Damien woke to the smell of a crisp fire and succulent scents of herbs permeating the fresh air around him. He felt relaxed, less feverish though blankets were wrapped tightly around him, inhibiting him from moving. His gaze wandered from the ceiling to Gerard who sat next to his homey fireplace, spooning the contents of large pot which rested over the voracious flames.

The old man met Damien's gaze and walked over to the young man. His hand grabbed a cloth near him seeped in steam which reeked of botanical therapy.

"Since when did such a mechanically minded old man use nature as a remedy?" croaked Damien.

"Most times nature has already gone where our feeble minds have not," smirked Gerard. "So much can be learned from her."

The cloth rested onto Damien's forehead and the liquid seeped over his scalp. He felt his body loosen, relax, and brighten, his blood flow racing through his body.

"You've done quite the number to yourself, this time," said Gerard. Hs eyes roamed to Damien's arm going over all the bandages placed onto the wounds.

"I ran into an old associate of mine, Greyfaust," said Damien. "Things turned for the worst."

Gerard nodded taking the cloth from the young man's head and placing it back in the steaming bowl. He walked over to the pot, now trembling above the fire place, dipping a ladle into it. Hot, delicious smelling broth was placed into a bowl Gerard grabbed from the mantle. Damien eased his way up careful not to use his bandaged arm, the pain still throbbed despite whatever Gerard had done to it.

"Sip this," stated the old man. "You'll need it to recover."

Damien brought the soup to his mouth sniffing the contents of it. His mouth watered eager to taste it and he gorged on the meal. Gerard tried to slow him down, but Damien would heed no advice.

"At least you have your appetite," noted Gerard. "Which brings me to the next subject; your arm."

Damien placed the empty bowl by his side, raising his bandaged arm in front of him. Dried blood crusted the cloth clinging to him.

"What about it?"

"The watch broke apart and the pieces are lodged into your tissue. More specifically they've fused to the nerve pathways in your arm."

Damien's face furrowed waiving his good hand up to his head.

"Wait, wait, how do you know all this?"

"You were unconscious for two days."

The young man attempted to get out of the bed, scrambling through the sheets wrapped tightly around his body. Gerard rushed over spilling some contents he had prepared in a cup across the floor. His hands were sprung forth, yet he did not push Damien. His hands eased onto Damien's shoulders, trying to relax him.

"Easy, easy," soothed Gerard. "You're in no condition to rush about, right now. Plus, you'll need to learn to control it."

Damien shuddered to a halt at Gerard's words, looking to his arm. A subtle ringing, he had not noticed before permeated his acute attention. He raised his arm examining the work that Gerard had put into healing it.

"What do you mean?" asked Damien. He began to slowly unwrap the coils of rusted cloth feeling the sensation of undisrupted blood flow rushing through his arm and tinge of something else he couldn't quite place his finger upon; a sensation he should have been used to.

"You'll see," said Gerard. "Rest for now. You'll need it."