Kara Varnya
“Kara?” asked Lore. “Kara, are you awake?”
Kara shivered, then opened her eyes to the darkness of the cellar. To her left, she could hear Kallaster's slow, rhythmic breathing.
“I'm haven't fallen asleep yet,” said Kara. “Where are you?”
“I'm over on the stairs. Do you think you could manage that light?”
“Maybe.” Kara fumbled around for the arrow, then stopped. It had been tiring to maintain the light while they ate, and now Kara recalled warnings about free magic, tales of mages damaging their minds through overusing magic.
“The arrow's over here, I picked it up.”
“Actually, maybe I shouldn't be trying with it. I've used to far too much magic as it is – maybe you could light it?” Kara gathered up her blanket, wrapping the coarse material around herself, and shuffled over to Lore.
A little laugh, a bit sad. “I tried. Not my thing, I don't think. Sorry.”
Kara felt the bottom step with her foot, then groped out with her hand. It collided with hair, and Lore's forehead. “Oops, my apologies.” Kara felt Lore's shoulder, then sat down next to the young woman. “What's keeping you up?”
Another mournful chuckle. “Lots of things. I couldn't sleep last night, either.”
“The cultists under the Life Temple?” Kara felt out and took the woman's hand. It was small, and even colder than her own.
“And the things I saw, maybe the things I did... I killed a woman there. She was doing terrible things to people, but... it still haunts me. It was so easy, too.”
Kara pursed her lips. She had never killed anyone, or even intentionally hurt a human being.
“Sunder told me that it was okay, but... I don't know.” Lore closed her hand around Kara's, and squeezed tightly. “Of course now... hehe... now... so many people are dead. And they are dead because... because...”
“Because of me,” said Kara.
“Huh?” Lore shifted in the darkness, and the wooden step creaked. “What... what do you mean?”
“Because I ran off with Sunder, so that my... my sister would hire Sunder on to find the missing people. If I hadn't done that, then you would not have been referred to the Life Temple, you would have never gotten lost underneath it... none of this would have happened.”
“No! That's silly. You couldn't have known what that would lead to.”
“So?”
“Well, you shouldn't blame yourself for it.”
Kara smiled. “Then neither should you blame yourself.”
There was silence for a moment, then Lore squeezed Kara's hand. “Thanks.”
Kara stared out into the darkness. She couldn't help but notice that she did blame herself a bit, no matter how silly.
Kara felt Lore leaning her head onto Kara's shoulder. “Kara? Do you think that Mr. Sunder is alright?”
Kara's stomach clenched, and she tried to take a deep breath. There. That was definitely guilt, and guilt well justified. Sunder had put himself into danger, separated himself from those who protected him, just purely to protect her. And then, after that, they had inadvertently thrust themselves deep into the center of danger, a path that he would have never taken if he hadn't been trying to return her to her sister's manor. And now he was infected, dying, maybe already dead.
Lore's head lifted. “Kara?” asked Lore.
“I'm fine. I...” What should she tell the girl? That Jack was infected, and probably had already died from it, if he hadn't already been killed on the surface? Or killed himself, maybe? But wouldn't it be worse to give false hope, only for it to be shattered at Parveno? “I... don't know. I hope he's okay, but... I guess we'll find out over in Parveno.”
“He's smart. And strong. I think he'll survive. It's just that we stopped being attacked when he left. They were tracking him, not us.”
“You think that will be a problem?”
“No... not if they are tracking the blood.” There was a pause. “He should be fine is what I mean. Just... nevermind.”
Kara held Lore's hand, but kept silent. She would have to tell everyone that Sunder was infected. Just at Parveno, not here. It wouldn't be prudent.
“Look, um... Jack will be fine. How... how about your sister?” Lore said the last bit awkwardly, and Kara wondered if something had happened between the girl and her sister. It would be typical. “Are you worried about her?”
Kara considered this. Worrying about her sister wasn't something she really did. Her sister had been the bane of her existence since their father, Lord Varnya, had passed away. Worry? Kara had wished ill upon her sister more times than she could count, never worried. In her mind, any misfortune of her sister was well-deserved.
Except... this was a bit harsh. Misfortune and death weren't really the same thing. Perhaps her sister survived – it wouldn't surprise her. Weaseled out of this mess somehow. A hidden passageway, pleading help from soldiers, maybe sacrificing the Varnya servants to make her escape – it would be typical. Probably exactly what happened.
“Sorry,” said Lore. “I didn't mean to bring that up. Maybe I'll try sleeping again.” She stood up.
Kara nodded and, standing, she followed Lore by her hand. Lore found her blanket, and Kara lay down next to her, shivering in her own cloths. The dirt floor was cold and hard, but Kara was tired.
There was a cold hand on Kara's face. “Hey.” Lore wiggled closer, and Kara instinctively curled around her, as if she were a bedmaid. “Hey, after we get to Parveno... will you stay with Sunder and us, or with Kallaster and her partner?”
Kara unwrapped part of her blanket, and threw it over Lore, then snuggled up more closely. “I don't know. Depends on what Sunder and Kallaster each plan, I suppose...” Except that Sunder wasn't going to be there. “Kallaster probably will go South, seek the protection of her people, but...” Kara paused and listened to Kallaster's breathing, still deep and rhythmic, with a hint of a snore. “Well, Kallaster's a fine person, she's just... well, she's a fine person.”
Lore was sleeping now, Kara decided, judging by the peaceful rise and fall of her lungs. Sleep was probably a good idea for her as well. So Kara snuggled up to the young woman, and closed her eyes. But, like before, all she could see was Sunder, and that flicker in his eyes that betrayed the all fears the man hid from everyone.
Jack Sunder
Elsewhere, a machete lay on the ground, glistening in the moonlight streaming in the broken roof.
Sunder stared at his hand. The fear, the terror... it was was gone now. Everything was cold, far away, distant. He watched his hand open, finger after finger uncurling in the pale light. That was his hand, something he controlled.
His legs he controlled as well. They walked forward, taking step after step, bringing him over to the open window.
His eyes moved, taking in the sights of the silent city. Some parts of the city continued to glow red with fire, cloud the sky with smoke. Those would have to be put out, really. Maybe with water, maybe by collapsing the buildings. It would not be so hard.
Sunder's legs didn't work so well anymore. They wobbled and then he was on the ground. Up above him there was the moon, so full and so bright. And so far away, like everything else.
Sunder's ears heard the sound of steps behind him. Something coming up the stairs, something using two legs. The sound came closer, and then stopped.
The moon was so far away, not even his hands could touch it.
End of FZAAP: The Fall of Archimeridies
The next story is: FZAAP: The Forest