Running towards were I last saw them through the dust that still filled the battle field I could here coughing as I grew closer, as I passed through the final cloud of dust I saw them, both standing only if you counted John leaning against Evan as him standing. John looked to be crying blood and bleeding from the ears. Before I could say anything Evan spoke in a authoritative manner, “Hold John up and don’t let go I will grab the monster and then we can move John back to camp.”

“But why, let’s just go with John,” I asked in anger.

Eyes soft Evan spoke in a gentle yet swift tone, “Because if we don’t bring anything back they won’t heal John. Understand?” I nodded taking John from Evan allowing him to grab the bird before helping me with John back to camp.

The walk was slow and I could see Evan flinching with every step yet he put on a brave smile and reassured me that we would be fine, yet I found that hard as John seemed to be loosing strength and seemed to be coming in out of consciousness more frequently but as much as Evan put on a strong facade I could see the looming fear. The sun was getting close to setting as we finally made it into sight of camp were we could see the fires that would act as beacons for the coming night, thankfully as we got closer John was ushered in by the guards with me helping as much as I could while Evan said he had to talk to the guards. John was transported to one of the tents and placed down on the ground as it was just a bit of shelter with no bed or anything comfortable to lay on for John, as I just sat there unable to do anything for what felt like hours eventually, someone came in,

In a soft voice the woman questioned, “Is this John?” I replied with affirmative, she continued, “good.”

“What are you here for, are you going to heal John?” I asked trying not to get my hopes up.

“Yes,” she answered, only to then ask, still in that soft tone “please be quiet so I may work.” After she finished talking, she held her hands rapped in the cloak she wore over John’s head and with a glimmer of Green in her brown eyes the wounds on John’s head closed and the blood retreated as if loosing another fight. With curiosity the thought ‘activate free flow’ crossed my mind and with that I could see the woman covered in a green glow that passed from her to John slowly washing over John and dissipating. I watched until I was interrupted by a sigh from the woman that had been healing John. Immediately my fears grew as a sigh at this time could only be bad.

“What,” I asked as my heart rate started rising, as the silence, after the question only grew my fears.

“I have healed the wounds but he won’t wake up the same,” she answered her voice becoming quieter.

“But why, can’t you heal him!” I questioned my voice trembling as I raised it. This couldn’t be and what is she talking about flickered through my mind with almost sinister intent.

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“imagine it like a computer, it’s physical place with the memory can be damaged but then-n?” she answered.

Only to be cut off by me with a shout of sorrow, “He is not a computer! He is a person!” My mind reeling from the information that John would not be okay felt like a dagger to the back, only for my thoughts to be derailed by the healer.

“I’m sorry, but I have done all I can,” she apologised her eyes tearing up only to be interrupted as one of the guards rushed in with,

“What is goin-,” only to be cut off, with a face of realisation as the healer looked at him as she got up from the ground and finally left. Evan then rushed in after the healer and guards had left.

“What did the healer say,” Evan asked with his eyes tearing up as he was finally allowed to enter the tent.

“She said that he would be okay, but when he woke up he wouldn’t be the same,” I answered as a tear started drifting down my face.

“It’s okay kid, he’ll be fine I’m sure of it.” Evan said trying to reassure me, yet it felt like he needed to hear those words even if it was from him.

We waited in that tent, as tears slid down my face and Evan did what he could to hold the tears back yet the pain in his eyes was like looking through a window it was clear to anyone who looked.

John laid there till morning when he stirred awake, yet as I looked into his hazel eyes it seemed to lack him. That was when Evan broke into sobbing as all that built up stress and fear finally broke into sadness, poured out through the dam that had held a glimmer of hope that John would be unharmed. As I sat there watching Evan cry I saw John with a confused expression before talking in a slow slur, “Why are, you, crying,” before looking down, then back at us slowly then continued in the same voice this time filled with more confusion, “who a-are, you two? A-and wh-where am I?”

We talked to John explaining who we were yet he seemed to not remember and kept forgetting, after so long I left the tent followed by Evan. “His not there any more,” I cried out, as the tears I thought I had cried out returned.

“Yeah, his not-t.” Stopping himself from finishing that sentence as he couldn’t finish it. Before continuing on with something just as painful, “We can’t work together any more as to get that tent and the healer for John, I owe the camp.”

“What do you mean you owe the camp?” I asked

Only for Evan not to answer my question, “It doesn’t matter and I am sorry. For you and John.” He then started to walk off and all I could do was drop to my knees as once again I lost everyone, yes John was in the tent but I knew that wasn’t the John. The John I knew, that was just a shell of him, no more than a puppet or a stranger to himself.

Looking down at the ground I saw the knife that John had given me, which I still had on my right hip. Pulling it from its cover I saw the blade, with my eyes looking back at me. Sheathing the knife I stood up wiping my face of the tears I had shed and looked up, a few hours before midday. I started to walk past those that were crying from loss just as I had just experienced, past those begging for water or food, past those who were guards keeping peace and those that were trying to recruit or sell. Until I reached the gate, where they gave faces of confusion, only brushed aside by the fury that burned in my soul and the hatred that filled my eyes. They only asked their questions of who I was and what I was taking to defend myself. I knew it was not for defence, the knife I carried it was for revenge and those birds would not be the last that satisfied the blade.