Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 66
The darkness was chaotic and intense, initially, and within that darkness there was suffering – terrible pain. Uther felt it would never end. He felt like giving up, yet his stubborn side defied even the invisible, skeletal, hands that clutched after him. Within himself he cried out against all the clawing and gripping of the hands, and threw the feeling of death back, back to its infernal waiting place.
The pain then eased after what seemed an eternity of enduring. From somewhere within that darkened void of despair and utter desolation, Uther heard a faint voice. He nearly passed it up, deeming it, maybe, a desire to hear another’s voice, even if it could have been the Elf’s. But he caught hold of the sound of his name being spoken, as it came into the place to which he had been cast off. He tried to answer, but could not speak as he peered out into the emptiness of gloomy blackness. Again his pain recoiled, dimly felt now. He felt warmth as the blackness turned and swallowed itself. Yet still, he could not see, even as everything turned to gray before him.
Uther raised his hands up before his eyes, and saw them covered in blood. But the blood was seeping into, rather than out of his skin, as if his bleeding had shifted backwards from its natural course. He remembered the bear then and growled, reaching to his back for his weapon.
“Where’s my axe?!”
Uther leapt up from a bed of furs, by which a small fire was crackling merrily. Dazed, he staggered as Finyat and Sekali steadied him.
Finyat smiled brightly at him and winked. “In life, and in death, and life again, the same ol’ Uther. Welcome back, my friend.”
Uther placed a hand on both of them for support. His legs rebelled somewhat as he growled in frustration. He peered into Finyat’s eyes and then grinned.
“Did you bring kohakk? I’m thirsty!”
All about Uther there was laughter. Then he saw the elves as his eyes continued to focus more clearly. Elves surrounded them all. At first Uther panicked, reaching up to make sure his amulet still rested about his neck; it did. Breathing a great sigh of relief, Uther beheld a woman elf approach, nodding to him. She spoke to him in a voice that seemed to echo in his mind, and all became still as she approached.
“Uther, my name is Ellianess, I have healed your wounds, which were deep.” She looked about her at everyone present.
“My people,” she looked at Uther, “guests, we must talk. Come to council with me in one hour. There you will be enlightened.” Her voice was as penetrating as the waves of the sea, her eyes possessing a silver light of their own, as if a silver flame had been placed within her, her eyes being the only escape for that light.
She turned to leave as Uther raised a hand after her, as if begging her to stay, but only managed the words, “Thank you.” The three stood speechless, gazing after the woman as she vanished among th throng of elves.