A Deadline Changes Everything

“I think that’s the way it should look like,” Sonja commented and slowly let go of Nia’s head. It immediately fell to the side. “Come on, Nia, work with me! Heal yourself, or something.” She put the head once again upright and stabilized it with some of the provision bags they were carrying around.

“I’d … like to, but … I don't know … how …” Speaking was strange, since she could form words, but had to time it to her body’s exhales. Her breathing was running on complete autopilot.

“You didn’t have any problem in the council chamber!” Sonja crossed her arms.

Ah, yes. I was with my subconscious back then and magic seemed to work differently, not at all with songs. I just had to will the things I didn't know to fall into place. And it even worked with overriding some of reality, somehow … but how?

She blinked a few times, and then answered: “That was different!”

“Now you’re looking for excuses!” Sonja stood up and left her alone.

“Do you believe us now?”, she heard Ralf ask in a stern voice. He was hobbling along in front of the villagers. Apparently several had heard that Mira was working for Saesquar and not Luaria.

“But what about my family? Who’s bringing them back, now?” someone complained.

“I don’t think she could’ve done what she promised you,” Tina said in a calm voice. “Only gods can return from the dead …”

“And saints,” one of the villagers said.

“Priestesses and priests of Luaria are capable of miracles,” another said. “That’s why we believed her!”

“But she wasn’t a priestess of Luaria,” Ralf growled. “How can you believe that priestesses can do that, if it was promised by someone who wasn't even the real deal?”

“What about her?” another one asked, and Nia knew that that person pointed at her.

“She isn’t even able to heal her own wounds. So, what do you think?” Sonja sounded angry at them and at her.

“Even a saint can’t restore the connection between a soul and a body once it is severed and both had sufficient time to drift apart.” Mira’s voice, mixed with that of Saesquar, sent shivers down Nia’s spine. “Please forgive the actions of my minion. She was very … distraught at Qiin’s loss.”

“Saesquar.” Several of her companions hissed the name. Their former attackers ran off.

“Anyways, I can't have my followers kill each other or have you killing them off, one by one.” The voice of the dark goddess suddenly had this very cold undertone. “Come to me. I am waiting for you at the peak of Larim.”

Mira’s body collapsed, just like Qiin’s back in the council chamber.

Some of the villagers looked out of the underbrush. “The dark goddess is at Larim?” They sounded shaken.

“What’s Larim?” Sonja turned to the men. “And why are you surprised, that Saesquar’s there?”

Nia imagined the girl glaring them down, with the rest of her group helping. Ralf had still part of an arrow sticking out of his left arm, and Tom had one in his right leg. Tina had only some surface injuries, with Sonja being the only one unharmed. That had to impress. Even if Tom couldn’t really move like that.

“Well,” one of the villagers finally began, “Larim is the holy mountain. It’s said to be the seat of the goddess, and only high priests can even get close to it …”

Then that’s probably the only place I can talk to Luaria. And Saesquar has gotten there before us? Why can’t things be easy for once? Why?

Nia tried to groan, but her breathing still didn’t align with her wishes.

“Okay, what do we do now?” Tom asked and hobbled close to Nia, so she could look up at him.

“I say, we go to her.” Ralf nodded, he had his arms crossed, although his right arm was clutching his left and holding it up. “But not now. She never told us when to get there. We’ll just keep training and meet her, when we’re ready.”

“What should we do?” Nia heard the villagers ask each other. “If Saesquar gets to Luaria during the Period of Darkness …”

Thankfully, Tina had heard it as well and whipped her head around. “What happens during the Period of Darkness?”

Once again it took them a while to muster the courage to answer. “Well … Luaria protects us and shines her light on us during that time. It will weaken her, and she might be unable to fight back against Saesquar, if she attacks during that time …”

“Deadlines,” Nia whispered in the right moment. “I hate deadlines.”

“Shit,” Tom swore.

“How long do we have?” Sonja asked.

“Th-three or four days at most?” one of the villagers guessed.

“Shit, shit,” Tom swore again.

Not good. Subconscious, can you help me out? Please?

Nothing happened.

Okay, okay. Ignore what you know about things that can’t or shouldn’t happen. My magic fills the gaps. My magic overrides reality. So, in my reality, my neck isn’t broken!

She tried to move her head.

Did it work?

Nothing happened.

Oh, come on! I’ve died three times now. Sort-of. That should count for something! Just put me back together already!

This time, her magic reacted. It spun itself into a complex melody, and she glowed. When the light finally faded, she could move again. And her injuries were healed as well.

“Finally,” Sonja complained with a sigh. “Now, do the rest!” The girl gestured at Ralf, Tom, Tina and the villagers.

Great, how do I tell them that I have no idea, how I did that?