‘It hurts.. why can’t I remove it?’

The mana crystals were destroying Kael’s body. He was deteriorating, and the growth of the crystals seemed unstoppable.

The special pathways he made from modifying “Late Cost” weren’t following his commands. The pathways were stuck in place, and thus, Kael continued absorbing mana even if he didn’t want to.

One time he thought to wait it out. He surmised that the mana in the environment will get exhausted by his constant absorption of all of it. However, his situation was getting worse, the endpoint he was waiting for was not arriving. His whole body might turn completely into mana crystal before the mana around him ran out.

Kael tried using mana to get back to Cleron, but the reverberating pain returned when he attempted to do so. He didn’t have a choice but to walk back.

In his journey, he felt the crystals growing, poking, and then piercing the rest of his body that were not crystallized. He needed rest from time to time, trying to close at least one of the artificial mana pathways he created, but he failed in all his attempts.

It was a hopeless pursuit. He will rest to think of a way of controlling the absorption, only to make the situation worse. Then he will walk to Cleron, thinking that Elalios and the Earl will help him. It’s a desperate assumption. He knew it, but he wanted to believe.

Two days of his journey went by, and he realized what was happening. As he meditated to see through his body, he saw the effect that the mana crystals have on the special mana pathways. The crystals acted as anchors to the pathways, that’s why even if the pathways followed his commands, it couldn’t move from its place. The terrible realization made Kael think of an equally terrible thought. He might never get out of his current predicament.

On the next day, Kael felt another effect of the mana crystals. Some of his previously healthy body parts started dying, giving him more pain and struggle. He didn’t think he could keep going, but he kept on walking.

At some point he became blinded, as caused by crystals damaging his eyes. But, despite the lack of sight, he kept on going. He didn’t know if he was still walking towards Cleron. The only thing important to him was to keep walking.

Then, what he dreaded came to him. He fell down, unable to get up again. He tried his best, mustering all the strength he had left, but his feet were affected too by the horrible crystallization.

‘Is this it?’

Kael was hopeless. At that point, he knew that he could no longer do anything. He needed an outside help, something so rare as far as he knew. He laid on the ground motionless, waiting for anything, whatever it is, to see him and possibly help him. But an hour passed that no one got to him.

‘I think this is it’, Kael thought. ‘It’s alright, I could have another body’

Knowing that his innate magic was satiated long ago, and his situation looked like it will not get any better, Kael thought of giving up. He thought of letting his body go, and remove himself, his soul from it. But then, distant memories began flashing in his mind. It was of Kael, the child that made a wish to him.

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The memories he had with the child reignited his will to live. He remembered his promise, he needed to make Kael’s grandparents happy. He cried silently on the ground, apologizing that he almost betrayed the loving request of an innocent child.

Another hour passed, Kael had his willpower rekindled by his memories. He did what he can do. He slowed down the growth of the crystals, preserving the still functional parts of his body. He waited, and then, he heard footsteps coming to him.

He heard the people that found him talking to each other. At first, they were horrified to see the pitiful look of Kael. They wanted to help him, but when they saw the mana crystals forming in his body, they changed their attitude towards him.

“He’s dead”, one person said.

The other person agreed. They were ecstatic, talking about the crystals that made Kael suffer. They talked about selling Kael, arguing about how much should they sell him. They were intoxicated with greed, forgetting that a helpless child was in front of them.

Kael was terrified, hearing the sinister conversations of the people that found him. He recalled his promise, his eyes producing tears once again.

‘I’m sorry, I can’t keep my promise’

Kael didn’t want to, but he prepared himself for whatever the two people will do to him. Then, he heard a familiar voice.

“What are you two doing? Get back in your position”

The voice suddenly gave hope to Kael. It was Elalios, reprimanding the guards for not doing their job properly. Kael wanted to call him, but he couldn’t speak anymore.

He heard the footsteps of two people going away from him. He was relieved, but he was wondering. Elalios was not saying anything. He couldn’t see that Elalios was staring right at him, too horrified of what he was seeing.

‘Elalios?’

As if responding to his thought, Elalios finally said something.

“Kael! What happened to you!?”

Elalios lifted him up.

[Speed Boost]

The breeze of the wind chilled down the parts of Kael’s skin that could still feel something. Elalios ran nonstop, recognizing the urgency of the situation. Eventually, Elalios stopped. Kael heard the sudden opening of a door.

“My lord!”, Elalios shouted.

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It’s better that he was the one suffering. That’s what Earl Gideon thought of, as he looked down at the laying child burning in fever. He was lost, unable to focus, seeing the terrible state of the child.

His rational mind told him that it was hopeless to try and heal the child. The other side of him refused to accept it, thinking of a way to defy the odds.

‘Will I lose you too?’

Earl Gideon was writing a letter. He paused writing multiple times. His hand was shaking, and he forgot to breathe at times. Eventually he finished, addressing the letter to the Duke.

The letter was sent. The Earl shifted his attention to Kael. He was clenching his fist while looking at the child. He was hoping to receive a response as soon as possible. He could only wait, and hope that Kael could still endure.