Amara had always felt a cold stone lodged in her chest. It wasn’t a heart, not really. It was an icy chasm, a void where warmth and emotion should have resided. Mages had confirmed her suspicions. Her heart was shattered.

From the moment she drew her first breath, her world had been in pain. The joy and wonder that painted the childhood canvas in vibrant paintings were absent in her world. It was a monochrome existence, devoid of the warmth that bathed others.

Awakening as a Mage, a milestone for most, had been a bitter pill for her. The surge of magical energy within her had only amplified the icy desolation. She had often wondered if one day there was going to be salvation. But she had been told repeatedly that there was no solution to her shattered heart.

She was meant to live like this. In that state, she had given up on being able to feel normal long back and had only wished for a normal death.

Hence, when she opened her eyes to a glaring expanse of white, she wondered if it had arrived. But even here, the cold followed her, the heart straining with each breath.

The cold seeped into her bones as she wandered through the alien landscape. Her breath fogged in the frigid air, opposite to the internal inferno raging within her. Her heart, or what remained of it, felt like a fragile ice sculpture, teetering on the brink of oblivion.

Yet, she walked on. Her steps echoed in the icy expanse. Her gaze, empty and distant, scanned the horizon, searching for something, anything, to break the monotony. Salvation. Or simply, a reason to keep walking.

She wondered if she was going to be trapped here, never to be able to feel truly happy. It was then that she felt something inside of her.

A warmth, unfamiliar and comforting, began to weave its way through her.

It was as if invisible threads of sunlight were being woven into a sweater, enveloping her in a cocoon of solace. The icy chasm within her chest began to thaw, the relentless ache subsiding like melting snow.

For the first time in her life, she could feel her heartbeat without pain.

A steady, rhythmic pulse that defied the icy wasteland she had found herself in. Fear and wonder warred within her as she looked inward, into the depths of her being. There, nestled in the thawing ice, was a fragile, nascent heart, beating with a tentative rhythm.

Tears, hot and cleansing, streamed down her face. The icy landscape around her transformed into a tumultuous sea, waves of emotion crashing against the shores of her consciousness. The pain, the loneliness, the endless winter— they were all there, raw and exposed.

And then, as abruptly as it had begun, the vision ended. A single tear escaped her eye, tracing a glistening path down her cheek before disappearing into the soft fabric of her pillow. The dream was over, but the echo of its warmth lingered.

Amara blinked, her vision adjusting to the dim light of her room.

A dull pain lanced through her chest, a reminder of the ordeal she had just endured. She looked down to find a neatly stitched wound, the edges sealed with a faint blue glow. Despite that, for the first time, she felt better than ever.

Her heart beat slowly and her skin wasn’t cold. As she realised it, something took her attention.

Voices drifted through the room, the soft cadence of feminine concern and a deeper, more authoritative tone. She turned her head to find her maid, Anya, engaged in conversation with a stranger. The man was unfamiliar, tall and had a distinct air around him. He seemed to be explaining something.

“She should be okay. But there are always complications associated with Mana Heart surgeries,” he said in a polite voice. “Nothing looks suspicious to say there’s a complication. She should be waking up soon,” the man whispered.

“Thank you,” Anya thanked the man with her voice filled with relief.

“Yes… Don’t worry—”

The stranger, upon catching Amara’s gaze, offered a reassuring smile. “You’re awake,” he said, his voice gentle.

Anya, startled by Amara’s sudden alertness, rushed to her side, her hands trembling slightly as she checked her vitals. “Princess Amara! You’re awake! How do you feel?”

Amara’s voice was a whisper, barely audible over the soft rustling of bedsheets. “I feel… better than ever, truly,” she managed to say, a sense of wonder mixed with disbelief.

How… Am I feeling better?

The stranger stepped closer, his eyes filled with a curious intensity. “May I check your pulse?” he asked, his voice gentle.

Amara hesitated, uncertainty crossing her face. But the trust in Anya’s eyes and the man’s calmness gave her the courage to nod.

His fingers, warm and gentle, found her pulse. He closed his eyes, concentrating for a moment before opening them again. “It’s…remarkable,” he said softly. “The temporary surgery seems to have exceeded expectations.”

Amara’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice stronger now.

“I’m Arzan Kellius. The Baron of the City of Veralt,” he replied, offering a warm smile. “I found you in a critical situation by the balcony and Anya soon came looking for you. Your heart was… compromised and was too strained. I had to act quickly.”

Anya rubbed soothing circles around Amara’s palm, over and over. “Lord Arzan found you and brought you here. He saved your life.”

Kai nodded. “I performed a temporary procedure to stabilize your condition. Essentially, I stitched your heart back together and crystallised it to keep it in place. Unfortunately, this means you won’t be able to use magic for the time being, but there won’t be any pain.”

Amara’s eyes widened in shock. “No pain?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Kai nodded a hint of sadness in his eyes. “At least not for now. The mana used in the procedure will eventually dissipate, and then you’ll need a more permanent solution. But for now, you’re safe.”

But for now, you’re safe.

The words rang in her mind heavily— tears welled up at that. She had lived a life of pain and suffering. To be told that she could finally experience a life without it was overwhelming. “Please,” she said, her voice trembling, “can I be alone for a few moments?”

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Arzan nodded understandingly. “Of course.”

Anya took Amara’s hand, offering silent comfort as the door closed behind Kai. Amara was alone with her thoughts, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.

***

Kai breathed a sigh of relief as Amara calmed down. He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. Mana surgery was a dangerous procedure, often reserved for the most dire of circumstances. He had never imagined performing such a procedure in the heart of a royal ball. The risks were immense, but desperation had fueled his actions. Thankfully, his years of studying the intricacies of the human body, born out of necessity in the harsh realities of the end times, had prepared him for this moment.

He wasn’t too interested in the anatomy of a Mage’s body. But since he had to deal with injured Mages all the time in his last life, he had learnt quite a lot— that included the procedure he did on her. In his era, magical surgeries had been researched and there were even theories on how to make a mortal into a Mage.

Every Mage was expected to know a thing or two about it since you never know when you need it.

When Amara called him back in, he was struck by the change in her appearance. The pallor had faded, replaced by a healthy glow. It wasn’t just in her looks, it was how she looked at him as if suddenly everything was better.

The vest that Kai had to cut to perform the surgery had been removed and replaced by a fresh one. No more blood stains and her complexion looked less pale.

“Thank you,” Amara said, her voice filled with sincerity. “You saved my life.” Her eyes held a depth of gratitude that made Kai feel a strange warmth. He had always been a solitary figure, content in the quiet pursuit of knowledge. But seeing the impact of his actions on another human being always made him feel good on the inside. “I had completely given up on feeling like this. It had been my dream to wake up one day and feel no pain.”

“I simply did what needed to be done,” he replied simply.

“Can I ask you a question?” Amara hesitated for a moment, her eyes filled with curiosity. Kai nodded, urging her to continue. He had his arms on his hips as he stared down at the princess who was on the bed.

“How were you able to heal me? Even the kingdom’s best Mages and alchemists were unable to find a cure.”

Kai had anticipated this question. “It’s a long story,” he began, choosing his words carefully. “During my awakening as a Mage, I was found to have a condition of mana blockage in my veins. Although not as painful as your condition, it meant I wouldn’t be able to wield magic. Unable to accept it, I delved deep into the mysteries of mana. In the process, I developed a deep understanding of the human body and its interaction with magic. A few months ago, I managed to overcome my affliction. It was through this journey that I developed theories about healing conditions like Mana Heart ruptures.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. “When I saw your condition, I realised I had a chance to put my theories to the test. Thankfully, it worked.”

Amara listened intently, her eyes wide with wonder. It was as if a new world was opening up before her.

Kai’s mind raced. Mana surgery was a discipline centuries ahead of its time and he wasn’t sure if his explanation would suffice, but there was no other way out of it.

If he was right, mana surgeries would only come up centuries later due to a necromancer who had given his whole life to study the human body and tried to form the strongest zombies out of them. In his research, he had dissected countless Mages and even if he wasn’t successful, his research had helped another Mage to be able to later repurpose it to discover mana surgeries.

“I’m still thankful,” she said, bowing her head as little as she could as royalty in front of Kai. He simply nodded and one more question came up. “What did you mean by the surgery being temporary?” Her eyes looked up in confusion.

“It’s a temporary measure, Princess Amara. The stitches will dissolve in a few months, and your condition will revert. To provide a permanent solution, I would need to perform a much more complex surgery.”

Amara’s curious eyes ignited with hope. “Can you do it?”

Kai hesitated. “It would require extensive preparation and time,” he replied, his words careful. “I simply don’t have the luxury of both.”

Anya, sensing the gravity of the situation, tried to interject.

“Lord Arzan, we have time—”

Before she could complete what she was about to say, Amara silenced her with a stern look. “I understand,” she said, her voice firm. “I’m already thankful that you were able to heal me, albeit temporarily.”

Kai nodded, giving a small smile. He knew Amara wanted him to solve her problem permanently, but he had no time or resources to do it. He had even showed off his skills only because she might have died without his help.

“One more thing,” he said, his voice serious. “I need you to give me an oath not to reveal what I’ve done.”

Amara’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why?”

“Well, it’s not a simple thing. I just don’t want to reveal my abilities and the tower won’t let me be if they found I could heal broken mana cores. It would bring too much of a change in the magic society all over the world and I don’t have any means to survive that much attention… If you understand what I mean,” Kai weaved his words carefully.

“The kingdom would protect you. I would.”

“I have my territory to tend to and I’m far too weak. Even if I trust your words, you know that the kingdom isn’t in the most stable situation with the succession. Please.”

He hoped the princess wasn’t going to insist. She had made a good impression on him till now and he wouldn’t liked to show off more of his spells to get out of this situation. If he could, he wanted to solve it with words.

Thankfully, she nodded.

“I swear by the essence of mana running in my body that we wouldn’t let anything about this procedure be known to another living soul,” Amara said aloud just for them to hear and placed her hand over her heart. The oath was soon sealed by a light red colour glow which soon died.

She looked at the maid and she did the same. Kai was satisfied by their actions and he knew his job here was done.

“And one last thing,” Kai continued. “I would like to keep track of your condition. It would be bad if your highness condition faltered again. Perhaps we could exchange letters?”

Amara hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Of course,” she replied.

With one final glance at Amara, Kai turned and left the room. The voices of two women became just another whisper in the air.

***

Amara lay on her bed, her heart beating a soothing melody in the quiet room. The warmth that had filled her during the surgery still lingered. It was new, and it was now a part of her own.

She turned her head to look at Anya, who was sitting by the window, her eyes lost in thought. “Anya,” she began, her voice soft. “Did you notice anything unusual about him during the surgery? Was he… hesitating when he was doing the surgery?”

Anya’s attention snapped back to Amara. “He was very focused, your highness. But he didn’t hesitate at all. It was as if he knew exactly what to do, every step of the way.”

Amara nodded, her mind racing.

“Interesting.”

It was an odd observation. If a noble had been in Arzan’s position, the pressure to succeed would have been immense. One wrong move and their heads would roll. Yet, the Baron had displayed a level of calm and confidence that was almost unnerving— almost as if he had done the same thing countless times before. And the way he talked about it…

She had dismissed his explanation about being born with a mana blockage, but now, doubt crept into her mind.

One thing was sure he had lied to her about it being his first rupture surgery. He knew more than what he let on and even if she owed him her life, her curiosity wouldn’t let her sleep.

Is there something more to him than he was letting on?

“Anya,” she said. “Find out everything you can about him. I need to know who he is and what he’s capable of.”

Anya’s eyes widened in surprise. “But Princess Amara…”

Amara cut her off. “I’ve spent years feeling like a ghost,” she shook her head at that thought. “Now I finally feel alive. So, do as you’re told.”

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