Ol' Flint the Crow

Secrets Revealed

...Pongo, as quick as a whip, dug a hole into the earth and disappeared. No more than a few seconds past when, suddenly, its scaly hand shot forth from the ground to seize Samuel by the leg. Pongo popped the rest of its body out of the ground and scaled up the flute player's back. The creature made sure to avoid facing Bleak's crossbow so she would not dare pull the trigger with Samuel in the way.

Too worried about what Pongo was about to reveal, Samuel cried to Bleak. "Just shoot it!"

"I-I can't!" Bleak whimpered as her finger quivered against the trigger. Her eyes gaped at the minstrel in concern. "I might...!"

Flicking its tongue against Samuel's flushed cheek, Pongo giggled, "No more secrets, Samuel. Time to show Flint who you really are. Don't be afraid. I'm sure he'll understand... heh heh!"

Pongo's tail wiggled around Samuel's body and slipped into his pocket. The tail twisted around and propelled all of the minstrel's manuscripts beneath Flint's talons. Facing up, the lyrics taunted the crow with their somber rhyme scheme. Flint's beak twisted and scrunched up as he spoke the bitter words silently to himself. All his feathers rustled as he continued to read verse after verse... Page after page... The stories he had divulged to this human, he had grown to trust, surrounded him like a pack of ravenous wolves.

"Ha!" Pongo triumphantly cried out while Samuel went limp with fear. "How about that, minstrel? Your words have done more harm to Flint than mine could ever do. You know why? Because he trusted you. He considered you his friend. He loved you with almost as much love as his dear Edvrick. You reminded him so much of the Sylph he had to kill. Isn't that right, Flint? Huh? So, how do you feel about your good buddy Samuel now? I'm just dying to know?"

Flint's head bent over so low that Samuel could barely get a glimpse of his expression. However, Miss Bleak's was clearly visible. Her eyebrows lifted. A faint twitch began from her lips. If Samuel had not known better, he would have thought she was about to cry. But know... There was anger filling her, making her drunk with abhorrence for the minstrel she too had trusted enough to recount her own tale.

Guilt drowned the poor flute player. But while Pongo cackled in his ear, that guilt boiled into hatred. It was this heinous abomination's fault. If it hadn't show up just barely at the end of their journey, Samuel would have been able to spare Flint this heartache. Pongo, that mischievous wretch, did this to them. In anger, Samuel trusted his fists around, hoping to nail a lucky blow. However, Pongo was too quick and anticipated each punch the minstrel took.

"Ha!" cried out Pongo. "No need to get hostile, Samuel."

"Miserable creature!" shouted Samuel. "I hope you suffer for this!"

"Wow! Strong words there. My my... It's like you're accusing me of stealing Flint's life story and writing it down into a song to further my own music carrier. What kind of monster do you take me for? No. I enjoy the simpler things in life: like ruining yours. Hypocrite!"

"Y-you call me a hypocrite!" huffed Samuel. He was beginning to lose his strength from his pointless struggle. "I-I bet you have your own regrets."

"Maybe," laughed Pongo.

"Bet if you could experience them again, you wouldn't be so quick to judge."

"Yeah, but why should I do that, flute player? Revealing the three of yours is too much fun for me."

Samuel's hand reached for his other pocket. He had an idea, but he needed to hurry before Pongo perceived the danger. Using the last of his strength, Samuel yanked the flute out of his pocket and pressed it against his lips. Just before he was about to play Aerris enchanted song, the lizard's body shivered nervously behind the minstrel's back. A good sign! With all his might that he could muster from his lungs, Samuel blew his heart out. He needed to if he was going to defeat this seemingly omniscient villain.