Emalia sat with Sandorin, still begging. After a few moments, he relented. "The best I can do is force him to speak the truth. He still doesn't use magic, right?"
This question, directed to her as though Colin were nothing but cattle - or not even there, disturbed Emalia. She looked up to Sandorin. "Why not ask him?"
"Because I don't trust him."
Emalia rose from the pew with a new realization. All this time, she hadn't trusted Colin either. She realized finally that she had never honestly given him a chance - always seeing him as somehow second rate, or substandard. The thought made her feel very guilty and deeply ashamed of herself. She walked to her Uncle and looked into his eyes, shaking her head a little. "I trust him." She turned then to Colin. "I'm sorry."
"No need. I expected it."
"I'm so sorry I did this to you. I... you've proven to me how much you really do want all of this... so... let's just go."
Something in the exchange seemed to mark a change in Sandorin as well. His hand landed on Emalia's shoulder with a new gentleness. "No, don't."
With Colin's agreement, and a few words of understanding, Sandorin placed a hand upon Colin's head and incanted a spell. Colin's face became rather blank as Sandorin asked his first question. "Have your goals truly changed from when you were known as Visha?"
"Yes," Colin answered without hesitation.
"What is your aim with Emalia?"
"To be with her for the rest of our lives, to have a family with her, to protect her on her journey."
Emalia didn't notice the look of incomprehension upon her Uncle's face at the answers. Her face had pulled into a smile and her frigidity toward Colin found itself fast melting. He -had- been telling her the truth the entire time. While this compounded her horrid feeling of guilt, it also allowed her to see Colin in a way she never had. As she was digesting this, the voice of her Uncle floated into her mind. "Wait, journey?"
Emalia briefly told Sandorin of the trip she intended to take, though none of what she intended to do once she was there. "You've been talking to one of those Jihad people haven't you? You're not the first person I've heard say they were going ot go off and find some place after talking to one of them. They sure do tend to get people worked up."
"We should just finish the questioning, don't you think?" Emalia asked, attempting to avoid any form of argument with her Uncle since she had just gotten him onto their side. "Colin... is any part of Visha still within you?"
"Yes."
"What part?" Sandorin asked with a scowl.
"All. I am Visha."
Emalia's heart dropped a bit. "Do you still seek power and control?"
"I seek strength enough to protect you. I wish I had control enough to keep you with me."
"What do you mean, keep me with you?" Emalia asked, her worry getting the better of her.
"I have doubt the conviction of your love and feel that I could easily lose you."
Emalia found herself stunned into a momentary silence. If the guilt she felt could have been made into a living being, it would have been heckling her now. She thought back quickly over her past with him, and discovered that she had been much more than obvious with her feelings. She had one final question which would decide for her whether she could continue on knowing Colin was Visha and Visha was Colin. "Have you truly no desire to return to what you once were?"
"No. I have only desire to keep what I have and make it stronger."
Emalia turned to Sandorin, unable to harbor the entire load of blame she was placing upon herself. "Uncle Sandorin... is this sufficient for you? Do you believe him now?"
"As hard as i find it I must believe him," he replied, shaking his head.
"I cannot explain it, perhaps some interaction of the energies and becoming alive..."
"Uncle Sandorin... I have something to ask of you." Emalia had her answers. She knew the truth. Sandorin as well, heard and knew the truth and was apparently so distracted by it he continued talking to himself until interrupted by Emalia's question. She had given her word to Colin, and she intended to keep it. They needed no clergy, nor Gods. Emalia only felt the need for a single witness, in a chapel, to see to the exhange of vows.
Though Sandorin advocated the idea of a proper wedding with clan, family, and friends - Emalia knew such a thing was merely a delay. No more time could be spent, outside of a single obligitory night to the private celebration of marriage. Colin gripped her hands as if he thought she might flee - not that Emalia blamed him with her past record of behavior. None of that mattered now as when they left the chapel on the Estate, it was as Mr. and Mrs. Stone.
Uncle Sandorin
"I don't think we should go on this journey yet," Emalia blurted out. "I think we should visit my uncle and make sure you're going to be... ok."
"Emalia. I'm fine."
"Colin... this is serious. There is the potential for something to go wrong... and you don't know what might or might not set it off. You weren't supposed to actually be alive... no offense. We go to my uncle." Emalia got up and walked to her chocobo. She looked back, noticing that Colin was absolutely not moving.
"I just want to get past all that. i don't want to keep going back and revisiting it. I'm a different person now and I just want to let it be that way."
"Colin," Emalia said with a measure of hesitation. She knew what needed to be done to get him to come. She knew she would have to make certain that he was who he claimed and she knew what would get him to move. "if you come back with me to my uncle, I will marry you as soon as we leave his company. We'll find someone to do the ceremony for us and you will have me completely. But we have to know. We have to be absolutely certain."
"And what if he tells you not to be with me? That I'm too dangerous? He doesn't know me, not the person I am now."
"You have my word - regardless of what he says."
Emalia stretched her mind out to speak to Sandorin. Eventually she made contact with her uncle. A faint tendril of his thoughts struck a chord with hers, and after assuring him of everything being fine, the agreed to meet at her mother's estates. They walked into the small chapel and waited for Sandorin to appear. At the sound of his footsteps, Emalia rushed to him, wrapping him in an embrace. "I have to ask you something."
Sandorin looked over, seeing Colin. "Who's that?"
"Uncle Sandorin," Emalia said, taking his hands in hers to get his attention focused upon her. "That is my fiance and he needs your help."
"Fiance? Well... well congratulation child. I had no idea."
"I'm with child as well." Emalia continued with her tactic. The more her Uncle understood how much Colin was in her life, how much he meant to her, the less likely he would refuse. After all, the fiance and father-to-be to her child...
"A baby too! My goodness. Have I been gone that long?"
The two passed other general information and formalities, before Emalia looked up at Sandorin. "Please, whatever you do, trust in me. Please. Trust me."
Emalia wanted to cringe as the familiar grey eyes from her childhood looked at her with scrutiny. "Emalia... what is going on?"
"You must believe me when I say I love this man and I know he is a good man... a changed man. He's been nothing but good to me, and protective, and faithful... he is a guardian as well." Emalia's mouth began to go dry. "Colin... could you please come over here?"
"No. Emalia... you don't know who this man is."
"I do know... he has told me. And... he is alive now..."
"Alive. No. The spell would not hold. Emalia, this is not a man for you."
Emalia begged Sandorin for help, just to take a moment to look within Colin to be certain that Visha would, indeed, be kept inside. "Help him?" Sandorin nearly barked. "The only way I knew how to 'help him' was to trap him in this body where he couldn't hurt anyone. Now I see how well that worked."
"But don't you understand, he hasn't hurt anyone... at all. He's never been close to doing that... ever."
Colin stood by quetly watching from Emalia's side. He had said little, but Emalia could see from his face the pain and irritation the scrutiny was causing. Sandorin neared Colin, looking into the larger man's face.
"Just what are you up to. Could you have fooled all of them?"
"I'm not up to anything Sandorin. What Emalia tells you is the truth. This is me now. Listen to your niece. Please."
Emalia watched as her Uncle sat in one of the pews, his head in his hands. She felt badly for him, but knew as Colin had mentioned before - the only Colin he knew, was a very bad one - a spirit trapped in a body for eternity unable to harm anyone - and she had released him.
"Emalia. I'm fine."
"Colin... this is serious. There is the potential for something to go wrong... and you don't know what might or might not set it off. You weren't supposed to actually be alive... no offense. We go to my uncle." Emalia got up and walked to her chocobo. She looked back, noticing that Colin was absolutely not moving.
"I just want to get past all that. i don't want to keep going back and revisiting it. I'm a different person now and I just want to let it be that way."
"Colin," Emalia said with a measure of hesitation. She knew what needed to be done to get him to come. She knew she would have to make certain that he was who he claimed and she knew what would get him to move. "if you come back with me to my uncle, I will marry you as soon as we leave his company. We'll find someone to do the ceremony for us and you will have me completely. But we have to know. We have to be absolutely certain."
"And what if he tells you not to be with me? That I'm too dangerous? He doesn't know me, not the person I am now."
"You have my word - regardless of what he says."
Emalia stretched her mind out to speak to Sandorin. Eventually she made contact with her uncle. A faint tendril of his thoughts struck a chord with hers, and after assuring him of everything being fine, the agreed to meet at her mother's estates. They walked into the small chapel and waited for Sandorin to appear. At the sound of his footsteps, Emalia rushed to him, wrapping him in an embrace. "I have to ask you something."
Sandorin looked over, seeing Colin. "Who's that?"
"Uncle Sandorin," Emalia said, taking his hands in hers to get his attention focused upon her. "That is my fiance and he needs your help."
"Fiance? Well... well congratulation child. I had no idea."
"I'm with child as well." Emalia continued with her tactic. The more her Uncle understood how much Colin was in her life, how much he meant to her, the less likely he would refuse. After all, the fiance and father-to-be to her child...
"A baby too! My goodness. Have I been gone that long?"
The two passed other general information and formalities, before Emalia looked up at Sandorin. "Please, whatever you do, trust in me. Please. Trust me."
Emalia wanted to cringe as the familiar grey eyes from her childhood looked at her with scrutiny. "Emalia... what is going on?"
"You must believe me when I say I love this man and I know he is a good man... a changed man. He's been nothing but good to me, and protective, and faithful... he is a guardian as well." Emalia's mouth began to go dry. "Colin... could you please come over here?"
"No. Emalia... you don't know who this man is."
"I do know... he has told me. And... he is alive now..."
"Alive. No. The spell would not hold. Emalia, this is not a man for you."
Emalia begged Sandorin for help, just to take a moment to look within Colin to be certain that Visha would, indeed, be kept inside. "Help him?" Sandorin nearly barked. "The only way I knew how to 'help him' was to trap him in this body where he couldn't hurt anyone. Now I see how well that worked."
"But don't you understand, he hasn't hurt anyone... at all. He's never been close to doing that... ever."
Colin stood by quetly watching from Emalia's side. He had said little, but Emalia could see from his face the pain and irritation the scrutiny was causing. Sandorin neared Colin, looking into the larger man's face.
"Just what are you up to. Could you have fooled all of them?"
"I'm not up to anything Sandorin. What Emalia tells you is the truth. This is me now. Listen to your niece. Please."
Emalia watched as her Uncle sat in one of the pews, his head in his hands. She felt badly for him, but knew as Colin had mentioned before - the only Colin he knew, was a very bad one - a spirit trapped in a body for eternity unable to harm anyone - and she had released him.
Wool removed
Colin and Emalia walked in silence to the stables in Westbridge. They would not return to the cottage, since Colin had the foresight to bring along all their provisions. They were to buy a couple chocobos and head to the mountains. She could barely contain her malicious laughter at Colin when he fell off of his bird. Part of her felt terrible for this, but the other half of her felt justified, as if he deserved it - this little petty unplanned revenge.
They both rode north until the base of the mountains and paused for Colin to take a drink from his canteen. The birds were still fresh, as was Emalia, but she wasn't wanting another argument, and so when he made the request, she gave in and walked to a nearby group of trees for shade.
The silence seemed to have the effect Emalia had hoped for. Colin stared at his canteen as he spoke. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything. Who you were, what you did, what you taught my uncle, why my mother thought you so dangerous..."
"I went by the name Visha. What i did... I was driven by power, control. I sought it out everywhere, to all ends. And I found there is great strength in the darker magics. Not only was the magic strong, but it inspired fear, respect, control. All things which made it even more desirable. That was how your uncle came to me. He has his own reasons for wanting power. For him he wanted to be able to protect those dear to him. He wanted me to teach him the ways of magic that others would not. And so I did."
Emalia sat there, stunned as Colin went through his story. It was one thing hearing this foreign name that Colin used to refer to himself from before, but hearing that her Uncle went to him to learn such things was quite hard for her to comprehend.
Colin continued to discuss how he had come into the body she knew. "Your uncle helped me to make this, it was his last act of working with me and was going to repay me for all I had taught him. When the process was complete I found two things, though. I was still without magic, and I was different. My lust for power and control was held in check. That was your uncle's doing. He made it so that while my spirit was contained within my new body those things were held in check."
The revelation left Emalia speechless for a moment. She had inadvertently freed a man from a prison by giving him life. "So... they're held in check... but... by what now? I... I mean... y... you are alive."
"That's the beautiful thing. It's not anymore. I have you to thank for so much Emalia. Not only have you shown me love and you have made me truly alive again but through the actions of your uncle and being with you that part of me is gone for good. It's not held in check, it's just not there."
Emalia looked over at Colin, her eyes skeptical and her mind spinning. Just not there? But he had memories of this old life, and it also brought to her mind the questions - what if something happened to her? What if something happened to Brin? What would come out of Colin if anything were to happen...
They both rode north until the base of the mountains and paused for Colin to take a drink from his canteen. The birds were still fresh, as was Emalia, but she wasn't wanting another argument, and so when he made the request, she gave in and walked to a nearby group of trees for shade.
The silence seemed to have the effect Emalia had hoped for. Colin stared at his canteen as he spoke. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything. Who you were, what you did, what you taught my uncle, why my mother thought you so dangerous..."
"I went by the name Visha. What i did... I was driven by power, control. I sought it out everywhere, to all ends. And I found there is great strength in the darker magics. Not only was the magic strong, but it inspired fear, respect, control. All things which made it even more desirable. That was how your uncle came to me. He has his own reasons for wanting power. For him he wanted to be able to protect those dear to him. He wanted me to teach him the ways of magic that others would not. And so I did."
Emalia sat there, stunned as Colin went through his story. It was one thing hearing this foreign name that Colin used to refer to himself from before, but hearing that her Uncle went to him to learn such things was quite hard for her to comprehend.
Colin continued to discuss how he had come into the body she knew. "Your uncle helped me to make this, it was his last act of working with me and was going to repay me for all I had taught him. When the process was complete I found two things, though. I was still without magic, and I was different. My lust for power and control was held in check. That was your uncle's doing. He made it so that while my spirit was contained within my new body those things were held in check."
The revelation left Emalia speechless for a moment. She had inadvertently freed a man from a prison by giving him life. "So... they're held in check... but... by what now? I... I mean... y... you are alive."
"That's the beautiful thing. It's not anymore. I have you to thank for so much Emalia. Not only have you shown me love and you have made me truly alive again but through the actions of your uncle and being with you that part of me is gone for good. It's not held in check, it's just not there."
Emalia looked over at Colin, her eyes skeptical and her mind spinning. Just not there? But he had memories of this old life, and it also brought to her mind the questions - what if something happened to her? What if something happened to Brin? What would come out of Colin if anything were to happen...
Airship Of the Past
Emalia followed Colin closely through the stunted forest, taking note again at just how lifeless everything seemed. The whole place again reminded her of absolute death, but even in death, there was a sense of motion through the act of decay. This was nothing more than the stillness spawned of sick stagnation.
At the top of a small rise, Colin pulled back a few bushes to expose a darkness beyond that Emalia wouldn't have imagined could exist. It was the rift itself and before she could go further, Colin turned to her with a grave face. "This can be very dangerous."
"I don't know that it can be any less dangerous than everything else we've done," Emalia answered, determined not to be treated like a child.
"This demiplane contains many locations and you can easily find yourself in any one of them. I know exactly where we need to go, however, you do not." Colin reached into his pack, pulling forth a long strip of cotton.
"You must wear a blindfold."
"What?"
"Emalia it is the only way to make sure you stay with me and do not accidentally end up somewhere else. Please, you have to trust me."
'Unbelievable,' Emalia thought. 'He must think I'm just a stupid fool.'
"I'll be fine, Colin. Besides, blinding me doesn't lend itself to my not getting lost, you know. I'll just hold your hand, that way I can see you at least if something goes wrong... which I doubt."
"No, you don't understand. The way this works, just by thinking about a place you see too hard can make you end up there," Colin said, shaking his head emphatically.
Emalia had nothing more to say, nothing else to argue. As Colin made it clear, she could abide by his desires, or they could stay. While he spoke it not as a threat, Emalia felt it was one in the same. Clutched against his chest, his hand over her ear to prevent her from even hearing, Emalia felt the squeezing of the rift upon her, once as they entered, once as they exited.
Colin lifted her blindfold and Emalia found herself in the black cockpit of an airship. A throne made of bone gleamed against the darkness, the very walls were so smooth, yet so black - almost as if they were made of the rift itself - solidified. "Who's ship is this?" Emalia asked almost in a trance.
"It is one that I purchased long ago. Emalia, don't we have somewhere to go? There's no need to stay around here."
Still, Emalia walked along the walls, touching the darkness and being amazed that she wasn't absorbed right into it. "Emalia, please, let's go," Colin pleaded.
Before she could go any farther, Colin gripped her arm and spun her to face him. "Emalia, come on, let's go. There's nothing of use here. It's old and best forgotten."
"Is this part of your past?"
"Please. Let's just let it stay that way. We have a journey to take, right?"
Emalia jerked her arm from Colin, irritated and insulted at his insistance that she let things drop. This man wanted her to marry him, to devote her life to him, and he wouldn't open up fully as to who he was? "What is it that you want so badly to hide from me? Don't I have a right to know you?"
Still, Colin refused her, and Emalia shook her head in consternation. She did the only thing she could think to do - allow him to keep his secrets and allow herself to steer clear of anything to do with being the love in his life.
At the top of a small rise, Colin pulled back a few bushes to expose a darkness beyond that Emalia wouldn't have imagined could exist. It was the rift itself and before she could go further, Colin turned to her with a grave face. "This can be very dangerous."
"I don't know that it can be any less dangerous than everything else we've done," Emalia answered, determined not to be treated like a child.
"This demiplane contains many locations and you can easily find yourself in any one of them. I know exactly where we need to go, however, you do not." Colin reached into his pack, pulling forth a long strip of cotton.
"You must wear a blindfold."
"What?"
"Emalia it is the only way to make sure you stay with me and do not accidentally end up somewhere else. Please, you have to trust me."
'Unbelievable,' Emalia thought. 'He must think I'm just a stupid fool.'
"I'll be fine, Colin. Besides, blinding me doesn't lend itself to my not getting lost, you know. I'll just hold your hand, that way I can see you at least if something goes wrong... which I doubt."
"No, you don't understand. The way this works, just by thinking about a place you see too hard can make you end up there," Colin said, shaking his head emphatically.
Emalia had nothing more to say, nothing else to argue. As Colin made it clear, she could abide by his desires, or they could stay. While he spoke it not as a threat, Emalia felt it was one in the same. Clutched against his chest, his hand over her ear to prevent her from even hearing, Emalia felt the squeezing of the rift upon her, once as they entered, once as they exited.
Colin lifted her blindfold and Emalia found herself in the black cockpit of an airship. A throne made of bone gleamed against the darkness, the very walls were so smooth, yet so black - almost as if they were made of the rift itself - solidified. "Who's ship is this?" Emalia asked almost in a trance.
"It is one that I purchased long ago. Emalia, don't we have somewhere to go? There's no need to stay around here."
Still, Emalia walked along the walls, touching the darkness and being amazed that she wasn't absorbed right into it. "Emalia, please, let's go," Colin pleaded.
Before she could go any farther, Colin gripped her arm and spun her to face him. "Emalia, come on, let's go. There's nothing of use here. It's old and best forgotten."
"Is this part of your past?"
"Please. Let's just let it stay that way. We have a journey to take, right?"
Emalia jerked her arm from Colin, irritated and insulted at his insistance that she let things drop. This man wanted her to marry him, to devote her life to him, and he wouldn't open up fully as to who he was? "What is it that you want so badly to hide from me? Don't I have a right to know you?"
Still, Colin refused her, and Emalia shook her head in consternation. She did the only thing she could think to do - allow him to keep his secrets and allow herself to steer clear of anything to do with being the love in his life.
Trapped in A Rift
Emalia again stared up at the ceiling of the cabin in the woods. She had spent the night in the demiplane, having given in to Colin's cajoling and eventual romancing. She looked over at the large man sleeping beside her with a sigh. Why he wanted to prevent her from doing what needed to be done, she didn't know. Had she known where the opening to the rift was, she would have already set off the day prior. Quietly, she rose from the bed and ambled to the window to look back out over the dreary plane. She took a few moments to read over the tablet given her by Jessiah, and she walked it over to the table setting it down once she had finished. She returned to her position at the window, now thinking slowly over her role in all of this. Her resolve wavered but she continued to stare out the window in quiet contemplation. These were the times she came closest to being like her father, turning details over in her mind, examining them in an attempt to make sense of them. Then she drifted back to being like her mother, rash and ready to ignore the signs in favor of the hope she'd win the gamble.
Eventually, Emalia felt the hands of Colin on her shoulders as she was turned around to face him. All he wanted was for her to stay there. If they were to stay, no one would bother them, and no one would bother Brin once she was born. Truthfully, after reading the tablet, the idea sounded appealing. In her mind, she pictured those with Hemelia running through the streets, ripping people limb from limb, and couldn't fathom bringing that about. But would she? Wasn't the disease a gift from The Apprentice? Besides, Grobnak had never done anything like that... it had to have been something different. Something had to have driven those with the blessing to madness. As she and Colin looked it over, though, his concern wasn't so much the balance as it was "so much innocent blood" that had been shed.
"What if you're wrong," Colin asked quietly. "It is a difficult situation. If this is correct, the stakes can be quite high."Emalia looked out the window, almost offended by Colin's question. "I won't be wrong."
"There is no way to tell, is there."
"No... but is there ever a way to tell anything? Nothing is ever certain, is it?"
"I don't know. Some things are."
"Like?" Emalia turned to look at Colin over her shoulder, having found her way to the front window now.
"How I feel about you is."
There would be no more delays. Though Colin tried again to find a way to keep Emalia in the demiplane, she could no longer stay. The journey had to continue. 'Balance,' she reminded herself, 'Balance is at stake. Balance must be restored.'
Eventually, Emalia felt the hands of Colin on her shoulders as she was turned around to face him. All he wanted was for her to stay there. If they were to stay, no one would bother them, and no one would bother Brin once she was born. Truthfully, after reading the tablet, the idea sounded appealing. In her mind, she pictured those with Hemelia running through the streets, ripping people limb from limb, and couldn't fathom bringing that about. But would she? Wasn't the disease a gift from The Apprentice? Besides, Grobnak had never done anything like that... it had to have been something different. Something had to have driven those with the blessing to madness. As she and Colin looked it over, though, his concern wasn't so much the balance as it was "so much innocent blood" that had been shed.
"What if you're wrong," Colin asked quietly. "It is a difficult situation. If this is correct, the stakes can be quite high."Emalia looked out the window, almost offended by Colin's question. "I won't be wrong."
"There is no way to tell, is there."
"No... but is there ever a way to tell anything? Nothing is ever certain, is it?"
"I don't know. Some things are."
"Like?" Emalia turned to look at Colin over her shoulder, having found her way to the front window now.
"How I feel about you is."
There would be no more delays. Though Colin tried again to find a way to keep Emalia in the demiplane, she could no longer stay. The journey had to continue. 'Balance,' she reminded herself, 'Balance is at stake. Balance must be restored.'
Alternate Realism
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."
"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."
Blessed Sleep
"Don't worry, I will get rid of them," Colin said with a growl. Emalia was left there upon the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She could hear the sound of a very angry small voice coming from outside of the cottage, but could not clearly make out anything. The worry tugged at her stomach but she was resigned to lay back and wait for Colin to return. It was the sound of small, but determined, footsteps that had her roll her eyes to the door, waiting to see who would enter.
Nephesh came toward the bed, his little face red obviously angry. He held out a note which Emalia had no opportunity to read before Colin spun the little halfling around by the shoulder. "Now listen here. Emalia has been through enough and you will NOT upset her again."
"What did the note say?" Emalia asked, attempting to reach the fallen note before realizing she couldn't. The small boy pushed the note toward her, and as Nephesh and Colin discussed what had happened (which was very one-sided from Emalia's ears, since Nephesh had appeared to have lost his ability for speech), she looked at the handwriting: 'What have you done to father?'
Emalia let her hand with the note drop onto the bed. She felt completely drained, and the daunting task of having to explain anything more plunged her into a deeper area of her soul. As she lay there, Colin had literally lifted Nephesh out of the room, but upon his return, Emalia once again reached into her own soul for the sake of another. She sent Colin off to speak to Nephesh and to offer him the pony. All of this was beginning to hurt each time, and she was having difficulty recovering from every encounter. Soon, the voice of Colin grew faint, the surroundings of the room began to vanish into a haze, and Emalia finally drifted off to sleep - hearing, seeing, and saying nothing more.
Nephesh came toward the bed, his little face red obviously angry. He held out a note which Emalia had no opportunity to read before Colin spun the little halfling around by the shoulder. "Now listen here. Emalia has been through enough and you will NOT upset her again."
"What did the note say?" Emalia asked, attempting to reach the fallen note before realizing she couldn't. The small boy pushed the note toward her, and as Nephesh and Colin discussed what had happened (which was very one-sided from Emalia's ears, since Nephesh had appeared to have lost his ability for speech), she looked at the handwriting: 'What have you done to father?'
Emalia let her hand with the note drop onto the bed. She felt completely drained, and the daunting task of having to explain anything more plunged her into a deeper area of her soul. As she lay there, Colin had literally lifted Nephesh out of the room, but upon his return, Emalia once again reached into her own soul for the sake of another. She sent Colin off to speak to Nephesh and to offer him the pony. All of this was beginning to hurt each time, and she was having difficulty recovering from every encounter. Soon, the voice of Colin grew faint, the surroundings of the room began to vanish into a haze, and Emalia finally drifted off to sleep - hearing, seeing, and saying nothing more.
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