A sunny day it was, spring was poking its head through the blooming flowers. Nature sprawling in delight. The national hospital was a massive structure with different sections dedicated to all forms of medicine and healing. This specific building took up the eastern wing of the complex structure; the building dedicated to Evolver matters.
The flower garden at the entrance was visually stunning. A row of roses interwoven with tulips awakening from their winter slumber. Patients and doctors that were rushing about could, for a moment, feel themselves calm down witnessing the image of blooming spring.
In this very garden Bultear was strolling slowly, thinking back to these insane days that seemed more like dreams than reality. One week, so much happened in one simple week that he frankly had no idea what to think. A flurry of emotions rumbling inside of him threatening to bubble up to the surface. In one week he lost his emotional support, died, revived, imprisoned, almost tortured, went through hellish training, killed three people, witnessed violence and scenes that even his wildest imagination could have never hoped to conjure.
'What am I supposed to feel after all of this?'
It was easy to forget, to not think too much when you are in the thick of it. When the situation allows for no additional thought but now, when the adrenaline wore off, being alone with your thoughts might be the worst punishment. He slowly walked along the garden looking at the flowers glowing in the sunlight.
"They seem so innocent, lucky them."
Mumbled Bultear under his breath.
'So this is what they deal with in E.S.O.P huh?... I wonder why.'
He started scratching his palm while lost in thought. The swirling emotions introduced to his mind uncontrollable chaos. So much so that he unconsciously increased the intensity with which he scratched his right palm. It was his body unconsciously trying to deal with stress. He also had the problem of the two impostors back home to think about as the scratching sped up even more.
'Ever since this started I've been constantly thinking of everything, what to say, how to act, about enemies, the dimension... It's a bit much... I should calm down somehow...well unless another mission comes out of nowhere.'
Reaching the hospital's entrance, he thought to himself before opening the door.
'No wonder they get paid so much... Initially I was happy to have a lot of money. I was happy about being able to eat new and exotic food... Is it worth it? Would they even allow me to leave? If I was truly their comrade they would... What are my goals anyway?'
Entering the building bustling with activity he thought back to another issue weighing heavily on his mind.
...
As Sinthia was being swallowed by the ritual, Bultear who was able to climb back onto the roof used [Crimson Fang] and shot a blood arrow at the red cloud. Which should have been a futile attempt since the purple lightning serving as the ritual's defense should have destroyed the blood arrow. Yet, by a stroke of fate the arrow swerved and hit Sinthia, the blood drilling into her as she completely entered the cloud.
...
'God knows what is going to come out of that whole situation...' *sigh*
He came to the waiting room where the other division members were. He expelled all of the chaotic thoughts from his mind and entered.
"Any news?"
"The captain is stable, after the ice was melted the doctors were able to remove the nail embedded into his chest. Thankfully his heart wasn't pierced, we just need to wait for the captain to wake up as most of the injuries have been healed already. About Sinthia-"
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
Milek's words were interrupted by extremely loud and frantic knocking.
"Enter!"
A nurse scrambled into the room with her breath heavy. The speed with which she arrived was evident on here sweaty forehead.
"She's awake!"
The atmosphere in the room changed immediately, joy and happiness mixed together. Seeing the expressions on the faces of the men present the nurse, to reassure them, continued.
"Sinthia has woken up!"
...
When she woke up confusion was the most prominent thing in her mind. She for the life of her could not remember what led to her waking up. The other confusing thing was her dreams. She constantly kept dreaming about events she never experienced before. Muddled images of events, nothing coherent. Wars, beings she never saw before, words, years everything cascaded into a chaotic mess. Those images would then combine with the memories of her life. Giving her a splitting headache.
The more she thought about what happened the stronger did the confusion become.
"Who am I?"
The only thing that had coherence in this whirlpool of scattered images and foreign memories was an image of a particular man. He kept appearing in her mind constantly, she couldn't stop thinking about him. His facial features were a little bit blurry but she was certain that he was not part of her own memories nor part of these foreign memories.
While recalling his image was the one thing not causing her a headache what he did was instill an unexplainable feeling of awe. He seemed ever powerful and mysterious giving her chaotic mind a rest. The days she spent in a coma were hellish and the sanctuary was his image.
*knock* *click*
The sound of the door handle twisting and opening awoke her from her reverie.
"Sinthia!"
These were her teammates, her comrades in arms. They shed blood together, entrusted their lives to each other countless times.
"Hi guys, I'm back."
"We were so worried about you! You wouldn't believe it how stressed out Milek was, walking up and down, yelling at the nurses. He was almost kicked out!"
Brock said while laughing as Milek's face grew red from embarrassment.
"You couldn't wait to tease me huh?"
He wanted to get annoyed but seeing Sinthia smile he swallowed his pride and allowed himself to be the butt of the joke.
Maybe it was the mixed emotions or their chaotic thoughts that caused them to not be focused because all of them failed to notice that her smile was one of unease not joy.
'I know who they are, I remember them clearly... and yet I feel nothing seeing them...even though I should be... what is happening to me?'
She scanned the men present with more focus than before in the hopes of rousing the emotion she knew she should be feeling. In doing that her eyes met with Bultear's who was standing furthest back and her face froze, the shock apparent. The men present were bewildered seeing the sudden change.
"Are you okay Sinthia?"
She did not answer they question laced with worry as her mind was occupied one thought.
'The man that kept appearing in my dreams constantly was him?!'