“Ah… I forgot to mention it, you also have a dislocated back so you can't move either. Your shoulder was in the same state, but I put it back in place while you were unconscious. Although I couldn't do the same with your back since you were so weak.” He says it without emotion, as if he encounters this situation every day.

"Water... Could you give-?" Almost whispering, Ezer pleads.

“When I finish carving this, I'll give you water.”

Ezer grits his teeth at his response, having the water so close and not being able to drink it is torture. His mind won't stop thinking about it and he begins to despair has tries to move slightly, although in vain because of the pain.

"Boy, I'll give you some advice. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this where you are at someone's mercy, appeal to their human side.”

It takes a while for him to understand his words, but then tries to speak as loudly and clearly as possible, he engages the man in conversation again.

"What are you carving?" A smile appears on the man's face at his words.

"Good choice, although it's the easiest considering I'm doing it in front of your eyes. Anyway, carving one of the legs for my chair" This time he looks up and meets Ezer's eyes as he speaks.

He managed to get the man's attention, now he had to get the water.

"It would help if you gave me water."

“With those wounds and no carving skills? I do not believe it.” He responds with a mocking tone.

Ezer twitch at his stupidity. Because of not thinking well about what he said, he promised something that could not keep. He adjusts his words slightly and repeats them.

“I would help you with anything if you give me water and heal me.” The resolution can be seen in his eyes.

"And what would you do if I did?" Stopping carving, the man asks looking up.

"Whatever, if you ask me to bring you food I will do it, if you ask me to bring firewood I will do it, if you ask me to fix your cabin, I will do it" Taking a quick look around the room Ezer notices animal skins, as well as leaks in the ceiling.

“Okay, but it's not enough. I also want this.” In his hand appears a black dagger whose edge can be seen from a distance.

"I can't give you that!" It's more than just a dagger to me.” He raises the pitch of his voice, but instantly normalizes it when he notices it.

"Don't you understand your position?" Without me you would be dead, besides, how much do you think the medicines I use are worth, and I am going to use, to save you? I'm not asking, I'm demanding my payment in advance.” He places the dagger on his belt, leaving no room to continue the subject.

"Then I'll work for it."

“Hahaha! You obviously don't know how much one of these is worth. This boy, is black iron, one of the best in the world.”

"I don't care, I'll get it back anyway."

"Fine, then you'll work for me until you can't hold anything with your hands because of the blood that drips from your fingers." He says it with a smile that wasn't friendly.

"We'll start by putting your back in place." He gets up from his chair, stopping carving and with firm steps.

Ezer gets out of bed with his help and places a rope, that was attached to the ceiling, around the chest supporting part of his weight and leaving his back straight, he also gives him water which drinks almost choking.

“Don't faint.” With those words and without warning, Ezer feels excruciating, stabbing pain as the man returns his vertebra to its original position.

"Aahhhgg!" He bit his lip without realizing it, causing drops of blood to run down his chin.

"Can you wiggle your toes?"

Overcoming the pain, Ezer takes a deep breath and wiggles his toes slowly.

"Yes, I can move them. Why do you ask?"

“Because there was a possibility that you would be paralyzed when I rearrange your back, if I did it wrong, of course, but you were lucky.” With a small laugh, he sits back down in the same spot and begins his carving.

Dumbfounded, Ezer checks again to see if he can move his feet as remember the dire possibility of never using them again.

"How long do I have to be like this?" he asks as he hangs there looking like a freshly skinned animal.

“Until you heal.”

"And when is that?"

"Until you can walk unassisted again."

In the following days, Ezer tried to walk with and without assistance, moving a few meters before returning to the rope. In that time, he got to know a little more about the eccentric person who helped him and learned that his name was Rel.