Let me paint a scene.

You and your teacher are enjoying your breakfast, while waiting for your best friend too from her toilet time.

The food was good, delicious even, but your mood to eat this weren’t there fully, because your other best friend hasn’t arrived yet. But then you remembered, he said he would either arrive at the same time or 2 days late after you.

It eases your heart, your concern, if only for a moment, making you able to enjoy the breakfast made by the best of the best that a medieval royalty can afford.

You then made some chit-chat here and there with the first princess of the kingdom you are staying at, talking about life before this, activities, routines, and such.

Then you made chit-chat too with the crown prince of the said kingdom, talking things like your training on swordsmanship and your martial studies with the kingdom’s marshal, who is essentially the crown prince’s and the princesses’ uncle.

But then, someone appeared, it wasn’t a messenger, nor a guard, knight, not even your best friend in the potty room.

It was instead your best friend from the sea.

He came dirty as hell from head to toe, covered in dirt and mud like he was a kid from a playground. You were concern, everyone was concern.

Then he said he wasn’t only shipwrecked, he also spent all day awake in an tundric island, and… brought that tundric island, which… from how he said it, wasn’t a euphemism of any sorts.

The princess then asked of his well-being, the question more or less represents all of our concern.

He scoffed it, like he usually does, and we become more concerned.

It didn’t ease anyone, but somehow it reassures them, to a certain extent, of his fine well-being.

But then he said he was tired slighty.

It alarms the princess, as she didn’t hold the breaks anymore by quickly coming to your friend. He was of course being stubborn and scoffed it again as he tried to leave us all.

She wasn’t having it, she was too determined in her tone that something bad was about to happen.

And you… I… had a bad feeling, which answered when… he suddenly collapsed in front of your other best friend.

There was something funny happening inside of me, I felt sensitive, yet numb too… Something was arising and panic was not the only one.

“Sir Arthur? Are you okay?” Sir Fionn… snapped me back to reality.

“Y-yeah!” Being back on reality, I quickly jumped from my place to where Martyn fell.

As I was there I saw Eleanna, I saw her nervousness and dread weighing her, she after all is witnessing her love falling out of nowhere.

Miss Marie too was dreading, but more composed than Eleanna as she went to lift Martyn.

“Art! Help me with this!” Miss Marie ordered.

“Yeah!” I followed.

“Lady Marie, Sir Arthur, please be at ease, and just lay him down for a moment!” the Princess suddenly spoke.

“What? He’s out cold! We should carry him to bed as soon as we can!” Miss Marie said.

“Exactly! Lay him down please, so I can levitate him!”

Hearing this we both heeded it and left Martyn back on the floor, she of course stick to what she said as Martyn levitated.

“I know this might be a real concern, but it’s not, you three should continue your breakfast!” the Princess said and… it struck a nerve at Eleanna.

“Nothing?! What do you mean this is nothing?!” Eleanna snapped.

“Lady Eleanna, please calm down, the Lord Protector is not in any kind of danger, he is exhausted and will be in need of a long-extended rest.”

“For how long?”

“At the minimum 5 plus weeks, but he did said he brought the Isle of Tanefedd, and… well… it might take a couple of seasons.”

“Seasons?!”

“Is he in some kind of coma?” I asked her.

“Yes, what you’re seeing here Sir Arthur is magika overextension, it’s not deadly, but it will leave you in a vulnerable state for quite a long time.”

“No… we need to check on something! I, leave him with me!” Eleanna said.

“Lady Eleanna, the Lord Protector shoul-”

“HE’S MY BOYFRIEND AND I AM GOING TO DO SOME MEDICAL CHECK UPS ON HIM!!”

“…as you wish then, Lady Eleanna…”

With her slight nervous breakdown finish, Eleanna grabbed the floating Martyn and brought him to our old room, we followed her as well, but she stopped us when we arrived.

She entered alone as instructing us to keep Martyn safe, while she changed the room.

It wasn’t long as after a couple of minutes, she opened the door while already dressed sterilely, with hair nets, a white jumpsuit, and surgical masks.

“Until Martyn is awake, all of you will wear these around him!” Eleanna said while giving the sterile equipment.

“El, this is a bit too-” I said but...

“Shut up!” Eleanna cut me off. “I don’t want him contracting any kinds of disease from all of you!”

“…” I stayed silent, as… she was right.

After wearing the sterile equipment that Eleanna gave, we entered our old room that became a mini hospital.

There was the patient, with the bed that became a medium-sized single bed for Martyn, an end table at the side too, with curtains also around it.

Then there’s the compact lab with a centrifuge, probably the manual mechanical type, a single tube microscope with a adjustable magnifying glass at the bottom for a light source, a stethoscope, a couple of syringes and tubes.

Eleanna didn’t waste any time when we entered, as she took Martyn to our old room’s bathroom to clean him up. Miss Marie and me helped too, as we stripped, wash, and then clothed Martyn with comfy bed clothes.

Then after, Eleanna put the floating Martyn on the clean white bed and began her medical checkup on Martyn.

It was standard more or less, she checked his temperature, every inch of his body of ticks, leeches, any kinds of critters and wounds, then she check his heartbeat and bowel movements with the stethoscope.

All of it of course came out as ordinary, but there’s still one more checklist for Eleanna before making a diagnosis.

“What are you doing?” Miss Marie saw Eleanna about to stick a needle at Martyn.

“I am testing his blood.”

“NO, you’re not! You’re not even a license professional!” Miss Marie has a point.

“Compared to the quacks here?!” And Eleanna has a point too. “I am more knowledgeable and well equipped than those priest and priestess that gives prayers as a prescription, and the sorry of an excuse doctors of this time period, WHO I KNOW will recommend blood leeching or god forbid, letting, to ‘balance humor’!”

“I am sorry for that.” I said to the Princess, seeking her forgiveness for Eleanna’s rude comment on priestesses.

“It’s okay, Sir Arthur! She… does have a point.”

“…alright, fine! But I am the one taking his blood! You’re too damn emotional right now!” Miss Marie than grabbed the syringe from Eleanna’s hand.

* * *

The sun was about to set, as half a day has pass since Martyn collapsed.

I was walking through the hallway, with two cups of coffee on a tray I am holding, that Miss Marie made for me and Eleanna.

But on the way I encountered a maid in front of me, carrying a tray that carried what it seems to be Eleanna’s dinner. I went to her and grabbed it, so she won’t need to wear the excessive sterile equipment.

When I finally arrived and wore all the sterile equipment, I went in with the coffees and Eleanna’s dinner.

Inside were more or less the view of any kind of patient room, though of course it’s a hybrid as I could see Eleanna on her mini lab on the Microscope observing Martyn’s blood.

I came to her and put the coffees and her dinner near her on the table.

“Nothing right?” I asked Eleanna.

“Aside from the somewhat high amount of LDL cholesterol, that I expected from his drinking, he’s, yeah… fine.” She said.

“See! He’s a fighter, a somewhat drunk fighter, but he’ll get through this El!”

“Yeah… but I need to-”

“Stop! You’ve been playing doctor for half a day now! You didn’t finish your breakfast, took any rest, or even go to the classes Martyn assigned us!”

“Actually, Jumque is taking my classes.”

“Ohh yeah… telepathy, right?”

“Yeah…”

“But still! You haven’t rest and you skipped breakfast! So, here, eat! The head chef made a god tier steak to die for!”

“…okay.”

Heeding my words, Eleanna took the break by going straight to the dinner I brought her.

“So… still your boyfriend, huh?” As I said this… Eleanna cried. “Ohh shit I'm sorry!”

“No, no… it’s not your fault Art… it’s just… I’ve been such an ass to him and now…” She weepily said.

“Hey, hey, hey! Listen to me!” I went close to Eleanna. “He is still an ass for keeping us in the dark, your cold shoulders are justified!”

“But…”

“El! Do you love him?”

“Yeah…”

“So have faith in him! He’ll make it through! Just be patient!” I caress her shoulders, to calm her.

“Yeah… thanks Arthur…”

“Don’t mention it! Just, chill and give him some slack when he wakes up okay! I’ve been on his side with Alice and it’s really demoralizing.”

“Okay…”

“Are you done, Antérithean? If you are, can you place me on Antéosaín?”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a jet black fox was behind me and Eleanna, sitting quite cutely while asking me... I think, to... lift him up to Martyn?

“Who the hell are you?” I asked.

“Antéosaín’s familiar, Hitam, the name he gives me.” He answered.

“Wait, I thought familiars already have a name?” Eleanna chimed in.

“I do not have a name or… more exactly, I do not remember nor do want to remember what my name was.”

“Huh…”

“Now can you place me on top of Antéosaín’s chest? I am here to protect him.”

“From dark forces?” I sarcastically said.

“No, from the men that are sche-” He stopped out of nowhere. “Yes, from dark forces.”

“Why did you stop?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did!” Eleanna was as suspicious as me.

“No, I didn’t, you’re mishearing things! Can you just put me on Antéosaín’s chest, Antérithean!” He was vexed.

“…okay fine.” I lift him up and placed him gently on Martyn’s chest.

“Thank you, and…” He then went to Martyn’s face, sniffing it and even lick it. “Antéosaín is going to be fine Sícéotaíon, his slumber will only last four to five weeks.”

“Is that nickname for Eleanna?”

“Yes… She’s the only female here right?”

“Ohh… thank you, and hey! Don’t lick Martyn willy-nilly! We don’t know what kind of pathogens your mouth is infested with! But… yeah, thank you.” Eleanna smiled, hearing of this info.

* * *

My chest… feels heavy, not to the point of suffocating, but more like it being sat upon by something, a pet maybe?

I groan, moving a bit left and right to shake it off but, it still stays, it weirdly got more firmer and… I could feel its breath, near my neck, near my face, and then my eyes.

I opened it and was greeted with… Hitam and Arthur…

“Kiss me and I am going to kick both of your nuts.” I threatened them.

“MARTYN!!!” Arthur didn’t kiss me, but he did leap and hugged me.

“The hell… is going on? And why are wearing protective gears for a pandemic?”

“You… don’t remember?”

“Remember… ohh… gave you guys quite the scare huh?” I wryly smiled.

“You sure hell did! Eleanna even made this mini hospital room just for you!”

“Mini, what?”

I then lift myself up, leaning forward to see the room was… as exactly what Arthur said. A mini hospital with the patient bed I am on, curtains, and the mini lab I saw from my right side, with… a vile of blood… my blood?

Well it more or less explains why Arthur was like the health workers back in 2020 and… well… I guess Eleanna really doesn’t hate me… thank god…

“So… how are you feeling? You’re breathing right, right?” Arthur asked.

“Yeah… I am fine, just a bit sore, how long was I out?”

“5 weeks, exactly as what Hitam here said.”

“Huh… damn…. Did anything happen while I was out?”

“Not much Antéosaín, maybe your duties, but all of that were handled by Antérithean and Sícéreoca.” Hitam said.

“Who?”

“Me and Miss Marie.” Arthur explained.

“Ohh…”

“Well, it’s good to have you back! Miss Marie should be here with the others in any moment.”

“El too?”

“Ehh…. I… I don’t know, I mean yeah, she did have a nervous breakdown and did all of this for you, but… you’re still an ass for doing that bud.”

“Ha…” I took a huge sigh of pain. “Well, it is a longshot.”

“I know, just keep chipping her wall, eventually she’ll be back and you guys can properly talk about it like adults.” Arthur comforted me. “Now aside from how you feel physically, how do you feel with the new powers?”

“The new powers…” I was silent for a moment, I don’t quite know what to feel about this, nothing much change really, I don’t feel strong, I don’t feel like I’m high on adrenaline, nor anything really… nothing feels different, except for what I am remembering…

“Mar?” Arthur noticed my long deep in thought.

“Y-yeah! Sorry… it’s just…” I am remembering everything, every single corners of what my brain stores, and seeing Arthur fully, just jock up something unique about him, something that the past me would only remember in bits… “Do you remember when you promised me that you’ll always be there for me?”

“Yeah… we were on the pier, right? If I am not wrong, you just defended yourself against your mom right?”

“Yeah… and… I remember all of it.”

“What do you mean?” I could hear Arthur’s tone turning unsettled.

“I remembered the build up to the fight, I remembered mom coming home drunk, saying awful things, like the usual, in her drunken state. But I remember each of her insults, saying I was disappointment, a life leacher, that she shouldn’t have bore me, and… that dad left because of me.”

“Mar…”

“It’s fine, I actually always remember that, her insults, whether painful or just stupid, and of course her every physical attack.”

I paused for a moment, because that’s not the part I want to talk about.

“Do you know what else I remember Art? I remembered that my mom was happy, with me! And my dad was still there!

Sure… a lot of it was because we were the nuclear, lawn mowing, barbeque partying, boomer family, and I was still a cute toddler.

But I remembered too that after dad left, leaving mom heart broken, into many pieces, and was on the starting path of her current raging alcoholic nature, that… she was… happy!

I know too it was a somewhat disguise for my six-year-old ass, but…. She was genuinely happy, maybe because I wasn’t taken by my dad, that I was still there… but then, well… she hit me…”

“Mar…” Arthur came closer and held my hands.

“I know I won’t ever get the answer…” My tears started to well up. “But, why did… she hate me?” And I couldn’t take it anymore. “I… I tried everything, being the honors student, the diligent kid, the pious child, the destructive rebellious teen, everything… but… she always hit me and says awful things in the end…”

“Mar… come here!” Arthur pulled me even closer and then hugged me.

“I just… I just what her to love me.” I said sobbingly.

“I know bud… I know… it’s hard and it’s painful, but! Remember what I said back then on the pier!”

“You’ll always be there for me?”

“I will always be there for you!”

* * *

I stood there, behind the slightly opened door that separates the hallway from the room that the Lord Protector was recovering at.

I already too worn the equipment Stella’s kid mandated me to wear and was about to enter.

But I stopped mid-way, I stopped as I saw the awoken Lord Protector, being hugged and joked slightly here and there with his best friend.

Hearing the things, he should be caught up with and… the effects of his newfound power.

I heard what he said, heard what his mother, Henry’s beloved, Felicia, did to him. I am still denying it, but… then I heard the happy ideal life I wished for Henry, when he returns home.

I was happy for a moment, I was glad that he got it, but… did he really left? Because I can feel the pain the Lord Protector is exuding, the pain that can only be made if Henry did left them, him…

It… couldn’t be! I know Henry! I know who he is! But… the fact that his kid is this broken… is…

Henry… please let me be right about you…

“You may enter Antégheall!” Suddenly in my deep thought, the Lord Protector’s familiar, he… hitam now his name is, called for me.

“Sir Áron! I see Miss Marie has told you about the good news!” Svard said.

“I actually haven’t heard Lady Maynard’s news, I was actually here for you Lord Svard.”

“Me?”

“Yes.” I then entered, closed the door, and showed him. “Your uncle’s.”

I gave him Aronlight, gave the weapon that has helped me through my hard times. Now I pass it as per Luther’s will, to his blood.