A week had passed since the corpses of Layla and Gunn had been brought back, and the village was yet to find its lost harmony; every night, feeble cries could be heard around the houses of the deceased.
The burial ceremonies had taken place a few days prior, on a gloomy summer morning. The whole village had attended, and for days, many had mourned on the kids' graves.
Everyone, the whole village, besides one person.
In fact, Kona was yet to wake up.
The white-haired kid had remained in a comatose state for the whole week, but he wasn't just sleeping. While lying in his bed, the kid writhed and frowned, sweat covering his burning forehead.
Despite her best efforts, none of the herbs that Clarissa - the village's medic - had given him had had any effect.
"A fever like this, Eve… I've never seen it. I've tried everything I can, but this illness… It's not something I can deal with."
Kona's mother, who'd spent those days looking after him, felt hopeless.
Her beautiful boy was forced to bed by some obscure illness, and all that she could do was wipe the damn sweat off his face. Furthermore, people in the village had started talking.
They said - she'd heard them - that this was partly their fault. Their fault for letting their kids run around a dangerous forest. Their fault for not looking after them.
And the worst part was, Eve couldn't help but agree with them.
Junas wasn't feeling any better. He'd seen many things before, many terrible things. But the scene he'd witnessed down in that chamber…
Only the Gods knew how Kona had made it out alive, that was for sure. And that illness…
If only… If only I'd watched over him. Instead of encouraging his adventures, I should've…
However, Fate decided to lighten their burden.
As the seventh day's sun was setting, the door swung open. Closing it behind him, Junas set down his tools.
"Eve, how is he?"
The woman shook her head.
"Clarissa came by this morning. She said… She said she can't do anything, Jun."
Tears were now running down the woman's cheeks.
Junas, however, was ready for this eventuality.
"I'll find someone. Tomorrow, when the sun peeps over the first trees, I'll already be on my way to the city. It's less than a day away on horseback: in two days, I'm sure I can bring the best doctor in Varelan here."
He spoke without an ounce of doubt in his voice.
"Our son won't die here, Eve. Even if the Gods want it, he won't."
The woman hugged him tightly, trying to wipe the tears from her face.
Just then, in the silent house, a feeble voice echoed.
"Mother...?"
The couple, eyes wide open, rapidly turned to face the origin of that sound.
The little white-haired boy, leaning on an elbow, was looking at them with a trembling gaze.
"KONA!"
Eve jumped towards him, now shedding joyous tears.
"Oh, son..."
For a good five minutes, his parents couldn't let go of him.
"Kona, you have no idea! We were so, so, so worried..."
"Mother... I... I feel so... confused? What's... What's happening?"
---
Some time had passed since the ill boy had finally regained consciousness.
Apparently, he'd lost track of what had happened after the kids had entered the ruins, and since neither Junas nor Eve had any idea regarding the events inside the ancient remains, the whole situation remained dubious and uncertain.
Its effects were, however, extremely tangible.
After telling him about his brief coma - in fact - Junas had to deliver the bad news.
After learning about his friends' passing, Kona didn't dare step outside.
For many days, the boy remained locked in his room, as if he'd never risen from his illness.
There, he didn't spend a single minute without thoughts of guilt and terror haunting him.
It's my fault. It's my fault. My fault for wanting to go on a stupid adventure in some stupid ruins! ALL MY FAULT.
Layla, Gunn…
I was the one that dragged you there. I was the one who came up with the plan.
If it weren't for me, now they'd be outside, playing in the fields. I'm so…
While Kona lay in this somber state, the unexpected happened.
It was a fresh night, and a full moon was just peeping over the heads of the tallest trees.
Its silver light shone, luminous, projecting long shadows among the houses of the Gerga village.
If an unwary owl, venturing just outside of the forest, had gazed carefully at the small settlement, it might've noticed the two little, bright eyes shining behind a window.
Kona was sitting on his bed, his gaze lost in the night, and the fresh air, coming from the open window, was flowing through his white hair.
As the moon finally rose above the trees, Kona couldn't help but stare at her. She was…
A beautiful… A beautiful queen, like the ones in the legends. Layla, Gunn… You would've loved it…
As his white irises were stuck on the stunning Queen of the Night, something inside him shifted.
At once, his neck started itching, and a familiar yet unprecedented sensation began invading his mind. The boy, however, kept his gaze on the moon.
Then, slowly, as the gears of Fate kept turning, the boy felt as if his sight was being widened, enlarged. The fresh air felt fresher. The dark sky felt darker. And the Queen… She was more beautiful than ever.
What's this… What's this sensation?
And then, Fate placed the last missing piece of its puzzle.
Kona, who was now gripping tightly to the window's wood, gulped, as something invaded his senses. At once, a new sensation arrived, storming like a flooding river. It was… Different. Not sight or hearing, not smell or taste, nor touch. No…
It's like a… A sixth sense...?
What's going on...?
Am I dying...?
After all - he thought - I kind of deserve it…
Then, that new feeling invaded him, striking like the thunderous waves of the ocean.
And so, at last, he could sense it.
As his mouth widened, Kona observed, awestruck.
Around him, through and around everything, he could now see something.
It was similar to a gas, but almost like a liquid at the same time. It flowed through and around the room, wrapping around chairs, windows, doors, as supple as silk.
Outside, it arose from the ground, twisting into intricate patterns with the grass blades, and then moving as high as the clouds, where it danced in the night sky.
And up there, where the moon still lay calm, its beautiful motifs joined that ravishing silver light.
It almost looks like… Magic…