Malion: Up In Flames

Mistakes

"Wait, what in the nine realms do you mean? Why in the Beneath wasn't Michelle with you?!" I awoke to panicked scolding. I turned my head to see a broken expression on Alex's face as she stared through Barbara.

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled, closing her eyes. I noticed Mr. Burns in the corner of the room as he rubbed his hands red with worry. He didn't say anything. He simply sat there, staring at the ground and rubbing his hands together while his fingers weaved between other folds and creases in his skin. When Barbara hurried towards him, he didn't look at her. He didn't say anything. She took his reddened hands and knelt down to look into his flushed face. His heartbroken eyes met hers and then stared past her and at me.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I believe that you should get to work." He mumbled, holding her hands gently. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead and stood, moving shakily towards me. She didn't look into my eyes. She knelt beside me and gave a half smile, asking about my wounds while she stared through me. I gave as much input as I could. When she finished replacing the dressings on my wounds, I layed on my back and closed my eye, seeing darkness out of the other. The dressing was itchy but I knew if I came near my face it would have some kind of negative consequence. I didn't say anything to Barbara before she left. I muttered a few cursed growls in Beneathean just as Mr. Burns walked up and leaned on the doorframe.

"I didn't expect you to have a sailor's tongue." He huffed.

"Sorry.." I mumbled, closing my eyes again.

"I plan to come with you to that place. You could use someone like me. I may look old and decrepit but I fought through a small beneathean war alongside your father. It may seem strange, but I'm practically your uncle, Decoda. I probably know more about The Beneath than you do. If there is anything you'd like to learn..." he offered, stepping closer. I didn't respond. Silence swelled in the room until he let out a sigh.

"Decoda?" He asked again, worry lacing his tone. I half opened my eye and glanced over to him. He gave me a soft smile.

"I'll give you time to consider. Take all the time you need." He whispered and turned to leave.

"Our family could have used someone like you..." I huffed, my voice hoarse and grating, "My real uncle was a genocidal warlord, my Aunt is an evil woman, perfect for Carvarak... and then there's me. It seems I'm following my uncle. Herross banish me, I never thought..." I growled.

"Decoda... Beneath Walkers have distructive tendencies. Your anger comes with your genes. I understand."

"Have you ever killed someone, Mister Burns?! Do you know what that guilt feels like?!" I yelled, to the horror of both Alex and Barbara. Mr. Burns looked at me, his head down.

"I have. Regretfully so... I had to kill Mistyal's mother. That heinous act speaks for itself." He told me quietly.

"Father... that was you?" I heard the soft swell of Mistyal's voice from the other room. Mr. Burns closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry for all of this trouble. I may come and visit later. For now I must take care of something personal." He spoke gently and left the room. Barbara stared at me with a terrible betrayal in her eyes. She stood up and walked into a different cabin without a word. Alex stood up and walked towards me.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled as she knelt next to me.

"You uhm... That was uncalled for." She said.

"I know..."

"Are you ok?" She looked at me with the most gentle look she'd ever given me.

"You think I'm a monster, don't you? A caged Endoran..." I muttered. Before I heard her voice, I felt her warm embrace.

"I understand how you feel, Decoda. You're feeling cornered and alone. I felt the same after I escaped from Carvarak's countless patrols. I thought it was way too stressful and believe me, it was one of the hardest times of my life. Im sure this is one of yours. Im here for you. We'll find Michelle. We'll fix this together. I promise, Princess." She said, her voice crackling with grief.

"I love you so much, Alex. Thank you." I told her through a sudden sob. She stayed there for the rest of the evening and said a soft goodbye when it got dark.

I awoke in the late morning. I had slept horridly and got out of bed groggy and bleary-eyed. My head began to spin as I did so. I stumbled and crumbled against the door.

When I opened the door and called out for anyone below deck, I got no reply. When I searched above deck, I got the same result. I made my way to the edge and noticed a gathering near the rock pools. What was everyone doing there? I staggered out of the boat and made my way onto the beach. The soft sand threw me to my hands and knees. I grunted, gritting my teeth at the pain in my arm. I expected there to be pain in my belly area where Barbara had said the worst wound was, but when I patted the area, no pain stung me. It was a small victory, minute in comparison to the storm that had become my thoughts. I forced myself to my feet and staggered towards the group. The Burns' were not a part of the gathering. Kaylum, Anthony, Alex and Elliott gormed a crescent facing away from me.

Suddenly Tavius and Drevel made their way down the beach and greeted me aloud, turning everyone's attention to me. I was happy to observe just out of earshot of their hushed muttering before then. Elliott's gaze lit up when he saw me.

"Hey! Look who it is!" I heard Tavius call out to me, "I see you've regained enough power to celebrate your return with a picknick!" He raised a hand and waved. I smiled softly and waved back, wading through the sand to join my friends. When I sat on the rocks, I was pulled into a gentle hug by Elliott.

"I'm so glad you're alright." He said, sighing with relief. I could detect a tremble in his tone. I let out a pitiful chuckle, closing my eyes.

Suddenly I was back in the Realm of the Banished. Debris fell from the entrance. The bars were completely destroyed. He was on his knees, bending over and gritting his teeth tight. He fell to his side and forced himself onto his back, tears streaming down the sides of his face. "No no no no" I wimpered and buried my face into my hands, when I looked up again, I was in the golden forest of Skladmir. I glanced at my hands and saw the crimson that had befouled my skin. I screamed and stumbled backward. I tripped on something and crumbled to the ground. I looked down and  I shrieked louder when I saw the dulled blue of the mysterious man's pale eyes. I frantically scrambled away and I curled up into a ball and started to cry.

"Stop! Stop it, please!" I pleaded, begging for whatever was happening to cease.

With a sudden gasp I was in Elliott's arms, still hugging him. I thought deeply about the flashback.

~~~~~

The picknick was a good distraction. It had done me some good after all of that, to have a long conversation with them. Strangely, Herross hadn't attened the picknick, even though his sons had.

"Hey Tavius," I asked the half god as he sketched something in a notebook. He glanced up at me.

"Yeah?" He asked, closing his book and placing it on the blanket, granting me his full attention.

"Do you know where your father is?" I asked him. His yellow eyes flashed white for a moment.

"Yes. He is in the forest. He seems to be looking at something dark. A fabric of some sort." He said with a proud grin.

"What did you just do?" I asked him, intrigued.

"I switched our vision for a moment. I was able to see through his eyes for a really small amount of time. I do not know if father notices it, but he always seems shaken after it, so I don't do it often." He explained. I smiled.

"That's really cool! Now.. the only question I have is... What's he looking at?" I asked. My heart sank and I got up, thanking the group for the picknick and running into the trees.