Today Aron was leaving the infirmary. In his stay he had seen others like Esmerelda. Others who had a core of magic, but he only ever saw it in the priests. They had this bright white core. Aron had thought that the color changes depending on the magical attribute.
In his three days of being hospitalised his wife had not visited. This hurt Aron, for he loves her. He had sacrificed so much for her, and she couldn't deign to visit. The nurses had confirmed that they had sendt her a letter.
Aron was now standing outside Saint Henry's infirmary feeling the evening sun on his face. He had been given some commoner's clothes, that they could spare. Aron could perceive people walking towards their destination in the forms of shadowy figures. They did not acknowledge him. Not knowing who he is or was, and not understanding what he had done for them.
'They should be praising me! They should be rewarding me for my holy deeds!' Aron thought. But even If he wanted to tell the world of his deeds, he could not. Shortly after meeting Esmerelda he had again been approached by priest Jacob who wanted to remind him of the consequences his wife and him would experience if he were to speak of his time as a holy knight.
He even went into vivid details about what would happen to Aron's wife. This lit a pyre in Aron, but he dared not act in anger, since priest Jacob was the bearer of the brightest core he had seen. They all still saw him as blind not knowing the truth.
His vison had improved over the days. He could now see longer distances during the day and could almost see like before during the night. Aron knew not what had happened to him, but he did not want people to know about this, so he kept pretending. He was even given a temporary helper to guide him home. At the prospect of this Aron felt some nervousness nipping on his insides. He feared what his wife would think of him now. He was prepared for her to leave him.
The guide holding his left arm spoke.
"So, were to?"
"Could you take me to the Smiling Hog? I live a few minutes from there."
"Of course, sir." He responded and started walking.
The area in which his wife and him resided was a humble abode. It was not of the richest nor the poorest, but rather in between. They had no children and were wed two years ago. Aron remembers her. Her wavy black hair and fearless eyes. He remembers how her smile would make each day brighter and more hopeful. For a long time, she had been his reason for living.
After an uneventful walk they made it to the Smiling Hog.
"Were he-"
"I know" Aron interrupted.
He had seen the shadowy form of the building and new immediately that it was the Smiling Hog where he had spent many of his days drinking with friends.
"Oh" the chaperone said in surprise.
"How did you know?"
Aron answered with some honesty.
"The smell. The smell here never changes and is quite distinguishable" Aron said lightly.
"Ah. I'm sorry for prying sir."
"It's alright you did no harm."
"So were to now?" The chaperone asked.
"Leave me here, I shall meet with a friend first."
"Are you sure sir?"
"Just leave me be…" Aron said with sadness in his eyes.
The chaperone understood.
"As you wish sir. May the Holy Father's blessings be upon you."
"And you" Aron replied.
When the chaperone left the vicinity Aron started going the other way. He in fact had no friend that he could visit. He just wanted to get rid of his chaperone. Now Aron could make his Way home without someone questioning his every move.
It was a five minutes' walk and then he was there, in front of the door to his house. He had been away for quite some time, but nevertheless he still remembers. The house was not big, but it had two floors and had a wide triangle shaped rooftop. The walls was a dirty beige and seemed like nothing special.
Aron lifted his closed hand and knocked twice on the door.
He then heard slow footsteps approaching. He wanted to see her so bad that he couldn't wait. He needed to see her now!
'I cannot control this feeling. I'm desperate to see you, hear you, and feel your warmth.'
Just then Aron felt a searing pain in his eyes, like the night of the demon attack. He held his hands over his eyes and rubbed them, to relive himself of the pain but it did not help. Suddenly the pain stopped. When he removed his hands, he was ones again surprised. He was seeing not only the facade of the house but the interior as well. The outer walls were now a more transparent fog of shadow making him able to see inside. And inside he saw her. Her figure, standing Infront of the door reaching for the handle. Aron then noticed something that could not be. She was the bearer of a core.
The door opens.
And she looks at him in what seems like an eternal silence. Then Aron speaks.
"I-I'm home", he stuttered a little. He was still wary of her not coming to visit.
Tears of joy began to roll down her cheeks and she sprung towards him hugging him tightly.
'She smells like flowers…' Aron thought.
All his doubts about her faded away. It was like they were never there.
Aron hugged her back tightly not wanting to let go and, in their embrace, he found solace for the first time in a long time.
'How could I have ever left her? My life, my heart, my reason' Aron was overwhelmed with emotions and tears trickled down his cheeks. He did not care. He did not want to control something so powerful, so good. He let it flourish.
They embraced each other a while in silence.
Then she untangled herself from Aron's arms and looked him in the eyes.
'How beautiful' Aron thought. Her core was oozing a dark purple color. He had never known that she possessed magic.
'Does she know?' Aron pondered.
Her beautiful voice spoke.
"D-darling I missed you so much. Please come in and let us talk. You must be starving; I will warm up some broth."
"I missed you too. And a bowl of your broth sounds delicious."
At the word delicious Aron got a flashback of that night, of Matheus violating the virgin. He forced the thoughts away and walked inside.
Inside nothing much had changed. It was like last time. It was clean and all was in order.
All Aron could look at though was his wife. He could not see her as well as before. He could not see the color of her eyes, her tanned skin or beautiful dark hair. All he could see was a shadowy figure with a purple core.
'Unregistered use of magic is a violation of imperial law. I hope she is unaware of the power coursing through her.' Aron did not want to lose his wife after so long apart.
According to imperial law one who practices magic must have a permit to do so. A permit can be acquired by requesting it from your local townhall. Failure in following the requirements will lead to lawful imprisonment and potential execution.
After about three minutes of silence under the sound of bubbling broth, it was done. She placed a bowl Infront of him and put a spoon to the left of the bowl.
"I hope it is to your liking Aron" she said sincerely
"Of course, Katarina. Anything you make is worthy of the heavens."
At this she blushed slightly
While eating his broth Aron was admired from across the table. Katarina was looking at him with a smile of fondness and love. He did not mind.
"You have changed Aron" she states.
"Well, I have been away some time" Aron says with an easy smile.
"No, I mean your eyes", she say with a light chuckle.
"H-how so?" Aron says uneasily.
'Could she know? Would it be bad if she did?'
"Their color" she says halting his thoughts.
"They were always this bright green, but now they seem almost black. It's really interesting. Your veins are also taking on a darker hue."
"I see", is all Aron could respond with. He could not tell her for her safety, but he could not lie to her either.
Seeing the worry on her husbands face Katarina quickly asked.
"Are you okay Aron?", she said worry lacing her words.
"I am. I was just wondering something. Katarina, have you ever seen magic?"
"Magic? Bahaha! That's a little absurd don't you think?" She says with a teasing look.
'Her voice was beautiful and her laughter even more so, but the last part had some cunning to it. Almost as if she was leading me on.'
'She seemed so different when she said that.'
"How come you asked me that Aron?"
"Oh, there is no particular reason", he says looking down to his feet.
"Aron why don't you go rest? I assume that you have had a long day." She says smiling.
"Why don't you go to bed and then I will clean up here."
'I still have so much to talk about, but I am quite tired.'
"Alright darling, I hope to see you again tomorrow." He says with a tired smile.
"If the Father allows it", she says with a smile.
Aron just nods in reply.
He then proceeds into the bedroom and falls on the bed, falling asleep immediately.
Katarina cleans the kitchen and then goes to Aron. He still has his boots on, so she takes them off for him. She puts them by the bed. Katarina then stands there, looking at Aron with such an intense glare, that it would make even the high priest shudder in fear.
Slowly dark power envelops her, ready to do her bidding, but then it dies down immediately.
"I could never harm you Aron" she whispers to herself.
"But how did you know? Nobody knows."
Katarina walked back in the kitchen and evoked her magic.
With the air sparking with dark energy, she chanted.
"Rogo matrem obscuram revelare omnia quae abscondita sunt!"
Darkness bursts from her body revealing all things hidden. And before her appears a set of stairs going downwards. Katarina smirks at this. She loves the feeling of power. She goes down to the depths, to continue her experiment. Darkness follows her wake and when she I down, the stairs disappears, like they were never there to begin with.
Aron stands from his hiding place, legs quivering in fear. He had awoken the moment Katarina activated her magic. It made his eyes burn and it took everything for him to stay calm and not cry out.
Aron stood there in disbelief.
He had just seen the whole room enveloped in a bright purple color reminding him of Katarina's core.
He then quietly said, his voice trembling from fear.
"Who are you Katarina?"