“Now, young lady,\r\nif you sign on the dotted line, I’ll file this and you can get ready\r\nto depart,” the older woman said, pointing to the space on the\r\npaper. Carmen eagerly grabbed the pen and was about to sign when the\r\nwoman grabbed her arm to stop her.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
“What now?”\r\nCarmen impatiently grumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
“Are you sure you\r\nwant to do this, child?” the woman sternly asked, looking over the\r\nrims of her glasses. “The war in Europe is unlike anything you’ve\r\never seen before. Indeed, it is unlike anything in known history; you\r\nwill be directly involved in the aftermath of some of the most\r\nbarbaric instruments ever devised by mankind.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
“As opposed to\r\nthe barbarity of magic?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
“Mages are far\r\nmore controlled than the typical rabble<\/em>\r\nthat lives on the battlefield. There have<\/em>\r\nbeen… ‘Incidents’ with other volunteers, not so very different from\r\nyou.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen jerked her hand back and pressed the pen to the paper, then\r\nscribbled her name. She then set the pen down and gave a cold stare\r\nto the woman in front of her. “I’ve made my decision, ma’am. I’d\r\nrather be over there in the chaos and doing something than staying\r\nhere and having my mother pester me until the end of my days.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The\r\nwoman sighed and picked up the papers, then nodded in defeat. “Very\r\nwell then, Carmen Ahearn. Welcome to the American Assistants to\r\nEurope.” She stood and set the forms into a large central stack,\r\nwhere others were being consistently added — all belonging to those\r\nwho could not volunteer for military service, but wanted to\r\ncontribute in a more direct way to the 5th<\/sup>\r\nMage War. America wasn’t involved in the conflict, but many people\r\nstill felt a need to be involved.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Now, where do I go?” Carmen bluntly asked and folded her arms.\r\n“I’m gettin’ tired of waitin’ here.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe woman pointed to a line forming toward an exit. “Over there.\r\nYou’re just in time for one of the ships. Do listen to the\r\ninstructions from the crew; German submarines have no qualms about\r\nsinking any form of shipping that they perceive to be assisting the\r\nFrench. Further, there will be many men aboard the ship, most of whom\r\nare going to the front lines. I would suggest treating them with\r\ncaution.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen lightly laughed and shook her head. “Maybe I can get one of\r\nthem to trade uniforms with me. I can go to the front line and he can\r\nstay behind.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You want no part of the fighting, miss Ahearn. Trust me on this.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, yeah,” Carmen mumbled as she stood up. “No offense, but\r\nyou’re not my mother.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“And I’m going to guess you’re not actually 18,” the woman\r\nremarked as she folded her arms. “In which case, your contract\r\nwould be null and void. Unless, of course, you were to get your\r\nparent’s permission, as indicated on the form.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Oh no, I assure you, I am a legal adult,” Carmen sweetly\r\nreplied. “I just couldn’t stand by and do nothing while all those\r\npeople suffer, y’know?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Whatever your quarrel with your parents, it’s not as bad as you\r\nthink it is. They’re likely worried sick about you.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen narrowed her eyes at the woman. “You think so?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe woman closed her eyes and nodded. “I can assure you that I\r\nwould be, were you my daughter.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Good,” Carmen growled. “She should be worried. I’m not a mage\r\nlike she is and I never will be. No matter how hard she tries, she\r\nwill never change that fact.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“And that’s reason enough for you to leave her behind like this?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Miss, I appreciate your concern, but I’m not her daughter. I\r\nbelong to no one. So before I pass from this world, I want to at\r\nleast say I tried to make a difference, as little as that might mean.\r\nI can’t do that with her buggin’ me all the time.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“And what would your father say? To send his daughter into a\r\nterrifying conflict like this?” The woman sighed and shook her\r\nhead. “They care for you, Carmen. More than you know.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen shrugged and turned, looking toward the line forming out the\r\ndoor. “Well, you’d have to go back to Ireland to find him. I\r\nsuspect he’s long since worm food by now, along with his buddies.”\r\nShe walked away and got into the line, not giving the old woman a\r\nchance to delay her any longer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “No\r\none is that forsaken,” the old woman whispered, sitting back down.\r\nShe gently smiled at the next applicant and offered them to sit,\r\ntrying to push Carmen out of her mind. She acts like so\r\nmany of the young men going over there and much like them, will soon\r\nbe forced to experience the horrors of war. Conflict is the beast\r\nthat tempts the hearts of men with dreams of glory, then costs them\r\ntheir blood and innocence. That young woman has been tempted and she,\r\ntoo, will fall prey to those machinations of brutality.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n –<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ahearn! Pay attention, you Irish louse!” the head nurse loudly\r\nchastised Carmen as she looked over the wounded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Er, uh, yes miss Howell,” Carmen mumbled, trying to keep up with\r\nclean field dressings for the wounded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Typical Irish,” Howell muttered under her breath. “You’ve been\r\nhere for 3 months now — I don’t know why triage is so hard for you.\r\nPrioritize the most severely wounded and go from there!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “I\r\ncan only go with how bad the wound looks,” Carmen grumbled back as\r\nshe leaned over to remove a dressing from a man’s leg and replace it\r\nwith a fresh one. The wound was clearly inflicted by shrapnel, then\r\ninfected as he had apparently thought he could “walk it off,” as\r\nhe likely said to his comrades. Now he’ll probably lose the\r\nleg,<\/em> Carmen thought to herself\r\nas she laid the moist dressing over the wound. The man hissed as she\r\npressed it tight, the salt likely stinging worse than the wound felt.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ya dun need ta press that hard, dearie,” the man mumbled under\r\nclenched teeth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You’ve got an infection and if you want to keep that leg, we have\r\nto sanitize that wound,” Carmen replied.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nHowell walked over and looked at the man’s leg, then shook her head.\r\n“It’s as good as gone now. It’s been infected for too long — it\r\nwill have to come off if we want to keep him alive.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Begging your pardon, miss Howell,” Carmen said, “but if we\r\nkeep it clean we’ll probably be able to save it.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“And in doing so, we’ll sacrifice the lives of 10 others,” Howell\r\nremarked. She pointed to an unconscious man with a chest wound. “That\r\nman is critical. He should be your focus, because if we do not tend\r\nto him, he will die. A life is worth more than a leg.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen looked over to the other wounded man and frowned. “Can he be\r\nsaved? With that chest wound I’d think he’d already be dead.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nHowell looked back to Carmen and gave her an annoyed look. “That’s\r\nnot our responsibility, Ahearn. Limbs are not critical injuries; head\r\nand torso are. Head injuries get priority, followed by torso, then\r\narms and legs. That’s what we do in triage; it’s a difficult job, but\r\none that has to be done.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“A life without a limb might not be worth living at all. I can’t\r\nimagine being unable to walk.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nHowell sighed and shook her head. “You’re young and naive. I’ve\r\ntold you the priority; please do it.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes ma’am,” Carmen mumbled back, straightening herself and\r\npreparing to head to the next subject. Before she could, the man she\r\nhad just worked on grabbed her uniform.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“‘Ey, luv, ya doin’ anything tonight?” the man asked through\r\nbroken teeth. “I heard all kinds of things ’bout you Irish girls.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Yeah,\r\nworking,” Carmen grumbled, swatting the man’s hand away and moving\r\non. She followed Howell’s instructions and went to a man with what\r\nseemed to be a wound in his face, then gently began to peel the\r\ndressing off of his eyes and causing him to scream in agony.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What?! What’s the matter?!” Carmen surprisingly exclaimed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Mustard gas,” Howell answered, moving away from another\r\nstretcher and looking over the blinded man. “See the blisters on\r\nhis face? Probably didn’t wash up like he was told to.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“But what about his-“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Leave it in place. We’ll have to clean him up later.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nsighed and nodded, then stood and moved over to another man, this one\r\nwith a chest wound. She leaned over and pulled the dressing off, then\r\nwas surprised to not find a laceration or hole, but instead the clear\r\nindications of a fireball spell. A fireball spell? There\r\nwas a mage out there?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Hey, how’d this happen?” Carmen asked as she removed the\r\ndressing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Some kraut tried reading out some scroll as he charged our\r\nposition,” the man wheezily answered. “I thought he had to be\r\njoking, but the scroll-“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Burned up and became a flame in his hand,” Carmen finished. “I\r\nknow what a fireball spell is. Looks like a lower level firebolt, so\r\nyou got lucky.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You a mage?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen shook her head. “No, just familiar with magic. I take it he\r\ngot shot in return?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man nodded as much as the dirty pillow would allow him. “Yeah,\r\ngun crew riddled him. No idea what he thought he was doing all by\r\nhimself out there.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Found a magic scroll and thought he had the power of true magic in\r\nhis hands,” Carmen grumbled. “He’s lucky it wasn’t a trap\r\nscroll.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Trap scroll?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen nodded as she pressed a fresh dressing in place, trying to be\r\ngentle but causing the man to wince all the same. “Some scrolls are\r\nwritten so that the reader will suffer the effects of the scroll\r\ninstead of the target. It’s easily done by anyone with talent,\r\nusually those with mischief in mind.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Well, it probably worked, considering he got shot for it. Would’ve\r\nbeen better off had he just used a rifle like everybody else,” the\r\nman remarked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“A proper mage is something to be feared,” Carmen said. “I\r\nunderstand that they’re a bit more rare nowadays, especially on the\r\nGerman side, but they’re out there.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I ain’t seen one, thank God for that. But bullets don’t much care\r\nif you’re a mage or not.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, exactly,” Carmen mumbled as she made a few final touches\r\nto the dressing. “I take it you thought you’d just walk this off as\r\nwell?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Eh, yeah. Lads poured a bit of wine on it — mighty big waste, if\r\nyou ask me. Bargained with some Froggies for that bottle, but we\r\ndrank it up afterward.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, that wouldn’t work if you can’t keep it clean. It’s a fairly\r\ndeep burn, but you’ll survive.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ah, bugger. Well, at least I won’t be here with this sorry crowd\r\nfor much longer then.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen stood and sighed. “Unlike me. I have to work here.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Better here than there,” the man mumbled, looking to the sky.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ahearn! Don’t dally!” Howell chastised Carmen. “You’re here to\r\nhelp everyone, not just your future husband!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I can only change a dressing so quickly!” Carmen shouted back as\r\nshe shuffled the dressings she carried and moved onto the next man.\r\n“At least talking to someone helps pass the time!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nHowell was about to respond when the sound of a droning engine began\r\nto break through the clatter of the hospital. She looked to the road\r\nand nodded. “More incoming wounded!” she shouted, alerting some\r\nstretcher bearers and anyone not currently occupied.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Again?” Carmen whispered under her breath as she leaned over\r\nanother man to check his wounds. “Just what is going on out there\r\ntoday?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Looks like the offense is goin’ poor,” the man with the wounded\r\nleg remarked as he looked to the road. “Hands’ll be full now, luv.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Not\r\nunusual in this war,” Carmen mumbled as she changed another\r\ndressing. “We’ve only got so many doctors here and only so many\r\nrooms. It’s a wonder we can save anyone.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nHowell walked up behind Carmen and picked up the bucket containing\r\nthe fresh dressings. “Go and help them, Ahearn,” she ordered.\r\n“You’re better at that than the others.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, miss Howell,” Carmen grumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “You’re\r\na strong woman in more physical ways than mental,” Howell replied,\r\ncausing Carmen to give her an annoyed look, but she chose to ignore\r\nthe remark and join the gathered personnel for the next wave of\r\nwounded. As the sound of the engine got louder, she noticed that the\r\nvehicle had no red cross or markings of any kind — it appeared to\r\nbe a generic military truck. Are they running out of red\r\nand white paint now?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Must be bad,” another nurse in front of Carmen remarked. “Looks\r\nlike it’s been shot at.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nnarrowed her eyes and saw that the truck was severely damaged, with a\r\nthick black smoke emitting from the exhaust. Looks real\r\nbad. What is going on out there?<\/em>\r\nThe truck creaked to a halt eventually and a medic hopped out of the\r\ndriver’s seat, moving around to the back.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“How many?” an orderly asked as he moved to assist the driver.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Five, maybe six if he’s still alive,” the driver replied. “Had\r\nto move them into this thing because the other truck quit running.\r\nGot shot at on the way, but I think we’re safe.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Krauts?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Yeah,\r\naircraft. Nasty bit of business, one of the new Fokkers.” The\r\ndriver dropped the tailgate with a loud thunk<\/em>\r\nand hopped into the bed, pushing the stretchers out one by one. The\r\nnurses and orderlies took them out and set them on the ground,\r\ncarefully checking on the wounded and prioritizing them. Carmen saw\r\none of the younger nurses — a girl likely no more than 15 —\r\nstruggling to lift the last stretcher, so moved over and pushed her\r\naside to take her place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I got it, Linda,” Carmen said. “Go help the others.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, miss Ahearn,” Linda sheepishly replied as she wandered to\r\none of the other stretchers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\ngrunted as she took the weight of the stretcher, feeling more\r\nencumbered than usual. Damn, this guy is heavy! A fat\r\nofficer, I bet!<\/em> She took a\r\nbreath and pulled the stretcher out as the driver helped it down the\r\nrest of the way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Poor bastard is in bad shape,” the driver remarked as he jumped\r\ndown from the bed and helped Carmen set the stretcher on the ground.\r\nShe nodded as she looked over the man’s wounds, finding not a fat\r\nofficer but instead an unusually tall cavalryman. He still had all\r\nhis equipment, with a severely wounded left leg, dying his trousers a\r\ndeep red, as well as several bullet holes in his chest. Despite all\r\nthat, he seemed to be breathing and conscious, looking around with\r\ndetermination.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Where am I? What’s happened to Oliver?” the cavalryman mumbled.\r\n“I need my horse!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“He’s gone,” Carmen answered, taking note of the man’s wounds.\r\n“They probably pried you out from under him.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man looked up to Carmen and tried to focus his eyes. “An angel?\r\nHere, of all places?!” He shook his head and blinked his eyes.\r\n“Where’s your sword, angel?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen rolled her eyes. “I’m not an angel. You’ve been hit harder\r\nthan I thought if you think me, of all people, is an angel.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“An angel is required by the heavens to have their sword with them\r\nat all times,” the man growled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Well you figured it out: I’m not an angel,” Carmen growled back.\r\n“You’re lucky to be alive, you know.” She looked back to Howell,\r\nwho had finished up changing the dressings on the less critical and\r\nhad been observing the new arrivals. “Miss Howell! Critical wounded\r\nhere!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nHowell quickly paced over and looked at the man, then nodded.\r\n“Agreed. We need to get him to surgery right away.” She beckoned\r\nto some orderlies and they quickly moved over and began to lift the\r\nstretcher up when the cavalryman grabbed Carmen’s hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“An angel is required to have their sword at all times,” the man\r\nmumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen jerked her hand back and narrowed her eyes. “I told you, I\r\nain’t an angel.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man opened the flap on his holster and pulled out a pistol — it\r\nwas French-made, their new automatic service pistol. Carmen lifted an\r\neyebrow at why a English cavalryman would have a French pistol, but\r\nit wasn’t unheard of.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’ll lend you my pistol ’til you find your sword,” the man\r\nclearly said, twisting the pistol around to hand it grip-first to\r\nCarmen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“How many times do I have to-” Carmen began, then was interrupted\r\nas the man shoved the pistol into her hands.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I want it back when they’re done,” the man whispered as he laid\r\ninto the stretcher. The orderlies nodded to one another, then quickly\r\njogged the man into the surgery tent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nlooked at the pistol and frowned, reading the crudely stamped letters\r\nin the slide. “Poulain Cal .44” huh? I guess they\r\nrushed this one out the door, because that doesn’t tell me much about\r\nit.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Strange behavior,” Howell remarked, looking at the pistol. “He\r\nmust have been closer to death than we thought.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“If that had gone any longer,” Carmen said, “I think he would\r\nhave lived just to argue with me as to whether or not I was an\r\nangel.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“For most of these men, women are a rare sight. You should be\r\nflattered he considered you an angel.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen passed an annoyed glance to Howell. “I don’t like angels.\r\nNever have.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Perhaps that is why he saw the resemblance. God could be trying to\r\ntell you something.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen looked back to the pistol. “No god would allow this to\r\nhappen on their watch. Especially not to children they love.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” Howell said, moving away to\r\nhelp with the other wounded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nlet out an annoyed sigh, running her fingers over the pistol. God.\r\nHeavens. Hell. Sanctimonious bullshit to keep us all in lockstep. The\r\none angel I met certainly didn’t meet the definition of an angel.\r\nWith everything that’s happened in this war, how can anyone even\r\nbelieve in that stuff? All just a fairy tale.<\/em>\r\nShe looked up to the sky, noting the brilliant blue it was in\r\ncomparison to her dreary surroundings. If there is a God,\r\nthen curse him. Curse the Heavens that he created. Curse them all for\r\nputting me here, through this existence, this life.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nclosed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to drown out her\r\nfrustrations. The pungent smell of iron infiltrated her nostrils, the\r\nscent of blood mixed with carbon, followed by the bitter chemicals of\r\nthe field hospital and the lingering disgust of infection. She\r\nsuddenly felt her heart stop for a moment, causing her to flash her\r\neyes open and frown. What’s that? I-<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe explosion hit her a moment after the feeling, the shock wave\r\nsending her off of her feet, followed by the spatter of dirt and the\r\nsound of a shell flying through the air. Bells went off in her ears\r\nand she shook her head, trying to focus, but soon more blasts echoed\r\nout and drowned out her conscious thoughts as she felt shock wave\r\nafter shock wave compress her body. Blackness enveloped her vision\r\nand she felt as if everything had stopped, giving her no time to form\r\na coherent thought before drifting off to nothingness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n –<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Hold her down!” the surgeon shouted as Carmen struggled against\r\nthe team rushing her into the operating room.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“How much morphine should we give her?” a nurse asked as she\r\nprepared a syringe of morphine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“As much as she can handle! We’ll have to amputate close to her\r\nhip!” the surgeon replied.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe nurse nodded and grabbed onto one of Carmen’s arms, trying to\r\nkeep her steady enough to insert the syringe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Do-don’t… Poke… Me!” Carmen shouted, twisting and kicking as\r\nshe attempted to free herself from the bed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Your leg has to come off, miss!” the surgeon shouted in return.\r\n“You’re going to bleed to death if we don’t do something!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Let me die! J-just let me die!” Carmen screamed. “I-I was\r\ns-supposed to die!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nAnother nurse grabbed Carmen’s arm and held it tight, allowing the\r\nfirst one to stick the syringe into her arm. She pressed the plunger\r\nand expelled the contents, then swiftly removed it and set it aside.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“How much did you give her?” the second nurse asked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Uh, 30 or 40 milligrams, I think,” the first nurse mumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe second nurse looked at the syringe and frowned. “30 or 40?\r\nWhich is it?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Maybe 60.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Lord have mercy,” the second nurse whispered. “If she doesn’t\r\ndie from the bleeding, the morphine might just do her in.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe effects of the morphine began to take effect, causing Carmen to\r\nrelax and quit struggling. Her heart rate began to slow and she\r\ndrifted off, causing the surgical team to breathe a sigh of relief.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Let’s get to work,” the surgeon said, beckoning for some tools.\r\nA nurse nodded in response and brought over a tray containing all the\r\ntools needed for an amputation. He hesitated for a moment, then\r\ngrabbed a scalpel. “We’ll start by cutting the tissue around the\r\nbone, then follow with a saw. Let’s move quickly.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe surgeon began to start cutting the muscle around Carmen’s leg,\r\neven as the nurses and assistants applied pressure around the wound\r\nto keep the bleeding manageable. He felt a tinge of regret for having\r\nto make the cuts, but knew if he didn’t then she might die. A poor\r\nyoung girl, being forced to live such a life. Perhaps with the Lord’s\r\nwisdom, she’ll persevere. God forgive me.<\/em> He let out a sigh,\r\nsteadying his breathing and carefully but quickly cutting flesh with\r\nthe scalpel around the leg. He set the bloody scalpel back on the\r\ntray, then grabbed the bone saw and stared at the nasty serrated\r\nedge.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Doctor?” a nurse asked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, yes, I’m getting down to it,” the surgeon mumbled, then\r\nslid the saw down into the cut he had made, resting the blade against\r\nthe bone. He shivered as he wondered if there was still no other way,\r\nthen briefly glanced at the blood pooling on the bed. No. There is\r\nno other choice. I’m sorry, young woman.<\/em> He began to thrust, with\r\nan blood-curling chatter echoing over the room as the saw began to\r\ncut into the bone.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Doctor, wait!” another nurse shouted, causing the surgeon to\r\nsuddenly stop. He frowned and looked at the nurse.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, what is it?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Her hip. Look at it,” the nurse said, pointing to Carmen’s hip.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe surgeon looked over and gasped at what he was seeing. The\r\nbattered and bruised flesh was seemingly regenerating before his\r\neyes, almost weaving together as it came around and turned from a\r\ndeep, dark purple, to a healthy red and pink. He stepped back and set\r\nthe saw aside, pushing his mask down and blinking his eyes over what\r\nhis eyes were showing him. Magic? Is it possible?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Is this woman a mage?” the surgeon whispered.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nA nurse shook her head. “No, they found her wandering on the\r\noutskirts of Arras. A nurse from a field hospital, the only\r\nsurvivor.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Wandering?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, she was dragging her foot behind her while carrying a pistol,\r\nmumbling about angels and swords.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe surgeon gasped. “An angel?!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“No, most certainly not. A volunteer. Irish. Probably from\r\nAmerica.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I see,” the surgeon mumbled, leaning in to observe Carmen’s leg,\r\nwatching it heal the damage. One muscle fiber attached itself, then\r\nanother, one by one, slowly but surely regenerating, until finally\r\nthe cut he had made was healed and a working musculature had\r\nreturned. Skin grew back and in a matter of minutes, Carmen’s leg was\r\nhealed, with no damage or scarring whatsoever.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“A miracle,” an orderly whispered, making the sign of the cross\r\nover his chest. “Thank you, Lord, for showing me your mercy and\r\ncompassion.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Had I not seen it for myself, I would never have believed it,” a\r\nnurse whispered.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“We have others that need our attention,” the surgeon loudly\r\nsaid, his booming voice interrupting everyone’s thoughts. “Move her\r\nto the recovery ward and let’s get back to work. The good Lord has\r\nseen fit to save one of His children. Let us pray that our skill can\r\nmatch His.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n –<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen gasped and shot up, grabbing at her right leg, then was\r\nsurprised to find herself in a recovery ward, filled with wounded men\r\nrecovering from their various treatments. She frowned as she tried to\r\npiece together her memories, only able to think back to the first\r\nartillery shell. What happened? Was it that damned truck? Did they\r\nzero in on that? But this… This isn’t Arras? Where is everyone?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Hey, another one’s up!” a young man in the bed next to Carmen’s\r\nshouted. A few weak cheers echoed out over the halls, along with a\r\nfew broken smiles. “Hey, it’s a girl!” Even more cheers and some\r\nwhistling followed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What happened? Where am I?” Carmen asked, scratching her head.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Paris. You don’t remember anything?” the man asked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Paris? What happened to Arras? The field hospital there-“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Arras? Took a big artillery strike four days ago. Krauts messed it\r\nup pretty good.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What? What about the 74th<\/sup> Field Hospital? Is there\r\nanyone else?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man rubbed his chin, then shook his head. “Sorry miss, not\r\nfamiliar with that unit. I was in the trenches.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen felt the pang of a headache beginning and unconsciously rubbed\r\nher forehead, trying to figure out what had happened. I was close\r\nto the truck, so maybe they were shooting at that? Then the hospital\r\nlikely would have moved. But why not take me and treat me there with\r\nthe others? I took a hit to my leg, but it feels fine now.<\/em> She\r\npeeled the sheets aside and looked under the gown placed on her,\r\nseeing no scars or injuries whatsoever to her leg. Strange. Why am\r\nI in a hospital? I’m not injured. I should be helping.<\/em> She pushed\r\nthe sheets aside and hopped off the bed, slightly stumbling but\r\nquickly steadied herself.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Hey, where you going?” the man next to her asked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Back to the field hospital,” Carmen bluntly answered. “I’m not\r\nsure why I’m here, but I feel fine so I should be helping.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nAn orderly noticed what Carmen was doing, quickly pacing over to\r\nsteady her. “You should be in bed resting. It’s OK,” he\r\nwhispered.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I feel fine,” Carmen replied. “Where’s the 74th<\/sup>\r\nField Hospital? How did I get here?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe orderly glanced around, looking at the clipboard on the front of\r\nher bed. He looked back to her and frowned. “You’re the girl that\r\nalmost lost her leg. Are you a mage?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen laughed and shook her leg. “You’re fibbin’ me. My leg is\r\njust fine, see? And I’m not a mage.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“No, your leg was almost gone. I was there when you were brought\r\nit. The nurses said your leg healed on its own. You were mumbling\r\nabout angels and swords when they sent you into surgery.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen frowned and looked at her hands. Angels? I only- Oh, that\r\ncavalryman and his pistol! <\/em>“Yeah, there was a cavalryman who\r\nsaid I was an angel without a sword and handed me his pistol. He was\r\nin bad shape, kept insisting that I had to be an angel.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Well, are you? An angel, I mean.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen passed an annoyed glance to the orderly. “Did I suddenly\r\nsprout wings and fly?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Uh, no, not that I could see.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“There you go. Not an angel.” Carmen twisted to show her back to\r\nthe orderly. “No wings. And no sword.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe orderly rubbed his chin in a vain attempt to dissipate his\r\nconfusion. “So how did you heal like that? It was so bad, they were\r\ngoing to amputate your leg.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Guess it wasn’t as bad as they thought. Can I go now? I need to\r\nget back to my field hospital.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You said you came from Arras, right?” The orderly let out a\r\ntired sigh. “There’s nothing left of the field hospital there.\r\nEveryone is dead.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’m still here, so if I made it out, others did too. Surely\r\nthere’s someone else around?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe orderly shook his head. “No, that’s it: there is no one left.\r\nYou’re the last. The field hospital in Arras — the 74th<\/sup>\r\nField Hospital — it’s gone. They were hit by an artillery barrage\r\nthat was walked up the line to break the offense.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen closed her eyes and shook her head. “I refuse to believe\r\nthat. If I made it out, there had to be others.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’m sorry, but there’s no one else. Some French soldiers found you\r\non their way to reinforce the line at Arras, due to the losses\r\nsuffered there. They sent you back here due to the extent of your\r\ninjuries.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen felt her breath get short and her legs began to shake. She\r\nheld her chest and sat back down on the bed. I… I don’t\r\nunderstand. Everyone’s dead? But I should be dead too, shouldn’t I? I\r\ncan’t be the only survivor. If everyone else is dead, then there’s no\r\nway I could be alive.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What… What do you mean with my injuries?” Carmen whispered,\r\nfeeling the weight of the situation press down on her. “My leg is\r\nfine. And-and other than feeling like I’m going to be sick, my body\r\nis… Is OK.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe orderly leaned over and rested a hand on Carmen’s shoulder. “You\r\nweren’t when they brought you in. You were fighting against them\r\nuntil they gave you morphine, then you calmed down. After that, your\r\nleg began to heal. I was told it was the Lord’s miracle.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen flashed a momentary face of anger to the orderly. “No god\r\nwould kill so many people and then just save one, especially not one\r\nsuch as me.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You’re not an angel or a mage, so how do you explain it?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen looked aside and let out a deep breath. “I’m the daughter of a mage. But I don’t have any magical talent. So maybe something related to that.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe orderly frowned and straightened himself. “I may not be well\r\nversed in magic or mages, but I was under the impression that magical\r\ntalent is passed from parent to child.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, yeah, I know how it’s supposed to work. You said they gave\r\nme morphine; maybe that was it. Something in a particular batch of\r\nmorphine. Maybe it could help others.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“They tried; others had no response to that particular lot.” The\r\norderly let out another sigh and shook his head. “I think you\r\nshould rest for a bit longer. It’s a lot to take in and you’re not as\r\nwell as you think.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen nodded in defeat. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Is there\r\nanyone from the American Assistants to Europe around?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’ll see if there’s any points of contact. You’re from America?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, volunteered. I just got here 6 months ago.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’ll give you my personal assurance that we’ll find someone. You\r\njust rest for now, OK?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen silently nodded and looked out the window. What happened?\r\nDid I actually die and this is me imagining how things might’ve gone?\r\nOr-<\/em> She gasped and held a hand over her mouth. I remember now:\r\nI cursed the heavens. I cursed God — or gods — for doing this.\r\nFor putting me here. <\/em>I killed them.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Hey — you OK?” the orderly asked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen shook her head, feeling tears forming in her eyes. “No. I am\r\ncursed. And those around me are paying the price for it.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n –<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’ll give you the whole vial of it for 250 francs. Take it or\r\nleave it,” the shady man whispered, holding the small vial between\r\nhis thumb and index finger.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen scoffed and shook her head. “That small a vial? 50 francs is\r\nall it’s worth. You’re askin’ a king’s wage for somethin’ like that.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You see anyone else selling morphine like this, no question asked?\r\n200 francs.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“How about I just call for the gendarmarie and get a piece of a\r\nreward for turnin’ in an illegal dealer? I can always go to a\r\nhospital and find some.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Then we’ll both be enjoyin’ prison! Think I won’t roll over on\r\nyou, either?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’m a woman, they’ll go easy on me!” Carmen growled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man narrowed his eyes at Carmen. “Yeah, once ya let ’em have\r\ntheir way with ya. 150 francs. Final offer.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“125 francs. And I won’t even need to let ’em. Just flash my eyes\r\nand they’ll do whatever I want.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“The kinda flashin’ they’ll be expectin’ ain’t gonna be from yer\r\neyes. 130 francs.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Done. 130 francs.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man grinned and held the vial out. “Let’s see the francs.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen returned the man’s grin and pulled out a handful of coins,\r\nthen sorted through until she had the amount. One by one, she dropped\r\nthe coins into the man’s open hand, then quickly swiped the vial from\r\nhis fingers. He shifted his grin into a smile, then carefully counted\r\nthe coins and nodded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Say,” the man began to ask, “why do ya need this anyways?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“None of your business,” Carmen grumbled as she carefully stuffed\r\nthe vial into her jacket pocket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man pointed at Carmen’s pocket. “You a good lookin’ gal,\r\nthough. Ain’t no need for this stuff.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Looks don’t have anything to do with it. It’s the only stuff that\r\nseems to help at this point,” Carmen replied while shaking her\r\nhead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Well, I like that yer bringin’ me business, but most of my buyers\r\naren’t young ladies looking for a hit. Jus’ soldiers tryin’ to\r\nforget.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“There you go,” Carmen whispered. “Same thing: tryin’ to\r\nforget.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man frowned as he tried to understand Carmen. “Forget what?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Artillery,” Carmen curtly mumbled in reply, then turned and left\r\nthe man behind before he could ask any more questions. I don’t\r\nmind answering exactly why, but is it really so hard to believe that\r\nI have the same problems as anyone else? At least the morphine gets\r\nmy mind off of it. And maybe it will stimulate something, like\r\nwhatever happened in that operating room.<\/em> She quietly made her\r\nway through the streets, then found a secluded alleyway, dimly lit.\r\nIt should have given her chills, but instead made her feel\r\ncomfortable. She carefully looked around, then ventured down the\r\nalley and leaned against an old brick wall. Digging into her pocket,\r\nshe pulled out all the morphine vials she had managed to acquire from\r\nthe evening; she counted at least 10, which she figured made about\r\n100 milligrams. 50 for now, then 50 tomorrow. An even split.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen dug around in her pocket again and pulled out a syringe with a\r\n needle, something she managed to pilfer from the hospital before she\r\nwas discharged, then pulled off the cap. She twisted off the caps of\r\n5 morphine vials, then sunk the needle into each one and filled the\r\nsyringe with the contents. Her estimation was about right, with\r\napproximately 50 milligrams of morphine showing in the syringe. She\r\nbit her lip, carefully lifted up her jacket and shirt sleeve, then\r\nstabbed the syringe into a vessel in her arm. She momentarily winced\r\nas pain rippled up from her arm, but pushed it aside as she jammed\r\nthe plunger and expelled the contents into her body. I loathe\r\nneedles, but it’s the fastest way to get where I’m going. Just a\r\nlittle bit of pain to stave off something far worse.<\/em> She withdrew\r\nthe needle and cradled her arm for a moment, then put the cap back\r\nover it and stuffed the syringe and empty vials back into her pocket.\r\nShe clenched her fists and shivered, feeling the cold liquid drift\r\nfrom her arm to the rest of her body. She folded her arms and leaned\r\nforward for a moment, then began walking out of the alley. Just\r\nneed to get some blood flowing. Twenty minutes or so. Then it’ll hit\r\nme.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen walked along the sidewalk, staring at the ground while rubbing\r\nher shoulders. The air was getting colder than she had anticipated\r\nand the morphine wasn’t making her feel any warmer. The full weight\r\nof it had yet to hit her, which caused her mind to wander far more\r\nthan she liked. I wish it worked a little faster, but I’m not\r\nwilling to risk dyin’ from the stuff — at least, not yet. That\r\namount I took is right around the limit of what I can endure.<\/em> She\r\nstarted feeling the effects a bit sooner than she anticipated and\r\nfelt her heart slow, which caused her to feel even colder. She tried\r\nto move faster to warm up, but felt more as if she was stumbling\r\nthrough the night. Yeah… Heh… That’s it… Relax.<\/em> Her foot\r\ncaught something on the ground, causing her to twist around and reach\r\nout to grab something, but missed entirely and fell to her knees. The\r\nshock would’ve normally caused her pain, but the effects of the\r\nmorphine caused it to not register. Hah, I… Need to be…\r\nCareful… Clumsy, like… Mother always… Said.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen giggled a moment as she awkwardly stood back up and brushed\r\noff her knees, then continued to stumble further along the sidewalk.\r\nShe had no idea where she was going and at the moment, didn’t even\r\ncare. So as long… As this feels… Like it could… Last\r\nforever, that’s… That’s all I care about… Where I go, what\r\nhappens to me… Doesn’t matter.<\/em> She chuckled at her own\r\nscattered thoughts, knowing that a lingering sense of concern and\r\nworry was back in there somewhere, pushed away by the bliss brought\r\non by the morphine. Good… Keep my mother’s… Mother’s voice\r\nquiet… Back there. She… She doesn’t need… To bother me… Me\r\nhere in France. “Get married,” she’d… She’d nag me. “Have\r\nkids!” she’d say… Yeah… Goals for a modern… Modern woman!\r\nHah… Me… A wife? A… Mother?<\/em> She stumbled and let out a\r\nlaugh, remembering her mother’s words the day she decided to leave.\r\n“You’re running… Running out of time… Dear!” Haha! So…\r\nNaive! Time… Time for… What? I… I was… 17 and I didn’t…\r\nDidn’t have any… Future. I still… Still don’t.<\/em> She let out\r\nanother laugh and steadied herself on a bench looking over the\r\nstreet. Fighting is all… All I was ever… Good at! Imagine…\r\nThat kind of… Kind of… Marriage! There’d be no… End to all\r\nthe… Arguments!<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ah… Mother… You just… Just don’t… Get it,” Carmen\r\nmumbled, moving around the bench and crashing down on it. She\r\nchuckled and gently sobbed. “Look at… Look at what… I did to\r\nmy… My friends.” She began to cry as her thoughts drifted into\r\neveryone at the field hospital. All of them… Dead… Dead by…\r\nMy curse. Why… Why make them… Pay for my… My mistake?!<\/em> She\r\nslammed a fist on the bench, the sound of it echoing along with her\r\nsobs. “It’s not right! I didn’t… I didn’t mean for… For them\r\nto… Get hurt!” She rolled off the bench, trying to stifle her\r\nsobs as she laid on the ground. Why me? Why… What did… I do…\r\nTo be this… This way? I didn’t… Didn’t ask… To be born. My\r\nmother… Mother wanted me. What did… She do… Do to deserve…\r\nSuch a horrible… Horrible daughter?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Easy there miss, it’ll all be fine,” a man whispered as he came\r\nover and knelt down, then lifted Carmen back up to the bench. She\r\nshook her head and tried to clear her vision, looking over the man in\r\nfront of her but still unable to make out his features.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Who are… Who’re… You?” Carmen mumbled out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Me? No one, really,” the man replied, sitting down next to\r\nCarmen. “Though I clearly have a better grasp of my situation than\r\nyou, Carmun Saoirse Ahearn.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man’s words caused Carmen to jolt back and eye him with\r\nsuspicion. What… What the… Hell? Who is-<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, you detect some magic, even if you can’t put your finger on\r\nit,” the man remarked, leaning back into the bench. “It is\r\nconfusing, yes? Having some understanding of it, but no apparent\r\nability to use it.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What… Are you a… You a-” Carmen stuttered out, being stopped\r\nwhen the man held a hand up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I will be honest with you, Carmun. I am not a man; I am a demon.”\r\nThe man sighed and looked around for a moment. “I am a Satyr. Or so\r\nmy parents told me.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Satyr?” Carmen mumbled back as she tried to collect her muddled\r\nthoughts. Satyr aren’t… Aren’t French though.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yes, we’re actually Greek,” the man answered with a smile. “Not\r\nexactly a pleasant place with everything that’s been going on.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Lyin’… Lyin’ to… To me,” Carmen growled, staring angrily at\r\nthe man. “You a… True… True demon.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man leaned forward and chuckled. “I suppose that morphine\r\nblocks some of your usual inhibitions. Yes, I am a true demon, born\r\nfrom the depths of the burning hells. But I did have a mother and\r\nfather, for what it’s worth.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What kinda… Kinda mis… Miskef you tryin’… Tryin’ to start?”\r\nCarmen grumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Me? You misunderstand; I am trying to end this war.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen blinked and frowned. “Say… Again?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I am trying to end this war. The 5th<\/sup> Mage War, as you\r\ncall it. Although I am unsure as to why you call it that, given that\r\nmages have little to do with it now.” He waved a hand toward the\r\nnearby lamp post. “These used to be fire. Then they were magic. Now\r\nthey’re generated electricity. Based on the simple physical laws of\r\nthis world. No talent needed; just knowledge. The war is about who\r\ncan kill the most with their own jealously guarded knowledge. No\r\ntalent. No skill. Just killing<\/em>. Pure, unbridled war.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“That… That is… War… Though,” Carmen mumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man shook his head. “Not this kind of war. This is something\r\nelse. Machine guns, artillery, gas? That’s not even war. That’s\r\nmurder. That’s genocide.<\/em> Millions of souls, all extinguished,\r\nall discarded… And no one will win it. Everybody loses.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“But you… You demon… Like war.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Against humans?” The man chuckled. “No. Humans are great.\r\nBetter than angels, better than demons. You’re better than us and our\r\npetty conflict. What you’re doing to yourselves is a disservice and\r\nI’m amazed you’ve let this go on as long as you have. Then again,\r\nwith you and your quarrel with your mother-“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen reached out and tried to punch the man, but he grabbed her\r\nfist and leaned aside.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“That wasn’t very nice,” the man grumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You… Stay outta… My business… Business with mother,”\r\nCarmen growled in return. “I ain’t… Ain’t havin’ no grankids…\r\nFor… For her!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Do you really hate her that much? After everything she sacrificed\r\nto bring you here?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“It ain’t… Ain’t hate! Not for… For her anyways,” Carmen\r\nwhispered, then cried. “I… Horrible… Horrible daughter.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man sighed and put an arm around Carmen. “So it’s yourself you\r\nhate. Why?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I ain’t… I ain’t got… Magic. She… She does.” Carmen\r\nsniffled and rubbed her nose.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Perhaps you understand why I want this war to end, then,” the\r\nman whispered. “If it continues, the power of magic will be turned\r\ninto disarray. Your experience, but more widespread. Mages and what\r\nthey bring to humanity would be forever gone.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“But that’s… That’s it!” Carmen grumbled. “I… I’m proof\r\nthat… That magic… Is already… Disarray.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man smiled and shook his head. “You’ve got more magic than you\r\nthink. You just don’t know it yet.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“But I… Can’t… Can’t cast spells.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Magic goes beyond spell casting, Carmun. Remember what your mother\r\nhas taught you, for your sons and daughters will need that\r\nknowledge.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen laughed at the man. “I ain’t… I ain’t draggin’… More\r\npeople… To this shoddy world.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man pulled Carmen’s chin up and stared directly into her eyes,\r\nmaking her feel as if he was glancing into the darkest recesses of\r\nher soul. “Carmun Saoirse Ahearn,” he began, “you will be the\r\nbeacon of light for many entities in this world, for those that\r\nexist, those that will exist, and those that you will create.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I already… Told ya… You… That I ain’t… Draggin’ people…\r\nTo this… This shoddy world.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man smiled and carefully pulled his arm back, letting the back of\r\nthe bench hold Carmen up. “I suppose that is your choice, in the\r\nend. Please don’t destroy yourself before you get a chance to see how\r\nit all plays out, Carmun. Those who reside in this world deserve the\r\nlight that your beacon provides.” He stood and began to walk away,\r\ncausing Carmen to frown.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Hey!” Carmen shouted out. “Where ya… Goin’?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man turned and lifted an eyebrow. “Me? I plan to blow up a\r\nmunitions plant. First a French one, then a German one. Perhaps\r\nwithout any ammunition, the wholesale killing will stop — if only\r\nfor a little while.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen blinked her eyes and thought for a moment. “Why tell… Tell\r\nme?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Because I think you should know. For some reason, fate has put you\r\nin my path tonight. Perhaps, in some way, we have helped not only\r\nourselves, but others as well.” He turned back around and continued\r\nwalking across the street. “I’d like to think so, anyways. Wouldn’t\r\nyou?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen lazily stood up and stumbled forward, intending to follow the\r\nman. Demon? Ain’t… Ain’t no demon like… Like that. More\r\nlike… Like angel. But… Felt like… Like demon.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Stahp… Stahp!” Carmen mumbled. “You can’t… Do… Do that!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man ignored Carmen and continued walking away, even as she\r\nstumbled across the street. The world span around her eyes but she\r\nwas determined to catch him. Ain’t… Ain’t right. Gotta… Gotta\r\nget gendarmarie…<\/em>She tripped on the curb as she got to the\r\nsidewalk on the other side, grunting as she fell and landed on her\r\nwrists. Dammit… Dammit… What a… A time to… Be loaded up…\r\nOn morphine!<\/em> She took a deep breath and slowly picked herself up,\r\nthen continued moving in the direction she thought she saw the man\r\ngoing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Get…\r\nGet back… ‘ere!” Carmen shouted out, bumping up against a wall\r\nand using it to support herself. “H… Hel… Help! Gendarmarie!\r\n<\/em>Uh… Aidez-moi!\r\nDémon!<\/em>” She tried to move\r\nfaster, but her legs felt like anvils, delaying her motion and\r\nputting the man further out of reach. She tried a lazy, ungainly jog,\r\nbut the only result was to make her look even more awkward than she\r\nalready was. I… I need… Need to… Be loud… Louder!<\/em>\r\n“Hey! H-Hey! Gendarmarie! S-sa… Saboteur! Le saboteur!<\/em>“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The\r\nsound of rapid footsteps came through to Carmen’s ears and she\r\ntwisted her head to see what looked like a pair of gendarmarie<\/em>\r\ncoming to assist her. Finally!<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Quel\r\nest le problème, mademoiselle?<\/em>”\r\none of the officers asked Carmen, placing a hand on her shoulder to\r\nsteady her.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Uh,\r\nuh… Saboteur… <\/em>G-German…\r\nUh, allemand,<\/em> trying,\r\ner… I, I don’t… Know… Word,” Carmen mumbled, her brain slowed\r\nby the morphine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ah, you English?” the other officer asked. “I speak. Poorly,\r\nbut speak.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Oh, oh… There’s a-a… Demon,” Carmen said, pointing toward\r\nthe direction she last saw the man. “He-he said he… He was… Was\r\ngoing to… Blow up… Plant.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Ah,\r\nle saboteur.<\/em> Yes, you\r\nthink demon?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Ye-yes… Yeah.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You have been drink, no?” the officer asked, eyeing Carmen\r\nsuspiciously. “You must sleep off. Is very late. Cold this night.\r\nHave family in Paris?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen shook her head. “No, no… I-I volunteer… Volunteered…\r\nAmerican… Assist-Assistance… Europe.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Qu’est\r\nce qu’elle dit?<\/em>” the first\r\nofficer asked, looking to his companion. The second officer held a\r\nhand up and smiled at Carmen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Please miss American,” the second officer said, taking Carmen’s\r\narm. “We go hospital. You not well.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen jerked her arm back and slammed against the wall, then tried\r\nto run along it, but apparently was not successful as she heard the\r\ntwo officers chuckling behind her back.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Elle\r\nest maladroite, n’est-ce pas?<\/em>”\r\nthe first officer remarked, passing a grin to his comrade.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The\r\nsecond officer nodded. “Oui, mais pas ivre. Autre chose.<\/em>”\r\nHe narrowed his eyes at Carmen. “Le narcotique.\r\nMorphine.<\/em>“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen’s\r\nunderstanding of French was poor, especially with her addled brain,\r\nbut she recognized the word very clearly, causing her heart to stop\r\nfor a moment. If… If t-they… Search me… They’ll\r\nfind… Find out.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Elle\r\nne ressemble pas à un toxicomane,<\/em>”\r\nthe first officer said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Elle\r\na récemment été soignée à l’hôpital. Je reconnais le parfum,<\/em>”\r\nthe second officer replied. “Elle prétend qu’elle était\r\nvolontaire. Volontaire Américain.<\/em>“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\ntried to quicken her pace, but only felt lazy footsteps on the cement\r\nbeneath her feet. M-my hearing… I-is rusty… But if I…\r\nI had to… Guess… They know… Hospital.<\/em>\r\nThe sound of the officer’s confident footsteps slowly approached from\r\nbehind her, until she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, stopping\r\nher in place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Please, miss,” the second officer whispered. “Let us go to\r\nstation, no? More comfortable.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“J-just… Check down… Down… There,” Carmen mumbled, pointing\r\nto the alley entrance in front of her. “H-he went… D-down…\r\nThere.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The\r\nsecond officer sighed and looked to his companion, then tilted his\r\nhead toward the alleyway. “Jean<\/em>,\r\nvoudriez-vous regarder là-bas? Je suis sûr que ce n’est\r\nrien.<\/em>“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe first officer nodded and walked past Carmen, then looked down the\r\nalleyway. He glanced around for a moment, then looked back and shook\r\nhis head.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“There. Nothing there, see?” the second officer said to Carmen.\r\n“Look?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nsighed and nodded. The officer took her hand and gently led her to\r\nthe alley entrance, then pointed down. She looked around and strained\r\nher eyes, seeing nothing in the dark. I-I was… Was sure.\r\nMaybe… Maybe morphine… Messed with… With me.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The\r\nsound of something clinking in the alley caused the three of them to\r\nlook again. Carmen narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth. I…\r\nI knew… It!<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Qui\r\nest là?! Montre toi!<\/em>” the\r\nfirst officer shouted out, pulling a revolver out of his holster. He\r\nwaited a moment, then carefully walked down the alley, pointing his\r\nrevolver into the darkness. Carmen strained to see him as he drifted\r\nfurther down the alley, but he stopped and looked around, apparently\r\nfinding nothing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Qu’est-ce\r\nque c’était?<\/em>” the second\r\nofficer asked, still holding onto Carmen’s hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Rien.\r\nPeut-être des rats,<\/em>” the\r\nfirst officer replied, stuffing his revolver back into its holster.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nlazily frowned and found herself with a clarity of thought that had\r\nseemingly vanished as soon as the morphine hit her. No.\r\nThere was something. I heard it. Magic. Invisibility spell.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Spell. Invisibility,” Carmen whispered.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “What?”\r\nthe second officer asked Carmen. “You are mage?<\/em>“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“No,” Carmen answered, shaking her head. “But… I know…\r\nMagic.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“How you know?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen knelt down, steadying herself on the wall, then pointed a\r\nfinger to a thin puddle near her feet. It had a dull glow to it, as\r\nif some light were refracting off of it. “Not… Not all…\r\nInvisibility… Spells a-are… Equal.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe second officer frowned and looked at the puddle, then glanced up\r\nand motioned for his companion to return. As he did so, the man\r\nappeared out of thin air and pushed the first officer aside, running\r\ntoward Carmen and the second officer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Arrêtez!<\/em>”\r\nthe second officer shouted, digging into his holster and trying to\r\npull out his revolver. Carmen sank back and pressed herself against\r\nthe wall, steeling herself for a gunshot. Instead, the man charged\r\nthe officer and crashed into him, sending the revolver clattering\r\nacross the alleyway floor. The two men struggled, each one trying to\r\nwrestle into a position of advantage over the other.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nlooked over the scene and momentarily felt frozen, then pushed\r\nherself forward, tripping over the men and crashing down, then\r\ncrawled over and grabbed the fallen revolver. She swung it around and\r\npulled the hammer back, locking it with a click<\/em>\r\nand pointing the muzzle at the men.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Th-that’s enough!” Carmen shouted. “S-stop it!”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe man stopped and looked up, then held his hands up. The officer\r\nsquirmed out from under him and stood, then waved his companion over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Jean!\r\nAppréhender cet homme,<\/em>” the\r\nsecond officer ordered. The first nodded and pulled out some\r\nhandcuffs, restraining the man.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You know this won’t stop me,” the man said, looking to Carmen.\r\n“Open your eyes. Don’t you want your true power revealed?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen shook her head. “I’m… I’m n-not… Mage. I’m not… My\r\nmother.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Yet\r\nyou saw through my spell. A demon’s spell, no less. You are magic,\r\nand magic is you, Carmun Saoirse Ahearn.<\/em>“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Soyez\r\nsilencieux!<\/em>” the first officer\r\nordered, pushing the man into the wall. He smiled and looked over to\r\nCarmen, then gave her a polite nod. The second officer looked over to\r\nher, then calmly walked forward and put a hand on top of the\r\nrevolver, pushing it down.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Thank you, American,” the second officer whispered, carefully\r\npulling the revolver out of Carmen’s hands. “Go home. Get help. Not<\/em>\r\nmorphine.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nlooked at her hands and shivered. Can anything… Help me?\r\nI c-can’t… Be saved.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You don’t need to be saved, Carmun,” the man whispered, his face\r\nstill in the wall. “Your existence is to save others. I am sorry.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe second officer carefully lowered the hammer on the revolver, then\r\nstuffed it back into his holster. He put an arm around Carmen’s\r\nshoulders and led her out of the alley, briefly looking back to see\r\nhis companion bringing the man along. He led her across the street,\r\nthen sat her down at the bench she had vacated earlier. He bent over\r\nto look into her face, giving her a gentle smile.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You go home, American,” the officer said. “War not for you.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen looked down and sighed. “Then what is?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Magic. Magic is for you,” the officer whispered, then stood and\r\njoined his companion as they led the man away.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n –<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nadjusted her dress and let out a sigh, unsure if she was ready to see\r\nher mother again. Has it really been a year? I guess so. If\r\nshe lays into me too much, I can just leave. But she deserves another\r\nchance.<\/em> She steeled herself,\r\nthen reached out and gently knocked on the door.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“It’s open!” a voice shouted out from within; Carmen knew by pure\r\ninstinct that it belonged to her mother. She reached down and twisted\r\nthe knob and walked in, seeing her mother’s shop and storefront the\r\nsame as she had remembered it. She closed the door behind her and saw\r\nher mother, Mary, looking over a large book, one seemingly on\r\noffensive spells.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary set the book down then looked up and gasped. “Carmun? Is it…\r\nIs it really you?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen looked down and held her hands together. “Yes, mother. It’s\r\nme.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary paced over and wrapped her arms around Carmen, quietly sobbing\r\nas she did so. “I thought I had lost you forever! My dreams of you\r\nwere so dark and depressing, I feared the worst.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen returned her mother’s embrace and sighed. “I… I’m sorry,\r\nmother.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary shook her head. “The important thing is you’re back and safe.”\r\nShe pulled back and tearfully smiled. “Let’s sit down in the\r\nmeeting room. I have to know where you’ve been and what you’ve been\r\ndoing.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen nodded and followed her mother into the meeting room, one she\r\nnormally reserved for clients looking for advice on magical affairs.\r\nMary sat down on the large couch and pulled Carmen down with her,\r\nholding her hand close while smiling at her.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Right, well, I, uh” Carmen mumbled, “I kinda… Ran off. To\r\nFrance.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary frowned. “France? Why?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Uh… Volunteered. I volunteered. The American Assistants to\r\nEurope. I was assigned to a field hospital. Near the front lines.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary pressed a hand to her lips. “Artillery. You were hit by\r\nartillery.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen closed her eyes and sighed, then nodded. “Yes. If you knew,\r\nwhy did you ask?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Clairvoyance doesn’t always give a clear picture, dear,” Mary\r\nlamented. “And meanings can be lost when the mind is unconscious. I\r\ndreamed of a pistol, a sword, angels, cavalry, then artillery\r\nfollowed by blood. And then I saw a tree, cut almost completely\r\nthrough and bleeding, then watching as time passed and it healed. I\r\nknew something had happened, something terrible, but I also felt as\r\nif something was healed. Then discovered.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nshivered as her mother’s description reminded her of the experiences\r\nshe had. I don’t think I’ll ever understand her ability to\r\nsee things like that and yet still be a mage. How can I at least not\r\nhave some of that power? What is wrong with me?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary put a hand on Carmen’s cheek, causing her to open her eyes and\r\nlook at her mother. “What happened to you, my daughter? Please tell\r\nme.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Carmen\r\nlooked aside. “I don’t want to talk about it. I can’t\r\n<\/em>talk about it.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Please,” Mary whispered. “Tell me.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen shook her head. “They, uh, were cutting and, uh… They said\r\nit was a miracle. That God was healing me- mother!” She stared at\r\nher mother accusingly, knowing that she was using a little bit of\r\nmagic to try and relax her mind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“What? I can tell it is still painful for you; some help will do\r\nyou good. And maybe the God of Abraham was involved, dear. You can’t\r\nbe certain.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, please don’t,” Carmen grumbled. “And you’re well aware\r\nfrom experience that he doesn’t get involved.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary frowned. “You can’t be sure. And the pistol?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Is it really that important?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Is it such a big secret? And I wouldn’t have dreamed of it if it\r\nweren’t an important detail.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen let out a defeated sigh. “At the hospital, a cavalryman was\r\nbrought in. I helped get him off the truck and he grabbed my arm,\r\ntold me I looked like an angel, said I needed a sword, and handed me\r\nhis pistol until I found a sword.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary closed her eyes and chuckled. “I suppose he was injured very\r\nbadly. Angels seldom involve themselves in the conflicts of man.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen let out a light laugh and nodded. “Yeah, he was. I was going\r\nto argue with him but realized he probably would stay alive just to\r\nargue over it, so took the pistol and they got him into surgery.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary pointed to the bag Carmen had brought with her. “May I see\r\nit?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen raised an eyebrow, then nodded. She loosened the cord holding\r\nthe bag shut, then dug through and pulled out a holster containing\r\nthe pistol. She handed it to Mary and sheepishly smiled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“My, it’s quite heavy,” Mary mumbled, opening the flap and\r\nsliding the pistol out. “It has seen much. And yet, it will see\r\nmuch more. A modern sword for my modern angel.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Mother,” Carmen grumbled while rolling her eyes, “please don’t\r\nread anything into it. Unless you know something about my fa-“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“He wasn’t,” Mary snapped while trying to conceal her anger.\r\n“Your father was not an angel. I can assure you of that. For one,\r\nit would have been against their code, for two, they would not have\r\nbeen so weak as to die from a simple lightning spell.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen folded her arms. “Maybe if you would tell-“<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“No,” Mary growled, “I am not going to ruin a joyous occasion\r\nwith bad memories of the past. My assault stays there and the only\r\nbeacon of light I want to remember of it is that I got a daughter\r\nfrom it. That is all that matters.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nCarmen let out another sigh. “Fine. Then don’t call me an angel if\r\nyou know it’s not true.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“You were — are — my angel, and so apparently you were for the\r\nman who gave you this.” Mary slid the pistol back into the holster\r\nand closed the flap, then handed it back to Carmen. “You will need\r\nit more than he ever did. Always keep it by your side.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“That’s odd, comin’ from you, mother. I would’ve figured you would\r\nrecommend I keep a lightning scroll by my side at all times.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“That weapon may as well be lightning in your hands, dear,” Mary\r\nremarked while pointing at the pistol. “No one else will make it\r\nsing as you will.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Sometimes you confuse the hell out of me,” Carmen whispered,\r\ntaking the holster and sliding it back into her bag. “Is that\r\nenough for you? I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary nodded. “For now. But you must tell me everything one day.\r\nIt’s important for you to be able to heal.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Yeah,\r\nbut that ain’t today,” Carmen remarked. “Can we change the\r\nsubject? It’s still too close for comfort. Everyone’s go- not\r\nthere<\/em> anymore.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary smiled and squeezed Carmen’s shoulder. “Yes, we can. Shall we\r\ngo out to eat tonight?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Uh, any place within walkin’ distance now? I dunno how much has\r\nchanged.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Oh, I know of many places,” Mary answered, standing up and\r\npulling Carmen up with her. “We shall have a grand celebration: the\r\nend of the war and the return of my daughter.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“I’m not so sure many people will be happy to see a mage and her\r\ndaughter celebrating,” Carmen mumbled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nMary chuckled as she led Carmen out of the meeting room. “Have you\r\nforgotten how much I’ve done for this community, Carmun? We will be\r\nwelcome anywhere here — and probably all of Philadelphia. You\r\nneedn’t worry.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Yeah, I guess I kinda did. And please, call me ‘Carmen’; the other\r\nway just confuses people.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Allow me the simple pleasure of referring to my only child through\r\nher proper name, at least for this night,” Mary remarked.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n“Fine, fine, whatever that makes you happy, mother.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n –<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n