A Fly to Die

"Master Fin, is something the matter?" One of his stablehands asked as they walked his horse up to him, handing off the stallion's reigns with a questioning look around.

Daiya, stop spooking the horses. He thought to the boy's ghost as it ran before his horse, making the animal snort and jerk its head. It shouldn't be able to see him, but animals were perceptive creatures. It probably knew that Daiya was there.

The ghost, which had grown a few inches since the last time Fin had seen in a few days ago, glanced up at him with an excited smile before vanishing, only to reappear on the animal's back, making the stallion nay loudly and kick its back legs out, startling the stablehand.

"I think there is something about. The horses are never this spooked." The lad said as he quickly managed to regain control of the animal.

Fin pursed his lips and took the reigns, dismissing the lad with a nod before turning to tug the horse from the stables and out into the fresh, crisp, morning air.

"Where have you been? Did I not tell you to stay with me?" He said, seemingly to no one at all as he calmly walked the animal toward the length of field that lead into the forest he planned to travel through upon its back... if he could make sure that Daiya would no longer scare the animal into possibly throwing him off. He did not wish to die again.

Daiya, who appeared to be around ten or so now, flashed in front of him a few meters ahead, running through the knee-high grass. Fin slowed on the dirt road he was walking and watched the blades of grass spread for Daiya's phantasmal body, but then blow right through him a moment later.

"You will trip if you are not careful." Fin said, remembering when he'd taken Daiya out to play in a very similar field.

He'd complained for months that he wanted to run through the high grasses and that it seemed like fun. Of course, Fin had argued that he would hurt himself. The darn boy was prone to causing himself bodily harm, which, in turn, ended with himself getting whipped or injured by his father.

"You tripped in a similar field when you were ten and injured your ankle... the left side of my back was whipped so badly after I carried you back home that I couldn't move my left arm for several days." He said, knowing that the ghost wasn't minding him as it ran about.

Shaking his head, Fin climbed up into the saddle of his horse and nudged it forward slowly. It was still wary, its ears flicking back and forth as its nostrils flared, but it obeyed and began walking.

When Daiya began repeating the same action of running forward, then disappearing into the grass, Fin realized that he was replaying another memory.

"I will not dismount just to try and catch you again. You know what you are doing and can stop on your own, if you so wish to." He stated simply as he spurred his horse on a little faster, trying to outpace Daiya.

Of course, he knew that the ghost could move much quicker than a normal person, so it was no surprise seeing him moving beside him in the field at the same pace. His form wasn't running fast enough for a normal person to keep up, but his ghost moved just enough to keep up with his horse.

Free the poor boy. You are causing him to repeat your memories.

Fin scowled as he looked around, trying to find whatever creature the annoying almighty bitch had decided to appear as this time.

When he couldn't find her around him, he narrowed his eyes on his horse... then noticed something drop onto his shoulder.

"You would be a fly. Be gone, whore, your new lifespan will be over in less than a day. Don't waste it bothering me or I'll end it now." He said, not enthused by the bothersome god on his shoulder.

He will keep hurting himself unless you stop him. God said as she vibrated her tiny wings, making an annoying buzzing sound by his ear.

"He can stop whenever he wishes. I cannot control him." Fin said as he spurred his horse to go faster, hoping that the tiny bitch would fall off.

Of course, he wasn't that lucky.

You are using his ghost to replay your memories. He is trapped in that room, and you are the only one who ever goes in or out of it, so his spirit attaches to your conscious and appears as you wish it to. God said, drawing a frown to Fin's face as he watched the little ghost fall, then disappear again.

"Why would I bother wishing him to appear as a little boy, continuously repeating the errors he made that got me the most injured before I was murdered?" He snarled, his fingers itching to reach up and smash the frustrating bug on his shoulder.

Whether you wish it or not, he is replaying the memories your mind is choosing... and he is feeling the pain, over and over again because of it.

Fin took several minutes to consider her words before slowing his horse to a stop as his eyes searched the tall grass for Daiya. He didn't care if the ghost got hurt, but if him physically stopping him again would keep Daiya from repeating his actions and possibly startling his mount...

Slipping from his horse, Fin headed to the last spot he'd seen Daiya disappear from. The grass was easily up to his waist as he made his way through it.

Left. God mentioned, drawing his attention to the side right as Daiya started running through the grass there.

He ran after him, but when he reached for his faded body his hands slid right through without any resistance. Daiya stumbled and fell a few moments later, disappearing into the air as he landed.

"I can't touch him this time." He said with frustration.

The little fly buzzed around his head before landing in his hair.

You don't want to help him enough. It said.

Fin glared and shook his head hard, trying to dislodge the bitch without smashing her into his hair.

"Why should I wish to help him? He has caused all of the problems in my terrible life!" He snarled at the same time something materialized a few yards in front of him, drawing his attention to it.

The look on Daiya's pale, ethereal face actually had Fin pausing.

You love him. Even after everything he unintentionally put you through. That is why you created that abysmal beast, Kovash. to protect that young man until you somehow managed to break free of the deal you made with the devil. God said, drawing a warning growl from Fin as he stepped forward, then knelt down in front of Daiya's little crying form sitting in the tall grass.

He was unsure what he should do, because he honestly wanted to just leave the boy there, but he knew that Daiya would follow him.

Do what a human would who is concerned, strictly to stop this bothersome repetition. He thought to himself as he reached forward. Unsurprisingly, his fingers slipped right through Daiya's pale face, but he refused to give up right away.

Licking his lips, Fin retracted his hand slightly, then moved his thumb along the line of his cheek. He couldn't feel anything right away, but as he persisted, doing his best to force some sort of sincerity as he looked into Daiya's wide, watery eyes, he felt a slight resistance beginning to press against the pad of his thumb.

"Let us stop this now, Daiya." He said, making the ghost fade slightly. "Return to your body and I can resurrect you when I return."

The boy appeared to sniffle, making Fin lift his other hand to try and pat his faint hair, but he never got the chance. Something heavy as hell, feeling almost like at least six-hundred pounds of dead weight, slammed into him like a brick.

Fin was sent flying, skidding once he hit the ground all the way across the dirt road and into the tall grass on the other side. His whole left side throbbed as he lay there, groaning as he listened to the sound of his horse's shrill screech of fright... followed by a loud thud, then silence.

"Dammit, Kovash." He growled as he forced himself up.

The sound of the horse being dragged met his ears as he slowly crawled out of the frustratingly tall grass. He wasn't happy to see the giant bat demon hungrily devouring his mount.

"That is the third one, you bastard." He said as he made himself rise, stumbling a few times on a likely damaged left leg.

It didn't feel broken, but he couldn't be sure.

When Kovash had a good mouthful of his steed, he turned his head toward Fin and lifted his upper lip, baring plenty of needle-like teeth stained with blood.

I was hungry.

"I told you that you could eat the remaining humans in the dungeon!" Fin yelled as he limped closer, stopping only when Kovash swallowed his food, then snapped his jaws with a snarled warning.

Master Daiya does not want me to eat anymore people.

Fin paused at that thought, frowning as he brushed God, who had decided to find purchase on his shoulder again, off.

"You can communicate with him? Even though he is a ghost?" He asked, bewildered. Even when he was undead, he couldn't understand most ghosts, let alone have a conversation with one.

Of course I can. He is my master, and he has decided not to leave yet, so I will stay here and protect him from you. Kovash replied as he tore another large chunk out of Fin's deceased horse.

Some of the new workers from his property were beginning to carefully come closer with weapons ranging from swords to pitchforks used to move hay. Sighing, Fin lifted his right arm and signaled for them to stay back. It had been hard enough getting people to work for him after everything he'd done with a carefully spun web of lies, so he'd rather not lose any of them just yet.

"If you can speak to him, then surely you know why he is refusing to return to his body?" He asked.

Kovash twitched his ears a few times and silently noted the growing mob of wary humans before returning his attention to Fin.

Of course I know.

Holding back a scowl, Fin took another step forward.

"Why will he not go back? I can bring him back as an undead if he would just return."

The look Kovash gave him had Fin glaring in return. He waited impatiently for the beast to finish what it wished of his poor steed before it licked its lips and stood, revealing Daiya's small ghost form squatting down behind his left leg, staring at the remains of the horse with a sad frown.

Just know that he understands there is no benefit to returning right now. Kovash said as he backed away a few steps, then laid down before nudging at Daiya's body. To Fin's surprise, the boy had clearly felt Kovash's touch and stood, then turned toward him right away.

They seemed to exchange silent words, because Daiya's lips were moving every few moments, or he was shaking or nodding his head. Fin was just about to step forward again and try to stop Daiya from considering whatever Kovash was trying to get him to do, when the little ghost scrambled up onto Kovash's back and hugged him tightly around his thick neck so that he could hold on.

I know you will not dwell on him much as you are, but I know why I was created. I will do my best to keep him free from harm until he is comfortable returning to his body... or leaving this world.

Before Fin could reply Kovash was darting off through the grass faster than he thought the scruffy giant bat could move.

He cannot leave this world with his body trapped in that room. Fin warned Kovash as he began limping toward his encroaching crowd of servants, several offering him help back to the keep. When Kovash didn't reply after several minutes, Fin figured that the demon had given up on a response, but when he finally stepped foot inside his home, the creature's words rumbled through his mind.

I will do whatever I must to make my master content... four walls and a selfish necromancer will not stop me until I am forced back into the ground from which I came.

Fin fought to keep a straight face as he carefully made his way up to his room, declining medical attention for the moment. When he threw his door open and saw Daiya's corpse laying still on his bed, he sighed, then growled.

Just because I cannot put you back with my abilities, does not mean that I cannot end your ability to interfere. Keep your distance, or you will find yourself buried so far beneath the soil you now walk on that you will never be able to claw your way back up to the surface.