A Call for Aid - Closed with Myramyriad & Aludra

The crisp morning air made Aludra's lungs ache as she ran forward, her boots covered in fresh dew from the grass. To keep her strength, wits, and skills about her, she often took a run at dawn, as well as rigorous training before managing any chores or the like she had to handle. It was a destination-free constitutional at first, but then came the great slump she heard in the distance. Some one had fallen. Hard.

Her feet carried her even quicker forward to the noise. If that person could be helped, she'd be distraught if she didn't at least try to fill that need. Once again came the sound of falling, coupled with a shout. "Hang on!" She called back, hoping to stop the ailing being from harming themselves.

When she saw the state of the now-visible man against the wall, and the fact that he was armed, she slowed down rapidly and held her palms visibly to show surrender. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to help." From next to her, she heard another set of steps, but her main focus was the obviously injured man in front of her.

Myra had been Studying some old texts out on the rod, and odd habit that she figured meant she could ask help of experienced travelers easily with, and use the sun to detect any hidden words. That and she got fresh air rather than the constant scent of pie and the mustiness of the ruins she loved so much. Sometimes change was good.

She jerked her head up when she heard running footsteps and saw someone rush past her like the Shadows themselves were on their heels. She stood up on the old stone fence she'd been using as a seat and looked the way the person was running. Only to find another person looking quite ragged and slumped against a wall.

"Oh my!" she said, dropping her book in startlement and piking up her skirts to more easily jump from the low wall and run after the runner to see if the injured individual needed help. By the time she reached them, she breathlessly asked "what happened to you? Is your arm broken?" the last part was almost a cry of shock. She'd never seen anyone injured so. "Sir, you look like you survived a Balverine attack."

Still, the man held the knife aloft, though he wavered when consciousness began to slip from his grasp. He shook himself, and lifted it high again, eyes flicking from one woman to the other, though their faces he could not quite see. Their concern sounded genuine, but he'd been tricked before. He had to be sure. "Who are you?" he questioned, cringing inwardly at how broken his voice sounded. "How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you're not--"

There came an intense flash of blue light, and an agony struck him so quickly, he dropped the knife with a small gasp and a cry before drawing his hand close to his chest and doubling over. He trembled, his eyes screwed shut and teeth bared against the pain. He struggled with the urge to scream and the desperate wish to remain silent, which resulted in small, pathetic whimpering noises and gasps for air.

The words of the woman next to her had gone through her own mind, but her main concern was figuring out why this man was so intent on them staying back. His explanation made things a little clearer. Something had most likely happened to him in the past that made him believe that any form of aid was a trick.

Aludra was about to answer his questions when the brilliant light hit her eyes. She cringed and shielded her face with her hands even though the flash was brief. When she looked back to the man and found them doubled over, she took hold of the opportunity and knelt by him.

"Sir, we just want to help you. You need a medic. I am Aludra." She explained calmly. "Let us get you into town."

Myra closed her eyes and looked away as his wrists flashed. That was certainly odd, she'd only heard of Heros having lines that flashed like that, and the stories didn't mention them being in pain.

"And I'm Myra Jones," she added, though she knew sh did not know this man personally and names didn't really mean anything. At least not to her. I know a physician that has been my family's friend for a long time, if you'll let us get you to a the city, a safer place than here on the road, I can call him and he can tend to your wounds." Even here on the road she wasn't sure how well they could take care of him, and the doctor would demand a sterile room to care for him in. Or at least one that wasn't effected by the elements. "If you are worried about anyone you don't wish seeing you doing so, I can lend you my jacket to hide your face and hair with." Something told her that long hair nowadays would be a dead give-away, and that the situation was dangerous and some action needed to be done quickly.

He barely heard their words through the pain, and he instinctively flinched away from their touch. The attack had slammed into him like a ton of bricks, a lingering weight that threatened to crush him, leaving him breathless and wheezing. Somehow in the midst of things his trembling fingers had found the fabric of Aludra's sleeve, and he could not bring himself to let go even when he had collected himself enough to think.

"They're coming for me," he coughed, lifting fearful amber eyes to flick from one youthful face to the other. "No jacket will... be able to hide me from them--" The light surged from his wrists again and he bit down hard on his lip to keep from crying out. The taste of blood lingered upon his tongue as red seeped from beneath his teeth and down his chin. "We--must--go--Now!"

Each passing second was a risk, as far as Aludra could tell, not only from the pain the man was experiencing but also from the way they spoke.. They were being followed? By what or who? When his hand gripped the fabric of her long-sleeve shirt, the professional and calm facade she was fighting to keep crumbled. Whoever this man was, her heart was bleeding for him, and she wanted -- no, needed to help them.

As Myra spoke next to her of the jacket and hiding the man's hair and injuries, she frowned when he refused. Still, she'd need Myra's help to lift him to his feet. "Myra, help me stand him up." She said over her shoulder, her eyes desperate as she attempted to stand with an arm wrapped around the ailing man.

Myra huffed. "It might help that light from being so bright," she argued, but didn't do so further. Instead she followed Aludra's instructions and put his other arm around her shoulder to help him stand.

"The doctor is in town, considering his injuries we should hurry. Especially if anyone is hiding him, getting him through an ally in a town will make it easier to avoid others until we get to our destination."

The man's head lolled to one side, his breathing harsh as his eyes rolled back into his skull. Another flash of blue issued a groan from him, and his body twitched and tensed, but otherwise he did not respond. He was losing consciousness fast, and it wouldn't be long before he succumbed to his injuries if something was not done soon.