Chapter VII – Life or Death

Lamar fell down, down, and her falling seemed to never get to an end. A hungry gloom drained her being, dragging her more and more into the nothingness. She felt her soul rarefying, her memories fading away, her self reduced to a paralyzing fear of death, of disappearance. And she understood she was dying, she felt the tentacles of the Abyss getting through her body, invading her blood. It was cold… evil… dark, inconceivably dark, like the essence of darkness itself was calling for her.
Then she seemed to loose the passing of time, as she was also loosing the passing of herself.
Then everything stopped.
Then came a voice, soft, unknown, calling her name.
“I died”, she thought “So this is how it feels…It’s calling for me now…” Another voice she heard, somehow familiar, but she had no time to figure it out as she started again her endless fall to the depth.
Roun watched over her, holding her head and wiping away the beads of sweat on her brow. Astara has justfinished preparing another portion of the Mardar liquor and was ready to pour it into Lamar’s throat. Yet she stopped at the sight of Roun holding her. She saw something there, something she never saw before in her friend. And that something pierced her heart like a knife.
-Here’s the potion she said… and met a bitter pain in Roun’s eyes.
-She’s dying, Astara…
-It’s a strange wound… It’s not her body that was harmed the most. The sore is much deeper…
-She’s dying…
Astara stepped back, watching Roun grieving over the shivering body he held in his arms. There was another way… Roun knew it, but he dared not ask her. It was the kun-tlad. But nobody tried to do a kun-tlad for a human. Even between Elves this was dangerous and terrifying. And Lamar… she was a stranger, a human… and more than that, she was the woman Roun held with sorrow, with a grief that burnt her soul to ashes.
-Roun, let her go now… We did everything we could. She’s a warrior… Let her death dignify her.
-I can’t let her die… I can’t Astara…
-We have to go. There may be more of those murbs coming for us. There’s nothing we can do now… She’s fading…
-Astara… there’s something I can do… I’ll tell you the words…You’ll cast the incantation… I’ll be the tlad.
-Kun-tlad? Are you out of your mind? I can’t cast even the simplest spell… I’m not a magic user… I never said a word of magic in my life!!! This is suicide… You stand no chance.
-It’s her only chance!
-She’s just a human! And you’ll surely die. Even for experienced mages this is difficult. Even between Elves… And you… ask me, a total outsider, to cast a Kun-tlad?
-If we get it right, she might live.
-Yes, she might, but we don’t know that, do we? Nobody tried to do it with a human. And I’m not a mage. You’d both die… This is out of the question!!! I won’t do it! Mighty Demius, she’s a complete stranger, a human!
Roun had nothing to reply, but Astara understood.
-You… you care for her, don’t you? You love her… Are you ready to go to almost certain death for her sake?
-Yes, Astara… try to understand… I, myself, don’t understand it completely… I just know I can’t let her die.
-You are… unbelievable…
Look, Roun, this is stupid. I can’t cast a Kun-tlad. But you can. I’ll be the tlad.
-No, you can’t.
-You’re a good mage. I’m young. I may be compatible, although…mighty Demius… she’s human… I know what this means, Roun… but at least we stand a chance.
-I can’t let you do that.
-Then she’ll die… ‘Cause I won’t cast no stupid spell… I’m a katara fighter, not a mage. Think about my offer. And fast, before I change my mind.
-Are you sure, Astara?
-Yes, but remember… I’m not doing it for her… I’m doing it for you.
Kun-tlad was an ancient healing practice only known to the Elves. But even so, it was rarely performed since it assumed a transfer of vital energy from the tlad to the wounded one. The practice was painful and dangerous for both the mage who performed it and especially for the tlad. Years of the tlad’s life were sacrificed in this ritual. The energy flux drained the tlad, who might even die during the casting of the incantations. Astara knew it, she knew it well… yet she was decided to do it.
-Rivnerak rogus trebirad kun!
Roun commenced the incantation and Astara felt her life draining away. A flux of bright light entered Roun’s right hand, passed through his arm and chest and got out of his left hand embracing Lamar’s body.
An excruciating pain burnt Roun’s chest. He knew that was only a small shadow of the pain Astara had to endure. He saw her body crouching in pain. But he could not stop. Not until the incantation was complete. The pain melted his mind… it became so difficult to find the right words. But he had to endure; he had to finish it right.
-Ruc gnosravid gnorami hastlad… he whispered the last words… and let his tortured body fell to the ground. He tried to meet Astara’s eyes. She was pale, a feverish look tormented by pain.
-Are you alright, he asked.
-I’m alive… I thought I won’t make it… I never felt such pain in my life…
-I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…
-It over now… Go and see her… I hope it was worthy…
Roun crawled next to Lamar’s body. The fever was gone.
-Lamar, he whispered… Lamar…
She opened her sharp, silver eyes and looked at him. Then fell into a deep, healing sleep.
Lemalian was sad and confused. Nobody seemed to ever hear about a warrior called Wuu… and those very few who remembered something about some kind of legendary hero, looked at him in pity as if he spoke the words of a mad man. And he saw it himself. It was not appropriate for an Elf warrior of his class to speak like a fool and hunt fairytales. Yet… he remembered Delay’s words, her frozen touch that pierced his whole being and gave him chills. Yet, it was not fear he felt, but worry. He had to find a way to stop the avalanche of terrible events that was about to commence. He had to prevent a war more destructive than a small concussion between Elves and humans. He had to prevent the unleashing of Chaos into the world. And that strange Wuu… was nowhere to be found.
On the other hand, finding Wuu was not his only problem. He also had to find solid arguments to convince the Thas’thali not to grant free passing to the human armies in the forbidden lands of Palinesti. And somehow, this seemed even more difficult than chasing a shadow.

to be continued...