Without thinking, Nitrelain jerked backwards, and pulled hmiself free of the sword. It was not long before he realized his mistake.
"AAARGH!" He screamed as pain more horrible than he had ever felt ripped through his stomach, and he collapsed spasming to the floor.
Lying there on the weed-ridden dusty trail, he was only vaguely aware of Joya and Kara, staring at him only five paces to his side, but powerless to stop his fate. He was going to die right here in these woods.
Looking up to the sky, he lay back his head as he began to accept his end, and gave a start, his sword was no longer lodged in between the two branches of the wood elm beside him. Slowly, he reached his hand down, and grasped the hilt of his weapon, which was now sheathed on his side.
The surprise of finding this caused him to jump up aloud with a small yelp, and his hands shot to his stomach. Yet the searing pain he had been expecting did not come. In fact, he could not feel any pain at all coming from his stomach. Looking down, he carefully undid the lower two buttons of his shirt, and peered at the wound he had given himself.
What he saw was his own stomach, unharmed in every way, with not even a scar to show for it. He searched the spot the sword had exited and found the same thing, not a scratch. The shock of this nearly caused him to faint again, but it only took one look at Kara to steady his feet.
"Kara! I thought I'd lost you again. Are you...are you hurt?"