Desert Wings

Don't Die

I wake up to find Aven staring at me, again,"Hi? Can I help you with something?"
"Not really. Just stay there, Basil wants to check on your arrow wounds, make sure they are healing and all that."
I sit up and watch Basil approach,"Lay down."
"Why?"
"This might hurt." Basil grinned as I returned to my previous position. After a minute I feel one of the bandages on my arm being slowly unwound. I purposely don't look, fearing what I may see. After a while new bandages cover the arm and Basil moves on to the next.
Silence seems a near constant companion in this place. Then pain, not as powerful as that which I've felt, all the same I hiss softly due to the unexpectedness of it.
"Kara?" Aven's voice sounds worried.
"Wasn't expecting it." I respond quickly. Neither offer any reply.
The bandages return and Basil seems to be happy, for the most part. I sit up again, ignoring the sharp look Basil gives me,"So now what?"
"Do you constantly ask that?" Basil groans.
"No, not ussualy. Just when I don't know what is next."
"Well, options come next."
"Oh, what am I deciding?"
Aven looks at Basil, confusion crossing his face,"Yeah, what is she deciding?"
"Well several things. For one, how you want to heal, we could try and speed it up or let things go. Along with many other things."
"Such as?"
Basil shifts uncomfortably,"Well, there was someone at the door who claimed to be Death."
"What?! I was that close to being dead? Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Reasons." I glare at him.
"Is he still there?"
"Don't think so."
"Good."
"Scratch that." Basil said,"He is still there."
"What? How do you know that?"
"Small magic, I have a spell over all the entrances, like an intruder alert sort of thing."
I nod my head before laying down again,"Figure it out."
"Can we ask him what is wrong?" Aven suggests, heading for the door.
Basil shook his head,"I would rather we didn't risk that." Basil muttered something in a language I hadn't heard before. When he finished muttering to himself his hands where glowing again, he stood for a few moments, eyes unfocused.
"Aven."
"Yes?" Basil glared at him,"Oh." It was Aven' s turn to curse under his breath.
I glance to my arm, fear crawls into my heart when I see one of the bandages quickly turning red.
"Why is that happening?"
"Wish I knew." Basil replied.
I tune out the two completely, just wanting to be back on my way.
"Kara."
"Yeah?"
"Wings." I hadn't realized that I had slowly been pushing them away as the thoughts of flying out the nearest window had caused my wings to open,"Thank you."
"He's still at the door." More curses from Basil. I let my mind wander, time is relative and to me hours seemed to become minutes.
"He's gone."
"Finally."
"Let's just heal these." Yes thank you.
"Okay."
A while later Basil removes the last bandage,"You should be good to go."
"Thanks." I sit up and look at Basil, then Aven, both of them look exhausted,"Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah, probably."
"Probably?"
Aven grins,"Small magic to heal not so small injuries, what do you think?"
"Not okay." I find two chairs and shove both of them down, forcing them to sit.
"Hey, we are okay Kara..."
"I don't care Basil. You stay here, that guy outside might die today."
"You are going to try and kill Death?"
I shrug, my sword appeared at my hip as I walked out of the room's lone door,"Maybe." I march down the halls out side, going off unreliable memories to find my way to the building's entrance. Eventually I find it.
I swing open the door to face a teenaged looking boy who is an awful lot taller than I am, (though that's not saying much since I am barley five feet and four inches tall).
"So," I back up a bit so I can see his face, though it didn't do me much good since it was covered by his raven black hair,"You claim to be Death?"
He offered a grin,"So I am."
I roll my eyes,"Just tell me who you are."
"Death, possibly your worst nightmare."
"So, Death. Who are you here for?" I manage to sound nonchalant.
Death grinned down at me,"Who ever you want little bird."
"Yeah okay you need to leave." I start to reach for the door handle.
"But I just got here."
"Liar."
Another grin,"Fine, I will leave for now but we shall meet again little bird." Death turned on his heel and strutted down the path.
I shut the door and a slid a bolt into the place returning to Basil and Aven.
"Death is gone." I proclaim as I enter,"Or not."
"Oh hello little bird, back so soon?"
"Why are you here? How are you here? I saw you leave!" I hurry to stand in front of Aven and Basil. Aven looked to me, fear in his eyes, Basil seemed to be asleep.
"Guess why I came. Although I've never figured out how."
I pull me sword from its sheath,"You leave them be."
"Tsk tsk Kara, I hoped you would know better."
I growl lowly at him,"Who, why and how do I stop you?"
"Basil, many reasons, heal." Death retorts.
"Fine, give me some time."
"That my dear is something I cannot offer you."
"Fine." I turn to Aven,"What do I do?"
"Small magic, ever done it before?"
"Nope."
"Fine, here is what we are going to do." Aven stood, a little unsteady sure, but he stood all the same,"I am going to have to borrow some energy. I'm sure you can tell I don't have much of that."
"Okay, what do you want me to do?"
"Come here." I move to stand beside Aven who stood behind Basil's chair.
Aven muttered some words of the strange language, when he blinked his eyes suddenly began to glow. He reached out and grabbed my arm, a soft glow began to eminate from his grasp. He placed his other hand on Basil's head and began to chant softly.
Death looked on, emotionless, so still I wondered if he had turned to stone. Then my knees felt weak, I slipped into a crouch, Aven continued to chant. A long while later Aven stopped chanting and Basil's eyes slid open, Death nodded, almost approvingly before walking out the door.
"You okay?" Basil looked at Aven, then me.
"Yeah, I think so." He began to stand up but I shoved him back into the chair,"Hey!"
"Death was here for you by the way."
"What?" Basil's normally stoic face dropped and fear entered instead.
"Lucky for you Aven was here."
"Yeah. Thanks Aven."
Aven shrugged it off,"You would have done the same."
"No one is going to die. Deal?"
"Deal."