The Riddle Of Magic

Chapter 54: Tactile Resolution

As they sailed along the dimmed path of Charlie's Phase rune, Alastor held his own arcane energy at the ready, in case his partner needed him to take over guiding their route back to the shore of their reality. A confrontation once they returned was imminent and the last thing he needed was for her to bear the burden of everything here, only to be exhausted for a battle there.

But as they passed into the darker parts of the Umbral Sea, closer to their own world, it became evident there would be no need for him to support her. His apprentice pulled them along, their voyage steady and sure, and he couldn't help a surge of foolishness at how he'd kept her from this for so long, when she was such a natural talent.

Desperate people are foolish people, the Radio Demon thought with a sigh.

"Al?" the blonde demoness glanced back to him, evidently feeling the weight of his breath. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing, my darling. Truly! I'm glad you've come to understand Phase so quickly - I'd say this counts as your test, once we've returned!"

Charlie's black lip curled in a smirk. "No pressure, then!"

"It's as we agreed," he shrugged. "From the Horizon to the Hotel would be the furthest you should go. It's an adequate measurement of your skill, there's really nothing for trying to sort out something clever!"

"You sound almost disappointed," the princess said, looking back at him again.

"Not in you, dearest. Never you."

They slowed, though the path didn't waver. "Well, I hope you're not disappointed in yourself, then! I couldn't do this without you."

"I'm sure you could if you had to, my dear. You're stronger than you think!" the deer demon assured her.

The path did waver slightly. "I mean, I- I know I could, but I don't want to. When we're together, I feel like we can do anything! It's not something I'd gotten to feel very often before I was with you. It was always needing to be proper, or needing to be safe."

That sting to his pride echoed, coming from her. "It feels rather like I stepped in that, myself."

Charlie's ruby eyes shone with emotion as she embraced him. "Oh, Al! It's not the same with you at all! Before, it was always people trying to guide my life for me, rather than being with me. Even if they were doing it because they were trying to help me... I always needed to be something, rather than just being."

"You're my darling demon belle, I don't need you to be anything other than that!"

Her hand touched his cheek, and the warmth was a curious comfort so tangible that he almost thought it magic. "I understand why you wanted to be so careful! You were right all along about being cautious. If we hadn't had the beacon-" she let out a shuddering sigh, her hand dropping to clutch her ribbon.

His hands gripped her tighter of their own accord.

The path wavered more, dangerously so if they wanted to keep it.

"In any case, I don't think I'll be using Phase again after this. I mean, once the lessons are done, I'll have to Revoke my grimoire anyway."

"This game of magic was always a way around another technique you didn't want to chance," Alastor replied. "The choice for how to use your skills has always been yours!"

"Well, I don't want to rely on magic to solve all my problems for me," Charlie said, hugging him tight again, as if she was afraid he might disappear. "Running away from my power is what's gotten me into this mess. But I don't regret our lessons, Al. I'm going to finish them, and solve the Riddle too!"