Her eyes flew open and she instantly knew she was in that dreaded place of nothingness. She was on her knees, head lowered, just waiting for the evil to come and surround her. She did not have long to wait. As always, she saw nothing but the fathomless darkness, but she felt it. It was there, and pulsating with that poisonous evil that was its' core. She didn't have to see it, to know. It seemed to surround her, to suffocate her, taunting, poking at her very heart and soul, testing to find her strengths, and her weaknesses.
Closing her eyes, she tried to focus and concentrate on why she was here, why it continued to bring her to this place. Was it to torment her? Of course if was, but to what end? It sought to destroy her faith, that which made her who and what she was. Was it a game to this thing, or was there a deeper reason for what it did?
Taking long, slow breaths of the air that had turned fetid with death, she tries to spiral her mind down to sending out love, compassion and peace. And each time she feels it pulse within her, she can almost feel the monster in the dark screaming with rage. Not hear it, but sense it. She feels so small and impotent and alone, but she keeps in her mind, that she does this for a reason. Will it work? She has no idea. She only knows that she cannot, and will not give into the thing in the darkness. Not as long as she can draw a breath. Everything she is, everything she holds sacred and dear is invested in this fight.
Will she win? That is yet to be determined.
Suddenly, the ray of light burst forth and her head jerks up to see what the foul thing was showing her now. She was not prepared for what she saw, she could never be prepared for it. The screams of death and destruction assault her, actually knocking her back to where she has to brace herself with her hands. But there he was, her Ba'atar.
He was sitting beside a body of water, his head down, a quiva in his hand, covered with blood, ash and filth. There were rivulets of tears that washed down his bloodied face, and she could see the wound on his shoulder, and the blood that flowed freely from it. He sat still as a statue, not moving, staring into the water. She could feel the despair and futility fairly radiating from him like a fever. Slowly, she managed to come back to her knees and crawl closer to him. Her hand reaches out to try and touch him, only to meet that icy barrier that is thrown between them.
She stifles a scream, allowing it to catch in her throat, choking the breath from her. She continues to test that barrier, looking for a weakness, to no avail. Tears stream down her cheeks as she draws a ragged breath and begins to whisper.
"Ba'atar, my beloved, I am here. Hear me, know that you are not alone. Know that you are loved, and what you are doing here will not fade from the memory of our people. Come home to me, come home to our children, and the people that love you." His head lifted slightly, almost as if he could hear her off in the distance. She did not hear his words, but saw them forming on his lips. "I love you, Cana."
Suddenly, she can feel the rage from the beast, smell its' frustration. It was if she was grasped in a strong fist and thrown against a wall. The pain was excruciating, her entire body enflamed by it. She could feel the blows, the wrapping of arm or tentacle around her neck, forcing the breath from her lungs. Mercifully, she passed out.
When she became aware again, it was the pain that suffused through her body that she knew first. Curled in the corner of the wagon, she was naked, shivering and choking. Rolling to her back, she tries to sit up, wincing as she finally was able to sit up and lean against the cool wooden walls of her wagon. The taste of blood is strong in her mouth, and a hand slowly lifts to test her lip, to see if it was cut, but the blood was flowing from her nose, not her lip. Sighing, she sat back, tears streaming down her face. All she can think is........
What next?
Closing her eyes, she tried to focus and concentrate on why she was here, why it continued to bring her to this place. Was it to torment her? Of course if was, but to what end? It sought to destroy her faith, that which made her who and what she was. Was it a game to this thing, or was there a deeper reason for what it did?
Taking long, slow breaths of the air that had turned fetid with death, she tries to spiral her mind down to sending out love, compassion and peace. And each time she feels it pulse within her, she can almost feel the monster in the dark screaming with rage. Not hear it, but sense it. She feels so small and impotent and alone, but she keeps in her mind, that she does this for a reason. Will it work? She has no idea. She only knows that she cannot, and will not give into the thing in the darkness. Not as long as she can draw a breath. Everything she is, everything she holds sacred and dear is invested in this fight.
Will she win? That is yet to be determined.
Suddenly, the ray of light burst forth and her head jerks up to see what the foul thing was showing her now. She was not prepared for what she saw, she could never be prepared for it. The screams of death and destruction assault her, actually knocking her back to where she has to brace herself with her hands. But there he was, her Ba'atar.
He was sitting beside a body of water, his head down, a quiva in his hand, covered with blood, ash and filth. There were rivulets of tears that washed down his bloodied face, and she could see the wound on his shoulder, and the blood that flowed freely from it. He sat still as a statue, not moving, staring into the water. She could feel the despair and futility fairly radiating from him like a fever. Slowly, she managed to come back to her knees and crawl closer to him. Her hand reaches out to try and touch him, only to meet that icy barrier that is thrown between them.
She stifles a scream, allowing it to catch in her throat, choking the breath from her. She continues to test that barrier, looking for a weakness, to no avail. Tears stream down her cheeks as she draws a ragged breath and begins to whisper.
"Ba'atar, my beloved, I am here. Hear me, know that you are not alone. Know that you are loved, and what you are doing here will not fade from the memory of our people. Come home to me, come home to our children, and the people that love you." His head lifted slightly, almost as if he could hear her off in the distance. She did not hear his words, but saw them forming on his lips. "I love you, Cana."
Suddenly, she can feel the rage from the beast, smell its' frustration. It was if she was grasped in a strong fist and thrown against a wall. The pain was excruciating, her entire body enflamed by it. She could feel the blows, the wrapping of arm or tentacle around her neck, forcing the breath from her lungs. Mercifully, she passed out.
When she became aware again, it was the pain that suffused through her body that she knew first. Curled in the corner of the wagon, she was naked, shivering and choking. Rolling to her back, she tries to sit up, wincing as she finally was able to sit up and lean against the cool wooden walls of her wagon. The taste of blood is strong in her mouth, and a hand slowly lifts to test her lip, to see if it was cut, but the blood was flowing from her nose, not her lip. Sighing, she sat back, tears streaming down her face. All she can think is........
What next?
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