Zane, Lyra, and Elias made their way to the Sanctuary's infirmary, a quiet chamber filled with the muted scent of medicinal herbs and the soft glow of several oil lamps. The room contained several simple cots, a small table laden with various bandages and vials, and a basin of fresh water. The earlier fury that had consumed Zane had receded, replaced by a deep-seated concern for Elias. He guided her gently to one of the cots, helping her sit down.
Lyra moved with practiced ease, retrieving a soft cloth and a bowl of cool water. She carefully dabbed at the faint blood on Elias's arms, her movements gentle and comforting. Elias winced occasionally, but otherwise remained silent, her small face still pale. Lyra then produced a small, canvas-wrapped parcel and, unfolding it, revealed a chilled, damp cloth. She carefully placed it over Elias's black eye.
"Hold this here," Lyra instructed softly, her voice reassuring. "It'll help with the swelling and the pain."
Elias nodded, pressing the cold pack to her bruised eye, her fingers clenching around it.
Zane watched, his jaw tight. He needed to be sure. The cuts on her arms, the black eye… it was unsettling, a chilling reminder of the cruelty they had just escaped. He wanted to ensure there were no other hidden injuries, no further harm inflicted on her small, vulnerable body.
"Elias, take off your shirt," Zane said calmly, his voice a low, even tone, devoid of any ulterior thought, simply focused on the task at hand. He began to reach for the hem of her tunic, intending to help her.
Across the room, Lyra, who had been rinsing the cloth in the basin, froze mid-motion. Her head snapped up, her wolf ears twitching violently, and her deep purple eyes widened in genuine shock. A deep flush instantly spread across her face, rising from her neck to the roots of her fiery red hair. With a gasp that was half-choke, half-squeak of pure, hysterical embarrassment, she spun around and instantly rushed towards Zane and Elias, moving with a speed that belied her gentle demeanor.
"Are you crazy?!" Lyra exclaimed, her voice hushed but utterly frantic, filled with an almost comical disbelief. Her cheeks were now crimson, her eyes darting between Zane's innocent, confused face and Elias's small form. "You can't just ask a girl to do something like that! What in the… what is wrong with you?!" She seemed to wonder, in that moment, what could possibly be going through Zane's head, what universe he was operating in to make such a request so casually.
Zane looked at her, genuinely confused, his brow furrowing. He had no context for her reaction. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice puzzled. "There's nothing wrong with what I asked her to do. I need to check if she has any other cuts or bruises on her. They hurt her pretty bad, Lyra. I need to know the extent of the damage." His tone was earnest, his concern for Elias overriding any social niceties or unspoken rules he clearly didn't understand.
Lyra stared at him, her mouth agape. A myriad of emotions warred across her face: embarrassment, disbelief, a hint of exasperation, and then, slowly, a glimmer of understanding. She recognized the genuine worry in his eyes, the lack of any malicious intent, and the sheer, unadulterated denseness that radiated from him. This wasn't some perverted request; this was genuine, profound cluelessness. He truly doesn't understand, she thought, a faint hysterical giggle bubbling up in her throat, quickly suppressed. He was so worried about Elias, so focused on her well-being, that his social filter was completely absent. But even with that understanding, she still couldn't believe he was this dense.
"Ugh! Just… just no!" Lyra stammered, her face still aflame. In a swift, decisive motion fueled by a desperate need to avert an even greater social catastrophe, Lyra pushed Zane out of the room. Her strength, surprisingly, was enough to send him stumbling backward through the doorway and into the corridor beyond.
She stood squarely in the doorway, blocking his reentry, her chest heaving slightly. "I'll check it out for you," she said, her voice strained, trying her absolute best to sound normal, to not let the sheer awkwardness of the situation betray her. "Just… wait out here till I'm done. Please?" Her purple eyes pleaded with him, silently begging him to just get it.
Zane, thoroughly bewildered by her sudden outburst and physical ejection, blinked. "Uhh, okay?" he said, his voice laced with confusion. He watched as Lyra, still flushed, gently but firmly closed the door in his face, leaving him alone in the quiet corridor.
He stood there for a moment, listening to the soft click of the latch, trying to process what had just happened. Why had Lyra reacted like that? He was just trying to make sure Elias was okay. Was it some kind of Sanctuary custom? A strange rule he hadn't learned yet? His brows furrowed in thought, completely missing the social implications of his request. The world of human interaction, beyond the brutality of combat, was proving to be far more complex and perplexing than any monster he'd faced.
He paced the short length of the corridor, his mind still working through the puzzle of Lyra's reaction. The concern for Elias still gnawed at him, a constant, nagging worry that eclipsed everything else. He could hear Lyra's low, comforting murmurs from inside the infirmary, punctuated by Elias's soft sniffles. He leaned against the cool stone wall, his katana still at his hip, the familiar weight a small comfort in his bewilderment.
Time stretched on. Minutes felt like an eternity as he waited, the image of Elias's bruised eye and cut arms burned into his mind. He wanted to burst back in, to demand to know if she was truly alright, but Lyra's fervent request, her frantic push, had held him back. There was something about her that demanded a measure of respect, despite his confusion. He just didn't understand why.
Eventually, the infirmary door creaked open. Lyra emerged, looking significantly less flushed, though a faint hint of pink still lingered on her cheeks. She gave him a small, weary smile.
"She's fine," Lyra said softly, stepping fully into the corridor and gently closing the door behind her. "No other major cuts. Just a lot of scrapes and bruises. And that black eye." Her gaze was empathetic. "She's sleeping now. She needs the rest."
Zane let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Relief washed over him, profound and immediate, pushing away the lingering confusion. "Thank you, Lyra," he said, his voice sincere, devoid of the earlier aggression he'd shown to Pierce.
Lyra nodded, her gaze soft. "Of course. She's... she's very brave. And tough. But she's also just a kid."
Zane looked at her, then back at the closed infirmary door. The image of Elias's bruised eye flashed in his mind, igniting a fresh spark of anger. "Those girls… they'll pay."
Lyra's expression grew serious. "Kaelen will handle it. He means what he says. No one hurts the children here. Especially not a 'prime conduit' like Elias." She paused, then looked at Zane, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You… you reacted very strongly. That blood power… it was like it took over for a moment."
Zane grimaced. "I know. Kaelen said the same thing. It's… hard to control when I get angry." He thought of the demonic mask he'd subconsciously formed. The sheer, raw power, the overwhelming urge to lash out… it was both exhilarating and terrifying.
Lyra nodded slowly, her wolf ears tilting slightly as if in deep thought. "It's a scary power. But also… incredibly strong. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost... alive." She looked at him with an unnerving understanding. "It wants to protect her, doesn't it? Elias."
Zane looked away, then back at Lyra, surprised by her perceptiveness. "Yeah," he admitted, his voice quiet. "More than anything."
Lyra offered a gentle smile. "That's a good thing, Zane. That connection. Just… you have to learn to channel it. Not let it consume you." She paused, then changed the subject subtly. "This place... it's strange. Full of people like us. People who are... different. And people who have been through too much. But it's also a place to heal. To learn."
Zane nodded, absorbing her words. He felt a different kind of calm now, a quiet understanding of the complex dynamics within the Sanctuary. He still didn't fully grasp Lyra's earlier reaction, but he trusted her, implicitly, with Elias. That was what mattered most. His focus had always been on survival, on combat, on immediate threats. This place, and its inhabitants, were slowly forcing him to broaden his understanding of the world, and of himself. The path ahead wasn't just about escape anymore. It was about control, about healing, and about understanding the true nature of the powers that now defined them.
"So," Lyra said, her voice breaking his thoughts, a light, teasing tone entering her voice. "Now that Elias is safe, maybe we can try that tour I offered? You still seem a little confused about… things." She gestured vaguely, encompassing his general bewilderment with the nuances of human interaction.
Zane managed a small, wry smile. "Yeah. I guess I could use a guide." The world, he was learning, was far more complicated than simply knowing how to swing a blade. And Lyra, with her gentle strength and surprising insights, seemed like the perfect person to help him navigate it.