Avi stepped out of Tharlon's office, the weight of the last few days pressing down on him. The hallways were quiet, the early morning light seeping through the tall, arched windows. His steps were hurried but measured as he made his way to the medical ward.
Inside, the medical ward was a scene of quiet, weary recovery. The soft murmur of voices mixed with the occasional rustle of sheets as the injured stirred, their eyes flickering open to a world that still felt distant. Bandages were wound tightly around bruised arms and legs, while patches of gauze adorned battered foreheads, evidence of the fierce battle that had pushed them to the brink. The air carried a faint medicinal scent that mingled with the hushed, pained sighs of those regaining consciousness.
Ryan moved steadily among the patients, his voice a steady anchor as he explained what had happened, answering questions with a calm authority. His eyes, alert and filled with both empathy and fatigue, caught Avi's as he entered, a flash of relief brightening his features for just a moment before returning to his quiet, attentive demeanor. The room was filled with the low murmur of recovery and the subtle creak of beds as more students began to shift, trying to make sense of their surroundings.
"Hey," Ryan said, his voice low and steady. "Glad you're back."
Avi gave a tight nod, taking in the sight of Ken on the far side of the room. To his surprise, Ken was already awake, kneeling beside Eleanor. The little girl, dressed in a faded tunic of deep forest green, practical for forest life and sewn with patches of darker fabric where wear had frayed it, wore a look of quiet contentment. Her small, delicate hands clutched a rough-knit blanket, and her wide eyes lit up with a soft giggle as Ken made silly faces. The sight brought a rush of warmth to Avi's chest, a rare comfort in the chaos.
Ken's deep voice was gentle as he spoke, his grin genuine despite the weariness in his expression. "Hey, Ellie, looks like we have a hero back with us."
"Ken, Ellie," Avi said, moving over to them. His eyes softened as they met Ken's, taking in the relief and exhaustion in his friend's expression. "How are you two holding up?"
Ken looked up, the corners of his lips lifting in a small, grateful smile. "We're okay, Avi. Ryan already filled me in on what happened earlier. Just glad to see everyone starting to wake up." His gaze flitted toward the other beds, where more students stirred, blinking and murmuring as they processed their surroundings. The room, still dim, felt heavy with the tension of recovery and lingering worry.
Ken's smile grew wider, but there was an edge of seriousness to it. "Thanks for coming after us. We owe you more than we can say."
Avi's response was cut short by a low, raspy groan from a nearby bed. The room, already heavy with the muted sounds of waking students, seemed to hold its breath as Emily stirred. Her face, usually full of warmth and light, was now pale and pinched, the shadows beneath her closed eyes stark against her skin. The sight sent a sharp pang of dread through Avi's chest, tightening his muscles and clouding his thoughts.
"Emily…" Ken whispered, the name barely audible as his gaze locked onto her. The mirth that had been in his expression melted into something raw and uncertain.
Avi clenched his fists, fighting the surge of panic rising in him. His voice came out sharp and commanding. "We need a healer," he said, his words slicing through the silence.
Ryan, who had been observing the scene with a growing sense of unease, nodded quickly and glanced toward one of the healers standing nearby, who was busy checking on other patients. The healer's face, usually calm and practiced, shifted with a flicker of concern as he approached.
The healer, an older man with deep lines carved into his face, approached with a practiced, neutral expression. He examined Emily carefully, running his fingers over her wrist and pressing his palm to her forehead. The quiet hum of concern spread among the group, and even Eleanor shifted in her seat, eyes wide with worry.
The healer's brows knitted as he completed his assessment. His face turned pale, and he took a step back, the subtle tremble of his hands betraying his composure.
"Her condition…" The healer's voice was low, choked with dread. "She has [Mana Vein Overload]."
The words hung in the air, a cold, jagged truth that left no room for doubt. The silence that followed was suffocating, pressing down on everyone like an unseen weight. Ken's jaw tightened, eyes narrowing in disbelief as he absorbed the news. "Mana Vein Overload? This should've shown up sooner, shouldn't it?"
Avi's throat felt like it had been sealed tight, and he forced himself to swallow, but the action did nothing to ease the burning in his chest. His hands clenched into fists, the skin on his knuckles stretching taut. "It's been three days, and now she's worse? Why didn't we see this earlier, except after you did those diagnostic lights at her?" The anger in his voice was sharp and fractured, carrying the raw edge of desperation. The room seemed to quake with the tension emanating from him, the air humming with the unspoken dread that filled the space.
Ryan's expression shifted, the concern etched into his features deepening as he glanced at Emily's pale, still form. Ken took a measured breath, forcing a calm to settle over his features even as his eyes filled with worry. He moved to rest a hand on Avi's shoulder, grounding him. "Avi, we need to listen. We can't help her if we don't understand."
The healer nodded, his gaze haunted. "Mana Vein Overload is a condition that most commonly affects young children, those whose mana veins are still developing and have yet to solidify. When they push themselves past their limits—whether through physical exertion or magical strain—the veins can rupture. It's a condition that can leave them unable to channel mana, which means permanent loss of their magical abilities. And worse, if the damage is severe enough, it can leave them in a vegetative state, conscious but unable to respond, barely clinging to life. What's unusual is that this has manifested in a teenager. It's… complicated."
Avi's heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears like a war drum. He shifted uncomfortably, every muscle tense as if ready to spring. "But why now?" he whispered, the question escaping before he could fully comprehend it. The guilt gnawed at him like a physical pain, clawing its way through him with every breath.
The healer's sigh was a long, weary sound. "Most likely, when she regained consciousness, her instinctive response would have been to use her magic. But her veins were already strained to their limit. The diagnostic spell I performed might have triggered it, pushing her beyond that fragile threshold. I'm sorry, but this isn't entirely my fault. It's just… complicated."
Ken's eyes met Avi's, the silent exchange between them telling of shared pain and unspoken promises. Ken's voice was steady, though his hands were balled at his sides, trembling with suppressed emotion. "We need to do everything we can now," he said, the words a vow, a plea, and an unyielding resolution all at once.
Avi's breathing was ragged, but he managed a nod, feeling the tight coil of fear and guilt slowly beginning to settle, replaced by a renewed sense of urgency. They had to save her. There was no other choice.
Avi staggered back a step, the weight of guilt pressing down on him like a vice. His chest heaved, his breaths coming in short, ragged gasps as he struggled to keep the tremor from his voice. "If only I had been stronger. If I hadn't been asleep, lost in my dreams of knights and lords… I could've saved her. I could've saved all of you."
The room seemed to tilt as a wave of self-reproach washed over him, the anger and despair roiling inside, threatening to spill over. He gripped the edge of the nearest bed, knuckles white and trembling. He didn't notice Ken's steps until the other boy was right there, placing a firm, steadying hand on his shoulder.
"Avi, this isn't your fault," Ken said, squeezing Avi's shoulder with reassurance. The intensity in Ken's blue eyes burned with an unwavering loyalty that cut through the storm in Avi's mind.
Ryan's voice sliced through the heavy silence, calm and grounding. "We need to stay strong for her. Losing ourselves in guilt won't help Emily. We're all in this together."
Sophia, who had been standing at the periphery, finally stepped forward. Her arms were crossed, her expression determined but shadowed by worry. "We'll get through this. We have to. We're not done yet."
The healer's voice, when it came, was gentler, as if he had taken stock of their pain and was speaking directly to it. "Our team can wake her up and minimize the symptoms, but without the right medicine, this is all we can do for now. The supplies we need… they're not coming. We don't know why."
Avi's gaze swept over the other students, many still wrapped in bandages, their faces pale and strained. Yet even in the midst of all this, his eyes found Ken's, and he knew that their bond would see them through this crisis. But what could they do now? How could they save Emily?
Avi's heart hammered as he opened the [Comrade System] menu, searching for Alex's conversation with him. If he needs some advice on how they can proceed, even though Avi shouted at him, he was sure Alex will still provide sound advice.
Avi tapped out a quick message:
[Avi Eques: Hey Alex, most of the squad is waking up. I still haven't received any replies from you. Is everything okay?]
Seconds passed, each one stretching out painfully. Avi knew Alex, he's not one to ignore message and even more so if it comes from Avi. Just as the silence threatened to break him, a new message blinked on the screen, jarring him like a physical blow.
[Lucas Wright: Avi, the castle is being taken over. We are being taken hostage. Please come back. We need help.]
The pain in Avi's head flared, sharp and sudden. His mind reeled, and the weight of the last few days threatened to crush him. Emily's condition and now the castle is in chaos. The constant, unrelenting pressure of survival after the System overwrite is crushing him.
Avi looked up at the others, his voice barely steady. "Someone's taking over the castle. We need to go back!"
After learning the what Avi saw from Lucas' message, Ken's eyes blazed with fury, his voice low but fierce. "We're going there now!"
Ryan moved in quickly, placing a hand on Ken's chest to hold him back. "We're all injured and had just woken up. We need time to recover. We're in a town with an adventurer guild. We can hire people to help Avi get to the castle. We'll figure out the finances later. But right now, we need to think this through. If we don't, we're just going to make more mistakes."
Ken's breathing slowed, the tightness in his jaw relaxing slightly as he absorbed Ryan's words. The others nodded in agreement, their expressions hardening with determination.
Avi's chest heaved as he finally understood. There were still battles to fight, and they couldn't afford to lose themselves in panic.
With a steadying breath, Avi turned to Ken and Ryan, then to the rest of the group. "We'll get through this. We have to. But for now, I need to speak with Tharlon. We need more information."
The others exchanged glances, their resolve hardening as they nodded. The fight was far from over, but for now, they would hold their ground.
Avi's eyes darted to Emily, pale and fragile, a heartbreaking contrast to the stubborn, lively girl she had once been. The words of the healer echoed in his mind: Without the right medicine, this is all we can do for now.. His throat tightened, and he swallowed hard, the pit in his stomach deepening as the healer left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. The room fell silent, the weight of unspoken fears pressing down on them. The others exchanged looks of frustration, fear, and exhaustion, their injuries making them seem even more fragile.
Ken stepped closer, squeezing Avi's shoulder with a quiet strength. "We will find a way, Avi. We have to. For Emily."