Moako

Dirt and leaves sprung up from the ground blinding him. He looked up and the moonlight lit a small area between the trees. Meshed into the bottom of a large hill, a small wooden cabin that was blended in appeared right before him. Kai wasted no time. He forced himself up and ran straight at the cabin. Kicking in the door as he entered. He looked around and saw a little old lady sitting in front of the fireplace.

"You're Moako right? The witch doctor?" He approached her.

"You sought and you found. I heard your cries for help but you know my services are not free, yes?"

She smiled at him.

“I do. Just hurry up and help her. She doesn't have much time. She's-”

"Human, yes indeed. Yet still so much more"

The doctor made her way over to him. She looked over the girl and plucked out a strand of her hair.

Placing it in a clear jar.

"What are you doing?" He moved Ben away from the older lady.

“I'm afraid you're too late. This girl's body is useless to her now. It's only a matter of minutes before she completely leaves this world.” She opened one of Ben's eyelids.

“She's reached her expiration date. What a shame. They just keep on getting younger.” She shook her head.

“What does that mean?”

"I'm sorry but this girl is beyond saving."

His heart sank.

“No, you have to save her. I brought her here because I know how skilled you are. If anyone can bring her back it's you.” His breath was uneven as he trembled.

“There's not much I can do for her.” She looked at the girl's palms.

“But there is something right?”

“Mmm, maybe. But there is only a ten percent chance that it will work.” She slowly walked back to her chair.

“But it's still a chance.”

“It will require you to give up some of your body's energy to her.”

“Okay yeah, that's fine.”

“It will take three to four days and there is no guarantee it will work. There's a possibility you'll become weaker for nothing." She looked up at him.

“I'll take those odds.” He stepped towards her.

“Moako, I'm a man of my word. I promised I'd save her. Don't make me break that now.”

“Okay. Okay. We don't have much time. Hurry and place her on the stone.” She waddled over to a wooden cabinet.

Pulling out a stone mortar and pestle. Throwing in herbs, flowers, and other crawling ingredients into the bowl to grind them together.

Kai laid Ben on the slab of iron pyrite. An expensive stone carved out into a table. Witch doctors here use it as a healing table because of its beneficial properties. It's known for deterring any negative energy or physical harm that the patient may be experiencing.

"Turn around while I undress her. Now!”

Kai sighed turning his back to them. The older lady grunted as she wrestled with Ben's clothes.

Stripping her of her pants, shirt, bra, and underwear. She laid a small piece of cloth over the girl's

breast and private area.

“Okay now fetch me that jar of water off the window sill.”

He quickly retrieved it, handing it to the witch doctor. She opened it taking out the clear quartz crystal that was inside.

“Take this and brush the moon water over her body.” She threw a large paintbrush at him.

As he spread the moon water onto Ben's skin the doctor rubbed the crystal along her too.

“Now that the body is purified, let's heal her wounds.” She reached her hands out to him.

“If I had that power I wouldn't have come here.” He sassed.

“Just take my hand boy.” She urged him.

Reluctantly he gave her his hands. She positioned their palms over Ben's head and torso. Silently she closed her eyes. Dipping two fingers into the moon water. Using it to draw a sigil over their knuckles.

“Though her heart ceased, let her pain decrease. Tie off her wounds with the glow of the moonlight, striking all infection and blight.”

"Really, a rhyming spell?" Kai scrunched his face.

"It's the fun part." She smiled.

An intense burning seared on the drawn sigil as it lit up bright orange. He could feel the heat burn straight through his hands. He huffed trying to manage the pain.

“Fuck!” He screamed feeling his hands being ripped apart.

Within seconds it stopped. He pulled his hands back cursing to the skies. They were scorched on both sides.

“What the hell was that?!” He glared at her.

“Like I said there's a price for everything.” She laughed dusting off her hands.

“How come it didn't hurt you?”

“I am not a demon, even though some may say otherwise.” She laughed.

“Then why did you have me do it with you, knowing I'd get burned?” He approached her annoyed.

“I needed to borrow your energy. Buck up demon boy, you did well.” She patted his shoulder.

He opened his mouth to tell her off until he noticed Ben's wounds slowly closing. One by one they turned into faded scars. The witch doctor grabbed the bowl of ground herbs. She sprinkled them over the girl. Whispering a foreign incantation. The herbs flaked off into a cloud of golden dust as Ben's body turned a dark gray.

“What did you do?” He panicked.

“For now I froze her body's clock. That way it's not ticking away while we work.” She pulled up a chair.

“Now come. We have lots to do.” She grabbed the jar where she placed a strand of Ben's hair.

“Grab that box and bring it here.” She pointed to a large wooden container that was in the kitchen.

“What is it?” He placed it on the table across from Ben.

“It's clay. We are going to sculpt your wife a temporary body until she can return to hers.”

“Wife? Yeah no, we're not married.”

“What? Really?” The elder gasped.

“It's not that kind of relationship.” He opened the box. Placing the lid aside.

“Then why go to such lengths to save her? You do understand what this is costing you right?” She scrunched her brows in confusion.

“I'm doing this because, I-I don't know, I have to. When I make a pact with someone I keep it no matter what.”

She cleared the table pulling up another chair.

“Sit.” She patted the seat.

He followed her orders. She sat across from him pulling out two large bowls from underneath the table. She unfolded the plastic bag inside the wooden box. Scooping out the powdery substance. Kai watched intensely as she poured the moon water into the jar that had Ben's hair. He didn't know if it was just him or if it was actually happening, but he swore that the strand of hair started to glow. The doctor shook the jar then poured the water into the bowls. She started to mix and knead the clay together. Grunting as it thickened. Kai copied her actions.

“What are we doing?” He sighed. Frustrated at the slow pace of things.

“Patience child. Building a body from scratch is harder than you would think.” She threw the clay onto the table. Using a roller to flatten it out.

“If you make the cast too thin she'll break. Too thick she'll be stiff.” She flattened his clay alongside hers.

“I know nothing about art. What if I fuck up and make her lopsided?”

“Haha! That's why I'm here. To fix your fuck ups.” She chuckled out loudly.

“But either way she'll be fine.”

“I just don't understand why I have to be involved. Can't you just make everything and I watch?” He looked at her exhausted.

“I don't know this girl. There are no ties between us. That's why you must help with the process. Someone close to her, someone who knows her has to be involved. It will help bound her soul into the vessel.” She cut away at the clay.

“To be honest, I barely know her. We only spent a little time together. I don't know if I'll be any good.”

“Trust me. You will be. Have some faith will you.” She pats his back.

Together they molded her torso. He was amazed at how easily the clay withheld its shape. It was like sculpting a life-size doll. They used wooden tools to stitch together the limbs and smoothen out the body's features. The doctor worked on Ben's face. Carving out her lips, eyes, and nose.

“Tell me, do you have feelings for this girl?”

“Of course not.” He cleaned off his hand with a nearby rag.

“Hm.” She hummed unconvinced.

“What?” He combed his hair back.

“Well, that's good. Beings like us can't mix with beings like her. It will only end in pain.” She cleaned off the tools.

"Yeah." I sighed.

I know.