The Champion's Exam (On Hold Until Further Notice)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Nira felt ill. Overwhelmingly sick. Her blood had run cold when she saw Eko, the part that thought he died overcome with emotion, while the part that questioned it countered with waves of respite. She almost hadn't believed he was real, partially convinced he was a ghost or a mirage. 

But the reason she felt so ill was a concoction of fear and relief. Relief that she hadn't truly been a coward, but frightful that she may freeze up if that were to ever actually happen to Eko. She was reminded that she suffered the effects of a spell, and that the spell would trap her in what she fears the most.

Nira pondered what it was she feared as she stared at the quiet Eko, who listened to Zakora speak. Did she fear being a coward? Or losing Eko? Perhaps both?

The summit was now crowded with more people, other men who collapsed upon completion, and some whom came to the end in seek of help as they had been horribly attacked by the hidden animals of the forest. Some of the stories they told while they were aided to seemed like works of fiction, random babbles of the mind that couldn't possibly be true. But whether the other applicants believe them or not, many dropped out because of what they saw.

Nira was so deep in her thought; she didn't immediately realise Eko had been uncharacteristically silent, despite the chorus of mutters around them. At first she dismissed it as post-fight jitters, shell shocked response to what had happened, but when she heard him speak he croaked, at times it was barely an audible mumble. Nira sniffed, her eyes still sore as she rubbed them, "You're hurt..." she commented.

Eko looked to her and nodded, "It's not too bad. I'll be fine," he wheezed.

Nira shuffled closer to him, her voice lowering to a whisper to void being heard by anyone close by. She lifted her hand, showing off its soft blue colour, "Show me where it hurts."

Jackson noticed a change of colour out of the corner of his eye, it caught his attention. He turned and watched Nira rest her hand under Eko's shirt on his chest, through the green fabric Jackson watched something glow. Eko breathing laboured slightly, and for the first time since he met him, Jackson watched Eko wince, his cheeks bunch up and his eyes screw closed.

Nira retracted her hand, the glowing fading but still present on the palm of her hand. She rested the other against Eko's chest and pressed down on it, "Try a deep breath." Eko obeyed and took a long, deep breath through the nose and exhaled even longer. "Better?" she asked.

Eko nodded, a look of relief crossing him as he smiled, "Better. Thankyou."

Jackson raised an eye brow as he sat down next to the pair, "I'm sorry, what just happened?"

Nira pressed a finger to her lips in a hushed gesture. Without a word, she pressed the glowing hand to Eko's cheek, gently running her thumb over a small cut he had made running through the woods; within a few rubs it was gone, barely a faded scar remained.

Jackson was flabbergasted. "You can heal people?" he accidently raised his voice, prompting the glances of surrounding applicants. Nira hushed him loudly and pinched his ear.

He grunted from the pinch as he rubbed his ear, adopting a hushed tone. "You can heal people?"

Eko nodded, losing his voice every few words as he gently spoke. "Nira has magic," he whispered, "She can do things like heal, and see without her eyes, and tell when people are lying. It's really cool." Eko coughed, a catch in his throat.

Jackson was about to compliment when he noticed how pale Nira looked. She continued, "It's exhausting though..." she confessed holding her head.

"Which is why I don't want you doing it," Eko countered.