They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

The black world vanishes, white light absorb it all in one quick gulp. The blinding orange blast fade and darkness recede into nothingness. There's the makeshift sky. The sun pinned at the center. Relieved to see the two of them with me at the land of the afterlife, I passed out again. 

At least I tried to, if it weren't for the ear splitting scream and a hard slap in the face.

"Ouch." I blinked against their shadow covering the sun rays. The first I notice is the pain. It disappeared. I move my feet. It is there. Only exposed to the wind. My lower part too. In fact everything in my body felt breezy and completely exposed. As if I'm not wearing any clothes.

I gasped and sat up. I looked down. Shame overwhelm me I folded my knees closer to my chest. Embarrased at my thing lying limping for them to see. Magnus chuckled. His hair is a bit singe to the end. His clothes is totally destroyed. He looked like he'd just barely escaped from being strip naked by hungry ladies. 

His shirt is nothing but a single line of cloth. His jeans are burnt from the knee below. But at least, his front is covered. Unlike mine. Seven, on the other hand, has picked up new clothes. She's wearing a black aviator jacket with a gray scarf, black shirt underneath and black trousers. Her shoulder cropped raven hair is stylishly tousled. If it's not for her crimson eyes, I would've mistaken her to be a commercial model at magazines.

The other Seven, this one I know, is Alpha Beast. She's flinging her arms and won't shut up shrilling like a wounded parrot. She had her palms covering her face, then she moved them apart and peek her eyes. At me. Sliding down towards my bare chest. And scream again.

"Man, what happened here? Are we at the end of the world or something?" Magnus rubbed his palm. Sticking out from his tanned skin, is the glittering golden bracelet with thirteen different colored gem on his wrist. 

I remembered Lista talked about it. The Dark Elf too. They said this bracelet prevent us from dying. They said it connect us together. And it enables Magnus to find the rest of us scattered in the world. My eyes stay transfixed at it. Especially when I see a black pearl like gem. My gut twisted as it sheen. Telling me that pearl symbolizes me.

Magnus noticed me staring. He inch it closer to my face.

"You're wondering where I hid it didn't you?" He asked with a smug. I'm too dazed to talk right now so I just nod. Beside him, Seven shake her head at me and sighed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much a genius at this. Those fake Faerie guys? They strip me naked, putting me in this chair with deadly wirings that bites lightning to my skin, then they push buttons to this bunch of transparent square glasses and boom. I black out. I know its an attempt to torture me with their new hocus pocus mana power but who cares? They failed to extract the information from me, to where I hid this bracelet. They didn't think twice to it, you know. I mean, there's a lot of body parts where you can hide a bracelet from." 

And he thrust his pelvis. He's hinting me. He wants me to guess. Alpha Beast flip Magnus over and hold his shoulder.

"And its because of you I suffered every day! Because of your sick joke and disgusting tactic were trapped in that hole for ninety days!" She's shaking him vigorously.

At my side, Seven handed me a fresh pair of clothes. A black shirt, a black jeans, and a brown peacoat. There's undies at the bottom as well. I looked around. There's no private space where I can change. They all saw me naked anyway. No point in getting embarrassed. Seven turn around and wave her hand, telling me to do my business.

I smiled. Grateful for the fresh clothes. Though I badly want to shower. I stared down. I look clean. No grease or soot and dirts. Was it always like this when I regenerate from an explosion? I became cleaner and more muscle tone?

I slip into my undies and my pants. Alpha Beast and Magnus is bickering to my side. More like Magnus fending her off, insulting how she poorly duplicate Seven's features. 

"Seven doesn't talk!" he told her. "But here you are, complaining to almost every single thing like a fussy pipsqueak kid, are you really hundred years old?"

"I am!" 

"Then act like one." He hissed. Seven handed him a fresh pair of clothes. It's all black too, except the hood from his jacket is red. Magnus shoved Alpha Beast aside, giving brief thanks to Seven and walk away, muttering 'Too tired dealing with kids,' 

After I put on the jacket, Seven laid a pair of black tennis shoes to my feet. Nudging it towards me. 

"Try it." She said in my head. I slip my foot inside. Tiptoe on it, even hopped thrice. It's comfortable. At my left, she removed Alpha Beast's upper shirt. I don't know what she told her. 

I just saw Alpha Beast transform into a small blue and red parrot nimbling her mouth at Seven's ears. I stared blankly. Vaguely remembered what Magnus told me way back in the weapon room. 

'The pet is too noisy.' 

Now I know what he's referring to. I'm struck with their closeness. I'm feeling a bit regretful how I miss the opportune days I might have spent being with them. 

I looked down at my hands. The black veins is protruding like sore thumbs in my wrist. My fingers are shaking. I summon my shadows. Nothing came out. I tried again.

I open and close my palms. Sensing something is wrong with my power. Seven noticed my discomfort. She came up beside me and touch my palm. She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, worry lines etched under her crimson eyes.

"This is terrible." She said. I gaped at her. Stuttering the word. "Why?" She massaged her thumb across my palm.

"Your blessing… it disappeared. I'm sensing nothing."