I hear a voice.

?:"Damage to liver,punctured lung,fracture of majority of bones in left leg and arm, major..."

Man I feel bad for whoever that is referring to.
As for me?
I can see nothing.
There is only abyss in front of me.
I don't even hear the voice I just heard.
It's like my consciousness is floating in a sea.
I can feel pain tho.
Pain from all sides.
Oh wait here it comes again.

?:"Even his femur is br..."

Oh that was all... That was even less words then last time.

My consciousness continues to float.

Pain is my only companion confirming to me I still exist.
That and my inner monologue. I guess I shouldn't stop it then.
Sheep goes baaaaaah
Duck goes quack
Swan acts like a quack and charges at you.
Then all of a sudden.

Abyss around me starts to morph.
Nothingness starts gaining shape.
Under me grass.
Above me tree leaves.
Surrounding me a forest and... wolfs.

I am starved and barely even standing.

Stefan:Huh just like that time.

The pack prepares and throws their attack.

I can tell by smell and sound, 11 wolfs all attacking in perfect sync.
But it is irrelevant.
These are my memories from training huh.
Starved,dehydrated and sleepless.
I went to forest just to get to that point and surpass what should be death.

Wolfs never stood a chance.
Their synchronized attack is broken by him striking them all at what seems like it is same moment.

All of them alive but too scared so they run away.

Stefan:"Nostalgic don't you think, this is where we first met."
…..

…...

…...

?:"Yes this is where you first met me.

So are you ready for another round?"

Stefan:"Of course, I wonder what gift you will give me when I win this time."

?:"Hmmm, presents are best when they are surprise so I won't spoil. Tho I have to say , aren't you a bit too confident?"

And so they face.
Young but starved,dehydrated and way beyond tired Stefan and a cloaked figure with scythe and skeletal face fight once again.

SCENE END

Even tho it was attacked just night before grand mansion on outskirts of city still stands tall.
Repairs are already well underway and they won't last much longer.
However ruined one of it's sides might look underground has been untouched.

And it is that underground in which their personal hospital is, and it is in that hospital where Stefan is lying fighting with death, and where others are observing him.

Nightingale:"So what are you saying is that after this fight with "Reaper" finishes he should start recovering with increased speed?"

Francesca:"That's how it's always been. We don't really know if that "Reaper" is just a product of his mind or actual personification of death but according to what he has said before it's part of process whenever he is in this sort of state."

Nightingale:"I-i see..." she says with stutter. Half from worry, half from disbelief of what she just heard.

Francesca:She seems to be really down cause her master got so hurt. I explained to her this is normal for him and not so special but she still isn't any better. Well I did lie a bit. He doesn't normally use "that". I wonder if enemy was really worth it... But God she is so cute when she has less serious expression on her face.

Francesca's thoughts quickly go from sympathy for her friend to lust towards her friend's servant.

Francesca:"Say Berserker do you want to go and grab something to eat while we are waiting for his recovery, I can get Suzi to make us whatever you want?" She says with light lit in her eyes. She is seeing a chance and isn't gonna let it pass.

Nightingale(inside Francesca's head):"Oh thank you I can't express how much I appreciate your offer. Say would you let me "disinfect" your bed tonight?"
At this point she went from slightly unrealistic expectations to straight up fantasy.
Still she is grinning like and idiot and stars can be seen in her eyes.

Nightingale:"I appreciate the offer but no thank you. I'll just continue to observe Master."
And so with 2 sentences her grin and stars in her eyes are extinguished like they were thrown in some ocean of primordial mud.

Nightingale:"Oh sorry right!"

Francesca:"Eh?!" The stars have been restored.

Nightingale:"How are other injured?" And so to mud back they go.

Francesca:"I mean none of personnel , me or Hanes got injured. Only his servant did but he is servant so it is gonna heal quickly." Not to mention you already set in back in place and gave more first aid then was necessary.

Francesca:"Oh do you want to hear about how me and Stefan met? Just to help pass the time."

Nightingale:"Ahhhhhh(she deeply exhales). I guess if there is no more ways I can help in it can not hurt."

Francesca:"Ok so how do I start, hmmmmm, I guess I will go from his point of view and start from the beginning.
His mother died while giving birth."

Nightingale:What a way to kick off a story.

Francesca:"It was expected however. You can't tell by him but both sides of his family are very special."

Nightingale:"Well I actually did expect some special linage considering his strength."

Francesca:"Oh no no. Not special in a good way. You see both families had severely weak bodies. So much so by the time he was born his mother and father were only alive members of both of them."

Nightingale:"Eh?" she can only gasp in surprise she would have never guess that background for her master.
"So he was an anomaly then?"

Francesca:"Eh, what? No. He was as you'd expect, inhumanly barely surviving being born and his P.E. Grades themselves could tell you that."

Nightingale:"So then, how?"

Francesca:"It was after his fathers death. Until then he was what you would expect from his background, weak,shy, by himself. Tho I guess he was intelligent. Anyway it seemed like his fathers death broke something in him, even if it took a while to show itself. His father died when he was 14 just as he was entering high school. Throughout high school he continued normally but it was obvious something changed with him. I don't think he realized it himself but more and more his look started being scary, more scars built up on his body and he started getting more muscular. It was obvious to everyone he started training himself and hard at that. But still he was barely above average. He just couldn't seem to beat his naturally weak body. After high school he tried joining various sport gyms in hopes of fighting professionally , toooo little success. Problem was his weak body would quickly start getting hurt and judge would announce a TKO. There was no helping there. Even if he still wanted to fight it would be against the rules. So he went for last option possible." Francesca throws a quick glance at her bedridden friend and then looks back at Nightingale.

Nightingale:"What could he do after that?"

Francesca:"Underground fights.
Where there is no TKO and barely any rules at all."

Nightingale:"What ,why would he pick something so dangerous?"

Francesca:"Don't you understand ? He wanted a career that would help him get stronger, heck that is probably half the reason he is working for me now."

Nightingale:"Just to get stronger? But why? Did he have anything to fight for? Is he just seeking strength for strength's sake?"

Francesca:"In that order, seems so, i'm not sure, I don't think so and like I said seems so.

So want to hear how it went on?"

Nightingale:"Please do continue."

Francesca:"Well I wasn't there for his first match so I can't describe it to you but from what I heard... It was like watching a demon be born. At first he got easily beaten down and laughed at but than he got up. And got beaten down. And got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Beaten down. Got up. Quickly laughs turned to fear. They said:"He should be dead!","Impossible he'll fall any minute huh.". People started complaining that victory should be given to his enemy because they bet on him winning, and they realized... this weakling just might be strong."

Nightingale:"And what then?"

Francesca:"Oh after about half an hour he knocked the guy out. Got a nice amount of money as well.
And so he continued fighting in underground fights. In beginning some thought it was just a fluke so he got fights easily, but after a while people recognized his strength and fights were harder to come by, which is when my father decided to be his sponsor. "

Nightingale:"Your father?"

Francesca:"Yes my father took him in as a representative fighter you could say. You see in underground matches they would often bet stuff like plots of land for example. Instead of trying to outbid each other they let it be decided via match who gets rights to it, so winner doesn't have to compete with loser when trying to buy the land. Anyway this is when I first watched him. I sill remember the smell of blood, sweat,and a bit of piss inside the arena. His opponent was Mikhail Popkov, known as "Вукодлак" due to his ferocity. Heh..."

She makes a dramatic pause and looks up at ceiling. "He never stood a chance. It didn't seem like it tho. Werewolf kept tearing him piece by piece. Many thought it would be the downfall of him and yet he continued to stand. "

Francesca in memory:"End this insanity! He will die there! Your best fighter!"

Francesca's father:"You think so. I obviously know him better than you . GO WIN EARN THE TITLE OF СТЕФАН(Stefan) THE CROWNED ONE NOT FOR ME BUT YOURSELF."

Francesca:"I could never get it. He wasn't fighting for anybody else's sake. Could you even say he was fighting for himself with how much damage he was taking. Despite working with him for 4 years now I still have no idea what he fights for."

Nightingale:"Wait a minute sorry I am curious about something."

Francesca:"Oh yeah what is it? Please say."

Nightingale:"Did you say title Stefan?"

Francesca:"Oh yeah I guess we never mentioned it. Name Stefan basically means crowned one , therefore it was title that was to be given to the king of underground arena. And basically ever since he started working with me he started going by his ring name."

Nightingale:"Then what is-"

Francesca:"Anyway of course he beat Mikhail. He put him in some weird flying lock and broke both of his arms. Mikhail gave up immediately. Afterwords my father asked him to get employed as our private executor for anything mystical. He accepted but wanted to go into maintains to train first, I told you he watches too many martial art movies. He can tell you more about that when he wakes up. I wasn't there so I don't exactly know what he was doing. Anyway now most imp-" Francesca's long story gets broken by to Nightingale miraculous sight. Her master coughing and waking up.

Nightingale:"Master!" she says as she stands up and runs to his bedside.

Stefan:"Nightingale? Is everything okay?" he says while holding his head and trying to scratch under bandage.

Nightingale back to her usual calm and collected self replies firmly:"It could be said so. Besides you there are no more severely injured and your recovery is going great."

Francesca to herself:"Dummy , waking up now. Just as I was about to get to most important part... About how you saved me."

Stefan:"That's great. Francesca are you ok?" He says while waving to his friend.

Francesca:"Yep, commander is in full health." she says hiding a tear that welled up due to memories she remembered.

Stefan:"Great then, Nightingale I have a request. My forehead really hurts could you kiss it to go away."

Nightingale:"I am not familiar with that sort of treatment but I could tighten your bandages a bit." she says as she does so and almost pops his head.

Stefan:"Please no, ok , ok, ok now seriously. Can you go and get me something sweet to eat?"

Nightingale:"Sweet but wouldn't something more nutr-"

Francesca:"Oh yeah you've only spent a bit of time together so you don't know but he's got tremendous sweet tooth. Just get him something sweet before he goes into frenzy from withdrawal."

Nightingale:"Well if that's the case i'll be going" She says that and leaves the room.

Stefan:"Thanks for understanding Fran."

They both know Stefan's sweet tooth was only part of reason why they sent Nightingale away.

Francesca:"You're welcome but let's get serious stuff out of the way. You used "that" , do you need new glasses?"

Stefan:"Yeah it seems so , tho ghhhh" a sharp pain runs trough my head "Also make sure they act as mystic eye killers. Last gift was special let's say."

Francesca:"Mystic eye killers? Huh. What did death pity your terrible luck with women so he gave you eyes that charm them?" She says suppressing a laugh.

Stefan:"Huh I wish. It seems what it gave me isn't too compatible with me. I can feel my head splitting just from looking around. Also say do you see all these cracks as well?"

SCENE END