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In tears, her heated palms soothed the pain as best as possible and slowed the decay.

She pressed her healing light to her other family’s warped limbs and charred skin.

Not to cleanse them of the curse, for that was too rooted, but to steady it, to hold the suffering at bay.

She used that same touch on herself in secret in the following weeks until the burning stopped.

Until her legs held firm again.

Until her lungs were no longer filled with ash and bitterness.

Until the radiance in her palm pulsed stronger.

She knew then she was ready.

It was time to rise.

She prepared by gathering dried lake weed, packing small satchels with mollusk meat, and carving crude tools from stone and bone.

She also searched the cityscape, eyes to the skies, seeking a sign.

Then, one morning, she spotted it in the dull glow of New Savartin’s false dawn.

The tether.

Her invisible rope-ladder to the heavens.

The power filament strung from the highest plane, pulsing in the veil betwixt worlds.

It was not visible to anyone else, but to her, it shimmered.

A stairway to heaven only her eyes saw.

She turned to her family and wrapped her father in a fierce embrace.

‘I’ll be back soon,’ she whispered.

Her brother nodded, his face scarred but luminous with a touch of hope. ‘Return to us, Issandra Elaris Astraeus D’Leqan, Flameborne Daughter of Healing Twilight. Warrior of the Burning Horizon, Healer of the Sullied and the Skybound, Soulbearer of the Last Light. Return and make us well.’

She held him, her burned, damaged limbs entwining his lean, damaged frame, in a close hug.

‘I shall bring back that which we need,’ she promised. ‘So this disease, this deities’ curse, is stripped from us for eternity.’

She glanced up at the tether swaying in the dying burst of sunset.

She took a breath, stepped into a run, and leaped, extremities outstretched.

Her blemished fingers wrapped around the ladder’s silken current that only she had the strength and will to climb.

Wincing and gritting her teeth against the pain, she rose.

Toward vengeance.

Toward salvation.

Toward the gods.

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