by C E Johnson
“Should we finish off this journey?” Oliver asked. He gazed off in the distance. “I’d like to feel safe again.” His voice sounded hard, but his eyes showed his current happiness. They were glittering, likely with excitement at the thought of military forces being within a few miles. Once everyone had their horse, Oliver jumped onto his own steed with an easy dexterity. They rode forward at a quick pace. Patches of black smoke from scores of fires hovered in the air over New Orleans. The dark wisps clung to the buildings like the thick mist over the Mississippi River.
“The city feels empty,” Emily said sadly. She scanned the towers and places of business. The hairs on her neck rose and she wondered where everyone had gone. This had been a bustling metropolis not long ago. She could see a fire roaring from a house burning in the distance with flames slowly spreading to adjacent structures. There were no alarms. No one was going to put it out or slow its steady progression.
“Most people are probably hiding or went somewhere else,” Elizabeth volunteered. She pulled her reins to the side of her horse and wheeled around in a circle while studying the decay of a once-proud city.
“Even if we stop Iscar, I’m not sure if many of our cities will ever be the same,” Emily said. The senseless destruction filled her with sadness. So much has been lost, she thought to herself.
Humans adapt, Xena retorted.
“Watch out for gangs,” Luke urged, his mouth tightening as he also studied his surroundings. “There will be power struggles forming in each city that survives this mess.” Pressing ahead and moving into the lead, he gave his horse his head.
There are people here, Xena whispered, hidden in homes like Elizabeth suggests. I can smell their fear as they watch us. They’re probably waiting for someone to save them.
Emily felt her mouth twist as she sampled the wind on Xena’s nose. She rubbed at a cramp that was developing in her legs. They were riding their horses for so many hours each day, she thought she could see the muscles in her lower extremities beginning to fade and she sighed with annoyance. The world seemed to be settling into a weary waiting pattern. She could understand how helpless the residents were feeling.
“That’s Charity Hospital,” Oliver called out. He pointed to an enormous dingy-white building that was covered in ash and soot. “I’ve been in there before. When I was a child.” Standing as the tallest and most massive building in the area, Emily felt somewhat uncomfortable in its presence.
“That monster could house a whole army,” Luke said in a hushed voice while peering up at the hulk of a structure. “Let’s keep a little distance from it.” As they rode by the titan, Emily thought she could see shadows of people moving around behind shattered windows. Something pulled at her from inside.
“Wait, I want to go in there,” Emily said with a deep resolution forming in her chest. She pointed at the entrance to the old hospital. Ignoring a cold wind that suddenly blew in causing dry leaves to dance and writhe, she directed Apache to the smashed glass door that used to slide back and forth to allow in doctors and patients alike. Above the doors was a rectangular piece of dusky gray artwork with a man on the center with his two arms raised to the sky. Around him were people in multiple scenes, some laboring in the field or carrying sacks on their backs, others playing sports, or piloting a ship. He represents strength, honor, and what is right, Emily thought.
The people need him, Xena whispered.
“It would be dangerous,” Luke warned. He rode up to the door and dismounted peeking inside the dark hallways.
Let me take a look, Xena urged. She bounded through the doors before Emily could stop her. She sent Emily rank and fetid smells of decay and decomposition. Beyond that, there was something else—cleanliness and sterility. People are here, Xena spoke again in Emily’s mind. Many are hurt and injured.
“I’m going in,” Emily informed her squad. “There are sick people hidden inside. I think we should help them if we can.” She stared up at the carved man above the door again. He appeared so strong. She was sure she was doing the right thing. Jumping from her saddle to the ground in an easy motion, she felt proud of her decision.
A silence began to thicken around Emily the minute she walked inside. “You don’t want to waste your magus here,” Luke said in a brooding manner. “This is really dangerous.” Entering with Emily, he turned his gaze from the hallways to study her, his brow furrowed. Fragments of his autumn-brown irises gleamed with scattered red and green splashes of color. “You might need your strength later, Em. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Emily went to Luke and kissed his cheek. She understood and appreciated his concern. Pausing, she studied her friends just outside the doorway on their mounts. “You don’t have to come with me, but I’m sure this is right. We’ve been talking about the difference between ourselves and half-deads. No matter what happens on Earth, we need to keep our humanity intact.” A single ray from the sun penetrated through the smoke and ash to fall upon her head and her shoulders in the doorway. Emily thought of Shadoe. “Without the light, we are left in the dark and it will swallow us whole. What is the worth of living if we’re eaten by our own fears?” As she finished what she hoped was inspirational, there arose an awful screaming from the building. The noise was cold and filled with pain, and it arose from the deepest depths of the old hospital.
“I’m going too,” Elizabeth said with a tremble in her voice. She dismounted and tied her horse to a bike rack near the entrance. “If we have Emily, the dragon shield of Acacia with us, what can happen?” She was teasing weakly, but Emily could hear the faith in her words. Luke sighed. He drew his great sword and studied the blade.
“I can’t heal anyone,” Oliver said while jumping to the ground with his staff. “I’ll stay and guard with the horses while you go.” He glanced up at Soane and Erma circling lazily above their position. “If you need my help, tell your bondsmates to alert me.”
Isabelle gave Oliver a half-hearted wink and a thumbs up sign. “If you come under attack, Erma will let me know.” With a wisp of obvious longing, she nodded to her bondsmate drifting on the currents before glancing at the shattered windows and the shadows before them.
Emily led her squad as they ventured inside. I hope I’m doing the right thing, she thought.
I liked your speech, Xena whispered warmly. I sense Shadoe living within you. His spirit is growing.
Emily wasn’t sure what to think of Xena’s comment. Although there were torches scattered at lengthy intervals, their illumination was feeble, and Emily used Cadux to give them all light. Anna and Elizabeth watched their rear with swords half drawn. Isabelle and Luke went first checking the passage and studying side paths. They nodded to the rest of their crew when each area appeared safe. Xena, Rune, and Lia stayed in a pack, scouting where scents drew them. We’re working so well together, Emily thought to herself with pride.
A good team, Xena affirmed. Gradually they began to see patients, primarily the elderly, in long wards which stretched nearly out of sight. The beds could be separated with curtains, but they were largely left open with candles flickering at odd intervals. Wide-eyed children came out of nowhere to study not only Emily’s staff, but also the armor and weapons in Emily’s group. After a time, they returned to their duties bringing the patients in the wards food and drinks.
“Volunteers are helping the old and the wounded,” Emily began in a hushed voice. “I wonder who’s in charge of all of this.” As they continued, they found nurses in white and doctors in their long jackets moving through the patients. “Do you need help?” Emily asked one of the doctors, putting her hand on his sleeve to get his attention. His jacket was disheveled, and his hands were in his pockets. It was cold deep inside the cavernous depths of the old building.
“Who are you?” he asked with his eyebrows raised above blue eyes that were magnified by horn-rimmed glasses. Staring at Emily’s light-producing staff intently, he ran a hand through his hair. “Do you have batteries in that thing?”
Emily just smiled at him. “I’m a healer.” She reached out to touch his cheek knowing he would never believe her unless she showed her talents. Mentally whispering “Medicor,” she tried to ease his exhaustion, sending a light brush of magus into his mind.
“I felt that,” he gasped while staggering back. He stopped when his back pushed against a bed. “You took away my muscle fatigue.” The dark circles under his eyes had faded slightly. His last name was stitched on his stained jacket, Ureste. “There are several in our hospital who show astounding new talents, but they can only heal small cuts,” he said quietly. He studied Emily with doubt written plainly on his face.
“We’re all healers,” Emily said softly. She gestured to her friends. “If you need help, we can use our knowledge if you would like.”
He hesitated only a moment before leading her down another hallway filled with flickering oil lights. “Follow me,” he called over his shoulder. There were rectangular tiles half-way up the walls in a brownish-green hue. The floors were a steel gray tile with scattered debris everywhere. Radiology equipment sat useless and abandoned in alcoves off the main hallway. “This is where we have our conferences.” He pointed toward the door. “Most of our providers are listening to a report concerning our chief of staff. He did all of this, helping so many by keeping our services going.” He gestured around him with a sweeping hand. “He was assaulted while coming into Charity Hospital and he has a head injury.”
“How are you keeping it all going?” Elizabeth asked worriedly.
Rubbing his temples, he continued, “We’re struggling without his guidance.” Taking off his glasses, he polished them before putting them back on. There was a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. “I don’t know the extent of your talents,” he said in a hushed voice while swallowing hard. “If you could help him, it would be a huge gift.”
Emily nodded. “If he can be cured, it will only take a minute.” Pushing into the room, she studied her surroundings. The area was further lit by torches and lanterns and there was a smoky air to the room. The injured chief-of-staff lay in a hospital bed. A doctor with Neurosurgery stitched on his jacket was standing by the bed talking to a large assembly. He turned to regard them. “John, what’s going on?” he asked the man next to Emily.
“A radical treatment attempt,” John answered, ushering in the rest of Emily’s squad. “I want to give them a chance. We’ve tried everything else. They’re healers.”
“Healers? They’re kids,” the neurosurgeon scoffed.
“They’ll only take a minute,” John promised. He led them up to the bedside. “Give them a chance.”
You’re our temporary chief-of-staff, John, but this doesn’t make any sense,” the neurosurgeon grumbled. Frowning, he sat down just to the side of the bed.
The room had curved rows of benches with high-backs in a blue color that merged together in one continuous line. The rows had been placed at an incredibly steep angle, and Emily felt like she was at an inquisitor’s court. She peered up at the doctors and orderlies, and they stared down at her with disbelieving eyes in the flickering light. Although she knew she could save the chief-of-staff if he wasn’t too far gone, the whole situation made her feel uncomfortable. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, she thought as she felt bile rising in her stomach.
Do good with your magus, Xena whispered encouragement. Follow your heart and heal his wounds with your compassion.
Emily swallowed hard and approached the side of the injured doctor. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on his body. Whispering the words of her spell to scan his body, she thought of her medical training on the Island of Bashan. “His bones are broken here,” she called out while pointing to his chest. “Adjacent to the fractures, he has an injury in his lung and blood by it.”
John’s voice blurted loud and excited, “I also thought ribs ten through twelve were broken on that side, but we can’t do any radiographs.” He glanced excitedly at the neurosurgeon. “He must have a lung contusion and hemothorax next to the fractures like we thought.”
Emily moved her hands up toward his head and continued. “He has a fracture here that hasn’t moved at all.”
The neurosurgeon’s eyes widened. “A nondisplaced parietal skull fracture,” he called out to the assembly.
Emily nodded and continued. “There is a big blood collection pushing on his brain along with a little blood by the ridges in his brain.”
Emily could hear the surgeon at her side jumping to his feet. “That’s what I told everyone must have happened, a large subdural causing mass effect along with subarachnoid hemorrhage.” His eyes narrowed. “How are you doing this?” He moved closer to Emily. “Did you read my notes? This is impossible.”
Emily ignored him. “I’m going to remove the blood and restore his injured tissue to normal,” she said quietly.
“You’re going to do what?” the neurosurgeon gasped. She could hear the surgeon coming toward her, but she kept her eyes closed maintaining focus. Through Xena’s eyes, she could see Luke step forward to intercept the man before he touched her. She infused her magus into the wounded doctor, eliminating the blood, repairing his injured brain, and then his lung.
“He’s healed,” she announced proudly, opening her eyes. It didn’t take too much energy, she thought.
You continue to gain strength, Xena marveled, and you have five out of six stones now to augment your powers even more.
The healed doctor coughed several times and opened his eyes. The crowd of onlookers began to murmur in amazement. “What happened,” he mumbled weakly. “I remember men taking the food and medicine I was bringing into the hospital.” He gazed at the crowded room gawking at him. Everyone stood and began to clap. Even the neurosurgeon begrudgingly reached out a hand to shake with Emily and she took it with a smile.
“We have a few other critical patients,” John spoke hesitantly. “If you think you could help.”
Sometime later, after they had each healed those that they could, they wearily rode past Lee Circle along St. Charles Street into Uptown New Orleans. “I’m proud of you, Em,” Luke said in a low voice. He was riding at Emily’s side. “I questioned you, but you did what was right, not what was easy.”
“We’re all tired, but I’m glad we used our magic for something besides killing,” Emily began. “I don’t want to be only death and destruction or we’re no better than our enemy.” They eventually arrived at the outskirts of Tulane University where Dr. D had reportedly taken up residence with his war party.
“Who are you and where are you heading?” A military soldier wearing a battle dress uniform challenged their party. Although unarmed, he bristled with strength. He was short and stocky with pale skin and a bald head. Four other military men strode out from behind several stone columns to flank their leader carrying rifles glimmering with their metallic power which shone darkly in the afternoon sunlight.
“I’m Emily Dalton,” Emily called out. “I’m here to meet with my father, Doctor Andrew Dalton.” She could smell faint wisps of peppermint in the air through Xena’s nose. One of the soldiers was sucking on a candy. “He’s the head of Blacksky,” she informed them.
They’re well trained, Xena thought while studying the way the men held their weapons. Xena sat on her haunches next to Emily. Her dark brown eyes studied the men, but she didn’t let out a growl. She let her presence announce her menace. Rune went to stand next to Luke’s horse. Eyes glowing fiercely, he appeared more terrible than Xena, a creature to be feared.
“Come with us,” the pale solider announced. “We’ve been waiting for you.” He turned to his men and boomed out a series of commands. Two of them sprinted off to announce Emily’s arrival. Their well-polished boots clicked and clacked as they moved swiftly across the blacktop of the street.
“Your crew looks young but seasoned,” a soldier with a finger on the trigger of his weapon said as he scanned over their armor and bondsmates. “I wouldn’t want to mess with you.” He flashed a warm smil
e.
“Too seasoned,” Luke joked ruefully.
The pale-skinned leader chuckled as he led them to Dr. D’s office which was in the law library of the university. “We’ll watch over your mounts,” he promised. He and his men took their horses while allowing another solider in the building to escort them up a stairway to Dr. D.
While going up a set of steps, Emily distantly heard a door opening and closing. “Emily!” Dr. D roared as he rounded a corner and then he was there, eyes twinkling. Her heart sang as he enveloped her in a hug.
“Father!” She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment as her heart skipped along at an ecstatic beat. Holding in tears that suddenly wanted to be spilled, Emily felt new fragments of hope taking grip on her soul. Her mind was floating, and her fears melted away. The soldiers under Dr. D’s command led them to a conference room and brought them food and drinks.
After they finished their greetings and wiped away the tears which streaked their faces, they each told the events they had endured leading up to this moment. Night was approaching by the time they each had finished. Dr. D sat in silence, appearing thoughtful.
Emily didn’t really want to end the joy of their reunion, but she had to know what they were up against. “Have you heard anything about Iscar?” she asked her father.
“We have word that he has unloaded batteries and solar power at different docks across the country,” Dr. D answered. “I think he will have a key advantage at these so called in-processing centers.” He sighed and rubbed his temples. “He gives gifts in exchange for dragon-oaths.”
“Which cities?” Luke asked as the room grew still and silent again. They were all hanging on Dr. D’s words.
Dr. D listed the cities and ended with New Orleans. “His ships are unloading even as we speak on the Mississippi River where Doeg and Delores are camped.”