Now back in hargeon after the events of Joya, Manzo had placed Lily inside of his bed, tending to her. She was still running a high faver, and he knew the trip by boat wasn't doing anything to help them. It was not something that could be helped sadly. For it was the safest way to get her back into the country without flying on the back of ghost, which honestly might have been faster, but put out a lot more challenges then going by simple boat.

The vibe in Manzo's apartment had turned from bachelor pad, to make shift clinic. He had to do what ever he could to really make it to where she was the most comfortable while he attempted to wait on her. He had been placing calls all day, sending letters to all of his fellow nature mages hoping to see if any of them knew what it could be that was wrong with her, and if there was something they could do to help out. "Katja, there has to be something we can do for her, this is insane we can't just hope for the best." Katja sighed over the phone not sure what it is she could do to put him at ease about this whole mess.

"Manzo from what I can tell you're doing everything you can. If conventional medicine doesn't work I'm afraid hope is all you have left. You could give her a home brew potion to see if that will help but other than that I don't know what to tell you." Upon uttering those words she hung up her phone and continued to pace the floors of his apartment. She was sleeping which was a good sign at least, but there had to be something more he could do other than wait around and hope for the best. He had to find a way to make the best happen/

"Lily I'm sorry I dragged you into this whole mess, I knew you were sick but I pushed you anyway. That was foolish of me, and for that I will forever be in your debt. I swear to you nothing will ever befall you again if I have anything to say about it." He meant those words, and no matter what he would keep his word to her. It was important to him that she remained protected, she had a much bigger purpose in this life he felt.

He couldn't put his finger on why he felt that way, but he just knew that she and Esperia had to do with one another. It was like she was born out of the ashes of what used to be. That kind of thing you just don't take lightly and ignore, or well at least he wouldn't. That was a foolish thing to do, and he would not be so foolish anymore, or at least he would strive to do better. For the sake of everyone he had to be better, he could not allow this to befall anyone else.

As the time passed by, he could hear with looked like stirring coming from his bedroom. He got up from his chair and walked into the room to see that lily had woken up from her sleep. "Sensei, what happened?" She asked as she looked up at him as he walked through the door. He wasn't exactly sure of what to say to her, then as if out of nowhere, Esperia's voice rang into his head as he tried to speak for a moment. She had become quite nosy little ghost since her demise.

"Well, what are you going to tell her Manzo? The truth? A nice little white lie?" Esperia giggled at her own words, she did that quite often, even when she was alive. It was one of the things he loved about her. That she was always laughing and enjoying herself. Now even in death she was doing it. "I haven't decided yet, I don't even know where to start with her, how do I explain that she had been kidnapped or at the very worst sexually assaulted in her weakened state. How do you tell someone you care about that kind of thing?"

It was a hard question to answer, even for the apparition of Esperia, she too was at a lost for words, she didn't even know where she'd begin. But she made it plain that he should try to comfort her in this confusing time. Try to put her at ease. "You have a point, we can talk about everything else later, right now we need to make sure she is okay. And keep her comfortable, because it seems her weakening has a lot to do with when you decide to show up. Some kind of tearing of the veil between worlds."

Esperia chuckled once more, he was only half right, but she was proud he had been able to figure out that much between all that had been going on with himself. It seemed he had done a fair bit of growing up since they last met all that time ago, and upon their first meeting all those years ago. It was nice to see, maybe he'd be able to save them both after all, she was keen on letting him try. She knew he blamed himself for not being there and allowing that kind of harm to befall her.

"Well Lily, that's a tough one, and I'm not sure where I should start honestly. We went to Joya, and well, my past came back to haunt me and well you got caught up in it. Everything is okay now, you're back in Hargeon, in my apartment. I've been taking care of you for the last several days. You got very sick, but I'm working on something to make you feel better." Manzo said hoping she would understand what he was saying, and hoped that it would bring some amount of solace to her knowing that it was already over.

They sat and talked a bit more for a while, he and she had formed a bond, one through trust and care. Something that he had only formed with a select few in his time within the guild and country at large. He wasn't one for words, but he was told when he drank they couldn't do anything to really shut him no matter how much they tried. It was a very weird thing for him to think about, but all of that was over, and she was fast asleep again after taking a bit more medicine.

He sat down in his living room, his head thrown back on the couch and took a deep sigh. He could not help but think about what would have happened to him, and herself if she had not been able to power through their ordeal in Joya. She was a trooper, and an excellent student. Though even now, all he could do was light a cigar and think of Esperia. Wondering what she had to do with all of this, if anything, but it was a thought for another time. Now was the time to simply rest and recover.

1227/1200

WC reduced by 40% due to items.