Hope

At some point, the emotions and exertion of the day finally get to you, and you fall asleep, leaning against Ferra in the hall. When you awaken, it’s dark outside, and Ferra is gently shaking you.

“Master, wake up. Samus is here.”

You open your eyes to see the demigod standing over you. As you stand, you can see that he is as drained as Cassie and Melora were, much to your surprise. He looks at you with tired eyes, and sighs.

“I’ve done all I can. She lives yet, though it remains to be seen if she will survive. The blade that pierced her, it seems that it was a conduit for a piece of Niran’s power.”

You glance at the door. “What does that mean?”

“It means that Niran is more powerful than any of us thought. He has become some kind of…avatar of the corruption. By sealing the room from outside magic, I was able to cut off that power.”

You nod, slowly. “So, what does that mean for Alex?”

Samus shakes his head. “As she is, the corruption would kill her. She is too weak to resist, and without her, you couldn’t cure it. The cure would likely kill her in her wounded state, anyway.”

What the hell?! So what now?

Samus looks at you. “Patience, succubus. I will explain.”

Hmph. Hurry up. Alex is my favorite.

Ferra cocks her head. “If she cannot be cured, then what chance does she have?”

Samus nods. “In her current state, no chance. But she is an elemental spirit. There is a process, a ritual, that will allow an elemental spirit to ascend to a higher form of themselves.”

You look at him questioningly. “A higher form? I’ve never heard of that.”

Samus shrugs. “Few have. I have started the process in Alex. If she survives, she will be changed, forever. But it will destroy the corruption within her.”

You shake your head. “Changed…how?”

“Physically, for sure. Mentally, she would likely evolve, but still be herself. There’s no way to predict what will happen, should she survive. And very few survive the changes. It’s a faint hope at best, but it’s the only way.”

You nod. “When was the last time you did this?”

Samus thinks for a moment. “It’s been hundreds of years since an elemental spirit survived the ritual.”

Ferra speaks up. “Alex is strong. A faint hope is better than no hope.”

You nod. “Agreed. How long will it be before we know?”

Samus shakes his head. “There’s no way to know. Could be as early as tomorrow morning. But my wards will break when she either dies, or finishes the change. So we will know when it happens. For now, I need rest.”

You sigh. “I should rest too. Thank you, Samus.”

The demigod bows, and then snaps his fingers, vanishing in a flash of light. You slowly walk out of the hospital, holding Ferra’s hand. All you can do now is wait, and hope. You glance back one last time before trudging out into the night.

Outside, there’s a celebration going on. You’re confused for a moment, until Lira walks up to you. She is smiling, though that fades as she reaches you.

“I am sorry to hear of your companion. Will she…”

You shrug. “We don’t know. Maybe.”

Lira nods. “I know it’s small consolation, but I have news. The Thenlan commander has surrendered to me. The city is now ours. Or more properly, yours.”

You nod. “That is good news. The death of the twins broke them, as we hoped.”

Lira reaches out and shakes your hand. “Not how we hoped it would go, but a success. I know it’s hard to celebrate, but I just wanted to thank you, and tell you that we’re behind you, all the way.”

You nod, and she smiles as she turns, walking back to her waiting husband. You watch for a moment as they head back to the celebration, before turning away yourself, heading towards the guest quarters. Ferra gives your hand a squeeze as the two of you head inside.