Role

Chapter 1

There is a time I forget. I was young. I had passion, feelings. Love
you might call it.

I do so dislike that word.

It is the right word.

I loved her. In all her grace, her wit, her charms.

I wanted to keep her. Forever like that. I should have.

Instead I tried to be...better. I think that is what they mean, when they say
"your higher angels". It's shit, all of it. Lies and worse to make you
act how they want. To control you.

Oh, how I wanted her. Her precious eyes, violet and bright, flashing in the
darkness. Her hair with the slightest tinge of gold in it, glimmering in
the dim lights we kept. We spent days together, just each other.

It was...heavenly. It is how I think they must mean when they use that word.

That is usually shortly before they kill you, of course.

So I...loved her. And it was ..heavenly.

One of my kind cannot love? How exactly then do you think we procreate?
It is probably not the same as for our sky-blinded kin, but we do love.
I would have kept her safe, served her, enjoyed her, but no. She had an
eye for power, she did. And the aptitude too. She went to join the mages,
and learned those spells that the invokers did. I tried to join her, but I do not
possess that..flair. I flunked out.

I should have been there, that day, perhaps I may have taken her place. Likely I
wouldn't have. I got to see what was left. She did not go quietly. Or slowly.

I took a small bit of what was left of her, to remember her by. I keep it still.

I left then. Not before helping myself to a few things. Or slitting a throat
or two. I will not be going back, not nicely at any rate.

I left for this world above, with its harsh light. The glaring light of day,
they call it. I found a new life up here. And a passion. I like to hunt mages,
you see, like those she trained with, those who were better than her, that practiced
their cantrips on her, broke her. Those little spells they used, so very
fancy.

I will hunt them all. Why not? There is no love left in me.

Unless I eat her dried up violet eye. Then I suppose there is. Ha!