Novels2Search
Broken Gates
Chapter Three: Aftermath

Chapter Three: Aftermath

Anisha stured from her deep and groggy sleep to the sound and smell of a crackling fire. She felt horrible, like she hadn't had any sleep in 6 months. Every muscle and fiber ached in protest to being moved at all. But her body wasn't the only thing that hurt. Keep inside her her gate burned. Its overuse causing excess mana to pour from it. Insticitly from years of training she began a breathing pattern to slow her thoughts and calm her gate. Once she felt the mana stop flowing she began to inspect her soul. In her mind she could picture it infront of her. A singular ring like structure with holes running through it. Her hands move around the gate inspecting it for cracks or breaks. Letting out a long breath when she found no damage.

Rolling onto her side she rubbed at her face and eyes, trying to clear her vision of its blurry effect. The tingling in her face made her hands instinctively touch the side of her face only to feel nothing.

Her momentary movement of panic got the attention of the fire keeper, his battle worn bronze metal armor shifting as he sat on a log near her. Her ears twitching to the suttle rustle of chainmail underneath it.

"Lants venom shuts down the nerves. Its only temporary mind you. So don't start ya panicking until after yor scouldins done girl."

Murdera tone showed no visible emotion, it was stone cold like the mountains of his home. But years living with him she's become accustomed to deciphering the dwarfs subtle signs, hunched forward focusing on the fire instead of her hinted that he was deep in thought most likely because he had questions for her, and he meant to get the answers from her but was taking the time to think them out.

She struggled to sit up but she forced herself to at least be upright. If she was going to face the justified rath of her teacher than she would do it showing the proper respect. Anisha was a complete and utter failure as an adventurer. And she showed Murdera her true character today by resorting to dark magics in a vain attempt to try to help.

Anisha sat and waited, her face trying to match the dwarfs emotionless features but it was a struggle to maintain it as time went on.

The questions didn't come. No, Murdera always liked to make her squirm for a bit before starting. He sat their blowing smoke rings from his jade and gold pipe that he only ever used after a hard fight (Or sometimes at night to just relax but shes not supposed to know that). Which made Anisha even more nervous. if he was this on edge, she really was in trouble.

As she sat and waited Murderas punishment was starting to work on her, but she wasn't going to speak first!. But as time march's on so agonizingly slow, her mind starting trying to guess what he would ask by going through the days event. Her first quest slowly came back to her. The ruins, the Lants attacking, Running, desperation. and then...

Oh GODS!! She actually did it!

Her eyes furrowed and her lips twisted as realization set in now clear of adrenaline she was thinking straight again. The momentary crack in her mask caused Murdera to slightly glance toward her. He saw her crack!

She... she performed necromancy! The thought almost made her vomit what little was left in her stomach.

In the moment the choice felt so obvious and justified. But now that they were out of it. Guilt riddled her. She's no better then a Avist worshiping crypt defiler!

Her hands trembled as she recalled the moment she had succumbed to the temptation of dark magic. The memory clawed at her conscience, twisting her stomach into knots. Images of the summon she had raised flashed before her eyes, the fear on his face when she started bounding him, the ound that killed him pouring a seemingly never ending amount of blood, his body forming right in front of her made from the defiled crystals. She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the rising tide of guilt that threatened to consume her. The weight of her actions bore down on her shoulders like a leaden cloak, suffocating her with the fear of condemnation and exile. She couldn't bear to meet Murdera's gaze, knowing that behind his stoic facade lay the judgment she dreaded

Is that what has Murdera so on edge? Did he figure it out?! Of course he must have, how else could a random mans corpse in foreign armor just appear in a room they had already searched!

She had to explain herself, maybe Murdera would just leave her here and not bring her to the guards to turn her in. He would show her some mercy wouldn't he? Ah who was she kidding Murderas been looking for every excuse to get rid of her since she was five. Gods she even knows the only reason she was given the courier job was so he wouldn't have to deal with her burdensome existence everyday.

The silence was more agonizing than any punishment she's faced from him before. He sat there unmoving, almost like he didn't even acknowledge her existence.

Oh Beskyttendes embrace help me. She thought. The fearing of Murdera's next actions overwhelmed her and she started to say something, anything. The guilt was becoming unbarrable.

"M-Murdera-" She chocked out, fear in her voice and she was on the precipice of completely breaking down in front of him. Avist take that steel headed old guildmaster for breaking her from simply ignoring her!

"Two dead and rotting adventures, two injured, and a dented ol'fool guildmaster." Murdera cut her off, as if she hadn't just spoke.

His voice was low and grumbly, but clear to understand.

"I knew you weren't ready, but against my better judgment I took you along with Nathul and Julu." He paused for a bit lowering his pipe, his face contorted slightly as he was trying to think of what to say.

"I thought, they could have maybe helped you. Shown you the ropes that I clearly wasn't able to, I thought some real experience with my supervision would help you overcome your magic blockage."

He took another puff of his pipe before continuing.

"It was the wrong call." He let out a smoke filled breath of smoke. After sticking the pipe back in his mouth he continued.

"I didn't expect to have you experience the hard reality of adventuring so soon. Seeing a comrade fall in battle never gets easier, you just get more accustomed to it."

He gestured to the neatly wrapped remains of a mans body, white cloth stained red. Anisha didn't see another body. Seeing Anishas gaze Murdera continued.

"After making a camp and making sure you two weren't gonna die I headed back into the ruins. I found him, half gnarled to the bone near where you ran into us. I couldn't find Julus body. All I found was a blood trail leading into the inner Lants nest. Poor girl, she shouldn't have lived long through the pain."

Tears filled Anishas eyes at the mention of Julu. She let her down. She left her to die, once the Lants attacked because she couldn't use her acursed magic when she needed to. And now she was dead, and they didn't even have a body to return to her family.

"Their deaths are my fault girl, not yours." stated Murdera with a heavy voice, he truly believed that this was all his fault but it wasn't. Anisha was the weak link that broke the chain. She could have helped if not for her inability to control the other magic types. A shield, could have locked the lants in hallway to let Julu and herself escape. She could have healed Nathul, she could have... could have done anything else than what she actually did.

But something else stung at Anishas conscious. Did Murdera say both were alive?

Slowly she looked around the campsite, across the fire layed a man on a stretcher. His white armor now removed and gray tunic peeled back to exposed his bear bruised and bloodied chest.

Her summon, on impulse she felt through their bond, feeling for life. And she found it, foucing on the chain the green chains the bound them appeared before her meaning that he was still very much alive.

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One of the chains lead to the injury in his chest that wasn't healed when he was summoned, and another wrapped around his right arm. Two chains however floated idle by not making contact with his body at all. The one that lead to his left hand was shattered at the tip when he broke free. And the last one remained intact but since it never made contact with his mind it floats a short distance from his head.

At first Anisha didn't know how to react to the situation. In her panicked state she never considered what to do with the man after escaping the Lants. Admitting to herself she had planned on them mans death stalling the Lants long enough for Murdera and herself to get away. But with him very much still alive that just makes everything far more complicated.

Tracking her gaze Murderas eyes rested on the injured man. "He wont make it through the night." An air of loss in his voice.

"You're out of magic and all I can do is surface level healing. There's nothing we can do for em. Such a waste of talent."

"What do you mean?" Anisha asked, how would Murdera know anything about the man, he was practically dead when she summoned him.

Murdera turned his gaze from the man and back to Anisha, who sat patiently for an explanation.

"When I first saw him he had a wound straight through his chest, frome end to end. But he didn't go down. Once he got a hold of himself, he braced his weapon and lade wastes to 10 Lants in the span of a few seconds. And then when one Lant clawed its way through its dead kin and attacked him he grabbed it by the legs, and physically held it back. With no magical enhancements." Murdera took another puff after his explanation.

"A person can't do such things unless they go rigorous training. Trainings like that don't leave a man unscathed." gesturing to the mans bare chest with his pipe Murdera continued his assessment.

"However, this man has not a scratch on him save it be the ones he got to day. Not one scar marrs his body. Which can only mean one thing."

Anisha heart felt like it jumped to her throat. Here it comes, he knew, he had to know!

"He's a prodigy nobleman from a far off kingdom." Murdera concluded tapping his pipe on leg armor.

"A- A noble?" Anisha asked? Skeptical that this was his real conclusion.

"Yes, a noble born. They are pretty rare to see as adventures, but I've seen it before, powerful families send out there kids to get some real world experience and build connections. Its the only way to explain his powerful weapon that only the greatest of weapons smiths could have crafted. And he must have had access to some of the greatest healers for his training. There's no doubt in my mind this mans taken a beating, the way he continued to fight even with wound like that." Gesturing at the wrapped chest wound. "It takes great mental resolve to be able to keep your wits and push through the pain like that." Murdera nodded to himself after explaining his thoughts to Anisha, most likely feeling more confident in his assumption now that he's said it out loud.

"Oh... Yes I see, that does seem like the only logical and likely explanation." Anisha didn't know whether to cry from relief or cry from guilt that her hidden actions may not be discovered.

She sat there feeling relieved that she wasn't going to be exiled or taken to the authorities for execution.

But....

Murdera said he would die. After hearing what that not only did he save their lives but was an impressive fighter. She couldn't feel anything but sadness at being unable to do anything for him after what she'd done.

Cautiously she stood up, a little shaky but she steadied herself on her staff that was laid close by. Using it to support herself she walked over to her summon. She kneeled at his side and just watched him for a bit.

His breathing was labored and after some time she noticed it was beginning to slow down. She reached out and held his hand. Trying to send comfort through their bond to him she wanted to convey her gratitude, and apologies.

"Thank you, thank you for saving me, I'm so sorry for what I did to bring you here. Please rest, and return to your rest."

He stirred a little "F-frea?..." He said in a weak voice only Anisha heard.

"Frea... Seg Vraskt" He mutter again. With more energy.

Anisha still couldn't understand what he was saying. It pained her that his final words were not understood.

She had to make this right, she couldn't just let him die. Not after everything that's happened.

But what could she do, she has no magic crystals left, and even still she'd probably not be able to maintain the spell to do healing.

She began to rifle through her summons stuff. Opening the two side satchels on his side she pulled out metal rectangles that at once she realized what was inside shocked her along with gave her hope.

It was full of Red power crystals. She could feel the large of amounts of mana pouring from it. Now that she started looking for it she could feel mana all over the man. From his very grey magic poured from it.

Then she felt it. A small flicker of green magic. Coming from his chest piece.

Grabbing it she felt around the thick but surprisingly light piece of metal. Gazing into the hole in the backplate she noticed that the backplate was actually hollow. Feeling around she found a small lip under the bottom section. Pulling slightly the covering on the back slid down, revealing a thin profile backpack.

Inside was an array of items Anisha couldn't even begin to guess what they were. More of those rectangles full of red crystals were on the right. But ont he left she found what she was looking for. A thin pencil like object with a thicker cap at the end held what she needed. Uncapping it she saw a thin blade made of green crystal.

"What are you doing girl." Murdera who finally took notice of her actions got up and started moving towards her.

"leave the mans items alone, so we can send it back to.."

Anisha held out the small knife made of crystal to the dwarf.

"I can heal him with this!" She stated that with far more confidence than she thought she had.

"What in Develts forge, a blade made of Healing Crystals?!" Murdera was now more intrigued by the design then what Anisha had said.

Anisha held the knife in her hand. Carefully she reached out to the crystal, through her gate, out her arm up the knifes hilt and into the Crystal itself. She felt a slight surge of mana ripple back to her gate.

Her gate like a sore muscle ached as she began her magic.

She had to image herself pulling open her gate by hand. But it was heavy and wanting to shut. But she had to do this. Even if it meant breaking her gate.

Her own mana began pouring into the crystal and the spell began.

Slowly ever so slowly she crafted a few magic runes in the air. The thin blade would not be enough to heal him. But it should be enough to get him to tomorrow. Where they will take him to a proper healer who knew what they were doing.

As the magic progressed the blade shown brightly, but slowly began to fade.

And then it burst. In a cloud of green dust and magical energy the blade, well.. exploded, the shaft of the rod it was attached to was split like a tree when struck by lightning. Anisha instinctively dropped it expecting it to burn. But instead of pain she felt. Slightly refreshed actually.

"Develots! Girl! What are you doing!" Murdera yelled, shock and confusion on his face, his stone face facaded now cleared away.

"I-I don't know... I was just trying to heal him. I---I -I'm sorry Murdera, I just wanted to save him. I thought If I went slow my magic wouldn't go out of control. I don't know what happened everything felt fine, I-I was doing it. At least I thought I was doing it right." Tears now openly poured down her face, her runaway mouth only put to a stop as she struggled to take a breath.

Murdera shifted in his heavy armor. A little discomfort on his face seeing her so openly show her emotions.

"Bahh, Dam your eyes girl that wasn't you." Murderas words made Anisha gain a little control back.

"It, it wasn't?"

"Tell me girl, to Crystals ever explode?" He asked, its such a simple answer No, no they don't.

She shook her head.

"That's right, they don't or at least they shouldn't. Something tells me there's more to this mans equipment then its peculiar design."

Reaching down into the mans armor back pack he shuffled a few things around before giving a grunt of confirmation.

"Mhm Just as I thought." Pulling out a thin metal emblem he held it up to the campfire to see it better. "Hah ha! Just as I thought."

He held it down for Anisha to see.

It was a metal emblem with a rather strange bird she had never seen before, Its feathers were white and orange, and its legs were long. In one of its talons it held a red crystal. The design was incredibly intricate unlike anything she had seen before.

"Is that a"

"Noble Crest" Murdera finished.

"i've never seen one of its kind, so that confirms that he's no noble from close by but based on its royal color, its master craftsmen make, and an family animal on it. Id say its best to confirm that he's a noble from yet a far off land that few probably know about. The only question I wanted answered now is, what's he doing all the way here in the Eastern Frontier Kingdom?"

Anishas confusion with the man only increased. Sure she assumed he was from some far off land. But to be so far away that not even a Guild Master Wouldn't recognize it?

Things she had to consider for later.

Turning back to her summon he laid on the ground. But some how he noticeable was breathing better. Placing her hand on his bare chest she felt his breaths come and go, with relief.

"H-He's doing better." Anisha said, not sure of how though.

At this point she just decided to not ask anymore questions. And would instead just focus on his needs.

Through the night she stayed by his side. Dabbing his forehead with a washcloth as he continued to have the occasional nightmare.

"F-frea..."

He says that a lot Anisha noticed. She wondered what it meant, and also wondered if perhaps it was actually someone he was calling out too.

Whenever he seemed to be troubled she reached through their bond and try to send soothing thoughts to him. Trying to reassure him that he was safe. It worked surprisingly well despite the language barrier. Perhaps her bond allowed some form of understanding to pass between them.

When dawn broke, Murdera returned with a cart he had bought off a local farmer. The said farmer was more than willing to sell it at a fair price after the Adventures had dealt with the Lant infestation.

Putting the body of their dead party member and the injured body of the stranger they set out on their days Journey back to the guild.

As they made their way down the dirt path in silence, Anisha couldn't help but feel the completion of her first quest did not feel as satisfactory as she had hoped it would.