Chapitre 29: Mysteries are Mean to Solved
(POV: Eirlys Arcwright)
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"Is he okay?" Eirlys asked, as she stared at Caspian lying unconscious on his bed.
"Yes, he'll be fine," the healer replied gently, packing her tools.
"He just needs rest."
"Thanks," Eirlys said curtly.
"No, it's my duty," the healer responded before leaving the room.
Now, only Eirlys and Caspian remained.
Eirlys stood by the bedside, arms crossed, her sharp blue eyes fixed on her younger brother's face.
'What happened to him?' she thought.
Her mind replayed the events from the dungeon.
He's using powers I've never seen before.
She shifted her gaze to his hand, recalling the way that crimson sword had materialized as though it were part of him.
The image sent a shiver down her spine.
'Now that I think about it, this isn't the first time I've felt something was... off.'
Eirlys frowned, her thoughts deepening.
In the past month, Caspian has been acting so differently from the boy I knew. At first, I thought it was good—he was training, focused, and determined. But now...
She paced in the room slowly.
On second thought, can a person really change that much in such a short amount of time?
And not just his attitude.
There's that strange sword...
Her mind wandered to the moment she first saw it, glowing with a dangerous crimson hue, practically radiating with malice.
'Where did he even get such a thing?' Eirlys clenched her fists.
And how is it embedded in his body? I've never seen or heard of anything like it before.
She leaned against the wall, her eyes narrowing.
And then there's that power he used—the way those monsters vanished, like they were erased from existence.
That wasn't magic.
It wasn't skill.
It was something else entirely.
She bit her lip, frustration bubbling inside her.
It's impossible for a nine-year-old child to wield such a sword, let alone possess such power.
He's not just changing—he's ...
Suddenly, a realization struck Eirlys like a thunderbolt.
Her breath hitched, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
"No… this can't be," she muttered.
Her hands trembled as she pressed them to her temples, her thoughts racing faster than she could keep up.
"That's not possible…" she whispered, her words shaky, like she was trying to convince herself of a lie.
But the pieces were coming together in her mind, and the picture they painted was horrifying.
She took a step back, away from Caspian's bed, as though the distance would help her make sense of the storm brewing in her head.
Her instincts screamed at her to act, to confirm the truth before her worst fears solidified.
Tick-tick-tick!
In a rush, she pulled her phone from her pocket, her fingers fumbling as she dialed a number.
Beep! —Beep!
The line rang twice before a voice answered, calm and casual.
"Hello?"
"Luna," Eirlys said. "Are you free right now?"
There was a pause on the other end.
<Well, I think so—what's going on?> Luna asked.
"Come to the Arcwright estate —Now!," Eirlys demanded.
<Why? What happened?> Luna asked.
"Just come," Eirlys snapped, the rising panic in her voice breaking through. "Now."
<But— >
"NOW!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the room.
Beep!
As Eirlys ended the call, her hand gripping the phone tightly.
She stood frozen, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her mind spiraling.
'No, it can't be... It shouldn't be... Please, let me be wrong,' she thought desperately.
Her gaze drifted back to Caspian, lying so still and peaceful, his face pale but serene.
'But what if I'm not wrong?'
Eirlys felt her heart pounding. the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her.
"Please," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.
"Please, let this be a misunderstanding. Please let him still be my little brother."
She sank into the chair beside the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched the phone in her lap.
All she could do now was wait—and pray that her fears were unfounded.
.
Ring! Ring!
Eirlys answered her phone.
"Come to my room on the third floor. You know where it is."
<Alright,> Luna replied.
Click.
Moments later, a knock sounded at the door, and Luna stepped in.
Her black hair framed her sharp green eyes, which immediately scanned the room.
She caught sight of Caspian lying unconscious on the bed.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Luna asked, her gaze flicking between Eirlys and the boy on the bed.
Eirlys took a deep breath, her fingers clenched tightly into her palm.
"I need you to use your spirit magic {Soul Gazing} on my little brother."
Luna frowned.
"Your brother? Where is he?" Luna asked.
Eirlys gestured toward the pale figure lying motionless on the bed.
Luna blinked in mild surprise.
"That's your brother? I didn't even know about him."
Those words hit Eirlys like a physical blow.
Her chest tightened, and her mind spiraled.
She staggered back a step as if Luna's casual remark had stolen the air from her lungs.
Luna didn't notice Eirlys' sudden stillness and walked toward Caspian.
"Alright, I'll take a look."
She raised her hands, her fingers glowing with soft, golden light.
The air around Caspian's body seemed to shift as Luna's spirit magic enveloped him.
Eirlys held her breath, her nails digging into her palms.
She had prepared herself for this, but deep down, a small part of her screamed that this was all a mistake, that Luna's magic would confirm everything was fine.
The glow dimmed, and Luna's hands fell to her sides.
She turned to Eirlys, her expression serious, almost hesitant.
"So? Is his soul corrupted? Say no," Eirlys demanded, her voice trembling.
Luna looked down at Caspian's pale, still form, then back at Eirlys.
"I'm sorry, Eirlys," she said softly. "His soul… is corrupted."
The words were a hammer, shattering Eirlys' world in an instant.
She stared at Luna, uncomprehending, as if the words themselves were incomprehensible.
"No," Eirlys whispered.
"No, you're wrong."
Luna shook her head.
"There's no mistake. The soul in that body… isn't your brother's. It's something else entirely" Luna said.
The room seemed to spin.
Eirlys stumbled back, her knees buckling as she reached for the wall to steady herself.
Her vision blurred, her mind a chaotic whirlwind.
'Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?.... Not m-my.....brotherrr.,'
THUD!
She collapsed.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone