Chapter 10: Seduction
'But that's besides the point, you need medical attention after all,' Col nods to Leif. 'I'm not a doctor myself, but I know someone who would be more than willing to help. If it's not too much trouble, would you three please follow me.'
To my astonishment, Jassen obliged and even bowed to Col. I would have understood Xanrei following him as a fellow thief, but Jassen had too much sense to freely trust a stranger. A stranger who even admitted to be the reason we were there at all. What was worse was that Leif wished to go with, going so far as to try to walk. He straggled in the mud, incapable of putting any weight on his legs before howling and collapsing back down. I couldn't understand why he would hurt himself just to trail a stranger.
Col began to move away, seemingly apathetic to Leif. Xanrei, still clinging to his arm, leaned in to him as though they were close friends. To my horror, Jassen began to follow too. 'Are you out of your mind?' I thought to him. He didn't respond, his mind closed off to me.
The further we walked from struggling Leif, the more apprehension I built. I asked Jassen again why he would just leave him, and after he harmed himself to rescue us. He still would not respond. He was unwilling to even share any of his feelings, leaving me totally alone.
It must be him, it has to be, he was doing something to us. The sound of Leifs struggle faded behind as we plunged into the unknown. I racked my mind for what I had to do, what I could do. Whatever he was doing to the others did not seem to affect me. I suspected he did not know I existed.
Leif's hopeless splashes in the mud soon faded as Col kept a brisk pace onward. No one said anything, Xanrei almost seemed to be sleeping on his shoulder. The night air seemed more quiet than usual. There was no wind, no sounds of running water, and few insects chirped.
As though prompted by an unheard voice, Col answered, 'no, it's just us three, there's no one else.' Why would he say that, such a blatant lie. It was all was said too, no other context, nor any response from Xanrei or Jassen. Jassen’s mind never opened, no matter how much or how forcefully I prodded.
I needed to stay calm, if I did anything rash it could lead to me being entranced as well. I had to think, what could he possibly have done to have all three of them do as he bade. It must be him talking, but then why would I not be affected. I clenched my hand, feeling useless as I stayed idly by, just watching it all unfold.
It was then or never, I had to do something to save us. I held our body back, refusing Jassen's progression forward. Col continued forth, not imagining that Jassen wouldn't be following. But after a few steps, he caught on. 'why did you stop? You do wish to help my friends, do you not?' I didn’t understand, his words were as masked as his aura.
'I do, I just...' Jassen looked to his feet, as though he were a child with his hand caught holding sweets. 'I don't know why I stopped, I'm sorry friend.' Jassen tried to move us, but I refused. I was still unsure of what I could do to save us, but I could not let us continue to his den.
'Are you overburdened?' Col turned to us, his pointed jacket billowing up in splendor. 'I can take the bag it’s far too heavy. And besides, I was the one who burdened it upon you.' Jassen removed our bag from our back, and held it outstretched for him to seize. He took elegant, lengthy strides towards us, reaching his arm to receive “his” belongings.
With each step time seemed to lengthen. I had to do something, anything. I couldn't let this wicked incubus take Jassen's Kes. I tried to reel Jassen’s arms to his side, but he held more firm than he had ever before. I couldn't overextend my control of Jassen, it would mean taking years off his life. It was too late, Col put his ringed hand in ours to take the bag.
I grabbed his arm, clenching his wrist with all my might. Astonishment quickly turned to rage, Col grasped me with his other arm, trying desperately to pull us off 'What’re you doing, unhand me!'
'Let him go!' Jassen shouted. He tried to let go, but I did not let him, squeezing tighter until my hand hurt. I looked to Col, his eyes filled with rage. I knew he would put things together soon, and I had to end this quickly.
Being reminded of the pupfitr, I tried to use Jassen's nya. I've felt him use it so many times before, a growth of energy flowing from his core to wherever he wants it let loose. His muscles would tighten, burning with fire to be unleashed on whatever he was touching. Whatever it was, whether it was flammable as cloth or even stone, Jassen is able to light anything on fire.
Despite the grandeur or what he does, to Jassen it was as natural as lifting his arm. While another would have to train to writing eloquently, move water to their bidding, or even move objects from a distance, he uses his nya with little thought or effort. I've even heard it described as an extension of one’s self from others, just something that they do.
'What in Yon do you think you're doing!' Col slammed his boot into our gut, sending us reeling to the ground. 'You obviously have issues, I believe it would be best if you just stay there.' He dusted himself off and turned to leave, Xanrei still despondently still on his arm. It didn't work, I tried to set him on fire but there he went, carry off our things. We were sitting in mud, just watching him, doing nothing again.
I leave my rationale behind, trying everything in my power to get us up and after him. But all I manage to do is reach my arm out and mouth empty words, 'Don't'.
An explosion blotted out all our senses, blowing us deeper into the ground. I was lost for more than I could stand, slowly regaining my wherewithal. Head spinning and Ears ringing, I felt I would puke. My sight did return, smoke was rising to the tree tops, ashes falling gently to the ground. The air was starkly dry, smelling of ash and cinder.
I look in front of us, Col was face down with a black smoldering circle ground into his back. His clothes around the dark disk were burnt to nothing. Blood oozed through cracks in his charred back. Xanrei was thrown far off, slid to the base of a tree she had hit. Our things were scattered all around, burnt money and the kes's case half burnt away.
Jassen was still entranced, as was Xanrei from what I could assume. Col, despite his grievous wound, managed to get up. How he was still conscious and able to move through the immense pain, I would never know. He did not turn to look at us, he hastily got up then darted off into the darkness.
I let us lay in the numbing mud, I was exhausted from fighting Jassen's body. I could only hope I didn't progress any, only hope that Jassen was still his majority. The cold night air felt warm, the ground holding us sapping the heat away. Maybe I should have just let nature do with us as it will. After all, it was one hurdle after another. Why Did we even leave home in the first place, it was safe.
In the smoky air I heard soft sobbing. At first I thought it was Xanrei, she must have been hit hard flying back. My shot ears gradually tuned to the sound, which was not as far off as I first thought. It was Jassen, with coughs and gags he tried to stifle his crying.
I didn't have to poke at his mind, it was more open than it ever had been. 'Are you alright,' I asked. He didn't respond with words, but outpoured a torrent of sorrow and regret. I knew what he meant, he felt the same way as I. He wanted to go home, he was tired of being thrown about from one tragedy to another. We had nearly lost everything.
He asked me what had happened, the last he remembered was encountering someone he couldn't quite grasp the image of. I asked him if he had remembered Col, remembers how they left Leif, how we had followed him, the explosion. Through retched breath, he told me with his voice, 'I don't remember at all.'
Xanrei had silently crawled to us, tossing her sludged wing over my leg. She had a fit of coughing before she managed to spill two words 'It hurts.' We tried to sit up to comfort her; unfortunately our gut felt as if it would fall out when we did.
Jassen began to laugh, then cough, then wail. He lost all control of himself, allowing his feelings to just be. The sound echoed through the trees, hushing the insects and small creatures. I wanted to comfort him, I wanted to make sure Xanrei was okay, I wanted to go back and help Leif. All I found myself doing was joining him in despair.
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