Ben Blazze and Heimdall's Orb

Chapter 9: Alien Life

Ben barely spoke at dinner and then crawled back to his bedroom. He laid on his stomach, clutching a pillow, looking dark.

Sweetflower watched him, penalized. It should not be easy for him to feel powerless over such an important matter. But give in to negativity is not one of the Caelis' traits.

"Let's see...", she said, pretending to be thoughtful. "What could cheer you up? Maybe if, after long years living with an evil stepfather, you'd find a loving grandmother and a new home? Or if you never had to worry about money again? No? Okay, bear with me: what if you were from a super-advanced alien race, with access to things that ordinary kids could only dream about? Wait! Hold it! You already have it all!!" she said, spreading her arms with a big forced smile on her face.

Ben smiled. He could not resist her little ironic play. He remained laid on his stomach but lifted his torso on his elbows to face the little fairy.

"I have to do something, Sweetflower!" he urged, frowning. "It's my father out there!"

"We'll think of something... together!" the Caeli replied. "For now, the most important thing is that you adapt well to so many new things happening. And that you don't do anything stupid!"

He pondered on that for a minute.

"I guess you are right," he said at last. "Will you help me think of something?"

"Of course, I will."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise," she replied, sticking up her little finger.

"Oh, do you also have that?" he asked.

"You kidding? That's from my people, newbie!" she replied.

"Speaking of which," he said, looking enlivened, "what is it like to be a half-alien? Is there anything else besides these pointy ears?"

"Yes, you can fly and become invisible," she replied, straight face.

"OH MY GOD! REALLY?!"

"No, but you should see your face," she answered and laughed out loud.

Ben hurled a pillow that threw her back and buried her tiny body. "You bitch!"

"Language!" she scolded him when she finally managed to get out from under the pillow. "Totally worth it, by the way."

"Seriously, now."

"Well, you are identical in appearance to the Vaguir. But, as a mixed-race, you have not inherited some of their characteristics. Vaguir, for instance, are immortal — they don't age nor die from natural causes. You're not, but you have a much longer lifespan than humans. You're not susceptible to disease either."

"Oh my, that explains a lot! My classmates sometimes had to miss school because they were sick, but it never happened to me," he said. "What else??", he asked now definitely cheerful.

"You, as the Vaguir, are biologically superior to humans: more agile and stronger. These features develop from adolescence, so you should start feeling the changes soon. In short, that's it. You are half-human as well, of course, and this gives you unique characteristics when compared to the Vaguir."

"Yes, it makes me inferior to them," he said.

"Don't underestimate humans, Ben," she said. "Every species is unique, and there are aspects more important than physical ones. But, in that case, I can't help you figure them out."

"How about you? What else do you do besides turning into a bat?"

"Caelis can shape-shift into any animal they've ever had contact with, as long as their body masses are close."

"Geez, so no chance of you turning into a tiger?"

Sweetflower laughed loudly before answering. "Oh boy, I wish... But no."

"What else?" he asked.

"Let me see... we can manipulate vital energy flows," Sweetflower said. Seeing the doubt on Ben's face, she elaborated: "Every life form is an energy source. Caelis can maneuver that energy to attain some interesting effects. We can, for instance, relax or stimulate animals, heal wounds, produce light sources, induct plants growth — not as fast as a Bulboric, of course — we can..."

"Bulbo-what now?"

"Bulboric," she answered. "It's an intelligent race from planet Bulbo. They look like plants, and..." and that conversation went into the night.