Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Dingo and Gemma rushed to Clayton in a panic. Even Gemma—who had just given birth—forced herself to stagger forward despite the strain on her body. Dingo began sniffing Clayton frantically, barking in alarm. "Woof! Woof!" But there was no response. Clayton lay completely still. Seeing this, Dingo grew more desperate. He circled around Clayton, barking louder, as if sheer noise could bring his master back. Gemma finally reached them, weak and trembling. She nudged Clayton gently, licking his face—but still, nothing. No movement. No sign of life. Fear gripped her. Summoning what little strength she had left, she cast a Light spell in hopes of healing him. The spell took a tremendous toll on her, her energy still drained from labor. Even so, she persisted until a soft glow finally enveloped Clayton’s body. To their surprise, the powerful dark energy inside him began to seep out, manifesting as a thick, foul black mist. Seeing this, Dingo and Gemma felt a flicker of hope—maybe the spell was working. But that hope quickly turned to horror. The mist grew thicker and heavier. Instead of getting better, Clayton’s expression twisted in pain. "Arghhh!" Clayton groaned in his sleep, his body writhing. His life force was fading fast—being drained away by something invisible and merciless. Panicked, Gemma stopped the spell, hoping to ease his suffering. But the moment the light faded, the dark energy surged violently. Clayton’s body convulsed. His skin began to blister. His muscles shriveled, and his breathing became shallow and erratic. They could only watch, helpless, as everything they tried seemed to make things worse. His condition was rapidly deteriorating. Any moment now... he could die. Dingo whimpered, eyes filled with tears. Gemma let out a soft, broken cry. They were losing him. Then Dingo noticed something—thin tendrils of black mist drifting through the air. At first, he thought nothing of it. But then he followed the trail—back to the spot where Gemma had given birth. There, surrounded by a strange, gentle fog, was the black fawn. Dingo’s ears perked up. His eyes narrowed in curiosity and confusion. The mist—Clayton’s corrupted energy—was drifting toward the black fawn. And the fawn... was absorbing it. Dingo barked sharply, calling Gemma’s attention. "Woof! Woof!" Gemma turned—and her eyes widened in shock. Together, they rushed over to the black fawn, fearing it might be in danger or infected by the same force that was killing Clayton. But the fawn didn’t seem harmed at all. In fact, it looked livelier, stronger, more vibrant with every breath of the dark mist. They stared, stunned. The energy that had nearly destroyed both Clayton and Gemma wasn’t harming the fawn at all. It was thriving. Gemma exhaled in relief. Dingo barked again, this time with a strange urgency. "Woof! Woof!" Gemma gave him a confused look. He barked once more, more pointedly, then nodded toward Clayton. At last, Gemma understood. She hesitated, nervous—but then nodded. She had seen it with her own eyes: the black fawn could handle the darkness. With great care, she lifted the fawn gently with her antlers and carried it toward Clayton. Dingo followed, cradling the white fawn in his mouth. Gemma gave him a warning glare. "Angg!" she cried, anxious for her baby’s safety. Dingo met her gaze calmly, silently promising to be careful. Still uneasy, she continued with the plan. Clayton didn’t have much time. Once they reached him, Gemma set the black fawn down beside Clayton and stepped back, watching closely. At first—nothing. The black fawn didn’t react. Clayton’s condition continued to worsen. His cheeks had hollowed. His skin was pale and dry, as if he were withering away. Just when it seemed the plan had failed... a wisp of black energy drifted from Clayton’s chest—straight toward the black fawn. Gemma tensed, holding her breath. The fawn absorbed the dark mist effortlessly. Relief washed over her. Dingo barked joyfully and began darting around the dome, tail wagging. Then, without warning, he ran off again. Gemma kept her eyes on the black fawn, not paying him much attention. Moments later, Dingo returned—carrying the white fawn in his mouth, gentle as ever. Gemma gasped. "Angg!" she cried, horrified. She rushed forward, terrified for her child. But Dingo didn’t stop. He calmly placed the white fawn down beside the black one and stepped back. Gemma glared at him, trembling with anger. How could he put the white fawn near the same darkness that nearly killed her? She bolted forward to retrieve her baby. But just before she could reach them, a soft black light radiated from the black fawn’s body—wrapping around the white fawn like a protective cocoon. The glow shimmered with a strange beauty—eerie, yet gentle. Gemma’s panic only grew. She shoved Dingo aside in desperation. The dog yelped, rolling over from the impact. But just as she reached for her child, a radiant white light burst from the white fawn—pure, brilliant, divine. The sacred light flowed over Clayton’s body. Gemma froze, stunned. She had never seen anything like it. It was... angelic. The moment it touched him, color began returning to Clayton’s face. His cheeks filled out. His breathing steadied. Gemma stood motionless, in awe of what she was witnessing. The cycle was perfect: the black fawn absorbed the dark energy, refined it, and passed it to the white fawn—who transformed it into healing light and returned it to Clayton. Under this miraculous exchange, the corruption inside him vanished. Dingo crept back sheepishly, tail between his legs, offering an awkward grin. Gemma still huffed in frustration—yes, it had worked, but they had gambled with their child’s life. Dingo bowed his head in apology. Gemma didn’t respond. Her eyes stayed locked on Clayton and their children. Clayton’s body recovered rapidly. The last remnants of the dark energy faded away. The two fawns, too, were thriving. Their coats gleamed. Their bodies grew stronger with every breath. Finally, Clayton stirred. His fingers twitched. His eyes fluttered open. He was waking up. Seeing that, Gemma and Dingo finally smiled. The crushing weight in their hearts... had lifted.