I was running. From what? I knew well enough what, but I still wasn’t going to be stopping anytime soon.
Can’t stop, must keep going... Just keep running
I felt my lungs start to burn from lack of oxygen as I heard an inhuman screech close by, jumping over a downed tree. I shot a quick glance behind me only to see a pair of angry looking, glowing yellow and bobbing behind me, which drove my legs to carry me faster than I’d ever thought possible. To my left, I noticed light coming not too far from the edge of the forest, long ago forsaken by the Gods, I found myself running through.
Not too far left, just a bit further...
I ran up another downed tree, leaping from it to a rock to the left of it, sliding down the other side of the rock. The ground came rushing to me faster than I anticipated, and I tumbled as my feet hit the moist ground, landing flat on my face. I rolled onto my back and pulled out my dagger, scanning the area for any signs of movement. Seeing none, I leaped to my feet, then turned and took of sprinting in the direction of light coming from beyond the forests edge. I heard another inhuman screech from close by.
By the Gods, just let me get out of this fo-
From my right, the creature I was running from pounced at me, knocking my dagger from my hands, and me off my feet and into a rock, some 5 feet in front of me to my left. Gasping for air, I rolled onto my front and waited a moment for a little air to return to my lungs. After what seemed like an hour, I got to my hands and knees, only to have a foot of some kind driven into my stomach, lifting me from my hands and knees and throwing me 3 feet onto back. To my right, I heard a bloodcurdling screech, and the sound of bones popping and cracking. I looked over in time to see the creature morph into a man, who picked up my dagger and slowly walked over to me, studying my dagger as he did so.
If you don’t see this, I’m going to kill you...
As I jumped to my feet, my entire left forearm started to glow blue, and as I pointed it at the sky, a stream of pale blue light leapt from my hand and into the night sky, lighting the forest around me and my attacker, his eyes wide with alarm. Then the glow on my forearm started to fade and I lowered it, and shot a glance at my attacker. Then he did something completely unexpected; he threw my dagger at me with blinding speed. I did have enough time to react, and the blade pierced my chest, an inch or 3 above my heart. I staggered back against a tree from the force of the hilt of the dagger hitting my chest, and just stared, wide-eyed at the gold, leather bound handle protruding from my chest. As I fell to my knees, and as all feeling started to leave me, I saw out of the top of my field of vision an arrow go flying straight through the side of my attackers head, causing him to fall straight onto his side. Then my vision started to fade just as my companion rushed to me, and pulled the dagger out of my chest.
“Come on, love, ya can’t give up on me now!” she said as she started wrapping a bandage around my wound. “Gotta get your ass to a healer!” Then everything started getting bright, but washed out and fading. As all feeling left me, she picked me up, and took off running towards the little village of Luca.
I was on something very soft. So soft, it kind of felt like a cloud.
Am I dead? I thought to myself, as I tried moving my arms. A sharp pain shot up both my arms, and I realized I wasn’t dead. I remember hearing a few priests and priestesses saying pain and unhappy memories couldn’t follow a Soul into the Essence.
I opened my eyes a little to try and figure out where I was. All I could see in the dimly lit room was the roof. I tried sitting up, but the pain was mind numbing, so I stayed on my back.
Then the memories of being chased through the forest came back to me suddenly, so vivid and without warning. In response, my muscles tensed up, ready to lash out if needed, and I bolted upright, eyes open, quickly scanning the room for signs of danger. Then my muscles screamed at me, as wave after wave of intense, mind numbing pain washed over my entire body. The pain was too much to bear, and I let out an animal-like howl of pain, my back arching, as I slowly fell back onto the bed. To my right, to door burst open, who I figured a healer and my companion from the chase came rushing through the doorway.
“Don’t move! Your body hasn’t fully healed yet!” the healer said to me fiercely, as they both gently caught me and eased me onto my back. The healer leant over me, put two of her fingers on both my temples and mouthed the words to a spell, the sharp pangs of pain getting duller and duller as she continued the spell.
“Now, you should feel any more pain. But, if you try to sit up again, the spell won’t be able to block out the pain, so please don’t sit up. Just lay back and wait for your bones to set and your muscles heal” said the healer, as she stood put straight, let her hands fall to her side and started to walk out of the room.
“Thank you, my friend” the person who was with me during the night in the forest said.
What’s your name? I thought to myself, her name was there, but just out of reach in my mind.
Zalphyr. Her name is Zalphyr. I don’t know how I knew her name, but that was it.
“Zalphyr...” My voice came out as a hoarse whisper, my throat dry and sore.
“Be still and don’t talk, my friend. Save your strength, focus on getting better” Her voice was quiet, soothing,
“I need... a drink... throat... dry...” I managed to croak out.
“Alright, just be still. I’ll be back soon with some water” Zalphyr said, as she slowly stood and walked out of the room.
While she was gone, I took the opportunity to take in the details of the room, though making sure to not hurt myself again.
The walls were wooden, a painting of one of the Gods hung on a hook on the far side of the room, a small table and a chair were to the left side of my bed. An average looking room in a healers hut.
Zalphyr came walking back through the door, a pitcher and a wooden cup in hand, and sat next to me, pouring some water into the cup for me. She then, very gently, helped me sit up, and brought the cup to my lips. I drank the contents of the cup eagerly, though Zalphyr tipped the cup down, and told me to drink slow.
After I’d finished the cup of water, Zalphyr sat next to me, picked up a knife and a lump of wood, and started carving it.
