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If someone had told the Cyno of a year ago that he would not only be fighting alongside Alhaitham, but be friends with the man, he probably would have dragged them to Tighnari to get checked for whatever toxic mushroom they ate.
Genuinely, he would have thought they had eaten toxic mushrooms. Maybe multiple kinds. He and the Scribe did not get along. Then, the whole revolution happened, and Kaveh had dragged Alhaitham along to check on Tighnari, and they just…couldn’t not be friends. Something clicked. It was hard to explain, but the best Cyno could even try to reason out was that they were all different sides of the same four-sided die. Sure, stepping on it wrong would hurt, but he and Alhaitham could figure it out. They could communicate.
So, when Alhaitham had asked Cyno to come with him to check out some ruins, he said yes. There was tension in the Sage’s shoulders, he argued that it was just something about work. As they walked, he didn’t say anything specific. He needed the quiet. Being someone else who appreciated silence, Cyno didn’t break it more than asking for directions or checking in to make sure he was drinking water. That was about it.
Now, they were fighting a bunch of Treasure Hoarders who had snuck into the ruins they were looking through.
Not Eremites or mercenaries, which he could have understood. These were genuinely Treasure Hoarders.
Swinging his polearm around, Cyno slammed the pommel of it into the closest man’s chest. That sent him stumbling back. A crossbow was shot for him. Cyno knocked the bolt from the air, sending it down into the sand. He dodged a slicing sword. Slamming his polearm into his attacker’s sword arm, Cyno swung it back up. The man hit the ground hard. Whipping around, he stabbed for a woman trying to sneak up on him. His blade met her thigh. She cried out, grabbing for the wound as he got some space, stepping back.
He wasn’t trying to kill anyone. If they could chase the Treasure Hoarders off with only a few wounds to each party, that would be nice. Most hoarders did run off when they got too hurt.
In the corner of his eye, he saw Alhaitham being backed slowly towards him. His sword flashed in the sunlight. With a flourish, he twisted his closest attacker’s blade from her hand and then knocked her back with a mirror. The woman went down. Some of her friends helped her away. Turning, Alhaitham glanced back at him, looked him up and down. The message was clear enough, Tighnari and Kaveh did the same thing—You alright?
Yeah, Cyno nodded. You? Alhaitham returned the nod. Both of them turned back to the fight in front of them.
“Come on, why are you so hard to fight off?” One of the hoarders whined loudly, a pitiful expression on his face.
“Omar!” One of the ladies snapped. “Get your head back on your shoulders! You’re fine!”
She darted in to slash at Alhaitham’s leg. He knocked her blade aside, then slammed his shoulder into her. Staggering back, she cried out and recovered her balance. Cyno ducked around to slash up, throwing her sword from her hand. It went flying. Clattering on the stone floor, it slid into the shadows. The hoarder glanced after it. Then, she turned back to Cyno, face paling. “Cassia, move!”
A crossbow bolt came shooting out of the darkness. On instinct, Cyno twisted to the side, lunging in to strike Cassia again. She grabbed his polearm. When her eyes darted behind him, though, her face paled even more. Then, she turned and fled. All around him, the hoarders abruptly disappeared.
Cyno stared after them, frowning. What was that about? He shook his head, turning as he spoke, “Weird. Why don’t we keep checking around the ruins, Alhai—”
Alhaitham stumbled, grabbing his stomach with a low groan.
“Alhaitham!” Cyno ran to his side. Grabbing the man, he caught his weight. Alhaitham was heavier than he thought. “Feeble scholar” my—why are you so heavy? One of Alhaitham’s knees buckled. He fell back against Cyno. The man was gasping, hands pressed to the wound on his stomach. The crossbow bolt that Cyno had dodged now drove deep into Alhaitham’s stomach, the bloodied, barbed silver head sticking proudly from just above his right hip. Panting, Alhaitham glanced at him, turquoise eyes widening.
“Cy—Cyno.” He rasped out. His voice had pitched up into something—panicked? No. No, no, I can’t deal with you panicking, I need you to tell me what to do—a small voice in the back of his mind whined. Shaking it off, Cyno slowly dropped to his knees, easing Alhaitham down with him. “Cyno. I can’t—I don’t want to die.”
He was panicking, his breathing already racing. Slowly, Cyno got him laid out on the stone floor. Blood was staining the fabric of Alhaitham’s shirt a darker black. “Okay, okay. Uh, Alhaitham—I—” Snap out of it, Cyno! Come on! What has Tighnari told you to do?
Secure the bolt, a voice that sounded like Tighnari ordered. Cut it off at the back, secure it inside him. Watch for shock.
Pulling out a dagger from its spot on his thigh, Cyno cut the back of the bolt off. It took thirty seconds too long. The quiet sound of sawing cut through the air. Lying on the ground, Alhaitham was wheezing in every breath. His hands clawed at the wound. “Keep pressure on the wound, try not to move.” Cyno ordered, pressing Alhaitham’s hands against his stomach. He had to push his knee into the small of his friend’s back to stop him from moving. “Alhaitham. Listen to me.”
On the ground, Alhaitham groaned in pain. “I—Cyno—” His hands were shaking. He was shaking. Holding him still, Cyno grimaced as he finally managed to separate the pieces of the crossbow bolt. He cast the freed part aside, then pressed his hand over the piece still in Alhaitham’s back. He tore off a part of his cloak, pressing it over the injury. I need more strips of cloth. Okay, Cyno. Roll him on his back. Use his weight to apply some pressure.
“I know, I know—”
“I can’t—” Gasping, Alhaitham rasped, “I don’t want to die.”
“You’re going to be fine. It’s okay.” Cyno rolled him onto his back. A bolt of shock pierced his chest. Eyes wide, Alhaitham stared at the skylight above him. His chest was heaving. Shaking hands remained on the wound. Shivering, Alhaitham glanced at him. His face had gone pale, tear tracks running down the side of his face. Some of the dirt on his nose had smudges from where tears had run off his face while he was on his side. “I promise, Alhaitham. I won’t let you die.”
He pressed his hands back to the ground. Wailing, Alhaitham jolted. Bloody hands flew to his wrist. A weak squeeze was the most Alhaitham could manage. One of his heels kicked against the floor. He almost managed to shove himself backwards.
Cyno had to pin Alhaitham down with his hands on his shoulders. “Alhaitham. Look at me.” Panicked eyes fell on him. Holding his gaze, Cyno slowly said, “I—am not—going—to let you—die. Understand?”
“I—the ring—” Alhaitham tilted his head to the side. Cyno had to catch his head to make sure he didn’t manage to concuss himself. Panting still, Alhaitham searched the stone floor around him. “I need to find the ring—”
“What ring?”
“I—Kaveh and I—we have a date—I can’t lose the ring, it’s my mother’s—” Alhaitham was still shaking, still panicking. Pinning him with a knee on his shoulder, Cyno ripped off another section of his cloak at the shoulder. He shook it out, then leaned back.
“I’ll find it for you. Give me a description in a second. We need to get this wrapped, then I can find it. Okay?” Alhaitham nodded once, weakly. When Cyno got him partway upright, he froze. His hands flexed against his stomach. Blood slicked his fingers. Work fast, then, Tighnari’s voice murmured in the back of his mind. And he did, wrapping the torn section of his cloak around Alhaitham’s middle. Secure the wound, get him lying down again, find the ring. “What’s the ring look like?”
“Gold. The band’s gold.” First, Cyno checked Alhaitham’s pockets, patting down his jacket as well. The pale sections of the cloak’s inside were already beginning to stain red. Swearing, Cyno glanced around. From what he could tell, the ring hadn’t fallen anywhere in the sunlight. Alhaitham was trying to get up, still.
“Stay down before I leave the ring here and come back when you’re somewhere safe.” Cyno threatened. Looking up at him like Cyno had murdered his parents, Alhaitham dropped his head back against the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears still running down his face. Apologize later. Find the ring, try not to stress him out, then get him home. He can’t propose to Kaveh if he isn’t alive.
Cyno glanced around again. There was a glitter of something in the corner of his eye. Whipping his head around, Cyno sprinted over, dropping down. Sure enough, there was a gold ring there.
“Alhaitham!” Picking it up, he asked, “Gold ring, small red gemstones? The word for wisdom carved into the band?”
“Yes.” Alhaitham’s voice was getting worse. No. No, no, stay with me. He bolted to Alhaitham’s side, crouching down next to him. Raising a shaking hand, Alhaitham looked at the ring. Cyno pressed it into his palm, and Alhaitham wrapped his fingers around it. As he did, his face twisted.
Carefully, Cyno slipped a hand under Alhaitham’s shoulders, cursing Alhaitham’s height as he got his other arm under Alhaitham’s legs. “Come on, Haitham. Let’s get you home to Kaveh, yeah?” He glanced down at his friend as he stood. A choked sob left Alhaitham. Squeezing the ring, he clutched it to his chest.
Then, eyes fluttering, Alhaitham groaned and his head dropped back.
Swearing, Cyno adjusted his grip. Thankfully, Alhaitham’s grip on the ring hadn’t faded. Okay, okay. Let’s start running, he cradled Alhaitham closer, glanced at the entrance they had used. Closest place is Aaru.
He started running.
Kaveh and Tighnari appeared twenty minutes before their dusk bird did.
Face crumpling, Kaveh hurried to Alhaitham’s bedside. Cyno watched him as he dropped to his knees, reaching out for him. A choked breath left him. Gentle hands skated over Alhaitham’s face. “Oh, Haith. What have they done to you?” He whispered. Leaning in, he kissed Alhaitham’s forehead. Reaching out, he touched Alhaitham’s hand.
The ring must have still been clutched in his hand, even after the surgery done by Candace to save Alhaitham’s life. Or, alternatively, she may have placed it back in his hand when she was done for his own sake. Regardless, Kaveh found it. Cyno watched him straighten up. His hand still held Alhaitham’s, but he picked up the other ring with his free one and held it up to the light. It glittered.
Next to him, Cyno heard Tighnari gasp. It was quiet, barely an inhale. Walking over, Cyno gently took his arm. Tighnari’s eyes met his own. Cyno leaned in, lips brushing his ear as he spoke as quietly as possible, “Come on. Let’s give them some privacy.”
“Right.” He murmured, ducking out of the room. Cyno paused at the door.
Glancing back at Kaveh, who was hovering over Alhaitham and murmuring to him softly as he brushed hair from the unconscious man’s face, he followed Tighnari.