A Painful Awakening

"Yes, it's me, Princess. The High Priestess sent me here to help you. As soon as you and your companion are well enough to travel, the three of us must make as much speed for Aqualaria as possible. Reaibn's power is so great within Allaria that it's not safe for us to remain here, even though we hope that he will assume that you died in the fire. We're within a protective magical field at present, but I don't know how long it will hold."

Astra tried to speak, both to explain that Aqualaria was where she and Fred had been headed and to pass on her news (though it seemed from what she had said that Falena might already know much of it). But her throat was too parched for anything intelligible to emerge. "Here," Falena said, holding out a water bottle to her.

Astra held out her arm for it, and winced as she saw her reddened skin spotted with ugly scars. She took a long swig from the bottle, then tried to speak again, this time with more success. "That's better. The fire was your doing?"

"I'm truly sorry, but it was the only way to hide you from Reaibn. I've magically healed you and your friend as far as I can, channelling the High Priestess's magic. Your condition is no longer life-threatening, but full healing is going to have to wait until we get back to Aqualaria. Until then the pair of you are going to look more like zombies than living people I'm afraid. At least the fire destroyed the spell that you were under, so you won't be getting any new sores."

Astra took another drink, then said: "Has Fred come round yet?"

"Not yet. I tried to time removing the anaesthesia spells that I had you both under, so that you would come round before he did. I thought that it would be easier if I explained things to you first. That way you can vouch for me when he comes round, whereas if he had regained consciousness first he might have been suspicious of me. He should come round any time now."

Indeed, just then a groan came from Astra's left. She turned her head and saw that Fred was lying next to her. She winced again as she saw the state that he was in, though of course it was no worse than her own. He, like her, was naked except for a pair of underpants which Falena had provided. These were made of a very soft material. Everywhere else their skin was still so inflamed that wearing any additional clothing would have been agony. Almost every square inch of Fred's skin that was visible was an angry red, and it was dotted with dozens of scars where sores had been. To all intents and purposes he was totally bald.

"Fred?" she said. "Are you awake?"

He opened his eyes and turned his head towards the sound of her voice. Then he screamed. "Stay away from me, foul demon!" he croaked.

"Fred, it's me - Astra! Don't you recognise me? I know that I'm not looking at my best right now, but then neither are you."

1. Fred is filled in on events and, after he has had something to drink and both he and Astra have had some food, Falena has to decide whether they are yet well enough to travel.
2. Reaibn continues towards Redstone, snarling and surrounded by a flickering blue aura, right against his skin.
3. Meanwhile, Walter and Bartholomew...
4. Meanwhile, Adronius [94254] nears Caemlyn...

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