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Chapter 12: Healing Fire

Suddenly the fires fizzled out, as if there was no more oxygen to keep burning. Calida bared her teeth at the Beast and he screamed, trembling, before turning to gallop out the way he had come. She fell to her knees. Amber caught her before her face could hit the ground and pulled her back to lay her down. 

She sat there, thin frame shuddering and shivering, and worked her shoulder and rotated her arm and Daniel wondered if she'd ever get tired. He hobbled over to them. Nicholas dragged himself to his feet and pulled Robert up. They stood there for a while and it was silent except for their panting.

“Okay…” Daniel said. “What now?”

Nicholas swung Robert’s arm over his own shoulder, gritting his teeth. “We won’t be able to go any further on our own. Daniel, can you contact the Delegates from here? We’ll need medics.”

His neck prickled at being addressed directly. Still going to kill him. He had no right to order him around, the bastard. The rage that had always burned in his stomach rose to his heart and if he could just get his hands around the kid’s neck everything would be— “Daniel.” Amber looked at him and he couldn’t see any silver in her eyes. “Hurry up, or something.”

Raising his hands in acquiescence, Daniel sent his mind out through the darkness, out and out, until he was shoved back like something had hit him in the face. Behind it there was light and brightness – the minds of Humans and Beasts alike. Why do you infringe upon Delegates’ ground, Adept?

Daniel would’ve stepped back if this weren’t happening in his head. The voice was imposing, the mental signature familiar. This was one of the Delegates’ most powerful Mind Adepts. Hurriedly, he explained what had happened and soon the clatter of people moving fast echoed through the tunnel.

The Delegates’ medics worked fast, putting all of them except Nicholas and Amber onto a stretcher and whisking them away. In no time they were laid upon beds and had their wounds stitched up and their bruises nursed by flames. Their flesh knitted back together under the warm firelight and Daniel sighed to himself. If only they had this level of skill at Camp, then none of the kouhais would have to scream their lungs out in the med bay. There’d be no pain, just heavenly warmth and then maybe their Adepts wouldn’t suffer so much, wouldn’t die so much.

He woke up in another bed. The sheets weren’t white this time – he was no longer in the med bay. He sat up and his abdomen protested as he climbed off the bed. Still sore. Not much medics can do about that. He went to the bathroom, washed his face, brushed his teeth, looked in the mirror and saw a kid that looked as tired as hell, even though he’d just gotten a full twelve hour rest, judging by the clock.

Confusion only started setting in when he tried opening the door. It wouldn’t budge, the knob simply making that dull click that signaled it being locked. Then he glanced around the room and realized that there was another bed. He flipped the covers off, expecting to find Robert’s sleeping face but getting a shock of white-blonde hair instead. The hell? Why is he here?

This only served to make his irritation increase. Maybe I’ll just kill him now. Save myself the trouble of dealing with him. But the guy’s eyes shot open and suddenly Daniel was face-down on the bed, an arm at the back of his neck. “Whoa, there,” Nicholas withdrew. “Sorry. I thought you were an attacker.”