Lorayla huffed through her nose. She was uncomfortable by Fai’s words, which sounded nonsensical, especially when spoken in such a cheery tone. Doesn’t she understand what I just went through? Why does she sound so positive? Lorayla’s thoughts raced, and exhaustion crept up on her. She no longer wanted to talk about herself with the stranger. “The bread’s good,” she commented. “I’ve never had anything like it before.”

“It’s a Vaux specialty.” Fai smiled. “The recipe was given to us by someone…special. He said it was part of our heritage that had been set aside for us from the beginning. The grain can be challenging to come by. Now that the plateau is covered in snow, we grow the grain underground.”

“Well, it’s delicious. Its flavor, though, is a bit curious yet familiar,” said Lorayla.

“That’s the manzle.”

Lorayla pinched her brow and nodded. “I see. And you…you’re a bit curious also. Never seen your kind before.”

“I’m a Vaux,” Fai said matter-of-factly. “The plateau has been our home long before any humans, elves, dwarves, or fymphs arrived. And now that you know something about me, I’d like to know something about you. Like…what’s your name?”

“I’m…I’m, nobody…” Lorayla struggled.

“Why do you say that, dear one?”

“Because I’m worthless. I couldn’t defend the one I loved, and I couldn’t even defend myself…”

Fai laid a compassionate hand on Lorayla’s shoulder. “Thoron told me about the incident and how he rescued you. Don’t blame yourself for the actions of those who have lost their way. I assure you, it wasn’t your fault.”

“Easy for you to say,” replied Lorayla solemnly. “You weren’t there, and it didn’t happen to you. I’m the one who carries this pain…this burden.”

“You don’t have to carry it alone—”

A low groan interrupted Fai’s words. She and Lorayla both looked at Thoron.

“He must be experiencing a flare up,” the fox woman continued with concern. “I’m going to have to tend to my other patient.”

Lorayla raised her brow. “What’s…wrong with him?”

“He has a magical injury that never fully heals. I believe it’s slowly killing him,” Fai replied as she stood to her feet.

Was it because of me? Lorayla looked away as guilt pricked at her.

“I’ll be back shortly,” said Fai, leaving the panapple loaf with Lorayla, who hesitantly accepted it. She watched Fai approach Thoron and kneel beside him, placing her hand on his side. Lorayla observed curiously, so distracted by Thoron’s pain, she didn’t realize she was tearing off small pieces of the panapple loaf and eating it.

“Let me see it,” Fai commanded, removing Thoron’s hand from his side. She lifted the clothing covering his right side, revealing a sword wound mixed with ice and blood. The ice appeared to be spreading from the wound into the nearby blood vessels.

“Another flare up, but much worse than the last.” Fai shook her head. “I warned you about using your dark powers, especially for shifting into your wyrm form,” she scolded.

“I shouldn’t have helped her,” Thoron grumbled, gnashing his teeth and squirming from the pain.

“You did what was right…kind of,” Fai soothed.

“I’ll also have you know that I used my gauntlet.” Thoron grinned sheepishly as he squirmed from the pain.

Fai shook her head. “Just be still, please. You’re making this difficult.”

“It hurts!”

“It would stop if you’d listen and let me concentrate.”

Thoron forced himself to be still so Fai could begin. One of the jagged, radiant crystals on her wrist glowed brightly, and a sparkly, green mist flowed from her hand over and around Thoron’s wound. When the crystal went dim and the mist disappeared, the ice had retracted from his blood vessels, leaving a surface wound of frozen blood and ice. Thoron relaxed, his eyes becoming heavy, and he sighed in relief.

“I guess I should thank you,” he said with a tone of ingratitude.

“Actually, you can thank me by separating yourself from those evil crystals you carry,” replied Fai. “They are the only thing that hinder you from being fully healed.”

“I can’t,” snapped Thoron, trying to shake off the sleepy effect of Fai’s healing. “How else will I turn into my darkwyrm form? How else would I use my war gauntlet? They are a part of me! I need them!”

“Your wound is becoming more and more resistant to healing. If you want to live, Thoron, you’ll have to abandon the path you’re on. Otherwise…” Fai trailed off.

“I’ll die. I know that already,” said Thoron. “Still, there must be a way around it…something that I haven’t thought of. I must reclaim my throne.”

“I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” Fai responded respectfully. “Just remember, you have the power to choose life this day, and you’re well aware of the sure path that leads to it.”

“I don’t need you telling me what to do,” Thoron snapped, closing his eyes. “You and that wretched cat friend of yours have pestered me enough already. Just leave me be.”

Fai stood and returned to her spot at Lorayla’s fire. Lorayla had been observing Fai as she healed Thoron and eating the panapple bread, which had been a welcome diversion from the clamor of her thoughts. She quickly turned her attention back to the fire when Fai neared and sat down.

“Is he okay?” Lorayla asked once Fai was settled.

“Not really,” sighed Fai. “For now, though, he’s stable and asleep.”

Lorayla glanced at Fai’s wrist, noting a crystal that once glowed there was now dim. “That green mist you created, it made him well?”

Fai looked down at her wrist. “It restored what could be restored, but, of course, it always comes at a cost.” She covered her wrist with her hand. “Eventually, I may not have what it takes to keep him alive.”

“Why doesn’t that wound fully heal?”

“Because he refuses to listen. His wound can only fully heal if a dragon releases the curse over his wound. But since dragons are mortal enemies of wyrms, that is not an option. No, he has only one other option, and he refuses to pursue it.”

“And that is?”

“Understand, he was wounded by someone who wields chaos, but Thoron himself also wields it. Thus, when two servants of chaos fight each other, it’s possible their wounds will become cursed. The curse would undo itself if he would release his connection to the chaos crystals he carries. It’s this curse that prevents my abilities from ridding him of that wound. This was revealed to him.”

 “By whom?” Lorayla leaned forward at the mention of chaos crystals and the curse.

“My ‘cat’ friend, as Thoron puts it, but in truth, an angelic being known as a valori,” replied Fai in a confident, chattery tone. “I’m sure he knows you’re here already. And possibly, in time, you’ll meet him for yourself, as Thoron did.”

Lorayla thought upon Fai’s words. She had only ever heard tales of the valori from tavern customers, particularly dwarves that hailed from the mountains of Tolken’s Teeth from the distant West. It had always been an interesting topic for her, especially since many of the dwarves mentioned the valori’s incredible strength in elemental power. Though she had never given much thought to the existence of supernatural beings or where they came from, Lorayla believed that if supernatural beings did exist, it was possible they were connected to the elemental power within crystals. Magical power could not just exist on its own but had to come from a source.

While Lorayla was in thought, Fai observed that the loaf of panapple was gone. She smiled and stood from her seat. “I’m off to gather grain to make more bread for us,” she said, casting a gaze over at Thoron. “Though I don’t really feel comfortable leaving you here with him.”

Fai’s words pierced through Lorayla’s thoughts, sobering her attention. “I’ll be okay,” Lorayla said nonchalantly, though she did not want Fai to leave. “After all, he did rescue me.”

“I guess you have a point there. But still, stay alert, and don’t fall asleep until I return. I should be back before he awakes.”

Fai picked up a satchel as she passed by the magical fire near Thoron. The crystals on her wrist that still contained light glowed brightly as grey mist covered her. The fox Lorayla had seen earlier appeared out of the mist as it cleared. The Vaux looked at Lorayla for a few moments, twitching its nose and whiskers before turning away and disappearing deeper into the dark tunnel.