There is no feeling like dread.

This was, however, a very special kind of dread, the kind that made your stomach feel sick, made your heart sink deep into a pit. Yet, here you were, all you could do was pace, and pace, and mutter to yourself at the stairs down into Scalegorge waterscape.

"He'll kill me if i go down there..but what if he needs me..? What if they need my help?"

This was the debate swirling inside your mind like a violent and relentless maelstrom, the waters that were your thoughts swirled against the fervent emotions stirred in your heart that made you hesitate, that made you walk towards the stairs, only to turn around and let out a drawn out sigh.

There was little the cloud knights around you could do, The General ordered them to stay, and that is what they would do..some however could sympathize with your conviction mixed with hesitation.

Suddenly, you jolted as a hand on your shoulder whipped you out of your watery grave of thoughts, turning around to face the Cloud Knight whom had pulled their hand away once he had your attention. "Just breath." he instructed, a smile concealed behind his helm, perhaps the others around you had noticed, you were so stressed that you were hyperventilating.

Taking in a deep breath, and letting your shoulders slump down with a sigh, "Right..thank you." you hummed and, with another deep breath, you straightened up and nodded your head to the knight.

Amidst your moment of appreciation for the knights awareness, you heard the others shout in alarm "They're back!" they shouted, and your heart jumped into your throat as you ran over and looked down the stairs.

Dan Heng was helping Jing Yuan walk up the stairs, the General had clearly taken the brunt of the damage, a noticeable limp even as Dan assisted him, bruises and cuts across his clothes and face. He lifted his head with a long sigh, only to smile softly when he saw you.

All you could do was let out a sigh of relief and try not to cry as you hurried to help, Dan Heng seemed fine as is, while the two Trailblazer's seemed a tad banged up but they could walk perfectly fine. You were panicky, wanting them to get moving a little faster but, even when Jing Yuan was handed off to you at the Alchemy Commission.

You tapped your foot on the floor, sighing as, it seems most of your day has been about waiting, though this time it was a lot let dreadful and anxiety inducing. Now you were just waiting to hear the damage, and how long you would be waiting on the man hand and foot, not that you would mind in the end.

You looked out the window, out in the plaza you could see the trio of Nameless, likely talking about the stelleron and what to do next. The leaves of the Arbor fell outside the window, putting you in a calming trace-like state, that is until the door opened with little Bailu in its way, pouting as she walked over to you.

"He's lucky i don't do worse for eating my snacks!" The little dragon girl yelled as she put a hand on her hip and held a bottle out for you to take. "Have him take these dissolved in water once a day, preferably during dinner." she stated.

You chuckled and kneeled to take the bottle of pills, "There's no extreme external injuries?" you asked, and watched her shake her head and cross her arms. "Cuts and bruises, but a lot of weird abundance gunk got in his system, and he got a few broken ribs!" you stared at her for a moment before sighing.

"The broken ribs are fixed, right?" you hummed and tilted your head, watching Bailu rub her hands together and laugh. "Of course! Though he'll still feel the phantom pains for a few more hours." she hummed before looking at the door she'd walked out of.

"Alright! I'm going to get more snacks!" She cheered and made a b-line for the exit, you no doubt knew she probably was going to get pulled to the side to fix up more soldiers. But that didn't matter to you right now, you walked into the room and set the pills aside.

Jing Yuan as peacefully sitting up in bed, though was slightly slumped back against the headboard, When he heard you walk in, he turned his head and smiled at you. "Come here." He beckoned softly, patting the edge of the bed, his eyes following your movements as you walked over and sat beside him.

Now that you were alone with him, all the emotions kept under tight wraps as you leaned onto him, being careful about where you placed your weight. Tears slipping past your eyes with ease, lowering your head into his shoulder and letting out sobs of relief.

No words were needed, he simply wrapped his arms around you and held you tight with a soft smile on his tired face. "I was told you were on the verge of running in to help.." he hummed, "against the General's orders? Surely not.." He joked, poking light fun at you as you held the back of his head.

"Sh-shut up-" you demanded meekly, relaxing as he took long and deep breaths, subconsciously helping you ease your own breathing. He was not the type of man to cry, through all he had lost, and seeing his old friends in the forms they were in, he barely shed a tear.

However, the idea of inflicting that pain unto you? It made silent tears escape, as much as he may try to stop them. He had narrowly escaped death, it had been years since he has found himself nearly bedridden after a fight, though he was a little excited to have you at his beck and call for the upcoming weeks during his recovery.

"I-if you didn't come back..- i didn't know..what i was going to do-" You sobbed and squeezed him tight, though quickly loosened and leaned back when he made a pained noise of shock. He sighed and held your face, smiling and shaking his head as he lightly pinched your cheek.

"No point in thinking about that now, dear, i'm here.." he hummed and pressed a kiss between your brows, smiling to himself as he leaned back and stared at your tear stained cheeks. You swallowed hard and nodded, holding his hand against your cheek as you stared at his figure, blurred by tears.

"You need rest, Jing..sleep." you smiled and pulled away, though let out a soft gasp when he pulled you closer, he was weak but plenty strong enough to hold you tight against him, though he had to relent and loosen up.

"Lay with me until i fall asleep.." he hummed and let his arms go limp as his head tilted back, breathing deeply, you stared at him before sighing and shifting about to lay more comfortably across his chest.

This was relief, this was comfort.