The Madness Series/Continuum

Chapter I
Toa Caine

Oh man, he looks rough.

Xaedan lies on a bed with his eyes closed. As he has for the last three days.

The fire-spitter's bed was in the medical labs, in the north side of Haven. The ward where we all kept vigil over the prone body of Xaedan was comfortable enough. Lightstones dot the walls, and the windows were all open, the breeze causing the curtains to flutter gently.

I remember that day. Some tall person just burst out of Xaedan and proceeded to lay waste to both him and Tsukumi.

The Toa of Water's here too. In fact, she was the one who rushed Xaedan into the medical labs as soon as the mysterious woman vanished. I think "Mary", as Xaedan called her, disappeared once he fell unconscious.

The door to the ward quietly opens, and in comes Kaixin and another heavy-set, thickly armoured Toa. The latter was Korvald, the team's Toa of Iron. He didn't say too much, really.

Kaixin rushes over, shoving aside me as she nears Xaedan side. Korvald stays by the door.

"Has he done anything yet?"

Tsukumi tersely shakes her head. "Out of the way, Kaixin, I'm not done yet."

I gently steer Kaixin away, and we grip hands. Well, I gingerly grasp her hand with a claw while she winces slightly as I cut her. Close enough.

Tsukumi, with the tip of a finger, dribbles a pearly drop of water into Xaedan's wound.

Strange, right? One second, Tsukumi wants to beat Xaedan to a pulp, the next she's fearing for his life.

And, according to her, Xaedan was teetering on the very edge. With no Kanohi Kiril around, Tsukumi has done her best to defuse the shadowflame with her water.

Korvald strides over. With a wave of his hand, he peels away the layers of Xaedan's armor. Together, they are the closest we have to surgeons. An irritable doctor, and a nurse who communicate primarily in grunts.

Heh. This Toa team is really weird.

Kaixin sighs, and heads for the door. She cares for Xaedan, but she sure is impatient.

"Kaixin, wait for me," I call after her.