Tales of the Vangen: The Siege of Middengard (Book 2)

Chapter 74: Recuperate

"Fecking shit."

Took an age for Libro to peel his eyes open. Took him another for his lips. His first intake of breath crackled in the back of his dry throat. His second a wheezing cough that sent his entire body into spasms.

"Water," he murmured through cracked lips. "Please. Water."

"Right here, Captain." Something gurgled to his right. He turned, reached out, realized he was using his stump.

"Sorry," the voice hissed. A water skin landed in Libro's lap. He took it with his good arm, popped the cork, nearly whimpered as the first few drops came pouring into his desert of a mouth. Goddess but there was simple joy to be had in cold water. He gulped it down greedily,wiped his mouth, cool relief pouring through his aching body.

"Where am I?" he asked after working up the energy.

"Medicae Tent Primaris," the voice said. "You're safe, Captain."

"And the others?" Libro glanced over, surprised to see who was talking to him.

"Minimal...casualties," Culter said through gritted teeth. He was laying on a stretcher beside Libro, pale ghost flesh peaking out through bloody bandages where they'd stripped him of his armor. The worst of it was concentrated around his stomach. Most were completely soaked through, long rivulets of blood running down his sides. The albino was a dead man for sure.

"You're one tough son of a bitch. You know that?" Libro turned his head back to stare up at the pale green canvas. It was hard dressing up your worst guardsman when you had to look him in the eye. "Always thought you were invincible for some reason."

Culter snorted. A real genuine laugh. "Funny. I thought you'd have died sooner."

"Thought so too," Libro said. "But that bitch of an Empress keeps bringing me back." They both shared a chuckle at that, right until the pain of it all became too much.

"Got your leg back I see?" Culter asked.

"Only cost me an arm." Libro waved his stump at him for emphasis. Culter nearly spasmed as he covered his mouth.

"Bastard. That was a good one. Nearly popped a stitch."

"Sorry," Libro said as he wiped away a tear. "Couldn't pass it up." His laughter slowly passed as the reality of his situation began to settle in. Didn't take long before he felt an awful ache surge through his stump. Spirit pain, he'd heard Nox call it. When a piece of you crosses over to the other side, sometimes you can still feel it.

His other arm fared little better. Dark, deep lines crisscrossed his flesh like tattoos, buried so deep they would most likely stay there forever. The Medicae had done whatever they could for it, slathering ointment and applying bandages, but he could still see the dark marks zigzag beneath the opaque cloth. A constant reminder of his near fatal clash with the Emperor.

He stared at the scars, mind boggling at how he was still breathing. He'd seen what a Bronze Heart could do to a man, to an entire fort no less. Vaporized. Decimated. Wiped completely off the face of the earth. And yet here he was, still breathing after destroying the Golden Heart. Thee Golden Heart of all things. He recalled the blinding light washing over him. The intense heat. And then...nothing. How was he still alive?

His thoughts lingered at the possibility of the Empress providing intervention, but they were soon lost in a fit of coughing from Culter. Libro glanced over. The man looked even paler now. His usual steely glare had somehow lost its edge, looking more like a wounded animal than a hardened killer.. Funny. He used to be so afraid of the man. Now he merely pitied him.

"Hanging in there, okay?" Libro asked, thinking it the right thing to say.

"Never better," Culter said, one eye spasming. "Might have a fecking tea party later."