Chapter 27 Zephryine's Sacrifice

Chapter 27 Zephryine's Sacrifice
The evening air felt heavy, the chill seeping into their bones as Aethon, Dixon, and Izzy sat huddled outside, their eyes fixed on the fading light. The sky was ablaze with hues of pink and orange, the sun’s final rays casting long shadows across the ground.

Zephryine’s plan had been a gamble, and now they waited for the outcome. 

Dixon’s jaw was clenched, his eyes narrowed as he glanced at Aethon, who sat motionless, his gaze piercing the distance. Izzy’s hands were knotted into fists, her eyes closed as if in prayer.

The sudden thud of a jar hitting the ground shattered the silence. Zephryine’s limp form followed, crashing beside it. They sprang to their feet, their faces pale in the fading light.

Aethon and Dixon lunged for the jar, their hands closing around it like vice grips. But Izzy’s attention was on Zephryine, her eyes wide with fear as she scooped it up, cradling it in her hands.

“Zephryine! Zephryine, wake up!” She whispered urgently, shaking it gently. Her voice trembled, and her eyes brimmed with tears.

Zephryine’s eyes flickered open, and a whisper escaped its lips. “Mother…” Its eyes closed again, and its body went limp, leaving Izzy staring at it in horror.

Dixon and Aethon exchanged a tense glance, their faces set in grim determination. Aethon’s voice was low and steady as he spoke, “It’s the right one. The seal is intact.”

Izzy wasn’t listening. Her gaze was fixed on Zephryine, her voice barely audible as she called out, “Dixon… Aethon…” Her voice cracked with fear, her gaze fixed on Zephryine, carefully holding it like an egg.

Aethon turned to her, his eyes softening. “It’ll be okay. It can’t die. It’s just… tired.”

Izzy’s grip on Zephryine tightened, her eyes searching Aethon’s face. “What if… what if it doesn’t wake up?” She whispered, her voice shaking.

Aethon’s expression was calm. “It will. It just needs rest.”

Dixon’s hand settled on Izzy’s shoulder, a gentle squeeze. “We’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”

His hand on her shoulder tightened, and he gently tried to pry Zephryine from her grasp. “Let me take it. I’ll make sure it gets the care it needs.”

Izzy’s grip on Zephryine only tightened, her eyes welling up with tears as she shook her head. “No, no, it's because of me... It's because of me it's like this." She whispered.

Aethon’s eyes narrowed, concern etched on his face. "Don't blame yourself, Zephryine knew what it was doing." He said, his voice soothing. But Izzy wasn't listening, her mind replaying the events that led to this moment. 

She had let Zephryine go, she had let it take the risk, and now... now it was lying limp in her hands.

Her eyes spilt over, tears streaming down her face as she gazed at Zephryine, her voice barely above a whisper. "Zephryine, please... please wake up. Who’ll I share my feelings with? Who will I talk to?”

“You promised, you promised to be my gist partner, to explore the world with me... to see the sunrise over the savannah, to dance in the rain... don't leave me, Zephryine, don't leave me..."

Her words tumbled out, a mix of sorrow and regret, as she cradled Zephryine in her hands, her eyes searching its face for any sign of life. Aethon and Dixon exchanged a worried glance, unsure of how to comfort her.

“It's going to be okay, Zephryine will wake up, it just needs–" Dixon said. 

His voice was soft, but she cut him off, her voice rising. “No, it won't! It won't be okay! It's because of me it's like this... I should never have let it go... I should never have trusted it…”

Aethon stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Izzy, holding her close as she sobbed, Zephryine still clutched in her hand. “It’s okay, Izzy, it's okay... We'll get through this, together.”

Dixon’s eyes met Aethon's, and he spoke through a mind link. ‘Aethon, night’s falling fast, and the full moon's rising. We can't just stand here, doing nothing.’

Aethon gave a slight nod. He walked over to Izzy’s front. "Let me take Zephryine inside and treat it." He said, his voice gentle.

Izzy hesitated, her grip on Zephryine tightening. She was scared, and the thought of letting go of Zephryine was almost too much to bear. But she knew Aethon was trustworthy; his reputation as a healer, according to Dixon and with the little she had witnessed, was unmatched. 

She locked eyes with Zeprhyine for a moment before she slowly handed it over to Aethon, her eyes never leaving its limp form. “Please, be fine, Zephyrine…” She said, her voice tinged with hope. Though Aethon had said Zephryine wouldn’t die, but rather disappear, she still couldn’t believe it. She thought he had just sugarcoated to make her feel better.

As Aethon entered the room, her anxiety spiked. She began to move around, her eyes fixed on the door, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. 

Dixon watched her, his heart aching for her, and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. “Have a seat. Zephryine's going to be fine. It’s immortal…" He whispered, guiding her to the table. 

Her body was tense, her eyes darting back and forth, but she trusted Dixon, and slowly, she allowed him to lead her to the table.

As she sat down, Dixon held her hand, his touch warm and comforting. “It’s going to be okay. Aethon’s got this…" He said, patting her back gently. 

Izzy’s gaze was fixed on the door, her breathing shallow, but his soothing presence was like a balm to her frazzled nerves. Slowly, she began to relax, her shoulders sagging slightly as she exhaled.

“Okay…” She said, trying to console herself. “Calm down, Izzy. Zephryine will be fine… It’ll be fine…”

Her voice trailed off, her breathing pattern slowing down. Suddenly, she sprang to her feet, and Dixon instantly stood up, meeting her height, his face furrowed, worried about what was wrong again.

Before he could utter a word, she glanced at him, her eyes widened as she hit him on the chest. The hit was painful, but it didn’t even reflect on his face. She suddenly veered around, running toward the hut.

He hurried after her. “Wait!”

“Nothing must happen to Zephryine!”