Avarice Twilight

by R. A Davidson

  He stops in front of the Devil.

  "You know, I have only just returned to this world. As such, I am afraid I am unable to use the entirety of my power," Sur says with a sigh. "This hole here." He points at the wound in Aryn's chest. "It allowed me to take over this body; my flames now govern this body. I believe I have you to thank for that," he states. He then pokes Aryn's burning eye. "Only my eye came back though."

  He turns to face me. "Your seal is just as powerful as ever Sage." he remarks.

  The Devil slashes at Sur, who blocks the attack. From the elbow down, Aryn's arm goes flying in the air, cleaved by the Devil's claws.

  Aryn's arm catches ablaze and turns to ashes.

  "Kekeke! That is what happens to vermin when they attack superior beings!" it exclaims.

  Sur smirks.

  The ashes in the air swirl towards Aryn's body and begin to circle his arm. The ashes turn to embers, then erupt into flames. As the fire dies down, Aryn's arm appears; cracked and crackling, it looks like wood in a fire.

  Sur inspects the arm as its cracked exterior returns to skin.

  He sighs and scratches his head. "I try to show consideration, yet you strike me in return," he remarks.

  The burnt sword flares up from Aryn's hand. Sensing danger from the sword, the Devil sways back to escape into the shadows. Swiftly, Sur brings the blade across his body in an upward strike.

  The Devil lets out a slight scream of pain and grasps its hand.

  It seems Sur sliced off two of the Devil's fingers.

  Sur chuckles. "Is this the first time you have felt the pain of a blade?" he asks.

  The blade burns away again. "No need to worry; swordplay is more aligned with Aryn's capabilities. I shall not use the sword again," Sur states.

  The Devil lunges at Sur in a fit of rage, hands outstretched, ready to embrace him with the intent to kill. Sur leaps back to gain distance, but the Devil is quicker on the pursuit. Just as the Devil's arms start to wrap Sur, a flame erupts between them.

  It's just a small spurt of fire, but Utrix and I know it's dangerous enough to avoid its radius.

  "Kyaaaah!" the Devil yells as it falls onto the ground. Its legs have been burnt away, much to the Devil's confusion. It seems the perplexity of the situation is keeping it from retreating to the shadows. Its starts wailing in pain, flopping around like a fish on land.

  Sur walks over to the Devil, looming over it as it lays sprawled before him. His gaze saying he's looking at the most pathetic of scenes.

  "Pathetic," he says, his voice void of any emotions.

  The Devil gawks at him, eyes wide and mouth agape.

  Unexpectedly, the Devil starts bawling, like a child, black tears cascading from its eyes. In an attempt to not appear so shameful, the Devil covers its face to hide.

  The Devil's display makes Sur laugh hysterically. He falls over in a fit of laughter.

  "Oh my," he says through the laughter.

  He stands and begins to regain his composure, catching his breath through his chuckles.

  "Would you ever have imagined such a thing, Sage?" he asks, turning towards me. "A Devil… crying in front of a human, the very thing they believe to be so far below them," he remarks with a grin.

  He looks back at the Devil and smirks, then turns and walks away.

  A large sword falls from the sky, landing in front of Sur and stopping his stride. He lifts his leg and spins around like a kid caught being mischievous. He crosses his arms and pouts.

  The Princess and Asteria appear from behind and join us. Asteria starts healing our burns.

  The Princess steps forward, making her way for Sur.

  "Who permitted you to leave?" The Princess questions.

  Sur opens his mouth to speak when The Princess slaps him. He appears to be surprised that he was struck. He tries to talk again, only to be hit by The Princess.

  "I may despise him, but the fool has yet to suffer for all of the inconveniences and hardships that he has burdened us with. Now, give the fool back so that he may face my judgment!" she exclaims.

  Sur opens his mouth... only to be struck by The Princess once again. He takes a small hop backwards.

  He glances at me. "Sage, the little elf is being rather mean to me," he remarks.

  "Go fuck yourself," I respond to his foolish statement.

  He smirks with glee.

  Just like Aryn, he enjoys getting a rise out of me. Pisses me off that he chooses to smile just like Aryn does, too. I fucking despise Sur. I can't attack him either; he'd purposely let Aryn's body be damaged. He knows that would piss me off too. I'm sure he sees it as a game, me finding ways to send him back without harming Aryn, all the while he runs amok and burns whatever he feels like.

  "What do you intend on doing?" Utrix asks. "Despite attacking the Devil, you seem to have no further interest in us."

  The Devil has finally stopped crying, propping itself up. "You have no intention to kill me?" it asks.

  "You are not worth the time, no matter how easy it would be to kill you," Sur replies.

  The Devil glares at him; the aura it musters is nothing compared to when it first arrived. It's pathetic how far it fell with just one experience with one stronger than itself.

  "Kekeke. I shall become even stronger than I am now! My shadow will spread across this land and consume everything! Then, and only then, I shall face you and make you experience a most agonizing death!" it proclaims.

  "If you survive this city being burned down, then you can do whatever you please. If you feel like attacking me in the future, I shall simply burn you then," Sur responds.

  The Devil's face is overcome with rage to the response its threat was given. However, it's smart enough to run away into the shadows. That was the right decision on its part. If it tried attacking, Sur would have set it ablaze.

  Utrix glances at me. Does he want to know if we should worry about the Devil? I shake my head and point at Sur. He's more of an issue than the Devil is in its current state. I'd rather worry deal with it at a later time when there isn't a walking wildfire wandering around.

  "W-who are you?" Asteria stutters.

  Sur looks around and behind him with a confused look on his face before pointing at himself. He looks at me for help. I sigh; this is such a pain.

  "Simply put, he's all of Aryn's rage personified. It's still Aryn, just a different part of his conscious, so I would appreciate it if you didn't injure him too severely," I explain.

  Asteria steps forward. "You can't go around killing and burning simply because you want to," she says.

  "Why not?" Sur rebuts bluntly.

  She's at a loss for words.

  "Because it's a vile thing to do, burning things alive that is," Utrix chimes in.

  "Why is it such a vile act?" Sur asks.

  I chuckle softly to myself. They won't ever make him understand their views or logic of the world. It is a bit amusing to see someone else deal with the pain in the ass.

  "What do you mean by asking that? Killing is a bad thing to do!?" Asteria exclaims.

  “Can you tell me why the act is a bad one to commit? Can you persuade me why I must not do the things that I please?" he questions.

  The three of them turn their heads towards me, as if it's my duty to help reason with him. I simply give them a shrug.

  "Of course, murder is a nefarious act of violence to commit," The Princess refutes. "If you are unable to comprehend such a simple matter, then you must have the same intellectual prowess as the fool."

  Sur narrows his eyes and leans in close to The Princess; he proceeds to kiss her.

  She stumbles to the ground in shock and surprise.

  "H-how dare you!?" she shouts.

  Sur chuckles. "Was that a bad thing to do as well?"

  "Of course, it is!" she responds.

  "Well, I enjoyed our momentary embrace of lips to one another… so then it is not a bad thing," he replies.

  I laugh a bit louder this time. I'm starting to se
e why Sur likes chastising me like that; it makes for an amusing spectacle.

  Sur stops chuckling and, standing straight, he regains his composure. He looks at the four of us; one by one, he meets our eyes. Then he looks around at the burning scenery surrounding us. He looks down at Aryn's body, examining his arm and the wound in his chest.

  "I believe I have limited time left in this world," he states. "Your seal is still too much for me to break Sage; Aryn is quite the tenacious one as well." He looks at us again and grins. "I shall leave this merry group with an impartment of my wisdom. Then I shall burn the area in my immediate radius," he calmly says.

  "What manner of wisdom can one such as yourself provide us?" The Princess scoffs.

  "The way the world works, obviously. You act like you know what it is, but in reality, your perception seems to be muddled by your own outlook," he answers.

  He looks around before eyeing a large stone on the street. He strolls over to the stone and lifts it off the ground, proceeding to carry it over to a building and set it against the wall.

  He examines the area again. He picks up stones and places them against the same wall two more times. He starts to rearrange the rocks to fashion a stone chair of sorts and then sits in it. He leans his head against his hand and situates himself into a comfortable position.

  "Done flaunting your ass?" I ask.

  Sur grins. "One should be comfortable when giving a lecture," he replies.

  He motions for the other three to gather around him; they don't listen, of course. He motions for them to move closer again, this time with a glare in his eye. He lets out a bit of killing intent too… seems to work this time.

  They stand around his make-shift throne.

  "You say doing so is evil, correct?" he asks, looking at Asteria.

  She nods her head.

  "Can you tell me what makes it evil?" he further questions.

  Asteria doesn't answer. He looks around at the three of them, waiting for one of them to answer his question.

  "Every person knows that it is an act which should not be committed," The Princess speaks up.

  Sur claps his hands with enjoyment at The Princess's answer.

  "So, you say that the mass determines what is evil and what is not; what is just and what is unjust?" he asks.

  "Usually is a select few… those who are wise and highly knowledgeable," Utrix chimes in.

  "Oh, but do not kings and royalty dictate certain countries?" Sur rebuttals.

  "That's true," Utrix remarks.

  "So, which is it then? The many, the wise, or those of lineage? Which one decides how the world works?" Sur inquires.

  None of them answer him.

  I can't help but smirk. They say what he intends to do are evil things, and it’s wrong to do so. Then are unable to find the words to tell him what makes it evil when questioned. Fucking fools, the lot of them. They are in no position to do anything other than sit quietly and pull their heads from their asses.

  "You tell me what I intend to do is evil, yet are unable to tell me why," Sur starts. "I ask you who dictates the order of things you say are just, and you tell me three answers. You are clueless as to why you believe these aspects with great resolution."

  He leans forward, and his eye shows a hint of malice at this point.

  "People who obtain enough power are the ones who make the rules that those who are weaker than them have no other choice but to follow," Sur states. "After enough time, enough generations have passed, then it becomes second nature to follow the rules. They take the rules, that those many years before were imposed onto their ancestor, and make them into their own beliefs. Now, it is not wrong to have beliefs… as long as they are yours," he says.

  He sighs and shakes his head.

  The Princess smirks. "Do you intend to monologue now?" she scoffs.

  Sur chuckles and sits back in his stone throne. "I do suppose this is a monologue of sorts," he remarks. He glances at The Princess with an impish grin. "Do you think you have the power to keep me from talking if I feel like talking, though?" he questions.

  She slumps back down, quieted by his subtle threat.

  "You people hold onto these beliefs and find them to be just. Others have beliefs too; they may not be your beliefs, but they still believe in them just as much as you… maybe more so." He continues, "Of course, your beliefs are the only just ones. The way you think is the only true way to think."

  Asteria stands, with her fists clenched. This prompts Sur to stop speaking.

  "We never said that our thoughts and practices were the correct way to live one's life!" she exclaims.

  Sur looks at her with bewilderment in his eyes.

  He shakes his head. "Are you an idiot, or just too foolish to realize the contradiction of your words?" he scoffs.

  He waits for a response, but she hasn't one to offer him.

  "You say you never gave thought that the way you live and what you believe is the just way. Then why did the three of you condemn my intentions? Even now, you see me in the wrong and stare at me with scornful eyes!" he shouts.

  He takes a slow and deep breath before recomposing himself. He leans forwards again, clasping his hands together.

  "You people are utterly despicable. Not just the three of you, all manner of races, tribes, villages, cities, and kingdoms," he sneers. "You all spout your beliefs when they make you seem like someone righteous but see yourselves as the just if you commit the same deeds you condemn," he bluntly states.

  "Never have I perpetrated a murder," The Princess responds.

  "Nor I," Asteria chimes in.

  Sur turns his eyes towards Utrix.

  "Uh… I've killed a few people in my time. I won't say I was just for doing it, but I did kill them. I would kill them again if I had to. I'm sure I will kill a few more before I die," Utrix responds.

  That was the right answer; at least he's accepting of his actions. Sur takes an acceptance to his response too. He expresses his delightfulness with a soft smile. That expression quickly turns into an emotionless slate.

  "The men who called forth the Devil, they are evil for what they did… yes?" he asks.

  Asteria nods her head.

  "Yes, one would think the killing of numerous people to be evil. Then is not the kingdom you two come from evil for oppressing those born to lower classes? Is it not horrendous of your kingdom to let them die in their own excrements? Is it not terrible, that some those you oppress will never live to be prepubescence?" he asks.

  The three of them are silent yet again.

  "Never considered it that way, did you?" he scoffs. "I am sure that the ones being oppressed see it that way; there may be people from outside your kingdom who see it that way as well. You know, that is how many wars have started… someone thinking someone else did something they did not believe to be right. Ironically, the ones declaring war for their righteous beliefs are doing the very same acts. And those who had war declared on them detest the other for doing that which goes against what they believe to be right."

  He claps, startling the three of them.

  "So now, you have two enemies fighting for what they believe is right; while at the same time, carrying out the same acts the other deems unjust," he continues. "These two armies will meet somewhere and fight each other. A city, an open field, perhaps traveling through villages. They will kill, steal, rape, ravage, destroy; they will do all of these things, then they will kill themselves." He looks towards the sky. "They do these things that you consider evil, but they believe they are right." He looks back at them. "Oh, do let me guess. You three have the right answer. No one else knows what is right, except for you three," he sneers.

  The three of them remain silent. This seems to anger Sur at this point.

  He crushes the stone armrests as he stands in a fury. The flames from the wound in Aryn's chest and his eye erupt.

  "You insolent pests!" Sur shouts. "Every one of you! You care not for anyone outside of your own world. You kill
and believe you are good." He starts laughing hysterically. "The way all of you think truly infuriates me!" he yells in between the laughter. "Yes, the only way I will be free of the plague of humanity is to burn it to the roots," he growls.

  The sword reappears from smoldering ashes in his hand. He lifts the sword, pointing for the three of them to join me on the other side of the street.

  They scurry to my side.

  Sur's sword ignites with fire, lighting the street and night sky. The flames are hot enough to melt the surrounding stone; even the cloth on my arm melts instead of burning. These are the flames of Sur that remember, flames that burn with nothing but hatred.

  "Sage," he calls out to me. "You know what is about to happen. Take them and make haste from here, for Aryn shall return sometime after," he orders.

  With haste, I bring about a vast circulation of air beneath us, lifting us from the ground.

  I begin to move us away from the city, slow enough so as to not damage anyone. I don't stop even upon passing the wall. Even if he is in a weakened state, his flames will cover an area several times this city. They've never experienced the likes of Sur before. The least I can do is help them survive and bear witness to an important life lesson.

  Suddenly, a massive pillar of flame rises from the ground. It springs forth in a flaming fury, enveloping everything in its path. The fire engulfs at a rapid pace.

  At this point, I've carried us several acres into the forest. The heat from the flames can just reach us here.

  I lower us towards the ground, dropping us with a sudden thud.

  “This should be far enough, I think," I remark aloud.

  “How dare you handle me so poorly!" The Princess exclaims.

  Utrix stands and covers her mouth.

  "You should be thanking him; you saw the fire," he says.

  "Stone walls," I chant.

  In an instant, walls rise from the dirt, lining themselves in an overlapping pattern.

  Following my spell, a wave of fire arrives. As if the flames have considerable mass, they hit my defenses with a thud. We're far enough away to survive, though a few walls will be burned away.