The pink-haired thief quickly faded from view, and Grigor broke the unseen bridge between their minds. It was harder to maintain over a distance.

He paid no further mind to the woman once she left. She could have her way with his tent for all he cared. All his gold was on his person, and all that was in his backpack was stale food and sweat-coated adventuring gear. Nothing of resale value. Well, maybe to certain... He preferred not to think about that.  

There were more pressing matters: A girl was missing. Ran off into the woods by herself for seemingly no reason. He was hardly acquainted with her, but it sounded out of character.

Regrettably, he'd be of little use by himself. He had no leads, and the girl hadn't left much of a trace. In addition, he could hardly leave his unconscious companions on their own, not with thieves, beasts, and bandits running amok. 

It was most fortunate that among his traveling companions was S. His sensory abilities were the stuff of legends, despite his deceptive youth. Locating the girl would only be a matter of moments.

Grigor knelt beside him, placed his hand on his shoulder, and spoke.

"S, wake up." Is what he said, because he couldn't think of anything else. This wasn't the time for a one-liner, he told himself. "You are needed."

No response.

"S. Wake up." He repeated, shaking his shoulder forcefully. "You're needed..?"

The rhythm of Grigor's heart sped, just slightly. 

By his second attempt, he noticed that something was dreadfully wrong. Something was wrong yesterday as well, as S hadn't awoke until he was stabbed, but today it was dreadfully so. 

"Hells..."

S's body was caked in sweat, his skin irritated, and a look of pain spread across his face. Even moreso than it had been after his stabbing.

Was this the doing of that devilish thief? No, guilt and the image surely would have appeared in her mind.

But the image should have appeared regardless of whether or not she was the culprit. She was close enough that it should have been impossible to miss... Was she so blinded by the potions she pilfered that she hadn't noticed? Or had ill fortune descended in the moments after she left?  

Though S wouldn't wake, his laborious breathing told Grigor that he was alive. For the moment. Grigor lacked the medical expertise to be sure, but he felt that the boy could be dying. 

"Hells..!" He repeated, pulling at the sleeves on S's robes, looking for the source of the damage. The gift of light was not in his repertoire, but he had the supplies to administer temporary aid. Arms and legs came up blank, not so much as a drop of blood. Grigor then peeled the robe away from his chest, and pulled away the shirt he had underneath-

"HRK-" Grigor placed his hand to his mouth, as he felt himself gag. 

S's bare torso was coated in hideous scars and burns. His raw flesh resembled bloody meat from a mishandled and decaying carcass. Or perhaps it resembled a spider's web, strands of untouched flesh neatly woven above a sea of scarring... Grigor could hardly bare to look. He didn't wish to confirm which of his images were more accurate.

"Hrnrnnnnggmnhaaaawwww..." Yawned the enigmatic trench coat boy with the abhorrent mind, not too far from S. He'd been awoken by Grigor's gag reflex. "Hey, why're you stripping S? Are you a ped-"

"HIS LIFE MIGHT HANG IN THE BALANCE, BOY." Grigor shouted, his manly heart racing. 

"WHAT!? S?" The boy shot to his feet, a shot of adrenaline immediately waking his mind. "How, what happen-"

"UNSURE. FETCH THE BAG FROM MY TENT AT ONCE!" 

"Okay!" The Kid wasted no time breaking into a run and effortlessly carrying the bag in one arm. "Here you go! HOLY COW HIS CHEST IS FUCKED!" The boy stared directly at the wound with bright, wide-open eyes.

Grigor had no time to be impressed by his speed or shun his vulgarity, and immediately searched for his salves. Admittedly, they were old and potentially expired, but... It was the best he had, for now.

"ANGLER, WE NEED-" The Kid quickly turned to the big empty rock. "Huh? Where'd the angler go?" 

"She's gone." Grigor quickly made his way through the packaging. "Stormed away into the woods in the midst of the night. She was acting oddly, too."

"Why!?" The Kid shouted, emoting wildly as adrenaline ran high.

"She was... Chasing something?" Grigor's brow furrowed with uncertainty. "I-I don't know, I only-"

"Did you see this!? Why didn't you ask or stop her!?"

"I..." Grigor had no answer as he peeled away the last of the wrappings around the salves. So he'd avoid the question. "I was about to rouse everyone and search for her, but S's suffering held me, and he cannot be left alone... Twice the pity, the girl's gift of light is needed now more than ever-"

"OOH! I'LL DO IT!" The Kid eagerly shouted, his smile beaming, his wide-eyes shining. "I'LL GO FIND HER!"

"Yes, but please-"

The Kid had already sped off into the woods before Grigor had finished saying 'yes.' While his eagerness and sense of duty was commendable, Grigor wished he'd held back a moment to establish a plan. The flares in his bag could have been useful in the event of an emergency... 

But it was pointless now. He had to trust in the boy's ability to handle himself and bring the girl to safety, and in his own ability to protect the wounded S from any assailants that might arrive. Godspeed to the both of them, and pray that neither needed it...

Grigor had finally unwrapped and began applying the salves and bandaging... He was hardly proficient, but he'd picked up a thing or two from the arena medics.

Unfortunately, he had to glance back down at the body for this...  As he did, a strange feeling washed over him.

The wounds seemed fresh and painful, yet something about the way they were molded into his skin looked impossibly old. And it was all much too large to have suddenly appeared without notice, surely... It was as though he had been dipped in lava. None of it made sense.

But for now, it was all he had to go on.

He applied the salves as best he could, despite his limited knowledge... He was fairly confident that he wasn't making it worse, at the very least. On that same coin, however, he wasn't sure he was helping. 

Almost as soon as he applied the medicines to his torso, they seemed to just dry and shrivel up, without effecting anything. 

He continued applying the medicine as best he could, but S's body showing no signs of change.

Minutes later, he stepped back, looking down at S's sleeping form in desperation.

Perhaps he should... Stab him awake? N-No. He could very well perish right here, should any harm befall him...

Was waiting really all he could do? 

He sighed, and breathed... He hated the helplessness, but he had to accept that all he could do for now, was watch...

-Or so he thought, when suddenly, a bolt of hard flame struck his shoulder.