joy.

The room was a disaster. Fragments of glass and ripped up books were scattered upon the wooden floor. A ripped up bedsheet draped itself upon a tattered mattress.

Snow floated inside from the broken window, the barely intact curtains flowing in the cold.

Tsubaki’s feeble body lay upon the floorboards. Blood trickled from his left arm, staining his shirt and clumping up his tangled hair.

“Tsubaki!” screamed Evangelique, rushing to his side. She situated him upon his back and held him up as best as she could. He looked thinner than before like he hadn’t eaten in weeks.

Ago ran to Eva quickly, trying to avoid the shards of glass.

“Eva, be careful!” he shouted. He picked up Tsubaki’s bloodied arm and began to wrap it with his scarf. Althia bent down beside Ago and placed her head next to his chest.

“He’s still alive but barely hanging on,” stated Althia grimly.

“Cyril and Yasha, go to 312 Aroe Lane and fetch Doctor Iyashi!” commanded Ago.

“Yes, sir!” replied Cyril. He and Yasha rushed out of the room, their footsteps resounding within the house.

Augustine stood still, watching everyone do something. As he watched Eva weep over Tsubaki, he felt his greatest fear grow.

Althia lit a lantern in the living room. Doctor Iyashi stood beside a couch where Tsubaki slept. He had only touched Tsubaki’s hand once, quickly moving away from it after he had done so.

“Eleanor had told me he had health issues, but she never went into the details of it...” murmured Doctor Iyashi. He ran his hand through his golden blonde hair in a stressed manner. Evangelique recognized him as one of the men at her Lieutenant inauguration.

“What did she not tell you?” asked Ago.

“Well, she didn’t tell me about his history with night terrors, his eating disorder, and the fact that he’s--”

Doctor Iyashi stopped talking and glanced at Evangelique. Her glassy eyes stared solemnly into his.

“...He is not well,” began Iyashi again, cautiously. “For a Faerith Leid of the Fabelwesen class, he is incredibly weak.”

“A Fabelwesen...?” asked Evangelique.

“There are many classes types of Faerith Leid,” began Iyashi. “Some are halflings, some are full-bloods, and some are hybrids. However, a Fabelwesen is none of those things. They’re Leids that have another form that often looks monstrous or grotesque.”

“Most Fabelwesen are rejected by their parents when they’re born and go through difficult hardships,” added Ago. “It’s strange, but for centuries, they’ve learned to become more immune to their challenges because of it. King Aredor of the Faerith Leid has been fighting against this injustice for years now, but the people of his land never seem to understand.”

Evangelique rested her head in her hands. She wanted to know and understand Tsubaki, but not in a way that lead to a spiraling cycle of suffering. Her throat felt clogged from the strain she had put on her vocal cords. Her eyes had become bloodshot because of the tears she wept.

Was crying the only thing she could do?

‘Elohim, please help him, Elohim, please help him...’ she repeated in her head, over and over, rocking back and forth.

“Excuse me,” said Yasha. All eyes, including Evangelique’s, stared at her. “I don’t think you mentioned this before, but who is Eleanor?”

“Eleanor...was the woman who took Tsubaki in some years ago,” replied Ago. “She died about two months ago.”

“Wait, was she the old lady who carried the saber?!” choked Yasha. ” I thought she was in good health...”

“She was,” replied Iyashi somber. “She died by a wound to the chest, most likely a knife.”

“N-No way...” breathed Cyril, who was stunned. “Why would anyone want to murder her?”

Eva’s eyes widened at the sound of Cyril’s words. They felt like a swift punch to the gut.

Did Tsubaki know what had happened to Eleanor?

She remembered her conversation with him at the dock. He had talked about the possibility of someone trying to get the attention of the Lieutenants and Clansmen.

Was this what caused his thoughts to turn to such a plot existing?

“We should stay here for the night and watch over Tsubaki,” expressed Tsubaki in a firm tone of voice.

“That would be wise,” replied Iyashi concurringly. “That way if he wakes up because of a night terror, someone can be here to help him.”

Doctor Iyashi picked up his time-worn medical bag and headed toward the door.

“Well, I’ll be off,” said Iyashi.

“Take care,” replied Ago.

“Shouldn’t you be off, as well, Ago?” asked Eva.

“No...I’ll be fine,” replied Ago.

“But what about Nadia?”

“Doctor Iyashi lives not too far from my home. I know he will stop to tell Nadia about what has happened.”

He looked at Tsubaki. He slept on one of the living room couches.

“For now, I need to stay here with all of you,” he stated, adamant.

“Brother...” began Eva. “Doctor Iyashi only touched Tsubaki’s hand once. After, he seemed to know what was wrong with him.”

She looked at Ago. Her weary, foggy eyes looked into his.

“How did he do that...?”

“When Doctor Iyashi touches someone, he can find out what is wrong with them,” responded Ago. “But it’s hard for him since he also experiences their pain.”

“I...see...” mumbled Eva softly. She could feel herself falling asleep.

Augustine glanced at her and Ago. He couldn’t hear what they were saying over Yasha, Althia, and Cyril’s conversation, but he knew something was off.

Ago and Eva were hiding something. He only wished it wasn’t what he thought it was.

His eyes met Ago’s. Though they exchanged no worlds, Ago could feel the threatening sense of fear Augustine held inside. He looked away from Augustine and looked at Evangelique once again. She had moved from the chair she once sat in and onto the floor, next to the couch where Tsubaki rested.

She had fallen asleep quickly, despite the uncomfortable position. Ago walked towards her, taking off his coat. He covered Evangelique with it, gently. As he did so, he marveled at the sight before him with a heavy heart.

Eva had picked up one of Tsubaki’s hands and fallen asleep with it still being cradled gently in her small, soft hands.

Though a single tear rested in the corner of her eye, Ago could see how deeply Evangelique had come to care for Tsubaki.