Fighting Oblivion

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Wendy didn't leave Sting's side for almost an hour. She only did finally because she had nearly passed out from using all her magic energy. Carla wouldn't let her attempt more. He was stable enough for now but we needed to get off this ridge and Wendy was worried about making his internal injuries worse, dragging him up the ridgeline. Luckily Gray was a literal genius. He used his ice make magic to fashion a sort of sled and a ramp leading up to the top. Jellal and Rogue pulled him from the front and Gray pushed from behind. It almost looked like they were carrying a coffin and I couldn't get rid of the feeling of dread settling like a ball in the pit of my stomach at the sight.

Traveling across Bargo was more difficult and took us longer to get through the forest and to the closest town.

We piled blankets on top of Sting to keep the chilled air away from him, we laid him next to the fire when we stopped to make camp. Rogue set up a separate tent for the blond slayer and Lector and I spent every night sleeping next to him. Poor Lector was so scared, he didn't know what he would do without his partner and best friend. I tried to comfort him as best I could but I couldn't find the words to say.

Finally, finally, we reached the large town and thank the gods it had a hospital. We got rooms at an inn nearby but honestly I hadn't spent much time there. We left that cave almost a month ago. We didn't get to a hospital until three days ago. The doctor's said it was literally a miracle he survived the journey. But I knew better. It wasn't a miracle, it was Wendy Marvell and her sheer power and determination. She would not give up on him. Every morning and every night and even once or twice while we walked, the little healer, no matter how tired she was, tended to her patient. She stabilized him and repaired most of his external injuries with no problem, though he'd likely have a scar for the rest of his life. The problem was whatever dark magic was coating the blade. It...infested him, was how Wendy put it. For a while you could see black veins growing out from the wound, crawling their way across his abdomen, marring his unblemished skin. Wendy had been able to slow its progress but it was the doctors' at the hospital that halted it all together. But they weren't sure what the long term effects might be or if it could be reversed.

Honestly, it didn't matter to me. It wouldn't make any difference if those injuries stayed with him forever. It wouldn't change who he was or what he did, it would be a badge of honor, the sacrifice he made for his friends...for me.

Lector was curled up at the foot of his bed, I was in a chair, my head resting on my arms laying next to him. I hadn't slept much, Gray had tried to convince me to go to the inn to rest but I couldn't leave him. I didn't want him to wake up alone. I knew Rogue or Yukino or Minerva wouldn't mind taking a shift while I got some rest, Gray had said as much, hell he even volunteered to do so himself. But I needed to be there when he woke up. I wanted to be the first person he saw. Maybe that was selfish but...I didn't care.

I was glad I was so stubborn about it when I felt him stir under the blankets. I sat bolt upright in my chair and squinted at his beautiful, tired face, willing him to open his eyes.

"Sting?" I said quietly, not wanting to wake Lector.

His brow furrowed, cute little wrinkles forming on his nose, then I realized he was sniffing the air. His eyes opened slowly, like his lids were almost too heavy to move.

"Lucy?" He smiled and I felt like my heart would explode with sheer joy.

"Yeah," I felt tears of relief forming in my eyes. Keep it together, Lucy!

"We...won?" His breathing was still labored, talking was probably still painful for him.

"Yes," I was crying in earnest now. "We won, Sting. You won."