Half-Bloods R • 2 : Growing Shadows

C • 24 : Gentlest of Flames, Night of Stars

He opened his eyes and found his hand held tightly in Demi's, his girlfriend curled up tightly against him, breathing gently as she slept. He huffed a breath of relief as he stared at her, took in her scent, and reached for her face with his left hand but found a blank stump devoid of its typical black manaskin. He glared at his shoulder stump for a moment and forced manaskin to grow, forming a grey-black arm, and placed his new hand against Demi's cheek. She flinched at his touch, but soon after pressed back against his hand and sighed in her slumber.

He tilted his head and looked at his legs, his old scars from when he tore open his legs escaping collapsed rubble were no longer covered by the manaskin that formed odd lines on his legs. He removed his hand from Demi's face and ran it down his side, feeling the covered burn scar from his recent battle.

They lay in a pale hospital bed, Demi barely fitting but determined to lay with him. No wires were plugged into him, bandages were wrapped around most of his body beneath the hospital gown, and an ECG beeped and displayed his steady heart rate. He sighed with a shallow grin, he was alive.

He felt Demi stir in her sleep and watched with a smile as she slowly woke up over the next few minutes. Her eyes slowly blinked open, closed for a second, then opened again. Out of instinct, she pressed against Vaelan before looking at his face and realizing with a massive smile that he was awake. She immediately pressed deeper into his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him, making him hiss as her arm brushed his burn.

"Vaevae!" She shouted as pulled herself up and began blanketing himself in kisses.

"You slept in my hospital bed?" He asked.

"Of course I did after the stunt you pulled!" She gave him a final kiss. "Villin dragged you back with that spell eating away at your body, a few more minutes and it would started devouring your heart!"

"She's safe?"

"Perfectly healthy compared to you, luv, I was so scared. The doctors spent hours just trying to remove that curse, and even longer trying to reverse its damage," she went quiet and laid silently against him. They sat silently for a long while before Demi began to push away, "I should go get the doctors."

"Okay," he whispered, watching as she left the room.

After a few minutes, Demi returned with a doctor, a tall dark skinned man with green eyes and braided black hair, a black beard covering his face.

"Morning Vaelan, how you feeling?" He man asked in a deep voice.

"I feel like getting out of here," Vaelan said bluntly.

The doctor laughed, "Not to worry man, we'll have you and your partner here going back to the comfort of home soon."

Sure, soon.

Vaelan cooperated with and silently sat through his tests while Demi joked and made conversation with the doctor, he couldn't help but smile when she laughed, he couldn't feel it as strongly as he should, but he was happier than ever to have her back, to be back with her.

When the tests were over, Demi and Vaelan had to wait another hour and a half before being able to leave. While they waited, Vaelan studied his arms and focused on the soreness of his body. After he used the spell, his physical body began to deteriorate and rot away due to the spell's built-in curse, it made a massive hole in his gut, ate away half of his intestines, most of his stomach, and began eating at the outer layer of his heart. His bones had been thinned out and a large amount of his blood had been evaporated. The hospital had hemomancers and vitalimancers work for two whole days to transfer compatible skin, blood, bones, and organs. A nullimancer doctor was brought in to remove the curse and its magical effects, and now Vaelan was awake, his body formed from bodies that weren't his own. The only parts that couldn't be restored were his oldest wounds, the holes in his legs, and his missing arms.

He pulled Demi close and rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said.

"For what, Vaevae?"

"I could've died, I was entirely ready to just give up and throw everything away, I'm sorry," he took her hand in his.

"You've always been ready to do that, even in Crimson Homes, I'm just happy you didn't," tears fell down her cheeks.

Was I really always ready to die? I guess I was if it was Demi or Villin, they're the only ones who matter. At least that's what I think, although I know everyone else matters too.

Eventually, the doctor came back and told them the summary of his condition and how he should rest for a short while. When he was done, Demi and Vaelan began getting ready to leave, she quickly leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Come on," she led him away. "Let's go home."