Lost in the depths of darkness, I could hear faint voices echoing in my mind.
"She's alright. She just needs some rest." One said in a reaffirming tone.
"I'll stay here and keep an eye on her; go and gather a small search party for the others. I'm concerned about what's happening outside-" Another, more familiar voice spoke with concern, abruptly stopping before finishing.
A cool sensation brushed against my forehead as I drifted in and out of consciousness.
Drifting aimlessly in a flightless void, a presence made itself known, sending tremors in the dark as a loud gut-wrenching roar startled me and jolted me awake.
Startled, I sat up and found myself in a completely different setting from what I last remembered. I was lying in my bedroom, a towel on my head that had fallen off as I rose.
"Ow!" I exclaimed, feeling a sharp pain and throbbing in my neck.
"Take it easy, child. Try not to move too much," a voice called out from a chair beside my bed.
I turned to see a young elf around my age with greenish-blonde hair and bright, vibrant blueish-yellow eyes. She wore a wrinkled and dusty white tunic. Engrossed in a book, she glanced up at me and offered a warm smile.
"Merlin. It's been a while. Do I have you to thank for putting me in bed?"
"No," she replied, giving a straightforward answer without further explanation. I knew that she only did this when something was amiss. Merlin's expression was complex, causing a wave of unease to wash over me.
"Explain what happened then. Please tell me! Is Leon okay?"
"Calm down, my child; I will tell you everything." Merlin sighed long, contemplating what she was about to say.
After giving herself a moment, she began recounting the events after I was brought home. With each passing second, my mind went into disarray, jumbled into a mess thanks to what I had been told.
I sat there on my bed, replaying her words repeatedly in my head, unsure of how much time had passed. That monster defeated Leon, Arnold, and Mason? Leon was in a coma?
Anger surged through me as I gripped the blanket covering my legs, feeling utterly helpless. When they needed me the most, I couldn't do anything to help them. Emotions overwhelmed me, and I cried like a child, unable to contain the turmoil inside.
'Why was I so worthless?'
It was always the same; I was too weak to protect those I cared about. Despite being the same colored core as them, they were the ones who had to protect me.
Merlin sat silently beside me, patiently waiting for me to calm down.
"I'm sorry, I feel so helpless. It's always like this, and it infuriates me."
"I understand how you feel. But even if you stayed, you wouldn't have been able to do anything. If those three couldn't do anything together, how could you? Instead, focus on the fact that you saved the life of the child you brought with you."
That's right, I brought the child with me. It was a relief to hear that the child was okay.
A glimmer of hope appeared as I thought about becoming a mother. I had always longed to have children, and knowing I would soon have one brought me joy.
"You're right. I saved that little one's life, and I can show them the beauty of this world. I also have faith that Leon will come back to me. Can I see him, please?"
"Yes, but be careful as-" I attempted to leave the bed, only to stumble and fall onto the floor.
My legs refused to move as I wanted them to. In fact, I couldn't even feel them.
"Careful child, your body is asleep due to the exposure to native mana entering it abruptly and violently. I've taken steps to restore your body to normal, but it will take time. Lean on me as we walk to his room."
"Sorry for troubling you like this, Merlin. Your time could be spent doing something more productive."
"Bah! This is not a problem, child! You would do the same for me if our roles were reversed, and this is quite productive as I can move my old bones around so that they don't rot."
Merlin guided me in an upright position, her slender arm draped around my right shoulder. My feet dragged on the floor as we left my house and turned to the left to walk to the hospital.
As we approached the hospital, it appeared more conventional than the unique houses we had lived in. The rocky cavern walls seamlessly transitioned into the white concrete walls of the hospital.
We reached the entrance, where a nurse kindly opened the large glass double doors adorned with silver metal-colored handles.
She was already aware of our visit and assisted Merlin in carrying me.
Inside the hospital, everything was pristine, devoid of any dirt or dust. We maneuvered through the corridors, passing by nurses and doctors, until we finally arrived at room number 117.
"I can take her from here, thank you," Merlin said to the nurse and opened the door for me.
As I entered the room, Arnold and Mason were already there, sitting in the chairs by the bed, welcoming us with smiles.
"Good to see you again, princess. Your knight in shining armor is resting right now."
Arnold offered me a chair to sit in while Merlin assisted me in getting settled. Taking a seat, I direct my gaze toward the hospital bed before me.
Lying there, unconscious and dressed in a hospital gown, was Leon. His pale body remained motionless as we all observed him. For some reason, it took me a moment to gather the courage to trust look at him and sense the energy emanating from him.
Feeling uneasy, I voiced my question, " What am I sensing from him?"
Merlin gestured to Arnold, signaling him to do something. Slowly and delicately, he got up and turned Leon over.
"Leon has been afflicted by something that has only been spoken of in legends. It is a symbol of fear that has left its mark on human history for countless years. It has been given many names but one has been passed down through generations. It is known as the Mark Of Death." As if on cue, Arnold pulled up Leon's shirt, revealing a large tattoo-like design etched onto his back.
It was the very same face that had startled me awake not too long ago. The face resembled a monstrous version of a lion, with dark fur and an imposing presence.
"Abaddon is considered a deity who watches over the battlefield. Some even pray to him for victory. However, he is not a benevolent being. He observes every battle, searching for those worthy enough to face him in combat."
"Leon is one of the few individuals in history who has been chosen to fight Abaddon. What's even more troubling is that all of them have been marked with this symbol. They are now destined to face him once again. Those who have received this mark have vanished from history. No one knows what has become of them."
A week has gone by.
Leon remains asleep in his hospital bed. Mason and Arnold faithfully visit him daily, quietly sitting by his side and observing him.
While I spend most of my day with the baby, I check on Leon at least once an hour.
In his slumber, Leon mumbles, lets out painful screams, and tosses and turns. It's as if inexplicable nightmares haunt him. My heart aches to witness his torment, and I find solace in holding his hands until he calms down.
My duty was to ensure that the room maintained a comfortable temperature, neither hot nor cold. Whenever I had the chance, I would gently wipe away the beads of sweat that formed on his forehead.
Considering all he had done for us, these small gestures were the least I could do for him.
Arnold diligently provided reports on the current state of affairs in the hideout, but we were all aware that nothing could be accomplished until Leon regained consciousness.
Despite this, many people from our community came to pay their respects and visit, holding onto the hope that Leon would return to us and lead us again.
As I spent my days by his side, I realized how much we relied on his guidance and leadership. Leon meticulously organized guard shifts, assigned responsibilities to each individual, and ensured that reports were sent to those higher up.
He was not only our leader but also our protector in times of danger. And now, as he suffered, it was our turn to be there for him, to care for him when he was unable to care for himself.
All I could do was offer my prayers to the gods, hoping that they would bring him back to us. Little did I know that my prayers would be answered with a dark twist.
As I lay in bed, still lost in the depths of sleep, I was abruptly awakened by a series of loud knocks at the front door. The sound grew increasingly louder with each passing second, jolting me from my slumber.
Irritated by the disturbance, I grumbled, "Stop knocking! I'll be there in a moment!"
Reluctantly, I made my way towards the door, stumbling over objects in my groggy state.
Opening the door, I was met with the sight of Arnold, whose expression immediately snapped me out of my drowsiness.
Without allowing him to speak, I stormed off towards the hospital. It wasn't until I stood in front of the room, surrounded by bustling nurses and doctors, that I realized I had unknowingly entered the hospital.
Determined to have some privacy, I forcefully cleared the room, slamming the doors shut behind everyone.
The hallway was noisy as those thrown out were talking amongst themselves. Yet they didn't matter; the one who did was in front of me, still in his hospital bed.
"Hey Elaine-" I cut him off, engulfing him in a tight bear hug, squeezing him with all my might.
I couldn't help but notice that he was drenched in sweat and trembling, which was quite concerning.
"Are you okay, Leon? You are shaking and covered in sweat. Do you want me to call the doctors back in?"
He glanced up at me, his eyes sparkling with that familiar twinkle that always reassured me.
"I'm fine, just-" A voice spoke up over Leon, cutting him off.
"Don't lie, young man!" Merlin appeared at the doorway, her presence catching is both off guard.
"When did you get in here?"
"Just now."
Merlin walked over and gave Leon a stern look.
"You are most definitely not okay, boy; your body is having an unknown source invade it, giving your nerves abnormal amounts of stress, causing you to have miniature seizures. The best thing for you to do is rest while oi mana and the spell I have cast on him naturally push out Abaddon's invasive mana."
I turned to Leon and saw him advert his eyes away from me.
"If that's true, then don't even think of leaving this hospital bed until you are back to normal. Understand me?" Leon's lips moved a bit before he saw the look in my eyes and gave in."Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Arnold, since Leon cannot get out of bed, you will be helping him compile the information needed to be sent to the higher-ups. Got that?" Arnold nodded before leaving.
"I'm fine, trust me-"
"NO, YOU ARE NOT!" Both Merlin and I shouted. We both looked at each other before laughing lightly.
"Come on, I can't stay cooped up in this bed. What happens if we have more unexpected visitors?"
"Arnold and Mason can handle it for now. You need your rest so that you can reclaim your post. I will continue caring for you until you are back at 100%." Leon put his hands up in the air to signal his surrender.
"Fine, you win."
"Let Leon get better before bringing the infant here before you even ask. We don't know what effects the child will have when exposed to the violent mana from Leon."
From that day on, I stayed in Leon's hospital room 24/7, ensuring he was cared for and being his maid. I helped him eat, brush his teeth, go to the bathroom, help him shower, and do various other things.
With each passing day, the color of his body slowly returned to normal.
Leon gave Arnold updates on his health, which he relayed to the higher-ups. They didn't give orders other than for us to be on guard as Leon recovered. Thankfully, my father was a good person and cared for his subjects.
A week after I started caring for Leon, he was deemed safe enough to walk around again. Leon had to do physical therapy since the nerves in his legs were damaged, or he was asleep and needed to be healed or awakened once more.
Wait. That shouldn't be the case. Why did it take me so long to realize something wasn't right?
"Leon, why isn't Ifrit healing your body or at least helping your body heal faster?" We were slowly walking when I asked the question.
Leon leaned against the hospital wall while I wrapped my arm around him to help him walk. He looked up at me with a worried look in his eyes.
"I'm not sure. The connection between us was once a massive well from which I could pull his powers, but now it is as small as a piece of paper. I can barely feel his presence and can't pull anywhere near the same powers or abilities from him."
"Must be this invasive mana messing up my connection to mana and Ifrit." Leon lifted his left hand and materialized flames the size of a grain of sand, which flickered before going out.
"I hate feeling like this. I feel so helpless."
A week after Leon was allowed to walk, he was somewhat ok with walking alone. He would be fine until he stumbles on nothing and falls to the floor. Leon would mumble to himself whenever he fell over.
I would usually be in his place, feeling helpless as other people had to care for me. Now, I cared for him, which was a nice change. It made me smile weirdly as Leon raised one of his eyebrows and sweated while trying to walk.
"Funny thought popped up in your head?" I shook my head. I must have shown my thoughts on my face.
"It's just nice for a change of things occasionally." This answer confused him because he studied me briefly before brushing it off and continuing to walk.
Only recently did I start feeling like this, being the princess everyone had to protect.
However, the events that unfolded almost a month ago triggered the thoughts I pushed back to the far parts of my mind. They reminded me how useless I was when danger presented itself as a mage, making my existence a joke.
This would make up for all the times I couldn't help. I would put all my sweat and tears into taking care of him.
Little by little, as his therapy continued, he slowly gained the ability to utilize mana again, and a week after that happened, he was deemed cured and could go home. He was stuck in the hospital for three weeks, and now he was released.
Merlin cared for the infant after I decided to stay at the hospital all the time. She said she didn't mind because it would be better than reading books in her room.
We made our way out of the hospital and walked home. The first thing we would do is something we thought long and hard about while I helped Leon throughout his physical therapy, which was what we would name the child we brought home.
Leon had come up with a name after we went back and forth, not sharing it with me until we had gotten home. That made me nervous, but I trusted him not to say a terrible name.
The light of the Glowstone shone brightly throughout the cavern, causing both of us to shield our eyes.
Nearly a month had passed since we last saw this light, which closely resembled sunlight. Leon released a soft sigh as he withdrew his hand from covering mine and turned his gaze towards me.
"Let's go home, Elaine."
A child-like smile emerged as he reached out his hand toward me. This hand, which had remained still two weeks prior, was now offered to me. I took hold of it and went to the residence I had called home for the last few years.
Was it an ideal home? No. Certainly not, far from it. Nevertheless, it was where my beloved resided, and that was enough for me.
I had one more person to care for who would stay there. A child who wasn't from my blood would act as if it had it all along. Even if we did move away from this place tomorrow, wherever we went together would be called "home."
The baby boy would be my son, a small bundle of sunshine who would make all my pain disappear with a single look. My son would be called...