The Tellanon

14. Far away

Emyra moaned. Some very bright light was shining through her eyelids, and she did not at all feel like opening her eyes. It was freezing cold, and there was nothing to offer protection. A sharp wind played with her hair, her clothes were soaking wet. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was a wall of snow and a scream. It had something to do with a bridge, also. Where was she? Something or someone was breathing next to her. Jagged breaths of thin air, the same thin air she herself was breathing. Where was she? It smelled of sweat and blood here. Blood? Slowly, with the most agonizing pain, she moved her leg. It hurt badly, having been still and frozen for so long, but she had to move. Knowing where she was seemed the most important thing now, so she decided to open her eyes. They were frozen shut, though. No matter how hard she tried, they refused to open. After what felt like hours, she worked up the courage to move her hand and rub her eyes open.

All there seemed to be was that bright white light. It suited the description of the third heaven, so she just suspected she had died and been judged worthy of the third heaven. But no, it wouldn't be cold in heaven, would it? And she wouldn't feel pain, either. No, this wasn't heaven.  Where was she, though? She propped herself up on her elbows, and looked around. There was snow everywhere. One huge, untouched plain of snow, glittering in the white light. There was no disruption anywhere, just smooth white, stretching out seemingly eternal. Emyra stood up, and immediately regretted it. Every muscle in her body screamed in agony. Emyra ignored it, and came to the conclusion that she was in the abyss beneath the bridge. Even in summer, the Nightmares would keep it cold, wouldn't they? Speaking of Nightmares, where were they now? They should be attacking her, looking for the sword. She should be dead.

"I gave the Nightmares your blade, Tellanonfriend. They can't harm you anymore." Said Jylinde Norak. She was spreading the bright white light, making up for the utter darkness of the sky. Emyra nodded as if in trance and looked at her belt. The sword was, indeed, missing. Well, at least the dagger was still there. Berren's dagger. The one she had been given in the college. It was more powerful for her than any greatsword. A piece of Berren. Why was she here, looking for him? At home, she could wait for him in peace. Explore the Rannuren, bond with Lynn and Thomys. Read in the College. Write in her diary about ordinary things. She would just wait for him while leading her own dreamy life. If she had stayed home, she would never have seen a dragon, though. She would never have seen the white light that fell on five more shapes. Serin was sleeping against a steep dark wall of rock, with Ash across her chest. Alea and Aswad were digging in the snow, probably in search for grass. There also were the two children. Emyra remembered everything now. She had fallen, and landed here, in this dreamlike place of terrible cold. She shivered, and looked up. There was nothing to be seen but black stone and equally black sky.

Serin woke up. Unlike Emyra, she didn't have any trouble waking up. Serin simply shook the ice and snow off, and stood up. Ash jumped up with her.

"Where the Gods are we?" she asked groggily, hand on her sword. Her hair was all messed up and her lips were blue, but she still managed to look fierce.

"The abyss the Nightmares used to be in. They're gone now. Jylinde gave them my sword. They left." She said.

"They are not gone. They are merely invisible to you, now that the blade is theirs." Jylinde Norak corrected. Emyra looked about in alarm, but saw nothing. Serin just frowned and asked something.

"Why do they want the sword. They've got enough Anderin here, don't they?" The dragon did not answer. Serin sat down, back against the black wall.

"Emyra," She said after a while. Emyra looked away from the horizon.

"Yes?"

"You're bleeding." Serin said, pointing at her leg. Emyra looked down in alarm and saw that she was, indeed, bleeding. The cold had made her leg feelingless, but the gash was definitely there, running from knee to ankle. It was shallow, but it would hurt a lot once she regained feeling.