...I got jumped. But that wasn't the main thing that happened. I'll get to it later.

[He shakes his head.]

...Seems the Malnosso weren't too happy about "Catherine" being in the village. They sent a strike team into his hidden base under the Battle Dome. Apparently he had one there. They injured him severely and left him for dead, and the healers can't use magic on him for some reason. He'll live, but he's going to be down for a long time.

...Probably did him this way so he'd be out of commission longer than a week.