"Oh, thank the heavens," I wheezed, my voice barely audible over my labored breaths. The row of trees parted, revealing the glow of lanterns from the Town of Fallen. The soft light cascaded over me, blurring as tears of relief stung my eyes. Against all odds, I'd chosen the right path. I even recognized the area—it wasn't far from Miss Star's inn.
The sight should have filled me with triumph, but instead, it drained me. The presumed safety sapped the last remnants of adrenaline coursing through my veins. My internal force was already at its limits, and Thea's warnings about overexerting it still rang loud and clear in my head.
I took a step forward, but my knees buckled beneath me. The world tilted, and my vision darkened. "Dang," I muttered bitterly. Passing out here would be a death sentence. Maybe if I could just make it to the main street near the inn, someone might find me. That had to be enough, right?
"Come on," I groaned, forcing myself to drag my body upright. My limbs screamed in protest, but I pushed forward, teetering dangerously close to emptying my reserves completely. I couldn't afford to find out what would happen if I did. Death from depletion didn't sound like the kind of experiment I wanted to run.
"Come on…" My voice cracked as I staggered forward. The edges of my vision blurred, the buzzing in my head returning with a vengeance. I could barely remember how I got there, but suddenly I was in front of a door. Muscle memory? Instinct? Either way, I'd made it.
My hand trembled as I tried to lift it to knock, but it wouldn't move. My arm hung limply at my side, unresponsive. My mind was a flurry of static, the lines between reality and delirium blurring with each second.
Behind me, I thought I heard someone scream my name, the sound faint and distorted, like it was coming through water. But honestly, I couldn't tell if it was real or just another fragment of the chaos swirling in my mind.
Suddenly, I felt hands grab me. A voice reached my ears, muffled and distant. "—er? Is th— you?"
The words didn't make sense. "Come i—. Elr—." And then… nothing.
I woke to the sound of Elric's voice, sharp with concern. "It took longer than I thought. I had to reopen the wound. I can't believe he poured that right on it…"
Footsteps shuffled nearby. "Lyra, can you get Thea and the rest? She's probably still freaking out down stairs," he said, his voice quieter now. A door creaked open and closed.
"I thought—" I tried to speak, but a sudden coughing fit wracked my body. Pain ripped up my side, leaving me gasping. "I thought you couldn't do things like… open wounds with the system."
Elric turned toward me, his face a mix of relief and frustration. "Man, what the heck happened to you?" he asked, his voice tight. "You looked like you took a bath in blood."
"Not helping," I groaned, my words a strained rasp. He wasn't wrong, though. There had been so much blood… too much. My gaze dropped to check my current state. To my surprise, I was bandaged up—and naked except for my boxers under the sheets. Even my skin had been scrubbed clean.
"Seriously?" I muttered, my cheeks warming despite everything. Ignoring the heat creeping up my face, I continued, "Why—and how—did you open me up?"
His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he chuckled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Because you're an idiot," he said, shaking his head. "You poured a sealing remedy on your wound instead of drinking it. Blood was pooling inside you. You were this close to dying…" He paused, wiping at his face before continuing softly, "I couldn't just stand there and let that happen."
The sincerity in his tone caught me off guard, but I wasn't about to let him off the hook. "So, what? You used some terrifying new skill on me?" I said, trying to mask my unease with sarcasm.
He gave me a crooked smile. "I used cultivation to imitate my healing spells—but in reverse."
"God, you're such a main character," I muttered, too drained to stop myself.
"What does that even mean?" he asked, frowning at the odd phrase.
"Nothing," I said quickly. "But seriously, that's terrifying. You can just open people up now? Psycho."
"Better than being an idiot," he shot back, the tension easing slightly as he laughed.
I tried to sit up, but he immediately pressed a hand to my shoulder, holding me down. "Don't make me heal you more," he warned gently.
"What kind of healer uses medical care as a threat?" I grumbled.
"The kind who knows how to make it extra painful," he said, his angelic smile now carrying an edge of mischief. "Besides, I wasn't finished. You know how the system records skills when someone learns them?"
"Yeah?" I replied warily.
"Well—" he drew out, clearly enjoying the moment, "turns out when you invent a skill, even with cultivation, the system records that too. Now I can use Skinweaver"—he stretched out the word like it was honey in his mouth—
"God, Elric, just get on with it," I groaned, already regretting the conversation.
"---with my MP, not just cultivation," he finished.
I let out another groan. Yet another reminder of how ridiculously unfair the system was. And Elric? He was just as ridiculous. The guy had invented a whole new technique by reversing his own spells. I didn't know whether to be impressed or terrified—or both.
"Who ended up finding me?" I asked, my voice still hoarse.
"Miss Star," Elric replied. "We were all out looking for you. Thea found us at the fight hall, but since you weren't with her. She saw you right after Miss Star did…pretty sure she thought you were dead for a moment. We—"
The door burst open with a loud bang, cutting him off. "PETER!" came Thea's voice, frantic and sharp.
Oh no. Why is no one stopping her?
"Oooow. Thea," I groaned as she threw herself onto me, "what part of this situation screams 'great time to jump on Peter'?"
She hiccupped, her voice shaking. "Shut up."
Great. Not even dating for twenty-four hours, and I'd already made my first girlfriend cry. Awesome.
I turned my head toward Elric, forcing a small grin. "See? You're not the only one who makes girls freak out just at the sight of you."
Elric rolled his eyes as the others stepped into the room—Sia, Lyra, and Miss Star. Thea stayed where she was, clinging tightly to me, her face buried against my chest.
"Why are you joking about this?" she demanded, her voice muffled. "You were covered in blood. Who did this to you? Where are they?"
"Just let him relax, dear," Miss Star interjected gently. "We can ask questions later."
Lyra rushed to my side, her hands already moving as she began chanting something under her breath. A soft glow surrounded Thea and me, warm and soothing.
"It'll speed up your healing… safely, of course," Lyra said, her voice carrying its usual singsong warmth.
"Thanks," I replied, offering her a tired smile. Then I glanced down at Thea, still latched onto me, her grip unrelenting. "And it's fine. I can explain."
She tilted her head just enough for me to catch her gaze. Her eyes were stormy grey, but now tinged pink from tears. "Your eyes are pink," I murmured.
She looked back down, her voice trembling. "You're lucky I can't hit you right now."
"Rorik hired some guys to kidnap me and take me to the woods," I began, keeping my tone steady, though the memory scraped against me like shards of glass.
"Him again?" Sia cut in, anger rising in her voice. I imagined she was thinking of the time Rorik had nearly killed Elric.
I tried to nod, but the motion faltered, leaving me shifting my head slightly instead. "Some big guy, really strong, grabbed me. Then I woke up… tied up. He left three of his goons behind with Rorik."
Elric was next to speak, his voice firm but laced with worry. "We can't let this go this time. Who knows what he'll try next? I'm just glad you managed to escape."
"I didn't escape, I—" The words stuck in my throat. A flood of images crashed over me like a tidal wave: the blood, the gurgling, the lifeless bodies. I saw the terror etched into their faces, the red pooling beneath me. My chest tightened, and my breath hitched as my vision blurred.
"I—" My voice cracked, shaking under the weight of it all. Everyone stared at me in confusion, except Miss Star. Her gaze softened, understanding something the others didn't.
"I ki—" The words wouldn't come. I was choking on them.
"Everybody out," Miss Star commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.
All attention shifted to her. "Mom, we—" Sia began.
"Now," she repeated, her voice firm yet calm.
The others exchanged uneasy glances but obeyed, filing out of the room reluctantly. "You too, Thea," Miss Star said gently.
But Thea shook her head, burying her face into my chest. Miss Star's eyes flickered with resolve, but before she could insist, I cleared my throat, forcing out the words. "I—it's okay."
I exhaled a shaky breath. "But seriously, Thea… maybe shift to my side. It's hard to breathe." To my relief, she adjusted, curling into my side instead. Only her head rested against me now.
"If I didn't know any better," I said weakly, forcing a small smile, "I'd think you liked me."
Thea didn't reply, but I swore I heard a faint crackling, like distant lightning.
"Peter," Miss Star began, her voice soft but steady, "you have to know it's not your fault. Whatever happened… I'm sure you didn't have a choice."
"I—I know…" I replied, though the words felt hollow. Something sharp clawed at my throat, threatening to spill out everything I was holding back.
"What happened?" Thea finally spoke, her voice quiet but resolute.
Miss Star offered me an out. "You don't have to say yet."
I shook my head slowly, my hands trembling. "No." My voice cracked, and my vision blurred again. "They're dead." Tears welled up, spilling down my cheeks. "They're all dead, and I—I killed them."
Thea's arms wrapped around me tighter, her warmth grounding me. I leaned into her, my chest heaving with tears I couldn't hold back anymore.
"I wasn't fast enough," I choked out. "He kept coming for me, and then… it all just happened."
Silence followed, thick and suffocating.
"They would've killed you, Peter. They—" Thea started.
"No." I muttered, cutting her off. "Not all of them. Only one was really a threat, but I couldn't stop. What if they came back, just like Rorik? I couldn't let it happen, I—"
"Peter!" Miss Star raised her voice, firm but not unkind. Her presence commanded the room, and her words, though soft, carried a weight I couldn't ignore. "That's how life is here," she said, her tone steady but tinged with something I couldn't quite place—experience, maybe, or resignation. "It'll be even harder when you leave. Just rest for now. Don't dwell on it."
She stood, her shadow moving across the walls as she walked to the candles. One by one, she blew them out, leaving only the one closest to the bed.
Without another word, she left the room, closing the door softly behind her.
Thea stayed by my side, her head resting against me, her arms refusing to let go. Her presence, her warmth, was the only thing keeping me from drowning completely in the darkness.
We lay there in silence for a while, the stillness almost comforting—until I realized just how awkward this situation really was. As usual, my coping mechanism kicked in: humor.
"Thea?"
"Hm?" she murmured, her voice soft and muffled against me.
"I didn't think you'd get into my bed while I'm naked so quickly into our relationship—ow!" I winced as she pinched my arm. "I'm injured already, you know?"
"You deserve that," she replied, but I could hear her laughter bubbling beneath her words. She pressed her face down against my arm, and I didn't miss the way her ears turned a deep shade of red.
"You must be cold. Want to get under the blankets?" I teased, grinning despite the dull ache in my side.
Now she laughed outright, her voice ringing out like a melody. "You really need to stop. I will hurt you," she said between giggles.
"I'm just saying, if you're going to stay…"
"I'll just use my own sleeping bag." she cut me off, her tone playful but firm.
"So you are staying?" I asked, maybe a little too hopefully.
"It's our room, what, you want me to leave?" she teased, sitting up on the edge of the bed.
Okay, I didn't think I was this much of a wimp… but I really, really didn't want to be alone. My face must've betrayed every thought running through my mind because she laughed softly into her hand.
"I'll be back," she said, standing and heading toward the door. "Don't look so sad."
She left, and with her absence came the grueling weight of my thoughts. Alone, the silence was suffocating, and the memories clawed at my mind. Every second dragged on like an eternity.
The door finally creaked open, and I called out, "Thea?"
"Sorry to burst your bubble," came Sia's frank tone. She stepped into the room carrying a tray. "Just bringing up some food. Meat with roots. Simple enough, right?"
"Oh… thanks," I muttered, feeling my face turn red as she set the tray down beside me.
"Make sure to eat, alright?" she said with a laugh, walking back out of the room before I could say anything else.
I picked up the fork with great effort, exhaustion weighing down on me like a lead blanket. Even mostly healed, my body still felt heavy and weak. I'd barely managed a few bites when I heard Thea's familiar voice from the hallway: "We won't!"
The door opened, and there she was, carrying her tray of food, her cheeks flushed and her expression soft.
She scampered across the room quickly, settling down beside me as I continued stuffing my face. "What'd Sia say?" I asked between bites.
"Nothing, she's just being nosy," she replied. Then her eyes shifted and lingered on the food with a look that gave her away.
"Did you eat today?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's fine, I—"
I spoke without hesitation. "I'm already eating, don't let me keep you."
She nodded gratefully, grabbing a bit of everything and stuffing her mouth with the same gusto I had earlier. Then, after a moment's pause, she lowered the plate…reluctantly.
I couldn't help but laugh. We stayed like that, side by side. Though she did steal a bit of my, let's just call it chicken, trading me some of her roots. She called it a fair trade, but I mean, really?
It was peaceful, the kind of quiet that didn't need filling, a welcome distraction from the thoughts from earlier tonight. Thea tucked her blanket around herself, as she went to her sleeping spot on the floor right next to the bed.