Valkyrie's Page of Wonder

July 02, 2006

Fallen Angel - Healing

Months have passed since the massive battle on the Klemayn plains. The war has since slowed to a crawl. With neither side having the will or the man power for another massive assault, the only reported skirmishes are small attacks on Katta and Elven cities. The locals usually manage to push them back but occasionally they fail and their city is burned to the ground. With no where else to go, these refugees head for the temples for food and a place to rest.
Sarah and Xannon along with several other students tend to the wounded that are laid out on cots in the main hall which has been converted to a medical center.
“How long do you think the humans will keep up these raids?” Sarah asks Xannon as they heal those wounded in the last attack. “When will they have enough land? All this pain, and suffering, and dying…Is all this worth what they hope to gain?”
“It’s hard to say. They’ve already taken over the eastern seaboard north to south. Pretty soon we’ll be the front line. The village not 20 miles from here was attacked just yesterday. With help from Priestesses of Bast they were able to hold them off, but for how long?”
The man that Xannon was healing reaches up and touches Xannon’s arm.
“I saw one of them up close. Their eyes were covered by some kind visor and they carried weapons that shot fire and stone. My friend and I were trying to escape when one of those stones hit him in the shoulder. It sent him sprawling to the ground. When I stopped to help, the soldier caught up and slammed me against the wall. I blacked out and when I came to, my friend was dead and the soldier gone.
“There was nothing we could do to stop them. If not for the followers of Bast our town would have been lost. I thank you for your efforts on behalf of my friend.”
The man drops his hand and drifts off to sleep. Xannon stands up and looks out across the main hall where hundreds of wounded and dying cry for help.
“I swear, Sarah, if this war is still going on when I become a High Priest, I will end it myself, one way or another.”
Sarah smiles, “What makes you think you are High Priest material? None of the teachers like you. You defy almost every order they give you. Even your thoughts are in opposition to the beliefs of the Temple.”
He sighs, “Perhaps your right, maybe I’m not High Priest material. But perhaps I can become an Archangel. I’ve been reading about them in my Divinity textbook. I’m beginning to think that our very own High Priestess is an Archangel.”
She thinks about this for a moment, “That would explain a few things, but don’t you kind of have to earn that too? The High Priestess would have earned that status after all her hard work for the Goddess. What have you done to earn Archangel status?”
“Well, nothing yet, I suppose. But once we graduate, I’ll be sure to make an impression. I’ll be the best soldier the forces of Bast have ever seen.”
Xannon holds up his fist and it glows a moment before becoming a holy flame. Sarah grabs his hand, dousing the fire.
“One step at a time, my love. Let’s get past our first year before we go talking about graduation. Now hurry up and get healing, there are people that need you here and now.”
She smiles then turns to help the next wounded villager. Xannon nods and continues healing.