I expected that I would have trouble sleeping in these unusual circumstances. Alas, the accumulated fatigue that followed a day’s worth of walking seemed to be more than enough to put me out of consciousness right after my head hit the wool blanket that I spread out on the floor to sleep on.

The next thing I remembered was the uncomfortable soreness in my muscles, particularly in my legs, and the slightly frustrated grunts of Emrum attempting to rouse me from my sleep.

“… -ra, … -lora, Selora… wake up girl, it’s time to eat and get moving… “

I opened my eyes, startled by the not so gentle nudging on my shoulder. I spring up to a sitting position, even more startled by the thick darkness around me. If you ever had the experience of opening your eyes expecting to see, only to be greeted by a similar darkness, then you would know that it is a very disturbing sensation. It happened to me just then.

“Oh-ho! Slow down, lass, you almost head-butted me just now!” — Sounded the slightly annoyed yet patronizing tone.

Now, as I was sitting, I started to notice the flickering light of a lit torch nearby. My mind began to clear, and I remembered where I was.

I am traveling with the dwarfs. I am on the deep roads about a day’s travel from the outpost. On the way, to capture another outpost. A crucial mission which we must not fail.

My thoughts were gently disrupted by something being pushed into my arms. I looked at the offered bowl and nodded to Emrum absent-mindedly, then I grabbed onto the bowl of food without question.

“Eat.” — He said, sounding more like an order than a simple suggestion. Not that I needed much motivation, as my stomach seemed to grumble at the sight of the now familiar variety of simple dwarven cuisine.

I sat tight, adjusting the sliding off blanket occasionally while eating the cold portions. Just like the rest of the camp was doing. We didn’t speak much, aside from the rare whisper followed by a half-hearted snort. Sounding more like a friendly gesture than a genuine reaction.

Older people tended to be more grumpy in the mornings. It seems that includes dwarfs as well… Well… that or it could be the result of being on the deep roads. I noticed that they were a lot more serious out here.

~oOo~

The next half hour passed with monotonous eating and packing. We cleared the camp, put away everything and lined up in order to continue our march.

Everything seemed to continue in the same way as yesterday. Dull caves following one another. The only actual difference was in the tallness and wideness of the tunnels. Well, aside from my aching legs, that kept reminding me that we were actually moving.

We had barely traveled for three hours straight, and my feet were hurting quite a bit. I knew that if this continued until nightfall in the same manner, I could expect some serious blisters on my feet.

I didn’t worry about that too much though… I was not on Earth anymore, and I was a witch, one that could use healing magic capable enough to bring a dying man back to life.

Surely healing a few blisters wouldn’t prove a challenge.

Wincing slightly from the spike of pain coming from my feet, I have decided to not wait with the treatment until nightfall. I will do it the next time we pause for a break.

~oOo~

We traveled for two more hours than stopped for lunch break. At the time, I felt a lot worse for wear. The thought of having to continue this until nightfall, with the already forming blisters appearing on the bottom of my feet, was a thought that filled me with dread.

As we stopped, sitting down on the side of a random tunnel, pulling out our rations, I sat down with an impatient thump and began to forcefully pull off my boots. Silently cursing the idiot under my breath who thought it was a good idea to create knee-high boots… It was a chore to take it off or pull it up every single time.

The only reason I didn’t decide to just cut off the elongated upper part was the otherwise welcomed extra insulation it gave me in these damn tunnels.

After I managed to wrestle the clingy thing off my right leg, and took a look at my feet, I hissed with alarming disgust, seeing multiple already burst blisters. The sight looked more like a burn injury than something caused by walking.

I didn’t dare to touch it, instead delved deeper into my mind and pulled out the necessary spell. The first real spell I cast after coming into this world.

As I brought forth the necessary mindset and intentions that the spell required, I spoke slowly, whispering the words barely loud enough for the nearest of dwarfs to hear.

“By the power of light, entrusted upon me through my holy patron. I Selora command mine wound, heal.”

As the warm magical energies condensed inside my right palm. I slowly hovered it above my injured feet, seeing the spiderweb like tendrils hesitantly connecting to the ravaged skin.

A sensation of warmth filled my chest, a side effect of the light spell, while a comforting sensation of soothing coldness seemed to seep into my sores. Calming and visibly mending the flaring injuries.

I felt my tense body relax, mesmerized by the sight and sensation of my own skin knitting itself together in the span of ten seconds.

This time, I was careful to cut off the mana supply of the spell when I deemed myself healed.

The webs of white opaque energies slowly pulled back into my opened palm, disappearing into my flesh. Ready to be called forth whenever I deem it necessary.

I glanced at my previously barely recognizable right sole. It was once again in pristine condition. Healthy white skin, showing no signs of injuries. I rubbed it with my hands just to make sure, banding it this way and that way. Placing pressure here and there with my fingers.

It didn’t hurt. At last, I allowed myself a satisfied smile, especially after realizing that the general soreness which had annoyed me since last night was gone as well. I should have done this in the morning already.

I pulled back the boot on my right leg, then repeated the entire process with my left.

Only after sighing in relief at the end of the process did I notice the silent stares pointed in my direction. My group mates watched the silent display of magic with a curious glance.

Regmir’s familiar disdainful voice appeared calling out to me from the other side of the tunnel. He was resting across from me, leaning against the wall just like I did and anyone else.

“Those were quite the nasty blisters. Without proper treatment, they would no doubt cause an infection…” — He stated in a slow voice. He was right about that. It looked horrible. I don’t think I ever had such blisters in my previous life. Well, it’s also true that I never walked so much in such harsh circumstances in one and a half days.

My skin was not used to such strain.

On another hand, my muscles took it well enough. Maybe considering that I have quite a well-toned body, it might not be that much of a surprise. Anyway, after hovering my healing magic over the sore parts of my body… Of course, only after I healed my other sole. I felt like the travel never even happened.

Healing magic was amazing.

With that new sense of freshness, I answered Regmir with a frustratingly simple.

“Yep.” — I annoyingly popped the p at the end of the phrase. Knowing that it will no doubt irk the man to no end.

Just as I expected, he slowly shuffled in his place.

“I never really considered the power of magic… but seeing it up close times and times again through this past week, I couldn’t deny the immense potential and variety it provides.” — He stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Then added drily.

“I still think that you are too soft for the deep roads… but your magic is no doubt a useful asset.” — He stated.

I snorted at that. — “What a pity that you can’t have my magic without me tagging along…” — He smirked at that, which once again surprised me. The man seemed considerably less vindictive since my accidental presentation of my pyroblast. How curious…

Seeing that he ignored me after the brief exchange, I decided to turn my attention to more pressing matters. Like eating my food. Therefore, I fished out some of my food from the upper layers of my backpack and started to eat it.

~oOo~

The rest of the day went similarly, and we made camp just as planned in an eerily similar place like we did the previous night. The travel was as smooth as it could be, considering that we were on the deep roads. Which place as I gathered wasn’t exactly the most friendly ones. Sarcasm intended…

I decided to cast my healing magic on my legs once again before going to bed. It did not use up a lot of power. Since the nature of my muscle strain with all the discomfort it caused was still considered superficial.

My mana reserves were almost full, as it had naturally regenerated since noon, when I previously used it.

Things were going as smoothly as possible. We ate in silence, joked around a little, then went to bed early. I easily fell asleep wrapped tightly in the embrace of my comforting woolen blankets.

With those content thoughts lingering in my mind.

I was getting used to the deep roads, quite well… it didn’t seem half as bad as I initially expected. This much I could handle, all thanks to my practical healing spell.

~oOo~

Frantic sounds of a bell resonated through the darkness. Its rhythm was uneven and panicked. Yet the ominous noise could only be heard for a few seconds before it abruptly disappeared.

My ears twitched, eyes opening wide in the soot like darkness.

I sat up suddenly, my instincts flaring, cutting through the lingering drowsiness of my sleep. As the realization hit me in full force. The origin of that sound was one of the alarm bells. I glanced around the camp, seeing by the weak light of the few torches that remained lit throughout the night. Some of the other dwarfs had also heard the noise and started to rouse from their deep slumber.

It was at that moment when the pace of things changed.

A horrible scream cut through the darkness, a pained, inhuman sound of a man resembling more to a beast as his voice was contorted by suffering and terror. The scream promised a similar pain to anyone who heard it. My limbs grew heavy, my stomach felt like lead as the blood itself seemed to freeze in my veins.

What was I doing here? Am I going to end up like that? Was that even the sound of a man and not some horrible creature?

Thoughts like those seemed to fill my mind while the entire camp came alive around me. Torches were lit, weapons were drawn left end right, while the cave was slowly getting brighter. It was still too dark for us to effectively locate the enemy.

I felt a heavy hand land on my shoulder. I looked to my right and gulped drily, seeing Emrum’s worried expression.

He shouted at me, shaking my shoulder.

“Selora, light, now!” — Came the order, and I remembered that I had promised him to use my magic to light our surroundings in case of an ambush or emergency.

I raised my staff, which I was already holding in my sweating hands, and willed the spell into existence, not trusting in the strength of my voice.

Almost immediately, a bright white light parted the suffocating darkness, causing the entire cave to come to a momentary pause.

I saw many of the nearby dwarfs glancing in my direction with a relieved expression, just for them to turn away, looking around, their expressions morphing into icy contempt and rage.

I looked in the direction where the dwarfs were glaring. There were small groups of lanky figures covered in black armor from head to toe. They were locked in brutal combat with the dwarfs at various places in our camp.

We have been infiltrated. This in the current predicament could cause chaos and panic. It was already doing just that, at least until my light filled the hall.

Now, as the dwarfs could direct their rage to the outnumbered enemy, the tide was about to change.

At least, that was how it was supposed to be.

Then I saw as one infiltrator pointed at me with his bow and…

“SHIELD!” — I shrieked, seeing the glint of the arrowhead bouncing off the white layers of magical energy manifesting mere inches from my face. The only thing that stood between me and a certain death.

I heard a frustrated shout over the battlefield. In an icy voice, and a tongue I had never heard before, yet I could perfectly understand.

“KILL THE WITCH! CUT OFF HER TONGUE SO SHE CANNOT USE HER VOICE!” — The cold, merciless command made me shiver with fear as the possibility itself shook me to my very core.

The reality, that someone a complete stranger fully aware of the consequences intended to kill or maim me without a second thought.

I felt two more arrows shatter against my shield. Then, before anymore could appear, I was harshly pulled behind a wall of shields held together by a bunch of dwarfs.

I realized that most of them were familiar. They were my group, the ones that were entrusted to protect me. The thought filled me with as much relief as it made me cringe when I first heard about it.

“You alright lass?” — Came the familiar voice of Tymur from my right.

I nodded, crouching down behind the shield wall, holding the staff above the impromptu circle for it to provide light to the fighters around.

I couldn’t help but ask in a shaking voice, hearing the sharp pattering of deadly arrows hitting against the metal shields.

“What is going on? Who are they?” — I asked the most stupid and typical questions.

Tymur didn’t even glance at me, being too focused to hold his shield in the formation, but he still gave me a curt answer filled with disdain.

“Dark elves.” — The simple words made me remember Regmir’s recent description of dark elves, being the ancient enemies of dwarfs. An entire race founded upon slavery and cruelty.

I gulped, cold shivering running through my body.

I looked up at the light radiating from the peak of my staff, praying silently that this would be enough to win the battle.

Then… just above the focused light of my staff, a dark, terrifying shape seemed to manifest.

My pupils shrunk in terror as the giant black spider like shape plunged into the middle of our ranks. Dropping off the ceiling, like the five or six meters of height was nothing.

I barely managed to cast a shield around me before the beast crashed down and I was shoved aside by one of its hairy legs. I rolled on the ground two or three times before stopping about five meters from my original position.

I saw that some of the other dwarfs ended up in a similar situation, while others were already locked in a fierce combat with the monster… I glanced up. Slightly dizzy from the previous tumble, and saw that the spider was ridden by a black armored man wielding a bloody spear.

The only thing I could think at the time was, you are fucking kidding me.

I was awaked from my daze as one of the dwarfs who I was yet to familiarize myself was shot in the back by an arrow and dropped on his side with a pained expression.

Then, before I could do anything, another one was grabbed by the disgusting pincers of the spider… only to be executed by a swift strike of its rider’s spear.

I quickly glanced around, assessing the situation.

I couldn’t see Tum or Tymur, but I saw Regmir, who had a bleeding wound on his forehead, almost making him blinded by his own blood. He managed to cut off one of the legs of the spider while it was too occupied holding its current prey, then also saw Emrum delivering a deep cut into the abdomen of the beast. Causing it to erupt in a terrifying screech and whirl around with alarming momentum in a blurry of legs. Throwing his now limp prey into the line of dwarfs attempting to encircle it.

Pushing back the dwarfs with its frantic movements and intimidation tactics.

I raised my staff, pointing it towards the creature, and began to chant without a second thought. There was simply no time to think about moral implications. I knew that there was a monster towering in front of me, one that had already killed some of my companions and was attempting to kill my friends and me just the same.

It was a simple decision, one that wasn’t even a proper choice. It was something I had to do.

I focused my mind. The chaos of the battlefield seemed to retreat for a precious few seconds as I spoke the magical incantation.

“Ancient storms of the ethereal planes, I Selora servant of creation, summon thy power to eradicate my foe!” — As the words left my mouth in a flow, I felt the familiar sensation of electricity coursing through my veins and erupting at the tip of my staff.

A bright yellow lightning followed by the overpowering thundering sound that was known to split the very heavens darted across the short distance in the fraction of a heartbeat.

The spider’s abdomen, hit by the destructive magic, was blown up in a single burst of green pus. Its rider falling off its back, thrown by the residual energy.

My eyes widened with disgust and surprise. The spell was a lot more effective than I initially expected.

Before I could enjoy my momentary victory, I felt a sharp pain in my right thigh. I saw stars filling out my entire mind as white hot pain pulsed through my mind in powerful waves.

I must have blanked out from the pain as the next thing I realized was me laying on my side.

I whimpered pitifully, clutching the side of my leg, with both hands, my staff nowhere to be seen. Slowly realizing the immense pain that was radiating from my leg, I eventually gathered the courage to look down and see a black arrow stuck in the flesh of my right thigh.

It hurt so much… I have never felt such pain in my entire life before this…

Tears were flowing freely from my eyes. While I was looking at the horrific injury with shock and disbelief. Wishing for all of this to be a simple dream, yet I know better than that. This was not a dream, but my new reality.

I needed to heal this wound… but for that to be possible; I had to take out the arrow.

I knew that it would hurt, but I couldn’t allow myself a moment of hesitation because if I did, I would never even attempt it.

In my adrenalin fueled panic, I grabbed the arrow shaft, which gesture alone sent sparks of pain across my mind. Yet I didn’t stop there, instead I pulled on it with all my might.

As the pain rippled through my leg, I saw white once again. I screamed, feeling every slight movement of the loosening arrowhead wedged into my thigh bone. It came loose and was pulled out of my leg with small bits of flesh and red blood clinging onto it stubbornly.

My body was shaking violently. I dropped the arrow beside me and started to look for my staff. My body felt numb, and I was covered in sweat and dirt. Feeling bile climbing up my throat, I vomited a few mouthfuls of my dinner. Then continued searching for my staff, unbothered by the revolting taste of stomach acid on my tongue.

To my great relief, I managed to find it laying beside me on the ground. I closed my fingers around the smooth metal that naturally lost its shine the moment I let it out of my hands.

However, I couldn’t care less about that for now. I simply wanted it to amplify my magic, as I cast the healing spell in a broken whisper.

“By the power of… li-li-light, en-trus-ted… upon me… through m-my holy patron... I Selora… co-command mine wound, heal…” — To my relief, the spell came to life, even as it seemed less stable than usual. The incantation was one of the most important parts of spell-casting, after all.

Still… it will have to do… Instead of hovering my hand over the heavily bleeding wound, I pressed my palm, containing the mending energies right over the wound, causing a burst of stars to dance across my eyes.

I hissed, grinding my teeth silently.

Thank God… the pain started to turn into a sense of numbness, followed by a soothing sensation focused around my injury.

I hesitantly raised my bloody palm and saw the mostly mended scar under the ripped fabric of my black pants and the thick layer of blood.

The sight was far from relaxing, but it calmed me down enough to finally look at my surroundings.

Based on the sounds of the world around me, the battle seemed to slowly come to a conclusion. I hesitantly grabbed my staff again and channeled into it a minuscule amount of mana just enough to light my closest vicinity.

I didn’t intend to become a new target while being injured after all.