A minute after a minute, hour after an hour, Arath laid in his bed trying to decide whether to give up or move forward. His head was like an inside of a bell tower, constant ringing didn't allow him to think properly and the never-ending headache almost drove him insane. In order to cut off from the reality and focus on something that wasn't pain, he dove deep into the realm of his soul and passed time by cultivating and trying to regain control over his magical energy. Due to the recent events, his entire elemental being was in a state of chaos, lots of energy had poured out of the wound and an incredible amount of it had been spent on the explosion. He was left with just the scraps and even this pitiful amount was roaming around in his body freely.

Even though elemental side is not the same as one's body, somehow Arath's wound became an open tap for his powers, that phenomenon was new to him so he had to spend over an hour pondering on it and trying to find out the reason for it. The only answer he came up with was that while he had been trying to manifest his ability, it had been on the verge of materialising so the arrow that had pierced his hand must have pierced him just before he could gave gained control over it.

'Such unfortunate timing, if I was given few more seconds, everything could have gone a little bit differently. But can I even complain? I managed to save the situation and survive despite all odds, I would say that is an achievement on it's own.' He thought as he tried to seal the hole in his spiritual body.

The new layer was much thinner and more vulnerable but, Arath being inexperienced in this sort of thing, that was all he could do. This process alone took an entire day to finish and before Arath realised it, was already time to go to sleep. The next days weren't much different, all he could do was eat, cultivate and sleep, even going to the bathroom wasn't much of an option until two day's time passed. Time flew by like a Blood Bat and every hour became the same, only bell's ringing indicated which time of the day it was. Never before had he seen such details on the way walls had been painted, how dust slowly covered the floor and what the neigbours were talking about on the other side of a window.

Beniamin was slowly turning into a housemaid as Anga finally had to go back to work in the shop and the other tenant was now bed-ridden. Doing groceries, cooking, feeding, washing, everything was his responsibility now that he decided to not be a Leafer anymore. Ben could not bear the thought that even one more person could die because of him and the fight between mercenaries and Heroes' group was still haunting him in his dreams. An hour of normal sleep, without any nightmares, was a rarity to him and to get rid of this feeling he tended to the wounded with everything he had.

After a week's time and one more Healer's visit, Arath was back on his feet. He now had every vertebrae in his spine awakened together with few bones in his left hand, ears, eyes, frontal lobe and some nerves in the head. He was slowly running out of funds so in order to make ends meet he sold all the loot he had gathered so far on the second floor and sold it at Ruby's. He later visited Leafers before they were supposed to embark on another escapade but instead found out that their activity has been halted for the time being. Worried about his commander he asked around for directions and just two hours later knocked at Elizabeth's door. She lived in a small house in the safest district of Outer City and altogether seemed to be quite affluent.

The door was opened by a woman with big bags under her eyes and a tired look, she was still wearing her sleeping clothes and didn't look too well all things considered.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting visitors. You look well Arath, is anything wrong?" She said while trying to cover the untidy corridor behind her.

"I was just curious what was going on. You were not in the Tower so I got worried." He answered.

"Everything is going on, but long story short, one of the surviors from the Heroes' unit went to the Council Representative who then decided to ruin our lives. So, right now there is a case in the court regarding the battle and the judge, who is trying to lick Council's ass, is going to decide our fate. The future is not bright for Leafers, you had better stay away from us for now and stay low-key. At least until all of it is solved." She said with no faith in her voice.

"Ben is a Hero too, maybe his voice might change something." Arath proposed.

"He is considered to be a brain-washed traitor so good luck with that." She smilled grimly. "By the way, it is said that they have already sent an expedition to get anti-venom for that other Hero you had in your team."

The two talked for a bit and decided to go eat something out the next day in order to plan their future. Half of the Leafers were injured while the other half was considering leaving the group, Elizabeth didn't have too much people to talk to so she gladly accepted Arath's invitation.

The man spent the rest of the day helping Ben in house chores, resting and cultivating, which was exactly what the Healer prescibed to him. Light physical activities were to help him regain at least partial control in his hand. On seeing Elizabeth, becoming paler and paler with every day, he could only curse at himself for beinf so weak-minded and even considering giving up. He had no choice - he had to go back to the Tower, at least so as to save his friend.