The last of which Neo saw of Quilliene was the form of her silhouette overtaken by flames, flashing lights and sparks as dust filled his view. He was blown back after that, hitting the ground hard as he was thrown off the balcony. He covered his face as everything went flying, fire enveloping the entire building and him. Something stabbed into his arm, but he couldn't feel the pain - not yet, anyway.
When the chaos subsided, he lowered his arms and forced himself up. The entire upper part of the building had fallen, him with it. A piece of splintered wood was lodged into his arm, but he simply ripped it out. It was blackened by his blood, along with the scorching flames. He coughed, smoke filling the air and his lungs. His gaze searched the fire and collapsing building, and called out for Quilliene.
He stumbled through the flames, avoiding getting caught in the blaze as he searched for the queen. Finally, he saw her - collapsed in the middle of the warehouse with a fallen wooden pole over her chest. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving. He made his way to her, then struggled to lift the wood from her chest. Finally, he removed it, and fell to his knees next to her.
"Liene," He said, coughing again before he slipped his arm under her neck. "Liene!"
Quilliene didn't answer his calls. Dust and ashes and fire piled up around her form and Neo as she truly looked in the worst of conditions. Blood from open wounds covered her body slowly by the minute. Splinters and soot were all over her as she slowly opened her eyes, barely focusing on the man above her. She coughed, wheezing as she took a breath, tilting her head while the braids flowed over face.
"N-Neo…"
He cursed, slipping his arm under behind her knees, and slowly started to lift her up. He felt the blood from his own wound dripping down his arm, but paid no mind to it. He could see the way they came in wasn't an escape route - it had caved in, fire erupted around it. He moved forward a ways, then spotted it; an opening in one of the walls, large enough for him to slip through with her.
Neo stumbled towards it, holding Quilliene close to his chest as he narrowly avoided falling objects and flame that seemed to bite at him like dogs. He blocked out all the pain, all the thoughts, focusing on simply just surviving the blazing building. He reached the wall, picking his way around a flaming barrier. He pushed his way through it sideways, the wood cutting at him and splintering into his back. He hugged Quilliene closer, trying to make sure she wasn't injured further.
Finally, he made it through, stumbling a few metres away from the deadly fire and collapsing to his knees. He gasped, soot and ash covering his hair, face, and clothes. His eyes travelled to Quilliene again, having absolutely no idea how he would get her to the mansion safely. He had no technology of any sort, making it impossible to call for help. He didn't even know where he was. His gaze followed up and around them, unable to see anything for kilometres.
Neo felt something warm against his chest, and he looked down to see Quilliene leaning into him. She whimpered and shivered, her breathing becoming shallow, and she opened her eyes slightly. In a slow manner, she raised her hand. She opened it, bloody palm up, and dim purple light swirled inside of it.
"No, Liene," Neo grabbed her hand with his gloved one, pressing her fingers closed gently. "You can't," He whispered, glancing up and around - they were near a road, but it was void of passing cars. "I'll… Find another way." He gasped, the pain slowly throbbing into his body.
Quilliene adjusted her hand, gripping his own tightly. Her breathing grew heavy before the bright light appeared again. "Yes," She cooed weakly, her eyes attempting to muster the scowl she always placed upon her face.
Neo grit his teeth, looking down into her deep brown eyes. He tried to think of something - anything. Alas, his mind was as blank of ideas as there were ways to get out of there. There was nothing he could do but trust that Quilliene would be able to transport them both safely to the mansion. He gripped her shoulder, his throat sore from the smoke stuck in his lungs. Lowering his head, he let go of her grasp.
"Fuck…"
He could see Quilliene nod lightly before he closed his eyes, and he felt the energy explode around them. The sound of the fire dispersed, and the quiet tweeting of birds filled his ringing ears. Confused mumbling before them, until a shout of surprise. He gasped, his grip on Quilliene loosening as his head spun. Looking up, he saw the guards rushing forward, someone calling for a doctor.
Quilliene looked towards the set of soldiers, huddling closer into Neo as she curled up further. She was shivering, and he was aware she was cold. He let his pained and stabbed arm lay limp beside him, the blood turning the cobblestone black. Quilliene's eyes closed, her breath growing weaker. The pain was starting to go through Neo's defence systems, a headache growing in his skull.
"Your majesty!" One of the guards yelled as they reached the two. "What happened? Your majesty, are you alright?!"
"What is this?" Another soldier shouted, and Neo lowered his head. "Why is the queen hurt? What has happened that you could not protect her?!"
A third came forward, falling to their knees before Neo and gingerly trying to slip Quilliene from his lap. His head was light - he could barely see through the black spots. However, as the guard tried to take the queen, his grip started to tighten and they were unable to remove her.
"There was no way…" He mumbled, gasping still. "She had to…"
He could hear a few other guards and maids file out of the castle, surprise coming from them as they saw the condition of Quilliene and her supposed protector. His eyes stayed on the queen's frail body though, despite hearing people approach from all sides. From the corner of his gaze, he could see two people laying out a stretcher. Someone that looked like a doctor reached forward and checked Quilliene's pulse.
Finally, his grip loosened. He knew she had to get help, and he wasn't equipped to give it. The two by the stretcher pulled Quilliene from his lap, laying her on the cloth and picking her up. Still, Neo's eyes didn't move from the spot the queen had warmed on his legs. Someone was talking, though, but he couldn't care less what they were saying. Until he realised they were talking to him.
"Sir?" They were saying. "Sir!"
"What…?" He looked up finally, to the doctor who had checked Quilliene's pulse.
"Can you walk?" He questioned.
Neo looked at his legs again. "...Yes."
"Then come with me," He ordered, standing back up and following after the stretcher.
Neo looked up after him, then back down. He started to force himself to his feet, stumbling slightly as he took his first few steps. The guards still stood around, maids watching the queen pass on the piece of cloth with covered mouths. He started forward again, before a familiar voice stopped him.
"Nathan!"
Neo paused, turning around slightly to face Raemith. The man was glaring at him, rage in his eyes. "What in the hells have ye done to her majesty?"
Neo glanced around, to the other guards - most seemed just as unhappy. "I didn't-"
Before he could finish, Raemith had drawn his sword and smacked Neo in the face with the handle of it. He fell to the side on one knee with a grunt, touching his face and gritting his teeth. He looked up again, to which Raemith pointed his sword down upon him.
"Stop lying, Nathan," He seethed. "You've always been a murderer."
Neo breathed slowly, staying still for a long moment. Then, he bit into his glove's middle finger, pulling it off quickly as he grabbed the blade with his other still gloved hand and ripped it out of Raemith's grasp. He stood up, grabbing the demon's neck with his bare hand and lifting him off the ground. Raemith choked, his skin turning grey and starting to boil as he dangled.
The guards around him pulled out their swords, pointing them at Neo and preparing to attack before a female voice called out for them to stop. A woman with long black hair stepped forward, pale face twisted into worry as she held out her hands. Neo glared at the approaching captain, not moving.
"Hey," She said softly. "It's alright - he's an idiot. We know you didn't do anything to her majesty. Just drop him, okay? You don't want a guard's death on your hands after today."
Neo said nothing - simply stared at her. When it seemed he wouldn't do as asked and the guards tensed all over again, he dropped Raemith, who crumpled to the ground coughing. The colour of his skin started to come back, and Neo turned to glare at him as other guards came to pull Raemith away.
"You think I would have brought her back if I was the one who did this?" He hissed, anger in his tone. "I may be a murderer, but I'm as loyal as any of you. I would never hurt her."
Their icy glares remained on each other for a long time, before Neo finally turned and picked up his glove. He ignored the multiple swords still drawn in his direction, climbing the steps as he held his injured arm and glanced around for the doctor, proceeding in his direction when he found him.
(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.-> 🖋 <-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)
Quilliene's eyes opened up weakly as she looked around her - she recognised the castle, and saw the two people carrying her on what felt to be a stretcher. She attempted to sit up as she coughed and scowled deeply. Everything hurt, especially her chest, and she could feel her lungs struggling to work.
"Wh-Where is he?" She mustered. "I-Is Neo… okay?"
The two with the stretcher gently laid Quilliene down on the bed, one of them softly pressing her back with one hand. "Lay down, please - you are too weak to sit up right now."
"Do you mean the boy with red hair, your majesty?" The younger of the two asked. "He is fine. The doctor is escorting him here now - they got sidetracked when Neo, as you call him, got attacked by one of the guards."
"Ah, ow…" She muttered, pressing a hand against her forehead. "I-I should have listened… B-but we survived… I'll be fine… A little magick never hurt anyone…"
She scowled weakly, wanting to sit up and move around. Better yet, still be lying down and having Neo wrap his protective arms around her… Wait, she thought to herself, why is that even close to a pleasant idea? She hissed once more for thinking such things and looked to the people who carried her.
"Question…" Quilliene mumbled. "Who attacked him?"
"I did not get his name," The younger answered as the other slid an IV into her arm. They began to cut her jacket and shirt to reveal her bra and stomach. "We had to get you here quickly."
"Your majesty, I apologise, but I'll have to give you a sedative when the doctor gets here," The other said. "It seems as if you broke a few of your ribs and we have to set them."
"Y-You have to get a sedative?" She coughed.
"S-So what if I have a few b-broken ribs? I-I simply exploded. I can still be a queen that way…"
"Your majes-"
"James," A man in a doctor's uniform entered the room, cutting off the one who spoke. "How is our ruler doing?"
"She seems to have a few broken ribs, doctor," The man answered, standing up a bit straighter. "I'm afraid we might have to give her a sedative, but she does not seem to be too keen on that."
Quilliene could see Neo enter the room behind the lab coated man, and he was pointedly not looking at her. He was holding his arm, a glove hanging limply from his hand. Pulling it back on with a wince, he trailed off to the corner of the room where a chair sat. She waved off the two above her, sighing.
"I'm fine…" Quilliene hissed. "A-All of you… I don't need a sedative… Or anything bloody medical for that matter…" She glanced at Neo, narrowing her brows. "What's with that f-face?"
Neo didn't say anything - instead, he kept looking away. "Oh, my dear," The doctor chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder as he came up on her right. "There is nothing wrong with healing up a bit. You'll only be out for the night - and I promise you, by the end of tomorrow, you will be able to return to your duties. Plus, the faster we get you fixed up, your majesty, the faster we can help your bodyguard. It is standard protocol to help royalty before others."
Quilliene looked at Neo again - he did seem hurt, but he was still silent. He was sitting by himself down in one of the chairs by the door, leaning forward and running his gloved fingers through his hair seemingly in anxiety. She grit her teeth and sighed slowly, laying back down.
"F-Fine…" She mumbled.
"You'll be alright, your majesty," The doctor cooed, taking a syringe from the other man.
Quilliene looked away as he stuck her with the needle, her body weakening and becoming sluggish as the drug slipped through her veins. Her eyes dimmed, fighting to stay awake - but the medicine fought harder. Unfortunately, she failed in staying alert, and fell into unconsciousness.