Hearing about Skymender's current condition and need to rest, the rest of the family reluctantly left without seeing him.
Inside the hospital, multiple doctors watched from afar to make sure he stayed fine. Skymender was able to rest, missing the next few days of school. A few people came to visit him but the doctors turned them away as he had not yet awoken.
Finally, on the third day, he woke up naturally. His entire body was sore and aching, and he could feel an acute pain in his body.
Most of the feelings quickly faded away, leaving only the feeling of something different about him.
He then remembered what had happened before. He remembered his injuries and his conversations.
However, more importantly, he remembered the vial.
Skymender looked around, and saw a box next to his hospital bed. It was sitting on a desk. He opened it, and the vial was inside.
Skymender looked at it with glowing eyes.
His mind raced with countless thoughts. This only lasted a few moments before multiple doctors entered his room, alerted that he had awoken.
They began to ask him questions. "Lord Skymender, how are you feeling?"
"Does your face hurt?"
"How is your breathing?"
Skymender waved them all off. Speaking wasn't good, so he just gave a thumbs up, indicating that he was fine.
They nodded in relief and began to examine him. Skymender returned the vial to the box as they did so.
They took half an hour to confirm that he was in good health.
"We've already sent the news to Baron Sky. They should be here within the hour."
Skymender nodded and continued to rest as the doctors left.
His peace and quiet only lasted around forty minutes before his room was burst into by a bunch of people.
They surrounded him and asked if he was okay. Skymender repeatedly nodded in confirmation.
Eventually, they calmed down from their initial surge and asked some questions.
"What exactly happened? We heard a bit, but not everything."
Skymender tried speaking for the first time since waking up.
"I was experimenting with poisonous materials and accidentally inhaled some poison."
His voice was rough and scratchy, sounding dark. It instantly caused surprise.
It was at this time that a doctor, who had entered a moment ago, spoke. "It would be harmful for Lord Skymender to speak too much right now, and possibly forever. I would recommend avoiding questions that can't be answered with a thumbs up or thumbs down."
Skymender's family reluctantly nodded.
Skymerge asked a question. "So, when does this mask come off?"
Sitting over nearly a third of Skymender's face, covering his mouth, was a large white mask. It was strapped to his face.
The doctor hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Barring any miracles or new medical developments… I'm afraid Lord Skymender will have to keep the mask on for the rest of his life. We can, however, customize it in terms of size, color, and design. Anything we can do to help, we will do without hesitation."
His words made Skymender's family suddenly feel pity.
Luckily, his looks weren't too terribly damaged to the point of being ugly. Only a small part of his face not covered by the mask was affected, looking wrinkled and aged.
Skymender and his family were told by the doctor that he could be discharged from the hospital if he felt up to it.
Skymender naturally did so.
He stood up and was able to move steadily. Unfortunately, it being hard to breathe, he was unable to exert himself to a large degree. Running for more than a minute would cause him to uncontrollably cough for an unknown period of time. Even the mask would only be able to slightly relieve it.
He walked to a carriage, being slightly held up by Melly. Melly seemed to have forgotten about his words to her, but it was most likely only an act.
Skymender soon reached a carriage, able to walk alone, and entered it. Surprisingly, nobody entered it except his father. There were other carriages for everyone else.
His father looked at him seriously with his arms crossed.
Skymender was not sure what to say. He did not know why his father wanted to talk to him alone.
Finally, his father spoke. "These experiments, you really want to keep doing them?"
Skymender nodded without hesitation.
"Why?" His father asked simply.
Skymender attempted to speak, his voice coming out muffled and rough. "It is simply my passion in life."
His father shook his head. "When did it get ?"
It felt rhetorical, but Skymender answered it. "After going to the Imperial Capital."
His father sighed. "They say that the person you are when you first enter the Imperial Capital and the person you are when you leave are not the same. It was true for me, it is true for others, and it seems it was true for you as well."
His father sat in silence for a moment before speaking again. "It seems like I can't stop you even if I want to, so know this. You have a family that cares about you. Don't go risking your life or harming yourself, understand?"
The rest of the short carriage ride was taken in silence.
When they arrived, Skymender walked out of the carriage without support. He actually felt good, save for his throat.
Breathing seemed as if it would be difficult for the rest of his life.
Still, Skymender had things to do. After reassuring his family that he was fine, he went to his room and took the poison vial out of the box. He then had a servant bring all of the other stuff that had been with him in the hospital to his room.
This included his notes, his cauldron, and a few other miscellaneous instruments.
Skymender looked at the vial, then at the notes. "Might as well play it safe."
All of his materials and ingredients were at the school, safely stored in a room, so he would have to wait until tomorrow to do what he wanted to do.
However, he was able to prepare. He called a servant in the room and told them to have a few things ready at the school for tomorrow