Caser let out a grieved roar but he could smell his human mom. In fact, she was just off to his right, slunk against the wall with green blood on the back of her head. Caser got to her easily and Dobin climbed off his back so quickly he almost tripped on Caser's tentacles.
"She's here!" Dobin called so Sil could find his way to them. He realized he had to go the long way around but the snake portion of the body wasn't touching the wall so he was able to get through easier than he thought he would. He was calling her name the entire way.
Dobin picked her up and was turning toward Caser when Sil got there.
"She hit the back of her head on the wall. There's blood but I don't know how bad. We need to get her to the surface."
Sil nodded and went to take her.
"No. Climb on Caser's back and I'll hand her up. He can take us all up."
Sil nodded and Caser helped him climb on his back because Sil was not thinking clearly.
Dobin handed her up and Sil quickly took her. Caser swiftly helped Dobin up as well and they were off. Caser wrapped his tentacles around them as tightly as he could while keeping his speed. He decided he liked this evolution and hoped it was enough to save Lana.
On the surface, they were able to determine her wound had healed itself and she was not bleeding. The biggest problem was the healer was still asleep.
"My suggestion, take her and the others back to the shelter on Caser. Then take Lana through the teleporter to the ship and see if their healer can help her," Dobin said.
Sil found that to be sound advice. He stayed on Caser's back with Lana while the other four were laid across his back. Soon Caser was once again running. Dobin called back to the shelter to let them know they had wounded incoming so they could get the apprentice healers in the infirmary.
The scanner was put back in the bag and on Biff's back. Mandy and Fiza each carried a baby and they all headed back toward the shelter. The babies were fed and changed while Lana and the rest were exploring the vast darkness below. They were able to get back without any events to find the four who were put to sleep were starting to wake up. The girls took the babies back to Lana's house and tended them there, creating a shift schedule so they could all still study.
Biff went to the command post and updated Kattie and Almin on what happened while they were out.
Alarmed, "where is she? The ship?" Kattie responded.
Biff nodded. "Rene was sleeping due to that beast."
"How's Dobin?"
"How do you think?"
"Where's Fiza?"
"The girls all said they were going to Lana's house with the kids."
Almin took that as his cue to stay put while Kattie went to find Fiza.
Not long later, Fiza was looking for Dobin and found him making sure the four sleeping friends were okay.
"Dobin, I wanted to tell you I have things here if you want to go to Lana. There's not really much to handle on the family side, honestly. We are going to stay in her house until she gets back. Go to her side. She needs you right now as well as her husband."
Dobin nodded and left without a word.
Dobin got to the infirmary just as the nurse was leaving. Lana lay in a bed with Sil clinging to her hand. Tears streamed down his red cheeks. Caser had shrunk himself and was laying on her feet.
Sil heard Dobin approach, "I… I don't even know what happened. She asked me… She wanted me to seal the opening the beast entered through so no more could come in. I had just finished and the beast's body … it hit me and pushed me into the wall."
Sil looked up into his brother-in-law's face but quickly looked down, unable to face him, feeling responsible for his wife's state.
"I turned around and I couldn't see her anywhere. Dobin, that beast was demon-tier. She ended up like this but she killed it by herself…"
"Sil, are you blaming yourself for this?" Dobin straight asked him.
"Of course I am! Look at her!" Sil yelled.
Dobin looked at his brother-in-law with a small smile. "You're married to her yet you still fail to see what happened here."
"What are you talking about?"
"She's alive because you helped her. You both are. Because you focused on doing as she asked, she was able to focus on doing what she did. You worked together like any couple should. I'm proud of both of you. They send groups after demon-tiers and you two took one out by yourselves!"
"She killed it. I just filled a hole… She's far stronger than even I thought. "
"Did she use her soul weapon?" Dobin asked, thinking he knew the answer.
"I don't know. I know she had her sword out but I think she would have had to use it with that level of power that was unleashed. She told me what she could do with just the one item. I feel so useless."
"I hope you never say such nonsense in her presence. You are the reason she was able to focus. You enabled her to show her strength. Do you even know how hard it is for her to do so? She has spent her whole life hiding who she is. You made her feel safe enough to be herself. That is no small feat. I'm proud to call you brother. I don't think there is a more perfect man for her."
Sil had a small smile on his face but his concern for his wife was very evident.
Just then, Sam entered the room. "Sil, there you are." Sam then noticed Lana and Dobin, "while I really want to know what happened, Kaz came back. Quinn needs us all to report to him so we can leave."
"To go where?" Sil asked while glancing back at his wife.
Dobin looked between the two men and all his brain could do was think more secrets… "Go, Sil. She'll be fine."
"I… Dobin, I don't know how long we'll be gone. Can you take the kids back as well?"
After a nod from Dobin, Sam and Sil were off to the training room that Quinn had blocked off from unauthorized personnel.
Sam escorted Sil quickly to the training room where Quinn and the others waited for him. Quinn took one look at his best friend and threw a shadow around him. Sil vanished. A moment later, so did Quinn.
Inside Quinn's Shadow Lock skill, Quinn quickly extended a hand which was then covered with shadow. A moment later, the shadow receded and it had clothes in it.
"I need you to change quickly. We need to get to the vampire world. Can you tell me what happened while you change?"
Sil did as asked. He dropped is bloody clothes to the ground and quickly got dressed while explaining that this wife was injured while killing a demon-tier-beast. The very shocked Quinn promised they would discuss it more once they had time. They both suddenly reappeared in the training room.
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