?Caesar

"Caesar." I heard someone call my name, "Caesar!!" The voice grew louder but I didn't feel like responding.

I felt too lethargic for some reason, "Caesar!!" My eyes shot open when I felt the pain in my gut. Someone hit me in the stomach.

I realized I was asleep. My mind was still unfocused and my vision was a bit blurry but I realized I was on the floor.

"Caesar!" I heard Nora's voice and noticed that I was in the bedroom. I looked at her in confusion. How did I end up on the floor? She held my cheeks, "Caesar listen to me." I focused my attention on her, "Arius is gone."

Her words felt strange.

Arius is gone?

Suddenly it hit me.

My eyes grew wide as I realized he had left without us.

Memories from last night came rushing to me.

I took Nora to her bedroom, she had passed out before I got to the room but when I placed her on the bed a sudden wave of drowsiness got the better of me and I dropped on the floor.

I stood up immediately.

Arius that asshole! He drugged us all!!

I ran out of the room, to the first floor. Nora followed me out.

When we reached the lobby I saw Azalea there. Her hair was messy and her expressions of worry.

I could tell she had just woken up too.

"We should leave too. " I said and she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Caesar." She shook her head, "The maids told me that Arius left at dawn."

"So?"

"It's past noon now."

I couldn't believe my ears, "Past noon?" So much time had passed while he left while the rest of us slept like fools.

Azalea tried walking towards the door but stumbled and fell to the floor.

"Leah!" Nora ran towards her while she sat up and held her head, "You okay?" Nora sat down beside her.

Azalea shook her head, "It feels like my head is about to burst."

"It might be a reaction from the drug that was mixed in the wine." I told them and they both looked at me, "You didn't eat anything, probably that's why."

"You should eat something Leah." Nora helped her up but she shook her head.

"What about Arius?"

"..." Arius hasn't come back even after so much time has passed, "I'll go."

"Me too-"

"No." I shook my head, "You should look after yourself, if you go it might get worse. I'm going to take a bike there." I turned to the door and ran out.

"Caesar!" Azalea called out to me but I had no more time to waste.

***

I rode as fast as I could and reached the entrance to mount Sephra in less than an hour. As I parked my bike near the wire fence I noticed Arius's bike there.

I immediately ran in the forest.

The place was confusing but I ran straight ahead in hopes I'll spot something or someone.

Just a few minutes in and I heard rustling sounds. I halted in my path to hear better.

The sound was a mixture of someone falling down, skidding through the floor along with some hisses.

It came to a halt with a thud but then I heard another sound.

The rattling of a snake.

I turned my body to the direction of the sound and ran there with full speed.

After running through a few thick bushes that gave me a few scratches I came across the source of the sounds.

Arius was there crouching on the floor, desperately clutching his chest trying to keep his focus on the rattlesnake in front of him.

Just looking at the scene made me think that something was wrong. Arius would never struggle against a snake. He would have killed it immediately.

Something was definitely wrong.

A closer look revealed that he couldn't even focus his vision. He kept shaking his head and blinking his eyes. His clothes were torn from a few places and filled with dirt.

I was about to call his name but then I decided not to make any sound.

The first priority was to kill the snake.

I moved in the opposite direction as quietly as I could till the time I was directly behind the snake. I didn't have any weapon with me, I even forgot my sword in a hurry but that wasn't a problem.

This wasn't a difficult task, pretty easy if you ask me.

I grabbed the rattlesnake by the end of its body and brought it into air. Then I whipped it sharply, like snapping a bullwhip.

This method was the most effective one since it snaps the neck of the snake and puts an end to it immediately.

As I killed the snake I looked at Arius, he smiled as he saw me then the very next moment coughed up blood.

My eyes grew wide seeing all the crimson liquid come out of his mouth dirtying his chin and clothes.

In an instant I threw the snake away and ran up to him.

"Arius!!" I crouched down next to him and held his hand. He was burning up.

"Hey. Wassup?" He grinned at me through his bloody teeth and It actually made me wanna punch them all out.

"This isn't the time to joke around you idiot!" I grabbed him and tried making him stand with me. I could tell there was no time to waste but he barely had any energy. He couldn't even stand up properly.

No wonder he fell down the mountain. I could see the bruises through his torn clothes.

"Stop staring at my naked skin you pervert." He eyed me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!!" I picked him up. I had no idea what had happened to him but things were getting bad as time passed. It's a habit of his to make pathetic jokes at the worst times.

"Oh wow, my prince." He chuckled and scoffed as I started making my way out while carrying him.

He started coughing again. The blood got on my clothes as well but it didn't matter.

"Hang in there Arius."

"Man.." I could hear the agony in his voice, "It's painful." His breathing was getting heavy.

Carrying him was not the problem, the problem was finding the way back to the entrance. The forest was thick enough to confuse any random person.

I tried following the path I took in reverse but I was getting anxious while thinking that it might not work.

"There.." Arius pointed at a path, "Go there." I followed his direction and started descending down, "At the castle, there will be an antidote."

"Antidote?"

"From the skull spiders.." His voice was getting weaker.

Gladly, after a few more minutes I saw light.

Glee took over me and I dashed towards the entrance.

As soon as I got out I ran to the bikes.

"Arius!" I sat him down on the bike.

"Hmm?" He was drifting into sleep or perhaps it was something much worse.

"Stay with me." I told him.

"Aye aye.." He made a lethargic salute. If the situation wasn't this serious I would have laughed at his body language.

I adjusted him on the bike in front of me because I feared that as he was at the moment he might fall off.

Riding the bike like this would be a little uncomfortable but this was the best option.

I kick started the engine and sped up as soon as it came to life.

I kept my eyes ahead as I rode and I think I got back even faster. Just as I was about to reach the castle gate a dark figure came into view.

I pressed the brakes as soon as I realized who it might be.

As I stopped I looked at Arius. His eyes were closed with blood coming out of his nose.

"Arius??" I shaked his shoulder but he didn't budge.

Oh no..

I got off immediately with him in my arms and ran towards the man who stood at the gate.

I didn't have to say anything to the man in all black, just as I reached him he took out a small blue vial and presented it to me.

I laid Arius down on the ground and took the vial.

"Arius!" I patted his cheek, "Wake up!" I shook him, "Just drink this!" There was no response from him.

My already pounding heart now started to sink.

What should I do??

I have to make him drink this somehow!!

His body was so hot at the point that it felt like I had my hands on fire.

I looked at the vial and then at my friend, who may not be my blood but he still was my family.

I opened the vial top and emptied it in my mouth.

Then I adjusted Arius up in a sitting position and joined my lips with his to make him drink the liquid.

If he survives, he will kill me for doing such a thing but this was the only solution at hand.

I made sure he swallowed the whole thing and then laid him down back on the ground.

I noticed some servants along with Azalea and Nora running towards us. They probably noticed us from the castle windows.

By the time they all reached us the antidote had started taking effect but still when they saw Arius's appearance the color left their faces and concern took over their expressions.

"What happened to him?!!" Azalea crouched down next to him and held his hand in both of hers.

"I'll explain later." I didn't have the details myself. I stared at Arius. For now we all can only pray that he gets through this.

I placed my hand on his wrist, "The temperature is coming down."

I took a breath of relief but it was short lived.

Azalea and I stared at each other in horror.

His body temperature kept dropping.