Legend Reborn

Chapter 18: Oblivion's Heart

I don't know how long I've been laying on the ground. Time doesn't seem to work the same here either. I try to move as little as possibly because the smallest twitch sends a searing pain up my side. I've never broken a bone before, and it wasn't an experience I had thought I'd have to go through all by myself in a shadowy netherworld.

It takes all my strength not to break down when I force myself to sit up. I grit my teeth against the pain until it settles back into a dull ache. My eyes are shut tight, and I let my head hang between my knees until the nauseous feeling in my stomach dies down. For a world in which I'm not supposed to feel much, I'm feeling quite a bit.

I slowly open my eyes once I'm confident that I can keep it together. Kirkland is still here, but he's moved to a different rock. He smiles crookedly at me when he sees I'm moving.

"Well, I'm glad a little fall like that wasn't enough to put the Savior of Elarium out of business," he says with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

I ignore him and stand up. The pain is starting to subside, but it flares up again as I move. A small hiss escapes me as I try my hardest not to show any weakness. I place a shaky hand in the general area of the broken rib and try to gather my energy there. It's sluggish, but my energy eventually makes its way to my hands. The glow it gives off can be described as pathetic at best. I wait for something to happen, but nothing does.

"That's an interesting power you have there," Kirkland says as he appears right next to me. He grabs my wrist and yanks my hand up closer to his face. I yelp as the movement sends pain down my side. "Sorry, love. Didn't mean to be so rough," he says with more amusement than sincerity. "Looks like this power wasn't meant to be used on yourself. Still, it's a nice thought. Too bad it doesn't work."

The shadow man releases my hand, and I pull it back quickly. His touch unnerves me because it requires him to be in close proximity with me. He must sense my discomfort because he moves even closer.

"Let me help you with that."

His voice is almost pleasant, which makes him sound even more dangerous. Without warning, Kirkland jabs two fingers into my side, right by the broken rib. A scream tears through my throat as pain explodes from the side of my chest. I drop back to my knees, which feels like defeat after all the work I went through just to stand up.

"Come on. Snap out of it, love," Kirkland says as he brushes my hair out of my face. If I wasn't gasping with pain I'd be repulsed by his intimate touch. "It's all better now, see?" He gently pokes my side again, and surprisingly, it doesn't hurt. I clutch my side in shock. "Don't look so surprised," he says with a smirk.

"You almost sound like you care," I say through gritted teeth.

This gets the shadow man all bent out of shape. "Geh....er...eck! It...it's not like that!" he practically shouts. "I just thought it wouldn't be as fun to watch you suffer if you can barely move! Don't mistake that for kindness!"

"Whatever you say," I mumble as I stand up. I hop to the next rock and the next without looking back. "Thanks, Kirkland, but I'll be on my way now."

"Where are you going?" he shouts. I can't hear him moving, but I don't doubt he's following me. "I didn't say you could go anywhere!"

I pause to let the shadowy man catch up, and his eyes blaze when they lock onto mine. "I didn't know I needed your permission." I purposely add a little extra sass to my voice, and I can tell it annoys him.

"I am the Lord of Oblivion! I dictate what goes on around here," Kirkland says indignantly.

"And just how did you get all this authority, your shadowy highness?"