Guardian of Healing - Etrian Odyssey 2 - Boyxboy

Chapter 2

"Huh," he muttered as a nurse with long blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail all by dragged herself into the room, his shoulders drooped forward and her eyes somewhat glassy. "Long time no see. You all right?"

Nurse Angie, however, didn't appear to have heard him. "Ah, I'm just stopping by to tell you that Lynus will probably be at the hospital until tonight," she said quickly.

Axel had honestly feared as much.

"Trouble at the hospital?" Axel asked casually as he pushed back his suspicions.

"Yeah," Angie surprisingly answered. "There was an influx of critical care patients last night and we can't figure out what's wrong with them. We're hoping that Lynus could."

"If anyone can, it'll be him," Axel said in a comforting manner.

However, that sounded like it should have been confidential information. Angie must be so exhausted that she had forgotten.

"Critical care patients..." Tobyn repeated as he abruptly snapped shut his book. "I don't remember hearing anything happening in the labyrinth last night."

Angie shook her head. "That's just it. The patients aren't explorers."

Now Axel was really suspicious.

"Ok, thanks for telling us Angie," Axel said as he granted the young nurse a small smile. "Don't collapse on your way back."

"I'll try," Angie muttered tiredly as she shuffled from the room.

Axel waited until he could no longer hear the sound of feet walking away before he drummed his fingers atop of the couch's arm rest in an irritated fashion. "I don't like it," he muttered.

Jhon made a noise of agreement. "Want to check up on the hospital?"

Axel was already pushing himself to his feet. "A quick look wouldn't hurt, I suppose."

As he turned to see if Tobyn and Macerio wanted to tag along, Axel noticed that they, too, had already pushed themselves to their feet. Again, it was somewhat reassuring to know that he wasn't the only protective one.

"Axel!"

Axel whipped around to face the door of the tearoom before abruptly hauling himself through it and toward the foyer of the inn. He recognised that voice. And the sense of alarm. "What's wrong?" he all but demanded when a certain red-haired medic skidded to a halt in front of him, panting as if he had ran all the way from the hospital.

"The hospital," Darrell said breathlessly. "A gunner is holding Lynus hostage."

"What?!"

... ... ... ... ...

Lynus could hear voices calling out to him in alarm, but all he could see was a gun, levelled directly at his head. And behind the gun was a man with pitch black hair and light green eyes staring wildly at him like he was some kind of dangerous animal.

Strangely, only one thing ran through his mind. And that was Axel.

And it somehow instilled a sense of calm upon him.

Lynus kept his gaze locked firmly on the silver barrel of the gun, his heart thundering painfully in his chest. Yet, somehow, he managed to speak without stuttering. "Darrell, the window and then the inn. Now."

From the corner of his eye, Lynus could see Darrell hesitate for a moment, inwardly debating whether or not there was something else he could do rather than to run away. However, he muttered darkly under his breath before he placed his hand on the counter of the staff room before vaulting surprisingly effortlessly through the open window.