Soulforge Legacy Series

Something freezing seared at my nerves before they went numb from the cold. Whatever it was caused enough pain to push me out of the darkness and into full wakefulness without a beat between.

Heart racing, I looked around for the danger. For the thing that was trying to freeze me. To kill me. What I found was a pair of people hovering over me.

Xander was busy holding me down as someone else had their hands on my belly. He didn’t show an ounce of strain as I struggled to get away from her. To get away from the person trying to hurt me.

Finally, the woman finished, moving toward somewhere else in the room as she spoke. “That should stabilize her until a doctor can treat the injury. And while I know you know this, but I will say it nonetheless. Do not give her a potion. Her stomach and upper intestines were both hit, and I don’t want that potion getting into places it shouldn’t. Not when she can get treated without it.”

“I heard you the first time.” He muttered. As Xander went to lift me up in a princess carry, he noticed my eyes were open. His smile was warm, if a bit strained. “Back with me, I see. Let's get you to the hospital.”

His strides, usually slowed down to keep up with my short legs, were long. Crossing the room in two steps. A splattering of dark colors against the bright walls of the store caught my attention.

Playing the part of pincushions were the four demons. But, instead of spikes of metal or wood, they were made from something without any color. Even the light that hit it seemed to get absorbed into the material. Though even as I watched, the very act of absorbing the light caused the edges to slowly fray and break down.

If anything, the material was acting like a shadow of sorts. It existed and kept its shape even when light hit it, yet losing definition the more light managed to reach it. But as far as I knew, shadows didn’t have any mass, let alone three dimensions. And they sure as hell couldn’t affect anything so directly.

Yet, there they were. Doing just that. Which could only mean magic was at play. But what element? And who used it?

Before I could ask, the air around us shifted as Xander started to move. The world around me blurred as he sprinted down the street. Only, it wasn’t just down the street. Every time we entered a shadow, something happened.

Mana flared and wrapped around us as the world tilted and darkened for but a moment. It never lasted long enough for me to see what was going on. Nor did I have time to analyze the spell, or even detect what element was being used. The only thing I could tell was that whatever it was sped us up in spurts and jumps.

Then it stopped. The jumps. The blurring. And even the odd churning in my stomach that had crept up on me. Something I only noticed when the thing calmed down.

Finally able to see the world clearly, I noticed the buildings were no longer those filled with stores. In fact, each building looked massive in both height and width. An alley separated each building, and judging by the pipes that jutted out of various places along each building, the alleys were not built to be used by a person. Especially when some of the pipes dripped liquids that sizzled and steamed the moment they touched a puddle on the ground.

People streamed in and out of the building in front of us. Either helping someone wounded or wounded themselves. Xander joined the stream, and soon enough I found myself inside a waiting room that looked like those you find in old shows centered around drama inside a major hospital.

Not that I ever watched those shows. And it wasn’t like I had ever had to go to a hospital before now. But based on the various stories I had heard, I would probably still be there, waiting to get treated. Constantly pushed to the back of the line as someone with money or connections came in for any reason.

This place wasn’t like that. It wasn’t even like those shows I never watched. Nurses came in, called a name, and took someone back. As they left, another nurse came up to do the same thing. And it didn’t stop. They came and went in a stream. Moving people, getting them seen fast enough to keep up with the number of people coming in after the recent battle.

Soon enough, we found ourselves at the desk. “Name and reason for visit?”

A bored and tired-looking person sat there, filling out some virtual form as Xander answered. “Xander escorting Kyren as she has multiple deep lacerations to the back and front. Lower abdomen. Stomach and intestinal damage is likely. Injuries were stabilized by Andrea a couple of minutes ago.”

“Find a free space. A nurse will be with you shortly to take you both back.” Effectively dismissed, Xander moved out of the way. Instead of setting me in an open chair, he sat down with me cradled against him. The position was awkward and something about it felt a bit too intimate.

Before I could work up the courage to say anything, a nurse emerged from the back. “Kyren.” His eyes locked onto us as Xander moved to stand up. “Please follow me.”

As we moved deeper into the building the place lit up. Not physically, but magically. Mana flowed through the place along what looked like wires. From room to room. Machine to machine. The room we were led into was devoid of machines, but the wire for one hung from the ceiling. Primed and waiting for something to be connected.

He gestured at the bed as he moved to grab a few things out of the cabinets along the wall. “Please set her down there and have a seat in the chair.” Xander settled me onto the oddly textured bed. He took the time to make sure I was comfortable and not in any pain before he finally sat down.

All the while, the nurse had managed to gather a fairly sizable pile onto the tray next to the bed. With one last item, he moved to my side. Not bothering to say a word as he moved my arm up enough to put a pressure cuff on and pressed something on the screen facing him.

As the cuff silently inflated, he moved to a small workstation and pressed a few buttons before heading for the door. “A healer will be with you shortly.” Then he was gone. He didn’t even bother to close the door. Not that there was anything to see.

Speaking of which, I debated asking Xander to head back to the waiting area. I mean, while I had a bra on and wouldn’t be revealing anything, it would be a bit awkward to remove my shirt with him here. Before I made a decision, the doctor – I mean healer – arrived.

“Hello there.” Her smile was warm as she closed the door and sat down in front of the workstation. A light green-blue holographic screen flashed into being above the unit. Unlike the various transparent screens back on Earth, these made it impossible to read the information on the other side. Which made me wonder what might be on there that we were not allowed to see. “Kyren Vulpier?”

She said my name as if asking a question, but what did she expect me to say? Was I just supposed to acknowledge my name or something more? Should I tell her about my wound? What was expected in a place like this?

Not knowing any better, I answered her with a question of my own. “Yeah?”

“It looks like you are new to the city.” Her eyes flicked over the screen. “It also looks like you recently went through your SoulStone transformation. And it was a fairly invasive one at that.”

“Tell me about it.” I let out a groan at the reminder. Not that I could avoid the issue. What with the damned changes being on full view at all times.

“And based on what I am seeing, you are here today because of a wound to your lower abdomen and lower back?” She reached for the box of gloves that the nurse had set out for her.

“Yeah,” I used one hand to gently lift up my shirt to show her the six punctures on my front and gesturing to my right breast and shoulder. “Though, since I am here, can I also get my shoulder looked at?”

“Sure, we can do that.” Her eyes flicked to Xander. “Do you want him to stay or…”

Before she could finish her question, let alone let me answer, Xander stood up. “I am going to wait in the hallway. Let me know when I can come back in.” Instead of opening the door, mana flared as he stepped back and vanished into the shadows.

“Okay, let's get that shirt off.” Even with her help, there was no way to get the shirt off without tearing it. Not that it was salvageable with all the blood. Well, at least I hope the black gunk on it was blood. I mean, I know the red stuff is my blood, and the demons had been stabbed.

With the shirt gone, it became obvious that the bra was just as ruined. Most of the fabric on the right was gone, and what was left had been shredded. Unlike the shirt, it came off without the need for scissors.

The healer looked at the two locations before having me turn so she could get a look at the one on my back. “Well,” she let out a sigh as she sat down. “The wound in your shoulder is mostly superficial. A simple healing spell, and it should close up without any issues. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the other injuries.”

Her eyes met mine as she continued. “For those, I am going to have to do a bit of cutting to clear up the damage and debris. Given the amount of pain you will be in, I am going to have to knock you out.”

The idea of passing out yet again due to an injury had me groaning. At the rate I was going, I was going to sleep through this war and never get my chance to beat some sense into the gods. Not that I had a choice here. At least Xander would be in the area and he would stop anyone from doing anything.

Actually. Fuck. “I need to talk to my friend. Alone.” I emphasized the last word as I tried to make it clear that this was not up for debate.

“I guarantee you that the entire process is safe.” She looked worried. Like she thought I was going to decline this treatment and do something that would get me killed.

“That is…” I started to snap, only for my voice to stop as I forced myself to take a deep breath. She didn’t deserve me snapping at her. “Just let me talk to him. Please.”

“Do you want something to cover yourself with?” It took me a moment to realize what she was saying and why. My forehead landed in the palm of my hand as I gave her a fast nod. A cabinet opened and closed just before some sort of cloth hit the bed next to me.

The material was a light tan and felt as thin as paper. Not that it needed to be all that thick. It wasn’t like I was going to wear it out of here. Only long enough for this conversation.

The moment the odd dress slipped over my head she opened the door and gestured for Xander to enter. He shot me a quizzical look but stayed silent as he waited for me to say something. I didn’t say a word until the latch on the door clicked into place.

“I know how you feel about it, but I need you to hold onto my orb.”

“Kyren, we went over this.”

“Yes, I know you don’t want to hold onto it and I respect that. But we don’t have a choice.” I held the orb out to him. Seeing the skepticism on his face, I continued. “They are going to give me something so they can do some surgery. I cannot afford for one of them to find the orb. Even if they don’t take it, it isn’t worth the risk.”

His arm jerked and shook as he hesitantly reached for the orb. “I still don’t like this.”

“I already knew that. I mean, it isn’t like you are subtle about your feelings on the matter. But there is no one else I would trust with this.” And that was true. Hell, I still didn’t trust that I wouldn’t lose the thing. Until that collar was finished, I would be risking the possibility of losing it. And that would suck for so many reasons.

As soon as he pocketed the orb, he made his way out of the room. The healer didn’t waste any time grabbing a syringe and a small vial off the tray. Five minutes later and the world faded to black yet again.