The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 8

By the time I made it back to Death Bringer, he had pried the trap open. His mangled leg was oozing blood as he struggled to stand and wrap his shirt around his leg. His bare inked chest breathed heavily in the sunlight and he had a phantom hand of dark magic cover his mouth as he securely tied the shirt into the open wound. He winced and then let out another breath as his magic retreated back into him.

"I've come to the conclusion that you are actually crazy. Clinically insane, one would say," Death Bringer rambled as if his shield had dropped and he was suddenly younger.

I tilted my head. "You could just say thank you."

He nodded, "Thank you," then he frowned, "Why? It was stupid." His hands were fists at his sides.

"Well I couldn't very well go back without you. What would I say to Sea Legs? To the crew?" I bullshitted. I wasn't sure why I did it. I could have left him. Perhaps I should have.

"So you saved me for Sea Legs?" He grinned, his eyes tired.

I shrugged. "You don't look too good," I refocused our attention on him instead of me.

He glanced down. "Are you going to help me or what? We have a long way to go."

I groaned and rolled my eyes but sauntered over. He held an arm up and I positioned myself underneath it for him to relax as we hobbled back onto our journey. I dreaded it; the idea of being this close for an extended period of time. As we walked, I used my healing magic to race through his body and slowly patch up the wound. I couldn't do it very quickly, especially not with trying to stitch myself back up at the same time. The claw marks in my side were deep and barely scabbed over. I was nearly breathless from all of the concentration and holding up his weight as we walked. Thankful for the times we had shade from the trees above, we both were dripping with sweat under the mid-afternoon sun. I nearly dropped to my knees at the sight of the town we were staying in on the horizon between trees.

By the time we reached the town, Death Bringer had healed enough to bear his own weight. He slowly limped along, all of his concentration focused on knitting the flesh of his open wound back together. It felt like flashes of consciousness as I dragged through the town streets toward where our ship was docked. I just needed some rest. Healing and fighting had taken a toll on my energy levels. My magic was sometimes endless enough that I would grow physically tired from expelling so much energy at once.

I didn't register what anyone said as we shuffled back onto the boat and into the bedchamber where all the hammocks were tied. He instantly raided the food and alcohol closet, spreading out a few slices of bread and cheese along with two glasses of some form of red fairy wine. I couldn't resist the appeal as I dug in. The least of my worries was the mess of this dress and how filthy I had looked. I only bothered to wash my hands before I began to feast. The wine went right to my pain receptors and eased the throbbing in my side. My head was heavy and I was ready for a deep slumber.

"Did you want any help gathering the crew to set sail? We should leave at once," I strongly urged.

He shook his head. "Go rest. I will be in shortly, it won't take long." Then he limped off without another glance.

I did as he suggested and found myself crumbling into the hammock with exhaustion after scrubbing the dried blood off of my exposed skin. I wrapped myself up in a blanket and darkness consumed me.

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The click of the door shutting awoke me, my consciousness slowly swaying back into my body like the waves against the rocking ship. I glanced up in the pale glow from the small hole of sunlight in the room and he slowly shuffled over. He pinned a shirt in the way of the light creeping in from the porthole, turning the room into pitch black darkness with only a small hole in the upper deck floorboards to peek through. Without a word, he fell into his hammock and propped his leg up with a few pillows. Then he shut his eyes.