As Isabel approached the old healer, she could see the exhaustion etched into his weary face. His hands trembled slightly as he tended to the gravely wounded soldier before him. The man's condition was dire, his chest and abdomen bearing deep, festering wounds from the dark monster's attack. Already, the telltale signs of poison were beginning to spread through his body, turning his skin a sickly shade of black.
"Please, rest," Isabel urged the old healer gently, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've done more than enough. Let me take over from here."
The old healer looked up at Isabel, his eyes weary but grateful. "Thank you, child," he murmured, his voice strained with fatigue. With a nod of acceptance, he stepped back, allowing Isabel to step forward and take his place.
Isabel wasted no time in assessing the soldier's injuries, her heart heavy with concern. The wounds were severe, the poison already beginning to take its toll on his body. But she refused to give in to despair, focusing instead on the task at hand.
With steady hands, Isabel began to work, applying poultices and bandages to the soldier's wounds in an effort to slow the spread of the poison. She worked quickly but methodically, her mind sharp and focused despite the chaos raging around her.
Isabel continued to check on different patients, unaware of how much time had passed. She had only eaten dried food and fruits, and after a 30-minute nap, she would check on the patients again.
Days passed in this manner, and the condition of the other healers was no better. Every time they thought it was the last batch of patients, a new group arrived with even more ghastly injuries, each worse than the last. Isabel's will was on the verge of breaking; she had seen countless deaths in these days.
One evening, as she was tending to a young soldier with a severe leg wound, she sighed heavily. "This isn't sustainable," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her colleague, Healer Harold, overheard her and approached, his eyes reflecting the same exhaustion and despair. "We have to keep going, Isabel. They need us," he said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Isabel looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know how much longer I can do this, Harold. Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces. The ones we couldn't save."
Harold nodded solemnly. "I know. It's been... relentless. But think of the ones we have saved. The ones who get to go home because of us."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Isabel's mouth. "You're right," she said softly. "We have to keep going, for them."
Just as she was about to return to her work, a loud commotion erupted outside the tent. A group of soldiers rushed in, carrying a man with horrific injuries. His armor was shredded, and his body was covered in deep, oozing wounds.
Isabel's heart sank at the sight, but she steeled herself and approached the man. "What happened?" she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
One of the soldiers, a young man with fear in his eyes, replied, "He was attacked by a dark monster. We barely managed to get him out alive."
Isabel quickly assessed the man's injuries. The poison was spreading rapidly through his body, turning his skin a sickly black. She knew that time was running out.
"Get me more bandages and the strongest antidote we have," Isabel ordered, her voice firm. The assistant healers scrambled to obey, their movements hurried and anxious.
As she worked to stabilize the man, Isabel's mind raced with thoughts of all the lives she had tried to save, and all the lives she had lost. The weight of it threatened to crush her, but she refused to give in to despair.
Just like this, a week had passed, with the same grueling schedule every day, a continuous cycle of despair. Finally, at the end of the week, they heard the loud ringing of the gong. Everyone sighed in relief. The bells indicated that the monsters were finally at bay and under control.
Isabel roamed her eyes around the tent, seeing the tension ease from everyone's faces. She lifted the hem of her dress and walked out of the tent to see the situation outside.
There were many soldiers outside the tent, tending to their injuries and helping each other. Isabel realized she had not stepped out of the tent all week. She had assumed only the injured were inside, but it was clear now that only the heavily injured, whose lives were at stake, had been brought in.
The scene outside was one of controlled chaos but with a palpable sense of relief. Soldiers were bandaging wounds, supporting each other, and some were even sharing stories and laughter amidst the pain.
Isabel spotted a heavily injured soldier whose arm was nearly severed, a grueling sight to behold. He was being supported by his friends as they tried to tend to his wound. Isabel quickly approached him and began to bandage his arm, giving him a potion to help the injury heal quickly. As she tended to his wounds, she chided him, "Why are you here tending to it yourself? You should have gone to the healer camp."
The man, who had striking blond hair and a neutral expression that belied the seriousness of his injury, replied in a deep voice, "It's alright. I heal quickly. There are others who need to see the healers more urgently."
she couldn't help but notice his deep voice and immediately looked up. He was really handsome, with striking blond hair and a calm demeanor. She also noticed his clothes were extraordinary—he didn't belong to the regular soldier group. He was at least a commander or held an even higher position.
Isabel shook her head, her hands deftly working on his wound. "That may be, but your injury is serious. You should have been seen right away."
He gave her a small, appreciative smile. "I appreciate your concern, but I've been through worse."
Isabel looked at him and nodded, maybe he was telling truth because his hand really start to heal quickly and she could see it with her own eyes.
As she finished tending to his wound, she decided to ask him more about the battle. She tried to sound casual, not wanting to seem too eager. "So, are the monsters really under control now? Will we have to face the same danger again?"