Garden Of The Abyss

"Can you believe that's what he told me! How am I supposed to sit around for another month with that in mind?"

Ren whined as he sat in the kitchen, watching as Iris diced a variety of vegetables while Sora tossed other ingredients into the pot of boiling water.

"Donatien has been just as impatient as you to start teaching you magic again, Ren. I've seen him in and out of that room...writing up lectures and organizing grimoires. He wants to help you just as much as you want to learn, he's just being mindful of your current state."

"She's right, Bro. Stop being a baby and just wait the month out, you already got through one month. You're halfway there!"

Sora followed up Iris' response with his own, lacking any eloquence as he finished his last few words with a musical tone.

"Why am I being ganged up on here? This is bullying. Harassment, even."

"Being told the truth is bullying?"

Stretching his muscular arms lacking in any body fat, Sora learned over the table, talking with a mouthful of bread he had shoveled into his mouth like a ravenous swine.

Holding the wooden cutting board over the obsidian pot of bubbling, steaming water, Iris slid the cut up vegetables in the pot before wiping her hands on the maroon apron strapped to her front.

"Ren, I understand how you're feeling...I know how devoted you were to your training regime, but maybe this is a nice opportunity."

"What do you mean?"

Reaching under the enchanted bandages, Ren scratched at his irritated, healing skin as he prodded Iris to explain what she meant.

"Taking a break is sometimes just as important as working hard."

As if hearing his cue, Sora patted his hand against his bicep that bulged against the sleeve of his emerald tunic, "You need to let those muscles relax! Same goes for your mana. Pushing yourself too hard during times of recovery can just result in diminishing returns."

"...I hear you, but it just feels like I could be doing so much right now."

Lowering his gaze towards his hands wrapped in cloth, a piece of grilled meat fell into his palm.

"A full stomach is an important step to growth! Especially if your stomach is filled with protein."

Sora claimed with his boisterous smile, slapping his own bicep once more as he took credit for gifting the random piece of meat.

He was so distracted by his own plagued mindset that he didn't realize just how empty his stomach felt. With his body working in constant overtime to rebuild itself, calories were burnt away at a rate he could hardly keep up with. Ren consumed the serving of carnivorous temptation in less than half a minute, nearly choking as he slapped his own chest to guide it down.

"Atta' boy!"

"--Please chew before you swallow!"

Conflicting responses came from Sora and Iris, the latter holding a look of concern in her warming gaze.

--I thought I was going to lose my mind living another month so restricted.

Throughout the time of leisure rewarded to him for his heroic, yet reckless act, he itched for excitement--time and time again trying to convince Beatrice that he was ready to go--to no avail. Every day was the same: wake up, eat breakfast, lay for an hour while Charlotte healed him, rest, eat, then sleep once more.

--Five months until Purgatory.

"Today is the day!"

Jumping up from bed, realizing his sudden action probably woke Beatrice up--only to find she was already out of bed and sipping tea at her table.

"Indeed it is."

Turning to greet the young man who had just arisen from slumber, Beatrice confirmed it for him with a smile.

Meeting in the main room of the Outlander base, Ren wore a giddy smile on his face as he was surrounded by his friends, who all held warm expressions of their own.

"Everyday...I've wanted to tear these damn things right off my body. Today is that day."

Ren grabbed onto a loose end that started on his wrist, pulling as he began to unravel the intricately wrapped white bandages from his body. As soon as he pulled the clingy material up, the cool, fresh air he had missed greeted his skin.

It seemed to unravel itself as he pulled, like a domino effect, the bandages cascaded down his body--unveiling what had been covered the past two months as they all looked in anticipation.

At the sight of his unbandaged temple, he could tell from the widening smiles that his recovery was a success.

He raised his palms in front of his gaze, feeling his eyes wash over as he ran his fingers over his delicate skin, free of disfiguration. Any hair that inhabited his body had been erased in the explosions and subsequent flames, seemingly halting the process altogether.

All that remained as a reminder of his brazen were the memories, he fervently thanked the existence of healing magic in his mind--and those who used such magecraft on him.

"I'm back."

Ren wore a smile wider than he ever had, unable to stop his cheeks from exhibiting the brightest smile as a few droplets made their way down his reddened cheeks.

In reality, there was hardly a difference between the state of his body the day before and the present, but finally unveiling his body and putting aside any fears he had--he felt elated.

Distracted by the sight of his own body, back to peak condition, Ren was suddenly bombarded by his companions, swallowed in the warm embrace of the Outlanders.

"Ah, come on! You're all gonna break my bones again!"

Ren jokingly complained as he accepted the embrace, feeling Sora's enormous arms wrap around him, squeezing him in the tightest bear hug he had ever experienced.

"Bit of a sausage party here…"

He commented, noticing the severe lack of women involved in the group hug. Responding to his wishes, a sudden impact landed against his chest--looking down to see the familiar sight of blue hair like the atlantic.

"Welcome back, Ren."

"Good to be back."

Sliding his hand out from the pile of Outlanders that held onto him, he ran his hand over Iris' fluffy, cloud-like hair with a smile.

After nearly being suffocated by the seemingly competitor display of affection between Sora and Sirius, who battled to see who cared for Ren more--he was finally freed.

"Phew...remind me never to almost die again."

"It was just a hug!"

Sora slapped his bear-paw of a hand against Ren's bare back, causing a shiver of pain to jolt through the young man's back as he winced.

"That was a lot of hugs, for your information. And my own mother didn't even show me that kind of love--so what do you expect?"

"Aw, quite yer' complaining already! We're just happy yer' back to one-hundred percent!"

Brahmi put him into a headlock, grinding her knuckles against his head. Even if she was attempting to do it gently, her natural strength made it feel more like she was trying to flatten his scalp.

"Seriously--what's with showing affection through pain around here?!"

Following my recovery, I insisted on continuing my training, much to the dismay of Beatrice, who seemed to hope I would give up on Purgatory from this set back.