System Break

The chill wind swept over the mountains but thankfully they sky was blue. There were no purple or dark clouds to be seen. Both the women were in a jubilant mood from the exercise in and out of the cave.

Gisael had been working on qi-strength since we started climbing because we never missed an opportunity to train.

"We're here," Reyas said as we climbed a steep face. Once we were across the top the mountain fortress came into view. With packs full of skins and qi cores we hastened down the last slope.

Gisael slid down the steep incline and used her feet to slow her descent. She landed on the path and I held out my hand and pulled her to her feet. She leaned into me and a small snarl escaped her lips. I laughed and put my arm around her as we walked up the path to the mountain fortress.

Reyas pushed on ahead and called the guard to open the gates. I titled my head and listened because I felt something was off. The gates had always been open during the day the few times I'd been here.

The noises from the trades within the city reached my ears, but there was no hum of chatter from the markets. There was the chime of a hammer on metal and another on stone. The grinding of a granite wheel and the bristling of a furnace.

After a short exchange the gates opened for Reyas and she beckoned to us to enter quickly. As soon as we were inside the door slammed shut behind us. I looked back to the walls and there were dozens of men hidden behind the parapet. Some asleep, others resting, and a few were loading crossbows.

Reyas shot us a warning glance and then she strode down the main street. We followed in silence and felt the ominous mood that permeated with in the strong walls of the fort.

We stuck our heads in the main hall and it was full of wounded warriors laying on two dozen cots. Exhausted healers fought to save the life of one while women cleaned and offered sips of water to others.

Reyas cast a fearful glance at me and ran to the cot where the healers clustered. 

"Father," she cried and cast around. "Where is the shaman?"

"He's in his cave daughter," one of the healers said. 

Reyas pleaded with me with her eyes and I nodded. "Let Benzhi take a look."

I approached his side and saw that his core was running on empty. I pulled a qi-core fore my pack and pushed a healer aside. They squawked in protest. "Shut up," I said and pierced the skin before squeezing the qi down his throat.

The qi leaked along a stream and into his core. It was ethereal and impossible to choke on. Once its skin was broken most of the substance inside was drawn to the closest core.

"He was drained of qi," I told the healers. And I looked over the rest of his body. There were deep cuts and large bruises. He was suffering internal bleeding and based on the colour of his stomach it didn't look good.

"What are you doing? What's your assessment?" I asked.

The eldest healer grunted. "He fought a giant beastman and his wounds are numerous."

I snarled. "I can see that. How are you treating him? He's bleeding on the inside."  I pointed to his stomach.

They stared blankly. "We are fighting the infection and fed him healing herbs." The elder pointed to his bruises. "It is up to his body now and his will to survive."

I shook my head. "If you open him up, drain the bleeding then I can stitch up any wounds on his organs that we find."

"How?" the healer asked.

I towered over him. He was a short, grey haired, white old man. I was a seven foot tall brown monster with a bare chest and wooden horns.

"How do you fucking think?" I held up my index finger and made tiny circles with the tip. "I use qi."

"He will die if we open him up," the healer said. "He's lost a lot of blood."

"He will die if you don't. You're treating the surface shit." I pointed to his bruises. "It's the internal bleeding that will kill him."

"Do as he says," Reyas said forcefully.

The healer sighed and gathered his tools - sharp knives, clamps, sponges and a straw. They sliced him open where the bruises were almost black. 

I never wanted to be a surgeon and I wished we'd brought Kysandre. Thankfully someone more skilled than me was doing the cutting. It wasn't a high bar.

I knelt by the cot as the healers cut and sucked out blood and muck. I began stitching as soon as I could see fracture lines in his kidneys and liver.

I pointed. "If you cut out a section of intestine I can re-join it."

The healer looked doubtful but worked with me. 

"Okay pull all the crap out and we'll close him back up." They removed sponges and clamps.

"Will he live?" Reyas asked.

My eyes met hers. "I don't know." I was no expert and I felt like a fraud, but I couldn't stand there and do nothing. I suddenly felt bad for all the doctors and physios who tried to help me and all I did was take my frustrations out on them. I sighed.

"What's wrong," Reyas said. She misinterpreted my anguish.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Let's go find out more about these beastmen."

We made for the walls and Reyas questioned a man. She knew them all. "When was the last attack?"

"Hours ago. They attacked at dawn."

"What happened?"

"We drove them off, but at great cost. We lost many, too many. They're wearing us down. I think they're waiting for friends and then they'll come back."

We headed along the walls in search of a commander. We were directed to my favourite mountain man. Glum.