"He's seizing!" cried Daktari. He rushed over and knelt beside Matias. He turned Matias on his side and barked, "Go get help!"

Cal forced herself to run to the hospital. She barrelled through the doors and shrieked, "Help! I need medics! Help!"

Several medics stopped what they were doing. One of them walked over to her.

"Neiti, is everything alright?" she asked.

"My best friend," sobbed Cal. "Help him, please. I love him!"

"Where is he?" asked the woman. Her greying blonde hair was coming loose of its braid, her kind grey eyes searching Cal's.

Cal took a shuddering breath. "He's outside. Please don't let him die!"

The woman looked over her shoulder at the medics. "Well don't just stand there," she barked. "Get out there and bloody help the boy!"

Upon the woman's yelling, medics grabbed supplies and ran outside to Matias and Daktari. Cal strode after them. Her feet touched the cobblestones when the woman grabbed her arm.

"Give them space, neiti," she said soothingly.

Cal ran her hands up and down her arms. Alexis, Dahlia, don't let my lover die, she prayed. Alexis, protect my beloved from death and harm. Dahlia, change my beloved's fate and steer it from death.

Almost as if the goddesses were answering her prayers, Matias's convulsions stopped. The medics unfurled a sheet and rolled him onto it. They picked up the sheet and carried him to the hospital. Cal and the woman followed the medics. They followed them down the rows upon rows of metal-framed beds. They stopped at a bed on the far side that was situated between two windows. The medics set him down and began to undress him. They left Matias in his undershorts and brought over a loose white tunic and matching pants. A medic pulled Cal, Daktari and the woman aside while the other two medics made Matias comfortable.

"In order to treat your friend, I have to know what you diagnosed him with, and his symptoms," she said, her blue eyes darting back and forth between them.

Cal looked away, running her hands up and down her arms again. Daktari spoke for both of them. He told the medic of how he met Cal and Matias, of Matias's initial symptoms. He spoke of the treatments and how Matias kept getting worse and worse.

"He didn't know who Daktari was when we got here," Cal interjected. "He was completely out of it."

Daktari and the medic paled.

"It's not sepsis," the medic breathed.

"Beezlebub root poisoning," murmured Daktari.

Her stomach dropped. Beezlebub root. A deadly poison native to Tenebrarum. It mimicked the symptoms of sepsis, but there was no cure for Beezlebub poisoning.

Her mind spun out of control. "He's going to die. He's going to die! Matias is going to die!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything okay, Cal?" asked Luna.

Cal looked over at Luna, tears in her eyes. "No," she sobbed.

Luna pulled Cal into an embrace. "I'm sure it's going to be okay."

—

Cal didn't leave Matias's side. She held his clammy hand in hers. She would let go and back away when he would have another fit of convulsions. She sat on a stool she dragged over. She laid her head down on the bed, her eyes drooping, but kept holding his hand.

She felt a hand brush against her cheek, fingers playing in her hair. She opened her eyes and saw Matias smiling sadly.

Her brows furrowed. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" she sat bolt upright.

"Relax," he panted, the word winding him severely. " I just... can't... catch... my... breath. Come... up... here."

Cal got up from her stool. Matias shifted over as best as he could in his weakened state. She laid down next to him, her head on the spot between his chest and shoulder. He circled his arms around her and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"Please don't give up," she whimpered, tears falling down her cheeks. "Please, Matt. I can't lose you."

"You... won't... my... little... Light," he wheezed. "You... won't. Luna... is... here."

Cal looked over at Luna. Strands of her hair were pulled away from her face, a fur-lined royal blue and silver cloak was in her arms. Her indigo tunic was buttoned up to the base of her throat, her dark grey woolen pants tucked into black and silver boots.

"You look almost as bad as your lover, Cal," Luna said in greeting.

"Hey! I... look... dashing... per... usual," panted Matias.

"What do you need, Luna?" asked Cal.

"Your father asked your brother and me to bring you back to his flat," answered Luna.

Your father. Your brother. The words stung like salt on an open wound.

She looked up into Matias's glazed over eyes.

"Go," he said. "Sleep. You... need... it... little... Light."

Reluctantly, Cal got up. She put a hand on his feverish cheek. "I mean it. I can't lose you."

She kissed his other cheek and followed Luna outside. They walked down the front steps. Luna clasped on her cloak, walking towards Lucas and the two horses whose reins were in his hands.

"The captain is all yours," she said. "I'll take over watch tonight."

Lucas held out the reins of his horse to Cal. "Get some sleep, Cal."

She nodded her head and took the reins. "I'll try."

Cal mounted Lucas's horse.

"Follow me," said Luna.

Cal followed Luna throughout the streets of Soturi. The clouds turned pink and the shadows grew long as the sun dipped behind the Vardand Fjoll—the intimidating mountain range that served as protection against invading forces. They entered a wealthier district, rows of townhouses and flats lining the streets.

Luna stopped in front of a townhouse with a stable on its side. "Here we are. Your father is on the second floor."

Cal dismounted and led the horse to the stables. She stood at the foot of the stairs and looked back at Luna. "Aren't you coming up?"

Luna shook her head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "He thinks I'm a witch."

"You're not a witch, though."

Luna's gaze drifted up to the second floor window. "He's waiting for you."

Cal pursed her lips. "See you tomorrow, Luna," she said, and made her way up to her father's flat.

—

In the time since Cal left, Matias had another seizure. He couldn't remember the name of the boy who stayed by his side in Cal's stead. He looked a lot like her. He had the same green eyes and fair skin. But his red hair was lighter than Cal's. The boy was replaced by a girl with white hair at sunset.

"I'm going to go get something to eat," she said, picking up the candle.

He watched the girl walk away. He hunkered down under the covers and stared  at the moonlight coming through the windows. A shadow moved in front of him.

The figure was dressed from head to toe in black. They wore a black mask that covered their face and a heavy black cloak with its hood over their head.

"I can cure you," they said, their voice muffled by the mask. Matias could pick up an accent. A Tenebrarum accent. The shadow held up a vial in gloved hands. There was a dark red, almost black liquid inside it. "Sit up if you want it."

Everything inside Matias screamed for him to not do it. But he'd promised Cal that he wouldn't die on her. He propped himself up on his elbows. The shadow pulled the stopper out. They held the vial up to his lips and Matias swallowed the contents.

It tasted vile. Like acid, rotten flesh, and burning coals. He laid back down, his body feeling like he was being burned alive. The shadow made him bite down on a bit of leather. Throughout the rest of the night, Matias endured the flames of Helheim, and fought to contain his screams.