22 Siblings I

Daniel could faintly hear the chirping of birds. He slowly opened his eyes, and was greeted by a pure white that surrounded him. His sight was hazy, as if there was gauze over them, and he felt incredibly drowsy, to the point of nearly falling unconscious again.

His body was heavy and numb, and he couldn't feel all of it, as if there was something blocking his senses. He tried to move, but his body did not respond. He tried to ask for help, but only a low mumble escaped his parted lips.

He suddenly felt a sour taste in his mouth, as well as an unquenchable thirst. It was an incredibly uncomfortable sensation, and his body seemed to start responding to his commands as he tried to somehow move.

He squirmed on a fluffy surface, and mumbled like a crazy person. He didn't know for how long he did it, but it took a long time for him to finally hear a door opening next to him. He heard increasingly loud steps as a gentle voice sounded in his ears. "Oh, you woke up?"

Daniel tried to answer, but failed. "You must be thirsty, let me take care of that." The voice sounded again, and Daniel felt a careful, but firm hand slowly lifting his head.

"Here, drink it slowly." The voice said as a cold and refreshing feeling gushed into Daniel's mouth. He eagerly drank what was being given to him. It cleansed the sour taste in his mouth, and subdued the thirst. Daniel felt his numbed body heating up as a sweet after taste was left in his mouth and the hand supporting his head slowly let it rest again.

Daniel felt very comfortable, and slowly closed his eyes again. The warmth spreading through his body made him completely relaxed, and soon he fell asleep.

When he woke up again, he felt somewhat energetic, and he could see clearly. He was in a neat white room, covered by a warm bed sheet and lying on a fluffy bed. There was a big window in a wall not far from him, from which he could hear a faint and gentle pelting.

Was it rain?

He could hear it. He could feel a cold breeze blowing from the cracks of the window, carrying the humid scent of rain. Daniel could feel all of it. He was alive! Somehow, he was alive!

He tried moving his feet, and he could see his toes moving slightly under the white sheets.

He decided to slowly sit on the bed, raising his body. His left hand moved very clumsily, but he somehow managed to support his weight on it. Then, he tried moving his right hand, and his face froze. He couldn't feel it.

He turned his head in fear, and what he saw made him deathly pale.

From his shoulder to the tip of his fingers, his right arm was wrapped in bandages. Worst of all, it was clearly that there were big chunks missing on it, as some parts were eerily thin compared to others.

He wanted to laugh, but cried instead. Silent teardrops fell from his face as he looked at his crippled arm. He knew there was no chance he could ever recover from that injury. Even if his Body Tempering had been of an incredible quality thanks to the effort he put in it with his father's help long ago, he wouldn't be able to regenerate the parts of his body that were lost.

If there was any kind of medicine that could do that, they certainly wouldn't use it on a waste like himself. Daniel lost himself in his despair as he knew that whatever hopes he had of ever turning his situation around were over.

He remembered the hellish eyes of the Direwolf that did this to him, and couldn't help but shudder. It was at that moment that he realized it.

"Amon!" He shouted. What had happened to Amon? Where was he?

Daniel needed to find him. He mustered all of his strength and managed to sit on the bed. He moved his legs out of it and was about to force himself to stand up when the door opened.

A tall woman entered through it, dressed in white clothes and carrying a bundle of cloth and a basin filled with water. Her glossy black hair was tied in a bundle at the back of her head, and she had a delicate and gentle face.

She was shocked for a moment when she saw Daniel dangling from the bed, but hurriedly put what she brought on a small table by her side and rushed to Daniel.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a concerned voice. Daniel looked at her with a serious look.

"Where is Amon?" He asked with an intense gaze.

"Who?" The nurse raised a brow, looking at him as if he was a madman.

"The kid that was with me when the Direwolves attacked, where is him?" Daniel asked hurriedly.

"I'm sorry sir, but Third Elder only rescued you…" She answered, averting her eyes from his.

"The Third Elder? What was he doing… no, does that means I'm in Sky Reach?" Daniel's mind started racing, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Yes." The nurse nodded at his question.

"How long was I unconscious?" He was already preparing himself for a harsh answer.

"Tomorrow it completes one month." Her voice was calm, serene, as she tried to use her tone to pass Daniel a sense of security.

"One month…" He put his left hand in his head. His right arm dangled uselessly from his shoulder. "Why so long?"

"Your wounds were serious and you lost a lot of blood. Fifth Elder decided it would be best if we kept you sedated until you were fully healed, to make sure nothing unexpected would happen." She answered with a gentle expression, her tone still calm. The Fifth Elder was the one with the highest medical skills in the whole sect. She was the one responsible for managing the Medical Pavilion on Sky Reach Village.

Daniel looked at the closed window with a dazed expression. The nurse silently observed him from the side, waiting.

One whole month… It was too long. If Amon had been in need of help, it was far too late now. Dark lines started creasing Daniel's forehead as his expression turned sour. He did all he could at the time, but still felt as if he had failed.

"Can you try to find someone for me?" He asked in an uneasy voice.

"I can ask someone to do it, sir." The nurse replied, still calm.

"He is thirteen years old and is from the Outer Sect. He is about this tall, has golden eyes and his hair will be either black or gray. His name is Amon Sk…" Daniel started describing Amon the best he could as he gesticulated with his left hand.

He almost had a slip of tongue and said his surname. Change were that no one in Sky Reach would help if they knew who he was. "His name is Amon."

"Just Amon?" The nurse asked as she cocked her head.

"Yes, just Amon. His house is in the northern reaches of the Outer Ring. Not too far away from the Northern Station." Daniel provided her some more information.

"I'll do what I can." The nurse nodded. Then, she approached Daniel and with surprising strength forced him to lay down again. "What you'll do is rest until Fifth Elder comes to examine you."

"Thank you." Daniel said, genuinely grateful. Then, he seemed to think of something as he asked. "I'm sorry for not asking before, but what is your name?"

"You can call me Delia." She answered, brushing her black hair behind her ear.

"Thank you, Delia. I'm Daniel." He said with a smile.

Delia nodded, and promptly left the room. Daniel was left alone with his own thoughts. He looked at his right arm with a sad smile as the rain hammered the window in his room.

The rain started getting stronger as time passed, and by nightfall it seemed to rage with the power of a storm.

Daniel was having serious trouble in getting some rest. His mind raced nonstop, and he couldn't stop thinking about Amon.

What would he do if he found out he died? What would he tell Rebecca?

He was growing incredibly anxious, when the sound of the rain suddenly increased, and Daniel felt a splash of water in his face. He looked at the window surprised, and saw it was open.

A slim silhouette was standing next to it, dripping water on the ground as steam slowly started to rise from it.

"What the hell?" Daniel was about to shout when the figure raised a finger in front of his lips, telling him to keep quiet as it slowly approached. Covered in steam, that dark silhouette looked like a ghost from the depths of hell.

It slowly raised its right hand, and a small and bright flame lit up in it, shedding light on the obscure form. It was a youth dressed in azure clothes. His hair and eyes were pitch black, and he was handsome. He had a noble bearing to him, an aura that couldn't be acquired by just anyone.

The youth smiled as he looked at Daniel.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, brother?"