Chapter 20: Corruption

Teebs was repairing his ship from what happened with Simon. Shards was keeping the ship above water using whisper magic.

“You guys wanna help or anything?” he asked the other workers.

“It’s your ship buddy, not our problem,” Lew said, watching them work.

Letting out a sigh, Teebs returned to repairing his ship. It was dark by the time he was finished with the small repairs. It was able to float on its own after that.

“He’s gotten stronger,” Shards said as he climbed up the side.

“I can see that. But what worries me is how fast he’s learning his magics,” Teebs replied.

“Think he's going to get corrupted?” she asked, looking out a window.

“I know he is,” he replied, looking at a chart.

It had all the times and places they’ve been while they were looking for Simon. All the names of people they thought were him were on it too, each one crossed out. Teebs marked the date and time next to Simon’s name.

Now we wait, he thought, looking at it.

Shards looked at it as well and felt guilty.

All those names… all those people…, she thought, tearing up.

She went out on the deck to get it off her mind, though continuing to tear up.

All of them are gone because of us… Every last one of those innocent lives…, she thought, wiping her tears on her arm.

“Shards?” Teebs said, standing in the doorway, “Is something up?”

“... Do you ever feel guilty about killing all those people for nothing else than them being a suspect?” she asked through tear filled eyes.

“I tend to try not to think about it,” he said, walking over and hugging her.

“Why? They were innocent,” she replied.

“... Because I don’t want the past to haunt me. If I reminisced on every life I’ve taken, I would drown in guilt,” he said, wiping her eyes with his sleeve.

“Do you do that with your family?” she asked.

He went silent. Remembering that horrific day… that’s too much, even for him. Choked up with emotion, he went back into the cabin. He looked at the names on the chart. He had looked each one in the eye as they died. How could he have done that? They didn’t have any corruption in them and yet he killed them.

Trying to shake the feeling off, he went below deck and started to repair the hull. The sound of the hammer hitting the planks seemed to help him forget.

“Teebs?” Shards asked.

“Yeah?” he replied, not looking away from his task.

“Are you okay?” she said, a worried look on her face.

“Yeah, why?” he said.

“You’re crying…,” she said, walking over.

Wiping his cheek, he found that it was covered with tears. He hadn’t even noticed it until then. Shards wiped his eyes and gave a faint smile. Smiling back, he gave her a hug.

“You don’t have to kill Simon,” Shards said, hugging him.

“That’s not my goal. I want to kill what’s inside him,” Teebs replied.

“What?” she asked, looking him in the eye.

“Simon isn’t going to kill everyone. It’s the corruption inside of him. I wasn’t trying to kill him today, I was just trying to speed up the process,” he explained, “If he becomes completely corrupted, then we can kill that instead of him.”

“So… you’re not trying to kill him, but purify him?” she asked, confused.

“Basicly. I’m trying to anger him so the corruption can come faster,” he said.

“But what about all the others?” she said.

“... That was a mistake…,” he said, “Killing the person is the last resort to bring out corruption,” he said.

“But all those people…,” she said, wiping his eyes.

He squeezed his eyes at the thought of them. Their beg of mercy… it cut into him like a blade.

“I wish I could take it back…,” he said, crying.

She hugged him and patted his back in an attempt to cheer him up. They went to sleep soon after, hoping to forget the names on the chart.

Simon’s dream was different somehow, as if he was living it out. He was at the rings with the dots again, the same scenario was happening; Teebs attacking him, Yuelia bleeding out with Shards next to her, and him trying to kill them all. The same thoughts flooded his mind

Kill…. Obliterate…. VENGEANCE! He thought.

This time, he welcomed the thoughts, enjoying the sound of them filling him with rage. The purple stuff spread up his arms and eventually covered his head. Then everything went dark.

Waking up, Simon found that the purple stuff spread to his elbows.

Maybe this isn’t a side effect…, he thought, going down stairs.

Yuelia was making breakfast, which was kind of a surprise. Sitting at the counter, he rubbed his arms were the purple stuff spread to.

“Good morning!” Yuelia said, smiling.

“Good morning,” Simon replied, his voice hoarse.

“Ooh… Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, rubbing his throat.

What was that? He thought, clearing his throat.

Yuelia gave him a plate of pancakes with butter and syrup. They smelt absolutely amazing and they tasted even better. Simon tore into his breakfast, completely different from how he usually eats.

“Simon! Manners?” Yuelia snapped, making herself a plate.

“Sorry,” he replied, his mouth filled with pancakes.

“What’s gotten into you lately? There was that incident at the dock yesterday and now you’re eating like an animal,” she said, sitting next to him, “You’re starting to worry me…”

“I’m sorry…,” he said, swallowing what was in his mouth.

He cleaned up his mess after breakfast and went to the bathroom to clean the rest of his mess. Looking in the mirror, he saw that what food he didn’t eat was stuck to his face and his shirt.

What is the matter with me? He thought, washing his face and getting another shirt.

Attempting to hide his hands, he walked to the market to get groceries. Though he didn’t notice it, the purple stuff spread farther up his arms as he shopped. On the way home, he was thinking of what the purple stuff could be.

It can’t be a side effect of the medicine, they never lasted this long. It can’t be a curse, only mages know how do those. I haven’t made anyone angry in a while, so nobody can be doing this to me…, he thought, walking through the front door.

Setting the groceries down on the counter, it finally hit him; it was corruption. Taking a seat to gather his thoughts, he looked at the purple stuff on his arms.

“It spread!?” he said, horrified.

“What spread?” Yuelia asked, walking into the kitchen.

“The purple stuff!” he said, running to their library and finding a book about corruption.

Corruption starts out as a purple crust on the skin, then spreads across the body until it reaches the head. At that point, the corruption has taken over, he read, signs of corruption are violent thoughts, irrational behavior, violent actions, anda purple and black coating on the skin.

It had finally happened. He was corrupted.

“It’ll take over in a matter of a few days…,” he whispered.

“Excuse me, could you fill me in on what’s going on?” Yuelia said, standing in the doorway.

“This purple stuff on my arms is corruption! I have literally only days left before this thing takes over! During that time frame, I’ll lose my sanity and might even try to kill someone!” Simon said, horrified by what he was saying.

“How did this happen?” Yuelia asked, her expression matching Simon’s feelings.

“I don’t know! It just appeared yesterday!” he replied,putting the book away.

“Has it happened before?” she asked.

“Not that I know of,” he said, walking out of the library.

“What do you think caused it?” she asked, following him.

“I don’t know Yuelia! What part of that don’t you understand!?” he yelled, grabbing her shoulders.

Realizing what he was doing, he let go and stepped back.

“Are… are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m sorry…,” he said.

“I don’t care about that. I want to know if you’re okay,” she said, taking a step towards him.

“I’m okay. Did I hurt you?” he asked.

“No. You just spooked me,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Why is this happening?” he said, looking down.

“Maybe it’s stress?” she said, “With Shards and Teebs trying to kill you, it’s hard to imagine that you would be calm.”

“Yeah… maybe,” he said, pulling her into a hug.