by Quil Carter
“Teal, go find Dad and Josiah. I can’t wait for them, I need to get him home.” Malagant jerked his head back to find Teal.
Teal hesitated; Malagant could tell he didn’t want to leave Ben. But with an acid glare from Malagant, Teal turned and ran.
“M-Malagant?” Ben suddenly whimpered, his teeth starting to chatter. Malagant looked down surprised, and for the first time, he saw his friend look back at him.
“I missed you,” Ben said weakly.
Malagant choked, trying to fight back the tears stinging his eyes. Without hesitation, he picked up Ben, but felt his heart drop at the ease of it, he had lost a great deal of weight.
Malagant closed his eyes for a second to try and gather himself, before forcing them open and looking down at Ben.
“I missed you more,” he said gently. “You recognize me now, huh?”
“It comes and goes…” Ben whispered. “It comes and goes like the screams, like the – the human. Mel… watch out for the human.”
“Shh… don’t speak, you don’t need to speak. We’ll get you home soon,” Malagant whispered, feeling the tears start to run down his face. It took every bit of his resolve not to break down and squeeze Ben until his bones broke.
Ben looked back at Malagant. He smiled sadly, his black teeth still chattering. In spite of the situation Malagant raised a hand and wiped the mud and blood from his best friend’s face. He could see underneath the muck that Ben’s face was covered in bug bites and small lacerations.
My gods, he looks dead, Malagant thought to himself as he forced a smiled back.
“I’m so glad you’re alive, Ben,” Malagant whispered. He leaned down and kissed Ben’s burning forehead, and felt Ben’s body relax under the touch.
“Glad, y-you founme,” Ben whispered, his words starting to slur together. A moment later his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he started to seize again.
Malagant tried to hide his alarm. He turned around and started to run as fast as he could back to the gates of Birch. They would see him running, he couldn’t wait any longer. He had to get Ben back home.
Malagant looked ahead and squinted his eyes, trying to figure out the fastest way to get back to the gates. The darkness seemed to get worse under the oncoming storm.
“It’s… it’s nice to be held,” Ben slurred. Then he coughed hard, spraying Malagant’s doublet in blood drops and black muck. “Sorry.”
Malagant felt a lump form in his throat; it was easy to see the brightness of the blood over the tar he was also coughing. “Don’t apologize …” he whispered. He desperately looked around for any sign of his father or Josiah but there was nothing. He wanted to touch his pendant to signal Teal but he needed both arms to keep Ben steady, especially when he was seizing on and off.
Ben shifted his head closer to Malagant’s chest. Malagant could feel him pressing the side of his head against it.
“He follows me,” Ben whispered, his blackened eyes darting around. His head began to slump but he jerked it up again; he was starting to lose consciousness.
Suddenly Ben’s eyes snapped open and he let out a scream. Malagant almost dropped him as he started to struggle.
“LET GO OF ME! YOU’RE DEAD!” Ben screamed; his body started to writhe. Malagant held onto him tight, swearing as he struggled up the ridge he had only just come down.
“Shhh, shh, Benny,” Malagant said quickly. He was trying to sound soothing but his voice was broken.
“Kill me! STOP FUCKING WITH ME AND KILL ME!” Ben shrieked as he thrashed.
The next moments seemed to happen in slow motion. Anagin called to Malagant, but at the same time a flare of blue fire shot from Ben’s hands as he struggled, burning them both. Malagant dropped Ben out of reflex, who hit the ground hard with a thud. Malagant stumbled and fell backwards.
Ben got to his feet, his body heaving and his eyes wild. Anagin was there in an instant, his hands outstretched.
“Ben… extinguish your runeflames,” Anagin said calmly, behind him Josiah was holding Teal back; Teal looked horrified.
“Kill me,” Ben pleaded, his face was twisted in fear, his cries desperate, “just kill me.”
“No one is going to kill you, Ben,” Anagin said. He tensed his fingers and narrowed his eyes. “You’re safe.”
To Malagant’s shock Anagin let out a surprised yelp, and recoiled. A trail of blood ran down his nose.
“Dad?” Josiah’s shocked voice sounded behind him.
Anagin took a step back, his eyes were wide. “Who did this to you?” he said in a hushed voice.
Like a cue, the scream sounded from the dark plains surrounding. Malagant’s heart seemed to rip out of his chest; it felt like it was all around them. He even turned around to make sure the thing making that horrible, agonizing noise wasn’t behind him.
Anagin’s face was unreadable; he only stared at Ben in shock.
Then Ben started to laugh. He took a step back, his legs buckling under his own weight, and pointed a claw at all three of them. “He’ll rip out your teeth. He’ll skin your arms. He’ll rape your god damn corpse.”
Then, with one last manic laugh, Ben held out his hands and coated them with an inferno of sapphire flames.
And he lit himself on fire.
Anagin was the quickest to react. In a flash, as the blue flames coated Ben’s chest, he made a stance and shot a beam of spiraling light towards the engulfed hibrid. In an instant the flames were gone.
Ben’s jerkin was burnt and peeling and his skin was red, but it wasn’t as bad as Melesch’s had been. He was looking around stunned and surprised when Anagin turned to Malagant.
“Grab him, restrain him, and run home,” Anagin shouted at him. Josiah was already beside his father, helping Anagin quickly make his way towards the gates.
Malagant ran over and grabbed Ben who was still in shock. He picked Ben up and started to run as fast as he could towards the walls.
Malagant could hear Teal beside him. He had been quiet, probably catatonic with fear. The rains were steadily falling now and flashes of lightning were brightening the sky, momentarily illuminating the plains in daylight.
But the light only blinded Malagant as he ran. He held Ben close to his chest, feeling his best friend twitch and writhe under his protective hold.
“Teal,” Malagant said, as he ran past a gathering of rocks. The walls were coming closer; he could see movement on them now. “Take Ben’s hand, hold it. Tell me if he moves it.”
Teal took Ben’s hand, and clasped it into his own. Though it was for their own safety, just in case Ben started using his new-found magic ability, it was also to keep Teal calm.
Then Ben shifted and groaned. They both looked down to see Ben looking back up at them, his eyes tired and unfocused. He looked down at his hand then up to Teal.
“Hey, Tee, you look horrible,” he croaked – before he passed out cold.
Teal, of course, burst into tears.
No one dared get in their way when they ran through the gates of Birch. Ben was slipping in and out of consciousness, and in and out of being insane.
It had become a two-elf job to hold Ben down now. Teal was clutching both of Ben’s hands with a death grip as they ran down the dirt road towards the distorted shadow that was their house. Ben had tried to attack them again right before the gates but Teal had sensed it and managed to hold his hands clasped. He was squeezing both Ben’s palms into each other, which had stopped the involuntary bouts of runeflames.
Malagant pushed Ben into Teal’s arms as he ran towards the magically-protected house. It was just a shimmering shadow that would be invisible to anyone who wasn’t looking for it.
“Quick as a fox!” Malagant said loudly, as he opened the invisible gate.
Teal looked at him confused. “What?” But before Malagant could answer, the wooden door appeared in the shadows. Malagant ran to it and held it open for Teal.
Teal hoisted Ben up and ran inside. Malagant quickly checked to make
sure nothing was behind them and closed the door.
Teal laid Ben down on the living room floor. Ben’s eyes were staring and unfocused, though his lips were moving.
“Gods, look at his arms, there are gouges and chew marks in them…” Teal said faintly. He reached down and touched them gently, then moved his hand up to Ben’s chest.
Ben’s jerkin was almost completely burned off of him from his flames, hanging off of his body like scorched ribbons. It was hard to tell what was burned skin and what was charred cloth or just dirt.
Teal’s eyes widened when he put a hand on Ben’s forehead. “Malagant, his head is a furnace, no wonder he’s delusional. I think someone poisoned him. The black…”
Malagant knelt down and felt Ben’s forehead too, it was boiling, even under a layer of dirt.
“Run a cold bath for him,” Malagant said. He was on the edge of losing it, but he tried to channel the calm demeanor his father always had in stressful situations. He was Anagin’s son; he had to keep his resolve… “It’ll cool his fever and wash the mud from his wounds.”
Teal nodded; he took a deep breath and got up. Fear was surrounding and choking Teal but Malagant could see he was also forcing himself to remain strong.
“He’s alive, Teal. Smile.” Malagant forced a smile, almost feeling like he had to show his friend how it was done.
Teal paused. He looked down at Ben and nodded slowly. “Ben’s alive,” he whispered, obviously more for himself than Malagant. The shell-shocked look on his face didn’t change as he said it but at least he was still Teal. He hadn’t reverted to… the other one.
Malagant got to work when Teal had left the room. He brought out Josiah’s textile scissors, and started cutting the remainders of Ben’s jerking off of him. Ben wasn’t moving much, just the weird twitches and ticks he had been having. Malagant looked a bit wary at his hands though, a burst of flames in here and the house could go up. He hoped his father and brother were close.
When all but his skivs had been cut away from him, Malagant picked up Ben and carried him into the bathroom, leaving the shreds of burnt and soiled clothing behind on the rug. Teal had the tub half-full of cold water.
“Ben, we’re putting you into a tub. It’s going to be cold and uncomfortable, but it will help you cool down, okay?” Malagant said reassuringly.
“I’m not closing my eyes,” Ben croaked.
Teal stared at Ben, a new look of unease on his face. “He keeps saying that…”
“He says the same things over and over again,” Malagant said. He started lowering Ben into the tub.
As soon as Ben’s back hit the water he gasped. They both tensed, anticipating the blue flames, but the only change was Ben’s teeth starting to chatter.
Malagant lowered him fully into the water and wetted a cloth. He started wiping Ben’s head, before handing it to Teal.
“Keep him busy, talk to him. I’m going to gather our tonics,” Malagant said. He got up and left the bathroom.
Malagant was surprised at how calm he had become. Being in the safety of his home seemed to focus his thoughts. He knew what he had to do now, and how to do it: stabilize Ben, make sure Teal doesn’t lose his mind, and wait for his father to come back. Ben’s wounds he could handle, even Teal he could handle, but what was going on with Ben’s head – he didn’t have the faintest clue; that was Anagin’s area of expertise.
But what had happened to his father when he had tried to read Ben? Malagant hadn’t forgotten the surprised cry and the bloody nose. He had never seen that happen to his father before. Anagin always talked about the elven brain as almost being tangible when he went inside it. Like how he had explained Teal’s was guarded by Throateater, soldiers, wolves, and a giant fort. What was Ben guarded by now? And why did it have such a physical impact on Anagin?
Cursed Anea, what if Dad can’t help him?
Malagant looked down to see that he had already started taking out bottles from the belted bag that held his tonics. He had been taking out what he needed without realizing it.
Malagant ran down the steps two at a time and crossed the sitting area towards the bathroom. He paused as he heard Teal singing to him quietly.
As soon as Malagant walked in the singing stopped. Teal looked over at him, his eyes full of unshed tears and his hand holding a dirt-stained washcloth. It looked like he’d been trying to clean the muck off of Ben’s face.
Though Ben unfortunately didn’t look that improved with the dirt wiped away. His cheeks were sunken in and hollow, his face deathly grey. The dark circles under his eyes looked like the remains of physical blows; Malagant had seen undead wraiths that looked healthier than Ben.
Ben gave a gasp, his black lips moving and mumbling. Teal looked down at him and pursed his lips. “I thought he might be singing back…” he whispered. “But he’s – he’s telling me he’s covered in flies.”
“Does he know who you are?” Malagant asked. He popped the cork on a bottle of healing tonic and bent down by the tub.
Teal shook his head. “I don’t know, he doesn’t say. He just says we’re all dead.”
“I wonder if he thought Taugis killed us?”
Then Ben let out a groan, and a moment later he started seizing again. Malagant dropped the bottle and grabbed Ben’s head to keep him above water. “Take his hands!” he said in alarm.
“Do I hold them under the water?” Teal asked desperately. He grabbed both of Ben’s soaking wet hands and held his palms together.
“You’ll boil him alive if he runeflames from them,” Anagin’s voice sounded from the bathroom. “Teal, get behind me. Malagant, keep holding his head. I want to watch this.”
Teal looked hesitant. “But he usually starts ranting and going manic when–”
“Now, Teal!” Anagin barked.
Teal reluctantly dropped Ben’s hands. He got up and obediently walked behind Anagin. Josiah was behind him also, standing in the carved doorway.
Malagant held Ben’s head out of the water as he seized. His eyes rolling into the back of his head as his body shook violently in the now dingy water. It was a scary sight to see in the well-lit room. His whole body was trembling and jerking, his hands clawing and flexing.
A bubble of black foam rose to his lips, then Ben opened his mouth wide trying to inhale. Everyone in the room could hear the crackling congestion in his lungs.
Then the seizure started to die down, reducing Ben to a twitching writhing mess.
“They look normal until they shed their skin,” Ben mumbled. He blinked his eyes; he looked like he was trying to focus them. “But I’ve seen what’s underneath… teeth, teeth and sewed on eyes.”
“What is underneath the skin, Ben?” Anagin took a step towards him. “What are you seeing?”
“Black eyes, distorted faces…” Ben whispered. “Teal’s covered in teeth. Malagant wears dozens of eyes. The merchant, the merchant is human.”
“What?” Teal said from behind him, Anagin gave him a sharp hiss to quiet him.
“Ben, how do you know the merchant was human?” Anagin’s voice was eerie calm.
“His ears… his ears were smooth,” Ben whispered. “He was there. I closed my eyes, for hours and hours. When I–” Ben suddenly jerked his head away from Malagant. Before Malagant could grab him he was on his feet.
Ben looked around wildly, even Anagin took a step back.
Ben clenched his fists and let out the mimic of the scream they had all heard, before he announced his return to mania with a laugh. “He had been there the whole time! An inch from my fucking face! Staring at me! THE HUMAN! HE WAS HUMAN! He had flies EVERYWHERE!! In my nose, crawling down my throat, in my eyes, in my ears!” Ben yelled. He jumped down and started walking out of the bathroom, and in that instant the blue flames coated his hands with a low roar.
Anagin was stepping backwards with every step Ben made, holding his hands out to his sides, directing Teal and Josiah to fall back too.
“Ben, who taught you silver
magic?” Anagin’s voice was still calm. The sitting room was covered in the light of the sapphire flames. They glowed in Ben’s crazed eyes, his mouth still split in a black-toothed grin.
“In caves of castles, where does folly hide? Knows not, godless creature, what the light cannot find!” Ben raised his flame-coated hands up to the ceiling. Malagant looked at his father in alarm, but if the sunmage was alarmed he didn’t show it. Teal on the other hand was inconsolable.
“Cease yourself from your toils, or grow insane from your hand! And catch me, catch me, Benjamin Zahn!” Ben laughed. He lowered his hands and shot a stream of fire towards Anagin.
The sunmage’s eyes narrowed. He waved a hand, at the same time the flames extinguished.
“The dead god will find you, you can’t hide, you can’t climb,” Ben screamed, his voice cracked under the strain. “The merchant was human the whole fucking time. He screams when he sees you, and you must answer him then. He’s been alone for millenniums, HE JUST WANTS A FRIEND!”
“BEN ZAHN!” Anagin bellowed. “Who taught you silvermagic?”
Ben screamed at him, before throwing another flame of blue fire at the sunmage.
Anagin gave out a frustrated grunt as he blocked the fire, but a moment later Ben made a stance. Holding his palms towards Anagin he shot a bolt of blue lightning towards him.
This one did hit him. Anagin let out a surprised cry of pain, before he waved his hand, making it dissolve into a plume of static. As Malagant looked from Ben to Anagin he saw his father’s head lowered, the static around them filling the room with a chorus of snapping and cracking.
Then Anagin slowly raised his head, and when Malagant saw the expression on his face his body went cold.
Anagin was angry.
With his teeth clenched and his eyes an inferno of yellow fire, Anagin raised both of his hands and as they rose, Ben rose too.
Then, with a scream, Ben’s head snapped backwards and his arms flew out, like he was being crucified in the air. He screamed again like he was in agony, and Malagant saw his eyes roll.