Orion looked at the sickly middle-aged man lying on the bed, his various exposed bones and injuries, the effects of the artefact bound to his body slowly eroding away his skin.
King Brylon stared back at Orion and replied, "Sorry for meeting you like this. I would have thrown the best banquet in the kingdom for you and the help you have managed to provide to the Prismerian Kingdom upon your return. Unfortunately, I can't do anything in my current state."
Orion shook his head in response, "There's no need to worry about something like that; just focus on getting better," Orion responded.
He glanced at Madam Seraphina and two other familiar healers close to her, whose names he didn't remember. Then, he looked at Queen Selene, who was standing by the side of the bed with a defeated and distraught expression on her face, before shifting his attention back to King Brylon.
King Brylon let out a wry smile. "That's actually why I called for you. I want to bless you and my daughter so that I can leave this world peacefully, knowing that she and the Prismerian Kingdom will be in safe hands," King Brylon said with a tired sigh escaping his lips.
"Although I understand that you may have your own plans for the Prismerian Kingdom, whatever it might be, I'm sure it's something much better than what the Gemheart Clan or any of us could have planned," he responded.
Orion smiled wryly.
"Of course, I will try my best to keep the Prismerian kingdom safe," Orion responded. Crystalia, Maya, Merida, Elysia, Madam Seraphina, and the Princess of the Garden were still his partners, so he naturally didn't want anything to happen to them or their fellow race.
Although he did have plans for the Crystalforge Clan, that didn't mean he was sure of the outcomes. Besides, he didn't need to go to any extremes, as the heirs of the former major clans still owed him some promises that he was sure they would gladly want to fulfil.
King Brylon exhaled deeply, "Thank you," King Brylon said with a deep breath of gratitude.
After that, he gestured for Crystalia to come closer and stand together with him. Then, he signalled to a guard at the corner of the room who seemed to be carrying a perfect ebony gem on a pillow towards them, before gesturing for the two of them to place a drop of their blood on the gem.
Orion nodded in understanding and went first, pricking his fingers, letting a drop of his crimson red blood fall onto the ebony gem. He observed as it sank inside unnaturally and settled in the middle, awaiting Crystalia to perform her part. She followed suit, allowing her radiant crimson blood to drop onto the gem, strikingly contrasting with Orion's.
Strangely, upon closer inspection, he saw that the two blood drops didn't mix but hovered close, as though confined in the same space.
"The engagement ritual has been completed. Please do well to complete the rest in private," King Brylon said.
Before Orion could respond, he added quickly, "Apart from that, that is the only thing I wanted to see you for. Thank you for allowing me to fulfil my final wish."
Orion pressed his lips together and nodded in response. He watched as Crystalia walked forward, gripping her father's hand tightly, her tears flowing freely.
Orion frowned, contemplating what to do. If things continued as they were, it was probable that they wouldn't be able to remove the artefact from his body, and Queen Selene might never regain her strength.
He briefly considered asking Aerialia for help but quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that, given the current stage of their relationship, she might demand something more significant in return.
After careful consideration, Orion decided to see if the Aegis of the Arctic Deity held a solution to their dilemma.
Despite his wariness about the god, particularly in light of the revelations about the Princess of the Garden's identity and Aegis of the Deity's statements about Naka, Orion acknowledged that Aegis of the Deity might be the only being present capable of offering assistance. Reserving his doubts, Orion decided to see if Aegis of the Arctic Deity could provide any help.
"I think I might have a solution to this matter," Orion said.
The moment his words hung in the air, every eye in the room turned toward him.
Crystalia hurriedly approached him and immediately gripped his hands tightly. "Are you sure? Do you genuinely have a solution in mind?" she asked.
"Yes. While I can't guarantee its success yet, it's still worth a try," Orion replied.
Meanwhile, Selene wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, then fixed her swollen eyes on Orion.
"Don't worry. I know you want to help, but you've done enough for us. There's no need for you to stress over finding a solution when it might be beyond reach," she reassured him, shaking her head while a gentle smile adorned her lips.
However, Orion shook his head in response.
"I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't certain that there's at least a way to remove the artefact," he asserted.
Selene remained silent for a moment.
Although she had initially wanted to object, the possibility that Orion, or the place he came from, might genuinely hold a solution to their predicament made her reconsider.
"Alright, we're all ears. Tell us what you have in mind," Selene responded, curiosity evident in her voice as she awaited Orion's explanation.
Orion felt the grip of both of his hands tighten before he spoke again. "Since there's nothing we can do to get rid of the artefact, how about we seek the help of a god."
Selene was immediately stunned.
A god?
She had assumed that Orion might have a solution from his village, but hearing him suggest seeking help from a god left her momentarily breathless.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, prompting her to swallow nervously.
.....
Author's note: The status sheet is under reconstruction.
