The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Markos Amanodel: CXXVII

She Loves Me: CXXVII

Nightfall had come. Markos stumbled down the stairs with a paper and quill in hand. By the time they had reached their tavern that day everyone was exhausted, cultists dead, gold hauled to their home. He studied the late-night sky drinking in the thousands of stars he could see. He felt bad for people like Herod, or Alekzandr. The light pollution would block the stars' gaze for most.. But not him. Never him. He looked across the empty tavern floor and took a deep breath, taking a seat on one of the central tables. He set the stack of parchment on one end and the inkwell and quill on the other.

'You need not stoop so low! Kill the ghost!' He ignored those recommendations. He needed a silent hen, not a body for suspicion.

"So do you actually want to talk about this? Or are we going to have to be silent to each other, Lif?" He recalled all the times since that.. Day, the poltergeist had wronged him in some manner. It was not as if Lif wasn't justified to some degree, Markos speculated on just how much the ghost had seen. Bloody handprints, scrawled threats, and not a single reply to any question he asked. "Come now.." he stood in silence for a few brief minute mulling over what Lif might do. But slowly the quill lifted and was dragged through the ink. In hasty writing he read;

"You're just like those cultists who killed me."

He sighed in frustration, this was not going to be easy.

"Well that's just a bit dramatic wouldn't you say?" he took a seat at the table knocking his head to one side. "Just like them? I-I I mean I think I'm just a little bit-"

"You killed her almost the same way they did me." This time the message was scrawled in even bolder text. "I can smell the dark magic.. She's like me now.."

"Oh.." Markos admitted a bit of surprise, he was curious. "Interesting.. Thats all fascinating but do you have to give me the silent treatment? Is it truly that bad? It was just some random-"

"Yes." He rolled his eyes not liking the various messages he was getting back.. Did no one understand what he had to do? He held up a trembling fist, did no one get what she wanted? She wanted these things!

"Lif.. you're.. You're thinking so so small." He didn't intend for it to carry anger but his voice projected his frustration regardless. "So small.. So. so minute." his voice quivered and he stumbled over his words like he did when he killed.. Spe'vitae. "Its... theres... theres so much more here at play." He fumbled with his fingers. "I killed.. One person. One little.. Ju-jst tiny person to avoid.. So much more.. Lif are you going to persecute me for the hundreds of thousands I've slaughtered?" His mind raced with images, he trembled angrily remembering all their faces.. All their names. He was telling the truth when he asked Spe'vitae for her name.. He had to know.. After everything, she had put him through. She.. not put through- just.. What she had taught him! Yeah.. he bit his lip, feeling.. Excitement. "Come now.. One person is-"

"Did you kill them, as you did her? Like they killed me? Sacrifices to some dark being?" Markos's body felt unhinged trembling with anger and anguish he felt a flicker snap through his brain as the voices paused for the briefest of seconds. 'No.. down, back in your cage!' He roared within his own mind. Not now.. Now was his turn.

'Tell him.. Tell him how you killed them.'

"They.." His voice broke like a tree during a thunderstorm. "Ah.. Sac.. Sacrifice.." He turned his head hyperventilating with breath after breath studying his surroundings in a desperate attempt to escape the question. He picked up his hand looking at where he had sacrificed his own blood three days ago. She said she liked it.. S-so it was good, right? "It.. it was necessary Lif.." Something welled in his eyes, he wiped them aside.