“You bastard!” cried Antares.
“How far did you see?” asked Kaichen.
“She is a monster. Why are you trying to protect her? She is ruined already. I made her like that. I thought she was normal but she wasn’t!” Antares laughed like he had lost his mind. “Do you still think she is human? Countess is so rotten from the inside that her own mana has turned black!”
Kaichen listened to him. He didn’t even feel any anger towards this wretch anymore. He wanted to glean any information he could from Antares’ words instead. That scum had made the poison that had harmed Dalia. Kaichen thought that maybe the scum would blurt out anything of importance that could save her.
“Your poison is curable. Dalia was just poisoned.”
Antares laughed again. “You are crazy too! You do know that I am a master of potion-making. Do you think addiction is the only thing that poison accelerates? You have been able to keep her alive till now so you know a little about poisons. Most people of Acrab have already died. They were only partially poisoned.” Antares shook with mirth. “Do you know why she didn’t die?”
“Because there is an antidote to that poison,” said Kaichen.
Antares guffawed. Kaichen gritted his teeth. Antares was really getting on his nerves now.
“You know that Gordon is a mind-destroying poison, right? A person cannot live with a broken mind. They either destroy those around them or they destroy themselves. Most commit suicide because they can’t live with themselves anymore. All of the poisons have different capabilities. But when they are used together, it is deadly to body and mind.”
He continued laughing. He was shaking now trying to contain his laughter. “And yet she survived. But did she, really? Even if she had tried to kill herself, she would have come back to life the next day when she was trapped in time magic. So, everything would be back to normal. But would it? You know as well as her that she isn’t fine. She is far from fine.”
“Shut up!” roared Kaichen.
“My poison is irreversible. Maybe you can make an antidote for the physical ailments,” said Antares. “But what will you do with her mind? Even if you somehow fixed the whole world, you won’t be able to help that woman.”
“I told you to shut the hell up,” said Kaichen in a low voice.
Antares laughed,“A broken mind and a broken person. And you hope to bring her back to her senses? That is so funny. A fool’s goal. Do not underestimate humans, Kaichen Tenebre. They have a knack for destruction by their own hands.”
Kaichen decided that that was it. He didn’t think he could get any more information out of the scum. He raised his finger and cast a spell.
Antares screamed.
“An easy death for everything you have done till now would be a mercy,” said Kaichen. “But I am not merciful.”
The groans and screams ripped the air as Antares was wrecked with pain.
“What you said is wrong in two ways,” said Kaichen.
Antares screamed and gasped as his body slowly rotted away.
“One—the poison you made is trash. You give yourself far too much credit,” said Kaichen. “Two—a human can always be helped and saved. A lost mind can always be helped back home.”
“Aaaaaah!” screamed Antares in pain.
“So, I throw your words right back at you. Do not underestimate humans,” said Kaichen. “Besides, Dalia is stronger than most. Her mental strength is superior to me or you, or anyone in this d*mn world.”
Kaichen turned and walked away. He had no wish to see the disgusting end of Antares. He sure as hell couldn’t stand the smell of his rotting body. He couldn’t even stand his scream anymore. No less than what he deserves. For now, the most important thing was to get Dalia home.
Dalia was wrapped snugly in his arms. Acrab were generally wary of strangers. Kaichen could feel their gaze on him. People of the Empire would know the person with blond hair, golden eyes and bronze skin. He couldn’t hide any longer. Kaichen ignored them all and made his way out of the village, through the town and towards the mansion.
When Kaichen arrived at the mansion, the glowing magic circle in the garden disappeared. He made his walk to her bedroom and laid her down on her bed. He pulled the covers over her and tucked her into bed. He hoped this would help bring her temperature to normal.
“You know you are stronger than any of us,” said Kaichen softly. She was asleep or unconscious. She might not hear him but he had to say it anyway. “Just get well soon. And I will wait. I will wait till you are able to ask for help directly.” He stroked her hair and tucked a stray strand behind her ear.
“I will become stronger, too.”
For you.
* * *
I woke up and blinked at the ceiling in the familiar bedroom. I heard a rustle of sound. I propped myself up on my elbow to look. It was Angel. He was opening the windows and drawing back the curtains.
“Angel?” I croaked. It was hard to even talk. My mouth was so dry.
Angel turned in surprise and sprinted to me. “Miss!” he cried. He ran right into bed and hugged me tight. I almost fell against the whirlwind that he was. “Miss! I was so worried. We were all worried when you didn’t wake up for a week!” I gently patted the child on his back.
A week! It was lamentable to think that without a proper meal and exercise, I would be back to looking like a corpse again.
“That sounds… bad,” I said, carefully so as to not make Angel sob again. He had finally calmed down a little. “A week. In the meantime, I hope nothing has happened out of the ordinary?” There was no way a week would have gone uneventfully. I just wanted to ask because it was wishful thinking.
