7:00PM
Gerald stood behind Cameron as they waited for Grifford. Gerald said nothing, asked nothing. Cameron completed his Advanced Training. He was, at least in the eyes of the inquisition, a man.
Grifford entered, and Cameron took a knee. Gerald raised an eyebrow. Grifford continued past him, and say at his desk. "Someone took his studies in Advanced Training to heart. Rise, Cameron. Old traditions like this were folly for arrogant men who wanted to be kings."
Cameron rose, reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled the black faceted crystal from it. He threw the crystal and it's simple cord onto Grifford's desk.
Silence hung thick in the air. Grifford picked the shard up and held it in his gloved hand. "Where did you get this?"
"Gina and I were near the Prism Falls. She was attacked. A witch."
"How fortunate you were there. Gina, the Mexican girl you used to sew oats."
"Yes. Gina Guerrero."
"Was she able to defend herself?"
"I helped."
"...but could she defend herself? I've looked into your Gina Guerrero. She attends a dojo three days a week, and from what I ascertained, she's nigh unbeatable."
"She lacks the rites and blessings. She fought, but needed my help."
"...and now you want her admitted into our ranks, fighting alongside you, and..?"
Cameron nodded, calm, and cool. His palms were sweating, and he was thankful he was wearing gloves. "Yes. I want you to reconsider Suheila. There has to be someone else worthier for her talents."
"You want to marry this girl, this Gina Guerrero."
"I want to marry her. If I have to marry anyone."
"Granted."
Cameron could not hide his surprise. Neither could Gerald. "What?"
"In unison, no less." Grifford laughed warmly, a genuine, throaty laugh. "Well. There is one matter. You're being given a great authority, Cameron Dean. A promotion, as it were. Your father is busy with our affairs in the North of Driftwood. You, bravely fighting to fend off a deadly threat for a potential hunter is no small task. Your first kill, without even a thought to yourself."
Cameron nodded. "I am humbled."
"It is my honor. Of course, if this goodie Gina Guerrero is unwilling to acquiesce, you'll be without. Then would you consider someone else? Someone else worthy of your new station?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then we have an accord." Grifford extended a black gloved hand. Cameron shook it, but Grifford held his hand tight. "There is one more thing. Suheila, come in please."
The heavy doors opened slowly, and Suheila squeezed in, the doors shutting behind her. Her eyes were brimming, and tears spilled onto her cheeks. "Never, ever in the stories of you, did I ever hear you a liar."
"Su, I wanted to try, I -"
"I followed you two, Cameron! I followed you to the river, saw you pull up that poor girl's body. I saw you beat Gina into the ground. I saw you two kissing."
Tension filled the air. Cameron looked between Gerald Dean, the smiling Judge Grifford, and back to Suheila.
"That will be all, Suheila."
"No. I never knew what monsters you bred, what horrible monsters! You kill indiscriminately, sharing your stories as victories!"
"Suheila Sharif!" Grifford stood from behind his desk. "...that will be quite enough."
"Yes, it will." Suheila strode to Cameron, and slapped him across the face. "I loved you before I knew you, but knowing what you are, I could never love that."
Cameron caught the glint of red-black beneath her shirt. Suheila left the room in unceremonious silence, throwing the doors open as she did.
She said nothing more.
Cameron stood there quiet, keeping his composure. He turned to face Grifford.
"What a tangled web, right? Think nothing of it. I knew before you requested an audience, and the truth is, I think it beautiful that you would lie for this Mexican girl."
"Gina."
"Easy, impudent boy. Things are going well for you. Listen. I don't know any man in your position who would have the balls to do what you've done. Not just that you beat that poor girl to make your lie more believable, but that had I not known, I would have been inclined to believe it."
It was Cameron's turn to cock an eyebrow.
"Oh yes. We have our eyes, and ears, and given the state of things, we are everywhere. You would fit more appropriately behind the action, than in it. Lie to them. Befriend them. Blend in with them. Then utterly destroy them. Go and fetch your Gina, and do what you will."
Cameron broke into a smile. "Yes, your honor..."
"...and Cameron?"
"Your honor?"
"Once was endearing. Brave even. Lie to me again, and it'll be you they're fishing out of the river. If they find you at all. Go."
✟ ☧ ✟
11:30 PM
Lillian opened her eyes, gasping for air, desperately struggling as the wire dug into the flesh of her throat. She felt herself hoisted up, her feet leaving the floor. Lillian's face was dark red, mouth agape. Below her, she saw a faceless bone mask, and bright green eyes staring up at her. Lillian grasped at the wiry tether, the bloodied flesh at her throat ragged as her weight pulled the wire into her flesh. She kicked, and strained... and stopped. She was dead.
...but she could still see herself. See herself through his eyes. She saw herself reach up with his hands, dagger right in his grip, as he carved the word witch in her forehead.
He stepped away from her suspended body, and from room, to room she murdered her coven through him, slitting their throats, and watching them choke on their blood, unable to speak, unable to scream.
She saw Robert through his eyes, her young son, fast asleep. Lillian tried to stop, caged in the monster's mind, and felt the dim satisfaction at her struggle. It was like his hand held her own, the massive black gloved fingers pressed together tightly, pressed down over her son's nose, as mouth. She felt the weak suction as he struggled suddenly to breathe. His eyes opened wide, and her young Robert screamed beneath his gloved hand. She felt him through the monster, growing weak. Just before he lost consciousness she let him go through his giant hand. Her Robert trembled gasping, and as he caught his breathe, regaining his wits, he tried to scream again. The giant's hand was over his mouth again. She saw owls gathering out his window, their pale faces and black eyes unblinking as they stared in.
Robert struggled, and as he grew faint, and then still. She jerked his head sharply, feeling the bones snap.
Lillian screamed, but the giant did not.
Bane.
Bane.
Bane...
✟ ☧ ✟
2:00 AM
Suheila walked along the riverbank, tears on her cheeks. Cameron betrayed her - they all betrayed her.
In the darkness it was too difficult to see, and Suheila concentrated. "Clear."
The clouds broke, and in the break in the sky she could see everything under the bright silver waning gibbous moon.
She left the banks, and wandered into the woods. The trees were beautiful, the mix of pines, oaks, and laurels casting their pale shadows on the leaf and pine needle laden woodland floor. An owl landed on the tree closest to her, first one, but two more joined.
Then four.
Suheila found a barren oak, and leaned against it, staring at the barn owls, and their black eyes. "I know you're here. Out here somewhere. You haunt these places. Why?"
Bane stepped out from behind the tree, seven owls perched overhead.
"You're the one who killed that girl, aren't you?"
Bane stared down at her, his piercing green eyes taking her in, and tilted his head. He felt something stir inside him, a painful familiarity.
"I guess you're going to kill me too, right?" Suheila stood up, and raised a hand at him.
Bane felt a weak force from the outside push into him - weak - but strong enough to push him back a step. "Witch."
"That would be me." Suheila's knees shook, but she stared up at the masked killer, his green eyes. Suheila did not want to die. She pushed her hand out again, and Bane shrugged it off.
He stood there unmoving, hands resting on the grips of his stolen pistols. Suheila took a step forward, and he stepped a step back. She took another step. He stepped back again, and felt the tree against his back.
"Magick doesn't really affect you, does it?" She was an arm's length from him. Bane tensed, tilting his head.
He pondered drawing his pistols, and wondered why he had not already. Suheila closed the distance between the two, and put a hand on his chest. "Why aren't you killing me?"
Bane stared down at her and she reached up, pushing herself to the tip of her toes, and pushed his mask back up onto the top of his head, revealing his scarred face.
"I know you."
Bane made a face.
"I know that I know you... but I don't know why. You're beautiful." She cupped his cheek, and Bane pushed his face into her hand.
Suheila took a step into Bane. "I spent my life loving someone I never knew, but it was your face I saw when I slept... except, you've so many scars. So many."
Bane sighed.
"Your eyes. That sorrow you're wearing on your face."
"...not mine."
"I know your voice. Somewhere from a long time ago, that voice said once my name... but you're not him, are you?"
Bane slowly shook his head.
"...but you know me, too. If not, I would be dead now. Will you walk with me through the woods? You can take my life if you like... but if you're not going to, these are dark woods and I'm just a girl."
Suheila turned her back to Bane, and began walking. Moments later she heard him behind her, then beside her. She glanced up at him in time to see him pull the bone mask back over his face. "Will you tell me who you are?"
"I am nobody. Nothing."