Chapter Text
He floated through a place of nowhere and nothing but it was peaceful there, as he drifted slowly towards an immensity of Light. There was no sensation, no feeling, no pain or weakness and no blindness. There was just knowing that the next stage of his journey lying not too far ahead of him. The idea of going somewhere so wonderful tugged him forward to where all his potential futures were gathered and all his possibilities were fulfilled.
Yet even as he flew free he felt something tugging at him. At first he ignored it because it was behind him and the tides were easier ahead. But then there came the sense of a voice calling to him, drifting down the path from life.
Khadgar. Come back to me. Don’t go….
Memory came along with that voice. Feelings followed it; love, loneliness, wanting, friendship, strength. The dreams of the Light seemed insubstantial compared to those feelings and he wanted them, whatever the cost. So he turned away from the light and fought his way into the current, his spirit driving upwards into his body, from one kind of Light into another - - -
Sunlight fell warm on his face. And…
Snoring. Someone was snoring.
It was such a living, normal, everyday sound that a weak trickle of laughter bubbled up from his chest. Even that was a struggle.
As his senses turned on, one after another, he felt other things. He felt arms around him, breath stirring his hair, his skin was warm where it lay against something firm but comforting. He smelled perspiration and mint and realised he was very thirsty. And finally there was sight.
He was being held across a lap and the snoring was coming from the one holding him. The chest rose and fell with each sleeping breath and he moved his head minutely to look up. Beard hair tickled his cheek and he saw that the face above it was shadowed and weary, even in sleep.
Then the eyes open and focused and he knew the moment Anduin saw him awake. His breath hitched, the arms tightened and his eyes widened.
“Khadgar! Gods, Khadgar…”
Then he was lifted closer, surrounded by arms, held and kissed and it felt very good.
“You were snoring,” he whispered, stroking the bearded face carefully. He felt Anduin shake, but it was laughter, good, healthy laughter.
“I guess I was. I thought…the healers said… you were gone, they couldn’t sense your spirit and I thought I’d just sit here and hold you so you wouldn’t be alone when you …went. But I was tired, wanted to stay awake but..” The voice dissolved into something very close to tears.
“It’s alright. I was dying I think. But I heard you. Maybe because you were asleep, you were nearer to me in your dreams. So I came back. Because, you know, I always do what you tell me to do.”
And that earned him another laugh, affection and humour and relief all mingled together in the sound. He settled himself more comfortably, not fighting the lingering weakness, content to just rest and recover. He tried to see more of Anduin’s body. “So, did it work?”
“Yes, sort of. I’m not green, as you can see.”
Khadgar stroked one of the hands holding him. “Thank all the small gods of good fortune for that. What else? You seem to have recovered well from the effects of the reformation.”
“It took hours, and the healers worked very hard to keep me going, bless them.”
“I’ll think of some way to thank them later. So how long was I..?”
“Away…three days. Three very long and miserable days.”
Khadgar sighed, his vision fading in and out as exhaustion started to catch up with him. He ran a hand along one of the arms holding him, frustrated at his weakness. “ You don’t seem as large as you were.”
“I’m still a bit on the bulky side but at least I fit through doors now. Some of that odd skin you like stayed in patches here and there, but the spines and the tusks and so on are gone. Nothing I can’t live with. You do good work, spellchucker.”
And then, as the normal exhaustion caught up with him, the sunlight and voice slid away. But it was simply sleep, normal rest and he knew he could do that, could fall into that comfortable rest because it didn’t take eyes to see that he was safe and home, at last.