The Spark And The Flame

Smoldering Souls

Filos stared at Theran, even though he didn't have a face, it was easy to see he was upset. His shoulders were slouched, and his hammer was dragging on the ground. "Whelp, good to know everything's under control." He sighed, Theran killed the monster with such ease and efficiency, it was clear he harbored a vendetta.

"Don't worry, I saved the small one for you." Theran replied, gesturing towards Cogitatio, who was still trying to pull the sword from his shoulder. But to no avail, he was still pinned to the ground.

They both stood over him just watching with slight amusement as he struggled.

"Bring back the people" Theran said simply, not bringing himself to look at the rows of dead guards Cogitatio killed.

"Ha! Not possible" He said. He lifted his head to look at Theran, and beckoned him closer with his free hand, and for some mysterious reason, Theran obliged him.

"And, between us... you could have. Hell, I could have brought them back, but their souls were spent on the bird." He said quietly, so as to not be heard by the once again conscious civilians.

"But fret not, I'll keep it between us." He said, breaking into laughter. And he most likely wouldn't have stopped laughing, if not for the fact that Theran broke his jaw with a punch. While Cogitatio laid there mumbling, Theran tapped the pommel of his blade and quickly stood up and stepped aside. The moment he did, Filos' hammer swung through the air at a frightening speed; connecting with the exact point Theran requested. It happened so fast that it seemed more like the hammer was the instrument that severed Cogitatio's shoulder from the rest of him.

Cogitatio, though previously seeming unfazed by pain, definitely felt that loss. He shrieked and clawed at his now detached limb, trying desperately to retrieve it. But his efforts were in vain as Theran kicked it aside.

Realizing it was pointless, his eyes dotted to the flames surrounding the city that popped up during his arrival. He started to quickly crawl over to them, only for it to be cut short by a swift boot to the gut.

"Huh... both times you've been injured you seemed to want to return to that flame, what's so special about it?" He asked, not even expecting an answer but knowing it all the same. He once again mimicked Cogitaio's hand movment and summoned forth the flames dotting the field. However, he released his grip before the flame reached him, sending it flying in all directions. Darting through the air in random patterns. Dozens of tiny little flames sporadically whizzing through the sky, eventually making their ways to the guards. And the moment it touched a guard they sprung to life gasping for air. And for a split moment just as they open their eyes, they shared a solid color with Theran's. But soon they gave way to normal appearance, and then to a confused expression. Theran was visibly relieved to see the guards get up, and the joy in one mothers eyes as she rushed to help her child, the youngest one on the wall.

Theran returned his gaze to Cogitatio. "Your right, I shouldn't let myself slip. Anger makes it all to easy to take a life. So here is an undeserved courtesy, run, you have a better chance in the forest than you do at the mercy of the city."

Cogitatio seemed jarred by this, he was confused and dazed, but ready to die. This chance was more than even he thought he deserved. After a moment of rapid glances around him thinking of what to do and if it was a trick he got up and darted towards the forest, bumping into a guard in the process. Though it could easily have been intentional, seeing as he now had a sword in hand as he ran.

Filos stood next to Theran, watching Cogitatio sprint to the best of his ability, who tripped, expectantly thrown off balance from the loss of a limb. A moment later Filos seemed to have an epiphany, glancing to the shrouding sun and then to the forest.

"Hey... Theran... can I ask Iuvenis something please" He asked sounding distracted.

Theran handed Filos the book from his satchel and said "Knock yourself out, I need a drink" as he turned around and walked away. However, do to the nature of his allies, distance did not prevent him from clearly hearing their conversation.

The moment the book was open she said, Oh cool the affect in the sky looks like a solar eclipse, at least when it comes to the shadow. Which means its probably not safe in the the forest, well less safe, that place has quite a lot of critters in it. But still, its especially dangerous now, the majority of the threat from the enormous carnivorous plants in that forest have always been know to occur around the eclipse. Fun fact, it's actually not the eclipse they react to, its the brief night that completely interrupts the normal day cycle of those plants. Thing is, the only time that the sun can be overturned by darkness like that is during the wars between the gods. Is this adventure Theran's on really that serious? Geez.

"Yes it is, and thank you. That's all I needed to know" Filos said, closing the book as all of the townsfolk gather around him.

The rest of Filos' time was spent attempting to communicate with the citizens, mute though he was. But this was just background noise in Theran's head as he searched for a tavern. He wandered for awhile, the town seemed unusually empty aside from the occasional shambling drunkard. This unsettled Theran, until he realized that most of the town was acting as guards and the rest were onlookers in the commotion.

Eventually he found the source of the homeless drunks. And upon entering realized there have been nearly no Diador in the town, but that's to be expected on this side of the continent. This was ever so apparent when he took not but five steps through the door and was immediately greeted with a bottle hurtling through the air towards his head. Theran flinched, having been caught off guard, moving his hand up and catching it out of shear reflex. Theran glanced at it and did a double-take as he noticed it was a full bottle. He took a seat in the far corner, the air was thick with a dirty musk, the tavern was dim with half exhausted sconces along the walls, it was clear he stumbled into the disreputable bar of the city. There were numerous tables that found themselves covered in spilled booze and being cleaned by a miserable looking bartender. As Theran started to chug the bottle he noticed the bartenders occasional wayward glance. There were only about three other people in the bar, one glaring intently, clearly the one who threw the bottle in the first place. Theran shot him a grin, and raised the bottle, as if to say "cheers!". Clearly enjoying making the man furious. He pulled the bottle back up to his lips, and a moment later removed them, glancing at it with a look of disappointment, it was empty, without so much as a buzz.

"Barkeep" Theran called. Who's response was one of both relief to get away from scrubbing tables, and worry for having to talk to Theran.

Without even waiting for the man to get to the table Theran asked, "Do you have anything stronger?"

"Not at the moment, that's all gone to the guards. An' wit' what comes out'a that forest, they need it."

Theran gave a sigh and stood up, the bartender flinched, but maintained eye contact. "Very well, at least tell me, do you know were I can find a man by the name of Dolor?" Theran asked.

"Y'mean the newest drunk added to the list? 'Sides yourself of course. Yeah, hell, he's sleeping in the stables out back."