Astarael42 — Roleplayer Guild

Vol strolled through the milling people, a predator among innocents. Some, he knew, were not so innocent. There was an old saying, like recognized like. He easily recognized the dark souls in this throng. He wondered if anyone would choose them, dark souls often had dark effects. He imagined Hag probably would want them for something or other, he left them alone. That was the first of his two hard and fast rules. What Hag wanted, leave alone. The second was just as vital; Carnival brethren were off limits.

They were not what he had a taste for at the moment anyway. His smile was charming, his eyes alluring as he wove through the crowds. He stopped here and there to politely chat with people, women and men alike. His behavior was so very gentlemanly that most didn’t even hesitate to pass a few moments with him.

A woman passed him, one he might not have noticed at first. It was the small boy clinging to her hand, watching everything with wide eyes, but not the wide-eyed innocence one might expect. What he saw was darkness, a hungry soul that understood far too much of the world. Vol’s smile was brief, fleeting, and dark. This pair would do nicely.

Vol sneered elegantly. He could guess why the boy was so worldly. He looked at the woman holding his hand. Skinny, dirty, and worn with long coarse black hair that hung below her waist she would appeal only to the most desperate, but as he looked her over he guessed that that was how she made a living. Appealing to the most desperate. Her soul was bitter, harsh, and thick. And exactly what he wanted at the moment. He would put aside his physical lust, for now, for a chance at the perfect meal.

Vol put on his most charming smile but the predatory look in his eyes didn’t dim. It heightened. He didn’t think the woman would notice, her greed would be her undoing. He reached out an elegant gloved hand to stop her.

“My dear” he said soothingly, his voice all charm. “Pause a moment will you?”

The woman stopped and turned to eye him, her own eyes filling with a greedy light at the sight of him. Vol was handsome, charming, and dressed very very richly. Everything a shrewd whore could want.

“My dear might I talk to your little lad there? He’s such a charming boy. So bright and pretty.” Vol leered just as he suspected the woman’s johns did right before she sold her son’s body just as she sold her own.

The woman acquiesced quickly and Vol grinned. His eyes lit with pleasure that few could miss. So easy, and so pefect, this woman and her son; a son which undoubtedly hated her for what she did.

“And you too my lady?” Vol kept his voice smooth, debonaaire even. It was appealing, and he made a fairly irresistible picture.

Without hesitation the woman sidled over to him, slipping her arm around his waist and purring.

“Of course my lord. I have just the place where we can have a nice, private conversation, just the three of us.”

“No need” said Vol easily slipping an arm around the woman, clasping his cane behind her back. His other hand gripped the boys hand fairly tightly, not wanting the lad to run. He had something to teach to boy; Vol would not allow him to be truant at the lesson he would teach. It would give the boy a chance at life; not to mention it personally amuse Vol a great deal.

He led the pair back to his tent, ignoring the people who looked on with disgust. Even some of the others in the carnival frowned. He didn’t care about them any more than he cared about the strangers and visitors who frowned at them. Those who knew him knew that he must have a different plan than the obvious, but few bothered to take the time to know him. Vol’s tastes were eclectic and for the most part he believed if it had a hole it could be fucked. This did not extend to children. That was depraved even for him.

Inside his tent he smiled at the woman, a smile that displayed all his lust, all his pleasure, and all his malice. The woman was not shrewd enough to notice that last bit, strangely the boy was and he shivered as he watched Vol from unblinking eyes.

“Slip into something more comfortable while I entertain your son here” he said, his voice lyrical and compelling. He talentlessly groped her, just to put her more at ease. She was familiar with a lack of polish; undoubtedly those she serviced wanted only to do the deed and move on. Vol could lack talent, if he really put his mind to it.

When she was out of sight, behind a dressing screen in the next room of the tent, he addressed the boy directly.

“Do you like your life boy?” he asked quietly, his voice low and dark, hinting at something the boy had only ever dreamed of.

The boy shook his head. The boy looked resigned to what was to come next, Vol knew this was at least in part very familiar to the lad. But Vol had something else in mind. Something deeper and darker and at the same time much more freeing.

“Would you like it to change?” Vol watched the boy, waiting for his response.

The boy hesitated not even a second before nodding vigorously.

“Then Watch. Learn.” Vol’s voice was so intense and dark it might have scared a weaker lad. This one seemed to lean forward, eager to find out what the way out was that Vol offered.

Vol laughed and called to the woman…“Come on out and join us dear one”

The woman, naked and trying to look alluring, swayed out. She was not beautiful. She was not even pretty. And she stunk of body odor and desperation. In this moment, however, she was perfect.

Eager to please, smiling insincerely, she rubbed her breasts provocatively. At least that’s what she thought the movements were. A true expert in the art could have set her straight. Vol however enjoyed it, licking his lips at the site of her. It was not her body, however, that he hungered for. It was her soul.

Vol, smiling with lust, cozied up next to her. He drew her in his arms, and kissed her, sweetly like a lover might. Then, without hesitation or warning, he slid his blade between her ribs. He mouth pressed tight over hers he swallowed her gasps of pain.

The blood ran freely as she fell to the floor, eyes slowly glazing over. Vol slowly licked his lips, savoring the taste of her as she lay dying. It only heightened his hunger. Vol turned to the boy eyes gleaming with lust and something far darker.

“If you can finish the job, for she’s still alive you know, your free to go. Only you can save yourself. If you do not, well” he gestured and a quartet of wolverines, snarling and hissing, appeared at his feet. The threat was clear, but it wasn’t needed.

Before Vol had even finished the boy was trying to strangle his own half-dead mother. Vol laughed delightedly and drank her soul as she died.

*****

Several minutes later the boy walked from the tent, eyes calm and focused. His hand clutched a small knife, a gift from Vol. No one stopped him as he left the carnival grounds.

From inside Vol’s tent snuffling sounds could be heard along with a myriad of hissing and snarls. Vol walked out, a brilliant and charming smile on his face, twirling his cane easily, delighted with the world. Behind him the wolverines were devouring the body he had left them. What they didn’t eat would be cleaned up by far less natural means.

It had been a tasty soul, bitter like really good coffee. Her fear as her son killed her had lent a dark undertone. It was the pre-show appetizer he needed; a bit of energy and it whet his appetite for what would come after the show.

*****

His act would start soon enough, he wanted to give the wolverines time to eat before performing. Unlike many animals they did better on an full stomach. Most trainers kept their animals hungry to encourage the viciousness, and thus increase the drama of the act. Wolverines were always vicious.

When he noticed a large crowd gathering he headed that way, curious to see what had drawn the eyes of these human sheep. They were bleating their excitement and clapping like idiots.

He almost laughed out loud at Kodama and Chance enthralling the crowd. He did not find their act amusing, but he loved the way the nearby people leaned in, entranced, and then leapt back in fear and awe.

When he saw the snake he clapped elegantly and enthusiastically, encouraging those around him to do the same.

“Simply fabulous” he cheered and tipped his hat at the pair. “Aren’t they amazing! Not to be missed. It’s to die for!”

He grinned at the two clowns, the malice in his eyes and grin apparent. He wondered if they’d be up for putting on real show. Something to truly bring some fear to this pathetic backwater burg.

Brisa looked startled when Dakin asked her what was going on. How was she supposed to know? She didn’t even know everyone was gone. Yet she knew one thing…

“It has to be magic” she said speaking up. “People don’t normally just vanish, except when magic is involved.”

“I’m Brisa by the way. Brisa Potter.” It was an afterthought to introduce herself, added quickly and just as quickly she plunged onward in her train of thought.

“If everyone is gone…vanished…then there must have been some magic at work. I can’t imagine Autry, or Dorn, or your father Throven…doesn’t he lead the city guards…or your father Argurios…just allowing themselves to be…whatevered.”

“Magic, I don’t know what kind but some kind of magic. I haven’t read of any such magic before. Not in any of the magical histories I’ve studied.”

She stopped to draw a breath. She hadn’t talked that much to any of the children before, not even Dakin though they were on friendly terms. She blinked surprised at herself. She felt comfortable talking about magic, she had studied it for so long and so much that she had more understanding of it than other things. A sudden flash of inspiration hit her. That was why Autry had drilled her so much; a mage who lacked confidence was next to worthless. But what if it was something else, what if it was different. What if it was some not so esoteric source. She shut up quickly, snapping her mouth shut so abruptly you could hear her teeth clack together.

“Sorry” she mumbled. “I just think its likely magic was involved. But I don’t think I’ve seen or noticed anything…odd. Except maybe her animals, they are all weird now. Silent and still but breathing. They were fine this morning though. Is that helpful?”

Brisa actually wanted to be helpful. She just wasn’t sure what to do now.

She covered a yawn with a hand. It was late, very late, and dawn was fast approaching. She didn’t tell most of the others, just Atrus when she had helped him up after his potion wore off, that she planned to leave and wander the town at dawn. They would probably try to stop her, but she had to see for herself that Atury was gone. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe the others…she just needed to see it for herself. It was the one thing she was sure of. That and that magic had to be involved. She had to wait till dawn though, trolls terrified her. She wondered if they were even now roaming through the village destroying the place.

She had no way of knowing that even the trolls would steer clear of the village for several days. The aura of the evil that now lurked there was strong enough to repel even them.

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