Plasmatropolis [OLD]

Cold Heart, Warm Heart

Sam pointed at the newspaper's headline, reading the bold print aloud, "Tygren Voltaris murdered by Sendaris Doctor."

David tapped the side of his chair thoughtfully, "Could this just be another one of Thalleous' tricks?"

"I doubt it, since Nitrox has seen Tygren's corpe himself, and I trust him."

The Voltaris' name had grown popular in the media lately, as news of his relationship with Thalleous and his death began rising to the headlines. It was a sad fame, to be cast into the shadow of your most significant other, even after your mortality.

"But wasn't it found that the Voltaris had committed suicide?"

"No, that was a lie told by Ciantrius," Sam referred to the Ardoni doctor by his reported name, "To hide the crime he'd committed on Osivian's behalf."

"Osivian?"

"I suspect he'd want revenge on Thalleous for imprisoning him after the assassination of the Master, whom he was close friends with. Despite that, however, it is still a heinous crime, deserving of a severe punishment."

"This is sad news, even if Tygren was a killer himself."

They sat in the ICU visitor's waiting room for a little longer. It was late at night, and the inky blackness outside the window was disconcerting, but they waited nonetheless. Soon, Achillean pushed into the room, quietly taking a seat next to David.

"Achillean, why do you insist on accompanying us whenever we come here?"

The Nestoris stared blankly at the door to Ingressus' unit, "I thought that was obvious."

"I suppose you have a point."

They sat for quite a while longer, the room silent during their vigil. A nurse exited the ICU where Ingressus had resided since the battle, three days ago.

"You may enter. You have twenty minutes of time for visiting."

Achillean entered first, followed by David and Sam. When he entered, he saw the same view as he always did. A pair of weakly shining blood-orange horns curving upwards, his face twisted in an expression of immense pain, wires and tubes threaded out of his nose, arms and a hole in his neck. The sight was incredibly unnerving to Achillean, as it showed just how fragile everyone truly was. He looked to be on the brink of life and death itself, which, in all honesty, he probably was. He went over to the unconscious Voltaris, praying that he'd somehow sense him, and that he'd wake from his trance.

"Ingressus, please wake up, I miss you."

He planted his feet into the ground, held his arms behind his back, one hand grasping the wrist of the other to prevent himself from rushing over and cradelling the Voltaris in his hands. Without any warning, Ingressus started to stir slightly. He froze when he felt tubes and wires tugging at his face and neck, and stopped resisting.

"Ingressus?"

"Achillean?" he croaked,"Is that you?"

"INGRESSY!"

He could barely stop himself from suffocating the poor guy with a thousand kisses. His face was washed with relief, his stance stiffened as he resisted the urge to run over and pick him up.

"How long... No, where am I?"

David looked up, surprised, though he was relieved too. Sam answered for them, "Ingressus, you are in the ICU of Plasmatropolis Blue Cross Hospital. You shouldn't move, considering all the monitors that are attached to you now."

David found his voice and continued, "You were out for three entire days after you were shot at the battle. The bullet was fast enough to pass right through your neck, and has left a gap on both sides. You still need to rest until someone can either patch up your neck, or until it heals on its own."