Magika [Completed]

Chapter 28

Cold. It was all Aldeheid could feel. Seeping through his flesh, turning his bones to ice. Above him, the sky was covered with thick grey clouds, just as dull and lifeless as the tundra they hung over. Snow fell, the flakes dancing to the symphony of perpetual wind.

He exhaled, his wheezing breath sounding like the cry of dying animal. His body had long given up on him. His muscles had become too stiff and achy to carry him any further. And so, he'd collapsed in the snow. His will was faring no better, abandoning him to the merciless tundra.

This was it. The last of Aldeheid.

"Al?" Wenry's voice was tiny and hoarse, a mere whisper on the wind. She was beside him, frost covering her body up to her shoulders. Her eyes were wide and glassy with tears. "I don't want to die. Please don't let me die."

He tried to reach for her as the frost climbed up to her neck, spreading like some kind of plague. But his hand refused to move.

Wenry whimpered as the ice crawled up to her face. "Al help... Help!"

Aldeheid jerked awake, ramming his head into the bunk above his. Pain radiated through his skull, and he swore under his breath as he rubbed at the bump.

"Having nightmares, angel eyes?" Kitaya was kneeling beside his bunk, dressed in silver and black regalia, with her lion's head pauldron gracing her shoulder. "You were sleeping so fitfully."

I can imagine. . . He grimaced and glanced pass her at their small berth. It was nicer and less cramped than the one he remembered falling asleep in. The bed he was in cushioned his body like a cloud, and his feet didn't dangle off the edge. "Where are we?"

"On a river boat." She rose and stretched, her hands nearly touching the ceiling. "We swapped vessels last night. I couldn't rouse you so I carried you over."

"Oh. . . Well... I'm uh... s-sorry for the trouble."

Kitaya tilted her head at him. "Are you alright? You're shaking."

"Yes. Don't worry it's nothing. I promise." The words came out of his mouth in a rush, and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

She scrunched her brow, not seeming convinced, but didn't push the issue further. "I put your gear in the cubbyhole. Hurry and get dressed. There are some people I want you to meet." With that, she walked out of the room, her footsteps gradually disappearing.

Aldeheid leaned his head against the wall and rubbed at his arms to warm them up. It wasn't real. Then why was he still shaking? He tossed the tangled bedding from his body and swung his legs out. The cool floor against his bare feet helped to ground him in reality.

At least Kitaya seemed to be in better spirits.

Aldeheid had watched her mood gradually brighten in the four days since they'd fought Glaciados. A boat had been sent to rescue them from the island, and he guessed they'd hit land during the sleeping hours. They'd both been quiet and solemn since then, but the closer they got to the desert, the more nervous he became.

Seeing a new place with new opportunities had been exciting enough. But anxiety surfaced when he realized he had nowhere to go after. Kitaya had already shot down the prospect of joining their cause, and the thought of returning to Etheria made him want to wretch. Perhaps he could convince the desert dwellers to let him stay, make his new home there.

Being capeless for so long had hindered his growth as a magician, despite the training from Mellidius. He needed to hone his mind and body before proving himself worthy of any cause. Kitaya had been right when she said he should focus on bettering himself.