Chapter 05: Tragedy

Isis' POV:

"Now, you see, she will follow me and suddenly hit the back of my head as revenge for teasing her," I thought while walking swiftly so that she could not reach me.

"Huh... She hasn't come," I wondered, expecting her to hit me. "I guess I'll have to take a look at her disappointed face."

I turned around, hoping to surprise her in turn. But she wasn't behind me. As I took a few steps down the path where I came from, the sight of my sister lying on the ground ran before my eyes. I felt the ground slipping right below my feet.

Never in my dreams have I imagined such a thing. I fought countless demons and faced many terrifying situations even like those where I escaped from the brink of death, but nothing could shake me so hard like this. It was all for her sake that I tried my best and endure those harsh moments. Seeing her like this made me tremble with fear. My heart started pounding heavily against my chest.

"Evelyn... Evelyn... Evelyn..." I shouted her name, hoping to wake her up. My trembling arm held her close to my chest. Feelings of her cold and pale body swept through mine. She was holding her chest tightly in a clenched fist. Her breathing was huffed. Sweat was pouring from her body pores. All of my senses became dull before this situation.

"J- Just what's going on? W-what happened to you? Eve, please open your eyes," a trembling voice escaped my dry throat. I carried her in my arms and took her to Miss Ann.

"Miss Ann! Please take a look at her. I don't what happened to her," I yelled.

"What happened to her? She was completely fine a moment ago," She asked, in a surprised tone.

"I don't know but when I get back to her I found her like this. I don't know what happened to her," I could not stop the tears flowing from my eyes.

"Calm down!" She gave me a smack on my back.

Miss Ann examined her carefully and then asked me to infuse my mana in her core. But Eve reflected it back. Her core was not absorbing my mana. I got scared.

"I'm so sorry, Isis. But I'm afraid I cannot treat her. Her core is in a complete mess. And she is not absorbing your mana either," Miss Ann spoke, sadness and fear evident in her voice.

"Then what should we do now?" I asked frantically.

"I think we should take her to a Core Healer. He might be able to treat her," she replied.

"Where can we find this Core Healer?" I asked.

"Now, I know what should you do," she replied and took something out of her pocket. "Take it! Call out to His Highness and ask him to provide a Royal Core Healer to treat Eve,"

"But h-how can I... This is something I just gave you,"

"This is what you should do now. Otherwise, you won't be able to see your sister ever again," she spoke in a stern voice. "I know someone who might be able to open the teleportation gate. Come with me."

I carried Eve on my back and went with Miss Ann to the person who could help us out.

"Please, Eve! Hang in there. Your brother will surely save you," my voice got stuck in the throat.

We passed through the narrow streets of the town's slums and surprisingly, the more we walk down that path, the more darker it became. It took us ten minutes to reach that place which had the poster of "Bar of Strangers" hanging by its wooden door. Miss Ann knocked on the door and after a few minutes, it flew open. Standing before me, was a man with navy blue eyes and black hair dressed in a white cloak.

"How can I help you?" he asked with a smile after taking a look at us.

"Pink berry juice for strangers," Miss Ann immediately replied.

His eyes widened and surprise replaced the smile on his face. After a moment of silence, he nodded and said,

"Very well, Miss! Please come this way."

We followed him up the twirling stairs and stopped before a room.

"Please wait here," he said and went into the room.

After a few minutes, he came back and told us to go inside. As I entered the room, I found an old lady with black curly hair and white wrinkled skin, sitting on a chair. Before her was a wooden round table on which a shiny globe was placed. Miss Ann explained the whole situation and requested her to open the teleportation portal for us.

At first, she refused to do so. But then Miss Ann whispered something in her ears, don't know what it was, which finally succeeded in persuading her. In no time, she opened the portal gate and told us that only one of us could go through it as the portal requires a lot of mana for the teleportation. Miss Ann decided to stay behind. I thanked them from the bottom of my heart and entered the portal gate, holding my sister tightly in my embrace.

The piercing light made my eyes half-closed. I could barely see anything. However, when I opened my eyes completely, His Highness and his two aids were standing before me. I could clearly see their surprised expressions. Obviously, no one expected this.

"Your Highness! I am here to use that Royal Badge. Please help my sister. Please call for a Royal Core Healer to treat my sister. Her core is in a complete mess," I asked him in desperation.

"Zack! Go and inform His Majesty regarding this matter. And Chris! You go and bring the Core Healer here. Right now!" His stern voice echoed throughout the room, which seemed like his office.

"Sir Isis, please come with me. We should firstly let the lady lie on a bed," He added.

I nodded. Then, he took me to a room, which was double the size of our average room and was decorated beautifully with gold. The bed was as soft as a form. I laid my sister on it and began wiping her sweat.

The prince, then, went out and after a while brought back some people with him who were wearing a white cloack, engraved with the "Wings" emblem on the top left corner and the crest of the Royal family on the right one, symbolizing the authority of Royal Healers.

"Sir Isis, these people are Core Healers. Please let your sister be in their care. I am sure they will do their best in healing the lady," he said.

"Alright!" I replied and went out of the room after giving my sister a peck on her forehead.

We waited outside. And after few minutes, one of the Core Healer lady came out of the room and exclaimed,

"We deeply apologize, Your Highness, but we cannot handle this case."

I could not bear the weight of those words. They were like a sharp knife, piercing my heart and rendering me helpless. I had never wished for anything in my entire life. I never cried, even when our mother left us. Nor did I cry when our father passed away leaving me all alone with a six-year-old girl who had no idea about the world and her life which became devoid of parent's love. I had protected her all my life. I could fight any monster for her. Just to see her smile! But this time, I lost. I desperately prayed to God that he return my sister to me.