Author's Notes: I think this has become my most popular beginning fic. I'm flattered!
"There is fel energy in this wound, there has to be."
High Priestess Bethaniel's voice was a strained whisper as she hovered her hands over the rogue's bare torso. Two male priests, the only ones serving in the Temple currently, held the man down on the table as he thrashed and moaned violently. The healing was not going well: it seemed that the wounds re-opened as soon as we closed them, and he was in an abnormal amount of agony. My hands trembled as I tried to channel another pain relief spell into him. He cried out, nearly tearing himself out of the priests' grasp. All of us, the three priestesses and the two priests, leapt to hold him from injuring himself further.
"Abilene!" Bethaniel's voice was sharp as she leaned on him with her entire upper body. "Go stand by his head, keep him calm."
"Yes High Priestess." I did as I was told, taking his head in both hands, keeping it lined up with the rest of his body. A priest each held one of his arms, and Priestess Mavilan lay across his legs. Bethaniel's voice rose in a chant that I recognized to draw out fel energy, and preemptively I tried to catch the man's attention to distract him.
"Sir, sir!" I said uncertainly. For the first time, I regretted that I had withheld my name, that I had kept my secrets so locked down from the outside. I smoothed his blue hair away from his sweaty forehead, and whispered a soothing incantation, hoping that it would be enough. There was a brief flash of dull green light just outside of my vision and I started at the same time that he did, pulling away from my hands and knocking his forehead against my chin. Stars burst into my vision and I held his head down firmly as he gasped in pain.
"I have it," said Bethaniel, at the same time that the rogue relaxed down onto the table. I continued to smooth his hair back from his face, wondering what sort of trouble he had gotten himself into to get such a cursed wound.
"What kind of person would lace a weapon with fel energy?" It was a rhetorical musing, but the High Priestess took it as seriously as she did everything else.
"A mortal enemy." Her sombre voice discouraged anymore conversation as she finally was able to bind his wounds together effectively. I released my hold on his head when she finished, but my attention was captured by a faint whisper. I looked down in surprise, and saw that he was watching me out of dull silver eyes. He was obviously still in pain, but he cleared his throat so he could speak to me. I leaned closer to catch his voice.
"...Reyloran." He swallowed and tried again, louder. "I am called Reyloran."
I inclined my head at him. "Thank you, Reyloran, for your name."
I'm not sure what the expression on my face was, but it seemed to satisfy him, and he nodded before closing his eyes and relaxing into unconsciousness.