Ovarth lead Elijah to a massive tent, well there were more than one of such tents spread out all over the encampment, but this one was the closest.
Without hesitation, Ovarth turned on his heel and left Elijah with a woman clad in a long black gown. The dress, with its flowing fabric and high neckline, bore an uncanny resemblance to something from medieval Europe.
The dress looked elegant yet somber, like a walking shadow, except her glowing hair made her seem like a human lamp light.
Ovarth didn't even glance back as the dejected Elijah waved him goodbye.
"Damn, people here can really hold a grudge over nothing".
Reluctantly, he followed the woman into the tent. The moment he stepped inside, the smell hit him, a cloying mixture of iron rich blood, stale sweat, and the sour tang of untreated wounds.
The sight was even worse. Bloodstained cots lined the cramped space, each one occupied by soldiers barely clinging to life. Their pallid faces were twisted in pain, and their bodies bore injuries so grotesque that Elijah had to fight the urge to look away.
The air itself seemed alive with agony, carrying the ceaseless moans of the wounded and the occasional scream of the desperate men begging for death that never came.
Elijah faltered for a moment, his stomach twisting into a knot. But he quickly forced his feet to move, refusing to let the woman leave him behind. He trailed her, trying not to focus on the chaos surrounding him.
Unbeknownst to Elijah, his composed facade didn't go unnoticed. The woman glanced at him briefly, her expression neutral but her thoughts lingering.
"Sit here," she instructed, her voice curt but not unkind. "I'll have a nurse over in a minute."
Elijah nodded with a soft friendly smile, and for a second there the woman had a strange thought that went along the lines of. "He's pretty young, but also has that mature handsomeness to him, although he's skin is pretty weird".
As she turned to leave, Elijah's mask of calm began to crack. His heart pounded like a steam engine. Cold shivers raced up his legs, leaving his muscles tense and unsteady.
Even as he sat down, his mind raced, replaying the sights and sounds of the tent. The cries of the injured seemed to grow louder, each one gnawing at his fraying nerves.
"Hey there, you must be Elijah… I'm Taelia, a nurse in training."
The soft, melodious voice cut through the chaos like a soothing balm, pulling Elijah out of his spiraling thoughts. He blinked and turned his head, his gaze settling on a young woman standing a few feet away.
Taelia was petite, with a delicate frame. Loose strands of honey blonde hair framed her face, escaping from the confines of a simple white cap and getting held by the white scarf around her neck.
Taelia was slightly younger than Elijah, probably a year or two younger, she still had a pair of dimpled chubby cheeks and round Hazel eyes.
And her cuteness wasn't the best part of it all, she looked normal, to Elijah that was like seeing a mouse in a playground for lion cubs.
Overall, she looked incredibly easy to bully.
Elijah smirked deviously.
"Here comes my ticket to learning more about this world".
Before Taelia could process her next thought, Elijah's firm manly hands grabbed her wrist and whisked her away from the tent.
…
"Hmm. Elijah, Please stop, You can't keep doing that, It's really uncomfortable".
Elijah gulped hard.
The tantalising voice of a young woman sent soul melting shivers down Elijah's virgin spine.
"Ahh, Elijah, I'm supposed to be the one giving you a full body check, this… this is really inappropriate".
Elijah's hands finally paused, he's eyes already turned red from frustration over a minute ago. He raised he's head and stared into Taelia's Hazel eyes, he's green irises perfectly capturing her blushing chubby cheeks.
Elijah took a steady step forward and roared in annoyance.
"What the hell is wrong is with you, I haven't even touched you yet, why are making such freakish noises".
Taelia hurriedly covered her unusually ample chest with her hand.
"Ahhh. So you are planning to touch me".
"What, fuck no… I was just going to ask you some basic questions, like what's the weather like around here, what do you eat and what seasons in a year do you eat them. Or, or something like what's the culture like from where you are from".
"Then why did you hold my wrist and drag me against my will to this secluded spot, that's only something a scumbag would do… and.. and, you're still holding me".
Elijah paused, realising that he still hasn't released Taelia, he smiled apologetically and slowly released her wrist.
But the next second, she bolted like a bullet in the opposite direction, her shrill screams echoing through the camp and drawing a few curious glances.
Luckily, Elijah had anticipated she might try to pull such a stunt.
Darting after her with long strides. The soft ground muffled his steps, and within moments, his hands gripped her shoulders firmly. She thrashed like a wildcat, but Elijah held his ground.
In the end, she couldn't go far before Elijah pinned her down with a swift, controlled motion that felt almost too practiced.
Her struggles weakened under his grip, her hazel eyes wide with shock and indignation.
Dragging her back toward a secluded spot nestled between two large tents, Elijah glanced around to ensure no one had noticed the commotion.
The faint murmur of soldiers from the camp nearby and the occasional clang of metal against metal provided a tense backdrop as Elijah finally let out a small sigh.
Elijah's hand was covering her mouth so she couldn't scream anymore, not to mention the fact that she was pretty weak even for your average human.
Elijah lowered he's gaze and stared straight into her frightened eyes.
"I'm going to let you go, but if you scream or try to run again… Well let's just say it would be pretty difficult for you to find a husband in this part of town".
Taelia swallowed lightly and nodded strongly.