piling up the pieces

_"How on earth is such a liquid going to help the poor creature, it looks awful and has the worse smell." Farnha said scrunching his nose, whilst gritted teeth, resisting the strong urge to throw up. The liquid Marsha was using had a pungent fetid bitter odour, that burned Farnha's nostrils, he therefore turned his head away in disgust.

_"How could he stand to be near that creature, much less try to help it?", Marsha thought.

_"Where did you get that thing you're using?", Still trying to create a safe distance from Marsha and his beloved creature, he paused, folded

arms, awaiting Marsh's response, but Marsha pretended like he didn't even exist. Not liking the idea of being ignored, Farnha voiced out, _"For heavens sake Marsha, have you gone deaf or suddenly dumb?"

To Marsha, Farnha's disgust towards  the creature was a slap in the face, he turned with casual ease, sizing him up and down with his eyes, as if to say; "you've got to be kidding me", before finally uttering,

_"we'll have to try".

He turned and continued to attend to the creature, who seemed to be making a slow recovery, though not a significant one.

Hearing Marsha's response, Farnha flared up;

_"You mean you had me bring this...", He said pointing towards the creature,

_"all the way here for try outs?", He tilts his head dramatically in emphasis,

_"so, you just wanted another tool for experiment? I can't believe this shit!", He said as he stood up fuming in anger, getting no reply or retort from Marsha, he began pacing to and fro the room, trying to calm his nerves, the sound of his metal like soles striking the floor.

             After what seamed like forever, Marsha turned to Farnha saying,

_"You will watch it, while I go get supplies", he turned to look at it, the creature though still unconscious, it's breathing returned back to the normal healthy state, he smiled at it feeling accomplished, he then turned back to Farnha, now keeping a straight face, he continued,

_"It won't awake anytime soon, hopefully after my return and I won't take long." He stood up walking past Farnha, strolling towards the exit when he remembered, he immediately halted his steps,

_"And Farnha?", He called,

_"What?!", Farnha snapped,

_"Don't you do dare do anything stupid", he said now facing the later with narrowed gaze.

_"Yes siree", Farnha replied with a bored look, mockery laced in his tone.

Marsha ignoring Farnha's attitude left.

         Minutes passed as Marsha left. Ensuring that Marsha was nowhere close, Farnha moved closer to the creature, looking at it critically;

_"Hmmm! What could it be that had caught Marsha's interest", he thought,

_"It's pretty and weak, he said in disgust".

      The shadows grew longer as the sun began to set, the creature continued to lay peacefully still, Farnha sat in the rocking chair at the dark end of the room, the wooden creek of the old chair echoing in the otherwise quiet room. There he sat, patiently waiting till the creature awakes.

Deep in the Emirates sea, a dark and ghostly ship drifted through the mist.

  _"Where is she, Barton?!" The whole ship shook at the sound of that godlike voice. In a trembling voice, Barton answered,

   _"S sssiree, the Madame wanted to get rid of her..." Cutting him short,

_"I won't ask again Barton, you just answer me truthfully while I'm being patient with you and we would be done here." He said in his ever commanding voice. Barton doesn't need no telling, he knows how much of a brute his master is. The air around them was so stiff and Barton's hand shook in fear as he tried to hide them behind his back. He was so afraid to even breathe, the supposed eerie silence in the ship was disturbed by  the wave crashing against the hull. The master's fierce gaze, seemed to tear through to his soul. Barton's heart was pounding hard as he knew he had to choose his words carefully, else he'd irk his master even more, and he dreaded the thought of that. Gulping hard he spoke up,

_"Master please have mercy, the madame wanted to get rid of her and you also wanted her out, so, I helped her off the ship, but the storm, I I I.. do not know where she is and..",

Cutting him short;

_"You don't know where Christabelle Serene is?" He asked through gritted teeth, anger visible in his tone.

Hearing his master's tone, Barton is now convinced that he would either die or narrowly escape death today. He wished now more than ever that the ground beneath him would just open up and take him in. Now freezing from the harshness of his own cold sweat, he gulped down hard, answering his master in a trembly voice;

     _"Yes sire".

Just as he landed, he felt his bones squeezing, like they wanted out of his body, an immense pain, his eyes bulging out of the sockets, his breathing hitched,

_"Sire please mercyyy", Barton begged, his voice choked and strained.

   _"I have just a little to tell you Barton. Search the whole universe, known and unknown places if you have to, and find her. Bring her to me, and make sure not a strand of her hair is hurt. Do you understand every word I just said?" He boomed in his hoarse godlike voice.

_"Yes sire, please sire".

Barton was freed from the painful torture, he immediately ran out, disappearing from the ship, with no trace.

   He appears at an abandoned castle, dark as night with an atmosphere that reeks danger, Barton is short in height, he couldn't reach to open the castle's huge doors and was too weak to command it open;

_"Oh my! This is one time where I regret restricting teleporting in my own home", he lamented.

_"Where in the hells is that crow?", He tries sending a signal to Magnus, when he heard;

   _"Just how many times do I have to tell you not to address me as crow. I have a name and it's Magnus Bane! Yeah Magnus. Why do you find it difficult to say so?", Magnus the Crow or Raven, I'm not sure what, appeared on the door handle, waving his feather like hands to emphasize it's point.

_"Just help me get inside," Barton said, too weak for any of his drama.

_"You'll have to say it appropriately, I mean real polite, that's if you want me to help you with anything".

_"As you can see, birdie, I'm currently out of character, it's quite obvious that I don't have time for your drama". Barton said in a weak tone, gasping for breath, leaning on the castle's pillars, too weak to even to stand straight, in all these Barton still managed to keep a calm demeanor. Magnus on the other hand pretended not to hear a thing Barton said, he busied himself with looking at his claws, like he was trying to find precious stones in them.

***

            Now you see; Magnus is  Barton's assistant, he is given the shape of what you might call a Crow or Raven, he's not even sure what. He's annoying and quite childish but he's also an obedient and powerful warlock.

  ***

     Barton realizing Magnus wouldn't bulge, he obliged to Magnuses bidding,

_"Okay fine, dear Ma.."

       _"Don't call me that", Magnus said, sharply interrupting him.

    Barton, sighing tiredly, he then said,

_"Magnus please let me in my own castle", he said bitterly,

_"for as you can see , I don't have the stamina to even lift a finger".

Magnus feeling accomplished finally flew off the door handle, whispered gibberish words and the castle doors opened making loud shrieking noises, Magnus could actually make the door open without such noise, but he did so to irk his master. Barton on the other hand paid no attention to the noises, he just needed to rest so badly. 

        When the door finally opened, out came two ghouls, unimaginably tall, bony, dark hooded creatures, recognizing their masters presence came to help him inside his castle, they lifted him from both sides as they floated into the castle, as soon as they entered, Magnus flew in following behind them and the castle doors were shut, it slowly disappeared like black thick smoke into nothingness, it was as though it has never been there.

             Compared to the creepy outward appearance of the castle, the interior looked nothing like that. The halls were undescribably neat and shiny, everything was mirror like, it was however dark but not enough that one could not see, it was grave silent that if a drop of water were to fall on the floor it would be heard clearly, the sweet fragrance of roses filled the air. The hall had just a strange looking arm chair in the middle, it's walls were as high as the heavens. Barton felt dizzy as the ghouls carried him, the walls seemed to move and shift, disorienting him, however the sweet scent of roses somehow made him feel better, he loved how the scent embraced him with it's goodness, but now more than ever he craved a warm bath and after that, he just wanted the longest hug with his pillow.

        Off to the left wing of the castle, through the corridors, the ghouls took their master to his chamber, as they got to the entrance, the doors flew open at it's will, the torches flickered on, it exuded black flames, it was like a dark light at different strategic points in the room. Barton's chamber is a detailed definition of comfort, the ghouls put him down on his king sized, comfy bed and helped him draw a hot steamy bath, added log to the fireplace, bowed their heads before their master and turned into black smoke, slowly disappearing out of sight.

_ "Ahhh", Barton sighed, he lay arms spread on the bed, taking in a long drag of the room's fresh rosy scent, the cackling of wood at the fire place, sounded like music to his ears, he took his time to enjoy the soft, silky feeling of his bed, it was like he was hugging the cloud.

_"No place like home indeed", Barton said with much struggle, still hurting and very much weak.

    _"Ahem", Magnus the Crow, who now rested on his stand, observing his master closely, cleared his throat to speak up;

  _"Oh! I really should thank the Lord, for whatever he did to my master to bring him so much rest", Magnus said, still examining his master's condition.

_"You have no idea Magnus, you don't..." Barton still weak, found it hard to complete his sentence.

_"Aw! It can't be that bad. Once in  awhile it's good to see you all curled up in your bed like a baby, too weak to talk and all...", He paused for a moment, as he turned it's little head upward, using his feathery hands to rub it's beak, acting like he was trying to remember something, then continuing, he said; 

_"He couldn't even walk, hahaha," mockery visible in his tone. _"Actually", Magnus continued, _"Apart from the fact that the lord's treatment would make you rest, which is undoubtedly very important for your human body, it is also a very nice, umm, you know, comic relief". He said as he burst out laughing loudly, his voice echoed, it sounded more man-like, he almost lost his balance, when he cleared his throat. Regaining his balance he paused, looking at his master, who just kept ignoring him, clearing his throat again, he spoke,

_"Would my master prefer christ-coal or char-coal?", Tilting his head to the side, awaiting his master's reply, a minute passed before his master finally replied; _"Christ-coal, and please make it real hot. Magnus responding said,

_"Awwwn! He now says please". He says this putting his both feathers on his beak, trying to mimick the cloud princesses when they blush", dropping his feathers he added,

_"I must say, the lord did well, and as for the bath, I assure you it would be hotter than hell", he said so, flying towards his master's bathe house. He made his master's bath, adding healing potions inside the pool, his master's bathe was a huge pool of glistening water, with red crystal-like coal underneath, it was hotter than anything in this world, Magnus sometimes wonders how his master found something so hot, very comfortable. When he was done preparing the bath, he didn't need to inform his master, for he could already feel his master's presence close by.

       Barton managed to pass through the walls and appeared at the pool bank, he carefully dipped himself into the water, steam covering the whole place, like scented incense. Magnus, who was already used to the hot steamy atmosphere that his master loved so much, didn't flinch, he was already perched on his usual stand waiting for his master to relax a bit before he spoke up;

_"Care to tell why the lord summoned you?"

Barton didn't reply for a while, making Magnus zeroing out his master's ever replying from his mind, after what seemed like forever, his master finally spoke, raising his head from the water, he said;

_"It's the heiress. She's missing.."

      _"Oh! Now he wants muddy back, huh? It sounds quite fishy if you ask me", Magnus said.

_"I really don't care what he's fishing, I just want him off my neck. Do you maybe know where she might be or something that can help me find her? Barton asked.

_"Well, I might have a hunch", he said in bored tone.

_"Then let's hear it", Barton said with  obvious eagerness. Magnus then continued,

_"When you tried to ship Muddy of the Tempest's ship, despite my warnings" He said that giving Barton a pointed look, then continued, "The magic you used amidst the storm, might have caused "Diemflemu", it's a complicated kind of diversion, that even as twisted as I am I find it hard to fully comprehend. So, the possibility that she reached the home you carved out for her,"  he said so accusingly, pausing to see his Master rolling his eyes heaven ward in response, he then continued,

_"is almost nonexistent, which means she could either be lost in the abyss as we speak or worse trapped in between dimensions. Now let's zero out the part where she might be lost in the abyss." He paused, when he heard his master's sigh of relief, he smirked. All the while Magnus spoke, he maintained a poised posture, almost statue like, only his beak moved.

_"If my hunch is right, she could be as we speak in the .....", He paused again highlighting the suspense, and then continued,

_"In the Fences.

Barton turned sharply, the hot water splashing in response,

_"You mean the place where the Cherubim guide?

_Yes that island like place with vast green land, and very annoying creatures in it, who call themselves guardians," Magnus said, visibly irritated,

_"I knew something was up. So, I might have sent a little of my tentacles. You know what they say, knowledge is power", he chuckled softly, seeing his master not finding it funny he continued,

_"I'm expecting feedback soon. But I must remind you, if truly she is there, it would be very very difficult, almost impossible to get her out of there, I scarcely made it alive while trying to get my eye in there, and you know we have quite a reputation amongst the guardians

_"We?!", Barton asked, angered

_"Oh! My bad, I forgot I was the only warlock here", Magnus said calmly. "But the fact remains, she has to get out of that place and since I'm the only warlock, who by an unfortunate circumstance, happened to have my reputation tainted before the guardians, I don't think I stand a chance in helping you with Muddy, although I'd very much love to help the poor child, but as it stands now, circumstances do not permit. I would take my leave now, so you can figure out helping her all by yourself, Magnus said in a sad tone, preparing to leave.

Barton rolled his eyes, obviously tired of Magnus's drama, he gave a tired sigh, then said, "Alright, alright, we're in this together, but in the meantime I very much need to rest. Please you may leave my presence", Barton said dismissing him.

_"Yes sire", Magnus proudly bowed his head to his master and flying out, he left his master to enjoy his needed rest.