Chapter 9- Pain

Erick's POV:

A thin line of light illuminates my vision. Despite having my eyes closed, I can tell I'm out in the open. My head feels foggy, but soon a new sensation replaces all these thoughts.

- Ugggghhhhh

Pain.

A piercing, heavy pain numbs my entire body as I feel as if it's crushing every one of my joints. This pain is nothing I've ever known before. It feels as if my entire body has been crushed by stones, muscle by muscle. The intensity of the pain is so strong that it makes my consciousness sink into darkness again.

................

When I regain consciousness, there's no longer any light hitting my eyes. A few moments after I regain consciousness, the pain assails me cruelly again.

- Ahhhhhhhhhhh

A scream filled with pain escapes my throat as I try to roll over onto my stomach to somehow get up. Despite this, the pain is so intense that it makes my consciousness waver again. With the strength I can muster, I raise my arms to the point where they're practically bent. When I manage to maintain this position, I release the strength in my arms, letting gravity do the rest.

*tock*

My head hits the ground as I continue to groan in pain. With the strength I can muster, I quickly repeat the procedure as the pain in my body grows increasingly intense, hoping to regain control over it.

*tock*

*tock*

*tock*

*tock*

.........…..

- …..The stars are beautiful.

When I finally regain my sanity, I turn over onto my back to rest. Although I would love to get up and find out what happened, the piercing pain in my muscles hasn't changed in the slightest. The effort it took to turn over was so titanic that I'm even thinking it would be a good idea to go back to sleep. Traces of blood can be seen running down my forehead, which is stained with dirt and grime. Finally sobering up, I begin to analyze my current situation.

- Despite it being nighttime, I can see perfectly.

I glance at what I could see around me. A huge wall of fire surrounded me, forming a circle around me.

- I guess it's Vulk.

I breathe calmly as I think about my companion, only to realize something is off.

- ...Where is ####?

Knowing her, she wouldn't leave my side, given how sick I am. The fact that I can't see her or that she didn't come after the commotion I caused only makes the bad feeling worse. My first impulse is to try to get up so I can look for her, but the pain in my muscles completely immobilizes me.

- How the hell did I even get this pain?

I rack my brain for an answer. I slowly recall the events that led me to this journey. My discussion with the Cardinal, the start of the carriage. The conversation I had with the little girl during the trip, and…

"The Collapse."

A small voice echoes in my head as I try to recover my memories.

- Vulk? Are you there?

A moment of silence falls. Unlike Vulk's usual carefree and cheerful tone, his cold and serious response makes me break out in a cold sweat. The bad feeling I had only deepens.

- Vulk! ANSWER!

"…"

Silence reigns in the room. Unable to wait any longer, I twist my muscles in search of movement. I can't wait any longer for an answer that won't come. I force my body as a deep sense of despair takes hold of me. My muscles, joints, bones. Everything screams in pain as I force a movement, but I simply can't stay still until I know the truth.

- AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHH

My lungs let out a pitiful scream as I force my body into a sitting position. When I manage, I quickly force my body back up in a clumsy attempt to stand. The pain gnaws at me intensely, but I bite my lip until it bleeds so I don't lose consciousness.

"I'm sorry, Little Erick... I really didn't want it to end this way, but you can't force your body any further. You'll just get hurt."

- WHO THE-?!

Before I could finish, my right arm moves against my will and hits me hard against the chin. A stupefied look is the last thing I can give the small light above me before my consciousness fades away again.

...............

When I wake up again, the pain assaults me mercilessly again. Even though it's not as intense as the first time I woke up, it's still strong enough to make me want to curl up and cry in pain. I can still move unsteadily now. I'm not sure how much time passed after the first time I knocked myself out, but I'm sure it was at least 4 or 5 days.

I fall to the ground with some difficulty as I try to stay steady.

"I see you can now sit without moaning in pain."

A voice echoes in my head as a small crimson light emerges from my armor.

- …Aren't you going to knock me out this time?

"…I don't think it's necessary. If you were straining your muscles to the point of screaming, I'd stop you without hesitation."

- ….

The light in front of me is strangely polite when it speaks. Its energy simply disappears.

- …Is #### dead?

"…."

Perhaps surprised by my question. A slight gasp of surprise echoes in my mind as the light in front of me remains completely motionless.

"…What makes you think that?"

- I haven't seen her in five days. My wounds remain untreated, and I couldn't smell her food in any of my attempts. That's definitely not normal.

"…She's not dead."

- So…is she okay?

"…."

A silence reigns between us as I try to process what she's telling me. I can't stand it any longer. I stand unsteadily, enduring the constant pain it causes me. Although I sensed Vulk wanting to say something, I paid no attention and looked around. The circle of fire was still active, blocking the view beyond, but I knew Vulk wouldn't leave #### out of the circle. Clumsily, I scanned the area until I spotted a tree in the middle of the circle. At the foot of the tree was ####. Before I could get a better look, I approached her as quickly as my trembling muscles would allow while stumbling along the way. Despite this, I never stopped. When I finally reached the tree, I was able to get a closer look at ###. She was sleeping peacefully as her chest slowly sank. A wave of relief filled me when I found she was okay. But that relief soon turned to anguish at her condition.

- …. Vulk, what the hell happened here?

The girl in front of me was completely different from the one I remembered. Half of her face was wrapped in makeshift bandages. Her limbs, torso, and neck on the right side of her body were also bandaged in a makeshift manner, making her look like a mummy, but through the strange wrapping, the girl's flesh could be seen, riddled with wounds and sores. Her once white skin was now reddish and sickly dry. Through the gaps in the makeshift bandage, I could see how her skin was cracked, as if it were made of porcelain, with red and black sores sticking out.

"Wow... did you see my bandage? How embarrassing... That little girl makes it look so easy, but bandaging someone is harder than it looks-"

- VULK!

I unconsciously raise my voice as I stare at the small light sharply. A rage rises inside me as I stare at the small light suspended in the air.

- EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE AT THIS MOMENT!

..........

Kevin's POV:

I was enjoying a good wine while lazily observing the city from my window. Although I told my subordinates to enjoy the day, the stillness in my room is strangely uncomfortable.

- The peace before the storm.

We stopped in the city because I had sent an investigation team to the crash site to confirm whether the hero had really died. The fame I desired was so close to my grasp that I didn't want to lose it over minor details. Nerves were getting the best of me at that moment. As I sat down in front of the extinguished fireplace, a knock sounded at my door.

- Sir, I have news from the mountain.

- ... Come in.

One of my subordinates enters my room hurriedly. The way he carries himself only makes it all too obvious what happened. I can only sigh at this.

- Sir, a ring of fire has been seen rising in the middle of the forest.

- ...Are you sure it wasn't a residual power?

- Yes, sir. The scouts waited three days to see if the fire would go out, but it never did. We should assume the Fire Hero survived the landslide.

A long sigh escapes my throat as I glance at my subordinate. After observing the town for a few moments, I turn to face my subordinate.

- Tell everyone to prepare to leave. The place isn't far from this village, so we can get there in half a day.

- ...Excuse me for asking, sir, but what do you expect to do when we arrive?

- Right now, the Fire Hero is weak enough that it's impossible for him to move from his spot, isn't it?

- Yes... that's the case.

- Then I simply have to finish what I started. After all, if you want something done, you must do it yourself.

The atmosphere in the room freezes as I gaze outside.