Catalyst(116)

I stopped crying and sniffling. “I'm sorry, Your Highness. I don't know what came over me.”

She made my eyes meet hers. “It's all right. I understand. What did I tell you? Call me by my name when we're alone.”

“All right, Prin—Krystal.”

She smiled. “Good.”

I tried to return her smile, but couldn't manage to give her more than a small one. How did people constantly deal with all this fighting and death?

Krystal put her hands to my cheeks and wiped my tears away with her thumbs. “Relax, hero, it's over. Being too tense after battle is never a good thing.”

“I've never been through this before. I had no idea how it feels.”

Krystal leaned close to me. Unlike the first time, I made no move to stop her kiss. It was short but gentle and warm in its caress. “Feel better?”

I couldn't help but grin. “A little. Thank you, Krystal.”

“No, thank you, hero.”

Before we left, I retrieved my potions from downstairs. I downed half of a vial before offering the other half to Krystal.

“What's this?” she asked.

“It'll help restore your strength. It won't treat your wounds, but you'll feel better.”

She shook her head. “Take the rest. You need it.”

“No. You need it too. You've reminded me the day's not over yet.”

Krystal took the vial and drank it. “Here’s your dagger back. It came in handy, like you knew it would.”

I nodded and took it. I put on my purse before picking up my former master. He was much lighter than he should have been. The spell had done its job well.

We left the tower and walked the quiet halls. We parted ways, as she went to check on her father. I told her I would look at him later, to see if what Premier had done to him was gone. I left the castle, carrying Stradus's body in my arms.

The bright sun blinded me as I stepped outside. I walked through the courtyard and past the castle walls until I was in the streets of Alexandria. The closer I got to the gates and the carnage, the more I had to deal with the lingering smoke. I coughed, wishing it was already dark, or that the smoke was dense enough to impair my vision.

Bodies of both the alliance and the creatures lay everywhere, twisted in a way none of them could have survived. A lot of them had the same expression on their faces. It was a look of horror and agony as they met their deaths. The thick smell of blood covered their bodies. I could almost taste the metallic liquid.

Hundreds of creatures had arrows stuck in their bodies. One ogre’s gigantic corpse had sprouted so many arrows, they pinned him to the wall of a shop. Another shop’s walls had caved in. A dwarf’s feet poked out of the ruins. One human corpse was missing his arms. I walked by one arm a few feet later, seeing teeth marks in it.

Many of the human bodies I saw were without armor or proper weapons. One woman had a troll corpse draped over her body. Her head was nearly severed, but in her hands was one of the jagged swords the Wasteland creatures used. She had turned it on the creature, and it stuck out of its back. The Guardsmen had rallied the people of Alexandria, and had convinced them to fight even without weapons. Amazing.

People walked through the bodies to finish off the growling creatures that were too wounded to move. Some also finished off their moaning allies who were too injured to be helped. Every once in awhile, they would find someone who could be saved and treat them. That was too rare a sight.

The streets of Alexandria were no longer empty. As I passed the people of Alexandria, I read the relieved looks on their faces, even while they tended to the wounded and dying. They were glad the day was over and that they were out from under Premier's influence. The dwarves sang about their victory and boasted and bragged about how many they killed. The elves weren't as happy. When I asked why, I was taken aback.

Prastian had been mortally wounded, and even Jastillian had been badly hurt. I went out to the tent where Prastian was. I placed Stradus's body down before entering.

I nodded to Demay, who was sitting in the corner, tears running down his face. “How is he?” I asked King Sharald, as he sat next to Prastian's cot.

“The healers say if he makes it past tonight, he'll live.” Sharald looked up. “I'm keeping vigil, praying to the gods that will happen. Where's Stradus? He might be able to—” Sharald caught himself when he saw my former master's body lying near the open tent flaps. He sighed heavily. “He finally died, and before me. I thought he would outlive everybody.”

“He died saving my life.”

“It's what he would have wanted, Hellsfire. Stradus told me you would do things that would far outweigh what he had ever done. He said you would need help. I told him that I, and my people, would be there for you.”