Butcher…

“Butcher.” One of them whispers, thinking I cannot hear them. “The Butcher of Bastion” another
says with reverence, falling to his knees before me. “Butcher” Adonis hisses at me in my mind. I
shake my head with a snarl, the kneeling supplicant scuttles back in terror. “come on Torrin, give in,
take him by the throat and show these people their Butcher!”

“You are not Adoni!” I growl at the voice “WITCH, what have you done to me!” a hissing laughter
once again recedes into my mind. I notice that Leo is looking at me strangely, we are in one of the
chambers at the temple and I have zoned out amongst the details of wars and kingdoms.

“I know it’s hard on us all mate” Leo clasps a hand on my shoulder, I feel a lighter touch as Mera
echoes his movements “But he’s gone, we said our words and burnt the remains. Let’s leave what’s
left to the wilds eh?”

I smile at this. He’s come along way since we met all those months ago, I suppose freedom will do
that to a man… as will belief. No, I’m being cynical again, these so called gods can wait out their
existence but I’ve done my research. Aglea was an exemplar in life and Leo will only promote her
cause of equality and freedom further.

“Sorry, can’t help it. We don’t all get to bang a gross hag thing in our dreams” Leo scowls but a few
of the others hide chuckles and Grack is smacking his leg with a clang.

Francois is the one to interrupt “yes, yes, let us all get back on track.” In the back of my mind I hear
it though, it is ever present
“ILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOU” for now I
manage to dull it to a whisper, but the shadowy form remains in the corner of my eye.