Metamorphosis: The Story of a Butterfly

Caelum knelt beside Aurelia, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would break through his chest. Her small form lay motionless, her breathing shallow and labored. The venom had spread fast, and despite everything they had gone through together, she was slipping away.

This isn’t happening. It can’t be happening.

The victory they had just earned felt meaningless. The adrenaline that had driven him through the fight had vanished, leaving him hollow and terrified. His mind raced for answers, anything that could help, but his thoughts felt like a chaotic storm of panic and fear.

“Aurelia...” he whispered through their telepathic link, but there was no response. The once strong connection between them was barely a faint hum, as though her consciousness was drifting far away from him.

Why isn’t she healing? Caelum’s mind screamed for an answer. He had seen her level up during the battle. She should be recovering, just like he had. But she wasn’t. And that terrified him more than anything.

Then, amidst the chaos, a desperate thought surfaced.

The Apex of Knowledge.

It had helped him before—shown him answers in times of need. Maybe it could help him now. His entire body trembled as he activated the Apex Skill, silently begging for an answer. He needed to know why Aurelia wasn’t healing, why the level-up wasn’t enough.

A familiar screen blinked into his vision, though this time, the usual calmness of seeing it felt foreign in the face of his desperation.

Query: Why isn’t Aurelia healing?

Answer: Aurelia is currently too unstable to level up. With her health pool so close to zero, she is on the verge of death. The venom from the snake has caused her body to lock in its current state, preventing the benefits of the level-up from activating. Until the instability is resolved, she will remain in her pre-level-up condition.

Caelum’s breath caught in his throat as he read the words. Too unstable? What did that even mean? His mind was spinning. She was locked in this state, unable to benefit from the level-up. How do I fix this?

But the screen didn’t provide an answer to that. There was no solution offered. The cold, stark information made his heart sink deeper. His hands trembled as he stared at Aurelia’s pale form, feeling the weight of helplessness crushing him.

I have to do something... I have to...

He tried to think. Tried to push past the panic, but all he could see was Aurelia lying there, slowly fading. If he didn’t act fast, she would die. And he couldn’t bear that thought.

Healing. He needed to heal her.

But how?

He had fire magic, wind magic, and earth magic, but none of those would help. Healing required something else. Something he didn’t have.

There has to be a way. There has to...

He closed his eyes, focusing on his Apex of Knowledge once again, searching for something—anything—that would help him. His mind raced through fragments of memories, through the magic he knew existed in the world. Fire, wind, earth... and light. Healing magic was tied to light.

Light magic...

It was something he hadn’t even thought of before. But now, with Aurelia’s life hanging in the balance, it was the only hope he had.

I need light magic. I have to try.

With his hands trembling, Caelum began to focus. He could feel the world around him, the faint traces of life, the energy that flowed through everything. He had felt it before when he had learned fire magic, the subtle pulse of magic waiting to be awakened. But light... light was different. It was harder to grasp, more elusive.

The warmth of fire was familiar to him, but the gentle, radiant energy of light felt distant.

“Come on... please...” Caelum whispered under his breath as he strained to feel the magic, pushing himself past the pain, the fear. He needed this. For Aurelia. For her to survive.

He focused harder, his entire body trembling with the effort. His mind reached out, searching for the spark of light, the pulse of magic that could heal. But nothing came. His heart sank, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop.

Please...

The magic was there. It had to be. He just couldn’t reach it.

His desperation grew as he poured everything he had into the effort. The world around him blurred, the sounds of the forest fading into the background as he focused solely on the light he so desperately sought. He could feel it, just out of reach. His mind strained, his body ached, but he didn’t stop.

I can’t fail. Not now. Not with her life on the line.

Then, something shifted.

A soft warmth, faint at first, flickered to life within him. It wasn’t fire, it wasn’t heat—it was something gentler, something pure. It filled his chest with a lightness that felt foreign and new, but it was exactly what he had been searching for.

Light magic...

A new screen blinked into his vision.

New Skill Gained: Light Magic Lv. 1

The rush of energy that came with the notification was immediate. Caelum felt a warmth spread through his body, unlike anything he had felt before. It wasn’t the burning heat of fire—it was a soft, gentle radiance. It filled him with hope, and he didn’t hesitate.

He channeled the light magic toward Aurelia, his hands glowing faintly as he focused the energy into her wounded body. The warmth flowed from him to her, surrounding her in a soft, healing glow. Her shallow breathing seemed to steady, and for the first time since the battle ended, he felt a flicker of hope.

But it wasn’t enough. She was still too weak, too far gone.

More... I need more.

He pushed harder, drawing more light from within him, channeling it into Aurelia with everything he had. The magic pulsed through him, growing stronger, the light intensifying as it spread across her body. He could see her breathing begin to stabilize, her color slowly returning.

Light Magic Lv. 2

Caelum’s body ached with the effort, but he didn’t stop. The light grew brighter, filling the small space with a soft, golden glow. He could feel the strain on his magic, but it didn’t matter. He couldn’t stop now. Not when she was so close to healing.

Light Magic Lv. 3

The moment the notification appeared, Caelum could feel the shift. The light enveloping Aurelia seemed to sink deeper into her, reaching beyond the surface wounds, into the core of her being. Her breathing steadied even more, and the tremors that had wracked her body began to subside.

He kept the magic flowing, his focus unyielding. The warmth of the light filled them both, and Caelum could finally feel the venom loosening its grip on her. Slowly, her wounds began to close, the bruises and cuts healing before his eyes.

Aurelia’s eyes fluttered open, weak but conscious, and Caelum felt a wave of relief wash over him. She was alive.

T-Thank you...

Her telepathic voice was faint, but it was there. Caelum smiled weakly, tears of relief filling his eyes as he collapsed beside her.

We made it, Aurelia...

Name: Caelum

Species: Mystic Larva

Level: 22/25

Rank: E

HP: 2/40

MP: 0/65

Stamina: 1/40

Status Effects: Exhausted, Hungry

Name: Aurelia

Species: Guardian Bee Larva

Level: 15/20

Rank: E

HP: 2/60

MP: 4/35

Stamina: 0/50

Status Effects: Heavily Exhausted, Recovering