17. Captors

Things were blurry for Castus after that moment. He quickly came to realization he wasn't dead. He got snippets of what was happening around him. A flash of light as Ben set the kitchen ablaze. Another of the cold ground as he was carried over Ben's shoulder. A few moments later Castus' found himself look at his home growing distant. The house he had spent his time from birth to now was in flames. They were bright and he could feel the heat even now 40 to 50 feet away. He started to cry when he blacked out again.

Finally stirring to full alertness Castus noticed he was tied up with thick coarse rope. It covered his hands and feet. Castus' eyes came into focus slowly and a splitting headache erupted in his brain causing him to wince loudly. He looked over to see Ben standing in a clearing of the woods watching the house burn as another figure darted towards him. Castus knew it was selfish, but he hoped it was Yursa. He prayed to whatever shitty gods had placed him here that Yursa was coming to save him. His prayers were wasted. As the moonlight came out from behind the clouds, Castus saw Anabelle. She was missing an arm, and had a gruesome slash through the side of her face. It had removed her eye and part of the side of her head, but Anabelle seemed less than concerned about it. Upon reaching Ben she chugged a red liquid that caused the bleeding to stop and skin to start forming around the cuts. She didn't regenerate lost parts, but she certainly was going to live.

Castus' chest sank. His last hope had been dashed. His body felt cold and empty. Something had been ripped away from him, again. First it was Earth and now it was here on Echon. His supposed second start just felt like a cruel joke. This wasn't a second chance it was just a continuation of his pain. He new father, his new mother, even Yursa killed, before he even had the chance to prevent it. Similar to the first time Castus had died he started to fall into a depression, but his ropes cut into his wrist. The irritating pain grounded Castus and he gritted his teeth coming to a realization. 'I'm still alive. They haven't killed me yet, which means unlike the soul transplantation corporation I can actually do something.'

Castus snapped his focus back to Ben and Anabelle who stood in the clearing. The had their back to him and Castus could hear what they were saying. Ben turned slightly towards Anabelle speaking.

"Did you confirm Tyrus and Veronica are dead?" Anabelle wordless nodded. "Yursa too. She was far stronger than the intel we received suggested. They owe us more than they promised."

Castus noticed they seemed to be distracted by the burning house and confirming deaths. Taking this moment Castus looked at his bonds and tried figure out how to escape. His mind drifted to his blessing and he reached down with his bound hands analyzing the rope that bound him. Activating the skill the ropes were destroyed into leftover small pieces. Castus stood as quietly as he could. His breath trembled as he rose. Every movement hurt as he stood. Ben had clearly been rough with him earlier. Castus got to his feet and took one step. Then another. Slowly making his way deeper into the woods and away from his two captors and betrayers.

The darkness of the woods made navigation difficult, but Castus knew he had to be careful and get distance between Ben and Anabelle if he hoped to disappear. On his sixth step away a branch cracked underfoot. Castus winced at the noise stopping his movements. He turned slowly trying to see if they had noticed. His heart sank seeing a tall silhouette standing behind him.

"Castus, did you really think you could get away. I don't know how you got rid of the rope around your feet, but the rope is more of a precautionary measure anyway."

Ben's hand rose up in the darkness and chopped down turning Castus' vision to go black once again.

Coming to, Castus noticed it was brighter this time. He was sitting on a stone floor. Ahead of him metal bars ran vertically. Outside the cell a man that Castus recognized, but didn't believe he would be seeing again anytime soon. The archbishop sat on a wooden stool looking at Castus. As Castus sat up the archbishop spoke in a serious tone.

"You have no idea how rare an unrecorded blessing is do you Castus?" He didn't want a response though. He stood starting to pace in front of the cell. "Your father certainly didn't either. If he had truly known how rare an unrecorded blessing is he would have never asked us to analyze it." His pacing stopped and he grabbed on to the metal bars. "He should have taken my offer when I gave it to him, but now he's dead and your back where you belong. As my ticket up the hierarchy of this church." The archbishop smiled smugly and walked away speaking as he disappeared up the stairs. "You'll stay here until the higher ups get here in two months. Until then sit tight."

The pieces fell into place for Castus. The blessing he had, led to his capture and the destruction of his new family. Pain stabbed through Castus as the guilt felt like an iron spike in his chest. He ran through the memories of his childhood and wondered if there was something he could have possibly done. Sure his new family had felt alien to him, but he had come to love and accept them as true family. He shared meals with them and frequently talked to them. The birthday celebrations and that final dinner with their heartfelt hug ran through his mind. Tears streamed down his face at the memories of Tyrus, Veronica, Yursa, Erin and Aria. Castus' face lift and the tears dried and a realization dawned on Castus.

'Erin and Aria! I can still save someone!'