They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

The sound of food crackling over heat is making my mouth waters. And the smell made me intoxicated it brought out the hungry beast in me.

But I shake my head. Seven and Sam comes first. They will eat the food first. Before I get to have a taste. Magnus was the first to lay Sam gently down. He was careful, mindful of Sam's foot injury.

"Thanks," Sam said. Clearly embarrassed. He scratch his head and refuse to look at Magnus. If I was in his stead I would probably be embarrassed too.. Especially when my dignity as a man is on the line.

Magnus acted oblivious about Sam's behavior and help me settle Seven down next to Sam's bed. She's sound asleep. Magnus gently drape the cloak on her shivering frame.

"Somehow I feel bad waking her up if she's sleeping peacefully like this." I said. Brushing some strand of hair from her chalk white pale face.

"Let's just let her rest. We'll set aside some food for her." Magnus said.

I seated carefully to Seven's bedside. Staring at her closed eyes. Efta's face came flashing in my mind. And then that skully creature.

For a few minutes, we stayed silent. My mind is battling whether I should tell them or not. I don't want to. Not when Seven is like this.

I want her to hear it. I want to ask if the visions Efta showed her were just the same as mine. Because I'm pretty convinced it is. Except the skully netherworld ruler of course.

Jesper push a small table right beside Sam's bed. The meatloaf is cooked, plated and ready, there's one pot of rice too. With a pitcher of chilled water beside us, we dig in.

Honestly, if you look us now, you might mistake us as street homeless kids feasting over scraps of food at the sidestreet.

Because we're shoving rice and meatloaf to our mouths like there's no tomorrow. Strangely enough, the meatload just keep on refilling itself in the plate. The rice too.

Jesper keeps shaking his head each time I glance an inquiring look in his direction. He's as surprised as me. When I turn to look at Sam he grin. His crook teeth protruding, he give me his plate for a refill.

I chuckled and stuff rice at his plate. A courtesy for this little food miracle he's been doing.

After straight one hour, we laid back and burp. Our stomach a semi circle stuck in our torso. Magnus, without saying anything tidied the table and put the dishes to the sink.

Sam dance his fingers in the air and performed the first blessing I witness he manage to pull out the first time we met.

"Cool," Magnus claps.

The clock at the wall behind me struck seven in the evening. There's no tv to pass the time, no sounds to kill the silence, I thought we four boys will sleep early.

But Magnus has another plans.

"Jesper, Sam, Lance? Can you guys lend me your ears? There's something we need to discuss."

He sat down at the sofa. Jesper and I look at each other, then approach Magnus' sitting figure. Sam tried to get out of his bed but Magnus waved him off. Telling him to stay.

He nods.

"We need a plan to conquer this Mr. Jones aka the Dark Elf." Magnus plant his elbows at his knees and clasp his hands together.

"If we want to kill him, you guys must be stronger. I guess training is in order. How familiar are you with your blessings?"

I look down at my hands. Shadows sizzle like smokes from my fingertips. It wasn't a stranger to me anymore. It appears and disappear whenever I want. It always did whatever I needed it to do.

I even got a notion at times that this particular blessing of mine has a mind of its own.

It was a gift.

No.

This is power. And it chose me. For reasons I don't know.

Magnus stare at me. Waiting for me to answer.

"I'm not exactly familiar with Death.. I mean not at first. But after all the things we went through. Starting from my home back in Opra, to the Faery hole and then here. It kinda gives me the vibes that this blessing of mine is a man of his own. Like, at times its willing to lend me its power when the situation calls, other times it cease whenever I use it for my own gains."

"But I use my blessings for my advantage." Sam butts in. "I can make plates float and wash itself in the sink. I can multiply food as many as possible. Like what I did to the meatloaf and rice."

Magnus turn to me. "You have any explanation for his question Lance?"

"Controlling things is natural to you. It's like a practice. For the real force that's coming. That happened to me too. Back in Opra. When I race the cornfields, I killed all the plants without my knowledge. Because my blessing is death, nearby small life forms will die whenever I'm near. But that was when I haven't gain full control. Now, I can switch it on and off whenever I like. Maybe yours is much bigger than you realize Sam. You just need time to discover it. Maybe turning invisible and telekenisis wasn't the only power you can do. Maybe you can teleport. Conquer distances within small time frames. Because of your blessing, you have control to every matter that occupies space. And that's what makes your blessing so cool."

Those words came naturally out of my mouth. I wasn't trying to flatter him or anything. But the moment I said 'cool' his face completely turn beet red and he have to suffer Jesper and Magnus tease for the next few minutes.

"What Lance said is true." Magnus said, sounding serious again. "But you can't heavily rely on your blessing alone. You need to know how to fight. How to combine blessing with your sword and wield it together to defeat the Faeries. I admit I might not be the best teacher out there but I'll teach you everything you need to know."