the era of calamities-Chapter 93: Wake up , Sirius

The darkness was oppressive, calm, and mesmerizing. Sirius had fallen into its embrace, feeling at peace. His worries and fears no longer existed. Only silence remained.

"Isn’t it better this way?"

A voice , his own ,whispered to his consciousness.

"Far from the chaos of the world, here you are home. Isn’t it good to find yourself again, to rediscover serenity within?"

"Sleep peacefully in my embrace. Forget everything of the world. Rest in peace within me... within yourself."

That voice was like a lullaby.

Sirius’s consciousness sank deeper and deeper into slumber.

At least, that’s what the voice hoped for.

For then, there was a spark a faint, insignificant light , and what had been born as a mere flame grew into a blazing sun, shattering the darkness and revealing Sirius’s soul.

The voice sighed even before Sirius’s consciousness fully awoke and said:

"Aren’t you tired of this? Every time, you temp me in vain. If I were you, I would’ve given up long ago and accepted my offer."

The voice sounded both amused and sad.

"As if you were the kind to give up. You’re not, so why should I be? All I want is your well-being... our well-being. Haven’t you suffered enough?"

Sirius replied calmly:

"If there were no suffering, life would be awfully dull."

"You say that, yet you’re on the verge of death. Your entire system has been poisoned. There’s a gaping hole in your stomach, damaged organs, and your body well, it has so many broken bones that their number has practically doubled."

Sirius remained calm. Only his consciousness was here; he couldn’t feel his body.

Yet he vividly remembered his battle against that Count... and the pitiful state , no, the puzzle his body had become.

The voice read his thoughts.

"If you remember that, then you must know you’ll die any second now.

I brought your consciousness here to make you an offer.

Your only chance to survive.

And since I’m in a generous mood, I’ll restore your body to perfection, and even return that arm you lost.

Oh dear, I can hardly believe my own generosity.

Is there truly no limit to my kindness?"

Sirius was speechless. He was on the brink of death... and yet, if he’d had a body, he would have laughed himself breathless.

"Hahaha! I... I can’t resist! You deserve an award for best performance. Infinite generosity, you say? I’d call it what it is: a pathetic lie.

If you’re trying to seduce me, at least put some sincerity into it."

The voice went silent. Sirius’s reaction wasn’t what it had expected.

Seeing its hesitation, Sirius went on:

"I won’t die. Not against a Calamity like that. It’s impossible for me to fall to a creature so stupid that even stupidity itself would blush in shame."

The voice hesitated before replying:

"And yet, you will die. Your condition is beyond repair."

Sirius chuckled.

"Don’t worry about me. By now, that Master must have saved me. I’ll likely be taken to the Order’s headquarters, where I’ll receive the best care this world has to offer.

If that weren’t the case, why would I have taken such a risk?

And even if my state is disastrous, it’s not beyond saving.

Just neutralize the poison, stitch me up here and there, glue a few bones together, and I’ll be good as new.

I made sure none of my vital organs were destroyed."

He spoke with such lightness and confidence that even though the voice knew all of this hearing him talk about "stitching" and "gluing" his own body made it think:

("Humans really should make laws to prevent people like him (if others like him exist ) from treating their bodies like old cloth patched with thread.")

The two continued their strange conversation for what felt like an eternity, until Sirius felt his consciousness being pulled from his soul back into his body.

---

In a small infirmary room, a man lay on a bed. His body was wrapped in bandages, several machines monitoring his condition.

A finger twitched for a second. His eyelashes trembled, and he opened his eyes for a brief moment before finally opening them wide.

"Water... I’m thirsty..." the man murmured, his voice dry.

But no one was there. Sirius remained still for a moment until full awareness returned to him.

He touched his stomach, relieved to find that the gaping hole was gone.

"I’m in one piece," he noted.

As he tried to get up, the door opened, revealing a beautiful woman.

She had smooth chestnut hair, a generous figure, small freckles across her cheeks, and glasses held by a thin string. She wore the white coat of the Order, allowing Sirius to recognize her instantly.

"You’re Ana Lebert?"

"It’s good to see your memory is intact, though further tests will be needed to confirm that," she said in a composed tone.

("Ana Lebert...") Sirius thought.

She was like him , one of those who had passed the Order’s entrance exam on the first trial and was now assigned to the laboratory.

Yet, according to his memory, she was supposed to be at the military base with Iris and the others.

("What’s she doing at HQ? And how many days have passed while I was unconscious?")

Ana didn’t notice Sirius’s inner turmoil and checked the monitors displaying his status.

"You’ll need to undergo several tests to make sure you’re out of danger before you can be discharged."

Sirius nodded, then asked aloud the questions that haunted him:

"Where are we? And how long was I unconscious?"

Ana opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, the door swung open again, revealing Iris.

"The sleeping beauty finally wakes up?"

"Iris?" Sirius looked even more stunned to see her.

"I think she’ll be better suited to explain everything," said Ana, jotting down the data from the monitors before leaving.

Iris thanked her.

"Thank you, Ana. For everything."

"I didn’t do anything. You should thank him instead. Without him, who knows what would’ve happened?"

Iris didn’t argue and waited for Ana to leave the room before pulling a chair closer and sitting beside Sirius.

Her lips curved into a radiant smile.

"My dear, beloved little brother... you have a lot to tell your big sister about how you ended up in that state. And think carefully about every word you say, because it’s impossible for you to lie or hide anything from me."

Sirius swallowed hard.

("Maybe dying would’ve been easier.")