Chapter Eleven
Many Meetings
Valanandir opened his eyes slowly. His vision was dark and hazy. He stayed still for a moment, taking in his surroundings. He was lying on his back, and he felt the soft prickle of grass beneath his palms. The air smelled fresh and had the rich scent of turned soil. He realized his skin was tingling. The constant throb of his twisted ankle was gone.
He blinked several times, trying to clear his sight. Shadows overhead sharpened into focus, forming hills and clouds. The sun didn’t seem nearly as bright as it had before, its light pale compared to what he had just experienced. He knew he would never need to cover his eyes to bear the daylight again.
Dimly, he realized he now had the words to name the new phenomena that had appeared in the sky. They had been g
