A Spark in the Wind

Chapter 14: Reunion in Heaven

It may have been a dream, or maybe not; to Mey it made no different. As he looked on, he beheld it: a hooded figure below the fading trees, wandering amid the shadows of death till the world's end. If it was a dream, then what did it mean? If not, then who was it?

He tried to chase after it, but whenever he got close, it disappeared in a whim, as if a distant memory. The lights around him deepened and darkened, drowning the land in light or darkness, one or the other and sometimes both at once, a choir of bards following.

And so his eyes opened, awash with bright light, in what seemed to be an infirmary. Though he could not tell at first glance, he could feel the comfort of attentive eyes.

"Good morning," an aged elf greeted him, "glad to see you're still alive."

"Lord Felwin," Mey rubbed the weariness off his eyes, trying to adjust to the bright light that penetrated in from the balconies, reflecting back from the blue cobblestone walls of the building. "Where am I?"

"You are currently in the City Hospital, Ostithil."

"Hospital?" he pressed against his forehead, "what calamities fell upon us?"

"As the one who lived through it, I hoped you'd know better. All we know is what Lord Vilyánur's instructions relayed: the coordinates and orders, that's all. About a week ago we got the letter, and sent out a team of medics immediately."

"Oh," Mey stared absentmindedly at the ceiling, "was I in a bad condition?"

"So I'd say, you looked sickly pale. But fortunately for you, Lord Vilyánur had saved you by transferring a part of his essence into you, that's what kept you alive until we arrived."

A dread fear ensnared him. "And what of Vil? Is he okay?"

"Oh, yes he is, although not very healthy, but he'd never say that. When we found him, he was on the floor beside you, having suffered a massive blow to his spirit, but he wasn't hurt in any other way. He awoke two days later, and the first thing he asked is how you were."

"And how many days was I asleep for?"

"A week under our supervision, and the crude bandages you came with add an extra two days to that." Mey looked at his arm, it was dressed in white cloth, still stained by blood, but much well bound.

"Vilyánur has been very worried about you, just a couple hours ago I pried him away from here, poor boy worsened his own health looking after you. He barely slept the whole week; neither did he have any proper meals."

Mey felt a pain in his heart, what was he doing? And most importantly, what was he even thinking when he first did that?

"He loves you," Lord Felwin said, "I've seen it in his eyes, you are the only person he cares about now."

Mey lowered his eyes in shame, what he did was stupid; Vil almost killed himself to save him. What would he have done had Vil died and he lived? Could he have lived knowing his folly cost the life of his lover?

...

"You tried to kill yourself, did you not?" asked Lord Felwin.

"Uh," Mey tried to speak up but could not. "Yes, I did. I was feeling worthless."

Lord Felwin gave him a disappointing glance, "well, at least you won't do so again, right? Now that you know the price he'll have to pay for it?"

Mey covered his eyes, weeping ever so subtly. "Oh gods, I am so stupid."

"Do not blame yourself, you tried to do it for a reason, right?"

"Yes," he said, "my father said if I ever stepped out of the palace, he'd execute my frien-" it came to him what Vil's actions had resulted in, "Oh no, what am I to do now?"