They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

No one knows. No one cares.

At least I hope so.

I hope no one knows I'm here dragging skeleton asses with me carrying my shrunken alien friend and two wounded comrades.

I hope no one cares, especially the house owners of the basement we crash and slept the night into.

I can't take my mind off the bodies littering in the ground. Buried probably five to ten feet beneath the soil.

I can't take the horrid possibility that those bodies has to do with Jesper.... If it isn't, he wouldn't act that scared right?

And who was that man with crooked glasses? He seems to recognize me. No - he seems to recognize ny skeletons... As if they are the by product of blessings.

A big rock made me stumble and hit my face straight to a tree trunk. My nose hurts. My knees crack.

My leg is sending painful throb to the deepest part of my brain. I wobbled. I tried to stand up but a single twitch in my leg makes me stifle a horrified scream.

The three skeletons carrying Sam, Seven and Magnus stop in their pace. They stand in front of me. Slowly laying the three unconscious people beside me, they break a rib from their body and swing it in their hands.

As if it's a sword they wield to stand guard. I position Seven and Sam carefully. Sam's bandaged leg is not showing any signs of getting any better. Seven, on the other hand, is showing positive note of improvement.

The bleeding has stopped. There's a strange light dancing at her elbows. They traced her veins, flow directly to her stomach.

I know right then it's healing her wound. Slowly, like a meat cooked in low boil. The leaves beside her started to sprout little roots. Tangling, coming to her aid to support her as she recover her wounds.

I let Sam lean in her shoulders. Magnus beside me stirred. His small round eyes flutter to gaze at me.

I put a finger on my lips. Silencing him. He look around. See the three skeleton facing their back at him.. He flinch.

And then he saw the miracle unfolding beside me. No. An impossible sight is happening right where we seated. His mouth hang open.

The trees. Have grown into full sizes. They move from their spots, crawling with their roots to surround us with their shades of leaves.

Magnus small version crawled to my side. The three zombies also flinch. I wave my hand, I remove the blessing I casted to them. And they collapse in a heap of dismembered bones.

"Lance, what's going on?"

"It's alright." I said. Trying to console him, calming the little kid down.

"They won't hurt us."

"Are there any enemies around?" He whip his little face from side to side. That's when I realize he's wearing nothing but his shirt that's too big it's dragging in the soil.

"No. Not enemies. It's Seven." I patted his shoulder, let him see what I see.

Seven is inarguably glowing a few feet from us. I put a distance from the two of us so I won't get caught in the whiff of life's blessing swirling around us.

The wind is blowing gently towards our direction. The sun is high up in the sky but it seems the atmosphere in the forest is encasing a protective barrier all around us. Not letting the sun's scorching heat penetrate the walls of trunks circling us.

I see a faint light of yellow light pulsing in the air. Hovering in dead space, swirling, circling around leaves and it sprouts into little plants. Bouncing around trunks, trees started to grow bigger than ever.

At the center of it all, is Seven glowing like the sun. No not exactly that bright, just imagine a yellow mild light from the starting phase of sunrise.

Sam beside her is radiating faint ight too.

"I see...." Magnus said, his voice falling into a surprise whisper.

"Now I understand why you said your blessing is like an entity of its own. Having its own will to do what it wants. Deciding whether to let you wield its powers or not... This is not Seven's doing isn't it? It's her life's blessing. The nature itself is sustaining her strength, healing her wounds like she's their wounded goddess."

"Yeah."

"Why didn't we consider this before?" He looked at me. I shrug.

"I honestly don't know. She can't heal herself right? Because no blessing will work on demon's wounds. But maybe what's needed is not her taking control of her blessing. Maybe its the attributes itself, coming together to heal the killing effects created by the demons."

"Are you saying only her 'nature' of blessings can stand up to demons? That your death, Sam's space, Jesper's time can't battle it? Only hers? Because among these elements only hers are truly 'alive'."

I shake my head. "I'm not sure. I'm saying it just in case. Though I arrive this conclusion after she told me to take her to the mountains. Saying she'll heal by herself. Saying she'll fight. That the Faeries are already on our scent."

"That's not good."

"Yeah, but that's not my point. It was as if she knew this already. That the trees itself will heal her naturally. But back in Madel's inn she hasn't said anything. As if she saw some kind of signs that this will be her last resort. I don't know if that's possible." I sigh.

"Sometimes I keep on wondering why she's different from all of us. Not once did she show she's scared or weak, or frightened. She has full control and confidence in her blessings. Unlike me who went out of control at first. I thought I'll get my answer when I ask about her past."

Magnus stare at me. Some part of his face are shadowed by the leaves. "But she told you about it right? About meeting a Rank Elder who make her realize who she was. Who taught her how to make use of her blessings." He smiles. Then stare at Seven and Sam's sleeping figure.

"We are the same in that aspect. I was also raised and trained by Rank Elders. That's what sets me from the rest of my comrades. Count the half breed part and I'm the monster. This might be my guess but the reason why Seven is...too mature and experience about everything could be explained at the time she spends with Efta. She must have found a piece of herself, a shred for her purpose that it continously drives her forward. Lance, I'm not a fool. I know how you feel. You're jealous."

I inch back from him.

"What the crap are you talking about?"

He roll his eyes. "Don't pretend. You admire and envy Seven at the same time. That's what mess you up in the first place. The 'I wish my powers is like that' 'if only my blessings would not accidentally kill people if I'm not careful', 'if only I can heal like Seven, be fast as lightning'...I know all about those stuff okay? Thats one of the main reason why your blessings stayed away from you in the first place. Because you're hostile to it."

"No I'm not."

Magnus spread his hands. "Yes you are. Before." He corrected. "It's all good that you move on past that point. But still, you gotta stop comparing yourself from Seven, from Sam, even Jesper. Because its destructive. You know, Death is the most mysterious, dangerous and badass blessing that ever existed. It's like putting a virus in the hands of dangerous individuals. They can spread plague and kill hundreds of people, putting the citizens' life at the tip of your fingers. Believe me. Have some confidence. You're only limiting your ability if you keep having that mindset."

He pinch my shoulders.

I honestly don't know what to say. I want to say he's wrong and defend myself to change what he thinks. But no words will come out. My tongue is stuck inside my mouth.

Maybe he's right. I didn't process it before. Maybe I really am jealous. Maybe deep down I wish my blessings to be changed.

I don't want Death.

At least not at first.

But after using its powers I see a lot of points from wielding it. I brought Sam back alive. I kill tens of enemies in just a single wave.

I can kill armies of Faeries in one swoop. If I really want to.

Powers should not be used as a tool in conparing yourself to others. It was gifted for you to protect those who doesn't have the ability to stand up for themselves.

I stifled a smile.

"Magnus... Did I ever told you that your cuter in your form now?"

His face scrunched up. "Are you making fun of me?! You think I wanted to be stuck in this goddamn child appearance?! Hell no!"

I burst out laughing. His face started to pinch red and he's puffing his cheeks.

"Stop laughing!"

"Sorry." But I still laugh.