So I've been almost fighting my word limit these past few chapters so what would you guys say if I increase it just a bit more?
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        The first thing Add noticed was that all of the guards were gone and the second thing he noticed was that General Astrin was heading towards Chung who had his back turned to him. Chung was sitting on the middle of the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and face hidden in his arms. Soft crying could be heard coming from the boy which was another reason Chung probably didn't notice Astrin sneaking up on him. The general stopped in his tracks when Add appeared and Chung looked up to meet Add's eyes.

        In that instant, Astrin disappeared in a slight shimmer of light, likely one of his abilities as a mage. "What do you want? Did my father send you to try and become my friend and make me come back to dinner?" Chung asked with a bit of hostility in his voice, completely oblivious to Astrin's former presence. "No, actually. I came here on my own because I wanted to help you...unless you want me to leave you alone here. Where are the guards anyway? Shouldn't they be out here?" Add said as he looked around to make sure Astrin didn't come back.

        He didn't know what the general wanted with Chung but it couldn't have been anything good. "I told them all to leave. The king gives me and my father certain levels of authority that I sometimes abuse," Chung muttered as he stood up. "Hey, where are you going? I'm not done talking to you," Add said in annoyance as Chung walked away. "Whatever it is you have to say, I don't want to hear it. I don't want your pity. You're supposedly a criminal anyway so you would care less than all of the other people who already don't care," Chung said as he continued to walk away.

        "Then I guess you've proven me right. You're a useless, sickly, pathetic little brat that doesn't deserve the king's attention and will never come close to living up to your father's legacy," Add said. Chung immediately turned around to face him, a look of shock and heartbreak on his face. He even seemed to be about to cry upon hearing those words. "Well, that's what you wanted me to say right? That's what everyone else pretty much says isn't it? I'm sure you're pitied and looked down on all of the time aren't you. Listen, I'm not here to do that. I think I understand whatever it is that your feeling in a way. Why don't we head somewhere and talk," Add said with the intent to actually help Chung but to also have an excuse to be away from the king.

        "But why? Why do you care when everyone else doesn't? You don't even know me," Chung said, more tears forming at the edges of his eyes. "I guess you could say that I care but I happen to hate dysfunctional family relationships. Your father is doing what he think is the best for you and it isn't really working for you, now is it? I could tell you that I get what your going through but that wouldn't exactly be the truth. You're going to need to tell someone your thoughts or else they'll consume you from the inside out," Add said as he stepped onto his dynamos and floated toward Chung.

        The boy blinked a couple of times before beginning to speak. "We don't have to go anywhere. I don't want my father to trouble you if I take you too far plus the guards are all gone. I sort of yelled at them a bit," Chung said as he sat back down on the floor. "Well then. There's a start. You have anger problems but you respect your father so much that you prefer to keep it bottled up inside you. Go ahead. Elaborate a bit. I want to know everything you think about everyone," Add said as he sat on his dynamos just above the floor. He didn't want any dust or dirt to touch his newly washed clothes.

        "Well...you already know that I'm sick and all. You apparently also know that everyone treats me so differently because of it. All of those looks of pity, they really bother me. And they're always thinking, 'that poor child is never going to get any better. He'll always be left in his father's shadow'...either that or they tell me how useless I am. I never tell my father because I don't want him to worry but it's not like they're wrong. I really do suck. I wish I could be better, stronger, healthier even but no matter what they do to help me, it never works. Even Hamel's Fountain of Healing could do nothing for me," Chung started off.

        "And you're just going to accept that? Have you tried anything to keep their words from getting to you?" Add asked. "It's not that simple. I have no one other than my father and even he treats me as if I'll break if the smallest of winds blow my way. I want to be able to go outside like all of the others. I want to train to eventually become a guardian of Hamel just as my father is. I want to be normal. It's not fair. Everyone is always treating me like there's nothing else that can be done. They think there's no hope for me and even my own father tries to get others to like me. I'm forced to interact with people who look down on me. I hate it. I really really hate it all. I just wish I could end it...if it could just end..." Chung was saying as he begun to cry.

         Add almost panicked since he had now made Chung cry and hoped that Helputt did not walk out at the wrong time. The door to the dining room opened too and Add almost had a heart attack but it was just Ara who seemed all too glad to have escaped the room. She let out a sigh of relief and spotted Add and Chung but her eyes widened in shock at te scene before her. "Add what did you do?!" she saud as she walked over to them.

         "Nothing! I was just telling Chung that he can't give up but then you showed up and he's still well...handling things," Add said in his defense. Chung was now sobbing which made Ara raise an eyebrow with obvious doubt in Add's statement. "I want to be healed. I just want a normal life! Why was I born like this?!" Chung continued but then he suddenly stopped crying and he froze. Add and Ara looked at him in confusion until he collapsed.

        "It's happening again," he whimpered as he struggled to get himself up but he began to cough quite violently which sent him into panic. Add had already started to pick the boy up and Ara helped him get Chung onto his back. "We need to get him to his father!" Ara said. "No...the fountain. It's the only way...to stop this," Chung said weakly. He was heated to the touch and seemed to be close to fainting already. "Which way is it?" Add asked.

        "I know how to get there. The king just told me not long ago. I'll lead you there!" Ara said, already heading off. Add followed after her just as the doors were opened by Helputt. "Chung! Add, what do you think you're doing?!" Helputt said with rage. No time to stay and explain. Chung was obviously dying and Add was going to save him. His dynamos propelled him forward after Ara who, although did not have her hairpin, ran faster than even above average people. His dynamos were able to keep up with her speed and they left Helputt a good distance behind them in almost no time.

         He still followed after them but he wouldn't get his hands on them even if he tried. Chung began to whimper in pain and he tightened his weak hold around Add's neck. Add didn't exactly mind but if that kept up, Chung might end up choking him. Ara led them around corners and swerved around people, almost getting to the Fountain of Healing but suddenly stopped. They were so close to the door that led outside to the fountain but of course Astrin was blocking the exit.

         "I gave you two a job. Leave the child and get back to it," he said. Add wasn't leaving Chung in Astrin's care and he definitely wasn't going to let Chung die. "Astrin...I order you...to move," Chung said weakly as he tried to keep his hold around Add's neck. His arms were starting to fall down and now just hung over Add's shoulders. "Helputt is on his way behind us. Unless you want to face his wrath, I suggest you move," Ara growled.

          "Helputt won't get here before I kill his son," Astrin said and wave his hand across the air, making some sort of symbol. Chung suddenly cried out in pain and he pushed Add away from him, falling to the floor and tightly pressed his hand over his heart. It was then that Add realized something about Chung. He might have been sick, but some of that sickness was given to him by Astrin. Ara was about run forward and attack him but he pulled her hairpin from his pocket and pretended like he was about to snap it in half which stopped her in her tracks.
  
         "Do as I said. I'll handle Chung," Astrin said. Just then, Helputt's voice could be heard as he called Chung's name. Astrin muttered a curse and was about to do something with his hand again but Add wasn't going to allow it. He brought his dynamos to him and sent an electrically charged ball of energy right into Astrin that knocked him aside causing him to drop Ara's hairpin. Ara didn't hesitate to take it and Add didn't hesitate to pick Chung up again who was crying once more.

        Ara punched Astrin before he could get up just to make sure he'd stay down, then she opened the door for Add. They made their way across the stone pathway that led to the fountain and if they weren't in a hurry and trying to save Chung's life, they would have been able to admire its beauty. It seemed more like a hot spring than a fountain. A few guards tried to stop them, thinking they were a threat but Ara quickly took care of them, darting from one guard to another and easily knocking them out with one strike.

        Add just went strait to the waters and as soon as he made it to the water's edge, he stepped off of his dynamos and right into the water. He dumped Chung into the water and hoped it would do something, anything to make whatever was happening to him stop. Chung began to calm down almost immediately and his breathing returned to normal. He relaxed a bit and leaned onto Add's shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered.

         Add didn't reply and he also felt the affects of the healing waters. His mind was for some reason put at rest and he was unable to think any bad or stressing thoughts. All he could think about were things that made him happy, Ara being one of them. Helputt had gotten there by then and Add handed Chung over to him. Helputt seemed like he'd crush the boy in his hug but Chung seemed to be fine and Helputt let him go. "Are you alright? What happened?" Helputt asked as he ran his hand through his son's hair and examined him to make sure he was okay.

         "We were having a talk but then he got sick or something so we brought him here. Astrin stopped us right before we got outside and tried to kill him," Add said. Helputt looked at Add with wrath in his eyes that wasn't necessarily directed towards him but still made him uncomfortable. "I'll kill that man. I don't care what the consequences are," Helputt growled. "That's not all. He's planed to have us poison the king and threatened us if we didn't do it. We need to get back to the king now before it's too late," Add said. Since Ara had her hairpin, Astrin couldn't do anything to harm them now.

        "You two go ahead. I need to get Chung to safety. I'll be there with my cannon to help you two out. I give you permission to eliminate any threats," Helputt said as he lifted Chung up to carry him away. Add looked to Ara who nodded at him and they both made their way back to the dining area where the king likely still was hoping that they weren't too late. Astrin was gone from his spot on the ground and they were going to find him.
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I was thinking of changing it from 1300-2300 to 1500-2500. Is that a bit too much? I think that's good right? Until next time you spectacular readers!