School of Tieflings (#scofti)

I, Fiery music

 In Revenland, on the streets there was a poor little boy, singing a song and accompanying himself with a lute he was gifted, the thing he valued over everything in his life.

'See the sun set

In the skies

As a tiefling

"Mercy!" cries-

Gods do see ye

Doing a'right

Will they help me

Feel the light?

Will the crowd be

Mercy-less?

Or do will be

Helpin' god bless-'

The child singing this hid his face under a hood of old fabric, perhaps it was once a potato sack. He looked poor, hands appeared to be all painted black. But what was really giving him away was his tail. The kid was a tiefling, a teen somewhere in his fifteenth year alive. In a leather hat he set before him he had at least half a galleon. Not everyone wished to throw their coin at a poor hell spawn, but some did, and even smiled at him.

Some called him Tief Bardling, playing with words, and he accepted that rather silly naming. But his true name was different, and he was hiding it well.

Singing his song and playing the tune, he was startled when someone appeared before him and threw a shiny golden coin into the hat.

Tief's heart pounded fast. He was afraid to look up, but managed to sing a little shaky melody, improvised to thank the stranger-

'Gods do see ye

Doin' a'right

You jus' help'd me

Step t'wards the light-'

— You play pretty good melodies, son, — Said the stranger whose face Tief was too afraid to see, looking down at the hat, at the golden coin in it. Shiny, among dozens of copper ones and two or three silver ones. Golden, yellow, shiny, with a lion on it. — But I've heard you're a particular master of rushing music. I've also heard you were causing little miracles on the streets. If you play some of that, I will give you another shiny...

The stranger seemed to have very good boots, real leather. To buy those it would cost more than Tief could get for a year of playing the lute, and they would last a long time before getting worn out.

Tief felt a lump in his throat. Fear. He didn't trust no one, even dogs, even street cats who sometimes were stealing his food. And now a man in some stylish trench coat, expensive boots... It was just smelling like a trap. He learned how to see a trap on the streets, when anyone comes at you with friendly faces, looking you all over, trying to see where you hide your coins...

Tief cleared his throat. But two golden coins! He already had one, and now could get another... When the stranger will give one to him he will grab the hat and run, and now...

The kid tuned his lute with jerky movements, trying not to show that he is trembling.

He hit a note. Two, three, and now he was just doing magic. The lute was singing, not him. This sound... It was like the wind was flowing through the trees, the sound of leaves in the storm, the sound of a mountain rivulet rolling downhill...