Anger, rage, sorrow, betrayal, resentment, these were all they felt. Bound tightly in the enchanted bonds, the young adult looked upon the wizard with hard eyes and said just kill me and be done with it, finish what THEY started.
The wizard looked sadly upon the youth stating they would not die, but it was time they started to heal, and learned there was a gentler path to life. -- Anon Guest
It's easy to be angry, to paraphrase wise sages, at something you won't understand. When the opportunity for education is met with the pitchfork and burning torch, it's easy to brew rage. To grow it. To turn it into poison.
Once upon a time, such anger made a massacre. There were two survivors. One held captive by the other.
The Wizard kept the Fighter's hands and feet bound with magic, sheltering under a small overhang. The last of the fires burned under a cauldron, where a variety of stew was beginning. As for the rest of the battlefield, there was a great deal of death.
Two survivors. One from each opposing army.
The Human spoke a few words from her enemy's language - Elven. "Finish it, finish me."
The Elf surprised her with the Human tongue. "No. We have much to learn."
"I'll kill you if you don't kill me," swore the Human Fighter.
The Elven Wizard calmly stirred the stew. "I think there has been enough death. I would seek... to know."
"You'll know my knife in your guts when I get out of this!"
"If," said the Wizard. "You will not die. I will not die. Not soon." The Elf was gentle. Caring. And careful, because Humans and Elves had been fighting since the first pack of Humans figured out how to free themselves from Elven chains.
This Fighter did not have the skill, nor any allies to let her out.
"You won't get any secrets from me," swore the Fighter. "Do your worst."
The Elf healed her. Fed her. Made her as comfortable as possible whilst also protecting themself.
"I seek to know," said the Elf. "Why is war?"
The Fighter had no other words but, "Your lot started it."
[Photo by Ashad Mallick on Unsplash]
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