Konstantin and the girl had fallen asleep but Audrey was still thinking about not being enough to protect Fallace.

  

"You know Audrey, you should rest, humans need that to stay active." Melian said while facing forward towards the road.

  

  

"It's just so much Melian, I know this may sound silly. But so much has never happened in my life before so it's just hard to fall asleep. You guys have all faced your monsters. But I have never even seen the white dragon." Audrey replied, looking at the starry sky.

  

  

"Audrey you're lucky, you haven't seen such horrors. When I was alone selling potions I didn't think anything would ever change and I liked it that way. But I had nothing to live for except myself. However, you all have become motivation for me to continue my fight. Wait Audrey... Why are you on Konstantin?" Melian said as she looked back at Audrey.

  

  

"Ah! I'm sorry Melian you were telling me important things, I don't want to disrespect you. It's just that I was... uhm observing him. You know all your talk about us being important for you made me a little melancholic."

  

  

"I take it back, you're all just idiots." Melian said disappointed.

  

  

"Melian, don't say that, I'm sorry, truly! Melian but you must understand me, we're both girls and Konstantin has a very intriguing body."

  

  

"Ah, what's so very interesting about him anyway? Don't put me in the same boat as you. I am not a nun, but I am not driven by lust. Only a man matching my prowess is worthy!"

  

  

"Wow you have such high standards Melian..." Audrey says and the conversation comes to silence.

  

  

"Melian, why can't you or Konstantin use healing magic? I am not putting you on the spot. I'm just interested."

  

  

"Well, just like everyone one has talents every soul is unique and transforms magical energy differently. Through trial and error, humanity discovered that there are spells that theoretically everyone can learn. They are called accessible magic spells and on the contrary there are spells unique to a soul type, called special magic spells. Even accessible magic vastly varies in the difficulty depending on soul type when it comes to learning it. I and Konstantin could learn healing magic but it would be extremely challenging, especially for me. Healing magic is also easier to cast using holy magical energy. I use regular magical energy, and my soul is adept to destructive magic. It's theoretically possible but it would be difficult to use and weak without an enormous effort."

  

  

"Right, but what's different about holy and normal magical energy? I have never heard of the distinction." Audrey said ponderingly.

  

  

"Sigh... Of course, Audrey, you haven't studied magic at all have you?" Melian said with a ridiculous expression.

  

  

"Hey! I'm not completely clueless! I think..."

  

  

"Quiet Audrey, they're sleeping. Nonetheless, the difference is the source. I and Fallace are magic users that draw magical energy from an outside source like the majority of magicians. The dimension of magic surrounds all realms and its astronomical amounts of magic can be harnessed by using one's soul. Clerics and religious magicians like Konstantin instead draw magical energy from Gods, patrons or other magical innately magical beings. These divine sources provide their own unique magical energy to others in return for prayers or sacrifice. Which leads us to the most dangerous magicians, sorcerers. They get their name from being the source to their own magic. Additionally they are usually incredibly talented with magic as they can use it from birth. Although they are very rare. Of all elf magicians, only 10% are sorcerers and of humans less than 1%."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  

  

"Wow, I never thought about the difference between regular magicians and sorcerers." Audrey said and then accidentally touched Fallace's body that she could see the outline under the sheets.

  

  A wave of sadness filled Audrey, it was a disgraceful sight seeing someone so full with fun and hope having an expressionless face. Audrey layed down and wanted to fall asleep so that she could escape her guilt.

  

"Audrey, you shouldn't blame yourself for not being able to protect him. I was there when he got crushed. At that point I felt hopeless. But seeing Konstantin fighting that monster with all he had gave me strength. I also wanted to protect all of you. Eventually I realized, we all are here of our own volition and we should care for eachother. But we knowingly put ourselves on this path. Even if you succeed in always protecting, that will only leave Fallace too weak to face his demons."

  

  

"Thanks Melian, that really helped me. Good night!" Audrey said not completely dealing with the guilt but she was at least able to temporarily beat it.

  

  

"Good night!"

  

  - - -

  The sun was rising and Audrey woke up smelling peculiar smoke. Konstantin was smoking a paper roll with some green powder he presumably grinded up. Sitting beside Melian, Konstantin noticed the recently awakened Audrey.

  

"Oh God bless this beautiful morning Audrey, you woke up at the perfect time. We can already see Leionholm in the distance." Konstantin said.

  

  

"Good morning Konstantin... What are you smoking?" Audrey said begrudgingly.

  

  

"It's holy cush, want some?" Konstantin said with a smile.

  

  

"No thanks!" Audrey said, smiling back.

  

  

"Audrey, this is my first time with holy cush and it's a doozy. Don't tell us we didn't recommend it." Melian said in an unbalanced manner contrasting with her usual self.

  

  It's been hard for the two of them. I know smoking is bad for the lungs and the spirit. But I have heard it helps, in the moment, Audrey thought. Then she looked at the broken girl that was still asleep and Fallace's body.

  In a few minutes they arrived just before the town gates protected by a dozen guardsmen. Leionholm was surrounded by a stone wall about half the height of the 25 meter wall of Aldervinter.

  

"Hello there, you need to show identification and inform us of the reason you are visiting Leionholm." The guard said not wearing a helmet and having the Svardkustian emblem of the sword of justice.

  

  

"Here you have our adventurer cards and our quest. We have an urgent need of the most skilled clerics to treat this girl and our friend." Audrey said to the guard.

  

  

"Wait a minute... you're his daughter, general Thorway Garudorf's!" The guard captain screamed out and bowed down to show respect.

  

  

"I will personally escort you to the infirmary at once!" The captain said and jumped on a horse and ordered his subordinates to open the gate.

  

  He then instructed the adventurers to follow him. As the party entered Leionholm through the northern entrance they were met with people on the side of the road begging for money, broken down wooden buildings and vandalism on the walls. It was the definition of a slum. Audrey had never seen a society in that kind of state before. She felt repulsed and sorry for the folk living here. So this is where Fallace had to survive during his late childhood, Audrey thought.

  

"Don't worry my friends, all of the scum in the city is only in the north. Our mayor decided that integrating the poor with the rich only dragged down the prosperity of our city. So they are all shown here like the weeds they are to rot away while the rich prosper in the clean soil."

  

  Konstantin saw some men in suits pressuring a small vegetable shop's owner to pay up their "protection fee" with knifes. Although Konstantin didn't come from a prestigious city like Melian and Audrey, he was unused to seeing criminals treating an old man like that. It infuriated him and if they weren't hurrying to heal Fallace he would have intervened.

  Progressively the architecture on the side of the road morphed into structures with marble pillars as they crossed the central river dividing the city into 2. The buildings stood proud, large and the roads were cleaner. The south made the adventurers feel like it was a completely different city.

  It took 3 hours to get to the majestic palace looking church. Churches are places where the Salvian religion is practiced and the St. Vitaly cathedral was the second largest church Audrey had ever seen. The guard captain quickly escorted the party into the enormous building. It could house over 20000 people and luckily, it was later on a Thursday noon and most people had already done their weekly visit.

  

"This way!" The Captain said as they ran through what felt like never ending maze-like corridors.

  

  The walls depicted the savior chained and his appendages nailed to a cross. The unjustful king of Amethysia loomed over the savior. As they turned to the final hallway, Audrey saw the savior rising to heaven and the king drowning in a sea of blood. Engulfing his castle and then his whole kingdom. Only the innocent were exempt from the wrath of the Savior once again the Creator.

  Melian was still in a hazy state and Konstantin was well familiar with the legend of the Savior. Overcoming his execution the Creator proved his miracle by punishing the tyrannical monarch by the blood the king had spilled in his conquest. Audrey thought that if the Creator was with them he would spare the life of the innocent Fallace.

  

"Bishop Contrario, we are in sharp need of your assistance as soon as possible!" The captain exclaimed as they barged into a room.

  

  

"Do not worry, captain Adriano. I always have time to help the believers of our faith. What is the problem?" Said the bishop of Leionholm.

  

  The captain then approached Contrario to whisper something quickly and then stepped aside. Audrey was a little suspicious, but as long as he helped them she wasn't going to do anything.

  

"Well I agree with Captain Adriano. Alright my children put the bodies of your fallen comrades on the mattress." Bishop Contrario said while flexing his arms.

  

  

"That Chifling, he needs treatment first and I am going to be frank about this. Unless his soul is in the process of passing on he is already dead."

  

  Audrey got filled up with dread that broke through her serious facial expression as sadness. Konstantin looked up, hiding his face from the others and even Melian looked down.

  

"I will do what I can, but at this point, his fate is in God's hands and not mine."