The King's Beloved

[Music Recommendation: "Spirit Break Out" by Kim Walker Smith (Instrumental only) - available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this scene ~

"Yes, He has a plan," Elliot continued. "All these tragic events, they only happened because of our actions. Our different opinions on things, our different goals and aspirations, leading to different decisions that either helped or harmed one another—that's what brought us in this dire state. But there is hope. Just like in the prophecies foretold. And that's how we all ended up here… at the perfect timing."

Calum furrowed. "I don't understand."

"Can't you see? Everyone thought I was dead, but here I am, alive! Same goes for Flora, and Amare. The fulfillment of the prophecy—Rania, the maiden, is here with us. All the Guardians of old have assembled, and we all met again. We are being guided into His marvelous plan! And even this very moment—despite the curse taking a toll on your body, you survived this far. I believe it's because He wants to save you as well!"

Calum's eyes widened in shock. There was just no way that was possible. It's all just coincidence. He looked around him and pondered but then again… it was indeed all too perfect to be just a coincidence.

"It's hard to see right now because of all the catastrophe that happened but it's there!" Elliot continued. "His Will and His extravagant plan to save us—to save our planet, and it's people, and Rania's planet, and their people… everyone."

Calum's heart shook as hesitation crept from within. But there was this… great "resolve" and "faith" shining brightly in Elliot's eyes. Like a burning, raging fire that seemed to devour his very own soul, purging it from any bit of doubt and unbelief it contained.

"You don't need to understand. I just need you to believe again."

Elliot then held out his hands towards him. Inspired by his faith, Calum's lips curved into a smile—a sweet and peaceful smile of surrender. At last, he took Elliot's hands and agreed to be saved.

"I will not forget this kindness and grace. And I will make sure to repay this someday," Calum whispered in his heart. "Thank you… for not giving up on me."

Clavis and Illuminaire were overjoyed to see him smile again. A smile so real as if the little, sweet, kind, and caring Calum was back. Ever since that tragic day, the twins had worked endlessly trying to convince their dear friend to believe again but it was all for naught. Indeed, everything happens at their perfect timing.

And so, Amare joined her hands together in a prayer. With closed eyes, her body started to glow and her white aura began to cover Elliot's and Calum's body. In an inaudible whisper, she chanted unfamiliar words and as she did, the dark aura covering Calum's body slowly transferred itself to Elliot's body. 

Everyone's faces grew dim in worry. A moment of silence and deep breaths passed by as they all watched the darkness cover Elliot's body.

As it slowly crept in, flashes of painful memories replayed itself in Elliot's mind. 

The scene of his mother with sharp claws stuck on her chest, taking her spiritual core within her…

The scene of his father's core cracking and shattering like glass until his body eventually fell lifeless on the ground…

The scene of their planet crumbling and dying away… And so many more horrifying events that he witnessed. Along with it was an unexplainable ache in his heart. The curse kept on shouting in his mind.

"It's all your fault!"

"There is no hope."

"You're a monster!"

"Because of you, this tragedy happened."

Then, the pain became sadness and misery. A few more moments and it became guilt, frustration, rage, hopelessness, until it developed into hatred, followed by excruciating pain travelling throughout his body. Elliot grunted and tried to suppress what he felt.

As the curse toyed with his feelings and body, he began to understand how it worked—how it attacked the mind and the heart, making the person bearing the curse lose hope in life. And the darkness that sent extreme torture to the body only made it worse.

But then again, Elliot's heart of sacrifice and love was far greater than the hatred brought by the curse. It might have made his emotions go wayward, and tried to cloud his mind with hopelessness, but his soul… it remained steadfast, firmly gripping unto the words of the Supreme, and unto every lesson he learned from the Gates.

Suddenly, the darkness that covered Elliot's body… began to tremble? Even Amare herself was dumbfounded when she noticed it. Yes, the darkness started to circle around Elliot's body. Or was it simply circling around? One moment it was on his shoulders, and on the next, it fled to his back, then his head.

It was as if… it was trying to escape! Trembling in fear!

Elliot noticed it, too. So, despite the pain he felt, he studied how Amare transferred the curse to him. Like dark particles, he saw and understood how the "body" of the curse worked. Then, a sudden idea hit his mind.

Elliot brought both of his palms close to each other as if holding a ball and focused, copying what Amare was doing. He was unsure if he would be able to do it since transferring a curse was not something any Magi could do but still, he tried. And as the prodigy he was, he managed to pull it off!

Little by little, the darkness from both of their bodies gathered through his palm and formed a dark sphere that was so concentrated to the point that it was solid!

"Haaaah… Haaah… Haaah…" Elliot and Calum breathed heavily.

At last, Amare's curse transfer was finished as well. In fact, she wasn't the one who finished it, much to her surprise, and everyone else's surprise.

What's more was the fact that… Elliot "extracted" the curse and materialized it into a black, spherical crystal!