Chapter 1
“Skivs! Get your brother and sisters inside! It’s getting cold,” said the old Skivandrian woman from her shanty porch.
Skivvy was shirtless with a few freshly killed ducks slung across his back as he playfully led a group of Skivandrian children back inside. It was a feast to celebrate Skivvy’s acceptance into the army before he was to leave tomorrow morning. His house was a sheet metal, wooden square in an open, muddy field that was freshly plowed.
His large family was proud of him. He knew that with army life he would be able to send a good chunk of money home so that his family could possibly move out of squaller and into a city. He looked at a painting of his father. His father was in light armor standing proud as he was a part of the Light Swords.
Skivvy told his mom earnestly at the chaotic dining table, “I’ll be like him. I’ll get us out of here one day. I promise.”
“I know… Just stay alive and do the right thing no matter what. Hopefully you could become an officer.”
“Need to be rich first.”
“Your father believed otherwise.”
“Mom,” Skivvy replied tenderly. “I’ll do my best and I won’t come back until I am an officer. I promise.”
Skivvy’s eyes were colorless as Audra was frantically healing Skivvy’s midsection. His guts and skin were slowly growing back as she fully closed the massive wound. His breath was shallow and almost gone. Keely tenderly held Skivvy’s head. Aurora knelt across from Audra asking what she could do to help. Audra, through tears in her eyes, commanded Aurora to check Skivvy’s breathing and pulse on his neck and arm. Ned gently scuttled over next to Audra. He patted her hip and closed his eyes.
His yellow, glowing hands shot forth strings of bright, golden energy strands like sentient puppet strings into Skivvy’s body.
Ator looked at Nikolai wondering what that was.
Nikolai quietly remarked, “He’s looking for any traces of micro damage through arcane means… Very complicated and only highly experienced and licensed medical clerics perform this. The damage must be bad… Yeah.”
“Okay,” Ator whispered back. "Holy shit."
"Holy shit indeed."
Desmond stood next to Kale as both of them were still in shock. Kale handed Desmond a flask. Desmond instantly sipped from it. Desmond thought to himself, “Sakoria! Please help heal, Skivvy! Please! I beg of thee!”
Skivvy’s wound fully healed over and Aurora panicked. She looked at Audra noting no breathing or pulse. Audra immediately started to perform CPR with tears and cursing trying to revive Skivvy. Ned was still in the middle of his arcane surgery.
Keely scooted back asking with concern, “Audra?”
“DAMNIT! Live you scaly asshole… Come on! Come on! Don’t… SKIVS,” Audra yelled as she was performing chest compressions through flared nostrils.
Keely reached her hand out to stop Audra, but Nikolai gently tapped her to stop. Ator picked both Nikolai and Keely to get back a bit. Kale slowly took over Keely’s place waiting patiently to join to relieve Audra from CPR. Though it was evident that Audra was not going to stop no matter what.
Audra, for reasons only known to her, remembered her and Nikolai’s first meeting with Skivvy. Skivvy was a part of the light swords during a training exercise with a footman unit. Both units were resting in a field after a long and painful day of marching in the humid summer. Nikolai was overheating. Audra was trying to cool him down using her arcane cooling touch. The other cleric refused to work on Nikolai because he was too busy lecturing the rest of the men over proper hydration. Audra looked to her section commander and he shrugged. She got pissed off and grabbed the other Cleric by the hair and threw him at Nikolai. She was pointing angrily. The other cleric immediately put his blue colored hands on Nikolai’s body cooling him down.
Audra was proud of herself.
Nikolai weakly asked, “That wasn’t necessary?”
“It a hundred percent was. Fucking bastard – Yes! You,” Audra gritted towards the other cleric with venom.
The cleric shot a middle finger back at her.
She took a deep breath and looked to Nikolai. “Feel better, man?”
“Much better. Sorry for lagging behind again.”
“Well, it’s not your fault. You’re a string bean and the gear is meant for heavy guys.”
“You’re just trying to be nice?”
“I try,” she laughed.
Across from the exhausted footman unit were the light swords. They were all in their custom, light armor. No sleeves on their tunics. All had the brand of the light swords on their arms and shoulders. The only one that was standing was Skivvy. He took off his helmet and adjusted his bandana. In that moment, Skivvy caught Audra’s eye as she stared at his lean muscle and glistening green skin.
She was hooked instantly.
Skivvy was walking around checking on each of the men making sure their feet and water intake were good.
Nikolai noted, “That Skivandrian seems to be in charge.”
“Yeah.”
“He’s a true leader. He cares.”
“And ours is a dick,” Audra said noting the section commander rolling his eyes not giving a shit about anything or anyone as he smoked a joint. “Wish he was in our unit.”
“Were footman, lass. They're light swords. Their life expectancy is less than ours. We at least have shields. They only have swords. Plus, they charge in first. We only absorb the after attack if they get killed.”
“You’re saying him checking on his men is pointless?”
“Nah. Thanks, Jim. I think Audra wants you gone," Nikolai said.
"Whatever, stick," the cleric said shoving Nikolai in the face.
Nikolai adjusted his hair and said, "Just saying his unit is better in a sense because they could die first. They’re more motivated.”
“Hmm,” Audra replied. “I’m going to talk to him.”
“Why? You’re not the platoon leader or squad lead… I don’t think it’s…”
“Someone has to be. Might as well do it myself,” Audra said walking over to Skivvy. “They have more rations than us. I want to see if I can make a trade.”
Nikolai dipped his head back in annoyance. All the other footman looked at Audra curiously. Between the units was a tiny dip in the ground. Audra stopped just at the dip arms crossed and helmet off. The sun was in her eyes, but she stared forward waiting for Skivvy to come over.
Skivvy turned around and thought, “What’s this about?”
One of the light swordsman theorized, “Maybe the footies want to discuss how we need to go easy on them?”
“No. A trade perhaps,” Skivvy noted.
“Whatever, sergeant liz.”
“Don’t private.”
“Sorry.”
“Okay,” Skivvy said walking towards Audra.
He stopped about a few feet away as he squatted down. He was amazed at how naturally fit Audra was. Her armor was off and he could see the well-defined muscle under her sweat stained tunic shirt. He was also amazed by her rugged beauty. He smiled turning red for a moment and back to green.
Audra asked, “Happy to see me, sergeant?”
“What?”
“You just changed color there.”
“That… That’s because,” Skivvy said flustered turning pink this time. “Lizard thing.”
“Ha! Nice to meet you. I’m Sergeant Audra.”
“Sergeant Skivvy. You can call me Skivs.”
“Cute.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” Audra said blushing, but playing it off as her face burning in the sunlight.
Skivs reached out his massive, clawed hands forwards. He pulled Audra over to his side in the shade away from the sunlight. Both smiled at each other as he handed her his canteen sweetly.
Ned finished his arcane surgery noting how intensely Audra was performing CPR on Skivvy. He said to her telepathically, “You’ve done enough. Please. Let me.”
Audra stopped and bit her cheek as tears streamed down her face and steam rose from her shoulders. Ned gently tapped Skivvy’s neck and face. He started to speak primordial as his eyes shined a deep blue. His left hand summoned a blue, ethereal ball of fire. He opened Skivvy’s windpipe and poured in the ball.
Everyone was confused.
Ned looked at Audra with serious intensity. Audra silently handed him the bag of holding. He dove into the bag throwing out bits of cans and weapons. He finally found what he was looking for. Two potion vials of greater healing and wound mending was in Ned’s hands. Everyone gave a collective “ah” in remembering the many things Ned gifted them before they left the Tree of Life.
Audra took the vials from Ned and poured the potions into Skivvy’s mouth as the bright red elixirs slushed its way down Skivvy’s throat. Everyone leaned over anticipating something. The nervousness and anticipation of the potions instantly working weighed everyone’s hearts down.
Moments passed and there was nothing.
Only silence.
Audra rested her head on Skivvy’s chest crying into it. Ned curiously stayed focused on Skivvy’s eyes. Desmond tried to say something, but he had nothing left in him. Kale silently side-hugged Desmond for comfort. Aurora patted Audra’s back trying her best to be comforting. Nikolai and Ator both looked away at the sky trying to stand tall. Keely covered her face with her hands.
Suddenly, Skivvy’s eyes regained color and his skin turned into bright red. His breathing was intense and he instantly shot up screaming, “AUDRA DON’T… Wh – What… What just happened? Why are all of you looking at me like that? Why is Audra crying? Why is my armor and shirt gone and I have a crop-top now? Audra? Did you…”
He was suddenly cut off as Audra tackled him into a crying hug as she sobbed happily into his neck. Skivvy was turning blue and red due to Audra squeezing his throat and crushing his chest. Keely laughed whilst wiping away a tear. Kale sighed with relief into Desmond’s Shoulder only to immediately apologize for it. Desmond said it was fine and was relieved overall. Ator and Nikolai both cheered happily as Ator prayed to the gods for this revival. Aurora patted Ned on the head with tears in her eyes after instantly recovering from a short scream of surprised terror. Ned blushed and pretended this was no big deal.
Desmond knelt down and placed his hand on Audra’s right shoulder. She looked up to see Desmond smile. He tapped Skivvy on the helmet and said, “Scared me for a second, sarge.”
“Sorry about that, LT… Got the drop on him. Mad a guess and… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Desmond said standing back up. “We got a mountain to climb… Whenever you two are ready. Take as long as you need.”
“Sir,” both Audra and Skivvy said in unison.
