The Trembling Flame

Voriel did not need to breath, but if he did, his breaths would have quick and suspenseful as he watched Rahsaan sweep across the lake. The young man leapt and dodged past the tentacles that sought after both him and the girl still clutched in his arms. The angel did manage to feel a tinge of relief as with one final jump, Rahsaan landed on the pebbled shore, stumbling only a little on the uneven ground.  
At least, he did until Rahsaan ran right past the docks and into the grove, hiding behind one of the thickest trees. The angel’s worry gave way to confusion.
The young man’s back slammed against the trunk, letting Arabelle down gently, leaving both panting heavily.
“Good, she’ll be safe here! Hurry the others need your help!” Voriel said.
With a heavy wheeze, Rahaan began to slump to the ground, shaking his head, “To do what? Right now, you have even less strength than I.”
The angel heard another blast of thunder waver from across the water, overlapping with a pained scream from the Tabaxi
“Distract it. Harass this demon. You can easily outrun it. Drive back this beast so that the others will live!” Voriel said, his tone turning more commanding with each spoken word.
Rashaan let out a grunt as he covered his ears from the lightning blast, though he managed to reply, “That thing will crush me easier than a withered leaf and I swim so poorly I could drown in a bathtub. I am not going back.”
He looked back up at Arabelle, who lay still dazed from the previous strike. “I . . . I can take her back- lead Bisandrei here. He might be able to help them, but not me.”
That was enough, Voriel thought. It was time to be more persuasive.

   *                        *                         *

Rahsaan stood back up, though as he did so, the thicket surrounding him began to waver, as if viewed through clear water, the edges of the twigs and leaves dissolving into the air. The girl who lay on the ground disappeared, at the same time the noise of the battle behind him lengthened into echoes before going silent. Stepping out from behind the tree before him, stood a radiant figure. His golden hair was cropped close to his head, though his face was angular and sharp. His skin was tanned as of someone who lived their whole life in the sunlight.  He wore light, silver  armor  beneath a loose white robe with a long, empty scabbard at his side. The figure had no wings, and moved right before Rahsaan as to eclipse the aasimar’s path. Despite the young man’s height, the visitor still stood over a head taller.  The glowing man sighed, and said in Voriel’s familiar voice, “You must lend them your aid, Rahsaan. The others- your friends-  need you.”
Still somewhat caught off guard by the sudden vision, Rahsaan looked around and then back at the angel’s apparition with a frown, “That is easy for you to just tell me, Voriel. You are not really here- you told me yourself you linger off in the mists. You are not the one risking your life when you insist I fight a battle I cannot win.”
Voriel’s expression was stern, yet his eyes mellowed into understanding, “I do take a risk, directing you to face the enemy- I risk losing you.”  
Rahsaan gave a questioning expression, which turned into a sarcastic smirk as he replied, “If it worries you so much then why send me to go and fight? This seems to be against both of our interests.”
Voriel tilted his head and replied, “If I wanted to merely survive, I would just sever our connection, existing as a nameless spirit unknown to except maybe a hapless mage experimenting with the mists. But doing so goes against my nature-to instill purpose in others.”  
Voriel reached out and placed a hand on Rahsaan’s shoulder,
“This is why I say that you cannot just survive. Just surviving is what a wild animal does, caring nothing for their fellows, scavenging and stealing what they can. Living for yourself- with nothing greater to fight for- is an empty existence.”
Rahsaan let out of a huff,  “I have learned this lesson, Voriel. I know I cannot just run away and live by myself. The addicts and beggars on the streets were proof of what awaits me there. What I am saying now is, by returning Arabelle to the camp, we ensure she is safe and that I can enlist someone who can actually make a difference here. You act as if I am abandoning them!”  
Voriel just raised an eyebrow, “The first lesson was knowing what you should do. The next is when you should act upon it. My advice to you is now is one of those times.”
Rahsaan did not answer back- he stared long and hard at Voriel. He still was not keen on running back to face this creature. He still was not entirely sure what he could do to help the others. And he certainly did not want to see any of them hurt.
But this was not about him.
The young man gave a single, slow nod.
Voriel withdrew his hand and stepped back from Rahsaan, “You do not need to kill this creature. You merely need to buy time for everyone to escape from its grasp. You will be victorious. And Rahsaan,”
Voriel began to fade from view, as the entire scene around the monk returned to its normal still self, “Know I would not ask you to tread where you cannot triumph”
Like a blast of wind, the sound of pained cries from his companions, waves crashing against the shore, and the inhuman  guttural barks of the creature slammed into him. Seeing that Arabelle was well enough out of reach,  Rashaan furrowed his brow and clenched his fists as they burst forth in blue flame.