Collapsed on the ground, Leila could only observe the surroundings through the little degree of freedom her neck still provided. She wondered whether she could have happened to have broken any bones - unlikely, most of her ribs felt like they were still there. On the other hand she almost would’ve irrationally hoped that her ribs weren’t there, if that would make it hurt less…
...she turned to look at the nearby scene of the ongoing fight, and to hear the cries of her fellow humans as they engaged the monster.
”Over here!””Go for its arms!!””Plants are still plants, easy to rip!”...Ace, fungi are not plants.By the looks of the monster, though, Leila isn’t really sure if it would qualify as a fungus anymore.
By the looks of the monster, it’s also noticed Leila and headed her way. A bad thing.
The instinctive attempt to jerk her body in the opposite direction sent another pulse of spraining pain through her upper body. She still couldn’t move much, not yet. The mushroom was moving -
..."Alright, off you go now!”Then from out of Leila’s range of vision came a flying kick that sent the mushroom man stumbling backwards, back towards Harper, Ace, and the glowing pool. Being careful not to accidentally stress anywhere that still hurt, Leila looked at the deliverer of that attack and recognized her as Zephy, the messenger that accompanied them and later also ended up in the caves.
With the messenger’s hands supporting her by the shoulders, Leila managed to maintain balance, and the two started inching along the edge of the fight scene and to a ledge, temporary safe from the reach of monsters. The messenger did her best helping Leila, yet with the somewhat awkward difference in height between them, the few grunts of pain when she happens to have compressed or stretched an injured part of her body as they walked could not be spared.
Meanwhile, the combat raged on below, near the pool. The two swordsmen seem to have been successful in cornering the monster, in a plan to force it to fall into the lake.
“C’mon, guys! You can do it!” Zephy cheered.
The messenger probably gestured for the girl to sit down, but Leila did not. Instead she took a few short, stumbling steps to the side.
The messenger watched as Leila straightened her stance. The pain in her chest seemed to have lessened, and the amulet started glowing a bit more intensely again. She reached for another arrow and locked it carefully onto her bow, and held it out to take aim.
One more arrow. This one didn’t require many planning. The ledge was a vantage point. The monster was near enough the the edge of the lake. Just a nudge would be enough.
Just a nudge.
”Now!”Harper called below, stepping aside and screwing his eyes shut. The arrow whipped through the air in from of him, and the monster lost its foothold as the arrow knocked itself sturdily into the body of the giant mushroom.
Splash.* * * * * * *
Meanwhile, the glow from the amulet diminished as soon as she let go of the bowstring. The pain returned, even more intense than before, as the light disappeared. The archer stumbled backwards, her steps wobbled and she collapsed again, this time onto the floor of the ledge beneath her and into the messenger who was standing at the side. The emerald green amulet dangled from her neck with dangerously little remaining of its liquid, and glowed only faintly as Leila lied down on the ground.
The others should take care of the mushroom. If they didn’t, there wasn’t anything she could do now anyway...Leila thought as her consciousness gradually faded away.
