Cohle
"So is this going to be the new thing?" Celestia asked sharply, glaring at the two of them. "You were friends two years ago, now you're... what? Did you two manage to keep in contact or-"
Reva squeezed his hand tightly. "You mean when you sent him off to die? After coming back from nearly dying? After nearly being dead!? How much time to we get together this go around? Days? Weeks?"
"Reva-" Cohle tried, but she pressed a finger to his lips.
"I'm speaking for you, Cohle." She said gently before glaring back at Celestia. "I had nobody, Celestia. Nobody. He was the only one that even showed me a modicum of decency and I couldn't reciprocate because everyone in my life was determined to make it hell. And if he wasn't beaten half to death, then he was just gone."
Celestia swallowed and grimaced. "I'm aware of your-"
"Then why did you keep taking him from me!?" She screamed.
Cohle wanted to tell her that they couldn't have known what her father was doing or the extent of his cruelty. But one look at Celestia made him keep his mouth shut. The woman who prided herself on knowing everything would've known. He'd even told her himself that he and Reva could've been friends if things were different.
Then things were different, but she separated them. Not Hector Alabaster, not Derek or Melody Indigo, not the Church. It was Celestia herself that took away the one thing they both needed more than they probably fully understood. He gripped her hand tighter as well and held his silence.
"I've told you that I can't give you all the details, Miss Alabaster." Celestia said, her presence somewhat diminished under one ward's venomous expression and the other's silent agreement. "But it was necessary for-"
"I needed him. And you know he needed me." Reva said, giving voice to his thoughts. "But you separated us."
"Without that, you wouldn't have the strength you do now."
"You can't know that." Cohle said, then scoffed. "Or maybe you do."
"Maybe if you actually explained things to us-"
Celestia laughed haughtily. "You're children. You'll react like children! I've been trying to prepare you for what's coming as best I can so that when the time comes, you won't! You can be angry and hate me for hiding or lying or coming between what you think you need, but it's not going to change my mind!" She turned in her seat and took a steadying breath. "Maybe I reacted poorly to the events of the day, but you two have just proven my concerns."
The car rolled to a stop in front of the house and Celestia exited without waiting for Wastkin, who stared at them in the mirror. "You're both far smarter than most your age, so please take her words to heart. Remove the emotions from them and think logically."
"I'm tired of thinking logically. I want to think with my emotions." Reva spat. "I don't care if it's impulsive or immature."
"Whatever comes of this, we're going to figure it out for ourselves. We're letting our emotions run things for the moment, but we're not stupid." Cohle said, opening his door. "And I'm not going to be sent away from Lily or Reva again. And I'll fight both of you at once if that's what it takes."
He helped her out just as Forge came bounding out of the house followed by Lily. "I told you to wait! Forge, no!"
Managing to get clear just in time for the Hellhound to tackle him to the ground and lick his face excitedly. "Alright, alright!" He cried.
Lily grabbed his fur and tried to pull him off, but wound up losing her balance and forming a pile with Cohle being crushed on the bottom with a loud wheeze.
"What the hell happened in Tartarus?" Reva asked, staring in shock at the scene.
~
He was feeling crowded as the dining room was packed with every member of staff. Celestia seemed immune to the pressure, but he gathered she was still upset with him and the teen sitting on his right.
"That you survived is enough." She said finally. "But there are some things I'd like clarification on. First of all, your mana control seems almost impossible for how underdeveloped your channels still are."
"Yeah, that was kind of sink or swim by the time I made it to the fourth floor. I don't really know what I started doing different, but it stopped making me feel like I was being ripped apart. I haven't really had a chance to give it any thought." He said.
"His aura is able to break spells." Reva said, lifting a spoon of soup to her mouth. "A little annoying since I still can't use my swords to do that consistently."
"If you knew how rare that skill is to begin with, you wouldn't think so." Celestia quipped.
"I'm sure." The teen muttered.
Cohle looked at Wastkin, who shrugged helplessly. "Yeah, I think it has something to do with that spell I used to break Hector's. I had to force a lot of mana into it to get it to work, so I kinda thought maybe that I could do it with mana alone. Took about a year before I could do it consistently."
"Still annoying."
He grinned, but she continued scowling into her soup and didn't meet his eye. With a sigh, he continued. "Like I said, I haven't had a chance to really think about it or how it works now, but I think if I'm able to reinforce and grow my mana channels, my magic ability should grow as well."
"And you're still able to create spells easily?" Celestia asked.
"It takes a bit more thought now than just coming up with what I want it to do. I have to understand the components of the spellform in order to cast it. But for the most part, yeah. I was even able to use some traditional spells I knew, but they were weaker."
"Because of your weaker mana channels." Melody offered, scratching Forge's ears under the table. "Spellforging uses ambient mana, so it'll always be more powerful."
"Is it possible to combine your spellforging with traditional spells?" Reva asked, looking up at him.
He shrugged. "Maybe. I really don't know."
"Tell me about the Hellhound." Celestia cut in.
"There's not much to tell there, either." He said sheepishly. "He just kind of appeared and he didn't seem dangerous, so I didn't try to kill him. He's not really a pet, though. More of a mutual agreement to work together, I guess?"
"You're aware that the white variants of Hellhounds are notoriously dangerous, yes?" She asked sharply. "And I've never heard of one that could change size like it does. Or be as docile and obedient."
"Forge is different." Lily said hotly.
Celestia glared at her, but a quiet growl came from under the table and she sighed. "You're quite the font of information, Cohle. Too bad it all seems to amount to 'I don't know'."
"Not sure what you're looking for, Cel." He said, resting on his elbows. "I was actually pretty distracted with trying to stay alive, not analyzing how I was able to use magic or how a Hellhound found itself in a dungeon and decided to be my friend."
Her eye twitched. "And Rys?"
"Everyone's vulnerable when they're asleep." He said, growing tired of being blamed for not having the answers Celestia seemed to be looking for.
"Even retired, Rys had been a member of Kingsguard. It shouldn't have been that easy." She said, getting up from the table. "Something you two and everyone else here should bear in mind; No matter how strong you've gotten, we are still leagues above you. Reality is less forgiving than words. Excuse me."
"Back to your duties, please." Wastkin said, following after her.
Forge finally emerged and sought attention from each of the members, but Cohle could tell that he really favored Lily and chuckled. "She spoiled you rotten today, didn't she?" He asked.
He huffed and looked indignant as Lily hid a giggle behind her hand. "He still came running when he smelled you."
"Alright, it's decided then. Forge, you're gonna stay with Lily from now on. Keep her safe for me." He said, giving the wolf a playful shove.
It yipped happily, taking its pup form and leaping into her lap and curling into a ball. Instantly, he felt better about leaving the house each day knowing that Forge would be around to protect her. He withheld one crucial piece of information about the Hellhound, knowing the trouble it would bring if he said anything, but to him it was a comfort. Forge had been nothing but loyal the entire time they'd been together.
"It took eight Paladins working together to take down the last white Hellhound." Melody said. "And only five of them made it back."
"We're all unique." Cohle said, smiling at her. "Makes sense that'd go for him too."
Melody had been nervous about seeing him again, especially since the implication attached to her horn meant that his mother was still alive. But he genuinely thought that it suited her in her new life and hoped that she would regain her full confidence again. He didn't regret saving her life, but he regretted his ignorance of what had happened as a result of it.
"Please don't look at me like that." She said, looking away from him. "It hurts."
"Melody." Lily sighed.
Reva set her spoon down and stood up. "I want to spar."
~
She picked up the training swords and examined them before giving him a confused look. "What're you- There's swords there."
"Actually..." He laughed nervously. "I didn't have any weapons in Tartarus, so I'm a little out of practice with swords and I'd rather not embarrass myself just yet. Don't worry, I'll be alright with just my fists."
She raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and lowered herself into a combat stance. A grin formed across her face and he was filled with dread and regret. "Suit yourself."
"Yeah." He said shakily as she disappeared.
Derek
"Scouts in Nym confirmed the halfbreed's survival. He was confined to quarters after reporting Rys' death to the guild. Celestia arrived, vouching for his credibility and taking him back to Veralys."
The pope looked up at him, an amused expression on his face. "His credibility?"
"Their words, Holiness."
"So we can finally proceed with our plan." He said, stretching his back and rising, massaging at a knot. "It will need to be a spectacle if we hope to capture his attention."
"Children react predictably, especially when pushed." Derek said confidently. "This won't fail."
"Then you have my leave to make your preparations."
"Holiness." He said, bowing before leaving the room.
"All will be as the Lord wills it, Paladin Indigo." The pope's words echoed.
Celestia
"Berates me, then destroys my property? Who does she think she is?" She snapped, staring out her window. "Little upstart brat presumes to tell me? And Cohle-"
"They've made incredible progress." Wastkin interjected. "I believe that's the first time she's been able to properly give it her all."
She harrumphed and moved away from the window. "They've come a long way. But they're still woefully unprepared."
"Perhaps having some time together will help them grow?" He asked, pouring tea into a cup.
"I wasn't prepared at all for that." She sighed, accepting the cup. "I thought it was a mere crush. Teenage hormones running roughshod over their common sense."
"I believe that we may have both fallen into the traps most parents tend to fall into. We can't see them as anything but children until they're already grown. But I believe this is the most childish either of them have ever allowed themselves to be. We can indulge this fancy and trust their judgement."
"I'm less concerned with their lovesickness than I am how it'll affect them when the inevitable happens." She said, setting her cup down.
"True, but their lives need some light, Celestia." He shot back, sitting down and crossing one leg over the other. "They'll flirt and dance around one another as they come to know themselves as well as each other."
"But they need to be ready." She slapped her desk. "It's not the calm before the storm anymore, Wastkin. With him back, time's moving again and it feels like a clock getting ready to strike midnight and I can't see what's coming."
"What you can see is his birthday. Only a few months away. Lily's been practicing making a cake and has asked if we could leave that to her." He said. "Reva rather enjoyed the cake she made for her birthday."
"That's fine." She sighed. "It could taste like concrete and Cohle would still rain praise down on the girl for it."
"Any thoughts on a gift yet? We gave Reva those swords. Perhaps a sword of his own?"
"What do you get the young man who already has what he wants?" She asked, lowering her head to her desk. "He's so impossible."
Cohle
Cohle stalked from the classroom while several people mimicked his response to a question. Reva was on his heels, trying to keep him from pouting too much as they made their way to the fourth year arena.
"It wasn't that bad." He grumbled after they recounted the tale to their professor.
"Fighting might be your thing, but the classroom certainly is not." Polle said, thankfully doing a better job at hiding her amusement than Reva was. "Consider this a blessing then. Since you two completed your dungeon run yesterday, use this time to brush up on your Magical Theory."
"C'mon, battle junky." Reva said, tugging his arm, leading him through the pack of students and toward the gates of the school. "Wanna call Wastkin?"
He shook his head. "No, let's walk."
"Seriously, though. I know you covered it with Cel, because she drilled it into my head so deep I'll probably never forget it." She said, skipping ahead of him and walking backward.
"I know. I know I knew it, but using magic the way I do runs counter to the rest of you. Can't blame me for forgetting." He sighed. "Guarantee I won't forget it again after today, though."
She giggled and agreed, falling in step with him as they made their way down the main street. "Wanna stop by the guild? That'll make you feel better."
He knew exactly what she was planning on doing and shot her a dark look, which she answered with a grin. "You know something-"
"REVA!" A voice cut through his and locked his companion in place, her eyes wide with fear.
Turning, he saw Hector walking ahead of his wife, who was pushing Athena in a wheelchair. The teen looked miserable, which should've given him a small thrill, but the shaking teen beside him kept his pride in check.
"Have you no shame in you at all!?" He boomed, storming toward them. "Enough is enough of this nonsense. You've made your point, now it's time for you to stop embarrassing yourself and return home."
Cohle could see the spellform building on Hector's hand as he reached for his daughter and grabbed his wrist. It took a tremendous amount of self-control for him not to crush the man's hand completely. Instead, he settled for shoving him back. "I wouldn't."
"This is family business, halfbreed. Trash like you has no place interfering with this." He said.
Cohle felt a mild sluggishness wash over him and realized the man was trying to put him in Bodybind. It wasn't pleasant, but he didn't fight it as he wanted to see what the man would do.
"Are you aware of how much criticism I've had to endure? The shame of it? All because you chose to live with a house that's above your station and associate with halfbreed filth?" He was turning red. "You were nothing before that, and that was still preferable to-"
"Is that why you used that spell on her?" Cohle asked, letting his mana shatter Bodybind. "You talk about living above her station, but you don't have a single clue about what your spell was doing to her, do you?"
"It was making her into-"
"It was burning her out!" He snarled, letting his anger build at the memory of it. "She was going to die if I hadn't broken it! She still nearly did!"
Reva finally turned, her nails digging into her palms so deep that drops of blood were hitting the pristine white concrete. "You raped me. You raped my mind and my body."
He scoffed. "I did no such thing. My spell was merely helping you reach the potential you avoided like a plague."
Reva stammered, shaking her head. "You really believe that, don't you?" She finally whispered, stepping back.
"Please Reva, we've already lost one daughter to this halfbreed. You can't expect us to leave things like this." Her mother said.
Cohle saw Athena's scowl twist into a look of disgust, but she kept her mouth shut. Hector spread his arms and his bloated face split in some poor imitation of a smile. "You belong with your family, Reva. It's time to come home."
He could feel Reva's hesitation and understood it well. Deep inside her was a desire to be accepted by these people, same as it had been his to be accepted by the various people who took him in.
"Lord Venge!" Another voice rang out and he glanced across the street as Alice waved to him.
That was all Hector needed as he lunged for the still frozen Reva, the spellform alight in his palm. It stopped inches from her face as Cohle held his wrist again, crushing the bones slowly. Hector screamed out in rage and pain, still trying to reach Reva even as the spellform flickered.
Forge appeared at Reva's feet, snarling angrily as Melody and Alice joined on either side of them, hands on their weapons. Cohle shoved the older man back and advanced on him with the Hellhound at his side, teeth bared.
"S-Stay back!" Hector whimpered, scampering toward his wife and daughter, hiding behind them.
"That's good advice for you to begin heeding, Alabaster. Reva has a family. Us. And she's got a home. Ours." He said evenly, then scoffed and shook his head. "Pathetic. Hiding behind a cripple."
Athena looked up at him, but shuddered and looked away.
"It's a s-strategy! You broke my daughter, but you didn't kill her! And you know Reva would never forgive you if you hurt her mother!" Hector said desperately, his voice shaking with fear.
"You're an embarrassment to all nobles." The teen replied, looking down as he let his mana leak out.
Melody appeared at his side, touching Forge's neck. The Hellhound trotted back over to Reva and Alice, growing larger again and growling. "Your presence is offensive to Lord Venge."
Their eyes grew wide as they realized what they were just told. "Y-You!? A Lord!?" Hector managed to sputter out, then his eyes went to Melody. "And you're that Paladin! Were you a demon as well!?"
"Shall I dispatch them?" Melody threatened.
Cohle glared at their now terrified faces, and made a show of considering. "No. Not today. Thank you, Melody." He said, then made a shooing motion with his hand. "Scamper."
It was almost funny watching them scramble, stumbling over the wheelchair and nearly knocking Athena from it before getting their act together enough to flee in the other direction. Once they rounded a corner, he let out a relieved breath.
"Thanks for that, Mel." He grinned.
She smiled. "I was worried I may have overstepped."
"Not at all. Never would've thought to use my station if it hadn't been for you."
They walked back over to Reva and Alice, the latter had a look of concern on her face as Reva stared blankly ahead. "I think she's lost it." She said.
Cohle shook her arm gently. "Rev-"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She screamed as pain bloomed across his face.
He didn't even realize that he'd been sent flying until he hit the ground. He was fine, but the distraught girl clearly wasn't as she stared at him, hands covering her mouth. "I'm sor... Oh, Cohle, I'm so-"
Before he could tell her he was okay, she turned and ran. "Forge." He said, but the word was barely out of his mouth before he was between her legs and doubled to horse size and sprinted toward the manor.
"You good?" Alice asked, holding her hand out.
"Yeah." He said, pulling himself to his feet. "What're you two doing?"
"Shipment. Lily's at the Outpost." She said.
"Explains why Forge was here." He looked past her toward the manor. "I'll give you a hand with the supplies. Give her some time to cool down."
"That's probably a good idea." Melody agreed, pulling out a handkerchief. "But clean up first."
~
Forge sat up when Cohle approached and let him scratch his head. "She got you on guard duty? Or you doing this on your own?"
He huffed and Cohle took that to mean it didn't matter and moved aside so he could walk into the room. Reva was curled on the bed and flinched when he shut the door. "Go away." She murmured.
"Not gonna do that." He said walking over to the bed and sitting down. There was red drops on the floor leading to the mattress. "Did you hurt your hand?"
"S'fine."
He didn't need to touch her to use his restoration spell, but her rested a hand on her shoulder anyway. She shook gently under his touch, but didn't pull away. "Better?" He asked.
"I want to be alone."
"No you don't. You want to punish yourself." He said, giving her shoulder a squeeze before getting up from the bed. "Don't blame yourself for today. I would've reacted the same way if it had been High-Guard. Or Esme."
He walked over to the door and pulled it open. He didn't want to leave her side, but he didn't want to cause her anymore stress. Forge tilted his head and Cohle nodded. "Don't let anyone in until she comes out, okay?"
He nodded and grew until his eyes were level with Cohle's own.
"Wait." Reva said, sliding out of the bed and walking over to him, her head down.
Without thinking, he pulled her into a hug. "I'm fine, Rev. You're fine. We're all still here together."
She grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him more firmly into her. "Next time, I'll be stronger. I won't need you to save me from my family."
"I know. But you're with your family." He muttered, giving her one final squeeze before pulling out of her arms and giving a nod to Forge as he pulled the door shut.