Bloodline of a Tempest

Chapter 2

Nema reached for the animal but mage raised his hand.

'Not so fast,' Grey said. 'He is sick,' he pointed at the patch of grey fur huddled inside of a blanket. 'We don't even know what is this. Master Anima swears there are no beings like this in Atria's book of wilderness from the fourth year.' The mage gave it a thought. 'Then again, maybe we rely on our books far too much.'

Nema did not hear a single world he said. All of her thoughts were directed at the barely audible sound of breathing.

'For years I've been wondering was it only your road of misfortune that has brought you to the gates of the temple. I've witnessed how much you worked to overcome your shortcomings and when you lived as long as I have, the work sometimes proves to be worth more than an ounce of pure magic. Therefore try,' master Grey said, 'heal the beast and it will be yours.'

Only when he gestured towards the bundle, Nema realized what he was saying.

It was hard to move. She thought about this moment so many times, about the day when they'll realize this was all a mistake, the day she'll see the guilt in their eyes for all the injustices done to her. She imagined a moment when she'd heal an injured horse or save someone's arm after a nasty fall and they'd all cheer her name and smile.

Her chance was here, right in front of her, wrapped in a gray fabric.

Nema moved closer, her moves gentle when she moved the cover aside. There was nothing but more of grey fur, rising and falling with difficulty. Nema had no idea what the animal in front of her was or what might be wrong with it. But it was hers, it was hers for the saving.

She knew exactly what has to be done. Nema knew by heart every move and every chant that had to be whispered, how she had to align so the places in her body where the light resides could easily communicate. Her mind was focused and her down-turned palms were two inched above the animal's body.

Her eyes were closed and she whispered the blessings before she imagined pure white light radiating around them. She imagined all the thorn strings inside of its body being tied up back together, healing and becoming whole again; his body returning to the state of perfection it held the day it was created. She followed each of the steps from the book, taking her time to whisper the chants and kept her own breathing steady.

It took her a while to force herself to open her eyes and a bit more before she dared to look at the mage. Master Grey was standing beside her.

'I didn't want you to waste your life waiting for an opportunity to prove your worth,' he said. 'Sometimes doing your best isn't enough, Nema. You have to stop being angry at life.'

On his face now there wasn't even that pale compassion he once held for her.

Nema was now something old Grey was wrong about. And mages didn't like to be wrong.

'You'll take it away from me,' she pointed her eyes at the bundle.

Grey watched her for a long moment. 'The animal will die anyway,' he said, 'maybe this could prove to be a good lesson for you - to learn that being there for someone is still enough even if you can't help him. It is enough just to exist, Nema,' he said, 'even if there is no great purpose to that existence.'

He lifted his gaze towards the sky, watching the stars with the same distrust he had for people. 'The winter will be harsh,' he said, before he set across the meadow with his hands on his back. 

'Thank you, master!' Nema said, understanding what Grey had done for her was exactly what she envied the kids from the castle for – someone took note of her injustices and tried to make them right.