Lament of the Slave

Chapter 23: Coincidence

Now I knew firsthand why the dogs didn't like fireworks, or at least why I didn't like the explosions. They hurt my ears. It rang so much in them I felt disoriented, scared. Fortunately, the ringing stopped in a moment. I guess thanks to my regeneration.

I looked to the left, on the next bed, wanting to ask Becca what had happened, but the healer wasn't there. The bed on which they treated her was empty, just bloodstains on the sheets as reminders of what happened.

Becca was probably already helping others who needed it.

"Tss!" I hissed in pain as another explosion occurred, my bed shaking like the rest of the room.

"Stay calm!" Marcus shouted aloud, drawing everyone's attention. "The Captain will take care of the threat outside. She has the best of us with her. Except for me, of course. Let's do what we have to do; take care of the wounded. We are healers; that's what we do."

Strangely enough, his words calmed people down and not just healers, but guards and me too.

Most of the infirmary patients consisted of unconscious intruders who had no idea about the surrounding situation. The guards stunned them for their own safety and the safety of others, depriving them of the opportunity to hear Marcus' words.

Right now, I envied them. I'd rather wake up when it's all over too.

"You better stay away from the windows!" Markus shouted, looking at me for a moment.

Why was he looking at me? Wait? Windows? I looked to my left, but there was a wall with the rest of the spear still stuck in it. Behind it, the bed stained with Becca's blood, and then the window. On the right side, on the other hand, there was a large window above the bedside table overlooking the barracks courtyard.

Shit, I cursed, getting out of bed right away.

"Damn, we need a stronger collar here!" one of the healers shouted, catching my attention.

The man on the bed was conscious, trying to get up, despite wearing a slave collar, but the guard prevented him from doing so. The healer tried to put the man to sleep, giving him orders, but nothing worked. I may have been really paranoid, but the man was looking at me with his piercing eyes, pointing at me, trying to reach me.

"Korra, the spear ..." Markus shouted, pointing behind me, but his words vanished in a deafening blast outside the infirmary, shattering the windows.

I was glad that I got out of bed on the left side, where there was a wall and not a window. Otherwise, besides ringing in my ears, I would now be covered with shards of glass.

What did Marcus say? The Spear? What...

Realizing what he was trying to tell me, I turned to the wall, where the tip of the spear that passed through my chest and slammed into the wall glowed with magical runes.

Shit!! I thought before I hurriedly formed a barrier in front of me, hoping it would protect me better from what was to come than it shielded me from the spear. The barrier had formed just seconds before, flames, thunder, and pain engulfed the world around me.

***

Judging by the pain I felt, I survived the blast.

However, I was frightened by the condition that I was in right now. I couldn't feel one of the wings. Pain accompanied my every breath, indicating broken ribs. My right leg hurt so much that I wanted to cry, but at least I didn't hear the annoying ringing in my ears that I heard after each explosion. I heard nothing at all.

Fearing what I would see, I opened my eyes, finding myself in the barracks' courtyard, among the rubble. The dust floating all around prevented me from seeing more, making breathing even more difficult.