Work Text:
“-fa, -an you he- me?”
A familiar voice greeted Ifa as he opened his eyes—or rather, his right eye, because for some reason his vision on the left side was dark. His body felt weak and sore at the same time, as if every muscle refused to move. It took nearly all his strength just to open his eye, and he couldn’t even lift his hand.
Was this a hospital? Why was he here? Did something happen to him? When he tried to recall what had happened, his mind was blank—no memories came to him. Ifa wanted to ask Chuycu, who was checking his vital signs; he could feel his lips moving, but no words would come out.
“Shh, it’s okay, Ifa. Don’t move too much yet,” said Chuycu gently as she approached him, shining a small flashlight into his right eye. “You just woke up from a coma, so it’s normal to feel weak.”
“You’re finally awake, Ifa! You really had me worried.” Cusco, who looked visibly relieved, came closer and held his bandaged hand.
Ifa managed a faint smile and used what little strength he had to squeeze his uncle’s hand back. His cold, stiff fingers began to warm as their hands met. Seeing that smile again after so long made Cusco’s eyes soften with relief. Before long, Ifa’s eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted back to sleep. Cusco let out a deep breath, gently brushing back his damp hair.
“So, how is he? Any progress?” Cusco asked his youngest daughter, who had just finished checking on Ifa’s condition.
“Thank goodness he’s conscious, but there hasn’t been any significant improvement yet. We might know more tomorrow when it’s time to change his bandages,” explained Chuycu, glancing at her father. “You should go home and rest, Dad. Don’t worry—Ifa will be safe with me here. Just look at those dark circles under your eyes.”
But instead of replying, Cusco stayed silent, his eyes fixed on the sleeping Ifa, watching his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm. His gaze then moved to the faint injection marks on Ifa’s neck. Thankfully, the black discoloration that had once covered his skin was now gone, leaving only a bruise that would fade with time.
Chuycu, realizing something, could only sigh in resignation. Her father had always been like this. Cusco had been close friends with Ifa’s parents since childhood—they had grown up together and remained friends even after starting their own families. Because of that bond, Chuycu, Chasca, and Ifa had also become friends, just like their parents once were. But ever since Ifa’s parents passed away nine years ago due to an abyss infection, Cusco had always felt guilty whenever he saw Ifa. Because of his own mistake, he had lost his two dearest friends and left seventeen-year-old Ifa to face the cruel world alone.
“Are you still feeling guilty about Ifa’s parents? I’ve told you before, Dad—you’re just overthinking. What happened to them wasn’t your fault.”
“It’s not that I feel guilty,” Cusco replied quietly, his gaze lowered. “But seeing Ifa like this… I feel like I’ve broken my promise to Auki. I swore I’d protect him.”
He winced as Chuycu gave his side a sharp pinch.
“That wasn’t your fault either, Dad. Who could’ve predicted that Ifa would go through something like this? Now, let’s go home and rest, okay? If you’re still worried, I’ll ask Ororon to stay and watch over him tonight.”
Chuycu tried once more to reassure her father, but when Cusco remained silent, she started packing her clothes into the bag she had brought from home.
“Whether you like it or not, you’re going home now! I’m worried about you—and I’m sure Ifa wouldn’t want to see you like this either.”
Seeing Chuycu’s face turn red from holding back her frustration, Cusco had no choice but to help his daughter tidy up the rest of her things. Then, together, they walked to the lobby and headed home.
***
When Ororon entered the hospital room that morning, the atmosphere felt unusually quiet. Normally, he would be greeted by the cheerful banter of Cusco and Chuycu, but today, only the chirping of birds outside and the steady hum of the medical machines connected to Ifa’s body filled the air.
He walked over to Ifa and sat down on the small chair beside the bed. Relief washed over him when he saw that his friend’s face wasn’t as pale as it had been yesterday. Though his cheeks were still thin and hollow, at least he looked a little healthier now.
Ororon had already heard the good news from Chuycu. When she asked him to watch over Ifa for a few days, he immediately agreed and went to the medical center in the Winged Flower Tribe’s settlement.
Truthfully, Ororon had wanted to help Chasca investigate who was behind Ifa’s abduction. But Granny Itzli had forbidden it, saying that whoever was responsible must be dangerous. Remembering the severity of Ifa’s injuries, Ororon had to admit his grandmother was right. In the end, he reluctantly promised to stay away from the investigation and focus on taking care of Ifa instead.
Not long after, Ifa’s fingers twitched, followed by his right eye slowly opening. Ororon immediately leaned closer and greeted him.
“Oh my god, Ifa! So Chuycu was right—you’re finally awake!”
Ifa smiled as his gaze met Ororon’s. He knew that look well—the gentle eyes filled with warmth and longing. Ororon finally saw his friend’s smile again; he let out a trembling breath of relief, an unbidden smile spreading across his face as he fought back tears. After a long search and a week of intensive care, they were finally reunited.
Then, in a weak voice, Ifa spoke. “Ororon, can you help me sit up? My back feels so sore, but I’m still too weak to lift myself.”
Without hesitation, Ororon helped him up and handed him a glass of water. After finishing the whole glass, Ifa—still looking pale and exhausted—leaned against the headboard and asked softly,
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course you can! Why are you suddenly being so polite?” Ororon replied with a smile.
“Chuycu said I just woke up from a coma, right? How long was I out?” Ifa asked in a faint tone, his expression suddenly tightening until his brows furrowed together. Maybe he was irritated—or just uncomfortable? Ifa had always been like that; his emotions were easy to read, like an open book. Especially to someone who had known him for so long.
“It feels like I’ve been asleep forever. My body still feels so weak… I can’t even move my hands or legs properly. Ugh, I hate this feeling,” he grumbled, still pouting.
“Hmm… maybe? Do you think a week counts as a long time?”
“A week?! That long?” Ifa’s tired eyes widened in shock. “Did something happen? Why can’t I remember anything? Was I attacked by an abyss or something?”
“You… don’t remember what happened yesterday? Seriously, Ifa?” Ororon asked, the smile that had been on his face fading into a worried frown. His eyes stayed fixed on Ifa, who was now trying to hold back a laugh.
Ifa let out a small chuckle, amused by how ridiculous his friend’s expression looked. “Why do you look so confused? The last thing I remember was closing the clinic, and then suddenly I woke up here—with Uncle Cusco and Chuycu by my side.”
Ororon fell silent at that. If what had happened caused memory loss like this, then it was far worse than he had thought. His stomach churned at the thought, and he quickly turned his gaze away, trying to steady his breathing.
“Hey… what’s wrong, bro? Did something happen to me?”
Before Ororon could answer Ifa’s question, a nurse named Huilu entered the room, pushing a cart filled with medicine and fresh bandages.
“Good morning! How are you feeling, Ifa?” she greeted warmly as she prepared a dose of painkiller to inject into the IV attached to his chest.
“I’m doing fine. My body still feels weak, but I think I’m okay for now,” Ifa replied with a faint smile. Huilu smiled back, then carefully injected the medication into the IV line.
“It’s time to change your bandages,” she explained. “I’ve already given you a painkiller, so don’t worry—you won’t feel any pain.”
She picked up her clipboard and began asking a few questions while waiting for the medication to take effect.
“How about your arms and legs? Do they hurt?”
Ifa shook his head. “Hurt? Not even close. I can’t move my arms or legs at all. You can ask Ororon—he even had to help me with simple things, like sitting up. And… it feels kind of uncomfortable?”
“That’s perfectly normal,” Nurse Huilu reassured him kindly. “You’ve just woken up from a coma. Once you start recovering, we’ll schedule physiotherapy sessions to help you move again. Do you feel any shortness of breath? Dizziness?”
“Not really. Other than feeling weak, I actually feel fine.”
After confirming that the painkiller had taken effect, Huilu carefully began removing the bandages that covered Ifa’s body. She started with his legs—beneath the wrappings were sutured cuts, neatly closed but still faintly red. Examining them closely, she rewrapped his legs with fresh bandages before moving on to check his wrists.
Good, the wounds on your legs have dried up,” Huilu explained as she carefully unwrapped the bandages around his wrists. “But since your Achilles tendons were also injured, you shouldn’t try to move your legs for a while.”
“The swelling in your wrists has gone down, but the bruises are still there. I’ll schedule an X-ray for you this afternoon to check how well your bones are healing.” She gently applied an ointment to the bruised areas before wrapping fresh bandages around his wrists.
After that, Huilu unbuttoned Ifa’s shirt to examine his fractured ribs. Ororon winced the moment he saw the dark bruises covering his friend’s chest and abdomen. Ifa fell silent as he took in the sight of his own injuries. His broken ribs were visibly displaced, shifted several centimeters from where they should be. Looking at how thin his body had become, it was clear he must have been unconscious for quite some time. He tried to recall what had happened to him, but a sharp pain made him flinch just as Huilu spread ointment over the bruised area. She murmured an apology and continued to examine his ribs.
“Thankfully, your wounds are healing well. But please, don’t move too much yet—you’re still far from fully recovered,” she reminded him gently, before turning her attention to the eyepatch covering his left eye.
“I’ll remove the patch now. Let me know if you can see anything with your left eye afterward.”
Ifa nodded in response. So that was why—his left eye had been injured as well; no wonder he had only been able to open his right one since yesterday.
Carefully, Nurse Huilu peeled off the eyepatch covering his eye. Thankfully, the wound underneath had dried properly and showed no signs of infection.
“All right,” she said softly. “Now, open your eyes.”
Following Huilu’s cue, Ifa slowly opened his left eye. The first thing that greeted him was the warm glow of the ceiling light—but something felt strange. Why did his vision seem blurry on the left side? Even when he looked at Ororon, half of his friend’s face appeared hazy, like it was being seen through mist.
He tried to focus his gaze, hoping the blur would fade—but instead, a sharp pain shot through his forehead. Without realizing it, Ifa winced again, grimacing in pain for what felt like the hundredth time.
“Ifa! What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Huilu asked quickly, concern etching her face.
“There’s something wrong with my left eye,” he said weakly. “When I open it, part of my vision looks blurry. And when I try to focus, my forehead starts to hurt. Could you check it again, please?”
The nurse took a small flashlight from the cart and examined his eye closely. There was something off about it—his pupil reacted only faintly to the light.
“Can you see the light, Ifa?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Is there something wrong with my eye?”
It seemed his suspicion was correct. She would need to report this to Dr. Chuycu right away. While tidying up the scattered bandages, she replied gently, “I’ll need to confirm it with Dr. Chuycu first. She’ll be here to see you this afternoon. For now, just get some rest, okay? Do either of you have any other questions?”
“Umm… Nurse, there’s something I need to tell you,” Ororon said hesitantly. “But can we talk outside?”
Though puzzled, she nodded and followed Ororon into the hallway.
Once they were far enough that Ifa couldn’t overhear, Ororon spoke quietly, his tone serious. “I think…. Ifa might be suffering from amnesia. He doesn’t remember anything about the incident—his memories of the kidnapping are completely gone. The last thing he remembers is closing the clinic, right before he was kidnapped.”
***
Chuycu had just stepped out of her office when someone suddenly grabbed her shoulder. She froze, startled—but before she could even scream, a slender hand swiftly covered her mouth.
“Relax, Chuycu. It’s me—Chasca. Sorry for scaring you,” the woman whispered.
“What is wrong with you? Can’t you start a conversation like a normal person?” Chuycu grumbled, brushing her sister’s hand away before continuing down the hall toward Ifa’s room. Chasca only chuckled softly and followed behind her.
“I heard Ifa woke up yesterday?” Chasca asked, quickening her steps to walk beside her younger sister. “How is he doing? Do you think I could ask him about the kidnapping case?”
“Ifa’s awake, yes—but as his doctor, I’d advise you to hold off on any questioning until he’s recovered,” Chuycu replied while double-checking Huilu’s report on her clipboard. “Besides, in his current condition, I doubt he remembers what happened while he was missing.”
“What do you mean? Was the examination that bad?”
“I was just about to see him myself. If you’re that curious, why don’t you come with me?”
A few minutes later, they arrived at the door to Ifa’s hospital room. Chasca stopped in her tracks, her expression clouding. She hated remembering that night—but every time she came to visit Ifa, the memory returned like a wound that refused to close. Ifa had always been bright and kind. Every time they passed each other in the halls, he’d smile and greet her warmly. But when she found him in that abandoned lab… he was unrecognizable—his wrists chained to the wall, blood dried on his skin, dripping from a wound near his eye.
And then their eyes met. Even through the pain, he smiled faintly—relieved, desperate, as if the sight of her alone had been enough to save him.
The words he managed to whisper before losing consciousness still haunted her dreams to this day.
“Finally… you came, Chasca. Please… help me.”
“Chasca, what’s wrong? Come on in!”
Chuycu’s voice called out from inside the room. Chasca took a deep breath, steadied herself, and turned the doorknob to Ifa’s ward.
As she stepped in, Ifa—who had just woken up from his afternoon nap—greeted her with that familiar smile of his.
“Hey, Chasca, you’re here. Hah… I guess I’m still not fully recovered, huh?” he said with a light laugh. “Can you believe it? My energy’s already gone, and all I did this morning was a full check-up.”
Ifa winced as Chuycu pinched his arm.
“Seriously? You can still joke around? You’re unbelievable!” Chuycu scolded, still frowning.
At the sound of his voice and that small, teasing smile, all of Chasca’s worries—the dark memories of that night—seemed to fade away. Even though he wasn’t as strong as before, she was grateful. Because deep down, Ifa was still the same person she knew—warm as the sun and shining just as bright.
Without another word, Chasca walked up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. Under her breath, she whispered a prayer of thanks to the Pyro Archon and to every god who had answered her plea—to let her see him awake again.
“You really have a talent for making me worry. I swear, Ifa, if you ever get hurt like that again, I’ll never forgive you!”
Ifa looked a little confused at first, but his smile didn’t fade. He simply nodded and replied softly, “Don’t worry. I promise I won’t make you worry ever again.”
After waiting for Chasca to calm down, Chuycu finally began explaining the results of Ifa’s examination that morning.
“Thank goodness your condition is improving. Most of your wounds have started to heal, though there hasn’t been much progress with your fractures yet. Luckily, the abyssal infection in your body has also decreased significantly thanks to the dialysis we performed yesterday.”
“Abyssal infection?” Ifa interrupted, confusion spreading across his face. “Why would I have an abyssal infection? I don’t remember joining any battle or being attacked by abyss creatures recently.”
Chuycu let out a long sigh. What should she do? Should she tell him about the incident? But what if remembering made his condition worse? She could never forgive herself if that happened. Still… Ifa was her patient. And as his doctor, she couldn’t hide the truth from him—it was his right to know.
“Ifa, I’m sorry, but I have to tell you this.” She tried to keep her voice steady. “It seems you’re also suffering from partial amnesia. Based on this morning’s brain scan, thankfully, there’s no permanent brain damage from the incident. Most likely, the memory loss was caused by the severe trauma you experienced.”
The already quiet room grew even quieter after Chuycu finished speaking. Ifa said nothing, his gaze fixed on the bedsheet. What exactly had happened to him? Was it really a result of battle—or had someone done this to him intentionally?
“If you’re wondering what happened,” Chasca finally spoke, breaking the silence. She walked closer to his bedside, her eyes filled with sympathy as she took his splinted hand. “We don’t know yet who did this or why. But please, don’t force yourself to remember. Focus on healing. Leave the rest to us—we’ll find whoever’s behind this.”
Ifa nodded weakly, taking a shaky breath before asking again, “Then… how did I even get infected by abyss energy if I wasn’t in battle?”
With Chuycu’s help, he held a mirror up to his neck. There, he noticed a dark bruise the size of a coin—right where a needle would have been.
“So you’re saying… someone injected abyssal fluid into me?” he asked, staring at the mark.
Even though he was a veterinarian, Ifa still understood enough about human medicine to recognize what that meant. A bruise like that—just from an injection—implied the substance had been highly toxic, that has been injected several times into his body.
A sickening realization struck him. The injection mark on his neck, his blinded left eye, his injuries—all of it pointed to something deliberate. Why had this happened to him? Had he wronged someone? What could justify such cruelty?
Before he could stop himself, nausea overwhelmed him. He lurched forward and vomited—first only thick white mucus, expected from someone who hadn’t eaten in a long time… but then, something far worse spilled out.
A dark, viscous liquid. Black as ink.
Abyssal residue.
“Ifa! What’s wrong?!”
Chuycu immediately grabbed a basin from the nearby counter, holding it under him while Chasca gently rubbed his back. After several agonizing moments, Ifa’s body went limp—his strength completely drained. He collapsed into Chuycu’s arms before he could hit the floor.
“Chasca, help me—let’s get him back on the bed.”
Once they settled Ifa onto the mattress, Chuycu examined the dark liquid closely. Her heart dropped. This was bad—very bad. How could such a concentrated abyssal toxin still be inside him?
“Chasca, Ororon,” she said urgently, her tone sharp but controlled, “please wait outside for a moment. I need to run some additional tests on him. I’ll call you back once I’m done.”
With anxious faces, the two obeyed and quietly left the room, leaving Chuycu alone—surrounded by the quiet hum of medical instruments and the faint, unsettling scent of abyssal corruption lingering in the air.
***
A few hours later, while Chasca and Ororon were eating in the cafeteria, Chuycu approached them carrying a stack of test results and a small vial filled with black liquid. She looked tired and tense, but there was a faint trace of relief on her face.
“Is the examination done? What did you find?” Ororon asked curiously, then quickly softened his tone. “Actually, how about you eat first? Let me order you something, and we can talk over lunch.”
“Uhh, sure. Get me something spicy, please. And Xocoatl too. Thanks, Ororon.”
“You look awful,” Chasca said bluntly, pushing her cup of coffee toward her sister. “If you don’t have any more shifts today, take a break. I don’t want another patient ending up in this hospital.”
Chuycu accepted the coffee with a small laugh and downed it in one go. “I’ll be fine. I can rest after my shift’s over. I’m still holding up.” She stretched her arms, trying to loosen the tension in her shoulders.
Moments later, Ororon returned with a tray—Blazed Meat Stew and a steaming cup of Xocoatl. Chuycu’s tired face brightened instantly. She mumbled a quick “thanks” before digging in.
“Ahh—finally full! Thanks, Ororon,” she said, leaning back with a contented sigh.
“Consider it a small thank-you,” he replied with a faint smile. “If it weren’t for you, I don’t think Ifa would have survived this long.”
Chuycu shook her head, still smiling. “I only helped him stay alive, but I’m not the reason he pulled through.” She placed a gentle hand on Ororon’s shoulder. “That’s all, Ifa. It’s his own will to live that kept him going. Don’t worry—he will recover someday. I promise I’ll keep treating him until he does.”
“Speaking of Ifa,” Chasca cut in, curiosity returning to her voice, “what did the test results say?”
“Oh, right, I almost forgot,” Chuycu said, wiping her mouth before pulling the papers closer. Her tone shifted, becoming more clinical.
“The toxin found in Ifa’s digestive system matches the substance in his blood—Abyssus Venenum. It’s a rare poison traded only on the black market. Its corrosive nature is similar to abyssal corruption itself. Whoever has access to this kind of toxin isn’t some low-level criminal organization.” She looked directly at her sister. “Chasca, be careful if you’re planning to investigate this. I’m certain the person who kidnapped Ifa is no ordinary perpetrator.”
Both Chasca and Ororon went silent, their worried expressions mirroring each other.
“But don’t worry too much,” Chuycu added reassuringly, her voice softening again. “His condition has stabilized quite a bit. Most of the toxin has already been neutralized. However, because of the damage to his stomach, Ifa won’t be able to eat or drink for a while.”
“Based on the clues we have so far, it seems the culprit is either a saurian smuggler or an illegal drug maker,” Chasca muttered as she jotted down the new pieces of evidence. “Everything—from the abandoned lab equipment, the saurian corpse, to the suspect’s connection with Ifa—points toward one of those two possibilities.”
“It’s a shame we still don’t have enough leads to identify who the culprit is. And we can’t exactly ask Ifa directly about what happened either,” she added with a sigh.
“Ororon,” Chasca continued, turning toward him, “did Ifa ever tell you anything? Maybe he mentioned a name or what happened before he was kidnapped?”
Ororon thought for a moment before replying. “He did tell me once about finding a strange saurian corpse. But after that, he never brought it up again. Maybe he wrote something about it in his notebook?”
Chasca shook her head. “There’s a page missing from his notes. My guess is, the page we need was torn out—probably by the culprit.”
Chuycu, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, suddenly stood up. “Unfortunately, my break’s over,” she said as she grabbed her coat. “I need to get back to work. I’ll stop by to check on Ifa before heading home later.”
“So soon? But you just finished eating,” Chasca protested, worry creeping into her voice.
Chuycu just smiled and waved it off. “That’s how my days usually go. Don’t worry, I’m used to it. Good luck with your investigation.”
After waving goodbye to her sister and Ororon, Chuycu hurried toward the lobby where Nurse Huilu was waiting for her.
“So, what’s your plan after this?” Ororon asked as he took the last sip of his coffee.
“I’m going to report this toxin to Kinich and Mavuika. As for you, head back to Ifa’s room. I don’t feel comfortable leaving him alone, especially after he fainted earlier.”
“Alright then,” Ororon said, nodding. “Be careful, okay? Don’t do anything reckless. Remember—Chuycu’s waiting for you at home.”
***
Research Log – Day 1
Test Subject: Wild Yumkasaur
Initial Diagnosis:
The Yumkasaur was captured a week ago from the Scions of Canopy region. It seems we might’ve forgotten to feed it—but who cares? What matters is getting the drug ready for sale to ***** and distributing it widely on the black market. The test subject was in a weakened, malnourished state, its heartbeat faint but still present. We immediately injected the newly synthesized toxin to observe its effects on a wild saurian.
Final Diagnosis:
Who would’ve thought this Yumkasaur was that strong? Even after suffering violent convulsions and cardiac arrest, something seemed to possess it—it suddenly stood upright, dashed out of the cave, and escaped!
We’ve been searching for hours, but there’s still no sign of it. Hopefully, we can recover it before anyone realizes what happened.