Chapter 25

“So, am I going to die?” Rex asked Fafnir. Lifting his head, he replied.

‘Between your strength and mine, it may take a while, but like I promised, you will survive this.’

Lizz and Charr both ran to Rex after he collapsed. After Balrog was rendered to ash the weight in the air of the place started to lift, they could feel the warmth from the sun start to come through the treetops, and it started to brighten up a bit. Lizz’s mana reserves started to fill again. It had seemed Balrog’s presence here had a terrible impact and now she was defeated the place returned to its original beauty.

“Must stop prince bleeding” Charr said to Lizz pointing at the fang wounds.

“I can cauterize it to stop the bleeding, but with his temperature rising, it seems there was also poison which I can’t help with” Lizz added feeling Rex’s forehead.

Hearing they were close to the river, Charr picked Rex up and they brought him closer to the river. Well Rex turned out to be right, they were close to the river. Crouching and laying Rex down Charr got an idea.

“Charr know of mountain flower that help fever” He said standing up and starting back towards the mountain, he turned around said, “Me back soon, make fire.”

Gathering some branches that sat around her, Lizz bundled them up and using her fire spell lit the branches. Ripping a lower part of her sleeve off she went down to the water and brought it back soaked to apply it to Rex’s forehead to try cooling his fever. “Please hurry Charr.” She whispered.

It did not take Charr long to find the flowers he was looking for. Crouching down he inspected the flower turning it over in his hand, nodding with approval he gathered up a handful, stood up and was heading back towards where he had left Lizz, but something seemed off, the animals he had passed to come up the mountain side were no longer there and had scattered. Scanning his surroundings, he could not see anything that was off, so he shrugged his shoulders and started walking down the mountainside clutching the flowers to help Rex.

He was just about to reach the edge of the trees when he heard a low growling sound coming from behind him. Spinning around with his axe in his hand, Charr was face to face with a mountain wyvern. It had stalked him up the mountainside and back down again and knew it had to get Charr before he entered the woods, Charr swore under his breath, he was so focused on trying to find the flowers to help his friend he had missed the cues that would have tipped him off to being hunted.

“Come winged beast, try and you taste Charr axe!!” he yelled at it.

The aggression he showed the wyvern just seemed to anger it, as it let out a loud hiss at him. I don’t have time to fight and save Rex Charr thought to himself, he was a good 100 feet to the trees and the wyvern was 10 feet away, he did not have a good chance of making the trees before the wyvern caught him. Stuffing the flowers into his pouch on his pants, Charr decided that he would need to maim the wyvern before he could make a run for it, he had planned on attempted to wound a wing and front leg, that should slow it enough for him to make the tree line he concluded. Closing the gap between himself and the wyvern as quickly as he could Charr fainted a swing at its head to make the wyvern rear its head back and while it had a lapse of sight Charr brought the axe down hard on the wing joint half severing it. The wyvern screeched in pain and jumped away from Charr, it was distracted by the pain it had felt from Charr so he decided this was his chance. The wyvern had seen Charr start to run and galloped after him, roaring angrily. He was just able to slide into some thick branches as the wyvern tried to leap onto him from behind and it hit the trees instead. Clawing desperately the wyvern roared as Charr was able to push his way through, once he was clear he continued running towards where he had left Lizz. He was hoping the trees would deter the wyvern from chasing him.

Arriving at a panicked Lizz still wiping Rex’s face, Charr quickly kneeled beside the campfire, crushed the flowers into a paste against a rock from the river. He added river water into a pot with Lizz’s help and added the flowers in, stirring with a stick to combine it. Once the paste was combined with the water, he added the liquid into a water skin and lifting Rex’s head carefully, slowly added small amounts into Rex’s mouth. Seeing him swallowing from relax gave him a little relief, it would help control his fever until the poison had run its course, hopefully.

While talking to Fafnir Rex felt a sudden feeling of cooling rise up in himself, “What are they giving me?”

‘It is an old Bohl remedy for fevers, has been around for centuries, will definitely help us recover’ he replied to Rex.

“Us?” Rex replied eyeing him suspiciously.

‘Yes Rex, Us, if you die, my spirit returns to the beyond and I can longer help defend my home. With your soul and mine combined, the poison should not kill us. Your companions just need to keep your body safe until its run its course.’ Fafnir said.

“I do not think they will let me die” he replied.

‘Me either, but with the wyvern still searching for your overgrown friend, I guess we will find out.’ Fafnir said.

“How do you do that?” Rex replied, he wanted to know how Fafnir knew what was going on while they resided in his mind space.

‘I am a part of Dracoterrum and this place as well the energy that flows through those places flows through me, I can only see in a small area around your body, but soon enough, as our bond continues to grow, you will be able to do the same. Whether you are here or in the waking realm.’ Fafnir grinned.

That sounded like an amazing gift, know what or who is always around him. That would solve the ability of people being able to constantly sneak up on him he thought smiling a little.

Once again sensing Rex’s thoughts Fafnir replied flatly, ‘It still requires a lot of focus and awareness, another thing you seem to lack.’

Seeing how the mountain flower Charr had given Rex had slowed his fever and had calmed him, both Lizz and Charr sat down a little relieved.

“Me think it working” Charr said putting his hand on Lizz’s shoulder, “me care about him as well”

Blushing a little at what Charr had said, she simply nodded at him, “We cannot have the emperor’s son dying in our care.” Even thought Lizz knew she had started to develop something for Rex, she did not know what it was just yet, just a little something every time she looked at him. Or he looked at me she thought giggling a little. Looking up and seeing Charr looking at her smiling again she hurriedly cleared her throat before saying “Let’s find food and settle in for the night.”

“Me agree, with no Rex for easy food, me no good fishing” Charr replied frowning a little. Even though Charr possessed a good speed in a fight, it seemed the little things that required precision with speed evaded him.

“That’s ok, I will fish, you get the firewood and leaves ready for me to make the blankets.” Lizz said patting him on the back, this made him feel a little better about his shortcomings, “I’ll be back shortly.” She said hopping up and trotting down to the river.

Charr happily swung his axe easily cutting through the wood required to use in the fire, wait! That was not me breaking branch, something is here! He thought to himself. Charr quickly jumped to his feet, axe at the ready and begun searching his surroundings. He knew that growl, he sighed helplessly before calling out, “Lizz!! Me be need your help!! Come quick!!”

Making its way down the hill towards the river, it had followed Charr’s scent, still growling in anger and pain at its heavily damaged wing joint. It was ready to exact its revenge tonight and feast on the flesh of one who had hurt him.