Voices echoes throughout the recently un-abandoned mine shaft. The place has been inhabited for a month. Tregard stoops over a half-packed bag. He puts a scroll into the sack, scowls and removes it from the bag. He has been packing and unpacking for the last hour. Not that there is much to pack. The bard has lived miserly for years. Scrolls outnumber provisions in the cave. How he has survived, only an Immortal knows.
Baby let me show you how to do this
You gotta move this
You're doing fine
There's nothing to it
“SHUT UP, WHY WON’T YOU SHUT UP!” He jumps up, scattering his scant possessions. “STOP FUCKING WITH ME AND TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT. Tregard is now dashing about the cave.YOU WANT PAIN! He pulls at the scar that circles his headCHECK! ANGST! His fist thumps his chest.CHECK!ISOLATION!Arms flap as to to encircle the room. TRIPLE CHECK! Tregard loses his footing and falls to the ground. “I did not want this. I just wanted an answer to a question. Not you in my head.”
You asked for knowledge
that you knew not
but that you shall know,
and bless me for knowing,
though they are not pleasant things.
“Hooray, my daily lesson.”Tregard bows to the nearest wall and in a patronizing tone prays “ O ‘ wise one, show me thy will.”
Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry
Momma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true
Momma's gonna put all of her fears into you
Momma's gonna keep you right here under her wing
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing
Momma's will keep Baby cozy and warm
Oooo Babe
Oooo Babe
Ooo Babe, of course Momma's gonna help build the wall
Music floods Tregard’s mind as the madness takes control. The seizure leaves the bard gasping on the floor. “I fucking hate you “ he whispers. “I can’t be what you want me to be. I am underachieving coward who messes up everything.” Rowan. That elf. Every time you push me to help someone is turns into a clusterfuck. Im done. D-O-N-E. Find another pawn to play out your agenda.”
Tregard’s declaration is met with silence. He shrugs and crawls to his knapsack. He packs his things, relief hurrying his movements. Soon the task is complete and Tregard slings the pack on his shoulders. As he crosses the cave, a sensation begins to spread from the back of his head. The madness has a rebuttal. The voice that speaks hasn’t been heard since Tregard recieved the curse. The bard wants to tremble, but is unable to move.
War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. When you came to me, seeking knowledge, you knew what you were getting into. Have I not shown you the universe in all its splendor? Do you not possess more lore than your inadequate brain can handle? You whine of the songs in your head that spill forth. Have you seen this town? The War is coming and this town in middle of it. The Immortals are picking the best and strongest to be their avatars. And for some reason I chose you: a loser. Go ahead and leave, but I warn you this. Ressik has marked you just as I; and he will not rest until you are dead. Chances are that he will. Hell, you are going to die. But you can choose how you go. Ran down like a rat or defiant like Rowan. Fate is a bitch, but even she can be tricked once in awhile.
The voice departs as swiftly as it arrived. Tregard leans against the wall as his body regains awakes. He wants to weep, yet is to weary for tears. One memory remains: Rowan laughing as Ressik’s goons take off his head. Tregard pushes off the wall;takes a deep breath and leaves the mine shaft. With a determined step he takes the path towards town. Sofly, he utters “Accept. Submit. Maybe Control”