Stand Short and Proud

by Billy Wong

  "Unconscious. He lucked out from that man hitting him with the flat end of his hammer, instead of the spike."

  She coughed out more blood, adding to the pool her cheek rested in. "Tend to him first, then. I didn't lose, so I'm better off."

  "But you're..."

  "Just go, all right?" He reluctantly left her. Wait, where was Baxter? She wanted to know the status of Beryl and Stefan too, but didn't think she could speak loud enough for Patrick to hear now that he'd walked away. Deliriously, she thought she should go to him. She struggled to all fours, then forced herself jerkily upright and staggered towards him.

  In the midst of wrapping a bandage around the insensate Gavin's head, Patrick looked up. "Meg... so it's not as bad as it looks?"

  She clutched her chest tightly, though she knew that wouldn't do much for such a deep wound. Her limbs were getting numb. "It's bad. Trying my best to hold up. What happened to Baxter and the other hunters?"

  "They fled after Baxter injured Stefan and Beryl had already been hurt. He pursued, although I'm not sure that was the best idea. I can't believe you can still move."

  At that instant, what remained of her strength failed her. She collapsed, head light as air, and felt herself go into convulsions. Her throat grew parched with terror. Was she dying, would this be the end? Her field of vision shrank, blackness obscuring its edges. She tried to tell herself she just grew faint, but deep down knew the truth. The claws of the reaper closed in.

  #

  Patrick watched in horror as Meg closed her eyes, tiny body shaking like a leaf. "No," he begged, cradling her in his arms while tears streamed down his cheeks. "No, Mouse, please... you can't go, you can't..." Her spasms lessened in intensity, him mentally pleading for them not to even though they'd seemed so dreadful moments ago, then subsided. He stared at her gray visage, heart fluttering so fast it might soon overexert itself and stop. No no no no no... He wailed in anguish. Meg, the incredible girl who'd in essence become his big sister, was gone.

  He looked down again, thinking to take in her face for long enough to make sure he would always remember it. A irrational urge seized him, to try and breathe life back into her though he knew it wouldn't work with a hole clean through her chest. He wept despondently, almost wanting to die with her—then to his amazement, her eyelids slowly opened. "I got myself under control," she said.

  Disbelief mixing with the greatest happiness he could ever remember having felt, Patrick smiled giddily. "You're like a miniature Julianna huh, willing yourself back from death?"

  "I wouldn't go that far. I wasn't actually dead. My soul wanted to fly away, but I clasped it and held it fast. My spasms just stopped because I got my body back under control, as I said. In any case, help me bind my chest and let's find our lieutenant."

  #

  Because she wasn't in much condition to walk, Meg stayed resting at Gavin's side while Patrick went off to look for Baxter. Getting this badly hurt might throw a wrench into their plans. Would she and Gavin be recovered enough to leave when their trial period ran out? At the least, this would significantly reduce their activity in the time remaining. But even under these circumstances, lying side by side with him comforted her somehow. If her injury was fatal, and she would die after all, she couldn't think of a better place to do it.

  Before Patrick or Baxter returned, Gavin awoke and gazed groggily at her. "Meg? We're alive... when I was about to pass out, I thought it might be the end, but I'm glad you pulled through."

  "Yeah, it was touch and go for a bit there, but we just managed to scrape by."

  He frowned bashfully. "Did you win against a second foe after I lost? I guess you've surpassed me."

  "That isn't true. You were rusty from not fighting for so long. It's my fault, making you change your ways for my sake."

  "You didn't make me do anything. That was my own choice, and you shouldn't blame yourself. Besides, we all survived anyway—right?"

  Meg felt grateful for the consideration he showed her, even if it wasn't always obvious. "Pat is fine too last I saw. He went after Baxter, who pursued the surviving hunters. I hope they won't get into trouble chasing them."

  He sat up, and his jaw dropped as he finally noticed the large bloodstain over her front. "Mouse?" he asked softly. "How bad are you hurt? Your chest..."

  "Not just my chest." She rolled onto her side though it caused her excruciating pain to show him the matching stain on her back.

  "Damn, you got completely run through... so the blood coming from your mouth isn't just from getting punched."

  She flashed a proud grin. "I got punched too, but most of it is probably from deep inside, yes."

  "It'll leave a nice pair of scars." If she survived, that is. She was afraid she might still perish, feeling weak as she did, but hid that fear. "Let me take a wild guess, you kept fighting after didn't you?"

  "A little bit. Two attacks, but it was enough to finish your big man."

  Gavin patted her shoulder. "You're so strong. Your resolve is absurd to still be able to move after that."

  "Maybe, but I don't think I can really move now. So if you're not too dizzy, carry me over into the shade since it's a tad sunny here, will you?"

  He did as requested, and they waited for Patrick and Baxter. Not much later, the two came into view. "Did you get them?" she asked.

  Baxter shook his head. "They had mounts waiting nearby, which they must not have brought all the way here due to the terrain, and escaped on horseback."

  "Ah well. I wouldn't necessarily feel the best about exterminating their whole gang. Now that half of them are dead, hopefully they'll think twice about crossing paths with us a third time."

  "Hopefully," Patrick said. "How are you feeling, do you think you'll live?"

  Meg felt so weak, and her body immensely heavy. But she had no desire to worry him when there was nothing he could do about it. "Of course. If you don't mind though, I'd love a piggyback ride back."

  "I'll do it," Gavin replied.

  Patrick stopped him. "You shouldn't exert yourself after getting your brains scrambled like that. I may be smaller, but it'll still be easy for me."

  They returned to Bergin, Patrick carrying Meg comfortably while Baxter dragged the cart full of explosives with difficulty and Gavin stumbled along. The severely injured duo were left in the village doctor's care while the others would go to inform Taryn. "Get better," Patrick told Meg before he and Baxter departed.

  Looking around the small infirmary, Meg noticed Terrence in a nearby bed, the lower half of his face obscured by a bushy beard as no one had bothered to trim it for a while. "He's still asleep," she said sadly. "I hope he'll wake up someday."

  "Aren't you on friendly terms with the Saint General?" Gavin asked. "Can't we ask her to heal him?"

  "We talked to her about this when she was here, but she said she couldn't heal such an injury. If even the most powerful mage on the continent can't do it, we probably just have to wait and hope for the gods' providence."

  "Unless somebody else more specialized in healing could do what the 'powerful' battle mage can't. Though with her connections, if she didn't mention that as a possibility, I guess it isn't likely."

  She sent good wishes Terrence's way, though she had little faith they would be of any use. "Remember when we rescued Pat from his deranged father, who raised him like an attack dog to fight other kids? I hope we'll have plenty more exciting adventures like that."

  "I'm sure we will."

  "My eyelids are heavy. I should get some sleep."

  Gavin reached over and held her hand. "Good night, little mouse. Don't die."

  Over the following days she drifted in and out of consciousness, losing track of time as she relied on others to wake her for meals. Agatha visited her sickbed now and then. Meg once woke to the researcher praying over her, and she smiled at the concern shown by the woman she scarcely knew. Gavin was soon up and about, which pleased her but also made her want to keep up with him. She forced herself to get o
ut of bed and move around at times, despite the fact that immense pain filled her chest and her legs felt soft as noodles. She didn't go outside though, there not being much point to walking around town now.

  One morning while she sat in bed eating a bowl of gruel, Patrick returned. Accompanying him were several of the recruits including Christopher, Joel, Don, Robbie and even Neil, along with Taryn. Meg found Rich's absence a bit conspicuous, but could guess the reason—if he couldn't see it destroyed, he probably didn't want to be near the sword anymore. "I'm glad you're still here," Patrick said.

  "Of course I am. You think I'd up and leave knowing how you all would worry?" She knew what he had meant, but wanted to distance herself from that train of thought.

  He gave an awkward chortle. "R-right, exactly."

  Meg looked to Taryn. "You're here? And how many of the soldiers did you bring?"

  "About a third of the fort's, mostly recruits and half the veterans. The bulk of them are waiting outside, and I left Baxter in charge at base."

  "And you thought you needed this much manpower even though we already dealt with the hunters? At least, I don't see them coming back in the near future with their wounds and their comrades dead."

  "The sword will be moved soon and it's a bigger operation, so we could use more eyes and ears." Meg figured she found this a good opportunity to give a large number of recruits more field experience too, though there were also other valid reasons now that she mulled over it. "As for coming personally, a young lady like me shouldn't spend all her time cooped up wasting away."

  As she still would've had trouble staying on her feet for long, Meg continued to rest while everybody else took turns watching over the sword. When they weren't on duty, her friends often stopped by to talk with her. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to scare you," Patrick confessed when he came together with Joel, "but the doctor thought you were going to die. I'm really glad you made it."

  "Does Diamond Fang Meg still seem silly now?"

  He laughed. "The diamond part not so much, I suppose. Your life is as hard as diamond, though the whole name is still tacky."

  "It's not tacky, you're just nitpicky. How is Gavin, is he fully recovered now?"

  "He still has dizzy spells. But he's good enough to do guard work."

  "I'm happy to hear it. Where's Christopher? I assume he's doing a separate shift from you?"

  Joel nodded. "Yeah, Taryn didn't assign us based on who we sit with. What happened in the cave before you fought the hunters? I asked Baxter, but he was awfully vague."

  Meg and Patrick exchanged glances. If Baxter didn't want to say, he probably had good reason. He must not wish to spread fear by releasing the knowledge the sword could potentially create a new Night Emperor—or tempt anyone who might try to seize its power. Meg spread her hands. "It wasn't anything important. We just looked at it a bit, and then were attacked when we left."

  "If it was nothing important, why would the lieutenant be so evasive? You can tell me, we're friends aren't we? You must have learned something new."

  "Yes, we're friends but... if we tell you, can you swear not to tell anyone else?"

  He bobbed his head vigorously. "Most certainly! You can trust me, just like you did in battle when we fought together."

  "We—well, Meg and Gavin—touched it and saw a vision," Patrick said. "Apparently the Night Emperor wasn't so much the sword's master. The sword granted it its power."

  "The Night Emperor still could've been in control when it held the sword," Meg added, "but at the very least, its extraordinary power seemed to come from the weapon itself."

  Joel gulped. "So it could create another Night Emperor?"

  "It might have lost the ability to do so. We don't know that, though."

  "Baxter must've informed Taryn of this, hence the extra precautions."

  "You can't tell anybody," Patrick reiterated. "I doubt any of ours would try to turn themselves into the new Night Emperor, especially given its monstrous form, but if word gets out, who knows what crazies it could attract?"

  "Don't worry, I won't betray your trust. Like Rich, I'll be thankful when it's far away from us now."

  "And let's hope Ostuh will be able to keep it safely out of the wrong hands, too."

  "One thing I do wonder," Meg said. "Since the Night Emperor took that form after being transformed from a Shadow Child, do you think a person who bonded with the sword would look the same or different?"

  Patrick replied, "I have no clue. My best guess would be, somewhat similar but different?"

  They switched to chatting about the food the doctor was serving Meg and if she wanted things to eat from elsewhere, but the previous topic stayed at the back of her mind. What would a human who gained the sword's power be like, and how much control could they retain over themselves?

  Meg joined in the guard duties sooner than anyone predicted, though her chest still hurt and her muscles were soft from disuse. Nonetheless, as long as she could stand she'd probably be able to handle herself better than most of the recruits. Taryn assigned her to the same shift as Gavin, Christopher and Don. It was a little displeasing to be separated from Patrick and know he lacked her or Gavin's company, but nothing they couldn't deal with. By now they expected the crew from Ostuh to arrive very soon, and the sword would be out of their hands. Even though Meg knew she shouldn't feel happy about passing problems onto other people, she couldn't help being relieved. She wished whoever would deal with it luck, and that the worst they'd feared would never come to pass.

  One time, as she leaned against the wall by the cavern entrance in fatigue due to her body still being weak, Christopher walked over. "Meg, are you okay?"

  "Thanks for asking, but there's no need to. Diamond Fang Meg is always okay."

  "Heh. I have to admit I miss sparring with you, but I won't ask you to seeing that you're still the worse for wear."

  "How are things going for you? Have you gotten any closer to finding a 'solution' to whatever your problem is?"

  He averted his gaze. "You don't need to be so open about your eavesdropping. I'll forgive you since I know you mean no harm. I have been pondering a possible solution, but..."

  "But?"

  "If you were at an impasse in your life for a long time and saw a way to move forward, but with unknown risks, would you take it?"

  Very vague. However, seeing as she might be fortunate he even opened up to her this much, she'd answer honestly to the best of her ability. "You mean like if work in my profession became scarce, and I was presented with an opportunity to test out a different one? Yeah, I probably would... but then again I'm pretty wild, so jumping into it like that might not be best for you."

  "I worked out well for you, though."

  "Other than getting speared through the chest and nearly dying, along with a pretty awful first encounter with the Shadow Children? Although even considering that, I don't regret this experience."

  "You and your friends almost have a new career. At this point, close to decision time, do you plan to stay?"

  She raised her brow. "Stay, and put up with having to babysit you newbies all the time?" After a moment he recognized the joke for what it was and laughed. "I'm not sure still. I don't mind fort life, really, but even though a lot has happened while I was here, I don't know that I'm entirely comfortable with having to sit around and wait for things to react to instead of seeking them out. We'll see how Patrick and Gavin feel, and take it from there."

  "Anyway, I'm happy to have met you. I know we didn't get off on the best foot, but you've turned out to be a good friend."

  Meg waved dismissively. "Don't worry, I barely even remember that. Wait, are you leaving soon or something?"

  "No, of course not. Just a sentimental moment, which I doubt you expected from me."

  "Oh, well everybody's sentimental now and then. Good luck with your situation, whatever you decide in the end."

  Some time later, she realized Christopher was nowhere to be seen outside. She steppe
d up to Gavin where he practiced grappling holds with Neil and asked, "Do you know where Christopher is?"

  Tucking his chin to keep Neil's forearm from his throat, the squinty boy's eyes looking like mere slits when he was concentrating on his choke attempt, Gavin replied, "No, but I did see him peeking into the cave repeatedly earlier like he was on the fence about something."

  Why hadn't she noticed that? But then she'd been looking out more for the approach of strangers, rather than paying attention to potentially suspicious actions from her allies. A frightful idea dawned on her. "Um, I think maybe you should stop wrestling and come check on something with me?"

  He peeled Neil off himself and tossed him to the dirt. "Sorry, we can continue this another time. Meg, what is it?"

  She led him towards the entrance, putting some distance between them and Neil before she replied. "Christopher mentioned thinking about a solution to his mysterious problem, but not being sure he should go through with it. I didn't think of it before because we didn't tell him about the sword changing that Shadow Child into the Emperor... but maybe he found out and means to take its power for himself?" She hoped Joel hadn't blabbed to him about it, as she would be rather irritated if he did.

  "Damn, we'd better hurry and stop him then." They proceeded inside until they saw the hole. A rope hung down into it which hadn't been set up before. Gavin sneered. "That idiot! He better not have bonded with it yet."

  "Let's just hope that takes some time, and doesn't happen as fast as it seemed in the vision." Meg steeled herself to go down. Then Christopher pulled himself out of the hole with a shaken expression, seeming to have climbed up quick as he could. He still looked human at least. "What, get second thoughts about becoming a monster?"

  He gazed at her with huge eyes. "I wasn't going to bond with the sword! I overheard Baxter talking with Taryn—the same way you 'overhear' things—and thought about doing it. But I decided not to, and was only taking a look at it to indulge my imagination on what could have been."

  "Why do you look so spooked, though?"