Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 12

Party Request sent from Awesome Dude. Accept Party Request?

Severance eyed the notification curiously. "What's this for?"

He wondered why the rogue was so obsessed with parties. This hardly seemed like the appropriate time for one, not with Thelma's shrieks blasting down from the hill.

Awesome Dude, who currently was carving a line into a tree with his dagger, answered. "It's a party request."

"There's a party going on?"

"Not yet. We're going to make one." The first line finished, the rogue carved another one, making a little tent shape in the bark.

"Why?"

"Because it's easier if we're in one," the rogue explained. A line was drawn across the tent shape, making an A. "Haven't you been in a party before?"

"Here, or in real life?" Severance folded his arms.

Awesome Dude paused, surprise flitting across his face. "No way. You totally haven't? Is that why you didn't send me a request in the meadow?"

"Well..." Unwilling to admit it, Severance just shrugged. That was all the answer Awesome Dude needed, because he burst out laughing.

"It's okay," the rogue said. He started to carve a new line in the bark beside the A he'd just finished. "A party is when you make a team. We can see each other's health bars, and it will be easier for us to work together. Just accept the request. You'll see."

A team sounded nothing like a party to Severance. If it was a team, why wouldn't they call it that instead? Things were confusing enough in Eliona.

He sighed. "Accept Request."

Party Request Accepted.

You have joined Awesome Dude's Party.

"There, see?" Awesome Dude turned away from the tree. The letters AD had been marked forever etched into the trunk. "Isn't that awesome? Just keep an eye on that, and you'll know right away if any of us need healing."

Just like the rogue had stated, two health bars appeared in Severance's field of vision. The first was his own, and the second was labeled with Awesome Dude's name. The hp bars were in the upper left corner, and while not that obtrusive, they clearly stuck in his vision no matter where he looked.

He didn't like it. It was like having a fly constantly buzzing an inch in front of his eyeballs.

"Okay, let's go get her!" Awesome Dude didn't wait for Severance to respond. He splashed through the creek and into the trees, quickly disappearing from view.

Severance wasn't paying attention. He was still trying to get used to this party thing. He tilted his head. The party list tilted with his vision. He closed his eyes. It disappeared. But when he opened his eyes, there it was again. Just to be sure, he jumped up and down and saw that it followed his movements no matter what.

He made a face. How was this awesome? It was annoying!

Right while he was staring at it, Awesome Dude's hp bar dropped to the half mark in an instant. Somewhere ahead, Awesome Dude shouted in alarm.

Severance's eyes widened. He turned, but saw no sign of the rogue. It took only an instant to realize that the player had wasted no time in getting himself beaten up. Not that Severance was surprised. He'd already witnessed the rogue's infatuation with running straight into the jaws of death. At this rate, Awesome Dude would need an entire army of healers to support his habits.

Severance held out a hand, his tree branch staff appearing in an instant. He ran after his new teammate, grumbling internally.

He broke past the alcove of trees and onto the gentle slope of the hill. There, he was treated to the view of Awesome Dude running back and forth on the hill, barely dodging Thelma's claws as she chased him.