Shadow of Rage

I watched passively as the asphodelus blooms swayed in time with the hand that stroked my head. The wind was warm, as was the lap of Uktannu as I laid upon it.

"Always so restless," she said. I glanced up at her, then resumed watching the blossoms sway. "And always so quiet."

"Does it bother you that much?" I asked, watching as a bee moved to pollinate a bloom.

"No. But I would like to hear you speak more."

I furrowed my brow. "Why? What I came for is resolved."

She shook her head, earrings and bangles like windchimes on the breeze. "No. It is not." Her stroking continued. "You remain restless."

"Rest is not for my kind, Uktannu," I replied.

Her stroking stopped. "Was that another of your references?" Amusement was in her tone.

I kept my eyes trained on the insect, but it soon flew away.

"How cute," she cooed, and I felt my cheeks warm further. "A wonder you haven't shared something so tender with those two Visitors. It's quite a shame to hide that wit."

I exhaled, closing my eyes. Her verbal proddings were easier to see, but still hard to deflect. "That past is dead and buried, Uktannu. I am not that man. I am Horus, and nothing more."

"Yet you retain her family name," she said, resuming her petting of my head.

I chuffed. "Her name is worth keeping. Mine no longer is," I replied, tensing.

"I believe you'll find some disagreement with that, Horus." A softer tone. Worry. Concern. Pity.

"Then it can remain a disagreement," I opened my eyes once more, glaring up at the deity. "The corpses I've left should remain corpses." What was her game? Our agreement was simple, or supposed to be. In order to regain my standing, to have my strength again, I had to unlock my pain once more. She would aid. I would return it in kind.

It wasn't supposed to be some forced, softspoken coddling of each other!

She only smiled. "It's hard to keep them quiet when you continue to try and avenge them." A scratch behind my ear made me growl.

"Cease," I hissed.

She stopped.

Heaving a breath, I sat up. "Why do you insist on these questions, Uktannu?" I asked.

She faltered. "Am I not your friend?"

"..."

"Am I not?"

"You are."

"So why do you fear speaking-"

"I do not. But the Blackbriar name is to be held by none but myself and my enemies," I clasped my chest. "I am what they made me, Uktannu. Pain or no, released or not, I AM what they made. I will remain such until they all lie dead, tormented in MY domain until time immemorial for their sins."

The Lady Earth moved, and the breeze followed as she rested on her hand. "And you believe Tartarus would allow them in? Half-Born? When they've no souls to speak of?"

I snarled. "I. Care. Not. I will drag their corpses screaming to life if it means I can hear them scream again!" My tail slammed of it's own accord, cracking the earth.

She remained unmoved. But the frown was pain enough. "Do you feel like that would heal them? Heal us? Torment for torment?"

"The one fairness they shall ever gain from me," I said.

"Fairness? To you, or them?"

My teeth bared. "Are you telling me to forget my anger? The wrath they are due for their uncountable sins?"

She shook her head. "No. I am asking you, as your friend, to not lose yourself."

I stood, glaring down at the Mother Earth. "I am Horus Blackbriar, Uktannu. Now by our pact, let. Me. Go."

She exhaled, the wind whipping around us. I still glared.

"The pact isn't finished, Horus," Standing, she met my glare with her own. "Tell me, when your wife died, what did she whisper?"

I stared at her, chill filling my veins.

"What did she whisper to you, Horus, on her deathbed?" she stepped forward.

And for once in more moons than I ever wanted to count, in more cold nights without a shred of warmth to comfort and more screams I ever wanted hear, my gaze dropped, like it did that night I first asked my Bloom why she would stain her hands so red.

I clenched my claws, drawing blood. "What was whispered..." I began, looking up with fresh, burning tears of black. "...is for my ears, and mine alone, Uktannu."

"Then the pact is unfinished." She stated firmly.

I closed my eyes, trying to stem the tide. "...Then let it be unfinished. What my Bloom-" I stopped short, then corrected course. "-what my wife whispered, is not for friends to hear, close as family or not."

Her eyes finally peeked from her hood. Marbles as wondrous as she no doubt was. Blue and brown and green and agleam with splendor. And worry.

"I cannot leave it unfinished, Horus..." She began.

I took her hand. "Please. Let me keep that memory at least, Uktannu. Let me treasure at least that, if nothing else."

Her eyes stared into mine, searching. Hoping.

I felt only pain at seeing mine reflected in hers as she finally nodded. "Very well." Pulling me by the hand into a hug, she squeezed tightly. "I will do as you ask. But tell me before you finish your chosen task, at least."

I returned the embrace. "Thank you, old friend..."

We basked in one another's warmth for a time, before she relented. "I will explain what I can to my husband," she said, wiping a tear of her own. "But do not dally long on your hunt, wolf." She teased.

I grinned, wiping my own tears. "You have my word, Uktannu."

"The word of a demon?" she smirked, placing a hand on her hip. "Hmm, I suppose that will have to do, then."

We shared a final smile, before the breeze kicked up, and obscured my vision with petals uncountable.