The chronicles of embodiment

Chapter 4

Miraul removed her hand; her warranting mark had now begun to spill out blood. Hasbisis backed away as the aura of it put him into shock. He slowly walked back towards her as though the air had become so dense it became hard to move. He mumbled under his breath, "Curse magic, noble curse magic. I can't help you, Miraul." 

Ruhe stared at his mother, feeling betrayed. "You lied, you told me it wasn't that bad! You told me Mr. Hasbisis could fix it!"

Hasbisis looked at him. "Do not blame her, please. She wanted to protect you. You must understand that."

Miraul teared up. "I'm sorry, Ruhe."

Hasbisis sighed. "For now, your mother should rest. Resting may reduce the inevitable. Walking back home isn't an option for her. I trust that you wouldn't want to be separated, so you both can stay in the clinic," he offered.

Ruhe looked at both his mother and Hasbisis. "The story stone! It's important to me. Can I go back and get it?"

Hasbisis tilted his head. "Story stone? You mean those gadgets that you can administer words in? Most people call it a handheld glossary, yet it appears you make your own words."

Ruhe nodded. "Ma reads it to me every night. I understand she probably won't be able to tonight, yet I'll read it myself!"

Miraul hesitated. "Ruhe... it's certainly not safe going out alone." Hasbisis looked at her.

"Miraul, what do you mean? Ruhe goes out alone all the time."

Miraul nodded. '"Well, a noble wishes to buy him. I refused, and some conflict happened. I think she cursed me."

Hasbisis placed his head in his hand. "Did she threaten a massacre?"

Miraul shook her head. "No, but Ruhe was half scared to death."

Hasbisis sighed. "I can send him with an assistant, although coming with you was practically leaving alone. If he were to be grabbed, you could be too weak to even follow after."

Ruhe looked confused. "You have assistants? Where?" He looked around. "I don't see anyone else around."

Hasbisis snickered. "Oh, not people. They're just the cutest things. I bought one when I came out of town. Though it's running out of life." He said, taking a scroll from his desk. "If only the First God's religion was true, perhaps this could work near me, and be living, of course. It took a fragment of someone else's lifespan to make." He mentioned delightfully.

Miraul looked at Hasbisis, confused. "You don't believe in the First God anymore?" Hasbisis nodded. "Sadly, that's the truth, Miraul. There's simply no evidence. We live in a world of magic. So, simply put, this great world could have been a surge of magic, just floating around. Then suddenly, the very first dimension was made."

Miraul placed her hand on her chest. "That's unfortunate."

Hasbisis threw the scroll on the ground, and a small shadow creature emerged. "Please take Ruhe to his home. If something happens to him, please come back here immediately." The creature went next to Ruhe. "You can start walking now, Ruhe," Hasbisis said calmly.

"Okay, bye! I really didn't need a mini bodyguard!" Ruhe pridefully mocked, then ran off, the shadow hastily following after.

Once Ruhe left, Miraul turned to Hasbisis. "So joyful, even in the worst times," she remarked.

Hasbisis added to her remark, "For a commoner, at least." Miraul looked away.

"Something troubles me," she said. Hasbisis looked at her with concern as she continued, "It's about you. Back then, you had the chance. You were offered to join a middle-class city. You're a great doctor, and they really needed you."

Hasbisis sighed. "Continue on. What's your question?"

Miraul continued as instructed, "Well, why didn't you take that offer?"

Hasbisis giggled. "Would you believe me if I said it was because of you?" Miraul looked shocked.

"Well, no, definitely not," she confessed. "I had just gotten married, and you were doing great. You knew you would have been a noble by now if you simply accepted. You were so young to even be offered a spot as a middle-class. Everyone describes you as gifted. I don't believe it. Why would someone like you throw away the one-in-a-million chance to rank up, to be great?"

"Well," Hasbisis started, "it's true. It was for you. It's rare for a commoner town to even have a doctor. We grew up, and you've always been the kindest soul to me. Deep in my heart, I knew that man wasn't great. When I got the offer, all I could think of was you. What if you got horribly sick, and my magic... could rescue you? Yet, I would be in another town, unaware of this."

Miraul looked away. "It appeared you made the wrong choice. I never got horribly sick until now, and now you can't even help me. You can't even help yourself." She began to sob. "I ruined you! Your future was so bright. I just feel horrible now! My existence destroyed you!"

Hasbisis closed his eyes calmly. "Please don't cry. You're using up your energy. Why don't we talk about something else? Ruhe, he's seven now, right?"

Miraul wiped her tears and nodded. "Yes, he's turning eight next. His lucky number."

Hasbisis raised his eyebrow. "Wasn't it seven the year before?"

Miraul nodded. "Yes, he raises it by one each year." The two laughed. "He reminds me of you when you were younger," Miraul continued. "Just that I'm older, and until you matured, I was extremely annoyed with you. Like a younger brother." She joked, "Now you're my great friend." She continued laughing while Hasbisis became rather embarrassed.

"Oh yes, I see," he mumbled.

Suddenly, Ruhe came back in tears, holding the stone. He could barely speak. Hasbisis told the figure that had followed Ruhe to return back to a scroll, and it obeyed. Miraul tried to get up, causing her to groan in pain. Hasbisis quickly stopped her. "Please, I'll take care of this." She nodded. "Ruhe... what happened?" he asked.