Hazel gasped, his eyes snapping open. A warmth spread through his chest, the agonizing pain receding. He saw the small boy, his face pale with exertion, still holding his hands over him, the green light fading. Blossom was kneeling beside him, her gaze filled with a raw emotion he couldn't quite decipher. As the boy saw Hazel awaken, his eyes fluttered shut, and he slumped forward, unconscious. Blossom gently pulled Hazel into a protective embrace. A fragile tendril of joy flickered within Hazel, but he was still too weak to move.
A man, his face etched with relief and gratitude, approached them and carefully lifted the unconscious boy. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "If not for you..." He trailed off, unable to articulate the horror they had been spared. "Please," he continued, "if you're willing, stay with us for a few days. We'd be eternally grateful."
"I... I'd like that," Hazel managed, his voice weak, "but... I can't move."
"Don't worry. I'll get some of our people to carry you somewhere safe, somewhere you can heal properly. Just hold on," the man said, cradling the boy in his arms as he hurried towards a nearby building.
[Congratulations! EXP full.]
[Level Up!]
As the notification flashed in his mind, a surge of energy coursed through Hazel's body. The lingering weakness vanished, replaced by a newfound strength. He sat up, the pain completely gone. "Thank you, Blossom," he said, his voice stronger now.
Blossom looked at him, a strange light in her eyes. "You've... grown stronger, quickly."
A jolt of surprise went through Hazel. That wasn't her usual emotionless tone. "Ivy?" he asked, hope surging within him. He reached out to hug her.
"Do you finally remember?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement.
"No... not all," Blossom replied, her brow furrowing slightly. "But..." Her words cut off abruptly. Her eyes rolled back, and she slumped forward, unconscious.
"Ivy! Blossom!" Hazel cried, his elation turning to panic. He scooped her up in his arms, his own weakness forgotten in his sudden fear. He carried her into the nearby building, his voice a desperate plea. "Someone! Please help her! Please!" Tears welled in his eyes.
People rushed to their aid, their faces grim with concern. They knew she had saved them. They carried Blossom into a room, and several people, their hands glowing with the same green light that had healed Hazel, began to work on her. Hazel stood outside, pacing restlessly, his worry a tangible thing.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Blossom's eyes fluttered open. Hazel rushed to her side, kneeling beside her. "What happened?" he asked, his voice tight with anxiety.
Blossom looked at him, a flicker of recognition in her gaze. "Hazel..." she whispered, her voice weak. "I... I remember you." A wave of relief washed over Hazel, but it was quickly followed by confusion as Blossom continued, her voice troubled. "But... even though I remember... I can't... I can't defy you. You... you revived me. You are my master." A shadow crossed Hazel's face. The joy of her returning memories was tainted by this unexpected constraint.
The man who had carried the boy watched them, his expression conflicted. He was grateful for their help, but the idea of Blossom being bound to Hazel was unsettling.
Hazel sat beside Blossom, taking her hand, his heart a turmoil of emotions. He was happy she remembered him, deeply concerned about her sudden collapse and this strange master-servant dynamic. Confusion swirled within him. What did it all mean?
But for now, he would be strong for her. He squeezed her hand gently, his gaze determined. He would help her, whatever it took. He would help her regain all of herself.
""Thank you, sir and ma'am," the elder of the group said, his voice filled with heartfelt gratitude. His kind eyes, etched with worry lines, conveyed the depth of their reliance on Hazel and Blossom. He knew they owed their lives to these two strangers.
"You're welcome," Hazel replied, though a part of him still felt a little detached. "But it looked like you had things under control with that barrier."
The elder shook his head, a sad smile touching his lips. "Ah, no, sir. That was a skill one of our people possesses, but it's not without its drawbacks. It requires monster cores to sustain."
"Monster cores?" Hazel asked, his curiosity piqued. He hadn't encountered anything like that in the monsters they had fought.
"They're usually found within the monster's brain, though sometimes in other parts of their bodies," the elder explained, his gaze drifting downwards with a hint of sorrow.
"What happens if you use the barrier without a core?" Hazel pressed, noticing the elder's change in demeanor.
The elder's shoulders slumped. "The barrier can still be activated, but in exchange for the missing core's energy, it drains the user's life force. We've already lost two young men and a little boy that way," he said, his voice heavy with grief. Hazel could see the pain etched on his face; the loss was clearly profound.
"I... I don't know how to thank you enough," Hazel said, a sense of responsibility settling upon him. "To repay you, I promise to find enough monster cores to power your barrier for a long time."
"Oh, no, sir, I couldn't ask that of you," the elder protested, waving his hand. But Hazel was resolute. "Consider it repayment for your kindness," he insisted.
Suddenly, a frantic shout echoed from outside. "They're back! Everyone inside, quickly!"
The elder's eyes widened with alarm, and he hurried towards the entrance. Hazel and Blossom, who had been in a small room, also rose, their instincts screaming danger. They reached the doorway just as the elder was about to step out.
"No, please, let me handle this," the elder pleaded, blocking their path. Hazel frowned, wondering what the old man could possibly do against another monster attack. He glanced out a nearby window and saw a group of rough-looking individuals on motorcycles gathered in front of the building.
"Old man, what do you have for us today?" the leader of the biker gang demanded, his voice laced with menace.
"I... I'm sorry," the elder stammered, his voice trembling slightly. "We don't have any monster cores. We've tried to hunt, but..." Before he could finish, one of the bikers threw a rock, striking the elder's shoulder.
"What the hell are you saying, old man?" another gang member snarled. "Go inside and bring us the cores, now!"
"Please, I'm telling the truth. We have none," the elder pleaded, sinking to his knees.
A wave of displeasure washed over Hazel and Blossom. This wasn't a monster; it was something far more human, and far more cruel.
"If you don't bring out the cores I'm asking for, we're going to kill all your children and come back tomorrow for the rest of you," the gang leader threatened, his tone chillingly serious.
Hazel was about to intervene when he noticed Blossom. She had already moved past him, her face a mask of cold fury, a look he had never seen on her, not even in the face of the Grim Reaper.
"Leave this place," Blossom stated, her voice dangerously low, "and never return if you value your lives."