February 8, 1178
"I didn't lay a hand on your precious daughter, if that's what you want to know." Remiel stood, a smirk twisting his thin lips to a sinister curve. So smug a smile had no place in the land of the living. "But I don't doubt that the boy did. Perhaps you ought to thank me for dealing with him."
For the sake of moving this along, Severin brushed aside the surface comment and went for the root of the matter. "He has a name--Lucien. I doubt you ever knew that. You never knew his name and now you've probably killed him."
And to that, all Remiel could offer was a shrug. It was nothing to him. Lucien's life--a child's life--was nothing, if even that. If he hadn't needed answers, Severin would have unleashed the flames without a thought. "Things like that aren't long for this world. He would have outgrown his usefulness soon, anyway; they're only good while they're still fresh."
For the sake of moving this along, Severin brushed aside the surface comment and went for the root of the matter. "He has a name--Lucien. I doubt you ever knew that. You never knew his name and now you've probably killed him."
And to that, all Remiel could offer was a shrug. It was nothing to him. Lucien's life--a child's life--was nothing, if even that. If he hadn't needed answers, Severin would have unleashed the flames without a thought. "Things like that aren't long for this world. He would have outgrown his usefulness soon, anyway; they're only good while they're still fresh."
Fresh. As if Lucien was a vegetable. Severin scowled. "You can't even hear yourself, can you?" Perhaps you did pay for all that stolen youth. Perhaps it came at the cost of your mind.
The monk dismissed him with a sniff. "The boy wouldn't have lived long anyway. His virgin mother was branded a whore for birthing him, and that's not the sort of thing that goes away. She was half mad by the time I found them--and he was sickly, starving, struck dumb by her neglect. You can't say I robbed him of much." Remiel gave a hollow sort of laugh; behind him, a lone stray spark flashed in and out of existence. "Your mother was a similar story. They all were. At least I gave them a purpose to fulfill."
"Keeping you young is hardly a purpose."
The monk dismissed him with a sniff. "The boy wouldn't have lived long anyway. His virgin mother was branded a whore for birthing him, and that's not the sort of thing that goes away. She was half mad by the time I found them--and he was sickly, starving, struck dumb by her neglect. You can't say I robbed him of much." Remiel gave a hollow sort of laugh; behind him, a lone stray spark flashed in and out of existence. "Your mother was a similar story. They all were. At least I gave them a purpose to fulfill."
"Keeping you young is hardly a purpose."
"Keeping me young?" Another laugh. Another spark. "That's hardly what this is. I have conquered death. I've been doing this since your father's father was just a twinkle in his father's eye and I have no plans to stop. You're an intellectual; surely you understand the appeal of an infinite lifespan? I shall do everything. I shall learn everything. And then I shall invent new things to learn."
"And how many children will have to whither away in order for you to do so?" Severin's fist was clenched and shaking, ice cold and flame hot. A third spark flashed dangerously close to the fabric of Remiel's robe. "How many dead children will it take for the price to outweigh your purchase?"
He could feel himself fuming. And Remiel barely even blinked. "Children. It seems you and I are quite different. They are not 'children'. They are abominations, hardly better than the demons who spawn them. By taking their essence, I am giving them mercy. The world is crueler in comparison."
"And how many children will have to whither away in order for you to do so?" Severin's fist was clenched and shaking, ice cold and flame hot. A third spark flashed dangerously close to the fabric of Remiel's robe. "How many dead children will it take for the price to outweigh your purchase?"
He could feel himself fuming. And Remiel barely even blinked. "Children. It seems you and I are quite different. They are not 'children'. They are abominations, hardly better than the demons who spawn them. By taking their essence, I am giving them mercy. The world is crueler in comparison."
The world is crueler. It stung to think that there might be one thing they agreed on, even if their logic varied. But there was no sense dwelling on that now, not while an innocent youth lay dying. "Is there any of Lucien's essence stashed in your old rooms?"
Those eerie orange-gold eyes shifted. "Possibly. Why? You would go out of your way to save a nameless hell creature who shares a bed with one of your slut daughters?"
"My daughters are not sluts." A sharp pain seared throughout his head and a small fire caught on the hem of Remiel's robe; a burst of water put it out before the monk could even notice. "If he was in her bed, then it's a family matter. And it's all the more reason to save him."
NEXT CHAPTER:
Those eerie orange-gold eyes shifted. "Possibly. Why? You would go out of your way to save a nameless hell creature who shares a bed with one of your slut daughters?"
"My daughters are not sluts." A sharp pain seared throughout his head and a small fire caught on the hem of Remiel's robe; a burst of water put it out before the monk could even notice. "If he was in her bed, then it's a family matter. And it's all the more reason to save him."
NEXT CHAPTER:
8 comments:
Yikes, I meant to have this up earlier :S
I think I'd agree with Severin that the cost of his prolonged life was probably Remiel's mind, but the way I see it he must already have lost a big part of it to even consider an existence like the one he chose.
It's so very ironic that he sees Lucien (and everyone of similar descent) as the abomination, while he is the one who leads the unnaturally long life. Religious fanatics never do seem to have a good grasp of logic, do they? *shakes head*
So Severin does not only have control of fire, but of water as well? FAScinating! I wonder how powerful he could(will) be!
You won't let Lucien die, will you? Will you?? X(
Severin acted rather peacefully when Remiel called his daughters sluts - And I think it's a good thing he was behind those bars, for the both of them.
I wonder if Remiel has any idea what Severin can do...
All things considered, Severin has taken this rather calmly. By that I mean Remiel is still alive and in one piece.
Severin is also probably right about Remiel's so-called immortality (I won't believe he's immortal until dear Severin has thrown everything he has at him and the old bastard lives through it) costing him his mind -- yeesh! But he's no more insane than some other charming fellows throughout history have been.
Now let's just hope that Lucien is all right!!
Ann: Yeah, Remiel probably did have a few loose screws before all of this started up. Either that or some driving motivation that is no longer relevant but no longer needed.
Remiel's immortality is dependent on whether or not he can fuel it; if he ran out of cambions, then he'd be as vulnerable to a natural death as anyone else. Whether or not he can actively be killed is a different story. Physically, he's not any less human.
Religious fanatics never do make much sense :S I have nothing against religion in general, but some people take it way overboard :S
As for Lucien... stay tuned?
EkhoGirl: I tried that line with exclamation points and italics, but that made it sound suspiciously defensive in my head. I figured it would be more in character if he stated it like any other fact.
Remiel probably at least suspects that Severin can do a few things most people can't. I don't know to what extent he imagines it, though. I guess that remains to be seen.
Morgaine: Severin needs to keep Remiel alive in case he has to question him further. If that wasn't the case, I doubt he would have been so calm ;)
Remiel is pretty insane. But yeah, it's not an unheard-of level of insane :S
I wish Severin would just smoke this dude and get it over with. I don't know how much Remiel is going to clue them in about Lucien's condition(even under torture) meanwhile the kid is sitting in bed dying. This is not ask the goateed villain about his evil plan time. This is let's look for essence of little boy time.
Fire, water, and lord knows what else Severin can do but my fondness for him just escalated. He was rather controlled all things considered.
I kept waiting for Remiel to disapparate.
Hoping this comment makes it through this time.
Pen: Oh, I imagine it's tempting. And Remiel probably wouldn't tell them much, if he even knows much at all. But he does still have a bit of a role left...
Gayl: I doubt Severin knows what Severin can do at this point. He probably has mixed feelings about finding out :S
Heheh... luckily for everyone else, Remiel can't manage that ;)
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