Iris awakens to find Alo sitting in the grass next to his horse. The unruly beast had nearly been the death of her getting him out here yet Alo sits with him the same way one would with a horse they had raised since a foal. The light emitting from his arms is so beautiful she can’t help but stare in amazement. The intricacies of his tattoos are not lost in the glare of the light, on the contrary, the creatures and runes amongst the light almost seem to move with every beat of his heart as if alive.
She had heard of Druids merging their very soul with that of their horse but she never thought she would be able to witness such a moment herself. She knows not to interrupt something sacred, she just sits and silently watches as he and his horse collectively accept each other. As he pet the horse it’s almost as if his tattoos begin to merge onto the horse as glowing shapes obstructed by the steed's thick hair begin to appear.
With 2 spoken words both of their marks stop glowing and they seem at absolute peace with each other “Kael naza.”
As Iris goes to stand she collapses almost immediately due to the immense pain in her legs, a scream of agony leaves her lips as she grabs her throbbing legs. Alo rushes to her side and urgently barks out the order, “Roll up your pants leg now! The fucking Seffure venom, it settles to the lowest point in the body, the drug didn’t work. We have to move out now”
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The pain is almost unbearable she rolls up her pant leg to show her leg, her skin black and rotting, her shin no longer encased in flesh but instead surrounded by a green flem. Iris cries out “Not like this, not like this. Alo please don’t let me die like this!”
Without hesitation, Alo places Iris on her horse tying her to the beast. Without bothering to break down camp they ride. Alo leads both horses where they need to go as Iris finds herself losing consciousness. The hours of the ride feel like days as she bounds forward. With every step, her legs hit the horse's side, with every step her flesh falls from the bone leaving a putrid trail behind her that even the most unskilled tracker could follow.
Alo awakens Iris with a light slap to her arm “Do not slow yourself to fall into unconsciousness, we’ve not far to ride. I know someone who can help remove the venom and after that, I can heal you but you have to make it just a bit further.”
With every passing second visions of Alania enter her mind, her hand reaching out and grabbing. Her orange eyes calling to her like a moth to the flame, she must go to her, she must stay with her. “No, I can’t stay yet I have to finish, I’m sorry my love .”
Iris awakens yet again to find they near the edge of the trees. As they exit the forest a collection of stone ruins and a solitary wooden house stand before them.
As they approach Alo shouts in the Druid speak “Shalael, shalael, shalael, ka vae shalael!”
As they stop their horses a beautiful red haired woman rushes forward and approaches Alo, words are exchanged that Iris can not hear then Alo removes her from her horse and carries her into the house as she falls back into unconsciousness.