Shadnik

The sun arose on the beach. There were footprints in the sand, and a corpse floating through the water.

The corpse, by some odd design or technique, raised his trembling arm up out of the water.

He slammed his hand down onto the water so fiercely it was as if the liquid stuffs had become solid. He pushed on the now solid but still flowing water and pulled himself up.

The corpse raised his head up, revealing a scarred and ruined face. Blue eyes stared out to the horizon, and short wet blond hair shined in the morning light.

He pulled his legs up out of the water to his chest as he raised his other arm and slammed it down. Shadey, as he called himself, stood upright on the still waters, and stared out at the sea.

He sighed. Then he vomited about two liters of salty brine all at once. He wiped his mouth and stared out at the sun.

He took a step forward, not once slipping into the water, instead treading perfectly on the surface. He took another, and another, before picking up his pace and running.

Shadey, the Blessed Heretic was running on water.

What has she done for me?' Shadey thought as he ran across the azure plane.

'Why should I help her? What has she ever done for me?'

"She raised you." The man said, as he glided on Shadey's right.

'But she probably doesn't even deserve me helping her. After all she's done to me.'

'Like...'

'Like...'

'I guess she's never done anything to me.'

"But that doesn't mean she deserves my help!"

'Even if she was the nicest person I ever knew.'

oXo

It had been hours since Shadey started running across the ocean. There was no land in sight, he was literally baking under the sun and his thoughts continued to haunt him.

His current internal debate followed something along these lines:

'It's my fault she's in pain; she's an innocent woman, I have to help her!'

'But she's just another person. I kill them all the time. Why not let this one go without interfering?'

Despite his internal conflict, Shadey did not stop running home.

His odyssey brought him across islands and countries, never once stopping for anything or anyone.

He ran day and night, not once did he submit to the accursed Mr. Sandman.

He even ran through storms, witnessing ships being turned to debris as he plowed on.

He couldn't think of anything else as he ran. There was nothing else to think about. If he tried not to think about her, his heart ached so badly that he had to start the argument all over again.

oXo

It wasn't until the fourth day that Shadey found his homeland.

He stepped onto the black sands and collapsed to his knees. Every single part of his body was in pain. He waited for just a moment, for the divine curse he's known for so long to kick in.

When his torn muscles and burnt skin was healed, Shadey stood up and stretched. "Four days or four years... You guys just keep fixing me no matter how broken I get."

"For the record," The Man added, "You would have died twice over from your journey."

"Noted." Shadey muttered. He looked around the beach he mounted. Underneath him was black sand, and in front of him were white trees breaking apart the black sand dunes. If he remembered correctly, this was the time of year the Dark Sun came out, and due to the barrier around the country, made this area devoid of color for a week.

He kicked the black sand into the air and watched it land.

"You came."

Shadey looked up to find two figures appear out of the forest. It was the masked girl and and another, shorter masked girl. Their masks both had one worried eye, but the taller had a right eye, where as the left had the left eye.

They both came down to the beach and ran to Shadey.

He was about to say something when the girls both tackle-hugged him. He just rolled his eyes as they both squeezed him as tight as they could.

"We missed you." The taller girl said.

Shadey snarled and gingerly patted her head. "Yeah. Now let go."

Both girls let go of their "brother" and stepped back. "Are you here to help?" The younger asked.

Shadey glanced to his back. He looked back and walked forward. "I'll lead the way."

oXo

Shadey stared at the earnest shrine.

It was simple and small, constructed by poor hands in the name of the Gods many years ago.

It's age didn't show.

Along with his sisters, Shadey walked into the shrine.

After just a few seconds, he stepped into Mary's room. Well, the curtained-off area of the girls' room where Mary was resting. Shadey tore the curtains away and stepped into Mary's presence.

He noticed her mask sitting on the nearby and grimaced. He turned back to find her face was draped in a wet towel. It had patches of green and red among the clean white.

She seemed to be sleeping; her chest was rising and falling steadily, even though he couldn't hear her breathing.

"Shadnik..."

Shadey looked back at her face.

"What's with all the white?" Mary attempted to chuckle. "I didn't expect you to crossover to the Clan..."

"Funny." Shadey grunted.

"Julie. Marie." Mary said. "Please help Shad..." Her voice cracked, but she just laughed it away. "Please help Shadey in any way he needs..."

"Of course, big sister." The older sister said.

"Uh-huh."

"..."

For a few moments, everyone was silent. Julie and Marie looked at Shadey. Shadey stared at Mary.

"Shadnik?" The older sister tried getting his attention.

"Julie."

The older sister flinched. She backed away slightly and replied, "Yes?"

"Did Mary just call me by my new name?" Shadey asked while still staring at the slumbering woman.

Julie nodded. "I-I believe so."

Shadey took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Let's do this." He said with a fiery lower.

Both girls gasped. Despite their shy dispositions, they both leaned in, watching with deep intent to see how a cleric heals a patient.

Shadey held out his hands over Mary.

Nothing happened.

He tried waving his hands.

Nothing happened.

He pumped the air. He made circular motions. He wrung his hands.

Nothing. He was starting to feel frustrated with this whole magic thing.

'Why isn't anything happening?'

"Because you haven't submitted to us."

Shadey turned around and faced the Gods behind him. "What?" He growled.

They turned to each other. The woman spoke. "You have not truly submitted to us yet. But it really doesn't matter anyway."

"Why?" The Blessed Heretic demanded.

"Because young one," The woman continued in a gentle tone as she floated past Shadey and to Mary's side, "She was never sick." The woman turned to Shadey and cocked her head.

"Wasn't sick?" Shadey asked. "Then why the hell did I come here?"

"To protect the only thing that matters to you anymore." The man answered. Shadey didn't bother turning around to face him.

"Besides, your presense is helping her." The woman stated.

Shadey groaned to the ceiling. "You JUST said she wasn't sick! How am I helping her?"

"She was worried about her little brother." The woman said with a sweeping motion toward Mary. "That's all. Your being here is all she needed. Look at how soundly she's sleeping!"

Shadey's shoulders sagged as he looked on at Mary's sleeping form.

"She was just worried about me..." He said to himself.