"I don't want a death, but I don't want to make her lose a hand if there's a chance to save it." Roth closed his eyes, and crossed his arms in a thinking manner.
"The overall chances of her surviving the trip are low, extremely low. AS well as a healer being in a small town like Mislandt. Her best chances would be losing that hand."
"I'm not repeating mistakes. I've seen too many cases where the person regretted not taking the risk." As those words left his mouth, he uncrossed his arms and stomped on the ground.
"We can't factor in personal feelings here. She may as well die. You and I are the only ones who can navigate this forest alone. Our horse is dead, we need you to push the carriage, and you can't go that fast." Bronya waved her arms, the obvious clenching behind her lips portrayed her agitation.
"You can pull ahead with Lucian carrying Fei. I'll follow behind you. The map is mostly flat in that direction."
"That leaves you and Haru alone, we'd risk losing our objective. We'd risk dying too, I can't keep my skill going forever and this forest we're not even half way through it."
"You've already mapped out the whole forest already keeping it up this long. Haru will be safe with me." Roth's thumb pointed towards Haru who was standing a little far next to the carriage, then he facepalmed "The more we argue the more valuable time we lose."
"That doesn't exclude random undead creatures, or ogres coming out and attacking!" Bronya extended her arms, her lips twitching in frustration. "And do you think I can react fast enough to stop them swarming Lucian, Fei and I? I can't keep trapmeister for hours on end, constantly. We'll end up being overrun and slaughtered."
"Losing her hand is going to kill her faster. Do you even know how to stop the bleeding?" Roth questioned her, as he shrugged his shoulders. Then continued, "It's dying from blood loss in a day or having a four day chance. Think about it… Bronya, rash decisions aren't your normal."
"I have experience taking care of others with heavy bleeding! I helped nurse people in my home village, and I can cauterize the wound with my axe." Bronya raised her voice, leaning forward with a hand laying atop of her chest. Even patting her weapon on her hip as assurance. "We can wrap it up with the bandages and medical supplies we have in the carriage. We have a better chance at keeping her alive this way."
"She might die from the shock of losing her hand. Or die from the pain itself. I've seen people fall to just shock, don't underestimate what I've seen." He sucked his teeth, his frustration and anger grew in his chest; he pointed at Bronya, "and you only helped that doesn't make you a professional."
"Do you have any experience in treating wounds? It's better to have some than none. And her dying from the pain, or shock is not a guarantee. Like you said, 'I've seen too many cases where the person regretted not taking the risk'."
"I do. What do you think we learn as mercs? I'm valuing not just her but her future and her partner."
"Look at that bite then, do you think it'll allow just a mere four days at minimum?" Bronya raised her hand, and extended her pointer finger towards Fei and Lucian. The latter held her in his arms, dark liquid oozed from the bitemark on her hand. " If her condition keeps worsening over this trip, we'll have to take frequent breaks. That pairs with our exhaustion that accumulates."
"I didn't say anything about four days direct travel. It's four days on a normal journey. We can hurry and make it in three days. It's far from her heart, we've got time that we shouldn't be wasting arguing. Look at the map again, you're too tired to read properly."
"Do you think I can't read the map properly? I calculated the time already, it will take us five, if not six days to make it there. AS a normal journey, we have to factor in the rest periods, which... Case in point, look at everyone already. I didn't get any sleep. I had my skill on for almost eight hours at least yesterday. I need more than just normal sleep to regain that spent stamina.Do you think we can make it with the amount of exhaustion we can accumulate? Lack of sleep will get to us before a healer can get to us!"
"That's exactly why we're in this situation, because you kept your skill active and tried to be the hero. Look at it again. Or don't, we need to hurry!" Roth raised his voice, then turned his back towards Bronya
"I was... I wasn't trying to be a hero. I can barely see the light in this area, I need to keep it active just in case of a sneak attack! We're wandering with new adventurers, Lack of experience, this is a dangerous forest for them."
"Could've relied on two others and decided to take watch on your own. What did you think would have happened?" His anger showcased through the tightening of his fists, and the vigorous shaking of his head. "Trying to be the responsible adult and the reliable senior is going to get your juniors killed! You told me you want to lead the Wood Elves?! If that's how you're planning to lead, that's pathetic coming from you. Your actions that just happened? Do not ever show your face there EVER again."
"Let's take the POSITIONS into an example! Little Fei was in the carriage, I don't know I can rely on her sight, her hearing. We barely even know each other, I only know she can use magic without chanting! Little Lucian, he's as blind as me. Little Haru just left from being enslaved, she's struggling with getting out. I'm trying to watch out for the team as a whole. I kept it on for that reason as well! It covers a massive area, I can navigate us through the dangerous paths. I'm not trying to be a hero, I'm trying to compensate for my lack of knowledge of our team."
"ENOUGH! You two. We're getting nowhere like this!"
"...."
"Then why did you agree with me before Haru gave that idea? DO you want to believe a false hope? That wound WILL not let Fei survive the journey. You're ignoring the rest periods EVERYTHING that will make this journey longer. It already is way behind on schedule! But… Yeah, you know what, let's end thi-"
"I couldn't think of another option. Goldie Locks pointed something out that I completely missed. That's what admitting oversight is."
"Enough you two! Let's vote on what to do, Haru included– Or ask Fei herself."
"Yeah. Sure, I already know what everyone else is thinking. Let's get out of this damn place."
There was a brief pause, and a slight sound of fabric moving.
"Fei… You should-" Lucian's voice softly cut itself, he watched as fei stared at her bitten hand. Her lips twitched and then the furrow of her eyes. "Don't… Don't do it…" He quietly begged her. "Fei…"
"I-II don't… I don't want to die, die…" Fei said, beneath her contemplation, held a shaky voice. "L-Let… Let me.. Let me decide…" She ordered, her other hand clutched Lucian's sleeve. "L-Lucian… Ple- Hold.. hold my hand… Please… Please do it…" She begged him, her body started to shake in his hands.
"White hair, are you sure you want to do this?"
"I don't want to die…" Fei responded. I-I have too much… Too much to live for…
"It's not a guarantee, Fei."
"I-I want to live… I don't… I don't- I don't know if I can make that trip…"
"Fei…"
"Please… Please hold my hand tightly…"
"...Okay…"
Bronya slowly unlatched her axe. Her hand softly, and subtly quivered as she did. Hers and Roth's eyes met, then departed from each other. "Fei…" She called to Fei, causing them to look at each other. "Are you sure this is what you want done?"
"..." Fei quietly nodded her head, despite the immense fear that ate at her. She laid her bleeding hand on the ground.
"Roth. Grab the bandages… And… A wad of cloth." Bronya barked at him. "This is going to hurt… Bite down on this." She knelt down, with a white cloth laying in her hand.
"...Thanks…"
Feeling the soft, and malleable cloth in his fingers, Lucian clumsily folded it. Once finished, Fei laid back, and at his silent command opened her mouth.
'Are you sure…' Before Lucian could finish his question, there was an immense slice of air. His hair fluttered, he felt Fei's hand grip his own. A grip, he could never think she could do. Even a normal human fighting for their life could match the strength of it.
"MMFF!!" Fei's cries spewed out, her eyes wanting to fall out of socket. Her stomach contorted into the air, as if her body became possessed.
"Lucian… I need to cauterize her wound… Please try to hold her still…"
'...' He pushed down on Fei's stomach without much muscle. Whilst Bronya grabbed a hold of Fei's profusely dripping stump.
"Fei… Please… Stop moving, the pain will be go…Ne…"
In a matter of seconds, Fei's struggle ceased. Her mouth fell limp, all the strength her body could muster ceased. The pain that exuded from her eyes became numb, and her eyelids closed halfway.
"Fei…? Fei?!" Lucian called out her name, her head fell backwards as he shook her body. His lips quivered when he said her name once more. "Fei…? Please… No…" More… And more, his lips vibrated. His vision began to blur.
"Lucian…"
"What did you do…? Why did you have t- Why did you have to suggest that?!"
"I…"
"IF YOU DIDN'T SUGGEST THAT SHE- she wouldn't… SHE WOULDN'T HAVE AGREED! WE COULD'VE TAKEN HER TO THE NEXT TOWN! WE COULD'VE FOUND SOMEONE! She.. She…"
"..."
Bronya fell silent, her axe fell to the ground with a dull thud. "I'm.. I thought…"
"What're you going to say, you're 'sorry?' If you're going to say that… Shut your damn mouth! You did this!"
"Bronya, you need to cauterize that wound. Now."
"Bronya." Roth called out, he took three steps, and stopped directly in front of her. He saw as her eyes became unfocused, and the constriction of her pupils. "Listen to me. Listen to me, or we might be too late." He ordered, but nothing changed in her eyes. "Listen to me, you need to." His torso bent forward, both hands were flattened on his legs.
"R-Roth...?"
"Can you hear me? Can you see my face?"
"I-I can..."
"Use trapmeister. Fei might have fainted."
"..."
"Listen to my voice. Clear your head. We don't have much time."
"O-Okay..."
'Please…' Bronya shut her eyes; with a prayer, Trapmeister activated. Inside her mind, a black plains became mapped. A bunch of green dots surrounded them 'Those are spiders…' She quickly deduced… Afterall, the spiderwebs hanging above them held little babies.
At the center of the oceans of dots, were four brightly lit circles. However, one barely clung to light. It quivered, fighting every urge to succumb to the darkness. Bronya clenched her teeth, her hands noticeably clenched to the others.
"Is she…?
"Fei's… She's… She's alive– She's bare- She's barely hanging on…"
"Sh- She is…? Sh-" Lucian's quivering voice let out. "She's…." He clung to her body, squeezing it, as he could barely make out her face. "Thank the gods…" His voice, a quiet prayer, lowered himself. Hot tears dripped from his tear ducts.
After a brief period of sorrow, Roth held onto Bronya's shoulder. He bent his knees, just enough so his mouth reached her pointy ears. His lips mouthed a few words, her eyes widened– Mouth tightening into a broken grimace.
"I... I can't..."
"You need to, or Fei will die."
"..."
Bronya stood as a statue. Her eyes focused on the now bloody mess that became Fei's arm. The hands that dealt the blow, shook with intense voracity. 'I can't... I can't do it...' Her mind was riddled, until Roth picked up her fallen axe.
"If you can't do it, I will." He said he brought it close to his face, causing his face to scrunch. "How do you activate the torch function?"
"You can't..."
"I can't? I can tell me. How to do it."
"It won't activate... For you…"
"..."
"Then why the fuck won't you do it?! YOU SAID YOU WOULD!" Lucian cried out, he squeezed Fei's body closer to his. Yet his eyes remained, glaring daggers into Bronya's body. "You can keep your word with anyone else, but the people who need you right now! Fei trusted your words..."
"I'-"
"Lucian, can you help me?"
"I'm not leaving her side."
"Keep her arm still, I'm going to wrap it." Roth threw Bronya's axe deep into the crimson stained ground. In the next moment, he grabbed a roll of cloth. "Just keep her arm up, I'll do the rest."
Carefully, and efficiently, he grabbed a lip of the cloth; setting it behind Fei's stump, dragging it across. Once he finished, the cloth already began to soak in a bloody mess, despite the many layers he wrapped it.
"What're we going to do...? " Lucian questioned, he witnessed the bandages instantly being stained a dark red.
"We'll get moving. If there is a possibility of a healer at Mistlandt we must take it."
"Alright..."
"Um..."
"Bronya, you and Lucian will take the lead." Roth explained, the ground split upon holding her axe once more. "Haru, you'll be with me. Bronya, take this." Hesitantly, Bronya walked up to him. Her eyes fixed themselves to her axe; now stained with a dark liquid across its surface. "Take it." Roth commanded in a quiet voice.
"I-I will…"
"Lucian."
"..."
"Stay with Bronya. Trust her judgement, she has her flaws– She makes mistakes, like you and I. Her judgement will get you through– IT will save Fei, just push through this forest."
"..."
"Go now." Roth extended his right arm, with an outstretched finger– A darkened, one filled with the void; an unknown, uncertain path. One that is filled with roaming corpses, walking bones or monstrous beings. However, Bronya stomped on the ground, her resolution shaken to its very core.
Once Lucian stood beside her, Fei unconscious in his arms– Her bloody arm resting on her stomach; they ran. Their footsteps fell on the rocky ground, echoing throughout the forest.
As their bodies fell to the void, Roth turned his head to the carriage. Past it, at the decaying horse that became their companion. It now fell to the ground that it grazed upon, its neck was torn apart. Revealing its spine, carved with teeth marks and scratches.
"Good luck on the other side." Roth quietly whispered, leaving his hand on its side. Then, he unstrapped a blade from his waist, and shoved it deep into the horse's skull.
"Mister Roth…" Haru's voice resounded behind him. Her usual, meek voice, now unwavering. The sudden change had Roth's neck into a swivel. "Is there any chance we can reattach Miss Fei's hand?"
Roth turned his attention back eyes slightly wide, a slight ruffling sound reverberated.
"Mister Roth?"
"Drop the formalities, Haru."
"Roth, do you think we can reattach Miss Fei's hand?"
He let out a huff, turning his head slightly, he aimed his sights where Fei once laid. Turning his body fully, he scanned the area. 'Where did it go?' Nothing was in the puddle of blood, Haru's hands were set beside her hips.
"Roth?" Haru tilted her head, watching him toss the harness into the carriage's bed. "Whato're you looking for?" The angle of her head increased, as he shoved past her. Her eyes followed his movements, covering the ground. Then, kneeling where Fei's hand was lobbed off.
"Did you move that hand?"
"No."
"We can't re-attach it. If we made it to the next town, Would be too late."
"Is there anything we can do?
"No. Enough talking. Help me tear down everything. We'll set off once we're finished." Roth said, standing to his full height, then turning towards Haru.
Chapter Name : A Necessary Cut