Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen – Parting Gifts

I was floating in a great ocean of nothingness. I saw nothing, I felt nothing, I simply existed. Occasionally I thought I felt something cold pressed up against my back, or something warm touching my face and stomach. These feelings were fleeting, they existed for mere moments before the nothingness returned.

Perhaps this is what death feels like.

Lost in the nothingness I fretted that Otrea might’ve killed me. It didn’t make sense. I’d proved my value to her, and without me she wouldn’t be able to boss around Eurycelia. Plus I’d watched her stab Kyra with the same dagger, so it had to be part of the ritual.

If I’m still alive, how’d I end up here?

It did not feel as if I was within a dream. I felt physically present in the nothingness. As if I’d been somehow transported here. Or perhaps I’d simply slipped through the world itself and was now in the primal core from which all things were birthed.

“Master Bernice.”  A familiar voice echoed in my head, yet I couldn’t tell if it was real or simply a delusion. Gazing about the nothingness I knew I was the only one here. So it was not possible for anyone to talk to me.

“Who?”

“It’s Kyra. You’ve been unconscious for nearly five days. When do you plan to return to us Master?”

“I don’t know how to return.” I chuckled. Here I was talking to a delusion… I’d truly lost my mind.

“Simply think of yourself. Try to picture your physical form. I am holding your hand, try to feel it.”

“How are you even talking to me right now? I can’t see you.”

“I feed off your magic Master. Magic is essence from the soul manifested. So you could say that I feed on your soul’s essence. This forges a bond between us unlike any other. I’m using that bond to invade your mind right now. So we do not lose you.”

“Why are you calling me master?”

“We can go over the details when you return. For now please focus. Your body won’t survive soullessness much longer.”

Closing my eyes I tried to focus on my body. At first I pictured my human body. The one I had back on Earth. Short red hair, slightly chubby but just thin enough to rarely hear anything about it.

I guess I don’t look like that anymore.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized the only thing I’d honestly kept was my hair color. After waking up in this world my skin had been supple and spotless. I’d definitely been shorter though it hadn’t been enough of a change for me to realize it at first. Not to mention I now had the physique of someone who cared about their health and exercised regularly.

I’m happy to be thinner… but going down a cup size really stung.

Of course the biggest change to my new body was the addition of a pair of heavy floppy ears, and a little stubby furred tail. I was happy that others quickly became preoccupied with my ears. As after a bit of self-evaluation I could say with certainty my tail was far more sensitive.

More things to be grumpy at Fred about.

As my new self came into focus within my mind’s eye I felt a cool sensation in my left hand. At first it simply felt like a cool breeze blowing across my skin, but soon the feeling grew heavy. I could make out lengths of skin in the shape of fingers where the cold was most concentrated.

“Kyra…” Suddenly speaking became difficult, almost painful. My throat felt dry and raspy as a dull heaviness spread throughout my body.

“Master! You’ve awakened!!”

“Welcome back Lady Bernice.”

“I’ll go get her some water. Sounds like she needs it.”

Those voices… Kyra, Eurycelia, and Harriette huh. I guess I made everyone worry.

Forcing my eyes to open I flinched as a wave of nausea overtook me. The world was a psychedelic mix of colors. Appearing like the demonic child of a kaleidoscope and a fun-house mirror.

“You’re going to have to take it easy.” Eurycelia said softly, petting my forehead. “Lady Otrea made a mistake. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

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“A, m-mistake?”

“Yes. She was not aware that your body had gone through serious physical changes when you changed worlds. Normally a ritual such as the Ritual of Transference will cause a disruption between body and soul. It is temporary, the soul quickly finds and latches onto the body. In your case, your soul has yet to fully settle in your physical form. So it had difficulty finding its way back.”

I guess when Harriette reported what she saw, she left out the boring detail of me being human previously.

I laid there wanting to ask so many questions but unable to do so. A wave of relief washed over me when Harriette returned with water. As gentle as possible she lifted me into her arms, before bringing a glass to my lips.

As painfully dry as my throat was I wanted to down the water as quickly as possible. Sadly Harriette wasn’t about to allow that. She tilted the cup slowly allowing only a small amount of liquid to spill forth. Then she’d take it away until I swallowed. Once I had, the torturous process repeated.

It felt like drinking one glass took an eternity. By the time we were done my stomach churned painfully. I didn’t know if it was upset that it only got water, or if it was upset that it got anything at all. In the end I was just glad when Harriette laid me back down upon my pillows.

“Do you think enough time has passed since she awoke that we can use a healing spell?”

“I believe so. She seems to be in a lot of discomfort, which is a good sign she’s been fully reunited.”

“Good, then I’ll take care of her.” Eurycelia touched a finger to my lips as she began to chant. “[Healing Vigor].”

Warmth coursed through me, chasing away the heaviness I felt. My stomach ache vanished leaving only the discomforts of hunger, and the raspiness in my throat cleared up entirely.  

Opening my eyes I gazed up at Eurycelia who was smiling down at me. “Why couldn’t you have done that sooner.”

“Healing magic doesn’t work on a soulless body.” Eurycelia replied leaning forward to wrap her arms around me. “We had to wait for you to come back to us completely before we could do anything.”

“You… often hug girls you’ve just met?” I asked feeling my cheeks growing warm.

“You’re the woman who saved her life.” Harriette supplied. “I think it is normal to care for such a person more than you would a casual acquaintance.”

“Also I get to rub my cheek against your soft ears when I hug you.” Eurycelia giggled.

I like hugs, she likes soft things. I’m starting to feel like me and this councilwoman will get along perfectly.

“You said you’d explain why you’re calling me master now.” I said gazing at Kyra who sat perched at the edge of my bed.

“It’s really simple.” Kyra blushed scratching at her cheek. “Even if you are not my creator, you are the woman who I am bound to. Your magic keeps me alive, so I believe you’ve earned the title.”

“I thought my magic wasn’t strong enough to sustain an undead?”

“Lady Otrea solved that.” Eurycelia replied motioning to my wrist.

Lifting my left arm into the air before my eyes I finally noticed a bracelet I had not been wearing before. The bracelet was made of a black-dyed leather cord and had several softly glowing sapphire beads threaded along it.

“What is this?”

“We call them God’s Tears. They’re rare stones charged with magic. As long as you’re carrying them on your person your body will naturally siphon magic from them. They’ll prevent you from being overtaxed by your undead, at least until you get strong enough to sustain her on your own.”

“Wow… Lady Otrea is really giving me all the expensive and rare things.”

“Proof she thinks highly of you.” Harriette noted. “Now that you are properly healed and capable of speech I’ll go inform her you’ve awoken. She has one last gift before the three of you leave.”

I guess the only thing I don’t have is the key to her manor. I wonder what it’ll look like?