Jan took a step back, finally giving Kesi room to breathe. The mage mumbled something under her breath, but Jan chose to ignore it. She’d got her to help, she didn’t need her to like it.
“What would you ask of me?” Kesi spoke up from behind Jan as she paced about, her mind mulling over how to approach the next stage of the mission.
“I’ve no concise notion on how exactly paladins expel wraiths nor do I care to. I intend to locate the target with a spectral tracker given to me by the SI:7 science division. After that, it’s up to you, and you alone to fight and take down the target.”
“What, you scared to get your hands dirty?”
“I’m physically incapable of boxing with shadows; I don’t believe in the Holy Light. I can’t harm or even impair the target – all I can do is lead you to it, and stand by should you be unable to terminate it. I can offer you an assured escape route and immediate medical attention, but seeing as you’re a paladin, your talents in that regard most likely exceed whatever alchemical care I can provide for you.”
Jan swiveled around, turning to look back at Kesi.
“Clear?”
“Crystal,” Kesi muttered reluctantly, her gaze falling to the floor. She sighed in exasperation as she realized the gravity of the situation. She was part of this now; she was going to have to permanently destroy one the people she had devoted a significant portion of her life to training in the way of the Light.
It hurt, but at the same time, it had to be done. Jan was right; this had to end. This madness had to stop, and she would be the one to do it.
This ended with her, and her alone.
“Alright Demi, I’ll play your game. But If I do this for you, I need something in return,” Kesi spoke up, her visage growing serious and grim. Jan locked eyes with her and replied.
“Shoot.”
Kesi’s hands ignited in a golden aura of holy light, the crystalline floor beneath her dissipating, morphing and changing as if it were never there in the first place. Below Kesi was gold lined, silver hatch door. Kesi took a step back, allowing the glowing seal of the Silver Hand to reveal itself in all it’s fullness. She motioned her hands up, and the hatch willed itself open, swinging up and out instantly with a metallic slam.
Jan watched curiously as Kesi knelt down, reaching into the blackness contained behind the trap door, and after a moment, pulled something out.
Jan was sure her heart skipped a beat when she saw it.
Kesi straightened herself out, willing something else out of the hatch – pieces of intricate, finely crafted golden armor. Each piece flew onto her, affixing itself into place, piece by piece, with a metallic whir and din. But Jan couldn’t take her eyes away from the massive object Kesi held by her side, the thing she had manually lifted from the hatch. The paladin looked over to her, hefting the glowing, crystalline weapon into both hands as the last few pieces of armor clicked into place, encasing her, save for her head, in a carapace of gleaming gold that was both elegant and intimidating.
“If I do this, I need you to destroy this abomination,” Kesi said, gesturing to the huge, crsytal mace held tightly.
“I need you to shatter the Sunsoul Warmaul.”
Redemption Of A Fallen Paladin 