Tiamat's Gifts

Slowly awakening, the longer the sands of time began to slip away. Aurelia rested near the fire watching everyone awake one after another. No words were shared between them as they all reflected in silence regarding the battle and where they were.

Touching the bandages around Aurelia, Elle bit her lips, "I'm sorry, I could not heal you fully. I—"

Covering her mouth with both hands, Aurelia giggled, "Dummy. Aurelia is alive, thanks to you! I don't blame you or Sionn; it was my fault I was injured." she said, pulling away with an ashen grimace. Still weak and weary, her gaze shifted towards the only one still resting.

"You going to wake him?" Sionn inquired in a whisper.

"No. Just curious what was in the crypt," Aurelia muttered, walking around the amber campfire to sit near Zireael in meditation.

'He seems so normal,' Aurelia thought to herself, reaching to touch his cheeks. Feeling the almost iciness penetrating her hands, she pulled away in horror while a set of silver eyes opened.

"Are you cold?" Aurelia could not help ask, clenching her hands at the fridged cold burning her hands. "You should come closer to the fire."

Scuffing at the very idea, Zireael stood on his feet, staring at everyone. "Congrats, all of you lived. Even you, Sionn, I was rather surprised to see myself actually help you. But you still made it, and I am a man of my word."

Noticing his lips begin to creep upwards, Sionn shuttered in excitement when all of a sudden, a scroll appeared within the hands of Zireael, "A gift from Tiamat. It's called The Index of Dragon Bearers, holding many techniques regarding shields and Arcana. It's quite good since I hold no such techniques to help you with your shield."

Tossing the young boy, unable to control his excitement, the Dragon Bearer scroll, Zireael smirked, shiting his attention to Ella, "You got something strange, a set of golden flowers that goes on the side of your head, I think?"

"You mean a tiara?" Elle informed as Zireael shrugged, summoning a magical set of golden flowers that appeared to be worn by the Gods themselves. It was otherworldly in beauty, dimming the color of the flames by her side.

"Looks to be from the Greek Gods," Lord Blackwater stated, tossing her the tiara without much thought, "I don't really know the effects; I think it may allow you to connect to nature more naturally. Who knows, use it only at night when no one is around." He warned with glowing eyes that seemed to see through all.

Caressing the golden tiara crafted from strange metal Ella giggled to herself. However, hearing the warning of her master, Ella had wished to speak out but seeing the glow within his eyes, she stood silent. shifting her eyes away from his.

"What about Aurelia!" Said the little ball of excitement, shivering like Sionn.

"you got... A spell." Zireael stated with a curious expression, "And a powerful one at that. It's a tier five spell, but one can cast it as zero spells all the way to the fifth tier."

"Ring of Destruction," Zireael muttered, recalling the spell he saw the beast cast within the crypt. Widening his eyes, he cursed, "No. it's not the exact same, but it's close enough, but why the hell is Tiamat spoiling you?"

Summoning a golden orb, Aurelia's eyes suddenly grew wide when all of a sudden, it shot into her head. Freezing completely in place, Zireael took note of the staff within her small hands beginning to glow before fading.

Regaining focus, Aurelia beamed, utterly ignorant of the blood trickling from her nose. "It's sooooo powerful! And I can cast it now!"

"Oh? It must be an Inherit Spell. Such spells are rare and don't need to be fully comprehended. At least the Zero stage portion doesn't. Once you become stronger, however, you will need to begin comprehending it."

"Can Aurelia do so now?"

Smiling at the pure confidence radiating off of her, Zireael nodded, "You can, but be careful to do so only at night where your staff is the strongest. But I recommend you focus more on your staff than a new spell, far above your current level. Now wipe your nose, and let's go. Talia is waiting for us."

"Aurelia is not a child!" said the young girl wiping her bloody nose while puffing her cheeks.

"Your four years old, the fact that you are killing and winning battles is ridiculous onto itself."

"Aurelia is--"

"And there you go again, talking in the third person."

"Aurelia is--

"your still during it, Dumb-Dumb,"

Turning purple, Aurelia fiercely glared as she pointed the Eldritch staff towards the young lord. "FIREBOLT!!!!" She shouted aloud with cold icy fury.

Tilting like he had eyes at the back of his head, a burst of faint mocking laughter resounded from Zireael as a bolt flashed by his head. "Come on, let's go!"

Slapping her shoulder, Sionn chuckled, walking past her towards Zireael alongside Ella, who giggled.

Puffing her cheeks, Aurelia turned bright as an apple, "Hmm~." she hummed before kicking some dirt over the fire. She hastily followed behind in silence.

Smiling, Zireael eyes slowly began to glow with power, staring into the face of the Weave. He sent a subtle glance towards the silver string that connected them and then to Aureael, who appeared nothing more than a pixilated mesh.

Noticing the Weave of karma connecting everyone together, a strange obsidian weave caught his eyes, bringing a foreboding grin to his face.

Returning his gaze to himself that was covered in various obsidian strings, he whispered for only him to hear, "The Nine Hells,"

"Aurelia never had such a string like that, but only those within the Hells have such Karmic lines. They should be the only ones who know I am alive.' Thought Lord Blackwater with a grim expression. 'Is it because of me or is it because of her... She smells of that damnable Plane. However, demons nor devils would be willing to do this.'

Passing his hands through his hair, Zireael continued on before a pair of soft hands pressed onto his shoulder.

"Master, are we finally heading back to the Lake of Reflection?" Ella curiously questioned.

Losing its vibrant glow, Zireael nodded, "Yeah, this was quite a nice distraction, but it's time I start training you all." He voiced, yet for some reason, Aurelia felt no comfort within the words echoing from the Silver Devil standing by her friend's side.

Fightful at the smile that laid upon his lips, she paused as the devil turned to her, "Are you coming?"