There was only a single thought going through Vin’s head as he slowly woke up, groaning at the light overhead as he held a hand over his eyes and squinted.

  This mattress sucks.

  Before he could wonder why he was sleeping on anything other than his shimmerwing mattress, a sudden squeak sent a fresh wave of pain through his head, and he glanced down to see Reginald jumping up and down on his chest, frantically squeaking.

  “Calm down, Reginald, I’m alright,” he said, immediately proving that he was far from alright as he tried to sit up and the world swam around him. Trying to find something to focus on, he opened the notifications waiting for him.

  Total Resistance increased to lvl 14! 2,800 exp gained.

  Total Resistance increased to lvl 15! 3,000 exp gained.

  I guess that makes sense… She did say my entire body was basically crumbling around me before she intervened.

  Someone must have finally heard Reginald’s squeaking, as a familiar frown appeared beside him.

  “You look like crap,” Frank said, staring at him with his hands on his hips.

  “And your bedside manner is as garbage as ever,” Vin shot back, immediately feeling better with Frank standing beside him. He knew the Healer had some sort of soothing aura as one of his passives, but he’d never actually gotten to experience it as a patient before. “How long have I been out?”

  “About two days,” Frank grunted, his eyes slowly scanning up and down Vin's body. “From what I could tell, you were in perfect condition, which made me even more confused than the rest of them when they came asking about you. Care to tell me what you did to yourself?”

  “Something stupid,” Vin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Though in my defense, it wasn’t exactly my fault this time.”

  “So whose fault was it?” Frank asked, crossing his arms.

  “The… Gods?”

  “Huh. Well, I suppose those guys are a tad above my paygrade,” Frank admitted, pulling a healing potion out of his pocket and tossing it to him. “Drink that. Or don’t. It’s not like I get paid either way.”

  “I should be fine now that I’m awake,” Vin said, somehow knowing that more magic wouldn’t do his body any good. Rather than drink it, he placed the potion on the bedside table and tried to get up. Immediately, he realized he was not quite as fine as he thought, as his legs wobbled and he fell straight back into bed. “You know… maybe I’ll just rest here a little longer instead. Not because I have to, mind you, but because of how much I enjoy your company.”

  Frank snorted and walked away, but not before Vin caught the corner of a smirk on the man’s face. Turning his attention to Reginald, who had been eagerly watching him from the bedside table all this time, Vin smiled. “Thanks for watching over me, Reginald. Have you been here the whole time?”

  Shaking his head, Reginald squeaked out a response, and Vin flinched back as though he’d been slapped. His jaw dropped as, for the first time in months, he actually somewhat understood what the rat was saying. The squeaks were still squeaks when they reached his ears, but somehow, the meaning had become more clear to him.

  Almost as if he knew all sound was just runes trying to convey information.

  His head pounded again, and he grit his teeth as he glared up at the ceiling.

  Some ‘buffer’ you guys got there, Goddess. Thanks a ton.

  “You’re saying you guys rotated who was watching over me?” he asked, causing Reginald to blink and tilt his head as the rat stared at him with just as much shock. Reginald squeaked out another sentence, and Vin shook his head. “No… No, I still can’t understand you exactly. It’s more like I can get the general gist of what you’re saying. And don’t ask how, it’s extremely complicated. To be honest, I don’t even fully understand.”

  Reginald must have decided to take that at face value, as he didn’t ask any more questions. Squeaking at him to stay there, the rat took off, running out the door as he no doubt went to grab the others. Lying back in bed, only then did Vin realize where he actually was.

  After he’d collapsed, whoever it was that had found him lying in the hallway must have brought him to the hospital. Lumel could have gotten him over there in a single teleport, so at least he hadn’t inconvenienced anyone.

  Glancing around, Vin was surprised to find he was in his own little room. He’d spent quite a few hours in the hospital after the battle for wave four healing people, and he’d never seen any private rooms like this one before. Apparently, councilors that collapsed out of the blue were given special treatment. Normally, he was against that sort of thing, but seeing as he felt like he’d been run over by a steamroller, he couldn’t find it within himself to argue.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Only a few minutes later, a flash of purple started him from his inner musings as Lumel, Shia, Scule, and Reginald all popped into existence before him. Before he could even so much as say hello, Lumel all but leapt on him, squeezing him tight and letting out a gentle sob.

  “Thank the Gods you’re okay,” she said, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into his shoulder. “I was so worried!”

  He must have had quite the confused look on his face, because Shia chuckled as she explained. “Lumel was the one who heard you collapse in the hallway. I was over in the Sacred Forest at the time, and Scule was with Bill. After she brought you to Frank, she came to collect us and told us what happened. Frank refused to let more than one of us stay in here with you at a time, so we’ve been mostly sitting around the apartment waiting for you to wake up. Alka’s finally back too, but you know, can’t teleport her. She should be here in a few minutes.”

  “Seriously, the sky fragment wasn’t enough for you?” Scule asked, hopping down onto the bed and kicking him in the arm. “Passing out for a few days was funny the first time. Now it’s getting old. Knock it off!”

  “I’m sorry I worried you,” Vin laughed, reading between the lines as Scule grumbled and kicked his arm again. Patting Lumel’s back, he gently pulled her off him, blinking in surprise by the tears welling up in her eyes. “And I’m sorry you had to find me collapsed like that. Trust me, it was an accident. And not one I’m planning to make again.”

  “Care to explain what actually happened?” Shia asked, leaning forward on her staff. “We’ve had a lot of guesses, but most of them are pretty out there. For example, Scule seems determined that you ate a bad snow-fruit right before leaving Forpurt’s fragment.”

  “It’s the most logical explanation,” Scule argued. “Like your guess of ‘something magical,’ is any fair! That’s way too broad!”

  Before the two of them could start fighting, Vin spoke up. “Like I told Reginald, it’s hard to explain. But basically, my Beyond the Veil ability allowed me to see something I shouldn’t have been able to see. Something the Gods purposefully tried to prevent people from seeing. Long story short, it was too much for me, and my entire body kinda shut down.”

  Naturally, that wasn’t exactly what happened, but Vin had a strange sense that he shouldn’t go into detail about the magic making up his body attempting to break free from its restraints. He didn’t know if it was his own intuition or simply the Gods warning him to keep that information to himself, but either way, he quickly decided to keep the specifics of what truly happened a secret for the moment.

  “That ability is sounding more and more like nothing but trouble,” Scule said, looking up hesitantly at the ceiling. “Seriously, I’m not one to question the Gods… but this is the second time it’s caused you to pass out for a few days.”

  “But you’re alright now?” Lumel sniffed, watching him carefully. “You’re sure?”

  “Yep. Ended up chatting with the Goddess of Benevolence again and everything,” he said, laughing at the surprise on all their faces. “Yeah, it was nice to see her again. She confirmed I’m totally fine. My body just needs a little rest.”

  “That’s your third conversation with her in what, barely over two months?” Shia asked, looking impressed. “Shame divine classes aren’t a thing anymore. She clearly fancies you for some reason.”

  “She did say she would have made me one of her chosen ones the first time we talked,” he admitted, chuckling at the memory.

  Just then, the door swung open, and Alka ran into the room.

  “Damn it, I told you guys to wait for me,” she said, ignoring Frank’s yelling as she slammed the door behind her and walked forward. Staring down at him, her glowing green eyes narrowed. “What the hell was that all about? This is the second time now I heard this has happened?”

  “And it should be the last,” he nodded. “Sorry, Alka, I don’t think it will happen again.”

  Slowly, Alka leaned down, until her head was right beside his own. Vin blinked as her voice emanated directly inside his ear, so faint he was barely able to hear it even with his high focus. He knew she could raise her voice to the point where it sounded like she was speaking through a microphone, but he’d never considered she could do the opposite as well.

  “If you’ve gone and picked a fight with one of the Gods or something… Just let me know. I’m sure between the two of us we can find a way to kill them one way or another.”

  Vin couldn’t help but stare at the Slayer as she stood back up and gave him a thumbs up, winking as she took a step back and let Lumel take her place beside him once again. After a few seconds, he let out a bark of laughter, the sheer absurdity of Alka’s statement too much for him.

  “Great, you broke him again,” Scule said, frowning over at Alka. “What did you tell him anyway?”

  “Just that I got his back, no matter what,” Alka said with a shrug. “I figured he already knew that, but I just wanted to be sure.”

  “We all have your back,” Shia said, offering a horrifying grin that showed off her serrated teeth as her eyes sparkled. “I’m right there with her, Vin. If you did perhaps make such an enemy, just know you’ve got at least one Druid on your side.”

  Vin blinked as he realized Shia must have listened in with a silent cast of Whispering Wind, and he chuckled as he nodded. “Thanks, guys, that means a lot.”

  “Oh come on, no secret magic conversations!” Scule whined, looking around the room. “How would you guys like it if I just started squeaking to Reginald half the time and just let you guess what we were saying?”

  At that, Reginald sat up and squeaked something in Scule’s ear, and the petian gasped before turning to stare accusatorily at Vin. “You passed out for two days, and now that you woke up, you can speak rat? Is nothing sacred anymore?!”

  At that, all of them started laughing as Scule went on a rant that looked to be more than a little embellished based on the glint in his eyes, and Vin smiled as he leaned back against the uncomfortable hospital bed. He still felt tired as all hell, but at least he didn’t feel like his body was actively melting away around him.

  Yet even as he smiled and laughed at the argument that took place over whether or not the rest of them should learn to speak rat as well, a small part of him shuddered as it sensed the gentle barrier placed at the back of his mind, preventing him from accessing Manacraft and all it entailed. The Goddess had warned him not to bypass it before he was ready, and he was fully planning on waiting as long as it took.

  If only it wasn’t so flimsy.

  Discord