As the surgery commenced, Kat created a dome of energy that blocked the outside world from the inside. She poured mana into Mia in a way that would close the metaphysical hole in her body. Normally, such damage would be fatal, but Mia was alive. The only reason Kat knew how to treat it was due to her occasional encounters with minor metaphysical injuries caused by powerful spells gone wrong. Yet, what she faced now was unlike anything she had ever seen.
Mia felt something pouring into her, something she tried to brace herself for, but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer agony that followed. It felt like someone was repeatedly stabbing her chest while pouring salt and sand into the wound. The pain was excruciating, beyond anything she had ever experienced. Soon, she was screaming, the sound echoing within the confines of the energy dome.
Time lost all meaning for Mia. There were only moments of unbearable pain and moments of slightly less pain. In her brief respites, she tried to resist, to push Kat away, but her efforts were futile. The pain was a necessary evil, or so she tried to tell herself. It was better to endure this agony now than to suffer later.
As the surgery progressed, the pain evolved. At times, it felt like someone was running a spear through her, hot and spiked, coated in pepper juice. Mia couldn't even tell if she was really screaming or just trying to. She lost her bearings on herself and the surroundings. She was a vessel of pain, nothing more.
At some point, she noticed herself fighting Kat, but she was too weak. It felt like her body was being crushed by invisible forces, her bones ground to dust, then glued back together only to be crushed again. The dome around the table vanished, adding a new layer of fear to Mia's torment. She wanted to stop this, to end it all, but she was trapped, helpless against the onslaught of agony.
The pain reached levels that made Mia genuinely wish for death. Just when she thought she couldn't endure any more, it ceased, and she fell into a peaceful slumber.
Going back a little
As Kat continued her work, she could sense Mia's powerful will flare up. Mia fought to ascend to the next level of cultivation unconsciously, but Kat couldn't allow it. Ascending now would mean certain death for the girl. Her power was all-consuming, forcing Kat to focus solely on the surgery spell. The screams and cries of pain echoed through the room as the isolation barrier came down. Some members of Mia's family began to hear the multitude of screams, cries and occasional insults from Mia and tried to interfere. Luckily Jin stopped them. Love can make people do dumb stuff against their best interests.
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Three days later Kat managed to finally heal Mia. Her family was all outside and the moment she told them that it was done they swarmed the room to check on Mia who was sleeping quite deeply. Kat took that moment to take some alcohol from a cabinet nearby and drink it down. This type of surgery was not something she ever wanted to do again.
“Can you explain what was happening? Why was she screaming and why did it take so long?” Marry asked Kat after she checked Mia. Everyone else, besides Jin, also wanted to know.
“First, the screaming was going to happen anyway, the procedure is quite painful and her damage was really extensive. As for why it took so long... Your daughter is a beast. The moment she could ascend, she unconsciously tried. It took everything I had left to keep her will in check so she wouldn't kill herself and even then as she was being healed she gradually ascended anyway. If not for her situation, studying the process of a 10 year old girl ascending would make a good medical study.”
With the explanation completed, the family engulfed Kat and Jin in a group hug, tears of relief and gratitude streaming down their faces as the last of their worries was washed away by Kat's explanation. Kat felt something awaken within her, something she hadn't felt in a long time.
“Thank you! Thank you! You saved my daughter, if you ever need anything I will do my best to help. Marry said with tears of happiness in her eyes.
“Yes, you are our savior. You too mister Jin, I will do my utmost to repay this debt.” Huang said confidently, trying to hold back tears.
“Yeah, me too.” Kai said. The others joined the chorus, even Elara who barely knew Mia.
“Ha! If anything, this is them paying me back.” Liza said somewhat sarcastically. Everyone understood it as even she was showing appreciation her own way to Jin and Kat.
“Well if you really want to pay me back you could... You could...Some good food would be good, after I take a good night of sleep.” Kat said as she blushed. She tried to joke about taking the man for a spin in her bed but the genuine gratitude she was receiving was too much to repay with a crude joke.
With Mia now on the road to recovery, the entire family returned to their new house, their lives changed during the past week. Mia was whole again, and they were ready to start a new chapter together once she woke up.