○○Chapter 5 - Cursed○○

YUFFIE LED EVERLY TO MERLIN'S STUDY. THE WALLS SEEMED TO CLOSE IN AROUND THEM, AND THE SOUNDS OF BATTLE REVERBERATED THROUGH THE CORRIDORS. They finally reached Merlin's door located in the middle of a lake. Yuffie banged on it urgently.

"Merlin! Open up! We need help!" she shouted.

The door creaked open, revealing the wise old wizard. His eyes widened with concern when he saw Everly's condition. "Yuffie? What's happened?"

"Heartless attack. Everly's in pain. We need your help!" Yuffie explained quickly.

Merlin's face grew serious as he stepped aside, allowing them to enter. "Quickly, bring her in."

Yuffie guided Everly into the room, where Merlin immediately began assessing her condition. "Sit her down here," Merlin instructed, pointing to a comfortable chair. "I'll need to examine her."

Everly sank into the chair, her breathing labored. Merlin began to cast a diagnostic spell, his staff glowing with a soft light. "This is serious," he muttered, studying the magical readings. "It seems the Heartless have inflicted a dark spell on her-one that targets her heart."

"Like cursed or something? What can we do to help her?" Yuffie asked, her voice full of worry.

Merlin nodded gravely. "Yes, it's like a curse. The Heartless have used a dark magic that specifically targets her heart. It's trying to corrupt and consume it from within."

Yuffie's eyes widened with concern. "What can we do to help her?"

Merlin looked thoughtful, then said, "The best course of action right now is a cleansing ritual to remove the dark magic. It will be intense, but it's our most effective option to counteract the immediate threat."

Everly, weak and in pain, looked at Yuffie with pleading eyes. "Will it help? Will I be okay?"

Yuffie reached out, squeezing Everly's hand reassuringly. "It's our best shot. Just hang in there, and we'll get through this together."

Merlin began the ritual, chanting ancient incantations as the room filled with a soft, shimmering light. Everly's pained expression softened slightly as the spell took effect. The dark magic seemed to writhe and struggle against the cleansing force,

Merlin's face tightened with concern as Everly writh in agony before fainting. "This darkness is too strong. They're trying to turn her heart to darkness," he said, his voice tinged with urgency. "My suggestion is some sort of shield to ease her suffering and offer some protection until I can find a proper cure." Merline spots Everly's crystal pendant necklace around her neck. "Like the necklace."

Yuffie's eyes widened with determination. "Please, Merlin, if you have anything that can help, we need it now."

Merlin nodded.

"Quickly, Yuffie, retrieve the necklace."Yuffie rushed forward, gently unfastening the crystal pendant from Everly's neck. "Here," she said, handing it to Merlin.Taking the pendant, Merlin held it between his fingers, studying it closely. He muttered a series of incantations under his breath, his magic surrounding the crystal in a soft glow. It glowed softly with a calming, blue light. "This pendant is enchanted with protective magic. It should help stabilize her condition and provide some relief. This will act as a temporary barrier to suppress the darkness trying to consume her. But it won't hold forever. I need more time to find a permanent solution, it's better than nothing."

He carefully placed the pendant around Everly's neck, adjusting it so it lay comfortably against her chest. "I'll continue researching a more permanent cure. In the meantime, keep a close watch on her and make sure she stays safe."

Yuffie nodded, gently shaking Everly to wake her. "Everly, can you hear me? We've got something to help you."

Everly stirred slowly, her eyes fluttering open as she felt the soothing warmth from the pendant. "I... I feel a little better," she murmured weakly. "Thank you."

Yuffie offered a reassuring smile. "We're not out of the woods yet, but we'll find a way to fix this." She felt a renewed sense of hope. The pendant provided a temporary solution, but the search for a cure and the battle against the Heartless were far from over.

Merlin smiled warmly. "Remember," He looked at Everly with a reassuring expression. "Sora is still engaged in battle with the Heartless. He is holding them off, but they should be finished soon. It's important for you to rest and regain your strength."

Yuffie nodded in agreement. "Merlin's right. You need to take it easy for now. Sora will be back soon, and we can update him on everything."

Everly's eyes closed briefly as she nodded, too exhausted to protest. "Alright... I'll rest."

Merlin offered a kind smile. "Rest here, and we'll make sure you're safe. I'll keep watch and let you know as soon as there are any updates."

Yuffie helped Everly settle into a comfortable spot in Merlin's study. "I'll stay with you until Sora returns. Just focus on getting better."

As Everly began to drift off, the soothing glow of the pendant seemed to calm her, offering a sense of peace amid the chaos.

~~~~

Sora stumbled into Merlin's study followed by Goofy and Donald, his face etched with exhaustion and worry. After vanquishing the Heartless in the 3rd District and forming a tentative alliance with the two, he was desperate to see his sister.

Everly looked up from her chair, her pale face illuminated by the soft glow of the pendant around her neck. Her eyes, once hopeful, now brimmed with tears. "Sora," she whispered, her voice frail.

Sora's heart sank as he saw the pain etched on her face. He rushed to her side, kneeling beside her. "Everly, I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner."

Everly's hand reached out, trembling. "I don't want to be left alone. Please, Sora, I can't do it."

Sora's eyes filled with tears as he took her hand gently. "I have to keep fighting. There's still so much to do. But it's hard... leaving you like this."

Everly's grip tightened, her voice breaking. "I know, but I'm scared. What if something happens? I need you here with me."

Sora's heart ached as he looked at Everly. "I know it's hard, but it's too dangerous. I need to focus on stopping the darkness and there are people who need my help." He nodded towards Donald and Goofy who were standing on the other side of the room looking sad with sympathy. "I promise I'll do everything I can to come back. I just need you to be strong for me."

Yuffie watched the scene with a heavy heart, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Sora, we need to make sure Everly is safe. We'll do everything we can to help her."

Sora nodded, his resolve wavering. "I'll stay a little longer. I can't bear to see her like this. I just hope..."

"We'll do everything we can to help her."

Sora's eyes widened in alarm as Everly struggled to stand. "Everly, you can't-"

But Everly, determined and trembling, took a few unsteady steps toward him. "I won't stay here alone. I need to be with you. Please, Sora, please let me come."

Yuffie moved to support Everly, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. "You're not in any condition to travel, Everly. It's too dangerous."

Sora looked at Everly, his expression torn. He could see the desperation in her eyes and the pain that was almost too much to bear. "Everly, I-"

Sora looked at Everly, torn between his concern for her and the urgency of his mission. "Everly, please listen to me. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you're safe, but right now, staying here is the best thing for you. I need to focus on this mission."

Everly's eyes were pleading, and her voice was strained. "I can't just sit here and do nothing!"

Sora's heart was heavy as he took Everly's hand again, his voice soft but firm. "I promise I'll come back. You have to stay here and rest. We're going to find a way to make this right, but I need to focus on what's out there. Please trust me."

Everly's voice was barely a whisper as she looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Promise me you'll come back. Promise you won't let anything happen to you."

Sora's voice cracked with emotion. "I promise. I'll come back, no matter what."

Sora took Everly's hand gently, and they performed their secret handshake with a mixture of familiarity and tenderness. The routine, though simple, was a symbol of their unbreakable bond and the strength they drew from each other. As they finished ending it with a fist bump, Sora squeezed Everly's hand reassuringly the bond between them giving him strength. "We'll use that power to get through this. I'll hold onto that promise and come back to you."

Everly nodded, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and sadness. "Be careful out there, Sora. And I swear you better be back in one piece!" She looked over at the duck and dog with a fierce determination despite her weakened state. Her voice, though shaky, carried a weight of urgency. "Make sure nothing happens to him," she whispered, her eyes pleading with them.

Goofy, always the optimist, gave her a reassuring smile. "Gawrsh, don't worry, Everly. We'll keep an eye on him, and we'll all come back together."

Donald, though a bit more gruff, nodded firmly. "You can count on us. We'll make sure he's safe."

With a final, reassuring squeeze of her shoulder, Sora turned to leave, his heart heavy but determined. Everly watched him go, her heart filled with both worry and hope as she clutched the pendant around her neck, silently willing her brother's safety.