"Testing… testing…" I held my hand to my half fleshy throat. My vocal cords, or what was left of them were straining. So, my voice came out rough and quiet. "Just give it time, Shen… that's all you have to do."
I was slowly trotting through this blanket of snow; turns out I was pushed further than I thought, this was covering a lake. The name was self explanatory, the frozen lake— named by the adventurers over four hundred years ago. In my opinion, that was a very not creative name.. No one listened though.
It's a lake that's completely frozen, lifeless and away from every beast and animal. However, that's only on the surface, beneath was a completely different story; one I do not want to see, but my mind can picture.
Ugly merfolk, a frost dragon, giant eels, anything that's horrendous to see will pop up— however, there is one true beast that will appear, a gigantic frost dragon; its wings can span a tenth of this mountain range. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.
Furthering this topic, the mouth would be able to swallow hundreds of people no problem; the only downside to being this large, is the energy expenditures. It can only be awake for an hour before it needs rest.
On the other hand, the mayhem it can cause will destroy everything in its path. The only place it wouldn't be able to destroy is Gaia, Mathew's father would kill it before it got a chance.
Anyways, this travel was long and meaningless. Only the wind swept through my hair, and the snow crunched underfoot. The sight was rather ugly, it was just a white coating around me; other than the huge mountains in front and to my left.
Even then, I kept walking. It's a possibility I can find the rest of Yukina's group, that would make her feel better. But, I would have to find her again— which I know already where she is.
"He better pay me extra for finding his son…" I muttered whilst picturing that guy's face. "At least double of what he promised…"
I couldn't wait to get back home too… my apartment is calling my name, not really an apartment. My room in the castle was awaiting my timely arrival. It was simple, but something I loved.
Queen sized bed, dressers, closets… no windows for my skin, then a mirror. It was pretty simple, but it was something I was really comfortable with. Plus, he adopted me into the family, so I had nowhere to be… this was the best and only scenario for me.
And yes, to answer your questions, vampires can see their reflection. Unlike what myths say.
My past life's wife is nowhere, and no one would want to be married to a vampire; aside from Jin, but my revenge will be soon with him… Soon, anyways.
I don't think I would get married to a woman, I was into them in my past life… but due to a certain debuff I got from a damn god, it changed a lot about me. "Feminine preference."
That debuff I learned when I first became an adventurer at nine. First, it made me into wearing dresses, or feminine types of clothes; but I realized, it removed my interest in girls and flipped it into men…
The first couple of years this made me pretty pissed. However, I could not do anything, there was no way to remove it… now… it doesn't look too bad anymore.
My storage space is full of different outfits, a lot of them. And it's pretty nice to dress up now, quite a lot of my payments go to outfits since I don't need food anymore.
"Hm…? What's that sound?" I spoke out loud, I could hear something crying. Mournful, plus quiet, it was coming from my left.
It sounded deep, but familiar. I followed it, it was on a rocky output above this frozen lake.
"Please…. Honey… stay with me…."
He managed to survive? Huh, that's a surprise.
His voice weeped in desperation and fear. It was… James. Constantly, he repeated himself, over and over. It was rather annoying, however, it helped me locate him.
"Melinda… please… open your eyes…" He pleaded, and I found him. It looked as if he had dragged his broken body on top of an island of rocks. The sweet aroma of blood was filling my nostrils as I neared
Huh.
His arms were wrapped around Melinda, if I couldn't hear her heartbeat, I would assume she was dead; she was battered, head oozing blood, her skin was a deathly white.
James too, he had cuts all over his body, plus his leg was mangled heavily; there was a deep gash on his right leg. While… his left, a chunk of flesh was carved off furthermore, I could see the femur bone from there.
Might as well… I let out a small sigh internally. Without him noticing, I kneeled next to his lower half and reached out my skeletonized hand. Before it reached his body, I released a healing spell.
Yet, this guy never realized, he kept his arms tightened around his wife. Never once did he stop talking to her unconscious body.
His magic is too weak, he's not healing the right spot. Observing his actions, I realized this. He was actively healing something other than her head; to put it simply, he was pouring a spell into her whole body.
"There we go…" I finally let out in a hoarse tone. "Mister James, we can get to a different area if you get up now."
James stopped his pleading, then slowly turned his head to me. "S-shen…? Is- is that you?"
"Who do I look like?" I retorted and tilted my head. "Aside from my half skeletonized look, it's me."
"Please heal Melinda! She- she's not waking up… please!" James requested urgently. Before he asked that, he shot up and held Melinda in his lap. "Please heal her… I beg of you…"
He should worry about himself. He'll die of bloodloss. However, I didn't argue, it was all in my head. She seems… badly hurt, concussion is the easiest of it.
I raised my hand to her head and began to treat it; simultaneously spreading it to James's arms and into his body. It's a tough maneuver, but it's effective for multiple target healing.
"Thank you… thank you… th-thank you…"
"Rest easy, she'll be okay."
Melinda's head was healing, and the gashes were closing. I raised my gaze to see his own wounds sealing shut.
"What happened…? Everything- what happened…?" James questioned, his arms were tightly holding Melinda. "Where did everyone go…?"
"Avalanche, we got caught up in one."
"Did… did…"
"I'm unsure of who survived…"
"I-I-"
"But I can tell you, Yukina, and Verd's kids are alive."
"What about Allisa?! Is she alive?!"
"I don't know."
"Then how the hell do you know about Yukina…?" James questioned me, his jaw was clenched. His eyebrows were furrowed at my response.
Time to come out with it. Haaah… I sat down on the ground, grabbed the ridge of my nose and explained.
"When I bit her the first time, it left a mark on her neck. One of my vampiric abilities lets me see the thralls, and or vampires I make."
"Huh?"
"I can see through Yukina's eyes, hear what is going on around her. She's alive, but in a lot of pain, but she's safe."
"..."
"Please be safe Allisa… please…"
We sat here in silence, James's face was contorting. His lips became pursed as he stared at his wife's face. In all honesty, not much needed to be said, his facial expressions said it all.
About an hour or so later, we heard this noise come from Melinda.
"Hon- honey?"
"Ngh… J-James…?"
"You're awake! Are you okay? Is your head okay?!"
One question at a time you idiot! Don't you see she's groggy?!
Melinda moved her head around, first looking to the left, at James's face… then looked at me with fear radiating off her body.
"I'm- I'm okay… do- don't worr- oomf!" She was cut off when James pulled her into a tight hug. This is making me feel awkward…
Melinda had her cheek pushed up against his, as her one opened eye focused on me.
"I was… was so worried…"
Once they separated, James wiped his eyes; he kept her up with one arm. Melinda lowered her head, something was off.
Even her husband realized it, his actions turned into shock. She couldn't put any strength into her body, quickly falling backwards. Furthermore, she let out a groan, and a guttural cry.
She couldn't move, the only part she could move was her head
Before she could scream, I forced James to set her on her stomach; she needs to be silent, we can't have her screaming!
"Let me diagnose what the issue is."
"Please…"
I set my hand on Melinda's back, if she can't move, could she feel? This question I had asked her, and she confirmed from where my hand was— there was no feeling, no pain, this was all confirmed with tears in her eyes.
Not good…this is not good, even with my mana I can't heal something like this carelessly….
"Mister James, can you cast a reinforcement spell on her," I brought my finger up and pointed at a specific vertebrae on her upper back. "Have it reinforcing the muscles here."
"O-okay…"
"Why can't… why can't I move…?" Melinda asked tearfully.
"Your spine is broken, it'll be dangerous for me to heal here." I explained whilst guiding James with his spell. "If we can get somewhere enclosed, I can get to healing it."
"Is- is that why I can't move…?"
"Mhm, you're paralyzed from your shoulders down."
"..."
Melinda fell silent, the realization was striking her. Her mouth was agape, and asked me why can't I heal her.
There was a difference in healing cuts and gashes to bones and organs. There was a risk of me completely paralyzing her forever if I was not careful, plus not knowing the severity. And from what my diagnosis concluded, the break was severe— she most likely fell onto a ledge, nearly splitting her body in two pieces.
Conversely, there was a chance I could mold a nerve into it, resulting in neverending agonizing pain for the rest of her life. I need to slowly heal her, have it aligned perfectly, which I need to focus on.
I explained this all, and had James show my spelllist to Melinda. Ninety-nine percent of healing spells only increase the speed of natural healing. One spell can regrow bones, which I used on Melinda's hand before.
Meanwhilst one spell can fuse bones and mend them, but it needs the bones to be aligned.
After all of these explanations, Melinda quieted down, and thanked me. Nothing else was needed to be said, even the situation.
We only had to hope and wish to find everyone else, and look for them. When I felt it was right, the firmness of Melinda's back muscles kept her spine safe, we set off.
She was in his arms, and she kept her eyes forward alongside her husband.
You better be careful, Yukina. Don't get killed out here. I transmitted my thoughts to her through this ability, then closed my mind.