Nyx week 2024 day 5 : Magic/Healing
Also Glaiveweek 2023 day 1 : hurt/comfort
Warning : Graphic depiction of violence, Major character death
Note: Nyxweek 2024 ended about 1 month ago. This is a belated work due to my tight schedule, but I need to finish this short story with two-page comic. Drawing Nyx is always challenging but enjoyable.
Insomnia : The day after Niffelheim's attack
The evacuation from central Insomnia started shortly before dusk, and it deemed accomplished a few hours before dawn.
Most of Niffelhelm's troops pulled back from Crown City before midnight, only General Glauca and some daemons remained fighting with the Old Walls and a Lucian glaive. When the fight was over, the city turned awfully silent. The Nifflhelm's General lain still. His breastplate was covered in blood. His mask was partially broken, so the face of Titus Darutos was exposed in sunlight. His eyes were fully closed and would never open again.
A few meters away, Nyx Ulric, the general's opponent, was leaning against debris. Though he was still alive but he did not look much better than his ex-commander. His skin turned ash gray from Kings of Lucis' fire. They had allowed him to use their power then their fire would burn him to death, as they had agreed.
Nyx sighed. Darutos had been nearly invincible. He should thank Kings of Lucis for being kind enought to give him some extra time. Now his mission accomplished, he did not only revenge Crowe and King Regis, but also save Lady Lunafreya and the the Kingdom's hope. "Not the worst way to go." He whispered to himself and looked up to the sky with a smirk, choosing the beautiful scenery as the last thing he would see.
But a nearby footstep distracted him from his thought. Nyx did not bother turning to see. Whoever came, Nifl or not, it did not matter at all because he was about to pass now. But when he heard a female voice calling his name, he could not help turning to face the source of the sound.
So it made him really startle to witness Lady Lunafreya Nox Ferret rushing toward him.
"I found you! Thank goodness." She said with a smile of relief.
"Why are you here?" He was not sure that was really her or just an illusion, but he still asked.
"To save your life." Lunafreya answered softly. She sat beside him and started healing him. Her fingers glided over his chest, golden aura glowed between her fingers. And it greatly relieved his pain.
"No, stop it, please, stop." He refused. "This is not what you can heal. Darutos couldn't harm me this badly." He paused, collecting more strenght to continue. "I made a contract with the Kings. They made me a nightlong superhero and in the end they'll take my life."
"They will." Lunafreya nodded. "The price must be paid, the Oracle saw it. But her vision showed some more details that caused her to head back." She looked straight into his blue eyes. "Considering all danger and risks awaited, The Kings of Yore agreed, upon the Oracle's appeal, to give the hero another twenty days to finish a mission for their sake, escorting the Oracle and the ring to Tenebrae's border. But they can only temporarily halt the ongoing process so she must undo what had already occurred herself."
Nyx's eyes widened. Lunafreya's magic shone aggressively as she spoke. "Please consider my healing as my plea to you, Nyx. I need your help, one last time."
Nyx was blinded by extremely bright aura for a moment. But when he regained his vision, all the wounds were healed. He saw Lunafreya with sweat all over her face. She looked extremely exhausted and was about to fall. Nyx wrapped his arms around her, offering his support. She rest her head on his shoulder.
"Now rest. We have a long way to go." He said softly.
"Thank you." The Oracle smiled and closed her eyes, passing out in his arms.
"Another contract to sign, huh?" Nyx whispered, smiling at her. "But, you know? If it's about you, I'll help without thinking twice." Lunafreya did not respond. She looked soundly asleep under the shade of him. He looked up to the brighter sky. The sun shone strongly and would make debris too hot to stay soon.
Nyx stood up, carrying her in his arms. Thanked to her magic, he regained enough strength to do so. He wished he had some more to take her to a shelter. They needed some good rest after a very long day. Then he would collect supplies and start making an escape plan. He had another journey to begin, it sounded tough yet amazing.