Val turned to look at Zosimos, and surprise flashed through her face. "I had no idea you knew how to make one of those."

"You always underestimated me. That's always been your problem"

"And you were always too scared to take any risks. That was yours." She picked up Nyk's bowl and mixed it with hers. "Ok, Minda, let me through, I'm not sure if closing the wound now will be enough, but we need to stop him from bleeding out."

Minda stepped aside and removed the towel covering the wound in her Dad's chest.

Syn felt a wave of nausea wash over her at the look of the wound. A terrifying injury crossed his entire torso diagonally. She could barely bring herself to look at him and shivers run down her spine at the sight of his pale, lifeless face.

Nyk's Nana began applying an ointment similar to the one Nyk had used in the city. The wounds and skin miraculously closed with every bit of the balm applied, yet her face remained troubled.

She suddenly realized that her father might not make it. She turned to Nyk's Nana, desperation in her voice. "What can I do? Please, there has to be something I can do."

Nyk's Nana didn't even turn. "Nyk, come here and help me."

Syn held her breath as Nyk and his Nana applied the ointment to her father's wound with methodical precision, closing the horrifying wound bit by bit. Nyk winced several times but remained stoic.

Syn looked at Minda, begging her for something to do. Minda returned a gentle look full of wrinkles. She looked as if she had aged years in just a day. "As soon as they're done, you can help me make him stand. We need to make him swallow the pills," she replied to her pleading eyes.

Moments later, Nyk and his Nana had reached the end of the wound on his chest and began applying the balm to his body. Nyk turned to smile at Syn, but she couldn't take her eyes off her father. Nyk's Nana spoke without lifting her eyes, "Xander, Time to do your thing, Hurry!"

"First, I need those pills in him, Val!" he answered angrily.

Minda darted into action. Moving around Syn's Dad's body. "C'me here, Syn, Zosimos, lift him and hold his head steady," Minda instructed. Zosimos quickly held onto Syn's Dad's shoulders, keeping him propped up, while Syn held his head.

Minda took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. She gently pried his jaw open, slipped the pill inside, and forced him to swallow. The process was slow and painstaking, but eventually, they got all four pills down Syn's father's throat.

Zosimos held the small bottle in his hand. "Ok, here we go. This should help to stabilize him," he said, pouring the contents into Syn's Dad's mouth. They waited with bated breath, watching the liquid disappear from the flask. "Drink this, old friend. Hurry up, don't waste a drop."

Syn watched as he poured the contents of the bottle into his mouth. "What is that?" Syn asked anxiously.

"It's a special elixir I bought today," Zosimos replied, his eyes never leaving her father's face. "After our encounter on the ship, I felt we might need it in the next few months, but I never thought we'd use it today."

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The potion seemed to be made of liquid gold, and as Zosimos made him drink it, slowly, color began to return to her Dad's cheeks.

After a few moments, Syn's father stirred, and his breathing became more regular. His pale chest and arms gaining back color. A significant improvement from the ashen one they had moments before.

Sitting on the floor, Zosimos wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Bought it today, huh?" said Nyk's Nana with a smirk.

Zosimos looked at her seriously but his cheeks betrayed him. "Val... I have been v-very busy lately. I just wanted to save myself some time."

Val exploded in laughter. "Sure you did, Xander."

Syn noticed Minda chuckling as she also sat next to the bickering pair. "Why have you stopped? There must be something else we can do!"

The trio looked at her. "Not much else. If miracles exist, they look like that." She said, pointing at her Dad's figure. Color had returned to most of his body, and the horrifying wound hadn't even left a scar. His hair and arms were all sticky with blood, but it did look like the situation had improved.

"His body is in severe repair works," if we're lucky, he won't wake in a week, said Zosimos, smiling comfortingly at her.

Syn was unconvinced, "And if we're not luc–?"

Minda cut her off. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. For now, be happy your Dad has such good friends. We'll deal with problems one by one."

Syn tried to relax, but she could barely keep her heart from jumping off her chest.

Nyk turned to the two men observing a few meters away. "What exactly happened with Garoth?"

The pair were staring in awe at her dad's body and winced at the question. The older one looked at Nyk. "I'm not sure you–"

"Go on, what happened?" joined Syn —anything to keep her from worryin' for the worst.

The older man stayed silent, after a few uncomfortable moments, the young one spoke. "Eh... well, N-no one had seen Garoth for a week, and when Thassos mentioned that someone had heard it fighting another beast... a f-few of us thought to go scout its lair, t-to see what we could find. Thass– er... your Dad said it wouldn't be safe, b-but it's been a couple of hard years. H-he tried convincing us to wait a few more days, b-but..."

"But everyone needed the money kid. Rough year for the village. Five of us volunteered to scout if the rest cared for our families in case the worst happened," finished Nysander.

"You decided to explore Garoth's lair!?" exclaimed Syn.

"Five?" said Minda, her voice worried. Everyone's face went somber.

"Aye, Korbin, Leif, Arek, Vaughn, and me. Your Dad came with us to make sure we'd return. The beast came back before the tides. We weren't ready. Korbin and Leif hit it with all their got. It did nothin' to it." Said Nysander, looking down. "Your Dad tried savin' 'em, but they were gone in a blink."

Nyk's Nana looked away. "You shouldn't have..."

"T-then, it came for Arek and me. I f-froze," said Vaughn. "Thassos used that Water attack of his, t-the one that cuts. B-but the beast simply dodged. Then, with a brutal blow, it sent Arek flyin' against your Dad-"

"I wasn't goin' to stand still, so I hurled rocks at the beast," said Nysander. "I ain't got much to live for, now that... well, I wanted the blighter to pay. I'm tellin' ye, I ain't scared o' dyin', but the beast looked at me yellin' at him, and I swear I saw it laughed."

"Y-you saved my life."

Nysander shook his head, "Nay, Thassos did. He rushed in front o' the beast." Syn went pale. "The beast got 'im, slashed across his chest, but not before he blasted at it with all his might. Point blank. It cut the beast in half."

The young boy's eyes lost focus. "H-he split it in two like it was nothing."

"That he did, in half." Nodded Nysander.

"Among the screeches of pain coming from Garoth, W-we lifted Thassos and ran as fast we could here. W-we tried to bring Arek, but... there was nothing that could be done. His body a mess. We ran and didn't even dare to look back."

"Your Dad's a hero." finished Nysander.

After the pair finished recounting the story of their encounter with Garoth, an uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Everyone sat there in silence, staring at the ground or looking off into the distance.