No prompts used. This is a continuation to FFM 2023 28: The Road to Freedom – Take XI.
Bereth awoke on a bed. A legitimate bed. Despite his body’s protests at moving, he sat up and checked the ring. It was still there, untouched. Good. Next, he inspected his body. His clothing was gone, replaced by what looked like a hospital gown — not that he smelled the antiseptic smell he associated with hospitals — there was an IV on his arm and… his legs were not moving. At all. Oh no.
Someone opened the door, startling him. It was a young man wearing a hospital garb. “Oh, you’re awake! Wonderful!”
“Where am I?” Bereth managed to ask before his voice failed him and made him cough hard.
The young man was at his side almost in an instant with a glass of water. “Here, this’ll help.”
Bereth, against his better judgment, took the water and drank it. It was an instant relief. “What happened to me? Where am I?”
“You’re at the Golgardo University Hospital. You fell victim to the Cult of the Dark Blood, managed to escape with a few others and made your way there. In addition to injuries to your neural system and spine, you were severely starved and dehydrated by the time your fellows dragged you to Golgardo. You have been in a coma for 16 days, first out of injuries and later in a medically-induced, stabler coma once you were healthy enough for us to start repairing your damaged nerves. Oh, and I’m Giraeth, by the way. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure,” Bereth breathed out. That… was all good news so far? “I… can’t move my legs at all.”
“It’s a miracle you could walk at all,” Giraeth stated. “Have no worry, however; as of yesterday, your likelihood of full recovery was 80%. It’s almost guaranteed that you will be able to walk with your own two feet at least somehow, provided you follow the physical rehabilitation regimen.”
Bereth nodded, wincing at the pain it struck across his neck. “Alright… That sounds good…” He took a deep breath. “What about the others? How are they?”
“They have all recovered from their injuries and been discharged.” Giraeth gestured at the bedside table. “They left their contact information with the request that you contact them once you’re awake again and cleared for moving around.”
What a relief. Bereth felt fatigue press him down, so he lay back. “Good.”
“Rest up for now. You won’t have to worry about anything while you’re here.” Giraeth sat down next to Bereth’s unmoving legs. “The cost of treatment won’t be a problem, as your injuries have come out of heinous crimes and thus will be covered, and no one will harm you here. Plus, the archmage will most likely keep visiting you daily, so you won’t be lonely.”
“The archmage…? You mean Nedyom?” Bereth asked.
Giraeth smiled widely. “Precisely. He said that it was your valiant actions that allowed him and the others to break free and I, among so many others, thank you for it. Losing him was a huge blow to our community.”
Right, Bereth could probably ask about Nedyom here… “About him… what’s he known for? I know I’ve been forgetting something that I’ve read about him and I still can’t remember it.”
“Oh, you must mean his specialty.” Giraeth’s eyes lit up. “He’s the leading expert in controlling dreamreading.”
Dreamreading. That has to be it. “He’s a dreamreader?”
“Yes. And his life’s work of finding ways to channel it into a controlled form has helped countless people like him. Myself included!” Giraeth looked startled, like he was not supposed to tell that. “Don’t worry, I haven’t read any of your dreams. I was lucky enough to be born here after the archmage had created a foundation for controlling dreamreading powers and my parents have had me learn that ever since I was young enough to follow instructions. I’m a pro at it.”
“Okay. Thank you.” Bereth forced himself to chuckle. “I feel a lot better how that I no longer have to wonder what I’ve forgotten.”
“No problem. I’m happy to help. Is there anything else you need?”
Bereth thought for a moment. He did have more questions, but they should probably wait. “Not for now.”
Giraeth stood up. “Got it. I’ll let the doctors know you’re awake so someone can come examine you. If you need anything, just call out. Someone’ll come.”
“Thank you.”
Giraeth nodded and walked outside, leaving Bereth to his thoughts.
Nedyom was a dreamreader. The one who had created the school of controlling those powers, yes, but Bereth knew from his readings that controlling one’s involuntary dreamreading powers required focus and energy, both of which had been in limited supply when they had been on the run. The man must have involuntarily read his dreams… and that would honestly explain a lot.
Well, Giraeth did say that Nedyom has visited him daily. Today — or tomorrow — would most likely not be an exception. He could ask about it then… if he dared…
…Right now, though… Bereth could feel that his body was more interested in rest than anything else.
WindySilver 
Ahhh, that does explain it.
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Indeed :D
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