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“Crett.”
No answer.
The dark hallway was slightly damp, unusually warm water dripping through the cracks of the brick ceiling. There were a few crackling torches separated by several meters of moist, near suffocating air, that of which Louis deSnow was mildly wary of. If it came down to it, and they were truly cornered, it would be too risky to use lightning skills, even if he could. Unfortunately, he thought as he kneeled down beside a half-conscious Crett, the only close combat expert was incapacitated.
“Dammit,” he mutters, “idiotic, wannabe hero... You didn't have to save me, but you did anyway...”
“Men of Action...always save those in trouble...” Crett croaks, eyes slowly moving to the other’s face. Louis’ lips quirk into an unbidden smile, and brushes the white locks out of his eye for a moment as he whispers, “Fool of Action, more like.” If there was any retort Crett had for him, it went unsaid.
There were gashes and scrapes (and mostly likely the broken bones beneath the skin) spotted over Crett’s body. Right then, just thinking of them made Louis uncomfortable. As a Priest, he should be healing him and treating his wounds with more than an improvised splint and shreds of clothing torn off for the lack of proper bandaging. However...
Rather than spend more time resting and regretting with his only companion, Louis stood back up to scout the halls nearby.
There was a party of Carbuncles, with several beetles at their heels, slowly traversing the hallways beyond. Too numerous for Louis alone to handle with his light spells unavailable, even as they were distracted by their own shuffling and noises from the ruins above.
"Goddess, protect us…" Louis leveled an expression of mixed worry and annoyance at Crett as he returned to his side.
“Still out of--” Crett clears his throat, “mana...?” Louis answered with silence, and Crett smiled at him. “Y-you know, there was always something I kinda...wanted to tell you... Since I’m gonna--”
“Don’t say it.”
“Don’t interrupt me!” Crett’s ever light-hearted tone wavered, sending an unnerved prickle down Louis’ spine, “I...really wanted to impress you... But in the end I got myself killed, and you stuck here for...for who knows how long...” After a pregnant pause, Crett started coughing, blood dribbling down his chin. He wiped it off with the gloved back of his hand.
Louis pursed his lips, then said, “For what it’s worth, even if it ended in a colossal waste of time, and the...loss of a magnificent warrior’s life...I enjoyed it. At least, the parts where you weren’t on the edge of death.”
Crett grinned and slumped even heavier against the wall with a pained moan. Louis' breath hitched and he shuffled closer to him. “Crett, I could try to...I could heal you, if you hang on for a few more minutes,” he said, holding onto Crett’s shoulders firmly.
“Can’t...” The warrior smiled feebly as his eyelids drooped closed, “Too tired... But...thank you...”
Louis bit his lips and watched as Crett’s life vanished before his eyes. He thinks for a moment that it’s still not too late to save him. But that train of thought is quickly cut off. The only thing he could do for Crett then was offer a prayer, to rest his soul on its journey to the Goddess’ embrace.
He ran a hand through Crett’s dark brown hair, keeping his face straight even as his fingers caught on blood soaked knots. He pressed his lips against his companion's cheek, then his slack mouth, and began reciting, “May the Goddess bless and watch over you, noble warrior, and may you--” An odd, unwanted lump in his throat cut short his sendoff. He tried to swallow it down, but his voice still faltered, “may you rest in her care.”