Dross really had imagined the afterlife to be a bit. . .less dull. Sure, he loved the hours he wandered through the unnamed sunken city, but why exactly was he again in this strange hall? Was he now stuck here, as he never was able to finish his research regarding the cocoon?
"Well, if that's the case I should better start continuing my research to get this charade over with. Let's see . . .I don't remember that the cocoon pulsated in a purplish light.", he paused for a second sharpening his panther ears listening to the sizzling of the pulses, "And even less that the cocoon was able to speak . . .if you could call that talking."
Letting out a deep sigh Dross sat down on the strangely warm frozen ground legs crossed, closed his eyes and started focusing his ears at understanding the meaning of this sizzle. Blending out everything and reaching into his soul accepting the suspected stranger beyond the cocoon. Dross didn't expect that approach to even work, so he was surprised as the voice suddenly got way clearer. An otherworldly presence started filling out his mind and Dross was tempted to open his eyes as fear crawled over his back closing the building connection the alien spirit was trying to create. But he managed to fight his urges opening him up to the connection. And a voice rose inside of him. A strange voice, seemingly connected to no one yet to everybody:
"Fear not, child. I don't want to harm you."
Dross' shoulders were trembling in amusement:
"How can a voice harm one, who already went past his mortal life? Tell me?"
"I . . .", the voice suddenly stopped realizing the reason behind that sudden acceptance, "So you are thinking that you are dead. Quite amusing.", the voice cleared its non-existent throat, "No, you are far from going to my little nephew's realm, you merely are experiencing a combination out of famishment, thirst, tiredness and the aftereffects of the powers I used to bring you out of my prison of certain death. But not without a small token I have left in your book."
The voice stopped abruptly and got thinner as if somebody was dragging it away from him. As the power inside him was fading away Dross heard a thin: "Wake up, someone is dragging me away", before an imaginary door closed down separating his consciousness from the visitor. Clearly not very convinced by the stranger Dross made no attempts of trying to wake up continuing the meditation falling into a deep dreamless slumber.
Days, hours or even only minutes later Dross got disturbed again in his rest by a particular name reaching his ears warming up his heart and freezing it at the same time:
"Minaera was it the cat was calling me before passing out, wasn't it? Let's see, maybe his old collection of soggy paper and chapped hide will sustain my curiosity. No, not this . . .this not either . . .", a hastily flipping of pages reaches Dross' consciousness making his heart clutch in pain thinking of the damage the flipping was inducing on the pages, "Oh, a diary, records of an expedition to . . .Sepernius? How on - What? Is he!?", even more flipping pages searching for an answer, "Dross Hegraven!? THE Dross Hegraven?? That is impossible, the church hadn't heard a sign of life for years concluding his expedition eventually as failed. . .And now he is laying on my couch, just like that. I can't believe that. One more reason to nurse my guest back to health, I have to speak with him."
With that said, the woman left the room again and the veil of silence once more caught Dross pulling him back into the dreamless realm he briefly escaped.
Warmth . . .a sweet odour loosely reminding him of venison stew was dancing in front of his snout awaking his smelling sense, he thought he had long lost in the cold of Sepernius. The feeling of the hot liquid running down his sore throat filling his tummy kickstarted finally his brain again. Dross suddenly inhaled just to start coughing choking on the stew. He was back, tears in his eyes trying to fight the choking. With his glassy eyes, Dross tried to quickly make out where exactly he currently was. A small room, neither shabby nor especially pompous but really comfortable and warm. A female snow elf in a black nightdress was sitting at the edge of the bed, Dross was lying in, holding a plate of venison soup. Spectating his clumsy awakening a joyous emotion of a smile mixed in with a slightly amused smirk ran over her face. The welcoming atmosphere helped Dross to calm down and he tried to stand up pushing his body next to his saviour to sit on the edge. Realizing he was wearing nothing more than his undergarments an unnatural feeling of cold ran over his fur remembering the past years and he quickly took the blanket wrapping himself up to not lose the precious warmth. Quickly realizing the situation the woman laid aside the soup and wrapped her soft pale arms around Dross' shoulders trying to calm him down. His pulse slowed down and he gave in into the first touch of a person for months snuggling his head into the elf's shoulder. With a soft and caring voice, the women calmly raised her voice to nothing more than a silky soft tone caressing Dross's ears:
"Finally awake are we, Mr Hegraven? Calm down, you are in company with a friend.", she held up the pendant dangling from her neck showing a fellow watcher her sign, "I can feel your need to know about the whereabouts of your book. No need to worry, I dried your precious work and kept it safe after realising, who collapsed in my arms.", she briefly paused her talk feeling a wave of slight anger going out from Dross, "Nono, I didn't continue to read in your work after finding out your identity, as difficult as it was for myself. The drawings and cards I glanced over, looked so interesting and well made. You really are living up to your legacy!"
From the sudden praise Dross got ashamed and his fellow watcher felt the heat emitting from his head not able to help herself but snuggling her head into Dross' cheek with a slight snicker:
"No need to blush, Mr Hegraven. I am just a mere fan of your moxy to go on such an expedition and come back alive - wait - Gosh! I haven't introduced myself yet, where are my manners?"
The snow elf let go of Dross and stood up with a nimble elegant twirl. Smiling at him with the most genuine and innocent smile Dross had ever seen she introduced herself. Her big pointy ears were quivering in noticeably pent-up anticipation:
"I get called Raja Hiss, am 120 years old and a devoted silent watcher since my studies started four years ago. My goal is to eventually lead an expedition to the mystical lands of Squa'osa.", she pauses in motion with a challenging smirk on her face, "And I always wanted to meet my paragon, means you!"
Elfu! I have a weakness for elves. Especially snow elves. Lovely chapter.