Hello friends today I'm going to talk about a fantasy au for Promare. Inspired by D&D but not set in a world that runs on its rules (so humans only and no in-universe talk of levels or classes).
I would say I've got about the first half outlined?

Okay SO. Thirty years ago the phoenix flew around the world. Everyone who saw it, everyone touched by its light, was cured of all injury and disease. This moment became known as the phoenix blessing.
At the end of its journey the phoenix landed in a dormant volcano and died.

It did not rise again.
No egg, no baby bird. Nothing but ashes. People had followed it and they all told the same story. The phoenix burned up and that was it.
Within a few days, seemingly random people all over the world began developing the ability to create and control fire.

There are a lot of theories about what exactly happened. Was the phoenix trying to become a human and failed? Did someone try to steal its power and instead fragment it? Was this a punishment from the gods? And was that punishment for humans or the phoenix?

Nobody had answers, but the fire abilities (and the compulsion to use them) became known as the phoenix curse. Though different names popped up in different regions, of course. In the country where the phoenix died those people are commonly known as Burnish.

One good thing did come of all this. A small paladin order devoted to the local goddess of healing took on the phoenix as their symbol and started gaining popularity. Especially when the goddess granted her followers ice and water powers to combat the now-common fires.

Thirty years later there's a branch in every city, and they're trusted and respected. They devote themselves to healing and rescue, not glory. Not punishment.
Galo joined EAGERLY, even though he turned out to be absolutely hopeless at learning magic.

This is a source of ENDLESS FRUSTRATION for the rest of his garrison, because Galo DOES have the aptitude for magic. Except the team artificer, who has a great time making him magical gadgets and pre-loading spells into every piece of his armor.

He attunes to it all so quickly that no one else can use it. He attunes to practically every magical item he happens to pick up. It's an issue.
But Galo knows his team only teases him out of love. He's happy with his life! He's got friends and a purpose. He's content.
Complacent.

Galo does see the unfairness and prejudice out there, but he's an optimist. He generally believes the best in people and assumes most others do too.

One day, on a routine patrol outside the city, Galo runs into a trio of Burnish.

He's a loud guy! Not even he's sure how he managed to get the drop on them.
Galo's outnumbered and his magic items have a set number of shots, but he puts up a DAMN good fight before he's defeated. He and the leader of the group develop a grudging respect for each other.

At first, Galo assumes that's why they let him live. But after he's tied up under a tree, he sees the Burnish putting out any small fires they might have started and double-checking for more. He's surprised, and says so.
The leader immediately TEARS INTO HIM.

Galo KNOWS how dangerous fires in a forest can be, but he doesn't interrupt as the leader (he'd introduced himself. Lio something?) gives him a lecture about it. Galo's too flabbergasted to say much of anything before the Burnish leave, abandoning him under that tree.
Hours pass.

What Galo doesn't know (yet) is that the trio were on a rescue mission. Hundreds of Burnish have been disappearing over the last few months, and Lio and the others finally found where a chunk of them are being held. The mission succeeds and late that night they escape.

While Lio is scouting ahead, he finds Galo. Still tied up under the tree. Galo is like "I guess nobody noticed I didn't come back." (He's not upset about it, he often forgets to report in) but Lio is stunned.
"I left your spear RIGHT THERE. Why didn't you cut yourself free?"

"It's not a spear, it's a STAFF."
"It has a blade on the end!"
"Yeah it took a WHILE to grind that down as dull as I wanted."
He's telling the truth, the point is completely blunt. Galo might enjoy punching a bit more than a paladin should, but he's VERY anti-stabbing.

Well now Lio's got a problem, because the burnish need to head this way to escape, and Lio can't just leave this idiot tied up forever. Can't even double back to free him once their group has passed, since he might tell the city which way they went. What to do?

Lio settles on escorting Galo back to the city, the long way, in the dark, and hopefully by the time they arrive he'll be too tired and confused to remember where he was. He goes and lets the group know he'll be a few hours behind them, and takes some extra provisions.

Can't have his prisoner passing out from dehydration or anything.
Galo is a little surprised by the thoughtfulness, though by this time he's catching on that Lio isn't the hardass he pretends to be. Galo ALMOST makes a good impression by praising the way Lio's fire lights the way

Of course then he says something ignorant about the burnish and it turns into another lecture.
Lio hadn't meant to, but it kind of feels good to educate someone who is actually listening. At first it was out of anger, but Galo really seems willing to learn.

It's a long walk. There's a lot of time to fill. Lio tells him about the prison camp, about what's done there...
Burnish powers can be sealed. But the COMPULSION to burn can't. Lio matter-of-factly tells Galo that he doesn't know any sealed Burnish who lived more than two years.

Usually the death appears accidental. Usually.
The prisoners they just rescued seem to have gone through something... else. Lio doesn't know what, yet, but they're not recovering the way they should.
Galo is horrified. He thought power-sealing was only uncommon because it's HARD.

And then Lio mentions that Duke Foresight is behind the mass arrests, and Galo jumps to his hero's defense. Of course Kray would never do that! He couldn't!
But he knows as soon as he says it that there's no reason for Lio to lie.
At the city, they part on awkward terms.

Galo watches Lio's flame disappear between the trees and wonders why he wants to follow it so badly.
He doesn't tell anyone what happened. He doesn't want to give away what he knows. But in the morning he goes to see the duke, and will wait as long as it takes to get a meeting.

It doesn't go well. Duke Kray insists he knows what's best, that the Burnish should be grateful for being sealed, that everyone will understand once his plan pays off. When Galo doesn't believe him immediately, Kray says he'll SHOW him.
And then has Galo thrown in a cell.

He's still got his armor - it's enchanted so no one can take it off him without permission - but Galo is still locked up. He sits there for days, dealing with the hard truth that his hero doesn't care about anyone but himself.

For once, though, Kray was telling the truth. Galo is packed up and moved (even with magic the trip takes several days) to one of the prison camps where the burnish are held. They've all been sealed but it's... different.

It turns out that these new seals still allow a Burnish to use their powers! IF they've got a willing partner to channel it through. With the way the guards are treating them, it's clear that the plan is to use them as living weapons or power sources.

Well Galo's here, and Galo's willing! All he needs is a couple co-conspirators and they'll be out of there in no time!
Too bad a guy in paladin armor is too suspicious to get anyone to listen. Galo doesn't trust the guards enough to take it off, either.

It's not long before Galo gets a little too indiscreet and the guards overhear him. He's chucked in solitary, a cell enchanted to cause pain every time he makes a noise.
Not that a little pain has ever stopped Galo before. And it doesn't stop the guy in the next cell either.

As soon as Galo recognizes Lio's voice he knows they're getting out. He plays nice with the guards, pretends he's been appropriately chastised, and doubles down on finding an accomplice for the jailbreak.
Luckily (well, UNluckily) he knows one of the new prisoners. A cook.

Even if they'd never spoken, the guy knows Galo and knows he's not a mole. The two of them team up and hatch... more of an outline than a plan, really, but it'll work. All they have to do is sneak out, take down a handful of guards, break open the solitary cell... Easy!

It's a disaster and half the camp is on fire before they get to Lio, but hey, who's complaining?
As soon as Lio is free Galo offers his hand. Lio had refused to cooperate and share his powers with anyone else, but he knows that Galo is sincere. He's too dumb to lie.

They fall into sync so easily it's like dancing. Lio barely has to tell Galo to move before he's doing exactly what he needs to. The fire has to come from a point of contact but it can travel down either of their bodies, and soon they're carving a path of destruction and fury.

It's Galo's idea to steal some paperwork from the guard shack before burning it down. He'd figured out that Lio's friends weren't here, and assumes Lio will want to find and rescue them.
Privately, Lio thinks they're dead. But torching all the other camps sounds like a good plan.

It's too dangerous to stick together so the prisoners mostly split up. The non-burnish prisoners have all been adopted by two or three burnish to channel their powers through, so no one will be defenseless. Galo wishes everyone luck.
Lio says nothing. Lio hasn't said much at all

(thus begins the portion of this story I have dubbed Galo and Lio's Super-Fun Roadtrip of Trauma)
Lio's not doing well. Three weeks of solitary confinement isn't good for anybody, especially not if you've just been robbed of one of your physical abilities.

What Lio WANTS is to charge straight to the city and start incinerating everything he sees until he gets to Duke Kray, and then murder him with his bare hands.
But he managed to work off a lot of anger burning the camp, and he knows Galo wouldn't help. So he just... simmers.

Finally properly colored this!

They spend a couple days tromping through the wilderness, foraging for food and sleeping rough. At least, Galo sleeps.
He notices by the second night that Lio isn't, but he's not sure what he can do. He's already startled him way too many times to be normal.

Lio's never had to deal with anxiety before so he's not sure why he feels like they're about to be attacked at any moment. Even when Galo assures him they made a clean escape and they can defeat anybody who comes after them anyway, Lio can't relax.

On the third day they find an empty cabin. Somebody's hunting lodge, closed up for the season. The furniture is covered in sheets but there's preserved food in the pantry and clothes and bags packed away. Galo suggests staying for a few days to rest up.

Lio immediately throws him onto a bed.
It was supposed to be stress relief. And it IS, but the way Galo stares up at him like he's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, the gentleness of his touch... is a problem.
Afterward, Lio passes out for 14 hours.

Galo comes to check on him a couple times and during one of those Lio wakes briefly, mumbles "The phoenix likes you," and drops right back to sleep.
Galo figures it was a dream and thinks nothing of it.
Lio forgets all his dreams as soon as he wakes up.

For the couple days they're squatting in the cabin, Lio almost feels back to normal. He's angry and restless but that's typical for him.
Galo actually succeeds in getting him to open up. A little. Enough that they understand each other better.
Galo confesses his history with Kray

Lio also takes the opportunity to raid the place for clothes, and manages to find some that fits (probably belonged to a young heir). It's not his style, but it's better than nothing. And he really enjoys how much Galo seems to like the tight leather hunting trousers.

Lio is, he realizes by the third time they're having sex in someone else's bed, completely screwed. He's not getting out of this partnership without falling in love. Galo is just too honest and sweet...
At least he's not alone because that honesty means Galo is an open book.

When they set out again, Lio feels optimistic for the first time in... years, probably. Galo has infected him. It would be annoying if it wasn't so nice.
Maybe they WILL find his friends at the next camp. Maybe they CAN defeat the system together. Maybe there's a happy ending.

Then they make it to the closest prison camp on the map and all the memories come crashing back. Even Galo is shaken, but he remembers to get another map from the guards. Lio barely waits for the prisoners to get clear before lighting the place up.

There aren't any familiar faces and Lio is even more certain now that his friends are dead. Keeping HIM alive made sense as a symbolic thing. But THEY were almost as powerful and just as stubborn. They'd be too much trouble to keep.

He still doesn't tell Galo. Once everything is burned to the ground and they've run far enough that it's unlikely they'll be tracked, they sit down and try to strategize.
Lio wants to kill Kray. Galo wants Lio to be happy. It doesn't seem like either of them will get their way.

After a restless night they find a compromise. There's another camp close to the city, a BIG one. If Lio's friends aren't there, Galo says, they can contact HIS friends at the garrison and start trying to expose Kray for what he is.
It's not enough, but Lio agrees.

I can post this now too! Lio has a lot of costumes changes.

It's a long trip back to the city. Every day, Lio asks Galo how many more days they've got to go. Every night they sleep in each other's arms. JUST sleep. And Galo doesn't want to say anything, but he's afraid that Lio has already decided to replace him.

After a week's travel they're sitting in front of the fire, Galo has just told Lio they're four days from the camp. And Lio asks, "Is there really no way you'll let me kill Kray?"
It comes out of nowhere, so Galo hesitates. "It's not that I can't let you. I'd have to HELP."

"You don't HAVE to help. I only need you to assist in taking him down. After that you can just... leave the room."
Galo's quiet, and after a moment Lio feels a drip on the back of his neck. Galo is crying.
"...or not."

"I'm sorry, I know he's a monster and he probably deserves it and I don't expect you to forgive him - *I* never will - but I just can't. I can't believe anyone deserves to take the life of another person."
Lio sighs and squirms around so he can look at Galo's face.

"It's not negotiable for you."
"No..."
"Well it is for me. That's why I was trying to negotiate."
"So then... you won't?"
"Consider the subject closed."
Galo squeezes him tightly for long enough that Lio struggles to breathe. But once he eases up, he adds,

"If... you found another partner. Someone who wants the same thing-"
"Not happening."
"I'd have to stop you if I knew about it."
"Galo-"
"You'd have to make sure I don't know about it."
Lio pulls back and stares at him.

It takes a second to process what he's saying.
Lio asks, "If I did that... would you ever be able to look at me and see anything but a murderer?"
Quietly, Galo says, "I don't know."
"Then it's NOT HAPPENING, so calm down. It's not like I'm with you because I HAVE to be."

they still don't have sex that night, but Galo's fears are mostly gone. He just wishes Lio would TALK to him more. He knows he has nightmares. They wake them both up. But Lio won't tell him what they're about.
Four days later they reach the camp, and it's not a camp.
It's a LAB.

Galo is still wearing his paladin armor, and Lio has a LOT of experience walking into places like he owns them, so they're able to bluff past the first layer of security easily enough. After that it's a sneaking mission... for all of about ten minutes.

Paladin armor only goes so far when you're also a prison escapee. And neither of them is good at Not Drawing Attention. Fine then, back to the old standby of burn everything to the ground.
Then they get to the prisoners and Lio recognizes a few faces. Important faces.

It's not just Gueira and Meis, a LOT of burnish who have been making trouble are here. They're all sealed, but every seal is different. Luckily they've got an idiot with a ridiculously high magic aptitude to use as a conduit.

The escape (and collateral destruction) is pretty chaotic. Galo's got no idea who most of these people are, and none of them actually trust him. Lio vouches for him and it's not like there's much of an option.

During a quick regroup while they scope out the next line of defense, Meis asks (right in front of Galo, mind you), "Have you really been working with that idiot paladin this whole time?"
"It's worse than that," Lio says. "I'm in love with him."

It's the first time either of them has said it. Galo spends the next several minutes blinded by tears and has to be led along by the hand.
Even after the escape they've got to keep moving. It's late at night by the time they're far enough that they can rest.

Galo promptly passes out, but Lio stays up to talk to his friends and catch each other up. And learn about that lab.
The seals aren't about eliminating the phoenix curse, they're about CONTROLLING it. The end goal is for burnish to be forced to partner with the chosen few.

And no points for guessing who will be doing the choosing.
So far it hasn't worked, they've only managed to limit it to people with magic. That's still a LARGE group. Including nearly all paladins.
Once Galo wakes up, Lio asks if he still wants to go back to his garrison.

aaaaand now that I've gotten to this part, I can finally post all my doodles!

The thing about Galo is it's hard to be surprised at anything he does for very long. So when he shows up at the garrison in a makeshift disguise with a dozen bedraggled strangers after being missing for almost six weeks... all the other paladins can do is put on some more food

His story is pretty unbelievable but it tracks with a lot of things that have been happening lately. The wanted posters for Galo himself, for one thing. And resident wizard Lucia confirms that the seals on the burnish are new and heavily modified.

The paladins get to work on a plan of action while Lucia gleefully starts trying to crack the seals, and all the escapees are welcome to crash in the hastily-modified storeroom-turned-bedroom.
Galo has his own room, though as a religious order it's technically a cell.

It's... small. Very small. Four walls, an armor stand, and a bed.
Galo invites Lio to stay with him but the moment he shuts the door he can see the panic on Lio's face.

It hasn't quite been three weeks since their escape. Lio still hasn't been out of that box longer than he was in it. Which is an arbitrary measurement, but it's all Lio has to cling to right now. Surely he'll be better in a few days. Surely this won't be a problem forever.

There's a quick fix for now, just leaving the door open, but it's... frustrating that they're FINALLY both in the mood for privacy and can't have it.