Chapter 5:
I spent the whole night dragging bodies into the center of the fort, where Griff had run his organization from. By the time the sun rose, I was exhausted, but they were all lined up uniformly in one space, and that made me feel that the time I'd spent here had been worth it. I knelt beside them, praying for their souls to find peace. Praying that they didn't get stuck in limbo, or whatever the Rivellon equivalent was. Praying they made it safely to the Hall of Echoes.
I stayed like that for what felt like eternity, just endlessly praying.
I was so deeply focused, that I didn't hear the footsteps behind me. I had no awareness of anyone living being nearby, until a hand settled on my shoulder. Coming back to myself, I realized two things: the sun had long since set, and that the others had found me. I looked up at Ifan, who was the one with me, and offered a weak smile.
"I'm sorry. I thought I would be gone only a short time."
"Have you been praying this whole time, lass?" Beast asked as he came to stand next to me, concerned.
"Oh. No." I shook my head, my eyes watering again. "I... I found them... and I just... I couldn't leave them like that. Scattered around. Left to be forgotten." I bowed my head, struggling to not cry anew.
The hand on my shoulder tightened, Ifan's gruff voice soft as he crouched behind me. "You're safe, and that's what matters."
It wasn't the first time he'd said that to me.
"Aye, and I'm sure the dead appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort, lass."
I wiped my eyes and fixed a smile on my face. "I hope they find peace and make it to the Hall of Echoes."
"I can't believe they're all dead..." Lohse whispered, and I looked over to find her staring at the bodies. "The magisters did this in response to us escaping?"
"No. No, I don't think so." I shook my head. "The people nearest the gate to the mansion had weapons either on them or around them. I think there was an organized riot or something, and the magisters quelled it by responding like this."
Looks were exchanged between Beast and Ifan. I tilted my head, curious, my eyes going between the two. The Wolf caught my eye, shaking his head slightly. Whatever it was, he didn't want to talk about it. At least, not with me, and I wasn't going to push.
"Come on, lass. Let's head back to the camp, so you can get some rest. You look like hell."
I couldn't stop the giggle at the dwarf's words. "Thank you so much."
He grinned. "There's that smile."
I softened at that, melting a little, and I got to my feet. Dusted off my clothes from kneeling in the dirt for so long.
I slept into the late morning, only waking because of voices shouting nearby. From what I gathered, Gareth wanted to fight the magisters holed up with Bishop Alexandar, but another man said they couldn't, because there were shrieks guarding the place.
A shudder ran through me. Gareth had told us about them, even shown us one just outside the ruins we'd found him in. They were awful-looking creatures. Like Jeepers Creepers level awful. He'd warned us that they purged people- took their souls, leaving a bloody mess in the person's place.
"If you can get your hands on a purging wand... Then, we'd be able to go in safely." The man advised.
"And where are we going to get one of those?" Gareth huffed, storming off.
One of the women noticed I was awake and came over, her voice low. "There is a witch on the island who possesses a purging wand." She gestured toward where the ice began. "If you can convince her to part with it, it would help us a great deal. We wouldn't lose anyone to shrieks and be able to capture the magisters for trial."
The Red Prince caught my attention, his eyes narrow as he turned and approached us. The woman rushed away before he reached me.
"What did she want?"
"She told me of where we could find a purging wand." I explained, filling him in on what she'd said.
He looked away, and I wondered if he was looking for her. "Interesting."
I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"
"It's very interesting that she would tell you, when Gareth is the one causing a fuss about this."
Oh. I knew why she'd come to me.
"Still." I got to my feet. "If I can help, I will. We know where it is now, so it's a simple matter of speaking to the witch, right?"
A longsuffering sigh left him, but he motioned for me to walk with him. "Come along, then."
We reached the others, and he explained the situation. All eyes went to me, and it was a unanimous decision to go along with it. Even Fane. I got the feeling he liked me well enough- we'd spent countless hours discussing history and myths, and he'd always greeted me when we'd passed by each other.
"Is that... a dragon?!" Lohse exclaimed.
A large white dragon was chained in the middle of the icy landscape. Without thinking, I rushed forward, using the green fire to melt one of the chains holding him.
"Hey! Don't-" Fane called out. "She's a menace."
"She's going to get herself hurt one of these days." Beast chimed in.
But they all moved to help me, making quick work of the two chains between us all.
He was bound to the witch inside the cave behind us. If we could find the purging wand she possessed, he would be free. While he was speaking, I reached out and laid a hand on his forearm, sending as much healing magic into him as I could, a quiet prayer flitting through my mind.
The witch we were seeking wasn't a very friendly one, it turned out.
"I would prefer to welcome death, than the sight of her face again..." His voice was low, full of pain. And not all of it physical.
"If we bring you the wand, will that help you?"
"Hang on. We need that." Lohse chided me.
"It would." He dipped his head. "I would return it to you once I freed myself."
"I'll hold you to that." I smiled softly, before turning to the others. "I guess it was too much to hope for a peaceful talk with her. I'm sorry I brought you all to a fight."
"You're not dealing with this alone." She rolled her eyes, brandishing her staff. "Let's do this."
The inside of the cave was just as cold, and I murmured a quiet prayer into my clasped hands, asking for my companions to be shielded against the cold. Immediately, I felt a warmth spread through me, saw a slight orange glow radiating from me. From everyone.
"What-" Lohse gasped, looking down at herself.
All eyes went to me.
I smiled, quite pleased. "There. That should do nicely."
"Endless usefulness." Sebille commented under her breath as we continued through the cave.
The witch spoke to Lohse, and I watched as her eyes dulled, her expression going slack. Fear filled me- not for myself, but for her. If the others didn't handle the witch soon, they would risk needing to harm our friend. The Red Prince was next to fall under her spell. Ifan following shortly after. Which left just Beast, Fane, and Sebille.
"Sebille!" I called out, praying for her to be invisible, as I was yesterday.
She spared me a glance, before she disappeared before my eyes. I hoped she understood and did what she had to do.
Beast and Fane did their best to hold off the spelled three. Panicking, I formed a wall out of ice, instead of rocks, and threw it up between Ifan and Beast. That earned the Wolf's attention, and he knocked another bolt, and I was torn. Defend myself or defend my friends.
Lohse threw spell after spell against Fane, who was blocking them, but he was beginning to slow. Beast was fending off the Red Prince, but with the lizard having a shield to block the dwarf's attacks, they were at a stalemate.
Gathering all my energy to my hands, I threw up a wall of ice that went from floor to ceiling, cutting them off from each other. And leaving myself open to Ifan's attack, the bolt hitting my shoulder. In my stunned daze, before the pain hit, I wondered if it had gone cleanly through to the other side. Words tumbled from my lips, almost soundless, begging for him and the others to come to their senses.
Just as the pain began to blossom, he took a step back, shaking his head as if to clear it of cobwebs. Probably not a bad phrase to use for it.
From the sounds of it, the others were still fighting. I'd only managed to clear his mind, it seemed.
The ice melted as I fell to my knees, clutching my shirt near the wound.
"No!" He raced forward, stopping to kneel in front of me, panic clear on his face.
"I'm okay." I smiled softly at him. "This will heal. Ah..." I looked around. "Is there... Is there something to bite on?"
I knew the process. Put something in the patient's mouth and pull the arrow or bolt or other weapon free, while the patient tries to keep still, though they're in immense pain.
Sebille handed me a piece of leather- distantly, I knew that must mean the witch was dead and with her, the spell she'd used to charm the others- and I took it gratefully, placing it between my teeth, before giving a firm nod to her. She reached for the bolt, but Ifan stopped her, his hand grasping it instead. With one swift motion, he jerked it free from my body, and I saw stars, a strangled noise escaping. Blood poured from the wound, and I shakily clasped my hands, asking Eir for help. I needed her to heal me or let me heal myself. Whichever. It didn't matter.
After a few minutes, I felt the skin and muscles mend, sealing the injury. Making it look as if nothing had happened.
Aside from all the blood I was now wearing, as if it was a fashion statement.
"See? All better." My voice was as shaky as the rest of me, and I didn't miss Ifan's flinch.
We returned to the dragon, using the wand on him and returning his Source. He then shifted to a lizard man, giving us his thanks and swore that if we ever needed him, he would be but a shout away, and he would render us aid. With that, he changed form again, back to dragon, and flew off.
Beast gave Gareth the purging wand, while everyone else went about their own thing. I went to the cliff and climbed down. Heading toward the sandy part of the beach and curling up just out of reach of the water, hugging my knees to my chest. I was starting to come down from the adrenaline of what had happened, and I doubted it would be pretty- it never was, when I saw it in others.
Quiet steps approached from behind me, and I rushed to wipe my face dry.
"Hi." I greeted, turning to find Ifan, who looked awful. "Are you alright?"
He carefully continued until he reached me, sitting beside me in the sand. "Don't as me that. How are you feeling?"
I smiled sadly, staring out at the ocean. "I'm... tired. And emotional. I just want to cry and sleep. And cry some more." A quiet chuckle as I rested my chin on my knees. "It's the crash from the adrenaline, so I know it'll pass. I'll be okay in a few hours."
"You must hate me." It was so quiet, I almost didn't hear it.
I sat upright, turning and slamming my hands on the sand between us, looking up at him with a vehemence that surprised him. "Invitus fuit! Numquam te odisse possem! Rea est, non tu! It was against your will. I could never hate you. She is guilty, not you." Softer. "Hoc nihil erat. Non vult facere. Nullam nec congue erat. This was nothing. You didn't mean to do it. You had no control." I reached out, grasping his hand. "Non reprehendo. I don't blame you, Ifan."
"You should." He looked away.
"Look at me." I growled, earning a surprised look. "Quo vadis? Where are you going?"
"What? I-"
I cut him off, squeezing his hand. "Where are you going?"
"I'm not-"
"Where are you going?" I would repeat it until he answered me.
His eyes narrowed. "I'm not going anywhere."
"You are. You're doing it right now, as we speak. You started leaving when you came back to your senses. So, I'll ask again: Where are you going?"
There was a pause full of tension, before he acted. He pulled his hand free, cupping my cheeks with both, and pressing his lips to mine. My eyes widened a moment, but I quickly relaxed into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. It was fierce, as if we'd never see each other again. Or were reuniting after a long time apart.
He rested his forehead against mine after we parted, staring intently into my eyes. "Nowhere. I'm not going anywhere, without you. The Seven be damned."
I smiled a little, my face the warmest it had ever been. "I would like that. Very much."
"I don't think I've ever seen you so... aggressive before." He commented, grinning.
His lips found mine again, the kiss deeper, slower this time. But no less passionate. I chuckled softly when we parted, enjoying how his emotions showed through in the kisses. We sat in companionable silence for a stretch, simply holding each other, his head on my shoulder, his whole body seemingly relaxing. As if for the first time in a long while.
Finally, after a while, I decided it was time.
"Ifan. You asked me before about where I came from."
He stiffened a little, his voice muffled. "You don't have to-"
"I want to tell you. You should know, before we progress any further with this." Taking a deep breath, I murmured. "Ego ex alio mundo sum. I am from another world. Rivellon is not my home."