Beck was hoisted on a stretcher and brought up to the top of main street to the Infirmary, where he lay down on his chest so the doctor could look at his wound. As the remains of his shredded shirt peeled off his back there was a mixture of oohs and gasps from the members in the room, even the doctor was slightly taken aback.
The doctor spent the best part of an hour trying to patch together the scars and burns that scattered along Becks back in a pattern that resembled a lightning strike, then checked over the rest of his body to see if he had been harmed anywhere else. After all the stitches and salves applied to Beck, he was exhausted and was left alone in the ward to rest.
The doctor took Beck's mother and father aside. “I've never in my whole time of being a doctor ever seen someone take an injury like that and live to speak of it” the doctor said gravely
“Will he make it” Beck's dad asked “I think he will... I mean the most impressive part of it all I how he survived the original strike, that much static going through one's body should be lethal”
“Oh, thank goodness jas, it seems fate wills our son to be alive” Beck's mother said
“Be prepared for anything though I don't really know the side effects of being struck by lightning, he will for sure take some time to recover” with that the doctor left the room.
Beck remained in the Infirmary for the next eight days while he recovered enough strength to walk again, each day he would try his best to stand and walk and each day he would fall back onto his bed in fits of pain throughout his whole body. The one thing that kept him motivated was the fog, each time Beck took a standing session he was able to get a brief look out the window and each time the fog loomed closer and closer to the village.
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On the eighth day that Beck had been in the infirmary the mayor had come to speak with him. He walked over to the bedside where beck lay and pulled up a stool, “Beck, I’m going to have to cut straight to the chase with you... what did you see in the fog”! The mayor asked, his eyes were bagging, and he looked like he hadn't slept in a month “I’m at wits end boy and I need some answers, I've had reports crossing my desk at all ludicrous hours of the night and still haven't gotten to the bottom of this mysterious blasted mist” the mayor spat in a wild fury. Beck sat up very startled and answered ", inside the mist, if you must know is raw fear itself, a massively tall black clad knight who wields two broad swords and can somehow shoot lightning from his palms... anything else you want to know”
The mayor just sighed the anger draining from him like a rung out towel“, the reports have been saying the same things, I've just never believed them... strange flashes, tall black figures, I have no idea who or what they are... but I definitely know they aren't friendly” he cleared his throat, “as soon as your able to walk you and your sister must be evacuated with the rest of the town, I'm assembling a militia force among the men, we’re going to fight that thing”. A look of resignation clouded the mayor's face as he spoke these words knowing that he stood no chance in the coming fight.
“Please tell me my father didn't sign up” Beck asked “no, he left two days ago with the escort, who very curtly denied helping us against the mist, their captain told us he didn't believe in fairy tales then left with your father” Mayor replied
“If he’s already gone why didn't Evie come to tell me”
“Ah yes, your uncle, Bevin... he's volunteered to assist the militia much to your pour cousin's grief, that's why she hasn't come to tell you she's been trying avidly to convince her father out of the fight”
Beck didn't know what to think but the mayor cut him from his thoughts "too much bad news for one day boy, you need recover quick the mist is coming for us and you better be ready for it”