Bound By Hate Part 11

    I decided to follow Martyn and Toby out of the tent for a bit,  hoping that they would continue the previous conversation about the unconscious mage. Unfortunately they don’t and i'm left with even more questions that don't have answers than I did before. With a small huff of frustration I return to the tent Rythian is in.

    Not having much else to do I look over the herbs scattered across the table tucked away on the far side of the  tent. I don't recognize all of them but I feel a small spark of pride at knowing the names and uses for the majority. The smile I hadn't realized I was wearing falls from my lips as I hear a groan from the bed behind me.

    “You’re still here...Damn it.” I ignore the slight insult figuring that with the fever’s gone down, he’s finally come to terms with the fact that i'm not a hallucination.

    “Yes, and i'm not going anywhere until you listen to me!” I hiss out the word listen hoping to emezie just how important this actually is and hopefully convince the hot-tempered mage to actually listen to a word that comes out of the mouth of someone he hates. I have no such luck and I can honestly see i had expected no different.

    He growls as he shifts in the bed and reluctantly pulls himself off of it. He ignores me as he composes himself and leaves the tent like nothing had happened. All evidence of his ‘episode’ erased as he goes.

    “Rythian!” I call out as I fly out after him. I hover around him as he walks out of the campsite, flying in small circles around him. I pause every so once in a while, each time in a different place of the circle, and call out his name, hoping he’ll be annoyed enough to talk to me.

    After a short while he growls and I pause in my circle by his right side. I start to say his name but it turns into a high pitched squeal as he swats at me. His hand goes straight through my stomach and I shiver, letting out a small disgusted and slightly horrified noise at the feeling.

    Rythian is either oblivious to my discomfort of just doesn't care because he takes two more swaps at me. I just barely get out of the way before the second hits. I shiver and rub violently at my tummy.

    “Uhhhhh….Don’t do that! It’s weird and uncomfortable and...and just wrong on so many levels!” I glare at him and he make a huffing sound before walking off into the forest again. I growl softly before following after him, at a fair distance this time.

    He’s doing everything in his power to pretend i'm not there and and I sigh as I land on the ground feeling more comfortable walking than floating. I fold my hands behind my back and lean forward slightly. I tilt my head to the side to try and get the a better look at the mage and maybe catch his attention. I puff up my cheeks when he continues to ignore me.

    Why does he have to be so difficult!? I sigh and decide to try a different approach. I stop and adopt the most authoritative voice I can muster.

    “Rythian, we have to talk.” He stops walking and I allow myself the joy of the small victory. It is short lived. I flinch back as Rythian looks over his shoulder a look of pure hate plastered on his face. His eyes are glowing a deep and dark shade of violet and if looks could kill...well it would do nothing because i'm already dead but you get the point.

    I’m frozen in place for a moment, fear making my mind draw a blank. I just stand there for a what seems like an eternity until I realize he was waiting for me to speak. He was actually going to listen to me. I quickly start my explanation, inwardly cursing myself when I stutter.

    “I-i made a mistake.” The mage interrupts me with that stupid ‘tisk’ sound and turns away. I didn’t think I could ander the mage any more than he already was and his voice is laced with resentment when he speaks.

    “I will not clean up your messes, scientist.” I feel myself start to panic as he starts to walk away again. I can’t let this chance slip by because of my poor word choice! There’s no telling when i’ll be able to get Rythian to listen again, if ever and there's little to no chance Livid will stay dormant for that long!

    “Rythian wait! You don’t understand!” I fly in front of him to frantic to keep his attention. He grunts and takes a step back then changing his path slightly to walk around me. “Rythian!”

    He’s ignoring me again and I hold my hands up to my chest as I close my eyes and blurt out as much as I can in one breath. I'm not entirely sure why I still need to breath with the whole dead thing…

    “I had the equivalent of a demon sealed away inside of me for as long as I can remember and he would talk to me and sometimes take control and do really bad things like old world and I tried to kill him by killing myself but I made a mistake and used blaze powder in the poison potion which powered him enough to both survive my death and escape back into his original form and I need your help to stop him before he destroys the world!”

    I gasp for air once I say everything and slowly look up, half expecting the mage to have already left. To my surprise I find him looking back at me with a raised eyebrow.

    “Wow. You really did fuck up.” He says before turning and continuing walking off into the forest. I just stare at his back as he walks off. What...What just happened?

    “Rythian! I need your help!” I call out as I fly after him for the I don’t know how many times. I come right up to his side but he doesn't look at me. He has an uninterested expression as he ignores me and stares straight ahead.

    “Not my job. Your problem, you fix it”  I stare at him dumbfounded. This can’t possibly be the Rythian that hates injustice and tries to help those in need. This has to be an imposter. Or does he really hate me so much that he would turn a blind eye to something as dangerous and evil as Livid?

    “Incase you haven't noticed I’M DEAD! And you're the only one that can see me! And it will be your problem when Livid decides to come out of hiding and kill everyone!” I through my hands in the air for emphasis. Rythian seems unfazed.

    “I can protect Teep and Zoey.” I decide not to point out that he’s just plain wrong and instead focus on to building rage and tears of both frustration and desperation.

    “And what about everyone else!? Do you plan to just let them die!? Who are you because you can’t be the Rythian I know! The Rythian I know would never turn a blind eye when people need him! He would never stand by when there was something he could do! He was just and kind and though he was powerful he would never use it to hurt innocent people! But not using your power when you’re needed is just the same! Do not abandon this world!” I glare at him but i'm nowhere near intimidating with the tears building in my eyes. Rythian is just staring at me, shock the only thing i'm able to identify on his face.

    I'm shaking slightly and my breath hitches every so once in a while. I force myself to hold his gaze as he slowly turns to face me. His expression is now more hesitant and maybe unbelieving. Then he nods.