The Wilting Ballad

24

Lovers gazing at the setting sun from a beach would love the sound of raging ocean waves indistinctly accompanied by tweeting birds.

For Iuftas, the sun had set and the stars were crying, the raging ocean waves sounded oddly like hundred dying cows, the tweeting birds, for him, was the sadistic Shick cackling like a mad witch.

His sight is bedimmed, blurred. All was unclear but for the pain, he was forced to feel and the Cassav calling his name every few seconds while battling the man with firesword. His whole self froze when Shick first buried his thorn of whip on his thigh, he wouldn't put it past the man to have the tip of his thorns morphed with poison.

After all, Shick had bound him to a tree, and tied him with his belly touching the trunk even though he cannot move. The blood pouring from his back traced down his legs until they reached the ground.

It occurred to him then, his life as a Star. He had always known he was only chosen to be Star by the elders because of his healing ability. He had, also, always known he was the weakest of the bunch. He was weak enough to fall in love with the daughter of a farmer back at Ozkogul, whom he thought returned the love he had for her, but was merely, as she put it, practicing with him. Who wed another man, who, then, gave her a son, as he looked on wondering why he wasn't enough.

Men with their hearts torn in half will always behave as if there is nothing wrong and admit that he was perfectly well while they weep silently on the inside, such is the way of men. But Iuftas, being dubbed weak, has all the freedom in the world to cry over the love he lost.

He remembers the faces of the six people who had been with him through his heartbreak, and helps him, the healer, heal. They had helped him to be who he is today. How he loved them all, the closest thing of a family he's ever got. Xarabia's face crept up his tormented mind, then Hermis and Alfaus, their smiles brimming with pride. His heart aches for them, they were the ones who kept the balance. Now... now everything's off-balance.

Why must I always be the one in need of help? Why can I never be the one who helped? Iuftas' consciousness began to proceed further, the pain on his body was no more. Is this what dying feels like? He asked himself, his mind drifting further and further away.

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"All you do is talk... shut your hole for a second and fight like someone normal." Said Berick, his steam of blue mist was the only source of light where Tentoria had dragged him. She had removed her strangely shiny silver robes, robes that were not suited for her at all, in lieu she had once more become one with her shadow.

"And all you do is taunt, are we not the perfect pair?" she giggles cheerfully, she moves around like a dancing monkey. "You've gone dull, Berick Drownstar. Here I am, thinking you would come at me the moment I brought you down here."

Growing more vexed by the minute, "Me not being able to see you somewhat stopped me from doing that." Berick answered. I need to get away from the dark.

He noticed that Iuftas was not shrieking anymore. He frowns, his mouth is drying, his fists sweaty underneath his blue fogs of armour. Hang there, boy. Hang there. "But... since we both know you didn't yank me down here so you could make the first move..." He concluded.

"That a good boy."

The soil beneath his boots deepened before he sped toward the faint light the moon cast. Berick had presumed this was a trap set for him by Tentoria, nevertheless, he ran.

She smiled wickedly as she watched the colour blue charging directly at her extension of solid limbs. She had set it there to play the role of a wall. But her smile subsided upon seeing the Shīza leaping high enough to cross over her threshold. She rises in the air, abandoning all her weight, letting the wind take her as she pleased.