Gods of Malcea ✔️

F O R T Y - E I G H T

"The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained."

-Xamdú

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Fariel walked into Ake's room with some herbal ointment made from grounded leaves and a bit of water. It would act as a salve and help close up some wounds that had not been healing properly since that time in sky. Fariel sighed at the thought and scooted a chair up by his bedside. Ake's head was turned away from him, but he knew he was awake and alert. 

"Ake, come. Let me dress your wounds before Karos figures out where you are at. It was hard enough to separate him from you then. It will be harder now, especially when he sees you like this." 

Ake turned his head towards him and looked at him with sweat coming down his forehead. There was dried smeared blood left around the corners of his lips causing him to fill with some strange form of anger. 

"Why had you done that? Tell me, Ake. Why? He could have--! We could have handled this all." 

Ake did not answer him causing him to shake his head and turn Ake to his side where a great deal of wounds from the griffins had happened.  There were four, no five, deep gashes going from his side towards his back. They were such vicious creatures. He applied the salve evenly and calmly despite Ake's constant hissing and moving. 

"... Fariel... "

"Yes?" 

"Make him take it out... Convince him for me."  Fariel's eyes closed at the meaning behind those words. "If you care for him, you must," he said, his voice laced with pain.  

"He had already taken it out... "Fariel answered as he swallowed dryly. It would hurt him to lie to his dear friend once more. Finally, he had regained his lost trust and Ake is now making him jeopardize it once more.  

"... That is good then... " 

Fariel wished he could leave it at that and say no more. He would have some time ago. He used to take any opportunity to wedge them apart, but not like this. Not anymore. It was far too late now. 

"He had taken it out because of his injury he had gotten in Gasa. He did not want to jeopardize your life if Hinem's sword had pierced through a vital organ," Fariel murmured. "You must take care of yourself for now on. No more battles. Think of how— think of how Karos would feel if you... "

"You had wanted this for so long and look at you now," Ake feigned amusement as he sat up gritting his teeth. "Hurry and bandage me before he sees me like this." 

Fariel did as he wished and started wrapping a clean bandage around the wounds and tied it together. He wiped away his forehead full of sweat with a small cloth and sighed again. Who was he trying to fool, exactly? Karos would see through this. 

"The healing process to rid you of the poisons spreading through your body will only take a week. If only if you would just—" 

"I had not realized it then," Ake said cutting him off, "what Alastar's words meant then... "

Fariel looked at him. 

"To be human and a dragon all the same..." Ake looked at his hands and frowned. "It was the price Oraanu had spoken of, but I would pay any price to be with him," Ake breathed. "Because I love him, deeply and so much that it hurts." 

Fariel tried to keep a straight face but his eyebrows kneaded together and his throat had gone dry. 

"The gem being away from you had... " Fariel looked at his hands. "I am the same."