Neledh || ONC 2023

Chapter 4 | Eira

Authors note:

Two new chapters, I wanted to have posted them sometime last week. But I got distracted by all the new challenges I could participate in, though I have almost finished my submissions for them. So I can focus all my attention back on this book.

The world was dark as Eira's consciousness returned.

The battle in Rouen and subsequent flight to the surrounding towns had left her with a body that no longer listened to her. There was a reason she had stopped with the raids, she couldn't keep up with the other warriors. Nor could she successfully keep someone safe from them.

Ash' scream for help was too little too late, as the warrior in front of her, caught her chest with his blade.

Eira had always known this was how her life would end, by an enemy during a battle. Yet she could have never anticipated how much she wanted to continue for her family. She never really had anything to come back to, and now that she did had it, it would still be lost on her.

Her body hit the ground and despite Nadine's scream of pain behind her, did Eira not look.

She couldn't, even if she wanted.

The shadows played with the light and Eira's unfocused eyes could no longer see what was happening. The sweet smell of Nadine's blood slowly disappearing, the only indication of time passing.

Her body clung to every shred of life it still possessed, but in the end her eyes closed for one last time, as the Danes walked away from the town left in ash.

-

The shadows where a safe place to watch the village without being seen. After all, they had no reason to join the fight for either side.

They were merely here following divine orders, someone would need a guide and apparently it would be their job to guide them.

The Danes had been raging through the county with Them following them from within the shadows. And now the end was here, the person they had been sent here for.

The white-haired girl had seen them hiding in the shadows, but she hadn't recognised them. Probably thinking it was merely a play of light.

In complete silence they ran closer to the bodies laying on the ground. The child was dead and gone to Chawin, there was nothing that could save them anymore at this point. Even if they had wanted to do so, it was better to save their strength.

The warrior was dying and had closed their eyes, but in time they would recover. The white-haired girl was in a similar state.

These were the people they had been sent to look for.

Without a backwards glance, did they collect the two bodies and took them to safety.

One problem at a time. Later they could stop and think about the what, why and how.

-

A cold wind was the first thing Eira noticed. She had assumed Fólkvangr wouldn't be this cold, but it wasn't too surprising. The country was cold too after all, why would the after world be any different.

Water hitting the roof made her look up instinctively, but her movements were immediately halted by hands and bandages.

"Keep still. We don't want your wounds to open again."

Eira had never heard the voice before and continued to struggle, to get away.

Where was Nadine?

Where were they?

"Seriously?! Just-"

The hands forcefully pushed Eira down and kept her flat on the bed. Moments later ropes appeared from thin air."

"Now we can do it nicely, or I'll tie you up. Your partner is safe, she's next to you and will wake up shortly, but you cannot move."

Eira let herself fall back on the bed and slowly with the help of their unknown savior managed to turn her head so she could watch Nadine.

Her face had been washed and cleared of the grime that had accumulated during their flight. Her hair once more shone bright and looked as soft as Eira remembered when she had braided it less than a week ago.

She looked good.

That was until Eira's eyes fell lower and saw the blood on her otherwise pristine clothes.

"Blood."

The person looked up from where they had been washing the rags and followed Eira's gaze to Nadine's back.

"Oh that. Don't worry about it, it's normal for women after their transformation. It will stop as usual, her body is merely finishing its cyclus."

It took a few moments for Eira to realise what was meant, but her discomfort at the reminder of something her body was incapable of was quickly overridden by the mention of a transformation.

"What transformation?"

What had this person done to them when they had been unable to protect themselves.

"I'm sorry to inform you of your deceased human body, there was nothing left to do to save that. The only thing I could do to keep you alive was turning you."

The person walked back to Eira's bed to change her bandages.

"Have fun continuing life as a vampire."

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Chawin & Fólkvangr 

heaven

[Edited]

March 9, 2023