At 80%, a new option became available-- Mortality Forecast. I tapped on that option and was given a graph to study. The graph gave percentages as time went on, describing how probable it was that the patient would die. One hour from now, Elma's chance of dying was 12%. Four hours from now, it was 20%. At sixteen hours was a sudden spike. It jumped to 72%. A day from now--it was almost guaranteed.

I was shocked. Dorthaunzee held my hand tightly as she shook. A ding went off, and a smiley face appeared on the screen.

'Treatment Available,' the screen said. I looked at Dorthaunzee, and she responded with joy.

"Okay, Fainn," Svilran said. "Start the treatment. We don't have enough for the very good option, but we have enough for the next best. Select the 'C-Rank' recovery option. It'll consume 100 Resource Points, but it'll be the best option."

I selected it, and the interface produced a new Mortality Forecast. The treatment would fight the effects of the condition. It made it so that in sixteen hours, she would be stable. Furthermore, her chance of dying one hour from now dropped to 8%, her chance four hours from now was 11%, and her chance sixteen hours from now was 1%. The chance that she would have a residual or chronic condition was also low at 16%.

"It's terrifying that there could be a non-zero chance she dies in the next hour, but... this is good, right?" I asked.

"She survived this long! I'm sure she'll hold on!"

"Svilran... If these girls die in the Hero Hub--"

Svilran frowned. "They're dead for good... Death must still have meaning, Fainn..."

"That's not fair."

"They've already gotten a second chance," she replied, sadness in her voice. "But we don't have to be so sad now. She will be fine."

I fiddled with the interface further. "Yeah... I'm staying with her still."

The <Infirmary> came stocked with chairs and stools, so I pulled one up and sat at Elma's bedside as a surface of blue and gold light covered her.

"This is the Recovery Field. The healing's started," Svilran said.

"It really is incredible how convenient this is. I'm happy about that for sure."

"Yup," Svilran replied, taking a seat next to me. "We'd be in trouble if things weren't this convenient. The <Infirmary> has many other functions we may not necessarily see too! It's nourishing her body with refined Aether, it's keeping her temperature regulated, and the beds are super comfortable and won't cause her to be sore."

"That's amazing..." I looked over to Dorth, who had taken a seat next to Svilran. "Hope you don't mind that we delay our celebratory feast here, Dorth."

She waved her hands around frantically as she nodded.

Svilran giggled. "I don't think anyone would mind, Fainn."

"Yeah... What do you make of that Ichor substance, Svilran?" I opened the interface again to read its effects. "This is pretty brutal."

"It's ghastly," Svilran followed. "I am utterly appalled."

"Nochfall Maya... That world can't be allowed to continue along its current trajectory. I wish I could go there myself." I recalled Elma's fears. I wouldn't mind eating her oppressor's fears and turning them back at them.

"All we can hope is that we'll get our chance in due time."

Four hours later--

"Fainn?"

I thought I heard Elma's voice. I must have been dreaming...

"Fainn, is that you?"

I felt a light touch on my head. And then I got a small headache. I opened my eyes and saw Elma sitting up and looking down at me.

"Elma?"

Suddenly, Dorthaunzee lunged into the scene and wrapped her arms around Elma, surprising me awake.

"Whoa, okay there, missy," Elma said, laughing as Dorthaunzee rubbed her cheek against her.

"Elma! You're awake!" Svilran said, shaking my shoulder.

Elma looked at Svilran and me as she patted Dorthaunzee's head. "Sorry, did I give you guys a hard time?"

I grinned back at her. "Never." I rubbed my eyes. "We're just happy you're awake again."

After that, we talked with Elma, explaining what exactly had happened to her. She wore a scary expression when she heard that it was the ichor.

"Those undead... So I got the end a runaway slave gets..." she had muttered. It was clear that she was not going to forget this event.

Svilran also told us that Elma still had four hours left in her treatment and that it would be best for her to stay at the facility for a few hours after it was done. No one really complained about that.

Because it was such a happy occasion, Svilran went to the <Mess Hall> and bought one of the menu items, Fruit Platter, for us to share. It only cost 10 Resource Points.

It was while we were eating from this platter that Elma told me something--

"Hey, Fainn, I think I dreamed of you."

"Oh?" I wondered if she was referring to my time in the Inverse. "Hope I didn't turn that dream into a nightmare."

Elma scrunched her face as she thought on it. "I don't think you did... I wish I could remember more..." She looked at me with a raised brow. "You can't invade dreams, can you?"

"+Nightmares ARE Fiction+ doesn't let me do that," I replied, telling a sort-of truth.

"Okay," she said, nodding. "Good to know..."

Bringing up the Inverse reminded me of something, so I turned my attention to Dorth.

"Hey, Dorth. This is because of you. YOU saved Elma. Svilran and I are eternally grateful."

"As am I, Dorthaunzee," Elma said, showing Dorth a gentle smile. "You'll have to tell me all about it."

Dorthaunzee, with tears in her eyes, nodded happily.

Svilran suddenly leaned over Elma's bed. "Oh, oh! It was amazing! Our Dorthaunzee healed the Hero she was assigned to all the way throughout! And then the Hero got to have a really heroic moment! I couldn't hear it, of course, but I was sure it was a moment of appreciation and determination! It was so epic! He took down this big giant!" She slapped Dorthaunzee's back. "And it was all because of our little Dorthaunzee! Huh?" Svilran looked away from the girls. "Oh? It seems we unlocked a new facility... This... From the unlock conditions, it seems this structure is related to Dorthaunzee." Dorth jumped as Svilran looked at me. "What do you make of it, Fainn?"

"Hmm, yeah," I said, trying to act surprised. "Yeah, it must be related to Dorth since she's from the Deep Trenches." I made the screen visible to Dorthaunzee and Elma so that they could read it too.

Dorthaunzee immediately started clapping, her eyes wide open.

Elma winced. "Hmm, isn't that kind of ominous? We got the 'attention' of this god?"

Dorthaunzee grabbed Elma's hands and shook her head--it must have been eighty times in the span of a second.

"Whoa there," Elma said, a little surprised. "Yeah, if it's your god, then they must not be that bad."

Only when Elma had fully assured Dorthaunzee she didn't think her god was malicious did Dorthaunzee stop.

"Well, I'm assuming we got their attention because of Dorthaunzee's success," I said.

"Hmm, the timing's kind of weird..." Svilran followed.

This woman--why was she being so sharp now?

"Wouldn't Dorthaunzee have gotten the attention upon completing the mission?"

"Well, this isn't something so certain, right? I mean, it's the attention of a god of the Imaginal Realms. We can't expect it to be so timely, right?"

"Hmm... I suppose so."

I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Svilran's suspicion had me a little concerned, though... I decided I would talk to Narlivs later.

"Hey," Elma said, putting her food down. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you both look like poop."

I chuckled. "Poop, huh?" I flicked Elma's nose gently. "I wonder why?"

She smiled and shoved my shoulder with a detached hand. "Come on; you shouldn't be flicking a sick girl."

"Yeah, Fainn," Svilran said, eyeing me with pursed lips.

"So," Elma said, "I think you two should get some rest. Some real rest. Go home--"

""Absolutely not,"" Svilran and I said in unison.

Elma was taken aback. "Wow. Our twin gods are in sync. Still, I'm serious. No more sleeping at my bedside. You two need to rest properly."

Svilran gripped Elma's bedsheets. "But Elma, you're still recovering--"

"And Dorthaunzee can keep an eye on me."

Dorthaunzee scurried to the opposite side of the bed and nodded in agreement with Elma.

"Please," Elma pleaded. "Rest is important, right? I don't want our twin gods to deteriorate on account of me."

I looked at Svilran, and she at me. "Fainn... You haven't really slept well. Your neck must be hurting."

Well, that comment was timely. I caught Elma stroking her own neck. I looked at her and winked. "I'm not hurting. I'm fine."

"Well, you need sleep. Proper sleep. So please. Sleep, Fainn. You can't be consumed by me. Please."

I sighed. "Fine... Dorth?"

Dorth nodded. She was certainly going to keep Elma comfortable.

"I'll be fine," Elma insisted.

We accepted her insistence, said our goodbyes for now, and left the <Infirmary>, stepping out into the Hero Hub.

"So it's early morning, huh?" I said, noting the light level.

"That's right... It's been a long ordeal. Let's rest properly and then return to our operations afterward."

"Certainly."