Between the Veil and Crown

Kylin 41

When Kylin was certain that Taileia was being well taken care of, he headed back out to the smoldering mess of a village to help with clean up.

There wasn't a house left. There wasn't a building left. There was just blackened ruins, smoking rubble, and scorched memories. There was nothing to hide behind; vision was barely obscured all the way to the tree lines. The last few fires were being put out, and dark figures moved about the debris, bending over to move things out of the way and searching for bodies. Bodies who were hopefully survivors.

The house of the first and largest flower had become the site of the bonfire. A ring was dug around the house's remains and parts of the plant were cut up and tossed into the middle. Those not searching for bodies were pulling up all that could be found of the plant and throwing it into the bonfire while a few others tended to it, making sure it did not grow too big or unmanageable.

Kylin joined those burning the flowers. His adrenaline was running low and it was much easier to handle bits of plant than it was searching for the dead and injured. He didn't have to think. Just grab what looked like plant, cut it down to size if necessary, and haul it to the bonfire.

When it grew dark, he pulled out his ball of light and attached it to Vicious's bridle. Her saddle was gone, so he had to get creative loading her with plants. He had found a few baskets of varying sizes around the village that survived enough and tied them to Vicious. The poor horse was too weary to fight him on it, and did not even need him to lead her around by the reins. She instead just followed him, her head hanging.

At some point in the night, Morganne arrived with a group of her healers. A large tent was set up where the injured had already been carried and they immediately set to work. The soldiers took care of their own, but because of the state of the village, it became necessary for them to share the tent.

Kylin continued to work through the night, fight off his weariness. After a while, it became hard to tell if he was actually tired or not. He was just being. He was just doing. Sleep wasn't a thing. He could not say what any other Ranger or soldier was doing. He didn't know if they were doing the same thing as he was, or if they were actually taking a break. He just knew to search for green, orange, or yellow, and burn it.

When dawn broke, there had been great progress. There was still a lot of the other two large flowers to cut down and burn, but the village was not twisted with vines and flowers as it had been.

About midmorning, Kylin worked away at a particularly thick vine that probably under different circumstances would have taken him less time, but his muscles were giving all they had and his brain couldn't comprehend the idea of going faster. Vicious stood nearby, her baskets empty and her head hanging even lower.

A hand rested on his shoulder. "Come with me," a soft female voice told him.

He limply shook his head. "I'm not down."

"Yes, you are. Come with me." She reached over and gently pried Kylin's dagger he was using to cut the vine from his hands. An easy feat as he had no strength to fight her. She then grasped under his elbow to encourage him up. Relieved of his dagger and unable to carry out the task without it, he obliged. She kept her hand on his elbow and guided him away, Vicious following behind.

He realized that she was guiding him to the med tent. He finally glanced down at the person directing him and saw Amelia.

"No, no," he told her, pulling away. "I don't need medical attention."