Disclaimer: As per usual, I own nothing, so sue me for being annoyed by repeating it over and again and again.
*Trying to type through drug induced haze* Need sleep, can't sleep, ergo, type-y-ness. I'm gonna work on this until I actually fall asleep…excuse any loopiness or bad grammar if I don't catch it in the proofread.
Cue rant: okay, so Princess Sin pointed out something painfully obvious to me: Demons cannot use Maryoku in Human territory. Now, there are two reasons why I am going to ignore this little fact that is for some odd reason acceptable in Kyou Kara Maou. Reason One: I think it is just something that the author (whom I have the deepest respect for) made up just to make Wolfram miserable and pissy every time he and Yuuri went anywhere. Reason Two: It makes no sense that they cannot use power. So there are esoteric stones in human territory…that can't constrict power everywhere. If it did, then how the hell did the demons (who would be powerless do to these stones) beat vast armies of humans who had esoteric mages and a whole bunch of other shit? Answer: they couldn't. Ergo, I think that healing magic should be fine…sorry to anyone who disagrees. Also, I rewatched a bunch of KKM yesterday and both Wolfram and Yuuri can use healing powers in human territories, so I'm gonna assume it's possible. End Rant.
Chapter 12
Conrart and the others hurried up the stairs, Conrart going last, working hard to go as fast as his men, despite his heavy load. He reached the top of the stairs and found the hall empty but for his men. He saw two men from another of the groups had reached the stairs as well and had been watching for the enemy to come this way.
He signaled to them, asking if they'd lost anyone. One signaled back that they're third man in the group was alive, but wounded. Conrart told Evrard silently to go with them to see to the injured soldier. Evrard nodded and followed one of the new men back the way he'd come.
And then, somebody finally noticed they didn't belong there. He was about to yell when a soldier shot forward, drawing his sword across the man's throat. The rebel slid to the ground, blood gushing, and the soldier ran past, followed by Conrart and the others.
They moved silently to the west entrance which was closest and slipped out. Viktor was waiting for them just inside the woods. He had fully recovered from his injuries. He stepped out looking at the men Conrart had with him, scanning them.
And a look of pure horror filled his eyes when he saw Evrard was not with them. Conrart caught the look and moved forward, still carrying Yozak. He leaned close to whisper in Viktor's ear, "Evrard is fine. He went to treat an injured soldier at the southern entrance."
Relief flooded the young man's face and he murmured a thanks.
"But we'll have to discuss this situation in more detail when we get home."
Viktor nodded gravely. Conrart stepped back and signaled that they were retreating, but sent one man to tell the others to pull out. Then they ran like wild dogs through the forest.
Conrart carried Yozak all the way back to the rendezvous point where the remainder of his men waited with the horses, despite occasional attempts from other soldiers to lighten his burden. Conrart was having none of it though. He needed to hold on to Yozak. He wasn't sure when this possessive attitude had come over him, but there it was and he wasn't letting Yozak go for any reason.
He heard a call from one of his soldiers and then the sounds of armor clanking as the men waiting scrambled to their feet to help the returning men.
When Conrart appeared in the clearing, several men whooped their delight to see they had returned with Yozak, but their excitement drained when they realized that Yozak looked basically dead. Conrart started to speak but his voice was soft and shaky, the pain and fear for Yozak was evident there. He bit his lip, and clamped down on his emotions. When he tried again, he spoke in his commander voice. "Get the horses ready, as soon as the last squad returns, we are leaving. Move out!" he yelled and the men hastened to obey. "I also want a message sent to Blood Pledge Castle. I want a med squad waiting for us on the outskirts of Shin Makoku when we get there."
"Yes sir," a soldier responded and hurried off to find one of the messenger birds.
Conrart started casting about, looking for his horse. She was saddled and waiting for him with the others. Conrart carried Yozak over and hoisted him up into the saddle, then grabbed some rope he carried in a saddle bag and proceeded to tie Yozak to the horse.
While he worked, he heard a sharp whistle, the signal of the rest of the men returning. Conrart turned to see that the seven returning men had been in a fight. Two of the soldiers were being carried. Two others supported a third injured soldier, Evrard, who was sporting a bloody leg wound.
Viktor let out a strangled cry and ran to help his lover. Conrart joined them to look over the damage. The two being carried were set down gently, both unconscious. "I knocked them out," Evrard said with a soft gasp. "Jacut's got a stomach wound. Connac and I got shot when the enemy spotted me trying to heal Jacut. We had to run for it." He turned to see Viktor was working healing magic on his leg. "Get off. Jacut and Connac need it more and I'm too drained."
Viktor grimaced but nodded and started work on Connac's shoulder wound. Conrart considered. These men were too injured to ride his horse was the only one that could handle two full grown men for any distance. He gritted his teeth, knowing this would slow them down, but they couldn't wearing down the horses.
"Gregor!" he yelled for another soldier.
"Sir!"
"Take two men and go get a carriage." He went back to his horse and dug out a bag of gold. He returned and handed it to Gregor. "Commandeer one if necessary but move it."
"Yessir." He hurried off to do as ordered.
"You four, keep watch for rebels."
"Sir!" They scattered as well. Conrart looked back at the injured. Evrard held a hand over his own injuries. It glowed very faintly. His power was nearly used up. Viktor's power was still fairly strong. He had finished with Connac and had moved on to Jacut, who'd been partially healed already.
The problem was that there was only so much the two could do. Healing themselves and other full blooded Mazoku was hard enough in human territory, but Connac, Jucut and Yozak were half bloods and more resistant to healing. He needed Gisela. She could heal Yozak fully, right? Fear ripped through him again. What if she couldn't heal him? What if he died before they got home?
Conrart was starting to lose it. He hurried back to his horse and untied Yozak since he'd end up in the carriage anyway and carried him over to the other injured soldiers. When he laid him in the grass, he ran his hands gently over the young man's beaten face. He looked in such bad shape that Conrart was shaking with fear. "Yozak," he whispered over his best friend's seemingly lifeless body.
To be continued…
Gah this took forever to write. Sorry about the wait. Between Junjou May and just being busy, I haven't been able to focus on this story very well. But now it's finally ready to post, so please review for the sake of my sanity
Thanks for reading!
