Chapter 9 Part 4: Search and Rescue

With evening aproaching, the rains had come. The higher altitude made their breaths labor and the exertion strained as they scoured the mountain side. Jun methodically checked, relying on Mei to make up for where he lacked. He noted her staring skyward as a signal flare rose, another red. Where were they? They couldn’t have disappeared. The rains made the ground slippery, soft and more problematic. Everything had grown a bit colder, and Mei was having trouble distinguishing between tree and rock with the wash.

He grumbled as he noted another red flare. They were nearly done with their section too. He pulled himself forward and felt the ground give—shouting. He slid at first but then the land disappeared, swallowing him. His hand snapped out, catching on a protrusion, preventing himself from entering the abyss. Adrenaline coursed. Mei approached from above.

“Old man!” she shouted, her hands latching onto his. He could try to climb up, but his ear tickled.

‘Look down.’

With the soft illumination, the cavern revealed its secrets.

“Mei! Send up a yellow flare. Then two reds.” His commands were sharp.

“What!” her delay was inevitable. Jun judged the distance and then shook off Mei’s hands, scraping the wall on his way down. It was only a few meters, not enough to be dangerous, but enough that he wouldn't be climbing back up without help. Well, not that he could climb well with one arm anyway. Jun kept quiet, noting Mei scrambling above as the sky danced with the colors. They barely reached above the trees before fizzling out.

“This rain is impossible!” she shouted. Jun gritted his teeth as he took in the clues. There was a skirmish. Some tattered remains of fabrics caught his attention— the white uniforms sticking out against the dark stones. In both directions, the cave continued unabated, a tunnel of sorts—unnaturally so. A monster’s? That made his hand quiver. If their search had remained on the surface, they would have missed this entirely. Mei’s head poked down.

“Arvad!” her tone was not of someone searching, but of someone seeing. A flash of light drew his attention.

“Stay up there and get help Mei!” Jun commanded.

“But-”

“If you come down and can’t get out, then we’ll be trapped here too. There’s signs of fighting. I’ll go lend aid, you need to get backup.”

“Seriously, old man?” she grumbled but her head disappeared. He waited a bit, alert. Lights flew around above, but from a distance. Jun smiled. She had understood. His eyes returned to the darkness and he circulated his prayer. He felt his skin prickle.

‘Alright, Silver Flame, you better warn me if anything comes.’

With that prayer in mind, he drew his sword and trudged down towards the flashes of light. A soft light began to illuminate ahead, twisting to the right. He followed and then stopped—eyes darting as he took it in.

Classmates were strewn across the cavern floor, their soft moans ringing against his ears. He approached the closest, noting the scratches as he shifted his right hand to the shoulder of the man. A sense of unease permeated him.

There was a poison, a venom inside, paralyzing him. It eased the pain, but it also strained the heart. Jun quickly burned it, checking him over. This had to be the work of monsters. Alert, he scanned the area. The light was coming from a few students, one, he recognized. He noticed her apparition around her before he uttered her name.

“Solara?” At his call, her head jerked. He hadn’t said it loud yet she had reacted. Their eyes met and her mouth dropped. As it quivered, she lowered her staff and then rose. Jun stood in response.

“Jun?” Then she shook her head. “How are you here?”

Jun felt a smirk tug at his mouth, but he cast his gaze back where he’d came from. “I’m part of the mercenaries. We were dispatched when you guys didn’t return. I’ve sent someone to call for more help.”

Listeners nearly cried— the chorus flitting through those assembled. This field trip had more people than he’d anticipated. On top of that, there was an absence of Jinshari, making his chest tighten.

Solara’s eyes cleared and she quickly knelt back down, her words murmuring comfort to the person she’d been helping.

“Just hang on a little longer.” Her apparition shifted around the female student’s body and he twinged in realization. She was healing them. He shook, head cleared. He appraoched Solara, seeking answers.

“What happened here?”

She sighed, keeping focused on her task. Another classmate beside her answered.

“We were attacked and driven to this tunnel. Before we could leave, a hoard of monster attacked. We could have handled it, but they seem to spellbind us with just a scratch.” Jun pretended to ponder on it. It seem’d like that if they didn’t know about paralysis.

“The herbs we brought weren’t helping, so Lady Solara revealed she could heal and has been tending to everyone.”

Jun looked out at where he had come from. The lights of fighting grew as some students went to help defend the place. He debated if he should reveal his abilities. Amalie had warned him so many times that it caused him to hesitate. He shook his head. If he hesitated too much, lives would be lost. Yet her warnings lingered. He settled on a compromise.

“I know some medicine and techniques to dispel the spellbind. Mind if I help?” The two looked at him relieved.

“Yes, please.” At Solara’s insistence, he moved to the far end where the people hadn’t suffered much injury. At least she had the wherewithal to organize the injured.

Another classmate was carried in and he took charge while Solara was occupied with her miracles. With a quick check, he realized this man wasn’t going to make it without intervention. The paralysis staggered his heart and the wounds were deep.

“Set him down,” Jun ordered. The two who had carried him called out to Solara who shook her head. She needed to focus. After resting their comrade on the floor, Jun cleared most of the poison and then healed at the innermost parts of the wounds. If anything, he sought to stabilize the man. Minding his output, he refrained from making his hair change color. Besides, Solara could finish the process… hopefully. If she concluded the healing, then it couldn’t be traced to him.

With this plan of action, Jun moved to heal more. Some were superficial wounds and paralysis. He cleared it up and then sent them on their way, chiding them for taking up valuable time. He focused on learning about the situation.

It was dire. Who attacked them? Hardly anyone knew. However, they could describe the monsters well enough, and even their situation. They had fallen down here a few hours ago and were already loosing moral. Several instructors and the combat class had protected them, but the initial hoard was too massive to fend against. They were approaching a stalemate now, but how long could they last? Hours of fighting was no joke.

A loud crash outside drew the group’s attention. Jun healed his pateint more than he had intended gritting his teeth— eyes cast towards the sound. He hoped it wouldn’t be noticed.

Arvad danced at the entrance as he tackled a monster who was too close for comfort. Some classmates screeched at seeing the beast with strange tentacle arms on its back, reminding Jun of some eldritch horror. However Arvad quickly took it out. Jun looked to the wounded. Most of the remaining wounds were light—non-life-threatening. Reaching a decision he moved towards the entrance, drawing his sword as he came to Arvad.

“Jun?” Arvad called out in surprise. Jun closed the distance, eyes darting as he caught sight of another monster. He brought the weapon across, striking at the beast.

“Look out!” Arvad shouted. The tentacles stopped his attack, and then another darted at him, scratching him. Jun felt the paralysis start to spread and he quickly burned it, retreating. So they were the source. Arvad pounced, pummeling the beast from the side and smashing its stomach. It made a surprised yelp before crumpling. Jun cut its neck and it stopped moving.

“You alright?” Arvad asked.

“Ya. I’m fine. What about the others?” he looked towards where the fight could be heard.

“Huh… well they just keep coming. There’s no end. One of the Instructors said it’s unnatural.” Arvad answered as he started to move towards the fight. “Just avoid the tentacles. They can spellbind you.”

The brief concern on Arvad was dashed as another monster broke through and charged at them. Someone shouted ahead and they broke formation, trying to stop the beast. Jun and Arvad took it down, though not without another paralysis that Jun burned. These things were unnaturally good at paralyzing them. There weren’t all that many in the flickering firelight, but enough to keep the pressure on. With so many ‘spellbound’, they were being overwhelmed.

Some Instructors were chanting prayers, though their deformed mouths and cut clothes told of their hardships. Jun approached from behind barely letting his hand brush against them, burning at their paralysis, though not eliminating it. With the intensity of the combat, few took note to the changes, but the tide of battle was beginning to turn.

As they took on the monsters more easily, more beasts began to appear. Jun wished he could cast fire magic and look into the darkness. As if hearing his innermost thoughts, a fireball from behind the line shot forward and Jun’s eyes grew wide as he saw the beasts waiting, prowling beyond. It was like an endless sea of fur. One jumped, taking out the fire.

“Mei!” it was Arvad who shouted, drawing Jun away from the battle.

“What are these things?” Mei asked as she took one down. Jun noted a scratch, though smaller than the ones he had sustained.

“Not sure. But their spellbind is annoying.” An apparition of an older man appeared around Arvad, making Jun freeze. He had an artifact as well? Jun shook himself, placing his hand against Mei’s. He sensed the little paralysis in her and silently burned it. She didn’t flinch, accustomed to his actions. Arvad however, seemed to take note.

“Did you call for help?” Jun asked only a second later.

“Of course. I even saw the white flame flare appear overhead. Help is on the way.”

At her words, the closest cheered.

“Stay strong! They’re attacking again!” An instructor’s voice boomed, keeping them grounded in reality. The monsters surged and Jun darted around, burning the paralysis enough that they no longer were inhibited, but still felt its lingering touch. Mei disappeared in the chaos. He barely caught sight of her retreating figure, chasing after a beast that had escaped past the line. He focused on his self assigned task, trusting her to find her place in this.

Even with the revelation that help was on the way, it still took a long time before the first group appeared, joining the fight. They brought firepower, miracles were cast into the deep, disrupting the stalking predators. A second group joined and Jun found his way back to the infirmary assiting more in the rear. Solara’s eyes seemed to find him often and he noted the way the apparition watched his movements. As a second healer appeared, Jun refrained from healing, wanting to avoid more scrutiny.

However, the fight became brutal, the number of paralysis grew. Forced once more, he burned off the dangers but refrained from healing anything short of life threatening. It tore at his conscious as he picked and chose this way, but Amalie’s warning had been clear.

Fatigue began to drift in till the White Flame in charge appeared and relief spread. The man pushed at his glasses a few times before raising his staff, an apparition appeared dancing through the infirmary.

‘Stop your healing!’ the Silver flame warned and Jun jerked back. The apparition flew over them and he let out a sigh. However, the people around him didn’t seem any better. Was he the white flame unable to heal? He shifted, debating if he should continue.

‘Head towards the surface.’ The Silver Flames words were clear. Jun clenched his hand, dismissing himself and headed back in the tunnel to where he had entered. He found the opening expanded and ladders being lowered against the side wall. Jun climbed out with some effort, grateful for the help at the top.

‘Find Mei.’

With that warning command, Jun’s eyes darted, seeing Mei clutching at a wound that looked deep and yet thin like a blade. Someone was helping her bandage it while the blood seeped into the cloth.

“Mei?” Jun approached and her relief was evident.

“Hey ol- ah, Jun.” He placed his right hand on her shoulder and silently healed the innards of the injury, relieved there wasn’t anything mixed in before scrutinizing the situation. Why was she injured and not paralyzed? Only as he pondered on this, did he notice the few Jinshari that were stalking in the woods.