A Trio of Anomalies - The Quest for Paradise

CHAPTER 25 - REUNION

Shivering with cold and too exhausted to stand, Nicholas set the lifeless sorcerer onto the ground, free from the freezing water and the depths which slowly sucked his life as he sank mere moments ago. His dark pink hair clung to his face like a veil, and his face was dreadfully pale, the water washing away the pinkness of his nose and lips, turning them blue. Water dripped from his clothes and formed a puddle, yet his wand was still gripped tightly in his right hand, perhaps hinting that he was still grasping on the last strands of life. Shaking from fright, Steve struggled to keep his hands alight, so the cave dimmed drastically, as if Death had entered it and was lurking among them.

"Erwin, can you hear me?" Steve shook him gently, making the ball of fire hover as close to him as possible, "Please ... please respond."

He lifted his wrist to check for a pulse, shuddering at how cold the whitish arm was.

"Snowy, you gotta do something Snowy!" he turned to the princess, trembling in fright, "This can't be happening. There's gotta be a way to save him! There has to be, right?"

He glanced at the princess, only to be met by her dejected expression. She snapped her fingers, struggling to come up with ideas. She looked around the cave in despair, unable to draw much help from it or her memory.

"No, there's no way!" his eyes glistened with tears, "He can't die! He just can't!"

Nicholas wrapped his wet arm around his friend's shoulder, not knowing what to say.

"He's not breathing!" he yelled suddenly, growing more hysterical, "Snowy! He's not breathing-what do we do?! Snowy, help! He's not breathing! Help!"

Overcome with desperation, she stood up and turned her back on him, unable to bear his cries of panic and bereth. It was then she spotted a tiny white glow among the black waters of the lake, and she shot at it like a bullet, not caring about the freezing waves drenching the bottom of her dress. She spotted the Heart of Happiness, lying peacefully at the bottom, and in a quick swipe she retrieved it and stumbled back to the sorcerer's side. With two hands she held the Heart over his chest, eyes closed as she concentrated more than ever. It was deathly quiet, the blue and yellow flames dwindling with the sorcerer's hope. Still she concentrated, her voice shaking as she repeatedly mumbled a spell. Nicholas had tilted his head back and was resuscitating him when he gasped in relief. For just a moment Heart of Happiness glowed, its bright light overpowering the small ball of fire, and after that came a couple of small sharp breaths, his pulse stronger and rhythmic. Exhausted, he leaned onto Steve, his wet black hair brushing against his neck as the last of the flames fizzled out.

"Thank you," he whispered in the dark, lifting his hand to wipe his eyes. With a small smile he realighted his fingers and conjured another hovering fireball. He carefully rolled Erwin to one side, allowing him to breathe properly as he recovered.

"Erwin!"

He opened his eyes, choking from water and wincing from the light of the blue and yellow flames. Nothing felt right, his limbs were still asleep, his head throbbed with pain and fear, and seeing the blurry figures of Steve and Nicholas sent him into a panic, although he was too exhausted to show it. He stared at the rocky ceiling as a pale warmth spread through his arms and legs, forcing a small smile at Steve despite feeling the exact opposite.