CHAPTER SIXTEEN - THE WoRk of ClERICS

Loganlookedoutacrossthebattleeldandwasshockedbytherealizationthathewastheonlyoneleftstanding.Bothofhiscompanions,aswellastheknight Tonath,werelyingunconscious,andtheirwoundswereindeedgrievous.Hethenlookedoveratthespotthecreaturehadoccupiedbeforeithadvanished,andsawthepileofbodies–partsofbodies,morehonestly–ithadleftbehind.Hisstomachheavedandhebentover,hisbreakfastcomingupandsplatteringacrossthelandscape.Swallowingbile,herealizedhehadlittletimetosavehiswoundedcompanions.Tarnappearedtobeunhurtphysically,butLoganknewthatthespellthathadaffectedhimsomehow,buthewasn’tinimmediatedangerofdying.HemutteredaquickprayertoVolugeandmovedoverto

Nyla .

Helookeddownatthebrokenyoungwoman.Shewasbleedingprofuselyfromseveralpuncturewoundsacrossherupperbody,andherskinhadtakenonthesamepalepallorasthedeadorcwarriorhehadseenintheShaman’stent.Alarmed,hechantedaspellofhealingandfelttheenergyowoutofhimasthegirl’sskinbegantoushbacktoamorenormalcolor.Herwoundsbegantoknit,andherbreathingsteadied.Relieved,hegaveheracursoryexamination.Shewasstillunconscious,butatleastshe,likeTarn,wasn’tinimmediatedangeranymore.Whatworriedhimwasthenatureofherwounds.Theystilloozedadeepredpus–notblood,butsomethingelse.Helongedtoexaminethemmorefully,todiscoverjustwhatthecreature’sclawsdid,buttherewereotherswhoneededhisimmediatecare.

Gettingupquickly,hewentovertothewoundedknight Tonath,whomoanedloudlyasLogantouchedhisshatteredshoulder.Hetoohadtakenonasicklypallor,butitlookedasifhiswasfromshockratherthananythingsupernatural. Thisisn’tgood.Loganbeganchantingaminorcurativespellandwasrewardedmomentslaterwhentheknightbegantostir.Hetriedtositup,butgrimacedinpain,almostpassingoutagain.“Haveto….get…up.Helpmy….men.”Loganshushedhim.“Yourshoulder’ssmashed,friend,andyourarm’sbroken.Don’tmove,oryou’llmakeit worse.I’lllookafteryourmen.YouhavemywordasapriestofVolugethatI’lldoallIcantohelpthem.” Thatseemedtocomfortthesmallerman,andheslumpedbackdown.PriestsofVolugewereknownfortheirbattleeldmedicine.“Takecareofmymenrst,priest.Ican…handlethepain.”Logannoddedandstoodup,movingovertothenearestofthefallensoldiers.WheredoIbegin?Thebeasthadtornseveralmennearlyinhalf,andhadsimplydecapitatedothers.Most werebeyondhelpeveniftheywerestillalive.Hehadbeenonbattleeldsbefore,seenmenbutcheredbytrollmaraudersandorcwarbands,butnothinghehadseenbeforepreparedhimforthis.Hebitbackanothermouthfulofbileasitroseinhisthroat,andbentdownnexttoaman whosearmhadbeenrippedfromhisbody. Theyoungsoldier’sinjurieswerebadenough;butwhat worriedLoganmorewasthefactthathe,likethebeast’sothervictims,hadtakenonthatpallidcolorthatindicatedtheirstrangehalf-deadcondition.Hewasrelievedtoseethatthemanseemedtoberespondingtohishealingchant,

andhesawthattheman’samputatedstumphadclosedupaswell.Hewouldlive–assumingthebeast’ssicknessdidn’tclaimhimrst.Loganstartedtostand,andwasstartledwhenheheardanothervoicecalltentativelyfrominsidetheremainsoftheguardpost.“Isit…isitgone?”Hespunaroundandsawasmallish,grey-hairedmanstandingintheshattereddoorwayoftheguardpost.Theman’sclericalrobesrevealedthatthehewasapriestofMareth,thegodof

healing.

Loganmurmuredasilentprayerofthanksandcalledout,“Yes,brother,it’sgone.Icantellbyyourattireyou’reahealer;Iwouldappreciateanyhelpyoucouldgivemeandmycompanionshere.”PriestsofMareth,Loganknew,wereadedicatedgroup. Theywouldventureintoplagueareasandrisktheirownlivestosaveevenoneman.Heguredthatthemanmusthavebeensorelytestedtohideoutintheguardpostlike

that.

Hewatchedastheothermanbentdownbyahorribly woundedsoldierwhosatontheground,holdinghisintestineswithhishandsashislifeebbedaway.Theclericbeganchantingaspell,andthewoundedsoliderconvulsedseveraltimes,buttheolderclericheldhimdownwithrmpressureonhisshoulders,andhiswoundsbegantoknit.Loganfoundhimselfwatching,inaweoftheotherpriests

abilities.

“Thereissomethingwrongherethatmymagiccan’tx,”theothermancalledout,shakingLoganoutofhisreverie.“Whateverhasaffectedthesemen,itextendspastthis world,intoanotherplane.”