Chapter 302: Gate
Korra was silent for a time, her lips pursed as she slowly digested my words. Giving her hand a final squeeze, I stood and reached for the cotton dress sitting beside us, extending it toward her.
"Yours?" I asked.
She looked up and smiled, scratching her cheek bashfully. "Yeah, sorry about that. You were covered in blood and grime after the fight, but I couldn’t access your ring without your consent. I know it might’ve aggravated your Sunpurge, but with the villagers being around and all, you had to wear something."
Her agitation made me smile faintly, and an unfamiliar pressure built in my chest. A second later, it bubbled up and broke through my lips in the form of a soft giggle. The sound was as foreign and unfamiliar as a smile, but it brought a strange sense of lightness to my heart. Korra’s brows knit together, blinking quickly in confusion, before she too began to smile.
"Thanks, Korra. It’s not the first time I hurt my soul and slept for a week, but waking up this morning was much more pleasant than last time. Even if it’s a bit uncomfortable, I’d settle for a cotton dress over chains any day."
Her smile faltered, and she ran a hand through her short brown hair. "I’ll never forgive those bastards," she muttered. Then, brightening a bit, "Are you feeling well enough to walk around? The village chief won’t quite badgering me about that star thing, so if you could take a look at it..."
"I’m...tired," I admitted, sighing, "but we can’t afford to tarry here any longer. The demons are close to reaching Brithlite, and I can’t sit still while she’s in that monster’s clutches."
She nodded, and together, we gathered what little we had and moved outside the room. My legs trembled on the stairs, but I made it to the door with Korra’s support. The air had warmed somewhat, but after the blazing fires of the inn, felt like ice against my skin. Again, I fought the thought of shielding myself with magic, but my soul had only just stopped hurting. I didn’t dare risk aggravating it again.
My muscles were weak from a week of lying dormant, not to mention the exhaustion I’d forced upon my body by burning my soul. After only a dozen steps, I began to grow unsteady and clung to Korra’s arm, my legs nearly giving out.
"Xiviyah?" She asked, eyes wide with concern.
"I’ll be fine," I panted, "Just a little weak."