Raising an arm, Nari wiped her sleeve across her brow, spreading the dirt along it. Â The sun was high in the sky, but she wanted the duck pens to be clean as they could be. Â She wasn't sure if those visiting were used to animals, or their smell. Â Putting her hands on her hips, she leaned back to stretch out her muscles and let out a little sigh.
"I wonder how my brothers are doing?" Â Mumbling to herself, Nari replaced the rake and stepped out of the duck pen, fingers deftly closing and locking the latch behind her.
That was when the scream came to her ears. Â It was that kind of scream that made one's heart stop, stomach clench, and lungs forget how to work. Â She did not know where it came from, but her feet began to move on their own, pulling her in the right direction. Â Wind whipped her hair around her face, the animals becoming agitated and banging up against their pens.
It was a scream of fear and agonizing pain.
Rounding the corner of the barn, Nari gave a scream of her own. Â Her youngest brother lay on the ground, blood pooling around his head. Â Her other brother stood over him, shaking.
"Alrin ... ALRIN! Â What happened?" Â Nari slid to kneel down next to Reggi, her hands moving to touch the boy's scalp. Â Her hand came back covered in crimson.
"He ... he just ... fell. Â I couldn't ..." Â Alrin's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground. Â Nari grit her teeth, hands shaking. Â She had to take control.
"Alrin, go get papa. Â We need a healer as fast as possible." Â When her brother didn't move she shouted. Â "GO!" Â Alrin snapped his head up at that, and scrambled to his feet, tears streaking his face as he ran as fast as he could in the direction of the house. Â Nari returned her attention back to Reggi, her face softening as tears blurred her vision.
"Oh Reggi ... why did this happen to you?" Â Biting her lip, she tore off part of her shirt and pressed the cloth against her brother's head. Â Gritting her teeth, Nari did the only thing she could think of ...
She prayed to anyone who would listen.
Her mind wandered to Nophica, the patron of Gridania and whom her parents thanked when farming. Â She was connected to the earth, and as Nari placed both hands on her brother's wound, she closed her eyes and focused all her will into wishing Reggi's wound to close.
She envisioned a soft light moving from the ground beneath her into her own body, using her own life to bind torn flesh and broken bone, heal muscle and soothe pain. Â Nari believed that is would happen, that is was happening, that her hands became warm, and her brother's wound was closing .. healing ...
"What is this?"
The strange voice broke her out of her trance, and Nari looked up to see her father, brother, mother, and two men wearing the clothes of healers. Â They all looked at her oddly, which was broken only by the groans of Reggi as he stirred on the ground.
"I wonder how my brothers are doing?" Â Mumbling to herself, Nari replaced the rake and stepped out of the duck pen, fingers deftly closing and locking the latch behind her.
That was when the scream came to her ears. Â It was that kind of scream that made one's heart stop, stomach clench, and lungs forget how to work. Â She did not know where it came from, but her feet began to move on their own, pulling her in the right direction. Â Wind whipped her hair around her face, the animals becoming agitated and banging up against their pens.
It was a scream of fear and agonizing pain.
Rounding the corner of the barn, Nari gave a scream of her own. Â Her youngest brother lay on the ground, blood pooling around his head. Â Her other brother stood over him, shaking.
"Alrin ... ALRIN! Â What happened?" Â Nari slid to kneel down next to Reggi, her hands moving to touch the boy's scalp. Â Her hand came back covered in crimson.
"He ... he just ... fell. Â I couldn't ..." Â Alrin's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground. Â Nari grit her teeth, hands shaking. Â She had to take control.
"Alrin, go get papa. Â We need a healer as fast as possible." Â When her brother didn't move she shouted. Â "GO!" Â Alrin snapped his head up at that, and scrambled to his feet, tears streaking his face as he ran as fast as he could in the direction of the house. Â Nari returned her attention back to Reggi, her face softening as tears blurred her vision.
"Oh Reggi ... why did this happen to you?" Â Biting her lip, she tore off part of her shirt and pressed the cloth against her brother's head. Â Gritting her teeth, Nari did the only thing she could think of ...
She prayed to anyone who would listen.
Her mind wandered to Nophica, the patron of Gridania and whom her parents thanked when farming. Â She was connected to the earth, and as Nari placed both hands on her brother's wound, she closed her eyes and focused all her will into wishing Reggi's wound to close.
She envisioned a soft light moving from the ground beneath her into her own body, using her own life to bind torn flesh and broken bone, heal muscle and soothe pain. Â Nari believed that is would happen, that is was happening, that her hands became warm, and her brother's wound was closing .. healing ...
"What is this?"
The strange voice broke her out of her trance, and Nari looked up to see her father, brother, mother, and two men wearing the clothes of healers. Â They all looked at her oddly, which was broken only by the groans of Reggi as he stirred on the ground.
