Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 14

"Run!" Severance cried. "Get them out of there!"

Fladnag the Wise, the stately old man that he was, acted first. He grabbed Jorgie's father by the waist and threw him over a thin shoulder. Then he hiked up his tattered brown robes and charged for the cave entrance.

The bears reacted instantly. More than half turned towards him, rearing up, yellowed teeth flashing as they roared in anger. The old scholar wove between them, dodging the paws that tried to take his head off. Some caught his robes, ripping them to shreds. Blood spurted, but the old player didn't slow down. He was like an Olympic athlete dead set on the finish line. Not even an army of bears would get in his way.

"Mend!" Severance threw out a desperate heal. The leaves rustled and a pale light flashed over the old player, buying him a few more seconds of life.

PrettyBoi was in an even worse situation. The little player was surrounded by a ring of bears. Jorgie's mother lay at its feet, either dead or unconscious. Severance had no idea how that came to be, but he didn't really care. Both of them were going to die.

What can I do?

Panic surged as his eyes darted from one to the other. It looked like Fladnag would make it, but PrettyBoi?

Severance gritted his teeth. He thrust out his tree branch, the wilted leaves trembling violently.

"Radiant Dome!" Light shimmered over PrettyBoi and the fallen Elionan woman. A semi-transparent dome unfolded over them like liquid glass being poured over an upturned bowl.

"Move, move, move!" Fladnag the Wise blew past Severance in a rush of wind. The ground trembled, and Severance saw a wall of bears stampeding towards him. He did the only smart thing. He sprinted after the scholar with every bit of speed he could muster.

The two of them burst out of the caves. Grumbling roars followed them out, but the bears did not leave the cave. They stopped short of sunlight, crowding around the entrance for a bit before they began to return to the interior of the Caves.

Fladnag the Wise dropped Jorgie's father onto the ground. He met Severance's gaze.

"Protect him," he gravely stated. Then he brushed off his bloody and shredded robes, and strode back into the cave like a warrior heading into his last battle.

Severance felt both awed and baffled. Was this guy mad? If he went back in there, he was going to die!

On the ground, Jorgie's father groaned and curled up into a ball. "I'm scared," he moaned. "I don't want to die. If I die, my mum will be sad. It's so scary. Ahhh...mum, save me!"

From within the caves came a thunderous cry, rising above the roaring of bears. "You shall not pass! Stand your ground, my friend!"

Severance's attention flew to the cave. Just what was going on in there?

"This is nuts," Severance muttered. It was a hopeless situation. Why would Fladnag run back in even though he'd more than likely end up getting himself killed? At this rate, both of them would die and—

Red shuddered through the party list as Fladnag's health plummeted to a mere quarter. Miraculously, PrettyBoi was still alive, although he was deep into the red as well.

"Aw, crap."

He glanced at Jorgie's father, and decided that the guy wasn't likely to go anywhere any time soon. He ran back into the cave.

It was an utter madhouse. Fladnag the Wise had made it to PrettyBoi's side, and now the two of them were trying to fend off the bears. They weren't doing too bad, much to Severance's surprise.