*Creak*
Anaise opened the door to their new house with her talons, still cradling Berkah in her wings.
"Are you hungry little Berkah?"
Anaise cast her eyes to Berkah.
"No, I'm still full."
He responded in a squeaky voice.
"Okay, I'll just put you to bed now okay? I want to go check on your father."
Anaise said, attempting to hide the sadness in her voice.
She climbed some stairs to what resembled an attic and entered the room, inside the dimly lit room was a single bed made of countless soft feathers.
Anaise gently placed Berkah on the bed and kissed him on the forehead.
"Sleep well my little angel."
She gently hugged Berkah and covered his tiny frame with a blanket.
"Goodnight mom."
Berkah said, watching his mother climb down the stairs.
[She looks really worried...]
[I guess I was a little hard on that deadbeat for not really being around much, his job must really be tough.]
Berkah mused, staring at the wooden ceiling.
[...I've finally found a place where I belong.]
[Loving parents who don't pressurize me or force me to change the things that I can't.]
*sob*,*sob*
He heard Anaise's muffled cries from downstairs, he silently got out of bed and slowly made his way down the stairs.
He then walked to a bedroom that was a short distance away, its door not fully closed.
Berkah peeked through the door and saw his mother slumped over the bed where the bandaged Hawke was lying unconscious.
Something about seeing her cry made him feel an intense pain in his chest, like he was being impaled repeatedly.
Berkah shifted his eyes from his mother to Hawke who was heavily bandaged and his life force flickering like a dying flame on a candle.
[They said a Demon did that right? And something about a Demon King...]
Berkah heard the conversation between his mother and Lark, through his experience in reading fantasy novels and what-not, he was fully aware of the threat that is Demons and the Demon King.
[Demons huh...]
He pondered, glancing at his bedridden Harpy father and all the injuries adorning his body.
He quietly left the scene and walked up the stairs and into his room.
Berkah climbed up the bed and laid on his side.
[I really like this world... This life.]
[But it's not exactly safe... all of us almost died in the short span of a day.]
Berkah mused, remembering that in the sort span of less than 24 hours, he almost died, then Anaise and now Hawke.
[I need to get stronger... To protect myself and my family.]
He clenched the edges of the blanket covering him and continued his internal monologue.
//
A few hours passed and Berkah's racing mind had no intention of letting him sleep no matter how much he tossed and turned.
"... I guess I should go check up on that dude."
He whispered under his breath and got out of bed.
Soon he arrived at the room, with the door still halfway open.
[Hm? Mom is still here?]
He saw Anaise still slumped over the side of the bed and she was fast asleep.
[I guess she fell asleep watching over him.]
Berkah quietly walked into the room and went over to the other side of the bed.
[He really almost died...]
Berkah mused, glancing down at all of Hawke's bandaged injuries, it wasn't hard to imagine just how gruesome his fight with the Demon must have been.
[He's a tough dude, I guess those muscles aren't just for show huh...]
Berkah extended his hand toward Hawke, but as soon as he remembered his ability his hand froze.
[... I want to heal him but...]
[What if I accidentally kill him...]
[And what if someone senses my mana?]
Berkah furrowed his eyebrows.
[I wonder if I can... create my own isolated world.]
■■Mana Dome...■■
He silently cast a spell, and a miniature Mana Dome appeared, covering himself, Hawke and Anaise.
[Now, if I can just make it thinner...]
Berkah focused within himself and slowly extracted small quantities of the mana in the dome.
Soon enough, the once luminous mana dome was now thin and transparent like glass.
Berkah did this because he wanted to make it difficult for anyone to sense his Mana Dome or any magic he casts within it.
[I still can't get used to this feeling of a Mana Dome, it's as if I am the Mana Dome itself and everything within it is beneath my thumb.]
Berkah mused, his hairs standing on end from the thrill.
He glanced at Hawke and sighed.
[... It's weird seeing you so quiet man, get well soon.]
Berkah extended his palms over Hawke's body and a golden light appeared from them.
■■ Mana Cure...■■
Golden smoke swirled and seeped into Hawke's body.
*Uwong!*
Hawke's body shone in a feint golden hue and all his injuries healed instantaneously.
Berkah was satisfied after sensing Hawke's rejuvenated life force.
He then grabbed a blanket that was neatly folded at the corner of the room and covered Anaise with it.
Berkah walked out of the room with a soft smile on his face.
///
"HAHAHA!"
Berkah was woken up by a burst of laughter coming from downstairs.
"What?! There's no way that you've already healed!"
"HAHAHA! I'm telling you, I feel really good!"
Hawke's loud voice rang in Berkah's ears.
[Ugh... Why is he being loud so early in the morning?!]
Berkah spat inwardly, with dark circles under his eyes. He had only managed to fall asleep just as the sun was beginning to rise, approximately 30 minutes ago...
"HAHAHAHA!!!"
Hawke continued laughing downstairs.
[Fuck... I shouldn't have healed that damn deadbeat. ]
Berkah cried inwardly and covered his ears with his blanket.
*step*,*step*.
Anaise came running into Berkah's room.
"Berkah~ Wake up, your father has healed!"
[I know!!! Please let me sleep!]
Berkah cried inwardly under his blanket.
Anaise picked him up with the blanket and carried him downstairs.
"Haha! Hello son!"
Hawke said loudly, taking Berkah from Anaise.
[Argh! Why do you have to be so loud!]
Berkah covered his ears with his little hands.
"Aww you must have been worried about me huh my son."
Hawke said, carrying Berkah in his arms.
[No I wasn't! I shouldn't have healed you!]
Though Berkah's thoughts were somewhat unpleasant, he was all smiles, genuinely happy that Hawke was okay.
*Knock*, *Knock*
The Featherblade's heard a knock on their door.
"Oh, that must be the Doctor."
Anaise said, walking toward the door and opening it.
"Good morning, how is the patient?"
"Good morning Lady Anaise."
The doctor and Lark appeared before Anaise.
"Good morning! Come in"
She replied joyfully.
Lark and the Doctor glanced at each other with puzzled expressions, this was not the way they expected someone who's husband was lying in his deathbed would act.
"... You seem to be in a good mood Mrs Featherblade? Is everything alright?"
The Doctor asked, still maintaining his puzzled expression.
"Fufu. Come and see for yourself."
Anaise led the way to the room.
"Huh? What is happening?!"
The Doctor exclaimed upon seeing Hawke who was looking as healthy as ever.
"HAHAHA! Can't you tell by looking? I feel just fine!"
Hawke shouted joyfully, flexing his biceps.
"This is... Please allow me to look at you."
The Doctor said, placing his kit bag on the floor.
"Yeah suit yourself!"
Hawke confidently declared.
The Doctor began slowly unwrapping Hawke's bandages, his eyes becoming wider with each passing moment.
"H — how is this possible?!"
The Doctor exclaimed.
[Why does he look so shocked? It's healing magic obviously...]
[Do they not know about it? Or is it just rare?]
Berkah wondered, his eyes still a bit heavy from his lack of sleep.
"All the burns on your body have healed?!"
"And your fractured bones?! Is this some sort or miracle?!"
The Doctor was shocked beyond what words could ever describe.
[Hmm... Strange why does he have scars?]
[I guess even magic has its limits?]
[No, that's not it...]
[When I healed mom, she was left spotless.]
[...]
Berkah mused, glancing at the burn scars on Hawke's right arm, abdomen and chest.
Anaise and Hawke glanced at each other upon hearing the word "miracle" and smiled bitterly.
"Fufu. We must have a guardian Angel or something."
Anaise said, smiling with her eyes.
"This shouldn't be possible!"
The Doctor continued vocalizing his shock.
[Can someone get this loud quack out of here before he gets a heart attack?]
Berkah narrowed his droopy eyes at the "Quack."
"Hm? Lark? You haven't said a word since you got here."
Hawke directed his question at Lark who was frozen stiff.
Lark just stood there, his eyes trembling and his mouth agape.
"Lark?"
Still no response.
[How is it possible that he healed in just a day?!]
[How did he heal from Hellfire that quickly?!]
[Even a high-end potion could never heal Hellfire induced wounds in just a day??]
[It should have at least taken him a month to heal!]
[Hawke Featherblade... How did you heal so quickly?!]
"Lark!"
[!!]
Hawke's loud voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Ah... Captain..."
Lark finally spoke, his eyes glassy and his voice cracking.
"Thank goodness... I was so worried. "
He knelt down next to Hawke and began bawling his eyes out.
[This guy... He's crying more than mom did.]
Berkah mused, his body begging him to sleep until he eventually fell asleep in his father's embrace, a wave of relief cradling him to his slumber.