Markous Lodious in a Secluded Cabin in the Black Hills- Crack of Dawn
“I’m telling you that it was nothing.” A young man shouted angrily as he raised a large axe upwards, “It was a trick of the wind, nothing more.” He finished, his gaze never leaving the log in front of him as he brought the axe down and cleft in half.
“Markous, I’m telling you, that wasn’t nothing.” Another man said, this one noticeably older, wrinkles adorned his face. It was clear by the crow’s feet and laugh lines on is his have that he had spent a lot of his youth happy, but the current cold glare that the man had told nothing of those days. “That was the sp-“
“Shut up!” The young man roared as he spun around to face the elder man, the axe in his hand rising in his anger. “Father, I’m telling you. That was nothing.” He ground out, his face turning red. “It was nothing.”
“If that what you want to tell yourself, then fine.” His father spoke, his voice becoming even colder. “Though, if the people find that you have the sp-“
“Don’t say it!”
“The spark!” His father continued his voice rising to overpower Markous’, “Then I won’t be able to protect you anymore.”
“When have you ever protected me?” Markous asked his voice cynical as he gave his father a piteous glance. “You weren’t there when they bu-“
“Markous that is enough!” His father roared, as he took a step forwards his hand flashing forward to deliver a vicious backhand to Markous’ head. It sent him reeling and he took a step backward both from the pain, and the sheer shock at being struck by his father. “You don’t ever mention that to me, you don’t try and use that to get out of argument.”
“Then when do I mention it!? When do I talk about it!? When those filthy Gor come back to kill us again?” Markous’ own voice began to rise as he too roared at his father. “Time and time again, you refuse to even think about hunting them down, what kind of man are you!? To let the death of your we-“
Another backhand from his father sent Markous tumbling to the ground. His face was sore and Markous was dimly aware that he would no doubt be sporting a bruise on his face the next day. The axe that was in his hands flew wildly before coming to a halt in a nearby tree.
“I said not to mention it again.” His father growled cold fury in his voice. “Go and clear your head, we’ll talk about how we’re going to clean the taint of the spark from you when you get back.”
With that, Markous’ father turned on his heel before stalking off back towards their cabin. Markous sat there in silence, before jumping up; he let out a feral scream of rage and ripped the axe from the tree. Raising it he swung it down towards the ground. The second it made contact a huge tremor rippled through the ground and a tear formed where the axe head was embedded in the ground.
“This.” Markous ground out through gritted teeth, “This is why my life is becoming what it is. This taint.” His eyes darted upwards towards the sky, “You couldn’t just take my mother away from me!? You had to taint me as well!” He shouted upwards.
His breathing rapid, Markous closed his eyes before crumpling to the ground. He raised his axe once more, before letting it drop pathetically to the ground.
“There’s a lake nearby, just go get some water and calm down. The taint won’t be on me forever, there are rumors that if properly dealt with one can be purified.”
Markous consoled himself, as he took slow deep breaths. Shaking his head once, he stood up and headed in the opposite direction from his home, axe in hand, towards the lake.