10-05-2016, 04:03 PM
Burn victims were difficult to look upon. Their injuries were always so heinous, the healthy naturally averted their eyes. Jensen did not. His heart broke for Marcus. Where the Ascendancy's injuries were primarily internal, Marcus bore his on the outside.
He didn't recognize the man beneath the gauze, although his identity had been explained. Jensen didn't know the CCD government that well, and it had been years since he learned anything in high school. He used to joke that the rigors of Seminary eroded all memories of academic study that came previously.
He crossed to the bed, feet shuffling as he did, and sat alongside as he had with Ascendancy. Marcus's hands were wrapped like the rest of him, but Jensen needed to touch him. He found a place between the gauze and gently held his fingertips.
He lowered his gaze as he had before and prayed.
Viktor said I saved the world tonight. But it wasn't me. If left to me, I would be a wretch drowning myself in alcohol, afraid of the gift. Instead, you sent your angel, grabbed me by the hand and pulled me from perdition. I have been yours ever since. The Gift is the miracle. Please use it for your glory. Heal this man of his sufferings. Help me to bear the responsibility with humility and grace.
He lifted his gaze and reached into the throes of the Gift. It filled him with its terrible joy as it had before, but nearly swept him away. Jensen gripped the side of the bed with his free hand like it might anchor him. Within a few moments, the Gift calmed and yielded to his will. He began the flows, heart beating hard, and worked the patterns of restoration as he had before. Marcus was gravely injured. His skin bubbled and weeping. His organs sluggish. His mind quiet. There was no light within him as he'd sensed in Ascendancy. With a bare moment he briefly wondered what that meant, but could not contemplate it now.
The flows filled Marcus, stretching within the body. Like the lick of kittens, they whispered softness throughout. His tissue plumped and softened. The redness faded to pink then disappeared behind glossy brown. Within, his heart grew stronger and his eyes flushed clear. His mind awoke, sparking with life that was once on the verge of the abyss of death.
The final flows were laid, and Jensen released the hand he held. He slumped forward, curling his torso over the railing so it dug into his chest. He let his eyes stay closed, his body fatigued and sluggish itself. But there was an animation in his soul that he could not contain. He turned his head, brushed strands of hair from his eyes, and looked to see if Marcus would awaken. Unlike Ascendancy, he didn't appear to have been kept in a coma. But Jensen was no doctor. He only hoped.
"Marcus? Can you hear me?"
He didn't recognize the man beneath the gauze, although his identity had been explained. Jensen didn't know the CCD government that well, and it had been years since he learned anything in high school. He used to joke that the rigors of Seminary eroded all memories of academic study that came previously.
He crossed to the bed, feet shuffling as he did, and sat alongside as he had with Ascendancy. Marcus's hands were wrapped like the rest of him, but Jensen needed to touch him. He found a place between the gauze and gently held his fingertips.
He lowered his gaze as he had before and prayed.
Viktor said I saved the world tonight. But it wasn't me. If left to me, I would be a wretch drowning myself in alcohol, afraid of the gift. Instead, you sent your angel, grabbed me by the hand and pulled me from perdition. I have been yours ever since. The Gift is the miracle. Please use it for your glory. Heal this man of his sufferings. Help me to bear the responsibility with humility and grace.
He lifted his gaze and reached into the throes of the Gift. It filled him with its terrible joy as it had before, but nearly swept him away. Jensen gripped the side of the bed with his free hand like it might anchor him. Within a few moments, the Gift calmed and yielded to his will. He began the flows, heart beating hard, and worked the patterns of restoration as he had before. Marcus was gravely injured. His skin bubbled and weeping. His organs sluggish. His mind quiet. There was no light within him as he'd sensed in Ascendancy. With a bare moment he briefly wondered what that meant, but could not contemplate it now.
The flows filled Marcus, stretching within the body. Like the lick of kittens, they whispered softness throughout. His tissue plumped and softened. The redness faded to pink then disappeared behind glossy brown. Within, his heart grew stronger and his eyes flushed clear. His mind awoke, sparking with life that was once on the verge of the abyss of death.
The final flows were laid, and Jensen released the hand he held. He slumped forward, curling his torso over the railing so it dug into his chest. He let his eyes stay closed, his body fatigued and sluggish itself. But there was an animation in his soul that he could not contain. He turned his head, brushed strands of hair from his eyes, and looked to see if Marcus would awaken. Unlike Ascendancy, he didn't appear to have been kept in a coma. But Jensen was no doctor. He only hoped.
"Marcus? Can you hear me?"