Satsuhiro instructed Kaori to keep pressure on her wound. All they could do then was hope that they would arrive at Pearl before she bled out, as healing magic was entirely ineffective on her right now.
"By the way," Satsuhiro said, leading them. "Pearl might not be too safe either. One of those portals is just outside the city."
Ash narrowed her eyes as she helped Kaori walk.
"Another attack?" She wondered.
"Probably, but it's likely gonna take them some time to spread the portal's power. Pearl is preparing itself as we speak, but it could happen at any time."
"How strong are the soldiers there?" She asked. "Honestly, I think the demons we saw would even give you some trouble."
"I wanted to ask about that," Satsuhiro looked back at her. "What are their levels?"
Ash shook her head.
"That's not it. They get this weird status effect from the portals that increases their stats, but the farther they are from the portal, the lower their stats get. In my case, my stats went up to like 50 or something. So, the stat increase is probably between 30 and 40-something."
Satsuhiro nodded.
"That means fighting them at the portal isn't a good idea. I'll have to tell everyone about that. For now, though, let's just get there first."
Hearing that, Ash turned to look at Kaori. Metsumi walked up to the blonde.
"How are you holding up?" Metsumi asked.
"I'm, I'm good." Kaori nodded. "I just feel a little cold is all."
With the older woman rubbing her back as they walked along, Ash saw concern bloom on Metsumi's expression. She wondered what her own face looked like at that moment. She certainly felt a cold sense of unease building up. We'll get her some help in time. She thought. It'll be fine.
Eventually, they got to a hill where they could see what Ash figured was the city of Pearl. Even from outside, she could note some differences between it and Jade. The city's walls were colorful, a bright rose that contrasted with the plains around it. And contrasted even more harshly with the large spire, visible just in beside the road that led into Pearl.
The group walked to the gates where a pair of guards quickly let them in.
The inside of the city was just as bright as the outside. However, Ash couldn't really look around in detail. All she could think of was the blonde clinging to her arm. Concern for someone else was a strange feeling to Ash, one she did not like at all.
"I'll take her to the castle, I know someone who should be able to lift the curse," Satsuhiro told them. He turned to Metsumi. "Can you take them to our old house?"
"Yeah, go ahead," Metsumi nodded.
Satsuhiro extended a hand towards Kaori.
"Come on, the sooner we get you some help the better."
Kaori let go of Ash, taking his hand. She looked up at the half-demon and gave a wry smile.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Ash sighed. Do I look that scared?
She then watched Kaori and Satsuhiro walk away, blending into a crowd that was up ahead. A hand fell on Ash's shoulder.
"She'll be alright," Metsumi said. "She's a Savior, after all. Your types are built to last."
Ash took a deep breath and nodded.
"Well," Ash looked down. "Lead the way."
"Right."
---
Metsumi took her daughter, Keiko, and Ash through some highly decorated streets to a small section of the city just past where they'd arrived. Here, they got to a small house that blended in so well with the others around it that Ash would have never imagined that a Savior lived here. On the other hand, she could certainly picture Satsuhiro himself living in this place. Yeah, he'd totally just hole up in here.
Metsumi unlocked the door, she and her daughter walked in and Ash helped Keiko enter the house. It was as plain as the Savior house in Jade and had enough dust to indicate that no one had been here in a very long time.
"Make yourselves at home," Metsumi stated. Ash thought she sounded fairly calm, considering Kaori's situation.
Or maybe I'm just worrying too much.
She looked for the nearest couch and sat down. Instantly, she felt her exhaustion pull her body down. She closed her eyes and the first thing image that came to mind was Kaori, looking up at her with eyes pleading for safety.
"You alright there?" Metsumi asked. Ash opened her eyes and found the woman standing nearby.
"Yeah, yeah, just... Taking a sec."
"Good job back there, by the way." Metsumi grinned proudly. "You're kind of a badass, huh?"
Ash chuckled.
"I don't think a badass is supposed to run away when enemies come up."
"They do when they want to live to be badasses for another day," Metsumi shrugged. Then, her expression turned softer. "Kaori on your mind?"
Ash sighed.
"Was it that obvious?" Ash frowned. "I hate this."
"What do you mean?"
"... Caring," Ash stated.
"I don't get it."
"Just that. Caring," Ash said, standing up. "I've never been in this sort of situation before. My whole life, everyone around me has done nothing but spit on me, and now..." She glanced at Keiko, who was sitting on a chair next to Opah. "Now, I... I don't know. I found Kaori, Keiko... You, Satsuhiro, Opah. Everyone." Ash muttered, her shoulders slumping. "I hate it. I, it feels weak. Before, I knew that no matter what, I'd be fine, because I could count on myself. Now, every time we run into some fucking demons, I'm afraid of what might-"
Then, a pair of arms wrapped around her, mid-speech.
Ash froze. She failed to register what was happening initially. Then, after taking a deep breath, she came to understand that Metsumi was hugging her.
"Uh...?" Ash said with a muffled voice, blinking twice.
Then, Metsumi said one very simple thing.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?"
Ash couldn't find something to say in response.
Yeah? No shit. She thought. I'm a half-demon. Of course, I've been through some shit. Why are you telling me that? I know. I'm aware my life has sucked since day one. Why are you reminding...?
Then, she felt something slide down her cheeks.
A pair of tears had just come out of her eyes.
"It's alright," Metsumi rubbed her back soothingly. Ash wanted to push her off. She was too uncomfortable, and yet, another part of her wanted to bury herself deeper into the embrace.
"It's okay!" Metsumi took a step back, keeping her hands on Ash's shoulders. "It's good that you care."
"... What do you mean?" Ash asked, her voice far shakier than she would have liked.
"It just means you know what you have, in Kaori, in Keiko, and that you don't want to lose it. There's nothing wrong with that, Ash. How about I go out, get some food and bring it back for you? The food in Pearl is amazing!"
Ash nodded half-heartedly. Her mind was stuck on what Metsumi had just said before that.
Now that she'd been told as much to her face, she realized she didn't feel as alone anymore.
I can't handle this shit. She thought. I... This feels terrible.
---
Later, Metsumi returned with baskets full of strange-looking fruits. She wasn't alone though.
Satsuhiro appeared with Kaori in his arms, asleep. What? Then, after he came in, someone else showed up. A man dressed in Savior armor, far older-looking.
"What's going on?" Ash asked.
"Ash, this is Takomaro. He's one of the senior Saviors."
"Greetings," the man bowed.
"So, why's Kaori asleep?" Ash disregarded him completely. Satsuhiro raised a brow at that.
"Curse-removal is... Kind of complicated," Satsuhiro replied.
"The actual process," Takomaro stepped in, "can be rather painful for the afflicted individual. Usually, a sleeping spell is cast first onto the person and then the curse is removed by a priest. Something I happen to be. Now," he turned to Satsuhiro. "Place her someplace comfortable and we can begin."
"Alright."
Satsuhiro went to a different room and Ash followed behind him, her arms crossed. He took her to a large bed and laid her down. Takomaro then walked up to Kaori and put a hand on her forehead.
"Curses," Takomaro began to say, "are among the highest level of magic. Incantations for them sometimes take up entire pages. Blessings, which are the counterparts to curses, are equally as complex. The removal of a curse is fairly simple, at least. This is the incantation. Oh, divinity that watches over us. Let your power surge through the veins of the faithful. Let our piety become the flame that burns so brightly, all watch in awe. And when our time comes, let our strength become legend, for our belief brought us victory. Learn it."
As he said that, his hands began to glow with multiple colors.
"That's Light magic, right?"
"Yes, however, it is... Peculiar." Takomaro responded. "See, there is one thing that sets both curses and blessings apart. Faith."
"What do you mean?"
"Unlike any other forms of magic, regardless of which of the two you are doing, the spells you attempt will only succeed if you possess a strong connection to at least one deity. A connection fostered through prayer."
"That's why priests are needed to lift curses," Satsuhiro explained.
"Indeed. Even then, most people who perform blessings will only ever have a connection strong enough for what I just did, which is the simplest form of Blessing magic."
Satsuhiro sent Ash a look, and Ash understood what he was trying to say.
A strong connection to a deity, huh? Ash thought. So, what can you do when you've literally made out with one?
Kaori's body began to glow.
"The curse will take a few hours to be lifted, though the wound will not worsen in that time. Give her some time and she will be fine."
"Thank you, sir." Satsuhiro bowed.
"Now," Takomaro turned towards "as for you. So... You're the half-demon Savior?"
Ash rolled her eyes, preparing herself for the usual glare.
Sure enough, it came. Takomaro narrowed his eyes at her.
"Word of what you and Kaori have done has reached Pearl already. That said, so have Varcon's crimes." Takomaro sighed. "Regardless, he was an archpriest, and your party killed him. So, I hope you will understand my hesitance to trust you. Still, as we have pressing matters to attend to, I will not refuse to work with you."
"I don't really give a fuck," Ash shrugged. "You do what you want to."
"..." The two stared at each other. Then, Takomaro turned to Satsuhiro. "Very well, take some time and we will discuss what to do about the portal later."
"Thanks again, sir."
With a nod, Takomaro walked out of the room.
"Just when I was getting used to not being treated like that," Ash muttered.
"Um..." A shy-sounding voice asked behind Ash. She turned and found Keiko standing there. "Is... Is Kaori going to be okay?"
"Yeah, yeah." Ash nodded. "The curse is being lifted."
"Oh, that's good then. I... I was worried."
Yeah, so was I... Sadly.
"Take a moment," Satsuhiro put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "We have a lot to talk about."
Ash nodded.
Then, as he left, she walked up to the bed where Kaori was. She sat down on the edge and looked at her. Just seeing her like this was tearing her heart up. A feeling she was gradually disliking more and more. Keiko did the same, sitting next to her.
Without saying a word, the two sat there, waiting for their friend to wake up.
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