Chapter 38 – Echoes of Blood
William woke up in a vaguely familiar place. The arched ceiling, the dim glow of the hanging lamps, and the smell of medicinal herbs stirred a memory. He was back at the hospital—the same one where they'd treated him after his first collapse.
He glanced at his body. Bandaged from chest to limbs, yet oddly enough, he felt no pain. In fact, he felt... energized. Like his body had been reforged from the inside out.
"Angel, show me what happened after I passed out."
"Replaying memory..."
A projection appeared in front of his eyes. He watched himself, bloodied and broken, being carried into the infirmary by Jayce and another cadet. The healers moved quickly, splinting bones, closing wounds, stabilizing his mangled body.
Then Aurus arrived, striding in with Jayce following behind, looking uneasy. Without a word, the old mage pulled out a small bottle filled with a pink liquid. Jayce tilted William's head, and they poured it down his throat.
As soon as the liquid was gone, Aurus spoke in a low voice:
"Make sure he's ready tomorrow."
"Understood, Lord Aurus," Jayce replied.
After that, no one else came to visit. Only Jayce stopped by occasionally to check on him and make sure he was still breathing.
"Angel, analyze the potion. Same as last time?"