Chapter 6

Two days later, Karlie was ready. Her vitality was at 90%, and she had spent every spare moment reviewing the procedure with Unit 9. She knew the risks. If she pushed too hard, she could drain herself into a coma. If she didn't push hard enough, the curse would fight back and win.

She laid out a clean cloth on the mattress and pointed to it. "Lie down."

Gavin obeyed, his face pale but determined. He rolled up his pant leg, exposing the ugly wound. The purple-black discoloration had slowed its spread, but it still looked like a venomous sore.

Karlie sat beside him and took his hand. His fingers were cold and trembling. "This is going to hurt," she said. "A lot. But when it's over, you'll be better."

"I know," he said. "I'm ready."

She reached into her inventory and pulled out the intermediate medical gel. It was stored in a sleek, silver container about the size of her palm.

Gavin stared at the sleek, silver container covered in glowing alien symbols as it materialized out of thin air. His jaw tightened. He looked from the impossible container to Karlie, his mind clearly struggling to comprehend the artifacts she kept producing. "Is this... more magic from your homeland?" he asked, his voice hushed with a mix of reverence and apprehension.

"Something like that," she said softly, offering a reassuring smile. "Just trust me."

He swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "I do." He squeezed her hand tighter.

Karlie opened the lid. The gel inside was a pale green, translucent and glowing faintly. It smelled like fresh herbs and ozone. She scooped out a generous amount and smeared it directly onto the wound.

The moment the gel touched his skin, it began to sizzle. A wisp of steam rose from the contact point.

Gavin let out a muffled cry, his body arching off the bed. His hand gripped hers so tightly she thought her bones would crack.

"Hold on," she said, her voice firm. "Don't fight it."

She placed both of her hands over the wound, covering the gel. She closed her eyes and reached for her bio-energy core. She pulled, hard, directing the flow of cold, stabilizing energy into his leg.

It was like trying to push two magnets together. The curse energy was repulsive, fighting back with a vicious, acidic bite. The medical gel acted as a mediator, softening the resistance, but it was still a battle.

Sweat beaded on Karlie's forehead. Her arms shook with the effort. She could feel the curse-dark, oily, and malevolent-trying to slither away from her light, trying to burrow deeper into his flesh.

Curse energy at 80%... 60%... 40%... Unit 9 droned in her head.

Gavin was gasping, his chest heaving. The pain was excruciating, she could feel it through their linked hands, but he didn't pull away. He forced himself to relax, to open his body to her energy, to trust her.

20%... 10%...

With a final, desperate push, Karlie felt the last tendril of the curse snap. The oily presence dissolved, neutralized by the gel and her energy.

Curse energy purged. Tissue repair accelerated.

She kept her hands in place, guiding the gel as it knitted the torn muscle and skin back together. It was a delicate process, requiring precision and control.

Finally, she let out a long breath and pulled her hands away. She slumped back, her vision graying at the edges, her body completely drained.

Gavin sat up immediately. He looked down at his leg.

The purple-black was gone. The swelling had vanished. The wound was closed, leaving only a few pale, silvery scars and a few fresh, pink marks where the skin had newly formed.

He bent his knee. It moved smoothly, without pain. He flexed his foot. No stiffness. No agony.

His eyes filled with tears. He looked at Karlie, who was lying on the floor, struggling to catch her breath.

"Karlie," he choked out. "It's... it's gone. The pain is gone."

He reached down and pulled her up into a sitting position, then wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug. "You did it," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You actually did it."

Karlie patted his back weakly, too tired to do anything else. "I told you," she mumbled. "I don't play by their rules."

He pulled back, cupping her face in his hands. His thumbs brushed away the tears she hadn't realized she was shedding. "How?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder. "What kind of magic is this?"

"Not magic," she said, managing a weak smile. "Just a special medicine from my homeland. Very effective against curses."

She pointed to the faint scars. "I left some marks on purpose. If your leg suddenly healed perfectly overnight, people would ask questions. Dangerous questions. This way, it looks like a natural, slow recovery."

Gavin stared at her, his awe deepening. She had thought of everything. She had protected him, even in the way she healed him.

He slid off the bed and onto his knees. This time, the movement was smooth, painless. He took her hand and pressed it flat against his chest, over his heart.

"Karlie Holloway," he said, his voice ringing with a solemn vow. "You have given me my life back. My strength, my honor, my future. From this day forward, I am yours. My life, my loyalty, my everything-it belongs to you. No one else. Only you."

Karlie looked into his eyes. They were dark and deep, burning with an intensity that made her breath catch. She felt the weight of his promise, heavy and real.

She curled her fingers around his, holding on tight. "I know, Gavin," she said. "We're in this together."

He leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to pull away. She didn't. She closed her eyes.

His lips met hers. It was soft, gentle, and reverent. It was a promise, a seal, a beginning.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers. "Rest now," he whispered. "You've done enough. Let me take care of you for a while."