Chapter 2
Awake
Rionan looked around the room, squinting at the lights overhead. The woman had said he was uninjured, and she was going to find doctors. He must be in a hospital.
He looked down at where his fine clothes had been. He was now wearing a baggy hospital gown. He huffed.
He looked down at his hands, a much lighter shade to his normal skin tone, with a different hue. He ran his tongue over his teeth, which felt bizarrely short. He didn’t have to check his ears to know they were still rounded at the tops, instead of pointed.
As the woman who called herself Alianna had not been able to understand him, he assumed that the process of shifting into a form that enabled him to blend in here was not yet complete. Physical appearance, yes. Spoken language, no.
Rionan looked outside the window, which was the source of the daylight streaming in from outside. Judging by the position of the sun, it had to be some time in the afternoon. There was a board on the wall with writing on it, and numbers next to that. The time? Or the time he arrived, perhaps.
The numbers read 09:38.
He scanned the room, spotting a small device on a table with similar numbers shining on it. 13:54.
That must be the time. The first numbers, he mused, must be the time he arrived in this hospital.
The other numbers were the time now. He’d been here for over four hours, plus whatever time before anyone found him lying on that sand.
The adaptation process should be done shortly, and he’d be able to communicate with these people.
Flexing his toes and shifting his legs about, Rionan swung his legs over the side of the bed as he sat up. He stretched his arms above his head, moving his head from side to side. Nothing hurt.
He felt a stirring in his chest as the power that had settled back inside him swirled, as if saying “hello, friend”.
Adjusting to taking in so much of the power – the power that he’d used to fertilise the land and make it prosperous for so long – was difficult.
It was something the Lords of Xanthia never really had to do, once they became connected to their Wells.
His power made the West of Xanthia what it was. The Well was just as much a part of him as he was a part of the Well.
He couldn’t leave his lands without it for long, he thought, scowling to himself.
Now that the Well was empty, the land itself would start to perish.
His people would struggle. He needed to come up with a plan and get home.
He couldn’t do that until he found a way to push back, or better yet, destroy the Eastern forces.
As if calling out to him as he thought of it, he could feel the Well that he was connected to, pulling on a rope connected to his soul, calling him home.
I need you, I need you, I need you.
His power stirred, rising to the surface, willing him back to Xanthia. He forced it back down. Not now. He thought. Not with the possibility of Rannirr defeating him at Savangrad.
Rionan knew that he couldn’t stay out of Xanthia for long, for the sake of his people.
The four Wells, when full of the power of one of the Lords, blessed the land. As if the Lord themselves were constantly filling a network that moved, ebbed and flowed. Their power brought about life, allowing the Realm to thrive.
A Well of Power would only transfer its connection to another Xanthian when something happened to the Lord who currently ruled over that territory.
One way was for the Lord to die of natural causes – in this case, the power would transfer to an heir, or worthy successor.
The other way was for the Lord to be killed by another.
This is what had happened in the South.
This is what Rannirr was attempting in the West – with Rionan.
He had driven Xanthia to war.
There had always been four Lords, closely bonded to their individual Wells. Now there were only three.
Never before in Xanthia’s history had such a threat to the Realm existed.
The Eastern Lord – Rannirr - was a cruel man, full of malice. His power, tainted with his own corrupt nature, left the Eastern lands unwelcoming, harsh, and desolate.
Rannirr had not only destroyed the Southern Lord, claiming both his power and his territory, but he had also corrupted the Southern lands.
An area that had been bountiful and joyous was now full of perils.
Monsters and creatures that Xanthia had never seen before were rising from the Southern waters.
Rannirr was stronger now, and may even overpower Rionan if it came to it.
Rionan was considered to be one of the more powerful lords of Xanthia – but could he triumph against a Lord who held the power of two?
Rionan needed a plan. He needed it quickly. He couldn’t let his own Well be taken. Xanthia itself depended on him.
While Rionan was outside of Xanthia, keeping his power disconnected from the Realm, he was not at risk. Xanthia, however, could not stay this way.
Rionan looked at his hands and felt the full might of his own power rippling under his skin.
It didn’t all belong here. He didn’t need it all. His people needed it. His land needed it.
Shaking his head, Rionan dismissed thoughts of selfishness that quickly fell upon him. He knew that he had no choice but to do what he did, and he would return. With help, with a plan, with something.
His power had sent him to this place. Guided him here when he fled Xanthia.
He would find out why.
As he began standing from his hospital bed, hurried footsteps sounded down the corridor outside his room.
The woman who was here a moment ago re-entered.
Alianna, she had called herself. A beautiful name.
Very different from the native names of his realm.
He imagined what it would be like to speak her name, and how easily it would flow off his tongue.
As she entered the room, the smell of the hospital was interrupted by the scent of sea water, coffee, and coconut.
Some enjoyable respite for his heightened senses, which were otherwise becoming overwhelmed by the scent of cleaning products used to keep the hospital sterile.
“Ah, Sir. You’re awake, that is fantastic,” commented the doctor who was following Alianna into the room.
The doctor was perhaps around forty human years of age, with a shaved head, glasses perched on his nose, and fine lines surrounding soft eyes.
He pulled out a clipboard from by the bed that Rionan had awoken in, adjusting his glasses and peering down.
“You really should still be in bed while we give you another once over, now that you’re up.
Your observations have been fine, but it’s always better to re-evaluate when a patient wakes. ”
“Thank you, but I am quite well,” Rionan smiled, “I would like my clothes returned to me so that I can be on my way.”
Alianna scowled. “Your voice box was damaged. You made some weird noises. No offence, I think you were trying to talk, but
you - ”
“No offence taken, kind lady, but now I must be on my way. I assume my voice was weak from some hours spent lying in a hospital bed without hydration. I’ve had a drink, I feel well, and I would like to leave.”
The doctor stepped in between Rionan and Alianna, still scanning his clipboard. “I appreciate you’d like to go, Mr…”
Rionan paused. “Max,” he said, coming up with one of the first human names he could think of. “Max West.”
The likelihood of anyone who was looking for him finding him this quickly within the human realm was slim, but he couldn’t take any chances, and he had no reason to use his real name.
“Well, Mr West. Just a quick once over and a few questions, and then we’ll let you be on your way,” the doctor smiled, patting the bed. Rionan sighed and sat back down. “This lovely lady found you and brought you in, you know. You owe her a great deal of thanks.”
“Thank you,” said Rionan, with an attempt at a smile up at the woman, who was looking at him with curiosity and concern.
Rionan supposed that she was fairly easy on the eyes, with chestnut brown hair that was tied up in a loose ponytail.
Her skin was tanned, soft-looking, with brown eyes a shade darker than her hair.
Her plump pink lips were curved down in a half-frown as she stared at Rionan.
Alianna noticed him studying her face. She looked away, down at her legs, bending to wipe some sand off her bare calves and onto the floor.
The doctor began making some observations that Rionan didn’t really understand, hooking him up to a couple of machines as he spoke. “You feel well, Mr West?”
“Yes,” Rionan replied through gritted teeth, fairly certain he’d said it several times.
“Do you remember anything from the beach?”
Rionan thought for a moment, aware that they may suspect a head injury or similar if he said no.
“I was swimming. I got caught up in the current and….and was exhausted. I must have passed out when I managed to swim back to the shore.”
“I see. Swimming. You arrived fully clothed, slightly overdressed for the beach.”
“Yes. I had….had a hard start to the day, and didn’t want to go home to change.”
The doctor shrugged, stepping back. “Very well. Your observations are good, Mr West, and I don’t have any ongoing concerns.
If anything changes or you develop any new symptoms, please return as soon as possible.
Next time, may I suggest taking a friend swimming with you, or going to a beach with a lifeguard present? You are lucky you did not drown today.”
Rionan feigned an apologetic look as he laughed inwardly. “Of course, doctor. I am sorry for any concern I caused.”
“Your clothes are slightly wet and sandy, but we may be able to fetch you something from lost property that will fit you,” the doctor said, making to leave the room.
“Somebody will be by with those soon. You can dress, and then you are free to go. Your other clothes are in a bag, just in this cupboard,” The doctor motioned to the bedside cabinet where his clipboard had been. “Good day, Mr West.”
Rionan waited for the doctor to leave and moved towards the cabinet, marking the presence of the woman still waiting in the room.
“Are you accustomed to staying in the company of strangers while they change?” he asked, an amused look in his eyes.
“No. Sorry. I’ll go. Would you like me to get you anything? A hot drink?” she asked, a look of embarrassment coming over her as her cheeks flushed.
“No, thank you. I’m quite well. Thank you, again, for your help,” Rionan nodded. “Perhaps I will see you again.”
He knew full well he had no plans to see this stranger again and that he wanted to spend as little time here as possible.
“Okay. I’ll leave you to it. Goodbye, Max.”
“Goodbye, Alianna,” he said, with warmth to his tone.
Rionan waited until the young woman had gone before pulling his clothes out of his cupboard.
His clothes were wrapped in a bag, sandy and damp with seawater.
He held them in his hand and sent a pulse through them.
The clothes heated rapidly, the water coming off them in rippling steam.
Seconds later, they were dry. He spent a moment brushing sand off them before dressing himself.
Rionan brushed his hair away from his forehead and began to leave the hospital.
Most certainly the human realm, then, judging by the physical form he’d taken when he arrived here, and everyone that now surrounded him.
As he reached the street outside, the sunlight began warming his skin. Vehicles whizzed past and people bustled by, nobody stopping to take any real notice of him. He’d seen these automobiles in the human realm before, on his last visit, but they looked quite different now.
He glanced around the busy street, wondering where exactly he would go next, or where he even was. He supposed he could have asked the doctor or the woman, but that would have raised more questions than it was worth.
Rionan began walking down the street, heading in the direction of where he had first arrived.
Following the scent of the sea, he should eventually find his way, and then he could plan from there.
He didn’t really have a destination in mind when he left Xanthia, but he had been guided to this location.
It was possible that his power had sent him here for a specific reason.
He weaved through the crowds, the shoppers, people staring down at devices he had never seen before, that had illuminated screens. He stopped when he saw a vehicle parked at the side of the road with large writing on the side.
Porthan District Council.
So, he was in Porthan. He vaguely recalled his brief time in the human realm in the past, the places that he’d visited. Porthan rang a bell, but he couldn’t place why.
Rionan didn’t believe in coincidences. His power had brought him to the human realm, and to a place he recognised the name of. The next step would be determining what relevance Porthan had to him, or to the rest of Xanthia.