The Way Back

Crowley: <Geez... you really went overboard there.>

*Crowley sits down, sighing.*

*There's a long piece of shrapnel stuck through Kelphy's belly too. Nearby, a barrier bursts outwards from a pile of junk metal, revealing Fahren, Razz and Barrow within it.*

Fahren: <Is everyone safe?>

*They hear a loud shriek followed by familiar screaming.*

Aera: <Help! HELP!>

*It's coming from the other side of one of the Garuda's wings, stuck vertically into the ground.*

Alto rushes to where Aera is leaving Creed staring in horror at Kelphy's wounds.

---

"We should find the others Allina, no telling what shape they're in."

*Crowley makes his way over to see what the screaming is about.*

*They find Aera on her hands and knees, curved over Parker and the All'Elf, sustaining a giant piece of steel on her back. Parker and the All'Elf are both unsconsious, the former with a wide gaping hole through her torso and the latter bleeding profusely from almost her entire body. Aera screams loudly again, her arms ready to give in to the huge pressure.*

=====

Allina: <Well, they do seem to have this under control, and that energy wave we felt... Okay, let's go!>

*Aera heals Kentaro, Kari and Bahamut ZERO and flies back through the vortex.*

Alto grabs the bream and lifts it up himself, "Shit this is heavy!"

---

Lucien follows.

*Crowley's eyes widen as he heads over to pick Parker up.*

Crowley: <Dammit!!!>

*Aera crawls away, panting heavily and sweating. Fahren the thieves approach.*

Razz&Barrow: <Parker!!>

Fahren: <Oh dear... to think we'd be hit this hard before even reaching Origin...>

=====

*Allina summons the Sylphs on her way back the way they came, and they fly ahead, trying to sense the others' magic. The girl sighs.*

Allina: <...When is this going to end? ...I'm tired.>

"If that immense power was from whom I think it was then I'm sure you can get recharged" Lucien says.

---

"I can give everyone a portion of my strength" Alto announces.

*Crowley sets Parker down away from the wreckage, sitting down next to her.*

Crowley: <Is she... dead?>

Fahren: <It wouldn't be enough to save everyone, and you'd be wasting precious energy that we'll need against Origin on top of it. Let me take a look at their wounds first.>

*He checks Parker, then Kelphy, the All'Elf, and Aera.*

Fahren: <Aera hurt her back, but she's otherwise fine. The All'Elf seems to be stable, but she's in very bad shape. Her Highness and Parker however... . A large section of Parker's torso was internally destroyed. Without assistance, she could die in a matter of minutes. If we stop Lady Kelphy's bleeding, she should survive for at least a couple of-->

*Kelphy's wound glows blue and the piece of shrapnel shoots out of it at high speed, landing farther than their eyes can spot. Before blood starts pouring out of the wound, it fills with water so pressurized it seems solid. Kelphy moans in pain and opens her eyes for a few seconds before closing them again.*

=====

Allina: <I don't mean just that...>

*Crowley continues to watch Parker's seemingly lifeless body.*

Crowley: <Is there anything we can do? ANYTHING at all?! Come on! There MUST be some way!>

"Fahren. I have more energy than I should I have. It was my intention to give it to the group as a whole in the first place."

---

"I know" he flew closer to her and took her hand, "I am too"

Fahren: <Do as you wish. I'm not saying it won't help.>

*Fahren walks over to Crowley and Parker.*

Fahren: <I will try my best to help her.>

*He puts his hands on her wound and his hands glow green as he casts healing spells on her.*

=====

Sylphs: <<<<Allinaaaa!>>>

*The Sylphs take a right and stop, pointing at another white vortex.*

*Crowley watches Fahren go to work on her.*

"Fahren. I meant for the final battle" Alto says with increasing frustration over Fahren misunderstanding what he meant.

---

"What happened!?"

Fahren: <Mhm, that's fine, that's fine.>

*Fahren speaks very distractedly, seemingly having a hard time healing.*

Razz: <Barrow.>

Barrow: <Yeah?>

Razz: <I'm going to stab you.>

Barrow: <Huuuh?!>

Razz: <You're the only one in the gang that hasn't been yet!>

*He points at his torso, then Crowley's, and then Parker's wound, and they chuckle for a few seconds, Razz sighing afterwards.*

Razz: <Maybe I should go find Allina.>

=====

Allina: <They found them!>

*Allina flies through the vortex into a grey desert. In front of her, lying on the sand, are Derek and a female All'Elf, both badly injured. Allina lands and runs to Derek, kneeling down and checking his vitals.*

Allina: <He's alive...!>

"And the other's?"

---

Alto walks behind Fahren and lays his hands on his shoulders before using his aeldi powers to boost Fahren's spells. Or in this case provide more power for them so the old sage wouldn't wear himself out.

Crowley: <Is it... helping her at all?>

*Derek coughs, but manages to crack a smile.*

Derek: <Heya there...>

Fahren: <It is helping her, though not as much as I wish it did. Healing requires a very specific talent for magic that I do not possess. Thank you, Alto.>

=====

*Allina smiles, putting her hands on Derek's chest and healing his nastier wounds before holding a hand out to help him stand up.*

Allina: <It's good to see you're safe... now we still have to find the others.>

*She glances at the female All'Elf's corpse and sighs.*

"Allina is coming. I made sure my spell was big enough that it'll be felt all over mysteria" Alto says as he continues boosting Fahren.

*Crowley sits there and continues to watch.*

Derek: <Don't mind the dead girl over there. She caused me enough trouble when she was alive.>

*He curses under his breath as he manages to sit up.*

Derek: <How're the others?>

Fahren: <I don't doubt she'll come. It's that she won't come soon enough that I fear.>

*Parker is becoming very pale. She groans and half opens her eyes, a pair of tears running down her cheeks as she looks from Fahren to Crowley's eyes.*

Razz: <Parker, don't fuck off on us.>

*The All'Elf also opens her eyes and rolls over, staggering to her feet.*

=====

Allina: <We don't know. Except Kari and Kentaro, they're all right. We need to go look for the others.>

*Allina nods to Lucien and casts a spell on Derek, giving him light angel wings, before flying back out through the portal. The unconscious All'Elf girl fades away.*