Burden

Everyone except Sue was gathered in Aria's room. They had varying reactions to the news about Sue. Lev sighed, "So your sister was possessed?" Jerry nodded. Ares spoke, "I believe it was the demon Selena warned us about, our Burden." Aria choked a sob; Ivy patted her back. Her eyes were dull, and she didn't react much. Her own sister was dead anyway; she didn't feel very empathetic. "Why did she glitch, then?" Lev frowned. Jerry suddenly remembered something. "She said I was a magic absorber. I was too freaked out to consider what she meant, but before that, she was grabbing my hand. I was so scared, then I felt like something was flowing into me... and that's when she started glitching." "Absorber?" Lev's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. He caught Jerry's left hand. "Hold my hand... do you feel anything? No?" Jerry shook his head; he didn't feel that familiar rush. Lev thought for a minute, then he held onto Jerry's hand tightly. Jerry looked at him with questioning eyes. Lev snapped his finger, and Jerry felt something cold on his leg. He looked down and blanched at the sight of the huge python coiled around his leg. "Arghhh," he screamed. He tried to run away, but Lev's iron grip kept him in place. His body shivered, and he felt a rush even stronger than the time with the witch. Lev felt weak and slumped down. The snake around Jerry's leg slowly vanished. Jerry shook off Lev's hand and moved out of reach. "Are you crazy or something? Were you trying to kill me?!" Everyone looked at Lev in confusion too. Why did he do that? Lev took a few seconds to catch his breath. "Ivy... hold... hold his right hand." When Ivy didn't move, he urged her, "Trust me!" Ivy held onto Jerry's right hand. "Now what?" She asked. "Jerry," Lev began, "you're safe, so let go of your tension, relax." Jerry frowned. "I don't feel safe, and I can't relax!" "Trust me, trust us." "You nearly made me snake food!" He snapped. He met Lev's eyes, who looked serious, something which is rare. Jerry sighed and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out and repeat. He felt the hand held by Ivy twitch. Unlike the former sensation, this one felt like something was flowing out of him; he didn't like it very much. It made him feel defenseless. He removed his hand from Ivy's. Lev looked at her with bright eyes. "Well, how do you feel?" "Odd? I guess. It's kinda like ..." "Yeah okay, so try to imagine something you've seen before in your hands," Lev interrupted, his voice becoming increasingly excited. "What? How?" "Oh, just do it!" "O...okay?" Ivy closed her eyes and tried to picture something she had seen before. Her mind zipped through many things before settling on one. When she felt something wet and slimy on her hand, she opened her eyes. It was an octopus. Lev yowled excitement. He was just short of shouting 'Eureka!' "An Octopus, really?" Aria chuckled. She wasn't really sure what happened that made Lev so excited. Ivy shrugged with a small blush. "I saw it once perchance." "Explain," Aria urged Lev. "Well, your brother is an Absorber," he said excitedly. "He can absorb magic from one person and transfer it to another; it's a super rare type of magic." "Wait, that means as long as I absorb a witch's power, I can use it?" "No! You can transfer it, not use." Aria chirped, "So he's like a USB cord?" Lev tilted his head. "I guess?" "That's pretty cool," she patted Jerry's shoulder. "It also weakens the witch you're absorbing from. I'm guessing that's why the demon lady flickered between Sue and her original form." The smile in Aria's eyes died. Oh yes. For a second, she forgot her sister's body was still possessed by an evil witch. "You said our burden was starting, how did you know?" She asked Ares. Ivy turned to him too. So soon? "I felt a strong wariness and caution towards the witch; her name is Virgo." "Mm, how did you know?" "A voice in my head." "O-kay, Garsam?" "I did feel an urge to attack her... but there are no voices in my head," she glanced at Ares. "I know where she is," Ares added. Everyone turned to him. Aria was incredulous. "Since when?" "Just now. I can feel where she is." Aria rubbed her head with a small groan. "I guess the burden does start now... But why the hell was Sue dragged into this? Why the fuck did Selena drag her into this?!" "Nothing will happen to her," Ares comforted. He held her shoulder. She shook his hand off. "You don't know that! That demon could be consuming her inside out as we speak!" "True true," Lev nodded solemnly. Aria glared at him, and Ares cast him a warning glance. Lev was speechless. She, not him, had made the statement! He only agreed to it, what was his fault?? "We have to find them and save her." "After which our burden will be done, and... we'll die, cool," Garsam muttered. "Let's go... No Jerry, you're not coming with us; it's not safe." "But I can help," Jerry protested. "It's our problem, not yours; you'll only be a hindrance. And Lev, you should stay too and make sure he's safe," Aria said. Lev looked at Ares. "Do you agree that I should stay? Instead of helping you fight, would you rather I play babysitter over here?" Ares nodded without hesitation. "Do as she says." Lev was speechless once more. He really betrays his friend when he finds a lover! "Fine, but you better come back alive; I'll be waiting." "Sis," Jerry called out; he still seemed reluctant. He looked at Lev from the corner of his eyes. "Should I transfer some of his magic to you? It could help you on the way." "Hey!" Lev protested. "You can't treat me like a power bank, okay? Besides, since it's not hers, the magic only lasts for a period of time; it'll probably fade before they even meet the demoness." "Oh," Jerry's face fell. "Then stay safe, sis." To Ares, he said, "Protect her with your life, and I'll call you brother-in-law!" Ares nodded seriously. "I already will." Aria gaped at their exchange.