Forged Destiny [Book 3: Ch. 4]

Something kicked me in the stomach.

That was all I could think. It was a sudden, swift blow, and for a moment I thought the horse had lashed out – proving that they all hated me. Ruby's wide eyes spoke against that though, even as I looked down to see the shaft buried in my stomach.

W-What…?

[...]

My aura. Right. I clenched my eyes shut and concentrated, trying to think of how much aura, or health, I had left. It wasn't a clear number. It never was. I was definitely going to live though. It felt like this had only taken off a quarter – which was still a nasty shock for a single arrow. That left me with reserves, however. "I can still fight," I said.

[...]

The Ranger cried out in pain. He fell back, but managed to grab my belt with one hand and use me to steady himself. He kicked up, driving a knee into my stomach, hitting the arrow he'd buried there before. I screamed and fell back, letting go of Crocea Mors entirely to clutch my wound.

[...]

Ruby tore a huge chunk off her cloak. Before I could even say anything, she had my armour coming off, my jerkin pulled up. "I can't do much," she whispered, gasping at the sight of the wound. "Just hold on. We'll get you back to Eldon. They'll have someone there who can help."

[...]

"You're injured," Hal said, finally noticing the blood. Ruby had bandaged it as best she could, but the shaft was still there. "Why didn't yer say so? Oi, Maggie, fetch the doctor. Oscar, set up me best bed – your mam's. Go fetch and boil some water when it's done."

"I'll be fine," I gritted out.

[...]

It didn't hurt as much as it did before. In fact, the wound itself barely stung at all. It was the muscles around it now, which hardly appreciated all the strain I'd put them through in the fight.

[...]

"The wound is deep, but not complex," one crooned. Her voice was light, even, and I had the strangest feeling she was speaking out loud so that I could focus on it, to calm me down. It worked. She sounded like every grandmother ever. "It missed anything important, and the arrowhead didn't break off from the shaft. It looks messy, and I've a feeling it'll leave a scar – but you're lucky this is a broadhead and not a bodkin. It went through your armour, but it didn't gouge and bleed like a Hunter's arrow would have."

—Forged Destiny [Book 3: Ch. 4]