The tension in the air was suffocating as the group pressed onward in the damaged caravan. No one dared to speak, their thoughts consumed by the earlier chaos.
Ren sat opposite Olivia, who was leaning back against the wooden frame of the wagon. Her face was stoic, betraying none of the pain she was enduring, but Ren could sense it.
He rested his chin on his hand, pretending to gaze out at the passing landscape, but his attention remained on her. Olivia was the first friend or ally he'd met since arriving in this strange world, and the kindness she had shown him back then still lingered in his thoughts.
The memory of her warm smile and calm demeanor flickered in his mind like a distant flame, a stark contrast to the current scene. Her breathing was steady, but Ren could see the faint wince she tried to hide every time the caravan hit a bump.
Skorn, sitting beside him, kept casting nervous glances at both Ren and Olivia but said nothing. Talos busied himself with mixing herbs into a poultice, his hands trembling slightly as he worked.
Ren's fingers tapped against his knee as guilt gnawed at him. He clenched his jaw, his thoughts spiraling. She got hurt because I wasn't careful enough. I should've seen it coming.
Breaking the silence, Talos whispered, "She'll be fine, Ren. She's tougher than she looks."
Ren didn't respond, his eyes fixed on Olivia. That's not the point. It should never have happened in the first place.
Ren looked up from his spiraling thoughts, he met Olivia's gaze. She was watching him with a faint smile, her calm presence cutting through the tense atmosphere.
"It wasn't your fault, Ren," she said softly, her voice steady despite the pain she was masking. "Don't blame yourself. These things happen."
Ren opened his mouth to argue, but Olivia cut him off, her smile widening just a little. "Next time, just make sure you help me, alright?" she added, her tone playful, trying to lift the mood.
Ren's shoulders relaxed slightly, though the guilt in his eyes didn't fade. "I will," he said, his voice low but firm. Then, after a pause, he added, "No. There is no next time." His gaze hardened as he looked from Olivia to Skorn and Talos.
"And that goes for all of you too. No one gets hurt like this again. Not on my watch."
Skorn gave a sheepish nod, scratching the back of his head. "Fair enough. Though in my defense, I did tackle that dwarf pretty hard."
Talos, still working on the poultice, glanced up briefly. "Noted. But let's try to avoid a scenario where I have to play medic on a moving caravan, shall we?"
Ren leaned back slightly, but the intensity in his expression didn't waver. "Just… stay alert. All of you."
Olivia chuckled lightly, though it turned into a wince. "We'll all stay alert, Ren. Now stop brooding and get some rest before you turn into the dramatic hero you always joke about."
For the first time since the fight, a ghost of a smile tugged at Ren's lips. "Noted," he muttered, his voice carrying a trace of sarcasm.
"But I make no promises about not being dramatic."
The tension eased just a little as the caravan continued its journey.
It took them hours before they finally spotted a village in the distance.
The moment they arrived, they halted the damaged caravan, and Ren, cradling Olivia carefully in his arms, bolted toward the cluster of homes.
Her breathing was steady, but every wince she tried to hide tightened the knot in his chest.
"Talos, Skorn!" Ren barked over his shoulder. "Split up. Find a healer. Now!"
Skorn and Talos didn't waste a moment. They fanned out, pounding on doors and calling for help, their voices echoing through the quiet village.
Fifteen tense minutes dragged by before Skorn finally burst from a nearby field, his voice carrying across the village. "I found him!" he roared, sprinting toward the caravan with a man trailing behind him.
The healer, an older man with calloused hands and a calm demeanor, had been tending crops when Skorn practically dragged him from the farm.
Even without a full explanation, the sight of Olivia's injuries told him everything he needed to know.
"Lay her down," the healer instructed, kneeling beside her with a practiced air of urgency. Ren carefully set Olivia on a makeshift bed in the caravan, his hands reluctant to let go.
The healer's hands glowed faintly green as he worked, his elemental magic weaving through Olivia's wounds with precision. Ren, Talos, and Skorn hovered nearby, watching every movement with bated breath.
"Relax," the healer said without looking up.
Ren clenched his fists, trying to calm the storm of guilt and worry swirling inside him. His gaze didn't leave Olivia's face, even as her expression softened, her pain beginning to ease under the healer's magic.
--An hour passed by
The healer pulled back, his glowing hands dimming as he wiped sweat from his brow.
"That's as much as I can do for now," he said, his voice steady but firm.
"She's stable, but we'll need at least three more sessions to fully heal her. After that, she'll be good as new."
Ren finally let out a long, shaky sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. "Thank you," he murmured, his eyes darting to Olivia.
She looked far more at peace now, her breathing even and her pain seemingly dulled.
The merchant, who had been quietly observing from a corner, cleared his throat.
"Let's stay here tonight," he suggested. "It's safer, and we can continue the journey tomorrow once we're all rested."
Ren exchanged a glance with Talos and Skorn before nodding. "That's a good idea. We'll take turns keeping watch just in case."
The three of them approached the merchant, sincerity etched on their faces.
"Thank you for understanding," Ren said, his tone unusually earnest.
Skorn gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah, we owe you one for this."
Talos adjusted his glasses and added with a rare hint of warmth, "Your patience means a lot. Thank you."
The merchant waved them off with a casual shrug, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips.
"You lot have been through enough. Rest up. Tomorrow's another day."
As the group began setting up for the night, Ren glanced back at Olivia, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He swore silently to himself "Never again."
-----
The village was small, its quiet streets barely wide enough for a cart. Olivia rested inside one of the stone houses, her bandaged arm hidden beneath a light blanket.
Her steady breaths were a relief to everyone, but pale complexion a reminder of the day's events.
Outside, Skorn and Talos were busy collecting firewood and supplies to set up camp. Well, mostly Skorn.
"Why am I stuck carrying all this firewood?" Skorn grumbled, adjusting the hefty stack in his arms.
"Because you're strong," Talos said matter-of-factly, his arms conspicuously empty. "And I have delicate hands."
"Delicate? You toss potions like they're fireworks!" Skorn snapped back, nearly dropping the wood as he adjusted his grip.
Talos shrugged. "Precision and strength are two very different things. I happen to excel at the former."
"You excel at being annoying," Skorn muttered, earning a smirk from Talos.
Meanwhile, Ren was a little further into the woods, moving quietly with his bow in hand. His sharp eyes scanned the area until he spotted his target: a rabbit nibbling on a patch of grass. One clean shot later, the animal fell still.
He crouched to pick it up, muttering, "At least rabbits don't talk back. Simpler to deal with than those two clowns."
As he slung the rabbit over his shoulder, another darted out from the underbrush. Without hesitation, Ren nocked another arrow and let it fly. It struck true, and he sighed, hoisting the second rabbit.
The rhythmic sounds of Skorn and Talos arguing faintly reached his ears.
At least they're keeping themselves busy.
By the time he returned to the village, Talos had managed to light a small fire, though it sputtered weakly against the cold breeze. Skorn sat nearby, still grumbling about his aching arms.
"Look who decided to join us," Skorn said, eyeing the rabbits slung over Ren's shoulder.
Ren dropped them beside the fire and shrugged. "Figured someone had to provide dinner. You were busy making excuses, and Talos was... supervising."
"I was building morale," Talos said with a grin.
"Yeah? Morale doesn't fill stomachs," Ren shot back, sitting down.
Despite the banter, the three of them shared a quiet moment of camaraderie as they settled around the fire.
The warmth of the flames and the scent of cooking meat eased some of the tension in the air,
After finishing their meal, they each found a spot to rest and soon fell asleep, the day's exhaustion taking over.