[3] Bloodline • Legacies ✓

xxxviii.

"Henrik, I should've known you would stop us from getting a meal." The siren tsked while crossing her arms.

"Meliana." Henrik greeted her dully. "You should always be aware that I'll save anyone who falls for your voice."

Meliana rolled her eyes. "You're no fun."

"On the contrary, I'm the life of the party." Henrik grinned. "Till next time." Meliana then went back into the water, leaving Henrik with his stunned brother's. "Well, let's go save my nephew."

As they walked back through the forest, Henrik spent his time explaining everything that he could. He explained that Malik had been seeing him since their return home because of the guilt he feels and how he's been trying to help Malik, but it wasn't working as well as he had hoped it had been.

The sound of howling filled the air, and the three brother's froze as painful memories of the night they lost Henrik were surfacing causing both brothers to pull the boy closer to them. Henrik could only smile fondly as he let them guard him, not that he would need it, but it was for their sanity and peace of mind.

The heard the sound of paws hitting the floor and Henrik knew that the wolves were close, why they had come all the way out here was unknown to him. He knew that they could take them, but Malik must have a good reason for somehow trying to keep them at bay. Malik must know that they're there, he must know that they were coming and for some reason, he was delaying them.

"We should cover ourselves and just make a run for it." Henrik said as they hid behind a tree. "The wolves never come near the lake, so to be this far out means that Malik is subconsciously trying to keep us away from him."

"He probably wants to fix things himself but doesn't even know what the source is." Matthias said and the two nodded their heads in agreement.

Chanting a cloaking spell, Henrik and Matthias covered the three of them from the approaching wolves. The wolves passed them and Matthias and Niklaus were impressed with the ominous aura that they were emitting as they passed.

One the wolves were gone, they quickly made their way to where Henrik was certain that Malik was at. They traveled through the forbidden forest and the twins were in awe with Malik's mind, the creativity he had, the attention to detail that was present, it was truly beautiful.

"There." Henrik pointed towards the middle of a clearing.

There were what looked like destroyed arches surrounding what looked like a globe in the center. Only that globe was a sleeping Malik who had yet to wake from his nap.

"Malik!" Matthias gasped and they rushed forward only for Henrik to stop them.

"Wait!" Henrik rushed out in panic. "There's darkness all around." He pointed towards the fog that was lingering around Malik and that was all around them. "If we touch that, if that even so much as grazes our skin, we'll be infected."

"Infected?" Matthias questioned him. "What do you mean?"

Henrik hesitantly lifted up his sleeve and the twins' eyes widened at the sight of the black veins that were creeping up his arm. Matthias hesitantly held his arm while Niklaus examined them thoroughly with narrowed eyes before meeting Matthias' concerned filled gaze and nodded his head.

"Henrik, what does this mean?" Niklaus dared to ask despite the ache in his chest.

Henrik smiled sadly. "It means that if Malik doesn't stop torturing himself with his guilt, I'll truly disappear in this abyss in his mind."

Matthias sighed and looked over to where his son lay in his barrier. "What spell dilutes the darkness?"

"One of Malik's own creation." Henrik admitted. "I do not know I truthfully."