PEOPLE COME and go inside the Medical Hall. Elise volunteered but when Gustavious saw her state, he kept her out.

'It's my fault...' She reprimanded herself as she stared into space. Indeed, no one had to be blamed for this accident but after learning Aricson's wounds, she could not desist from it.

If she did not come here in the first place, none of this would have happened. Elise glanced around and the siblings were complete but all had terrible expressions and sporting a bandage on each of their bodies.

It was the same as she had read. They had magical abilities and even had a long life but they were not free from harm. Her mind went back to those terrifying lacerations on Aricson's.

"Everyone already left for the mainland." She heard Orin inform Brennan before the two went to a corner.

Since Aricson was still treated inside and with all the siblings distracted after learning what happened, Orin became the person in charge and he had to leave right after he relayed what he had to.

The placid atmosphere continued before a ball of fire floated towards their direction and a voice resonated. "We just have confirmed that Aya had already been dead a month ago, Lord Brennan."

It vanished after it delivered the message loud and clear, making all of them ruminate.

"So she must've been the mole we're looking for. Only Elise's maidservants were not changed when all the servants were fired back then," Brennan clarified.

Elise's face contorted, having no idea that all servants were fired some time ago. But then, the information squirmed her insides. That indicated once again that it was her mistake.

"I wonder who's so brazen to attack the isle?" Dryann huffed on her side.

"Actually, the corpses found were similar to Eldest Brother's investigation," Erkhan said. "They were all Mundrans with no elemental flow."

"What? That's not possible," Faylinn commented.

"Yet it is and those bodies are evidence. This case is currently being investigated by the Association and there were some notions around Abyss Faction. If we are correct, that means they are also the ones who attacked our isle," Brennan explained.

Elise was warped with guilt at the mention of those perpetrators. She was not sure about their conclusion but she could confirm those people were after her. After all, she was declared the Harbinger.

"Hold on. Abyss Faction? Is it them again?!" Almost all of them jolted from Faylinn's raised voice.

"First, our parents and Ivorynn and now even Eldest brother!" she added, her scarlet irises gleaming with fury.

"What do you mean, Faylinn?" Erkhan interrupted.

"Ask, Elder Brother," she said and gestured to Brennan.

All eyes turned on him. He just let out a sigh like how Aricson used to do when he had to surrender.

"It was just suspicions, Faylinn. We had no evidence yet and besides we don't know where they are."

"Then why are they hell-bent on us, Brother?" It was Gavirien who spoke out.

"Well, isn't that the question we've all been wanting answers for?" Brennan returned the question with undisguised derision.

The siblings carried on with their banter but Elise did not have any ounce of energy to join them. She understood that even surgeries from the latest technology could go by hours and even if there was magic here, it may not be able to speed up the process but standing there was like the clock ticking a hundred times slower.

She was dying to go inside and check on him. However, Gustavious did have a point about not letting her in. When personal judgment was involved in treatment, it could greatly affect the process.

'But still...'

"A-are y-you alright, Elise?" Hadrien's question disrupted her and the spotlight went to her.

She quickly plastered a smile. "Yes, of course."

"Oh, you must be tired, then?" Faylinn inquired.

"It's better to rest in your bed chamber first," Caian followed.

"Why don't I escort you back?"

"Didn't you break your ankle, Erkhan?" Brennan pointed out.

"Then I'll do it. I'm the least injured anyway," Gavirien said with a beaming smile.

Elise was not even able to insert herself when all of them talked one after the other. Her heart, which should be warmed from their concern, only became colder with contrition.

"No. It's okay. I'll wait here," she said.

"Just listen. You're in much worse condition than us despite the lack of wounds. You even look like you're going to faint at any moment. How can a Half-breed Fairy be so frail like you?" Dryann complained but she willfully refused.

"I want to wait with you."

She would not even sleep a wink if she did not hear he was stable. Recalling those wounds, she inwardly quivered and prayed for the best.

A TOTAL of six excruciating hours passed before Aricson stabilized. Elise and the siblings immediately went inside to check on him.

His pallid complexion contrasted his crimson strands as he lay peacefully. Elise's heart twitched the more she gazed at him.

"For now, he's under observation. His wounds contained poison but presumably, he can wake up tomorrow. If not, let's prepare for the worst," Gustavious said.

"What poison was it?" Brennan queried.

"It's from garsha leaves and it stagnates the flow of blood making the healing process longer than usual."

"I see but isn't that a rare plant only existing in Nerov?"

"Yes, but it can also be bred anywhere as long as you have the requirements so it doesn't mean that this is done by the demons if that's what you're implying..."Gustavious proceeded with his explanation as he answered the siblings' inquiries.

Despite what she thought, there were still more things she had not learned in this world. Even if she tried to help earlier, she would be useless.

She had no idea what a garsha plant was no matter how many times she racked her brains and after that fading accident, she did not want to make the same mistake. It was only thanks to her prior knowledge of traditional healing that she was able to go this far. Nonetheless, her medical foundation may not be enough in the long run. She had to have more in-depth information to be studied.

"...Let's leave him for now. My assistants will take care of him at the mome—"

"I'll do it!" she proffered before Gustavious could even finish.

"After all the ruckus, everyone here must be exhausted and I recommend you to all rest. It's better to let my assistants do their job," Gutavious said and with such a tone, they had to agree.

The siblings immediately dispersed and Elise also went back to her room. She followed behind Hadrien and Caian while the rest of the siblings headed to the upper floors where their bedrooms were.

"Goodnight, Elise, goodnight, Elder Brother," Hadrien greeted before shutting his door.

They accessed the nearest stairs near the Medical Hall and Hadrien's room was just directly above and she was left alone with Caian who she did not know very well.

From what she could surmise the last time they met, he was pretty easygoing like most of the siblings were. If not for Aricson's sternness and Dryann's imperiousness, she would never have thought of their family as nobles. They exuded that dignified stance but their attitudes were actually pleasant.

"Where is your room, Elise? Oh, would you mind if I call you that? My siblings do address you casually and it'll be weird if I don't. You can call me Caian too." He had a soft curl on his lips which was heavily contrasted by his deep cadence.

"Sure, it's up to you. Mine is still far ahead. It's two rooms away from the terrace."

"Alright."

The two of them walked further along the corridor and she did not expect any more conversation until Caian spoke again.

"I heard you have helped my siblings a lot."

"It's nothing much," she replied.

"You are even a Contributor of the Medical City, correct?"

She could only nod and not understand why he was suddenly asking her that.

"You also helped during Luke's fading. That just proves you have a great talent in healing."

The bitter memory was suddenly called back and her voice lowered as she spoke. "I was not able to help him, he still died."

"Nevertheless, Exel said it was a miracle that you were able to change the effects of the fading then... Can you also stop a fairy from becoming a Valkrie?"

"Excuse me?"

"I have a friend... She's showing symptoms of a Valkrie and—"

"Wait, I don't even know what you're talking about. What's a Valkrie?" she interrupted.

"Oh? Why don't you know about it? You're a part fairy..." The sudden pause made him contemplate as his gaze fixed on her. "In any case, Valkries are fairies who became plagued by Ravids. They lose control and eventually die if they cannot be cleansed. My friend is a banished fairy so she will not be able to be cleansed by the Reginas and I'm hoping you have any solution on how to prevent it."

The long explanation and unfamiliar terms made her silent. She had read about Reginas before when she was scrolling some history books but as it did not stand out, she did not remember much. Only that they were known as the royalties of the fairies. As for the rest, she had no inkling. Though from what she could speculate, he was simply asking for her assistance.

And that's where the problem came from. She could not even deal with a human properly, how much more if it was a different race that should only be seen between pages of fantasy?

"I apologize but I have to refuse. I don't think I'm capable of helping you," she stated.

"It's alright. I'm just trying my luck. Fortunately, you'll forget this embarrassing rejection tomorrow."

Her lips tilted from his comment. "Well, aren't embarrassing memories hard to forget? Though, I don't think this is embarrassing."

"Nah, you don't understand," came his vague reply before venturing to a more leisurely topic until they arrived in her bedroom and separated ways.

IT WAS an image overlooking the sky split in half. One was shown with great brilliance of a silver stage with nothing but blinding flashes of light while the other side was pitch dark.

Elise's head ached just staring at two spaces simultaneously that she switched her gaze to the ground but there was no such thing.

She was floating above the wisp of smoke and clouds drifting inches below her. The soft breeze stroked her skin with gentle comfort, carrying the scent of the spring. It was rare to have such stimulating dreams. So stimulating that Elise had begun doubting.

"Just what on earth is happening again?"

"Child."

The eerie tenor always creeping up her ears had gradually become familiar. She was no expert in identifying a voice but the approach was similar to the ghost who had troubled her a few days ago.

However, his words had become eligible and he even spoke to her with clear words earlier which had helped her greatly.

"I finally meet you, child. I told that girl but she always forgets," he spoke mere inches from her again. 

Her brows furrowed. It was like having a random stranger blowing their breath on someone's ears.

"Can you stop doing that?" She turned but there was no one.

"What, child?" he said but she could still not see him.

'Dang it! Is he really a ghost?!'  Was the ghost so different in this world that they could follow her dreams?

"Who are you and what are you?" she pressed with emphasis as she struggled to stop her shaking fingers.

"Ease your worry, child."

The voice finally drifted away and took the form of a golden sphere, identical to an orb.

"I am Aevum, the Primal Entity of Time. I have been wanting to talk to you ever since you came here but I cannot find you. It was only these past few days that I found your presence. Despite that, I can't still reach you and I have no other way but to send Amaranth to you."

It took a full second before his words sunk and her mouth gaped. "Oh my go—You're god?!"

"Yes. I am the—"

"Why did you even send me here in the first place? What is a Harbinger and why are they calling me one? What is going on?!"

Questions after question came out of her lips, her pitch raising higher with each word. Those were the things she could not comprehend the most.

"Let me finish, child. For your first question, yes, you can. Secondly, I did not send you here. Thirdly, the Harbinger is the key to starting the prophecy."

Her arms crossed. "What prophecy?"

"From what I recall, it is titled in Elith as 'The Return of Destruction'."

"Why would they even want to make the destruction return?" Her brow shot up, not apprehending why they would seek such a thing.

"No creatures are made perfect, child. In evil, there is goodness, and in goodness, there is evil and even the gods surrender to this principle. Just like how people wish for peace, some want to end this world and there is no better solution than to revive the Origin of Destruction. You are not the only Harbinger that had been sent here and all lost their life but even then, those who wanted destruction never succeeded for there was a missing factor for a complete Harbinger."

The further he explained, the more her mind spun but she kept her silence.

"But you are one. You have the Eight Ray Shield as a symbol of his blood and you were brought here by the Blade of Purity. Regardless of that, you are unlike the other Harbingers. You may go back since you're not supposed to be here."

"What do you mean?" She was glad to hear his answer but what Amaranth said remained in her head. She obviously insinuated that she belonged to this world and a teeny tiny stupid part of her welcomed that idea.

"The destined Harbinger was meant to arrive later than you did but the creatures beneath evolved at a terrifying speed, causing the shift in the fates of all beings in Elith... With that said, I have a query for you. Do you still wish to return to your world?"

It was a question that months ago, she would agree within a heartbeat but now, there were traces of hesitation. Yet, Elise understood what he meant, he was not giving her the option to return. 'Because I must.'

It was clear that people around her would be harmed the longer she stayed here. Whoever said fate was cruel was telling the truth. It let people experience these things only to take them back again. Soon, all her time here would only be memories that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

She swallowed the heavy lump blocking her throat. "When can I return?"

"Follow the Overseer's prophecy and you'll be back with your family. That is all I have to say now and you have to go back. We cannot waste any more minutes or your buddy will suffer extreme fatigue when waking up."

"Are you saying this is just a dream? If so, will I forget everything?"

"No. Now that you activated the bracelet, it helps you regain your consciousness in this realm unless you're forgetful as Amaranth but I don't think you are. But most of all, you have to keep our meeting a secret. No one should know that you can talk to me in your dreams."

"Wait, but weren't you able to talk to me earlier? And why am I the only one that can hear you?"

"That is only because we were forming a contract and it's your blood that allows you to hear me while other people don't."

"But what about days ago? Though I was not able to understand you at that time, you are the same person who is talking ineligibly, right? And also, you said you are the god of time then do you know the man who stopped the time back then?"

"You have drunk Vermeil Wine and they are soaked with god's ore. They are stones that accumulated the essence of spirits which allowed me to find you. However, it is very weak that you weren't able to hear me properly. For your other question, I cannot tell you that much, child."

"Okay, I understand." She did not persist anymore as she had already gained sufficient information.

"In that case, I'll send you back but before that, I'll have to remind you again. You are favored by your god. A sword to pierce the impurities of my world, a shield to protect your blood, and a gift no creature can refuse. Blade of Purity and Eight Ray Shield. Call their names and you'll be protected. May the blessing of your god reach here, dear child."

And with that, everything resumed dreamless slumber.

༻❁༺

U n S c e n e s

Q: How was it to meet a god?

Elise: Oh my go--- Wait, can I even say 'oh my god' in front of a god?