Breath of Fire VII (Avarice Fanfic 2)

[Avarice]

Hello everyone! I present to you the first chapter of the new fan fiction! Again I title it simply... no need for captions, right? This is the sequel to the first Fic. I'm on chapter 6 offically at this moment, and this fic isn't coming along as quickly as the first one. Chapters may be few and far between, but I hope you can all still enjoy it!! Here we go!

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Breath of Fire VII


Chapter 1: Shepard’s Isle


The sunrise was always the same over Shepard’s Isle, and every day followed with the same routine. It had been this way for as long as Raphael could remember… and that was saying something, he was well over three hundred years old. Despite this fact, his body showed no signs of aging. His face was as firm and fair as it had been on his twentieth birthday… it’d stayed the same for a hundred, two hundred, and soon four hundred years later. His hair was sparkling gold, his eyes a matching shade that glistened as he turned them over to his people.
Flair stood watching him in her usual get-up. A casual dress as was commonly worn by the women of their ancient-but-tiny community… what caught his eye though as it had from day one was the fact she was wearing… boots. Not a cliché pair of women’s boots for fashion, no, those were dirty and rugged old boots worn for battle and the road. He was actually more surprised they weren’t plated with steel, considering how well he knew her.
“…So you’re waiting for him, huh?” The scarlet haired and flame-eyed woman asked with a wry grin. “Yes.” Raphael responded with a frown, “The King must return to us someday… surely he will not forget us.”
Flair gave him a look. “What’s to remember of us, Raph? We’ve been here for… shit, how long have we been here?...” She returned, “…Point is, we’re stuck here for life. I mean unless you wanna tear down the entire village just to build a boat that’ll sink because we have nothing to keep all the wood together with…”
“Relax…” Raph muttered nervously, disliking Flair’s hot temper as those multicolored irises (red and orange as it were) flared furiously in anger with him. “…I will, just give me some time…” She responded with a shake of her head, her shoulders slumping, “I just need to go work-out. I’m running late this morning.”
Raph nodded, but when he opened his mouth to respond she walked off and didn’t give him the chance to speak. Damn, she always did that! When was she going to give him the chance to really talk to her? When was this game going to end?
Noticing Raph’s frustrations, it was only natural that the only black-haired man in town had to come over. His name was Eversor, and he was truly an unsettling sight to behold, wearing always his dark clothing and always keeping his face shadowed by the wide, flat brim of his hat… which he tipped with a leather-gloved hand as he approached, a pale-skinned smile crossing those thin and faded lips as he came to stand before the man he so loved to antagonize.
“…What is it you want today, Eversor?” Raphael asked grimly, eyeing his dark counterpart with a less-than friendly gaze. “To remind you that she feels nothing for you, Raphael.” Eversor responded, resting his hands atop the wickedly formed metal cap atop his slick black cane. His voice was intensely irritating, a calm and sophisticated edge with an odd strength of tone that made his already odd accent rather unnerving. “Wise-ass. I am well aware of that… I look only to tell her how I feel so I can get it off my chest and move on.” Raphael sighed in sadness, “Why must you torment me, dark one? You are alone among us, yet tolerated. Why press your luck?”
“Ah yes, you will soon take your father’s place when he you all finally lay him down with the worms.” Eversor responded, lifting his head to reveal that smooth and old face, those soulless white eyes that always stole Raphael’s blood, “I torment you, to keep up the traditions of our race. So many things have been lost, with all that we have gained here so far from the eyes of the Goddess.”
…Yes. Every man, woman, and child on Shepard’s Isle were of that race. All on Shepard’s Isle were…

Dragons.

Eversor was the one-and-only dark dragon present… one of the so-called children of the tyrant God Draconis. The dark half of the Nameless One, who’s other half was named Ladon and represented the light. Raphael was of the Radiant clan, pure representatives of the Holy Order of Ladon. Flair, she was of the Fire Dragons… the daughter of their current Lord who was named Aestas.
“…I am sick of that tradition. I would restore all others to live in peace with you, Eversor. Please… cease and desist with your candor.” Raphael sighed with a shake of his head, knowing damn good and well that his soft and pure heart would never allow him the coldness of true retribution.
Eversor knew well that simple fact… but he would never stop with this prodding, not even if he knew the end of his life would be the payment. As he had said, he would surely keep alive the tradition… the tradition of hatred and strife between the two halves of the Brood. He had never, however, gone so far as his ancestors had… never had he committed an act of violence against his light-dragon neighbors. Oddly… which was why he was with these people who were supposedly his sworn enemies, he had never agreed with the sentiment of his fellow dark dragons. He had never agreed that they should be destroyed…

Well, except for their God, and his Son.

…Noon came quickly as it always did. Raphael made his way up through the town towards the home of his father, a two-story building of tan brick and blue shutters… a well-kept facility that was meant for worship but never to be considered a church in any form or fashion.
“Raphael, Lord Deus is waiting.” The tall guard standing at the door said with a solemn frown, “He speaks with Lord Aestas at this moment, mind your volume lest you ignite the fire of Aestas’ wrath… none of us want to deal with that.”
A wry grin crossed Raph’s face… this man, his friend Gerard, was of the defender clan and was always full of such well-delivered bits of sarcasm. “He might be here to tell my father he wants Flair and I to be wed,” Raphael offered with a quiet chuckle. Sadly, he knew better than that, as he stepped into the court of his father. He knew better than to think Aestas would ever allow, much less suggest a wedding between them. No matter the implications of power and dignity that would come to his sect in having his daughter wed to the heir apparent of the Order of Ladon, Aestas would never, ever allow his precious princess to wed. His pride… it was far too great for that, the flaw of the fire-dragons.
Deus was an old, old dragon. The top of his head was bald, but from the side of his head in a horseshoe around his cranium it was long and snow-white… a perfect match for that epically long beard that drug the floor whenever he was able to actually move from his seat. Aestas was similar to Deus, but his head was full of deep red hair, and while his beard was massively thick… it wasn’t nearly as long as his Radiant counterpart.
Both men wore solemn frowns, but considering the hard edge that Aestas always wore, he looked to be scowling… something he did so often that it was almost the norm when one saw him. “Greetings.” Raphael said with a low bow and a quiet tone to his voice as he entered the large room at the back of the dwelling, their meeting place as it were. “It’s ok, we were finished speaking.” Deus chuckled with a shake of his head and a sidelong glance at Aestas, who rolled his eyes directly as he rose. “We are discussing the madness you have proposed…” Aestas added as he made his way towards Raphael, “I have, naturally, opposed this idea. We will – not – kill ourselves trying to cross that ocean. We have everything we need here… and always shall.”
Raphael sighed grimly. “With all due respect… those are the words of one who has come to be defeated by hopelessness.” He returned, “There is always hope, Lord Aestas… it is apparent to me now that our King will not come to us.”

“…With all due respect,” Aestas said mockingly, “Those are the words of Eversor.”

[Avarice]

Raphael conceded that harsh little jab with a nod, then steeled his jaw. “Yes they are… but they are also the words of Flair.” He returned evenly, which stunned both of his elder counterparts, “I hold still to the dream, but my faith wanes. Something great has changed that we be forgotten… but we cannot know the truth until we discover it for ourselves…”
“There is no way…” Deus sighed sadly, “No boat can we construct will be strong enough to last. And also, what shall we use to bind the boards together? We have nothing to seal them, nothing to tie them…” “My son, I surely would support your effort, but you would only get far enough away to have a good swim back… there is no hope in constructing a boat.”
Aestas stunned them both by clapping Raphael’s shoulder. “Fear not, lad. With or without the King we will survive… we have for five hundred years on this isle, when our fathers and forefathers were naught but children.” He said calmly and assuringly, “You need not flee this place… surely for one of your age it be boring, but we have everything we need. Be grateful for that…”
Deus smiled quietly as Aestas departed… passing Flair as she strode forwards to join them. “Hi dad, bye dad.” Flair said simply, coming to stand before Raphael and eyeing him hatefully, hands resting on those oh-so shapely hips. “...Yes?” Raphael asked curiously, nervously. “What the hell is the matter with you?” Flair barked, “I go to my spot and I found this… a love letter? Really?”
The look that came over Raphael’s face was priceless… but not the priceless look of fear you might think. “…I wrote no such letter…” He muttered in confusion, taking the paper from her hand and reading, “Nay… this is not my handwriting.”
Flair took it back gently and looked carefully. All she’d done before was read over the text and assumed that it be Raphael. “It isn’t, is it?” She huffed with a shake of her head and a bit of an embarrassed blush, “Sorry. I figured it was you because… well, you’re kind-of the hopeless romantic type.”
Deus chuckled as she stormed off and left his poor son standing bewildered. “Oh dear child, you just don’t know how to talk to her, do you?” He chuckled, “Come here. I have some advice for you… something that might work.”
Eagerly did Raphael go to his father’s side, taking his father’s hand. Deus patted his son’s hand weakly and smiled softly. “Son… you’ve got to learn how to play the game correctly.” Deus chuckled, “You ought to play ‘hard to get’. I imagine if you cease to interact with her she will quickly become infatuated…”
“…Are you sure?” Raphael asked with a smile. “Yes, just ignore her for a little while and see what happens.” Deus chuckled, “But… she is right. You are rather hopeless when it comes to romance, you know.”
Raph’s expression went totally flat, but after a moment he began to laugh… that was his father… that was the kind and playful old man he’d grown up trying to emulate and become. Thus far? He’d been moderately successful.

…But not totally.

Elsewhere in the village did the people mingle as they usually did. Fire and Ice Dragons occupied different sections of the city and avoided each other at all costs, liken to the Warriors an the Eldritch clan. The lack of understanding in the Warrior clan led to strife with the Eldritch, who they viewed as weak for their use of magic. Likewise, the Eldritch viewed the Warriors as pathetically ignorant simpletons.
The culture among the Brood on Shepard’s Isle however was peaceful despite racial boundaries. As long as Fire and Ice did not mix (for obvious reasons) and as long as the Warriors and Eldritch kept to themselves or neutral parties… all was well.
However, among this society was a dark undertone… for among the distinct and pure clans were mixed-raced groups of unwanted and rejected youth. These were mixtures of dragons that the rest of the populous rejected. Those were the Warrior-Eldritch mixes, Fire-Ice mixes, and above all others… and the Radiance-Shadow… mix.

…Yes, there was only one young man of that last forbidden combination.

Priest was his name… and he was a dragon of only eighteen years. His face was slender and glassy-smooth, his snow-white hair trailed halfway down his back, but above all things… his eyes were the most striking.
White pupils outlined in black and spotted with diamond patterns of black, they looked truly ghost-like when one stared into him. Matched with the permanent frown painting his face, it intimidated the younger villagers and even some of the fully grown men and women that met eyes with him.
Unlike most all of the male villagers, who wore tunics or togas according to rank, Priest wore a garb of black outlined in white, stark contrasts that symbolized his mixed heritage… he also wore an odd-ball piece of clothing that no-one else did to further symbolize his status as a pariah.

A tall-collared cape outlined in pearl.

Priest kept his eyes low always and walked to avoid others as he made his way towards the market. He was tolerated there only because of Eversor, who for all of his life had for some reason taken something of a… liking… to him.
“…Good morning.” Eversor said quietly as Priest strode by him into the store in question. “Good morning.” Priest responded, his voice soft and smooth like silk. “You seem quite ‘alive’ this morn, Priest.” The lady behind the counter commented with a rather flat gaze, “What’ll it be this time?”

Priest’s gaze settled. “Milk.”

“Not much of a grocery list.” Eversor commented with a sidelong glance beneath the brim of his hat, “Out of money again, Priest? Will they not let you work as the others, is that it?”
Priest’s jaw tightened… he did not respond. Eversor knew immediately that he had hit the nail dead on the head. “I see… perhaps we should go together to get your job back, yes?” The dark dragon inquired with a smug smirk. “…I assaulted the foreman. I will not be back there.” Priest returned, “I could no longer handle his insults.”
Eversor shared a glance with the store keeper. In response she rolled her eyes and nodded grimly. “…I’ll hire you on.” She said with a sigh as Priest handed her the money for the milk, “I’ll put you to stocking the shelves. It pays five an hour.”
“…That’s more than construction offered me. I will do it.” Priest responded with little to no emotion in his voice, “Thank you…”

Eversor smirked… ‘Thank you’… it had been aimed at him.

* * *

Flair sat on the bluffs overlooking the bay near the center of the Isle. The entire land mass was shaped much like some sort of bean. About seventy miles long and fifty wide, it was relatively tiny. She enjoyed that, though… there were around a thousand or more of her people living here. Evenly distributed numbers of races… which was also ironically why she came to this particular place.
Resting her delicate chin in her slender hands, Flair’s eyes shifted away from the burning sun as it sank over the horizon so slowly and so lazily. She thought of many things… with all the talk of ‘the King’, she wondered just what was going to happen in the future.

…And who had left her that love-letter here just a few hours past.

Watching her, Raphael approached loudly to make sure she knew someone was there, he was always careful about that. “What now?” Flair asked quietly as he came to stand beside her, never bothering to look at him. “I just wanted to see if you were ok. I mean, I heard that your brother has yet to return from the mountain.” Raphael responded, “I had no idea he’d gone there…”
Ah, the mountain. Once it was said their village had been higher than that old mountain, and according to the strange and outlandish devices they had discovered beneath their town it was proven to them that the history books were correct.

Shepard’s Isle was nothing more than a place once known as Township.

[Avarice]

Beneath that mountain lay a complex of tunnels and a dark place even further beyond the imagination, a place where a mere half-dragon named Ryu Bateson had gone in the ancient past to seal away the demon Deathevan. It had been his human father who sealed the demon away, sparing Ryu Bateson from sacrificing his life… and it seemed the seal would indeed last forever.
…But why then had Ardet gone there? Truth was, none of them really knew. It was said those who went to that place never returned… and that was why Flair was so grim in the face and so dull in the department of fire that evening. It had been a week since her elder brother went to that place… she had not seen or heard from him sense.
“I guess he’s ok…” Flair offered, gazing back over her shoulder and past her male counterpart to the mountain and the village beneath it… and the excess lands that the town historian could only assume to be the remnants of the land mass Township had landed upon in the past. “I should go in after him.” Raphael responded with a shake of his head, “I loathe the idea that he be alone in that place.”
Flair glared at him. “How dare you capitalize on his disappearance. I know all you’re trying to do is get in my pants.” She spat in anger, rising and slapping him hard across the face, “Get away from me!”
Watching, Priest tilted his head as Raphael walked away… wondering just why he hadn’t struck back against Flair in response. Behind, Eversor could only chuckle in his amusement. “You see before you the weakness of your radiant half.” The dark dragon said with a smirk, “But in turn if he had annihilated her with his power, I would point out the weakness of my own kind.”
“Why?” Priest asked with a straight-faced stare that would have been rather unnerving to anyone – but – Eversor. “…There is a balance to everything. Good and evil, love and hate…” The dark dragon explained, “Beware, standing upon the balance is a dangerous thing… if you should fall you will plummet straight into oblivion.”
Priest turned his gaze back to flair and sighed deeply. “She is beautiful, but she would reject me.” He said quietly, “My letter, she holds it still and reads it even now. Do you think I have made the right decision?”
“I suggested it to test you. You failed the test.” Eversor responded with a frown, “You gave in to your desires. Weak willed, she will dominate you as she has dominated Raphael.”
The young, mysterious, and deathly quiet young man scowled and turned back to Flair with a strange glow in his eyes. Eversor recognized the seeds of madness already… it was obvious and had been from birth that something was wrong with the man’s mind. He could only imagine the twisted world Priest lived in… the man had no support and no-one to help him.

Eversor alone dealt with him to prevent a true psychotic break.

…Priest’s scowl faded, turning and walking past Eversor, he in that moment was leaving Flair behind in the past. He had an uncanny ability, an ability to turn his heart and soul ‘off’ as it were. Emotions, if he felt them, were negative things… all others of positive lights were illusions he made up for himself… his various personalities were one in the same. Truly, most everything about him were figments of his own imagination.
Eversor watched him go with a grim frown, glancing back at Flair as she sat back on the boulder she almost always sat on and continued to stare out to sea. Slowly, he made his way over… but unlike Raphael, not loudly.
Flair never noticed him… she was so far gone in though she hardly even felt the cold breeze sweeping through her hair. “Grandpa,” She said quietly to the ghost of that wonderful and long-dead man, “Do you feel better, now that you’re away from this miserable island?” “Do you feel better because you’re free, now? Is death the only way out of this place, can I ever leave?” “…Grandpa… we live for so, so long… I don’t want to grow old and die here like everyone else…”
Eversor’s brow rose. She spoke loathingly of life on the isle, but she had been one of the loudest voices in protest of Raphael’s idea of deconstructing houses to build a boat, in order to escape the isle and find new life far, far way. Obviously there was a contradiction there that brought about confusion… but Eversor was wise… very wise, and often too wise for the liking of Deus and the other leaders of the community on that island.
“You speak so ill of our little paradise.” He said with a distinctly thick edge to his voice, which shook Flair to her core as she spun on him with alarm. “Wh… How long have you been there!?” She asked, jumping to her feet and scowling as she set her feet firmly on the ground. “Awhile.” Eversor responding knowingly, a wry grin crossing his face, “You are such a angry young girl. It’s sad, you could be a loving housewife and mother were it not for that.” “…But then I guess that’s ‘daddy’s’ fault. Heh, well…”
Flair relaxed. She realized then Eversor had no ill will towards her… but it was still a bit disturbing and confusing to think why he would ever be this far outside of town. “I guess you want something. What is it?” Flair asked with a sigh. “Nothing besides being… nosey.” Eversor chuckled, “…I would ask you this, however. Why would you object to Raphael’s proposal when you so obviously wish to leave?”
“Because Raphael’s idea was stupid.” Flair spat, “Why not simply transform and fly away?”
Eversor gave her a rather hard look. “You fool. You know well that any one of us would give out for exhaustion long before we ever found land… we are not birds, our bones are not hollow and are in fact, quite heavy.” He responded, “No ship travels here, no ship – can – travel here. So therefore I suppose I will be the one to answer one of your many questions.”

“Yes. Death is the only way out.”

Flair would have normally taken that as a threat, but she knew Eversor well enough to know he wasn’t trying to hint at anything… he was just stating a cold fact that she’d come to accept. “But I don’t want to die. I just want to leave.” She sighed, “I… I wonder if maybe, going beneath the mountain… I wonder if maybe that is why no-one has come back? They left and went there to find a new place… for something to do. Maybe they found a better life there.”
“Or maybe they are all dead and rotting in a cesspool of rot.” Eversor returned with a shrug, “Nay, Princess. There is no escape beneath that wretched old mountain either… I am certain now that Ardet is gone forever… sorry to be blunt.”
Flair flinched… hard. “…Maybe you ought to let him go there?” Eversor asked then with a smirk, “Let Raphael indulge in his fantasy of winning your heart… you will be rid of him more than likely, but also though you will certainly have to deal with him, you may well find your brother again… even if it is just to bury him.”
“How will burying the man help me!?” Flair snapped bitterly in response. “At least that way you will know, one way or another, what happened.” Eversor answered immediately, “I would much rather know that my wife and child are dead than to sit here forever, wondering if they are or aren’t alive… and what could or could not be happening or has happened to them.”

Flair blinked. “You were married, with children?”

“Indeed.” Eversor responded with a rather dark frown. “I didn’t know that… heh, guess you learn something new every day.” Flair said in response, softening her anger and hard exterior for a moment. “They died long ago.” Eversor went on, “Died at the hands of Guardian Garr as it were…”
Her scarlet hair blowing to the side, Flair shook her head. “Damn, Eversor. Am I the only one who knows this?” She asked, “I thought you were secretive.”
“I speak of this rarely but I do speak of it. Your father knows, many know. It is not a secret.” Eversor responded with a sigh, “I speak of it now only to make my point in regards to your brother – and – your would-be lover. Go now and make a decision on this…”

…A decision then and there was made… long before Flair finally did go home….

* * *

[Avarice]

It was amazing to Deus just how quickly things had changed, and only with the rise and fall of the moon. Raphael came to him in full armor, steel plate shining as it reflected the sunlight… behind him, a force of ten Defenders and five Warriors. “We go now into the mountain, which stands now as the tombstone for our ancestors, which buries now the ancient hideaway of the persecuted dragons who fled the surface!” Raphael said loudly, though it was truly unnecessary for him to do so, “We go now to discover at long last, the secrets beneath the mountain!”
Two of the warriors, both female, gave each other flat and totally unenthusiastic glances. “Typical Radiant.” One said with a sigh, “So full of himself and blind to all past the end of his nose. What is he trying to prove here?”
“He’s trying to impress Flair, you know that.” The other responded with a roll of her eyes, “Ardet was the last man to pass through the gate into the mountain. He thinks by going in there and ‘saving’ Ardet, that he can win her heart. As if she would ever wed the likes of him.”
The other three Warriors were all male and all ignoring their female counterparts, seeing them as lesser and weak. Truly, the ladies weren’t significantly weaker than the men… but the factual evidence was enough to make the already proud men just that much more arrogant. This time, however, they couldn’t help but gossip amongst themselves as the ladies did.
“Flair… nice. Too bad she isn’t into him.” The youngest of the trio chuckled with a wry glance around, fluffing his already wild and shaggy hair. “Flair’s not into anyone. Not even other women.” The next on in line both literally and figuratively in age chuckled with a shake of his head, “They’re both hopeless.”
The eldest of them slapped his much younger soldiers so hard across the backs of their heads that they stumbled and fell to their knees. “Be silent.” He snapped as any true commander would, “It is none of our buisness, these affairs of Raphael. It is our buisness to seek and destroy whatsoever may pose a threat to us while traveling those caverns.”
In front, the Defenders said nothing… but they wore looks of annoyance. Their clan was quiet and stoic, all were naturally of some military order or law enforcement, and in such positions they were naturally quiet and stoic. Warriors, on the other hand, were loud and obnoxious. Arrogant to a fault, the Warriors were the ones who always rushed into battle when the time came for such violence…

…So make that two clans, Defender and Eldritch, who were not ‘fans’ of the Warriors.

Aestas watched with Deus an shook his head. “Sad, none of the other Lords showed up…” He commented with a gruff edge to his voice. “Lord Rime left many years ago, Aestas…” Deus chuckled in an attempt at a joke, “Of course he didn’t show up for this.”
“…Rime was as stupid as he was weak.” Aestas spat in response, “Don’t speak that name around me again. You know how sick I get when you do that.”
Raphael gave his men a rather dramatic look of grim determination and valor. “We go now, and may Ladon have mercy on our enemies as we scour these caverns and route whatever evil may lurk within.”

Such dramatics… too bad no-one was really taking him seriously.

(End of Chapter 1) Here we are everyone! Don't worry, Ryu and the others will of course be coming along sooner than later!

Next - Chapter 2: Into the Mountain

[-sparkle-]

Hehe nice.

Woohoo the sequel posting started !!!

It's kind of interesting, for sure, longing for more stuff .

[Rogue_Kaiser]

Ooooh the sequel is here, WOOT! Evesor is already seeming pretty cool and Priest's mixed heritage is an intriguing idea. Nice touch with the Township/Shepard's Isle thing too ^_^.

[Avarice]

Chapter 2: Into the Mountain


The initial passage into that mountain was dark and camp… much had changed, most of the old ways had been destroyed in the past when Township crashed down upon it, to seal forever away the evil within. Raphael was brave… at least he had that going for him the moment they came across the pit.
…The pit being the gaping maw of the Earth opening before them, that nary a soul had learned of what exactly had caused it… or made it. “Sir, we have the ropes ready if it is your wish to descend.” The lead Defender said with a grim frown. “It is my wish, deploy them immediately.” Raphael responded, glancing back at the Warriors, “You five will stay as you are. I will lead… don’t get any ideas, I know you are all anxious to fight.”
Occisor, the eldest of the five, nodded quietly and gave the younger pair of males in front of him a hard look. The females knew their places already… such was the discipline of their clan’s society. “Understood, commander.” He said with little to no emotion in his voice, trying so hard to keep the disrespectful scoff waiting behind his lips from escaping him.
Raphael saw through his efforts and shook his head as he turned back around. He was sick of this, totally… no matter how hard he worked and no matter how he went about proving himself… he had never earned their respect. He hoped that would change, for as the Defenders began deploying their ropes he was the first man down with the bulk of the Defender force right behind him.
Landing, Raphael could smell something in the air that he didn’t like. It wasn’t the tell-tale stench of death he had expected, but it was an odd stench that was most definitely not normal. “…Sir, that smells like no dragon.” Aske, general of the Defender clan, warned Raphael with a solemn gaze of steel. “I know… it is an odd smell.” Raphael responded quietly, “Assemble your men in your best formation. Likewise, Occisor… I fear we will face battle before too much longer.”
The young warrior men smirked. ‘Fear’ and ‘Battle’ were two words that did not belong in the same sentence… if you were a man. The females shared the same sentiment, standing with their arms crossed wearing rather open smirks of amusement as Raphael very, very seriously began to draw his sword.
Aske wasn’t so arrogant as to assume there was nothing to fear here. The smell was alien to all of them, it was pungent and strong… strong enough to be worthy of such caution and such alarm. He was impressed with Raphael’s bravery if no-one else was, as the young man strode forward into the sole passage before them… a wide cavern that seemed to have been burrowed by some massive creature… the ‘roof’ was at least ten feet above their heads.
The silence was total sparing only their feet touching the wet rock below. Raphael’s eyes pierced the darkness, but there was nothing to be seen. Ten yards into that cavern however… he caught something. “…Movement.” He whispered, “Looks like the tip of a tail just went left down a side-passage.”
“Don’t follow, it is a lure.” Aske warned him quietly, “Lure it out to us if possible, otherwise we leave it alone. That may damn well be what the others followed and why they have not returned.”
Raphael nodded… but there was something wrong. He felt so clearly the pull of magic… he and the defenders alike after just a moment. Immediately he began to feel fear… for the Warriors behind him, even Occisor who was so wise and experienced, were weak to magic. “Occisor… magic. You should take your men and fall back.” Raphael warned him before he went any farther down, “I know you don’t like the idea, but it will only lead to your death if you follow it… it is a siren’s call.”
Occisor scowled and shoved Raphael aside directly. To even suggest such a thing to a Warrior was a direct insult. “No… you cannot go forward.” Aske warned Occisor with an edge of anger to his voice as he dared to step out in front of the Warrior clan’s most revered general. “Get out of the way, Aske. I will not tolerate such disrespect from either of you.” Occisor warned him with a glare for the ages. “Dammit, man, we are not trying to disrespect you. We are merely trying to save your lives.” Aske responded with a shake of his head, “Do not tread forward! Death awaits you!”
“Death will have its hands full then.” One of the female warriors hissed with a shake of her head, “Dying in battle is an honor, not a fear. I fail to see how you of the other clans can be so blind to it… maybe it is your weakness and fear, I know not.”
Aske shook his head and stepped aside… at this point there was nothing he could do at all. However, Raphael would be damned if they so easily shoved him aside. “Occisor! In the name of my father I command you to halt!” The young man growled angrily, “You fools! You will be drawn in and destroyed, there is no reason to throw your lives away for the sake of your pathetic pride!”
“Be silent, your father has no power here.” The second-youngest male snarled in response, storming off after Occisor with the youngest trailing and the females in the back. “Damn you all!” Raphael snarled, rushing ahead and shoving Occisor back into the others in desperation, “You will obey! I am the commander here, I am the leader of this expedition! You will do as I say!”
Occisor’s narrow-eyed gaze would have felled a lesser man, but Raphael stood strong in its face, his hand extended and palm raised. Still, even with his proud and determined stance… there was nothing at that point that could stop Occisor or his clansmen.

…The magical siren’s call rang far too loud in his mind for any voice to be heard.

Raphael spun out as Occisor’s fist rocked his jaw, he hit the dirt with a thud. Past and over him did the Warriors charge, setting into motion exactly what Raphael and Aske had feared from the moment they first felt that tug of magic. “Dammit!” Raphael snarled, spitting blood from his busted lips and chasing after. “Wait!” Aske exclaimed, giving chase in as organized a fashion as he could, “We mustn’t do this!”
Occisor charged madly down the corridor, heedless and unknowing that it was magic that fueled his increasingly berserk rage. Ahead, he saw the bladed tip of a tail slither around a corner… he had no idea that Aske had been dead-on in declaring it to be a lure.
Around that corner… the next, the one after… the Warriors charged. Raphael followed behind as quickly as he possibly could. Aske and his men finally managed to catch up with him around the fifth turn and Aske bravely dove to stop him, taking them both down and pinning his commander to the ground. “There is nothing we can do for them now! We can only return and bring down a greater force!” The Defender declared with a shake of his head, “Raphael, you know this! we must…”

…A roar.

Raphael burst from the floor in rage. No! He was not going to allow Occisor and the others to die without aid, he would never stand for that knowing he could have potentially saved their lives! Even one!
In the room beyond the final turn, Occisor ducked swiftly the massive claw of the demon ahead and slammed it in its massive and broad face with his fist. Blood sprayed outwards, his fist and bluntly penetrated the hide of the demon easily. The tail of the demon swept around, but the two males caught it and held it tightly, twisting and snarling as they desperately tried to tear the sharp and jagged tip of that tail off.
The females kept the claws occupied as Occisor slammed the demon repeatedly with his strength… drawing upon the power of Aura for a blow that sent the beast sliding on all of its pointed legs across the room… unfortunately also freeing its tail.
The right arm of the youngest warrior was severed as the tail tore free of his grasp. His agonized scream filled the cavern. It was at that time that Raphael and the Defenders entered the cavern. “No!” Raphael exclaimed in terror, charging across the room as his hands begun to glow with the almighty power of his healing magics. He knew better than to think he’d ever save that young one… a crippled Warrior went through a ritual wherein he was executed. Not for the sake of cruelty… at least in the eyes of the Warrior clan, but for the sake of mercy.

A crippled Warrior was a dead Warrior, in their eyes.

[Avarice]

The remaining young male was cut badly, the bone of his chin and jaw exposed where the tip of the tail had torn across him. As Raphael desperately tried to heal the stumped arm of the other, he ran forward in rage and leapt wildly. In the chaos, seeing the young male’s horrific injury, one of the females lost focus.
…In four pieces she hit the ground, as the claw swept through her. In three pieces did the other male fall as that horrible claw just kept on sailing.
Aske slid to a stop and transformed. A green dragon did he become, and with fury did that green dragon unleash pure dragon’s breath. It struck the demon directly and pushed it back against the wall… Occisor’s fist sank then through the hide and into the flesh, exposing a patch of bone.
The female, the only surviving member of the five Warriors besides Occisor, snarled and unleashed all of her fury in a gambit that paid off greatly. Her fist struck the back of the right claw, bending it backwards and breaking in half, totally. The demon’s roars were profound and drowned out even the dying screams o the young warrior as he finally bled to death on the ground at Raphael’s feet.
Raphael’s wrath was total… and in his rage did he transform, a brilliant light forthwith from the center of his body expanded and enveloped him… and from the core of that light came the great white dragon of Radiance.
Occisor landed before the demon and blocked the remaining claw with his forearm, shortly before spinning and slicing the tail off with the edge of his hand. Aske saved his life with another blast of dragon’s breath, as the force of Defenders behind him ran forward to try and do whatever it was they could to both aid in the battle – and – collect the dead.
Raphael inhaled deeply and snarled as he felt his lungs fill in their totality with holy power. The female warrior’s fists eventually managed to cripple the entire right ‘arm’ of the demon as she meticulously worked her way up towards the head.

…Then, it was over.

A bolt of pure, holy power shot through the demon’s core. Occisor’s fists were nothing compared the effect of that holy energy on a being that consisted of naught but unholy energy. The demon’s body began to break apart, Occisor regained most of his sanity as its magic faded. He staggered backwards, ducking a claw and crippling it with a well-aimed punch that fully rendered the demon harmless.
Finally, the demon’s body became as naught but vapor, vapor that began to collapse into itself as the very soul of the demon was destroyed with its body. Then and only then did Raphael revert forms… a scowl painting his face that faded into a dark and grim frown the likes of which he had never shown before.
Aske reverted forms as well, giving Occisor and accusatory stare as the proud Warrior and the female slowly approached the main force. “…As you can see, Occisor… we were correct,” He said with a shake of his head. “It is enough that my men and that woman died, Aske.” Occisor returned with a scowl, “Do not press me with your self-righteous pride… a lesson has been learned.”
The female lowered her gaze. All of her life she had been raised by her mother to behave as the men did, to be as tough and resilient as possible no matter what in the world happened. This, however, was much more than she could take… gazing at the mutilated corpses of their dead, she decided then and there that she would live as a housewife… it wasn’t worth it to be among the men as anything more than an object.
Raphael said nothing to Occisor, instead moving to where the demon had been to inspect what appeared to be a giant mouse-hole in the wall. He feared to bend down and gaze inside… but he felt the need to do so.

…What he found shocked him.

Scarlet red hair… what looked like a big ball of it, and a pair of small horns. Raphael figured he had found Ardet… actually, he knew immediately he had found him, but what he didn’t know was that… Ardet was not dead.
Shifting, Ardet opened his eyes. They seemed to glow in the darkness, a deep shade of orange turning to red with his age. “Raphael…” He muttered weakly, “You came for me… for us…” “…I live… but… I am…”
Malnourished… dehydrated, among other things. Raphael never got the chance in that moment to ask any questions. With the help of Aske and Occisor he pulled Ardet free of the hole and lay him out on the ground. By that time he was nearly bones and covered in sores… it was obvious to them then and there he’d been forced into that hole more than a few days back. “He tried to fight.” Occisor sighed, inspecting a series of light gashes that had more than likely been close calls, “Damn. I can’t believe he’s still alive…”
“He won’t be for long.” Aske sighed, “Raphael, heal him immediately. Men! Get your rations and water out this instant! We must save this one’s life!”
…They were all so focused on Ardet… none of them noticed the shadow that grabbed the female Warrior from behind and sucked her into the darkness. Occisor only noticed when he glanced up to call for her aid, a minimal task that would have been rather insulting considering how easy it would have been for him to do it himself.

…Occisor was the – only – Warrior clansmen that walked out of that cavern alive.

* * *

Less than a day after entering the mountain did Raphael return. Flair and Aestas stood in waiting with Deus. The wives of Aske and Occisor were there as well… as well as the families of the other defenders. The elation on the faces of all, it was total. Ardet managed to walk out under his own strength, falling into the arms of his ecstatic sister and father as they barreled down to claim him.
“My God!” Deus gasped in shock, “What happened down there!? You are soaked in blood, my son!”
Raphael frowned sadly. “Occisor be the only Warrior clansmen left alive, father. We encountered a demon in the depths of the pit. Ardet was nearly dead when we found him, pinned down in hiding from the beast we slew.” He explained grimly, “A female, for some reason beyond us, is gone as well… she was alive when we found Ardet, but she vanished during out efforts to heal him.” “I suggest we return with a greater force… Occisor and Aske have already declared they shall accompany me.”
“…No, son… you cannot go back there.” Deus muttered with a shake of his head as Flair gazed over with an equally unsettled and disapproving stare. “Father… whether they be dead or alive the others must be found.” Raphael replied with a shake of his head, “We cannot allow them to remain there. They deserve the honor of a proper burial.”
Flair shook her head and stepped away from Ardet and her father, coming over and grabbing his arm. “You’ve done enough…” She said with a solemn frown, “They… they are buried, with our ancestors.”
“Not the way they should be, we have no idea what took that woman from us and no idea where she could ever have gone.” Raphael returned with a shake of his head, “I’m sorry Flair. I don’t know why you seem to care now, but I cannot oblige.”
Oh, the look that came over her face. ‘I don’t know why you seem to care now’… so harsh and so true. Slowly, she stepped away and turned back to her brother and father, gazing to the side to find Eversor standing in the shadows of the gates on that side of the village. He was giving her such a look, it was congratulatory… but also accusing.

…But why accusing?

Priest watched with that slightly disturbed gaze he always sported from the blackness Eversor had summoned to protect him from their sight. “She made a choice that led to the death of four individuals.” Eversor said to him with a sigh, “Selfish to a fault. She thinks not of their sacrifice or the loss their families have suffered.”
“You judge them based on their decisions.” Priest stated quietly, glancing over and narrowing his gaze for some odd reason. “Indeed I do. Raphael shows his selfless valor in his actions. Truly perhaps his initial idea was to win her favor, but in seeing the reality of the situation below he understands that Flair be the last thing he need worry about.” Eversor responded with a sigh, “Perhaps it is too soon to judge Flair. Females are highly complex creatures, very hard to understand. It seems that when they contradict themselves, they tell the truth.”
“…But when side of the contradiction is the truth?” Priest asked in response, “What they have contradicted or the contradiction itself, Eversor?”
Eversor’s head rose slightly in thought. “The contradiction. They speak often of how they feel but oh-so often go against that… only then do they speak the truth.” He replied quietly, “Flair desires to leave this isle, she desired to know of Ardet’s fate for better or for worse.”

“Then in turn she will act selflessly and contradict her selfishness in this moment.”

Eversor nodded and sat a hand on Priest’s strong shoulders. “Excellent, you understand totally.” He responded, “Go forth now about your buisness… the store keep tells me you are an excellent worker, truly. She also declared the new meat you brought in is a big hit around town.”
“Indeed it is, but how can you not like it?” Priest responded with a smile that disturbed Eversor as much as it stunned him. “What be this new produce?” Eversor questioned for more than the sake of curiosity. “…Consider it a trade secret.” Priest responded with a knowing glow about his eyes, “A local meat… rarely seen but worth the time it takes to kill, clean, and prepare.”
…Eversor nodded in response as Priest moved away, turning back to the gathering before turning and walking away himself.

* * *

[Avarice]

Nightfall was quiet in honor of the fallen. Flair left the house that night to find Raphael… she needed to thank him. Ardet was sleeping and Aestas’ best men watched over him. Raphael, he stood on the hill just outside of town, where he had stood since sunset as always… usually however by that time he’d gone home.
“...Raphael.” Flair said quietly, approaching with a soft smile. “Yes?” He asked in response, “Is Ardet doing well, doing better?”
Flair nodded. “It’ll take a few days to get him back into full health but he isn’t near death by any stretch of the imagination.” She responded quietly, “Raph… I’ve got to thank you for what you did. You saved my brother’s life… you gave my brother back to me, nearly losing your own life in the process.”
“…I wanted to save them all.” Raphael sighed grimly, “I wanted to get in and get out with all that have gone missing in those caverns, in that pit.” “I’m lucky to have found Ardet… but I wasn’t there just to find him alone.”
Oddly enough Flair was thankful to hear that. “I was wrong… you didn’t go in there just to try and win me over.” She sighed, “I’m sorry I doubted you, Raph… I really am, ok?”
“…To be honest I think at first maybe that was the point of it.” Raphael admitted with a hard frown, “But now that I’ve been down there… I see that, no matter how I feel about you… that there are more important things in life.” “I go back not for you, not for me… but for the fallen that I know are still down there somewhere, waiting to be found and brought home.”
Flair swallowed hard. He had never, ever said something like that to her before, he’d never spoken of anything higher on his list of priorities than her. “I see.” She said simply, her face tightening as she fought back a disturbing wave of tears, and walked away.
Raphael closed his eyes and swallowed his distress… following Eversor’s advice, was it working? He couldn’t tell… he had no idea she was upset, he figured she was just angry… which angered him as much as it hurt and confused him. Wasn’t she supposed to be happy with him saying that? The way he had said it, it made it sound (at least in his ears) like he was letting go of his love for her. Isn’t that what she wanted?
…No, that wasn’t what Flair wanted. She wasn’t even angry with him, she was angry with herself. She saw clearly the stupid mistakes she was making… her indecisiveness and mixed-messages… she hated herself for it all. Why not be honest, straight-up and forward? No wonder her relationships were always so strained and dysfunctional!
Feeling as a child, a teenager in desperate need of maturity, Flair returned home that night without saying hello or goodnight to anyone… even her father. She lay in bed and gazed out the window just above her headboard, up to the stars above as she wept in her sadness and confusion.

What in the world was she doing?

Downstairs came a knock at the door… an unusual happening. Aestas was present when his manservant opened the door. “…Eversor.” Aestas said with a grim frown as the dark figure beyond slowly stepped in upon invitation, “What does the dark dragon want with the Fire clan?”
Eversor removed his hat, as was custom and polite. His head beneath that hat was nearly bald, only a few strands of white hair remained. “I have no desires or favors to ask of you, Aestas… fear not.” Eversor responded, “But I would speak with Princess Flair on matters involving Prince Ardet.”
“Speak to me then if it involves my son, truly.” Aestas responded, “I will call for Flair if you but speak the truth.”
The smile that crossed Eversor’s face drew a like expression to Aestas. “Very well, I am here to speak to her regarding Raphael and her words and actions that led the man to enter that cavern.” Eversor admitted with a wry grin, “My word, Aestas. You are certainly worthy of your title.”
Aestas frowned heavily and curiously. “What in the world is this about, Eversor? I trust you have been meddling as always.” He responded, “Tell me what has occurred in all of this that involves you?”
“A conversation I had with your daughter.” Eversor answered without a care in the world, “I told her of my family. I spoke of knowledge and mystery, you understand what I mean of course…” “…She acted as I feared she might, and lo there be four Warrior clansmen dead.”
Aestas lowered his gaze. “Truly she be not selfish, they made the choice to go themselves… they were not ordered to join that force.” He responded, “Aske and the other Defenders were ordered, but not the Warriors. It is unfair to speak of my daughter so… family comes first.”
“Could she not have gone herself?” Eversor inquired, “Could some of your clan not have gone, Aestas?”
The Lord of Fire swallowed hard. “Damn you, dark dragon. You speak as a member of the Radiance clan.” He returned defensively, “Yes. I could have gone, Flair could have gone… and of my clan could have and should have gone. But… I feared that Ardet would not be found… I never expected that he would be found or that any of them would ever have returned.”
Eversor took an uninvited seat and propped one leg atop the other. “I see. Well, you got lucky enough… we only lost a few young Warriors of little intelligence and worth.” He responded, “But had Raphael fallen truly you can imagine the hell that would erupt around this clan.”
“…That isn’t the point of this visit and it is not an answer to my question.” Aestas sighed with a shake of his head, “Why speak with Flair now on this, Eversor? Tell me now.”
Eversor sat back and sighed. “Well truly I would point out to her the mistake she made in acting out on her desire to recover her brother. I of course have been meddling… I witness earlier that my efforts of Raphael’s side have taken effect… she finds herself no longer the object of his attention, and Raphael has proven himself a true man.”
“Indeed he is. I would award him her hand if she wished for it.” Aestas said in agreement, motioning for the manservant to fetch beer as he came to sit across the side-table from Eversor, “Why do you care, however, about their relationship?”
Eversor’s brow rose. “That is an unimportant game.” He assured Aestas with a curt smirk, “The full truth, Aestas… it be that I wish to prevent a second venture into the mountain.”

Aestas’ brow lowered deeply. “I see. Maid! Collect Flair immediately!”

* * *

The stench was profound, but it filled his nostrils like some grand cologne of the highest caliber. The stench, it was of rotting flesh. Across the rotten boards and soil that made up the floor and walls of his basement were strewn mutilated and rotting corpses… bones with bits of flesh still clinging to them.
On the wall, his latest kill. She was young, of the Warrior clan… a collected piece from the Cavern in the midst of what was supposed to be a joyous moment. Her body hung by the ankles… he had field-dressed her like a deer, removing the organs before skinning the body and quartering it to continue the process.
Now, he was butchering the body as venison was prepared. He cleaned his knife often, in water kept stored in a halved skull that served as a bowl. Setting the knife aside, he took a cut of her tenderloin and consumed it raw, savoring the taste of the flesh and blood as it leaked out around his lips and drained down his chin.

Delicious.

Priest sighed deeply, smiling in his deranged lust as he took the severed head of the woman and kissed the lips. The blood within the mouth entered his, it filled him with lust… but, he never went further than a kiss... at least after they were dead or awake.
That head, one he very much enjoyed looking at, would go on the wall… with the rotting ones he’d had hanging there for quite some time. A hook was inserted into the bloody stump of her neck. “Wonderful,” He sighed happily, smiling and caresses her cheek… smearing it with blood, “You will always be beautiful.”
Priest bagged the meat he had harvested… tomorrow, he’d be taking it to the shop like he had the harvested flesh of the others… the others he had preserved but for some reason no longer wanted. These killings… they were always random. Always in bursts, he’d harvested five in one night about six months back… the desire to kill was coming back.

…He didn’t know why… but then, that was normal.

The home he lived in, it was one he had stolen from another man… a warrior-eldritch mix that he had killed in the night. The house was in shambles, in his madness Priest had little use for hygiene besides his own personal cleanliness… which he took care of quickly before taking off his butcher’s apron and the coarse wool clothing he’d stolen from the former resident. With this home so far from all others he had no fears of discovery here… and even if he was discovered while in this place he had an escape route that anyone seeking him would never discover.

…That being a tunnel from the basement to the mountain…

(End of Chapter 2)

Next - Chapter 3: Fluctuations of Strength… and Weakness.

[-sparkle-]

Wow short chapter O__O

the fight o.o, then the woman ...

I hope, that there's something between Flair and Raphael . I mean, that they are coming together ...

god that with Priest ... I knew that before I read the end ... disgusting and sick! >___<

uäh >__<

anyway ... nice chapter ... though ... but now, I like to vomit >_<

[Rogue_Kaiser]

Didn't see that coming. I mean you mentioned Priest was insane but daaaaaaaaamn. Nice twist though ^_^.

[Avarice]

Chapter 3: Fluctuations of Strength… and Weakness.


Deus was definitely not a popular character that morning as he stood before the populous and his son, and denied Raphael the chance to return into the mountain in search of the other lost citizens he had failed to find in his previous attempt. “I know that you do not understand this, I know that you are angry with me.” The old man said with a heavy sigh, “But fellows, you must understand that the more men and women we send into that mountain, the more we will lose.”
“Our populations are strong, Deus.” Occisor declared with a very openly bitter edge to his voice, “We do not dwindle on extinction… every day our numbers rise. You fear for the life of your son, not our lives!”
Aske glanced over and back to Deus. He wanted to disagree, but he wasn’t going to do so until he saw or heard some evidence to support the positive side of things. Aestas shared the same unsettled stare, but he was more leaning to agree with Occisor on this issue… most definitely.
“Raphael is his own man.” Deus said in response, glancing down at the angry frown painting Raphael’s face, “I fear not for his life. I know well that he can defend himself from anything and anyone who would harm him… I fear only for the population en masse.”
Occisor spat on the ground. “You lie, Deus. Your response is as typical as any other of your kind… calculated and devoid of conviction and emotion.” He declared evenly, “We would know the truth. If I volunteer to take Raphael’s place, if I am the one who will lead our forces into that mountain… do you still oppose!?”
“Dammit, yes!” Deus snarled suddenly, his anger exploding outwards from apparent nothingness and startling and stunning all present, “You bull-headed fool! I oppose because I do not want to see another man or woman die in that accursed mountain for nothing! The dead, they are dead! They are buried with our ancestors in that mountain, let them rest!” “As of this moment we have no idea whether or not there be some creature within those halls of any power… I dare not stir its wrath! I hereby order the entrance to the mountain sealed and the key destroyed! I am done!”
Raphael gawked in shock as his father smacked the podium and walked off the stage with scowl painting his face. Nearby, Flair shared a look with her father that was rather amused… after all, the fire dragons were always the at the butt-end of corny ‘hot-head’ jokes. Behind them, the thunder clan all shrugged their shoulders and walked off with rather confused but unconcerned looks on their faces. The portly Behemoths did the same with the Eldritch and Defenders. The Warriors were naturally ready to revolt, but Occisor was wise enough to calm them down and get them back to their normal routines.
Eversor stood in the shade of a tree nearby, today wearing the shady round sunglasses he always wore during the peak of the day. Nearby with the other mixed-breed dragons that were so cruelly rejected by most of the pure-blood clans, Priest just grinned.

…They were sealing it up too late, he wouldn’t be killing again for awhile.

“Deus shows signs of his age… and guilt.” Eversor said to the mysterious and incredibly dangerous young man as he turned to him. “So Occisor spoke the truth when he declared that his fears be solely for Raphael?” Priest asked with a smirk, “Typical of his kind, I suppose.”
Eversor’s glasses seemed to flash as he turned fully and the sunlight shined off them so quickly. “Half of your kind as well, Priest.” He reminded the young man with a shake of his head, “But nay… Raphael is a true warrior that can be trusted to survive. He spoke the truth in his outburst; but it weighs heavily on his mind that he is indeed denying several innocent dragons the opportunity for a rescue.”
“…They’re all dead.” Priest said simply and with a smirk that he couldn’t hide to save his life. “Oh?” Eversor returned with a flat frown. “They have to be. Otherwise they would have come back.” Priest went on, “They’ve already encountered one demon in that mountain already. Surely there are more.”
Eversor’s lips curled into a smirk. “I see. You speak as if you know well what goes on in that place.” He stated with a purposefully suspicious edge to his voice, officially beginning the workings of a truly dangerous mind-game. “I know what I see and hear. It should be obvious by now something dangerous lurks there.” Priest responded with a completely stoic tone and expression. Eversor’s head rose slightly in thought as he gazed down on the young man and his strange eyes.
What did Priest know? It was obvious he knew more than he showed. ‘Lurks’ was the giveaway… a lurking monster is not a monster that resides where it treads… but there were no monsters to be seen anywhere to his knowledge on Shepard’s Isle.

…It seemed that Priest wasn’t nearly the riddle Eversor though he was.

Priest walked away then, as usual without warning and without saying any form of ‘goodbye’. Eversor watched him subtly, turning his gaze around after a moment and making his way towards the home of Deus… a place he hardly ever went for any reason.
It didn’t help shoo him off that Flair was heading there herself. He met her halfway to the door as he crossed the gathering area before the stage and podium then being disassembled in front of it. “I take it Ardet is doing well… both you and your father are out and about without him.” The dark dragon commented casually as he fell into step beside her. “Yes, he’s recovering very well. Raphael came over today to use more healing magic on him.” Flair responded, “You made me feel very guilty, Eversor. You almost made me regret asking for the first expedition to happen… are you happy now that you have made another light dragon miserable?”
“Yes.” Eversor answered simply and bluntly. “Great. Now why did you want Deus to do this, making an ass out of himself and the entire Radiance clan sparing Raphael alone?” Flair asked to continue her questioning. “…It was not a shot at Deus, of this I can assure you.” Eversor said first and foremost, “It was a true concern I have that I am not going to bother telling you.”
Flair nearly stopped in her tracks. That was an odd response, even from Eversor who was always a puzzle to figure out. “So I guess it won’t do me any good to offer something in return for information?” She asked with a grin. “The only thing you could offer me would be your ass.” Eversor returned crudely and with a lewd smile painting his old face, “Honestly, it’s been quite some time since I’ve gotten my rocks off.”

“…When and where?” Flair offered, “It isn’t like I’m afraid of it.”

Eversor’s brow rose for a moment… she was only half-kidding. “You disappoint me, Flair.” He sighed with a shake of his head, “You jest… but there is a side of you that would go that far. I’m shocked.”
“Curiosity killed the cat, because the cat’s husband came home while she was fucking someone for information and her husband stabbed her.” Flair offered with a sigh. “You sad little girl.” Eversor returned, stopping as they came to the door, “Calm your ‘fire’ now before you humiliate yourself and shame your father.”

Flair gave him a look. “You say that like you’d turn me down if I offered.”

[Avarice]

“Oh no. But it isn’t I who will feel shame.” Eversor responded rather coldly as he opened the door… and directly stepped in before her. “Nice. You really are true bastard…” Flair sighed, stepping in behind him and walking with him to the visitor’s sign-in desk in the center of the first and main hall.
The young woman behind the counter eyed Eversor nervously… which was only natural. “Welcome, how may I help you?” She asked quietly, glancing to Flair and then quickly back to Eversor. “We would visit Deus and Raphael.” Eversor replied with a knowing and amused grin. “I’m sorry, they are having a discussion at this point in time and cannot be bothered until it has finished.” The lady responded quietly, “I can have you sign in now… but you’ll have to wait before you may be seen.”
Without a word did Eversor sign in and sit down. Flair, on the other hand, wasn’t so easily put to rest. “I think I’ve got special privileges Eversor doesn’t have,” The fire dragoness said with a smirk, “Do you really think it will be a big deal?”
…No sooner had the lady opened her mouth to say ‘Yes’ than did Raphael burst from the double-doors ahead, which led to his father’s ‘throne room’. “Raphael!” Deus shouted desperately, “Come back this instant! You will not risk their lives for your damn agenda!”
“I go alone!” Raphael returned with a ferocious level of volume to his voice that echoed off the walls, “With or without your blessings!”
Flair’s eyes widened considerably as she dropped the pen and ran off after him. Eversor on the other hand very calmly rose and strode on past the counter, totally ignoring the lady as she tried to stop him.
…Naturally, Deus was less-than happy to see Eversor… of all people… approaching him. “What do you want, dark dragon?” The aging and visually exhausted old man asked as he sat and slumped in his chair. “You kick you while you are down, in one hand, and in the other… to congratulate you on your bravery. You made the correct decision, sadly you are a terrible father and cannot control your son.” Eversor returned with a snide edge to his voice that took Deus totally off-guard, “You should have stopped him…”
Deus’ brow rose significantly. “What madness are you speaking, Eversor? What in the world does it matter to you?” He asked in shock, sitting up and staring through the lenses of Eversor’s glasses. In response, Eversor smote the ground with his cane and scowled directly. “You fool! You spoke yourself of the mystery in that mountain, the risk they would taken in awakening or disturbing things which should not be bothered.” The dark dragon spat in response, “Stop him now or forever live in regret for your weakness.”

…So cerebral. Sometimes Eversor didn’t even have to try…

Deus rose from his chair and walked past Eversor with a bit of a hobble. Raphael was nowhere near that mountain yet, and he would be damned if his son defied him so… Raphael had not taken his place as of that moment, so therefore he was still the father and still the leader of Shepard’s Isle!
Watching, Eversor sighed deeply in his anger and shook his head as he made his way outside again and about his own buisness, never paying any mind as Deus finally caught up with Raphael and Flair as they attempted to turn the corner on the left-side of the building to reach the entrance to the mountain.

Though he certainly had a great suspicion in regards to Priest… he still wanted to protect him.

* * *

“…Ok, let’s just let it go.” Flair sighed in defeat as she again grabbed Raphael’s arm to keep him away from Deus. They were absolutely and totally furious, the entire council had been summoned to try and prevent a rise of violence. Occisor, he surely supported Raphael… but Aske and Aestas were on Deus’ side, along with the other clan leaders including Salimor of the Eldritch clan and Chie of the Trance clan.
The latter two, of course, being the wisest of them all next to Deus. They were perhaps also the best negotiators, seeing things from both sides and intelligently weighing the pros and cons of the arguments from both sides. Of course, Chie was even more balanced in his thought-process than Salimor… after all, his clan were almost entirely neutral and philosophical in nature.
“…It is likely that whatever being that dwells within that mountain be dangerous. We should not approach this lightly.” Salimor offered with a stroke of his slick-bald chin, “I would suggest we give this time. Eventually I feel we must venture there and discover just what is happening, but we should not rush blindly into it.”
Chie nodded, his eyebrows long and curling up past the ridges above his eyes, liken to his mustache and beard which also curled upwards. His head was totally bald… as were all the heads of his clansmen. He was perhaps the most cliché of image however… his robes were that of a monk and his clan acted as such people and lived as such people. In fact, he was just about the only one of his clan allowed to speak. “I do not think there be a being within that mountain we cannot destroy.” He said, his voice so odd and so quiet that it was hard to hear him, “Perhaps with enough training and meditation we will prepare… I agree with Salimor that this mystery must be solved for the good of all our people.”
Raphael sighed… this was as good as it was going to get. “I know there is truly a great risk involved.” He admitted with a shake of his head, “I would treat this endeavor with great respect… the kind of respect it deserves.” “…I concede to Salimor and Chie.”
“As do I.” Aske shockingly declared with a glance to Occisor, whom he honestly figured was going to explode. “…I do not concede to Salimor. To Chie however I do… we will wait, but we will seek and destroy the demon or demons in that mountain…” The proud Warrior declared with a heavy sigh as he crossed his arms in defiance.
Aestas lowered his gaze. “I feel that Deus is correct, I cannot side even on that note of caution.” He sighed after a moment of thought, “Whatever resides in that mountain, it does not bother us beyond the dark depths of the caverns. We have lost many, let no more be lost there.”
Chie’s eyes glowed darkly. “I have foreseen that death will come to us if we do not go to it. There is a secret there that must be found.” He declared with a grim tone that shook the supporters of Deus to their cores. “We cannot have that…” Aske muttered with a slightly nervous edge to his voice, “We have always lived in peace… though we may surely order our people to stay indoors at night they will surely not all obey our commands.”
Deus’ frown was total as he turned his gaze down Raphael. “…Fine.” He sighed heavily, his eyes closing slowly as he gripped the arms of his chair, “But we will train and prepare for this as if we were going to war. I will not have anyone enter that mountain without selective and proper training.”
…Council was adjourned then and there… and Eversor cursed in anger and slammed a trash can with his can, knocking it over. “Dammit.” He spat as he hustled away from the building as the doors opened, “They will ruin everything…”
No-one noticed Eversor… not even Raphael and Flair when they left together for their spots just outside of town… the tree for Raphael and the bluffs for Flair. However, as they walked together and made it to the knoll which the tree stood upon, they both stopped.
“…You know Ardet is going to try and go with you, right?” Flair asked with a rather unhappy look that verged on tears. “What? Why would he ever wish to go back into the mountain?” Raphael asked in response, a look of stunned concern crossing his face immediately. “That’s just who he is…” Flair responded grimly, “I know it’s for the best that we search that damn place for more demons, but I don’t want him to go back… I don’t want to lose him again… because I doubt we’ll get a second chance to be with him this time.”
Raphael lowered his gaze. “Surely your father can make him stay.” He offered, drawing a shake-of-the-head from Flair long before he even finished. “Dad doesn’t have the heart for it… and I don’t have the seniority.” She explained grimly, “You have to take care of him… ok?”
“…Of course, I would never let Ardet or anyone else die if I could at all prevent it from happening.” Raphael assured her softly as he turned to face her, “Will you not come with us?”
Flair gawked when she spun on him. “Me!? Why would I go there? I am no warrior of any kind, I’m not even gifted in magic.” She returned in confusion. “You are of the fire clan, you are of power…” Raphael responded with a smile, “Don’t you think we’ll need a double-dose of flame when we get down there? We’ll need the help.”
“…Not mine.” Flair said plainly, suddenly scowling and shoving past to make her way off for the bluffs. Usually he tried to stop her… but this time he just shrugged and sat beneath the tree. Looking back, she felt a sting in her heart that was as infuriating to her as anything else could possibly be.

…Dammit, it wasn’t like this!

* * *

[Avarice]

Priest sat alone in the kitchen of his stolen home, eating a cannibal stew of flesh taken from his latest kill out of his favorite bowl... the one he’d made from another dragon’s skull, as it were. “Why is it?” He asked the skeleton sitting across from him, “That females taste so much better than males? Especially in the buttocks, what a delicious stew.”
…A hideous rat answered, crawling from the tattered flesh still clinging to the jaw and darting away… only to be skewered to the wall. Priest smiled, watching the rat die so slowly as it squirmed for freedom… that it would never receive, Priest’s throwing dagger was sank halfway to the hilt in the wall.
Rising, Priest made his way over and twisted the knife inside the rat’s abdomen. It didn’t even try to bite, all it could do was let a squeal of pain out and die as he pulled it free and chucked it to the side… it was diseased, badly.
…Not that disease was something Priest ever had to worry about. His powers of Radiance took care of all that quickly and easily. If it had not been for that… God knows he would have died long ago from some terrible infection. Rats had once been his chosen meals when he started purposefully killing living creatures… even though the killing of the rats had not been for sustenance.
Indeed, the demented lunatic within Priest just seemed to enjoy killing. Was there anything deeper than that? One could only hope. His meal finished, Priest sat the bowl aside without cleaning it, another of his many disgusting habits… and then made his way into the back bedroom.
…Such a nice room, this one was actually well-kept and flawlessly clean… except that, the wife of the previous owner was the one keeping it. Tied to the bed, she stared at Priest with a dull glow to her eyes that spoke volumes of the fear and loathing she felt towards him. As of yet he had never touched her, at least in the sense of molestation or rape.
“I did it again.” He said to her calmly, sitting on the bed beside her and staring blankly into the mirror. “Killed another?” She asked softly, gazing into the mirror as well to look into his eyes. “Yes. Ate her as well.” Priest answered grimly, “I just wish I knew why I did it. I love it so, isn’t it wonderful?”
“No. You know I disapprove, Priest.” She responded with a shake of her head, that drew a deeply sad frown to the deranged young man’s face. “But Maridia…” He muttered in tears, “I can’t help that. It’s the only thing that keeps me sane, you know… otherwise I might start killing real people.”
Galelie, as she was truly named, shivered as a cold chill went down her spine. He was so far gone, so insane… all of his victims in his mind were merely… illusions. Visions of himself, she knew.
“Priest… how many times have I told you that you hurt others by acting out like that, even if they are illusions?” Galelie asked with a frown, “Look at me… you know me. I would never lie to you.”
Priest nodded and lay down, curling into her side. “I know… but…” He muttered with a strange stare that bothered her greatly, “You’re dead… you’re not real either. Another vision like all the others.” “Eversor, he’s the only one that’s real you know? I told you about him, he reminds me of dad.”
“Dad was a good man.” Galelie offered as she found herself again walking this oh-so dangerous tightrope. “Dad was not.” Priest responded with a hard stare, “I know you loved him… but he was a cruel man. An evil man…”
Galelie had learned enough by now to know what to say… but this time with a little bit more of an edge to it. “Shut your mouth.” She snapped hatefully and deeply, “Our father was a saint!”
Slowly, Priest rose and stared at her. The look in his eyes was disturbingly calm as she noticed his earlier tears were totally gone. “I see.” He said quietly, “I suppose then you’d like to join him… should I set you free?”

…Perfect.

“Yes.” Galelie responded as she desperately fought back elation and euphoria. “…I see… fine.” Priest muttered, unceremoniously slicing the ropes tying her down and stepping away as he left the bed, “Go then to oblivion… I don’t need you anymore.”
Galelie rose slowly and calmly walked out, trying so hard to hide the fact that she was shaking rather violently and could hardly hold herself up on weak legs. Priest was paying her no mind though, in his state there was nothing outside of his imagination in existence… and Galelie was no longer a part of that strange and dark world he’d built for himself.
Unfortunately for Galelie she was only focused on her own survival… nothing she could be condemned for considering the horror she had went through in watching her husband perish at the hands of that terrifying and psychotic murderer, but had she been focused she could have done something heroic and wonderful.

…Like murder him in his distraction.

Eversor watched as Galelie opened the door and shut the door. In his efforts to track Priest’s whereabouts he’d found his way all the way out here… a full ten miles away from the populated area of the isle. “…So…” He said quietly, seeing her running like a crazed animal towards the town beyond the hills to the west, “He killed Cromarty. Took the home for himself… I see.”
…But why on Earth would he let Galelie live? Eversor had to figure this out, but he had to do so quickly. With a flick of his wrist he summoned his well-hidden powers of magic and warped… appearing not too far ahead of Galelie as she stumbled and fell to her knees about a mile and a half away from the home that had been her rotting cell for the better part of five months.
“Galelie…” Eversor said with a rather cold curl of his lips, approaching and lifting her chin with the end of his can, “What brings you out here? You look ill. Has something happened so far away from the others?”
The woman had thought for so long that, if she saw another person besides Priest, she would scream and cling to them… but she found herself silent both in disbelief and in fear of the dark dragon before her. “…Priest…” She muttered with a weary blink, “Help… please… help me…”
“Why did he let you live?” Eversor asked bluntly, frowning darkly both in concern for the deranged half-breed and his own disappointment over the less-than impressive riddle surrounding the young man. “You… knew?” Galelie responded breathlessly, weakly falling over as her drained body gave out. “I know now.” Eversor sighed with a shake of his head, “Answer me Galelie. Why did he kill Cromarty yet let you live?”
Galelie was half unconscious at that point. “He killed… so many… ate the… bodies… kept them… friends… ghosts… illusions…” She mouthed as she began to fade into sleep there on the ground, “Sis…ter…”
Eversor’s brow rose significantly. Her ramblings were just as insane as Priest’s. With a snide frown, the dark dragon bent down and lay a hand on Galelie’s shoulder… warping her away without a sound… and in his distraction over his thoughts, never noticing that Priest was watching.
“…Eversor, you are death?” Priest asked the wind as it blew his pale hair across his dirty and clammy face, those eyes tinged with red that glowed so fiercely in the fading sun of the afternoon, “Galelie? Why did he call you that, Maridia?”

* * *

Chie’s expression surely looked sour, but it was actually just the way his eyebrows had grown that gave him that very angry look. Of course, no true emotion ever seemed to pop up on his face, but that was simply how he was. “Lord Chie…” Raphael said quietly, feeling naked without his armor as he sat upon his knees before the elder dragon and bowed low, “I come to you to ask for your aid and your wisdom.”
“…You are prepared to endure, I know this already.” Chie returned with a tilt of his head, “But mentally you are not fit for my training, Raphael. You will break before it is over.”
Raphael didn’t dare look up or question Chie, no matter how confused… and slightly offended… he was. “You are strong of heart, will, and are of great endurance of mind and body… but you are not strong in mind.” Chie explained, “I hear your questions in my mind. Thank you for having the willpower I have spoken of not to ask them out loud.”
Beside him, another elder member of the Trance clan gazed down on Raphael hard and glanced over to Chie. “He cannot do what you would ask of him.” He declared, “Spare him that.”
“…No. He must.” Chie responded with a heavy frown, “Raphael. Rise now and begin your training.”
Raphael did as instructed, remaining silent. However, Chie didn’t say anything even after a full five minute’s worth of waiting. What in the world was going on? Was the old dragon trying to say something to him telepathically? What was he supposed to do!?
…The young man had a lot to learn. So many questions tore through his mind, so many concerns and ‘what ifs’ echoed deeply. He faltered, a shiver passed through him as he found himself breaking past the thirty minute mark. “I told you, Chie. He cannot handle this.” The other old Trance dragon said telepathically in the mind of his immediate superior. “Amazing resilience. Do you remember the Warrior that came here for such training? He broke in ten seconds and declared it to be an eternity of waiting.” Chie responded with a humored edge to his voice, “You are failing by being so impatient. Do you dislike him?”
Wisely, the other did not respond. It had nothing to do with Chie’s question, it had to do with his point about impatience. His silence was a testament to Chie’s status and his authority… none of the others could have gotten away without admitting to their failures as was demanded by the clan’s specific law.

[Avarice]

As the time passed, Raphael began to calm down… he was beginning to understand what was going on here. Chie’s lips curled into something of a grin, which stunned Raphael greatly… but despite his emotion he held strong and still much like an ancient statue.

…Impressed, Chie shifted.

“Salimor will see you in regards to magic instruction every other day. Between those days I shall be your master.” The old Trance dragon said suddenly, freeing Raphael from his ‘frozen’ state in every way, “This day be your first. I would have you follow me to the Wordless Chamber.”
Raphael nodded silently and followed as Chie’s body lifted from the mat he sat cross-legged upon and floated over in the direction of a plain set of double-doors at the back of the room. The doors opened with the influence of his mind, revealing naught but a plain room with a stone floor and stone walls.

No… nothing about the Trance clan’s temple home was flashy.

Chie turned to him with a stoic, flat gaze. “In here you may not speak aloud. Not even I break this rule.” He said in Raphael’s mind, “You are to spend the rest of this day here alone. Not one word shall be spoken, I will hear it in my mind and you will be punished.”
…Without flinching, Raphael entered that room. It would be eight long hours before he was allowed to exit… and when he did he seemed rather frazzled and was turning a strange hue of red in the face… something like strain, the urge to speak was driving him mad.
What was the point of all this? Raphael truly wondered at that point… and Chie picked up on that quickly. It disappointed the ancient old dragon that the young man simply couldn’t grasp the simple concept of ‘discipline’. However it was only natural for one such as Raphael to fail… most people across the races were creatures requiring direct and obvious stimulation.

…Such stimulation was a trick of the mind. Progress was not always so easy to visualize.

The sun fell and Raphael left the Trance clan for the evening… for him and for anyone else having to witness his day with those strange people, his day would have been miserably boring. But that would eventually change.
Still, in that moment, Raphael was ready to explode. Going out to the old tree on the knoll, he sat and clutched his head as he began to realize just how stressed and strangely exhausted he really was. “…Long day?” Flair asked from behind the tree, leaning against it and staring upwards into its branches. “Very long.” Raphael muttered quietly, “Not being allowed to speak, standing around or sitting around and doing absolutely nothing… that was Chie’s idea of training.”
“Dad says they do more than you realize. He spent time with them as well and went through a day by their cycle.” Flair returned as she stepped around the tree and sat beside him just a couple of feet away. “I know there is something to it, but I just really can’t see spending the next six months doing this every-other-day.” Raphael sighed with a shake of his head, “I hope Salimor and the Eldritch clan will provide me with something tangible.”
Flair lowered her gaze. “…They’ll give you a stack of books and a notepad. Then they’ll tell you that the next day or the next time you come in, you have to leave that notepad at home and have memorized ten spells… and cast them.”
“…In how many hours?” Raphael asked, never catching the fact that she was speaking from personal experience. “About nine if you don’t sleep.” Flair responded, “But if you were to pass sleep your brain will slow down and you’ll screw everything up for the next sixteen hours of study.”
After she said that, Raphael turned. “Wait… you’re taking lessons?” He inquired with a blink. “Yes.” Flair sighed with a grim sideways glance, “They made it hard on me. They make me learn and cast… ice magic.”
“Why? Would it not be easiest to have you learn spells closer to your own element to make it easier?” Raphael inquired with a confused and slanted frown. “Because that’d be too easy… the point of all of this stupidity is to make life even harder on those already risking everything.” Flair returned with an angry edge to her voice, “You did this. Man up and take it like I have… I’ve got to go. I’ve got to finish studying…”
Raphael extended his hand, but his instinct told him to stay silent and let her go. He did so bitterly as he found himself falling silent again… this time totally, he even drew breath silently.
…Flair wasn’t silent, as she entered her father’s home and stormed down the hall and up the stairs on the right to go to her chamber. Ardet was waiting for her along the open path looking down upon the main hall at the end of those stairs, a smile painting his face… which was finally beginning to show the age of a fully matured man. “Pissed off like always.” He chuckled with his deep and rigid voice when she paused in front of him and admired the armor her wore. “Damn right. Why are you wearing that?” She asked in response, the fear obvious in her eyes if not in her voice. “Because I ought to get used to it again… I’m going back of course.” Ardet replied, confirming her fears in their totality with the casual manner in which he answered, “The only thing that happened last time was that I got pinned down in that hole by the demon. This time I’ll be with a full force of men and women to protect.”
“You don’t need to go back…” Flair muttered in protest. “What do you mean? I didn’t ‘need’ to go the first time… I ‘wanted’ to.” Ardet responded with a bit of confusion, “I didn’t think you’d be so concerned…”
Flair scowled. “Dammit Ardet, I love you! You’re my brother! Why wouldn’t I be concerned!? Why do you think I’m studying magic to go with you!?” She asked, loudly enough that it echoed… and her father caught what she had just said.
Storming from the main chamber of his home, Aestas charged up the stairs faster than Flair could get to her room. “Flair, halt!” Aestas roared angrily, nearly knocking Ardet over as he rushed past his son, “You are not to go anywhere near that mountain!”
“...It is my duty to this family to go, to help protect Ardet.” Flair argued immediately, but not with that same attitude and force that she used on everyone else. “Ardet does not need your protection.” Aestas declared evenly, “Raphael and the others will be in charge of keeping him, themselves, and their brothers and sisters-in-arms safe. You are hereby disallowed.”

Ardet bit his lip. “Father…”
“No arguments.” Aestas returned immediately.

Flair’s shoulders slumped heavily as her father turned to face her again. He didn’t even need to say anything at that point… so with a hard look and a point of the finger he made his way back downstairs and off about his buisness… as she and Ardet shared a solemn look and she slinked into her room.
…Miserable officially beyond words, she tossed her books down and sat on her bed and clutched her face in her hands. She didn’t dare cry here, someone would hear and then her father would be hell-bent on tearing every secret from the fibers of her mind. She didn’t feel like dealing with that… so she wasn’t going to.
Outside, Ardet slowly turned and made his way down into his father’s chambers. “I will not speak of it.” Aestas said, never turning around in his chair to even acknowledge his son’s presence. “Father…” Ardet sighed with a shake of his head, “She will be fine. I know, you are as angry with me over my decision as she is…”
“How dare you!?” Aestas roared in anger, spinning and glaring at his son, “We only just got you back! You would return and risk your life again, taunting us with your presence now to make the pain that much worse if we lose you!?”
Ardet firmed his jaw. “Father, ‘ere mother died you have taught us to be strong in the face of death, to accept it and move on knowing there are no other options left to you when someone is lost to death.” He said strongly, “How dare you shame yourself with this hypocrisy?”
“…Those were words of desperation. My desperate attempt to protect you both from the inevitable fact that you will one day lose those you love.” Aestas responded with a heavy sigh, “I did not say you should do nothing to prevent the death of a loved one. I just said you shouldn’t let it destroy you.”
Ardet lowered his gaze and sighed deeply. “…But you could have easily forbade me to return, as you have forbidden Flair to venture into those caverns.” He returned with a shrug of his shoulders, “Father… why is that?”
“You are able.” Aestas muttered with a shake of his head, “Flair is not. She is too young yet to venture into danger such as that. You are nearing five hundred… you are totally mature, as is Raphael. Flair however is only three hundred and sixty two.”
Shaking his head, but without real words to deny that simple truth, Ardet walked away from his father and shut the door to the chamber behind him.

…This had not been a good day…

(End of Chapter 3)

Next - Chapter 4: Answers, Confusion, and Death