The Unblessed

Chapter 10

Iwaizumi's POV
I stood quietly as everyone woke up and we prepared to leave. Atsumu, alongside Sakusa, were at the front of our group. Atsumu was saying something about crossing a plain that no one really ever crosses, and he's unsure why. It made me wary, but there was little I could do. We had someplace we needed to be, and quickly.

When we reached the plain, it didn't seem particularly dangerous. There were actually no creatures roaming around here..? I had heard of this plain when I looked at the maps, and it is the quickest way to our destination. But why would Atsumu say almost no one comes here?

"Hey guys...?" Bokuto said, all of us turning our attention to him. He didn't look well. Akaashi was helping hold him up with a look of worry on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know.." He mumbled before collapsing. I widened my eyes and rushed over, Akaashi already on the ground with him and trying to wake him.

"....Atsumu, where is the nearest village?"

"It's out of the way, but, north of here. A few miles."

"Then we head there until we figure out what's wrong. Oikawa, come help me lift him." I said, Oikawa rushing over. Each of us put one of Bokuto's arms around our shoulders and basically had to drag him the next couple miles. Once we reached the village, we found an inn and laid him to rest. Sakusa watched in silence before approaching Bokuto and quietly lifting the edge of his shirt, looking at his glyph.

"Why is it glowing like that?" Oikawa asked, staying near me.

"How unusual. But I do not have an answer." Sakusa said while staring at the black glyph. Akaashi kept silent as I turned my attention to Oikawa.

"Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"Perhaps there is a healer who does know what is happening. They live closest to that plains where he fell ill." I said, Oikawa nodding and walking with me out of the inn and to search for anyone who may know what is happening.

"...hey Iwaizumi?"

"Yes?"

"Aren't you ever afraid?"

"What do you mean."

"I mean, you're risking your life to save others. Aren't you scared?"

"...Of course I get afraid." I said quietly, Oikawa looking almost genuinely surprised.

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm afraid right now."

"Why?"

"I'm afraid of what will happen to Bokuto if we cannot help him. I'm afraid we may not be able to succeed in our mission. We can't let more people die and suffer because of it." I said, keeping my eyes forward. Oikawa stayed silent for a bit before quickening his pace to stand in front of me. I looked at him with a bit of surprise when he smiled.

"Well, I know we'll be able to help Bokuto. And you guys got me here, so no need to worry." He said in a joking tone. I couldn't help but laugh faintly at him. For whatever reason, it made me feel better.

"Thank you. Now come on, we need to hurry."

Oikawa's POV
Huh, he smiled. Who knew he had it in him?

I quickly followed after him as we asked around about what happened to Bokuto. A few people pointed us in the direction of a white mage who knew a lot about glyphs and illnesses, so we went to go see him. We reached his small home and knocked when a young man opened the door.

"Yes?"

"Are you Sugawara?"

"I am. Did you need something??"

"We need help. A friend of ours has fallen ill suddenly. And, we want to know if you knew what was wrong with him.."

"Where is he?"

"He's at the inn all the way on the other side of the village." I said, Sugawara looking between me and Iwaizumi for a few moments before saying he would come with us. We all stayed pretty silent on the walk back before we heard a really loud explosion noise and people screaming.

"That can't be good." Iwaizumi said as we all ran towards it. When we got to where the noise had come from, we saw that the inn was up in flames and people were running away as fast as they could, including the others.

"What happened!" Iwaizumi shouted, Kuroo huffing and pointing at the inn.

"His glyph started glowing more until, boom! There was a huge flash of light and he woke up. But he started going crazy in there!" Kuroo said while I looked around.

"Where's Akaashi?"

Akaashi's POV
"Bokuto, stop it!" I shouted, my back pressing up against a crumbling wall as my own boyfriend looked at me. He didn't even seem to recognize who I was. His eyes had gone black and black magic was surrounding him. He just stumbled away from me, a trail of fire following him and burning through the inn.

"Akaashi! Where are you!" I heard someone shout. I coughed, beginning to suffocate in here from the smoke. I didn't want to leave him though.. Bokuto is all I have left. I ignored the call and followed after Bokuto, finding him gripping his hair, fighting with himself to stop.

"Bokuto.."

"Stay away from me!" He screamed, both his hands falling from his head and pointing at me. I gasped when a stream of fire flew at me.

"Akaashi, get out of here!" Kenma shouted as he ran in front of me, raising his hands in a shield to deflect the fire. I looked at Bokuto before turning and running out of the building. Kenma soon followed as we rejoined with the rest of the group. I heard Bokuto's cries from inside as the flames got worse.

"We can't leave him there!" I said, Iwaizumi looking at the building quietly. All of us turned our heads when Oikawa shouted.

"And we won't, but it isn't safe here. We need to figure out what's wrong."

"But-"

"If we stay here, all that will happen is we'll die! But we will figure out what is wrong and save him!"

"..."

"Do you guys trust me enough to listen?" Oikawa said, everyone glancing at our leader who gave a small nod of his head.

"Lead the way, Oikawa."