Day after day, for two years, we battled the Gingi rebels. Today was going to be the last battle. There would be no retreats for them. The Scortha were ordered to split up and come in, encircling their whole army. We were not to stop until they either surrendered or were all cut down. The rest of the army would stay behind the Scortha, assaulting from the front. I was in the group in the back.
Soon the drums sounded and all hell broke loose. It didn't take long- about an hour I'm sure- until the remaining Scortha twenty Gingi rebels surrendered. After that we took them back to our camp and all the were called to the shaman to be purged of us and be themselves again, but I had my own plan. I knew this boy- Jaspen, would be in danger so I would, when the shaman said the words freeing me, make it so that when the boy was angry, or in danger, I would emerged and make him stronger. Some how, this Raksheesh had grown on me. Because of my presence, the boy wouldn't age at all.
When it was finally my turn to see the shaman, it took all I had when he purged me to latch my essence to the parts of his brain that registered fear and anger. Most likely stress would trigger me to come forth as well.
****
I awoke later to Demni calling me my name. I felt ... odd. I guess that was the right word for it. I sat up feeling disoriented. Where was I? The last thing I remembered, I had been in the shaman's tent hearing him chant.
"Demni?" I asked, looking around seeing other soldiers lying beside me in other cots. This wasn't the barracks.
"Where ...where am I?"
He sat on the edge of my cot with a strange look of melancholy written all over his face.
"Where am I?" I asked. "Demni?"
He sighed. "We just won the final battle against the Gingi rebels today, Jaspen."
I looked at him confused. "But I... Aren't we in the village? How did I get here... What happened? Why don't I remember?"
He looked me in the eye. "During the shaman's Scortha ritual, he call's forth a fallen Scortha demon to strengthen you. One chooses you and uses you as a host until you die or until the battle is over. Once the battle is over, they release you."
I looked at him in awe. How was it right to have another dead demon possess you pretty much?
"I... How long have we been here?"
"Two years."
"Two years? I lost two years of my life? What happened?"
"You will remember over time, but for now... there are bigger things to be told."
"How is anything bigger than losing two years of my life?"
"The prince is dead."
Nausea swept over me. "Neo?"
"Aye. I know you two were close."
I nodded. "He was like a brother to me."
"I have requested you ride back with two of his other friends to deliver the body to the king."
I nodded not knowing what else to say. I had lost two years with my best friend just to find out shortly after I came back that he was dead. I wanted to break down and cry, but that wasn't the Scortha 's or a man's way.
"When do we ride?"