[ORDER] Prompt 3

Alowyn gradually gathered her courage to leave her hiding spot to help her companions in their battle. They had been battling against Shira with unwavering determination. However, the next hit that landed on Garmr sent him flying hard into the stone walls surrounding them and Herja was too distracted to catch him like she had done all the times before. His body bounced off the wall as he crumpled into a heap.

Herja and Garmr had been war partners for as long as they had been alive. Each knew not to get distracted by the other so Herja made no outward show when Garmr didn’t get up. However,  Alowyn gasped and she tried to take a couple of steps towards him. She took a deep breath and shuffled a few more steps closer to her companion. Confident she was close enough to help but far enough away to stay out of Shira’s way, she started to reach for Garmr with her magic. 

Garmr’s vision was black as he felt pain all over his body. He wasn’t sure what to do next, every attempt he made to move sent waves of pain through him. He clenched his teeth but tried to will himself to get up and help Herja any way he could. When all failed, Garmr slumped into himself. However, shortly after there was the familiar feeling of Alowyn’s magic wrapped around him. 

Alowyn urged the roots to cocoon her companion. She kept her sights on Garmr while she sent silent prayers to Herja, hoping the fury of a vayron could keep going while she healed Garmr. Alowyn envisioned her magic healing Garmr. 

Herja and Shira separated for a beat. They were huffing, but the short pause gave them each time to take in the situations around them. 

“I see you came out of hiding,” Shira taunted Alowyn. 

Alowyn flinched but otherwise tried to remain focused on Garmr. 

Herja added another layer of comfort for Alowyn when she stepped into Shira’s eyeline, blacking her view. Herja took a deep breath and tried to pull Shira’s attention away from the pair behind her. She leapt at the leader, jumping over the haedian, to land an attack in her hind land. Shira roared and whipped around to retaliate. 

The pain in Garmr’s body faded quickly and soon he felt revitalized. The roots encapsulating him fell away and returned to earth. Garmr stood and stretched out his muscles out of habit more than anything because overall he felt completely refreshed and ready to join back in. 

“Tell Herja to step back,” Alowyn insisted, “I can help her too.” 

Garmr nodded and jumped into the fight. His sudden arrival threw Shira off, but only momentarily. Once he relayed the message, Herja landed a couple of more hits before she landed near Alowyn. 

Alowyn immediately began to start healing her. 

“You know,” Herja started quietly, “You can help more than this.”

Alowyn stiffened, “This is all I feel comfortable with.”

Herja ignored her, “If you tie down her legs, Garmr and I can land bigger hits.”

Alowyn shook her head and focused on healing her. While Herja waited for the healing to finish, she shouted out moves for Garmr, offering a sideline perspective. When Garmr’s back was turned because he had just landed or was thrown, Herja would yell out a warning to save him every time. 

“Done,” Alowyn said. 

Herja thanked her before launching herself into the battle. 

Alowyn followed Herja’s example from earlier and called out any movement Shira was doing that the pair missed. She managed to help them dodge several hits, however, she kept thinking about what Herja had said to her about helping more. Before she had a chance to second-guess herself, she urged her vines to grab Shira’s limbs. 

Shira roared, outraged when she felt her movements slowing to a stop. Any force she tried to exert only seemed to strengthen the vines. With fire in her eyes, she focused on the tiny empyrian. 

“Where did these guts come from?” Shira hissed coldly. 

Alowyn ignored her and focused on maintaining her magic. 

“You’ve got it,” Garmr cheered for Alowyn as best as he would allow himself. 

Shira smiled once she felt the vines stop moving. Alowyn had missed a crucial limb when she was tying the ferocious leader down. Garmr hurled himself at the stationary haedian only to be whipped out of the air by her tail. 

“Wyn!” Herja shouted, “Her tail!”

Alowyn’s focus was shattered by Herja’s demand and Garmr’s cry. She snapped her head up to see Shira rip away from the vines and charge Alowyn. 

“Move!” Herja and Garmr yelled at the same moment. 

Alowyn, in a panic, launched herself into the ceiling. However, her tail was long and easy to grab for the massive haedian. Garmr was unable to get up, but Herja managed to land a fury of attack on Shira. Shira batted away the vayron and pulled Alowyn’s tail down so she landed hard on the ground with a cry. 

Shira stood over the three companions, waiting to see if any of them would try to get up again. 

[856]