as the last vestiges of life fade from its eyes. Emile stands victorious, his chest heaving with exertion as he surveys the aftermath of the battle.
Novem emerges from his hiding spot near the possibly dead harpy, his eyes wide with awe and relief as he takes in the sight of the defeated creature. "You did it, Emile!" he exclaims, his voice filled with admiration.
Turning to Novem, Emile offers a weary but triumphant smile, the weight of their victory settling upon him like a crown as the adrenaline running through his veins fades.
And then his knees buckle with exhaustion and he drops down onto his butt before sliding down to the ground completely, letting himself relax. "What the fuck was that?" Emile groans, the fading adrenaline now making the burns on his chest sting worse than before.
"Erk…"
Emile quickly sits up and Novem jumps back when the seemingly dead harpy starts to stir. He scrambles over to her and kneels by her side, "Holy shit, she's still alive!" Emile practically screams in her face.
The harpy groans again and Emile can see her struggling to open her eyes. "Stop…yelling…"
"Sorry, sorry…" Emile apologizes. Novem slowly walks back up to the harpy and takes a seat next to Emile, a cautious look on his face. "So," Emile starts. "I think I killed the thing that hurt you." he says.
The harpy finally manages to open her eyes. "Truly?" she says in a weak voice. "Thank you, human." the harpy says as she tries to sit up. "My sister…" she looks around. "H-Have you seen my sister?"
Emile shakes his head. "We haven't, but there's another path my friends went down. Could she be over there?" he asks.
"Yes…perhaps." the harpy mutters, thinking. "She was injured by that creature." she says, her expression souring as she looks over at the corpse of the wolf-like creature. "Its saliva is poisonous. I must go to her." the harpy says, pushing herself onto shaky feet. "I feel her magic going haywire…"
Emile blinks. "Poison…?" he repeats, looking down at the burns on his chest that have started turning the surrounding veins black and purple. "...Well that's not good." Emile says with a frown.
"Hm…?" the harpy glances down at him. "Ah…you helped me so I will help you. Come with me to find my sister and I will give you some antidote." she says. "I am Harlene." she introduces herself, struggling to maintain her balance.
Emile offers her a steadying hand. "Take it easy, Harlene." he says. "We're going together. I can help you walk."
Harlene nods gratefully, her wings drooping slightly from exhaustion. "Thank you," she murmurs weakly, leaning on Emile for support.
Novem watches the interaction with concern, his tails flicking nervously behind him. "We should get moving. Your sister might be in danger," he urges, glancing around the cavern for any signs of movement.
"Lead the way, Harlene. We're here." Emile says reassuringly.
Harlene nods and with Emile as her crutch, the group sets off deeper into the cavern, their footsteps echoing against the rocky walls.
Upper Path
Cygnus sighs as she looks down at a collapsed Akane and Neil, the two of them feverish and struggling to breathe. "What did I tell you…" she shakes her head with a frown. "Auriga."
In a flash of golden light, a man standing in a goat-drawn chariot appears next to Cygnus.
This is another of Neil's Celestial Spirits, Auriga the Charioteer. He's a tall, beefy man with short blonde hair slicked up in the middle like a mohawk. He wears brown leather gauntlets and white harem pants with a golden championship belt around his waist, leaving him bare-chested.
Auriga dismounts his chariot and picks Akane and Neil up with ease, throwing them over his shoulders as he walks over to his fiery gold and white chariot. The chariot is drawn by two sibling goats, the Kids. "I'll get them out of here." he says gruffly as he secures the wizards in his chariot..
Cygnus nods back as she turns to an apologetic Harpus. "And I'll help you find your sister." she says. "Can you walk?"
Harpus shakes her head as she gathers hers and her sister's belongings into a knapsack. "I can fly." she says as she shrugs it over her shoulders. "The poison hasn't crippled me yet…heh."
Auriga nods to Cygnus again, acknowledging her goal and his assignment. The Kids paw at the ground impatiently as they await their master's command. With a swift flick of the reins, Auriga urges the goats forward, the chariot rumbling to life as it sets off through the cavern, the fiery glow of his chariot casting long shadows against the cavern walls.
Akane and Neil, still struggling with the effects of the poisonous ozone, barely cling to consciousness as Auriga guides them towards safety.
Meanwhile, Cygnus turns to Harpus and she glows gold with celestial energy, shimmering with the amount of determination she holds. "Let's find your sister," she says, her voice steady and resolute. With a nod from Harpus, they venture deeper into the cavern, their senses alert for any signs of danger that may lie ahead.
"I apologize for their condition, by the way…" Harpus says. "I tried to hold back as much electricity as I could." she apologizes.
Cygnus shakes her head. "It's alright. They might be sick for a while but they'll recover." she says and laughs slightly. "Neil got the adventure he's been wanting but I'll have to scold him later for lingering too long." the Celestial Spirit says as the two set off in the opposite direction of Auriga and the wizards.
As they navigate deeper into the darkness, the narrow passageways of the cave seem to close in around them, the air growing heavier with each step. Harpus leads the way, her wings propelling her effortlessly through the dimly lit corridors as Cygnus follows closely behind. Neither of them need anything illuminating their path - Harpus being a harpy and Cygnus being a Celestial Spirit.
"I appreciate your help, Cygnus," Harpus says eventually, breaking the silence. Her voice is tinged with gratitude, "I fear my sister may be in grave danger."
Cygnus nods solemnly. "It's not a problem. I was watching and listening to your conversation from the Celestial Spirit World…I'm sorry to hear you two were attacked." she says and looks at Harpus with a determined expression. "Neil wished to help you so I will do my best to complete your request in his stead." she says.
As they press on, the echoes of their footsteps reverberate off the cavern walls, creating an eerie symphony that echoes through the darkness. With each passing moment, the tension in the air grows thicker as Harpus' anxiety grows stronger.
Suddenly, Harpus comes to a halt, her keen senses detecting a faint disturbance in the air. "Do you hear that?" she says lowly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Cygnus pauses and closes her eyes, listening intently. In the distance, she can hear the faint sound of voices echoing through the cavern, their words muffled but unmistakable.
"...telling…lost!"
"Seen…rock before!"
"...arguing…anywhere!"
"There's someone up ahead," Cygnus nods. "It could be the other Phoenix Fire mage but we should still proceed with caution." she says. "Allow me to take the lead so I may protect you, should worse come to worse."
Harpus nods and with renewed determination, the two of them press on, their hearts filled with hope as they hopefully draw closer to their goal.
…
…
…
"We're not lost!"
"We've…rock before, dummy!"
"Please stop arguing…"
The voices get clearer to hear the closer Cygnus and Harpus get - meaning they're heading in the same direction. Harpus' ears twitch and her heart skips a beat in excitement, one of the voices sounding like her sister. The echo of the cave and the distance between them still makes it hard for her to be sure, though.
As Cygnus and Harpus continue to advance, they eventually come upon their goal - Emile assisting Harlene in walking while arguing with Novem.
Emile gestures wildly with his free arm as he speaks, a ball of Elysian energy in his hand and frustration evident in his voice. "I'm telling you, we're going the right way! I can feel it!" he insists.
Novem shakes his head, his tails flicking anxiously behind him. "And I'm telling you that we've seen that rock before!" he whines. "We're lost, admit it!"
The harpy, Harlene, face palms and glares at both of them. "Enough!" she snaps, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. "Bickering like children won't get us anywhere. We need to focus on finding my si-"
"H-Harlene?" Harpus calls out tentatively, landing on the ground and refurling her wings.
Harlene's eyes widen in recognition as she turns to face Harpus, disbelief written across her features. Her expression softens when she sees her sister. "Harpus? Is that really you?"
Emile beams when the two recognize each other.
Harpus nods, a mixture of relief and joy flooding her expression. "It's me, sister," she says, tears welling up in her eyes as she looks over her injured sister. She steps forward and reaches out a hesitant arm towards her sister. "You're hurt."
Harlene gives Harpus a reassuring smile. "Not too badly. That creature threw me into the water at some point and seemed to lose track of me." she says as she takes her arm off of Emile and opens up her arms for Harpus. "It's dead now, thanks to this human." she says and softens her expression again when her younger sister doesn't seem too convinced. "I'm fine, Harpus." she says and finally, the younger harpy throws herself into her sister's arms.
Emile and Novem watch in astonishment as the two harpies embrace, their reunion a moment of pure joy amidst the darkness of the cavern. Cygnus approaches them with a smile. "The Phoenix Fire boy, greetings." she says with a smile and clasps her hands together. "I am Cygnus-"
Emile flusters slightly. "You're pretty."
"-the White Swan, one of Neil's Celestial Spirits." Cygnus introduces herself without faltering.
Emile hangs his head in disappointment. "I should refrain anyway…I'm still not over her…" he says, trailing off with a grumble.
Cygnus, not there to witness Calypso's betrayal, just nods with a polite smile and turns towards the harpies. "It's good to see you together again," she says, her voice filled with genuine warmth. "But we need to focus on getting out of here safely. Two of you are poisoned, another is injured, and you're barely two feet tall." Cygnus says, looking down at Novem. "I cannot protect all of us."
"Hey!" Novem whines.
Harlene nods, her expression serious. "You're right," she says as she and Harpus wipe away their tears. "We can't afford to waste any more time." Harlene says and glances at Emile and Novem. "Plus, these two will fall quickly if they continue to breathe in Harpus' ozone." she points out.
Emile and Novem's eyes widen in a panic. "Th-That's right!" Novem cries. "I'm just a small boy! I can't die yet!"
Harpus' ears shrink back apologetically. "Sorry…"
"It's not your fault. You are young." Harlene wags her finger at Harpus disapprovingly. "Besides, you did good by collecting our loot, Harpus. Now we don't have to make a detour. I can make the antidote as soon as we make it outside." she praises.
Emile picks Novem up and places him on his head. "Great! Now, let's go!" he says and takes the lead.
Outside Fregona Cave
Auriga looks down at a collapsed Akane and Neil, his expression filled with concern. He makes a determined grunt and looks back up, guiding his goat companions. With a gentle flick of the reins, Auriga urges the Kids forward, their pace quickening as they reach the entrance of the cave: sunlight beginning to light the rest of their path.
Auriga's chariot emerges from the mouth of the cave and the hot light of the sun hits Akane and Neil, giving them a sense of relief as their bodies absorb the warmth.
Auriga guides the chariot to a smooth stop near the entrance. He steps off the chariot and looks around for a moment before nodding to himself. The Celestial Spirit snaps his fingers and the harnesses on the Kids disappear into particles of energy. Aurgia points at a shady spot beneath a tree: "Here." he orders and the Kids obediently lay down in the shade.
One by one, Auriga carefully places Akane and Neil down in the same spots, resting their heads against the plump, soft bodies of the goats. Akane and Neil, finally breathing in fresh air, let themselves succumb to unconsciousness.
He looks down, satisfied with his work and stands guard as he waits for Cygnus to return.
Phoenix Fire Guildhall
"You can't be upset forever, y'know."
Mana grumbles.
"Mana."
She huffs.
"It's not like she's never coming back."
Mana's expression only sours further.
"Hm?" Ken takes notice of Mana's expression as he passes by hers and Veiss' table. "What's wrong with Miss Mana?" he asks.
Veiss rolls his eyes. "She's upset because she woke up and Akane and Emile were gone." he says, giving Ken a knowing look. "She's been particularly vocal about Kumiko's absence…
"Ah," Ken smiles, growing amused. "I see."
Mana grumbles again, dropping her head against the table.
Ken hums as he takes a seat next to Veiss. "You know, Miss Mana, if you just think about the time she saw you naked, you'll be less excited for her return!" he says teasingly.
Veiss' and Ken's amusement grows when Mana tenses and they watch the tips of her ears gradually turn red.
Mana sits up abruptly and quickly scoots out of her seat. "I-I have to - I have to go - somewhere-" she stammers, her face beet red. "I'll…b-bye." Mana says and practically runs upstairs. The sound of Veiss' and Ken's laughter trail behind her as she flees to another part of the guild.
I'd almost forgotten about that… Mary says, sounding a bit amused herself.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid…" Mana covers her face in embarrassment as she wanders one of the upstairs halls.
Mana shivers as she thinks back to when they were children and Yutsuko showed herself in Zaflior. She was so close to-
Mana pauses.
When they were children…
She frowns as another memory comes to mind.
Akane hums and smiles again. "I don't know what you're scared of but you can count on me!" she says, putting a hand over her heart. "I'll protect you!"
Mana doesn't look like she believes a word Akane says.
Still, Akane doesn't give up.
She sits next to Mana and shows her the palm of her hand, a look of concentration on her face before a small, carefully maintained flame appears in her hand. Akane beams proudly. "See? I can do the same Fire Magic as my Daddy and he's suuuuper strong!" she says as she makes the flame dance around and between her fingers, fascinating Mana. "So I can protect you!"
The same Fire Magic as…
Mana's frown deepens.
When he and Mana are outside and out of earshot, Mana voices her question from earlier. "About before, when you guys were explaining what Magic you have, was I reading that right?" she asks. "Akane looked like she was scared of her own Magic or something."
"Well…" Emile starts, scratching the back of his head as he frowns. "It's, um, complicated." he says. "It's not my story to tell, but yes. She doesn't like using her Fire Magic." he answers. "She has no problem with others using Fire Magic or something like a campfire unless the situation is, er…" Emile trails off and goes silent, thinking for a moment. "Unless the environment of the situation reminds her of the reason she doesn't like her Magic." he finishes. "That's all I think I can say without offending Akane for telling everybody her business."
His frown slowly drops when he sees the pendant attached to Cole's necklace. "A lion…" Emile trails off, a pensive look on his face for a moment. His eyes widen. "The Red Lion!" Emile gasps, a worried look crossing his face as he turns to his original partner in crime. "A-Akane, don't look! Scratch your part in the pl-!"
"Red Gauntlet!" Cole casts, igniting his fist in flames and punching Emile square in the face just as one of Veiss' black hands pulls him out from under Emile.
"E-Emi…le…?"
Mana turns to Akane, the sheer terror on her face surprising her.
Damn it!
"Akane!" Mana calls, running over and grabbing the girl by her shoulders. She blocks Akane's view from the angry, fiery Cole.
Akane doesn't react. Her eyes are looking at Mana but they look like they're seeing something or someone else.
…
"RED GAUNTLET: MAXIMUM!" comes a frustrated Cole's voice.
Akane flinches beneath her jacket and covers her ears with her hands, mumbling something to herself over and over again.
And every other incident where Akane was completely petrified by the sight and sound of Fire Magic…
…
…
…
…
…
"So that's how it is." Mana mutters, her expression souring for a whole other reason now.
Outside Fregona Cave
"Can you take it from here?" Cygnus asks.
Auriga nods as he watches the elder harpy prepare an antidote for Harpus and Emile. "Yes. I will take Neil back to Arkcester when we are finished here."
Cygnus nods and bids farewell to the conscious members of their group before teleporting back to the Celestial Spirit World.
Emile and Novem fuss over a still unconscious Akane and Neil worriedly. Novem nudges Akane and Neil with his head and pats their faces with his paws. "They're not waking up. Are they going to d-die?!"
Auriga frowns slightly at the question.
Emile looks at the kitsune incredulously. "No! They're just going to be sick for a while." he says. "Look how well they're breathing compared to when we just exited the cave. They just need time to recover." Emile explains.
"Human," Harlene calls. "I've finished. Come, drink this." she says.
Emile turns to find Harpus already sipping on her share of Harlene's concoction. He smiles as he approaches and accepts the cup with a thank you, "Thanks!"
"Sip on-"
Emile downs the concoction in one gulp.
Harlene winces. "...Ah."
Emile puts his hand over his mouth, immediately feeling nauseous.
"I was going to say…" Harlene shakes her head. "Sipping on it as Harpus is doing will wash the poison from your system naturally. Downing it as you did…"
Emile runs behind a tree to relieve the queasy feeling.
"...will forcefully eject the poison from your system." Harlene sighs.
Some time later…
"Feeling better, Harpus?"
Harpus nods, moving her feathers aside to examine her wound. "Yes…it's already turning back to its normal color." she says.
Harlene smiles at her sister and looks towards Emile. "And you?" she asks. "Your wound and the, ah, nausea."
Emile blushes embarrassedly. "I'm feeling okay, thank you." he says and looks down at his chest, his wound already turning to its normal color too. "We should get going to Veneto so I can get Akane to a real bed-"
The sisters gasp lightly, scandalized.
"I-" Emile's blush darkens. "N-Not like that! A normal bed would be better for her to rest on!" he says defensively and turns to Auriga. "You're taking Neil back to Arkcester, right? Can you give us a ride first?"
Auriga nods. He looks at the sister harpies. "Will you stay?"
"Yes!" Harpus answers immediately. "I would be happy to watch Neil…he was flirting with me earlier, you know." she says with a small, amused smile.
Harlene frowns. "He was what?"
(An unconscious Neil's face scrunches slightly, his dream suddenly changing to when Harpus claimed 'this wasn't the time to be flirting' except now the entire Aberrant Hydra guild is there to witness the scene and Neil keeps failing to defend himself…)
Novem jumps onto Emile's shoulder as Auriga places Akane back in the chariot. "Come." he nods to Emile when she's secured. Harpus moves to take the place of Neil's goat pillow and Auriga whistles at the Kids. They stand up and stretch before trotting over to their places in front of the chariot.
(Neil, his head now resting in an amused Harpus' lap as a deeply unamused Harlene watches, scrunches his face again as his dream gets an additional guest in the form of Harpus' sister, the harpy continuously scolding him for 'flirting' with her sister.)
Auriga snaps his fingers and the harnesses reappear on the little goats, their reins appearing in Auriga's hands.
"Hey, hey," Harpus calls as she plays with Neil's hair. "Emile, give Akane my thanks when she wakes up." she says. "The ozone will clear on its own now that I'm cured and no longer inside. Your mission is complete."
Emile nods and smiles. "Alright, thanks!" he says and looks at Auriga. "Will you tell him too when he wakes up? We came all this way for him, he was really excited about this."
Auriga nods, flicks the reins, and the fiery chariot sets off.
"Er…" Emile blinks as he watches the fire. "Maybe it's for the best that she was struggling to stay awake…"
Veneto
"H-Huh…?"
Emile pauses in his walk when he hears Akane start to wake up. "Akane!" he beams. "Sleep well?"
After Auriga dropped them off near Veneto, Akane traded places with Novem so Emile could carry her, the two-tailed kitsune walking beside them.
Akane slowly blinks her eyes open and starts lifting her head up off Emile's shoulder. She looks around, confused. "Wh…?" she wiggles her legs in an attempt to walk and frowns when she doesn't move. Akane looks down. "Oh…" she pats Emile's shoulder. "Hey. Put me down."
Emile raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? We're almost to the hotel anyway." he says.
Akane takes…a long time to think. Eventually: "Yes…I want to walk." she says, speaking slowly.
Novem stifles a laugh. "She's so out of it." he says. "Still, better this than dead." Novem states bluntly.
Emile ignores him and crouches down so Akane can get off his back. When she nearly falls over after attempting to stand on her own, Emile quickly grabs her arm and slings it over his shoulder. "Alright, Nene, let's walk." he says, amused.
"Hmph…" Akane huffs. She takes another long pause to think.
…
…
…
"Harpus?"
"We found her sister. They're together." Emile confirms.
Akane hums deliriously. "That's good…" she says.
…
…
…
"Neil?"
Emile nods, "Also doing good. Auriga is taking him back to Arkcester - something about him watching them panic about Neil's absence from the Celestial Spirit World." he explains.
Akane can vaguely recall Cygnus' voice calling for an 'Auriga' while they were still in the cave so she assumes he's another Celestial Spirit.
"I also reported the mission as complete while you were out." Emile adds and laughs lightly. "I got concerned looks from carrying you around but some of the patrons at the Rialto recognized me from when Veiss and I were there last."
Akane hums.
…
…
…
"Thank you…" Akane says.
Emile blinks. "Huh? For what?"
Akane's head lolls to the side in confusion. "You haven't broken your promise…" she says, referring to their agreement for originally becoming partners. "You keep protecting me…so I'll keep protecting you too."
Emile blinks.
Then, he smiles warmly.
…
…
…
…
…
"I'll get you a girlfriend too." Emile says off-handedly.
Akane nods deliriously. "Yeah…" she agrees.
Emile and Novem snicker. "Yeah she's definitely not remembering this conversation." Emile laughs.
Some time later…
Aberrant Hydra Guildhall
The whole of Aberrant Hydra screams when a fiery goat-drawn chariot bursts through their doors, miraculously not setting fire to anything.
"Who the hell-" Victoria swears as she emerges from one of their halls. Her eyes widen when she sees the guest in their guildhall. "Neil!"
"'Neil'?! That's clearly not Neil!" a boy around Neil's age cries, gesturing wildly at the tall and beefy charioteer. He has short, rugged brown hair with green eyes and tanned skin. He wears a loose brown and yellow vest with black pants.
Regine rolls her eyes. "Take a look at who's on the chariot with him, Noah." she says to the boy.
Said charioteer picks Neil up and steps off his chariot and hands him to the closest person to him. "Here. He's sick. Take care of him." the charioteer says and without waiting for a response, he disappears into particles of gold light, taking his chariot and goats with him.
"Who was that?" Eira wonders. "One of Neil's spirits?"
"I guess so." Seinaru says. He looks down at the unconscious Neil in his arms and the corners of his lips turn down slightly. "...Cole."
"Yeah, I've got him." the fire wizard says, Luna trailing behind him.
Luna smiles, relieved. "It's a good thing he came back before Master Glinda returned or before his parents noticed." she says.
Cole nods in agreement. "She would've been so-"
"Would've been so what?"
The color drains from Luna's and Cole's face as they slowly turn around to face their previously absent Guild Master.
"...H-Hi Master Glinda." Luna squeaks.
Cole takes a different approach: "Please don't make me fall again please don't make me fall again please don't-"
A day later…
Phoenix Fire Guildhall
"We're ba-!"
"Hi!"
"Jesus-" Emile and Akane startle, nearling falling over when Mana practically teleports right in front of them.
Mana frowns thoughtfully. "...'Jesus'?"
"Never mind." Emile sighs, putting a hand over his heart. "Here, take this," he says and takes Akane's arm off of his shoulder. "She's sick, help her get to her room. I have to go report to Master Nadine."
"Sick?" Mana blinks as she takes Akane's arm. "Oh," she says, feeling how unnaturally warm Akane is. "What happened?" Mana asks as she puts Akane's arm around her shoulder.
Akane stares into space. "...Yellow birds…"
"...What?"
Phoenix Fire Girl's Dormitory | Akane's Room
Mana watches as Akane flops onto her bed face first, her thoughts returning to the realization she made yesterday now that they were alone.
"...Kanny." Mana calls.
"Hmm?" Akane hums.
Mana chews on the inside of her cheek, hesitating.
When another beat goes by and Mana still doesn't say anything, Akane rolls over onto her back to look at Mana curiously.
…
…
…
…
…
"...So, 'yellow birds'?" Mana asks, putting on a smile.
Akane nods sagely and closes her eyes. "Yellow birds."
Mana drops her smile and sighs when Akane falls asleep, her breathing evening out.
I'll ask someone else. she thinks. Master Nadine probably knows where she's from.
That's probably for the best. Mary agrees.
Mana smiles mischievously. In the meantime, she's going to need someone to take care of her.
Phoenix Fire Guildhall | Nadine's Office
Emile shivers.
Nadine raises an eyebrow. "Are you getting sick too?"
"No…" Emile says. "I just got the strangest feeling that I made a bad decision," he says and shakes his head. "It's probably nothing. Anyways, about the mission…"
PF x SS x AH
A/N plot
amirite