“He’s so ugly,” Sulayman whispered to himself, as he tried to wipe at the blackened flesh on Guzman‘s cheeks. Behind him, he could hear Faruq‘s shuddering gasps as he attempted to revive Chaka. It was too late though. They were dead.
One should not speak ill of the dead. The voice in Sulayman‘s head sounded like Auntie but he wasn’t quite sure anymore, since it had been so long since he’d heard her voice. Auntie. How would he tell her? How to explain all this?
“He was an oafish brute,” Sulayman muttered to himself as he gazed at Guzman. Why had the elf been so mean to Guzman? They were brothers, after all. And why was Sulayman thinking of this now?
It wasn’t his fault, poor Guzman. Sulayman knew deep down that Guzman didn’t deserve to be spoken to as the wizard had done, but he would probably never admit it. When Su looked at Guzman, he sometimes saw them. Those brutes from the street. The strong ones that took from you what they wanted and you could do nothing about it. They’d laugh at you as they used you. Sulayman shuddered and felt shame and tears on his face.
Gish had called them useless. The dragon had uttered the word more than once. Once was too many times for Sulayman, his eyes burned with hatred as he watched the dragon tear into the corpse of it’s own sister. The wizard could feel the fire burning in his veins again. Su could see the dragon in his mind’s eye, awash in flame and screaming in anguish. The thought brought pleasure to him, more than it should have. The wizard was angry at himself. Angry for letting the dragon manipulate them.
“I will see you burn, bitch,” the elf promised himself. But first, they had to find these Jann. They’d have to see if anything could be done for their brother and sister. Sulayman caressed Guzman‘s face, and his shoulders sagged.
“I’m sorry brother,” Su sighed, “I’m sorry… it wasn’t you. It was always me. I wish I could have made you understand…” D’Aro cleared his throat awkwardly behind Sulayman, bringing his attention back to matters at hand.
Their cousin was holding Cyclone, his eyes concerned. “What now?” D’aro asked.
“We leave this place.” Su replied.
“What of the dragon?”
“Gish will pay,” Sulayman spat from clenched teeth, “in due time.”
The elf stared across the cave and smiled as he imagined the dragon burning to ash in front of him.
