The Ancients

Chapter 13

Liam's inhale got lodged in his throat, making him choke. His chest hollowed out. I knew it, I knew they were going to kill us.

Vipin, was frozen in shock her eyes unable to move from Oasid's apologetic face. "What?" She hissed.

"A human cannot know of our existence and be allowed to return to Zherune," Oasid defended, his hands raised. "Liam could never return."

"And what about me?" Vipin accused.

"If you're not who I think you to be, you won't survive the trial."

Vipin's chest tightened into a knot. Of course Oasid didn't want to talk about the trial, it was going to lead her straight to her death.

At least she wouldn't have to worry about outliving everyone important to her.

"But they know that dragons are back! What would be the point of killing us?" Liam challenged.

"They know a dragon is back."

"So killing us is a means to an end," Vipin scoffed.

"Killing you would be a means to an end," Oasid agreed nodding his head. "If you aren't the champions the prophecy foretold." He stood moving in front of them and grabbing them by their shoulders. "But I am rather certain that you are. Which means you'll make it through your trial," he looked at Vipin reassuringly. "And you will walk out of this mountain alive and well, and possibly with an able sword arm," he smiled looking down at Liam.

Liam's brow raised in surprise. "You'll heal my arm?" He asked standing out of his chair.

"If I can convince Veluthil," Oasid nodded.

"How?" Vipin asked, excitement plain in her voice.

"Do you really think that we went this long without a way to heal someone from dragon fire?" Oasid laughed. "We wouldn't have had a rider alive with the ability to move."

Liam and Vipin looked at each other, smiles covering their faces. As long as Vipin lived through whatever this trial was, Liam would be healed. He would get mobility in his arm back, he wouldn't be defenseless. He would live. For the first time since they'd left Azeal they were filled with excitement, with hope.

There wasn't anything the dragons could put in front of Vipin now that would keep her from succeeding in her trial. Whatever lied ahead for her didn't matter, there was nothing she wouldn't do to keep Liam alive, to give his body back to him.

"Now," Oasid said cheerily, clapping his hands together. "We all smell! Let's go bathe, shall we?" He turned around and left the room. Vipin and Liam exchanged another small smile before following behind him. She heard the scrapping of Ryland's chair and his footsteps following behind them slowly, but she paid him no mind. This was the best thing that had happened to them since they left Aurum, and she wouldn't let an elf with the personality of pissy snow ruin this for her. After the loss they had endured, and the pain that Liam had been through, they needed this.

Oasid took them down another flight of steep steps and down a poorly lit tunnel. He stopped outside of a small wooden door and opened it to a steamy room with four separate hot springs in the corners that took up most of the space.

The warmth of the room had already helped relax Vipin's muscles. Liam also sighed in relief. Finally, somewhere they weren't freezing.

Oasid started to untie his robes, so they went to one of the pools in the back, unbuckling their swords from their hips and untying their armor. Vipin had to help Liam out of his armor and pull his head out of his shirt, red embarrassment was apparent on his face, but Vipin didn't say a word.