We all jumped up with a start to Selene's scream. My own heart was racing, but as I turned to where Selene was, I saw her throw a hand into her bag, grabbing her food fork, she started stabbing over and over again at her arm, a look of pure panic and horror on her face.
I tore my sleeping bag off and ran over. I tried to hold her arm back, but she pulled through stabbing her shoulder again. Jax and the others looked at me as I tried to figure out what to do. Selene's heart was racing out of control as her breaths were ragged and chaotic.
So I did the first thing that came to mind, I wrapped my arms around her from behind. Her fork came down on my shoulder as I winced, my toes curling from the sharp pain as I said in as calm a voice as I could.
"T-tell me about how echosteel and sunspire pine work together."
It was weird, but it was the first thing I thought of as Selene excited. She stabbed my arm wrapped around her shoulder again as this time she didn't pull the fork back, curling up slightly as I stayed pressed to her back, my arms wrapped around her. I could feel her heartbeat running wild, and while my heart was beating fast, its speed served to almost set a pace for Selene.
"E-E-Echosteel is k-known t-t-too sing w-when it c-c-clashes with other w-weapons."
It was staggered, filled with rampant stuttering but she wasn't stabbing with the fork again, even though my arm flared with pain from the fork still in my arm, shaking as Selene's body shook with sobs.
"And how does a sunspire pine handle help a weapon made of echosteel?"
I asked forcing my voice to be slow and calm despite the pain in my arm.
"I-It would h-help with the vibrations."
Selene said, her panic starting to lower as she dropped her fork, quietly grabbing my arm and pulling to her chest like it was a rope she was holding desperately swinging from a cliff.
"There you go, your awake now, your among friends, its ok, nothing will hurt you."
I said turning to look at Kaelen who came over next to us, his hand glowing for a moment as the pain in my shoulder subsided as he healed Selene and I. Jax, Liora, and Thalia were talking to the Dwarf and Meerkat woman as well as the others who ran over from the sound of the commotion.
I turned to look to where the Oxwing had been, they were walking, the herd moving down the valley as the dust seemed to swirl on the wind and coated several of the vehicles.
Even as we approached the gate, and the others stepped off to get a spot in line, I could see them glancing to Selene who sat in the passenger seat next to me. Her panic attack this morning has not only terrified them but also served to worry them about her role. Jax has explained it to me as we were packing up.
"A tank is often in the heat of the fight more than most, for this reason they usually take the most emotional toll from combat. This means that a tank who breaks down can't do their job and put everyone in danger, especially if they break down in a fight."
As I drove to find a space to park Selene spoke.
"I-Im sorry for worrying everyone."
I glanced over at her, she had a guilty look on her face, like a kid that spilled a glass of water on a carpet. I took a moment to think before I said.
"As much as I want to say it's fine, don't worry about it, I'm sure you know about a tanks toll."
Selene nodded silently, staring at her feet as I parked our vehicle. We had a good half a mile to walk to get to the others as I continued.
"The others are worried that you may have another panic attack if we end up in a fight and we won't be able to shift to only protect you."
"I-I'm sorry."
Selene said, tears in the corners of her eyes as I felt an odd pain in my chest as I stopped her and put my hands on her shoulders.
"I know you are, what I want to know is what happened. I know it's personal, and I know it's a sensitive topic, but getting it off your chest may help you get past it."
Selene nodded as it was clear she was very hesitant. We ended up walking in silence for a good minute before she took a deep breath.
"W-What do you know about Tessegog?"
I took a moment to think before I replied.
"Isn't it where you grew up?"
Selene nodded.
"Y-Yes, Tessegog is sometimes called the monster continent because of something called the dread mist, a constant fog that exists in parts of Tessegog that makes monsters constantly. F-For this reason the nobles on Tessegog are assigned by strength, not merit and, charged with fighting the constant fight against the mist breaks to keep the rest of the continents safe."
My eyes raised a bit surprised, but I didn't want to interrupt so I nodded along.
"M-My father is Viscount Quill Drakemire, and he is known for being one of the nobles on the frontline of the fighting, our territory standing on the very edge of the fully claimed human land. Even growing up he would come home soaked in blood from killing dozens of monsters every day."
I tried to imagine that; dozens of monsters on the frontline, the carnage alone must be to proportions someone like me who grew up on a mountain could barely fathom. I waited for a moment and Selene continued.
"M-My father ended up meeting an oracle and got a prophecy that he would father a cursed child, cursed with unnatural strength, they would be unable to control themselves and bring havoc to the Drakemire house if he continued to venture into the mist to fight the monsters."
I looked at Selene with wide eyes as she nodded.
"I-I was born normal, even my left arm was normal, b-but when I turned 10, I got my soul skill and well, my arm… You know."
"Your arm changed and thus completed the prophecy."
I said surmising what she was getting too.
She nodded and looked up to the sky as if looking for a specific cloud. I followed her gaze, watching her stare at a blobby cloud as she said.
"M-My mom, dad, and brothers all tried to play along, said it didn't change anything, but I knew they were lying."
At that I raised an eyebrow and turned to Selene and stopped walking.
"Now hold on, you don't know that they-."
I wanted to continue but Selene turned back to me, the look in her eyes was almost pitying, like she was looking at a child who didn't know the cruelties of the world.
"W-When I was 12 I had a nightmare and woke up screaming. When my dad got to my doorway he drew his sword, he only stopped moments before he cut me in half. Since then, he refused to even look at me."
I stared back at her; my face must have said it all as she turned to continue walking.
"There could have been something behind you or… I don't know something."
I said trying to rationalize something that cause have caused that as Selene shook her head.
"There was nothing else in the room, just me, worse still two years ago I snapped my brothers arm in a sparring match. He was meant to be the next big swordsman of the family and I basically crippled him. I ran away from home shortly after that."
Selene had a look in her eyes, while I didn't know it personally, it was a deep sadness I had seen in a few people, a look of melancholy that seemed to come from when someone had fully given up on the hope of something happening. I speed up to catch up to Selene and grabbed her left arm and placed it on my right wrist.
"Snap my arm."
I said forcefully as Selene turned surprised at what I said.
"W-Wai-"
"I said snap my arm, do it, right now."
I said staring at Selene as she looked between her arm and me.
"W-What no, I-I'm not."
I pulled Selene closer to me so we were only inches apart by her arm wrapped around my wrist as I said.
"You can snap my arm but haven't, that's control, so what if you broke your brothers arm, you didn't break mine, and I'm betting I'm more fragile than your brother. You are in control of your strength Selene Drakemire, and anyone who says otherwise I would be happy to beat to run trough with my spear."
Selene seemed to be red in the face as her eyes darted around as if she was trying to find something other than my face to look at as she nodded.
I pulled away from her as we continued back towards the group for a moment before I turned back, Selene had not moved from where she had stood, a starstruck expression on her face as she stared to the sky, her face red as a tomato.
"Uh, Selene, are you coming."
She looked startled to have been spoken too as she quickly caught up to me as we returned to the group.
"So smooth, so oblivious."
Will said shaking his head.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
I asked as Kaelen waved us over.