The heat wrapped around me like a blanket. Warm and soothing. It washed away my exhaustion after twelve hours in the clinic. My sore muscles and joints finally stopped complaining.
I have been doing production physiotherapy for at least a decade now. Where your primary patients are performers,actors,dancers and stunt performers and traveling is part of the job.
My current contract want me and my team on a cruise ship to tend to the performer and the cruise members and if demanded performing therapy on guests.
The heat and aroma together made me sleepy. Just five minutes,I tell myself.
I fell asleep.
The sudden cold jolts me awake. I sat up,disoriented, looked around and realized something was very wrong.
Marble floors stretched beneath me. The intricate pattern imbued within them told me it's the expensive kind. This isn't the wooden sauna bench I passed on.
I glanced around. Steam curls through the air,it contains a different smell. Soft light glows from ornate overhead.
This has to be a dream. Or this has to be coworkers pulling the most elaborate prank on me. Either way. I need to find where I am.
As I walked through the steam my vision adjusted to the dim light. And then I saw her.
A woman stood waist-deep in a massive circular bath at the center of the room. Her back turned,dark hair cascading over pale shoulders that glisten under the warm light, water droplets trace a slow path down her skin, catching the glow like tiny jewels.
Fuck — i need to get out of here if she saw me here my life is good as over. I will spend at least 5 years in jail and my career. The end.
Before I could escape. Her eyes directly locked into mine. It was sharp, cold and focused, she didn't shout or call for help.
“Who are you?” she asked,her tone authoritative.
I should apologize and get the fuck out of here.
“ Sorry it seems my friends played a prank on me,” I turned my face away,keeping her in my peripheral vision.
“I asked," Who are you? " And for what reason did you come here?”
“I am Nolan, a physiotherapist.”
She moved towards me. But wait, why is the water rising? It rose like tendrils and wrapped around her covering her like a cloth. It becomes opaque as it clings to her form.
My stomach drops.
This is reality.
The water surged once again at shot towards me. Wrapping around my wrists and ankles before I could react. Bringing me to my knees. As she walked toward me, water formed a thin elegant blade,which shimmered in the lantern light.
She stood before me. Raised the blade to my chest.
Magic — its magic. Who the fuck decides to teleport someone to a bath. There are a thousand other places I could have been summoned. Fuck you god if i die you better send me to heaven.
“Which brother or sister of mine has sent you here? Try to lie and this blade shall pierce your heart.”
The fear has numbed my brain. Words are not coming to my mouth.
The tip of the blade pressed against my chest. I felt the pain immediately. The cut was shallow, I could see the blood streaming down my chest.
"I swear on my life I did not come here of my own volition. Someone else is responsible for bringing me here. I did not intend to watch a lady bathe, nor did I have any indecent thoughts." I said it all in one breath. "Please spare me."
“Then why would someone send a powerless civilian like you inside the private bath of the First princess of Arkenfall.”
The moment she said that a translucent blue screen flashes into existence in front of my face.
[Target identified]
[Initializing Full System… ]
You gotta be kidding me.
TARGET: Arielle Arkenfall
TITTLE: First princess of Arkenfall
CLASS: Magic swordsman
CONDITION DETECTED:
Severe mana channel blockage
Extreme muscular strain
Core instability – Critical
Mana backlash risk: Imminent
I don't understand what the condition implied and what it meant. But the terms critical and imminent is not a good sign in any way.
[ System established.]
[Skill unlocked : Anatomical sight ]
[Skill unlocked : Full body restoration]
[Skill unlocked : Vital Resonance]
[ System shop unlocked ]
[WARNING ; Subject death triggers timeline collapse]
[Mission objective : Ensure survival of the subject. The subject fate is directly linked to yours.]
She pierced the blade more. My attention shifted to her again. Thinking about what to tell her.
Lets pull up the most elaborate lie.
I sighed visibly. Looked up,making eye to eye.
“I will say it once whether you believe it or not.thats totally on you. I am a healer and someone who can heal your Severe mana channel blockage, Extreme muscular strain, Core instability,Mana backlash. Whether you live or die affects more than the royal family and I am here to prevent that. The person who sent me here messes up a little.”
Fuck you twice god.
Her grip on the blade loosened. The blade changed and the water froze on my wound stopping the trickling blood.she stood over me thinking and contemplating something.
She then kneeled down and put a hand above my sternum. I felt something enter my body like a wave of energy which waved over my heart.
“If you are telling the truth. State your name and take oath to heal Arielle Arkenfall. And until the oath is completed I will always act in the interest of her.” she said.
“I will add a condition,please adhere to my word related to treatment.” I said, she nodded.
“Nolan takes an oath to heal Arielle Arkenfall and always acts in the best interest of her, if she obeys my commands related to treatment and follows them.”
I felt something settle in my heart.
“The contract is established.” she said and left me there.
The vines of water which blinded me were released. And I fell on my knees. The fear has robbed me of my senses. I stayed laying there until I could move normally.
I observed a detail which I was not aware of. I am wearing pants.
“Thank you god, I survived because of my pants.”
[ You have obtained 1000 coins for turning a deathly situation in your favour]
[ You have obtained 50 Bond points for forming a contract with Target.]