What Is Done

Chapter 28 - A Fate Worse Than Death

Sellion wasn't necessarily willing to kill the wyvern yet. Not before he had the chance to grill it for information. Sellion had injured Druvrot enough that he wasn't willing to move as his open wound caused excruciating pain. It'd hurt too much for him to even try to.

"Who killed all the villagers?" Sellion poked Druvrot with his spear, threatening more damage. He walked over to Druvrot's head.

Druvrot pleaded, "I don't know!"

"Liar." Sellion thrust the spear tip into Druvrot's shoulder. 

King Laverne hates liars. If he were interrogating this thing, he'd have lopped its head off by now.

"Okay, okay!" Druvrot winced in pain, "I heard a legend...they'd all died half a century ago! But I swear I didn't kill them! I've only been here for three decades!"

Essaerae approached Sellion and stayed next to him. "Died from what then?"

"Plague. A disease. Wiped them all out," Druvrot explained to the elves.

Sellion narrowed his eyes. "Who did you hear this story from?" He hadn't really cared what fate had befallen the villagers, because they were already dead. He simply wished to know where the story had come from. Maybe he'd write it down later. A town so obsolete that it wasn't on any maps likely had no history. This legend would give it history but it would not be up to Sellion if people remembered the story written about this town.

"When I came here, there was an elf! He was a doctor. He said he'd heard the story about this town being affected by an unknown disease! But when he got here, they were all gone. He'd buried every single one of them. He'd made the town his home, but upon burying the townspeople, contracted the lingering sickness." Druvrot's eyes filled with tears and his voice became solemn. "He had...become my friend...But he passed away a few years after I met him."

Sellion glared down at Druvrot. Is this thing really crying after trying to commit homicide in hopes I will pity him?

"I'm sorry to hear that. What was his name?" Essaerae consoled Druvrot, running her hand along his snout. Sellion looked at Essaerae as she spoke, doubting he wanted to add to the conversation.

"Doctor Elbane. He was the kindest person ever. If I remember correctly, he was really a half-elf but appeared to be just an elf."

Jealousy of this so-called Elbane filled Sellion. Sellion hadn't won the genetic lottery with half-elf traits. Elbane was lucky. A half-elf with elf ears. Nobody questions where you belong if you live among the elves and share their ears. He balled his hands into fists, keeping his eyes on the ground so Essaerae and Druvrot couldn't tell how his emotions were acting up. His grip tightened around his spear's shaft.

"Your friend there seems mad, girl elf," Druvrot looked at Sellion with fire in his eyes.

Sellion opened his mouth to yell at Druvrot but no sound came out. Of course I'm mad. I'm mad at someone I've never met. Better yet, I'm jealous of someone I've never met. Sellion's eyebrows contorted to his anger, making him look how he felt. Druvrot pointing out the obvious made him angrier. "Hell yeah, I'm mad! Mad that you exist!" Sellion threw his spear directly at Druvrot, as if it were a javelin, aiming for the center. The hit would have certainly killed him.

Essaerae dodged to the side, the spear barely scraping past her. "Sellion!"

Druvrot managed to get out of the way. He had enough willpower to move to the side. He didn't want to die. The spear shattered a window of the shop behind Druvrot. Druvrot's eyes were drawn to the spear. This loon is really trying to kill me! He was then drawn back to Sellion. Sellion's breathing had become heavy and they could hear it. He stayed in his javelin-throwing stance, huffing. Veins popped out of his forehead, emphasizing how pissy he had become. I won't let him!