The Red Lands 1

by ForestRage

  He took out a pill and immediately placed in Lucy's mouth during the moment she awoke. Seeing her follow his actions to swallow it provided some comfort. She passed out shortly after. Whether it be because of the pill or pain, Chu had no idea.

  Sue spared no expense, in blazing a flame from firewood in the oven. Soon Dyna and Sakura returned with all he asked for.

  Taking a cup, he washed his hands in the hot water, dipping it slowly to avoid getting burned. He then took a rag and after soaking it, started to wipe the skin carefully around the wounds. He felt frightened that if he pressed too hard, her insides might spill out.

  When he finished he turned to the two girls standing near his side.

  "I need help. The daylight is running out, so we don't have much time. I need someone to stitch Lucy's wounds together with this needle and thread."

  The response turned out better than expected from his two designated tailors. Dyna eyes rolled up in her head, as she slumped to the ground on collapsing legs. Opposite the twitching girl, Sakura dropped to her knees, spilling her stomach contents over the floor.

  Chu only had a second to stare, at the twitching girl and the vomiting girl.

  Help surprisingly came from an unexpected source.

  "I can do it, but you have to show me what you want."

  Miki stepped forward, her eyes shining in the flames.

  "I told you to be the lookout."

  "I did, but I couldn't stop watching and listening from above."

  Chu sighed. He turned between Sakura and Miki looking at their shaking hands.

  "Sakura, I need you on lookout. Don't worry, we are all a team. Miki is older, and she has steady hands. The lookout is important, I need to know if we have wolves following us."

  The young girl sobbed as she went off. Chu felt he would comfort her later. He got Sue to wake Dyna. When she calmed down, she also joined Sakura in the crow's nest on lookout duty.

  Chu gently cleaned around the wound and got Miki to start the stitching. All he wanted was to close the wounds, so he could start applying the powder and bandage it. Everything from hands to tools, passed through hot water for sterilization.

  Sue lit another fire close by, and held a torch on the side to provide the much-needed light.

  "Nice and easy. Slowly... good job."

  He coaxed Miki as she worked, and helped her in pulling the strings tight. After what seemed like years, they finished. The result presented a terrible job, one that would have given grounds for medical malpractice and a court case. It did do the job of closing the open wound.

  He dipped some hot water and wiped the wounds again, and when dry, applied the powder. He then covered it with a loose bandage. If not for Lucy being unconscious this would have been an ordeal by itself.

  Clod and Ming had finished breaking an entrance in the fence. Transferring Lucy onto a makeshift stretcher they carried her close to the oven. Here the light and fire provided the warmth needed.

  When they repaired the opening in the fence, Chu sighed in relief.

  Sakura and Dyna returned as they all huddled around the stretcher.

  "Don't worry too much. Lucy is strong, so she will pull through."

  Sue cooked a pot of watery soup for them. They tried to feed Lucy, but she never remained conscious long enough. She kept waking and then fainting, possibly due to the excessive pain. Later that night, she woke up screaming in pain as she tossed and turned.

  "Chu what do we do? You want me to knock her out?"

  If wasn't for the concerned expression on Ming's face, Chu would have long dealt with him in the normal manner. Ming and Clod, presently held her hands and legs, trying to prevent her from tearing out the bandages.

  This was the first time Lucy had ever been so loud. He had now become scared out of his wits. They held her down, while placing a rag into her mouth so as to prevent her from biting her tongue.

  Finally, she stopped screaming and then dropped onto the temporary bed. She slumped down with her glazed eyes, and a limp body. Her ragged breathing sounded softer and softer until it barely could be heard.

  Chu sat on the floor, replaying all sorts of scenarios. To move Lucy to the village for treatment was out of the question. In her condition she would not survive the trip. Getting the doctor to treat her here would also be out of the question.

  The lone healer assigned to the garrison handled the issues of wounds and broken bones. With the recent troubles and being in the height of winter, the doctor would not leave the village.

  According to his limited information from books, magical potions and healing priest had not yet made an appearance in them. The closest thing he possessed had been those pill concoctions from the Alchemist and the Mage Towers.

  The pill Lucy ingested was one of the best of such products. Unfortunately, her wounds were very severe, and blood loss great. For her to hold on and survive until he arrives could already be proven to be a miracle.

  He cursed himself that he didn't train the others in basic first aid treatment. Because of his negligence the girl had to suffer in pain for so long. He cursed himself, for being ignorant of this world. His belief in waking up one day back on earth had kept him from delving too deep in this world.

  Racking his brain, he suddenly remembered part of the conversation with Simon.

  When a person successfully bonds with a talisman and lifestone they receive a boost in vitality.

  'Wasn't this the same as getting a boost in regeneration and strengthening body functions?'

  Chu was oblivious to most things in this world. The main driving forces of culture; economics, technology, politics and religion. He had no idea because he lived like an ignorant soul on the edge of the Empire.

  He did know from two worlds of experience that a companion like Lucy was priceless. This girl had the character to become a true friend in the future. Chu no longer hesitated.

  "Sue raise the fire in the oven for more heat and fetch me the oil lamps. Ming bring me the big book from the Trading Post."

  This time Ming quickly moved and completed Chu's orders. Like the others he felt depressed to joke around.

  "Clod, get the fire rekindled in the barn. Have the others help drag the wolf demon corpse close to the fire. Sharpen a dagger that can cut into it. Don't do anything else until I come."

  Chu held the book from Ming and opened it to the last few chapters on the talismans. Sue lit a torch and held it over his side for additional light. The lamp on the table flickered as he first browsed the pages.

  The large book contained words easy to read and understand. Perfect for adventurers and mercenaries without a noble background.

  Utilizing his basic reading skills, Chu substituted the words he did not understand with his own interpretation. He sighed as his face remained frowning.

  When he finished reading the instructions for using this lifestone and talismans did he understand the near hopelessness of such an operation.

  The execution of the procedure seemed simple enough, once one gathered the materials.

  He needed blood from the heart of the demon beast. Once coated onto the talisman, he needed to stick it onto the intended target. The retrieved lifestone then had to be pressed against the center circle of the paper. On disappearing the talisman would activate.

  The difficulties in this operation was that it also required something beyond logical reason.

  It depended on something called luck.

  Firstly, not all demon beast possessed a lifestone in their heart. Sometimes the least dangerous beast would have one, while the most brutal and fierce one had none.

  Secondly, the heartblood needed to be used within the first five days after the kill. Any later and it passed the date of expiry. Some where he read about the lifestone also expiring, but the paragraph seemed a little too confusing.

  He interpreted it as reaching into a barrel of sawdust hoping to grasp a prize.

  But the problems did not end there.

  A Tower talisma
n had a success rate of one in a hundred to activate. Once activated however, it never extracted out the total amount of power carried by the lifestone. It could only transfer roughly about ten percent or less power.

  This chance still proved much better than an Ancient talisman where the probability became closer to one in a million.

  If the odds looked reasonable, then the next addition nearly caused him to faint in anger. Worse yet the author of the book only casually mentioned it in conclusion.

  'Even with all the advancement from ancient times, the success of using a Tower talisman is not guaranteed. Factors like limited heart blood, length of time demon is killed, and others play an important part.'

  'A lifestone can only be used to activate a total of five talismans, after which it crumbles into dust...'

  The crux of the matter—one only needed five talismans at any point in time. If those five chances proved unsuccessful then forget about using more of these useless slips of paper, the lifestone would shatter.

  Computing all the odds together and Chu understood why ever Tom, Dick and Harry did not coast a talisman brand. No wonder these fellows called Sersen who activated a talisman commanded respect.

  Chu cursed while ripping the page with the four Tower talismans out of the book. Holding the four individual slips he placed them on the table before joining the others outside the fence.

  He had to try anything to save Lucy.

  "Clod, cut it open for me to access the heart. As soon as it’s visible, call me.”

  Chu left the heavy work to the two bigger boys. He got a clean bowl and other utensils for collecting what he needed. The fire flickered on his face, as he waited like a carved piece of stone.

  Now he could only sit and pray that the item he needed lay hidden within this demon

  Chapter 31

  The Awakening

  Chu squatted down besides the two boys near the fire. The scene painted a serene view of three boys warming next to a campfire. A suitable sight of a peaceful time in the outdoors, if not for the sounds of dull chopping.

  Clod hacked down on the chest of the wolf demon, finally hearing the welcome snapping sound. Using the axe to support his exhausted frame, he removed the drenched shirt clinging to his body.

  Clod wasted no time in continuing the assault, ignoring the cold on his glistening muscles.

  “Break another rib, so the cup can fit inside. This will take us days if we have to remove the damn heart.”

  “It’s like I am chopping against hard stone.”

  Clod huffed, while aiming for the bone indicated by the pointing finger.

  The anatomy of this strange wolf demon puzzled Chu. When alive, the thick short fur seemed impenetrable to crossbolts. Now that the creature succumbed to death, the forceful blows from the axe, administered damage.

  Their desperate efforts yet cost time and strength, Clod had spent nearly half an hour before breaking into the rib.

  “Hell, Chu. The meat on this thing snapped my knife.”

  Ming cursed, as he retrieved the broken blade from the muscle. He tossed it nearby to join another. The first had broken, when he tried to forcefully stab into the chest of the wolf demon.

  As butchers they failed miserably. Not only did they damage their tools, but the incisions looked as if it had been run through a meat grinder.

  "Ming hold the cup for me. I am going to puncture the heart. Collect the blood and place it in the bowl. "

  They took a deep breath and exhaled in unison. Ming lived in a small house in the village before chased to the slums. Clod lived on a farm where domestic livestock had more rights than humans.

  As for Chu, his experience delving into the life of blood, muscle and bones only started when he entered this world. Picking up a package of seasoned chicken in the supermarket, could never compare to killing and dragging around a wolf.

  Now he ventured deeper down the rabbit hole.

  Chu pierced the heart, providing Ming enough space to squeeze the small cup underneath. A thin mist sprayed out startling him into a retreat. Regaining his senses, he wiped the blood from his face, as he covered the incision allowing the blood to drip into the waiting cup.

  “I’m going to make another cut, but why is this thing squirting like a water gun?”

  “What kind of animal is this thing? My hands are freezing inside this thing, but the blood is warm. Chu is this thing still alive?”

  Ming asked. He started harboring some doubts, on whether his procedure for confirming death, might be flawed.

  After much poking and stabbing with the knife, Chu created an entrance wide enough for two fingers. Shaking off the anxiety, he inserted a finger into the heart cavity, caressing the internals of the organ.

  Nothing.

  The first criteria needed luck failed. The wolf demon lacked a stone.

  Chu turned his face plastered with blood to the kitchen. Miki and Dyna sat on both sides, their sobs reaching his ears. Did he have no choice, but to sled her to the village? He mouth opened to curse the heavens, when he paused.

  Riding on hope he leaned into the open chest and stabbed the organ. Cutting into the stiff muscles was like slicing into steel.

  “'A heart has more than one cavity you stupid fool.”

  He chided himself for his moment of ignorance. Hoping a heart in this world possessed similar traits to the one learned in biology class, he inserted his finger again. Poking around, it popped out like a worm from the previous incision.

  Chu repeated the process finally entering an unexplored cavity.

  Besides a spurt of fresh blood, he found nothing. It seemed like the wolf demon was barren.

  On the fifth attempt he pierced into the third cavity. Feeling with his index finger, the walls felt warm and smooth. Twisting it for removal, his fingernail encountered an unusual bump. Poking at the object to confirm his suspicions, it unexpectedly loosened.

  Chu extracted it, holding it up closer to the fire between his fingers. Round and smooth like a pearl, it bore a silver sheen. The blood parted from it, like liquid mercury. It glowed eerily in the flickering light.

  “Ming drain some more heart blood. Sue, bring the torch over to the kitchen, the more light the better.”

  Climbing into the kitchen, he rested the precious item on a cloth.

  “Sakura help me read this page, I want to double check the process.”

  Chu did not forget to include the young girls in his activity. Involving them at this time would prevent feelings of alienation and keep their minds busy. As the team leader, he needed to pay attention to the emotions affecting the group.

  When Ming arrived with the blood, Chu had all the ingredients needed for the process. Only one condition remained out of his grasp.

  Luck.

  Chu gently moved the quilt, and the sleeve covering Lucy’s thin arm. He planned to place the talisman on her white arm near the shoulder. According to Simon, Sersens tend to hide their tattoos to prevent others from recognizing their abilities.

  Different lifestones afforded different abilities. Nobody would willingly share their trump card with others. Besides, Chu had a different reason for hiding Lucy’s tattoo.

  "Sakura pass me one of the talismans."

  With blood smeared over his face he looked the part of a butcher rather than healer.

  On receiving it, he dipped a finger into the cup and coated the paper, carefully covering the drawings. Surprisingly the paper showed no signs of tearing on becoming wet. Holding up the shimmering slip, he wrapped it around the snow colored arm.

  “Hand me the stone.”

  While the talisman remained glued on her arm, Chu collected the lifestone. The reverse side of the talisman was blank with only the outline of a small circle imprinted at the center. He held his breath, on the expectation of the unexpected.

  “Remember, don’t jump around, we don’t want to interrupt anything okay. Sue step back a little with the torch.”

  Chu pressed the lifestone on the
circle.

  Poof!

  Gasps and stifled screams sounded. The lights flickered as Sue dropped the torch. The magical scene together with the unexpected noise had them jumping or stepping backwards.

  “Did it work?”

  Chu shook his head.

  With a soft sound the talisman had simply turned into dust. The blood stains on the arm remained the only indication of their recent efforts. At least he now knew the look of failure.

  "Sakura get a warm wet cloth to clean and dry Lucy's arm. We will try again."

  The blood in the bowl refused to coagulate and remained as if recently cupped.

  Chu repeated the process, knowing that the injured girl might not survive past the morning. Praying he joined the two.

  Poof.

  Taking a rest, he opened the book and read over the instructions. Satisfied he made no mistakes, he continued.

  Again.

  Poof

  Did this thing have such a low success rate? He flipped the pages, scanning for that elusive instruction he missed. —none. He banked his all on this final attempt. He should have carried Lucy since yesterday back to the village. With shaking hands, he pressed the stone on the slip.

  Poof.

  His hands trembled as he placed the lifestone on the table. He sat down as his vision became cloudy.

  Over. It was over.

  He dropped his head on the table as a host of emotions swept over him.

  “Damn!”

  Chu shouted as he slammed the bench with his fist. The others stood silently, as reality dawned on them. Out of chances, the future looked grim.

  Did he have to drag Lucy across the snow to the village tomorrow?

  Would she make it?

  Will they be able to help her?

  His mind raced across numerous questions and self-answers as he wallowed into despair. He regretted not paying more attention to those healing aids available in this world.

  "Chu."

  With his bad luck, he expected the worst. Would one by one his companions fall in this treacherous world?

  "Chu."