AN: No this is not a new chapter, just an update on an old one. Sorry to disappoint you all L There was some confusion about when exactly this story takes place in regards to Talia's timeline. If you who have read Arrows of the Queen recall, there is a scene where Talia goes into Companions Field and consoles some random Herald who is crying about Gerick's death. She procedes to tell him that he should remember Gerick who made the most of his life, yadda yadda yadda. Since later in the trilogy, Kris notes that Gerick was his and Dirk's mentor when they were on their internship, I figured they would have taken it pretty rough. Of course in AotQ, Talia wouldn't have known this yet.
Chapter 10
"…and that's why the telekenetic, or "fetching" Gifts are usually the most physically dangerous, while the telepathic or "thoughtsensing" Gifts usually have no physically visible sign of danger." Dirk finished.
Some of his students nodded while others jotted down some notes. "Herald Dirk, what Gift would you say is the most dangerous of all?" a student asked.
"All of the Gifts can be equally dangerous, depending on how powerful the gift is, and the emotion behind it. Take for example…" Dirk's expression went blank.
Just then, the rest of the students heard what Dirk obviously sensed just scant seconds before.
The Death Bell.
Dirk shook his head clear of his trance. "Class dismissed." He said, then rushed out of the door, leaving the students in wonder.
"What was that?"
"The Death Bell, idiot."
"I know it was the Death Bell, but what happened with Dirk?"
An older student interrupted. "It's the Heraldic bond. We'll start feeling it in a few years."
"What just happened though?"
The student sighed dramatically. "Back in Vanyel's time, he set a spell so that all Heralds are bonded together through the Companions. Whenever another Herald dies, almost that second, every full Herald knows at least something about what happened, depending on their gifts."
Just then, a trainee poked his head into Dirk's classroom. "Gerick."
oo
Kris nearly fell out of the saddle. "Gerick!!" he shouted out loud. Tantris was already heading for the temple in the middle of Companion's Field.
Images flooded Kris' mind—images of Gerick, smiling, talking to his Companion, as he walked directly into danger. He was near the Pelagirs, it looked like…
Kris blacked out before he reached the temple.
oo
A group of Heralds gathered around the temple, as their Companions stood in a circle around the belltower, and silently rang the bell. It was a low, solemn tone that rang steadily through the ears and hearts of everyone on Palace grounds.
Dirk stood, weeping silently in back of the little chapel. It wasn't Gerick's funeral yet, but a gathering of his loved ones, friends, and fellow Heralds grouped inside the room, most weeping, embracing, and comforting others. Dirk thought back to his internship with Kris. Gerick had been their mentor. It was because of Gerick that he became friends and partners with him in the first place. It was Gerick who saw their potential to work together.
Kris had been taken to the Healers with a serious backlash headache when he showed up still on Tantris' back, completely unconcious. A senior Farseeing Herald had gone with Selenay and Kyril to try to find the body. They didn't say what everyone already knew—the chances of finding an intact body were slim with the kind of gruesome death Gerick had suffered.
If they found anything important, they would send for Dirk, who would Fetch it back for them. The body, if there was one to be found, would be delivered by a caravan of royal guards. Then they would have a funeral.
oo
Kris wiped yet more tears from his face, and drank from the goblet of wine Dirk had brought him. "Why him? He wasn't even supposed to be on a dangerous circuit."
"It was completely accident. How could anyone have known the Pelagirs would have gone rogue like that?" Dirk said to his friend.
Kris had gotten it rough—because his gift was Farseeing, he was among the first to see what had happened to their old mentor. He saw Gerick exhale his last breath, and lay there bleeding, while the beast from the untamed forest sulked away into the dark woods. It had taken a visit from a MindHealer to dull the images and weaken the pain he felt.
"Most of us have the idea that because we're Heralds, we will die a glorious, heroic death. I think we forget that we're just like everyone else, and have our own share of pure dumb luck…right up to getting ravaged by wild beasts."
"It could have happened to anyone. It could have happened to an innocent civilian, or a child, wandering from its home. I'm sure Gerick thought of this, Kris. I'm sure he would have willingly given his life to insure it wouldn't happen to someone else…someone helpless."
"So would have any of us. It's the price we pay for being Heralds."