Chapter 40: Just Like The Lion

Raegar stared at the small pain pill in his palm, hesitating for only a moment before tossing it into his mouth and swallowing it dry. A faint warmth spread through his body, dulling the sharpest edges of his agony, but the exhaustion still weighed heavily on him. Gritting his teeth, Raegar reached into his magic bag, pulling out his tent with unwavering resolve, determined to set up shelter despite his battered condition. Every movement felt like a battle. His wounds throbbed painfully with each pull and tie, and his muscles screamed in protest, making every task a struggle. By the time he was done, nearly an hour had passed. His ragged breathing and aching body cried out for rest, but the tent was finally standing. ''Fucking crocodile and its sneak attack,'' he muttered. Raegar looked over the edge only to see a pair of black eyes staring at him with hatred radiating from them. He gulped before muttering. ''It's bad enough with the Forest Widows, but now there's this thing.'' Moments later, the monster's aura hit him, only for his eyes to go wide and forget about the mind-numbing pain. 'A Tier Three creature!' he internally panicked. He backed away from the edge and climbed into the tent to get some sleep, but he started feeling hot and bothered. After an hour of struggling to rest, the pain increased despite the pain pill. Raegar pulled out his lantern and pulled away the bandages, only to gag when a nasty smell hit his nose. ''That smells horrible. Is it infected? But how?'' he muttered. Following that, he pulled out the Monster Compendium and started searching for the crocodile monster that attacked him. Ten minutes later, he found the culprit in the Tier Three section. ''A Venomjaw Crocodile,'' he muttered when looking at the beast. ''They say these bites rot adventurers' limbs and destroy their organs from the inside out. Only a Tier Two Healing Mage can help me.'' Frustration simmered within Raegar as the pain from his injuries became too much to bear. Realizing he couldn't go on in his current state, he decided to head to Dreadshade Castle in the morning. He covered himself in blankets before finally falling asleep while cradling his arm. The following morning, a roar woke him up as it shook the tree. Raegar shook his head, but his arm started hurting even more. 'Let's make my way to Dreadshade,' he thought while climbing out of the tent and putting it away. Raegar jumped down from the tree and when hitting the ground, the water exploded, making him yelp. He cast Flash Step only to dodge the crocodile and got away from the creature and started heading toward the city. When he reached the road through the forest, sweat-drenched him, and the pain intensified, yet he continued. Raegar didn't hear or see the approaching caravan. ''Young man!'' a woman's voice reached his ears. He turned around, causing the stranger to gasp as she screamed. ''Jonas! Pick the boy up and take him to the bridge now!'' ''What?'' he muttered, but something picked him up and started running. ''A monster bite has infected you, boy?'' a man's voice sounded. ''I can see it was an enormous beast. Was it a Greenslade Viper?'' ''Crocodile,'' Raegar mumbled as the pain started burning and the infection started spreading to his organs. It was too much and knocked him out as his Aether tried fighting it, but it overwhelmed his defenses. Jones kept running with the unconscious boy in his arms and only stopped when coming to the Nytherian bridge that guarded the road to the fortress. When he got closer to the gate, a vampire soldier stepped out while holding the hilt of his sword while demanding. ''Why are you running like that and what happened to the boy?'' Before Jonas could answer, a booming voice rang out. ''Bring the boy to Miranda at the temple!'' The guards snatched the white-haired boy and rushed toward a carriage that just pulled up. He stood there watching as a Nytherian Commander spoke. ''Where did you find him adventurer?'' Jonas shook his head and looked at the vampire, who was staring at him before he answered. ''He appeared from the forest and my leader ordered me to bring him here.'' ''Good,'' the commander said with a concerned expression. ''That is the grandson of the Dawnfire Lion. Our king ordered us to look after the boy whenever he appeared.'' Not long after, the caravan caught up with Jonas, and the Nytherian guards led them through, their presence a welcome relief. The soldiers offered their thanks for the help they'd given to the boy. ''Where are you taking him?'' Marlene asked when she suddenly appeared beside Jones. He shook his head with a smile just as the Nytherian Commander answered. ''The Blood Temple. The priestesses there are the best healers in the city and some of our best men are guarding it. Follow me and I'll take you there.'' Jonas watched Marlene's face light up before she told the caravan to rest as they set off into Dreadshade City. While Raegar was unconscious, he was reliving one of his fondest moments when he was eight and Yuki was eighteen. He had overdone it with his training and collapsed in the garden because his legs felt like jelly. Raegar believed he was alone, but the gentle sound of footsteps approached. He looked up to see the beautiful cat woman, Yuki, crouching in front of him, her blue eyes filled with concern. She gave him a sweet smile and softly spoke, ''Young master, stop pushing yourself so hard. There aren't any monsters to fight or princesses to save.'' Raegar chuckled softly, the tension easing from his shoulders. He shook his head, his gaze softening as he teased, ''I'd save a maid, not a princess, Yuki.'' Yuki burst into laughter, her smile widening as she teased, ''Such sweet words, young master. But get up and go take a bath, or would you prefer I carry you?'' His cheeks burned a deep crimson at the thought, and he forced himself to stand, only for his legs to tremble unsteadily like a newborn fawn taking its first steps. Just as he was about to collapse, Yuki moved, catching him before he could fall. Without hesitation, she scooped him into her arms, cradling him against her warmth. Her fingers wove gently through his hair, each stroke melting away his tension, her touch as soothing as a lullaby. ''Just rest, young master,'' she whispered while tracing his cheek in a tender caress. ''I'll take good care of you.'' Following that, he felt something wet on his face, causing his eyes to shoot open, which made someone yelp. Raegar's head started hurting, but he sat up only to see a vampire woman sitting there holding a cloth. She had long, silvery-gray hair with blood-red eyes, just like others of her race he'd seen during his trips to Dreadshade City. ''Where am I?'' Raegar asked, his voice hoarse and raspy, his throat dry from exhaustion. The woman handed him a cup before answering. ''You're in the Blood Temple in Dreadshade City, young master.'' He furrowed his brow, rubbing his head in confusion while speaking. ''Isn't that the Vampire Goddess's healing house?'' ''Yes, you're right in one way. It's also a temple to our goddess that travelers use on their journey,'' she replied with a calm smile before introducing herself. ''I'm Head Priestess Rowena. I've been caring for you for the last four days while you've been unconscious.'' Raegar's eyes widened in shock, prompting a soft giggle from Rowena. ''Yes, the Venomfang Crocodiles are deadly creatures. Honestly, I'm amazed you escaped. If you don't mind me asking, how did you get away?'' He took a sip of the water she handed him before replying, ''I cast a spell into its eye, which made it let go, and I swam back to shore. After that, I retreated into the trees while it waited for me.'' Rowena's expression shifted from amusement to admiration. ''That was incredibly brave... and reckless,'' she mused, shaking her head with a gentle smile. ''Just like the Lion, when he and the king stirred up so much trouble across the kingdom,'' she continued. ''Please be more careful out there, young master. Devil sightings are increasing, and the royal family is growing more paranoid by the day.'' Hearing this, Raegar gave a solemn nod, understanding the gravity of her words. Rowena stood, preparing to leave, but stopped. ''Stay here for at least a day to recover,'' she said gently. ''And... I'm sorry, but the scars will need to be treated by a stronger healer. The infection caused too much damage.'' ''Thank you for your help Rowena,'' he said in a grateful voice. The older woman smiled before waving him away while replying. ''It's my job. Just get some rest, young master.'' [Drop some powerstones, comments, and gifts to help the novel grow; I appreciate all the support you can give]