Vivienne

Raollet dropped Faye on the floor with a thud and gripped his side, “I am sucking wind, Heather.” He coughed up a few drops of blood.

Heather made sure that Captain Jonah was safe and rushed over to Captain Mattson and touched his side. “Jesus, Raollet.”  Closing her brown eyes Heather let her fingers probe the injury. “I detect three ribs that are broken.”  Heather pointed to the helpless vampire laying like a sack of potatoes on the floor. “Captain Kino, get that thing out of my triage area.”

“Copy that.”  Angelie snickered and grabbed Faye by her black-pink hair and dragged her to the backside of the barn. “Why Captain Mattson bothered to stake your sorry ass, I’ll never know.”  Captain Kino balled up her fist and she heard The Darla speak.

“I wouldn’t try to punch her, Captain Kino.”  Denise had situated herself on her stool with a blank canvas. “You’ll break every bone in your hand.”  Denise studied Faye a bit more and started mixing paints. “You knew that.”  Denise snickered. “The attack was both a success and a failure, Captain Kino.”  

Angelie unclenched her fist and walked away from Faye, “I don’t get it.”

“We failed to take off the head of the serpent.”  The Darla commented and made a few paint swishes on the canvas. “If that one lives, then the snake does as well.”

“Well that sucks ass, Loved One.”  Captain Kino sputtered and turned to face Brian. “Good work, Novitiate.”

Brian sealed the portal closed and walked over to help support Captain Addison. “How can I help?  He saved me from the thing on the ground.”  Casually pointing to Faye in the corner, “That was close to biting me and that spear of his got her dead to rights.”  Getting a nerdy look on his big face, Brian half smiled and awkwardly waved to Captain Kino. “Sure.”

Heather shook her head, “No thank you, Brian.  I can handle Raollet.”  Captain Addison worked the old farmer into a bed beside Captain Jonah. “Loved One?”  Heather walked to her cabinet and pulled out a small vial and needle. “Captain Mattson really needs a hospital.  I need an x-ray at the very least.”

The Darla looked away from her painting. “We can’t.  Emergency services will be on high alert.”  She pointed her paintbrush at Captain Joah, “His diversion will have caused a pretty big panic. Those diversions do not even account for the initial response.”  The Darla started mixing different shades of green on her palate, “You will have to patch Captain Mattson up the best you can here.”

Rubbing her white glowing rune for a couple seconds, Heather looked up at The Darla. “I haven’t been able to really use Gaia’s touch since…since…Derek passed.”

The Darla put down her supplies and made her way back downstairs. “Captain Addison.”  Denise turned to her medic to face her, “You can do this, I have seen you perform what most people would consider a miracle.”  Pointing to Raollet, “He needs you Heather.  We need him for what is about to descend on us.”  Denise rubbed Raollet’s shoulder. “It was his idea that balanced the odds this evening.  He will be crucial in defending the farm.”  Denise winked and then swung to point at Faye. “I am sure he had his reasons for capturing that one.”

Captain Addison pulled her brown and gray hair into a ponytail and took a few steady breaths. “Alright.”  She put her hand on Raollet’s chest softly. “Raollet, I will try.  This is a pretty bad break.”  She raised her runic hand and the egg white light started pulsing slowly. “You are lucky to have survived.” Heather quietly observed. “You have one that is dangerously close to puncturing a lung.”  Heather stopped her assessment for a second and used her angelic white wisp to bring her a set of scissors.  Captain Addison looked at Denise. “Thank you, Loved One.  I think I can handle it from here, unless you want to watch.”

Denise’s eyes flashed yellow briefly and backed away. “No dear.  This is your department, I have other things to do.”

Refocusing on her duty, Heather cut Raollet’s shirt away to reveal heavy bruising all over his torso. “Jesus, Captain Mattson.  What the hell happened?”  She asked as the ghostlike tentacle started probing once more.

“I took a punch to the side among other things.”  Raollet grunted and coughed up more blood. “Th..this can’t be good.”  The farmer turned his head and spat the red goop to the floor.

“Quiet now, Raollet.  Just give me one finger for yes, two fingers for no.”  Heather’s calm and professional voice took over. “I can give you something for the pain, if you like.  I am looking for the bleeding now.”  The cleric smiled as the soft rush of healing pulsed through her body and out of her palm.  Heather felt a certain peace that came from the magic as it gently pulsed and weaved its way through the injured man. “Raollet, I found it.”  Heather spoke vibrantly.

Breaking his protocol, Raollet spoke to Heather, “You are glowing, Heather.”

“Shhh, Let me focus.  Fingers only.  Do you want anything for pain?”  Captain Addison queried once more.  Seeing two fingers pop up from the man, Heather snickered.  “Very well.”  Multiple silky strands started crawling over the bruises. “Raollet, open your mouth.”  Heather ordered.  When the farmer opened his mouth, the healing threads drove into Raollet and made the older man start pulsing white and green at the same time. “Loved One.”  Heather felt the power flowing from her naturally. “It is like riding a bike.”  She looked away from Raollet and winked her pearl glowing eyes at Denise. “Thank you, Loved One.”

“Heather, you love Captain Mattson.”  Denise walked back to her painting and started swishing the green mixture on the canvas. “Love has a way of fixing everything.  Captain Addison, you have my blessing and support.  Bring health to our beloved Raollet.

Threads of wavy white pulsed deeper over and into the injured captain, seeking out his injuries.  When a tendril found a tender spot they circled and left a crystal like marker for Heather to see. “Spleen first.” The cleric spoke gently. “This might be a little uncomfortable.”  Heather took a deep breath and thought about the organ and how it was supposed to look and how it supported the body.  White pulses slowly took on a blue hue and rushed into Raollet. “Gaia and The Darla be praised, Raollet.  Your wounds are healing perfectly.”  Heather commented as the wisps of blue found the spots, repaired them and rejoined Raollet’s ribs without any hesitation.  Satisfied with the work that her healing magic performed, Heather pulled her magic back to her palm. “Don’t move yet, Captain Mattson.  Let me look you over.”

Finally able to breathe easily, the grizzled old farmer nodded to Heather. “You’re the doctor.  I am not moving.”  He added, “If it means anything, I don’t have a lick of pain.”  

Captain Addison felt her way along Raollet’s ribs and inspected where the bruises had been. “Looks like we got everything.”  Walking over to pick up her stethoscope, Heather listened to Raollet’s heartbeat and breathing. “Sounds normal.”  Counting in her head for a couple more seconds, Heather nodded. “Normal blood pressure too.”  Shaking the hand where her white glowing runic-symbol pulsed softly, Heather looked at Denise. “All clear, Loved One.”

Denise swished her brush across the canvas with a flair and looked to the remains of her group. “You all performed lovely!”  She stood up and pointed to the far side of the barn close to where Faye had been unceremoniously dragged.  Waving her hand once, a few thermal blankets pulled away and revealed a table full of food and lots of drink. “My darlings eat, refuel yourselves!  We will have company soon, you will need all of your strength.”

“I will eat after I look after Captain Jonah, Loved One.”  Heather announced and started hovering over the sickly mage.

“We would be weaker without you, Captain Addison.”  Denise winked and pointed to the buffet. “Everyone, celebrate our victory.  The Awakened are here to stay.” A little cheer erupted from the four as they walked over and started to gorge themselves and Denise sat down on her stool and spun slowly until she looked upon Faye motionless on the ground. “Tough love..” She whispered to herself and resumed her work on the painting.