The Mark of Aether

The Prophecy~Part II

Like a hand from hell, fear gripped my heart as I saw a pallid Mayra on the floor. Crust had formed in her eyes, her body looking on the threshold of death. I cried out, alerting the boys to come.

Settling her head on my lap, I brushed away her blond strands, keeping her face clear. As I did so, I noticed a few scratches on her left arm and three wounds down her neck, as though bitten.

Leon placed two fingers on the base of her neck, checking for her pulse. Nothing signaled that she was still alive, but the look on Leon's face didn't confirm anything

''Poison is coursing in her blood.'' His words certified my worst fears at the moment.

''Can't you heal her?''

"The snake was a herum, Celestia. Its poison is from the strongest in Ardoria; our healing abilities can give her time, but it won't save her,'' explained Carter, his voice crestfallen. A gloomy ghost shadowed his eyes, his face unreadable. In his bronze orbs, the smallest flicker of pain and worry appeared, escaping from the mask he hid behind.

"Can't I do anything?'' I turned to Leon who was trying to heal her as much as he could. Only he would understand my point.

''The poison has still not fully damaged her, it just allayed her nervous system. But the amount needed to fully heal her is astronomical, and your condition is not helping you at the moment.''

I knew that my condition was limiting me, but I couldn't sit down and watch her die. I was one of the most powerful beings that walked on these grounds, what kind of powers were the ones that couldn't even help your dying friend?

I refused to give up so easily. I grabbed Mayra's cold hands in my trembling ones, inhaled a deep breath, and sent her waves of my energy. My powers were drained to the deepest point, but I kept pushing. Like how the talking voice once taught me, I let the powers from the nature come to me. Instead of forcing the strength into her body, I engulfed her with the power of Eziar, allowing the magic to immediately seep into her cold physique. If ever, the fact that her vision focused and her breathing ever so subtly straightened made me breathe a bit easier.

My body started trembling, my fingertips going numb and my head throbbing painfully. Carter grabbed me by my shoulders, pulling me away from her. ''You will hurt yourself if you continue.''

''Her condition ameliorated, but she still doesn't have enough strength to help herself,'' stated Leon, examining her again. Tears pooled in my eyes. She got better, but it wasn't enough to permanently snatch her from the grip of death.

''I believe that a healing potion will temporarily help her, at least until we find something else.''

''Really?'' I asked, hopeful. Maybe there was still a chance. Leon nodded and Carter stood from his kneeling position, prepared to do it.

''Which one?''

''Ablaseum and a bunch of healing shrubs should do it; we don't really have much ingredients.'' Carter nodded before his figure disappeared from my eyesight, looking for the herbs. Leon passed me Mayra before leaving to land him a hand.
Ablaseum was a powerful, magical herb, mostly used to heal extremely damaged warriors in a battles. Rare as it was, we couldn't identify it from other herbs unless we were in night, when its unique grey flickered with pink flowers bloomed.

I was brushing Mayra's soft hair away from her face when another earthquake interrupted me. Both the shadow and the Arelesian lord rushed to stand in front of us, weapons in hand, waiting for another attack.

But it never happened.

Instead, the reptile's dead body erupted in dark smoke, thickening the air. Whatever the smoke touched, it died. Alarmed, Leon pulled Mayra in his arms while Carter helped me on my feet as we ran.