Chapter 2!
...
Leo shut his eyes and tears spilled from the corners. So it was true, then. The only person who hadn't forgiven him was himself. He did not pull away when Jean took his hand in both of hers.
"That's all well and good, but we still have to figure out what we're going to do," Lemina said.
"What if I carry him with us?" Ruby squeaked.
They all turned toward where her voice had come from. She had settled next to Leo's right shoulder, offering the warmth of her tiny form.
"I'm not really used to transforming for long periods of time, but I could try," Ruby continued.
"That might actually work," said Hiro. "Unless it would be too hard for you to hold the form."
"No, I can do it!" Ruby said, eager to help. "I just won't be as much help fighting, especially after that last attack."
"What do you guys think?" Hiro asked, turning to the rest of the group.
"It won't do much for Leo, but at least this way we'll stay together," said Ronfar. Everyone else nodded.
"All right, then," Ruby said. She backed up to give herself space, then transformed. Her full dragon form nearly filled the narrow cavern.
"Someone's going to have to hold onto him," Hiro said. No one was surprised when Jean quickly offered to do it. She seemed reluctant to let go of Leo even for a moment.
Ruby knelt on her front legs and lowered her head, allowing Jean to climb on and sit in the groove in front of Ruby's wings. Ronfar and Hiro carefully lifted Leo and placed him in front of Jean, who held him in a gentle embrace.
"Shall we continue on then?" Ruby said as she stood up to her full height. Her voice was no longer high and shrill but a dark, feminine alto.
The group pressed on, led by Hiro's map, which basically followed the stream most of the way. The cave was surprisingly quiet, and they met no enemies.
The stream ended in a waterfall over a black pit, right next to a tunnel. Hiro looked at his map.
"We're close," he said. "That tunnel will take us to the transport."
They stopped for a quick rest, and to take advantage of the stream one last time.
Ruby knelt down, allowing Jean to get off and for Hiro and Ronfar to help Leo down.
"We're almost there, my friend," Ronfar said.
Just when they thought they were safe to take a break, a roar suddenly echoed through the cave, startling the group of adventurers.
"Monsters!" Hiro shouted. He and Ronfar took position on either side of the women and Leo.
A single guardian came growling out of the shadows. But this one was different from the others. It was at least twice as big as the previous enemies had been. Hiro's head just barely came to its waist.
Ruby lunged forward, snarling.
"No, Ruby, get back!" Hiro yelled. "Protect the others!"
Ruby obeyed, slowly backing away from the guardian. Now was a time to defend, not attack.
Jean kept a firm hold on Leo as Ruby protectively raised her wings in front of them.
The Guardian raised its seven-foot sword and swung downward at Hiro. Its bulk made it slow, and Hiro was easily able to dodge. The sword slammed into the ground, and the whole cave shook. Several small rocks fell from the ceiling.
Hiro started charging his sword with another magic spell. Ronfar stood in front of Lemina, mace out and ready.
The Guardian swung its sword again, this time striking the wall and causing several even larger rocks to fall around them.
"It's going to take down the whole cave at this rate!" Ronfar yelled.
Hiro made three rapid strikes at the guardian. Its armor shattered, blood splattering everywhere. It fell backwards, hitting the ground with a resounding thud.
And then the cave collapsed.
Jean awoke coughing, dust coating her throat. All she remembered of the cave in was her friends screaming and all light going out.
"Ruby? Leo?" she called.
"Right here," Ruby chirped, landing onto Jean's shoulder, back in her baby dragon form. "Thank the goddess! I was afraid you were dead!"
"Hold on a second, I'll get something for you to light, Jean said. She walked blindly with her hands in front of her, stumbling over rocks and rubble, until she found a wall. She walked along it looking for a torch, and was relieved to find one rather quickly.
"Hurry, Ruby, light this," she said.
Ruby held a steady flame long enough for Jean to get the torch burning brightly. She held it up to the darkness and quickly found Leo, half buried in dirt and stones.
Jean and Ruby went quickly to work digging him out.
"J-Jean, what h-happened?" Leo asked as they quickly pulled several large rocks off of him.
"Just a small cave in, nothing to worry about," said Jean. "You're almost out."
"P-please h-hurry... This hurts..." Leo's teeth were chattering.
"Can anyone hear me?!" Hiro's voice came from the darkness.
"Yes, I'm here with Ruby and Leo," Jean called back. "Are the others with you?"
"Yes, Ronfar, Lemina, and I are all fine, but we have a big problem. The cave in caused a barrier. We've checked in both directions, but there's no way back to the side you're on. Are you all okay?"
"We're all right, we just have to-" Jean froze as she pushed the last of the large stones off Leo's body. The light bandage over his wound was soaked through with blood.
"Oh, goddess," Jean whispered, feeling nauseous. She heard Ruby gasp in shock.
"Jean? Is everyone all right?" Hiro called again.
"No," Jean managed to respond, "No, Leo's bleeding. It's bad, Hiro!"
"Stay calm." Ronfar's voice came from the darkness. "Check the wound. Are you sure the blood is fresh?"
With shaking hands, Jean carefully pulled off the soaked bandage.
Panic gripped her stomach. Leo was going to bleed out in a matter of minutes. His eyes were already glazing over from the shock.
"The stitching is all torn out. It must have happened in the collapse," Jean said. "Ronfar, he's fading! I don't know what to do!"
There was a short pause.
Then, "Listen very carefully; he doesn't have much time. Ruby is going to have to cauterize the wound," Ronfar said.
"It could kill him!" Jean objected.
"Maybe, but if you don't, he'll certainly bleed to death. We need him hold on at least until we get Lucia back. I'm sure she'll be able to heal him." Ronfar tried to sound confident, but his fear for his friend's life made its way into his voice.
"I don't think I can," Ruby said, tears in her eyes.
"Please, Ruby." It was Hiro now that pleaded with his childhood friend. "He'll die if you don't."
"What if I mess up?"
"You won't," Ronfar assured her. "Now, use your flame breath. It won't take much."
"Okay, I'll try," Ruby said.
Jean held Leo steady in her arms, his bleeding side exposed to Ruby.
"All right, Ruby. Be quick," Jean said. Ruby nodded, determined.
The Red Dragon took a deep breath.
Leo's agonized scream rang in his friends' ears long after it was reduced to short gasps of pain.
"Oh, goddess, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry," Ruby said as tears poured from her eyes.
"No, you did great, Ruby," Jean said, though she was close to tears herself. She could feel Leo trembling in her embrace, and he continued to gasp, eyes wild and unfocused.
"Is he all right?" Ronfar called from the darkness.
"He's alive, and he's not bleeding anymore. Other than that..." Jean trailed off.
"Hiro, Lemina, and I are going to press ahead. We'll be back as soon as we can, with help." Ronfar said. "Jean, Ruby... Take care of him for me."
"We will," Jean said, resolutely.