Get up.

"No."

Don't you dare say that. Get up.

"I'm done. We're done. My friends have already escaped... I want to die, I've earned my release. Don't make me suffer anymore..."

Your going to leave her just like that? Leave all of them just like that? You've more spirit in you, I'm sure of it. You've always had more spirit then that.

She whimpered to herself. "Its too cold... I've tried, I've tried and tried and tried. Nothing moves... You should be gone too you know. I don't even know how I'm able to still talk to you..."

I'm a part of you my dear... shard or not.

"Shard or not...? What do you mean? Who are you?"

I'm here for you, and there are others that are here for you as well. They await you.

"Await me...?"

Get up.

--------------------------

Someone must have stuck copper coins in her mouth, sort of odd... nobody's ever done that to her before. I mean... she's been though some weird things in the past 5 months. Very very weird things. But... copper? What madness was this about? She hacked out a shuddering cough.

Ooooh. That was blood. Why was she somewhat not surprised?

"Oh gods! This is awful! S-Should we turn her over?!"

"Don't... it might not be safe to move her. Do ye two have any healing left?"

She tried to move herself... no go unfortunately. She opened her mouth to speak, nothing there either. She awoke to the realization that she was going to die regardless... this depressed her greatly. Her eyes were blank, hollow... but still... she could see, barely. She saw blood... an entire pool of it, surrounding her.

"I can heal her, though I don't have much left... but it can't end for her like this. It won't end for her like this."

A male...? she was working hard to put the fragments of voices together.

"I have a little left as well, lets hope it is enough to bring her back to us... you do have a few more potions, right Neeshka?"

"Y-yes... let me get them!"

Neeshka...? What? She must be hearing things now, they escaped... She tried to listen more when...

Holy!

Which, oddly enough, not only described how intense the feeling was, she was quite accurate as well. It was rather holy. She coughed, violently, More blood to add to the pool that was already around her. She involuntarily shook.

"Are ye trying to kill her?!"

... Khelgar?

"What? No! We're trying to save her!"

And Elanee as well... at least it sounded like her. She tried to say something to them, but it came out as a half-muffled gurgle. Whatever she was saying, it was bubbling into the pool of blood on the ground.

"She's trying to speak, I think its safe to flip her over... the wound must be on her chest as well."

And with that, there was an abrupt shake, then the entire planet started to shift around... suddenly everything was bright. Her glazed eyes looked about the room, slowly but surely the shaking and the shifting slowly stopped. She opened her mouth meekly.

"Ca-Casavir...?"

"Shhhh... do not speak my lady. Be still."

"What... how...? Why... are you here...?"

The sight of Casavir did not last long, others slowly started to push into view.

"Always trying to take the blows meant for me, aye Ciara?" She smirked slightly at the sight of Khelgar. "When are ya going ta learn that I've got the harder head around here?"

"Always one to snatch the glory, huh?" She said it in barely a whisper, some blood trickled down her lip as she smirked. "Next time I'll gladly let you take the axe to the head." ... someone gripped her hand tightly.

"Please... stop talking Ciara, don't hurt yourself more then you already are..." Ciara smiled gently, it was Elanee. Just as concerned with her well being as ever.

"Yes mum."

Elanee smiled despite the display of sarcasm, but it was a soft smile, worry still etched into her face and brow. Ciara shuddered as a tinge of pain worked down her spine. Maybe it was time to be quiet. Her ears perked up though, footsteps could be heard running towards them.

"The bag was flung all the way to the other side of the room! I tried to hurry but... Ciara!"

The tiefling practically slid over to the Aasimar, quickly taking Ciara's other hand. "I thought you were dead! Don't do that!" She was starting to get misty eyed.

"Oh Neeshka..." She smiled gently at the tiefling.

"No talking! Your drinking this right now!" Neeshka practically stuffed the potion into her mouth, Ciara's eyes bugged out as she almost choked. Casavir quickly took the bottle and glared at Neeshka, she bit her lip and looked away.

"Sorry..."

He sighed softly. "It is fine Neeshka... just... be aware of her condition."

She nodded meekly, gripping Ciara's hand a little tighter. Casavir lifted Ciara up ever so gently, until she was half-sitting. "Here... drink this slowly." Ciara nodded softly and took the potion down, trying her best to take it in little gulps. She looked up and smiled brightly at Casavir.

"What would I do without you guys?"

"You would be Dead?" Neeshka grinned wide. Elanee simply sighed at that and rubbed Ciara's rather cold hand. "Were just happy your alive."

The potion began to kick in slowly, she nodded.

"Hmmm... just one thing though."

Elanee blinked, "And what would that be?"

A moment of silence.

"What are you people doing here?!" Ciara hollered. It was quite apparent the giant gashes in her chest were healing up nicely. "You could have been killed! Crushed! Pancakes! I told you to-" Ciara began to hack up a storm, pushing herself gently into Casavir's chest, she whimpered and closed her eyes. She felt a hand brush up against her cheek, opening her eyes slowly, she frowned.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to yell like that..." Neeshka moved her hand and gave her a sly smile. Khelgar grinned as well, "Be honest lass. Would you have left us if we were to suffer the same fate?"

Damn, they got her. They got her good. "That's not fair and you know it." Casivir couldn't help but smile.

"Each and every one of us hesitated when Ammon created the portal. Those that are not with us now seek help." Ciara nodded weakly, then took a few more sips of the potion. She knew she was getting better, each sip tasted more and more terrible. She blinked, looking about. It was pitch dark, not that it was a problem for her or anything, she could see just fine but... she didn't recognize this place at all.

"Where are we?"

Khelgar kneeled next to Ciara and pat her on the head. "No place we can't handle lass. Were underground."

Ciara grumbled. "As lovely as dwarven holds are, I seriously doubt we've stumbled upon something that pleasing."

"Hardly" Neeshka said with a humph. "The floor decided to cave in on us, were lucky we're doing as well as we are."

Ciara nodded slowly... "Was I just unlucky? Seems like I got banged up the most. My chest... its not healing well..." She took another swig of the healing potion, it was true. She felt her wounds on her face, legs, shoulders, all heal up decently. And while her chest wound felt better, and got smaller, it seemed to refuse to go away. "I must have landed on a nasty rock or something... feels like someone decided to rip out the shard in my chest." She chuckled lightly.

The room became dead silent.

"Jeeze... I sorta meant that to lighten the mood, you know?" She chuckled nervously. "I hope I didn't offend..."

"Its not that." Elanee said in a whisper. "I..."

Neeshka was able to fill the void of words Elanee was unable to get out. "Look at your chest Ciara." She said it with a worried tone, it didn't encourage Ciara one bit.

She slowly looked down, there was a gash. A rather big gash. A gash that went from the top of her scar to the bottom of it. It was bleeding still, only slightly though, almost as if it was healing in its own twisted way. The blood was no longer flowing but the wound was still there, and it was pulsing too.

She bit her lip and looked away, disgusted at what she saw. "Oh gods."

Elanee looked away and nodded. "We managed to find a few shards of the sword of gith. We at first feared that we lost you. But. it seems there is a lot more to this then we thought."

Khelgar and Casavir seemed to be the only two who could actually look at the now slightly pussing wound. Khelgar walked over to where Casavir was holding her and began to bandage over the wound. Quickly followed by Casavir placing a blanket over her. Ciara whimpered again, she looked up fearfully at Casavir.

"What... does this mean? Am I tainted or something? Am I going to turn into some creature?"

Ciara's mind raced with thoughts. She was clueless for once, scared. She has not felt this insecure since her childhood, when she was but 7 years old. This... wound, where the shard once was, she felt so empty.

That's it... that's what she's been feeling ever since she woke up... empty. Like something inside of her was taken away, making her only half of what she was. She was afraid, very afraid, her mind was filled with horrid images of things that could happen, things that might happen because of this. Her friends being hurt, caused by some crazy betrayal from her deranged state. Another thought of her becoming some fierce creature, not unlike the King of Shadows, slaughtering her friends.

She winced and looked away, stop thinking like that! Your blowing this out of proportion!... At least she thought so... She's never felt like this before...Casavir frowned and shook his head.

"I'm sure you will be fine my lady... just relax. You need rest."

Ciara murmured to herself. "I was already sleeping..."

Elanee crossed her arms. "You were unconscious due to an injury Ciara. You need REAL rest." Ciara frowned, she looked to Neeshka whom gave her the same look. Looking to her last hope, Khelgar crossed his arms.

"You too Khelgar? Bah... okay okay..."

Elanee placed her hand on Ciara's forehead. "Things will be okay... we promise."

And with that, Ciara's eyes closed.