Bath

Ellis's eyes blinked open slowly as bright light flooded into them. Slowly, they adjusted to a strange room he had never seen before. Ellis rolled his head and looked around at the room.

The walls were an off white and a desk sat in the corner of the room to the right of him. It looked to be a bedroom, but not any bedroom he knew. Ellis continued laying down as he glanced around the room and then he noticed his sister curled up in a big oversized chair in the corner of the room sleeping. He looked up toward the ceiling and tried to gather his thoughts.

As he organized his thoughts, he struggled to recall what happened and how he ended up in this room. Suddenly, the battle with the Magma Demon flashed through his eyes and he shot up from the bed. He had used an overcharged lightning bolt against the monster, but it was not enough. The last thing he remembered seeing was a huge flash of orange and then nothing.

I must have overexerted myself and used too much anima. How long have I been out? Hopefully, everyone else is also alright. They were all in real bad shape before I passed out.

"Brother!"

His sudden movement had woken Solara up. She jumped up from the chair and ran to his bedside before stopping suddenly.

"Yo!"

Ellis looked at her and did a small wave.

Her hair was sticking up everywhere, and her eyes were red and puffy. A frown appeared on her face as she stood in front of him and then she raised her open hand into the air. Ellis's eyes widened quickly.

"W… Wai-"

Smack!

"That's all you have to say to me?"

Solara looked at him angrily.

"Ow! Is this how you treat your injured brother?"

Ellis whimpered as he held his cheek. Solara's eyebrows scrunched and she put her hands on her hips as she went into scolding mode.

"How could you go out and fight the monsters! You have been unconscious for three days! I thought I lost you again!"

Ellis looked at Solara before looking down at the bed and taking a deep breath.

"I took a job to fight monsters, so we don't have to worry about money anymore."

"Why would you do that? You could have died! I'd rather have you than money."

Solara's words echoed momentarily as silence overcame the room. He knew that, but what was he supposed to do. He didn't want her going back to that club ever again and he had no other way to get money.

Finally, Ellis broke the silence choosing not to respond to her question.

"Is mom okay? Where is she?"

Solara frowned at Ellis upset that he didn't have an answer for her question.

"She's the same. The monsters mostly destroyed the hospital, so she was transported here at the same time as me. They are taking care of her in their private care facility here."

Solara sighed as she told Ellis about their mother.

Ellis let out sigh of relief. She may have not gotten better but at least she is alright.

"Where is here?"

Ellis asked as he looked around at the fancy room.

"In the big black building downtown. These people came to the apartment and told me the city was being attacked again and that I needed to go with them. They told me they were sent by a man named Droven because of you. Is he the reason you were fighting the monsters?"

So Droven kept his promise to keep Solara and mom safe.

"Kind of. It's a long story."

Solara sighed as she looked down.

"Well hey, this private living quarters he's letting us use is super nice! It's so big! We have separate bedrooms and the bathroom is so big! There is even a big tub!"

Solara said trying to lighten the mood.

A bath?

Ellis hadn't taken a bath in a long time. The last time he took a bath his mom was still there.

"Why don't you go take nice bath."

"Okay."

Ellis was definitely not against the idea. It was clear that he had been wiped down while he had been unconscious, but it wasn't the same clean feeling you get from washing yourself. Solara led him to the bathroom. The bathroom was really nice and new looking. The tub was huge. Ellis felt relaxed already just looking at it. Solara walked over and started the bath for Ellis.

"Have a nice bath!"

Solara smiled at Ellis before she turned around and left closing the door to the bathroom behind her. Ellis took off the cotton clothes that he was wearing.

I wonder who put these on me?

Ellis thought to himself for a second before he quickly scrubbed himself clean and got into the bath not even waiting for it to fill all the way up first. Soon steam clouded the entire bathroom. After a while of soaking Ellis got out. Hanging on the wall there were fresh towels. Ellis grabbed one of the fresh towels and dried himself off before wrapping it around his waist. He didn't have any extra clothes and didn't want to put the ones he'd been wearing back on. He figured they probably had some more clothes for him anyway and he could just ask Solara to put some outside the door.

"Solara!"

Ellis yelled peaking his head out the door. No answer.

"Hello?"

Ellis called again. Nothing.

I guess she left to go do something. I was in there for a long time.

Ellis opened the door the rest of the way as he thought to himself and walked out. He walked down the small hallway toward where the bedroom he had been sleeping in was. As he was walking past the front door it suddenly opened. Ellis froze and swung his head to the now open door and his eyes met a pair of ruby eyes. The ruby eyes looked back at Ellis before they shifted down to the small towel covering him and then quickly back up to his eyes as they widened.

"Eek."

A high-pitched voice squeaked out quietly as the girl's hands shot up to her bright red face and covered her eyes. Ellis looked back at the short ruby-eyed girl. It was Cora, the girl with the wolf monster.

"D… D… Droven sent me to check on you. All of us Tower-Walkers are having a meeting. Sorry!"

She quickly stammered out before she turned around and ran headfirst into the wall.

"Ow!"

The girl whimpered as she rolled around on the ground holding her forehead. She then looked up at Ellis from the ground and her face flushed bright red as she saw it.

"Ah."

"Ah?"

Ellis tilted his head slowly before he realized what happened and all his blood rushed to his face.

"Sorrrrrryyy!"

She screamed as she scrambled out the door on all fours.

What the hell! She definitely saw it! Why was the door not locked? I'm glad she's alright though.

Ellis shook his head in embarrassment as he walked into the bedroom and found a set of neatly folded clothing on the bed for him along with a note from Solara.

-I am going to visit mom. I'm leaving the door unlocked in case I get back before you get out of the bath! Solara-

"Tsk."

Ellis clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"So, it's your fault she stole my precious first time. That was the first time a girl ever saw it."

Ellis hung his head low as he sighed before he put his clothing on and headed to the door to find Droven for the meeting.