The Albino

Benjamin was breathing hard, struggling to keep up with Jukha as they raced towards his home. Ben had lost track of how long they were running, but his breathing was the least of his worries. A fresh thunderclap echoed over his drenched head. A full-on thunderstorm raged over their heads, soaking them and everything they were wearing in icy rain drops. Ben wiped the stinging rain from his eyes before almost running smack into a stationary Jukha. The Orc was standing stock still, staring at his ruined home from between the trees. Benjamin stepped up next to him, “That was like this when we got here. Come, Let’s find the gir..”

A massive crash echoed over the din of the now dying storm, and the sound spurred Jukha and Benjamin to action. A familiar winged figure sailed into view from the broken window. She was thrown across the living room, impacting the floor as the two sprinted toward the house. A fire in the fireplace had the room fairly well illuminated, and Benjamin watched in horror as the third member of the monster hunting party appeared, dragging both Viola and Valtrya behind him by the hair. The Orc monster hunter had Benjamin’s knife in his hands, and a bleeding cut on his forearm. His massive size denoted him as one born into the soldier class, and he threw the girls effortlessly next to Jukha’s wife. Benjamin took his chance, stepping into view from the other side of the broken window, “Hey! Asshole!” He bellowed, raising his weapon, and pulling the trigger… *CLICK*. ‘fuck’ Ben growled internally, and he stepped over the sole of the window as his presence paused the massive green monster hunter’s actions. ‘This is not good’ Ben cursed the rain overhead as he placed himself between the women, and their attacker.

The Orc hefted Bens bowie knife, “You’re an ugly looking fucker, another one of the winged Whore’s rot slaves?” Benjamin just stayed silent, praying that Jukha was well enough to get a shot off. His mind raced, his weapon had been reduced to little more than a club, and he doubted he would be given the time to remediate that situation. He still had his heavy pack, and his Stiletto, “Do you get your rocks off killing half starved girls and Vin?” Ben slowly slipped his pack from his shoulders and drew the stiletto dagger from his waist.

“That’s what she calls herself is it.” The Orc smirked, “She hooked you right proper too,” Ben quirked an eye brow as he realized that the Orc was not talking to him, but to Vilora. “Nice try, bitch. The Vin all died generations ago” he smiled sinisterly, “My ancestors saw to that. Now, looks like you’ad one more rotter than we thought. At least the other one’s OOOF” The big Orc was interrupted by an arrow ripping through his shoulder from the back, and thick green blood flowed from the tip that protruded through the front of him. Jukha appeared from his hiding spot with a skinning knife of his own and charged the bigger orc. The Monster hunter dodged him easily, driving a meaty fist into his gut before swiping Ben’s bowie diagonally across his back. Vilora cried out as she felt Jukha’s pain, and the smaller Orc tumbled to Benjamin’s feet. Ben watched as the slash began to seal itself, even as Vilora lay trembling alongside her bound, and he realized something. “I’m no rot slave, and I will prove it.” He growled, taking up Jukha’s dropped skinning knife, and carefully cutting a small line into the skin of his left palm. Red flowed freely, Viola and Valtrya gasped quietly, but Vilora did not so much as flinch. Ben held out his hand, letting the red drip as the wound failed to majically seal itself, “Not, a Rot slave.”

The Orcs eyes narrowed, and he tossed the bowie knife to Ben’s feet before reaching to the wall next to him. He picked up a long lance with a long, but thin blade. “There’s only one race that bleeds red.” He growled, settling into a fighting stance, “Prepare yourself H’mure, this day you die, and your body will fuel the flames of crusade once more.” Benjamin opened his mouth to argue, but recognized the look in the large warriors eyes. Talking was over, and Ben slowly bent down to pick up his bowie knife. As he did so, he let his head drift to Viola slightly, “In my pack, a curved piece of wood and iron, the one that smells of rotten eggs and alchemy. Find it.” Ben rosed, ‘I pray its dry’ and he took a few steps forward, keeping himself between his friends and the monster hunter, “I’m no H’mure,” he took a deep breath, “On with it, I have things to do.”

The Orc obliged, instantly charging him with a flurry of stabbing thrusts. Benjamin side stepped, blocked, and dodged to various affect. The Orc still connected, and Ben took glancing blows to the outside of his thighs and on across his ribcage that glanced off a bone. He needed to get inside the Orcs range, but the head of the spear blocked and slashed at him at every attempt. He was floundering, and he knew it. His totality of training revolved around firearms, and he was far out of his element. *The forest, Son of Terra* the saying lingered in the back of Benjamins mind as he took several smaller cuts and one stab through his left bicept that forced him to drop his stiletto. “What the fuck do you mean!” he growled, dodging out of the way, then charging the Orc to keep him away from jukha and the girls. Images began flashing through his head as if in answer to his exasperation: Pressure values, velocities, and images flooded his mind, and on a whim, Benjamin reached around, ripping one of his parchment packages from his pocket and griping it tightly in one hand. He ripped heat from the air around him and the fire roaring in the fireplace. he poured the energy into the package in his hand. The Orc’s eyes widened as Benjamin’s breath became visible in the air and his hand began to steam with rapidly evaporating water. Ben said a small prayer and threw the object, summoning a final concept, friction. The packet of parchment exploded, the energy was largely wasted, expanding in all directions in a bubbling core of flame surrounded by thick white smoke. Benjamin ripped the smoke from the air, using the now noticeable temperature difference in the air to flush the smoke out of the room. The Orc stood there, bleeding from two small holes, one in his left thigh, and one through his right hand that he had used to cover his face. He pulled a dull grey orb from the palm of his hand as Benjamin reached for another packet from his pouch. The air in the room plunged again and the fire flickered, and the Orc bellowed a challenge before charging, not wanting to give Benjamin time to pull the trick a second time. Ben realized he was not going to be able to dodge, and used the bowie knife to barely deflect the spear. It almost worked, but the spear struck true, punching through Benjamin’s chest and out the back. “Got you, abomination.” The Orc growled, drawing Benjamin to him like a skewered piece of roast. Ben coughed up a familiar taste, but smiled, “And I got you.” He pressed his hand to the middle of the Orcs chest, and triggered a spark.

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Viola was digging through the pack frantically when her ears rang with the sound of thunder. She looked up, expecting to see the storms return, but instead found Benjamin and the Orc enshrouded in a cloud of acrid smelling smoke. Benjamin waved a hand, and the smoke wafted away, Viola stared in shock even as her hands continued their search. She felt something curved and wooden, with strange metal levers on it and a metal tube. She pulled it out and it reeked of the Alchemists store. She had found it! She turned just in time to see a spray of red, and the tip of a spear rip out of the back of her master, she could hear words said, and then her eyes widened at a second explosion of fire and smoke. Benjamin and the Orc collapsed instantly. Vilora groaned as Jukha’s body healed itself and he woke up again only to hear Valtrya scream. The Mute girl ran over to Benjamin, tugging on him frantically, just screaming. In shock, Viola dropped her prize. She was too late; she had failed her master. Vilora slowly rose, clearly drained from keeping Jukha alive and stumbled over to Benjamin, “He breaths, but he does not have long…” She groaned as Viola shook herself and ran over as well, “Can… Can you save him…” she asked, meekly pleading with her eyes as she watched the depleted Farie struggle to inspect Benjamin.

Vilora nodded, “I could, but I am too weak. I would have to pull life force from somewhere to do it, but I don’t think I would need to bind him. But..”

“Do… it…” Vilora looked over, and Viola’s mouth fell open in shock as Valtrya spoke for the first time since they were children,” do… it…” She croaked, “I… give…”

“Are you sure, I would have to take two, maybe three years of your time in this world.” Vilora asked, and Benjamin’s breath began to burble as blood began bubbling from his mouth.

Viola straightened to face the Farie, “Do it, I will give too.” She stated firmly.

“Very well, I will not take more than is needed.” Vilora extended her hand, taking one hand from each of the two slave girls, and closed her eyes. Her wings began to glow, then crackle with blue lightning as she bowed her head. A moment later, her eyelids snapped open, eyes shrouded in the same blue glow as the lightning arcing across her wings. She released the two slave girls, using her free hand to rip the lance from Benjamin’s chest. Ben’s body convulsed as lighting rippled from her fingertips, lancing into the wound for almost a minute before Vilora sagged. She closed her eyes again, and the blue arching faded. “He will live for now, but he is still gravely wounded. I’ve never seen a being with his body’s internals. I… I don’t understand it.”

“Is he...” Jukha groaned as he stood, “H’mere…” He picked up a skinning knife and was immediately intercepted by Viola, the strange device raised over her head like a club, “Peace girl, I wish him no harm. I could not kill him even if he were H’mure… I owe him my life.” Viola slowly lowered the club before turning back to Vilora. “What does he need.”

The Farie hummed, “He will get the blood shakes. I cannot heal him more until I commune with the woods, and I won’t take more from you. He will need to be kept warm if he is to survive. We cannot risk moving him far until I can heal him again.” She turned to Jukha, “Beloved, see if there is any surviving bedding, It will have to do. You girls, I know he has not bedded you, but… can you keep him warm for the night.”

Valtrya nodded quickly and Viola spoke, “He saved our lives, we will keep him warm.”

Jukha came back with a set of bedding, and the four of them risked moving Benjamin closer to the fire. Vilora and Jukha quickly put together a pot of warming soup, feeding everyone from their emergency stores in a secret compartment under their home, and the Girls cleaned, and bandaged Benjamins mangled hand and forearm. Soon, everyone retired to various improvised beds with Jukha taking the nights watch.

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Benjamin woke up, shaking uncontrollably. Nothing made since, he remembered getting stabbed. He even remembered the surprise he felt when it didn’t quite feel as horrible as a gunshot wound. He tried to move his hand but found it uncontrollable, and his whole body ached with violent shudders as he recognized the signs of shock. “hmmph” he groaned once, trying to get up before a thin hand pushed him back, “My Lord, Ben. No. Forgive me, but you will perish if you move.” Ben opened his eyes to see Viola’s face smiling softly down at him in the flickering fire light, “W-w-w-w-water.” Ben croaked. He knew that he was taking a risk, but alcohol of any concentration might start him bleeding again. He recognized this even as he prayed he wasn’t bleeding out slowly already. Viola nodded, “broth. Warm, safe.” She whispered, bringing the warm liquid to his lips. He recognized the taste from his first day on this world, and had several more spoon fulls, “Thank you… so… cold.” He sputtered, the broth had helped, but his body refused to keep him warm. Viola nodded, slipping over to her sister.

She gently shook Valtrya awake and spoke something in their language. Valtrya quickly stood, stripping naked instantly before slipping under Benjamin’s blanket and snuggling up against his chest. Benjamin tried to complain, and tried to keep her from stripping down, but her body pressed itself tightly to his anyway. He could tell she was recovering from their starvation, her skin was softer, and she felt a little heftier, but the biggest difference was… she was warm. Viola slipped in behind him, also pressing her naked body to his. In moments he was surrounded by warmth, and he felt a breath on his ear, “Mast… Ben, rest. We will keep you warm.” She whispered before wrapping herself around him from the back. Benjamin quickly warmed, and with that warmth came unconscious bliss.

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Benjamin was bedridden for the next two weeks, Jukha’s torture had brought Vilora closer to death than She had originally let on, and it took here that long to recover to her full self. Viola and Valtrya kept Benjamin warm, refusing to let him sleep alone until the Farie could heal him properly. The morning finally came, and Ben found his head on Viola’s lap being fed a breakfast gruel of some kind. Vilora fluttered in hovering over using her wings as she returned from her communion with nature, “May I see Benjamin,” She asked softly. Viola looked up quickly before nodding slowly, and Vilora settled down next to her, “Ok, Benjamin. Can you talk?”

“I can,” Ben coughed a bit, “I can try.”

The Farie nodded before continuing, “I’ve seen your past, you know this.. I must know however, are you H’mere. They are the only race on this orb that bleed crimson. I’m sorry, but I must know if I am to treat you without killing you.”

“I..” Benjamin croaked, “I don’t know.” He answered truthfully, “I’m.. It is hard to explain,” he coughed again, and Viola wiped a little bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. “You need.. you need to know to not kill me.. with Majik.”

The Farie nodded, “If I am to bend Cosmos to save you, I must know you.” Benjamin groaned softly, “I’m not a doctor. I was in school to be an engineer… a… maker of things. It’s my lung isn’t it.”

“Yes,” Vilora confirmed, “It is built differently than an Orc’s or a Durr.” Benjamin thought for a moment, thinking back to how he taught Qort about steel, “Could you mirror something if you used it to learn?” Vilora hummed for a moment, “I could, in theory. I could at least mend the worst of the damage.”

Benjamin nodded, “Then look at my other lung. My people, Humans. Our lungs are almost identical on either side. You might.” A stronger cough wracked his body and Benjamin spit up a bit more blood. “Peace, Ben. I can work with what you have told me.” She reached up, placing a hand on his forehead, “Now sleep.” Benjamin instantly fell into unconsciousness, and the Farie slowly pressed her hands to his chest. She began to glow about the wings and the eyes, but this time it was the soft green of the forest instead of the harsh blue of the storm. Viola gasped as both the farie’s hands disappeared into Benjamin’s chest. The “human” twitched as if rejecting the invasion, “hold him.” Vilora spoke, her voice as if three of her were speaking at once. Viola pressed her hands on Ben’s shoulders as the Farie worked. Half an hour later, Vilore pulled her hands from Bens chest, and he began to breath much easier. Vilora did the same procedure for his arm and hand, using his healthy limb to learn what she needed to rebuild his mangled fingers and shattered wrist and forearm. “It is done, He will live,” Vilora sighed, “Let him sleep. He will wake up naturally.”

Benjamin slept through the day and the following night, waking up to the familiar warmth of soft bodies pressed against him just as the sun came up. He found himself gently stroking Valtrya’s hair It was darkening significantly into a shimmering raven black that seemed to shimmer with shades of purple in the morning rays. She grumbled absently, wiggling into him without conceding defeat to consciousness. Viola woke with him, sitting up and pulling on her clothes before leaving the blankets. “How do you feel, My lor… Benjamin.” she asked, setting a new log onto the fire.

Benjamin groaned, as he slowly sat, “Like I’ve been stabbed.” He moaned, finally waking Valtrya who followed her sister, dressing and tending to the fire and breakfast. “How long was I out.” He asked.

“About a day. Vilora tells us that you will live, but your body will have to do the rest.” Viola sat down next to Benjamin with a bowl, and Ben smiled at her, “I’m ok to feed myself,” The girl nodded, handing the bowl to Benjamin with an almost imagined look of disappointment that nagged at Bens mind. “When we finish eating, I want to talk to everyone. You all deserve an explanation.”

“I agree, pink skin.” Jukha rumbled, walking in with a pair of fresh small game over his shoulder. Benjamin noticed that Vilora was floating in from the kitchen and she settled into Jukha’s lap after he sat down next to Ben, Viola, and Valtrya.

Benjamin took a deep breath, wincing as his lungs burned a bit. “You have shared your secrets with me, and I will keep them until my dying breath.” He looked between Jukha and Vilora. He reached out and took Vilora’s hand, gently rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, “I wish for you to see my entire story as I tell it, so you may know that I tell no falsehood. It will not be hard to find, as I will probably flash back to it as I speak.” He waited until the Farie nodded, taking his hand more firmly in both of hers. Ben felt a familiar anguish burn up through his chest, and he opened his mind. He actively invited the flashback, breathing slowly to keep from panicking as the memories began to flow, “I’ll begin at the beginning… I’ll begin with the day I died.”