Chapter 3: Chapter 2: The Emerald Eden

It doesn't take much effort for sadness to be suffocating. All consuming as rage seeps away like a leaky faucet finally free of whatever had trapped the leak. Making you feel so very low, that you can't help but wish that you can take back whatever you had done during your rage-induced state. There's just one, small, tiny problem with that- when you are angry, whatever you do, you usually had already been thinking of doing that, whether it had been on a subconscious level or not doesn't really matter. You had meant whatever you had done, and there was no turning back the hands of time once they had already come to pass. Even if whatever had been done was so bad that you simply wished to be swallowed by the dawning light of the morning sun. Even if you cried your heart out. And I did. I cried and cried as my mind finally caught up to the last several or so hours and what had been done. I had died. I had walked the pathway to the Council of Death, and though I had expected something different it had felt right. I had been judged. Lost my eye, and was in horrible pain. But from everything that had happened, the only two things upset me more than losing my life and whatever had remained of it. I couldn't help the girl, and in my anger, I had killed/ burned everything and everyone within a 50-mile radius. I hadn't had anything of value left in my first life for it to matter that I had died, sure I felt guilty for the little girl I saved who I know for a fact had lost her parents, but my own had died along with my friend. So I'm assuming they were already judged when I got there. I could only hope that wherever they, as well as the girl(Caspian's life), went that they are happy. Maybe these- brutes had been given what they just deserved, but I'm not a judge of their lives. They could have done this again. My mind replied softly. If I hadn't killed them, perhaps they would have gone to a town or village and raided it, taking lives as they please.....but that still wasn't a good enough reason not to feel guilty for taking their lives. They should have been placed in prison bars or something. That was still judgment we should not have to pass. A sob caught in my throat as I curled further against the bonds that held me. But life was never supposed to be taken. Not to mention the hundreds that might have died here. They may have been horrible people, but what of those that love them? Do they not deserve to be with the ones they love? And what of those that had been killed by them? The conflicting thoughts had the sparks of the fire dying down to smothering ambers that crackled in the beginnings of dawn. The warmth of the gift wrapped completely around me was ignored as I pondered and inhaled deeply to get a grip on my emotions. What had been done had been done. The girl had said I should find Caspian's family. Well not exactly in those exact words, but I'm guessing that's what she meant when she told me to protect them. I froze when another part of her words made themselves known. A game was being played with the lives of others. Whether the part about kings could be taken literally or not remained to be seen. But it seemed two or more enemies will try to get rid of Caspian's family, well mine now. Since this body, thus the son, brother, or whatever of another's blood was mine as well. I inhaled a shaky breath before focusing the magical energy on the ropes, watching in silent fascination as a part began to smoke before burning right through the fraying bonds. I sank to my knees in relief. Tilting my head backward and staring up at the still-there stars as the sun began to paint the dusky colors over the wide expanse of stars. The tent had been burned down, like everything else apart from the wooden pole I had been tied to and myself. Around the wide and clearly charred ground laid an emerald green forest that glittered even in the early morning sun. The fresh scent of charred flesh and death was like a heavy weight on the currents of air that breezed through the place. I blinked my good eye owlishly as strange magic, which felt almost exactly like the one that had been within the council room, touched the grounds around me. I titled my head watching in shocked curiosity as the grass began to sprout from the burned ashes of those who had died and that which they had carried. Trees spiraled upwards almost as if time had been put on a fast forward. Soon I was surrounded by the sound of life, the once-dead ground of the place turned into a new Eden. The air was heavy with the scent and pollen of fresh fruit, trees, and the underbrush of the newly grown forest. The wooden pole had turned into a sweeping and sweet-smelling tree. Dusty pink flowers hung from the branches. I sat there, as my mind slowly came back to me and processed that, yes: Everything from the dead ground to those that had been dead had been replaced. But isn't that the way of life? Life comes and goes, only to be repeated once more. I smiled sadly at the tall trees. Before rising shakily to my feet, blinding pain had me staggering back, leaning all of my weight against the tree that had once held me, prisoner. It was startling, actually that something so simple could feel so very weird at that moment when magic was real. Huh, Denial wasn't a river in Egypt anymore, now was it? I snorted and shook my head. Egypt might not even exist in this world. Wait. I glanced down when a particular breeze brushed past my knees. My very bare knees. Oh. Ahh, crap. Where the hell am I supposed to find clothes? Or ointment for my wounds, not to mention bandages? I'd burned the entire dang camp down, there couldn't- Suddenly, I jolted as one of the trees moved, producing honest to God- Gods?- robes, pants, shirt, and underwear, plus what looked like a medical kit.