The Last Favor

Chapter 18

It was hard to shake the stillness in the air after the heavy question that was to change everything.

“TELL ME WHAT?” Bryce demanded heatedly, “I’ve been wondering ever since we met about too many things and you never explain anything to me.”

“Maybe we should sit down for this.” Ada tried to calm the air a bit.

“No, maybe Tristan should talk for once.”

“I told you I was dangerous,” Tristan finally uttered, “you’re still here.”

“Seriously, Tristan?” Adelaide interrupted, “this, again? You really think telling us your dangerous is enough explanation? Fine. If you won’t do it, I will.”

Tristan balled his fists and stayed silent again.

“You see Bryce, you can tell the type of magic someone uses by the color of their eyes. Kinetic and psychological are purple, healing green, fire orange, water blue…”

“What’s red?” The boy asked with a shaky voice.

“I’m getting there, sweetie,” she cooed, “you see the science of magic is a fragile one that needs balance. You can’t use magic without energy which radiates off of living beings such as plants and animals”

“What about people?”

“That’s a bit more complicated,” she sighed, “you see, every person has the ability to keep their energy to themselves and if they were to lose it little by little they would die. Now, you know how there’s Rationals and Emotionals, right?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “Rationals can use magic and Emotionals can’t.”

“That’s not entirely correct. Rationals can use magic but Emotionals shouldn’t. There is a difference in that statement. A person’s energy comes from their soul. The Rationals have the ability to control the energy of other creatures around them except for people while the Emotionals can only use that of their soul which would eventually kill them. That’s why Emotionals shouldn’t use magic.”

“But, I’m human,” he was confused, “I’m neither.”

“Some would argue humans are both. Using magic is very risky for humans but not impossible nor f*******n. But before you get excited about magic, you should know about the taboo.”

“What’s a taboo?”

“It’s something that is prohibited. Something that Tristan has committed. The energy within a person’s soul is far stronger than that of any other being which is why many are tempted to use it. If you use slowly up all of your soul, you die. However, if you use it all at one go, you commit the taboo. Your eyes turn red and at an unknown point in time, often described as random, a person who has committed the taboo…” Ada gave Tristan a quick glance while she paused before continuing, “turns into a soulless killing machine named Azerp. There is one other condition for someone who has committed the taboo to turn into an Azerp; it’s in case they kill an Emotional or a person who hasn’t used magic before. The kill activates the mutation because the outcast absorbs the energy of that person’s soul and becomes addicted to its power. However, that hunger will always be there after you’ve committed a taboo and it’s when that hunger becomes uncontrollable that the person randomly mutates. Kill after kill, the person slowly turns more and more into the monster we call Azerp.”

“So, your eyes aren’t red from fighting bad guys,” as ridiculous as it sounded, Bryce did not want to let go of that idealistic impression he had, “wait! Then, the grandma? Is that why you killed her? She was turning into an Azerp?”

Tristan nodded as he slowly made his way to Bryce then kneeled in front him and for the first time since they met, directly made eye contact as he placed a tender arm on the kid’s shoulder.

“Which is why I have a favor to ask you,” he said with a stern voice while Bryce stared back with weary eyes, “when that happens, Bryce, I need you to kill me.”

“I-i… What? You’re kidding right? You can’t be serious.”

“I don’t think he is honey,” intervened Ada, “we’ve had our fair share of Azerps and to think they were once people… If I were in his shoes, I would have asked the same thing.”

“Then you do it. I can’t. No, I won’t. You’re both lying to me!”

“Think about it,” Tristan said, “think about every inn we’ve ever been in, every quest or mission we took, when were we welcomed, Bryce? When was I?”

“But…” the kid was about to argue when a sudden thought crossed his mind, “Tristan… what were you going to do when you run out of coins?”

While Adelaide didn’t quite understand the boy’s question, Tristan who had kept eye contact all this time eventually looked away.

“Answer me!” Bryce demanded.

“Kill myself.” The Lezterp finally declared.

“N-no…” the kid whispered as he violently shook his head and ran away.

Tristan sighed as he sat down and glared and Adelaide.

“No, don’t you do that Tristan,” she asked, “don’t you blame me! We both know this what bound to happen. He was going to find out sooner or later. What were you going to wait till you hang yourself or when you kill us all?”

Tristan didn’t answer. He had no answer. The girl was right; he owed him an explanation.

Adelaide sighed and sat down next to him.

“Why did you have to commit the taboo?”

Tristan looked away ignoring the heavy weight on his chest.

“I’ll go get him,” she declared.

“No.” Tristan grabbed her hand to stop her “I’m going.”

Tristan followed the kid who hadn’t really bothered going too far; he found him a few yards away crying under some tree.

“Go away.” He whimpered wiping his tears.

“No.” Tristan sat next to him. “I have something to show you.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Liar!” the kid spat holding back more tears.

“Yes, you are. We have a quest to finish and you’re my companion. Can’t do it without you.”

“No, we don’t” Bryce was weirded out. They left the city without taking any last quests.

“We do now. Come on.”