Chapter 51: Repeating those words

Everlasting Dream

[Aster]

Suddenly, every sound vanished, leaving the forest deadly quiet. Aster's heart was beating rapidly, and his golden eyes were darting frantically, trying to spot the creature they had heard just moments before. His grip on the wooden stick and knife was so tight that his knuckles turned white. The very creature that ate his mother in the dream was out there somewhere, waiting to strike. The boy's mouth became dry as he repeatedly swallowed, his palms growing sweaty.

Darkness surrounded them, making it impossible to see more than a few steps ahead. The wind picked up, and a cold shiver ran down the boy's spine, his coat fluttering in the gust. Glancing at his sister near him, he noticed her body trembling, but not from the cold, her golden eyes wide with terror. "Start casting your magic," Aster snapped the girl out of shock. "When it comes close, I'll try to distract it and win some time for you to prepare a spell."

"A-Alright..." Silvia nodded, her voice barely audible. She took a deep breath to calm herself and focused on her magic. The moment she closed her eyes, a layer of frost began covering the skin of her left hand, spreading along her arm.

Aster walked ahead of Silvia and his mother's unconscious body, facing the direction from where the sound came. "You can do it," he breathed, eyes scanning the darkness around. The silence was somehow even more frightening than the maniacal laughter.

The boy was terrified, and he couldn't help but tremble as he stood there, waiting for the inevitable attack. He felt the adrenaline surging through his veins and the overwhelming urge to run away as far as he could. Yet it was the last thing in the world he would do. He would rather spend an eternity in the afterlife, walk among frozen-in-place corpses he saw after he died as Alex than leave his family behind. 'They need you. You will protect them, no matter what,' he told himself, pushing back the fear.

"Oooiii, hihihi," a sound reached Aster's ears, this time coming from the left. Aster acted quickly and positioned himself between his sister and the possible threat. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the area, but he could only see darkness. Another moment of silence followed, making the boy's heartbeat quicken even more.

The high-pitched laugh came again, this time from a completely different direction. And it sounded closer than ever before. Aster rushed to face the creature without a moment's hesitation.

"Hihi, Ooii, Hihihi," the creature cackled maniacally, echoing through the forest. Aster's heart raced frantically, his pulse pounding in his ears. He kept moving, trying to follow the sound and protect his family. Again and again, the laughter would come, and it was in a different direction each time, confusing the boy and scaring him even more.

At the worst possible moment, tiny water droplets began to land on his face. They kept falling from the dark clouds above, one after another. 'Damn it, not now!' he cursed, squinting his eyes.

A jagged bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the dark forest for a moment, followed by a low rumble of thunder. In that brief flash, the creature's silhouette was revealed before Aster, its crimson eyes shining in the darkness. Its sharp, pointed teeth flashed as it laughed hysterically, making his blood run cold.

Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, giving the boy a glimpse of the creature running directly at him. Aster's eyes widened as he raised the spear. The goblin was much bigger than he remembered; its bony frame was at least a head taller than him. He thrust the stick forward, but the creature sidestepped the attack easily, launching a strike of its own.

The goblin's wooden spear whistled through the air, narrowly missing the boy's face as he ducked at the last second. His ear felt the whoosh of the weapon passing by. Luckily, being this close allowed Aster to see the attack coming.

Another bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a low rumble. The creature snarled, its red eyes burning with madness as it struck with the spear again. Aster managed to react by swinging his knife, trying his best to redirect the blow. The blade met the wood, deflecting it slightly but not enough to avoid it altogether.

The strength behind the goblin's strike was a nasty surprise for the boy. The side of the spear grazed his left forearm, cutting through the fabric of his coat and slicing his skin.

— "Ah!" he cried, stumbling backward from the monster, his sharpened stick falling to the ground from unexpected pain. But the creature kept closing in, no matter what distance Aster put between them. A sadistic grin plastered across the creature's ugly face. More than anything, Aster wanted to get rid of that look on its face.

The boy glared at the beast, his golden eyes burning with fury, his jaw clenched tightly. "I will fucking kill you," Aster hissed, gripping his knife tightly and attacking the creature. Another lightning bolt lit the forest briefly, the light reflecting off his blade.

"Oohhh," the goblin cackled, licking its lips as it dodged the boy's attacks effortlessly. "Hihi, hihi, Oooii," the monster laughed maniacally, thrusting his spear at the boy. Aster reacted quickly, avoiding the attack by stepping to the side. His heart pounded as the rain poured, soaking his silver hair and coat.

Aster tried to stab the creature, but the goblin was too fast for him and didn't allow him to get too close. Three slashes hit nothing but the pouring rain. With an insane laugh, the beast lunged at him, striking with its spear once more. The boy ducked at the last moment, avoiding the deadly strike.

Right before the spear whistled through the air once more, his ears caught the familiar high-pitched sound of an icicle rotating at high speed, and he knew his sister had finished preparing her magic. The sound was much louder than usual, possibly done intentionally so that he could hear it over the sound of the rain.

— "Silvia, launch at me!" Aster yelled at the top of his lungs, hoping his voice would give her a hint on where to aim. He fell to the ground, and mud splashed onto his face — some even went into his mouth. The goblin had thrust his spear at the spot where Aster stood a moment ago, missing by a hair's breadth.

A loud explosion rang through the entire forest, similar to thunder itself. It was followed by the whistling sound of the icicle flying through the air with incredible speed. Then, nothing but silence. Aster looked up, covering his eyes from the rain, and saw the giant, fist-sized hole in the monster's chest. Blood gushed out rapidly, mixing with the raindrops.

The goblin's eyes widened in terror, its mouth hanging open in a silent scream. Its limbs trembled as it staggered backward, dropping its weapon. After stumbling a few more steps, the creature's legs gave out, and it collapsed onto its back with a dull thud.

Aster closed his eyes and took a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the metallic scent of blood. He lay on the muddy ground, rain beating down mercilessly, but the boy's smile never left his face. He was happy to be alive, and most importantly, his family was safe.

"Asty! Are you alright!?" Silvia's sweet voice called out to him, making him open his eyes and sit up.

— "Yeah, I'm okay! The creature is dead!" the boy yelled through the storm and glanced at his arm. Despite how much it hurt, the cut was not as bad as he initially thought. Part of him expected to see his bone sticking out or something, but it was only a shallow cut.

It wasn't deep enough to worry about, and the bleeding should stop soon on its own. Hearing his sister running towards him, her boots splashing in the puddles, he quickly covered the wound with his sleeve and turned to look at her. "You did a great job," he said.

Silvia almost jumped on him, her knees hitting the mud with a splash, her arms wrapping around him and squeezing him tightly. Her wet silver hair clung to her face, hiding her worried expression. "Thank goodness..." she whispered, her hot breath tickling his skin. "I was so worried... I thought it would kill you..." she sniffled, pulling away from the hug. Her golden eyes met his, her lips trembling, "Are you really alright?"

— "It's okay. I'm fine," Aster smiled, cupping her cheeks with his muddy hands. The girl returned the smile, sniffling. "You were amazing," he whispered, praising his sister. "But we need to go. Mom still needs our help," the boy said, getting to his feet and grabbing his sister's hand.

Together, they walked back to the spot where their mother was lying. Nivalis remained motionless despite the rain beating down on her porcelain skin. Silvia quickly removed her coat with trembling hands and knelt beside her mother. The little girl covered her mother with her small coat, shielding Nivalis from the rain. Silvia's tunic quickly became drenched, semi-transparent, and stuck to her skin. The cold wind blew, causing her to shiver, but she didn't mind.

— "Take mine instead," Aster said, about to remove his coat, but Silvia stopped him.

"No, it's okay, I'll be fine. Let's just hurry back. The sooner we arrive, the sooner we will warm ourselves," Silvia replied, forcing a smile.

— "Alright, then. Let's go," Aster nodded, picking up the tied branches of the makeshift stretcher. Silvia did the same, her fingers gripping the wood tightly, moving forward with all her strength.

...

Desperately trying to find their way back, the two children dragged their unconscious mother through the dark forest, trying their best to ignore the cold and the rain. Their feet sank into the muddy ground, and each step became more challenging than the last. It was hard to tell how long they had been walking. Everything blended together into a seemingly endless nightmare.

"How much further?" Silvia asked, panting and gasping for air. She was shivering from the cold, her soaked clothes clinging to her skin, and her wet silver hair was stuck to her forehead.

— "I'm not sure," Aster answered honestly. His eyes constantly darted around, looking for landmarks, but everything was hidden by the darkness and the rain. The storm was relentless, and the cold pierced his very bones. "Just a little bit more," he encouraged his sister, his body aching from exhaustion.

Suddenly, the little girl lost her footing, slipping and falling onto the muddy ground. "S-Silvia," Aster exclaimed, stopping and rushing over to her, letting go of the stretcher. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah..." she replied weakly, wiping the dirt from her face. "Just a little tired..."

— "Let me carry it alone. I'm not tired yet," Aster lied, grabbing her arm and helping her up. "You lead the way. Try to look for anything familiar."

"O-okay..." Silvia responded, her teeth chattering from the cold. The little girl wrapped her arms around her body, rubbing them to warm herself up. Shivering, she moved forward, her golden eyes scanning the darkness ahead. Aster followed closely behind, his fingers tightening around the wood. Each step was torture for the boy, but he refused to give up. All his thoughts kept screaming at him, telling him that it would not be much longer, that he just needed to hold on.

The sound of thunder rumbled overhead repeatedly, echoing throughout the entire forest. A bright flash of lightning briefly illuminated the trees, followed by another thundering roar. The heavy rainfall intensified, causing the trees to sway wildly and their branches to creak.

"I-I think I r-remember t-this p-place! W-we're c-close!" Silvia yelled over the storm, turning back to her brother. She pointed her finger to the right, her golden eyes hopeful.

Aster squinted his eyes, trying to see what she was pointing at. But the heavy rain made it impossible. He could only trust his sister's words. "Lead the way," he said, adjusting his grip on the stretcher.

After a few minutes, a dark shape began forming in the distance, and the two children quickened their pace. The silhouette became clearer, and soon enough, they found themselves staring at the barricade of their home.

— "We made it..." Aster mumbled tiredly, relief washing over him. Silvia hurriedly pushed the wooden barricade to the side, creating a gap big enough for them to enter. Aster dragged their unconscious mother inside, branches scratching against the stone floor. The fire was long gone; only a few faint embers still glowed among the ashes.

Aster moved his mother closer to the fireplace in the kitchen corner while Silvia closed the entrance. As soon as she did, an eerie silence fell upon them, and the room was plunged into darkness.

With only the faint glow of embers for light, nearly not enough to see anything, the two children stood there, their wet clothes dripping onto the floor as they shivered from the cold. After a moment of hesitation, Aster made his way toward the pile of firewood, his feet dragging against the stone floor and making wet, shuffling noises.

Fumbling in the darkness, his hands trembled violently, searching blindly until they found a small twig. Pushing it against the dying ember, he desperately blew on it, trying to ignite the wood. For what seemed like an eternity, the small flame refused to appear. The boy's breathing was coming out in shallow, rapid gasps, his lips pale and his fingertips numb.

It's hard to describe the relief he felt when, oh, finally, the tiny flame flickered from the ember and spread to the twig, consuming it greedily. Carefully, the boy grabbed more firewood and added it to the little flame, nurturing it with every breath.

Slowly, the fire grew stronger, the flames leaping and dancing. Light filled the room, illuminating the boy's silver hair and porcelain skin, revealing his exhaustion and trembling body.

He glanced back, his golden eyes meeting those of his sister. She stood shivering behind him, hugging herself tightly. Her face and tunic were covered in mud, and her wet silver hair clung to her face and body. Her pale lips trembled, and her teeth chattered from the cold. "W-what d-do we d-do now?" she asked quietly, looking at her mother. Nivalis was in a terrible state, but she was still alive, her chest rising and falling ever so slightly.

Aster took a moment to think, trying to remember everything he knew about treating wounds. But his mind was empty, too exhausted and stressed to recall anything useful. Taking a deep breath, he glanced at the fire, his mind racing. "Alright... We need to get her warm. Let's start by taking off her wet clothes," he said, looking back at his sister. "Keep adding wood to the fire; make it hot in here. I will remove her clothes."

Silvia nodded, her lips pressed tightly together. Without saying a word, she knelt next to the pile of firewood and started feeding the hungry flames, her hands shaking.

Aster approached his mother and kneeled, trying to figure out how to do this without moving her much. He removed her boots and socks first, then unbuttoned her coat. When he tried to pull it off, he noticed her left shoulder was dislocated and swollen badly. It was hard to look at.

He carefully pulled the sleeves, doing his best to move her arm as little as possible until the coat was completely removed from under her. Time was crucial, so he decided to simply cut the rest of her clothes. Grabbing the knife, he carefully cut through the layers of fabric and undressed his unconscious mother.

Silvia kept feeding the fire mindlessly, tears welling in her eyes, but the little girl refused to let them fall. Every time she looked at her mother, the little girl sped up her movements, blowing at the fire to make it grow faster. "She will be okay. She will be okay. She will be okay," she kept whispering to herself repeatedly. With each passing moment, the fire burned brighter and hotter, warming the cave and filling it with its light.

Meanwhile, the boy examined the wounds, frowning at the sight.

Her knee and shoulder were a mess, both dislocated and swollen, looking beyond terrible. Aster's pulse quickened, his breathing becoming labored as panic threatened to consume him. 'How can I possibly fix this?' he wondered, forcing himself to swallow the lump in his throat. 'Don't panic, don't panic,' taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he continued, looking over the rest of his mother's injuries.

The bruises on her legs, hands, abdomen, and ribs were already turning a deep, dark shade of purple. 'Looks like she got hit a lot...' he grimaced, touching her stomach gently. He suspected her entire back was probably covered in similar bruises as well. The boy's fingers trembled as they traced the damaged skin. But It was not the most concerning injury, though. The wooden spear was still embedded deep into her thigh.

'How can I handle this?' Aster asked himself, biting his lower lip. 'If I remove the spear, the bleeding could be fatal. No...' Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply and opened them again. 'I have to do something. I have to fix this... How?'

His golden eyes landed on the knife on the ground, and an idea struck him. 'What if I heat the blade and cauterize the wound?' he pondered, glancing at the burning fire. 'It might work, but I need to disinfect everything first...'

— "Silvia, we are going to remove the spear, clean the wound, and quickly close it to stop the bleeding," Aster said, standing up. "And we will try to do it fast."

"O-Okay..." the little girl muttered, rising to her feet and looking at him nervously. "What do I do?"

— "Remember that green, stinky mush Mom used to make for us from pine needles whenever we got a bruise or a scratch?" the boy asked, picking up the pot from the ground. The girl nodded silently, taking the pot from his hands. "We need to make it," he continued, "It should help prevent the infection... hopefully. Please use your magic and melt the ice, and I will gather the needles."

Silvia's fingers tightened around the metal. "Mhm," she mumbled, moving her hand above the empty pot. Closing her eyes, she focused on her magic, and her right hand was immediately covered by a layer of frost, spreading across her forearm.

Aster didn't pay much attention to his sister; instead, the boy picked up the knife and put the blade directly into the flames. It will take some time to make it red-hot. Then, he started collecting pine needles from their makeshift stretcher, trying to pick only the clean ones. He piled them on the cutting board near his sister.

Once the pot was full of ice, Silvia placed it on the fire; the girl grabbed the wooden bowl and started to smash the needles with the handle of her little knife. She dropped the crushed needles into the pot and repeated the process with the fresh batch of needles brought by her brother.

It took them less than half an hour to boil everything properly, resulting in a pot full of bubbling green liquid. The smell wasn't pleasant, an intense, strong pine scent that burned the nostrils.

"It's ready," Silvia said, removing the pot from the fire and putting it on the floor. "What now?" she asked, looking at her little brother.

— "Alright..." Aster breathed out, staring at the pot. "Cool it down so it is slightly warm. I will get us bandages."

Silvia's fingers touched the metal handle, and a layer of frost immediately formed on the pot's surface, spreading slowly. Aster hurried to the pile of clothing and started pulling out everything that could be used as a bandage. Returning, he placed everything usable next to his mother.

"It's done," Silvia said, moving the pot closer to Aster.

With everything ready, Aster sat beside the spear and sighed, his heart hammering loudly. "Now, the hard part." He looked around to make sure he had everything he needed. 'The blade is red-hot... Check. Plenty of bandages nearby... Check. The disinfectant... Kinda check?'

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. He scooped up the green liquid with his palm, coating his hands thoroughly. He could only hope it had the antibacterial effect.

— "Here we go..." Aster mumbled, wrapping his hand around the spear's handle. "One... Two... Three." With a firm grip, he began to extract the weapon from his mother's thigh. Her face contorted in agony, but thankfully, she remained unconscious. Blood surged from the wound as the spear emerged. Reacting swiftly, Aster grabbed a clean cloth, pressing it to the injury.

"Take the pot and pour it on the wound," he instructed his sister, not looking at her. Silvia did as she was told, her hands shaking as she lifted the pot and carefully tilted it to pour the liquid onto her mother's thigh. Their mother's leg jerked violently the moment it hit the wound, a pained whimper escaping her lips. "More, more, more," Aster urged her, observing the green liquid cleansing the wound. "Stop, stop. This should be enough," he said, glancing at the nearby fire. "Now, the knife..."

Clutching the cloth, Aster retrieved the knife from the fire and swiftly pressed the glowing blade against the open wound. A loud hiss filled the air as the hot metal burned the flesh. His mother's eyes flew open, and a piercing scream of agony erupted from her throat. It didn't stop the boy, though. He knew he had to finish what he started.

The smell of burning meat filled the air, making his stomach churn. Gritting his teeth, he fought to ignore her cries and the sickening stench.

Three seconds later, he pulled the blade away, leaving a long, ugly burn mark. To his relief, the bleeding had stopped entirely. "It worked," Aster breathed out. Turning his gaze to his mother's face, he saw tears streaming down her cheeks, her breathing reduced to short, labored gasps. The pain was clear in her expression — brows knitted together, eyes shut tightly. "I'm sorry, Mom," Aster whispered, gently brushing away the tears from her cheek.

"Is... is it over?" Silvia asked hesitantly, looking at her little brother.

— "No. We must bandage the burn and do something to her knee and shoulder," the boy said, putting the green mush from the bottom of the pot on her wound and wrapping it with a clean bandage. Then, he removed the rope from his mother's leg.

"What are we going to do with her shoulder and knee?" Silvia asked, looking at their mother's disfigured leg.

— "It looks really bad. I'm not certain if this is the right thing to do, but..." Aster responded, frowning.

"But...?" the girl asked, swallowing hard.

— "I... we...," he muttered, meeting her gaze. "We can try to... push the bones back?"

Silvia stared at him silently, her golden eyes darting between her mother's injuries and her brother's face. "A-are you sure?" she asked, her voice trembling.

— "I think so," Aster responded, trying to sound confident. "I don't see any other way."

"Alright," the girl whispered, her expression hardening. "Let's do this."

...

Trying to set the bones back in place is a gruesome and painful process. It took them many attempts to do it, but they eventually succeeded. Aster was relieved, though his mother's agonizing screams would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. The pain kept waking her up for a few seconds every time they attempted to push the bones back in place, only to lose consciousness a moment later.

The next hour was spent cleaning her properly, starting with her dirty hair and going down to her very toes. Another hour after that was spent bandaging every little cut or bruise on her body, no matter how small. The green mush was applied generously, hoping it would prevent infections... But considering how long she spent lying in the dirt, it would be a miracle if she didn't catch something.

Her forearms were in terrible condition, gradually becoming more swollen as time passed. It looked like she used her arms to protect herself, making the boy fear she might have broken her bones. To be safe, Aster made a splint for each arm, wrapping her forearms in bandages and using sticks to immobilize them.

"What now?" Silvia asked, leaning against her little brother's shoulder, her eyes fixed on their unconscious mother.

— "We wait..." he answered quietly, stroking his sister's dirty, curly from wetness, silver locks. "There is nothing more we can do."

Shivering from the cold despite having the roaring fire nearby, the two children sat there, staring at their unconscious mother. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and the only thing they could do was hope she would recover.

— "Let's get ourselves cleaned. We are dirty," Aster whispered, looking at his sister's tired face and forced a smile.

"Yeah," she muttered, her eyes barely open. "I'll heat us more water. Look after Mom," Silvia added, pushing herself off the floor tiredly and taking the pot with dirty used water outside to clean it.

— "Mhm," the boy sighed tiredly, hearing the cave door closing. Aster looked at his mother, her pale face illuminated by the fire's light. With a trembling finger, he moved a strand of her silver hair from her face, gently touching her forehead. She looked so fragile, so weak, and it scared him. The possibility of losing her was too painful to think of.

— "You have to get better. We need you, Mom," he said quietly, caressing her cheek. "I-I... I need you. You and Silvia are all I have. And without you, I don't... I don't even want to imagine what life would be like without you. I don't... so please..." he sniffled, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. "Please, get better," the boy whispered, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. But she didn't react, and her eyes remained closed.

Aster wiped away his tears with his sleeve and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He sat there silently, his golden eyes fixed on the fire. The longer he stared at the dancing flames, the more his mind wandered, thinking about everything and nothing at the same time.

For a brief moment, his tired mind played tricks on him, and he could swear he heard the very flame talking to him. The flickering tongues whisper sweet little promises and soothing lies, telling him everything will be alright.

...

"Asty? The water is hot," Silvia's soft, sweet voice brought him back from his trance.

— "Huh?" Aster looked at her, blinking rapidly. "Oh, yeah... Alright," he muttered, forcing himself to stand up. How tired he felt and how much his body ached was even hard to describe. The boy walked behind his sister to the corner where the pot was placed on the floor, the steam rising from it.

Silvia began to remove her dirty tunic, pulling it over her head. Her silver hair cascaded down her bare back. Her ribs were clearly visible, poking through her smooth white-pale skin, while the warm light danced across her petite body, illuminating every little bump and curve. Aster began undressing as well, tossing his clothes on the ground next to Silvia's, exposing his skinny frame. They were precisely the same height despite the difference in their age.

Grabbing the cloth and dipping it in the hot water, the boy approached his sister from behind and started scrubbing her back. Silvia flinched slightly at the sudden touch, but she soon relaxed; her golden eyes glanced at him over her shoulder, giving him a faint smile. The girl didn't utter a word, allowing her little brother to wash her body. His hands glided over her soft skin, gently scrubbing the mud, sweat, and grime away.

Washing each other was something they always did, a simple routine they never thought twice about. The boy moved the cloth across her shoulders, neck, and arms. Then he turned the girl around and washed her flat chest and tummy, moving down to her hips and thighs. Even her wiggling little toes received his full attention, earning him a few giggles from his sister.

With her body cleaned, Silvia took the cloth and dipped it in the hot water, then proceeded to return the favor. But the moment she started scrubbing her little brother's chest, the girl noticed the cut on his forearm. "Asty!" she gasped, immediately grabbing his wrist and examining the wound. "How did this happen?!"

— "Ah... This..." Aster mumbled, staring at the long, shallow cut. The bleeding had stopped long ago, but the cut was still red, and the skin around it was slightly swollen. He hadn't even felt it until now. "That was a little scratch I got when I fought the creature," he smiled faintly, meeting her worried gaze.

"Little scratch?!" Silvia exclaimed, frowning at him. "It doesn't look little to me. Why didn't you tell me about it?"

— "It doesn't hurt. Really, I am-Ouch!-" Aster was interrupted by a finger flick on his forehead, which caught him off guard. "Hey, what was that for?!" he asked, rubbing the sore spot.

"For being an idiot," Silvia huffed angrily, her hands on her hips.

— "Why-" Before he could even utter a word, the little girl flicked his forehead again. "Ow..."

"It doesn't hurt, my butt. You should have told me about this right away." the girl frowned, looking at the wound. "Let's just finish washing ourselves, and I will take care of this," she muttered, returning to the cloth and dunking it in the water.

Aster sighed in resignation, receiving an angry scrubbing from his sister. Her scowl never faded, and her movements were much, much rougher than necessary. He simply stood there, enduring her wrath on his skin while his sister cleaned every part of him. Once she was done, the boy was red all over.

...

The two siblings lay on the soft blankets near the fire, closer to Nivalis; their wet, silver hair glistened in the warm light. Their clean bodies pressed tightly together, seeking warmth and comfort while the howling wind roared outside their small, cozy cave.

The girl let her little brother spoon her from behind, holding her protectively in his embrace. They covered themselves with a warm blanket, watching the fire in complete silence, only listening to the crackling of burning wood, the rain hitting the cave entrance, and their mother's breathing.

Aster rested his chin on his sister's shoulder, arms wrapped around her petite, delicate body. The familiar scent of his sister's hair was calming, making him feel at ease. "Are you hungry?" the boy asked quietly, drawing circles on her tummy with his now bandaged hand.

"No... not really," she mumbled sleepily. "Let's just stay like this..."

— "Okay," he breathed out, tightening his arms around her. Silvia shifted her body a little, pressing herself against him more. Her hips wiggled slightly as she tried to get comfortable, and she soon settled down, finding the perfect spot. Holding his hand in her small palm, she intertwined their fingers together, sighing quietly.

"I'm scared," Silvia suddenly admitted in a trembling whisper, her thumb rubbing the back of his hand.

A moment of silence passed before Aster responded. "...so am I," he confessed, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck.

"What will we do if she... you know...?" the little girl asked quietly, her voice trembling. "If she doesn't wake up..." the girl sniffled, her fingers tightening around his.

— "Don't say that," Aster whispered, moving his head back to her shoulder. "She will wake up," he added, staring at the dancing flames.

"I hope so," the little girl whispered, sniffling again.

— "Hey, listen," Aster began softly, his breath tickling her ear. "I promise you. Mom is strong. She will wake up. Everything will be alright," the boy whispered, his voice sounding more confident than he actually felt. "I bet the moment she wakes up, she'll make us learn another weird way to dance. So stop crying, okay?"

"Mhm," Silvia nodded, her lower lip quivering as her chest ached with the weight of her emotions, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Aster kept repeating those words until the girl fell asleep in his arms, hoping that if he said them enough times, they would become true.

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DISCLAIMER!

Please keep in mind that all medical procedures described in this chapter are purely fictional. The author has no medical knowledge or experience and has not consulted with professionals in the field to write this chapter.

Although the descriptions may appear believable, doing any of the described could be extremely dangerous and even fatal. In case of an emergency, always seek professional medical care for your own good.