[BL] Guardians of Fate
Chapter 94 - 21: An Unexpected Savior [8]

Chapter 94: Chapter 21: An Unexpected Savior [8]

Ardyn stared as Luke gently took his hand and moved his fingers across the palm, pale blue lights shining from each one. The sight mesmerized Ardyn for a moment. Even though it was bright due to the sun, this shade of blue stood out, the color so vivid and soothing.

The next moment, Ardyn felt a soothing sensation on his palm, one that flowed through his arm like water. It was hard to describe; it was like a mixture of tenderness, warmth, and uncertainty, as if the thoughts of the wielder poured into him. It was a feeling similar to the one he had felt when Evan had shown him his magic at the lighthouse yesterday, a magic with an essence so pure and disarming that it made him relax considerably.

But with Luke, it was just slightly different. It was more pronounced, more nuanced, more complex. There was warmth and empathy, but there was also hesitation and confusion.

It was strange. Even though Luke was healing him, it felt like Ardyn was able to get a glimpse of the man’s inner thoughts and emotions. As if this was just the tip of the iceberg, the icing on the cake of what Luke was really feeling right now.

Then, as quickly as the sensation surfaced, it faded away, the lights going out from Luke’s fingers like candles being extinguished.

Luke pulled his hand back and looked solemn. He didn’t seem satisfied with what he had done. It was as if he wanted to do more, but couldn’t.

Ardyn looked down at his palms. The tiny pieces of rock had already fallen to the ground, and his skin was now free of wounds. Some blood was still there, but now his hands didn’t hurt as much.

As Ardyn felt the pain coming from his back, his thoughts suddenly shifted to the excruciating pain that he had felt during the car accident that led to his death. Thinking about it took him by surprise, because after everything he had gone through today, his death was the last thing on his mind. There had been this feeling of alienation from everything, as if this world was just some kind of simulation.

But now, surprisingly, he felt like this world was actually real. There was a feeling of acceptance on his part, and he slowly began to adapt. The sight of magic didn’t scare him as much anymore, and the thought of monsters being real and tangible didn’t unsettle him any more. Not after all that destruction and death.

There was also this eerie sense of calmness in his heart despite everything, like it was preventing him from going insane. Was it because of Luke’s — his Summoner’s — current proximity? It was as though—

"I can only manage to heal your hands," Luke said quietly. He seemed to be staring at the wounds on Ardyn’s back. "How’s your head?"

"My head?" Ardyn questioned.

Luke nodded. "I tried to heal you earlier, but I’m not sure if it had any effect. Are you feeling anything weird? Any kind of dizziness?"

Ardyn was silent for a while. He remembered Luke reaching out to him under the rubble and putting his palm to the side of his head. He remembered the feeling of disorientation fading a bit, and even though he wasn’t even 90% healed, the feeling of Luke’s magic had given him warmth and the strength to keep going.

Just like the feeling of the man’s magic flowing through his injured hands just now, still lingering in his bloodstream even after the wounds had healed. It was truly fascinating.

"No. I feel fine," Ardyn said honestly. "I think my back suffered the most. It hurts more than the wound on my head."

"What about your legs?" Luke looked down at Ardyn’s pants, trying to see if there were any bleeding areas. "Can you walk?"

Ardyn swallowed. "They just feel a little weak from being in that position for a while. I’ll rest for a bit, and then we can go."

"Let... Let me help."

The two of them turned to Leon, who had just spoken.

Leon still seemed reluctant to do anything, but the fact that he offered showed that he was willing to make some exceptions. He also seemed to be in shock somehow, like he had seen something unexpected.

At that moment, Ardyn remembered Evan’s words from yesterday, how he felt that Leon was somehow held back by his father, that the Duke had him under his control.

Now that he had discovered that Leon was in fact a Guardian, and that he had lied to Evan and Elyana about it, Ardyn had an inkling that it all had to do with the Duke. That the reason Leon had stopped himself from saying or doing anything was because the Duke had warned him not to.

Everything began to make sense now. When he thought about it that way, it was only natural to come to such a conclusion.

"Do you also have healing magic?" Luke asked. It was rare for Guardians to possess healing magic, as the gods usually blessed them with offensive abilities to deal with beastspawns and the Calamity itself, but it was not unheard of. Throughout history, there had been a few instances of Guardians possessing magic that could be used for defense, offense, and support at the same time.

Leon shook his head slowly. "I don’t, but maybe my magic can help soothe his wounds and reduce the swelling and inflammation."

Ardyn’s eyes went wide. "You can do that? How?"

Leon didn’t say anything, but he reached out and opened the palm of his hand. At that moment, the air around them seemed to grow colder, as if a winter breeze suddenly blew through on a hot summer day.

A luminous glow enveloped his palm, and the magical energy drew closer, condensing into a delicate ball of crystalline ice.

Ardyn’s jaw dropped. So this guy wielded the power of ice! Seeing it right in front of his eyes was so fascinating. It was like watching a magic trick up close.

Back in his world, it was only a fantasy, but here, it was a reality.

Hold on... he suddenly thought with a small frown. I feel like I’m missing something here, but what?

Leon let the ball of ice float slightly above him, and then, in one swift motion, he clenched his hand into a fist, causing the ball to explode and shatter into a thousand shimmering fragments.

"It will have a cooling effect on the pain," Leon explained. "You’ll be able to walk better, just until we get to the carriage. I left it near the gates so we have a way out."

"Wait, you’re leaving with us?" Ardyn questioned, surprised to hear such words from the guy’s mouth. "You’re not staying? I mean, I assume that you came here for a reason. You wouldn’t have known that we were here, right?"

Leon shook his head. "My reason doesn’t matter anymore. Now that I’ve met you again... I already know who you are."

That statement made Ardyn freeze in place. "What?"

"My father told me about his suspicions. He told me everything he had gathered so far." Leon’s lips stretched into a thin line. "You’re... the Otherworlder, aren’t you?"