The Power of Ten

Chapter 1-14: New Acquaintances

We landed near the medical tent of the headquarters, but didn’t go into that one. “<Sir Pellier! A moment of your time, if you would?>” he yelled into the tent next to it.

There was some grumbling from within, and the flap was flung aside, a sleepy-looking soldier in partial armor stepping out. His breastplate was off, showing the t-shirt wet with perspiration below. His hair was dark, his eyes brown and steady, and there was an air about him of resolve and quiet determination.

He looked at the floating Helix, then over at me sitting there on the Disk, and blinked at the sight of my eyes. “<What’s this, Helix?>” he asked suspiciously, brow furrowing as he looked at me.

I felt the div sweep over me, and if the Aura that surrounded him hadn’t bluntly told me what he was, the use of the Eyes of Heaven would have.

I blithely popped up the Sanctified Darts, and watched him focus on them. He had a weird expression on his face as he looked back and forth from them to me. He looked at Helix, who just shrugged.

“<She came out of the Shroud zone. Can you do a deep scan of her? She can use holy magic, so I don’t think there’s a problem, but just in case...>”

“<Of course.>” He turned back to me, sitting there with my finger back in my ear. “<I’m going to lay my hands on you. Do not be offended.>”

“It’s fine,” I replied calmly, almost sighing. “I’ve got the residue of a death curse hanging over me, and a Death Domain aura... and Darkness... and Healing...” I scrunched up my face at his expression. “It’s been a very interesting three days since I woke up.”

“<She said some Sinbound took her baby right out of her>,” Helix added quietly. I dropped my hand, pulled up my shirt, and let them look at the wicked white scar zigzagging from down below my belt up and across my belly. The paladin’s face flickered with a hard edge to it, eyes almost glowing with subdued wrath.

“” I nodded distinct agreement with that, and said nothing as he put his callused hands on my forehead and the side of my throat.