[center][h1][color=6ecff6]Valishin Elias[/color][/h1]
[h2]"A Crucible of Principles"[/h2]
Interaction/s:  [@ShwiggityShwah][/center]
[hr]
The angry crimson shade of his arm and legs vanishing stayed the sniper's hand as he felt the medic approach him from behind.  To be honest, for this person to have crept this close to him without Vali noticing surprised the marksman as he feigned nonchalance, chalking it up to his injuries being too severe to have noticed the bandit come close.

"It would help to send a picture of you on the job listing,"  Vali retorted with a roll of his eyes as he softly glided his finger over the dissipating burn marks.  "And, also, not wearing the bandit's colors would help me not to shoot you down.  Or, not healing the bandits in the first place."

The marksman stood up as he toted his rifle on his shoulder, his left hand sifting through his satchel to count how many bullets he had left.  With this extended skirmish, Vali noted that he could not help out any longer-- at least, offensively.  He could still probably shoot healing bullets or utility shots, but to expend his remaining energies on powerful attacks like the piercing or exploding bullets was out of the question.  At this point, his strategies had already given them an upper hand.  Vali doubted his help was needed any longer.  Instead, he chose to continue interacting with their contractor, Pox.  It was amazing how many similarities they had:  they were both healers, they both were bandits (or at least, one used to be one), and they both donned masks.  The marksman could sense the mysteries hiding beneath the soulless irises of the bird mask, and while his guard remained raised, the lad could not help but also feel a sense of connection with Pox-- at least, due to their preference to save as many lives as possible.

"You not only risked your neck by crawling around a bloody battlefield, but you also have no means of a long-range ability to heal your comrades."  Vali remarked with a scoff.  "Not the sharpest syringe in the cabinet, are you, Pox?  Then again, to stand so gracefully for me to blow your head off should have been clue number one, in retrospect.  You did not think this through, and for a medic, not thinking can end more lives than saving them."

The sounds of Damian's trees joining the battle eased the sniper, confident with the idea that at least their greatest powerhouse had emerged at last.  He could at least rest easy, for now.  He turned his attention back to Pox, loading five bullets into his rifle before approaching the medic.

"But, I do apologize."  Vali bowed his head towards his fellow medic.  "Attacking a medic has no honor.  Words are but a reflection of the speaker, and I do hope you understand that my words were a reflection of my fear.  I feared having to choose between my allies and my principles.  As medics, we always pledge to do no harm to our patients, but where do we draw the line knowing that our patient may kill our brothers and sisters?  These bandits broke the rules.  They are scum."

Vali's sharp eyes turned in the direction of one of the village's buildings, spotting one of the surviving bandits peeking his head through the windows in an effort to see the ongoing skirmish.  He gestured to Pox, signaling how easy it could have been for him to take out that peeping bandit.

"You asked us to help you in curing a disease in your town, and these bandits just destroyed your cure.  I understand the weight of principles, Pox, but,"  Vali raised his rifle, scoping in on the bandit.  "The wails will follow in the steps of these men who left many a widow in their wake.  What's one evil life if it will save hundreds of innocents?"

His finger itched upon the trigger, but Vali eased his grip before bringing down his sniper.  The sounds of battle resumed once more as the marksman had one more question to ask the medic, and his answer would affect the lad's next few actions.  Valishin held up a bullet before it began to glow, continuously fading between green and yellow.

"The bandits we are facing now are powerful.  If my allies and your bandits were all on the brink of death, who would you save first?  Assuming I'm all out of healing bullets, whose life would you anchor?  My brothers and sisters of Dragon Heart or these bandits you call your own?"  Vali gripped the bullet before pointing it in the direction of the fight.  "I know my principles and my choice.  Now, what about you, doc?"