The Light of Roria

Chapter Fifteen

As the image of my father's room slowly came into focus, I drew my attention inward, steadying myself against the nearest object, until the dizziness subsided.

"Are you both alright?" Elijah held onto Staci who kept her eyes closed.

"That was terrible." She bemoaned, swallowing hard several times.

"You okay Watson?" I asked, just as he laid down; his tail giving a single wag to explain he'd be okay eventually.

Whatever you must say, I believe it best if you do so quickly." Elijah whispered, scanning the area around us carefully.

My father's state had not changed, and I feared that would always be the case. I'd heard that the longer people remained in comas, the less likely they were to wake.

Placing a kiss on my father's cheek, I wrapped my arms around him. "I love you, Dad."

Using the same magic he had in my home, my father's room began to glow magnificently, the colors fading into the wall like before. "I did not want to part him without leaving fury light behind. I am thankful divinity has kept him safe until now." Elijah explained, happy to bring me even the smallest amount of relief. "But we should take our leave. They know of your attachment here, they will expect you to come back."

Struggling to release my father's hand, I kissed his knuckles several times, searching my heart for the right words to leave him with. "Whatever happens. You're still my dad." I began. "Wherever I am, I love you." Finally letting go of him, I leaned into Staci's welcoming embrace.

"Do you know where we need to go? Can you picture it?" Elijah asked Staci.

"No," she whispered. "It's been so long since I've seen Mona I hardly have a clear picture of her in my head." She begrudgingly admitted. "which sounds horrible but I was bitter about leaving her place for a long, long time."

"Then choose a place as close to it as you can come," he said, holding us both.

Even as the wind near my feet began to build, my eyes remained on my father. I desperately wanted to be there if he woke up, but staying meant risking not only his life but my own. It meant allowing all this evil and dark magic to coexist with everything that was good in the world, and after everything I'd lost because of it, I was starting to understand that goodness was worth fighting for.

When I opened my eyes, a towering building was directly ahead us; the sound of abrupt horns and heavy traffic not far from our position.

Watson was whining aggressively, the second journey having taken a bit of a toll on him. Looking around, I realized we were smack in the middle of downtown Boise. A grand corporate bank lay in front of us as we stood in the center courtyard with various businesses surrounding our position.

Elijah's eyes widened at the sight of the bank. The building was truly extraordinary, stretching at least ten stories high with expansive windows practically the length of each floor.

"Well," I started to say. "You got us to Main."

Staci placed a hand on her head. She was clearly quite shaken by our means of travel, though I wasn't in much better condition; having no choice but to take a seat in the nearest chair and stick my head between my knees, just as emotionally sick of wind travel as I was physically.

"The first thing that came to mind was that restaurant we went to, Adi, with the tortas you love. "Staci began, her color slowly returning. "I could really go for a chicken burrito with guac." She groaned, raising a finger. "After the world stops spinning."

I hadn't realized how empty my stomach was until she said "torta." Luckily I had remembered to grab the $300 I'd been saving in my keepsake box before we had left.