Chapter Text
They called the doctor back once more, and he examined the redhead.
"Well?" asked Eruhaben anxiously.
"As I feared, her condition is worsening. Her fever continues to rise, and along with it, her heart rate and breathing are accelerating. I’ll have no choice. I must give him the medicine I told you about so he can rest, but as I’ve already mentioned, there’s a risk involved with this medicine."
"Go ahead." The dragon wasn’t entirely sure about his decision, but what else could he do? No one stopped him.
Once he had obtained the family’s consent, the doctor injected the medication. But as he did so, he noticed a trickle of red blood flowing from the young master’s nose.
"It looks like he’s bleeding now…" The doctor frowned.
"Is it serious?" Eruhaben asked quickly, having already moved closer. The others remained silent, letting the dragon handle the situation.
"Blood is never a good sign… didn’t you say his powers cause bleeding?" He turned to the dragon.
"Yes, but this is much more severe."
"Haven’t you found the cause of this fever yet?"
"Unfortunately, no. No one has been able to help us."
"We could ask Sheritt-nim to check it out," Alberu suggested.
"She won’t be able to come all the way here, and given Cale’s condition, he won’t be able to move either." He seemed to be at an impasse.
In the middle of their conversation, they suddenly heard a sharp, piercing sound.
The doctor turned to Cale. "His pulse is weakening!"
"Why now?"
"That was the risk with the medication." As he answered, he tried to do whatever he could to help the young man. Unfortunately… "His pulse keeps dropping!" They could hear panic taking over his voice.
The man’s distress affected everyone else in the room, children and adults alike.
Inside Cale’s mind, the ancient powers were conversing with one another.
-Can’t you get rid of what they gave him? The Super Rock asked the Heart’s Vitality.
-No, it’s not poison, so I can’t cure him.
-What about the other symptoms?
-I might be able to lower his fever very slightly. But I’m not sure how to do that, given that it stems from his fatigue and the use of his power.
-If you try, what will happen?
-He’ll cough up blood, even if it doesn’t work.
-*sigh* I don’t think that’s a good idea here.
-He’s not going to die, is he? Water asked, a little hesitantly.
-I’d do anything to keep him alive.
-But there’s literally nothing you can do here! The thief began to get annoyed.
-...
-You don’t even know what to say!
-...
Fire sighed in defeat, and they fell silent.
---
“What should we do?"
"Normally, we’d give him something to speed up his heart, but in his condition-"
"Then we’ll just wait for him to die!" Eruhaben was starting to get annoyed with this incompetent doctor.
He hesitated, but he didn’t have time, the magic stone was almost out. "No, I’ll just give it to him and hope nothing goes wrong."
The doctor did so, and all that was left was to wait. Their eyes were fixed on the magic stone.
He could almost start praying to the gods that something would happen. Well, maybe he shouldn’t have done that… the stone went out completely, and the doctor visibly paled.
Silence fell over the room, they were paralyzed with fear.
The doctor forced himself to react, he had no time to lose. "Damn it! Sir, can you help me?" He addressed the long-haired blond man.
Eruhaben approached the doctor and entrusted the children to the crown prince. They remained as calm as possible, not wanting to disturb the adults who were helping their human.
Together, the dragon and the human doctor tried to help Cale.
"Still nothing." He feared he wouldn’t be able to do anything and would have to announce the young commander’s death to everyone.
"How much time..." Eruhaben couldn’t finish his question, but the doctor understood.
"..two minutes..."
The others heard him. The prince’s pupils trembled just like the rest of his body, he couldn’t lose his little brother. The children clung to the prince’s clothes for support.
"Don’t worry, Cale is strong, he’s the strongest person I know. He’ll come back." Alberu tried to say it with conviction, but even he had trouble believing his own words.
Those were the longest two minutes of their lives.
"Still nothing." The doctor was beginning to tire; it was difficult for him to sustain such a grueling effort for so long.
"I… I think we have to stop, it’s too late… I’m sorry." The doctor said this with complete sincerity.
"No… no… human!" As soon as Raon heard the doctor, he began to cry even harder. His mana had become chaotic. If he wasn’t there anymore, what was the point of continuing? After all, he’d always said it: without his human, he would destroy everything even himself.
"Raon, stop! Cale wouldn’t want that. Our family is still here, and so is Cale. Keep going!" Eruhaben tried to calm the little one down, and at the same time addressed the doctor, it wasn’t a request, but an order.
Of course, he obeyed the dragon, how could he have refused? "But-"
"Shut up." This time, the dragon’s pupils were golden.
He said nothing more and resumed his work, which lasted a few more minutes.
'I have to tell them that this time it’s over...' He certainly didn’t have the heart for it, nor even the desire, but he had to do it even though he was afraid of being killed.