Accidental Healer-Chapter 84 - Layton, get up.

Skill bit through weapon and armor alike before biting into flesh. The second didn’t fare much better–it wasn’t until the third Cyclops braced himself behind a massive shield that the skill was halted and the ethereal blade evaporated to mist.

[You have killed level 29 Cyclops bladedancer]

That was all. One kill.

A skill I had grown accustomed to cutting down massive swaths of enemies was stopped after one kill.

No matter. I hadn’t hoped for much.

The skill might have been disrupted but my real blade was unhindered. I just needed to get close enough to use it. Unfortunately that was easier said than done. My target had a huge advantage in reach.

It shoved its halberd into my stomach. The attack stopped dead on my barrier but it also killed my momentum.

I spun and Tranquility lopped the head off the weapon, I twirled and swept upward into the huge body.

A slight tug–blade met steel at the thigh and ripped through the body until it exited just above the left hip in a spray of blood.

Body separated and I ended its suffering as it fell to the earth.

[you have killed level 33 cyclops bracer]

Skills and attacks bounced and ricocheted off my barrier. I resummoned dome of protection.

As large as my enemies were, they had distributed their stats well. I spun through their ranks as best as I could but it was impossible to avoid them all. The only thing that stood between me and certain death was my barrier.

I never stopped casting it.

Something felt off though. And not just that I was at my very limits just to keep from being dog piled by cyclops. There was a prickle on my skin, like little bug bites.

The prickle wasn’t enough to be a major concern exactly. It just was out of place. I couldn’t give it much attention though.

I’d let myself get surrounded. Massive bodies hemmed me in on every side.

Nowhere to run.

Alright, what were my options? I had to think fast. One option could be to pick a gap and rush in swinging. That didn’t seem ideal. The body I cut down could land on me and that would be the end.

I winced. Was I really going to break my no jumping rule twice in one day? The bodies pressed tighter. It was a silly rule anyway.

Hands closed in and I shot into the air. What I didn’t think through was my trajectory. The cyclops were too close, I wasn’t able to jump outwards. Instead I was forced to jump straight into the air.

It would’ve been a problem. But through a stroke of luck my jump was interrupted mid flight by a spear. My shield was up so it didn’t cause damage, what it did do was send me sailing away from the swell of bodies.

As usual my landing was far from graceful. I made it work though and popped to my feet.

If they got their arms around me it would all be over. I needed to create some space and reset.

Was it getting hotter? It wasn’t just the bug bites anymore. I knew the change was probably not a great sign, but I couldn’t dwell on it. They were on me again.

Dodge, swing, dash. Retreat. I was finding a rhythm. If I could keep from getting circled again this fight would be mine.

So we danced through the forest. Green and browns became red. It was dirty work. Killing blows were challenging, I had to cut them down to height. We left a trail of armored limbs in our wake.

Marksmen, shield brother, boltcaster—on and on bodies fell. Tranquility vibrated as she spread my judgement with her deadly song.

As the fight wore on the heat intensified. It was beyond a nuisance now and great beads of sweat fell into my eyes.

Another massive body crashed down. Attack after attack. I gave as much as I got. More.

What was with this damn heat? It was an inferno now.

I stopped swinging, focusing on evading. This has to be some kind of spell at work.

Of course it was.

But from where? I dodged attacks and searched wildly. Who could be doing this?

From what I could tell there weren't any magic casters among the cyclops. None that I had seen yet anyway.

So I stopped searching their ranks, scanning the forest beyond.

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There.

A figure. Not a cyclops.

A person. A woman.

The sight was so alien that I froze.

She stood alone–wooden staff held at her side. The staff seemed out of place in contrast to her simple mom jeans and floral button up.

Time seemed to slow. For a moment in time it was just her and I.

The staff emitted a red glow. My head cocked.

Then the pain came. All at once my body was consumed in a blinding inferno. My bladder released and my body was racked with standing convulsions.

The woman, who looked just like a soccer mom, smiled.

Barrier fizzled, then died. The pain vanished as soon as my barrier fell.

Relief rushed in and I gasped in a massive breath, the only thing on my brain was that the pain had stopped.

Then I remembered where I was.

Oh no.

Air left my lungs, bones snapped, and my body went airborne. I wasn’t even sure what I had been hit with. Two thoughts struck me as I flew through the air.

The first. At least whatever hit me wasn’t sharp.

And two. How did I keep hold of Tranquility? In a moment of clarity I stowed her away.

It was just in time.

My body hit the ground. I tried to count the number of times my feet and head alternated slamming the dirt ground. I quit counting at seven.

I might still be flipping through the meadow if it wasn’t for a boulder that was mostly hidden in the long grass aggressively stopping me.

Ears rang, limbs twitched, and my mangled chest refused air. The world spun even with my eyes closed.

I needed to heal. I allowed the mana to flow. It was a mistake. Before the spell was released my body locked into convulsions.

Pain. Torturous and immediate, like the mana was lava in my veins. I wanted to cough but there was no air in my lungs. My mouth contorted into a silent scream.

But the sweet relief of healing mana never came.

Time crawled but slowly–much too slowly–the pain faded away. My skin was clammy and sweaty.

The aftermath left me in a pile on the ground–tears flowed in streams down my cheeks.

Whatever spell that soccer mom had cast, one thing was clear. Using mana wasn’t an option.

Desperately I opened my storage and searched for something that could help me.

I could tell the damage was bad. I tried to breathe but it came in ragged gasps and my knee was bent at a strange angle.

Blood seeped through my robe at my chest. I was afraid to even look at my health bar, but I knew I needed to see.

[24/153]

This was very bad. Even as I watched the number ticked down to 23. Very Very bad.

With renewed vigour I sorted through the items I’d collected. The system had stocked me up with mana potions.

Why would I ever need healing potions? It had never even occurred to me that I might need healing potions. Mana was supposed to be enough

A cold darkness settled over my mind. The search for anything at all that could save became frantic.

I didn’t want to die.

Vaguely my ears registered the clink clunk of the Cyclops feet. The armor shifting might as well have been the bells tolling.

My parents. I should’ve tried harder to find them.

Emotions swirled in a jumble of confusion. Anger, sadness, disappointment. It was like a dice that rolled in my mind–each side represented a different feeling.

The dice landed. It showed embarrassment. How stupid.

What would my dad think of me? Crumpled up in a heap just waiting for my end. That isn’t how I wanted to go.

I wanted to face it. I grit my teeth. In a moment of sheer will I forced my ruined body upward, my head and chest just above the grass. It smelled like summer. The wind danced across the valley carrying the fresh scent of pine I loved so much.

My body was in shock. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even feel my legs. My ribs were crushed but it didn’t hurt. I could just feel the sunlight as it kissed my cheek.

A strange calmness settled over me, it washed away the embarrassment. If I stood in front of my parents now I would do it with my head held high. I never let this world change me. I hoped they would hear about this, how I helped my faction grow.

The cyclops were so close now. It will be over soon.

I closed my eyes and let the sun melt away the thoughts of what could’ve been.

***

Tom watched Layton from across the meadow. The young man was a legend.

He moved through the Giants like a vengeful spirit. Body after body fell to his blade–while Layton himself remained impervious to any and all attacks.

Swords, spears, arrows, it didn’t matter. Nothing could touch him.

It wasn’t fair. Why couldn’t Tom have started in Layton’s faction? He was someone that Tom could follow with his head held high.

But no. That isn’t what fate allowed. He had been stuck with a sociopath and a liar.

If Tom had started with Layton things would’ve been so different. He’d be a hero too–not some broken sniveling worm.

Jordan had ruined everything for him. He had tricked him into killing his own wife, forced him to abduct innocent people, and even made him murder his own friends in cold blood.

Jordan had transformed him into something that he didn’t even recognize anymore.

The voice had called him a coward.

What was He supposed to do? If he hadn’t done all those things he would’ve been killed like all the rest.

It was self preservation!

How was it fair? He shouldn’t have even had to make those choices.

This was all Jordans fault.

Tom wanted all of that to be true. He knew it wasn’t. He was a coward.

A man like Layton never would’ve allowed Jordan to do the things he had. He had shown Tom what it looked like to stand up for good. To face it.

Now Tom watched. Too scared to help. The worst part? Layton didn’t even need him. Whether Tom helped or not Layton was going to do what he had to in order to protect others. It wasn’t even his faction.

He wanted to be a hero like that. But it was already too late.

Then something changed. Layton wasn’t fighting anymore. He was dodging, avoiding attacks.

He seemed distracted.

“What’s going on?” Tom muttered as he strained to see, he held his breath. Layton stopped dodging and stood frozen.

Layton didn’t budge, he just waited. He waited all the way up until a Giant—one of the largest in the group–wound up and smashed a steel club right into his chest.

No barriers blocked it. The attack hit.

Layton was sent rocketing across the meadow. He sailed through the air a good hundred yards before he hit the earth and whipped head over heels disappearing into the tall grass.

The attack almost shot him all the way back into the village.

Tom couldn’t believe his eyes.

But Layton’s a healer. That’s what he told us. It’s fine. Any second the young man with messy brown hair and a healer's robe would pop up from the grass and finish what he’d started.

What was left of the Giants, maybe fifty or so in total, began their pursuit across the meadow.

They’d be in for a rude awakening when Layton jumped up fully healed.

Any second now…..

What is he waiting for? The giants were getting closer, he needed to get up.

The grass didn’t move.

Tom’s grip tightened around his sword. Why wasn’t Layton moving? He couldn’t be dead.

Despair began to creep in. It can’t be like this. Not after everything. Layton was Tom’s chance at redemption, he needed Layton.

He can’t die here. But what was Tom going to do? He couldn’t face this. He would die against just one giant, let alone fifty.

Finally—the grass stirred. Brown hair, a muddy face and bloody shoulders revealed themselves.

He was still hurt. Why hadn’t he healed?

Something wasn’t right.

Tom began to cry. Damn it, get up Layton! You can’t do this.

Tom felt a tug.

Like the soft flow of creek water against smooth rocks. It seemed to push gently against his soul.

It whispered secrets Tom already knew.

Jordan didn’t pull the knife across his friend's throat, it wasn’t Jordan who left his wife to face the trial alone.

It was Tom. Something inside clicked into place. All the pain, all the guilt, it was his. He owned it, he accepted it.

The current grew stronger. He didn’t have to wait to redeem himself, he just had to step out of the shadows.

And when he did?