by Quil Carter
Right at Ben’s head.
To Anagin’s shock his sword went right through Ben’s face like he was made of nothing and slammed against the tree behind him. Though Ben’s face didn’t mould back to its form… instead, as Anagin’s hands stung and vibrated from the impact of it hitting the tree, Ben’s damaged face started breaking apart and…
… and flying away.
Human Ben had been made out of blister flies.
Anagin dropped his sword and took a step back, keeping his eyes on the still standing illusion as pieces of it broke and flew away; the buzzing intensifying as the flies flew free from their formed prison and started buzzing around Anagin.
And with this confirmation, Anagin turned around and sped towards the gate. He opened it and ran inside, his eyes looking in all directions seeking the beast.
It didn’t take him long to find him. In the misty darkness and the trees shooting up from the black dirt like pleading hands, he saw the lump of black groaning beside a tree. His body seemed to be flashing silver upon first glance but, once Anagin stepped closer, he could see it was actually the reflections of the flies’ wings in the silver moon above him.
Then the beast lurched up and rose in the air, the noise of thousands of wings following him while the flies circled around him and clustered on every part of his body. There were so many flies on him Anagin was unable to make out his shape, just flies on top of flies, crawling, buzzing, flying, and swarming the poor boy.
This wasn’t the beast who had been terrorizing Ben… Ben was this unfortunate creature writhing in madness, unable to escape the very thing that Anagin knew had tormented him in the plains.
“Ben…” Anagin said slowly. He outstretched his arms and took several cautious steps back as the hovering beast started coming closer to him; the specks of flies making circles around him like he was a planet surrounded by orbiting moons. “I know it’s you. Come with me. I can heal you. I’m a friend.”
Anagin’s hands started glowing with a yellow light; he fixed his eyes on the swarm while he kept taking backwards steps. “Ben… my name is Anagin Ahris. I’m Malagant’s father. You’re safe in–”
The beast gave a scream, a scream that sounded like it was mimicking the horrible cry that Anagin had heard in the plains. For a moment it threw Anagin off-balance but he managed to regain himself, just in time for the beast to throw himself on top of him.
Anagin gasped and felt the beast grab and rip away the tendrils that he had imbedded in Ben’s mind. The ones that were keeping his mental connection with Ben. But unlike the previous times, Anagin held on and kept the tethers inside of Ben.
“He was right… in…” Ben gasped and screamed. Anagin could see a flicker of pale flesh before the swarm of flies covered him again. “… right in front of…”
Anagin reached into the swarm and found Ben’s neck, his hand vibrated as the flies caught between his hand and Ben’s skin buzzed and writhed angrily. He clenched it hard, and with a burst of energy, he pushed as much of his maegic into Ben’s body.
Blood burst from Anagin’s nose and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew it was Josiah pulling him back but he shoved his shoulder away and focused his eyes on Ben. To his guarded relief, he saw that the area where the light touched was now free of flies, it was just his hand grasping the grey cold neck of the former human.
With a new burst of adrenaline and hope, Anagin raised his other hand and grabbed onto Ben’s head. As the human screamed and the insects buzzed angrily around him, Anagin pushed every ounce of maegic into Ben’s body; though with this expanse of energy, Anagin could feel the strength leave him.
Josiah in the physical world was pulling him now and screaming. But every time Josiah tried to sever Anagin’s connection with Ben, Anagin viciously shoved him away. He closed his eyes and let out an exhausted cry and only pushed more of his maegic into Ben.
Ben screamed and choked, then vomited black tar and bits of flies over Anagin’s front. The boy was half-covered in flies and half-exposed now. Anagin could see a gaunt face with black lips and unfocused eyes looking around in terror and confusion. Ben didn’t know what was going on, how could he? His entire existence right now was fear and darkness.
But Anagin was winning… the boy was almost free. Fighting off Josiah’s screams and now Malagant’s, Anagin rolled Ben onto his back and climbed on top of him. He then swept his glowing hands down the boy’s grey and black body, making the flies fly off of him like he was made out of lightning. He kept working on Ben, kept pushing every energy store he had inside of the boy, ignoring the blood pouring from his nose and the hammer blows raining down on his head one after the other. His chest burned, his eyes throbbed and threatened to bulge out of their sockets from the pressure, but he kept his hands on Ben’s body and focused only on the flies finally freeing Ben from their prison.
He was winning – he was winning.
Stop trying to pull me away from him, Josiah Avahlis – I’m winning. I’m… I’m winning…
“He’s having a seizure, Malagant!” Josiah cried. He pulled his father onto his back and put a hand underneath Anagin’s neck. His rigid body was twitching and spasming. “He’s going to fucking kill himself doing this!”
“Dad?” Malagant yelled panicked. “Chaka. Josiah, look how tight his muscles are, I can see them spasming.” Malagant ran a hand along Anagin’s arms, his muscles feeling like rocks but they were rippling like a pond after a rock had been thrown in. “Has this happened before?”
A bright glow of yellow filled the room as Josiah’s hand lit up. Malagant, remembering he was now a practicing healer too, did the same, and they both placed their hands on Anagin’s head and chest. “No… but I don’t know the last time he’s had to go into someone’s mind to save them like this.” Josiah’s soft face fell. “He’s getting old…”
A jolt of discomfort shot through Malagant and it quickly turned to anger. “He’s only forty-six. He’s not that old, Josiah.”
“He’s forty-seven and with the life he’s led…”
“Shut up!” Malagant snapped. Josiah shrunk down under the anger coming from his brother. “He’s not old; he’s just exhausted from everything that’s happened. Just… just shut up and heal him.” Malagant’s jaw locked and he looked down at his father.
Anagin’s yellow eyes were half-open, his muscles and body twitching and the blood that was steadily running down his nose staining the grey on his temples. Malagant tried to convince himself that it was the yellow light in the room making him look older, but never more did Malagant see the creases in his face, the frown lines on both sides of his mouth.
No, Dad will live forever.
“The seizure stopped,” Josiah said after many minutes of the two of them healing Anagin. By now the aging sunmage’s eyes had shut and his body had become still. He was breathing comfortably beside Ben’s bedroll. “He’s stable… he just needs a big sleep now and he’ll be fine. His body has always healed quickly.”
“Why didn’t he let you break his connection?” Malagant demanded. He was carrying Anagin’s feet and Josiah had his hands underneath his shoulders. “That stubborn idiot… that’s what a watcher is for. Ben’s no more healed now than–”
“Malagant?” a weak voice suddenly sounded from the storage room.
Malagant froze. His heart rose and centered in the middle of his throat.
It was Ben.
Josiah smiled. “That’s why he didn’t break his connection with Ben.” They quickly placed Anagin in his bed. “Go see how he is. I’m going to stay with Dad tonight and make sure he’s okay. He’ll hate me for it but he’s not awake to stop me.”
Malagant nodded and started walking towards the door, though he paused and sighed.
“I…” Malagant stopped again and clenched his teeth. He felt a wave of embarrassment go through him but he pushed it away. “Thank you for… staying behind to take care of him.”
Malagant’s ears burned when Josiah chuckled lightly
. “I’m his heir, Malagant.”
“I know and I’m not saying it’s not your job,” Malagant said, refusing to turn around. “I just… you’ve given up being able to find a chaylen so you can stay with him and become a fancy sunmage, and I know… I know you wish you had someone.”
“Wishing we had someone to love is a trend within the Avahlis family,” Josiah said with a hint of amusement but also sadness in his voice. “Thank you for your words, Malagant. Maybe… there is an elf out there for me one day. And if there is… I won’t make the same mistake that Dad did.”
“Me neither,” Malagant said, and turned back to the door. “If I see a handsome and dashing elf, I’ll send him to Birch… after I’m through with him of course.”
Josiah laughed. “Thank you, brother. Have a good night.”
Malagant walked out of Anagin’s bedroom and looked to the storage room. There was a faint light leaking out from under the half-closed door and Malagant could see the light disrupt and fall to shadow as Ben shifted around.
“Benny?” Malagant whispered. “Are you there?”
“Mel?” a weary voice answered back, and there was a shifting of blankets. “I’m here.”
Malagant slowly opened the wooden door and didn’t hide the relief on his face when he saw Ben’s black-circled eyes staring at him. He looked incredibly worn out, sickly, and weak but… he was Ben.
Malagant got down on his knees and smiled at his friend. “You’re safe in Birch. No one can get us here, it’s under magic protection. Teal is fast asleep and is safe too. Are you… is your mind back?”
Ben shifted so he was sitting up and put a hand on his head. His brow knitted and he nodded. “I think… I think so…” Then he looked down at his hand and saw the black scorch mark in the center. A mark that all mages carried on their palms for several days after performing any sort of fire magic. “Malagant… what the hell happened to me?” he said in a hushed voice. His eyes widened as if the events of the previous month had just started trickling back to his subconscious. “There is someone after me, Malagant.” His voice started to rise.
“Shh.” Malagant held out both of his hands to try and calm his friend down. “We know, and my father is taking every precaution to protect us. We have a magical barrier up and no one can penetrate it who isn’t a demigod or a god. We’re all safe, just don’t get yourself worked up over it. We’re safe.”
Ben looked around the small room as if not believing the words coming from Malagant’s mouth. “He was a human, Malagant. I saw a human.”
Malagant shook his head. “No, Benny… he was a hallucination. There is no way another human can be here. Even the two we have got changed into demi-elves. It’s impossible.” Then he looked behind him. “Dad is trying to contact Kelakheva. We’ve been having a difficult time with our horribly written prophecy book and we need answers before we continue to Garas. Things are a bit of a mess here but we’re back together and your mind seems okay. So we’re fine.” Malagant let out a long breath before, with a shake of his head, he embraced Ben. “You scared the shek out of us, hibrid. Teal went rather insane without you and we both almost died on the way to Birch. I never realized just how much you did for us. I–”
“Your hands!” Ben gasped when Malagant pulled away from him. He took Malagant’s hand into his own and stared at it. He looked like a deer with a luma lamp shining on his face with how he was staring at them. “How?”
Malagant looked down at his hands and decided to make it as simple as possible for his friend. He didn’t want to overload his human’s mind too much. “Dad, as always,” he said and he let Ben examine his fingers. “He’s been teaching me how to heal as well.”
Ben looked at him in awe. “You? A mage?”
Malagant couldn’t help but snort at this. “You too apparently… how did you even learn how to shoot those flames? Who was travelling with you?”
To Malagant’s surprise, Ben paused. Like Malagant’s words were ice Ben stayed still, only staring forward with a look of shock and oddly…
Agony?
Suddenly Ben screamed, sounding like the ear-splitting, terrible scream that they had heard in the plains. It was so close to Malagant’s ears he felt himself automatically put his hands over them, but reconsidered a moment later and instead clasped them over Ben’s mouth.
But it was too late, Malagant swore and berated himself as he tried to calm Ben down, then moments later Josiah was there as well, also trying to keep Ben still as he screamed and screamed.
There was something different this time though. Ben’s eyes were open the entire time and he was conscious. No longer was he receding inside of his head, or writhing in his own madness. Ben was conscious and completely present but yet – he was in agony.
At Josiah’s command, Malagant rose and stepped away to give him room. Josiah laid a hand on Ben’s head, a glowing underneath his hand lighting up the veins in Ben’s face. The sunmage spoke calmly and kindly to Ben as Ben whimpered and babbled, his screaming reduced to convulsions in his chest that drew shudders from his lips.
“Don’t ask me…” Ben suddenly gasped. He lurched from Josiah’s grasp, holding a hand to his chest. “Malagant… he won’t let me answer you. Don’t… you can’t ask.”
Josiah looked up at Malagant in alarm. “He’s hiding himself for a reason. What if it was the kessiik? Or…”
“Please, just stop!” Ben cried, his face creased in pain. “Stop talking about it. Please stop talking about it!” He groaned and wiped a hand down his face. “I just… I want to sleep.”
Malagant nodded feeling guilt inside of him for even asking in the first place. “Okay… can you get up?”
Ben nodded and, with Josiah’s help, he rose to his feet. Malagant then steadied him and turned to his brother. “Go to sleep, all of us need it. I won’t ask him anymore questions.”
Josiah looked nervous but he stepped back and let Malagant take Ben down the hall towards Malagant’s bedroom. “Okay, Malagant, just… be careful.”
“I will… the bed isn’t nearly big enough for the three of us, but it’ll be cute to see Teal burst into tears when he wakes up next to him,” Malagant said as he walked to the bedroom door. “I’ll see you in the morning, brother.”
Josiah watched him disappear through the door and sighed. Then he turned and made his way back to his father’s bedroom, trying to push down the fear welling and collecting inside of his own heart.
His father had been right, and the more Josiah heard and witnessed what was going on, the more he knew it was true.
This was only just beginning.
57
Ben woke up with a start and looked around, bewildered, not knowing what was going on but it felt like he was being constricted by a snake. He squinted and tried to focus his eyes but all he could see was blond hair and red streaks.
Then he smiled as he inhaled Teal’s familiar scent, and when he heard a choking sob and the arms around him tighten, his smile widened.
“Hey, Tee…” he whispered, gingerly putting his arms around Teal. He glanced up as Teal completely lost it on his shoulder and saw Malagant grinning at him. Malagant was only in his skivs but he was holding what looked like a brown doublet in his arm.
“I’d get used to him clinging to you like that,” Malagant said through his wide smile. He put his doublet on and started doing up the clasps. “He’s going to be clinging to you like a swamp leech for the next seventy years. I should probably just start calling you Tealjamin or perhaps Beneal.”
“Shut up, you eegit!” Teal choked. He sniffed and buried his face into Ben’s shoulder. “Are you feeling okay? You’re really back? Promise me?” Teal pulled away and put his hands on either side of Ben’s face. Ben smiled and couldn’t help but shake his head at his friend. Teal was an absolute wreck but in a cute and endearing way.
He certainly did miss them.
“I’m okay, just… as long as you don’t ask me any questions,” Ben chuckled dryly. “It… I don�
�t know what happened to me out there but if I do anything more than think about it I get a lot of pain.”
Teal’s face dropped; he turned around and looked at Malagant. “Do you think Anagin can help him with that? He wanted to talk to Ben about that–”
“Teal…” Ben winced, feeling a shock of pain rip through his head. “Enough… please.”
“I’m sorry,” Teal said. He brought his hands down from Ben’s face and hugged him again. “I’m just so relieved you’re back. The prophecies are watching over us, Kelakheva is watching over us.” Then he sniffed. “We’ll sort through this and continue on to Garas… we can take over the world now that we have you back.”
“That’s the spirit,” Malagant said, belting up his pants. “Come downstairs when you’re done being leeched. I want to officially introduce you to my father and brother. It’s going to be difficult for Dad to not pepper you with questions but it’ll only motivate him to figure out why you’re not able to talk about your experience out in the plains.”
“If there’s food downstairs I’m right behind you,” Ben said. Teal unwrapped his tentacles from around Ben’s body and helped him rise to his feet. After quickly getting dressed they made their way down the wooden stairs to the main area of the house.
Anagin Ahris was sitting in a grey chair with a flicker of red fire in his palm which he held underneath a teacup. Ben had seen him on and off in his lucid moments but never in a calmed setting such as this.
“Ben Zahn.” Anagin said looking up from his tea. “You’re looking well, considering.”
Ben inclined his head; Teal’s hands were on his shoulders as if expecting him to fall down at any moment. “Thank you, Syr Ahris. And thank you for everything you’ve done inside and outside.”
The corner of Anagin’s mouth rose as if he found this comment amusing. “It has always been my job.” Then he looked to his side to where Josiah was in the kitchen. “Well, I suppose I don’t need to tell you to make him food, Josiah. Sit down, Ben. If I am to understand correctly you can’t speak about what happened to you in the plains?”