It had taken more and more energy to try and penetrate that shield. Then when the second lightning bolt had flew at him... Rupert! My God! Tom came to a halt in mid-thought. What had he been thinking of? Relaxing here in the water, when for all he knew Rupert was lying dead! Rupert getting struck had unhinged him. He’d reverted to his demon form then, but somehow kept the flame. At that point all hell had broken loose, and he didn’t care anymore. He’d fried the damn wizard and his entire ship. This was one killing he didn’t regret. If Rupert was dead then he’d do his best to see that that wizard’s soul rotted in the Abyss. He’d personally torture the bastard for a thousand years!
Oh God! Rupert! Tom thought again. He had to get back. He had to get to Rupert. He’d sworn to protect the kid, and here he was, having a jacuzzi while Rupert lay dying. He couldn’t go up in demon form though. He would have to switch back. Mustering what little of his wits as he could, he willed the switch. As he was doing so, his still demon eyes caught a glowing light over by the burning ship, beneath the level of the sea. Some form of life? a survivor? he didn’t know, at the moment he didn’t care he had to see to Rupert. He quickly began to swim to the surface, as he did he felt a strange tugging, as if invisible hands were pulling him up.
His head broke the surface of the water and he looked around for the ship. There it was off in the distance. He started swimming for it as fast as he could. He’d worry about that survivor later. Rupert was the important one now. He only hoped Jenn or this Maelen fellow had gotten to Rupert fast enough.
As he reached the side of the ship, a rope ladder descended the side. He grabbed it. He had a little difficulty at first, it was a bit tricky making it up the swinging ladder. Eventually however, he made it to the top. Maelen was there, reaching out a hand to help lift him aboard. As he came over the rail, he sucked air into his lungs so he could croak, “Rupert?” He ignored the awed stares coming from the sailors on deck.
Maelen frowned and shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, Edwyrd. There was nothing I could do.” He pointed up the ladder to the stern castle deck.
Tom let out a small cry of despair, “No!” He ran up the deck. Maelen stayed behind, at the rail, simply shaking his head. After a moment he walked to the forecastle to see to Jenn and Gastropé.
As Edwyrd reached the top of the ladder, he spied Rupert’s melted body, a little way from the wheel. The captain was still hovering in the distance, near the rear rail, he was giving Edwyrd a fearful gaze. Edwyrd ran to the body of the little boy. On his knees he bent over the form.
“God, why?” Even Tom could see there was no hope. Rupert’s body was worse than anything he’d ever seen in a horror movie. Worse than any of the messes he’d made out of people as a demon. Everywhere, Rupert’s body was either charred black, or swelled with blistered burns. The skin a bright red in other patches. Worst of all, were the places where the flesh had been burnt away to the bone. “Why Rupert?” Tom moaned as he rested his tear streaked cheeks lightly on the boy’s chest.
Why? Why did it have to be Rupert? Why did the most innocent always have to die? Rupert was the only real friend he’d had on this stupid world. Tizzy and Boggy were there, yes, but they didn’t seem to care quite as much as Rupert, besides, they were demons. Rupert liked him even though Rupert was a wizard. Only Rupert had treated him like a person, not a monster. It just wasn’t fair! “Rupert, damn it. Don’t be dead. You’re my only friend. I love you, you damn idiot kid!” He’d never had to face death this personally before. Slaying faceless soldiers was completely different. This was the first time since his dad’s death that someone he cared about died on him. And even his dad’s death had been surreal, the explosion had vaporized the body. Oh, how he wished it had been him rather than little Rupert.
Tom simply knelt for a moment, sobbing. He didn’t want to get up. He just knelt there, listening with the best of his senses, hoping against hope he would hear a heartbeat. Nothing, the kid was dead. “Oh Rupert!” Tom finally began to pull his head away. He’d just have to go on, somehow.
“T...o...h...m...”
Tom blinked. It had been very faint, extremely hoarse. He didn’t think anyone who hadn’t just been trying to hear every sound there was, would have heard it. He looked to Rupert’s face. Was there movement there? Had the gritted teeth parted slightly? The lips seemed stretched or burnt away from the teeth. Could he have heard something?
He put his ear down near Rupert’s mouth. There, a tiny indrawn breath?
“T...o...h...m, Tom.” Definitely! He knew he’d heard something. Rupert was alive! “Tom... please... take... take me down... to the cabin.”
“Rupert! Rupert, wait, I’ll get Maelen and Jenn, they can help you.” Tom was sure the captain was looking at him even stranger than before. He didn’t care though.
“No!” Rupert croaked emphatically. His whole body even twitched as Tom moved to pull away. “No, they mustn’t see me... like this. Please, just you... take me down to the cabin. Lock the door. Don’t let them see.”
“Rupert, you’re delirious! You need help. I’ll get it for you.”
“No... Thomas... Edward... Perkinje... if you care for me at all. Please, I beg you, take me down to the cabin, and don’t let anyone in.” Rupert could barely utter these words, yet he stilled seemed frantic, pleading.
Tom was torn. He shook his head. First he’d get the boy to the cabin, then he’d worry about healing. He knew it was a stupid thing to do, he should get Maelen. But the boy’s pleading stare, through nearly melted eyes-Tom had to. He’d just been so afraid of losing Rupert.
Carefully he gathered up the little boy. The captain was looking at him in fear from ten feet away. Ever so gently, he stood up with Rupert, hoping he wouldn’t drop a piece. Rupert moaned in pain. The agony had to be incredible. He tried to be gentle; he knew how much burns hurt to touch. Actually, Rupert seemed heavier now then he had when he’d been carrying him earlier. Of course, he’d been a demon then, not an Edwyrd.
Ever so slowly he edged his way down the ladder, his back to the stern. He didn’t know how he got down the ladder. At the bottom was the lad Evert. “Open the door.” He nodded to the door to the inside of the stern castle. Evert, eyes wide, obeyed. Tom spared a glance to the fore of the ship. Maelen, fortunately, was still busy with Gastropé and Jenn. He nodded Evert to go first. “Open the cabin door too.”
As Tom edged sideways into the room, carrying a softly moaning Rupert, Evert looked down at Rupert’s face in amazement. “Go stand guard up near the doors, make sure no one comes down here without my approval. Understand.” Tom looked Evert in the eyes. Evert nodded solemnly.
Tom carefully placed Rupert on the middle bunk, shutting the door with his foot behind him. Rupert squirmed as he was put down. Moaning a bit louder in pain, “on my side.”
“Your side? don’t you think...”
“Please.”
Tom sighed and helped Rupert to his side. Rupert then finally seemed to move some, curling into a fetal position. Tom stepped back to wipe his brow. He wasn’t sweating, it just seemed like the appropriate response. That bunk was small. Rupert’s fetal position covered the entire breadth of the bed, and stretched out, he would almost have touched the end. Funny, how one’s perspective changes. Earlier Tom had thought Rupert would be the only one comfortable in the tiny bunks. Now it looked just as bad for Rupert as anyone else.
“Tom, please hold my hand,” Rupert croaked.
Tom got back down on his knees and took Rupert’s hands in his own. “Rupert, I really need to get you help.”