Rest and Recovery

Three months earlier…

In the confines of the elven library, Hanna was shocked to learn that a new creature, an 'abominable', was now mentioned in the book of creatures. Only a moment later, she and the others located the strange new being on the mysterious map that Aurora possessed.

There was no question in Hanna's mind that this creature was the key to everything.

The Fate came to a decision. She would portal to the strange creature and get answers for both the mortal beings and herself. There was no time to waste.

Although Hanna had noticed the other strange additions at the bottom of the map, she had not felt the need to comment on them until she had more information.

That time was not ever going to come.

Hanna concentrated on where she wanted to go. The image of the ice barrier came into view for a moment before the Fate disappeared from the elven library.

Normally the shift to the new place would take barely a moment—a blink of an eye. Of course there was a space in between any two locations no matter how short the distance. Hanna had to pass through...a void.

Hanna could stay in the void if she liked, but there was never any need or desire to remain in the dark place longer than necessary. It was like being nowhere and everywhere at once.

The feeling of being pulled in so many directions at once was both uncomfortable and unnerving. Hanna did not like it at all.

This time was different. Instead of just a short pull before arriving by the barrier, the Fate entered the void and gasped. She stalled part way to her destination and like a slingshot being pulled to the end of its reach, she soared back in the same direction she had come.

Her head felt like it might explode from the pressure. Hanna screamed for an eternity, or at least that is how it felt. The small magical reserve that the Fate had built up after being healed was not enough for her to complete the journey she desired.

Her small bit of magical essence had gone dry midway and now the void was unsure what to do with her. It pressed down on her with such force as if to finish her off then and there.

"No!" Hanna used her last drop of energy to split a hole in the darkness and exit back into the library.

Unable to remain standing, the Fate collapsed in a heap on the floor. She heard Aurora and the others gasp at her unexpected return. The fiery-haired woman lifted Hanna's head gently to keep it from the floor.

"I...I didn't make it," Hanna gasped, her skin glowing a pale blue. The Fate's eyelids were heavy, so heavy. Sleep would be a welcome change to the sharp pain in her skull, but she needed to speak. She needed to reach out to someone…anyone. "The doctor was right. I...I need more rest before I try anything so drastic as that."

Staying conscious was necessary. Hanna felt that if she gave into the rest that she would never awaken. Fates were not supposed to die, but Hannah felt dangerously close. 'Help!'

Hearing her unspoken cry, Justum and Metis appeared in the library. They knelt on either side of Hanna and the Empress. Their long flowing robes billowed around them in heaps on the floor, but for once, neither male seemed to care.

As she struggled to remain conscious, Hanna barely heard what was going on around her, but she sensed that the other Fates were about to transport her home.

She wanted to warn them about the dots on the map. Something was going on there—gathering—but her mouth would not cooperate. They would have to figure it out on their own.

Then the world faded into the void where she had just been. Only this time Hanna was heading in a different direction: the far north. And the weary Fate was also not traveling under her own power.

Both Metis and Justum had hold of her, guiding her through the darkness. But the darkness lasted for barely the blink of an eye. Anyone else would have seen a blip in their vision at best.

But Hanna was not anyone else. Her vision was special. So what was barely a moment in time stretched out endlessly before her.

Then the strange in-between place faded as the three entered the Mystic Spires amid a flurry of activity. All the Fates, who had been stationed around with the different people groups, were now back together for the first time in over a year.

It would have been an exciting reunion if not for the tension in the air. The appearance of the weakened Hanna only added to the concern among the immortal beings.

"So it's true!" Ime cried.

Many crowded around Hanna, pressing in to see just how bad things were.

"I'm fine," Hanna protested. "Just tired…"

"You should have come when we called you," Justum scolded her, his words a mix of judgment and concern. "Then this wouldn't have happened."

"I couldn't come, I was too busy being healed by the humans and elves. After that I needed to help them, and even if I wanted to come—which I didn't!—you saw what happened when I tried to travel…" Hanna's defiance came out as little more than a whisper.

Although she was still very weak, being close to the other Fates had bolstered her slightly. It was almost as if she could draw strength just from their presence.

The magical beings around her could sense just how depleted Hanna was. They began to mutter to one another until the room was once again filled with concern and indignation at what had happened.

Since Hanna could not share what she had experienced with all of them—that required magic and she had none to spare— the host of Fates could only go by what Metis and Justum had conveyed to them.

And the vision of the collapsed Hanna on the floor of the elven library had them all very disturbed.

"What will we do?" someone asked Justum. All eyes shifted from Hanna to their chosen leader. They may all have had the same standing in the Mystic Spires, but Justum's words were usually given extra weight.

"Please! We must remain calm." The normally stoic Fate felt that he was losing control. Fates did not lose control. They controlled things.

With a loud snap, he quieted the crowd.

"There must be order. I know we have not experienced something that could hurt us before, but it is nothing we cannot handle." Justum called sternly.

"But how?"

"What can we do?"

"What exactly is this enemy?"

The questions overlapped until the company was in an uproar once again. Metis was the one to quiet them this time.

"How will you ever get answers if you don't listen?! We are Fates, not grackle-birds!"

The company reluctantly settled.

Justum cleared his throat, "We will not leave the Mystic Spires until the matter is solved or resolved. No Fate is going to die today or any day."

"But, the humans! The land of magic!" Hanna pleaded desperately, her voice raspy as she fought the ever growing fatigue. "We cannot abandon them."

But she was drowned out by cries of assent. "We put it to a vote," Justum called to settle them.

It took less than a moment for all to agree to a quarantine except for Hanna and two who abstained from voting.

"I will not stand for this. Banish me again if you must, but…" Hanna felt suddenly light headed. "I'm going to help."

But without any of her magical essence, her words were empty.

"You are not going anywhere," Justum picked her up off of the ground, holding her like a child. "Except to a recovery chamber."

"No! Please. I will make it without that awful thing! We haven't used it in centuries for a reason." Hannah pushed against him, but there was nothing she could do to fight him.

Her struggle troubled Justum in a way that the Fate would not admit even to himself. Hanna would recover in the magical cylinder but be cut off from the rest of them in a way that was nearly unbearable.

"If it helps, I will find Alaron and tell him of our choice," he whispered to calm her. "I will break my own rule…for you, but you must get well."

Hanna felt her body being lowered into the pod. "No! Please."

"It is for the best," Metis had his hand on the lid. He and a few others had followed Justum to the healing tower. "Rest well."

The lid shut around Hanna, encasing her in darkness. Then a soft blue glow took the place of the never ending night.

Hanna screamed. She tried to portal out, which only made her scream louder. The chamber had been made to heal, but it had also been designed to keep beings inside.

So not only did Hanna lose the tiny store of essence that had returned to her, but she had gained a new injury from the chamber's defenses.

Hanna felt the warmth of the magical pod envelop her. She was already so tired.

So.

Exhausted.

Then a mist formed around her meant to aid her healing and help her rest.

So amid the horror of being utterly alone, Hanna finally succumbed to to her dreams…

Unfortunately, they were nightmares.