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Gage’s compartment was dark and cool when he next woke up. The grogginess that had clouded his head when he had first awoken had lessened but had not entirely gone away. Instead, a throbbing pulse beat behind his eyes. He sat up and pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. The pounding started to ebb, enough that he had a chance to look around and spot the cup of broth sitting on a small block of stone.
Broth, bread, and cold meat had been the staple of their diets for a while now. It was supplemented with after-dinner tea and a more substantial midday meal, which consisted of rice, cooked greens, and meat. Taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment, Gage reached for the broth and sipped on it. He was surprised to find it a heartier broth than usual, packed with more flavor and spice. Though the liquid itself had cooled, he felt a warmth bloom and begin to ease his aches as it settled in his stomach. The warm feeling reminded him of Rosehip.
Gently, he sipped on the broth until the cup was drained and set it aside. He stretched his arms about him and even reached for his toes before getting up from his bed, taking the cup. He took one more deep breath before stepping out into the main area. The light from the fireplace was still going, diffused by the screen and the chill chased from the air. Aeliana was the only one in the space, seated at the table. The alajin looked up and smiled warmly at him.
With a bow of the head, “Welcome back to the waking realm. How do you feel, Gage’kin?”
Gage cocked a brow at the formality and smiled as he saw the twinkle in Aeliana’s eyes. “Much better, thanks to Rosehip’s broth and a little rest.” He sat at the table. “How long was I out?”
Aeliana gestured to what looked like a large mason jar made of clay, a spout coming out of one side. “She brought a whole jar once she heard what had happened.” Aeliana reached into her sleeve, silent for a moment, and pulled out a small box. “It has been a little over a day and it is late into the next night. Hye-jun took Keme to the healer’s hut this last sundown. She wished to check him over once more before she ‘released’ him. This,” A pale white finger tapped the box, “Is from Basa with his gratitude.”
Gage opened the box, nestled inside was a band of black stone. It was heavy as he picked it up from the box and it caught the light. He whistled softly. “It looks like a bangle or bracelet.” He slipped the cool stone over his left hand onto his wrist. “I guess it was made for his people.” Gage said with a chuckle. “It’s a little big… on… me.” As he spoke the band of stone shrunk down on his wrist until it fit snuggly against his skin. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it did not slip and slide around his arm either.
Before he could say anything else, Aeliana reached out and gripped his wrist. After a few moments of harsh scrutiny, “There is nothing to fear. Basa perhaps should be asked for more detail, but there should be no immediate concerns.” The grip loosened and released him.
“That is something you are familiar with?” Gage asked as he rubbed his wrist.
Aeliana nodded hesitantly, “Yes. There are many alajin who have an affinity for what others would call darker magics. We see it differently. How can you break a curse, if you do not know how it works.” With a shrug, Aeliana reached for the jar and poured Gage another cup of Rosehip’s broth.
Gage took a sip. As he set the cup down a light shone over his shoulder. “My Lord!” Ma’tuk zipped around Gage with a shifting hue of lights. “You are awake! I am most glad! Most glad indeed!”
With a shake of his head, Gage chuckled at the enthusiastic orb’s antics. “Ma’tuk, shh. Everyone else is trying to sleep.”
The archon stopped zooming about to hover over the table. “My Lord, you did great things. The power you wielded was worthy of an epic. The name Kin has been spread far and wide this day.”
Gage blinked. “Really? But I didn’t say anything, I just got to work. Should I have said something?”
The orb twisted in the air, “It was not necessary. Once word spread that someone was using magic to heal, and that someone was you, a cleric of Kin, well that said everything.”
“Why?” Gage frowned, “Is magical healing that rare?”
“Well, yes and no.” Ma’tuk replied.
Gage snorted. “That seems to be your favorite answer lately.”
Ma’tuk did a bob. “Yes. Yes, it is. Now, as for magical healing, it can be done. There are some spells that allow it, but they are rare. Though powerful, they often require very specific circumstances. Those who follow the self-improvisation route can often heal themselves, though often slowly and require considerable concentration.”
“There are some who follow the bodily path who can heal others but that tends to be their entire focus.” Aeliana offered to the conversation.
“Quite right, quite right.” Ma’tuk chimed up. “It is primarily those who devote themselves to the gods and spirits who make the greatest and most common healers. Usually those devoted to gods of healing and life and birth and… stuff that takes the lead for such things.”
“I see.” Gage was deep in thought, his cup stopped halfway to his lips. His gaze locked onto the deep, brown broth. “That is interesting… I wish I knew more about this. My world had been barren of stuff like this. I honestly wonder what most people that now have access to Breath are doing with it.”
…
Hinata grinned wildly at the crowd gathered around him and raised his mug, which was roughly the size of his head, high in the air! “Yaaaaaah!” He yelled out, some sort of beer sloshed out. Still grinning, he tipped the mug back and began to chug the contents. With a “Wooo!” he finished off the liquid and pumped his arms in the air.
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A heavy thud hit the table next to him. Twisting his body to look over next to him, Hinata’s grin widened further, showing his teeth. He raised his free hand, thumb and pinky sticking out and his other fingers curled in, he shook the hang loose sign at the large orc that stood next to the table. Even with Hinata standing on the table, the orc still stood a head taller than him. “Sakura, my man! Whassup!”
Hinata was just over five foot, with a very showy, athletic build. He had a slender waist, with a bulging chest and arms, something he was often told was for show rather than function. His spiky, raven black hair was swept back in a short ponytail. The orc, Sakura as Hinata liked to call him as he did not know the behemoth’s actual name, was drastically different. Nearly twice as tall as Hinata and three times as wide, with thick bulging muscles that rippled under his grey-green skin, Sakura thumped down onto the bench alongside the table.
The orc growled, then grunted and brought his arm up, resting his elbow on the table. “Je sfidaan toi!” His voice came out harsh and guttural.
“Oh, right man! You been lifting? I’m game.” Hinata dropped off the opposite side of the table to stand on the bench there. If he had sat, he would not have been able to reach properly. He set his elbow on the table and the two clasped hands; the orc’s drastically larger than his. “On three, ‘kay?” Hinata raised his three fingers on his other hand.
“One…” He shook his hand and dropped a finger.
“Two…” Sakura’s hand tensed around his own.
“Three!” He dropped his hand, and the orc began to strain. Immediately his muscles bugled, thick veins pushed out, and his teeth ground against each other. Hinata’s carefree grin turned wicked as he flexed, Breathing in deep, he pushed. A heated rush swirled through his chest and down his arm. With a twist, he slammed the orc’s hand down to the table.
“Ah, darn! Better luck next time dude!” Hinata raised his mug and looked up. It was no California, but the borealis above an orc camp in the tundra was hard to beat.
…
Peter looked out the curtain of his home. Yup. Nope. He still was not in the English countryside. He was still in his cottage and what even looked mostly like his yard was still intact. Everything around it looked more Mediterranean. He was able to sneak out at night to harvest his vegetables. He had a good supply of water, tea, and other essentials stored away. He did not like going into town, so he had stocked up a good bit before everything was supposed to end.
But instead of the world ending, his cottage ended up… was this Greece? Italy? He froze. Only it was not Greece or Italy. He hid behind his curtain, shivering slightly. Walking down the lane outside, was an overly large lizard, with colorful scales, two horns growing back along its head, and what he could only describe as a Mediterranean farmer’s clothes. He did not know. How could he? He had never left his parish before. Born, raised, and stayed.
The lizard thing, barely taller than his picket fence, turned to look towards his cottage. Its eyes widened and it began to show its teeth, focusing in on him. It lifted a clawed hand and…! He dropped the curtain and took a few hurried steps back away from the window.
A hand went to his chest, to calm his heart. When the knock eventually came at his door, like it always did when one of those creatures spotted him, he stayed silent. He did not dare move. He did not dare breathe. It lasted for a few minutes, then like it always did, it eventually gave up and went away. For a monster, at least it was polite about wanting to eat him.
He waited a few minutes before he felt free to move. Slowly but surely, he moved to the back of the cottage to his office. Office was being kind. It had been his gaming room more than a workspace. With a sigh, Peter sat himself in his chair, which sagged slightly under his weight. He closed his eyes and held a hand to his computer tower. He began to Breath in and out. A personal meditation and prayer. His little ritual. He felt a spark of static and he pulled his hand back.
How the electricity still worked, he would never know. The internet did not, but at least with the end of the world, he would not have to pay the electric bill anymore.
…
“Avast ya scurvy dog!” Kyle cried out. He swung his fist at the wolf-like creature’s face. It connected and turned the animal to the side. Kyle scrambled back along the forest floor. “Let’s see how you like that! Ha”
He jumped to his feet and kept his eyes on the beast. It looked something like a wolf, but twice the size and with bony spike protrusions along its spine. “Can’t ya do better than that?!” Kyle laughed in its face.
It snapped and growled at him. Kyle had been surviving in the depths of this forest for weeks now. He hadn’t come across anyone in all that time. But these hell hounds, grimms, whatever they were called, were constantly hunting him down. He had laid traps, ran, hidden, hunted, and more. Always to survive. To come out on top.
He had yet to lose.
The beast whipped around to face him and lunged. Kyle moved to dodge! Pain bit into his ankle as his foot rolled on a loose stone. “NO!” The beast’s maw bit down onto Kyle’s exposed arm and yanked.
Pain seared through his arm as the animal shook its head, its teeth tearing at his flesh. He screamed in pain and anger. As he did, a heat began to well in his chest. It grew and grew until the pain of it rivaled that of his arm being shredded. From his shoulder pastel blue fire erupted outwards. The geyser of flame seared away the remnants of his arm and the head of this foe.
The scent of charred flesh and fur filled the small clearing in which their confrontation took place. The beast’s body slumped to the ground. Sweating and groaning, Kyle pushed himself to his feet as the fire died down. His free hand… his only hand came up to clamp onto the charred stump that was his shoulder.
He spit on the grimm and began to laugh. “Ain’t got nothin’ on me.” With that he turned and began to stumble his way into the depths of the trees.
…
Mathias Chen sat beneath the tree. It was a gnarled and twisted old tree, its bark a deep blue. The petals that made up its crown, a fiery red. He sat, legs crossed, back straight, and eyes closed. He sat, Breathing. Cycling his energy throughout his body, and back to his center.
In the final days, he had decided to do the things he had never thought he would get the chance to do. The entire length of the Great Wall was never going to happen, but he had started the walk regardless. It had been empty and quiet. It was the most serene experience he had ever been a part of. Only, the world never ended, and he kept walking.
The worst thing that had happened, a thick fog had rolled in. It had lasted for days and all he saw was the next bit of wall before him. Mile after mile. Until, eventually, he came out the other side to find himself at the doors of a massive temple where there should not have been one.
The monks that let him in were kind, though none ever spoke. Their attire was not any he was familiar with. They neither understood him nor cared what he had had to say. Instead, they had just incorporated him into their lives. Their routines soon became his. Simple tasks and chores, daily exercise, and plenty of time to just Breath. To meditate and work on his inner self.
A bird twittered overhead, and he smiled. Life was good.
…
Gage let out a sigh. “I don’t know Aeliana. I just wish more of my people had ended up here. I know I’m not the only one here that is ‘the only one of their kind’, but if not for the company, just to see what humanity was getting up to in this new world. That would be something grand, ya’ know?”
Aeliana simply smiled and shook their head. “Perhaps one day you may see them and what they have become. For now, you should return to your rest. I am sure Hye-jun will want you back at the hut tomorrow.”
Gage suppressed a yawn. “I’m not tire-aaaahh!” He grinned sheepishly; the yawn having betrayed him. “Oh, all right, good night, Aeliana.”
“Good night, Gage’kin.”