The Grand Escape (Part-5)

"He is greatly injured from what I found he has multiple broken bones in his body, he is dehydrated and starving, not to mention he is suffering from burns, extreme heat and…."

Maralyn gained a troubled look on her face as she spoke, "His condition is even worse someone or something has boiled his blood harming his internal organs greatly."

Nikita looked alarmed at that as Maralyn continued to speak, "He has some form of toxins."

Nikita frowned at that as she spoke, "I doubt he might have met some strong people but creatures for sure, do you know any creature that might have to harm him as such."

Maralyn looked up towards the sky before she spoke with a sigh, "I know many such creatures and none of them is good.", she stopped for a moment before her eyes wandered towards Ryan's legs especially his left leg.

"Nikita helps me remove the splint, and inspect his left leg, I am having some bad vibes from it."

Nikita nodded at that as Maralyn placed her bag under Ryan's head as a pillow before they moved towards his legs.

"How is my brother?"

The concerned voice of Michalina came to their ear as Nikita was about to speak Maralyn beat her to it, "Later Nikita please help me with his legs, it is much more important and Michalina I am sorry but please let us finish our investigation before we can say something so stand back and do not disturb."

The serious tone of Maralyn's voice made her stop any further enquires as she gave them some space, while the duo began to slowly remove the splint off his legs.

"We have to cut his trousers."

Maralyn nodded as she produced a large knife, as she swiftly began to cut off the trouser from just above his knee, while Nikita removed his boots.

As they removed the part of his trousers, Maralyn let out a gasp of shock before she ran her hand which had a familiar glow before her face took a look of a grimace.

Nikita frowned at the condition on Ryan's legs, it had suffered multiple fractures, not to mention it had an unhealthy purple colour to it, and 'Are those hand mark? It looked as if someone with flaming hands had taken hold of his legs hard and had broken it.'

"It is worst than I thought."

Nikita looked at the frowning visage of Maralyn as she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"He's suffering from having his blood boiled, toxins in his body and this mark that looks like someone had grabbed him flaming hand points to one creature, a highly deadly and creepy creature known as 'Soul Eater'."

Michalina frowned as she spoke, "Deadly and creepy?"

Maralyn nodded as she spoke, "Yes they are one of the creepiest creatures that would haunt your dreams for a long time.", she stood from her kneeling position as she spoke, "Excuse me, but I need to gather some herbs posthaste for Ryan, until then please keep an eye on him and make him comfortable."

"How should I make him comfortable?"

Maralyn looked towards Nikita in a way that screamed, 'Are you an idiot?', for a brief moment before she smacked her forehead as she spoke, "Sorry, I forgot you all do not know about it, just make sure he is cool and comfortable, and try to have him drink with plenty of water, for now, I will be back as soon as I find those herbs."

 With that, she left them as she shouted towards Dasyra, "Dasyra I need your help to find some herbs fast."

Dasyra simply sends nod of acknowledgement as she soon followed after her quickly in search of the necessary herbs.

Nikita looked at Ryan for a moment before she spoke to Michalina, "Help me remove his clothes, he does not any armour for the time being."

Michalina looked at the sky as she spoke, "Well then we have to move him to the other side of the 'Goliath' away from the sun."

Nikita frowned as she could not help but ask out loud, "Goliath?"

Michalina simply tapped on the car as she replied with a smile on her face, "This is 'Goliath', a mine-resistant all-terrain vehicle, procured by the Navalach City Police, even though it has been modified, and then badly wrecked with its paint completely gone but I would be able to recognize it very easily."

Nikita simply snorted at that as she spoke, "Well then help me pick him up and move."

As she spoke she pulled out the portable stretcher from her bag before picking Ryan up and carrying him to the other side of the car laying him under its shade before there began to strip him off most of his clothing.

Michalina winced seeing the lobster red colour of his skin, as well as the bluish-black marks along with the swellings in certain areas.

"He took quite the beating."

Nikita nodded at that as she spoke, "Yes he did, get me a piece of some cloth and water please."

As Michalina left Nikita let out a sigh of relief as she spoke, "I am glad I found you, Ryan, if you had died I would not have been able to forgive myself for not being able to save you from that Roc's grip."

Michalina quickly arrived with the requested item as Nikita spoke, "Why don't you go and check the car, who knows we might be able to return home using it."

Michalina nodded at that as she spoke, "Excellent idea, I will go and give it a look over."

Nikita dipped the rag that was provided him in water before she began to remove the bloodstain of his face with the wet cloth.

'What did you have to go through Ryan, you are so badly scalded and your blood was boiled, and that strange creature that had attacked you, just what horrors did you have to witness.'

As soon as she finished cleaning up the blood, she brought her canteens to Ryan's lips as she helped its contents to flow through his lips.

"I checked the interior, and the only seat that was present there as the driver seat, and by its side was a large plastic jar full of some pale yellow liquid, but the worst part is that Ryan had tweaked with the interior and as such one of the pedals is missing, my bet is he had removed the one that was meant to for the clutch, but as a result, I have no idea how to drive it."

A frown graced Nikita's visage as she spoke, "The goats are all well and good, but I do not think that they would be good for him though."

Michalina nodded in agreement as she spoke, "So true."

What seemed to be almost an hour when the duo of elves returned with their bounty, looking a bit roughed up, but otherwise was perfectly fine.

"I have managed to find all the herbs, I just have to make some potion and pasted and then apply it to him and all will be fine for now."

Michalina looked at her for as she spoke, "What do you mean by 'now'?"

Both Maralyn and Dasyra gained a helpless look on their faces as Dasyra spoke, "One of the herbs is extremely hard to get, I had spotted that plant on our way here, but it is now completely underwater as such I could not retrieve."

Michalina frowned at that as she spoke, "Underwater?"

Dasyra nodded at that as she spoke, "Yes underwater, for reason unknown to us the entire area is flooded as if a river is flowing through the area and thus I failed to gather it."

Michalina shook her head as she spoke with a sigh, "Just our luck, how important is that herb."

Dasyra bit her lips as she replied to her, "Extremely so without it, Ryan cannot heal."

Seeing the look of fear and panic Maralyn quickly spoke, "Though if I am not wrong Dasyra had spotted similar herb near our base, we can get it when we return but for now with whatever I have been able to gather, it would be enough to at least provide him relief and make sure he is not in danger anymore."

Michalina grimaced upon hearing that as she requested of them, "Do what you can to save him then."

"I will please do not worry."

As Maralyn spoke Dasyra deposited her findings as she spoke, "Maralyn is there anything you need of me."

Maralyn simply shook her head as she spoke, "No please return to your work and thank you."

Dasyra simply smiled as she left while Maralyn simply began to work on creating various concoctions to help Ryan.

It was around midday and a couple of stray zombies later that Maralyn finally finished her work.

"Well I am done, Nikita helps me feed these potions to him."

Nikita raised Ryan's head slightly as Maralyn poured a purple-coloured liquid down his throat, to Nikita the entire process was eye-opening as she gained the first-hand view on potion and salve concoction, but as Maralyn made those items Nikita noticed that with each passing moment how irritated she was becoming.

"Is something wrong Maralyn? You look kind of irritated at the moment."

Maralyn was taken aback at that before she began to speak with a frown on her face, "Well you see I am a bit irritated, creating these items as well as finding herbs was so easy but all of a sudden all my strength is gone not to mention it feels as if I have regressed to being a toddler once again."

All Nikita could do was send a sympathetic smile not knowing what else to say to her, as she then went apply all the salve she made all over Ryan's body.

As she finished she spoke with a huff, "Well I have finished with my work, he should be waking up soon so please make sure that you have something for him to eat preferably something that he will no problem swallowing."

Nikita simply gave a small nod as she spoke, "I will see what I can do."

As Nikita stood up Maralyn looked up to see the sun directly above them as such she spoke again, "Nikita before you go help me move him under the large metal box it would protect him from the glaring hot sun."

A small appeared on Nikita's face as she heard Maralyn calling the car as a large metallic box as she spoke, "It is called a car Maralyn, not a metallic box."

Only for Maralyn to shrug as she replied in a bored tone, "Whatever it looks like a box to me, a rather dilapidated box."

Ryan stirred as he tried to open his eyes, he felt tired, drained, and the cool feeling on his skin simply made him wish that he could sleep without being disturbed but alas he felt such pangs of hunger that he could no longer withstand him as such he tried to sit up only to wince as pain erupted within his body.

"Stop, stop, take it easy Ryan."

A familiar voice of Nikita came to his ears but unfortunately, he had lost his hearing as such he promptly sat up without looking around and with a loud thud, he hit his head hard against the underneath of the Goliath as he fell back with a cry of pain.

His cry of pain drew everyone's attention as Michalina dashed towards him as she checked him over, while Ryan finally opened his eyes to look around.

'Why am I underneath the Goliath all of a sudden and why do I feel as if I am sitting under an AC.'

His attention was drawn towards something or somebody touching him as he turned his head he was greeted by the smiling visage of Michalina whose eyes were glistening with tears.

"I am so glad that I found you, brother, I am so glad now we can all return home."

The emotion in Michalina's voice could have moved Ryan but unfortunately, he could hear no sound as he watched her lips move up and down.

'I cannot believe I have reached safety, I have found my sister but I am no longer able to hear her voice.'

As such with heavy heart Ryan decided to speak barely above a whisper about his condition.

Michalina winced as her injured brother shouted out at the top of his lungs, "Sorry Sis, I lost my hearing and now I am deaf as such I cannot hear you."