Silence fills the air as we all stare at the rubble that used to be the tower. The sunlight that beamed down on it is fading away and growing brighter up above us. I rush over and start moving pieces of stone. Jabez is frozen in shock, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want his mother to die. I understand why Jabez is in shock, to be away from his mother for so long, only to lose her as soon as they reunite. Before a real reunion, I’d be frozen if I were in place. The seven don’t budge to help. They look on and watch as the sun is growing weaker, occasionally sharing a glance at each other. I feel like I’m not making any progress but I keep digging.

I hear Benedict shout again, causing me to turn around. Chaos has broken out. The Seven are fighting against each other. They’re fighting against Jabez. I’m not sure why they’re all fighting but the light is growing feinter so I keep digging. She wouldn’t have been at the bottom of the tower, I climb up the rubble hoping that she’s near the top of the pile. The battle below is getting fierce. The Seven are down to five. Jabez is a wild card, attacking anything that comes near him, but The Seven seemed to be more focused on each other.

I find a hand poking through and keep digging. I’m on the right path, and keep clearing rubble as they fight behind me. A few more stones and I’m able to see her face. It’s like Jabez’s, but prettier, even covered in dirt and rubble. Her body seems to give off light, as feint as it may be right now. I keep digging until she’s free, occasionally checking to make sure she’s still breathing. I carry her down the rubble and place her on an empty spot in the yard. She doesn’t have any injuries that I can see, and there’s no blood. But even now she doesn’t seem to be waking up, nor does she seem to be in any pain.

I scan the field for Jabez and find him lying on the ground. The only fighters that remain are Benedict and another of The Seven. It doesn’t last long as Benedict begins to shout again, which should bring an end to the fight, but Benedict continues to shout. I watch as Jabez forces himself to his feet and limps towards Benedict. I know what’s coming before it happens. The same move that brought me down, the move I’ve watched bring down others. At least I thought I knew what was coming. Jabez jumps, and wraps his hands around Benedict’s head from behind. Benedict screams out in pain, but Jabez refuses to let him go. The screaming stops, but Jabez doesn’t let go. I’m not sure if his magic can kill a person, but the neck snap that follows Benedict’s silence probably could.

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Jabez makes his way over, not looking towards me. He kneels and holds his mother’s hand. She doesn’t wake up, but she doesn’t stop breathing either. He struggles to lift her, so I grab her legs and lift. I’m not sure where we’re going, but I follow his lead. Eventually we find a bed to lie her on, hoping that it’ll help her wake up.

“Please take care of my son,” a voice comes through in my head. It doesn’t take much for me to realize it’s Jabez’s mother speaking. “He likes you, he called you a friend. Even when I knew him, he never had many friends. If he had a friend like you, we may not have come down this road. Although I’m glad we did because he finally has someone to lean on. Someone to provide him with the care that I could not. Promise, you will always be his friend.”

“I promise,” I don’t have the courage to say, think, anything else to a dying woman.

I don’t know what she says to Jabez, but he cries and holds her body. This moment isn’t for me to watch. I take this as my opportunity to leave. Gather some water, maybe any pain medicine I can find. I glance out to the yard on my way back. Benedict is dead for sure but a few of the other seven are moving now. Probably unaware of what is happening.

When I return Jabez is still holding his mother’s hand, sitting in a chair by the bed now. His eyes are closed, but I can tell he’s awake. She’s still breathing, but the two don’t move. I’m sure they’re having some kind of deep conversation. I’ve got no right to hear. For now, I take up position by the door. The least I can do is try to protect them if one of the seven were to attack now.