6 min read
Seeking Revenge
July 5, 2019
Today, Ryder was feeling much better and had essentially fully recovered. His freckles were colorful and his cream-colored skin was healthy once more. The one problem he seemed to have was with his magic. He barely had any strength to perform any sort of magic whatsoever. This weakness stemmed, he thought, more from the fact that Erryd stole most of it during his escape than anything else. Sadly, he felt as though he would never be as strong as he was prior to Erryd's takeover or the Trader fiasco.
Ryder's health the past month had really been everyone’s primary concern, but not his own. He was more worried with what Erryd was doing. He couldn’t rest easy knowing his shadow self was out there potentially running amok. He had to get involved. He had to do something. It was time to bring Reuben into the fold.
The frei and his companion, Alice, floated out into the dining area where Reuben was setting up the table for dinner. “Reuben, may I request that we speak?” The frei asked, propping himself against the counter as Reuben sat a fork and knife down upon a white cloth napkin next to the plate.
“Of course, how’re you feeling?” Reuben asked, turning to Ryder with a soft smile.
“Much better, thank you,” he began. “But I feel as though Erryd needs to be dealt with.” Ryder finished, his tone firm and filled with concern.
“Yes, I agree. I’ve already filed a missing person’s report. All we can do now is wait until someone finds him.” Reuben replied, his smile fading into concern as he grabbed another set of silverware and sat it onto another napkin.
“No, I mean I need to go after him.”
Reuben chuckled and shook his head, thinking this a jest at first only to realize Ryder's face showed no signs of faltering from its stoic state. “Absolutely not. What if I ask Dr. Kyou to intervene? I’m sure he has some sort of henchmen or something that could take care of Erryd. Plus, I’m sure he’d be quite interested in figuring out how this all occurred in the first place.”
“No, we mustn’t involve him. I do not wish others that I barely know involved at all. The fact that you have already alerted the authorities irks me to no end. This is a problem that I, alone, must bear. Erryd is something I, like it or not, created. Thus, he is my responsibility.”
Reuben sat another plate down and turned his full attention to his charge and Alice, who hadn’t spoken a word. He sighed, taking a moment to think of how he should respond. “That’s very noble, Ryder; but you can’t be serious. You are in no shape to do anything. You’re still recovering. Plus, that is so incredibly dangerous. If he was able to plot this elaborate ‘escape’ in the first place, not to mention the fact that he kept you locked up for months under the floorboards with no one the wiser, who’s to say you won’t get hurt worse this time?" Reuben began, seeing still no signs of his charge faltering in his ideals, the guardian continued, shaking his head. "Nope, there is no way I will allow you to do anything of the sort. Go lay down, rest, and stop worrying about Erryd. He will be found by police soon enough. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
Ryder’s eyes narrowed. His guardian didn’t understand how dire the situation truly was. He had no idea of the Trader, nor what Erryd was truly capable of with the power to create reality. Ryder had kept information to Reuben and Evan at the bare minimum.
The frei huffed a moment before turning around and floating past Alice into his room angrily. Alice followed behind, entering and closing the door behind her. “Do you truly believe you are ready for a meeting with Erryd? How do you even expect to win? Reuben does have a point," Alice said, concern apparent in her tone. It was rare for her to agree with the guardian. However, she did feel as though it would almost be irresponsible to allow Ryder, still recovering, to entangle himself in this situation alone.
“I do not know, if I am to be honest. I have not the brute strength nor the magic to take him down. I would be a fool to try doing so alone. After all, if everything Reuben has said about Erryd in the months I was in a coma is true -- and he has been practicing a lot with that reality magic -- I fear we are in deeper trouble than previously anticipated. He even stole my spellbook. All of my notes on any magic I may retain in this shell of a frei are there. What can I even do?"
“Well, he may have your spellbook, but you still have the confidence you acquired in the dreamscape, don't dare lose it now."
“I shan't, but I also mustn't let my confidence turn into arrogance. I need to realize my weakness is the fact that I am basically a mundane being now. No poison, barely any magic. I just need some sort of leverage."
Alice looked at him with her wide-set eyes blankly. “Well, you have friends. You have me. That in and of itself should be leverage he won't have on his side. I know you want to do this alone, but you need support, especially since you have such little magic left within you."
“You are right. I do have you and I do have friends...which reminds me," the frei paused a moment, scratching his chin, "Xiu has dealt with the Trader before. Let me contact him, maybe he knows something that can help. If my original inclinations are correct, then to find Erryd, we must first find the Trader.”
The frei took out his cellphone and frantically began a message to Xiu, explaining the entire situation. From the Trader’s appearance, the fateful trade itself, to every aspect following dealing with Erryd and his coma. It was far worse than he feared. It was time to take down the traitors.
Ryder's health the past month had really been everyone’s primary concern, but not his own. He was more worried with what Erryd was doing. He couldn’t rest easy knowing his shadow self was out there potentially running amok. He had to get involved. He had to do something. It was time to bring Reuben into the fold.
The frei and his companion, Alice, floated out into the dining area where Reuben was setting up the table for dinner. “Reuben, may I request that we speak?” The frei asked, propping himself against the counter as Reuben sat a fork and knife down upon a white cloth napkin next to the plate.
“Of course, how’re you feeling?” Reuben asked, turning to Ryder with a soft smile.
“Much better, thank you,” he began. “But I feel as though Erryd needs to be dealt with.” Ryder finished, his tone firm and filled with concern.
“Yes, I agree. I’ve already filed a missing person’s report. All we can do now is wait until someone finds him.” Reuben replied, his smile fading into concern as he grabbed another set of silverware and sat it onto another napkin.
“No, I mean I need to go after him.”
Reuben chuckled and shook his head, thinking this a jest at first only to realize Ryder's face showed no signs of faltering from its stoic state. “Absolutely not. What if I ask Dr. Kyou to intervene? I’m sure he has some sort of henchmen or something that could take care of Erryd. Plus, I’m sure he’d be quite interested in figuring out how this all occurred in the first place.”
“No, we mustn’t involve him. I do not wish others that I barely know involved at all. The fact that you have already alerted the authorities irks me to no end. This is a problem that I, alone, must bear. Erryd is something I, like it or not, created. Thus, he is my responsibility.”
Reuben sat another plate down and turned his full attention to his charge and Alice, who hadn’t spoken a word. He sighed, taking a moment to think of how he should respond. “That’s very noble, Ryder; but you can’t be serious. You are in no shape to do anything. You’re still recovering. Plus, that is so incredibly dangerous. If he was able to plot this elaborate ‘escape’ in the first place, not to mention the fact that he kept you locked up for months under the floorboards with no one the wiser, who’s to say you won’t get hurt worse this time?" Reuben began, seeing still no signs of his charge faltering in his ideals, the guardian continued, shaking his head. "Nope, there is no way I will allow you to do anything of the sort. Go lay down, rest, and stop worrying about Erryd. He will be found by police soon enough. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
Ryder’s eyes narrowed. His guardian didn’t understand how dire the situation truly was. He had no idea of the Trader, nor what Erryd was truly capable of with the power to create reality. Ryder had kept information to Reuben and Evan at the bare minimum.
The frei huffed a moment before turning around and floating past Alice into his room angrily. Alice followed behind, entering and closing the door behind her. “Do you truly believe you are ready for a meeting with Erryd? How do you even expect to win? Reuben does have a point," Alice said, concern apparent in her tone. It was rare for her to agree with the guardian. However, she did feel as though it would almost be irresponsible to allow Ryder, still recovering, to entangle himself in this situation alone.
“I do not know, if I am to be honest. I have not the brute strength nor the magic to take him down. I would be a fool to try doing so alone. After all, if everything Reuben has said about Erryd in the months I was in a coma is true -- and he has been practicing a lot with that reality magic -- I fear we are in deeper trouble than previously anticipated. He even stole my spellbook. All of my notes on any magic I may retain in this shell of a frei are there. What can I even do?"
“Well, he may have your spellbook, but you still have the confidence you acquired in the dreamscape, don't dare lose it now."
“I shan't, but I also mustn't let my confidence turn into arrogance. I need to realize my weakness is the fact that I am basically a mundane being now. No poison, barely any magic. I just need some sort of leverage."
Alice looked at him with her wide-set eyes blankly. “Well, you have friends. You have me. That in and of itself should be leverage he won't have on his side. I know you want to do this alone, but you need support, especially since you have such little magic left within you."
“You are right. I do have you and I do have friends...which reminds me," the frei paused a moment, scratching his chin, "Xiu has dealt with the Trader before. Let me contact him, maybe he knows something that can help. If my original inclinations are correct, then to find Erryd, we must first find the Trader.”
The frei took out his cellphone and frantically began a message to Xiu, explaining the entire situation. From the Trader’s appearance, the fateful trade itself, to every aspect following dealing with Erryd and his coma. It was far worse than he feared. It was time to take down the traitors.