CHAPTER 826: NAMES

The dark demonkin knelt at my side, lifting my chin. I whimpered in pain, and he recoiled. The shadows writhed about us, cool and oily against my broken skin.

"What happened?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice.

The other demonkin stepped back, shaking his head. "They must have found her before she figured it out."

"Get Evla."

"Call her yourself. Just because you lead the horde doesn’t mean I’m your errand boy."

"It’s for Xiviyah, Gayron. Xiviyah!"

I bit my lip as the two glared at each other. The red-haired demonkin, Gayron, touched his neck, and I was startled to see dark blotches on his fair skin. Bruises?

"Fine," he muttered.

The shadowy demonkin sighed as he left, returning his gaze to me. He gently stroked my cheek, face twisting as I shied away.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

A memory slipped into my mind, and I whimpered, tucking my chin and hiding my face in my arms. The picture was dim, but terrifying. It was of this demonkin standing amid a city, smiling cruelly as it burned around him. Monstrous creatures....demons, maybe, raged around him, slaughtering men, women, and children.

The tent flap opened again, and Gayron returned. He came closer this time, leaning over us.

"Luke, her tail is broken. There’s bones jutting out," he said.

"I can see that," the first, Luke, growled. "I can’t even imagine the pain. No wonder she’s not responding. Did you find Evla?"

He nodded. "She was killing a curse demon for some reason or other. She’ll be along shortly."

"Why didn’t you make her come? Xiviyah won’t last much longer. She’s already paler than when we got here. I can barely see her chest rising."

Gayron muttered something and turned away, looking around the tent. He frowned at seeing the table overturned and bent over, picking up the ring.

"I wonder why she came here instead of to your ring," he said.

Luke ignored him, gently gathering me in his arms. I cried out in protest, but he soothed me with a few soft words, laying me in the bed. The soft sheets clung to my blood-stained skin, stinging where they rubbed against my cuts and scrapes.

"Shh, it’s alright. Just rest," he said.

But even if he said that, relaxing was impossible. Never mind the pain, having a monster like him so close caused my body to tense, and my heart to beat erratically. I didn’t dare close my eyes lest he do something, watching him with wide eyes as tears slowly leaked down my cheeks.

The tent flap rustled again, and a beautiful demon with white horns and a tail came through. I sobbed the moment I saw her, gripping the sheets beneath me tightly.

"Evla," I croaked, "Please...save me."

Evla froze, staring at me. "Xiviyah? What are you doing here? No, never mind that.’

She rushed to my side, pushing Luke away. I let out a shaky breath as he stood, watching from a distance.

"What happened? Gayron just said you were attacked," she said, laying a smooth, cool hand on my chest.

"I-I don’t remember," I whispered.

A soft green glow arose, spreading from her hand across my chest. She chanted slowly, and several circles of glowing runes appeared. Something stirred deep in my chest, beneath the lacerations slowly knitting together. Warmth spread through my body, bringing a sharp itch to my various injuries. I moaned, squirming as cuts and bruises faded.

"I don’t think I can fix her tail," Evla said, looking up at Luke. "I only know a fourth-level spell, and it’s not going to be enough."

"The cast it again," Luke said roughly.

She pursed her lips. "That’s not how it works, and you know it. She needs a real Life Mage. R’lissea could fix it with a single breath."

"R’lissea?" I asked, struggling to raise my head. "I...I know that name."

Evla’s brow creased, and her eyes filled with worry. "Xiviyah, do you know who I am?"

I nodded. "We had a campfire together. I remember it, but...Xiviyah. Is that me?"

All three of the demonkin stiffened, staring at me. I shrank into the sheets, gripping Evla’s hand tightly. My eyes flitted from Luke to Gayron, watching for them to make a move.

"Do you recognize them?" Evla finally asked, nodding at the other two.

I shook my head, then nodded. In a voice that was barely a whisper, I said, "They scare me."

"What did she say?" Luke asked, leaning forward anxiously.

"That you need to leave. Out. Both of you," Evla said.

"What? But Xiviyah’s–"

"Now."

Evla’s tone left no room for argument. They both stood and filed out, casting worried glances over their shoulders. The tension flowed from my body as they left, and I started to cry again, gently this time.

"I can feel your soul. You still have some mana. Why not heal yourself?" Evla asked.

I sniffled, blinking away tears. "H-heal? Is that what you did? It’s warm and tingly. It itches."

She went quiet. I shifted nervously. Had I said something to upset her?

"Sorry," I said in a small voice. " I didn’t mean to–"

"No, you’re fine. I was just surprised," she said. "Does anything still hurt? Other than your tail?"

I nodded, and she frowned, looking me over. Her eyes settled on my side, and she pulled the shreds of my dress aside. Her frown deepened.

"This is worse than I can do, too. I stopped the bleeding, but it’s going to sting until you get someone to look at it. Anywhere else?"

I shook my head. My entire body was still sore, especially my back, but I was finally able to breathe again.

"Thank you."

She smiled, patting my hand. "Then try and sleep. We’ll get everything sorted out when you wake up."

"They won’t come back?" I asked, looking wide-eyed at the entrance. "You won’t leave me, right?"

Her eyes flashed with annoyance, but she forced a smile. "I’ve got things to do, Xiviyah."

I clutched her sleeve, lip quivering. She sighed and rubbed her horn.

"Alright, fine."

The last thing I saw was Evla, sitting at the desk, watching me. I closed my eyes, and the world dissolved into a darkness that was both heavy and comforting. I clung to that feeling of rest, a relief from the endless stings and aches.

And yet, in the darkness, I felt...alone. There was nothing but a profound emptiness, a silence that hurt more than any of my wounds. I felt a deep, nameless yearning, a longing for something I could remember just enough to know it was missing.

Waking was a low, painful crawl back to the surface. The sting of the sheets, the ache of my tail, and the lingering feeling that there was something not quite right. Something stiff and scratchy had been wrapped around my side and tail, compressing my last two injuries. Over them, I wore what felt like heavy cloth. A dress, but not the one I’d fallen asleep in.

My mind, however, felt clearer than ever, and a steady trickle of returning memories served as a welcome distraction. None of them answered my questions, but they were small comforts. Like what a star was, and where I first met Korra. Others were far darker, bringing me back to the pits of the inquisitor’s dungeons and the anguish of a foxkin’s death. The name and face of the one who had passed away were still fuzzy, but I felt the sorrow all the same.

"She’s still sleeping?" A low voice rumbled somewhere beyond my heavy eyelids.

Gayron. The name brought a jolt of recognition and a rush of conflicting feelings. I knew him. My body remembered the fear--a sudden, sharp memory of his hands around my throat, and the painful sting of a fire. But there was something softer, too. A laugh, some playful banter, the easy affection between him and Korra. How could the same person who had threatened my life hold so much love for my friend? The two memories fought inside me, leaving me trembling.

"Yeah. She’s pretty quiet except when she starts crying," Evla’s voice answered.

"Korra said she used to do that all the time. Maybe she’s having a vision."

A vision? The only kind of vision I could remember was the thing you did with your eyes. Maybe there was something else, something to fill the void inside?

"I doubt it," Evla said. "I haven’t felt a hint of mana from her. If it weren’t for her golden aura, I’d wonder if she had any at all."

"Good thing for that," Gayron muttered. "Luke might have killed me if it hadn’t suddenly appeared. I still can’t believe she did it, though. Teleportation isn’t just something you can improvise."

"It’s not. Look at what it did to her. I’m no expert in healing magic, but I don’t know if there’s a spell that can fix her. If she doesn’t remember on her own..."

Gayron sighed. "Korra’s going to kill me."

"You might want to start running. If she wakes up and still can’t remember Luke, there’s no predicting what he’s going to do."

"Luke." Gayron let out a huff. "That guy...who does he think he is?"

"Gayron," she said warningly. "Don’t antagonize him."

"I’ll do what I want. But, er, maybe it’s better to stay clear for a bit. He’s always been testy, but ever since he and Xiviyah...ah, what am I saying? You know it better than me."

"Obviously." There was a long pause, then Evla said, "I think she’s waking up."

"Then I’ll get out of here. Don’t be too hard on her. If she really doesn’t remember much, she must be terrified."

Evla grunted, and I felt a touch on my cheek. A spark leaped through me, setting my heart fluttering. I cautiously slit my eyes, peeking up at Evla, making sure Gayron was gone before letting them open.

"Good afternoon," Evla said with a faint smile. "Took you long enough to wake. Had any good dreams?"

"Dreams?" I tilted my head, relieved that there was no pain in my neck.

Her face fell, and she sighed, running her hand through her hair. "You still don’t remember? This is going to be a pain."