The Cleansing (Book One: The Folara Chronicles)

039: Nimiane

Nimiane walked along the path from the forest to the plant covered plasma walls that separated the undersea dome from the open sea. She trailed her hand along the bushes that lined the path to give the illusion of outdoors. 

She came here for many reasons. To renew her dreams of power and revenge. Sometimes her role as loyal Council Woman became clouded.

Today was one such day.

She carried a small wooden box. Inside it, was a sleeping dragon. Nimiane came to the park once a week to allow the dragon to spread its wings unseen. This was one part of her life that no one knew of except herself. 

Normally the dragon was content, its tiny wings unfolding in ethereal blue and green, but today, when she opened its box, it barely opened its eyes. For three generations this box had carried the tiny animal safely, and not once had it deviated from its natural behavior. The prophecy that had been passed down with this unusual magical little pet was that when the time came, when it slept too long, when its eyes refused to open, then was the time that it had to be taken to the land and let go.

Fear gripped Nimiane's heart. How could she possibly let this little creature go? Her ancestors had not known of the terrible toxic atmosphere of this planet. They wouldn't have let it go just to kill it. But another fear niggled at her. What if she didn't let it go and it was supposed to have cured the planet? 

Prophecy!

A prophecy began by her own progenitors to give them all hope.

There was no hope!

The tri-realms were all there was! The land was inhospitable. It could not be cleansed! 

It crossed her mind that the prophecy for finding the Talisman provided a way to thin the population of rebels. By searching inside the mountain for a Talisman all their days, Quildor's Foemen would kill them. 

Too bad it wasn't Kara that had been captured. Kara was the one who inspired the teams of rebellious searchers. But no matter. One way or another, Kara would be eliminated.

And no tiny dragon would stop the process from happening.

Nimiane closed the box, cupping it carefully in her hands. 

It was time to go after the scepter and go forward with her plan to kill Ondrea. Now... she would fulfill her assignment and let the dragon go too.

*******

Kara instinctively tried to turn toward warmth and failed. She pried her eyes open, only to find they were forced shut with a heavy bandage covering them. "Hello?" She heard her own voice croaking from disuse. "Hello? Where am I?"

She was bound too tightly to move. Her body twitched as she tried to feel her limbs. Panic assailed her. "Help me!" She heard the echo in the cavern around her.

A soft glowing feeling permeated her mind and she sank into it as if she had no will of her own. Relax, just relax, you are safe.

She recognized the voice of a healer. "Please. Don't tamper with me."

The feeling of peace and relaxation renewed, and Kara lay in frustration, wondering why the healer wasn't listening to her. 

"What exactly happened to me? I can't remember...." Not to mention, she had no recollection of being brought to this place or even what kind of injuries she'd sustained.

In rising panic, Kara began taking inventory of her body, each finger, each toe, each muscle group. Could she flex...?  What was her last memory? She felt drugged, her mind foggy and numb.