Delivered to the light. (Many,see inside)

[JetAlmeara]

Delivered to the light
Plot specific wrap-up RP for Freedom Unleashed

 

[JetAlmeara]

The last few hours of their return trip was by far the most miserable, the party was tired, their wounds ached and Mercy's spider bites - which Ironforge found the most worrisome' had swollen to a terrible size, the mare wasn't complaining but the shaggy stallion had started to spot a hitch in her stride, stumbling that worried him. A sign that the poison's from the spiders bite was perhaps beginning to do more damage. Maybe she was just tired..it was a hope he clung too as he ruthlessly drove his tired party on through the night. She needed to stop and receive care..but he had not been able to afford her that luxury.

It wasn't until dawn that they reached the safety of the herdlands and Ironforge allowed the group to slow and finally as they penetrated the safe lands far enough to stop completely in a sheltered group of tree's. "Call for Zhevra and the healers." He asked of a local songbird, one he recognized as a regular in the area and thankfully one that seemed willing to help..as he too was far to tired to go searching for them all himself. "Rest, eat." He encouraged the small group.

Mercy's muzzle was barely clearing the ground as she followed the others, her mind was fuzzy and every now and then her legs didn't seem to work right and she stumbled. There was pain, a fire in her side that seemed to be spreading slowly throughout her entire body as she moved and the mare wanted nothing more then to stop and lay down somewhere, preferably in a nice cool stream - where the rushing water would sooth and numb the fire.

Every time she wandered from the path or tried to stop however someone turned her back, ruthlessly forcing her to continue onward despite her pitiful cries of objection. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she wasn't thinking straight anymore but she couldn't process the thought enough to bring herself out of the daze. It felt like they had marched forever before the torture ended and they stopped. Mercy didn't even bother to look around for that oh so longed for stream..she merely dropped where she stood and closed her eyes. Sleep..she wanted so badly to sleep..but she was so hot and it hurt so very much.

The pale mare had been getting worse and worse as they went along - Supreme had spotted the bites and had already concluded that she was having a bad reaction to the poison. She had seen it happen from time to time among the slaves. Sometimes they died..sometimes they pulled through..but there was nothing to be done about it without her herbs and those had been long scattered and lost in the flight.

"She is feverish." She told the rainbow stallion beside her. "If the fever is not broken she won't make it." She told him sorrowfully. "I'm sorry..but she is young and strong which has seen her through this long. I hope the healers you have here are good, some elderberry or yarrow would help." She added, turning about to see if she could spot any in the woods..though she was not familiar enough with the area and what grew here to help as much as she wanted to and her eyes were sad at the helplessness she felt.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Night was not optimal for travel and yet they had little choice in the matter. While the others trudged on, getting slower as each hour passed Camaria kept to the air as much as possible. With Mercy plagued by the effects of the spiders poison she was the only winged Soquili in the group and thus had the best chance of spotting danger before it reached the others. As such she had been traveling greater distances during their push to the safety of the herd. She flew back towards where they had come from, having to go farther than normal due to the darkness, then she would return to the group to report ot Ironforge. There were times when she'd swing to the left or right of the group knowing that possibility that if any gave chase they wouldn't necessarily stick to the path.

It was an exhausting thing to do especially after having spend most of the day in the air as well doing last minute sweep before the rescue took place. Seeing that the group had come to a stop now that they were just outside of the herds territory Camaria wheeled around touching down a short distance away. Her eyes immediately fell upon Mercy as the mare crumpled to the ground. She felt sorry for her and truly hoped she would make it through this give that they were now where they should be. Camaria's wings laid limply at her side, as she was too tied to fold them up to rest. She took a few steps closer to Ironforge before speaking. "Everything looks clear, we shouldn't have any problems now, especially this close to the herd." Her gaze moved over the bunch, all showing signs of exhaustion and pain due to the hard travel and their injuries, but it was on Mercy again that Camaria's eyes settled on. "I do hope she makes it." She said to Ironforge in a quiet tone.

The push back to the herd at night had been a necessary evil but that did not make it easy for any in the group. They had stopped only once for water and then continued to press on. The sooner they got to the herd the better it would be for all of them. Kale kept as close to Mercy as he could as her condition slowly worsened with each leg of the journey. He had lost track of the number of times he told her they were almost there in order to keep her moving. It pained him to see her like this, she was his first student and while she had slacked off in the beginning before this rescue she had truly been showing great potential. Now her eyes held a distant look to them, her hooves dragged along the ground and she could barely life her head. When they finally reached the border of the herd and the sun began to rise it gave him a small amount of hope that they had made it. But seeing Mercy's condition made him wonder for just a moment if they had arrived only to watch her fall to the poison. No, he shook his head, that wouldn't happen.

He stepped closer to the mare as she fell to the ground. "You made it Mercy." He told her not sure if she would even heard him or register the words. "The healers will be here shortly to help." His eyes moved up to Supreme and he nodded at her words. He had pushed back the pain from his wounds so that he could better concentrate on seeing Mercy and the rest to safety but now that they had stopped a strong burning in his chest and jaw reminded him of the extent of his injuries. That spiked brute had done a lot of damage to his chest, ripping open flesh and muscle. His jaw, while painful, was not in too bad of shape, at least the bone wasn't broken, but the wound would take some time to heal. "She is a fighter." He told Supreme as he stood at Mercy's side. "The healers will see that she is taken care of." He would make them tend to her before his own injuries. Ears perked up as he heard hoof beats coming from the distance, his heart raced for a moment until he realized it was the healers coming from within the herd not their enemies closing in on them.  

[JetAlmeara]

Ironforge turned his gaze upon Mercy as she fell where she stood, watching her in silence for a few moments. If the pale mare died it could be argued that he had been the cause of it, stopping this forced march earlier might well have spared her a great deal of her torment, could perhaps have kept the poison from spreading so quickly...if she died it would be but one more drop of guilt in the great pool of it he already carried around with him. It was a painful thought but the shaggy stallion hardened his heart against any show of grief for the moment, to stop earlier would have put the rest of them in danger - as cruel and as harsh as it might be the needs of the many were ever more important then the needs of the individual. It was a dangerous path Mercy had agreed to walk and if she died...she would be well remembered for the deeds she done while on that path, even as short as her time on it had been.

But she was not dead yet and Ironforge had great faith in not only his healers but Mercy's great heart...surely the mares stubborn will would see her through this. Camaria's voice broke through his reverie and he turned his eyes from the downed mare at long last. "She will." He told the scout confidently, making sure his voice, strong and sure, almost a command, carried itself to the downed mare and her mentor. Kale could be her sympathetic support, but Ironforge...Ironforge would demand she recover, he would be the ruthless voice with commanded her to rise when she didn't think she could..if she could not be strong at the moment, then he would be strong for her. He had seen troops near death respond to such surety and confidence before and as the leader of this group it was his responsibility to provide it for them.

It was a hard thing to do - he had seen wounded Soquili curse and howl and sputter hatred at those who refused to let them give up, demanded that they drag their damaged bodies onward, that they stand up, that they eat and drink and keep living. Sometimes even when the injuries healed and the Soquili was well again the hatred remained..but others were grateful and Ironforge had a hard time believing that Mercy was even capable of hatred...which made it almost harder for him to be harsh on her. It was much easier to ruthlessly push those who looked at you in anger then those who regarded you with determination to please.

Turning his attention back to Camaria once more he took in her exhausted state. "You need to rest, you've done your part." He told her gently. This close to the herd there was no reason that she could not recover some of her strength. Quickly approaching hoofbeats signaled the arrival of Zhevra and several of the herd healers. "See to Mercy first, Kale will fill you in on her condition." He ordered the first healer he laid eyes on.

"Zhevra..all is well in the herd? Cameria says our path is clear so we can expect no trouble right now but I wish to post extra guards for the next little while in case a retaliation attempt it made to steal the mare back."

Zhevra was not sure what he had been expecting when he arrived on the scene with the healers in tow...but it had not been this. The group looked terrible, his father had of course said it was going to be a hard fight..but it had not really sunk in before now. Even his fathers shaggy hide was stained red and for Zhevra, whom had never before seen his father wounded, that alone was a shocking sight. Kale as well..powerful and strong as he was - sported injuries that were terrible to behold. For almost as long as Zhevra could remember he had held his father and Kale as indestructible, stallions that could overcome anything without trouble..but here, here was proof to the contrary and Zhevra was suitably rattled by this thought.

As terrible as it was to see his father and Kale wounded however..it was nothing to seeing Mercy as she lay upon the ground. Still and motionless..if it wasn't for his fathers words as he directed the healers to see to her well..he'd have thought she was dead and he couldn't help but stare at her prone form in horror. It was hard to see the vibrant mare so beaten..so broken...and somewhere in the back of his mind a terrible, terrible voice was glad it had not been him to take this trip after all.

Such a horrible thought to be glad it wasn't him laying on the ground and Zhevra was shamed to his very soul for even thinking it. If he hadn't been such a lay about well...maybe it should have been him, he had always thought Mercy was far to kind and gentle and sweet to live a life such as this, no matter what his father said to the contrary. "What have they done to her?!" He exclaimed without really thinking about it, horror in his voice.

"Mercy will be fine." Ironforge stated in the same firm and confident voice he had used before. "Now tell me of the herd..go and post guards." He told his son..but when several heartbeats passed and the young stallion was still staring at the downed mare Ironforge stamped him hoof upon the ground and spoke louder. "Zhevra!" He demanded in a harsh tone "Stop focusing on her, she will be fine. Do your job."

At his fathers words Zhevra pulled his eyes away from Mercy only to focus them on his father with a look of disbelief. Fine? Fine?!? How could he call that fine? She looked like she was almost dead and he was standing here acting like she could get up and trot off with no problem while he demanded news about the herd and wanted him to see about posting guards! Why was his father always so callous? So cruel and uncaring? Someone ought to be over there comforting her..not just standing around saying she was alright! It was quite plain that she was anything BUT alright.

"The herd is fine, like always." He told his father in a scathing tone. "But its so nice to know you care about something." He concluded before giving the shaggy stallion one last glare and trotting away to see about the guards, more to get himself away from his father before he said something he would really regret then because he thought more guards were actually needed.

Ironforge watched as his son took off, briefly a pained expression flicked across his eyes before he managed to wipe it from his face and turn his attention from the younger stallions fleeing form. Zhevra didn't understand he told himself..he had never been in danger, never been through a battle..and Ironforge was somewhat grateful for that naivety, even if it meant his son sometimes looked at him like he was a monster, because when his son finally did look at him in understanding...it would mean that he had been through some terrible things and Ironforge knew that a small part of him would break that day.

"Supreme!" The call came through the brush almost as quickly as the small brown form launched itself out of them. Lolly the goat knew that members of the rescue party had been wounded. She could smell the blood, see the wounds on various hides..but even that could not stop the sheer joy she felt at seeing her friend saved at long last. "I'm so glad you are here!" She went on, not even bothering to halt her mad dash but instead throwing herself at her friend, leaping into the air to nuzzle her muzzle over and over again.

It was an odd thing, to see so much joy in such a somber scene - but how could she do anything less? Lolly had been waiting for this day for months now and a small part of her had thought that maybe, perhaps it may never come.

Supreme's ears pricked up as soon as the voice called her name and although she gave Kale a small nod of acknowledgement - of course the pale mare was a fighter, if she wasn't then she wouldn't have made it through the night, her attention almost directly went to the small brown bolt that was racing towards her. "Lolly! I thought I'd never see you again!" Supreme exclaimed, lowering her head so that her friend could stop jumping in order to reach her. "I was so thankful that you'd gotten away!" She went on, her voice breaking a little bit as the sight of her friend made her recall the fears of her capture.

All of that was over now she told herself, in the past. Done with..and they were together again. Together and taking up valuable room she reminded herself as the healers, directed by Ironforge approached. "Lets move over here so that can work." She suggested, nudging the excitable goat just a little bit to one side of the group.

Dimly Mercy heard the voices around her, Kales soft spoken words of comfort, Ironforges commands, the excitable high pitched goat which made her ears twitch as it assaulted her fevered mind. It was however..far to much for her to possibly process at the moment and she caught only brief moments of it as she drifted in and out. The sounds of hoofbeats fast approaching made her stir just a little bit, fearful that they were suddenly being chased before she caught the word healer and calmed again.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Slowly she folded her tired wings against her side and nodded to Ironforge. Although she was exhausted and wished to curl up and sleep right where she stood she knew that would not happen for some time. If anything, she wanted to remain here and watch over those she had helped. Turning here gaze from the assembled group to Ironforge she spoke. "I know, but so do you, be sure you take your own advice about resting." She knew how stubborn the shaggy stallion could be and so he too would need reminding that he would need to rest after such an exhausting day and night of fighting and traveling. As the healers arrived Camaria took a few steps back to allow them more room to work. She herself only had a few minor scratches here and there from brushing up against rocks and prickly bushes while in the spider mares territory so she had little use for their skills at this point. The others needed them and so her minor cuts would wait.

Kale didn't pay much attention to the exchange between Zhevra and Ironforge. He only cared about seeing Mercy tended to, so as the healers descended upon the group Kale turned to the lead healer. "Spider poison." He told them bluntly. There was no reason to waste time mentioning pointless details, the healers would easily see the large swollen bites on the mare. They just needed to know what it was so that they could help. "Supreme here says yarrow or elderberry will help fight it." Though he was certain the healers would figure that out once they examined Mercy that would also waste precious time. Mercy needed help now, not in a few moments. Seeing the nod from the lead healer Kale took a step back, he would remain close to Mercy to watch over her and talk to her as needed but now her life was in the healers hooves.

The healers were a blur to him for several moments while they moved around Mercy looking at her wounds, retrieving herbs from their pouches, some were using their latent unicorn powers to help speed up the healing. Part of him wanted to shoo them away, he feared too much activity around the disoriented mare would cause her to panic, think that they had fallen under attack again, but these individuals were the only ones who could help him so the most he could do was pace back and fourth while anxiously watching. His eyes moved to Ironforge a short distance away now and then but otherwise his attention was solely on Mercy.

When a healer approached him and started talking about the wound on his chest Kale ignored him. But the healer persisted saying that the wound had to be cleaned and treated before infection set in. "She needs help more than I do!" He shouted at the poor healer who looked towards Ironforge. Kale went back to pacing, yes he could feel a deep burning in his chest which may very well be a sign of infection working it's way through his wound but he didn't care. Mercy was in grave shape and even one healer not paying attention to her could tip the balance, Kale was certain of it. "My wounds will remain untreated until she shows signs of improvement." It was a crazy move to make but Kale was more concerned about his student than his own health now. The only thing that would sway his mind, and even then he would likely argue over it, was if Ironforge told him to allow the healers to work on him as well.  

[JetAlmeara]

Ironforge was well aware that he needed to rest, he was a good bit older then he had been when he had taken on such crusades before and come tomorrow morning he was sure he would recognize just how much older as muscle tightened and stiffness set in. He would rest, as soon as he could do so. "I will." He assured Camaria, opening his mouth as though to say something else when a shout from nearby caught his attention. Turning towards the commotion he watched as Kale resumed his worried pacing, presumably after shouting at the healer.

"Kale." He told the other stallion in a low and firm tone. "It may be quite some time before the healers are finished with Mercy, you will not do her any good if she wakes just as you succumb to infection. Let them see to your injuries." He commanded. There were many eyes on Mercy at the moment and Ironforge was sure that if she were not in capable hooves the healer seeing to Kale never would have left her side. He could appreciate the other stallions anxiety but such emotions would not help the situation. To further prove that he thought things well enough in hand he turned to Camaria. "Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss your payment, when we are through no doubt Kale will have been seen to and it will be my turn." He went on, loud enough to that he was sure the other stallion would know he fully expected him to suffer through the healers ministrations while he was away..else there would be words upon his return.

Lolly didn't complain at being pushed to the side by Supreme, it was almost preferred really - given the choice she always preferred to stay off to the side anyways. "She doesn't look so good." the little goat stated as her attention drifted to the flurry of activity which had pushed them to the side to begin with. The pale mare..Mercy seemed to be the most critically wounded. That was rather sad, Lolly had liked the little mare a good deal more then the more tense stallions of the herd.

"No, she doesn't." Supreme agreed softly "But I have seen others just as bad pull through." She went on, giving a bit of hope to the little goat. She kept that following thought to herself..that she had seen just as many in Mercy's condition die. Moving off even further out of the way - as she had no wounds for the healers to bother with..having not taken part of the fighting at all and only being weak from the ill care she had received in the hooves of Pirata, Supreme lay down to rest under the sweeping branches of a pine tree. Lolly came to lay beside her and Supreme put her head over the goat to hold her close while they waited and watched for the outcome of the healers attempts.

Mercy felt the healers as they moved all around her, some of them pushed herbs into her mouth and urged her to swallow with strokes to her throat, others lay cool leaf poultices on her wounds. She vaguely heard several of them speak of healing the fever but it was quickly decided that the poison ought to be dealt with first as that was deemed the underlying cause.

It wasn't until Kale shouted and she realized that a healer wanted to look at him that anything really penetrated the fog of her mind and she tried to lift her head and look for him. "Kale? Don't let him yell at you..help Kale." She told one of the healers near her, blinking as she tried to focus on the blur of movements around her. A rainbow colored blur was sure to be Kale but he was moving much to fast for her foggy mind to keep up with and the effort to do so was making her head ache so she closed her eyes and lay her head back down again.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Kale swung his gaze around to look at Ironforge after the shaggy stallion commanded that he receive treatment. He let out a frustrated grunt, as though he wanted to argue over the subject but finally nodded his head. Ironforge was right of course, there were enough healers to tend to Mercy but also to himself and the others as needed. He couldn't help be worried over his student, he didn't want his first student to die after her first true test. Hearing also Ironforge mention that he would go off and talk to Camaria for a moment before returning to seek treatment himself calmed the rainbow stallion even more. He would submit to healing but if Mercy showed even the slightly sign of decline during that time he would force the healer to return to her.

"Good." Was all she said knowing that he would stay true to his word and get rest as soon as he could. She gave her head a nod. "Yes, I think this would be a good time." Besides, they were of little help at this point as they healers were busy doing their jobs, Supreme and Lolly were reunited and so they would be in the way and perhaps even distract the others with their discussion. "Let's not go too far." She suggested, mainly because she knew how tired they each were plus this way if he was suddenly needed he would not need to travel far. Turning Camaria forced her tired legs to carry her into the trees so they could speak privately.

Kale had just turned to the healer to allow him to see to his wounds when Mercy's voice broke through to him. He immediately moved closer to her, hearing her speak gave him great hope and those words made his heart soar. She wanted him tended to, telling the healer to ignore his brashness. "Don't worry Mercy," he assured her, "I will get my wounds looked at now. You just rest." He wasn't sure if she had heard him as there was no immediate response but none the less the large rainbow stallion took a few steps away from his student and the group of healers, nodding to the one who had approached him earlier. Kale steeled himself as the healer began to inspect the wound on his chest, even the slightest touch to the ripped flesh brought an intense spike of pain but he locked his knees and forced himself to not sway, though his attention was more on Mercy that the healer as he began to grab herbs to make a poultice to place on the lagr wound and mumbled about berries to prevent or fight off an infection.  

[JetAlmeara]

Ironforge stayed long enough to ensure that Kale was going to listen before leading Camaria away to a location where they could talk. He knew of a place not far from here where it would be unlikely they were overheard. As he left he paused for a moment upon hearing Mercy's voice, turning his head he watched as the mare lifted her head and spoke. How typical of her to worry more for Kale then herself..and that plea if nothing else would ensure that Kale let the healers see to his needs.

It was hard to ignore such a plea in the best of times, to hear it from the mare now..well, it was probably even more powerful then his own command to the rainbow stallion. It was good that she was still lucid at times, still moving...as long as she kept that up then he was sure she would pull through.

Nothing without payment.

Assured that Kale was being seen too by one of the healers ..and she thought Kale himself though his voice sounded very far away, Mercy succumbed to her daze again. But while she did not get markedly better neither did she get worse and the healers assured Kale that this was a good thing. She was tired they said..,and such sicknesses as this would not be fixed in only a couple of hours, she would need a great deal of time but the fact that she was stable and not declining was a good sign. They were very optimistic about her chances to pull through...but continued to caution that infection could easily set in still. It was of course typical of healers to caution against such things and if Mercy were actually awake she probably would have pointed that out to Kale. But it seemed that both exhaustion and her wounds had finally gotten the better of the mare and she had fallen into a deep sleep rather then unconciousness  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

It had been hard to stand there and let the healer tend to him, partially because he still worried over Mercy but also because it hurt like hell every time his chest was touched. But he allowed the healrs to do their job, eat whatever they offered to him to help fight the pain and infection, even if they did taste downright awful, and then allowed them to inspect his jaw as well. At least that wound was minimal compared to his chest and took a lot less fussing to deal with. By the time they were done, his chest and jaw had been slathered with some kind of healing concoction, they too were done initially tending to Mercy's wounds.

It was such a great relief to hear that she was stable now. He didn't expect her to be instantly cured of the poison that ailed her, but their words were encouraging and hopefully within day, if not weeks depending on how slowly the poison left her system, she would be well again. "Thank you." He told the healers as the moved away to allow Mercy to rest. Then his gaze turned to the one he had snapped at earlier. "I'm sorry." The healer nodded understanding that in times like this Soquili didn't always think straight and often lashed out at healers simply because they were nearby. He moved closer to his student now as she slept, though her body was still riddled with swollen bites he could see her breathing was normal, not to mention the fact that she moved and spoke earlier was a good sign as well. She would make it, even if it was a long road to recovery, he knew she would make it.

With their business concluded Camaria, along with Ironforge, returned to where they had left the healers and others from the group. Her eyes instantly fell on Mercy as they entered but the mare appeared to be sleeping finally, her chest rising and falling in steady breaths. She noted that Kale had been tended to as well and that Supreme and Lolly were laying off by the side together and that sight made the winged mare smile.

Kale looked up as Ironforge and Camaria returned, giving his old mentor a nod as if to say he listened and let the healers do their job on him. He waited until they were close by before sharing the news. "She still has a long way to go, but she is no longer getting worse and that is a very good sign. They say her chances to pull through this is very high, she just needs to rest and be given time." It was obvious the healers would need to continue to tend to her over the coming days to see that the poison continued to make its way out of her system and that her fever neither worsened or returned, but now she was on the road to recovery and that was all that mattered now.  

[JetAlmeara]

Their conversation had not taken all that very long, indeed Camaria had come up with her request in short order and while the request was certainly a heavy one to bare it was none the less one that Ironforge was ready and willing to take on. He was grateful that they had not been gone long - while he had made a large show about being confident on leaving his mind had none the less continued to fret over the state of Mercy and though he did not show it outwardly he was anxious to get back.

It seemed that most had given into their exhaustion while they were away, Mercy was sleeping as peacefully as could be expected and Supreme and Lolly seemed to have fallen asleep as well - why if he wasn't mistaken he thought he could hear the little goat snoring even. It was heartwarming and it was a sight he knew would not have come to be had they not gone to rescue the mare from her torment. Even if it had cost them, Ironforge did not think that any one of the rescue group - Mercy included - would regret what they had done.

"That is excellent news." He told Kale when the rainbow stallion had finished his report. "You must start thinking about how you plan to get her back in shape when she starts to recover." He told him knowing that while this might seem callous to some it would keep the Rainbow stallion positive. If he was thinking about how to get Mercy back in fighting form then there could certainly be no doubt that she would recover fully. "We will stay here until Mercy is well enough to be moved." He decided, steeling himself against the healers touch upon his side as they inspected his own wounds. It was a safe location and comfortable enough for the group. He suspected that several days would pass before the alicorn could be moved safety but that was alright. When the healers had slathered some herbal goo on his side to fight infection and provided them all with painkilling herbs for the night they retreated off to the side where they would take turns keeping watch on Mercy and sleeping. "I suspect we should all follow our friends lead and get some sleep, it might be morning but it feels like night to me." He told them all with a deep sigh, They had been running all night and he did not think that any of them would argue. Lowering his head he let his eyes droop as though he were falling asleep. He would wait of course until all of the others were settled before actually falling asleep but then..then all bets were off. He was going to sleep until the guards or the healers demanded that he woke.