Zolik, and maybe even all of us, are going to die today, and it is all my fault.
Turmer was locked in a spell trance that held back the grip of time and reality, but still, his mind had room for guilt. The horses now pulled the cart through a stilled world. Their movements now a frenzy in comparison to the warped setting of trees outside of their magical aura. Turmer had set his spell in motion as soon as he had collected his thoughts enough to react. It hadn’t been enough to escape without incident.
Zolik lay in the rear of the cart on his back. Turmer’s eyes were locked on the dwarf even as the young wizard continued to recite the words to guide his magic. He saw the wound where an arrow shaft still protruded. That arrow that had been aimed to strike Turmer, but failed to reach him as the dwarf shielded his betrayer. The wound bled still though Ashlette had tended to it. Until she removed the arrow there was no viable method, but it had to remain as its removal would surely make it even worse without proper healing sources. Ashlette turned and shouted at Fliss, her hand accidentally moving to let the crimson run more freely.
Tears were streaking, and spittle hindered the boy’s pronunciations. The spell studdered, but he willed it on. He pushed his fear into it, letting the spell drain him. He wasn’t doing proper technique, and he would pay for it later. Turmer didn’t care. He deserved to suffer from this. He shouldn’t have been able to start the spell in the first place, but desperation often dispels studied doubts. Even so, it was taking a dangerous toll. Turmer would collapse if he held the spell all the way to the city. He watched for the gates as his ears pounded with his pulse. He would last out for as long as he could to give as much separation as possible from the enemies he had brought against them.
Turmer realized that he was leaning due to the cart swerving rather abruptly. He had no energy left to resist the pull. He continued his soft chant as he tilted over. Tumer’s head struck against a crate, the spell breaking as he fell into the sudden void of unconsciousness.