Just two chapters in a row nothing to worry about here. Also hi I'm back!
The moment he heard the crack, Grimoire knew what was happening. "Quick! Take the children somewhere else!" He yelled as he swiftly took his duster off, to cover Vincent. He hoped to spare the young ones
As the dark fabric hid his son from view, the series of cracks and breaks grew louder. Faster.
Many faces paled, hurrying to keep the young away.
"Grimoire, what's happening?" Nina whispered.
The man trembled. "I'll… I'll tell you later. Hurry, get Seto to one of your healers. Please keep Nanaki away from this."
She hesitated for a mere moment before going to keep her son back. After that it was… it was absolutely agonizing.
His son's body was being broken and healed. Just like last time.
Tears streamed down his face as he heard Vincent start to scream. His son was awake for this. He son had woken up to his body being remade in such a fashion.
That first time, when Vincent transform back and broke… was it a blessing, that his son was unconscious that whole time?
It must be, since he didn't remember that pain.
When this was over, would his son remember it?
Grimoire prayed for it to be over soon. He prayed that if it didn't then let his son go unconscious again.
He prayed for his son to suffer no more.
It was hours later when the breaking stopped. So much longer than the last time. During that whole time Grimoire shifted around, so his blood would properly circulate, but he never left Vincent's side.
When it was finally safe, Grimoire took his duster off of his son's face. He looked to be sleeping peacefully.
The man then gathered his son in his arms, the duster like a blanket, and he slowly, carefully, made his way to the inn.
Was he fully aware of his surroundings during that time? He wasn't sure. Someone must've open the door for him to enter the inn. And then the door that went into their room.
Ever so gently did he lay Vincent down on the bed. At that moment he didn't care that blood had gotten on him, or on the bed. All that mattered was that his son would be comfortable.
Would Vincent feel comfort? When he woke up? Grimoire didn't know. He didn't know, and he sat by Vincent, like in Nibelheim. He sat, and waited, and his heart ached for his son.
It could have been only a few minutes later when he noticed he had a guest.
"Seto is okay." Nina's voice rumbled through him, ever so softly. "The Gi had a type of poison in their arrows, one that can turn the living to stone."
Once that sentence registered, Grimoire stiffened. "Is that why his paw was…?" He trailed off. He sounded like he was the one screaming for hours.
A hum. "Unfortunately we don't have an antidote for it. We don't even know how the poison came to be. Seto was lucky enough for the arrow to graze his paw, but that was enough for the poison. It's slow enough as is, but I'd imagine that with enough of it, petrification would've been faster."
Grimoire shuddered. "You said he was okay though."
"He is. We had to cut off the limb before the poison could move further. Although I wouldn't be surprised if a small bit still lingered, and will slowly turn him to stone as the years go by."
After a moment's pause, Grimoire spoke slowly. "But that isn't a certain. You could have managed to get rid of the poison before it could enter the rest of the blood stream. We don't even know how much poison he actually received. Perhaps it was only enough to affect his paw."
"And yet, that is exactly the case. We simply do not know. We have never encountered such a poison before."
The man chuckled a grim chuckle. "I suppose that's the source of our problems. The fear of not having knowledge."
They sat for a moment longer, and Grimoire wondered if Vincent was dreaming…