"Frey, is that really you?" Daren hoped against hope, the boy he remembered was full of naive innocence, had these creatures really gotten to him?
Unlike him, the girl's movements were hardly controlled, however it was possible that that was a ploy to get them to lower their guards... but there were no signs of an infection on him.
Daren stared at Frey, it had been a while since they last saw each other, he had changed, especially that glint in his eyes, but also his aura... he had broken through the threshold and made it to rank two.
Frey's vision narrowed in when he saw Daren; among the bunch, this familiar face was the only one that made him feel something, with the rest either having tried to kill him, or being bystanders that were indifferent to it.
"Daren... who-" he noticed the disfigured person on his shoulders, "N-no, wha-" he stammered, his body shivered, his fingers curled into a fist, "Marv?" his voice cracked, and an invisible pressure washed over the humans.
"Who... did that to you?" he spoke quietly, and yet his voice reverberated, each echo further straining the people around him, pressing them to the ground.
Daren was no exception, they had already been weakened over the course of the last few days, not to mention the battle mere moments ago, which allowed this inconceivable power to force them to their knees.
The stalk retreated into the hole, lowering the flower-woman and Frey down to their height.
He got off and walked towards Daren, as if his surroundings were non-existent.
Countless pink petals accompanied him, and the humans crawled out of his way, afraid of coming into contact with them.
"Frey." Daren grunted while fighting against whatever was pressing down on him, "It's all my fault!"
His words shook the boy; Frey's ears were buzzing, his arm moved up, and so did the long vine, but he stopped as Daren continued speaking, "If only I had gotten there quicker... the Treemen were practically toying with him, he was barely conscious and breathing when I found him. I- I am so sorry."
Frey's lip quivered, "...the Treemen..." he zoned out.
Daren gnashed his teeth, "And when Reyna went after you... I chose to try and save his life instead of going to rescue you..."
"When... Reyna went after me..." Frey took a step back, almost stumbling as his vision dimmed and his strength faltered.
"I- I-..." he looked at his trembling palms, "...I did that..."
Winny hit Marquis Gomon with an intense glare, but he shook his head, rejecting whatever idea she had thought of, he wanted to hear more.
"I never wanted-... Lu, what- what have I done...? What have we done?" Frey grabbed his own head, "All because of this... because of my cursed voice."
"Frey?" Daren frowned, "Who are you talking to?" he became increasingly more concerned, was this a symptom of the infection taking root in his brain?
"Yeah, yeah! You are right... there is still that. I can still- I can still help him!" Frey nodded his head frantically; he spoke hurriedly and sounded elated.
"Frey!" Daren shouted.
Frey snapped out of it, he looked at Daren, "I know how to save Marv! Come! Come with me!" he gestured with his hands as he ran by the injured humans, moving to the heart and the lake.
Daren felt like the invisible restriction on him vanished, but he didn't rush after Frey, he glanced at the other mages, who glanced back at him.
"Do we trust him?" Marquis Gomon asked, "Either way, we'll get closer to the lake, to our resources."
Winny shushed him, "Not so loud." she whispered, the flower-woman, and the other rank three creatures surrounded them still, "Doesn't look like we have much of a choice here."
They all silently agreed that it was best to follow and see what he was talking about first.
The horde of monsters stepped aside to allow them to pass, the injured humans followed after their leaders, some managed to walk by themselves, others were dragged along the floor.
"Over here. Lay him down, carefully!" Frey stood over the edge of the lake and pointed into the shallow part of the water.
"How is the water supposed to help him?" Daren raised his eyebrow, but followed Frey's instructions, lowering Marv's body into the water, allowing him to soak, while his head was elevated enough to allow him to breathe.
Marquis Gomon and Kassan greedily peered into the water; they were both glad to have come this close, should the fighting resume.
However, they had to contain their feelings and expressions, as the flower-woman was looming over their heads, along with the vine, the stalk had extended in order to follow them all the way here.
Reyna stayed quiet at the far side of the group, she was surprised seeing Plamus take a beating and her escaping any retribution, though it may still follow.
"You'll see!" Frey looked up at the giant heart, full of expectation.
Daren noticed his exposed back, there was a big hole in his attire, and a giant scar that had roughly the same shape...
The pace of the heart's thuds slowed, the sound became louder and the liquid behind the fleshy orange layer bubbled up.
Sizzling noises accompanied the beating of the heart, smoke leaked out of the organ, and soon a single orange drop was squeezed out.
The drop landed in the centre of the lake, quickly spreading and assimilating itself with the clear turquoise water.
Like a pollution, more and more areas took on the orange hue, until it reached Marv's body.
Daren held his breath, he still wasn't sure whether Frey was truly himself, he looked at the boy, who appeared fully convinced that whatever was happening would help Marv.
The sinking feeling inside his chest was growing stronger-
"What?!" he nearly screamed...
Marv's wounds... they were closing at an observable speed!
"How is this possible?!" Daren reached out towards him but was promptly stopped by an assortment of petals.
"Please stay away. One drop isn't much, and the more that try to benefit from its effect at once, the shorter it lasts." Frey spoke in response.
Marquis Gomon whispered unintelligible words into Kassan's ears, whose face lit up by the incredible news.
Kassan stepped forward, "Every one of us is hurt and tired, please, I ask of you, allow at least the heavily injured warriors to partake in this miraculous water."
Frey squinted his eyes, he looked at them, bleeding, coughing, trembling, their hair unkempt, their clothes and armour riddled with holes and other rips in the fabric, he wavered, guilt overcame him, his actions were indirectly responsible for their plight.
"Lu?" he seemed surprised, then stared into the empty air, as if he was listening attentively, "That's-... true..." he mumbled, his expression hardened, "They did..." his voice was growing colder-
"I beg you!" Kassan shouted and bowed, interrupting Frey, "I understand that we have no right to ask this, seeing how you were abandoned by our camp, but this is their only chance of survival! We will repay you for the injustice you have suffered, so please, show these people some compassion..."
Frey hesitated, a deathly silence permeated the air as everyone anticipated his answer… he shook his head then stepped down into the water to kneel next to Marv, Marquis Gomon's body tensed up, fearing the worst, but then Frey spoke, "One drop is too much for a single person-" he moved the floating body farther in, then placed one hand onto Marv's forehead, the other onto his chest, "Whatever remains, you can decide how to split it." Frey pressed both hands down, submerging Marv.
The wounds that ranged from his ankles to his face were closing, the smallest had already finished, leaving behind nothing more than shallow scars.
"Marquis, have the warriors with the gravest injuries gathered at the front, I don't know how many we can save, but let's utilize this gift to the utmost." Kassan grabbed the man's arm.
"Yes, I'll get to it..." Marquis Gomon knitted his temples, "What a surreal situation..."
Air bubbled up to the surface, but Frey kept Marv's head underwater.
Daren had his concerns, but seeing Marv's chest rise and fall like there was no difference he exhaled.
Time passed, and soon enough Marv's face was recognisable; Frey placed his hands below his legs and back, then lifted him, "Hng!" he pulled Marv out of the water, their drenched clothes dripped onto the crystal floor.
Frey looked over his shoulder at the group of humans, then turned back to Marv.
The injured were sitting and lying near the edge of the lake, with Marv and Frey gone, they directed their attention to Kassan and Marquis Gomon, desperately waiting for the go-ahead to toss themselves into the magical liquid.
They had watched as the oppressive orange water was gaining a hint of clarity, as Frey had described, the effect was limited and clearly coming to an end soon.
Marquis Gomon attentively studied Frey's behaviour, he wasn't convinced entirely but seeing how he had his back turned towards them, the boy's readiness to share the lake seemed genuine.
After a moment he nodded to the warriors, "Step inside, help your allies that are unable to move on their own. Savour this chance." he ordered.
A warrior crawled closer, reaching for the glowing orange water with his hand, only three fingers remained, the rest had been severed by the sharp claws of the locals.
Others weren't quite as lucky, their bodies lay mutilated, spread over the remainder of the cave, blood flowed along the ground, and the smell of iron filled their nostrils.
The warrior's eyes were fixated on the magical liquid, salvation was nigh, his fingertips ready to pierce into water's surface, but when he blinked, his outstretched arm was gone, "Ah?" bewilderment fogged his mind, but as it began to clear, and the painfilled throbbing of his shoulder settled in, his lungs were emptied of all the air he held through one long and bloodcurdling scream, "Arghhhh!!"
His shrieks drowned out all other noises, those that still could reached for their weapons!
Marquis Gomon frowned, 'As expected…' he sighed internally, Frey's offer was too good to be true, he was finally revealing his true colours-
With a loud splat the shrieks came to an end, the poor warrior's upper half had been removed, "Shut it." a very familiar voice sneered, the sound of shoes clacking against the crystal floor drew in the survivors' attention… it was Plamus.
He was limping, clutching his wounded stomach with one hand, while the other was still aimed in the warrior's direction.
His clothes were full of dust, and small chunks of debris hung in his hair.
"Plamus!" Kassan roared, "What is the meaning of this?!"
"What's the meaning of this?" Plamus repeated his words in a mocking tone, "I should be the one asking that…" he tapped his chest with his index finger, "That water is the only way for me to make a full recovery, and you want to waste in on these… worthless things?"
Kassan grumbled, "You could just join them! What's so wrong with sharing this miracle?!"
"Share?" Plamus scoffed, "And why would I do that? You heard the boy, it can only heal so many people at once to a limited degree. Then why would I want to split it?"
All eyes glared at Plamus as he approached, "I am the one that contributed the most, without me, we wouldn't even be standing here, so it is only right, that I be the first to step in and bask in the effect!"
Kassan bit his tongue, and swallowed the words he so vehemently wished to dish out, he instead turned to Frey, "How- How long would it take for another such drop to form?"
Plamus was way out of line, but this wasn't the time to confront him about it, they had better return to their peak conditions before considering any actions against him.
Frey returned the gaze, then looked to the heart, "Hard to say… maybe a few days, maybe… longer."
"We don't have that long! Just look at them!" Daren spoke up while gesturing to the injured.
Reyna stepped away from the group, heads turned, and watched as she distanced herself, and walked up to Plamus, "Smart girl." he commented as she positioned behind him, "I'll be blunt, out of everyone here I currently have the most firepower available. I have been quietly following your directions, your orders, and to be frank… I tire of them. And look what has become of me thanks to that!"
"I've been trying to play nice, but now I see that it was in vain… I will give you a choice, one that is not negotiable. Either join my side, right here, right now, or prepare yourselves for what's to come…"
Marquis Gomon's eyes wandered, "Are you blind? Don't you see that you are surrounded?" the many remaining rank three locals had ceased their actions, but it was obvious that any of Frey's motions could undo this restriction on them.
"Hah. You'd think I'd go around making these claims if I wasn't confident?" Plamus eyed Frey, 'A measly rank two mage, I'd like to see these monsters tell me and the other humans apart, when the one controlling them is gone.' he smiled at his thoughts.
Kassan inhaled, "Let's calm down Plamus… I get it, you are injured, exhausted, and at your wit's end, but there is no need for such drastic measures. Why don't we all take a step back, and talk this through, I am sure we can come to an agreement, peacefully."
"Sure." Plamus said while walking closer, "You can go ahead and have your little conversation, meanwhile I'm going to take what I deserve. And that is final."
Marquis Gomon turned to Frey, but he paid no attention to the situation, he was preoccupied with tending to Marv, "Tch." he clicked his tongue.
A conflict was brewing, and as much as he wanted to avoid it, something in his mind was screaming at him, who knew what Plamus might do when he regained his strength, when his mental wellbeing had already deteriorated to this point.
Plamus peered over the edge of the lake, he raised his foot, then set it down in the water, a warm tingly sensation developed on his skin.
He scanned over the small crowd, the warriors all wore bitter expressions, Winny and Daren stood next Kassan, who was quietly conversing with them, Plamus could only notice the movement of his lips.
And Marquis Gomon… Marquis Gomon was staring right at him.
Chills ran across Plamus' spine and scalp, he looked down to his foot, and with one fluid motion he jumped back out!
One moment later and a wave in the shape of a viper would have killed him where he stood.
His eyes turned bloodshot, "Old man! You dare-" then he inhaled sharply, something had wedged itself deep between his shoulder blades.
The breath got stuck in his throat, he tried to turn around but found that his control over his body was rapidly declining.
Plamus reached for his chest, some sort of object was poking out from it; blood dripped down his side, his legs, and pooled around his feet.
'What… but the only one behind me is-' darkness overcame him as his final thoughts vanished into nothingness, he buckled forwards, and with a big splash fell into the orange water.
"Glad I wasn't the only one who managed to read the room." Reyna nodded at Marquis Gomon while wiping her hands as if to remove dirt.
The survivors were shaken, their mouths wide open; what just happened?
"You killed… Plamus?" Daren couldn't believe his eyes, but it was true, his lifeless body was swimming in the water, red blood from the wound, created by a single dagger through his back, mixed with the orange of the lake.
He was done in, and by his own second-in-command no less.
"How… unexpected." Marquis Gomon was at a loss for words, "Weren't you on his side? Why choose to betray him?"
Reyna sighed, "I never wanted to be on his side." but all the faces in front of her were full of disbelief, "Think what you will." she shrugged.
Frey wiped Marv's hair out of his face, he had been healed mostly, but he wasn't waking up, "Why?" he shook Marv's body, until the growing commotion drew his attention away.
"It needed to be done. He had become a danger to all of us." Marquis Gomon defended Reyna, "It was best to dispose of him before he got any more ideas."
Kassan touched his forehead, 'The Starhelm family will be furious… if we ever return, that is.'
'Perhaps it's best not to think that far into the future.' he scoffed, surviving this place was indeed their priority.
"Well done, both of you… I agree, you made the right choice."
"You do?" Marquis Gomon raised his brow.
"Yes. What we need is unity, and we all now know that Plamus wasn't in the same boat as us." Kassan nodded, "Now, let's help our injured into the water, I just hope that Plamus' body hasn't absorbed too much of the regenerative effect-" he glanced in the direction from which he sensed Frey, hoping for his input.
Frey looked past them, he tilted his head, the curved dagger stuck within Plamus reminded him of something he had lost while fleeing for his life some time ago, "Isn't that… master's?"