dress, with white beads and lace lining it. As I
walked across this field, gazing at its beauty, I saw Rabryn,
Ortheldo, Addredoc and Acalith in the distance, lying curled up on
the side of a small white hill. They clutched their stomachs as if
they were in great pain.
I started running to them in a panic. As I
drew closer, the white of the world gradually turned deeper and
deeper shades of grey. Just as I reached the foot of the hill, the
world became a very dark grey, almost black. The only white left
was a small light behind my four companions.
From this light I emerged—only in my
White Warrior form.
I stopped running and looked in astonishment
as White-Warrior-me held up her blade to me, almost in warning to
stay away.
Rabryn, Ortheldo and Acalith turned to
White-Warrior-me and seemed to strengthen as they reached for her.
I watched gladly as they became almost fully healed. When
she…I…bent down to take their hands, they all smiled. Before they
could take hold of her, though, the entire world went black, save
for the white light illuminating from my White Warrior form, which
shone brightly over the other four.
I suddenly felt a breeze blow around me—the
me in the dress observing this—and when I looked down at myself I
froze in horror! A black, transparent, human outline surrounded me.
I somehow knew it was Hathum, his chin resting on my right
shoulder.
I wanted to get away from him, I wanted to
run, but I was suddenly put in black, full-body armor and I was
holding a sword that was ablaze with Black Fire.
White-Warrior-me stepped out bravely in front
of my companions and took a battle stance, while they held onto
each other for dear life behind her. I was approaching, holding the
black sword high above my head. White-Warrior-me glared at me
challengingly without a trace of fear. I was attacking her . . . I
was attacking myself !
Or so I thought. Hathum made me slice the
Black Sword straight down, not hitting White-Warrior-me, but
cutting a black fiery line straight up and down in front of my
eyes. The stream of fire hung there for a second and then more
black streams burst forth from it and stretched to White-Warrior-me
and my friends. I watched, terrified as all of them were burned to
ash when the black currents of energy touched them.
Even as I awoke, my own screams of pain and
horror echoed in my mind.
“Please tell me that’s not Azrel you’re
carrying,” I heard Ortheldo plead.
“I’m afraid so. She’s gotten worse since I
found her. Where’s Addredoc?”
“Inside. Here, let me take her.”
I felt him try to slip his hands under my
back, and even that slight movement felt like a knife was jabbed
into my side. I cried out in pain without moving my jaw.
“No, don’t! She’s got some broken ribs. I
can’t move her too much.”
“Gods,” Ortheldo breathed and I felt Rabryn
carry me away.
Though my eyes wouldn’t open, I had a sense
he’d carried me into some sort of building. Then I heard everyone’s
voice at once, people asking what happened and whatnot. Rabryn
kneeled on the floor, setting me down gently.
“What’s the damage?” Addredoc’s voice asked,
sounding close.
“Broken ribs, one side of her jaw is in four
pieces, and the entire bone itself is driven backward into her
face. Her chin and nose are dust and she’s swelling rapidly. She
wasn’t nearly this bad when I found her.”
I felt Addredoc run his fingers lightly
through my hair and then he rested his hands on my cheeks. I sucked
in air and whined from the pain of his touch.
“You’re hurting her!” Ortheldo yelled.
“I’m sorry, Azrel. I have to hurt you to help
you. You’re very damaged.”
I heard myself whine but it was cut short
when I screamed in my throat, unable to open my mouth, as his
fingertips pressed hard into my cheeks. I lay in agony, screaming
as I endured the merciless force on my face. Soon though, it melted
away and I felt the gentle warm tingle of healing magic
walked across this field, gazing at its beauty, I saw Rabryn,
Ortheldo, Addredoc and Acalith in the distance, lying curled up on
the side of a small white hill. They clutched their stomachs as if
they were in great pain.
I started running to them in a panic. As I
drew closer, the white of the world gradually turned deeper and
deeper shades of grey. Just as I reached the foot of the hill, the
world became a very dark grey, almost black. The only white left
was a small light behind my four companions.
From this light I emerged—only in my
White Warrior form.
I stopped running and looked in astonishment
as White-Warrior-me held up her blade to me, almost in warning to
stay away.
Rabryn, Ortheldo and Acalith turned to
White-Warrior-me and seemed to strengthen as they reached for her.
I watched gladly as they became almost fully healed. When
she…I…bent down to take their hands, they all smiled. Before they
could take hold of her, though, the entire world went black, save
for the white light illuminating from my White Warrior form, which
shone brightly over the other four.
I suddenly felt a breeze blow around me—the
me in the dress observing this—and when I looked down at myself I
froze in horror! A black, transparent, human outline surrounded me.
I somehow knew it was Hathum, his chin resting on my right
shoulder.
I wanted to get away from him, I wanted to
run, but I was suddenly put in black, full-body armor and I was
holding a sword that was ablaze with Black Fire.
White-Warrior-me stepped out bravely in front
of my companions and took a battle stance, while they held onto
each other for dear life behind her. I was approaching, holding the
black sword high above my head. White-Warrior-me glared at me
challengingly without a trace of fear. I was attacking her . . . I
was attacking myself !
Or so I thought. Hathum made me slice the
Black Sword straight down, not hitting White-Warrior-me, but
cutting a black fiery line straight up and down in front of my
eyes. The stream of fire hung there for a second and then more
black streams burst forth from it and stretched to White-Warrior-me
and my friends. I watched, terrified as all of them were burned to
ash when the black currents of energy touched them.
Even as I awoke, my own screams of pain and
horror echoed in my mind.
“Please tell me that’s not Azrel you’re
carrying,” I heard Ortheldo plead.
“I’m afraid so. She’s gotten worse since I
found her. Where’s Addredoc?”
“Inside. Here, let me take her.”
I felt him try to slip his hands under my
back, and even that slight movement felt like a knife was jabbed
into my side. I cried out in pain without moving my jaw.
“No, don’t! She’s got some broken ribs. I
can’t move her too much.”
“Gods,” Ortheldo breathed and I felt Rabryn
carry me away.
Though my eyes wouldn’t open, I had a sense
he’d carried me into some sort of building. Then I heard everyone’s
voice at once, people asking what happened and whatnot. Rabryn
kneeled on the floor, setting me down gently.
“What’s the damage?” Addredoc’s voice asked,
sounding close.
“Broken ribs, one side of her jaw is in four
pieces, and the entire bone itself is driven backward into her
face. Her chin and nose are dust and she’s swelling rapidly. She
wasn’t nearly this bad when I found her.”
I felt Addredoc run his fingers lightly
through my hair and then he rested his hands on my cheeks. I sucked
in air and whined from the pain of his touch.
“You’re hurting her!” Ortheldo yelled.
“I’m sorry, Azrel. I have to hurt you to help
you. You’re very damaged.”
I heard myself whine but it was cut short
when I screamed in my throat, unable to open my mouth, as his
fingertips pressed hard into my cheeks. I lay in agony, screaming
as I endured the merciless force on my face. Soon though, it melted
away and I felt the gentle warm tingle of healing magic
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