11 Arash - Proper Man

Arash's jaw was taut with anger, while his lips formed a thin line. Cold rage coursed through his body as he plodded towards the old man, the memory of what the bastard had done was burned into his mind.

"We did it!" the old man roared, his eyes fixed on the dead beast. "Serves him right! Dim-witted, shit smelling beast. Fuck you! Haha—" The old man's laugh stopped in his throat as he noticed Arash's chilling gaze.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" His mind racing for an excuse, but the young man's expressionless face told him that it was pointless. "Look, I—"

Arash swung out his leg and kicked the old man square across the face. The old man flopped onto his back, dazed.

"Let me explain—" Another kick to the face sent the old man sprawling. He yelped as he felt his jaw dislocate.

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"Waiif!" the old man protested.

"Go over there if you want to live. Do as I say!" Arash spat the old man's word back at him. He kicked out again and heard a satisfying snap as Saroh's ribs gave way to the tip of his boot. He continued, stopping only after Saroh's pitiful form had turned into a swollen mess.

"What's your name?" Arash winced as he heaved for air; even the simple act of breathing made his ribs ache.

The old man glared back at him. During the beating, his jaw had snapped back into place, but he still found himself unable to speak; Arash never gave him the chance. He felt his swollen cheeks.

"I guess you need some convincing. I will ask you one last time. Who are you? What was that beast? And most importantly, what gave you the idea that you could use me as bait?"

"Saroh…" The old man spat out blood, wincing in pain as his body ached all over the place. Arash had been thorough in his beatings. Every single part of the old man's body was riddled with bruises. He angrily glared at Arash. "Name's Saroh."

"Saroh." Arash replied, committing the name to his memory. "What is that beast and why was it following you?"

Saroh kept his silence, but a slight shift of Arash's leg made him speak. "Kharas, It's a fucking Kharas. It Ambushed us… uh me—"

"Still trying to hide something!" Arash scoffed in derision. "Stop playing games with me old man."

"Games? What games? My friends are dead. Killed by that animal. It's no longer us. It's only me…" He noticed the contempt on the Arash's face. He trembled in anger. "Don't you dare look at me like that boy. Beating an old helpless man, you have no right to look at me like that." Spittle flew all over the place as he hatefully glared at Arash.

"No right? I came here to help you and you used me as bait." Arash once again felt the urge to kick him.

"I didn't ask for you to come, did I?" Saroh's eyes bulged out in defiance. "I had to make a choice, it was you or me. It wasn't a hard choice to make."

"What kind of a man are you?" Arash felt sick to his stomach.

"The kind of man who wants to live! I have seen your kind. Rushing to your death for what? Honor? Pride? Self-satisfaction?" Saroh spat at Arash. "We are the Nameless, slaves to our masters. There is no honor for us. There is no pride. Slaves we are, and as slaves we will die. I don't fancy death. I am not ashamed of it. I am a coward, no shame in that." Saroh's eyes glazed for a moment. "I can see the way your lot look at me. I have seen your kind's hatred and heard their mockery. But they are rotting under the ground or shitted out by some wild beast. While I live and breath..." He groaned in pain.

"Coward!" Arash glowered at the old man.

"An alive coward. There is a difference. We are all cowards in one way or another. I just happen to be the smart kind." Saroh smiled at Arash as if he had said the funniest thing in the world.

"You don't have a conscience, do you?" Arash frowned at the man.

"Conscience? Will it keep me alive? Will it feed me?"

"It will make you a man. A proper man."

"Take your proper man and shove it up your ass! Proper Man! Huh!" Saroh spat in distaste, his spit still tinged red with his blood. "tell you what! That trick of yours sure was ingenious. Risky, but ingenious nonetheless. I almost lost it when the spikes didn't kill the damn thing. I was quite sure of it. But not everything goes as you want it to go…" He noticed the way Arash stared at him. "What?"

"How did you make the spikes appear?" Arash asked eagerly.

"The spikes? Oh, I prayed to the rivers, and then to the sky. Told them that I would be an earnest man, a proper man! But the souls in the rivers said fuck off to me, so I just farted and poof they appeared." Saroh smiled his broken smile.

"You must be itching for a beating?"

"Boy, you would have pummeled me to death if it were up to you. I had seen that look in your eyes. A killer, I thought. But, a man can be wrong more than one time."

"How did you do it?" Arash asked again, trying to hide his anxiety. He donned a mask of cruelness as he stared at the Saroh. "I won't ask again!"

"Stop wasting your breath boy. You ain't a killer." Saroh smirked. "So let's put an end to this charade and leave. The winds won't be quiet for a long time."

"Not a killer!" Arash wanted to snap the bastard's neck, right there and then. But something inside him stopped him. He couldn't help but remember Saroh's words. "Pride! Honor! Self-satisfaction." Arash frowned at the thought. 'What is it? Why is it so easy for him to use me, but I can't do the same?' He groaned in frustration. The smugness on Saroh's face made him want to pummel the old bastard. He wanted to know the secrets of the runes. Arash frowned at the old man. "What kind of a man is he?"

Saroh laughed out loud. "Come on, boy! Ask me something else, and I will be grateful to help. I can tell you about the lands beyond the mines, I can tell you the secrets of the rivers. Anything else, just say it. I can tell you." He said with a carefree smile.

Arash could see the casual demeanor of the old man, but something felt wrong. He just couldn't put his finger on it. He studied the old man's face; saw the smug smile on his face, the broken teeth and swollen face. Suddenly he noticed the man's eyes. He saw fear in them. 'He is afraid… Afraid of me?'

"You are not going to tell me about the spikes?" Arash sighed in frustration.

"Are we doing this again?" Saroh said helplessly.

"Beating will not work?" Arash arched his left eyebrow.

"Why ask these stupid questions? The winds will soon pick up and we will die for sure." Saroh said grimly.

"Not we! You! You will be the only one dying." Arash got back on his feet. He turned towards the direction on mana deposits. "As you say, I am not a killer. But I don't have to drag you to safety." Arash glanced at the old man with a weary expression. "I guess your secret is worth more than your life…" Arash turned...