The Warlock's Azalea (EDITING) ✔

Chapter 12.1 - The Secret of The Enchanting Stone

Chapter 12 – The Secret of the Enchanting Stone

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"So, about this thing that we're gonna try today...."

Aziel silently inhaled while he cleared up one of the long tables, with Era following him around.

"It's the one I've been working on. The one I've been researching for decades."

"Mhm."

Aziel stopped and breathed in again, gently dropping one flask on the other long table.

"I'm fairly confident about it. So, you don't have to worry about anything." He turned around, only to find her leaning against the other table with nothing on it.

"What exactly is it, though? I wanna know." Aziel met her eyes, and a persistent curiosity riddled right through him, making him smile. He shook his head slightly when Era tilted her head.

Why are you being so cute now?

Aziel turned his back. "I'll tell you when it succeeds."

"Hmmm, okay."

He spread some parchments on the other table that a ton of scrolls, sticks, and flasks occupied.

For some time, Era didn't say anything. This is great because Aziel couldn't understand anything either during that silence because of the insistent gaze he felt on him.

"But, you know, Azi...."

"Hmm?" He pursed his lips.

Here it comes—her thoughts.

Will her natural detection talent allow her to see through his plans? Or even if it does, will she let him know it did?

"You know, doing this could mess with the curse. Since we're fated to be wiped off because of what Kazix did."

Right. He did mention that this research of his was something that could, perhaps, allow her to live past 100 if she's not the chosen one, which is precisely the case.

She just doesn't know that last part yet.

"I know."

"That's why only one of us can survive. And we're doing this now because tomorrow's my birthday. We won't know if I'll be alive then or not." Exactly.

And if I can stop it, I'll stop your imminent death, even if it means turning my back on this world.

"I know."

"The rest of our kind who had birthdays before us... they're gone now." Aziel peeked at the urns that piled at every corner of the house. "Because none of them were chosen."

He bit his lip as his hold on the current parchment he was about to open tightened.

"Now," She chuckled, "It's almost my turn! How lucky are we to have birthdays a few days apart? So I guess if I don't survive it...." Aziel gritted his teeth. "But if I don't die, you'd die in a matter of days."

I won't die even if I want to.

"Yeah."

That's why..!

Aziel closed his eyes and dropped his hands on the table. "Era, I don't want to experiment on you, but I don't want you to... I don't want you to-" His voice trembled, but he shook his head to get rid of the dread Era was probably well aware of. "At least if this works, you'll live."

As she walked close, he swiveled around to face her, a solemn and wistful expression playing on her beauty.

"Ah, Azi." She breathed out before reaching out to Aziel's cheek with one hand, her feet taking a few more tiny steps closer to him.