Dream and Nightmare

Chapter 15 - Dark Magic

"Lina!" Anah screamed for her as soon as Shritaum's magic faded, but she wasn't going to be coming back. 

As she stood up, Felidy stumbled. She put her hand to her head, clumsily making her way over to Rendel's bedside. Pushing Anah out of the way, Felidy placed her hands on Rendel's chest, over his heart. Her hand glowed blue as she compressed his chest, trying desperately to get him back. The blue magic on her hands faded fast from her exhaustion. Felidy swore before calling for Jack to join her.  

"I need your magic," she explained. "Anah, back off." 

"What can I do?" 

"He just needs a little kick. Use your magic to shock his heart a bit, and hurry, Jack. He's been gone too long as it is." Felidy moved to the side to allow Jack to get at the body. There was no hope in Anah's heart that he would come back. Rendel and Lina were both lost and she couldn't stop the guilt that told her it was all her fault. 

Jack didn't have much confidence in his magic, and that was easy to see as blue sparks sprung from his fingertips. He was mumbling bad words under his breath, lowering his fingertips to Rendel's heart. 

The jolt jerked his body and arched his back off the bed. When a desperate gasp for air emitted from his throat, Felidy made a soft sound of relief. "Thank you, Jack." She kissed him before moving into the next room to get some supplies. Jack followed her after seeing Anah was still holding Rendel's hand.  

Unconcerned about Jack's assumption, Anah squeezed Rendel's hand, observing him carefully. After several, pained gasps, his breathing evened out. When he didn't open his eyes, Anah poked his chest. "Rendel can you hear me?" 

"Yeah, Anah, what's up?" He said hoarsely.  

Her face split into a grin. "You were dead." 

"I know." His voice was getting quieter as he was slipping back into unconsciousness. "What happened? Is everyone alright?" 

"No, he took Lina." 

He was silent so Anah poked his chest again.  

"Rendel?"  

No answer. 

"I'm glad you're alive," Anah whispered. 

------RENDEL------- 

His head was pounding, the cuts on his side hurt in every way possible, and his throat burned. Death was better than the way he felt. Except death didn't have Felidy. 

Her hands worked quickly with no consideration for his pain. Felidy had her hair pulled back out of her face and a damp rag in her hand. She was blotting at the bandages around his chest, trying to pry them off the wound. "That hurts," he told her. 

"I don't care. Drink some tea; you sound awful." Her voice was cold, blunt, and she didn't turn to look at him.  

"You look pretty," he told her. 

That got a glare out of her. "Do you have a concussion or are you seriously trying to hit on me right now?" 

He raised his eyebrows. "Trying to get you to look at me." A new pain shot through his body as Felidy pressed her hand into his side. "Ah," He barely managed not to scream. "Sorry! Damn it, woman, stop." 

With a hint of a smug look on her face, Felidy pulled her hand back, continuing her work on his wounds. He watched her work a while more, but tired of that quickly.  

The room bore no signs of a struggle other than his own with Shritaum, and all Rendel knew was that Felidy and Anah were alive and Shritaum wasn't there anymore. "What happened, Fe? Are Jack and Lina alright?"