I was on my back, or at least I thought I was, I was staring up at the sky but I couldn't feel anything against my back, was I floating? I turned my head, I was definitely lying on the forest floor, I was surrounded by grass. I sat up, looking at my body I was dressed in the same thing I had died in, even down to the blood stain on my shirt. This was the exact place I had died. I stood, there was something off, it was too quiet, I walked forward, looking down at the leaf covered floor, my feet made no noise. I knelt down to touch them but my fingers drifted through them, as if they weren't really there, no… they were real, I was not real, I was a spirit.
I walked through the forest, all I could hear were the slight breeze rustling the leaves, a few distant bird calls, but no sign of human life. I emerged into the clearing that the battle was fought on, huge towers of billowing smoke rose into the sky, they burned the bodies of the fallen to prevent them from returning as banelings. I wondered if perhaps my body was within the flames, I stared for a while longer not sure of what to do. Was this Rahl's punishment? To walk alone for eternity? With no end in sight?
A faint noise had me looking around, there in the distant by the opposite tree line a small group of villagers looking at the fires. I made my way towards them
"HEY!" I called at them as I came jogging towards them, they didn't acknowledge me, I walked right up in front of them
"Can you hear me?" I asked as I came face to face with a villager, he looked straight through me, I brought my hand up to tap his shoulder, my hand went through him, the man shivered, but instantly he dismissed it.
"HEY!" I called in his face, but all he did was lean slightly to the woman to his left and said
"Apparently the Mother Confessor was in tears, the Seeker had to almost drag her away"
Kahlan… she was still alive, where?
"Where is she?" I asked but no answer, they couldn't hear me, this was infuriating.
"Such a shame about the Wizard, that D'Haran scum beheaded him right on the battlefield, no wonder she was so upset" the woman replied "How long do you think they will remain in town?"
Town, I set off a dead sprint towards the small town, I skidded to a halt in the town centre whirling around hoping for any sign of her, I spun coming face to face with a villager, before I could move he walked right through me, my body contorted as a strange cold feeling coursed through me. I doubled over taking a deep breath, I did not like that.
"I need two horses, prepped for the morning"
I turned to see the man who killed me, sword of truth strapped to his side, Richard Cypher handed money to a local boy at the stables,
"Yes Seeker" the young boy scurried off
I walked up to him, his eyes looked sad, I had killed his grandfather and he had taken my life in return, Where was Kahlan? She must be close by, I scanned the immediate area finding a inn close to the stables, I made my way through it's open door. The tavern was mostly empty, a few people sat in the corner they were injured, probably from the battle. I passed them and turned down a corridor to the rooms they had. I listened to each door hearing nothing, it was middle of the day and most were out doing their daily jobs. I stopped outside the final door at the end of the hallway, I could hear someone inside, their breath catching from crying. I reached for the door handle, before realising I could not open it, perhaps… I stretched out my arm slowly, instead of stopping at the wood my arm disappeared through it. I took a deep breath closing my eyes hoping I was right, I took a large step through the door, my body shuddered slightly. I opened my eyes, I was in a small room with a bed and in the middle of that curled round on her side, was Kahlan Amnell. Her back was to me but there was no mistaking that long raven hair, her body shook with sobs as she tried to hold them in. I walked round the bed carefully, her eyes were ringed red, tears stained her cheeks, I knelt in front of her, her eyes were open but like the others she couldn't see me
"Kahlan?" I said uselessly, nothing "Kahlan please… tell me you can hear me" I exhaled rubbing my eyes, I looked at her cobalt blue eyes. This was a curse, Rahl had out done himself this time, I was a ghost, stuck in this limbo able to see the one I hold most dear, but never able to speak or touch her again.
I sat there for god knows how long, just watching her slowly calming down, her breathing evened out and her tears dried. A small knock sounded, Kahlan wiped her face clear and sat up as Richard entered the room, he sat down on the edge of the small bed, he faced away from her
"Are you okay?" he asked, rubbing his hands together
Kahlan didn't answer right away, it was obvious that she had wanted to say something, but though better of it, instead after a moment she changed the subject
"What do we do now, without Zed…" she paused recomposing herself "Without Zed I'm not sure how we proceed"
"We kill Darken Rahl, that's what we do" Richard stated before leaving the room
Kahlan stared at the door where Richard had stormed out, it looked like she was about to cry again, I went to caress her cheek but withdrew my hand, I couldn't comfort her, I couldn't tell her it was going to be alright. I sat there with her all night, she tossed and turned in her sleep often waking. I found that I didn't grow tired, nor hungry I remained in the same state as when I first awoke in the forest.