Cloak and Scalpel

The Azrya Woodlands

"I think they're gaining!" Gusion exclaimed. He turned gracefully in the air, throwing several daggers at the demons that pursued us. A jet of flame flashed towards us, and Aamon leapt up to avoid it, his arms still tight around me.

"Well spotted," Aamon commented drily. I looked up at him. We'd been on the run for a good while, but he and Gusion didn't appear the least bit fatigued, their magic staving off most the wear from the run. The demons following behind us were large, and bulky compared to the agile Paxley brothers.

"We need to fight them!" Gusion said, throwing more daggers behind him.

"We're outnumbered," Aamon said, his voice calm. "Keep up, we're nearly there."

"Nearly where?!" Gusion exclaimed as Aamon sped up.

I glanced around us, trying to recall the in-game map of the Land of Dawn. We had been near the border of the Stormeye Wasteland, which was Balmond's home. Near it would be...

Ahead of us, the trees seemed to thin out, and three of us burst out of the forest. A deep ravine greeted us, it's black maw deep and dark.

"Nearly there?" Gusion asked sarcastically as the thunder of the demons grew louder behind us.

"We jump," Aamon said, his grip tightening around me.

"W-wait, what do you mean jump?!" Gusion and I yelped.

Aamon ignored us as he rushed towards the ravine. I gasped as he leapt into the darkness ahead of us. I screamed, my arms tightening around his neck. "Do you even know what's at the bottom?!" I cried as the cold night wind blew past us.

Something warm passed over me, and I gasped, surprised, as a soft blue light flashed around us. My body had vanished. It was as if I had become partially invisible. I could see the soft outline of my feet, my legs, but I was...transparent.

This, I realized, was Aamon's power in the game. His Camouflage.

Just as this thought occurred to me, I felt my body hit the water below the ravine. I gasped as ice cold water hit us. I felt myself slipping from Aamon's arms and into the cold, dark water. I mentally swore.

I didn't know how to swim.

Panic started to sink in as the cold bit into my skin, as the water enveloped me in a suffocating embrace. It was so dark, so cold.

Which way was up?

I tried to swim, but I felt so disoriented. I glanced around the dark water, trying to find even a hint of moonlight to guide my sense of direction. But no, I was surrounded by cold dark water. I kicked, flailed my arms. My lungs were burning.

A strong hand enclosed around my wrist, pulling me in one direction. I gasped as I felt my head break through the surface of the water. I gulped lungfuls of air, sputtering water as I did so.

"You can't swim?" Aamon's voice was equally annoyed, and equally impatient. He wound an arm around my waist, and began swimming towards the shore with his other arm, his strokes swift and strong.

"Y-you sh-should have asked!" I coughed, holding on to him. I glanced at him. He was still Camouflaged, only his distorted outline visible. Ahead of us, Gusion had already reached the shore, and was waiting, several daggers held out. His eyes scanned the cliff we had leapt off. High above, the demons burst onto the cliff, hissing and shrieking in rage. I take it, they couldn't see through Aamon's Camouflage.

Wow, it was really in-game accurate.

"Come on," Gusion said impatiently as Aamon and I stumbled out of the water.