Flower of Life - Octopath Traveller Fanfiction

Chapter 12

AN: A slightly longer chapter today with some fluffy goodness, finally~ Also one more chapter left of this series. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~!

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Chapter 12:

Night-time had fallen when Alfyn was finally able to gather everyone back at the inn. It took some time, but thankfully with H'annit's help, Alfyn was able to bring everyone back and make them comfortable. Though the antidote he created helped alleviate and then eliminate the symptoms and causes of the illness that infected his companions, it could not ease their exhaustion of having to battle against the serum.

They were all sleeping. Therion, Cyrus, Olberic, and Primrose.

They had a bed room each at the inn. A place they currently had full reign over due to the inn-keepers and their maid being infected by the serum as well.

With four members of their group infected, and four not, thankfully there was one person to watch over the other who was sick. Ophilia was with Primrose, H'annit with Olberic, Tressa with Cyrus, and Alfyn chose to watch over Therion.

With a chair pulled close to Therion's bedside, Alfyn gazed down at his sleeping friend. The grey rash was nowhere to be seen. The deathly paleness to his cheeks had vanished. And now he was just sleeping off the rest of the serum and stress.

He couldn't stop himself from constantly reaching out to brush aside the strands of his hair from his forehead to check if his fever had returned or not.

Alfyn was of course worried for everyone. But it was Therion who was at the forefront of his mind. He couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt about what happened. The way Therion had pushed himself to find him, even as the serum ravished his senses, nearly turning him to stone. The way Therion staggered.

He never done that before. Stagger or stumble.

He could still feel the shock and concern when Therion staggered over to him and free him from his bindings. He could still feel the way his heart leapt into his throat when Therion fell in front of him. Falling in slow motion.

By the gods, that scared him more than anything.

Alfyn had to shake his head to rid himself of that image and the lingering after effects that still caused his heart to skip a beat. He spent a minute or so ensuring that Therion was comfortable, lightly draping the blankets over him and carefully folding his arms over his torso above the sheets. Therion didn't like having his arms trapped beneath the blankets, after all.

With a lingering glance, Alfyn pushed himself to his feet and walked out of the room. He quietly closed to the door behind him and carefully descended the stairs.

"Alfyn?" Ophilia called his name softly.

Alfyn paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned around to look up at her. He tried to offer her a comforting smile when he realised she had obvious worry on her face. "Sorry. Just...one more thing I need to do."

He then turned and walked out of the inn.

It was still unnerving to him how quiet the streets were. It wasn't something he liked. Villages were meant to be busy, after all.

It also didn't help that the silence made him reflect back on all that had occurred.

There was so much that needed to be done. What about those kids? Who would watch over them now? And the residents of the village; what conditions were they in? How long had they suffered at the hands of Henry and Beatrice, and their mind-altering serum?

It was honestly overwhelming, so Alfyn tried to focus on the present. Look after his companions. Make sure those kids were alive.

One step at a time.