Achronum

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House - First floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Vivian had watched the cloak exchange impassively, the faintest downward tick at the corner of her mouth revealing what she thought of the situation, but otherwise dutifully guided him upstairs where the lord of the house waited.

Once the pair disappeared upstairs, Aleka continued back to his desk and pulled out another heavy book. A shiny, purple cloth bookmark kept a page and Aleka turned to the page, his finger gliding down the page as he reviewed the contents. “For those of you pursuing mercenary work, there is a job listing that would prove an excellent opportunity to evaluate your skills. Cerric, the Buckman escort is tomorrow. At the price Mr. Buckman paid, I was going to send Ms. Krystal but I was unaware of Ms. Silventras’s plans for her. Are you available to evaluate?”

Cerric rubbed his chin. “A ten day round trip? I don’t like it but I suppose I’ll have to. Which means…” He clapped his hands together and beamed at the group. “You all get the pleasure of getting to know me, and I you, even more intimately. Nothing like traveling through the dirt and dark to bring strangers closer together!” Aleka ignored that comment and continued to address everyone.

“Very well. Dorn Buckman owns the wealthiest Red Fern farm in the greater Soft Haven area and takes great pride in personally delivering his product. How health has been declining lately and while he is being treated, he is on bed rest for the foreseeable future. His daughter will be going in his stead and just past 16 summers, he is concerned. A number of aggressive animal attacks have been reported over the past few weeks and although the Duke’s men have yet to find anything concrete, people are still being injured in broad daylight.” Aleka explained. “The job is simply to escort their wagons through the woods until they can join the large caravan coming from further east on the way to Wilree. His daughter, Esvelee Buckman, will be setting out tomorrow at first light from Soft Haven’s north gate. We need to keep her and the three additional employees safe until they reach the caravan with their product intact.”

“And if you are all as excellent as I think you are, you’ll earn a lovely 3 silver right off the bat. Mr. Buckman’s concern translated into a pretty piece for our coffers and we passed those profits right onto our mercenaries.” Cerric chimed it. “Of course, if I have to do all the work and save the job single handedly, then you make nothing and we run you out of town!”

Aleka stared at Cerric for several long moments, breaking the silence with a sigh. “We will not run you out of town but you will not be employed, Cerric is correct on that much. Once the job is completed and you return, we will discuss your performance and your status with the Guild. It is five days to the main road and five days back so please prepare for a ten day journey. If you have any additional questions, I am available for the rest of the day as well.”

---

The Soft Haven Bounty House - Third Floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Obscene Symphony}

Vivian led Kyreth up the stairs, not acknowledging his question. The stairs split the house in half, the left side of the second floor a series of eight doors and the right side a large open area with tables and chairs scattered about in front of a long bar that held a number of glasses and bottles behind it. A few people were scattered about and a dwarven man in the same colors as Vivian went about the tables, delivering drinks and pastries. Even from the staircase, the windows offered a pleasant view of the gardens below, the waters, and forest beyond.

The third floor was far more subdued, a few pieces of art depicting strange symbols and unusual looking people hung on the walls. The left only had two doors, one at each end of the hall, and the right had three doors. Each door had a name carved into them: Aeowyn Silventria, Cerric Liadon, and Lord Malcer Mystralath. Vivian paused at the top of the stairs and finally turned to look at Kyreth. “Upon entering my Lord’s chamber, you will keep your mouth shut, your hands firmly in your pockets, and your eyes fixed on your feet unless ordered otherwise. The fact that the Lord is calling a Tainted to his private office is surprising enough; we don’t need your kind’s sticky fingers making a mess of things. And understand if the Lord suggests that you offered even the tiniest hint of disrespect, I will have you dragged down to the lake and tossed in so Mr. Liadon’s pet can have its way with you.” Vivian threatened coldly, clearly displeased with this, but knocked on the door anyway in a specific fashion and opened the office for Kyreth to enter.

Lord Mystralath’s office was adorned with dark reds and purples, gold accents catching in the light. A long red rug with black and gold wove throughout paved a path to the desk on the other end, flanked by three bookshelves on each side. Although a window overlooked the property, curtains were drawn and instead the room was illuminated by a number of globes mounted on the walls. Like the ones of the bridge, there didn’t seem to be any way to light the wicks inside them and yet fire burned in them, smokeless. A heavy safe took up the space left of the desk and on the other was a drink cart, adorned with a number of crystal and glass bottles and cups. Comparatively, the desk itself was modest, just large enough to work on with a reasonable amount of storage space. Aleka’s book sat open.

More importantly, Lord Mystralath sat behind the desk watching the door intently. Clothes of vibrant blue and green covered him from head to toe, various pieces of silver jewelry set with sapphires pinning it all in place. A feather protruded from his left temple and his hands were encased in soft leather gloves. His face was covered in a white porcelain mask with the mouth twisted up in a soft smile. With every miniscule movement, cloth whispered and metal clinked in the otherwise silent chamber.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

While Jack’s response left him wondering what answers he’d been looking for, the revelation of his death cleared that up real quick. The man had died and not a single one of them had noticed. Although, how could they? James had been half mad with developing his abilities, Sunshine was doing her best to find something else to focus on… it hadn’t been much of a stretch to think Jack was just processing everyone’s comatose state, wondering if they’d wake up and how long they’d be waiting. James never would have thought he was dealing with something even heavier.

“Shit man, that sucks. I’m sorry you went through it but I’m glad you’re still here at least.” James offered after Casper. Jack seems to feel better about it after the journey he took to find his answers but Casper was probably going to do that thing where he buried his feelings under whatever distraction he could get his hands on.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up at Selene's, and then Reeva's, announcement. He didn't trust Selene as far as he could throw her and all this talk about final nights, blood and moons, and now a performance of a Sandersons sisters song made him very nervous. He glanced up, checking to see if the moon was out, and hoped she didn't considered them enemies.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

How interesting.

James eyed Jack for a moment after his interaction with Selene. This was probably the most social James had seen him since he’d awoken from the cryostasis and with Selene of all people. James had tried to connect with him back when he’d first stumbled out, when it was just the three members of the MU awake, but he’d been closed off and distant as he shouldered whatever demons hounded him. All of them had their issues and unfortunately, it’d just pushed them further apart when they should have been supporting each other. However, Jack was a little more like his old self in this moment and normally, he’d be happy for Jack that he’d found something that help but when that help is Selene, it’s a whole different story.

“When did you and Selene become so friendly? You’re a hard man to find most days.” James asked Jack, desperate for a distraction from current conversation. Casper’s adorable waffle related antics aside, the conversation at the table made him regret requesting water and not something that would black out everything that just assaulted his ears. Honestly, Selene mostly just annoyed him with her easy dismissals of anything that required half a drop of empathy but hearing her talk like this made him want to slam his forehead into the table as hard as possible. Maybe a concussion would make dealing with her easier.

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Cerric fiddled with his rings as he considered the question. “That is less clear cut than you wish it to be. As simply as possible, you may report any illegal requests you stumble across and technically, I should encourage you to do so but you’ll have to weigh your ethics against your coin purse. A job unfinished is a job unpaid; though, I suppose discussing how contracts are paid out may make the weight of this discussion easier to consider.”

“When a job is sent in for the House to list, there is a fair degree of negotiating involved. The listing fee is based on how skilled an individual needs to be to handle the situation at hand and takes into account what we know about current events in the area. Once we’ve settled on our listing fee, we negotiate pay. This takes into account the general wealth of the individual or group listing the job, travel time, the kind of needed supplies, the level of risk involved, and the list goes on. Afterwards, they pay the House and they determine what token is necessarily as proof of completion. This can range from something as archaic as the head of a bandit leader you hunted down to a letter with a specific seal on it. Upon returning with the token, we release the funds to you!” Cerric explained delightly. “Of course, the obvious flaw in this system is us trusting you not to produce a counterfeit but we believe you’ll do right by us as long as we do right by you. Of course, I have no qualms retrieving my coin off your waterlogged corpse should you prove otherwise.”

“We have no way to monitor you at a distance. The decisions you make cannot be controlled by us with any accuracy. It may take us months to hear the truth of your exploits. We expect you to complete your jobs with minimal issues. If you become a liability, we remove you from the House. ” Aleka once again spoke before Cerric could continue. “No token, no payment. Do what you will with that information. This all applies to mercenary jobs, of course. Payment for contract jobs falls on the shoulders of the employer. No tokens are necessary as you will not report back to us until the contract is complete, if you do not find permanent employment with the contract issuer.”

The doors to the Bounty House creaked open again, accompanied by the heavy footfalls and jangling of plate mail. Standing just under 6 feet, an older human woman with streaks of silver in her blond hair, heavy crows feet at her eyes, and deep set laughter lines strode in through the door, helmet tucked under one arm and a simple sack slung across the other shoulder. A blade hung at her side, the scabbard simple and well scuffed, with the symbol of Zunbil emblazoned on the pommel.

“Good morning everyone. It’s nice to see so many new faces. I hope we can get along.” The woman greeted them, before turning her attention to Aeka. “I’ll just take a second then. I’ll leave the token on your desk once I climb out of this armor. Normal arraignment for the funds, please.” The woman continued past the group and up the stairs with a curious glance at the boy whose hair writhed and the blue haired girl but otherwise disappeared upstairs as quietly as someone encased in metal could. The faint sound of a door closing could be heard and then the downstairs was quiet once more.

“Marta was one of the first to join the House. You may find some guidance from her, Mr. Luca, should you want some practical instruction from a fellow creation genisian. I’d even recommend her to you, Ms. Storyborn. She may not have the exact guidance you are looking for but I believe you may find her wealth of experience helpful.” Aleka offered in lieu of a proper explanation. “Back to the matter at hand, however, I believe it is time those interested in mercenary work follow me back to my desk where we can determine your future at the House. Anyone interested in contract work, please follow Cerric to his office.”

“Though you do not seem the type to care for one, I will offer you a mentor as well, Mr. Ceolfric. The alchemist in town, Agitha Hawthorne, is also a mental animas aetherborn. I would seek her out once we are done here if you are interested in further developing your skills. There are a number of interesting tales about her that I’m sure Ms. Storyborn could regale you with should you care to hear. Now if you will follow me-” Aleka paused as Vivian returned from upstairs and stopped one step above the floor. She did not offer a curtsy but instead stared over the gathering before her attention landed on Kyreth.

“Kyreth Bertasson, your presence is requested in Lord Mystralath’s study immediately. If you would please follow me, we do not want to keep the Lord waiting.”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

James found himself content as the conversation moved around him, happy to listen and watch. Waverly’s face on the steps of the Hellfire manor tonight hadn’t ruined his mood tonight but as he sat listening to the remaining members of the Mutant Underground talk and drink in peace, minus the ever looming doom that seemed to swirl around Selene like a bad odor, he couldn’t help but consider the scars at the table, the spots where still others should be sitting and celebrating. Waverly, lost at the hands of an interdimensional mutant. Sapphire, sacrificed so that those she cared about could live in the face of certain death. Cayden, killed in the process of securing a cure. Leighton, Magik, Luna… James never felt the weight of those losses more than he did now, seeing their faces in gaps between people, where they should have been teasing, arguing, laughing all the same as they usually did.

James turned his attention away from the phantoms of the dead and returned to the now, where Selene was making everything decidedly less enjoyable to everyone but Casper and Harry. Selene was a dangerous thing, wrapped up in whatever pretty wrapping suited her fancy, like a time bomb hidden in a cartoon present. It didn’t help that she was a powerful sorcesses, wizard, vampire thingy? James would have to ask Max about titles and labels at some point but the fact of the matter was, James didn’t know shit about magic and Selene’s inherent need for chaos rivaled Max’s, making it difficult for him to predict what her goals were for this place when she treated the island like a dollhouse for her to play with however she found fun at the moment.

“We’ll find you a few zip ties if that happens.” James promised Selene, wholly uninterested in even entertaining the idea of her losing clothes.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

James had a few curt replies to Casper's off-handed check in but he instead chose to curl his arms a little tighter around Casper. James wasn't under any illusions- sharing was not caring unless someone also wanted to share James's knife in their guts. But that was for another time, not while the group was supposed to be relaxing and enjoying the party. He satisfied himself by gently knocking his head against Casper's back before turning his attention to Veil at the question.

"Would you mind grabbing water for Casper and me? It's been a long night." He asked Spark Plug at the offer, entirely unwillingly to move until Casper decided he'd had enough cuddling for a while. Thankfully, there was a show unfolding right in front of them as Selene made a beeline for her apparent daughter. Dinner, Dancing, drinks, and a show. Anytime Selene was involved, James knew it was going to turn into a shit show.

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Aleka offered Ermes a slow blink and a long moment before he finally committed quill to paper. “Ermes de Luca, Creation Genasian, fisher turned delivery boy, some skill with a blade, and an unhealthy amount of paranoia.” Aleka noted as he dried the ink and handed off the book to Vivian, who accepted it with another brief curtsey and swept quickly upstairs. Aleka carefully arraigned everything neatly on his desk before standing.

“If I may have your attention everyone, it is time we discuss the Bounty House, how it operates, the steps to be formally accepted, and what expectations will be placed upon you when you enter into our employ. Please feel free to take a seat as the length of our conversation is determined by your ability to grasp the subject matter.” Aleka explained as he made his way across the room to the fire place. “First and foremost, let us discuss the purpose of the Bounty House. This organization is meant to create a marketplace for employers and laborers to more easily find prosperous relationships in an era where a significant number of the active workforce has been relocated to Dranir. Employers or contract holders list job requests for a small fee with us and we, in turn, offer these jobs to those who we believe are mostly likely to successfully complete the job to the client’s satisfaction.”

“The Bounty House doesn’t turn down a job listing so long as they can pay the fee. As such, job requests vary wildly in their description. The Bounty House, for the sake of ease, assigns these to two categories: Contract or Mercenary. Contract jobs are those that are either recurring seasonally, permanently, or for some reason will last for longer than a phase of a single moon. Apprenticeships, farmhands, and other physical laboring jobs usually fall into this category. These don’t necessarily pay well but they are consistent and usually include some degree of housing and education built into the contract as they are more lenient in accepting those who aren’t well versed in the trade. More importantly, these are the safer options for job requests.” Aleka glanced around the room, settling on Kyreth as he spoke before moving on.

“Mercenary jobs are short term, goal oriented jobs that end once an objective is completed. Caravan guards, deliveries, bandit hunting, and other such goal driven jobs fall into this category. These jobs are usually more dangerous than contract jobs and they only pay once the job is complete. Of course, this means a greater pay off at the end but it means supplies, travel, and lodging are typically on your own coin.” Aleka explained in his flat, monotone voice, barely moving an inch as he spoke. “It is important for you to understand that the success of this Bounty House rests on the success of those in its employ, of you all gathered here. As such, what is available for you is heavily curated by myself and the other administration of the House and I will have no issue denying you access to any job that I believe that you will fail at. The more successful you are in your jobs, the more we will trust you to handle, the greater the rewards you will reap.”

“Gods above, Aleka! You’re boring me to tears! Put some enthusiasm into this. It sounds like you’re reciting straight from a book.” Cerric interrupted, shooing Aleka away from his spot and taking his place. “Apologies everyone but I was about to fall asleep and I’m one of the administration! Where were we… Right!” Cerric continued with a snap of his fingers. “I have no doubt that a number of you are interested in mercenary jobs. We don’t find fresh inspiration digging up the dirt, don’t expand our aetheric finesse sweating in front of a forge, or other mundane activities. Heroes are forged at the ends of blades, infamy and fame fought for, won, and lost over the corpses of our enemies, and it is the pounding of the blood and the sweat in your eyes that carry tales, build renown, and rake in gold. It is adversity that builds strength, character, skill, and fortune but you have to live to see that happen.”

“Those interested in Contract jobs, we get to have a nice conversation about what you’re looking for, where your interest and skills may best suit you for success, and other such easy topics right from the comfort of my own office, full of tea and biscuits, and sweets.” Cerric sighed happily before a sharp smirk wormed its way across his face. “Those interested in fame and fortune get to go through a little test. We’ll accompany you on a safer job, watch how you handle it, and evaluate whether or not you should even be permitted to accept those jobs, let alone more dangerous, better paying ones. We’ll pay you of course; we don’t expect you to work for free after all, but your performance determines your future so be sure to be on your best behavior.” Cerric paused briefly, water rolling between his fingers as he twirled a conjured orb absently.

“Before Cerric continues, I’d like to take this moment to open the floor to questions.” Aleka interrupted as Cerric opened his mouth to speak again. He gave Aleka a disgruntled look but shut his mouth rather than protesting. “Once you’ve satisfied your curiosity, we’ll discuss what you are interested in, some of the finer details of each request type, and your pending acceptance into the House.”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

James shook his head at the turn in conversation before he rested his head on Casper’s shoulder from his perch on his lap. He wasn’t ashamed to admit he was tired-- he’d underestimated how much effort it was to get the festivities before the gala established and take care of a child (and a Casper) that seemed to have a sixth sense for when they’d finally fallen asleep. He wouldn’t want it any other way though; he already had a full photo album of Casper and the baby because they were so cute together. They'd already had him for three weeks… time flew when you were trying to figure out how to keep from killing a baby, he supposed.

"That was too easy. Max is going to marry Strange, fuck Captain America, and kill Magneto." James laughed. Max would immediately do anything for more magic and this would get him in Strange's world easy peasy. Then he'd have a round with America's ass which left Magneto to take the worst option. James didn't know anything about Strange to say if it was the best arraignment but it seemed the most likely for the subject.

The Gifted - Concluded

Casper & James & Max & Ben

---

Location: The Tree
Skills: Mediumship, Summoning, Omega Level Healing, Magick

---

---

"So, um, not that I wasn't totally paying complete attention or anything but... I kinda forgot the entire plan, since my brain is freaking out that I now have a kid AND my dead bestie might now become my alive bestie?" Casper blurted, pacing back and forth slightly. Ben was sitting next to his own body with his legs crossed. "So... What is it you need me to do? I mean Ben is here, I can say hi to Ben, but I feel like you want something more? I've never done this before, you know, and I do not test well under pressure... I mean I never test well but.... Help?"

Caspers pacing and anxiety was starting to rub off on Max a little. He had already had some pre-resurrection jitters but now they were beginning to crawl up his skin thanks to Caspers own feelings. He held his hand out, placing it on his shoulder in an attempt to get him to slow down or simply stop pacing. "Calm down. You're making me anxious and we don't need an anxious spellcaster when we are about to attempt to raise the dead." Max took in a deep breath and held it for a count of five before finally letting it out slowly. "I'm not asking you to do anything you haven't already done countless times. I need you to find Ben's soul, and bring him forth to us. Manifest his entire soul. We can't have any missing pieces." He tried to sound cool, calm, and collected. Not wanting to show the dangerous undertone of he'll become evil and potentially murderous if you don't have a complete soul as it might make Casper freak out even more.

"How do I know what an entire soul is?" Casper asked, not calming down much despite Max's best efforts. People never really asked Casper to do anything delicate or thorough before - people never really asked him to do anything really. He just sorta tagged along, manifesting Ben on occasion when fights happened, but no one ever went up to Casper and gave him specific instructions on what to do. And the pressure was getting to him. "Can I practice on a rabbit, maybe? Can we bring back a bunny?"

James bopped his head in time with the rock in his headphones, Halestorm drowning out Casper and Max's anxious energy. Ben's corpse was an absolute mess, the violent lacerations and bullet wounds suggesting he was in deep shit when he died, and the more he sifted through the remains, the less optimistic he felt about this. There wasn't anything physically blocking the process but between his insides being as shook up as alcohol in a shaker and the degree of decay, it was going to be a hard sell and that wasn't even involving the danger he could potentially be putting himself in here.

James peeled off his gloves once he was satisfied and popped one of his ear buds out, "Gunna be honest here guys, this is gunna be rough. Ben's insides are a disaster so before we can even start, I need some references for where everything is supposed to be. There is an argument for scooping everything out and growing it from scratch but one, I've never done that much and two, I'd feel more comfortable with a base line. Max, you think you can hunt some down or do you think you can make some that are accurate? And then…" James hesitated, seeing how Casper was already a little nervous. They could cross the details of the danger later. "A defibulator, just in case."

"Like.... Like book references?" Casper asked, uncertain as to what exactly James needed. "Or... another dead body of a person who has a pocket dimension in their stomach that sprouts tentacles?" Casper then clarified. "Or just any sort of dead body?" Casper asked. He was feeling more confused and anxious the longer this went on. He didn't want to hurt Ben. He really didn't.

"Casper, calm down - it's going to be fine," Ben said. "Just breathe and trust James. He knows what he's doing. And I guess Max does too."

As Casper continued to panic, Max was already hard at work trying to make something that could aid James with what he wanted. He waved his hand, magic flowing out of them and settling nearby James until it solidified into a game of Operation. Casper still rambling about getting more bodies for James. Without knowing it, Max spoke in unison with Ben though his tone was different, more as if he was trying to convince himself and Casper at the same time. "Casper calm down. It's going to be fine. Everything is fine. Now…let me concentrate a bit please" He puffed out air from the corner of his mouth. Blowing away a tuft of hair from his face.

His hands trembled slightly as he held them out, trying once more to create a 3D model for James to use as reference. His tongue poked out the side as he concentrated on what he was making. A model being created before him showcasing all of the organs in the order they lay encased inside a plastic body. Max let out an exasperated sigh as he saw they weren't removable as he'd hoped. "That help?"

“Yeah, it will. Think you can pull off that defibrillator too?” James asked as he pulled out his other earbud and tucked them away in his pocket. Casper was an anxious mess and James couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t like they were resurrecting some random person they yanked out of the grave. This was Ben, a person who had been at Casper's side just as long as he’d been in the grave, and even ignoring the ever growing pile of unknowns about this, Casper’s life was going to change one way or another from this. His best friend would be able to leave, have a chance at a whole new life, in a way Casper probably hadn’t ever considered. James stepped away from the body and gently snagged Casper’s arm, reeling them in until their noses touched.

“Hey, handsome.” James spoke softly as he unabashedly admired the color of Casper’s eyes. “Talk to me, baby. What you thinking right now?”

Casper's eyes were watering. He stilled slightly at James touch, his jittering pacing coming to a halt. He breathed in, before looking back in James' eyes. "What if I kill Ben?" Casper whispered. "What if I destroy his soul or.... or I don't know, break him or something? And it's all my fault?" There was a part of him that was terrified of the change this would bring, of no longer always having Ben around, but the fear at the front of his mind was that everything would go horribly wrong. People always joked about Max breaking everything he touched, but Casper had a similar sort of problem - his father used to shout at him that he could never do anything right. And here he was, being asked to help with something that had to go perfectly - and Casper didn't think he was good enough for the job.

"It's my resurrection and you're making it all about you," Ben muttered bitterly under his breath.

Max watched as James and Casper shared a tender moment. He couldn't help but overhear what Casper was saying. His words resonated within him. He knew how Casper was feeling right now, because it was exactly how Max was feeling at this very moment. Even James, who continuously praised Max's powers, viewed Max like a mistake waiting to happen. Everyone did. And he couldn't fault them either, he'd had blowouts before. Spouts of uncontrollable power. For all his confidence, it was mostly bluster and hoped that he could actually achieve what he wanted. Yet here he was, trying to do something only the elite had ever accomplished. A resurrection.

Max wanted to say something to Casper. To lift his spirits and calm his nerves. Something that told him he wasn't a mistake or a fuck up or even just a junkie flatscan with a stretchy brother. But it wasn't his place to speak. James was there for him, just like Harry was there for Veil, and Marrow was for Sunshine. His heart ached for a moment as he felt alone for the first time in a long while. But he pushed the thoughts down, suppressing them as he focused on James' request. He tried to think of where to start, and when he'd finally thought he had it he snapped his fingers in a fit of excitement. His magic sprung to life and created a perfect defibrillator right before him.

“What we are attempting here is nothing short of a miracle. There is an element of risk to all parties involved, not just Ben, but if we want this to succeed, we have to accept that and put our energy into figuring this out. All three of us have fucked up and fucked up bad in the past. A demon took Magik’s soul because I couldn’t keep her alive. I still have nightmares about how death felt, how her soul was taken, how Sunshine grieved afterwards because I failed to save someone important to her. But it doesn’t mean I’ll fail here. If anything, it makes me more determined to succeed because Ben deserves a second chance to live.” James whispered back, barely even breaking eye contact to blink. “You won’t fuck this up, Casper. It doesn’t matter what anyone else has told you, it doesn’t matter what your bitch ass father told you, because I know you better than all of them. And I know not only are you loving and intelligent as hell but powerful and determined too. If you put your all into this, pour every bit of care for Ben into making this work, then I have no doubt that you’ll do perfectly. I have always believed in you even when you’ve doubted yourself and that isn’t stopping now because you are fucking amazing and no one is stopping my man from getting his best friend back.

If Casper hadn't been on the verge of tears before, he definitely was now. He didn't try to stop the tears from flowing though, letting them fall as he hugged James tightly. Somehow, his amazing soulmate always knew the right thing to say. "Okay," Casper sniffled. "You're also, like, really hot right now and should give this speech again later," Casper whispered. "Alright, let's fucking do this!" he exclaimed, stepping away from James and rubbing his hands together. "We're gonna bring back Ben! And then we're gonna go get wasted to celebrate!"

Max listened in to James' little rallying speech. He had to give him credit, he gave damn good motivational speeches. But as he began to mention Magik and how he'd failed her, a knot formed in his stomach. He hadn't failed Magik, hell Magik hadn't even died. From their perspective she had passed on and been claimed by a demon into the afterlife. In reality she had just been taken across the pond to go fight in some superhero team over there. Now wasn't the time to mention it, he didn't need to ruin the foundations James had already laid down to get Casper where he was now. But he would need to pull James aside later to let him know of just how perfect he actually is.

Max clapped his hands in an attempt to get their attention, shaking off some of the nerves and concerns he had himself. "Alright. Well if everyone's ready then we have to start with James. Because before we can do anything we need Ben's body in working order. That'll be step one." He had no full idea what he was doing, but he knew this needed to happen. They needed this win.

James snorted at Casper's enthusiasm as he turned his attention to Max. No one was getting wasted after this because no one had any idea how someone resurrected would react and frankly, James was 99.9% sure they were going to need to keep an eye on Ben. "Let me get the organs in shape first and then we'll get started." He said, pulling on a new set of gloves. James scrunched his nose as he opened bags of organs, checking and double checking with Max's statue as he did. Once he was satisfied with everything's placement, he looked at Max and Casper.

Both were eager to get this started and he could only imagine Ben was as well. Honestly, James wasn't even sure this was possible; this was a fucking corpse, not a living, breathing creature, and James hadn't ever tried to restore something that wasn't alive. And not to mention the little caveat that typically vitals between who he was healing and himself aligned but how would that happen with a God damned cadaver? He's had brushes with death before and each one left him shaking, terrified, and with his heart on the verge of stopping. Hopefully, Max and Casper could figure out how to use the defibrillator if it came to that.

James peeled off his gloves and dropped them in the trash, taking a steadying breath before placing his hands directly on Ben's corpse. It was an unpleasant experience but James shoved that down, closed his eyes, and focused. It was different that a living being. There was normally breath, a pulse, some warmth even if it was fading, but the emptiness started early. The familiar sinking felt distant, syncing up to something still, cold, and quiet, as he pushed and pushed, trying to get something, anything, to respond but it was like trying to push a mountain. There was no one to heal, no processes to coax along, nothing that suggested this was possible.

He couldn't breath. His lungs burned, screaming for air, even as he felt his heart slow down further and further and further. The familiar roar of blood in his ears dwindled further and further and further until there was nothing, nothing, nothing tethering him to the here and now. The clutch of emptiness reached into his chest, a cold and lonely feeling, and flashes of memories flickered in his eyes: Luna gasping surrounded by glass, Magik still and unmoving on concrete, Casper bleeding out a floor covered in confetti and glitter. He couldn't catch his breath, couldn't feel his heartbeat, couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't…

He sucked in a breath as he felt a familiar connection and he chased it, pushing everything he had into that feeling. He felt flesh and muscle and bone shift and grow, sluggish at first but as he rode the high of living, it came faster and faster and faster. Dulled, pale skin darkened to a healthy hue and gashes and rot closed and healed. When he opened his eyes, the steady thump of Ben's heart under his hand gave the illusion the boy on the table was sleeping. "Well, fuck. Step 1 complete, I guess. James laughed, breathless and lightheaded after the ordeal.

Casper started to panic, able to tell when his true love was in horrible shape. He had almost screamed for them to stop when James took in a sudden breath, and Ben's corpse started to look not nearly as decayed as when they had begun. He looked more alive than Casper could have even remembered. Ben (the ghost, not the corpse) was tearing up slightly - Casper hadn't even known it was possible for ghosts to cry.

"This is going to work...It's going to work!"

"Is that me then? That's me then, right?" Casper stammered, feeling hope swelling up in his heart, so much hope it could've broken his chest. Casper didn't know how he was going to do this, and as much as he had been completely terrified less than ten minutes ago, James' speech and James' victory over death had inspired him. Somehow, while Casper didn't know what needed to be done, he could feel it - he had always been more emotionally intelligent than intellectually intelligent anyways. He focused on every memory he had with Ben - the good, the bad, and the ugly. He focused on his best friend, on how much he couldn't wait to have Ben back, on how good it would feel to finally make right what had happened all those years ago.

Blue energy started swirling around not only just Casper, whose eyes were like two glowing orbs at this point, but the living corpse of Ben Hargreeves. The corpse began to float ever so slightly off the ground. Ben's ghost was suddenly visible to everyone, as Ben was drawn into his own corpse, merging with it, the blue light growing more and more intense until no one was really sure where Ben ended and the living corpse began.

"Max, you're it!!!!!" Casper shouted. The blue spiritual energy was humming loudly, a vibration they could all feel inside their skulls.

Max stood by, dumbfounded as he watched James not only mend a broken corpse, but as his lover began to radiate a brilliant blue energy that resonated with the body of Ben. He could feel the immense power humming through him as Caspers words finally sunk in. Ben's body was placed in the center of the space, his head pointed towards an array of candles that were unlit above his head like the canopy of a tree. More candles spread out towards his feet, farther apart and in waving lines acting as the tree's root system while Ben's body made up the trunk. Max stood by Ben's left side, worry filling him as he was afraid he'd mess this all up.

Casper and James had played their parts better than could ever be hoped, and now it all fell to Max to bring it home. A shaky breath escaped him as he summoned his soul staff and began to infuse it with magic. He raised it up high, slamming it down into Ben's center hoe Pixie had instructed him. At first nothing happened. The room was silent save for the humming of Caspers powers and the now raspy inhale of Max as he worried he'd messed it all up. He closed his eyes, letting out a smooth and calmed inhale. Imagining how his powers would flow through him and into Ben, tethering his body to his soul. He thought of the symbolism and why he'd chosen this space, Pixie's space, to perform the ritual. A hollowed tree in complete privacy as if made for this exact thing.

Max thought of Yggdrasil, the sacred tree of the Norse and its other moniker The Tree of Life. A symbol of Life, Death, and Rebirth and whose roots extended through the realms. As he focused on his powers, and how they would meld with the space around him, all the candles began to light in a golden hue before flickering to match the same blue of Caspers powers. It started with one candle, then another, as the canopy of the makeshift World Tree began to come into light, flowing towards Ben's body who now radiated with Casper and Max's powers before the light extended and moved into the roots of the candles below his feet. Rebirth. Max let out another long and steady breath now laced with cosmic magic as it flowed between two lungs and into Ben's giving him the breath of life.

James had often wondered when he met God, what would he feel? Now in the presence of the love of his life and his best friend, James imagined it would feel much like this. Watching death and life bend at the command of mere mortals was both humbling and exhilarating, both awe inspiring and terrifying. He nearly teared up as, despite all Casper’s hesitations and doubts, the blue of Casper’s power engulfed him and Ben alike, bringing soul and body into one. Confidence looked amazing on his man and not the facade he put on in the morning and wore like armor. Casper looked like he realized he was powerful and James never wanted Casper to doubt it again.

And Max. Honestly, while their daily lives drifted a little further since Genosha, James never stopped thinking of Max as his best friend. They’d gotten into this mess together and they’d get out of it together too. James held firm to that belief even when Max drifted to the Hellfire Club and he was so god damn glad he did. Seeing Max in front of him, slowing down, keeping his panic under control, refocusing and bringing his full range of skill to bear was a goddamn masterpiece, a far cry from the startled boy who thought no one saw him accidentally make a pillow with his crush’s face on it. He almost started crying, pride and love and plain wonder wetting his eyes, but they had a mission. He could cry later.

They’d played their parts: a body to live, a soul to bind, and the magic to do it. James reached out, gently touching Ben’s hand where he still floated in a halo of light. “Ben?” James called softly, unsure how he’d adjust to a permanent physical form so connecting just in case something went wrong.

"Come on, buddy - open those gorgeous gorgeous eyes for us," Casper asked, the blue fading from around him and around Ben. He could feel it deep inside - that Ben was no longer in the Void, that he had found his way back to the living. A stupid grin spread across Casper's face. Sure, it was a little weird that Ben was more or less a teenager (Casper hadn't questioned it when Ben's ghost seemed to age in the afterlife) - but he was just so happy to have his best friend back. The fears and worries that had been eating away at him were absent, at least for the moment.

Ben coughed and opened his eyes. It had been an intense rush of sensation, like stabbing himself with all the adrenaline a hospital could supply while competing in the Olympics and belting out a song all at once. Every bit of his being felt fried beyond recognition. He had forgotten too the sounds of his own body - the feeling of having blood pumping through his veins, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, the little tingles going up through his body that began at his toes.

Ben started coughing profusely. He opened his mouth and tried to speak, only to find that he couldn't really. His mouth was as dry as a desert - maybe even drier. Ben held up his left hand, and folded down his pinky and thumb. He tapped his index finger to his chin. He knew Casper didn't know sign language, but maybe either Max or James did? Ben was in desperate need of some water.

It took a moment, mostly due to shock, but Max had recognized the motion Ben was making. He took enough ASL in school to get a few words, nothing that he'd consider himself fluent in. One of the few sentences he even knew how to sign was The boy is drinking water. The sign brought a smile to his face, a stupid dopey smile. "What? The McDonald's wasn't enough?" he teased as he twirled his wrist counterclockwise and a large glass of water appeared in his hand. "It's good to see you buddy. Like, actually see you." Max offered the glass of water towards Ben, giving James a bit of a look as he saw his hand on Ben.

He wished he could know what he was feeling. How his vitals were, or even his mental state. He desperately wished to know the full outcome, but all he would know for now is that to an extent it worked. Ben didn't seem like a homicidal mutant with a missing soul so far. He realized they were starting to crowd around Ben a bit. "Um, Should we give him some space? Let him drink and breathe before we all tackle him into a group hug he so desperately deserves?"

James let out a sigh of relief. They'd actually managed to bring someone back from the fucking dead. When Max first explained it, he could barely wrap his head around the idea but here they fucking did it. He let Max figure out what Ben needed bit shook his head at Max's suggestions. "I'm going to stay in contact with him until I'm sure he can stand and function fine. I'm still not 100% convinced we succeeded with a perfect success."

Ben gulped down the water desperately, only to cough. His throat felt like it was full of sand. His body had been reanimated, but that didn't wash the taste of death out of his mouth. Everything felt stunningly vivid and yet sliding out of focus, like looking through 3D glasses at the movies and then suddenly taking them away. The weight of his head felt weird and unnatural as he turned to look at James, trying to reassure them all that he was fine, that he felt great - only for Ben to suddenly lurch and begin to vomit up maggots. Most of the maggots were dead, likely killed by the embalming fluid used. Other gunk was coming up with the maggots, litering the floor of Arbor Magna.

"Oh my god, this is so gross..." Casper murmured, feeling a little queasy himself. He was naturally a bit squeamish, especially when it came to his best friend VOMITING MAGGOTS! Casper closed his eyes, doing all he could to not puke himself. "How nasty was the water you gave him, Maxie?" Casper then asked. It was unclear whether Casper genuinely believed that it was Max's fault or not.

The vomiting ceased and finally Ben spoke. His voice was soft and broken, sounding like a smoker on their deathbed - but it was him all the same. "Ugh... McDonalds..."

The room was filled with the dim glow of blue light from the candles. No flames, only mystic light that remained after the ritual had ended. There was a bit of nervousness in the air as everyone seemed to wonder just how successful it had all actually gone. While Ben seemed to be doing fine, he suddenly lurched forward and began to vomit up dead maggots and other things. Max's stomach dropped immensely and then tried to bounce back up with such force that he himself thought he might vomit. The lights suddenly flickered and ceased, illuminating the blue glow from the room. "Ben. That. Smells…rancid" Max tried not to look, afraid he may throw up. "Listen I heard ghosts liked McDonalds ok?"

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Renegade’s Apartment
Skills: N/A

James was hoping the answers Casper offered would be reassuring but they made him more worried if anything. He doubted anyone would have any reasonable answer to the moral delimenia of resurrection but he’d hoped that because they were already dead, the souls of the people they were dragging back into a corpse would get off scotch free if anything went wrong. But when could it ever be consequence free for any of them, dead or alive. James sighed at the thought and instead focused on the now, where Casper’s mother was staring at them with hopefully something that wasn’t horror. James offered her a sheepish smile.

“Uh, you’re a grandparent now. Surprise?” James laughed awkwardly. “Hi Miranda, hey Jack. So I’m really sorry to ask this last minute but is there any way you can watch Danny for a little bit? Veil and Spark Plug contacted us while we were leaving the hospital and apparently, they found a way to bring people back and they need us and I don’t know what that entails but we haven’t had a chance to get anything besides what’s in the bag which should tide you over for a while and then we’ll come pick him up and get all the other stuff we need so hopefully it takes an hour tops but I have absolutely no information so it might take more time but I’m just going to put my foot down on more than one person right now if this doesn’t have horrible consequences like everything else we do and then I’ll just stop it permanently but that-” James shut his mouth with an audible click as he realized he was just going to go on and on until someone interjected.

“But, uh, we’d really appreciate it if you could? I’ll make it up to you somehow.”