I just wanted to say real quick that this story is written the same way as my previous Miitopia fanfic, where the hero and Great Sage don't really have any actual identities, and are just "our hero" and "the Great Sage", cuz idk I like it that way.
That's all. Enjoy the story!
Our hero stood firmly in the thick snow-covered ground, adorned in his dragon costume. He gripped his water drop spear tightly as he glared at the Snow Griffin that descended before him. The monster roared at him and stretched out its wings, ready to fight. Heart pounding, our hero wasted no time charging ahead and delivering the first blow, jabbing his spear straight at the Snow Griffin's face. The monster reared up on its hind legs and swiped at our hero with its massive paws, sending him stumbling backwards.
He huffed and stretched out his own wings, swiftly taking flight to avoid a charge attack from his opponent. He twirled through the foggy air in a downward spiral and jabbed his spear straight into the Snow Griffin's back.
"Raaaawwr!" the Snow Griffin cried as it bucked and ran in circles.
Our hero grunted as he pulled his spear out of the Snow Griffin's back, just in time for the beast to roll over. Our hero jumped away and landed gently on the ground a few feet away from the large monster. The Snow Griffin jumped to its feet and charged at our hero with surprising speed given its size. Our hero leapt to the side, but he wasn't quick enough. The Snow Griffin rammed into him, sending him tumbling several feet away with the wind knocked out of him.
He wheezed and coughed as he swiftly rolled over and staggered to his feet, snow clinging to his body. He looked up, only to see the Snow Griffin charging a second time. This time, he held out his spear and met the beast halfway, stabbing it straight in the face. The force of its charge drove the spear deep into the skin, causing immense pain. The Snow Griffin let out a high-pitched screech and swung its head violently in an attempt to dislodge the weapon. Our hero, still hanging on to his spear, was promptly flung through the air by the force. He tried to keep a grip on his spear but ultimately lost it, and was sent back to the ground where he landed roughly on his side.
Pain pulsed through his side and around into his chest as he pushed himself to his feet. He watched the Snow Griffin continue to swing its head and claw at its face to no avail. The spear remained deeply stuck.
Our hero bit his lip thoughtfully, wondering how he was going to retrieve his weapon, when suddenly a bolt of lightning erupted from the sky and struck the Snow Griffin. The beast convulsed and nearly collapsed, its thick legs wobbling. It whimpered and snarled, shaking itself and ultimately fighting through the intense pulse of electricity that had been forced through its body.
Our hero didn't even need to think to know who was responsible for the lightning attack. Seeing his opportunity, he took flight and charged at the Snow Griffin, swooping down and grabbing his spear. He pulled hard, the thick metal barbs refusing to let go without a fight. The Snow Griffin began to swing its head again as more damage was done. Our hero gripped his spear tighter and pulled with all his might, and finally it slid out from the gaping wounds in the monster's forehead.
Our hero immediately took flight once more to escape the Snow Griffin's jaws as it snarled and growled in pain and anger. He took the brief moment of peace he had to glance over to his left. Off to the sidelines, crouched beside a snow-covered boulder was the Great Sage, quietly observing the battle. Snowflakes fluttered down all around them, piling up on their head and arms. They kept their gaze focused on the Snow Griffin, not noticing that our hero was looking at them.
Thanks for your help, our hero thought with a faint smile.
The Great Sage's eyes widened suddenly and their gaze snapped towards our hero. The two made eye contact for only a brief second before jaws suddenly clamped around our hero's sides. The Imp cried out in pain as small, yet sharp teeth sunk into the vulnerable skin, tearing through his costume as if it were made of paper.
The Snow Griffin roared, the sound reverberating through our hero's head. It swung its head violently, flinging around our hero like a dog playing with a toy. Our hero could do nothing but squirm and cry out in pain. His vision spun and blurred as the Snow Griffin swung him around in circles and in every possible direction it could move its neck.
With a growl, the beast took flight straight up into the air, lifting our hero higher and higher into the sky. Our hero's head pounded as he watched the ground swing back and forth and grow smaller and smaller. The foggy atmosphere of Ghontu Waste's never-ending snowstorms began to obstruct his view, casting a haze over the ground as if he was being taken up into the clouds high above.
Our hero cried out in frustration and determination. He swung his spear around and squirmed harder, hoping desperately he could stab the Snow Griffin in the eye so it would release him. Unfortunately, most of his attacks missed completely, and the few that didn't were nothing more than tiny pokes. The Snow Griffin ignored his desperate attempts to escape and continued taking him higher and higher, all while shaking him occasionally with the goal to disorient its prey until he wouldn't be able to fly away.
A bright, turquoise light suddenly filled our hero's vision. The Snow Griffin froze and let out a shriek of pain as a humming and sizzling noise filled the air. Its grip on our hero weakened until gravity took over, and he was finally free. He plummeted to the ground, hardly able to spread his wings out and catch the air to slow his descent in time. He landed roughly on his feet this time, trembling and stumbling as he fought to keep his balance. The thick layer of snow piled on the ground cushioned his feet. Everything around him continued to swirl and spin.
The Snow Griffin fell to the ground mere feet behind him, twitching. After a few moments, it grew still, and subsequently burst into purple mist. The eyes on its wings floated away into the distance.
Our hero hunched over and breathed heavily. A relieved smile came to his face, knowing the battle was over and won.
"Are you alright? That was a tough battle," remarked a soft and quiet voice.
Our hero's smile grew at the all-too-familiar sound. He looked over to see the Great Sage calmly approaching him. Their content smile faded when they looked down to examine their student's body.
"You have some serious gashes," they pointed out.
Our hero looked down to see deep puncture wounds in both of his sides, predominantly the left side, where the Snow Griffin had bit down on him. Blood oozed out of the gaping holes in his skin, the fabric that would normally hide them having been ripped to shreds, leaving gaps where the damaged skin was now exposed to the open air.
"It's just some bite marks," he replied casually.
"Well, allow me to heal them," the Great Sage remarked as they lifted their arms, a warm glowing aura forming around their feet.
Our hero grumbled reluctantly. "Alright, fine."
The Great Sage lifted their staff, basking our hero in a refreshing and comforting aura. It seeped into his skin and closed his wounds. The holes in his costume were magically repaired. Our hero held out his arms and closed his eyes blissfully as his pain melted away.
"Thank you, Great Sage," he said.
"You won't suffer as long as you let me heal you," the Great Sage replied with a faint, amused smile.
Our hero took in a deep breath to sigh, only to screw up his face and cough aggressively. He shoved his arm against his face and coughed into it.
"Your cough is still persisting," the Great Sage observed as they ended the healing spell.
"Yeah," our hero mumbled, sniffling and clearing his throat.
His chest ached and burned from forcing out dry air. He rubbed it a little in hopes it would help, already knowing that the Sage's magic couldn't help.
"Are you feeling alright?" the Great Sage asked.
"I think so. My chest just kinda hurts," our hero answered.
"Perhaps you should sit down for a minute."
Our hero once again grumbled reluctantly. "I'm fine. I can keep traveling."
The Great Sage smiled in amusement. "You're being stubborn again."
"I can't help it, Sage. I really want to show you my cool Imp moves…"
"You have been, but you cannot fight monsters if you're ill."
"I-I'm not sick! I'm fine! I just… My lungs are just irritated from inhaling snowflakes. Or maybe from the cold air. That's all."
The Great Sage narrowed their eyes thoughtfully as they crossed their arms. Our hero shifted his feet nervously.
"What, do you not believe me?" he questioned.
"I can tell that your internal body temperature is rising," the Great Sage answered.
"R-really? You can sense something like that?"
"Of course. I may use my magic mostly for combat, but I have great knowledge in medicinal magic as well. You can use medicinal magic to sense things within a person to tell if they're ill. Your Cleric friends can likely do it too."
"Yeah? Like what?"
"You can identify problems a person may not even know they have, such as an abnormal heartbeat, imbalanced hormones, and in this case, an elevated body temperature. It depends on your skill level, really."
Our hero sniffled and wiped his nose. "So, are you saying you think I'm sick?"
"I can't say for certain, but I am a little concerned that you may be developing a fever."
"You sure it's not just from all the exercise I've been doing out here? I don't even feel cold anymore."
"It's possible, but I have some doubts. I have spent time with you a lot in the past, and I never noticed your body temperature changing to this degree before. I suspect it's no coincidence that your body temperature is rising alongside your developing cough."
Our hero crossed his arms and grumbled under his breath, reluctant to believe the Sage's suspicion. He took in a breath to respond, only to break out into another coughing fit. He turned his back to the Sage and hunched over, coughing loudly. The Great Sage watched him in silence, noting his drooped tail.
"I suggest we head indoors. Even if you're not sick, your lungs are clearly irritated, and you will only feel worse standing outside. Taking in deep lungfuls of very cold air can lead to pain and inflammation," they remarked.
"B-but you're f-fine!" our hero stuttered between coughs.
"Well, for one thing, I am not exercising at the moment, nor am I huffing and puffing in such low temperatures. Perhaps it really is just a coincidence, or perhaps there is something different going on with you."
Our hero straightened, his breaths shaky and his lungs burning. A deep ache pulsed through his head from the repeated force.
"My head is killing me," he grumbled.
"Come. Let's find an inn at once. I will not stand here and watch you suffer," the Great Sage said sternly, coming up beside him.
Our hero grumbled once more. "Fine."
The Great Sage walked past him and began to head down the long path that stretched ahead. Our hero sighed internally and trailed behind them.
"I understand you've been wanting to show me your abilities as an Imp, but you cannot be out in this weather if you're feeling unwell. We can always continue at a later time, perhaps in a different location," the Great Sage said.
"I guess," our hero muttered.
The Great Sage glanced beside them and realized our hero was not walking beside them. They slowed down until he was able to catch up.
"You look tired," they commented, noticing his slow steps and hunched back.
Our hero moaned in annoyance, his energy fading away with each step he took. He rubbed his eyes and reluctantly let out a restrained cough, his chest already beginning to twitch from another painful fit brewing within.
"When we reach the inn, is there anything you would like me to do?" the Great Sage asked.
"Eh..? What do you mean?" our hero mumbled.
"Is there any way I can care for you?"
Our hero's eyes widened a little. "Uhh, why do you want to take care of me?"
"I would like to alleviate some of your suffering if I can... I have a feeling you don't want your friends to know about your condition."
"Oh, uhh, well… I… Y-yeah, I.. guess I don't want the others to know. They should all still be at the villa, and I want it to stay that way for right now. I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning, anyways."
"Right, you told me your friends are.. on vacation..?"
"Kind of, yeah. The villa is like a big resort that we can go to from the inns, no matter where in Miitopia we are. Some of my friends actually did want a vacation of sorts, and everyone else… I just told them to go relax for a while."
The Great Sage smiled in amusement. "So you could spend all of your time with me?"
"E-err, well, it's been fun traveling and battling with you again…" Our hero coughed again, almost thankful for it preventing him from having to elaborate.
"Well, whatever you decide, please don't neglect your own health. Your body can only take so much, and if you really are dealing with a virus, your ability to battle will be greatly affected. It would not be wise for you to continue your travels."
Our hero let out another stubborn grumble. He crossed his arms at the mere thought of having to stay in the inn to recover from a pathetic little cold.
"Perhaps you truly will feel better in the morning. But, until then, I'm here if you need me for anything," the Great Sage remarked after an uncomfortable silence.
"I'll let you know if I think of anything," our hero mumbled, annoyed at the thought of needing someone to take care of him. "But I'm sure I'll be fine. I just need a little rest, and I'll be back on my feet before you know it. And then we can continue traveling together."
"Just know that I will not allow you to leave if you're still unwell in the morning."
"Hrm. Really?"
"Yes, really. Your health comes above all. You should know that, my friend."
Our hero averted his gaze. "I guess."
The two fell silent as they continued traveling. The inn appeared up ahead only a few minutes later, much to our hero's relief.
"I just want to lay down," he grumbled reluctantly.
"Alright. Rest up," the Great Sage replied.
As the pair approached the inn, the Sage stepped to the side to allow our hero to head inside first. He nodded gratefully to his mentor before opening the inn's side door and stepping in. A sigh immediately escaped him to be enveloped in the warm and comforting air of the inn.
He smiled at the familiar sight of the hallway stretching out ahead of him, the inn's exit at the far end. Halfway down the hallway sat an intersection where another hallway stretched horizontally. A couple bedrooms and bathrooms sat on each wall, stretching down towards the exit, where the guest bedroom was on the left wall. Directly across from it on the right wall was the storage room where supplies were stored, along with the magical doors that led to the villa and the various Outing locations.
The Great Sage stood by the inn's entrance, brushing snowflakes off their sleeves. They watched our hero sway and stagger down the hallway.
"Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?" they asked.
Our hero paused. "No. I'm okay. Go do your… Great Sage stuff, or whatever. I'm gonna lay down. We can talk more later."
The Great Sage remained silent as they watched him continue down the hall before entering a bedroom on the left. He closed the door, leaving the Sage alone in the hallway. They crossed their arms thoughtfully as they stared at the closed door, where our hero already began to cough from the other side.
His future will be full of regret with that stubborn attitude, they thought, shaking their head.
The night came and went with little interaction between the two. Our hero opted to stay in his room where he continued to deteriorate despite his hopes that laying down for ten minutes would magically cure him. He tossed and turned for hours, congested and aching in more places than one. His cough only worsened the later into the night it became, constantly jolting him out of his attempts to get some sleep.
Down the hallway, the Great Sage sat tucked away in the guest bedroom. They slept soundly without a hitch, blissfully unaware of our hero's suffering, and the growing sickness that awaited in the near future.
….
The next day, the Great Sage woke up to little sunlight shining in their room. They yawned and sat up groggily.
Looks like another gloomy day, they thought as they looked around the room.
After taking a moment to wake up a little, they clambered out of bed and over to the large window on the far wall behind the bed. They parted the long dark blue curtains, and were met with pale rays of sunlight and a massive flurry of snowflakes whizzing by the glass. The sky had grown darker, the clouds thicker and angrier than yesterday. Gusts of wind whistled as they whipped around the corner of the inn.
The weather has only worsened… So much for going anywhere today. That would not be wise, the Sage thought in disappointment.
They turned and walked around their bed towards the room's only door, thinking of their student.
He never gave me any updates last night… I hope he's doing alright, they thought.
They opened the door and took one step into the hallway, only to pause. Our hero staggered down the hallway, his back turned to the Sage. He was hunched over, his tail and wings drooped.
"Good morning," the Great Sage remarked, approaching him.
Our hero froze in his tracks. He hesitantly turned around to face the Sage, revealing his red and sore face. He sniffled quietly.
"I knew you were falling ill," the Great Sage murmured in disappointment.
"Y-you can tell…?" our hero questioned, congested and horse.
"You sound terrible, my friend…"
"I've just got a little frog in my throat." Our hero cleared his throat aggressively. "See? It's fine." His voice didn't improve.
"Your body temperature has increased since I last spoke to you."
"Eh..? You don't even have your staff with you…"
"I am more powerful than you think I am."
Our hero grumbled under his breath. He turned away to cough several times.
"You need to stay indoors and rest. You are unfit for battle," the Great Sage said.
"I was looking forward to showing you some more of my moves today..," our hero mumbled in disappointment, looking back up at his mentor with a pitiful look as if expecting them to change their mind. "I didn't even get to show you Wicked Pitchforks, or Demonic Whispers…"
"That can wait. We can always do it another time. Your number one priority should be getting better, and you cannot get better if you are running around fighting monsters in the snow."
Our hero slouched his shoulders even more than they already were and let out a big sigh.
"I know you enjoy spending time with me…," the Great Sage began, almost worried they were about to embarrass him. "...but I do not want to spend time outside with you when you're ill. You won't be up to your full power, after all."
Our hero perked up a little in interest. "Mm..? Yeah?"
"Of course. Your body is using its energy to fight off the virus attacking it. There will be little left over to be used in combat."
"I-I don't want to show you my powers if I won't be at my best…"
"Then prioritize resting."
Our hero stared into the Great Sage's gaze, his heart fluttering as they gave him a gentle smile.
"I want to see your moves when you're at your strongest," they said softly.
A smile creeped its way onto our hero's face. "O-okay, fine, maybe I'll lay down for a little bit."
The Great Sage stared curiously at our hero, noting his change in attitude. Their smile grew a little to see happiness creeping into our hero's dull eyes.
"Come. You need to get settled in," they remarked.
"Okay, Sage," our hero relented. "D…do you wanna see my room..?"
"Only if you promise to lay down."
"I-I will, I promise."
"Alright. Then take me there."
"Really? You wanna come?"
He wants to be with you, the Great Sage's inner voice spoke up.
But why? Why does he want me to come into his room when he said he wanted to get some rest? the Sage questioned back mentally.
"Yes. I suppose I'm willing to take the risk of potentially getting sick as well," they remarked verbally.
"My room is just over there," our hero mumbled, pointing to an open door just a few feet beyond the intersection back in the direction of the inn's entrance.
"Okay."
Our hero sniffled and rubbed his sore nose as he stumbled down the hall towards his room. The Great Sage followed curiously, almost worried he was going to collapse.
"I see you've had a bit of a change of heart," the Sage pointed out with a hint of amusement as our hero led them inside the room.
"I feel like crap. Everything hurts, and I just wanna lay down and stop moving for three days," our hero grumbled. "So, uhh… Here's my room."
The Great Sage saw it as no surprise to see that the room looked nearly identical to the guest bedroom. A closet sat in the far left corner of the room, all of our hero's outfits and weapons stuffed inside. Our hero's bed sat in the center of the room, just as the bed in the guest bedroom did. A half-full water bottle sat on the floor beside it. The air was thick and sickly, the polar opposite of the cool air drifting through the rest of the inn.
"Hmm. Are you comfortable in here?" the Great Sage asked as our hero plopped down in his bed.
"Yeah," our hero mumbled, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling.
What can I do to help him feel better..? the Sage wondered.
"So… when can we hang out again?" our hero asked after a period of silence.
"Whenever you recover from your illness," the Great Sage answered, bracing themself for a protest.
"And… how long will that take…?"
"It takes days for your body to fight off a virus, and it will only take longer if you make bad decisions and deplete your body's energy."
Our hero sighed in defeat. "Okay."
"I know you're disappointed…"
"The one time I finally get around to showing you my moves, and now I'm sick… Will you even still be around when I get better..? Or are you gonna leave..?"
"I can stick around if that's what you'd like. I understand we haven't seen each other in quite a while."
Our hero perked up, lifting his head and looking at the Sage. "Really? You'll stay 'till I get better?"
"Sure. That's fine. I can always halt my travels."
Our hero smiled and laid his head back down. "That'd mean—" He cut himself off to roll over and unleash a violent coughing fit.
The Great Sage crossed their arms, watching in concern. Our hero coughed for several seconds before he was able to get himself under control. He sniffled, his breaths stuttering.
"Ah, s-sorry about that… That would, uhh, mean a lot to me if you, err, stayed…," he mumbled, rolling back over onto his back.
"Is that so?" the Great Sage questioned.
"Yeah… I, uhh, just wanna spend more time with you…"
"Hmm. I see. Well in that case, I will stay for a few more days."
Our hero smiled uncontrollably. "Thanks, Sage. I'm really looking forward to showing you what I can do."
"I enjoy watching you fight. You've come such a long way."
Our hero averted his gaze, his smile fading. "Is it.. bad that I still think back on the time when you traveled with me through Karkaton? When we were trying to save my friends who were faceless sitting in Haven Hollow..? That was… one of my favorite parts of the entire journey…"
"It was? What about all the times spent with your friends?"
"Err, that's different… I dunno…" Our hero rested his hands on his belly and fiddled them. "I was… really sad when you left our party after the Cerberus fight… I missed you a lot…"
The Great Sage tilted their head to the side. They stared at our hero, unsure of what to say. Our hero lifted his head and made awkward eye contact with them. He smiled shyly and looked over at the wall.
"Ah, sorry… I guess now's not the time to talk about those old times…," he mumbled.
"You… missed me..?" the Great Sage murmured, their eyes wide in interest.
"Y-yeah… You're really cool… I really like spending time with you…"
The Great Sage remained silent. Their gaze slowly lowered to the floor as they became deep in thought. Our hero glanced back at them, his smile fading with a pang of guilt.
"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said that," he mumbled.
The Great Sage jerked their head up, blinking rapidly as if snapping out of a trance. "Ah, no… Err, it's just… It's.. been a long time since someone has said that to me…"
"Really?"
"I don't hear that often, especially from adults.. Sometimes it really feels like the only people who ever miss me are the young children who want me to teach them magic."
"But you're… such a…" Our hero trailed off to cough into his arm. "You're such a good person, though.."
"I-I see…"
Our hero rolled over onto his side and curled up. "So… what do you think is wrong with me?"
"It's difficult to tell, but I imagine you have a cold, judging by your current symptoms. I cannot say for certain, though. Either way, please make sure you drink plenty of water and get lots of sleep. It's key to a fast recovery."
"Yeah. I already took some medicine."
"That's good. Is there anything I can get you before I leave?"
Silence came in response.
"Umm, is there anything I can get for you, my friend?" the Great Sage repeated, speaking louder.
Our hero jolted into a sitting position, clutching his stomach. "Ah… I feel sick to my stomach…"
"Can I do—"
The Great Sage cut themself off when our hero suddenly jumped out of bed and left the room in a hurry. The Sage turned around and stared at the doorway, hesitating to follow him.
Nausea? Perhaps I was mistaken… That sounds more like a flu virus…, they thought in disappointment.
Several seconds ticked by before the Sage hesitantly stepped into the hallway. They were greeted by dead silence and no trace of our hero's whereabouts. They wandered down the hall, gingerly heading towards the nearest bathroom that sat directly beside the guest bedroom. As they drew closer, they noticed light seeping beneath the closed door.
"Umm… are you alright, my friend..?" they asked as they stood directly in front of the door.
"I threw up," our hero mumbled, his voice even more raspy and hoarse as if he'd been crying.
"Would you like me to come in?"
"Sure, if you want…"
The Great Sage opened the door and stepped inside. Our hero sat on the floor, rubbing his forehead with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other. He coughed roughly, shutting his eyes tight and making no attempts at eye contact. His entire body trembled.
"I'm concerned you've contracted the flu," the Great Sage murmured.
"So you think… it's worse than.. a cold..?" our hero asked.
"Yes. Vomiting isn't typically associated with the common cold."
Our hero moaned in discomfort, swishing his tail across the floor. "Everything hurts."
"You're trembling…"
"I feel like my entire body has turned against me."
"Are you feeling well enough to consume anything? You need to stay hydrated. I can get you some water if you'd like."
Our hero slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the Great Sage. His heart skipped a beat to see his mentor looking down at him in concern.
"S-sure, I think I can drink some water," he mumbled.
The Great Sage nodded in understanding. "Stay there and rest. I will get you your water."
Our hero wistfully watched them turn around and leave the room. He looked down at his lap and sighed to himself. His muscles ached terribly and twitched uncontrollably.
This is so unfair… I just wanted to show my mentor my awesome Imp powers, and now I have the flu… They'll want to leave by the time I get better… I guess I need to make the most of this…, he thought.
The Great Sage returned moments later with the water bottle that had been laid on the floor in our hero's room. The Sage crouched down and handed it to him.
"Here you go," they murmured.
"Thank you, Sage," our hero murmured back as he eagerly took several sips of the refreshing drink.
"How's your stomach?"
Our hero paused, smiling at the ever so soft and gentle tone of his mentor's soothing voice. "It feels better, I think. I don't feel sick anymore, but everything hurts."
"Do you want to get back into bed?"
"Yeah. I think so. The bathroom floor, err… isn't really comfortable…"
"Here." The Great Sage held out their hand to our hero.
Our hero gawked at it. His smile grew despite his efforts to fight it off. With a shy chuckle he hesitantly grabbed it and pulled himself to his feet. The Great Sage pulled their hand away, and our hero was almost disappointed when their comforting touch drifted away.
"Come. Let's get you situated," the Sage remarked, turning around and leaving the room.
Our hero trailed behind them, his legs trembling and aching. Despite his pains, he smiled and fiddled the water bottle shyly.
They're so kind to me… I wish I could tell them just how much I appreciate them without sounding like a weirdo… It's not weird that I want to hold their hand again, is it..? Ugh, they'd probably think I'm a creep… I need to focus on getting better! he thought with a gentle shake of his head.
He forced himself to calm down as he followed the Great Sage back into his bedroom. By the time he was laying down in his bed, his smile had faded back into a calm frown. The Great Sage stood beside his bed and watched him tremble beneath the covers.
"Do you want to try more medicine? Perhaps something to treat your stomach?" they suggested.
Our hero yawned quietly, hardly able to resist coughing afterwards. "No… I'm kinda tired, actually. I think I just want to lay here, and maybe take a nap."
"Alright. Well, I'll leave you be, then."
"Th-thanks for taking care of me, Great Sage."
"Of course. I want to make sure you're as comfortable as you can be."
Our hero shoved the blanket against his face as he burst into a violent coughing fit. "W-we'll still, uhh, hang out later when I'm better, right…?"
"Of course we will, my friend. I won't go anywhere." The Great Sage smiled warmly at our hero, soothing him with their voice.
Our hero smiled. "Yay."
"Now then, get some rest, my friend. You know where to find me if you need anything at all, okay?"
"Okay, Sage."
"Sweet dreams."
"Th-thanks.."
The Great Sage nodded gently to him before turning around and leaving him once more. They closed the door and lingered in the hallway.
Surely there must be more I can do to help him feel better… I hate to stand there and watch him suffer… Taking a nap will surely help his body recover, but he'll still feel ill when he wakes up… Perhaps I should get some medicine together just in case he changes his mind, they thought.
Folding their arms behind their back, they wandered back into the bathroom and rummaged through the rather large medicine cabinet. They sorted through bottle after bottle of various medicines, most being for pain or allergies. They grabbed a bottle of stomach medicine and some cold medicine as well.
Hopefully this will be enough to bring him some comfort, they thought with a smile.
As they left the bathroom to drop off the medicine in the guest bedroom, an idea shot into their mind. They stopped in their tracks.
Oh, he'll be awfully hungry when he wakes up… He needs to get a lot of nutrition to keep up his energy, they realized. I should make him something to eat. Everyone says soup is a great meal to have when you're ill..
They turned around and headed back to the intersection of hallways where they took a left. The dining hall sat on the right, unnervingly silent and empty. Thoughts and ideas raced through the Sage's mind as they set the bottles of medicine on the long table for the time being.
I haven't cooked a meal for someone in a very long time… But, I think it would help him feel better, both physically and emotionally. I believe I can make a simple soup, like chicken noodle soup, perhaps… If he sleeps for several hours, that will give it lots of time to simmer, and he can wake up to a warm and delicious meal, just for him.
Their smile grew as they headed into a room behind the table where various kitchen appliances sat along the wall, along with a sink, and a refrigerator and cabinets for storing various foods, both from the local markets and looted from monsters.
Why am I smiling so much? This is basic kindness. I would treat anyone this way, the Sage thought, forcing themself to revert back to the content frown they usually held.
Our hero coughed loudly in his room, the sound traveling all throughout the dead silent inn. The Great Sage sighed to themself as they rummaged through the cabinets in search of tools and ideal ingredients. Their heart ached in guilt.
All he wants is to spend time with me. I suppose that explains why none of his friends are around… Am I really that special to him..? I feel like I haven't really done anything to warrant this level of clinginess. Perhaps it's simply because he doesn't feel good… But then, why would he tell all of his friends to leave before he became ill, and express no interest in calling them back? Wouldn't he want them to be here too, to keep him company? That seems unusual… He cared deeply about his friends, and fought so hard to save them from the Dark Lord… Not to mention how hard he fought alongside them to rescue me from the Dark Curse…
Their blood ran cold at the memories of being the Darker Lord, unable to do anything but watch as more people's faces were stolen and scattered throughout the lonely void of Otherworld. Loneliness struck their heart when they thought back to becoming the Darkest Lord and watching our hero stare hauntingly at them in horror, pain shining in his eyes knowing he had to fight the person who had helped him grow stronger to defeat the Dark Lord.
I'm sorry I couldn't have stopped the Dark Curse all the way back in the Dark Lord's Castle, they thought, shutting their eyes.
They sniffled quietly and shook their head, our hero's distant coughs and hacks breaking them out of their painful memories.
Those days are over. The Dark Curse can't hurt either of us anymore, they reminded themself.
After gathering everything they needed, the Sage retrieved a knife and began to cut up the onion and garlic to be cooked alongside the chicken.
When was the last time someone made me a meal? Ah, ages ago… I'm sure he'll appreciate this, they thought.
Our hero continued to let out violent coughing fits, oblivious to the comforting meal his mentor was preparing. The Great Sage did their best to block out the sound and focus on cooking. Once the onion and garlic were cooking in a pot, they sliced up carrots and celery, although they couldn't resist taking a carrot for themself. The satisfying crunch when they bit down only made them want to eat more.
I can have some of the leftovers. He cannot eat all of this in one day, even if he was healthy, they told themself.
They stirred the soup absentmindedly, watching the vegetables cook inside. A faint smile grew on their face as they gingerly added two chicken breasts to the pot, along with sprinkles of various spices. They couldn't help but wonder about our hero's reaction to the food. They added several cups of water to the soup until the chicken was submerged.
If he doesn't like it, then I suppose his friends can have some. I'll make plenty for everyone to try.
Tapping their finger on the counter thoughtfully, they turned up the heat on the stove and put the lid on the pot. They listened to the water bubbling inside for several seconds before peeking inside. The water had begun to boil, and that was the Sage's cue to turn down the heat and let it simmer.
Satisfied, the Great Sage took a seat in the dining hall and waited patiently. Their thoughts began to wander almost immediately with nothing to distract them.
It doesn't sound like he's getting much sleep… I suppose it would be best if I leave him alone until the soup is done simmering. I don't want to bother him and make it even harder for him to sleep, although he seems to really enjoy my company… But I really should be keeping my distance so I don't fall ill as well.
They tapped their fingers on the table as they thought back to the way our hero had stared at them longingly and expressed his desire to be around them.
He says he wants to spend time with me as if he's lonely… But, he has so many friends to spend time with… What is it about me that makes me so special..? I suppose he looks up to me, perhaps even admires me… But, he has grown so strong now, I can hardly be considered his mentor anymore… He does not need me to teach and guide him anymore. And yet… he still misses me…
Another pang of loneliness struck their heart.
I suppose I've been enjoying spending time with him, too… His smile is quite charming, and his determination is admirable. Maybe I'm wrong not to embrace this quality time we have right now… But what am I to do…? I cannot cure his illness… All I can do is care for him, I suppose, and provide comfort, which.. I suppose goes a long way… He certainly seems to like it, with the way he looks up at me… I wonder if he wants me to come closer…? No, that's inappropriate… I need to give him space if I want him to get better. Affection wouldn't exactly help, anyways… It would only expose me to the virus…
A sigh escaped them as they crossed their arms and rested their head on their arms. They closed their eyes and drifted through their memories, thinking back on the times they ran into our hero during his quest to defeat the Dark Lord. They smiled at the memories of how much he lit up upon spotting them, running up to them excitedly and telling them about his latest antics.
He's so adorable…
Minutes upon minutes upon minutes ticked by. Besides occasionally checking on the soup, the Great Sage did nothing but sit around and daydream, memories of the Dark Lord's reign playing in their mind on repeat. Over an hour passed before they decided their meal had simmered long enough. They took a few more minutes to cook the noodles, cut up the chicken, and adjust the seasoning before finally concluding the soup was ready to be eaten.
Their smile only grew as they poured the warm, steamy soup into a ceramic bowl with a spoon sitting inside. They left the bowl in the kitchen, deciding it would be best to ask first, and made their way to our hero's room. They leaned towards the closed door and listened, almost hoping to hear him snoring. Instead, they heard wheezing and sniffling.
He's awake. I wonder if he got any sleep, they thought.
They knocked gently on the door. "Are you awake, my friend?"
"Y-yeah," mumbled our hero's quiet and raspy voice.
"May I come in? I want to talk to you for a moment."
"S-sure…."
The Great Sage slowly opened the door. Their heart dropped to see our hero curled up under the covers, shivering uncontrollably. His breaths were rapid and shaky, his chest twitching with nearly every breath he took and threatening to send him into another painful fit. He kept his eyes shut tight and the blanket tucked beneath his chin as if he was afraid of the outside world.
"How are you feeling?" the Great Sage asked gently.
"I can't sleep… My throat feels drier than Neksdor… My joints are aching like I'm an old man… I can't stop—" Our hero cut himself off to cough into his blanket. "I can't… stop shaking… I feel so warm and cozy, but freezing cold at the same time… It's like my blood is still warm, but my bones turned to ice…"
The Great Sage walked around to the side of our hero's bed and knelt down so the two were nearly at eye level. "How about your stomach?"
"M-my stomach is… fine, I s-s-suppose…"
"Would you like something to eat? Your body needs calories and energy."
"I-if you don't think I'll c-cough it up, s-sure…"
"I already know something that will soothe your throat. Wait here."
Our hero waited until he heard the sound of the Great Sage's footsteps fade away to open his eyes. He stared at the empty spot where his mentor had just been kneeling a moment ago, his face screwed up in pain and discomfort. He sniffled and burst into another violent coughing fit, his lungs and throat burning and stinging as if he'd inhaled grains of sand.
The Great Sage returned moments later with the bowl of soup. They slowly walked around to the side of the bed as before and remained standing. Our hero looked up to meet their gaze, forcing the pain in his own to bury itself deep inside him.
"Here's some soup," they remarked, holding out the bowl to him. "You should sit up if you're going to eat it. Eating while laying down is very bad for you."
"Oh? I didn't know you went out… Thanks," our hero mumbled, sniffling.
The Great Sage watched patiently as our hero weakly pushed himself up into a sitting position, leaning his back on his pillow. He ignored the pain pulsing through his head and stared down at his lap for a moment, letting out weak coughs before turning back to the Sage and gingerly taking the bowl of soup from them. Hands shaking, he gingerly gripped the spoon and scooped up a spoonful of the warm meal. The smell was enough to make his belly churn.
"How is it?" the Great Sage asked quietly as our hero gulped down the spoonful.
Our hero's eyes widened. He stared down at the bowl, confusion written all over his face.
"Wait… what? I thought this was Warming Soup, but… it tastes nothing like that. What is this, Sage? Where did you get this from?" he asked, looking up at his mentor.
The Great Sage averted their gaze and folded their arms behind their back. "Ah, well… I, erm… I made this soup for you… I did not, err, buy it from anywhere.. I hope you don't mind, but I had to use some of your food for ingredients…"
Our hero froze. He slowly looked back down at the soup, carefully studying the spices and pieces of vegetables floating inside the bowl, then looked back up at the Great Sage.
"Y-you… made this for me…?" he asked softly.
The Great Sage looked back at him, hardly able to resist smiling at the shock on his face. They nodded slowly.
"You… made me soup..?" our hero repeated.
"Mmm-hmm. I… wanted to help you feel better, and I have heard many times that chicken noodle soup is a good food to eat when you're unwell, so… I made you some after I left. I-I understand if you don't like it… I, err, am not really used to cooking for others…"
"N-no, it's… it tastes great… I just didn't think you would go out of your way to do something like that for me… Th-that's why I assumed you went out and got some Warming Soup…"
The Great Sage smiled despite their efforts to hide it. "Oh, that's a relief, I'm happy to hear you like it."
Our hero dipped another spoonful, this one with chunks of veggies in it. He bit down, tasting the soft chunks of carrot and celery.
"This is delicious, Sage… Thank you…," he mumbled, a smile forcing its way onto his face as well.
The Great Sage could only smile wider to see him happy. Their stomach lurched when our hero looked up at them. The two locked eyes, our hero surprised to see his mentor smiling.
"You're too kind to me," the Imp mumbled shyly, looking away.
"I enjoy caring for you," the Great Sage replied. "There's more in the kitchen if you want seconds. I made a lot, so you can eat it for the next few days if you want, or you can save some for your companions."
Our hero didn't respond for a few moments, enjoying his meal. "Thank you. It.. really means a lot to see how much you care about me."
"Of course I care about you. You're a very selfless and brave person."
"Ah, thanks…"
"Would you like me to leave you be?"
"N-no… Please stay… I like your.. c-company…"
"Alright." The Great Sage sat down on the floor right where they were standing, watching their student scarf down the soup.
Our hero remained silent as he ate, thankful to have a warm meal to fill his belly. Although his body continued to tremble and ache, somehow he was confident the soup would improve his condition. His breathing began to stabilize from inhaling warm steam.
"Were you able to get any sleep?" the Great Sage asked.
"No," our hero mumbled, shaking his head.
"I see… Do you want to try again?"
"Would it upset my tummy if I laid down after this?"
"It's not healthy to lay down right after eating. You should remain upright as you are right now, and wait a while until you try to fall asleep again."
"Hrm. Okay…"
"Hopefully by then, you will start to feel better."
"Yeah, I better… I still can't wait to hang out with you…"
"We will soon. Just be patient."
Our hero groaned softly as his smile faded. He held the bowl out to the Sage, his arm trembling.
"I'm sorry, but I'm too sick to eat any more. I don't feel hungry. But, I really liked it, and my throat feels better," he mumbled.
"Don't apologize. I understand," the Great Sage replied, taking the bowl from him.
They glanced inside and noticed only about half of its contents had been eaten. They gently set the bowl on the floor and looked back up at our hero.
Our hero stared down at his lap. He continued to tremble and his chest began to twitch again. With the warm bowl gone, he was reminded of his aches and pains.
"Oh, would you like some medicine?" the Great Sage asked.
Our hero shook his head, trying to fight off another coughing fit. He barely inhaled, and his chest convulsed, forcing him to intake a sharp, shaky breath and immediately burst into violent coughs. He covered his mouth with his arm and hunched over, coughing so hard he nearly gagged from the force. His breathing instantly became uneven and rapid as he tried to catch his breath.
"Breathe through your nose, my friend," the Great Sage instructed softly. "Relax and take slow breaths."
Our hero sniffled and cleared his throat. He did his best to breathe slowly through his nose, his chest still twitching as it always did.
"There you go," the Great Sage praised.
"This sucks," our hero mumbled.
"It will be alright."
Our hero closed his eyes and lowered his head, comforted by his mentor's voice. A deep, aching pain pulsed through his legs. The muscles twitched uncontrollably.
"I want to lay down," he croaked.
"You didn't eat very much, so I suppose it's alright, but you may get indigestion," the Great Sage cautioned.
"I don't care. I'd prefer that over this crap." Our hero struggled to stay positive as he slid down until he was lying on his back.
"Is there anything I can do for you, my friend?"
Our hero rolled over to face them. He looked into their eyes, and his pain only worsened. He relaxed his shoulders and realized he'd been tensing up.
Staring longingly at his mentor's familiar and comforting face was enough to finally allow him to accept the situation. He relaxed his face and allowed the pain and discomfort he'd been trying to ignore to seep into his expression. He screwed up his face and curled up, trembling and whimpering.
"I don't know," he mumbled.
"Are you in pain?" the Great Sage asked.
Our hero nodded. He continued to take in shaky breaths through his nose, hoping his chest would relax enough for him to sleep.
"Don't hide your suffering from me," the Great Sage murmured.
Our hero whimpered quietly at the sound of his mentor's voice. He stared at them in silence, almost wishing they would climb into his bed with him.
"Why do you want me to stay with you?" the Great Sage questioned after a long silence.
Our hero sniffled quietly. "Err, I guess you give me a reason to recover faster…"
"What about spending time with your friends?"
"Well… I hang out with them all the time. I don't really care about that now that you're here. I'd rather spend time with you."
"Wh-why…?"
"'Cuz… you're nice to be around. And I haven't seen you in a while... Ever since we saved you… I've barely gotten to talk to you, or catch up, or spend any time with you. My friends and I all live together in these inns, so I spend time with them every single day. Wherever I go, they follow, whether they want to or not, literally. Inns are weird and magical like that. Whatever inn I go to, my friends will magically be there even if they never went outside. But, you're off on your own. Not to mention, you were kind of… the Darker Lord for a long time."
"I prefer to travel alone, yes. Many see it as lonely, but I enjoy the freedom."
"Does that mean you weren't happy when we traveled through Karkaton together…?"
"No, traveling with you brought me a lot of joy."
Our hero hesitated, coughing. "So… I made you happy, right..?"
"Yes."
"Th-that's a relief…"
"Why do you ask that? Are you worried I don't enjoy your company?"
"Kind of. You just said you prefer traveling alone… I don't want you to stay with us just because I asked you to, or you feel like you have no choice… I hope you know that… Y-you can leave whenever you want… It's okay…"
The Great Sage paused, noticing the growing disappointment in our hero's voice. "You would be sad if I left."
"N-no, I'd be fine…"
"I can tell in your tone, my friend. Don't bluff."
Our hero sighed and closed his eyes. "I just… want to spend more time with you. That's all."
"Well I won't be going anywhere."
Our hero went silent, too tired to smile. His heart warmed in the comfort of knowing his mentor would still be around later in the day. He coughed a few times, his chest aching.
"I want to sleep, but I don't know if I can," he whimpered.
"Where does it hurt?" the Great Sage asked as they stood up.
"My legs hurt the worst. They won't stop twitching, and every movement is making them hurt."
"I see. I'll be right back."
Our hero groaned softly as the Great Sage left the room. They returned moments later with their staff.
"Does a particular leg hurt more than the other?" they asked as they knelt down beside the bed.
"No," our hero mumbled.
The Great Sage didn't respond. They used their staff to channel thermal energy into their hands, heating them up to a comfortable temperature. They set their staff down and rubbed their hands together.
"It's going to be alright, my friend," they murmured in a soft, soothing tone.
"Yeah, I guess," our hero mumbled.
The Great Sage reached across our hero's body and gently wrapped their fingers around his leg. He flinched a little, and the Sage wasted no time beginning to massage his leg.
"Wh-what are you doing..?" our hero asked groggily.
"Alleviating your pain so you can sleep," the Great Sage answered.
Our hero didn't respond. The warmth already began to seep into his skin and soothe the pain within. He almost smiled knowing his mentor cared so much about him.
"Thank you, Sage…," he murmured.
"Of course, my friend," the Great Sage replied with a warm, loving smile.
They kept their gaze focused on the task at hand. They gently pressed their thumbs into our hero's skin and rubbed in a circle. Our hero's leg gradually relaxed from the warmth seeping deeper and deeper inside.
I love you so much, Sage…, our hero thought, nearly mouthing the words as he thought them.
"Is this helping?" the Great Sage asked.
"Yeah," our hero mumbled. "You have no idea how nice that feels…"
"Wonderful. I'll keep going, then. I want you to be as pain-free as possible."
"You're such a kind person, Sage… You know that…? You're awesome… I, uhh… really appreciate this… I just.. want you to know how much it means to me…"
The Great Sage's smile grew. "You sound sleepy, my friend."
"I am…"
The Great Sage decided to focus on our hero's knee, warming up the sore joint and helping it relax. They rubbed it gently, taking care not to accidentally press on a nerve. They took note of our hero's vitals, disappointed to sense his fever remaining constant, but also noticed how calm and slow his heartbeat was, along with his stable breathing.
He's calming down, they realized, their own heart warming.
"How relaxed are you?" they asked.
"I wanna… give you a hug when I feel better…," our hero mumbled groggily, his words slurring.
The Great Sage's heart sped up. "A.. hug?"
"Yeah… To show my appreciation… Is that too weird..? I just… want you to feel as comforted as I am right now…"
"Th-that's… fine… Of course you can hug me when you recover…"
"Yay. I can.. barely stay awake…"
The Great Sage didn't respond. Their heart ached in loneliness at the thought of our hero affectionately hugging them. Despite the sadness, their smile grew even larger.
He's such a sweetheart, they thought. I can hardly believe I'm actually… comforting him…
They happily continued to massage his leg, even getting some parts of his other leg that weren't obscured beneath the first. The trembling stopped completely, finally allowing our hero to be at peace.
"Does that feel better?" the Great Sage asked, hesitantly pulling their hands away.
There was no response.
The Sage glanced over at our hero, only to see him breathing slowly with his eyes closed. His entire body remained still and relaxed. The Great Sage's heart warmed at the sight.
Sleep well, my friend. Perhaps, in the near future, we can grow a little closer…