362 Turning Point (Part 1)
“Hang in there, Luke.” Megan said, looking at the unconscious half-wolf.
The way back to the gym was not difficult. As Megan walked off the sands of the beach, she climbed a small ladder that overlooked the island’s mountain range. Following a dirt road, she walked toward the gym.
As it was already dark, several lamps illuminated the path. They had a strong glow, magical artifacts developed by the academy. The girl was extremely worried about Luke, every two steps she took forward, she stopped, turned to the half-wolf to check if everything was alright, and started walking again.
As she walked, it was possible to see how that dirt road was not used much. Megan almost jumped in fright when she saw a spider walking along the road. The forest was empty, and only the nocturnal birds of the area could be heard. The girl couldn’t recognize them by their sound, but sometimes it was possible to hear the distinctive song of a few owls.
Megan was not used to walking that much, her locomotion around the academy was like that of most experienced mages, entirely by means of flying swords. But taking Luke flying was extremely dangerous. If it was an external injury, any more sudden movement could be the difference between life and death.
The girl’s heart was leaping; her concern was enormous. As she walked along, she continued conjuring healing magic on the half-wolf. Guiding the flying Stretecher with wind magic, she left Luke floating beside her. With one of her hands on the half-wolf, emitting a small white glow that appeared along with the healing magic.
She was putting her own mana into the boy, switching between the many different healing spells she knew. Distinct spells that were so different, but that now, didn’t seem to have much effect. The half-wolf’s face showed no pain, but it was possible to see his heavy breathing.
The dirt road soon changed to a concrete brick road, signaling that they had already passed the halfway point. Beside the road was a long wooden fence, with the iron posts that held the many magic lamps that illuminated the road.
Several trees surrounded the road, and when the girl looked up at the sky, it was difficult to see the stars, with so many trees covering the view. With the strong night winds, Megan was starting to feel a little cold in the middle of that forest, the uniform she was wearing was not the winter one.
“I wonder how you are doing, Luke.” Megan said, looking at the half-wolf
*
[Luke!?]
‘What happened?’ he asked, with a confused face
[Your curse started to fragment your soul, your use of the eye of Horus to speak to me caused this].
The half-wolf then looked up, observing that infinite empty, blank space. He then turned to the goddess in front of him, worried, he questioned.
‘Am I going to die then?’
[Don’t worry about it, if you are still talking to me, it means you are alive].
‘I can’t return, I’m trying…. What does that mean?
[Calm down, my dear, you must just be unconscious].
Now Luke was worried about what might happen. He couldn’t remember the last moments he had spent awake. In the young man’s memories, it was as if he had finished using that magic and soon after met Balance. Now it was only necessary to wait.
[I had an idea, Luke].
‘What! You know how to help me.’
[Yes… But maybe you don’t like that.]
Just do it! If it will help me, I don’t care!’
Balance then put both hands on Luke’s head, and bringing him close to her, she leaned her feet up and gave the young man a kiss on the forehead.
Now the half-wolf’s consciousness was asleep. He would only wake up when the whole thing was over, and that was just as dangerous, because it meant that if there was no solution, Luke would die in his sleep.
*
After much walking on that brick road, Megan finally approached the academy. Noting a few rooms along the way.
“This is Merukyuin’s botany lab, that means we’re getting a little close.” She said hopefully.
As the girl walked, in her head, she was reading aloud the various medical books that were in the academy’s library. Reciting the symptoms of various diseases, trying to find a possible diagnosis for Luke. After a few more minutes, another concrete path appeared, this time as a route to the left.
“This is Mr.Willford’s research center. Not long now, Luke.” She said, watching the half-wolf.
After a few more minutes, finally the lights of the academy could be observed. As soon as Megan left the clearing and found the descent that led to the many buildings of the academy. Already Adrian and Zhanid could be seen, as well as two doctors from the academy. The doctors’ clothes were white lab coats, similar to those worn by some teachers. However, there was a distinct symbol representing the magical healing arts, the sign of a flower and a dagger. The flower on the blazon represented the recovery of the wounded, while the weapon, represented the patient’s own battle for survival.
When the two doctors saw Luke, they rushed off to take the half-wolf to the healing center. Zhanid hurried off along with them. Leaving Adrian and Megan worried, but a little more relieved knowing that he was already in good hands.
“I wonder what Luke might have, I compared it to all the illnesses recorded in the medical manuals at the academy. It didn’t look like anything we have on record.” Megan said, her voice still a little shaky with fatigue.
“Zhanid told me what Luke has, they will know how to treat him.” replied Adrian
“But if it’s not a disease, what could have caused it?” Megan said, confused
The blond haired boy then turned to her, with a much more serious face than he normally maintains.
“Luke is cursed… All we saw were the side effects of the curse.”
The girl’s eyes then widened, she knew very little about curses, as it was a subject that ran a bit outside of the magics studied at the academy. This answer only made her more uneasy, thinking of what would happen with her new friend.
Adrian then sighed, and turned to Megan again.
“There’s something else I need to tell you.” He said. Looking deep into the girl’s eyes.
“The main reason that brought Luke to the academy, was not to help Zhanid with his research. In fact, he came here in search of a way to minimize the side effects of his curse…” Adrian then looked away, feeling a tightness in his chest to explain this.
“Zhanid told me that he suggested that Luke ask you for help in how to resolve this situation. He figured that with your help it would be possible to create some way to take care of these side effects.”
Hearing Adrian’s words, Megan’s heart felt a giant squeeze of guilt. The feeling of being unable to help the half-wolf left a bitter taste for her, and knowing that Zhanid believes she could find a solution only made her more angry with herself.
However, an idea popped into the girl’s head. Who soon turned to Adrian.
“The effects we saw were physical, right?” She asked
“Hmm yes? Everything that happened occurred in his body.” Adrian replied. Confirming the hypothesis that popped into the girl’s head.
“I think I found a possible solution.” She said, immediately lifting her face and rushing off.
“What did you think?!” Shouted Adrian so that the girl could hear, she was already a little far away.
“I’m going to make an artifact! That’s my idea.” Megan replied shouting, without stopping running.
The idea Megan had was exactly what Zhanid and Luke had thought of. A magical artifact would be able to utilize Luke’s mana, transforming that energy into various healing spells. With enough preparation, it would be possible to get the artifact to start the necessary healing spells before the half-wolf even felt the side effects of his curse.
Megan was running towards the dormitory where her room was. After all, of all the people in the academy, when it came to building artifacts, one person stood out. Alice Bloodstone, Megan’s twin sister.
Entering the dormitory hall, the girl came across a receptionist. Still worried about the half-wolf, the girl’s heart was beating fast. Megan then asked for her sister.
“Is Alice here yet?!”
“I don’t know, I just started my shift.” Answered the receptionist.
“That’s ok! Thanks” said the girl, running to her room.
Climbing the stairs and walking with hurried steps, she was wondering how she could develop this artifact. Megan’s knowledge of the construction of this type of equipment was far from as refined as her sister’s, but still, she wondered how she could develop the magical circles of the equipment.
Opening the door to her room sharply, Megan came across Alice at her workbench.
“I need your help!”