Zaramir laughed sharply, "Congratulations," he muttered, finally moving to sit up properly.

  The weaponbearers tensed, taking a hesitant step forward with their weapons inching closer toward Zaramir's chest.

  Everything this man had said carried falsehood, so at least he wasn’t Fae. Leaving the only option that he was a Demon.

  Zaramir could at least be certain of one thing in his rather rapid descent into madness, he could still differentiate human language from Fae.

  Though the mage stood upright, confusion replaced fear on his face, "Congratulations?"

  “You finally did it then,” He stood up as blades hovered just barely from skin. “You finally figured out how to properly break my mind. It's a shame I'll never be able to understand what finally did it, but I figure congratulations are in order,” He clapped slowly, as the weapons wavered. “You did it. Congratulations,” He droned. “So what now? Good old fashioned murder or plan on giving me to the whelps to practice on? Not sure what other use I have to the masters anymore.”

  The supposed mage closed his eyes, releasing a long breath, “Gods damn it,” He muttered under his breath as he raised a hand to his collar where a small stone was sewn into the fabric. “Does anyone know what’s going on with the other Faedemon? Mine just woke up.”

  “Is everything alright?” A small voice demanded fearfully.

  “Yeah,” The ‘mage’ muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “Just… Is Cora alright?”

  “I heard she lost consciousness, but at least she finally healed up. I don’t know if the toxin cleared or not.” The shaking voice replied.

  “Fantastic,” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “Can you wake her up?”

  “I’m not on her care team. I’m working on the others.”

  “Can someone wake her up?”

  The small voice shouted something inaudible before returning, “They said they tried right when she went out, but she wouldn’t wake up.”

  What an elaborate tale they were weaving. It seemed like a great deal of work just to continue the enduring punishment.

  The Demon dropped his collar, as he squeezed his eyes shut tight, “I’m not equipped to deal with this,” he growled under his breath before he finally opened his eyes and returned his attention to Zaramir. “Put the weapons down, morons,” He sighed, eyeing the others. “You aren’t doing anything. He’s clearly not intimidated. Just go get more mages in case this goes poorly.”

  The weaponbearers took that as more than enough encouragement, quickly sheathing their weapons and leaving expeditiously.

  The mage was silent for a good moment after they were gone before he finally spoke, “So you’re insane then, or at least think you are?” He questioned. “Why?”

  “Everyone is human,” Zaramir answered with no reason to lie. Anything he could say they could already read from his thoughts while his mind unraveled, shattering his ability to tell human from Demon

  A slightly bemused smile spread across the mage’s lips as he chuckled softly, “Yeah. Really stupid right? See you can’t possibly be insane if you can even see how absolutely idiotic it was to bring, not one, but two Faedemon’s here. Though, I'm assuming since you think everyone's human, you don’t remember melting half of Cora’s face off the first time you woke up?”

  Must they always insist on sadistic lies?

  “I remember the same room I was always kept in until now it seems,” He replied flatly. “There was only one Faedemon whoever entered and it wasn’t the one you claim.”

  “Hmm,” The Faedemon acknowledged. “Well right now Cora's asleep and I'm really wishing she’d stayed behind to wait for you to wake up like she was going to. Because I don’t know what I could say to convince you that this is reality, the ones were all unfortunately a part of; It sucks, but it’s the truth.”

  Before the argument could continue, the guards returned; this time with others, the resonance of their Sparks almost deafening in the small space.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  An older woman led the charge, dressed far more professionally than the others,her Spark uniquely strong even among them, “You’re awake,” A sympathetic smile came with her words. “I’m sorry Cora’s not here. There was a wolf attack while she was out hunting, but she’ll be alright soon.”

  “Why do you bother with lies?” Zarmair questioned. “What’s really the point? If I don’t believe you, does that really provide the same satisfaction?”

  “You don’t need to be here,” The woman spoke over her shoulder to the tightly packed hall beyond, before she approached Zaramir. “I understand your concern, but Cora once told me you read minds. Read mine, find out if I’m telling the truth.”

  The majority of the group dispersed leaving only the original detail.

  The woman’s thoughts told the same story she did, as he allowed himself into her mind, “It only takes a great liar to hide intent from thought.”

  He couldn't trust himself to recognize truth from lies, especially when the ‘truth’ she was peddling was so shamelessly false.

  “I suppose without true divination that may seem like the likely case. It’s truly a shame Cora isn’t in a state to help at the moment, but I’ll do what I can,” She sighed, as she stood face to face with him. “So how do I convince you?” The question was clearly rhetorical as she turned her attention on the supposed mage. “Can I see your blade?”

  The mage pulled a small knife from his belt silently and passed it over.

  By all accounts the blade was ordinary. Whatever she planned on doing, there was little she could do to him as he kept himself shielded.

  Though as she turned back, the blade turned down instead, its tip resting against the heel of her hand.

  “This is how we prove humanity to each other,” The blade struck downward, piercing the skin. A small drop of blood seeped free as she removed it.

  The wound remained, blood dripping down to pool in her palm as she wiped the blade clean on her sleeve.

  Images could be easily manipulated as they reached him midland, but the smell, that was trickier. It had that sickly sweetness of human blood, the smell growing stronger she returned the blade and took a small rag from the Mage. The basic smell of blood could be faked, but not human blood; not blood with a Spark that strong.

  As she turned back she let the blood pool a moment longer before wiping it away, and holding the rag to the small cut, “ Did that ease your worry. I bleed,” She lifted the rag allowing more blood to seep free, “And I don’t heal, so i’m not a Faedemon. You’re convinced I lie, so you know I'm not Fae. So what other option does that leave, as preposterous as my claims seem to be?”

  A tension wound tight in Zaramir’s chest as the blood dripped to the stone below, unidentifiable in nature, and yet caused every muscle to tighten.

  She was human, that is what the evidence suggested, but it shouldn’t be possible. How could humans manage to take him prisoner, get him away from that place?

  Gods…. What did they lose?

  His voice came out sharp as a masterwork blade, “You’re insane.” Though he didn’t entirely believe his own thoughts.

  “That does, in fact, seem to be the consensus among most when they realize we’ve brought Faedemons into our camp,” She said humorously. “But that means you believe me then?”

  “They’ll have me kill you all,” The painful ball winding tighter in his chest would soon make it hard to speak.

  “They certainly would, if they could find you,” She said in a voice that should have been comforting.

  Why did they have to be so stupid? How many did they lose to bring him here for nothing? How many more were here to lose?

  “Our walls leak Dewsilver,” She continued. “If they even think you’re still alive, they can’t reach your mind or find you here.”

  Zaramir’s eyes flicked to the walls, sparking with silver liquid that dripped between cracks in stone like lightning.

  Theoretically…

  “What do you want with me?”

  “You’re not here as a prisoner,” She tried to assure. “To be frank, you only end up here because Cora wouldn’t let us leave you behind. I know that sounds harsh, but it was hard enough getting our people not to riot when we brought one of you back.

  The tension fizzled away at her words, leaving nothing but cold resignation, “Why are you doing this?”

  She tensed slightly, “What do you mean?”

  “Was that name written somewhere in the place you found me? Maybe you pulled it from my mind while I was incapacitated? But using it isn’t going to convince me to trust you.”

  “I don’t understand,” her face was full of worry as she took a step backward.

  “You wouldn’t be able to understand. She’s…” He clenched his teeth. “They had me get rid of her, before the war.”

  “They made you believe that?” Her voice was soft as she reached a hesitant hand forward.. “No…Zaramir, no. She’s here, alive.”

  His heart skipped, “Where’d you learn that name?” His voice matched hers involuntarily.

  “That’s the name she calls you,” her hand returned to her side.

  “I know,” the words could barely form, and he tried to force away the doubt in the trust of his memories. “That’s the name she knew, the name I told her. No one else would have any reason to care about that name.”

  The woman was silent for a moment before releasing a slow breath, looking over her shoulder, to the mage, “We’re going to go visit the recovery wing.”