Annlynn remembered very little of the next few days, other than the fact that she was at the hospital. A deep exhaustion settled inside her throughout the next few days. She heard several murmurs from the physicians–most of whom were frantic about her.
There she was, waiting for her healing. But as she was close to death, she wasn’t sure if she would get it. It made her feel like she should just let go, giving into a sweet, albeit dark release. But instead, she held on, trying to fight against those instincts.
One physician bent down. “Annlynn, can you hear me?”
Annlynn nodded.
“Please,” the physician said. “I am going to do an ancient, dangerous healing practice. It’s the only thing which will save you. Your magic is deeply wounded, and it’s going to take time for it to get better. You must fight, Annlynn.”
Annlynn murmured. She then sank back into her bed and turned in internally to the energy. With a deep pain, it was hard for her to hold on. But she had to, feeling a deep fear. It was as if death were a tangible being and chased her around the room. She screamed as it came right up to her. But she then found where her magic was broken.
It was too much for her to try and fight against. But as the physician worked, she felt a strange power. Her magic would be healed. But soon, her powers snapped. She was fully conscious, but a strong pain lurked, making it hard for her to sit up.
“We cannot heal you today, for your injury is far too complex,” the physician said. “We were able to stall time, but we cannot heal you until you learn about magic yourself. This healing process is going to take years to complete it correctly. But what was broken can be healed.”
“How much time do I have?” Annlynn murmured.
“Magic is like a woven tapestry,” the physician said. “Unfortunately, yours is all tangled. It was as if one of the threads snapped from all the pressure. I was able to repair it, but unfortunately, your destiny is very much out of balance still, but that’s not what’s important here.”
“What’s going on?” Annlynn suddenly felt deeply uncomfortable. She felt mostly better, but a deep part of her wanted to heal. Her destiny–whatever it was–likely was darker than she could have expected.
“Your magic is different than what we thought it would be. It’s not a normal human magic,” the physician said. “And there’s something darker, more sinister there than we expected. Annlynn, you must be careful with how you use your magic. There is darkness in you which you cannot imagine.”
She shuddered. “And my destiny? By Orthanik’s blood, it’s to follow in Orthanik’s footsteps, isn’t it?”
“Your destiny should be discussed with a highly skilled tutor,” the physician said. “And you need to be watched closely by the king and his associates.”
Annlynn sat up, ignoring the pain as best she could. She groaned. “Look. I know it might not mean much to you, but I hope I never go down a dark path like that. I don’t want to hurt anyone else ever.”
Even as she spoke, she knew that the promise was difficult to keep. She likely would have to make many difficult decisions on her journey. Nevertheless, she wanted to heal. She wanted to accept her destiny. She would be willing to work hard to do it.
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