The Retrieval

Kai sat there watching Ben's lifeless body lay on the stone table. Raking over all the scars that littered her skin. She was so pale, the blue of her veins looked vibrant. Flashes of her smiling bloodied face appeared in his mind. She mouthed something to him but he couldn't make out what it was. They were her last words yet he couldn't hear them.

“Done." The witch doctor hung up her wooden tools to dry.

She applied some oil to her hands as she came towards Kai.

"Now let me see your arm.” She grabbed his arm examining his veins.

“Yes, yes. Nice and clear.” She rubbed the oil from her hands onto the inner part of his arm and did the same to the clay figure.

“The procedure I am about to perform is not the final solution. All it will do is guide her soul to the vessel. I will transfer some of your energy into the clay to bring it to life but this is just a temporary fix. I do not practice necromancy. Only those familiar with death magic can fully bring the dead back to life. I can only sustain it for a small period of time.” She pushed her nail into his skin drawing a drop of blood.

“So I have to find one of these necro guys then?” He hissed in pain.

“The only problem lies in their existence. Since the late King's ruling, he had them executed in fear that they might use the dead against him. Now only a hand full of them exist, but the one you will need will be even harder to find.” The tip of her finger glowed as she led a crimson string from his arm, connecting it to the clay.

“The necromancer you will seek changes in form, gender, color, and species. They do this to ensure their survival. They will never look the same. They will never sound the same. You will only find them when they find you.” She walked across the room placing the crystal back in the jar before tucking it in the bottom cabinet.

“With this thing we're doing, how long will she have?” He sighed throwing back his head.

“At max, she has maybe three weeks before the body gives out on her.” The elder woman placed her hand on Ben's head.

“You really aren't going to make this easy for me are you?” He ruffled his hair back.

She just winked at him and disappeared into the back room.

He rested his head on the stone table glancing over at the clay vessel. The elder's words rang in his head. He was beginning to doubt what he should do and whether he was going too far in saving this girl. Because if Blyne finds him in this weakened state he will be killed on the spot. But the thought of just leaving her to die was out of the question. He was pissed, mainly because he watched over her from time to time while he was gone. She seemed to be doing fine. He saw that life was finally giving this girl a break. She was finally getting taken care of. So how the hell did this happen? It didn't make any sense. She was supposed to be fine. And with everyone questioning him about his feelings for her started to confuse him. He barely knew her as a child, so why was he doing all of this? To be honest, he never really planned on going back for her. He was just going to take care of her from the shadows if she needed him. He couldn't abandon her because in some messed way they needed one another and ended up becoming each other's family. Like the ones they lost. For years he lived unconnected to anyone, so why did she affect him so much?

What am I doing?

He sighed throwing his head down a little too hard on the table. The cool stone soothed his mind. Allowing him to forget his aching body. Letting him drift off into a deep sleep. Usually, he would dream about the same nightmare, but this time he dreamt of a place covered with black. He couldn't see anything beyond two feet in front of him. He wandered around feeling like he was being pulled towards something. He couldn't figure out what it was, but something inside him told him it was important to get there as fast as he could. He picked up the pace jogging for what felt like miles, following the pull. The closer he got, the thicker the air became. The atmosphere felt sickly dense. The ground became slick with sludge. Sticking to his feet as he tried to walk. Things hiding in the black slithered past him. Sloshing around in the substance that submerged his feet. His eyes lit up when he saw a faint light about a yard ahead of him. He tried to hurry but the level of the sludge kept rising. Engulfing his entire waist. Soon the thick liquid trickled above his neck. He moved his arms, swimming as fast as he could manage. Trying to ignore the exhaustion that plagued him.

He paused for a second, taking in the scene that played out in front of him. In the center of all the black sludge was Ben. Her arms and legs were bound to the sludge as it leaked off her body creating an ocean of nightmares. Her eyes were seemingly closed as she stared down in despair. Kai moved faster. Weaving himself through the tides that became rougher the closer he got to her.

“Ben!” He reached out his hand grabbing the tacky substance that clung to her.

“Hold on I'll get you out there.” He ripped away at the tar.

But each piece he tore off was immediately replaced with more.

That's when it hit him.

The sludge wasn't attacking her. It was coming from her. It bubbled out from her wounds. With little moans and whispers crying out.

He could feel all her emotions in the ocean around them. They called out for help. They cried out begging someone to care.

“You have to snap out of this. Ben! Wake up!” He kept being pushed back by the waves.

He fought against them. Swimming in the endless ocean.

"Ben!"

He felt something wrap around his ankle. It yanked him down beneath the sludge. Everything went black. He couldn't hear or see and no matter how hard he fought he could break free from the creature's grasp. His lungs contracted. Squeezing tightly in his chest.

Shit!

I can't breathe!