The room swelled with a vibrant, lively presence as the perren stepped into the room. Azure petals ringed her head, and countless gemstones on chains clattered with each step she took.

An aura. Vidalia truly was at tier 7, then.

Theo sat up straighter. The potent energy filling the room invigorated his tired, shaky body. Even the splitting pain in his head dulled. There was an edge to this aura, however. Hard and sharp. The blue-petaled perren’s eyes left Pina, and met Theo’s. She frowned.

Energy pulsed through the room, flowing through Theo’s body. Vidalia turned to a green-petaled perren behind her. “I was told I am to treat Maraz, why do you present me with a potion-sick human?”

“That’s um, not- Maraz is in the back room, Lady Vidalia,” the perren assistant said, his voice shaking.

“Wait, I, um-” Theo said, holding up a hand. He winced, pain lancing through his arm as the cuts on his hand reopened with the motion. It was almost a guarantee she heard questions like this daily, but… he had to ask. “Lady Vidalia, may I make a request of you once you’re done with Maraz?”

The aura around Theo intensified, the sharp edges of it becoming all the more apparent. Vidalia fixed him with a gaze. She huffed. “You may observe my work, and decide for yourself if you can afford me.”

Vidalia turned to Pina, still kneeling on the floor. “You may stand, yellow-petal.”

Pina stood up, keeping her head in a bow. “Thank you, Lady Vidalia.”

Theo frowned, and leaned in closer to Telsa. “Why is Pina acting like that?”

“I forget you don’t have perren in Renwurd,” Telsa said in a hushed voice, glaring at Vidalia’s back as the woman turned to the hall with the green-petaled assistant on her tail. “Perren have this… social caste. It’s based on their colors. Blue is high up. They’re supposed to be really smart or something. Only purple-petaled are higher ranks.”

A voice called down from the hall, “I am beginning with or without you, human.”

“Oh dear,” Theo said, wincing as he pushed himself up to a stand. The world rocked under him. He had- he nearly stumbled until Telsa caught him.

“You okay, Theo?” Telsa asked, pulling him up straighter.

“No, but, for Adam…” Theo glanced toward the hall.

Telsa smiled, and frowned. “I’ll help you.” She laced his arm over her shoulder, and trudged forward.

“Thank you, Telsa,” Theo said, focusing on his every step as the world threatened to come out from under him. He turned to look behind himself. “Pina? Watch after Tirr?”

The perren blinked, raising her head. “Oh um, yeah, sure. C’mere, Tirr!” She slapped her thighs, and beckoned for the dragon to come. He slithered into her arms, shifting to teal once more as he looked at Theo.

Every step took a mountainous effort, but Theo made it to the room just as Vidalia turned from Galeen to Maraz on the bed. His head swam, but he forced his chin up to watch the healer work. A pit tightened in his stomach when he looked at the already-blackening bruises covering the man’s exposed torso.

“Observe,” Vidalia said, raising her arms. Every gemstone on the silver chains she wore detached, floating into the air. “Crystalline Insight.”

Mana leaked into Theo’s eyes, only Vidalia’s aura giving him the vitality to manage the act. He watched with awe as the spell formed in the air. Waves of multicolored energy wafted over Maraz’s body, every flow purposeful and controlled.

Vidalia nodded. “Your observations were correct, fulvitre.” The gemstones shifted in the air as she moved her hands, sending off variegated light beams across the man’s unconscious form. “Restorative Refraction.”

Theo watched each gemstone move under Vidalia’s control, floating over distinct points of Maraz’s body and sending pulses of mana into them. The sheer control that took… she was manipulating every gemstone at the same time!

Before his eyes, every bruise-darkened area or redness under the skin receded under the passing of the gemstones. The force of the mana flowing into Maraz was a factor unto its own. Theo didn’t think he even had that much mana in his body, let alone for a single spell.

Vidalia turned to Theo, smiling. “Now, do you think one such as yourself can afford my services? Many ask, and I do not do…” She eyed him up and down. “Charity work.”

“Wait, you’re done?” He couldn’t say he was surprised, really. Most of the runes that went into the formulae for those spells probably weren’t ones he’d ever even seen in passing, judging by the powerful effects. Expensive, too. Theo clenched a fist, however. He met the perren’s eyes. “Name your price.”

Vidalia paused, blinking. “...You haven’t told me what I would be treating.”

Theo felt his cheeks grow hot. “Um- right. Well, my um, boyfriend, Adam, is an adventurer and he saved me from a garden snake, but the venom and poison did… something to his body. Galeen would know better than me.”

Vidalia looked to the fulvitre, raising a brow. Galeen cupped their hands together. “The man Theo speaks of would require a full-body restoration as his bodily tissues have been compromised. He is a body-enhancer type and I suspect he has some form of restorative stasis runes enchanted on himself, causing his long-term comatose status.”

“That’s not- you didn’t tell me that, Galeen,” Theo said, the smallest shred of anxiety leaving him.

Galeen shook their head. “I did not wish to give you false hope, as I could not confirm if they were present or not.”

Nodding, Vidalia flicked her hand and all the gemstones floating in the air flew back to their clips on her silver chains. “A total-body restoration is… costly to me. Two hundred and fifty platinum.”

If the world was spinning before, it turned to a vortex now under Theo’s feet. He felt his knees weaken. “That’s- I can’t-”

“As I suspected,” Vidalia said, turning to Maraz. “Now, let us return to my work.” She held a hand out to her assistant, who presented her with a long, slender gemstone. Touching it to Maraz’s forehead, she ran one finger down it. “Awaken.”

Maraz’s eyes snapped open, and he gasped in a breath. He sat up, runes glowing on his skin. His eyes focused on Theo, and then the rest of the room.

“Please do not damage my bed further, Mr. Ruvenan,” Galeen said, gesturing to the hand currently pulverizing the wooden bed frame.

Lifting his hand, Maraz stared at it, and shook the sawdust off. “My apologies.” The glow of the runes left his skin. “W-What happened? How am I… alive? The golem-” He rubbed a hand on his face, before eying Theo. “No…”

Theo tugged at his vest, before hissing in pain as his hands stung again. “I um- I handled it.” A grin made its way onto his face.

“You,” Maraz said, pointing at Theo. “Little dough ball, about yea high?” He held his hand up in an approximation of Theo’s height. “Defeated that golem?”

Everyone else stared at Theo now too.

Ears reddening, Theo scratched the back of his head, frowning as that hurt too. Stupid hands. “I, uh, used that supply of wands you saw me pack for the trip. Why didn’t you have better combat enchantments on you, Maraz?” He hadn’t questioned that before, but the thought occurred to him now. The man with an enchantment for every situation, unprepared for a golem?

Maraz glanced to the side, scratching his chin. “That’s, um- I was with you, you’re… not exactly a threat. I just had my general convenience set on.” He shrugged.

Theo didn’t even have it in him to be offended. “That’s… fair.”

The green-petaled assistant raised two fingers to his forehead. “I’m receiving a message from the Merchant’s Guild, Maraz. They’re aware you’re awake. Sorry.”

“Can’t they just give me a single-” Maraz rubbed his eyes, a low growl escaping him. “What is it?”

The perren swallowed, clearing his throat. “They- they’ve found recording enchantments in the forest. They’ll be bringing them here shortly. It’s been confirmed, Theo saved you. They found a number of broken wands among the debris, too.”

Maraz glanced at Theo again, and then to Vidalia. His eyes refocused. “Fix Theo.”

“W-What?” Theo said, looking to Telsa, who returned the same wide-eyed look.

Vidalia raised a finger. “But my price-”

“I don’t care, I’ll pay it,” Maraz said, gritting his teeth. “Fix. Him.”

Sighing, Vidalia planted a hand on her hip. “Fine. Move off the bed, Ruvenan. You’re healed. Human, on the bed.” She snapped her fingers, directing Theo.

“Call him by his name, Vidalia,” Maraz growled.

“Someone’s touchy,” Vidalia said, smirking. Her expression flattened when Maraz’s eyes flashed. “Okay, okay. Theo. Happy?”

“Delighted,” Maraz deadpanned.

Theo began to take a step. The world shook under him. “Telsa, could you-”

“Oh, right,” Telsa said, gripping Theo’s arm again. She helped him over to the bed, and returned to the wall, leering at Vidalia.

“Your friend is cheery, isn’t she?” Vidalia said, flicking her hands. Gemstones rose into the air once more.

“She has a name,” Telsa said, crossing her arms.

“We all have names, darling,” Vidalia said, shifting her fingers to position the gems. “Doesn’t mean I need to acknowledge them.”

“Her name is Telsa,” Theo said, following Telsa’s lead and crossing his own arms, even if it hurt his hands.

Vidalia smiled. “Everyone is touchy today, aren’t they? Fine, Telta or whatever.”

Telsa pursed her lips, but let out a breath. “Just… heal Theo.”

“I don’t hear a please,” Vidalia said in a sing-song voice.

“Vidalia,” Maraz said, pinning her down with a stare.

“I’m just having a little fun, Ruvenan,” Vidalia said, aligning more gemstones around Theo. “Now sit still, hu- Theo. I’ll need to detoxify your blood first. Just how many potions have you been drinking lately?”

“Um, too many?”

“It has been a point of contention between us,” Galeen added. “I am interested in your detoxification spells, however, Lady Vidalia.”

“Everyone is interested in my magic,” Vidalia said, raising a finger. “Now. Accelerated Detoxification.”

While Theo had appreciated some of her spell names this one was downright uncreat- Mana flooded through his body, erasing any semblance of thought.

Every vein and artery in Theo’s body shifted and pulsed, blood flowing through it at a rapid pace. If he’d felt sick before, now he- The contents of his stomach evacuated themselves into a bucket held by Vidalia’s assistant.

“There, that part is finished,” Vidalia said, crinkling her nose. “Now let’s repair the physical damage.” She twisted and twirled her fingers, moving the gemstones into position once more.

“Can I- can I have a second?” Theo managed, gasping for breath.

“No,” Vidalia said, flicking one finger downward. “Restorative Refraction.”

Energy flooded through Theo once more, filling every crevice of his damaged body. Every movement was precise, however. Through the flood of sensation, he felt the control this amount of mana required. If he could think right now, he would have been impressed. Even if Vidalia was a jerk.

When the world came to once more, Theo looked at his hands. Not a single cut marred their surface. And the pain in his head had disappeared. The only discomfort left was his overtaxed mana pool. No tears as far as he could tell. He may have even expanded it.

Theo felt… amazing. Compared to how terrible he’d felt with the last few weeks of injuries and a Snap, at least. “I, um, thank you, Lady Vidalia.”

“I would say it was nothing, but that would belittle my skillset,” Vidalia said, checking her nails. “You are most welcome, and I will collect my pay for the hu- Theo, from you, Ruvenan.”

“Bill the guild,” Maraz said, turning to Galeen. “And thank you as well, healer.”

“You are welcome, Mr. Ruvenan,” Galeen said, nodding their head. “It is Theo you should thank, however. He is the one who saved your life.”

Maraz fixed his eyes on Theo, then.

Theo met the man's eyes, and then let them dart to Telsa. She shrugged.

“...Thank you, Theo,” Maraz said, glancing off to the side. “I don’t think I’d be alive right now if it weren’t for you.”

“It was just- I did what anyone would have.”

“Anyone else would have run,” Maraz said, his eyes softening just a hair. “I owe you a life debt.”

“This is sweet and all, but I have places to be,” Vidalia said, snapping her fingers toward her assistant. “Orchim, we’re leaving.”

“R-Right, Lady Vidalia.” Orchim rushed to the door, opening it for the healer. Vidalia stepped out, not looking back even once.

Theo watched the two leave. Good riddance. She didn’t have to be so rude.

Maraz glanced down at his bare chest, and then around the room. “I just need something to-”

Faastran held out a bloody shirt.

“...Thank you,” Maraz said, pinching the shirt between two fingers. His face crinkled in disgust. “You wouldn’t happen to have any other options, would you?”

“It may be small, but we keep some spare clothing for patients,” Faastran said, rifling through a nearby dresser and pulling out a shirt several sizes too big for Theo.

On Maraz, however, the shirt turned out to be more than skin-tight. It burst at the seams on his shoulders, and a loud tear sounded out from the back. “This will suffice,” he said, frowning.

Theo couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle, until a glare from Maraz set him stick-straight.

“I’ll be taking my leave now, too,” Maraz said, making his way to the door. “...Thank you again, Theo.”

Covering his face, Theo held back another laugh as he stared at the gaping hole in the back of the man’s shirt. Sharing a look with Tesla, she smiled back. “Y-You’re welcome.” He turned to Galeen and Faastran, giving them a slight bow. “And thank you two as well. Anything you need enchanted, let me know.”

“An appreciated service, Theo,” Galeen said, nodding. “Thank you, we will consider your offer.”

Theo nodded, turning to Maraz who waited in the doorway. He glanced at Tesla. She shrugged.

Footsteps sounded out from the hallway. Orchim bowed slightly. “Mr. Ruvenan, Arlon is here.”

Maraz made an annoyed noise. “Of course they sent Arlon.”

“Who’s Arlon?” Theo asked, peeking around the corner.

“A thorn in my side,” Maraz grumbled, following Orchim back down the hall.

An urchin-type chosen stood in the room, black and purple spines protruding from his head. He said something to Vidalia, who grinned. A puffed up Tirr glared at the man.

“Oh, you were being literal about the thorn-” A massive hand mashed over Theo’s mouth.

The red zilant snuffed at Arlon until he spotted Theo. He shifted bright yellow and flew out of Pina’s arms, slithering up around Theo’s neck. “Nice day!”

Theo patted the zilant, eliciting a pleased croon.

Maraz released his hand, and crossed his arms. “Hello, Arlon.”

“Greetin’s, Ruv,” the chosen said, his grin spreading ear to ear. “Welcome to the world of the livin’. I come bearin’ gifts.” He held up a stone with embedded gemstones.

“And that is?” Maraz asked, raising a brow.

“Yer fight,” Arlon said, a chuckle escaping him. “Well, this lil cream puff’s fight.” He nodded to Theo.

Vidalia snorted, meeting Maraz’s eyes.

“...Ah,” Maraz said, leering at the healer. She waved back, twiddling her fingers.

Arlon held the construct up, tapping a gem on it. “Figured ye may wanna see it for yerself.”

“That’s fine we can-” Maraz stopped as a scene from the forest projected itself onto a sheet Arlon had apparently hung up already.

Pina and Telsa let out “oohs” and “aahs”. Theo couldn’t help but be amazed as well. He’d never seen anything like this before! Even Vidalia and Orchim gasped.

Maraz and Theo appeared in the image, readying to Union Cast on the stone in the forest.

“Nifty stuff, eh?” Arlon elbowed Theo in the side. It was sharp. “Them Relicors have all the good stuff. Rich people, amiright?”

Theo dodged the second elbow, and tried to refocus on the scene playing out.

Telsa and Pina looked wide-eyed at Theo and Maraz as they watched the two Union Cast. Vidalia raised a brow, and Maraz stared straight ahead at the image, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.

“Can we… accelerate this?” Maraz asked, pleading in his voice.

“Nope, took long enough just to cut it here,” Arlon said, shrugging, which moved the image. “These surveillance enchantments are new stuff.”

Maraz grumbled, but settled in to watch.

The ground shifted in the image as the golem took form, and Maraz grabbed Theo and tugged him away - until the stone walls rose up.

Maraz on the image tore off his pant legs and shed his coat, runes lighting up on his skin.

Theo felt his heart race as he relived the scene he’d just gone through. His skin clammed up, and he felt his shirt soak through with sweat.

As the scene continued, the collective group watched with jaws dropped as Maraz smashed into a tree after a hit from the golem, and Theo took on the fight.

Spells flashed through the air, and Theo faced down the titanic stone colossus - with Tirr’s help.

Theo held up a finger. “Do I really sound like-”

“Shhh!” the room hissed at him.

Slumping against the wall, Theo refocused on the scene playing out. His heart continued its rapid thumping in his temples.

When Theo finished off the golem with his Air Lance, they watched him rush to Maraz.

“Hey, what happened to my ring?” Maraz asked, glaring around the room.

“Oh, right,” Telsa said, pulling the thing out of her pocket. “Forgot I had it.”

Maraz snatched it out of Telsa’s hands, almost slipping it onto his own before he noticed the blood. He looked up at the display, and saw Theo catch himself on the wall.

“Ah.”

When Arlon cut off the finished surveillance enchantment, Theo avoided everyone’s eyes. They’d just laughed when he spun out of control into the air with Maraz’s ring. The secondary embarrassment burned him.

Telsa cleared her throat. “Theo, I’d like to offer you an honorary position in the Vanguard’s Grip.”

“And I’d like to make an offer of my own,” Maraz said, turning to Theo.

“W-What? Vanguard’s- an offer?” Theo asked, turning from the both of them. Joy and concern battled for control in his chest.

Maraz nodded. “A life for a life.”

Theo’s eyes widened. “I don’t need you to kill anyone, Maraz!”

Maraz’s eyes mimicked Theo’s. “What? No.” He waved his hands. “Your boyfriend. Vidalia will heal him. I’ll pay for it, whatever the price.”

Tears stung in the corner of Theo’s eyes. “You- you’ll do what?” He turned to Telsa and Pina, who shared the same expression of shock on their faces.

Everyone looked at Vidalia, then.

She glanced back, pouting. “Don’t look at me, I’m completely spent after two healings. I’ll need days to recover this much mana for a total-body restoration.”

“How long?” Theo asked, leaning closer to the blue-petaled woman.

“A week, probably,” Vidalia said, taking a step away from Theo.

“A week,” Theo repeated, smiling toward his friends, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks. “Adam will be back, in a week!” He stood up, running across the room to them.

Telsa grabbed Theo first, hugging him tight, and tighter still when Pina wrapped her arms around the both of them. Tears ran down both their faces.

“He’s gonna be better.” Telsa repeated the phrase over and over again, as if she couldn’t believe it.

Rubbing the tears from his eyes, Theo turned to Maraz. He looked up at the man. “Thank you, Maraz.” He tried to stop it, but tears sprung up again. Wrapping his arms around the man, he squeezed tight. “Thank you.”

Maraz stiffened under Theo’s hug. He patted Theo’s head, twice, and gently pushed the shopkeeper away. “You’re… welcome.”

Arlon tore the sheet off the wall, unveiling the open window once more. He gathered everything up into the sheet, slinging it as a sack over his shoulder. “Ain’t this saccharine? Tell you what, Ruv. I’ll take all this back to the guild. You take yer time here.”

Maraz held out a hand, but Arlon was already out the door. “Damn him. I’m not going to hear the end of this.”

Theo faced Maraz, concern shocking through his core.

“It doesn’t change my decision, Theo,” Maraz said, staring through the window. “I’ll handle it. Vidalia, let me know the moment you’re ready.”

“Sure, and can you let me know when you’re ready to take down a few more trees?” Vidalia said, smirking at him.

Maraz deadpanned.

“So serious,” Vidalia said, snapping at the door. “I was just having a little fun. Orchim, let’s go.”

“O-On it, Lady Vidalia,” Orchim said, wiping his own sappy tears from his face. He’d been caught up in the moment too, then. He rushed to the door, gesturing the healer through and following her out.

Theo crossed his arms as the door shut behind him. “What a jerk.”

“Vidalia is Vidalia,” Maraz said, sounding tired. “She’s always been a pain and I doubt that will ever change, but her healing is second to none in Romuen.”

“Being a strong healer isn’t an excuse to be mean,” Theo said, huffing. He turned to Telsa. “But um- what was that about being an honorary member of the Vanguard’s Grip?”