In the corridors of the hospital, doctors and nurses rushed between rooms. Their faces were drawn tight with worry. Footsteps echoed, heels clicking against the sterile floor. Four medics burst through, shoving a carrier down the hall. The patient writhed, muffled groans slipping past bloodied lips. All around them, moans and screams spilled from the rooms. The enforcers who had survived the chaos fragment subjugation filled every bed.
Some had lost arms or legs — treatable with modern tech if the limb was intact. But too many hadn't been so lucky. Too many limbs had been devoured which made most of them disabled.
Of the 20 who entered the battle, 10 were dead. The rest were barely hanging on.
***
Outside one room, Krishna was anxiously walking left and right. Henry was shaking his foot at a fixed pace while leaning against the wall. Eira and Mary were nervously gripping each other's hands. Suddenly, a doctor came out of the room with a tired face. He adjusted his glasses and held a clipboard. He walked over to the group. Krishna stopped walking, Henry stood up straight, Mary and Eira looked up.
"So…Doctor, how's Missio doing?"
Krishna was the first to speak, asking the question everyone wanted to know.
"He's fine."
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief, their hearts finally settling.
"Can we visit him right now?"
Henry asked with a sincere tone.
"You can but…please for the love of god, don't do Anything to agitate him. God that boy was such a nightmare…."
Krishna felt an itch to punch the doctor in the face, clenching his hand into a fist but held back. Henry licked his lips and they all stood up and walked towards the room. But then the doctor's voice caught their attention once again.
"By the way, meet me at my office late. I've got something to discuss."
"Will do." Krishna replied, closing the door.
The room was like any other room except there were no other patients than Missio. The windows let in the cold breeze of Ashland. Missio was comfortably sitting on a bed while wearing a blanket. He turned his head and looked at the group. He flinched but quickly calmed down after seeing who it was. Krishna turned to the group.
"I'll talk to him first, okay. Don't make loud noises or bring up anything about that day, you hear me."
"We hear you…" Henry replied in an annoyed tone.
"You…Didn't I tell you to shut up?"
"Apparently not, scaredy-cat."
"Call me that one more time I dare you. I had an itch to punch that doctor but now I want to punch your ugly face in."
"Try m-"
"Shut up, will you? Let's go meet Missio. Hell be lonely without us." Eira cut Henry off.
The two grunted and squinted at one another. Then, they turned away and headed to Missio's bed with the girls. The cold Ashland breeze drifted in through windows overlooking a sky that hadn't seen sunlight in decades. Cold breath flew from their mouths as they slowly approached the bed in the dimly lit room. Krishna sat beside Missio's bed on a standpoint left behind by the doctor. Henry was standing on the edge of the curtain. Mary and Eira were standing a little further back.
"Hey, Missio. Feeling any better?"
Missio nodded with a dark face. Krishna understood and continued asking in a gentle tone.
"Are you hungry? Mary can get some food for you."
Missio shook his head. Krishna nodded.
"So, what did the doctor say?"
Missio looked down. He was quiet for so long that everyone thought he wasn't going to talk. Then, he slowly opened his mouth and spoke in a muffled voice.
"He said…I have no injuries…but my…my mental state is very weak…"
He paused and then whispered in a trembling voice.
"He also…also said to get a therapist…and to have him close…close at all times."
Krishna nodded and looked back at the group. "Looks like his trauma is back…fellas."
"Really? That can't be…" Eira whispered.
Krishna turned around. "Missio, my dear friend…what did Sun do to you?"
Missio's eyes widened as memories of their fight flashed before their eyes. The rain – the void – the joker, it all came flooding back. He saw scene… the scene of flames covering the entire city of Romulus. He panted a few times, causing the team to worry but quickly recovered. Then, his lips parted slightly.
"Yes…I saw…that day…again…"
The room froze – everyone remembered what occurred seventeen years ago when a rift split the sky. Henry was the first to recover and stared at Missio for a while. The team stayed silent for a few moments – not knowing what to say…
'This is...um, awkward.'
Krishna smacked his lips. Then, Mary spoke up.
"So…Do you want to see Victor?"
Missio didn't reply for a few moments, seeming contemplating her offer.
"No…I want to meet my brother…" He replied in a whimpering tone.
***
A few minutes later…
In the doctor's office, the team were all gathered around the doctor's desk. They sat on cold metal chair lined against the wall. The doctor was sitting on the other side of the desk, holding a clip board in one hand and a pen in another. He looked at the group and gave a long sigh. The group tensed waiting for the doctor's assessment.
"For now, your friend is fine but I do recommend giving him therapy ASAP."
The group nodded and awaited the doctor's next statement.
"I can't give a proper assessment on how much his mental state has degraded but I can say for sure he's been rest to zero. Probably back to the early stages of trauma but don't worry his recovery will be faster than though I'm not entirely sure because I'm not a counselling major. "
The doctor gave a dry laugh but nobody else laughed. He coughed and composed himself. Then, he continued with a serious voice.
"Only those allowed by the Patriarch can handle matters involving the Grand Duke's son. I'm afraid you'll need to meet his old therapist—and take him back to Rome. Aside from your group, that man has spent the most time with Missio."
The group nodded and the doctor signaled at them to leave the room. They all went out with heavy and gloomy expressions.
"How are we supposed to get him to Rome? Airports are loud and the noise might trigger his trauma"
Henry questioned.
"Noise-canceling headphones, idiot. Use your brain for something other than love."
Krishna turned around, giving a cold shoulder to his mates. The others followed him to Missio's room without another word.