Surviving Prophesy: The Immortals

by Frances Howitt

‘It seems that I did,’ Julius admitted ruefully and they moved together now he was limping. They came around the side of the house and found Schubert standing poised while three Scritchers advanced on him. Zacharias was close by but the Scritchers were ignoring him. Schubert seemed calm but three were plenty to tackle at once, especially injured as he was.

  ‘NO!’ Yolanda screamed and ran towards him. Without his shirt, the red raw slashes covering Schubert’s body were disturbingly obvious in the sunshine. She ran at the closest Scritcher, screaming in fury and chopped at the beast that infested her dreams. She barely heard Zacharias tell her to aim for the head, but the advice did register. She spun around, once her quarry was dead and realised the one before Schubert was also dead by his blade. That left one remaining and she went for it. She took out her anger and need for vengeance on it. Her blade squealed as it slid off the hard shell, the noise making her wince and recoil for a moment.

  ‘Yolanda, it’s dead,’ Schubert called to her, wisely not getting too close while she swung her sword in such a furious frenzy.

  ‘We got them?’ Yolanda asked and Schubert smiled. She ran to him and wrapped her arms about him, gingerly hugging his injured body. He was the closest person to family she had. ‘What about those in the fire? Are we sure they’re all dead?’

  ‘I know I don’t fancy poking about enough to find out,’ Julius commented. ‘Megan did say it might not have killed those in the middle.’

  ‘I like her suggestion to build a natural bonfire on top,’ Zacharias said. ‘That’ll take care of the problem and the worst of the remains,’ he added shuddering. That Mistry hadn’t been human, but having to dispose of his chewed and partly charred corpse held no appeal to anyone.

  They carried over logs from the woodpile, ringing the shells and making a wall of wood before tossing more timber into the middle. They mainly used the branches and odd long pieces left over from felling a tree that Schubert hadn’t split down into logs or kindling yet. A small bale of straw, with fire already set into its heart, was tossed in next to provide extra tinder.

  ‘Something moved,’ Schubert said sharply. ‘Shit, it’s a queen,’ he added watching a scorched but moving Scritcher slowly climb up the branches they’d just tossed in and which were as yet not burning. ‘We’ve got to get it lit fast. We can’t let her escape.’

  ‘Julius, help me,’ Yolanda cried and ran back to the house. They returned quickly with the metal coal scuttle scooped full of burning coals from the lounge hearth. They each grabbed sticks and lit them from the coals to toss into the straw. Then they targeted any area not burning around the edges to light the bonfire to maximum blaze as quickly as possible. They were soon forced to retreat from the blistering heat and the toxic black smoke billowing out. They were glad the smoke mostly hid the queen. Her screeching and that of others obviously not dead but trapped below was hideous. The calls ceased one by one until there was silence. Unfortunately, now they could hear the equally appalling sizzling, popping and creaking as the shells cracked and split open.

  ‘Eww, the queen’s dead but that’s one of her larvae,’ Schubert commented, seeing something wriggling out of the split open shell. Fortunately, as the queen had discovered, there was no gap in the flames or blistering heat, even for something small. The larvae didn’t yet possess a tough shell and quickly shrivelled and then caught fire. Schubert breathed a sigh of relief. It might be gruesome to stay and watch this but he’d rather know for certain they were all dead.

  Only now did Zacharias feel the danger was over sufficiently that he could return to check on Megan. She slept peacefully and there was no sign of the cheese so she must have eaten everything before she slept. Her face didn’t look quite so pinched now but there was no doubt she was far from recovered. He removed his filthy clothes, climbed in beside her and gave in to his own weariness.

  ‘I told you this is where he’d have sloped off to,’ Schubert said over his shoulder to Julius having opened the bedroom door and noticed Zacharias’s eyes open.

  ‘Everything ok?’ Zacharias asked quietly.

  ‘Yes. The fire’s almost burnt out now, so the danger of it spreading to the house or the forest is over,’ Schubert explained. ‘We’re making dinner. You’ve had some shut-eye, want to help?’

  Zacharias detected wistfulness in Schubert’s tone and knew, injured as he was he’d have liked some sleep too. ‘Ok, be right with you,’ Zacharias told them and they left his doorway. Megan stirred a little when he got up but didn’t wake properly so he dressed and left the room quietly.

  Megan woke when he returned, the smell of food getting through, he suspected, rather than being disturbed by his presence. She ate with a focussed determination that told him she badly needed it then went straight back to sleep.

  ‘She ate everything then?’ Julius asked from the doorway.

  ‘Yes, but she’s still very weak.’

  ‘What is that you’re trying to hide?’ Schubert asked coming forward and ignoring Zacharias’s frown. ‘This is a needle,’ he exclaimed. ‘For what purpose?’

  ‘I insisted on giving her some of my blood last time she was injured. It helped. I was just considering doing it again,’ Zacharias admitted.

  ‘You hope it’ll give her sight too?’ Schubert asked.

  ‘It’s a hope yes. You saw how different she was today with her sight spell. She had far more confidence and felt she could join in far better. Seeing those beautiful eyes come to life, fill with wonder and mischief, is amazing every time. It breaks my heart and hers for them to go blank again.’

  ‘Yes, that was a remarkable and unsettling change,’ Schubert agreed and Julius nodded too.

  ‘So what do you do?’ Julius asked.

  ‘I just stick this needle in my arm, let this little bottle fill then pull it out and put the needle in her. It’s not painful, well hardly and this small amount isn’t weakening.’

  ‘I’m sure, but you haven’t the strength to spare yet and she’s sleeping so peacefully,’ Schubert said.

  ‘I could donate some if it would help her,’ Julius volunteered.

  ‘That’s a sensible idea, given that both of us are well under strength at the moment. She could be much improved by morning,’ Schubert mused, his gaze fixed on Zacharias. ‘Will she object?’

  ‘Probably, she’s nervous of what immortal blood might do to her. But she already sees far better than she did originally. It’s not sight as we know it, but a refinement on her previous ability.’

  ‘So it would definitely aid her,’ Julius said, nodding as he made up his mind. ‘Let’s do it,’ he added, rolling up his sleeve. It felt odd to watch his blood trickle down the tube and into the bottle which began to fill. Once almost full Zacharias withdrew the needle and got him to press the tiny puncture with a finger until it had stopped bleeding. Meanwhile, with considerable care, Zacharias pushed the needle into Megan’s vein and held the bottle up. She moaned in her sleep, obviously aware of discomfort but didn’t wake. The blood, after an initial hesitation was quickly absorbed into her body. Schubert had her jar of salve to hand by the time Zacharias withdrew the needle. He applied a little dab of the salve and her restless movements ceased. They all took turns applying her wonder salve to anything still painful before going to bed.

  ***

  Megan woke when Zacharias rolled away from her and climbed out of bed.

  ‘Did I wake you? Sorry,’ Zacharias remarked aware she was moving.

  ‘You’re so lovely and warm,’ she murmured trying to wake properly. ‘Is it morning?’ she asked, sitting up and wondering how much time she’d lost this time.

  ‘Yes. How are you feeling? Ready for some breakfast?’

  ‘Toast,’ she said. ‘That’s what I can smell.’ She slid her legs out of bed and threw the covers back only to grab them again and pull them about her. ‘Do you have to undress me so completely?’

  ‘Yes,’ he told her completely unrepentantly.

  ‘No wonder I notice it when you leave and
create a draught! Can you pass me something to put on?’ She felt his hesitation and knew he was looking at her. ‘Or would you rather I went to breakfast like this?’

  ‘Well that’s a tempting thought for when we’ve the house to ourselves,’ he told her with a small chuckle. He was very glad her skin no longer looked loose on her body and her hip and shoulder bones were no longer so sharply defined. He’d been horrified when he’d undressed her last night. No wonder she’d been so weak and needed both food and sleep. Even the others had noticed how thin her arm had been when they’d done the transfusion.

  ‘You look a lot better this morning Megan,’ Julius greeted as they entered the kitchen. ‘Do you feel it?’

  ‘Thank you,’ Megan responded as Zacharias took her to a chair so she could sit. ‘I do feel better, certainly better than I expected to this morning.’ She frowned, wondering about that and touched each arm carefully under cover of the table but didn’t find a tell tale bruise. She heard a plate slide in front of her and smelt the appetising aromas of a good fry up but her usual perception of organic food in contrast to dead ceramic wasn’t working.

  ‘Aren’t you hungry?’ Zacharias asked noticing her frowning at her plate.

  ‘Yes I’m starving, but I can’t see at all. What did you do Zach?’

  ‘You know what, because you needed it,’ Zacharias told her. ‘Julius donated though.’

  ‘You didn’t ask me and you dragged him into it? How could you?’

  ‘Megan, you were in dire need,’ Schubert said, ‘and Zacharias didn’t intentionally tell us. Julius stepped in to spare him while he was still recovering.’ He watched her frown, her lips in a compressed line of dismay. ‘You have a sight spell, use it to eat,’ he ordered and noticed her sudden surprise.

  ‘Won’t that defeat the object of recovering my strength?’ she asked.

  ‘Just do it and eat before its cold and spoiled,’ Schubert said, his tone that of an exasperated parent. He watched her mulish expression turn to concentration. She blinked a few times and then he could tell her eyes had changed and she looked back at him. ‘Eat little mule,’ he ordered and she scowled at him insolently. Then she picked up her knife and fork and ate. Her ire vanished quickly as she ate. Her gaze never stopped moving, looking around the kitchen, taking in the boarded up window, but mainly watching her companions. There was such hunger for knowledge in her childlike gaze.

  ‘Would you mind checking over my wounds when you’re done, healer Megan?’ Schubert asked rather formally.

  ‘Of course Schubert,’ she said quickly. ‘Are you in pain?’ she asked, immediately concerned when he gave her a small nod. She finished the last few mouthfuls quickly and got up from the table. He stood and moved back from the table to give her room. Standing right in front of him she was forcibly reminded just how tall he was, especially compared to her. She doubted the top of her head reached his shoulders. But without comment, she quickly unbuttoned his shirt, drawing it off carefully and mindful of the wounds he’d had all over him yesterday. Shirt off she stared in awe at his powerfully muscled chest before she could concentrate on the scabbed red slashes and grazes that marred and crisscrossed it. He’d been far less daunting yesterday when she couldn’t see.

  ‘Damn, seems worse actually seeing the damage. All these wounds must hurt, or is there something in particular?’

  ‘Under my arm really hurts.’

  ‘Arm or ribs?’

  ‘Arm I think.’

  ‘Mm, that’s not nice,’ she commented finally, assessing with eyes but also her more trusted senses of touch and inner vision to his circulation. On the underside of his arm there was a red swollen mass covered in scabs.

  ‘There’s something in there that’s going to go septic if it’s left any longer.’ He frowned unhappily but followed when she led him to the sink. She put his arm under the tap washing what would come off and loosening the scabs.

  He knew he hissed and gritted his teeth when she prodded, but otherwise was determined to stoically endure whatever was necessary to treat this. She got him to sit with his elbow propped wide on the table and sat beside him. She put her hands either side of the wound and he sighed as a wave of cool and soothing relief from the pain washed the area. He watched her frown, concentrating on his wound and suddenly he was aware of a different sensation.

  ‘What’s happening? Something’s wriggling in the wound,’ he gasped in panic. ‘Then it stopped.’

  ‘There’s nothing alive in there,’ she reassured him gently aware he was wondering if a Scritcher larvae had got into him somehow. ‘I’m trying to draw it out.’ Megan frowned looking more closely. An oddly shiny edge of something white was now visible amongst the raw flesh. Carefully, she pinched the item between her fingertips and pulled a long curved Mistry claw out of him. ‘There, you really didn’t need that,’ she said cheerfully dropping the bloody thing in the sink. ‘Does that feel better?’

  ‘Very much so. It hurts, but it’s a better kind of hurt. Ah, your wonder salve. We’ve all used this and very happy we were to have it.’

  ‘All of you?’

  ‘I got bitten,’ Julius exclaimed propping his foot on a chair and rolling back his trouser to show her. ‘Well, it was a lot worse yesterday,’ he defended noticing her expression at the red outline and scabby graze that remained.

  ‘Were you hurt again?’ she asked Zacharias and he shook his head to her relief. ‘Yolanda?’ and she held up a hand that had obviously been bitten but was basically fine. ‘Good. I must rest again, sorry,’ Megan told them and released her spell. She swayed as her world went dark and blank. A strong arm caught her steadying her. ‘Schubert? What the hell is happening to me? I’m not normally blind to who is who.’

  ‘But you know me?’ Zacharias asked aware that as soon as he’d come close she’d let go of Schubert to reach for him.

  ‘Only because you still stink of vinegar sweetheart,’ she told him keeping hold of him.

  ‘Why is her sight worse?’ Julius asked quietly, worried it was his fault. He and Schubert had followed, watching Zacharias sit her down on their bed and remove her shoes. She seemed a little steadier now but was pale.

  ‘Megan, can you describe what happens when you activate your sight spell?’ Schubert asked. ‘You said you normally have a version of sight?’

  ‘Yes. Normally, I see the life force in everything living. It’s like a soft glow in plants, brighter in animals and is often in varying colours. The bigger the creature, the stronger its presence tends to be.’

  ‘And when Zacharias gave you blood it altered. How?’

  ‘I see immortals clearly because you have a stronger life force than anything else I’ve yet come across. Yet originally Zacharias was a bright glow in one spot, his heart. That changed after I had a little of his blood, I started to see his life force flowing out from his heart to each area of his body. I realised I was actually seeing his blood flowing along the arteries and veins. It meant I started to see the shape of a man and what posture he was in by the network of veins. I know it must sound macabre to you but it was a far cry from just a moving dot.’

  ‘This is astonishing,’ Schubert said. ‘You do know people can’t usually see any of this?’

  ‘Yes, but I had to find some way of knowing what was around me. It’s taken many years to figure this out.’

  ‘So, do you keep this perception when you use your sight spell?’

  ‘It comes and goes. When I’m struggling to identify what I’m seeing I might try to overlay that other perception, but it’s really hard to do. Mostly it’s one or the other.’

  ‘So you switch from one way of seeing to another?’ Schubert mused. ‘Is it an instantaneous change or is there usually a state in between?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked wondering what he was getting at.

  ‘I’ve noticed you close your eyes, stay very still and are obviously concentrating very hard for a couple of minutes before it takes effect.’

  ‘Yes, it’
s a difficult spell. Oh, the state in between? I’ve never really thought about it. I’m always too busy figuring out the next step.’ She sat back and contemplated what actually happened. ‘I suppose there is a completely blind dark step in between. What are you thinking?’

  ‘I’m thinking you need some of my blood. Zacharias, fetch the needle thing,’ he instructed.

  ‘Schubert you’re injured. I can do this,’ Zacharias said quickly.

  ‘Zacharias your blood has started things off for her but hasn’t been enough. Julius is older than you, his blood is more potent for change, but neither of you are remotely as old as I. Let us try it and discover if we can remedy this half state she’s stuck in.’

  ‘Do I get any say in this?’ Megan asked.

  ‘What do you prefer, little mule?’ Schubert asked.

  ‘Don’t call me that.’

  ‘Well stop sticking your chin out and respect the wisdom of your elders,’ Schubert told her.

  ‘Why do you expect your blood to just change the bit you want it to? How do you know it’s not going to do something completely unexpected?’

  ‘It could, true enough,’ Schubert acknowledged. ‘However, the fact you’ve already noticed changes to your sight, surely means your body recognises a problem. Also, using your sight spell might actually be encouraging your body to make the connections to enable real sight.’

  ‘That’s why you insisted I do the spell at breakfast?’

  ‘Yes. The problem you described sounded a promising development,’ Schubert explained absently, whilst watching his blood fill the little bottle. Megan lay back against the pillow, her slight form limp.

  ‘I think you should cook tonight Zacharias. Our ladies could use a good hearty dinner and you seem rather skilled in the kitchen,’ Schubert told him as Zacharias removed the needle and pressed Schubert’s finger against the puncture.

  ‘Thanks for volunteering me,’ he said drily and sat beside Megan again. ‘Ready sweetheart?’

  She nodded, swallowing nervously but pulled her arm free of the covers for him. She felt a small dab of something cool and then the pressure of the needle. ‘It didn’t hurt,’ she exclaimed.