Chereads / Arranged Heart of Darkness / Chapter 18 - Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18 - Chapter XVIII

Kolvar received Alistair's letter after dinner, reading it over he knew that the plague would spread if measures were not taken. Grykail would fix the two men at the lord's palace, but everywhere else would take much more. They had already packed and were set to leave at dawn, he knew it would be finished by then. He picked up his quill his lovely wife laying her head on his shoulder he carefully began writing his last letter, careful not to stir her from her dreams.

To King Alistair,

I agree that this will be my last letter before we meet. Lord Grykail is by far the tallest of our elven kind. Though his handsomeness comes from his mother surely. By the time you receive this letter, I am positive Grykail will be finishing the procedure. By dawn, my family will be leaving towards the place of the summit.

During the summit, we will discuss the methods to quell this darkness, though I am not certain how far it has reached itself into my own territory. Uluc will have an answer for that. As for your children, we will meet in time. There is no offense in them serving their country.

I look forward to our summit.

Best Wishes,

King Blaric

~

Grykail heard the boy vomit outside the room and clasped his hands together, for one of the men it seemed that the darkness had progressed greatly. He nodded to the soldiers and was happy they asked nothing. Looking at the butler he nodded, "Thank you."

Cerci quickly grabbed the bowl of water when the boy lurched. Grykail moved to pour a powder over the ichor to make it easier for them to clean later. Cerci grabbed a towel and wiped the boys face with the liquid, Grykail handed a bowl and towel to the doctor as well.

"Any time left will be time enough. Thank you for being here Dr. Emerson, Please wipe this liquid on your patient's skin. It is water with a herbal solution to keep their fever at bay." Grykail removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeve tossing his jacket to the side. He pulled the small liquid capsule from his pocket and poured it into another container.

Grykail grabbed the scalpel from the table and sat the container on the table in its place, looking at Dr. Emerson seriously he spoke. "Dr. Emerson, I only have one request. Do not speak of this procedure to anyone, not even your wife. This is a sacred ritual, and it is very private." After getting the doctor's confirmation he slid the scalpel across his palm, he didn't bother seeing the doctor's reaction. Cerci were still using the liquid and patting the heir with the water, he grabbed the bad of herbs they were the same that lined the room and did the same to the other patient.

Grykail squeezed his palm, the red blood pouring into the cup and some running down his arm as well. When he decided he had enough of the liquid in the cup he wrapped his hand for the time being. "You will take half of this mixture and give it to your patient. DO not stop until the liquid is finished. I will begin the chants, do not speak please." Cerci moved and poured half the liquid into a cup and handed it to the doctor taking his own and starting to fee it t hm patient. Grykail waited until Dr. Emerson began giving his own to his patient and begun his chant. His eyes lit up red, almost glowing and a series of tribal tattoos ran up his arms.

"Í guðlegu nafni gyðjunnar Kaia, sem andar lífi okkar allra. Ég helga og fylla þessa bolla með töfra mínum, blóði mínu. Illur andi sem eyðir þessum líkama, það er kominn tími til að þú hafir fallið þitt mesta. Farðu aftur í heljarinnar helvíti, þú illt ástand. Ég útlægi þig með þessum heilaga vökva! Þættir Gaia, vinsamlegast komdu fram! Ég kalla þig, vinda vestan hafs, austurland, haf norðursins og anda suðurs! Ég ákalla gyðjuna til að vernda þessar sálir! Og svo skal það vera! " His voice seemed to echo in the small room, the black liquid would began moving itself from the body veins up their throats. Cerci finished giving the liquid and stood beside Gryakil repeating the last few sentences of the chant with his lord, his own hair seeming to lift itself and his eyes seeming to glow as well. The ichor would cause the boss to choke and ultimately vomit once again, the ichor sounding like a screech piercing ears.

Cerci moved as he chanted and poured the liquid he had doused on the heir's body on top of the ichor making it screech and seem to dissolve, he expected Dr. Emerson to copy but walked over to help just in case. Grykail finished his chant, and his appearance, as well as Cerci's, slowly went back to normal. He turned to Dr. Emerson, "Now they are free of the poison that plagued their bodies, what must happen now is they recover. I have aided in their healing with my magic as well as Cerci's but it is going to take a lot for them to heal. If you would tell the butler to inform his majesty that it is done, dawn is approaching and I plan to keep my word."

As the day gave way to night, the King was all but ready to head back to his chambers. However, one last message would make its way through. The Messenger arrived just as he was locking up his study. He spared a glance to the letter, noting the insignia wax from the Elven Empire. He plucked it out of the boy's hands, "Go on, go to bed early." He dismissed the callow boy who scurried out of there. Alistair had grown accustomed to the messengers, always afraid of looking him in the eye even as he told him it was quite alright.

Breaking the wax seal, he read it out in the corridor. A smile graced his tired face. He closed it back up and kept with him as he returned to his chambers. Where his Wife, Calliope, was waiting for him in bed. She was tucked away under the layers of blankets, a book in her hands with a candle lighting beside the four-poster master bed.

The Physician nodded, taking the liquid to soak into a clean handkerchief. He realized that he scrambled to get the Blackburn heir straight away to the Lennox Kingdom after reading his Majesty's letter. In that, he had forgotten vital tools to bring along with him. He rolled up the tunic and started wiping it along the sick male's side; it struck this heir in the side by something foul and dark that took the shape of a wolf.

He spared a glance to the elf that spoke to him, nodding furiously to him, "I-I won't." The elder male said, watching the elf willingly slice open his own skin. Rather than be shocked at the action, he wanted to treat the wound right away. Only stopping himself as the Blackburn heir grab his arm and yank him down to murmur something into his ear. Then, brought back to be given further instruction on what to do. He took the cup, making sure not to spill it as he moved beside his patient. Bringing the liquid to the boy's lips, he forced his jaw open, looking at the Blackburn heir, who started drinking it as he poured it into his mouth.

Dr. Emerson kept his eyes on the Blackburn heir, out of fear and respect to the elves. The language he was hearing with his own ears, he couldn't place it. But he didn't speak, letting his own thoughts occupy his mind while he poured the rest of the liquid down his patient's throat. He put the container aside and watched as the black ichor in the heir's side started moving upwards. Emerson's eyes grew wide. No sound came out as his jaw went slack. By the will of the Elves' procedure, it was forced up to the Blackburn heir's mouth, and he convulsed. Dr. Emerson staggered back, watching as the black plague came out onto his chest. He was too shocked to continue any further with the… He continued backing until he hit the wall. The screeching sounds embedded forever into his ears. Emerson watched as the Elf poured something on his patient and the plague all but dissolved in his own sights.

The Doctor looked to the Elf, speaking to him again. Then, back to his patient who looked better but still worse for wear. Beads of sweat had clung to every surface of the boy's body. Emerson nodded slightly to his words, "T-thank you." He murmured under his breath.

Cerci nodded to his lord and wiped his hands before opening the door and closing it behind him, he looked at the butler and smiled sheepishly. "U-uhm Lord Grykail asked if you would please inform His Majesty that the men are cleansed of this virus. A-as well as something to drink and something soft on the stomach for the patients. P-please." Cerci nodded to the butler and retreated back into the room walking to his lord. He looked at Lord Grykail's hand and took it in his own. "My Lord you are quite careless of yourself when it comes to saving others. Sarya would have your head at the summit if I didn't heal you." Cerci whispered something inaudible as his hair lit up once more. After his whispers ended Cerci moved his hand from his Lord's. Grykail smiled and patted the boy's shoulder as he unwrapped his hand the wound noticeably closed and healing.

"Thank you Cerci." Grykail turned to Dr. Emerson and held his hands behind his back staring down at the man and smiling, "Thank you for your assistance, I am sure you must be quite shaken by what you have seen today. but, I assure you that without your help we would not have been able to save them both. And had you not subdued the poison it may have been much worse." He placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "The men will pull through, I have learned in my many years. Humans have a will we cannot match." Grykail let his hand fall and turned to assist Cerci in putting things away.

When the butler arrived with the drink and softer foods for the patient's Grykail thanked him and turned to the doctor. "When they awake give them these and mix this solution into it beforehand. It will speed up their healing and strengthen them as well." Cerci handed the doctor a small green vial and Gryakil sat the refreshments on the table in place of his bag.

"We will be taking our leave now. But, you may call upon me should you have any questions." Grykail bowed his head to the man grabbing his bag, Cerci followed behind nodding his head as well to the man before they both left the room. They thanked the butler and were led to the front of the caste where their horses were. Grykail and Cerci lifted themselves onto their horses and rode off towards the meeting place of the summit. They had much to discuss with Kolvar before the meeting begun.