𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋

Chapter 19

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"We couldn't help it but you know that doesn't make it right"

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She began to connect with the man's mind, finding the light within flickering like a dying candle. The curse had nearly eaten through every crevice of his spirit, so much so that happiness was almost equivalent to ending it all. She took hold of the flame, coveting it within her grasp as she began to show him a vision where he could walk in the sun and talk to others freely, despite the curse he had.

Emilie immediately felt eyes burning into the back of her head. As she turned, she saw a dark shadowy figure. She knew right then and there what it was. It was the curse that had entangled itself so close to this poor man's soul. It was in a human-like form and it was staring right at her.

"What... are you doing?"  it spoke, unmoving from its place.

"Giving this man some peace," she replied, voice unwavering despite being nervous about the sudden encounter. To her surprise, the shadow didn't move to stop her, it only stayed in place as it watched her do her magic.

Before long, the man's spirit had begun to grow, albeit very little— but it was a start. The flame had begun to flicker a little brighter once she had finished, and she soon disconnected from the male's mind.

As she opened her eyes, she saw the male's eyes slowly flutter open to meet hers. They still held a tired look but there was an inkling of light now present in his dark irises. She heard the shouting of Joseph outside, who was eager to know if her magic worked on him.

Generally, she relieved the boy's headaches through calming the mind and using heaven's etoile. She knew this man's condition was no ordinary task and would take a long period of time, but she was in no rush and Joseph seemed incredibly attached to this man, so she decided it was worth putting time into.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, but that should relieve the headache for the night," Emilie smiled, standing up. The male nodded, a tear forming in his eye. He must've not had the energy to respond as she expected. She swiftly left the house, walking down the steps to see Joseph playing with a stray cat.

"You're done! Is he all better now?" he chirped, excitedly.

"I'm afraid one day won't be enough, I'll be back here tomorrow morning."

"Oh, in that case I'll come too! To keep him company!" Joseph smiled, taking hold of the auburn-haired female's hand.

"Sounds great!" she smiled back, walking hand in hand with the young boy. As she did, she began to feel a sort of light-headedness. She almost lost her balance, earning a curious glance from the boy who walked beside her.

"What's wrong Emmy?"

"Nothing, I'm just a little tired." she replied, giving him a reassuring smile. Joseph nodded, hanging onto her hand a little tighter as they made their way to the house.

Ignoring the faint ache in her head and the slight trembling in her hands, Emilie had poured every ounce of her magical energy into helping soothe the man's mind. That left her feeling incredibly drained and exhausted.

When Emilie finally reached the doorstep of her cottage, she was swaying on her feet. She barely managed to open the door herself because her fingers wouldn't stop trembling. She pushed the door open, the hinges creaking in protest. There in the kitchen stood Lindel, warming up some food over the stove.

"Emilie! Oh, thank the stars you're back," Lindel exclaimed, rushing to her side and steadying her. Emilie managed a weak smile, though she felt drained to her core.

"I'm.. home, Lindel," she muttered tiredly, leaning against him for support.

"I heard from Joseph that you were helping a man. Are you alright? Was his condition that serious?"

"Not at all," she lied. She couldn't let him know that she was dealing with a terrible curse because she knew he would never let her go again. She had to finish what she had started, that man had suffered enough.

"There are others in the village who need help from the human plague going around so I'm going to be helping out down there for a while."

She hated lying to him, but she also couldn't let him stop her from what she was doing. Lindel sighed, reaching for the tea he had been brewing and handed it to her.

"You're a gifted healer, Emilie, but you're not invincible. Using so much magic without taking care of yourself... it's dangerous." She leaned into his touch, seeking comfort in his presence.

"I'll be fine, Lindel. Just a little tired, that's all."

But Lindel wouldn't be swayed. He knew he had to be firm with her for her own well-being. "No, you won't be fine if you keep pushing yourself like this. You have to understand that taking care of yourself is just as important as helping others."

Tears welled up in Emilie's eyes, not only from exhaustion but also from the worry of disappointing Lindel. She knew he was right, but her sense of duty weighed heavily on her heart.

"Fine.. but remember to take breaks okay? I won't be there to remind you.. The dragons have all been giving birth recently so it's been hectic in the Dragon's Aerie."

Emilie gave him a smile, taking a sip of the warm freshly brewed Ube tea.

"Okay."

Lindel smiled contentedly before giving her a light kiss on the forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

— — — —

Emilie had visited this same man everyday, accompanied by Joseph who also continued to chat and entertain him on these visits. It seemed his condition was getting better. It was not long before Emilie could have a long-standing conversation with the man.

She found out his name was Cartaphilus. It seemed Joseph had really enjoyed speaking to the man, finding many commonalities in their backgrounds. They both lacked mothers during their childhoods, both enjoyed the forest, and weirdly enough, both enjoyed eating bread.

Joseph lived right next door with his father, who wasn't exactly the best. Hence why Joseph always hung around Emilie, finding solace with her especially. The two weren't blood-related but the young boy insisted on calling her his sister ever since she first stopped Joseph's father from beating him.

Since then, life at his home became more bearable. Perhaps this was why he found talking to Cartaphilus so worthwhile. Lindel was often very busy during the times that Joseph was available so he never got to truly know him, other than that he was his sister's husband.

Everything was going well, the man was able to have decent conversations, Joseph's homelife was somewhat pleasant, and Emilie was beginning to feel like she had found her purpose in life. Everything was peaceful. That is..

..until the greatest storm would torment everything and everybody in its path.