Chapter 386 - The Unfortunate Night Pt 1

Over the mountains, the full moon was hanging in the midnight sky as Fergus rode on a horse as fast as he could. 

Malgino was going to collect Smeraldo, tonight. That was what Fergus understood reading the torn pages.

Smeraldo was a very rare flower and it had very unique properties. Fergus knew the best time to collect Smeraldo flowers was at a full moon night when the clock strikes twelve. And there was only one place in Titian where it could be found. The school Fergus built. He knew because he was the one who planted those flowers in the school garden. 

Fergus's intuition was guiding him and he guessed Malgino was there, at the school collecting Smeraldo flowers. It shouldn't be dangerous. There was nothing dangerous about that flower. Yet, Fergus had a gut-wrenching feeling that something was wrong.. Very wrong with Malgino.

Fergus reached the outer walls of the school and dismounted his horse. He quickly unlocked the iron gate and that was when he heard the scream. Fergus didn't recognize who screamed but his blood ran cold as he raced towards the back garden of the school. He was almost in the garden when he heard the second scream, this time it was a familiar voice. Malgino's painful scream tore through the night and Fergus halted in his steps. Then he ran pulling out his wand. After coming to Titian, Fergus still never used magic in front of people. The fact that his magic could harm more than he intended, was on his mind all the time, but now, nothing mattered. Malgino needed help.

But he was too late. Fergus reached the garden and saw two figures over the patch of Smeraldo flowers.

And one was driving a sword through the other.

"No!" Fergus screamed in horror and the figures looked up at him.

Ryan Dragozera's sword was halfway through Malgino's ċhėst.

"Fergus, listen befo–" Ryan tried to explain but Fergus didn't listen. Fergus's out-of-control emotions exploded, and his magic blasted off Ryan. He was blown away somewhere Fergus didn't bother to look. Fergus met Malgino's eyes, and the horror in his eyes scared Fergus.

"Mal!" Fergus rushed to him as Malgino collapsed. He quickly held Malgino before he could hit the ground.

Fergus pulled out the sword from Malgino's ċhėst and he almost lost consciousness.

"You were a little late, Gus," Blood came out from Malgino's mouth, and maybe for the first time in life, he looked scared. Dark blue streams like cobwebs were spreading around Malgino's ċhėst from the sword wound.

"Mal! Mal!" Fergus choked in his tears. "Please, nothing is going to happen to you. I will take you to the palace. Everything will be fine."

"I am sorry, Gus. . . I . . . tried so hard. . . to make a . . . healing potion or something close . . . to your regeneration . . . something that can heal . . . fast as you do . . . but I failed . . . again and again. . ." Malgino's breathing became heavier and he clutched Fergus's hand. His eyes filled with tears. "That's what . . . I am, Gus. A failure. I am not . . . the powerful wizard . . . you think me as . . . I tried and tried . . . to leave my mark in this world . . . but I failed. . . I wanted to exceed the wizarding capacity but . . . I failed . . . And now nothing can . . . heal me . . . from death. . . Nothing, Gus."

Malgino's voice became slower and quieter. His lips turned blue. Fergus touched Malgino's wound to help him in any way.

"Mal!" Fergus cried out as Malgino's breathing started to slow down. "No no no no no! Mal! Please, no!"

Fergus tried to summon up magic to heal Malgino but his magic flared up every time he tried to close the wound.

"No, Gus. Your cousin . . . had a special poisonous sword . . ." Malgino's voice became bȧrėly more than a whisper. "It was crackling . . . with magic when . . . he stabbed me with it. He brought it . . . to finish me off."

Fergus's gaze hardened as he tried again but Malgino was right. The sword was still deflating Fergus's magic and the dark blue streams had almost spread over Malgino's entire body.

Fergus clenched his fist and opened it. He needed to do something fast. He couldn't just let Malgino die, not at the hand of his cousin.

"Nothing will happen to you, Mal," Fergus said firmly as he made the decision.

Malgino looked like he wanted to believe Fergus desperately. But he knew nothing could be done. Life was leaving his body. He started to close his eyes and Fergus lifted Malgino from the ground carefully.

"Gus? Nothing. . . will . . ." Malgino's words got lost in the wind as Fergus used his inhuman speed to run towards the gate of the school where he left his horse. Fergus mounted the horse, carefully wrapping his magic around Malgino, and nature obeyed his magic. Neither the wind nor the earth got in their way, as they rode to the South East Blood Temple.

Fergus carried Malgino inside the Temple and down the secret chamber. He undid the enchantment of the invisible barrier and walked into the chamber, where the Crimson Crystal was beating like the last time he was here.

Fergus didn't notice how cold Malgino's body had gotten when he climbed the stairs to the platform in the middle of the room and lowered Malgino on the ground. Fergus reached out to take the Crimson Crystal from the scepter but hesitated just for a second. He looked down on Malgino's unconscious body and took a deep breath. 

Fergus touched the Crimson Crystal and felt the energy vibrating within it. He tugged the Crystal and a wave of power washed over him. Fergus crouched down and his hands holding the Crystal hovered over Malgino's pale body. He didn't know what to do but he was determined to save him. At last, he placed the Crystal on Malgino's wound and tried to heal him. Fergus closed his eyes and concentrated.

This time it worked.

The Crystal soaked Malgino's blood and its bright red light lit up the entire chamber. Power erupted and swirled around Malgino and Fergus. Suddenly, Malgino was lifted off the ground, and the Crystal was coming to life. Fergus stood up and tried to hold onto Malgino but the light got too bright and he had to shield his eyes.

Fergus had no idea, how long he stood there shielding his eyes but when he finally opened his eyes, Malgino was standing in front of him, looking completely fine and grinning broadly.

"You are one hell of a friend, aren't you, Gus?"

⟦To be continued⟧