[Endgame: rise or DROWN]

[warpweft]

[How long have you been exploring Nessa's palace now? You've met her family, viewed her memories, learned how to fight as a witch and tried to find the source of her power and the Treasure of her palace: the Voidheart. And along the way, you've tired your best, with mixed success, to avoid the incarnation of her eldest cousin and the representation of her trauma and fear, the Nightmare of Esmau.]

[Wherever you are in the Palace right now, you feel the ground briefly shake under your feet. Little shakes here and there haven't been out of the ordinary - Esmau is trying to blow the place down to the studs, after all. But that felt different. That felt....worse.]

[Your phone beeps as you receive a message.]

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[IT'S PRETTY BAD!! maybe not in terms of HP, but definitely in terms of sheer visual horror. Akira exhales sharply, his other hand moving to his torso to clutch the wound]

[his gaze flickers up, eyes flashing, at Minato]

[. . .]

[. . . . . . . .]

Mi-- [another sharp exhale; he's breathing through the pain]

. . . g-- give me a charge.

[so he can use his healing spell :(]

[messianic]

[ Minato grasps his hand immediately, his free hand, squeezing it tightly with a firm nod, lips pressed together tightly. ]

Of course! Just a minute, I've got you.

[survivaltricks]

[grasps that hand tightly, fingers slick with blood, and he sets his jaw and gives a curt nod. desperate times. . . desperate measures. . .]

[messianic]

[ IT'S WORTH IT FOR HIS BF.

He's gonna cast Void from Blood to fully charge up Akira's powerful spell, still holding Akira's hand tightly. ]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . and while Minato does that. . .]

[Akira draws Minato's hand close, pressing it against his forehead as he lets out a small exhale, waiting for the charge to take effect so he can cast his healing spell]

[it was hard to ask this of Minato, but. . . he knows-- he knows-- it was the most strategically sound option, and he knows he needs to trust Minato to do what he can]

[. . . even if Akira doesn't like the outcome]

[messianic]

[ It's worth it. One hundred times over, it would be worth it to give some of himself to heal up Akira.

This was the tactically sound option, so it makes it all the easier.

But while Akira comes to accept it, while Akira heals himself, Minato will remain there crouched with him. ]

[survivaltricks]

[HATE YOUR SELF-SACRIFICING NATURE, BOYFRIEND!!]

[velluminous]

[ i'll get you too babe dw you're my son in law after all ]

[survivaltricks]

[thank god so many people in this party have healing magic]

[voidhearts]

Ahhhhhh, oh geez, Akira!

[Her hands are glowing, she's not waiting to be asked this time.]

P-please, let me heal you!

[survivaltricks]

N-- no. . . Minato.

[he's fine he's cool Minato has less HP than him!1]

[voidhearts]

B-but....!

[That's true, but....!]

But you're hurt!

[survivaltricks]

I'm gonna. . . heal myself, okay? So. . .

[a sharp breath]

Heal Minato. He's giving me the power to heal myself.

[voidhearts]

I...if you're sure....!

[She doesn't like the sound of it! But, she's gonna trust you, dude!]

[survivaltricks]

. . . [quietly] Thanks.