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“Scott…”
His dearest friend’s broken tone shatters the flower mage’s heart upon the stone floor they stood upon, Scott attempting to catch his breath despite the heaving of his chest still convincing himself they were safe from the most recent Creaking King while meeting Nom’s terrified gaze.
“I can feel it within me still…”
The panic that sent Scott’s limbs trembling nearly overwhelmed him until he took a few deep breaths, focusing on solving the problem and not worrying about what-ifs. He forced himself not to shudder while he looked at the weakened version of the knight who swore to protect him, noticing his eyes still faintly glowing like a smoldering fire while the tree bark that had slowly corrupted his skin twisted ever tighter around his once proud crimson-tinted horns that showed his dragon-hybrid blood. The blonde mage disliked the despair that wrought his handsome yet tired face, filling his heart with both their determination that this would all work out alright.
Nom nearly falls over with his next flinch and groan while the bark glowed and crawled further, Scott quickly observing their surroundings to search for anything residual from the Creaking King but felt a distinct absence beyond the bark slowly advancing across Nom’s flesh. Without a thought he casts two quick spells, using both a cleansing aura and an undying spell while they figured out what to do next.
“It’s okay Scott….” Nom’s usual playful tone was painfully absent, speaking as though they are already defeated his shoulders slump forward with a heavy sigh.
“You aren’t.” Short and to the point he moves closer to the taller knight and lets him lean into the lithe mage, looking around to spot Katie and 4C nearby who he gestured to approach with his free hand. “Can you take his mace and anything else heavy? Let’s take this conversation far away from this terrible place.”
Trying not to read too much into Nom’s silence besides a few groans while the creaking disease claims more of him, they rush out from the cavern where they had defeated their latest enemy, Scott filing away his emotions surrounding that event until they solve their more urgent one. Taking a deep breath of fresh air once they arrive above ground he supports Nom as he sits heavily down onto a nearby stump, cradling his forehead in his hands as everyone emerges from their last bloody battleground while Scott frantically searches his mind for any way to resolve this as the knight hunches completely over with a strained hiss.
Scott kneels quickly before him, keeping a very close eye on Nom as the attack passes, waiting for his breath to even out before the knight groans out. “I can feel it curling around my ribs and crushing my organs, it’s only a matter of time…”
Grinding his teeth together he tunes out everyone else as they speak to the knight like he is dying, refusing to accept this as reality he feels his magic thrum beneath his skin heightened by the emotions running rampant. Oh what can he do…how can he help? He refuses to sit by yet again to bury someone he is overwhelmingly fond of, he simply will not go through that again. Somehow Nom’s unwavering stubbornness had rubbed off on him and he refused to accept any type of reality beyond those he loves being safe.
“Can we go to the cliff side?” Nom asks his sister who is doing her best to brave in the face of losing her brother, the lovely knight nodding quickly while helping her brother upright. He exchanges a few more well wishes before beckoning the mage, his sister and 4C forward as the ones to walk him to his requested destination.
Scott ignores the pitying looks from the rest of their kingdom, well aware of his easy affection for their cursed knight who once held the power of a monarch reduced to a gnarled fallen solider puppeted along by a deal he very much regretted. Gripping his staff ever tighter the walk to the cliff-side he barely says a word deep in thought, allowing all his power to fill his core in preparation for the most difficult piece of magic he has attempted yet. He refuses to let fate steal someone else he held dear, and if he had to rip Nom from Lady Death’s hands himself he would without hesitation. The mage refuses to allow their friendship to only last two moons, they had a ship to sail after all!
“Uh…Scott?” 4Cvit draws the party’s attention to the now glowing nature mage, flowers erupting at their feet and crawling up their calves where the trio before him sat comforting Nom while Scott stood before them.
“What are you doing?” Nom asks Scott who wraps his free hand around his staff, struggling to channel the immense well of magic that swirled around his soul while the air grew heavy with the scent of fragrant blossoms and fresh fruit. “Scott, please don’t waste your energy…it’s okay—this isn’t your fault…”
“I know that.” Scott himself shivers hearing the singing tones warping his tongue, the primordial magic that ran through his veins arriving upon his own summoning. “However I also know if I didn’t give it my best effort to saving you I would regret it for the rest of my long, long life.”
His emerald eyes shimmer with tears, wishing with every fibre of his being to heal his knight with this spell, catching Nom’s faintly glowing orbs in his own he gives the smallest smile. “Usually it’s you I would warn of being reckless, but it seems its time I take a page out of your book.”
With that announcement and ignoring all further protests Scott calls upon the waves of magic around them and funnels it towards the knight using his staff to point directly at the sitting Knight, their other two companions getting knocked back by the power the mage channelled. Reminding himself to check on them later he reaches deep within his soul to connect completely with his natural gifts and opens his ears to the environment that hummed around them pleading for their help to save the handsome brunette knight. Using their guidance he locates the rot deep within Nominal’s soul, grips it with intent, and rips it from his very bones while pouring the rest of his magic into a healing spell that called to Nom’s inherent draconic abilities to speed along his recovery from the shock the mage inflected upon the knight’s system.
It was risky as hell as it all lasted less than a breath, the physical manifestation of a decayed root hung between them dripping crimson while suspended by Scott’s green magic as Katie and 4C rush back to Nom’s side where he had collapsed. Relying on the fact he could still sense a heartbeat from the brunette man he focuses on the source of their problem held before him, examining it closely and trying not to flinch away from the evil around it.
“I swear upon the rest of my days you will never harm another, Fallen King.” He mumbles, once again manipulating his cleansing energy to remove any leftover evil manifestation before warping it into a new shape, free of its past he hums happily feeling the smallest flicker of new life within the wood piece now perched on his palm filled with bright life instead.
He had only ever heard rumours of such living trees filled with old magic allowing even mere pieces of them to warp into whatever their environment fosters depending on the magic they are fed, over his time in Bannerfall he had come to realize the Creaking King was of similar manifestation but was one that had been left to rot for far too long. This tiny piece he plucked from Nom’s soul could be infused with the proper energy now, perhaps even a nature mage like himself could start the infusions but he files that plot away for later reminding himself to check on his patient.
Feeling the exhaustion weighing down his bones as he carefully tucks the piece of wood into a pocket, Scott falls to his knees beside Katie and with the rest of his magic he presses his glowing palm to Nom’s forehead mercifully free of the rotten tree bark that had consumed most of his form and reaches for any type of consciousness. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief he finds his friend’s soul to be intact, slightly damaged but nevertheless intact, with no sign of the illness that ravaged his strong body anywhere he retreats back to reality with an enormous sense of relief.
With his task accomplished he sways as he recognizes just how much energy he burnt through with that little cleansing trick, Katie noticing and reaches out to steady him. “Whoa…are you feeling okay?”
“Jus’ a lot of energy—” Scott stumbles over the words, tempted to fall asleep right here and now with the crisis now averted until he finally meets 4C’s wide curious gaze who appears to be at a loss for words.
The silence between them is heavy until Nom’s cough breaks it, his eyes slowly blinking open to look up at the trio above him with an expression full of questions as Katie collapses into his arms with a sob. Nom wraps himself tightly around his sister with his own happy mumblings, closing his eyes to fully absorb the moment as 4C and Scott once more exchange looks.
“How in the world did you do that? I have never seen a spell like that before…” 4C poses his inquiries to the mage nearby waiting his turn to greet Nom, allowing him however long he needed with his sibling.
Scott wishes he could take a picture of the astonishment upon the slime’s face as he shrugs, giggling softly to himself while hugging his staff close to keep himself upright. “If I knew I would tell you, I honestly have no idea. My rage tapped into the nature around me and I listened as she guided my hands, I am not even sure I could ever do that again but all I knew is I refused to accept a future without our dear friend Nom alive within it.”
“I taught ya well.” Scott’s emerald eyes tear up seeing the tracks down Nom’s wonderfully clear skin, Katie moving aside allowing Scott to throw himself into Nom’s strong arms who catch him easily. “Of all the bull-headed ways to go about it…”
Scott chuckles through his crying at Nom’s affectionate teasing, holding the mage ever closer. “I am grateful you did, do not get that wrong, but how did you know he wouldn’t just possess someone else?”
“These types of entities are quite rare these days but with the proper cleansing and raising they can become whatever we need, this one twisted into cruelty in his loneliness but I have faith they will do better this time around.” Scott leans back allowing him to snake a hand between them and press it to Nom’s chest, once again taking comfort in it’s steady beat. “The knowledge of these creatures is barely spoken about these days, more folklore as its rare they still exist but with the proper nurturing it can be molded into whatever we please. I’ve heard people carving their homes from them, honestly its something we can question Graecie about more late.”
Nom looked quite puzzled until he shrugged, clearly deciding to worry about it afterwards he reaches for 4C for his final reunion while Scott wraps Katie in his arms, stealing a few more moments for just themselves before they make their hikes back to their respective kingdoms. Eventually those moments turn into hours and daylight fades into sunset when the Red Kingdom members eventually leave, promising to meet back up once again tomorrow to discuss what to do from here leaving the mage and knight alone.
“We should really head back too…” Nom trails off, not moving an inch and Scott doing quite the opposite and scooting closer until Nom throws an arm around his shoulders to draw the mage into his side with a happy hum.
Both stare at the horizon for several breaths until Nom clears his throat, posing a question Scott himself had been pondering. “Where do we go from here? Am I truly free?”
“I ripped him from the marrow of your bones and the depths of your soul, I’d know if anything remained.” Scott assured his friend, pleased with his confidence in his own abilities these days. A few ideas pass through his head before Scott meets his dearest friend’s waiting face, an eager smile crossing his face as he speaks once more. “Well, I do believe that we stated if we both make it out of this alive then we would buy a ship and get away from here, even if for a few moons I myself know I could use some time away from the tainted memories here.”
“So we did…” Nom agreed thoughtfully, Scott watching as his fiery orange eyes became distant, a little surprised they hadn’t returned to their prior mocha colouring but he couldn’t find it within himself to care, having his friend back and alive was far more important. “Not forever though…right?”
“Of course not.” Scott clasps their hands together with a squeeze, treasuring the softer side of his knight who let himself relax with that answer. “We must come back to visit our friends but there’s a whole world out there to explore, maybe we could take some of them with us as our crew! I for one know Mae would be personally offended if we didn’t bring them for at least once journey…”
Scott’s excitement softens seeing the hesitation in Nom’s expression surrounding the idea of leaving before fire fills his eyes once more, helping them both to their feet before he says what he is thinking. “Let’s spend a little while here yet, after all there are several people to inform I did not in fact succumb to the curse thanks to your incredible work alongside I am sure another ruler is to be chosen in both Kingdoms. Once things settle down…then we find our ship and sail for wherever the ocean currents take us.”
“Perfect! Gives me time to learn all I can about this living wood fibre, perhaps with help I could even craft it into our vessel…”
Just as they are about to leave Nom pauses, pulling Scott into yet another bone-crushing hug as he whispers words meant only for the mage to hear. “Thank you for giving me another chance Scott, it isn’t something I feel I deserve yet I am going to treasure it like the gift that it is.”
“You have taught me so much Nom between our fighting lessons and you testing my patience—” Scott’s sarcastic yet affectionate tone brings laughter from them both as they simply treasure the other being alive. “But the most precious things you have shown me thus far is an unwavering stubbornness to believe in your strengths even if the world stands against you and that sometimes a little impulsivity can get you out of tough situations.”
“You are incredible, I might have been barely conscious but feeling your magic reach for me through all the rot gave me a reason to hang on, I will always trust you with my life. In my newly taken vow I promised to protect you yet here you are saving me instead.”
“Nom, we saved each other.” Scott replies quickly, smiling while staring up at the strong man who he would forever trust even while at his most vulnerable. “You protected me and gave me space to learn how trust that I will always be enough—”
“And you showed me how to appreciate those around me while still giving me the space to process my past, I wouldn’t be half the man I am now without you.” Nom brushes a curl of Scott’s golden hair away from his face, allowing the hug to slowly fall apart until its only their hands clasped together as they face the path back to their current home. “Shall we?”
“We shall.”
With that, the knight and mage travel back to their Kingdom to pick up the pieces from their most recent battle while celebrating the joyous news the Creaking King has been purged from this land. There would certainly be challenges and conflict within their future, but at least they could face it together and both looked forward to the lifetime worth of memories they could make together thanks to a crafty nature mage who laughed in the face of death and ripped his dearest friend free from it’s clutches.
The tale that formed from their exploits became one of their first famous legends in their new time of peace, for the first time in too many years the Red and Blue Kingdom of Bannerfall had worked out a truce neither wanted to break. A story as old as time, their unity formed against a larger enemy outlasted that time of strife and gave them a foundation to build a harmonious future upon, both civilizations engaging in trade and helping the other whenever it was needed. Instead of bloodshed and betrayal their lands finally warmed with kindness and a willingness to help their fellow people, no matter the colour of flag they hail from.
Scott worked with their fellow mages to heal the land of any remaining decay while Nom helped anywhere he could, between rebuilding fallen structures and taking time to record their experiences both were busy for a few tiring yet joyful weeks. When Scott wasn’t cleansing the earth he was working with Graecie to form their tiny fibre of living wood into a ship worthy to sail even the harshest of oceans, pouring whatever magic he could into attuning to their vessel while filling it with the bright life of flowers and vines. By the time they were ready to set sail things were well established once more in both the Kingdoms, allowing them to take a few more onto their crew for their maiden voyage of the Revived White Lily than originally planned.
With a final wave to those who had come to see them off, Scott and 4C push away from the dock as Mae helps Nom arrange the sails, Katie pouring over nearby charts while mumbling to herself. Their first voyage was with a smaller crew than average but it was exactly who Scott wanted under his command, peering towards where his Captain leapt between ropes with loud bellows of laughter while teasing Mae. 4C joins them while Scott watches their port slowly fade away with a bittersweet twist in his heartstrings, holding onto the railing while sorrow flooded his chest.
On one hand he was ecstatic to shake off the heavy emotions tied with those they lost and those they nearly did, but that was at war with those who still stood upon that dock behind them. Taking a deep breath he reminds himself that he would make every effort to keep in regular contact with them, startled slightly when he is suddenly joined by Nom who he leans into while he recovers from the fright.
“For a large man you are awfully quiet on your feet.” He complains, Nom snickering as his eyes follow where Scott’s are looking.
“I already miss them.” Nom allows his mask to drop the smallest amount around his closest friend, swallowing heavily before determination fills his tone. “But I do know we will be back here before we know it, I have a good feeling anyways.”
“I hope so. Until then—” Trailing off Scott deliberately turns around to face the direction they are sailing, picking up the compass that hung around his neck to check their bearings before glancing back towards the knight at his side. “What are your orders, Captain?”