The Shadow Vipers, Part 2

The girl was in the tub, as he had hoped, but she would not look at him. He sensed her fear, so simply looked around at the keeper's room. A career in murder and robbery could buy the furnishings to spruce up a room in even as badly maintained inn as this had been. He sat on the bed and waited for her to speak. He hoped she didn't wait too long, because he didnt want the water getting cold. As a matter of realization, he gave silent orders for his shadowy servant to bring more hot water...and food.

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As women will do, she did not remain quiet long. She just didn't look at him as she spoke.
“I saw it...the snake on your arm...are you one of the shadow snakes?”

“I am a Shadow Viper; that is what we are called”

“But don't you want to rule the world? Why bother with a little village?”
He stifled his laughter
“Look at me”, and waited until she looked up to see him smiling easily “Do I look like a mad sorcerer, conjuring tornadoes and turning people into sheep? Do I stink of corpses and have red glowing eyes?”

She had started smiling at his first question, but withdrew back into herself at the mention of corpses, so he continued.
“A Shadow Viper is one who has learned much of the Dark Arts, has learned to move quietly and unseen without the use of any Art, can use poisons, and can fight with sword and without. Some of us use this power for personal power. Most of us simply stay out humanity's way unless something needs fixing. This village needed fixing. Sometimes it is another Shadow Viper that needs fixing, and that requires a Shadow Viper to fix. Sometimes there are wars amongst us as we, quote, argue, unquote, about who and what needs fixing. Being Shadow Vipers, most people don't see these wars. We are supposed to be shadowy, after all.”

He was pleased to see her recognize the last bit as snark, and even smile a little. She was no simpleton and he didn't like bedding stupid women. He changed the subject accordingly.
“I don't think you like being a whore, so I'll pay you some money just for staying here. If you choose to please me, I will pay you even more”

He watched her face as she decided, and cheated a bit by measuring her life force as she decided. He guessed she thought he was attractive, and that she thought she would need the money, even if she appeared that she didn't like coupling, which wasn't surprising considering she had been beaten into being a whore. He judged that her consent was honest, so it fell within his ethical bounds. He was glad she was attracted to him, as that was his own deciding factor on the ethical boundary. He certainly was glad he didn't have to take a long ride through the snow to the next village that he would be able to get his End of Day.
“So, can I get in the bath with you?”

She smiled and blushed, but kept looking at him, so he undressed and carefully got in.

He started by massaging her neck, and had another pleasant surprise. She had the Spark. Well, well, something to consider.

He decided to make his End of Day as special as he could for her, and by the time he relieved his tension, he felt that she had enjoyed the coupling, even though he knew she did not get her own End of Day...again, not surprising. But that would come later.

As they lay together, he found she did enjoy the the snuggling. She told him that rarely happened and he understood. He turned towards her and looked into her eyes. Though she did struggle internally, she held the gaze, and that was good too.

“You see the things I did today? You can do that. You have what we call The Spark.”

Her eyes widened, but she held the gaze, prompting him to continue.
“Any sorcerer will tell you that their way, their school, their learning, is the only way to learn magic...which is also called Art or the Gift, or by some other pompous term”

He grinned
“And I am no different. The basis of all magic comes from life force. Thus the most powerful magics are those dealing in life force, like killing or healing power. Things that are dead now once had life force, and this manipulation is thus part of the most powerful expression of Art. Magicians, wizards, sorcerers, what have you...that throw fire or bend steel or cast mountains down...they use their own life force to power their magic. We use the life force of our target to power ours. Not all people have the intrinsic ability to use life force. And not all of those that do can use the life force of others, which means they have to power their own magics. We say that those who can touch and use the life force of others have The Spark...like lighting crashing from the sky,”

He saw that she didn't understand some of the words .
“Here, try this. Look at the walls. Think about green."

He skillfully manipulated her innate power, and grinned when she gasped.
“Those shapes in the wall...those are mice?”

He again thought how nice it was that she was intelligent. Now would come the hard part. He controlled a mouse and had it come out on the floor towards their bed. She shrank from the mouse a bit, but that was normal in women.
“Is the mouse still green?”

She was a bit confused in her answer, but then again this was complicatedly easy.
“No, he's just a mouse.”
“OK, look at the mouse and think green.”

She almost squealed.
“Yes, he is green...inside...he's green inside”

He made sure he was completely out of her mind...this would be the crucial test.
“Now crush the green”

He was doubly pleased that she not only grasped the implication of that immediately, but didn't immediately obey. She had a will of her own, and she protested killing the “poor little mouse”.
“I can not teach you to do what I did today if you will not take the mouse's life. Everything else will flow from that. Do you want to be a whore to be beaten when some cruel sot wants to beat you? If you want strength, this is the choice you make. Now.”

She frowned at him, then concentrated on the mouse. It died.
“Do you feel guilty?”
“No, but I feel sorry for the mouse. He didn't do anything”

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He smiled at her and the mouse jumped up, squeaked, and ran back into a crack in the wall. She hugged him. He felt the need for another End of Day. He cheated again and took some of her memory and pain away from her for the moment. He threw a little more manipulation at her body as well.

She, too, had her End of Day.

The Shadow Vipers - Prologue and Part 1
A cloaked rider inflicts vicious justice on a den of thieves