Kale regained his senses to feel a knife at his throat. "There ye are, ye murderin' lout! Thought ye could off two o' my mates and get away with it, did ye?"
He felt his left leg seized in a strong grip. He tried to kick his way free, but the motion only assisted his attacker. He felt himself yanked out of his hammock, and fall down quite a ways to the ground. His thought as he was falling was cursing the fact that he had chosen to sleep so high up in the tree.
He struck the ground hard, and it knocked the breath out of him with a loud gasp. He felt a tree root leap up and strike him hard in the small of the back as he hit the ground, with a muffled crunching noise.
Horrible breath met his nostrils as someone spoke loudly close to his head. "Oy, yer gonna pay, ye whelp!"
He realized that he couldn't move his legs. His eyes were wide open now, seeing only vague shapes in the darkness, one of which stabbed him in the side, and yanked the knife free in a mostly smooth motion. He felt that this was not a sharp and well-kept knife; this was a long, rusty, and dull knife. It hurt just as much going in as it did sawing its way back out.
He heard a snarling from the tree above him, followed immediately by a heavy thudding noise, and a loud curse to his left. "Lads, get this mangy mutt offa me!"
He heard several muffled thudding noises, each punctuated by a sharp whining noise. "That's right mutt, that'll teach ye to bite me!"
Another voice off to his left, the one who had greeted him with the knife, spoke up. "Oy, lads, gimme the lantern, so we can finish this lout off properly!"
Several sharp flashes blinded him, as someone used flint and steel to light a lantern, which sputtered fitfully into life.
Kale knew he could speak, but what could he say? He couldn't get up on his own two feet now; everything below his hips felt removed and numb. Everything above his hips felt like a boiling mass of agony. It was all he could do to clench his teeth together and not scream out in pain. He determined that he wouldn't though, if only to deny these smelly killers the satisfaction.
The lantern was brought to a low-hanging branch stub above him, the branch broken off a few seasons before by a storm, Kale noticed inanely.
The next hour went by alternately quickly and excruciatingly slowly. They had stabbed him everywhere he could feel the wounds, and several places that he couldn't. He had been beaten by heavy oaken clubs. He could barely feel anything anymore. The last thing he felt before he slipped into the sweet arms of unconsciousness was a soft breeze on his skin, over and above the pain he could barely feel anymore.
She greeted him almost immediately. "Oh, Kale! I wish I could have done something, but I couldn't and now you're...oh, by the Sun, stay with me! Come on, you stubborn mule, don't let go yet!"
He saw her above him, leaning and laying partially on top of him. If he weren't still connected to his broken body, he would certainly have enjoyed this moment. Her eyes were filled with tears, and both of her hands were on his face, forcing him to look at her. He still didn't feel her touch, but the warmth of her hands still forced his head to look her directly in the eyes.
"Kale, please, don't let go. Oh, I didn't want it to be like this...Just say yes, Kale, please! Oh, I wished for so much more time, to tell you so much more and teach you so much more about us, about me, about the Exalted, oh Kale, don't let go!"
She was almost babbling in her fear and determination. Why would she appear to be this way as he was dying? Would she still be doing this if he was only a useful pawn for her evil, cruel and heartless Anethema self?
No, the back of his mind answered. She'd have left. She probably wouldn't even have said a word now, except "Well, better luck next time!" Instead, she was with him in the dreams of unconsciousness, pleading with him to stay in the land of the living, to hold onto his body, to hold onto life. But it was getting so dark around him; it was feeling slowly more and more distant...
"Oh Kale, I know you wanted to wait, but there's no time anymore! Oh, I wanted to take so much more time with this, but there's no time now! Just say yes, Kale! Please, let me save you! There are too many wounds for me to heal you now, where I am now. If you say yes, I'll force your Exaltation, and your body will heal itself, whole again. You'll even be able to walk again, just please say yes! Oh, dear Kale, don't let go, don't leave me now..."
In this dream, even though his grip on his body was slowly fading, he made his decision. She was right, and he agreed with her - he would have loved to string this along as long as he could, to find out as much as he could about her, about who the Exalts really were, to make his decision on his own time.
But his own time was nearly up.
In the dream, he made his decision, along with a deep breath. "Okay, Melia. I accept."
She smiled so brightly through her tears, and lay on top of him, and kissed him hard on the forehead. "Thank you, Kale. This is going to feel...very strange at first."
That wasn't comforting. Then she seemed to slowly melt into a very fine golden dust, which melted into him, into his skin, into his body. His skin felt hot from where the dust had touched his skin, and the heat began spreading swiftly throughout his body. He felt it concentrate on his wounds, and on his spine. They felt hotter than ever, and to his shock, the wounds were closing. What would have taken weeks to heal completely, had he lived, was taking seconds now. He felt his lower back pop into place. His legs hurt...but he could feel them now. They swiftly stopped hurting, and the hot feeling began spreading evenly throughout his body, feeling like it was touching every pore of his skin, every particle of hair, every callous, every scar. It began growing hotter, and hotter still. It didn't hurt, which is what surprised him, but it felt very hot, as if he were laying too close to a fire, but all over his body.
He awoke.
He lay where he was, sprawled in a heap just like before. He didn't move his head, but he saw that the bloody patches on his clothes hid completely healed wounds now. The heat began growing stronger, and feeling like it was collecting in his heart, while still heating his body.
He began hearing a dull, faint roar. It grew swiftly louder, and louder, and his body felt suddenly like it had exploded, though he still felt whole. He saw the same golden nimbus of light around him as he saw around Melia when he had first seen her, but this was brighter, though slightly darker in color; more deeply golden than hers had been.
This had not escaped the almost-murderers' notice, as they were bent over, digging through his pack. "Wot the 'ell..." Their eyes grew wide as they looked at him. "Anathema! He's one o' the bloody Anathema!"
They bravely pulled their weapons again, and prepared to rush at him, but to their surprise, his body began floating above the ground, his body tilting so that his legs were pointing at the ground once again, and his head raised to the sky. The glow grew brighter, and flashed suddenly...and was gone. Kale landed on his feet.
Kale felt...he struggled to find the words. It felt like pure energy was running through his veins, thrumming with power, with a furious drumbeat. It felt like there was a soft, exultant melody coming from his body that was just out of the range of hearing. Then, he realized that he was still not alone here. His eyes snapped open, looking directly at those who would have slain him.
With wild yells to encourage themselves and to attempt to frighten him, they rushed at him.
Time seemed to slow down, to Kale's eyes. He moved his hand, and it was moving at nearly normal speed, though the thugs were running at him in slow motion. He was not slow in taking this to heart.
He ran at the first thug, and grabbed his arm that held a rusty short sword. Yanking the thug's arm backwards, he kicked the thug from behind in the back of the head, and held onto the short sword, looking at the others.
They seemed to move so pathetically slow, that he dodged their attacks easily, not bothering to strike back. He was just enjoying this feeling so much. A few minutes ago, he was ready to die, but now...now he felt more alive than he ever had.
He saw his greatsword lying by the tree. Ducking into a graceful roll to dodge one of the thugs' attacks, he finished near the sword, picking it up.
It felt lighter than it had before, more graceful. With one hand, he raised the blade and pointed it at the thug who had first pulled him out of the tree. He began to run directly at the thug, his legs pumping furiously. He reached the thug in no time, almost. He drew the blade back, grabbed the lower hilt with his left hand, and swung as hard as he could upwards. He was surprised that the blade moved so swiftly through the thug. He brought the blade around in an unbroken motion straight down through the other murderer.
Nothing but silence greeted his ears now, with no more movement around him. The wild thrumming of energy started to slow down, at the same time as the adrenaline in his body began to stop flowing.
He saw the wolf. He dropped the blade and raced to the wolf's unmoving side. He wasn't breathing; the blood had dried all along his body in a coagulated mass. Tears filled his eyes as he gently touched the wolf. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. Please forgive me, wherever you run now."
He spent the next solemn hour digging a proper grave for the wolf, saying goodbye to this companion who had only been with him a short time, but had hurt him so much by his loss.
He dug a pit for the slavers and kicked them in after taking his things back along with all their jade, giving them no ceremony.
After he had finished filling in the graves, he collapsed on the ground, in complete shock. Not only had he slain two more people, but he had lost two friends in the span of an hour.
I haven't left you yet, Kale. He heard Melia's voice, and looked around wildly for her. He heard her tinkling laugh. No, silly. I'm within you now. I'll be with you once you're ready to be on your own, and then...then I'll sleep.
"You saved me, Melia. You saved my life, but you didn't save the wolf's life."
Her voice sounded hesitant, and a little guilty. I'm...sorry, Kale. I wasn't thinking about the wolf at the time. All I could think about was that someone I had at first marked as a good successor, and had grown over time to be someone I really liked hanging around was dying...I'm sorry for that, but I was much more preoccupied with you than the wolf.
He smiled a little. "I understand. Do I always have to talk to you like this?"
He heard her tinkling laughter again. No, of course not, silly! People will think your mind has gone. You can think back, as long as you focus on my face as you do so, and I'll hear you.
He looked serious again, as he concentrated on her face. There, can you hear me?
He could almost see her grin. Yes, dear Kale, I can hear you. Speak what's on your mind; I know there's something!
He looked serious once again. Okay, good. Now, what the hell am I?
He briefly saw her smile sympathetically in his mind's eye. You are an Exalt of Sol, a Child of the Unconquered Sun. Your caste is Night, which suits you, I think. Your abilities, and the way the energy is flowing within you seems to gravitate towards doing what you've always done - be silent, be watchful, and be swift.
He began pacing as he thought. Alright, so I'm of the Caste of Night, even though I'm a Solar Exalt. Right, that makes complete sense. He couldn't help but be a little sarcastic.
He heard her chuckle. I know, it seems a little silly, but it makes sense once you know of the others. The Dawn Caste are the generals and all-around best combatants. The Zenith Caste are our spiritual back, giving us founts of strength and the spirit to carry on when all others have dropped back, exhausted. The Twilight Caste are the learned ones, the ones who seek the most hidden of knowledges; they also craft the very best stuff. There's us, and we get the job done with stealth, guile, and wits. Well, and sometimes a sword or bowshot in the dark. And there's the Eclipse Caste, who are the beaurocrats and negotiators with pretty much everything.
He frowned a bit more. I hope you're not expecting me to be an assassin, like you, Melia.
He felt her smile. No, Kale. Your path is your own. I was a city girl in my lifetime, and I lived and learned what I was best suited to. You're much more at home in the wild, so I think that will be your path.
He couldn't help but feel more frustrated. I know you just saved my life, Melia, and I'm grateful - don't think I'm not. But I just killed more people today. Is that what being Exalted means? A taker of life, because one has more power?
Her touch on his mind was comforting, soft, and delicate. No, the Essence awake within you now is neither good nor evil; well, it leans toward good, just because of what you are. But it's what you make of it, Kale. It's how you use it that determines whether it's good or evil.
He remembered what his father had taught him about using the sword: how the sword was neither good nor evil, that the intent of the wielder decided that. He found the same thing was true here. That power in the form of either a sword, or being Exalted was either good or evil, depending on how it was used. He felt a bit better.
Her voice softly broke into his thoughts. I know your mind's in turmoil right now, and I'm sorry again that we didn't have more time to talk this over before you Exalted. But there are those who can feel a new Exalt being born, as it were. You have much to learn about your new abilities, and not much time to do it.
He nodded, realizing that despite being woken up, and nearly killed, and losing his wolf companion, he didn't feel all that tired. Alright. Let's begin, Melia. Teach me what I need to know.
He felt her smile brightly. Somehow, he felt that despite what a very strange night he'd had, things would be okay.