"Look at you... Daddy Ewan..." Carciem exclaimed.
"I told you to stop with that..." Ewan growled, before gritting his teeth.
The resident doctor was finishing stitching up his shoulder, since the young man had refused to be treated any longer than necessary by the mage there.
He had preferred to be treated just for the most serious injuries, leaving the rest of the work to a regular doctor. The main reason for this decision being that he couldn't move from the bed he was sitting on, as Pavas had fallen asleep on his legs and he didn't want to wake her.
"Sure... You were so busy with the kid that you didn't even take the time to get treated right after the raid was over..." Carciem scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm telling you I-" Ewan began, before being interrupted by a searing pain in his shoulder.
The doctor had just pulled the wire into a knot and stopped it, making the young hunter's bruised shoulder even more painful.
"I'm done, but be careful not to put too much strain on your arm in the next few days," the doctor warned him, before getting up to start putting his equipment away.
Ewan then raised his left arm slightly, and slowly wiggled his fingers.
"You're lucky that our mage was able to treat the damage to your muscles and nerves," said the blond man. "You could have lost the use of your hand, you know..."
"And you, don't ever do that again..." threatened Ewan.
Carciem just laughed lightly, despite the black eye he had received a few hours earlier. Not sure if it had taught him a lesson...
"As soon as you're rested, come give me your report on the operation," the military man asked calmly.
"My report?" Ewan repeated, suspiciously.
"I heard from Finn who you met, so I'd like to know more about it..." Carciem clarified. "The sooner the better, even."
"Are you running out of time?" Ewan asked, confused.
Carciem lifted the corner of his lips briefly before making a pout, then approached one of the large windows in the room to observe the barracks yard, crossing his hands behind his back. His gaze, impassive, was focused on the troops continuously gathering equipment and supplies.
He looked preoccupied with something, and even worried.
"Carciem... Tell me what's going on..." Ewan asked in a serious tone.
The military man remained silent for a moment, continuing to look outside; then, turning back to his friend, he leaned against the frame of the large window.
"We're going to be deployed on an emergency mission in a few hours," Carciem declared.
"An emergency mission?" Said the young hunter.
Carciem sighed heavily, surely overwhelmed by the pressure his own superiors were putting on him.
"The creature you reported to us... It has grown again, and is destroying villages," the military man revealed. "This Rank 500 category threat, it has grown to 1000 in the space of a few days."
"1000 ?!" Ewan exclaimed, which woke up Pavas.
The little girl blinked slowly before rubbing her eyes, and looking up at Ewan.
"Ah, sorry..." He apologized to her. Then, turning his gaze back to Carciem, he added, "Does that mean the entire barracks is mobilized?"
Carciem nodded, a serious air still displayed on his usually so carefree face. Even his ridiculous black eye was no longer enough to lighten the mood.
"We are being deployed under direct orders, and without delay, as we are the nearest major city. I've also heard that other cities will be lending us manpower to counter this threat." Said Carciem. "But if we can't stop it, Ylesse may be the next one to disappear..."
"Is it that bad?" Ewan asked.
Carciem then crossed his arms in front of his chest, before straightening up and taking his back off the window.
"This creature... The more lives and land it gobbles up, the bigger it gets..." Said Carciem, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Nothing seems to stop it at the moment, so a fierce attack is planned against it."
Ewan was about to say something else, when Carciem preceded him, quickly speaking again while looking him straight in the eye.
"If things go wrong, I wish you to be really far away from here as soon as possible, Ewan."
There was a moment of silence, before the military man decided to leave the infirmary to surely go to his office.
As for Ewan, he sat on the bed for a few minutes, before glancing at Pavas, then contemplating his left hand again. His shoulder was still completely sore and stiff, but he hoped it would improve. He didn't really like being restricted in his movements, especially if it would make his job more difficult.
However, what irritated him even more than the injury he had received was the knowledge that he would probably be of no help in the situation that Carciem was going to face without any hesitation.
Perhaps it was cowardly to think like that, but not even he would risk facing a creature of that level. For despite all the animosity he might have towards this beast that had killed his friends, he also knew how to recognize his own weaknesses. Ewan knew, deep down, that he was incapable of fighting this creature, alone or in a group; and the fact that Carciem had suddenly been deployed without a moment's respite from the previous operation did not bode well. A bad feeling had taken hold of the young man, sending an unpleasant shiver through his body, and like an ominous sign, his brief fight against the masked individual came back to his mind.
Who was this person who had been able to anticipate his every move? And why had he had the sharp and persistent impression that he should absolutely not approach him?
Worried by the serious tone used by the two adults present in the room, Pavas clutched the sheets of the bed between her fingers, drawing Ewan's gaze upon her.
To reassure the little girl, Ewan gently placed his right hand on the top of her head, and gave a small awkward smile.
"We're going to be out of here soon, so don't be scared anymore, okay?
Pavas nodded, as her heart began to beat faster.
Ewan had used the word "we". So that meant he was going to take her with him, right?