"W-what the hell are you talking about?!" Azmir yelled.

He tried to get up but Yuzan held him by his arm firmly. Yuzan's eyes widened. His heartbeat quickened. Yuzan smiled in amusement.

"I was kidding. You can take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor," Yuzan said and rolled Azmir off him.

Yuzan went inside the sleeping bag.

"Good night, Mir," Yuzan said, his eyes already closed.

Azmir mumbled a reply he couldn't even remember. He must have said "Good night" too. He wasn't sure. His heart was beating too loudly in his ears.

He had trouble sleeping that night.

*

*

*

Yuzan really didn't care whether the whole village died out or not. But Azmir said he would be a hero and his dear sister would be impressed with his good deeds. It was the only thing motivating him to stay another day in the depressing village.

Ruth led Yuzan and Azmir to the well. He couldn't see the bottom and there were no stairs inside the well.

"Mir, how strong is your magic?" Yuzan asked.

Azmir crossed his arms looking proud. "I was the best in class and I have perfect control of my water magic. I can even shape it to anything I want."

"Good. Lift all the water up to my level so I can touch it," Yuzan said.

Azmir blinked.

"W-what? You want me to carry up all of the water in the well with my power?!" Azmir asked.

Yuzan tilted his head to the side. "Why? You can't do it, my little blue bird?"

"Urgh. Fine. Stand back!" Azmir said with a determined look.

It was like looking at a conductor while an orchestra is playing. Azmir's arms were outstretched in front of him. His hands were open, and he was raising his arms slowly as if he was drawing out something from the air up to the skies.

His brows were furrowed in concentration. He would repeat his arm movements. From down to bottom. Then swiftly going down again as if catching something in the air and going up again slowly.

WHOOSH!

A huge body of water emerged out of the well. Azmir made various movements again as if he was holding a dough, folding it inside itself, making it rounder and rounder. The body of water became circular and circular until it turned into a huge ball of water bigger than a house.

"P-purify it! Now!" Azmir shouted, his hands shaking, feeling the weight of the water being suspended by his magic.

Yuzan inhaled deepy and closed his mouth.

He stepped inside the huge ball of water.

Azmir's eyes widened in shock but he kept his hold on the water. Yuzan was inside the body of water, his eyes were closed in concentration.

Azmir gritted his teeth, waiting for a sign that he had finished with the purification.

Then his eyes opened.

He was looking straight at him. He nodded.

"AAAARGHHHH!!!"

Azmir moved his arms as if he was carrying something heavy from the ground. He raised his arms, hurling something invisible up into the air. The huge ball of water went flying upwards and Yuzan breathed in relief, sputtering out water and inhaling fresh air. Azmir motioned the water downwards, into the well, the water speedily went inside the well like a living creature, going back to its home.

THUD!

Azmir fell back on his back in exhaustion. He was breathing hard. All energy drained out of him.

*

*

*

Yuzan approached him, still dripping wet. He had a smile on his face.

"Good job, water mage," Yuzan said.

"Is the water safe now?" Azmir asked still breathing heavily as if he had just finished running a marathon.

"Yes. I hope they don't mind it tasting Japanese though," Yuzan said, chuckling.

"What?" Azmir asked in confusion.

"Nothing. I wasn't sure if I could purify it with just my hands so I stepped inside the water and hoped that my whole being would purify the whole water," Yuzan said.

"Did you? Did it work?" Azmir asked.

Yuzan sat down beside him, peering at his face.

"Yes. So, I'm a hero now, right? Can we go now?" Yuzan asked.

"Will those who are already poisoned get purified if they drink the water?" Azmir asked.

"No. It just means they won't get poisoned again. I think after a month too, the poison will wear off them naturally anyway," Yuzan said.

Azmir sat up. "No! We can't let them suffer for a month or two!"

"We can't?" Yuzan asked, frowning.

"You have to purify them all then!" Azmir said.

"No! Why the hell would I do that?! No!" Yuzan said looking horrified.

"You can just purify as much as you can everyday and it would be over before you know it. It's a small village. I think we can finish in a week," Azmir said.

"A week?! You want to stay here for a week in this village that only serves dries fruits?! My little sister is all alone here in this world and you want me to stay here for a week?! No!" Yuzan said and got up from the ground.

Azmir got up too. "Come on. If you do this, you'll really be a hero."

"I. AM. NOT. A. HERO!" Yuzan enunciated each word loudly.

"If I'm going to be a hero, the only one I'm going to save is my sister. You can't force me. I'm leaving," Yuzan said, walking away.

"You can't go alone. You don't know how to get to Aderlan," Azmir said, following him.

"I'll manage. Stay here if you want," Yuzan said, still walking.

Azmir grasped his hand. Yuzan glared at him.

"Let go," Yuzan said.

"No! You're not leaving until you help this village," Azmir said.

Yuzan raised an eyebrow. "Try me."

Azmir quickly took something from his magic pouch and placed it on Yuzan's wrist.

CLACK!

Yuzan's jaw dropped.

A handcuff.

This water mage just placed a freaking handcuff on him and the other end was cuffed on Azmir's wrist.

"Now you can't leave," Azmir said, grinning.

*

*

*

It was an uncomfortable way to sleep. The two of them couldn't fit on the bed so they had to sleep in sleeping bags again while they were still cuffed together.

"I don't like you very much right now," Yuzan muttered sleepily.

"You'll get over it. Let's start your purification tomorrow, okay?" Azmir said cheerfully.

"As if I have a choice," Yuzan said grudgingly.

Azmir smiled. "You do, actually. You can poison my hand and let it rot off and you'd be free to go."

Yuzan remained quiet.

"But you won't do that, right? Deep down, you're actually nice," Azmir said.

"I'm only nice to my sister," Yuzan said.

Azmir chuckled.

"Don't you want to see other people smile because of you?" Azmir asked.

"I have no need of their smiles. I have no need of them. All I want is to meet my sister and see that she is alive and well here in this world!" Yuzan yelled.

Azmir chewed his lip feeling a bit guilty.

"Sorry," Azmir said.

Yuzan sighed.

"Let's just get this over quickly. I don't want to stay here any longer than a week," Yuzan said.

"Good night, Yuzan."

"Good night, Mir."

*

*

*

The next morning, Ruth guided the villagers to Ruth's house where Yuzan and Azmir would be waiting for them. They were still hand-cuffed together and no one paid any notice because the villagers were too weak to even speak.

Yuzan looked like a bored doctor. He didn't greet them or explain to them what he was going to do or why they've been feeling lethargic. He just took their wrists, purified them, and dismissed them.

By noon, Ruth didn't even need to get the villagers. Several villagers went back with their friends and relatives. The ones who had been purified brought in more and the cycle went on.

They had to stop when evening came. Yuzan was not complaining but his complexion didn't look good which Azmir observed. He must be feeling drained already for using his power all day.

Azmir took off the handcuff and Yuzan was just quiet. He had his eyes closed, still sitting outside the house where his mini purification clinic had been set-up.

Azmir went inside for a while and came out holding a cup.

"Here," Azmir said and lowered down a cup of mysterious liquid on the table in front of Yuzan.

Yuzan leaned close to the cup and inhaled its scent.

"That smells nice," Yuzan said.

"It's for you. Drink it," Azmir said, sitting at the chair across him.

Yuzan tilted his head to the side.

"What is it?" Yuzan asked.

"Come on. Just try it," Azmir urged him, grinning.

Yuzan shrugged, too tired to protest, and began to sip. His eyes widened. Azmir laughed.

"It tastes good?" Azmir asked.

Yuzan nodded, still sipping the drink.

He exhaled loudly, letting out a satisfied sound when he finished.

"What was that?!" Yuzan asked.

"I got it some of the ingredients when we were still in the woods. Shadow berries, pixie sugar dust, nightsky flowers, and wyvern milk which I personally own. So, do you like it?" Azmir asked.

"It's even better than milk tea. I can get addicted to this," Yuzan said, still marveled at the drink.

It tasted rich and creamy then sweet and then it smelled fresh and flowery but not in an overwhelming way. It was as if he was walking barefoot in a meadow while the moon is shining above and he could imagine himself falling down the grass and sleeping out with the stars above his head.

"I'm glad you like it," Azmir said, grinning.

"Thanks," Yuzan said.

"Good job today. I didn't expect you to continue until night time," Azmir said.

"The more I purify, the sooner we get out of this village," Yuzan said.

They had meat that night. There were some hunters who were purified by Yuzan and they gave them lots of meat as expression of their gratitude.

Yuzan was exhausted. The drink helped a bit in making his mind relax but he felt really, really drained.

He collapsed right on top of the sleeping bag. When Azmir went in the room, Yuzan was already sleeping.

Azmir smiled. He sat down beside the sleeping Yuzan and patted his head gently.

"Good night, Yuzan."