by Al K. Line
Bloody politics. It'll be the death of me.
How to Kill a Giant
"You got her taken away from me," roared Reade, apoplectic with rage.
"You gave me no choice," I replied, dodging a kick that would have booted me over the fitness center. I was so tired now. Not just physically or emotionally but psychically. I hadn't known whether I was coming or going for days, chasing down false leads, meeting real ghosts and ghosts of the past I was still mourning over, and using more dark magic than I knew was good for me.
My addiction had grown, and as I ran this was what scared me the most. Magic poured upon magic, me never seeming to get enough of it. Craving more power from the Hidden. Had Rikka been right? Was it just a matter of time before I became like him or worse?
Throughout my imprisonment all I'd done was draw more magic inside of myself, permeating every cell of my body, engorging it and becoming as fat on wild energy as Rikka was from cakes. Mastering the power, beating into submission the sickness. Corrupting myself. I was on the cusp now.
I was depleted beyond reason, emotions churning as much as my guts. Fear, loathing, love, hatred, thoughts of revenge and pictures of dead friends dancing behind my eyes and disrupting energy patterns. Tattoos surging and getting backed up with energy that couldn't flow properly because I was so out-of-whack with my own body and mind.
Ink screamed under my skin as I stopped, unable to run, not wanting to.
I needed to rest for a lifetime to recover from all the goddamn hurt, the highs and lows of emotions that had been thrust upon me. Yet I knew what I had to do and I knew that if I did it I would be crossing a line.
There would be no ability to use magic without the pain, this I was sure of. Force it, go over the edge and all the suffering would return, back to how it was, curling in a ball of misery after using my drug of choice that called like only the true addict understands. That you will continue no matter the harm to yourself and others, as this is what you were born to be.
A man apart. I was different. I was Hidden, had no place in the world of Regulars.
I would pay the price. Not gladly, but I would pay it.
Too close to the edge of what was possible for a human being to do and ever hope to come out the other side unchanged, I screamed, releasing the stress and frustration, the overwhelming sadness for what I'd lost that day and so many others. I let the Empty utterly consume me.
My eyes snapped to black so hard I thought they'd shot into my brain. Magic raked over my flesh and surged through my ink in a tidal wave so fierce I was amazed my skin didn't explode like a balloon pumped too full of air. Things changed inside of me, became dark and focused on energy centers, corrupting innocence I didn't know remained, making me so strong but taking with it some of the joy of being alive.
"Faz, stop it," I heard Grandma warn, but I was lost, knowing only that I had to survive. Wanted to. Needed to. There was a life I could live, there was revenge to be had, and I would not die.
I was nothing but Black Spark at that moment in time. All business, an enforcer with one mission—destroy a giant.
Time warped as the air became alive with dangerous magic, swirling around Reade and I as we faced each other, him wary as he felt the change in the air, the forces I was bending to my will. I would suck the magic out of him, drain him until he was as empty as I was full. Steal his essence, take the pure birthright of a truly magical creature and have it as my own.
What I did to Taavi would seem like child's play and I would not be stopped. I felt like I could consume the world. Suck it all down and become a god.
"You're mine, Reade," I hissed as I breathed in deep, pain building as I did the impossible. I felt it come, the sharp stabs of reluctant magic being sucked out of Reade, making him less of what he was, becoming fallible. If not mortal then at least able to be killed.
But the price was already too much, the pain scalding my skin and my innards as the reluctant magic was dragged from him and hit me, turning my blood into molten fury and as cold as Rikka's heart had finally become. His essence was inside me, strange and alien, hard to understand. Glimpses of his past were part of me now, his memories mixing with my own.
I felt the wind at my back as I stood on top of a mountain and watched in dismay the progress of humanity over once wild and barren land, sad that I knew me and my kind would have to retreat. There were surges of adrenaline as memories of great battles surfaced, fights with clubs and rocks on pristine land long before humanity was ever encountered.
Sucking in more of this forbidden magic, this pure energy, I was lost in time, there at its inception, destined to see it through to the end. A wild thing born of elemental forces, not quite able to make it in the modern age—too much change too fast—but doing the best I could, regardless.
I shook it off, those burdens, those memories, and focused on stopping this proud creature from destroying me.
Reade faltered, fighting the theft, unable to attack as he was losing himself and what made him exist. As his magic poured into me so he lost the right to have ever been, and he screamed his rage, mentally clawing at the Empty, refusing to die, just like me, both of us battling for the right to life.
I tried again to take his essence, but I couldn't keep it up and I collapsed to the grass, chest racked as I coughed great lumps of pure magic back out. The magic went to him and I screamed while it all rushed away as my mouth stretched taut and my lungs burned like the fires of hell.
It was too much. I couldn't do it, not take it from such a creature. Reade was timeless, had more of a right to it than me, and was just too damn powerful.
Grandma and Kate rushed down to me but Reade bellowed and swept them aside with a massive forearm, not viciously but almost kindly, just making them keep their distance.
Reade bent low to where I lay curled up, the agony back, memories of a thousand other hurts crowding into my mind as the comedown hit. So familiar, yet so unknowable at the same time. This was my closest friend, my even closer enemy. It was good to be back. In a weird way it made me feel whole again.
All this pain, it was the only constant in my life. I think I let it return because Rikka was gone. Maybe I was punishing myself, or him.
See, Rikka, see what you made me do? Now I'll never crave the power you were so desperate for, it would hurt too much.
I lay on the grass, eyes unfocused, thinking of nothing as agony tore at my mind. I looked up into the eyes of an immortal being and knew what was next. I smiled.
And then Reade killed me.
A Resurrection
Reade put his palm on my heart, hand covering my entire upper torso. I felt the jolt and then my heart stopped.
Just like that. He smiled and nodded at me as my eyes saw through normal sight and I was at peace. No more hurt, no more pain or suffering, just nothing.
I was dead and all was emptiness.
My spirit was released, traveling through space and time, memories of life, love and loss recalled in an instant. Yet time had no meaning now, this was the moment of death, where you were in limbo. Neither totally gone to the other side, or alive. Just dead.
Things I had forgotten years ago were there for one last time. Seemingly insignificant events I had discarded, revealed to have been what shaped my life and the lives of others. The butterfly effect.
Places, people, animals, and odd encounters. Brawls and laughter, Hidden and Regular people and creatures, all the things I'd ever done, ever seen, ever made contact with. A lifetime of living, the sum of my parts all there in an endless revelation that told me nothing, just what I was, who I was, and who I might have been.
It wasn't so bad. My spirit wasn't in torment, but I was going someplace where you get what you deserve, your reward or punishment for being good or bad at your core, at the heart of the person when everything else is stripped bare. You stand utterly exposed before an unknowable supreme judge composed of... I think I was about to find out, get answers to the unknowable, but I guess that w
as too much to ask. In the whole history of the entire existence of humanity nobody has come back with all the answers, or any, and I was no exception.
A bolt of intense white magic seared my mind and body and I sat bolt upright, coughing and spluttering, heart hammering away so fast I was sure it would explode. But then it settled, thump, thump, thump, regular and strong as the coughing eased.
Grandma and Kate stood over me, concern mixed with relief on their faces. Reade sat beside me on the grass, smiling.
"You are a valiant warrior, Black Spark, and you deserve to live."
"What happened? Am I dead? I died, I felt it."
"I had to carry out my mission. A Littlejohn never fails to complete a job he is given. Ever. So I killed you and then I brought you back. These lumpy things," Reade lifted a hand, "they are not just for bashing heads. They have power, I have power, true power gifted me from the Empty, and I can return life as easily as I can take it away. Our business here is done." With that he stood, nodded to Grandma and Kate, and strode off.
"You stupid boy, why didn't you tell us you suspected Rikka?" said Grandma. She looked old, stressed out—I guess Rikka's treachery had hit her almost as hard as me. Maybe more. "And what happened, Faz? What did Rikka do?"
"I'll tell you later. And sorry, to both of you. I didn't want it to be true. Ugh, that hurts." I tried to get up but fell back down to the wet ground. It didn't matter, there are always other suits, but I did like this one.
"You were gone this morning, Faz, I was worried. We thought it was going to be too late, or that something even worse had happened." Kate looked as stressed as Grandma. I'd put them both through a lot but I did what I had to, half hoping Rikka was innocent and that I'd just die and they'd look out for one another.
"I'm sorry. Ugh, what a day. Well, Reade didn't turn out to be so bad after all, did he?"
"I told you he was a big baby, really. I knew you could handle him," said Grandma with a wink.
"Um, he did just kill me with a zap of his finger." I put a hand to my chest but it felt fine, better than fine. It felt light, strong and full of magic.
"You are so dumb sometimes. You know that, don't you?" Grandma tutted.
"What do you mean?" asked Kate, confused.
Grandma shook her head, despairing of us both.
"I've got giant magic inside of me now, Kate. Reade gave me life and that's no small thing, haha, from the likes of him. Ugh. Argh. Damn, I ache." Okay, ache was an understatement but I had to at least try to be seen as capable.
"I don't get it?"
I began to answer but Grandma spoke first. "Faz has immortal giant magic inside of him. Not stolen magic that always leaves and returns to the Empty. This is a gift."
"Ah, like giving porridge to the hobs?" asked Kate.
"Um, sort of," said Grandma, clearly despairing of Kate's noob status. "Faz here has immortal magic in his heart. He's more than human now, he's partially true Hidden."
"And what does that mean?" asked Kate.
I shrugged my shoulders. Yeah, I know, but everyone else seemed to be doing it lately so now it was my turn.
Kate turned to Grandma. "Nobody knows, Kate. No giant has ever given their magic to a human before."
"Yep, I'm damn lucky. Guess we'll find out what it means at some point, some time."
I may have then blacked out for a little while. Just, you know, what with feeling a little emotional and all.
Dying really takes it out of a guy.
No Rest
Eventually, consciousness returned. The sun was strong, I was weak. I felt different, and I wasn't sure it was in a good way. Grandma and Kate were sitting a little distance away talking quietly so I kept my eyes closed and rested a while longer.
My connection with the Empty was familiar once more. I'd overstepped the boundary and my year of mastering the magic comedown was for naught. I'd tried too much and all was how it once was. It was for the best, would keep me in line.
Other things were different, too. I could feel Reade's influence, the gift he gave. Interesting times were ahead. Was I immortal now? Was I part giant? Or did it just mean I would be a better enforcer?
Only time would tell.
I stood on legs I was surprised worked and my family saw me and came over. "Wonder what happens now?" I mused. "Bet they'll be even more keen to keep you on as Head, Grandma."
"I already quit," she said, looking as in control as always.
"What, and they let you?"
"They said no, but what are they going to do? I told them they could shove it as I had family business to attend to."
"You mean I do."
"If they can't stop me, how do you think you can?" she asked.
"Okay, go on, tell me, then."
"That's the spirit," she said in triumph. "Let's get going."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
Grandma stared at me hard, then pulled out an envelope from her pocket and handed it to me. "I knew you'd be fine, Faz. You should have as much faith in yourself as I have in you. And Kate and I need a holiday, don't we, Kate?"
"Absolutely. And no arguing about this. We're coming."
"There's something else," I said, still not wanting to believe.
"Tell me." Grandma knew it would be bad, I could tell by the way her face went utterly blank.
"It was Rikka. He worked with Kimiko Cocchi to kill my parents. He did it to get me, Grandma. He used us both. All this time and he used me."
Grandma waved it away. "And you have avenged us, Faz. Now we deal with her. It changes nothing. She was the one that killed them, even if Rikka helped. That man, I knew there was something off about him."
"Well, you could've said." The situation, the whole conversation, was so unreal I think maybe I laughed. What else can you do when you discover your whole life has been a lie? I was out of tears.
"Go on, open it," prompted Kate.
The two loves of my life smiled at me as I pulled out three tickets. I looked at them, smiling too. "Three plane tickets to Haneda airport, leaving tonight. Blimey, you really do have a lot of faith."
"Yes, and we have a murderer to catch," replied Grandma, darkness sweeping over her wrinkled face.
There was no use arguing, they were both as stubborn as me. "Okay," I sighed, "guess we're all off to Japan. We just need to go home so I can pack."
"Already done," said Kate.
I wondered what kind of Hidden they had in Japan. Guess we'd find out soon enough.
Tokyo, here we come.
The End
The next in the series is Neon Spark.
Want something great to read while you wait for Neon Spark? Check out the brand new, hot of the digital press, Strangetown Magic for a kick-ass heroine and more magical mayhem.
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