MLII C1, P12- "Save A Friend"

"Save A Friend" is the twelveth and penultimate Part of "Miracula Luxia". It was released on 09.10.2020.
== Plot ==
Annie is attacked by a few members of the Darkside Loyalists who have just learned of the death of Lysstak the Beast and want revenge on the ones who are responsible for it.
Jared has to act very fast in order to save his friend from a painful death, clear out the rest of the loyalists and ensure the safety of everyone in the city.
The right hand man of Dorikas might be gone, but the battle against the Darkside Loyalists is not over yet. 
== Story ==
Jared runs forward just in time to see that the bandit is close to stab Annie.
He lunges at him and manages to save his friend by pulling his knife away from her.
The two of them fight each other for a few seconds. Jared soon gets the upper hand and takes the dagger from the bandit's hand, stabbing him in the process.
As he stands up, he sees that one of the mutated wolves has jumped on Annie's back.
"Ahh! Get it off! Get it off, please!"- She screams and tries to push the creature off her back, to no avail.
Jared runs forward to save his friend again. However, this time he is unable to do as the wolf-thing sinks its teeth into her back.
Seeing that his friend is hurt, Jared becomes very angry. He grabs the wolf-thing by the neck and starts to punch it in the face.
The creature tries to bite him, but its efforts are stopped for good when Jared pulls out Demonslayer and stabs it in the head, killing it.
He runs to Annie and looks at her wound. 
From the looks of it, the creature tried to bite very deep into her back. Fortunately, Jared stopped it from doing any real damage to her body. Of course, she is bleeding, but it is not as bad as it could have been if he didn't do anything.
Although it is very likely that his friend won't die from her wound, this does not put Jared at ease. At all.
Quickly panicking and trying to do something to save her from certain death, he grabs her unconscious body and heads to her father.
"Mr. Mitchell, we must do something!"- He says to him- "Your daughter... she is not doing well."
Arlen nods.
"I know, Jared. I know, but... "
He looks at the rest of the loyalists that are coming towards them.
"Even if we run away, they'll hunt us down!"
Jared shakes his head.
"There is no time to think about them."- He responds- "I do not know about you, sir, but Annie is precious to me."
"And I am not going to let her die!"
He starts to run forward, ignoring the Darkside Loyalists who are chasing him and evading them.
"And if you know what is good for your daughter, you should do the same!"- He yells before disappearing out of sight.
Arlen looks at the approaching enemies and sighs.
"I want to fight them. I really do. I want to kill them and help save the city, just like this kid always does."- He says to himself- "But my daughter is more important to me than anything else."
He stares ahead.
"Jared is right. We all fight for what is ours. And I'm going to fight for my daughter's life, no matter what."
Arlen runs forward, intending to help Jared save his daughter from the clutches of death.
Meanwhile, Jared runs forward, unconcerned that he is still being chased.
While running, he looks at Annie, who is still unconscious in his arms.
"Annie? Are you okay?"
Annie does not respond. It seems like she is out cold, having passed out from the wound that she had to sustain in the struggle.
"I know that I can save Annie! I am more than sure of it!"- He says to himself- "And I won't let anyone stop me from doing so. Neither my foolish allies, nor my enemies."
"They all know it very well, but they pretend to care about the other problem at hand."- He continues- "When a person's life is in danger, you have to do whatever you can to keep them alive. To keep them safe and sound."
He looks at the nearby medical encampment.
"And I am not going to let Annie down just because I have a world to save! The world can wait for a while longer. Right now, I am sorry, but I have a friend to save!"
Jared goes into the encampment and tells the doctors what happened to his friend.
They look at her for a few minutes and shake their heads.
"Jared, we're afraid that we have some bad news."- One of them says- "You did bring your friend alive here, but she has lost too much blood. We cannot help her when she has lost so much."
Jared gasps.
"So, this means that she... she will... "
Both doctors nod, afraid to mention the worst that will happen to Annie.
"We're sorry."- The first doctor says.
Jared shakes his head.
"No, she cannot die. I won't let her die!"- He says and approaches Annie.
He kneels and looks at the palm of his left hand. It has wisps of white flame emanating from it.
The doctors gasp.
"Jared, be careful!"- The second says to the boy- "The fire will only burn her bo-- "
However, Jared does not wish to listen to what the doctors have to say. He places the palm of his hand right on Annie's heart.
The doctors stare at a nearby monitor, seeing that her heartbeat is now still.
"She's gone... "- The first one says- "Her life is over."
Jared shakes his head.
"Nothing is over until the last flame of hope dies out."- He responds- "So, hurry up and help me out!"
The doctors pick up tools to transfer blood from person to person.
"But... who is going to transfer blood to her body?"
Arlen shows up, having heard the conversation between Jared and the doctors.
"I will help!"- He says.
All three of them look at him, surprised. Jared smiles.
"Just in time, Mr. Mitchell."
The first doctor raises his eyebrow.
"Who are you?"- He says suspiciously- "Are you a relative of this girl."
Arlen nods. 
"I am indeed."- He responds- "I am Annie's father. Our blood types are the same."
The first doctor nods.
"Then this settles it."- He says- "But the heartbeat... "
Jared sees that his method is not working. Becoming increasingly desperate, he pushes the flaming palm of his hand closer to Annie's heart.
Suddenly, her chest becomes red and very hot. The spark of life returns within her and blood starts flowing within her body again.
The four of them watch as her heart starts beating again.
"Amazing!"- The first doctor says- "Jared's strategy actually worked!"
"Quick! We should transfer the blood immediately!"- The second doctor adds and starts to set up the tools.
Soon, the transfering machine is hooked both to Annie and her father. Blood starts to move into Annie's body.
Soon, her skin's color returns to normal. Everyone sighs.
"Looks like we saved her!"- The first doctor says.
Jared nods and smiles.
"Thank you for the help. We really did a great job."
The doctors nod and look at Annie again.
Although she is indeed out of any danger, she is still vulnerable and unconscious.
Jared looks at her nervously.
"I cannot leave her alone here. She's still in danger and I need to keep her safe!"- He says to himself.
Arlen approaches Jared.
"I know what you're thinking right now, kiddo. You're worried about her."- He says to him- "But the other people need your help, too. So, you should probably go outside and help them out."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"But... I cannot leave Annie alone! I just can't!"- He says worryingly.
Arlen shakes his head.
"You shouldn't worry about her now, Jared."- He responds- "As long as I'm here, nothing will ever hurt her. I won't allow that again."
Jared sighs.
"If you say so... "
Then, he points at him.
"But if something happens to my dear friend, I am definitely blaming it on you, sir!"
Arlen sighs.
"If something happens to my girl, I will gladly take the blame myself. That, I promise to you."
Jared smiles and pats Arlen on the shoulder.
"Do not sweat it, sir. I know that you care about Annie as much as I do and I know that you will do your best to keep her alive at all costs. So, go ahead and do that while I am absent."
Arlen nods.
"You can count on me."- He responds- "Now go ahead and show those enemies not to mess with us!"
Jared nods and smiles.
"I will!"- He says and runs out of the tent.
Arlen looks at his daughter, still concerned about her safety.
"She's doing well, but her situation could easily turn worse. And then... "
He shakes his head.
"No. I won't give up on my little girl! I will do whatever I can to keep her alive... even if it means that I must sacrifice my own to succeed."
He looks at Jared as he slowly disappears out of sight.
"Even if I die, I know that there is still someone who truly cares about my girl. Who is ready to protect her at all costs."- He says to himself- "And that person is right there."
He smiles and continues to look at Annie.
Meanwhile, Jared fights the Darkside Loyalists who have tried to chase him down as he was running away with Annie. 
Now that she is safe and sound, far away from those vagabonds, he has no trouble defeating them.
Soon, his father joins them and helps him take down the rest of the enemies who are running towards them.
Having defeated every enemy in the vicinity, they stare ahead and see that John is approaching them.
"Jared! Thank God!"- He says when he sees his friend- "Do you know where Annie is? I've been looking for her everywhere!"
Jared points at one of the tents in the nearby medical encampment.
"I managed to take her back there."- He responds- "Mr. Mitchell is there right now. He is watching over her."
John nods.
"I will go see her, then."- He says and begins to walk away.
However, he suddenly turns back and looks at Jared.
"Do you still need help?"- He says- "I don't want to leave you fighting those vagabonds all by yourself!"
Jared shakes his head and points at his father.
"You shouldn't worry about me, my friend."- He says- "My father already has my back. You should go watch Annie's. She needs your help more than I do."
John nods and smiles.
"I know that he does."- He says- "Good luck, Jared. Stay safe."
Jared smiles and nods.
"Same for you, my friend."
As John runs towards the encampment, Aleks looks at his son.
"Son, I think that you should go with John."- He says to him- "Annie wouldn't feel truly safe if you aren't by her side as well."
Jared nods.
"You are right, Dad."- He says- "I have been with Annie for so long. I do not want to leave her alone when she needs me the most."
He starts to run forward, but Aleks stops him.
"You should also remember the fact that I'm still here. And I won't leave you alone, no matter what you do."
Jared nods.
"Thank you, Dad. I know that I can always cound on you."
Aleks smiles.
"You know what parents are here for, son?"- He says- "Parents are here to provide both moral and emotional support. They help their children walk towards the right path, motivate them to do good things and always respect their decisions, even if they are not morally correct."
He clenches his fist.
"After your mother died, I realized that I am the only person left who can truly understand your pain, who can help you get over it and move on with your life. I realized what it truly means to be a parent of two children, for whom I must provide as much support as I can."
He looks at the encampment.
"But now, I also realize that the people around us are also very valuable. Each and every single one of those poor souls who are fighting for their lives, they all must be kept safe and sound."
Jared nods.
"This is the meaning of being a hero, dad. We fight for what is right, protecting the innocents around us with our very lives."
"But now."- He continues- "We must continue helping those who need us the most."
Aleks nods.
"Then let's not waste more time than we already have. Let's help those people, one by one!"
Jared nods and proceeds to go into the encampment, his father right behind him.
Soon, they reach the tent where Annie is located. They arrive just as John gets out of it.
For some reason, he seems to be very sad.
"John? Is something wrong?"- Jared asks him.
However, John does not seem to hear his friend's question. In fact, he does not seem to acnowledge his presence at all.
He simply walks past him, staring at the ground in shame.