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Ace felt them crawling all over xyr body. Their slender bodies left xem frozen, and the hissing was terrifying. Ace didn't know what to do. All xe knew was that there were snakes crawling all over xem and the bed, and xe lay there, wide-eyed with fear.
"Please, Ha-Shem, no. No, no, not the snakes," Ace whispered.
Xe tried to look for Trevor and call for help, but xe couldn't see him lying beside xem in bed. Maybe he'd slipped out for a moment, or maybe the snakes had carried him off. Maybe that's why he wasn't there. Feeling alone and afraid, Ace lay there, paralysed, and watched as a particularly large snake slithered up xyr body. Its mouth was open enough to reveal the fangs. They glistened in the soft light.
It wasn't that snake that bit xem, though. Xe didn't know which snake had bitten xem; there were too many and the room too dark, to determine that. All xe knew was that there was a sudden burning pain in xyr side, and xe cried out, hoping desperately that Trevor was still around.
"Trev, oh, where are you? Trev, please, I need you. They've bitten me. I'm going to die," Ace begged, feeling xyr leg burn up.
The snakes were soon to disappear, leaving Ace shivering and frightened. Xe couldn't move xyr body, and Trevor still hadn't come to xyr rescue. Using all xyr strength, xe shouted to him, hoping he might come. It seemed to work as Trevor, bleary and half-asleep, lifted his head up to look at xem from the floor beside the bed.
"Y'alright, Ace? What's going on?" Trevor said.
"S-snake bite. I've been bitten. Hurts so much, Trev. Please, I need help," Ace whispered, feeling feverish and weak.
That stirred Trevor awake, and he climbed up beside xem, making sure xe was alright. He didn't know if it was an actual snake bite, or just a nightmare, but he didn't want to take any chances in case it was real.
"Where'd you get bit, then? What kind of snake was it?" Trevor asked, trying to see if he could see any visible wound.
Ace pointed to xyr left leg. "Burning. Cursed snakes. Need - I need Raf. Y'can't heal this on yer own."
Sensing how urgent it was as he watched Ace drifting in and out of consciousness, he scrambled over to the bedside table, rummaging around in the top draw until he found the amulet to call on Rafa'el. He held it to his heart as he spoke the invocation Ace had taught him to use in an emergency such as this one.
"the servant of the Archangel Azriel calls on the great Archangel Rafa'el. Bring your healing, Archangel. Azriel is in urgent need of your help. Come, bright one, to purge away all illness from xem," Trevor said as authoritatively as he could manage.
There was a pause, and then a flash of light. Trevor instinctively buried his head under his arms, not wanting to die because he had glimpsed the true form of an Archangel. He didn't see Rafa'el standing before the bed, draped in silver and white, but he felt his touch as he reached out and rested a hand on his back.
"What is the problem?" Rafa'el asked, voice calm and even.
"Cursed snakes, or so xe said. Said xe'd been bitten, left leg. Xe said to call you. I don't know what to do. Xe's dying," Trevor said, still refusing to look at him.
"Why do you hide, mortal?" Rafa'el asked.
"I dare not look upon an Archangel and hope to live. I'm only human. Ace needs me," Trevor answered.
"You are safe while you hold that talisman. Wear it around your neck. Come, I will need your hands," Rafa'el said.
Tentatively, Trevor did look up at him, clutching the amulet close to his chest. He wasn't sure what he was expecting Rafa'el to look like, but the man before him was strange indeed. He was a slender man with long flowing robes. His skin was pale, and his long hair was silver. There was a great presence in him, and Trevor was at least confident he was speaking to the right Archangel. Feeling a little reassured, he put the amulet on around his neck, hoping Rafa'el spoke true and he could not be killed for this.
"Alright, what do you need me to do?" Trevor said.
"He must be taken to the shrine. I cannot heal him here. Bring me cold water and bandages, and some salt," Rafa'el commanded.
"Yes, Archangel. You'll be right carrying him?" Trevor said. He had his answer as he saw Rafa'el kneel down and pick up Ace's still body with ease. "Right. I'll meet you downstairs. It's in the front room."
With one last glance at Rafa'el, Trevor quickly headed downstairs to retrieve what Rafa'el needed. He was thankful he'd remembered to keep some bandages on hand. Salt was easy enough to find, and along with a large bowl of cold water and all the bandages he could carry, he headed back to the front room where he found Rafae'l laying Ace down before the shrine.
"Where d'you want 'em?" Trevor said.
"Set them down here beside xem. I will need your help to keep xem still," Rafa'el said.
Trevor carefully set the bowl of water down near the Archangel and settled himself where Rafa'el told him to sit. Rafa'el took the salt and applied it to the wound on Ace's leg. Trevor couldn't see it, but he assumed Rafa'el could. Ace gasped and hissed at the sudden pain, and Trevor held xem down as best xe could, trying to reassure xem that xe was safe and being taken care of.
Rafa'el chanted what Trevor assumed were healing spells or prayers under his breath as he worked. He watched as the salt turned black, and was quickly thrown into the cold water. The procedure was repeated several times until the salt no longer turned black. Trevor assumed that meant the poison was gone. Trevor was sent to fetch another bowl of clean cold water. Rafa'el said he would dispose of the poisoned water himself.
Ace seemed to be a little more conscious, and xe groaned in pain as Rafa'el washed the wound and bandaged it, making sure it was sealed with blessings and magic to stop it being opened by other spiritual germs. Rafa'el had tried to explain what, exactly, had happened, but Trevor didn't quite understand how an imaginary snake could cause real illness.
Trevor was sent away to the next room while Rafa'el finished off. He needed to manifest some of his Archangel power to drive out whatever had been there, and to protect the house from any further harm. All Trevor remembered seeing was a flash of white light, and then he blacked out.
Trevor woke up back in Ace's room, sitting on xyr bed. Ace was sleeping peacefully beside xem. As he looked down, he saw the amulet in his hands and a small folded piece of paper. Rafa'el had left a brief note outlining what else ought to be done to help Ace heal, and had left detailed instructions, along with everything he'd need, in the bathroom.
Deciding now was not the time to think about Archangels, Trevor shifted into bed beside Ace, bringing xem close as he settled down to sleep. Ace seemed to be alright, though sleeping fitfully. Resigned to the fact xe might wake up again, Trevor let himself drift off. Maybe he'd get some better sleep tomorrow night.