RE: Breaking the world
01-09-2020, 07:28 PM
Enitan looked around. He did not have a connection to this forest like he did his homeland, but nevertheless the land and trees spoke to him faintly. He cocked his head and listened, then pointed deeper into the forest.
"Come. More hunters are on their way. We must leave here quickly."
Luka nodded and adjusted the swaddling clothes into a sling to carry the baby. The two headed off into the forest, deeper among the trees. Enitan made sure to cross several streams in order to throw off the scent. Finally, they stopped, panting, deep in the cool darkness of the woods. Enitan listened and watched, and was satisfied that they were safe. He then turned his attention back to Luka. The youth looked pale and unsteady, and Enitan remembered the bleeding wound, still oozing through their blood-stained trousers. Enitan came close, and although surprised Luka did not have the strength to pull away.
"Let me see that," he said, gesturing to the wound. Luka stared at Enitan, trying to discern his intentions, before leaning against a tree. "Do what you will."
The proud warrior knelt and used his knife to cut away the sticky cloth. He examined Luka's thigh and grimaced. It was an ugly wound, a round and jagged hole no doubt caused by the terrifying metal sticks that the cursed ones brought to the battle. He knew he couldn't treat this by normal means. Not enough time, and no herbs here to stave off the inevitable infection. He was left with no choice. He didn't think it would work, could work, but the fact that somehow one of his own kind had produced a child with one of the cursed put the seed of hope in his mind. Enitan called on his strength, the strength of the land and forest, and the knowledge of magic that every child learned, and placed his hands over the wound. His head throbbed as he felt the curse but he willed the metal ball out, the bone to heal and the flesh to knit together, and for Luka to regain some of the blood they had lost. He closed his eyes and concentrated, straining, groaning, feeling his own energy being sapped to push aside the curse, but the land compensated. The forest's life-force surged forward and into the magical bond. Then, silence.
Enitan opened his eyes and lifted his hands. It wasn't pretty, and would certainly leave a scar, but the shot had healed. Then the tiredness overcame him and his vision swam. He collapsed backwards as the world started to go dark.
"Stranger? What is happening? Stranger! Don't leave me!"
The voice grew distant as Enitan closed his eyes. Everything disappeared...
When he awoke he was in an unfamiliar place. The forest was still all around him, but the trees looked strange, different. A glow suffused them and pulsed through the air. Little motes of light floated around, settling gently on leaves and flowers. Above him, through the leaves, the sky swirled in impossible colors. And somehow, he felt a presence, though he could not see it.
"Come. More hunters are on their way. We must leave here quickly."
Luka nodded and adjusted the swaddling clothes into a sling to carry the baby. The two headed off into the forest, deeper among the trees. Enitan made sure to cross several streams in order to throw off the scent. Finally, they stopped, panting, deep in the cool darkness of the woods. Enitan listened and watched, and was satisfied that they were safe. He then turned his attention back to Luka. The youth looked pale and unsteady, and Enitan remembered the bleeding wound, still oozing through their blood-stained trousers. Enitan came close, and although surprised Luka did not have the strength to pull away.
"Let me see that," he said, gesturing to the wound. Luka stared at Enitan, trying to discern his intentions, before leaning against a tree. "Do what you will."
The proud warrior knelt and used his knife to cut away the sticky cloth. He examined Luka's thigh and grimaced. It was an ugly wound, a round and jagged hole no doubt caused by the terrifying metal sticks that the cursed ones brought to the battle. He knew he couldn't treat this by normal means. Not enough time, and no herbs here to stave off the inevitable infection. He was left with no choice. He didn't think it would work, could work, but the fact that somehow one of his own kind had produced a child with one of the cursed put the seed of hope in his mind. Enitan called on his strength, the strength of the land and forest, and the knowledge of magic that every child learned, and placed his hands over the wound. His head throbbed as he felt the curse but he willed the metal ball out, the bone to heal and the flesh to knit together, and for Luka to regain some of the blood they had lost. He closed his eyes and concentrated, straining, groaning, feeling his own energy being sapped to push aside the curse, but the land compensated. The forest's life-force surged forward and into the magical bond. Then, silence.
Enitan opened his eyes and lifted his hands. It wasn't pretty, and would certainly leave a scar, but the shot had healed. Then the tiredness overcame him and his vision swam. He collapsed backwards as the world started to go dark.
"Stranger? What is happening? Stranger! Don't leave me!"
The voice grew distant as Enitan closed his eyes. Everything disappeared...
When he awoke he was in an unfamiliar place. The forest was still all around him, but the trees looked strange, different. A glow suffused them and pulsed through the air. Little motes of light floated around, settling gently on leaves and flowers. Above him, through the leaves, the sky swirled in impossible colors. And somehow, he felt a presence, though he could not see it.
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