Medical Analysis
Some time later, and the wyrm was looking seriously hurt. Kass had opened up several more wounds, and the strange purple smoke leaking out surely wasn’t good for it. Since the wyrm had realized that Kass could actually hurt it, it had started to be a bit more defensive- which, in turn, allowed Kass to go on the offensive even more. If he could get a good hit in one of the open wounds, he could probably finish it off for good.
Unfortunately, the wyrm seemed to have realized this as well, as it twisted away, attempting to take off into the sky and run away.
“Oh no you don’t.” Kass leapt after it, landing on the tail just as the wyrm lifted off, and using Ascalon to keep himself steady.
As the wyrm rose higher into the air, Kass slowly managed to move forward, intending to drive the spear through the wound Lilith initially made. However, the wyrm had other plans. Instead of just trying to fly away, the wyrm began to go straight up; climbing higher and higher into the sky, Kass just barely managing to hang on by driving Ascalon's blade almost fully in to the wyrm's tail. Still, the beast was speeding up, and if Kass lost his grip from this height, he most likely wouldn't survive the fall.
However, Kass had a thought. When Ascalon was initially summoned, it did so through a bolt of lightning. There was a good chance un-summoning it would have the same effect. Still, as the spear was the only thing keeping Kass on the wyrm, he was wary of getting rid of it.
For lack of a better plan, Kass pulled himself up enough that he could shove his extended claws into the wound, before attempting to will away the spear.
Luckily, the spear responded. It began to glow, warping and distorting as the light got brighter, before transforming fully into a bolt of lightning and shooting upwards.
Unfortunately for the wyrm, it was going directly upwards too, meaning the bolt went directly through it. Almost instantly, the wyrm began to fall out of the sky, still just alive enough to try and keep itself aloft.
While the wyrm’s efforts to keep itself alive were futile, they were a great help to Kass. It was still falling, but at a much slower rate. Soon enough, it crashed to the ground in the clearing, Kass having dislodged his claws and jumped off a few moments prior.
As the wyrm still writhed around, Kass moved to the head of the wyrm and drove his claws deep into the open wound.
- - -
Level up!
“Wyrm’s officially dead,” Lilith said. “Let’s go check up on Kass.”
“Wait, if the wyrm’s dead, then it’s possible we’ve wiped out the entire camp! When the wyrm first appeared, it seemed to kill all the gobliins. If that’s right, then we might’ve made it through without a single casualty,” Gabriel said. “Everyone, we think the danger’s over! Spread out to see if you find anyone or anything. Me and the priestess will go confirm the situation.”
Upon hearing that, most of the villagers spread out, a few staying to make sure the injured stayed safe. Lilith and Gabriel moved towards the clearing where the wyrm had fallen.
- - -
When they reached the clearing, Kass was lying on the ground, still a bit tired from the fight. Nearby, the corpse of the wyrm was decomposing at an alarming rate, turning to dust as they watched.
“Is it over?”
“Pretty sure,” Lilith said. “Apparently, when the wyrm first manifested, it drained the life energy out of all the goblins. The rest of the villagers are currently spreading out to confirm that.”
“Wait, if all the goblins died, what happened to-”
“Gorse,” Lilith interrupted, having the same realization that Kass just did. “We need to go check on something,” she continued, turning to Gabriel. “Can you make sure that nothing freaky happens here?”
“What do you expect me to do? I don’t have any magic. If this thing comes back, I can’t do anything about it.”
“You should be able to get a sword into any of the wounds I’ve opened. And besides, we’re both out of MP too,” Kass said, before leaping away.
“Fine,” Gabriel sighed. “But once this thing is finished decaying, I’m coming to get you two.”
“Thanks.”
Soon enough, Kass made his way to the area where he had left Gorse, but couldn’t see her. As he began to look around, Lilith’s voice rang out inside his head.
Have you found her?
No, I just got here. She doesn’t seem to be out in the open. Do you remember where she last was before you went to the wyrm?
She was out in the open. I told her to get herself somewhere safe, but I don’t know if she actually did.
How did she look when you left her? Was the wyrm affecting her?
Well, she was… crying blood. She didn’t look good, but she said she’d try to hold on. She wasn’t dead by the time the wyrm had started roaring, so I think that’s a good sign?
Alright. I’ll continue looking while you make your way over here.
Good plan.
With that, Lilith stopped talking, but Kass felt the connection still present.
Calling out for Gorse, Kass tried to focus his hearing as best he could, in hopes of finding her.
When he heard nothing, he called out again, walking around the area. Soon enough, however, he detected a strange smell. Following the scent, he found a trail of black-stained grass. Getting closer, he realized the smell was blood.
Crying blood… Following the trail, Kass soon found a tent. Going inside, he found Gorse lying in a pool of the black blood.
Lilith, I found her! What do I do now?
I- What’s she like? Do you see any injuries?
Let me check… no, I don’t see any injuries. I don’t want to move her to look underneath, though.
Alright. I’m going to make a quick detour to find another goblin, to compare. If you don’t see any injuries on the front, I doubt there’d be any on the other side.
As Kass wiped away some of the blood on Gorse’s face, he noticed that some of it had stained her face; two black rivulets ran down her face, making it look like she was still crying.
Okay, I’m going to go through a list of symptoms, tell me if you notice any of them.
Got it.
Pale skin, overly thin, comparatively lighter; any of those?
She’s a bit lighter, but I think that may just be my Strength increasing. She’s not too thin, but her face looks a bit drawn. I don’t remember how pale she was before, but I don’t notice any sizable difference.
Good. Dark veins, low temperature, irregular heartbeat?
Dark veins, no. She does feel a bit cold, and let me check for a heartbeat.
Putting his ear to Gorse’s heart, or at least where Kass assumed her heart was, and heard a weak, though steady pulse.
Heartbeat’s a bit weak, but steadying.
Good. I think she’s just anemic. If we can safely get her back to the village and get her some nutritious food, she should hold out. We can also give her some of Amelia’s milk, and I can regenerate my MP for some [Healing Touch]. The hardest part will just be convincing the other villagers to let us bring her back.
As Kass cradled Gorse’s body, her eyes fluttered open. As she focused on Kass’s face, she weakly said a single word in goblin tongue, before fainting once more.