Journey of an Einherji - The Sword of Summer

The Price of Magic

As Loki promised, I woke up and a fish slapped my face.

I was laying face down on a rocky beach, a fish was... jumping? Splashing? Slapping me? Yeah, that one was for sure. The fish was trying to get back to the water, in doing so it was hitting my face with its tail.

I sat upright, groaning and rubbing my face. The fish, apparently happy with its revenge, managed to jump into the water.

My muscles ached as if I had spent an entire afternoon at the gym. My mouth was dry like cardboard and tasted like cheap paper. A feeling started to rise in my stomach... No, something from my stomach wanted to come out. 

I turned to the river and started vomiting.

"Bruno!"

A hand rested on my back. A warm feeling spread through my body, like the sun of summer. The feeling was stronger in my stomach, as if the rays of the sun had enveloped my body. The nausea faded away.

Once I was done coughing, I cleaned my mouth with the back of my hand. 

"You're fine. I'm going to heal Sam and Hearth." - the voice said, which now I recognized it as Magnus's.

I leaned on my shoulders, in a half-sitting-half-lying-down position. I saw Magnus with one hand on Sam's neck and the other on Hearth's neck. A goat with horns that curved outward like the top half of an hourglass, sticker burrs matted his shaggy brown fur.

"Oh, you're not dead." - the goat said.

A talking goat? Things couldn't get weirder.

I was wrong. Well, partially.

The sound of vomit splashing the ground brought my attention back to my friends. Sam was curled sideways and vomiting. Hearth was still with his eyes closed, though I could see his chest moving at the rythm of his breathing. And Magnus... well, Magnus was glowing.

I am not joking, I'm not being metaphorically, or rethorically, or any other fancy way. 

Magnus was glowing like he had been bathed in a yellowish light. His entire body glowed, though his hands seemed to be brighter. It was the same warm buttery aura from Folkvanger.

He didn't even seemed to notice. Magnus was focused on Hearth, who's eyes flew open.

Hearth stared at him, confused. Then he pointed at his face and gestured weakly. I assumed he made the sign for light.

"What do you mean?" - Magnus asked.

"Magnus, you are glowing." - I stated - "Why?"

Magnus looked at his hands. The light started to fade.

"Apparently, if I heal too much at once, I glow." - he said.

"Well, thanks for healing us." - Sam winced - "But try not to self-combust. How is Hearth?"

"How are you feeling, buddy?" - Magnus helped Hearth sit up.

He made a circle with his thumb and middle finger, then clicked it upward, the sign for terrible.

Magnus looked at him, deep in the eyes. He seemed to be trying to say something.

"Hearth..." - Magnus started - "When I healed you, I-"

Hearth put his hands over Magnus's, the sign language version of silence. Or hush, I'm not too sure.

Magnus's eyes opened in surprise. I don't know what kind of silent conversation they had between them, but it left Magnus startled.

Yeah, I know. Silent conversation with a deaf elf. 

I'm the master of jokes.

Gingerly, I sat up properly. Sam was looking down, swaying a little.