The Hollow Root - Chapter 30

First time? Here’s the table of contents:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29

Silas sat in blue cloth chair in the front room of a modest house. His hands grasped around a warm mug of coffee. He took in a deep breath smelling the fresh aroma of the black liquid. The room was lit by the morning air and frost dusted the window Silas looked out of to view the falls located just to the south of the main city center in North Falls.

The town itself began as a winter hunting ground for the Okanagan people who lovingly called it qʷc̓iʔs snk̓lip which translates to Coyote’s Winter home. They called it this because North Falls was a particularly hard piece of land to live on consistently at the time, which is why larger mammals like Elk used it to hide from predators. Over time the name qʷc̓iʔs snk̓lip was forgotten. The new occupiers of the land renamed it “North Falls” because they couldn’t agree on anything more exciting and it was in fact North of some things and featured a waterfall.

Silas hadn’t been back to North Falls for some years. He had indeed left after Vaino had continued to keep the carrot of his teachings just at arms length. Silas stared at the falls and thought back on how he had to learn on his own, copying entire books and teachings under the cover of night. How his interest in Vaino’s teaching didn’t lay in the art of healing others. His interest was in manipulation and with each breach of trust Vaino pushed Silas to be more cruel.

Silas remembered discovering that Kavin had created Vaino. Vaino had extensive notes on how he thought the incident had taken course. How he might be able to recreate it. Silas committed every line to memory. As pain, bitterness and rage compounded inside himself Silas became obsessed with getting vengeance. Over several years he would learn that Vaino, Kavin, and two others possessed some other worldly senses they used to manipulate the world around them. He would see first hand their cruelty and disdain for people around them and he would use those moments to feed his own rage.

Silas took a sip of coffee and went deeper into his memories. There was Fasaani. She had come to Vaino’s studio once filled with a bright rage. Silas found her alluring as she burned hotter than he ever imagined. Her anger was unmatched as she crashed through the class to inform Vaino he could not screw her over again. Her finger stabbing into his chest as she showed no sign of fear or intimidation. He recalled following her down the street after she left watching a beautiful flame of rage flicker into the tavern to douse itself with booze. He followed her trying to get near to the flame but not singed by it. It was the first time he had seen rage like his own and he needed to know more. He drank in the corner of the Tavern and watched as Fasaani consumed rum at a pace that would make sailors cringe. She told tales of her cruelty. How she had once forced a family to work for her and they made much better rum. Silas remembered how quickly his infatuation turned bitter with disdain as he heard these stories. She wasn’t like him, she would treat him with just as much disrespect as Vaino or Kavin had. He would finish his drink and leave the tavern that night convinced no creature of their type could be permitted. He was also convinced that to defeat them, he had to be like them.

Silas took another sip of coffee in his chair. He thought about how long it was taking them to figure out North Falls. How frustrated he was they couldn’t pick up clues and how he should have just drawn a Map for Kavin when he had briefly possessed him. All the ancient and mystic powers but no common sense he thought.

He noticed a picture still framed and hanging on the old crumbling wall. It was a simple photo taken some years ago it was of Molly standing in front of their house. The same house he was sitting in now. She looked so happy and embarrassed by their new purchase. Silas stared at the photo remembering Molly. She deserved better, but he needed her. If Silas had learned anything from them it was that occasionally eggs need broken. Molly was an egg. Silas briefly felt a tinge of guilt as he remembered her face the last time he saw her. A pained and sad realization that she was to be used and consumed for his gain. The way it had hit her that Silas never wanted to take her away, but he did want to leave. All of her visions of him being different then the other men, of him respecting her, of her thinking he actually valued her... all would be soon wiped away with one swipe of the knife he was holding. Silas hated this. Silas hated this memory more than anything. He wished he could have manipulated anyone else, but there had to be a genuine love bond for it to work. Silas shook his head and got up from the chair to straighten the picture. She deserved that at least. A straight picture in a crooked house.

Silas let his fingers drag on the wallpaper that was torn and falling down. It couldn’t be long until they arrived in North Falls now. Then he had to set everything in motion to get his revenge. A revenge for humanity. To finally put these things in their place.

Then it hit him. The faintest tingle on the air. Gas with a hint of sage and cedar... it was Kavin. He knew this scent better than any others. Silas drew in a breath to feed on the scent’s information. They were going to be there within an hour or so. It was time for him to prepare. He slurped the remainder of his coffee and walked back to Molly’s photo letting his gaze linger. He gently kissed his index finger and placed it on her lips whispering “I’m sorry”.