Gabriel's eyes widened as he continued to look down.
Where did she come from?
Was she part of the adventurer's party?
He crouched next to her.
The wind was swirling around them. The bowl only had one single entry and exit point, so once the wind entered, it didn't leave
Gabriel watched as the frost from her breath appeared.
She's still alive, barely.
He shifted his eyes up and down her body, cataloguing any wounds she had.
The blood was leaking from her shoulder, staining the frosty ground red
His eyes flickered to her legs.
Her trouser leg was ripped below her knee, revealing some cuts and abrasions.
He stood up, removed his cloak and put it on her.
The robe began darkening as it soaked up the bleeding.
Gabriel began scanning the area. He walked to the threshold that separates the forest from the Goat's path and picked up a small branch from the ground.
He walked back to the woman, again.
He took both the Dunefox poison and the healing potion from his belt, placed the healing potion on the ground next to him.
Keeping the Dunefox poison in his left hand.
He reached under the lady's head and raised it gently with his other hand.
Uncorked the Dunefox poison with his mouth and placed it under her nose.
Moving it slowly so the smell could waft up.
Dunefox poison had a distinct smell. Sharp and invasive. It clawed its way up the nose and burned behind the eyes. Even a faint whiff was enough to make most people recoil.
It only took a second for the lady adventurer to open her eyes and jolt her head backwards.
Gabriel gripped her head tightly, if he hadn't, she would have added another injury to herself.
She relaxed slightly in his arms, before blood began coming from her mouth.
She was coughing hard.
He instantly through the Dunefox poison, it hit the ground with a smash.
He reached down to his side and picked up the stick.
He raised the stick towards her mouth.
"Open. And bite down hard," his voice reverberated through the goat's path, commanding. He forced the branch into her mouth.
The lady submissively did as she was told.
Gabriel gently rested her head on the ground.
He pulled down the robe slightly, so it was just under her breastplate
He unsheathed his sword and cut the leather straps holding her armour in place, picked it up, and threw it to the side. He placed his sword on the ground next to him.
Placed both of his hands on her tunic at the neck. And ripped it down the middle.
The lady's eyes widened as she tried to raise her arms to cover her exposed chest. She shook left and right, trying to fight, but her strength had abandoned her.
Gabriel immediately grabbed the robe and covered her.
He looked at the distressed woman.
"Remain still".
He placed one of his knees on her chest and applied pressure.
He picked up the healing potion and pulled the cork out.
He began pouring it slowly from the beginning of the wounds. Following the path back up to her shoulder.
Her skin began to sizzle.
She began violently shaking. Her screams were muffled by the branch.
Gabriel applied more pressure with his knee.
The air became thick with the smell of burning flesh.
What Gabriel called a healing potion was, in truth, Manticur acid, bought from a travelling alchemist for three coppers.
The acid was common in the Central Kingdom, where Manticurs were bred for it. Blacksmiths used it to temper steel, to make the metal stronger.
It's also great at melding flesh together.
Her struggling stopped, and her screams died.
She had fallen unconscious.
Gabriel finished pouring the contents over her wounds, lifting her gently to ensure he got the gashes on her back as well.
The bleeding stopped.
The skin on the top of the lady's chest to her shoulder looked like someone had placed a lit torch and just laid it there.
Gabriel heaved a slight sigh of relief.
He stood up, still looking at the woman as his mind began to analyse
I have to get her to The Apothecary.
Her wounds need to be cleaned.
The wind continued to howl in the Goat's path.
The sound of wind crashing against the rocks sounded like a fast slash from a blade.
A scent crept into Gabriel's nose.
He stopped moving as his eyes narrowed towards the entrance.
The scent became stronger, a mixture of rotting flesh and dried blood. It was almost unbearable.
A gentle hiss drifted through the forest. Almost inaudible.
Gabriel closed his eyes and turned his body towards the entrance. Both hands up, ready to grab the hilt of his blade.
He shut out the outside noise and focused on the smell and the hiss.
Something felt wrong.
His balance was wrong.
He turned just enough to glance down at the woman, whilst keeping his focus on the entrance.
His eyes widened as he spotted his sword lying on the ground beside the injured adventurer.
He lunged to the side, body low, ready to roll at a moment's notice. His arm outstretched, fingers poised to seize the hilt as soon as he was close enough.
The hiss turned into a roar.
The echo within the Goat's Path crashed around him, rattling his skull.
He froze mid-motion and clamped his hands over his ears.
Blood dribbled down the side of his face.
The roar stopped.
A pale figure emerged at the entrance.
Its eyes were wide and bloodshot, veins spidering toward the corners. Foam spilled from the edges of its mouth. Two dagger-like fangs spread from its upper jaw, long enough to scrape its chin when it breathed. Its ears were large and pointed, twitching at every sound. A large sword slash going from its shoulder diagonally down to its hip.
Black blood wept from its wound.
Gabriel regained his composure. His hand found the hilt of the sword still on his back.
Smash!
Gabriel's body recoiled backwards, arms crossed in a defensive X before his face.
In an instant, the creature had picked up a dry, rotted branch and hurled it at him.
He reacted just in time.
The branch exploded on impact, splintering into dust and fragments that peppered the air.
The creature lunged simultaneously. Using the distraction of the branch to close the distance on Gabriel. A Blur of grey claws rushing towards him
Gabriel pivoted with his back foot sliding to the side, avoiding a head-on collision with the beast.
Slash!
The sound of claws tearing skin rushed through the air.
Gabriel had avoided a fatal blow, but he hadn't fully moved out of the way.
Blood began spurting from his abdomen. He reached his left hand down and applied pressure to stifle the blood.
The creature, still accelerating forward, ground to a halt and turned in one swift motion.
Gabriel's eyes never left his prey. He watched, his expression never changing.
He turned to face the vampire. Feet shoulder length apart, head on.
Gabriel and the beast were staring at one another. Face to face. Neither backing down.
Their breath visible in the air.
Animalistic savagery vs surgical precision.
The monster's eyes locked onto the blood seeping through Gabriel's fingers, its dribble revealing it was driven by instinct.
The beast was the first to move. Accelerating forward, its arms raised with its claws open. Ready to slash down the moment it's in range.
Gabriel coldly stared at the creature as it drew closer.
The vampire was at his face in the blink of an eye, slashing its arm downwards. Gabriel lowered his centre of gravity, moved the hand that was suppressing his wound, and pushed it forward towards the monster's forearm. With the speed at which it was thrusting its claws downwards, Gabriel just needed a gentle nudge to push it off course, missing him.
He raised his leg and stamped down hard on the monster's exposed knee.
The leg snapped as though it were a dry branch.
The beast's screech caused all the birds in the area to flee. It fell to the ground, grabbing its leg, trying to force out the roar it previously used, but only managed a pained whimper.
Gabriel took this opportunity to reach down and grab his sword.
He raised his arm and thrust it forward towards the creature.
The white ground reflected against the blade's silver edge, giving it the illusion of a divine weapon, pure and merciless.
Panic seeped into its eyes. The once savage look completely disappeared.
The blade pierced through the Vampire's chest, right down to the hilt. Gabriel pulled it back in a fluid motion.
Perfect technique. Exactly what had been drilled into him for years.
The monster slumped to the floor, lifeless.
Gabriel slowly lowered the sword to his side. The point of the blade parallel with the ground. His breathing became harder, he used his free hand to try and stifle the bleeding in his abdomen. His eyes become heavy.
Gabriel was trying to force them to stay open. He began swaying, fighting to keep his balance. He lost.
A thud echoed around as he slammed into the ground unconscious.