by J. C. Harker
With the Ascended so close, she felt warmth spreading through her body. This was the revitalizing force that now surrounded Kaima and also the source of the flower fragrance.
“Thanks,” she said. She took a sip.
“So…” Kaima visibly was itching to ask her something, “How does it feel?” she finally blurted.
“Weird,” Tharia sighed. She struggled to find good words to describe how she felt. “It’s as if half my senses are missing—you know? Maybe like someone with just one eye, or one leg. The headache isn’t helping either. I haven’t been this tired even after a whole week of constant work in the field.” She paused. “But at the same time it feels like a weight was lifted from my chest.”
Tharia put her hand on Dru’s head and ran her fingers down the lizard’s neck. It felt strange. All her life she had a connection with this creature. Even when they were far apart, there would be that faint link binding them together, making them one. But it was gone now.
“Do you think she remembers me?”
“I think so,” Kaima said. She hesitated. “At least in some small way. I guess normally you wouldn’t survive to experience that kind of loss…”
Tharia hugged Dru, and looked at the Ascended, it was hard to take her eyes of the slightly glimmering white scales of the other woman.
“Why am I even alive? I thought this was meant to be fatal?”
“The whole killing thing is a bit barbaric, don’t you think? My sister had been spared this way, so I thought I’d pass on the favor. They suspect it’s something to do with taking the essence in one quick pull while the other one is not holding on to it.”
“They?”
“Oh, the Ascended who stumbled upon this method has spoken with the Empress.”
“She met the Mother?” Tharia interrupted, excited to hear more. She only met the Empress briefly a few times. Further generations, like Tharia and her family, spent most of their time outside the palace.
“Yes, the Mother was shocked and relieved to see there was an alternative. She had the Council look into it immediately, and they are trying to find out exactly what the necessary conditions are. There’s also the question of who gives and who gets the essence. It’s a delicate situation. Though it must be terrible for her to find out after so many years that there was another option.”
“Well, you know the story. I’m not sure she could have done it any other way considering the circumstances.” Tharia referred to the bedtime stories they were all told about how the Empress rose to power and became the Mother they all knew.
“Anyway, I’m happy to be a part of this.” Kaima said. “I sure wasn’t looking forward to having children and then waiting to see which one, if any, of my daughters survives.”
Tharia nodded, sharing Kaima’s enthusiasm, and thinking of her mother and sister. She looked into the golden eyes of the Ascended; she expected the skin around the eyes to be violet, but that would likely come with time.
“So what now?” she asked.
“I’m going home. You know the regular things: meet the family; sign all the papers. I can take you with me if you want. I’m sure they would like to study what effects the process had on you.”
Tharia thought about the offer for a minute. She looked at her hands, the runes were still there, but with the light gone they looked black, almost as though they were burned into her skin. She considered staying on the continent for a moment, but then decided against it. She would be easy prey. She couldn’t Ascend, but still, even this crippled human body had an echo of the power it used to carry. Not much use for her, but plenty of rogue mages and Ossentharians would be interested in her dead skin. Nothing would change.
“I’ll take you up on that. I’m sure my mom and sister will be happy to know I’m alive.” She was glad she had survived, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that she would carry a sense of huge loss with her until the end of her now human life.
About Uutta Toivoa
If you would like to know more about this story, the Dragons Reborn (Uutta Toivoa) series, or any of the other tales that share the same world, head over to the website: http://uuttatoivoa.com. There you will find updates about upcoming books, extras like maps and other images, as well as extended world lore.
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Other Books:
“A Dragon Scorned”—short story, http://uuttatoivoa.com/books/a-dragon-scorned
Follow Thorar and Urim – two dwarven mercenaries, as they embark on a mission to slay an ancient dragon. But when they find the mysterious island of Uutta Toivoa, they find not quite what they were expecting.
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