If Only{{Kina/Ardell Dark Mabinogi}}You Could Have Looked Like That Sooner

Relief came onto Ardell's face as he recognized that Kina was walking, and not one of those on the ground. He ran over, swiping her into an embrace. "Oh Kina- thank God..." he shifted so he could look at her face, scanning her over to see her injuries. They didn't seem deadly, but he wasn't going to have her go without treatment. "Come on, let's have Enoch heal you." he suggested, attempting to lead her to the magic user's tent.

Unfortunately, there would be quite a line for Enoch's treatment. The elf was simply overwhelmed, doing everything possible to help as many as he could. He healed the life threatening wounds first, then went for the ones that could potentially turn deadly. It didn't take long for him to run out of mana, reducing the magic user to simple first aid tricks. His traumatized eyes stared forward as he worked on each person, the blue in them seeming to seep into unshed tears.

The treated wounded that were still not able bodied remained in his tent, to the side. Con was one of them. Her head was carefully wrapped in bandages, hair pulled out of the way and revealing her ears. Those ears were a disturbing sight, only lingering flesh and a hole left of them. It looked very much like the majority had been cut clean off, leaving only scabbing flesh behind. Her violet eyes looked droopily up at the ceiling. It would take a good while to recover from such a head injury, if at all.

As they entered the tent and Kina saw the wounded, rage began to bubble up in her stomach again. She gave a growl beneath her breath- wishing she had killed more of the towering heathens.
Her eyes then landed on Con, and she had to swallow- and near choke- on a gasp. "--Ardell--" She whispered, "...Her...her ears." She couldn't help staring at them, shock growing in her stomach.

Ardell winced as Kina pointed out the deformity. "They did that to her a few weeks ago..." he said quietly, looking sadly at the female elf. He hoped she'd be okay; without her, this group probably would not have made it out of that place. She was a powerful leader, if a bit hot headed. He gave another sweeping look around the room. "...How...bad are your injuries?" he asked gently, realizing now that Enoch was overloaded as it was.

The female elf's eyes fell on the two, blinking almost without recognition. She met Kina's stare, and a hand unsteadily brought itself up to beside her head, attempting to cover the unsightly ears. A finger brushed up against one, the sensitivity of the frayed nerves sending a small quiver through her body. The expression on her dazed face was a weak form of shame.

Kina couldn't help as her eyebrows dipped a bit in guilt and pity for the elf woman. She of all people knew how sensitive elven ears were. "..." She suddenly looked back at Ardell, his voice shaking her out of her daze.
"Uh-uh-- fine." She replied, clearing her throat.

"Oh boy, oh boy~!" Came an exasperated sigh from the door to the tent, a familiar face coming in. Kina's eyes widened as she saw him, and she pointed dramatically. "YOU!!" She exclaimed, without really thinking.

Kou gave the young woman a curious look before he pointed back a bit less theatrically. "You." He echoed dumbly, tilting his head. "Uhh...is there a- um...point, to this- miss?"
Kina blinked. He didn't recognize her.

Ardell turned at the peculiar greeting, eyes landing on the man. He instantly recognized him, of course- had recognized him on the battlefield. "Kou?" he asked, as he realized that the recognition seemed to be one sided. "You don't know who we are?" the thought was interesting, but should have been suspected, he supposed. Six years had passed, after all, and only the Guardian seemed to be untouched by the time.

"...You know my name, but I don't know yours." Kou replied thoughtfully, putting a hand to his head and closing his eyes with a sigh. "This happens far more than what i'm comfortable with." He looked back down at the two. "So shoot- how do I know you? Drunken night? Long lost siblings? I bought one of you?"

"-What? No!" Ardell didn't know nor want to know what it was that Kou thought their connection was. "I'm Ardell. You've been to my shop in Filia many times....before the invasion, anyway." the elf crossed his arms, looking up at the human Guardian.

Kou stared blankly at Ardell, then to Kina. "...." He looked back to Ardell, hten suddenly burst into heavy laughter. "Ahahaha- yeah right!!" He shook his head, "You're way too much of a man to be Ardell!"

Ardell's ears twitched from irritation. "...What the heck is that supposed to mean?" he asked irritably, unsure of whether to count the comment as an insult or compliment. It sounded like it was both.

"Well, Ardell is a prissy little short elf!" Kou exclaimed, "Clearly you aren't." He nodded matter-of-factly, "And Kina is a gorgeous but spicy specimen of woman- clearly not this thing!" He nodded to Kina, who, on knee jerk, slammed him in the shoulder with a fist. "What the HELL did you just say to me??!" She roared, taking a threatening step towards him.

"...I ought to just shoot you for that," Ardell stated, offended for both himself and Kina. He made no attempt for his bow, despite his words. It was then that he noticed a peculiar absence among the wounded. "...Hey, where's Ari? I saw you run off with him."

Kou stared at the two for a moment, totally stock still and unresponsive to the question. Finally, his eyes lit up with realization. "--SHIT!!" He exclaimed, running for the door. Outside, he ran at full speed, arms flailing wildly as he did so. "ARI WAIT FOR ME I'M COMING!!"
He son found the enclave, looking underneath it. "You still here buddy? S-see! I didn't forget you, hah-- please don't be dead."

Arivin was lying on his stomach, his right arm wrapped around his torso, hand clutching his gushing wound. His eyes were barely open, far off, and very much clouded. The elf's breathing was heavy, but in slow gasps for air. "You.... ass..." He gasped, his eyes looking up at the man as he lay on the freezing ground, shivering violently with chills and pain coursing through his body.

"No!!" Kou exclaimed, yanking the boy into his arms and taking off for the tent at a rushed pace. "Holdonholdonholdonholdon--!!" He slid into then tent once more, holding the man up. "I NEED HELP!" He exclaimed, "HE'S ABOUT TO DIE AND IF HE DIES- I DIE TOO!"

Arivin remained nearly motionless in the human's arms, his body still shivering from the cold, and from the major blood lose going on around his body. The scarlet color dripped from Kou's hands and to his arms from even holding the guard elf.

Enoch looked up at the entrance, blinking rapidly as he saw the heavily wounded elf. He stood from his current patient, who was at least stable enough, and headed over to him. His footsteps were unsteady, as though he may fall over any minute. "Put him down," he directed, eyes staring past Kou's head.

"Do you have enough mana?" Ardell asked, noting Enoch's exhaustion.
"...No," Enoch replied, blinking as though the question only just reminded him of that fact. He wouldn't be able to do much without his magic.

Kina stepped forward at that moment. "I ain't got much," She spoke, "But I got enough to give some kind of punch if someone else helps."
Kou also stepped closer, expression worried. "Sure-sure-- I got some too!!" He exclaimed, voice panicked, "Please- just help him live!! I don't want to die!!"

Enoch nodded, holding out his hands and closing his eyes. There was a sudden, brief glow, and the magic user reopened his eyes. He bent over the fallen elf, hands aglow as he worked with the borrowed mana. His healing ability was well trained, and the major wounds quickly began to knit themselves up again. He could only hope that he hadn't lost too much blood by then.

Kina leaned in as well, her own hands glowing very faintly. She wasn't too well knowledged in the field of mana- and found that her healing powers fell shot in comparison to others. At her side Kou was giving similar help- though his hands held a heavier glow than the other two- as he had more mana.

Arivin's deep breathing turned somewhat even a bit quicker as his wounds were healed by the three over him. "I... owe you... nothing... anymore." The elf growled through his teeth as he moved his hand against the ground, feeling how cold it was.

"H-hey! What's that supposed to mean??" Kou inquired nervously, laughing, "I've saved your life plenty of times-- I only almost got you killed once!!" His laughing increased- even more nervous. "Hahah-- c-come on, have some humor about this!-- krm..!"

Enoch stepped back as he felt his mana pool drying up to the dregs. His wide eyes closed for a long moment before he turned back to the other wounded elves. There was nothing more he could do in the magical aspect.

The blond elf looked down at Arivin, he himself without any substantial mana at all. "Thanks," he said suddenly, "for grabbing that javelin." He didn't want to think about what sort of damage that would have done to him- there was little doubt that it would have been deadly.

"No problem..." The elf guard breathed, staring up at the blonde elf with tired steel blue eyes. "I would have... helped sooner... but I stayed behind. It's my fault those giants came here... they followed me..." He muttered, holding his hand against his side as he slowly forced himself to sit up.

"Your fault..?' Kina growled, the statement loaded with anger that built behind each word. Kou put a hand to his face. "...Nice job, kid." He muttered, shaking his head.

"Hey. Show some decency. I came for a reason- I brought you weapons. Hold your tongue, human." Arivin's steel blue eyes shot a harsh and freezing stare towards the quick to snap woman. No matter how much older he got, or how much more time he spent with them (if he ever did) Arivin despised all humans, including Kou- whom he hated the most. Humans were only a thin line from the hatred he had for giants.