Dear readers of this story,

I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long. This chapter will answer one of your most frequently asked questions. I'll say no more. ;-)

Some of you might consider this chapter a bit graphic. Sensitive readers, consider yourselves warned... But you should already know me by know, some chapters have been... almost worse.

Annnd... I have an announcement to make. Tonight, at 4:04 local time (August 21, 2013) I finished the first draft of the epilogue. You, dear readers, are still a few chapters behind, and there's still some editing to do... but still, this means this story is almost finished, after more than two years!

Hopefully, it shouldn't be a long wait for the last three (or so) chapters. Editing is a much faster process than actually having to type up things from scratch.

I hope you've all had a terrific summer, and I'm still overwhelmed by your wonderful reviews. I can't really grasp it-this story has about a hundred followers! When I started, I'd expected that maybe four or five people would show a little interest but... just... wow.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Love, always,

BoMD

–––

A sickening wave of fear and disgust swept over Sophie as she felt the blade penetrate Howl's flesh. Howl cried out in agony, a desperate, high pitched scream, and as Sophie grabbed the dagger handle anew, guided more by touch than by sight (afterwards, she couldn't even tell whether she had opened her eyes at all) and pulled the blade out, he arched his back, squirming in pain. It didn't, however, take much of her strength to hold him down.

The wound was pulsating now, staining the pile of towels she'd been placing by his side. But the mass protruding from the wound was anything but blood; a dark and vile smelling goo… like a mixture of pus, slime, and partly decomposed feathers. Fighting down her nausea, Sophie held her breath… knowing that she had to wait for the right moment… but would there even be a 'right moment?' What if all of this was a trick from her delirious mind? A last, desperate action sprung from the belief that their magic link would connect them until his death (or even beyond)?

Suddenly, though, a last, large lump of the repulsing substance seeped out of the wound… and was followed by a rush of fresh, clean blood.

Now.

She opened up the book on the right page. The edges of the black letters, staring at her from the aged paper, almost seemed to be glowing. She was trembling, all the way through her soul. Yet, she was surprised to hear that her voice was still powerful and steady when she read the words of the ancient spell, that, according to the explanatory section underneath, had been passed down through generations of sorcerers, wizards and shamans, and spread all over the world.

Despite hearing the spell so many times before, it was only as the words came over her own lips that she realized how melodic and beautiful they actually were. Though they were written in a foreign language that was totally unfamiliar to her, she found that she had no difficulties with the pronunciation. It was almost like a river, flowing from her mouth… and when she lifted her right arm, trying to imagine what Howl would have done in a similar situation, she definitely felt a surge of power originating from what appeared to be her heart, rushing through her body, all the way to her fingertips, that were suddenly throbbing with heat.

As she reached the last phrase,

Buria Balta Bloria!

she was almost prepared to repeat the procedure from the start… but then, several things happened at once.

A strong wind suddenly swept through the room. Some of the glass marbles and baubles snapped from their hangings above the bed, and while some fell clattering to the floor, others seemed to be exploding in midair. However, their pieces never touched the ground, but dissolved into a fine powder and disappeared, without a trace. And, simultaneously, Sophie watched, her heart beating wildly in her chest, how Howl's wound started to look as if it was boiling from inside… hissing and bubbling for a moment before it eventually began to close.

Sophie could have wept and leapt with joy as she observed how the edges of the wound just fused themselves together, from top to bottom, and all the blood surrounding it just melted away and dissolved. All that remained was now a thin, pink scar, barely visible even on Howl's clean, white skin.

Sophie was still frozen in fascination and almost a sense of disbelief as she suddenly became aware of that she was being watched. She slowly turned her head upwards and found a pair of weary blue eyes fluttering open. As they met hers, the wizard's lips formed a tired smile. "Sophie…" he whispered, weakly, but there was just fatigue and no pain in his voice.

"Howl!" Sophie threw herself down on the bed, pulling him into her arms, and what felt like the tightest embrace they had ever shared. She didn't even realize that she was sobbing uncontrollably into his nightshirt until he heard him gasping, close to her ear. "Sophie, darling, if you're attempting to choke me, you're just about to succeed…" he managed, with a hint of his usual sense of humor.

"Oh… I'm so sorry, Howl… I'm so sorry about everything… I was just so scared… I was absolutely certain that I'd… that I'd lost you…" Her tears were flowing freely once more as she released him and sat up again, still clasping his right hand.

Howl tried to prop himself up on his elbows, but he didn't have the strength yet. "My dearest, sweetest Sophie…" he said in a cracked whisper. "You're sorry? Had it not been for you… I would have been lost. You are the bravest person ever to walk this earth…" He paused for a moment, and as his eyes met Sophie's, her heart leapt at the blue intensity of his gaze. "Your magic is very strong… but of course, I've always known…" he added with a wink.

Sophie had to look away for a moment. Part of her had hoped that they would never bring up the subject again, and that Howl wouldn't remember any details after waking up. Yet, too many questions still remained unanswered, and she knew she wouldn't feel at peace until they were. She kissed his fingers, that were still entwined between hers. "Howl… can you tell me what really happened?"

The wizard gave a small nod. "Yes, I know, now… It all came to me in a dream. I tried to pass it on to you… using the magic link, but I was too weak. But I think we got some help–from a rather unexpected source…"

"Heen?" Sophie looked at him, her eyes wide.

Howl nodded. "You saw him too?"

"Yes… that's what I thought… In that vision… where you… where I was told to… get the dagger…" As she spoke the words, she realized how distant and surreal the recent events already felt.

"He still has a way to get in touch with Suliman, and that's obviously what he did… And despite everything that's happened… she still doesn't want to see me dead."

Sophie shook her head, but before she could say anything, Howl continued. "You see… the enemy found out that wizards like me used to grab onto the warheads… and slow them down… just like I did when they were trying to blow up our house. They created a substance… some kind of a poison, that was supposed to make us physically ill… and yet, the substance had magical qualities to it as well… once we were weak and vulnerable, it should prevent us from completely changing back into human shape… rendering our inner organs, and our skin…"

Sophie listened, nearly speechless. "That's positively… vile…" she managed, drawing a trembling hand to her mouth. "Suliman… told you about this?"

Howl nodded. "She talked to me in my dream. She also told me that I was a lucky man–that by the time we found this warhead, most of the substance must have washed off. I was only exposed to a small amount…"

"And she asked you to tell me to…" Sophie's voice trailed off.

"To be honest, my dearest, sweetest Sophie, none of us actually knew… what it really depended on was your magic. I never doubted you–you had already saved me once… but the question was whether you would have enough faith in yourself… that dagger is a powerful tool of magic by itself, but only in the right hands…"

Once again, Sophie looked at Howl with wide eyes. "So, you mean… it wasn't just the blood quenching spell?"

Howl snorted, and would have laughed, had he been strong enough. "You did the blood quenching spell too? I was hardly aware of that… and after you cut me? It's… an understatement to say that I'm impressed… simply… amazing… that's what you are…" Sighing, he closed his eyes, but there were no hints of pain on his face.

"Will… will you be… are you sure you will be all right, now, Howl?" Sophie felt her voice quivering as she uttered the question.

"Quite sure, my love… quite sure… all thanks to you… and Suliman, well, I owe her one." Howl sighed, opening his eyes slightly, looking at her. "I'm fine now… just tired… I need to sleep… so why don't you come here… and just hold me…?"

Through tear brimmed eyes, Sophie couldn't suppress a giggle. This was the Howl she knew, and loved… Part of her felt tempted to just fall back on the bed and honor his request… in fact, once again hold onto him as tightly as she possibly could, and never, ever let go, but her eyes fell on the reeking pile of towels that were still bundled up on the side of the bed. "I will. But I think I'd better get rid of these first…" She gestured at the pile. "Oh, no, you don't want to see them…" She rose from the bed with difficulty… feeling her legs tremble beneath her. "I will be right back…"

"My ever so practical wife." Howl gave a slight smile. "Don't worry… I won't be going anywhere."

Bending down, Sophie embraced him fiercely once more, stroke back his bangs, and kissed his forehead. "I'll be right back," she repeated, as she quickly gathered up the towels and made it to the door.

–––

"Calcifer!"

The fire demon yelped at her call, and immediately came rushing toward her. As he stopped, a couple feet before her, he was quivering anxiously in midair. "Well?"

"Oh Calcifer… he is alive… and he'll make it! We… I got… I had a dream… we had… we were told to…" Once again, Sophie found herself unable to talk.

Without a word, Calcifer leapt up on her shoulder, embracing her. She felt her cheek pulsating from his heat. As he released her, looking slightly scarlet and embarrassed, his eyes were on the floor. "I think I shared the same dream… and I was trying to tell you… but I also knew that it was you who had to act on it… You've done something quite extraordinary, Sophie… what you did… well, I'm certain Howl's already told you, and I wouldn't consider myself an expert of the human psyche, but I know that very few people… if anyone, could have managed to do what you just did…"

Sophie felt herself blushing slightly. "Thank you, Calcifer. But I'd never have managed without your help…"

"Don't even mention it."

Sophie never thought she'd hear those words from the fire demon's mouth, and now, she knew they really came from the depth of his soul.

"Is there anything else I can do… like, now?" Calcifer continued.

Sophie smiled. "Yes, in fact I think there is. I need to dispose of these towels–but you shouldn't try and burn them yourself." She indicated at the bundle that she'd dropped on the floor beside her. "I'm going back up there now… I think we both… in fact, I think we all need some sleep now. Including you… Well, I know you'd probably like to see him first…"

"No need for me to see him right away. He'll probably just keep ordering me around anyway," Calcifer added with a wink. "I think you're right. We all need some rest."

"Yes. But we should tell Markl… and my sisters…"

"If the dog knows, I'm sure he'll find a way to tell them before we even make it there…"

"You're right…" Sophie suddenly felt a great wave of exhaustion sweeping over her.

"Sophie, you look dead on your feet. Just get up there again. As soon as I'm well rested, I'll drop by their house and confirm what they already know."

"Thank you so much…"

"Well, you get back up there now… and good night!" With that, Calcifer grabbed the bundle, and headed toward the front door.

As Sophie started walking up the stairs, she was almost startled to hear a very clear voice speaking inside her head. "Could you bring me some water, please, sweetest? I need you here… beside me…"

Almost laughing out loud, shaking her head, Sophie picked up the water pitcher and headed toward the bathroom.

–––

Spoonful by spoonful, she let the water trickle between Howl's lips as he lay, semi-reclined, with his upper body on her lap. At first, he'd found it a bit difficult to swallow, since his throat was still all dry and raspy, but after a few mouthfuls, he drank eagerly and with no signs of discomfort or nausea. By the second glass, total exhaustion overcame them both, and they came to the decision that he'd probably had enough water to make it through the next couple of hours.

"Let's get some rest, dear…" Sophie said, helping him back onto his pillow, and organizing the blankets.

"Closer…" Howl urged, and she draped the blankets over both of them, putting her arms around his waist, snuggling up tightly against his back. He no longer felt warm to the touch, and though he was in dire need of a bath, he was starting to get his own scent back… he no longer smelled like disease.

Sophie realized however, that despite her state of exhaustion, she had one final question before she would be able to fall asleep. "Howl… you said you owe Suliman one… will she… expect something in return from us?"

"Soph… why are you worrying 'bout such things now… should sleep…" Howl slurred. "Love you… alwz…" His voice was trailing off, and just half a moment later, she knew he was sleeping deeply, his body relaxed for the first time in days.

Sophie thought she'd fall asleep almost at once herself, but instead, she felt her head swimming. The thought of being in debt to Suliman was downright frightening, and she didn't trust her one bit. What if they were unable to 'pay her back' on time? What if it meant that Howl's condition could suddenly change for the worse again?

And she had been using magic… something she'd sworn she'd never ever try her hand on, no matter the circumstances. Would there be consequences? She shuddered at the thought.

Howl sighed slightly, moving in even closer, grasping for her hand. She took it, and held onto it, as tightly as she dared, without disturbing his sleep.

Well, at least he is alive… and on the mend. And that should be all that matters, shouldn't it?

With that, she finally gave in to exhaustion, and with a last prayer, eventually overcome by a sense of boundless peace, she let herself fall asleep.

To be continued...