middaeg | [ CATCH-ALL ] we're nocturnal creatures

[All infected are drawn to magic so when Iskandar casts his spell the boar's attention shifts to its source. Too late to react though as flames erupt from the very ground it's crawling on engulfing it completely. The beast ignites immediately giving out one last deafening shriek before the fires consume it, leaving behind only a desiccated, charred skeleton that crumbles into fine dust a moment later.

Iskandar sheathes his sword and directs his attention to Saber. It was barely a glimpse and he'd prefer to be wrong but it seemed to him that second strike was less precise than the first one.]

Saber! Did it touch you?

[As long as no blood has been drawn. It still could be fine.]

[ As the boar burns, Waver reels back, covering his face tightly with one arm. The stench is awful. His ears swivel on high alert, straining to hear sound beyond his companions and the crackling sounds of the boar's burning and collapsing now, worried about what the scent and the pillar of smoke might bring now.

It isn't until Iskandar moves toward Saber that he realizes she might be injured. The stink of the infected beast makes it difficult to even smell blood right now.

He darts closer, though he lets Iskandar approach first, lingering anxiously in the background. ]

Are you okay?

[ He really wants to move on from this spot. ]

[ Saber tries not to let the pain get to her. Instead she tries to be satisfied with a job well done. The threat is over. But the pain is there and she has to let her sword drop to grip at her other forearm. There's blood welling up and soaking into the cloth, a gash visible in her shirt. ]

It's a slight wound, I think. Painful, though.

[ She's trying to put on a brave face. It's what she does. ]

[Iskandar shakes his head violently. No wound is small when it comes in contact with the infected.]

You haven't been much outside the city walls, have you?

[He winces. This is bad. They are already too far into the woods to simply abandon the mission and go back. The infection spreads quickly once there's blood involved.]

It will get worse. [He looks around. Not here.] I might be able to do something about it but we need to leave this place. The stench can lure more of its kind here. [No to mention the residue of magic he used.]

Tell me immediately if your wound starts to feel like it was burning.

[He really hopes the kids haven't encountered this beast. But he will worry about them later.]

[ Waver's thinking the same thing. He shifts his weight anxiously, listening on high alert. ]

We need to find those children really soon.

[ Assuming they're still here and not too badly hurt. Hoping they're okay, despite everything. That hope is starting to sink a little for Waver, as he grows increasingly anxious about the possibility that they might not discover the kids in one piece. The thought makes his stomach turn, dredging up scenes from his memory he'll never be able to forget. He never wants to see something even remotely like that again. ]

I... I can't track them like this. [ He nods toward the corpse, its acrid stench still muddying the impression Waver can get from their surroundings. ]

But before, it was that way.

We should hurry.

I've been out here before, but never injured by these creatures.

[ She flexes her hand with a frown. There is a sensation just under the skin. Painful and burning. She refuses to flinch and instead offers them both a nod. ]

Let's keep moving. Once we're somewhere a little more secure, you can examine my wound.

[ For now, she wraps it as carefully as she can and then turns in the direction Waver's indicated and starts to move. There will be time for more of this later. ]

[The kids are lesser on the list of his worries but Iskandar doesn't advertise his opinion. He has no time for arguments and he suspects with the probability bordering on certainty that both Saber and Waver would protest should he express it. Could even label him heartless and cruel.
So he ploughs through the undergrowth in the direction Waver has shown them in silence until they reach a small clearing. No sign of the missing kids but far enough from the site of their encounter with the boar that he can barely discern the stench anymore. There he stops.]

Here. Now sit and show me.

[ Iskandar knows what he's doing; he's been studying healing, and Waver trusts he can take care of their companion in whatever way is needed, even if they need to wait until they get back to the city for further care. He's hoping it won't come to it, but if the wound is very bad and they need to turn around or endanger Saber's life, he's already making plans to remember where they've come thus far so he'll be able to help someone else come for the chimera children.

For now, while they stop, Waver continues-- not far, of course, staying in sight, but allowing Iskandar to handle Saber's injury while he examines their surroundings. To him, the smell of the boar and the Cwyld is still strong, irritating his nose, but he does his best to filter it out so he can concentrate.

Waver wanders to the edge of the clearing and even slightly into the sparse trees, crouching to look for tracks. He's not much of a tracker normally, but the increased sharpness of his senses, especially his sense of smell, naturally helps. ]

[ Arturia keeps an eye on Waver, despite herself being treated by Iskandar. She rolls her sleeve up to show off the gash on her arm where the sharpened tusk caught her. It's not incredibly deep, fortunately, and doesn't seem to have severed anything vital, but it's bleeding badly. There's also that burning sensation he mentioned. Despite that, she's stoic. ]

I believe you are correct about infection, Rider. There's - a burning sensation.

[ Ow. ]

You should know and take my words to heart that is no trivial matter. No matter how small a wound. Sometimes all it takes is a mere touch of the infected.

[Iskandar surveys the wound noticing that already the edges started to blacken but they are lucky, it's still early enough that he should be able to heal this.]

I have seen people fall to most hideous diseases, Saber. Plagues that would make strong, young men wither to ghostlike skeletons, like leaves in the desert wind. That would make people bleed from their eyes and ears and nothing that my physicians tried could stop it, that turned their bowels to liquid, or made their fingers, noses and eyelids fall off. Neither was as horrifying as Cwyld is.

[None of the illnesses tormenting his world turned people into walking monsters with one drive of their miserable existence. To spread the disease further. None infected plants, animals and humans alike. None cursed the very ground they walked on.]

Hold on to something. This won't be pleasant.

[Iskandar holds his hand over the wound. The burning sensation worsens as he recites the words of the spell pouring magic into the wound. Whenever there was even a touch of black, it goes angry red, flickering as if a tiny flame sprouted from even the smallest of dark spots. The pain is excruciating. If he held hot iron to her skin it would have seemed mild in comparison.]

[ Waver's ears twitch, swiveling back automatically to catch their words as Iskandar examines Saber's wound. A quick assessment of the clearing makes him pretty sure that nothing else is nearby ready to pounce, and he even has a positive read on where the chimeras' scent has gone-- though he can't be entirely sure with the interference of the Cwyld scent, and he's still nervous. Especially since it sounds like the wound has the potential to be serious.

Waver returns to watch the healing. He keeps his ears open, on alert for any new sounds from the forest, and silently offers Saber his hand. ]

[ She's seen illness as well, although perhaps not quite as much as Iskandar has. She doesn't comment though. Her brow is furrowed, her focus on the way he examines her. She flexes her fingers again, a grimace spreading over her features. If they're going to end up doing this - well, now is as god a time as any.

She takes a deep breath and, after a beat of surprise, takes the offered hand and grips. ]

I'm ready.

[ Good thing, too. The pain is beyond almost anything she's felt before and her face slowly goes pale, sweat starting to stand out on her forehead, her frame trembling. Poor Waver probably feels like his hand is being crushed from how tightly she's gripping. She doesn't scream, though. All she does is make a low noise. Almost a grunt.

She'll endure. ]

[Iskandar might never say he's fond of magic. He doesn't share Waver's fascination with the art... and he has his own reason for not liking the very concept of himself being a force to become a practitioner of this craft. There are times, though, more frequent lately when he is grateful for it. They make him hate the cursed thing a little less.

Times like now.

It's not his first time he's using this particular healing spell. He had a lot of practice. He would never have proposed if he wasn't absolutely sure of his mastery in it. This is too serious.

Of course, she doesn't scream. She is King of Knights after all. She'd break before showing even the smallest hint of weakness. Iskandar thinks it's a bit sad but he also recognizes it is not the right time to express that particular opinion. They still have missing kids to find.
The purging spell used in conjunction with regular healing spell leaves only a thin red line, by the end of the day even this faint mark would disappear.]

There. The arm will seem weaker for two, maybe three days and you might feel waves of sharp pain where the wound was. Especially, if you strain the arm. If they don't go away by the end of the week, come see me.

[He just incinerated a substantial chunk of her flesh. He also restored it almost instantly but her body might need time to realize there are no third-degree burns where it feels there should be. It's like that with all healing magic. Only the degree of weirdness varies.]

[ The brief scent of scorched flesh makes Waver's nose wrinkle, and the crackle of magic in the air makes the fur on the back of his neck and shoulders stand up. His hand tightens on Saber's in return, the harsh grip making his fingers ache, but he feels far too guilty standing around doing nothing at all why Iskandar work and Saber bears it. It's the only thing he can do to help, even a little bit. Especially when he knows he was the one best-equipped for scouting, and he hadn't noticed the beast until it was right on top of them.

Despite the discomfort, Waver doesn't pull away until she does. ]

I can make you a potion for pain relief when we get back. And sleep, if you need it.

Thank you, Rider.

[ By the time Rider is finished, Arturia looks like she might be ready to collapse for a little while. Despite that, she pulls herself to her feet and sways slightly, catching herself with her good hand against Waver's side. She'll manage. She has to manage. There's no alternative. She swallows thickly and then manages to speak. ]

That would probably be helpful. But for now we have a mission to accomplish, do we not?

[ She's ultimately disposable. Or at least she's not why they're out here. ]

We should keep moving.

[If there are spells that Iskandar had real trouble learning even when he wanted that would be all the anaesthetics. Not that there are many teaching them anyway, potions for relieving pain are considered far more effective but alchemy is not something Iskandar feels good at. He prefers to leave it to Waver. He could be the one supplying the magic but he cannot, for the love of all the Gods, remember or even follow a single recipe correctly. All the ingredients, the directions on how to prepare them, the amounts, the order in which they need to be added, and all the steps that are extremely important. Even with a detailed recipe in hand he simply cannot make it work.
So he's relieved when Waver proposes his help. He's so much better at this.

And Saber is right. They are here for a reason.]

Indeed, we do.

[In all truth though, Iskandar is not that certain that they should continue but it would be insulting to Saber to question her judgement. Still, the quicker they find those kids the better.]

Waver, were you able to pick up the trail?

[ Automatically, Waver moves to steady her with a hand around Saber's back when she falters, making sure she can stand well enough on her own before he'll move away.

The question makes his ears sink lower against his hair anxiously. He's supposed to be helping scout and track, and he's keenly aware he hasn't been doing a good job. They don't know where the kids are, and Saber's gotten hurt on top of it. They need to hurry... ]

Er... yeah, I think so.

I caught the scent going that way. [ he points to a spot on the edge of the clearing he'd been exploring earlier. ] I think it's fresher than the other one. I-it's hard to tell, sorry.

[ Saber very determinedly begins fashioning an impromptu sling for her injured (or not so injured) arm, so she can at least have it out of the way if things go south again. ]

Don't apologize; we'll trust in you and your abilities.

[ She seems determined. ]

Let's keep moving. [ And she starts without waiting. ]

[Iskandar was just about to say the exact same thing when Saber beat him to it. So he just smiles instead. At least they agree on something.]

It is as King of Knights has said. [He puts his hand on Waver's shoulder. I trust in you, dearest.] Lead the way.

[Yes, Saber already sprinted in the direction Waver has pointed...because of course, she did. So there goes any actual leading... but she will have to wait for them eventually. For all her ardour it's Waver who knows the way, not her.
Iskandar makes a conscious effort not to sigh. Somebody might have thought she's injured or even gasp not in her peak form. How preposterous. Exactly this kind of attitude is what gets people killed in the Wilde! Sadly, he suspects that it wouldn't be received as a valid criticism by Saber should he even state his opinion.]

[ Waver doesn't argue that his abilities are nothing much. He has enhanced senses thanks only to the changes he didn't even want; he only knows how to use them on instinct, and has more resigned himself to trying to put his new assets to use than actively training them.

Though, after this, perhaps he'll try a little harder in that regard. There's no going back-- at least not in any known capacity at this time. This is what he is now. This is how he looks now. After spending the better part of a year ignoring those parts of himself as much as possible, this is one of the rare times Waver realizes he kind of regrets that.

The words of encouragement are appreciated, even if he doesn't think they're deserved. It's the reassuring weight of Iskandar's hand on his shoulder that inspires him to move forward. Waver takes a deep breath. ]

Okay... yeah. We have to keep going.

[ He doesn't even register that Saber has gone ahead. He doesn't actually envision himself a leader in any way, and he's least equipped to handle another Shade, even with Saber's arm weakened. But Waver walks faster to catch up, and turns his full focus on following the trail. This time, he's extra careful to listen for potential danger too. ]

I could be wrong, but... I think they came this way recently.

[ Saber does pause to allow them to catch up. She doesn't want to miss the trail and she's relying on Waver to track the children as best he can. She seems like she wants to get moving, though - perhaps shes trying to make up for being injured in the first place. ]

Let's hope they avoided the shade. Or anything else...

[ She glances down the trail and starts out again, peering into the undergrowth. ]

And hopefully they won't run from us.

[It's never a good idea to relax completely in the Wilde. They had the best example of this rule in their encounter with the Shade. Still, Iskandar let's out a sigh of relief at a patch of light green he notices a patch of light green under a huge and mysteriously uninfected tree.

He goes past Saber and Waver to investigate, sinking down to crouch near the massive trunk.]

Hm, I think you might both be right.

[Iskandar stands up holding a handful of empty pea hulls in his outstretched hand. Still fresh and green. As if to confirm his words a single hull floats down spinning on its way before landing on the ground in front of him. Iskandar looks up but the tangle of branches and leaves obscures his view, not letting him catch even a glimpse of anyone or anything that might be hiding up there.]

[ With all the other scents mixing together and the tracks going back and forth, it's no wonder Waver's having trouble following the scent. Waver blinks in surprise as Iskandar crouches down to look at something. He squints at the green bits of plant. ]

...huh? Up there?

[ Waver steps closer to the tree, peering up through the branches and sniffing the air. He'd scented the overlapping trail all around this clearing. It's not going to change now. But if he listens... ]

Hello? We're not going to hurt you.

[ Saber still cradles her injured arm close to her body, gaze sharp as she looks for potential threats. It's only when Iskandar and Waver draw attention to the tree that she glances up with a little hmm noise. She moves to join Waver. ]

We're from the city; we're here to make sure you're safe.

[ She's trying not to come off as threatening or too stern. Hopefully it works. ]

[There's more rustling up in the higher branches, a few snap with an audible crack as something, or rather someone, evidently moves there.

Then the reply comes, in a squeaky, trembling voice that can only belong to a child.]

I-i-is the demon boar gone?

[Iskandar grins. Finally! He moves away slightly. He'll keep an eye on the surroundings and let Waver and Saber do the talking.]

Edited 2020-08-14 07:49 (UTC)

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