All traces of battlelust fled from Aster’s mind in that moment as the flood of fear enveloped him and he scrambled to help his fallen friend, a single word repeating over and over from his lips, “No! no. no. no. no…”

Nyx used the spell: Darkest Snipe.

Nyx critically strikes Saelak in the chest for 230 Dark damage; Saelak is winded and bleeding for 40 damage every minute..

“Saelak!” Donoma yelled a few meters away but Aster barely registered her presence. Saelak was in his arms now, gasping for breath as the blood quickly pooled from his mostly bared chest. Aster, in his panic, tried to stop the flow but there seemed to be too much and the puddle growing under his knees made him realize there was an exit wound on the pale elf’s back.

Donoma had reached them, tears streaming down her own face, and Aster didn’t even notice when she turned to the encroaching raiders and gave an ear-splitting scream that contained all of her rage and sorrow.

Donoma used the ability: Song Weaving.

The Raid: The Shadows are knocked back, deafened, and incapacitated.

Combat ended.

You gained 440 experience.

Crimson Destiny gained 220 experience.

The raiders were hit by the concussive force and anyone who had been standing no longer was. The amount of power she had put into making her will manifest to take out the remaining fighters made her drop to her knees besides Aster and clutch her head in pain as her mana pool emptied.

All of Aster’s focus however was on the only person that mattered to him in that moment. Saelak began convulsing as he struggled to breathe and Aster suspected that his lung had been punctured, “Drake!” He cried out.

The dire bat burst from his chest and hovered next to him, “Drake! Help me heal him! I- I don’t have a healing spell yet…” The bat’s eyes were glowing a bright red and he bared his fangs, salivating at all the fresh blood in front of him. “Drake?” Aster’s primary emotion of fear spiked again and he quickly unsummoned the soul bond as the bat lunged for his injured companion.

“Resh it!” He tried his hardest to work past his terror at losing his best friend and focused on trying to use his newest ability.

Saelak bleeds for 40 damage.

Saelak is unconscious.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

He willed the flesh of Saelak's wound to close and it seemed to be working, if a bit slowly. Donoma had regained a little of her senses as her mana began to regenerate and she tried to get Aster’s attention, “We have to move! They’ll wake up soon and kill all three of us if we don’t get out of here now!”

“We can’t move him. I- I’m not used to healing, I don’t know if I’m even doing this right!” The half-elf’s voice revealed his panicked state of mind, quivering badly as he tried focusing more to speed up the recovery enough to get to an actual healer.

Donoma shook her head and moved to put the elf on her back, “What are you-” Aster began to ask but the archer cut him off.

“I’ll carry, you heal. Now move!” She didn’t let him debate further as she began walking down the tunnel once more. Aster tried his best to keep his friend as stable as possible while attempting to mend the two holes.

Saelak bleeds for 39 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

The damage decreased at least, that must have meant he was doing something right. With the sliver of hope came a brief moment of clarity where he remembered some of the things he had learned on Earth and turned his focus to the internal damage first. He fixated his will on mending Saelak’s lung until he could hear the elf breathe normally once more.

Saelak bleeds for 30 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

He glanced at the passed out elf’s health pool: 41/ 380. He had only bought a few extra seconds. In another desperate stroke of insight he remembered his new party ability and said quickly, “Blood Bond”, and checked the updated total for both of them: 713/ 920. Donoma summoned a torch as the tunnel grew darker when the raid was no longer in sight. The torch light helped him see his friend’s back wound clearer and he worked his magic along the puncture slowly repairing the blood vessels and muscles as he went before knitting the skin back together.

“I need to see his chest,” he called over Donoma’s shoulder. There was a trail of blood running down between her and Saelak and leaving gruesome tracks behind them.

The Summer Elf shook her head, wincing in pain at the jarring movement, then spoke, “We can’t stop here and I won’t be able to carry him like that.” She was struggling enough as it was.

Saelak bleeds for 30 damage.

“Donoma, if we don’t stop he’s going to die!” He almost whimpered at the thought. He was about to make her stop by pulling Saelak off her when she gestured ahead of her with the torch.

“Look there,” she said between heavy breaths, “Light. I think it’s the exit.”

Aster grimaced slightly, it would probably only be a five minute jog but it seemed a risky gamble despite the time he had bought for them. He took a few steps ahead of her and said, “Let me carry him then, I’ll be faster and we can set up a camp to finish fixing him up.”

She gave a single nod of her aching head and transferred him over.

Saelak bleeds for 30 damage.

Saelak bleeds for 30 damage.

Saelak bleeds for 30 damage.

It only took three minutes as he decided that running might actually be a smoother journey and as they reached the mouth of the tunnel-turned-cave they felt their hopes sink a bit.

They were higher up the mountain than they had expected and the world before them was white with snow. The moonlight reflecting off the compacted flakes offered plenty of illumination despite it being late into the night. The evergreen trees dotting the mountainside offered little shelter but they had no choice.

Donoma pulled out a larger blanket from her spacial bag to cover Saelak and they made their way towards a tighter collection of trees a few meters away that might offer them some protection.

As they entered the secluded little glade between the needle-like branches, Donoma and Aster worked quickly, He carefully used some fire bending to melt most of the snow in the area while she set another blanket on the damp grass. They both carefully moved Saelak down on it with his face to the moonlit sky as Aster focused on mending the front side of the wound now and Donoma went back to obscure the tracks they left.

Saelak bleeds for 29 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

Saelak bleeds for 25 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

He tried not to rush himself, not wanting to make another mistake when it came to the elf’s life, and worked his magic cautiously.

Saelak bleeds for 20 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

Saelak bleeds for 17 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

When Donoma returned she continued moving quickly, despite her exhaustion, to set up some shelter for them.

Saelak bleeds for 1 damage.

You used the ability: Blood Bending for 20 mana.

Saelak is no longer bleeding.

Aster gave a heavy sigh of relief and exhaustion. Saelak's health had stabilized at 464/ 920 and Aster was grateful he had been able to stop the constant life loss. He turned to finally converse with Donoma only to find her no longer next to him, or even in their small area, and in her place sat a small white fox.

“What the-” Aster began but the fox’s movements surprised him as it slowly sniffed at him before turning to Saelak instead and rubbing it’s fluffy coat along the unconscious elf’s body. He was about to shoo the animal away, uncertain if it was gonna act like Drake and was only interested in the blood it had scented, when the tiny creature surprised him again by curling into the crook of Saelak’s arm as though about to sleep.

Donoma re-entered the clearing with arms full of loose twigs and branches she had scavenged and almost dropped them in her own surprise at the furry addition. “Aster?” she looked to the half-elf who gave a shrug.

He decided to just not mess with the seemingly content animal and was about to throw a blanket over the pair when the fox began glowing with a light blue aura and it slowly spread to encompass Saelak.

“Aster! What da resh is goin’ on?” Donoma asked in a harsh whisper, not wanting to startle and potentially upset the strange creature.

Aster shook his head with wide eyes, “I have no idea. It just walked in here and started cuddling up with him,” he gestured towards their slumbering companion and the ball of white fluff.

They both looked to Saelak’s status at the same time and saw a small buff had appeared next to his resources.

Snow Symbiote

Another Ice Blessed has connected their magic to yours.

Effects:

Regen increased by 100%

Effects of Ice spell and abilities increased by 10%

They looked at each other as Aster asked, “Did you know that was a thing?”

She shook her head before clutching it again as her mana headache hadn’t completely subsided. “I had heard o’ animals being more willin’ to approach people that share an affinity with ‘em but I’ve never seen that buff before,” she explained quietly, then went back to setting up the camp.

Aster was still on edge; his primary emotion of fear still kept him tense as the immediate threat of losing Saelak morphed into a paranoia of being caught out here. He tried to distract himself by helping Donoma but he found himself jumping at the slightest sounds.

She finally forced him to just sit and watch over Saelak, realizing he still wasn’t fully himself. He wrapped a blanket around himself and just obeyed, and his mind began to spiral through the dread of what might happen once Saelak awoke. He didn’t think Saelak would ever forgive him for his words and actions, and he knew he would deserve to be left behind. Left alone. He debated about sparing the elf the trouble and just leaving on his own. They would both be better off without someone like him. He might have a Blessing now but his existence was still Cursed.

He was about to get up and do just that when the glow surrounding Saelak and the fox dissipated and the small animal stared up at him with piercing blue eyes that matched his best friend’s and Aster noticed that their combined health had finished refilling.

On impulse, Aster stretched his hand out towards the tiny creature and it slowly uncurled itself and shyly trodded over to him before gently rubbing its head into Aster’s palm.

He wasn’t surprised to find himself in his Soul Space with the fox standing a few paces in front of him but he was surprised to find everything tinged red, a misty haze filling the space, and all of his previous Soul Bonds huddled together in what seemed like abject terror behind him.

‘We feel what you feel.’ The memory of Rosabella’s words echoed in his mind and when he realized that he was the source of their distress his emotion shifted once more to sorrow. He had done exactly what they had warned him against. They had put their faith in him and he had let them all down.

He choked out a few words to them, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about everything. I should have listened. I shouldn’t have run. I-” his voice broke as he tried to regain some composure and the others broke out into tears to match his, “I won’t let it happen again. I’m done running. I’m done hiding. I won’t stop until I’ve shown I’m worthy of being Bonded to all of you.”

He looked back to the small fox and said, “I am Aster.”

“I am an Ice Fox,” a young voice rang out through the red mist.

He held back more tears as he continued, “With this bond, you are no longer your own, our lives intertwine, we are more than we’ve known.” His chain once more appeared as he expected.

“You cannot leave him.” The fox stared up at him, the voice clarifying, “I will bond if you stay with the Ice Blessed.” Aster was taken aback by the statement. It wasn’t a question but a simple condition being put forth. He hesitated for a moment but thought about what he had just promised his soul bonds: He was done running from his past and his feelings. The Soul Tamer nodded to the fox and the creature continued, “With this bond, our blessings combine. You grant me your blessing and I grant you mine.”

The light blue chain met his. “I share with you my Spirit. In return you will share-”

“-My Ice.” The purple mist transformed the fox into a young genderless child with long whited furred ears sticking out of their short messy white hair with a few light blue steaks swirling throughout it; the long bushy tail matching. The clear blue eyes showed simple joy as they smiled and said, “I thank you for your Blessing and my name: Fritjof.”

Aster had never been so eager for this next part before as frost began moving quickly up the chain towards him. His final thought was that he should plan to bond every moon cycle before the ice surrounded him and the sweet relief of unconsciousness claimed him.

Donoma finished tying off one of the tent posts as she glanced over at where she had sat Aster to ask him to assist her for a moment, only to find the half-elf encased in a layer of ice and passed out next to Saelak and the white fluffball nowhere to be seen, “Oh, come on!” She yelled at him, kicking at the grass. She gave him a glare and muttered, “I swear you did that on reshing purpose!”

Lux was the first to awaken to find everyone else unconscious and their enemies no longer near. He checked his logs and was annoyed to see their whole raid taken out by what he had thought was the weakest of the trio. He felt a confusing wave of relief at not seeing a message announcing Aster becoming injured or dying however and he wasn’t sure how to resolve the conflicting emotions within him.

He stood taking stock of the raid and realized there were quite a few wounded that were still bleeding badly. He kicked at Nyx’s boot, sharply commanding her to wake up as he looked for the healer they had brought who should have been towards the back of the group. When he found the Life Mage he woke them and dragged them over to the most grievously wounded. After a few moments of concentration the mage’s brows furrowed, “I can’t heal this, there’s a debuff on it claiming only a Blood Blessed can mend the wound.”

Lux growled in annoyance. Looks like their prey was going to escape once again but he wasn’t about to let them die and have to deal with the Magus’ griping about wasted resources.

He told the healer to gather the wounded together as he continued to wake the other. Once they were as close together as possible he pulled out a scroll from his pack. Nyx gave a snarl when she recognized the rolled up parchment, “They’ll get away.”

He glared right back at her, “Because of your rashness, they already have.” Then he broke the seal on the scroll and the group was surrounded by a bright light before being teleported back to the large temple near the center of Domov.