The grand corridors of the royal castle echoed with hurried footsteps. Soldiers rushed through the gates, carrying the limp form of Isaac. His once-bright aura was now faint, flickering like a candle struggling in the wind. Blood stained his silver suit, seeping through the bandages hastily wrapped during the retreat. His breaths were shallow, his face pale, and the ominous glow of the spirit arrow's poison pulsed faintly from his chest wound.
They stormed into the royal infirmary. The palace healers and attendants bowed quickly aside as the kingdom's senior physician—a man of graying hair and a steady voice, known simply as the Royal Doctor—stepped forward.
"Lay him down. Now."
The soldiers placed Isaac on the jade-lined bed. The doctor's fingers moved swiftly, checking pulse, skin, breath. His brows furrowed deeper with each moment. Finally, he exhaled, grim.
"His wound is… unlike any I've seen. The arrow that pierced him was no ordinary spirit weapon. It carries venom in its light—a poison that spreads through his veins even now."
Princess Diya gasped, her golden eyes wide with guilt. She clasped her trembling hands together, refusing to look away from Isaac's pained face.
"Can you heal him?" she whispered, her voice cracking.
The doctor shook his head. "Not with what we have here. His muscles are seizing from exhaustion, and the venom has rooted itself in his heart. Ordinary herbs, even royal elixirs, will only slow the spread, not cure it."
A heavy silence fell. The weight of his words struck the room like a hammer.
The doctor straightened, his tone grave but resolute. "There is a medicine—a rare compound my colleague keeps in the next city. It is the only thing that can break this poison. But it is far, and time is short. He will not last more than a day without it."
At once, several soldiers stepped forward. "Allow us, Your Highness. We will ride at once and return with the medicine."
But before they could bow, Prince Ravender raised his hand sharply. His eyes burned with unshakable pride.
"No. He risked his life for my sister. He stood against death to protect our bloodline. This duty falls on me."
The soldiers froze, exchanging worried looks.
Ravender's voice lowered, firm and cutting. "None of you will go. I will retrieve the cure myself."
His words silenced the chamber, but not for long. A softer voice broke through the tension.
"Then I will come with you."
Heads turned. Vaela had stepped forward, her hands clenched at her sides. Her eyes, usually calm and thoughtful, shone with unyielding determination.
Ravender frowned. "No. The path is dangerous. This is my responsibility—"
"And Isaac is my friend," Vaela cut him off, her tone sharp. "I will not sit here while he suffers. If danger waits on the road, then I will face it too."
The prince's jaw tightened. For a moment, they stood locked in silence, neither backing down. Then, slowly, Ravender's gaze softened, ever so slightly. He turned his head aside.
"… Very well. But you will stay close to me. Do not stray."
Vaela gave a firm nod. "Agreed."
With that, the two prepared to depart. The soldiers, though uneasy, bowed to their decision.
---
Inside the infirmary, silence remained, broken only by Isaac's strained breathing. Diya sat at his bedside, her slender hand hovering just above his, unsure if she had the right to hold it.
Her thoughts were a storm.
Why… why would he do it? My brother was there. Vaela was there. Yet he threw himself in front of me. He risked everything… for me.
Her chest tightened. She had been raised in the safety of the palace, shielded by her brother's sword and her royal guards. No one had ever—ever—thrown themselves into death's path for her.
Her eyes burned as she leaned closer.
"Why, Isaac…?" she whispered. "Why me?"
Then—his fingers twitched.
Diya gasped softly as Isaac's hand suddenly shot up, grabbing hers. His grip was weak, trembling… yet desperate.
"W-what…?" Her heart raced, heat rushing to her cheeks.
Isaac's eyes remained shut. His breaths were uneven. He was dreaming.
In his dream, a different scene unfolded. A shadowy figure stood before him—his mother, smiling faintly as the winds of space pulled her away.
"Don't leave me," he whispered in his sleep, his hand reaching out. "Please… not again…"
And in the waking world, his hand clutched Diya's as if it was the last tether keeping him from falling.
Her lips parted in shock, but she did not pull away. Instead, her free hand gently brushed his fevered forehead.
His skin was burning.
"He's burning up…" she whispered. At once, she reached for a basin, soaking a cloth in cool water. With trembling care, she placed the wet cloth upon his brow, pressing softly to lower the fever.
Her golden aura dimmed to a calm shimmer as she worked, her heart thundering. She had never felt so helpless—and never so close to someone outside her family.
And so, the princess of the realm sat by his side, tending to him through the long night.
---
Far from the castle, beneath a sky bruised with storm clouds, Ravender and Vaela galloped across the winding road to the next city.
But the spirits had not given up their hunt. Shadows lunged from the trees—remnants of the Hyena Soldiers, twisted by lingering spirit energy. Their snarls cut through the air as they surrounded the two riders.
Ravender drew his blade, his lion spirit roaring to life around him. "Stay behind me!"
He charged, cleaving through the first wave with radiant strikes. But there were too many. A spear of shadow arced toward his side—too fast to block.
"Prince!"
Before the weapon could pierce him, Vaela darted in, her staff blazing with white-blue aura. With a cry, she struck the spear aside and countered with a sweeping kick that shattered the enemy's form.
Ravender blinked, his breath caught. She had saved him.
Vaela's voice was firm, eyes blazing with quiet fire. "I said I wouldn't stay behind. We fight together."
For the first time in years, something inside Ravender softened. His pride wavered, replaced by a strange warmth. He gave a small, rare nod.
"… Very well. Together, then."
The two cut through the shadows side by side, their movements finding rhythm with one another until, at last, the road cleared.
By the time they reached the city, the bond between them had shifted.
---
Back at the castle, dawn broke. Diya had fallen asleep, her head resting gently on Isaac's hand, her other hand still holding the cloth against his forehead.
The sound of hurried footsteps filled the hall. She stirred awake just as Ravender and Vaela entered, their clothes dusted from battle, but their expressions triumphant.
"We have it," Ravender declared, handing the sealed vial to the Royal Doctor.
Without wasting a moment, the doctor administered the medicine. Slowly, the venom's glow faded from Isaac's chest, his breathing evening out, his fever cooling.
Color returned to his face. His pulse strengthened.
"He will live," the doctor announced at last.
Diya's eyes shimmered with relief. She pressed her hand to her lips, a smile breaking through her tears.
Ravender crossed his arms, watching his sister's expression, then turned his gaze to Isaac.
"… For this sacrifice, he will not go unrewarded," the prince murmured. "When he wakes… he shall be honored with a gift from the royal family."
And so, Isaac's life was pulled back from the edge of death, yet the path before him was only beginning to unfold.
---