I hugged Jonah to me not minding the two soldiers left. The last two soldiers were wary of us, especially Jonah. They made sure not to make their eyes meet his. My water doused their flames, pissing one off. He ran with his spear at the ready. I winced. This was going to hurt. Jonah glared at the last soldiers, and we dissipated into the shadows stumping the guards. From the shadows, we could see the two guards running around like scared pups. Jonah let go and looked at me. I didn’t feel any tugging on my soul and I smiled back nodding.

  “What do we do with dumb and dumber,” he asked as he stood.

  “What should we do? We need to get rid of them but maybe we just need to get past them for now?” I said.

  “It could be risky. They could report to the fire witch,” he said.

  “We’ll have to risk it. You are in no shape to fight,” I said, daring him to disagree.

  “No, I’m not. That soul messed me up,” he muttered, clutching his chest.

  “Do you still not feel good,” I asked worriedly. I had seen that soul. It wasn’t like the rest. I had seen that soul be dragged out and Jonah absorbed it. I’m sure the others did too. It was what kept them off our backs. Fear. They were afraid of Jonah. Well, I wasn’t! I already told him so and even now knowing what he could truly do I wasn’t afraid of him. I had faith he wouldn’t turn those eyes on me no matter how mad he was. He was my friend now and I trusted him.

  Maryanne: Yet you don’t trust him with the knowledge of us

  Strength: Yeah

  Mark: They’ve only been close for a little less than three weeks.

  Jessica: Long enough to get to know one another at least

  Roy: Intimately hehe

  Jack: Give her a break. They just met and the dude went from a stinker to a semi-reliable friend. Right now I don’t think she should tell him about us. It could jeopardize everything!

  I agreed. Even though Jonah was considered my friend, there was nothing to stop him from becoming a bully again once we reached Earth. I wasn’t one to put myself in that kind of position with just anyone. The person had to be a very close friend. Very close or it was an emergency whichever came first. I wasn’t close enough to Jonah for him to know about them yet and on some level I never wanted him to know about them. I was ashamed of not being like everyone else. I know it wasn’t my fault but I felt like it was. I felt like I was the defective one. Every time I had to battle them to sleep next to Jonah I felt useless and underhanded and worse I was lying, wasn’t I?

  Maryanne: For good reason!

  Strength: Ya can’t trust him!

  Mark: I agree

  Jessica: We should give him a chance

  Roy: I agree with Maryanne, Jess. The guy’s still too dangerous.

  Jessica: Mark my words! One day we’re going to have to rely on him and we’ll be sorry he didn’t now!

  Jack: I’m going to have to disagree with all of ya. I say give it some more time then if it comes to it, tell him.

  I agreed with Jack. I’d give it some more time and see. What could possibly happen? I already have two new voices, five more cooking in my subconsciousness but I’m sure I’ll be home before anything else happens. No, the big question now was what to do about those guards. Jonah couldn’t kill them if they didn’t look at him, and we could only hide in the shadows for so long.

  “Jonah, we’ll bypass the guards. It’s safer. The faster we get to the oracle the faster we can stop your transformation,” I said.

  “The other oracle said I can stop the transformation myself. I have to look through my memories and knowledge she said...whatever that means,” he muttered, coughing.

  “It means that the knowledge to stop the transformation lies within your memories and knowledge. I think she was talking about your runes knowledge!” I said. He had started to teach me runes a few days back. I was on the twenty-seventh symbol. I couldn’t really help him. There were five hundred runes! He picked me up and began walking past the guards.

  “I hope I can remember something tonight,” he muttered, picking up speed. We were soon gone from the battle sight and he re-emerged. We were still heading west, right? I didn’t know. He assured me we were and pointed to the sun. I didn’t understand a thing about traveling and was glad he did. We made camp and I studied the twenty-seven symbols I knew. Hmm, if I string the eye and the hand I can make a rune spell for memory but would this help him or worsen his condition?

  Maryanne: You should try it

  Strength: The jerk deserves whatever happens to im

  Mark: When are you going to let go of the grudge lug head?

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Jessica: Geeze, I say try it and see

  Roy: It might bring something useful up

  Jack: When did I turn into the voice of reason? Be careful, there are things we would rather forget and the subconsciousness makes us forget for a reason.

  I nodded and approached Jonah who was making the whole rune alphabet of five hundred symbols. I watched as he traced the symbols with his brush. The way he dipped his brush and wiped the excess ink without stopping to look. I wasn’t nearly so graceful. I still blotted the paper sometimes. My eyes followed his brush strokes, each one a dance upon the paper. He made it seem so easy and I realized that maybe his childhood was full of being the perfect son and maybe I shouldn’t envy his skills. They were earned from a harsh childhood. At least in my childhood, I acted like a child! I approached him and told him my plan.

  He smirked. “Not bad. Think you can make these signs and paint them on me? Have you thought of a chant that might work with them? Have you thought of a counter in case it's needed?” he shot one after the other.

  I scowled and placed my hands on my hips. “Hey! I may not be perfect but I am trying for your sake,” I snap, throwing my sloppy brushwork at him.

  He catches it and sighs. “I know. I’m...sorry. I’m used to being like that to everyone,” he said.

  “What, a jerk?” I replied, smirking.

  “Yeah, I can be a serious pain,” he muttered, grinning.

  “Apology accepted. So what do you think?” I suddenly asked, an anxious student wanting her teacher’s praise.

  “It’s missing a few signs for balance but those can easily be added here and here,” he pointed to between the symbols and at each end. “It would do its intended purpose, at least. I wasn’t kidding about having a backup in case something goes wrong. These types of spells are finicky and show anything so maybe add a focus symbol? I haven’t taught you yet. Those are harder to get. You need to specify your focus and then link that to the original spell,” he said, glancing at me.

  I nodded. “Ok, can you show me the focus symbol and its corresponding matrix? I want to get this on you as soon as possible,” I asked, smiling slightly.

  He smirked and nodded. “Come on. I’ll show you what you need for this spell,” he said and I stepped forward kneeling in front of him ready to learn. He took a new sheet of rice paper from the supplies the oracle gave us, drew a matrix of seals, and began explaining each and how they connected to each, I learned that and a protection array. I learned how to cast the protection array and studied the matrix. I saw where it would link with the original spell. The matrix was complex and I could see where I would have trouble with it.

  He had been specific but not specific enough with the whole thing leaving room for improvement from me. There was room for a few more signs and I knew what they would be. The protection array. It worked by protecting the mind. It would work as my backup plan. I got to work and began to draw. Two hours later I wiped my forehead and sat back looking at my spell. I knew it would work. Now I needed a chant.

  Maryanne: Into the memories

  Strength: we travel

  Mark: Oppolomei, please

  Jessica: approve?

  Roy: I beseech this journey sounds better

  Jack: and protect this mind I sacrifice to thee sounds cool to add.

  Thanks guys!

  “Into the memories we shall travel, Oppolomei, please I beseech this journey of you. I place this mind in your caring hands. Protect him,” I muttered.

  “Perfect chant,” he said, smirking from across the fire.

  “Good. What do you think of the array,” I asked, showing him the final matrix I made. He took the paper and studied it. He raised his eyebrows and whistled. “Sure you’ve never done this before? This is the work of a Medium already,” he said, glancing at me.

  I scratch behind my right ear. “Well, I am good at languages,” I said, blushing.

  “Scary good,” he muttered smirking, and handed the sheet back. “You have to apply that array on me somewhere where it probably fits, the chest,” he muttered and I blushed.

  Maryanne: Oh boy!

  Strength: That scoundrel!

  Mark: Can we do it?

  Jessica Whoo! You go, girl!

  Roy: Finally some touching!

  Jack: You said it, Maryanne. You said it.

  “Y-Your chest?” I asked actually stuttering.

  He nodded and pointed at the array. “See these two signs? They can’t be unhinged by any means so the array has to be written as one straight line. Vertical would be best,” he said.

  I nearly fainted. That was a lot of skin. Too much! My voices must be having a party.

  Jonah was lying shirtless and I could only stare.

  Maryanne: We have a job to do Myra!

  Strength: Get it together, girl!

  Mark: You’ve seen a naked boy before

  Jessica Eww! He was her brother!

  Roy: Get to the touching already!

  Jack: Nice and easy Myra. Nice and easy.

  I do have a job to do! I need to buck up and stop blushing. I approached Jonah and kneeled beside the brush and ink. I picked it up and dunked the tip in the ink, blotting it on the lid and the extra piece of paper.

  I breathed in and out. “Ok, relax. This will be over faster if you relax,” I muttered.

  “I am relaxed,” he said.

  “I know!” I shouted and sighed “Sorry, just nervous,” I said, as I raised on my knees, and pressed my hand to his chest. The other began drawing the symbols.

  He chuckled. “That tickles.”

  I smiled and kept drawing.

  Roy: Touch him lower!

  Jessica: No higher!

  Strength: No don’t!

  Jessica: Hell yes!

  Maryanne: You keep drawing Myra!

  Mark: Keep drawing

  Jack: keep drawing and be careful Myra you almost messed up!

  “Shut it!” I muttered as I pulled away before I drew the wrong symbol. I blew on the symbols that already had him in chuckles from the tickling feeling of the brush dancing across his skin. His hand was patting my head gently and I relaxed slightly. I dipped the brush and began again, linking the second half of the array to the first and finishing it. I waited for the ink to dry and then I pressed my hand against the hand glancing at him.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  “Yes,” he replied.

  I closed my eyes. “Into the memories, we shall travel, Oppolomei, please I beseech this journey of you. I place this mind in your caring hands. Protect him,” I chanted and watched as the symbols glowed and channeled golden energy. I looked up, Jonah was out cold.