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As Medkit was ushering the healed inphernal out of the tent, he looked back at the kid. For some reason, his gear didn’t work on them. To Medkit, it was practically unheard of. “As for your injuries… I will need time to study them.” Medkit came closer to Sword and bent down, grabbing his face a little more firmly than he meant to.
“Ow! H-hey!” This was quite the position. A couple minutes ago he was bleeding in the alley and now? Now, Sword was sitting in a tent with a random stranger who slapped a bandage on his face. That stranger who was now taking a good look at it trying to figure out what was wrong with the Sword.
“My gear is supposed to give me the ability to help inphernals recover from their wounds.” Medkit’s eye stared at the bandage. “Or so I thought. Hmm…” Medkit got back up and crossed his arms. He better tell this kid some ground rules, he’d rather not have Sword run around unhealed without a caretaker, considering the outside circumstances.
“For now, you can stay with me while we wait for your caretaker. And during the downtime, I’ll teach you some first aid. It might come in handy for someone with your… condition.”
It was brief but Medkit saw the kid looking hesitant before the doc was immediately hit with a ray of positivity.
Huh.
“Okay!” It seemed like Sword was on board with the idea.
“Good.” Medkit glanced outside the tent to see the long line. “Look. Just be quiet while I heal everyone else in the meanwhile.”
The doc gestured for the next inphernal to come in. “Ay, what’s with the long wait!”
“Calm down, I’m getting to you.” The doc stared at the inphernal with bruises along their arm.
“Well maybe if you didn’t have an audience perhaps you can go faster.” They glared at Sword who was sitting there in silence. Slowly, the warrior raised his arms to wave at them.
That gesture caught Medkit’s eye.
I don’t know if that’ll help or make it worse, Sword.
“Whether you like it or not, that kid is stuck here.” Medkit raised his arm to the inphernal and focused his energy into them.
“Yeah, sure, whatever.” The inpehrnal rolled their eyes as they smiled. The pain was fading.
Medkit helped the inphernal back up and sent them on their merry way. Well, he figured as merry as these inphernals can be. Crossroad was… anything but that at the moment. “Sword?”
“...Yes?”
“When do you expect your caretaker to get here?”
“...” The kid looked down at the ground, hesitant to say anything.
“Do you… have a caretaker?” Medkit was starting to get concerned. Had all the phighting done something to the kid’s guardian? Or were they one of the inphernals who managed to survive all by themselves.
…
By the looks of it, Sword seemed like the inphernal to have the protection of a caretaker.
“...I do. I think.”
Medkit smiled at Sword. “That’s good, they might get here while I’m in the middle of all this.” The doc gestured for the next inphernal to come in. “And if they don’t then… we’ll talk about that later, okay?”
“... Okay.”
Sword said that knowing Venomshank wasn’t going to go look for him any time soon. Did he even want his mentor to find him?
…
A groan could be heard coming from the doc. How long did he spend healing everyone? Honestly, he wasn’t even counting past the twentieth inphernal.
But, for the amount of work he did, he felt surprisingly light. Especially now that he wasn’t in Blackrock. Even if he hated how people treated him as a valuable tool, deep down he truly did enjoy seeing people recover from their injuries. Especially here, when people looked so… relaxed. People seemed warmer. A warmth that was long lost in the unrelenting colds within Blackrock.
Figuratively and literally.
With all the phighting going on, he felt a bit of security knowing that they wouldn’t come looking for him here. At least for now. Once the deities stop, he’ll have to figure something out. Inphernals here would start to rebuild which meant media, news, and a chance for Blackrock to catch up to him.
He can’t let them do that. If they did- they would…
It’s worse than being dead.
A chill crawled up Medkit’s spine. The thought of that filled him with paranoia.
“Are you okay?” He heard a voice behind him. Sword.
“Oh- I- uh- I’m fine.”
This Sword inphernal. He was interesting. Most of the time they sat there silent like he had asked but there was something about this inphernal. They kept smiling at him.
The two learned a decent amount about each other during the small downtime between each inphernal. The doc would admit, Sword was… a good change of pace. So hopeful. So determined.
“I’m okay Sword, let me just-” He took a good look outside. It looked like most of the inphernals were healed, the rest were just loitering outside his makeshift tent. The doc turned back to Sword. “So, here’s the plan. Since I can’t heal you with my gear and crystals, we’ll just have to do it the old fashion way.”
“Old fashion?” Sword turned his head in confusion when Medkit said that. A hand reached into a container and carried out a needle and thread. “Wait! That’s what you mean by old fashion!”
Medkit let out a small chuckle. “Unfortunately. I figured it might be the next best thing than using my gear. I’d hate doing this to inphernals, especially someone your age but it’s either that or let your cut get infected.” Especially since he knew his gear and crystals would have healed a cut that deep before. It wasn’t like the kid lost an arm. Then why? Why didn’t this work?
The warrior crossed their arms. “Fine.”
The suturing kit was put beside Sword as Medkit bent down once again to inspect the warrior. “But first, let me just try again.” Medkit peeled the bandage away, Sword wincing at the action for a moment before trying to hold still. “Huh.” He stared at the cut. “I don’t get it.”
“Is- is there something wrong?”
“No it’s just-... I hoped before that I helped your body accelerate the healing process but it’s as if the only thing that can heal you is your natural healing process.”
“Oh…”
Medkit looked at the cut. It was clean. Incredibly clean. How does an inphernal get a cut from something so powerful? So deity like. “What was it that caused this? I don’t think you answered before.”
Sword looked down. “I- I…”
A hand came on top of Sword’s hand. Medkit’s hand. “It’s okay, you can tell me, I’m here to help you after all.”
“... I don’t think I should.”
That… surprised him. “Oh- then you don’t need to if you don’t want to but it’ll really help if I knew what did this.”
“...”
“Well- I guess we can just start-”
“Windforce, the deity did this.”
The deity. That deity. The one who destroyed the entire layer of Crossroad was the one who did this? How’d they manage to get out of there? Anyone caught in there were practically goners, as much as Medkit didn’t want to admit it.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
“... I’m better now that you’re here,” Sword smiled to Medkit which caught him off guard. “And I wanna learn as well!”
For a moment, Medkit gave him a genuine smile. A smile that held genuine warmth unlike the one he gave to all the other patients he had throughout the day. One that he was trained to hold for the sake of appearance. “I’m glad… but there’s a bit of an issue.”
“...?” Sword turned their head in confusion.
“I’m not sure if my gear can’t heal you because you’re different or if it’s because a deity caused this.” It wasn’t like he’d tried healing wounds from a deity before. But this could also relate to Sword himself. Was it Sword or was it the deity? “Well let me just try it one more time.”
His hands hovered over Sword’s cut. Medkit could feel the path of energy flowing from inside him, inside his gear, into Sword. The tent lit up as his gear did the job but when Medkit pulled his hands back, it was still the same. “Huh.”
“So that means I have to learn how to stitch?” Sword looked beside him to the needle and thread Medkit placed.
“Oh- definitely not- I’m not making a kid learn how to sew themselves on themselves. I’ll do it but I want you to listen.”
“...Okay.”
“But I’ll teach you how to bandage it as well, okay?”
Sword smiled at the doc. “Go ahead.”
…
For someone who hadn’t done this in a while, Medkit should be celebrating cause it was a pretty good job. At least, he thinks so. Not like anyone else was there to judge his suturing skills
“How’s that feel?”
“Better! Thank you so much.” Sword’s eyes had a source of positivity that Crossroad could use right about now. A positivity that Medkit could use.
“Okay, now we just need to bandage it,” Medkit mentioned as he grabbed them. “I’ll explain it while I do it. So listen up.”
Quickly, Sword nodded. As the inphernal was bandaging Sword, the warrior couldn’t help but smile at them. Medkit was explaining the steps while the warrior was trying to absorb as much information as possible. It was something that Venomshank had failed to teach Sword because Sword was simply never put in a situation that needed this much medical attention.
It felt like it could be useful later in his life to help others. Just like this Medkit inphernal was doing. It was what Sword wanted to be. Helpful!
“And… done.” Medkit got back up to put the supplies back. “Now, it’s starting to get dark,” his eye glared at the tent opening. “We should probably head out and find your caretakers.”
Sword looked up in surprise. “W-we are? But aren’t they still phighting?”
Medkit put a hand onto his chin. “Well it seems like it’s calmed down for now.” Medkit approached Sword. “Now, who was the name of your caretaker? It’ll be easier to track them down if I knew the name.”
“...” Sword couldn’t make anything come out of his mouth. He was worried that Medkit would… be scared. Would hate him.
Why?
It was because… this was all his fault wasn’t it. The slash, Windforce, the argument. It was all because of him. Now, inphernals are dead. Sword had avoided thinking about it but they were all dead because of him.
The entire top layer, everything that was built there. Gone.
Because of Sword.
Because he got in the way.
Because he didn’t know any better.
…
“Woah, it’s okay-” Medkit gave a gentle hand onto Sword’s shoulder, looking softly at the Inphernal. “It’ll be okay- we’ll find them.”
“You’ll get mad.”
“Mad? Well if the inphernal you’re under is,” Medkit got closer to whisper, “a criminal or illegal, then I can look the other way.”
“It’s not… ” Sword’s face dropped down in guilt.
“Don’t worry, I’m not that clean either-” Medkit can’t believe he just admitted to that, to a kid no less. Guess the mix of Sword’s personality and the fact that they were young targeted his shields he had up ever since he got away from Blackrock. “Whatever it is- it’ll be our goal to find them and have you reunite with them, safe and sound.”
“... I don’t think it’s possible.”
“With that attitude, it’s not.” Usually, Medkit wasn’t this optimistic but Sword had so much… light to him that he felt like it was the right thing to do.
“I- it’s- it’s the reason why there’s conflict outside. I’m so sorry… My mentor is… Venomshank.”
Medkit was reactionless before giving a small laugh. “Haha, good job lightening the mood.”
Sword shook their head. “Venomshank is my caretaker, Medkit. It’s not a joke. I’m… sorry.”
Without thinking, Medkit got up and backed away from Sword. “No- NO. that’s not- what do you mean Venomshank’s your caretaker.”
“He’s been taking care of me ever since I was spawned so… he’s the closest thing to family that I have now.”
Medkit was starting to panic. He held his horns anxiously while pacing around the room. “What?! How is that possible! That deity doesn’t have a-” Their head snapped to Sword. “When were you going to tell me!”
“I- I never had the chance- I just- I- I didn’t want you to hate me.”
“I’m FUCKING DEAD. I’m dead- I’m dead- Oh my god, why is this-”
“Medkit! You helped me! My mentor won’t hurt you.” Sword was surprised by Medkit’s look of fear towards him. No one had ever looked at him… like that.
“You’ll be okay! I WON’T! What do you think is going to happen?! They’re out there phighting, probably because you’re gone and as soon as they find out I have you?! Gone, dead, that’s it!” Medkit was trembling out of fear. One that he hadn't felt since escaping. As he continued to pace around, panicking, he heard a figure come in through the tent.
What could it be now?!
The doc was trying to calm himself down to figure out what to do next.
“Mind if I got a bit of yer time?” The figure had a cowboy hat, common among certain groups within the Lost Temple. Their right hand was also missing. Why were they here?
“What the hell?! If you need healing, wait for me to let you-...” They came closer to Medkit who backed away from them.
“No worries, I’m just here for a bit of business. The name’s Rifle.” Both of the other inphernals looked weary of her. She approached Medkit with a business card. “I’ve seen yer skills- it’s quite impressive. Healing all those phernals' was quite impressive, I’ll admit. Yer may have heard about us, we’re the Church of the True Eye back in the Lost Temple.”
Medkit stared right at her. While she was speaking, he managed to compose himself enough to get his act together. “What’s your point?”
“We want someone with yer skills.”
Immediately, Medkit responded. “If you think that I’d do that, then no way-”
“Oh- but ya should let me finish.” She let out a small laugh. “Ya heard what happened a couple weeks ago. It was… awful. But! This church allows us to rebuild everything that we lost. We’re powerful, supported, and with ya potentially in our group, we’d be even stronger. If ya join us, we’ll provide ya with all the protection that ya could ever need.”
“P- protection?” Those were the words that stood out to him. He wanted so desperately to feel safe. To not feel like he was in danger every single minute of the day. For a while, he was fine but Sword just came into his life and put everything he fought for in jeopardy.
…
That wasn’t fair. His reaction wasn’t fair. Sword, in the few hours they’ve known each other, was not like that.
It’s not Sword’s fault.
And Medkit would never blame Sword because of it. They were just a teenager who was still learning, unlike himself. He should know better than to act like that.
To scare someone.
To blame them.
…
It reminded him of them.
Just like that inphernal.
That doctor.
That monster.
Subspace.
“That got yer attention, huh? Seems like you could use some friends if I might add.” She glanced over Medkit’s figure. “And you’d fit in mighty fine as well.”
“...Fit in?” Medkit’s head turned in confusion.
“Well- that’s a bit classified, all the information is on the card. Come join us in our goal and make the people who destroyed our land pay.” Rifle’s eyes turned to Sword. “And who’s this inphernal?”
Sword looked away. “I- I’m Sword.”
“Sword…” the warrior felt scared. He didn’t get a good vibe from her. Her words were filled with vengeance. With a distinct feeling of spite.
Anger without trying to sound angry.
Hatred in a way Sword never wanted others to feel.
“Yer a bit young aren’t you.”
Sword looked up to Medkit for guidance, even when the doc pushed Sword away after figuring out he was related to a deity.
Medkit sighed as he answered. “It’s just a kid who’s missing their caretaker, we were just about to go out and find them.”
“Oh- yer compassionate too, how sweet.” Rifle bent down to Sword and offered him a card. “Well- if yer don’t find your caretaker, we’re fully stocked to help ya. We’re all family there after all.” The inpehrnal came closer to whisper to Sword, preventing Medkit from hearing. “And it seems Medkit here has an attachment to ya.”
In return, Sword squinted towards Rifle’s eyes, grabbing the card and setting it down on his chair. “I-... thanks I guess.”
Rifle’s smile widened as she got back up. “Well thank ya for listening. It’s dangerous out, ya know, I hope ya both get to be safe. You never know what might happen, haha.” Then she left without another word.
Medkit stood there, mouth opened in a bit of shock. The card in his hand was gripped tighter.
“Medkit, are you okay?” Sword looked to Medkit whose breathing became erratic. As if fear had a hold of them.
“I’m… I’m not.” God, he shouldn’t be like this in front of a kid. Medkit was so close to having a breakdown in front of them. “I- I- It’s- I’m so nervous.” A hand came up to grip his chest.
It hurt.
Medkit’s legs gave out and he kneeled down on the ground.
Breath in and out, in and out, in and-
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Medkit looked back and saw Sword trying to comfort him.
“I- I’m so sorry- it’s my fault.”
“Sword…”
“I made you scared, it’s all my fault. I didn’t think that…” Sword shook his head as he started to back away from Medkit. “It’s okay, I feel better. I’ll leave. I don’t wanna scare you anymore.” As Sword was trying to leave the tent, a hand grabbed him harshly.
“W- wait.”
“No! Let me go- I’ll only hurt you! Just let me go! I don’t wanna hurt anyone anymore!”
“Sword- please, just wait.” For a teenager, they were surprisingly strong. But either Sword didn’t want to actually leave or Medkit was stronger than he thought, Sword gave up and collapsed right beside Medkit. It was probably the former. “You didn’t hurt me.”
“H-huh?” Sword looked like they were about to cry.
“I… there’s no excusing how I reacted but it’s not because of you, Sword.”
“I brought this to you though.”
“And I chose to keep you here. And you’re right… the deity probably won’t do anything, I’ve just been so paranoid for the past few weeks…” Sword’s eyes looked up to Medkit. A couple of tears could be seen in his eyes. “I just didn’t expect a deity’s son to fall under my hands.”
“... I’m not his son though. I’m mortal like you.”
Medkit gave a look of confusion. “Oh- well you must be something special then.” A smile came onto his face.
“Are you trying to make me feel better?”
“Is it working?”
“Ehehe- maybe.”
“Sword, it’s not your fault.” Medkit stood up and gave a hand to Sword.
Sword grabbed it and got back onto his feet. “But I was in the way. How is it not my fault?” The warrior glanced to the exit of the tent. For a moment, he could feel Medkit’s hand tightening on his own. Did the doc want Sword to stay that much?
That felt… nice.
“You didn’t choose to be the cause of their phight, Sword. Sometimes things happen in ways that we wish could’ve been different. But it was never you who was the one who wanted to phight. Don’t you ever let anyone else blame you for something that you wanted to happen differently. I know you didn’t want any of this to happen.”
“Medkit…” Sword gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”
Medkit gave a smile in return. “Now that I know about Venomshank, we can probably find them pretty quickly.”
The warrior nodded in response.
“Can you give me a second alone though, I want to do something before I leave.”
“O-oh okay,” Sword said as he made his way outside the tent. Medkit watched as Sword left but as soon as they were out of sight, he pulled the card back up.
The Church of the True Eye. Medkit was so sick of all this worrying. He looked at where Sword sat.
The card. He left it there. Medkit picked up the other card. The trash can was near the tent opening.
…
…
His hand hovered over the trash can. The church’s card in his hands.
…
…
Then came the thoughts.
Blackrock.
Subspace.
The torture that he knew he’d face if they caught him.
Being alone.
No one would help him.
No one.
One mistake.
Just one.
One bullet he can’t dodge.
One night where he didn’t pay attention.
One time they’d need to attack.
And- Dead. That’s all it would take.
No.
Worse than dead.
…
…
Was he really alone? His eyes saw a glance of Sword who was standing outside the tent.
Venomshank.
Deities.
They never meant well.
…But Sword was something good.
…
…
Slowly, Medkit put the card into his pockets.
Then he made his way outside to Sword.