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The Healing of Carnak Stryfeblade
As told from the perspective of Voice Kruntak
The valley was dark. It had been but seven hours since the mountain fell, and the pain of that loss was still felt in the hearts of all the Il’khan. The sky itself seemed to be mourning the loss of the mountain, and had hidden itself from the land. We seven Il'khan traveled through the forest, four of them carrying Carnak on a stretcher while Yanic and I were on point.
Yanic looked tired from all the walking through the thick foliage. I suspected the only thing that pushed the Half-Orc toward movement was the thought of his best General dying if he stopped now.
I whispered to Yanic, "How much farther until this healer of yours, Sire? I worry of the dragon patrols."
Carnak emitted low growl about, “Damned dragons,” and, “Demons,” but nothing else was discernible from the mixed phrases.
I cast a worried glance at mys friend, “I fear also for General Carnak’s life.”
King Yanic whispered to the group, "I do not believe it could be much further. I pray it is just past this next clearing of trees."
Carnak coughed up some blood, then winced in pain as the ruptured lung collapsed, which made it harder for him breathe.
I frowned as I glanced at my friend, then said, "I hope you are right, Sire. I'd hate to loose General Carnak to the walk."
The humidity in the valley got worse as we approached a portion of the valley near a bog. Through the darkness, though, I watched the Il’khan push forward.
Carnak muttered more strange phrases about, “That damn Zoes,” again, and inhaled a few short breaths.
Just then Yanic motioned for the troops to crouch down as he spotted something in the distance.
The chirping of birds and humming of bugs that had been loud seconds before suddenly ceased, leaving the whole of the area silent.
Yanic covered his mouth and pointed to the troops to do the same.
One of the soldiers covered Carnak’s mouth as he crouched next to the stretcher.
Yanic lay down on the grass, but hiding just didn't seem to be possible for one of his girth.
I covered my mouth and lay flat beside my King, unable to see what had caused Yanic to stop the troops.
Then, a person approached the group, getting close enough to see the us in the grass. He said, "Come....Come...I can help you..."
Carnak continued to curse through his lips, even though they were muffled.
Yanic stood up, proudly but wearily, and told the person about the battle and about his General that then needed clerical attention.
I stood behind my leader, weapons ready, on my guard against this stranger.
Carnak growled at the thought of needing another being to aid him, the great Carnak Stryfeblade, but realized nonetheless that it was unavoidable.
Yanic told me, "Follow me," and motioned for the troops to bring Carnak after him.
Carnak started going into some form of delusion, and continuously asked where the reigns to his horse were.
After about a half an hour of travel, we arrived at a small grotto not far from a waterfall. General Carnak was set down next to the man, of whom we were still unsure of his identity.
I frowned toward the odd man, then whispered to Yanic, "Are you sure you want to trust this man?"
The man pulled some green leaves from a gunny sack he had in the grotto and mashed them up with a white grain powder.
Yanic nodded his head to me, then whispered, "He is our only chance."
I grunted back, "If he betrays us, his head is mine."
Carnak muttered about some "rabbits" the he'd like to kill, and how "them damn faeries" wouldn't let him be.
The man cracked an egg and poured water into the mixture.
I crouched down and leaned closer to Carnak, then rested a hand on his shoulder and said, "Quiet, friend, this man may help you..."
Yanic got a spoon from the gunny sack, and scooped a spoonful of the mixture out. He then extended his arm and the spoon toward Carnak's mouth.
Carnak growled as the spoon got closer, and tried to turn his head away, to no avail.
I frowned toward Yanic, thinking of the possibility that this Human would betray us. "Wait, test it for poison,” I said, putting my hand on Yanic's arm to stop him from placing the mixture in Carnak's mouth.
Yanic threw off my hand, losing patience with me.
Carnak muttered about the stupid spoon, and started to say some muffled speech about the healer.
Yanic yelled out, "Carnak, take this now! It may be your only chance!"
Carnak gulped down the mixture, then coughed a little, as it was the first bit of something to go down his throat in a long time.
Yanic smiled and then said to Carnak, "Have I ever steered you wrong?"
AS Yanic pat Carnak on the shoulder, he looked to the old man and smiled.
Carnak peered at Yanic, and then mutters "No, my king... but I am to trust a man of whom we know nothing?"
Carnak's words turned into a low and raspy growl as his eyelids slowly started to flutter shut.
Yanic said, "This is no ordinary man, this is Krisnad the Holy, Healer of the North Lands... I had read of him from a book, but never thought it was true," he looked to the old man to authorize his claim.
Carnak started to growl as the mixture set to work, the damage to his ribcage began to repair itself.
I was taken aback at the magic at work on Carnak's body. I then nodded in appreciation toward Krisnad, admittingd my fault in not trusting him.
The man said 'Aye...that tis be me...I hope I helped your friend... King Yanic, your
company is always welcome here, You are safe from Demons and Dragons in my home..."
Krisnad the Holy, as he wanders the Valley of Krozloy
Yanic smiled and shook the old man’s hand.
Carnak wondered how the hell this guy knew his king, but just shrugged it off and watched as the mixture finished up on repairing the ruptured lung.
I then whispered to Yanic, "Sire, we still must find the rest of the men shelter. We should not stay long..."
Carnak muttered about how the mixture works, but still could not find any logic to it.
Yanic said to Krisnad, "Kruntak is right, You cannot harbor so many in here. Thank you, but we must carry on."
I looked at the old man, then said to Yanic, "Sire, there are many more wounded... perhaps he might join us?"
Carnak managed to lift his arm and extend his hand to shake Krisnad’s.
Yanic smiled at General Carnak, then told the men that we must head out. "We do not need to attract any attention to this mans home."
Carnak dropped some gold on the ground, “For you, old man.”
Krisnad shook Carnak’s hand, and said "You are welcome, but I cannot go with you... I have my own to tend to... I do not know where these creatures plan to strike next, but if they hit the Half-Orcs once, who is to say they will not again?"
Krisnad collected the gold and thanked Carnak.
Carnak nodded at Krisnad's logic, and then looks at me. "I think it is time to get the men assembled, we have a mountain to reclaim" he whispered as his lung finished healing.
Yanic told Krisnad, "We are off as well, thank you for your help, I have read about you and your mystical healing ways. Thank you"
Krisnad uttered "Klattu Vernomica Nicktuu!" and faded into the fog.
I grinned toward Yanic and joked, "A pity he could not teach us how to do that..."
Carnak muttered a little about how he would have to buy new armor, thanks to that damn dragon.”
Yanic said with a sense of joy, "Ok... Now it is time to get our Mountain back!"
Carnak shivered at Yanic’s words. "Not yet, my king... we need strategy, and we need an army. Neither of which we currently have. Zoes sits on your throne, but not for long."
Yanic took Krisnad’s spoon and put it in his satchel before departing, leading his troops out of the grotto.
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