NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: Recovery
The morning sun filtered through clean hospital windows. Three days since the raid. Three days since killing a Master rank cultivator.
Raze sat on the edge of his bed, testing his ribs. The pain was gone. Kael's Regeneration plus his own B rank Endurance had done their work.
His Status window flickered to life.
[Ding]
[Status Window]
Name: Raze Dragonheart
Age: 17
Rank: Initiate (Peak)
Core: Blooming (Low)
Bloodline: Dormant
Authority: Dormant
Talent: Absolute Genius
Strength: C
Agility: C
Endurance: B (+)
Mana: A (+)
Mana Well: S
Will: A
Perception: D
Charm: A (+)
Skills:
[Swordsmanship C (-)
[Mana Manipulation C]
[Inspect D]
[Combat Reflex C]
[Scarlet Leap C]
[Instant Transmission D]
His Swordsmanship had settled at C rank after the combat experience. Fighting a Master had accelerated his growth beyond normal training. The muscle memory was integrating. The movements becoming natural.
He stood. Stretched. Everything worked.
Knock knock.
The door opened. A hospital attendant entered.
"Mr. Dragonheart? You're cleared for discharge. Your companions are waiting downstairs."
"Thank you."
Raze dressed in clean clothes. Simple but better than the bloodstained rags from the raid. Someone had left them. Probably Mary.
He descended the stairs. The hospital was busy. Healers moving between rooms. Patients in various states of recovery.
But different now. Hopeful. The oppressive weight of the Black Cough epidemic was gone. Children laughed in hallways. Parents smiled.
The main floor opened to a waiting area. His team sat together.
Kael looked up first. Dark circles under his eyes but alive. "Finally awake. You've been cleared?"
"Just now. How are the others?"
"Aslan was discharged yesterday. Mariabel this morning. We're all functional." Kael gestured to the street outside. "The city wants to see us."
They exited together. Sunlight bright and warm.
The street erupted.
Cheering. Applause. Dozens of people gathered outside the hospital. Parents with their children. Workers. Merchants. Common folk who'd heard the story.
"The Four Stars!"
"They killed Viktor!"
"They saved the district!"
Raze felt heat rise to his face. His A rank Charm drew attention but this was different. This was genuine gratitude.
A woman approached. She held a small girl's hand. The child looked healthy. Vibrant. Black veins completely gone.
"Thank you." The woman's voice cracked. "My daughter. She would have died. Thank you."
More people pressed forward. Thanking them. Blessing them. Offering gifts.
Mariabel handled it naturally. Her noble training evident. Accepting thanks graciously. Deflecting excessive praise.
Aslan looked overwhelmed. His silver eyes wide. Uncertain how to process positive attention.
Kael just nodded. Accepting the gratitude but uncomfortable with the crowd.
Raze managed a smile. "We're glad we could help. But the healers deserve credit too. They're treating everyone now."
A city guard pushed through the crowd. Official uniform. Captain's insignia.
"Thornwick's Four Stars. Lord Magnus requests your presence. Immediately."
The crowd parted. The guard led them through streets transformed.
The Riverside District was celebrating. Children played in alleys that once reeked of death. Merchants reopened shops. The oppressive miasma of corruption was gone.
Flowers grew in window boxes. Actual flowers. Not the sickly brown things that survived corrupted mana. Real blooms in reds and yellows and blues.
"The ley line is healing," Kael observed. "Without the extraction equipment, natural mana is returning."
They passed construction crews repairing buildings. The textile mill was being demolished. Too damaged. Too contaminated. Better to tear it down and start fresh.
Public notices covered walls. Wanted posters for Syndicate members. Arrest warrants for corrupt officials. Lord Thornwell's name appeared frequently. Head Healer Mortens. A dozen others.
The trials were making headlines across the kingdom.
They reached the noble district. Architecture shifted from functional to ornate. Stone buildings. Manicured gardens. Wealth on display.
The Lord's manor dominated the district center. Three stories of white marble. Guards at every entrance. The seat of Thornwick's governance.
Inside smelled like old wood and expensive incense. Servants moved through hallways with practiced efficiency. Paintings lined walls. Portraits of previous lords dating back centuries.
They were led to a receiving hall. High ceilings. Tall windows. A massive desk at the far end.
Behind the desk sat Lord Magnus Cain.
Raze's Inspect activated automatically.
Ding.
Lord Magnus Cain
Name: Magnus Cain
Age: 47
Rank: Expert (Peak)
Core: Refined (Peak)
Bloodline: Noble's Mandate (Minor)
Authority: None
Talent: Governance
Strength: B
Agility: C
Endurance: B
Mana: A
Mana Well: B
Will: A
Perception: A
Charm: B
Skills:
[Swordsmanship B]
[Administration S]
[Tactical Planning A]
[Mana Manipulation B]
[Diplomacy A]
Status: Impressed, Grateful, Calculating
Expert Peak. Strong but not overwhelming. His real power was in his skills. Administration at S rank. That's what kept a city functioning.
Magnus stood. He was tall. Gray hair. Sharp eyes that missed nothing. He wore formal robes but carried himself like a warrior.
"Thornwick's Four Stars." His voice was warm. Genuine. "You have my deepest gratitude."
He moved around the desk. Extended his hand to each of them. Not a lord's condescension. Equal respect.
"What you accomplished three nights ago saved this city. A Master rank commander. An entrenched criminal operation. Systematic corruption reaching the highest levels." Magnus gestured to chairs. "Please. Sit."
They sat. The chairs were comfortable. Expensive fabric. Raze felt out of place.
"I've spent three days processing reports. Interviewing witnesses. Reading the documents you recovered." Magnus returned to his desk. Pulled out files. "The Syndicate's operation was far larger than I knew. They'd corrupted my officials. My healers. Even some of my guards."
His jaw tightened. "That ends now. I've made forty three arrests. Stripped twelve nobles of their titles. Dissolved the Healing Hall's board of directors. The rot runs deep but I'm cutting it out."
"Good," Mariabel said simply.
"But that creates a problem." Magnus leaned forward. "Thornwick needs protectors. Not just guards who follow orders. People who care about all levels of society. Who'll act when action is needed."
Raze saw where this was going.
"I want to offer you official recognition. Not just gratitude. Real authority." Magnus produced four badges. Silver. Engraved with Thornwick's crest. "These badges grant you the rank equivalent to Guard Captain. Authority to move freely between noble and common districts. To investigate threats. To act in the city's defense."
He set the badges on the desk. "Additionally. A base of operations. I've had a warehouse in neutral territory renovated. Secure. Equipped. Yours to use as headquarters."
Kael picked up one of the badges. Examined it. "What's the cost?"
"Direct honesty. I like that." Magnus smiled. "The cost is accountability. You'd operate semi independently but answer to me. Regular reports. No vigilante justice. Work within the law when possible. Break it only when necessary and justified."
"And payment?" Mariabel asked.
"One hundred gold each. For services already rendered." Magnus gestured to a chest beside his desk. "Plus monthly stipend of ten gold each for ongoing operations. Access to city resources when needed. Medical care. Equipment. Information."
Aslan spoke quietly. "Why trust us? We're nobodies."
"You killed Viktor Ashborne. A Master rank cultivator who'd terrorized this region for a decade. You did what my guards couldn't. What the kingdom's forces never managed." Magnus met their eyes one by one. "That's not nothing. That's exceptional. And Thornwick needs exceptional people."
Silence stretched. Raze processed the offer. Official backing. Resources. Legitimacy. But also oversight. Restrictions. Accountability to authority.
"We need to discuss this privately," he said.
"Of course. Take the day. Return tomorrow with your answer." Magnus stood. "But know this. Whether you accept or not, you've already changed Thornwick for the better. The children you saved. The corruption you exposed. That matters. Thank you."
They left. Carrying the badges. The weight of the offer.
Outside, the afternoon sun was bright. Warm.
"Well," Mariabel said. "That was unexpected."
"Official backing." Kael's voice was thoughtful. "Resources. Protection. But also chains."
"We need to talk," Raze said. "Properly. As a team."
"The new base?" Aslan suggested.
"Let's see what Magnus provided."
Thud thud thud.
Their footsteps echoed through streets as they navigated to neutral territory. The warehouse district. Where legal and illegal operations blurred.
The renovated warehouse appeared ahead. New door. Fresh paint. Windows that actually closed.
Inside was transformed.
The main space was divided into sections. Sleeping quarters with actual beds. Not luxury but comfortable. A training area with practice weapons and padding. An alchemy lab for Kael with proper equipment. An armory with weapon racks and armor stands.
Multiple exits. Emergency escape routes. Security wards Raze could sense with his Mana Manipulation.
"Magnus wasn't joking," Kael said. "This is professional grade."
They gathered in the central space. Chairs arranged in a circle. Like a council.
Raze spoke first. "We need to decide. Do we stay together? Make this official?"
"The synergy worked," Mariabel said. "During the raid. We covered each other's weaknesses. My destruction. Aslan's power. Your mobility and tactics. Kael's support. It was effective."
"Effective barely covers it," Kael added. "We killed a Master rank. That shouldn't be possible at our levels."
"So we agree staying together makes sense?" Raze looked at each of them.
Nods. Agreement.
"But we need priorities," Aslan said quietly. His silver eyes were troubled. "I need the cure. What happened during the raid. The sixty percent transformation. I remember everything. Every kill. Every broken body." His hands clenched. "I can't keep doing that."
Kael put a hand on his shoulder. "The cure is my priority. I've made progress. The Phoenix Ash helped but I need something rarer. Phoenix Marrow. The inner bone material. It's more concentrated. More stable."
"How rare?" Raze asked.
"Extremely. Maybe three places in the kingdom sell it. Each dose costs fifty gold." Kael's expression was grim. "We need three doses minimum for the full treatment."
One hundred fifty gold. A fortune. But they had Magnus's payment plus the monthly stipend.
"We use the payment for materials," Raze said. "Aslan's cure comes first. Once he's stable, we're all more effective."
"What about training?" Mariabel's flames flickered briefly on her fingertips. "During the fight with Viktor, something changed. I understood my Authority differently. Every fire spell I'd ever heard of. I could suddenly access them. Dual casting. Triple casting. I need to explore that."
"We all train," Raze agreed. "This base has space. Time. We use both."
"And Magnus's offer?" Kael asked.
"We accept. The resources are too valuable. The legitimacy protects us from some threats." Raze met their eyes. "But we maintain independence. We're not his soldiers. We're protectors who happen to answer to him."
"Agreed," Mariabel said.
"Agreed," Aslan echoed.
Kael nodded. "Then it's settled. We're official. Thornwick's protectors."
They spent the afternoon organizing. Claiming sleeping quarters. Setting up the alchemy lab. Arranging weapons. Making the space theirs.
As evening approached, Sophie arrived. Miss Helen accompanied her.
"Big brother!" Sophie rushed in. Threw herself at Raze. "They let me leave! I'm actually better! The healers said I can go back to normal life!"
Raze hugged her. His little sister. Alive. Healthy. Everything he'd fought for.
"That's wonderful. Mary's expecting you?"
"Miss Helen is taking me there now. But I wanted to see you first." Sophie pulled back. Looked around the base. "This is where you'll live?"
"For now. It's safer than the old warehouse."
Sophie's expression became serious. Too serious for a ten year old. "The other children. The ones who were sick. They're all getting better too. Because of you. Because of what you did."
"We all did it. As a team."
"I know. But you started it. You're the reason I'm alive." Tears formed in her eyes. "Thank you. For not giving up on me."
Raze felt his throat tighten. "I'd never give up on you. Never."
Miss Helen spoke from the doorway. "We should go. It's getting late. But thank you. All of you. For everything."
They left. Sophie waving until she disappeared around a corner.
Raze stood in the doorway. Watching the street. The normal life continuing. Children playing. Merchants closing shops. The rhythm of a city healing.
Behind him, his team prepared for whatever came next.
They'd changed Thornwick. Saved lives. Killed a Master. Exposed corruption.
But something nagged at him. A feeling of incompleteness. Like the story wasn't over.
Boom boom boom.
Explosions in the distance. The alchemy district. Kael's supplies.
"That's where I was going tomorrow," Kael said. Running to the door.
They moved as one. Scarlet Leap. Instant Transmission. Mariabel's flames propelling her forward. Aslan's enhanced speed.
Through streets. Around corners. Following the sound.
The alchemy district was chaos. Buildings burning. People screaming. Guards trying to organize.
In the center of destruction stood a figure. Cloaked. Masked. Moving with deadly precision.
Raze's Inspect activated.
Ding.
Syndicate Assassin
Name: Unknown
Rank: Expert (High)
Core: Refined (High)
Talent: Perfect Strike
Strength: A
Agility: S
Endurance: B
Mana: B
Perception: S
Skills:
[Advanced Assassination S]
[Poison Mastery A]
[Stealth A]
[Killing Intent B]
Status: Hunting, Professional, Lethal
Expert High. S rank in Agility and Perception. This was a professional killer.
The assassin turned. Saw them. Evaluated.
Then moved.
Whoosh.
Speed beyond anything Raze had seen. The assassin crossed fifty feet in a heartbeat. Blade aimed at Kael's throat.
Aslan intercepted. Twenty percent transformation. His silver aura flaring.
Clang.
Steel met enhanced flesh. The assassin's blade skittered off Aslan's hardened skin.
But the assassin adapted instantly. Changed targets. Struck at Kael's exposed side.
Raze used Instant Transmission.
Blink.
Reality shifted. He materialized between Kael and the blade. Azure Edge coming up in desperate defense.
Clang.
The impact sent shockwaves through his arms. Expert High Strength versus his C rank. Not even close.
But he'd bought seconds.
Mariabel's flames erupted. Flame Lance times three. The spells launched simultaneously.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
The assassin dodged. Pure S rank Agility. Moving between the lances like they were standing still.
Appeared behind Mariabel. Blade raised.
Aslan's punch caught the assassin mid strike.
Crack.
The assassin flew backward. Crashed through a shop window.
Glass.
Shattered everywhere.
The assassin rolled to their feet. Apparently unharmed despite the impact. Produced a vial.
Threw it.
Splash.
Purple liquid sprayed. The smell hit Raze's enhanced perception immediately. Poison. Concentrated. Deadly.
Kael's eyes widened. "Everyone back! That's Void Serpent venom concentrated! It'll kill on contact!"
The assassin used the distraction. Vanished into shadows. Literally. Some kind of stealth skill activating.
Raze's Combat Reflex screamed danger but couldn't pinpoint the location. His Perception was too low.
Then the assassin reappeared behind Kael. Blade coated in the same purple poison. Striking for his heart.
Time seemed to slow. Raze's enhanced perception tracking the movement. Too far away. Too slow to intercept.
Aslan pushed to forty percent. His speed surging. He tackled Kael aside.
The poisoned blade scored Aslan's shoulder instead.
Sizzle.
The venom ate into enhanced flesh. Smoke rising. Aslan gasped. The pain. The adrenaline spike.
His silver eyes flickered. Forty five percent. Fifty percent.
No no no.
"Aslan! Don't!" Kael's voice was desperate.
But Aslan was already transforming. Fifty five percent. Sixty percent. His consciousness fading.
The silver aura exploded outward. Blinding. Overwhelming.
Aslan's eyes went vacant. The mindless state taking over.
He grabbed the assassin with impossible speed. His S rank strength in transformation far exceeding even Expert High.
The assassin tried to escape. Failed. Aslan's grip was iron.
Crack crack crack.
Ribs breaking. The assassin screaming. Their mask falling away. A woman's face. Eyes wide with shock and pain.
Aslan raised his fist. Preparing to crush her skull.
Then he paused. Something flickering in his vacant eyes. A moment of recognition. Of choice.
He threw her instead. Not killed. Just thrown.
Crash.
The assassin flew through the air. Disappeared into the night. Wounded but alive.
Aslan stood in the ruins. His silver aura blazing. Breathing heavily. But not pursuing. Not killing indiscriminately.
Then he collapsed.
Thud.
The transformation burned out. Sixty percent was his new limit but barely. He lay unconscious in the rubble.
Raze rushed to him. Checked vitals. Alive. The poison wound was severe but his Mercurian regeneration was fighting it.
Kael knelt beside them. His hands shaking. "The assassin was aiming for me. Aslan took the hit. Saved my life."
"And controlled himself enough to not kill her." Mariabel's voice held wonder. "At sixty percent. That's progress."
City guards arrived. Late but present. The captain from earlier.
"What happened?"
"Syndicate assassin. Tried to kill us. Aslan fought her off. She escaped." Raze gestured to the destruction. "We need healers. Now."
The guards organized quickly. Healers arrived. They stabilized Aslan. Treated the poison wound. He'd survive but needed days of rest.
Back at the base, they carried Aslan to a bed. Kael monitored him constantly. The poison was deadly but Aslan's enhanced biology was winning.
"The Syndicate sent a professional," Kael said quietly. "This wasn't random. They know we're here. They know our capabilities. They sent someone to kill us."
"And she'll report back," Mariabel added. "Tell them Aslan is a Mercurian. That I have Authority. That we're stronger than expected."
"Which means they'll send more." Raze sat heavily. His chest ached where he'd blocked the assassin's strike. "Stronger. Better prepared."
Silence fell. The weight of their situation settling.
They'd won the battle. Saved the district. Killed a Master.
But the war was just beginning.
Knock knock knock.
Sharp. Insistent. The base's new door.
Raze's Combat Reflex prickled. He drew Azure Edge. Approached carefully.
Opened the door.
Elena Corvus stood there. Shadow Authority flickering around her edges.
"May I come in?"
They gathered in the main space. Elena moved like liquid shadow. Graceful and dangerous.
"The assassin who attacked you. She's called the Executor. Expert High. Specialized in eliminating problematic cultivators." Elena's dark eyes scanned them. "She escaped wounded but alive. She'll report to the Syndicate. Tell them everything."
"How do you know this?" Kael asked.
"Because I've been tracking her for months. She's killed seventeen cultivators. All people who interfered with Syndicate operations." Elena's smile was cold. "But she's never faced someone like your Mercurian."
"Can you stop her?" Mariabel asked.
"Eventually. But not tonight. She's gone to ground. Healing. Regrouping." Elena pulled a document from her cloak. "Which brings me to why I'm here. I'm calling in my favor."
Raze's stomach tightened. The favor from the cemetery. The debt owed.
"What do you need?"
"Investigation. There's a noble conspiracy. Duke Valdris is trafficking forbidden artifacts. Old Kingdom ruins produce items that amplify Authority users. He's collecting them. Possibly to create artificial Authority wielders."
Her expression darkened. "I need evidence. Documents from his private study. But there's a gathering in three days. His estate. All the nobles will be there. Security divided. Perfect opportunity."
"You want us to steal documents during a noble party." Raze's voice was flat.
"Precisely. I cannot act directly. Night Wardens have political restrictions. But you four?" She smiled. "You're independent. Deniable. Perfect."
"This is dangerous," Kael said.
"Everything you do is dangerous. This is just a different flavor." Elena stood. "Three days. I'll provide details tomorrow. This is the favor you owe. Honor it."
She left. Shadows swallowing her.
The team looked at each other.
"We don't have a choice," Mariabel said. "She helped us. We owe her."
"Agreed." Raze nodded. "But we prepare carefully. Noble gatherings are different from Syndicate raids. Different threats. Different rules."
"I'll need time to make infiltration tools," Kael said. "Alchemical aids. Disguises."
"Mariabel and I will attend as guests." Raze looked at her. "Your noble connections get us invitations. We blend in. Gather intelligence. Strike when the opportunity presents."
"And us?" Aslan asked weakly from his bed.
"You recover. Kael watches over you. External support if we need emergency extraction."
They spent the evening planning. Reviewing what they knew about Duke Valdris. Preparing equipment. Discussing contingencies.
As midnight approached, Raze stood at a window. Looking out over Thornwick. The city was quieter now. Peaceful. Healing.
But threats surrounded them. The Syndicate wanted revenge. Elena's favor demanded action. Aslan's cure remained incomplete.
And somewhere in the kingdom, stories were spreading. Tales of four young cultivators who killed a Master. Who exposed corruption. Who changed everything.
Those stories would draw attention. Wanted and unwanted.
Tomorrow they'd accept Magnus's offer. Become official protectors. Gain resources and legitimacy.
But tonight, they were just four people who'd survived the impossible. Who'd changed a city. Who had no idea what came next.
Raze closed his eyes. Thought about Sophie. About forty three children who'd live because they acted. About a plot he'd swallowed before it could kill thousands.
Worth it. Despite everything. Worth it.
Behind him, his team prepared for the next challenge. The noble gathering. Elena's favor. Whatever the Syndicate sent next.
They'd face it together.
As the Four Stars.
Thornwick's protectors.
And maybe, just maybe, they'd survive long enough to see what came after.