Viola burst into the room with Melissa, scaring Sabina for a bit then relaxed upon recognizing them.
"What are you two doing here?"
"We cured the plague." Melissa answered irritably. "No matter how much I heal people, they always keep finding ways to get sick. This whole thing could've been fixed months ago if someone purified the source."
Melissa has dark circles under her eyes, and her complexion is a bit paler than usual. She had suffered quite a lot. Violet on the other hand, seems to be doing well since she woke up. For someone who just got out of a coma, her condition has rarely deteriorated.
Violet remained quiet for a bit then said, "Sabina? Is that you?"
Startled, Sabina pulled the covers closer to her body.
"I knew it. You're not Leon. Your aura and presence are different from his."
"Violet got worried upon not noticing Leon's aura and was curious as to why you don't allow anyone inside your room. She guessed that you are a fake." Melissa answered, "Now why are you pretending to be him? If the King's guard find out that you're a fake and their real prince have gone missing, then they will torture you."
"It was his idea!" she protested, her voice sounds extremely damaged "To protect himself as well as Nate, I had to disguise myself as I have a better chance at surviving."
Melissa observed the wound. "It's barely healing, and it's a fatal wound. What exactly caused this? We were told to return immediately to the Academy since you got hurt."
"The doctors were just as shocked too, but I keep telling them that I'll live and after living this long, they believe me." Sabina answered.
"There is a dark aura surrounding her neck, but Sabina's healing is faster than the aura could spread." Violet says worriedly. "It's a miracle that you could keep up. Otherwise, you would've died."
Sabina sighed, "Well, the others have been missing since the attack. I'm not sure how long I could keep this persona up."
"They're alive." Violet assuredly says. "It's weird but I feel their presence even though they're not here."
Melissa maintained her natural expression of indifference, but her prolonged stare shows her consideration. "You could be right. We just have to hope they'll return safely." She then began healing Sabina but is a bit surprise of the aura's resistance. "This might take a while."
"I'm fine." she groaned as she squirms uncomfortably.
Violet sat by her side and used her power to purify the aura but is also met back with resistance. "Alright, let's see how much you can hold on against us."
*
After giving some thought to the situation, Amy noticed a shadow covering a part of the sun then stared at the fire dogs. The one time that these dogs can use their full power is on an eclipse. She may have vowed not to change the story too much nor be too attached but that doesn't mean she is going to let anything bad happen when she knows that she has the power to. Alabaster, you can't blame me for this.
As if the dogs understood her intention, they all disappeared, and Theseus hasn't noticed them. She wouldn't hang up on him as something could happen.
She continued watching the eclipse. If she can guess, they have about an hour before their ability to teleport is gone. Hopefully those dogs could find them before their enemies do.
Then Theseus stopped and Amy look to see a large figure standing in the way. The figure has a slim, muscular frame, sharp eyes and tanned skin. After getting a closer look, she could see that he is quite young and impressionable. He seems to be like in his late teens but before she could examine him further, Theseus hid the orb, blocking her line of sight.
"Who are you?" Theseus demanded.
"Taos," the figure replied with a thick accent, something that surprised Amy.
That's the barbarian dialect.
"You have the orb. We want it back. I was told that if you agree then you will live." he said in a monotone.
Theseus's reflex was to touch the pocket that held the orb, alerting the figure of where it is.
"Over my dead body." he replied strongly.
"Do you know the tribe where I came from? I am from the Black Bear tribe!"
Black bear tribe... Black bear tribe... Amy repeated in her head then realized the threat, "Give up the orb! You're no match for him if he really is from the Black bear tribe!" Amy shouted fearfully.
"Then just tell me how to beat him then." he whispered, refusing to pull out the orb out of the pocket, frustrating Amy. This is bad. If it is discovered that someone from one of the barbarian tribes is instrumental to assassinating the prince, then the positive relationships and hard work that Alina had built would be set back for at least a couple decades. Those dogs are probably sniffing around the place looking for them. With her lack of knowledge of the other's whereabouts and her inability to do anything, the least she could do is to help Theseus. The Empty Space is a domain she cannot easily enter even with Hecate. Even if she found a way in, she won't find a way out.
"They are all strength and muscle but don't let that fool you into thinking they are easy. They are superhuman and could take down monsters with pure strength alone. Even your ability won't work if you intend to take him down. It will just be extra weight to him. He isn't just strong. His durability, adaptivity and speed are also superhuman. Not even I'm confident that I could beat someone from the Black Bear tribe if I don't intend to erase him first."
"So how do you take him down?"
"Right now, you have to surprise him and if possible, you might have to kill him. Even if you severely injure him or tear off all four limbs, he will always find a way to get back up. They could ignore pain like it is nothing. If you don't intend to kill him then you have to at least break his spirit."
Even though she cannot see him, she could tell that he is shivering. Unlike Amy, who is already quite numb to the experience, is not ignorant of how he must be feeling right now. Theseus has not taken a life before and that is understandable. She is unfortunately powerless to prevent this, but she will do her best with guiding him because if he dies then she will kill everyone who would harm them.
"Are you finished?" Taos interrupted.
"You better be careful Theseus because now you are going up against an adult."
*
Rufus walked around the place as his instincts told him to come here. He was peeved for being forcibly brought into a trap. He walked into a tunnel-like structure when he was met with two large figures.