The Boy Who Needed Help (Frg's Death) (part one)

            It was early morning in Heroicits. The sun was not yet over the horizon, but the pastel hues outlining the sky proved it would arrive soon. The mountains and the forest were blanketed by a thick mist, swirling about slowly. The birds sang softly in the trees, guiding all the creatures gently from the land of slumber. Morning would soon be upon all.

            Up in the foothills of the mountains, the mist was especially thick. Whole clouds had come to rest upon the slopes, leaving their children behind them in the form of mist. In some places, the mist was thick enough to cut with a sword. It was a majestic sight, and one that a certain man didn’t want to miss.

            Rayon was moving along the mountainside, his feet prancing nimbly among the unsure rocks and treacherous paths. His lion tail trailed along behind him, serving as a balance beam as he moved. Rayon looked about him at the mountain. He took in a deep breath, the crisp mountain air filling his nostrils. It was refreshing and cool, and brought power to his body and mind. Deep down, Rayon had always preferred the wild woodlands to civilization. Here was where a man could truly be free.

            Rayon looked over the edge of the cliff. Below, he could see the tops of the forest trees. They swayed back and forth like giants, groaning and creaking as their branches struck. Green leaves rustled about, and a gust of air blew some high into the sky. Rayon smiled as the breeze brushed past his cheeks and danced through his hair.

            He squinted. Below, within the trees, Rayon could see the small figure of a boy. The boy was sitting on the forest floor, sorrow outlining his features. Rayon could see that all the way from his high-up perch. Rayon crouched down, examining the trees directly below him. There were several sturdy branches and then a vine. It would be a quick route down.

            Rayon lunged from the cliff, plummeting down through the air. With the grace of a cat and the style of Tarzan, Rayon was swooping to the rescue. He quickly moved through several branches- leaping, grabbing hold of tree limbs, and then swinging on a vine –in order to get to the boy who needed help. It was not difficult at all.

            Rayon landed on the ground a few paces from the child, knees bent gracefully, and his metal hand planted on the ground. Rayon’s tail swished around him. The boy looked up at the sound of his landing. It was apparent that he was no normal boy. Rayon noticed this immediately.

            Each limb that the boy possessed was not made up of flesh and blood, but of mist. His saddened face was mist too, and so were his ears, his nose, mouth, and all of his other body parts. He got to his feet, the mist drifting about him. His large eyes, mist or no, were pleading.

            “Are you all right?” Rayon approached him slowly, “I don’t want to hurt you. I can help.”

            The boy’s mouth opened. He could not speak, for the mist did not hold the necessary vocal chords. Nonetheless, Rayon still read his lips. The boy’s lips moved several times in succession as he repeated one word.

            Help.

            “I can help,” Rayon repeated, smiling gently, “Let me help you.”

            The boy reflected the smile. He slowly moved closer to Rayon, drifting along ever so gingerly. Rayon looked him up and down, curious as to see what kind of creature this boy really was. He had never seen anything quite like him.

            The boy suddenly lunged for Rayon’s face. The pleading expression turned menacing in a flash, and the mist went charging right into his nose, eyes, and mouth. Rayon gurgled a cry, stumbling back. He clutched at his throat.

            “N... no!” Rayon choked out, “What are you doing?! Stop! I want to help you! Don’t... don’t...”

            Darkness tugged at the corners of Rayon’s vision. He battled it wildly, choking as the mist completely engulfed him. He coughed on reflex, but it did no good. His knees became weak, and Rayon realized that his strength was being rapidly sapped. He fought madly, willpower surging as he battled against this sudden foe.

            The entire forest became blurry as Rayon battled. The mist resisted his counterattack, and went right for his mind. Rayon staggered wildly, his shoulder bashing into a nearby oak. He staggered, his metal arm clapping down on his injured shoulder. A tree branch swished past him as he stumbled around.

            “No!”

            Rayon’s legs gave, and he came crashing to the ground. He landed on his stomach, both arms falling like lead weights on either side of him. His legs felt the same, as if something was pinning them down. His tail drooped, resting on one leg. His eyelids slowly closed, feeling just as heavy.

            No.

            The Hunter Castle...

            “...and then I was all like, ‘Oh yeah?! Well you’re the one who decided to get a giant blue space ship shaped like a hat!’ But he was all like ‘Shut up and let me drive, you grinning lunatic! I’d like to see you drive a ship like this!’ I told him I could, and he was like ‘Fine!’”

            “And then you crashed.”

            “And then I crashed.”

            The Hunter family had guests over. They were enjoying the company of Fredrick and Rachel Grandsople, two of Sandra’s teen friends from a neighboring country. Fredrick, better known as Frg, was a tall, lanky boy. He had a mop of brown hair on his head. His green eyes sparkled with mischief. He wore an ugly green sweater, decked with a tan vest. He wore a pair of blue jeans. His shoes were a blinding pink, horrible to look upon. Frg’s most defining feature was his grin. Spreading from ear to ear, his pearly whites were constantly displaying a brazen smile. It was as if he knew no other facial expression, except for the goofy buck-toothed face he took on when he was afraid.

            Rachel, Frg’s younger sister, was much more refined. She wore a purple shirt and a dark pair of pants. Her shoes were the same color as her pants. Her hair was the same color as Frg’s, but was definitely different in style. Her hair went down to her middle back. While Frg’s mouth was in an eternal grin, Rachel’s was poised in an eternal scowl. Her green eyes were much less mischievous, but still held a level of humor to them, only recognizable by those who knew her well.

            Everyone was gathered around the table, enjoying a nice breakfast. Sara refilled her glass with orange juice. She chortled, “I hope you’ve learned that you can’t drive a space ship.”

            “Ehhh,” Frg shrugged, “I’ll figure it out eventually. I just need more practice, that’s all!”

            “Practice!” Sandra spread her hands, “I can see the headlines now: ‘Boy Found Strangled to Death After Racking Up Thousands in Damages’.”

            “Pfft,” Frg waved his four-fingered hand casually, “That’s just a normal weekend.” Rachel nodded knowingly.

            “You should’ve seen the gravity test,” Rachel took a thoughtful bite of pancakes, “So many broken vases.”

            “A classic!” Frg remarked. He nodded to Sandra, “The strangling bit, too.”

            Sara suddenly tensed, her fork halfway to her mouth. She looked alarmed. Sandra, Rachel, and Frg all looked at her. In the background, little Alek was beginning to feed all his breakfast to the family dog. Said dog was completely okay with it.

            “What’s wrong, Sara?” Sandra asked.

            “Something... something is wrong with Rayon’s aura,” Sara said, placing her fork down on the plate gently, “It’s practically disappeared.”

            “Is that a bad thing?” Frg asked.

            “A person’s aura is a visible part of their soul,” Rachel explained, “Idiot, I’ve explained this before. Weren’t you listening?”
            “No, a piano fell out of the sky and I got distracted,” Frg stuck his tongue out at her.

            “So if his aura is disappearing,” Sandra looked at Sara, “Does that mean...?”

            “Fredrick’s aura blinks out and then lights up again all the time,” Sara continued, “Due to all his episodes of dying.” She was moving around now, and had seized her shoes. She was putting them on her feet rapidly.

            “Yep,” Frg nodded, “They keep kicking me out of the afterlife.” he whined, “It’s not fair! Oh wait,” he thought about it for a moment, “So if Rayon’s aura is disappearing...”

            “I can stay here and babysit Alek and Melody,” Rachel volunteered, “Go find Rayon.”

            Sandra stood up too, “Wait, wait, wait! Is Rayon-“

            “Yes,” Sara looked Sandra dead in the eye, “Rayon is dying.”

            The Woodlands...

            Sara, Sandra, and Frg ran along the woods. The mist surrounded them on all sides, drifting about casually. Despite her dress, Sara moved quite swiftly. She was using her magic to trace Rayon’s faint aura. Though it was far off, she could still feel it as she moved.

            “Rayon!” Sandra called out, her voice disrupting the woods, “Rayon, can you hear me?”

            “Ray-man!” Frg shouted, “This is Frog-face calling Ray-man! Come in, Ray-man! Come in!”

            “Wait, wait!” Sandra exclaimed, skidding to a stop. Sara heeded her cry, coming to a stop too. Sandra pointed an index finger off into the trees, “I see him!”

            “Wow, that was quick,” Frg inspected the wristwatch he didn’t have, “I expected us to be out a lot longer. Neato.”

            “Rayon?” Sara squinted off into the trees. Something wasn’t quite right.

            The branches were parted, and Rayon stepped through the underbrush. He looked confused, and a little disoriented, but at least he was unharmed. Rayon stopped at the sight of them, staring. It was as if he had never seen them before.

            “My love,” Sara went to Rayon swiftly, wrapping her arms around him, “Goodness, you had me worried! I thought you were in real trouble that time.”

            “Where you been, Rayon?” Frg punched Rayon’s shoulder lightly, “You missed my epic tale of heroics.”
            “Rayon?” Rayon questioned, “That’s my name? Oh, I suppose it is. Odd.”

            Sara’s brow furrowed, and she stepped back a little. She squinted at Rayon suspiciously, “You don’t know?”
            “Oh great,” Sandra moaned. She circled Rayon, “What do you think it is this time? Amnesia? Mind control? Or is he just messing with us?”

            “Aliens!” Frg cried.

            “It isn’t him,” Sara said, beginning to back up, “The body is his, but the soul within is not.”

            “Fascinating. You are quite remarkable,” Not-Rayon eyed Sara, “Are you a sorceress?”

            “Very much so,” Sara replied, “I would advise you to leave that body right now. Allow the original soul it housed to return,” she clenched her fists, “Or I will have to do something about it.”

            “Basically,” Frg said, “Who are you, and what have you done with Rayon?!” he looked at Sandra, “Heh, that was really satisfying to say. It even fit!” Sandra deadpanned at him.

            Sara looked at Not-Rayon, “What is your answer?”

            Meanwhile...

            The misty mountains still held one soul. In a fragile body made from the mist itself, the soul drifted around. He looked like a man, but had the tail of a lion. His left arm was almost completely missing, a stump all that remained. He looked about him, frowning. He had been trapped in the mist.

            Rayon drifted around in the mist, frustrated greatly. He had tried to speak several times, but found that this meager mist body could not provide such an experience. Rayon had now decided to try to head back to the castle.

            Great. Now I’m stuck in the mist, and that weirdo has my body, Rayon thought angrily, That was a mean trick.

            He drifted into a patch of sunlight, but then leapt back defensively. Whenever the rays of sun graced upon his mist form, he could feel his essence slowly being sucked away. Rayon’s eyes widened. He slowly stretched forth his hand into the sunshine, waiting to see what would happen.

            Before Rayon’s eyes, his mist hand began to evaporate. The sun began to burn it away, stealing what little he had. Rayon pulled his hand back defensively, retreating into the misty shadows. He looked up at the sky fearfully.

            Oh no.

            Meanwhile...

            “Whoever this ‘Rayon’ was,” Not-Rayon said sternly, “I’m afraid that you will never see him again. This body is mine to control now, and he isn’t getting it back.” He turned on his heel, and began to walk away.

            “We’ll see about that,” Sara replied.

            Everyone watched as Not-Rayon began to move away. Frg poked Sara’s arm in order to get her attention. She cast a look at him.

            “You’re just going to let him go?” Frg questioned.

            “It does not matter,” Sara replied, “The first thing we must do is find Rayon’s soul, and that I can trace on my own.”

            Silence fell, as the three watched Rayon’s body wander off all by itself. He went down the path, heading in an easterly direction. Sandra chewed on her lower lip.

            “He’s heading right for the ogres,” Sandra said, “The border isn’t far from here at all. What happens then?”
            Sara considered this for a minute. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, considering what to do. Finally, she looked at Frg and Sandra directly, “Fredrick, Sandra, I want you to follow him. If he gets too close to the border, distract him. Keep him from getting tangled up with those brutes. If that body dies, our chances for saving Rayon will be gone. While you’re doing that, I will seek out his missing soul.”

            “Quick question,” Frg raised his hand.

            “Yes?”

            “When you say... distract him...” Frg clasped his hands, looking up at the sky idly, “Do you mean... pranks?” hope blossomed on his face.

            “Don’t hurt him,” Sara warned.

            “Just his pride,” Frg chortled.

            The three scattered. Frg and Sandra followed along after Not-Rayon, and Sara drifted off into the woods. She closed her eyes, reaching out with her magic. She searched the woods around here, looking around every tree, under every rock, and through each bush. Finally, she turned her attention to the misty mountains.

            I’ve found him.

            Meanwhile...

            “You know, I probably should’ve mentioned that we don’t work well together,” Sandra commented.

            “Pssh!” Frg waved his hand, “I’m harmless.”

            “Extremely.”

            “I- hey!” he exclaimed. Sandra snorted.

            “And remember this, lanky frog boy,” Sandra jabbed her index finger at his oversized nose. Frg went cross-eyed. “I have a boyfriend.”

            “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” he held up his hands defensively, “You’re just a buddy to me, all right? Nothing more! Besides, I’m in love with someone else.”
            “Oh really?” Sandra squinted, “Who?”

            “Harret.”

            Sandra burst out laughing. She doubled over, her shoulders shaking from the chuckles. Frg stood there patiently, inspecting his fingernails, waiting for her to finish. It took a moment or two.

            “Frg, you’re a riot,” Sandra wiped a tear from her eye, “Not only is Harret male, but-“

            “Um, Sandra...” Frg began.

            There was a resounding clatter from around the bend. Sandra and Frg both jumped, alarmed. Just out of sight, there were shouts and cries. A tenor scream resonated, with a pitch that matched Rayon’s voice. Sandra and Frg look at each other.

            “Whoops,” said Sandra, and they both ran towards the noise.

            Elsewhere...

            Sara drifted through the mountains. The mist was still thick up here, despite a gentle breeze. She shivered a little in the morning air, but continued on nonetheless. She looked about her regally, her hair falling in front of her face. She brushed it away.

            “Rayon?” Sara called out, her voice echoing through the cliffs and trees, “Rayon, are you there? Can you hear me?”
            There was a rustling in the trees. Sara came to a stop, waiting patiently. The sorceress closed her eyes. She could feel Rayon’s aura, speeding towards her rapidly. Sara’s lips curled into a gentle smile. He had heard her call, and he was on his way.

            Sara swiveled, facing the direction she knew he would approach from. In front of her was the forest, with its green trees and many living things. Sara squinted into the trees. She could see the shape of a man coming, but... something about it didn’t seem right.

            Rayon’s soul came speeding into the clearing, the mist still surrounding it. He skidded to a stop in front of her, a few stray wisps of the fog drifting away from him when he did so. Pure relief graced Rayon’s face as he beheld her. Rayon drifted up to his bride, smiling happily.

            “Rayon!” Sara exclaimed, alarmed by his wispy appearance, “Rayon, is that you? What- I...” she was flustered, and for one of the first times in her life, Sara failed to find the proper words. Her eyebrows furrowed, “What have you done to yourself?”

            Rayon flitted over to a sunny patch, where the sun protruded through the limbs of the trees. He stuck his hand into the sun, and nodded to Sara. She stepped over gingerly, squinting at she looked at his hand. Then, her eyebrows rose greatly when she saw the mist burn away. She put a hand to her mouth.

            “Oh, oh dear,” Sara said. Rayon pulled his hand from the light. His head turned, and he looked at her once more. Their eyes met. Rayon twirled to face her, his expression pleading. His one wisp hand reached out, and Sara felt the prickle of the cold mist on her hand. She gently clasped his hand in her own.

            Rayon’s mouth moved. Through he could not speak, Sara still read his lips. Salt water graced the corners of her eyes when she saw what this poor man had to say. It pained her to see the message of the boy who needed something special.

            Help.

To be continued.