Makings of a Monster

- "Winski, you are glowing!"
- "Let me tell you, little one, it isn't the brandy," he answered in great spirits.
- "Of course it isn't. It makes you look red and puffed and dull in the eyes. And even more miserable. I'm glad that you didn't touch it tonight. And you won't? Not later on?" His eyes had this way of piercing their way into the very core of one's heart.
- "I won't. I promise. But now we should go and have the talk I mentioned. About your life and your origins. It could help us to understand this darkness you are dealing with all the time." The mage was a little unnerved nevertheless. If the difference in him was so visible, what about Jelena? Did she glow too, or otherwise radiate a change? Fortunately she, too, was used to hiding her true feelings and passions first from herself and then from Reiltar behind that meek, downcast little wife mask. And Reiltar, if anyone, was not in the habit of contemplating others and their feelings overmuch. And Jelena had been changed more confident over a long time already. He never had much questioned the reason, just raped or beaten her if it irritated him too much. Though Winski had a feelings he couldn't take that anymore, not even by drinking himself into that dull, emotionless stupor and ensuing agony. How to refrain himself from unleashing his most nasty spells on the bastard if that happened again was a question indeed.

They made their way to the secret room, now even more full of fond memories.
- "Your eyes went strange for a while. Like when you sometimes care for me especially much," remarked the boy, making his typical acute observations he felt free to tell Winski, while he usually just observed without saying anything.
- "Hmm. I don't know what I should do. Should I increase your burden with confessions you don't need to hear, or should I treat you as a trusted equal and tell you about this as it is rather large thing in my mind?"
- "I like the trusted equal option better." So level eyes, so firm voice. He will be such a glorious man.
- "All right then. Let's say that I have loved not only you, but your mother as well, for a long time. And after all these dramatic events Allonia spelled it our for me, and I could no longer deny it when she up and asked me, like you did that night long ago. And for a reason I can't fathom for the life of me, it seems that she loves me too. So, in spite of all the dangers it represents, we made love and it felt wonderful. That's why I'm glowing."
- "I think I knew it. But it is dangerous, isn't it. And... you won't do that with Allonia anymore?" The protective look, dangerous.
- "I won't. I said that I love her. Allonia and I are buddies. Buddies don't make love if one of them has a real lover."
The answer seemed to satisfy the boy, who still seemed worried. Well, he wasn't stupid. He understood the problem quite as well as the new-found lovers.

- "But let's put that behind for a moment. Allonia just remarked, when she was chastising me for being selfish by abusing myself in spite of that you need me, that you fight like you were not from these mortal planes. And I quite agree. It is not normal. There are other child burglars and fighters, even some with a little skill with magic," Winski smiled at the dismissive snort Sarevok made, "but nothing like you. Nothing. Don't get all proud there, you still CAN get killed. But still. You even resist magic like it was nothing. I remember trying to sphere you in your first battle, and so many enemy mages have fallen because of this." Sarevok looked as if this was just natural. Someone really ought to teach him a lesson about arcane arts, but Winski was not the one who wanted to do that. Not in a manner that would convince him.

- "As you more or less know I have racked my brain with the idea of demonic possession, when the Throne business, educating you, and... let's face it, the drinking, has allowed me the time. They have their eternal feuds and schemes, and interfere with mortals frequently. But the answer is not there. I'm quite convinced about that. It just seemed more natural to me, if you can use such a word in this context. Gods do exist for all I know, they interfere and play their politics and grant spells for those who are sheepish enough to do their bidding at their beck and call. I usually just let them be and send a casual prayer for their general courier office and hope they sort it out and send for the adequate recipient should they do a good turn for me. But the result of my attitude is that I don't know much anything about them.And it's not like I have a great tutor to turn to. Or can you imagine me asking Ledia to tutor me about the finer points of theology?"

The man and the boy burst in giggling laughter, imagining the poor cleric's round, honest face and the utter discomfort she would react to such a proposition with.
- "Okay, now we were being mean. But it has been known to happen that gods really interfere in the business of mortals. They walk the planes, they may even mate with mortals. And there was something called the Time of Troubles, a big upheaval in literally divine scale. I don't know much of it but it was some sort of big mess and lots of the gods roamed the land as mortals and some of them died and such. So what I was thinking was this. What if your darkness has nothing to do with demons at all, but if you have some sort of divine blood in your veins?"

Sarevok looked startled and exhilarated at the same time.
- "But how could we find out such a thing? There are powerful clerics, but we can't just go around asking about a thing like that. And the more powerful and smart, the more dangerous that would be."
I'm proud of you, little one, thought Winski. You have learned to use that brain of yours.
- "You are quite correct. We'll try to get some clues. Here, breath this. It is a mixture of mind-altering herbs which will allow your mind roam more freely and remember more," said Winski and handed the scenting glass to Sarevok, who eyed it with deep distrust.
- "I want you to tell me from the very beginning what you remember about your life. Your very first memory."