Legendborn Oneshots

Bree x Sel-Call It What You Want

A/N: context: it's after cariad pt 2 but in a universe where the regents don't immediately find them. This is also absolutely the best-written one so far.

I've been practicing almost every day.

Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and head out past the Volition barrier. Practice either until I'm too burned to keep going or until Alice finds me and drags me inside for lunch.

It's routine.

Sel's the only one who still has a problem with it. My burns aren't that severe anymore-and they're healed by William within a few hours at most-and my control gets better every day, but apparently to him I'm still just a porcelain doll that will break at the slightest touch. It's hard to be mad, though-he's trying to keep me safe, even if it's incredibly annoying.

...Think of the demon and he shall appear, I guess, because practically the moment Sel crosses my mind, I feel a gaze like embers on my back and flinch, spinning around. The sparks fade quickly as he remembers that's a dead giveaway of location and looks away.

"You're actually going to give me a heart attack one day, you know, it's polite to announce yourself! And I don't need to be supervised, Sel, I'm fi-" I realize, maybe a little too late, that Sel's nowhere to be seen. ...and now I'm genuinely a little scared. If it's not him, then... My mind throws ideas out, each one worse than the last.

It's just Valec, trying to make you nervous.

It's an isel or something, non-corp, invisible and not a threat.

It's a demon that's somehow invisible.

It's one of the Mageguard.

...It has to be Mageguard. Or some other Merlin. Silent steps. They certainly don't like me, either... and they're so powerful. Of course their gazes would burn like this. And of course they don't want me to be able to tell where they are, even what direction they're in. Of course they know I can feel them.

The barrier isn't far. Or at least, it's not far normally. But if this Merlin realizes I know, tries to attack me... it's infinitely too far.

Then again, even if I'm just followed and not attacked, that could lead the Regents right to our only safe space.

I can't take them on alone, though-my root's powerful, sure, but an aether weapon could take me out before I can do anything if they're fast enough.

Praying he's nearby, praying my follower doesn't hear, and praying I'm not just being paranoid, I breathe, "Sel, I need some help..."

It takes less than thirty seconds for him to appear beside me. His eyes comb the forest around us, and I see the moment he spots whoever's found this place.

He doesn't say a word-just calls for a spear and launches it into what I'd have sworn a moment ago was empty air-No, it is empty air. What the hell is he doing?

His weapon lands in a tree, piercing through the bark. I've never seen Sel miss his target, but he doesn't seem to realize. His eyes shine with satisfaction, even.

"Drop your mesmer on her, Arden," he commands. I'm starting to wonder if he's lost his mind when the air shimmers, and a boy appears. The spear is pinning him to the tree, stabbed through his chest. If I hadn't seen Sel take a knife to the shoulder and keep fighting, I'd be shocked he isn't dead-but demons, even part-demons, are resilient. He's around sixteen, maybe seventeen, and clearly a Merlin. His dark brown hair is nearly shoulder-length, and his eyes glow the burning amber of a cambion descending to demonia.