When the goddess explained how the girl could be saved, to August it felt like a heavy burden was lifted from his shoulder.
Explaining further ' the moon goddess ' Elythria said,
" As you know from earlier, time follows a different path here in the sanctum.
A day here equals a month outside, and you have spent six days here therefore six months have already passed in the outside world.
At this moment, Miss Emilia is in her slumber halfway through the death. If you wanted to save her, it has to be, before she enters the death phase of the curse.
It is indeed killing two birds with one stone for you, but I will like to ask you once more,
Sir Augustus, are you willing to take the curse of
' the black shackles ' on yourself ? "
Closing his eyes, August frowned -- after a few seconds he said,
" Yes I am, please do it. "
*****
" Then i will start the procedure "
Taking a few steps back, with a slight gesture from her hand a grimoir appeared out of nowhere -- it opened revealing the page she required hovering in the midair on her eye level.
Taking a look at that, the goddess sat on a knee as she touched the floor below with her right hand.
As if the floor reacted, a mana circle illuminating the surroundings appeared.
With that, the goddess said getting up as her white huge wings appeared again,
" Please! stand in the middle of the circle "
Even being not able to walk properly, leaving the boy supporting him to stand behind, August stood in the middle of the mana circle.
Looking at the young dragon standing behind with worried expressions, August gave him a smile of reassurance. With him standing in the middle, the runes lit up more brightly.
Extending her arm, there was a bright star like the one he previously saw was hovering above her palm.
The difference between the previous and this one was, the star in front of him was shining brightly like the ones on a cloudless night.
Starting, straight at him the goddess said,
" This is an element called ' vitalis ' or in other words
' the god particle ' as it provides life, this will work as a trigger to begin the transformation and also will help her to recover faster.
It will save your friend's life but I cannot say anything about her lost memories.
There aren't many of these particles so I hope, in the future, you would understand why I am going to these extents only to fulfill your wishes. "
As she was finished with her speech she stood there for a few seconds waiting for the last approval from him, August nodded in determination without giving a second thought about it.
To him, pain and suffering that he was about to be given with the curse-- wasn't even worth considering. But to think, the friend he shared a lot with, happiness or sadness -- might forget everything about him. Was the most disheartening.
Maybe it was because she was more than a friend to him.
*****
With that, the goddess started the ritual as she suddenly disappeared, the circle began illuminating with magical noises, August stood there closing his eyes and the dragon boy a few steps behind him with a worried look on his face.
-------
THE EMPIRE
CAPITAL CITY OF ' CROWNSPIRE ' --
At the Middle of the day Lord Victor and his son Damian sitting beside his dying daughter in silence and despair, with the dried tears in both of their eyes.
With his soar voice Lord Victor said, " Son, you haven't eaten a thing from last night. Please go and have some food otherwise, you will fall ill. "
The young boy drowned in despair, with his trembling voice said,
" please father, please let me stay by my sister's side. That is the least i can do as an atonement. "
Gently patting his head he said,
" why do you keep saying things like it's your fault, what do you think your sister would say if she learns that you haven't eaten a thing ? "
Holding back his tears glancing at his daughter, sleeping in eternal slumber, lord Victor said,
" please! For her sake, and take something for your mother as well she also hasn't eaten.... "
Wiping his tears, Damian left the room in silence.
After him leaving, Lord Victor couldn't help himself but cried, running tears uncontrollably falling down from his red - turned eyes as the dark patches below them could be seen.
Trembling with his frail - gone body he said looking at his daughter,
" sorry my child, at last your worthless father couldn't do anything to save you.
I am sorry that you were born to me.
I am sorry my child...
I am sorry... " Sobbing there with a loss of words he cried in silence.
*****
As a bright star of light shone in front of him suddenly, Lord Victor -- who was too weak even to stand properly, immediately stood in front of her protecting his daughter from the unknown threat.
Around that star a woman with huge white wings, golden eyes and her hair floating, she hovering above the ground suddenly appeared , Lord Victor asked being surprised,
" Who ? Who are you ? What do you want ? "
Taking a glance at the girl sleeping behind him the woman said
" Lord Victor Hartwell, I am ' goddess of the moon ' my name is Elythria. "
Lord Victor gulped and said " what ? Elythria you say ? As In ' the silver veil ' ? What business do you have here ? "
With a humble nod the goddess said,
" Do not worry, I am here to save your daughter. Someone has willingly taken her curse upon them,
We don't have much time here, so please rest easy and step aside. "
It wasn't that Lord Victor doesn't have his suspicions of the woman calling herself ' the moon goddess ' but for him the desperation was very intense, no matter her identity, if she could save his daughter -- it was enough as he stepped aside.
With a slight gesture from her hand, the star hovering above her palm shone brighter and entered her body.
That light was shining even brighter in her body as black mist came out of her simultaneously. Just after a few minutes whole room got covered in black -- no odour, no presence, nothing but it was there visually. anyone watching could say that it was bad.
Lord Victor was standing a few steps as afar watching this display, struggling with his conflicting thoughts with his eyes wide open.
After a few minutes the girl began to respond, moving in her sleep as if she was in a bad dream.
Lord Victor standing there watching his daughter finally being freed from her long lasting illness -- he cried his eyes out with joy.
Finally when the last of the black mist came out of her body, the goddess extended her arm as the whole black mist from their surroundings got concentrated on her palm forming a black spherical stone.
When Emilia opened her eyes watching a goddess standing in front of her and taking a glance at him she said " father! "
Watching his daughter finally cured from her illness, Lord Victor fell on his knees as he bowed in respect to the goddess and with his trembling - soar voice he said,
" I can't thank you enough for the miracle you've performed, please tell me how can I repay your kindness "
Turning her gaze towards him the goddess said,
" no need to thank me, i didn't do anything. As i previously said, a person after going through countless dangers reached me and wished to cure your daughter only to take her curse on himself, if you want to thank anyone, he is the only deserving one. "
With her father hugging and crying on her shoulder, watching the goddess smile and finally fading away Emilia asked, " please tell me his name atleast "
Closing her eyes smiling in satisfaction the goddess said " i cannot, but he is someone very close to you "
With that the goddess vanished in the thin air.
Hearing the commotion inside, Damian rushed into the room, as he opened the door -- the food carrying tray fell from his hands, his eyes began tearing up as he stood there in mixed feelings of joy and shock.
Watching him standing there Emilia turned her gaze towards him, smiled and said " Damian! "
Hearing his name the boy ran and hugged his sister as tightly as he could while crying. Desperately wiping his tears off he asked,
" sis ! Are you alright, are you safe now ? I am so glad"
She said as she gently put her hand on his head while looking at the clouds out from the window,
" Someone took my curse on themselves..... ( Lightning up her tone she said ) But my memory is kind of hazy, Tell me everything that happened brother and where is, mother ? "
As he was standing there crying with tears of joy watching his children happy there was a knock at the door...
A guard standing outside with a worry some expression said,
" My lord!, we have received a letter from Lord Vellion's name, and it is not good "
*****
THE OBSIDIAN SANCTUM
After a few minutes when the goddess returned she immediately began the process of curse transfer by breaking that black stone flooding the surroundings with the black mist.
Soon all of the mist got attracted towards the boy standing in the middle of the mana circle.
As the mana circle Along with August got covered in the black fog releasing out nothing but his screams.
Listening to him scream so loudly the eyes of the young dragon widened in worry as he said in his panicking voice,
" Hey! What's? what's happening ? Is he alright ? "
Replying to the young dragon the goddess said,
" I can't possibly say that he'll be alright "
Looking at her with a fierce gaze the young dragon warned her with a heavy voice,
" you better hope he will be alright, otherwise I will find you even from the depths of the hell if I had to and make sure you perish. Even if you are a goddess"
Watching at the confidence and determination in his eyes and knowing that the boy meant from his heart what he said.
Elythria, a goddess gulped, turned her gaze away and hid the fear -- under a fake one-sided smile -- that she felt from that killing intent of the young dragon standing before her.
His gaze alone at that moment made her difficult to breathe.
**********