C O R R U P T I O N

CHAPTER 20

ELIZABETH STROKED JIMS HAIR AS HE FINALLY SLEPT SOUNDLY ON HER LAP, a saddened look on her face as she saw his face contorted in fear. It pained her to know that he was so afraid of himself to even touch her, she had never seen him so distraught in her years of knowing him. It took her hours to calm him before he had actually managed to rest.

After managing to pull him out of his state, his shoulders were slumped and eyes as wide as can be as they darted around the place. She wrapped her arms around him hoping to give him some sense of him feeling safe but all he did was clasp his hands together trying to keep himself away from her as much as he could.

She took him to Arpina's med bay but luckily he wasn't injured and merely shaken up. As she tried to comfort him he would keep her at an arm's length away making sure she was not close enough for him to hurt her. It felt as though the knife in her heart twisted with every moment she saw his paranoia grow.

"Jim look at me, please..." she asked her voice cracking ever so lightly, his gaze was kept on the ground as he clenched onto the edge of the bed, breathing heavily, quiet whines coming from him as his lips quivered "that wasn't you, i know you didn't mean to do what you did, please... let me help you"

Slowly, he looked up at her with a look of absolute terror and disbelief visible in his eyes, he tried to search for any bit of fear in her purple eyes but all he saw was her sadness. He felt himself breakdown as his body trembled "I could've killed you..."

She was quick to wrap her arms around him comfortingly, the action startled him as he froze "don't you say that, i know you Jim, you would never hurt anyone close to you" she felt a wave of relief wash over her as she felt him relax in her embrace and finally feel comfortable enough to no longer be so tense "you're not the monster you think you are..."

He flinched frightened by the word, and hesitantly yet carefully wrapped his arms around her. As he did he immediately longed to hold her, he held her tightly and nuzzled into her shoulder "I don't want to lose you again"

Her eyes softened sadly and she pulled away placing a gentle kiss on his forehead gently rubbing his cheeks "that'll never happen" chuckling lightly she joked "no promises..."

Sighing, she gently placed his head on the pillow before tucking him in and leaving, she needed a breath of fresh air after everything that had just happened. Breathing out she went outside only to be met by Callista and Arpina waiting outside "how's the kid doing?" callista asked in concern.

Pushing her hair back she said "the corruption is worsening, but he'll be fine"

"Did your friends find a cure yet?" Arpina questioned "i did all I could to find something in my books but there's nothing"

Smiling weakly she placed a hand on Arpina's shoulder "thanks Arpina, but we're still searching" a thought came to her mind which made her frown because as much as she wanted to go with that thought she pushed it so far back into her mind she didn't wish to consider it "I need fresh air right now, please look after him until I get back I won't be long"

"Take as long as you need, blondie" Callista said comfortingly, trying to lighten up her mood.

Walking away she walked out into the woods near Dwoza sitting on a log, she huffed slightly as she frowned staring at the grassy ground. Leaning her face onto her hands she spent the next hours thinking to herself, knowing that there was a low possibilty of her resting at all.

Lingering in her own thoughts she almost felt relieved at the fact that she could finally ponder, not caring too much about the time that passed. Wondering about ways to go home and how to save Jim, more than likely that without her sword her powers would have been nerfed greatly as there was no source to help project it. She trusted Douxie with finding a way back home, but knew the chances of him or anyone else being able to help heal Jims corruption was unlikely, the only person she knew could heal him was a person she knew would never help heal him. The spirit of darkness offered her a deal, which she foolishly refused and hated herself for saying no to her. If she had said yes Jim wouldn't have been as broken as he already was.