Selene gasped as she sat up, her body aching from the force of the impact. Her vision blurred momentarily, and she reached up to steady herself, feeling the cold stone of the temple floor beneath her hands. The world around her was disorienting…she was back in the temple, the overwhelming beauty of the throne room gone, replaced by the stark reality of the crumbling walls and dim light.
Her eyes darted to the place where the boulder had thrown her, and her breath caught in her throat. There, lying motionless on the floor, was a man. His clothes were ancient, tattered and worn. The strange symbols on the rock, the ones she had seen glowing earlier, now seemed to be mirrored on his skin, in the form of burn marks, as though they had branded him.
She gasped, instinctively crawling toward him, her heart pounding in her chest. She had thought she had been alone, but now… now he was here. She reached out and touched his skin, recoiling at the icy coldness beneath her fingertips. He was unmoving, deathly pale, and there was no warmth left in him.
Selene's heart skipped a beat when she felt the faint pulse under her fingertips. It was weak but unmistakable. He wasn't dead. He was alive, but barely. Instinctively, she knew she couldn't leave him here in this state. She had to get him to a hospital quickly.
But he was much larger than her, his frame heavy and unyielding as she tried to lift him. Her arms trembled under the weight as she struggled to hoist him up, each movement feeling like a battle against her own exhaustion. The woods around her were thick and tangled, and every step was a challenge as she tried to make her way through the forest.
Her breath came in short gasps as she trudged forward, barely able to keep her footing. Then, in a moment of weakness, her foot caught on a branch.
She gasped as her balance faltered, and before she could catch herself, the ground rushed up to meet her. She hit the dirt with a grunt, pain shooting through her knees and palms.
The man's body, no longer supported by her, rolled away. She watched helplessly as he tumbled a few feet further down the forest floor, his form limp and unresponsive.
"Great," she muttered under her breath, wincing as she pushed herself to her hands and knees. She crawled over to him, her hands shaking as she checked his condition. He was still unconscious, but thankfully, there didn't seem to be any signs of immediate injury from the fall.
She winced again, knowing it probably hurt as he wasn't light, and the impact had likely jarred his body. But at least for now he was out cold.
Gathering what little strength she had left, Selene adjusted her position and tried again to lift him. This time, she managed to get him upright, supporting his weight against her shoulder as she steadied herself. With every labored step, she felt the strain in her muscles, but she refused to stop. The need to get him to safety was far greater than her own exhaustion.
"Come on," she muttered, her voice barely audible as she pushed forward. She didn't know who he was or why he had the strange markings on his skin, but she knew she couldn't leave him here. Not when there was still a chance he could be saved.
Selene gritted her teeth, every muscle aching as she managed to drag the man's unconscious body to her car. She threw open the passenger door with a grunt, wincing at the effort, and carefully lowered him into the seat, securing his form as best as she could. She knew time was critical, but she couldn't help the panic welling up inside her. Her hands shook as she fumbled for her keys and started the engine, the sound of the car's roar filling the otherwise silent woods.
As she pulled out onto the winding road, her mind raced. What was she supposed to do? She didn't know what those strange burn marks on his body meant, and she wasn't sure if she could get him the help he needed in time. The nearest hospital was about 30 minutes away, but with the man in this state, she couldn't risk waiting.
She had to do something and fast.
As her heart hammered in her chest, she grabbed her phone from the passenger seat and dialed the one person who might be able to help. Kael.
The phone rang, and her hands tightened on the steering wheel, feeling the weight of the situation crash down on her. She couldn't just sit there and do nothing.
"Kael," she said, breathless and frantic when he finally answered. "I… I need help. I found a man at the Temple of Althea. He… he has these strange burn marks on his body. I don't know what to do."
Kael's voice came through the phone, "Selene, slow down. What happened? Where are you? Tell me everything, from the beginning."
She took a shaky breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "I… I was at the Temple of Althea, and I found him there—this man. He's unconscious, Kael. His clothes are ancient, torn apart, and there are burn marks all over his body. The marks—they look like symbols, but… they're like the ones on the boulder in the temple. It's like they're burned into his skin, and I… I couldn't just leave him there. He was barely breathing."
"I… I had to carry him through the woods, Kael. He's bigger than me, and I…I struggled. I tripped, and he fell further away from me, but I don't think he even moved, and then I finally got him to my car. I'm on my way to the hospital now, I'm not sure what's happening. I feel like I'm in over my head. I don't even know if he's going to make it."
There was a pause on the other end before Kael's calm voice, came through. "Selene, listen to me. Turn the car around. Get him to my house."
Her stomach twisted, and she hesitated. "Kael, his life is at stake. I can't just turn around and hope you'll—"
"Selene," Kael interrupted, his voice steady and reassuring. "I know what I'm doing. Trust me. I'll set up in preparation for his arrival. Just bring him to my house. I'll handle the rest."
Selene's hands tightened on the steering wheel, her thoughts a swirling mess of doubt and urgency. But Kael's calm certainty cut through her panic, and though every part of her wanted to get him to a hospital, she knew Kael would know what to do, he always did.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced at the unconscious man beside her, his pale face still drawn in pain. She had to trust Kael. She had no other choice.
Reluctantly, she swung the car around, the tires screeching as she retraced her path, heading back toward Kael's house. The anxiety gnawed at her, but she tried to steady her breathing, knowing that Kael had never steered her wrong before.
"You're going to be okay," she whispered softly to the man, though she wasn't sure if she was speaking to him or trying to reassure herself. "Just hold on."