LOST

Chapter 20- Outburst

Celestine 

My legs were shaking as I approached the limp warrior in front of me.

"H-Hudson?" I croaked, meeting his eyes. He looked tired, but nothing beyond that. A mage immediately ran over and placed his hands above the stump of his left arm. Tendrils of pink and yellow glowing threads trickled from his palms. They shimmied their way to the injury and swam in the wound, mimicking the movement of stitching.

Karthur gently brushed me aside to look at his wounded friend.

"Hudson, what happened?" he breathed in horror, looking at the wound.

"W-Wedingo," Hudson said and then hissed as the mage pulled away from his magic.

"How did they get on the grounds?" I asked, aghast.

"T-They-," he started but Karthur placed a hand on my shoulder in warning.

"Talk to us after you've taken rest, mate," he said to Hudson. Hudson nodded bitterly as he looked at his wound.

He looked expectantly at the mage.

"Well, why are you just standing there?' he asked. "D-do something."

The mage looked at Hudson with pity in his eyes.

"Sir," he stated, "I'm afraid your wound is well beyond repair. I'm sorry."

Hudson's shoulders sagged in defeat and pain coloured his eyes.

"W-what?"

"I'm sorry, sir," the mage repeated and walked away.

We all shared glances of worry and pity but looking at Hudson, it was clear he didn't want anyone's pity. He just looked like he needed some time alone.

"What happened with Shackle?" I asked a soldier as we walked out of the cellars. As soon as we stepped out, blinding white light pierced my vision making me realize just how dark it was underground.

The soldier studied me for a moment before answering.

"Shackle had arrived looking for you, your highness," the soldier replied.

"Call me Celestine, please," I corrected.

"Shackle sought help from the southern commander to send searching parties to find you and your friends," the soldier continued. "After speaking with the commander, Shackle was ready to leave. Commander Hudson offered to walk him out of the camp. As they were escorting him out the gates, Shackle was attacked by a Wedingo."

"So close to the gates?" I asked in horror.

"That just proves the point that the Wedingo population has multiplied tremendously," the soldier sighed. "Anyway, Hudson jumped in to save Shackle. And he got mauled."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Save Shackle?" I whispered, aghast. The soldier paled as if he had said something wrong. 

Or something he shouldn't have? 

Or something he wasn't supposed to.

"Why?" I pushed.

"If Hudson had let Shackle die, someone just as bad as Shackle would take over the throne of Kythia," the soldier explained.

I nodded absent-mindedly, not entirely convinced but too tired to acknowledge the fact. I held my stomach miserably when I realized what had happened.

"I haven't had anything to eat," I mumbled slowly.

The soldier looked concerned.

"What?" he said, sounding surprised. "You were supposed to eat along with the rest of the trainees before Hudson paired off training partners last night."