Scars of Life

“He hasn’t changed yet, mom. He hasn’t woken up. I don’t know what we can do if he wakes up and still isn’t himself.” Sheila was pacing back and forth across her home. Her mother was sitting down, watching her daughter worry.

“Darling, he is a strong man. He’ll pull through this. He always does.” Sheila stopped pacing to give her mom a sad smile.

“Nothing like this has happened before mom. We just don’t know for sure if he even will wake up. He has never been out for longer than a day, and it has already been a week.” Sheila resumed her pacing, holding her head in her hands. Her mother could see tears slipping through and falling to the ground.

“You know sweety, he could probably use his best friend right now. If you say he knew what was going on from inside last time, maybe he is still paying attention.” The older woman didn’t quite understand the curse, but she was trying her best to help her daughter. “It might help him wake up faster to hear from you.” Sheila’s mother hoped her unspoken words were heard by her child.

Sheila continued pacing for a few moments after her mother finished speaking. She eventually came to a stop and nodded towards her mother. “I think you’re right. I hope you’re right. I’m going to go see him. Thank you so much, Mom.” Sheila hugged her mother before she dashed off towards the castle.

Vexus looked down at the still form of his son. Worry was written clear across his face, as was a look of helplessness. Xentros had been completely motionless, aside from the rise and fall of his chest. “Is there no healer that could wake him up? Is there honestly nothing we can do for my boy?” Vexus had been locked in the room with his son, only advisors and healers coming in.

Thee, another person who had been with Xentros the whole time, looked up from the list he was holding. “That’s every healer we have in Illiu. None of them have been able to help them, and any attempts to fix his left hand or right arm have resulted in injuries to the healer. I don’t know what this is, sir.” He placed the list down and looked at his student. While Xentros laid on the bed unable to be healed, Thee’s wounds were healed before the end of the first day. Said wounds being a purple scorch mark across his torso, and a few broken bones.

“Why are they trying to help me? I could have killed them. I should just be left here to rot.” Xentros had been bashing himself since he woke up in his mindscape. “I nearly blasted straight through Thee, and who knows what that attack would have done to Sheila. I am a menace, and I could very well be the person who destroys Illiu and its inhabitants. I shouldn’t be allowed to live.” These conversations played over and over again, never letting him forget what he did. Not allowing him to sleep, and worsening his mood each time.

There was a knock on the door. Xentros heard his father usher the person in and feared for their well-being. He pictured how they would try and heal his burn, and have it sting them, and they’d leave deeming it a failure. This was almost always the course though sometimes they would try and wake him up first. It never ended well either way, and he hated himself for it.

The one thing he hated most though was what he got out of this. In the moment before he regained some control and shoved Sheila away from him is when he admitted it to himself: he was in love with his best friend. He finally understood why he started feeling weird around her, acknowledging why he made it an even greater effort to try and be by her side whenever possible. His feelings for her had probably developed some time ago, and while his dad saw it before, he could not. Now, however, he was merely lying defeated on a bed by a curse he wanted to be rid of. He wanted to cease to be and leave the world which he felt he would destroy if his body ever moved again. Above all else, though, was his wish for Sheila to forget about him and the pain he must have caused her.

The door opened slowly, and while Xentros couldn’t see, he knew exactly who it was. The light steps that were made as they entered the room; the gentle way in which the door was closed; and the smell he had grown so familiar with. Xentros screamed in his mind, “No! What are you doing here?! I don’t want to hurt you anymore! Leave, before I wake up and cause you more harm…” He trailed off as he was talking. It was hopeless for him, and he knew it.

Vexus spoke first. “Ah, Sheila my dear. I was wondering when you would be by to visit him.” The King rose from his position and motioned for her to sit. “As much as I would love to stay with my son, I must tend to the nation. You’ll keep him company, I hope?”

Sheila shifted her vision from the sleeping form of her friend towards her king. She bowed in response and said a relatively quiet “Yes.” before straightening herself out. She walked past Vexus and sat in his former chair. She looked across from her to see Thee rise from his chair.

“I must be going as well. I need to check on something.” Thee gave a weak smile to Sheila before exiting behind Vexus.

Sheila looked back down at the sleeping form before her. She looked at his left hand, the one closest to her, and thought for a moment. She hesitantly reached her own hand towards it before flinching back. Xentros felt the wind over his hand shift and knew what probably happened. He began to cry to himself, wondering how she didn’t hate him for what he did. Sheila held her own hand for a moment to steady it before she said aloud “You aren’t allowed to leave me like this. You said you were going to make me royal, right? You better keep that promise, Xentros. Don’t tell me that you’re giving up; I’ll have none of it. The…” She trailed off. It was what felt like an eternity for Xentros before she did anything he could notice. He felt a pressure on his hand and heard her continue.

“The man I love is stronger than this.”

Sheila closed her eyes and let a tear fall from her eye. The hand under hers became more smooth, though it was lost on the girl.

Thee leaned away from the door and walked toward the library in search of his answers.

King Vexus heard what was said from his place down the hall, and let a small but sad smile cross his face.

Xentros felt a burning on the right side of his face, and the ceiling blurred into sight.