77 The Death of Superman (2/2)

Watching her work now to save the life of one of our own, I felt my chest grow with pride. Again, I was confronted with proof that not all humans who visit the Fayne are in it for selfish reasons.

While Sasha continued treating Enna's wounds, I took the time to ask about what happened to the Foolhardies camp.

”M-magesong bastards launched… surprise attack… during daylight,” Enna explained.

Enna's face reddened as she spoke. Her eyes cringed in pain while Sasha continued to work on her.

”T-they went after… officers… Y-your brother… h-he — Argh!” Enna howled in pain.

”Sorry-sorry!” Sasha blurted. ”You've got a broken arrow shaft imbedded inside you… I have to take it out or the wound will fester,” Sasha glanced at me, ”Commander, please hold her still.”

The thought that something bad might have happened to Luca made my movements sluggish, but I did as Sasha asked and held onto Enna's shoulders.

Sasha offered Enna a piece of rolled-up cloth ”Bite down on this…”

Enna bit down on it. She looked up at us and there was fear in her eyes.

”It'll be okay,” Sasha cooed. She caressed Enna's cheek. ”Ready? On three. One-two—”

Sasha didn't wait for three. At two, she plunged her hand into the wound and used her fingers to feel for whatever shrapnel was stuck to Enna's insides. Obviously, this made Enna scream and scream.

”Geez, Sasha!” I hissed.

”Sorry-sorry! Sasha's hand continued its search inside Enna's wound. ”Almost got it!”

Enna thrashed underneath me. Her eyes bulged in obvious pain.

I wasn't squeamish. I'd seen enough dismembered body parts to feel almost desensitized by excessive gore. But there was just something about seeing Enna look so defenseless that made my insides churn violently, nearly making me puke.

Enna expelled one final gasp of pain before finally, mercifully, passing out. And as if on cue, Sasha pulled out her hand, bringing with it a charred arrowhead and inch of shaft.

”I got it!” she said happily.

”Y-yeah, good job,” I managed to say despite my nausea.

Soon after Sasha finished treating Enna, the bearded visere came to get me.

”We found him by the command tent…” he said solemnly.

I followed him to the fallen command tent and to the gathering of viseres who'd formed a loose circle around a hulking kneeling form. The closer we got the more certain I was that I knew who the figure was.

Shaqs, our bashful troll, knelt on the ground while surrounded by a heap of dead Magesong soldiers. The blade of his war ax lay impaled on the chest of the dead troll in front of him.

I walked closer. The crowd parted to let me through. And it was only then that I noticed that Shaqs' eyes were closed.

Alfie was kneeling beside him. Tears streamed down his face. He had a hand resting on Shaqs limp left arm.

I remembered that the two of them joined the Foolhardies at the same time. Because of this, and Shaqs' unusual dietary requests of hob meat, the two of them had gotten really close. I even remembered telling them off once for fooling around during training.

Shaqs had saved my life more than once during this war. In fact, I planned to promote him soon. But I would never get to do that now. There were too many sharp things stabbing into him. A troll's great sword had even pierced his gut. No doubt, a mortal wound. Possibly the one that finally defeated him. Nothing less could have stopped the bravest troll I'd ever met—a true Superman among Foolhardies. No. I would never get the chance to thank Shaqs for his service. He was already dead.

Alfie's sobs raked at my chest like poisoned claws that turned my blood cold. It was heartbreaking to hear.