The Rise Of A Porter

The hospital hallway was like something out of a science fiction movie. Everything that could shine, was shining. From the floor to the walls to the equipment, everything. There was stainless steel benches as well as comfortable chairs for the people to sit while waiting in the hallway. Sleek floors and the art on the walls had natural images displaying the happiness one could feel by leading a healthy life. Unlike the stench hospitals usually had, the air inside had a pure fragrance, much to people's surprise.

The reception was hustling and bustling with people but as soon as Arnold entered the building, everybody went silent as if it had been planned beforehand. Most of them knew who Arnold was, while the few who didn't stay quite regardless. The look on his face told everyone to get out of his way. Arnold ignored everyone else and headed straight towards the receptionist. His eyes were surprisingly calm as he asked her to tell him in which room Nina was being treated in. 

Standing 5' 3" tall, the receptionist looked fragile with her olive skin. But she had a sweet and innocent feel about her. Her big brown eyes were alert as a mouse and her mid-back length, curly, light brown hair was properly groomed. As Arnold uttered Nina's name, she checked the data on her. 

"I'm s-sorry sir. But her c-condition was pretty b-bad so we've been told to r-refrain from giving out any information about her..." The receptionist barely managed to utter those words before looking at Arnold's face. 

He didn't reply. Rather he raised his eyebrows in an intimidating manner. This was more than enough to scare the receptionist and make her teary-eyed. Arnold wasn't in the mood to tolerate much BS. He was trying really hard to keep his temper in check but these idiots kept checking the limits of his patience. First, it was Nathan and now this receptionist. Had it not been a hospital, even he didn't know what he would've done to these foolish people. 

"I'm her boyfriend, so I was hoping you could make an exception for me?" Seeing the woman finally breaking down, Arnold sighed heavily and tried to persuade her. 

While this was happening, a nurse got behind the reception desk and consoled the receptionist who was now hyperventilating because of the aura Arnold had unintentionally let out. 

"What did you do to her? Guards! Guards! Please escort this man out." She called for the guards but Arnold had enough of their crap. 

Soon, around ten guards came rushing into the reception, their electric batons in hand. They were all righteous and confident until they saw the man they were called to remove from the property. The nurse was new there, most probably an immigrant, thus she didn't know who Arnold was, but the guards knew very well who the man was.

Rather than taking any rash actions, the guards did the sensible thing and requested Arnold to wait there while they contacted the director of the facility. 

Arnold, however, didn't wait. He called Alice and told her to get to the reception. He had to make sure Nina was okay and he didn't give a crap about what others would do. Alice came running inside the reception, as soon as she got the call. She knew despite his calm appearance, Arnold was in no condition to reason with anyone. She was even surprised that he didn't come bursting through the doors right then and there. 

"Arnold, come. I'll show you where Nina is." She said, grabbing Arnold by his arm and dragging him into the halls before anyone could piss him off anymore. 

"Ma'am, you can't do as you please here. This is a hospital and there are rules to be followed-" The nurse tried to intervene again but Alice cut her off. 

"If you don't shut your mouth now, then there will be no hospital left to follow your damn rules!" Alice snarled at the nurse before dragging Arnold away. 

***

As Arnold entered the hospital room, he notices it looked more like a garden than anything else. There were half a dozen plants scattered around Nina's bed, all of which were emanating strange luminescent pores at regular intervals. Arnold had seen them somewhere before but couldn't point it out. He wanted to make sure Nina was fine with all the funny looking plants around her so he turned around to ask Alice and she happily informed him why those plants were important for Nina. 

"Those are herbalia plants. They are generally found in high ranking dungeons such as A ranked or above. The pores they are emanating accelerates the regeneration rate for those around them. As I informed you before, she had lost a lot of blood and her wounds weren't healing fast enough, I asked the surgeon to use the plants."

"I see... Thanks for your help... I don't know what I'd do without you-" Arnold couldn't even complete what he wanted to say before he broke down crying like he had never before. 

The rage in his mind hadn't allowed him to shed tears before but now when he saw Nina, he couldn't hold the tears back. She had always been so strong and hardy but seeing her laying on the bed unconscious was too much for his heart to take. 

Alice wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Pulling him in for a hug. Able men like Arnold often had a lot of bottled up feelings inside them. Feelings that the world could never see. She knew how much Arnold loved and cared about Nina, and seeing her like this must have hit him hard. She let Arnold get rid of his emotions while she held him, not saying a word but making him feel that he wasn't alone in all this. After all, he had friends he could count on. Friends like her. 

After a while, Arnold finally calmed down a bit and sat next to Nina's bed, carefully holding her hands between his. Alice went to fetch some water for him, and when she returned he was fast asleep in the chair. His hands still holding Nina. Alice let out a sad smile before covering him up with a blanket. 

"Only if the world knew about this side of yours..." Alice mumbled before checking on Nina. 

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