Chapter 11: Stir the Waters

The deep and darkening purple sky of dusk veiled Icarus City. A dark figure moved throughout the city's veins, and a bearded man followed. The creature was ash grey and, like all of Draven's creations, a morbid twist of what it was meant to be. This particular creature soared through the city with leathery sheets of skin pulled taught over arms that ended in long bony fingers.

It's hunched back was covered with fur which more resembled spikes or needles. From the front of the fur emerged a head with bulging eyes, large ears, and a nose that seemed to peel back in on itself. All in all, it hardly resembled what it was meant to be which Corin surmised was a bat. A prime example of the twisted lens through which Draven saw the world.

It bobbed and weaved through darkened alleys, clumsily bumping into and lunging off walls. Corin stayed on its trail. As one last desperate move, the monster lunged upwards. In moments it was high in the air. In a few more, chains wrapped around its body, hindering its movements and pulling it back down. The beast slammed onto the concrete bank of one of the many canals that ran through the city. Held down by chains the monster was helpless at Corin's approached. Corin's figure, darkened by the city lights at his back, loomed over the creature. It tussled and toiled. Clawed and screeched, but the chains would not break.

"I know you can hear me," Corin dropped a knee on the creature's chest and leaned in. "Draven." The creature slowly calmed, it's wild eyes became lucid.

"Hello, old friend," the words were gnarled and twisted coming from a throat that wasn't made for such sounds. "Age suits you. And you haven't lost a beat." Corin's breathing broke. The corpse of a chuckle.

"And it seems you've gained a few. You have everyone on their toes."

"As it should be."

Corin narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Draven."

"What I've always wanted. Peace." Draven said. "I want peace."

"You have a strange way of going about it. We were pretty peaceful until you came along."

"That peace was insidious. Like a stagnant pond, parasites were bred. Parasites that use us, like tools, ready to cast us away at a moment's convenience."

"Ahh, So that's it then. It's about the boy."

"He started this, yes, but it's also about us. About all maestro's."

"What are you planning? Draven, why do you want the Exacore?"

Draven chuckled, "to stir the waters, old friend. To stir the waters." The beast fell apart into ash. Corin stared into the endless sky.

"That's not good." An upbeat tune rang broke the silence of the night. Corin pulled out his phone and frowned at the caller ID. It was Victor. Victor never called with good news.

"He wants to destroy it." Corin's voice was low but carried as sure as death in his office. His back was turned to the maestros as he gazed out his window and at the academy below.

"It?" Penitulus asked.

"Icarus City. I believe he intends to use Icarus City as a symbol. If he uses the Exacore on himself, I have no doubt it will draw enough magic to reduce the city, poetically enough, to ashes."

"That would kill him," Penitulus said.

"Believe me," Corin answered, "Draven would have no qualms about dying as a martyr."

"We can try again, there are two other shards, we can-,"

"No," Corin said, "you two should rest, we'll deal with the problem in the morning." Victor, throughout the discussion, was quiet. They took their leave. Corin saw them below, Penitulus jumped and vanished into the stars, Corin doubted he would do as he was asked. Victor stood for a moment and gazed back at Corin before walking away. Corin sighed. The memory of an old friend blurred in his mind.

It was late. Victor's estate was quiet as he walked the long dark halls of his abode. He entered his bedroom and she was beautiful. As always, she slept in the nude. Her body was only partially covered by the bedsheets, and half her was buried in cushions, though the skin the was revealed seemed to glow in the moonlight. He approached and ran his fingers along the soft curves of her waist.

"Long night?" Her sleep rasped voice soothed him.

"Too long." He answered. His wife sat up revealing the other half of her body. Gnarled and forever scarred.