Gore warning! Some descriptions involve blood and wounds. If this is something you're sensible to please skip the part beginning with "-".
Chapter 5
One way to hell
Escaping the island of Braccus Rex's old stronghold proved to be far more challenging than expected. The fort itself was heavily guarded, with magister patrols keeping an eye on the Sourcerers in the ghetto. Despite that no one kept a close watch on the habitant's whereabouts as it was virtually impossible to escape the isle. In the void-infested ocean any raft that could be salvaged from the sun-scorched planks would not stand a chance. The chasm that separated the hidden alcove that Fane had found from the rest of the island was also impassable without proper equipment, equipment that they lacked.
Their relationship with the inhabitants of the prison was mixed. So far every quarrel or trouble the party encountered was solved diplomatically either by Elane's eloquence, or rather imposing strength, and Vermil's wits, though it became difficult to keep this attitude up. They already got on the camp boss Griff's bad side for not turning in a thief, eventually being forced to steer clear of the ghetto kitchens. All they managed to achieve there was setting free a false elven suspect kept under key by the brute. He, in turn, showed them a refuge in a cavern and shared a potential plan of escape.
What's more, an encounter with a strange fellow back at the makeshift village left them with information that a powerful artifact could be found in the stomachs of local crocodiles. However absurd, this idea implied one fact - fighting was unavoidable one way or another.
Vermil shared this observation as the party was sitting on the beach to discuss their next move, in a safe distance from any prying eyes.
Elane nodded, as she dug her bare feet into the warm sand. "I can fight, if you stay behind I believe I'll be able to protect you..."
"You don't think I am going to stand idle, do you?" Fane said, his tone somewhat irritated, "I happen to be a brilliant wizard but that does not mean I cannot handle a blade or bow."
"I…" Lohse spoke out loud too, "I took up enchanting recently, so I might be of help as well."
"Think we got it settled?" Vermil asked, "Our lovely elves fighting out front and we at the back-"
Elane raised her hand, her tone stern.
"I would rather have the three of you behind. I do not want to risk your health, let alone your lives." After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence she added," I am strong, probably stronger than all of you so do not worry about me."
Vermil raised his eyebrows as this statement was impossible to deny, for now. "Fine," and he stood up, dusting off his ragged pants.
The elf was the one to enter the crocolidian lair while the rest of the party hid on a nearby ridge that was overlooking the den. The fight turned out to be a complete and utter chaos. The monsters proved to be capable of using magic, not to mention their strange teleporting ability. Elane's blunt two-hander struggled to cut through their scales. The only way to get to them was to aim for their soft bellies and she only learned this fact by accident.
The biggest beast charged at the elf and caught her arm between it's jaws. She cried in pain but eventually, with great effort, lifted the beast head with her limb, the sharp teeth buried deep in her flesh, and swung the blade at the exposed throat. The crocodile trashed around, tearing the muscles from her arm. She cried again, thrusting the dull blade under its jaw again and again until it stopped moving. An explosion somewhere behind followed her victory and then all was silent again. Turning around she saw Lohse running towards her as fast as a human could. Vermil followed. Elane winced in pain, her left arm a mess of torn muscles and crushed bone. Hardly any skin left. The redhead stopped in her tracks the moment she saw the wound.
"They got you...bad," she whispered, turning somewhat paler. Next second she raised her hands and a stream of magic enveloped both herself and the elf. The bleeding stopped in an instant and muscles began to twitch back into place. Then the magic faded.
"It's the best I can do for now...I guess you need to refrain from handshakes for a while," she smiled faintly, trying to cheer up the wounded.
Once the magic was gone the pain flooded Elane's brain once again. She managed to smirk at Lohse's remark before the distress altered her confirming that Elane is not mortally wounded, Vermil began dissecting the slain beast in search for the artifact. Fane was quick to document the Lohse helped the elf to sit on a nearby boulder. After a few gut-wrenching, wet sounds a pair of gloves were torn free from the monster's stomach. When the human scholar presented the find to the rest of the group no one seemed impressed, most looks eyeing the garment were almost disappointed.
"Anything that gets us closer to leaving this place, I suppose…" he muttered to himself as he turned towards the sea, trying to get the blood off his hands and sleeves.
Fane finished writing a quick summary of the battle and what he observed in the terms of the creature's anatomy in his notebook and hesitantly approached the two women, taking a quick glance at Elane's wounded arm. "This surely will take some time to heal," he observed.
She shrugged in response, carefully as not to move the injured shoulder. " You are in one piece though, that is important."
Vermil approached them too, cringing at the gory sight. "It's no use having you on the frontline if the monsters will simply tear you to pieces, Elane," he said as he began to rummage through his bag.
"I am fine," the elf insisted.
Finally, he pulled out a piece of relatively clean bandage and handed it to Lohse. The woman gave him a nod and began carefully wrapping the elf's arm. A relief could be seen in Elane's eyes. "Now just to keep that thing on and pretend to be in pain," she thought. As the wrapping sat tightly on her limb an unpleasant sting of regeneration began.
The dusk of yet another day enveloped the island in evening chill. The party decided to camp at the hidden alcove, tucked away from the magisters' ears but close enough to the fort to keep an eye on it. A small bonfire warded off the setting darkness. Makeshift tents and bedrolls were scattered all around it.
It's been a few days since the first fight and some progress was made. The island proved somewhat resourceful as long as you had enough strength to take what you needed. Having discovered the prison below the fort the party had but a taste of freedom in recent days. For now they rested, knowing all too well to save strength for the great escape. Elane sat near the fire, the collar on her neck glowing as faintly as her eyes. A crescent spot of light was illuminating her iris, the exact shape of the rising moon.
Lohse emerged from the vine curtain that was hiding the entrance to the camp, returning from some errands. She kneeled right next to the elf, holding a few linen spools.
"Brought you some fresh bandages, here, let me help with-" she offered but Elane touched her 'wounded' arm protectively.
"Why, thank you," the elf replied,"but I do not want to trouble you with this…ugly sight and all." Having said that, she snatched a bandage from Lohse's hand and disappeared to a more remote part of the alcove.
Woman's annoyed huff followed her all the way there. "Very well, if you feel like growing a third arm to do this on your own, miss I'll-do-it-myself, then have it your way!"
Fane was sitting alone on a ledge covered in moss, lost in his notes. This, however, did not stop him from noticing the elf's presence. He lifted up his skull, only his chin peeking from underneath his cowl.
"I brought some bandages," the elf seated herself next to the scholar.
He eyed her suspiciously. "I can see, you need me to wrap up your wound? I have heard you declining such service from this human women, strangely rational of you,"
"I brought them for you, let me take off your hood," she creeped closer, almost tugging at the cloth covering Fane's skull.
"Wait, why? What for!?" not expecting such demand, his tone turned distressed.
"To hide your face, what else? Fights are getting intense, Gods know what might happen," she began unraveling the cloth, looking expectantly.
"Do you not think your wounds need this wrap more than my skull does?" he almost hissed, irritated.
"Look, it's fine…" she breathed dismissively.
"What is? You want to tell me that this awful wound of yours does not hurt? Even if not, it will surely start after getting infected. My own bones ached at the sight."
An angry, irritated expression took over the elf's features. She huffed then stood up and pulled the skeleton to the very brink of the ledge, further away from the camp. She pulled him down back to a crouch, keeping a firm grasp on his forearm bones.
"I can keep a secret," she whispered, even though her tone was in no way soft, "and I believe you could do the same…"
"I am the very last person to share anything with those thickheaded humans so if we could please get it over with…" he whispered, trying to pull his arm free as the last words were
leaving his jaw.
Elane relaxed her grip and Fane used the opportunity to set himself free, though he didn't try to run away. Then she began to peel the cloth away from her skin, revealing healthy, untouched tissue underneath. As the limb was laid bare, the skeleton grabbed it discourteously and began to examine it thoroughly.
"You have access to powerful healing magic, I take it?" he said as his fingers were running up and down the skin he just recently saw torn and exposing the muscles underneath. The arm was quickly pried away from his grasp.
"None that I can use consciously. My body regenerates from wounds on it's own and quickly."
"Does it really?" enthusiasm could be heard in the scholar's tone, the very same could be heard from him during talks about flayed faces and ethical ways to acquire them.
"You just witnessed it, didn't you? As much as I would love to give answers, I have none so far," the moonlight eyes flickered then looked down, "I was hoping such a great scholar as yourself could tell me something about this...condition."
"You are an interesting specimen, I must admit. Unfortunately I cannot recall anything vaguely resembling those strange...traits you possess." he took out his notebook, scribbling something in hurry. "Lucky for you, Elane, I seek to master the secrets of the universe. Whatever it is that your body hides, I'll unravel it, given enough time."
She reached for his hand that was holding a pen, grasping it softly.
"You...don't know yet?" her whole presence seemed to be trembling with anticipation and disbelief. "Is this nothing...familiar..?" she almost pleaded.
"Worry not, things hardly remain inexplicable to me for long,"
Elane now held his hand between both of hers, her look dazed and lips trembling.
"You will help me, right?"
"Of course I will, as dull as this world appears to be, this case is a breath of fresh air...or so to speak.
The elf felt her heart sink at the revelation, nevertheless she smiled faintly, nodding slowly.
"So, can I wrap up your head now?" her tone calm, resigned, as she attempted once again to pull off Fane's hood.
"You still insist on doing it? Tell me, what comes off ,to you creatures, as more strange, a talking skeleton or a fellow talking despite having his jaw bandaged?" he inquired, peeved, holding onto his hood dearly.
"You're giving them much more credit than deserved..." she lowered her hands, a shadow of a smirk crossing her face.
Back at their camp Vermil had just finished chopping wood for tonight. Lohse was sitting near the fire, nudging the embers with a stick. She looked up, trying to pierce the darkness that hid their companions but to no avail. The light has blinded her. The man sat nearby.
"They seem to get along just fine, it seems," the redhead woman noted. Squinting.
"She's obsessed with the guy as far as I am concerned," he noted, smiling mischievously.
"Have you known her before all that?"
"I've met her on the deck, just like you. Though I thought they had something going on seeing them converse. Then again, it's rather strange for anyone to not have history with you. The many-tongued Lohse. I've seen your performance in Arx...it was rather spectacular," the man turned his head to her, relaxing his posture.
"Even the part with magisters pulling me off the stage?"
"That was the cherry on top," his grin widened.
Lohse burst into hearty laughter. "I couldn't have asked for a better audience, really." After a few moments she calmed, a spark of curiosity visible in her pitch black eyes.
Only a glance was enough for Vermil to continue and explain. "Indeed, one day I am a free man enjoying what life has to offer and the very next my hand slips and makes the greatest séance mankind has witnessed in the middle of the merchant square," he finished his story with a dramatic gesture.
Lohse blinked a few times, unsure.
"You did that...on purpose?"
The man crossed his arms and closed his eyes with a content, smug expression on his face.
"Of course, I had a feeling that wherever those red idiots took the beautiful singer I had to follow."
Lohse blushed at this comment, then looked confused and with furrowed brows began to chew on the white strand of her hair. "Why?"
Vermil's careless, flirty mask faded in an instant. He dipped his head as he looked at her.
"I mean no disrespect but the act you'd performed was spectacular. I haven't seen nor heard of outbursts that violent. I am a scholar, Lohse. I had studied the use of Source but the raw power of what you did was immense. It is my duty to study and understand such phenomena. Straying away from scholarly talk though, I did want to help. I know you have lost control."
The fire's faint sparks flickered in Lohse's eyes as she sat still, silent. The man touched her shoulder gently, he did not disturb the silence. After a while a usual smile appeared on the redhead's face.
"Thanks, chief," her tone betrayed relief, maybe even hope.