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"Don't worry about your new friend," Lisias said while he and Thea were having a delightful dinner. "He will not die because of that wound."

"He will not die but he will still suffer," Thea frowned. "Your blade is lethal to weaker fairies and agonizing to powerful ones. Asuren will survive but he will be in pain for days."

"That should teach him a lesson."

"Father…"

"If he is still releasing that evil aura when I get out of the recovery bud, I will kill him."

"I won't let you," Thea was as serious as her father. "By the time you are out of the recovery bud, he will be cleansed of that evil aura."

"We'll see," Lisias sipped from his cup of tea.

Thea fell silent. Her father was probably scheming something but whatever it was, she would stop it. She would protect Asuren.

^##############^

After seeing her father enter a recovery bud placed at the center of the throne room, Thea bid farewell to General Andres.

"Princess Thea, don't hesitate to ask me if you need any help. Let's keep each other safe, especially my daughter."

"Sel and I will keep each other safe, General Andres," Thea smiled. "To keep you from worrying too much, I will ask Sel to give you frequent updates about our mission."

"Thank you, Princess Thea," the general happily beamed.

"Thank you, General," Thea returned the bow. "For keeping my father safe and for looking out on the entire Daybreak Realm."

^############^

Thea hurried back to the house of her friend and saw that Gia was already done treating Asuren. His chest was bandaged and the wound had stopped bleeding.

"How is he?" Thea could not help but worry because Asuren remained unconscious and his forehead was creasing.

"The blade of your father narrowly missed his heart. He will live."

"But he will still be in pain," Thea guiltily whispered.

"I already gave him an effective pain reliever. He will be fine."

"I'm sorry, Thea," Riz also looked remorseful. "We were searching for the seal bearer when His Majesty suddenly showed up and asked for your location."

"I understand. He is the King. You should answer to him," Thea sighed and then told everyone, "He will not bother us any time soon. We can focus on our mission."

"His Majesty will not bother us any time soon? What does that mean? We all know that he cares for you more than the entire Daybreak Realm."

"He needs to recuperate," Thea explained with another sigh. "He already entered a recovery bud. General Andres told me that he might stay there for at least a year. We need to destroy at least one seal before he gets out of his seclusion."

"That was sudden," Riz squinted. "He looks well."

"He is trying to look well," Thea sat on a bed near Asuren. "He is still suffering from his injuries a hundred years ago."

"Since His Majesty will no longer bother us, we should continue searching for the seal. Gia and Juliann will stay here to look after Asuren," Riz grabbed Thea and Ayhan. "The three of us will look around the southern region because Sel and Calix are already investigating the forests at the western region."

^#########^

Asuren jerked awake from a nightmare. Someone had stabbed him in the back just like what happened in the cave with Thea. The blade that pierced him left an eerily familiar sensation within his body. The wind sword was cold but his wound burned painfully hot and his strength had been instantly drained.

"You are finally awake," Juliann entered the house from the back door. He was carrying a basket of medicinal herbs. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Asuren ignored the stinging pain in his chest. "Where is everybody?" he looked around the house but did not see a single fairy.

"Gia is in the kitchen, brewing your medicine," Juliann put down the basket in his hands and checked on Asuren. "Your fever had gone down. How about your chest? Is it painful?"

Asuren shook his head and slipped out of the bed, "I feel fine. We should look for the seal bearer."

"Are you sure?" Juliann pushed him lightly back to the bed. "How about the Evil Witch? She's not trying to take over your body?"

"The Evil Witch is gone for now," Asuren got up on his feet and walked towards the door. "Where are Ayhan and Calix? How about Thea? She didn't get hurt, right? The fairy that stabbed me… was it another silhouette of the Evil Witch? Did she follow us here?"

"It was Thea's father," Juliann picked up the basket of herbs on the floor. "He thought that you would kill her daughter. Thea already talked to him. Her father is injured and needs to recuperate in a recovery bud. He will not bother us any time soon."

"He is injured?"

"It's not because of you. It was an old and untreated injury."

Asuren breathed with relief. He did not hurt anyone.

"Asuren…" his friend started but hesitated. It made him anxious.

"What is it?"

"The boar seal… the seal we are chasing… no…" Juliann shook his head and said, "It was his disciple… the fairy with the long blonde hair…" he let out a nervous sigh before blurting out, "He told me that you will eventually find his master. That this is your fate."

"What?"

"You have to prove that you deserve to take away the seal of his master."

"Aren't you just dizzy? Maybe you misunderstood what he really said. Maybe you remembered his words inaccurately."

"Maybe," Juliann sighed. "That's why I didn't tell it to anyone."

"Calix doesn't know about it?"

"He had been knocked down before me."

"You both look serious. What are you whispering about?" Gia walked out of the kitchen with smoking mugs in her hands.

"Nothing," Asuren rubbed his suddenly painful head.

"Here," Gia placed the smoking mugs on the bedside table. "Drink all of these. Each medicine will help with your recovery."

"Thank you, Gia," Juliann said while Asuren emptied all the mugs.

^###########^