"W-why will I do something stupid like that?" Elias's stuttering voice and Morgana's icy glare were both a scene to fear and laugh.
'No, I can't laugh… Elias is a zenith.'
Just as I was about to open my mouth to say something I stopped.
'Wait, the one I should respect more is Morgana… Lord Elias looks kinda stupid as well.'
Just as I turned my gaze towards them I froze.
"Wh-what?"
Morgana and Elias had their gaze fixed on me. Morgana's eyes had softened considerably from before while Elias was looking at me as if I were some exotic animal.
"Nothing, I just felt someone mocking me… Hm, maybe I was mistaken." Elias answered in a tone of contempt.
'Yeah, that was me.'
I nodded and turned to look at Morgana before speaking with a calm voice. "Lady Morgana, can you tell me more about my issue here?"
Elias, hearing this, adjusted his top hat before stopping Morgana with his hand raised.
"Let me explain that. Asher, your soul has major issues; not only is it broken, but it's also incomplete. I am not an expert in the domain of souls but that's the issue stopping you from getting enlightenment."
I frowned and raised an eyebrow at his words.
"Do you have any idea why it happened?"
Elias shrugged and leaned back on the wall. His voice went somber as he calmly assessed me. Then answered back.
"Maybe when you had your first enlightenment and rituals it didn't work properly since your soul was not well from the very beginning and walking in tightrope. That must have put a lot of pressure on your soul leading it to get damaged."
Morgana gently raised her hand and asked.
"Does soul damage lead to never having enlightenment ever again?"
Elias gave me a long gaze then turned to look at Morgana and nodded.
"Only for awakeneds after becoming a transcendent your soul slowly repairs itself and after it heals completely you can do the rituals to ascend."
We both nodded, as I asked next.
"How can I repair it then?"
Lord Elias gazed at nothing for a few seconds then raised his right hand forward and then moved his hand into the space pulling a palm-sized bottle.
"This is a potion made from the Hollows of black shores… This will help you heal your soul."
I raised an eyebrow as my gaze was fixed on the bottle in his hand.
It was milky white in color with a glass structure and a rusted tip at the bottom.
"So, I just need to drink it and my soul will heal?"
"It will but I am not sure you will be alive for that… Asher, I will tell the truth the last time a zenith had taken the potion and he took a whole week to heal himself. And you are only an awakened at that."
He paused as I felt my breath stuck in my throat.
"The head of the Pandrix family did say you can survive the Hollows effects. But let me ask you… do you really need this, you can just live your life as an awakened and still be happy with that." Elias told calmly.
I can see Morgana looking at me in silence, waiting for my decision.
I smiled softly at her.
Seeing my expression Morgana looked away, she had gotten several answers from that simple tired smile.
"So, the worst that can happen is that I will die, correct?" I asked and looked outside the window.
The stars were shining brightly today, a very good day to stay outside.
"Maybe, you will die a painful death or maybe you will have the Hollows revive inside of you. If that were to happen I will kill you and won't be able to save you."
Lord Elias's eyes shone with determination and clear ambiguity regarding this issue.
I nodded understanding his point and said. "I won't have it any other way…"
I took the bottle in my hand and looked at its murky white content inside, it wasn't liquid but rather felt like cold fog brewing inside and roaring softly.
"Is there anything I should be aware of before taking this?"
"The potion will take a lot of origin from you, so be prepared to be paralyzed and asleep for at least a month. We will keep you safe and healthy at that time and I will also keep my eyes on you for safety."
Elias sighed and told in a small voice.
"I see, is that all I need to be worried about."
'There goes my plan to rob the merchants.'
It was a pity but asking to extend the date will not only be rude but also pretty idiotic knowing how busy they all should be.
Elias tensed as he raised one finger and said in a serious voice.
"Asher, the most important part is your will. Keep it firm and immovable. Even if you start hearing things, ignore them except for our voices."
"Does the Hollow will still exist in the potion and will try to take over me?" I asked hoping to not get a positive response.
"I can't be sure, but it should not amount to more than a small grain of rice. Lord Undying is not in his best condition so these kinds of errors are possible."
"I, I see."
My hesitation peaked as he revealed more dreadful truths every time he opened his mouth.
'Can't he tell everything at once, is he trying to give me anxiety attacks?!'
Seeing my lips twitch, Morgana smiled gently and raised her right hand as a gentle warmth filled me with strength.
I felt my racing heart calm down as my body was suddenly filled with vigor and hope.
An orange hue started radiating from me and washed over me like the gentle waves of a river.
"Does this help?" Morgana asked, her hand sank in the air. Her eyes glimmer on the orange light of dawn coming from Asher's silhouette.
I hesitated for a moment but then nodded slowly as my gaze looked at Elias who also had an unexpected smile as well.
"Thanks, this indeed helped."
Morgana nodded and then turned to look at the Saint of Paths. Her smile vanished as she slowly asked.
"Is he okay?"
I stayed silent knowing this question was not for me to answer. Morgana had her worries but right now she wished to know about someone else as well.
'Lord Undying, she is probably asking about him.' I thought to myself and leaned on the pillar behind me. Collecting my thoughts to ready myself for what was to come next.
"He is better than before but he still has to remain outside…"
This was all Elias could say as he turned his gaze away from her, and tapped his finger on his molars.
His gaze changed as he fell in deep thoughts, then said.
"Are you planning to keep the embrace of dawn active for a whole month?"
"I will remove it later. Just to show some moral support and keep him calm… but maybe I will give this to him again in case it doesn't interfere with his recovery."
Morgana looked at Asher, who had his eyes closed and was in deep thought beside the pillar in the room.
Embrace of dawn has surrounded him in an otherworldly aura. His beautiful silver eyes were now hard to look at due to the glow, this was the only downside to Morgana's abilities.
"Asher, are you ready?" Elias asked.
Hearing his voice I opened my eyes and stared at him. The aura that has washed over me vanished instantly as it could affect the potion's work.
"Yes… I am ready."
Elias, the Saint of paths nodded and raised his hand.
Creak—!
The room shuddered at his command, making me almost lose my balance along with Morgana who had grabbed the table beside her.
"I have locked this room." Elias said casually, as he sat on the sofa, leaning back with his legs crossed and head resting on the pillow.
"Maybe give us a warning next time…" I mumbled.
Morgana nodded, her gaze once again glaring at Elias's unexpected move.
Seeing their unhappy faces, Elias just smiled in return and shook his hand in the air.
"Just start, don't waste time anymore."
I grabbed my fist, as I didn't wish to swing it in his direction.
His face was very annoying to look at!
Sigh…
"Please ask Franz to deliver a message for me. Tell Castor the plans are canceled."
Morgana nodded and didn't say anything more.
Now everything was up to me.
I pinched my palm and softly held the bottle in them.
The coldness radiating from it was chilling to look at.
With a deep breath, I opened it. A white fog instantly came out filling my hand with them.
It had no smell or any physical sensation yet I felt nauseated just by holding this in my palm.
'Now it's do or die!'
Without thinking much, I brought its opening to my lips and felt a cold fog going down my throat.
"Ah…" A soft moan escaped my lips as I found myself staggering back.
Thud!
The bottle fell from my hand and rolled away from me.
The world started to turn hazy as tears started to form in my eyes obstructing all the view.
"Asher…!"
Someone shouted but I couldn't tell who it was.
Was I currently lying on the ground or standing on my feets?
I can't tell anymore.
My throat ran dry as something felt stuck inside me. My chest trembled as I felt my heartbeat slow down.
'What is happening?'
For a moment I felt my vision clear, as I saw Morgana looking at me. Her face pale and worried, Elias beside her had a face similar to hers. But clearly more tense.
Then again my eyes closed. I didn't have any strength to keep them open anymore.
"Asher… Asher… Open your eyes!"
Once again I felt several sounds enter my ears. But it was meaningless, I couldn't understand what anyone was saying right now.
'Cold'
This was all I could feel. I clenched my chest, as everything started to go numb.
'So… cold.' My heart froze as I started to tremble, my hands went numb, and I couldn't move anymore.
'It's you!'
'How dare you!'
'We met!... It's fate!... Let's die!'
'I can kill you!'
'Die… Die…'
My rationality seems to have been stolen as the barrage of words swept through my mind.
The ravaging tore through inside me, flowing like a broken dam. Flooding my mind with irrationality and madness.
Tatter…
Tatter…
My inside started to break… something was being torn apart but what was it…?
I was not in any kind of pain. So, what was this emotion I was feeling right now?
This harrowing coldness that numbed my body from head to toe. Where was it coming from?
Was this dread…? I couldn't tell nor ask for help as everyone could be seen no more.
The darkness had consumed me. I understood that the battle was lost before it even began.
How could I even hope of fighting an entity that could crush mountains and rob sanity with its word alone?
'Is this the true taste of death…?'
*****
"What's happening to him?!" Morgana asked in a panic, her eyes glued to Asher's trembling figure on the ground.
She had seen the horrific scene clearly with her eyes.
The moment Asher brought the potion to his lips he fell on the ground making no sound.
He laid there out cold no matter how many times they called his name.
"I know, I know… He should have been awake for the first few hours at the very least. Having such an aggressive reaction, I never expected this." Elias mumbled, his own hand raised high above Asher.
Morgana frowned and sighed deeply.
"Should I use my ability on him?"
"No, don't do that. It might make matters worse." Elias shot down her idea without any delay.
Slap!
Morgana froze as she saw Elias slap Asher's face.
"Hey, Asher wake up!" He shouted.
Slap!
"Stop… That won't work." Morgana grabbed Elias's hand as he was ready to strike Asher's face once more.
But then Asher's trembling figure stopped moving.
Morgana and Elias both gazed at him with eyes wide open as their face turned increasingly grim.
"Asher!"
Morgan touched Asher's shoulders, shaking him gently. His face looked pale and cold with no sign of life present in them.
Morgana's hand moved slowly as she pressed her hand above his heart.
Her face fell and went pale as she turned to look at Elias before saying in a tone of uncertainty.
"Asher's heart…it's not beating."