They Called Me FIVE - Chapter 187

LANCE

“Five no!”

I did not listen to Seven and Magnus screams. I pushed through. His essence is so delicious I can feel the flavor offered to me.

I swallowed the fruity energetic taste. His was the most different to the life force I’ve ever absorbed. Plants can energize my muscles and double up my energy but Blue Man can fill the hunger stirring inside me.

Satisfy my mind and heart. Set me at peaceful ‘full stomach’ ease. I couldn’t want anything any longer.

My energy is at full overflowing mode. I let him go and his body, totally withered and skin turn sagged lay limp at Seven’s roots. Sam withdraw his blessings from Blue Man. Seven set him in the ground, slowly, carefully.

Seven gaze one last lingering look at Blue Man. While I make use of his life force and give the bones a full blast. Raised them all and have them stationed outside like bodyguards.

Ever wonder why I push into the idea of zombie rising? It was because I felt it. The darkness that seeps through my bones. The world of nothingness except evil and malice.

Something is coming. A hundred enemies. Marching to head into this house. Because our location has been disclosed.

I don’t know who or what. I’m guessing its the Blue Man who tipped the Faeries to our location. And they’re coming.

“Sorry,” I said. “It’s necessary. I need an army to stand against these -”

“Hundreds of Aufs coming on our way?” She finished. “What? You think your bones can fight?”

“Hey! At least I was thinking, preparing counter measures how to defeat them instead of riling up against one buffy blue dude with funny accessories and tattoes. At least, if you two are actually thinking how to defeat him without wasting another drop of your blessing you wouldn’t be that exhausted.” I argue.

Seven’s jaw tenses. “You don’t get it do you? I told you my blessing is life. I told you I got my strength from the plants surrounding me. I told you without it, I reduced into a heap of powerless mess. And if I end up like that…what do you think will happen to Two? To One? Two got his initial strength back but demons wounds don’t disappear. They stayed in his soul. And if my hold to patch the wound disappear, the scar will bleed again and he’ll slowly die. Should I tell you about One? I just patched him. But that doesnt mean he’s completely healed. I just stitch his skin together, his organs, tendons, nerves and his bones are still broken, decapitated. He can’t feel pain because of my blessings. And if all that disappears…what do you think will happen? You think they’ll stay as healthy as they are now? No. They don’t. We all don’t. Your blessing is death Five. You have the power to end all of us. Even without Magnus’ bracelet’s protection, we can be killed by you losing control of your power.”

“I’m not losing control -”

“Yes. You are. If you’re not, your face wouldn’t be so flushed and glazed by now. You’re intoxicated. Addicted. Absorbing life force, especially from real beings like the Imp feels good right? With it, you can do anything. And you’re a fool for thinking that way.”

Seven shake her head.

“Think back what happened to Chicago Five. What do you suppose is the meaning of what Pente warn you about? To become the true master of death you need to value life right? Have you been valuing it? Well, have you?” She demanded.

I look down on my hands.

“I have.”

“Liar.”

“I really am!”

My sudden raise of voice shake Jesper off his trance and he looked back and forth between Seven and me. Magnus approach him and gently push him away from his family.

His eyes linger at the two dead bodies of his brother and father. He sigh. Turn his head aside and refused to give them another glance. His eyes dead straight. But I can tell it has a great impact on him.

“I really am..” I whisper. “I feel bad for Jesper. But I have no choice. They’ve done something terrible to him… I’ve…”

“But you did not kill them on purpose. That was you, losing into your anger. And now…” Seven pointed to what’s left of Blue Man.

“You killed him because of your intoxication for power.”

“What the hell?!” I marched to where Seven is, she keep her dead eyes drilled in my direction.

This has always been going on. Her voice is demanding, riling up, blaming me for every bad thing I did. But her expression never gave away a single drop of that emotion.

She’s always blank. Her crimson eyes is always dead. Always dull. Nothing actually amuses her. Nothing made her laugh.

Well, maybe she’s better off when she’s mute like that. I wish she stayed that way.

“You’re the one who pleaded me to help you. You’re the one who asks me kill him. Or have you forgotten that?!”

Sam stepped in between us and held me in place.

“Lance..Lance that’s enough. That’s a girl you’re fighting with. And it’s Seven. Please… I don’t want you to fight.”

I shove him away.

“Me? You’re actually telling me to stand off? When in fact it’s her asking for it!”

“Lance, Sam has got a point. Stop it. We can have this conversation another time.” Magnus said at the stairs.

“Well not me.” I held my palms up. “I want answers. Why did you ask me to kill him then if you’re blaming me when I do it?”

“I’m not blaming you.” Seven said.

I scoffed. ” Oh really? Wow. That’s one of the greatest news I’ve heard all day!” I squeal.

She stretch her hand to me. I back away from her. Somehow her eyes… The look behind it has changed.

From dead to something ancient. Like she’s feeling painful nostalgia for this moment. How weird can that be?

“You changed.” She said, her voice sounds melancholic in my ears. I stiffen.

It was strange how her voice filter through my brain cells that the mere emotions she put with it affect me more than I could imagine.

I suddenly found myself clutching my heart. A strange ache squeeze my chest, making it harder to breath.

Foreign sensations swept over me. Something is stuck at the deepest part of my mind. A memory.

Locked away by olden years and flooding other memories. But I’m sure. The image has me and Seven on it. Sitting inside a room, red curtains are draped at the glass window, we are situated right across each other. Pile of books stood between us. I can see her face.

The light aura of life blooming around her. I want to reach out to this Seven. Ask her what is this? Am I really reincarnated?

Is this my past life? Then who am I really? Who is the me who go by the name Lancelot? Suddenly, the pleasure and intoxication I felt from absorbing life force is gone.

My mind is suddenly clear. I can breathe and sense of doubts washed over me. Why did I raise my dead bones again?

To fight? Fight what?

Seven?

I look at her. She back away from me. Her eyes refusing to look at me. Yet I stared at her openly. Struck at the shameful behaviors I’ve been showing to her since this morning.

She did not necessarily ask me to kill. It was her, begging for help. And after I confide to her all the things I could never tell myself….I really am shameless.

“Seven…I -” I stretch my hand, hanging in the air. Would an apology suffice? I can feel Magnus and Sam stare at the back of my neck. Almost as if urging me to go on. Apologize.

Now that the intoxication effect is gone, I felt so drained and tired. It was one of those feelings after you finish working on your assignments. My blessing squeezes the juice out of me.

I realized why Seven and Magnus are so adamant in not letting me raise a dead army.

“You were right. I’m sorry.” I look down at my hands. A flicker in the air made my heart pump all the blood flushing to my brain. I just saw my hand, in skeletal form. A shiver went to my spine.

Maybe she’s really right. I was unstable. I was reckless. I let my blessings overwhelm me. Now I’m experiencing the aftermath. Maybe my blessing is not really a friend. Maybe I need to exert control on it. Before it overtake me.

This power must love messing with people’s lives. I was suffering the side effects. Because I was negligent. I was too trusting… That this power won’t crank up my reasons so bad, it will cloud my ability to think.

“If you’re thinking this happened because of your blessing but you’re wrong.” Seven murmur.

“What?”

“Just please….don’t use it too much. Raising the dead bodies with unsettled grudge can wear you off. Because the moment you decide to tap your powers on them, their burden will become yours. Their grudge will be your chains. Their hatred will be their hold to tie you towards them, sticking their selves to you… forever.”

I was taken aback. “That…is that even possible?”

Magnus walks and stops between us. He study Seven. “It is true.” He cock his head.

“How did you know about that Seven? As far I know, that information is only seen and recorded in the journal of Lancelot.” He gestured towards me.

“There’s no way you can have knowledge about it. Only the Rank Elders have. And believe me the current Rank Elders now are the only people who discovered and knew the contents. Except me.”

Seven and Magnus have a stare down contest. I backed away. Mindful not to get caught in their silent bickering. Sam skidded awkwardly beside me. Jesper is on his side.

“Hey, bro. You okay?”

I nod. “Sorry. I just…”

“Lost it?”

I blink. “I uh… I don’t know. I just can’t get it out of my head. That feeling…” I look down at my hands.

Even now I can still feel it. The remnants of life force dancing at my palms. Is this really my blessing?

If I don’t take control of it, it will control me? What kind of f*cked up logic is this? First it abandons me because I’m too brash now it abandons me because I’m letting it take control? I mean, what the heck?

“You’re not alone.” Jesper said roughly. I turn to meet his desolated eyes. Gazing at his family sprawling in the ruin of their shabby staircase.

“I’m sorry.” I don’t know if this words is enough.. I don’t know if it will get through him or this will separate us further.