Magia: The Council (BxB)

Chapter 19- Ignorance is Bliss

"You're fully healed and you've been unconcious for a week now, Elijah. It's time to get up before things get worse."

"I know Tact." Eli was sat on the surface of the water his back turned to Tact as he replayed the events of what had happened and how he could've prevented all of this if he wasn't so stubborn.

He should've listened to Tact. He should've let Aurum embrace his powers and nature which would eventually lead him to gaining complete control. He was just so scared of Aurum doing irreparable damage to himself by killing someone innocent.

He knew that if Aurum accidentally took a life he'd never forgive himself and with how fickle his mental health had been since he had been kidnapped he didn't want to think of the consequences it would bring.

It still didn't change a thing. There was no doubt some people were caught up in his blasts when he went on his rampage.

So what exactly was he doing all this time? He needed to know. What exactly was it all for if in the end Aurum was still going to cross that line. The line he himself had crossed some time back.

He couldn't find an answer. He also didn't have an answer to how they would proceed after Aurum and Zeke's identity being exposed to the single most worst person it couldve been revealed to, Edgar Morgen, the head of the Grand Magic Council. Eli spent a lot of time wondering what he would do now that they got back their prince and acquired and a Great Dragon.

Maybe this could be a good thing. He was naïve to think he could offer them safety, he was barely an adult himself. He was in over his head, that was the conclusion he came to.

I give up.

***

He was cold. It was the first thing he realized when his consciousness was brought to the forefront of his mind.

He had a headache but nothing he couldn't handle. His eyes blinked open and he found himself laying in a hospital bed, alone.

He could see the light attempting to pass through the curtains and frowned when he realized it was daytime.

He was expecting atleast one person to be there when he woke up, he let out a dry laugh when he realized they would all be busy cleaning up his mess.

His throat was dry but it didn't bother him either, he tore the wires from his body planting his feet on the cool tiles before pushing up on his feet.

He was dressed in an itchy gown but it would have to do for now as he couldn't find a change of clothes anywhere in the room. Glancing around he realized the room was awfully bare.

It was even bare of medical equipment, just a bed and a few machines, not even a chair or stool for visitors.

He crept closer to the curtains before pulling them back slightly, peering out as he squinted and tried to recognize where he was. He was pretty high up and he didn't recognize any of the surrounding buildings from the island.

So it wasn't the school or the island hospital.

He sighed, he didn't want to go outside yet. If he could hold onto the current ignorance he had for even a second more he would take it. Did that make him selfish?

After hours of laying in bed, playing out the now stale memories from a week ago in his head he found himself wanting to go home.

He figured somebody would've came for him over the hours he spent laying down. It was already nightfall and he was beginning to grow anxious and restless.

His leg was fully healed, and he could feel the magicules thrumming through his veins. He was better, he didn't need to stay.

So he teleported home, or rather what was left of it.

His heart fluttered, and not in the good way, when he stared at the apartment building where he spent the last 3 years of his life. More than half of the building was covered in soot and the other half wasn't even standing.

It wouldn't stop him from going up there however. He'd already lost one home to a fire, he needed to atleast scavenge through to see if he could find anything to remind him of the time spent there.

The only thing he had of his old house were his memories, he atleast wanted something from this one, some physical representation that could reassure him that the last 2 years weren't just in his head.

He created a sphere of light that followed him as he traversed the building. Their door was missing but the once golden numbers that read 901 were on the floor covered in soot.

He gently picked it up, running his fingers over the number. This was their home. He felt the first hot tear drop glide down his cheek and immediately started wiping desperately at his tear-filled eyes.

He let out a shaky breath before continuing into his home. He had to be careful where he stepped, he didn't have any shoes on and there was glass everywhere.

There was nothing that wasn't broken of damage from the fire.

He made his was to his old room, Aurum's room, first.

That door was still intact and when he opened it he could see that this room looked a bit better than the others. He could see the concrete markings where they kept track of his height over his growth spurt.

He smiled when he realized that despite a literal fire Aurum's room was somewhat still orderly, his room was his treasure, speaking of his literal treasure was stored beneath his bed.

Eli knew Aurum didn't want him, ever, touching his safe but he knew this would be an exception for the dragon.

He breathed out, before gripping the bed and rasing it above his head to grab the black safe underneath it.

He wondered how Aurum managed to get a safe this size under the bed and let out a chuckle when he saw that the ground where the safe was, was cut out to accommodate its shape.

He put the bed down, he knew the code but he would respect Aurum's privacy. He was already pushing it by removing his treasure.

He placed a hand on the heavy safe and it disappeared a second after, hopefully Tact wouldn't mind holding onto it for a bit.

He left Aurum's room shortly after that, but not before drawing his finger along the wall where the height markers were one last time.

He wasn't sure if he'd get another chance to do that again.

He made his way to their room. It was in a worse condition when compared to Aurum's. Seems the Fidem had personally trashed it before the fire searching for something.

Broken glass littered the floor and he couldn't avoid stepping on a few but he needed this. All their photos were broken and subsequently burnt, the bathroom was an even bigger mess. He doubted he'd find anything here that he could save.

He stared at the bed for a while. The very bed where he and his husband became one, where they talked about everything and nothing, where they promised to reconcile before sleeping if they were ever having an argument. He gripped his necklace.

He could feel more tears coming on and went to leave the room, to leave his home but something caught his eye.

It was a photo of the family on their wedding day.

It was damaged but with the light coming forward a bit he could see that it wasn't too bad only the bottom right corner of the image was burnt removing Javier's legs from the image. Javier was smirking down at him, eyes filled with love as Eli ruffled Aurum's red hair. Aurum was grinning from ear to ear, he was so happy. He zeroed in on his own face. His face looked a little stern but his lips were tilted upwards, Aurum probably had made an inappropriate joke in the moment.

He removed the photo from behind the glass and teleported outside the building.

He let out a sigh as he stole a final glance before turning around and freezing.

He was completely surrounded.