Chapter 7 – Cosmic Convalescence
Amber was travelling on horseback through a straight plain with even grass and a few green trees on either side of the fenced path. It was unfortunate that the grey sky and murky clouds contrasted with the pleasant scenery on the ground, but there was no sign of rainfall yet.
Her white horse was obedient to her every movement. Whenever Amber sighed, the horse would let loose a soft neigh in following. She was riding incredibly slowly. Maybe it was because the horse was tired. Maybe Amber was simply in no rush whatsoever, but a baby crawling would likely go faster.
She had a swamp coloured hood over her head and only noticed a crying little girl in the path she traversed when her despondency was heard. She had dark turquoise hair and small blue overalls. The child's bike was right beside her. The sobs pierced Amber's magnanimous heart. She got off her horse and took an apple from a pouch. As Amber approached the girl, she whimpered at the sight of the adult looming above her. Amber got down on her left knee and offered the apple to the child and smiled, hoping to wipe to distress clean from her.
It did the trick: the girl reached up to accept the apple.
Footsteps suddenly sounded behind the girl. Amber could see the dirt moving as though a shoe had been lazily dragged along the floor, but there was no one behind the girl. Something was wrong. An ominous noise was emitted from somewhere in front of Amber and the child disappeared. She jumped back, threw off her hood and pulled out her staff. A young girl, who looked like a teen version of the child she saw, then came running at Amber, firing dual wield pistols at her.
Amber blocked the incoming bullets with just her aura alone. Taking advantage of the girl with emerald-coloured hair who had to reload, Amber swung her staff like the rudders of a helicopter in her hands and summoned a powerful gust of wind, which she sent at the deceiver. It knocked her back a considerable distance, but she managed to keep her feet on the ground.
A new aggressor approached from the field on Amber's right. He was young like the emerald-haired girl, but had grey hair and a set of black and orange trousers to go with his grey zip-up top. He jumped onto the wooden fence and leaped ferociously towards Amber.
She gasped but managed to turn her spear just in time to shield herself from the grey attacker who had tried to kick her with both of his feet. As she repelled him, she noticed how heavy his legs were.
Amber pre-empted the emerald-haired girl from striking again and she turned her staff around, summoning more gusts of wind to keep her at bay. The grey-haired boy propelled himself from the corner of the fence with tremendous force. He went rocketing towards his target. Amber turned to face him and fired a burst of flames from the tip of her staff. He curled up into the foetal position to partially protect himself from the oncoming fire. He emerged from the flames with fierce determination. He looked unharmed by the flames. Only his trousers had disintegrated to reveal that he had mechanical legs. The grey-haired boy kicked Amber directly in the chin and she was sent backwards, landing on her back. The emerald-haired girl jumped forcefully onto Amber's front and leaped off to stand next to her associate. They stood posed, ready to strike and continue their assault.
Amber's eyes glowed with anger. A tornado consumed the three of them and Amber rose up, levitating in the air. Nature and weather were at her fingertips. She summoned lightning bolts and sent them towards her assailants. Though she smit with great accuracy, they were quick on their feet and were able to leap out of the way.
The grey-haired boy shot a blast of energy from his boot and the emerald-haired girl shot her dual wield pistols at the Maiden. Her aura was a literal force field and the projectiles did nothing to her.
She picked up leaves from the ground and trees around her with just her mind. She froze them into tiny razor daggers and sent them like a hailstorm of arrows at the assaulters. The emerald-haired girl, with her bare skin was caught in the shower and cried out in pain. The grey-haired boy went into the foetal position again and used his mechanical legs to protect his body.
They were preoccupied with her telekinetic resistance. Amber had time to look around and see what else she could use to deter the assailants from attacking her any further. Amber looked down on the trail in front of her. A lady was running towards her. She had shoulder black length hair and wore a detailed red dress. Somehow she was running in heels.
Amber sent a projectile of fiery ashes at what she presumed was an accomplice of the two she was already dealing with. The lady sprang over the fireball as it hit the ground. She merged the scattered ashes from Amber's fireball and turned them into shards of igneous rock and sent them flying towards the Maiden. She fell out of the sky onto her front and looked up. The three assailants were gone. But then she saw the emerald-haired girl materialise a few metres in front of her. Then the grey-haired boy did too and so did the lady with the red dress right after. She ran at Amber with frightening speed and engaged in close quarters combat with two short metal swords. Amber parried the lady's blades with her arms and kicked her in the face away from her. The other two attempted to fight Amber. Though they were skilled, the Maiden was able to handle both of them at once. Only the grey-haired boy was able to land a kick to Amber's chin, which did nothing at all.
Whilst she was distracted, the lady with the red dress merged her blades together to form a bow. She sent three arrows at Amber's feet. After a brief delay, they exploded, catching the Maiden in a blast of intense flames. She screamed and fell to her hands and knees. Here aura was low and she gasped for air and energy.
The three attackers approached her slowly, assuming that she had given up, but Amber swung her right arm in front of her and sent a blast of powerful wind to knock the three of them back. They landed on their feet, but Amber stood back up immediately and sent a bolt of lightning at the grey-haired boy and a fireball at the emerald-haired girl.
The three of them were now on the floor. Amber picked up her staff and used it to keep herself from falling over. She was devitalised and held her side as she limped over to the emerald-haired girl. Amber glared at her with contorted anger and raised the staff to impale her through the head.
But then she felt an extremely sharp burst of pain wash over her entire body. The red dressed lady had shot an arrow directly into her back. Amber toppled to the ground. She was no longer able to fight. The grey and emerald-haired attackers held her arms outwards and placed a foot on her back so that she couldn't resist. The lady with the red dress walked up to Amber, with a malicious smirk. She had put on a long white glove on her right arm. She held her hand close to Amber's face and a parasite crawled its way out of her palm.
'Please don't…' Amber begged. She had fought her hardest and had outclassed all three of them, but even an elephant is overwhelmed by a pack of lions. The Fall Maiden could only do so much against three formidable combatants with excellent coordination.
The parasite latched onto Amber's face and covered her left eye. As it did, her right one lit up and she could feel her powers being sapped from her very body and soul. It was being transferred into the lady. Her consciousness was fading.
The agony burned and gripped its grave fist tightly around her heart. It squeezed hard and ruptured the fibre of her being. The deprivation of life transcended to her throat and began to choke her too. This was it. Amber was helpless and could only accept her defeat.
She released one more scream.
It was over.
It was over.
It was over…
And then she woke up.
Her eyes were wide with panic. Amber had relived her encounter with Emerald, Mercury and Cinder in a nightmare: for the first time in fact since she entered a coma. She had no idea that she had been rescued at the very last second by a Huntsman. She also had no idea where she was right now and what had happened to the three she had tried her best to vanquish them.
Amber ached all over. She felt weak and was unable to sit upright. She moaned at the persisting soreness. Her eyes were bleary and she could feel the sting where the parasite had covered her left eye. Amber blinked multiple times to try and refocus her vision. Looking directly upwards, she could see stone above her. Rolling her head to the left confirmed that she was in a cave of some sort. A little bit of light was being fed into the cave. Dawn was encroaching. A few birds chirped from the outside and their pleasant harmonies also found their way into the cave. Her head lay on a soft pillow and, although she couldn't see it, a soft mattress of some sort was placed below her.
It was hard, but Amber began to analyse her surroundings more. Inspecting the right, she saw three disks with a glowing orb of light above each one. Looking down at her body, she saw that she was covered in a dark red blanket. Upon seeing it, Amber immediately began to shake. The colour reminded her of the lady who had tried to kill her.
She saw the evil grin of the lady and the creepy parasite come out of her hand again. 'Ahh!' Amber cried out. Though initially losing her serenity, she took deep breaths and told herself that it was just a blanket. 'It's just a blanket. It's just a blanket…' she whispered.
Returning to the imminent concern, she wondered where on Remnant she was. Being too weak to even attempt to go outside, a small pessimistic part of her thought that she was dead. The lady had taken her powers and had lost total awareness before the process had been completed. Maybe this was heaven and she was recuperating. If she had a new, spiritual body though, how come she was so sore? 'No, this can't be the answer.' she thought to herself. 'I somehow survived the attack from those three.' But where was she then? Nothing added up. What were those little pads with orbs of light above them? Was she in Mistral? The chirp of the birds seemed very Amina-like.
A figure unexpectedly appeared at the mouth of the cave. Amber instantly assumed that the person was a threat. She retreated under the blanket and hoped that whoever it was would leave her alone.
'Oh, you're awake.' said the person. It was a female.
'D-don't hurt me.' Amber whimpered.
'I'm not here to hurt you.' said the woman. Her voice was oddly soothing.
Hesitantly, Amber pulled the blanket down from her face so she could see who the woman was. Amber was initially frightened, but had learned not to judge people entirely based on their looks. Her voice was enough reason to believe that she was not Amber's enemy.
She had purple skin and lips, completely yellow eyes, long white hair and wore an orange dress and a dark red cape, similar to the one of her blanket. What was most striking about her though was the horn sticking out of her head. She also had a few tattoos on her arms and thighs. Amber mustered enough strength rise and look at the woman's feet. She had hooves.
Was she a Faunus? The horn and hooves implied that she was, but no Faunus that Amber had ever seen had purple skin. Unsure of what to say, she remained silent.
The purple woman sat cross-legged on the floor by Amber's right side. 'How are you feeling?' she asked.
'Terrible…' Amber replied. I ache everywhere…'
'Please, don't move: you need to rest.' said the purple woman. 'Wait here.' She went outside the cave and came back after a minute with a clay mug and a plate. The mug was filled with water and the plate had a sandwich on it. The purple woman placed it next to Amber and resumed her cross-legged position. 'You don't have to eat it now, but you do need food and water.'
Amber wasn't sure what to say. She was confused and unsure of anything but was at least grateful for this woman's seeming kindness. 'A-are you a doctor?' she eventually said.
'I guess you could say that, but I'm more of a protector than anything else.'
'O-okay. Where am I?' she then asked.
'We're in Ionia, just outside the Placidium of Navori.'
Amber had no idea where that was. 'Ionia?' she repeated.
'Yes. The continent of Ionia, just off the mega continent of Valoran.'
'I-I've never heard of these places.' said Amber.
'Oh…' said the purple lady. 'You must come from the new world then.'
'I'm sorry. I'm not meaning to be stupid on purpose, but I seriously don't know what you're talking about.'
'I think you've been in a coma for a long time.' said the lady. 'A few days ago, about three maybe, I sensed something in the stars and a shift in the cosmos. I think that we come from two separate planets that have merged together somehow. I'm an alien to you. The world has gotten bigger and the days and nights have been extended in length. You weren't awake to witness it happening, I guess.'
Amber made no response. The idea sounded almost impossible to believe, but the sight of this strange lady and the term "alien" definitely made it seem plausible.
'Do you remember your name?' said the purple lady.
'Amber. If you don't mind me asking, what's yours?'
'My name is Soraka.' she replied.
Soraka brought some more pillows from outside the cave so that Amber could sit up and eat. Soraka held the mug to Amber's mouth. She took a sip. The water tingled slightly and felt revivifying.
'It's… nice water.' Amber commented with a weak smile.
'It's from the Whispering River, which is connected to the coastal region of the Azure Farms. Here in Ionia, humans and wildlife have a strong connection with nature and magic. Sustenance is a lot more organic and pure than in other parts of the world.' Soraka explained.
'That's lovely.' said Amber. 'I'm one of the few magic users of my world. Most Kingdoms are concerned with science and technology.'
'There are regions here that are like that too.' said Soraka. 'Ionia happens to be an exception to that general rule of science before nature and religion. My home is in Mount Targon, where celestials and worship are the core lifestyle of virtually all its inhabitants.'
'You and me both then.' Amber chuckled.
'Indeed.' Soraka replied, returning the friendly smile.
Amber then took a bite out of the sandwich Soraka had given her. It was absolutely delicious. It was completely vegetarian, but had a pleasant sweetness to it as well. 'Thank you.'
'It is my duty to protect those who are injured and in need.' said Soraka emphatically. 'I cannot live with myself if a beautiful soul perishes when I could've done something to help. It's a pleasure for me to rescue a woman like you.'
'That's most gracious of you, Soraka.' said Amber with a tear in her eye. She munched on the sandwich until it was gone.
'So, Soraka, can you please tell me more about where I am and how I got here?' Amber asked.
'Umm… in truth, I don't know how you got to Ionia.' said Soraka. 'I found you on the outskirts of the Weh'le, which is on the south coast of the island. I took you further away from it to the Placidium, because it is a better environment to recover in, unlike a rocky coastline, and we are closer to resources from here. You were in a coma. I'm not sure how long for, but you were unresponsive when I saw you. The Great Caretaker: Bard miraculously came to see me and led me to you.'
'Bard?' Amber repeated.
'Oh, yes: Bard is a cosmic entity that travels the universe. His only goal seems to be to protect the universe from total destruction. He doesn't talk, but he came to me and signalled that I was to follow him. You see those disks with light over there?' said Soraka, pointing to them.
'I did see them.' Amber replied.
'They're not lamps, believe it or not.' Soraka chuckled. 'Bard left those here for you to use. They're called "Caretaker Shrines". I've never used them myself, but apparently if you step on them, your vitals will be restored instantly. You just need to get your strength back before you can walk.'
Soraka stood up and went to an alcove in the cave next to Bard's shrines. She came back with a staff that was about the same size as Amber's own one, which she now noticed was missing, but decided it was the least of her concerns at the moment. Soraka's staff had a moon at the end of it with written text that Amber could not read, as well as a red jewel on the bottom.
'I use this to heal those with wounds.' said Soraka 'I have never encountered wounds as deep as yours though and I've only been able to partially restore your health. If Bard's shrines do not heal you properly, I don't know what will.'
'What do you mean?' asked Amber.
'Something unnatural has harmed you. There are some markings on your face: mostly on the left side. It's like something blazingly hot was placed there and etched its way in. I also sense that some of your inner life force is missing. Some of the magic that resided in you is gone…'
'G-gone?' said Amber. 'Oh, no…' she then whispered.
'What's the last thing you remember before waking up here?' asked Soraka.
Amber thought back to her fight with the girl with emerald hair, the boy with grey hair and the woman who had attempted to take her powers from her. At the thought of it, Amber began to cry. Soraka placed her staff down and sat on the cave floor, stroking Amber's head. 'There, there.' She said in as calming a voice as she could make.
'I… I… I was ambushed by these three people. They wanted my powers…'
'Your magic?'
'Yes. I fought them off the best I could, but I eventually couldn't keep up with them. This lady with a devilish stare summoned an insect that protruded out of her hand. It attached itself to my face and I felt my powers draining. There was nothing I could do. I felt like I was about to die!' Amber sniffled.
'I bet that you feel traumatised after that.' said Soraka sympathetically. Amber nodded and Soraka continued to stroke her hair. 'Part of your magic still remains though, so the thieves didn't get all of your powers.'
'How come though?' said Amber inquiringly. 'I was completely helpless…'
'There are two possibilities then. Either the theft was terminated early, or you were saved by something or someone. Maybe Bard was travelling through your own world and found you.'
'If he did, then I am ever grateful towards him.' said Amber, wiping away the tears in her eyes.'
'His magic is beyond most people's comprehension. He's the caretaker of the universe, after all.'
'Can I meet him?' Amber asked.
'I doubt he would care.' Soraka replied apologetically. 'Like I said, he doesn't speak. He also doesn't care at all about whether or not his work is recognised. He just does what he does.'
'Where did he go when he left me here though?'
'Probably for a journey across the world. I conjecture that he saw our two planets merge and was instantly worried about it. If Bard is, he'll be putting everything that is out of balance straight again; or at least he'll be attempting to.'
Soraka brought Amber another sandwich and more water. They were just as pleasurable as they had been earlier. 'Soraka, thank you so much for taking care of me.' said Amber. 'I will be forever grateful and in debt to you because you saved my life.'
'There is no debt to be paid, Amber. Seeing the revitalised faces of those who were poorly is reward enough for me.'
They smiled both smiled. Amber sat up and they hugged each other.
'Do you have a family or people to take care of?' said Soraka curiously.
'Not anyone in particular. I'm mostly a lone wolf, but I have a duty as a Maiden.'
'A Maiden? Please, tell me more.'
'There are four Maidens in my world that watch over the seasons of Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Every time one dies, their power is given to a new host. I am the current Fall Maiden and I must ensure that my world is safe. I've let my power fall into the wrong hands.' Amber paused, realising that, even if she was restored to full health, part of her power was still lost. 'I need to go back to my world. I can't let that… witch use that power for wrong.'
'I understand Amber, but you can't go anywhere in the state that you're in.' Soraka insisted. 'Even if you were, we have no idea how to get back to your world from here. Would you even be able to actually get the power back if you encounter her?'
'Even if I can't, I can stop her before she has a chance to use it.'
'Is there anyone else that could face her back at home?' Soraka questioned.
'There… are. In my world, many people are trained to become Huntsmen and Huntresses: who perfect the art of combat and dedicate their lives to protecting humanity.'
'Could they handle the lady with your powers until you can return? What about the other Maidens?'
'We four Maidens don't work together. I actually have no idea who they are. As for the Huntsmen and Huntresses, they could deal with her, but they don't know what Maidens are capable of quite like I do. That lady was already powerful without my magic. I can only imagine how devastating she'll be if hers and mine combined…'
'Well, until we can figure out how to get back to your world, please stay here and get better. It'll give you a chance to explore places you've never been to. What is your world like? Does it have a name?' Soraka suddenly queried.
'We call our planet "Remnant". It's called that because it is viewed that the state the planet is currently in is merely the remains of creation and what happened before the two god brothers made everything. Humans and all other fauna and are just "remnants" of the past.'
'Interesting.' said Soraka. 'Can you tell me anything else?'
'There are four primary Kingdoms with their own central governments and four major continents. Each one has their own culture and way of doing things. What about this planet?'
'We call our planet "Runeterra". It means "Magic Earth". Ionia is one small continent that differs heavily from the major continent of Valoran, which has many different regions and states. There's also this place called the "Shadow Isles", but it's cursed by evil sorcery that turns everyone standing on it into the undead. It can't be saved.'
'I see.' said Amber. 'It looks like both Remnant and Runeterra have some fascinating geography.
'And fascinating history as well I'm guessing.' Soraka commented.
The two of them remained in the cave for the remainder of the morning, talking about their respective worlds' histories, cultures and other subject matter that typically provokes discussion.
'Before you go back to Remnant, do you want to visit other parts of Runeterra?' Soraka asked. The chances of two planets coming together, where both inhabitants speak the same language is an extreme rarity. The chances must be less than one in a trillion. It would be a chance you might never have again. Ionia is an especially beautiful land. You will absolutely love it.'
Amber thought to herself about the idea. She was extremely worried about the woman who had stolen her power and the very state of Remnant as a whole, but she had been graced with solace in Soraka's care and thought that it would be unfair if Amber were to simply abandon someone who might be slowly becoming a friend. 'Yes, I would. Ionia and Valoran seem like very interesting places.'
'I'm glad to hear it.' said Soraka enthusiastically. 'There are some places we should stay clear of, but I have been to Ionia enough to make sure we're perfectly safe and even welcomed by the places and people we encounter.'
Soraka told Amber that she needed to get some more sleep. Even though she was wide awake and anxious, Amber soon fell asleep and Soraka found a plank of wood to put in front of the cave entrance to stop the light of daytime from coming through. Making sure that Amber was safe and that no Ionian wildlife would interrupt her sleep, Soraka then went outside to make more sandwiches for her patient and new friend.
