Reworked version – thanks for your help, Mytha, Epic Ninja and TheNameless!
Spark of Darkness
It was early evening when Headmaster Morituri sat, in candlelight, at his desk and wrote the last lines of a letter he had been wanting to write for a week. Now he finally found time for it. He had just finished when he heard a knock at the office door.
„Yes?”
It was his son Adair who opened the door. „Do you have a moment of time for me, Morituri?”
„Of course, boy; you don't have to ask! Come in!“
„I just came back from my walk, and I found something strange. There was a band of shapeshifters, some adults and adolescents, and even two kids - all dead, except of one. He wanted to grab me, but he wasn’t dangerous anymore for he was already too weak to be a danger. He didn’t live long after anyway.”
Morituri looked at him, surprised. „Killed? Maybe hunters?”
„I don’t think so. The wounds were not from any weapons. It looked like wounds from shapeshifter-claws. I don’t understand that - why would they kill each other - especially their children?!”
„This can happen,” Morituri said and laid his quill aside. „Just remember back then, when you―” He didn’t finish the sentence.
„I know,” Adair said, „but that was something else. My mother was an outcast, and her band sensed her and wanted to kill her…“ He stopped, for a moment sadness covered his face, then he added, „This wasn’t a hunting band, but a family. We should try to find out what happened to make sure there’s not any danger for us.”
Morituri agreed. „Yes, but I don’t want to send a team out right now. It’s already getting dark, and I don’t want to run the risk that shapeshifters attack our people. After all, there could be more of them. Tomorrow morning will be soon enough―.”
„I will tell Ricky about it,” Adair said. „And maybe we should deploy more guardians.”
„I’ll handle this as soon as possible,“ Morituri said. When Adair wanted to leave, his father asked him, „Later, a game in the living-room?“
Adair smiled. „Sure!” ^^
~~~~~
The next day, a team was sent out to search for any signs which could tell what happened out there. Adair didn’t join them; on one hand he had classes, on the other hand, he felt not quite well today. When he later met Morituri at lunch, his father noticed it. „Adair, you’re looking pale … are you all right?”
„Yes, of course, father. I only had too much of Valyn’s cake yesterday. Don’t worry, it soon will be better.”
But it didn’t get better. Later, when Adair prepared his books, he felt giddy, and his vision got blurry. He wanted to go out of the room to call for help, but a sudden flash of heat made him stumble. The young man tried to find a hold and staggered back to his desk. He didn’t notice that his hands and eyes had already shifted into their original form. … What was that? What happened here? … He tried to remember where he was and what he just did, but he couldn’t; his perception distorted more and more. Besides him something fell on the floor; he heard rumbling from the books he accidentally pushed from the desk. Adair startled and flinched back.
~~~~~
Suddenly, a sound was heard from outside, and a second later the door opened. Adair saw a blurry figure and heard a indistinct and distorted voice. In his confused state, he instantly thought of danger. He growled quietly.
„Master Adair? The class is waiting-”
Sasaki stopped and shrank back. Adair … his hands - he was … a shape … She didn’t finish her thoughts - she ran out and headed to the next classroom. Sasaki opened the door with a jerk. „Lady Mertillia! Adair-- in his study-- his arms-- please hurry!”
Mertillia ordered the pupils to stay in the classroom and rushed to Adair's office. „Sasaki, go and fetch Headmaster Morituri! Quickly!”
When she slowly entered the room, she instantly saw that Adair was not in his right mind. Although she spoke to him quietly and patiently, he didn’t recognise her and pressed himself against the wall near his desk. His growling warned her that he would attack without hesitating if she would advance to him.
A moment later she heard voices coming closer. She went out, carefully paying attention not to provoke Adair in any way. Morituri came running, together with Callidum; Ricky followed them shortly behind. Mertillia quickly told them to slow down. „Something’s totally wrong with him - take care. He seems to be in a panic and doesn't seem to recognise me.”
Slowly, Headmaster Morituri went into the room. His heart ached when he saw his son. What on earth happened here?
„Adair? Come, my boy, calm down”, he said, quietly and steadily. „I’m here now; I’ll help you. Please, Adair, listen to me. Your father is here ... Calm down and come to me.”
But Adair only heard a murmur and saw a figure approaching towards him. It was his instinct that led him now. He didn’t understand that the figure which seemed to threaten him could be his father. The others held their breath as Morituri slowly stepped up to his son.
At first, Adair really seemed to calm down, and Morituri risked to reach out for him. But in the next moment, Adair hissed and struck towards him. Morituri flinched back when a claw ripped his arm.
„NO!” While Morituri drew back, Mertillia and Ricky ran to Adair to overpower him before he could attack his father again. They had to bring him down, at any cost. Who knew what would happen if he fled and met somebody else?!
Although Morituri knew that Adair would never had hurt him when he was in his right mind, he was shocked. He wouldn’t have thought that his son really would attack him. „By the gods, what’s wrong with him? When we met I saw he didn’t feel well - why didn’t I insist that he should go to Amaranth?!”
For a moment, Ricky and Mertillia had to hold Adair back with all their power - then, suddenly, he collapsed. „Get him to Amaranth - hurry!”, Morituri said, worried and anxious.
„You must go too – your wound looks bad,” Callidum said.
„Yes … but now he’s more important. Callidum, he mustn’t know what just happened - if he hears …”
„Morituri,” Callidum said, „do you really think he won't guess what happened when he sees that you're hiding your arm from him?”
Morituri sighed and followed the others to the infirmary.
~~~~~
„I don’t understand it,“ Amaranth said to the headmaster . „He has a fever, but I can’t get it under control! This shouldn’t be so hard to handle. I tried everything!“
„Adair has never been ill,“ Morituri remembered. „He has never caught a cold or has been infected in any way. Even last year, when most of us had the flu, it was no problem for him. It always seemed as if he couldn’t be infected with any disease humans or elves can get.”
„I thought so too. But now - headmaster Morituri, if I can’t get his disease under control with my medicine, it could mean that it is influenced by magic. Maybe it was created by a mage. But who would create a disease which infects shapeshifters?”
Morituri had no answer for him. He looked at his son, who meanwhile had completely changed into his shapeshifter-form. Adair was exhausted, so he was no danger anymore. But nevertheless Angus and Diego were here to make sure that Adair was really kept under control. Lady Mertillia had suggested to bind him, but Morituri as well as Amaranth refused. Morituri pointed out that this precaution could make Adair try to defend himself again, and Amaranth declined explicitly to let somebody bind his friend and patient. Adair was currently not in a condition to be any danger for somebody; furthermore Amaranth had put him under a spell which made him sleep.
„But now let me look at your arm, Master Morituri. It won’t help Adair if the wound becomes infected and you get ill too.”
After some magical treatment, Amaranth said, „It will hurt a bit for a few days, but it will be healed soon. But as for Adair--”
„Just a moment, Amaranth - I will find out if you are right; if this is caused by magic, I will know it.”
For a while, Morituri sat at Adair's bed, holding his hands, with his eyes closed, and focusing on him. His mind reached for every little part of Adair’s body. Some time later, he really found what he searched for - a spell, like a spark of magic, which continuously slipped through his fingers. But as much he tried it, he couldn't catch this spark.
„What shall we do, Amaranth? How can we help him?” Morituri sighed. „And why by the gods can’t I break this spell?!? It is caused by magic, I can feel it - I should be able to break it! But I can’t - it’s impossible!”
Amaranth sighed. „I will help you try to break this spell - but one thing's for sure, his fever is getting worse. The organism of shapeshifters are able to bear both cold and heat, so they can live in warmer and colder regions. What’s now fatal for him is the fact that shapeshifters don’t sweat. He can't give off the heat in his body. We must make him change back into his elven form so he can sweat - if he won’t shift, I don’t think he will survive this”, the elven healer said, sad and worried.
Morituri got sick. „Oh gods … please don't - not this …” He teared up. The thought of losing Adair was a horror to him … It would break his heart to lose his child as he lost his wife years ago - and it would be his own death. He took a deep breath, forced himself to compose, and said to Amaranth, „I will go and search in my books for a way to force his shifting. Please send me a message when something’s changing.” Then he headed out of the building, to his office.
Morituri hadn’t the patience to tell the waiting people the news. He only told Mertillia about Adair`s state and that she should find out if somebody else was infected too. She then told the others briefly what happened and that nobody could see Adair now. No one, even Elizabeth had to stay out. Amaranth`s orders were explicit. Adair needed rest and peace. When it came to his patients, Amaranth was not to be trifled with, everyone knew this.
~~~~~
While searching in his books and also in the recordings of Adair’s elven father, Morituri wondered who could be strong enough to create a spell he couldn't break. There was barely somebody - well, maybe a few he knew from his past. But who should …. His friends wouldn’t do something like this, and none of them knew that his son was a shapeshifter.
But there was one person … once a friend … who maybe could be able …
No, he didn’t know about Adair …
Otherwise, it was not long ago when Morituri met him accidentally, at a ball where he and his son were invited. Elizabeth could arrange to join, and the two of them had been happy to get such an occasion. Morituri barely spoke to his former friend, and Adair had had only eyes for his Ana’is … Morituri doubted his son noticed something else than his beautiful Elizabeth.
He wiped away his thoughts to focus on his books again. This was not the time for those questions.
~~~~~
It took almost three hours until Morituri found something. He had to improvise for this potion was not intended for this special case, but with a few changes and some luck, it could work. Luckily Amaranth and he could obtain all ingredients they needed. They mixed it; a last spell …
Without another word, they gathered their courage and instilled Adair the potion. They didn’t want to think about what they should do if it wouldn’t work. It was high time for Adair to shift - he wouldn’t bear the heat in his body any longer.
They waited – for a moment Morituri thought they failed - but then Adair’s shape changed slowly, and a minute later he lay before them in his elven form, breathing heavily, but now finally with a better chance to get rid of the heat within his body.
„Oh thank the gods!”, Morituri said quietly. Amaranth instantly began to make cold compresses for his patient. He already had prepared medicines for Adair and gave them to him now – and then there was nothing but to change the compresses and to wait.
Morituri could neither say how long the potion would work nor how often they could repeat to give it to Adair. But right now he didn’t want to think of this - the only thing he wanted to think of was hope.
~~~~~
After a while, Lady Mertillia silently came into the room, waving Morituri to come out.
„The team is back, Morituri.”
The headmaster of the Academy instantly went out to hear what they found. But there had been nothing particular; they didn’t find more shapeshifters, neither living, nor dead. They also didn’t find any signs of hunters or strangers who could be after shapeshifters. Furthermore, Mertillia told him that nobody else got ill so far.
Morituri was torn between going himself to see the dead shapeshifters and to look for any signs and hints of magic, and staying with his son. He had to find out … but, no, not now. No, he couldn’t leave Adair, not even for a short time. He told the team to go back and burn the bodies, then he went back to the infirmary.
On his way he saw somebody advancing him - Elizabeth. „Master Morituri! Please, tell me, how is he?”
„We can't say anything yet, Elizabeth”, Morituri answered. „Right now we can only wait. I’m sorry, my girl. But you can be sure we try everything.”
When he went back to his son, he could hear Elizabeth crying outside and begging Ricky she wanted to stay there - if she couldn’t go to him, then at least she wanted to be as close as possible to Adair. Morituri sighed. The poor girl loved his son so much … it would break her heart too if Adair would … - He instantly stopped his thoughts to focus on a way how to help his son.
„How is it?” Morituri asked the healer.
„He’s sweating … finally. But I can’t say anything yet. How long will the potion work?“
„If I only knew,” Morituri sighed. „I hope it will work long enough for him to fight the fever.”
Amaranth and Morituri continued trying to break the spell, but yet useless. Morituri couldn’t fight the feeling that all this happened of a special reason … and thought again of the man who once had been his friend.
While searching through his books and also the recordings of Adair’s elven father, Morituri wondered who could be strong enough to create a spell he couldn't break. There was hardly anyone, well, maybe a few he knew from his past. But who would? His friends wouldn’t do something like this, and none of them knew that his son was a shapeshifter.
But there was one person … once a friend … who maybe could be able …
No, he didn’t know about Adair …
Otherwise, it was not long ago when Morituri met him accidentally, at a ball where he and his son were invited. Elizabeth could arrange to join, and the two of them had been happy to get such an occasion. Morituri barely spoke to his former friend, and Adair had had only eyes for his Ana’is … Morituri doubted his son noticed something else than his beautiful Elizabeth.
He wiped away his thoughts to focus on his books again. This was not the time for those questions.
It took almost three hours until Morituri found something. He had to improvise for this potion was not intended for this special case, but with a few changes and some luck, it could work. Luckily Amaranth and he could obtain all ingredients they needed. They mixed it; a last spell …
Without another word, they gathered their courage and instilled Adair the potion. They didn’t want to think about what they would do if it didn`t work. It was high time for Adair to shift - he wouldn’t bear the heat in his body any longer.
They waited – for a moment Morituri thought they failed - but then Adair’s shape changed slowly, and a minute later he lay before them in his elven form, breathing heavily, but now finally with a better chance to get rid of the heat within his body.
„Oh thank the gods!”, Morituri said quietly. Amaranth instantly began to make a cold compresses for his patient. He already had prepared medicines for Adair and gave them to him now – and then there was nothing but to change the compresses and to wait.
Morituri could neither say how long the potion would work nor how often they could repeat to give it to Adair. But right now he didn’t want to think of this - the only thing he wanted to think of was hope.
After a while, Lady Mertillia silently came into the room, waving Morituri to come out.
„The team is back, Morituri.”
The headmaster of the Academy instantly went out to hear what they found. But there had been nothing in particular; they didn’t find more shapeshifters, neither living, nor dead. They also didn’t find any signs of hunters or strangers who could be after shapeshifters. Furthermore, Mertillia told him that nobody else had fallen ill so far.
Morituri was torn between going himself to see the dead shapeshifters and to look for any signs and hints of magic, and staying with his son. He had to find out … but, no, not now. No, he couldn’t leave Adair, not even for a short time. He told the team to go back and burn the bodies, then he went back to the infirmary.
On his way he saw somebody advancing him - Elizabeth. „Master Morituri! Please, tell me, how is he?”
„We can't say anything yet, Elizabeth,“ Morituri answered. „Right now we can only wait. I’m sorry, my girl. But you can be sure we try everything.”
When he went back to his son, he could hear Elizabeth crying outside and begging Ricky to stay there - if she couldn’t go to him, then at least she wanted to be as close as possible to Adair. Morituri sighed. The poor girl loved his son so much … it would break her heart too if Adair would … - He instantly stopped his thoughts to focus on a way how to help his son.
„How is it?” Morituri asked the healer.
„He’s sweating … finally. But I can’t say anything yet. How long will the potion work?“
„If I only knew,” Morituri sighed. „I hope it will work long enough for him to fight the fever.”
Amaranth and Morituri continued trying to break the spell, but it was useless. Morituri couldn’t fight the feeling that all this happened of a special reason … and thought again of the man who once had been his friend.
~~~~~
The hours went by, and evening came, followed by night, and Adair was still unconscious. Candles flickered and lightened up the room. IN the corners where the light didn’t reach, shadows jumped around like dancing ghosts. Morituri paused from trying to break the spell and looked at his son, thoughtfully. His temperature had lowered a little bit, and the potion still worked. Morituri laid a hand on his forehead. Seeing Adair sleeping in this shape was strange for him. He wiped a wisp of hair from the young man’s face and still wondered what might be the reason for creating a magical disease which afflicted shapeshifters. In the meantime, Amaranth prepared more medicine for Adair's fever.
„My boy, please stay strong,“ Morituri whispered. „Keep on fighting; we will do everything, I promise you. Just, don’t leave us.”
As if Adair would had heard it, a quiet sighing came from the young man. His hand moved. Morituri took it into his own. 'How?' he thought. 'How can I get it?'
Morituri focused once more, holding Adair’s hand, and tried to get the magical spark which had a lock on his son. It was like trying to catch a water sprite - it always escaped him just when he almost had it. 'No, not once more! I will destroy you!' Morituri didn’t notice that his grip on Adair's hand increased. He intensified his concentration, reached out more and more for this spark of magic so Adair would get rid of it once and for all - it escaped again - another try, harder this time - and finally grasped it! One second more, and he quenched it like the flame of a candle.
Morituri leaped up. „Amaranth! I got it!”
Hurriedly, Amaranth came out of his lab. „Thank the gods, Morituri! The medicine is ready - now it can finally work as it should!”
Morituri took a deep breath. It had been exhausting to focus for such a long time. But now he did it!
He thought about that magical spark. It felt familiar to him … when all this was over, he had to reflect on it; he had to remember where from he knew it …
Amaranth startled him out of his thoughts. „Headmaster Morituri? You were up the whole night … you need to rest.”
„Thank you, Amaranth, but I want to stay … I couldn’t sleep now anyway. If you would have a cup of tea for me? That would be enough …”
„Of course! I will get it immediately.”
~~~~~
At the end of the night, when the sun slowly rose, Adair's fever finally began to subside. To keep the fever from rising again, Morituri gave him another dose of the shifting-potion, as the effects from the previous dose had worn off.
A few hours later, they heard a noise coming from the hall, approaching fast. Diego and Angus entered the room, with Ricky between them. He attempted to resist, but his unusually pale complexion and the glazed look in his eye made clear he didn’t feel well.
„Ricky!” Amaranth called. „What’s wrong with him, Angus?”
„He’s ill, and he's hallucinating - he thought Lady Lhoris was Effne.”
Amaranth's eyes grew wide. „He mistook Lady Lhoris for Effne?!”
Diego nodded. „You can guess what he wanted from her. And afterwards, he shouted at her and told her to keep her hands off Elizabeth. Lady Lhoris was just about to smack him when he collapsed.”
When the healer examined him, he saw that Ricky had a fever. „Morituri?”
A short touch was enough. „It’s the same fever as Adair's. Apparently, Ricky caught it from him.”
„So it is infectious? Oh bugger,” Amaranth mumbled.
Morituri looked at him. „We must know if other people are also infected. Go and check - I will care for Ricky. If it’s the same spell, I will get it under control. Diego, Angus, bring him over there, to the other side of the room - he mustn’t re-infect Adair.”
As Morituri had already guessed, it was the same spell as the one which Adair had caught.
It took some time, but he could finally extinguish it. Although Ricky had the same disease as Adair, it was easier to treat him. Amaranth only had to make sure he stayed asleep.
Meanwhile, Francesco and Elizabeth had come to see their brother, and they listened anxiously to Morituri’s words. „It’s the same fever as Adair’s. Amaranth told Lady Mertillia that she should search once more for signs of infections. But, to be honest, I don’t think there will be any. - By the way, did Andres and Lady Lisa return from their mission?”
„Not yet”, Francesco answered. „But they will be back shortly.”
„Do send them a messenger to make sure they are well, and tell them that, for now, they shall stay away from the Academy. I’m sure this disease only infects shapeshifters and bloodbeasts. It’s caused by magic, and before they can return, we must make sure that nobody here carries the magical spark and can hand it on to them. - Oh, and tell Lady Lisa that Ricky will be well again soon.”
„May I stay here?” Eliz asked.
„Yes, Elizabeth, but first I have to check if you've caught the infection - just a second …”
Morituri took her hands, focused for a moment, and nodded. „It’s okay. You can help me while Amaranth is gone; give Ricky this potion, it will help with his fever. He will be better in no time.”
While Francesco left to give the necessary instructions, Morituri and Elizabeth took care of their patients. She worriedly approached to Adair’s bed. „Why is he in his elven shape? And … will he be alright?
„Of course, my girl“, Morituri answered her. We had to force his shifting for in his real shape he couldn’t fight the fever. But meanwhile, he's much better. Now he must sleep, just as Ricky has.”
When Amaranth returned, he told them that an examination was arranged. „I explained to Deracante how he can find the infection, and now he’s examining all members of the academy, with help from our versed magic users. It will take some time, but it’s necessary.”
„I will help, too,” Morituri declared. For a moment, he looked at his son, then he said to the elven healer: „I will be back as soon as I can.”
„I will take care of him, Morituri. Don’t worry; he’s over the worst.”
~~~~~
It took the whole day to find out that the infection really was extinguished. When Headmaster Morituri came back, Amaranth told him that Adair’s as well as Ricky’s fever had lowered. „Adair was awake for a moment, but he immediately fell asleep again.”
The first time for two days, Morituri smiled. He was tired, but nevertheless he wanted to stay … Besides this, his thoughts were circling around what happened. Adair got infected, and now Ricky too? And why not the others? Indeed, the magical spark seemed not even change over to the others without infecting them; it had totally skipped them. After all, Lady Mertillia helped Ricky to catch Adair, and she was not infected, and also Diego and Angus weren’t.
Adair … Morituri sighed. When his son would hear what he had done in his feverish delirium, he would be shocked. He hoped to be able to keep it a secret before him. Adair would hate himself for it … damn, this had been the reason why the shapeshifters killed themselves: they lost their minds, they didn’t know anymore who was friend or enemy, and lastly the fever burned them. Morituri had to find out who was responsible for all this! Of course, shapeshifters were dangerous creatures, especially at present circumstances when many of them joined the evil, but however, nobody should suffer this, not even them.
Fact was, that Morituri did never hear from such a disease before, and Adair didn’t as well - otherwise he would have told him. Shapeshifters used to live in all of the twelve domains. He would contact some people he knew if they heard of something like this happened somewhere. He couldn’t help thinking that it hadn’t been an accident that it happened here.
Suddenly, he felt somebody watching him - he looked up. „Adair, my boy! Thank the gods!”
Two confused green eyes looked at him. „Father … what happened? … Where … am I?”
„At the infirmary. You had fever for almost two days. But now finally you’re better. Do you remember something?”
„… The last thing … I remember … the books. I … prepared the lessons.”
„You panicked, and then you collapsed”, Morituri said to him. „You contracted a disease the dead shapeshifters were infected with.”
„Disease? What disease?”
„It’s made of magic. It was hard to relieve you from it, but luckily …” Morituri smiled and stroke about his hair. Adair reached for him, then saw his own hand, and stopped. „I’m shifted? Why am I shifted?”
„We had to force - in your real shape you cannot sweat, and the fever was about to burn you.”
When Adair let down his hand he touched Morituri’s wounded arm - Morituri flinched. Luckily, Adair didn’t seem to have noticed it.
Now Elizabeth came at his bed. „My love! I’m so glad you’re better! I feared so much for you …” She gave him a slight kiss. „Ricky is way better too …”
„Ricky? Why Ricky?”, Adair asked.
„He got ill too; you infected him”, Morituri said. „But like you, he’s already better. Both of you will be well soon.”
Adair felt tired and a little bit dizzy. There were still so many questions he had, and he also had the feeling that there were some things he should remember, but sleep closed his eyes and sent him into the realm of dreams.
“Headmaster Morituri? You should go and sleep a little bit - he’s better now, and Ricky too; you really need to rest now.”
Morituri looked at Amaranth. „I know … but you also need to rest …”
„I will get help; I won’t be alone. And Adair will sleep for hours.”
Headmaster Morituri nodded. He looked at Adair and took his hand. ‘Thank the gods I didn’t do it’, he thought. ‘My son would be dead now if I really would have …’
Then he left the room towards the castle to calm down, and maybe to sleep a little bit.
Later, when Morituri rested on his bed, he thought about the idea he had.
His former friend … Sven … could it be that he was involved in this?
But how would he create a magical disease that infected bloodbeasts and shapeshifters, but not humans and elves?
Did he see Adair at the festivity and found out what he was?
But how should he? - Well, he too was a mage, and a good one, although he wasn’t as good as Morituri.
As to the disease, he had an idea … he would have to speak with Ricky’s mother about it. After all, she would be the next queen of the bloodbeasts and she would surely know very much about their history. - Lady Lisa … he thought about how she freaked out when she heard that her son got ill. Poor Andres - he surely hadn't been in an envyable position … But meanwhile Mertillia had sent somebody to them to tell them they could come back.
'And now, Morituri, slow down; Adair is well, and you have to sleep. After all, there will be more to be done, tomorrow … '
~~~~~
The next day, Morituri indeed felt much better. After getting something to eat, the first thing he did was go to Adair. His son was awake, not able to get up, but nevertheless well. Elizabeth was sitting beside him, while Ricky was … being nursed by his mother. „My poor baby! Just look - you really need something to eat! I’ll get you a yummy chicken soup!”
Ricky squinched up his face … it was no doubt that he didn’t like being clucked at all. Angus also came, together with Diego. Both of them smiled all over the face. „Yup Ricky … you’re a celebrity, ya know!”, Angus said. „It’s not often that a bloodbeast tries to mate Lady Lhoris!”
O/////O… Ricky’s face got red as a beet. „I’ll pluck you fools! Liars! I never did something like that! Why should I …”
„Well, you called her Effne, ran after her, and then you yelled that she shouldn’t touch Eliz! You're lucky you collapsed, pal!”
Angrily, Ricky looked over to Adair. When Eliz saw it, she growled: „Don’t you dare, Ricky! Or I will make you to be ill for quite a while longer!”
Morituri smiled at this scene. All was like it was as before -- almost …
When he sat at Adair’s bed, the young shapeshifter asked him: „What the heck happened? What are they speaking of?”
„Only a little bit trouble when Ricky got ill”, Morituri answered him.
Adair sighed. Ricky was a walking trouble himself … „And now, what exactly happened? You said something about a magical disease, Morituri …”
„Yes. It was created from somebody, and I will find out by whom, I promise you. Just a few days, and you will be okay, my boy.”
Before he came here, Lady Mertillia told him that she spoke with Sasaki and said to her that it would be better not to talk about what she saw. In return, Morituri asked Lady Mertillia not to tell Adair what happened in the classroom - he shouldn’t know he hurt his father.
„Lady Lisa, may I speak to you for a moment?”, Morituri asked her.
„Of course, Headmaster Morituri - but, please, without the ‘Lady’ - I feel like a grandma with this ‘Lady’ - thing …” ;)
Morituri smiled. „All right … well, I thought about this disease and the reason why it only infected Adair and Ricky.”
Lisa’s eyes became small slits. “When I find out who is responsible for this, he will regret that he ever had been born!”
„I absolutely agree, Lisa, but I would like to ask you what you know about the origin of the bloodbeasts. Would it be possible that bloodbeasts and shapeshifters are somehow, and if very distantly, related to each other? Because this would explain how this could happen.”
„Related?”, Lisa said. „That’s an interesting thought …”
„Oh my - stop it, mom! I’m not related in any way with this damned -” Seeing, that Eliz reached for Adairs hand, he shouted: „Oi - get your fingers off my sis, or I’ll rip your head off!”
„Enough of that, my boy! Don’t you dare to speak this way to your future brother-in-law!”, his mother scolded him instantly.
Ricky’s eyes went wide; Adair, who was just about to drink something, choked on his tea, and Eliz's face turned a bright shade of crimson.
O_o -- „B-brother-in-WHAT?!? -- Over my dead body!!”
Amaranth, who just came in the room to bring the medicine to his patients, asked angrily: „What the heck is this rubbish here? Ricky, do you happen to know that you’re ill? No, you won’t stand up now to stab Adair, for you will be tired now!” A little spell, and Ricky fell asleep like a baby.
Adair sighed. Lisa was a great woman, indeed ... but right now she made his relationship with Ricky even worse … Searching for help, he looked at his father, but Morituri only chuckled.
„Good, enough joking round”, Morituri said. „Would you join me so we can search for answers in my books, Lisa?”
„With the greatest pleasure, Morituri!” she said and nodded, smiling. „Oh Eliz, dear, please tell my little boy that I will know when he intends to do something stupid - sometimes I would love to give him a slap on his cheeks!”
~~~~~~
Headmaster Morituri, Ricky, Lady Mertillia, Elizabeth, Callidum, Andres, Lisa, Francesco and Sven belong to AvalonTheQuin
Sasaki belongs to Midnight~Rebel
Amaranth belongs to PinkRobin
Lady Lhoris belongs to OldSoulUser
Adair belongs to me
<br />
Reworked version – thanks for your help, Mytha, Epic Ninja and TheNameless!
Spark of Darkness
It was early evening when Headmaster Morituri sat, in candlelight, at his desk and wrote the last lines of a letter he had been wanting to write for a week. Now he finally found time for it. He had just finished when he heard a knock at the office door.
„Yes?”
It was his son Adair who opened the door. „Do you have a moment of time for me, Morituri?”
„Of course, boy; you needn't ask! Come in!“
„I just came back from my walk, and I found something strange. There was a band of shapeshifters, some adults and adolescents, and even two kids - all dead, except of one. He wanted to grab me, but he wasn’t dangerous anymore for he was already too weak to be a danger. He didn’t live long after anyway.”
Morituri looked at him, surprised. „Killed? Maybe hunters?”
„I don’t think so. The wounds were not from any weapons. It looked like wounds from shapeshifter-claws. I don’t understand that - why would they kill each other - especially their children?!”
„This can happen,” Morituri said and laid his quill aside. „Just remember back then, when you―” He didn’t finish the sentence.
„I know,” Adair said, „but that was something else. My mother was an outcast, and her band sensed her and wanted to kill her…“ He stopped, for a moment sadness covered his face, then he added, „This wasn’t a hunting band, but a family. We should try to find out what happened to make sure there’s not any danger for us.”
Morituri agreed. „Yes, but I don’t want to send a team out right now. It’s already getting dark, and I don’t want to run the risk that shapeshifters attack our people. After all, there could be more of them. Tomorrow morning will be soon enough―.”
„I will tell Ricky about it,” Adair said. „And maybe we should deploy more guardians.”
„I’ll handle this as soon as possible,“ Morituri said. When Adair wanted to leave, his father asked him, „Later, a game in the living-room?“
Adair smiled. „Sure!” ^^
~~~~~
The next day, a team was sent out to search for any signs which could tell what happened out there. Adair didn’t join them; on one hand he had classes, on the other hand, he felt not quite well today. When he later met Morituri at lunch, his father noticed it. „Adair, you’re looking pale … are you all right?”
„Yes, of course, father. I only had too much of Valyn’s cake yesterday. Don’t worry, it soon will be better.”
But it didn’t get better. Later, when Adair prepared his books, he felt giddy, and his vision got blurry. He wanted to go out of the room to call for help, but a sudden flash of heat made him stumble. The young man tried to find a hold and staggered back to his desk. He didn’t notice that his hands and eyes had already shifted into their original form. … What was that? What happened here? … He tried to remember where he was and what he just did, but he couldn’t; his perception distorted more and more. Besides him something fell on the floor; he heard rumbling from the books he accidentally pushed from the desk. Adair startled and flinched back.
~~~~~
Suddenly, a sound was heard from outside, and a second later the door opened. Adair saw a blurry figure and heard a indistinct and distorted voice. In his confused state, he instantly thought of danger. He growled quietly.
„Master Adair? The class is waiting-”
Sasaki stopped and shrank back. Adair … his hands - he was … a shape … She didn’t finish her thoughts - she ran out and headed to the next classroom. Sasaki opened the door with a jerk. „Lady Mertillia! Adair-- in his study-- his arms-- please hurry!”
Mertillia ordered the pupils to stay in the classroom and rushed to Adair's office. „Sasaki, go and fetch Headmaster Morituri! Quickly!”
When she slowly entered the room, she instantly saw that Adair was not in his right mind. Although she spoke to him quietly and patiently, he didn’t recognise her and pressed himself against the wall near his desk. His growling warned her that he would attack without hesitating if she would advance to him.
A moment later she heard voices coming closer. She went out, carefully paying attention not to provoke Adair in any way. Morituri came running, together with Callidum; Ricky followed them shortly behind. Mertillia quickly told them to slow down. „Something’s totally wrong with him - take care. He seems to be in a panic and doesn't seem to recognise me.”
Slowly, Headmaster Morituri went into the room. His heart ached when he saw his son. What on earth happened here?
„Adair? Come, my boy, calm down”, he said, quietly and steadily. „I’m here now; I’ll help you. Please, Adair, listen to me. Your father is here ... Calm down and come to me.”
But Adair only heard a murmur and saw a figure approaching towards him. It was his instinct that led him now. He didn’t understand that the figure which seemed to threaten him could be his father. The others held their breath as Morituri slowly stepped up to his son.
At first, Adair really seemed to calm down, and Morituri risked to reach out for him. But in the next moment, Adair hissed and struck towards him. Morituri flinched back when a claw ripped his arm.
„NO!” While Morituri drew back, Mertillia and Ricky ran to Adair to overpower him before he could attack his father again. They had to bring him down, at any cost. Who knew what would happen if he fled and met somebody else?!
Although Morituri knew that Adair would never had hurt him when he was in his right mind, he was shocked. He wouldn’t have thought that his son really would attack him. „By the gods, what’s wrong with him? When we met I saw he didn’t feel well - why didn’t I insist that he should go to Amaranth?!”
For a moment, Ricky and Mertillia had to hold Adair back with all their power - then, suddenly, he collapsed. „Get him to Amaranth - hurry!”, Morituri said, worried and anxious.
„You must go too – your wound looks bad,” Callidum said.
„Yes … but now he’s more important. Callidum, he mustn’t know what just happened - if he hears …”
„Morituri,” Callidum said, „do you really think he won't guess what happened when he sees that you're hiding your arm from him?”
Morituri sighed and followed the others to the infirmary.
~~~~~
„I don’t understand it,“ Amaranth said to the headmaster . „He has a fever, but I can’t get it under control! This shouldn’t be so hard to handle. I tried everything!“
„Adair has never been ill,“ Morituri remembered. „He has never caught a cold or has been infected in any way. Even last year, when most of us had the flu, it was no problem for him. It always seemed as if he couldn’t be infected with any disease humans or elves can get.”
„I thought so too. But now - headmaster Morituri, if I can’t get his disease under control with my medicine, it could mean that it is influenced by magic. Maybe it was created by a mage. But who would create a disease which infects shapeshifters?”
Morituri had no answer for him. He looked at his son, who meanwhile had completely changed into his shapeshifter-form. Adair was exhausted, so he was no danger anymore. But nevertheless Angus and Diego were here to make sure that Adair was really kept under control. Lady Mertillia had suggested to bind him, but Morituri as well as Amaranth refused. Morituri pointed out that this precaution could make Adair try to defend himself again, and Amaranth declined explicitly to let somebody bind his friend and patient. Adair was currently not in a condition to be any danger for somebody; furthermore Amaranth had put him under a spell which made him sleep.
„But now let me look at your arm, Master Morituri. It won’t help Adair if the wound becomes infected and you get ill too.”
After some magical treatment, Amaranth said, „It will hurt a bit for a few days, but it will be healed soon. But as for Adair--”
„Just a moment, Amaranth - I will find out if you are right; if this is caused by magic, I will know it.”
For a while, Morituri sat at Adair's bed, holding his hands, with his eyes closed, and focusing on him. His mind reached for every little part of Adair’s body. After a while he really found what he searched for - a spell, like a spark of magic, which continuously slipped through his fingers. But as much he tried it, he couldn't catch this spark.
„What shall we do, Amaranth? How can we help him?” Morituri sighed. „And why by the gods can’t I break this spell?!? It is caused by magic, I can feel it - I should be able to break it! But I can’t - it’s impossible!”
Amaranth sighed. „I will help you try to break this spell - but one thing's for sure, his fever is getting worse. The organism of shapeshifters are able to bear both cold and heat, so they can live in warmer and colder regions. What’s now fatal for him is the fact that shapeshifters don’t sweat. He can't give off the heat in his body. We must make him change back into his elven form so he can sweat - if he won’t shift, I don’t think he will survive this”, the elven healer said, sad and worried.
Morituri got sick. „Oh gods … please don't - not this …” He teared up. The thought of losing Adair was a horror to him … It would break his heart to lose his child as he lost his wife years ago - and it would be his own death. He took a deep breath, forced himself to compose, and said to Amaranth, „I will go and search in my books for a way to force his shifting. Please send me a message when something’s changing.” Then he headed out of the building, to his office.
Morituri hadn’t the patience to tell the waiting people the news. He only told Mertillia about Adair`s state and that she should find out if somebody else was infected too. She then told the others briefly what happened and that nobody could see Adair now. No one, even Elizabeth had to stay out. Amaranth`s orders were explicit. Adair needed rest and peace. When it came to his patients, Amaranth was not to be trifled with, everyone knew this.
~~~~~
While searching in his books and also in the recordings of Adair’s elven father, Morituri wondered who could be strong enough to create a spell he couldn't break. There was barely somebody - well, maybe a few he knew from his past. But who should …. His friends wouldn’t do something like this, and none of them knew that his son was a shapeshifter.
But there was one person … once a friend … who maybe could be able …
No, he didn’t know about Adair …
Otherwise, it was not long ago when Morituri met him accidentally, at a ball where he and his son were invited. Elizabeth could arrange to join, and the two of them had been happy to get such an occasion. Morituri barely spoke to his former friend, and Adair had had only eyes for his Ana’is … Morituri doubted his son noticed something else than his beautiful Elizabeth.
He wiped away his thoughts to focus on his books again. This was not the time for those questions.
~~~~~
It took almost three hours until Morituri found something. He had to improvise for this potion was not intended for this special case, but with a few changes and some luck, it could work. Luckily Amaranth and he could obtain all ingredients they needed. They mixed it; a last spell …
Without another word, they gathered their courage and instilled Adair the potion. They didn’t want to think about what they should do if it wouldn’t work. It was high time for Adair to shift - he wouldn’t bear the heat in his body any longer.
They waited – for a moment Morituri thought they failed - but then Adair’s shape changed slowly, and a minute later he lay before them in his elven form, breathing heavily, but now finally with a better chance to get rid of the heat within his body.
„Oh thank the gods!”, Morituri said quietly. Amaranth instantly began to make cold compresses for his patient. He already had prepared medicines for Adair and gave them to him now – and then there was nothing but to change the compresses and to wait.
Morituri could neither say how long the potion would work nor how often they could repeat to give it to Adair. But right now he didn’t want to think of this - the only thing he wanted to think of was hope.
~~~~~
After a while, Lady Mertillia silently came into the room, waving Morituri to come out.
„The team is back, Morituri.”
The headmaster of the Academy instantly went out to hear what they found. But there had been nothing particular; they didn’t find more shapeshifters, neither living, nor dead. They also didn’t find any signs of hunters or strangers who could be after shapeshifters. Furthermore, Mertillia told him that nobody else got ill so far.
Morituri was torn between going himself to see the dead shapeshifters and to look for any signs and hints of magic, and staying with his son. He had to find out … but, no, not now. No, he couldn’t leave Adair, not even for a short time. He told the team to go back and burn the bodies, then he went back to the infirmary.
On his way he saw somebody advancing him - Elizabeth. „Master Morituri! Please, tell me, how is he?”
„We can't say anything yet, Elizabeth”, Morituri answered. „Right now we can only wait. I’m sorry, my girl. But you can be sure we try everything.”
When he went back to his son, he could hear Elizabeth crying outside and begging Ricky she wanted to stay there - if she couldn’t go to him, then at least she wanted to be as close as possible to Adair. Morituri sighed. The poor girl loved his son so much … it would break her heart too if Adair would … - He instantly stopped his thoughts to focus on a way how to help his son.
„How is it?” Morituri asked the healer.
„He’s sweating … finally. But I can’t say anything yet. How long will the potion work?“
„If I only knew,” Morituri sighed. „I hope it will work long enough for him to fight the fever.”
Amaranth and Morituri continued trying to break the spell, but yet useless. Morituri couldn’t fight the feeling that all this happened of a special reason … and thought again of the man who once had been his friend.
While searching through his books and also the recordings of Adair’s elven father, Morituri wondered who could be strong enough to create a spell he couldn't break. There was hardly anyone, well, maybe a few he knew from his past. But who would? His friends wouldn’t do something like this, and none of them knew that his son was a shapeshifter.
But there was one person … once a friend … who maybe could be able …
No, he didn’t know about Adair …
Otherwise, it was not long ago when Morituri met him accidentally, at a ball where he and his son were invited. Elizabeth could arrange to join, and the two of them had been happy to get such an occasion. Morituri barely spoke to his former friend, and Adair had had only eyes for his Ana’is … Morituri doubted his son noticed something else than his beautiful Elizabeth.
He wiped away his thoughts to focus on his books again. This was not the time for those questions.
It took almost three hours until Morituri found something. He had to improvise for this potion was not intended for this special case, but with a few changes and some luck, it could work. Luckily Amaranth and he could obtain all ingredients they needed. They mixed it; a last spell …
Without another word, they gathered their courage and instilled Adair the potion. They didn’t want to think about what they would do if it didn`t work. It was high time for Adair to shift - he wouldn’t bear the heat in his body any longer.
They waited – for a moment Morituri thought they failed - but then Adair’s shape changed slowly, and a minute later he lay before them in his elven form, breathing heavily, but now finally with a better chance to get rid of the heat within his body.
„Oh thank the gods!”, Morituri said quietly. Amaranth instantly began to make a cold compresses for his patient. He already had prepared medicines for Adair and gave them to him now – and then there was nothing but to change the compresses and to wait.
Morituri could neither say how long the potion would work nor how often they could repeat to give it to Adair. But right now he didn’t want to think of this - the only thing he wanted to think of was hope.
After a while, Lady Mertillia silently came into the room, waving Morituri to come out.
„The team is back, Morituri.”
The headmaster of the Academy instantly went out to hear what they found. But there had been nothing in particular; they didn’t find more shapeshifters, neither living, nor dead. They also didn’t find any signs of hunters or strangers who could be after shapeshifters. Furthermore, Mertillia told him that nobody else had fallen ill so far.
Morituri was torn between going himself to see the dead shapeshifters and to look for any signs and hints of magic, and staying with his son. He had to find out … but, no, not now. No, he couldn’t leave Adair, not even for a short time. He told the team to go back and burn the bodies, then he went back to the infirmary.
On his way he saw somebody advancing him - Elizabeth. „Master Morituri! Please, tell me, how is he?”
„We can't say anything yet, Elizabeth,“ Morituri answered. „Right now we can only wait. I’m sorry, my girl. But you can be sure we try everything.”
When he went back to his son, he could hear Elizabeth crying outside and begging Ricky to stay there - if she couldn’t go to him, then at least she wanted to be as close as possible to Adair. Morituri sighed. The poor girl loved his son so much … it would break her heart too if Adair would … - He instantly stopped his thoughts to focus on a way how to help his son.
„How is it?” Morituri asked the healer.
„He’s sweating … finally. But I can’t say anything yet. How long will the potion work?“
„If I only knew,” Morituri sighed. „I hope it will work long enough for him to fight the fever.”
Amaranth and Morituri continued trying to break the spell, but it was useless. Morituri couldn’t fight the feeling that all this happened of a special reason … and thought again of the man who once had been his friend.
~~~~~
The hours went by, and evening came, followed by night, and Adair was still unconscious. Candles flickered and lightened up the room. IN the corners where the light didn’t reach, shadows jumped around like dancing ghosts. Morituri paused from trying to break the spell and looked at his son, thoughtfully. His temperature had lowered a little bit, and the potion still worked. Morituri laid a hand on his forehead. Seeing Adair sleeping in this shape was strange for him. He wiped a wisp of hair from the young man’s face and still wondered what might be the reason for creating a magical disease which afflicted shapeshifters. In the meantime, Amaranth prepared more medicine for Adair's fever.
„My boy, please stay strong,“ Morituri whispered. „Keep on fighting; we will do everything, I promise you. Just, don’t leave us.”
As if Adair would had heard it, a quiet sighing came from the young man. His hand moved. Morituri took it into his own. 'How?' he thought. 'How can I get it?'
Morituri focused once more, holding Adair’s hand, and tried to get the magical spark which had a lock on his son. It was like trying to catch a water sprite - it always escaped him just when he almost had it. 'No, not once more! I will destroy you!' Morituri didn’t notice that his grip on Adair's hand increased. He intensified his concentration, reached out more and more for this spark of magic so Adair would get rid of it once and for all - it escaped again - another try, harder this time - and finally grasped it! One second more, and he quenched it like the flame of a candle.
Morituri leaped up. „Amaranth! I got it!”
Hurriedly, Amaranth came out of his lab. „Thank the gods, Morituri! The medicine is ready - now it can finally work as it should!”
Morituri took a deep breath. It had been exhausting to focus for such a long time. But now he did it!
He thought about that magical spark. It felt familiar to him … when all this was over, he had to reflect on it; he had to remember where from he knew it …
Amaranth startled him out of his thoughts. „Headmaster Morituri? You were up the whole night … you need to rest.”
„Thank you, Amaranth, but I want to stay … I couldn’t sleep now anyway. If you would have a cup of tea for me? That would be enough …”
„Of course! I will get it immediately.”
~~~~~
At the end of the night, when the sun slowly rose, Adair's fever finally began to subside. To keep the fever from rising again, Morituri gave him another dose of the shifting-potion, as the effects from the previous dose had worn off.
A few hours later, they heard a noise coming from the hall, approaching fast. Diego and Angus entered the room, with Ricky between them. He attempted to resist, but his unusually pale complexion and the glazed look in his eye made clear he didn’t feel well.
„Ricky!” Amaranth called. „What’s wrong with him, Angus?”
„He’s ill, and he's hallucinating - he thought Lady Lhoris was Effne.”
Amaranth's eyes grew wide. „He mistook Lady Lhoris for Effne?!”
Diego nodded. „You can guess what he wanted from her. And afterwards, he shouted at her and told her to keep her hands off Elizabeth. Lady Lhoris was just about to smack him when he collapsed.”
When the healer examined him, he saw that Ricky had a fever. „Morituri?”
A short touch was enough. „It’s the same fever as Adair's. Apparently, Ricky caught it from him.”
„So it is infectious? Oh bugger,” Amaranth mumbled.
Morituri looked at him. „We must know if other people are also infected. Go and check - I will care for Ricky. If it’s the same spell, I will get it under control. Diego, Angus, bring him over there, to the other side of the room - he mustn’t re-infect Adair.”
As Morituri had already guessed, it was the same spell as the one which Adair had caught.
It took some time, but he could finally extinguish it. Although Ricky had the same disease as Adair, it was easier to treat him. Amaranth only had to make sure he stayed asleep.
Meanwhile, Francesco and Elizabeth had come to see their brother, and they listened anxiously to Morituri’s words. „It’s the same fever as Adair’s. Amaranth told Lady Mertillia that she should search once more for signs of infections. But, to be honest, I don’t think there will be any. - By the way, did Andres and Lady Lisa return from their mission?”
„Not yet”, Francesco answered. „But they will be back shortly.”
„Do send them a messenger to make sure they are well, and tell them that, for now, they shall stay away from the Academy. I’m sure this disease only infects shapeshifters and bloodbeasts. It’s caused by magic, and before they can return, we must make sure that nobody here carries the magical spark and can hand it on to them. - Oh, and tell Lady Lisa that Ricky will be well again soon.”
„May I stay here?” Eliz asked.
„Yes, Elizabeth, but first I have to check if you've caught the infection - just a second …”
Morituri took her hands, focused for a moment, and nodded. „It’s okay. You can help me while Amaranth is gone; give Ricky this potion, it will help with his fever. He will be better in no time.”
While Francesco left to give the necessary instructions, Morituri and Elizabeth took care of their patients. She worriedly approached to Adair’s bed. „Why is he in his elven shape? And … will he be alright?
„Of course, my girl“, Morituri answered her. We had to force his shifting for in his real shape he couldn’t fight the fever. But meanwhile, he's much better. Now he must sleep, just as Ricky has.”
When Amaranth returned, he told them that an examination was arranged. „I explained to Deracante how he can find the infection, and now he’s examining all members of the academy, with help from our versed magic users. It will take some time, but it’s necessary.”
„I will help, too,” Morituri declared. For a moment, he looked at his son, then he said to the elven healer: „I will be back as soon as I can.”
„I will take care of him, Morituri. Don’t worry; he’s over the worst.”
~~~~~
It took the whole day to find out that the infection really was extinguished. When Headmaster Morituri came back, Amaranth told him that Adair’s as well as Ricky’s fever had lowered. „Adair was awake for a moment, but he immediately fell asleep again.”
The first time for two days, Morituri smiled. He was tired, but nevertheless he wanted to stay … Besides this, his thoughts were circling around what happened. Adair got infected, and now Ricky too? And why not the others? Indeed, the magical spark seemed not even change over to the others without infecting them; it had totally skipped them. After all, Lady Mertillia helped Ricky to catch Adair, and she was not infected, and also Diego and Angus weren’t.
Adair … Morituri sighed. When his son would hear what he had done in his feverish delirium, he would be shocked. He hoped to be able to keep it a secret before him. Adair would hate himself for it … damn, this had been the reason why the shapeshifters killed themselves: they lost their minds, they didn’t know anymore who was friend or enemy, and lastly the fever burned them. Morituri had to find out who was responsible for all this! Of course, shapeshifters were dangerous creatures, especially at present circumstances when many of them joined the Great Evil, but however, nobody should suffer this, not even them.
Fact was, that Morituri did never hear from such a disease before, and Adair didn’t as well - otherwise he would have told him. Shapeshifters used to live in all of the twelve domains. He would contact some people he knew if they heard of something like this happened somewhere. He couldn’t help thinking that it hadn’t been an accident that it happened here.
Suddenly, he felt somebody watching him - he looked up. „Adair, my boy! Thank the gods!”
Two confused green eyes looked at him. „Father … what happened? … Where … am I?”
„At the infirmary. You had fever for almost two days. But now finally you’re better. Do you remember something?”
„… The last thing … I remember … the books. I … prepared the lessons.”
„You panicked, and then you collapsed”, Morituri said to him. „You contracted a disease the dead shapeshifters were infected with.”
„Disease? What disease?”
„It’s made of magic. It was hard to relieve you from it, but luckily …” Morituri smiled and stroke about his hair. Adair reached for him, then saw his own hand, and stopped. „I’m shifted? Why am I shifted?”
„We had to force - in your real shape you cannot sweat, and the fever was about to burn you.”
When Adair let down his hand he touched Morituri’s wounded arm - Morituri flinched. Luckily, Adair didn’t seem to have noticed it.
Now Elizabeth came at his bed. „My love! I’m so glad you’re better! I feared so much for you …” She gave him a slight kiss. „Ricky is way better too …”
„Ricky? Why Ricky?”, Adair asked.
„He got ill too; you infected him”, Morituri said. „But like you, he’s already better. Both of you will be well soon.”
Adair felt tired and a little bit dizzy. There were still so many questions he had, and he also had the feeling that there were some things he should remember, but sleep closed his eyes and sent him into the realm of dreams.
“Headmaster Morituri? You should go and sleep a little bit - he’s better now, and Ricky too; you really need to rest now.”
Morituri looked at Amaranth. „I know … but you also need to rest …”
„I will get help; I won’t be alone. And Adair will sleep for hours.”
Headmaster Morituri nodded. He looked at Adair and took his hand. ‘Thank the gods I didn’t do it’, he thought. ‘My son would be dead now if I really would have …’
Then he left the room towards the castle to calm down, and maybe to sleep a little bit.
Later, when Morituri rested on his bed, he thought about the idea he had.
His former friend … Sven … could it be that he was involved in this?
But how would he create a magical disease that infected bloodbeasts and shapeshifters, but not humans and elves?
Did he see Adair at the festivity and found out what he was?
But how should he? - Well, he too was a mage, and a good one, although he wasn’t as good as Morituri.
As to the disease, he had an idea … he would have to speak with Ricky’s mother about it. After all, she would be the next queen of the bloodbeasts and she would surely know very much about their history. - Lady Lisa … he thought about how she freaked out when she heard that her son got ill. Poor Andres - he surely hadn't been in an envyable position … But meanwhile Mertillia had sent somebody to them to tell them they could come back.
And now, Morituri, slow down; Adair is well, and you have to sleep. After all, there will be more to be done, tomorrow …
~~~~~
The next day, Morituri indeed felt much better. After getting something to eat, the first thing he did was go to Adair. His son was awake, not able to get up, but nevertheless well. Elizabeth was sitting beside him, while Ricky was … being nursed by his mother. „My poor baby! Just look - you really need something to eat! I’ll get you a yummy chicken soup!”
Ricky squinched up his face … it was no doubt that he didn’t like being clucked at all. Angus also came, together with Diego. Both of them smiled all over the face. „Yup Ricky … you’re a celebrity, ya know!”, Angus said. „It’s not often that a bloodbeast tries to mate Lady Lhoris!”
O/////O… Ricky’s face got red as a beet. „I’ll pluck you fools! Liars! I never did something like that! Why should I …”
„Well, you called her Effne, ran after her, and then you yelled that she shouldn’t touch Eliz! You're lucky you collapsed, pal!”
Angrily, Ricky looked over to Adair. When Eliz saw it, she growled: „Don’t you dare, Ricky! Or I will make you to be ill for quite a while longer!”
Morituri smiled at this scene. All was like it was as before -- almost …
When he sat at Adair’s bed, the young shapeshifter asked him: „What the heck happened? What are they speaking of?”
„Only a little bit trouble when Ricky got ill”, Morituri answered him.
Adair sighed. Ricky was a walking trouble himself … „And now, what exactly happened? You said something about a magical disease, Morituri …”
„Yes. It was created from somebody, and I will find out by whom, I promise you. Just a few days, and you will be okay, my boy.”
Before he came here, Lady Mertillia told him that she spoke with Sasaki and said to her that it would be better not to talk about what she saw. In return, Morituri asked Lady Mertillia not to tell Adair what happened in the classroom - he shouldn’t know he hurt his father.
„Lady Lisa, may I speak to you for a moment?”, Morituri asked her.
„Of course, Headmaster Morituri - but, please, without the ‘Lady’ - I feel like a grandma with this ‘Lady’ - thing …” ;)
Morituri smiled. „All right … well, I thought about this disease and the reason why it only infected Adair and Ricky.”
Lisa’s eyes became small slits.“When I find out who is responsible for this, he will regret that he ever had been born!”
„I absolutely agree, Lisa, but I would like to ask you what you know about the origin of the bloodbeasts. Would it be possible that bloodbeasts and shapeshifters are somehow, and if very distantly, related to each other? Because this would explain how this could happen.”
„Related?”, Lisa said. „That’s an interesting thought …”
„Oh my - stop it, mom! I’m not related in any way with this damned -” Seeing, that Eliz reached for Adairs hand, he shouted: „Oi - get your fingers off my sis, or I’ll rip your head off!”
„Enough of that, my boy! Don’t you dare to speak this way to your future brother-in-law!”, his mother scolded him instantly.
Ricky’s eyes went wide; Adair, who was just about to drink something, choked on his tea, and Eliz's face turned a bright shade of crimson.
O_o -- „B-brother-in-WHAT?!? -- Over my dead body!!”
Amaranth, who just came in the room to bring the medicine to his patients, asked angrily: „What the heck is this rubbish here? Ricky, do you happen to know that you’re ill? No, you won’t stand up now to stab Adair, for you will be tired now!” A little spell, and Ricky fell asleep like a baby.
Adair sighed. Lisa was a great woman, indeed ... but right now she made his relationship with Ricky even worse … Searching for help, he looked at his father, but Morituri only chuckled.
„Good, enough joking round”, Morituri said. „Would you join me so we can search for answers in my books, Lisa?”
„With the greatest pleasure, Morituri!” she said and nodded, smiling. „Oh Eliz, dear, please tell my little boy that I will know when he intends to do something stupid - sometimes I would love to give him a slap on his cheeks!”
~~~~~~
Headmaster Morituri, Ricky, Lady Mertillia, Elizabeth, Callidum, Andres, Lisa, Francesco and Sven belong to AvalonTheQuin
Sasaki belongs to Midnight~Rebel
Amaranth belongs to PinkRobin
Lady Lhoris belongs to OldSoulUser
Adair belongs to me
|
