Arynthe's Story

Morning

61 ar. (this morning)

I woke up slowly. When I opened my eyes I saw a room that was alien to me. I vaguely remembered it as the infirmary, but a lot of things had changed. Logical: it had been decades. 

From Zad's office I heard two voices: Haik's and Zad's. I hadn't heard either of them for quite some time, but I recognized them immediately. The voices hadn't changed. Torrayans don't age after growing up. 

"I warned you," Zad shouted furiously, "I warned you before you locked her up, I warned you after you locked her up- pretty much every week of her imprisonment I warned you! And now you see that I was right!"
"Calm down, Zad. I'm still your superior."

Then the voices got softer for a while so I couldn't hear what they were saying anymore.

I got up. My book was on the night table beside me, but I didn't feel the need to write. I also didn't feel like a ghost anymore. 

"Master Haik!" I heard Zad shout again. "No offense, but it was amazingly clear that it was a bad idea! Just because you're not the one who has to pick up the shards-"
"Do you think so? How do you think my superiors will react? I was the one who convinced them to give those people a planet. Of course they're now turning to me!"
"You know who they're turning to?" Zad asked. "That girl that's laying on that bed out there now. And I have to get her sane before that happens. I wish myself good luck. You scarred her, master, and not a little too. If they turn to you after all it's your own fault, really."

The door was slammed open and Zad walked out. I let myself fall back on the bed, but he'd already seen that I was awake. He walked to me. 

"Good morning," he said, much calmer than a few seconds ago. "How are you feeling?" 
"Who are going to turn to me?" I asked. 

It felt weird, saying something after not having spoken for so long. I really had to get used to it again. My throat felt raw and dry. 

"Haik's superiors," Zad replied. "The Ashirians broke the Alliance, and you convinced them of the agreement. Do you remember?"
I nodded. "It was long ago, but I still know."
"That's good," Zad sighed. "That's excellent, even. You're less far gone than I feared."
"Gone to where?" I asked.

Zad laughed. For a moment, he looked less worried. He looked like I remembered him. I thought I saw a hint of my father shining through, even. 

"I'm no longer a ghost," I said, and I got up again.
Zad frowned. "Excuse me?"
"I think now. There's even music playing in my head."

I hummed along with the song in my head. It was one I had heard at a Feast of Water a while ago, before the new Maras came and the world was destroyed. It was a joyful melody that we could dance to. 

Zad smiled. "But I didn't know you used to be a ghost."
"In jail I was," I replied. "Then I didn't think and I didn't feel and I didn't hear. In the end I didn't even need food, and I was waiting for a good day to hover out and go to Ashiria and become Mara again for all eternity." I moved a bit closer to Zad and fixed my eyes at his. "How did you bring me back alive?" 
"I can't explain," Zad said. "Not yet. I'll tell you later. Do you mind if I read your book?"
"Not yet!" I called, and grabbed the book and protected it with my body. "It's not done yet. I have to write one more chapter before you can read it."
"Okay," Zad said. "I'll wait right here."

However, I couldn't start yet, because I didn't know what year it was. 

So I asked: "What year is it?"
"On your calendar, 61 ar.," Zad replied.

Then I wrote this chapter, and above the previous chapter I wrote the title: "Ghost".