the ghosts of flora wren – Page 3

Eilif: Do you truly believe that there can ever be a world without suffering?

Flora: I believe that a world should be governed on love and trust instead of fear. How long do you think your empire will last? It’s only a matter of time before your tactics of fear and hate keep people at bay. Someday we will free Millhaven from your shackles.

Eilif: [laughs] Who do you presume will lead such an uprising? You?

Flora: Yes.

Eilif: Such a naive little bird you are. Do you know what I do with rebellious idealist such as yourself?

Flora: Your legacy is built on the blood of the innocent. You’ve slaughtered countless, burned their homes to the ground, forced my kind and so many others to hide in the ruins in fear of your wrath. You are telling me all of that is for “the greater good of Millhaven?”

Eilif: You cannot build a world of progress without great sacrifice.

Flora: I don’t believe in your vision, vampire. No good can come of a world that is built on the suffering of others.

Flora: I-I… I don’t have to explain myself to you. You don’t know what those men did to me… I did what I had to.

Eilif: [low hum] What you had to do. An interesting sentiment.

Flora: Do not presume to know anything of my circumstances. I am not a monster, hurting people for my own selfish gain. I’m not like you.

Eilif: [exaggerated gasp] You wound me, little bird. Do you not think that I have done all that I have for the greater good of Millhaven?

Eilif: Those parlor tricks of yours have caused me quite the headache.

Flora: All I have done is defend myself.

Eilif: Defend yourself? Is that what you call melting a man’s face off?

[footsteps]

Eilif: It’s not safe to wander by yourself, little bird. You never know what lurks in the shadows.

Flora: And you would be…?

Eilif: [smirks] How do you do it, alter reality without so much as an incantation?

Flora: You’re Eilif Puck, aren’t you?

Eilif: My reputation precedes me.

Flora: [sighs] I hope that Blaze and Prose are okay… what even happened anyway…? The last thing I remember was… shit. I think I lit their house on fire…

[night sounds]

Flora: [mumbling to self] You’re such a fucking idiot, Flora. You ended up in fucking Littlewater again. Didn’t you learn your lesson the last time?

Rune: [whispers] Get out while you still can.

t̴h̶i̸s̵ ̵i̷s̴n̷’̴t̸ ̷r̸e̷a̵l̶.̷.̸.̴

.̴̟͛.̷̰̭̃̒.̷̣͚̽͌c̶̙̘͝͠o̶̧̮̅̇m̷͙̰̈͑ė̸̱̅ ̴̜̹͝b̴̭͕̆â̷͎̫c̶̩̕k̴̬͍̈̍ ̸̪̀̓F̸͚̈́̆ḻ̵͝ő̴͇͆r̶̗͊ͅa̷̝̻̅͝.̸͚̂̂.̴̦͗̿.̴̡͐

ì̴̬̗t̵̡̰̲̭̺͌́̆̑͘ͅ ̵̝̱̣̼͖̹̗̏̉̓̅̕̕̚͘i̴̜͚͌̂s̵̢̲̼̥̝̿̂̐̈́n̴̰̬͓̒̅’̴̣̤͍͉͙̝̣̰̐̿͋t̴͍̫̙̹̿́͌̀ ̴̤̫̂̈́͑r̸̨̧̺̹͑́̾͂e̷̡̧̞͚̜̾a̵̪͔͎̳͛̎̕͠ͅl̵͇̏