Chres Sansus, once a well-respected body guard now just a cruddy wife killer, wandered down the northern outer streets of Shimmer Town feeling dead inside. It was a feeling that he was becoming all too accustomed to in the year since he woke one morning to find his wife dead by his own hands. Since then, he felt as if he lost his ability to care. When the war started about three months back, he felt nothing. When he botched another attempt at taking his life, a month ago, accidentally saving a woman and her child’s life from bandits, he felt nothing. When he woke from the reoccurring nightmares where he watched himself kill his wife over and over again, he felt nothing… Well except the constant self-loathing and disgust.
Chres Sansus was a man who deserved death. He didn’t deserve any old death, though. What he deserved was a cruel death. Preferably slow and painful and most importantly humiliating. His death had to be utterly disgraceful. Only in this way did he deserve to die.
As Chres aimlessly wandered the town streets, lost in his own grim thoughts a gasp snapped him out of it. It wasn’t audible gasp that drew his attention, instead it was a gasp inside his own mind.
Chres, Look! There’s a huge puddle! Chres looked up as his familiar, Sil, flew past his head. She glowed a soft green in her fairy form and was pointing excitedly at Shimmer Lake in the distance. it was her first time ever seeing a lake, Chres realized.
It’s sooo big! Sil’s voice exclaimed in Chres’s head.
How did it ever get so fat? I bet all the little puddles make fun of it. Hmm… I wonder where the mommy and daddy puddle went. Oh! Maybe it ate its mommy and daddy and that’s how it got so fat. Yes! That has to be it! I have it all figured out now! Sil smiled and nodded proudly as she folded her arms in front of her chest. Happy to have solved the mystery of the giant puddle.
Chres shook his head smiling slightly. He could help but feel mildly amused by the innocence Sil often showed.
“It's a lake actually.” Chres said softly.
A… lake? Sil said tilting her head slightly.
Well, it's a silly looking lake if you ask me. It looks big and wet... Puddles do feel wet, right?“All water feels wet.” Chres replied. He heard a long ‘hmmmm’ in his mind as Sil began pondering the concept of water feeling wet. Chres passed her fluttering form as he felt a pang of hunger. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Money was hard to come by without a job. Occasionally, he would do odd jobs here and there, in his travels, so he could line his pockets with coin. It had been some time since the last odd job, however. He was running short again. He would need to make some more money sometime soon if he didn’t want to resort to stealing again.
Chres glanced to his left, eyeing an inn called The Dockside View. The sign’s paint was light and faded. He could make out the sounds of people laughing and shouting inside along with the tune of music that was definitely off key. Perhaps he wouldn’t need to do another odd job. Perhaps tonight would be the night.
Chres made his way into the inn and winced at the music. He passed by a group of men playing a game of The Senses and was able to make out a few knife shaped lumps covered by their clothing. Taking in their lowlife demeanor, Chres nodded to himself. They would be the ones to do the job.
Grabbing a seat on an empty stool at the bar, watching the lowlifes play their game, Chres pulled out his flask. This drew the innkeeper’s attention. He eyed Chres’s flask distastefully, no doubt disliking the idea of someone bringing their own drinks into his establishment. Catching the man’s eye, Chres gave him a friendly smile and handed the man a small stack of coins. This seemed to placate innkeeper’s ire.
“What can I get you?” The innkeeper asked. He was a big round man with stubby fingers and graying hair.
“Just a bite to eat” Chres said as he took a sip from his flask. The innkeeper nodded and called to his wife in the kitchen, asking her to prepare a plate of food. Chres smiled gratefully before turning his attention back to the men he eyed earlier.
You’re about to do it again, aren’t you? Sil asked. She landed on his shoulder changing into her ferret form as she did so. Chres simply nodded in response.
You should try my plan this time. Pull down their pants and stick your tongue out at them. That will do the trick! Sil giggled softly at the thought of it.
Chres ignored the suggestion. That would take too long. There are much easier and faster ways to get a person to want to stab Chres.
Today is the day. Chres thought to himself.
Today is the day I die.