She stood there frozen in shock, for a moment, her breath ragged, her heart pounding in her chest. Her body, covered in cold sweat and tense, gradually relaxed as the adrenaline faded, giving way to a sense of relief. She had survived. "What was that?", she said for herself. Slowly she got her breath under control, but the relief was short-lived as a sharp pain from her leg brought her back to the present. She couldn't help but let out a small cry.
Her gaze fell on the gash in her leg. It was worse than she initially thought, blood soaking her pants and seeping into the dirt beneath her. She felt very weak.
Lynna let out a low curse, "Dear Steia! This is bad!". She carefully lowered herself to the ground using the help of her staff. She tore a piece of cloth from her shirt and tied it around the wound, wincing in pain.
Once she had tended to her wound as best she could, Lynna slowly rose back to her feet, using her staff for support. She looked around the clearing one last time, hoping to find some trace of the creature. But there was nothing, no corpse to be carved and processed for materials as was the usual way with monsters. It was as if it had vanished, slipped away into nothingness. A chilling thought, but not one she had the time to ponder right now, she knew her priority and passing out in the middle of the forest was not it.
With one last look at the clearing, she turned her back on it and started the arduous journey back to her village. She knew she had at least half a day's journey ahead of her, and with her injury, it was going to be more difficult than usual. Maybe she could ask for help at the Wilset farm; what a surprise visit that would be...
Limping through the forest, she skillfully avoided knotted roots and rocks, not noticing the blood trail she was leaving. The quick bandage on her wound soaked through, dropping blood onto the ground, each drop disappearing like a red flower into the bright greenery.
Amidst the monotonous repetition of the hard walk, her mind began to wander to avoid the pain. She thought of the Academy, the place where she had learned to use her powers. She remembered her first day, her nervousness, and excitement as the youngest mage ever enrolled. She remembered the faces of her teachers, the lessons, the rivalries, and her close friend, Malay...
As she stepped over a fallen log and pushed through a dense patch of foliage, the memories flowed, a bittersweet reminder of simpler times. It was a welcome distraction from the pain and the long journey home. "Where was home again?" Thinking back on her childhood and student life made her remember how things were different now, how time flew by and what she was doing now.