War Of Men

Merari

Seeing your best friend almost die wasn't fun. Merari did not recommend it.

The moment she heard someone shout Arcane's name, Merari raced through the ballroom, scarily close to tripping on her dress. She fell to her knees and screamed for help. The high-pitched cries that her body produced sounded foreign and she felt possessed. The small pool of blood below Arcane's head was nothing compared to the darkness spreading through the fabric of her green dress.

Everything happened too slowly. Merari wanted to blame and accuse people, but the Chèr was doing enough of that. She was glad. Arcane deserved justice.

In the end, the victim was lifted onto a stretcher and brought away. Merari held her hand the whole way. Her skin was so pale; she looked like a ghost. An icy fist closed itself around Merari's heart, as she choked back the tears.

'If you die, you're a wimp,' she croaked.

Sabrina had grabbed Arcane's other hand to her surprise. The Rindea looked like she might as well have been stabbed too. Merari wanted to tell her to get away and leave them alone. It was strange, how love could make you so paranoid. Sabrina was the softest soul and the best company for the dying girl. No, Arcane wasn't dying. She couldn't die.

They laid her down in her bed. Somebody must have run ahead and called the doctors that were already waiting in the room. They struggled to remove the bloodstained material from the wound. Merari shuddered at the horror on their face.

'Right in the kidney...' a doctor realised.

'Sabrina.'

Merari hadn't registered that the Chèr had followed them. In confusion, she looked at the determined Rindea that pushed the doctors aside.

'What are you doing?' shrieked one of them.

Sabrina ignored them and stuck her hand right on the wound. As her skin went even paler, Merari realised that Sabrina must have been trying to heal Merari this whole time. The wound emitted a green glow and created the illusion of green veins growing out of it. Sabrina's eyes grew empty, then she swayed and stepped back.

'I can't do anymore for her.' Sabrina brushed away the tears in her eyes with her other hand. 'But she will live.'

'But... Magic like that is forbidden,' stated one of the doctors.

'In this case, it's a blessing from the spirits. The Voire conferred with the Leere and we found her powers to be a gift from the spirits.'

'But... A power like that always has a price. You cannot escape death without a consequence.'

'I'm sorry,' sobbed Sabrina.

'Sabrina, get some rest,' the Chèr told her. He rubbed her back gently, while a cold fire burnt in his eyes. Then he turned to the doctor, 'Would you prefer death?'

That got them to shut up. Merari kept squeezing Arcane's hands. The hectic initial shock had made room for sorrow. Her eyes turned to waterfalls, her throat was parched. She didn't know what sort of price they were talking about, nor did she care. All she could think about was the fact that Arcane had almost died.

Every now and again, a doctor would request she let go for a moment, but as soon as the doctor had finished, Merari was clutching her best friend again. She found herself praying to Sorita, even though she doubted the spirit could do much. Why wasn't there a spirit for health and well-being?

The doctors did all they could for the time being, then left. Arcane didn't look much better than when she'd been brought in, the main difference was that her wounds were hidden by bandages and she'd been changed into a clean and softer nightgown. A strip of gauze was wrapped around her head for where it had hit the ground. Merari found herself smoothing a curl in the fabric.