A/N:
Hey guys!
Grazyfish here!
so basically... I won't be able to touch my computer this sunday either "-_-
I do however, have access to my computer today! Aha!
So basically this week's upload DOUBLE UPLOAD is coming 1 day earlier! yay!
Well, please do enjoy these two chapters of The Conqueror's Tactician!
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
6 MONTHS LATER
"Ugh!" Robin groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation, "I hate my job."
After her extensive work outside of her duties as tactician, Robin had been entrusted with the management of the towns, becoming the de facto governor of Valm. While Walhart was the one who had the final say, Robin was the one tasked with handling the paperwork and managing the economy. Her only saving grace was that Nelson was now the head of finance, helping her with the monetary side of things.
She leaned back in her chair, massaging her head. She had been working through these documents since morning and had not even made a dent in the pile of paper. She sighed as she leafed through the letters in her hand, reading the contents again.
"Why don't they understand?!" She yelled at the wall of her office, slamming the papers on her desk, "The new tax system is meant to help Valm grow, all they have to do is say yes!"
The mayors of the various villages had not been too receptive to some of Robin's new laws and bills. Especially towards the ones regarding their wealth. The new tax system would change the tax from a flat charge to a percentage based one, allowing smaller and poorer farms to grow by charging them less and taking more from the larger more established business first. Obviously, this did not sit well with the selfish aristocrats and nobles, upset that they had to pay more just for being richer.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, willing her problems to suddenly vanish. She thanked Naga that Excellus was absent, probably off somewhere slacking off. Had he been here, Robin was sure that she would have developed a brain aneurysm from dealing with his snarky remarks.
Just then, the door swung open with a loud bang, letting a cold blast of autumn air into the room
"Robin! Robin!" Elaine exclaimed, bursting into the tactician's office, "I have a letter for you!"
"Close the damn door please," The irate tactician grumbled, shivering as the draft hit her, "I'm already cold enough as is."
"Oops, sorry about that!" The pegasus knight chirped, kicking the door shut, "I was just so excited to pass this letter to you."
"Well, show it to me," Robin said apathetically, holding her hand out, "Please tell me it's not another complaint. I think I'll kill myself if it is."
"I don't think so. It's from the mayor of Sidur!" The excited pegasus knight sang, bouncing into the room and shoving the envelope into the tactician's grasp, "It must be good news! I'm sure of it!"
"I hope you're right," Robin sighed, leaning back in her chair and cutting the letter open with her knife. As she read the letter within, her weary face was replaced with a wide grin, her eyes sparkling in delight.
"Seems like you are," Robin declared, putting the paper down, "They say their wheat has never been as golden as the batch they harvested today."
Elaine let out a whoop of joy, jumping up a foot in the air.
"But how did you do it?" Elaine questioned, taking the letter and reading it herself, "Were you a farmer in your past life? Er... I mean before you lost your memories?"
Robin laughed, leaning forward on her desk.
"No, Elaine, I didn't come up with this idea," She replied, "I read about it in a book. Crop rotation renews the soil's nutrients by changing the types of plants grown in the same area of land."
"How does that work?" Elaine asked dumbfoundedly, a look of confusion on her face.
"As plants grow and die, they produce various nutrients and minerals needed for the growth of other plants." Robin explained briefly, resuming her work, "For example, growing clover in a field before growing wheat produces higher quality wheat as the clover replenishes the soil's fertility. The neighbouring Rosanne does this as well, proving that it's a tried and true method of farming."
"Wow... I don't really get it but that's so cool!" The other girl cried in excitement, "We should make all the farms in Valm practice this! It would definitely increase their profits right?"
"That's right," Robin replied, leafing through her reports, "I'm pushing for it to be implemented across our all villages, though some are less receptive as compared to others."
"Well, this calls for a celebration no?" Elaine chirped, jumping up and down, "I mean, the plan was a success right?"
Robin paused, putting her quill down as she contemplated the proposition at hand.
"I guess you're right," The silver-haired girl sighed, looking up from her paperwork, "I do need a break from my work. Call Pheros and the three of us can go out to dinner."
"Really?!" Elaine squealed, leaning over Robin's desk in anticipation. The silver-haired woman nodded slowly in response, giving the pegasus knight a small tired smile.
"Yes!" The elated pegasus knight cried, leaping up in joy yet again, "Just give me a moment!"
She vanished in a cyan blur, bursting out the door and out the room. Robin sighed and shook her head.
"That girl has too much energy," She thought aloud, packing her papers.
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
The cold autumn air bit at Robin's face as she walked down the street. Soft warm light shone down from the street lamps around her, giving a soothing calm to the area around her. Idle chatter could be tickled her ears as the villagers around her made their way through the cold.
"So what'cha girls wanna eat?" Elaine piped, skipping along the cobbled path with arms outstretched. Her sapphire shawl billowed out behind her like a magical river as it fluttered above her white blouse.
"I'm fine with anything," Robin replied, shivering slightly as another draught of cold air blew past, "Though maybe something warm would be nice."
The tactician shoved her gloved hands into the pockets of her coat in an attempt to stave off the chill. Clearly, The cotton frock she wore inside did not provide as much protection as she had originally thought. Her thick black cloth pants were a much better choice, the warmth it gave her was the sole thing that kept her going in this weather. It honestly amazed her how the other girls remained unfazed in such cold weather. Heck, Pheros was walking about in merely a thin cotton sweater and a knee-length dress. The sweater was even rolled up to her elbows for Naga's sake.
"If it's warm food you want I know a good bar on the outskirts of town," Pheros said, licking her lips at the thought of ale, "Their goulash is out of this world."
"Are clergy even supposed to drink?" Robin asked, staring disapprovingly at the blonde cleric, "I thought you were supposed to be holy and free from earthly desires and such."
"Alcohol is not an indulgence; it is a necessity," Pheros stated, wagging a finger, "It would be insanity to try and deal with people like Excellus without it."
"Urgh... tell me about it," Robin groaned, facepalming in frustration, "That fat slob hasn't entered the office, let alone do any work today."
"Just have a mug or two, you'll forget all about your problems," Pheros laughed, slapping the shivering tactician on the back.
"Alright! Lead the way captain!" Elaine chirped, twirling around, her ocean blue skirt flaring up around her.
"But you know I can't handle alcohol!" Robin protested, throwing her hands up in exasperation, immediately regretting her decision as the cold assailed her person. She shuddered violently, not from the cold but from the memory of her first time drinking with them. Not only did she not remember anything after her second cup, but she also had no idea how she ended up in the library with vomit all over her coat.
"Don't get your knickers in a knot, Hon, I'm sure you've built up your alcohol tolerance since then," Pheros said calmly, throwing an arm over the freezing girl, "Even if you haven't, the best way to do so is by drinking more! Isn't that right Elaine?"
"Yup!" Elaine giggled, spreading her arms as if to presenting herself to a crowd, "Take me for example; I used to get drunk after half a glass but now I can easily down six full mugs!"
"I don't even wanna know what it took for you to build up that kind of resistance," Robin said flatly, raising a hand to halt to the energetic girl, "Fine, I don't mind going to the bar. Just... no drinking for me."
"Nonsense!" Pheros shouted, pulling her along, "You'll have at least one full mug before this night is out!"
Robin began to back away but was caught by her other hand by Elaine. The two alcoholics latched onto the unwilling tactician, dragging her with them as they made a beeline for the bar.
"Naga dammit! This is why I don't go out with you guys!"
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
The rank smell of puke filled the alleyway as Robin regurgitated her dinner into the drain. That goulash definitely tasted much better going in than coming out. Pheros rubbed her back, moving her palm in circles in an attempt to soothe the sickly woman.
"Never... again..." Robin bubbled weakly before another wave of vomit forced its way out of her throat.
"Aww c'mon... it's not that bad," Elaine said, leaning on a nearby wall, "Or at least *I* don't remember it being that bad."
"Well aren't you a real special snowflake then," The disgruntled tactician spat acidly, a harsh scowl on her face, "Unfortunately I lack that monstrous constitution."
"Yikes, guess someone's a little touchy at the moment," Elaine commented, taking half a step back.
Robin doubled over again, letting yet more puke out of her mouth. Pheros merely had a small smile on her face as she comforted her.
"Alright, Hon," Pheros said apologetically, "I won't make you drink so much next time. Maybe just two mugs only."
The silver-haired girl made to shout but instead lurched over the drain again as another wave threatened to exit her stomach. Pheros chuckled lightly, continuing to rub her back.
"Okay, okay I won't try to make you drink anymore," She relented, letting out a sad sigh.
Just then, Robin slipped forward, just barely catching herself on the opposite wall before she got a vomit facial. Pheros was not as lucky, landing elbow first in the disgusting sludge. A loud scream filled the alley, piercing Robin's ears.
"Pheros, I know landing in my vomit isn't the nicest thing but could you at least control your volume?" Robin grumbled, wincing as her ears rang from the noise.
"That wasn't me," Pheros replied, shaking the sludge off of her arm, "Though, yes this is disgusting."
More screams could be rising from the town around them, alerting the three girls. Robin saw a thick purple fog began to creep into the alleyway, twitching a curdling as if it were alive. The fog began to pile in on itself, forming a large mass.
The mass began to take on the shape of a human, forming arms and legs that were a sickening shade of purple. The face, however, was far from human; it was a hideous ashen mask, stitched crudely in various places with a black string. Six rough teeth lined the mouth opening, a black fog The eyes of the mask burst in a blood-red glow, sending shivers down Robin's spine as it hunched over, having fully formed.
"What... is that?" Robin mumbled, instinctively backing away from the creature.
"I don't know..." Pheros muttered back, getting to her feet, "I've never seen anything like it."
The creature suddenly lurched forward, swinging an axe that was pulled seemingly from nowhere. Robin thanked Naga for her training with Cervantes as her instincts kicked in, throwing herself backwards as the axe cleaved the air where she had just been. Elaine was not so lucky, her back bumping into a crate as she tried to dodge backwards. She immediately grabbed a piece of wood, using it to block the blow as the axe smashed her into a stack of discarded crates.
"Elaine!" Robin shouted, pooling mana in her hand, her vision swimming from the alcohol in her system.
"Fire!" She shouted, releasing her spell. The monstrosity let out an unearthly shriek as fireball hit its mark, burning its pale flesh. It growled angrily as it lunged at Robin again, pulling back its weapon for another swing. The blow never came however, as an elfire spell scorched its back, engulfing the creature in fire. The monster let out its final cry before falling over dead, disintegrating back into purple smoke.
"What in Naga's name?" Robin whispered, her drunken haze clearing up from the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
"Don't let your guard down," Pheros warned, preparing another spell, "We've got incoming."
Robin turned to see more of the monster beginning to materialize in the alley, their red eyes glowing menacingly in the darkness. She launched two elthunder spells, electricity crackling through the air as it bounced between two of the creatures. More blood-curdling cries could be heard as Pheros flung more spells at them, setting them aflame.
One of the monsters made it through the barrage of magic, charging towards the two ladies. It let out an inhuman roar, brandishing its lance brazenly.
Suddenly, a blue blur whizzed past the two mages from behind, catching the lance mid-charge in a two-handed grip.
"Elaine!" Robin cried in surprise, pausing her casting.
"Sorry for the delay!" Elaine piped, turning and giving a wink to the tactician, "I was getting my bearings."
She tucked the lance under her arm, struggling against the creature's sheer strength. The cyan-haired girl tumbled backwards, pulling the monster down and over her. She then kicked it hard, pushing it away from her and disarming it. In one fluid motion, the monster was thrown against the wall, groaning in pain as it slumped down the side of the brick and mortar. The pegasus knight gave it a surgical stab to the throat, black blood gushing out of the wound as it gurgled its last.
"Cover me!" Pheros shouted, halting her magical assault, mana piling into her forearms.
"Where did these things come from?" Elaine asked, piercing another of the masked monsters as it lunged towards her, "The smoke couldn't have just come from nowhere."
"No idea," Robin answered, shooting a thunder spell another as it swiped at her with its long claws, "It just seeped into the alleyway."
"Duck!" Pheros shouted, her hands outstretched.
The other girls dove for cover, leaping into the sides of the alleyway. Flames shot forth from the cleric's hands, engulfing the remaining monsters. The hideous creatures shrieked as the inferno seared them, thoroughly burning them to a crisp. When the fire subsided, all that was left were a few charcoal husks that had already begun to crumble into smoke.
"We need to save the villagers," Pheros gasped, falling to her knees. Mana smoked off the cleric's hands from her overuse of magic spells.
"What about you?" Robin asked worriedly, looking at the exhausted woman.
"Go ahead, I will catch up shortly," She replied, giving a weak smile, "It'll take more than that to keep me down."
Robin nodded, her tactician's brain kicking into gear as she and Elaine dashed out of the alleyway.
The streets looked like something out of a nightmare. Screams of terror echoed throughout the town as the monsters ran rampant, attacking helpless civilians. Various wagons and carriages lay smashed around the road, perfectly complimenting the destroyed shop and stalls that lined the street. The few guards that were patrolling the area had their hands full with two of three monsters apiece, all of which were armed with either weapons or deadly claws. Bodies littered the streets, blood soaking the cobblestone below as the massacre continued above.
"First we need to maintain order," Robin stated, her inebriation forgotten as she fired spells left and right, saving a couple of guards.
Elaine nodded, hurling her lance at a group of the monsters. The spear pierced through the air, skewering two of the creatures together and pinning them to a wall. The tactician ran forward, raising her hand to the sky. She shot out a small green ball of fire, its emerald glow streaking through the sky as it sailed upwards above the roofs of the town. The fireball exploded with a loud bang, shattering into a shower of green embers. Everyone turned at the sound, even some of the monsters, pausing to look up at the green curtain of embers.
"Everyone listen up!" Robin commanded, climbing atop a crashed cart for a better vantage point, "Bring all injured and dying over here! We will protect them until help arrives!"
All the guards snapped to attention as if someone had flipped a switch in them, knocking away the ashen creatures and forming ranks. Some of them formed a ring around the tactician while others went to protect and escort the casualties. Elaine stood near the edge of the perimeter, a lance in each hand. She chucked the weapon after weapon, impaling monster after monster with deadly accuracy. Robin herself shot spell after spell into the crowd of monsters that swarmed them, setting a few on fire for the soldiers to finish off.
Suddenly, Robin felt something hit the back of her shoulder, pain bursting forth from the wound as something planted itself in her flesh. She cried in pain as she crouched down, looking over at her wound; It was a steel arrow buried up to the shaft in her skin. She whipped around, trying to locate where the attack had come from, her eyes scanning the area intently. Another arrow flew out of the shadows, aimed right at her chest. This time, however, Robin was prepared. She dodged to the side, the arrow cutting her frock as it whizzed past her body. Instantly, the tactician retaliated, firing an elthunder spell in the direction the arrow had come from. Robin knew she had hit her target after a loud shriek from the dark alleyway.
"So they have ranged weapons as well..." Robin muttered, scanning the area for any more ranged foes.
Her sharp eyes caught sight of a couple of monsters in the far back, bows in hand. They knocked their arrows to their bows, pulling the strings taut. Robin flung an elwind spell at the archers, sending a large gale towards the duo as they let their arrows fly. The wind blasted the arrows away, sending them clattering harmlessly to the ground.
"Elaine!" The silver-haired woman shouted, readying another spell, "They have archers!"
The pegasus knight nodded as she picked up another lance, aiming it towards the back of the enemy forces. Before the lance could leave her hand, a couple of fireballs shot forth from the alleyway behind them, flying over their heads and sniping the monster in the far back. Both girls turned their heads to see their benefactor.
"I'm here girls," Pheros called, striding over, "Thanks for holding on."
The cleric shot a barrage of spells into the crowd of monsters, pushing them back with the fiery assault. The guards pressed forward, emboldened by the appearance of their new ally.
"Pheros!" Robin called, dropping down from her post, "I need you to heal the injured, quickly!"
"Hold your horses there, Hon," Pheros said, grabbing the woman by her arm, "You are one of them said injured I'll have you know."
Before Robin could protest, Pheros grabbed the arrow embedded in her shoulder, yanking it out in one swift motion. Robin yelped in pain, clutching her wound and wincing in agony.
"Don't be such a baby, you've been through worse," Pheros sighed, channelling mana into her arms. Her hand began to glow a familiar green, emanating healing waves that she directed towards the injured girl.
"Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt!" Robin retorted, a scowl on her face. She relished the soothing relief that the healing spell provided, allowing it to permeate deep into her shoulder. After a short while, she looked down at her shoulder, pleased to see that it was as good as new.
"Now go win this battle," Pheros said, shooing away the tactician, "I have some casualties to tend to."
"You got it," Robin replied, charging to the frontlines. She dashed past Elaine, snatching a sword off the road as she did. Robin leapt forward, bringing her blade around in an arc and slashing two monsters simultaneously. The foul things cried in anger as Robin finished them off, swinging her sword at their necks, cutting them clean open. Purple smoke gushed out of the wound, dissipating into the air as the monsters disintegrated.
Just as Robin thought she could take a breath, a pair of sharp claws lashed out at her. The tactician managed to dodge backwards, striking back with a thunder spell. The creature shrieked as the magic hit it, paralysing it momentarily, allowing Robin to finish it with a critical strike to its throat.
Or... At least she would have, had it not been for the other monster that blindsided her, bashing her with its shield. The creature sent Robin flying, smashing her against a wall. She gritted her teeth, struggling to get back on her feet as her back throbbed in pain from the impact. The first monster had managed to recover from its electric shock, lunging at Robin with claws outstretched.
Before it could attack, a lance impaled its head from the side, killing the creature instantly.
"Thanks, Elaine!" Robin shouted, firing an elfire spell at the other monster. It blocked the attack, using its shield to protect itself. Robin had accounted for this, quickly darting around it and hacking its back to bits. The monster cried it last, collapsing into a cloud of smoke as it hit the floor.
Robin surveyed the battlefield, they were not losing people, but they were also far from routing the enemy. For every one they killed, it seemed like there were two to take its place. Robin could feel the morale of the guards dropping, her rally and Pheros' appearance had bought them some confidence but even that was beginning to dwindle.
Just then, loud war cries and the thundering of hooves pounding on cobbled roads could be heard. A grin crept across Robin's face as she knew her earlier signal had not gone unnoticed.
"Just hold on a bit longer!" Robin shouted, pointing her weapon at the enemies, "Our allies will be arriving soon!"
Just as she had finished speaking, a unit of cavalry burst onto the street, trampling over the monsters and cutting down all that survived. The guards roared fervently, their reinforcements spurring them onwards. They crashed into the hideous creatures, forcing them back with the bite of their steel. Loud howls of agony rose from the monsters as they were annihilated by the military, purple smoke fogging up the area as their bodies evaporated.
Robin smiled, looking at the massacre before her. She mentally pat herself on the back, glad that she had taught her fellow soldiers the distress signal she shot out prior.
Just as all was going well, a loud roar snapped Robin to attention. Wind rushed above her as a soldier flew over her head, crashing into another as he landed a good distance away. She turned around, watching as a larger monster fought back her forces, pushing them back with its savage attacks. The beast towered over the guards, at least five heads taller than a normal man and with the bulk to match. In one its huge hand, it held a large greatsword, bashing back anything that it did not straight up cut through. Across its pale flesh, it wore a broken suit of chainmail, the large holes in the armour telling of a fierce battle. The creature bellowed ferociously, swinging its massive weapon with reckless abandon, felling friend and foe alike.
"Elaine! With me!" Robin yelled, sprinting towards the mammoth of a monster. Elaine nodded, she too dashing towards it, a lance at the ready.
Robin reached the monster first, launching an elfire spell. It let out a grunt of pain as the flames hit its chainmail, searing the pale flesh underneath. It turning its attention to the silver-haired woman, growling menacingly. With a loud roar, it raised its weapon overhead, threatening to crush Robin with its next strike. The tactician jumped to the side, avoiding the monster's blade as it came crashing down to earth. The sheer impact of the blow sent Robin tumbling to the side, disorientating her.
Before the beast could attack the downed girl, a spear pierced clean through its arm, spurting black blood everywhere. It roared in anger, whipping around to see its attacker. The beast saw a cyan-haired girl running towards it, aiming a lance in her right hand.
"Hands off my friend, freak," Elaine growled, killing intent glinting in her eyes.
When she came within striking distance, the cyan-haired girl pivoted on her front leg, transferring her momentum into her right arm. With a loud shout, she chucked the spear at her target. The weapon sailed through the air, piercing the beast in the thigh. The monster howled in pain, glaring at the pegasus knight with murderous red eyes.
Despite its injured leg, it rushed towards her with surprising agility, dark ichor spewing out the wound as it charged. Elaine managed to dodge the first swing, rolling to the left as the huge blade cut the air where she had just been, barely missing her legs as it went by. However, as she lunged to grab another lance, the beast kicked her with its meaty leg. She let out a pained grunt as she flew towards a wall, the air leaving her body. She smacked the wall with a loud whack, falling down to the ground below.
"Elaine!" Robin cried, struggling to her feet. She began pooling mana as she saw the beast amble towards her fallen comrade, raising its blade in preparation. Panic began to flood Robin's mind as she lost her footing, whiffing her spell entirely. The monster now stood over Elaine, weapon poised to strike the motionless girl.
Suddenly, a red blur rushed past her, charging straight at the humanoid monstrosity. It buried a lance deep into the monster's side, piercing through the chainmail and flesh alike. The monster screamed in agony, toppling to the side from the force of the attack.
Robin looked at her saviour as he moved over to Elaine, dismounting from his horse to help the fallen girl.
He had long straight brown hair, pulled back into a thin ponytail that fell from the back of his head. The side of his face was covered by his long sideburns that stretched from his ears to his jawline, bordering his well-structured face that wore an expression of worry. His face was clean-shaven, save for a small goatee on his chin. His crimson cavalier's armour glinted in the moonlight, showing off scars of battles past. He leaned over Elaine, supporting her as he scanned her body for any injuries.
"Dalton!" Robin cried, stumbling as she made her way over, "Thank Naga you came!"
"I left the moment you sent the flare," The Valmese cavalier replied, laying Elaine down, "She doesn't have any major injuries. Just a minor concussion."
A loud growl caught the attention of both soldiers. They snapped their heads to the heap of pale flesh that was the large monster, dark ichor leaking out of its wounds as it rose to its feet.
"You okay to fight?" Dalton asked, drawing his sword from its scabbard as he mounted his horse.
"Yeah, I'm good," Robin replied, gripping her sword in her right hand while charging a spell in the other.
The humanoid beast roared, lurching forward. Robin ducked down as it swung its sword in a large arc, the air rushing past her hair as the blade passed overhead. Dalton spurred his horse forward, leaping into the monster and smashing its face with his hooves. The humongous monster grunted, reeling backwards from the blow and dropping his weapon. Dalton wasted no time, slashing at the beast's pale flesh as he circled around it. The monster saw its chance, bashing Dalton with its free hand. The man flew from his horse, grunting as he hit the ground.
"Elthunder!" Robin yelled, firing twin lightning bolts at the recovering menace. Her spell hit its mark, electrocuting the monster causing it to writhe in pain, collapsing to the ground once more. She danced around its side, striking at the flesh that lay unprotected but its chainmail.
Suddenly, the beast let out an anguished cry, sitting up and swinging its greatsword around wildly. Robin quickly leapt backwards, startled by the sudden outburst.
The ashen creature suddenly charged towards her, moving with such explosive force that its damaged thigh completely split apart, black blood gushing everywhere. It brought its sword down in an overhead arc, smashing the silver-haired girl. Robin managed to parry the attack, just barely able to deflect the heavy blow to her right. Even then, the impact from the attack still brought her to her knees. The second strike however, she was not ready for. The sword came from her left, biting deep into her arm. A sickening crack rang out as the blade broke through bone. Robin screamed in agony as she was thrown to the side, smashing into a nearby cart.
"Robin!" Dalton shouted, managing to regain his footing. Just as he wondered how he was going to fell the crippled beast, a lance suddenly appeared in the monster's head, spraying black ichor everywhere. The monster fell over dead, its body collapsing into a limp pile of flesh and metal.
"I'm still alive, freak," Elaine mumbled to the evaporating corpse, tottering over.
The two knights rushed over to the fallen tactician, gasping at what they saw. Robin was crumpled into a broken crate, writhing in agony as she seethed through her teeth. She had other minor cuts and injuries sprinkled about her body but her left arm was the worst. The appendage hung limply at her side, clearly broken given the way it was twisted. It was cut at the upper half, broken bone splintering through the wound. Blood oozed freely out the gash, soaking the arm of her coat.
"By the gods..." Dalton muttered, his voice lost as he assessed her injuries, "Elaine, stay here. I'll go get Pheros."
The cyan-haired pegasus knight nodded, turning to soothe Robin as Dalton rode off to find the blonde cleric. The tactician writhed in agony, the pain in her arm driving her crazy.
"You're gonna be fine Robin," Elaine cooed, stroking the top of her head, "Right now I need you to be calm."
Robin opened her mouth to speak but only sounds of agony escaped her lips. She nodded slowly, ceasing her struggling. Tears of anguish leaked out the corners of her eyes as she fought the urge to move burst out crying. The pain she felt in her arm was indescribable; every breath she took caused waves of hurt to shoot up her arm. Even when she did not move, the feeling of the cold night air on her raw flesh brought enough agony to make her want to kill herself.
Dalton returned with Pheros in tow, the blonde woman beside herself with worry. She leapt off the back of Dalton's horse, dashing towards her injured friend. She slid to a stop next to her, scraping her knees on the rough road.
"Oh Mila, Robin..." She uttered, hesitating to touch the injured girl. Her eyes were instantly drawn to her arm as it lay horrifically mangled and bleeding. She instantly grabbed her dress, tearing a piece off. She motioned for Elaine to hold Robin down. The pegasus knight obliged, taking a firm grip on the tactician.
"Hon, I need you to bite on this," Pheros said slowly, rolling the fabric and slotting it into the other girl's mouth, "I need to move your arm into its original place before I can begin healing it. It will hurt like hell but please bear with it."
Robin nodded, her eyes still shut tight. Without warning, Pheros grabbed her broken arm, quickly moving it into position. Robin let out a bloodcurdling scream, thrashing about as she felt as if her arm was being torn off. Blood spurted out of the wound, painting the road beneath a dark red. Elaine struggled to hold Robin down, even needing Dalton to step in and restrain her. Blood sprayed over the floor
"I'm so sorry, Hon..." Pheros sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks, "Just... Please bear with it..."
Robin's cry tore at her heart, causing the cleric to look away momentarily. Despite being muffled by the rag in her mouth, the pain she felt was clear through the tears that ran freely down her face. It killed Pheros inside to see her best friend in such a sorry state, struggling to even to just stay conscious as the sheer agony threatened to cause her to pass out.
After moving her arm, Pheros quickly removed all the pieces of bone that stuck out of the flesh. Every time Pheros touched a piece, Robin cried in protest, struggling as waves of pain coursed through her body. Elaine bit her lip in frustration, cursing herself being unable to help her friend. Dalton too had a grim look on his face. He had seen many injuries similar to this in his military service, most of which killed the people that sustained them.
Once the last bone fragment had been removed, Pheros immediately began healing the squirming girl.
She channelled all her mana through her arms as the yellow, almost golden light of Recover, one of the most powerful healing spells, shone from her hands. The magic worked its way through the exposed flesh, sewing it together over the smashed bone. Fresh skin formed over the newly regenerated muscle, covering up the gash entirely.
Pheros grabbed a broken piece of timber, tying it to Robin's arm with more strips of her dress. The tactician whined in agony as the fabric tightened around her arm, binding the wood to her tender flesh. Elaine pulled her now tattered shawl from her shoulders, using it as a sling for the mangled arm.
Robin's breathing eased as the pain ebbed, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Sweat beaded down her forehead from the torturous ordeal, her skin pale from the loss of blood.
"Hon, are you okay?" Pheros asked, her voice shaking. She cupped her friend's face, worry and concern written all over her face. Tear marks ran down her cheeks, her body shuddering from her sobs.
The injured woman nodded lethargically, her mouth falling open as her face hung slack. Her eyes were now open but kept rolling back as she teetered along the edge of consciousness.
"Come, let's go back," Elaine whispered as she slipped her shoulder under Robin's arm, pulling the silver-haired girl to her feet, "Captain, you need to stay here too."
"What? Why?!" Pheros cried distraughtly, "She needs me!"
"And so do the casualties here," Dalton reasoned, clapping a hand on the cleric's shoulder, "You've done a lot for Robin, she's already stable. The villagers here however are still injured and dying."
Pheros looked to protest but instead held her tongue, letting out a sigh.
"Fine but... just... take good care of her..." She whispered, her voice faint with worry.
The pegasus knight nodded, helping Robin into a cart as they set off towards the castle.
