The human surprisingly agreed, and lowered his bow. "Who are you?" he asked, still suspicious, as he should be. Just then, his companion grunted and writhed. The man immediately turned to examine his wounded friend and slid a cloak over his legs.

"I am...Erudessa," the elf replied, watching them. She craned her neck to get a glimpse of the wounded soldier's legs before the cloak covered them. "His injury looks bad."
"I've done what I can, but I'm no healer," came the reply. "Will he be able to walk again?"

Erudessa could hear the desperation in his words. Humans didn't heal as rapidly or completely as elves did, so getting injured was a bigger deal for them than it was for elves. Still, she found herself a little surprised that this man would care so much. The humans of the Imperium were reputed to be ruthless and uncaring of other lives, a reputation reinforced by inside reports of genocide and wanton bloodshed. Or, perhaps the reputation was well-founded and she just stumbled on the exception. Maybe this human was a bit like her - a trained killer, but sensitive to the suffering of others.

And the wounded soldier was suffering. The way his breath hitched, fists clenched, and teeth gritted spoke of profound misery, the kind even elves would kill themselves over. She imagined herself in his place, her legs broken as his were. Living with that for a thousand years would be hell, and though human lives were considerably shorter, the thought of living one's entire life thus maimed was unbearable. The pain would be deeper than any salve could alleviate, being born from the deepest core of one's being. But perhaps there was hope for him; if the fractures were simple enough, oral pain relievers and some time would be all he needed to recover.

Unable to hold back any longer, Erudessa flew to the man's side. She removed the blanket, then carefully cut the pants away so she could get a clear view of the legs. Gingerly, she felt up his legs to assess the extent of his injuries. The feet and lower legs were fine. The upper legs were broken in several places, and the kneecaps were shattered. Bone fractures took a long time to heal, even with magic, so she would have to prioritize her time. She managed to find all the pieces of his kneecap, and with a little delicate telekinesis, stuck them together. The upper legs were easier to put together. The main problem would be keeping everything intact afterwards.

What he needed was to avoid moving them or putting any weight on them while maintaining high mobility. Crutches were usually the go-to solution, but those tended to tie up one's arms. Human lives were already difficult even with arms, and his friends would sooner kill the soldier than support him for several years while he healed. What he needed was a way to move without using his legs or tying up his arms. A wheelchair might do it, one in which all the weight was on his hindquarters and which moved by shifting his weight. The latter would require a bit of magic. With the plans already drawn up in her mind, she telekinetically tore apart a nearby tree and fashioned from it two wheels, a seat with leg supports underneath (instead of out in front like a regular wheelchair), and frames to lift the seat high enough for the wheels. A wooden bar would keep him in the seat while moving forward. Once everything was attached, she put her hands together and closed her eyes.

"By the light of my soul
I hereby command thee
To bear up thy ward
Thy conditions are thusly:
Hold him upright
When the ward sits but still.
To change thy direction,
Roll, tilt without spill.
Maintain with adjustments
Soft, gradually.
Cast now this spell,
All finished completely."

With that, the wheelchair turned upright and stayed that way. Erudessa attached splints to Finnigan's legs and moved to put him in the seat. Her trained ears picked up the sounds of Imperial soldiers drawing closer, so she would need to move quickly. "Can you help me move him?" she asked Lanik.