"Father," he thought as darkness closed in. "I avenged you."
But then he heard voices. Settlement voices.
"GRUK'S DOWN! GET A HEALER!"
Jessica was running toward him, her healing magic already manifesting. Behind her, two orc warriors were clearing a path through combat.
"Stay with me, Gruk!" Jessica commanded, her hands glowing with healing power. "Don't you dare die!"
"I... killed him," Gruk managed weakly. "Avenged... father..."
"Yes, you did. You honored Urgak. Now let me save you!" Her healing magic poured into his pierced heart, forcing the organ to keep beating, flooding his system with life-sustaining energy.
The healing was barely enough. Gruk's heart wound was mortal. But Jessica was the settlement's best healer, and she channeled every ounce of power she had.
"Breathe! Fight! Your father wouldn't want you dying after you've won!" she shouted at him.
Gruk's orc constitution responded to the healing magic. His massive body clung to life with stubborn determination.
