𝔖𝔬, ℑ 𝔊𝔬𝔱 ℜ𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔡

ℑ𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔲𝔡𝔢

𝔄𝔩𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔞 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔗𝔥𝔢 ℭ𝔢𝔩𝔱𝔦𝔠 𝔗𝔯𝔢𝔢
~※~

The moon was high in the sky, and the ship's flames had already gone cold. Ulric's night had gone as normal. And yet, no matter how hard he tried to sleep, some dark power was trying to infiltrate his mind.

Kalaunan, napabangon nalamang ito. Sumasakit na naman ang mga mata niya.

"Ugh—" agad niyang tinakpan ang bibig niya. He grit his teeth after seeing blood.

Tired and weak, his blurry eyes immediately searched for Seref.

"Se..ref..." his hand extended to her. But immediately halted after realizing what he was doing.

He didn't want Seref to know how ill he was. He does not want anyone to find out. He'd rather not inform anyone about what he's been through. He refuses to be pitied. He doesn't want them to be concerned. Kung mamamatay siya, ayaw niyang malaman nila.

He always carries the burden himself than share it with others.

The Captain knows about his sickness, but she doesn't know the severity of his pain. He was acting fine all along.

Nanlaki kaagad ang mga mata niya nang naramdaman niya ang pagdaloy ng kakaibang enerhiya sa mga kamay niya. Some strange letters seeping in black fog began to light up and creep like centipedes over his hands...to his arm...and to his neck.

"Shit," he cursed.

He floated mid-air as to not cause any noise that might wake up his sister. He then quietly opened the window and immediately flew out after closing them back.

Sa labas, doon na nito inilabas ang kanyang ubo na kanina pa gustong lumabas. His body was starting to heat up. His brows furrowed seeing the blood on his clothes and cussed. His sister might see that. He better change after recovering.

Bigla nalang sumakit ng mas matindi ang mga mata niya. It was like it was burning. Dumaloy yung sakit hanggang naramdaman niya nalamang na parang may kutsilyong nagsusulat sa leeg niya. The strange letters had started incripting itself on his skin.

He floated up to the upper deck yet didn't land properly. Napaluhod nalamang ito at agad napahawak sa mga mata.

"Tsk," He was catching his breath as he sat on top of the ship. "Hah...haah...haah."

Napalunok nalamang ito at ininda ang sakit sabay sandal sa mga barrel sa likuran niya. He was now covered in sweat.

The corruption of his mana was eating away his life essence. It's some kind of disease.

A fugitive in the eyes of the Elven law. His existence was not allowed in Eden Garde. A corrupted person like him was meant to die. Meant to die at the hands of the Elven Queen.

But, he who lived, will one day gradually learn what it is like to lose his sanity and plunge into the abyss.

There was no such thing as a cure to that kind of sickness. When there's something wrong with someone's mana, there is no prevention for the suffering brought along with it.

Nature and magic coexisting together was a difficult thing to study and probe on. Mana, something so simple, yet difficult to understand.

He looked up to the stars and recalled a phrase he read in a book when he was little. And murmured, "All things must pass."

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. To imagine himself being shuffled off his mortal coil, strangely, brought him a sense of peace...and that maybe—deeply, he wish to be dead.