Asher's body now lay cold upon the table.
Neve's wailing permeated the entire room.
Fitz calmly sat in a corner, contemplating what his fate would be once Neve managed to stop crying.
As the two continued to ponder upon the future, unbeknownst to them, the crystals Fitz had placed in the hole in Asher's chest began to melt.
As they melted, they merged with the fluids inside Asher's veins. As the volume of liquid increased, the energy from the melted crystals began to cause a reaction within Asher's heart.
It began to beat again, slowly at first, but as the liquid volume merged with Asher's blood and increased in quantity, the heartbeat began to grow in rapidity and volume.
As the liquid began to move more rapidly, smoke could be seen coming from the wound.
Noticing the smoke, Fitz quickly rose and moved toward Asher.
Fitz took in the situation at a glance and called out.
"Neve, get more trolls blood over here now. In fact, bring all the trolls' blood. Asher's body broke down your potions and is using it to liquidize the crystals. His body isn't melting even though the troll's blood is currently flowing.
We may be able to save him yet, if you hurry."
Neve brought the entire station the troll was mounted on to Asher's bedside with a mere thought. She had long since become the master of the tower, the magic it possessed now fully belonged to her.
With the troll corpse by his side, Neve inserted an IV through the crystals and into Asher's blood stream.
She carefully began to allow it to drip in, fearing that it would melt his body.
To her surprise, Asher's body not only absorbed the troll's blood that she had allowed it to absorb, but it had miraculously begun to bypass the limitation and pull more liquid through than it should have been able.
Seeing this, Neve increased the flow to the maximum.
As Asher's body absorbed the troll blood, the smoke began to rise far more rapidly from the crystals.
Within the span of an hour, the crystals completely melted, and Neve and Fitz could once again see inside Asher's chest.
Inside Asher's chest the duo could clearly see the blood rapidly shifting through his body.
Even as they looked, they could see the flesh begin to regenerate.
Within the span of 2 hours, Asher's chest wound fully closed. Yet the troll blood continued to flow rapidly into his body.
After another half hour, the lines began to clear of blood.
Thinking the transfusion had completed and there was nothing more for Asher to gain, Neve reached down to remove the IV.
As she began to pull the IV out, the trolls corpse began to erode and flow through the IV and into Asher's body.
Neve stopped pulling on the IV and allowed it to continue.
5 hours later, and the troll had completely disappeared. Neve now had the IV stuck into the holding tanks where she had stored the excess troll blood to be used for her potions.
Asher's body continued to absorb this as well.
2 hours later and nothing remained of the troll. Everything had been absorbed within Asher's body.
Yet Asher still did not move and while his heart had begun beating and spreading the troll blood throughout, Asher had yet to draw a single breath.
Breathing or not, this was enough to give Neve and Fitz hope.
They both maintained their constant vigil. Ensuring that all of Asher's needs would be met.
Finally, their vigil paid off. Their moment came. In the middle of the second day, Asher's chest begun to rise and fall as his lungs began to do their work.
By the following morning his eyes finally began to flutter. Almost imperceptibly at first.
Yet Neve noticed. She quickly moved to Asher's side.
An hour later, and Asher fully opened his eyes.
"I feel like a new man Fitz. What did you do to me?" Proclaimed Asher.
Fitz replied without hesitation. "You're the fifth successful implantation of a crystal within a creature that did not originally possess an elemental affinity. I need to examine you and run some tests. Do you feel stronger?
It was an earth crystal that you used. Do you feel more attuned to the ground beneath you?
Can I cut you? I need to see if your blood is acidic like the troll. I also need to test your healing capabilities.
We will start with a cut, but if it rapidly heals, can I lop off your foot?
Trolls are notorious for regenerating limbs. This is so exciting."
Asher smiled at Fitz's questioning. Neve however had a very different look upon her face as she accusingly replied.
"Fitz, he is the fifth success. How many trials have you had?"
Hearing the tone of Neve's voice, Fitz hesitantly replied. "We have had a mere 5,483 trials across all of the gnome tribes of implanting crystals in creatures that had no elemental affinity. Though admittedly the others did not meet with the same level of success that Asher seems to have.
Before you kill me hear me out though Neve. The mud blood was clearly killing Asher. It came from the crystal. The way I see it, either Asher managed to merge with the crystal, or his suffering stopped being prolonged.
The troll blood and your spells couldn't keep him alive forever after all."
Neve furiously drew the white walker dagger and lunged at Fitz.
Asher quickly grabbed her arm, narrowly preventing her slicing Fitz throat.
As he held her back, Asher proclaimed. "Neve, he saved my life. More than that, I feel better than I ever have.
I've always been strong. But right now, I feel a strength and agility that I never imagined coursing through my body.
Hell, I feel invincible."
Fitz moved behind Asher as he formed a response. "Your definitely not invincible, after all you managed to slay the troll. Yet with absorbing the entire troll as well as the crystals from all of your kills when you managed to save me along with your original strength, you should be the strongest creature in our vicinity.
Now let's test that and see what your body is truly capable of."
For the next week, Fitz ran a multitude of tests.
Asher had grown exponentially stronger.
Even his skin had become tougher. Even low-grade steel would no longer make a mark upon his flesh.
Asher had also gained the regeneration abilities of a troll.
Much to Neve's disapproval, Asher had even managed to regrow the foot that Fitz cleaved off.
With the testing and training completed, it was time to return to the midnight beasts.
Asher and Neve quickly did so.
Fitz chose to stay and organize his new laboratory.
As they were now back in the slave quarters, Asher quickly stepped out to evaluate the situation.
Seeing Asher's return, a guard slinked back into the shadows and ran to report his arrival to Pharod.
This did not go unnoticed by Asher.
As such, he quickly returned to the home that he and Neve now shared.
Soon, Asher could feel the slightest of vibrations on the ground outside as a drew approached.
Not a sound had been heard. Had Asher not been practicing the abilities of the earth crystal with Fitz, he would have never known.
Fortunately, Asher was now far more attuned with the earth. He could sense even the slightest vibration of a footstep nearby. Nothing could now sneak up on Asher unless it flew in the air.
The vibrations stopped directly in front of one of to doors to the home.
The individual that currently stood outside was clearly waiting for an opportunity to enter without being detected.
Knowing this Asher ripped the door off with his left hand and latched onto the drew with his right.
The drew had not expected to be detected as his armor had been completely silenced.
Neve turned to see what had Asher so riled up, and upon seeing the silent legion insignia on the drew's armor, she nearly fainted.
Fortunately, she didn't, and instead began to speak rapidly out of fear and nervousness.
"It is true, I possess the armaments and armor of the silent legion, and even wear them upon my bodice.
Yet I did not slay any of the legion, nor do I mean any disrespect. This equipment was gifted to me by Asher, the beast that currently holds you.
It was the equipment of his mother, Nadra.
We will do with it whatever you command, as we desire only peace between ourselves and Nadra's legion of the silent."
Nadra next pulled out Nadra's badge of office as proof of her claim.
The drew smiled as replied. "I am Dmitri Olear, current Grandmaster of the Silent Legion and your cousin young Asher.
When Pharod informed me that the companion of a midnight beast wore our armor I thought that it may be the spawn of Nadra.
She informed us not only of her pregnancy, but the nature of the beast within her belly before she retired.
Due to her honesty, and the respect the legion had for its mighty founder, it was agreed that the armor and all weaponry attached would belong to her offspring.
Though admittedly, we knew it would not fit, and never considered that it might be gifted to the offspring's companion.
That is of course in part because we never felt a drew would travel with a midnight beast.
But alas, that is irrelevant. The gear is Asher's to do with as he pleases.
This does of course bring up a secondary point with the armor. As you do not belong to the legion, we will ask you to obliterate our insignia and replace it with that of either House Olear, or the house of Asher.
A dwarven smith currently resides within Pharod's palace. He will aid us in this.
In fact, he has come bearing a gift for you from your battle with Birtle. I believe his name is Flint Stormshield.
His master brought it personally to present to Pharod. They will likely make quite the spectacle of it.
There are of course two other matters to be dealt with.
First, you're the son of Nadra Olear. You do not belong in the slave warrens you currently reside in.
The legion is willing to donate funding to allow you to acquire a home if you need it.
Second, we are not the only ones that were notified of your indiscretion, and while you have the right to the armor you wear, that White Walker dagger is another matter entirely.
The White Walkers allowed us to travel first, as a personal curtesy, but they will be coming in force once it is discovered that you were not slain.
The legion can of course return the dagger and lessen the damage between yourselves and the White Walkers if desired?
Third, Nadra had a mighty inheritance as she was quite wealthy. You could be set for life should you desire to accept it.
Lastly, I must know how you managed to detect me. With the legions armor, that should be impossible."
Asher had a wicked glint in his eye as he responded to Dmitri.
"Pharod has tried to have Neve slain for the equipment she wears. He must have learned of my weakness after the fight with Birtle.
Unfortunately for him, I am now fully healed, and I possess the earth crystal of Birtle.
Using it, I felt your feet touch the ground with each step you took.
I would ask that you take me to Pharod and Flint.
We will have the markings obliterated by Flint and we will adorn it with the symbol of House Mizzryr. For that is what the House of Asher will be known as.
Neve assassinate all the guards and gather those that I have trained. Tell them to prepare for war.
Today Pharod will have a true awakening."
Dmitri did as Asher requested.