Day 236 - Full Moon 7

Day 236 - Full Moon 7

I stare at the rusted blade for a moment before sheathing it again.

“And then I just wandered around the city for a while,” it continues as I step back into the room.  I'm sorely tempted to tell it not to touch my furniture when it isn't covered enough to even suggest proper dress, but it's already sat down.  I might as well just let the thing sit and burn the chair later.  “It's a soft place.  There are so few warriors, and yet people simply walk about.  I suppose I'm not unhappy with how kind it is toward the weak.”

“What that doesn't explain is why you're in my apartment.”

“Because you are responsible for my fate,” the amazon - Myria - answers flatly.  It speaks too clearly, with just a hair too much enunciation.  “You've chosen what my life will be.”
“You gave it to me.”
“All the same.”
“Then what is it that you want from me?”
It stares at me briefly, before looking away..  “I don't know.  I want freedom from this oath I've taken.  I can't have that, though, and since it keeps me from anything else I'd want I'm not sure what's left.”
“There's always dying well.”
It immediately looks back to me, and with an accusatory expression says “You were too quick to come to that.”
“Fine, then don't.”
“I didn't,” it begins, before quickly asking “Is that what you intend to do?”

I hadn't expected the question.
Honestly, I don't know if I'd have an answer if I did.
“It would be a proper end to my work.”

“This is because of us, isn't it?”
“What?”
It has such a melancholy look to its face, like it's thinking back to an old memory, remembered too many times to still cause pain, but still saddening.  “We thought we could scare the resistance out of humanity.  That you'd give up if the force was too great to oppose.  Instead, you became like this.  You wear that thing because of us.”
“We didn't win because of fear.  We won by determination and superiority in warfare.”
“You think that this is proof that you are suited for war?”  It doesn't give me a chance to answer.  “You're wrong.  It's proof that men should never have lifted weapons.”

We stare at each other for a moment.  I break the silence.  “I expected a race of self-professed warriors to accept defeat more gracefully than this.”
“What more do you want us to do but lay down and die?”

The question wasn't malicious or sarcastic.  It was simply a question.

“Stay out of my apartment.”  With that I turn and leave.
“And lock the door behind you,” I add as it follows after me.

Please don't make me talk to this thing.

---

“So you walk around.”
“Yes.”
“And you're paid for this service?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”

---

“When do you finish your route?”
“You're free to do anything else.”
“Such as?”
“I honestly don't care – I just don't want you around when the full moon rises.”
“I won't be.”
“Will you be going back home?”
“No.  I'll make camp in the woods and return in the morning.”
“Fantastic.”

---

“The doors here are small.”
“They fit everyone who lives here.”
“I suppose that's fair.”

---

“Your new sword is damaged.”
“It's not new, and it's not damaged.”
“The iron is pitted and warped.”
“So it is.”
“It will not strike true.”
“I've been thinking that for a while now.”
“You should get a new one, if you have to carry a sword at all.”
“I've been thinking that for a while now, too.”

---

“I'm surprised you aren't fatigued.  We've been walking for hours.”
“I stopped getting sore from walking months ago.”
“Mm.”
“You should invest in shoes.”
“Don't mistake my concern for complaint.  I don't need shoes.”

---

“So you just follow him around,” the horse asks.
“So far, yes.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It's interesting.”
“You'll forgive me if I have trouble believing that.”
“Yes, I will.”
“If I find myself followed by a third monster,” I say slowly, “I will take it as a threat.”

---

“Do you eat?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“When I want to.”
“You shouldn't go this long without.  Men are fragile.”
“I'm not getting less annoyed when I hear that.”

---

“You seem to be in pain.”
“It's nothing.”
“It's not nothing.  You're grimacing as we speak.”
“It's just a minor annoyance.”
“You should see a healer.”
“I will.  I have an appointment.”
“Are you sure you're-”
“I'm fine.”

---

“You're suited to this, but it can't be what you plan to do forever.  When do you intend to settle down?”

I'd grown accustomed to its regular interruptions.  I'd even  forgotten the thing was following me once.  And now I have to deal with this.  I don't care for it.  “I don't.”
“Then you expect to do this work until your death?”
“I do.”
“And if you become infirm?”
“I doubt that I will live that long.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't seek to.  Because the Government Lethal Chamber exists and I don't fear using it.  Because half the people in this city will be tempted to do something that would set off my shield tonight.  Take your pick.”

“I had thought, after walking for so long, that this was a gentle world you men had made.”
“It will be.”
“It's horrifying.”
“Then leave.”
“I won't.”

I look toward it, noting how the sun is well on its way toward the horizon beyond.  The light in my eyes can't hide the thing's face, though.  Resolve is universal.  “I'll save the people here.”

“Good luck, now get out before you break your word.”