Burning Today Options

[Olen]

Some of you probably remember my last piece, Yesterday's Shadow and that it had a rather unsatisfying ending. I spent the summer rectifying this and now have a sizeable sequel/ completion to it which is itself now finished. It would probably be better to read Yesterday's Shadow before this as it would make more sense, however you should get by without it. If anyone wants I'll put a synopsis here, though Yesterday's Shadow isn't very long so you could just read it here (enough plugs yet?)

Anyway without further ado:

Burning Today

Prologue

Dervas wore boots while he worked. Shoes didn't last long in the decaying mixture of blood, vomit, drink and drugs which floored The Black Guar. The dark man had finally passed out and for the first time Dervas dared look at him. A worn man with a broken soul. Who are you? The Black Guar didn't get passing trade – the mixture of pushers, heavies and racketeers who made up most of his patronage didn't appreciate strangers. In the first hour the man, who now lay face down on the table, had knocked two out cold and broken another's arm. They left him alone after that and he them. Dervas wiped the remains of a line of sugar off the bar and nodded to the bouncer who went to move the man to his room.

Someone knocked at the door. Dervas ignored it. They knocked again, for longer this time. He cursed and went to tell whoever it was where to go. It was late an he didn't need any more trade. He pushed open the door, a curse dancing on his tongue. A sack crashed to the ground, gold clinked within. A Breton in black clothes stood in the doorway.

“What's his tab?” There was no need to ask whose.

“Sixty.”

The Breton showed no surprise, and counted out the gold. “Listen,” his tone offered pain if Dervas didn't, “You keep giving that guy drinks, drugs, whores, whatever he asks for okay? For him happy hour doesn't end, tabs never have to be paid. Push as much as you can into him. Don't worry - I'll be round a couple of nights a week to pay you. That sack,” he kicked disdainfully at the one he'd just dropped, “Contains a thousand drakes, payment enough I'd say. If he asks don't tell him, just give him more drink. Understand?”

Dervas nodded, his mouth was dry.

The man disappeared into the night.

Dervas walked back into the bar. He looked towards the dark man's room. Who are you? he thought again, And what have I gotten into?

[Olen]

Thanks for the comments. This part was hard to edit to keep it's point while also sitting well with the whole PG-13 thing. I like the end result well enough though.

What does S.G.M stand for minque?


6. To an End

He was ashen white when he came round. I'd tied him into his study chair. A deep wound in one of his elbows still trickled blood into his imbrued clothes. My boots squelched slightly as I stepped in close to him.

"Don't try anything," I said. Fear clouded his eyes when they met mine, and well it should have, "I'm going to ask you some questions. You're going to answer."

His apprehensive gaze held.

"You were giving Dervas large quantities of gold. Why?"

"I didn't-"

"Lies," I kept my voice low, "Will not suffice." I held my temper, for the moment.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you paid my tab to keep me here. I know you were involved in the disappearance of Varnan, the other survivor of that damned job. You're going to tell me why."

"No. I am not." It was enough, I had the right man. If in a night of such black rage that mattered. The almost dreamlike state was back, maybe it had never gone. I knew what must be done, I didn't think beyond that.

I pushed my thumb through his left eye.

He screamed. "I paid Dervas to keep you," he whimpered, "I know about Varnan-" his own scream cut him off as I set to work. He'd had his chance to speak, by the time I'd finished he would beg me to let him. My soul shrivelled at what needed done, but the truth was more important.


Moonlight shone through the window, his face glowed in it. He'd been sick as I worked and it was smeared over his blood embrued clothes. He looked at me though an eye wide with terror like a huge pearl, the other was a shattered ruby. He looked at me and muttered to himself shaking. I slapped him.

"Listen," I said, gripping his throat. The shaking slowed but his breathing was as ragged as a beggars shirt, "You will answer the questions I ask. You will answer the questions I don't ask. If I even think you're holding something back I'll set to work again."

He nodded.

"Why were you paying Dervas?"

"To keep you here," his coughed and continued, his voice a little less reedy, "I was ordered to. The order came from high up but whoever gave it had concealed their identity. I don't know what you've done but you've stirred up a hornets' nest. There's hirelings and operatives all over the place, there's been a spate of killings back country too. All magical."

I nodded. This went right to the top then, but it didn't make sense. "Was the skooma you?"

"No." I waited for more, "I was told you were to stay alive, but sufficiently incapacitated. Most likely so they could study you if it came to it. You lead the expedition."

I decided not to bother asking what studying would entail. "What about Varnan?"

"The other survivor?" he swallowed, "The same order wanted him removed-" I reached for my knife, "Not killed. No he's alive." His panic was raw. "Someone else set it up, well most of it. Almost all of it. I don't know who, these are Telvanni lands, we have informers and agents everywhere..."

"Set what up?"

"He was sold." The mage's voice quivered. Fear dripped from him like sweat.

"What?"

"A slave train left a few days ago. I received the necessary papers and the train owner received the necessary bribe."

My knife was in my hand, I hadn't realised I'd drawn it. "You fetcher. You slaving s'wit. I haven't started yet."

He squealed. "I'll tell you everything I know. And what I suspect."

I stopped advancing but I didn't sheave the knife.

"The train was headed by Inren Dres, of that house. It's headed for Tear. Medium size, with enough guards. Their mage is rubbish, not that Inren knows it. He's a man of rich tastes and low culture, easy to track. He was headed for Helnim Wall. I don't know why the guild wants your friend alive but out the way, maybe they think you know more as leader. They'll come after you. I don't know what you were doing up north but I can guess, whatever went wrong it went wrong badly. I haven't seen them like this in years." The words came in a flood, any thought that he might be lying, or at lest holding anything back were washed away in the torrent. Tears ran down his cheeks. I felt faintly ill. "There's rumours," he continued, "That messy business up at Ness, and the attacks. It rarely gets this bad, even when the Telvanni are warring amongst themselves. And all since you appeared in town."

He let me put the rest together. I grimaced.

"It's all I know," he pleaded, "I can't help any more. There's money in the desk, just stop." The shaking overcame him.

I looked at him. Slaving scum, not just a trafficker either. He'd sold a freeman, somehow that was worse. I don't like slavers, even in my darkest moments I'd never worked for them. But now Varnan was in their clutches. Due to this man.

I rocked between thoughts while he begged and whimpered. But it was a man before me, scum or no. His skin, pallid under the streaks of blood and scrapes. The ruined eye. Another memory to stalk my dreams. In that moment I knew I was done. Quick as light my hand flashed out and opened his throat. His whimpers ceased with his pain.

It was over. The fire which had blazed so bright died. Had Meersa intended this? Was this what she'd wanted? I doubted I was the only one with fresh inspiration for nightmares. I at least did the mage the respect of looking at my work. I'd... extracted information before. But not like this. I hunted people who did this sort of thing. It had been necessary, I needed to rescue Varnan now. I was fighting for good.

But at what cost to my soul?

I took a sack of coin from the desk and left by the door. By morning Firewatch would not be a good place to be.