Stigmata Martydom Ch. 03

"Benjamin sir, Benjamin Grant," Benjamin said looking at him

"Oh well that's rather of interesting. What are you cooking?" Benjamin said eyeing the pot then looking at Henry then eyeing the pipe in his hand. "What are you smoking?"

"Oh this it's my own herbal remedy. If you want one you can have one." Henry said handing Benjamin his pipe. "I'm making some stew kid. You should have some. But why the hell were you trying to find me anyway. I suspect you're not a bounty hunter or else you would have tried to enter that fray that me and ole trench coat had earlier."

"Well sir," Benjamin said taking a puff off the pipe and then started hacking and coughing. "Holy cow what is in this!?"

"It's my own kind of plant I've been growing, it's supposed to be easy to smoke and have a strong affect. I take it this is your first time ever smoking something?"

"Yeah," Benjamin said. "But getting back to your question, I read on your wanted poster that you had healing powers. I wanted to see if you could heal me. I don't know what's wrong with me but I've been hearing a lot of voices lately and having these weird dreams."

"Voices eh, sound's to me like an auditory hallucination. That's interestin come over here." Henry said patting the dirt. And Benjamin who was very eager to cure his problem walked over and knelt down next to Henry. Henry then held Benjamin's head and a green aura came from Henry's hands and went around Benjamin's head like two lines of pure green energy circling fast round a track in opposite directions. The trains moved faster and faster and then stopped. And the aura returned to Henry's hands and slowly Henry lowered his hands then went back to facing the fire.

"Sorry kid, you don't have a disease. I can cure even mental problems but you, you aint got a problem." Henry said sorrowfully.

"What?" Benjamin stammered out in confusion. "Then what is it? What's wrong with me then?"

"don't know what to tell ya kid." Said Henry. "These voices you been hearing, you ever had a talk with them? Maybe figure out why they're there?"

"I remember when I was passed out," Benjamin stammered. "I saw my brother and an old man that said they were spirits. But I thought that couldn't be true. My brother that is to say while I was passed out said he was this gifted Fallen. He was always treated special he was going to do great things someday. I was just Benjamin the little brother, the person with a normal life, who was going to be an editor."

Henry pulled two bowls from a bag laying beside him and scooped out some stew for them to eat. Henry handed him a bowl with filled stew.

"Eat this kid, but Your brother was there right? Well at least that one is obvious he's inhabiting you're body trying to help you out you know, protect the little bro." Henry said assuring Benjamin.

"Yeah, his name was Tom and he was the best," Benjamin said. "He was always looking out for me. Even said back in that dream world that he gave his life to make sure me and the rest of the family would be safe from the faiths wrath."

"Hmm that would incite a lot of hate don't you think." Henry asked. "I know I'm not too fond of them but that's because I was once with them. Never knew a Tom though."

"You were part of the faith? How did you get involved with them?"

"The faith goes around finding Fallen they have all their scouts out there looking for odd activity and then they go back and report them. The faith will then decide if they are useful as a weapon then they send what they call 'retrievers to go and get them. The Fallen are then taken to the central church are then given a choice. Become an acolyte of the faith, or die."

"Wow, that's pretty brutal, so I take it you joined them?" Benjamin asked.

"Not at first, but I realized that was a mistake. They tortured me for three days straight. I was forced onto a stretcher. And from there they could whip me, bash me, and all sorts of others things on top of forcing my bones away. Finally I broke down and I joined them. Didn't know that someday I'd regret making that decision but I did maybe would have been better if I just died I don't know anymore."

"What did they make you do?" Benjamin asked quietly.

"Maybe some other day kid, but not today. Right now what we have to do is decide what the hell are we going to do? I mean I'm still on the run and I need to get back to my cabin. But they might have already known about that. And now you've been associated with me. If there's anything the faith likes less than deserters it's those who help deserters."

"Well I know I want to get the guys that killed my brother. And are taking others and putting families through the same kind of mess. No, no one deserves this kind of pain." Benjamin stood up looking at the sky. "It may be against gods wishes but damn it I need to tear this world apart I'll have to but no one deserves that kind of pain, NOBODY!"

"Sounds like you got a strong resolution. But it's gonna take a lot more than two guys to bring down a whole government." Inside Henry was smiling. He had been looking at a chance to take down the faith. Now someone who was willing to help him do so was right in front of him.

"Yeah were going to need to find others. That should be our top priority. Don't you agree Henry?"

Henry knew though that everything needed a plan. That he would have to think of a possible way to do things. "I don't even know if we should be doing this?" Henry stammered. "Do you have any ideas what your can do? Holding souls inside your brain? Is that even useful in a fight?"

"I think so the souls said they'd help me give me use of their powers?"

"Are all the souls that speak with you Fallen?"

"I'm not sure. But I'm sure they'll be able to help me somehow. Or you could train me in combat readying us for when we take down the faith."

"Alright determination. It's been so long since I've seen someone who has it. But you've got conviction I think maybe we could make a plan."

The two sat and ate and discussed how they would go about this new plan. Benjamin felt a strong rush of adrenaline in his body probably the greatest it's been in his life. And he felt it swell over him. We're going to bring down the faith and free the world he thought.