He smiled, cutting the wind with the knife, listening to the whistling of the world. Then, his legs parted, calculations churning within the mind. One of the advantages of the caster's mentation. He spun, slashing eight times on the wall. Like parchment, the knife went through stone. Shard. He panted, sweat trickling down from his brow and neck, steaming off the ground.
He drank the air, chest heaving, throat burning for the wanted oxygen. An orgasmic sensation, and he asked, "What's the point of hiding like an animal?"
Davos spewed from the corner, torch in hand, the flame casting red on his features. "You must have seen the light."
"Yes, that must have been it." Merrin spun the knife, tapping it on his shoulders. Time to be an Ashman. "Do you know why I brought you here?"
"I came by my decis—"
"No." Merrin corrected. "I brought you here. That is the truth of it."
He frowned.
"One more time, I will ask." Merrin pointed the knife at him. "Who are you?" Let him see the threat.
Davos clenched the grasped axe. "I don't know—"
And Merrin was before him, piercing forward with the knife. For a moment, Davos was stunned, and then he was gone. Kneeling, Davos tossed the fire, hacked up with the axe. Predictably, and Merrin jumped, nimble as the Ashmen were known for.
He landed feet-first, still spinning the knife, said, "I will keep coming at you until you proclaim your words."
"Mist you." The fear in his eyes was gone. Davos. Replaced by that of a combatant. Wide. How long before he realizes he fights against a being that commands the wind?
They clashed, metal ringing out.
Merrin kicked back, wishing for a chain, but there was none. This was reality. Here, he was no god. Hence, he fought as a man, blade in hand, sweat trickling off his warming flesh. Today, he would teach this man. Break him like an egg. That was the only way.
A moment, and Merrin was beside him, dropping the knife. Davos was stunned, his eyes following the falling blade. A mistake. Before it hit the ground, Merrin grabbed it, slashing at the warrior's heel. Davos winced, obviously accustomed to certain pain.
No matter. The Ashman was upon him, landing a punch into his jaw, head snapping to the side. A groan escaped him, a mere genesis of the pain that was to come. Davos roared, swinging the unbalanced axe, obvious in the way it staggered, and crooked him.
He was not used to the weapon. Merrin, however, was. A click sounded as the knife sliced through the poll, a kick sending Davos tumbling over the earth. He was quick to stand, breaking off the shoulder of the axe, holding the metal rest as some metal rod.
The air around him suddenly changed. "You."
Merrin managed a breath before Davos was before him, spearing, iron tearing through the air. Fast. Instincts controlled the defense. He dodged, the ferric nearly blistering his cheeks. Davos was swift. Good to know. But the man didn't stop. Constant. His strikes broke into the raised bastion. Merrin lost his feet, rolling over the ground, the booms of metal echoing as Davos struck the earth.
Davos kicked up, slamming his feet into Merrin. Painful, tossing him into the wall. Ah, this surely meant something. Yet, this was not the time for a procession. He jumped to his feet, took a stance, and fell into the familiar trance—silence screaming, mind narrowing into a singular objective.
The dance had begun.
And now Davos knew fear. Merrin was the wind, the storm churning with precious fury. Infinity folded into moments; that was what the man would think. The strikes came endlessly, pushing the arrogant master. He screamed, but he could not stop it. Nothing could. He spun, cutting the legs of the combatant. He fell, managed to rise. Too late, the knife pierced into his shoulders, blood sluicing. He groaned. Merrin took a fist to the face, forgot the pain, and focused. No distraction. Only the target.
Ah, only sparks flew in the darkness, stray touches flicking their shadows in short bursts like frozen moments. This was the natural state of the Ashman—the veilCounsel of shadows and night. Today, two learned of that.
Davos tried to counter, Merrin rounded him. He did not see the attack, only screaming at the sure pain. Now he was desperate.
"Confess!"
Merrin grabbed his head, pounding his knees into his skull. Blood spurting from his nostrils. Not enough. A slap followed. Now he treated him like a child. That wounded his pride. Good. That was the thing he must shatter.
Davos changed tactic, tried to at least. Merrin countered, tearing through the deprecated clothes, a clap resounding into his chest. Red was imprinted on Davos' front.
"Mist you!" Davos wailed, a slap sealing his lips.
A memory of a woman crushed by stone returned.
"Confess!" Merrin grabbed him by the ear, driving his head into the wall. A bang, a gasp. Davos was turned, meeting eye to eye. Merrin left him. Davos smiled, thought it was over.
Not.
Merrin pounded his feet into the man. A bang. A ring. A scream. Over and over. He repeated, "Confess!"
"Noooo," Davos whispered. "Please no."
"Confess." Merrin slashed his thigh. "Confess! Confess the mistakes of your past. Confess your sins. Give it to me. Let me bear it for you. Be free of it. Confess!"
Davos was a thing of bloodied carving, his face hidden in coats of blood, sweat, and saliva. "I… I."
"Confess!" Merrin pressed the knife over his throat. "Confess or meet damnation with your sins!"
"YOU CANNOT ABSOLVE IT FROM ME!!!"
Merrin slapped him. "Let me be your pit. Dump it."
"I… I… I," Davos stuttered.
"Speak!"
"I killed my SISTERS!" He screamed, shoulders trembling like a child caught in trap. The world chilled now, rage fading, tension pressed into a nulling singularity.
Merrin was silenced. He did what? There was rage in the thought.
But… now was not the time for his stillness. "Speak."
Tears streamed down the warrior, now broken to half a shell of a man. "I didn't mean to. I never wanted to do it. But they died. My actions. I'm a Blademaster; I should have protected them. But I couldn't. They were bombed by the WhiteTrumpet. I could have gone with them."
"But you couldn't. You were a coward." Merrin sighed. "And they died because of it."
"Don't you think I know that?" Davos whimpered. "I watched them. I was made to pay for my crimes against a lord. I couldn't. I feared death, so I arranged for us to escape. But they didn't make it. They were gunned down like animals, not even by a brightCrown, but some criminal lord. Not that it makes it any better… I just. I'm sorry."
Now he was a man, pained… a human. These were his faults, despite the needed details; the fact remained. However… what difference was it to him? Leim had died to his pride, arrogance, and cowardice.
I don't deserve the pity… but he…
"Listen to me, Davos." He said, "I forgive you. I accept your sin. They are not yours. Now they are mine. Do not blame yourself for the things you have done; blame me. Blame God."
Davos was stunned, but quiet.
"But you still keep your secrets. You kept your truths. I know you wish to keep your silence. To hide it from me. To keep it true to yourself… However." Merrin leaned closer. "Learn this now. Learn this quick… You cannot, Davos. Farewell to that belief, farewell to that desire. Farewell to the fear, hate, and remorse."
And Davos stared wide-eyed…
I own him now.
Merrin stood, overlooking the startled man—his eyes two orbs of blazing radiance. "They must never learn of this." He said, and Davos nodded. He thought of death as the consequence of disobedience. "You are mine now. I accept your sins. I accept your entirety. Now face your tribulations. Those ones." He pointed to the wall corner. "Those lives. You are their warden. None shall die before you do. Hear my words. Their life sustains yours. Else… You shall learn God does not forgive twice."
And he turned, leaving the wounded man to drown in the fear and words left for him. He would contemplate, wonder…and eventually, like they all did, bury himself in delusion and myths. God has taken my sins, what mistsense.
Cannot turn back now, can I? Merrin wiped the blood over his stained clothes, tears dripping down.
For them. All of this is for them! I should never forget that.
Keep your secrets, Davos. I will learn them later. I will learn everything later. Knowledge begets power. Power begets freedom. Freedom begets bliss.
Merrin felt the coming triumph; was assured of it. They gathered. Like bugs to flame, addicts of a certain sensational desire. Dressed for what was to come, cheering themselves as though they awaited some prize. Maybe they did. Swarming, slinked in newly fashioned clothes. A patchwork of fragments. In the shifting darkness, temporarily banished by the curling lights, they shared words.
He heard most of them, the praises of it all. They called him things—savior. The belief lorded over them.
Today we return home.
Sadly, the mines were what home had become to these people, such was the effect of the undermines. The horrors seen here must be escaped, destroyed by any means. If he could, he would, but the power yet eluded him. So Merrin strolled towards the ovate gate; a dark barrier between now and the future.