I know i Said weekly updates literally not even ten minutes ago, but who cares? Three chapters in a row today.--
After training five or six times with both of the Riders, I couldn't stop thinking how amazing would that be if the others were here as well. How awesome would it be to learn bit from everyone? Aah, a dream come true, obviously. When a couple of weeks passed, Death came with someone else, I could feel, but not War or another Horseman.
When I went out to see, it was no other than the Maker Ulthane. I dont know why, but seeing him there made me cheer up. "Hello, little one" he greeted as we approached.
"What a nice surprise." I smiled and gave one step behind. He was too tall, my neck always hurt when I talked to him.
"How are ye, little one? Did ye get used to your new part?"
"A little bit" I looked down "Somehow, it doesnt want to heal as it should've by now, so it hurts a lot sometimes."
"The Horseman told me. That's why I'm here, to remove it for a while" He stated. "It shouldn't be like that. The enhancements always help with any wound"
"I... thought it wasn't something possible" It confused me.
"It is, for you. It was not made for you to take it when you want, but if a maker put it, a maker can take it. Hope it's not a problem having just one leg for some time"
"I wont be able to train" I looked at Death, pout showing up in my lips. "I was doing so well..."
"I know that, but this wound is keeping you from doing what you can do" Death explained "we will stop the training, and once the wound is better, your leg comes back and we resume it. You can practice your healing skills meanwhile"
The pout didn't disappear "Okay..." I looked to Ulthane "Will it hurt?"
"Depends on how is your wound. If it's as bad as I'm thinking, I don't have good news for ye"
"Fine. Let's do this, then"
Ulthane asked me to lay down and Death told me to go to the couch, as there was plenty of space there for the Maker to work and it would be more comfortable for me. First, I went to change my clothes. The replaced part started right above the knee, so I couldn't be wearing trousers, could I?
After I was prepared, I just laid down waiting for the worst pain ever, but it wasn't as I expected. It hurt, a lot, while he was working on it and when it started to get loose, but it wasn't too bad. How that thing was fixated in me, anyway? A question I would save for later.
They examined the wound when the metal part came off, and were silent for a while. "Is it bad?" I asked.
"It is as I expected" Death said "Absalom's axe was embedded in corruption, imitating is the reason you wound won't heal".
"You mean, I'm corrupted?!"
"No. It didn't go past yer wound. Humans can't be affected by Corruption. Demons, angels and constructions on the other hand..." Ulthane said
"My other half... That's why it is still here..." I sighed.
"It took advantage of your wound to penetrate you, but as it couldn't go past it, it keeps your wound as fresh, wanting to use it as a way in"
I looked at Death "How do we make it go away?"
"Not painlessly, I will admit" The Maker sighed.
"What do you mean?" He was scaring me.
"A clean and free of Corruption blade needs to cut it off" Death saw my terrified face.
"It hurt enough in the first time, I don't want it happening again, thank you very much!" My eyes were wide open "There has to be another way!"
"Corruption is beaten once you've killed its host, but it has not taken control of you, so there is no other way to free you apart from that" He saw my eyes fill with water "Don't need to worry, Maya. I can put you to sleep and it will be a clean cut"
"I dont want it..." Shameful, I know, I was probably acting like a child, but that shit hurt as hell. How would you willingly want it again? "And I really don't mind feeling it there. I can live with that just as I live with my pain in the chest"
"Just trust that it will be ok, little one" Ulthane said "You can't live with Corruption just waiting for a breach to consume you"
I looked from one to another, and their looks to me made me agree with that, even being scared as hell. They helped me go to another place so the perfectly clean living room wouldn't be stained with my blood. Quickly enough, Death gave me something to drink and mumbled some words and I literally blacked out the moment I laid down.
When I woke up, I noticed I wasn't back in the couch, but rather in Death's room, where I first awoke the first time I was there, a thick blanket covering me. Over the little table beside the bed, a cup with something hot inside, maybe tea. I didn't tried to reach for it, the pain came right away. Was only when I groaned with the pain that Death saw I was awake. He was handling something inside one chest in the corner of the room and when he came to me, I noticed it was the only chest that was properly locked.
He helped me sit "You said it would be a clean cut, but I feel the same pain" my eyes watered.
"It was a clean cut. But liking or not it's a trauma and your body answers it the same was as before." He handled me the cup "Ulthane will come back with a new replacement for you. Corruption infected the other one"
"This would be a good time for those healing shards..." I was really trying to keep myself from crying. The slightest movement hurt. "This hurts as hell"
"Remember, healing shards are only temporary problem solvers not to be used recklessly. You are learning healing magic so you don't rely only in that. There's no need of them for this" he gently pulled the blanket down until he could see where the leg ended. He ran his finger over the bandage, and slowly the pain was fading away, still there, but bearable. "Here. Better?"
"Much better. Thank you, Death." I sighed.
"What is it now?" He sat down in the chair that was facing the bed. In that moment I weirdly pictured him as an ordinary person, just chilling in his own house, and if not for his appearance, he could pass as a human with no problems. It was only weird because I never saw him chilling like that, there was always something to do, a mission to complete or someone to kill. Without that, he was probably just a calm and quiet person that just wanted a peaceful time alone.
"No... Nothing." I stopped thinking about that "Is just, I didn't even need to worry about being a cripple in the first place because when it happened, I woke up with that replacement already. And now..." I looked at the bandage, the blood making the white become reddish "Its weird" on top of the table beside the bed, he had left me everything I needed in case I had to bandage the wound all over again. That blood stain was bothering me, and so I did that, and took the chance to see how it was after the newly acquired cut.
"It wont be for long, so there's no need to worry" He assured me "You heal fast, so we will just wait to see how this wound turns out to put your leg back"
"And then, resuming our training!" I said, excitedly.
He chuckled "Then, learning to walk again"
"Yeah, yeah, that can come first." I laughed. He knew I was too excited for that, even though that whole Corruption thing was a setback, I wouldn't stop training. But there was something else in my mind, something troubling me "Uh, Death, I can't stop thinking about one thing..." and he waved his hand for me to keep talking "Remember I saw that you and your brothers will face the Council for, like.. Everything they've done? When... When are you guys planning on doing so?"
"Even though there has been some concern and doubt from them about our allegiance and loyalty to them, everything must settle down first. They need to believe that, despite their plot to destroy Balance, we got over it and that we are still the same Loyal pawns they think we are. They are expecting an attack, is unwise to do so. And the less you know, is better"
"I'm not leaving here, so..." I shrugged "They cant get me"
"They can get your brothers." My eyes widened and he just raised his hand "Calm down. They wont get them if they don't know any of this. I'm not saying that you could tell our plans on purpose to them, but many scenarios can happen after you know. You can spill something out in a small talk, therefore making them a mean to get information, or they can use them as bait to lure you into speaking"
"They wouldn't!"
"They would, Maya. Don't doubt them. Never forget that the fake Apocalypse had their hands in it. They knew everything that was happening and yet framed War for it. So it's just better it stays like that. You knowing that somehow we win is bad enough"
"Really...?" I curled myself "I don't want them getting hurt because of me..."
"They won't because that is the only thing you know, Maya. The Council is aware of that, but once they suspect you know more, you don't know what to expect"
"Alrighty, wont ask anything else" I sighed "What about Earth? I feel homesick sometimes..." I giggled.
He shrugged "The same. Without any human there to rebuild it, it is how it will remain. No more demons, though. And all the rebel Angels were called back to the White City."
"Did they come after any of you? Or has the Council sent someone?"
"As expected. Not that it would be a problem, anyway."
He then started to read something he wanted me to read after, but pining down what he wanted me to read first. Meanwhile, There was a bit of silence, and it bothered me a little. Trying to find something to say, small talk or anything, my eyes stopped again in the only locked chest in his room.
I know its rude, after all that was his room and his stuff, so my curiosity had no place in there, but it was just killing me to know what he wanted to keep so much that needed to stay locked. All his other stuff were at eyesight or inside something that could be opened. Is just like a stubborn child that won't stop asking until gets an answer.
I would face the risk of him getting mad at me, I didnt mind "Death." I called his attention "What do you have in there?" I pointed to said chest and he looked towards it. "Sorry to ask, anyway, is just that all your other stuff is around and that's the only locked chest... I don't want to be invasive.. " even though I was already being.
The answer took a while to come, as if he was thinking about what to say. In the end, he just sighed, closing the book "Spoils of war, as to say..."
"You don't seem so happy to say that..."
"No." And was the only thing he said, getting up right next and handling me the book "Rest and begin the reading from the chapter I've marked. I will be back for your healing training."
Well, that saddened me. I shouldn't have asked.
