Young Writers Society

"Why, with magic of course," Nanashi replied. "Names are my power, and my curse. I have always existed like this." She looked back to Maahes, her charcoal hair sweeping across her back. "How do you feel?" she inquired, concern etched in her tone.

"I would love to be able to do that." Maia smiles.

Bo stared with awe as Nanashi's magic healed Maahes's wound on his side. It was a magic like he's never seen before. He's always known that there was power in people's names, but this was completely new. It appeared he really had fallen in a strange place, especially, now that his attention had been brought to the souls floating through the sky numerous times (he's thought they were clouds at first glance - clearly a poor perception of the truth, which he wanted to blame on his concussion but was equally in part due to his lack of attention).

He lifted up a hand, waving it slightly to get Nanashi's attention.

"Sorry to uh, interrupt, buy do you think you could do that for my head?" He asked, pointing to the gash on his temple. "If your magic seals it up and prevents infection, I'm thinking it'd be better than letting this bleed out more."

It was strange to feel the wound suddenly heal. Even the healing technology of other worlds had been unable to fix his wounds. While he was grateful for a method to be healed with, he was even more relieved when he could finally concentrate.

"Thank you," he said.

From gathering the fractured memories within herself, Nanashi apparently had not been this useful to others in a long time. It enkindled a purpose in her she had not experienced alone. Remaining with these individuals seemed all the more appealing to her this way.

A flurried hand movement caught Nanashi's eyes, directing her attention to the tallest member of the group. She was taken aback by the scars running down his face and the gash she had failed to notice as he spoke to her.

"Forgive me," Nanashi said, "I will be happy to heal you the same. You hide your pain well, stoic warrior." She adjusted herself towards the tall man, wary of her energy levels; too many name commands in such a short period could be troublesome for her. "In order to heal you, I will require your true, full name," she rephrased.

Bo smiled, letting out a quiet laugh, amused at Nanashi calling him stoic. "Andrei Robert Petrov. But in any other context I prefer just Bo. I've grown attached to the nickname."

Nanashi performed the same healing command on Bo as she had on Maahes, substituting the name called. By the end of it she felt her limbs grow heavier and her head hazier, but not enough to become a liability to the group.

Her healing appeared once again to be successful.

Bo gave a thankful bow of his head, feeling the relief that came with the wound being stitched up and healed.

"Thank you," he smiled. "I am in your debt."

Maahes gave Nanashi a concerned look. "How do you feel?" he asked. Even though she had eagerly offered to heal them, it didn't mean her abilities didn't come without a cost. He didn't want to cause harm to his newest companion - especially when she had treated him with such sudden and earnest kindness.

Valon raised an eyebrow, which was now adorned above faint-red eyes. "Her energy's heat signature is considerably lower, but she's fashionably stable." His gaze traced around them, through the fog. There were no signs of life to the north, nor the east or west. He turned his head over his shoulder and squinted, flames about his body mixing colors between red, orange, and white. "Something approaches," he growled. "Combat wisdom dictates that we save as much stamina as we can until we must rest." He aimed his sword towards the encroaching heat. "A beast approaches." As the others moved to each ready for combat, she shook his head.

"India and I will handle this beast. The remainder of you move north and conserve energy in advent of our potential failure."

And he dashed south through the marsh, leaving scorched compost in his wake.

He would have offered to help, but the two were already gone. His shoulders slumped in defeat. He would have excelled in combat, though it had been quite some time since he had been able to use the full extent of his abilities.

Still, he could protect the others if the need arose.

"Let's go," he said, pointing to what he guessed was northwards. He started heading towards that direction, despite not knowing what exactly he was supposed to be going towards.

Valon suddenly stopped in his tracks as the marsh around him rippled and quivered under titanic footfalls. Using his heat sight once more, he gasped and rolled through the shallows as a mammoth, one-eyed beast stormed from the rock formations above.

The monster roared, rearing down to hoist a tree from its roots--raised as a club.

"India! Get away!" The elf tossed a fireball into the cyclops' exposed groin and ran for him as it reeled in pain. He brandished his sword and burned a slash flurry upon its back, finishing his movements with a deep cut for the spine, missing due to the thickness of its muscle. Suddenly, the beast whirled backwards and clobbered Valon with the tree club, landing him on the rocks above.

Balessan groaned and held his head, hearing his heart throbbing over the sounds of battle below. He had to regroup with the others. He had to save India. He had to...

...the eye!