Renewal

I struggle to perceive what is happening.

I can’t see clearly.

All I see is white light.

–”Renewal is my promise to you. You can consider it a reward.”

I hear voices. There are people cheering. There are others crying. Some with sadness others with joy or is it relief? I really can’t tell.

I hear a voice that is familiar. I try so hard to focus on what the soft voice is saying. I can feel a cold liquid dosing my body.

“You did a good job.”

My vision begins to return to me. I am outside the dungeon. I am back on the beach.

I feel like my head is on a pillow. Did I wake up from another nightmare?

I see adventurers, guardsmen, and everyday townsfolk.

They all have wounds and exhaustion on their face. The beach is littered with blood and the corpses of monsters. I can hear the crashing of serene waves on the ocean's edge.

A soft large hand graces my cheek and draws my attention to its owner. I haven’t seen her make that face before. Her giant eye is welling up with tears. I try to speak but the words can’t escape me.

I’m glad Momo is safe…

A brutish voice bellows out from the crowd, “You have got to be kidding me! Goggles is the speed demon everyone is going on about!”

With what strength I have left I crack a smile.

My head is focused on the sky above. A dragon soars past in the clouds.

I can hear the others murmur in fear and dismay. They are all worried it isn’t over. I think the people of this world have it all wrong.

I try to speak but I don’t think Momo can hear me. She must have felt me trying to speak with her lap. She turns her head away from the sight of the dragon.

She leans in closer to try and hear my whispers.

“You know…Momo…I think dragons don’t bring disaster.”

Her face is really close to mine.

“They are just trying…to warn us of disaster.”

While listening to my labored voice our cheeks brush against each other. She retracts her head quickly. I can see her face fluster pink with color.

I smile.

She smiles and laughs. The joy seems short lived, her face quickly shifts to fear. I can barely hear anything she is trying to say. She is clearly in distress.

I can feel a small fair hand holding my left hand.

How is that…

It's been numb since I lost my shield.

I can worry about that later…

I am just going to take a moment to rest a little.

It’s been a long day. I ran through all 5 floors of the dungeon in record time.

A little laugh escapes me.

My mind drifts into total darkness.