5028

Nufaro System: Rishik

Galactic Date: 00:09:015 5028

The next time my eyes opened, I found myself not in the mud I had fallen in, but rather laid out in a bed made up of thick, padded leaves. I had to push myself to even sit up, the blankets that had been placed over me drooping to reveal several bandages wrapped around my body. A fire crackled in the room I was in, the windows drawn shut to keep the heat in. I was alone, at least for the time being.

I sat up at the edge of the bed, listening to the crackles as I stood. The shirt I'd been given to wear on the Wingless Angel hung from a rack on the wall. It was freshly cleaned and stitched up, to at least look a little nicer. I lifted it, inspecting the hems and seams. Whoever had brought me in had taken incredible care with the embroidery on it. It felt newer, fresher than what it had symbolized before. I slipped it on gingerly over the bandages. It was warm but breathed nicely. The fabric gave off a faint scent, almost akin to lavender. I brushed it out, looking at a nearby nightstand. My belt rested on it, Iravek's dagger neatly placed by its side.

As I moved to grab it, I became acutely aware of the state of my body. I felt... fine. The agony I'd been in when I'd passed out had all but washed away. As I rolled my shoulder, I could still feel a few twinges in my muscles, but I felt like I'd been brought to full health. I took another look at my surroundings again. Between my escape and getting here, I barely remembered anything. I couldn't say if this place was the source of the lights I had seen, but it seemed more than likely.

I picked up my belt, looping it through my pants, and made sure it was snug tight before picking up the dagger. It had been polished to a sheen. I could see my face in its short, curved blade. I narrowed my eyes as I looked myself over. Gods, I looked scruffy, but I also felt like I looked... different in another way? It wasn't necessarily physical, just something in my eyes. As I tucked the dagger back into my belt, I sighed. I couldn't quite place what it was. I tucked my chin into my fingers. Ah, there was little point on dawdling on the topic. I looked up at the door at the far end of the room. The most important thing on my mind was finding a way to get ahold of my crew.

I made my way out, pushing open the door with an almost comical creak. More lights lit up the next room as a set of two Olari sat speaking quietly over a meal. The blinds were pulled up in this room. It was dark outside now. I could make out more glows of light from other houses nearby. The pair turned to me. The one on the right, a man, spoke first.

"You've finally awoken." He said bluntly. I reached up, feeling my head as I responded.

"Yeah." I said, "H... how long was I out?" The other Olari, a much younger woman by the looks of it, spoke up.

"It's been almost a week!" She said. "A few of the others found you in the mud and brought you to us for healing." She had a bright and sunny disposition when she spoke, cupping her hands together on a cup as she brought it to her lips. The other, I assumed her father, spoke again.

"You were in awful shape. That you weren't dead by the time we got you is a miracle in its own right." He said, a gruff and glum tone about his voice. The green in his scales had begun to fade from age. I could tell he'd been doing this for some time. "You're welcome, by the way."

"You healed me?" I asked.

"Don't know who else you expected." He said back, stabbing a fork into a set of greens, tossing them into his mouth to chew. "You should rest still. Even though you're stable, you'll need time before you're fully capable. Magic injuries do a number on you." He side eyed me. "Speaking of, how exactly do you let it get that bad? You a novice or something?"

"Uh... a touch of one, yeah." I said. Not entirely a lie, just not the full truth.

"Well, you should at least study up on what that shit does to you if you aren't careful." He said, stuffing another fork-full of greens into his mouth.