The air hung heavy with frost with every breath a fleeting cloud in the bitter cold.
After seeing how shocked and uneasy everyone was, Soren merely pressed his palm to his left side until a faint golden glow bloomed against the pale winter light, and before their eyes, the torn flesh knitted back together with the blood darkening and drying beneath his touch until the wound was gone.
"Oh, it's fine now," Soren said softly, his words misting in the air. "You don't have to worry as this won't hinder me from healing others. I'm sorry." His tone was calm, almost indifferent as he glanced toward Sylas, whose lips were parted in disbelief, a plume of cold air escaping with his frustrated sigh.
But it was Prince Cael who stood the most still with his fur-lined cloak stirring faintly in the icy breeze. He had seen how deep the wound was given how the blood spilled from it down his legs and yet Soren hadn't even grimaced.
Not a wince, not a sound.
"Who the hell said I'm worried?" Sylas barked with his breath visible like smoke as he turned sharply. "Don't flatter yourself, commoner! Hmph!" He then shoved his sword back into its scabbard and trudged toward the horses with his boots crunching over frozen earth.
"Alright, everyone," Alaric's voice carried in the cold, his exhale forming a thin mist. "Let's move out. Keep your wits with you. Stay alert and don't let your guard down."
Cael nodded, his gloved fingers tightening around the reins as he turned to follow but before stepping away, he glanced once more at Soren as the golden light on his palm fading, the frost glinting faintly in his red hair as he leaned down to help a newly healed knight to his feet. The chill stung at Cael's cheeks as he looked on, silent, then walked off into the pale winter haze.
Days passed, and the closer they drew to the northern border, the harsher the cold became. The air bit at their skin, and each breath came out as pale mist that vanished into the wind. The deeper they went, the more restless and aggressive the beasts grew with their howls echoing through the frost-covered woods.
Fortunately, there had been no casualties so far, thanks to Soren's steady hands and uncanny healing. Even when exhaustion showed in the slight tremble of his fingers, he never stopped. He simply paused to catch his breath before moving on to the next injured knight with his golden light spilling faintly through the haze of his breath.
And his reliability didn't go unnoticed.
Around the campfires, where the cold air carried both warmth and whispers, some of the knights had started to call him names as the saint in rags, they said while watching him patch up wounds long after the rest had gone to rest.
"Saint, my ass! How dare they call him a saint? He's nothing if not because of us bringing him here in the border, tch!" Lyric exclaimed while sipping a hot tea. It's a ginger cinnamon tea with honey solely prepared for them by the people who takes care in the northern palace fortress.
After arriving at the palace, Captain Thoren, who had been stationed there by the emperor's order, greeted them formally. The important guests were then casually led by attendants to the Private Guest Suite, as per the captain's instructions, so they could relax after the harsh journey and enjoy the tea prepared for them.
The soldiers, meanwhile, were shown to their assigned quarters: barracks, armory-adjacent rooms, guard towers, training courtyard shelters, or the winter encampment, depending on their duties and rank.
Soren, as the healer, was escorted to the Healer's Chamber, also called the Sickbay Corner. The room was connected to the barracks and inner halls, containing several cots and benches for injured soldiers. Shelves and cabinets held medical supplies such as poultices, herbs and bandages so he could tend to the wounded efficiently.
A number of nurses and healers were stationed there to assist Soren with the workload, moving quickly and efficiently among the injured.
"Where is he, by the way?" Cael asked, elegantly lifting his cup and sipping the steaming tea, his gaze flicking toward the twins.
"Why are you even looking for him, Your Highness? He's probably in the Healer's Chamber right now, showing off his healing skills, hmph!" Lyric butted in, leaning lazily back on the couch.
"But it's only been a few hours since we arrived. Most of the knights are resting so why would he be doing that already?" Cael asked, tilting his head in mild curiosity.
"Tch, you really don't know commoners, do you, Your Highness?" Lyric scoffed. "For them to earn our trust, they'll do everything to prove their worth. Why not just let him? That rat's probably kissing up to everyone stationed there as we speak…"
Sylas stood, brushing himself off, and strode toward the door. Before opening it, he glanced back at Lyric and Cael.
"Then, let me check on the rat for you," he said with a smirk. "I'll have some good news for you soon…"
While making his way to the Healer's Chamber, Alaric was busy receiving a report from Captain Thoren about the recent emergence of beasts, particularly noting the casualties among the soldiers.
Meanwhile, Sylas arrived at the Healer's Chamber and immediately noticed the anxious energy in the room. Nurses hurried between beds, and several knights, still recovering, were sitting up and removing their bandages.
"Where's the red-haired guy? I don't see him. Where is he?" Sylas asked, approaching a woman nurse who kept glancing nervously at the wounded soldiers.
"Uh, my lord… he's… uh…" The nurse stuttered, her hands fidgeting, causing Sylas to frown. Just then, a loud crash came from the room behind her. Without waiting, Sylas stepped past her and tried the door.
"What's happening inside? What's with all this noise?" he demanded.
The nurse opened her mouth to answer, but a wounded soldier, who had just removed the bandage from his head, spoke up hurriedly:
"Well, my lord, some of the knights dragged the red-haired guy inside. They're probably… um… working on him right now. Please, help him! He was the one who healed us, yet those fools… hah, please, let me force it open…"
The soldier began to rise from his bed, but Sylas cast a cold glance at the locked door.
"No need…" he said simply. With one powerful kick, he brought the door crashing down. Both the nurse and the wounded soldiers froze in shock as Sylas stepped inside, taking in the scene before him.
"What the fuck am I seeing right now?"