Lost in the Light Ch. 13

"You've gotten better girl. You may survive this yet." He sighed and folded his hands in his lap. "If you still want to take my life, you will need more than that kitchen knife. I know your secret girl, you don't have to pretend with me." he added almost compassionately. "You were his downfall. He had such promise, but you distracted him. A Huangard that can be tempted is a dead man walking. I had given him this trial despite his weakness because I saw him emerge from it. I am not so cruel a master to send an untrained pup to his demise if I did not think he had a chance." he sounded almost regretful. "But if they have not returned by nightfall, the doors are sealed to lock inside the horror that lives down there. You feel it don't you? That is why you stayed... because she calls to you." The Mischievous stepped forward out of thin air. She was naked but for the kitchen knife in her right hand.

"Hmph," The Father chuckled as he sized her up. "I see the scar I gave you has gone." She considered her options, before sitting down before The Father in the same manner as he was. She placed the knife down on the ground beside her. The orange candlelight turned her short blue hair a purplish tint, but it was her eyes The Father was staring at. Even at a younger age, he wouldn't have been so foolish as to glance at her bare chest and bald nether regions. Such an obvious trap to distract those were. Her eyes were red.

"I know more than you wish I did," She said to him. "Will you kill me next?"

"No," The Father scoffed. "Why? What could you possibly do to us except make us stronger? Every day that my soldiers beat the snot out of you is more proof Zecair is nothing against us. We want you to get stronger, stronger than the best warrior in Zecair... demon's wrath and all. And then we want to beat the snot of you again, and again, and keep doing it."

"Why should I help you?"

"Revenge." The Father smirked. "You want this more than anything. You want our power so that when you have had all you can take you can finally kill me. You'll help us for that."

"I will." The Mischievous agreed. "But what if I've been feigning weakness? So that when I come for you, your guards will laugh at me right before I slip my knife between their ribs."

"Then they deserved to die." The Father said coldly, unbaited. "But I already know who kills me girl." He said with a soft smile. "I have also seen your death." he added smugly. "What would you do if I told you how it happens?"

"Change it." She said flatly.

"Can you change fate?"

"Wolfe did."

The Father leaned back, impressed.

"There are Elthairins on our doorstep. Leaf Knights." The Father said matter-of-factually. "They plan to attack tomorrow. Which, incidentally is the day I saw both of our deaths happen. I want you to do something about them. I want you to send a message to a mutual ally of ours - some of your people not far from here. I will show you where, go now and go swiftly and they will come in time to change our fates."

"Why should I save you?" The Mischievous countered.

"Because you want to be the one that kills me, not some Elth."

"I do. I will." She said, digesting it all. "Show me where these friends of yours are."

The Father did on a map in one of the shelf cubicles. The Mischievous pried open his window and leapt through it to the outside night air completely naked. The Father closed it, latched it shut and returned to his candles.

"Stupid Zek..." He snorted derisively after his prayer.