Chapter 8.
Amber rests on a bed wrapped in white sheets. Her chest rose and fell in a constant rhythm under the fabrics and her face showed a serene expression that did not reveal any particular emotion beyond the lack of consciousness.
Nelyafinwe, now with his returned clothes, knew that under those sheets the girl's belly was wrapped in white bandages as a result of the surgery that had been carried out a few hours ago. Although he did not witness the process, it was obvious that the human healers, now called doctors, did an exceptional job.
Her life was no longer in danger, although given the reports, it seemed that it would take her a while to wake up and she would have to follow constant medication along with physical therapy. That was the least of it, since the maiden would not walk again any time soon. Her spine had been hit by Tyrian's stinger, although that in itself was lethal, the venom released completely destroyed thebone and part of the marrow. That had been the most complicated part of the procedure for her salvation, they were able to replace the lost vertebra with a synthetic implant but that was it.
As the elf waited by the bed, leaning against the frame of a chair, the door opened and the familiar smell of alcohol filled his nose. He didn't need to turn around to know what Qrow was about, but he did because the other two people to enter were doctors and might have something important to communicate.
"Is there anything new with her? a new affliction perhaps?".
"None of that kid, she's fine for now," the Huntsmen said as he casually waved his hand at the doctors. They were a small, bald man next to a tall, blonde woman wearing pronounced glasses, dressed in white coats.
"They are here for you."
"For me? I have not suffered any misfortune during the battle, any wound will be healed only with rest and food." The prince didn't care that much about his own health, it's not like he received a lethal wound, just superficial cuts at worst.
"We will decide that, young man! Don't you notice the blood in your stomach?" The doctor pointed a pen to the elf's abdomen, showing that the bullet wounds were still fresh but he was no longer bleeding as much as before.
"It will only take a few minutes, young man. After this you will be free." The woman seemed less grumpy than her companion, although it was obvious that part of her wanted to observe the strange but fascinating specimen in front of her.
"Do what you have to do, but that will be it."
Qrow left the room letting out a sigh. The mission had gone to shit and it was all his fault. He leaned his back against the wall as he brought a palm to his forehead and let himself be crushed by the weight of guilt.
It had all been his fault. Ozpin had given him the task of watching over the Autumn Maiden on her way home, to protect her if necessary. But his stupid stomach thought about drinking something to get through the wait. As always, at first it was just one drink, then it became two and after an hour he lost track of how much he had ingested.
By the time he wanted to know, he was on an overturned truck watching the girl being disemboweled by a lunatic. It was only thanks to the adrenaline and his aura that the alcohol stopped having its effect on him for a short time, but it was too late and the Maiden was now in grave danger. Because of him...
Qrow took a seat in one of the chairs in the hallway. He felt a strange metallic cold between his fingers and before he realized it he had the flask in front of his lips. When he felt overwhelmed by everything from work, boredom, or even guilt, alcohol had been the relief and agony of his entire life as a Huntsmen.
Not anymore.
There was a trash can next to his seat. Just a simple movement of his arm and he would never see the container again. He was really tempted to do it, but no, he just put it back in his vest. He could always leave it tomorrow.
He took a scroll out of his pocket and dialed the secret emergency number.
"Oz, I screwed up big time and now we have a problem."
The image of Amber's unconscious body physically connected to multiple tubes and wires was not something that brought him comfort, and it was definitely not in his plans to undergo the same treatment. Fortunately, the doctors weren't thinking about that either and focused on a simple procedure to disinfect and close the wound after removing the bullets.
"Your friend said this was a classified Huntsmen matter, but as a doctor, I feel obliged to recommend that you avoid combat without aura." The doctor declared as she applied a strange burning ointment to the elf's damaged flesh.
"He is not a friend of mine, just an ally due to circumstances. And I can't make promises when it comes to battle." He had no control over the flow of things, ultimately everything was going to depend on what the old crow's plan was and how his enemies react to it.
"Ok, but we will awaken your Aura before we discharge you, just as a precaution." The prince didn't know exactly what the aura was, but he had an idea. When he fought against that convicted criminal, his blows had been stopped by an unknown force, preventing the lunatic's life from ending in a single blow. Meanwhile, in his clash with that mysterious woman, he could feel a strange energy emanating from her body. Perhaps that Aura was some kind of protective enchantment, just like the Dragon Helm of Dor-Lomin.
With his wounds already treated, the elderly doctor called Qrow into the room.
"okay kid, this might be a little strange, just relax." And then he placed his palms on the redhead's forehead and the other on his chest, right over his heart. But before he could blink, the elf grabbed the Huntsman by the collar of his vest and brought him dangerously close to his face. His eyes expressed a deadly metallic edge in their silver flashes.
"I won't feel any regrets about what I'll do if you keep calling me kid."
"Okay, okay, this is more uncomfortable than intimidating you know?" Qrow didn't raise his voice, and he actually wasn't scared in the slightest. It's just that having another man's face so close was not an experience he wanted to have again. Although the blonde doctor next to them didn't seem to mind such a sight.
Returning to the process, the veteran Hunstmen placed his hands on the elf's forehead and chest, closed his eyes and recited a kind of chant while his body glowed with flashes of dark red. Qrow frowned and closed his eyes as he concentrated his own aura into Nelyo's body. He had very little experience awakening the latent power of others. The only times he did it were with his sister and niece, always ending with a bad taste in mouth.
This was not like those times, when their souls came into contact, it was like holding a hot iron in his hands. The heat of the spirit was not something unknown, everyone knew that the soul was like a unique flame in each of the children of Remnant but this intensity was on another level. This heat was intense, violent and destructive. An incandescent flame is not made to provide shelter and guidance in dark times, it was not a campfire, it was...
He withdrew his hands as quickly as he could when his aura reached a critical level. It had taken so much in so little time that he couldn't even begin to recite the entire chant, and now the elf stood, shining like a fallen star whose radiance consumed every minor shadow and light in the room, and a stifling heat hit everyone present as a solar flare. The moisture on their lips disappeared instantly and the sweat on their bodies didn't even have time to form into drops because they evaporated as if they were walking at noon during a summer in Vacuo.
But just as the heat wave came, it disappeared. And The elf returned to his normal state, standing, fascinated, looking in astonishment at his only hand whose shine slowly dimmed until it reached its paleness. Nelyafinwe took a deep breath and exhaled through his mouth, and Qrow swore on his soul that orange flames were released from there, even if it was only in the blink of an eye.
The entire room was stunned into silence by such a spectacle, a silence that lasted for almost a minute when—
*Tap *tap *tap.
Everyone turned their eyes to the bed behind the redhead. Amber woke up, announcing her return to the Watcher's world with a clap.
"That was quite a show." She said while giving her best smile. Qrow thought she looked like shit and Nelyo agreed.
Amber had some hot chocolate as Qrow pushed her in a wheelchair out of the hospital. She ignored the turbulence, the small jumps of the wheels and even the glances of some passersby when loading her into the ambulance. All that mattered to her now was enjoying the warm, sweet nectar that came into contact with her lips.
After a sip, she sighed, letting the fumes of the drink leave her mouth like smoke from a chimney, a trick she learned from her aunt although she never acquired the habit of smoking. Already relaxed, she addressed the duo of idiots in front of her with words.
"So…what's the plan now?"
"We'll go to Beacon, Ozpin will know what to do." The veteran Hunstmen responded.
"Well, I want to have a few words with him... And your Nelyafinwe? You don't need to stay with me." And she took another sip again. Qrow raised an eyebrow at the elf's strange name, but the redhead seemed unfazed by his reaction and remained with his arms crossed.
"That is my decision, woman, do not underestimate my generosity." The elf declared. To which Amber only resigned herself to giving in, turning her attention to the black-haired man, with a gesture she indicated him to continue telling the plans.
"Ozpin managed to pull some strings so that this does not become public. The driver is bought to shut up" And he pointed behind the closed window.
"Can't he just ask for an airship? I'm sure he can bribe anyone to not attract attention." Nelyo became curious about such airships, if the name was literal, then the men had advanced to levels that exceeded his expectations.
"Unfortunately not, General Targg is a thorn in Ozpin's side and no ship moves in the kingdom without him knowing." Qrow massaged his temples as he thought about the explanations he would have to give if the military man discovered they operation.
"Who are these people? Could this general be behind the attack?" The prince needed to understand the bigger picture, he already had plans to investigate the changes that Middle Earth witnessed but for now he could only use his allies as sources of information. Qrow looked at him strangely for a moment before sighing.
"Ozpin is the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, he is a friend of mine and only he can protect Amber... I'm surprised you don't know about him..."
"I'm not from here/He's not from here." Both the elf and the Maiden exchanged glances as they responded simultaneously. Qrow just raised another eyebrow but shrugged before continuing.
"As for Targg, well, he's the general of the Vale army and a member of the council. And no, he had nothing to do with this, the guy has his head buried in his ass but he is honest and genuine in his work... he suspects Oz, but it's not like he can clear up his doubts with just a chat". He reached his hand into the inside pocket of his vest and pulled out his flask, only for the redhead to slam it into the corner. Qrow looked at the contents strewn across the floor of the ambulance for a few seconds.
"Thank you for that…".
"Just do your duty." Nelyo hissed. An awkward silence fills the back car, one that Amber broke when she remembered something...
"My family!… do they know where we are going?".
"No, and it's better this way. We will only put them in danger." The veteran Hunstmen didn't mince words, and he sympathized with her, he really did.
"I agree, and would advise not informing them of our status until the situation is safe, and even then only discreetly." Wise words that could have been given with more empathy.
"I hate this…" Amber laid her head against the wall in frustration.
"Me too kid." A small shake announced that they were already at their destination, Qrow opened the doors and carefully the three descended into an alley at the corner of a Train station. Old Crow smiled a little as he saw how the boy's silver eyes widened at the sight of the locomotive. He almost thought he would toss Amber aside to read the posters and pamphlets scattered around the building describing the vehicle.
Like almost everything in Vale, the train was of an old-fashioned but functional design. Although it lacked colors beyond a simple black, it still maintained a certain charm. They went slowly to the entrance and reception booth, it was only necessary to show his and Amber's license to convince the staff to let them travel for free due to "Huntsmen business", although he promised himself to leave a good tip.
Once inside, they had some problems due to the situation of his companions. An invalid woman and a man taller than 7 feet required more space so the Huntsmen had to use some of his authority to demand and receive adequate front row seats. He felt almost corrupt.
Already in their seats, there was a certain charm in seeing a huge man like Nelyafinwe pressing his face against the window, lost in contemplation of the trip along the tracks at maximum speed. This attitude seemed to amuse Amber, sitting next to him, who began to tell him some things about the tour. Qrow only allowed himself to relax for a few moments, once they reached Beacon everything would be settled.
"Attention passengers, if you look out your windows, we will soon be entering the Forever Fall Forest, famous for the crimson color of the flora present".
Mae Govannen Eruhini~✨
Salutations!~✨
I'm taking advantage of my vacation to increase the pace, now the difficult part returns for the next chapter. I wanted to give a more relaxed touch to the last segment, in a way Amber's attitude was going to be much more bitter, but I felt like I should lighten the mood. The calm before the storm.
Any criticism or review is welcome.
Namárië!~✨