The Rebirth of Bornir Carr

[Stale]

In a cold basement, cold, musty... On a slab of wraithsbone something awakes. First a slight shiver. A finger, twitches. Neurons fire, dull synapses enter life, slowly, faster, faster than. It explodes, with a gasp life returns...

"whe... Where.. am I.."

A weak rasping voice, slight accent. Vesper... No, Minoc, definitely Minoc accent. Minutes pass, silent breathing. The voice returns, stronger but still weak, questioning, searching, seeking fleety memories of a past long gone.

"He..llo?"

With more purpose, still questioning.

"Hello...Stale? Bandor? Bandor... brother... you here?"

*thud*

A bare foot, on cold marble marks it's shape in dust of decades. Another follow. Unsteady steps. The voice returns, yet stronger. A hint of anger, annoyance or perhaps fear.

"Stale? You bastard... Where am I? What happened?"

Silence answers. Unsteady footsteps. Hands fumbling. Tracing cold walls, seeking. Answers. Solutions. A door. More frantic searching, skin meets metal, a handle, a click of an old mechanism coming to life. Unsteady steps, purpose.

"Hello?"

The voice echos, hello? hello?... Hello?...... Light, faint, distant. Slow steps, with more purpose. He traces the wall, steadily climbing stairs. Towards the light, faster, breathing heavy, weak from years of mindless torpor. Muscles ache, but he pushes on towards the light.

Blinded. Arms covering eyes. Sunlight pierce like assassin daggers. Pain fleeing through the nervous system, desperately calling for escape. But he stands still, slowly, a glimpse. Coronas adjust. Slowly, eyes opening. Hands shading, at first a blur. Then, shapes take form. A vista opens, first mountains. Then land, forest. Sounds, birds, summer breeze. Images connect with memories, cortex fires, faster, faster, connect. Recollection. He knows this place. Searching, assimilating. Threads severed are tied. He knows. He knows this place.

"Minoc!"

It's home. Bornir is home.