Mira woke up in eternal darkness. A complete nothingness she hadn’t expected. She looked around to find any sign of life. A speck of light on the horizon called to her. She cautiously walked towards it.
Was she finally dead? Is this what it felt like? Was it finally over?
Despite the endless nothingness, she felt comfortable. Darkness she could hide in. She wouldn’t have to hurt anyone else in here. If she was gone, maybe they were safe. Her master just wanted to punish her. They didn’t have to suffer.
Whispers from the distance light caught her attention again and she walked towards them.
When had her clothes vanished? Where were her scars? Why did she look so… normal?
She sat in the inky black pool beneath her and rubbed at the stone on her necklace. Something wasn’t right. Mira just couldn’t figure out what. Perhaps the light in the distance is where she would find answers?
A floating blue orb appeared behind her. She cautiously watched as the orb drifted towards her. When she felt a coldness on her shoulder, she frantically studied the orb. Was this some sort of creature to take her away?
“Mira, darling,” The spot on her shoulder shook as the familiar voice spoke, “Are you okay?”
“Is this the end, High Priestess?” She breathed in relief and looked back out into the darkness, “It’s so quiet and peaceful.”
“I’ve come to take you back,” Nara’s voice emanated from the orb.
“Is that towards the odd light?” She pointed towards it, “I can’t tell what they are saying.”
“That is the very end,” The wraith stepped from the darkness and stood before her.
“Why are you here?” Mira’s face scrunched in confusion.
“What is wrong?” Nara looked to the wraith, “Why is it so dark?”
“This is, what some call it, ‘The Hall of Good Memories’. I believe your people see it as if your life is outweighed by good or bad,” He gestured, “The light may be where her happier moments could be.”
“Should we go to it?” Mira got to her feet.
“No, Miradash,” The wraith shook his head, “We must speak first.”
“Are we, me?” She rubbed at her temples in confusion, “Why is the High Priestess’s voice here?”
“Young Mira,” Nara pulled her ghostly hand from the woman, “We are trying to bring you back to life.”
“And, because you’ve died,” The wraith chuckled, “The enthrallment was broken. I can finally speak to you.”
Mira looked into the mouthless mask for a moment, “Do I need to be dead for this conversation?”
“It will be easier now as you’re being brought back,” The masked figure dramatically knelt before her, “Miradash, daughter of my beloved Calosa, I am Encante: Guardian Stone of the Unclaimed Isle, The Great Protector, King of Beasts and Shadows.”
“Interesting,” She touched the mask.
“Interesting?” He scoffed, “I’m eons old and have untold magic at my command. I’ve been saving your life since your birth. All I get is ‘interesting’?”
“I asked for none of those things,” Mira shook her head, “You are why my master would have never let me go.”
“He is the vessel of my brother,” Encante stood, “We have much to catch up on, Miradash. Fight to live so we may speak again.”
Mira gripped her chest when it reverberated from a hard crash. The wraith wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. The next strike knocked her from her feet. Her vision blurred and she took a deep breath.
“Mira!” Jonen shook her, “Goddess, please, wake up!”
She coughed and rolled to her side. Black sludge sprayed from her mouth to the ground. The stone on her chest burned and she clawed at it. Jonen held her up as her lungs emptied.
“Nara,” Her gravelly voice spoke between coughs, “Help her.”
“Irae has her,” He reassured her, “I’ve got to get you to a healer. Let me carry you.”
“Master,” Mira held a hand against the roots at her throat, “Where is he?”
“He’s gone, Mira,” Jonen pulled her to her feet, “Let’s get you safe, okay?”
Jonen tried to steady his voice as he reassured her. He looked at the odd angles of her joints and burnt flesh. He had to get her help, or she wouldn’t make it. Her face twitched in pain with every movement. He couldn’t look at her for long without fearing for her life. She blinked rapidly before gripping his hand. Her other fell to the bleeding wound at his arm.
“You are wounded,” Her worried eyes met his.
Jonen watched as she pulled at the bandages, “What are you doing?”
She gripped the wound, and he felt the skin singe, “If you are helping me, then I will help.”
He watched as her eyes rolled back and she fell limp. He scooped her into his arms and cursed under his breath.
“You need your energy,” He whispered as he held her against his chest, “Irae, how is the High Priestess?”
“She’s breathing,” Irae placed a hand on Nara’s chest as water swirled around it, “I am trying to clean her blood of whatever this black stuff is.”
“Mira’s coughing it up too,” Jonen laid her down next to Nara, “What can I do to help her?”
“I can’t take my hands off High Priestess to check what exactly she might need,” The healer wiped her forehead, “She’s a blood mage. I imagine she could use more, given how she –”
Irae looked at Mira’s limp body and cursed under her breath.
“You took the healing class,” She pointed to Nara, “Can you hold this spell while I check on her?”
“How?” Jonen wiped the blood from his face and placed his hand in the swirling water.
She wiped the sweat from her brow, “Goddess, help me. Travella. Cleanse.”
“Travella,” Jonen repeated the elven word.
He felt the spell swallow his hand into the water and rush around Nara. As Irae pulled her hand away, the spell significantly weakened but the water still moved. Black lines reached up the bronze elf’s neck and face in an eerily familiar way.
“Irae –”
“I’m busy!” She hissed as she frantically rifled through her medical bag, “Please, focus on the spell.”
She grabbed a knife and cut the fabric of Mira’s blouse open. Irae grabbed a balm from her medical bag and slathered it against Mira’s face and exposed chest. The healer took a moment to cast another spell and check the woman’s organs. She winced at the discovery.
“She has too many broken bones,” She shook her head, “It’s a mess in there. I can’t do anything here. I need to bring her back to the temple.”
As she spoke, she felt a dark energy snapping the bones into place. She ripped her hand away and looked down at Mira. Black clouds beneath her skin moved and hovered over bruised and bleeding organs.
“We have to get them back,” Irae threw the cut fabric over Mira, “Can you get us horses?”
“I can try,” He nodded.
Irae slid her hand back into the water spell and it rippled back to life. Jonen pulled his hand away and ran from the panicking healer as she held the spell. She grunted as the effort took a toll on her.
“Hurry,” She looked to him.
Despite his own exhaustion, he sprung to his feet and sprinted towards the other healers. They clamored over the injured fighters. A pale Sunodagh raised his remaining arm to salute Jonen as he slid over into the group.
“Irae needs help,” He looked to the healers, “She’s holding High Priestess and Mira alive by herself. Where are the horses? We need to get them back to the temple.”
“One ran back into town. The others, I haven’t a clue,” Sunodagh grabbed the back of a healer’s sash and pulled her towards him, “Move the injured back to the temple. We will help carry them if we must.”
Jonen gathered his remaining energy and ran towards the sound of hooves on cobblestone. He couldn’t lose Mira too. He wouldn’t be able to handle it. A brown mare with a singed mane stomped its hooves at the rapidly approaching Jonen as he turned from the alley. It snorted angrily at him as he reached for its reins.
“Come on,” He grabbed the hair of its mane, “You’re not rushing towards battle. I need you to calm down.”
The beast’s blank eyes stared at him as he tried to reason with it. He didn’t have time for this. He yanked the reins and threw his foot into the stirrup. The horse kicked to dislodge him, but Jonen had fought enough stubborn horses to keep himself balanced. He threw his leg over the saddle and kicked its rear to gallop back to them. The mare reared back as they approached the group of women.
Irae barked orders at the other healer to keep the two dying women stable. As he approached, she stood.
“Quickly,” Jonen slid off the saddle and threw the reins to Irae, “Take one of them back.”
“Take Nara and go back,” She tried to pull the elf’s limb body up, “Get down here and help me lift her. I’m running out of energy.”
“What about Mira?” His hesitation froze his body.
“Jonen,” She took a deep breath.
“I can’t leave her here,” He pleaded with her, “Don’t ask me to do that.”
“If you can get her back to the temple, then I will do what I can,” She lowered her head, “I am bound by that oath, as you are to yours as a knight.”
Irae nodded once and rode away. Jonen knelt by Mira’s side and watched as her breathing became slow and shallow. She coughed and wheezed as her eyes rapidly moved under their lids. He grabbed her hand and brushed hair from her battered face. A small squeeze reassured him that she was still there.
“Jonen,” Mira wheezed, “If I do not make it—”
“I won’t even consider that an option.”
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“It may not be up to you,” Her eyes fluttered open to look at him, “Please, take care of them for me?”
He gripped her hand firmly and nodded.
“And –” She turned her head to cough and the black liquid sprayed from her lips, “Find me somewhere nice to rest?”
“Why do you ask me such things?” He felt the tears stream from his face.
“I may be past saving. My body is not healing itself,” Mira wiped her mouth, “I am little more than a bag of blood and broken bones.”
“Don’t say that!” He raised cupped her hands in his and kissed it.
“Thank you for showing me kindness,” She smiled, “Your lips were softer than I imagined.”
“I will kiss you a thousand more times if you stay with me,” Jonen’s muscles screamed as he tried to pull her up into his arms, “Just stay awake. I will carry you to help.”
“As you wish,” Her heavy eyelids were hard to keep open.
Mira looked over the tearful man and wondered how he became so bruised and beaten. His face strained with each throbbing step he took. Her body ached but she kept her eyes open and looked up at him. He focused on his breathing and where he stepped as he ran back to the temple. Jonen looked to the other wounded warriors as he passed them. Undoubtedly, many would not recover from their wounds –but he would ensure Mira would. She had to.
As he reached the courtyard, Jonen nearly collapsed. He could feel his body screaming at him to stop. By the white shards sticking out of Mira’s legs, he knew she would be unable to walk. His arms shook from her weight, and she felt as if she weighed three times as much as she did.
“We’re almost there, Mira,” He whispered, “Just a bit more.”
His lungs felt on the verge of deflating as he stepped into the temple entrance. The crowded room silenced as he entered. He felt the eyes on him and fell to his knees.
“Call the healers!” Jonen yelled, “She is nearly dead.”
He rested Mira on the stone floor and took a deep breath. He noticed her clothes were mostly burnt away and the singed skin underneath still showed horrible scars past.
“Blankets!” He looked through the crowd, “Towels! Something!”
A woman stepped forward and draped a shawl over Mira. As she stepped back, Jonen looked through the crowd and saw Gimma walking towards him. She stopped when she saw Mira.
“Goddess,” The old healer looked across the crowd, “You should not have brought her in here. Look at her!”
“I do not know my way to the infirmary,” His eyes met hers, “Please, save her.”
“She cannot,” Mira coughed, “High Priestess is gravely injured, correct?”
“Yes,” Gimma lowered her head, “I came to give you the bad news in person. I’m sorry.”
“You can’t spare a single healer?” Jonen growled, “Mira risked her life to save this entire town! You can’t spare one?”
“Her master is the one that attacked us! She is a warrior and knows her limits,” The older woman looked away, “Every healer the temple employs is bound by oath to save priests and priestesses over all others. High Priestess Nara is our priority. Until she is stable, I cannot spare anyone.”
“What about Irae?” He frantically looked around for the pink healer.
“She has collapsed in the infirmary,” The older healer faced away from them, “Mira, may the Goddess ease your transition. I pray you avoid the void from your master’s actions.”
Jonen’s heart stopped. He hadn’t thought of that.. She would enter the void and never return. As Gimma stepped away from the pair, Mira raised her voice.
“Healer-Trainee Tella,” Her gravely whisper made its way across the perish, “She is not bound by oath.”
“You wish her to see you in this condition?” Gimma stopped and shook her head, “I cannot stop the child from trying to save you. I shall send her brother to fetch her.”
“Thank you, Healer Gimma,” Mira leaned back into Jonen’s arms, “If I survive, I will remember your kindness.”
“When,” He corrected, “When you survive.”
Jonen felt her squeeze his hands lightly and looked into her sad amber eyes. She closed her eyes and looked away from him without another word. Gimma stepped down the hall and the crowded temple watched the two interact.
“Where would you like to go?”
“The baths sound lovely,” She smiled softly, “It always smells nice in there.”
“Then I will carry you,” He tried to pick her up again, but his arms failed.
His skin twitched violently around the chunk of flesh ripped away by Isaan’s whip. He cursed under his breath and looked around the room. A shriek announced Tella’s arrival. Her and Pallik rushed to their side.
“Tella,” Mira smiled softly, “Don’t cry.”
The girl sniffled, “You don’t look good.”
“I will be fine,” Mira smiled, “Pallik, would you mind carrying me? I am not steady on my feet and Jonen is injured from battle. We plan to go to the baths.”
“Of course,” Pallik grunted as he lifted Mira from the ground, “Come on, Tella.”
“Jonen,” Mira reached out to him, “Will you join us?”
Her raspy voice was unnaturally calm. He nodded and scrapped up enough energy to get to his feet. Pallik walked slowly towards the baths as to not disturb Mira’s injuries. She patted his head and chuckled. Tella swung the door open to warn anyone of their arrival. As the festival was just going on, there was no one else in the chamber.
“Pallik, do not let your sister exhaust herself too much,” Mira warned, “I will be upset.”
Jonen watched as the teen stepped cautiously in the pool. Mira gasped and shook as the water hit her charred skin. Pallik moved to hold Mira’s head above water by hooking his arms around her shoulders. She sighed as her body sunk under the scented, warm water. Tella took off her shoes and followed after them. She frantically looked back and forth for some instruction.
Tella’s voice trembled, “I don’t know what to do.”
“I am a patient,” Mira nodded once.
The girl bit her lip anxiously, “Hello, I’m healer-trainee Tella. You look injured. How can I help?”
“Little healer, I have gotten injured in battle,” Mira looked to her legs, “Would you mind helping me set my legs back into place?”
Tella nodded and waded over to her legs. She touched the white, jagged cylinders breaking from Mira’s shins. She looked over to Mira as she tried to push on the bones.
“If you are not strong enough, ask for help.”
“Pallik,” She whispered, “Can you help?”
“Someone else will need to hold Mira,” He looked to Jonen, “It may be easier now that she’s in water.”
Jonen nodded and stepped into the pool. As the water met his skin, he felt the grime of battle wash away. Pink swirled around him as his injuries bled out into the water. As he waded towards the center of the small pool, he watched as the pinkish water reached towards Mira. As Jonen took Mira from Pallik, she rested her head against his arm. The teen took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he grabbed her bones. She didn’t so much as twitch as he snapped her bone in place.
“Mira, your healing!” Tella clapped, “Something’s working!”
Jonen watched as the blood dripping down his arm seemed attracted to her skin. Mira heard the voice in her head growling for more and placed her hand against the trickles from his injuries. Then, Jonen remembered.
“How could I be so stupid?” He cursed, “Pallik, take Mira. I will be back!”
“Wait –” Pallik reached for her shoulders, “Where are you going?!”
“Mira’s a blood mage!” He shouted as he stepped from the pool of water, “A blood mage!”
Tella’s eyes widened, “Blood mage?”
“What are you talking about?” Pallik looked between them, “What does that have to do with this?”
“She has lost too much blood to heal herself,” Jonen nodded, “We need to get her more.”
Jonen paced down the hall back towards the crowded temple entrance. People had slowly drifted back outside, but the festival mood had been soured. He looked around to find anyone that might be willing to help, but they averted their eyes from him. As he stepped out of the temple, the wounded warriors from the battle were walking up the steps.
“Knight Jonen,” Sunodagh nodded, “How is Mira?”
“She’s a blood mage!” Jonen blurted out.
His face dropped, “I’m sorry?”
“She’s dying, Sunodagh,” Jonen looked around the group of men, “She’s a blood mage and she’s dying. Please, help me save Mira.”
A series of gasps echoed throughout the congested space
“Why would you admit such things?” Sunodagh lowered his voice, “What is your ploy here? You know they aren’t permitted in a temple.”
“The healers are trying to save High Priestess,” He took a deep breath, “And I’m trying to save Mira. They won’t even spare a healer. Tella is currently trying to keep her alive.”
“The little healer?” Sunodagh whistled and looked to those around him, “Aquellan Mira needs help. I cannot, in my position, do this for her. You will have to find blood from others.”
“Please, Sunodagh,” He grit his teeth, “Help me convince them.”
“As healers can only focus on those employed by the temple first,” He cleared his throat, “I can suggest that all those injured hurry to the baths to clean off any grime of battle while we wait for a healer to join us.”
“I thought –”
“I suggest,” Sunodagh cleared his throat, “That those who can travel to the baths do so. I cannot ask anyone to willingly help a blood mage, but I can suggest that anyone willing to help aquellan Mira finds her to pay their respects.”
“Thank you,” Jonen bowed his head.
“You will have to convince those uninjured,” His placed his hand on Jonen’s shoulder and squeezed, “Because I cannot.”
Jonen looked to the shocked crowd in front of him and took a deep breath. Never did he imagine he would ask those in a temple to help save a blood mage. His core shook from the effort to remain standing. He closed his eyes to focus and felt an arm wrap under his shoulders to hold him up. An elven woman nodded to him, and he smiled softly to her before looking to the gathering around him.
“I am Jonen Lafayette of the Travel Knights. Please, listen to me,” He cleared his throat, “Mira has been enthralled to a man wanted by the crown of Zrud for over a century. He has been wanted by the crown of Vanora for two centuries. I joined an army of nearly five hundred to capture her master. You may have seen us march through this very village months ago or train in the mountains around your homes. I am the only survivor of the battle because she chose to save me. She brought me here to be healed at risk to the fury of her master.”
He watched as the injured limp towards the baths. His eyes caught countless of those around him as he looked around.
“This evil man, Isaan Naybellos, has been the one wreaking havoc in this region. The reason none of you have been saved from bandits, monsters, or thieves. He has put the safety of your villages, your farms, and your families at risk.”
The crowd whispered as he continued.
“Mira is the only one between him and you. She has kept countless village secret, saved you from bandits, and slain isle beasts to protect you. She may be a blood mage, but not even she knows how. We cannot judge her life based on this,” He looked at his feet, “This woman was ordered to kill everyone tonight. She fought against her enthrallment and her master to keep each one of you alive. She ran from the village to save as many as she could. She was the only thing between a master elementalist and you.”
Jonen stood as tall as he could and looked to as many people as he could.
“You’ve seen her helping villagers and travelers. You saw her dance at the opening ceremonies tonight. You saw me carry her into the temple,” He clenched his fist, “Mira is dying. I beg you to help me save her so that I may help her bring her master to justice. So that we can sleep safer at night knowing she is out there protecting us.”
Jonen did not look up from his feet. He heard the soft voice of the woman holding him up as she spoke to the crowd.
“Mira brought me to Vimgraunt after my village was attacked by bandits,” She patted his back, “She tracked them down and returned with the gifts I had bought for my daughter.”
“Mira found my daughter when she got lost in the mountains!” A human woman spoke.
“She helped us build a barn for our animals,” A dwarven man grunted.
“She carried my husband home after he collapsed in the woods from thirst,” An older woman grabbed her husband’s hand.
“Nearly a week ago, she saved me and hundreds of children from being shipped to Agrowl as thralls. I came here to find her and thank her,” An old dwarven woman knelt at his side.
Jonen looked up as the room chattering across the room grew louder. His heart rattled in his chest as he realized that Mira had a chance. All he needed was a chance.
“Come, Jonen,” The woman helped him up and whispered, “Let’s save Miss Mira, so that you may dance together once again.”
“Thank you,” He nodded.
“How much do you need?” A voice from the crowd shouted over the talk.
“I do not know.”
“Then,” Sunodagh grinned, “We better get started.”
A man from the crowd came and helped Jonen walk towards the baths. A small line formed behind him as they walked down the corridor. When Sunodagh opened the door, he heard their conversation.
“Promise me, Pallik,” Mira coughed, “That you’ll help her.”
“I promise,” He sniffled and wiped his face, “But you’re going to make it.”
“Little healer!” Sunodagh announced, “We heard your patient may need help.”
Mira looked to the crowd entering the baths and studied them. She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear her vision to ensure she wasn’t seeing things.
“I do not understand,” She looked to Jonen.
“They’ve come to help,” He lowered himself into the water to hold her, “They’ve come to help you, Mira.”
“But why?”
“Because,” He brushed wet locks of curls from her face, “They think you should live as much as I do.”
She winced as she reached for his hand. An injured warrior stepped into the large bath and the pink water snaked its way to her. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as her skin soaked the blood from the water.
“Will you protect me while I sleep?”
“I don’t think – Mira, you should stay awake.”
“I’m so tired,” Her hallow amber eyes looked to him, “My body needs rest. It will calm me if you promise.”
“If you fall asleep,” He kissed her hand, “Then I will protect you.”
Tella wiped sweat from her forehead as she gathered magic from the air, “I’m going to start stitching you up now, okay?”
Mira nodded and laid her head in the water. Tella pulled strands of light from the air into the curved needle and pierced her flesh to stitch the open wounds together. Ribbons of yellow and pink swirled as her wounds closed unnaturally.
“Please heal those that enter the pool,” Mira spoke allowed, “I am healing now that I have more energy.”
“Are you sure?” Tella looked to her.
“Yes,” She nodded, “As long as I keep getting… donations until I’m fully healed, I will be okay.”
“Another healer should be coming soon,” Sunodagh entered the pull and soaked up to his shoulders.
The orc undid the wrapping and let the hastily stitched wound leak into the water near Mira. She reached over and touched the wound. He winced slightly but allowed it.
“Your arm,” She sighed, “I’m sorry.”
“You have no need to be. I’m a proud warrior,” He grinned, “We still won the battle.”
Another injured stepped into the pool. The elven woman that had half carried Jonen dipped her feet into the water. She reached to the belt at her waist and pulled a small knife. As she cut the top of her feet, the blood seeped towards the dying woman. Another dwarf sat next to her and did the same. Mira watched as the edge of the pool quickly filled with people soaking their bloodied feet.
Mira heard a familiar voice calling her to sleep. She removed her hand from Sunodagh and placed it on the next person. The room gasped as blood trailed unnaturally towards her hand from the man’s various wounds. She yawned and laid her head on Pallik’s chest.
“I must sleep,” She whispered, “My friend, heal the others but do not force yourself to feel unwell.”
“Friend?” Tella teared up, “You’ve never—”
“Yes,” She smile, “My friend, please make sure the others live.”
Jonen felt Mira’s hand go limp, but his worry stopped after her chest still moved with each breath. He sat on a bench in the water as Pallik held her a float. He watched as the atrocious injuries he worried about healed slowly. Hints of white bone were covered with muscle and flesh. Burnt skin flaked away to pink scarred tissue beneath it. As a woman handed Pallik a cloth to remove the scabs and soot from her face, Mira fell into an odd trance.