The world around Garinor vanished and he was only vaguely aware that he even existed. He shouldn’t have been alone, he knew, yet he was. There were no trees or people or pain. He simply lay there on a ground he couldn’t see and dreamily wondered what was happening.
Around him, a buzzing sound started. It was small at first, but then it grew. He couldn’t see what caused it, but he thought perhaps he had stumbled across a beehive and the upset bees were turning their attention to him in anger. But why would they? Who was he, even? He didn’t really know.
The buzzing grew louder and with it came bits of information. Sparks of memories flared to life all around him, from learning to walk, to sitting in his studies with his friends, to clutching a guardsman on horseback as he was taken from his home, and so on. Glimpses of events snapped into being and each one brought a louder noise and awareness.
He pieced together the fragments of his life and he remembered who he was and what he was doing. He had been killed in battle and he was lying dead on the battlefield. As he considered this, the scene opened before him. Everyone moved in slow motion, swinging swords, taking hits, mouths opening wide in pain. And there on the ground in a lifeless pile was his body. The prince was nearby, turning away from Garinor as another warrior engaged him in battle.
To one side, Garinor saw Song, his face a mask of terror. He sprinted toward Garinor, shouting his name, in denial of what he had seen, and though the man ran at top speed, the strange alteration of time made it seem like he was working his way through a thick swamp, desperate to keep moving so he wouldn’t drown.
While Garinor watched the odd scene, a burning sensation erupt from his thigh. He clutched at the heat and reached his hand into his pocket, pulling out the stone he had found in the rocky enclave. It felt hotter than the sun on the warmest day of the year but he couldn’t release it. He squeezed it tightly and a strange sensation pulled from his stomach where the soldier’s sword had cut into him. He looked down at his crumpled body, amazed to see the wound closing itself.
Garinor bent down, wondering how it was possible. The answer was gripped in his hand, however, as the bloodstone shed layers and layers of dust, slowly dissolving into the air and giving its life to its bearer. Garinor felt his spirit pulled back into his body as the stone faded away to nothingness.
The world rushed up to meet him suddenly. Time resumed its normal pace and the buzzing sound became the fury of battle all around him. He looked down at his hand and saw remnants of dust from the stone itself. It was no wonder he had been guided to find it.
He was assumed to be dead and so no one paid him any heed as he lay there, but he wasn’t alone for long. Song dove to the ground and grabbed Garinor in a panic, tears in his eyes.
“Garinor, no! Don’t be dead!” he cried.
The boy grinned softly and opened his eyes. “I’m not dead. I’m alive. And well,” he realized, for the stone had also breathed new life into him.
“But I saw—” he started, but was interrupted as one of the prince’s men ran at them. Song sprang to his feet and fought off the attack, but the man staggered and tripped over Garinor and the sword slashed into the boy’s arm, marring his newly healed body.
Garinor sprang up and kicked at the man, planning on taking his sword and turning the tide of the battle. Three others nearby dashed over to support their fallen comrade and Song and Garinor were instantly overrun.
Swords clanged wildly and they managed to dispatch the group of them, but then Song grabbed Garinor’s good arm and dragged him away. Nearby was the prince’s horse, forgotten in all the chaos. Song crooned a soothing melody to the animal and he insisted that Garinor climb onto its back.
He did as commanded, then turned to help Song up behind him. They scanned the camp and realized that the battle was not in their favor, though the warning they had given Chief did seem to the limit their own casualties for the day. They didn’t linger. Song was determined to get Garinor to safety and they sprinted out of the camp, heading north to a place Song wanted Garinor to go.