Chapter 121: A Romantic but Gross Kind of Drink
"Thank God, we arrived just in time," Etienne, with great relief, collapsed next to Claude, waiting for his turn to heal Terrius.
Claude silently agreed while watching Jade intently. He was guarding him, ready to stop him from cleansing Terrius if it appeared too much for him to handle.
Jade was determined. He wasn’t bothered by the cold sweat forming on his forehead or the heat that began rising from his stomach. Because of the memories that flowed inside his head, he wanted Terrius to wake up as soon as possible, so he could tell him that he was not a monster, like he thought he was.
The world stilled. Darkness had already crept into the sky.
The cold still clung, but Jade’s energy began to pulse—like a heartbeat, like a light shining into shadow. He reached inward—not with magic, but with his will. His reassuring presence, his hidden empathy, traverse the clouded mind of Terrius, harvesting all the negatives within.
Terrius convulsed—but Jade didn’t back down.
"I’m here," he whispered. "You’re not alone, Terrius. Come back."
The shadows recoiled, flaring before pulling tight, then shuddering as they began to dissolve. One by one, the black veins faded, the ice stopped growing, and the wind quieted.
Terrius collapsed forward into Claude’s arms, unconscious but tamed.
Jade swayed where he knelt, gasping for air, his fingertips numb from the backlash. He could feel the heaviness, like gravity pushing his shoulders down.
Claude let out a shaky breath and carefully lowered Terrius to the thawing ground. His eyes were fixated on Jade, who was observing Etienne and him, wondering if both of them needed counseling as well.