A Diary Entry...
Posted: 11 Jun 2024 23:15
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((o)) )
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. | Dedicated to Refnas, the Wizard |
. | ------------------------------ |
. | |
. | Yeren was not always a pariah in my eyes. There had been |
. | whispers, phantoms, but I had not taken heed of such. |
. | Irrelevant to me. In fact, Yeren had helped me once after |
. | my own death, in the city of Drakmere. I was grateful, |
. | at the time. Perhaps I sinned in what came next. Then |
. | again, I wonder how many of you see me as a saint. |
. | |
. | Yeren irked many over the course of a few short moons. I |
. | do not easily mock a man who decides to fight for |
. | himself, but if others wanted him dead, well... Muzan |
. | Darkmoor had never needed to be bitten to crave blood. It |
. | helped that Yeren stole the title I wanted. |
. | |
. | Yeren also enjoyed posturing. Kender-loving fool. As a |
. | result, I spent my time stalking him, slowly, cunningly. |
. | Invisibility is rather versatile. Poor Yeren--so large in |
. | stature, yet the Crusaders of Drakmere gave him trouble. |
. | |
. | And there were, of course, the ancient grimoires from |
. | Cadu. Refnas, in his madness, had created something |
. | usable. Yes, I tested on my own body. Yes, it takes |
. | twenty-and-five seconds for one to detonate after |
. | examination. Yes, multiple can go off at once. Three days |
. | and three nights, I schemed. In hindsight, twenty |
. | grimoires was too much, and ten would have sufficed. My |
. | tests suggest even seven are enough for total |
. | conflagration. |
. | |
. | I had not intended to kill Yeren this week. But I was |
. | bored. As evening came, I arose lazily from the couch I |
. | had been lounging in (praise be to the Eldest for such |
. | accommodating accommodations), and went forth with these |
. | grimoires, hidden from the sight of man and creature. And |
. | there Yeren was. It seems he had thought of me, and |
. | presented himself gift-wrapped in Raumdor once more, |
. | fighting the same Crusaders. I watched him bring them |
. | down, man after man, strike after strike. And it took |
. | him a long time. Too long. |
. | |
. | You see, the last time I had watched Yeren, I had left |
. | burning torches in every room. Yeren did not seem to |
. | care--it had been dark in Raumdor, but I found it curious |
. | that he did not notice. So this night, I lit a singular |
. | torch, and put it at his feet. And the world trembled |
. | when I smiled. |
. | |
. | As he was caught up in a battle with three Crusaders, I |
. | placed the grimoires quickly, almost carelessly around |
. | us. I examined all of them at once. At that moment, my |
. | gaze pierced shadow, earth, and flesh. And I waited. |
. | |
. | One. Two. |
. | |
. | Three. Four. |
. | |
. | Five. Six. |
. | |
. | At twenty, I leaned in, placing my hand on Yeren's |
. | shoulder--the faintest of touches--and I whispered. |
. | |
. | "Goodnight." |
. | |
. | I stepped eastward. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. |
. | |
. | And Yeren had ceased to exist. Every atom in his body |
. | had been reduced to nothingness. Truly, Refnas had been |
. | clever, for Yerens weapons, his delicious black-gem |
. | rings, his pouches and packs, all had been spared. Of |
. | these, I took and made gifts of them. And I strode away |
. | from Castle Gylar, through the forest of Raumdor, down |
. | the mountain, beneath a blanket of stars. |
. | |
. | The night was still young. |
. | |
. | |
. | ===== |
. | |
. | |
. | Addendum: |
. | |
. | I am reminded of a tale my beloved Cousin Taran narrated |
. | once. He told me of Redblade, pursuing Justice when hope |
. | was a mere dream. He told me of Redblade slaying the |
. | Witchking of Minas Morgul, Sly. Of course, Minas Morgul's |
. | retaliation was swift and cold. Such is how a Hero is put |
. | up on a cross, martyred in his cause. |
. | |
. | I have no love for the Rangers of Middle-Earth. But in |
. | this, I can but salute them, and their tenacity. |
. | |
. | No creature is Immortal. No man is Weak. |
. | |
. | The power to do a thing, great and majestic, is in each |
. | and every one of us. Even dogs have their days. |
. | |
. | Darkness be with you always, |
. | Light blind your foes, |
. | |
. | The Cherished Son of the Night |
. | Muzan Darkmoor |
. | |
. | |
. |____ _______ __ ____ ___________ ___ __ _____|
./A\ \
((o)) )
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