Archive of Our Own

There was the sharp pain from the collision as his back broke the water's surface. In the next moment, all sound was washed away, deafened.

Behind his closed eyes, the world was rapidly spinning and whirling. His chest constricted, pressure set heavy. In the dizzying turbulent, disorientation presided over any and all thoughts, constantly losing balance physically and cognitively.

Until, at some undetermined point, something solid halted all motion. The abrupt collision at high velocity brought with it a rush a pain, making him almost gasp involuntarily. Survival instinct appeared to have kicked in, even on the subconscious level, as opening his eyes for a fraction of a second revealed a pitch black dark and a blur of light on the water's surface.

No, Alhaitham realized, eyes stinging from the exposure, the light was coming from above the water. Therefore, he was beneath its surface.
Quickly Alhaitham ascertained he had yet to submerge into the depths. The current had been fortunate, pulling him in to an obstruction to catch his descent. All that he had to do was push forward toward the surface.

There was little time to accomplish such a task. Caught unaware, he was already near the end of his breath, mind hazy. Aches and pain laced his body, flaring up as he pushed his arms forward. Injured as he undoubtedly was, he just had to endure it, lest the last of his strength diminish completely.

Breaking the surface was only one major milestone in immediately evading imminent death. Even as he attempted to gulp down air, the water kept rushing at him, helpless to its force. The current dragged him back into the mossy rock behind him. He was stuck between the harsh rapids and the solid wall, his strength keeping him afloat.

A temporary situation, bound to change when strength and will were tested enough. Whether this was the height of the rainfall was undetermined, leaving a distinct possibility of increased water levels over the course of minutes.

Assessment. A current suggested a give within the rock for water to pull through, and Alhaitham along with it. The fluctuating water levels showed wear on the rocks surface, further indicative of the abundant moss growing along its grooves. They were in the rainforest, where the densest of sturdy trees grew.

Looking up, he saw vines dangling overhead. Out of reach through normal means but obtainable with proper and accurate use of his Vision. The emission of Dendro energy in the midst of a downpour was unideal under normal circumstances, but on borrowed time, one simply had to formulate a plan and commit.

Alhaitham took a few moments to gather his strength to follow through on such a feat, withstanding the onslaught of rain and tides. When he was ready, he unreleased the elemental energy, projecting himself up and out of the water. His trajectory was higher than he anticipated, surprising himself. But it thankfully made it easier to guarantee a hold on a sturdy vine. Unfortunately, the additional height contributed to the kinetic energy as he descended, slamming his already injured shoulder into the rock's side.

"…!!!"

Despite the pain, he held on tight, refusing to lose the hold he had on the vine. He hung there, suspended, as he took in a few breaths, waiting for the pain to subside enough before hauling himself to the surface above. Body heavy and strength depleting, he all but collapsed once he made it on top.

Rain continued to pelt against his soaked back. The cloak sat upon him heavy, fully matted down by water, unable to absorb anymore. It was the most crucial article of clothing to take off, hindering his movement.

Although out of any immediate danger, the scribe could not stay here. Even if the enemy had lost him in the rapids or presumed him dead, that did not constitute for safety.

And yet, his body was most reluctant to agree with rationality, preferring to lie prone, exhaustion tantamount compared to the havoc wrought on by the elements. Weak, sodden, humid, and cold.

He was getting colder. The air was growing colder still.

His brain lagged a few seconds too slow for him to comprehend its implications. By the time, he got up, he narrowly dodged the icicle dropping from overhead.

Adrenaline pumping once more, he managed to muster up elemental energy once more, flickering over to higher ground nearby. Even as he stumbled upon landing, he managed to keep his footing.

The most unlikely and unfortunate scenario was upon him. At least one of the enemies had followed him. He had to keep moving. Doing so would make it harder for his comrades to locate him. But he was at such a disadvantage he could not afford any other options.

The enemy: an abyss mage, brandishing cryo. And he, a mere scholar, wielded a dendro vision, which could not effectively neutralize the cryo element.

And worst of all, it was raining.

There was no fighting chance under these circumstances. Retreat and evade. Whatever he must do, he must stall for time, to give any chance for his comrades to catch up.

A split second decision was made, utilizing the nearby terrain to his advantage by shooting up blades of dendro, slicing through the weaker branches above. They dropped unceremoniously behind him as he kept running, hoping the objects would obstruct the enemy on his heels. Weaving through the trees, the weakened scribe tried to shake off the abyss mage. Strategically, this would make it harder for anyone to find his exact location. And surviving the encounter was the priority.

Unfortunately, he was losing strength fast. He felt his sodden body getting heavier with each step, slowing down, despite his efforts. And his breathing came fast, making his head spin. He could not see clearly in front of him, his vision blurry and partially obscured. The air was still far too cold around him.

Shards of ice pierced his shoulder, making him stumble. A dark laughter echoed among the clamoring of rain. His shoulder burned, scorching against the sheer, biting cold spreading down his arm. The projectiles were small, yet the effects were not sublime, freezing upon impact.

Mobility was effectively compromised in his right arm. Fortunately, Alhaitham was just as proficient with his left, swinging his blade as he pivoted on the spot, deflecting another attack that would have otherwise hit him in the back. Infused with dendro, the steel blade emitted enough heat to stave off the freezing effect.

It was just one mage. The one who seemed to command the lesser monsters when they were ambushed. It hovered there in its solid ice bubble leisurely, unfazed at the offensive display the sole human being made before it. There was no rush to his movements, confirming Alhaitham's suspicions on his perceived sluggishness - realizing how little ground was actually covered in his mad dash for shelter.

His physical body was already at its limits. Now that he had reached the final stand, he realized how unsteady his grip was and how his knees were ready to buckle underneath him at any second. Even as he thought he was standing still, the world tilted dangerously, vision spinning and whirling in his head.

One-two-three. Four-five-six.

Vividly, he felt each beat of his heart, as the rest of sound seemed to drown out.

Ten. Eleven. Twelve.

Was it the seconds that passed? Or was time to his demise drawn out longer? Now that the end was before him, the fogginess that had clouded his brain lifted, enough for him to experience every detail in excruciatingly slow measures of breath, defying all logic.

Distantly, something was ringing loudly. Memories meant to be stored away pulled loose. Sunlight filtering in through stained windows, the distinct smell of coffee and parchment in the air, as the gentle strings of a dutar played. The House of Daena and a young boy who tied his long blond hair into a braided ponytail, stumbling over to him with arms full of material with a bright expression. An elderly woman reclined back in her bed, staring out an open window, a book settled forgotten upon her lap, lost in thought.

Lost in memories. They were coming and going, so vivid yet too brief to fully take in. A lifetime in a matter of moments.

No. He can't-

The abyss mage held up its wand. Cool white energy glowed, growing exponentially. And there was a small spec of green, colliding with the bright light. His vision went white.

.

.

.

.

.

Everything was dark, even behind closed eyes. He was aware of himself, his body lying slumped over. He was aware of sounds, but they never fully manifested into something coherent. All Alhaitham could perceive was the presence of existence but not fully connected to the reality around him - like floating in the open void between wakefulness and dreaming.

Was it good? Was it bad? It probably was significant. He probably should care. That there was a living world outside his head.

But he was tired.

So, so tired.

He drifted, creeping closer to that edge of nothingness. The droning sounds muted to obscurity. A disengagement with the faded senses.

Something tugged at him. An instinct to jolt, to make him back away from the line. A prickling sensation rippled over his form. A gentle wave of disorientation pulled at him. But by the time he adjusted, the thought that had seized his being from the brink was lost again. And he was left to wonder.

This has happened once before. A few times maybe. Alhaitham wasn't sure. But each time accompanied more discomfort. The muffled sounds turned into a consistent drone. The pressure of numbness gradually worsened from a faint prickling to something that burned. It was getting warm. Hot even. More thoughts trickled in, whirling and bashing against his skull. Dizziness, pain, nausea.

It was only natural to fall for the temptations of oblivion. The pain and discomfort would fade away. But some force - either internal or external - refused to grant him mercy for long. Each time he was pulled away, the sensations grew more and more, until he realized he was just about to breach the surface.

There was something out there.

It was the first real thought he had since he had been submerged.

And that was when the reality of the situation hit him.

"Alhaitham!"

And Alhaitham woke up - abruptly, unexpectedly.

One moment he barely existed. The next he was acutely assaulted by existence.

Although his eyes were still shut, he felt everything. Sharp pain in his shoulder and back. A prickling numbness across his heavy-lidded limbs. An oppressive weight lying on top of him. The prattling of rain outside. Heat and chills rolling off his skin. A high-pitched, piercing voice right at his ears. The rise and fall of his chest and the creaking discomfort that came with it. It was already too much. He dared not open his eyes, wanting to slip away.
His earpieces must be missing. Where were they?

"Mister Alhaitham?"

His name again. But who was calling him?

Compelled by innate curiosity, Alhaitham's eyes fluttered, against his best judgement. He only caught a glimpse of color and the shadow of a figure. He had to screw his eyes shut. There was a low, pitiful sound - the timbre of it far different to be the treble voice.

Another person? Or did it come from himself?

The fact he had to even question that was a testament to his state of being.

What happened to him? He hurt. It was hard to focus. The other voice was making consistent noise - probably words - but it was all scrambled, taking far too long to process even some of them.

"…-wake…-n't…keep it…-nari and Cyno…just st-…"

"Hey."

A hand pressed against his shoulder. The touch was scalding. Alhaitham gasped, flinching.

"I'm- I'm sorry! Just, hold still. Master Tighnari will be here soon!"

When Alhaitham caught his breath, he was able to parse together the words the voice - a young girl - was saying.

Young female. An apprentice of the forest rangers. She was-

Why was she out here? Why were they out here in the forest? Alhaitham was with a small group of acquaintances and friends. They were visiting the desert. How did they end up here? Monsters showed up. Oh, right. They were heading back to Sumeru. At some point.

The memories came in, fragmented and out of sequence. Logic filled some of the gaps. Yet how this girl found him perplexed him.

Thinking brought exhaustion. While sleep was tempting, seeking answers was of a higher priority, worthy of pushing through the increasing discomfort.

Blinking his eyes open, once they adjusted to the dim light, he saw the youthful girl. Short, slightly unkempt green-hair. Large magenta eyes that reflected deep worry. There was a slight tremble to her hands, as she adjusted an unidentifiable cloth over his torso.

An unnecessary gesture. In fact, it was uncomfortable, feeling more oppressive than anything, weighing him down. And the fibers scratched against his skin. Unpleasant.

Alhaitham tried to shift away, to push it off his form. The motion ignited a pain in his shoulder and chest. A groan escaped him.

"No, don't!" Collei's voice rose in alarm. A sharp sound that pierced right into his ear drums. "Don't…I don't think it's a good idea to move that," she warned, eyes trained nervously off to the side of him.

Dumbly, Alhaitham followed her line of sight. And his shoulder did not appear as he thought it would.

No, something was protruding from it. Sharp and jagged, covered in dark splatters. Frost covered the skin at the base of it.

Ice. Right. He was being chased down by a Cryo Abyss Mage in the down-pouring rain.

Why did he feel so hot then?

"Don't," Collei called out to him, voice softer this time, though with just as much intensity. She was visibly biting her lower lip, eyes darting about in thought as she gazed at the gruesome protrusion.

After a few beats, she finally decided to voice honesty, "I don't know what's best. It's not melting on its own. But if it did, you might bleed out."

Was blood still even flowing in that area? Alhaitham hoped he would not lose an arm from frostbite.

Oh, hypothermia. That must be why he feels warm. He's actually not.

Alhaitham tries to speak. Even to his own ears his question made no sense. Disorientation, exhaustion, failing homeostasis, slurred speech, impaired mental faculties.

He was at death's door. Probably still is. How was he not dead already? How could the Abyss mage fail to kill him?

His eyes had fluttered shut without his knowing. When he forced himself to blink them open again, Collei was still close by, working on something beside her. The light was brighter than before - a flare up in a fire, emitting more smoke that floated up into the sky.

Alhaitham craned his head back, resting it against a surprisingly smooth surface. Tilting his head to the side, he determined it was a rounded surface he was propped up against. It was covered in moss and leaves, but it was not made of bark. In the nearby area, there were wooden fences and miniature rectangular planks of wood placed underneath a canopy - random objects to place out in the wilderness.

"Where…th' stuff here?"

He questioned, looking about, dazed.

His speaking prompted the young forest ranger to stand to attention.

"Mister Alhaitham! You're awake!"

Alhaitham did not like the sound of that. He did not recall slipping away into unconsciousness. A shiver rippled through his body.

He shifted uncomfortably underneath the layers of cloth laid upon him with little success. Collei was quick to approach, adjusting the garments on him and pressing the back of her hand against his forehead.

"When?"

When did he fall asleep? How long was he unconscious for? The answers would indicate the severity of his situation.

Despite the lack of words, Collei seemed to have understood the intent behind his inquiry. She shook her head, "Not like that. Like, awake-awake. You've been pretty unresponsive, even when you're aware."

This was only more confusing. That was not a good measure of determining wakefulness. As his current watcher, she must have observed more.

Speaking of, he asked, blinking up at her, "Why're you here?"

The girl heard him, yet she deliberately chose not to answer. When he pressed again, she merely told him, "You've already asked before."

He must have asked more than once. He did not remember.

Already he was losing track of his thoughts, distracted by physical sensations as his body shivered again. So sluggish. Did he have hypothermia?

At some undetermined point, there was the sound of rustling. Collei was looking over her shoulder, rigid. She slowly stood, materializing a bow in hand. She took a couple steps forward, before drawing back the string. The tip of the arrow glowed in dendro energy. It was sent flying off, high into the air, a glowing beacon in the cloudy skies.

Seemingly in response, there was a high pitched sound of a whistle. Collei turned back, releasing a heavy exhale. "They're here. They're on their way." Her voice was breathy, her brow unfurling as relief took over her features. "Master Tighnari will know what to do. We'll get you home soon."

Home. Where he could lounge and read his books in comfort and relative quiet - the only disruption being his roommate but a welcome disturbance. He should be at home right now. Alhaitham doesn't recall Kaveh tagging along to the desert this time. Busy with a project. Always so busy.

Alhaitham hoped his roommate had finished that project by now. He already pulled one all-nighter. He needed the rest. Alhaitham will need rest too. He would need Kaveh at his best to pull his weight while Alhaitham remained incapacitated from this ordeal.
There was a flash of lightning. Odd, considering it was not raining anymore. And there was no follow-up thunder. There was, however, a white-haired man, running up the hill in haste.

"Collei!"

Cyno. He was missing his hat, but otherwise was unscathed.

"How is he?" He skidded to a stop right in front of the girl. It did take him even a moment before his red eyes found where Alhaitham lay. He was beside him in an instant. "Shit," he cursed under his breath, momentarily freezing up before crouching down to examine him with his eyes - he kept his hands to his own sides.

Alhaitham figured he must look even worse than how he felt if Cyno was afraid to touch him. Though Collei held no such regards. Then again, she was not as experienced as a mahamatra.

"Do you have medical knowledge, Cyno?" Collei asked as she continually looked behind them.

"No. Only enough for general scrapes and bruises. Tighnari should not be far behind," Cyno readily answered her questions, both spoken and unspoken. The general made a quick glance around the area. A deep frown appeared not long after. "Where did you find him?"

"In that hut-thing." Collei pointed in the general direction of Alhaitham. It must be out of his view. "I only moved him out of there. It was too cramped in there to work. Really, I tried to avoid-"

"I understand, Collei," Cyno interrupted her in an attempt to stop her from spiraling, doubting her own decisions. Still, the frown did not lift. If anything, Cyno seemed to fall deeper into thought as he inspected Alhaitham's form. "There's no other Cryo energy here…so how did he end up all the way over here? It should be impossible to traverse this far with the injuries he has."

Well, being pushed off a cliff had sent him tumbling down the mountain side and then was swept up by a river current. This was not at all surprising.

"I fell…" Alhaitham muttered, eyes half-lidded.

For the first time, Cyno seemed to finally acknowledge his presence. His widened, red eyes darted up to meet his, his voice raised in alarm as he asked, "Alhaitham? You're aware?"

He was awake. Why wouldn't he be?

Collei seemed to think differently. Shaking her head, she meekly whispered to Cyno. It was hard to pick out. But he did not like being ignored when he was suffering.

"Home…?"

They will take him back to Sumeru City now, right? Even if it was at the Birmastan for a bit, at least it was close enough to home for Kaveh to visit him and bring him his books. He would need something to pass the time, as he likely will be out of work for a couple of days.

Leisure. Relieved from tedious obligations. With the complete freedom to read on his own and rest as much as he pleased.

Rest sounded great right now.

He was slowly being adjusted to lie fully on his back. Cyno's hands were gentle on him, careful not to jostle him too much. Alhaitham could see him talking with Collei, giving instructions.

His life was in their hands.

Alhaitham was not needed here. And so, he drifted off, despite their calls.

His rest was a constant lull between nothingness and spouts of awareness, in which he faded just as quickly as he surfaced. The first time, he was physically being moved. The next instant, the world was spinning too much to process anything. The third time, he was awakened not of his own volition.

Behind closed eyes, he could tell he was moving, even though he was lying down on his back. But the motions were swaying and churning. A bit rough and disorientating. Opening his eyes only perplexed him further, as he found himself lying on logs of uneven wood, splashes of water soaking them.

Water. Gray, murky water. So close to eye-level.

Panic gripped him, giving him enough strength to struggle and writhe to sit up. The ground shifted beneath him. Water splattered near him. He felt precipitation against his face. When he attempted to turn away, he was stopped, an unknown force holding him down.

"Settle down! You'll tip the raft over!"

Words were registered but not comprehended. The owner of the voice seemed familiar, yet he could not place a face to it. Through squinted eyes, he saw two large ears protruding from the figure's dark head. A collage of colors blurred together, making it hard to discern whether the figure was humanoid or animalistic.

Unable to resist being restrained, the fight quickly left him. He faded away. Occasionally he would surface for brief periods of time, with less success each time. A bit weaker. And numb. Until he practically felt nothing at all, unable to be stirred when they had stopped somewhere. A flurry of people. Hands on him. A cacophony of voices bashing against his skull.

There was pain in his chest. Growing as the seconds ticked by. It was getting hard to breathe.

Darkness took hold.

It was a long period of time before he roused again. An overwhelming sense of feebleness and exhaustion sat upon him as he woke up. A heavy weight encompassed him. And something was poking at his arm.

Upon opening his eyes, Alhaitham found himself staring up at an unfamiliar thatched ceiling, atypical for residential homes in the city. A forest ranger hut? The air was moist, though it lacked the herbal and floral scents he was more acquainted with when visiting Tighnari with Kaveh in Gandarva Ville.

An assessment was necessary. The weight of blankets over his form, however, were tucked tight, preventing movement. The only part of him with any mobility was just his head. It sluggishly dipped to the side, straining the muscles connecting his neck and shoulder, eliciting a subtle, burning pain.

"…! Ugh…!" Alhaitham hissed, groaning. Right. His left shoulder and chest. Something was wrong with it. He recalled, worried eyes gazing at it, outside his periphery.

And he remembered water. Ice. An abomination cackling in delight. People huddling over him. Familiar faces.

"Tighnari?" The scribe called out first, voice scratchy from disuse. It must have been over a day since his rescue. Even if the foxian was not the initial forest ranger to have found and rescued him, the man should have been notified of the situation. And being a close acquaintance - and one of the more competent workers in the team - Alhaitham hoped Tighnari had assigned himself to oversee Alhaitham's care.

Regardless, someone must have heard him. For a moment, Alhaitham thought it was Tighnari, to be able to hear a near silent croak like that. The subsequent sounds of fumbling and curses that came afterward proved otherwise.

There was a stomping of feet on hard ground. A flurry of motion and sounds as Kaveh of all people stumbled over to his bedside, amber eyes wide and voice cracking as he exclaimed in a high pitched, "You're awake!? You're okay!?"

Alhaitham blinked at the architect, baffled. Yet the vision of Kaveh standing before him remained unchanged. His hair was tied haphazardly into a ponytail, as though to keep the long strands out of his face while not caring for appearances. His usual outfit reflected this too, only wearing his white blouse, with the sleeves pulled up to his elbows. Gloves were worn over his hands, which hung suspended between them, as though they had forgotten their intent.

They stared at one another, taking the other in. Kaveh, visibly apprehensive, while Alhaitham was left befuddled.

"Why are you here?" Alhaitham heard himself say. Genuine disbelief was apparent in his voice.

Perhaps not the best question to ask, given the circumstances. Let alone phrase it the way he did. Alhaitham had been seriously hurt, probably been unconscious for more than a day - if he were gracious with his estimations - and he had expected a medical professional to attend him. He did not mean to imply anything else.

Alhaitham's mental faculties were, evidently, still lacking. He only caught up on the slight he made moments too late.

Fortunately, Kaveh seemed to preoccupied with relief to truly pay any mind.

"Oh Archons, you're really okay!"

The tension from Kaveh's body visibly snapped, shoulders sagging, hands falling to his front, finding purchase on his forearms. Even so, a true smile never reached his eyes. There was still a sort of frantic look to them, as they darted about over his form. Soon enough, he began fidgeting, an excess, manic energy replacing the previous nervousness.

"Are you alright? How are you feeling? Any pain? Do you need anything? Oh, sorry. This must be a lot for you. Do you remember what happened? Oh, right! The doctor! I should let them know you're awake!"

Frantic and bustling with energy. Over worrying over every detail and step in a sequence. Typical Kaveh. While a bit much for him to follow at the moment, Alhaitham could not deny the ease in his chest as he watched his senior fuss over him.

It was only when Kaveh had reached out to him that the man stilled. He glanced behind him, presumably to the door, and back to Alhaitham, lips pressed in a thin line.

Hesitant. His roommate must have recalled an instruction given to him. Kaveh did not want to leave his side. Was scared to. Even now, his hands twitched, as though he still wanted to reach out for him, against his best judgement.

Alhaitham realized then how frightened Kaveh was. While Kaveh always tended to respond to most situations with excessive emotion, he was always reasonable in his approach to serious matters. The fact he struggled to maintain his composure was due to a complete failure on Alhaitham's part, his stupor delaying the reassurances and direction Kaveh thrived off of.

"Yes, the doctor?" Alhaitham prompted, giving his consent with the most faintest of nods.

"Yeah. Doctor. Okay. I'll…be right back. Sit tight!" Kaveh told him sternly, as if Alhaitham possessed the strength to pull the heavy blanket off of him anyway.

With another glance over his shoulder, Kaveh departed in haste, leaving the door partially open and letting light seep in. The details beyond the door, however, remained obscure to him, making it difficult to tell the time of day or the location of which he was being kept in.

Alhaitham stared for quite awhile, perhaps trying at some point to discern more details through squinted eyes. However, he found himself mentally drifting, not even realizing his descent into a stupor until darkness swept him back under.

At least, this time, he dreamed. He was back home, in the comfort of his own bed. Kaveh was at his side, stroking the back of his hand. A pleasant, mundane dream he wished was real.

Five days had passed since the Abyss attack. The motives were still unknown, but as Alhaitham was informed later, their group was not the only one targeted within the region. Ever since the Dendro Archon’s return and the subsequent eradication of Forbidden Knowledge, no new Withering Zones were forming. Due to this, the forest rangers were making monumental progress on removing the remaining Withering cases within the forest. And not so coincidentally, there was an increase in Abyssal activity around those sights.

Alhaitham and Cyno's group happened to be close enough to one of those locations, unknowingly, and were perceived as a threat. Caught off-guard, their group was easy to disperse, and at one point, they had lost sight of Alhaitham entirely.

"I fell," Alhaitham reported to Cyno, who looked less than amused with his blunt description of his side of things.

'Did the Abyss creatures push you off the edge?'

'Did the ground give way underneath you?'

These were questions asked for the sake of the report yet pointless all the same. Alhaitham did not truly recall the sequence of events, but regardless what did not change was the result: he fell and tumbled down the mountainside until he hit the water. Everything else that happened was a blur, as his memory became increasingly unreliable from that point on.

The Scribe was beginning to feel exhausted from the insistent questions, slumping back against the pillows. Even from the small movement, he was reminded of the dizziness and the pounding of his heart. Aftereffects of blood loss and post-hypothermia, primarily. A few days had passed since his rescue, and he was still suffering from the toll his body took. One would think the body would bounce back faster than that.

Especially with proper treatment. Alhaitham could see the improvements. The warm saline that was being administered had been taken out, needing less intervention to maintain his own body temperature. Objectively speaking, he was improving. He just did not feel like it and was tired of the feebleness plaguing him.

It was nice having Kaveh there to step in on his behalf. Whenever he felt too overwhelmed, the blond was quick to notice, dissuading others from interrogating him when he was tired - which was probably why Tighnari was brought alone as a distraction.

Irritating. Especially since Cyno seemed dissatisfied with the story of events. The general sat back with his arms folded, gaze lowered to the IV set-up at the juncture of Alhaitham's arm. Cyno tended to grow more rigid in bodily gestures and had perfected controlling his facial expressions, so watching the flicker in the general's eyes was the best tool to deduce his emotions.

And he was in thought. Given the lack of change throughout the exchange, Alhaitham suspected that perhaps there was hesitancy in there as well.

Just as Alhaitham thought the man would remain silent on the matter and leave him to recover in peace, Cyno surprised him by speaking plainly, "You were found almost eight kilometers from the Abyss Mage's dead body."

That gave Alhaitham pause. He pondered over the details, struggling to rationalize that outcome. After all, it should not have been possible.

Cyno agreed with this line of thought, "You were not in a condition to traverse eight kilometers."

There was a lilt at the end, questioning an established fact. "No, most certainly not," Alhaitham conceded. Even if his memory was not reliable, he doubt he had been capable of sufficiently fighting back against the foe. If he had been, the chance of survivability via combat would have been higher than fleeing. And he opted to run.

However, if the forest rangers had struck down the foe in the nick of time, Alhaitham would have been attended to faster. Unless, that was truly where the delirium began. The time spent on the rain forest floor with a young, green-haired girl with magenta eyes. Perhaps that was a byproduct of his illness, and his sense of time and place became askew.

This was the only way he could rationalize it. Why this seemed to bother Cyno was beyond him. Abyss activity was on the rise, and they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alhaitham got hurt, and the aggressor got taken about. So all that was left was to track down the remaining Abyss monsters and eradicate them from the area.

"Seems the Matra will have to coordinate with the Forest Rangers for the time being. That must be nice for you."

That perked Cyno's interest, his red eyes flicking up towards his face. "How so?"

"How many opportunities do you get to work with Tighnari at an official capacity?" Alhaitham cocked his head innocently. "I'm sure your friend will be looking forward to spend more time with you."

"Ew, no," a disgruntled voice came from behind them. Another figure walked into the small room, carrying a basket of herbs in his hands. "We have frequent visits and game-nights already. I would rather try to tame a rishboland tiger for a day than be subjugated to Cyno's onslaught of jokes twenty-four seven."

Cyno looked less than impressed. From the way his eyes wavered, Alhaitham guessed he felt disappointed. He was quick to lose interest in the pair's banter as another person entered the room.

Kaveh looked much better as the days went on. Each day as Alhaitham progressed in his recovery, the stress seemed to visibly drain away from Kaveh's features. Now, the tension was almost gone, and the architect was able to put some energy into his appearance, styling his hair and outfits more when he visited. It was a relief to see.

A lax smile was sent his way as the man approached his bedside with a small tray. "Glad to see you're still awake. Feeling alright enough to eat?"

In addition to the bowl of soup, there was also chunks of diced meat and cuts of bread. More solid food was being introduced to him, signifying the status of Alhaitham's recovery. He took this in stride, hoping before long he could return to his normal life.
So, of course, he asked, "Will we be able to return home in the next couple of days?"

"…We'll have to see what the doctor says," Kaveh replied after a pause, lightly biting his lip.

The tell was obvious. It was much less about the doctor's opinion as much as Kaveh’s, and Kaveh wanted Alhaitham to take it exceedingly slow. Perhaps his roommate was under the belief that Alhaitham would do anything but stay at home. A misguided assumption due to projection, in the scribe's mind.

Alhaitham attempted once more, "Am I incapable of doing physical therapy at home?" The Birmastan was not a far walk from their residence.

"You have to be able to handle the trek home, Alhaitham," Tighnari had chimed in unannounced, speaking on behalf of Kaveh and taking his side. "How about you prove you can be out of bed for a couple of minutes first? Hmmm?"

Why would Alhaitham need to walk back to Sumeru city when they could take a caravan? There were other modes of transportation to get him back without the physical excursion.

Alhaitham wished he could argue that but knew he was at a disadvantage. One architect and a forest ranger would be hard to dissuade on their own. Both of them were teaming up, with a potential third, as the general mahamatra stared solemnly behind him.

And so, the scribe had to pick his battles, trying a different angle, "Then what is suggested to treat my shoulder? Are you going to request the healer at the Birmastan to make a visit?"

The damage done to his shoulder and forearm was severe. By all accounts, everyone was surprised it was not in an even worse condition. Someone skilled using dendro had mended the wounds to an extent, enough so the arm was saved, in any event. Still, there was plenty of work to be done. And to avoid atrophy, it was imperative for Alhaitham to get that area fully healed and begin physical therapy. Something more easy to do at home and with support that the small, quiet village could not fully provide.

Kaveh, however, saw through his logic. "The doctor has a plan. And you're going to follow it. Cyno will make sure of it," the blond stressed, while the man in question glanced between the other two, clearly not expecting to be roped into this feud.

"I know you want to return to your secluded life, and it's being discussed. But it's not today, so behave." Kaveh's voice was stern, punctuated with the pointing and jabbing of his index finger. When Alhaitham said nothing back, he gestured down to his meal with his eyes. "Now eat. If anything, now's the opportunity to demonstrate your progress. That will help determine if you can be released sooner."

A presented challenge in the form of a compromise. Kaveh was still treating him as though the aim was to be non-compliant and not the practicality of the situation, despite trying to make his stance clear before. It was futile; it appeared Kaveh's over-worrying had yet to truly abate underneath the surface.

Nonetheless, there was an opportunity. Alhaitham tested his fingers before lifting the injured hand to lift up the spoon. As long as he did not lift it too high - putting strain on the afflicted muscles - it was functional. Alhaitham just needed to rise from his slouched position, so as to be closer to the tray and not over-extend his ligaments. This action will naturally drain his energy faster but a necessary one for the test.

The three other men in the room fell silent as soon as Alhaitham began, watching diligently. It was an awkward affair, the air stifling. Eventually, Tighnari picked up on the fact, busying himself by making Alhaitham's medicine with the herbs he brought. Cyno, naturally, turned to speak with the forest ranger in hushed tones.

Kaveh was persistently at his side, hands fidgeting at the hem of his shirt or playing with the accessories he wore today. Not metallic like he usually preferred. If anything they seemed rather crude in making, made of simple fiber material and a far cry from an artisans handiwork. Knowing his roommate, the architect must have interacted with the children in the village during their stay. That made Alhaitham satisfied, knowing Kaveh had something to keep him occupied outside of his wakeful periods.

After finishing his meal, Alhaitham laid back and closed his eyes, intending to rest. From the chatter that came around him, he learned Tighnari would watch for the remainder of the evening. The next day Kaveh and the village doctors would be the primary caretakers as Cyno and (reluctantly) Tighnari would begin their investigation. From how Kaveh spoke of his plans, Alhaitham recognized their earnest intent. It was good; Kaveh needed much time and rest to himself as much as Alhaitham did. A reprieve from duty and stress from one evening.

With that knowledge obtained, and the concoction taking effect, Alhaitham truly began to drift off. Home was still a few days away, but tomorrow would be with Kaveh, as it always was.

Briefly, he recognized the faint trace of fingertips against his temple, the fringe of his hair being brushed to the side. A soft sigh was heard above him.

"Thank the Dendro Archon for watching over him. I don't know what I'd do if-"

The voice broke off into a breathless laugh. The warm hand at his head continued its ministrations. It sprung an old memory. Back when he was young, when it was just him and his grandmother, being read journals and stories of the world yonder, her gentle voice accompanying him to dreams.