Time-Smith - Chapter 22: Life and Death (Patreon)

Evan's heart almost burst in his chest with worry as he rushed over to Lucia with Markus following close behind. A [Teleport] sent him sliding up to her prone form, tears welling up in his eyes.

He knelt beside her, trying to assess the damage. Lucia's eyes were half-closed, her breaths coming in short gasps. Blood oozed from the gaping wound in her abdomen, her leather armour stained crimson.

Evan's hands shook as he tried to staunch the bleeding, but it was no use. He knew she was beyond saving. Lucia's half-lidded eyes met his, and tears streamed down her face as she whispered something, on the verge of unconsciousness. Evan was too busy trying to save her to notice.

"..Sorry…," she croaked out, her voice barely audible.

Markus, his hands trembling, reached for his healing potions instinctively. But as his fingers searched his pockets, a sinking realisation washed over him. The potions had been shattered during the intense battle, their vibrant colors were now hissing puddles of chromatic liquid. He saw two separate bubbling puddles, and knew that Lucia's potions were beyond salvaging.

Panic gripped his heart, and he looked to Evan with wild eyes, his voice laden with desperation.

"They're gone, Evan! The potions... they're gone!" Markus's voice cracked, his face a mask of fear and helplessness.

"No... no, we have to save her," Markus pleaded, his voice laced with anguish. "Evan, do something! Anything!"

The weight of those words bore down upon Evan, threatening to shatter his resolve. His mind raced, searching for a solution, any glimmer of hope in the depths of his despair. But as he gazed into Lucia's pale face, pain etched upon her features, a profound helplessness settled upon him.

"I can't... I can't save her," Evan whispered, his voice heavy with remorse. "Removing the sword now could make things worse, or even... even kill her."

Markus's anguish was palpable, his fists clenched in frustration. "No, we can't give up! There has to be something we're missing, some way to bring her back from the edge."

Evan’s mind raced as he tried with all his might to staunch her bleeding. His hands trembled as he reached out with his senses towards Lucia's mangled form. Doubt gnawed at his resolve. He had never successfully used his skill on another living being before. The foreign mana that coursed through their bodies always proved too dense to penetrate.

"I'm sorry," Evan murmured, his voice hoarse with pain. "I wish... I wish I had the power to save her, to undo this. But, Markus. My skills, my mana... they're not enough." Evan's heart ached with the knowledge of his own limitations.

"Please, Evan, there has to be something you can do," Markus implored, his voice quivering with raw emotion. "We can't let her die like this."

Evan's hands shook uncontrollably as he held Lucia's limp body, her life slipping away with each passing second. Desperation clawed at his chest, choking his breath as he fought to keep his composure. The intensity of the moment consumed him, his heart pounding like a war drum against his ribcage.

Swallowing hard, Evan closed his eyes and channelled his magic. He visualised the intricate workings of his skill, the core of mana in his heart, bursting with magical energy. With a trembling breath, he focused his mana on Lucia's battered body, willing his skill to extend beyond himself.

The mana within him surged, flowing from his core into his fingertips. He poured every ounce of his willpower into the desperate attempt to heal her, to save her from the brink of death.

But her foreign mana resisted, pushing back against his efforts like an impenetrable barrier. Evan's brow furrowed in anguish, tears welling up in his eyes. The realisation hit him like a crushing weight—his skill, as powerful as it may be, couldn't breach the thick veil of foreign energy.

Markus's desperate voice pierced through Evan's panic-stricken mind. "You healed yourself, Evan. Heal her. You have to try!"

Guilt clawed at Evan's soul, threatening to consume him whole. The weight of responsibility pressed down on his shoulders, reminding him that this was all his fault. It was his idea to venture into the treacherous depths of the dungeon, his decision that had led to Lucia's current state. And now, she lay there, broken and dying, because of him. The image of her lying there, her life slipping away, fuelled a desperate fire within him.

He couldn't bear the thought of losing her.

The tears streamed down Evan's face as frustration mingled with sorrow. The guilt within him threatened to suffocate him, but he refused to back down.

"I can't let you die," Evan whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I won't let you pay for my mistake."

With a surge of sheer willpower, Evan tried to push through the resistance. The mana surged within him, empowered by the mana of the monster, an untamed force struggling against his control. It felt thicker than ever before, resistant to his intentions. He poured every ounce of his being into the attempt to heal Lucia, to rewrite the tragic course that he had set in motion. Sweat dripped from his brow as his hands trembled, refusing to give up.

R’hazul’s lessons on control resurfaced in Evans mind, and he gathered as much mana as he could manage, a storm of mana contained firmly within his will, and formed it into a spear of intent. The mana bucked and thrashed in his grip, chunks of power escaping his grasp every instant.

Evan thrusted the spear of electric mana, the magical essence of his skill, [Flesh Smith], into Lucia's dying form.

And broke through.

"Markus," Evan's voice quivered with urgency, his eyes locked on Lucia's fading form. "Pull out the sword."

Markus hesitated, the weight of uncertainty heavy in his gaze. "But you said-"

"Pull it out!" Evan's voice cut through the air, laced with a mix of determination and desperation. "I can save her, but we need to act fast!"

With a resolute nod, Markus gripped the hilt of the sword embedded in Lucia's chest, his muscles flexing as he exerted force. The blade slid free with a sickening squelch, a spray of scarlet painting the ground beneath them. Lucia's body jerked upward, a ragged gasp escaping her barely conscious lips.

Evan wasted no time, his mind consumed by a single purpose. The world around him faded into insignificance as he unleashed his [Flesh Smith] skill, a storm of his mana transcending the confines of his body and delving into the depths of Lucia's wounded form. "Protect us!" he shouted, his voice echoing with a blend of determination and vulnerability. He would be defenceless while his consciousness scanned Lucia’s cells. It was up to Markus to keep them safe.

Outside of her body, he would be defenceless, unaware of his surroundings or any threats that could approach. His entire focus was locked within the intricate tapestry of her being, his consciousness scanning, mending, and healing.

Instantly, her damaged cells began to heal.

Evan focused his skill, altering and changing the cells within Lucia's body. He observed as her blood vessels constricted and sealed, effectively halting her bleeding. Her damaged muscle tissue swiftly regenerated, the cells multiplying and knitting back together. The impact had left her bones fractured, but under Evan's influence, they underwent accelerated mending, seamlessly fusing to restore their strength and structure.

Inside Lucia's body, Evan directed his attention to her heart, relieved to find it beating steadily, unharmed by the traumatic intrusion. With gentle guidance, he initiated the repair process, ensuring a continuous flow of blood. The lung, now under his control, mended, its torn tissue becoming whole and enabling effortless breathing. The delicate membranes of the diaphragm mended under his influence, restoring its function in the rhythmic process of respiration. Evan's power extended to the surrounding organs as well, allowing the liver, kidneys, and stomach to repair any lacerations or damages, resuming their vital roles in digestion and detoxification.

Tissues knit together, bones mended, and organs regained vitality. In just a second, the wound disappeared, leaving no trace of the injury.

He surveyed her healed wounds and realised the severity of the situation. Her blood loss was immense and had led to extreme anaemia. Evan knew that she could go into shock at any moment and potentially die within minutes to hours. He needed to act fast to save her life.

He had no choice but to alter her permanently, the only other alternative was to let her die. He had to make her into something more, something that could survive this.

Evan wasn’t sure how she would feel about what he was about to do when she woke up;

but at least she’d be able to feel it at all.