As Ash, Ri, and Shu continued their fight against the siren soldiers, Shu felt a searing pain in her side. She had taken a blow from a troll, but she had instinctively clotted the wound, stopping the bleeding. She was reaching her limit.
But she was pushing herself. She was becoming too excited for some reason and there was not enough for all the fighting that she want to do
The blood clot reached its breaking point, rupturing with explosive force. Instead of a slow trickle, a torrent of coagulated blood erupted from the wound, tenfold the normal amount. It was a fatal blow. Shu stumbled, her vision blurring.
"I wish I could have told Raven," she thought.
Her knees buckled, and she slammed into the earth.
Ri and Ash, lost in the heat of battle, didn't notice until the fighting subsided and they went searching for her. The sight that greeted them was horrifying. Shu lay in a pool of her own blood, pale and still.
"Shu!" Ri screamed, rushing to her side. Ash immediately began channelling her healing energy, but it was useless. Shu wasn't absorbing it.
Horror etched itself on Ash's face. "She's not responding to the healing!"
Desperate, they carried Shu to Raven, who was still contained Melissa. His initial bewilderment turned to raw panic as he saw her condition.
"What happened to her? Speak!" he howled, his voice cracking.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Jihu questioned Ri and Ash, "Why aren't you healing her?"
Sobbing, Ri replied, "I tried, but it's not working. She's not absorbing the power!"
Jihu didn't waste any time. "Raven, get her to the Vampire King. Now!"
But Raven was paralyzed with grief, cradling Shu in his arms, muttering incoherently. "I knew something was wrong, she was holding back. She was pushing herself!"
Then, in a moment of desperate madness, Raven sunk his teeth into Shu's neck, like a vampire turning another. But Shu lay still, unresponsive.
Jihu, snapping out of his shock, ripped Shu away from Raven. "Have you gone crazy? What will you do if you sit here? You don't have to make arrangements Shu, you are crazy, we are making arrangements for her."
Raven, shaken by Jihu's outburst, finally regained a semblance of control. He spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Whatever you say, Jihu. I'll do anything. Just… just heal her. She wanted to tell me something after the war, and she couldn't."
"What do you mean?" demanded Ash.
"I just want to hear what she has to say." Turning toward the two. "Just say that you will fix her. Is that too much to ask?!"
Jihu, taken aback by Raven's raw vulnerability, finally spoke. "Yes, I will try. Fang, open the portal. Now."
Without hesitation, Ash, Ri, Raven, Jihu, and Fang stepped through the swirling portal, leaving the battlefield behind, their fate uncertain. The fight against the sirens was far from over, but their immediate priority was saving Shu. The next portal lead to the Vampire King and hopefully a new start for Shu and Raven. The portal started to close quickly behind them.
The portal shimmered shut, spitting Raven onto the cobblestones with a jarring thud. He didn't bother dusting himself off. Instead, he roared, "Get out of my way! Now!" His voice, usually a carefully modulated drawl, was raw with panic. He brushed past startled soldiers, his dark eyes blazing as he made a beeline for his mansion.
"Gideon! Find the best healer in the kingdom! Now! Don't argue, just go!" he bellowed at his long-suffering servant.
Before Gideon could even scramble out the door, a deeper, more resonant voice boomed, "What in the abyss is going on here?"
The Vampire King, radiating power and authority, emerged from the shadows. His gaze fell on Shu, who was being gently carried by two soldiers, her face pale and still. Concern etched itself onto his features. "What happened to her? Why is she in such a state?"
Raven stood frozen, his eyes fixed on Shu. It was as if all the life had been drained from him, leaving behind a hollow shell.
"Raven!" The King's voice sharpened. "What happened? Is there a problem in the war?"
Fang stepped forward, his face grim. "Master, the war is over. We managed to capture Melissa, but Melody is still missing. The soldiers are bringing Melissa." He hesitated, then added, "Master, what's wrong with Raven?"
Before Fang could elaborate, Raven whispered, his voice barely audible, "I am dead, Father."
The Vampire King stared, disbelief warring with alarm. "What are you talking about, my son?"
Jihu pushed past the crowd. "Raven is like this because of Shu's condition, my lord."
"And how did Shu get like this?"
Raven whispered again, eyes still locked on Shu's lifeless form, "For me… it all happened to save me. It's all my fault."
Jihu placed a hand on Raven's arm, grounding him. "Master," he said, addressing the King, "Shu was injured fighting trolls. But to fight the sirens, she performed a temporary healing. It was… ill-advised. She healed a blood clot, something that requires complete bed rest. Fighting with it like that… it backfired. The clot burst. Now, she's not absorbing any healing power."
The frantic energy of the room seemed to stifle even the air as Gideon returned, practically shoving a wizened old healer ahead of him.
The healer, taking one look at Shu, declared in a voice that brooked no argument, "It cannot be healed."
Raven exploded. He surged forward, grabbing the healer by the throat, lifting him off the ground. "What did you say? She can't be fixed? Do you think yourself a great healer? I'll kill you! I'll-"
Fang and Jihu, with considerable effort, pulled Raven away from the sputtering healer.
The Vampire King addressed the healer, his voice calm but laced with steel. "You will disregard my son's… behavior. Tell me, is anything possible?"
The healer, regaining his composure, cleared his throat. "My lord, treatment will be prolonged. I offer no guarantees. She might recover fully, she might remain bedridden for life. She might live… but I cannot say when, or if, she will ever rise again." He paused. "I am performing a spell to keep her breathing, for now."
The words hit Raven like a physical blow. He sank to the ground, the reality of the situation crashing down on him. He saw his mother lying in bed all her life like a lifeless person, so mu childhood was spent in a lot of fear, i was spent in sorrow, today i will have to see my loved one lying in bed lifeless for the rest of her life.
"She'll just… breathe?" Raven asked, his voice choked with despair. "For the rest of her life? She won't stand? She won't talk to me?"
He stared at Shu, his face crumpling. She couldn't tell me, so what happened? I will tell my heart to Shu today. Even if she can't wake up, she can't talk, she can still listen to me.
He took a shaky breath. "Shu, I promise you, I am the son of the Vampire Kingdom Prince and Vampire King. I won't get married until you wake up. I love you very much. I will never love anyone else except you. This is my promise to you."
Silence descended, heavy and thick. The Vampire King looked stunned, then irritated. "What are you saying? Do you understand that this girl might never recover? You are my future king! You have responsibilities! You must marry!"
Raven rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with unexpected defiance. "Father, have you forgotten? This girl brought back the person who loved you. Did you forget so quickly? To be honest, you are worthy. you are really selfish. I am really ashamed that you are my father..."
The Vampire King struck him, a sharp slap that echoed in the tense silence.
Raven ignored it. He turned to the healer. "Have you done everything you can?"
The healer nodded. "Yes, my lord. There is nothing more I can do for now."
Raven gently lifted Shu into his arms, his face a mask of grim determination. "Ri, Ash, come with me," he commanded. "I will not stay here a moment longer."
He opened a portal, the swirling vortex of energy reflecting the turmoil in his heart, and stepped through, disappearing with Ri and Ash in tow.
Jihu and Fang watched, helpless to intervene. Finally, Jihu turned to the Vampire King. "Master, don't worry. We'll look after Raven. We'll let you know what happens." Then, with a shared look of concern, they too vanished, leaving the Vampire King alone in the silent courtyard, the weight of his crown suddenly feeling heavier than ever.