The Honor of Light #2 (Waverly Stump and The 7 Realms)

Chapter Eight

The priest worked endlessly. Waverly and Brijjet shifted turns between aiding him and watching Judson. A couple of servants would occasionally filter into the room, bringing with them spell books and healing books so the priest could figure out the necessary items to make the needed potion.

At last, he found it -  an unbelievably long list of rare plants and odd spices that grew in the dreariest parts of Dakriton. The priest sent some of his messengers along with Brijjet to travel across the realm to find them all and bring them to him. It took them five days to find and the priest two days of sleeplessness to finish but at last, he succeeded in making six different libs.

First, he performed many sacrifices to their patron god, Zakoon whom Brijjet revealed was the god of physical beauty who also had the ability to take the form of whomever he wished.

"How exactly does that type of god help Jud in a situation such as this?" Waverly whispered.

"I don't know. It sounds lame, i agree but i guess it's wise to pray to their patron deity first before performing healing. It strengthens the healing power like some kind of energy boost or something." Brijjet whispered back.

"Do you think it will wake Jud?"

Brijjet stood with his arms crossed. He kept quiet as the priest continued to chant and burn incense. Finally, he spoke again.

"I think that it will."

Waverly nodded and looked at Judson, wringing her hands together in burning anticipation. The priest said Judson had gone too deep into his trance which was why Crillion's medicine could not wake him up when she had administered it. She stared at his statuesque form that laid flat on the mat. He burned no longer but she could almost visualize wisps of smoke escaping his black wing. The vision she had seen of Judson stuck to her mind like nails hammered into a wooden fence. He had done something absolutely selfless and brave at such a young age and as a result, received both a blessing and a curse.

Waverly began to wonder why Judson could not remember most of his childhood. She wondered if that priestess had raised him after she picked him up in the meadow. But then, Judson had been traveling all his life and had found his way to Bremeton all by himself when he was only eight so she doubted the possibility. She felt sad that he had spent most of his earliest years alone and probably afraid. He looked different from everyone else (including his Shade brethren) and so it would have been difficult for anyone to take him in. Still, Judson's hardship never once hardened his heart or stained his character. He remained the most tenderhearted person Waverly ever knew.

She balled her fists in anger. She hated Nys above anything else and wanted to stuff her godly essence into a rabbit hole and seal it up with cement. As she watched the priest apply the potions on Judson carefully, she realized he did so in a near replicative manner of how Crillion had done it. He poured some into Judson's eyes, his ears, mouth, nostrils and his hair. He massaged the potion into the skin on his neck, bare arms and legs then resumed his chanting.

As the priest chanted, the room began to shake. Brijjet stood like a tree and did not move whereas Waverly had to lean on the door to keep from falling. The shaking quickly escalated from a low rumble to a violent turbulence. Items broke and toppled over, vases rolled away and wedged themselves in irregular places, doors flapped open, windows flailed and pieces of the walls broke off in tiny chunks.

The disturbance finally came to a stop. The priest opened his eyes and peered at Judson. Waverly wanted to speak but she was too afraid to do so for fear that she would interrupt the magic. For a long time nothing happened. Judson lay as still as ever and white as plaster.

Waverly covered her mouth and exhaled a shaky breath. Tears rolled down her left cheek.

"Primordial powers are at work here, powers that are older than some of the gods themselves." The priest said breaking the silence. He stood up dejectedly and brushed down his robe. "Let the gods know, i have done the best i can."