My eyelids feel glued shut, but with great effort, I manage to crack them open just a bit. The light is harsh and irritates my eyes terribly, and I blink a few times to relieve the relentless sting.
A dull ache presses down on my head, and my body feels oddly numb and heavy. Pain throbs through me, from the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair. It's like I've been drifting in a timeless, spaceless void, and now everything is suddenly too much.
I notice my steady breathing and assume I'm still alive. Slowly, the fog in my mind begins to lift. I realize I'm lying in my own bed. It's probably nighttime, or at least evening, as only the glow of street lamps filters through the windows, and a faint light from a lamp on the table casts a dim warmth over the room.
Suddenly, something clicks in my brain. I start piecing together scattered fragments of memory. I remember we were on a hunt. I recall the tense fight and the shouts of my friends. Then came the pain and darkness.
I try to sit up, but my muscles protest as if they've forgotten how to work. I manage to shift, but a sharp pain sears through my side, and I barely avoid collapsing back onto the bed, propping myself up on one elbow. A quiet groan escapes my lips.
From the edge of the bed, another head rises, one I hadn't noticed before. My blurred gaze meets Cody's. The drowsy young man blinks a few times as if struggling to fully grasp what's happening, but soon his pale face flushes with color. Cody jumps up from the floor.
My reaction is slow, and before I realize it, his arms are wrapped around my neck in a warm, firm hug. I don't want to pull away, but the pain slices through me, and I softly exhale, gently easing him back.
"I never thought you'd actually hug me," I manage to say.
My throat feels dry, as if it's full of sand. My voice is hoarse and cracks strangely. I barely recognize it. Cody pulls back slightly and quickly brushes his face with the sleeve of his sweater. Only when he lowers his hand do I realize he's trying to hide his tears.
"Shut up. You have no idea how much you scared everyone. You were out for three days," he says, his voice trembling slightly.
My heart aches seeing his tears. The mix of sorrow, fear, and relief on Cody's face pierces me to my core, and I can't ignore it. Without thinking, I lift my hand to his cheek, gently wiping away a tear with my fingertips. My side still throbs, but I no longer care.
"I didn't think you'd miss me this much," I say with a small smile, resting my hand gently on his cheek.
Cody's skin is warm, and touching it, I feel the chill in my own fingers.
"You're such an idiot," he says, barely holding back a sob as he looks up at me. "You said everything would be fine, but you came back drenched in blood. I thought you'd die right there."
I slide my hand to the back of his neck, pulling his head to rest on my shoulder. The pain is maddening, but I softly stroke his back, trying to calm him. I inhale deeply, taking in his scent.
The hint of citrus tickles my nose, but more than anything, I'm just grateful to be here, to feel him. Cody's body gradually relaxes in my embrace, and warmth seeps into my hands.
"It's okay. I'm still here, aren't I?" I whisper into his hair.
I know it's a flimsy excuse on my part. He saw it all. So did the others. And it wasn't a pretty sight. After a while, Cody pulls away and hurriedly wipes his tears again. I gently catch his hand in the air.
"You don't have to hide your tears. If you're still able to cry, it means you've been strong enough to endure it all."
"It wasn't easy," he says, letting out a soft, choked laugh. "I've been taking care of your wounds every day. Being a nurse is way harder than I imagined."
"Thank you."
These simple words can't begin to convey the gratitude I feel, but I can't think of anything more meaningful to say.
A faint smile tugs at the corners of Cody's lips.
"I'll go get Elle," he says, and quickly hurries out of the room.
With a sigh, I stretch my neck. My head throbs, and I feel utterly exhausted. I lift my shirt. On my right side, closer to my back, a white bandage is still in place. It's slightly stained, but the blood has dried.
Though I haven't seen my face yet, I know not enough time has passed for everything to fade; my body is still marked with bruises and scrapes. I typically heal faster than an average person, but as the memories of that night flash through my mind, I wince, realizing the severity of the injuries.
I also glance at my bandaged hand and recall summoning my fire. My train of thought is interrupted by loud footsteps. Soon, the entire household bursts through the door. Kaja immediately jumps onto the bed, squeezing herself close to me. I wrap my arms around her, trying not to show my discomfort, though it's clear enough that Arthur quickly pulls her back.
"Nate, you scared us to death," Kaja says, her voice nearly breaking.
Arthur holds her supportively, but his gaze remains on me.
"You have no idea how terrible you looked," he says with a gentle smile. "Welcome back."
"Believe me, the feeling's mutual," I chuckle, glancing at Eleonora.
She still looks deeply concerned, but there's a gleam of joy in her eyes, relief at not having lost a close friend. Something else catches my attention. Her hair now has more gray streaks than before. It takes only a moment for me to realize how much she must have done to help me open my eyes again.
Every wound, every broken bone she had to heal took a bit of her own life force. And what she gives away doesn't return to her. A mixture of exhaustion, pain, joy, and guilt wells up within me, and my eyes grow wet.
"Elle," I murmur, brushing a silver strand of her hair with my fingers. "Your hair…"
"Now, now, don't look at me with those puppy eyes. It suits me just fine," she says with a warm smile, opening her arms. "Come here instead."
As we hug, I can't hold back the tears. I sob quietly against her shoulder, silently apologizing as I finally let go of the chaos within and return to myself. Pulling back, I wipe my puffy eyes.
"That was one hell of a night," I laugh, sniffling.
"When I realized what that fucker did, I was ready to tear his head off, but you needed help first. He and the other one got away," Arthur sighs.
"I'm sorry. If only I'd been a second faster, a bit more alert, we might have caught him," I say, lowering my eyes in guilt.
"Nate," Arthur starts sternly, then softens, "You know well you can't predict everything. But one thing's clear as day. No matter how much goes wrong, no one can bring us down as long as we have each other. It doesn't matter how many slip by in order to save our own. That will always come before everything else we do."
Arthur's words cut deeper than any knife, and inside, I'm profoundly grateful to have them all with me on this mission beyond death. While emotions are still fresh, we talk for a long time. Cody is here too, and I breathe a sigh of relief knowing they're all safe and sound.
Eventually, I run out of energy and need to rest. Once everyone leaves, I'm left alone. My heavy eyes begin to close, and sleep waits just around the corner, but suddenly a flood of memories breaks through. The tidal wave of memories hits my mind, unprepared. I jolt upright faster than my body can handle, my side flaring in pain, and stars explode before my eyes. My breath catches.
I remember. The night, the darkness, the vast emptiness that swallowed me whole. I remember the fear, the uncertainty, the crushing feeling of despair. I remember Sofia, and him—the one who killed me three years ago and nearly did it again three days ago.
The suit and blond hair.
Leo.