From Moving Crates to Killing Gods-Chapter 63: Worry

The voice made me jump. Kira sat in the chair by my desk, a book open in her lap. She watched me with an expression that mixed relief with lingering concern, her dark eyes studying my face as if searching for signs of damage.

"How long have you been there?" I asked, pulling the blanket higher over my chest, suddenly aware that I was wearing nothing but underwear.

"Not long. Maybe an hour." She closed her book and set it aside. "I’ve been checking on you every day since you collapsed. When I came in this morning and saw you sleeping normally, not in that scary, unresponsive state you were in before, I decided to wait until you woke up."

I ran a hand through my hair, noticing it had dried in bizarre angles during my sleep. "Sorry for worrying you."

"You should be." There was no real anger in her voice, just the weariness of someone who’d spent too many days concerned about someone they cared about. "One minute you’re running laps, the next you’re moving so fast we can barely see you, then you crash into the floor and start bleeding from everywhere. Do you have any idea how terrifying that was to watch?"

I winced. "I didn’t exactly plan it that way." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Clearly." She leaned forward slightly. "So what was that? What happened?"

I was glad that she only asked me about the event that wasn’t tangled with the vow I couldn’t mention. Coco kept his promise of not telling anyone.

"It’s called Quickstep." I said finally. "It’s a spell from that book on field magic I’ve been studying. Lets me move across space much faster than normal."

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "A spell? Like, actual magic? Not just your ability?"

I nodded. "Intelligence reached level 10, and suddenly I understood the pattern I’d been struggling with for weeks. It just clicked." I gestured vaguely with my hands, trying to convey the complex mental construction. "Three spheres of visualization, all moving in harmony. When I get it right, I can cross large distances almost instantly."

"So that’s how you broke the lap record." She sounded impressed despite everything. "But the backlash..."

"Yeah, that was... unpleasant." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I pushed too far, used it too many times in succession. My mind couldn’t handle the strain."

"You think?" Kira’s voice had taken on that edge she got when genuinely worried. "Allaran, you were unconscious for days. Not just sleeping, unresponsive. Phinyx’s vibes barely registered with you. We thought you might..." She trailed off, but I could fill in the blank. They thought I might not wake up.

"I’m sorry." I said again, and meant it. "I got carried away with what I could do and didn’t stop to consider what it was costing me."

She studied me for a moment, then shook her head. "Just be more careful, okay? Almost dying to increase your constitution isn’t a good strategy."

Her words triggered a realization. "My constitution..."

I closed my eyes, focusing inward. "Stats."

The familiar blue window materialized in my vision:

Strength: 9

Agility: 13

Constitution: 10

Intelligence: 10

Wisdom: 5

Luck: 5

Constitution at 10. The threshold had been crossed, just as Damian had predicted. That explained the incredible recovery, the renewed vitality I felt upon waking. My body had fundamentally changed, becoming more efficient at healing, at enduring, at surviving.

"It worked." I said, opening my eyes. "Constitution hit 10. That’s why I feel so good today."

Kira’s expression was a mixture of irritation and reluctant approval. "So nearly killing yourself did pay off. That doesn’t mean it was smart."

"No argument there." I swung my legs over the side of the bed, testing them against the floor. They felt solid, reliable. Better than before my collapse, even. "But at least now I know what happens when constitution crosses the threshold. The recovery rate is incredible."

"Wonderful. Now you can throw yourself into danger knowing you’ll heal faster afterward." Her tone was dry, but there was genuine worry beneath the sarcasm. "Just because you can recover from something doesn’t mean you should make a habit of getting hurt in the first place."

I looked at her, really looked at her for the first time since waking. There were shadows under her eyes, subtle signs of strain in the set of her shoulders. She’d been worried about me, checking on me daily while I was unconscious. The realization made something twist in my chest.

"I’ll be more careful." I promised, and I meant it. Not just for my sake, but for hers, for all of them who worried when I pushed too far. "No more reckless testing of my limits."

She held my gaze for a moment, then nodded, apparently satisfied with what she saw there. "Good. Because next time you decide to knock yourself unconscious, I’m not sitting by your bed for days wondering if you’ll wake up."

"Fair enough." I smiled slightly, then looked down at myself. "I should probably get dressed before Damian comes looking for his weapon."

Kira stood, setting the book on my desk. "I’ll let you get ready. Training starts in an hour." She paused at the door. "I’m glad you’re okay, Allaran. Really."

After she left, I sat there for a moment, thinking about what had changed. My constitution at 10 meant I could recover from injuries that might have laid me low for weeks before. Combined with my agility breakthrough and the effortless use of Switch against Corruptors, I was becoming something more than what I’d been. Something dangerous.

As I dressed for training, I wondered what other thresholds awaited me. What would happen when strength reached 10? When wisdom did? What new capabilities would manifest, and how would they change my approach to the challenges ahead?

The possibilities stretched before me like an unopened book, full of patterns waiting to be understood. For the second time since returning from exile, I felt something beyond determination or duty.

I felt potential.