Chapter 3: Friend or Foe

Tempest and Letiel have reached an understanding but she's not feeling all that well and the Mage is now in potentially hostile territory.

Forcefully, images were flashed through her mind. Fire, death destruction. All seen from the viewer's perspective as he desperately searched through a ruined city. More flashes. Bodies.

"I DID kill them all," he growled, "Because I was careless. I couldn't protect them." He let her down gently. "I'm responsible. They were my responsibility, and I failed them."

Her eyes were wide with terror, her body tense, as the pain of her forced open mind receded. She leaned heavily into his hands still supporting her, while gasping for air. She had to be sure he was telling the truth but she had hoped it had been a lie. She had no idea how painful the proof would be and her skull throbbed with the pressure. 

"I had to be sure," she mumbled, barely a whisper. "I had to be sure you were telling the truth."

Tem helped her sit down again, kneeling at the foot of the bed. He laughed nervously.
"Well you picked a hell of a way to do it. You need rest."

Her eyes were still wide, tears leaking from them. "How can I sleep knowing what we've been through?"

Tem shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I should've been more careful. I'm sure one massacre on your head is enough. I...I can help you sleep, if you want."

She looked at him with fear and a little bit of trust. "If you aren't working for him then he's still looking. Only let me sleep for a little while, 20 minutes will be fine."

Tempest nodded, laying her down gently. "You're gonna have to explain who 'he' is when you wake up, y'know. I prefer not to be kept in the dark."

Once she settled down, he closed his eyes, gently going through her mind and calming her, almost like a mental back rub. Soon, she was asleep.

 

Letiel had fevered dreams. They were her own memories rather than dreamworld renditions. Most of them were of her youth and the 'witch' hunts. Children screaming and women being killed and of course her own memories of cold cellars, twisted chains, and broken bones. She should've had control over her own dreams but of course her inner demon wanted her to suffer. 

Can't I rest peacefully for once?

Give me your power.

Restless torment it is.

She awoke and was more than a little stiff. Her muscles cried and audibly creaked when she sat herself up in the bed. The injured shoulder throbbed angrily and deep down she knew that meant another trip to see Egan. The old Professor now doubt would have something to say about that.

Tempest looked up at her as she awoke. "Didn't sleep well, I imagine?"

He regarded her sourly. She didn't look good. He'd really have to go over her again, thoroughly.

"I'm fine," she whispered, more gentle this time. Slowly she swung her legs over the side of the bed and got to her feet, reaching to the wall for balance. "We need to move. He'll know we're here by now."

He nodded and stood as she did. He was already packed up, swords back in their proper place by his side. He went to her and offered her a black leather holster, an automatic pistol inside.

"Here. It was the best I could find. I figured you'd be more comfortable with it. Now, where are we going?"

She fumbled her way to the door, politely refusing the holster, she didn't have the dexterity to handle a weapon at the moment.

"Colorado, somehow, just outside of Denver... I think... I may be able to get a plane ticket." 

Her feet dragged uselessly but she still urged herself onwards, looking for footwear in the hotel room.

Tem tucked the gun away. "Do you think that's the best option? I can get us there faster, as long as you know the exact location of where you want to be."

She didn't look like she'd make it down the stairs, much less onto a plane.

"If I give you a mental image can you get us there?" she asked. Without waiting for a response she sent him an image of a hospital waiting room. "Right there please," she panted.

Tilting his head and tracing the image back to it's memory roots in her head, he determined the location.

"...right. Now hold onto me."

He delicately wrapped an arm around her waist. Suddenly there was blackness, screaming wind filling their brains before they appeared in the waiting, startling the staff.

"Here?"

Letiel slid from his arms, collapsing on the floor, and breathing heavily. The staff, while alarmed, were prepared. They immediately rushed to her side, shooing away Tempest and tucking him in a waiting room while Letiel was whisked away. 

And so the Mage found himself in a waiting room, in an unfamiliar place, with an unfamiliar ceiling and unfamiliar people around. He wasn't afraid, but was definitely intrigued. He'd surely have the opportunity to learn more. For now, he had to wait, and hope she would get better.

He chuckled to himself. She. He still hadn't actually asked her name.

A nurse scurried in roughly 5 minutes after they first arrived and approached Tempest. 

"Excuse me, you were the one who brought in Lady Letiel. I need to ask you a few questions about her injuries."

Letiel. It had a musical note to it. Well, now he knew her name. He stood up and nodded.

"Sure, what about?"

"The doctor just wants to know how she ended up in this state. Did you find her like this? Or did something happen? Also there are unexplained scars on her person that aren't in her record. If you were there when she obtained those injuries we'd like to know the nature of the conflict."

Tem put his hands on his hips and nodded. Boy, this would be complicated.

"Alright, well...it happened in New York, a national park. A came across her purely by chance having some kind of fit. Something possessed her, and she attacked me. She wasn't herself. The only way to get it, whatever had hold of her, to back off was to, well, beat it down. And I did, unfortunately. The scars are what I healed, and I didn't do as well a job as I would've liked. She's had little time to recuperate, roughly 12 hours."

The nurse started scribbling notes. 

"To your knowledge this possession is the cause of her exhaustion? Is she still possessed, to your knowledge?"

"I would say it is, yes, it was her body I had to fight. And no, she isn't. I think I pretty well beat it back." He paused. "Is this a normal thing for her?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, Mister....?"

"Tempest. No mister. Just Tempest. And I feel like a little bit of information would be nice, considering I risked my life to assist her." He shrugged. "I understand though. Need anything else?"

"Please don't go anywhere, Mister Tempest. I imagine security will have questions for you as well." She scurried off, through a pair of double doors. 

"Excuse me, is this the wing that Letiel was brought to?" asked a mellow voice. The man was tall, 6'2'' at least, and was clearly built. He wore an official looking uniform with one massive sword slung over his back. His hair was silver-white, odd considering his youthful appearance and he walked like a haunted man with just enough paranoia to be strange. His calm demeanor made up for his shifty movements.

Tem blinked. Security great. He was waiting for the part where "had to to beat your patient into submission" was taken at face value. Surely, they'd attempt to apprehend him.

He turned to look at the newcomer and found himself looking up.

"Uh, yes, yes it is."

The man was startling at first, and to anyone else he might've been threatening.

"Through there?" he asked, motioning at the doors. He seemed distracted and half-hearted, looking Tempest over. "I'm the head of security here, I understand you brought her in after she was possessed?"

Oh. I guess this happening now. Tem tried not to tense up.

"I assume that's where she went, yes. And I did. She didn't look great."

"Were you there then? Did you see it?"

"It? I saw her transform before my eyes into a zombified tiger thing, and then further into a dragon of some kind. We were in a forest in New York."

"And you beat it down? You must be very strong," the man's voice was monotone.

Tem tilted his head.

"She said the same thing. All I did was ascertain what I wanted and threatened it. Why is that so impressive?"

"It...is very strong," the man said simply. "Thank you for saving her. She is very important."

The double doors opened again and an aged man strolled through, consulting his clipboard and tucking his pen away inside his scrub pocket. 

"There you are, Blade," the elder said, walking up to the pair. "You may go back there now, she's in her usual room." He looked at Tempest. "You are welcome to stay or leave, sir. It's up to you."

Another one. Well, he hadn't been hauled out yet.

"I prefer to stay. I'd still like to discuss some things with er...Letiel. Can you tell me what happened to her?"

Blade stayed silent while they walked, the doctor leading the way down the corridors.

"Which time?" the doctor laughed.

Tem crossed his arms.

"So this is a normal occurrence. What happened to her? What possessed her?"

The doctor stopped in the hallway and turned to Tempest, "You best not discuss that here. Wait til we get to the room."

Author's Note

We're far enough in that we're starting to explain who the characters are as well as introduce supporting OCs. Please let us know if there's anything confusing.