The light was blinding when Emalia opened her eyes, and that said a lot considering the place she and Colin were. The walls were of a paneled wood that practically begged to sag to the floor in order to relieve itself of its obligation to the aesthetics long gone. It took a bit of effort for her to sit up in the bed, but oddly enough Emalia felt completely rested. "Where are we?" she asked. Colin in that span of time had rushed the distance from the small table to the bedside.
"I know Nephesh said you would be fully recovered but I was so worried. I brought you here. I wanted to make sure you weren't disturbed."
Emalia looked around the room slowly, taking in the rogue beams that stood sentinel behind the sagging panels. They seemed to be angrily standing apart from their weak counterparts, ready to be there for eternity. "Is this your house?" Emalia asked.
"Well, no, it's not exactly. It's a place I knew a long time ago." Colin hesitated only a moment before continuing. "It's an alternate plane.. well, I suppose a demiplane to be exact. The important thing is there's only one way in and nobody but I knows where that is."
Emalia didn't know exactly what to think of the news, and she slid from the bed - the muscles in her legs stiff from her sleep. "Oh, are you hungry, you must be starving. You haven't eaten in nine days."
"No... I..." (Nine days? How could that have...) Emalia looked down to her hand. Still nestled within her fingers was a small rose- colored obelisk.
"I'm fine."
"You can thank Nephesh for that," Colin said.
"It appears to be something he would do." Emalia fastened the obelisk around her neck and looked out the window. The entire scene outside was static. Stunted trees, cloud-covered skies - it was depressing and forboding and devoid of the small things that made life pleasant. Everything seemed to be drained of life somehow, or severely lacking it. "Well, we should be going I suppose."
"Are you sure you want to rush off? After all, you just got out of bed for the first time in over a week."
"Well, outside of being a little stiff - which walking will cure - I'm fine. Nephesh did a wonderful job, even if he didn't ask me if I wanted such a thing."
"I just don't know if it's a good idea."
Emalia turned to look at Colin, her head tilted and her lips pulled into a frown. "Colin, you know what we have to do... I'm not sure why you want to stay.. I mean, I'm fine and-"
"I guess it's just that after everything that happened earlier. And now I finally feel like I got you someplace safe... I'm just reluctant to give that up."
Emalia gave in for a moment, allowing Colin to walk her through the completely silent woods to a lake that looked forgotten by time and nature. The whole area was eerie to her, as though a calm before a storm that would never come. All she could think of was leaving and starting on their trip, but it seemed no matter what she said, Colin stalled. They turned to go back to the cabin after only a short amount of time.
"Emalia... are you sure you want to go back right away?"
"I have a mission to fulfill, Colin."
"I just can't help but feel that the moment we leave there are going to be those trying to step in once again and interfere."
"Well, you are right. They are going to, and constantly too. We're doing something to change the fate of the world, if they can alter it or aid in it, they will."
"I admire you Emalia. You are so brave and convicted in the face of this adversity. If anyone will be able to make a difference in anything I think it is you."
Emalia shuffled on with a shrug. "It's just what has to be done. Balance is what I seek."
