The Forsaken Hero

"Alright, slowly now, take a deep breath," Elinore instructed gently.

I obeyed, letting air fill my lungs until a crack of pain shot through my side, and hissed through my teeth. Elinore frowned and adjusted her spell, washing away the pain with a fresh wave of Life Magic.

"Good. Now breathe out."

I brushed away a tear and did as she asked, exhaling through parted lips. While maintaining her spell with one hand, she patted my head with the other, whispering encouragement the whole time. My tail twitched involuntarily, a flush warming my cheeks despite my best efforts to hide it. Fortunately, the tent was empty aside from ourselves, and Elinore didn’t seem to care for my bashfulness, only smiling a bit at the conflict in my eyes. I hated feeling helpless and coddled, but a part of me yearned for that touch, to be soothed and comforted like a child.

Several days had passed since I’d awoken. Elinore had remained by my side the entire time, constantly pressuring me to rest and recover. She was a kind, motherly woman, with streaks of gray in her short brown hair and a warm smile. She was strict, though, and took full advantage of my timid nature. Every attempt to sit up or dress myself was met with a gentle but firm hand pushing me back down, and a "Not yet, milady. Just rest for now. Everyone else is working hard, so there’s no reason to force yourself."

Elinore’s hand lingered for a moment longer before she turned away and riffled through her spatial ring. I watched curiously, my tail twitching back and forth, as she withdrew a soft leather pouch. She returned her attention to my side and lifted my dress, revealing the shining fissures of light on my side. She dipped her fingers into the pouch and stirred it around a bit before withdrawing again. Her fingers came out sticky with some sort of thick, sappy fluid. The goop released a pungent scent that overwhelmed my delicate nose, causing me to turn away.

"This might sting a bit," she said, gently smoothing her fingers over the Sunpurge.

I flinched as she made contact, but the strange poultice’s effects were immediate, soaking into my skin and soothing the raging fire of the Sunpurge. By the time my side was coated in translucent slime, I had already tugged my dress up further and exposed the glowing scars on my shoulder. Elinore smiled at that and raised an eyebrow, and I looked away, blushing softly.

"Please?" I asked shyly.

She rolled her eyes and began to apply it on my shoulder as well. "How could I say no to a face like that." When she finished, she settled back and nodded at a job well done. "There. How’s that?"

"It’s...gone," I breathed. "I can’t feel anything, not even a tingle. It’s been...forever..." I broke off in a sniffle, and she looked at me in alarm.