Discord Isles: The Island We Call Home

Ch 13. Forgiveness

    Oliver let out a cry as another hit came down on him. Deep crimson blood trickled down his forehead and over his left eye which was swollen shut, purple and black decorating his face. His hands were now bound together in front of him in splintered, bloodied ropes.

His breathing was ragged and off; the light above him was flickering, casting dull yellow shadows against the concrete walls.

Varick Ascil panted above him, a bead of sweat trickled down his temple; the man's knuckles were bloodied and bruised. He shook his head very slowly then leant down to eye-level with the boy. Oliver's head was hung low, his deep green hair now in strands, casting a dark shadow over his face as a few tears dripped off his cheek in a choked back sob. Varick lifted the boy's chin and his brows furrowed as he looked at the bug elemental.

"Mr. Green..." The man spat, "Don't you know it's inevitable that I find them? Everybody on the island already knows of your border-hopping friends and there are search parties on every territory of the island. Why don't you just tell me where they are..make it easier for everyone."

Oliver swallowed dryly, his lip trembling. "I don't know anything." He managed, his voice a hoarse whisper as he attempted to catch his breath, "I swear- th-they broke into my house and-and I..I just don't know. Please, please believe me. I-"

Varick grunted in frustration and released Oliver, who flinched at the sudden movement.

The large man paced back and forth in the basement as Oliver kept his blurry sight on the ground, his breath shallow.

After a few minutes of pacing, Varick slowed to a stop in front of the Bug elemental, looking down at him.

"...you really don't know?"

Oliver shook his hanging head slowly, eyes still on the cracked cement at his feet.

"Well then..." Varick reached over and clicked the 'off' button on the camera, flicking his wrist and sending it up the stairs in a cloud of golden smoke.

Oliver looked up at the man.

"Any last words?"

Varick lifted his hand and stuck it out towards the boy as gold began to form at his finger tips.

Oliver kept his eyes dancing on the man for a moment, as if deep in thought, then suddenly sputtered a few hopeful words in a cracking voice. "Th-this can o-only be given..."

"What?"

"This can only be given and never bought...it is craved by sinners but by saints it is not. Wh-what...what is it?"

"Is this a riddle?" Varick's stern look morphed into a slightly amused grin as he lowered his fingers.

Oliver nodded shakily.

"Please answer the riddle before..b-before-"

"Before I kill you?" Varick finished the boy's sentence, then nodded as he ran his fingers over his chin. "Clever. Repeat it."

"This can only be given, and never bought. It-It is craved by sinners, by saints it is not. What is it?"

Varick stood there dumb-foundedly for a moment. Then he slowly grinned. "Is this something you wish I had?"

Oliver nodded.

"Then I know what it is....

Forgiveness."

Oliver nodded once more, forcing a small, shaky smile at the man before letting his head hang.

"Interesting," Varick said, "Then I won't kill you..."

Oliver smiled under the shade of his damp hair, a few weak chuckles escaped his lungs, "Th-Thank you." He said breathlessly.

"I'll let the rats do that."

With that, Varick glanced back at the boy who sat in a sudden utter silence, and walked up the steps, turning the basement light off behind him.