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The Feri Light
Chapter 14
I woke up in a tiny bed with white sheets. Judging by the nauseating smell of disinfectant and other associated smells, I'd say I was in a hospital. I say hospital because the place looked nothing like a typical Targ infirmary. It was equipped with electricity and an assortment of equipment one might typically find in a human hospital, not to mention the EKG machine beeping next to my head.
How? When did I get to the human realm? And perhaps the key question I should be asking myself is: why am I in a hospital?
I got my answer while trying to move into a more comfortable position.
A dizzy spell, a hair splitting headache and cold chill rippled over my skin as I managed to pull the white sheet off my upper body.
'Take it easy young man. You're not in any condition to move right now,' a gruff mature voice said before gentle hands pushed me back down. Then the pleasant face of an older gentleman came into view. His calm voice, his warm smile and his intelligent dark brown eyes behind his thick glasses removed any fear I had.
His smile broadened when he met no resistance from me.
'Where am I?' I asked. It was then I noticed his messy gray hair flirting with the collar of his white lab coat, which gave him a "mad-scientist" look.
'You're in my infirmary,' but then clarified it further when he saw my brow crease, 'in Koff. The guards brought you in after you fell unconscious. If I were to believe them, you never woke from the paralytic toxin the mercenaries injected you with upon your capture.'
I sighed resignedly. I was in Targeten. And apparently, still a prisoner in this place.
Without thinking, I strained my neck to scan the room.
The older man grinned. 'The guards? I chased them out, if that's who you're looking for.'
I scolded myself for being so obvious.
He chuckled. 'You don't need to fret. As long as you're here, you have nothing to fear from them or from me, for that matter. I'm going to take good care of you.'
I didn't totally believe that but if he really had chased the guards out, he certainly must have some authority.
'What's wrong with me mister...? What should I call you, doctor, healer?'
'Any would be fine, although, I am known here as the professor because of my particular interest in science. Human stuff as it is known here.'
'You've been to the human realm then?'
'Yes. I've been there on two separate occasions,' he said while checking my vitals. 'On my first visit, I was a much younger man. As an apprentice to the chief healer in The Sear, I accompanied my master to the other realm to clean up the mess left by some warlock. That's when I met this physician that called himself a doctor. I was fascinated by his work and we became friends. I gained a lot from him but there wasn't enough time to learn everything before I had to return home. It took me a few more years before I was able to venture there again, but thanks to a friend who knew the guardian of Sandridon, I was able to strike a bargain for the next time around.
'In Europe, I enrolled in university and became a scientist. It was fun times,' he paused reminiscing the old times.
'If you liked it there so much, why did you come back?'
I suddenly cringed and held my head out of pain. The professor reached for a tiny vile of liquid and asked me to swallow. It tasted bitter but I felt the soothing effect instantly.
'I would have stayed if it weren't for the fact that I still looked like a twenty year old while my wife looked like a senior citizen. I loved her very much but I had no other option. Her family and other people were too suspicious. They spread rumors about me being a crazy scientist obsessed with finding a cure for immortality. The authorities caught wind of that and they chased me across the continent. The whole thing was hard on my elderly wife and son. So I had to fake my own death and leave them behind.'
'You had a son with a human?'
He smiled. 'Yes. The last I heard he's already joined my wife in the afterlife. But I was relieved to learn I had become a great grand-father. My son married and his wife bore him three sons. I learned that two died in the Second World War. The youngest was too young for the war and so then he married and became a doctor like me. He has three children, two daughters and a son.'
I was happy to hear that he was happy. 'Do you know their names?'
'The girls are named Olivia and Margret and the boy Richard.'
'Richard? I was recently in the human realm too and I met a half Targ named Richard. He's my uncle's friend. He's a brilliant lawyer. He helped my uncle get custardy of my little brother.'
'I heard he was in law practice, but could it be him?'
'Yes. Anything is possible.'
He laughed. I did too but ended up wheezing.
'That's enough of my stories. Now you rest up young man.'
'But you still haven't told me what's the matter with me,' I complained.
He sighed. Then he grinned.
'Your condition is easy to understand. The effects of the toxin wore off days ago but the fact that you started getting ill upon arriving in Koff told me that you have feri light withdrawal syndrome.'
'Feri light withdrawal syndrome, huh!' I absentmindedly repeated.
'Helledon's son is half Northender. He's allergic to feri light energy so there's a great crystal hovering in the ceiling of the market place, banishing the sentient energy for miles around the town. Everyone not born in Koff has the same reaction as you, but normally an hour in the special chamber I've built would be enough for you to get over it. But then you're not a mere Targ, are you?'
Truth be told, I was shocked at his assumption.
'You must be mistaken. I ...'
'I know you are a feres your majesty. I have your blood test to prove it. I don't know your intent in coming here but know that Koff is probably the most dangerous place for you to be right now. If you get the chance, get as far away from this place as you can. If you stay, there's only death waiting for you if they find out about you.'
So, he wasn't going to rat me out. That was good to know.
He gave a short bow and turned to leave.
'Wait. At least tell me your name?'
He smiled. 'Dorek Fanbray.'
Dorek! Wasn't he the guy we came here to find? Unfortunately, before I was able to ask, he was out the door.
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End of chapter 14