Falling petals

What is Happening!?

"What's wrong with him!?"
 
Sapphire let out a gasp when seeing her husband laying on their bed. A towel was placed over his eyes. He seemed to be breathing hard and his usual sun kissed skin was a sickly pale complexion.
 
Uriel was sitting beside him while worryingly placing his hand over Gabriel's head. He can only use a bit of healing magic to keep Gabriel relaxed, however he could not truly heal his friend because the issue is with his mind, no his body.
 
However he worries that the great shock Gabriel received may cause affects to the body by how feverish Gabriel seems to be getting.
 
"Papa!?"
 
Adaline tried to run to her father side. But was stopped by Azrael who was standing by Uriel.
 
His usual expressionless face visibly held a frown when looking at his friend. If a person didn't know him better, they would have believed he was glaring at the patient. Yet everyone there can see his eyes held worry for the man laying in the bed.
 
"Honey..."
 
Sapphire quickly walked at the other side of Gabriel and gently held his hand. She was filled with confusion and anxiety at seeing him in this state.
 
"What happened!? He was well just a few hours ago! How can he be in such a state in such little time!?"
 
She looked at Uriel for answers and he can only shake his head.
 
"I'll tell you later. For now, we just have to watch over him. There is nothing we can really do. Except...."
 
Uriel didn't want to say what he was thinking so he would worry Sapphire anymore than she already is, however he knew because of recent events, they have to watch who approaches Gabriel so nothing can happen.
 
"We have to make sure only a few people can watch Gabriel. We can't allow someone to use this opportunity to do something that can harm him."
 
The one that spoke was Ariel. He and Azrael brought Gabriel to his room when they left the small meeting to guide the unwell Gabriel.
 
They believed he would get better after a bit of rest, however unexpectedly his state of mind has worsened to the point that he ended up bedridden.
 
Sapphire quickly understood what Ariel meant when she saw him glance toward Adaline, who was being held by Azrael.
 
'Hidden spies....'
 
What came to mind was the possibility of the corrupted cult members having more than just one spy in the estate. The possibility of someone pouring corrupted blood in anything Gabriel eats in his current state can lead to unfathomable consequences so Ariel was hinting that only a few trusted people in the mansion should be allowed to know of his state or maybe no one else but those in the room should know for now.
 
"Gabi..."
 
Sapphire eyes redden when holding her husband's hand. She ended up calling him by the nickname she gave him when they were children.
 
"Sapphire."
 
She turns to Uriel when hearing him call to her. His usual kind appearance displayed a surprising moment of seriousness when looking at her.
 
"I and Azrael will stay to watch over him. It is not the best to have you worry here. We will call you if he gets better."
 
"But!"
 
"Your not in a state to cause yourself to be overwhelmed Sapphire."
 
His words quickly snapped her from her anxiety when she subconsciously placed her hand over her stomach.
 
"Go rest with Adaline in another room. Trust that me and Azrael won't allow anything else to happen. Ok?"
 
He gave her a reassuring smile and signaled Ariel to take both Sapphire and Adaline out of the room.
 
"Do you guys promise to tell me what happened later?"
 
"Yes Sapphire. We promise."
 
Throughout the whole situation, Adaline surprisingly remained quite, however her redden eyes indicated her worry of seeing her dad in bed unwell and unconscious.
 
Sapphire allowed Ariel to guide her out of the room while he carried Adaline away when Azrael handed her to him.
 
"Uncle Ari."
 
"Yes Adaline?"
 
"My papa will be fine right?"
 
His grip tightened on Adaline, but she didn't say anything about it.
 
"Of course he would be fine. Your papa is strong and nothing can beat him, well; maybe me, no one can beat me."
 
He gives her a smile and tries to lighten the mood for her. It worked a bit because she returned a smile toward him before resting her head in his shoulder and wrapping her arm around his neck. She stares behind him and frowns when seeing her parents bedroom distancing from her little by little.
*******
 
In another area, Mihkael was having his own battle of nerves when holding his head in pain in his room while Raphael sits beside him.
 
"Mihkael, your getting worse. You need to seek help. Maybe Uriel ca-"
 
"No."
 
"Mihk-!"
 
"I said no!"
 
He raised his voice toward Raphael and cradled his head with pain. But quickly apologized since he never rose his voice in that way toward Raphael.
 
"I'm sorry. But right now isn't the time to go look for help, especially since the situation of finding out of the corrupted bastards are planning something and with what Sakura is going through. I find we have other more important things to think about."
 
"But...."
 
"Ask Seraph to schedule a meeting between all the leaders in the human areas and those of the nonhuman lands."
 
"...."
 
"Haah~ you are a stubborn bastard."
 
Mihkael smiles warily at Raphael and can only sigh when seeing him not moving an inch until he agrees to get help.
 
"Dammit, you win. But I'll get help after we have a meeting, can you compromise with that my dear Raphy?"
 
"Don't call me that. I just got goosebumps filled with disgust."
 
"Oh really? You wound me."
 
Seeing that Raphael was able to reproach him like this, it seemed that Raphael would let this go until after the meeting.
 
'I can understand why he worries. For the last three years I had nightmares, and moments of some type of anxiety attack. It has gotten worse, even Raphael can see that the amount of times I stay awake in nights have grown and the feeling of dread that fills my heart keeps happening more often.'
 
Mihkael watches Raphael calling Seraph through a communication crystal and discussing what Mihkael asked him to do.
 
'I agreed to let Sakura sleep in her own area because of how frequent I would wake in nights with some type of fear. I worried she would end up waking up one of those nights and see me in that state. However, when I see her sleeping so well beside me, that feeling of helplessness and fear goes away instantly..... it seems I really have to ask for help even when I don't want to. I just hope no one who can use this against me finds out of my state.'
 
"Mihkael!"
 
"Hmm!?"
 
He looks up, only to see Raphael's worried eyes look to him.
 
"Ah.... sorry, I was just thinking of some things."
 
Raphael didn't seem convinced by Mihkael's words, but he knew he couldn't push Mihkael to hard on this subject, so he would just wait for after this meeting, he can send Mihkael to Uriel so he can find a solution to this issue.
 
"The meeting will be decided for tomorrow. The meeting between those who live in the human territories will be done in the morning, while those of the other territories will be done in the afternoon."
 
"That is fine, even I know how last meeting this would be for them all. So having it done for tomorrow is good enough."
 
Before anything else can be said, a light knock can be heard at the door. Raphael looked towards the door and then toward Mihkael. He watches how Mihkael combs his hair back with his fingers and tries to hide his unexpected breakdown.
 
He nods toward Raphael to indicate it is fine to open the door so Raphael quickly headed toward it and opened it, but just enough so only he was in sight and not Mihkael.
 
"Ariel?"
 
"....Hey. Right now we have a bit of a situation."
 
Who was at the door was Ariel who had taken Adaline and Sapphire to the area where Sakura and the boys where. While he took them there and hadn't seen Mihkael and Raphael, his confusion must have appeared in his face since Sakura quickly answered his internal questioning.
 
***
"Papa had to do something and Raphael took him to the guest room that me and papa were sleeping in."
 
While speaking, her eyes were looking at both her aunt Sapphire and Adaline. She didn't ask anything and it seems she may have a hint of what the situation was that she hasn't seen her uncle Gabriel or the other uncles there.
 
"If you have something important to tell my dad and Uncle Raph. Then go to the room, but make sure to knock and not enter until they allow you in."
***
 
At that time Ariel found it strange that she made sure he agreed to knock on the door. He would usually just open the door after knocking two times, but seeing how adamant she was that he waited to be let in made him curious what happened that she told him that.
 
He found the situation even more perplexing when he saw Raphael open the door with enough space that one can see him but not the whole room. He appeared cautious and serious that it took a moment for Ariel to tell him something happened.
 
"What happened?"
 
"Mihk-"
 
He turn his eyes to look at Mihkael who opened the door wider. When he was just about to tell Mihkael what is happening he stopped himself when he noticed his pale appearance.
 
"What's wrong?"
 
'That's what I wanna ask.'
 
But Ariel didn't speak his mind since he feels that since Mihkael and Raphael aren't saying anything after noticing his probing expression, then it is best to just bring up Gabriel's  situation and ask later.
 
"Gabriel isn't well."
 
"What happened?"
 
Mihkael quickly exited the room but was stopped by Ariel.
 
"It's best I tell you guys inside rather than out here."
 
When he said that both men found that the situation is more complicated then Gabriel just being "unwell."
 
Mihkael nodded and moved back in while Ariel followed behind. Raphael closes the door and locks it just incase anyone tries to open the door.
 
"What happened to Gabriel?"
 
Mihkael goes straight to the point and listens to Ariel explain the situation. Raphael and Mihkael faces darken by the minute when they listen to the state their friend is in.
 
"Then we should go and ask Uriel what the best case of action we should follow. He understand more of this things and should know what to do."
 
Ariel just listens to Mihkael but his brows were furrowed even more while listening to him.
 
"What?"
 
Mihkael quickly noticed his childhood friend mood and had to ask when seeing how he was being looked at.
 
"Are you ok?"
 
"!?... yeah. I'm just a bit tired from yesterday."
 
Ariel didn't look convinced one bit. When he arrived he just saw that Mihkael was pale, however when entering the room and hearing Mihkael speak. He quickly noticed that Mihkael was worse than just "tired."
 
'I smelled a bit of puke in the air, its stronger the closer I walk to the bathroom; his voice is usually a deep baritone, however I can hear a raspy undertone to it, as if he had strained it or something. His usual light olive skin is a lighter shade and his eyes have a redness to them as if..... as if he had shed tears.'
 
He remembered how his friend cried while holding Sakura last night, however when they have seen each other in the morning his eyes were already normal, just a small bit of eyes bags from little rest.
 
"I'm fine Ariel. Right now Gabriel is the most important person we have to worry about."
 
"Sure. Then let's go."
 
Mihkael can see he wasn't able to convince Ariel. Raphael remained silent and decided to not butt in or else it would prove to Ariel that there really is something big they may be hiding.
 
While heading toward Gabriel's room. Ariel finally noticed why he feels he needs to bring up Mihkael's state.
 
'All that he showed was just what Gabriel displayed a few hours ago. Just that he seem to have overcame it.'
 
After finally noticing that piece of information, he glanced toward Mihkael and decided to speak to Uriel about this when they find a solution to Gabriel's situation.