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Chapter 38 – The Field
The cloaked Ancestral ship had not appeared to have been detected as it passed swiftly through the Genii Portal and up into the clear bright skies over the homeworld's First City.
And, somewhere here, Teyla sensed the unmistakeable presence of a Wraith.
"There is definitely a Wraith here," Teyla confirmed to John's people closely crowded around her.
Invited into the front section of the ship while they had waited for Atlantis to achieve a lock through to the Genii homeworld, Teyla stood between the anxiously watchful Lieutenants Cadman and Ford as all eyes watched forward out of the large window.
First City was an impressive sight spread across the landscape below. The first surface settlement of the Genii had been a bold and vital statement in the Alliance during its first formative years. Across the heart of the city, tall stone buildings ran in semi-circular patterns alongside the long straight lines of the main roads running between the Portal and the main buildings of the Genii' Government. And off to the far left, the largest and most impressive building: The Palace. It was Cowen's stronghold and a glowing gilded pyramid-like building, the top far narrower than its solid wide base.
Teyla had always been impressed by First City, but today cast a dark shadow across her appreciation.
Somewhere here, John had been imprisoned. Tortured.
"No signs we've been detected," the pilot announced from his front left seat. All the other seats were full, as was the back section full of waiting, ready warriors.
All here to help save John.
Would they be in time though?
Teyla reached up to her links earpiece.
"They shouldn't be able to detect the Jumper," Dr McKay supplied confidently from somewhere behind Teyla.
Teyla selected the emergency links channel Vakalis had supplied her with, and triggered it alive in her ear.
"We're not picking up the Major's subcutaneous transmitter," the pilot reported next.
"Alliance technology can disable them," Teyla reminded them. She cupped her hand to her ear, helping shield her hearing from the conversation around her. "Honour Guard, this is Elite Emmagan, do you read me?" She asked tensely.
The chatter around her fell quiet, all eyes and hears on her.
It had taken a little longer than they had hoped to open a wormhole here, so the Honour Guard had been here alone a short while already and had hopefully narrowed down John's location within the city.
A burst of receiving static came alive in her ear and then "Honoured Elite, I hear you," Vakalis' voice returned into her ear. "We have Major Sheppard in our company."
Teyla let out a deep relieved breath. "They have found Major Sheppard," she reported to those around her and the anxious atmosphere abruptly broke.
"He is in good health," Vakalis added.
"He is well and in company of the Honour Guard," Teyla relayed to the packed ship.
"Yes!" Lieutenant Ford said loudly from her right, clenching one of his fists high in victory.
"Where are they?" Colonel Sumner demanded from the back section of the ship.
"We are not too far from the Portal, in the market quarter. I am sending our position," Vakalis replied, the link likely having allowed him to hear the Colonel's question. "There is a small courtyard with a door open to a bunker. We are holding position at the entrance to that bunker. Be aware, enemy numbers have retreated and are unaccounted for."
"I'm picking up your radio signal, Ma'am," the pilot of the Ancestral ship announced, the Ancestral technology easily detecting the emergency signal apparently. "We've got the Honour Guard's position."
The front window shifted, First City abruptly tilting as the pilot turned the ship completely around, back towards the Portal and then off to the left. A circle glowed to life on the map displayed across the window.
"Take us there now," Colonel ordered unnecessarily from the back. "All stand ready," he ordered his warriors and Teyla heard a chorus of replies and the metal clatter of Earth weapons being checked and loaded ready.
"The Honour Guard report that the enemy has retreated and are currently unaccounted for," Teyla conveyed to the warriors, and Si, who was stood at the far end of the ship so that he would be one of the first out. "They are holding position at the entrance to a bunker in a small courtyard."
"Report also," this time Vakalis' voice echoed out of the Ancestral ship's own speakers as well as into her ear. "We have the Wraith prisoner with us as well."
"The Wraith?" Dr McKay asked worriedly.
"It appears that Major Sheppard and the Wraith worked together to escape, reaching one of the top levels of the bunker when we arrived to assist," Vakalis reported. "Major Sheppard has requested that the Wraith leave here with us."
Teyla frowned at that bizarre news, aware of the others around her exchanging equally shocked expressions with each other. However, she was not as shocked to hear that John, as was so often his way, had found an unconventional way to help his own rescue.
"Understood," she said simply to Vakalis as she looked forward again, the market quarter of First City growing larger outside. The buildings were not as tall in this section and Teyla seemed to recall that this area was one of the older sections built over tunnels leading down to the underground cities.
The glowing circle on the Ancestral display indicating the source of the links to the Honour Guard was growing more precise across the market quarter as the ship fast approached.
After this, she was going to have to talk to John about asking him to be fitted with an Elite personal beacon. The Genii would not have been able to disable one of those so easily. She felt abruptly angry with herself for not having thought of that before now. She would speak to John about it later today.
Or would it be too late for that?
Vakalis had reported John as 'well', but considering how much he had been fed upon, the question would be how much life he had left.
She pressed her lips together in an anxious rush.
No, the most important fact was that he was safe.
They would deal with the other details later.
For now, she needed to get to his side and then see him safety off this planet.
"I can see the courtyard, Sir," the pilot called loudly towards Colonel Sumner further back in the ship.
"Take us in, the back hatch towards the extraction point," Sumner ordered back.
Beside Teyla, Lieutenants Cadman and Ford were moving away from her, heading into the back section, anxious to get to John. Teyla held her position though, taking in the details of the fast approaching courtyard among the buildings. She noted all the paths into and out of the courtyard as the Ancestral lowered down across the buildings' rooftops.
Would Kolya's people have truly abandoned the area upon John's rescue or were they waiting still? She ran her eyes over the rest of the map displayed across the window; it showed plenty of life-signs within and around the buildings below, but a distinct reduced number around the exact courtyard in question. It was likely that those close by had evacuated the area upon the Honour Guard engaging Kolya's guards outside the bunker. But, they would still have to be cautious. Kolya's people might be preparing to sweep in and engage them, attempt to kill John in a more direct manner this time.
"We're coming in over the courtyard," the pilot announced.
Outside, the square sandy shape of the target courtyard came into view over the last rooftop and Teyla could see Meroe, one of the Honour Guard, stood with her back towards the dark outline of a doorway in the furthest wall, waving one of her arms widely.
"We see you," Teyla reported to Vakalis over the links, since Meroe and the Guard could not see the Ancestral ship.
"Friendlies at 12 o'clock," the pilot reported for those in the back. "The Jumper should fit in the courtyard."
"Take us down," Sumner ordered.
"Yes, Sir," the pilot agreed as the courtyard disappeared under the belly of the ship and then the view started moving as the pilot turned the ship around so the back hatch would face the entrance to the bunker.
Teyla turned away from the view, moving into the back section once again, to find that all the Atlantis warriors were stood facing the back hatch, ready to deploy.
"Vakalis," Teyla called into her links, "stand clear of the courtyard, we are coming in to land."
"Understood," Vakalis replied, his voice as loud in the back section of the ship as it had been in the front.
She pulled out a stunner from her right hip as she moved into the space ready for her between Lieutenant Cadman's shoulder and a slightly worried looking Dr McKay. Lieutenant Ford was ahead of her, his weapon held against him, eager to go.
And, beside Lieutenant Ford, stood one of Atlantis' doctors, the handle of a large bulky green case in her hand. Here to give medical care to John.
Teyla looked away from the box and focused forward, seeing that Colonel Sumner was looking backwards, down the ship, his hand raised near the trigger to open the hatch.
"Taking us down," the pilot called.
"As soon as the back is open, fan out and secure the perimeter of the courtyard," Colonel Sumner ordered his people and then hit his fist against the trigger and the back started to open.
A faint shudder shook them all gently, announcing that the ship was finally on the ground.
The hatch seemed to take far too long to open for Teyla, the warm and dry air of First City rushing in around them.
The reddish stone of the building opposite was gradually revealed through the hatch, with an awning reaching out to one side and what looked like the abandoned structure of a wide vegetable stall came into view.
Then the top of the doorway, Meroe and Tyndall stood by it, weapons held close, but not raised.
Teyla could not see John yet in that dark doorway, but she knew the Honour Guard would keep him inside and protected until the immediate area was safe.
The hatch hit the courtyard ground. "Go!" Sumner ordered and John's people moved forward in two long efficient lines, pouring out of the ship and disappearing around to either side of the hatch.
Teyla strode forward, her eyes on the dark doorway, Colonel Sumner and Si ahead of her and Lieutenant Ford and Cadman on either side of her.
Neith, the third member of the Guard, stepped out of the doorway towards Si and the Colonel, inclining her head.
Teyla stepped down off the back hatch into the warm sunshine, her eyes locked forward.
She heard voices calling back and forth, was aware of those of Atlantis securing all access points into the courtyard, but her gaze remained fixed on that dark doorway.
A shadow shifted in the rectangle and John finally appeared.
Teyla pulled up sharply, shocked despite herself.
He looked as he normally did.
John grinned as he moved out into the sunshine.
"Major?" Sumner called to him as he approached John.
"Colonel," John grinned back.
"What the-?!" Dr McKay exclaimed from Teyla's left, which helped break her out of her own open-mouthed staring.
John looked from Sumner to them. "Hi guys," he called.
He looked well and healthy, with no apparent signs of the feedings.
The reason hit her abruptly, obvious now she recalled Vakalis' report about John having worked with the Wraith.
The Wraith had returned the life it had taken from John.
Teyla moved forward again, heading straight for John.
His eyes moved from Lieutenant Ford, who was clapping a happy excitable hand on John's shoulder, and John's gaze met hers. His eyes were bright and cheerful.
He looked so well!
"What the hell happened?" Dr McKay exclaimed again.
"Nice of you to show up, McKay," John teased his friend.
"What-" Dr McKay started to reply.
"What's the situation, Major?" Colonel Sumner asked more directly from his side, the older man's gaze directed down at the foot of the vegetable stall. Teyla realised that there were several, presumably stunned, Genii lying on the sandy ground there and that Si was stood over them, his sensor pad in his hand.
"The Genii responsible have retreated, Sir," John replied to his superior. "The Honour Guard saw them off for us. There's a big bunker down there, so they're probably long gone."
Teyla finally reached him, stopping a foot away from him, staring up at his healthy handsome face.
He smiled down at her.
Lieutenant Ford squeezed John's shoulder again, slightly shaking him. "It's good to see you, Major," the younger man said eagerly.
Abruptly there was more movement in the doorway behind John as Vakalis finally appeared and, a step behind him, the Wraith filled the doorway.
The reaction of John's people was immediate, even though they had known it was here, and they all lifted weapon towards the Wraith.
"Whoa! Whoa!" John stepped backwards, his arms held out wide. "No shooting, guys. He's with us."
Teyla was rather impressed with John's people's restraint and training, as not a single shot was fired. Had she not already known a Wraith was here, she would have fired instinctively at the creature.
She latched her eyes on it though, stepping to one side so that she had a clear line of sight on it around John, watching as the Wraith took a large step out into the sunlight and into full view.
The Wraith held his hands up, appearing calm and almost...amused?
"It's okay," John continued to reassure. "He's promised not to hurt anyone."
Teyla frowned at the Wraith, its alien eyes shifting over the weapons across the courtyard pointed him, and then his gaze settled on her.
She had never heard a Wraith make such a promise as John described, and, even if one had, the idea of one keeping its word was inconceivable to her.
"He's okay," John's voice sounded closer.
Teyla glanced briefly away from the Wraith to find that John had been speaking directly to her. He was less than a few feet away from her, his healthy face so earnest that she started to actually consider allowing the Wraith to live.
"It gave you back what it took," Teyla checked, in case there had been another Wraith involved.
"Yeah," John nodded, his smile crooked. "He gave it all back."
"To save itself," she pointed out. This was the creature that had almost killed him, probably would have had the situation been different. It had tortured him in front of her eyes over those repeated transmissions, and now John was asking for leniency?
"Sheppard gave me back my life," the Wraith stated in a strong, loud voice as it took a few more steps forward into the courtyard. "I merely repaid the debt."
It was oddly calm and was strangely eloquent.
"What debt?!" Dr McKay spluttered, still clearly at a loss in seeing John as he was. "He looks younger than he did before!"
It was not an exaggeration either, for John did indeed seem so full of life.
But, from those few Elite who had survived to report on Wraith torture, she knew that giving life after taking it was a form of aggressive and addictive handling by the Wraith. There was a theory that perhaps the Wraith did this to their worshippers, making them addicted and obsessed with the sensation of having life returned to them in all its glory. One Elite who had gone through the experience had told her that he had never felt so alive and yet simultaneously so enslaved in all his life.
Teyla searched John's face, fearfully looking for any signs that might tell her that this Wraith had done something similar to him.
John smiled reassuringly at her. It was not the smile or manner of someone agitated or manically joyful – he looked like him. Like his usual, honest self.
She blinked, unable to stop herself from smiling back at him, though aware of so many eyes watching, the least of which was the Wraith.
"Then we take the prisoner with us," Colonel Sumner concluded bluntly. "I don't want us staying here much longer."
Teyla watched the Wraith's eyes drop to her throat as it moved further forward, and she saw it studying the long line of her markings represented each Queen she had killed in hand-to-hand combat.
The Wraith's eyes shifted over to Si, who was moving around behind the Wraith, and then the greenish yellow slit eyes returned to Teyla.
The Wraith paused in front of her, towering over her, its chin held high as it looked down at her.
She reached out with her gift, sliding her mind against its thoughts.
The Wraith's attention focused on her more intently, one eyebrow lifting in surprise.
"He's okay," John explained from her left, having moved closer. "We made a deal that we'd both get off this planet."
The Wraith's eyes slid to John. "I did not truly think you would honour it," the Wraith told him.
Every instinct in Teyla's body told her to move between the two, to protect John from the creature, but...
Its mind did seem unusual; far was more intelligent and focused than any Wraith mind she'd encountered before.
"We made a deal," John told the Wraith with clear determination.
Teyla watched the Wraith actually smile at John, and, in its mind, she felt the stirring of what she could only describe as respect and admiration.
It respected John.
A bond had been formed it appeared.
"We're taking a Wraith with us?" Lieutenant Ford asked, clearly unsure about the idea as he glanced at Colonel Sumner.
Teyla withdrew her mind from the Wraith's, its eyes returning to her with that strange intent intelligence it had.
She had understood from the Wraith's mind that John was not talking about taking the Wraith back to Atlantis with them; John intended to free it.
She looked round at John. "If we let it go, it will kill more people."
"And you," the Wraith interrupted, "you will kill more of my kind."
Teyla ignored that and kept her eyes on John.
"He's not like other Wraith," John told her. "He's been trapped down in that bunker, or one like it, for years. Kolya's been starving and torturing him too."
She had sensed the Wraith's blissful delight when it had stepped out into the sunlight.
But it was another fact that caught her interest more. "Kolya is down in the bunker?" She asked. If they could find him and bring him to justice...she had more than a few words to say to him.
"No," John shook his head. "He was there on M1K when they captured me, but I've not seen him since."
Disappoint hit Teyla, but it could not last long in the face of John being so alive and well in front of her. Her eyes lowered to the top of his chest, to the open parting of his shirt where his healed skin showed no sign of the former feeding mark.
The Wraith had done that. Had returned John whole.
She looked back at the Wraith, feeling its fast mind once again.
A strange new sensation formed in his thoughts.
Respect once again.
But, this time, for her.
She frowned at the Wraith.
It smiled at her.
It was very clever this one. Perhaps too clever to allow free.
"Colonel Sumner, we're picking up some interesting local chatter," someone announced from behind her.
"What?" Colonel Sumner asked.
"They're announcing that Cowen has been killed."
Teyla snapped her attention away from the Wraith, looking back over her shoulder to the Atlantis warrior stood just inside the back of the ship.
"Everyone back in," Sumner ordered. "We're bringing the Wraith with us," he concluded in an instant.
The Atlantis warriors around the courtyard started pulling back, and Lieutenants Cadman and Ford waved the Wraith forward cautiously.
Teyla watched the Wraith as it was escorted towards the ship, John still at her side as the Honour Guard moved close.
"We will go back to the Portal on foot, Honoured Elite," Vakalis said without her asking, drawing her attention away from the Wraith. Si was following it though, so he would keep a close eye on the Wraith.
She focused her full attention on the Honour Guard. It was doubtful that there was space in the Ancestral ship to take them back anyway. "You did wonderful work," she told them, aware of John moving up right next to her, nodding. "As soon as you are back on Athos, contact Atlantis and let me know you returned safely and inform my Father of the mission's success."
John held out his hand. "Thank you, Vaky."
Vakalis smiled as he shook his hand.
"Thank you all fo-," John started to stretch out his hand to Neith next, but another voice cut through his words.
"Major! Get in here," Colonel Sumner shouted loudly from the ship.
"Thank you, all of you," John repeated again quickly to the rest of the Honour Guard, who all nodded back, all smiling. They had done exceptional work and she would ensure they received an official commendation on their military records for today.
"We'll see you soon, Major," Vakalis smiled to John.
The Ancestral ship's engines were activating, the sandy layer across the courtyard stirring up around them.
Teyla turned away from the Honour Guard, seeing that everyone was inside the ship, except Lieutenants Cadman and Ford who were stood on the back hatch, eyes out across the courtyard, covering her and John's retreat. Inside the ship, Teyla could see Dr McKay was looking back at them, still looking shocked at John's recovery.
John hurried forward with her, his shoulder brushing against hers and she looked round at him as they ran up to the ship.
He grinned at her, bright and handsome in the Genii sunlight.
He was alive and well.
She wanted to reach out to him, to hold his hand if nothing else, but they had reached the back hatch, the air rough with sand as they hurried up into the crowded back of the ship.
"We're in," John called the second they stepped up off the hatch.
"You're gonna want to hear this, Major," Colonel Sumner called from the far front of the ship as the hatch started closing behind Teyla's back.
To the left, Atlantis warriors had secured the wrists of the Wraith and it was being directed to sit down in the middle of the left bench, a semi-circle of weapons and eyes focused on it. But it was Si standing among them that reassured her the most as she passed them.
She saw Si glance at her, saw the surprised edge to his expression that told her that he was also very aware of how unusual this Wraith's mind was, but was also concerned about having brought it with them.
Teyla was conflicted about it as well, but, for now, John had made a promise to the creature that he seemed intent to keep.
Once they were off the Genii homeworld, then she would have to talk about it further with him.
Trusting all the eyes in the back to watch the Wraith for now, she followed John down the length of the ship, aware of General O'Neill's voice in the air.
"You're kidding!" she heard Dr McKay exclaim loudly ahead of them as she and John reached the front section.
"What we got?" John asked.
Teyla shifted in next to him, pressing her shoulder and arm right up against the warmth of John's in the narrow aisle between the seats. He felt reassuringly real and strong, and he didn't move away from her.
"They're announcing Kolya as the new leader of the Genii," Dr McKay summarised angrily for John and Teyla snapped her attention away from the feel of John.
"What?!" John asked like a curse as the ship started lifting up from the courtyard.
"They're making some big announcement at somewhere called 'The Palace'," General O'Neill's voice echoed out of the air.
"It is the large gold-edged building we saw when we came through the Portal," Teyla informed them. "It is Cowen's official residence and seat of the Supreme Leader."
Who was now Kolya.
"He has achieved his aim after all," she sighed with angry disappointment.
"There are massive crowds heading towards the Palace," reported General O'Neill's voice. "We can see hundreds from the Gate."
"Are you in any danger, General?" Colonel Sumner asked.
"Doesn't look like anyone's upset with us anymore. It's more like a party here; like its Mardi Gras," the General replied.
Teyla let out a heavy breath. "Cowen's rule has become dictatorial these last years. His death will no doubt be greeted with celebration by many."
"You'd think a leader being assassinated would cause more unrest," Mr Woolsey's voice now joined the discussion. "Perhaps it would be wiser for us to depart before that happens. Cowen must have had supporters of his own who may retaliate."
"I agree with Dick," General O'Neill replied and Teyla thought she saw a few smirks around her.
"We can't let Kolya get away with what he did to the Major," Lieutenant Ford objected from behind Teyla's shoulder.
"If the Major is the only witness to Kolya's involvement, then I suggest you get off this rock as quickly as possible, Colonel," General O'Neill suggested.
"I don't know how the Genii government works," Colonel Sumner looked towards Teyla, "but if we inform them of what Kolya's done maybe we can stop his rise to power."
Teyla considered that. "It is possible," she replied. "However, the political backlash on Atlantis may be significant."
"Kolya needs to be afraid of our damn backlash," Colonel Sumner disagreed as he looked away. "I say we go tell them what he's done, General. We may not get the chance again if we just leave."
"That's taking quite a risk, Colonel," General O'Neill replied.
"No one takes one of our people and we just take it on the chin," Colonel Sumner stated angrily. "Take us to this Palace," he ordered the pilot.
Teyla watched the Colonel look back round at John and she saw John nod his gratitude. However, John's former delighted happiness at his rescue had disappeared into a dark angry frown.
She could not blame him.
Her own anger raged in her middle.
Kolya had dared to take John. She would ensure there would be repercussions for such an act!
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Seeal could barely remember running down these levels before, and she had hardly any memory of where she'd run now going in the opposite direction.
She just ran, clambering up fallen bits of Hive ceiling and wall, climbing broken areas of a wall, anything to keep going up. Up and up, and her eyes repeatedly falling to her pad, Oneakka's beacon now only one floor up.
Halling was with her the whole way, appearing uninjured from his fight with whatever the wraith shit that thing was that had been trying to kill him when she'd hurriedly skidded into that doorway.
As soon as the thing was confirmed dead though, she'd just started legging it back here.
She'd done what Oneakka needed her to do, and now she just had to get back up there to him.
"Status on the medic pod?" Halling called into his links, sounding as out of breath as her as he asked for yet another update from Inifee.
"The Fleet are drawing the cruisers and remaining fighters away from the Hive," Inifee reported. "The bay I'm in is now empty from what we can see, and a medic pod is inbound."
"Get it here fast," Seeal added into the conversation as she raced around a corridor corner. Fortunately, it appeared that all the surviving Wraith had evacuated so nothing was getting in her and Halling's way. It was just distance that was her enemy right now.
That and time.
"Is his life-sign still showing?" She asked Inifee.
"Yes," he answered her. "Just," He added though, his voice tense.
"Once we're off the Hive," Halling added from behind her as she slid to a halt below the hole she'd used to drop down from Oneakka's level. "The Fleet need to secure the Hive, retrieve the alien Queen and the drive tech if the Hive becomes structurally compromised."
He had already given Inifee that order, but Seeal ignored the answer. She had dropped down through that small hole easily enough, but getting back up there was going to be a problem. It was too far away from the corridor walls for her to be able to part climb her way up there.
"Here," Halling nudged at her arm and she looked round to see him interlink his hands and hold them low. "I'll lift you up."
Oh yes, team work.
She set her boot in his linked hands and he lifted her. In fact the boost was stronger than she'd been expecting and the hole in the corridor ceiling raced towards her. She grabbed up at it, catching at one side with both hands, praying the edges weren't going to crumble or dissolve away.
It felt a secure hold though and, groaning with the exertion, she worked to pull herself up, feeling Halling's support under one of her boots. She got one elbow over the lip of the hole and then heaved her upper body up onto the new floor, and, still half hanging through the hole, she quickly looked both ways down the new corridor. No Wraith.
Getting her arms under her, she pulled up her lower half, rolling onto her side and then quickly onto her front as she reached back down through the hole. Reaching for Halling.
Halling jumped up and caught at her hand. It was only as she gripped a tight hold of his hand that she realised that she was going to have to pull up a lean but tall and strong Elite warrior. She should have boosted him up here.
But, Halling turned out to be a little lighter than she expected and he did most of the work. Using her arm rather like a rope, he got up high enough with her pulling him, to reach up and grab the edge of the hole himself.
She rolled back, tugging on his hand, helping haul him up.
Her shoulders and arms burned as she finally released Halling's hand, her body feeling exhausted in ways that surely had nothing to do with just the exertion.
Had a Wraith found Oneakka?
Were they going to be too late?
"The medic pod is entering the fighter bay," Inifee announced some good news in Seeal's ear as she scrambled upright.
Happy Halling would catch up with her, Seeal lifted her pad and turned, tracking the right direction to go.
"He's this way," she informed Halling as she sped forward, though she guessed she didn't need to tell him that since she was clearly already racing that way.
A rough distant sound echoed from somewhere behind and she looked worriedly over her shoulder as she ran.
"More structural collapse," Halling panted to her, just a few feet behind her already. "Which way ahead?"
Seeal looked forward again, there was a turning to the left or a sharp right turn. She was confused where she was, but a quick glance at the pad showed Oneakka's beacon not that far off to the left.
"This way," she instructed unnecessarily again as she headed to the left.
"Inifee, is the pod docked?" Halling asked over links.
"Still entering the bay, Honoured Elite," Inifee answered. "And they still need to find a platform on your level that is stable from which to deploy."
A small junction of corridors ahead and she finally recognised where they were, which was only confirmed by some of her own boot prints appearing around one corner. This was the way she'd run, the boot prints outlined in Oneakka's blood that she must have crouched in when she'd been by his side.
She raced around the corner and finally she could see him ahead.
He was where she had left him, but had rolled onto his back. That at least allowed her to see that his bloodied bandaged belly was rising and falling – he was still breathing.
Though it was fast and shallow breathing.
"Oneakka!" She called as she raced the last few feet to him.
He didn't respond, didn't look round.
His eyes were shut.
His face was deathly pale.
"By the Ancestors," she heard Halling gasp as they reached him.
She dropped down beside Oneakka, back in the pool of drying blood, and reached for his still and blood-streaked face. "Oneakka?" She slapped one of his cold cheeks. "Oneakka!" she shouted louder and slapped his cheek harder. He needed to be conscious. "Oneakka!"
His face twitched, his eyelids fluttering and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Oh no," she heard Halling utter from the right. He was knelt on the other side of Oneakka, and was looking under the blood-soaked bandages. He had a small case open on Oneakka's armour and was pulling things out of it. A medical kit presumably.
"I think it goes right through him," Seeal informed Halling and returned her attention to Oneakka's face.
His eyelids were lowering again. "Oneakka! You need to stay awake," she ordered him and slapped one of his cheeks again.
It was too cold.
So she pressed her hands to his cheeks instead, as if the warmth would somehow help the fact that he'd lost so much blood.
He coughed, the sound nasty and appearing painful, but it clearly brought him around some more.
She reached under his neck and lifted his head, helping keep his throat clear as he coughed again. She shuffled her knees together and angled them sideways, sliding her legs under his neck, and settled the back of his head onto her slanted lap.
He looked up and around with dazed, unfocused eyes.
Then he groaned loudly.
"I am so sorry, my friend," Halling said quickly, "but I need to seal the wound up some more."
Oneakka's head rested heavily against her legs, his eyes rolling up into his head again.
"Oneakka, focus!" She ordered him loudly, patting one of his cold cheeks again.
He frowned up at her, his eyes starting to focus and she saw the moment he recognised her.
"Halling!" He said urgently. "You have to save Halling!" He grabbed at her arm, his grip as tight as before.
"He's here," she told him. "He's safe. We saved him. He's okay."
Oneakka was panting, frowning, clearly confused that there had been a time delay since he'd last seen her.
"He's here," Seeal repeated, wiping at the drying blood across his cheek and forehead. "He's safe."
His face was so white, so cold. She's seen too people like this before...just before their end.
"You need to focus on staying awake," she told him.
"Halling," he gasped.
"I am here," Halling leant up by Seeal, moving so he was in Oneakka's view. "I am here, Oneakka."
Oneakka's gaze shifted to him, his blue eyes wide, and a heart-breaking relieved smile crossed his bloodied face.
She wanted to deny him that relief though, because she needed him to stay awake and stay focused and fighting.
"Que...eeen," Oneakka wheezed, his bloodied hand releasing her arm and reaching to Halling.
Halling grabbed at Oneakka's hand, clasping it tightly in his own. "We got it," Halling told him. "It's dead. We stopped the prophecy."
Oneakka gasped, his chest heaving against her. "It's over?"
"Yes," Halling told him, the word wavering with emotion. "Help is on its way, Oneakka."
But Oneakka's face was slackening, his gaze moving away from Halling, his head growing heavier on her lap.
"Hey!" Seeal reached in and slapped her hand against his cheek again. "No giving up. Stop it!"
Halling leant further over Oneakka as well. "You need to hold on, Oneakka. They are almost here."
Oneakka wasn't looking at either of them though; he looking up to the ceiling, his face softening. Looking peaceful.
Seeal could feel hot tears running down her face as she laid her hand on his chilled pale forehead. "Please don't do that," she begged him. "Please!"
"I hear him, Halling," Oneakka whispered.
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The relief was everything to him.
And Oneakka let it take him.
Let the flames finally rage in.
All the years of fighting, of the haunting ghosts, and it was easy to let go.
As the flames of the corridor rose up, filling his view of Halling and Seeal, the pain started slipping away.
And he heard the first echoing strikes of the hammer.
A forgotten sound from so long ago.
"I hear him, Halling," he whispered, the memories washing over him.
The strike rang out again, a hammer on anvil.
He remembered the sunlight streaking into Father's forge at the end the day, lighting up the light dust dancing in the air.
"Brother!" He heard Halling's call from somewhere. "Stay."
Oneakka blinked into the fading afternoon sunlight, Halling's face forming out of it.
A rush of love and relief coursed up through Oneakka, chasing away the pain and grief.
Halling was okay.
It was okay now.
He heard the hammer strike again, the sharp metallic sound warm and echoing.
A soft, gentle touch brushed across his face, drawing his attention. He looked through the forge's evening sunlight, seeing it bounce off Glisi snow around Raven.
He reached up towards her face, some of her hair hanging around her like the tall trees of her world.
He felt the touch of the soft tendrils of her raven black hair, the tight hold of Halling's hand...and the field appeared.
...
He dropped his hand from the tall grasses where he sat hiding behind them, watching the older children practicing, wrestling, and laughing in the training field. He was still too young, too small to join in.
One day he would be able to though. One day he would be big enough to join in the festival fights.
The sun cut low and sharp across the training field and he watched as one of the large sparkling insects danced across the tips of the waving tall grasses in front of him.
Then he heard footfalls behind him, moving closer; he'd been found out.
He looked up and round, the late sun shining around the tall towering figure, so large and strong that he blocked the sunset from Oneakka's eyes.
"There you are," Father's voice arrived, his deep and warm tone not sounding angry.
"I just wanted to watch the training," Oneakka explained quickly.
Father chuckled, the sound strong and rich as he moved to sit down next to Oneakka.
"But you are no longer a small child, Oneakka," Father stated as he sat, his arm against Oneakka's and the long forgotten features of Akane of Ugun sharpening into view.
Oneakka looked away, back at the grasses, but they were no longer towering over him and were instead only as high as his knees.
And off across the field, the older children were gone, and instead a family were dancing and playing across the Ugun field in their place.
His mother was leading them.
His brothers and sisters as he remembered them: young and free.
He watched his eldest sister, Minoru, dancing with mother, their laughing delight audible across the distance. The twins Arthit and Klahan were chasing each other; Aimi was giggling as Huan swung her around. Suko and Zopi were pretending to dodge and wrestle with each other, and quiet Pema, the sister who was closest to his age, was waving to him.
Oneakka lifted his hand and waved back.
Mother turned towards him, her long braided hair flying around her, and she beckoned to him.
The heavy gentle weight of his Father's hand settled on Oneakka's shoulder, loving and comforting with that simple touch. "You have done enough fighting for now, Oneakka."
Oneakka turned to look at his father and saw the soft, kind smile. The sunset shone bright around the blacksmith Akane. From traders, Oneakka had learnt that his father had been highly respected among their people, a skilled blacksmith and willing to trade with any who came through the Portal. He had been father to nine, and husband to Mother, Alcinoe of the lineage of Akireu.
Who had been killed by the Wraith, all their people destroyed in one strike.
Father's hand tightened gently on Oneakka's shoulder. "That was not your fault," he said softly.
His eyes were bright blue; how had Oneakka forgotten that he had the same eyes as his father?
"It was no one's fault," Father added. "It is time to let that burden go, my son."
Tears ran down Oneakka's face, dripping off his chin onto his favourite blue shirt from his youth. He looked down at the top, seeing the remembered woven detailing and loving attention Mother had made it with. It had only fit him when he had been small, the top long gone, but it felt right to wear it again.
He looked back towards Mother and the rest of his family, all looking towards him, all happy.
All waiting for him.
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TBC