The messenger arrived with Eddie in his arms. His home was in a valley, between mountains. Buildings of different types and grandeur were scattered all over the valley. Trees there had lost leaves, making them blend with the brown of the small town. It bustled with people of heights a head taller than average. Some of them had wings. There were no vehicles at all.
He landed near a lake, beside a small hut at its bank. At the entrance was an old woman in white. She had a kind bearing and when the messenger landed, she gave a smile and a nod. "Healer, I have come with a sick man, can he be healed?" He looked over with pleading eyes.
The old woman walked to where Eddie was lain. She touched him at different places before unbuttoning his shirt. A laughing wound was revealed, taking her aback.
"What happened to him?" She asked.
"He was in this condition when I found him."
"He cannot be saved by the walks. However, he cannot die from this, at least not with the absence of all the ingredients." She took a clean piece of white cloth and cleared the wound.
"What do you mean?"
"From what I can see, his wound was caused by two powerful magics. One came from his own resentment. The resentment freed him, but such feelings are more destructive than they are helpful. For that, he has a power to help him heal in a few days. However, the other magic at work is one I don't understand. It is a kind I have never seen before. I can see that it is aggravating the former without actually killing him. That means there must be something that must be present for him to die. If he doesn't heal though, when the spell is broken, he is going to die from the wound."
"I went on a mission, healer. The one who asked me to bring him with me promised to help me only if this man was healed. I cannot fail, for the sake of our people." He pleaded.
"There is one thing in our land that can help him, but that was meant for the mage and the mage alone. Are you willing to sacrifice it for his sake, a man you do not know?" The old lady lifted her head and frowned.
"Do you mean the entanglement amulet?" His eyebrows rose. It was clear her proposal was way more expensive than he could afford. "Yes." She nodded.
"But if the mage is not given the amulet, the walks will cease to exist. You know it is the most powerful thing we hold. I will seek the chief's wisdom. Try to help as much as you can, we cannot let him die." She nodded at his instruction.
She enchanted before carrying Eddie to the hut. His breaths started becoming slower. His body trembled, as if hit by coldness; the gnashing of his teeth indicated the intensity. Sweat welled from his face as he winced in pain. She watched helplessly, with pity.
The messenger flew to the bottom of the towering mountain behind the town. At its foot was a large iron door embedded on it. He pushed it open and flew as fast as his wings could take him to a throne which had a handsome man sitting on.
"Chief." He bowed; his wings spread to the tips.
The man on the throne shifted to his left. Even when sitting, he looked tall. His white hairs flowed on his handsome face giving him a baring kinder than the old lady from before. His gentle eyes were fixed on the messenger, as soon as he landed. He was in a pale blue robe, patched with flowery decorations. Beside him stood a man.
"Have you found the mage?" The man standing beside the throne asked.
"No, prophet, but I found a prophet, being given a vision. I stopped to help her. She gave me a wounded man to heal. She promised to follow with the mage."
"Was the prophet a woman, or a man?" The man walked to the messenger, asking to confirm what he had heard.
"A woman."
"What?" The man's eyes widened in surprise with a finger pointed upwards, "Sharwalk. She is from Sharwalk." He then turned to the chief now behind him, "Great chief, I was not shown how he would arrive. Nonetheless, his coming is now closer than we can ever imagine. If she promised to come with him, there is no doubt she will. Prophets from Sharwalk never lie."
"Have you saved the man from death?" The chief leaned forward and asked the messenger. His voice could never be gentler.
"He is mortally wounded. The great healer could not heal him. Unless…she said there was only one way to save him."
"Which is?" The prophet urged.
"Entanglement amulet."
The eyes of the chief and the prophet widened in disbelief. They had kept the amulet for years, waiting for a time when the mage would come. Could they sacrifice it to save another. They were known to be the kindest of creatures, but a lot depended on that amulet being entrusted to the mage.
"If it is going to save him, give it to him." The chief declared, after he calmed down.
"Chief?" The two looked at him doubtfully.