Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 31|The Final Battle P2

Henry and his team ran into the cave, armed and ready, but Cedric was gaping, petrified. This was the first time in a long time he'd felt his gut tighten, as if to cage in something from escaping. But the primal feeling squeezed through his gut, left his throat dry and him speechless.

Fear.

When was the last time he felt this?
When Henry encountered the Ephaphix?

No.

Shock and anxiety peeked their devilish heads at that time.

When Fallon almost got blasted with the black beam?

Not that either.

The sheer indomitable will to protect him at all costs exploded within, pushing his body forward.

When was the last time he was this petrified? His brain automatically brought up where the familiar feeling came from.

Eighteen years ago, when he fought Erasmus and died. He was sure of it. At that time, he had no choice but to move, but the fear zipping through his body forever left a mark of the event within him.

More than being afraid of dying in battle, trepidation choked and closed in on him, for if he didn't win, his baby brother would be... he couldn't even think it.

When he thought he killed Erasmus, Cedric was at least happy his brother was safe. But this teenager standing before him, claiming to be that guy, was like the heavens echoing 'God is not real'. It was unbelievable.

"Cedric, what's wrong?" Ezra said.

"It's him."

"Who's him?" Fallon asked.

"It's me." Erasmus said.

"Who's he?" Henry asked.

"Erasmus." Cedric replied.

"The one and only." Erasmus said.

"Okay, can you guys stop rhyming and explain what's going on?" Miyu cut them off.

"Erasmus is the one that killed me... and I thought I killed him, but..." He looked him in the eyes, fear still bubbling. "How are you alive?"

"Simple really." He pointed outside and everyone looked. "Embellus Drizallum, also called The Agee Bush. Gent, Bristine, a certain someone and myself have been eating those ratchet leaves for years. Truth be told, I did almost die in that room, but Gent and Bristine saved me. Before the war, I kidnaped someone precious to them and blackmailed them to help me. In exchange for his safety, they did my bidding all these years. That night, they stitched up my neck, fed me the leaves of the agee bush and brought me to this cave. They have a special power. I'm sure you know about it."

Cedric widened his eyes. Of course he knew about it. "Age stopper magic."

"Precisely. Those leaves can stop my growth, but did you know if you use it right, they can also heal?"

Erasmus pulled his black turtleneck to expose his nape. "It's like the scar never existed."

"No! That doesn't explain how you've changed so much! Your skin was darker, your eyes had a maroon shine to it and your hair... it was black and curly, now it's-"

"Well, magic comes with a price does it not? The agee bush might stop me from aging, but it slowly made me allergic to sunlight and changed my skin colour. I'm also slowly dying. If I stop taking those leaves for even a day... I'll wither away as the hours tick by. My eyes might be hazel now, but that doesn't mean I see better than before, and as for my beautiful curls, I just didn't care for my hair as the years passed. It got frizzy and the agee bush changed its colour from black to brown."