Editing Nobledark Imperium Writing (section)

== Pathlost ==

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">

“Why are we here?”

The question surprised Keir to such a point that he stopped stitching the open wound. “Pardon?”

Long and vibrant lavender hair parted as the Eldar woman, Tal’hina he had come to know, turned her head to look partially over her shoulder.

“Why are we here Guardsman? You are quite lucky our band managed to spot you alone. I’m curious as to what could have driven you so far from your lines, especially with a group of Orks on your trail.”

Keir hesitated for a moment before focusing on treating Tal’hina’s wound. They had found cover in a cave thankfully and his pack lights were powerful enough to allow him to work at least basic first aid. Tal’hina had mentioned something about other warriors of hers that guarded the entrance to their hideaway. Keir hadn’t seen a trace of them though.

<div class="mw-collapsible-content">

“I promise you it wasn’t cowardice that drove me out here.” Keir finally formed a response as his fingers worked deftly. He was wondering just how far he should go with the truth. He was among allies at the least, but what drove him on this battlefield was extremely personal. 

“I was… in charge of escorting a civilian band.” Keir tried to keep his tone steady. “They had been forced underground by the initial Ork invasion and we found them locked in a sub-basement. We weren’t told to expect ambushes so far behind the front-.” 

He stopped to reach for the anti-septic again, one could never be too careful with Ork and the wounds they inflicted. Tal’hina was quiet throughout his explanation. He wondered if she believed him at all. It was unsettling to say the least, like he was trying to explain his case to an Arbiter judge.

“So you failed?” Tal’hina spoke suddenly, catching Keir off-guard. He did not answer which prompted Tal’hina again. “I find you alone and beset by Orks from all sides, not a single civilian or other human soul in sight or sound, so your mission was a failure I presume?”

Keir supposed he should feel some sting of anger or reprisal. Instead he felt numb; perhaps it was the pain suppressors the Eldar woman had given him when she had healed his wounds or maybe it was just a stark realization that in some way he did fail. He finally answered in a subdued tone.

“I don’t know honestly. I was cut off almost immediately and forced to fight for my life. The soldiers I had were good, but…” He trailed off as he realized he had finished closing the wound. He tapped Tal’hina on the shoulder as he set himself heavily against one of the cave walls. She turned with entirely too much grace for how injured she was supposed to be to finally look at Keir face to face. The small smile she wore spoke of consolation, or was it haughtiness? Keir had never any Eldar before today so he wasn’t entirely sure. He quickly realized she was still expecting some more of an answer and stammered one out.

“The soldiers were good and the civilians were survivors. They would have made it out alright.” Keir turned to regard his shredded and not empty medical tote bag. He was beginning to feel the inkling of shame crawl into his mind and wanted to look anywhere but at the Eldar woman.

He heard a small hum come from Tal’hina. She had seemed to decide something and turned to look away from Keir. This sparked something in his mind that caused him to start speaking with a rising volume.

“No matter what you think of me, let me make one thing perfectly apparent. I’ve had countless people from almost every walk of life go through my hands as a doctor. Many of them have died, because I wasn’t fast enough, or they were killed before I ever reached them, or some random accident of happenstance. Every one of their lost lives live on in my mind; I see the last fleeting moments of a thousand different people flash through my head every time I’m called on to help those in need.” Keir spoke as evenly as he could, but the loss of his voice did not help in his efforts to explain.

“Even if I wanted to forget them, I would not allow myself to. I have been forced more times than I wish to remember to allow some to die so more may live, and the choice doesn't become any easier.” Keir was no distinctly aware of his eyes become more blurry. “All I ask Tal’hina, whatever you may think of my decisions, is to not patronize me. I try to work every day to make up for my mistakes; I could not live with myself otherwise.” Keir finally clamped down on his mouth by biting his tongue. He was close to fully spilling out into a tirade but ultimately managed to school his swirling thoughts and quiet his fears about what had happened to the civilians who he was charged with protecting. 

“...I promise you, I will do everything in my power find them and ensure their safety; that is my mission. There is no other alternative for me.”

Tal’hina muttered under her breath. All Keir could make out was something about being lost but he could not be sure. Tal’hina locked eyes with him. He could not tell what she was looking for in his own eyes, but he was startled at the simultaneous steel that spoke of a warrior and silent worry that he had seen in so many of his more idealistic medic-brethren.

“Is that why you walk this path then; to try to help the helpless and save the damned?” Tal’hina asked an almost soothing tone, turning where she was sat so now she fully faced Keir. The look of confusion from Keir at the question let loose a small laugh from Tal’hina. It was a sound that Keir admitted was quite breathtaking, internally of course.

“I meant if that is why you are a healer? Your equipment and heraldry mark you as such.” Tal’hina kept that small smile as she regarded Keir. “Our path is not an easy one, and there are easier ways to fight for your people, so I’m curious as to what drives you.”

Keir didn’t know what to make of the question. This whole situation had grown far beyond what he could have imagined not a few hours ago. Then again he did owe his life to this woman. He figured he might as well indulge her and himself in speaking.

“I don’t recall much, only the festering odor. I still don’t know what they were, what they wanted, where they went, all I can remember is that terrible stink.” Keir felt strange dredging up a very old memory, but it felt like a much needed venting from his current emotional turmoil. Tal’hina quickly lost her smile. 

“A minor chaos incursion, or so I’m told; I was quite young then, young enough that the memory of it stands out as some of my earliest. I remember trying to help but I could scarcely keep myself calm let alone assist in treating such disaster. It was then I decided that it was not enough to fight. So many of the garrison there fought and they died doing their duty. I knew I needed to do something more than just pull a trigger.”

Keir slowly made his way shakily to his feet. Tal’hina followed so that both of them stood apart from the other. Keir was surprised to find themselves equal in height, although the fact that Ta’lhina was not wearing most of her armor was not lost on him.

“So I decided I would try and help people through healing. Where else would that need be the largest than with the Guard? I enlisted as soon as I was able and have been walking this ‘path’ ever since.”

He started retrieving his equipment as Tal’hina was content to simply watch him as she seemed to be trying to judge something for herself. She regained that smile of hers and spoke.

“You are considerate to bear these questions of mine, and I don’t think I have properly thanked you for your own assistance to my wounds. So, properly now, thank you and know that you have gained the gratitude of Tal’hina of Yme-loc.” She dipped her head towards Keir who made no attempt to respond to the gesture. She brought her head back up and began to gather her own equipment and reequip her armor gingerly. 

“Rovenko.” Tal’hina turned while continuing to adjust her armor and stared in apparent confusion. Kier spoke again with a bit more surety. “My name is Kier Rovenko, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Tal’hina nodded again, seemingly satisfied in the information, before turning back to her armor.

“So why do you follow this path?” Keir could not resist asking. Tal’hina stopped abruptly in adjusting a greave and turned to look at Keir again. “It is tale woefully similar to your own I would say. My most prominent memory of my decision was the sound of the dying and the anguished.”

Keir averted his eyes from hers. “I apologize, I did not mean to drag up-“

“It does not matter,” Tal’hina interrupted him, “You have been more than accommodating of my own inquiries, so there is no reason I should respond in kind. Although you will also forgive me for being as elusive in my answers as you were.” Keir swallowed a small lump that had suddenly caught in his throat. He turned back to see the full regalia of an Eldar warrior, armor he did not recognize, covering Tal’hina’s lithe frame all besides her helmet which she held couched in her arm. 

Both healers gathered themselves and moved toward the entrance to their small hideaway. Tal’hina, her face now covered by a full helmet, turned to Keir. 

“Are you well enough to perform your duties?” Her voice rang clear despite the now electric twang it had. Keir rested his hand against the grip of his las-pistol as his eyes adjusted to the natural light again. He could finally make out the burnt orange form of a set of guardian armor standing guard just a small ways from the entrance. 

“I’m still breathing aren’t I?” Keir allowed a smile of his own at Tal’hina’s metallic laughter. Maybe she was impressed; maybe she was just amused at his dogged pursuit. Either way he had found that sound of laughter to be comforting. The set off in step with the other, both of them ready to go back into the fray once again to hold death itself at bay.

</div>
</div>