Zed had been in the dark for God knew how long. Sometimes he’d wake up to see a vague image of a person looming over him but he couldn’t decipher who they really were. The pain would come and go gradually, making him wish for death yet it didn’t come. He would spend time drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness.

Many were the times he’d embrace the dark, which had now turned to be his solace. The light brought only pain to him, so he preferred to stay with the dark. At times, he would hear voices of people looming over him, other times, he’d wake up to find a blurry figure spoon-feeding him.

He didn’t know how many days had passed and where he actually was. The memories began flooding back at him slowly. A knife, Newton, death! He could clearly remember cutting his hand with a knife and a blurry figure running to his side, only for everything to turn black. Beyond that, he remembered nothing else.

The sharp pain came again making his veins pop like one possessed by a demon. The show, if one, was an experience no one would wish to go through. He convulsed in the bed like a mad man before letting out a scream that only acted to draw him to the darkness. And as usual, the darkness embraced him like a son to his father, and it was in that darkness where he found peace.

"Is he alright?" Newton asked watching Zed’s relaxed face. Beside him sat the chief physician, who after examining him, lowered his glasses and folded them in his pocket.

"He’s doing fine. I have to admit that his healing capabilities are quite... unique." He found the word.

"I’m surprised as well," Newton said leaning on the wall. "He had lost so much blood but he’s recovering this quick!" Could be the fact that he was a seer?

"Administer this to him once he wakes up." The physician placed a green liquid on the nightstand. "I’ll take my leave." He excused himself and left.

Newton sighed heavily as he watched Zed’s rhythmic breathing. It was the only sign the guy was alive, coupled with the screams that filled the palace before dying as if they never existed in the first place. He must be going through a lot of pain.

He watched his relaxed face that had now developed some wrinkles due to obvious reasons. Beside that calm face was untold agony and pain just waiting for him to open an eyelid. He had even lost count of how many times Zed had screamed today. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

All this, because of him! If he had not gone back, Zed would be history by now. And when he couldn’t catch a heartbeat earlier, he felt as if the world had closed on him, haunting him in every way there was. The guilt, the trauma of knowing he was the cause of Zed’s death, was just unbearable.

He was so much immersed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice someone walk in.

"I hope he’ll be well," came a feminine voice from behind him.

Newton craned his neck to see Roselyn standing close to the door. Surprised, he stood straight from the wall. "I thought you were in your room."

"I was," she said and walked past him, pouring a glass of water for herself. "I was just bored and then the news came. How is he doing?" She asked taking a quick glimpse of the unconscious seer.

"The physician said he’ll be fine," Newton replied curtly.

To Roselyn, Newton was a mystery unravelled. He would act nice this second and shift to a cold being the other. Or maybe it was because of Zed? He seemed so concerned with his well being.

"You two seem really close," she said and took a sip of the glass. Newton stared at the distant horizon with arms crossed over his chest.

"He was a friend," he said without looking at her.

A little silence reigned between them for a fleeting couple of minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Roselyn had the burning question in her mind yet she feared he’d get offended if she asked him. He done it out of his own will after all. Yet, she wanted to know the reason more than anything else.

"Why?" She asked looking at him. He stared back at her with a questioning expression. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?"

Newton was taken aback by the question. That must be her mother! Damn it. Women were never good at keeping secrets, were they? He stared at the horizon again.

"Because I wanted to," he simply answered.

’Just that?’ Roselyn wanted to ask but refrained. A part of her knew there was more to it than just helping her. They both didn’t want to admit it. But deep down, they both knew the reason. The chemistry in their eyes whenever they looked at each other was undeniable.

"How will you do it?" She asked instead. If no Crescian was powerful enough to heal her, then what tricks did he have up his sleeves? Wait! Or maybe there was, and he was the one?

"He is the cure," Newton glanced at Zed’s direction. "Only his kind can heal."

"His kind?" Roselyn raised a brow. Wasn’t the guy Crescian. Hell, everything about him was Crescian, be it his skin tone or the way he was dressed.

"He’s a seer," Newton said tilting his head to her side.

Roselyn had heard many tales about Crescian seers and how powerful they were. She couldn’t believe she was actually staring at one.

"I thought they went instinct," she voiced taking a closer look at Zed. He indeed had some distinctive features and an odd vibe.

"Everyone thought so, even we Crescians. But with the manifestation of The One, a seer had to emerge," he cut the long story short.

Zed woke up with a start nearly scaring Roselyn. And unlike the other times, he didn’t scream. His lazy eyes settled on Newton but when his lips moved to say something, he collapsed back on the bed!