Joan felt pretty good. A little sore, tired, but still pretty good. Today had been exciting, but oddly fun. She’d explored an old tomb, found some strange red orb, got a fancy knife throwing thing that may not have been the best tool but was still nice, met the Demon Lord and survived and really felt she was growing closer to Isla. Now she just had to wait for Bauteut to get back and confirm that she was healthy, then finally decide where she was going to go with Korgron.

She already had soooo many ideas. Though a part of her wondered if she should go with Andreas or Searle on a quest. But then she had, kind of, gone with them already. She hadn’t had one with Korgron yet.

Joan paused for a moment and sighed. Was she becoming like those people who at every city had begged the Hero to come on some adventure with them, or begged him to show off some spell or pleaded to have him join them in exploring some old tomb? She hoped she wasn’t becoming obnoxious. Maybe she should tone it down just a little bit, focus on just directing them rather than having to go on every adventure with them. But it was boring waiting here for them to return.

Though, there were some perks. It was nice being able to clean up after getting all messy and the warm, soft robe that she had been given while her garments were being washed was so comfortable she felt she could have slept in it. And knowing she WOULD have a nice, warm bed to curl up in shortly was even better. All she had to do was--

Joan stopped when she came to her room. The door was slightly ajar. She held her breath and, very gently, pushed it open a little more and peered inside.

Then felt like an idiot when she saw one of the servants were fixing her bedding. Her clothes and equipment were also resting on her chair. Even her bag had been emptied, everything laying on a nice, clean stack. A tray was resting on it, balanced across the arm rests of the chair with a small plate of food and a mug. Joan cleared her throat. “Hello?”

The woman jumped and turned around before quickly bowing. “My apologies, Lady Joan. I was just finishing.”

“It’s fine,” Joan said before stepping into the room. It still felt kind of awkward having someone clean her room for her. Still, she was starving so at least she could appreciate the snack. A few dried berries she could identify and a mug of water. At least they weren’t taking any risks. She tossed one of the berries into her mouth and sighed. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until now.

“Is there anything else you need?” the woman asked. “I can take your tray back once you’ve finished.”

“No, that’s fine. I can bring it when I come down for dinner,” Joan said with a wave of her hand. She took a gulp of water to wash down the berries.

Joan was on her third gulp before she realized something was wrong. She spat the water out, dropping the mug. However, it didn’t hit the ground, the servant catching it and now standing in front of her. “Oh dear,” the woman said. “You really are human, aren’t you? It certainly took effect quickly.”

Joan opened her mouth and tried to yell, but no sound came out. Her throat had closed on her and she couldn’t breath. Poison?

She tried to grab the amulet from the chair, but the woman gripped her wrist with her other hand. “Now now, we can’t have any of that,” she said with a light chuckle. Joan tried to pull her hand free, but she felt so tired. She couldn’t breath, could barely lift her arms. She felt her legs start to give out.

The servant caught her and then shoved her, knocking her back onto her bed. Joan lay there for a moment, confused and disoriented. She needed to get to her amulet. She tried to roll over, only for the demon to be at her side a moment later and push her back onto the bed. “Shhhhh. It’s okay. Just lay there and die, little human. I’m sure--”

Joan swiped at the woman with her hand. The woman didn’t even try to move. It was the demon’s mistake as midway through the swipe she summoned her sword to her hand and the red, rippling edge of the blade slashed deep across the woman’s torso.

The woman stumbled back, a hand moving up to cover her mouth and stifle the scream. Joan groaned and tried to roll away again. She just had to get to the amulet. If she could just get it on, she could fight.

“Stupid, vicious child,” the woman said before holding out her right hand. “Incinerate.” Fire erupted from her fingertips and sailed across the room, enveloping the bed.

Joan went entirely still, her eyes wide with horror. All she could do was watch as the bed was lit, the red flames and heat enveloping her. She tried to scream, but through her closed throat no sound could escape. All she could do was close her eyes and hear that soft, terrible giggle once more. Oddly, she expected more pain. However, aside from the exhaustion in her body and the pain in her throat, there wasn’t any. No burning. The heat was high, but hardly unbearable.

When she opened her eyes, the flames were no longer red. Instead they had turned a light, gentle blue. Though the bed burned around her, she wasn’t so much as singed. The blade of her sword was rippling with blue flames.

She still couldn’t breathe, though. Worse, the demonic woman was walking towards her, extending the claws of her right hand.

Joan swiped her sword at the woman, the blade not coming close to touching her this time when she quickly stepped back. The flames, however, followed the path of the blade. Flowing off of her and the bed, they shot through the air at the woman, who merely laughed when they enveloped her. “Truly? You think su-- ow. Ow. Stop! No! AGHHH! It burns, IT BURNS!” the woman screamed, desperately trying to tap the blue flames out. “HOW? I CANNOT BURN! STOP IT! STOP!”

The door burst open, but Joan couldn’t focus on it. She fell from the charred, ashen bed and crawled towards the chair, struggling for air. So close. Her body was feeling numb, the chair seeming so high up now. She swiped with her sword once more, as hard as she could, cutting off one of the legs of the chair and sending it toppling over towards her. Her equipment scattered across the ground. It took a moment for her to see the amulet. So close. She reached out a hand for it.

Almost there.

She felt numb all over, her body screaming for just a single mouthful of air. Her vision was getting so dark. But she just needed a few more seconds. She pleaded with her body. Just a few more seconds. Her fingers wrapped around the amulet.

Yes.

No.

She tried to pull it closer. Tried desperately to move. But instead the darkness closed in on her. She needed air. Just a single breath. Just one. Please. She pleaded, just for a moment. Just a single breath.

A shadow fell over her and she felt the amulet being torn from her grasp. Then, a second later, it was dropped over her head. She felt the magic washing over her and her throat opened. She gasped for air, her lungs filling painfully before she broke down into a fit of rapid coughing, only to start hungrily gasping again a moment later.

“Lady Joan? Are you okay? Can you hear me?” a voice asked. “What happened here? Can you speak?”

“What? Who? What?” Joan asked, blinking blearily. One of the guards? “Where is… what?”

Then her eyes fell on the burned husk of what had, once, been an attempted assassin. Now little more than kindling. She looked down to the sword held in her grip before she swore she heard another soft, malevolent giggle.

She was never eating anything again without that amulet on.

MelodyAvant

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