Chereads / To Bring Down The Skies Above / Chapter 4 - The Cost of Healing

Chapter 4 - The Cost of Healing

Sucram

He laid there in the snow, the cold seeping into his skin, dulling the worst of the pain from the fall. But it did little to ease the burning ache of his wound. Every breath made it feel as if it had torn open further.

"Eldes…"

His voice rasped as a whisper, he didn't dare to move fearing his wound may kill him. Keeping his gaze on Eldes he could only look at him in sorrow. Eldes took his weight on himself, taking all of it to his body, it didn't help that his legs couldn't take the stress of landing.

Sucram's gaze drifted, struggling to focus on the dark pool of blood spreading across the rock where Eldes' head rested, the sight was horrifying. 

Each shallow breath Eldes took came with a faint, rattling noise, a hollow sound that filled the silence. Sucram felt his own heart pounding, gripped by a desperation and guilt, unable to tear his eyes away from the suffering of Eldes.

From above heard the frantic squeals of a creature, was that a rat? No, a bat? Sucram couldn't tell, with his tired eyes he squinted gingerly at it's silhouette gliding towards the ground. 

Moments before landing, it began to shift, limbs elongating, its wings melting, a green hue surrounding it. The transformation was seamless, their stature wasn't thin like the women with him. Then… Ivor's a druid?

"Oh shit..!"

Ivor dropped to his knees beside Eldes' body. His hands trembled as they frantically searched for life, but the sight of blood pooling around his head was grim. With worry etched on his face, Ivor clasped his hands together, his lips moving silently.

Sucram did his best to focus, watching Ivor hover his hands above Eldes' head. Suddenly an ethereal blue light emanated from his hands, growing stronger with each moment. It's light illuminating the night, bathing the both in azure. 

"TE CURO!"

And as quickly as Eldes' broke his head opened was how fast it healed. Torn flesh knitted itself together, fractured bone fusing seamlessly. Eldes' stirred, his movements sluggish, with his fingers he touched where his wound once was. Gradually, Eldes pushed himself onto his hands, body slightly swaying as he adjusted, staring with distant eyes at Ivor

"Thank you… I thought… You didn't strike me as the man to save another."

"Yeah yeah pay me back with a hefty mug alright?"

Ivor waves his hand dismissively at Eldes, as he strides over to Sucram's side, crouching beside him upon reaching him.

Ivor gazed back for a moment before turning away with a dismissive wave of his hand. His attention focused on the other injured man he must attend. He inhales deeply, letting the crisp night air fill his lungs, he seemed to be drawing strength from his surroundings.

Deliberately, Ivor extended his hands over Sucram's stomach. A faint blue hue emanating from his palms. It's light pulsed gently as Ivor opened his mouth.

"Te curo!"

Sucram feels a warm energy seeping into his wounds. That tingling sensation you get from a repairing wound. He could feel his flesh repairing itself; a pleasant sigh escaped his mouth as he threw his head back to the soft snow.

"Thank the world you're a druid! If you weren't here I'm sure-"

"WOOOO!"

Alice plunged into the snow covered ground, her joyous cry cut by the impact. Sucram and Ivor exchanged worried glanced before bring their attention to the Alice-shaped-hole within the snow.

But to the two's surprise, Alice sprang out from the hold, seemingly unscathed.

"Wait… where's lyra I was sure I was holding her!"

Alice's eyes darted frantically across the snow.

The night air then cracked with a sickening crunch, followed by a blood curdling shriek that pierced through the darkness. Without hesitation they ran to the cry.

Sucram recoiled, his grey face pale with shock. Never had he witnessed anything so gruesome. The brutality of Lyra's condition overwhelmed him, he stumbled back, heaving heavily.

Unable to compose himself no longer, he doubled over, retching and splattering the snow with his stomach.

===

Ivor

Shock and dismay.

Lyra's body was in tatters, broken bones and dark purple bruises covered her body. He didn't catch how she fell but from her injuries he could at least somewhat judge it. 

The sight of her mangled form was an assault on his senses. Her left arm, once covered by cloth now exposed bearing the evidence of her fall. Skin shredded as if violated, pushed and dragged against the towering stone wall, it left a gory patchwork of disfigured weeping grazes. Her flesh hung in tattered ribbons, revealing her pink muscle underneath.

Her elbow bent at an impossible angle, it's unnatural twist without any breakage of the skin. Ivor knew it had to be a combination of fracture and dislocation.

Jagged shards of bone protruded from her shines, bursting through skin and muscle in escaping the force of landing. The white of the bone stood tall contrasted against the deep red of her torn flesh and blood oozing from her wounds.

Lyra's agonising screams continue to fill the night. In her pain, she shifted her leg and they could only watch as the exposed bone ravaged her skin. 

"Ivor! What do we do..?"

Alice's voice rang out, sharp and urgent. Her eyes wide with fear, tears streaming down her cheeks as the situation began to sink in. Her body trembling shaken from the horrific sight.

Seeing the extent of her injuries he panicked placing his hand above her ruined form.

"TE CURO!"

It wasn't enough; it didn't work at all. Ivor cursed inwardly, his frustration coursed through him. In his panic, he hastily cast cure wounds. While the flesh began to close, the magic failed to reach her innards. As Lyra breathed, her bones tore through her flesh once again.

This time, Ivor inhaled deeply, centering himself. It's been far too long since he needed intense focus. He could've just left them, but they got him out. If he didn't save these people it would be no different from killing them himself.

He couldn't just amplify the magic like he did with Eldes. That effort had already brought him to exhaustion to bring him back from death's door. This required a surgical approach, in other words, weaker but precise healing. It was the only way for him to avoid passing out from magic exhaustion.

First, he placed his hands over her disjointed elbow

"Te curo…"

It gradually moved back into place and as it did he shifted his focus onto her torn flesh. He wouldn't put too much into it just enough to close the wounds, to stop the bleeding.

"Te curo!"

Next was her legs. Preferably they could move Lyra's leg to reduce the space between the break, but doing that might only result in more damage. He had to target the bones first, set it back into place then the flesh wounds.

"Te cu-"

The azure glow faded, Ivor swayed, feeling his conscientiousness slip as Alice caught him. Alice's face was scrunched but her eyes bore into his pleading with him to save her. He centres himself, stealing his body for exhaustion, telling himself that can do this.

"Te curo…! Te-"

'Just two more times!'

"Curo! TE-!"

Ivor stumbled his feet struggling to keep him upright, falling to his knees letting them bath. He felt stronger this time, maybe the blood woke him but it doesn't matter.

'I WILL SAVE YOU'

"CURO!"

Soon enough her bruises began to fade away and Her bones still moving into their place moved faster, the flesh knitting itself together with every chance given, the bruises left behind were still there but at least the worst of it was gone, her arm and legs finally straightened out back to their natural position.

By the end of it Ivor could barely stand, his hair started to grey from the excess usage of his spell, his breathing was heavy, almost as if he ran a marathon. 

He could only think about how he could've saved her, if he didn't run leaving her on the wooden floor, as he fell to the snow passing out.