Ray came too in the middle of the desolate field. It took him a few moments to gain his bearings when a mental prodding in the corner of his mind pulled his attention.

  “Your back!” he yelled internally.

  The consciousness acknowledged Ray’s celebration and sent one of its own.

  Ray pushed himself to his feet, getting his bearings once more when his eyes fell upon an unconscious form.

  “Erith!” he cried, running over. He scooped her into his arms, removing her from a large red puddle. “No, no, no,” he muttered, looking from her face to the pool of blood.

  An incantation flew from his lips, and a portal appeared, taking him to a healer within Promises Echo.

  “I need help!” he shouted, bursting through the door, holding Erith tightly.

  “What’s wrong?” a woman clad in a white robe asked, walking from behind a nearby desk.

  “She was hit in the head and hasn’t been responding since.”

  Ray followed the woman as she continued asking him questions and led him to a back room where he placed Erith on a metal table. Golden light poured from the woman’s hands and spilled over Erith. Ray nervously taped his leg, sitting in the corner of the room and watching the process. The healer’s expression darkened as she continued the process. The golden glow receded, and she turned toward Ray.

  “I–Is she going to be ok?” he asked.”

  The healer shook her head. “She is stable for now, but there is a large portion of mental damage I am not able to fix.”

  “What are you saying?” Ray asked with bated breath.

  “I’m sorry, but unless you know a healer one or above the first stage of ascension, it is doubtful she will ever wake up.”

  Ray’s voice caught as he was about to speak, but a small wave of relief soon washed over him as he thought the words over. He knew a healer above the first stage of ascension, but getting her help would cost him everything. He looked down at Erith’s face. A sacrifice he was willing to make.

  Ray lifted Erith from the table. “Thank you,” he muttered, walking out of the room before teleporting to the castle.

  He arrived in front of the large set of doors marking the entrance to Zenith’s room, and with a deep inhalation, he yelled. “Zenith, I need your help.”

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  The doors slowly creaked open, revealing a grinning woman behind them. She looked from Erith to Ray and waved her hand. Golden light sorounded the two cleaning off all the dirt and blood that had clung to their cothing.

  “Now that you’re presentable. What can I do for you?” she asked.

  “I don’t care what it costs me, just please save Erith.”

  Her grin grew wider to an inhuman degree. “Set her down and let me take a look.”

  Ray followed her instructions, placing Erith on the ground.

  Zenith knelt and placed her hand on Erith’s chest. “Hmm.”

  “Can you fix it?”

  “I can, but it’s going to take a few months, if not years, and I expect you to perform certain tasks for me while she heals and pledge eternal loyalty to me and my family before I begin.”

  Ray gritted his teeth, but one glance at Erith was all the reassurance he needed. “Deal.”

  “Wonderful!” She held out her hand, and a contract reiterating the terms of their agreement manifested in front of him.

  Ray accepted the terms.

  “Good, I will get started on the treatment,” she said as Erith’s body rose into the air on a disk of golden mana. “You have one week until you start your first task. I would recommend you use it wisely.” She turned and walked back through the double door with Erith floating behind her.

  “Wait, where can I find Nevala?”

  “She should be in the room next to yours.” Zenith waved her hand, and the doors closed behind her.

  Ray sighed and, with a quick incantation, appeared back in his room. He gently sat on the bed, clasping his hands. While relieved that Erith would be okay, he still could not help but feel a pang of grief whenever he looked at her belongings. Wallowing won’t help anyone, he told himself, standing from the bed and exiting the room. He followed Zenith’s instructions, arriving at another door similar to his own. He went to knock but hesitated for a second before sighing and tapping the door three times.

  “It’s open,” Nevala said with a sniffle.

  Ray opened the door and stepped into the room, closing it behind him. “Hey,” he said in a light tone.

  “Hey,” Nevala responded, still sniffling.

  “I uh I’m sorry.”

  Nevala looked up at Ray. Her eyes were red and puffy. “He–” she stopped choking on the words. She sighed. “He would have taken that fight no matter what. It’s not your fault, and I don’t blame you.”

  Ray walked over and sat next to her. “It almost seems like yesterday, he would mindlessly follow Ren around.” Ray let out a slight chuckle before looking down at the ground. “I can’t believe the him from today and the him from back then are the same person. I can’t believe how good of a friend he has become.” A wet sensation ran down Ray’s cheek and fell to his clasped hands.

  Nevala put her hand on his back. They sat for a while without saying a word before they both composed themselves again.

  “So, did you kill that bastard?”

  Ray nodded. “We did, but it’s going to be a while before Erith recovers from the fight.”

  Nevala clamped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, I–I should have stayed to help you.”

  Ray shook his head. “He’s dead, and with Zenith’s help, Erith should be back on her feet within a few months. It’s better that you weren’t hurt, especially with.” He nodded toward her stomach.

  Nevala sighed. “Still, I’m sorry I placed that burden on you.”

  They chatted for a while longer before Ray excused himself and made his way down to the workshop. He had a few old and new items he wanted to make to prepare for his first task. He exchanged pleasantries with Freia, giving her a shortened version of what had happened. When they were done talking, he grabbed her blueprint book, opened it, and selected several slabs while rolling out a new piece of parchment. He didn’t know what Zenith had in store for him, but there was no chance he would be going in unprepared.

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