It’s so dark, so dark.

Everything is empty.

There is nothing... Nothing.

Was I able to help him at least? If I did...

Being torn into pieces by such sickness wasn’t the only thing that hurt, but it was as if somebody emptied her heart from any emotion.

I don’t understand anything...

Ah! A little light...

“Elisi!”

Heaven?

“Wake up,”

His soft voice... He is calling my name... Hearing "Elisi" being spoken by him sounds so nice.

I tried to save him... 

“Elisi, wake up,”

No! It’s painful!!!

“It’s awful! I don’t want to wake up!”

“It hurts!”

Once more, that terrible pain came gushing with full force throughout her body. How could they expect her to want to open her eyes again? 

She wanted to scrap her skin; she needed to fill the vacuum inside her. She could not bear any more of that, not again.

“Make it stop, please!” 

She was arching her back while her was trying to take the part of the curse she got from him. Had she taken some more, that burden would have killed her.

He was struggling to make her calm whilst holding her tiny wrists. He tried his best to prevent her from scratching and hurting herself.

"I'm sorry, just endure it a little longer. I will take it back, so please don’t resist.” 

 "I don't want to feel more pain, let me go"

 "you took what's mine"

"no" with tears she grabbed his arm and looked back at him. "Don't do that"

Her voice was faint.

Gently he placed his hand on her head "I need to"

His voice lulled her. She tried to let it go; she didn’t want to go through this suffering anymore.

Elisi then buried herself in guilt. She claimed she would take care of him, and now she is giving all the pain back to him. Why did it become this way?

Why am I always this worthless?

“You don’t need to get it back,” she said, sobbing in tears and shaking uncontrollably. 

It’s too painful to feel this way.

Elisi had no more control of her body, and her mind was in deep turmoil. That made it harder to take the curse back.

The thought of letting her fall asleep again was out of the question. If she kept hurting she would fall into the abyss once more. They could not risk it, or she might not come back.

Healers, as much as they can heal, they can bring disease if they feel extreme rage. If she mixed herself into those emotions, it could become dangerous.

They needed to prevent any other complications.

Sebastian’s heart was full of anguish while watching her in such a state.

None of it was her wrongdoing, she shouldn’t be thinking this was because of her. She needed to be saved since they are the ones responsible for this. He learned about her past, and he knew why she felt that way.

He knew it was his fault that he should have warned her, but he never imagined this might happen.

He didn’t think she would have been able to do such a thing yet. 

“Please, Elisi, calm down!”

Said Sebastian, who was standing behind the king. He said it in a low and sweet voice.

“You helped the king greatly! He is standing back again. Just let him take the curse back. Later we can go on with the cure,”

“Please, Elisi”

Sebastian begged her.

“Listen to Sebastian and stop being a stubborn deer”

Elisi, after hearing Sebastian and the king, let got for a moment. It was enough time for the king to snatch back his curse.

She suddenly felt released from the black cloud that was sucking her in.

Elisi looked at the king. He must be in pain again. His eyes look painful again.

Even though a tremendous weight was lifted off her; her body remained weak. What had happened took all from her.

She felt comfortable laying on the divan in his room. It felt like being on a soft cloud. However, she knew she needed to get up and leave. She could not bother the king any more. She failed to help him, how could she dare to look him in the eyes after such failure.

Elisi gathered all her strength and tried to get up.

"What are you doing?” Sebastian looked baffled.

“You need to rest, my dear”

“I’ll go back to my bed”

“And what will you tell Mirna? You need to stay here”

“Dalion, you also should get some rest. Even if your body was healed, having pushed yourself this way brought you to this”

Sebastian’s face was stiff and serious.

“Next time it happens call the experienced healer, you have one”

“I’ll take my leave”

***

Sebastian went back to the tower. 

“I’m sorry, Grandfather! I didn’t mean to!!!”

Tiago was waiting for him, and he looked oh so distressed.

Sebastian, feeling sorry for what just had happened, leaned towards him.

“You have significant power, even greater than mine. However, you still don’t know how to wield it”

Tiago was just 15 years old. Although he was a very mature boy, there was a lot he still had left to learn.

Sebastian could see the feeling of regret in Tiago’s eyes.

“Elisi, although older than you. She is a new healer and unfamiliar with this world”

Sebastian shook him slightly while holding his shoulders.

“She can take care of the king when calm and keep him stable. Today was too much for her to handle. Together we will teach her to deal with it, and she will become a wonderful healer”

“Yes, grandfather”

He was trying to impress Berit by showing her how good of a teacher he was to Elisi. He failed in being more mature.

He was thinking about how to make up for it; he needed to learn to be wiser, not just be strong.

Such thoughts were too heavy for him.

Tiago cried on his grandfather’s shoulder. This was too much for him.