Alchemy Of Abyss

Chapter Fourteen~2

The moment they touched him, Donggun's trembling stopped. The prince ordered his personal doctor to examine Donggun nonstop until he found an answer to his mystery collapse, even if it required him to stay in Donggun's room the whole time.

Before midnight.

Iksoon left the temple to visit Donggun after one guard informed him of what had happened earlier. When he went to Donggun's place, everyone looked tense, especially the oldest doctor.

Iksoon read the room feeling uneasy. The doctor refused to talk to him and called for another doctor to come. When the other doctor came, both checked Donggun and talked for a while before letting Iksoon ask anything. "What happened?"

The doctor looked defeated, moving his eyes from Iksoon's face to Donggun's body. That was burning hot. "I don't know what is happening to him. I don't know the reason; none of us know. I check everything possible but can't put my hand on the cause that put him in this state."

It was the first time for the doctors to look that confused and defeated. Doctors went to the corner of the room to discuss Donggun's mystery collapse. Maids were sitting beside Donggun's bed, checking his body temperature.

The maid was carefully putting a cold towel on Donggun's forehead when suddenly his body began to spasm and jerk repeatedly. The maid shouted for the doctors, causing them to jump and run to his side. They tried to hold Donggun's body from the sudden movements. The doctors yelled at the maids and their helpers to hold him still.

Minutes later, Donggun's body became more stable; Iksoon held his arm while everyone was busy running into the room. The tension was suffocating everyone inside. Iksoon tightened his grasp over Donggun's arm, praying for his friend to wake up.

Iksoon noticed something flickered over his arm; a word in Hangul appeared boldly over it. He called the doctor to look at it, but it was gone. Iksoon immediately knew that something was about to happen to Donggun. The doctors asked him to leave and that they would update him if something happened.

Iksoon refused to leave and told the oldest doctor what he saw on Donggun's arm. The doctor seemed nervous, and he ignored Iksoon's questioning eyes. He told the other doctors to stay with Donggun and told Iksoon to follow him outside.

The doctor was an old one with a great reputation for knowledge and wisdom; he was the royals' personal doctor and one of the few men who were the king's confidant.

The doctor was shaking and breathing fast. Iksoon eyed his nervous state and said, "Is there something you want to tell me?" the doctor hesitantly looked at him before getting his face closer to Iksoon's. His eyes followed the doctor, who stopped when his mouth was inches away from Iksoon's right ear.

The doctor whispered to Iksoon what was making him that nervous and Iksoon listened carefully. His eyes widened with each word that came out of the doctor's mouth and his face went pale as if all blood drained out of his body. The doctor slowly moved, stepped one step away, and said, "I am an old man... but I know what I saw."

Iksoon swallowed hard. His mind couldn't form an answer. What the doctor said was something completely out of the ordinary, something out of this world. He breathed hard, trying to think of something to say when a sudden loud scream came out of Donggun's room.

They went back immediately and saw Donggun's body turned into large dark blue spots; his deep terrifying screams scared Iksoon. The doctor looked at him and said, "What should I tell his high majesty? How would I explain Donggun's state?" Iksoon looked at the doctor, feeling just as lost and scared as him.

Gakhwangsa Temple, one day before Daeboreum.

In the early morning, Iksoon sent one of his students to get him the updates from Donggun's doctors. Iksoon was nervous and his thoughts were running to dark places. What if Donggun's disease is fatal? What if this is the end for him? Iksoon thought. He shook his head, not wanting to give in. As his thoughts ran, his mind blocked. His brain was trying to remind him of something, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

He remembered when he was with Donggun, seeing him in his bed unconscious. Something unusual happened, something that made him feel terrified. He woke up the next day not remembering anything further than a stolen memory and an agonizing feeling aching his brain.

An older monk walked toward him with a small smile and a fatherly attitude. "Are you okay?" he said, standing in front of him. Iksoon looked at him and smiled back weakly.

"I'm worried about Donggun," Iksoon said. "He's getting worse; I don't think he'll be able to get through it." he looked at the elder monk who kept his small smile lying over his bright face.

"I disagree with you; he will get through it, and he will be much better." the elder monk known for his optimistic personality. "Yet... I could see through your eyes that something else is troubling you... want to share? I may help you."