Voices blended together, his vision started to blur... As exhaustion and pain took over him, Virno was transported to an unknown place within his mind... The sound of rustling leaves, the warmth of the sun shining through the tree branches... He found himself in the middle of a forest. The sunset painted the scenery with a warm color.

Virno walked through the trees, wandering peacefully and calmly through the woods [https://img.wattpad.com/f48e8e2b4b20cefab41093dad1fb6bc0272c712b/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6f424352652d41634c7242636b413d3d2d313330363937313834332e313734613164313030626536383838643437343136373932393933302e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Virno walked through the trees, wandering peacefully and calmly through the woods. Then, a voice beckoned him, tantalizingly...

Disembodied voice: Why have you not come seek me yet...? Why do you wait?

Suddenly, black clouds blot out the sun. A fierce wind begins to blow.

Disembodied voice: Haven't you lost enough yet? Well, if that is the case... I suppose there is more that can be taken still.

Nature itself started to wither and rot around him. Black rain began to fall from the skies. As he kept walking forward, he exited the forest, and reached a giant lake. Virno steps closer to the surface, taking a look at his own reflection.

Disembodied voice: That's not quite right... Is it...?

The figure he saw reflected in the water began morphing and changing. It suddenly made him look older, around 30 years old. He looked healthy, and was adorned with wealthy clothes.

Disembodied voice: Is this it, then?

Virno looked deeply into the reflection.

Disembodied voice: Ah... But reality may not be so kind to you, von Virtus...

The reflection morphed again. It turned younger, around Virno's age. Yet, this time he looked frail and malnourished. One of his fingers was missing, and he had a terrible cough.

Disembodied voice: So many possibilities... Which thread of fate will you be choosing...?

The image changed once again. This time, it showed him his father, holding something in each of his hands. Two disembodied heads: one was his wife's, Anya... The other was Virno's.

Disembodied voice: HAHAHAH...

Virno kicks the water's surface, dispelling the grotesque image.

Disembodied voice: Come find me, von Virtus... Or soon enough you will have nothing left...!

The water from the lake rises into a tsunami. It comes crashing down on Virno, causing him to wake up in the real world. He wakes desperately gasping for air.

Virno: THE LAKE...!

Those around him are startled at first, but their expressions quickly change into relief.

Cabdan: Oh thank god...

Faya: Virno!

The Leopard: Huh... Didn't think he'd be waking up so soon.

A masked man was casting peculiar, magical glyphs with his hands. The side of Virno's torso was glowing with a warm, grey-ish aura, where his ribs had been broken.

Cabdan: Alright, you can stop doctor! Stop that, he's already fine!

The Leopard shakes his head.

The Leopard: I'm not going to give you any discounts for stopping the treatment earlier, if that's what you're expecting...

Virno tried to move, but everything in his body hurt.

The Leopard: Don't move, I'm literally holding your broken ribs in place. Stand still for a while longer...

Faya: Doesn't he need more elixir? We should give him some more!

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The Leopard: Just another glass, halfway full... No more.

Faya pours a red, glowing liquid into a glass. She then brings it to Virno's mouth.

Faya: Swallow!

As he does, he feels his insides warming up. It was as if his body was on overdrive, rapidly healing his wounds.

Cabdan: Today is the day I go bankrupt...

Faya: Save it, pig-man! You made plenty of coin with me, you have more than enough to pay for this.

Cabdan sighs.

The Leopard: That should be enough.

He stops casting the spell.

The Leopard: This one's on the house, Cabdan.

Cabdan's eyes grow wide.

Cabdan: For f-f-free?!

Faya was also caught by surprise.

The Leopard: Well, not exactly for free... I still want something in return. The next time I'm in town, I want to speak with this boy. Whatever happens, make sure he meets with me. Understood?

Cabdan: Of course, of course!

The Leopard: Good.

The man prepares to leave.

The Leopard: One more thing... Make sure he rests for at least a couple of days. And yes, that means no fighting...

Cabdan nods exaggeratedly.

Cabdan: Of course, I wouldn't dream of it.

The Leopard: Mm...

The Leopard opens a grey portal, and steps through. The portal closes, leaving only Virno, Cabdan, and Faya in the room. Virno struggled to speak and move, as his body still hurt.

Cabdan: Very well, I have business to attend to! I take it you can handle the rest?

Faya: Just go already...

Cabdan grabs his top hat and leaves the room. Faya takes a deep breath after he's gone.

Faya: You kinda scared us there... You're lucky your match was after mine! The doc is always around for my fights, since... Well, it usually doesn't end pretty for whoever goes against me...!

Virno tried to speak. His insides still hurt, but at least he could whisper somewhat comfortably.

Virno: Where's... Rel...?

Faya: Rel is okay, he's been through worse. He says he wants a rematch, though.

Virno smiles.

Virno: Yeah... Same here.

He tries sitting up very slowly. Faya helps him out.

Faya: Careful...

Virno: And that man, the doctor... Who was he?

Faya: All I know is that he's called the Leopard, and that supposedly he's part of a pretty important group...

Virno: Yeah? What group...?

Faya: Well, the kind of group that have access to magic that can rearrange people's organs from the outside... Cabdan is the one who knows him, and he's pretty uptight about it. Still, he seems like a nice guy, even if we don't know much about what he does outside of here. Maybe you'll get to know more directly from him... He seemed pretty interested in you!

Virno: Doesn't he do that with other patients?

Faya: Nope, usually he just takes his money and leaves. Good thing he gave Cabdan a freebie, or else I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have paid you anything at all if he had to cover your expenses! Also, here...

She hands him 25 copper coins.

Faya: That's for the match.

Virno: 25 coppers...

He recalls that Faya got a whole silver coin.

Virno: Is he kidding...?!

Faya: Well, he pays pretty bad...

Virno: Like you can complain, you got a whole silver coin!

Faya: Well, that's because the house is always full for my battles! Also, I only battle opponents at least two years older than me, and I'm a girl! So I'm worth every penny.

Virno: Fuck me... We'll never make enough money to pay rent like this...

Faya ponders for a while.

Faya: Is it just you and your mom?

Virno: Yeah.

Faya: Well, if she is unemployed we could use an extra pair of hands around here. Oh! This is the orphanage, by the way. We have some extra rooms, so it is also used as a makeshift hospital of sorts.

Virno: We...? You work here?

Faya: I actually live here. Ever since I was very little. Can't even remember anything before that...

Virno: Oh. Alright.

Silence filled the room.

Faya: And what will you be doing next?

Virno: I haven't a clue... I guess I'm going to fight again.

Faya: Are you crazy...? Didn't you hear the doctor?!

Virno: I don't have a choice. If I don't fight, how else am I supposed to make money?

Faya: Look, here's a tip: don't work for Cabdan... You'll be doing yourself a favor. Anything else is fair game.

Virno: Thanks, but that doesn't help me at all. Actually, it just makes things harder...

Faya: Fine, then come work here too, then!

Virno: Do you need that many extra hands...?

Faya: I'm sure we can find something for you to do!

Virno: Alright... Well, I'll take it then. But only for a couple of days. I'll go back to fighting, then.

Faya: Then I'll make it so that every time you fight, I fight, too. So that the doc is around.

Virno: And my matches get overshadowed by yours every time...? Yeah, no thanks.

Faya: It's better than literally dying!

Virno: I'll be more careful from here on out.

Faya stands up and gets in front of him.

Faya: Listen to me. Fighting for Cabdan isn't worth it, unless you're me. I know I'll win, I know I probably won't get injured, and so it's easy, consistent money. But you? Your first match nearly killed you! And it was against Rel... Rel isn't a bad fighter, but there are far worse guys battling for Cabdan. So trust me... Stay away from fighting.

Virno goes silent.

Faya: Okay?!

Virno: ... I can't just stop fighting.

Faya: And why not...?!

Virno: Because Cabdan has us by the balls, all right? He's having me and my mother pay only half the rent as long as I keep fighting for him. If I just leave... There's no way we'll ever make enough money. Ever.

Faya lets out an angry yell.

Faya: That son of a bitch!

She punches a hole through the wooden wall.

Faya: Ugh... That's such a low thing to do... But of course it is, it's Cabdan...

She takes a deep breath.

Faya: I'll handle it. Okay?

Virno was caught off-guard.

Virno: Wait, what are you gonna do?

Faya makes her way to the room's exit.

Faya: Don't worry! Just take it easy for now, sleep a while!

Virno: Wait, I'll come with...

She was already gone.

Virno: ... You. Ugh...

He lays back down slowly, recalling his strange dream.

Virno: So, soon I'll have "nothing left", huh...

He clenches his hands into fists.

Virno: We'll see about that.