Calathus

Chapter 24 - Artificial Respiration

24.

Artificial Respiration

Sianna knew she had been right in placing no trust in Kota. That jewel wearing bitch was going to have a new accessory: Sianna's armadura blade straight through her stomach. She didn't care how much Iari liked Kota. That Nayichi cunt was going to be beheaded and her body set on fire.

But I'm dead.

Sianna was startled by her own thought, despite knowing it was the truth, and that startled her even more.

A bellowing sound pushed against her, encasing. Sianna opened her eyes, unaware they had been closed. She saw funny. Colors were more vibrant but seemed stretched and distorted like they struggled to stay on the objects they dyed. She still managed to recognize the massive, swaying mass above her as Zerahdin, the sound vibrating around her as his laughter.

His giant shoulders shook, and the violent purple and blue colors of his robe waved like rays from a florid sun. Mist, the tendrils fine like sand through Sianna's gaze, escaped out of his open skeletal mouth in time with each of his chuckles.

"You are more than welcome to help," Sianna heard Kota say but couldn't see her.

"I am," Zerahdin answered. "Why do you think they're not using their magick? But it is fun to see you struggle a little bit."

Sianna stood up, the action feeling slow and disconnected. There was a tree growing a few feet from her, but she'd never seen one made out of only branches and leaves with no trunk. Kota stood next to it, still as stone. One leg was in front of the other, arms outstretched as if perched on a thin thread in midair.

Sianna realized the branches were Kota's hair. They sprouted from her back and skull, locks fanning out so thick and plentiful they reminded Sianna of an oil painting of undersea coral banks she saw in one of the Citadel library books. The Nayichi's locks dug into the crystalline ground creating giant spider web cracks, and caged behind the branches were Calera, Deneck, and Reth. The Rhokin's limbs were restrained by the tendrils of hair, tiny, green leaves caressing their bodies.

"You killed my ser!" Reth struggled, a snarl on his lips as he looked at Kota.

Deneck was more animated, his chest puffed out as he strained against his bindings. "You slaughtered my Meryl! I'll kill you!"

"Ser!" Calera called out to Lycin.

He was on the ground, blood pooled around his head, green eyes dimmed in a way Sianna had never seen. Several feet away, Aldermeck and Iari were also on the ground, giant halos of red around their skulls. The sight didn't register in Sianna's mind. She understood what it meant, but she couldn't find the will to react. She took a hesitant step towards the scene, unsure what she would do once she reached it.

"Ah. She finally woke up. This one is called, Sianna, hmm?" Zerahdin said.

Sianna froze as the Lich King lowered his skull next to her. It was twice her height, and she looked dead on into one of his eye sockets. She had thought them black and empty, but there was a glimmer in the darkness. Stars. Millions of them against splotches of purple, blue, and orange.

"What the fuck is going on?" she whispered, absorbed by the eerily beautiful sight.

She frowned. Why was her voice a croak? Sianna threw off her armadura gauntlets and brought a hand to her throat. Decimated flesh clung to her fingers. She dared dig into the meaty hole and felt the pads of her fingers tickling the back of her neck. "What the fuck is going on?" she repeated.

"Ser!" Reth turned towards her. He gazed at her with worry. "Are you all right?"

"No, Reth. I have a fucking hole through my neck."