Zack scooped up the Life Crystal and glanced Anna’s way.

Fresh blood coursed down her blue [Cotton Robes] and across her pale hands. More dotted the nasty wound on her brother’s forehead. She gaped wide-eyed in the light of her brother’s [Smokeless Torch]. “How did you ... thank you!”

Zack rolled to his feet. “Let’s walk you back to your [Healing Staff], shall we?” He offered a hand. “Unless you want me to carry you. Which I am, by the way, all too happy to do.”

After a moment, Anna offered one bloody hand. Zack pulled her to her feet and led her, limping, toward the still planted [Healer’s Staff]. Five stumbling paces later, the staff flashed.

The stored [-Flash Heal-] visibly washed over Anna in a glow of golden glowing sparks, causing her to gasp with relief. Most of the char on her Health Bar faded. Yet she stumbled back before a second charge could fire. Zack released her hand as she waved both hands wearily, wobbling on her feet.

Anna clutched the arrowhead still lodged in her ribcage, but wisely didn’t rip it out. Almost all her earlier bleeding had stopped, which suggested flesh might be sealed around the wound. Pulling the arrow out later wouldn’t be fun, and it would hurt until she did so, but she wouldn’t bleed out.

“Alan needs the rest of those heals,” Anna said, her breathing raspy.

Zack frowned. “Isn’t your Shield used to taking blows to the head?”

“He was wounded in our last fight as well, but powered through it. He wanted to conserve [-Flash Heal-]s in case we got in real trouble.”

That explained why the Crackpaw’s single glancing blow had put Alan down. He’d already been wounded, though his Health Bar hadn’t appeared for Zack until he was struck again.

“I’ll see to Alan’s wounds,” Zack said. “You mind putting out that torch before it draws more Crackpaws down on us?”

Anna stumbled to the torch. “Right, of course. Sorry.”

Zack waited only long enough to ensure she was serious about wrapping the torch in a damp cloth before he wrenched the [Healing Staff] from the ground. All went dark. Zack took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, which, for him, was a muted green.

Zack walked to the motionless body of Alan Ironstar, keeping an eye on the tunnel further up for more enemies. The moment he got within ten paces of Alan, the staff flared with golden light. Alan sucked in his breath as some of the charring on his Health Bar faded, but more than fifty-percent remained charred. Worse, Zack saw no change in his bloodied head.

He really did have multiple wounds hidden by his armor. Zack waited the ten seconds it took the [Healing Staff] to flare again, then watched as the last golden [-Flash Heal-] discharged. It washed over Alan, who groaned as his Health Bar rose to two-thirds. That was it for healing today. Alan stirred, then raised one bloodied hand to his still bloodied head.

“Anna?” Alan asked quietly. “Where are you? I can’t see.”

Zack glanced behind to see Anna stumbling forward with both hands out, completely blind.

“I put out the torch, but we’re fine,” Anna said. “Stay still until I can check on you.”

“Why’d you put out the torch?” Alan demanded. “We need the torch.”

Zack rolled his eyes in the dark. “Your torch keeps drawing the Crackpaws. Let’s take a moment to refocus before we summon four more of them, shall we?”

Alan glared in the dark. “You again? I thought I told you to stay out of our affairs.”

“You didn’t tell me to let Crackpaws fill your sister with arrows,” Zack said calmly. “So I ignored your advice.” He walked back to Anna, then spoke quietly. “I’m going to take your hand now, if that’s all right with you. I can see in the dark.”

Anna eagerly thrust out one hand. “That’s fine. Please do, and ignore my brother. He may be too proud to say it, but you just saved our lives.”

“Anna!” Alan protested.

Zack grinned as his hand found hers, even though he knew she couldn’t see that. “Don’t mention it, gorgeous. Saving beautiful Adventurers is the highlight of my day.” He handed her the [Healing Staff], and he was fairly sure he saw her blushing as she strapped it across her back.

“You can’t be taking this man seriously,” Alan griped.

Zack gripped Anna’s hand tightly and walked her toward her brother. “Easy steps.”

Anna followed without question. Zack was pleased by the way her warm hand firmly gripped his. The fact that she was new to Grassea suggested she might not already be seeing anyone in Wolfpine, which was another point in Zack’s favor. Assuming she was still hoping to find the best local hunting spots, Anna could always use someone to show her the sights ... or lack thereof.

Once Zack had Anna back to her brother, he released her hand. Anna crouched beside Alan and checked the wound on Alan’s head by feel alone. He batted at her hand.

“I’m fine,” he insisted. “How’s your wound? The arrow?”

“I don’t think it’s bleeding any longer. [-Flash Heal-] handled it.”

“You need to be more careful,” Alan said, and the genuine worry in his voice made Zack feel just a bit more sympathetic toward him. Alan’s next words, however, did much to push all that away.

“Shadower. You still there?”

Zack silently suppressed his annoyance. “It’s Zack.”

“Right, Zack.” Alan had the decency to look chagrined. “You can get us out of this mine?”

Zack had already assured them both he could, so Alan’s repeated question annoyed him further. Still, he suspected telling Alan Ironstar he was an idiot wouldn’t make it easier for him to land dinner with Anna. So he settled for “Yes, if you’ll keep that torch extinguished and follow me.”

“All right,” Alan said. “But you’d best prove as good as your word.”

Zack ruefully shook his head in the darkness, amused that he couldn’t kick his old habits. Despite his earnest desire to finally go out and solo on his own, he’d yet again found himself saddled with Party members. Glenn would be so proud of him for being helpful.

Still ... Anna was staring in his general direction with calm eyes and a warm smile. Being a hero had its perks. If Zack helped these two reach the surface, he might get more than dinner. That thought cheered him enough he didn’t mind abandoning today’s Leveling a few hours early.

Zack stood and kept his voice low. “We’ll have to go back the way you came and avoid the main tunnels. That’s the best way to not run into more groups of Crackpaws.”

“How can you even see without a torch?” Alan asked.

“Shadower Blessing,” Zack said. “I can see well enough for all of us.” He took Anna’s hand before she could suggest otherwise. “Anna, if you’ll hold your brother’s hand, I’ll lead you both out.”

“I should be in front,” Alan protested. He flailed about in the dark for Zack.

“It’s fine,” Anna said with a quiet huff. She snatched her brother’s hand without releasing Zack’s. “It’s better to put me between you two anyway. Your armor is heavier, and I don’t fancy getting shot again. I’ve got the [Healing Staff], so you’ll both have your hands free.”

“Are you sure you can carry that staff with your wound?” Alan asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” Anna chided him, and gave Zack’s hand a squeeze. “Lead on, Zack. Since we’re going to be hunting together for a bit, would you like a Party invite?”

Joining their Party and splitting any experience wouldn’t have been Zack’s first choice, but it would make it easier to solve any division of Life Crystals if they ran into more Crackpaws. “Sure.”

“Zack Silverstone, join our Party?”

A small glowing prompt from the Gods, one only Zack could see, appeared ahead.

“Anna Ironstar wishes you to join her Party. Do you accept?”

“Yes,” Zack said quietly. “Now, let’s play a game. It’s called ‘Who Can Be The Most Quiet’?”

Alan harrumphed. “You don’t have to be an ass about it.”

“Oh no!” Zack whispered. “Alan already lost.”

Zack led the siblings slowly up the tunnel, both to ensure Alan made less noise as he tromped around and to keep them from tripping on the uneven ground. Anna still had an arrow shaft imbedded in her ribcage, and while the skin might be sealed, her labored breathing assured Zack the arrowhead hurt. If Anna fell, the shaft or arrowhead could rip her open all over again.

Zack led them through several junctions and turns in utter darkness as easily as if he were guided them through The Mead Beast, Wolfpine’s modest tavern. They exited the first tunnel without incident, then took a set of rough stairs up a Level. Zack kept his ears open for the sound of Crackpaws grunting to each other or moving about, but the only sounds he detected were Alan’s occasional frustrated huffs and Anna’s increasingly labored breathing.

No help for it now, given they were completely out of [Healing Staff] charges. They couldn’t risk stopping to rest if they wanted to escape more Crackpaws, so Zack appreciated Anna toughing it out. He’d never been feathered by an arrow before, but he imagined it wasn’t fun.

They were still in one of the smaller tunnels when the scuffing of multiple sandaled feet alerted Zack to enemies ahead. He stopped. He gave Anna’s hand a warning squeeze.

“Monsters ahead,” he whispered. “Hold your position and [-Burn-] one if I call out.”

Anna didn’t answer, but he saw her nod in the darkness. Zack dropped her hand and crept forward, then silently pulled both [Iron Daggers]. [-Shadow Walk-] was already off cooldown, but he didn’t want to burn his Skill if he could sneak up on the Crackpaws without it.

Beady green eyes glittered in the darkness as Zack rounded a curve in the tunnel. Two Crackpaw Miners walked toward him with small pickaxes resting against their shoulders. They looked entirely unalarmed. Miners were only Level 4, and Zack suspected these two must be returning from a day mining for easy minerals on the surface.

Zack slipped around the two without issue, then grabbed the first Crackpaw from behind with one arm. He sliced its neck with the [Iron Dagger] in his other. Its Health Bar briefly appeared before charring green to black, and then it burst into purple ash.

A glowing Life Crystal clattered to the floor of the mine. The second Crackpaw had only just begun to shout before Zack embedded his second dagger in its windpipe. It fell to its knees, clutching its neck, and then exploded into ash.

It left behind another softly glowing Life Crystal. The purple light from the two Life Crystals lit the tunnel, a beacon to more enemies he could not allow. Zack snatched both crystals and tucked them away, then returned to the Ironstar siblings.

Anna was breathing heavily when he returned. Her eyes had a bit of a glaze to them, and she looked a bit unsteady on her feet. Zack heard them quietly arguing as he approached.

“Dammit, give me the torch!” Alan said. “We can get out of here now.”

“He’ll be back,” Anna panted. “He’s just clearing the way."

“I’m back,” Zack said quietly, causing both of them to jump. “Two miners down. Let’s go.” He stared at Alan. “No torches.”

Anna offered her brother a satisfied smirk he almost certainly couldn’t see, then offered her hand once more. Zack took it gently, gave a reassuring squeeze, and led them off. He could tell Anna’s gait wasn’t as steady as it had been, but the appearance of the Miners reminded him they weren’t far from the exit to the mine. Zack led them on and, fortunately, encountered no further enemies.

In the distance, a faint red gleam of sunset split the darkness. Anna sighed with relief and quickened her pace, politely freeing her hand from Zack’s. Alan, who could now see, immediately took the lead. He readied his [Wooden Shield] and [Iron Mace].

Zack couldn’t have the man Angering a bunch of Crackpaws when he blundered, blindly, out of the mine. He effortlessly slipped past Alan and raised a hand as he backed up. “Give me a second to scout ahead,” Zack said, and activated his signature Skill.

[-Shadow Walk-].

Alan’s annoyed frown turned to surprise as Zack vanished before his eyes. The red-tinted world went gray as Zack reached the two closed wooden doors of Crackpaw Mine. He pushed one door open, wincing at the creak the ancient hinges made, and left it open as he slipped outside.

As he’d feared, a single Crackpaw Miner approached to investigate the noise. Zack left that one for Alan and moved ahead. Behind him, Zack heard a Crackpaw grunt, then the sound of a mace cracking bone. Two more cracks sounded, followed by the sound of a Monster body bursting into ash.

He wouldn't get experience for the kill since he hadn't contributed, but he was more worried about getting everyone out of the mine safely at the moment. He'd have plenty of time to come back and Level later.

There were a few more groups of Crackpaw Miners still hammering away from minerals, as they did every day of their strange Monster lives. None looked to be within Anger radius of the mine entrance. Zack returned to the mine entrance and cancelled [-Shadow Walk-], eliciting a satisfying jump from Alan and a faint smile from Anna. Her face now looked paler than it had been.

“We’re clear,” Zack said. “But we should get a distance from the mine before we stop.”

“The sooner the better,” Alan said calmly. “Lead the way.”

Anna elbowed him mirthfully, though it was obvious she was putting on a brace face. “And?”

Alan grimaced at her, but his combative posture faded as he recognized what he’d likely wanted to avoid. He bowed his head. “And thank you, Zack, for leading us out of the mine.”

Zack very casually returned the nod.