The horses rode into the camp of the Order. Both Miriam and Eliana were dropped dead on each their own horse, with their riders nonchalantly trotting along. Freda sat upon a horse of her own, nodding her greetings to the soldiers in the camp. Her glance went briefly to Ellie and Miriam, one looking worse than the other. She had tried to count the times one could actually see their eyes looking around, and the number was unnervingly low. The girls were taken further into the camp, as Freda parted with them, heading for the Commander’s tent.

Sir Leon and Sir Yulfrick hadn’t spoken much on the way back, and had barely looked upon the two women. The one the Princess had referred to as Miriam lay almost completely still over the horse, with a sound escaping her every now and then. She wasn’t looking well, and the Princess had kept the details to a minimum. They were simply to get the girls to the healers, saying they had been attacked. Leon looked over his shoulder, having opened his visor to glance upon the blonde woman. The head was hanging loosely, and the body trembling at times. She wore a torn dress, and upon her arms were strange markings, almost looking as if they had ripped the skin open. Unsure if he was going insane or not, Leon seemed to spot a faint purple glow outlining the markings. The knight decided to shrug it off, riding towards the healers.

Leon and Yulfrick dismounted their horses, each of them carrying one of the two girls. They were brought into two separate tents. Leon stepped inside, lowering his head as he walked under the blanket covering the entrance. Inside stood a man, who turned around and raised an eyebrow at Leon. 

“What’s this, Sir Leon?” He asked; peering at the sorry excuse of a girl, whilst gesturing him to lay her upon the bed located inside. Leon stepped forward, laying the girl down; he stood up, removing his helmet before speaking.

“She’s one of two the Princess brought along. She did not tell us much, and we didn’t ask. They were attacked, it seemed. By dark magic or some sort. You do what you do, Cleric.” Leon looked down at Eliana, grimacing slightly at her. Though he did not know her well, it still brought pain to him to see anyone like that. It was a sort of sleep, but though she was calm, she looked to be in pain. The Cleric wiped his hands, looking at the knight. He cracked a brief smile before asking.

“I know you don’t think it looks like I do much, but I do more than just stare at them.” Tallof grinned at the knight, who returned the grin with a scoff. Leon bowed quickly and left the tent without another word. Tallof smirked to himself, before approaching the girl. He studied her carefully, frowning at the sight. The cleric let his hands carefully feel her forehead, sighing at the high temperature. 

“What are you fighting?” he muttered, feeling her neck, ensuring that she was even still alive. Tallof furrowed his brow, having a hard time even finding out if she was breathing. The man loosened the top of the torn dress, feeling upon her heart. He let out a sigh of relief as he felt the heart beating ever so slowly and careful. Tallof shifted his gaze to her arm, tilting his head. His eyes widened up as he saw the markings with the faint purplish glow. With a shift jog he ran to his table, running through all the books he carried, seemingly looking for something specific.

Cold. Yet warm. Hollow… yet filled. Alive, yet dead. 

Eliana was torn apart. She could no longer feel her body, if feel anything at all. She felt so weak, so defeated and drained. Pictures and scenarios each took their turn to flash before her in a slow and incomprehensible manner. Eliana couldn’t make sense of them, and barely even noticed them at times. So many different voices haunted her mind, or what was left of it. Time had passed for what felt like years. She sat in darkness, not being anything close to alive. It was as if she had been there for an unimaginable long time, just staring into nothingness and trying to realize if she was in fact still alive. When something finally happened, it was so blurry and slow. 

Something lit up in the distance, a faint light. Ellie barely reacted at all, one would start to question if it was just an empty body sitting alone. But the thing approached. A little wolf pup, or the outline of one, lit up by a white light. Eliana looked upon it, having acknowledged none of it was real, or originated from her mind. The pup tilted it’s head, before almost being blown away by a breeze, fading into light. She turned her head to look after it, but simply fell to the ground. Her eyes did not close and her body simply lay still. But she had seen death, so much death, and this wasn’t it. It was a strange state of mind. The woman was holding on to something, almost with consent. Nothing psychical, perhaps hope? Maybe the hope of life still existing, but yet, it felt as years had passed since she first came to this place. Trapped, kept safe, dead, whatever. The voice had stopped speaking to her. She was alone, alone in here.

But then came a warm sensation, some sort of warmth followed by light, fire, perhaps? She felt herself again, and the pain that followed. It cracked a strange smile. Eliana had not missed pain, but simply feeling. Her vision darkened. 

Tallof looked down upon the woman, as he breathed heavily. He retracted his hand again, trying to regain his energy. She moved, not a lot, but she did. Her eyes opened up slowly, and Tallof tried to offer her a friendly smile. Though she looked in his direction, it seemed she looked right through him. 

Eliana heard the words, but could not make sense of them. It was so dark still, but she felt the world around her. A man spoke to her, and she rose up her wounded arm, shaking as she tried to find him. When her hand finally found his face she froze. Lowly, she muttered out.

“I don’t-… see… I don’t…”