wonderful
thing."
"How would I know? I enjoy my
solitude. The old crone warned me not to stalk about and frighten
the little girls, but she did not say I could not if they invaded
my room."
"No one will invade your room if
you are horrible to them."
"Good." He paused, frowning.
"Anyway, I did nothing to her."
"You could see she was terrified
of you. Why scare her?"
He shrugged. "It was fun." His
eyes slid away from her accusing gaze. "And I do not enjoy being
stared at like some loathsome thing that just crawled out from
under a rock."
Mirra nodded, regretting her
urge to have Bane meet Tallis, for he was right, Tallis had stared
at him with deep loathing and fear. It would take a long time for
anyone to get to know Bane, and overcome his or her initial,
natural revulsion for what he was. Perhaps, once he was purged,
things would change, but no one who knew who he was would ever
treat him as a normal person. Bringing Tallis to meet him had been
a mistake, rubbing salt into the wounds of his torn and battered
ego, and probably making him feel like a monster. Eager to put the
unfortunate incident behind her, she changed the subject.
"Did you tend to your cut?"
"Yes."
She hunted for something else to
say, for Bane's cold silence did not make an atmosphere conducive
to conversation. "Is there anything you would like?"
He nodded, relaxing somewhat,
his scowl easing. "Some wine, so I can get nice and drunk."
"We do not have any wine."
Bane let his head fall back
against the wall with a bonk. "Wonderful."
She laid a hand on his chest,
longing to make amends for the hurtful meeting with Tallis and
hoping her fearless touch would atone for Tallis's adverse
reaction. "I could stay if you want to talk."
He brushed her hand away,
turning his face to the wall. "No, leave me alone."
Mirra's heart bled for him, but
his constant rejection frustrated her. "That is why you like being
alone, is it not? They left you alone, down there, until you
convinced yourself that you preferred to be alone, so they could
not hurt you. You -"
He sat up.
"Get out! I do not need you poking into my mind. Go and play with
your little friend ." He sneered
the word.
"You are my friend too." She
tried to grab him, to shake some sense into him, but Bane was off
the bed and on the other side of the room.
"Leave me alone!"
Mirra stood
up, intending to go after him and convince him that she wanted his
company and longed for his friendship, but , at that moment, the door opened. Ellese stood in it,
and Bane spun to glare at her.
Ellese said, "Mirra, leave him
alone. He does not want your friendship. He does not want
anyone's."
Bane sneered, "Been spying
again, old woman?"
"No, I heard the shouting
outside. No one wants to torment you."
"Damn you," he growled, his
hands curling into fists.
"Why, because I understand you?
Because I want to help you?"
Bane sat on the bed and bowed
his head, wings of hair sliding forward to hide his face. Ellese
pushed Mirra out of the door and closed it. Bane raised his head,
then found that he was not alone, as he had thought. He turned away
with an angry grunt.
Ellese gazed at him with soft
sincerity, knowing that the fate of the world relied on someone
convincing this bitter, twisted young man that he belonged with his
own kind, needed to help them reclaim their world, and that they
would accept him. The last part was the hardest, for she could
promise nothing from the public in general, only for herself and a
few others. She had so little to give in return for his help, which
would be a monumental feat. Ellese smiled wryly at the poor bargain
she offered.
Save the
Overworld, Bane, go up against a powerful dark god, and perhaps
lose your life in the process. In return, if you survive, you will
have the gratitude and friendship of two healers, and perhaps the
grudging respect of the rest of mankind, but possibly rejection and
murderous hatred. Not much of
a deal. She could not say that the Black Lord would
thing."
"How would I know? I enjoy my
solitude. The old crone warned me not to stalk about and frighten
the little girls, but she did not say I could not if they invaded
my room."
"No one will invade your room if
you are horrible to them."
"Good." He paused, frowning.
"Anyway, I did nothing to her."
"You could see she was terrified
of you. Why scare her?"
He shrugged. "It was fun." His
eyes slid away from her accusing gaze. "And I do not enjoy being
stared at like some loathsome thing that just crawled out from
under a rock."
Mirra nodded, regretting her
urge to have Bane meet Tallis, for he was right, Tallis had stared
at him with deep loathing and fear. It would take a long time for
anyone to get to know Bane, and overcome his or her initial,
natural revulsion for what he was. Perhaps, once he was purged,
things would change, but no one who knew who he was would ever
treat him as a normal person. Bringing Tallis to meet him had been
a mistake, rubbing salt into the wounds of his torn and battered
ego, and probably making him feel like a monster. Eager to put the
unfortunate incident behind her, she changed the subject.
"Did you tend to your cut?"
"Yes."
She hunted for something else to
say, for Bane's cold silence did not make an atmosphere conducive
to conversation. "Is there anything you would like?"
He nodded, relaxing somewhat,
his scowl easing. "Some wine, so I can get nice and drunk."
"We do not have any wine."
Bane let his head fall back
against the wall with a bonk. "Wonderful."
She laid a hand on his chest,
longing to make amends for the hurtful meeting with Tallis and
hoping her fearless touch would atone for Tallis's adverse
reaction. "I could stay if you want to talk."
He brushed her hand away,
turning his face to the wall. "No, leave me alone."
Mirra's heart bled for him, but
his constant rejection frustrated her. "That is why you like being
alone, is it not? They left you alone, down there, until you
convinced yourself that you preferred to be alone, so they could
not hurt you. You -"
He sat up.
"Get out! I do not need you poking into my mind. Go and play with
your little friend ." He sneered
the word.
"You are my friend too." She
tried to grab him, to shake some sense into him, but Bane was off
the bed and on the other side of the room.
"Leave me alone!"
Mirra stood
up, intending to go after him and convince him that she wanted his
company and longed for his friendship, but , at that moment, the door opened. Ellese stood in it,
and Bane spun to glare at her.
Ellese said, "Mirra, leave him
alone. He does not want your friendship. He does not want
anyone's."
Bane sneered, "Been spying
again, old woman?"
"No, I heard the shouting
outside. No one wants to torment you."
"Damn you," he growled, his
hands curling into fists.
"Why, because I understand you?
Because I want to help you?"
Bane sat on the bed and bowed
his head, wings of hair sliding forward to hide his face. Ellese
pushed Mirra out of the door and closed it. Bane raised his head,
then found that he was not alone, as he had thought. He turned away
with an angry grunt.
Ellese gazed at him with soft
sincerity, knowing that the fate of the world relied on someone
convincing this bitter, twisted young man that he belonged with his
own kind, needed to help them reclaim their world, and that they
would accept him. The last part was the hardest, for she could
promise nothing from the public in general, only for herself and a
few others. She had so little to give in return for his help, which
would be a monumental feat. Ellese smiled wryly at the poor bargain
she offered.
Save the
Overworld, Bane, go up against a powerful dark god, and perhaps
lose your life in the process. In return, if you survive, you will
have the gratitude and friendship of two healers, and perhaps the
grudging respect of the rest of mankind, but possibly rejection and
murderous hatred. Not much of
a deal. She could not say that the Black Lord would
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