IRON GOD | 1: Peripeteia

[10] Azvalath: Quiet Unrest

            Azvalath jolted awake from a nightmare he couldn't remember. He sat up on his cot and rubbed his eyes. They were wet with tears. He was grateful, then, that he couldn't remember the dream. It must have been horrible.

On the floor by his bed, Jai-Lag rolled over, still sound asleep. The sabretooth cat usually stayed with him at night, probably because he was quiet and didn't snore, at least not to his knowledge. Azvalath didn't mind. Jai-Lag was fine company. Better than a human roommate.

He lay back down and tried to fall back asleep, to no avail. The most recent brands on his arm itched like there were ants under his skin. He scratched them to the point of clawing the scabs off. Dark blood stained his fingernails.

Azvalath thought about Xigon and his thousands of brands, thousands of tiny scars etched into both arms. Not even Qila had that many. It had always confused Azvalath, yet in all his years here, he had never dared to ask about it.

He got up, stepped over Jai-Lag, and left his room. Now was as good a time to learn as any, and he had other things on his mind as well. Xigon would almost certainly be awake. Willing to listen was another question, but Azvalath figured it was worth a try.

Xigon's study was only a stone's throw down the hall, but it took him a long while to work up the courage to give the master's door a knock.

"Come in, Azvalath." There was a slight strain in Xigon's voice.

Azvalath entered and found his teacher sitting on the floor. His shoulders were tense, and his hands were clenched up. His lantern had gone out. Azvalath looked down. "Everything all right?"

Xigon patted the floor next to him. "Come talk to me."

Azvalath sat down beside his master. His spine tingled as Xigon's eyes landed on him. He tried to relax but couldn't calm his nerves. "Hard night for you too?"

Xigon shrugged. "You didn't come here to hear about my problems."

"Actually, I did," said Azvalath. "I want to know about your scars."

Xigon's head turned. "Really? You've never asked before."

"I never thought you'd tell me anything," said Azvalath.

"You'll never have the answers to questions you never ask." He picked one hand up and flexed his spidery fingers. "To start, I have a question for you. Look me in the eyes." They made eye contact and Azvalath's skin crawled. "How do you feel?"

"Uncomfortable." Azvalath didn't have to think for a second.

Xigon nodded. Then he lifted his goggles up onto his forehead and dimmed his eyes' glow. "How about now?"

Azvalath relaxed. "Better."

"Why?" Xigon asked.

"Your power is sight-based," said Azvalath. "And I know you're blind as a mole."

"Which implies on some level that you're always afraid of me harming you," said Xigon. "How logical is that fear?"

"Considering the heart attack you gave me a few days ago, I'd say it's justified," said Azvalath. He chuckled even though he didn't find it funny.

"Perhaps," said Xigon. "Though the fact remains that I've used my power to help you far more often than I've used it to harm you."

Azvalath raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"