He opened his eyes open, sitting right up. He looked at his bloodied chest. The gaping wounds that had been opened were gone from his chest.

“Why do I still live?” he asked, clenching both hands until his nails dug into his palms.

That ‘peace’ he was finding at the end of the line. It felt like it was stolen out of his hands. The good dream that he had craved, it was taken away, and he was back into the fray again.

Gabrio stood up with his body renewed. When he focused his eyes, he thought that the world slowed almost to a halt. He saw everything within the seconds his vision became still. The slow motion made him question why he was seeing this.

“What is happening to him?”

Looking around confused, he suddenly held the side of his head. He screamed as loudly as he kneels, and planted his forehead on the ground. Large streaks of tears following, as his eyes became unfocused and focused.

“Damn it,” he cursed. “Why now? WHY DO I HAVE TO REMEMBER NOW, DAMN IT!”

Gabrio slammed his fist on the ground. His fingers squeezed his hair as he wailed until he felt his throat dry. When he was done wailing, he looked to where his patient was, and then saw her trying to stand. She was moving, awake, and conscious.

“Miss Mana!” he ran to her, not caring for how he looked.

Miss Mana turned her attention to Gabrio. Her green eyes examining Gabrio.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere, I don’t know where we are, Miss.”

She stared at his torso. “You must have been hurt. I, the spirits, told me everything, what you have done, and why you are still alive.”

“You mean?”

“I know what you did.”

Gabrio looked away, he sullenly said. “Forgive me, for whatever that I did to you while you were sleeping. I had no choice in the matter.”

“I understand. I was helpless with my current condition, so having someone help me, drag me through a jungle of predators, and so that I can be kept safe. My people are usually stunted when it comes to showing emotions, but please do not mistake us. We will have the embers of emotions, although little, we still have it. We feel the gratitude, and the gratitude that I have for you couldn’t even be measured.

Gabrio shook his head determinedly. “Miss, rest be assured that I did it out of duty. I demand nothing from you other than you are kept safe. You should be able to reach the fleet now.”

She stared at Gabrio with her beautiful green eyes. Her eyelashes flickering as she stares at Gabrio. He didn’t know how to respond to her stare.

“Are you suggesting that I leave you behind?”

“That’s not it.”

“No, I think you underestimate us, Doctor. You should have realized by now that the mother of the earth has rid you of your ailments. There is nothing stopping you from going back to the fleet.”

Gabrio examined himself. The aching feeling was gone from his body. He felt fine and even sturdier than before. What did this mean? What caused this?”

“You were cursed, and truthfully you would have perished if it was not for the mother of earth helping us both. Honestly, I thought it was the end as well, but I guess the good deeds you have done helped you here, Doctor.”

Gabrio didn’t know what to say. What should he say? That he was happy to be still alive? To carry the burden? They were still miles from the fleet and who knows what they will encounter during the trip? He was knocking on heaven’s door. Would he be alright?

Mana approached Gabrio. Her green eyes staring. He could smell her wonderful scent, and feel the warmth of her breath on his face. He looked at her, and then looked away.

“I—“

“Doctor, I thank you for saving me. I really do. But please allow yourself to be saved. What you have done for me, I have repaid it at the cost of my own, and yet I want you to return to the fleet with me. Right now, how about trying to save yourself?”

Gabrio’s eyes were weakened and unfocused. There was this tiredness in him that made him want to just sit still and wait for rescue. Where did the courage that made him trek through uncertain places?

“I am sorry—I am just tired from this. I feel better than before. But if the mother of the earth didn’t save us, then I would have failed in protecting you. You said it yourself, you have repaid me. Instead of saving your life, you have to save mine. I fail as a Doctor—”

His frustration was overwhelming. The pride that he had as a healer was shattering him inside. His hands shook madly and his nails were starting to dig through his palm.

It was strange. To see the person who he had carried talking. They were not close in the first place, and most of the time they met in Ristina’s lab, she was not as expressive as she was before. Gabrio was about to reach out and pinched his cheeks, however she reached out quicker, and pinched his cheeks. The smile that she had on her face was bright enough to warm ice. The stoic façade that they were known for, becoming nonsense in Gabrio’s head.

Her hands traveled from his cheeks to his shoulders. She looked up to him with gratitude. “Even if it was your duty, even if it was selfishness or self-fulfillment, you still saved my life, Doctor. That is why I won’t allow my benefactor to be stuck in this place while I hurry back to the fleet. Honestly, shouldn’t you be looking out for your patient?”

Gabrio smiled wearily, raising his hands in surrender. “I understand, Miss Mana. If you allow me, then let me accompany you until we reach the fleet.”

“Thank you,” she entered the circle of his arms and embraced him.

Gabrio embraced her back. The two embraced each other, and with a firm handshake, they said.

“I am Gabrio, of Fort Rava. It’s good that you are back walking, friend.”

“Mana of Alberran. I thank you, friend of mine.”

Gabrio felt the burden on his shoulders lifted. It was good to have someone who he can converse to while sharing the troubles that they were facing.

******

For the first time he was able to worry about himself. He found a nearby source of water and cleaned himself up. His vision was superb, and the slow motion of everything when he focused his mind was strange. He had heard that the mother of earth ‘helped’ in reviving his almost dead heart.

He still thought of this as a dream that he would wake up. But the cool water on his skin, and the wind blowing his side told him that it was not. Though they would like to make a move, get out of this forest, the night was dark.

Gabrio returned to where he left his luggage and found Miss Mama using the spare clothing that he had. Seeing her tend to the fire, the light of it shading her made her look lovely. He approached slowly and yet she didn’t seem to be alarmed.

“You should have looked.”

“I know your footsteps by now. I probably know a lot of you now. You didn’t exactly hide your thoughts to me.”

She was not hiding the fact that she was conscious. Gabrio thought to himself if that theory of his Teacher was right. That even those who are paralyzed could still hear and feel. Sadly, she told Gabrio that it was because of the spirits that she was able to see everything.

Sitting under the same fire. Gabrio took out the food he usually took and was about to do the same thing he had been doing when he noticed Mana’s stare.

“Ah, sorry, habit.”

“It’s okay. I don’t blame you for doing what you do. Well, I would have starved, and without my cocoon, then by the next four days. I would have started.”

She raised a hand. “We can preserve ourselves when we are in danger, but doing so would leave us helpless. Indeed, I can see and hear, but I cannot command the spirits.”

He listened attentively. “Why is that?”

“We command through the voices. It is the language that they only understand. We can converse to them using simple words, but to command them would mean that we plead to them to join.”

“I see,” Gabrio placed a palm on his heart. “My heartbeat feels strange, quieter, and familiar.”

She looked at his chest. “You heart was damaged to the curse. The mother of earth had decided to use some of my essence to heal your heart, and use yours to revive me as well. It was an exchange of hearts, and through that I was able to wake up as well.”

“How does that relate to my heart being quieter?”

“You saw the heart of Arkshelled Island right?”

Gabrio widened his eyes. “You mean?”

She nodded, trying to explain. “Your heart has been covered with a treeheart, the same heart that allows the island beast to move. It should function like a heart, in fact it should be stronger than a human heart.”

“Not only that you saved me, you also gave me something. I really am—”

“Doctor, not a word of that again,” she had warned. “I don’t know what weakens you, what ails you, or what you are feeling right now.” She sat close to him with her firm green eyes locked into his. “Even without me hearing about it, I know that you are a strong man. Indeed, I was your patient, and isn’t rewarding you a given? Or does the Doctor think of my life as lesser than priceless?”

“Of course not, don’t put words in my mouth.”

“Yes, yes, I know that you are a doctor. But to profusely refuse me is an insult to me.”

“It’s not my intention.”

“Then please allow me to help you, Doctor. For fifty-days, you toiled for me, and in those fifty-days you’ve escaped death again and again by the strength of your will and your ability to fight. Most would succumb to despair. I have heard that humans are always strange, but in my short life, you are still the strangest human that I have met.”

She tried to reach out for his face, then backed down. She moved away from him, hugged her knees, and looked at the fire. “Doctor, do you want to know the truth?”

“Truth?”

“You were close to death, but I did help revive you. But you must know that to do something as grand as this means that there is an exchange that must be given. I thought that hiding it will be better, but after seeing you like this, then I cannot lie to you, Doctor. I don’t want misunderstanding, I don’t want to cause you pain if you ever found out all by yourself. You seem to think that you are doing this because it is your duty when in truth, you are just good a man, Doctor. Maybe you are not, but it doesn’t matter. You are good to me so I want you to understand this.”

Gabrio readied himself.

“When the mother of earth decided to help you, she asked for half of my life.”

“Half of your life?” Gabrio widened his eyes in horror.

“Yes, half of mine means that I have given you half of my lifespan. I can still live for years without the lifespan, but nonetheless I gave you half of it.”

Gabrio stood up. “But why would you do that!?” Anger rose in Gabrio’s eyes. He was looking at Mana as if she had gone insane. They were strangers! They were not close to each and there was no reason to help him this far!

“For that is my gratitude, I gave you half of my life, Doctor. So please, don’t waste the half that I gave you and be like this.”

Gabrio laughed bitterly, he lowered his head, seemingly hiding his shame, and he then looked up to Mana with a crumbling expression.

“Half of your life…that is one heavy gratitude, Miss Mana. I don't know what to even say anymore.”

“I know. But if it keeps you from telling me to go on without you. Then I hope you understand.”

The weight of her life. The very weight he was willing to die to keep safe.

It was now within him.

Half of her life belonged to him.

It frightened him.