30 June 2014

Merlin 3:39 “Hateful Design”

Merlin 3:39 “Hateful Design”

Lilith walks into the fire, disappearing before burning, hidden before they can learn if it pains her.
Malachi: Who in hell was that?
Ana: Exactly what I said.
Merlin: If the queen of hell were to marry, she would be her maid of honor.
Crimson: Ah, Merlin, this is more fun than I remember it. This should be a sport someday!
Merlin: Pin it down, we shall interrogate it.
Crimson: (Kills the werewolf.)
Merlin: No, you fool, I said interrogate.
Crimson: What does it say when scratching at flees? Besides, you, and Ana, will come with us for haven. It would seem so much from these, mongrels, and we intend to leave sooner than later; you would not leave her with us alone, would you?
Merlin: Odin’s beard, of course not.
Crimson: Oh, do please worship another god.
Braden: We killed seven! Graces fie I got a werewolf paw!
Digr: And what will you do with it?
Braden: I’m going to show it to kings and tell them they need a, very expensive exterminator.
Katina: Now knows silver is needed have, shape shifter.
Crimson: Even they know?
Merlin: Yes.
Crimson: Does everyone know?
Merlin: No, shut your mouth.
Braden: How many, Digr?
Digr: Five, maybe ten, I became weak and had to hide.
Agnar: You don’t have the stomach for it and should drink more.
Digr: How’d you do, giant?
Agnar: Dogs fight like desperate men, biting, cheating at the knees, made to heel by my boot-heels.

Crimson and Malachi begin bloodletting the werewolf and drinking with their cupped hands. Merlin chooses to rest, to tend his lacerations about his arms and neck, sides and even back, legs and hands, daunted. Agnar takes the moment opportunely. Malachi begins cleaving to remove the berserker’s heart.

Merlin: What are you doing?
Malachi: His heart will tell us where he was born if he longed for home, among-
Crimson: Stop talking.
Agnar: Sit, it is time to rest, warlock.
Merlin: Wizard you mean, and have the spells cost me my age again.
Agnar: Yes, wizard, I have a potion to heal my wounds, which are rare but deep, it heals wholly, should you need.
Merlin: Thank you, but no.
Agnar: Why would you not?
Merlin: I try not to take gifts from former thieves.
Agnar: Do you know the secret?
Merlin: Of course I know, Braden only traffics with his own kind, and bandies about it, before he drinks.
Braden: You must be sore to reprove another ally after all this; he has never disappointed us.
Jonak: There was the time with the skylark witch.
Agnar: He looked like a woman and I was very drunk.
Merlin: No, today you saved lives, as only giants can, for that I am grateful, and soon I feel we will be equals, but until then at which I also owe you debt will I ever trust another.

Agnar holds it in his hand, contemplating, more confused, invalidated by refusal and reception, the opportunity has passed in confidence solemnly as many psalms portend, and he having not keens elsewhere to pore over the vampires holding puddles of blood in their hands to the rain, artifice of spiritual tradition, preparation to tradition and commonality of superstition. Together the vampires drink.

Crimson: The water makes the blood taste spiritual. Malachi, clean your face you are filthy. This is nice, but I will get some horses, we should leave before the locals form a new mob.

Braden and the others look to Merlin with confused faces, Malachi begins washing the dirt from his face and clothes with the blood of the slain creature, painting himself red, causing further signs of confusion.

Digr: Are we going to kill them?
Malachi: (white eyes from running blood stands ready to fight)
Merlin: No, no, they are sharp and fowl, but these two I have known much my life.
Jonak: You will go where it is safe, perhaps with us.
Braden: We are not leaving. Word of this raucous will spread quickly, any travelers, including ourselves, will be suspected as dangerous, creating more scrutiny than we need right now. Besides, we will tend our wounds and work honest labor for silver. 
Katyenka: Wolves will have scent; make comrades easy prey bones for big dogs, make silver stopping dogs returning.
Digr: They were not here for us; they were looking for something.
Ana: Or someone.
Braden: And they left in a hurry….together.
Merlin: They will not be returning any time soon, tho you are correct about the scent, another encounter in the near future and they will merely swarm you like cattle.
Braden: Even better, a nap and an easy swindle makes it sound all the better! I wish you great luck!

Crimson arrives with two hitched horses and Braden’s cheap cloth-covered wagon.

Crimson: So we agree.
Merlin: Are you going to cling beneath it in the morning?
Crimson: What city of carpenters would not have coffins? Come now, besides, we need only make it to the base of that mountain there; it will be sooner than you think. I will keep my pet in the box.
Braden: I would not trust him in a hole in the ground, of that you can be sure. Journey well, Merlin.
Merlin: Braden, of that we can, I would not have it any other way.

Merlin shakes his hand firmly, secretly passing a very tiny bottle of green liquid to him then departing, and Crimson helping Ana onto the wagon and Braden hiding the small potion. Leaving behind the scene of the townspeople cautiously emerging, Agnar showing people how best to stab a werewolf, Jonak holding his hands apart widely to emphasize the need of longer weapons, and Braden screaming the dangers of beasts that he will defend-against for a small fee.

Braden: (distantly) Waves of blood, a spectacle none other than for your demise, and we have slain those on the floor, look at the wretched bodies, and for saving ourselves we saved all, at no cost but of life itself. A Jotunn, descendant of Thor himself, a witch with the powers of the sky’s lightning whose mother spoke of that same lineage, the greatest trapper I have ever known from the darkest jungles to the south AND the west.
Townie: What do you do?
Braden: I can take great damage as had I done when the foul and wretched, beasts attacked your women and children in their innocent slumbers. Should the fear shake your bones, one of my allies can even calm your very nerves with only a word.