that showed her battles and sacrifices. Those spanned from her buttocks to her nape and around and across her chest. There were more scars on her than even Inlojem could boast of, and he knew in that moment that she was more hardened than any in this party, himself included. She was a testament to the section of the Oolyay that honors torment, most likely a trusted ranger of these lands; but from what settlement?
Her eyes opened occasionally as the two soldiers stitched her wounds together. She allowed no hint of anguish in her waking moments, gritting her teeth and silently boring holes through Inlojem with her widened, hurting eyes. Finally, once the blood was wiped from her body and she lay covered in medical patches, she lost consciousness and lay quiet. Teftek and Aljefta wrapped a blanket around her and left their own tent respectfully. Inlojem sat with her cloak on his lap for the rest of the night. The soldiers scattered off to their tents as Teftek barked at them from outside, and only two soldiers remained, keeping guard over the small tent village amongst the rubble of a forgotten town.
Iogi crawled inside and sat across from Inlojem, cradling the hand of the young female. After a while, her body began to spasm slightly, and whispers evacuated her lips, tainting the quiet air with visions of her past. The plague had come into her and now it was only a matter of time. Inlojem knew to let this first bout last for as long as possible before giving her Ytiri herb. After the first dosage, hallucinations would onset for an hour, and then consciousness would remain for a day. The following bouts of consciousness would become less and less, until after a month, there was no salvation from the disease - the convulsions would overwhelm her and she would be released back into The Void.
That will be long enough, he thought, long enough to last until the end of the world.
IV
The morning came without great apprehension or bloodshed, but rose up and turned the abyss into gray fog cradling a cloud of stale white light. The fog crept around the tents and made them seem like ships adrift in a vast ocean. Inlojem kept watch over the young Vesh as she murmured in her sleep and showed the first convulsions. He pressed himself to wait longer, until she began to shudder uncontrollably. Her eyes opened and she gasped, glaring at him with fear and torment, and Inlojem decided that it was finally time to feed her the Ytiri herb; The Prophecy. He took a mortar and pestle from his small carry pouch, and ground up the herb in it, until the juice ran from it and gathered in the attached vial. He removed the finger-sized depository with an extraction tube and tilted her jaw up, holding her writhing body still as he poured the liquid down her throat.
Slowly the movement went out of her and her body gradually eased into a sense of calm, but her eyes remained open, and for a moment she gained enough consciousness to look upon Inlojem.
“Stay with me- st-stay with me, Necrologist. I will ha-have your re-reward,” she sputtered. Inlojem brushed his weathered hand across her forehead and through her short orange wiry hair.
“What is your name, young one?” Inlojem asked her.
“I…Iquay. I am called The Stalker, Iquay,” she replied.
“Release your fear, Iquay. Allow The Prophecy to enter you,” Inlojem whispered. “I am your caretaker, now until the very end.” Her eyes widened even larger, until they bulged from her head and she gripped Inlojem intensely. Then, her eyes glazed over and she stared upward, seeming to feel some force consume her. She let go of his arm as her body deflated into a sudden calm. After a moment, Inlojem moved his hand in front of her nose, the warm air assuring him that she still lived in his care.
* * *
Teftek muddled with an old battery-powered listener, adjusting the antenna this way and that to play with the channels, sifting through static. Aljefta glanced up at him occasionally, peeling
Her eyes opened occasionally as the two soldiers stitched her wounds together. She allowed no hint of anguish in her waking moments, gritting her teeth and silently boring holes through Inlojem with her widened, hurting eyes. Finally, once the blood was wiped from her body and she lay covered in medical patches, she lost consciousness and lay quiet. Teftek and Aljefta wrapped a blanket around her and left their own tent respectfully. Inlojem sat with her cloak on his lap for the rest of the night. The soldiers scattered off to their tents as Teftek barked at them from outside, and only two soldiers remained, keeping guard over the small tent village amongst the rubble of a forgotten town.
Iogi crawled inside and sat across from Inlojem, cradling the hand of the young female. After a while, her body began to spasm slightly, and whispers evacuated her lips, tainting the quiet air with visions of her past. The plague had come into her and now it was only a matter of time. Inlojem knew to let this first bout last for as long as possible before giving her Ytiri herb. After the first dosage, hallucinations would onset for an hour, and then consciousness would remain for a day. The following bouts of consciousness would become less and less, until after a month, there was no salvation from the disease - the convulsions would overwhelm her and she would be released back into The Void.
That will be long enough, he thought, long enough to last until the end of the world.
IV
The morning came without great apprehension or bloodshed, but rose up and turned the abyss into gray fog cradling a cloud of stale white light. The fog crept around the tents and made them seem like ships adrift in a vast ocean. Inlojem kept watch over the young Vesh as she murmured in her sleep and showed the first convulsions. He pressed himself to wait longer, until she began to shudder uncontrollably. Her eyes opened and she gasped, glaring at him with fear and torment, and Inlojem decided that it was finally time to feed her the Ytiri herb; The Prophecy. He took a mortar and pestle from his small carry pouch, and ground up the herb in it, until the juice ran from it and gathered in the attached vial. He removed the finger-sized depository with an extraction tube and tilted her jaw up, holding her writhing body still as he poured the liquid down her throat.
Slowly the movement went out of her and her body gradually eased into a sense of calm, but her eyes remained open, and for a moment she gained enough consciousness to look upon Inlojem.
“Stay with me- st-stay with me, Necrologist. I will ha-have your re-reward,” she sputtered. Inlojem brushed his weathered hand across her forehead and through her short orange wiry hair.
“What is your name, young one?” Inlojem asked her.
“I…Iquay. I am called The Stalker, Iquay,” she replied.
“Release your fear, Iquay. Allow The Prophecy to enter you,” Inlojem whispered. “I am your caretaker, now until the very end.” Her eyes widened even larger, until they bulged from her head and she gripped Inlojem intensely. Then, her eyes glazed over and she stared upward, seeming to feel some force consume her. She let go of his arm as her body deflated into a sudden calm. After a moment, Inlojem moved his hand in front of her nose, the warm air assuring him that she still lived in his care.
* * *
Teftek muddled with an old battery-powered listener, adjusting the antenna this way and that to play with the channels, sifting through static. Aljefta glanced up at him occasionally, peeling
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