Sorcery's Hue (A Malion Series Novel)

Destruction

I quickly used Other Eyes on Flax, locked my hands around his wrists and used Shift to evacuate that awful situation. Once we appeared in the cell, I threw him off of me and scrambled into a corner. I screamed. I couldn't Relief any of my magic here. I couldn't trust that the other residents would be fine. Then, when I looked up at Flax's panicked call, I saw an aura of deep purple magic swirling around me like Barrier.

"Bathroom! Now!" I yelped, only to release the magic the moment the door slammed behind him. After a moment of silence, I expected Flax to return, but nobody came.

I rushed to the door and ripped it open to see him on the ground, his skin laced with far too many cuts. I skidded to a halt at his side and took him into my arms that glowed with Heal.

"Hey, buddy... I'm ok. You're... You're whispering again." His grating whisper shocked me at first. I simply held him closer to me. His gasps became fuller with each passing moment, and his heart began to pound.

"Vari... Hey.. look at me. I'm ok. You can let go of me now, alright? I'll be fine." Those were his first words after a long and heavy silence.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled.

I was much more confident in my own ability from that point on. I didn't know I was capable of saving a life I'd nearly taken.

That wasn't the only change I'd experienced, though.

One day a guard came into the cell, Barrier and Shield both active around him, to tell me my sentence had been increased. I would have to stay with the other residents in public confinement. My total prison sentence had been raised by another fifty years, totalling 150 years in that place of suffering. After that, I'd spent the next few years trapped in that cell. 405. 405. 405.

The guards called me V. They knew that "Vee" meant "vile", and I'm confident their intentions were not exactly kind.

I remember waking up from a nightmare in a strange calm manner.

"Is he ok?" I heard Flax's voice in a low whisper to Reilec.

"He's been better, obviously. You heard him just now... he's spiralling." He mumbled, his voice getting closer.

"Yeah... we need to help him somehow. Just look at his wrists. I... Dark Star, I'm sorry for not being able to help out as much as you needed. You're such a cool dude, and it hurts that I've been letting all that happen. I should have done something - been there for you...." Flax whispered, laying his head on my mattress.

I curled myself farther into a ball, clutching the pillow closer to my chest. My mind swirled with questions. What had I said to give myself away like that?

"He's getting worse..." Reilec's tone was near sorrowful. I listened to Flax's movement and restrained my flinch when he started stroking my head. I closed my eyes and suddenly felt calm.

"At least this is a bit of help. He'd hate me if I did this to him while awake. It's... it's something, right?" Flax said softly. I waited for Reilec's reply, but all I heard was the cell door.

"I know this isn't fair... You're such a good guy, Vari... if there's a way you can understand this right now, please know that we're both here for you. We're best friends, so we can all do this together. I love you, man. Just like I love Fin and Reilec. You're like family to me, ok? I'm not leaving family behind." He said with a crack in his voice while he pressed his forehead against my back. He started to softly cry but pulled himself together moments later.

"Hey, Flax...?" My voice forced his head away from the sheets, "What did I say to upset you so much...?"

I turned towards him and sat up. He looked up with wide, glassy eyes and let out another sob.