The Value of a Heartbeat

How...fucking dare you

Myrddin pulled a knife from his colourful robe, he blocked Reilyn’s sword, a piercing ring echoed through the grandiose office as their blades clashed. Myrddin pushed Reilyn back a step, but Reilyn raised his blade again, bringing it down on the black haired man. Myrddin blocked once more, and countered, slicing Reilyn’s forearm. Reilyn grimaced and brought his blade around, catching Myrddin along the chest, cutting through the man’s fancy robes and into his flesh. Myrddin gasped, glared at the Eyll, and kicked Reilyn away. 

Reilyn stumbled, gripping his sword, he looked up to see water appear in the air and surround Myrddin. “Let’Qua…?” |Hydromancy…?|

The black haired man grinned and reached out his hand. “You’re walled in.” He called. A door appeared on each side of the room, all of them slamming shut and locking. Reilyn felt his head grow fuzzy, he ran from door to door, panicking, trying to open them but none would. “It’s time to sink, or swim.” Reilyn heard Myrddin from across the room through the haze surrounding his senses. He felt a cool liquid slosh around his boots and looked down to see water pooling into the room. Inch by inch, the room filled with water. And Reilyn was locked in. 

The Eyll gritted his teeth and ran towards Myrddin again, his boots splashing every time they hit the floor. He readied an attack, and swung, but Myrddin stepped out of the way and brought his dagger down on Reilyn’s wrist, knocking the sword from the Eylles hand. The man then kicked Reilyn to the water covered floor. Reilyn fell with a thud and a splash. 

“Water weight,” Myrddin raised his left hand. “Be still.” Dark globs of water appeared around Myrddin’s casting hand, he flung them down on Reilyn. Four in total, one for each ankle and each wrist, pinning the Eyll to the floor as the water rose. Reilyn struggled to no avail. 

Myrddin stood over Reilyn, pulling out a couple small sharp knives from his robe, placing his dagger away. “This feels familiar.” The black haired man sighed, he stared at his knives, then down at the struggling Eyll. For a moment, a flicker, remorse flashed across his features. “No one came to save me either.” He smirked and crouched over Reilyn. 

The black haired man cut open Reilyn’s tunic and sliced down his undershirt. Myrddin ripped the clothing apart to reveal the Eylles chest and all the scars covering it. Myrddin raised an eyebrow and slowly dragged the sharp blade down Reilyn’s exposed skin. Reilyn whimpered and continued to struggle, only causing the wound to tear open more. 

Myrddin placed his hand on Reilyn’s bleeding chest, wearing a coy grin. “Cold blooded fool.” Reilyn suddenly felt his body…the blood in his body begin to freeze at the touch. The agonising cold, prickling burning slowly extended further from where Myrddin’s hand was and through the rest of his limbs. The Eyll cried out, unable to even writhe away. Myrddin muttered, grinning ear to ear. “It’s a shame I can’t keep you. You’d bring in such good coin!” Reilyn glared at Myrddin through gritted teeth and muffled cries of pain. 

Myrddin raised his blood coated hand to Reilyn’s forehead, leaving his fingers to rest on the Eylles face. The freezing burning continued to trickle through Reilyn’s limbs as it faded out. Tears began to roll from the Eylles eyes. “One who is beloved…or despised.” Myrddin’s tone was soft as the sadistic grin swam across his lips. 

The black haired man’s form began to change. His hair, still dark, changed hue and became wavy and shorter in length. Tied back into a loose ponytail. His skin faded from its smooth paleness to a dusty tan, and his eyes from their gold to a deep, dark purple. The man’s clothes changed from extravagant robes to simple travellors’ garb, shrouded in a cloak of raven feathers. Reilyn stared at the man above him. “Ignatus’bo…” He bit down on his lip as his tears continued to pour down his cheeks.