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The Gift

Edward's Storyline, Chapter 4.2

copyright comidacomida 2018

I set my sandwich off to the side and went to the sink to wash my hand but, for some reason I still can't explain I paused and went back to the final pair of bread slices. Glancing over to The Ancient One I saw that Ch'upikaq was watching me intently with scintillating purple eyes and, barely even thinking about it, I pressed my thumb to the bread and wiped the errant blood off on the toasted slice. From there I went to the sink and gave my cut a quick washing. It wasn't a deep cut and the blood flow was already stopping thanks to the cold water.

Turning back the sandwich I almost ran right into Green, who was looming in front of me. I'm pretty tall but, of course, the Dragon still had almost a good two feet on me. He surprised me with his next action, leaning down to press the end of his scaled snout to my forehead. His split tongue brushed out across my skin in what almost resembled a kiss, and he spoke softly. "You continue to surprise me, little man. This is a good thing."

I smirked at Green, chiding "So apparently the way to YOUR heart is through your stomach. Good to know."

The Dragon pulled back, an unreadable expression on his snout before it turned into a gruff scowl. "Yes... that would work, assuming you aim upward but lack the strength to go straight through the ribs."

It was difficult to tell if he was kidding. Treboada, at least, didn't take it as a joke. He held up a spiritual copy of his own sandwich and shook it in the air at the Dragon. "Th' lad ain't needen' t'gut someone. If anythin', 'e was just sayin' that 'e noticed yeh liked th' food 'e made fer yeh."

Green shrugged, his wings flairing out slightly with the motion, and he picked up the sandwich; I was surprised to see that he actually got the physical version of it in his grasp. "I have not received a blood sacrifice before, and I am pleased."

I was surprised by what I heard. "A... blood sacrifice?"

Even as the entire sandwich disappeared into his gullet with a single motion, a voice emerged from within; it was Red. "This is not a blood sacrifice. You have merely given us some of your essence, Edward. There is a difference."

Tom lingered at the counter, eying the Dragon rather than his sandwich. "Yes. If you had given him a blood sacrifice then I would no longer be your Sentinel, and his eyes would be Red. What you did was in poor judgment, giving him of yourself... but not an evil act."

Looking around the kitchen at the various Spirits watching me I could only come to one conclusion. "Oh... should... ah... should I give you all some blood then or something? Was that uneven?"

Treboada had finished his sandwich in several bites (the spirit version anyway-- the real one was still on the plate) and he finished chewing before responding. "Not all Spirits like blood, Lad... usually it's th' ones given over't war'n'th'like. I'd bet'cha th' Bear an' Rhino there'd turn it down."

That statement confused me. "But I thought Spirits wanted Spirit Energy from Humans no matter what form it took."

Tom scowled, holding the spirit version of his sandwich without eating. "There are some exceptions, Nehed. A Sentinel will not accept blood from his Ward, and, besides, blood is not kosher."

Something about that almost made me laugh, but I managed to hold it in to prevent offending him. "Okay... that actually makes sense."

Medved chewed the last piece of his own meal before adding to it. "Most Guardian Spirits do not accept blood offerings, unless their people are warlike and, in that case, it is usually the blood of their peoples' enemies."

I glanced to the Bear. "Do YOU accept blood offerings, Medved?"

The Bear placed his paw on the counter. "I have in the past... but not for centuries, and only once from my people."

The Ancient One, who was once again a sinewy, furred, red Dragon hovered in the air, tendril-like whiskers floating around his muzzle spoke. "I have accepted blood offerings as readily as any other kind, but those who once venerated me did not do so on a regular basis, preferring many other options instead."

Ch'upikaq's voice emerged from the red snout next. "Blood offerings are not always an act of evil though, Edward... my people sacrificed to me regularly in the ancient days... animals... artwork... effigies..."

Green readily took over body and voice as the large, scaled Dragon once again loomed close in my kitchen. "Sacrifices... bah. In times before there was time the only sacrifice was when that which was hunted gave up running... self sacrifice to a predator. There was a cleanliness to it... simplicity."

The three versions of The Ancient One continued to discuss the matter amongst themselves even as the other three spirits listened on. While the spirits were all caught up in what apparently amounted to a Spirit discussion on metaphysical morality or something like that I was rolling my index finger across my thumb. I grabbed a piece of cheese from the fridge and smeared a drop of blood on it, then pulled out a grape and drizzled a thin line of honey onto it. After that, I paused, glancing back at the spirits, who had all gone quiet, and then grabbed a small plate from the counter.

Walking back to the group I set the cheese onto Treboada's plate and the grape onto Medved's. Even as I looked to Tom, who was looking at the other two offerings an idea struck me. I reached up into the cup cabinet and grabbed a small shot glass, set it in front of the Rhino, and went back to the fridge to grab the grape juice. I filled the shot glass, and looked at him. "You mentioned there was a specific prayer said over wine, right?"

That day was the first time I had successfully seen to the needs and attention of the four spirits. It was a major turn of events because that day gave me the confidence I needed by seeing what living with them would be like when things were running smoothly. Of course, considering the strong personalities, I knew it wouldn't last forever but the calm break was nice. To be honest, the rest of the day wasn't without some bumps here and there but I actually felt like I'd handled it well.

Dinner was all for me, which meant pizza delivery. Of course, as I was punching up my order on the phone app, I looked up, suddenly curious. "Do you guys eat pizza?"

Red, who was embodying The Ancient One at that moment responded first. "We have never had pizza, Edward, so we would not be able to say."

Treboada added his thoughts in, adding a laugh at the end. "Naer had it, boy-o, but ah seen it, an' if it has meat then it can't be all bad, eh?"

Tom shook his head. "No, Edward... I understand that many people have meat on pizza-- dairy with meat is not kosher."

I shrugged. "You can order pizza without all that, you know."

The Rhino flicked an ear. "Perhaps, but if they put everything together in one kitchen then there is a chance that they combine meat and dairy somewhere. Most foods that are pass produced do not meet kosher standard."

That surprised me, and I suppose I was a little less tactful when I replied "Wow... staying kosher must REALLY be hard."

Tom nodded intently. "Few things worth doing are easy, Nehed."

Medved was the last to speak up. "I have never eaten pizza before, but the way they make it in Russia has an appeal to me. The way they make it here is strange."

I flipped through the ingredient options on my phone. "Oh? What kind of stuff do they put on pizzas in Russia?"

The Bear blinked, counting them off on one paw. "The Mockba Pizza has sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon."

That sounded like quite the fish pizza to me. I didn't even like anchovies, so the thought of FOUR fish? No thanks. "Wow... that sounds... fishy."

He simply nodded in response, leaving me to look at my phone while four sets of eyes (or six, if you include the metaphorical sense considering The Ancient One was three spirits). Realizing just how intently they were watching me I--