"Are you sure about this, Orion?" Nova asked, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me to a corner of the room with Comet still in his arms.
"Why not?" I asked, tilting my head to the side, slightly amused.
"Well, don't you think that this might be a little bit taxing for you? You … you feel responsible for them, don't you?" He frowned at me as I quickly turned my eyes from him.
"No," I said, not able to meet his gaze. "Well, it is not every day that I have this kind of ability. I am supposed to help the people anyway, so why not just help them now?"
"Maybe because you are the type to work until your entire body stops working and you literally collapse from exhaustion." He said, raising his eyebrow at me as I attempted to appease him.
"Well, what you have done in my situation?" I asked, fixing the cloth properly over the lower part of my face, worried it might fall off.
"I …" He paused for a second, expression turning surprised before frowning again. "You cannot turn this question on me. We are talking about you here."
"And I am telling you to tell me what to do if you were in my place," I asked again, smiling under the cloth. I could not help it, it is not every day that I feel capable enough to be able to argue against Nova.
It must be because of the goddess's blessing. If that is the case, I would like this blessing to remain forever. Oh well, one can only dream.
"Fine," Nova said, snapping me out of my trance. "You can stay here."
"Thank you, Nov-"
"But I will remain here with you too." He said, looking at me with an expression of finality. I do not have any right to protest, I see.
"What about Comet?" I asked, pointing to the boy asleep in his arms. "You do not intend to carry him with you everywhere you go, do you?"
"You may leave him here, with us." The Priest I was talking to previously said, walking to us with a bright smile on his face. "He has just been cured of a powerful curse, so we want to observe him for a while."
"I see," Nova said, grinning slyly at me before smiling innocently at them. "Then, I will be leaving him in your care."
Great. Just perfect.
"Please lay him here." He indicated to the empty bed as Nova carefully laid Comet on it, putting something in the boy's pocket before coming back to me.
I could not help but be amused at Nova. No matter how aloof he is, he genuinely cares for both me and Comet. He will also do anything to keep us both out of harm.
Though it may not seem like it, he is a very capable person to listen to. The things his mind comes up with his nothing short of brilliant.
If he was not a Beta, he would have been part of the higher-ranking officials. That I do not doubt. But he did say that he would rather die than have to work under someone like the king so … I don't know about that now.
"What? You are just staring at nothing and smiling like an idiot." Nova grabbed my nose pulling at it as I came back to the present world.
"That was uncalled for," I complained, rubbing my sore nose under the cloth. "Besides, I saw you slipping a protective charm on Comet."
Clearing his throat, Nova turned from me and walked to the Priests, "So, where do we start? How is this usually done?"
"Please come this way." One of the Priests said, smiling at him and then at me.
Well, I can't say that I do not enjoy Nova's company sometimes. Though, he is not a night owl so … let's see how long he will survive for.
_________________________________
3:25 a.m. the next morning.
"Thank you so much! You truly are a saint!" An old man said, shaking my hand before walking away with a younger man and woman.
I stared at the large group of people still in front of me and yawned, leaning against the gate's walls, rubbing my tired eyes.
"Are you alright, Orion?" The Priest that I talked to with the man that cut off his arm asked. His name is Sol.
"Oh, Sol. You are still here." I mumbled, not entirely in my clearest mind at the moment. I am not as tired as I thought I would be, but I am sleepy.
"I have never left your side." He said, smiling brightly at me. "Though you do look tired. I do think you should rest up."
"I am fine," I said, yawning under the cloth. Fortunately, they are not going to be able to see my indignant self as well without it. "Perhaps I can help cure more."
"I really do think it is enough for today." Sol insisted, looking behind me in amusement. "Even your friend needs a proper place to rest up."
I looked behind me and there sat Nova, asleep against the walls of the entrance into this place I consider home. He refused to leave my side as I went around healing those so close to death first, even as he started to doze off while standing.
I finally took my place at the front gates and all he had to do was lean on a wall to fall asleep immediately.
"Poor thing. He must really be tired." I said, walking to Nova as I brushed the hair out from his face. "Could I ask you to bring him inside, Sol? I will be right here."
"Like I said before, I am not leaving your side until you decide to rest." The man stubbornly said, standing his ground. "I will be here with you until the sun comes over the horizon if it needs be."
"You are impossibly stubborn, aren't you?" I asked, feeling a little grateful that he is so keen on staying beside me.
"Well, it takes one to know one." He answered, winking at me. "So, are we resting, or are we continuing on this ridiculous game of stubbornness."
Sighing, I could not hold out against this man anymore. I am sleepy too and it is in the wee hours of the morning. Fortunately, the people in front of me are not as many as they were when I started the healing process.
"Alright. Let's rest for now." I said, stretching as Sol immediately made the announcement to the people in front of me.
Fortunately, some are nice enough to understand that I am tired so they left without too many complaints.
There are a couple of buildings around the area where we are able to give bedding for most of the people who remain or did not have a home to go back to.
"The work you all do here is incredible, to say the least," I said as I walked back with Sol, Nova sleeping soundly on my back.
I had to turn into a wolf and carry him, I did not think I would be able to walk back in my human form with Nova to carry. I offered Sol to climb on my back but he refused strongly.
'How could I ride on you? When you are this tired?' He asked as just walked with me while the remainder of the Priests that were still around guided the people to the rooms they can stay in.
"I am honoured you think so," Sol said, a sad look coming on his face. "We try what we can. Though, on most of the days, we are unable to give bedding to everyone that comes to us, there is just not enough space. Sending them back is really one of the hardest parts of this job."
Looking at the distraught man, I turned back to the pathway in front of me, falling silent.
It really is. Maybe I can try to bring this up with the King. I hope I can talk to him before he leaves.
___________________________
"Hello." The man whose hand came back greeted us as I placed Nova on a bed they prepared for him on the ground. There are no more beds available, much to the dismay of Sol and the Head Priest Elio, but that was alright.
We do not mind sleeping on the ground. It is nothing too tedious for us. I reassured them.
"Hello, Mr. Goio," I said, tucking Nova in and then checking on Comet who was still in deep sleep, thankfully. "How is your arm, no pain?"
"No, it is like a miracle." He said, beaming at me. "You know, I came here today with just one goal in mind."
"And that is?"
"To meet the Dancer."
"The Dancer? Why?" I asked, confused as I stood at the end of his bed.
"Because I felt like I might be able to feel the goodness of the goddess if I met him." He sighed contentedly as he made eye contact with me, eyes twinkling. "It appears as though I was right."
I only stared at the man blankly for a second before walking over to the bed prepared for me. Hand over the injury on my mouth as I clenched my jaw in slight annoyance.
Just sleep it off, Orion and don't think too much about it.