Rise

Chapter 8

8

“Hey, buddy. You’re going to be all better soon.”

I smiled at Anth, and he gurgled something in response. A trickle of bright blue ran down his forehead and into his eyes. I reached forward to wipe it away and the moment my fingertips touched his blood power sang through my body. A spark of white lightning crackled and Anth moaned. I pulled my hand back slowly, and the white light stretched between us. I waved my hand through the air, wrapping the lightning around and around until my fist was coated in light and power. I spread my fingers, and the power fanned out, dancing like spider webs in the air.

I held my hand inches above Anth’s body. Starting at his feet, I moved up slowly, every now and again a spark of white lightning shot down into his flesh and he cried out feebly. My power reacted to the sound and grew stronger. I could feel my heart start to expand like it had in the other tent, but now the energy didn’t have as far to go, so it bucked against my chest rocking me back and forth. My wings spread to stable me, knocking over the table at my back. The candle fell to the floor and was snuffed out.

My hand kept moving. I was now at the minion’s stomach, and the energy turned yellow and ragged. I was having trouble controlling the flow of power. I longed to let it just pour from my bones and flood this body, to wipe out all injury and pain with one foul swoop. But I knew it would be too much for Anth, I knew I had to take my time, and it ate at me. I was tired of holding back, of pacing myself, while those around me had no idea of what I was capable.

Anth let out a scream, it shook me from my daze, and I looked down to see my hand directly on his flesh. My fingers were crawling up his ribcage looking for an opening, looking for a wound. The power had turned to green flames, they left welts on his chest in their wake.

With great effort, bracing myself with my wings, I lifted my hand from his chest. It was like a strong magnet held me to his skin. I managed to pull my arm back a few inches, but I couldn’t control it. I dropped my hand directly onto Anth’s head.

I felt his skull collapse beneath my hand like an overripe melon. Anth screamed, and blue blood gushed around my fingers. I could hear Spin screaming somewhere in the distance, I think he was telling me to stop, but I hadn’t finished my work.

My fingers convulsed around the soft dome of Anth’s skull and I took a deep breath. The power was now purple and cold. I felt larger than my body, larger than the room, larger than anything that might come across my path. I took another deep breath and focused on Anth’s face. The bandage had burned away, and I could clearly see the deep fissure that pulsed under my hand. Anth’s eyes were wide, the whites of his eyes bloodshot, the orbs rolling around and around.

“Anth?” I spoke the word quietly. “Anth? Look at me.” It was like a command from a god, the minion’s eyes locked onto mine, his breathing quickened. “Good boy,” I whispered.

I held his eyes as I focused my power. The licks of purple flame penetrated his skull, and I felt the bones reform and mend. I closed my eyes and used my power to feel around his brain, to fill the fluid spaces with the soft mass it needed. I watched through the lens of my energy as it came together and returned to glory. The power turned bright blazing white and flooded through my body and down my arm into the small minion. It coated every molecule, every cell of his being with blinding white light. I was ablaze. I was fire. I was the purifying flame of healing. I was a god. With that thought, something in me clicked, and I knew the healing was complete.

Someone was screaming. Ragged, bubbly sounds that brought me rushing back into the room. And someone was crying, phlegmy sobs of pure pain. I opened my eyes. The room was in near darkness, only one candle remained. In front of me, Spin lay across the torso Anth. He was weeping. For a moment I thought they must be tears of joy and then I looked into Anth’s face. His skull was perfectly shaped, the gash was gone, and his eyes were open. But he stared at nothing. He was dead.

I turned to my left, Karn was screaming. We locked eyes, and the sound doubled. The bandage that created the vacuum his lungs needed to breathe had come loose. Purple blood bubbled out over his chest like frothy chocolate milk. He continued to scream.

I stopped breathing. I couldn’t get any air in my lungs. I’d killed Anth. I’d murdered Anth and Karn thought I was going to kill him too. I cried out, little screams, with no air to give them life. I tried to reach for Karn, and he scrambled away from me, falling out of bed. Suddenly Royal was there, he looked like an angel in the candlelight. He picked the minion up off the floor and with one quick motion snapped Karn’s neck.

I threw up. Great chunks of black and bile poured from my mouth and onto the dirt floor.

I heard Royal leave the tent.

Spin was still crying.