Chapter 349 - The Moonshadow Trading Company Short Stories: 4 - The Dominant (IV) (2/2)

Rassa held out his hands to each of the girls, and influenced the shadows to pull Mathius' hands up.

”What I am going to do is merge our minds. You will see the crime Mathius committed through his eyes, and you will see how I dealt with the situation through mine. When it is over, you will be free to state your opinions before he is sentenced”.

Neither Iah or Ebony protested. They could tell from Rassa's still seriousness that he was very angry, and would not put up with any questioning. The two girls glanced at each other, then took Rassa and Mathius's hands as instructed.

Together, they experienced the crime as Mathius had committed it, then they experienced Rassa's memory of the event. When it was done, Rassa's power withdrew from them and they released his hands before they looked from Mathius to Rassa and back.

”Speak your piece,” Rassa instructed.

The two women were silent for a long minute before Ebony took a breath and spoke.

”I agree that his methods were excessive,” she stated, ”But I cannot disagree with his reasoning”.

Rassa's gaze turned slowly to Iah, ”And you, Iah?”

Iah looked across at Ebony for a long moment before she sighed, ”Ishta Alamone was an obstacle, Mathius took care of it”.

Rassa s.u.c.k.e.d in a loud breath before he stood, the two women flinching as he took a few steps away, ”Rassa, please-”

Rassa whipped around, ”Do not beg me for anything right now, Ebony, I am the farthest from a benevolent mood that I have ever been”.

Ebony's mouth snapped shut as she turned away. It was moments like this that they were reminded just how far they were from Rassa. He may have turned them, but they were still far below him, becoming Vampires had only allowed them to understand that that was where they should be.

Rassa laughed condemningly as he began to pace, ”Unbelievable, you are immortal, one of you even unsealed, and still, you fail to comprehend the bigger picture”.

Ebony s.u.c.k.e.d in a breath before she stood, ”Perhaps we'd understand if you just explained it to us!”

”I have!” snapped Rassa, ”Countless times! It was one of the damn things I asked you to accept before I changed you!”

”Those Cryptic hints? Are you talking about those?” snapped Ebony, ”Rassa, we're not f.u.c.k.i.n.g mind readers! We do the best we damn well can with what you give us, but sometimes even that isn't enough for us to understand your logic!”

Rassa huffed as he stared Ebony down, ”Fine”.

He stepped back towards his seat, then held out his hands again, ”I will give you all probably the best and most concise explanation I possibly can. When you wake up from it, and I drag Mathius away to undertake the punishment he damn well deserves, I hope your childish, human stupidity will cease once and for all”.

Ebony hesitated, and upon meeting Rassa's glare sat back down in a huff, taking his hand and Mathius's again. Iah did so too, hesitantly.

Rassa dug deep, then thrust some of the memories from his lessons into their minds.

Hours later, deep into the night when the three of them began to stir once more, Rassa slipped on a thick smelting glove and reached deep into his shadows. From it he withdrew a thick, silvery clear Anthrite chain.

Rassa moved forward and clamped the chains around Mathius's wrists, ankles and finally his neck. Mathius hissed at the pain, looking up at Rassa, half in horror, and half pleading.

Rassa stared back, unmoved, ”You made the choice. You must live with the consequences. Now you should know how lenient I am being to what you could have caused”.

Mathius let his head roll forward, ”I'm…I'm sorry”.

Rassa stood, summoning his wings as Ebony and Iah stood, tears in their eyes.

”Why…why didn't you ever say?” asked Ebony.

Rassa sighed, then turned back to Ebony, ”If you could spare someone you cared for from the pain of knowing, would you do it?”

Ebony's hands went to her waist, as if to hold herself together, ”That was…terrifying. Even if Order is weakened as it is now, could they do that to us?”

”There are four of us, Ebony,” said Rassa, ”Five if you include Aegin. Perhaps a few more if you include the other paths. But there is a reason Chaos has been silent for so long. They were arrogant before. Loud and Proud. There is nothing wrong with that. I d.e.s.i.r.e nothing more than to be the same way. But one day, Order will decide that there is something wrong with us. They will condemn our ways. They will condemn our paths, and then they will seek to destroy us in the name of their Gods. I play by their rules when in the light, and my own in the shadows. It is unfair. Of course it is. But we have not the power nor the numbers to fight as our forefathers did, and they fought too little too late. As much as it sickens me to do so. I will play the part they wish to see so that I may protect the future of my Coven. I am patient when I need to be, and I will wait them out until I can tip the scales back to a balance”.

Ebony looked over at Iah, who stepped forward and placed a careful hand on Rassa's arm, ”We are sorry for questioning your intentions. We should not have”.

Rassa sighed, then turned away, ”Golden Sands will be in turmoil now. Contact Elsbeth and Talo and tell them to prepare to go south. We should attempt to secure some of the mines if we can”.

”Of course,” Iah stated as she stepped back.

”Ebony?” asked Rassa.

Ebony looked up at him.

”You go with them,” Rassa stated.

Ebony looked a little surprised, ”Really?”

Rassa nodded, ”I need to remain here to finish plans for the expansion, including overseeing training and appointing a new head for Barday. You'll do well enough on your own”.

Ebony blushed, ”After everything, you still trust me to do this on my own?”

Rassa sighed, ”I think you've made enough mistakes. Time to start forging a few victories, don't you think?”

Ebony nodded, ”I'll do my best”.

”That's all I'll ever ask”.

Then Rassa moved to the balcony, dragged Mathius in the Anthrite chains with him.

”One year in confinement,” Rassa stated, ”Fed only once a month. That should be enough for you to think on your actions”.

Mathius had nothing to say in reply, but Rassa could feel both his fear and his remorse.