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After meeting Savannah once more, Percival decided that he wanted to go back to the grove -- to see if Celeste was sure about what she’d said! So, the boy sets off for Danarium; a somewhat long trip that would hopefully be rewarding! He wanted to make friends with them -- and protect them from things. He wanted to become their knight, or something alike that -- to help out the fairy race.. A goal that he had. He’d heard about what happened to them from Velia, and as such -- it didn’t seem good for them. Being hunted down for their dust.. Who would do such a thing; to hunt down things with a <i>consciousness</i>, to hunt down people who did nothing to them? Simply for their dust? It was crazy. It didn’t matter how potent it really was -- it was cruel.


Flash forwards to Danarium, a day later. Three o’clock -- the Drakanite begins to search around. He was sure.. That if he followed the sun, he’d get around where the general area of the grove was -- perhaps he’d figure it out when his vision went cloudy again, and things began to slow down! Hopefully, of course. Otherwise; he could end up walking right past it.. Once again! A fate worse than death. . . Maybe not <i>really</i> worse than death, but, a pretty bad day for him -- he’d have to come by again later to try it!


So, hopefully.. Hopefully he’d end up finding it.


-


Truly, fate must have brought Percival back to the grove; for finding it was pretty easy. It was, as Celeste described; under the sun, to the point that you could look up -- and see it! He enters, looking around. There.. Wasn’t exactly anything stopping him, which was strange! Instead of perhaps invading on territory, however. . .


“Celeste!”, the Whitefall calls forth -- seeing if she was there! Surely she would, if not out and battling against Yokai or something of the like.. Something he’d be helping with if she was! But, thanking his lucky stars; the golden, glimmering form of the fae presents herself! A grin spreads across the lips of the Drakanite, as an aura of holy magic begins to flourish around his body.


“Oh, Percival. . .”, the fae speaks; a rather.. Surprised tone to her voice! “It’s been so long -- I haven’t seen you for at least a year.. Though, since I’m immortal.. It didn’t feel that long. Kind of.”, the fairy speaks -- nodding at him! Celeste was always interesting to talk to, from the point of the Drakanite.


-


“So, why didn’t, uh.. Why didn’t I feel funny when I showed up?”, he asks -- a pause of sorts! Usually, when he appeared here, it was quite, uh, normal that his vision would seem to blacken around the edges. He knew why -- illusion magic was usually used.. But this time? It wasn’t, something that was rather strange. But, perhaps Celeste knew the answer herself; the fairy seeming quite knowledgeable herself.


“Well, Percival.. We trust you now.”, Celeste states; the golden fairy nodding at him! “You proved yourself by having a pure heart, something that we can detect, and defending me from that Yokai.. It would have threatened our land, perhaps destroyed big parts of it.. Making more fairy dust for.. Well, who knows really.”, the fairy speaks; a simple shuddering made! Percival’s eyes had been somewhat widened with that thought.


“I did wanna ask you something, too.”, the Drakanite speaks; staring at the fairy! This was going to be.. Potentially tough.


--


“Oh?”, Celeste questions; staring at that of the Whitefall! He seemed to be.. Rather responsible. Surely his question wouldn’t be too difficult, would it? She didn’t think so, so she would allow him to ask it.


“. . . Is it true that people tried to hunt fairies to extinction for uh, dust?”, Percival inquires; the thought seeming to make his holy-magic aura fade from him! Something rather strange, perhaps due to the boy seeming somewhat concerned. Celeste herself’s eyes seemed to widen.


“Let’s go outside.. For a walk.”, the fairy speaks, beginning to float away -- away from the grove! Percival was quick to follow -- it was better to do, since he’d get lost if he didn’t… The thought of getting lost almost made him panic last time.


--


“Percival, it’s somewhat difficult to convey this to you.”, she speaks, a pause of sorts! She only continues to stare at the Whitefall; brown meeting jade in a gaze of.. Well, perplexity. “They were. But my group? We usually stick together.”, the fairy speaks, a pause of sorts. “We protect eachother. We were grouped together after every.. Single.. War. Danarium’s problems with Brighthold -- Nymus’ war against the west, where he had conquered Valmasia for only brief moments. . .”, she speaks, turned away -- before turning back to him! “We don’t meddle in affairs outside of our grove.”, she’d have stated, before adding in! “But, at times..”, she speaks; turned away again!


Percival was focussed upon her - intent on hearing exactly what it was! There seemed to be a strange condition to what she was speaking about. They were secluded due to affairs of the normal world -- due to things that were happening in the past.. They didn’t want to get harmed, most likely. It made sense to the Whitefall -- it was perfectly okay for things like that.


“Sometimes we.. Follow a human around, and we’re their companions -- kind of, we accompany them.. I was considering…”, she states, a pause of sorts made as she stares at Percival!


“Could I become your fairy companion?”, she speaks; as golden fire begins to lightly surface around her arm! “If so.. Well, I’d like to make a holy-fire pact with you. We touch arms -- my arm, your finger.. If either of us burn? It means that we don’t truly trust eachother.”, she speaks; gazing into the eyes of the Whitefall.
--


It was a rather.. It was a rather different proposition, altogether. He’d never heard of a holy-fire pact, and it sounded quite interesting. He’d heard of things like that, though. If you trusted someone? A pure essence of holyfire could not burn them. It was perhaps due to the fact that it was a combination of holy <i>and</i> fire magic, being capable of doing no physical pain -- perhaps a representation of one’s resolve.


But he had to oblige. So, holyfire begins to surface around a now-scaled finger, as he brings it towards her arm; touching it. He had to think about it for a moment. Was it burning? Did he trust her? Did she trust <i>him?</i> Only time would tell as their holy-fire had been making contact. But nothing was truly felt just yet -- perhaps a good sign…


The other good sign? Percival could see the smile upon the face of the Fairy. It seemed they had a rather.. Powerful bond together.


--


“This.. This is good, Percival.”, the Holyfire-fairy speaks, an entire, tender arm wrapped around his small finger! It was important to tre -- the fact that she could trust the Whitefall for sure. In fact? She almost seemed intrigued by that of the holyfire magic. It was a represenation of something. “I’ve never..”, she speaks, staring at it!


“I’ve never seen a heart this pure,”, the fairy speaks -- and, with that? She would feel the slightest bit of a burn -- Percival, too. The Drakanite would stare at her in confusion! “Why did that happen?”, he asks, a pause of sorts! Celeste had a look of guilt upon her face as she’d have to explain it to the Drakanite.


“I lied right there, uh.. Well, it’s something else -- ow..”, she speaks, the burn being rather painful! “It’s something else.. I’ll explain in time if we <i>do</I> end up becoming true companions -- me following you around the world and things like that!”, the fairy explains, seeming to nod at the boy!


“Well, okay.”.


Celeste had intentions, but they weren’t clear yet -- clearly not harmful, because their flames seemed to revert back, the lack of burning now rather present.


--


They soon let go; smiles apparent upon both faces. But, how could they truly signify their bond? Percival had to know. But, he also wanted to know something else -- he liked to battle, but would Celeste be okay with sitting out?


“Err, Celeste..”, he speaks, a pause made for her to reply! The head of the Whitefall is scratched while he waits. “Mm, yes?”, the glowing fairy asks; as Percival makes his reply! “Well, I like to uh, spar every once in a while with, well anything.”, he states, a pause of sorts. “Do you.. Know how to fight too?”, he speaks -- before Celeste would have nodded!


“Well, I don’t fight, Percival.. I can heal, however. See?”, she begins; a flare of holy magic going off around him, dazzling; refreshing, and only present to make him feel a-hundred-times better! Percival’s grin only seemed to widen as he stared at the fairy.


“Wow! That was.. Pretty cool.”, he states, before looking outwards!


“Maybe we should test it on uh, a Yokai? I heard there was another bigger one roaming around.. That one that I shoo’d off from you when we first met.”, he speaks! A head turns towards that of Celeste.


A simple nod was given.


--


So, the duo would go for a hunt -- one that would be rather important, because it was a Yokai hunt! One to find the greater Yokai that had threatened the life of Celeste one time.. The time that they had first met; where Percival had defeated the Yokai very quickly, sending it scampering off -- attempting to fend for its life, and eventually going away! So, the two only move slowly through the forest; Celeste finding a sense of comfort on the shoulder of the Whitefall.


“Do you think we’ll find him?”, he asks -- unsure as to if they’d find the Yokai, all in all! They were tricky creatures; it was somewhat unlikely that they truly would. But, there was always the chance they could; the simple chance that they find the Yokai, and it ends up being defeated by them rather quickly! It, of course, served as learning experience for the two.


“How long have you practiced holyfire magic for?”, Celeste asks -- a simple question! She was oddly, well, interested in the topic! Perhaps because she was somewhat of a user of it, too. It made sense to Percival, at least.


With a single, golden thread rising? The Drakanite would have replied. “Well.. Perhaps when I was six -- so about three years, in total.”, he states, a pause made. Three years, and he almost mastered holy-fire magic with what little time he had! He also fought skeletons.. Maybe she’d be interested in that.


<i>CRACK.</i>


--


As if everything in the world was coincidental, it would become apparent that their foe -- the greater Yokai, was back in action; and ready to attack them! Celeste seemed somewhat concerned, whilst a smirk appears upon the face of the Whitefall! As the Yokai seems to descend, it becomes somewhat apparent of what its form was; Avian.


It was more bird-like that one would expect a Yokai to be, but the two didn’t mind! They look at eachother for the most brief of moments.. They had to extinguish it this time, once and for all! Percival would charge recklessly; with Celeste staying away, her own distance made between the Drakanite and the Yokai -- ensuring her own safety while healing Percival!


All in all? They seemed to be in synch.


--


Waves of fire cascade onto the form of the Yokai -- blasting at it, causing pain, blisters, and so, sooo many burns upon the Yokai’s skin. In fact? It was possible that it was dying now; something that the Whitefall had to ensure. It only seemed to speak harsh words.


“<i>THE FAIRIES MUST DIE.</i>”, the Yokai speaks; a simple blast of holyfire going at it, holy magic surrounding that of Percival; a powerful heal supplied by that of Celeste as he deals with it! “I won’t let you do it!”, Percival replies; shooting forth a stream of golden fire; the holy element cascading through and through his fire magic.


It seemed as though the Yokai was going down for now -- being too weak to continue battle against that of Percival and Celeste. Maybe he was stronger than he thought he was! Though, one thought would always nag at his noggin..


Where the heck did Nuala get her damn armor? It was tough; it was likely he’d be even stronger with armor…


--


With a final blast of fire; the two look at eachother! Perhaps their fighting styles melded perfectly; if not for the sudden blast of occultism knocking Percival to his feet! It seemed a dark barrier of magic had been summoned forth to defend against the fire that the Whitefall had spewed forth. Also, it seemed to push him away -- as though another force was acting upon it.. Percival would look towards the Yokai, a sense of fear within him <i>and</i> his new companion.


The Yokai was evolving.


What was once an avian bird of darkness was now a simple combination -- an amalgamation of darkness and wind magic, a true bird.. Well, the closest a being of darkness could <i>get</i> to being a bird, of course. It was now an elemental; one of wind magic. The problem? Wind was usually quite powerful with its pushing and pulling.


Celeste was two inches tall, and her wings were <i>no</i> bigger.


--


Now? It was a battle of fire and wind -- with the fairy nearby trying to stay within the air, although she was having difficulty.. Percival had to keep persevering, though! If he didn’t slay this Yokai quickly enough -- it would destroy all of the fairies at once.. Celeste had trouble when it was only a Giga Yokai, after all -- he’d have to work quickly.


It was just difficult when they’d just evolved, what with the surge of power. In fact? The winds around them were extremely heavy; causing Celeste to fly back and forth, between the Yokai -- and flying away.. The wind’s direction was in a wild state, and Celeste couldn’t do <i>anything</i> about it.


But, Percival had a few ideas. Holyfire magic continues to circle around him; a simple ring fluctuating near him. He’d utilize this to his advantage. He had a small amount of manipulation over the fire, if it got redirected.


--


So, with that -- his head turns to the fairy who was being controlled by the wind! He had to move fast.. She was being blown away now; if she was being sucked in, however.. He’d blow all of the fire magic he had at the Yokai -- he had to suffer for what he was doing! It was terrible; only a fraction of what would happen if the Yokai was allowed to continue roaming.


-- Now! A blast of fire is shot towards the Yokai as it becomes apparent that Celeste was being drawn forth to the Yokai, promises of being devoured for her dust by the creature that surged with wind magic, darkness at its fingertips; with Percival spewing trash-loads of the golden substance at the creature! It had to pay.. It had.. To pay. He wouldn’t stop -- wave after wave launched, blasts of holyfire..


Until the creature would practically melt.


--


From that point on? Percival rushes to the side of the fairy; trying to see if she was okay. She was.. Well, she was controlled by the Yokai’s powerful wind magic, and as such -- Percival was truly concerned for how she was. Was she harmed badly by it all? Only time would tell as he made his way over to her. Or.. He could ask her.


“Celeste -- are you okay?”, he asks, small bits of holyfire beginning to radiate her; generated by the Whitefall himself! She looked somewhat exhausted, that was for sure….


“I’m okay -- I’m just fine. That Yokai has been.. Terrorizing us for a time now.”, she states; a frown of sorts made! “Thank you so much, Percival.. You’re a protector of the Fae.”, she speaks; nodding at him! The holy-aura around him only seemed to grow, as he was filled with a sense of happiness! Though it was rather cliche, the bond between the two almost seemed strengthened -- having been spurred forth by the Drakanite’s ability to stop the creature that terrorized the group of fairies.