Chapter 11:
I hadn't told Ifan the worst part. Along with the spells, Rhalic had also instilled a quiet need inside of me, something that whispered in my mind that I wanted to hurt people. That I wanted to kill them. It wasn't loud by any means. Very easily ignored. But I couldn't help but fear that it would only grow louder as time went on.
We were exploring the graveyard today, and I could feel eyes on me. Every move I made was being watched by at least one of the others at all times. I appreciated their concern- it made me happy to know they cared.
I found a place with two dragon heads sculpted out of stone breathing fire on a chest. Just in front of the little walled-off walkway, stood a lizard spirit. A Dreamer, from how he was dressed.
"Red Prince!" I called out, motioning him over. "I think you'll want to see this. It's a spirit."
He used the spell to give him vision, before immediately delving into a conversation with the man. A few moments later, they were both asleep. I was impressed that he could sleep standing up! Just as quickly, they awoke.
"My word... Even I, not in my wildest, most demon-lusting dreams could have guessed a destiny such as this..."
"What did you learn?" I asked, curious.
"A tale too preposterous to be believed, and yet so ultimately, so undeniably true once told. The race of lizards, all of us... we were dragons once! Great, red dragons." He was in awe, looking at me with wide eyes. "Somehow, aeons ago, we withered. We shrank, our wings shriveled; nevermore to be the majestic creatures we once were. Until now."
I clasped my hands together in front of me. "Really? That's so amazing!"
"What do you mean 'until now'?" Lohse asked, and I realized the others had reached us.
"I am to be the father of dragons, and she, the Red Princess, is to be the mother." Eyes still on me, though he'd answered her. "I've told you about her, haven't I?" I nodded. I remembered him telling me of her beauty and how she made him feel, even though they'd only met in dreams. "The secret of my soul! All my life, I thought she was but a dream within a dream, but she is real. She is here. And I must go to her. To think she awaits me even now, no more than a walk away... come, we must move north at once!"
"Yes!" I was practically bouncing on my toes. "We have to go, if she's nearby!"
We took off together, the others rushing to catch up, winding our way through the forest until we reached a broken-down caravan. She turned at our approach, and I gasped- she really was as beautiful as he'd described. He went to her, and they spoke quietly for a time. Sparing me a glance, he said they would be out soon. Out of the caravan she'd been standing in front of.
They couldn't possibly be- It started rocking slightly, and I abruptly turned around, leaving them to it, my face burning. I reached the others- Ifan and Sebille were staring at the Lone Wolves' base just on the other side of the creek. The other three looked incredibly bored.
"Are we going there next?" I asked quietly of the two.
Their attention swung to me, expressions grim.
"I have questions for Roost." Ifan growled.
Sebille's voice was deadly calm. "I will kill him." A look to him. "After you question him."
He gave a stiff nod, and the both of them returned their gazes to the base.
It had been an utter disaster, the Red Prince and Red Princess's coupling. Assassins had come out, attacking us, and the princess had vanished with one of them.
After that unsettling experience, we'd made our way into the Lone Wolves' base, going up to talk to Roost. Only for me to see the spirits of children, frightened and shying away from me scattered about the top floor, as well as Saheila bound in the center of the room.
Fury had filled me. Before anyone could stop me, I'd stormed into the room. Demanding to know what he'd done to the children. He'd played stupid, and I'd felt the magic rise up in response to his dismissive tone. I'd opened my mouth, but a hand clapped over it, another across my chest dragging me backward.
While Lohse had kept me company outside, the others had questioned Roost. She'd watched as I'd paced around in one small area, overwhelmed with anger as I'd been.
The moment they'd come down, every Lone Wolf in the base went on alert. Because Saheila was with them. The fight had been over quickly, with me standing protectively over the elf, helping the others with walls to block on-coming attacks.
Even after we'd reached the little elven camp to return her, I was still fuming.
And now, here I was, pacing back and forth again just to the right of the camp, flexing my fingers. Making fists, relaxing, making fists. I was just so angry, and I needed to hurt something- someone.
Something touched my arm, and I jerked away, hissing. "Don't touch me."
Lohse gasped, stepping back, eyes wide. "What-"
"I don't want to hurt you." It came out rough, angry, even though it was a plea.
"What's wrong, lass?" Beast had come over, watching me intently.
"I don't know!" I threw my hands up, only growing more agitated. "I saw those kids' spirits, and something snapped in me. It won't go away!"
Dropping to my knees, I clutched my head.
"Make it go away." My words came out with a whimper.
Cool hands cupped my cheeks, making me look up. Eir smiled softly down at me as a feeling of calm swept through me, chasing away the demanding anger.
"There." She murmured, stroking from my brow to my jaw. "Better?"
I nodded weakly. "Better. Thank you. What..."
Her smile fell as I trailed off. "Rhalic is a cruel god, to have done this to you. He inflicted you with a desire to harm others. It is something you will need to be wary of. I cannot fix this." She shook her head, sad. "Not while he lies in your soul."
That's what he'd meant when he'd said "We are I now."
"I see." So this was what I had to look forward to, when it reared its head.
She withdrew her hands, rising to her full height. Reaching down, she pulled me to my feet.
"I fear this will only get harder for you, the things Rhalic will ask of you. What he himself will put you through."
"I'll be okay." I promised her. Promised myself. "Now that I know, I'll be able to recognize it for what it is and keep it under control."
I had to, otherwise... I shied away from that thought, cutting it off. No. I would be okay. He would not force me to go against what I believe in. I refused.
"Okay." I looked around at the others. "Where to now?"
It had already been decided without my input- we were heading back to the tavern to turn in. The sun had already set while I was pacing "like a caged animal", according to Sebille. I didn't argue.
We'd talked on the walk back, mostly me filling the air, telling them about my visit with the human god and what he'd done to me, save for the need. I didn't know how to say it, I didn't want to say it. Then, what had happened earlier, in Roost's room. I'd apologized profusely, but they'd all- all- said something along the same lines- it wasn't my fault and that it was okay.
I spent the night in Ifan's bed again, even though there were two beds in the room. Really, I had no excuse for sleeping beside him, but it made me feel better, and he wasn't opposed to it, so...
We were walking along one of the many paths in the right part of the forest, when we came upon a little house with a man fretting about outside. It was a man I hadn't seen before. Moved here after I'd gone to Fort Joy, perhaps?
And his hands had dried blood on them.
His eyes landed on us, and he sighed. "If you're looking for healing or the like, then you'd best look elsewhere. My... my plate is full, for now."
A doctor? That would explain the blood.
"What has you so busy?" I asked, curious. If I could help, I would.
He looked like he was going to wave me off, but then a strange expression flitted across his face, gone too quickly to place. "I came by a new patient. A young woman. Very... troubled. I'll do what I can for her, but I'll need to concentrate, and that means..."
"I'm a healer, and if I can help, I would love to." I offered, much to the dismay of my companions. Who all groaned or made other noises, signaling how little they wanted to stop here.
The man regarded me for a few minutes, before nodding and holding out a key. "You can help. Take this and go to the cellar. I'll join you there."
Immediately, the others were on alert. I smiled sweetly at the man before doing as he said, everyone following close behind. In the basement, there was indeed a woman. She was moaning about how hungry she was. It was crystal clear it wasn't for food, by the way her head snapped up, eyes finding us- settling on me, as I was the closest to her. She was wearing a Source collar.
"She senses us..." The man said when he'd come down the ladder. Ah, so she was blind, then. How had she seen where we were? "be calm and quiet... no sudden moves..."
I shuddered as I keenly looked her over, taking note of every visible bruise, my gaze landing squarely on the healing incision on her forehead.
"Someone..." I wanted to vomit. "Someone experimented on her."
I slowly raised my arm, pointing to her forehead.
"You're right! I hadn't noticed before- I couldn't get close enough. We have to help her; maybe we can reverse whatever was done to her."
I nodded, even though I wanted to leave. I had vowed to help those in need when I was younger, and I was going to uphold it.
"Alright. We need her subdued, understand? Do whatever you can to knock her down- just don't go too far or you might kill her!"
Without warning, she sprinted toward us, shoving me against the wall before anyone could react. My hands went to either side of her head as the others readied their weapons, and I sang quietly to her. A moment later, she slumped against me, and I lowered her to the floor. She was out cold.
"Don't ask me how I did that- I have no idea." I said preemptively. "Let's get her in better lighting, so we can figure this out."
The man carried her to the center of the raised portion of floor, laying her down, and we were able to get a closer look at the wound.
He opened the incision, gently cutting a hole in her skull.
"There." I murmured, pointing out the maggot that was writhing around on the outside of her brain.
He tried to grab it, but the hole was too small for him to properly maneuver. I looked around in his bag, finding a pair of tweezers, and used them to gently pluck the maggot free of her. He placed the piece of skull back in its place and went to stitch the wound closed, but I stopped him. He was understandably confused, but I ignored it, laying my hands on her and letting the healing magic flow through me as I prayed for her to recover fully.
We watched as the bone mended, the wound knitting shut.
He let out a relieved breath, his shoulders relaxing. "That was damn fine work you pulled off there. Consider me in your debt. I'll keep an eye on her until she's ready to fend for herself. If you find yourself needing potions, be sure to come to me. It's the least I can do."
I held up a hand, a soft smile on my face. "You owe me nothing, but my friends might want to look at your supply of potions."
A little farther, we found ourselves surrounded by what appeared to be assassins, after the Red Prince. They had the ability to shield themselves from the naked eye, but when I tried to do the same, nothing happened. Anxiety filled my stomach, making me wonder what had gone wrong.
I tried my best to keep up with my walls, but the lizards were just so quick, moving in and out of sight too fast for me to help counter.
In the midst of the fight, I watched as three appeared near Sebille- two in front, the other behind. The two before her forced her back several steps, the dagger of the one behind swinging for her back.
"No!" I screamed.
One moment, I was about fifteen feet away from them. The next, I was between her and the attacker at her back, the blade sinking into my abdomen. When he tried to pull free, I grasped his wrist, glaring at him. Sebille dispatched the two in front of her, before whirling around and taking care of mine.
"Eira-"
"Not right now." I said through gritted teeth. "It's not over yet."
She hesitated a moment before nodding firmly and rejoining the fray. Everyone seemed to be fighting with a renewed vigor, while I stumbled from the fight, hiding behind a tree and slowly pulling the blade out. Healing as I went.
"Eira!" Lohse's voice called out shortly after.
I pushed off the tree, walking into their line of sight. "I'm here."
"Are you alright, lass?" Beast's eyes were on my shirt. More specifically, the blood that soaked the front of it.
"I'm fit as a fiddle." I assured him.
Sebille approached, looking me up and down.
"When you took the blow meant for me, I felt as if you had healed me in the same moment." She said, gaze intense.
I blinked at her. "Really?"
A nod. "How did you get to me so quickly, when you were so far off?"
"I'm not sure. I saw that he was going to attack you, and I just... I wasn't where I'd been standing." I gave a helpless shrug. "I'm glad I somehow healed you, though."
"Great. Now, she's learned to take fatal blows for us." Ifan muttered, unhappy with this revelation.
"If that's the case, then I'm glad for that. It wasn't fatal for me, clearly. And besides, I can heal myself. I can't heal if I'm not near the person needing it." It made sense to me, at least.
The others, much like the Wolf, didn't seem happy, however.
I felt a pull on the connection with Englo and summoned her, giving her fur a rough ruffle through.
"Easier to keep our pack safe, if you can stop them being attacked." She agreed with me.
Ifan's eyes narrowed.
"Exactly." I smiled down at her.
"What did she say?" Lohse asked, wary.
"'Easier to keep our pack safe, if you can stop them being attacked.'" I quoted. "Even she agrees- we just want you guys to be safe."