Introducing New Characters

Following the sound of the explosion, Rosalind saw a man slumped on the ground, blood covered the ground where he lay, along with bits of his flesh.

Both his legs were missing and his hand had lost some of its flesh, showing only the white of the bones underneath.

"Sir? Sir?!"

Rosalind called out, but there was no response. The sun was just starting to rise and she wasn't sure where to step, there could be other landmines around him.

"But the man will die if I don't hurry up."

She took in a deep breath and took out a cloth. She wrapped all her hair in the cloth and took off her shoes. Carefully, she laid them to the side with her bag and walked towards the man, using a stick to feel around her.

Carefully, one step at a time. She walked as lightly as she could, her heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't breathe properly afraid a breath could mean her death.

She picked up stones and placed them wherever she stepped.

After what felt like hours, she finally reached the man. She ran to him and checked his pulse first.

"He's still breathing, thank goodness." With trembling hands, she inspected his injuries.

He's loosing too much blood too fast. Touching where his legs had blown off, she ripped the hem of her dress and used that to tie around both the legs.

Wait!

"Adriel? Where were you?"

That's not important. What if he's from the other side?

"And your point is?"

Rosalind.

"He's still a human being. I'm not leaving someone who needs me here."

His breath was getting fainter. Rosalind took off her gloves and opened his shirt. She placed her hands on his chest, closing her eyes.

You're not planning on healing him completely are you? You-

"I know, Adriel! I know. I'm not going to heal him completely. It'll be too suspicious even for him. I'll just give him his legs back."

The muscles, arteries, veins and bones of the man's leg grew, forming again what he had lost. Rosalind tried to hold herself together when she felt stabbing pains on her sides again.

Those injuries never got the chance to heal. She held on as long as she could because she wouldn't be able to continue once she lets go. But when the pain threatened to knock her unconscious, Rosalind had to let go.

She stared down at her hands, inky black consumed her fingers. She trembled from head to toe staring at her hand. She covered her mouth, unwilling to let anyone hear her.

Are you alright, Rosalind?

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you, for being here Adriel." Rosalind quickly wore her gloves when she heard the man groan.

"I have to take him back there." Rosalind stood up but fell almost immediately, the pains around her waist made her double over.

Rosalind.

"I'm fine, Adriel." She said in between gasps. "Just give me a minute." She clutched her waist, willing the pain to stop so desperately that she didn't hear the rustle of grass in front of her.

"Here. Let me."

Strong arms gently picked her up and carried her, princess style, back to her belongings. She stared at the man, he feels familiar. Though she was sure she had never seen him before.

His hair reached his shoulders and was, white(?). He held a very gentle yet unreadable expression. He smiled down at her, the blue sky illuminating his face.

"Ah. Wait. That man." Rosalind stumbled over her words. His eyes held recognition but she couldn't remember.

"I'll take care of him, don't worry. Just take care of yourself right now."

"Ok."

He placed her, very carefully, next to her bag and walked back to the man as she continued to stare at him, trying to figure out why he felt so familiar.

He walked up to the man and carelessly slung him over his shoulders. Rosalind gasped when he dropped the man in front of her like a rag doll.

"You have to be careful!" She checked his pulse, his breathing is steady now. Rosalind could let out a sigh of relief.

Now she stared at the other man. He stood there, looking at her like he was waiting for something.

"Thank you. You really saved my life."

"It is no problem. I just did what I had to."

Rosalind gave a sly smile. ". . . Really?"

"Yes."

She rummaged through her bag and took out another roll of bandages. She stared at it and sighed.

"What's wrong?" The man stood a respectable distance to her but his voice was thick with concern.

"Nothing. It's just. . . This is the second roll of bandage I'm using since I left home for me. I'll run out by the time I enter the camp."

"That's no problem. I'm sure the army camp will have their own supplies."

Rosalind looked thoughtful. "That is true."

"Yes. And if you're not in your best condition, how will you take care of them?"

"Yeah." She smiled to herself. "Thank you, Adriel. You always know what to say to make me feel better."

"It's fine." He sat down beside her. "How did you know it's me?"

Rosalind laugh then clutched her waist in pain.

"Rosalind."

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She sat up. "It's kind of obvious that it's you, Adriel. Kind of cliché too. If we were in a novel, the readers would have gotten it immediately." He laughed, painfully.

"Ok. I think you should stop laughing for now. Here, let me bandage your waist for you."

He pulled up her shirt and began removing the previous bandages to see deep, dark bruises all around her waist. He clenched his teeth, willing himself to not say anything.

"But, Adriel. Were you always male?"

"What makes you think I'm male?" Adriel rummaged through her bag for an ointment and gently rubbed them on her bruises.

"You look male and you feel male when you were carrying me. Also, you sound male. So I just thought . . ."

"Well, in this body, I am male. I have no concept of gender as humans do, Rosalind, remember?"

"That is true." Rosalind flinched when Adriel wrapped the bandage around her. "Ouch."

"I'm sorry. I'll try to be gentler."

"No, it's ok." She thought for a minute. "But why male? Don't you think I would be more comfortable as a female with a female?"

"Would you be though? You seem comfortable with me even now."

"That's . . . true. I wonder why."

"Maybe because I'm not human so I don't really feel what you would normally feel."

"That could be it. Or maybe because I know you and trust you?" She smiled at him.

Adriel looked up and smiled back at her. "That could be it too. As for why I chose a male body, you're going to the army camp. Full of men. If a man was to accompany you then they would not be as bold as if you went alone, or even with another woman. But I can change if you want."

"'Accompanied by a man'. That is true. They wouldn't take me seriously if I went alone and there is a danger of harassment if I went with another woman, too."

"You can say that I'm your assistant."

Rosalind shook her head. "No. I'll say that I'm your assistant. If I'm an assistant, there are more chances that they'll listen to you."

"But you're the one doing the work." Adriel's face knitted with confusion.

"I don't care if they think it's you or me. I'm just there to help, remember? I'll take any option if I get to help."

Adriel looked down-casted, "I'm sorry, Rosalind."

"What for? I'm just dragging you everywhere I go." Rosalind chuckled.

"Listen, Adriel. On my way here, there were some people I met. It's like the way here is littered with injured people of every walk of life. I helped all that I could. But it took so much convincing from my side that I do know what I'm doing, that three people had to die for them to allow me to treat the others. I don't know what about me gave off the feeling that I was incompetent but I'd like to avoid that now. As much as possible."

She looked at Adriel. "Will you help me here, Adriel?"

"Of course. Always."

"Thank you, Adriel. Also, you should smile more often, that pretty face is going to be wasted."

"I could say the same about you," Adriel argued.

"Oh, you flatterer." Rosalind nudged Adriel's shoulders, laughing. The pain was still faintly there.

A groan brought their attention back to the man in front of them.

I can't believe I forgot about him!!

Rosalind made a face that just screamed what she thought as Adriel tried to stifle his laughter.

The man pushed himself up slowly, still dazed. "Where am I ?" He looked around him and immediately looked at his legs.

They were bandaged up, and to his left, he saw a woman and a man. The woman looked extremely tired and was clutching her waist, while the man continued to glare at him. He felt chills run up his spine while looking at the man.

"Hello." The woman greeted him first.

What is this? She doesn't look tired at all anymore.

"My name is Rosalind and this is Adeeena (?)"

The man glanced at the woman and turned back to him. "I'm Adena, a pleasure to meet you." He stretched out his hand and the man shook it.

"It's nice to meet you too. Um . . . What happened?"

"You stepped on a landmine." The man said, nonchalantly.

"I what?!?" He patted his legs.

"Oh don't worry." Rosalind perked up. "We took care of it."

After confirming his legs were still there and that he could move them, he turned back to the two of them. The woman's face sparkled with excitement.

"I'm so glad you're alright. I- WE were so worried you wouldn't make it. Right, Adena?" Rosalind glared at him.

"Yeah."

"Thank you so much. You saved my life." The man turned to Adri- Adena, gratitude written all over his face.

Adena's scrawled at the man. "It wasn't me. It's her. I just helped."

"Oh. I am so sorry." The man turned to Rosalind, who was now glaring daggers at Adena and took her hand. Adena tensed up immediately but a pat from Rosalind kept him in his place.

"Thank you and for saving my life, I, Corporal Von Sky, owe you my life."

"Oh, you don't have to do that." Rosalind protested. "I was just doing what anyone would have done."

"Even then, I still owe you my life. Is there anything I can do for you? Whatever is asked of me, as long as I'm capable, I'll do it."

"Are you from the side of the North or South?"

"West, of course. Those South bastards, just thinking about them makes my blood boil."

Rosalind looked from Adena to the man and said, "Well, there is something I want to ask of you."

"Excellent, what may it be."

"The doctor here and I came all the way here from a small village to the North East to help but on the way, we lost the paper with our summoning and we won't be able to get into the camp without it. Can you help us out?"

"Oh! You're the backup doctors they were sending? I thought everyone died in the ambush two days ago?"

"Really?!" Rosalind gasped. "We stopped by at some villages in the way here while the rest of them went on ahead. That's why we didn't see them when we arrived."

"You're lucky then. Don't worry, I'll take you to the camp and introduce you myself." Sky said with pride in his voice.

"That's a relief. Thank you so much, Corporal Sky. You're a lifesaver."

"Oh, it's nothing." He said sheepishly. "Let's go."

He stumbled and fell on his face. Rosalind moved to help him up but Adena was there first, pulling the man up by his collar and seated him down.

He looks so tall next to Corporal Sky.

"How about we make our way to the camp tomorrow? You're in no condition to move at the moment." Rosalind asked, smiling.

"But something could be happening right now and I'm not there to help."

"I understand, corporal, but if you collapse before you even make it there, do you think there is much you can do?" Adena asked.

"No." He breathed out a loud sigh. "I hate this."

"Um, Corporal, may I ask, how old are you?"

He looked at her, expression a little sad. "Nineteen."

Rosalind's gloved hand flew to cover her mouth.

Nineteen!?! He's only a child!

"You're doing an amazing job of protecting your country." Rosalind gave her best attempt at a smile.

"Thank you." Corporal Sky smiled brightly. "This is all I ever wanted to do."

"I'm glad."

"Um, I have a question."

"Of course. What is it?"

"Why am I suddenly feeling pain everywhere?"

Rosalind's eyes widened. "Adri- Adena, could you get out the wooden box from my bag, quickly."

Corporal Sky's eyes rolled back as his body fell back. Rosalind caught him before his head could hit the ground and laid him down carefully.

"What happened, Rosalind?"

"The shock and adrenaline on his body because of the explosion wore off. The pain he's feeling is so excruciating that his body just shut down."

"That would make sense, given he just regrew his limbs." Adena handed the box over to Rosalind. She opened it and took out a dried purple flower, she crushed the flower in her hands and took the water that Adena poured for her into a cup and mixed it.

The liquid slowly turned purple, and once it completely mixed with the water, she opened his mouth and made him drink it.

"Is he in any danger?"

"No. But he'll have to bear with the pain for a while. Then he can go on living a normal life again."

"I'm surprised."

"Why?"

"You don't want to go immediately to the camp, and . . . you changed my name."

"Ah, well. I need to let myself recover a little bit, don't I?"

"Yes, that I can understand but what about my name?"

"Adriel. You're even in our folk songs. I just couldn't tell someone who you are without them suspecting anything."

"Rosalind. He might not be from your place, judging by his name and uniform, I'm sure he's one of our allies."

"Oh. Oops? I'm sorry, Adriel. I just . . . panicked, I guess."

Adriel smiled. "Never mind. I'll just use that name from now onwards. Should I make something to eat?"

"You do realise that we are still in a field covered in landmines. Where will you find anything to eat?"

"Don't worry. Just leave everything to me. You rest here. From tomorrow onwards, you're not going to have a rest day in a long time." Adriel walked away to gather sticks.

"What makes you say that?"

"Intuition ?"

Rosalind stared at the retreating figure of Adriel and her gaze went back to Corporal Sky. She felt distressed looking at him. He's only nineteen but he looks like he could be in his mid-twenties.

"Hopefully, this will all be over soon."

It's barely begun.