The Other Rogers

Chapter 38

Laying in a bed of snow T'Challa's body was in a comatose state as his family raced into the room, his mother's hand over her mouth as Nakia breathed out, "Impossible."

The Mother Queen and Shuri raced to his side, holding his hands and brushing his forehead, their hearts beating once more.

Nakia wept as she saw the love of her life battered and bruised, "Is he breathing?"

M'Baku stood behind them with Everett as they crowded the once king. "He's in a coma. Barely clinging to life."

They all turned to stare at him, puzzled on how T'Challa ended up there.

"One of our fishermen came across a bleeding woman at the edge of the river border, holding your dying son. She had saved him."

Shuri's eyes widened as she noticed T'Challa wasn't alone in his fight for life.

Lying next to him, more broken than she had ever seen the woman was Anya. Her blonde hair had no golden shine left, only the dull red that was dried blood; her skin looked as pale and translucent as the snow she laid upon.

Twisting around, her hand rested on the woman's forehead, tears running down her face as she stared at her friend, whom she hadn't even thought of since the combat ritual.

"He brought them to him, the woman barely able to stay awake long enough to tell me what had happened."

Shuri turned walking towards M'Baku her eyes wide, "Why do you have them in the snow?"

M'Baku held his spear looking down at them remorsefully. "It is the only thing keeping them from joining their ancestors."

Shuri walked back over to Anya's side, her fingers digging the woman's half covered body out of the snow ignoring as the ice bit at the tips of her fingers. "We need to get them to my lab. I can heal them there."

M'Baku scoffed, "Take them. They'll be dead in seconds."

Shuri shook her head continuing to dig at the snow. Ramonda joined her, knowing the truth of Anya's powers.

M'Baku stared down at the woman who had healed him and felt powerless as he couldn't return the favour. "The ice has stopped the bleeding, but beyond that we do not know how to help her."

"The ice may have stopped the bleeding, but it is preventing her powers from healing her." Shuri spoke as she dug.

Nakia hadn't left T'Challa's side as she watched the others work.

M'Baku raised his brow, confused as Ramonda left Shuri's side only for Everett, who had sensed the urgency of their actions, to replace her. "How? How? It's stopping the bleeding, why isn't she healing?"

"The snow. The cold temperature of the ice is what's preventing her powers from activating." Ramonda explained as she brushed her son's hair from his forehead, her mind thinking of the herb.

It would hopefully save her son's life, but she had no idea of what to do for Anya.

"So, what can we do?"

Shuri pointed to the fire, its orange glow luminating on the wood surrounding them. "Get her out of the ice and warm her up; now that she isn't at risk of bleeding out."

Everett and Shuri worked over Anya, carrying her closer to the fire while M'Baku ordered his men to return with more blankets and furs.

On the other side of the ice pool, Nakia handed Ramonda the herb that was soon grinded into the blessed drink of Bast.

"I call upon the ancestors. I call upon Bast." Ramonda cried out, reciting the ritual, praying to their protector. "I am here with my son, T'Challa. Heal him."