06-25-2009, 06:13 AM
1) (sorry so short, muse not cooporating)
"Will you now?"
Alston turned his head. The blond man had returned, a bemused grin spread across his lips as he lingered at the tent's entrance.
"No," he went on, "I don't believe you'll do anything at all." He knelt down in front of Alston and took his face in his hand, forcing the boy to look at him. "You're still alive because I wish it."
"Why?" Alston growled.
"Because you will help me make several thorns in my side suffer greatly."
"I won't."
The man chuckled, then struck him hard across the face. Alston reeled, but not far, the ropes still holding him fast.
"As if I need your permission," the man sneered. "The fact that you're here is all I need. But as for your friend here..."
He stood up and looked at Hallah who shuddered and curled into a tighter ball, "...she has something you do not. Something more useful... She has magic. Not much, but more than that pathetic brat I used. I can use that."
Hallah shook her head, refusing to look at him. "No..." she whispered, sobbing, "You... Javon, you killed..."
"Not quite, child," he oozed. "Javon was sacrificed for me, and for that, it will be remembered in times to come."
He leaned closer, and as he did, Hallah threw up her hands and with power born of desperation, unleashed a tongue of flame which seemed to bend around him and dissipate as he lunged forward and caught her wrists. Beneath his robes, a glowing pulse of purple light flared.
"Bad choice girl," he remarked. And then Hallah began to scream as the skin around his touch began to blister.
"Will you now?"
Alston turned his head. The blond man had returned, a bemused grin spread across his lips as he lingered at the tent's entrance.
"No," he went on, "I don't believe you'll do anything at all." He knelt down in front of Alston and took his face in his hand, forcing the boy to look at him. "You're still alive because I wish it."
"Why?" Alston growled.
"Because you will help me make several thorns in my side suffer greatly."
"I won't."
The man chuckled, then struck him hard across the face. Alston reeled, but not far, the ropes still holding him fast.
"As if I need your permission," the man sneered. "The fact that you're here is all I need. But as for your friend here..."
He stood up and looked at Hallah who shuddered and curled into a tighter ball, "...she has something you do not. Something more useful... She has magic. Not much, but more than that pathetic brat I used. I can use that."
Hallah shook her head, refusing to look at him. "No..." she whispered, sobbing, "You... Javon, you killed..."
"Not quite, child," he oozed. "Javon was sacrificed for me, and for that, it will be remembered in times to come."
He leaned closer, and as he did, Hallah threw up her hands and with power born of desperation, unleashed a tongue of flame which seemed to bend around him and dissipate as he lunged forward and caught her wrists. Beneath his robes, a glowing pulse of purple light flared.
"Bad choice girl," he remarked. And then Hallah began to scream as the skin around his touch began to blister.