Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 41

When the knife struck, Severance felt a burst of pressure beneath his sternum. His world pulsed red. He gasped, adrenaline surging, and instinctively grabbed at Verdan's wrists, trying to halt the knife. But his strength was too low and the Chosen easily shoved his hands aside.

The knife plunged into him again. And again.

Severance's bar shuddered each time. It flared a deep, angry red.

This was it, then. He'd respawn back at Two Bridges, and he'd have to run back to the fight and hope the rest of his team survived until then. He gritted his teeth, frustrated. Why am I so weak?!

Air whooshed, and a sword swept over him. Severance saw the moment it struck the Chosen's neck with perfect clarity. He saw flesh part and bone separate, and right before his eyes, the head flew. Blood splattered across his face. It was wet. Hot.

His mind blanked.

And then Cindy was there, barely a sliver of health to her name, offering him a hand up.

"Sorry," she said. "I should have been keeping a better eye on you."

He reached out numbly, felt her fingers close around his. She pulled him up, and he became aware of words fading in before him.

+1 Vitality

Quest Updated: Gain Vitality 1/5

Congratulations, Severance! You have reached Level 15.

You have unassigned skills.

Warmth flooded him, rising from his toes upward in an invigorating wave. His wounds closed in an instant, his health restored.

"Here." Cindy offered him his staff.

Severance took it, suddenly very aware of just how battered she looked. She'd lost two fingers and a deep cut across her face had ruined one of her eyes. Yet she didn't seem to care. Maybe she didn't even realize she was so badly hurt.

That prompted him into action.

"Mend," he murmured, directing the skill towards her.

As he healed her, he touched his torso and found the holes in his shirt. The edges were soaked in his own blood. It was strange. Uncomfortable.

Getting killed without knowing it was one thing, but staring it right in the face was something else entirely. Thankfully, Cindy had shown up just in time.

"Thanks for the help," he murmured.

Cindy's one eye curved a little. "Sure. It'd be bad if we let our healer die."

Nearby shouting nearly drowned out the last few words. It was a pair of Chosen warriors, forcing their way through the line of Subella's warriors.

"I got this." Cindy rolled her neck and stalked off to meet them. "Bastion," she growled, and brown light spun to life around her feet.

Severance moved behind her, keeping a watchful eye out in case others tried to sneak up on them.

"Radiant Dome." He covered both himself and Cindy with the skill. She was holding steady, with Valkyrie closing in to help her fight. Good. He had a second, then.

"System, Skills."

The transparent window popped up, and with a swish of his fingers, he moved it to the side so it wouldn't block his vision. He checked out the unassigned skills, hoping to find something that would give him a boost in the current fight.

Unassigned Skills

Level 15 Skills – Choose one

Ray of Light –channel a damaging ray of light at target