The price of standing on two feet

Connie

Kojli was a healer who specialized in blood arts. And in this outpost in the middle of nowhere, he was the only one who was trusted as a healer. Trefereisa referred to him as Ful-e-imar, the giver of life.

Kojli regarded Connie with curious yet knowing eyes. Obviously, this was not the first time that he had seen a creature of brown skin. With his piercing gaze, he appeared stern and uptight. Connie had once met a priest who was as grave-looking and he never wanted to meet him again. "An earthling. Connie, is that what they call you?" And he spoke English too, in a sharp staccato of words - not showing off but proving he was adept in it.

"Yes sir." Connie answered curtly. He did not know why but Kojli gave off an aura that exuded professionalism.

"You've been with Trefereisa for five days?" There was a little tone of incredulity there as if he did not believe them.

"I think so sir." Connie still could not get used to the length of a day in Ijbel.

"You say the Prumifira brought you here?"

"The red bird actually did but Trefereisa said it was the Dread, it's what the Prumifira means, right?"

Kojli nodded. "Do you know what the Seeping Dread makes of those who have walked through it?"

The Seeping Dread. An invisible flood that came without even raining. It seemed as to have come right from beneath the ground, seeping to the surface. And with it came huge birds of prey. It frightened Connie to the bones and he never wanted to walk through such a storm again.

Connie searched Trefereisa's expression for an answer. It seemed she had no intention of enlightening him.

His hair stood on ends when Kojli grabbed his hand without warning.

The doctor bellowed. "Ahh! Too cold! Your body is too... cohhhldd..." Kojli's voice was suddenly twitching, as though entranced. His speech too had changed. Maniacally.

"I'm sorry?"

Kojli had the signature gray skin like Trefereisa. But unlike her, he was hot to the touch, like a second lifeforce within him radiated its own heat.

"Ahh. My touch of Gaahifsaah... draws in a glaassful of your feelings. Ahh boy, why ahhre you ahhfraid? You should be joyous."

"Cause you're scaring him." Trefereisa finally interrupted, flicking his hand away. "Just pull out the contract so that all of this will be over."

"Ahh such profound and complex sentiments, it's so tasty I can't get enough of it." Then slowly, he turned back to his simpler self, still curious but with a calmer tone.

"Li, the contract."

"Yes, yes. No need to be hasty."

The contract was in the form of a ball. It gave off a blinding sheen that when Kojli's fingers weren't wrapped around it, it glared with light.

Trefereisa stood waiting but Kojli ignored her, saying, "I think the boy needs to be explained about it. At least a little bit." Trefereisa made no sign of allowing it but she made no signs of disapproval either. Kojli turned to Connie, "The light is binding, it is the absolute, the truth. It has existed since the beginning of time and there will only be light of the end if it. Whatever you speak into the Light, whatever you act before the Light - so long as the eyes of gods could see it - will be everlasting and unbreakable. Are you sure wihout any doubt you want to swear this promise before the Light?"

Because of the wieght of all his words, Connie could not help but rethink his options. Did he really want this? For fuck's sake, he dreamed of this. But at this cost, at the loss of his freedom? He glanced at Trefereisa who looked back with anxiousness in her eyes. She trusted him. He had to trust her.

"I swear without second thoughts." He declared.

Everything will be alright. But the glare on Kojli's face made him feel otherwise. The doctor's eyes burned ominous. Connie felt like he was making a bad decision.

Yet what was there to decide? Until he found a way back home, he was trapped in this world. He only prayed -if the gods here were benevolent - that Trefereisa would be on the winning side.

As soon as the promise poured from his lips, the ball of light burst out blindingly. Suddenly Connie lost any sense and recognition of his body. He could not see before him, behind him or anywhere near him. There was nothing to see here but light. But that light has a voice and fingers that held him like a candlewick holds a flame. The light said, "Become."

All Connie could say was, "Are you Fulji, the god of light?"

Then the blinding light dimmed until he could make out the shapes of Kojli and Trefereisa around him. The doctor said, "The contract is sealed. Shall we begin?"

Treferesia spoke, "I'll leave you to him for a while, Connie. Thank you for trusting me." She smiled, held his palm to her cheek and kissed him on the lips. It was so fast she left no time for Connie to react. Before he could even utter a sound, she had disappeared through the door.

Kojli produced what appeared to be candles. "They're made of olenru sap. An aroma that relaxes the brain and the body. Apparently, only non-light worshippers could smell them." He lit them one by one and put them on candle holders. He was closer to a quack doctor than an MD. But Connie has an eye in his right hand so at this point, he surrenderred all hesitations to believe anything they told him.

"The smell will put you to sleep which is when I'll fix your legs. When you wake up, you'll be able to stand on two feet."

"Thank you."

"I like that you agreed to serve Trefereisa." Kojli's tone turned sentimental all of a sudden. "I understand that you have barely any choice to begin with. But still, one more person on her side would make her plight less dire. After losing her whole team..."

"What team? She never told-"

"I figured as much. Before she found you, in the Tajilu Prumifira where giants and birds of prey roamed and rampaged to protect the uju, she had lost her entire team of a hundred loyal light worshippers. She most likely only survived because Yuwer protected her."

"I-I didn't know..." The aroma of the olenru candles hit his nose, his eyes became heavy and the tiredness of the five-day journey and the horror of the Dread poured into him all at once. He had never desired sleep like this before.