Hero: "Let us go... Into the battlefield."
###
Several days of nonstop fighting. Having pushed back the Demon Army a bit over to the next mountain range, they suffered so much damage that one of their comrades eventually sustained a life-threatening wound.
Elf: "HERO!! DWARF IS HEAVILY INJURED!!"
Shouted the Elf as he held the Dwarf in his arms, blocking the hole-like wound in his stomach.
Dwarf: "Don't mind me...! I can still go on... COUGH!"
The Dwarf was too stubborn, still insisting on assisting the upcoming battles.
Human Saintess: "COUGH! COUGH!"
The Saintess suddenly coughed up a lot of blood due to mana exhaustion; she stopped momentarily as she slowly knelt on the cold, snowy ground, holding her staff.
Elf: "Saintess?!"
Having had no time to rest, all of them have begun to feel it, the immense fatigue along with the extreme thirst and hunger.
Human Saintess: "I'm fine... Elf... I can still continue to heal you guys..."
Though the Saintess could still heal a few flesh wounds, she was unable to heal the Dwarf because of the lack of mana in her body.
Elf: "Just rest for now, don't push yourself too hard!"
The Elf swayed his hand, removing the blockage from the mortally injured Dwarf to stop her from overdoing it.
Elf: "HERO!! WE NEED TO RETREAT BACK TO THE NEAREST CHECKPOINT!"
He shouted desperately, clinging on to the last hope that the Dwarf could still be saved if the Saintess could replenish her mana.
Hero: "Cough...!"
Though thought by the Elf as he glanced over the cold shoulders of the Hero that he was completely fine but.
Elf: "Hero...?"
The Elf's eyes tremble in shock as he looks at the back of the Hero, still holding the makeshift sword from one of the fallen.
Hero: "I'm fine... Elf... You go carry the two of them back to the checkpoint..."
The Hero tried to reassure him insisting that they go back without him.
Elf: "WHAT ABOUT YOU THEN!?"
The Elf cried out still holding the head of the wounded Dwarf, away from the cold snow.
Hero: "..."
The Hero had nothing to say; slightly, he shifted his head to the side, his gaze blocked by the endless snow being thrown at them by a strong gust of wind, like a storm amid winter.
Dwarf: "COUGH! Don't act tough! You numbnuts!! I'll help you go to the top!! And slay that old crone!!"
The Dwarf shouted, spewing blood all over his face.
Human Saintess: "I... I, too will help you! Hero!"
The Saintess slowly stood back up, convincing the Hero that they could still continue.
Elf: "What are you guys talking about!! If we all die here then what if we lose because of this!! Then all our efforts would've been for nought!!"
The Elf warned, convincing them to do the opposite. His face was driven with worry for his friends.
Hero: "I'll just have to make sure we win. Don't I?"
Under that hail of raging snow, the Hero faintly let out a smile, though Elf noticed the dried blood stain from the end of his lips.
Elf: "HERO!!!"
The Elf shouted at him; although he knew that convincing the Hero was futile, he didn't give up just to see them again for at least another day.
Dwarf: "Heh. You bastard."
The Dwarf snorted.
Dwarf: "Help me up Elf...! Our story has yet to end!"
He looked at the Elf still holding his head high from the cold snow, requesting his friend to help him get up to fight another battle.
Human Saintess: "I too will continue forth to see the end of our path."
The gentle voice of the Saintess resounded with confidence as she looked at her comrades.
Elf: "You guys... YOU'RE ALL IDIOTS!!"
The Elf couldn't help but shout for their idiocy.
Elf: "We've already taken back a good amount of land and yet!... And yet! You guys are still...!"
The Elf bit his lips, his hand clenched into a fist, as he looked at the sorry sight of his friends, including himself.
Hero: "What are family for?"
The Hero asked as he turned his gaze back to the battlefield.
Dwarf: "Good! I like that!"
Human Saintess: "Hmm!"
Elf: "Why did I even associate with you idiots... Haiz... If you guys are going then I too will go alongside you guys!"
###
Elf: "H-Hero... D-Dwarf... H-He..."