The Lost Voices (OLD VERSION - New Version to Come)

CHAPTER 6... MESSAGES (PART 1)

Journal Entry 59: Marks 

8-20-1620 A.R. 

Location: Brickshaw, Terrarin 

A shooting star rifted a quick wound of light across the sky as Xiajem watched from the grassy floor and wondered where she might be in a year. Would she return to Impatra? It might help if she traveled further north and saw the icy capital of Frayix, or if she went east to experience the deserts and islands of Cabrinor. 

Terrarin could be the tip of a massive, branching iceberg. Granted, she still hadn't seen all of Terrarin either, but what was she searching for? 

Her parents was the obvious answer, but that wasn't everything. Antiquity or the Old World, as most people outside of Impatra refer to it, could be what she sought, but where to begin?

Suddenly, a rush of hammering footsteps ended her reverie and she waited a second before clambering to her feet. Ytrieda mentioned that cog-beasts sometimes came out this far and she steadily drew four throwing knives. The shuffling steps were picking up and Xiajem tensed for an imminent attack as she noticed three silhouettes hobbling into her view. 

Soon, however, she could tell that the middle figure was being hastily escorted by the other two and her doctoral instincts kicked in as she tucked away the knives. Moving toward the thicket, Ytrieda's figure became immediately apparent and her legs moved automatically.

"Xiajem!" Her mentor's voice called out.

Nearly on top of them, Xiajem raced to the tip of the trail. "I'm right here!"

"Holy sh-" Ytrieda puffed. "-shrap, how'd you move that fast?" She had a couple scratches and her shawl was partially torn.

"I was already down here. What happened?" Moonlight finally washed out their shadows and revealed the other two people who each had a myriad of cuts and scuffs. One was a blonde man in a tattered overcoat, a bald guy with blood gradually pooling over his left shoulder, and then a gorgeous black dog leaped over the bush beside them with a high pitched bark, making Xiajem jump and nearly scream.

The blonde one was the first to speak up, "My friend was shot. We need your help, please!"

Xiajem raised her eyebrows at Ytrieda, but didn't wait for her approval. "Come on, bring him inside." Upon reaching the house, Xiajem led them left through another door and shoved everything off the table with a hard sweep of her arm. A couple things cracked or shattered as she did so, but Xiajem hardly noticed and the dog sat with a whimper across the table from her. "Help me lay him down and watch his head. Ytrieda, I need lights, curtains, and something to put under his head." The entire room brightened and the drapes were telekinetically drawn with a flicking motion from Ytrieda before she jogged out of the room in pursuit of Xiajem's third request. The Impatran's head snapped to the blonde guy who had a patch of sweat running over his chest. As she untied her cloak, tossed it into a chair, and pulled her hair back with a thread, she asked. "What're your names?"

"I'm Malien. He's Jack. What can I do?"

"Good names. I'm Xiajem. Help me get his coat and shirt off, I need to see the wound without obstructions." The pair carefully leaned Jack upright and removed those clothes, but Xiajem was briefly taken aback. Not by Jack's entirely metal arms that merged with his torso and crept onto parts of his shoulders or even the strange tattoo that wound up his right arm, but by the webbing of rugged scars that stained his back and chest. She blinked and continued. "Keep him up, but at an angle. It looks like the bullet entered through the back and became lodged in a spot where his iron sinews and skin mesh, but holding him completely straight could cause it to travel lower." Ytrieda came back with two stiff pillows and Xiajem's medical kit, but seemed to be briefly caught off guard by Jack's new, shirtless state. "Sorry, throw the pillows in the chair for now and grab me some hot water." Ytrieda nodded, snapping back, and levitated the metal case to Xiajem's side with a snap of her wrist as she hurried out again. The doctor cleaned off her hands, rummaged through her case, and found the instruments she needed, but knew her numbing agent was only going to be so helpful. "I'm sorry Jack." She softly touched the unwounded shoulder. "But this is going to hurt quite a bit."