The Weaving of Cyrno: The Silver Lining

Chapter 5 The Heat

Seig

I feel the intense heat of the burning food supplies on my face as I look at the barbarian who helped me start this. The flames dance in her green eyes, and for some reason, I can't help but try to remember this image. It’s like I want to keep this in my head for a later date. The snow from the clouds melts into rain as it gets closer to the growing inferno, and my mind wonders if I’m doing the right thing. Is starving these soldiers really the right thing to do, or am I just as bad as them for doing this to them?

“Seig!” I hear my name shout behind me, and my eyes widen to see Jin. He’s alive! I feel my eyes water as I start to run to him. My heart beats fast as I use all my force to run to the only person who has taken care of me. In a blink of an eye, Jin and I embraced in a hug as I felt stress that I didn't know I was holding in now leaves my body. I hear him say “Thank the Gods you are alive.” I don’t know how long we just stay content in the knowledge that the other one is alive and in front of the other but I know it’s a memory I hope I never forget it in my life. 

I hear a deep voice cough as we stop hugging, and I see the two from the forest are in front of me. Also, the feeling of the blazing inferno I helped create returned to me. I’ll also try to keep the bounding sound of that barracked door to the makeshift temple as well. The one in the strange garment says “Not that I don’t appreciate this nice scene of you two being reunited, but I’d say we exchange tales after we leave this fortress.” Marie walks up to us and says “I agree with the red-tipped skinny man.” Said skinny man looks shocked at the comment as the robed woman chuckles and starts to leave the area. I follow with the other behind me.

What if the flame makes it to the building I helped lock? I remember asking Jin once what was a horrible death. He gave me some answers that shocked me, but my mind returned to when I asked. We were in our cabin after we ate. It was a very cold night, and we were both near the fire. I remember Jin staring at the flames, and he says with a look that he was deep in memory “I think one way that sucks is being burned alive. I told you I once lived in a big city, right?” I nodded back then, and he continued “Well when I was young, there were these big Zelouts of a god of flames. They got the local lord to go on a vacation. I found out later that they had a lot of people being forced to do what these zealots asked.” My head bricked up and asked, “Isn’t that blackmail?” Jin nodded his head and said “Yeah. Well, the head guy got the idea in his head to wash away the sins of the bad was to burn them alive. So he made these public burning events to show the people the power of their god. I can still remember the screams of all those he burned in front of me. I saw fear in their eyes as the flames grew around them.” We were quiet after that, and I never again asked Jin about morbid thoughts.

I stop walking as I fully remember that day. A feeling of guilt starts to swell up inside me. Even if those dragonborns are sinners or people, the world would be better off without them on here. I can’t let them burn to death. I say “You guys go ahead. I need to do something!” I turn around and run back. I hear a few of them shout back at me as I run back to the courtyard. I know this is stupid, but I just can't let them die like that.

Marie 

I see the wizard run down the hallway, and I have to now think he wants to die. Why would he go back to that fortress? We were almost out of here. Damm. Why go back now? I made sure before I went to his cell to check that all the prisoners got out. There were no signs that there were more than that big patch of prisoners who he was originally held with. Why return to a possibly dangerous place? My ears can't pick up the two dragons fighting anymore, so we don't have that much time before one of them gets here. Could it be that he forgot something? No, when we originally napped him, he only had a sketchbook on him and a charcoal pencil. We left it on his person, and after he did that metal skin shit I searched his person again.