The Nightscape

Recovery

He turned to her with blazing eyes, hurt and anger and confusion flashing in them as he looked down at Lyra, who had dropped the act and was now just laying there. She was exhausted, and her body still felt clunky and was struggling to respond to her commands, and she knew that even at full strength she couldn't beat Zidros, so whatever punishment he was about to mete out was simply her fate. 

"Answer me, Lyra!" He cried out, a hand going to his hair and bunching it between his fingers, clearly distressed. She didn't have an answer, so she just gazed up at him, eyes blank. He shook his head at her, stumbling to his feet and looking around, seeming to realise that the priority for him now was getting the others back. Before he could make a move to run out the door after them, Lyra reached out and lazily wrapped one hand around his ankle, trying to stop him. She knew it wouldn't work if he really wanted to go, but she felt like she had to try something, and in her weakened state this was the best she could do. She fully expected for him to shake her off or stamp down on her hand, but he didn't. Instead, he nodded his head a few times, gently pulled himself free, and knelt down besides her. 

"It's alright. It's alright, I can understand this, I'm sure I can, and that's more important right now. I can find the others later without much issue, so I'll help you first. Is that why you did it? Because you don't feel well and you're worried and you want my attention?" He asked her, clearly struggling to comprehend. Lyra had been floating in and out of consciousness, but now she forced herself to stay in the present and focus on him. 

"It's not fair." She mumbled out. If he could find them all so easily, she needed to try and convince him that what he was trying to do was wrong, while she still had him here. But it was so hard to even keep her mind focused, never mind struggle through a conversation. It seemed like freeing the others and acting had taken all of the strength the procedure had left her with. 

"I know it wasn't fair for me to focus on others when you've just become immortal, and I'm sorry. Once you've settled and gotten used to being immortal, I'll track down another member of the council and turn them immortal. But for now, let's focus on you." He mumbled to himself more than her, summoning a pillow to his hand and gently lifting her head to slide it under and support her neck. 

"I want to be an immortal." A vaguely familiar French accented voice rang out from behind the duo, from the doorway to the main hall of the library. Zidros turned around and smiled at the woman, gesturing her closer. 

"I did think it was odd that you ran off with the others, Francine. You were the only one who actually wanted my gift." He said with a weak smile as Francine came and knelt down next to him, inspecting Lyra curiously. 

"I was going to try and stop them, but they would have overpowered me. Instead I tried to persuade them not to run, but they didn't listen to me either. Sorry." She said, before noting how vacant Lyra's eyes were. "Is she alright? I know the fit was just a distraction, but she doesn't seem quite... right." She said uncertainly. Zidros paused for a moment and then gave a rather unconvincing nod of the head. 

"Yes. Or at least, if she isn't, I can fix her. I just need to focus on her for a little while, and when she's all better, I'll turn you immortal. Then once you've adjusted, I'll go and find another one of the council, and so on and so forth until you're all immortal. It will slow down the progression of my ultimate plan, but that doesn't matter. We have forever to do it!" He said lightly with a laugh, the glimmer of determination in his eyes. Francine nodded and smiled. 

"Of course. I'm sure it won't take you too much longer to turn the rest of us immortal, but I would suggest that you keep an eye on the others to make sure that nothing bad happens to them. It's really very dangerous out there even if there wasn't a civil war brewing." She suggested. Zidros nodded.