Meyriv waded through a thick mental fog. He suspected it was caused by his unnatural sleep.
“Eighty-seven. I slept for eighty-seven years. Was it the curse? Unlikely...Then how?”
The girl coughed politely.
… Is she waiting for something? Oh. Question...........Way out? Right.
“Perhaps.”
She seemed relieved that he had finally replied. Her sorrow returned to the back of her mind.
“Great! Can you show me where?”
“No.”
“Please? I need to—”
He rasped a chuckle
“No, I mean I physically cannot at the moment. When you supplied power to me, the overflow…damaged some things. I can barely stand, let alone climb out of here.
The quantity of energy you gave me was like trying to light a candle by throwing a torch at it. It worked, mostly, but a lot of things got burned.”
“Oh. Uh. Sorry. I didn’t realize—”
“I wasn’t prepared to disperse that degree of excess. It was my own fault.”
With her natural proficiency…if she were trained she would be a force to be reckoned with.
“Will you be okay?”
“I won’t die, if that’s what you mean.”
“Not exactly. What are you going to do?”
“Nothing, if I can help it.”
“Well, I need to get out of here.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“True. You’ll be needing water before long.”
“Can you help me?”
“Not directly. You may be able to find a way out.”
“It’s completely dark in here!”
Meyriv looked at her in confusion.
“What? It’s just a bit dim…Oh.”
I forgot. My vision is less physical than ethereal.
He sighed.
“Watch how I do this.”
“I can’t see any—oh!”
She jumped as he made a rock glow dimly. After a few moments it faded.
“Did you see how I did it?”
“No, you'll need to keep it like that for longer.”
“I don’t have energy to keep it up for long. Pay attention this time.”
It took a few more repetitions, but she was eventually able to do it herself.
After which she tried to increase the brightness. She yelped as it flashed searingly bright and he felt her hand get burned. She dropped the rock and the light faded.
He started to laugh at her expense but was interrupted by a fit of ragged coughing.
Sanae looked at him with concern.
“You need a healer.”
“I’m fine.”
She raised another glowing rock, this one significantly dimmer.
“You look like a corpse!”
He shrugged. “Magic alone isn’t the healthiest way to fuel a body.”
“I can’t just leave you like this.”
“You totally can. Just take your fancy light and find your way out.”
“I mean it wouldn’t be right. You did heal me.”
Meyriv closed his eyes.
“I’m here by choice, not chance.”
“Why would you want to stay in these conditions?!”
“Peace. Solitude. I’m sure you wouldn’t understand.”
She seemed unconvinced.
“...You're hiding from something, aren't you?”