Chapter 97 – The Hope and the Price

Chapter 97

The Hope and the Price

Date : Day 11 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

Hyoren entered the city. The familiar and busy Merchants’ District greeted him. The paved and wide main street. The maintained surroundings. The bush. The trees. Magic lamps scattered. It was orderly, unlike the crowded Adventurer’s District street which was full of people and street vendor.

Fancy shops, luxury stores, fine establishments, and luxurious Inns dotted the street.

Many people walked. Many carriages run. Merchant. Adventurers. Knight. Some bureaucrats. Nobles.

He paused his stride a bit. Weighing his option. His mind raced.

“Where should I bring Elise??”

He thought. What about the Church of Luminara? As a church of light goddesses, they should have many clergy capable of healing magic. But he shook his head.

“I didn’t know any person from church. They might welcome me if I show the fact that I got Luminara’s Divine protection. They might even celebrate me. But I can't just say I'm Luminara’s Patron carelessly. Elise already warned me.”

Elise already warned Hyoren about the church. If they knew he is a holder of Divine Protection and unique skill. The church would hail him as a hero. And he would lose all his freedom.

He weighed another option.

“Went to Ina? But no.. as Vice Guild Master, she should be knowledgeable. But I doubt she can heal Elise.”

Ina is knowledgeable. But she was also not healer, she might bring him towards someone who can heal Elise. But the time wasted will be severe. Elise needs help right now. No more time can be wasted.

He shook his head. Still considering.

“Martha?”

He shook his head again. The thought was discarded the moment it surfaced. She was just an innkeeper. She was motherlike. And her husband, Ronald Powell, was a veteran adventurer. But they are not healers. They might don’t even have potions powerful enough to help him

Then he remembered Elise’s best friend. The only other Elf in this city. The city renowned Alchemist. Advanced Water Magic user. She might have potions which can save Elise. Or knew some magic which can heal her.

“Oria. Only she can help us now…”

He decided, his eyes focused. He then ran again. Now carefully limiting his speed as he is in town. His stride is still fast. But trying not to draw attention.

But it was futile. Everyone in the street widened their eyes. A hulking muscle with a red streak on the vein. Bloodshot eyes. Carrying an unmoving bloody woman. Every eye landed on him.

He ignored them all. His steps are steady. Towards his destination.

He ran and ran. Running through the main street of Merchants’ District. He overtook wagons, carriage, merchant caravan. He overtook crowds of adventurers. Crowds of shoppers. Crowds of merchants.

A knight almost stopped him because he almost ran over a noble carriage.

But the knights let him go after seeing Elise’s state on his back.

He continued running. To his destination.

***

Not long after, he arrived at Oria's Potion Shop. The building was familiar. The structure was unassuming. It was an unassuming shop as usual. No decoration. The window curtain was closed. With an Open sign indicating it was open. The sign swung gently in the evening breeze.

He quickly opened the door and went inside. The bell chimed. The sound was crisp. Clear. Announcing his arrival. The shop was warm. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and potions. Alchemical equipment lined the shelves. Flasks bubbled with various liquids. The workspace was cluttered. Organized chaos. Papers were scattered. Ingredients were sorted in jars.

Oria, who just finished brewing the last batch of the potions, turned and looked at the door.

The movement was quick. Surprised. She was an elven alchemist, friend of Elise. The child-like body which blurred her real age and experience. Her true age was hidden behind youthful features. Her blue robes swayed with the motions. The fabric was rich. Her monocle glinted. The glass caught the light from the lanterns.

"Welcome..."

Her words trailed off.

Her eyes widened in shock seeing the one who entered. The state of Hyoren's body. The bloodshot eyes. The bulging muscles with red streaks. The appearance was wrong. Inhuman. The state of unmoving and bloody silver-haired elf on his back. The body was limp. Pale. Bloodied. The contrast was jarring. The combination was alarming.

Hyoren stepped forward. The motion was desperate. Urgent. His feet found purchase on the wooden floor. His voice was rough. Strained.

"Oria! Please! Save Elise! Her life is in danger!"

Oria finally recognized the one on his back as Elise. The silver hair. The pointed ears. The elven features. The familiar green dress which now is full of blood. The recognition sparked behind her eyes.

"Huh, what happened with cow tits?"

She looked at him again. His bloodshot eyes. Bulging muscle with red streaks. The berserker transformation was still active. The appearance was monstrous, dangerous, and concerning.

"And you. You are Hyoren right? Partner of cow tits? What happened?"

Hyoren shifted Elise's body. He lifted her from his back. The motion was careful and gentle. And now he carried her in both of his arms. The protective cradle position. Her head lolled against his chest. Her silver hair cascaded over his arm. Her body was limping and unresponsive.

"Please Oria! Elise's wound is so severe! I already did my best to tend the wound, but she lost too much blood!"

Oria stepped forward. Her eyes scanned the body.

Then she saw Elise's state. The full extent of the damage became clear. At her torn and bloodied armor. The leather was shredded. The fabric was stained.

The wide scar which painted her torso. The line was jagged. Pink. Fresh. Healing but not healed.

Her pale skin. The color was gone. The warmth was fading. Ragged and slow breath. Each inhale was shallow. Weak. Barely perceptible. The beads of sweat on her. The perspiration was cold. Clammy. Her matted silver hair, painted red because of her blood. The strands were stuck together.

She widened her eyes. The shock was real. The concern was genuine.

"Elise... What happened to her?"

She realized the severe situation. The gravity settled in. The urgency became clear. She even lost the capabilities of joking. Dropping her cow tits nickname. The humor was gone. The playfulness was replaced by worry.

"It's a long story. But please."

Oria then snapped from her shock. The recognition formed. The decision was made. Then she nodded. The motion was quick and determined.

"Okay. Follow me Hyoren."

Oria then went to the back of her shop. Her footsteps were quick. Purposeful. The blue robes swayed with each step. The fabric rustled against the floor. Hyoren followed her. His arms held Elise tight. His bloodshot eyes remained focused. His berserker-fueled body carried them both. Towards hope.

***

They arrived at the room. It seemed to be a room for patients. The space was clean. Organized. There were two beds. The mattresses were covered with white sheets. Many bottles of potions lined the shelves. The liquids inside were various colors. A basin to sterilize. The water was clean. And many apparatus and tools. The instruments were arranged neatly. Metal gleamed under the light. Glass reflected the glow from the lanterns.

Oria then gestured to one of the beds. Her hand pointed toward the empty mattress. Then Hyoren put Elise there. He lowered her gently and carefully. Her body settled onto the sheets. Her silver hair spread across the pillow. Her breathing was still shallow. Still weak. Her eyes is still closed.

"Elise, you will be safe. Your friend Oria will save you."

He caressed her head. Her silver hair for the last time. The strands were soft beneath his fingers. The texture was familiar and precious. Then he stood. His legs were still shaking from the berserker. His muscles still burned.

Oria stepped forward. She shifted her monocle. The glass adjusted. The focus sharpened. Then her eyes were shining and her hands moving on top of Elise's body. A soft glow emanated from her palms. The blue light was glowing pale. Ethereal. It was like she was performing a scan on her. The glow moved across Elise's form. Passed over her torso. Her arms. Her legs. The light pulsed, shifted and reacted.

After a while, she faced Hyoren. The glow faded from her hands. The examination was complete.

"Her wound is awful... seven of her ribs are broken. She got a laceration on her abdomen and her liver got sliced. The first aid seems to be holding her for now.”

She crossed her arms.

“But you are right. Her condition is so severe. She lost more than half of her blood. Just slightly more, and she would be dead few hours ago. And if she didn’t get treated soon, her life will be in danger"

Her eyes moved to her arms. And gesturing to it with her chin.

"And her wrist. You did this?"

Hyoren nodded. The motion was tired. Relieved.

"Yeah..."

Oria nodded. The approval was genuine. Surprised.

"Good job. I see her arm was severed, but reattached well. At least the muscle and blood vessels are connected properly.”

She tapped her chins

“The nerve though... it's misaligned slightly. But for now, I will prioritize her more severe condition."

Hyoren exhaled a relieved breath. The tension released. The fear subsided. She could be saved. He was a bit worried about the misalignment of her wrist nerve. The concern lingered. The worry remained.

He cursed himself in his mind. The frustration was real. But it was his first time suturing, reattaching amputated limbs, and using healing magic. The result was already outstanding enough. The achievement was significant. The success was real.

"You can save her, Oria?"

Oria nodded. Her silver hair swayed with the motions. The certainty was clear.

"I don't have Elixir to fully heal her instantly. Or high grade potion to make her recover quickly…” 

Her pointed ears twitched.

“But I have plenty of medium grade potions, and drugs to recover blood loss. She will be saved. But it might take a few days before she opens her eyes..."

Hyoren nodded. That was enough. The relief was profound. He would wait patiently. As long as she could be saved. As long as her life would not be extinguished.

"Thank you. Oria. Please save her."

He bowed to her. The gesture was deep. Sincere. Grateful.

Oria then worked. She picked a few bottles of potions and other liquid from the shelf. Her hands moved quickly and efficiently.

She also took some kind of tools which Hyoren instantly recognized as an infusion set. Needles. IV line. Tubes. Tools. The instruments were familiar. The shape was recognizable for him who are trained to be a doctor on earth.

The tools was slightly different. The needles were connected to some kind of magic tool with glowing runes. The symbols pulsed with light. And the magic tools had tubes which were also inscribed with runic arrays. The markings glowed softly. It was like modern infusion set met with magic tools. The fusion was seamless and elegant.

He widened his eyes. The recognition was clear. He thought, even in magic civilization there was similar practice in medicine.

"Oria, what are those needles and tubes for?"

Oria answered without facing him. Her hands were busy. Preparing to insert the needle on Elise's right hand.

"These are tools to administer potions and drugs directly to the human body.”

She touched, palpate, and checked Elise’s right hand. Looking for the veins to insert the needle. 

“She is unconscious. She can't drink potions. And administering potions and drugs directly to blood vessels will make the healing process faster."

She inserted the needles. The motion was precise. Expert. The needle slid beneath the skin. Into the vein.

Elise didn't stir. The connection to the IV line was made.

Then she connected the tubes to one of the bottles. The liquid was green. Then manipulated the tools. The runes glowed brighter. The magic activated. The liquid from bottles slowly dripped through the tubes, to Elise's body. The flow was steady and regulated.

Oria stood. The procedure was done.

"I will give her many medium grade potions and blood regeneration drugs."

She looked at Elise. The gaze was assessing. Clinical.

"If we got healer with advanced healing magic, all these tools and potions are not needed.”

She turned to Hyoren. Her long silver hair which was almost the same as Elise’s swayed with her quick motion. 

“But the one who got that kind of magic in Akela is the Archbishop of Luminara's Church. And we don't know if he is available now to save single unknown person…”

She crossed her arms. Her expression is cynical. 

“And we don't even knew how much the church would ask for the 'generous donation' which expected from the one who receive such advanced healing magic."

Oria grimaced. The frustration was evident. The system was unfair.

Hyoren understood. Even in magic civilization, not many could afford or get advanced healing magic. So masses needed to rely on potions and drugs for less effective treatment from other sources.

Individuals with advanced healing magic were not available freely. So only a handful of nobles or wealthy merchants, who could pay premium, could afford it. The reality was harsh. The disparity was clear.

He then looked at Oria. The gratitude was overwhelming.

"Thank you Oria. This is already enough. As long as Elise's life can be saved..."

Oria turned to face him. And smiled. The expression was warm. Genuine.

"Don't mention it. Elise is my best friend. I won't stay still when she is in danger..."

Now, Elise would be saved. She would need time before she recovered. But her life wouldn't be in danger anymore. The fear was fading. The hope was restored. The future was possible.

***

Hyoren then gritted his teeth. The tension was building. The moment was coming.

Elise's problem was done. She was safe. Oria was treating her. The potions dripped steadily through the tubes. The color returned slightly to her pale skin. So he could stop using Berserker. The skill had served its purpose. The time had come to pay the price.

He counted backward. The math was brutal. He had already used Berserker for more than one hour. About one hour and fifteen minutes. The backlash would be severe. The agony would be intense. The cost would be tremendous.

He needed to tell Oria, or she would panic. The warning was necessary. The explanation was required. He didn't want her to waste precious potions on him when they wouldn't help.

"Oria. Now that Elise is saved, I need to tell you something. My current state. It's caused by skill."

He gestured over his body. The hulking muscle. The red streaks of vein pulsed beneath his skin. The bloodshot eyes. The transformation was obviously inhuman, almost monster-like. The berserker state had twisted his form into something monstrous.

Oria shifted her monocles. The glass adjusted. The lens caught the light from the lanterns. The focus sharpened. Her eyes assessed him with her own Aethell Sense. Her sapphire eyes glowing.

"I see. I suspected so. I won't ask what skill it is. But is there any problem?"

The elven alchemist was knowledgeable. She was small, almost child-like in body. Her stature was deceptive. But it seemed she was at least as old as Elise, or even older. Decades of experience. Decades of knowledge. She had seen things. She had known things. Her sapphire eyes held depths that her youthful face betrayed.

She seemed to already understand the skill was not normal. No normal skill she knew had this kind of effect. And her own Aethell Sense already saw some sign of something powerful behind the skill. Divine power. The signature was clear. The source was obvious. The resonance was unmistakable. Whatever granted him this power, it came from something far greater.

But she was someone who never pried for another's secret. If he wouldn't tell, she wouldn't chase. The respect was genuine. The boundary was clear. She knew when to push and when to step back.

"Yes. This skill will give me backlash when I deactivate it…”

He looked up. Trying to look away from reality. But he knew it was futile. He then looked back at Oria.

“Oria… The longer I use it, the more severe the backlash is. Before this, I used it only for fifteen minutes. I was bedridden for almost five hours. And this time, I already used this for over one hour. So I might be bedridden for days..."

He straightened his posture. His spine was rigid. His shoulders pulled back. The posture was formal. He needed her to understand. To not waste resources on him when nothing would help.

“So Oria, don’t be surprised by what comes after this. I don’t need any treatment. No potions or healing magic is going to help. So just let me sleep on the bed after I fainted.”

Oria furrowed her brow. The concern was evident. The worry was genuine. She had never heard of such a skill which had that severe backlash. The magnitude was unprecedented. Her suspicion was confirmed. The danger was real. But she nodded. The acceptance was granted. The acknowledgment was given.

"Fine. You can sleep on that bed after this..."

Hyoren nodded. The gratitude was clear. The appreciation was sincere.

"Thank you, Oria."

He then sat on the bed. The mattress sank beneath his weight. The sheets were cool against his skin. The pillow was soft behind his head. The bed was empty beside Elise's. The space was small. Cramped, but sufficient. Then he deactivated his Unique Skill Berserker.

The change began immediately.

The muscle bulging receded. The mass diminished. The size returned to normal. His shoulders narrowed. His arms shrank. His chest compressed.

The red streak vein disappeared. The lines faded from his skin. The crimson marks withdrew.

His bloodshot eyes returned to serene dark eyes. The whites cleared. The pupils normalized. The transformation reversed. The power withdrew. The divine energy retreated from his muscles, his bones, his blood. The borrowed strength fled. The artificial enhancement ended.

Then after a few seconds, the pain hit.

The searing pain which he had never felt assaulted him. The sensation was overwhelming. All-consuming. It came from everywhere. Nowhere. Inside him. Outside him. The pain transcended location. It transcended intensity. It simply was.

It was like a hot knife was plunged into every cell of his body. Billions of tiny blades. Cutting. Searing. Twisting. Each nerve ending was a separate universe of agony. Each muscle fiber was a world of fire.

It was like his every muscle was torn then replaced then torn again. The cycle repeated. Endless. Merciless. The fibers knotted then unknotted then knotted again.

It was like he was dropped into molten lava, but he wouldn't melt. The heat was too intense for combustion. The fire was too pure for destruction. So he only felt the lava burning him constantly.

His brain was overloaded with the painful sensation. The signals were too much. The input was unbearable. The processing failed. The reasoning collapsed.

The last Berserker backlash felt tame compared to this. It was like the last Berserker backlash was just an itch. This was something else. This was something worse. This was pain on a scale he had never imagined.

Every cell of his body was screaming in pain.

The nerves were on fire. The muscles were breaking. The bones were vibrating with agony. His blood felt like molten metal flowing through his veins. His organs felt like they were being crushed and rebuilt simultaneously.

His body started to convulse. The spasms were violent. His back arched. His limbs flailed. His jaw clenched so hard. The bed shook beneath him. The sheets twisted around his thrashing form.

"Arrghhhhh... ugggh... uuuuuuhhh. ARRRGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

A soul-shattering scream unleashed from Hyoren's mouth. The sound was raw and primal.  It came from somewhere deeper than his throat. Somewhere deeper than his chest.

The scream came from his soul. His very essence. His scream echoed in the small room. The walls vibrated with the sound. The lanterns flickered. The glass bottles on the shelves rattled. The air itself seemed to shatter. The frequency was wrong. Too raw. Too real.

Towards outside. Into the street. The door was closed but the sound penetrated. Through walls. Through windows. Through the very air itself. In the radius of a few hundred meters from her shop, his scream could still be heard.

The sound carried. The agony broadcast. The passerby, merchants, adventurers, city residents,  all paused in their evening routines. Heads turned. Eyes widened. The echo of pure suffering reached ears across the district.

He screamed for the whole ten minutes. The time stretched. Minutes felt like hours. Hours felt like days. The agony was timeless.

His throat was almost broken. The vocal cords were damaged. His scream turned to shriek after a while.

Then there was a silent scream. His mouth opened. His lungs pushed. His chest heaved. But no sound came. The voice was gone. The throat was ruined. Then, finally, the convulsions stopped. And stayed unmoving on the bed. His dark eyes dimmed.

Oria widened her eyes. The shock was profound. This exceeded her expectations. She was expecting mild pain then fainting. Maybe some groaning. Maybe some writhing.

Not this. Not this soul-rending scream and convulsing body. Not this ten minutes of pure agony. Not this complete collapse of a human being. The reality was far worse. The agony was far greater. The cost was far higher than she had imagined.

The last view Hyoren saw was panicked Oria who ran towards him. Her small feet barely touched the ground. Her blue robes billowed behind her. Her face was twisted with concern. Her mouth was moving. Forming words. Shouting something. But no sound reached his ears.

The world had gone silent. The darkness enveloped him.