As Kairo Recovers

Genie pinched the space between his eyebrows with a sigh, enduring Lady Bluesteed's excessive pacing near Kairo's bed-end. He was seated in the chair near the man's head.

Kairo laid on his back, still in a coma. A blue mesh blanket covered his body to his chest with some of his dark-gray t-shirt visible. The single bed was a wooden frame with hooks for medical apparatus. He had been sent to an infirmary recovery room straight after the trials.

Lady Bluesteed continued to pace at the far end. Her hooves made a clopping rhythm on the floor's gray stone.

"He hasn't woken in three days. I'm worried the magic might have been too much for him." She twirled the ends of a ponytail with her finger.

"You should be more worried about your upcoming challenge. You can't forfeit again," Jan said as he entered from the opening his magic had made. He stood next to her, but gave a stern look to Genie "You won't have your beylerbey around this time to bail you out."

"Aah, well, she truly wasn't ready to run that time. And I was recruiting her, she can be left off this time." Genie eased back on the seat and flashed the court visor a cocky smile, which had the man shaking his head.

Lady Bluesteed sighed: her shoulders sagged. "Yes, Court Visor Jan."

"I could always bail you out again?" Genie offered, but she faced him squarely with a firm no.

"No, this time I have to do my duty and pass my challenge." She nodded with determination.

"Oh?" Genie raised his eyebrows, feeling pleasantly surprised.

Jan rubbed his chin and nodded, pleased by her words. He wondered if seeing Kairo go through the trials had inspired her to be brave.

He patted her head. "You're growing up."

"Growing up? I'm already 20 summers old." She pouted, making her cheeks childishly puff out.

Jan chuckled. "So you are."

Her expression eased and eyes moved to Kairo, still sleeping in the bed. It was the first time she appreciated his youthful and angelic face. Even his floppy fine brown hair didn't detract from his attractiveness. If anything, it made his countenance more appealing.

Genie frowned when he saw the horse-woman blushing at the sight of Kairo. "You're blushing."

"Oh! What?" She slapped her hands to her cheeks with a fluster, making her ears twitch.

Jan chuckled and tapped her shoulder. "Let's go, I'll escort you personally to the barracks."

"You don't trust me?"

"No." Jan laughed at her childish pout again as he ushered her to the opening. He paused and stared at Genie.

"I'll stay here to monitor him."

He nodded. They left the room, closing the opening so it was a seamless wall again.

Genie felt the room was a lot bigger; the space between him and the earthun wider than a few paces.

"Who are you truly?" he asked, but felt that question was too big for an answer, and possibly Kairo wouldn't tell either way.

Kairo groaned and stirred about so some of his blanket was pushed off.

Genie leaned forward to pull it over, he paused and gulped when he glimpsed the man's long lashes and more of his delicate features. Like Lady Bluesteed, it was the first time he appreciated the man's beauty.

"He's an oddball for an Earthun, unlike the characters described in the Chronicles of Sol. But he's a good person, easy to like. And prettier than the average demon." He swallowed a hard breath as he further noted Kairo's smooth light skin, flushed cheeks and soft hair.

It seems he and Lady Bluesteed found Kairo attractive in the same way.

He turned his head as he pulled the rest of the blanket up to the man's neck.

Then leaned back and recalled a previous conversation with Jan, who explained Kairo's coma was due to his powers being awakened within him.

"This man saved my life, and passed his magic trial with a frightful display. He's either hiding his strength, or his strength is being deliberately hidden from him." Judging by Kairo's candid and pragmatic responses, Genie felt it was the latter.

Being a genuine wizard with a power to manipulate time.

He heaved a troubled sigh.

Not even he and his brother had this ability, and their powers came from the cosmos. Genie had once boasted he had the most devastating cosmic power in the palace with his abilities of thaumaturgy and manifestation. This type of power demanded a sacrifice of sometimes equal value to cast.

"So what cost did he pay?" His eyes widened when he saw a mellow glow at Kairo's chest: pulled back the blanket and saw the man's grimoire pulsating with magic. "He's in his Spiritual Sea?"

It was a promising sign. Fortunately, his brother had placed a Wizard Restriction on Kairo, it would narrow the sea's dimension and make it easier for Kairo to focus his abilities until he was strong enough to expand his spiritual consciousness.

No matter what, Kairo couldn't fall into the Demon King's clutches or any other despot only wanting to use his power. It was fortunate he landed on Lyon's lap, and his brother had chosen to test his worth instead.

"Kairo's magic could destroy the fabric of our world if used wrong. Only me, my brother and that other understand what it's like to wield cosmic power. I have to be the one to guide him right."

Ultimately, it was Kairo's choice on how he wanted to use his power. Cosmic power required free will to wield it.

So, Genie had to ascertain his intentions. It gave him more conviction to deepen his friendship with Kairo. For not only the glory of their continent, but the safety of his people, and Kairo.

He hastily covered the man's pendant and chest with the blanket when he felt magic stirring an opening to the room.

A nurse in a white dress and coat entered with tools to check Kairo's vitals. Behind the nurse was a guard who was there to deliver a message.

Genie nodded and rose to take his leave. He stepped outside with the guard to receive the message.

The guard moved on.

He broke the pocket scroll's seal and unraveled it. Words magically appeared to fill the blank parchment.

"See me in my chamber. We need to talk about the wizard before he wakes."

He rolled up the scroll and made it vanish with magic, then walked down a length of white stone corridor: stopped and activated an opening to take the path to his brother's private quarters.