Agony and disorientation blurred my vision as I saw Lisa swiftly secure the door.
She rushed to my side, her hand instantly on my forehead, assessing my temperature, her expression etched with profound concern.
Even in my weakened state, her transformation was shown; the sadness and despair that had clouded her features were no longer to be seen.
"This isn't a simple wound, Alstair," she declared, her voice firm.
"You've been poisoned—a potent toxin is depleting your strength."
I knew this already; the System's warning echoed in my mind.
My only option was rest, a desperate wait for the Crescent Mooncurse's diminished before I could resume the hunt for the Dreadspires.
Since The Talisman of Invisibility was spent; I really need a new tactic to defeat that accursed skull.
A frustrated sigh escaped me.
For now, my only option was to surrender to slumber, praying the poison's grip would loosen its hold.
"You require specialized treatment, Alstair. I will provide it." Lisa's voice, laced with an unfamiliar resolve, surprised me.
My eyes flickered open, only to witness a sight that stole my breath.
She had shed her clothing, standing before me in nothing but undergarments.
A red blush bloomed on her cheeks as she met my gaze.
"What…what are you doing, Lisa?" I gasped, my voice strained.
"It's an ancient healing technique employed by specialized Healer Knights," she explained, her voice slightly breathless.
"Body heat, strategically applied, can bolster immunity. But it necessitates precise conditions." She placed her armor and clothing by the bed.
"You're using…your body heat? For what purpose?" My confusion was profound.
"To heal you, Alstair. You asked me to be your healer," she replied, her gaze unwavering.
"I need to remove your clothing now."
"Remove…?"
Ignoring my question, she deftly unclothed me, leaving me in my underpants.
I saw her swallow, her eyes lingering on my exposed torso before she steeled her resolve and approached the bed.
Raising myself required an extra effort in my weakened state.
I didn't fully comprehend this unique healing ritual, but her unwavering determination compelled my trust.
Lisa's gentle embrace enveloped me, her warmth a soothing balm against the lingering fever.
The criple heat that had weakened my strength gradually dissapeared, a process oddly mirrored by Lisa's earlier explanation.
Was this, indeed, the restorative power of body heat?
Unconventional, yet undeniably effective.
Though my vigor slowly returned, the insidious poison remained, a tenacious foe.
Lisa's keen nose detected the wounds on my shoulders; I felt her breath ghost over the injured flesh.
With practiced care, she applied bandages saturated in her potent healing elixir.
Her warning – "Brace yourself, this will sting" – preceded a searing agony as she extracted the embedded crystal arrows.
A guttural cry escaped my lips, the pain a volcanic eruption that eventually subsided.
God!
It felt as though something within my shoulder had been ripped apart, yet the bleeding stopped, a sign that the healing had begun.
"Alstair," Lisa murmured, her voice laced with worry, "the poison is spreading on your body. Your weakness came from its relentless advance."
"You know what? Initially I thought, and hoped, to acquire an antidote from Dreadspires," I replied, "believing he might possess immunity to this cursed toxin."
Lisa's frown deepened. "Your current state is dying, Alstair. You are far too risky to confront Dreadspires with these condition."
I shrugged, attempting a nonchalant tone. "A bit of rest, I figured, would mitigate the poison effects."
"I fear not," she countered, her confidence unwavering.
"But I have a plan." Lisa's touch was feather-light, her gaze intense as she followed the insidious crawl of darkened veins across my skin, a map of the poison's relentless march.
Observing my torso intensely, she swiftly retrieved a vial of red liquid.
Resembling syrup in appearance, it was clearly something far more potent.
Lisa drained the contents in a single, desperate gulp, then discarded the empty vial with a flick of her wrist.
Her appearance blazed, a feverish blush spreading across her skin like wildfire, mirroring the flush of drunkenness.
"A quite dangerous technique," she murmured, her voice a soft caress, "to extract the poisoned blood... with my mouth."
"Your mouth? Are you certain of its safety?" I questioned.
"I've already ingested a protective antidote," she lied, her body languidly molding against mine, radiating warmth.
"It's perfectly safe."
"Don't push yourself, Lisa," I whispered, concern etching itself onto my features.
"You demanded proof of my devotion. I am proving it, saving you."
Her words were a seductive purr, a promise whispered on the edge of a knife.
Her lips, soft yet insistent, alighted on my neck, drawing a slow, deliberate trail of kisses.
The intimacy was fierce, a passionate entanglement that ignited a fire between us, our bodies slick with sweating.
I embraced her, surrendering to the intensity of the moment, my trust a fragile bridge spanning a chasm of uncertainty.
Time dissolved, the hours melting into fleeting moments as Lisa's body remained entwined with mine, her breath mingling with mine.
The heat between us was unbearable, a fever dream of passion and desperation.
Finally, a profound release – a shared exhalation of tension – marked a turning point.
Lisa expelled the tainted blood, the vile venom purged from her mouth.
>You no longer Infected by Crystal Poison!
>Health Power: 100%
Lisa, breathless and wiping her mouth, collapsed onto my chest, her eyes fluttering shut.
Exhaustion clung to her like a shroud.
She'd expended every ounce of her being to retrieve the poison—a feat that commanded my profound admiration and respect.
My own heart eased as the system's alert pinged, a stark reminder of the quest's relentless demands.
> You get 50.000 Monster Diamond!
> You get Talisman: Fake Mirror!
I initially believed rescuing Lisa concluded the moment I prevented her self-harm with the knight's dagger.
However, the System's demands transcended my expectations, requiring a profound shift in Lisa's perspective.
Ultimately, I completed this extraordinary task, reaping a richly deserved reward.
The process, however, proved unexpectedly tiring and transformative for both Lisa and me; a grueling journey of mutual growth.
With Lisa now slumbering peacefully, I too succumb to well-earned rest.
In the hushed stillness of the night, our weary bodies found solace in shared repose.
***