Chapter Text
Lain stirred slowly, keeping his eyes closed as he took stock of his surroundings before daring to move. Voices drifted through a partition somewhere nearby, hushed but distinct. Beneath him was the unmistakable firmness of a healer's cot. The air carried the faint scent of herbs and clean linens.
He finally cracked his eyes open and surveyed the room.
The chamber was dim, lit only by a few lanterns hanging from the walls. Four cots were arranged neatly throughout the space. Two of them were occupied.
Taidrin.
Runaan.
Lain pushed himself upright, immediately wincing as a sharp throb exploded behind his eyes.
"What happened?" he muttered to himself.
His thoughts felt sluggish, as though wading through thick fog, but his instincts remained razor-sharp. He tried to swing his legs over the edge of the cot, only to discover they felt impossibly heavy.
A curtain rustled.
A young healer stepped around the partition, surprise giving way to relief when she saw him awake.
"Ohh, Lain, right? Good to see you awake."
She looked young, an Earthblood elf with familiar vine-like markings winding across her skin.
"Where am I?" he asked. "What happened?"
"You're in Lux Aurea. Your family will be very happy to see you awake."
"My family," he echoed quietly. "How are they?"
His gaze shifted toward Taidrin first. He searched for injuries, but aside from being deeply unconscious, she appeared unharmed. Then he looked at Runaan. Bruises mottled his skin, and several fresh cuts stood out against his pale complexion.
"What happened to Runa—" He tried to stand, but the moment his feet touched the floor, his legs gave out beneath him. The Earthblood elf darted forward, catching him before he hit the ground.
"You need to get back in bed. You're in no condition to be out of bed, much less trying to stand." She looked him up and down nervously.
"I need to know what happened to them," he insisted, swaying unsteadily.
"Listen, my name's Petra. I'll talk to you in the morning when you wake up again. You can ask for me again."
…hours pass…
When Lain woke again, sunlight spilled through the narrow windows high along the walls, washing the room in pale gold.
He opened his eyes only a sliver, instinct taking over in a way it hadn't the night before. His warrior's training finally kicking in. Without moving, he surveyed the room.
The partition that had separated him, Taidrin, and Runaan was gone now, revealing the rest of the infirmary.
A soft creak drew his attention. The door on the far side of the room swung open, and a human man stepped inside. He looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in finely tailored Katolian-style clothing. Resting atop neatly groomed dark hair was a simple golden circlet. A light scruff shadowed his jaw, giving him a slightly rugged appearance despite his otherwise polished look.
"Hello, Callum. Didn't expect to see you again so soon. How can I help you?" The healer who greeted him wasn't Petra. This one appeared to be a Tidebound elf, easily recognizable despite the pale healer's robes he wore.
"Hey, Caspian. Listen, I'm just here so my wife doesn't murder me." The man—Callum—raised both hands in surrender.
"You mean your very pregnant, very scary wife?"
"Yes." Callum laughed. "My pregnant, scary, beautiful wife. She just wants you to double-check that I'm okay. I think I'm fine, but she insists." He shrugged.
"Might as well. My other patients are still very out of it," Caspian replied. "Take your shirt off."
"I thought Lain woke up?" Callum asked as he pulled his shirt over his head. "That's what Petra told me."
Lain's attention sharpened instantly. Who was this man? And why was he receiving updates on Lain's condition? Keeping perfectly still, he listened as the conversation continued.
"Oh he did early this morning, but he’s out of it again. Where's the little one?" Caspian asked while examining Callum's torso.
He was lean and athletic, his muscles defined without being bulky. Intricate runes stretched across both arms and continued over his back in carefully inked patterns. What were those for? Was he a dark mage?
Scattered among the markings were faint, weathered scars that spoke of battles long past.
"Off terrorizing her uncle," Callum replied with an amused laugh. "She gets a kick out of hiding from him and making him panic because he thinks he lost her."
The healer burst into laughter. "That does sound like her. I've caught her sneaking in here to hide before. Then your brother comes running in a few minutes later completely panicked, and I have to point to whichever cabinet she decided to crawl into."
Callum grinned. "That's my daughter, all right. Only three, and she's already terrorizing everyone with her endless energy and questions."
“I think you're fine; your vital signs seem normal, and you aren’t unconscious anymore, so I think you’re fine.”
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the infirmary as the door flew open. Lain shot upright on instinct, his hand reaching for a weapon that wasn't at his side.
"Daddy!" A small voice rang through the room.
A little girl barreled inside, her dark brown hair bouncing wildly as she ran. Tiny horns barely peeked through the messy strands, and delicate purple Moonshadow markings rested beneath her bright green eyes.
She reached both arms toward Callum.
"Daddy, uppies."
Callum laughed as he scooped her effortlessly into his arms. Pressing her tightly against his bare chest before dropping a kiss on top of her head.
"Where's Uncle Ez, little moon?"
"Gone," she giggled. "Gone, gone, gone. Bye-bye, Uncle Ez."
Moments later, a tall man burst through the doorway after her.
His darker skin was flushed from exertion as his eyes frantically swept the room, only briefly flickering toward Lain before locking onto the little girl. He strode forward, breathing hard. Lain studied him carefully. Like Callum, he wore Katolian-style clothing befitting of an upperclass noble, though a steel crown rested across his brow instead of a golden circlet. His build was broader, his muscles more heavily defined, and with the sword hanging at his hip, he looked like a soldier.
"Sarai." The word escaped him in a breath of relief. "You can't go running off on me like that."
The little girl only giggled, burrowing deeper into her father's arms.
"Ez," Callum groaned. "You know you're not supposed to bring sharp objects near her."
Ez threw his hands into the air in surrender.
"I didn't know I'd be babysitting today. Don't blame me—blame your wife." His eyes drifted toward Lain. "Also... when did they wake up?"
"Wha—" The word died on Callum's tongue as he finally noticed Lain standing. "When... what... how..." He seemed completely unable to form a sentence.
Caspian stepped in before anyone else could react.
"Callum, you can put your shirt back on. You're fine." Turning toward Lain, the healer approached slowly with both hands raised in a calming gesture. "Hello, Lain. I'm Caspian, a healer here in Lux Aurea. You've been out of it for quite a while. Can I examine you?"
As Caspian reached toward him, Lain jerked backward. "Not until I get some answers," he snapped.
Even as the words left his mouth, he could feel the rush of adrenaline bleeding away. His legs grew unsteady, and the edges of his vision darkened.
"Who's he?" He pointed toward Callum. "And why is he getting updates on me? What happened to Runaan? How are we here? How long has it been?" His voice cracked on the last question.
Caspian took a small step back. "Okay. Let's answer those one at a time." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "You were taken captive years ago by the dark mage Viren. He kept you trapped inside a cursed coin for years, along with your wife and your friend."
"How long has it been?" Lain asked again.
Caspian's expression softened. "It's been ten years."