Liz jumped at both the voices and the sudden appearance of the fire and the robed silhouettes but she didn't leave the body's side. If it was James… Please work… Please come back… she begged silently, not able to bring herself to speak during this… ”ritual”.
Five minutes later, the body came back up, all healed, James lay in a comatic state.
"NOW LEAVE!" All of the robed people pointed at them and shouted as suddenly, everything turned black.
As soon as Liz saw that it was, in fact, James and that he was healed, she wrapped her arms around him and started crying. She nodded at the powerful demand but didn't move as everything disappeared. ”Please wake up, James. Wake up with me on the ship.” she whispered, her eyes closing. ”I love you.”
Lights, they awoke together on the same bed just as it had been before. Everything was okay, and from what the clock said, they had woken up the next day.
James though seemed to still be asleep and had relatively normal life signs.
As she woke up, she started crying again. This time mostly out of relief at being back on the ship but she was still very worried about James.
”James. James, wake up.” she begged, gently shaking his shoulder. ”We’re safe. Please. Wake up.”
James stayed sleeping, he was in a coma. He began to shake though as a black aura began to appear.
Liz stopped shaking his shoulder and carefully took her hand back as the aura showed up. She sat up and looked at him in concern before pressing the button on the side of the bed to call a nurse or a medic.
"Lieutenant?" A nurse hurried in and looked at the two.
"What's the problem?" She asked.
”I’m not sure.” she answered. ”James… Uh… C-Commander Crawford won't wake up but everything seems normal and… Well, you can see the glow.” she pointed out.
"Glow?" She looked confused.
"Where is this glow?"
Liz was stunned by the lady's question. ”How do you not see it? The black light around him? It's probably his magic.” she commented, a little agitated.
"Miss… Calm down. You're overreacting. There is nothing of the sort." She literally could not see the light around him, and it seemed no one else could either.
”Overreacting? After the Hell I just went through, I’m surprised I’m managing to stay as calm as I am.” Liz argued, getting to her feet. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking at the nurse. ”No offense but it's obvious you can't help us, so I’m going to ask you if you can find a member of the Azure Rose on this ship who knows about medicine and magic.” she instructed firmly.
"I see…" The nurse hurried out as she went to fetch someone useful.
James meanwhile opened his eyes breathing heavily as the aura intensified, his eyes bloodshot red.
"Liz… Liz.." He looked around anxiously.
”Thank you!” she called out to the nurse as she left before turning back to watch James. Liz felt her heart jump as she saw him finally wake up. ”James? I-I’m right here. Is it really you?” she asked placing a hand over his.
"I… The pain… The suffering… I…" Tears fell as he remembered what occurred previously.
"I…" He fell unconscious again.
Elder Helwaz arrived now, hurrying to the bed as he glanced at the pair.
"What happened?" He said as he glanced at the machine he was hooked up to.
Liz started crying as well as he spoke, making her realize that… she really had lost him for a while. ”I am so sorry, my love. I’m so sorry.” she whispered, kissing his cheek softly.
She looked up when Helwaz arrived and wiped her eyes. ”Elder, thank you for coming. He just woke up for a moment but… For some reason he’s glowing black and no one else seems to see it and…Have you ever heard of someone called Carshmail?” she asked.
"Carshmail?" He looked at her.
"This is mythology from your world I believe…"
"Ask one of your own for that I'm afraid."
"Other than that, the aura… Did he die?" He asked with a frown.
"That's the only possible explanation if he dies and the reason for death is immense pain. This will surface."
Liz nodded. ”I will. If he is from human mythology then it's one I’m not familiar with.” she admitted. ”I should tell Captain Blake about him since… this would count as our second encounter with him… ” she rambled softly before a small choked sob escaped her. ”Y-yes… to answer your question, James… did die. Carshmail killed him in another shared dream but there was a lake… I took James’ body into the water and he was healed… but I…” she broke off as tears started streaming down her face.
"But you?" He frowned even more, glancing at James for a second and then up at Liz.
”I think… I wouldn't be surprised but… Is he still hurt?” Liz asked as she tried to calm down. ”I can't imagine what… He didn't even look like himself, all burnt up and… I think he was missing a couple of limbs.. and the whole time that b@$+@rd was toying with me.” she rambled, growing angry at Carshmail. ”He pretended to be James first, then he…” she sighed and shook her head. ”I’m sorry, Elder. I didn't mean to unload all of that on you. I’ll make an official report to the captain.”
"It's fine child. And… It is entirely possible that whatever torture he faced will bring him extreme trauma. And a possible change of personality." He took a deep breath.
"For now, you should look after him, I shall consult with my people and see if we can create an antidote for his problem."
Liz nodded, drying her eyes again. It made sense to her that James would have some form of PTSD… after everything he went through… She would honestly be surprised if it wasn't a stronger type. ”Thank you, Elder. I will stay and take care of him.” she agreed.
Helwaz left, leaving Liz and James in the medbay.
James quietly lay there, his breathing stable and his mind at rest. It almost seemed like nothing had happened.
Liz sat on the edge of James’ bed, holding his hand and not taking her eyes off him. The steady sounds of the machines monitoring his vitals was almost reassuring to her.