Magika [Completed]

Chapter 35

"Do something!"

"I'm trying... Damn it all, he's still not breathing."

The voices, laced with frustration, were hollow and thin, like they'd travelled a great distance to reach Aldeheid's ear. Behind them was the incessant chanting of a dozen voices. He lay suspended in a quagmire of nothingness, too tired to even blink. So tired... If he could rest his eyes for a moment—

"I need all available hands over here right now! Aldeheid can you hear me?"

I can hear you just fine. His lips hadn't moved, but he'd heard his voice loud and clear as it echoed into the darkness. He tried moving his limbs to no avail. The stillness, the dark, the fatigue, it was all too familiar to him.

His head lulled involuntarily to one side and he caught a swath of wavy dark hair. Of course...

Death floated into his line of vision, the pale serenity of her features lit up by an inward glow. Her flowing black dress wafted around and melded with the darkness like an apparition. She wasn't smiling this time. A distinct wrinkle marred her brow and the corners of her mouth were turned down. The dragon on her shoulder wore a similar, melancholic expression, its blue eyes not as bright as Aldeheid remembered.

Aldeheid wished he could scowl. If it's any consolation, I'm not happy to see you either.

Her frown deepened into an expression that was almost sorrowful.

Ah, so you can hear me. Good. Are you here to take me this time? Or only to taunt me?

She winced as though he'd struck her. "No, I'm not." The falsetto of her voice carried a slight quiver. "You need to breathe Aldeheid."

You need to leave me be, he scoffed.

Death floated closer and thumped him on the chest with a fist, forcing him to inhale sharply.

A burning sensation radiated through his chest as though he'd inhaled fire. Good gods, woman.

"Again." She struck him harder, and the dark world around them shattered like a glass pane, the shadowy shards raining down.

The black expanse was replaced by a few faces hovering over him. The fire spread from his lungs, through his body and into his limbs. He would've cried out in pain, but his throat was burning too. Every inhale was an agonizing struggle, and his body was twitching from the onslaught of pain.

"He's up." The flurry of activity the followed that announcement was lost on Aldeheid. His mind and body knew only pain. Its haze blurred his vision and made his breath hitch.

Eventually, by some miracle, the pain subsided into a dull throb and he fell into the sweet, black bliss of oblivion once more. But the spate of rest felt miserably short as he was dragged into semi-consciousness once more.

"I understand now." A voice reached him through the abyss, sounding as though there were many walls between him and whoever was talking.

He latched on to the sound like and escape rope, using it to drag himself from the darkness. Soon he became aware of his own body, lying flat on a soft surface. The voices faded into the background as he tested out his limbs. Everything seemed to be in working order, yet he still couldn't open his eyes.

"Let me talk to him first." Kitaya said.

Kitaya... she's okay. Relief washed over him like a refreshing wave, and his heart did a little dance in his chest. He took in a shuddering breath and fought with his body until he was able to open his eyes. A domed roof loomed high over his head, the mosaic on its surface lit up by flickering torch light.