Nita shook her head, her gaze sharp as she brought her fingers together forming a diamond. Golden light busted out of Nita's fingertips like strands of strings in numerous numbers, they wrapped around Haruto's body, forming into an armor.
Haruto smiled, putting his faith in Nita's abilities he pulled away his sword. Okita blade slashed at Haruto's abdomen, but it deflected. Okita jumped back, smiling as she swiped her sword.
"Owh! That barrier is strong. But let's see how long you can keep it up?"
Haruto lunged at Okita in a zigzag motion, his move unpredictable to any normal person, but to Okita it's the oldest trick in the book. Okita moved swiftly dodging and deflecting Haruto's attack and occasionally striking back, no different from a sibling fight.
Even though Okita wasn't fighting seriously, her attacks were more than enough to take down Haruto. As a result even after knowing the consequences of using barrier magic for long periods of time Nira kept using it. While Star kept changing the landscape to make it in Haruto's favor.
Haruto and Okita stood two meters apart, Haruto breathed heavily as he pointed his sword at Okita. His tone was judgmental. "Okita, you're a human, aren't you? Then why do you serve that rotten demon? Why do you serve someone who only causes pain and suffering?"
Okita gripped her sword tight, tears welling in her eyes. "Don't you go calling him a ROTTEN DEMON! What do you know about him huh!"
Okita switched her grip. "It's people like you and the kingdoms who are rotten."
Haruto raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed the kingdoms you're serving don't care about small villages. Where people suffer from hunger, pain, slavery and abandonment. But Noctis, he is different… he saved and many others who were crusted our from society, those who's future was nothing but darkness. He gave us light and—" She paused before speaking again. "Hope. But still…"
A memory flashed — Noctis offering her food with a warm smile, back when she had nothing.
Okita shook her head. "Forget it. Just fight me and it seems like your friend over has awaken."
But Haruto and the others couldn't move as hints of doubt crossed their minds wondering if they are on the right side.
Okita rushed forward but before their blades met, she stabbed the ground. The next instant wind swirled around Haruto and barely conscious J like a hurricane. As the wind sliced at them from every angle like razor-sharp blades. If it hadn't for Nita's barriers they would have been dead by now.
Haruto and J couldn't move a finger nor speak. It's as if something pinned them down, not allowing them. And then tragedy struck as Nita's barrier started to weaken and her consciousness on the edge of collapsing. Having no other choice Star joined in.
Star brought her hand towards her shoulders as five spears made of fire and wind appeared behind her. The next instant she swiped her hand launching the spears at Okita in one last desperate attempt. Okita looked up, quickly stepping back as Star's spell created craters on the ground.
Okita sighed as she murmured. "I wish it could've gone differently."
She turned and ran off to the horizon as the swirling wind disappeared. But the party couldn't catch their breath— Nita collapsed to the ground with a thud unconscious. Star and Haruto rushed Nita's side, while J struggled to stand up.
Star shook Nita by the shoulder, her face littered with worry. "Nita! What happened to you? Answer me!"
Haruto stared at Nita's still body, her skin had turned pale as she moaned in pain. "Star quick check her temperature."
Star placed her hand on Nita's forehead immediately retrieving it. "This is bad," She said, "She burning up."
At that moment J slowly walked up to them, his body still hurting from the crash. But as he saw Nita, his voice became frantic. "You idiot! Get her to the carriage quick, we need to reach royal capital ASAP!"
Star confused. "What—"
Before they could do something, J picked Nita up in his hands and quickly got into the carriage, ordering Haruto and Star to get in quick. They as told quickly getting into the carriage dumbfounded and as soon as they got in the carriage on the command of J the coachmen started the carriage.
"J, what's gotten into you? Why are you so frantic?" Star asked, her brows furrowed.
J ran a hand down his face. "Don't you remember what Darko said?
Star tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"It's simple, isn't it? I'm talking about Darko's warning — not to overuse mana. He said if we push ourselves too far, our bodies will collapse."
"Of course I remember. But it's not that serious, especially outside of battle. A little rest is usually enough to recover," Star replied.
J scratched the back of his neck, his voice tense. "Yeah… maybe. But look at her." He pointed at Nita. "She's out cold, her skin's pale, her body temperature's all wrong— and she's moaning in pain."
He paused, his voice cracking slightly. "I… I'm scared something worse has happened to her."
Haruto placed his hand on J's shoulder as his voice cracked. "J… don't worry I'm sure that— Nita will be alright."
After an hour they reached the castle. Haruto opened the carriage door as J carefully picked up Nita on his back. They stormed through the grand hallway as sunlight simmered through the long glass windows.
J gently placed Nita on a soft bed, pulling a blanket over her. Her body burned in fever as she whimpered in pain. J quickly rushed out while Haruto and Star stayed.
J's hurried footsteps and ragged breathing echoed through the marble hallway disturbing the peace of the castle.
J burst opened the door of the throne room interrupting a meeting between Lina and several nobles.
Lina stood up as concerned washed over her. "J?! Why are you here? And why do you look so pale?"
J spoke with urgency. "Doctor! We need a doctor now! Nita… Nita needs help, quick get doctor."
Luckily one of the nobles were a well know doctor in Linares.
He stood up, his voice calm and steady. "Please, sir, hero lead me ther. I am an well renowned doctor so I may be able to help."
J led the nobleman to Nita's room as the doctor struggled to keep up.
J pointed towards Nita. "There she is."
The doctor stepped back, a sweat drop rolled down his cheek as he rushed towards Nita quickly checking her pulse.
"Don't tell me she fell victim to that!"
After a few moment later the doctor stood up, his head low as no words uttered from his mouth.
J stepped forward, "What happened to her?"
The doctor avoided his gaze as he remains silent.
"I said what happened to Nita!" J demanded.
Star placed a hand over J's shoulder. "Give him time would you? I mean I know where you're coming from but still calm down."
Haruto gesture his hands as he asked. "Please, sir, tell us what has happened to our friend."
The took a deep breath and exhaled. "It seems like she has rare condition…"
"What type of condition?" J asked
The doctor narrowed his eyes. "Please let me finish. She is in a coma… one of the worst kind called MDC or Mana Depletion Coma."
"Sir, will… will she be okay." Star asked softly.
The doctor avoided their gaze, his voice somber. "I… I can't say that as I've never seen a MDC patient wake up. Please forgive I couldn't do anything."
A pin drop silence washed over the room. Haruto clenched his fists, Star stared at Nita's unconscious body drowning in guilt as she sat beside Nita.
J, he turned and left the room with his head down, his footsteps echoing in the quiet hall. He went straight to the royal library and began searching through book after book after book desperate to find a cure for Nita.
From that day onward, he devoted himself in the search of a cure, spending countless hours in the libraries and scouring the streets for any shred of information. As for Haruto he didn't stop, he kept going on missions after missions saving as many as he can hopping the people he saves to have a cure or a recipe. On the other hand Star kept training under Darko and Ariel, to create a spell that could cure Nita