Tyura’s body was on fire. He couldn’t move or speak. Everything was cloudy and vague. There was a feeling of weightlessness and the faint sound of talking. He thought he was dreaming. The only thing that felt real was the burning.
Tyura didn’t know how long he was unconscious, but he eventually woke up to see a wooden ceiling. He blinked slowly. The last thing he remembered was that beast in the forest, and then…
“Finally awake I see.”
Tyura turned his head stiffly and saw a woman sitting upon a small bed. Her legs were crisscrossed and her head rested on her hand as she stared down at him.
Tyura recognized those bright green eyes. It was the woman he had seen before he passed out.
“We thought you wouldn’t make it.” She continued with a grin.
Tyura didn’t think there was anything funny. His body ached all over, but still, he was happy to see another human being.
“Where-,” Tyura stopped and put his hand on his throat. His voice came out hoarse. He tried to swallow but he didn’t even have spit to swallow.
The woman watched him unfazed, and opened her mouth to say something. At that moment there was a sound of heavy and quick footsteps before the door burst open.
“Nave!” It was a man's voice. He sounded young and energetic. The man had on a black cloak, but he threw it off onto the bed rail as soon as he walked in.
It was the other person Tyura had seen in the forest. The one who had used some strange ability to move the axe. Tyura watched him cautiously but his focus was on the woman, Nave.
Nave nodded her head towards Tyura.
“The boy is awake.”
The man turned his matching green eyes to look Tyura over. They both stared at him in silence.
Tyura stared back.
He still felt muddle headed, so he struggled to find the right words. He had so many questions, he didn’t know where to start.
“Are there… more of you?”
There was another short silence before they both started laughing.
“I knew it! You owe me three silver’s.” Nave said, wiping her eyes.
The man tsked and shook his head.
“The fever must have fried his brain.” The man moved from the door and went over to squat on the floor next to Tyura.
He peered at him and Tyura also studied him.
The man was young and his first noticeable feature was his bright green eyes. Just like Nave’s. He had a straight nose and thin lips. His skin was tanned so Tyura thought he must have done some type of farm work and he had a head of dark brown hair. The man could be considered to be handsome but not as handsome as Tyura.
Tyura scrowled.
Well, not as handsome as Tyura used to be.
“Hey,”
Tyura was brought out of his thoughts by a heavy knock on his head.
Tyura winced and rubbed the already rising knot on his head.
“You had a stupid expression on your face.” The man said with a laugh. “Is that why you were abandoned in the Beast forest? Did your parents find you stupid?” The man sighed pitifully. “Parents hate stupid children.”
“I’m not stupid.” Tyura said, frowning.
“Good.” His eyes narrowed. “What’s your name, boy?”
Tyura hesitated, but then figured there was no risk in telling him his name. No one knew him here.
“Tyura.”
“I’m Fade and that is Nave.”
From behind Nave did a small wave.
“You know I really thought you would be dead when I got back.” Fade said with another shake of his head.
Tyura thought he heard a hint of disappointment in Fade’s voice.
“Especially with that foot. But we fixed that problem.” He continued with a smirk.
Foot…Tyura’s eyes widened and he threw back the thin blanket covering him.
His foot was intact, it was just wrapped in crude bandages. But he could see the blood and something yellow seeping through.
Fade made a face at the bandaged foot and covered his nose.
“We sort of fixed it. I thought you were taking care of it, Nave?”
Fade stood and gave Nave an accusatory look.
She spread out her hands in a ‘what’ gesture.
“You said not to bother with him too much because he would die anyway.”
Fade tilted his head. “I said that?”
Nave rolled her eyes.
“Enough. What did you bring back?”
Fade’s face brightened again and he pointed his thumb towards the door. Nave jumped off the bed in one jump and followed Fade out the door without sparing a glance at Tyura.
They closed the door behind them followed by a distinct click.
Now that they had gone, Tyura tried to gather his thoughts.
There were actual humans here. And they had clothes and could speak normally. Even the place he was in, though shabby as it was, was still a house.
Tyura needed to know where he was, better yet, he needed a map. Just how big was this world?
Tyura also surveyed his wounds as he thought. His foot had stopped hurting in the forest so he thought it had healed, but now it pulsed. Surprisingly he barely felt the other injuries.
After another moment of thought Tyura struggled but eventually stood up. He limped slowly to the door. Even though each move set his muscles on fire.
Tyura wanted to see what it looked like outside, but when he tried to turn the door handle it wouldn’t budge. It was locked.
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