64th of Searing, 120 Continued from: here.
So, there they were. Barry had paid Arkash a visit under a friendly pretense but pushed for the truth. Arkash waited at the door with a pipe in hand, out of Barry's view. For a moment or two, Arkash believed that he might not have needed it, and Barry's kind words lowered the young Rath's defenses. Though Arkash clearly wanted nothing to do with the human, and it resulted in Barry's loss of patience.
[indent=30]Arkash began to close the door, but Barry threw his arm out to stop it, and the serious look in his eyes broke way to a smile, and he bowed his head. "Hey hey hey, easy," he spoke and took a step back. Arkash eased his press of the door. It wasn't like he could force Barry anyway, the man was another level of strength.
[indent=30]"Look, I know what you did." Arkash had pretty much worked that out for himself, yes, but he waited to humor the man. Where was that train of thought going? "An' I get it, I crossed you, you crossed me. But, I got sick when 'ou left me out in the rain an' I 'aven't been in work. Th' Bakery's goin' under, an' I need my dosh back. Not even all of it, just half. I won't even go t' th' Argents if 'ou fess up..."
[indent=30]Arkash knew Barry, he was a nice guy, but he wasn't without his standards. If he was coming for diplomacy, he was at the end of his rope. Maybe he'd already tried to have hollows sent out there, but the request was denied? Either way. Barry didn't have a leg to stand on. The Bakery wasn't his problem. Not anymore.
[indent=30]Arkash shook his head, almost as though he couldn't believe what he was talking about, then muttered "Fuck off, Barry," as he began to shut the door; Barry's own words when he left Arkash on the street.
[indent=30]What happened next, he hadn't seen coming.
[indent=30]A massive force ripped the door, and his pipe both from his hand as it flung open. Barry rushed the Rathari and pressed the blade of his forearm to Arkash's throat to pin him against the wall while he drew his knife, then swung it downward in for a stab at Arkash's shoulder.
[indent=30]Arkash had so little time to react. He was so overwhelmed. But though he couldn't breathe, he recognized the knife as the most immediate threat and shot out both his hands to catch the fat human's arm. He couldn't keep it at bay. Barry had the advantage of size, strength, and gravity as he pushed the knife down on Arkash. Venom was pouring out of his mouth as adrenaline coursed through his being, and his eyes looked to Barry's, where he found a sea of rage and hatred. He meant to kill Arkash.
[indent=30]He couldn't breathe, and he wasn't strong enough to hold off the baker anyway. The knife inched closer and closer before it finally broke the scales of his shoulder. He tried to scream, but couldn't even draw breath. Steadily, the knife sunk deeper and pressed into his bones.
[indent=30]His eyes felt as though they were about to explode from the pressure in his head, and darkness crept around his vision. He couldn't fight that. In a last-ditch effort, he lifted his feet to dig his talons into Barry's gut. The human grunted and growled, but didn't let up, even though Arkash could feel him bleeding. He let his feet down and shifted his grip to the human's arm; a desperate effort to draw breath... Before a hard clang sounded, and Barry stumbled.
[indent=30]Arkash drew breath again and dropped to his feet. It was Cojack, he'd hit Barry with Arkash's pipe. But the human wasn't down, not yet. Cojack threw the pipe to the lizard, he coughed as he caught it, then pressed on the offensive.
[indent=30]Cojack had struck Barry where Arkash had two weeks ago. There was a chance that the sickly horse had concussed him all over again. Barry was leaning forward, stumbling as if he were dizzy. Arkash didn't spare a second and threw the pipe into the side of his head in a broad, side-on swing as if he were chopping down a tree. Barry's whole head moved with the strike, and he swung at the Rath. Arkash ducked beneath the slow, dazed swipe of his knife, and swung the top of the pipe into the side of Barry's knee. It cracked and buckled under his weight.
[indent=30]Barry grunted as he dropped to one knee, But Arkash wasn't done. He took a moment to catch his breath through the exhaustion of being strangled, coupled with the burn of adrenaline in his veins, then swung the pipe at his head again. Another crack sounded, and Barry hit the floor. Arkash was on top of him and drove the pipe to his head over and over again in repeated, furious strikes. His skull cracked with every swing of the improvised weapon, and spatters of blood painted Arkash's scales and clothes. Cojack was yelling, but Arkash couldn't hear what he was saying over the deafening ring in his ears.
[indent=30]When he finally slowed to exhaustion, the ringing in his ears receded, and he was left breathing heavily over Barry's still, breathless body. His face was mangled beyond recognition, and blood was pooling around him.
[indent=30]"...Ark...?" Asked cojack's voice at last. The Rathari looked to him while his arms and legs trembled. Cojack was quiet and stared in horror at the scene. Arkash straightened his back and lifted his head skyward to open his lungs and draw more air into his shot body. He dropped the pipe with his other hand, and it clattered against the wooden planks loudly. "Rabe have mercy... Arkash, you... You killed him!"
[indent=30]He had. He'd killed a member of a higher caste. If anyone knew, he'd be executed. Quickly, he rushed to the door and threw it shut. He had no time to spare. At once, he gripped Barry's arms and pulled. His body was heavy, and barely budged with Arkash's heave, but one inch at a time, he moved the body across the floor and slumped it against the wall. Barry was sat with an obvious hunch. His head hung low and his arms rested in his lap.
[indent=30]"We've gotta go," hissed Arkash as he gripped his shoulder. Barry's knife had done a number on him, he probably needed stitches. He'd worry about it later.
[indent=30]Cojack was still in shock, unable to believe what he'd just witnessed. Arkash didn't linger. He collected his bag, his pipe, and took Cojack by the hand before he gave the old horse his walking stick. Step by step, he led the older Rathari out of the house, then locked it behind him.
[indent=30]He needed a plan. Something to focus on. They would... Spend a few nights at an Inn and get cleaned up. Arkash would hit a few more venues, and they would leave in a week. The only thing that had changed now that he'd killed someone was that they had less time. The longer they were there, the sooner someone would be able to find the body and trace it back to him... At least that's what his addled mind could come up with.
[indent=30]A moment of clarity came over him, and he paused. "Dad, wait here," he spoke. Cojack was barely responsive but offered a gentle nod to his son's instructions while he stared at the cobbled street. Arkash left his bag at his father's side, then rushed back to the house. A firm slam of his foot kicked the door in, where the hearth was still burning.
[indent=30]It was the same hearth that Arkash, Cojack, and Liu had cooked over some ten years ago. At that moment, it was his salvation. He brought his fur throw to the open flame, then dropped the corner of the sheet in the fire. As it caught, Arkash collected Barry's knife and used it to open Cojack's mattress. He threw the knife to the floor and collected the straw from inside the bed before he threw it all about the room in clumps. He didn't know if it would help spread the fire to the rest of the rickety wooden shack, but it felt appropriate.
[indent=30]As the flames began to catch Arkash looked to Barry's corpse against the wall a final time before he walked out into the street and shut the door. The shack was disconnected from the rest of the stone buildings in Lower Nivenhain, so he was fairly certain it wouldn't be a huge problem... But he'd hopefully covered up what happened in the house. The flames began to rise, and eventually engulfed the entire building. The panels of the roof fell into the flames, and they climbed over the ridge of the wall.
[indent=30]There he stood and watched his family home burn. It was the same shack that he'd lived in all his life, and shared a lifetime of fond memories with Liu and Cojack in there. Despite that, it barely fazed him. Arkash simply stared on, then broke away into the street before the flames drew too much attention.
[indent=30]Despite his exhaustion, pain, and anxiety, Arkash had never felt so... Right.
So, there they were. Barry had paid Arkash a visit under a friendly pretense but pushed for the truth. Arkash waited at the door with a pipe in hand, out of Barry's view. For a moment or two, Arkash believed that he might not have needed it, and Barry's kind words lowered the young Rath's defenses. Though Arkash clearly wanted nothing to do with the human, and it resulted in Barry's loss of patience.
[indent=30]Arkash began to close the door, but Barry threw his arm out to stop it, and the serious look in his eyes broke way to a smile, and he bowed his head. "Hey hey hey, easy," he spoke and took a step back. Arkash eased his press of the door. It wasn't like he could force Barry anyway, the man was another level of strength.
[indent=30]"Look, I know what you did." Arkash had pretty much worked that out for himself, yes, but he waited to humor the man. Where was that train of thought going? "An' I get it, I crossed you, you crossed me. But, I got sick when 'ou left me out in the rain an' I 'aven't been in work. Th' Bakery's goin' under, an' I need my dosh back. Not even all of it, just half. I won't even go t' th' Argents if 'ou fess up..."
[indent=30]Arkash knew Barry, he was a nice guy, but he wasn't without his standards. If he was coming for diplomacy, he was at the end of his rope. Maybe he'd already tried to have hollows sent out there, but the request was denied? Either way. Barry didn't have a leg to stand on. The Bakery wasn't his problem. Not anymore.
[indent=30]Arkash shook his head, almost as though he couldn't believe what he was talking about, then muttered "Fuck off, Barry," as he began to shut the door; Barry's own words when he left Arkash on the street.
[indent=30]What happened next, he hadn't seen coming.
[indent=30]A massive force ripped the door, and his pipe both from his hand as it flung open. Barry rushed the Rathari and pressed the blade of his forearm to Arkash's throat to pin him against the wall while he drew his knife, then swung it downward in for a stab at Arkash's shoulder.
[indent=30]Arkash had so little time to react. He was so overwhelmed. But though he couldn't breathe, he recognized the knife as the most immediate threat and shot out both his hands to catch the fat human's arm. He couldn't keep it at bay. Barry had the advantage of size, strength, and gravity as he pushed the knife down on Arkash. Venom was pouring out of his mouth as adrenaline coursed through his being, and his eyes looked to Barry's, where he found a sea of rage and hatred. He meant to kill Arkash.
[indent=30]He couldn't breathe, and he wasn't strong enough to hold off the baker anyway. The knife inched closer and closer before it finally broke the scales of his shoulder. He tried to scream, but couldn't even draw breath. Steadily, the knife sunk deeper and pressed into his bones.
[indent=30]His eyes felt as though they were about to explode from the pressure in his head, and darkness crept around his vision. He couldn't fight that. In a last-ditch effort, he lifted his feet to dig his talons into Barry's gut. The human grunted and growled, but didn't let up, even though Arkash could feel him bleeding. He let his feet down and shifted his grip to the human's arm; a desperate effort to draw breath... Before a hard clang sounded, and Barry stumbled.
[indent=30]Arkash drew breath again and dropped to his feet. It was Cojack, he'd hit Barry with Arkash's pipe. But the human wasn't down, not yet. Cojack threw the pipe to the lizard, he coughed as he caught it, then pressed on the offensive.
[indent=30]Cojack had struck Barry where Arkash had two weeks ago. There was a chance that the sickly horse had concussed him all over again. Barry was leaning forward, stumbling as if he were dizzy. Arkash didn't spare a second and threw the pipe into the side of his head in a broad, side-on swing as if he were chopping down a tree. Barry's whole head moved with the strike, and he swung at the Rath. Arkash ducked beneath the slow, dazed swipe of his knife, and swung the top of the pipe into the side of Barry's knee. It cracked and buckled under his weight.
[indent=30]Barry grunted as he dropped to one knee, But Arkash wasn't done. He took a moment to catch his breath through the exhaustion of being strangled, coupled with the burn of adrenaline in his veins, then swung the pipe at his head again. Another crack sounded, and Barry hit the floor. Arkash was on top of him and drove the pipe to his head over and over again in repeated, furious strikes. His skull cracked with every swing of the improvised weapon, and spatters of blood painted Arkash's scales and clothes. Cojack was yelling, but Arkash couldn't hear what he was saying over the deafening ring in his ears.
[indent=30]When he finally slowed to exhaustion, the ringing in his ears receded, and he was left breathing heavily over Barry's still, breathless body. His face was mangled beyond recognition, and blood was pooling around him.
[indent=30]"...Ark...?" Asked cojack's voice at last. The Rathari looked to him while his arms and legs trembled. Cojack was quiet and stared in horror at the scene. Arkash straightened his back and lifted his head skyward to open his lungs and draw more air into his shot body. He dropped the pipe with his other hand, and it clattered against the wooden planks loudly. "Rabe have mercy... Arkash, you... You killed him!"
[indent=30]He had. He'd killed a member of a higher caste. If anyone knew, he'd be executed. Quickly, he rushed to the door and threw it shut. He had no time to spare. At once, he gripped Barry's arms and pulled. His body was heavy, and barely budged with Arkash's heave, but one inch at a time, he moved the body across the floor and slumped it against the wall. Barry was sat with an obvious hunch. His head hung low and his arms rested in his lap.
[indent=30]"We've gotta go," hissed Arkash as he gripped his shoulder. Barry's knife had done a number on him, he probably needed stitches. He'd worry about it later.
[indent=30]Cojack was still in shock, unable to believe what he'd just witnessed. Arkash didn't linger. He collected his bag, his pipe, and took Cojack by the hand before he gave the old horse his walking stick. Step by step, he led the older Rathari out of the house, then locked it behind him.
[indent=30]He needed a plan. Something to focus on. They would... Spend a few nights at an Inn and get cleaned up. Arkash would hit a few more venues, and they would leave in a week. The only thing that had changed now that he'd killed someone was that they had less time. The longer they were there, the sooner someone would be able to find the body and trace it back to him... At least that's what his addled mind could come up with.
[indent=30]A moment of clarity came over him, and he paused. "Dad, wait here," he spoke. Cojack was barely responsive but offered a gentle nod to his son's instructions while he stared at the cobbled street. Arkash left his bag at his father's side, then rushed back to the house. A firm slam of his foot kicked the door in, where the hearth was still burning.
[indent=30]It was the same hearth that Arkash, Cojack, and Liu had cooked over some ten years ago. At that moment, it was his salvation. He brought his fur throw to the open flame, then dropped the corner of the sheet in the fire. As it caught, Arkash collected Barry's knife and used it to open Cojack's mattress. He threw the knife to the floor and collected the straw from inside the bed before he threw it all about the room in clumps. He didn't know if it would help spread the fire to the rest of the rickety wooden shack, but it felt appropriate.
[indent=30]As the flames began to catch Arkash looked to Barry's corpse against the wall a final time before he walked out into the street and shut the door. The shack was disconnected from the rest of the stone buildings in Lower Nivenhain, so he was fairly certain it wouldn't be a huge problem... But he'd hopefully covered up what happened in the house. The flames began to rise, and eventually engulfed the entire building. The panels of the roof fell into the flames, and they climbed over the ridge of the wall.
[indent=30]There he stood and watched his family home burn. It was the same shack that he'd lived in all his life, and shared a lifetime of fond memories with Liu and Cojack in there. Despite that, it barely fazed him. Arkash simply stared on, then broke away into the street before the flames drew too much attention.
[indent=30]Despite his exhaustion, pain, and anxiety, Arkash had never felt so... Right.