To Save the World...

Chapter 15

"And she refused to enter the city?" Darvin asked, staring at the golden coin of fate in his hand. He idly flipped it between his fingers, the shield and the wheat sheaf alternately flashed at him in the firelight.

"Yes," Jez replied, sniffling.

"These... aren't the coin she'd been using on this journey," Ivorisa noted. "But, as High Priestess, it is her duty to carry these. Until." She bit her lip, unable to look at the healer. "Do you think she's..."

Jez sniffled again and began sobbing.

"She was beginning to bleed from her eyes and nose yesterday already," Darvin said quietly. He looked over at the crestfallen Ivorisa. He finished softly, "You know that's proof the infected is about to die."

"She... just wanted to see Messor Vitavi face-to-face... before the sickness took her," Jez sobbed. "She wanted to see him..."

"But we didn't find him on time," Darvin replied. "And he didn't reveal himself to us. He must have known that was what she wanted most—why wouldn't he give her that?"

"I should have tried to heal her anyway," Jez sobbed, hands over her face as her shoulders shook. "Black cloud be damned."

Ivorisa sniffled, unable to look at the bawling healer. She swallowed as she looked around the room, then asked, "Darvin. Is Tavin in the other room? Where is he? Shouldn't he... be here? He worked with her at the temple longer than all of us. Why isn't he here?"

"He left right before you two showed up. Said he had an important task to do."

Even the flies and bloated carrion birds had left with the falling of night, leaving Musara alone in the darkness. She slowly pushed herself up onto her knees and groaned, eyes closing against her tears, as another wave of pain ripped through her spine. I'm not sure how much more of this I can stand. Surely, the end must come soon. Blood coursed from her eyes, nose, and mouth, rivulets of red merging into rivers at her chin and throat, before running down into her soiled robes or dripping steadily to the dirt.

She clasped her shaking hands together, the coin of fate nestled between her palms, as she forced herself to draw in another painful, shuddering breath. One last prayer. One last question. I don't even have the strength to speak, anymore, yet I know you still hear me, Messor Vitavi. Even now. She coughed, blood splattering the ground. The dirt around her knees sopped up the moisture, bloody mud soaking into her clothes. Even now. Messor Vitavi, our life and our hope, you know I am nearly spent. You know I have but one desire left. But maybe I can't hold on anymore. Maybe... this is all too much.

The clouds broke overhead. The crescent moon blanketed everything in faint silvery light.

Messor Vitavi... am I to let go now? Give in to this disease and die? Shuddering as another wave of pain crashed through her body, she cupped her hands together and tossed the coin aloft.

A hand reached out and caught the coin.

A voice answered softly, "No."

Musara gasped, turning her face up toward the person. She squinted her bloody eyes, her vision swimming in and out of focus.

The person smiled faintly at her, face brushed in silver from the moon overhead. "Musara."

"T—" Musara gasped. Panting around the blood still leaking from her mouth, she corrected herself, "Messor Vitavi." She bowed, crumpling forward until her forehead rested in the bloody mud.

"Musara." Tavin dropped to his knees and gently placed his hands on the priestess's shoulders. "Get up, Musara. I didn't come so people could grovel at my feet." He carefully pulled her back up onto her knees. "I certainly didn't come so you would lie in the mud." He gently wiped the mud and blood from her face with the edge of his cloak.

"T—Tavin," Musara whispered. "All along?"

He smiled at her. "I promised you I'd be with you on this journey."

"Why didn't. I recognize you?"

"Because it wasn't yet time," he replied. He gently drew her closer, cradling her against his chest. "Dear, dear, Musara," he murmured. "The time is now." He wiped away her tears once more. Then, cupping her cheek with one hand, he looked deeply into her bleeding eyes. "Be healed."