Estoria takes a final look at Aluxio, her gaze holding a mix of emotions—regret, confusion, and a hint of sadness. As Aluxio slips into unconsciousness, she stands there, blood-stained and weary.
"Take him away from me," Estoria says, turning away from everyone. The command is delivered with a tone that conveys a sense of solitude, as if she needs space to grapple with the aftermath of the intense awakening.
"Everyone, head inside and take care of Aluxio," Ria says, her voice a little shaky with concern.
"No, Mom, I'll stay with Estoria. You go inside with Aluxio; you can heal him," Eston insists, a determined edge in his voice.
"I know you're right, but.. take care. I'll be right back after healing him," Ria reassures, her words carrying a blend of motherly concern and determination. With a parting glance at Estoria and Eston, she heads inside to attend to Aluxio, leaving the two siblings standing together in the rain.
Eston slowly steps towards Estoria. "Estoria, can you hear me? Let's sit down and talk," Eston suggests, attempting to engage in a conversation with his sister amidst the quietness in the air.
"Why are you still here?" Estoria turns her head slightly, not completely, a self-consciousness evident because of her new characteristics. Her words carry a sense of vulnerability, and Eston can sense the complex emotions swirling within her.
Eston takes a seat on the grass. "Come sit with me," Eston invites, patting the ground beside him.
Estoria moves closer and sits down, a little distance away, facing Eston. The raindrops fall gently around them.
"Come closer, it's okay. I'm not scared of you," Eston says with a hint of reassurance, breaking through the tension with a touch of sibling banter.
"Come closer, it's okay. I'm not scared of you," Eston says with a smirk on his face, injecting he's unaffected by her.
"No, I don't want to hurt you too," Estoria mumbles, her mouth hidden in her arms.
"Oh, please, don't think so highly of yourself. I can still defend myself, and I know that you won't hurt your precious little brother," Eston says with a little smile, his arms stretched back with his legs laid straight in the grass.
Estoria shakes her head, her response filled with uncertainty. Eston, sensing her ambiguity, asks, "Are you in any pain now?"
"No, it went away when I was drinking the blood..." Estoria's voice lowers.
"Hmm," Eston thinks for a while before asking, "Do you want to eat? I'm quite hungry right now."
Unable to hold back her hunger, Estoria immediately says, "Yes." The acknowledgment of her hunger adds a practical dimension to their interaction, and Eston, understanding the need for sustenance, nods in response.
"Okay, I'll get you something to eat, but you have to eat with me inside," Eston says as he gets up, shivering a little from his wet clothes.
"What if I hurt someone again?" Estoria thinks aloud, a shadow of uncertainty clouding her thoughts before she gets up too.
"You won't. I'll stop you, trust me," Eston smiles and extends his hand. Estoria takes his hand, and they both get up.
"Achoo!" Eston sneezes.
Estoria apologizes, "Oh, I'm sorry." The rain stops, and the sky begins to clear slowly.
"Wow, did you stop the rain just now?" Eston asks in awe. The sudden clearing of the sky captures Eston's amazement.
"I don't know, I just wanted it to stop, and it did," Estoria admits, a mix of surprise and uncertainty in her voice.
"That's so cool," Eston exclaims, his eyes sparkling with genuine fascination.
"You can probably do it too," Estoria suggests, her thoughts racing as she contemplates the similarities between them.The idea that Eston might possess similar abilities comes to her mind.
"I'm still waiting for my awakening," Eston says, bewildered.
"You haven't experienced your awakening?" Estoria questions, unaware of her own impending revelation.
"No, you beat me to it. We were supposed to have our awakening on our 19th birthday, as Mom said. Estoria, when I get my awakening, can you be with me?" Eston anxiously asks.
"Of course, I'll be with you," Estoria replies, giving a small resplendent smile in adoration of her little brother.
"Oh, you just smiled!" Eston points out.
"No, I didn't," Estoria says shyly.
***
In the guest bedroom,
"Why isn't he waking up?" Tyrion asks, his worry evident as he observes Aluxio still unconscious on the bed.
"I'm doing my best so he'll wake up soon, but the wounds are too deep," Ria says, focused on healing him.
"Aluxio, why did you have to go and hug her like a hero or something?" Tyrion whines, frustrated by Aluxio's impulsive actions driven by love.
"Stop distracting me. I have to focus. He's out of danger now; he should be waking up soon. So, stay quiet until then," Ria says suddenly, her tone becoming more sensitive.
"Okay, I'm sorry," Tyrion pouts, shutting his mouth obediently.
***
"Is it that good?" Eston asks, watching Estoria devour her fifth plate of steak.
"Yeah," Estoria says with enthusiasm, still chewing.
"I'm glad you like it," Eston says, patiently waiting for Estoria to finish, having finished his own meal long ago.
"You should eat more too," Estoria suggests, noticing his empty plate.
"I'm full from eating one, though," Eston replies.
"That's why you're skin and bones," she shakes her head, playfully acting like his grandma.
"I'll try eating more," Eston says, asking the maid for a second plate of steak.
***
"The rain stopped, and it's bright out again," Tyrion says, looking out the window.
"Are they still out there?" Ria asks, concerned.
"I don't see anyone from here," Tyrion says, pressing his face as close to the glass as possible.
"...." Ria.
"Are you done healing Aluxio?" Tyrion turns his attention back to Aluxio.
"Yes, he should wake up fine now," Ria sighs, getting up from the chair, feeling worn out from the intense healing.
A knocking sound interrupts the moment.
Eston enters the room, holding the door open. "Come in, it's okay."
Estoria comes in, her eyes immediately moving to Aluxio in the bed.
"Don't worry, he's fine now. He will wake up soon," Ria assures Estoria.
Estoria nods in response. Eston takes her hand. "Come see him from up close, Estoria," Eston says, sitting her next to Aluxio and stepping away.
Estoria looks at Aluxio with a worried expression. Ria puts a hand on her shoulders, offering comfort.
"I'm sorry, Mom," Estoria looks up at Ria, expressing remorse.
"It's okay; it's also my fault. I should have warned you about it earlier," Ria says, patting her head gently.
"Hey, is it okay for her to be here?" Tyrion whispers in Eston's ear.
"Yes, don't be scared. I'll protect you," Eston smirks.
"Who's scared? I was just asking out of pure concern here," Tyrion blushes, perhaps out of embarrassment.
"Why are you all red in the face?" Eston starts laughing.
"You must be starting a fight right now," Tyrion puts his arm over Eston's neck, jokingly choking him.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop laughing. Let go," Eston struggles, freeing himself from Tyrion's arms.
"An apology is still due," Tyrion insists, refusing to let go.
"Wait, stop, really, I'm being serious. I don't feel good," Eston says, his face getting paler.
"Huh, I wasn't even using any strength," Tyrion stops choking him after seeing his face.
"No, it's not that. Maybe because of the steak, I feel nauseous..." Eston looks even more sick.
Eston suddenly gets dizzy and almost falls to the floor, but Tyrion catches him with his hands under his armpits, as if holding a baby.
"Everyone, can I have your utmost attention here? Eston is acting strange," Tyrion calls out to the others.
Estoria and Ria rush to Eston's side, seeing him unable to even stand on his own.
"Are you okay, Eston? Did I hurt you earlier by chance?" Estoria asks, worried sick, seeing Eston in pain.
"Eston, explain where it hurts. I'll heal you," Ria asks, getting close to him to observe his condition.
"No, Estoria, I just feel weak and nauseous," Eston says, shaking his head.
"Was the second plate of steak too much?" Estoria says, thinking it's her fault.
"Cover yourselves," Eston says in a shaky voice before puking his guts out.
Eston pukes out a rainbow directly onto Tyrion as he's still holding him up.
"Eww," Tyrion, covered in vomit, complains but still holds Eston up.
Estoria and Ria stepped away at the right moment, watching Eston cover Tyrion in his puke without offering any help.
"Wait, doesn't this mean something?" Tyrion exclaims in an excited voice.
"Is it?" Ria gasps.
"Is he pregnant?" Tyrion also gasps.
"How did you even come to that conclusion?" Estoria asks him in disbelief.
"Well, Ria did say he can get pregnant," Tyrion mumbles.
"Mom, what have you been telling him?" Estoria turns to Ria.
"Wait, I think he's just like me," Ria says.
"Pardon?" Tyrion and Estoria question in unison.
The vomit starts glowing, and Eston finally stops the Niagara fall.
"Ugh, my insides are burning," Eston exclaims, still in pain.
"You're having your awakening, ESTON!" Ria shouts happily.
Ria tries to hug Eston but steps back after seeing his clothes also covered in his vomit.
"Wow, Estoria had a whole showdown while awakening, how unfair," Eston says, while Tyrion wipes his mouth with his sleeve.
"Yeah, your awakening is vomiting?" Estoria questions his awakening.
"You have no idea how happy I am that you're just like me. I also vomited when I had my awakening," Ria says, smiling widely.
Tyrion and Estoria wipe off the vomit from Eston.
"Take a seat; you're clean now," Estoria says to Eston.
"What about me? He wasn't even covered in vomit; it was just some splashes, while I'm covered in his glowy vomit," Tyrion complains.
"Go change your clothes. I'm not cleaning that," Estoria says, taking Eston and sitting on the sofa facing the bed.
Ria also takes a seat on the sofa while Tyrion stares at them in disbelief.
"Fine, I'll change; it smells anyway," he says, walking and patting Eston's head on his way out.
"Tyrion!" Eston checks to see if he got vomit on his hair.
"Don't worry, my hand was clean," Tyrion says, walking out the door.
"Are you still nauseous?" Estoria asks Eston, making sure she doesn't get in a mess too
"No, it just burns inside me," Eston says, giving them relief.
"When I had my awakening, I also felt the same. Maybe you're also a dragon of Light!" Ria's golden eyes shine.
"I wanted to be more like Estoria," Eston looks down.
"What kind of dragon am I, Mom?" Estoria asks with excitement.
"I don't know," Ria says with the most serious face. Where did all that excitement go?
"So I'm just about to go on my life without knowing that?" Estoria also looks down.
"No, it's just that I have never seen an awakening quite like yours. In my early life, I studied quite a few awakenings because I was the first dragon of light and the first to awaken by vomiting. But I have never heard of anything that dangerous," Ria tries to explain herself.
"I'm sure you'll find out later, Estoria," Eston comforts her, even though he's the one in pain right now.
"I'm not upset. I'm content with having the same day of awakening as you," Estoria says.
Eston's eyes look like he could start crying at any moment perhaps from the pain. "I'm also happy to be sharing the same day as you Estoria!"