Chapter 2

Alex had no choice but to stay in the waiting room while Eric went into the examination room with Palmer.

Alex wasn't the only one with eye problems in the orphanage as Eric had eye related issues of his own, while he wasn't blind like Eric, he might as well be blind as all he could were blurry figures.

While he had given up on curing his eyes, Eric still had to make constant visits to Palmer to maintain the condition of his eyes, keep them from getting any worse while also keeping track of his energy channels.

Palmer finished his check on Eric and he decided to speak to him about Alex's conditions in the examination room. Regardless of how mature Alex acted, he was still just a kid and the news he was about to break to Eric might break the kid's heart.

"So I got his results and it's not good news."

Palmer breathed out before he sat on a free chair, he adjusted his glasses before he looked through the files he had in his hands, they held the reports on Alex's bodily conditions.

"The best way to put it is that he was awakening and something went wrong and instead of him becoming so much, it instead ruined his body.

When you channel mana into his body, it runs through a select few of his channels and it flows back outside. He can't retain the mana and I doubt he'll be able to control mana actively.

Perhaps if he gets an art that allows him to manipulate the mana in the surroundings instead, maybe if he has some potential with that, but even then the chances are he'll be average at best.

His eyes are parts of his body that got affected by the rampage when he awakened, they are essentially no longer a part of his body, you can try healing him with a high grade potion but I doubt it would have any effect.

He'll need spells on the level of a saint or the highest tier elixir before his eyes ever see again."

He stopped and allowed Eric to process his words for a while before he spoke again.

"I'm sorry.

And for him to awaken at such an early age, he must have been really talented, but alas, fate works in mysterious ways."

Eric nodded and asked about his own condition, and he received the report. However, unlike when they discussed Alex's condition, Palmer set up a spell first and they conversed in a different language.

Eric maintained his expressionless face as Palmer explained at length about his own condition and state, it was a unique state as this time the physician was the one with a worried expression while the patient wore a a relaxed one, but eventually, Palmer finished speaking with Eric and he undid his spell.

Afterwards Eric stood up and shook the doctor's hands and he left for the waiting room with Palmer following after him. He called out to Alex and the kid smiled as he turned towards his direction.

Eric felt his heart sting as he felt the kids actions, he could only shake his head and let out a sigh. He walked towards the kid and held him by the hands.

"Say goodbye to the good doctor Alex, we're returning home."

"Goodbye sir"

Alex turned and bowed, but unfortunately he was facing the wrong direction. Palmer could only walk towards the direction the kid faced and ruffle his hair a little.

"Now go, follow your uncle, when you get home he'll tell you all you need to know. Now be a good kid okay"

"Yes, doctor"

Alex's cute voice sounded as he straightened up and flashed another smile. Palmer nodded towards Eric and the two left his office. Palmer returned to his private office and he could only shake his head as he wondered why the most unfortunate incidents happened to the most talented ones.

The dragon killer, the pride of the 4th battalion was reduced to blind old man that could only watch after a bunch of helpless kids and now a bright star that might have had his name sung all over the continent also had his light snuffed out before he could start his journey.

He tapped on his intercom and signaled for the receptionist to cancel and refuse all other appointments for the day, he wasn't in the mood to see others.

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Eric led Alex back to the orphanage.

The pair had travelled from the busy city back to the peaceful and relatively quiet outskirts where the orphanage lay and they received a warm welcome from the staff of the orphanage and the kids. Although everyone wanted to know the results of their trip they understood, under the leadership of the caretakers of course, to give them space to settle before they crowded them for answers.

Eric took Alex to a different room than the dorm he usually stayed in and told him to wait for him. He went back outside to address the kids, telling them that everything was fine but they wouldn't be able to see Alex for a while.

It took some effort but finally the staff were able to calm the emotional kids, especially the group that were very close to Alex. When the kids finally dispersed, Eric still had to deal with the rest of the staff, but this time he didn't have to be careful with his words so he told them the result of the trip.

It truly was a horrible event to happen, one that could potentially cripple the kid for life and that led to a discussion among the staff. They had to decide what they would do with Alex, but Eric just shook his head and told them he had to get back to the kid. He had left him alone for a while already and he didn't want the poor kid to think he had been abandoned.

When Eric returned to the room, he found the kid, Alex, with tears streaming down his face. Alex had tried to hide the fact that he had cried by hiding his face away and cleaning his face with his sleeves, but Eric didn't use his eyes to see in the first place so he spotted it.

He sighed before he approached the kid on the bed and sat down beside him, the remained like that in silence for a while before eric reached out to the kid, he pulled him closer to him and placed his head on his laps, gently stroking his head and back as the kid silently sobbed.

"It's okay, let it all out"

The strong kid, Alex, the one who had always been the light of the orphanage, silently supporting the rest of the kids as the eldest broke down in silent tears. It took a while before he finally stopped crying and fell asleep.

Eric raised him from his lap and placed him gently on the bed, covering him with some sheets before he found a chair and sat on it. He thought about the state of the kid and the kind of life he was going to live from now on and it reminded him of his past, when he also lost his sight and was forced to live in a tiny corner like this.

Earlier the other staff of the orphanage had discussed moving Alex to a different institute, one that dealt with disabled people. Some did it because it would be a hassle to care for a blind kid while others did so because they thought it would be the best course of action, but ultimately the decision lay in his hands, his words would determine the fate of the young Alex.

He turned his attention towards the kid that had now fallen asleep and he fell deep into his thoughts trying to find the right path for the young one to thread, but the conversation he had with Palmer earlier kept ringing in his head.

.

"Aricia, your condition is getting worse"

"I think I know my own body better than you Palmer, so just tell me, what is it?"

Palmer sighed before he continued.

"The foreign energy has changed once again and started spreading through your channels, slowly encroaching into other parts of your body. You can't feel it as it's a gradual process but sooner or later it will take over your entire body."

"How much longer do I have left then?"

To be honest, I can't tell. It could be months, could be years, decades even. But over time you would feel pain as your being, your soul starts to change and eventually you'll succumb to that patch of energy

Eric remained in silence for a while before he replied.

That's alright then i can deal with that, also don't call me Aricia, Palmer, Aricia died years ago

Palmer snorted before he replied him

How long have we been friends, even if everyone else forgets you, I wouldn't. You just have to bear with me calling you that name now and then as payment for my services, besides, it's always nice to see an old friend.

He adjusted his glasses before speaking again as if he remembered something.

Also, you might want to take a break for a while, you're straining your channels too hard by maintaining that artifact for so long. Leave the orphanage, visit the sanctuary, just go somewhere alone and stop accelerating your demise, I only have so many friends left.

Eric glared at Palmer but he only smiled back at him. He nodded and approached him to shake his hand, applying enough pressure to bend steel with his grip but palmer only smiled in return, Eric sighed and left the room to join Alex, but he didn't miss palmer hiding his had behind him as he applied a spell to it before he undid the first spell he used when they started their conversation.

.

Eric roused from his thoughts and looked at the sleeping kid one more time. He had made his decision.