The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 75: Getting Back Up

For a moment, everything came to a standstill.

No one moved among the five of us. There was nothing special about Deo today, not even a changed outfit ro signify that he came to our aid. He was just standing in the middle of the desert, wearing his billowing robes of white and familiar black mask with crescent shapes.

"Deo!"

My call for him was cut short when Idris bellowed his name, it was only on my throat and have not even been let out but Idris has came first than I was. I closed my opened mouth but, somehow, there was a smile that touched the edge of my lips. The stabbing pain on my abdomen has ceased and it was like I have seen my salvation with his arrival.

"Lord Deo..." I heard Cocytus whispered under his breath. Like how Idris sounded, there was an astonoshment and awe on his voice that did not mask his relief of the other's presence.

Deo's head turned, not at us who were calling him, but at the duo on the other side of the field. Haziel's green eyes were wide, there was also astonishment within them but there was more of disbelief while Apollyon Hart was smirking as though he has seen this happening.

With his arrival also came the hundreds, possibly thousands, of light butterflies. They tore at the illusion made by Haziel and Apollyon and, slowly, the illusion started to melt, turning into one of the gallery room from the ceiling down to the walls.

Meanwhile, one of Deo's index finger pointed at the duo but, with a flourish of Apollyon Hart's finger, they vanished within the realms of their illusion. I caught one last glimpse of Haziel Imbert's face before her green eyes postively averted my gaze and vanished with Apolluon Hart.

Even now, despite having to go through four different illusions, I still cannot believed that Haziel was involved in all of this. I have established her as the leader of the Eirini, or at least an ally of the Eirini, within the walls of the academy and thinking that she would think of betraying the royal family just made my heart clench.

"Seraphin," Cocytus whispered to me before I crumpled down on my knees.

Before I hit my face on the desert sand, which slowly turning into the usual carpeted floor of the galleries of the academy, Idris has taken hold of my shoulders. I felt that the hilt of the sword that was pierced through my stomach slightly moved and that caused another series of unmentionable pain.

I screamed and maybe, at that time, I was not even aware that I was screaming so hard.

On instinct, I tried to go to a fetal position only for my body to realize that it was not physically possible for me. I clutched at my abdomen, groaning quietly and as silent as I could. It does not bode with me that my sister, who was supposedly the target of the sword, was looking at me and near to tears. She was saying something while she cradled me gently on my side since I could no turn on my back to properly lie down.

"This... this is my—my fault," she stammered but what came next was a billowing white robe that enveloped me and lifted me off from my sister's grasp.

I felt the numbness took over my whole body, lulling me into a sleep. Suddenly, the sticky and exhausting air to breath was replaced with a refreshing breeze, blowing cool wind on my face and lungs. I did not feel it, but I heard the sword was pulled out of me. My hand felt the stickiness of that region worsen until I felt my whole hand getitng soaked. It was quite uncomfortable.

I coughed, but there was a thick metallic taste on it. It overpowered me and before I could swallow it back, I already spat it all. All the while, the butterflies were fluttering around me and the redness that spread all over my lower part. Deo cradled me still and the sword, which I finally saw as he lifted it up my body, was tossed away from me.

"You're going to be okay," I heard him whisper to me and I nodded.

I saw both Idris and Cocytus staring at me in the distance when I turned my head. I reached my hand, gesturing that I would be okay before I felt a sharp pain on my chest. I looked at Deo and realized he has struck me. I opened my mouth but was already drifting into a sleep. The image of the ceiling of the gallery was the last thing I saw.

When I woke up, I could not remember anything at first and I just lie there for a full minute, trying to recall what has happened to me and why I could not move freely. I was restrained as I understood on the stiffness all over my body and my lips were quite dry as I was parched. I recalled not falling asleep on this house and not even taking off my dress which would be memorable since it was enormous and was hard to put in.

Then, while looking at the ceiling of my room, I remembered it all. My hand quickly went to my abdomen, just to check my stab wound and found it bandaged carefully and neatly.

"Ugh!" I groaned as my fingers pressed too hard on it and just let my hand slid on my side.

He came for us, I thought abruptly, he really did came for us.

But then I thought of Haziel Imbert and Apollyon Hart, both escaped within the grasp of a Deity. Or did Deo actually let them escaped? It seemed ridiculous at first, but when I really put my mind on this matter, I realized that even when Haziel betrayed everyone, she was still part of the Thirteen Noble Families whereas Apollyon could divulge the secrets of blood magic.

They were both on an impasse and, in that moment, I think Deo realized that and he let them go.

"So you are awake," a gentle voice said and a caress on my cheek came up next. "How do you feel, Seraphin?"

I looked on the side and saw that Eris was just waiting for me, but I never did acknowledged her presence and maybe she grew impatient with the absence of my mind. She was smiling at me, like how she always did, and I thought it really comforting to see her first before anyone else.

"Hi," I greeted her weakly and tried to reach out with my hand only for it to just slide out of weakness. I clenched my teeth and endured the pain.

Eris hurriedly went over to me and held my hand that tried to reach out.

"Are you okay, Seraphin?" she asked worriedly, cluthing my hand tightly. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like my intestines were all emptied out."

Eris laughed at that. There was still the metallic taste of blood on my tongue that made feel as though I would vomit any moment, the pinching pain within me due to the stab wound, but I really was fine. Besides, this was the only major injury I have gained on that illusion.

"Funny how that's almost happened."

Not at all,I thought.

"How is everyone? Cocytus and... and Idris. How would we find the missing students anyways? Haziel and Apollyon both escaped."

"Everyone is safe, Seraphin," she told me in a soothing voice. "Deo tried to go to you three first as soon as he arrived but I was the who told him that you would survive no matter what. He first went out to get the students out of the different realm of illusion within that building."

"And?" I urged her. "What about Haziel and Apollyon?"

There was hesitation on her eyes as she looked at me straight on.

"Well?" I demanded.

"I told him to let them go," she confessed which made my brows knitted together in the middle.

I tried to sat up but I only aggravated my wound and I was forced to lie down, clutching at my middle while I groaned silently. I clenched my jaw, biting down my tongue in the process and spreading that metallic taste on my mouth.

"You're not allowed to get up yet, Seraphin. Your wound is still fresh."

"Then use magic on it," I snapped back at her.

I heard her sighed, clamping her lips together.

"Magic could heal it but there's only so much we could do about your wound," she explained. "It was a miracle that Deo was able to heal you on the spot, but you have lost so much blood and that is not something Deo could just magically will to appear if he didn't want your whole body to be artificial and made up of that energy."

I understood that and it was irrational of me to think of that, or to even demand of it. Everything must be done in moderation and magic healing only reinforce of what was left of a person's body. But I wanted to move about, to inspect everything and to do something, anything at all, since I have been sleeping.

"Don't force yourself, Seraphin."

I nodded and lied down properly. There was still pain on my abdomen and it was making me dizzy all over again. There was a cough coming up my throat but I just swallowed it down, afraid that if I move my stomach with coughing that would only aggravate the stab wound.

"Then why would ask him to let them escape?" I finally asked when I was sane enough to talk from the pain.

"I could only see Haziel's future, as you know." I nodded, Apollyon Hart's fate was concealed from the Seer's Sight as soon as the blood of the Deities statted to run on his veins. "And if the Eirini catch her now and condemn her now, she would go to a dark path where she wouldn't be able to return to. I suggested to Leigh that we should let her realize her mistake instead of letting the whole Dalcanoraz condemn her. Catching her would only add up to her grievances, and she would feel as if the whole world has abandoned her. Someone like the Duchess of Irminbehrt, Lady Imbert, could be a great person, I see a possibility for her, a potential future wherein you and her could both work in harmony."

"How are the students?" I then asked her.

Eris let out another sigh.

"The students, including your former roomate, Bianca were all inflicted by the aftereffects of the illusion," she said then explained further, "their mind was in chaos, like how yours was when you first entered the academy and even worse than Anasthasia's when Cocytus first brought her here. Zachriel and the others are all doing their best, but he's already said that it would be impossible to get them to their original state. Their bodies were almost decomposing with how long they were inside the illusions. What the Hybrid did, Apollyon Hart Aldovia, was that he created individual illusions to trap anyone who would be caught on the illusion. Similar to what happened to you, Idris, and Yto."

"So what would happen now? Back to normal? I... I'm not certain how this would end just like this. Both Apollyon and Haziel were still out, roaming freely, and these students..." I looked up at the ceiling again, feeling the overwhelming and incredibly heavy weight on my chest settling over there comfortably. "But those students won't be back to normal. Not ever."

"Deo and Leigh have done enough for those students, they could never be restored back to their normal condition but at least they are alive and could continue living once they have recuperated properly."

With that Eris went out to get the news out that I have finally awaken from my slumber. The next ones to arrive were the golden light butterflies. They all fluttered around me, covering the length and width of my body with their glow and perching on me like I was their personal garden.

"Thank you," I whispered to them. Three light butterflies went up to my head and started braiding my black hair.

Then Idris, my younger sister, arrived next. The golden light butterflies did not mind the presence of another person but it was apparent to me that Idris minded them. She continuously shifted on her seat while her eyes lingered on them.

"Do not mind them," I said. I tried to sit down to give her proper greetings but she forced me down back to the bed.

"The Deity of Light and Magic is not exactly like the Lady of the Death Doors, but his Fire Butterflies are infamous on being a weapon of mass destruction. Soo..." Idris purposely made her last word longer, leaning backwards when a butterfly threatened to get near her. "I would very much like to mind them."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm! Saying—!" Idris pointed a finger on one light butterfly that perched on the back of her chair. "I'm... saying... that I do trust Lord Deo, Deity and all that, but I think I'm pushing waaay too far if I ever like... touch these things, you know?"

"They're very gentle creatures," I cooed at the butterflies.

"To you, probably" Idris, however, contradicted.