“In fact,” she added in a more muted tone, “it was rash to present myself in such a manner. I have no doubt there will be repercussions from my recklessness, but I thought the need was critically immediate.”
“Again, thank you,” Kre said. Already the lighting was getting dim, as if he were sitting next to a dying lantern on its last few drops of oil.
“When will I see you again?” he asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.
“Soon,” came the almost immediate response. Even her voice seemed much farther away now. There were some additional words, but Kre couldn’t make them out. The world around him faded and Bel’s soft, melodic voice shifted to growing echoes of harsh, gruff words.
“… coming around.”
“Wha…wherezit?” Kre tried to push himself up onto his elbows, but some large hands gently pushed him back down.
“Easy there lad,” Beleg rumbled. “We were just about to look you over for any wounds. For you to pass out so suddenly after the attack, we were worried for you.”
“I’m fine,” Kre muttered groggily. “How… uh, how long was I out for?”
Dain pushed a water bottle towards Kre’s face. “Here,” he said gently, waiting for Kre to take it from his hands. “I promise it’s just water. Poison someone one time and they never trust you again,” he muttered when Kre made no move to take the drink.
“Everyone else, move back,” Dain called out commandingly. “I need some space to look him over.”
A small figure behind Kre’s head spoke out in his small voice, “About ten, maybe fifteen seconds.”
Kre tilted his head up and Ras came into view, albeit upside down. “Just that short? Felt like an hour at least.”
“Gave us a bit of a scare,” Dain commented as he ran his hands over Kre’s arms, prodding here and there. “You both went down in the attack and neither of you came back up. Ten seconds can be the difference between life and death if you suffered a grievous wound that we didn’t spot.”
“I’m fine,” Kre insisted, rolling away from Dain and pushing himself up to his knees. “Honest. I’m just…”
“In shock?” Ras said helpfully. “I mean, I know you said you’ve killed before, but this was in a battle. If you’re not used to it, your body can push itself past its limit because of that battle rush and it can shut down swiftly once that runs out.”
“Well, well Ras,” Dain chuckled, “I never knew you studied up on stress and corresponding adrenal responses.”
“You’re using those book words again Dain,” Ras rebuked, shaking his head. “I just know what happens in a fight. I don’t need to know the book words for them.”
Dain nodded, “Fair point.” He gave Kre one last look over with narrowed eyes and finally nodded. “You seem fine but take it easy for a bit maybe. We’ll clean up the area and check the bodies while you rest here with Ras.”
Kre thanked Dain and took a long pull from the water bottle, just now realizing how thirsty he had been.
“Where do you go?” Ras asked suddenly, once Dain had moved out of earshot. “When you dream the way you do… where do you go?”