The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

WM [73] The Price to Go Forward

Tanisha's eyes fluttered open, heavy with exhaustion. The world around her blurred and shifted like a dream, but one detail was clear: she was cradled in Aurelius's arms. The steady rhythm of his stride and the faint warmth radiating from him felt oddly reassuring, even as her surroundings swam in and out of focus.

Through the haze, she caught glimpses of their path—a jagged landscape of volcanic rock giving way to the towering shadows of adjacent mountains. The sulfuric heat of the region clung to the air, mixing with the magically induced cold from the chaotic ambient mana. Her mind struggled to piece together where they were, but the effort made her head spin.

Aurelius's eyes flickered down at her. "Looks like you're awake," he said, his voice calm but edged with concern. "Take it easy, don't move. We're close to the mountains now."

Tanisha tried to respond, her voice a thin whisper. "Right... Don't worry about me. We can continue."

Her words lacked conviction or color, and her body betrayed her. As the swaying motion resumed, her vision wavered, and she slipped back into the swirling darkness.

***

When Tanisha woke again, it was in the midst of pandemonium. Aurelius had set her down, and the ground beneath her was cold and unforgiving. Her surroundings blurred like a watercolor painting left in the rain. Bjorn's massive form loomed nearby, his four heads snapping in all directions. Breath attacks lashed out at the world around them one after the other. Meanwhile Fuyumi darted towards something in the distance before fading from sight.

A monster was attacking, or was it? Tanisha's perception faltered, the creature shifting in and out of focus, its grotesque form merging with the jagged rocks around them. Was it real, or was her mind conjuring horrors of its own? The sounds of battle took the form of roars, shrieks, and the clash of magic and they were all muffled as if coming from underwater.

She tried to move, to help, but her limbs felt weighted down by chains of lead. The world tilted again, and the edges of her vision darkened. Someone, Aurelius perhaps, shouted something, but the words were lost to her.

***

The days that followed continued to pass in fragments. Tanisha drifted in and out of consciousness, each awakening a disjointed snapshot of their journey. She caught pieces of conversations between Aurelius and Fuyumi, their voices low and tense. The bond with Bjorn though was a constant reassurance.

"We should veer east. The terrain's safer, but it'll take longer."

"No, west. The caves there might be risky, but it's a faster route. We are trying to catch up to someone with a days-long headstart."

Their words blended with the shadows at the edges of her awareness. Bjorn's deep growl rumbled through her dreams, a warning that pulled her briefly back to reality. She saw him once, bloodied but standing firm, his form shielding her from something she couldn't fully comprehend.

At one point, Fuyumi leaned over her, "There, be sure to swallow all of it. One spoon at a time. Stay with us."

***

When she finally stirred again, the cool air of the mountains brushed against her fevered skin. The sulfuric heat of the volcanic region was gone, replaced by a feeling of normalcy for the first time since they entered the Chaos Lands. They had made it, somehow.

Through half-lidded eyes, Tanisha saw Aurelius crouched nearby, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Fuyumi was tending to a wound on Bjorn's flank. For a brief moment, the world felt still, and Tanisha herself finally able to beat back the endless bouts with unconsciousness. Her vision cleared enough for her to take in the sights.