Disclaimer: South Park and all of its respective characters are the property of Matt Stone and Trey Parker. I own only this story's plot and any original characters that may pop up from time to time. Also, I am making no profit from this story.

Warnings: This story will contain slash (boys love, yaoi, etc.) as well as violence, swearing, and, well, most of the things you would probably hear in a regular episode of South Park. The boys are intended to be between the ages of 16-18 here.

Chapter 06

Trent liked to think he was accustomed to pain. Not the emotional, woe-is-me type of pain that so many kids his age complained about, but actual physical pain. He'd been in his fair share of fights over the course of his eighteen years, and he honestly couldn't recall the exact number of bones he'd had broken, or just how much blood he was sure he's lost by now.

This, however, was worse than anything he'd ever felt before. And only a few hours ago, he'd been stabbed.

Yet another cry escaped his throat as the blonde felt his body slam against the hard, marble wall before sliding to the floor in a crumpled heap. He was desperately trying to control his breathing and keep from passing out; no doubt, that would only piss Damien off more and if possible, that was something Trent wanted to avoid. The demon was already close to killing him for his recent failure, which in hindsight wasn't even really his fault; how was three against two fair?

"Trent, you disappoint me. After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me?"

The words cut through the hazy fog that was creeping through his mind and shifting his gaze toward the other, Trent frowned. Somehow, he didn't think that pointing out just how unhelpful Damien's so-called 'help' had been up to this point would do much for his situation. Slowly picking himself up, the blonde fought back the urge to say the many comments that were floating around his head, screaming to be let out.

The demon sat just mere feet from him, lounging lazily upon his throne and Trent had a feeling that if he wasn't being thrown around the room like a rag-doll, he might be wondering just what Damien hoped to achieve whilst doing nothing. As it were, he found it rather irritating that the man didn't even have to move to exert such force over him –- if he were that pissed, he could at least get off his ass and dish out the punishment instead of being so leisurely about the whole thing.

"Honestly Trent, I even gave you a helper and still, you come back empty handed. It's almost like you have no real desire to live." Disappointment coated Damien's words and Trent found himself gritting his teeth, swallowing any retort he so desperately wanted to make. "Is it really that hard? I mean, they're school boys, not hardened warriors and yet--"

"Well neither am I! I'm no more experienced at this than they are and, if you hadn't noticed, it seems like every time I attack, they gain another ally!" He couldn't stop the words as they exploded from him and, deciding he'd already gone past the point of return, continued, growling darkly. "Damn it, Damien! I have no idea how the fuck Stan gained his own powers, but it wasn't my fault and there was no way I could deal with the three of them, not with Aradion burned beyond recognition and a sword sticking through my stomach!"

The silence that settled over the room was almost deafening and without meaning to, Trent found himself shifting awkwardly, feeling almost like a child who had just spoken back to an adult. He had no real way of knowing just how the prince would react to the outburst; every other time, Damien had seemed to be vaguely amused by his angry remarks, but of course, the demon hadn't been quite as disappointed as he supposedly was now, either. Still, after a long moment, no reaction was made and the blonde felt his body relax when the others eyes slid closed, a bored expression falling over the pale face.

"I suppose you have a point, albeit a small one," the dark-haired youth said, his tone calm, "and perhaps, I have been going about this the wrong way. Yes, I believe that is the case. Very well, Trent, I will let this minor transgression slip. After all, as you said, there was no real way for you to deal with the three after being so badly wounded."

Not entirely sure he trusted this turn-around, Trent made no move to reply verbally and merely nodded, making sure to keep a close eye on Damien, watching for the slightest movement – it had, after all, taken only the faintest flick of the demon's wrist to send him flying across the room moments earlier, there was no reason to believe it couldn't –or wouldn't– happen again.

"Go and rest Trent, I shall think on what I wish to do next." Not needing to be told twice, Trent turned and headed for the doors, trying his best not to let his limp show too much. His entire body felt like it was on fire and he hoped that, whatever plan Damien came up with, it would involve him not moving for the next few days. He had no idea how fast his body would heal, due to his inability to die and the presence of magic in his system, but he didn't think a few days in bed would be all that bad.

"Oh, and Trent?"

Visibly wincing at the words, Trent swallowed his sigh and turning, studied the demon. "Sir?"

The smile that greeted him sent a chill all through Trent, the likes of which he'd never felt before.

"Next time, I won't be so forgiving."

Cartman was beginning to discover a new level of hatred even he hadn't known was possible and all of it seemed to be directed toward a certain brunette who would not stop humming. It hadn't really bothered him at first – oh it had been irritating, as it was one of those ridiculously peppy melodies, but after about twenty minutes of hearing it on what appeared to be loop, he was ready to reach over and strangle Jasper.

It was sort of sad that, after a quick count, that had to be the fourth time he'd felt the urge to physically harm the man.

"Would you shut up?!" The words came out in a snarl, hands forcing they're way into his coat pockets as he gave Jasper a side-long glance. "I don't know where the hell you heard that song, but whatever it is, I'm about to make you forget it forever." Cartman was pleased to hear the man go silent, but his victory was short lived when the others annoyingly bright smile once against beamed back at him and he groaned, increasing his pace to, at least for now, put some distance between himself and the pest.

"I am sorry if it was bothering you Eric, but it is quite a catchy little tune, don't you think?" For just a moment, Cartman considered telling him just what he really thought, but he never got the chance, as without missing a beat, Jasper continued. "I cannot recall where I heard it, and I can assure you, it is driving me insane. I want to say I heard it during my travels, but nothing is really sticking out and..."

"Damn it, shut up! Don't you ever stop talking?" Turning on his heel, Cartman glared and ignoring the way both Stan and the Jew were staring at him, focused on Jasper, feeling his anger build when the man continued smiling. "I don't care where you heard the fucking thing, I just want you to be quiet for like, five minutes so I can hear myself think! And for the last damn time, stop calling me Eric!"

For a brief moment, silence gripped the group and just as Cartman went to turn back around, Jasper spoke, the bright expression still in place. "But, Eric is your name, is it not?"

Letting out a cry of frustration, Cartman continued the trek toward his home, trying to ignore the laughter that echoed behind him.

"Dude, you really need to chill." Not bothering to give Stan even a grunt of acknowledgment, Cartman chose to seethe in anger, and it wasn't he felt something bump against him that he bothered looking at all, a little surprised to find Kyle walking beside him.

"Come on fatass, you've been nothing but a bundle of anger these last few days and it's getting old. Lighten up, that's an order and since I'm technically sort-of royalty now, you have to obey me." A smirk had worked its way onto Kyle's face as he, once again, nudged Cartman.

Somehow, even if the half-attempted joke was nowhere near amusing, Cartman found the fury that was coiling tightly within him seemed to dull and raising an eyebrow, he scoffed, looking away from the Jew as he focused on the path in front of him, not wanting to think about why the words had such an effect on him. "I don't have to do anything, Jew." The words were said softly, and without their usual malice, causing Kyle's smirk to widen in victory and behind him, he heard both Stan and Jasper chuckle.

He just could not win today, it seemed.

When his house finally came into view, Cartman let out a sigh of relief and thinking this the first time he was ever truly grateful to see his home, frowned. Already, he could spot the empty driveway and guessing his mother would be returning late, nodded, at least glad she had good timing when it came to staying out late – the last thing he needed was his mother bustling around downstairs while they discussed the fact Damien wanted them dead.

"Hey, why is Kenny in front of your house?"

Grunting, Cartman went to ask Stan what the hell he was talking about only to stop and now able to spot the oh-so-familiar orange parka belonging to his friend, he frowned. Why was Kenny at his house? He hadn't spoken to the boy outside of school in months, and though he had a feeling it was probably time he forgave the other, Cartman had made no active move to do so. Aside from being an annoying little prick, Kenny had the habit of prying into people's business and trying to understand their actions, claiming he knew people better than they thought. The whole death experience, he supposed.

If there was one thing Cartman hated, it was having people try to analyze his actions. It was right up there with hippies and Jews.

Instead of answering Stan, Cartman merely shook his head and waiting until they were close enough, lifted a hand, though upon realizing Kenny had already spotted them lowered it, frowning. "What the hell do you want?" He called, not bothering with formalities as they approached the boy. He was leaning casually against the front door and almost immediately, Cartman had the oddest sense that something wasn't right.

Kenny looked like he usually did, carefree and with that ever-present smirk on his face, but there was just something off, a sort of shadow cast over his mood, and for a moment, Cartman didn't want to talk to him, didn't want to mess with him – after everything that had happened so far, the last thing he needed in his life was another problem. Especially one involving Kenny. Still, the question was already out and with the blonde's eyes focused solely on him now, the brunette knew it was too late to back out now. He just hoped he'd be able to get rid of him quickly.

"Well it's nice seeing you too, Cartman." The words were said playfully, with an almost airy-tone and yet there was something just beneath the surface that instantly had Cartman on guard. If Kenny noticed this, however, he decided not to pay it any mind and continued. "I was hoping you guys would introduce me to your friend there," the blonde went on, his head tilting forward as his eyes jumped away from Cartman, landing on Jasper.

"Ah yes, you must be Kenneth." Cartman had only a moment to register that Jasper was actually talking to Kenny before he felt the man brush past him, the sunny smile still held firmly in place. "I'm terribly sorry for the late introduction, my name is Jasper Lloyd. I'm Eric's cousin, visiting from Seattle. Along with Eric, Stanley and Kyle were helping to show me around, as this is my first time visiting your little town."

For a brief moment, Cartman had to admire the man's lying skills; he also had to wonder just how long Jasper might have been practicing such a speech, as it sounded a little rehearsed. Then again, the man did have an odd way of talking, so that would probably have something to do with it. Shifting his attention back onto Kenny, he waited, and hoping the boy would believe the lie, frowned, still not liking the odd feeling he was getting from his so-called friend.

"You're lying. I've seen pictures of Cartman's family and I can safely say that I've never seen you before. Now, why don't you tell me the truth?" Well, it seemed Kenny did know how to read people. Snarling softly, Cartman stepped forward and yanking Jasper back, took his spot, glaring at Kenny. He knew there was no way they could just tell him what was going on, it just wouldn't be a smart idea.

"We're not lying, Kenny, Jasper really is Cartman's cousin." Kyle's voice broke through the air and feeling the Jewish boy appear beside him, Cartman stiffened, not liking the effect the red-head was having on him – at least the boy seemed willing enough to lie to Kenny. "We were just showing him around, that's all."

"Plus," Cartman said, quickly interjecting before Kyle could continue speaking, "it's not like you know my entire family tree and it certainly isn't any of your business. Now we're a bit busy, so if you'd kindly get your ass off my front porch and head on back to your little trailer park, that would be awesome." He caught the glare Kyle shot toward him, but at the moment, he couldn't really bring himself to care. If they were going to get on with the discussion, they needed to ditch Kenny and he figured the best way would be to piss him off.

Luckily, pissing people off was a skill Cartman knew very well.

Kenny's eyes narrowed for only a moment before he pushed himself away from the house and shrugging, shoved his hands inside the pockets of his parka. Hopping off the porch, he strode past the small group, not bothering to look at any of them, his eyes closing. Cartman made no move to turn and watch him leave, content with the knowledge that his method had worked and they could get on with what was really important.

When the footsteps paused, however, the brunette frowned and twisting his head just enough to spot Kenny next to his mailbox, he glared. He watched as the other boy pulled one hand out of his parka, his fingers moving to curl around the little red flag attached to the black box. Kenny said nothing and after only another brief minute, Cartman growled, wondering just what he was playing at. "Anything else?"

"I know you three are hiding something and I don't like being lied to, especially by my friends. If you don't want to tell me, fine, but I will find out." Flicking the red flag so that it was now standing straight up, Kenny turned, and smirking, lifted a hand in farewell. "That's all, have fun!" He turned then and continued down the sidewalk, humming a light tune. Cartman could only watch as the boy slowly began to fade from view and rolling his eyes, moved toward his door, putting the incident out of his mind.

He had bigger things to worry about now, anyway.

Liars.

Making his way down the deserted sidewalk, Kenny frowned. Just how stupid did they think he was? There was no way in hell he could believe that man was Cartman's cousin, it was plain as day, all you had to do was look at them and anyone with a shred of sense could figure it out. Even Kyle had been in on the lie! That was probably what hurt the most, as Kenny knew that of the four, Kyle was always the boy who tried to do the right thing – even when the rest of them were content with just doing things the easy way.

He knew something was up with them and he had every intention of finding out just what that something was, because if there was one thing Kenny would not stand for, it was being kept in the dark. They were his friends, and though he knew they had the right to keep certain things from him, he was positive that this wasn't just some little thing. It was big, and whatever it was, he had a feeling that it wasn't good.

Steps faltering then, the blonde swung back around and still able to see Cartman's house, scowled, glaring at the structure. He had to figure out just how he would get the information out of them. Oh, he could spy on them, that was obviously the first course of action that sprung to mind – it was also the most cliche and probably the one they would be expecting. He supposed if he really wanted to get serious, he could corner Kyle or Stan, as he was sure that with the right amount of pressuring, either one would break.

If possible, he wanted to avoid Cartman, as he wasn't really keen on ending up in the nurses office again. Or the hospital.

Giving the house one last, lingering look he shook his head and continued back towards town, his mind already racing to come up with a plan.

Settling himself down on Cartman's bed, Kyle frowned and thinking it had been quite a while since he'd last seen the room, chuckled, glad to find not much had changed. At least the giant picture of Mel Gibson was gone, he was pleased to see. Stan sat just in front of him, having chosen the desk over the bed and he saw Jasper hovering near the door, waiting for Cartman to return from the bathroom.

"Something seemed a little odd about your friend, Kenneth." Jasper's voice broke through the silence of the room and Kyle found himself only able to nod, agreeing with Jasper's words. He had noticed it the moment he spotted the boy, almost like a dark cloud had been cast over his usually cheerful friend and the fact did little to ease the guilt he felt for lying to Kenny. Kyle hated lying, not just because he believed it usually led to more trouble than it was worth, but also because he wasn't that great at it. He'd be able to carry it for a little while, then he would somehow mess himself up, trip over his words and reveal the lie.

Overall, lying was something Kyle tried to avoid and yet he seemed to be doing it a lot lately.

"Yeah, Kenny did seem a little pissed. Then again, if I knew my friends were lying to me, I guess I would be too," Stan said, and without meaning to, Kyle felt himself wince, wondering just how much of that was aimed toward him. He supposed Stan had a right to be a bit bitter about this whole mess, after all if Kyle had told him, then at the very least it wouldn't have been such a shock – Stan never did well with sudden surprises, that much the Jewish boy knew for sure.

Looking up then, Kyle spotted Cartman and watching as the brunette moved inside, closing the door behind him, frowned. Cartman didn't look good and though Kyle knew he really shouldn't care, he found himself wondering just what was going on in the other boy's head. Did he feel bad for lying to Kenny? Probably not, but the two had been close friends, at one point and that wasn't something easily tossed aside. Even for an emotionally-challenged bastard like Eric Cartman.

Almost instantly, the worry that had cast itself over Jasper's features vanished and the smile returned as he chuckled, clapping his hands together. Kyle was beginning to find the man's good mood a little creepy, as he knew from experience that someone who normally acted that happy was hiding something and he was starting to see just how Cartman could stay annoyed with the man. Then again, he was exposed to it day and night; at least Kyle could leave. For a brief second, the Jewish boy felt something almost akin to pity for the larger boy.

"Now that we're all here, I suppose we can dive a little deeper. Now that you know about the crystal itself, I think we can move onto your powers. As I said earlier, every human is born with magic, however most of the time that power remains dormant and they go their entire lives without realizing it – however on rare occasions, should the need arise, the power can manifest itself.

In times of crisis, when the need to protect either our own lives or the lives of those we care for is great, the magic will awaken. Almost like an adrenaline rush, if you will. Sometimes, it remains active and eventually the person will come to acknowledge it, while other times it will go back to sleep, until it is needed again. This usually depends on how strong the individual's spirit is, and whether or not it can sustain the magic. As I explained to Eric earlier, his powers were awakened by Kyle and as such, they're magic is connected." Hearing his name, Kyle blinked and taking a moment to let the information sink in, frowned, leaning back.

"So, Cartman's powers are linked to my own?" When he received a nod in response, the red-head looked toward Cartman, who was leaning against his dresser. The information didn't really come as a shock, considering that Cartman himself had said roughly the same thing the other day, during their hallway discussion. Still, hearing it from someone else seemed to finalize it and make it factual, not just speculative.

"How the hell does that work?" Stan asked, a look of confusion falling over his features.

"Well, for one, Eric can only use his full power when he is in close proximity to Kyle. This stems from the fact that his powers were awakened to protect Kyle and the crystal. As for your magic, Stanley, though I am sure Kyle had something to do with triggering it's use, you were the main reason it was activated. You needed a way to protect yourself from harm and it answered the call." Well, at the very least Kyle didn't have to worry about feeling guilty over that one.

"So, you're saying Stan can use his powers whenever he wants, but in order to use mine the Jew has to be around?" When Jasper merely nodded, Kyle heard Cartman let out a low string of curses and rolling his eyes, sighed. "Well what if I get attacked and the Jew isn't there? What the fuck am I supposed to do then?"

"Given time and practice, Eric, you should be able to control your powers to the point where they will be fully functional without needing Kyle's presence." Jasper responded before he shifted and motioning Cartman forward, chuckled. "But first, I would like to get a good idea of how closely related your magic is to Kyle's. So if you and Kyle would please come forward, we can get started."

Something about that idea didn't sit well with Kyle and though a little voice in his mind told him to say no, he had a feeling there was really no way out of it. Looking toward Stan, he saw his friend shrug and not thinking he was any help, sighed heavily, pushing himself off the bed as the moved forward, seeing Cartman do the same in the corner of his eyes.

"Now, Eric, I'd like for you to call your power up. Not all of it, of course, but just enough to resonate with Kyle. While he is doing that," Jasper continued, turning to look at Kyle, "I would like for you to do the same. Once you both have done this, I want you to concentrate only on one another and nothing else. This will allow the magic to connect and, hopefully, I will be able to determine just how closely intertwined they are."

Thinking that sounded a bit like what he and Cartman had experienced the other day in school, Kyle nodded and saw Cartman lift his hand, the bright light quickly erupting to life, the orb flaring wildly. Feeling something within him click almost instantly, Kyle inhaled deeply and, letting it out slowly, closing his eyes as he tried bringing his own magic out, surprised when he was able to find it with ease. Immediately he felt the familiar warmth spreading through him and he made a small sound, still not used to the sensation.

Before he knew what was happening, he felt something press against his chest, covering the very spot where he knew his magic chose to surface. Gasping lightly at the touch, he opened his eyes and just a little shocked to see Cartman standing so close now, found himself unable to move away, something inside of him demanding he get closer and without thinking, his hands started moving, finding their way toward the brunette's own chest.

Everything around him seemed to fall away and all Kyle found himself able to focus on was Cartman, and the magic pouring out of the boy. It seemed to brush against his own energy, a delicate caress that sent a jolt running through his body. He felt something hot press against his lower back and realizing the brunette was pulling him closer, swallowed, feeling as if he were going to drown, his head swimming amidst the heat. The hand burned through his shirt and yet, he couldn't find the will to break this contact, didn't want to shatter this moment.

His mind felt as if it were going through overdrive, thoughts raced around his head and Kyle wasn't sure what any of them meant. They contained images, ideas, words, and even names that he'd never seen or even heard of before. Yet, through it all, only one of them seemed to stand out, clear among the blur. Wolfram. It made no sense, Kyle had never known anyone by that name and yet, it seemed to stick at the very forefront of his mind. Perhaps if he could think--

Unfortunately, a rather loud cough broke the spell and Kyle felt himself jerked back to the present, his eyes widening as he froze. He felt Cartman go still and swallowing, both boys looked at one another, as if seeing the other for the first time. Feeling his face flush, Kyle immediately let go of Cartman's shirt, not aware that he'd even grabbed it and he felt the larger boy release him, taking a large step back.

Casting a quick glance toward Jasper and Stan, Kyle was horrified to see them both staring rather intently, and hating how hot his face felt, groaned, burying his head in his hands. He heard Cartman curse softly and unable to bring himself to even look at the other boy, swallowed, wondering just why the universe seemed hell-bent on messing with him all of a sudden. What had he ever done wrong? Not counting a few instances, of course, Kyle was sure he'd led a rather good life.

"Well, uh, thank you boys, I think that clears a few things up." At least grateful that the man was kind enough to sound uncomfortable, Kyle nodded and quickly turned, making his way back to the bed, sincerely thankful to see Cartman return to his previous post beside his dresser. "Yes, well, the bond is strong, that much is certain. Stanley, why don't we take a look at your power now?" Jasper's voice sounded a bit strained and the Jewish boy could tell he was desperately trying to change the subject and not entirely minding, he turned his attention toward Stan, wishing with all his might that the boy would stop staring at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Uh, sure." Stan stood, and though he looked a little uncertain, Kyle watched as he made his way toward Jasper. "So, what do I do exactly?"

"The concept is essentially the same. Since you are not in any immediate danger, you will need to coax the power out," Jasper explained and reaching out, he took Stan's hand, lifting it. "The palm is the easier of the body's focal points, so try and direct it toward that point."

"It also helps if you try not to think about anything else," Kyle added, and doing his best to ignore Cartman, focused solely on Stan, offering his friend a slight smile.

A nod, and a soft smile in return, were his only responses and he watched as Stan's eyes closed, his chest rising as he took in a deep breath. It felt odd watching the actual process, to see it happening without really experiencing it and Kyle wondered idly if he looked that calm when he was the one trying to use his own power.

Then, a spark caught his eye and he watched as fire burst to life within Stan's hand, the flames flickering as they dyed his friend's skin a light, orange hue. He saw the boy twitch and wondering just briefly what it felt like to hold fire, smiled, temporarily forgetting his earlier embarrassment as he clapped. "Looks good, dude!"

"Thanks man," Stan said, his eyes sliding open as he studied the fire, not entirely sure what he should make of it. "It feels weird, really warm but not enough to burn, if that makes sense."

"My power feels warm too, I guess because it's part of us or something?" The explanation seemed logical enough, though Kyle still felt his gaze shift toward Jasper, having learned already that in this situation, logic wasn't always what it appeared to be.

"Yes, because your magic is connected closely to the soul, it often gives a very warm feeling when used." Jasper's smile was back to full swing as he took a step back, studying the flame. "It looks very good Stanley, you all have amazing control over your powers, it's quite extraordinary. Still, a little practice can never hurt, so I think it would be beneficial if we worked a little on improving your skills."

Almost instantly, Kyle felt his good mood drop – when would they have time for practice? They had school to worry about, plus Stan had football and Kyle was pretty sure his mother wouldn't approve if his grades suddenly started to slip, not to mention he and Cartman still hadn't started on that project of theirs. They hadn't even picked a person to research! Yet, the red-head also knew that the better they could wield their powers, the better chance they stood against Damien and Trent.

"Since I am not that use to this town and its layout," Jasper continued, now looking around the room, "would any of you boys know of a good, ideally isolated, spot in which we could practice?"

"Uh, the woods? Not many people go there anymore, too many weird things have happened," Stan offered, looking a little hesitant to voice his own suggestion.

"That sounds wonderful, so unless you boys have anything else you wish to discuss today, how about we call it a day and get some rest? It's been quite, ah, eventful," Jasper paused and Kyle felt his face flush once more, "so I think we could all use it."

"Great, that means these fags can get out of my house," Cartman snapped, not bothering to look at any of them from his perch near the far all, arms crossed as he glared at the door.

Giving the boy a slight dirty look, Kyle pushed himself off the bed and making his way toward the door, paused, turning back toward Cartman. "Fine, but tomorrow, we need to pick someone for that project. I don't care what else is going on, I am not failing, fatass." Then, without giving the brunette time to respond, he left, heading for the stairs. Behind him, he could hear Cartman cursing and smirking at his victory, chuckled, leaving the house.

He wanted to go home and process everything that had happened so far. Behind him, he heard Stan call his name and turning, waited for his best friend, trying to put both the awkward incident, and the odd name, out of his thoughts for now.