When Lys came to, he felt he was being dragged by someone.

  He opened his eyes slowly. The world came back in bits and pieces. First, the rough ground under him, then the tug of something pulling at his body. He blinked against the dim light. The sky was still dark, with just a hint of gray on the horizon. The sun had not risen yet.

  He looked down at himself. He was lying on a thick cape, the kind knights wore, with gold trim now stained with dirt and blood. Lady Elowen was at the other end, her hands wrapped around the edges. She pulled with all her strength, but her steps were slow and shaky. Sweat mixed with dried-up tears on her face. She grunted softly with each pull, her torn dress barely holding together.

  The pain in his body hit him next. But when he checked his leg, where one of the wolves had clawed him during the roll on the ground, the deep gash was gone. Only a bloody mark remained, like a fresh scar under the dried blood. The skill had done its job.

  The skill might have been a basic one, but even this basic healing skill had enough power to almost erase any trace of injury. One could only imagine the extent of power the more powerful skill holds.

  He felt very weak and achy all over his body, but he was not bleeding to death. His leg still throbbed. The bite there felt numb and weak, like the muscle had not fully mended.

  Lys tried to sit up. His arms shook, but he managed. "Hey... stop," he said, his voice sounding rougher than he intended.

  Lady Elowen froze. She turned, her eyes wide. When she saw him awake, her face lit up with relief. She dropped the cape and rushed over, falling to her knees beside him.

  "You're alive! Oh, thank the gods." Tears streamed down her cheeks again. She sobbed, covering her mouth with one hand.

  "I thought... I thought you were gone. You saved me. You fought those beasts and... and I couldn't even help you properly at the end. Thank you. Thank you so much."

  Seeing her bawling her eyes out, he reached out and patted her shoulder awkwardly. "It's okay. We both made it. That's what matters." His words came out softer than he planned.

  Seeing her like this, covered in grime and blood, made him feel a strange pull. She was a noble, but right now, she looked as normal-looking as anyone else in this world.

  Lys pushed himself up more. He tested his leg, putting weight on it. But pain was still there. There was no strength there yet. He won’t be able to walk far on his own.

  "Listen, can you keep pulling me? Just to the village. Get me near the gate, and I'll handle the rest."

  She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing dirt across her face. "The village? But where do I go after that? My carriage is gone, my guards... they're dead. I don't know this area well. What if someone sees me like this?" Her voice cracked. She looked down at her dress, torn and barely covering her. Parts of her skin showed through the rips, making her cheeks turn red even in the low light.

  "Don't worry about it," Lys said firmly. "I'll make sure you're safe. Just get me there. Trust me, as you did with the fire."

  She nodded, though her lips trembled. "Alright. For you…I will." She stood up and grabbed the cape again. With a deep breath, she started pulling.

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  The forest edge was not far now. Lys could see the village lights flickering in the distance. Each tug of the cape sent jolts through his body, but he bit down on the pain.

  They moved in silence for a while. The air was cool, and birds started to chirp as dawn approached. Finally, they reached the village gate. It was closed now, unlike when Lys had come out through it. Lady Elowen stopped, breathing hard. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

  Lys called out weakly after remembering what the guard’s name was, "Joren! Open up!"

  A figure stirred from the small hut nearby. The gate guard stepped out, holding a lantern. Joren raised the light and squinted. His eyes widened when he saw Lys on the cape.

  "Lys? What in the hells? Why are you outside the gate at this hour?" Joren glanced at Lady Elowen but did not seem to recognize her. He did not ask how Lys had gotten out, maybe because that would mean admitting he had not been at his post last night.

  Lys ignored the question. "Can you go and get Sara Thorne for me. Tell her it's urgent."

  Joren laughed, a short, mocking sound. "Sara Thorne? You think you can just summon her like some servant? She's the biggest landowner around here. What makes you think she'd come running for a nobody like you? Especially at dawn."

  Lys met his gaze, staring hard. His eyes burned with the intensity from the fight, and the pain was still fresh. "Just do it, Joren. You don't want to make this worse, do you?"

  Getting the point Lys was making, Joren shifted uncomfortably. He muttered something under his breath but turned and went into the village.

  ***

  Minutes passed. Lys leaned back on the cape, his leg aching more now. Lady Elowen sat beside him, hugging her knees.

  She struck up a conversation with him, "Who is this Sara? Can she really help?"

  "She's someone with power here," Lys said. "She will help you, don’t worry. It'll be fine."

  Soon, footsteps came back. Joren returned with Sara Thorne in tow. She looked annoyed, her hair tied back quickly, wearing a simple robe over her nightclothes. When she saw Lys on the cape, her expression changed to surprise.

  "Lys? What the hell happened to you? How did you end up like this? And who is this woman?"

  She looked at Lady Elowen, frowning. The noble lady was drenched in blood and dirt, her dress in shreds. It exposed more skin than was proper, making her look like a common beggar, not a lady from a high house.

  Lys pushed himself to sit straighter. "I need your help, Sara. This is Lady Elowen from House Valtor, I think. She got attacked in the forest by some wolves. I…..I helped her. Can you take her to your house? Clean her up, and give her rest. And after that, write a letter to her family. Tell them she's safe and where to find her."

  Sara's eyes went wide when she heard the name "House Valtor." That was a powerful, noble family with ties to the royal family, too. She stepped closer, peering at Lady Elowen.

  "House Valtor? Are you really Lady Elowen? The daughter of Lord Valtor?"

  Lady Elowen tried to answer, but exhaustion hit her hard suddenly, seeing someone who might have known her appeared finally. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed forward, without answering her question, fainting into the dirt.

  Sara gasped. "Oh no. Quick, Joren, help me lift her."

  She turned to Lys. "I'll do it. Don’t worry. I’ll get her to my place and send the letter right away."

  By now, Lys felt strength returning slowly. The healing skill was working overtime. So, he stood up, wobbling but at least on his feet. His leg held, though it hurt like fire.

  "Thanks, Sara. I'll come to your house around lunchtime. Keep her safe till then, will ya!"

  Sara nodded, already helping Joren carry Lady Elowen through the gate. "I would have done it anyway, Lys. House Valtor is influential. Crossing them would be stupid. But... you owe me an explanation later."

  Lys managed a weak smile. "Good point. See you then."

  He watched them go, then turned toward home. The village streets were quiet, only a few early risers stirring. His steps were slow, each one sending pain up his leg.

  But he made it. The door to his hut creaked open.

  Inside, it was dark. Elara and Mira are still asleep from the way he made them. He collapsed onto his bed, letting out a long breath.

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