Blazing Skies

Chapter 4

"Do you know what this means?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm more special than I knew."

"Wonder what else you can do."

"You and me both, shame I'll probably never know. Think you can stand?"

I tried sitting up, first. The process went pretty miserably.

"Marcus?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't move my hands."

"Not good. One minute."

He left and came back a bit later, looking worried.

"The effects begin with paralysis of the fingers and toes, then spread gradually to the rest of the body."

"And there's no antidote?"

"Nope. You just had to get bit by one of the rarest beetles the known universe has to offer, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"May as well use what time we have left to find out whatever secrets you hold."

"Let's start somewhere we actually know about."

"You can read minds."

"I can. There's got to be something more to that, and I know how I can use that to buy us some time. When I'm in someone's head, time doesn't really pass on the outside unless I want to."

"Excellent."

"I know what you're thinking, and I'd recommend that when I to smash trough your mental barriers, don't do too much poking around. You may discover some things you'd wish to forget."

"Got it."

"Relax for a moment, I can't do anything if you're braced against me."

He did, and I surprised him. On my way in, I dragged him along. It was just us, floating in a mess of tangled images, sounds, and other senses. I cleared it all aside.

"This is... Amazing."

"I know. The best part is, knowing what you're thinking of isn't the only thing I can do from here. I can see your entire past, I can wipe your mind blank. I could erase you from here, you'd barely be able to function. Any memory of your family, I could destroy."

"Can we not talk about my family?"

"But now you're thinking about them, and so the memory has surfaced."

We were swept into his most prominent memory of them. It was not of a smile or a picnic or a birthday, but of two graves, under a skyfir tree. He was crying.

"They always told me to stay strong."

"At least you can remember yours."

"They never meant any harm. I just got home one day and... There was blood everywhere. They still have no idea who-"

There was a sound like breaking glass.

"What was that?"

"Could have been someone else getting dragged into our minds, or someone forcing their way in."

I felt someone watching me. I turned around, only to find the mask I was all too familiar with.

"You again."

"I'd prefer if you would indulge me in my full title, mortal."

"Just because you barely have a physical form doesn't mean you've left your mortality behind. It just makes you harder to kill."

"Keep on believing that."

"You had something to say, I take it?"

"Given none of you will be surviving the night, I may as well tell you all a few things. Marcus? Look at me."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to know it was me. I killed your parents and your sisters. Both of them. Kera was so sweet, so innocent. Holly took a bit longer, she was out for the day with friends, but I caught up with her in time. At least she died a here's death. I think I'll deal with you the same way, simple, painless. All I do is I tear your soul from your body. Real simple stuff. Oh, and Mira. I know something you may find of interest. But first, maybe there's a memory Marcus should see. The rest of your story needs to be told."

I was right where I had to stop. With bits of shrapnel flying at me. The force of the blast knocked me over. It seemed to be over, but it was only just beginning. There was a second explosion, with a much larger shock following. The arch above me collapsed. I had to make a split second decision, roll away from some other certainly fatal rubble, or chance the position I'd be in under the arch. Eight tons of marble came crashing down onto my shins.