In the Blade's Hilt |A tale from Triterra|

Chapter 35 - Headrush

As he slowly made his way back, the haze obscured his vision and he was left in a white cloud of nothingness.  Blue winced as he suddenly felt an acute pain in his head.  Memories began to rush past in front of him.  One moment he was walking up the steps to his house, the next he was melting down his fathers mace using the forge.  One moment he was holding a staff, the next, he was holding a finely carved wood and brass sword handle.  More memories began to appear.  He was making his sword, placing the gem in its hilt, making a scabbard, taking his mother's coat, burying his parents, fixing his house, reading up on magic, practising magic, setting part of the house on fire, dousing said fire, making himself new clothes and then suddenly, the next memory appeared.  It was unclear and twisted but he could just about make out what was happening.  A sword was being held to his throat.  It slowly began to press against his neck.  But it stopped there.  The arm holding the blade lowered and another gloved hand appeared in front of him.  It splayed out it's fingers and a blast of purple energy spread over him.  The headache subsided.  After a few brief moments, the onslaught of memories resumed.  Now he was waking up in Swiften, packing a bag, travelling the countryside, arriving at the City, taking up a life of petty crime, stealing a goblet, getting arrested, escaping, threatening a girl, leaping off a bridge, grabbing on to a rope, apologising to the girl. Travelling. Attacks.  Friendships.  Plans.  Darkness.  Dreams.  Visions.  Then, nothing.

Blue opened his eyes groggily.  He was lying on something soft.  He reached out and felt that it was moss.

"Well," came a voice," that wasss quite, erm, ssstrange"

He focused his energy into standing up.  He stood up right for a few brief seconds before his knees gave out.  Several long green things wrapped around his body and prevented him from falling.

"Oopsss.  We don't want you breaking your ssskull, do we?" There it was again.  He looked up to see the plant being staring right at him.

"Blue, I... I am ssso sssorry.  I couldn't have posssibly known"

"Duh... Don't w-worry about it." He attempted to make a weak smile.  "The truth hurts, you know?"

She smiled back.

"Yesss, I sssupossse.  Now, if you are able to, you ssshould probably go back to your friendsss"

"Okay then.  Goodbye, and thanks"

"Wait!"

Blue turned round and the Dryad beckoned for him to come closer.  A long green vine grew out from the floor beside her.  At it's tip was a small barb.  She pressed her finger against it and winced.  Blue watched as the small droplet of yellow sap grew on the end of her finger.  She than partially unsheathed his blade and touched it.  Strands of blue energy jumped from the blade to the gem and then up to Blue's head.  Shimmering green runes appeared in front of his eyes.  When they disappeared, the Dryad smiled at him.

"Thanksss for stopping by"  She planted a kiss on his forehead before pointing towards the exit.

He got down on his hands and knees and began crawling through the tunnel again.  How was he going to explain this to Jenna?