30. Worry and regret

Kiandra awoke as she heard an ominous scream. Suddenly she was wide awake and headed towards the noise. On her way Claudia, disguised as countryboy-Diaz, ran towards her. Claudia was in panic.

“Waldina is… She needs your help,” Claudia managed to say, gasping for air. Kiandra squinted her eyes and flew as fast as she could towards the direction Claudia came from. Claudia followed her with uncertain and panicky steps.

Kiandra felt like the world around her was disappearing as she reached the location of Waldina’s third stage-exam. On the ground there were the all-too-familiar rewards for completing a stage-exam. Beside them there laid an unconscious Waldina. Kiandra flew faster and faster, reaching her dear friend. Her eyes caught the sight of Waldina’s bare back. The cloth from her ninjadress had been torn and beneath it was now deep, red trails from claws. The fairy’s expression got darker with each passing moment as she observed Waldina’s state.

“Aqua renglan,” Kiandra chanted, making the spell more powerful by chanting it out loud. She could use magic perfectly well without incantations yet incantations undoubtedly strengthened the spells.

“What are you doing?” Claudia asked with a quiet, small voice, which contrasted with her rough, manly appearance.

“I’m cleansing her wounds,” Kiandra mumbled, gaze locked tightly to Waldina. Her eyes were about to fill up with tears but she managed to keep them in somehow.

“Take your shirt off,” Kiandra commanded with a surprisingly determined and stern voice, causing Claudia confusion.

“Wh-why?” she asked, blushing.

“I need something to bandage the wound with,” Kiandra explained when a sudden thought came to her. “Actually, no need. Keep your shirt and give me your artefact. Then run to the horses and look for the capes.”

“But…” Claudia began, though she still grabbed her necklace giving it to Kiandra. The fairy took the heavy necklace and donned it half-forcefully. Then she imagined a strong man as her disguise.

Normally surrounded with blue light, the fairy was now surrounded with silver light and she became a tall, muscular young man. The blue hair was the only part that reminded others of her fairy form. Claudia amazed the view with round eyes. Only when Kiandra moved to Waldina, did she remember her job and rush to their camp.

Kiandra set her manly arms around Waldina’s still unconscious body and grabbed her firmly but with care. Carrying the ninja in her/his arms, she left after Claudia towards their camp. The artifact didn’t make her that strong by any means. It did make her stronger, but carrying a whole person was still tough for a small fairy. Yet Kiandra fought through the pain, gritted her teeth and carried Waldina all the way back to their camp.

Claudia was already holding a cape in her hands when Kiandra reached the camp. The lady set the cape to the ground, as a slightly softer place for Waldina, before she looked for the other cape. During her search she came across a bunch of gauze with which to bandage the wound. She nodded, satisfied with her discovery. Now instead of the cape, she gave Kiandra the gauze. Kiandra was already undressing her ninja friend.

“Thanks,” Kiandra nodded shortly. Then she once again cast cleansing water on Waldina’s back. The blood had dried up a bit and wasn’t constantly spilling now. It made a single wrinkle disappear from the forehead of the fairy, who now looked like a rugged man.

With Claudia’s help Kiandra bandaged Waldina’s wound with the gauze. Although they managed to tie up the wound surprisingly nicely, they weren’t completely satisfied with the result. However it was the best they could do for now.

Dead-tired Kiandra took the necklace off and in her fairy form returned it back to Claudia. Claudia put it on without hesitation. If she had looked miserable as woman-Claudia, was she even more pitiful in her Diaz-form. Kiandra wanted to cheer her up, but she was too overcome with worry herself to do it. And besides, she was too tired. Waldina was undoubtedly light for a human, but still way too much for a fairy to carry.

Kiandra fell asleep after she’d set the other cape on top of Waldina, as a blanket. Claudia stayed up, observing both Waldina’s condition and their surroundings. And most importantly, to blame herself for what happened. She had done something unforgivable, even after Waldina had told her not to. She wasn’t sure how to live with this. She had merely wanted to help the ninja, but it had resulted in a dangerous injury for the ninja.

Thus she grabbed her sword and practiced. She practiced all night, whilst keeping an eye out for possible dangers and enemies.

Waldina’s eyelids were unreasonably heavy as she was waking up from her deep sleep. She opened her a tad bit, noticing she needed a considerable amount of effort to do that. Once her eyes were finally fully open, a piercing pain slashed through her and she couldn’t help but grimace.

Her back hurt like hell and even her left arm felt heavy like lead. Even a small movement sent a piercing pain throughout her every cell.

But she forced herself to sit up nonetheless. She looked around her surroundings. Somehow she had gotten back to their camp and there was no sign of the gray bears. The events from her third stage-exam came to mind piece by piece.

“Where’s Claudia?” Waldina yelped panicky, looking for a hint of the lady’s whereabouts. Her heart was beating so loudly as the memories of Claudia next to the gray bears flashed her mind.

“Hmm?” Kiandra’s drowsy voice sounded next to Waldina. “You’ve woken up.”

Waldina flinched at the sudden change of Kiandra’s demeanor. The flinch was a bit too sudden and the wound on her back reminded her of its existence. She just had to bite her lip.

“I was so scared that you’d never wake up again,” Kiandra continued with a softer voice. She flew in front of her ninja friend’s face and glimmered with sad blue colors.

“I’m sorry,” Waldina mumbled, facing the ground. She couldn’t brave herself to look at Kiandra’s eyes.

“And sorry you should be,” Kiandra pouted while moving at Waldina’s line of sight. She was so close to the ninja’s face that Waldina couldn’t avoid her gaze.

“Why didn’t you wake me up? I would have been there for you,” Kiandra’s voice was filled with scolding. “I thought we were in this together. As a team.”

“I’m sorry,” Waldina repeated, unsure what else to say.

“Hmph,” Kiandra snorted, “next time be sure to take me with you. We’re a team and team’s fight together.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Waldina admitted, smiling weakly.

“But anyways, how are you feeling?” Kiandra’s voice softened again and she flew behind the ninja, checking the bandages covering the back of the ninja.

“It hurts quite a bit, but I’ll manage,” Waldina laughed as if to lighten the mood, but the fairy didn’t miss the attempt to hide her true feelings.

“Hmm, at least it doesn’t seem to be bleeding now. If you just rest for a couple of days, I’m sure it’ll get better,” Kiandra wondered gently, touching the wound through the bandages. Then her eyes saw Waldina’s left arm, which was now that of purple and black color.

“What on earth?!? Your arm..?”

Kiandra’s reaction got Waldina to turn to look at her arm. She had to admit it looked bad. Perhaps worse than it actually felt. Her arm was completely covered with bruises. Clearly fighting against gray bears wasn’t a good idea. Nor nearly losing to them.

“No worries, it doesn’t feel as bad as it looks,” the purplehaired ninja tried to calm down her friend. “And besides purple matches my hair.”

Her attempt to lighten the atmosphere didn’t amuse Kiandra one bit. She just fixed her stern and worried look at the injured ninja.

“Waldina! You’re awake,” Claudia’s voice managed to interrupt their conversation just in time before Kiandra began her new reprimanding session.

“I'm so sorry. I should have stayed out of the way,” Claudia began bowing deeply as a sign of apology. Waldina waved her hand dismissively:

“No worries, that happens to all of us. It was my mistake to leave without a note.” Both Kiandra and Claudia nodded in agreement.

“And for that I’m sorry,” Waldina said once again, before focusing on other matters. “I guess my dress is not doing so well?”

The others nodded, grimacing ever so slightly. Waldina returned the act with grimacing as well, before she sighed. She moved her left arm carefully, so that she could check her bracelet. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the least bit damaged. Guess it worked under different laws. Waldina searched through her inventory looking for clothes. Then she found a costume meant for level 30 ninjas and above. Hoping for the best she checked her level. It was 29, for fuck’s sake.

“Umm. It seems I have a change of clothes, but…” she began hesitantly as to how to explain her problem.

“But?” Kiandra repeated with expectant expression.

“I need one more level to wear it,” Waldina flashed an innocent smile at the words.

“If you manage to fight while riding the horse, using only water magic and daggers or shurikens, and thus, get the level, you may do so,” Kiandra approved though with serious expression. “Otherwise extra moving around and especially sword fighting is forbidden.”

“Good. Let’s go then,” Waldina nodded before forcing her hurting body to stand up.

“Are you sure you’re in any condition to ride the horse?” Claudia’s weak voice trembled. She felt so bad seeing the ninja in her current condition and knowing she caused it. Although in reality Waldina could’ve gotten injured similarly even if she had fought alone, but that possibility no longer existed in Claudia’s mind. The guilt was simply too strong.

“Yep. Let’s go then,” Waldina assured her friends, smiling forcefully. Her back really hurt like hell, and her left wasn’t problematic either. But at least she wasn’t in danger of dying now.

Kiandra complained for a while about Waldina’s condition and strain horseriding would cause her. Claudia continued apologizing profusely. Yet they still ended up continuing their journey with the horses and heading towards Xunte Sintra.