Page 14 of Fated to the Damned

The trees continue nudging me onward, branches gently caressing my arms and back as if to reassure me I'm on the right path. I'm not fully convinced, but don't seem to have much choice other than to trust the strange sentience of the forest.

"You better know where we're going," I mumble, but continue placing one foot in front of the other.

After what feels like hours of stumbling through the increasingly dense underbrush, the trees give one final push and I emerge into a small clearing. Craggy rock cliffs tower overhead, the stone face dotted with cave openings of varying sizes.

But no wildspont base. No humans or people or anything.

I turn back to the trees, exasperated. "Okay, now what?"

The branches rustle soundlessly, offering no explanation. Letting out a frustrated huff, I scan the area.

That's when a soft blue glow catches my eye, emanating from the cavern with a wide mouth. It pulses slowly, like a heartbeat, a hypnotic rhythm beckoning me closer. Crystals embedded in the exterior cave walls appear to be the source, glinting with ethereal light.

“You know...” I say even as I feel a pull to the cavern. “That seems like a terrible place for me to go.”

The trees rustle in protest and the glow burns brighter. My feet carry me toward it instinctively, curiosity overpowering caution. The shine intensifies as I approach the entrance, magical energy seeming to thrum through the very air.

I put my hand out, running it over the cool stone that hums beneath my palm. It feels as if it’s greeting me, and I wonder if maybe I was wrong. Maybe there is something out here. The forest seems to know what it was doing, after all. There must be a reason I am here.

I start to edge forward before I think better of it. My last bright idea left me bleeding out in the forest. Maybe this isn’t a great one either.

Or maybe I should start trusting something besides myself... These trees seem very insistent after all, and I have to admit I am curious.

Pausing at the threshold, I glance back at the silent trees once more. "This better not get me killed." Their only response is a gust of wind pushing me forward.

My heart pounds a frantic rhythm against my ribs as I peer into the dim cave. I don't know what I was expecting, but the sight before me still makes me freeze.

A figure lies crumpled on the rocky ground, one hand pressed tightly to his side. Shadows drape the interior, making it hard to discern much beyond the basic shape of him. Something dark and jagged lies on the cave floor behind him. A growing puddle beneath his body glints wetly in the faint light.

I hesitate at the entrance, nerves sparking uncertainty through my veins. Can I trust my instincts after that vile creature attacked me? But the trees rustle encouragingly, vines along the cave entrance caressing my arms as if to say go to him.

"I must be losing my mind, listening to plants," I mutter under my breath. Still, I find myself drawn forward into the cave toward the injured form. A part of me wonders...

No. It can’t be him.

The crystals' glow pulses stronger with each step I take, as if responding to my presence. Their blue light reveals more details about the figure sprawled on the ground. His skin is an ashen gray, almost metallic. The substance pooling under him looks black in the shadows - blood, I realize with a lurch.

Swallowing hard, I gather my courage and inch closer.

The pulsing azure light finally illuminates wings folded behind him - thick and leathery, dyed crimson with blood both fresh and dried. My heart stutters. I recognize him now. It is the winged man who saved me.

"Why are you here?" I murmur. Dried blood cakes the side of his face and neck, matching the macabre stain across his torso.

His chest still rises and falls, though it is shallow. Still, it is quite a miracle after what he has endured.

Unease wars with concern within me. I shouldn't be here, yet I can't bring myself to leave him. He saved me, and now it seems I have the opportunity to do the same.

"What do I do?" I ask the silent trees. As if in response, the crystals blaze brighter, casting their glow over the entirety of the small cave.

Taking it as a sign, I creep forward until I can properly assess his injuries. Deep lacerations carve down his abdomen, oozing fresh blood. Bruises and scratches mottle his skin, rips adorn his wings, and one leg seems to be shattered. My heart aches at the damage, even as caution whispers this creature is dangerous.

I look to the plants once more for guidance, but receive only silence. My choice alone, it seems. With a deep breath, I steel my nerves and reach out a tentative hand.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I grip the hem of my tunic and rip a long strip of fabric. I hesitate only a moment before kneeling by his side.

As gently as I can, I unwrap the makeshift bandage already around his abdomen that is soaked through. It needs to be replaced, and I use my scrap of cloth, trying to staunch the sluggish bleeding even as I worry of the infection he might get from the dirty fabric. He tenses under my touch, a pained hiss escaping him even unconscious.

I freeze, worried I've hurt him worse. But then his eyes flicker open, gleaming a bright amber in the dim light. They fix on me, wary and confused.

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