Chapter 139: Unsettled

With the help of Rickart and Erin, Darwyn was pulled under a tree, shading him from the setting sun.

Darwyn's armor was intricately made to not let a small part of his skin visible to the enemy. It was like water, flowing from his neck down to his tasses (a loose metal that covered his waist) and greaves. Behind Darwyn's expensive-looking armor was a hole, melted big enough to show his undershirt and skin. Like an acid that etched a metal making a hole. A spell, or a chemical. Ned thought, looking at the melted ocean-blue armor.

Darwyn was laid up-side-down. It took what left of Rickart's strength to pull the Knight with care down the tree.

Keesha then knelt beside Darwyn while Erin stumbled with his feet behind her. Poor kid. Ned thought while looking at Erin with uneasiness in his eyes. Rickart knelt, left of Darwyn, with his wounded knee raised near his chest while the other leg laid straight. Ned stood to Darwyn's right.

Keesha's hands were shaking, Ned wasn't sure if it was because Darwyn was badly wounded or Sidric didn't manage to return. Having no healer in a party was troublesome. But, who in the Du'kki Island managed to seduce a healer and join their party? None and it made hunting even more difficult.

Keesha examined the wound, flesh mooted out his back, while some bones (his spinal) were visible in the naked eyes. Darwyn was in grave danger. And having no healing potions would result in his death. Judging by the wound, almost a foot in diameter, he might have an hour or two. Depending on his will.

As the sun sets down against the tall trees, and a hint of cool breeze, Ned knew they need to move. Else the Knight will die without proper healing attention.

"He will die," it was actually Erin who broke the silence. Keesha turned her head toward Erin and looked back at Darwyn. She was at loss of words. Enough with the smiling girl.

"He will," Rickart agreed. He doesn't seem to be bothered, perhaps Darwyn was a new member with only a handful of months in the party. But his eyes show pity. Thinking how Darwyn would felt, left by his own party. "Unless we have potions."

"They took all of it," Keesha said. She stood from her kneeling. And went to where Darwyn had shown himself. Behind the tree with a small opening going inside the forest.

"Where are you going, Keesha?" Rickart said. His eyes gazing the leaving wind mage.

Ned stood listening. His hand hung freely beside him while the other gripped the short-sword and tapping with his index finger the scabbard. As if ready for anything that would pounce them from the dimming forest.

"To get those healing potions," Keesha said without looking back.

"Perhaps, look for Sidric?" Rickart said with a tight voice, almost forcing the words from his mouth. His hood was pressed against the tree like his dagger pressed against the wet ground.

"Yes!" She said over her shoulder. "Perhaps look for Sidric! And find those potions! And find Malik! At least I'm doing something. How about you? You were supposed to be our scout. Yet, you let Malik taken away. What happened? Got the nerves under your skin? Oh, it was always like that. You never had a real fight. Not… until today. And I really thought you've changed. But, no! You let the porter saved our skins! You were only here because of… Sidric."

Rickart went silent as if agreeing with all Keesha had said. He looked at Ned, and Erin, and back to Keesha. He stood. Jaw forming a line and walked near Erin. "You stay here, Erin," he said putting his hand against the latter's shoulder. "With, Ned."

One thing Ned learned after he became aware of his emotions was respect. Quickfall was his first party he joined; first to gave him an idea of how it was to become a hunter, and first to accept him without giving him the feeling of being weak. But one thing Quickfall had been lacking; they lack trust.

Keesha was silent. Her eyes became rounded and she almost gasped. Remembering what she had said to Rickart, she went red. "I'm… " she said, couldn't finish.

"You were right," Rickart said, immediately after he heard Keesha's gasped.

Ned walked toward Keesha and Rickart. After two steps, he stopped. Noticing some tiny fissure at the edges of Rickart's wound. Like a small mark bitten or chewed forcing its way inside Rickart's back.

"What was it, Ned?" Asked Rickart. Looking need with wary.

"Look," Ned said pointing at the wound. "Looks like bite marks."

"Whatever it is," Keesha said. Moving back to Ned and leaned closer to see the marks. She narrowed her eyes. "We'll soon find out. Stay with Erin, leave Darwyn and report this to the Association when we're not back after an hour."

"You know I can fight 'a little' right?" Ned said after Keesha retracted away from Darwyn and walked toward Rickart.

"You're not—"

"I am," Ned said interrupting Keesha. "I can fight, you saw it. Also, according to the contract, I'm not allowed to leave the party leader's side."

"Contracts don't exist here, Ned," Rickart said.

They were right. Without someone to prove the events during a quest, contracts were applicable only inside the Association. Contracts were a means to say that a hunter has read and agreed on the rules, as to what they have agreed, only in the field could tell.

"What if, I insist?" Ned said.

"Then we will void the contract and you will get nothing," Rickart said. Looking menacing under his black and black hood and coat. Dagger gleamed against the orange sun. "Also, the Association will be informed that you were deemed incompetent during the quest. Which will affect your status as a Companion."

Nothing has changed. I joined being a porter to get inside the Du'kki forest. To look for a trail about Roy. Ned thought, pondering his real intention.

"Then," Ned said after a soft breath. "The contract is void. Whatever happened about me, Quickfall has nothing to do with it."