Vernice took a step back. He stumbled. His butt hit the snow.
"What are you?" He asked. His pain was dulled by the shock. His voice was shaking. His eyes were bulging. His mouth was agape.
"What am I?" the old man raised a brow "Such a vague question. What. Well Earl Vernice I am many things. Just this morning I was just an old man for you. Now I am something else. The first time I met Ivan I was a threat. He raised his sword against me. But now I am his savior. You see Earl Vernice. I am many things"
The old man closed his palms. The flame was extinguished and all that remained was a rising black smoke from his hand.
"Don't worry Earl Vernice. I am not here to hurt you. An offer is what I bring"
The old man leaned forward and offered his hand to help Vernice. Vernice just stared at the hand, too scared to grab it.
The old man retracted his hand and shook his head.
"Too shocked to move eh? Too scared to talk. Too appalled to think. Well let me provide an answer to your query. What am I? Well let's just say that I am a dealer of death and destruction. My job is to cause chaos and disorder"
The old man smiled and sat on the snow.
"Like what I said, a reset is coming in the near future. But first we need to soften you humans. You are just too powerful to defeat when united. Too stubborn to accept defeat. The wars and conflicts around the world are our doing. You like food right? I've seen you eat this morning and I must say, you seem to like food. You just tore that turkey like it decimated your family. Well let me put it in a way you can understand. We cook meat not just to add flavor. We also do it to soften the thing. You humans are the meat while we are the fire. We soften you through division and wars. When it's time for the cull, we can tear you to pieces with ease"
Vernice eyes quivered "Tulosa...Calgari..."
"Yes, yes. Smart man you are. We caused their invasions. And not just them. All over the world we have sowed seeds of conflicts. And now those seeds are growing into beautiful wars"
Vernice put his hand behind and gripped a handful of snow. Despicable. This man, if he can still be called a man, was despicable.
"Why would you want that. What did we do to you?"
"Because it is my job to do so and a man's got to do his job right?" the old man cocked his head to the side "But lately we've had some problems. Your Kingdom is tough. Two invasions and a civil war it faced and two invasions and a civil war it survived. Now Castonia have formed a union with Vanadis. That's why we need smart men like you to help us. We need you"
"And why..."
"Should you help us?" the old man interrupted
"Simple. Because you will survive the cull if you help us. Our goal is not the extinction of all humans. We just want to reset. And when everything is new- when the world has been reborn- you will become a King. You can choose which land to rule. You will become powerful. More powerful than you can ever imagine"
I don't want that- that's what Vernice wanted to say. He doesn't want such a thing. But he cannot say it. He was reminded of the ball of flame. That was a real flame, he thought. That was not a trick nor was it an illusion. He would die if he uttered even a word of refusal.
"Why me? Why choose a fat man who can't even walk properly? I am also hated by many people. Just stroll outside and every few steps you will find a person who wants me dead."
"Who then? Ivan? That Prince is a foolish creature. Incompetent. He can't even give a speech properly. Also he is loyal to Wismar. You, on the other hand, is a smart man. The second most powerful man in the east" the old man opened his hand. A flame dance on top of his palm. "The best thing about you is that you are loyal to yourself. Only yourself. We want such people as such people won't betray us"
"And and you are sure that I am like that?"
"You are. What happened ten years ago is the proof"
Vernice was reminded of what he did all those years ago. His vision was filled with the red hue of blood. He could smell its disgusting iron odor. And the cry. The dying cry was breaking his nerves.
He started to shake. The old man put an arm on his shoulder and whispered into his ears.
"You killed him. You killed him for your own benefit. You acted fast and you acted wisely. That's the kind of person that we need"
The old man didn't even let him take a gulp of air. He continued.
"So what's it going to be? Will you join us? Will you grab this opportunity like what you did in the past?"
Vernice was still recovering from being reminded of his sin. What he did was indeed wrong. But this man is talking about the death of millions. He cannot allow that. He swallowed his saliva.
"I want Castonia" Vernice lifted his head and looked at the man "When everything has settled I want to rule the land where Castonia stands"
"Such sentimentality. Bad choice I must say. But it's your choice" the old man offered his hand.
Vernice shook it. "What should I do then?"
"Wait for further orders from us"
The man rose and started walking away.
"And if you ever betray us Vernice" he produced the same flame on his hand "You will suffer a fate worse than death"
**********
Shadow pushed the door of the alehouse open and stepped inside. It was warm and bright- a jarring contradiction to the gloom and cold outside.
He expected the usual booming laughter of drunken men, the happy chatter of citizens, the rowdiness he was accustomed to. But none of it reached his senses. All there was were angry men drinking with clenched fists and gritted teeth.
"That fat swine!" a hairy man wearing crude clothes pounded on the table "That Earl of lards is hogging all the food"
"Aye" his drinking companion confirmed "I swear lads, that ugly pig just wants more food for his belly. Glutton. That's what he is"
Shadow continued walking and sat on the stool near the bartender. He put three silver coins on the table.
"My good man, give me the best wine you have"
With a swipe of his hand the bartender took the coins.
"Hadean then. Lucky for you lad I still have half a bottle left in me storage"
The bartender grabbed a bottle from below. He popped the cork with his thumb and poured a cupful. Shadow first indulged himself in the aromatic smell of Hadean. It was one of those cheaper kinds but it'll do for tonight. He drank and filled his palates with a sweet tang.
"I swear lads! I really hate that swine. Damn him. Damn him and that gigantic belly of his" the same hairy man again said, too drunk to realize that he was already singing a rebellious tone for the others.
Shadow just continued drinking his fill. He just thought of how he missed his hat and his cane. Because he had to mix with the locals, he had to dress like them.
"I say we grab some weapons and storm the villa. We should raid his storage of grains. Those grains belong to us anyway!" the rebellious tone continued behind Shadow.
"The Earl doesn't seem so popular" Shadow commented.
"Of course he isn't. That pig has been bleeding our coffers dry for years. The former Earl is so much better. And then the pig killed him. I swear he should have hanged for what he did but no he became our Earl. Justice truly is dead" the bartender said while drying a cup with a cloth.
Shadow shrugged and emptied the last of the wine . He put the cup down.
"You're not from around here lad?" the bartender asked
"I'm not"
"Let me guess" the bartender studied his face "Heh this is too easy. Golden hair, dark eyes. You are from the north aren't you?"
"I am"
Shadow rose. He turned his back and started walking away.
"I have actually seen your kind around here. Too unique to forget the lot of you"
Shadow halted. He looked behind. "You've seen another man with golden hair and dark eyes?"
"Yes. Old man he is. I think he's with Prince Ivan"
He frowned "And this old man. Is he wearing a medallion?"
"Aha. So you know him. A friend of yours?"
Shadow's heart raced. He found him. So it was him who was causing all these troubles. That man should be currently staying in the villa. He walked towards the door.
"He's not. That person is my enemy"