The morning light filtered softly through the sanctuary's rune-etched walls, casting gentle patterns onto the chamber floor. Kaelith was the first to awaken, her movements deliberate as she rose and stretched. She glanced toward the fountain, where Lira sat cross-legged, meditating. The priestess's focus never faltered, even as Kaelith approached.
"Have you rested at all?" Kaelith asked quietly, her voice carrying a faint edge of concern.
Lira opened her eyes slowly and turned to Kaelith. "Not really. I couldn't shake the feeling something's wrong."
Kaelith folded her arms. "Your instincts may be sharper than you know. The corruption moves too deliberately—it's planning something. We don't have much time."
"Speaking of instincts…" Lira's gaze drifted toward Hikaru, who lay sprawled across a bench in a casual pose, his arms behind his head and a faint smirk still lingering on his face even in sleep. "How does he do it? After everything we went through yesterday, he acts like it's all some grand adventure."
Kaelith raised an eyebrow. "He thrives on chaos. It's both his strength and his weakness. But if we're to rely on him, he needs to know when to control it."
Lira nodded, standing. "We should wake him. There's a lot to discuss before we move forward."
Kaelith strode toward Hikaru's resting form. "Hikaru," she called firmly.
He didn't stir.
"Hikaru," she repeated, louder this time.
Still no response. Kaelith's brow furrowed, and she reached out to shake his shoulder. His body felt warmer than usual, almost feverish. His breathing was steady but shallow, and his usually vibrant aura seemed muted.
"What's wrong?" Lira asked, noticing the change in Kaelith's demeanor.
"He's not waking up." Kaelith crouched beside him, pressing two fingers to his neck to check his pulse. It was faint but regular.
"What do you mean he's not waking up?" Lira's voice rose in alarm as she rushed to his side.
Kaelith stood abruptly, her movements sharp with tension. "His temperature is higher than normal, and his energy is—how do I put this?—dormant."
"That doesn't make sense," Lira said, kneeling beside Hikaru and touching his forehead. "He was fine yesterday. He's always fine."
"Not anymore," Kaelith replied. Her gaze moved toward the fountain. "The sanctuary should be protecting him. Something is interfering with its magic."
Lira hesitated, fear flickering across her face. "Do you think it's the corruption?"
Kaelith's lips pressed into a tight line. "It's possible. He's made himself a target, flaunting his abilities so recklessly. The corruption could have found a way to slip through his defenses."
"Then we have to do something!" Lira's voice shook as she grabbed Hikaru's hand. "He always pulls through for us—it's our turn to help him!"
Kaelith nodded. "Calm yourself. I need to assess the situation properly. If this is a magical attack, there may be a remedy within the sanctuary's archive."
Kaelith moved toward the shelves of ancient tomes and artifacts, pulling books from the rows with practiced precision. Meanwhile, Lira leaned closer to Hikaru, her voice trembling.
"You're not allowed to go silent on us, you hear me? You're supposed to be invincible." Her grip on his hand tightened as she whispered. "You always say you'll handle everything. You can't break that promise."
Hikaru's face remained slack, his breathing unchanged.
"Please…" Lira's eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Stop panicking." Kaelith's voice was sharp but not unkind. "Hikaru wouldn't give up so easily. He's more arrogant than that."
Lira took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes. "Then what's happening to him? Can we reverse it?"
Kaelith flipped through a thick, rune-covered tome, her movements growing more impatient. "If this is corruption-induced, there may be a ritual to isolate and purge the affliction. But it will require a connection—something strong enough to draw his consciousness back."
"A connection?" Lira frowned. "Like a magical link?"
"Or an emotional bond," Kaelith said, glancing up. "You seem… invested in him. Your voice might reach where magic can't."
Lira's cheeks flushed, but she didn't deny the implication. "If that's what it takes, I'll do it."
Kaelith nodded. "Good. While you try to reach him, I'll prepare a contingency spell. If the corruption's grip is deep, brute force might be our only option to sever it."
Lira turned her attention back to Hikaru, her hands trembling slightly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Hikaru," she began softly. "You're probably enjoying some ridiculous dream right now, aren't you? Something crazy, like fighting space dragons or building a harem in some other world." Her lips quirked into a faint smile, despite the tears brimming in her eyes.
"You'd probably make some dumb joke about me crying over you, too. But I don't care. I need you to wake up. Kaelith and I can't do this without you."
She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I can't do this without you."
The sanctuary's soft hum seemed to intensify for a moment, as though the space itself were reacting to her plea.
"Hikaru," she continued, pressing her forehead against his. "You're the strongest, most frustrating person I've ever met. But if you don't wake up, I'll never forgive you."
The silence dragged on, broken only by the faint sound of Kaelith flipping pages.
Then, a flicker of movement. Hikaru's fingers twitched.
Lira gasped, pulling back. "Kaelith! He moved!"
Kaelith snapped the book shut and turned sharply. "What did you say?"
"I saw it—his hand, it moved!" Lira's voice was alight with hope.
Kaelith strode over quickly, kneeling beside Hikaru. She placed a hand on his chest, her eyes narrowing. "His energy is stirring. Whatever you're doing, keep going."
Lira nodded, returning her focus to Hikaru. "That's it, isn't it? You're just being stubborn, making me worry on purpose. Typical Hikaru." She smiled faintly, tears falling freely now.
"I'll keep yelling if I have to. I'll drag you back, even if it means—"
Suddenly, Hikaru's eyes shot open, glowing faintly with golden light. He gasped sharply, his chest heaving as though he'd been underwater for hours.
"—even if it means…" Lira trailed off, her breath hitching.
"…Having to yell this loud?" Hikaru finished for her, his voice hoarse but laced with its usual humor. "Geez, Lira. You trying to blow out my eardrums?"
Lira froze for a heartbeat before letting out a strangled laugh and flinging her arms around him. "Idiot!"
Hikaru winced but managed a weak grin. "Hey, careful. I just came back from the edge of death. Or at least, I think I did. Felt weird."
Kaelith stepped forward, her expression as calm as ever, though there was a flicker of relief in her glowing eyes. "What happened, Hikaru? Can you remember anything?"
Hikaru leaned back, supporting himself on his elbows as he gathered his thoughts. "It was… dark. Not 'evil lair' dark, more like… a void. No sound, no light, no nothing. Kinda boring, honestly."
Lira tightened her hold on his arm. "You're not allowed to go there again."
Hikaru's smirk softened. "Noted. Thanks for pulling me back, by the way."
Kaelith studied him intently. "The corruption made its move while we were vulnerable. This was no accident. Whatever targeted you knows your power and fears it. We must tread carefully from here on."
Hikaru sat up fully, groaning slightly. "Sounds like we pissed off the big bad. Good. Means we're making progress."
"You're insufferable," Kaelith said, though there was a faint upward curve to her lips.
Lira laughed through her tears, shaking her head. "Never change, Hikaru."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he said with a wink.
As the sanctuary's protective hum enveloped them once more, the three shared a moment of tentative peace, knowing it wouldn't last—but cherishing it all the same.