elmo-doodle: Hey everyone, I'm back with the re-edit of The Revival! I am much happier with this first chapter and every chapter that will be following it. I'm including more of the characters than I would have done in the first version and here's the best part -- it's going to make sense ^_^.
Warnings: the beginning of this chapter is a little different to how The High Lord ended. In this, Dannyl was with Rothen and Dorrien while the last three Ichani fell. That's the only difference =D
Chapter One
Everyone watched through Balkan's mind-link as the last Ichani fell to the ground in front of Sonea. A collective sigh of relief and weariness was breathed as all the Magicians realised that the war was over; a war which had killed too many people, Novices and Magicians alike. It was going to take a long time to rebuild the city.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sonea's body trembled from exhaustion and she collapsed on to her hands and knees in front Kariko. The Ichani was just about alive and Sonea couldn't find the energy to crawl over to him and drain him of his last magic.
Something shifted on her hand, and she realised with dismay that Akkarin's grip on her wrist had slackened. She gasped when she heard his laboured breathing and she turned to his side.
"Akkarin?" she whispered as she cupped his face with her hands. "Stay with me. You're going to be okay. Akkarin?"
His eyes flickered over to her and Sonea could see the sadness in them. His eyes became unfocused and his head rolled to the side.
"No! Don't do this," she pleaded. She could sense the last of his energy beginning to fade. Her vision blurred as the tears started to gather in her eyes. "Please, don't go!" Sonea choked back a sob. A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she looked over to the barely-living Ichani. Of course! she thought.
Moving on her hands and knees, Sonea crawled to Kariko. She placed her hand over an open wound on his wrist and closed her eyes so she couldn't see his glare of hatred. She drained him of his last energy and when she was satisfied that there was nothing left she hurriedly went back to Akkarin's side.
"Don't you dare," Sonea whispered to him as his eyes started to flutter shut. She vaguely heard the sound of running footsteps heading in her direction but she blocked it out and placed her hands around the knife in Akkarin's chest. "I am not going to lose you now."
Sonea closed her eyes and focused her senses on the damaged body beneath her. She used the stolen magic to carefully heal the torn tissue and muscle, and then lifted her other hand to gently pull the knife out, healing the wound as the blade left his body. When the knife was completely removed she placed her hand back on his chest and sealed the tear completely.
Rothen, Dannyl and Dorrien slowed as they approached her. "Sonea," Dorrien reach her first, panting. "Is he--?"
"Sssh," Sonea hissed. Everyone stayed silent and Sonea frowned. "No," she mumbled.
Akkarin's heart wasn't beating.
"Akkarin, no!" Desperate, Sonea moved his hands up to his head and placed her forefingers on his temples. She closed her eyes and focused her mind once again.
"He's gone," Rothen whispered. He sighed and reached out to Sonea. "Come away, Sonea."
"Wait." Dannyl placed a hand on Rothen's shoulder and held him back. The Alchemist sent a questioning look at his friend. "Give her a chance."
Sonea had entered Akkarin's mind. Hope was restored in her as she realised that this meant he wasn't completely gone. But his presence was faint and still fading. Sonea chased after the weak presence and tried to get a grip on it and pull it back. Akkarin? she called out softly. Please, don't do this. I've Healed you, you can't give up! Find my voice and focus on it. Akkarin! There was no reply but Sonea continued to chase his presence deeper in to his mind.
"What is she doing?" Rothen asked.
"I think," Dorrien began, "that she is trying to bring his mind back into his body."
Dannyl frowned. "Is that possible?"
Dorrien shrugged. "It can happen, but only if the person's body is still intact. Akkarin's was wounded and I don't know how that will affect the process, even if Sonea did heal him."
Sonea panicked as she noticed that the presence had almost disappeared. Please Akkarin, she begged. His presence started to flicker out of existence. Akkarin, if you don't latch on to my presence right now I'll--
--Sonea?
She gasped as Akkarin's voice called out to her.
--Akkarin! she replied. Relief flooded through her as his presence in her mind become stronger. Yes! Come back to me, I am not loosing you yet!
She gasped again, although this time is was from the shock of Akkarin's mind suddenly exploding back in to life. His natural barriers leaped back up and Sonea was thrown backwards as she was shoved from his mind.
Akkarin sat bolt upright, gasping for breath as his heart restarted and his body began to live once more. He didn't have much time to recover however -- Sonea had decided that she was too far away from him and had propelled herself in to his lap. Her legs settled on either side of his and she buried her head in to his chest, her body shaking with sobs and strained laughter.
Akkarin smiled and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back and her smile was quickly replaced with a glare.
"You idiot!" Sonea all but shouted at him. "How stupid are you?! You always told me how dangerous it was to give too much energy and then you go and do exactly that. You hypocrite! Do you have any idea how...?"
Akkarin watched her with amusement and ran a hand through her hair. "Sonea, I--"
"Let me finish," she snapped. Her anger evaporated and her shoulders drooped slightly."You almost died. You would have if that last Ichani hadn't some energy left in him. Akkarin ... what would I have done without you?" She swallowed back a sob, but a single tear slid down her face.
"Sonea..." Akkarin sighed and pulled her closer to his body. "I am so sorry I put you through that. I was only thinking of how you didn't have the energy left to defeat Kariko ... I just wanted you to live." He smiled. "But you brought me back. How can I ever thank you enough?"
Sonea returned his smile, though it was a little weary. "Just promise me you'll never scare me like that again," she whispered.
Akkarin pressed his lips against her forehead. "I promise," he mumbled against her skin. "Sleep now, love. You are exhausted."
Sonea hummed in agreement. She let her eyes close and embraced the slumber that greeted her.
* *
Rothen bit back his questions as they watched Akkarin tenderly embrace his Novice (or was she more than that now?). There were so many things he needed to ask the man but all of his senses were telling him that this was not the time. Akkarin was most likely drained of his energy and would need rest, much like Sonea who was sleeping in his arms.
The former High Lord started to move. He tried to get up but was struggling with holding Sonea at the same time.
Dannyl stepped forward. "I'll take her," he said.
Akkarin looked up in surprise and his gaze wandered over the three Magicians. Had he not realised that they had been standing there? He looked back at Dannyl and nodded. "Thank you," he said.
They carefully moved Sonea in to Dannyl's arms until he had one arm supported her back and his other arm under her legs. He stepped back to give Akkarin some room.
"Wait," Dorrien stopped him from getting up. "Let me check that she Healed you properly." Too tired to argue, Akkarin let Dorrien examine him.
Rothen moved to Dannyl's side and looked down at the girl in his arms. Sonea's face was a little paler than he was used to seeing and there were a few small scrapes that she had yet to Heal -- or the cuts had re-opened when she directed her Healing power in to Akkarin.
"She's very light," Dannyl noted softly and he frowned. "I think she's become thinner, and she was already underweight to begin with."
"The exile wouldn't have helped," Rothen agreed. He reached out and gently brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face. He smiled as she sighed and leaned in to his touch. "I'm just happy she's returned."
Dannyl looked troubled. "I wonder how the Higher Magicians will react..." He stopped as a look of horror crossed Rothen's face. "...but we can think about that later. What should we do with Sonea?"
"She needs to rest," Akkarin said. Dorrien had finished his examination, satisfied that Sonea had performed the Healing properly. "Is there somewhere she can stay?"
Rothen nodded. "She can stay in my guest rooms," he said. "The Magician's Quarters were unaffected by the battle."
"Thank you." Akkarin's voice was filled with gratitude and he nodded at Rothen. He stepped toward Dannyl and took Sonea from his arms. He settled her in his own so that he was holding her bridal-style and the four Magicians headed towards Rothen's rooms.
* *
There was dust everywhere. In his hair, his mouth, his eyes and his nose. An uncomfortable weight had settled on his leg but he didn't have the energy to move it.
Energy.
A faint frowned marred the man's face.
Shouldn't he be dead?
There was a rustle and the sound of rocks crunching under a boot. Was it another Ichani, coming to finish him off? He tried to move his body but all he succeeded in doing was sending a few rocks tumbling.
The footsteps stopped.
"Hai! I've found someone!"
A second pair of footsteps joined the first. They neared him and one of the strangers slowed down.
He heard a sigh. "I was with this man earlier ... when he died." He recognised that voice...
"Died?" the other man repeated. He sounded like one of the dwells. "You mustn't have checked hard enough 'cause he just rolled them stones there."
There was a pause. "What?" The footsteps approached him and he felt a pressure being applied to his wrist. The man gasped.
"Lorlen!"
A/N: There we go, the first chapter is done! Keep an eye out for the next chapter within the next week! =] I'd really appreciate your reviews!
