Have you ever had that dream where you're walking down the street and you turn around and a truck turns you into a pancake? That's what went through my head when I regained consciousness. I opened my eyes and saw only darkness. My ears had a faint ringing sound. The rest of my body didn't seem to want to respond to commands to move.

Thankfully, my nose was still working. I smelled antiseptic. I smelled blood. I smelled...food? I couldn't remember when I last ate, but I was so worried about not seeing that my stomach was temporarily silent. 

"Hello?" I threw out into the darkness. 

Vague noises around me. Speaking. A language I didn't know. A lot of mumbling. 

"Excuse me, but I can't see. I don't know why," I said. "Also, I can't move."

I felt someone breathing close to my left ear. "Can you hear me!?" It sounded like they were yelling, but it was quite soft. 

"I can hear you. Are you yelling? It sounds like a whisper."

More whispers. The yelling, whispering voice said, "We think the explosion damaged your eardrums."

"Yeah. And my eyes. I can't see. Or move." Surprisingly, despite these debilitating wounds, panic hadn't really set in. 

"Your eyes were burned. They're bandaged now. Keep them closed. Your body is paralyzed so that you don't injure yourself further."

Well, shit. "Do you know what they call a paralyzed, blind, and deaf thief?"

The voice said, "No."

I said drily, "Retired."

I think I heard laughter, as though through a tube. 

The warm breath on my ear was back. "We're going to try to magically heal your ears and eyes, ears first." I would have nodded but my neck was in a brace, apparently. "This will take some time and may be painful. If so, let us know and we'll try to comfort you as best we can."

I was rapidly developing a dislike of needing hospital care. The doctors touched me--the paralysis didn't make it so I couldn't feel, and I could tell they were taking my pulse, listening to my internals. I tried to breathe without hyperventilating. 

"Don't panic." The voice seemed familiar. 

"Tellis?"

"I'm here," said the voice. 

"Am I going to die?"

"No. In fact, the doctors think you'll recover fully fairly quickly. Now let us work."

"Will you...hold my hand?"

There was a pause, and then I felt leathery fingers clasp mine. 

"Thank you. I'm kind of scared." The hand squeezed mine and didn't let go. I would have squeezed back, but...paralyzed.

Without sight and with limited hearing, I couldn't really tell what was going on. The passage of time was lost on me, and I think I might have actually fallen asleep or blacked out. Can't remember. There was touching, singing, some loud noises and sharp pains that almost immediately went away, like the prick of a needle, but in places where needles should never be pricked. Then, someone gave me something sweet and spicy to drink and I was sucked into darkness again.

In the darkness, I dreamt. I was running through the woods, though I didn't know why. I just knew that I had to run. I dare not look back. I dared not stop to catch my breath or bearings. I just had to keep running. It was...exhausting. And when I came to the edge of the wood, I saw a house, and as I approached, it exploded. Strange dream.

I woke up and noticed that the suns had set. Magical light provided the area with a bright but unnatural glow. Alex was lying in a bed near me, still sleeping. It took me a moment to realize, but as you can already tell, I could see! And hear! A crackling fire not far off, loud and soft conversations going on around me just out of understanding. I tried to move my head, and the brace had been removed. I flexed my fingers and they responded. I wiggled my toes. Yes: all ten of them. Praise manna, the magical healing had worked!

An attendant came over. "How are you feeling, Ms. Hero?" 

"I've got sight and hearing back. That's a relief! And I can feel all my fingers and toes."

The attendant smiled and wrote a note on her pad. "Excellent. Your cuts and scrapes are almost healed as well. You should be on your way within the hour." She began to move away.

"Hey." She stopped. "What about Alex? Marius? The Master?"

The attendant motioned to Alex. "Sleeping. He'll recover too. I'm told he tackled you and probably shielded you from some of the debris, though he paid for it. The Master is also recovering. You should rest."

She was dodging the question about Marius. "Marius?"

She sighed. "Marius and most of the people who went with him didn't make it. The whole house exploded. It was rigged to detonate after they'd gotten inside. Real nasty work."

"Uh...how long have I been out?"

"It's almost dawn. You've slept the night away."

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll get a little more rest, then."

"Good choice. We are all mourning Marius and the others. But right now, your job is to heal up. We'll pursue justice when the suns rise."

I nodded, closing my eyes. In my dream, I was running again, but this time, I knew why. I was chasing the bastard who had tried to kill me. I got to the clearing, dropped to my chest as the house blew up over me, and then was off running again, past the burning building. Far in the distance, I could see smoke from a campfire and just knew that was where my quarry was.

When I woke again, I smelled bacon. This time, my stomach let me know that it was tired of being ignored.

A new attendant was on duty now and the suns were well up in the sky. "What time is it?"

"About 10 a.m. Late breakfast?" He handed me a plate with bacon and eggs.

"Yes, thank you." I took the plate and he passed over a fork as well. For a few moments, we sat in silence as I ate. When I finished, he took everything and put it in a nearby bag. 

I had a chance now to see what devastation had been wrought on the compound. One building was s smoking pile of rubble, presumably the brother's residence. The main house was under repair, with new walls in place--bamboo grows so fast, that's not hard to come by--but windows would take a while to be ordered, manufactured, and transported. We were in a military-style tent, I near the door so I could see the buildings, with several others further inside the tent. One bed was watched over by several burly orcs and elves. There was no wonder who was over there. 

The rest of the compound was between untouched, as with the other side of the Master's house, to completely destroyed, this being the fence near the brother's house. It was clear that a guard had been set through the night to protect not only against human interlopers, but wild animals, as well. 

"Yeah, okay," I said, getting to my feet, which, thankfully, did not give out on me. "Time to go." 

The attendant stood and was visibly happy that I could. "Not yet. We need to have the doctor check you out one more time and I'm told the Master wants to talk with you before you leave."

I cocked a brow at that last part. "Oh? Is he awake?"

The attendant looked down the tent. "Yes. He's actually hardly slept."

"May I?" I motioned to the master's entourage. 

The attendant nodded. "I'll get the doctor while you talk with the Master."

I walked on surprisingly steady legs while I felt my ears and eyes. The doctors and mages were particularly skilled here. I barely noticed any scarring. 

As I approached the Master, his security detail stepped in my way. "Invitation only, miss," said a deep-voiced orc with a definite "I'll take a bullet, but not before I put one in you" vibe. 

The Master shushed him. "Stop harassing the guests, Leo. Hero is on our side, aren't you, Hero?" That last part was asked with just enough inflection to make it an honest question. 

"Indeed, sir. I hear I owe Alex for saving me, and I'm happy to see you were relatively unharmed."

"Armored clothing," he chuckled. "That blast might have tweaked my back, but the shrapnel only shredded my coat."

"Huh," I said, appreciating armor for the first time ever. "Neat." 

"A coat can be resewn, replaced. Your health--not so easily. I was quite worried about your sight and hearing. Are  you doing well there?"

"Yes, thank you. As close to "normal" as I ever remember."

He smiled and the tent warmed five degrees. "I have tried to employ the best medical staff. You'd be surprised how often we have accidents." 

I frowned. "Is it inappropriate to suggest those accidents might have been malicious?"

His smile faded. "You mean, of course, my brother? No, I suppose we need to consider that possibility. But this--I would never have expected this. He was ruthless--we all are, it's how we are raised--but I've never known him to be disloyal like this."

"Perhaps it's a magical spell?" I offered. I didn't know the guy, but what I knew now did not fit the "mild-mannered family accountant."

"Perhaps. We won't rule out anything yet. But it's clear that he now has a half-day, even a full-day head start on us."

"Do you know which way he is going?"

"South, apparently. but the explosion has thrown all our plans and organization into disarray. Which is why, in fact, I asked to speak with you."

"What can I do for you?"

"Your organization--it's not large, is it?"

"The Aunties? No. We have made a dozen members."

"Are they based around here?"

"No--well, we have an "office" of sorts in Landfall, but mostly I'd say that we just kind of go where we go and help where we can."

"Fascinating. Well, Miss Hero. I'd like to engage your services again to find, intercept, and detain my brother if possible."

Honestly, I had to think a moment about that. "You don't want him killed?"

The Master grinned evilly. "Not yet."

Ah. 

"I'm not sure if I'm any good here, sir. I might provide additional security consulting, if that will help as you rebuild." 

He smiled again. "That would be greatly appreciated. Let's make sure this never happens again."

An idea occured to me. "Actually--there might be one of my sisters who could prove perfect for finding your brother."

"Excellent. Can you contact them?"

"Yes," I fumbled through my purse. Where was that calling card? Just when I was ready to dump it all out, I found it. "Yes, Anti-matter. She may be just the tracker you need."

I pressed my thumb to the card, visuallzing Maddy. A miniature version of her was on the card. "Maddy," said the hologram. "Oh, it's you, Hero. Problem?"

It was true that I mostly only contacted Morgan when something was wrong. It's not because I don't like her, but she and I had very different ideas of how to spend free time. For instance, I like seeing beautiful things and collecting them. She thinks that trees are the best thing in the world. We are on opposite sides of society. 

"Yes, actually. This one seems to be up your alley."

Her smile flickered. "Fill me in."