Okay everyone.... I know the last chapter wasn't very long, but I was having a mild case of writer's block. Thankfully, what little ingenuity I possess has come back full force! Here is chapter 7 of my story. Please review- I'm planning on becoming a writer one day (it's the only way I can make money without really "working"). Enjoy!
A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO MY REVIEWERS! THANKS FOR REVIEWING!
()-signifies thought.
Chapter 7
With These Hands
Dimitri gazed up into the night sky. So many stars there- what had they seen? What kind of monstrosities, what glories, did those luminaires bear witness too?
(My own,) Dimitri thought grimly. He remembered that night, now two days past, when Pyron had emerged from the burning ring inside John's house. Dimitri replayed everything in his mind- always coming back to his memories of the human village.
( What am I?) he thought, and putting a hand over his eyes, he felt bitter tears roll down his cheeks.
He relived it again- the scent, the want to kill, the joy he had felt every time a life was snuffed out- it was so different from the duels when he was young. Then, he had been killing his own kind- but humans could be slaughtered safely. One could strike at them without fear of reprisals- and oh God, how good it had felt...
( STOP!) Dimitri almost screamed out. He couldn't deny the truth. He had repressed those memories, forgotten them, until the Ebonrule bore their hideous visage into the open, sore wounds which had never healed- just scabbed over with amnesia.
( Face facts, Dimitri), he thought, calming down. And the fact was, he enjoyed killing. Every bit of the slaughter brought on a joy that was greater than any other carnal pleasure- a nightmare wonderland.
He glanced at the Ebonrule. Past it, he saw Felicia and John readying the camp- dawn was arriving. His gaze, however, rested on the spear.
What had it meant? It said that redemption was the rain that cleanses; so why now did he feel no different? Why was he still attracted to killing?
John was walking towards him. Dimitri quickly changed his features to his poker face. John crouched beside him, on a small rock jutting out of the hill they were on. They were silent for a while, and then John spoke.
" What's it like?" he said.
Dimitri asked, " What do you mean?"
John looked upwards, at the same stars Dimitri had been studying minutes before. " To be a Duke. To be on top."
Dimitri thought for a while, then spoke. " I don't know what you mean."
John shook his head. " I've lived my whole life alone," he said. " I grew up in a human village, never knowing I was a werewolf- and when I found out, I hated myself. I eventually got over it, moved to Howling Vale and found my family, learned my truth- I had been left for dead in a human raid. A raider picked me up, mistaking me for a human child. And about a year after I came to Howling Vale, I met Felicia." He glanced over at her, a look of fondness in his eyes that was unmistakably love. " I was always poor till I came to Howling Vale. And I always dreamed about royal life. So I was kinda wondering how close to the mark my dreams were."
Dimitri said, " It's tougher than you think. I know that probably sounds ridiculous to someone who has spent their life wondering where the next meal or bed was coming from, but royalty has its own problems... and temptations..."
Dimitri went silent, remembering the village and the slaughter.
" Hey, Dimitri."
Dimitri turned to his werewolf companion.
" I don't know what you did," John began slowly, as if contemplating each word before he spoke, " but whatever it was, it was bad. My grandfather said that the brigher Ebonrule's fire burns, the more evil in the wielder- and that fire on Ebonrule was like a star."
Dimitri turned away. So his sin was known, not in details but in strength. His eyes moistened with tears of shame. His mask trembled with barely concealed pain.
" But my grandfather also said that to make Ebonrule burn at all, one must honestly want to rid themselves of evil- to be redeemed. Dimitri, whatever you did, you can get past it. Everyone has secrets- there are a lot of things I've done I'm not proud of. I used to like stealing- it was a thrill. The skill required was what I was using as a proof of my manhood- that I was man enough to steal anything." He chuckled. " But I've changed. I wouldn't steal from the richest, most corrupt person on the planet now. The temptation is still there, and will be until I die. But the temptation isn't the act. If you have the honor and will to ignore temptation, then Ebonrule will always burn for you."
He patted Dimitri on the back. " Come on, the sun's almost up. Let's hit the sack- I'm shit beat."
Dimitri glanced at his companion, and a rare smile lit up his face. He looked at the Ebonrule for a while, then picked it up. A glimmer of blue shone faintly on the staff- a echo of azure flames and soothing water.
A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO MY REVIEWERS! THANKS FOR REVIEWING!
()-signifies thought.
Chapter 7
With These Hands
Dimitri gazed up into the night sky. So many stars there- what had they seen? What kind of monstrosities, what glories, did those luminaires bear witness too?
(My own,) Dimitri thought grimly. He remembered that night, now two days past, when Pyron had emerged from the burning ring inside John's house. Dimitri replayed everything in his mind- always coming back to his memories of the human village.
( What am I?) he thought, and putting a hand over his eyes, he felt bitter tears roll down his cheeks.
He relived it again- the scent, the want to kill, the joy he had felt every time a life was snuffed out- it was so different from the duels when he was young. Then, he had been killing his own kind- but humans could be slaughtered safely. One could strike at them without fear of reprisals- and oh God, how good it had felt...
( STOP!) Dimitri almost screamed out. He couldn't deny the truth. He had repressed those memories, forgotten them, until the Ebonrule bore their hideous visage into the open, sore wounds which had never healed- just scabbed over with amnesia.
( Face facts, Dimitri), he thought, calming down. And the fact was, he enjoyed killing. Every bit of the slaughter brought on a joy that was greater than any other carnal pleasure- a nightmare wonderland.
He glanced at the Ebonrule. Past it, he saw Felicia and John readying the camp- dawn was arriving. His gaze, however, rested on the spear.
What had it meant? It said that redemption was the rain that cleanses; so why now did he feel no different? Why was he still attracted to killing?
John was walking towards him. Dimitri quickly changed his features to his poker face. John crouched beside him, on a small rock jutting out of the hill they were on. They were silent for a while, and then John spoke.
" What's it like?" he said.
Dimitri asked, " What do you mean?"
John looked upwards, at the same stars Dimitri had been studying minutes before. " To be a Duke. To be on top."
Dimitri thought for a while, then spoke. " I don't know what you mean."
John shook his head. " I've lived my whole life alone," he said. " I grew up in a human village, never knowing I was a werewolf- and when I found out, I hated myself. I eventually got over it, moved to Howling Vale and found my family, learned my truth- I had been left for dead in a human raid. A raider picked me up, mistaking me for a human child. And about a year after I came to Howling Vale, I met Felicia." He glanced over at her, a look of fondness in his eyes that was unmistakably love. " I was always poor till I came to Howling Vale. And I always dreamed about royal life. So I was kinda wondering how close to the mark my dreams were."
Dimitri said, " It's tougher than you think. I know that probably sounds ridiculous to someone who has spent their life wondering where the next meal or bed was coming from, but royalty has its own problems... and temptations..."
Dimitri went silent, remembering the village and the slaughter.
" Hey, Dimitri."
Dimitri turned to his werewolf companion.
" I don't know what you did," John began slowly, as if contemplating each word before he spoke, " but whatever it was, it was bad. My grandfather said that the brigher Ebonrule's fire burns, the more evil in the wielder- and that fire on Ebonrule was like a star."
Dimitri turned away. So his sin was known, not in details but in strength. His eyes moistened with tears of shame. His mask trembled with barely concealed pain.
" But my grandfather also said that to make Ebonrule burn at all, one must honestly want to rid themselves of evil- to be redeemed. Dimitri, whatever you did, you can get past it. Everyone has secrets- there are a lot of things I've done I'm not proud of. I used to like stealing- it was a thrill. The skill required was what I was using as a proof of my manhood- that I was man enough to steal anything." He chuckled. " But I've changed. I wouldn't steal from the richest, most corrupt person on the planet now. The temptation is still there, and will be until I die. But the temptation isn't the act. If you have the honor and will to ignore temptation, then Ebonrule will always burn for you."
He patted Dimitri on the back. " Come on, the sun's almost up. Let's hit the sack- I'm shit beat."
Dimitri glanced at his companion, and a rare smile lit up his face. He looked at the Ebonrule for a while, then picked it up. A glimmer of blue shone faintly on the staff- a echo of azure flames and soothing water.