PART IX - LIFE SAVING MEASURES

“Ambria! Lhawni!” Callie called out, but the two Healers were already on the move before she even finished speaking. In tandem, they rushed to Rowani’s aid, each taking position on a separate side. Tazrok broke rank as well and started to lumber towards his Trainer, but Callie made him pause his charge. “Don’t crowd them, Tazrok.”

“You take the lead!” Lhawni snapped quickly, pointing at Ambria.

The Combat Healer nodded, took a deep breath, and extended a hand towards the blood on the Trainer’s side. While she pushed magic through one hand, she pointed back to Lhawni with the other. “Refresh! Keep her from passing out.” Furrowing her brow, the Faun concentrated on the Diagnose spell, looking past the leather armor and past the blood covered fur. “Multiple puncture wounds, torn muscle, pierced liver,” Ambria mumbled out loud, much as Tasi did when she was working. “She’s bleeding internally, too,” Ambria added, looking up at Lhawni.

While the Faun was working, Lhawni pushed a spell, and Rowani’s eyes fluttered open with the infusion of fresh strength. Her breathing was still incredibly deep though, showing her exhaustion from her hard flight back. A moment later a fresh wave of pain hit her and she again groaned, stiffening her body. “Dull the pain and get this damn thing off me!” Rowani snarled curtly.

With a nod, Ambria pushed a generally-targeted spell to block the pain, allowing Rowani to relax just a tiny bit. Lhawni ripped off the shoulder armor, the Velcro-like scufrow attachment points making tearing noises. Tossing them aside, Lhawni next searched for the edge of Rowani’s armor. Finding it, she ripped it apart at the scufrow, peeling the leather back and pulling it out from under the Druid, before likewise tossing it away. As she did, a fresh flow of blood erupted from the wounds with every deep breath, the flow strong enough to leak right through the Pantherkin’s tunic.

“This is going to be a little sloppy,” Ambria said, glancing sidelong at the Druid as she started to pull the tunic aside.

“It’s fine. We just need … to get the bleeding stopped,” Rowani hissed, a fresh surge of pain leaking past the spellblock as the shirt was pulled back. “You focus on that. The Little One can do the repair.”

“Recruit Jesca!” a fresh voice called out from the corner of the building. Xera was standing there and pointing towards the Cheetahkin, having been alerted to the commotion by Kyra. “You’re fast. All haste to medical to fetch whoever is on duty. Tasi if possible. And return with a litter! Go!”

Jesca didn’t question. She shrugged off her backpack, dropping it to the ground. and took off with a burst of her Cheetah-like speed. Her Dash skill activating and leaving a trail of blue mist in her wake as she disappeared from view.

“I’m sorry, this is going to hurt,” Ambria said apologetically as she prepared to get to work.

“Actually, hold a moment. I’m infected and it’s causing problems with healing. I didn’t have the strength to cure it myself. Give me a Stabilize spell to keep me from going into shock and apply pressure.” She looked at Lhawni. “Have Tazrok do disease cleansing. Save your mana, you’ll need it.”

The Goblin Shaman glanced up at the huge Ogre standing over her and scampered aside as Ambria pushed her spell to keep Rowani functional. It wouldn’t prevent blood loss, but would help fend off the effects from it.

“You’ll need to touch me to cast it. Put your hand on my belly,” Rowani instructed Tazrok, then she added quickly, “Gently! I don’t want my guts squeezed out!”

While Ambria pressed her hand to the wound, Tazrok knelt, his huge hand almost covering Rowani’s entire torso. She yelped yet again at the added weight, despite the Ogre’s attempt to use a light touch. Now with two weeks of practice and no longer any identity issues, the Ogre was focused. With a single push of will against his reserves of mana, he cast the Cure Disease spell. It was mana-intensive, in part because Tazrok hadn’t practiced with it much, as there wasn’t a lot of disease around camp to use it against. His mana pool began to drain rapidly. But he pushed through, the cleansing Druidic magics seeking out and evaporating the parasites inside his trainer in mere moments. Finally, after about twenty seconds, he calmly said, “I think all gone.”

“Good,” Rowani said with a wince. “Stand back, let the Shaman back in.” Then she nodded to Ambria. “Now stop as much of the bleeding as you can with your Coagulate. I think there are at least three deep punctures, but I couldn’t see well. Maybe four. Just concentrate on the sizable sources to keep me from bleeding out.”

“This is really going to hurt,” Ambria warned again. “Do you want another pain block?”

“I know. Just push the spell,” Rowani spat. “No blocker. You’ll need all your mana.” She glanced at Lhawni. “Give me another Refresh as soon as you can, to keep me awake. Also put up a Totem. You’ll need it shortly.”

Ambria swallowed hard, pausing for the merest of a split-moment, before she reached forward, her hand falling into the blood-soaked fur. Remembering the mental map of the damage from the Diagnose spell, she called for her magic. Combat Healer magic was fast, but it wasn’t subtle, which is why patients this injured were usually knocked out, or at least painblocked.

As Ambria’s power drilled into the wounds, diving deep past the punctured skin and muscle, Rowani stiffened in new pain, panting hard to get through it as she clenched her fists. Ambria pressed on, ignoring her patient while burrowing into Rowani’s liver and the rest of her gut, seeking out the sources of blood and clotting the holes shut. The Coagulate spell was told to ignore anything small, looking instead for the uncapped gushing wells that were killing her patient before sealing them closed. It took nearly twenty seconds, almost a lifetime for a veteran Combat Medic, but the magics finally receded and the Faun opened her eyes, the casting completed. The wounds were still open and deep, but blood was no longer flowing, reduced now to a mere oozing. With the bleeding stopped, Ambria used the very last of her mana to use her last charge of Stabilize, which would continue to help keep Rowani from going into shock. Everything was still a mess, though.

While Ambria was plugging the main sources of blood, Lhawni’s Refresh spell came off cooldown and she pushed it again, jolting the Pantherkin with a fresh dose of magical strength. The pain of Ambria’s casting was agonizing, despite the pain blocker, and Rowani had nearly passed out, only the new influx of stamina keeping her conscious. That casting completed, Lhawni casually gestured to a spot a couple meters away, willing her twelve-faced Totem into existence.

BAMF!

The sound of her teleportation magic signaled the arrival of Tasi. She shook her head confusedly for a moment, getting her bearings, before taking in the image before her. “Oh no! What happened, Rowani?” she demanded.

“Got attacked … by a Drakeling … in the air,” Rowani growled between gasping breaths, looking up at the Master Healer. “Stupid on my part.” She looked at Lhawni. “Now pulse your Totem to stop the remaining bleeding before you start repairing the damage.”

Lhawni nodded. There was a soft ‘thump’ that seemed to resonate in your very soul as the Shaman Totem delivered its Healing Pulse sphere. It washed over Rowani, as well as everyone else. The effect of Healing Pulse wasn’t necessarily strong, but it was good at two things: dulling some of the pain and healing lots of small wounds, or in this case, stopping the remaining bleeding at least. With the main sources of blood loss capped off by Ambria, the Totem’s magic was able to flow into the wounds, winding through the damage and sealing whatever remained bleeding in its wake.

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“How are these kids doing?” Tasi quietly asked Rowani as she rushed over to take position by her head.

“Really good,” Rowani said, reaching up and taking Tasi’s hand in her bloody paw for support.

“Need me to step in?”

Rowani shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she hissed as a fresh wave of pain washed through her, despite the remnants of the Pulse still in her body. She looked at Lhawni. “Go ahead. Use Repair Wound on what’s left. Take your time and do it right.”

“It’s really really going to hurt,” Lhawni said, echoing what Ambria had said about her own magic. “I can’t Pulse again for a bit.”

“Just get it done,” Rowani gulped. Then she looked up at Tasi. “Maybe you could give me another block? I think the Faun is out of mana.”

Tasi looked quickly at Ambria, who nodded in acknowledgement. “Sure,” the Fairy responded as Lhawni started her own Diagnose on the wounds to determine what still needed repair. With a quick burst of her own magic, Tasi applied an intense, short-duration spell to block the pain right at Rowani’s neck, interrupting the feeling of anything below that point.

“Oh, that’s better,” the Pantherkin sighed, her body relaxing significantly as most of her body went numb.

Lhawni finished her own examination spell, and then began calling the slow Repair Wound spell designed to carefully knit injuries back together. While she worked, Xera asked for a report, but Rowani waved them off so Lhawni could concentrate. It was slow going, by design, and the Goblin’s concentration was deep.

Everyone stood silent in a circle watching the Healers all work, obviously curious about what had happened to Rowani. Callie, in particular, was tremendously worried about the Druid Trainer, but also eagerly wanted details so she could mentally update the plan.

Callie was so engrossed in what she was watching, she didn’t notice as Thorn quietly came up behind her, jumping when he put his paw on her shoulder. “Not your fault,” he whispered into her ear. “Don’t blame yourself. Focus on the mission.”

“I know,” Callie mumbled back, looking over her shoulder. “I’m okay. I remember; things happen.”

With a trio of comforting pats, Thorn stepped back, once again giving Callie some space.

While Lhawni continued her casting, Jesca returned, carrying a two-poled litter and breathing heavily. She quietly set it down next to Tasi, tapping the Healer’s arm and pointing it out to her. Tasi glanced and silently acknowledged it with a nod, before she returned to watching the Shaman work. Jesca walked to the gaggle of recruits, picking up her backpack and sliding it on. “What happened?” she quietly asked the group.

“We don’t know yet.” Shul’an replied just as quietly. “She was attacked by something though, and infected by the parasite.”

“I think she’ll be f-f-fine,” Pixyl added softly.

It was a few minutes of concerned silence as everyone watched Lhawni work. The Goblin’s knees were aching against the hard ground, and the intense concentration on the work was mentally exhausting. But, slowly and bit-by-bit, the four deep puncture wounds were repaired. Starting deep, organs and muscle and tissue stitched together, returning anew. As each repair finished, Lhawni would move closer to the skin, layering the healing like sedimentary stripes. Finally, the Goblin fell back. Her brain felt like jelly from the long concentration, but the healing repairs had been completed, or at least most of them.

“May I look?” Tasi asked Lhawni, not wanting to seem like she doubted the Shaman recruit’s work.

“Go ahead,” Lhawni gestured, panting slightly. “I think I got most of it, but I’m out of mana. I was trying not to leave scars, so there may be some left. For sure she’s stable enough to move.”

Hesitantly, Tasi extended her hand to hold it over Rowani’s bloody fur, making a point not to touch it. She mumbled incoherently to herself as she wiggled her fingers, looking deep into the repaired flesh and even deeper. Finally, she nodded, and pulled her hand back. “Excellent work. Truly.” She looked between both healers. “I mean it. Really good, both of you.”

“Thank you, both,” Rowani added. “I think I can walk now.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Ambria, Lhawni and Tasi all said at once, each grabbing some part of the Druid and holding her to the ground. “You rest for at least ten minutes,” Tasi added, scolding her friend. “I mean it! You still can’t even feel anything below your neck!”

“Fine,” Rowani said, ending her struggles and resigning herself to resting for a bit.

“Are you able to report?” Xera asked, stepping closer.

“I can do that,” the Pantherkin replied, taking a deep breath. “There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that it is indeed a Bogwump nest like we thought. The bad news is there’s some bigger wildlife milling around it.”

“Where?” Reynard asked.

“About six kilometers to the southeast there’s a ridge overlooking the swamp, and you can see the dead area easily from there, maybe a half-kilometer beyond the overlook. I put the beacon by a huge fallen tree. It’s about a thirty meter drop from the top of the ridge to the bottom, and it’s all rocky. There’s a game trail you can use to get down and back without much work, but it’s steep, so using a rope for assistance might be helpful.”

“What happened to you?” Xera asked, their tone obviously concerned.

“I was an idiot, that’s what happened. I was flying over the deadzone and got attacked from above by a Drakeling. The little shit grabbed me in its claws! When you’re a small flier like I am, you need to look up. I didn’t. Dumb on my part. I immediately had to change forms to break free, and fell into the water. But, between my open wounds and swallowing some of the damn swamp, I was infected pretty quickly. So you all know, the infection moves fast! Really fast!”

“We’ll need to be extra careful,” Callie said absently. “Hopefully the potions help.”

“They should. Don’t drink any of the water, though, whatever you do. Or get in the water with open wounds if you can help it.” Rowani said, nodding at Callie.

“What happened next? Why couldn’t you heal yourself?”

“I finally stumbled to solid ground, but there were a lot of feral things coming for me. I didn’t dare fly again, the Drakelings are living in those rocks I mentioned, and a bunch were circling overhead.” Rowani shrugged. “I changed into my panther form and just ran for the ridge, found that game trail up the slope, and scrambled back to the top. I could tell I was injured pretty badly, but I didn’t dare stop to do anything about it down below. I would have been overwhelmed. Thankfully, nothing followed me up the hill.”

“You said the infection prevented healing?” Legate Galin asked.

“That’s right. Once I was safe, I tried a couple times to heal myself. It worked, but not well at all. Between the blood loss and general exhaustion from flying hard and then running, I didn’t have enough in me for a proper Cure Disease followed up with any kind of healing. That was another dumb mistake on my part. I brought stamina potions but no mana or healing potions.”

“Rowani, you know better than that!” Tasi lectured with a harsh groan.

“I know,” Rowani agreed with a sigh.

Tasi lightly smacked her friend on the side of her head. “Idiot!”

Rowani laughed hollowly and then addressed the rest of the group. “At this point I had limited options, so I dumped as much healing into the wounds as I could, dropped the beacon, drank a stamina potion and flew back as fast as my wings could take me. You know what? That damn Drakeling came at me again! It must have been on my tail half the way back here!”

Rowani laughed again, but it was a little distant this time. “You know, there was a time, Xera, when I could have flown that hard almost indefinitely, even if I was injured. And I would never have been ambushed in the air like that, or gone in that unprepared. I’m getting old, Xera. Damn, I’m getting old.”

“Oh, my friend,” the Commandant said, putting on a comforting smile and squatting down to take the Pantherkin’s hand. “You have a lot more time in you before you get to call yourself that.”

“Maybe,” the Druid said wistfully, “but not as long as I’d like.” Then Rowani pointed a finger at Tazrok, before sweeping it across the rest of the recruit team. “A lesson for all of you! I screwed up in a lot of ways there. I got sloppy and went in unprepared and wasn’t paying attention. Learn from my mistakes. Always go in with potions and gear, unless you have no choice. And you two,” she gestured again at Tazrok and then at Lhawni, “always remember to look up!”