~~~~Jesse's P.O.V.~~~~

My eyes blink open reluctantly, breaking apart a thin sheet of ice that has formed over them. I shiver, frozen and confused as my senses slowly begin to work. Wisps of bitter information dribbling in.

As it turns out, I'm not in some snow biome, just in the library. The fireplace isn't on, which it should be since it's freezing in here, but what really catches my attention is the new table with a whole bunch of medical stuff.

I stare at it, teeth chattering. For a moment, my curiosity wins out over the bitter cold and I think about where this stuff came from. Lukas and Petra, Blake I suppose too, were the only ones with me. But this stuff looks like something Ivor would have. Is he here?

Shivering again, my arms wrap around my chest. Yet I yank them away when they touch my lower ribs, sharp stings seething from my arms and body too. Prompting my cold groggy brain to realize that I'm not wearing a shirt, even though it feels like sub zero in here, and there are all sorts of bandages on me.

Like, my arms are covered in them and I feel one on my neck as I try to move. I still have my pants on, so I guess my legs got out decently compared to everything else. There's another one on my shoulder and I'm starting to worry if I won't be able to put on a nice warm shirt since I have all these bandages on.

A violent shiver wracks my body these time, various injuries stinging in pain as the muscles underneath try to do their job and keep me warm. Where even is everybody? Is it the middle of the night? Would they mind if I started up the fireplace?

Well, whether they like it or not that's what I'm going to do. Yet when I try to sit up, everything freakin' hurts! Muscles stiff and tight, burnt skin seething at me, my ribs crackling horribly and refusing to help me, and my vision dims drastically as my heart pounds like a manic, blood rushing up to my head and making me woozy.

With a sigh I fall back down the meager distance I got up. Everything that hurts sighs with relief, the traces of their pain still lingering though when another shiver hits me. The temperature somehow dipping again.

In vain I try to think about something to warm me up, but any idea is meaningless because of that pesky small detail of not being able to move. My own body traps me here, not allowing me to get up and move, and now I'll slowly freeze to death. Unless someone comes down here.

What about Blake? He's a blaze, a green one that's acting strangely, but a blaze nonetheless. If I could just call him, then he'll come over and warm me up. Perhaps even Lukas or Petra will tag along with him and turn on the fireplace.

My lips peel apart, and I breathe the icy air into my mouth. Before I utter anything though, my head swirls. Dizzy spells hitting me again despite the fact I'm laying down. I just try to breathe, my head with a thunderstorm brewing in it snapping up all my attention.

It dies down a little, enough for me to scrounge up the willpower to say something.

"B-Blake..."

Even in my frozen and exhausted state, I could hear just how pathetic that was. A voice of a hero? Psh, please, there was nothing that resembled such a thing. A crackly and dying croak of an old man might be what best describes that noise.

My body seeps into the cushions of the couch, and my frozen brain turns to inspect it. The couch is all wet, how I didn't notice earlier baffles me. Not soaked or anything but just wet. Damp.

That's when my gaze flickers over to my own body, my skin all wet too. Droplets all over me and sliding down onto the couch. Maybe that's why I'm so cold, I'm all wet. Yet where in the world is this water coming from? It certainly isn't raining in a library.

Soon though, my thoughts are drowned out by my galloping heartbeat. Any other noise that manages to top that are no match for my new pants, rushing breaths to get bitter cold oxygen into the blood that's roaring throughout my body.

My head splits apart again, invoking chaos everywhere. I close my eyes since there's no point in seeing a mostly black ceiling anyway. Cool nauseating sensations wrap around my stomach, forcing out a groan as I'm helpless to do anything for myself. So cold and unable to warm up.

"Jesse?"

The worried noise pierces my frozen agony, and my eyelids break apart. Colors and shapes blur spin around together, but I think... just maybe... the image of Lukas is in there somewhere... and maybe even Petra? My eyes sharpen up again and yes, it's them.

I sigh, unable to think of how to communicate with them. I'm so cold and everything just hurts and I just don't know. If they can somehow warm me up great, but until then I'm just going to wallow in my headache.

An icy hand presses against my forehead for a second, a small groan burbling up at that. Muffled noises float into my head where they are promptly stamped away by the pulse in my brain.

The noises increase sharply in volume, still not making any sense to me but that sharp bitter tones cut into my already shattered mind. More groans and futile shivers springing up, various injuries shrieking.

Two icy and accursed hands press onto my chest, my ribs moaning at the pressure. When a crackle of lightning goes off. The bolt searing hot and spreading to all my limbs, which jerk for a moment before the injuries scream about that and force them to stay still. Small painful jerks all over my body.

Fireworks explode in my skull, so strong that I'm even able to see them with my eyes shut. My stomach coils and clenches, and the only thing I'm grateful about is the fact is that it's empty.

It partly dies down, the initial blast gone and leaving its sorrows behind. I pant desperately, heart pounding, as I blink my eyes open. Still can't see, and I notice how my tore up my throat feels.

My stomach flips and twists all over again, another groan working its way out. Now I feel so incredibly hot, as if the fireplace really was on and I was just sitting right by it for hours. My muscles withering in the heat, sweat pouring out all over my body as some futile way of cooling me down.

I groan, my shredded brain able to spew out the thought I went into Fire Deprivation again. I shouldn't realized that five minutes ago, but alas, the great hero just sat here and wallowed around in pain and illusionary frozen limbs.

Someone, very carefully, gets me to sit up. My eyes flicker around, trying and failing to see, as my ribs and stomach disagree very strongly with that course of action. The dying muscles tightening at the fact I'm sitting up, throwing in more pain into the pot of misery.

Although I have to admit the cool glass pressed up against my lips feels really nice, the amazing water seeping into my desert mouth. I desperately gulp, my hands twitching up to keep the glass right where it is. Despite how much my arms complain about that, I really don't care. The miraculous liquid calming my churning stomach.

When it's gone, I remember to breathe again and fill my lungs to the max. Before wincing and exhaling when my ribs complain yet again at the pressure I keep pushing into them. I focus my eyes again on my two friends, this time able to somewhat make them out.

Lukas, the only one I can properly see, seems to be doing something over the table. I try to blink my eyes back into working again, ignoring any pains from my stomach, head, the numerous other body parts, basically everywhere.

My muscles particularly are really hate Petra right now, just simply me being upright is causing them to be tight and stiff and cranky.

Lukas suddenly spins around, the quick action making my head spin along with him. Another glass is soon pushed up against my lips. The water flooding my mouth as I glup it down before I begin to choke. My stomach expanding as more water gets pumped into it. It's still a blessing, I've probably sweated as much water I'm drinking, but I'm going to need a moment to adjust to the flood of liquid.

Besides, when I finish drinking it down, my muscles are begging me to lay back down. I try to turn my head to Petra, when my neck burns and forces a hiss out of me. Before I can get a grip on myself words tumble out of my mouth as strange mumblings, even I can't really tell what I'm trying to say.

"Down." One coherent word gets out, and becomes the only thing I'm saying. "Down, down, down, down, down."

Thankfully, Petra gets the message and lowers me. I breathe out a sigh of total relief, my tight muscles finally relaxing. Both Petra and Lukas look down at me, before talking to each other. My senses are sharpening back what they're suppose to be, but they're talking too faintly for me to make their words out.

My eyes however are back to normal, well things are still kinds blurry the farther away they get but I'm not worried about that right now. The only thing that does for me is tell me how nervous Lukas is. Even the hardcore Petra has fingers tapping restlessly against her armor.

My thoughts bitterly curse my situation. A body too weak and a brain too active. And I know I shouldn't be hard on myself, I shouldn't be expecting myself to be able to do anything. I just sprinted through the Nether and before that fought off demons all throughout Redstonia. Not too mention the mental stress for the entire freakin' time.

But I do expect myself to do that, I want to be able to do. A hero shouldn't be so helpless, so weak. I have to have strength, I can't be so weak during a crisis. I've only seen Lukas and Petra, who knows what sort of things Olivia, Axel, and Ivor are going through. They must still be with the citizens of Redstonia, and they're going to need help soon. They're going to need a break soon too.

So I strain my ears to figure out what they're saying, as if that could be some sort of clue to what's going on. Or maybe something that'll get the adrenaline going again, so I'll be able to plough through the pain and be of some help again.

"...expect me..." That's Lukas, not as nervous as I would think from how he looks but just stressed. Which is why I need to be doing something, so I can help him.

"I don't know! But we have to figure out something!"

Lukas runs a hand through his hair, a worm of remorse crawling through my stomach when I know I'm the cause for most of it. "Well two of us not doing anything isn't going to be going to do much good. One of us should be going out to prep Beacontown for the Redstonian citizens."

"And because you didn't volunteer yourself you want me to do it, right?"

"I need to be here in case Jesse gets worse."

"I'm not sure if your aware Lukas, but I am NOT one to run a town or organize people or anything. I would be doing no good out there."

Silence ensues, and I take the moment to scold myself. If only I could do something right now, then all of us could be helping the town. Even if I couldn't do that, I just don't want to be a liability. Even if I can't help I shouldn't be dragging Petra or Lukas down.

"Okay then, fine, but then we both need to figure out how to make sure Jesse doesn't suffer from Fire Deprivation again. Once we do that, then I'll go out and you can watch over him."

Now would be a really good time to say that, for whatever reason, my fire did not replenish when I killed something in the Nether. It didn't, and we don't have time to waste thinking about it.

"Well, perhaps we could make a healing potion? Ivor's gotta have spare ingredients."

Lukas sighs and I begin to focus getting ready to talk, running my tongue over my lips and swallowing a few times. "Petra, Ivor's an absolute genius with a brewing stand. If a doctor, who has spent years studying on how to make people better, can't make potions that'll instantly cure Jesse of all afflictions, what makes you think we can?"

"Okay fine, stupid idea. But why don't-"

"Gah..." I quickly clear my throat, although I have snatched before their attention. "Guys?"

They both glance at each other, worry drawn onto their faces, before Lukas kneels and grips my hand tightly. "Jesse you need to rest. You're not doing yourself any good."

"No, I ah...." My eyebrows scrunch together, I forgot how hard talking is when everything hurts. "Can't bother you guys."

Lukas opens his mouth, but Petra's snort cuts him off. "Like that's happening, do you know how many different kinds amnesias the doc had to give you? I mean, can you even feel most your body parts?"

An unwanted groan bursts out, disgust burbling up at the thought of this weakness being induced. Even if I wanted to help, I can't. I'm the perfect definition of helpless right now.

Lukas scowls at Petra before sighing and facing me again. "Do you want something to eat right now? That should help with your strength."

"Sure, why not?" I don't even try to stop the bitterness from sneering its way out. "Perhaps I need to be hand fed too."

"Jesse-" Lukas's face suddenly washes clear, and he blinks rapidly a few times before bouncing up onto his feet. "Petra! I got an idea!"

Distantly, Lukas picks up food from the table. "Get a lead, or like five, and lead pigmen through the portal and to Jesse. Surely Jesse doesn't have to be in the Nether to replenish his fire from them."

Petra smiles, nodding her head before dashing off. Lukas's grins falls though only after a few seconds, a stressed sigh ploughing through his nose. He turns back to me, and I look away. I know I'm causing him so much of this stress. It shouldn't be like that.

"If you don't want to be hand fed then you better find the strength to eat yourself. Because I will do it if you can't."

I roll my eyes, my arms twitching as I try to push myself up. "I can eat, but don't we need-"

The words die in my throat as a whimper tries to rise out of me as my arms begin to burn and sting with effort. They jerk in some attempt to get behind me, but I can only feel pain emit from them. Pain striking my thoughts as fatigue quickly washes over me.

"So that's a no." I moan softly, not even able to find the strength to glare at Lukas. "You don't hate mushroom stew right?"

A flicker of irritation flashes through me, fluttering out just as quickly as my body throbs in anger. I mutter out something that was suppose to sound vaguely like 'I'm fine with it' but my ears barely register the moans.

"Hey... Jesse?" A soft sigh flows from my lungs, of course I was only able to hear my name. I try to open my eyes again, but I get nowhere on that.

My thoughts jolt stronger than a lightning bolt when I realize how close I am at falling asleep. Despite my body refusing to wake up, my thoughts begin to scream that I can't fall sleep again. Once I get my fire back, which needs to happen as soon as possible, I have to help the town. I can't fall asleep again so soon!

Petra will be going around calming the citizens, you can't exactly be scared when Petra says she can handle something. Lukas can start building centers for the refugees and talking to the people to help support. I'll most likely be helping with that to the best of my ability and somehow we got to make sure Stella is aware what's going on. Yes, that is what needs to happen as soon as possible.

Yet despite the fierce thoughts, everything continues to become heavier. I try to fight it, but the painless floating sensation is bliss. It'll take Petra a few moments to get the pigmen anyway, I can take a short nap in that time. It's fine, completely fine.

Completely... fine...

****

Well, that wraps up this one! I know it was basically fluff, but I'm not a huge fan of time skips. I get that they are necessary and stuff, but the longer they get the more awkward I feel about them.

Mainly because of this thought: "There's so many anxieties and fears I could write instead of just putting in a time skip."

Yep, that's me. So anyway, I guess I'll see you all in a week with the next chapter! Bye bye!