Paper Hearts (Nozel x OC)

38. The overcoming

Summary:

Spoilers for BC episodes up to 120

Helena passed out from injuries after her last fight. What happens now?

Chapter Text

Pain woke her up. She had no idea what happened and why did it hurt so much. Her ears were ringing. She tried blinking her eyes open.

Two faces appeared in front of her. Their mouths were open and they were creating shapes with their lips. The light hurt too, but she tried to look at them. Decipher what message they had.

He , that was the first syllable.

Helena .

Her name. The memories struck her like lightning. They flooded in so quickly, that she nearly forgot how much pain she was in.

Helena slowly looked down at her torso. Her clothes were ripped in multiple spots. She was wrapped in bandages. Paper badges , her magic. They were doing their job. Pain was subsiding. She lifted her palm and touched her head. The sounds were becoming understandable.

"Helena!" Dina cried.

"You're awake," there were tears on Eric's face. "Thank god."

Her friends were leaning over her. Both of their arms reached out. Two healers were doing their best to help with the recovery process. Helena felt their magic transfer to her body.

"The enemy?" She remembered and panicked, looking at the place where she had defeated him. The Golden Dawn knight was no longer there.

"He fled," Dina spoke in an angry tone. "Probably to lick his wounds."

Helena used her arms to help herself sit down. At least her head stopped spinning now. Her body was still hurting, but because of her own and her friend's healing magic it was bearable and she could move. Helena had to admit that getting hurt with healers around was not the worst thing that could have happened. She was also surprised that when she needed it her bandage spell activated on its own. Her desire to continue on living and knowledge, that she was not done with this world, had to subconsciously trigger it.

"How long was I out?" She groaned.

"Not too long," Eric answered. "We pulled you out right away and your bandages began to heal you on their own," he explained.

Helena nodded. She could hear sounds of fighting from all over the capital. The struggle was still ongoing.

She furrowed her brows and by the sheer strength of willpower, supported herself with her arms and tried to stand up. Helena was hurting, but she needed to keep going.

"What are you doing?" Dina screeched and Eric held her in place, by placing his arms on top of her shoulders. "You're in no state to fight anymore."

"She's right, we should evacuate," he admitted.

"No," Helena clenched her teeth and shrugged off Eric's hands. "I need to get to the castle," she announced in a struggling, but determined tone.

"But Helena," Dina looked at her worriedly, "your wounds and mana?"

"Don't you worry about my mana," Helena hissed. "I still have some left. I'm a Royal after all."

The redhead's gaze dropped. Eric furrowed his brows.

"Still your wounds are severe," he added. "You should regenerate first. Let your bandages do the work."

"They will cure me on the way," she said, annoyed with her friends' objections.