They ran through the liminal space as fast as they could, emerging back in the cave they had first entered. There were a throng of low level skeletons milling about in the cave, but Mirai drew her Glaive and knocked them into each other, creating a tangle of bony limbs and clacking jaws.

Edgar ran as fast as he could, ignoring the skeletons and sprinting through the exit. He had about three health left. He ran and ran, the pain in his shoulder spiking with every step and watched his heath drop to two points. Finally, [Overdrive] came off cooldown and he activated it, flying down the road until the gates finally came into view. The archer was still standing on top of the wall, staring out in Edgars direction.

Next to the archer, was…

“Raiden! Let me in. Gotta see Heather!”

The words were barely out of his mouth when he heard a sound like lightning crashing all around him. The next moment he was lying on the bed in Heather’s apothecary.

“Heather!” Raiden’s voice boomed.

“Edgar! Is it an affliction?” She said, sprinting into the room, hands already glowing with magic.

Edgar could feel himself getting faint as his health dropped to its final point.

“I got… rot…”

Heather activated her healing skill and a flower bloomed in front of him. Its petals unfurled around him, drooping all the way to the floor. It was the same skill she had used on Mirai. The petals glowed with magic, filling enclosure with a healing light. Edgar could feel the black mark on his shoulder throb, and then begin retreating.

“Don’t worry, honey.” Heather pushed aside the petals and stepped inside.

“Can you hear me, Edgar? I need you to remove your armor. Quickly now.”

Edgar did so, barely able to muster enough focus to keep himself awake. Once it was off, Edgar looked down at his shoulder and watched as the black mark from the rot disappeared.

Condition Removed: [Rot]

Edgar sighed, collapsing backwards on the bed.

That was way too close for comfort…

The wound itself began closing too. It was a deep wound, but he could feel the flesh slowly growing back together. He was grateful to see a point of health recover as well.

Outside the enclosure, he heard a door slam open.

“Is he here?”

“He’s here, Mir.”

Through the translucent petals, he could make out Raiden’s silhouette laying a hand on Mirai’s shoulder.

“We’ll be at the inn, Edgar! Heather, put this on my tab, will you?”

Heather poked her head out of the enclosure. “They’re ones! I wasn’t even thinking of charging them for this.”

“Please, I insist. Thank you, Heather.”

She shrugged, returning to Edgar’s side. “If you insist.”

He heard the door close as Raiden and Mirai left.

“Thank you, Heather.”

She smiled warmly. “Let me work, honey. I’ll check for any other injuries. The arrow took a chip off your bone, so I’ll brew you something to help with the recovery. You’ll be in some pain for a day.”

“It’s already much better than it was. I really thought I might…” He drifted off, the thought of how close he had been to death finally sinking in as the adrenaline faded.

Heather glanced at him as she rolled him over onto his side with one hand, glancing at his back and poking at it with her fingers.

“Does that hurt?”

“No.”

She kept examining him, poking and prodding. When she found a bruise or cut, she’d watch to make sure the aura of her flower was enough to heal it before moving on.

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“That was your first rift, huh?”

“Kind of my second, but… I don’t think the first one counted.”

“They all count.” Her voice was heavy. “We should be grateful every time we step through that portal and come back.”

Edgar nodded.

She kept prodding, peeking under his armor to check his family jewels.

“Hey!”

Heather looked at him for a long moment. “You have fewer injuries than we were expecting.”

“Who’s we? And why were you expecting injuries? We did decently, all things considered.”

She chuckled. “Maybe so… I remember my first few dungeons. No one died—thank Pharaoh—but, I definitely remember poking one of my party members with a sword…”

Edgar chuckled and Heather’s face warmed up.

“I’m glad to see you smiling. Facing death is not a small thing and I’m here if you ever want to talk. Physical injuries are quick to heal, but the emotional and mental ones can take time.”

Edgar moved to sit up in the bed. “I think I’m feeling better. My health’s already at… seven.”

Heather wagged a finger strictly. “You stay right there! Don't even think about leaving without that bone regrowth serum.”

She stepped between the flower petals and Edgar could hear her grabbing materials from around the shop, grinding them in some sort of mortar and pestle. Then, splashes of liquid and the clink of glass. Finally, she reappeared with the potion in hand, the glow of a skill at work as she shook the potion one last time.

“There, that should fix you right up. One swig a day until it's gone. No harm in taking it after you’re healed. If anything, you’ll walk a bit straighter afterwards, maybe less back pain, etc. The only harm would be not taking it. You better not let me catch you not taking my medicine!”

The heat in her gaze caught him off guard, after seeing so much thoughtfulness and caring. “I’ll know.”

Edgar gulped. “Yes, Mamn! I mean no!? I mean… I’ll take it!”

He stood and took the vial. As he moved his arm, a potent, deep ache radiated from his shoulder.

Heather’s look softened. “Take the first swig now. It will help with the pain, I promise.”

Edgar unstoppered the vial and put it to his lips. Even just lifting the vial to his lips sent pain radiating through his chest and arm, forcing him to switch hands.

After the swig, a small warmth bloomed inside his chest and the pain soothed. It wasn’t gone, but he the improvement was noticeable.

“Now, rest. Don’t put any strain on that shoulder today or tomorrow.”

He hadn’t even realized his health was back to full. It was odd to see it at full and still feel the deep ache in his shoulder, but clearly there were types of wounds that needed more advanced healing. It was good to know. If he lost a limb, without some advanced regeneration magic, it would probably stay lost. Although, that also meant in a pinch he’d be able to bandage whatever remained and recover all his HP.

Enough dire thinking for one day.

He nodded to Heather.

“Thanks again, Heather. You’re a lifesaver. I f-heal wonderful.”

“Ugh, to the inn with you!” Giving her best mock frown at his pun.

Edgar smiled and left, stepping out onto the road. The weather was just as gloomy as when they had left three days ago, and there wasn’t a soul to be seen in the town. The only light came from the inn down the road.

He put the vial safely in his inventory and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. His hunger made itself well known as he made his way to the inn and pushed open the front doors.

“Eyyy!”

“Oi, the kid’s back!”

“The one’s in one piece! Well done, kid!”

“To our two favorite ones, cheers!”

Edgar felt hands steering him towards a table decked with food. Mirai was already sitting there, her cheeks bulging with potatoes. As soon as she saw him, she smiled. He could see bags under her eyes, but there was a spark there, fighting off the tiredness.

Raiden was waiting for him too. He smiled warmly as Edgar dropped heavily into one of the chairs and began pushing food on him. A plate of sausages caught his nose and moments later he had one skewered on each claw, munching happily. Mirai couldn’t seem to let go of the bowl of hashed potatoes. The crowd cheered them on.

Various times, tankards were pushed on them, accompanied with riots of cheers and clanking. Mirai’s cheeks were getting rosy and he realized he was feeling tipsy. Eventually, the crowd died down and left them alone.

Raiden was laughing at something Mirai said when he realized all the sausages were gone. He was completely and totally full, but somehow he knew he could have squeezed down one more.

Those are pretty damn tasty.

Raiden gestured to one of the servers and a boy with a goofy smile came to stack their plates and carry them back into the kitchen to be washed.

“Alright, your room is waiting for you, but you’re not setting foot in there until we clean you up. You guys smell like a cartload of dead people.”

Edgar laughed until he realized a zombie had literally been on top of him. He sniffed himself as discreetly as he could manage, but he just couldn’t smell it. His nose had already adjusted to whatever horrible smells were lingering on him. He cringed, thinking of all the people that had been celebrating them and what they must have been smelling.

“Oh, don’t sweat it. It’s normal to come back from a rift smelling like pure ass. There’s a hot spring not far from here and you can leave your clothes and armor here to be washed while you bathe. Emily has robes for you.”

A look of blissful happiness settled on Mirai’s face. Edgar had only ever read about bathing in hot springs, but it sounded like heaven.

~~~~~~~~~~

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