I woke up screaming. I shot up, the heavy blankets falling off my naked chest and across my lap. It was cool out, causing my skin to prickle up immediately. I grabbed the blankets almost as quickly as I threw them off and wrapped them around myself to ward off the cold.

Then I realized both of my arms worked.

I began wiggling my toes and moving my feet. My right foot still hurt, but not nearly so bad. Same with my right knee. My left arm was fully covered in bandages, which smelled like flowers and antiseptic, and there was only a little blood staining them now. I lifted my arms above my head, then back down. I didn't have full range of motion, and my arm was still mostly numb, and the skin felt tight and itched, but I could move my arm! I wiggled my toes, then my fingers. I bent my knees. I rotated my torso, my arms, my neck, my head. Everything worked. At least kind of.

I could feel tears well up in my eyes. I blinked them away, but they were stubborn. I really thought I was done. I'd never be able to do anything ever again. How the hell would I enjoy heaven if I had a broken body? Thank you, freakishly strong magic nun.

With a deep sigh, I looked around my moonlit room. Everything was as it had been, except the incense on the desk had gone out at some point. I could make out the edge of the moon through the window, which bathed the space is a soft silvery light. Someone had placed a glass of water on my end table. Reaching out with my left hand, I willed it to grasp the cool glass, and, after a failed attempt, I picked it up and brought it to my lips. The water tasted amazing. I finished it in a few gulps, then placed the empty glass back at the end table.

A soft knock on the door sounded in my room. I froze again. Please no. No more. The evil mistress of pain and healing was back for more. Was there a torture schedule or something?

"No thank you!" I said louder than I meant to.

The door opened, and a woman of maybe twenty five or twenty six walked into the room. A small candle illuminated her pale, freckled face, which was narrow, with high cheekbones and almond eyes slightly too large for her face. Her robes, which were shapeless and brown instead of white and blue, were a size too big and hung awkwardly off her thin body. She was short, maybe standing around five three, and her brown hair was pulled back into a braid.

"La plorulo vekiĝas," she said with a wry smile. "Kiel vi fartas?" Her voice was sweet and melodic, with a different accent than the woman from the day before. She approached my bed, placed a glass of water on the small wooden nightstand, and pulled the covers away from my arm. She began running fingers up my arm, closing her eyes as she did. Scarred from yesterday's experience, my arm jolted involuntarily. "I'm okay, really."

Her eyes opened, and she gazed into my eyes. Hers were amber, almost golden. "Ne timu. Mi estas ĉi tie por helpi vin." Her tone was so sincere and sweet that I couldn't help but relax.

Seeing my body relax, she sat at the edge of my bed and placed her hands back on my arm. A soft white glow, barely perceptible even in the moonlight, began to emit from her hands. Whatever the light was, I could feel it seep into my skin just like with the older woman. It felt good, even if it made my arm tingle and ache. Unlike with the older woman, however, whatever she was doing felt softer, more gentle.

I closed my eyes for a few minutes, but I found I couldn't keep them closed for long. The pain was enough to be distracting, and she was a pretty lady sitting on my bed. I tried not to look at the woman. I looked at the symbol on the wall, softly glowing in the moonlight. I looked out into the dark field. I didn't want to be weird, but my curiosity got the best of me.

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The girl was definitely around her mid twenties, with fair, clear skin and bright eyes. She had light freckles that ran down her long, thin nose. Her hair was light brown and immaculately kept. It shined in the moonlight. Her hands were thin but strong, with long fingers and shiny, buffed nails. She was rather pretty. I felt my cheeks flush slightly and my heart quicken, if only a bit. It had been over a year since I dated last, and I hadn't been touched by anyone since Melissa and I split.

The woman adjusted her body as she worked, turning her torso toward me, working her way up my arm and into my shoulder, her eyes closed, brows furrowed in concentration. She coupled her healing with some type of massage, working the... magic, I guess, into my muscles. Her robe fell away from her neck, causing the moonlight to highlight the curve of her collarbone, the muscles in her neck, her delicate jaw and... her long pointed ears.

"Your ears!" I shouted, pointing with my free arm. "Why are they pointed!?!"

Her eyes grew wide and her face reddened. She covered her ears with her hands.

"Malĝentile! Mi estas amiko elfulo, kaj ili estas miajn orelojn! Bruto!" The woman stood up and, fishing in her robe's pockets, pulled out some sort of black shawl and wrapped it around her head, covering her ears. She put her hands on her hips, scowling as she did, but I reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you." I didn't know why she reacted that way, but clearly I messed up. I searched for the word the older woman kept saying the day before when she was torturing me. I was pretty sure I knew what it meant. She only said it a hundred times while breaking me. "Pardonu. Pardonu. Sorry. I didn't know it was being insulting. I was surprised. Pardonu."

The girl's expression softened, and she sat back at the edge of the bed with a huff. Taking my hand back in hers, she began to work on my arm again. She softly intoned some sort of chant or words, and the soft light emitting from her hands grew brighter. Much brighter. It didn't feel good any more. I began to squirm, then groaned, then writhed.

"Okay, that's enough now. Thanks. Thanks much. That's great. All done." She didn't let up, working her light into my muscles with the same vigor the larger woman had. "Pardonu. Pardonu! PARDONU!" I shouted loud enough that my voice echoed in the small room.

She gave me a mischievous smile, then simply said, "Nedankinde," and the white light began to dim. It started to feel good again. I decided I'd never trust her, or bring up her ears, again.

"Yeah, funny. You really got me. Haha So funny." I glared at her, sulking.

"Haha." she said back, a shit eating grin on her face. "So funny," she parroted in her melodic accent and giggled. For the first time in however many days, I genuinely smiled. Then we both laughed together. She smiled as she continued her work, her eyes meeting mine from time to time. I felt like I made a friend. I rested back into my pillow, letting her do her work.

Some time later, she finished, and my arm felt the best that it had felt since the storm. Since I nearly died. Actually died?

"Thank you." I said sincerely, pushing the thought away.

"Nedankinde." I assumed that meant you're welcome.

I pointed at myself. "Alex."

"Naya."

"Pleased to meet you, Naya." I meant it. I didn't know how long I had been here, but it was nice to connect with someone, even if that someone had pointy ears, amber eyes, glowing hands, and shouldn't exist. She smiled down at me, the smile reaching her eyes. She lifted her hands from my arm and walked to the foot of the bed. Reaching under the covers, she placed her hands on my right foot. The same good, itchy, achy feeling crept into my foot, then spread up my leg and into my knee. It was rough but bearable.

"So, um, where am I? Is this some sort of hospital?" I asked, knowing I wouldn't understand a word she said. It was just nice to talk to someone.

Her eyes fluttered open. She opened her mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again. "Ili ne kredis, ke li travivos. Vi estis tre vundita, kaj mi pasigis multajn noktojn ĉe via lito. Mi dankas, ke vi vivas. Forta vi estas." She smiled softly, a subtle sadness filling her eyes. "Ne ĉiuj vivos." Her golden eyes peered into mine a moment longer. She seemed like she wanted to say more, but a distant noise outside the room ended the moment. She stood up, brushed her hands on her robe, and walked back to the side of my bed.

"Vi devas ripozi." She placed her hand on my head as she spoke. I didn't understand her, but I was wracked with a massive yawn when something passed from her hand into me.

"Bonan nokton, Alex." She smiled, squeezed my hand, then turned to leave the room. I was asleep before the door shut, dreaming of beautiful fields, sheep, and brown-haired elven maidens.