The Way that I see it

“Uncle Thobias? Do you mind if I could ask you a question? It’s kinda personal.”

The three-lens glasses drooped down over my snout, hearing Mellindias’ innocent enough question. The child was only expressing her curiosity, the gods know that he she desperately needs encouragement in the field of learning and education. She couldn’t help it due to her background. Thobias Manfred turned in his great chair, his tail curling up into his lap, three-toed claws placed in his lap, offering a seat to the poor handicapped child. When he offered a paw, she shook her sweet head and hopped up on his lap, settling into his dark purple fur. 

“Please, inquire away, my dear child.” Thobias sat back, making sure to keep his lap even and steady for her small frame, even with his thick feline legs sitting on the chair meant for baphomets or even a griffinic eagle if they were large enough.

“Why do the demons torment me at school? It’s not fair! I know they’re bigger than me! I know they’re way way so much smarter than me! Teacher says I should be patient with them. Funny…funny….she started to point at me and say something, but…stopped.” Her pink cheeks turned slightly red at the memory of the red-skinned, horned Elder children taunting her. Her small fingers twisted at the frills of her custom-made skirt as she frowned. Thobias so hated to see her in this state of despair. 

“Come, come, child. They’re just from a different place in our world. Not better, not worse, but they think differently. Their culture is quite a bit different from what we’re used to. We arrived at a truce back in your great-uncle’s time and they know not to physically harm us. They tend to use words to attempt to hurt us though. Such a shame. Their race was once a great society, learned, cultured, beautiful, before the Fall.This is why we refer to them as the ‘Elder’” Thobias Manfred allowed himself a drooped shake of his great horned head. “I so wish that they would remember that we’re trying to get along with them.” He took a great inhale through his wide nostrils. “But, I suppose that may just be their way. How they cope with their circumstances. Maybe just think of it that way. Let them taunt and tease. Under the terms of the truce, they can’t bodily harm you or anyone else. It’s just words. If they do that again, just ignore them.”

Lacey Harriston looked up at her great-great Uncle Thobias. He could see the wheels turning in her wide eyes, the blinks only to moisten them as the thoughts churned, ideas converged and produced a slight smile on her relatively pretty face. 

“Now, isn’t that all better?”Thobias’ expression changed into knowing, but humorous. Partly relief that the child understood his basic lesson and the rest that she will sleep well tonight so he can continue his Work. “I saw that mischievous little grin growing slowly from the roots of your being, blossoming into your real face.” Lacey giggled and blushed. It was hard to tell for Thobias if this was normal for her species, but from what he could tell, everything was turning out alright. 

The pleasantness of the evening was interrupted by a peal of what sounded like thunder outside of the protection rune-etched window. “Ah yes, it sounds like it’s time for bed, my dear. Would you like for me to find you a story?”

Lacey hopped off Thobias’ lap and gave a little hop like it was a game, landing on the thick carpeted floor. “No, thank you, Great Uncle! I’m a big girl and I can read something all by myself now. I promise to turn off the light at 1800.” Her great grin reassured Thobias that she meant to keep her word, but he knew to check on her anyway.

“Yes, of course you are! You’re absolutely right, my dear! Alright, away with you! Read of the distant lands and people far away and long ago!” On cue, she hopped and skipped down the mahogany wood hallway, playing tag with the ancient furniture, dried flowers and even the scattered scrolls. He was relieved that he placed great wards over theme so her accidental touch wouldn’t turn her and the house and Thobias himself into piles of ash instantly. 

He waited until he heard the gently closed door lock itself into place before uncovering the skrying stone and start reciting the incantations to resume communications. Sweat built up on his forehead due to his intense concentration. One hand ground down the herbs and incenses needed for this operation.

He had to know. He must know.

A grating, dark, sharp voice came through into his mind. Exactly how it should be. Exactly how he was taught when the truce happened. The language he heard was indecipherable to him in his pointed, twitching ears, but the runestones placed around his desk served to translate and project into his waiting mind.

“There has been no change since our last communication. The land is dead. The population has been decimated. The remaining government leaders have surrendered and have been dealt with by the soldiers. You are to bring the sacrifice to the Temple before 1300 tomorrow. Has the small one gained knowledge of her important role in our restoration? You swore oaths, as you must recall.”

Thobias forced a sigh down, closing his great eyes, only pretending to pause for dramatic effect. Yes. The small one. The innocent sacrifice asleep, one of the last remaining stories of her old civilization in her tiny fleshy hands as she mercifully lay unconscious. 

“Yes, my Lord, I remember my oaths to the Cause. My blood, my mind, my heart and body belong to you and the Crusade. To the Cleansing.” Thobias thumped his broad, dark-furred chest with his clawed hand, bowing his head and giving the sign of his grade. “I shall not fail you, Great Grand Lord. I have not, nor will I ev…..” He only then saw the pattern of communication stop. He covered the skyrying disk with the red velvet cloth as required when not in use. 

His broad, clawed hands placed flat on the desk, his head drooping down, horns forward. “She…she is….innocent. Why….why were humans born this way.” Despite his office as Lord Keeper, Master of Letters, words formed with great difficulty, trying to get past his tightening throat, his eyes wet for some unknown reason. “I hear, obey and performed my tasks to my…..ab..abilities.”

What is wrong with me? He thought to himself, as his claws dug into the blessed desk. The decision was reached long ago to get revenge on the human race, save a few children to sacrifice to the Great Lord and the Cause of demonkind. We conquer, we slay, we serve the dark, the pierced heart. We have no hearts, no souls. That is a childs’.....a….humans’ weakness. He took a glance down at the hallway to the child’s room. Her mind full of dreams maybe of sugar candies, amusement rides, wondrous memories of her parents that he carefully altered so that she saw himself and most of the other children as human as her with only some of the younger of his kind unable to disguise. He wrought the spells to tell her mind that this was normal. Her parents sent her to her Uncle’s to learn and come back home in a few days. 

He opened the door, barely letting in the faint candlelight so as not to wake her. He applied the spell of sleep to keep her down in the dream world while he took her to…..no…don’t let her innocence change….no. Just do it. For the Great Lord. For the Cause. This world must be made pure. Must….