Timely Aid

When I awoke, I found myself lying on an oddly soft surface. It took me a moment to recall the events that had transpired and I fought the urge to stay there and never get up as I realized that I might have died and entered the next illusion… the next stage of torture, more like. Although the fourth one had not exactly been the most pleasant, I had been very happy to be able to do something to help, though arguably it would have been better if nothing needed my help.

Steeling myself, I pushed myself to a sitting position. Before I could get to my feet, a specter materialized beside me, which gave me quite a shock. I flinched away, but moments later something registered.

Wasn't that the… other Dark Lord?

After getting over my surprise, I carefully arose from my post to give a deep bow, noting belatedly that all my wounds had subsided as I did so. A muted voice sounded in my head once again, but it had been repressed so rather than causing me to nearly kill myself, I only had a strong urge to jump off the nearest cliff. Which… wasn't that far away, truth be told.

Once I pushed back the rising wave of negative emotion, I was able to process and understand the murmur as a sort of thanks, which I hurriedly refused. I had done little to help, considering that the Greater Dark Elementals would have likely recovered by themselves after some time… not to mention how much aid they had all provided me. 

However, the Dark Lord motioned for someone else to step forward… or float forward, which is what the Greater Dark Elemental did. After a few moments, a different, significantly more endurable voice began speaking to me. I still felt dark impulses being brought to the surface as I heard the voice, which I attributed to this particular Dark Elemental being quite powerful amongst the Greater ones, but managed to quash them down nonetheless.

In short, it explained to me that the Dark Lord (who I was told went by the name of Nightblade) was grateful for my aid and wished to express her thanks for my help, which had allowed her to save Lord Nightshade. Moreover, it went on, all of the other still-living Dark Elementals had survived, possibly due to my timely help.

"That's hardly true," I replied, "I thank you for your kind words, but I believe you and your companions would have recovered and saved Lord Nightshade without my intervention,"

"You do not understand," it countered, "All of us were fighting an inner war against the burning light. Had you not brought us to Lord Nightblade, it would have slowly consumed us. All of us would have fallen if left untreated, while Lord Nightblade had to stay by Lord Nightshade's side if he was to survive for any longer."

"Well… if you are so insistent, I will gratefully accept the thanks," I responded somewhat awkwardly. 

However, at this point, Lord Nightblade motioned to the Dark Elemental conversing with me. After a moment, it nodded and asked a question.

"Lord Nightblade wondered how you could heal one of my comrades."