Somanca ( The Healer)

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE 🌿

So we went on with our quest. With each passing day taking us further away from home. From all that we know.

We were running out of food which wasn't good at all. The situation was nearing to the point that we'd eat just about anything. The frost didn't help our case at all. With blue cracked lips, pale skin tones and pink noses we were quite a sight for sore eyes.

Venerus had helped with fishing from the other areas we crossed but now the lakes were frozen and the plants were barren of fruit. Ofcourse not all trees were frozen. The ones which weren't had strange frozen fruits hanging from skeletal branches. We didn't know if it was safe to eat those fruits and neither was willing to try them. They were like crystals only meant to be used as adornments.

The rays of the sun did nothing to warm our cold bones. And just to make matters worse Eros had fever. I couldn't heal him with how weak I was. I needed energy in order to heal and I was barely holding onto the little strength I had for walking.

Venerus carried him on his back. At this point we were just ready to give in and head back home. Hell, we wouldn't even make it. It was frustrating really. Walking all this way just to die for nothing.

I tried to drag myself to keep up with the lads but my body refused to cooperate. I fell to my knees fighting the urge to cry. I couldn't feel my limbs. This was it. My death in all its frosty glory.

" Healer Somanca, we have to keep going!" bellowed Ranthel.

" I cannot go on. I'm too tired," I said, moaning in pain. My head cast down weakly.

We didn't even know where we were . This was a hopeless quest. We were doomed. My eyes widened when I felt the tip of a sword pushing into my back.

" Well would you look at that, Brimwell. Looks like we have bait to lure the snow beasts," said a man with a gravelly voice.

" And they have arrived just in time for the beasts to hunt. If we get our hands on their coats we'll be rich, I tell you," said Brimwell.

They were five armed men surrounding us and they were in perfect health. We were bound to the bark of a thick tree with chains before I could even attempt to cry out for help.

Truly we had lost the favour of the gods. This was by far the worst way to die. Sickly and waiting for a beast to eat us alive. Yes, this was definitely the worst way to die.

" Mercy, " I croaked out with an agonised cry.

" This is mercy, girly. You would have died anyway. We are just speeding the process, " said Doron. He was the man who had been pointing a sword in my back.

I stared at Venerus and Ranthel helplessly but they avoided eye contact with me. Eron was close to falling into unconsciousness. He was conscious by a mere thread. My heart ached for him. This was not how things were meant to turn out for us.

If only the Feran was with us maybe we would have stood a chance against them but it left the moment it heard the howls of its pack.

We sat huddled together trying to keep warm. I was surprised to find that Venerus was warmer than us but then again he was a shape-shifting merman. They were very different from the elmorans.

Late in the night the men sat around the fire eating. I couldn't make out what they were eating but it was enough to make my stomach groan with hunger. They chugged beers and munched on the meat all the while spitting jokes and tales of their conquests.

Eron was sweating bullets. Locks of hair stuck to his face. He was very hot and dangerously so. I prayed that he'd pull through. It was what Elmorans do all the time. Seek the help of the gods when the situation calls for it.