The majestic crown of the sun peeked over the desolate landscape, and a small breeze lazily blew through the flat land, carrying the musty smell of the ocean with it.
All things considered, apart from the obvious horrors, Yuki thought this place could have been a great spot for an outing.
'Ugh...'
He had woken up once last night, still in excruciating pain, still terrified. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the woman who saved him. The reflection of a small fire shaking around the back of her golden armour as she held back chuckles.
He had let out a wheeze as he came to, immediately descending into panic, making the lady notice him.
And then, in an instant, she was sat by his side, his head in her lap, her delicate hands slowly caressing his hair as she whispered courage into him.
"Its okay now..."
"The monster is gone."
Yuki couldn't help but relax under her watchful, but reassuring gaze.
He had let out an exhale, and let go of the tension in his body, slipping away into sweet sweet sleep.
It had been peaceful, uninterrupted by the nightmares that usually plagued him.
He had managed to get a good night's rest.
It was dawn now.
He let out a low groan, noticing that his voice sounded softer than usual, then tried to sit up.
Pain flared up over his body, and all he could manage to do was to give a small lurch, shaking on the ground like a fish out of water.
"Woah there, look who's up"
It was the lady once again, the sound of metal hitting rock echoing on the air as she walked over to him.
She took a seat next to Yuki, then gave him a small smile, saying nothing before promptly extending her hand forward.
"Can you hold this for me"
There was a clear crystal in her palms. At first glance, it looked normal enough. But when you looked closely enough, you could see the gem pulsing lightly with some kind of... energy.
Yuki stared at the woman's face, his confusion apparent in his eyes.
"Come on" She prompted him.
Yuki let out a shaky exhale, then reluctantly grabbed the crystal from her gloved hand, his hands still shaking from the pain.
"Now close your eyes and focus on the stone" The woman instructed, her voice steady.
With nothing else to do, Yuki obeyed her, closing his eyes as he clutched the rock tighter. His wrist flaring up in pain as he exerted the barest of strength in it, the bone feeling like it was being crushed under a mountain.
The woman placed her arm on his chest, then muttered something in a language he couldn't understand.
A moment of silence.
The next moment, an ethereal warmth spread from the stone to his palms. Then to his hands. Then to his entire body.
The warmth coiled around his hands first, wrapping it in a comforting embrace as it slowly reached up towards his body. It drowned his body in its intensity, making him a little drowsy as it took over his body. His body slowly stopped with the complaints that it had, the pain in his body displaced by the ethereal warmth. It was almost relaxing.
Then his thoughts hitched on a particular word.
The pain?
Yuki's eye's shot open, and immediately sat up, pupils shaking in panic as he stared at his body.
"The pain..." He looked down. "Went away?" He muttered in disbelief, still staring at his unblemished skin.
The woman next to him shifted, then placed a hand on his trembling shoulder.
"Now relax... and let go of the stone"
Yuki opened his palm, and instead of clear, shining crystal, an opaque black gem was in his hand. He stared at it for a short moment, then it slip out of hands as the woman took the stone back.
"Take care of this please" she tossed the stone to a man, and then turned back to him, her lips stretched into a wide smile. The shape of her bewitching him in the light of the sun.
"Feels good doesn't it?"
Yuki stared at her face, slightly enchanted. The woman sitting in front of looked like she had been plucked right out of a fairy tale. Her pale while hair, flowing in the lethargic breeze, looked like it had its own mind. The shape of her face, the shade of her pristine skin, and the way the light bounced off of her golden armour melded into a perfect symphony of beauty. And her eyes, as red as the purest of rubies, embraced him in a look of worry, a mere look from her enough to wrap Yuki in a cocoon of safety and comfort.
Just the very way she existed, it screamed of confidence and power.
A moment passed, then another with Yuki still staring at her face.
Then the smile slowly dropped from her place, replaced by concern instead.
"Are you alright?"
Yuki blinked a couple of times, still mesmerized, but slowly nodded his head.
The woman shifted, then offered him a hand.
"I'm Asteria"
Yuki hesitated for a moment, but then reluctantly took her hand.
"Yuki" Noticing once more that his voice sounded... off.
Asteria nodded, then leaned back, her gaze drifting to the man walking away as she spoke again.
"That was an absorption crystal, it takes pain and turns it into kinetic energy"
Yuki blinked.
"What?"
"I know, pretty cool right" She turned back and grinned. "We luckily had one left, you should be glad. I was worried we'd have to bury you in the rock"
Yuki stared at for a moment, mouth slightly agape in disbelief.
What was this woman talking about!?
Absorption crystals?
Bury him in the rock?
"Wait wait wait"
He whipped his towards the man as well, staring at the rock in his arms.
"Did i just..."
He blinked.
Had he... just made a bomb out of pain!?