Abakwa sighed in his office. Was there even a point? Igos had twelve million people. It was surrounded by jungle, the only way out was through sea and air? How many could be evacuated in a week? A hundred thousand?
And how was he supposed to pick them?
Fer roared as her feet start to burn. In this pitch-black darkness, she couldn’t see as far as her own nose. The cave seemed to stretch on forever, that smell of family was straight ahead. Fer jumped high, felt the skin on her feet regenerate and then splashed back into the acid mixture at the bottom. She grit her teeth, the first howl had been more out of surprise rather than anything, and sniffed the air.
Very close now. Very close indeed.
She sniffed, then jumped forwards. The acid burned her feet and reached up to her calves here. It would have hurt someone else, but her? She had gone through far worse. This merely tickled. Fer jumped forwards in the darkness again and landed on something different. No longer were her feet crushing bones under them as if she was wading through a deep snow. Now. This was soft and sleek, leafy and fresh. Fer put her face down to the plant and sniffed it.
One hundred percent. This was it. One hundred percent. Fer felt herself stalling. She shook that feeling of danger off herself and carefully slid one of her nails that had grown into claws with the help of Kassandora’s blood. It effortlessly slit through the plant, Fer felt cool water and sticky sap pour out of it. And a smell. A smell of family, now unleashed, she would be able to identify it anywhere and everywhere.
Baalka, Goddess of Disease. Her sister.
Fer howled and wished there was some light here to see the woman. Her hands pressed into that hole, they travelled through something that felt like jam and jelly, and then they hit something soft and cool. Fer’s claws retreated and she pressed forwards with her finger. Flesh. Human skin. Ribs. She ran her hands up onto the chest. Heartbeat. Onto the neck. A pulse. Then along the rest of the body, to see if something was binding her in the way it had done Iniri.
Nothing. Fer thought for a moment on what to do. How to get Baalka out. She took a sigh. It was a plant. Plants were grown to be cut. One arm held Baalka down, the other grabbed the leaf. Fer didn’t know why she poured so much strength into tearing it apart, but she did. She couldn’t see it in the darkness, but she assumed the leaf went flying far. Some distance off, there was a faint splash, and the sticky mixture of water and sap flowed past her. Fer hated it. Her fur matted together.
She gently leaned forwards, one hand always on Baalka, and grabbed her. Then hugged her. Her sister did not respond. Fer didn’t care. Anger chased inside her as she felt Baalka’s body pressed against her. Ribs and gaunt skin. Skinny bony arms and legs. A head that merely rolled onto Fer, and did not respond further than that. “Don’t worry sister.” Fer whispered to Baalka’s body. “I am here. You’re safe now.”
Fer turned, smelled the air, heard Kassandora talking, started to jump back. Baalka in her arms held as delicately as she would hold a baby cub.
---
“Fer will be back soon and then we’ll get out of here.” Kassandora said as she scouted out higher ground with her blade. She thanked whatever deluded madness she had been in a thousand years ago to learn basic movements while blinded. It had never come in useful until now. “Alright? Iniri? Kavaa?”
“I hear you.” Kavaa replied.
“Mmh.” Iniri merely made some sound of agreement. Kassandora didn’t sigh, but at least she didn’t have to contain the exasperation on her face for once. She herself was close to diving into panic, and if she was close to panic, then these two girls were already wading through its depths. The only reason they hadn’t given up yet is because she was here. That much was obvious, Kavaa had practically resigned herself to death when they came here.
Kassandora took another step, Joyeuse sweeping across the ground before her. There was another issue though. How exactly where they going to get out? Fer could snap that tooth at the start. Kassandora’s original plan had been to wait for Iniri’s magic to recharge, and then simply have her create a hollow root to serve as a tunnel out of the crater. Even if that didn’t work, Iniri should at least be able to get them out of this pit.
“KASSIE! KASSIE! KASSIE!” Fer shouted as she splashed to their left.
“We’re here!” Kassandora shouted back and started to move skulls with Joyeuse as to provide a constant source of noise for Fer to lock onto. The splashing got louder and louder, more frantic, as the sounds became deeper.
“Owie!” Fer shouted when she landed on bones, rather than splashed into stomach acid. Kassandora sighed. She should have realised it immediately. There were no animals in the Jungle, but the bones here were picked clean. What else could have done it?
“Heal her Kavaa.” Kassandora said.
“On it.” Kavaa’s footsteps were lighter than Kassandora’s but not by much, certainly not when Kassandora’s extra height and weight were accounted for. The woman should train her footwork. Kassandora shook her head and hid the scowl as she felt those cool traces of Kavaa’s healing magic in the air. Fer wouldn’t scream from it, Kassandora knew already. If she could withstand the searing pain of healing and not faint, then it didn’t have even a chance of climbing the massive mountain that was Fer’s pain tolerance. Of course though, Fer always had to surprise. She giggled like a little girl.
“That tickles.” She said smugly. “Really Kassie? You complained about this?”
“I did heal her just now.” Kavaa said in the darkness. “I swear I did.” The Goddess of Healing sounded more as if she was trying to convince herself rather than Kassandora.
“Did you find her?” Kassandora said.
“Mmh-mmh!” Fer said. “Come here, come here, quick quick. You too Kav. She’s alive, isn’t she?” Kassandora approached the sound, and then the source of Kavaa’s magic, which had to be Kavaa. Iniri was stood close by. Kassandora dematerialized Joyeuse, let her gauntlets fade away too, and leaned down. She touched a shoulder. Thin and gaunt, as if it had been starved.
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Kassandora felt her own heart drop. A person at this state, in her army, was given the mercy of a swift death than a slow waste. “Kavaa… what’s her situation?” Kassandora hoped the Goddess of healing would throw some sliver of hope she could latch onto.
Kavaa did not throw her a sliver, she threw an entire damn bridge. She spoke quickly and clinically, each word another beam in that tremendous bridge. “Alive. Weak obviously, starved but stable. Her body has such down to prevent further waste of energy. She’s not ill, I’ve healed the splashes of acid she received, but she needs to sleep? Eat?” Kavaa stopped for a moment. “I don’t know really, I’ve never seen a Divine in this state. A mortal, I’d put on a diet of milk porridge.” Kassandora stood up. She heard Fer’s breath catch, she knew her own was in disbelief too. She blinked in that darkness, it did nothing for sight, but it got her moving.
“I understood that as she’s fine, just out of energy.” Kassandora said.
“Kavaa, you are a blessing.” Fer said.
“Basically.” Kavaa said. “She’s out of energy, I can’t wake her in this state.”
“I wouldn’t want you to frankly.” Kassandora said as she turned and looked around in the darkness. Her arms moved and she thought of what to do. There was one way. Now that they had Baalka, it would be possible, her mind had gone to it immediately, before even she felt any joy from her sister being alive, she had already crafted a plan.
A plan that disrespected one sister, and could kill the other. Kassandora allowed herself a smile, none of them could see anyway. It was a plan that certainly lived up to her reputation. “How quickly is the acid rising Fer?” She asked.
“It went from my feet to my calves in the time it took me to bring her back.”
“How long did that take?”
“Ten minutes?” Fer said the amount as if it was a question. “I think that much?” Fer usually undershot time. That should mean fifteen. Then… Kassandora kicked the ground. She sent a bone flying and it splashed in the distance. Kassandora turned to face Fer and Baalka, Kavaa and Iniri in the darkness. “Fer, can you climb out of this pit? Not past the teeth, but into that valley we jumped over.”
“Easily.” Fer shifted. “Now?”
“Now, look around and then come back.” Kassandora felt a blast of wind erupt from the ground as Fer jumped up. A minute later, she crashed back down. That was bad news. A trip that fast was too little for an investigation, it meant the woman had gone up and immediately decided it was bad. “How is it?” Kassandora asked.
“It’s bad.” Fer replied.
“How bad?”
“All the plants have awoken.” Fer said. She made some movements Kassandora listened to. The plants would be dangerous. Fer and herself could probably survive them. Kavaa’s combat performance was superhuman obviously, but it was lacking when compared to Divines. Without the healing, even Iliyal would be a better fighter, he didn’t shut down every tenth step. That would be if they only had to protect Kavaa.
Baalka was out cold. Iniri was basically a tall mortal. Kavaa was a poor fighter. Kassandora herself could manage, but even she would need a helping hand every now and then from Fer. There was no way to do it without losses. They could not wait for Iniri to recharge. They could not wait for Baalka to wake up…
Her mind went back to the original idea.
It would work...
It should work…
But would Fer manage it?
“Fer.” Kassandora realised she had trepidation in her voice, then restarted. Hopefully no off them noticed it. Fear was a luxury a commander could not carry. “Fer. I have a plan.” Fer rolled over in that darkness and crushed bones underneath.
“I knew you would.” She said happily.
“It’s bad.” Kassandora pulled one of the canteens filled with Helenna’s blood off from her belt and emptied it. If this would kill Fer… Kassandora did not know if she could bear it. She had sacrificed allies before, but none of them were family. Still emptying it, the blood spilling onto the bones below, she turned to Kavaa. “Kavaa, empty two of your canteens. Have you healed Fer already?”
“I have.” Kavaa said. Kassandora heard the rustling of clothes, the uncorking of a canteen, and liquid spilling onto the ground. There was something satisfying in the fact the woman simply did as told without questions. Kassandora emptied it and slit her wrist on Joyeuse, it took a few seconds without sight, but she was sure her blood was spilling into the canteen. “It’s empty.” Kavaa called out.
“Fill it with your blood.” Kassandora said. “Fer, where are you?” Fer started to move the bones around her and Kassandora got closer to the sound. She walked into her sister, then sat down next to her. “Fer. We are going to break a vow.”
“I know.” Fer said quietly.
“Can you manage it?”
“How much?”
“A litre of mine for will. A litre of Kavaa’s for healing. A litre of Baalka’s for power.” Kassandora felt Fer’s arm wrap around chest as her sister hugged her. “It’s the only way.”
“If you say it is, then it is.” Fer said. “I’ll hold it together.” Fer moved Baalka onto Kassandora’s legs and sighed. “I’ll try to. Baalka’s blood is poisonous.”
“I know.” Kassandora said. That’s why she had added her own and Kavaa’s. Kavaa and Iniri moved closer to sit down next to the two sisters on the ground.
“What about mine?” Iniri asked.
“What can yours do?” Kassandora replied. At this point, they were breaking Fer’s limits anyway. Iniri took a few moments to reply.
“I don’t know.”
“Can I try it?” Fer asked.
“Go ahead.” Iniri shoved her arm into Kassandora’s face.
“Wrong person.” Kassandora said.
“Sorry, sorry.” Iniri moved over and then squeaked when Fer bit her. Kassandora heard her sister drink for a moment, and then stop.
“We’re using Iniri too.” She said suddenly. Kassandora shrugged and passed a canteen to Iniri.
“Empty and fill.” Kassandora said. “Why?” She asked. “I’m just curious.”
“Iniri’s will bind it together.” Fer said. Kassandora didn’t really understand, but there was nothing to argue about. Fer knew how her own powers worked better than anyone else.
“Can I have your sword Kavaa?” Iniri said. There was some movement and shuffling.
“Here, don’t stab yourself. I’m holding the blade.” Kavaa said then moved again. “How are we using Baalka’s blood? She could die if we empty her.” Kassandora sighed, she supposed they should start soon. Her own canteen had almost filled.
“Heal me first.” Kassandora replied.
“Is this your leg?”
“It’s mine.” Fer said.
“This?”
“Mine.” Iniri replied and Kavaa sighed.
“That’s Baalka so… This one?” Kassandora felt her arm be grabbed by Kavaa’s cool fingers.
“Me.” Kassandora said, a moment later, she felt the muscles in her wrist rip themselves apart as they sewed each other shut. It was over in a second, it felt like it lasted an hour. “I’ll make a cut on her, you make her pump blood.” Kassandora said, Kavaa had done the same on Helenna, it couldn’t be that difficult. Helenna didn’t moan about pain. “That should work, shouldn’t it?”
“That will work.” Kavaa replied then laughed. “Of all the people I healed, I’ve never thought Baalka would be added to the list.”
“There’s a first time for everything.” Kassandora said. She held her hand above her head, Joyeuse appeared pointing straight up and she moved it slowly as to not cut the limb off anyone here. Her hand found Baalka’s bony hand and she sighed.
“Mine is filled.” Kavaa said as she corked her bottle.
“That was fast.”
“I increased the blood pressure to make it faster.”
“Can you do it on me too?” Iniri asked.
“After Baalka, alright?”
“Alright.” Iniri said quietly.
“I’ll just nick her hand then.” Kassandora said.
“Do her finger, it’s easier to aim.” Kavaa replied.
“It won’t clot?”
“I’ll stop it.” Kaava replied. Kassandora emptied one of her canteens, made a small cut on Baalka’s finger and stuck it in the top. She felt Kavaa’s power work on Baalka. The canteen sound of flowing blood increased from a trickle, to the sound a running hose would make. It overflowed in half a minute. “That’s her done.” Kavaa said. Iniri took twenty seconds and Kassandora sat there with four canteens on her legs.
“Is there an order you want?” She asked Fer.
“Iniri, Kavaa, you, then Baalka. Baalka last.” Kassandora rearranged the canteens to that order. She grabbed Fer’s hand and brought it to Iniri’s canteen.
“This is Iniri’s. Move up from here.” Kassandora said.
If this did not work…. Kassandora would never face her family again.