Shattered Nightmare

Rovenin, who was too occupied to think any further, went with the flow.

Carseain called.

"Nox, you there?"

"Yes, Young Master."

He replied from the other side.

"Set up a soundproof barrier and don't let anyone near."

"As you command."

Paroah's flowers were the only thing in this world that could suck out the life force completely while keeping the hand attached.

What Carseain planned on doing might get his result into amputating the complete arm or even paralysis, in the worst case his whole Life force Mechanism could be ruptured.

Carseain took a deep breath and touched Cahill's arm. Carseain shut his eyes while Rovenin was still Rewriting.

Slowly, Green coloured particles started emerging around Cahill's arm. After 15 minutes, 3 buds emerged on Cahill's hand. One was on his palm, the second was on his wrist and the third was at the back of his palm right below the insignia.

The Flowers started sucking Life Force out of Cahill. Carseain was monitoring the amount and Cahill could feel something stinging.

As the flowers started budding, Rovenin could feel the connection breaking. Black coloured letters in ancient writing started flowing out of the Insignia and Rovenin inspected each of them very carefully. Rewriting became easier.

Carseain and Rovenin glanced at each other and nodded.

Carseain accelerated the growth and the petals of flowers changed hues from white to deep red.

He memorized the routes and patterns in which the life force was being sucked out of Cahill's hand.

The flowers looked ephemeral. It had blood-red petals and a golden centre as if woven with silk thread.

As the flowers bloomed in full splendour, Cahill's hand grew scraggy like a dead tree branch. Cahill hollowed out his lungs. He was writhing in pain while letting out horrifying screams.

Carseain was worried that he might bite his tongue accidentally. Therefore, he made tree veins grow from the ground with magic and gagged his mouth.

The flowers were in full bloom which meant that all the life force from his hand was sucked. The hand was practically dead and insignia couldn't hold on to it.

Cahill was feeling excruciating pain but he could not even let out a scream. His eyes were deep red. It felt like tears of blood would roll down his cheeks any moment.

Cahill was losing consciousness but Carseain urged him to stay awake.

"Hold on a bit longer "

Cahill did not have the strength to respond.

The past 13 years of his life were flashing by.

"This is nothing, this is absolutely nothing ."

He reminded himself.

' This is nothing compared to when father died.

This is nothing compared to how hard I had to train to get into the guild.

This is nothing compared to the terror I felt when I first spilt an innocent life's blood.

This is nothing compared to how many times I had almost been killed.

This is nothing compared to the humiliation I faced while my seniors at the guild bullied him.

This is nothing compared to the pain I feel watching Cain who struggles to survive every moment.

This is nothing compared to how helpless I feel when my mom says "I am okay" while withering away. '

"Dhis ish dotheng."

(This is nothing)

Those were the only words he could say out loud.

Carseain and Rovenin smiled at him.

Rovenin finished severing all the ties of the Insignia with the magic circuit and rewrote the place of death.

Cahill watched the Insignia on his scraggy hand turn into fine black dust and disappear.

He burnt the sight into his eyes and etched it forever into his memories.

No sooner than did the Insignia disappear Carseain started sucking the life force back into the hand. The flowers started wilting and the petals changed hues again from red to violet.

He perfectly traced the route back without a single error.

As the petals shrivelled his hand started gaining colour. Cahill's pain was alleviated and the volume of his suffocated screams lowered decibels.

From the golden centre of the flower fluffy white colour particles started flying out.

It was called "spirit dust" because it attracts the spirits. "Spirit dust" held life force in them.

It also meant that the life force sucked out of Cahill's hand was no longer being held inside the flower.

Carseain made the flowers wilt faster but the route he memorized was taking too much time to circulate.

Hence, he built a slapdash mechanism to hold the Life force longer while predicting and adjusting the route based on the patterns he memorized.

Carseain was facing too many obstructions.

"Pish not pay vay."

(It's not that way.)

Cahill's suffocated screaming stopped.

He could not speak properly as his mouth was gagged.

Carseain was startled.

"You can feel the way it circulates?"

" Put gont no bar our dakind kabat bui jusno pistnot batbay"

( I don't know what you're talking about but I just know it's not that way.)

Carseain's eyes widened.

' I see... he's got unimpeachable instincts. He doesn't know it yet but he can feel it.'

Carseain started mumbling.

"There are 150,000 routes with 108 permutations. But I can narrow it down to 62 permutations with my mechanism. I should be able to eliminate more combinations if I use his ability and then....."

Rovenin, who didn't have a clue what was going on, swallowed constantly.

"Young Master? " He called.

Carseain suddenly shouted.

" Cahill, from now on I will direct the life force to every single route one by one. tell me which one you feel is correct."

Cahill nodded.

Carseain directed it one by one.

"Pait bun"

(Eighth one)

"No need to say it just nod."

Cahill nodded.

It seemed like things were going smoothly on Carseain's side so Rovenin started fixing Cahill's Magic Circuit.

After four long hours, the Insignia was gone and Cahill's hand was restored.

Carseain took off the veins bound to Cahill's mouth.

Carseain and Rovenin sighed in relief.

For some reason, they felt surreal.

Cahill was barely conscious.

The three of them looked at each other and laughed wearily.

Carseain suddenly fell on his knees and vomited blood.

"Young Master Carseain!"

Rovenin screamed.

"Haa...hah...Stop it. I'm fine. I guess Paroah's Flowers was too much right off the bat."

"Of course, it was! I told you-----"

Carseain flicked his head and knocked him out.

"Ugh...not this again."

He frowned while watching Carseain warmly smile.

"Wasn't that too harsh?"

Cahill asked.

"I am impressed that you are even awake."

" Been through worse"

Cahill's eyes were expressionless and his mind was blank. There was silence in the attic.

Carseain carried Cahill in his arms like a princess and went out through the door.

Nox was standing outside.

" Nox, pick him up and put him to bed."

Carseain said pointing towards Rovenin.

"Yes, Young Master."

'Deja vu'

He bowed while reminiscing.

Carseain walked through the hallway.

"You aren't going to struggle?"

"No strength."

Cahill felt that he could safely and comfortably sleep in his arms. It reminded him of his dad but he had to say something.

"Hey, thank you. I really want to pay you back but I have my reasons. I can't work for you but I-"

Carseain hissed

"Shhh..... Kids should go to bed at this time of night. Today was a very long day. If you want to leave you can. I want to stop you. Take your time and think about it carefully. Introspect and then we'll talk."

Cahill wanted to speak but was devoid of strength.

Carseain opened one of the guest rooms and put him to bed. He covered him with a warm quill.

"Good night, Sweet dreams."

For someone who lived in a ' nightmare' , sweet dreams did not exist.

Carseain knew that. Cahill too.

Today was really very long as he said. He was out on a mission gambling with his life as always.

"Certain Death" was definitely in front of his eyes today.

But it was also today that he witnessed something akin to a miracle.

The Nightmare's Insignia.

It was the bastion of the guild which symbolises their 'terror' and 'perfection'.

Such 'perfection' that even the senior mages from Magic Tower couldn't unravel and such unparalleled 'terror' that only death can save you from it.

{ Bastion - stronghold/ fort/ something that is a symbol ; unravel - process of solving a mystery }

The guild members always felt the 'fear' which was instilled in them watching the Insignia.

It reminded them that their lives were collateral in exchange for letting them live and the owner is the guild.

To Cahill, they were shackles which made him bleed.

The shackles were now broken. He was free .

He couldn't move his body and his left hand was numb.

He looked at the back of his palm to reaffirm himself. The Black pattern which haunted him really wasn't there.

Like a Curse lifted and a Blessing received.

He really believed that he may have a sweet dream.

Thus, the 13 year old regressed to slumber land in peace.