Chapter 15 - Dark Aura
"She's over there, doctor. Elion!"
Elion quickly responded to the call, ensuring Wendy got her needed care. Dr. Camille did a brief yet comprehensive check, her brow furrowed with concern as she observed the ongoing situation.
"Your friend seems to be quite sick. Let's head to my room," suggested Dr. Camille, her voice conveying professional confidence and sincere concern.
"Aren't you off-duty now?" Roxy doubted Dr. Camille's actions. Roxy was concerned that Dr. Camille might be taken advantage of without getting anything in return for her expert help.
Dr. Camille replied with a warm but firm smile, "Off-duty? I'm a doctor, Roxy. As long as someone needs help, I'm on duty." Her response settled any doubts about her dedication to her work.
They left Roxy standing there, taken aback by Dr. Camille's sudden action.
Upon entering Dr. Camille's room, Elion felt like he had entered a big lab. It went beyond the usual boundaries of a regular medical space.
The air was filled with scientific vibes, and the various tools in the room hinted at a dedicated researcher's workspace.
Elion couldn't help but notice how organized the room was, with each test tube neatly labeled, holding necessary samples of blood, viruses, and other mysterious substances as well as shelves of books.
Dr. Camille's space showed her commitment to gaining knowledge, an atmosphere filled with the passion and dedication of a true scientist.
"Place her gently on the bed," instructed Dr. Camille, her voice feeling urgent.
She quickly began examining Wendy's condition using an advanced scanning device, her face showing signs of worry as she turned to Laxus and fired a barrage of questions.
"How old is she?"
"Fifteen."
"Where does she live?"
"Waste District."
"For how long?"
"Over ten years."
Laxus responded promptly, but Dr. Camille's apprehension intensified with each answer. Laxus sensed an underlying issue, and unease crept into his heart.
"Why, doctor?" Laxus inquired, detecting the tension in her voice.
"She…" Dr. Camille was taking her time before coming up with a proper explanation, "She is suffering from something very rare to happen."
"Does Wendy have Rebeza autoimmune disease?" Elion interjected.
Dr. Camille was surprised by Elion's acute observations and questioned, "How did you know and who are you?"
Elion introduced himself, "I'm Elion," and explained, "I noticed some alarming signs when I held her. She felt lighter than usual, and I realized she had lost much weight. Also, I noticed a rash on her nose and cheeks that looked like butterflies. Moreover, Wendy was highly sensitive to light, even when we stepped out of the house."
Elion then pointed out specific parts of Wendy's body and added, "Look at her eyes, mouth, and skin. They're unusually dry, and the last thing I noticed was that she's losing a considerable amount of hair."
He motioned towards his arms, gesturing to where Wendy's fallen hair rested, and pointed to the treatment bed, now cluttered with her locks.
Dr. Camille was impressed by Elion's sharp observations and regarded him with wonder and concern.
"How did you manage to spot all of this? And here I am, relying on scanners," remarked Dr. Camille, focusing on Elion's expertise. His good looks, momentarily overlooked in her concern for Wendy, now caught her eye.
Elion replied with a gentle smile, "I enjoy reading."
His response momentarily stunned Dr. Camille as his depth of knowledge intrigued her.
"Impressive. So, what's our course of action?" she asked, testing Elion's expertise.
"Rebeza is an autoimmune disease unlike any other. It combines various autoimmune conditions and the most dangerous part..." Elion paused, a solemn expression crossing his face.
"What's the most dangerous part, Elion?" Laxus interjected, his anxiety evident after Elion's detailed explanation. Dr. Camille, too, was eager to assess Elion's understanding.
Elion's words were solemn as he informed Laxus about Wendy's condition, "It's tainted with a dark aura from the dark element, unique and exclusive to the demons."
Laxus was skeptical and asked, "Dark element? Aren't there only Five Primary Elements?"
Elion explained, "The Five Primary Elements symbolize the harmonies humans can weave with nature. However, beings like demons intertwine with one of these Five Elements and possess their own Unique Element. The demons' Unique Element is the insidious dark element. Do you remember where Wendy comes from?" Elion inquired.
Laxus nodded and recounted, "When I asked Wendy about her hometown, she said she's from the Southern Region, the Ramon Empire."
Elion said, "To be more precise, it's the city of Cassan where the dark aura lingered the strongest in the air, and unfortunately, Wendy fell under its influence. It started eating away at her." Elion linked Wendy's past to the demon's sway in Solara.
The room was filled with an uneasy silence as they all realized the demon's connection to Wendy. Laxus spoke up, his voice laced with hope, "Do we have any solution for Wendy?"
Dr. Camille, who was still impressed with Elion's knowledge, responded, "Ahem," she said. "I think I should take it from here. I can offer her some medications to alleviate her symptoms," she paused, "but to achieve a complete cure, we must discover a specific remedy for...Wendy, am I right?"
Both Laxus and Elion nodded.
"Alright…Wendy. But, I must admit, it's not an easy task, especially considering that Wendy isn't an Elementalist," she disclosed.
"However we can gradually use elemental energy to combat the dark aura in her body," she added.
Dr. Camille directed her attention to Elion and asked, "Are you an Elementalist?"
"No, I'm not," Elion responded. "I missed that opportunity."
The doctor seemed a little surprised. Her assumption had been proven wrong. She then faced Laxus and said, "I know you're an Elementalist. I inquired with your friend first because what I'm discussing requires knowledge of human anatomy."
"It's challenging to find people with such expertise. Everyone seems to be focused on becoming Elementalists," she lamented.
"I can learn, doctor!" Laxus exclaimed, determined to do everything in his power to help Wendy. Although he knew he wasn't as clever as Elion, he was willing to give it a shot.
Dr. Camille cautioned him, "It's not as simple as you think. Any small mistake could worsen Wendy's condition by fueling the dark aura battling inside her body."
"I worry about Wendy's well-being because I can't always channel elemental energy into her," Dr. Camille said, highlighting her concern.
As a doctor, she felt responsible for saving every life that came her way. Deep in thought, she considered the best course of action for Wendy's treatment.
"Unfortunately, I'm not from the Aeloria Empire. Otherwise, I could obtain Elemental Orbs and help Elion connect with the element with my family's assistance," Dr. Camille lamented.
Elion raised an eyebrow, looking a bit skeptical. "Connect with the element? I'm sure I'm too old for that," he said.
Dr. Camille's face lit up with amusement. "It seems there are still some things you don't know. Lucky for me, if you know everything, my hardwork all these years would be in vain," she said with a chuckle.
Elion smiled wryly but kept a straight face, mindful of Wendy's situation. "So does that mean the theory about 'prime age' is bogus?" he asked Dr. Camille.
"Exactly," she replied with a clap of her hands. "It's just a bogus."
Laxus looked puzzled. "But why do people believe in it then?"
Dr. Camille shrugged. "It's just a way to keep normal families from pestering those who have Elemental Orbs. The big families need to focus on their own affairs," she explained.
"Did you know some geniuses hailing from the Supreme and Ancient Families intentionally delay their elemental connection? They prefer to learn Combat Arts and build physical strength by battling Elementalists," she explained.
"But wouldn't that put them at a disadvantage compared to those who started earlier?" Laxus inquired. Elion listened intently, intrigued by the motives of the big families.
"Well, it has its upsides and downsides. Once Elementalists master the element, they tend to get too focused on it, neglecting Combat Arts and physical strength. That's why higher-level Elementalists can sometimes lose to lower-level ones," Dr. Camille clarified.
"Do you know what sets Elementalists apart from their peers?" she asked, intrigued.
"Is it their experience, combat skills, and elemental techniques?" Elion guessed.
"Exactly, but there's more to it...their ability to go beyond combat levels," Dr. Camille explained.
"What do you mean by 'going beyond combat levels'?" Laxus asked, fascinated by the idea of power.
"Is that even possible?" Elion added, remembering something he had read but hadn't given much thought to, as he was not an Elementalist.
Dr. Camille nodded solemnly in agreement. "It is possible. It's called Elemental Might. This unique ability sets especially Level 50 Elemental Kings apart from others. That's why we have Great, Grand and Supreme Elementalists even though all of them are at the Level 50 Elemental Kings."
"I've never heard of Elemental Might," said Laxus.
"Knowing about it and actually having it are two different things. Although I was aware of it, acquiring Elemental Might was impossible. This is why my family pushed me towards research and academics," explained Dr. Camille. Her expression did not indicate whether she was content or unhappy with this decision.
"However, there are other ways to acquire Elemental Might. One of them is that you can inherit it from the Ancient Elementalist," she added.
Laxus's memory was jogged by Dr. Camille's words, and he hurriedly retrieved the box of Elemental Orbs he had seized from the Black Bandit group's hideout. "I have some colorless Elemental Orbs here, doctor. Could they be of any assistance?" Laxus inquired, handing the box over to Dr. Camille.
Dr. Camille examined the unusual orbs with confusion. "These orbs are different," she remarked.
Elion was quick to explain. "These are Original Orbs," he said. "They don't have any color, but they hold the inheritance of the Ancient Elementalists."
Elion further explained that not all Original Orbs work for everyone. It depends on the person's qualifications.
He added that anyone can connect with the elements with regular orbs, but Original Orbs are special. They can only be used once, passing on all the knowledge of the Ancient Elementalists.
As Dr. Camille listened, Elion elucidated that activating Original Orbs differs from the regular ones.
"You need a drop or a few drops of your blood," he said. Dr. Camille was impressed by Elion's insight.
"Would you like to give it a shot, Elion?" Laxus inquired, his eyes filled with hope.
"Sure, why not, if you're okay with it," Elion joked, but his enthusiasm was unmistakable.
Laxus breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "We're family. How could I say no? You're our best bet right now."
Dr. Camille looked concerned and asked, "Is it safe?"
"Absolutely," Elion replied with confidence, although he had his doubts deep down.