Key To My Heart || Slugterra

54| Reunion

"But the shell still wasn't enough to protect me. I was burn severely and I thought I was for sure going to die. After the explosion, I felt myself plummeting down the portal, and before I knew it, I fell into a pool of water. Dark Water," he said as his breath hitched. "Believe it or not, Dark Water saved me. It healed my body, but at the same time affected me. When I got back my strength, I pulled myself out of the liquid and managed to swim to shore, and through my reflection on the water I could see the horns, the red eyes, the pale skin and all the new features I acquired. I knew I was turned, but somehow, my mind wasn't. I was still thinking like myself. I do have evil thoughts, like the urge to kill every single Darkbanes and the Blakks for what they've done, but they were merely just thoughts. I wasn't brainwashed. At least, not until I was captured."

At this point I could hear his heartbeat loud and fast. Sweats were forming at the sides of his forehead and he was at the verge of tears.

"Eli, you don't have to-"

"I want to tell you. You have to know," he said, cutting me off.

"Under the Darkbanes' rule, they attempted hundreds of methods to try and make me their pawn. From trying to drown me in Dark Water, to the Goon trying to get into my mind," Eli said, his voice cracked. "My body was physically and mentally stronger after Dark Water had miraculously healed me, but it still wasn't enough to withstand their torture. I was about to give up and surrender myself to them, but when I overheard their conversation saying that they could not proceed because I wasn't ready, whatever the heck that means, I made it a must to never submit to them."

"Eli..." I mumbled. Tears were swelling up in my eyes. The suffering he'd to go through just to give everyone more time to live...

He himself saved Slugterra, and nobody knew about it.

He smiled weakly at me as he wiped away my tears with his thumb.

"Until one point, I had no strength left to resist the Goon. He got into my head and the next thing I know was that you were standing in front of me. I couldn't believe it at first, but before I can collect my thoughts, the Goon wanted you dead. I wanted to kill you, Ales. That was the worst feeling I have ever felt, and through that experience it made me cherish you more than ever because I know we ain't gonna have each other forever," he said, smiling genuinely.

"But then," I stammered. "How did you turn back to normal after being affected by Dark Water? Mia ran a few experiments on this matter before and she concluded that the reaction is non-reversible."

He paused, giving it a thought.

"I don't know. All I remember is that when I saw you, I was so overwhelmed and was forcing every cell in me to turn. When you held me in your arms, I just felt myself hyperventilating uncontrollably. My heart rate was over the roof, and somehow I became human again," he said. "In other words, maybe it was true love that saved me. I know I sound like a Disney princess, but honestly what else could it have been?"

The ends of my lips raised to an affectionate smile. 

"I can never understand why the Air Elemental went up to the Surface, but I couldn't be anymore grateful for you to be down here. Without you, I couldn't imagine what I'll do to the land I once swore to protect. I love you so much, Ales," he confessed with his eyes showering me with love and care.

"I love you too, Eli," I mumbled. "If you've submitted to the Goon even a day earlier, Slugterra stand no chance in defending itself. It is because of you that everyone is alive. You saved us, Eli."

He couldn't hold in his tears anymore and they streamed down his cheeks. I sighed in content as I tightened the hug, but instead of hugging me back, he winced and pulled away.