“Wendell!” The Templar called out, but her words were lost as the group of darkspawn closed in around her. Gritting her teeth, Kaitlyn head butted the one directly in front of her and maneuvered around them, managing to dodge out of the way just as a giant axe swung through the air. Turning around, Kaitlyn tried to shield herself as much as possible. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the shimmer of magic evident that the mage was, at least for the meantime, still alive. 

Using her shield against one of her attackers, Kaitlyn threw her weight and slammed her body into one of the Hurlock’s. The creature lost its footing and with a quick jab, Kaitlyn’s sword found its way into the fallen creatures throat. One wrong miss-step in the follow through caused one of the monster’s filthy blades to slice into her left forearm. The cut wasn’t deep and shocked her more than anything. 

Panic rose up in her- if the blade had been tainted by their blood- no, she has to worry about that later. Lightning nearby sizzled through the air, causing one of her attackers to hesitate just long enough for Kaitlyn to find an opening. Almost as fast as the sparks themselves, Kaitlyn stabbed the creature through the heart and swiftly pulled her weapon out again, ducking just in time to avoid an axe lopping off her head. Two against one was much easier and it only took a few more minutes before the reaming dark spawn were lying in their own vile blood. 

Panting heavily, Kaitlyn was barely able to comprehend that it was over. It felt like the battle had last hours but in reality, it couldn’t have been more than ten minutes. Somehow against the odds they’d survive. 

The ache in her arm became suddenly urgent and the Templar tore at her uniform exposing the flesh underneath. The blood flow seemed to be slowing but Kaitlyn couldn’t be sure if that was a good sign of not. Raising her right hand, Kaitlyn placed it on the cut. Blue light glowed from her palm as the Templar casted Cleanse on the wound. She didn’t know if it would help but it certainly couldn’t hurt.

[i]”That went well,”[/i] Thea said.

”Yeah,” Kaitlyn replied, her voice as uncertain as she felt. She prayed to the Maker that they’d just fought a random scouting party and not the forerunners of the horde. The air around them was heavy with an eerily quiet. The forest floor nearby was coated with the dark red blood of the slain. The Templar had to keep swallowing down the bile that threatened to rise up. 

Then a sudden horrible thought struck Kaitlyn. “Where’s Wendell?” The look Thea gave her question shot ice cold through Kaitlyn veins. Blood rushed through Kaitlyn’s head. She couldn’t thick. She couldn’t breathe. She just had to find him. “Wendell?” Kaitlyn called, a note of hysteria in her voice. “Wendell!” 

Kaitlyn began running off in the direction she’d last seen him. It only took her a few seconds before she saw his body lying limp in the nearby underbrush. A strangled cry rose in her throat as she flung herself down in the dirt beside him.

“No! No! No!” Kaitlyn screamed, tears running down her face as she cradled his head in her arms. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she sobbed. “I was going to save you! I was going to find a way to save you. I promised. Wendell please don’t go. Please. I was so close to finding a way, I know I was. I just needed more time. Forgive me! I tried! I tried! Please, please… You can’t leave me…”

Then she heard his words, so soft she thought she had imagined them until he whispered them again. 

[center][i] "Kait, it will be okay.”[/i][/center]

Looking down, she saw his eyes were staring, unfocused at the blue sky above. She followed his gaze to the oblivion searching for the reason behind the miracle, the reason Wendell had died smiling. It was as if the Maker was trying to tell her something-but Kaitlyn wasn’t listening anymore. Wendell was wrong. Things would never be okay again. Shaking her head, Kaitlyn wiped her cheek, smearing blood across it. Shakily she stood, carefully place the Tranquil body back on the blood soaked leaves. Then Kaitlyn turned away as if somehow not seeing the body made his death less real. 

“We should go. But first… if it’s possible… will you burn…” Kaitlyn’s voice trailed out for a few seconds. “Please.”