Indira had been in the Barrens, scouting. In her truest home. Despite all the damage the Barrens had sustained she considered them the heart of Vykeli, the very heart of the task set before her and her kind. Vykeli couldn't be healed if the Barrens were overlooked. So she had been busy scouting out a new place where magic could do the most good. And then the ambush happened.
She had been entering a narrow slot canyon. The walls soared above her, stacked rock that showed the history of Vykeli far before the others tampered with it. Indira had been spending a moment appreciating the patterns of change captured in the stone when the cackling howl can echoed down the canyon. She'd know that sound anywhere. Bone Crushers. Her head whipped around, seeking out the source of the sound. Behind her a trio of the huge creatures stood, forcing her forward. There was no fighting three of them at once, even in a space as narrow as this. She'd run forward, only to be confronted with another duo of the beasts. They'd yipped and called and laughed. And proceeded to rip her to shreds. Iron-like jaws had gouged into her limbs, and ripped off chunks of her skin. She had screamed in pain until everything had gone black. One last fleeting thought was one of wondering. Had she done enough for Grandfather Tree? Had she played her part? Had she stayed to the path?
Eventually the blackness resolved, but not the pain. All of her hurt. It burned. It was a breath taking, mind devouring sort of pain. It drove almost every thought from her mind. It was so tempting to succumb to the darkness, to just slip into its velvety grasp. But was that her path? Had her path ever been the easy one? No. There was still breath in her lungs, and that meant she had to fight for Vykeli, no matter what the cost to her was. And pain was a small cost, after all. Pain was only temporary. As she resolved herself to battle, her mind managed to pick out some sound around her.
Awake, I think ... Sustained terrible injuries ... Out there for so long. Not much to do once the wounds closed ... Wouldn't wish that on someone ... Might have been better off if no one had found her ... The half heard wisps of conversation didn't deter Indira, the just made the fire in her heart burn brighter. Her path was her own, set before her by Grandfather Tree. If Grandfather Tree had wanted her body to nourish Vykeli, that's what would have happened. But here she was. Still breathing. She didn't get to spend long with her thoughts, as an exhausted sleep drifting over her.
Eventually she awoke again. There was still pain, but it was less intense, less all consuming. A faery was cleaning a wound on her side. She watched the familiar for a few moments, in silence. Then it noticed her, and zipped of. She supposed to summon a healer.
An Ascended clopped in, and leaned over her. "Ah, you're awake. We weren't sure you were going to be back with us. That ward of yours found you, got you back here somehow ... But whatever got a hold of you did some major damage. We couldn't salvage the lower part of one of your back legs. And you'll be covered in scars for the rest of your days. But we could regrow the leg - there are a few with enough power to do that. Shall I-"
Indira lifted her head up. "No. I'm not Vykeli. That much power shouldn't be poured into me. How much healing was spent on me up until this point? Enough, I think. If Grandfather Tree had wanted me to have four legs, that's what he would have left me with." The Ascended balked, clearly shocked. Indira simply stared her down. "You've heard my wishes." She nodded, and backed away.
As the healer backed up, the weight of Indira's choice settled on her. Having three legs probably wasn't too much of an impediment in Homewood, but a three legged noul would never wander the Barrens. Would never look upon Grandfather Tree again. She sucked her breath in. Her path had twisted again. What she held dearest was no longer accessible to her. But she would persevere. Clearly Grandfather Tree had other plans for her. Plans that no longer involved the Barrens. She would follow the path. She would do her part. No matter what.
