"Yes." Norla responds to Runt's comment, holding his gaze for just a few more moments.
"I don't suppose that's surprising, is it? But we're done with the shadows Daniel. If you are to become a true man, you must embrace the light and shun the darkness, seize the truth and cast off lies, gather among your peoples and banish those who are unworthy."
Norla stands, and again Runt finds himself enveloped in the hazy fog, though Norla's voice continues to speak to him even as her footsteps recede away.
"You have much to learn Daniel, though you have the spark of hope and truth that seems to grow from your core."
Unsure of what else to do, or where else to go, Runt stands where he is, aware of the passing of time but immune to the boredom that normally comes with it. He hears the sounds of footsteps, both heavy and light. Occasionally, he hears voices, sometimes hushed and at other times not. Norla never seems to quiet herself, though answers in a brisk and authoritative tone. Only Rarely does Runt understand what anyone is talking about.
"Tishpak." Norla says after a time.
"Take the boy to the old cell and shut him in, we may have need of him yet, but for now he's served his purpose. You shouldn't need worry about him, but keep an eye out all the same?"
A man says something, but Runt is more focused on Norla as again her beaming smile breaks through the fog in front of him and he feels the touch of her soft fingers brushing against his cheek.
"Daniel?" She says, holding his eyes with her own.
"Tishpak is going to show you to your room. You'll be safe there. Just do as he says alright?"
Runt nods his assent, and before long his hand is clasped in one that is much larger, rough and calloused. He finds himself walking back upon the same path he had traversed earlier, past the room where Ashe had taken him, and down a set of stairs, right then left then right again... Runt's mind unconsciously creating a map of everywhere his feet have taken him. Still the fog engrosses his senses, though his mind seems free to roam, disconnected in a sort of parallel existence from his body.
"This is it then." A gruff voice tells Runt as the two stop, undoubtedly the man that Norla had called Tishpak.
"Just go to sleep, eh?" And Runt does, without so much as a thought.
Runt awakes some time later, his body frigid and his stomach snarling with hunger. He's parched to the point where he felt the back of his throat gripping together. Runt has the distinct feeling that he has awoken early, perhaps before the sunrise, though from the small cave around him it's really impossible to tell. Runt's body is sprawled out upon a straw mat, no impressive bed, yet a luxury that Runt has only experienced a time or two in his life. Runt pushes himself up to hands and knees and finds himself pleasantly surprised to find that his arms and legs heed his thoughts without so much as a complaint.
The room is quite large to a small child, and though it is sparsely furnished, again it seems to hold amenities that Runt has never known. Clearly this is a room for one, as there are no other beds nor people that lay around him. There is even a small desk with a stool in the corner. The stone here is a dull grey, quite distinct from the red and black that was prevalent when Runt had first entered the cave. Unlike above, there is no otherworldly light here either. Instead, Runt finds a wan glow that seems to be coming from atop the small desk.
Runt pushes himself to a stand and the surprises keep coming. It's the small, lighted stick that Rolf had enchanted the day previous.
And what's more, it appears that all of his
other things are sprawled out on the desk next to it. The broomstick, the blanket, the linen bags all filled and bulky, his flute case... Even the knife Ashe had thrown to the ground on the bank of the river.
In addition, there are three other items on the desk. A clay pot, perhaps half a gallon in size and about half filled with a clear liquid, a small, folded sheet of paper, not to mention Conal's lyre.
OOC: You aren't entirely sure what time it is, but your best guess is that it is quite early. Below is a map of where you have seen/traveled. Feel free to ask any questions if you have them. You are down a few fatigue from lack of eating and you also feel a headache coming on from thirst.