Chapter 21: The Road to Healing


After the dangerous conflict at the Water Temple, the injured members of the El Search Party had to undergo extreme intensive care at Healing Waters Hospital, one of the best hospitals in all of Hamel. Day by day, Chung and Ara would wade through the dense foot traffic in Hamel's inner city to the hospital only to be met with a sad shake of the head from a masked medical professional, telling them that their friends were still undergoing intense procedures and that no one was allowed inside. This happened every day until they were finally notified that their conditions had improved and they were finally let inside.

Chung and Ara followed a nurse down the sanitized halls until she stopped at a certain door.

"After you," said the nurse.

Chung hesitated for a bit, but a small nudge from Ara gave him the courage to part the curtains. After nodding at each other, the couple cautiously stepped inside. The tiles were marble-white and squeaky clean. Heavy curtains were drawn to divide the spaces in the large room. To the left, Chung and Ara could hear the shuffling of the doctors on the other side of the curtain. With the nurse still leading, they walked towards the curtains on the far side of the room. The makeshift hallway turned left and the three followed it to the end of the wall.

"All the curtains on this side of the room are occupied by the patients. Please take care when visiting them. The curtained areas on the door side where you came from are occupied by doctors and white mages. You're not allowed into those parts of the room under any circumstances. Understood?"

"Understood," Chung and Ara replied.

The nurse nodded and tended to another member of the El Search Party located on the opposite side. Then, carefully, Chung found the split in the curtain and waded inside, followed by his girlfriend.


"Ah, it's so good to see you," a motherly voice greeted them. Chung looked and saw that it was Rena, lying down on a bed. Her right arm was in a cast, there were stitches on her head, and multiple IVs entered her body in various places. Chung pursed his lips and looked down in shame, unable to say a word to her.

"It's not your fault…" Rena tried to assure him.

"Yes, it is," Chung replied firmly. "I was the one who caused all of this. I was the one who injured you and the others so badly."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Rena shook her head. "We came fully prepared for this if it meant getting you back. The others will tell you that, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you, Miss Rena," Chung finally raised his head, a grateful smile on his face. Ara put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him as well.

"How are you holding up?" The Shakti asked her.

"A few broken bones. But since I'm an elf, I can heal faster." Rena pointed at the bag containing light blue fluids that sat atop a pole near her bed, from which several tubes emerged. "They also gave me a natural solution through an IV bag. This helps with the regeneration. I should be up soon, although I likely won't be able to fight."

Chung breathed a sigh of relief. "That's… That's wonderful!"

"Yes, it is," Rena agreed, and they sat there in silence for a bit.

"Chung, come here," Rena beckoned him over.

Chung approached her bedside. "What is it?"

He felt the elf's gentle hand petting his hair. "You've grown into a fine young man, Chung. Despite your mistakes."

Rena's eyes then went to Ara. "You too, Ara. You've both made me proud."

"Thank you," Ara bowed gratefully. "And it's good to see you're well on your way to recovery."

"Mhm," Rena let go of Chung's head, and he returned to Ara's side. "Thank you for visiting. I'm sure the others will be ecstatic to see you."

"Thanks for being gracious," said Chung and Ara in unison.

They both turned to leave, but Rena stopped them.

"Hm, what is it?" Asked Ara.

"Go easy on him, will you Ara?"

"I'll try to," Ara smiled back. Chung, however, looked at her and Rena with a confused expression.

"She and I have had long conversations," Rena explained vaguely.

"Nothing you need to know," Ara teased him. "...Yet."

"E-Eh?" Chung yelped as he was dragged out of the curtain space by Ara. He could hear Rena chuckling through the curtains as they made their way to the next patient.


Raven was much the same way, confined to his bed with fluids from an IV bag being delivered to his body via several plastic tubes. A giant patch of cloth was covering his chest, and Chung saw several layers of faded blood on the patch. All of a sudden, a nurse came in and beckoned the two visitors out for a moment. Chung and Ara leaned close to the curtain to listen. Loud sounds of tape being removed from the skin could be heard, followed by the slightest grunt. Then they could hear the nurse dabbing Raven's body with a wet cloth, followed by her reapplying a fresh patch. The nurse then emerged from the curtained space with soiled materials in her hand. She apologized and let the two back in.

"How have you been, Mr. Raven?" asked Chung.

"I've been better," the swordsman replied. "But I'll live. I'm grateful for that."

"I'm grateful for that, too. And… terribly sorry for what I've caused."

Raven scrunched his face into a frown and shook his head. "Don't sweat it. I would've done it again if it meant getting a dear friend back."

"..."

"Chin up, kid. You were fighting something inside your head the entire time. But if you need to hear it, then I forgive you, and so will everyone else here. You'll see."

Chung's face brightened up. "Thanks."

Raven nodded and then turned his attention to Ara. "You and him together?"

"Yep," Ara replied confidently.

"Congratulations," Raven huffed with a smile, before waving them goodbye. "I'm a bit tired, so pay the others a visit. They miss you."

"Right!"


The next patient was Elsword. He was no longer cocooned in that metal sarcophagus, but instead, various metal rings and vertebrae were attached firmly to his body, which was situated on a bed like all the others. This system kept him completely still, aside from his toes and fingers, so that his bones would heal correctly. Elsword's injuries were the worst out of the entire El Search Party. Nearly every bone in his body had been broken, and recovery seemed very far off.

"I'll kick your ass for this, Chung," Elsword threatened weakly.

Chung was taken aback by his friend's words and remained silent.

"Just kidding. I'd never do that to you. Not like I could at the moment, anyway."

Chung sighed and clutched his head.

"Sorry. You're probably not in the mood for jokes, but thanks for stopping by. Trust me, I really appreciate it. It's lonely and painful to be in complete stasis, but you just made it a little more bearable."

Just then, a certain purple-haired girl came into the curtained space.

"Aisha?" Chung and Ara both looked at her, bewildered.

She nearly jumped at their voices, not expecting them to show up so soon. "Chung? Ara?"

Her eyes widened before she charged at them both, slamming them into a tight group hug. She held them and shrieked joyfully.

Chung and Ara looked at each other and laughed, happy to see the young mage healthy enough to even sprint.

"You… You seem healthy," Ara chuckled.

"Yeah, how are you up and about so quickly? I… I remember hurting you really badly."

Aisha pulled away and sassily put her hands on her hips, a confident smirk on her face. "'Tis but a scratch."

Over in the corner, Elsword grinned from ear to ear hearing that line.

"Th-that's great! I'm glad to hear you doing so well. But why are you here?" asked Chung.

"To check up on him," Aisha replied with a somewhat sad tone in her voice as she walked towards Elsword. "You didn't do much to me. But Elsword…"

Chung's head drooped and he backed away. "I-I'm sorry…"

Aisha let out a strained sigh. "It's okay…"

"Aisha…" Ara tried to speak up, but Chung stopped her.

"Do you want us to leave?" asked Chung.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Aisha nodded. "Just stand outside and give us a few moments."

Chung nodded and the two left the area to give them privacy.

"How are you doing, baby boy?" greeted Aisha as she gently kissed Elsword. It was cathartic feeling his lips again, that sensation of warmth and softness that dispelled her long nights of anxious loneliness.

Elsword felt the same. Despite his current chains, just being around Aisha made him feel safe, comforted, and free. The redhead returned her gesture, heat rising from his chest all the way to his cheeks as he felt her warmth wash over him.

"Great, now that you're here." Elsword smiled coolly, even with a red face. Aisha grinned back, then leaned in for another, more passionate kiss. Elsword pouted a little when Aisha pulled away, but she grabbed a chair and sat by his bedside.

"You can come back in now," Aisha said.

Chung and Ara came back to the room. The blonde tried his best to maintain a poker face, but Ara walked back in with a dumb grin on her face.

"Nice job, Aisha," she giggled. "You've gotten a lot smoother."

"You heard everything!?" exclaimed Elsword.

"No. Only the part where she called you her 'baby boy'," Ara laughed.

The mage winked and gave Ara a thumbs up, much to Elsword's dismay.

"You called me that name in front of the others…" Elsword whispered. "That's so embarrassing!"

"But you are my baby boy," Aisha declared firmly.

Ara covered her mouth as she chuckled. Chung, on the other hand, met Elsword's eyes with an emphatic gaze.

"Your girl teases you too?"

"Yeah…"

Chung closed his eyes and nodded his head in understanding.

"It is what it is," Chung and Elsword said in unison before laughing. The two boys' laughter was contagious, eventually enveloping Aisha and Ara in its joyous spell.

The four of them hung out for a while, talking and lounging until a nurse came over with a tray. The tray had a lunch plate containing slices of meat and steamed vegetables, a glass of water, and a baggie of prescribed medicines.

"Alright, here's your lunch."

Aisha got up and took the tray from the nurse's hands. "Thanks, I'll take this."

Elsword watched with a dumb expression as Aisha sat at his bedside with the tray on her lap. She took a fork and pierced a slice of meat and a piece of steamed vegetable. She held the fork up with one hand and placed her other palm below it.

"Say 'Ahh'," said Aisha.

But Elsword only opened his mouth. She frowned and huffed at him.

"Say 'Ahh'!"

"Aisha please-"

"Just do it!"

"A-Ahh…"

"There we go~" Aisha smiled as she fed him the forkful of food. "Now again."

"Please…"

"Elsword. You will say 'Ahh', or starve."

"Ahh…"

"Good!"

"I'm terribly concerned about this," Chung interjected. Ara, on the other hand, was exploding with laughter.

"Aisha, hahaha! You're giving me so many great ideas!"

Chung looked up at Ara with a fearful gaze, and she responded with a devilish grin.

"Aww, don't worry. I won't do that to you," she said while ruffling his hair.

"That's reassuring."

"It'll look a little different."

"That's not very reassuring…"

Ara tickled his cheek in response, and the two went back to watching Aisha feeding Elsword until the plate was empty, along with his dignity.

"Thank you for the meal…" Elsword lamented.

"You're welcome!" Aisha beamed. "Now for your medicines."

"You know I can't say 'Ahhh' for that, right?"

The magician huffed. "I know! Besides, I already got to live out one of my fantasies, so I'm satisfied. For now."

"Thanks?"

"Here, hold out your tongue."

Elsword complied. Aisha took the pills out of the little baggie and carefully placed them on the redhead's tongue. She then took the glass of water and held it up to his lips so that he could drink.

"Ahh," he sighed in refreshment. "Thanks."

Aisha patted his head and kissed his forehead. "You're welcome. Anytime."

"You two are adorable," Ara fawned.

"And I'm amazed," added Chung. "I've never seen Elsword tamed like that."

"That's because-" Elsword started, but Aisha put her hand over his mouth.

"That's because he's a good boy at heart," she answered for him.

Ara draped her arm over Chung's shoulder and kissed the side of his forehead. "So is this one."

"That reminds me. You two got together, right?"

"Y-Yeah," Chung answered shyly.

"Kyaaa! I'm so glad!" The magician shrieked in joy. "I'm so happy for you guys! Ara, how is he?"

Chung raised a brow at Aisha for asking such a strange question. "How am I?"

"Well, he's quite… obedient. He's also very easy to tease, and incredibly cute! Our moments together are so simple and sweet, just like he is." Ara patted his head, and Chung responded by closing his eyes and leaning against her, letting her stroke his hair. "See?"

"So he's just like Elsword. Two peas in a pod."

"Hm? What do you mean?" Asked Chung.

"Well, you're both very tough. Battle-hardened and fierce men, through and through. But as soon as your girlfriend lays a hand on you…" Aisha stroked Elsword's cheek, observing how his eyes softened and how his body eased at her touch. "Both of you become so soft and tender. We love that."

Aisha walked towards Ara and raised her hand. The Shakti slapped it with her free hand in a congratulatory high-five.

The four of them conversed for hours, talking about many things, mostly revolving around recovery and their new relationships. Aisha and Ara did most of the talking. Meanwhile, Chung and Elsword were content simply leaning back and listening. After a while, Elsword fell asleep, most likely because Aisha kept gently scratching his head. She looked down at him fondly, with her right hand still rhythmically caressing his hair.

"You guys should go soon," said Aisha as she looked out the window. "The sun's beginning to set."

"Oh right!" exclaimed Chung. "We haven't eaten anything all day, either."

"We should go, then… But what about you, Aisha?" asked Ara.

Aisha shook her head. "Don't worry about me. I cleared after only one appointment because I sustained minimal injuries in that battle. After that, I appointed myself to be his caretaker. This just happened to be my first day on the job, and right now I'm loving it. So go and enjoy yourselves!"

"Will do, and thanks!" beamed Chung.

"Thank you for coming by! Take care!" Aisha waved.


Chung and Ara found a nearby deli and ordered sandwiches from there. The evening rush hour was coming on, so the young couple hurried home. After returning home, they unwrapped their sandwiches on the coffee table as Ara put on a movie on the living room TV. When they finished eating, Chung cleaned up and returned to cuddle up with his girlfriend for the remainder of the movie. Soon, the movie faded into the background, as the two were just happy to feel each other's warmth.

Near the end, Chung fell asleep in Ara's arms. She eased into the couch as she felt his entire weight leaning against her. She held him close as the movie was about to end, kissing his head or his cheeks every so often. Once the credits began to roll, she turned off the TV and carried her sleepy prince up to his room for the night. She looked lovingly at him after slipping him under the covers of his bed. But as she turned to leave, she heard a noise.

"Mmmnn…"

She turned back towards the bed, and she saw Chung, eyes open and his arms spread out. Seeing the puppy-dog look in his eyes filled Ara's heart with love for him.

"You're so needy," Ara chuckled as she slipped under the covers. The blonde clung to her in response, and she cuddled him tightly against her chest.

"And so spoiled," teased Ara.

"Whose fault is that?" Chung whined. "You're spoiled, yourself!"

"It was my plan all along," Ara giggled. Chung looked up at her and their eyes met. After only a second of gazing into his beautiful baby-blue eyes, Ara couldn't help but kiss him. The gesture caught him off guard, and when Ara pulled away, she saw the "Surprised Pikachu" look on his face.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"I-It's fine, it just wasn't expecting you to make a move," Chung laughed. "Besides…"

The blonde leaned forward and pecked her on the lips. "I love it when you kiss me, anyway."

"Such a heartthrob~" Ara's smile turned into a cheeky grin. She held his sweet face for a moment before kissing him again, this time a bit more roughly. They locked lips for a few long, heated minutes before Chung pulled away for air. After regaining his breath, the blonde boy closed his eyes and rested his head against Ara's chest.

"Hey, Ara," Chung called after a few minutes of silence.

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For that little push earlier, before we visited Rena. I really needed it."

"Oh, right. You're welcome~" Ara sang before kissing his forehead. Chung responded with a yawn, nestling his head beneath her chin.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," yawned Chung. "Good night…"

Ara watched Chung doze off in her arms, smiling softly at his sleeping form.

"Good night," she responded, holding him tightly and stroking his luscious hair. She laid there in the darkness for a while, until a voice inside her head made itself apparent.

I am proud of you, child, spoke Eun. Even I thought this one was a lost cause.

Ara shook her head. Maybe I was leaning too hard into my feelings for him, but I refused to believe that he would turn into something like Ran. I refused it with all the strength in my being.

I felt that strength. It inspired me in ways I would've never expected. Thank you.

I owe you my thanks as well. I needed your power.

Anytime, Eun beamed. May both of you flourish.

Ara felt the presence of the Millenium Fox disappear. The woman appreciated her gesture, knowing that the fox wanted to give the two of them space. Ara bent down and kissed Chung's head for a final time, falling into a deep sleep afterward.


After their first meeting, Chung and Ara visited their friends at Healing Waters every other day. With their continued encouragement and the expertise of the hospital staff, the El Search Party slowly recovered. Over the course of 50 days, everyone was progressively released from the hospital. Rena was released merely four days after the first visit. Raven was released the next week. Finally, Elsword was released after three weeks. They all took temporary residence at the Seiker Manor, as it was big enough to host the entire party. And thanks to Hamel's generous healthcare system, Chung paid only 100,000 ED in copays.

One day, they were lounging in the living room at breakfast time, sipping tea and eating buttered toast and eggs. Even though Elsword was confined to a wheelchair, it was still as lively as ever. Almost.

Chung's eyes went to the empty spot on the couch where Rena and Raven were sitting.

"One of us is still out there," said Chung after taking a sip.

"Eve, right? What happened to her?" asked Elsword.

"From what I know, she was shipped off to Altera for repairs to her body," Aisha chimed in.

"Yes," Chung agreed. "And as long as Eve's head remains intact, she'll live. Thank God. In fact, I was thinking of visiting her today. Would you guys like to come?"

"Of course!" Rena and Raven exclaimed.

"I'd love to go, but…" Elsword lamented from his wheelchair. "I'd be too much of a burden."

"I'll stay behind and take care of him," added Aisha.

Chung nodded but said nothing else. After everyone finished breakfast, Chung, Ara, Rena, and Raven got dressed and went out towards the marble bridge on the south side of Hamel. There, Chung whistled a familiar tune into the morning air. He stood there waiting in the silence until the sound of deep wingbeats could be heard, followed by a triumphant roaring that rumbled the skies.

"Ah, my friend from above!" Chung rejoiced as the Ice Hameling circled above the party. After two rotations, it dove gracefully towards the marble bridge, landing smoothly in front of the four of them.

"Can you handle four people?" Chung asked the dragon as he stroked the icy scales on his head. Siberias gave an approving chuff. Chung turned to the others and nodded, signaling for them to get on.

Once everyone was seated, the ice dragon lowered his head and started sprinting on the bridge. Once he gained enough speed, he leaped into the skies and took flight with a powerful roar. Fortunately for them, a strong westbound wind began blowing. Siberias raised his wings and rode the jet stream all the way to Altera.


After stationing the Hameling in the shade, Chung reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. On one side was the drawing of a map with a red arrow leading them to where they should go. The other side of the map was some more handwritten instructions, for when they reached the designated area. The map led them along the wall into a side entrance that led to the Altera citadel. The streets and alleyways were as straightforward as a labyrinth, and the smell of metal and rust invaded their nostrils.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" asked Ara as she covered her nose.

"Should be. The map I was sent told me to take this side entrance. The shop that they're holding Eve should be close by," answered Chung.

With the map in hand, Chung followed the red arrow. Even the drawing of this part of Altera was confusing, so Chung stopped often to check that he wasn't lost. Fortunately, he knew they'd reached the right place when he heard the muffled sounds of welding, hammering, and conversation.

After cycling around to the front, they came upon an iron door with the word "SHOP" engraved onto it. The engraving was crude at best, but it matched the description that Chung was given on the flip-side of the map.

With a nod to his friends, he knocked on the door. The knocks let out two resounding metal clangs that echoed within the steampunk maze-like sound waves in an organ. A badly oxidized, broken-down organ.

"Why would they keep Eve in a place like this?" Rena asked, appalled.

"I don't know…" Chung replied with a cough. "Maybe it was to conceal her presence. I'm sure the entire city would be in an uproar when they found out that the Nasod Queen had returned to them in shambles."

The heavy click of an iron bolt sounded, followed by the noise of the iron door grinding along the ground.

"May I help you, pong?" A female Ponggo covered in soot answered the door.

"Hello, we are the El Search Party," Chung greeted her. "We came to visit our friend, Eve."

The short, panda-like creature sized them up, gazing from top to bottom for each of the four members at the door. She gave a quick nod and gestured for them to come inside. She led them straight down a hallway into the main workroom.

The main workroom was well-kept and well air-conditioned like Healing Waters Hospital, unlike the rusty and hot exterior of the shop. It was if the door that led to this place was a portal to another dimension. The crew sighed in relief.

There, Eve sat on an upraised bed. Wires extended from her back and snaked across the floor into a few laptops laying on a large desk behind her on the left side. Also on that table were Moby and Remy, her two companion drones. On the right side was another desk holding tools of all kinds—hammers, screwdriver kits, welders, and more.

She turned her head towards the group and flashed a small smile.

"How are you?"

Chung couldn't find it in himself to answer her question. Instead, he looked down in silent shame.

"We're doing great," answered Rena. "We're glad you're okay."

"How have you been?" Asked Raven.

"The repairs have been going smoothly. Or so I've been told," shrugged Eve. "I have only been awake for a few hours."

"I see…" said Ara. "How are you feeling?"

"I am able to feel with my fingers if that's what you're asking."

"No no, I meant… How should I say this?" Ara thought out loud. "Are you feeling tired?"

Eve shrugged. "My energy levels are fine."

"Hm… Are you feeling happy?"

"Happy…" Eve thought about that word for a minute. It had been so long since she had even thought of her emotions that the word seemed alien to her. Upon becoming Code: Battle Seraph, she had shorted her emotional core in search of greater power. Yet there it was lying on a table being repaired by a Ponggo wearing a mask and gloves as they spoke.

The core looked like a tiny Rubix cube; physical access to the finer intricacies of the core was impossible. The Ponggo was merely securing some insulation onto the core to prevent it from damage.

"I… Can't quite feel anything like that yet. Maybe soon."

"I see…"

"Pardon me," the Ponggo cut in. "I must install this core, pong. Queen, if you please, pong."

Eve nodded and the group stepped aside. The Ponggo motioned for her to raise her right arm. Once she did, he opened up a loose panel on her side and, with a pair of long tweezers, pushed the core deep inside her body. The Ponggo smiled as he watched (through a magnifying glass) streams of light poured from the core, connecting itself to the rest of Eve's circuitry. At that moment, everyone watched in awe as Eve's expression changed in response to the repaired core being installed. The Ponggo stood proud of his work, before returning the small panel to where it was before and securing it with some screws.

"That should do it, pong!" The Ponggo cheered before going away.

Ara smiled at Eve's reaction. "So… How are you feeling now?"

"...Good. Healthy."

"That's great to hear!" cheered Rena.

"I'm glad," Chung spoke for the first time since entering the room. Eve turned to him and gave a simple, approving nod. That was all he could ask for from her. With a new spring in his step, he walked towards the head of the shop, who was in the corner in front of a laptop.

"Hello."

"Oh, hello, pong!" The manager greeted him. "You have our payment, pong?"

"Yes, sir." The party gathered around to watch Chung swing the heavy briefcase he'd been carrying all day as if he was twirling a pencil. He landed it on the table with a gentle thud. With a smooth motion, he unclicked the two locks on the briefcase and flipped it open.

Inside the briefcase were coins. Lots of golden coins, neatly organized in a matrix of stacks. The manager closed his laptop and began counting the money.

"4.7, 4.8, 4.9… 5 million, pong!"

Standing up straight, the Ponggo reached out his hand. Chung took it and gave a firm handshake.

"A man of your word, pong!"

"5 million?" breathed Rena in awe. "How?"

"I sold some things," Chung answered matter-of-factly. "My father left behind a lot of ornaments. I never planned on keeping them all, so I figured this was a good use for some of them."

Chung then turned to the manager. "Will she be able to walk?"

"She should, pong! Disconnect the cables, pong!"

The engineers did as the manager ordered, gently disconnecting the cables that were plugged into Eve's back. After removing them, they lowered the chair she was in so that she could take her first steps.

They were awkward and clunky. It was a miracle she didn't topple over, but after a few paces back and forth, Eve got the hang of walking with a new torso. Moreover, she turned her attention to the two drones near the laptops. They too had been disconnected from the computers and powered on.

"Moby, Remy," she called them. They responded to their master's voice, glowing back to life and floating towards her. The drones chimed happily as they circled around Eve, and the three of them began to float around the room before settling in front of Chung.

The blonde gave her a pained expression, an expression that embodied joy that she was restored as well as shame over what he did to her.

"Chung?" Eve tilted her head at him. "Are you not happy?"

"I am! I am!" answered Chung. "It's just that I also feel sad for having done all of what I did to you…"

Eve shook her head. "A grudge isn't something I store in my brain."

Those simple words eased the heaviness in his heart. Chung breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Eve fly back and forth across the room to test their movement capabilities. Meanwhile, the Ponggos were clapping and hugging each other, proud of their work in restoring their Queen to her former state. At the manager's whistle, a group of Ponggos came in rolling a cart filled with lush sandwiches, fruit baskets, and various bottles of sparkling wine. They cleared away the cables from the floor and organized the tables and chairs.

After a festive afternoon of drinking and feasting, the Ponggos sent the El Search Party away in joy. One of the Ponggos led them out of the city towards the side entrance they came from to ensure that they wouldn't get lost. Siberias greeted Chung with a low non-threatening growl when he returned.

"I know, I know!" Chung comforted him. "I saved some for you."

Chung produced two sandwich cuts from a cloth pack and presented it to the Hameling. The team watched as the creature inhaled it in a few seconds, letting out a grateful sigh once he was finished. The Hameling gazed back at them with renewed strength in his eyes.

Chung turned to them and motioned for them to get on. With the sunset at their backs, they rode the winds back to Hamel.


From then on, everyone worked hard at their own recovery. Some even began training in the nearby fields once they were fit enough to do so. Days passed by, quickly turning to weeks, and then months as things slowly returned to normal. Even Elsword was able to escape the wheelchair and regain his former physique after some time. Yet for every passing day, Chung never stopped being grateful for Ara and for his friends, and he showed it by continuing to shelter them in his home for as long as they needed.


Author's Endnote

To be honest, I thought this chapter was going to be really dry, but I ended up really enjoying writing the fluff. Lately, I've been more comfortable writing those fluffy romantic scenes, and it's been a blast!

I know I was gone for like two years, but if you're still reading this fic, you're amazing and I thank you so much (especially if you leave rates and reviews!) Shoutout to you guys, and have a blessed day!