008 - Giants by the Sea

Magnus pushed aside the mud and dragged himself over corpses, digging up through the sodden earth. At last, with every effort he could muster his hands broke through the mud and Magnus crawled out from the grave, laying flat on his back in the rain.

He felt a pulse returning to his heart, his chest heaving with desperate gasps for air, Magnus coughed violently spitting out dirt and several clumps of black blood. From the pit of his belly, where he'd felt that fire inside, spread a warmth - spreading slowly, bringing with it a slow pulse of life. He felt weak, so very weak and fragile, as if the effort of reaching out would cause his bones to snap. Magnus blinked, let the rain wash away the dirt in his eyes. He still felt nothing, felt like he was wearing a suit of skin and flesh, not as if he were in his own body at all.

How long have I been here? It was day, grey clouds in every direction. Are none of the guards about? I've got to try and move. Magnus raised an arm, trying to turn to get on his side and saw his skin. It had been charred and dried from the quicklime, black lines run like the veins of a leaf and made fractures clumps of red and yellow skin appear like scales. He looked at his other arm - the same black lines, in some places his skin had burst and a foul yellow pus frothed and run down his arm, the rain washing it away.

Magnus stared wide eyes, a deep set revulsion and horror. What am I becoming? What have I become! He forced himself into a sitting position, pulling up his shirt. Every part of himself was in the same condition, his skin covered in a network of black lines and charred red, bleeding a yellow pus. Why can't I feel this? He dug his fingers into a wound, pulling out a clup of flesh - there, beneath his skin was more black, like a second skin that had formed beneath his flesh.

A black skin? My skin is turning black . . . am I to become one of those creatures? Have I already died and become one of them? No, no, wait, what's that? Inside his chest, an itch - from the beat of his heart Magnus felt something, something like the stab of a needle against his skin. It hurts! Oh gods, it hurts! He tried to shout, to say anything at all but his voice cracked with the effort. I'm in pain! I'm alive! The sensation spread, a slight pinch to a stab to the feeling of a thousand needles tickling at every nerve on his chest, then out to his arms and legs and face - he felt the rain and cold lash of wind, felt the air enter his lungs and mud against his back and hands.

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So weak, every movement made a joint or bone crack and Magnus fell to the mud. Every time he tried to put even the smallest amount of force into his legs or arms they trembled and creaked. No good. Close by he saw a stone wall, part of an enclosure from when the field had been a proper farm. Pushing against the ground and twisting his body, taking deep breaths, Magnus managed to crawl to the wall, hoisting himself up against it. He got hold of a stone and put his weight on it, with both arms he heaved himself up. His legs shook, unable to hold his weight, knees cracking and spine in agony, he stretched out one leg, then the other - feeling for every movement, trying every little thing to return some strength to his limbs.

Over the wall he saw the village, silent and empty. There were no giants at the gates, no lights in any of the houses. The farmhouse where Festus had welcomed them was a couple of fields away. Magnus determined to get there, crawling if he must.

And then?

After that? What do I do now? What can I do now? I wanted to be strong, but instead I have become weak. I have died. My skin is rotten and falling off and becoming black. What now?

Magnus slumped back down, falling beside the wall. The constant pain of needles against his skin became more intense. He clenched his teeth, closing his eyes and took deep breaths. Festus. The Alchemist. He had Rolf, took him to wherever he went. He made all these giants, helping fight against the black skinned monsters. Festus said there was a chance of dying, he'd said I was a failure. But I'm still alive, right? Festus! He'll know! If I can find him, he'll see I'm still alive! That the experiment worked! If anyone can, the Alchemist can help me!