Chapter 45: Healing Hall

Then suddenly he was awake.

Maren was seated beside him, no longer performing the treatment. She looked completely exhausted and drained from exhausting mana for that many hours.

"It’s done," she said. "The poison is purged. You’ll live."

He tried to speak. His throat still hurt, but words came this time.

"Thank you."

She nodded and stood up.

"This little one wouldn’t leave your side." She said, pointing at something beside him.

He struggled to turn his head, only to find Nyxie fast asleep by his bed side.

"She thinks you’re mommy. You must be good to her."

Emeric smiled.

"Rest. You’ll be weak for a few days. Don’t push yourself."

She walked to the door before turning around again.

"Your wife is outside. She’s been waiting."

Then she left.

Emeric closed his eyes, fighting back the pain.

Isolde was here. She must have been worried sick.

He tried to sit up, his body screaming in pain but he ignored it.

He had to see her.

The door opened again and Isolde wheeled, her face pale. She had been crying.

She stopped at the foot of his bed and stared at him.

"You’re awake."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I’m awake."

She didn’t move or reach for him. She just stared.

Then she spoke again.

"You promised you’d come back."

"I did."

"You promised you’d be careful."

"I know."

She looked away, her jaw tightening.

"I thought—" She stopped. Swallowed. "I thought you were dead."

"I’m not."

"You could have been."

"I’m not."

She finally let herself really look at him and he could see that her eyes were still very wet.

"Don’t do that again."

"I won’t."

"You promise?"

He met her gaze, seeing her worried look.

Gods he loved this woman. How could he not?

"I promise."

She held his gaze for a long moment. Then she wheeled closer and reached for his hand. He took it.

Then he gently lifted her from the chair onto his bed. Her lips were quivering now. He hated to have put her through this. She had to be strong for him.

He placed her beside him, his body screaming in pain but he ignored it all. It was worth every pain to hold her in his arms again.

She burrowed her face deep in his chest and just lay there.

"I love you." He heard himself say it before he could stop it.

She tensed for a bit under his embrace.

Did he just make a mistake? Maybe he should not have said the words so soon.

"I love you too Em. So much." She told him. "You have no idea."

His lips broke into a smile, tightening his grip on her for fear that she might go away from him.

He was going to protect this woman.

Outside the room, voices murmured.

Emeric caught fragments of a heated conversation through the door.

"—should not be here—"

"—his condition is stable—"

"—the Halden boy—"

He recognized one of the voices. Lord Rowan. Isolde’s father. Another voice followed and it was a woman’s.

"—wasted enough time—"

Isolde’s jaw tightened. She had heard them too. She didn’t look at the door.

She just held him tighter.

His jaw tightened as he tried to put them out of his mind. These people had hurt his wife timer and time again. He peered down at her, noting how vulnerable she looked.

She was so strong to everyone else but he wondered if only he got to see this soft side of her. How amazing she truly was. She did not deserve a family that did not take care of her.

His mind had been made up long ago but he reassured himself. He was not about to let anything happen to her. He would find a way to break the curse and make her walk again. He could do it. The system was on his side after all. It was on their side.

A notification flashed into his full view.

---

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[POISON PURGED — HEALING COMPLETE]

[REGEN ACCELERATED RECOVERY]

[ESTIMATED FULL RECOVERY: 2 DAYS]

[DEVOTION LOGGED: TARGET REMAINED AT YOUR SIDE DURING INCAPACITATION]**

[DP AWARDED: +5]

[BOND METER: 75 → 78]

—

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[BOND MILESTONE ACHIEVED: 75/100 — UNBREAKABLE]

[CONGRATULATIONS, EMERIC HALDEN.]

[YOUR BOND WITH YOUR LEDGER TARGET HAS REACHED A SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLD. THE DEPTH OF YOUR CONNECTION HAS UNLOCKED NEW ABILITIES AND ENHANCED EXISTING ONES.]

He felt closer to her.

---

[UNLOCKED: BOND SHIELD (ENHANCED)]

[DESCRIPTION: Barrier of Devotion has been strengthened. Shield strength increased by 50%. Duration extended to 60 seconds per Tier. Cooldown reduced to 12 hours.]

[UNLOCKED: EMPATHIC LINK (PASSIVE)]

[DESCRIPTION: You can now share sensations with your Ledger Target at will. This is not full telepathy. It is the ability to transmit comfort, warmth, and reassurance through your bond. She will feel it as a physical sensation, without understanding its source. This is deeply intimate and cannot be faked.

[UNLOCKED: HEALER’S GRACE (PASSIVE)]

[DESCRIPTION: Dedicated Healer has evolved. Effectiveness increased to 30%. You can now heal minor wounds on your Ledger Target with touch alone. Cuts, bruises, minor bleeding. This is the first step toward curing her curse.]

[SKILLS — EVOLUTION]

PASSIVE SKILLS

SKILL: REGEN

RANK: D (Upgraded from E)

DESCRIPTION: Accelerated natural healing. Sustained wounds close faster than normal. Poison resistance now included.

SKILL: DEDICATED HEALER

RANK: E → D (Upgraded)

DESCRIPTION: Acts of physical care toward Ledger Target have 30% increased effectiveness. Can now heal minor wounds with touch.

SKILL: POISON RESISTANCE

RANK: D (Upgraded from E)

DESCRIPTION: Resistance to common poisons. Future exposures will be less severe.

SKILL: HEALER’S GRACE

RANK: D (Upgraded from E)

DESCRIPTION: Heal minor wounds on Ledger Target with touch alone.

---

ACTIVE SKILLS

SKILL: BARRIER OF DEVOTION

RANK: E → D (Upgraded)

DESCRIPTION: Erect temporary shield around Ledger Target. Duration: 60 seconds per Tier. Cooldown: 12 hours.

[SYSTEM NOTE]

Your Bond has reached 75. The connection between you and your Target is now Unbreakable. New abilities have been unlocked. Continue to invest in your Target. The greatest rewards require the greatest sacrifice.

[NEXT MILESTONE: 100/100 — SOULBOUND]

His skills had upgraded based on the bond. He would get stronger and protect her. His next course of action was to get more experience rift diving.