"Mine! Don't do it!" The Consort shouted, but Mine was adamant to resist his pleas.

The Chronos mask shattered on the floor. Its pieces vanished in the air like light orbs floating, soon lost in nowhere. 

Mine was still at the same place, staring at his fading friend on the bench he materialized with a spell. His fading friend was breathing erratically, and the wound on his chest was as ugly as before. His blood traveled through his body, reached the cold bench, and dripped on the floor. This dynamic was tirelessly continued as he gradually lost his strength and vitality, gripping on his life strand the best he could.

Mine leaned and touched the wound with the palm of his hand. The crimson blood drenched his once clean hand, but he wasn't bothered by that. He slowly pressed that hand against the wound, and a faint glow emitted from the patterns of his hand and body. The same patterns slowly crawled on his fading friend's skin until his arms and chest had similar drawings as the entity he called a friend next to him. The blood on the floor formed a wing-like drawing, like the "cloak" on Mine's back.

Agarath and the Consort were stunned at the view. One was bright and madly grinning. The other was terrified and worriedly looking at the one lying on the bench. However, none of them dared to speak while the entity did whatever he was doing with his fellow half-breed.

That spell… The Consort thought, looking at the patterns on Mine and Addai's bodies. No way… Is he trying to rewind Addai's conditions?!

That was quite risky. The rewinding spell was exclusively for Chronos' beings and Papillon's variant specialty – before its viciousness. If Mine used the spell carelessly, Addai could turn into a fetus or even a cell in worst-case scenarios. Also, if he didn't aim the spell to the right spot, he could rewind Addai's memories, speech capability, mobility, and more. But if Mine used the spell correctly, directing the flow to only Addai's body, he could rewind the wound and "cure" it before it was too late. All he needed was his own strong will and mastery, which was the least of his problems.

I need to find a way to contact Mr. Rito and tell him about Mine. The Consort started plotting schemes, ignoring the cheerful Agarath beside him. But if I act carelessly… Mine will target me, and his explosive power might hurt Addai once they're connected by the rewinding spell…

Wait, take Addai, run away from that realm, and contact Rito. The plan was roughly set. However, it was full of holes, especially about the demon beside him, Agarath.

Agarath's actions were unpredictable, as he stopped teasing and pressuring Mine further. In fact, his lack of action worried the Consort, who intended to capture the demon after reaching out to Rito. Yet, the Consort needed to focus on the bigger threat: Mine.

It's been centuries since a Papillon variant hadn't manifested, much less in their vicious forms like Mine or Rito's younger sister. The Consort couldn't lay a hand on him, not only because he wished to protect the boy, but because Mine's attacks could be unpredictable and affect the Consort's integrity. Even Agarath was quietly seeing the entity performing the rewinding spell. The demon could be nuts, but he wasn't idiotic.

Mine was an army of one, and everybody needed to be careful.

The Consort tried to move his arm, and it moved freely, meaning the binding spell Mine cast earlier had lifted. But it still wasn't time for action. The rewinding spell was still happening, and Mine's essence was swirling around him and his friend, whose face was gradually recovering its redness and health. The wound, once gruesome, slowly closed as the blood, organs, and tissues recovered their integrity. His shirt was still stained in crimson and had a hole in the chest, but it was a mere detail.

Mine's essence was light but oppressive when it traveled too far from him and his friend. The softness of his essence harmlessly twirled around Addai, tickling his skin and hair, contrasting to how his essence acted when "touching" potentially harmful objects – like Agarath's sword, now turned into dust – and even gargoyles far from them.

When Addai's closed eyes twitched, Mine gasped, and the spell faded. All the essence floating around them also subsided and converged into Mine, as if gathering it back like the patterns on Addai's body. He approached his friend's face and smiled his always bright smile, waiting for Addai to finally wake up…

… but it didn't happen.

What? The Consort frowned. The spell was perfect… What could have gone wrong?

Mine let out a sorrowful sigh and gently touched Addai's face, but he remained unresponsive. Mine started panicking and patting Addai's face, and when it wasn't enough for him to react, he started shaking Addai. Still, Addai didn't react.

Why is he pretending to be asleep? The Consort pondered, drawing the pattern to summon his spear on the palm of his hand.

Mine approached Addai's face as if checking if he was breathing, and the acidic colors around him soon soothed. He kept very close to Addai's face, looking at his closed eyes.

He's checking him thoroughly… He's way too close to him. It's dangerous for Addai's integrity if Mine snaps. The Consort cold sweated, slowly moving to grab his summoned spear.

Mine jerked his head to the Consort's spot and screeched, forcing the Consort to drop the weapon and go back to where Agarath was patiently waiting. The demon was oddly marveled at Mine, and he couldn't hide his wide, genuine smile. The Consort glanced at Addai, whose eyes were slightly opened, looking at the Consort. Their eyes met, and the Consort gasped at what Addai gesticulated.

'Leave it to me,' Addai signaled with his hand.

The Consort didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Addai didn't open his eyes earlier because he was still recovering his senses, and now he would do such a reckless thing?! Right after "coming back to life?!"

The Consort couldn't hide his disapproval. So, he tried to say something like 'Don't you dare' with his eyes. But it was fruitless once Mine noticed his odd behavior and jumped in his direction. The Papillon Chronos grabbed the Consort's robes and growled inches close to his face. The Consort stayed still, not moving a muscle nor blinking. Agarath also did the same, but mutely cheering as his eyes brightened with excitement as God knows what was going on inside his troubled mind.

Remember to act as he pleases… so he won't be further triggered… Don't move, don't blink. The Consort took mental note as Mine’s colors shifted while he watched, waiting to see if the Consort would react. But what is Addai plotting? Wait, don't tell me he will try to soothe Mine, as simple as that?! Did he lose his mind?!

Addai tried to move on the bench, patting his chest and shirt. Despite his gruesome looks, he didn't seem bothered at that, nor moved. He slowly tried to sit on the bench, but a pebble next to his hand fell on the floor and made a sound.

Mine stopped growling at the Consort, and the "cloak" on his back twitched like a pair of wings, spreading as he released the Consort's robes. Addai turned stiff. There wasn't time to go back pretending to be asleep anymore, and his approach was spoiled. Mine was alert.

Wait. The Consort thought, looking at Addai. The boy's eyes were dark, and his hands were clenched as if he was ready to attack. Could it be that he didn't want to soothe Mine, but that he didn't know that entity was Mine?!