Adallion took a deep breathe of the open air. It smelt differently to what he was accustomed to, it felt exhilarating. He looked to the sun feeling the warmth touch his face, the sounds of nature were new and entrancing to him. He looked around at the forested area. 'Much had changed since his time.'
Eli looked around assessing the situation and his next move. Heidi hadn't returned since she last went.
"Looks like Heidi hasn't returned." Eli said sounding a little suprised.
"That is unfortunate, I was hoping to meet her. Perhaps she is busy." Adallion reponded to Eli.
"Maybe." Was Eli's reply to Adallion as he slowly walked towards heavy vegetation.
"Stay here." Eli commanded Adallion as he walked further into the forest, Adallion proceeded to sit down. Out of Adallion's sight, Eli removed off his clothed amour to check the progress of the 'disease'.
His entire chest area was engulfed in an unnatural colour littered with unreadable runic writing, spreading to his soulders, it had made much progress about 84% of his body was covered.
Extended use of the artifact wasn't without its price, if he was to continue to be in his empowered state without periods of recovery time, this disease would continue its spread.
He was unsure what would happen, if allowed, to fully spread to every corner of his body, since he was never told, so he didn't want to entertain the idea.
It only appeared with usage of the artifact, where it would begin to spread from his chest growing bigger with continued usage of the artifact, if he used large demanding spells the disease would spread faster. His only way to keep it at bay and beat this disease back, was to be out of his empowered state, only then would it slowly retreat. To recover even more quicker meditation was the best antidote.
To be exact as long as Eli was not in his empowered state for atleast 1 hour it would recede by '5 percent.' If he was to do meditation within that 1 hour it would recede by 15 percent, as it would stack paired up with meditation, cutting the time needed for recovery.
He had calculated roughly the time needed by himself by watching how long it took for the condition to recede through meditating when he noticed the condition. (This didn't mean he would need to meditate for 1 continuous hours without interruption, no he could meditate in intervals and as long as it added up to the 1 hour it would be of effect)
As you may wonder how he knew to meditate to counter the condition he had. That was thanks to his Dad, He had mentioned about the condition at the time when he was explaining to him information regarding the shard, but refused to tell him the repercussions of the condition if allowed to fully spread. Eli did have an inkling that it was definitely his Dad that placed such a condition in place for his own amusement.
He wore back on his clothed amour and came out of his empowered state, to be instantaneously hit with exhaustion and fatigue, almost collapsing due to the significant transition. After a few minutes of gathering himself he walked back to Adallion.
Eli came out from the thick vegetation of the forest to Adallion. "What was that covering your chest?" Adallion asked.
Eli froze momentarily at his question, unsure how the dragon came to know. "How did you know?" Eli asked.
"The ring is apart of me, I can hear and see through it. I regret intruding on your privacy as such condition was not for my eyes.... but I was curious." The dragon was worried for Eli due to what he saw but was also displeased at himself he found out this way. "I apologise for using such methods and promise to ask of your permission before doing so."
Eli held up his hand "Its fine." Eli sighed "Am not sure of it myself to be honest, it's nothing to worry about though I can handle it" as he walked up to Adallion.
Eli then changed the topic. "We need to travel west toward Ostaria." Adallion in response unfurled his wing to let Eli climb onto his back.
"Hold-on." was all Adallion said as he took a readied postion and flexed his wings out, when he sensed Eli was braced he took flight. He relished the air going under his wings as he flew towards the sky. Adallion was careful not to let Eli get kicked off his back by using the mana availiable to him to shield him from the winds.
"So how do you intend to get rid of it." Adallion asked Eli still concerned by what he saw.
"I already am in the process as we speak." Eli explained to him the methods he used to push it back not that they were particularly super effective but they were the best he had availiable to him.
Heidi sat at a great table, on this table were already some powerful individuals already seated. She represented the Forest spirits at the great table where numerous other powerful people sat representing their civilisations/nations.
She was not that interested in actually being there with these individuals she much preferred to be waiting for Eli, but she had her duties. She wondered if Eli was out by now or if he had failed. (Not that she believed for a second he had failed of-course due to how powerful he was, even so she still had doubts.)
A dwarf sat beside her playing with a metallic object, blind and deaf to his surroundings. He was known as the King of the Dwarves, who was more preoccupied with his metallic item than with greetings. There were other important figures beside the two like the King of Ostaria too. It was a gathering of powerful individuals, over a meeting of such importantance that impacted all of them.
The Elven Queen was the last to sit down. She looked to each of the seated figures in the room, setting her gaze to Heidi as she gave her a small node.
"What's the reason for this gathering, Its been a long time since a gathering such as this has occurred." The King of Ufrya was a direct man he didn't do much with pleasantries and ruled as such.
The Elven Queen replied with a silky smooth voice. "The nation of Shiaso is yet to arrive, you know as well as I, we can't discuss as such without the physical presence of all the nations or atleast some acknowledgement."
"To hell with him his wilful acts are a disgrace we might as well go ahead." As you can see the King of Urfrya detested the nation of Shiaso due to them continuously sending incursions into his land to weaken him.
"Awww... I feel insulted" As a figure drew closer to the table, turning out to be the son of the leader of Shiaso. "You were meaning to leave us out?" as he threw his question to the elf. The Elven Queen was a little insulted by such a remark.
The King of Urfrya erupted "Does he mean to insult us? Look at what he does he can't even be bothered to attend and instead sends his son to run his errands. Look at how little he thinks of us." The entirety of the time the King threw insults the Prince just had a smirk on his face.
"Am sure he has a good reason." as the Elven Queen looked at the Prince. The entirety of the anttention of the table shifted to the prince's direction. He gave a low bow and proceeded to answer back
"Apologies but my father is under a sickness, so I will be in his place." He responded the entire time with a smirk on his face.
No-one was sure if he was doing this on purpose or if the prince was unaware.
The King of Urfrya sat down upon hearing this not that he was sadden by the news, he was secretly overjoyed and most could see that he was overjoyed, King Urfrya wasn't really great at hiding his emotions.
"Oh that is most unfortunate hopefully he makes a recovery."
"Oh am sure he will." was the Prince's reponse before he sat down onto his seat.