LOREN
As Chulane ate, Loren watched carefully. Eventually, though, he was satisfied that the vet would keep to their unspoken deal. When the head of agriculture spoke, though, the healer immediately shook his head. "It's not that." Hesitating for just a moment, he stared down at his hands. "I just don't want to add to your pain." The words came out as softly as the other man's hand.
Taking a deep breath, the Firebrand continued. This time, his voice was stronger and more sure. "We navigated the lava fields. Strangely enough, Amalia Chandrakant appeared unexpectedly, something to do with Vi I believe." He glanced up, wondering what Chulane knew of the god of life.
"Something was protecting us from the lava, I'm not sure what. From everything that might hurt us. At first, at least." At that, Loren bit his lip. "We came upon a being that was wreathed in fire, in pain, bound somehow. Eirachi's brother. At first, we thought we needed to defeat him and so we attacked."
Shaking his head at their folly he sighed. "Kiada shifted into the form of a vulture, took flight, and compelled some other birds to investigate the being while the rest of us went on the offensive. She told us there was something inside the spirit, trapping him. So once we calmed him down, I went to pull it out." Pausing he held up his scarred hands and gestured at the scars on his face, remnants of that decision. "At that point, Amalia and Wessex used some water magic they borrowed from me to protect us from the lava and Kiada took to the skies again."
With that, he lowered his hands. "That was when our luck ran out. I was burned, horribly, but I managed to get a grip on the object. My back was to the group and I was busy, but...Kiada was struck by some lava that managed to reach her from the ground."
He bowed his head again. Staring into his lap he finished, in a quiet and broken tone. "I managed to pull the object out. But...Kiada's wing was damaged and she started to plumment. And the others, they...they couldn't reach her." He shook his head, the movement miniscule. "So she fell down. Straight into the lava."
Closing his eyes, he just breathed for a moment. Only then did he lift his head to meet Chulane's gaze once more. "There was no pain." Because she'd died instantly, but he knew better than to say that.
Taking a deep breath, the Firebrand continued. This time, his voice was stronger and more sure. "We navigated the lava fields. Strangely enough, Amalia Chandrakant appeared unexpectedly, something to do with Vi I believe." He glanced up, wondering what Chulane knew of the god of life.
"Something was protecting us from the lava, I'm not sure what. From everything that might hurt us. At first, at least." At that, Loren bit his lip. "We came upon a being that was wreathed in fire, in pain, bound somehow. Eirachi's brother. At first, we thought we needed to defeat him and so we attacked."
Shaking his head at their folly he sighed. "Kiada shifted into the form of a vulture, took flight, and compelled some other birds to investigate the being while the rest of us went on the offensive. She told us there was something inside the spirit, trapping him. So once we calmed him down, I went to pull it out." Pausing he held up his scarred hands and gestured at the scars on his face, remnants of that decision. "At that point, Amalia and Wessex used some water magic they borrowed from me to protect us from the lava and Kiada took to the skies again."
With that, he lowered his hands. "That was when our luck ran out. I was burned, horribly, but I managed to get a grip on the object. My back was to the group and I was busy, but...Kiada was struck by some lava that managed to reach her from the ground."
He bowed his head again. Staring into his lap he finished, in a quiet and broken tone. "I managed to pull the object out. But...Kiada's wing was damaged and she started to plumment. And the others, they...they couldn't reach her." He shook his head, the movement miniscule. "So she fell down. Straight into the lava."
Closing his eyes, he just breathed for a moment. Only then did he lift his head to meet Chulane's gaze once more. "There was no pain." Because she'd died instantly, but he knew better than to say that.
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
defy and define the darkness
