ENCHANTED Book 1: Witch's Dawn

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

MORTAL REALM: TÖRLÊM

"Any changes in the patient Nurse Summers?" Gregory asked as he looked over the man's file briskly.

Irene shook her head as she answered. "No, doctor. All vitals have remained the same as from the time of admission."

"Hmm." He hummed thoughtfully as he studied the lab results. "The strangest thing is these test results. Physically he looks like a man in his mid thirties to early forties, but these test results say that he has the internal system of a twenty year old!"

She looked at the man lying peacefully on the bed. She'd seen many comatose cases in her years of practice, but never one quite like this. He looked so vibrant and healthy as though he'd just fallen asleep a minute ago. Even though he'd been bedridden for more than two months now, he had no bed sores nor any coma related complications. Combined with his test results he was an enigma.

"Maybe he just has good genes?" She joked, making Greg chuckle.

"A helluva set of good genes if you ask me," he replied. "And, whatever it is I want in. I hope he regains consciousness soon." He handed the patient's file over to her and gave the man a final glance.

"Still no info on his identity or relationships?"

"Yeah. I heard the guy had nothing on him when he was found, except a bag of some sort that the cops can't open even now." She didn't tell him that they'd also tried to send it to other locations severally, to get it opened, but had failed every time; because the bag had always somehow ended up returning to the desk of the police officer who had first found it.

"Whoa... Now that's the kind of thing you don't see everyday. I wondered why he was getting the VIP treatment, guess it was because of that." He shrugged slightly and pat her arm. "Anyway I leave him in your capable hands. You're our best nurse for a reason." He winked with a smile and left the room.

The room became quiet carrying only the rhythmic beeps and whirring of the life support machines in the background. Irene walk towards the figure lying on the bed. For some reason her magic resonated with this man anytime she used it on him.

The reason, as Greg had mentioned earlier, she'd been dubbed the best nurse in their hospital - even won some awards - was because she used her magic essence to help her wards recover faster and stronger. Some people even swore they felt better than they had felt before they fell sick.

She'd chosen nursing instead of medicine because, her mother had advised her on the potential dangers of practicing as a doctor: she'd be exposed to too much attention and scrutiny which would spell potential danger for them both.

She touched the face of the sleeping man, an action she'd never done before with her past patients, and released her magic essence as she spoke. "Wake up soon. I have a lot I'd like to ask you."

The figure on the bed stirred and released a small groan, causing her to jump back startled. However, he only released a whisper on a soft sigh and fell silent once more.

The still air in the room seemed to carry the whisper straight to Irene and she stood to the side heart pounding as she found herself thrown into another mystery.

Christi...

MORTAL REALM: POLONIA

"Do we have a destination, my lord?" Jacinth asked as they began to set up camp for the night. "We have been traveling together for a while now but I have not been made privy to any of your plans."

He was silent as he considered her words. He had wondered how long it would take her to ask him about it, and was honestly impressed it took her this long. However, he was conflicted on the matter of how much to share or if he should share at all; because the information he carried with him could put her life in grave danger.

She watched him as he built the fire pit and waited for his answer. His golden eyes seemed to glow in the firelight which caused shadows to caress his blonde hair along with the rest of his body. When she saw the swift and subtle crossing of emotions on his face coupled with his prolonged silence, she knew that she would not be getting the answers she wanted easily. "Am I a burden to you, lord sorcerer? Has my presence put your life in danger? Please tell me," she said.

Enceladus stopped what he was doing and gave her his full attention. "No," he answered simply. "On both counts."

She released a sigh at his words. Even if she'd asked the questions on a whim to prod him for answers, they had been some of her secret fears which she had been trying to suppress the entire time. "Then why...?"

He took a deep breath and released it as a drawn out sigh. He would give her a bit of the information he had, just enough to satisfy her for now without giving too much away. He owed her that much at least, if he expected her to keep following him of her own free will. "I have a mission."

"Oh?" She sat up straight and leaned forward towards him intrigued.

"I received a vision of an event that must not be allowed to come to pass. My mission is to do everything possible to stop it."

Silence followed his words for a few minutes as both parties gathered their thoughts for the conversation that was about to follow.

She broke the silence first. "Will you tell me what this vision was about?" She asked carefully.

He gave her rueful smile. "I cannot."

She huffed in disappointment and sighed. "I suspect, that right now the answer you would provide to most of my questions would be the same?" She tried again, but when she saw him nod firmly she gave up. "Very well then, what can you tell me?"

Enceladus smiled slightly at her surly tone and decided to give her a bit more information. "We are nearing the first step of that mission. The information dealer we need can only be found in a city which appears at specific places at specific periods of time."

Her eyes widened in wonder. "Such a thing exists?"

"Yes," he replied and picked up a stick to prod the fire. "It does. So we need to rest early tonight so we can be up before first light."

Satisfied for the moment, she nodded enthusiastically and set about to prepare the provisions they would need for the night.