The next moment, I felt a prick on my shoulder, when I looked over, I felt it in my foot, then in my eye.  In seconds it turned into an assault, the scripts launching themselves into me from every direction.  I’m surprised I haven’t fallen dead from shock; I feel them entering me cutting through me, there’s no blood, no open wounds, they just worm through me with a burning, horrible pain. 

“What are you doing to me!” Is she trying to kill me? I thought I was nice enough; I dealt with so much attitude to just die in the end?

“Hold still you baby; I told you it would be uncomfortable; stop your whining it won’t be too much longer now”

As I was cowering, like a baby, I felt heat on my wrists and ankles, then my torso.  Before I could have another thought, I was lifted a foot into the air.

I looked to my wrists, the golden script had adhered to my flesh, propping up my body in the air, like a medieval rack device.  My arms and legs held stretched out, my whole body became one giant opening.  If she wanted to kill me, I would be powerless. 

“This magic helps me “look” at you It’s a form of soul magic”- “What?!!” I interrupt; “Your looking into my soul?! That shouldn’t be possible!” This means, this means souls are real?! “If you can see it, then what is it?” I ask.  “What? A soul?” She asks me as if I was an idiot.  “Yes, what is it?”

“A soul, its you, your life force.  Think of it as humans, to some degree, are just energy ghosts piloting a boney flesh suite.” That didn’t really answer my question at all, so it’s our life force.  Why the hell does she need to look at it? “What”- She cuts me off.

“Up-up-up” She says waving her finger in the air.  “Before you say anything, no I am not messing with your soul, and no I am not going to hurt you, can you just shut up and stop struggling?!”  “If I wanted to kill you, it would be a hell-of-a lot faster than this!”

I recoil, with some fighting, but ultimately, I resign myself to the pain, there wouldn’t be anything I could do about this anyway.  Seconds feel like minutes and minutes feel like hours, how long has this been going on? I don’t know how much more of this I can take, the scripts burn, and this “Soul magic” is like a raging fire in my chest.

More time passes, and the scripts vanish, burning themselves from my skin.  The golden red hue of magic that surrounded me begins to dissipate as I slowly fall to the ground below.  Eventually the pain begins to reside, going from a burning ripping fire to a sort of warm baking feeling.  Still quite uncomfortable.

“Ok, Thomas, I feel sort of bad about this, you’re not used to this sort of magic…. Well, any type of magic I guess huh?  Usually this doesn’t hurt that bad, to things in my world its more uncomfortable than painful; like a crawling feeling.” “Let me explain”

“Soul magic, in this case, envelopes and scans your soul for any abnormalities or rips and tears in the soul” “Script is used to measure, analyze, and chart the conditions of one’s soul.” The script acts as a type of concentrated and focused magic so it doesn’t go wild inside of you.  It can also be used to restrict movement like I did just now.”   

“Since you have never been exposed to magic before, your body has no way of dealing with it, not like magical beings.  It also doesn’t help that you’re human, but due to these two variables, it was more painful that it needed to be.”

“I didn’t do any alterations, and I didn’t leave anything” “That was as clean as I could have made it, honestly, I’m impressed with myself! Like… that was good, I’m good!” she exclaims with pride.

“Little sprite?” I look at her, tired, and wanting to move on.

“Right, anyway, it was a clean scan, there’s nothing wrong with your soul, which I don’t need to tell you is a good thing.” She laughs. The sprite thought to herself, not wanting to hint at a problem, she kept her cool, not showing any signs on her face.    I can’t tell him what I saw in there, there’s something in there, but I don’t know what it is.  It could very well be the reason the veil broke, I need to keep an eye on him.

“How do you feel?” She asks.

I pat the dirt off my pants and shoulders in a fit of over exaggeration and let out a long sigh. “Yeah, I’m good, I’m fine.” “Please, little sprite, tell me before you do something like that again, it was… well, awful, it was awful”

“Oh, well...my bad, Thomas, I really didn’t mean anything by it, I was just concerned, plus it’s my duty to check things out, it’s the whole reason I’m on this side of the veil.” I can’t let this human leave; I need to take him with me.  Something is not right with him.  I should be nice, and if I am, he might be more inclined to follow me.

“Well, in that case, thanks…. I had no idea.” “Thank you for your concern and help” I think, I think this fairy likes me? Maybe? She apologized, and it is fair to say it is her duty, although I don’t really know what that means for me.  Maybe she isn’t so bad? If anything, it doesn’t seem like she’s trying to murder me, or even be all that violent.  If my life has taught me anything, however, there’s always an ulterior motive.  People don’t just do things for no reason or change their tone or attitude.  She realized something, saw something, why else would she apologize? 

That’s right, don’t fall for it, don’t be a naive child.  No one can be trusted.

“What now, little sprite?” I ask.  “My names not “Little Sprite” you know!? Its a little insulting seeing how powerful I am!”

“Ok, what is your name?”

“Ifrit!”, she says with hands on her hips.

“Ifrit! Now that’s a beautiful name! I would be happy to call you by name, Ifrit”

“Have you not heard of the great and powerful Ifrit!? The destroyer!? The Lit Flame?! The Eternal Flame?! I am Ifrit!” I am unrivaled in battle, the blood of Trolls, Erauins, wobblers, even the great God: Heirrauim, have been spilled by my hand!”

“That’s quite the resume, was this during war, or for fun?”

She lets out a loud huff as she crosses her arms; how could he not know about me, me?

Oh wait, yeah probably not huh? He didn’t even know about the One Rule, let alone magic or anything of my world.  He’s just ignorant of my greatness! This cannot be allowed to continue! It would be an injustice to the world to not know of me! 

A proud look begins to form on Ifrits face, what in the world could she be thinking?

“Was this all during a huge war? Or was it from fights around your world overtime? Sounds impressive, you said you slayed a god. I didn’t know that was possible.”

She takes a moment to think if she should divulge such information.  It might just be enough for him to know the summaries, should I really go into it? With someone I just met, and more than that, the human I’ve been ordered to investigate. It’s a gamble….

“Hmm, fine; I’ll tell you some of it, I shouldn’t go into too much detail.”

“It was during a war”

“The leader was the god; Heirrauim. He was a bastard in every way.  And I’m the one who slit his throat.” “He was able to get half the region to fight in his name, all so he could reign supreme over everything.” “I still don’t understand why they went along with his plan” “He wanted to become The One God”

“The One God?”

“It’s exactly what it sounds like” “The one god is the position of supreme ruler over all beings, but it’s a fantasy, not a reality, there are just too many gods for there to be that chance”

“He decided if there’s too many, then he should just kill them.  He killed thirteen Gods before we could stop him, before I could stop him.”

As Ifrits explains all this we were still on the side of the road, by my melted car, I’m just sitting here absorbing all she has to say.  The story is to fantastical to really focus on anything else, like something out of a fantasy novel.

 “While he didn’t come close, as there are hundreds of different gods, he still did damage, of the thirteen gods on the battlefield stood Althierien, my friend.”

“She was the Goddess of Morning Day, she always smelled so good, refreshing and bright.” She was awesome, her magic was incredible, we’d often get together for breakfast and stuff.  She was my best friend.”

“After he had recruited the other nations around him to fight in his name, our force met him on the field of battle.”  “At the fall of the first rain, that was when we began battle.”  Before I could get my wings started up, Althierien had advanced too far, too far ahead our own forces, she thought she could take him….  I’ve never flown so hard and so fast in my long life.”  “I was too late…. I watched, almost as if in slow motion, as he tore her into two…”

“The rage, my pain, it was too much for me to bear.” “I flew harder and harder, I couldn’t stop, as if something had taken over me.  I shot through the air, passing sound.”

“My wings were about to tear apart at the sheer speed of my flight I couldn’t slow my momentum.  I kept barreling towards the god.  My thin wings burnt off, as I shot across the battlefield.” “Before I knew it, I exploded into a huge ball of fire, midflight.  What emerged was something different, I was different, I became The Eternal Flame.”  “My rage my hate everything I felt for that god, that was a catalyst for ascension.”

“In my new form, and newfound power, I shot myself towards the god and slit his ******* throat with my bare hands, my talons ripping from him his lifeblood, tearing open his throat.”

“That monster’s blood covered my hands. The feeling of victory, of revenge satiated.  I looked up to the battlefield in front of me and screamed a terrible cry.  The war was over, the battle that took my friends life, I ended it, I freed her soul from unfinished anguish.”  “Although the tradeoff was some looked at me with distain and fear, I couldn’t care less” “By the end of it the partakers of the war were punished for their crimes against the kingdom, and I was named a hero.”

I became a different species, more powerful, faster, not to mention hotter.  In most circles I am known as an ascended being on par with the gods.

I think she unintentionally got too into it, that was a lot, I can’t even say anything in response, just kind of sitting there.  I am in awe, this little thing, is not only a powerful fairy on par with the gods, she’s also a hero. 

She seems to pop out of her story, as if she really did unintentionally get to absorbed in it.  She’s all red in the face, and awkward.

Damn it, I didn’t mean to get so into detail, I was going to hold back most of that story, that “god” just gets me so heated I couldn’t stop myself.  Still…. Thomas doesn’t look horrified, not even a little, what’s wrong with this human.  He looks almost in awe… There really is something wrong with him, that story makes most coil in disgust or fear.

“What a beautiful picture, I want one day to experience something like that” “Not the loss, I’m so sorry about that, but the cold-blooded kill.  We can’t do things like that here, we’d go to jail immediately; so, the urge has always gone unfulfilled” “Others may shun you and call you a monster but, I implore it, encourage it even.” “Especially something like that! His life was forfeited as far as I’m concerned.  He takes so you take, fair game.”

Ifrit says nothing, just looks at me with her head tilted in curiosity.  What the hell. Is he what humans call a psychopath?

“Did I say something weird?” I ask.

“Did you think I would recoil from hearing the beautiful carnage you described? I love it! He deserved it”

“Huh, yeah, he did.” She says hesitantly.  His words shocked her, she didn’t think the human was real, such darkness dwells within him, just clawing to get out. I can’t believe it, is that what I saw during the soul inspection?

“Do you normally hold an opinion such as this? Eye for an eye, blood for blood type thinking?”

“Pretty much, to be honest with you, I go through a lot.  Not as much in the physical world like in the past, but more in my head.” “Dark thoughts plague my mind, never ceasing even in sleep.” “I’m constantly wound tightly, fighting so many things others cannot see, daily.  It’s exhausting and often results in even darker thoughts, until the impulses are too much.”  

“When I get mad, I get blind unadulterated rage, pure hate, it’s been a constant struggle to keep it in check.  Break things, not people; I say, otherwise you go to prison.” “Your world is clearly superior, survival of the fittest is our world’s term for it, it sounds beautiful, and there’s no repercussions? Amazing.” 

“If you did that here, in the city, you’d be thrown in jail, and jail in the city isn’t very pretty, no toilets, cells the size of closets.  Oh, not to mention the murder and other disturbing things that go on every day within its walls.”

“Well, that’s neither here nor there, I didn’t get into trouble, I was a victor.  I was celebrated, I wasn’t the only one who lost a friend or loved one” “War is different, don’t humans fight one another in war? Those that kill, come home as heroes that defended the land, correct?”

“No, it’s true, we do fight, usually country against country, and there are heroes of war, that is true.  I speak more of simply being free to act on your impulses on any given day.” I say.

Ifrit pauses, hesitant to ask, as prying in the past had yielded unwanted results for her.  Against her better judgment she decides to ask anyway; “Knowing what you know now, what do you think of me, truly.  No covering your true thoughts, most are fearful of me after such a story.  I don’t think I believe what you said, especially since you’re a human, humans are usually prone to fear easier.  Speak the truth.”

“What do I think? Your freaking awesome Ifrit, you’re the Eternal Flame, how could I not be impressed!” “I wasn’t lying when I said all those things, yes I’m human, but I tend to think differently than others.”

Ifrits face started to turn red, she was not expecting such a comment.  Bringing her hands up in embarrassment.  It would seem she finally believed me.  However, I need to stay alert, Ifrit is strong, the magic is something I cannot counter.  I should be ok, if I stay on her good side.

“It’s ok Ifrit, nothing to be embarrassed about”

“Humph” crossing her arms. “I’m not embarrassed!”

“Sorry, sorry.” I say laughing through my apology.

“It’s, it’s fine, whatever I’m not embarrassed!”

I need to stay vigilant thinks Ifrit; I need to take him along with me, I don’t think he noticed my shift in behavior earlier.  Buttering up and fooling a human should be easy.  He doesn’t suspect a thing, they said I need to take him in alive, it would be easier if he followed me instead of using my magic.

“Anyway, can we maybe go somewhere else? As much as I love the sidewalk, it’s starting to feel a little weird just sitting out here” “We can go to my apartment, it’s around the corner from here, you must’ve passed it in your hunt after me.”