The Origin of Roh-Shan

Desert

"Really, it's fine, I don't need anything." Kota respectfully pushed Yuta's hand away. "I can wait for the next healing session tomorrow." Her ankle was propped up on a pillow. At first, it was swollen so bad in some places that she thought the skin might break. But they'd brought her on a bison to the healer in town, who said it would take multiple sessions. She'd been able to partly heal it for now, but would need to work on it more in a few hours.

Yuta sat down next to her on the rock-hard bed. "Bad news about that, actually. We sent someone to check. She's not able to see you again until the day after tomorrow. Apparently there was a fire last night. It started in an abandoned house, but spread to a barn and a handful of people were injured trying to save the animals. On top of the regular amount of patients, the line's pretty backed up."

Kota sighed. "Just my luck, I guess."

"It probably won't be for another day. Your Water Wolf is getting along well with the bison, by the way." She tried to get Kota to smile back.

Kota kind of regretted saying the pain in her ankle wasn't that bad.

Yuta must have read her face, because she held the steaming mug out to her again. "Please, drink this. Blindleaf tea. The blindleaf plant is native to the Air Temples. It will numb you and help you sleep."

Kota gratefully drank the tea even as it burned her throat. She let her head fall back against the pillow. "Wow."

Yuta laughed softly. "It takes effect pretty quick, especially for someone who's never had it before."

By the time Panuk stepped into the small Air Embassy room a few moments later, her vision was already swimming. Yuta took the empty mug and left the two alone.

Panuk sat in a chair opposite the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better already." Kota said, but it was clear in her voice that she was worried about other things.

"You know, I was just a boy when Avatar Tyric came to the Southern Air Temple to train with us. He started in the kids' class with me, even though he was a teenager. It's not often someone gets to work closely with two Avatars." He shook his head. "I still can't believe I didn't realize about Shan. Is that her real name? I thought those kids called her Roh?"

Kota barely nodded. "Roh-Shan. Roh for short."

He watched Kota's face for a moment. "Are you the one that's been to the spirit world?"

"What?"

"Shan told me she had a friend who had dreams as a kid, but they weren't actually dreams, they were trips to the spirit world."

Kota processed this for a split second, but the blindleaf tea was taking over too much of her mind to think straight. Her eyes kept closing as much as she tried to keep them open, but she didn't want to fight sleep anymore, she wanted him to leave.

He gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm so sorry. I'll let you get some rest, but I'd love to talk about the spirit world with you sometime."

She was out before he even left the room.

~

Kota's dreams are usually filled with abstract adventures, wild locations, and unbound by the laws of the natural world. Her dreams are soundless and often involve feeling real pain. So when she opened her eyes and saw a dark figure standing over her, moving her out of the room, she felt nothing and heard everything. And as much as it felt like a dream, she knew it wasn't.

She couldn't feel the man's hands as he carried her, but she could clearly hear his ragged breath.

She fought the tea's effects hard, trying to make a sound or move. The smallest sound escaped her mouth, and the man carrying her glanced down.