Rui, worry etched on his face, swiftly carried Yawen to the garden, hoping the glowing berries would alleviate her condition. As he navigated through the fallen debris, he couldn't help but curse under his breath, realizing that Zen's fierce battle with the summoned knight had caused this devastation. Determined to find a solution, Rui made his way back to the necromancer, demanding that he undo the summon's control. The necromancer's response was a mocking laugh, infuriating Rui further. In a fit of rage, Rui began chopping off the necromancer's fingers one by one. The necromancer screamed and cried out, "I cannot control the knight anymore! I don't know what happened!"
Rui's thoughts raced as he tried to calm himself. "Taking her to the garden is my top priority," he reminded himself. "The glowing berries can stop the poison to some extent." Without a second thought, Rui turned back towards the garden, his pace quickening with each step. He ran hurriedly, his eyes scanning the mostly destroyed ruin for any signs of life. Finally, he reached the garden and was taken aback to see Zen resting on top of the bushes, clearly exhausted but victorious. Rui dropped to his knees, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief and elation at the sight of the knight's defeat.
Rui fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he cried out, "He won." The sight of Zen's victory filled him with a renewed sense of hope. Quickly, he gathered the glowing berries from the garden, his heart racing with joy as he ran back towards Yawen. He gently fed her the berries, watching as the spread of the poison slowed, though her skin remained a troubling shade of purple, indicating the severity of the toxin.
Desperation etched across his face, Rui turned to the necromancer and demanded, "What is this poison?" The necromancer, his voice filled with twisted pride, replied, "It is a mixture of a thousand poisons. One of my finest creations. I used it on people to test its effectiveness."
Rui's anger flared, and he cut off more of the necromancer's fingers, each slice accompanied by a scream of agony. "What is the cure to it?" Rui asked, his voice trembling with rage.
"I do not know," the necromancer admitted, wincing in pain. "And now that most of the ruin is in shambles, my research about the poison is also gone."
Rui's eyes burned with fury as he asked, "Why did you do all of this?" The necromancer smirked through his pain. "You won't get anything from your questions, brat. You can kill me here, but I will be avenged."
Realizing that brute force would yield no answers, Rui took a deep breath, his mind racing for another solution. "There are other ways to make you talk," he muttered. He knocked the necromancer unconscious, knowing that he needed to keep him alive for more information. Carefully, Rui lifted Yawen and carried her to the garden, dragging the limp body of the necromancer along.
Once in the garden, Rui laid Yawen down gently among the lush greenery, hoping the environment would help stabilize her condition. He secured the necromancer to a nearby tree, ensuring he wouldn't escape. With Zen recovering and Yawen's condition somewhat stabilized, Rui knew they needed to find a cure quickly. His next steps were determined to save Yawen and uncover the secrets of the necromancer's poison.
Rui, a mere child, showcasing such brutality and cleverness, was quite surprising for the voice that echoed around him. As he drank the sparkling water, he felt a surge of energy and well-being. "This water is different from before," he murmured, savoring the sensation. As he approached the resting Zen, he noticed a faint smile on his face. "Zen would be frustrated beyond belief if he found out about Yawen's current situation," Rui thought to himself.
Suddenly, the voice spoke again: "Hey child, did you beat that necromancer?" Rui, startled, looked around in confusion. "Who are you, and what do you want?" he demanded.
"I'm just the owner of this garden," the voice replied. Rui, his tone respectful, said, "I pay my respects to you." Gathering his courage, he asked, "Do you know what happened to him?" pointing at Zen.
The voice responded, "He fought the knight and defeated him. Now he is exhausted from the battle and resting." Rui nodded. "Thank you." He then added, "Me and the girl over there defeated this evil necromancer."
"I see," said the voice. "That girl over there doesn't seem to be well."
Rui's expression darkened. "She got poisoned by the necromancer. He said he used a thousand different poisons, and she seems destined to die if nobody intervenes." The weight of his words hung heavily in the air.
The voice said, "I'll try helping her." Suddenly, vines emerged from the ground and moved toward Yawen. The vines latched onto her and began to draw out as much poison as they could, eventually withering away from the toxic overload. The voice spoke again: "The poison is serious. It has deeply affected the child. I will try my best." More vines and branches appeared, each attempting to extract the poison from her blood, but all of them withered in turn.
"The chances of her surviving this are very slim," the voice remarked solemnly. It then commanded Rui, "Submerge her in the fountain." Rui quickly carried Yawen to the fountain and gently lowered her into the sparkling water. As the water touched her skin, it began to turn murky, contaminated by the poison seeping from her wounds.
"The poison is very strong," the voice observed. "It is designed to kill slowly rather than instantly. Child, I cannot treat her." Rui's heart sank. "What can we do then?" he asked, desperation clear in his voice.
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do," the voice replied.
"There must be something," Rui pleaded. "Anything."
The voice paused before responding, "I'm sorry, I cannot cure her. However, I can stop the spread of the poison and give her some of my energy. I could even infuse myself with her to keep her alive. This will significantly delay her from dying."
Rui's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?"
"I am just a sprit wandering around this garden," the voice explained, showing herself in her true form. She said my name was Ling. "If I infuse myself with her, I will be inside her and stop the poison from flowing further. I can act as a mentor, like the guiding spirits you read about in books. This would allow me to share my knowledge and energy with her directly."
Rui considered this. "Will it hurt her?"
"No," the voice reassured. "She will feel my presence, and I will help sustain her. It's a temporary measure, but it could give you the time you need to find a real cure.
. He knew they had no other options. "Please," he said, "do whatever you can to help her."
The voice responded, "Very well." The garden seemed to pulse with life as more vines and branches converged on Yawen, wrapping around her gently. A soft glow enveloped her as the voice began the infusion process. Rui watched, his heart pounding, as the light grew brighter and then slowly dimmed.
"She is stabilized," the voice said finally. "The poison's spread is halted for now, and my energy will keep her alive. But remember, this is only a temporary solution. You must find a cure."
Rui nodded, tears of relief and determination in his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered. "I won't waste this chance. We'll find a way to save her."
"If she dies, I die too," the voice said. Rui, filled with gratitude, thanked her and asked, "Why did you do this?"
"I was bored just staying here," she replied. "I wanted to go outside and see the world."
Ling spoke using Yawen's body and said I can possess her body at will for now. I shall be inside of her, guiding her, and with me inside her, she can use my powers too.
Rui noticed an armor set nearby and asked, "What is that armor over there?"
The voice replied, "That armor belongs to the knight and is made of dragon scales."
"Did Zen beat that summoning alone?" Rui asked, astonished.
"I helped and guided him," she said.
Rui bowed his head in gratitude. "I am forever grateful to you. You saved my saviors."
"It's no problem," she responded. "But for now, we need to get out of here."
Rui, curious about her past, asked, "Can you tell me your backstory?"
She replied, "We'll talk about that some other day."
Yawen's body began returning to normal, though some parts remained purple due to the lingering poison. They prepared to leave, taking both the unconscious Necromancer and the exhausted Zen with them.
"Let's take more things from these ruins," Rui suggested.
They gathered the entire body of the king serpent and the necromancer's remaining belongings. The spirit conjured a specially created storage device, where she carefully placed all their collected items.
With everything secured, they left the ruins, carrying their companions and their newfound treasures. The spirit's guidance had not only saved them but had also equipped them with invaluable resources for the battles ahead. Rui knew their journey was far from over, but with the spirit's help, it would be easier.
When they reached the ground, they were surprised to find a crowd waiting, including Rui's parents. Rui's parents were rich merchants from the central plains, known for their wealth and influence. The group decided to head to the town to inform everyone about the new journey of Yawen and Zen, who were still unconscious. Rui was glad to be able to see the sun again.
Upon reaching the town, they found Zen's and Yawen's parents, both visibly worried as their children had been missing for several days. Rui and the others recounted their journey, reassuring the anxious parents. Despite their efforts, Zen remained unconscious, causing his mother to break down in tears. "Why do you always get yourself into trouble?" she cried, her husband comforting her as best as he could.
Yawen, meanwhile, actually had to conceal her identity and act normal, which was known only to her and Rui. The group decided that their best chance to find a cure for the poison afflicting Yawen lay in the central plains, specifically with the mighty Chen clan.
Yawen convinced Zen's parents to go to the central plains along with Zen to treat him there. Zen's father agreed, as he also had to meet some of his old friends in the plains.
Zen's father, who was a merchent, recognized the Eiga Merchent flag and was busy talking with them while his mother was worried about him. Yawen and Rui, alone with their own caravan, talked about their future plans.
Rui's family belonged to the Eiga Merchant Group, one of the wealthiest merchant organizations in the central plains. Rui himself was the grandson of its owner, giving them a considerable advantage in resources and connections. Determined and hopeful, they set out for the central plains.
After four days of travel, they finally reached the central plains. The vast expanse and bustling activity of the region contrasted sharply with their recent harrowing experiences.
Yawen heard a voice : "Child, wake up." She opened her eyes and was surprised to see a beautiful woman standing before her. Looking around in bewilderment, she asked, "Where is this place, and who are you?" The woman smiled gently, her presence serene and calming.