The Blades and The Gauntlets [Vi x fem!oc]

Chapter V: The Attempt

Mila's world was a mix of pain and darkness, her mind trapped in the space between life and death. Voices echoed around her, disjointed and far away, like they were trying to reach her from the other side of a thick, suffocating fog. The sensation of being pulled between the two worlds was overwhelming, but eventually, the pain anchored her back to reality.

She awoke to the sterile scent of antiseptic and the low noise of machinery. Her body ached with every breath, her chest feeling like it had been crushed under the weight of the world. For a long moment, she just lay there, eyes closed, letting the reality of her survival sink in. She was alive, but the cost of that clawed at her heart.

When she finally opened her eyes, the world came into blurry focus. A nurse hovered over her, adjusting the various tubes and wires that were connected to her frail form. The nurse's face softened when she saw Mila's eyes flutter open.

"You're awake," the nurse said softly, her voice filled with a relief that seemed strange to Mila. She felt anything but relieved. "You've been through a lot. Try not to move too much."

Her lips were dry, her throat burning as she tried to form words. "Where... am I?" she croaked, barely recognizing the sound of her own voice.

The nurse gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. "You're in Piltover General Hospital. You were found in the wreckage of a building in Zaun and brought here. You're safe now."

Safe. The word felt foreign, almost absurd. How could she be safe when everything and everyone she had known had been ripped away? Memories of the explosion, of the screams, of Vi's face twisted in anguish, flooded back to her, and with them came a tidal wave of grief and guilt.

"Vi..." Mila whispered, the name slipping from her lips like a prayer. "Where... where is she?"

The nurse's expression faltered slightly, a shadow passing over her face. "I'm afraid I don't know who that is, dear. You were brought here alone. But you need to rest now. Your body needs time to heal."

Her heart sank, the uncertainty gnawing at her like a festering wound. She wanted to scream, to demand answers, but her body betrayed her, too weak to do anything more than lie there, helpless and alone.

As the nurse continued to fuss over her, adjusting the bandages on her wrists and the IV drip that fed her weakened body, Mila's thoughts turned inward, spiraling into a dark abyss. The last thing she remembered was the explosion - the moment everything fell apart. She had seen Vander fall, had heard Vi's cries, and then... nothing.

Was Vi alive? Had she made it out? The thought of losing her - of losing everyone -was unbearable, and yet it was a possibility she couldn't ignore. The uncertainty of it all clawed at her, leaving her restless even in her weakened state.

As the days passed, the physical pain began to dull, but the emotional wounds remained as raw as ever. Mila was trapped in that sterile hospital room, her mind a battlefield of grief, guilt, and a burning need for answers. The nurses and doctors who came and went were kind, but they offered no solace, no clues about the fate of her friends.

She was alone, and the isolation was suffocating.

Days blurred into weeks, marked by a routine that felt both comforting and oppressive. Mila's body was healing - slowly, painfully - but her mind remained fractured, haunted by the memories of that night in Zaun. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the faces of her friends - Mylo's mischievous grin, Claggor's reassuring presence, Powder's innocent eyes, and Vander's stern but loving gaze. And then there was Vi, her expression a mix of pain and fury, the last thing Mila had seen before everything went dark.

"Vi..." Mila whispered to herself constantly, as if saying the name would somehow summon her friend, bring her back to her side. But the silence that followed was deafening.