Unconquerable Soul
77th of Glade, Year 386 of the Age of Sundering
Veriel just smiled as she continued combing her raven-black hair. She was already dressed in her regular clothes - a light blue dress that could offer some relief from the heat of the dry season. No one would have expected who saw her would know that this day was different than any other. That she might truly lose her life that day. “What if it’s a peaceful death? Will you let me?”
“Maybe,” the brown-haired woman said stubbornly. She was clad in full gear, looking like she was going to fight Veriel if need be. “Most deaths are probably pretty fucking peaceful compared to what you’re going to subject yourself to.”
The siltori sat down on their dining table as her stomach grumbled. It was rather touching that despite Nasyra’s protests, there was still breakfast ready on the table - eggs and toast and bacon. Veriel couldn’t help but notice that her roommate had made food that would be too much for just the two of them. “To be fair, most magic initiations are horrifying ordeals. We could’ve ended up trapped in some rusty weapon for eternity, to be used by some random knight. Mesmer can make you absolutely insane. At least in affliction, you’ll just die physically… I think.” Perhaps she was a bit unsure of that last part, but it sounded right. Knight-Captain Amenakar had never mentioned anything of sorts to her and he wouldn’t have missed the chance to scare her with such information.
Veriel managed to eat somewhat peacefully for a few minutes before she heard the knock on the door. Nasyra practically leaped for it, her hair flying everywhere in her haste.
“Who’s visiting this early in the morning?” Despite her question, the young siltori already knew who exactly would be waiting.
“Back up,” Nasyra announced as she opened the door, her green eyes twinkling. Sure enough, Thaddeus and Ryo were standing outside. She hurried them inside, going so far as shoving the avialae in by his wings. The two men looked at them back and forth.
Thaddeus, who looked like he just pulled himself out of bed seconds ago with his disheveled dark hair and eyes drooping with sleep, was the one who joined in on Nasyra’s parade first. “Do you really have to choose one of the most feared and hated magic as your second one?”
“I’ve been reading about it. It’s terrible,” Nasyra chimed in. Just a few days ago, the siltori did spot her with piles of books about affliction, furiously reading through them. Veriel probably hadn’t even read that much text about the magic even though she was the one getting initiated to it. “There’s this part where you have to ingest a dragonshard, only to vomit it back out. Is that what you want to do for the rest of your life?”
Veriel did blanch at the thought when she first heard about it - maybe even now still - but it was a price she was willing to pay. Simply put, she liked its sheer potential. To be able to take down most enemies with the lightest touch. To inflict pain on an enemy long after one left the battlefield. It was secretive and deadly. She appreciated how there was no way of telling that you had been cursed until it was too late. “I’m sure I’ll think of something to deal with that,” she said with a wave of her hand, taking a hearty bite of her toast.
While Nasyra and Thaddeus kept going back and forth with each other, repeating how this was the worst idea she ever had. Ryo said nothing. He simply picked up a piece of crisp bacon and began munching on it, seemingly unbothered. Despite the fact the sun had barely risen, he was already put together. His white shirt was pressed and the sleeves folded needly to his elbows. With his dark pants, one could easily see him attending a formal function instead.
It took a while for Nasyra to also notice their captain’s noninvolvement. “Endrik, tell her!”
The avialae finally settled his startlingly blue eyes on her. He had never once commented about her interest in Affliction. He didn’t dissuade her, but he didn’t exactly support her either. So admittedly, Veriel was quite interested in what he had to say. “You’re too stubborn to die from an initiation. You can do it. I’ll carry you to the healers once you’re done.”
Veriel couldn’t help but smile at him. It was both surprising and not. He always had this baffling habit of believing in her and even now she couldn’t quite understand why. It had been years and she still wasn’t quite sure why he had handpicked her to be in his team.
Whatever his reasons were, his support felt good. She turned towards Nasyra victoriously. “The boss agrees with me. I’m all clear.”
The half-dratori scowled at Ryo. “You support her? Just yesterday you were the most worried about her. You’re the one who went around the island, asking every afflictionist you can find about how the initiations go.”
He shrugged at the accusation. “I’m still worried, but she wants to do it, who am I to stop her?”
Nasyra cursed and threw her hands up into the air. “You two are impossible.”
Slowly, Veriel walked over to where the other woman was standing. “I will be fine. Do you really think I’ll let an initiation kill me?” She placed both of her hands on her friend’s shoulders and squeezed them gently. “I promised that I’ll be around to annoy you even until your hair turns grey and I intend to fulfill that.”
Nasyra sighed, her green eyes glassy with worry. “You’ll suffer, Veriel. They said it would be like pain gifted by Malgar himself. Everyone that had gone through it had begged for death instead.”
“All the more reason that I need you to cheer me on, don’t you think?” the siltori offered softly.
There was a long silence before Nasyra’s arms suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. Veriel returned her embrace. She never had a friend quite like this pathfinder before. Someone who would so fiercely and openly fight for what she thought was good for Veriel. Her family had always been cold despite their care for each other and it was often startling when her friend showed so much protectiveness over her. “Fine. If you really have to do this, promise me that you won’t give up. That you’ll fight against the pain no matter what. Think of us waiting for you here. I’ll never forgive you if you let yourself die.”
Veriel took a deep breath, her voice breaking the slightest bit as her emotions started to well up. “I promise.”