Classy, Controlled Chaos - The STEAM Team Adventures

⚔️ Swords Dance [3/12] ⚔️

Blackthorne's POV:

Ever since Permafrost freed me from the restrictive confines of Purgatory, existing has never been the same.

The first time I died to Marshall incinerating my face off, it took weeks before my mentor had found me and healed my face.

A hideous burn scar was stretched over half of my face, which I deemed so unattractive that I wanted to simply hide myself from whatever spirits tried to approach me.

That's when Permafrost revealed her secret: She had access to her magic in Purgatory.

The afterlife wasn't so miserable anymore once she started to keep my company.

She taught me how to handle Darkness, restored my face to what it once was before Marshall had disfigured my skin with his flames, and reminded me that I was much more than just a husk of the person I used to be.

After using River's visions to get us back to Lunarift, we were planning to take control of Spiritvale and then torment Northwynd for power.

Of course before we can execute the plan, Tia happens to have my father in the way and takes us both out.

I'd call it animal cruelty, but then again, we're in the middle of a war and apparently rights don't exist anymore.

After our second death, Permafrost couldn't take any more suffering, so she sacrificed herself to save me.

With the last scraps of her energy, she returned me to Lunarift, granting me her birch wand and binding her life force to it.

She died, but her essence still lives on.

After making a couple deals with a shady-looking Spiritvale soldier, I bargained a couple of enchanted ivy tendrils for a large farming scythe blade.

I spent days tirelessly crafting up the perfect weapon, embedding Permafrost's wand into its handle and plating the edges with obsidian.

The entire thing was enchanted not to break, shatter, or receive any damage.

Indestructible, just like my armor.

However, there was a catch to it.

Because a soul is bound to the weapon, under any circumstances, I am no longer permitted to try to communicate with my mentor's spirit (if she does somehow still exist outside of Daybreak's staff).

I wasn't worried about that too much, but my heart ached to know that it was time to let go.

She meant a lot to me, not just as a teacher, but as a friend, too.

I would trade anything to hear her voice again and let her teach me, but she's already done.

Hopefully Tia can compensate for her presence while I try to find a healthy way to cope.

I know that captain doesn't trust me yet, especially after how negatively I've affected her and what remains of her friend group.

Being lonely was not a viable excuse for me to act in such a way, and I take accountability for those actions.

I tried to apologize to her, but she brushed it off and told me it was fine.

If that's a code phrase meaning "leave me alone, I rather die than be near you", I honestly deserve those words.

Tia and I were sitting down on the second floor balcony, leaning against the marble railing.

I was listening to her recount some bittersweet memories with my father, whom she really liked.

To be honest, I think everyone likes King Arthur.

Well, almost everyone.

Addison's the exception, of course.

As the moon climbed its way up through the otherwise lightless sky, I continued to acknowledge her feelings.

"Arthur's my best friend, y'know?" She sighed, tinkering with the crescent-like end of my Daybreak Scythe. "He means the world to me. You saw me fight off your snake plant- I practically died for him and recovered out of spite."

I laughed at her witty remark. "Spite? Is that really all you have against me?"

The captain rolled her eyes at me. "Used to have. At least, not until I lay my eyes on my best friend again. Then I might change my mind and banish you to Purgatory myself."

"You must love him more than you think," I commented, watching her face go red. "I mean that respectfully."

Tia scoffed, handing me back my Darkness- enchanted weapon. "Say one more weird thing like that and I'll make sure you'll regret it."

I lifted my hands into the air in a surrendering gesture. "Woah, woah. No need to get feisty, Squeakers."

She grimaced. "Only Arthur calls me that. Just call me Tia."

"Can I at least call you Pipsqueak?" I grinned, enjoying pressing her buttons a bit too much.

Karma came flying right back at me as her tail abruptly slammed into the back of my unarmored head, sending me into the ground headfirst and eating the stone.

Warm blood almost gushed into my mouth almost instantly, the metallic taste of my liquid life force pooling onto my tongue.

I winced as I realized my face was probably scratched up, too.

Blindingly bright pain stung throughout my entire body as I heard Tia's nearly soundless footsteps approaching me from behind.

Her hand gripped my shoulder, her icy breath ghosting my neck as she bent down and scowled into my ear.

"You're deaf." The captain huffed, her words distant and muffled as I felt myself losing consciousness. "Uneducated, incredibly stupid, and completely brainless... Can't read the signs of danger even if it was bright red and underlined..."

"You remind me of Addison a bit too much."