[I decided to stick to the story line and continue it after all
]
Onilise was standing next to Harnquists... heading for the arena when the groffel approached her. Ever since her sister Seazu had mentioned that an older Dermorian woman was looking for her, she knew a moment like this would come.
Suddenly she smelled the charmflowers again and her arms and legs ached. She remembered finding nothing but an empty house, her mother and father gone. She had no idea if they were still alive and really if she should care. After all, they had completely abandoned her. Her nostrils flared and she dismissed their memory after which she felt stronger.
The groffel pulled on her boot. Onilise flipped her long black hair over her shoulder and bent down. "Thanks little guy" she handed the groffel a fish. He began too tear the flesh from the bone as she opened the note.
"Oni can you please meet me at the Red Crystal Den in Hydlaa? I have something for you." The signature was Celizan's. Oni looked up at the crystal. Something didn't feel right about this. She scratched out her affirmative reply and sent the groffel away again. Time seemed to have slowed to half speed as she made her way to the den. Perhaps Celizan would have Marinel with her. Oni remembered Marinel's face when she gave her the circles and hugged her that day so long ago... when she discovered that the time of being a child had come to a sudden end.
Celizan met her there in front of the Red Crystal Den as promised. There was evidently a party inside and voices were laughing and celebrating. Why would they laugh? After some discussion about seeing the Dermorian in Gugrontid, Celizan handed Oni a small bundle.
Oni carefully opened the bundle. There was a golden ring that she recognized as one her father had given her mother and a simple golden locket shaped like a water droplet. She opened the locket carefully. Her webbed fingers trembled as she saw the pictures sketched inside... her mother and her grandmother. There was also a strange bottle with some sort of thick gray liquid inside. At once, Oni felt far away, as if she were watching the moment unfold from another place. She felt suddenly as if she belonged to someone but then as suddenly, as if she were the only person in the whole universe.
She opened the note:
Dearest Oni nal arilear,
I'm not sure this letter will ever really reach you or even where you are now.
I received news that your Aunt Nira who had been living in Ojaveda, was caught within the section that was quarantined because of the plague when they locked the doors.
Of course, you know me, I used every bit of knowledge and some instinct to eventually come up with what I thought could be the cure. A potion that would cure every living victim and put an end to the plague once and for all.
Your father and I set off to deliver the batch personally but we were turned away. We found a rogue who promised to get us through and eventually made our way to the physician in charge.
Unfortunately Oni the remedy failed and we have both contracted the plague ourselves. We had planned to send for you the same day we packed up to leave but you didn't arrive before the hired hands had us packed and on the road. We sent a messenger but he never returned and I fear he may not have lived through the journey.
Keep this locket and ring. The locket belonged to your grandmother Ireth and the ring was the one your father gave me when we were dating.
I am also sending a bottle of the remedy potion that I mixed to work against the plague. Please pass it to someone with authority so that it might be used to free us someday.
We love you,
MomOni carefully folded the note back up and tucked it into the bundle where she had found it. Her fingers lingered on the parchment as she imagined her mother touched it too. People were asking her if she was okay and inviting her into the party. Kelan heard her story and said something kind to her but she couldn't remember as she thanked them exactly what had been said. She steeled herself inside and imagined it was any other day. She tried to feel something... anything... but so many feelings were overwhelming her that she couldn't single any one of them out.
She had to find a master healer. Someone had to help her and everyone on the other side of those gates and the potion in her bag could well be the beginning of the cure that would save so many lives. Her next move could very well determine their fate. She could only think of one master mage that she had met recently. But wasn't he dedicated to Dakkru? She furrowed her brow and began to tremble again with the weight of the responsiblity. What if she gave it to the wrong person and she never saw them again?
Oni cried and wept but no tears would fall. Suddenly she couldn't feel anything but anger. She looked up from the stone floor where she had found herself walking and realized that she was in the arena. She began to imagine the clacker in front of her was the plague. She fought him without magic or weapons. Smashing clacker after clacker she tore her hands and her blood mixed with theirs. She continued blindly while the clacker shells tore and ripped the skin on her hands and arms until she fell asleep in the arena floor covered in her own blood and tears.