World Of Light (Arula: Two)

Chapter 4

Mika came knocking at Karma's door the next morning, carrying a jar of herbs. With permission to enter, Mika found Karma at the window seat, staring blinding outside. "Omar has informed me about your problem." She said, setting the jar on the desk. The book on the desk was laying wide opened and Mika sneaked a peek. "What's that? A cat?"

"Something like that." Said Karma, walking over and closing her book. She looked at the jar with full curiosity. Karma pointed to it. "Is this supposed to help me?" Mika nodded.

"Hopefully." She said. "Spending years as an herbiest daughter, I know every planet and fungus out there." Mika opened the jar and produced a small leaf. "This is a mint leaf, but not the mint you use for your food. This mint leaf is hard and crusted, not so leafy like an ordinary leaf. We elves use it to help with sour throats, headaches, and nausea. And in your case, you have headaches, am I correct?" Karma nodded.

"Yes, but they only come because that," Karma pointed to the book. "Gives them to me. And it only goes away when I draw in it." The elf nodded like she understood.

"Omar told me as much." She said. "But I reinsure you, that whenever you feel like it's going to come, break one of these mint leaves in half, and pop it in your mouth. It dissolves when contacted with anything moist, so there's no need to chew or swallow." Karma took the leaf from Mika's hand, observing it.

"Why half?"

"Because, you're human. We have no idea how a full one will do to you. These only grow in elf territory, so we elves can handle a full one." Karma half nodded. The leaf, like Mika said, was hard and felt crusty, like someone had dumped it in a bowl of sugar.

"Well, I hope nothing bad happens when I eat half, huh?" Karma said and Mika laughed.

"Oh, trust me. Nothing will, it's been tested on humans before." She smiled widely, showing her white straight teeth.

"So," Said Karma, as she put the leaf back in the jar. "How's Nector?" Mika placed the lid back on the lid, thinking of the words to say.

"He is doing fine," she said. "His wounds are looking better, but I fear he will never get over of what happened to him." Karma agreed. "And there is one more thing," Mika said, trying to word her words carefully. "His wings. They have been ripped in many ways, that I also fear, he will never be able to fly again." Karma gasped.

"You're not serious, are you?" Karma asked, wide eyed. Mika nodded.

"Very. Whatever those ogres did, they did it good. And flying here only made his condition worse." Karma sat down on her chair, shaking her head.

"And what are we supposed to do? I promised him I'll help save his people." Karma said, as she looked over at the sleeping long-tailed fox. The fox simply slept without a care in the world.

"Don't know." Mika said. "But you must think of it quick, because I don't think Arula can go through another battle." Karma sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"I don't think either."

----

The rest of the week was spent on what to do, and no one had a single clue. Karma spent most of the time in the infirmary with Nector. The sprite had given Karma a detail story of what the ogres did, and Karma listened intently.

"It was a beautiful day at my village, Ranor. All of us were getting ready for the Festival of Light, though you probably know what that's about." Karma shrugged.

"I know of it, but I don't know much about it." She said.

"Well," he said, bit more excited. "It's a day that we worship the Sun God, Freyr. It's the one day where the sun shines its brightest. We dance, we drink, we eat, we play, and when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, we fly. The sun is so bright that day, that when we fly, the sun beams on us and fills our clan with so much light that it could've been mistaken as Heaven herself." The sprite smiled broadly. "The festival starts at first light and ends at the last light." He breathed in, then out. "Though, the Festival of Light isn't until a few months from now, it takes a month just to get ready for the grand day."

His smile then died away, his lit eyes blew out like a candle. "Then, it happened. They came. By thousands, they did. They destroy our village, killed the young and old, only leaving those who looked strong enough to work in their mines." Nector's hands clutched into a fist. "They worked us until we dropped and couldn't get up anymore. Only for what? Jewels? Gems?!" The spite began to shake. "I watched those awful creatures whipped and hit my sister, and every time, I took the hit when she could no longer..." His voice dropped and became heavy. "And then when I wasn't paying attention. She was pushing those carts filled with jewels and gems, but she wasn't pushing fast enough. She was forced to push it up a steep hill, but it was too heavy... she gave up and the cart rolled. The cart fell and the jewels and gems went everywhere.

"An ogre saw and... and he beat her with his club. By the time, I came over to stop him, it was too late. She was so badly beaten. Her breathes came in rasps... I was the last sprite she saw." Tear pooled in his eyes and slid down his cheek. Even Karma almost cried.

"I'm so sorry." Karma said. "I wish I've known." Nector looked at her and smiled.

"No need." He said. "You live across land. No one could've known. No word could've gotten out. I wish it would've have though." Karma nodded.

"Me, too, Nector." The sprite tilted his head at Karma, inspecting her curiously.

"You know," he said. "You almost look just like her. Though, your hair is a bit darker, but your eyes are identical, and your features are nearly alike." Karma smiled, sweetly.

"Thank you." She said, just as the head nurse came over with a tray with a glass of water, a plate of fruits, and a bowl with herbs. She placed the tray on the bedside table and fixed her dress.

"I hate to be a bother, but it's time that Nector here gets his rest and his medicine. I'm going to have ask you leave, Creator." Karma nodded and promised Nector that she'll come back soon. The sprite smiled and said his thanks for her visit. And that, was that. Karma left the infirmary with the pounding sensation coming back to her head.