Death and revenge

Song recommendation:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN_FFmeQAC0&list=RDMMj0lSpNtjPM8&index=14

Somewhere in the South...

Michael was staring down from a rigidly set iron window. From behind the stained glass, he could faintly make out a cliff face submerged in clouds. His strength had been slower to return than he imagined. He had been barely able to survey the grounds. So far he had determined they were in a castle somewhere in the mountains. Perhaps in the south somewhere, but where? How far was he from the others...

As Michael lay back against the window frame with these thoughts in mind, the soft patter of rain trickled in from outside. It seemed somehow apt, at least Micahel had always thought so, that the rain would come in lieu of actual tears. This castle seemed like a place built of nothing but pain.

"My wizards tell me you haven't eaten in three days," came a voice from behind.

"I'm fasting. It will help me heal faster," Michael answered without looking back.

Silthus strolled into the room. It was dark apart from the small crack in the curtains that Michael was staring out from. There was a single candle lighting the gothic interior, but the great hearth was cold and dead. There was a grand four-post bed lined with luxurious sheets that had been unslept in and animal skin carpet upon which Silthus reclined by the fireplace. He snapped his finger and a cloaked figure appeared. With one hand, they immediately lit the fire and Silthus began to help himself to a bottle of wine that had been laid out.

"It looks like you haven't slept either," Silthus smiled, taking a sip of wine, "If you're planning on killing yourself, it'll probably be faster to jump from that window rather than attempt to deprive yourself to death,"

"Your concern is duly noted," Michael returned sarcastically, "but I'll be just fine,"

"It's pointless to lie to me, you know?" Silithus mused, "If you're having doubts, let me assage them. I'm quite good at that,"

"I can imagine," Michael scoffed, "but I have no doubts for you to exploit. Once I decide to do something, I do it,"

"That much I guessed, but it's what you've decided to do that concerns me," Silthus grinned, "you're not going to kill me in my sleep, are you?"

"If I was, would I answer that?" Michael said quietly.

"Indulge me," Silthus smiled, "It would give me some reassurance if you said you weren't planning to kill me,"

"I won't kill you," Michael replied sharply, "but, I'm a very good liar, Silthus. So who knows if I'm telling the truth or not?"

"Well, us holy magic users are very good at detecting the truth," Silthus chuckled.

" Yes, I recall as much," Michael said flatly.

"You knew a holy magic user before?" Silthus questioned.

" My oldest friend. He was a knight and hero, " Michael answered reluctantly, "I guess back then the gods were more discerning about who they bestowed their holy magic upon,"

"The sword saint," Silthus grinned, " Albaric Greyson?"

Michael's eyes went to Silthus suspiciously," How do you know that?"

"It's in the royal record. He served the Empire, after all," Silthus replied with a smile.

"Perhaps you'll let me see that record sometime?" Michael glared with irritation.

"Can I tell you a story, Michael?" Silthus said with a coy smile.

"Changing the subject?" Michael scoffed, "We'll go ahead, tell me. Seems like you're going to tell me anyway,"

"When I was a boy, I was sold to a rich landowner in the south," Silthus began with a forlorn gaze into the fire, "You probably don't know this, but slavery was rife in the south for many years,"

"Slavery?" Michael frowned, "That was abolished..."

"Without the Empire to regulate it, it came back," Silthus interceeded, " It became more discrete, but also more pervasive. I was just one child among many taken. We were worked to the bone mining metal ores for a neighbouring army. I watched my friends die of starvation while the landowners feasted at the expense of our suffering. Then one day, someone dared to ask for more food.

As punishment, we were dragged out from the darkness of the mines and they made us watch as they ate an entire roast bore. There was something beyond the hunger that infested me that day - A sense of disgust. Even now, when I look at pig meat I feel sick to my stomach. Isn't that strange? "

Michael shifted uncomfortably.

"Why do you think that is?" Silthus asked with immensely dark eyes.

"Why are you asking me?" Michael said in a subdued voice," you want me to tell you a sob story about my life? That someone made me so sick to my stomach that I feel disgusted just looking at food. What's the point? They're dead and no one ever cared then. Why would anyone care now?"

"I'm telling you that I care," Silthus smiled, " tell me, Michael. As you said, it was long ago. It's not like I can use it against you,"

Michael sank back into his chair with a sigh, "fine. To be clear though, I don't believe you. I just don't have the energy to argue,"

"What 's the real reason you don't eat?" Silthus asked curiously.

"People keep saying I don't eat," Michael returned with some annoyance, " Of course, I eat. I just...don't like to eat a lot,"

"Why not? Everyone has to eat,"

"When I was young, there was a man who used to cook for me. My old man wasn't too bothered whether I ate or not. But the man was a local in our village and I had a thing for his daughter. Long story short, I thought those meals were free, but they weren't," Michael explained briskly.

"Well, what did he want in exchange for the meals?" Silthus asked in a low voice.

"The same things all men want," Michael said with a deadpan stare, "well after that, I couldn't keep any food down for days,"

"I see," Silthus said quietly, "and this man, did you kill him?"

"Kill him?" Michael scoffed, "Why would I do that? I learnt a good lesson from it. I learnt the meaning of revenge. I took revenge on him and a hundred others after. Death isn't the best kind of revenge, Silthus. Pain is. Because that's the kind of world we live in. We can all do what we want without punishment. So if everything in this world is made to be broken, then maybe it is okay to do the breaking,"

"Do you really believe that?" Silthus shook with an unnatural absorption, "that we can do whatever we want? Take what want?"

"Don't you?" Michael laughed, "I mean...you've taken the world by force. What more is there to take?"

"Well, don't you ever feel that the balance of the world is unfair in the first place?" Silthus said gravely, "What happened to you - what happened to me, how could the gods let it happen?"

"Urg... with the gods again.." Michael sighed, "I don't understand what your obsession is with them. Who cares what the gods allow or don't allow? We can obviously just do as we please. That's why you and I are alive and no doubt seas of good people are dead,"

"How can you be so indifferent?" Silthus shook his head, "isn't that just more evidence that the gods aren't doing what they are supposed to? If they have the power to help us, why don't they?"

"The same reason we don't help our fellow man either, they just don't care," Michael shrugged, "I'm surprised you would fault them after what you've done,"

"What have I done?" Silthus laughed, "you don't get it, Michael. I am trying to fix this world. Free it from things like poverty, violence and slavery, but in order to do that, I need power. And people have to die, yes. But in the end, won't it all be worth it? I can create a world free from evil,"

"If you do that, then you'll be the only bad thing left?" Michael smirked.

"I can live with that," Silthus smiled darkly, " I think you can as well. That's what makes us different from the rest. But we shouldn't have to be like this in the first place. Not if the world was the way It should be. It's not enough to take revenge. We have to reform the system that allows injustice in the first place,"

"How high minded," Michael mused.

"Let me ask you this then. If revenge was enough, then why are you still in so much pain?" Silthus asked seriously.

"Don't cross the line, Silthus," Michael's eyes narrowed, "You think you know me, but you don't."

"But I do know you, Michael. You want to be free, but you can't because this world doesn't allow you to. I want to change that, " Silthus enthused, "think about it. For everything revenge gives you, you're still trapped by the path it sets you on. That's the reason I kill those who betray me. Why try to fix something that cannot be fixed? What do you even get from preventing Ace from raising this demon?"

"I could say the same to you," Michael scoffed, "what does it matter to you if Ace finds them or not. If you gave him what he wanted, surely it would make things easier for you?"

"If I do that, he'll disappear from my life forever and I..." Silthus paused, " I won't allow it,"

A curious smile came across Michael's face, "Have you actually fallen in love with him, Silthus?"

"Is it so shocking? "Silthus said flatly.

"Not shocking so much as strangely predictable," Michael replied reticently.

"What does that mean?" Silthus returned with a fierceness that had since been repressed.

"It means you aren't the first person to fall in love with that boy and you probably won't be the last, but I can tell you this: You think I'm wasting my time on revenge? Isn't love just as trivial? Ace won't love you back. I watched him destroy his entire life single-handedly just to be at Clover's side. There's no room for you in his heart. You should give up now while you can still see reason,"

Silthus gave a slight smile, somewhat recovered from his early harshness, "I will take this as you looking out for me, but there's no need to tell me that. I already know. Nevertheless, Ace is the one who saved me from a life worse than death. I did think he believed in what I believed, but perhaps I was wrong. Maybe it all was a lie so he could get what he wanted from me. Even so, it doesn't matter,"

"If it doesn't matter, why did you take me?" Michael asked with an unreadable expression, "Aren't you planning to lead him here and kill him?"

"Couldn't it just be that I enjoy the pleasure of your company?" Silthus dismissed with a smile.

"No one enjoys the pleasure of my company that much, Sitlhus," Michael's eyes narrowed.

"Michael are really still so suspicious of me?" Silthus sighed, "even though we have so much in common. I have to say I'm a little hurt. Have I been the only one who has enjoyed our conversations over the last few days?"

"I've enjoyed listening to your unintelligible philosophy about as much as I enjoyed your torture only a few days before that, but I am yet to be convinced of what it is exactly that you want from me," Michael replied cuttingly.

"I told you, I just want you on my side," Silthus shrugged.

"On your side, doing what exactly?" Michael interrogated.

Silthus was quiet for a moment, "Haven't I allowed you enough time to think on my offer?"

"Let me ask you this," Michael came down from the window and walked straight up Silthus, "If I say no, what you are going to?"

Silthus looked up with a blank expression, "I suppose I'll have to kill you, but I'd really rather not. As I said, I like you, Michael."

"You have a very warped version of like. I hate to see what your version of love looks like," Michael turned his eyes to the fire, "is this why Ace is so afraid of you?"

"He's not afraid of me," Silthus chuckled, "He only pretends that he is and in return, I sometimes pretend that I believe him. But haven't you ever been in love, Michael? It's a big game of push and pulls. Sometimes you have to pretend to get what you want,"

"Love is a sickness I don't suffer from," Michael said quietly.

"Then what is your sickness, Michael?" Silthus stared at him intently, "What is it that you want from this life? If you tell me, I'll give it to you. I said I would. You only have to say the words. Neither death nor love moves you. I can't imagine it's money either. There are only so many things that make a man's heartbeat. What can I give you to earn your loyalty?"

Michael turned to him with dark lifeless eyes, "Give me power. That's what I want. That's what I always wanted. It's not destiny that rules this world, it is power. And since you have the most power, I guess that makes you the closest thing to a god in this world. So give me power, and I'll worship at your alter like all the rest. Fail and I'll burn your temple to the ground,"