Chapter 14 – Roused

I don’t recognise this ceiling… Where am I? My throat’s dry. My head’s pounding.

Renji sat up to find himself in an unfamiliar bed. He was in a plain white tunic, a clean bandage wrapped tightly around his left arm. Beside him, Alina sat slumped in a chair, her head resting on folded arms where they lay atop the mattress.

The room was quiet and dimly lit. Wooden shelves lined the walls, cluttered with jars of dried herbs, bundles of roots, and vials of softly glowing potions. A red crystal-powered magic lamp glowed faintly on the wall. The air was filled with a minty, herbal scent.

Alina stirred with a soft groan, lifting her head slowly and blinking the sleep from her eyes.

“Renji! You’re awake.” Her voice was thick with relief. “How do you feel?”

“Thirsty…” he rasped.

“Ah, right.” She stood quickly and poured water from a pitcher into a nearby mug. As Renji reached out to take it, she gently pressed his hands back down.

“Don’t rush,” she said, her voice quiet and firm. “Drink slowly.”

She tilted the mug to his lips. The water was cool and clean, and it slid down his throat like medicine. He closed his eyes as the dryness faded.

Water’s never tasted this good, Renji thought.

The door creaked open.

Renji’s hand instinctively moved to his side—only to find no weapon there. His eyes sharpened.

Alina sensed it immediately and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright, Renji. You’re safe.”

A woman stepped through the doorway. She had pointed ears and chestnut-brown hair, and wore a light green robe trimmed with gold. In her hands was a wooden tray carrying a bowl of food and a small flask.

She smiled warmly. “Hello there. My name’s Celia. I’m glad to see you awake.”

She placed the tray on the bedside table. “Eat if you can. You’re in my apothecary—my infirmary, to be exact. Your companion brought you in two days ago.”

Renji caught the gist of her words, though Alina translated to be safe.

Celia stepped closer and pressed a hand lightly to his forehead.

“Good. Your fever’s broken. The poison had a strong hold on you.” Her voice softened as she glanced toward Alina. “Your companion was beside herself with worry when you arrived.”

Alina let out an embarrassed huff. “You didn’t need to say that, Miss Celia,” she muttered, cheeks tinged with pink.

Celia giggled, covering her mouth with slender fingers. “Anyway, eat what you can. Rest for now. I’ll check on you again soon.”

She left with a smile, closing the door gently behind her.

“I’ve been out for two days?” Renji asked, frowning.

“Yeah. You collapsed right outside the shop. Celia rushed out and helped me carry you inside.”

“So, I was poisoned…” He exhaled, sinking back into the pillow. “Thank you… for getting me here. That must’ve been rough.”

“Don’t worry about it. If it weren’t for you, the poisoned knife would have hit me instead.” Alina gave a small shrug. “I couldn’t leave you to die on the street. You’ve got people waiting for you back home, right?”

Renji thought of his old squad. The brothers-in-arms from the SFG. He remembered their faces in the field. Their voices. Their banter. Then the room started to spin.

“I think I’ll lie down for a bit.”

Without another word, he drifted back into sleep.

***

When he next woke, the room was dark. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear Alina and Celia speaking in low voices just outside. The air was cooler now. Night had fallen.

His stomach growled.

He glanced at the table—food was gone. Slowly, he sat up and reached for the pitcher of water.

Alina stepped in and saw him reaching. “Let me help you.” She hurried over, gently taking the pitcher and pouring a fresh mug. “Here you go.”

Renji nodded and drank.

“Can you eat?” she asked.

“Yeah.” His voice was steadier now.

“I’ll get you something warm.” She turned and slipped out again.

Moments later, Celia entered with another mug—this one filled with a thick, murky green liquid.

“Here, drink this. It’ll help restore your strength,” she said, offering it with both hands.

Renji hesitated. Is this even safe to drink? Looks more like swamp water than medicine, and it smelt worse.

He held his breath and took a sip. He winced as the flavour hit him. A bitter mix of grass, vinegar, and mint assaulted his tongue with every gulp.

Celia watched with an amused smile as he finished. “Good. It works best if you drink it all.”

Alina returned, this time carrying a small bowl of steaming stew. She sat beside him and offered a spoonful. “Here you go.”

Renji reached out. “I can manage. Thank you, for the food.”

Alina relented, handing him the bowl and spoon. He started eating slowly, savouring each mouthful.

Celia pulled a chair closer and sat down beside the bed.

“Sorry to trouble you,” Renji said, his speech a little halting. He still wasn’t fluent, but the mind link spell helped smooth the gaps. Alina quietly filled in the parts he couldn’t express.

Celia waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. Alina explained your circumstances. You’re searching for a way back to your world.”

Renji glanced at Alina.

“She guessed from your gear,” Alina admitted, a touch apologetic. “So… I told her.”

Renji nodded slowly. “It’s fine. I understand.”

If Celia meant us harm, she wouldn’t have saved me in the first place. Can we trust her though?

Celia leaned back in her chair. “You’re heading to Elaron, right? To speak with Sage Elith, hoping for some answers to your predicament?”

Alina added, “Elaron is the Elven city on Floor Forty. That’s where we’re headed.”

Renji nodded as he finished the last bite of stew.

Celia reached into her robe and handed Alina a sealed scroll and a pendant shaped like a leaf, carved from pale wood.

“Take these. The elves don’t welcome visitors easily. This will help you get into Elaron with less resistance. I don’t know how much the Sage can do for you… but I hope you find the answers you’re looking for.”

Renji frowned slightly. “Why are you helping us?”

Celia smiled, standing and walking toward the door. With one hand resting on the frame, she turned and looked back at him.

“Call it a hunch. Or instinct. Or maybe… wisdom that comes from living over two hundred years.”

She gave a gentle nod.

“Renji, don’t fear the unknown. It will be shocking at first, but embrace it.”

What is she talking about?

Renji turned toward Alina with a puzzled look. She shook her head with palms up at her sides.

And with that, Celia stepped through the door and vanished into the quiet of the apothecary.

***

It had been about a week since Renji was poisoned.

Celia had insisted the pair stay at the apothecary until Renji made a full recovery. The pair gratefully accepted her offer. While the toxin was mostly out of his system, Renji’s strength took days to return. During that time, they continued with Renji’s language lessons as he was mostly stuck indoors.

This morning, he felt different, stronger. He rolled out of bed and started stretching to work out the kinks in stiff muscles, from lying in bed most of the time.

Alina entered with a tray of food. “You’re feeling well enough to move about already?”

“Yeah. Feeling a little restless, honestly,” Renji replied and dropped into a set of push-ups.

Her eyes lingered on his shirtless form—the lines of muscle on his back, the steady motion—for a moment longer than she intended. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly turned away, setting the tray on the table, deliberately not looking at him.

“I’ll just… leave the food here.”

Why am I being weird? We’ve travelled and fought together. I helped take care of him for a week. Why now…? she thought, flustered.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Celia enter the room behind her.

“He has a great physique, doesn’t he?” Celia whispered playfully into Alina’s ear.

Alina nearly jumped. “Y-yeah I-I guess,” she stammered, face red as an apple.

Renji stood and rolled his shoulders, satisfied that most of the stiffness had faded. As he moved to grab his tunic, a sharp pain gripped his chest.

He dropped hard to one knee holding his chest.

He groaned as he struggled to breathe. A wave of heat flowed from his chest to his limbs.

Not again… Renji grimaced.

Alina gasped as a soft light shimmered around him, coating his skin in a gentle glow.