Aaron writhed in pain as his skin bubbled, patches of rot appearing in solid clumps around his body, each drilling deep into his bloodstream as he gripped the core tighter.
Liquid that felt like acid circulated his body, eating away at the vague sliver of restraint he was still showing.
Flesh peeled back and twitched as if it had its own mind, his blond hair falling out in matted strands that turned to dust upon reaching the floor.
He lay in a puddle of his own blood, while the region around him and the woman was blocked by an unknown anomaly, impenetrable to even the Sea King, who watched from afar.
Forced to watch as the boy spasmed and seized, he ground his teeth together, his fists clenched tight, and his forehead dripping with sweat.
Inside the 15-year-old's mind, absolute chaos reigned, symbols, whispers, hallucinations, and even memories collided into one, melding his consciousness into a lump of muck.
Never before, when he had absorbed a core, had it led to such a negative response, a wave of backlash strong enough to kill him, racking his soul.
He clung to his sanity with all his might, images of those he cared about and the dreams he sought to complete driving him to push forward.
Yet even with the future in mind, a barrier stood erect in his way, death looming over, asking him to succumb to the pain, to give up.
His grip loosened over the core that was slowly absorbing into his flesh, a bolt of lightning crackling out from the ring and zapping his skull.
The deity silently watched from its perch as Mr. Crab struggled to balance out the weighty burdens now clouding the Ghostship wielder's body.
Aaron felt as if he were falling, surrounded by pitch-black darkness that taunted him, telling him to give in, to relent.
And as he drifted, he couldn't help but agree with the voices, for, in the end, what else was there to do?
Even if he died here, he was certain that Cauron would uphold his word and heal Eleanor, no matter the cost.
That final oath was enough for the boy to shut his eyes and pass on in peace.
But even as he tried, a shred of greed emerged from within, holding his soul back from being consumed by the corruption.
Don't you want to stand by Eleanor's side at the end? What's the point of bringing her back if you won't be there to see it?
It was a selfish voice, one that was utterly insane and whose greed governed its actions; however, in that moment, it was what Aaron needed to hear.
"Dammit!"
His will to live surged, the corruption instantly yielding under his renewed vigor, his flesh healing, and his mind clearing.
FSSSSSH!
There was the sound of a barrier breaking, and then he was back, the bedroom light flickering and his eyes darting around in confusion.
As his senses cleared, he looked down, his hand that had been clutching the woman's core now empty, her body resting peacefully.
Is she…?
On the skin behind her ear, the boy noticed something, a small crack that began to spread across her neck, then down her back, and around her entire figure.
Cauron watched in horror, the sight of his wife about to burst into pieces ceasing all the joy that had begun to light up in his heart.
Yet, in the next moment, as the cracks combined and her figure shattered, both men were left in shock, the sight before them unbelievable.
"H-how…"
The orange-haired man could barely stutter out the words before he appeared by Aaron's side, his eyes scanning his wife's body.
Her rotten flesh had fallen off like a snake shedding its skin, and lush, crystalline pale skin remained intact beneath, with no sign of decay or the curse.
The once ruined white hair regained its brilliance, resembling the beach sands in the Sea of Wishes, its sheen reflecting the dim lighting of the chamber.
She did not open her eyes; however, as the man held her gently, he could feel her slow and steady breathing once more.
The rhythm of her heart strummed to life like a drum, the bloodflow that had been ceased for decades returning in mere minutes.
Aurora Thorn, regardless of whether she was awake or asleep, could be definitively declared as human.
"I-If…"
Cauron did not and would not stutter in front of one who wasn't of his blood, yet for some reason, all his defenses seemed down in that moment.
"I-If this had failed… Then I would've…"
He gestured towards the sides of the chamber where chalkboards scrawled with formulas were splayed out so densely that the walls behind could barely be seen.
Aaron's brow contorted inward as he remembered what the man had said before.
A cure…
The man's voice crackled as he tried to speak up again.
"I had resorted to the darkest of magics… The ones written within a tome left by the Architects…"
He paused as he pulled a small notepad from within his breast pocket, but soon continued with his explanation while flipping through its pages.
"There was a ritual, one that was said to cure all ailments at the cost of another's life… After Cosmoti's death, I had planned to do it, as soon as the exam was over… To end this miserable existence that has existed far too long…"
Aaron's chest stirred as he thought of saving Eleanor with such a ritual, the possibility of him sacrificing his own life, one that he had mulled over dozens of times.
"If it were for her, I would've done anything… But you… You saved her."
With that, he bowed his head to the young child before him.
The King of Mysteries, the Immortal, Cauron Thorn, showed his utmost respect to the boy who had saved not just his wife, but the thing that had brought him light in the lonely existence that he lived.
Having completed his task, there was nothing else left for the boy to do, so he simply responded with a smile, stood up, and exited the chambers without another word.
He would say nothing about what he had heard from the room after his departure, as those weren't meant for his ears, nor anyone else's.
They were for a husband and a wife to share alone.
…
Nearly twenty minutes later, Cauron called for the boy again, the sound of the opening doors resounding through the bedroom.
"What's her condition?"
Aaron watched as the orange-haired man gently brushed his wife's hair, her body sprawled out on his bed.
"Comatose. She's alive and well; however, I have no estimate on when she'll wake up. Not even my glasses can determine anything about her condition. Whatever you did worked to an extent."
He paused, taking a breath and standing up.
Slowly, he walked across the carpeted floor, only stopping a meter or so away from the tall child's form.
"I can never repay this debt to you, Grimstall…"
Unsure of what to do with the grown man in front of him, who thanked him so sincerely, Aaron shifted his feet and muttered something under his breath.
"Just help Eleanor, and you're fine…"
Not intending for the man to hear that, he realized quickly that it was impossible to fool the Sea King's ears by merely lowering his voice.
"I will see to it as soon as possible. However…"
He raised his head, looking at the boy from top to bottom.
"Can you notice any effects from the core? When you were absorbing it, I could sense you balancing on the verge of death itself."
The blond boy exhaled hard, taking a moment to examine his own condition, similar to what he had been doing in the hallway while waiting to be let in.
"I believe I've gained a basic regenerative ability due to the way a zombified human's wounds heal. Furthermore, my strength has noticeably improved."
As if to show off this new power, he threw a punch into the air, the sound of the air bending around his strike surprising the Sea King.
"Fascinating…"
Shaking off his momentary awe, he circled back to the first ability the boy mentioned.
"Where have you noticed this regeneration taking place? Both your leg and hand are still… Absent. And your finger scar remains."
Referring to the wound he had healed after his desperate fight in Sea Fallen, the boy examined the injury too, a forgotten scar that had remained with him throughout his journey.
Damn zombie dog really left his mark!
Chuckling internally, he held up the left sleeve of his shirt, revealing the location where the Oblivacis's burn had once decimated his flesh.
"It was burned from an Apex's attack, so it didn't want to heal easily, even with the Ghostship's healing. However, after using that core, there is only a scar left."
Examining the twisted skin carefully, Cauron nodded, deciding to gloss over the boy's encounter with a powerful terror.
He quietly looked up at a clock on the wall, which told him it was nearly 11:35 at night, far too late for the hospitals to be open to guests.
"Would it be possible for me to attend to your friend in the morning tomorrow? I do not wish to cause a commotion in the hospital this evening… Furthermore, I would like to observe how she is overnight if that is alright with you."
It was an earnest request that Aaron couldn't easily refuse.
Besides, waiting a bit more was not an issue for him, as his fatigue threatened to drag him into an early rest at any moment anyway.
"That'll work fine. We can meet at Saint Jenna's Hospital in the central borough at around nine and work from there."
Lord Thorn nodded, the eyebags under his eyes deep, yet a glimmer of hope could now be seen from within, a reflection of the times ahead.
After another minute or so of small talk, the blond boy left the King's chambers, making his way through the winding castle interior and eventually reaching his old bedroom.
Both Lepaie Quinn and Vaelmyr Droskyn had already left and returned to their seas now that the test had concluded and their efforts to convince Grimstall had failed.
Tomorrow I should meet up with Cam and Lord Kurogane if they are still around… I need to finalize my plans for after Eleanor is healed…
He paused as he was about to turn the knob on the door, a whisper of doubt creeping into his mind.
What if he can't heal her? What if it's already too late and she is gone forever?
Closing his eyes, he took a hard, heavy breath before resuming his movement, a gentle click stopping the handle.
"Eh?"
He twisted again, only to be met with the same soft clicking sounds, the locked door not budging.
Of course, soon after, the boy would remember that he wasn't due to remain in the city after the date of the exam, and as he had forgotten to make a formal arrangement, he had been locked out of his previous room.
Well, now what…?