I am nowhere safe... (seventh month, second week, fourth day)
"The stars shine with a tiny light in the cloudless sky. They twinkle peacefully, without any worries, without any problems. They only have to shine. They are free, unencumbered by anything. I wish I could become such a star someday...
We had barely arrived, looked around our rooms. We had barely finished our meal, the first such excellent one in a long time, when Riviln had to leave us. There were still a few Undead around, threatening the safety of the inhabitants of Nanaderkh'en. Shae wanted to go too, but he wasn't even allowed to leave his room. He was angry. But he didn't say anything. Riviln whispered something in his ear and left the room. I wondered when he would return, fervently hoping that nothing would happen to him. That nothing would happen to anyone...
It turned out that no one, literally no one, had any intention of tending to Shae's wounds. I don't know much about with such serious injuries, but no one bothered to even change the dressing. This didn't surprise him.
"I'll manage," he said.
But he was very weak. I saw the relief with which he lay down on the bed.
"I said I'd manage," he growled when he saw me approaching with the various supplies needed to change the dressings.
But when I started removing the bandages and washing the wounds, he didn't protest. He stared at the ceiling as if nothing was happening. Although I don't believe he felt anything. Fortunately, no infection had set in, and the wounds were starting to heal nicely. Although it would certainly take some time for them to disappear completely. One thing caught my attention. Among the wounds, I noticed something that resembled an old, very old scar, with jagged edges. Short but thick, it continued in a place near his heart. It had an odd color, not like typical scars, not even like mine. A slightly purple one. Although, looking at it more closely, I began to notice I wondered if it was really a scar, not some kind of birthmark. And suddenly, like a lightning bolt, I realized what it was. A cold shiver ran through me. Someone had once told me that a Keeper must die twice before becoming one. I hadn't known what that meant then. And no one had explained it to me either.
My hand hovered over my skin for a long time. Shae stopped observing the vault and began to look at me with interest.
"Wake-up call," he murmured.
I looked at him, at his calm, dark face. What had he gone through to get to where he was now...
"Do you really want to know?"
Unintentionally, my thoughts broke free...
"What...?"
He smiled ironically.
"You should be more in control of what you do.
" "I am, don't worry." I returned to my interrupted work, barely able to tear my gaze away from the scar.
I couldn't see, but I felt him watching my every move. With each passing second, I felt more and more uncomfortable.
"No more dressing wounds!" I screamed in my head, wondering if I'd accidentally say something out loud again. Finally, I snapped.
"Could you stop staring at me?
" "Why?
" "You're distracting me," I snapped.
He sneered again.
"Fine.
" "Not at all!" I gasped, simultaneously grateful that I was almost finished. "Sit down."
The last step proved to be the most embarrassing of all these procedures. Bandaging my chest isn't easy. More than once, the bandage slipped and fell off, and I had to start all over again. Shae was having a good laugh. I just wanted this nightmare to be over. But it finally worked. I looked at my handiwork. It could have been better. But it was still very good under these circumstances. Shae was also watching, constantly finding something he thought needed improvement. I had only one comment to make.
"Don't even annoy me..."
I'd barely finished when someone stormed into the room without knocking. It was a young elf. All scratched up, with a terrified expression. Behind him rushed two of our "bodyguards."
"Guardian, what a disaster... We need your help!"
I felt a sudden chill run through me.
"Two Undead have broken into the city. They've wounded many of the inhabitants...
" "I understand," I whispered, standing up.
Shae was already on his feet.
"You, the Dark One, are staying. You're not allowed to leave this place!"
One of the Zavierziniers had already blocked the way. Shae smiled grimly.
"A Guardian won't go anywhere alone if there are any Undead around. Especially one who can't defend herself against them. The choice is yours.
" "I'm not leaving without him," I added quickly, without thinking. I was surprised myself.
The elf who brought the bad news looked at me in disbelief.
"Idiots," the Dark One growled.
He grabbed my hand roughly, and a second later we were out of the room, heading towards the exit. The astonished faces of the Zavierziniers followed us. The young elf ran after us.
"This way! "
He pointed the way once we were outside.
"They disappeared into the forest. We don't know where they are. All the wounded are here."
I stopped abruptly. A dozen or so people were lying on the ground, with wounds both large and small, all being bandaged. It looked as if a tornado had struck. A veritable carnage. Trees were broken, and countless branches strewn across the ground. Some of the women attending to them were crying. Everyone gathered turned their gazes to me. There was immense hope and a plea in their eyes.
A dozen or so people... I remember what happened to me when I was healing only Alin.
"Can you do this?" I heard above me.
"I have to..." I whispered.
I remember the next moments as if through a fog. I knelt down beside the poor man closest to me. I placed my hands on them, and everything started happening on its own, just like before. Strange colors, undulating shapes, unnatural sounds began to surround me. Stronger, more and more. Everything lasted seconds, ending as suddenly as it had begun. Until I approached another person, and another. I remember at one point I had trouble standing up. Someone helped me. I don't remember who. During one of the healing sessions, I felt a nausea that wouldn't subside but intensified. The world spun around me faster and faster. I felt trapped in a glass trap. The sounds of reality reached me with delay, distorted, unreal. I had had enough. I couldn't even figure out who else needed my help. Half-conscious, I knelt down next to the next person, placed my hands, and... nothing. Silence, emptiness. Something strange. At first, I thought I couldn't bear it any longer, that my body was starting to protest. But then again, I had a feeling this wasn't it. A strong, deep bass tore through the glass walls.
"The Guardian has come personally to heal me. How kind."
His eyes were unnatural. They glowed red... The next moment, I was lying on the ground, feeling a radiating pain radiating from my stomach. I don't remember the moment of the blow. I could barely move, or even try to stand. Another blow snapped me out of my stupor. At least partially... It was just me and him. No one else. Behind me, the forest and three other wounded men for whom help had come too late. They rose, slowly and heavily. They approached the one who had attacked me. They were young boys, not even warriors. They had become monsters. And I was alone...
Where is Shae when I need him? Where is anyone?! This place was a long way from the nearest house or building. How could I have gotten here, and why wasn't Shae watching over me? Maybe he was attacked too... He's injured, not at full strength. He might not be able to cope, and Riviln is far from here.
It's funny what I was thinking then, at a moment when my very existence was in danger.
"Run!" I screamed to myself.
I jumped up as fast as I could. I immediately felt I wouldn't be able to run for long. They didn't hesitate either. With wild laughter, they gave chase. I was so weak... They quickly caught up with me. I landed on the ground again, taking another blow to the stomach. Why are these things happening to me, and here, where I'm supposed to be safe? That's what they told me. I was supposed to be safe here...
"You're nowhere."
All three of them stood over me like an executioner over a victim. They watched curiously.
"Can we play with it?
" "No. Kill it right away.
" One of them's hands instantly transformed into a long, thin blade. And it was already heading my way.
"Idiot! Where are you aiming? At the heart? You won't kill her like that, you'll only bring one of the Guardians here.
He was the one who attacked me first. He knew how to kill me...
" "Just chop off the head!" he shouted triumphantly.
His words rang in my head, echoing hollowly. I only had my dagger with me. I drew it defensively. They just laughed... What could I do to them with it? Nothing... Only a fighter has a chance of defeating these beasts, and they didn't know where I was. And they most likely didn't know I was in danger either! A stupid little Guardian, who could theoretically defeat a Demon, can't defend herself against the Changed... To let herself be attacked like that..."
I looked at the dagger again, then at them. They weren't in any hurry to carry out the sentence. They were rejoicing, triumphant.
A deep breath, a quick movement. Pale steel flashed briefly in a single ray of sunlight that broke through the foliage. A short scream. The three Changed Ones stared at me in disbelief. The dagger sank almost halfway down. Into my thigh. Into my thigh. Single rivulets of blood began to stain the fabric of my trousers. And now a fervent prayer that one of Them would be close enough.
"I'm so stupid," I thought, feeling my entire leg begin to go numb with waves of throbbing pain. "I won't run anywhere now..."
Consciousness was fading away. I felt myself drifting away. It didn't matter to me how it ended. I was losing consciousness. Suddenly, a wonderful, warm light flared. The notes of the beautiful melody of the words floated in the air. And the feeling came that I was finally safe.
It reminded me of something. A similar situation. And the same scent, of the same person, this time mixed with the scent of medicinal herbs. And two voices. One familiar, the other delicate, feminine.
"She stabbed herself in the head...
" "It's all right now..."
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