Chapter 35: Antidote
Rimbrad woke up from a loud knock on his door. The night was deep, it was a puzzle as to why someone would seek him at this time.
He slid out from his thick blanket revealing his pale night attire. He rubbed the part where his eyebrows meet, wholly confused by the urgent knock. He walked lazily towards the door and swung it open.
"Lord Rimbrad, Eliana was attacked by a low class beast a few minutes ago. I killed it on the site."
Rimbrad took a few seconds to let the information digest inside his brain. Bastion stood patiently on his doorstep looking worried. Rimbrad hurriedly reached for his cloak across the room. He wore it and went outside, closing the door behind him.
"Lead me to the site."
A little earlier when the other Ethereals left to heed their tasks.
Jettam eyed the dirty fabric on the floor, it was Eliana's cloak. "Zathur, this looks like it belongs to Eliana."
Zathur went closer and nodded. "It seems so."
"Should we get it for her?"
"No." Zathur shook his head. "We best be not moving the important things on the scene." Jettam understood and stepped back.
A little later Jett sat comfortably on the forest floor playing with the grass using his ability. He rearranged them to form some images with the soil as shades. Zathur stood guarded looking around the area.
"How did the beast get in."
Jettam immediately got up from his idle position when the Principal arrived. Zathur held his sword but relaxed once he saw it was only Bastion and Rimbrad nearing.
"Principal Rimbrad." Jett greeted.
Rimbrad nodded to them. "I already gave the news for the other teachers, rest assured we will start investigating. For the mean time, you may rest Ethereals." He commanded.
They all frowned, giving each other confused looks.
"But Principal, Eliana might-"
Jett was cut off. "I am positive the other two rankers can protect her. Bastion already explained the situation so far, it is all I need at the moment." Rimbrad said.
The Ethereals were reluctant to leave but they knew orders were already given. The other guards and teachers arrived in the middle of the scene. Now it was more clear that the faculty can handle the situation without them there.
"We understand Lord Rimbrad, good night." Zathur said with a defeated tone.
"Be cautious on your way back." Rimbrad said before walking towards the new arrivals.
The three rankers walked away from the scene where disaster took place. They were headed towards in front of the girl's dorm.
"Bastion, did you go to the infirmary?" Zathur asked.
Bastion with his arms crossed shook his head. "No."
Jett kicked a random pebble on the way. "Let's go visit her. I'm sure she's not doing any better judging from her new wounds." The worry in his tone was palpable.
It wasn't only Jettam who thought about visiting the girl. In fact they all had it in mind. They gave each other a telepathic look.
"Let's go."
They started heading to where the infirmary's direction was. Along the way they saw two familiar figures holding big boxes.
"Guys!" Larsanel called out.
The three boys immediately jogged to their spot.
"Are those her things?" Bastion asks, eyeing the huge boxes. "You girls are strong."
"Of course we are." Emery rolled her eyes.
Larsanel adjusted her grip on the heavy box. "It belongs to Eliana, she quite have a lot of things." She smiled slyly. "They're really heavy too."
Jettam sighed grabbing the huge box from her cousins arms. "I'll carry it."
Larsanel patted him at the back.
"Thank you Zathur." Emery thanked the ranker who also carried the box from her arms.
"Let's go back now."
"We'll go back, the two of you go with Bastion his heading to the infirmary to check on Eliana." Zathur explained, the girls nodded to him. "We'll be there." He said before leaving with Jettam.
"Stay close." Bastion reminded.
"We're strong too you know." Emery scoffed.
"I second that." Larsanel agreed.
Bastion sighed and they walked forth.
A while earlier when Anzai and Kylon arrived in the infirmary with a bleeding Eliana in Anzais arms. Kylon urgently opened the door without knocking. The two staff were surprised and were more surprised with the patient whose blood was dripping on the floor.
"What happened!" Veesha was quick to react on the emergency. "Place her carefully on the mattress." She instructed.
Anzai placed Eliana down gently on the bed. Eliana was huffing out heavy breaths. Anzai stepped back with Kylon and watched the two staff attending to the human girl.
"We need to cut her clothes." Veesha said. "Get the scissors Sera." Sera passed the scissors to her. Veesha wasted no time snipping Eliana's upper bloodied clothing.
The two rankers turned around from the scene, they had respect for women and desired not to violate them at their vulnerable state. The blush on their cheeks were only natural due to embarrassment, they were after all just men.
"This is a deep bite." Veesha sounded worried, the wounds were still bleeding. Eliana suddenly grunted indicating she was conscious. "Sera! Get the antidote quick!"
Just then Eliana was barely conscious. Her huffs were a clear proof she was struggling. Her life could be in grave danger at the moment. Sera came back in a heartbeat with a tube with black liquid inside, the antidote.
"Hold her head." Veesha cupped Eliana's cheek with one hand. She popped the cork off from the bottle and made Eliana drink the black liquid. "Eliana swallow it if you can hear me." She said with a voice of concern.
Thankfully, Eliana managed to swallow the antidote. Eliana was in the state of pain but it was a contrast to that feeling of numbness as well. She knew she had been bit and at the moment everything was euphoric to her, especially after drinking the antidote. She calmed.
Veesha and Sera sighed in relief. "Let's tend her wounds."
"I'll get the bandages." Sera left and came back with the bandages.
The two rankers heard everything, as much as they wanted to help they knew it was futile for they lack knowledge of healing. Additionally, they knew Eliana's top was removed, it would be disrespectful.
Soon they finished patching up Eliana's wounds. As they did, Bastion and the two Ethereal girls arrived.
"How is she?" Bastion immediately asked as soon as he got in.
"Don't look Bastion." Kylon gripped his shoulders and twisted his body around.
"What."
Emery and Larsanel quickly understood what Kylon meant. Emery stayed beside the boys while Larsanel walked closer to where Eliana was.
"Just don't." Emery said, crossing her arms watching the staff doing finishing touches with Eliana's wounded shoulder.
"Did you give her the antidote?" Larsanel was worried for her friend, it wasn't even a day after she gave the girl a bruise and now, this.
Veesha only noticed their arrival.