Lynna awoke to the gentle chirping of birds and a comforting scent, overshadowed by a stirring pain. Gone were the high-vaulted ceilings and enchanted gardens of the Academy. Instead, a rustic wooden ceiling adorned with hand-carved patterns stretched above her. She felt the snug embrace of her childhood bed and realized she was back in the safety of her family home. Her body was drenched in sweat, and when she tried to speak, only a low croak came out.
Memories started to come together, interrupted by a sharp pain in her leg that made her wince. The shadowy creature, its haunting eyes, the imminent peril—everything felt disjointed. A wave of panic threatened to consume her, making her breathing erratic.
"Lynna?" A familiar voice cut through the haze of her pain and dread. It was her mother, her face marked by wrinkles of concern, but her eyes dewy with grateful tears.
"You're safe now," her mother whispered tenderly, brushing away a stray strand of hair from Lynna's forehead. "Wil Alset found you passed out in the woods. If not for him, I can't imagine what might have happened..."
Lynna tried to sit up, her body protesting with sharp pain from her injuries. Wil Alset, the elder brother of the Alset Family, was well known for his sense of responsibility and seriousness. I owe him a big thank you, she thought.
Soon after, her brother Roan arrived. From the doorway, he advised, "Your wounds are fresh, Lynna. We've done our best, but healing will take time. I know you're not fond of the church, but perhaps a visit to the temple could help."
Lynna had always been puzzled by the temple's healing rites. For reasons she couldn't fathom, they never worked on her. The nuns claim it's my lack of faith—a point of contention I found both irritating and plausible. But seeing her family's evident concern, she considered it.
With a hint of reluctance, she whispered, "I'll go." Then, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, she added, "Their healing never really worked on me, but it certainly didn't make things worse."
Roan replied with a smile, "Sure, I'll give ya a ride in the cart. If you don't mind my tools company, got some of 'em to drop off at the blacksmith's."
And so, with a cart full of farming implements as her backdrop, Lynna made her way to the village temple. Each bump in the road jolted her wounds, and by the time they reached the church's entrance, it was painfully clear why she had such a pout on her face.