'Sarah…' Egan thought, looking towards the doorway.
With a giggle, Sarah looks towards Egan, a bright smile on her face.
"Sarah! You're... all better… now-
Within a flash, Sarah was now charging at Egan. Before he could react, two boots had flown from the ground and hit their mark straight on the young dragon's face. The surprise dropkick sent him flying to the other side of the room.
With an angry expression, Sarah looks up at Egan, who is now sprawled on the floor behind Ser's desk.
"What was that for you, little demon!?" Screamed Egan, rubbing his face from the kick.
"I heard from Liz what you have been up to! You are way too careless! I don't know how an idiot like you didn't mess things up more!" Sarah yelled, walking closer towards Ser's desk.
"I see your livelier than ever, Sarah." Ser said, looking up towards the young mage, trying his best to hold in his laughter, Olivia and Liz doing the same.
"I swear I haven't seen you conscious for three days, and this is your way of saying hello? Geez…" Egan mumbled, getting up from the floor and smacking the debris off his cloak.
He began to walk towards Sarah, his eyes obscured from view, blocked by his hair. Sarah was standing there, talking to Ser about what the objects on the counter were.
But Egan was blocking out all outside noise. He only had one goal. Not just his feet, but his heart was guiding his path.
Sarah was now standing facing Egan, looking up at him with a radiant smile.
His eyes were still obscured.
He felt his heart racing.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Quickly and silently. He grabs her hand and begins to drag her out of the room. Sarah was both against the idea and confused by his reasoning, so she let it happen anyway. As soon as the door closes. He embraces her, wrapping his big frame around her body. His warmth bounced off of her as he pulled her close. The sudden shock from being pulled in scared Sarah, but that very quickly subsided. Egan held her gently, his hands gently resting on her head and shoulders. It was a beautiful embrace. One of sorrow and happiness, all in one.
He felt ashamed of himself for a promise unfulfilled. He felt like a failure not just to her, but to himself.
A flaw that couldn't protect the one person in his life who truly showed him compassion. He wanted her to recognize that, but the words wouldn't come out. Instead, his hands did.
As she extended hers.
"I'm so sorry… Sarah. I-… I'm… Just glad you're safe." Egan mumbled, pulling her even closer.
"It was just a cold, nothing to feel sorry for," Sarah remarked, almost being suffocated by Egan's hug.
She knew that wasn't what he meant, though. She could tell that he felt responsible for something. So instead of outright accepting his apology.
Her arms, just like Egan's, did the talking for her.
***
"Where were you when I last got here?" Egan asked Sarah, curious as to why she wasn't still in bed.
"I… Was eating downstairs!" Sarah stated, pride welling off in her while striking a pose.
Egan's face droops down in disappointment.
"For how long?" He asked.
"Four hours!" Sarah stated, once again, prideful.
Egan just looked at her. Not saying a word. Just staring.
He just opened the door and walked back in.
"Can we get back to the topic please?" Egan said, looking back at Ser who was cackling to himself watching the two.
"Hey, don't ignore me!"
"Yes, we can. Sarah also asked to be a part of this mission we are embarking on once she returned to her senses." Ser said, looking towards Liz and Olivia, who were excusing themselves from the room to go eat lunch.
"Well, what is the plan moving forward," Egan asked, giving a wave to Liz as she left.
"With all the information we have gathered so far, and considering the kill switch we stumbled upon, our options are very limited." Ser stated looking over to the deceased Fire Emblem who was sitting there, "I plan on taking this man to the morgue personally. Hopefully something in his physical will come back with any signs of essence tampering."
Sarah looks around the corner, trying to see what they were talking about. After gazing at the drained, dead man strung up on a chair, she recoils, tugging on Egan's cloak. Egan assures her that the mission wasn't a total failure, considering they got excellent leads on materials and useful information on how they pick off their targets. Sarah acknowledges it and tells Egan that Liz informed her about what is going on in Vanitinova, and that she is very adamant about helping. Clueless as she was about the trinkets in front of her on the desk.
"This is risky… Very risky.But before I explain what I want the two of you to do, there is an experiment I want to conduct." Ser stated.
Ser gets up from the table and walks around, facing Egan. With intimidating eyes and a towering figure, he reaches down towards the desk and grabs the slave collar.
Clink*
"Wha… What are you doing?!" Egan asked, trying his best to take the collar off.
"An experiment, like I said. I have assigned the owner of this collar to me, meaning anyone put inside needs to follow my commands. Otherwise…"
A powerful jolt sends Egan's body into shock, forcing him to the ground. He began to cough up fluid, his body being torched from the inside. It was anguish, every cell felt like it was being moved back and forth rapidly. It was like being torn apart from the inside out.
"What are you doing? Stop it now!" Sarah yelled, falling to her knees and trying to comfort Egan as he squirmed.
'Egan… Use it.'
Egan couldn't think
'Use it, Egan.'
'Use it…'
[The coalescence of essence circulates Egan's body]
With an explosion of flame, Egan broke through the collar, snapping it off and sending it flying to the other side of the room. The flames from his body scorching the ground to nothing but char. Sarah, frightened, jumps back materializing her staff and shooting him with a large stream of water.
"Thank you, Sarah," Egan said, now wiping his face with his cloak.
'Good thing this cloak is impervious to any attacks dealt by the wearer.' He thought
"But what was that, Ser?" Egan demanded, furious about the sudden attempt at enslavement.
"I wanted to see if you could break out of the collar, and my suspicion was correct," Ser stated, grabbing the collar off the floor.
"I checked your Soul stage, the other setting on the Soul Decipher, while you were under the effects of the collar. I didn't know how it would work, but either way, it came back as an error." Ser confirmed, taking out the decipher again and showing it to Sarah, "We do have similar Catalysts for uncovering your Soul State, but not one from range. So, this find is extraordinary.'
[The opening of a door screeches throughout the silent room]
Liz and Olivia were back. They invited themselves in after getting a quick bite from downstairs. Olivia quickly covered her face after seeing Egan shirtless, for he had taken off his cloak during the enslavement process. Damned nudist.
Ser, raising the decipher up to Olivia, who was walking towards them, her hands covering her face.
***
[Unique display ~ Model: T-53, Soul translator prototype]
[Rendering Soul Stage… Deciphering…]
[Soul stage -> 'Whisperborn' : Essence concentration: Low]
***
'Just as I had thought'
Ser looked over at Liz, who was putting away some documents in the bookshelves next to the door.
***
[Unique display ~ Model: T-53, Soul translator prototype]
[Rendering Soul Stage… Deciphering…]
[Soul stage -> 'Whisperborn' : Essence concentration: Intermediate]
***
Ser already knew what Liz's Soul Stage was before this device, for she was evaluated using the guild's personal Soul Deciphering stone when she was an adventurer. The key difference between them is that this one can be viewed from a range, while the guild one, you put your hand against a specialized Catalyst and imbue it with your essence.
Sarah, curious about what he is doing and why he would put the collar on Egan, jolts up facing him. She realized something.
"Wait…"
The room went silent. Everybody had their eyes fixed on Sarah.
"P-Put the collar on me too."
Everyone's faces were shocked. Especially Egan.
"You horn-dog, I didn't know you were into that?" Liz joked, wondering what in the world the context would be.
"Shut up, Liz," Sarah snapped, turning back to Ser and looking at him dead in the eyes, "I think…I think I can break out of it, too."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Sarah." Ser stated, looking down at Sarah, collar in hand, "I know Egan is strong enough to resist the pull, but I don't even think that I could break out of this thing without some struggle."
Liz and Egan both look at her. Sarah's face seemed determined, she knew what she wanted.
"Please, just do it!"
"…"
Clink*
Sarah clenched her teeth and held onto Egan. She braced for the worst.
A worst that never came.
"…Huh?"
Sarah looked up at Ser, confused.
"Why isn't it working?"
"It is," Ser said, looking at Egan, a smirk creaking onto his face.
"I just did that to Egan as a scare tactic, to see if you had courage. You passed, and with flying colors. Putting on the collar doesn't actually do anything except enslave you."
"You asshole!" Egan yelled, standing up tall, fist clenched towards Ser, "Let's put it on you and see how you like it!"
"Woah there, it still confirms my theory," Ser added, chuckling to himself.
"I got all naked for nothing!" Egan added, still shirtless.
Sarah stared at Egan, who was still standing up, facing Ser, who was trying to play off the joke. She noticed something a little earlier that caught her eye. Something familiar. She remembers back to when she and Egan were on the cart back to Vanitinova. Something that resonated with her—made her hungry for more than what she had. She wanted strength, and now is her opportunity to gain it.
She focused.
More.
More.
Resonate.
[The coalescence of essence is heard throughout the body]
With the blinding light of a dying star the collar unlocks, now falling into her lap. The sudden burst of energy shocked everyone, for their vision was blinded for but a single moment. Egan gazed up, his eyes dancing upon her frame. He focuses, sensing something different from within Sarah. For what he saw, was something more.
Her essence was shifting from within her soul.
Shattering out in an invisible array of waves
A beautiful display of power.
***
Ser was completely dumbfounded. She broke it, and with minimal effort too. The air around them felt cleaner, as though the purifying light of a goddess was bestowed upon their mortal frames. Egan could feel it too.
For that.
It was Sarah's resonance.
Ser grabbed the Decipher and looked upon her Soul Stage:
***
[Unique display ~ Model: T-53, Soul translator prototype]
[Rendering Soul Stage… Deciphering…]
[Soul stage -> 'Emberborn' : Essence concentration: High]
***
'Sarah Chatsworth, when you were sick and could barely move… That wasn't a bad cold.'
'That was your evolution.'