Summoned to a Shattered World

Birthright Chapter 36 - The Coming Storm

Vorisen's voice came from behind me. "Is she alive?"

I very much wanted to know that myself, so I checked her breathing. It was so weak it seemed like she might pass any moment but she was still breathing. "I think so. For now, at least."

Looking up into his stern countenance, I saw nothing but contempt. "I'll have someone take a look at her."

He shouted for one of his soldiers and they hurried over. The woman, her face streaked with blood, gave Elmidath a quick inspection and grimaced. "She might live but I'll need to get to work immediately."

When I didn't move, she assured me that Elmidath would be taken care of. I reluctantly let them do their job and lay down in the sand. Now I was free of my burden, I felt awfully tired. Thinking I could do with a short rest, I closed my eyes.

The next thing I knew, it was daylight. A few hours past noon at that, based on the position of the suns. I'd fallen asleep facing the Primis camp but now it was gone. All that was left was the fallen Tertiums, their bodies already partially buried by the sand. That, and the fresh bandages binding my wounds.

I let out an inarticulate cry of dismay at having been abandoned in the desert and tried to sit up. But I didn't quite make it. Without the benefit of adrenaline my wounds hurt far worse than they had before. Every movement was agonising.

"It's okay." Elmidath's voice, warm and soothing, drifted over from a little way behind me.

"What happened?" My throat was dry and my question came out as something of a croak. "Where did the soldiers go?"
"Once they confirmed that the warlord was dead, they wanted to head back. But they couldn't risk moving us yet, so I let them go on ahead."

I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "You encouraged them to leave us in the desert?"

"We'll be fine. A little more rest and we'll be able to walk back on our own two legs."

How Elmidath always been so positive? In my weakened state it was a little sickening. But no, she was probably just trying to put on a brave face given the circumstances. "What are we supposed to do until then? Lie around in the sand?"

"Pretty much." She grinned. "I don't think it's so bad. I don't know about you, but I'm happy to take a bit of time off."

I sighed. "What if the Tertiums come back?"

"They won't. Besides, the ogres are still here." She waved her hand vaguely off to the right where I saw the ogres prodding one of the dead bestial demons.

"Oh, great. Where were they last night, anyway?"

Elmidath laughed, a clear melodic sound like a bell. "Would you believe they slept through the whole thing? They were really disappointed that they missed out."

Of course they were, the stupid brutes. Given the option, I would happily have let them take my place. But no, I had to be the one out there getting mauled by these horrible things. "You're not planning on recruiting any Tertiums in the future, are you?"

"I wasn't planning on it, they're too hard to control. Why?"

"I think I've developed a bit of a dislike for them at this point."

Elmidath slapped me on the shoulder and I winced. Not from the blow, but how the movement made the pain of injuries flare.

Elmidath paid no attention to my pain as she replied. "Me too. With a bit of luck, we shouldn't have to deal with them or their kind again for at least a while."

"How many more of these things live out here in the wilderness?" I was already envisioning great hordes of them pouring forth to lay waste to civilisation. Or what passed for civilisation in this world.