Akio took another step, then another. Her feet leaked blood onto the path, streaks of red pointing the way she’d come. Her skin alternated between losing all feeling and burning like the fire still played across it. Her left side seemed better than her right, where she’s fallen on the embers of the fire. The skin under her right eye sagged and pulled tight at the same time. At least, that’s how it felt. Had the horizon always tipped and swayed like that?

  She kept walking, forcing her feet to support her and keep her away from the ground. She’d only survive if she kept going. And Sora couldn’t help. He fought his own battle, right next to her. The skin under his eyes had started to turn colors, somewhere between black and faded purple. She wanted to help him. But what could she do? She couldn’t even help herself. So she kept holding onto his hand and ignored the pain from the burns on her palm and fingers. She needed a reminder that somebody had chosen to stay with her.

  They’d left the grain fields behind a long time ago, beating a path through the stalks until they’d found the dirt road that led to the forest. The trees had grown in her vision and then surrounded her, blocking out the grain fields and letting her leave that world behind. But the water from rubbing against rained-on grain stalks stayed, as well as the stream-water. Each step felt more miserable than the last, burns and chafing and rocks digging into her feet. The town Sora had mentioned had to be close. She’d collapse soon if it wasn’t. Plus, they’d been walking for hours. The sun had climbed up behind them, subtly burning the back of their necks. That would hurt too. But for now, she couldn’t care.

  Her eyes dropped from the horizon as she labored forward, her wet dress clinging to her every step, scratching viciously at her burns. A wave of pain shot through her legs each time her bare feet came down on a rock.

  Sora stumbled next to her, several pieces of gravel rolling under his boot. He steadied himself before he could slip all the way and pull her down with him. She didn’t know if she could get up from a fall at this point. Akio looked over at Sora. The edge of his moonbeam slowly frayed away, little threads coming loose. They’d probably have to replace those when they had a chance. And his face looked pale, the same that she looked when she got sick and couldn’t sleep. “Sora? We should stop. You need to rest.”

  He kept going, gripping her hand tightly and looking down the path. “Can’t stop now. We need to get you help.”

  “Sora, I’m fine. Really.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t feel it yet. Not really. Your body’s still trying to process all the pain. I’m surprised it hasn't caught up with you yet.”

  “I’m strong. I can deal with it.”

  “I know you’re strong. But everything eventually catches up to you. Just please let me know when it starts to hit. I’ll carry you if I have to.”

  Akio nodded, ignoring the pain it brought to her head. He was probably right anyway. And, come to think of it, a little feeling was returning to her right hand, pin and needles jabbing into her like she’d tried to stitch something while half-asleep. It didn’t hurt as bad as before, but maybe it would get worse. She trusted his judgement more than she trusted herself.

  Even after walking for hours in the open air, stream water still occasionally trickled down her legs and caught the dust she kicked up, the resulting sludge sticking to her and irritating her burns. She seemed to collect dirt like a lantern collected dragonflies. Through the grime, she could see the faded red of the wounds starting to turn a more angry shade as all the infections floating in the air seeped in. At least, that made the most sense. Maybe that was what Sora was worried about…

  The sun, now high in the sky, beat down on Akio’s back, finding all the holes in her dress and scorching the skin underneath. The water from the stream had dried a long time ago, her clothes still slightly damp but no longer dripping. The minerals from the water had stuck to her skin, making her clothes scratch even more with every step. In fact, she missed the coldness of the water. It had felt nice to have it dripping on the back of her neck, shielding her from the sun’s hot rays. But now everything was drier than it had ever been. Even her tongue had dried out, sticking in her mouth when she breathed. It felt like she was wading through a stream each time she raised her foot to move forward, her own body resisting the movement. Her braid beat against her left shoulder each time she managed to take a step, pressing the rough fabric against her soft skin. Soon it felt like a wire was digging into that spot.

  “Akio, look.” A voice pulled her out of the drudgery. “I think we’re almost there.” She tore her gaze from the road and looked to the horizon again. Sora raised his free hand and pointed to the bend in the path. More light seemed to hit it than the rest of the road in front of them. Even the gaps between the trees seemed lighter. Why?

  “What… what am I looking at?” Her mouth struggled to make the words. Her stomach started to protest, clenching and unclenching in a very uncomfortable manner. She stumbled, her knee refusing to bear her full weight. Sora tried to catch her, but she still fell forward, reaching out her hands to try and catch herself. She hit the ground on her right side, the pain from the burns flaring up like the actual flames. The gritty dirt stuck to her as she rolled onto her stomach. That still didn’t feel good, but at least the pressure was off the worst of her burns.

  Sora let go of her hand. No! I still need you! She tried to push herself up, but her arms locked halfway and dropped her back to the path, her cheek grinding against the dirt. She knew her legs were useless without even having to try levering herself up onto her knees. Torn, bloodied feet, covered in dirt, and knees too weak to let her walk. Akio wanted to lay there and wait for the pain to go away. Something warm started to coat part of her right side, wet against her parched skin. Pain blossomed from the spot. More of her precious blood spilled out onto the ground. Warm tears started to coat her cheeks, stinging as they washed over her burns. The pin and needles in her right arm and side had become daggers, digging into her flesh and stealing her life. She tried to scream, but it only came out as a broken whimper. Just let me die.

  “Akio?” A voice rang in her ears. She blinked her eyes to clear some of the tears away. A face floated in her vision. “Stars above, are you okay?” A hand pressed against her back, on the left side where it didn’t hurt as much. Her eyelids fluttered and an overwhelming fatigue came over her. “Akio, I need you to stay awake. Can you move?”

  “No…” The one word hurt so much.

  “Just hold on. I know it’s going to hurt, but I need to carry you. We have to find someone that can help you.” She tried to protest, to say she didn’t want help and that he should leave her, but Sora didn’t listen. He rolled her onto her back, her eyes staring up at the sun. She closed them quickly, although an afterimage of the rays remained. Arms reached under her and lifted her slowly from the dirt, cradling her like she would shatter if she were dropped. Her right side faced away from him, the open air doing its best to cool the burns down now that another fire had started inside them. She pooled her strength and pulled her arms up from their hanging positions, settling them on top of her. Sora pushed himself up from kneeling and turned back towards the edge of the forest. One step, then another. The forest shade faded away and left them in full view of the sun’s heat. But the heat felt nice this time. Like a warm blanket in winter. Her eyes were already shut from the sun. And if she slept, the pain might go away for a little bit.

  No. She should stay awake. Sora was doing all the hard work. That was the least she could do for him. She looked up at the sky. The clouds were wispy, almost like a fever dream. They reminded her of something. She couldn’t remember what. And then, although she fought it, the feeling of darkness finally overtook her and she fell fast asleep.

  One step. Then one more. Sora stumbled down the forest lane, the end in sight. Or, well, the vague location of the end. He’d only taken a few steps after picking up Akio, but already his arms protested like he’d carried her a few kilometers. Each time he planted a boot, it felt like the ground wanted to pull him down to the dust. Jarring pain washed through him in waves. The burns on his left side, especially his arm, were dirty and cracked, blood slowly wetting the back of what remained of Akio’s dress. But he really couldn’t complain. She looked a lot worse. And right now, she needed him to be strong. He could do that much. Push the pain back, lock it away, drown it in repeated mantras. He would not succumb.

  The ring of luminaea trees came into view, the bark a dark grey-blue. They provided a stark contrast to the white-trunked, blue-leaved trees of the forest. Each tree in the ring had pink-orange leaves blowing in the light breeze, standing sentinel at the edge of civilization. He hadn’t seen color like that since he’d first set foot here on Tallspire.

  Sora ran a fine-toothed comb through his mind, trying to think of everything he knew about townships on Tallspire. The luminaea tree ring would be on the very edge, surrounding everything. The farmers just inside the ring tended to the trees bordering their fields, considering it a great honor. Then came the town, a net of roads that never quite went where you thought they would. The main square had a statue of Yukima in the center, the tips of the crescent on her scepter pointing east toward the Temple on the mainland. He shook his head. All that information, and not a single thing about where he could find a healer.

  He trudged along, the tree ring growing closer and closer in front of him until he passed through. A feeling of momentary warmth swept through his body, the pain receding for just a small second. Akio shifted in his arms, a small smile touching her face before she frowned again and took another ragged, drowsy breath.

  Two fields past the ring of trees, the town truly began. One-room sheds and wooden shacks rose up from black rock and bare soil. Even in poverty, the boards were cut neatly and painted to the best of each family’s ability, although the color still peeled in places. It was as if the buildings wanted to blend in with the dust, but their inhabitants wouldn’t quite let them. Off to the left, a single shack had been built using mismatched stones and homemade brick, a charcoal-colored crescent scratched into the stone on the side of the curtain-entryway. Sora couldn’t help but smile a little. Even all the way out here, where the ground almost paralleled the sky in emptiness, the people still looked to the goddess for help. They had loyalty, and that was something he could admire.

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  The winding road led further into the town, buildings of more respectability rising in place of the shacks. These had at the very least stone chimneys, with one or two walls built of stone as well. Black stones of Spire-rock cropped up every so often as well, always on the east sides. Just like the scepter-crescent on the statue.

  The road split off to the left, dead-ending after five or six buildings. At the end of the split-road stood a squat little building, its one story surrounded by structures twice its height. The smooth stone had been painted white some time in recent history, with only a few scratches marring the pristine surface. A wooden sign over the entrance-way took the shape of a dragonfly, painted blue with black and light-green detailing. Sora turned down the side road, looking around at the other buildings. Nothing suspicious, at least not to his tired, pain-ridden mind. That white building with the dragonfly would be a healer, one by trade instead of by hobby or interest. Maybe even a religious devotee of some sort. As long as they knew what to do, he’d let them get it done. Besides, the sun shone hot today. Shade would be a welcome relief.

  The door to the healing house swung open as Sora approached it, a bald man in long white robes standing in the doorway. He beckoned to Sora. “Come, my son. I will help you.” Finally, something goes right.

  Sora mustered one more step before falling to his knees, the doorway only a few paces in front of him. The sterile atmosphere from the healing house washed out onto the street, making him feel more than a little drowsy. The healer stepped forward and knelt down, sliding his arms under Akio and lifting her from Sora’s grasp. She moaned slightly and bit her lip, blood starting to ooze onto the man’s white robes. Maybe she hadn’t been as asleep as he’d thought.

  “Come if you can. You are safe now.” He disappeared into the healing house. Sora pushed himself up onto his feet, swaying as he walked forward. Sweat dripped down his forehead and nose, droplets falling onto his shirt. The pain had started to break through its chains, forcing its way into his every thought. He reached out a hand to grasp the doorway and missed, toppling forward and hitting the stone floor. His arms lit up with the fire of pain again. He stayed down. A soldier knew when there wasn’t any use in trying, and so did he.

  The bald healer returned, arms empty. He knelt down again and grabbed Sora under the arms, standing and hauling him up like he weighed as much as a pile of cloth. Staggering and hopping, Sora limped into the next room with the healer’s help. He collapsed into a chair covered in white in the corner of the room. Finally, after trial by fire and the second-worst hike through the woods, he could rest…

  No. Akio still needs you to watch out for her. Sora blinked his eyes rapidly, looking around the room. Sturdy shelves lined the far stone wall, shiny jars and stacks of cloth sitting among small metal instruments that Sora couldn’t begin to guess uses for. A low wooden table stood in the center of the room, covered in a white sheet. Akio lay on top of the cloth, her arms folded on top of her. The healer knelt down on a cushion and picked up a small whistle from a side table. He blew two high notes from it, loud but not sharp. A young woman appeared in the doorway off to the left that led farther into the healing house. She wore white robes as well, simpler than the man’s, with a brown sash tied around her waist. “Yes, Teacher?”

  “Ready the second of the salves.” He looked at Sora. “A double batch would be wise.”

  She raised one eyebrow slightly, the movement almost hidden by her nod. “It will be done.” She disappeared back through the doorway, a trail of faint blue mist behind her. Odd. Maybe the pent-up pain was making him see things. He really did need to relax a little and let his body repair itself.

  Sora pushed himself up further on the chair, trying to maintain what looked like a dignified position. One of his station shouldn’t slouch. He looked over at the healer, who was cleaning his hands in a bowl of water on the floor under the table holding Akio. Now that Sora looked more closely, the man had a blue ribbon running around his neck with a silver crescent pendant hanging from it. A white dragonfly hung on the ribbon right next to the crescent.

  The healer moved silently, gathering more water from a barrel in the corner of the room with a small flat bowl and a white cloth from the shelf next to the barrel. The water smelled faintly of herbs, even from across the room, but Sora couldn’t match a name with the smell. The healer added a pinch of dried green leaves to the water in the mortar and ground them up with a pestle, combining the ingredients to form a thin, watery paste. He opened Akio’s mouth and put the mortar to her lips, tipping it so the paste poured into her mouth. She almost spit it out before he dropped the mortar and gently held her mouth and nose shut, forcing her to swallow. He returned the mortar and pestle to the side table. “I know it is bitter, but it will help with the pain. It will come into full effect in a few minutes.” She grimaced and nodded ever so slightly.

  The bald man lifted her head and placed the cloth underneath her neck, the surface wet with some of the herbal water. With another cloth, he began to wipe away the dirt and dust from her burns. Sora had to look away. Akio flinched and bit her lip each time the cloth came into contact with the burned skin, although she reacted less and less with each stroke. Hopefully the paste was beginning to dull the pain.

  “Teacher? You asked for the salve?” The younger healer stood in the doorway again, holding a large, flat bowl of thick, white fluid. The man nodded, motioning to the space next to him. The young woman pulled a table over from the wall and set the bowl on it before turning to Sora. “Honored One, please, come with me.”

  Sora tried to get up, but the muscles in his legs cramped and locked, keeping him firmly in his seat. He shook his head. “I can’t.” The young woman came over to him and grabbed onto his forearms, guiding him up as gently as possible. “But…”

  “Your friend will be fine. The paste has a calming effect that makes most people fall asleep. And you need healing as well.” She helped him across the room and into the next, where another chair draped in white stood in the center of the room. His legs didn’t quiet down again until he sat in the chair.

  The younger healer retrieved another bowl of water and a clean cloth. “I apologize for any pain I might cause. I am still learning.” She soaked one end of the folded cloth in water and pressed it to his sweat-soaked forehead, washing away the soot and minerals from the stream-water. The cloth worked its way down his neck and face, leaving behind clean, sweet-smelling flesh. He gritted his teeth when she reached the burns on his left arm, but after a few gentle strokes the pain didn’t seem as bad.

  The elder healer appeared in the doorway. “I have not seen burns like this since the fire in the forest, years ago. Where did you both get these?”

  Sora instinctively spun a story in his head, then sliced it to pieces. Better to be truthful, at least for now. “We were caught in a grain fire. The flames closed in around us. We had to run through them to escape.”

  The healer nodded. “I am sorry you had to experience that. And my condolences about the grain. Even after rain, it burns too quickly.” He disappeared from the doorway, sitting down again on the other side of the table so that the edge of his sleeve was just barely in view.

  The younger healer started to clean his left leg, careful to tread lightly around the burns. She looked up at him and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Was it really a grain fire?”

  Sora nodded, the movement causing less pain than he’d expected. “Yes. It’s terrifying, having the whole world burn around you.”

  “But you don’t look like you work in the fields. Your hands aren’t rough like theirs.”

  Sora closed his eyes, trying to tell the truth as much as possible without giving away too much. “No, I don’t. Someone knew we were in the fields and set the fire around us. They wanted to kill us.”

  The young woman’s eyes widened. “To kill you? You must be very important. Both of you.” She looked into the other room at Akio’s limp form. “Who is she? That looked like a servant’s uniform.” Her breath caught. “Apologies. I meant no disrespect.”

  “No, it’s okay. She is the important one.” Sora left it at that. He’d probably already said too much.

  After another moment of silence, the healer spoke again. “So who is she?”

  “I can’t tell you. That would only put you in more danger. There are probably people looking for us right now.”

  “Okay. I understand. I just wish I could help more.” She scrubbed at one of his burns a little too hard, eliciting a small wince. “Sorry! I’m very sorry.”

  “It’s fine. Thank you for your help.”

  “Of course, Honored One.”

  Through the doorway, Akio shifted a little, her eyes already closed again. Sleep would do her good. The elder healer laid her flat again and continued his work. “Less talk, more work, young one.”

  The young healer reddened. “Yes, Teacher.” She folded back part of Sora’s sleeve and pressed a cloth to the burn there. The skin had rubbed so much on the fabric that it had started to bleed. After stopping the light bleeding, the healer dipped two fingers in a small bowl of salve and started to spread the white paste on Sora’s arm and leg. Wherever the salve touched, a feeling of numbness and cold seeped into his arm. It felt wonderful. After the salve, she wrapped a white bandage around the burned parts. Soon, the burns felt tamed, if not completely gone. His hands were covered in white cloth. There would be trouble if he had to wield a blade like this. The same if he had to run on his wrapped feet. The younger healer smiled at him and rushed off through yet another doorway, to his left if he looked straight at Akio and the elder healer. After a moment, the man returned to the doorway.

  “I trust that you have been taken care of well?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Sora pulled a pouch from his pocket. “How much do I owe you.”

  The man smiled, a kind smile. “A silver each, if you can pay. If not, we can work something out. We believe health is a worthy investment.”

  A bargain indeed. Sora drew out five silver coins and placed them on a side table. “A donation. You have been more than kind exactly when we needed it.”

  The bald man nodded. “Thank you for your generosity.”

  Sora looked around. “We need to find a place to stay for the night. Do you know somewhere safe and close? Preferably with a good view of the road?”

  The healer held up a hand. “Please, do not worry. You may stay here. Full healing, at least to functionable levels, takes longer than an afternoon.”

  “Thank you. We just need to stay somewhere out of sight for…” Hoofbeats sounded on the dusty road outside. Sora froze. Horses were expensive. Unless a noble needed a healer’s services, the only reason a rider would be here was…

  The elder healer seemed to read his thoughts. “Stay here. I will deal with this.” He disappeared around the wall to the front entryway. Boots hit the ground outside. Thankfully, only one pair. The conversation echoed back to Sora’s ears.

  “Greetings, Honored Messenger. How may I be of service?”

  The soldier didn’t bother being polite. “Have you seen two young people come this way?

  The healer paused. “No, I have not.”

  “Don’t lie to me. I know you watch the road well for travelers.” Sora’s breath caught in his chest. The messenger had only to walk a few steps inside and look around the wall to see both of them. There would be no running. They wouldn’t make it anywhere in their current condition.

  “This is no lie. I have not seen them. You may even come inside and check the healing house.”

  The pause that followed felt like it pressed down on Sora with a physical weight.

  “Very well. Good day, healer.” The soldier remounted, judging by the jangling of the saddle. Hoofbeats sounded, gradually growing softer. Sora let out a long breath, leaning back in his chair. That had been far too close for comfort.

  The elder healer returned and nodded to Sora. “You should be safe now. My acolyte will show you to a bed where you may stay until you feel well enough to go out on your own again.” He turned and disappeared into the first room, picking up his cloth and resuming work on Akio’s burns.

  The younger healer returned, taking him by the bandage-wrapped hands and helping him stand. Between the burns and the bandages, his feet barely found the strength to make it through the doorway and into a side room with a bed covered in white sheets. The healer helped him up onto it and laid two white blankets over him. The pillow felt impossibly soft under his head. His eyelids started to droop. Have… to… stay awake…”

  The young woman smiled. “Please, sleep. It’s safe here. You need to rest if you want to heal.”

  Fine. Just for a little bit. Sora let his eyes close and rested his burned left arm on the cold sheets. Slowly, he fell into black oblivion.