The Secondary Saga

[Gamzee Makara]

Group 4

I am so caught up in my own hapless stratagem that I almost missed the call for a strategic rückzug. At first, I was more than confused. The temple was not exactly an… optimal choice for a withdrawal, as I had explained to my allies. We have no idea what may hide in the shadows of these ancient ruins. But then… I see the fog. The black mist sweeping across the battlefield brings only death and destruction, the tribal folk falling in the its wake. Attempting to escape this deathly vapor by fleeing for the dense thicket of forest would result in the abrupt end of this strange journey. The temple was the only option for the secondaries.

“Nein! Nein! Seek sanctuary in the Temple!”

I shout to the other secondaries, sprinting for shelter as I do. I leap over fallen bodies, weave between columns and other ruins, and am even forced to cut down a wounded orc that was blocking my exit from the battlegrounds. After what feels like hours of running, but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, I stand at the temple door, waving my arms and directing confused members of our party into it’s depths, and possibly their doom. However, the only other option is certain death.

Then, I hear the screech of stone moving against stone, and see the door beginning to close. I suck in my breath, fearful for anyone left outside, but I am more than hesitant to throw my life away for them. I duck into the shadows of the temple hallway, filing in behind other sanctuaries. As the door shuts behind us, I refuse to look back. If any of us were left behind, I can only assume the worst. Überleben der stärksten.

My eyes have yet to adjust to the dank, dark insides of these ruins. The temple speaks to us; moaning and groaning at its new occupants. This thought unnerves me. Who knows how old this place is? How unstable it could be? As if on cue, some rubble falls from the ceiling, pitter pattering on the ground. At first, it was only pebbles and dust. But then, just mein luck, an annoyingly large corner stone drops from the ceiling, soundly smacking me in the shoulder. I swear loudly, more startled than hurt, but that doesn’t mean it does not sting. It would surely leave a large bruise and a scrape. I will lick my wounds when we are in a place of relative safety. This is not that place. From the sounds of those around me, I am not the only one to fall prey to a hapless brick. Soon, the entire roof began to cave in, and we were forced to rush foward in this cramped hallway. Luckily, no one succumbed to a live burial. However, looking back to hallway that we exited, it was clear there was no going back. Our only option was to go forth into the unknown.

Überleben der stärksten.

-----

Dust covers my clothes, and I do my best to brush it off. The air is moist and of a strong scent. We had moved foward since everyone had entered the temple, and my eyes have moderately adjusted to the gloom of the place. It seems that we are in a circular room of some sort and ACH SCHEIßE IT BURNS!

I shield my poor eyes from the onslaught of light emanating from the center of the room. A shining orb of power and light is floating in the middle of the chamber. It reminds me of...Of the Aether. Of being in Agartha. It makes me almost miss the Russian fellow, and my helpful Japanese friend.

But not Demsey. That American pig can go to hell.

My fellow secondaries and I watch the ball of light. I sneer, admittedly lose my cool for a moment.

“It...It’s just floating there! WHAT IS IT DOING?!”

It was annoyingly maddening and I was having a rough day. Leave me alone.

No one paid me any mind, however. Everyone was fixated on the orb. That is, until, it FUCKING BLINDED US AGAIN! Except that that’s not all it did. My entire body began to develop this tingling sensation, as if every molecule in my being was moving. When my vision finally cleared, and my senses returned to normal, I am no longer in the circular chamber with the others. But, I am not alone. I hear others breathing around me, and speaking in hushed voices. There is a torch in one corner, barely illuminating this small room. I see a few members of our expedition in here with me. Thankfully, I do not face the dangers of this temple alone. I see Crow standing in one corner, rubbing his eyes. A strange piece of round machinery floated off to my left. It emits its own deep blue light. It seems...Dizzy? I must study this technology when I am able. On the floor lay a wounded soldier, who had the unfortunate luck to be pierced by an arrow. There is another rather tall figure shrouded by shadows. I cannot see his features, but he seems to be clutching something in his arms. That light...It transported us somewhere else, deeper within the temple.

It seems that the ancients of EVERY universe despise him.


"Hey! Any of you know how to get rid of paralysis poisons?"

Ah! He doesn’t have to shout!

“Ach! You don’t have to shout.”

I go to the torch and remove it from its sconce, and then bring it around to the tall man, the source of the plea. He has a mass of wild silver hair, and oceanic blue eyes. In his arms lay a woman, pale and unmoving. Her eyes, however, open and alight. She is not did. She simply cannot move. Thus, paralysis.

Trust me, I’m a Doctor.

“Where was the poisoned wound inflicted?”

In answer, the young man carefully turns the woman over so that I can see the point of entry in her back. She will live, and the body’s natural immune system should clean up the poison from within, but we cannot afford to sit here and wait. That could take hours, and I inform the man of this. Were we still in the forest, I could perhaps scavenge the herbs necessary for a salve of sorts that would lessen the effect, but alas we are not .This, I also tell him. If we are to keep moving, and not leave this woman behind, there are few options present to us.

“There is little we can do about the poison that has already entered her body. I fear the best we can do right now is perhaps attempt to sanitize the outer wound via cauterization. After that nasty bit of business, we would need to bind above and below your wound tightly, so as to stem the circulation of the poison. To prevent the body from seizing up from the poisons, we need to keep it in a state of motion. That is to say, as we move through this dungeon, we will need to pause and let you stretch your midsection, and most likely your limbs as well, to keep the poison from taking your muscles. You will still likely be quite stiff, but as time progresses, it should become easier to move without hindrance. In theory, of course.”

And then I look up to the being before me, the one who introduced himself as Grave.

“Unless you would like to volunteer to carry your friend here through the trials of this temple. I advise against that course of action. It would likely lead to both of your deaths, and possibly the rest of our party’s.”

Trust me, I’m a Doctor.

In truth, most of this is speculation. While I am trained slightly in the medical profession, it is more specifically in medical science. We can only hope for the best, but I keep that to myself.

And from there, I await this man’s response. It is ultimately his decision She is in no state to be speaking. I let the others get their bearings while we tend to the girl.

Translations
rückzug = retreat
SCHEIßE = SHIT/FUCK!
Nein = No