Chapter 8: Ding!

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” I said, putting my hands over Branch’s nasty wound. “Lay on Hands!”

It did nothing.

“Fuck,” I swore. I had already used up my mana crystal.

Without supernatural healing, the Rogue wasn’t going to survive, that much was clear. The gushing hole in his stomach gave him minutes, maybe less. I put compression on the wound, but I knew it was no use.

“Here,” Branch said, pale lips twitching. “Take my hand.”

“I need to stop the—”

“Take my fucking hand!”

I complied, clasping his waiting hand. Wisps of white energy flowed across Branch’s forearm, flooding into mine. Gradually, the white on my Class Mark filled up. The Rogue hacked blood, eyelids flickering.

Oh, I thought. He’s giving me his XP. A parting gift, I guess.

The white reached the top of the circle, and a silent shockwave spread out around me, setting my hair aflutter. The Class Mark went black.

“Thank you,” I said, almost tearing up. “I won’t forget you, old man.”

“Forget… me?” Branch hissed. His grip on my hand tightened. “You’re going to patch me up, you limp-dicked half-spawn!”

I did a double take and checked my forearm. A second mana crystal had joined the first. This one was already alight with a pleasant glow.

Oh.

“Lay on Hands,” I said, a little sheepish.

The hand I kept on his wound radiated a healing glow, and the injury began to mend. It went from a nasty hole to just a trickling, bruised pinhole.

Branch let out a relieved gasp and let his head fall back. “Damn. That was close.”

“You’re not out of the woods just yet,” I said, getting back on my feet. “You lost a lot of blood, and it looks like one use of Lay on Hands wasn’t enough to fix you up completely. We’ll need to keep pressure on that until my mana recharges.”

“Fair enough,” Branch said with a grunt.

He kept pressure on the wound while I went off to find some moss. I walked carefully around the dead direboar, which still shuddered spastically. I found some and returned. I got his tunic off and placed the moss over the wound, then sat down to rest.

“You were really going to let me die, you turd,” Branch muttered.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t know you leveled up with a filled mana crystal.”

“It’s just fucking common sense, ain’t it?”

“We can argue about it when you’re off your deathbed.”

The Rogue just snorted.

“Look on the bright side, old man. We did it.” I nodded towards the downed beast.

Branch gave a reluctant grin. “Suppose we did, yeah. You handled yourself alright, for a fresh spawn. Got a little panicked for a while there, but we’ll work on that. We’ll make you a cold-blooded bastard in time.”

“Does that mean you want us to keep working together?”

Branch shrugged. The movement made him grit his red-stained teeth in pain. “Why not? Need somebody to talk to. I could do worse than a Cleric.”

“Careful, old man. You’re coming on a little strong.”

“Don’t mock the elderly.”

We were quiet for a bit, aside from the occasional groan or curse from Branch.

“I don’t think I’d mind sticking around either,” I said. “I’m in no hurry to see what this nightmare of a world has to offer.”

*****

I shouldered open the door to Branch’s cottage. I brought the Rogue inside, one of his arms draped over me. I deposited him into a chair, ignoring his insistent remarks that I was being too rough, and set about starting a fire in the stove. A second use of Lay on Hands had completely healed Branch’s injury, but with the blood loss and the time he had spent exposed to the elements, he’d need a bit of heat to avoid falling ill.

I finished, a merry fire bathing the walls in an orange glow.

Branch nodded towards the cupboard with a grunt. “There. Fetch yourself something to wear. I reckon you’ve earned it, and I’m sick to death of seein’ that little noodle you’re working with.”

I didn’t protest. My fatigue temporarily forgotten, I ripped open the cupboard doors and rifled through the handful sets of rumpled clothing within. I settled on a pair of dark breeches that looked like they’d fit me and a single-sleeved linen tunic, as well as a worn leather belt. There were a few pairs of undergarments, but I decided I wasn’t interested in any second-hand cock stink.

“Lookin’ good, kid,” Branch said once I was fully dressed. “You’re my spitting image now.”

I chuckled. “You wish. I think we both know who’s better looking out of the two of us.”

“Not like you’d know. Have you even seen your reflection yet?”

“Well, no,” I reluctantly admitted. “I think it’s a sure bet, though, having seen what I’m up against.”

Branch chuckled, stroking his scraggly beard. “I don’t have any spare boots, sad to say, so you’ll have to go without for the time being. We can pick up a pair when we go into town for supplies.”

I bristled at the mention of a town. After my run-in with the slavers, I wasn’t too keen on other people. Branch had assured me that wouldn’t happen again, but I wasn’t sure I believed him.

“Speaking of noodles, have you ever had a woman?” I asked, eager to fill the cottage with conversation.

“Oh, sure,” Branch said. “Just the one.”

“She’s…”

“Dead, yeah. Piggy saw to that. We were close, before. Her name was Nettle.”

I gave a respectful nod. “I see. I’m sorry. Let me guess—you called her that because she had a bad temper.”

Branch smiled ruefully. “Nope. Second day together, she went out to piss and squatted in a nettle patch. She came runnin’ back right quick, howling like a demon. Needless to say, I didn’t let her live it down.”

I smiled. “Sounds like you two had some good times. I’m glad we could avenge her death, at least.”

“On Ard, that’s about as good as you can hope for. Although, it’s better not to get attached altogether. Remember that, kid.”

“Sure.” I paused for a second. “Say, we left that direboar to rot back there. I remember you saying you wanted to mount the head in the cottage. Want me to go pick it up while you recover?”

“I’d appreciate that. I’ll put some dinner together. It’ll be slim pickings tonight, seein’ as we didn’t have time to hunt, but…” He shrugged.

“Direboar meat isn’t worth eating, I’m guessing?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t risk it. I heard of a guy in town who tried it. Shat himself to death three days later.”

“Okay, that’s a pass.” I headed for the door. “I’ll be back in a bit. Hopefully the head isn’t too heavy to carry.” I stuck Branch’s sword through my belt and tapped it with two fingers. “You don’t mind if I take this, do you?”

“Go ahead,” Branch said. Slowly, and with some effort, he got out of his chair and shuffled over to the pantry.

“Thanks. I’ll be off, then.”

I headed out into the early evening gloom and tied the door shut behind me with the makeshift rope loop.